...and if you need to ask which bitch, you apparently haven't been paying attention to my sig. I would suggest, at this time, that you scroll down and check it. Go on. I'll wait.

...

Got it? Good.

Okay, so the truth about me acting like I have a swell head about being back in action is that I'm not really sure how to feel about this, beyond horrified, and I'm not sure what to do about it, beyond what's already been done.

It was cold, today. Now, I don't just mean "I grew up in Texas so once it hits 20 it's cold" cold... I mean "bank signs were displaying -5 to -8" cold. Not a good day for anyone to have to be outside. And of course, I'm out working in it, same as always. Back in Crystal Lake, again (I swear, I need to go back on my own time and figure out what the hell is WRONG with that place). One of the most opulent and affluent parts of town, up north of the limits, but not quite out in the country. The neighborhood is called "Covered Bridges".

It was also my last subdivision of the day. I was cold and tired, and just trudging up those driveways was beginning to wear on me... I had 13 stops to go (great number, right?), and the house in question was brightly lit with Christmas decorations, but the windows were all dark...

I heard the sound of crying nearby as I approached the front door. It sounded like a child, but the sound was distorted, coming as it was from behind the house. I was cold, and I wanted to get done and come home, but I had a feeling of something being terribly amiss, a feeling that was compounded when I heard a chittering sound that was definitely not human or natural animal...and accompanying that sound, the crying increased in pitch.

I didn't need any further provocation. I dropped the package where I was, grabbed out my board, and activated the LED flashlight in it, all while I was already running around the house as fast as the snow and darkness would allow.

The house's back porch was enclosed and dark, but I could hear the crying coming from there, so that's where I went. There was a high-pitched voice saying something about the kinds of things that extreme hypothermia and frostbite do to a body, but the voice rose in pitch to a shriek as I threw the door open.

There was a girl, not much older than 5 or 6, trying desperately to get the back door open, not dressed at all for the winter, and already showing signs of hypothermia... Her skin was pale, she was shaking violently, and it was clear from the way she was trying to grab and twist the handle that she couldn't feel her hands, anymore.

And there on the porch with her was a Gremlin, poking at her with his claws to keep her frightened and active, presumably so she wouldn't pass out and ruin his fun. When the door came open, though, he grabbed the girl and used her as a shield, chittering and barking at me like some kind of dog.

...I'm tired... I'm sorry to cut off here. I'll try to post more tomorrow.

I already had a maternal streak a mile wide. Going through the changes I've gone through certainly haven't LESSENED that one bit.

I stayed where I was, but I didn't remain inactive. I wanted badly to help the child, but first I had to deal with the gremlin. I recognized the kind of creature from my misadventures with Deacon (anyone know what happened to him...?) ages and ages ago... I summoned up a great deal of healing energies, and while the little runt started shouting at me not to come any closer or he'd snap her neck, I began weaving them in a way Gabriel had figured out when we were fighting Dela Morte's forces. I cast a reverse healing spell, and sent it at the imp.

He shrieked in sudden pain, as lacerations opened up on his body, and bones snapped within him. His arms twisted, dropping his hold on the girl. I kept my composure as much as I was capable, and held up my hand, summoning more magic. Green energies gathered into my hand, into a glowing green ball of flame, which I hurled.

The little shit threw the kid into the path of the fireball to save his own skin, which would've had me completely crushed, if I hadn't intended for him to do exactly that. The green flames washed over her, soaking into her body, healing energies warming her and easing her wounds. The gremlin ran, breaking through the porch's screen wall (I have no idea what those things are actually called), and I cast one last spell. When the little bastard was halfway across the yard, a lightning bolt blasted him, violently shaking windows, flash-melting and flash-freezing a spot of snow in the yard, and blowing the little bastard to bits.

As the green flames died away, the girl looked at me in awe, and asked if I was some kind of superhero, and if being the UPS guy was just my disguise. Bit of a proud moment on my part, there. I wrapped her in my coat and took her out to my truck, starting it up to get the heater running. I called the cops, first, then called my supervisor to let him know I'd be sitting here for a bit, and why.

The girl told me her parents had left suddenly on an emergency, and they wanted her to stay at home, but some 'funny dogs' wanted her to go outside and play with them.

I gladly turned her over to the police when they arrived, and took my coat back. They asked a lot of questions, many of which I couldn't answer, but I had some questions of my own. Like, what kind of emergency drew her parents away (something the police asked me, too)? Why, when she specifically said there were five 'funny dogs' was there only one gremlin on her back porch? Where were the others, and what horrible mischief were they up to? Why did they take such a direct and cruel route with the child?

I don't know the answers. I don't really WANT to know the answers. But I guess this means I'm back in action, again. Hunting when and where I can. Because someone needs to, around here...

Got home tonight. One of my roommates just got a new computer for free from Steam, for those of you who know what that is. It's already broken. One of my two guardian spirits confessed she knew how it happened. Apparently, a gremlin jimmied my roommate's third-story window and got in, and tampered with exactly one thing before my other guardian spirit chased it off. It happened while I was at work, while the roommate in question was at work, while the other roommate was working in the dining room on the opposite side of the apartment, and while my boyfriend was out looking for a job...

So, yay. I imagine that begins to answer ONE of the questions I had about this...but it only BEGINS to answer it.

By sticking my neck out, I made myself a target. I'm a bit rusty in all of this, apparently...

I'm setting up a new guardian spirit to cover the apartment as a whole, so my two guardians don't have to try to expand from their custodianship too far...

Doing my best, Hannah. There are far too many people relying on me, now.

And for the record, I can only cast like that when my emotions are high, and I actually let them go through me. I have to stay grounded and consciously aware before I can do anything of the sort.

They've been following me.

Internet's been sporadic. Short answer is "no".

They've been following me, and causing problems. Always minor, nothing even overly dangerous. Just annoying. They're not acting normal for gremlins at all. Feels like I'm losing my mind from paranoia and worry. If it weren't for Chris and Red, I don't know how I would've gotten to work at all this week.

I'll keep you posted.

Tried calling you. Phone isn't working.