This is a series of short stories, detailing the adventures of Chelsea Childling. You can start with her origin story or pick something from the index.
***

The old table in Ma’s kitchen had seen generations of hunters. The rings from countless beer bottles, the burns from endless cigarettes, and the stains from meals long eaten created a tapestry on the very face of the table. Chelsea could almost feel all the people and years looking at her as she studied the recorded lore on La Llorona. “So other than the crying, is there anything consistent with these stories?”

Jim sighed and slumped over his beer. “Not really. Sometimes she kills kids instantly, sometimes she kidnaps them. Sometimes she goes after the parents and leaves the kids alone. Sometimes she lures and attacks single men.”

His sister, Kristin, shook her head. “Some of those stories are over a hundred years old. Who knows what’s true and what isn’t.”

Chelsea scratched her dog’s ears. Bentley leaned in, resting his considerable bulk on her legs. “Your parents? What happened to them?”

The siblings looked to the floor and leaving Ma herself to answer. “Their father was a good man, but he liked women. La Llorona isn’t too fond of men like that. Their mother took exception to La Llorona killing him, cause wanderin’ eye or not, that was her man.  La Llorona drowned her for it.”

Beer to her lips, an idea occurred to Chelsea. “If we can locate La Llorona, I think I can lure her in.”

Jim and Kristin eyed her with identical suspicion, but Ma just cackled. “I’ll make a few calls. Better to get you out on this fool’s errand and back again.” The old woman pulled a cellphone out of her apron pocket and stepped outside.

Jim sipped at his beer. “What’s your lure?”

“Let me make my own calls first.”

Kristen smiled at her. “Cell reception is shit in the house.”

“Thanks.” Chelsea stepped into the late afternoon sun of the desert with Bentley and relished the heat for a moment before heading for her car. She started it for the air conditioning and called Jackson Hawk.

“Well, hello, my little nun. I promise I’m looking hard for Amber for you.”

Guilt assailed her. “That’s not why I called.”

“Oh?” Hope lifted his voice. “Have you missed me?”

“I always miss you, Jack.” She settled in the driver’s seat. “But I actually need your help on a different problem.”

“I see.” Some of the strength left his voice. “Just need some extra muscle on a hunt, huh?”

“No, I need some decent bait for a monster, and you fit the description.”

“Oh.”

Guilt settled under annoyance. “Dammit Jack. Remember when I said that I wanted both you and Amber, and that sometimes, it would just be you and me? Well, this is your time with me. Come and hunt with me… and my partners. Who are the avenging party.”

He laughed then and his normal warm tones came back. “So just you and me and some folks out for revenge?”

She shrugged. “Jim and Kristin are actually pretty cool. And they need our help.”

“You’re speaking my language now. So, what are we hunting?”

“Well, folklore says it’s a ghost, but my friends insist there was substance to the monster.”

“Tricky. Send everything you have to Andy. He’ll get you answers before I get to you.”

“This is why I love you.”

“And here I thought it was my incredible good looks.” He paused. “Where are you anyway?”

“Tucumcari, New Mexico.”

“Hm. Okay. Give me three days. I have to find a ride.”

“How fast can you get to Oklahoma City? It’s only five hours away and I know there’s a haunt there.”

“Depends on the ride. I’m in New York.”

“Go ask Andy for help yourself, then.”

Jack laughed again. “Andy doesn’t drive out of the city, let alone out of state.”

That was news to Chelsea, who had spent most of the summer with Andy in a cabin in the woods, painting portraits of Jackson. “Well, just let know me when you get close to Oklahoma. Bentley and I can get you the rest of the way here.”

“I will. And I can’t wait to really hunt with you.”

“It’ll be a trip for sure. I love you.”

“I love you too and I’ll see you three days or so.”

After they said their goodbyes, she called Andy. “Hey.”

“Hey, she says, weeks after leaving with no phone calls. I’ve been worried.”

“Like you haven’t been tracking my cell.” It was a shot in the dark, but it apparently hit a target.

“And what the hell have you been doing out in the desert? Other than driving around in circles for days with your dog?”

“Hunting a nasty vampire that prowled the crossroads. Now I have a supposed ghost that has enough substance to kill a person.”

“Oh?”

“Jackson is coming to be bait for me and said I needed to send you everything we have in the meantime.”

He gave a theatrical sigh. “I assume it’s all hard copy.”

“Yeah.”

“Girl, we’ve talked about modern hunting methods.”

“And I still don’t have an electrified weapon, so shut it.”

Andy gave a laugh. “Well, get pictures of everything and send it. I’ll call if I can’t read something. How long do we have?”

“A few days until Jack can get here.”

“Not bad. I’ll see what I can find for you.”

“You’re the best.”

“Well aware, Red, well aware.”

“Red?” Chelsea laced her voice with disgust. “You really can’t do any better than Red?”

“Well, you can’t do any better than Jackson and Amber, so I still feel superior.”

Laughing, she hung up on him and headed back for the kitchen. Jim and Kristin eyed her as she and Bentley sat down. “We need to get pictures of all this to my friend in NYC. He’ll do a deep dive for info and I have some bait on the way, too.”

Jim exchanged smiles with his sister. “You’re really gonna do this?”

She sipped at her beer. “I told you I wanted to help. My friends do too. Jackson agreed to be bait and Andy is always happy to tell people how much smarter than them he is. So let’s kill La Llorona.”