"That'll be fifty-six dollars and thirty cents," said the cashier with a smile.
Jason handed over a few bills, replying, "Thank you. Could you send me a message when you get more tea? You have my number." In order to conveniently purchase quality tea, he'd given his phone number to the cashier in this small grocery store.
"I know," the cashier, a plump young woman, smiled back at Jason.
Jason nodded at her and left with his purchases. As he walked away, he overheard someone whisper to the plump cashier, "Are you crazy? You need to keep your distance. Haven't you heard…"
Jason didn't hear the rest. It wasn't that he couldn't, he simply didn't care to. The town's prejudice against him didn't stir any particular emotion in him. He'd encountered situations like this often and always dealt with them nonchalantly. He was always his own person.
"Hey, Mr. Jason... hello!" Suddenly, a voice came from behind him.
Jason turned to see a small boy, about five or six years old. The boy was a bit chubby with cute, curly blond hair, which made him quite adorable and appealing. "May I ask you a question?" the boy asked shyly.
Jason stopped, walked over, and squatted down to the boy's level. "Ask away," he smiled.
The boy hesitated for a moment before asking, "Can you teach me how to catch zombies? People say that you let the zombies out and then caught them. What do you use to kill them? A gun or fire? That's what they all talk about."
"Aren't you afraid?" Jason asked, taken aback by the boy's question.
"I'm scared, but…" the boy didn't get to finish his sentence as someone suddenly started shouting. A woman emerged from a nearby house and began yelling at the boy.
Upon seeing the woman, the boy quickly turned and ran, but the woman caught him. She was in her thirties, thin, with high cheekbones. She forced a smile at Jason and scolded the boy, "I've told you, John, not to bother people." She then took the boy and headed back to the house.
Jason shook his head, stood up, and turned to leave. There stood Chief Louise. She was smiling at him, "Feeling the pressure? Rumors here spread faster than truth. Do you want the police department to issue a statement clarifying things?"
"Only if you're planning to quit!" Jason brushed off her suggestion and started walking towards his car.
Chief Louise followed quickly, "I know you're still angry... I was wrong to treat you the way I did. I just wanted to say I'm sorry."
"You've already said it, back at my house," Jason responded as he reached his car. He nodded at her and smiled, "No need to apologize again. Anything else? I'm planning to go home and make dinner." He held up his shopping bags to illustrate his point.
He was now standing by his old pickup truck. He got in and said, "I think... you should do your job as a police officer, rather than worrying about me. I've lived here just fine, for at least fifteen years. For fourteen of those years, they've seen me as a freak!"
"No, you're not..." Chief Louise began, but Jason had already started the car. He waved at her and drove off.
Chief Louise had been on patrol when she saw Jason. She had also seen the boy being hauled away by the woman and thought she should say something to Jason. Truthfully, without Jason's intervention in the recent incident, it could have been a disaster.
Of course, these thoughts were influenced by zombie movies she'd watched. But Jason's resilience seemed to exceed her expectations. She shook her head helplessly, got back into her police car, and drove away.
Back at his house, Jason saw Lisa standing in the yard. He smiled, not intending to consciously distance himself from the young girl. He pointed at the cabin, "The key is in the flower pot on the porch. Open the door and make yourself a drink." Holding up his shopping bags, he indicated that his hands were full.
Lisa had been feeling resentful, but she knew why she came. She was somewhat surprised by Jason's casual greeting and invitation to enter his home. She had done this often in the past, but after confessing her feelings to Jason, she hadn't had the opportunity nor the courage to do so again.
She almost hopped to the porch, retrieved the key, and opened the door. Jason simply smiled at her enthusiasm. He followed her to the door, entered the house, and headed for the kitchen, mentioning, "There's tea and orange juice in the fridge."
Lisa nodded, took a bottle of orange juice from the fridge, and leaned against the kitchen door, watching Jason busily preparing dinner. "Can I ask you something?" she asked.
"Go ahead!" Jason replied without looking up from his work.
"What if... I mean, if Elizabeth falls in love with a normal person - like a regular human being, could they... have a future together?" As she asked this, Lisa's cheeks began to blush.
While continuing his cooking, Jason responded, "No, it's impossible. Historically, such unions in the werewolf clan have never ended well because...no matter if the partner is male or female, they eventually can't escape death. Even if she can transform into a human, her nature remains that of a wolf."
Hearing this answer, Lisa's heart sank. She sighed and said, "I see. Poor Elizabeth. Is there any way to solve this problem? I think she's fallen for a man. It's very cruel to her."
"Is it? Then the best solution would be to forget that man," Jason said dismissively, "That's the rule of this world, it must be observed."
"I know, I know, but... I just can't bear it!" Lisa sighed, knowing that continuing the conversation was meaningless. She spoke with a hint of melancholy, "Alright, I just wanted to hear your opinion. If that's the case, I'll relay your words to her."
Lisa turned and prepared to leave.
"Lisa—wait!" Jason suddenly called after her, "You just said that Elizabeth has fallen for a man? What kind of man? Can you tell me?"
Lisa brightened, thinking that Jason might have a solution. She turned back, walked over, and recounted their encounter at the movie theater. She shook her head and smacked her lips saying, "That man was a true gentleman, a real gentleman. He may seem a bit rigid, but he gives off a comfortable aura."
"A gentleman?" Jason couldn't help but laugh, "Alright, I've heard enough." He then resumed his work.
Lisa was taken aback, was that it? She felt somewhat unsatisfied but hummed, turned, and left. It appeared that Jason wasn't omniscient. There were things he couldn't solve. Poor Elizabeth, she thought.
Once Lisa left, Jason furrowed his brows. Werewolves weren't supposed to develop romantic feelings for normal humans. Not just because their clan could cause fatal harm to ordinary people during mating, but also because werewolves generally only developed romantic feelings for their own kind.
Could there be another werewolf clan in Laredo?
But if that man was also from a werewolf clan, Elizabeth should have been able to sense his presence, instead of having Lisa come to ask him.
A gentleman in his thirties? Jason thought, holding a meat cleaver. With a single stroke, a chunk of beef was split in half.