Marked, Soul Guardians Book 1
Page 62
Robins chirped and flew in the warm May breezes. Flocks of them fluttered and swooped down onto a manicured lawn. With their red bellies exposed they stood straight and proud. A male robin with his vibrant colors jumped suddenly and poked his beak into the ground. With sharp pulls, the robin yanked a large brown worm from beneath thick layers of grass and swallowed it whole.
Kara smiled. She knew that seeing robins was a sign that summer was near. And that also meant school was nearly over. She could finally concentrate fully on her presentation package for the Dawson College art program that started in the fall. Her work needed to be outstanding to qualify for the program. They accepted only the best, and Kara believed that she was one of them. Her high school teachers had praised her strange demonic-looking paintings. They told her she had raw talent, and they believed she had a real chance to be accepted.
Kara breathed in the fresh warm air through her bedroom window. A few clouds peppered the blue sky. Kara imagined them to be great big eagles chasing each other across the sky.
The robins fluttered away. A young couple walked up the street holding hands. They kissed and the girl giggled excitedly. Kara watched them with longing in her heart. They were disgustingly happy in love. It oozed off them as they stared into each other’s eyes. Her ache deepened. How she wished it were her. Although she was seventeen now, she was still unmistakably single. She wished to find that special someone some day, hopefully before she turned forty. She watched the young couple disappear around the corner.
Kara let out a long sigh. She wouldn’t let her feelings get in the way of this perfect day. She’d have tomorrow to feel sorry for herself, she decided. Kara laughed. It was a beautiful day; a perfect day to spend outside on a park bench and read a great book. Saturdays were ideal for going down to the used bookstore she loved. She thought maybe a nice book on birds would do—or maybe that hardcover edition of The Wizard of Oz she’d been dying to get a hold of.
But that wasn’t the only reason she wanted to go to the bookstore. She needed a job. She had to save money to go to college, and she figured she might as well get a job she’d enjoy. Besides, she practically lived at that bookstore; it was like a second home to her. And Mr. Patterson had kindly insinuated that he needed help the other day. Kara decided that she would be the one to help.
She pushed off the window-sill and skipped over to her closet. She pulled open the doors and poked her head in.
“Mom! Where’s my black shirt!” yelled Kara from inside her closet. “I can’t find it anywhere? You said you washed it.”
“It’s in the dryer,” Kara heard her mother’s muffled voice coming from the kitchen.
After a few minutes of rummaging through the dryer, Kara pulled out her favorite black v-neck t-shirt. It was more like dark grey now, she realized, but she didn’t care. It was the most comfortable shirt she owned. She covered her face in it and sniffed. She smiled. It smelled like lavender. She pulled the shirt over her head and dashed towards the kitchen.
Her mother stood by the sink. She stared out the window while she did the dishes. Her face looked peaceful. Her large brown eyes sparkled, and somehow she looked younger. Maybe it was the way the sun illuminated her face. It must be that.
On her tip-toes, she leaned over and kissed her mother on the cheek. “I’ll see you later. Gotta go.” Kara sprinted out of the kitchen and headed towards the front door.
Her mother turned. “What? Where are you going?” Greasy water dripped from her hands on the black and white linoleum floors. “Will you be back for supper, Kara?” She called and wiped her hands on her jeans.
Kara pulled open the front door. “I don’t know. Going to the bookstore. Love ya!” she called back, and closed the door behind her.
She flew down the two flights of stairs, through a small dingy lobby, and finally out through the apartment building’s front door. Glad to be out of the stinky cigarette smell from the lobby, Kara breathed in the sweet aroma of the two lilac trees that stood by her building. The deep purple blooms gave off a rich scent. She would cut a few branches for her mom when she got back. They were her mother’s favorite. Warm air brushed her cheeks. She breathed it all in.
Kara strolled down the sidewalk and crossed to Saint-Marc Street. Shoppers already scurried up the street with large bags dangling from their arms. Everywhere she looked shops lined the streets. Green, red, blue, and yellow doors stood ajar, inviting the curious shoppers in. Paul’s Pet Shop came into view, and Kara stopped to admire the golden retriever puppies in the bay window. As usual, the window next to it demanded her attention.
The large metal cage took up the entire bay window. Inside the cage was a small brown monkey with a shriveled black face like a dried plum. It was the same monkey she’d passed everyday on her way to school, and on her way to the bookstore. His yellow eyes always gave her the creeps. It was as though he was trying to communicate something to her. The monkey was the owner’s pet, and everyday he would place the cage in one of the two bay windows at the front of the shop. Strangely enough, the monkey would spend the day making obscene gestures to the passersby. At first, Kara thought he was cute and friendly, so she had poked her fingers through the bars to pet him—and had yanked them back quickly—after he had bitten them. She never cared for him since.
And now he climbed up the walls of his metal prison and pushed his face between the metal bars, screeching at Kara, demanding her attention once again.
“What is it with you and your bad attitude?” said Kara to the monkey. “You know, if you tried to be a little nicer, I might give you some chips.” Kara tapped her front pocket.
The monkey’s wet yellow eyes glared at her. He squished his little face into a scowl. He pursed his lips—and spit.
Kara stepped out of the way. The spit splashed onto the sidewalk. Kara laughed. She had recognized his spit-face, since he had spit on her before. She had told herself then that she would never let him do that to her again. Now she had been prepared. Soon, she would get him back.
“You see? Now why did you go and do that? You nasty little bugger.” The monkey seemed angry that he had missed her and started to howl and rattle his cage.
Crazy beast, Kara smiled as she passed by his cage, ignoring his wild tantrums.
The smell of burning incense filled her nose. Kara looked to a great red door that was kept open by a tall stack of books. A peeling wooden sign with painted red letters read, Old Jim’s Bookstore—her new employer.
With a grin Kara leaped onto the street, her eyes glued on the bookstore, and ran into someone.
She jumped back and yelped in surprise. She looked up. A handsome young man stared back at her. He had disheveled blonde hair, a gorgeous face and strong square jaw. A brown leather jacket covered his strong shoulders. He wore a pair of shabby blue jeans with a white t-shirt. His was fit, an athlete, Kara thought. He regarded her with piercing blue eyes, the kind that forced Kara to look away.
“Sorry,” said the stranger with an amused grin. “Didn’t see you there.”
Kara’s heart caught in her throat. Where had she heard that voice before? Her eyes went to his face again. Goose bumps spread over her entire body. She started to shake. That face looked familiar to her. Who was he? She couldn’t stop staring, and when the stranger smiled at her, she looked away abashed. Her cheeks burned. She knew she was blushing.
“Do I know you?” The stranger took a step forward. “You look really familiar. Have we met?”
Kara’s jaw was glued shut. She couldn’t speak. Her skin tingled.
Kara stared into the face of the young man she had just met, but somehow she felt she’d known him all her life. It was as if he had come from another life at a different time. She felt the blood rush to her face again, but she didn’t care. She couldn’t keep her eyes off him. She couldn’t understand what was happening.
“How can I forget such a babe?” The stranger raked his fingers through his hair. “Man, this is going to sound really weird … but … I feel as if
I know you. I’ve seen your face before. But it feels like more than that—like I’ve known you all my life.” He scratched the back of his neck and laughed softly. Color flushed his cheeks. “Whoa. I sound crazy.”
Kara clasped her trembling hands behind her back. “You’re not crazy. I … I … feel the same as you, as if I know you already,” she said finally. “This is pretty weird.”
The stranger sighed in relief. He threw out his hand. “I’m David … and apparently a little crazy.”
David, Kara repeated in her head. Somehow she already knew his name. She pressed her hand in his. “I’m Kara.”
David squeezed her hand gently, but didn’t let go. His skin was warm, and Kara felt shivers down her spine. His touch was electrifying. Kara flinched involuntarily. Her heart pounded painfully against her chest. She was sure David could hear it. But he still didn’t let go of her hand.
“Kara,” David repeated and stared at her. He stood there searching her face, and Kara was frozen in his gaze, but unwilling to move, for fear she would wake up from this dream. It was a dream, wasn’t it?
David shifted his weight. “Are you going somewhere, Kara?”
Kara’s mouth opened, but no words come out. Embarrassed, she clamped her jaw shut again. She felt David’s warm fingers press against her skin. Somehow it felt natural to her. After a moment, she gently removed her hand from David’s grip and pointed to the bookstore. “There … I’m going—I was going to the bookstore.”
David looked over to the bookstore and then back to her. “Mind if I come with you? I’m not much of a reader, but something’s telling me not to let you out of my sight. Like I need to keep you safe.”
Kara’s heart skipped a beat. Something was telling her the same thing. A powerful feeling to watch over him came over her suddenly. It didn’t make sense, she knew. How could this be happening? But she didn’t’ care. This felt right. David felt right. She couldn’t explain it. It was a feeling deep inside her. She knew she was supposed to be with him.
Kara smiled up at him. “Sure. But I’m positive I can find something for you to read.”
David chuckled softly. “I doubt it. Reading’s really not my thing—I’m more of a video game kinda guy.”
“I had a feeling you’d say that.”
David kept eyeing Kara with a cocky expression plastered all over his face, as though he had won a prize. She rather enjoyed his attentions, even if they were a little overconfident. Somehow Kara felt complete.
They crossed the street together.
Kara smiled.
This was the best day of her life.
SOUL GUARDIANS
* Book four *
NETHERWORLD
KIM RICHARDSON
Netherworld, Soul Guardians Book 4:
Copyright © 2012 by Kim Richardson