I was so preoccupied with Chloe that I failed to notice that the two girls from the gang remained behind. Well, at least until I felt the taller one grab me from behind. She placed a hand over my mouth and placed a knife at my throat.
"Listen, you little puta, " she said angrily. "I know you got some kind of magic power and shit. Say the wrong thing and I'll slit your throat before you finish your magic curse."
I looked at her with wide eyes.
"Oh yeah, I know it was you. I'm not as stupid as Marco. I was watching you, and you mouthed something just before that bitch went psycho. Not words, but you were silently moving your lips while you were thinking. That is a bad habit. Might want to work on it before it gets you into trouble. Well, more trouble," said the girl in a Hispanic accent.
I silently cursed myself for my bad habit.
"What do you want?" I mumbled under her hand.
She removed her hand. "What was that? Couldn't hear you. But watch what you say. If you even think the wrong thing I'll cut you before you can finish. I got a deaf cousin so I learned to read lips."
"What do you want?" I repeated slowly and carefully.
The girl smiled. "Now that's more like it. What do you think I want? I want to be like her. "
I was horrified. One rampaging monster was bad enough, but two would be a disaster.
"Maria, we don't have time for this bullshit. That beast will be done with Marco in a minute then she is gonna come after us, " said the other girl. She was a short Hispanic girl, a little obese, with long black hair.
"Listen to your friend. You better go before you get hurt. Besides, you don't want to be like that. Look at her. She is a monster!" I said.
The girl chuckled behind me. I could feel her breath against my ear. "You are a fool, puta. You see a monster, I see someone with power. Someone who does have to depend on foolish men for protection. Someone who does not have to worry about being raped or hurt. Yeah, I definitely want that. It's worth the risk. And if you were smart, you would give it to me. Before I get impatient," she said thrusting the knife close to my neck. "How did you do it?"
"I don't know, " I lied.
Maria thrust the knife against my neck, drawing blood. " Tsk, tsk. Don't lie to me. I saw you wish her bigger. I can read lips, remember. I guess it doesn't really matter to me how your magic works. Just wish me to change like she does, and I'll let you go."
"Maria, we have to go," said the other girl with fear.
"Shut up you little whiny bitch. Stop being such a coward. Now do it," said Maria, pressing the knife against my throat.
I sighed, and made the same wish for Maria, that she would grow bigger - taller and more muscular- whenever she got excited, like through fear, anger, stress or whatever. And that she would return to normal size when she calmed down.
I justified it with the belief that maybe she and Chloe would stop each other. Or that maybe I could just use another wish later to stop her.
After I was done, Maria tightened her grip on my throat.
"What gives? I don't feel nothing," said Maria angrily. I could feel her hands stretch larger around my throat.
"Maria, you are getting bigger, " said the other girl.
Maria let go of me and began to inspect her body. "Good work, amigo," she said happily. She began to shrink as her anger faded.
"Hey what gives?" she said angrily, then began to swell larger.
"It only works when you get excited or angry. When you are calm or happy, you return to normal, " I said.
"Like the Hulk, " she said happily. "I like that. Smart."
She shrank down to her normal size. She walked in front of me and I saw a tall statuesque thin Hispanic girl with long black hair. She was almost six feet tall, with long gangly limbs and a narrow waist. She could have been a model, if it weren't for the many tattoos adorning her body.
"Now do me, " said the other girl.
Maria chuckled. "Don't even think about it. We only have room for one Queen around here. I don't need the competition."
She raised the knife threateningly at me. "Wish that you couldn't make anyone else could be like us."
I happily complied. Two monsters were more than enough. But the other girl looked sad. Maria walked away, towards Chloe.
"What are you doing Maria?" asked the girl.
"I am too happy. I need someone to make me mad so I can have a little fun. And that big bitch looks like just the one to do it. I need to take care of her anyway. Only room for one Beast around here, right amigo," said Maria.
She walked towards Chloe, slapping herself. Maria slowly started to grow.