Lilah would have much rather stayed home. By the end of the day, she knew she would only be bored and exhausted with nothing good to show for it. Her mom didn’t like to buy anything fun. Ever. Since she knew there was no way out of helping, her plan was to sneak as many snacks as she could get away with getting her mom to buy.
They went to the first store in the next town to begin shopping for supplies. Abby was on a mission as though she were going to feed an army. Every cashier kept asking if they were having a party. Her mom would play it off so innocently and easily saying that she had family coming in from out of town to visit for a few days, or some other explanation that came easily for her. Her mom was an expert at thinking of a cover off the top of her head. She should be with her centuries of practice.
They went to over a dozen stores total in several nearby towns. Every couple of stores, they would have to return to Fairview to unload the car to make room for the next haul. It took them all day to finish shopping and stocking the house. Loads of paper goods filled every closet. The deep freezer was packed. The kitchen cabinets overflowed, and staples had to be packed away in boxes on every surface available.
By the time they were through, family had already begun to arrive. Uncle Brian and his wife Marie were first. Lilah hadn’t spent much time with them up until now. Before long, some of her favorite cousins Claire and Michael, and Sara and Gene were there. They helped put away items and inflate the air mattresses her mom had purchased for when they ran out of beds for the new arrivals.
They had begun to hand out room assignments. Two couples would each share a bedroom while Uncle Todd, Sara and Gene stayed in the attic. Lilah would share her room with Maddie when she arrived. This was all she needed to hear. Maddie had been the youngest in the family line until Lilah was born. She had been ordering Lilah around her whole life because Lilah is the only one young enough for her to treat that way. She’d rather give up her tiny bedroom altogether and join the others in the attic, but not before Maddie arrived. She was going to enjoy the private room until then.
After the last load, they came home to a delicious aroma stemming from the kitchen. Claire had made her famous clam chowder. Lilah wasn’t hungry. It was the second time inside of a day she felt that way which would usually be very alarming except she had been snacking since leaving the restaurant begging her mom for something at every store. Still, there was no way she could resist something that smelled this good.
Lilah sat in the front room letting others do the work for a change. She had unloaded the car enough times for this visit. While she sat, a small silver car came up the driveway, so she moved to the window for a closer look. There was no mistaking the man who got out.
“Uncle Todd!” Lilah bounded out the door and down the steps. This had been the one and only thing she was looking forward to about coming here. It had been too long since she had last spoke to him in person.
“Hey, runt!” he teased, picking her up in a tight hug.
“Where’s dad?” Lilah looked at the empty car.
“Sorry. It’s just me.”
“I thought he was with you.”
“He was. There was still a little bit left to do. Myles stayed to finish up and told me to go ahead and leave.”
Lilah was disappointed her dad wasn’t with him, but it was made up somewhat by being able to visit with her uncle again. They walked inside to join the family in the kitchen.
All of them sat for hours after eating, talking and catching up. There really was no need to ever catch up in their family. Everyone could always easily know what another was doing or going through. It was merely a polite formality on the rare occasion they visited with each other that they did it. Tonight they were just trying to keep their minds off of anything except for the questions that no one had any answers to yet.
It was getting late, and everyone was starting to think about turning in for the night when Uncle Joseph and his wife Leona arrived. Some of the elders and older family members adjusted to the changing times over the centuries better than others. Joseph and Leona were not amongst them.
Uncle Joseph found room at the table to squeeze in a couple of chairs. His wife set about getting them a meal because there was nothing left of the clam chowder. They never had a quick bite to eat. She always made him a full meal as had been the traditional way of the time when they were born.
He greeted everyone and checked that they all had safe journeys. Again, questions that were asked only out of polite courtesy, not necessity. Once the formalities were out of the way, he began the deep conversation.
“Has anyone been able to garner anything from Marcus or Leena?”
The group replied no or shook their heads in a round robin. The last anyone had heard from Marcus was weeks ago shortly after he called for them to come together.
“Has anyone else tried?”
The response was the same. They wouldn’t be able to pick up on Marcus. He was an Element which meant he was invisible to anyone’s abilities. Leena was as well for she were Marcus’ human match which was the equivalent of a soulmate except that matches also gained immortality as well as the rest of the powers of Air. They could easily read the minds of anyone else in the family who wasn’t actively blocking their thoughts except for those two.
“He will contact us in time,” Abby said measuredly.
“Marcus has never been silent this long. I’m afraid something has happened to him.”
No one looked at Joseph. Everyone had thought this at some point themselves. But what could have happened? The four Elements could not die. They were spiritual creatures. Marcus’ descendants did have the luxury to enjoy immortality provided they were careful because there were ways their life could end. A handful of them have passed on. It was an unanswered question as to whether Leena was also completely safe from death as she was not an Element herself, but as his match, she may also be able to be spared. It was a question no one ever hoped to learn the answer to.
“I’ve been trying everything to find a way to locate him,” Todd told Joseph.
“It’s not enough!” Joseph yelled and slammed his fist on the table.
The outburst took the family by surprise. Joseph was normally quiet and gentlemanly. This was out of character for him.
“Marcus is my father…” Joseph whispered, and you could hear his voice cracking.
“Our father,” Todd interrupted.
Joseph nodded and rubbed his hand across his forehead. “Yes, our father. What if something has happened to him? And so close to the Return?”
“Like what?” Lilah asked innocently.
Her family glared at her, but she wasn’t entirely sure why what she had asked was so wrong. Nothing could happen to Marcus.
Lilah looked at them like they were overreacting and said, “Even if something happened, he would heal. Leena would be able to communicate with us. I agree with mom. He’ll contact us in time.”
Joseph’s head was still resting on his hand. He lifted it slowly and looked at his brothers Todd and Brian. “Aye, but what if he’s been detained?”
“Detained?” It was Sara who voiced how baffled she was by Joseph. “What do you mean detained?
“Captured,” Joseph told her dead faced.
“By who? Why? And how would anyone be able to block his ability to communicate with us?” Sara was getting very worked up.
“Maybe if he were-”
“Even if he were unconscious, we still wouldn’t be able to sense him. It’s not like it is for you or me, but Leena would be able to reach us.” Sara didn’t let him finish. “Someone would have to know who Marcus was and would have had to devise a way to block his thoughts externally or medically or in some I don’t know what kind of way!”
The family sat in silence. Some agreed with Sara, but a few wondered if it were possible to accomplish.
“Maybe they did!” Joseph fired back his face reddening.
Sara took several deep breaths trying to calm herself, but it di
d no good. “Most of the world doesn’t believe there are people with the natural ability to see into the future. Who would believe there’s an entire race of ancient immortal shapeshifters with virtually unlimited psychic power?” she rambled sarcastically. “Think, Joseph! Think.”
“Other Elementals know about us,” he said without missing a beat.
“Witches,” Lilah muttered under her breath.
“Exactly,” Joseph said pointing at her. “Witches-“
Abby cut him off this time, “Enough!” She shot him a look that warned him he better watch what came out of his mouth next. “We have no reason to think something is wrong. Witches or no witches, why would anyone want Marcus? Or Leena?”
“You know damn well what the reason is, Abby. It’s the one thing we’ve feared almost our entire lives of people discovering about us.”
Everyone quieted again. They were all thinking it, but it looked like no one was going to say it out loud. People had been searching for the fountain of youth almost since humans first appeared on earth. If anyone learned that their essence was it, they would be guinea pigs who would never leave the science lab again.
“Okay, Joseph, you’re right. I won’t rule out the possibility that something has happened to them. I just don’t think it’s the most logical solution.” Abby was trying to keep the peace.
Joseph seemed satisfied that she acknowledged it was at least an option. “We need to try to be proactive,” he told them. “I have no doubt something big is headed our way. It’s the only reason we would be summoned like this. We need to be prepared.”
“How do we prepare when we don’t know what we’re preparing for?” Gene asked him.
“Prepare for everything.” Joseph was serious.
“It’s late,” Todd spoke before anyone could object to Joseph’s apocalyptical strategy. “Some of us have traveled quite a bit more than others in the last couple of days. We’re all exhausted. Before we start making plans to go to war against unknown forces, why don’t we get some rest. Maybe sleep will help us all think a bit better in the morning.”
The family murmured their agreements and one by one headed off to their rooms including Lilah until only Todd and Abby were left. “Have you heard anything?”
“No,” he answered.
“Well, no news is good news, right?” she put on a fake smile that quickly faded when she saw the look on his face.
“Not necessarily, Abby.” Todd’s face was racked with worry.
“What’s going on? What aren’t you telling me?
“I’ve heard nothing of Water for months. It wouldn’t be a concern because that alone isn’t highly unusual. I haven’t been able to get ahold of any of my Fire contacts for weeks. It’s like they’ve gone radio silent as the old saying goes.”
Abby tried to understand what it could mean. “Do you think they are plotting something? Either of them?”
Todd glanced at her, and she knew that he was as lost as she by the look in his eyes. “I really can’t say. I want to say no. What would be the reason for there to be trouble? But the reality is our groups have barely had an acquaintance for four centuries now or more.”
“When all the Elementals were hunted,” she looked off, remembering the stories she had been told.
“Not all,” Todd corrected her. “We weren’t. We were the only ones saved from the wrath of the time.”
“You think this is some form of revenge?”
“Now? After all this time? I don’t think it makes sense, but I can’t be sure. Earth insisted we distance ourselves when the witch hunts were in full force for our own safety. Plus, almost all of the witches who were murdered weren’t real witches anyway. It was just an over-precaution or in most cases, an excuse to get rid of an enemy, whether they be personal or business. Regardless, Earth escaped pretty much unscathed only suffering some fear and future precautions from the ordeal.”
“Then why?”
“That’s what I’m saying. I don’t know. None of us do because the Elementals have kept their distance from each other for so long. I can tell you that I haven’t been able to track down Luke for over a week. And Meredith…”
Abby gasped, “Is she okay?”
Todd and Meredith had long been close. “She’s MIA as well. The only people I’ve been able to communicate with as of late are our family. Not a single one of the other Elementals has answered my calls or returned my messages. But Meredith? Well her family is just down the road. She should be here.”
“Maybe she’s with Luke.”
“Yes, of course, but why are they ignoring me?”
Abby’s eyes danced with mischief, but Todd didn’t seem to understand her reaction to what he had asked. “Well, when a man and a woman love each other very much…” she elaborated.
Todd closed his eyes and begged her to stop. When he opened them again, she was forcing her smile down. “Are you finished?”
Abby bit her lip and shook her head yes.
“I wouldn’t worry about their silence because, yes,” he emphasized, “sometimes couples need to be alone. This has been going on since Marcus first called for us. Then add their silence to everyone else’s, and it’s alarming.”
Abby knew he was right. Most of the groups did stay fairly separate. There were exceptions of course all over where different Elemental groups got along and coexisted. Air was the exception. Their family had the fewest numbers, and they kept primarily to themselves.
Todd had contacts everywhere. Since the middle ages, Todd had wanted to say on top of any developments with any of the other groups.
“You think whatever is coming affects us all then?” It was something that had been gnawing at Abby since before she left Florida.
“Either that, or it’s caused by one of us. Maybe more than one.”
“Why would there suddenly be a fight between the Elementals?”
“The Return,” Todd answered as though it were obvious. “It’s less than a week away.”
Abby looked up out of the corner of her eyes. “But we’re not the problem in the Return. Why would this affect us?”
Todd leaned back and stared at the table. “Abby, I know no more than you do now. It’s a hunch. The timing is too coincidental for it not to be connected to the Return.”
She didn’t want to admit it, but it had been on her mind as well. The Return always weighed heavily on her thoughts, on everyone’s thoughts because there were so many unknowns concerning what would happen if the Return was ever completed. It did seem to be connected somehow.
“We should get some sleep,” she told him when she couldn’t think of anything more productive to say.
Todd agreed. Abby headed to her room. He went toward the attic stairs, but never went up. Instead he quietly headed down the back stairs into the kitchen where he continued to try to find answers well into the early hours of the morning. He thought no one was aware of what he was working on because he blocked his thoughts, but he also paid no attention to the others in the house in his distraction.
Lilah had still been awake when he quietly passed her room. She snuck down and sat a few steps from the bottom of the narrow staircase trying to gather any information she could. Her mother was keeping something from her. She could feel it. There were too many shared looks amongst her family, and there had been too many times the conversation seemed to be quieted on account of her. She intended to find out the truth one way or another.
She kept her mind as quiet as possible hoping that nothing would give her away. Her uncle sat at the table and began making phone calls. He was leaving one voice message after another. Lilah didn’t recognize any of the names he was saying. Whoever her uncle was calling wasn’t family, and she couldn’t yet read him to find out who these people were.
“Hey. Meredith, when you get this, call me. I’m worried. Neither you nor Luke have answered my calls for days.”
Lilah did know Meredith. She was the witch who was friends with her uncle. They had even met a coup
le times. She had never heard anyone talk about someone named Luke before now. ‘He’s probably a witch, too,’ she thought before quickly clearing her mind again thankful her uncle didn’t notice her.
The calls continued. Todd must have left a couple dozen messages before the kitchen grew quiet. Lilah was about ready to try to sneak back upstairs before her uncle came through the slightly cracked doorway and found her as she assumed he would probably head to bed soon. Then he started talking again, and Lilah wasn’t sure if it was to himself or if he finally managed to get an answer.
“I’ve tried everyone. I can’t get ahold of any of the vamps.”
Lilah gasped, and that was enough to give her away.
Footsteps approached, and her mother tore open the door to the stairs. “What are you doing here?” her mother was livid.
Lilah hadn’t heard her mom come back down. She jumped to her feet filled with surprise and stood eye to eye with her mom. “What does Uncle Todd mean by vamps?” Lilah fired back.
“Nothing,” her mom told her. “Go to bed.”
“I heard him…”
Her mom stopped her. “Camps. He said camps. You’d have heard it clearly if you weren’t trying to eavesdrop through a practically closed door.”
“Camps?” Lilah asked more to herself than to her mom. ‘Maybe that is what he said,’ she thought.
“Yes. Exactly. Bed. Now.”
Lilah walked up the stairs. Her mom was too angry for her to try to press for information tonight. It would have to wait. She wanted to know what her uncle meant by camps. He had to know more about what was coming then he had let on at the table earlier.
She walked into her room and laid on her bed. The only thing she could think about was what did her mom and uncle mean by camps. It didn’t make sense unless there were known enemies somewhere lying in wait. If that were the case, the family should be working on some sort of defense strategy.
The only other possibility would be a quasi-refugee camp. If there were any family members in that kind of trouble, they would surely be helped by now. It only left the witches. It didn’t make sense they wouldn’t come together to help them if they were in need.
Air: The Elementals: Book One Page 4
