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Being reunited with Jules was magical, especially the part where she found out Jules’ cancer treatment had been successful. Suddenly remembering their shared history while Jules stood before her in a leather jacket with her hair pulled back in a coif, on the other hand, had been the most stunning punch to the gut Maria had ever experienced. They had spun each other around and Maria had kissed Jules with all the force of a brahmin kick while tears soaked her face and streaked her mascara. She’d found her way home.
Some months later the two of them stood on an embankment together to survey their latest gig: a tidy farmhouse where a yao guai had taken up residence in the basement.
“So, do we kill it down there or try to get it outside?” Maria pondered.
Jules popped her bubblegum and answered “Guess we’ll see.”
The floorboards creaked when they entered the house and something large stirred below. Quietly they took up positions near the cellar door, with Jules poised with her cowboy rifle directly across from the door and Maria to the side of it. At Jules’ signal she pushed the door open and they peered down into the dark. The smell of the wild animal made Maria’s hair stand on end.
They heard rustling and heavy breathing followed by a growl. Maria crept down the stairs with her back to the wall, pistol at the ready. Her heart was pounding. When she cleared the corner the yao guai was on its feet sniffing the air in her direction. As soon as it saw her it’s low growl became a roar and it charged.
Maria yelped and fired two shots that lodged in the yao guai’s shoulder. She tried to retreat back up the stairs, lost her footing, and fell face down on the stairs. The yao guai was shouldering it’s way toward her and Maria thought she might be done for as she tried to find her feet. She might have been if Jules wasn’t there.
“Stay down!” Jules called from the top of the stairs and Maria flattened herself as best she could. Jules fired and hit the yao guai between the eyes and the beast reeled back. Two more shots and it crumpled unmoving at the foot of the stairs.
Jules helped her to her feet. “Are you hurt? That was really close,” Jules asked, worrying her gum between her teeth.
“I’m fine, I’m fine,” Maria assured her and dusted off her shirt. She was shaking with enough adrenal energy that she felt she could have wrestled the creature had it still been alive. “That was fun, you are amazing.”