My spirit was floating. I could see her below me looking peaceful as she slept. The room was pitch black except for a soft glow from the moon. Suddenly, her face became distorted, and she looked terrified. She rapidly tossed and turned with sweat beginning to pop up on her forehead. She caught hold of the blankets and sat up, gasping for breath. She ran her delicate hand through her damp hair and clutched her chest, like she was afraid her heart would fly out. My own chest tightened, because I wanted to hold and comfort her. If only I could. I reached out, knowing she wouldn’t be able to feel my touch and slowly ran my hand along her face.
She calmed a bit. She seemed to sense I was near. Then…she whispered, “Mr. Sexy? Are you here?”
My heart almost stopped. How….there was no way she would be able to detect my presence. She was human and humans couldn’t observe us.
“I may be crazy and just talking to myself, but I feel like you just touched my face.”
My heart did stop this time. I slowly reached out and touched her face again, my thumb tracing circles around her chin. She gasped and reached her hand to mine. She was touching her face, but at the same time I could feel her.
“I know you’re here. And I know you will keep me safe. I don’t like Aiden. I just wanted a date to the dance and now I’ve made a mess of things. I’m not going with him. I wish I were going with you.” She dropped her hand and lay back. I sat and watched her for a long time, making sure she wasn’t invaded with more nightmares.
Olivia
I hadn’t slept well at all last night. Mr. Sexy had become such a part of me from dreaming with him every night that not having him was difficult. I felt like a drug addict, and now I was having withdrawals.
I don’t know what happened, but I had an awful dream. Aiden was there. It was at the dance, and he had become this evil, distorted person. Terrible things happened. There were fires and explosions. I was horrified in my dream.
I wasn’t into Aiden, even though I originally said I would go with him. It seemed like a bad decision, because now it was clear he was the type to not take no for an answer. Goosebumps covered my arms as I recalled the awful dream. I wrapped the blanket around me tighter and decided I didn’t want to go to school today. I didn’t know what exactly was happening, but I didn’t feel right. I trudged up the stairs to my parents’ room, my legs not wanting to walk because they were so weak. I knocked. My mother called and said one second, and I could hear her fumbling around in the room. Odd, she usually said come in immediately. She opened the door and looked pale. Perhaps she was sick too.
“Momma, I don’t feel very well today. Can I stay home from school?”
Her hand went to my forehead, checking for a fever. “Oh, dear, you are burning up. No school indeed. Go back to bed, and I’ll be in shortly with some medication.”
I insisted my mother and father go to work. Mom was unsure, but she finally caved and left with instructions to call if I needed anything. The fever must have risen. I was in and out of delirium the rest of the day. I kept seeing Mr. Sexy and Aiden fighting. I was having strange cravings. And I saw myself…with some kind of powers. That was the strangest part. I had the ability to touch someone and see their whole life. Past, present, and future. The fever must have been really high, because my mind was going crazy. I briefly remember Juniper calling to check on me, but I couldn’t recall what was said.
I sensed Mr. Sexy there. I croaked out, “Mr. Sexy, what is wrong with me?” Of course he couldn’t answer, but the question was meant more for the universe anyways. I could feel his spirit lying beside me, his hand caressing my face and checking my fever. I felt like I was on fire and threw the blanket off.
I didn’t know why, but I could know when he was with me. The air was thicker and warmer where he was. I wasn’t sure if his spirit could even get warm, but that’s the best way I knew to explain it. I could also feel his love radiating. The thickness and warmth of the air was nothing compared to the pure joy I felt when I looked in the direction of his spirit. The main question I had is why in the world could I sense him? And why didn’t I before now? It had only been the last two days that I felt him, but he told me that he was around a lot of the time. Maybe there was something wrong with me. I wrapped the blanket back around me, because now I was freezing. Suddenly, I knew someone was in the room. And I knew it was Sadie. “Hey, Sadie.”
“Olivia? How did you know it was me? How did you know I was here?”
“I dunno. I’m super sick, Sadie. Am I dying?”
“I sure as hell hope not! I’m here because my brother is freaking out, and I have to calm him down.”
Freaking out? Oh, great. Was something wrong with him, too? I tried to sit up but got so dizzy that I just fell back on the bed. “What’s wrong with Mr. Sexy? His spirit was just here. I felt his presence.”
“You felt his presence?” She looked a little more than panicked.
“Yeah…is that bad?” She paced the floor with a worried look on her face. What was going on? Her hands were fidgety and she kept biting her lip. She finally pulled out her phone and texted someone. My guess was Mr. Sexy. “Sadie?”
“I have to go. I just wanted to make sure you were ok. Rest and we hope you feel better soon.”
And she was gone, just like that. She was getting really annoying leaving abruptly. Though, I was jealous of her abilities. She didn’t even give me a chance to reply or say bye before disappearing.
Scott
Something was very wrong. Strange occurrences were happening. I sent Sadie to check on Olivia because I was convinced she was dying. I thought The Crimson Calamitous had poisoned or cursed her. I didn’t expect the information Sadie came back with.
She popped into our kitchen, with an angered look on her face. “Why didn’t you tell me Olivia had powers?” She asked, slamming her hand on the counter.
What in the world was she talking about now? “What? She’s human. How could she have powers? Come on, Sadie.”
“I don’t know, but I can see her aura now. And I’ve never seen one like that. I don’t know what it is. She’s not a sorcerer is all I know.”
Oh, crap. Sadie could see Livvie’s aura. A sorcerer couldn’t see someone’s aura unless the person was a supernatural being.
“Oh, and she said she sensed your presence. What the hell?”
“She told you that? She’s talked to me the past two days when I espied her. She never noticed me around before, so I don’t know what’s happened. Sadie, I think The Crimson Calamitous has done something terrible to her.”
“Maybe so, but I definitely think something unnatural is happening. I can only guess what. I think you need to call Grandma.”
Before I could agree, she vanished. She really wasn’t one to stick around for longer conversations. It was weird to me because when I found out I was getting a sister, I thought she would want to talk all the time. Not Sadie. She talked very little. She was always blunt and to the point. It was nice, though. I never wondered what she was really thinking or needed to pull information out of her. And she was usually right. I definitely needed to call Grandma. She would know what to do.
###
Grandma insisted I go to her immediately. I decided to pop over, although I didn’t particularly like the process. I wasn’t great at it and it tended to make me dizzy. I arrived in her kitchen, my favorite room in her house. It was warm and comforting, like her. She had a sort of old fashioned kitchen with antique appliances and the gorgeous old oak table I sat at so many times before. I stood for a few minutes catching my breath and allowing my body to adjust. Then, I sat at the spot she prepared for me. Muffins and tea were spread out on the table. Grandma always had something sweet around her house, just like the dress shop.
“Hello, little one.” She placed her hand on my shoulder in an attempt to comfort me.
“Hey, Grandma. Have you figured out anything?”
“Yes, I think so. I’ll have to talk to your sister to be sure, but I have a few theories.�
��
“Why didn’t I see her aura, Grandma? I was espying her minutes before Sadie popped in to check on her.”
“Well, dear. If she really is your heart mate, and I think she is, then you won’t be able to see her aura. Ever.”
Wait, what? I just looked at her, letting the confusion speak for me.
“I know. It seems odd, but let me explain. You see, some sorcerers have fallen in love with our enemies and not known it. If they had been able to see their auras, then they probably would have destroyed them and in effect, destroyed themselves. You know how connected heart mates are. It would destroy the sorcerers they were meant for also.”
“Are you saying Olivia is an enemy?” I barely choked it out.
“What? No. I’m just explaining why you can’t see her aura. I don’t know what’s going on, but she’s some sort of magical being if Sadie can see her aura.”
“She can feel my presence when I observe her, too, Grandma.”
Her mouth fell open. I knew that would shock her. “Really? Then she’s connected to sorcerers, in some way.”
In some way was the part that scared me.
“I’ll do some more research, ok? We will figure this out, little one.” She patted my hand and went to make more tea. We somehow ate all the muffins and drank the tea in the short time we sat there. Glancing at the clock, I realized we had been talking for almost two hours. Time flew when the topic was serious. I took my plate to the sink. I needed to do something productive. I must save her from the evil bastard. I didn’t know what would happen when he found out she was magical. “Grandma, have you researched The Crimson Calamitous any?”
“Yes. I don’t know what spells will work from the inside out. I think…you’ll need to do something in his dreams that will make him destroy himself. I believe that’s the only way.”
Destroy himself. Now we were getting somewhere. “Alright. Can I borrow a few books?”
She nodded, and I left to go to her library. She owned more books than anyone I knew. She possessed a ton of magical volumes, too. I walked in and went directly to the far wall. Behind the Shakespeare section, there was a button to release the trap door. Grandma couldn’t leave the magical texts out in the open for everyone to see. A lot of human friends would come over because she was a member of the gardening club, and she ran a book club.
The trap door opened into a lair of sorts. It was covered with shelves. Each one held ingredients for potions. There were shelves lining one wall. They were all full of our history, spells, and myths. In the middle of the room was a long table, holding a few ledgers and some pens. It looked like Grandma had been copying spells. She had been around for so long the bindings wore out. Every century or so she rewrote the pages. They became smudged or torn, and we couldn’t risk losing the information. I moved a chair so I could sit in front of the bookshelves. I spent the next few hours poring over them, searching for an answer.
Olivia
The last two days had been pure hell for me. The fever consumed me all of Monday and most of Tuesday. I was in and out of delirium, not knowing what was real and what wasn’t. I vaguely remembered speaking to Juniper. And Sadie dropped by, but I didn’t remember what all happened. My parents had been concerned, but I was still angry with them. I hadn’t let them dote on me more than needed. But I must go back to school. If any student missed Wednesday or after, he or she wouldn’t be allowed to go to the dance. I didn’t want to miss it.
So today I must gain enough strength for school. I still felt weak, but I felt surprisingly strong, too. I had a never ending appetite the past couple of days. My mother didn’t say much, only stated it was part of growing up. My father, the silent type, sat and shook his head when I told them about it.
I was walking to school today since it was just about a mile away. I had thought the fresh air would do me good after being ill. I hadn’t heard from Aiden since Sunday night when I told him he couldn’t come see me. Sadie hadn’t contacted me any more either. I only felt Mr. Sexy’s presence once yesterday. It seemed everyone was abandoning me, and it wasn’t a good feeling.
I walked up to the school’s court yard. There were a few trees and some benches for lunching and lounging. I wasn’t feeling very strong after that long walk and decided to sit a few more minutes before heading to my locker. I saw a movement behind the tree to my right, and I noticed Aiden hiding there. He was watching me with a scary look on his face, but he seemed excited about something. I lifted my hand to wave. He turned and walked away without even acknowledging it. I wanted to hurry after him but the bell was about to ring, so I needed to go inside.
Juniper was waiting for me at my locker with Mark at her side. Hmm, I liked the look of that. Maybe they would finally see they were perfect for each other. She squealed when she saw me and ran towards me, her arms open wide for a hug. As soon as her skin touched mine, it happened. It was almost like an out of body experience, a movie going on that only I could see. I saw Juniper as a baby, small and cuddly in her mother’s arms. I saw her walking, talking, us meeting for the first time, the first day of every school year. Her whole life was passing, including the moment we were in. But then…then I saw her in that gorgeous black gown we had bought on Saturday. Her throat was slit. She was dead.
I gasped and jerked my body back. Mark was watching me carefully, his gaze not on my face but above my head. I thought that was an odd spot to stare. Juniper interrupted my thoughts with her yelling. She looked concerned and kept asking me what was wrong. I just witnessed my best friend’s death and was in a panic. I couldn’t breathe, gasping for air when everything went black.
###
I woke up on a hard table in a dimly lit room. A woman, who I assumed was the school nurse, stood in the corner making notes. She was short and round, an older lady probably in her sixties. She looked motherly and kind. I glanced around the room, realizing I’d never been in the nurse’s office before. It was small with light pink walls. There was a cabinet in front of me that held bandages and medications. The bed I was on was fairly high off the floor with a soft pillow to compliment the hard surface. I groaned when I tried to sit up.
“Oh, dear, you are awake. Do not try to move just yet. Get your bearings.” Her voice was filled with concern.
I nodded ever so slightly and mumbled, “What happened?”
“Well, you fainted. I’m not sure why yet. I have called your parents, and they informed me you were ill and missed school. I think you probably shouldn’t have walked here today. You will miss first period, but I think a snack and some juice will make you stronger for second period.”
I nodded again. I fainted and now I remembered why. Hugging Juniper caused a gruesome sight. I saw my best friend bloody and dead. I shuddered at the thought. The kind nurse helped me into a sitting position. It happened again. I saw the nurse lying in a hospital bed, looking very old and small, with needles and tubes coming out of various parts of her body. I jerked my head as she turned to walk to the sink. She brought me a small cup of orange juice and some crackers. I ate and drank slowly, careful not to make myself any dizzier.
“Olivia, you will be fine. After you’ve eaten, you can go to class. I’d like you to find a ride home from school though, alrighty?” She gave me a sweet smile and tried to pat my hand.
I jerked my arm back, shocking her with the quick movement. She looked at me curiously but left the room. I finished my snack and slowly slid off the table, worried about what the day would bring.
I got to lunch without any other spectacular events occurring. I avoided touching anyone, just in case. I got to the cafeteria and selected a sandwich from the line. I went to the table where Juniper and Mark sat with worried looks on their faces. I slid my body into the bench and looked at them both expectantly. “What’s up, guys?”
“Liv…are you ok?” Juniper asked. “You really worried me earlier.”
Juniper’s face…it crushed me to see her so concerned. “Yeah, the nurse said it was because I walked to
school after being sick. Do you think you could take me home?” I asked her, hoping that doing something productive would help her concern lessen.
“Of course. She’s probably right. That wasn’t your best idea,” she said with a chuckle.
I sighed. She was acting like Juniper again, so that meant she was ok with everything and didn’t suspect that my fainting had anything to do with her. I glanced at Mark when I noticed he wasn’t talking. He was staring above my head again. I self-consciously slid my hand on top of my hair, checking to make sure it wasn’t sticking out or something. “Uhh, Mark…is there something wrong with my hair?”
“No, sorry, I was just lost in thought. I guess your do got in my space,” he said teasingly.
I could tell he was trying to brush it off, but I didn’t buy it. Something very strange was taking place in my world. I looked around the lunch room, expecting Aiden to be rushing to my side any moment. He wasn’t here. I saw him momentarily before school, and now he was absent. I tried to not let it concern me, but he acted odd. It shouldn’t matter if he was here or talked to me, but I felt an odd draw to him. “Is Aiden not here?” I asked them, turning back towards them.
“No, he wasn’t in last period,” Mark said.
“Weird. I saw him this morning. He’s been so excited about the dance. He won’t be able to go, right?”
“Really? You saw him? That’s strange. All of my teachers say Wednesday or after absences are a no go. I thought you two were going together.” Mark looked so confused.
I nodded. It was unusual indeed. I didn’t know what to think about anything anymore. “I told him we weren’t going as a couple, but we were planning to hang out some while there.”
“Maybe something happened,” Juniper piped in.
I shook my head, saying, “I don’t know…he seemed…happy this morning. He was hiding behind a tree, though. That was a little peculiar.”
The White Aura (The White Aura Series) Page 9
