Intangible

by DelSheree Gladden

  I nod. “I have so little time left to learn what I need to learn. I’m afraid I won’t be able to master my powers in time. If I can’t, everyone between now and my birthday who tries to train me will be at risk. There’s no way I can be responsible for so many deaths, not if I can prevent it.”

  “How do you plan on preventing it?” she asks. Her head tilts to one side as she regards me closely.

  My hands twist together painfully. I breathe in slowly and release it even slower. “I want to take Molly with me.”

  Mrs. Britton’s entire body goes still. She isn’t breathing or blinking. I stare, waiting for some kind of response, fearful that the conversation is already over.

  “What?” Mrs. Britton demands.

  The anxiety comes rushing back in, but I refuse to back down. “I know how scary that must sound, but …”

  “You want to take Molly away with you when you leave?” Mrs. Britton says. “She won’t be safe!”

  “She will,” I say quickly. “You know she will. Every Caretaker in the country is focused on making sure the Sentinels never find me. Every family we go to will take the most extreme precautions possible. I know you’d do anything to protect Molly, but being with me is the safest place she can be right now.”

  Mrs. Britton stares at me, furious yet unable to argue.

  “Mrs. Britton, Molly is a good teacher. If I have any hope of mastering my power before my birthday, I need her with me. I can’t afford any delays. You’ve taught Molly well. She’s my best chance at getting through this.”

  “But, I’m responsible for her safety,” Mrs. Britton says.

  I meet her eyes with all seriousness. “If I don’t learn to control my power, maybe Molly won’t be hurt, but so many others will be.”

  My words finally seem to start sinking in. I can see the fear and anger etched in her features, but slowly her body straightens. The intensity that was cloaking the room only a few seconds ago lifts. I watch in fascination as Mrs. Britton’s chilly demeanor cements itself back into place.

  “If you insist on this course of action, you may take Molly with you when you leave.”

  Stunned by her quick mood change, I stumble over my words. “But, you mean you’re just… you’re letting me take her?”

  Mrs. Britton glares at me. “I just said that, didn’t I?”

  “Yeah, but a second ago you were pretty against the idea. Now you’ve changed your mind?”

  “There are too few Caretakers left to put so many at risk. You’re right. What else do you want me to say?”

  My mouth opens and closes, but I don’t manage to say anything for a moment.

  Folding her arms across her chest, Mrs. Britton looks at me carefully. “I don’t relish putting Molly at risk, but I must do what is necessary, just as you must.”

  “Is that really all you care about? Fulfilling your purpose?”

  Her patronizing expression instantly grates on my nerves. “I do what I think is right,” she says.

  Shaking my head, I stand up and turn toward the door. “I’m going to go find Molly.”

  Saying nothing more, I leave the room and seek out my pint-sized friend.

  I don’t have to go far in order find her. Molly latches onto my hand as I turn the corner and starts hauling me off to the backyard. As soon as we make it outside, Molly’s questions burst out of her. “What did she say? Can I go with you? Is she going to make me stay here? I hope I get to go. Please, please, tell me what she said!”

  Laughing, I pick her completely up off the ground and drop her into one of the patio chairs. Molly giggles and wiggles until she gets herself straightened out. Her wide eyes stare up at me brimming with both hope and fear. I take a breath and hold it, waiting to see if she will indeed explode if I don’t tell her. I can only hold back until her feet start kicking back and forth and her fingertips have turned a bloodless white.

  “You’re coming with me Mollywog.”

  Molly leaps off the chair and starts bouncing and darting around like a little pollywog on speed. She’s nearly as slippery as a wet pollywog when I try to grab hold of her. Until she cinches her arms around my waist, anyway.

  “Thank you, Mason! Thank you!” she cries.

  I can’t resist hoisting her into my arms and hugging her fiercely. “Thanks for being brave enough to come with me.”

  “I’m not afraid to go,” she says, the words muffled as her head is squashed against my shirt. “It’s staying here forever that scares me.”

  Setting Molly back down on the chair, I sit down next to her. “I know you’re excited to go, but it won’t be like a trip to visit another Aerling for a play date.”

  Her heads starts bobbing up and down like she already knows everything I’m about to say, but I cut her off before she can say anything. “Molly, the Sentinels are very dangerous. They will kill you and me without a second thought if they get the chance. They’ve almost killed me twice now. As careful as you are already, you’ll have to be three times more careful one we leave, and when we’re being transferred, don’t let go of my hand for any reason. Got it?”

  This time she nods more gravely. “I won’t let go,” she promises.

  Bundling Molly into my arms one more time, I hug her tightly. Mrs. Britton is wrong to doubt how strong she is.

  For a long while, Molly and I sit out on the porch despite the chill in the air. As if her promise has already gone into effect, Molly keeps a tight hold on my hand the entire time. It’s the most relaxed I’ve felt in weeks. Slowly my eyes start to drift closed. I tell myself I should get up and take Molly inside, but the exhaustion of the nightmares that continue to plague me nightly, combined with not having Olivia nearby to stop them, catches up to me before I can listen to myself.

  The darkness that surrounds me isn’t immediately frightening. The stars above my head are beautiful, so much so that I stop to look up at them. They are so clear that I have a hard time believing this is a real place.

  A noise from behind me pulls my eyes away from the stars, but the source of the noise is hidden by the darkness. I almost ignore it and look back up at the stars. A second noise follows. The quick swish of steel sliding from leather sends a chill through me. I duck a second later, falling and watching the flash of a blade slice above my head.

  Only her small cry alerts me to her presence as Molly tumbles to the ground after me. When we hit the hard earth beneath us, her hand slips from mine and I hear her scream. Frantic, I stumble to my feet. My eyes scan the ground, but the absolute blackness hides everything.

  Desperate for help, I scream for Olivia. I beg her to find me, to help me find Molly, but somehow I know it isn’t time yet. She isn’t here because she doesn’t know where I am. I scream for her again, pleading.

  The knife flashes, cutting into my side because I’m not fast enough to avoid it. Olivia has to find me! Warmth seeps through my clothes and begins running down my leg as I stumble away from my attacker. Olivia’s name is torn from my lips again, but even as I call for her, I know she isn’t here. It’s too soon. The Sentinels found me too soon.

  “Mason?” Molly’s sweet little voice calls out, breaking the spell of the dream. “Are you okay? You fell asleep. I think you were having a nightmare again.”

  Shaking my head, I let go of her hand and rub mine against my face as I try to clear the images from my mind. Molly reaches out for me gently. I can see the worry in her eyes along with fear. Knowing I’m scaring her by not answering, I force myself to sit back and put my arm around her shoulders.

  “Sorry. Just another nightmare. I’m okay.”

  Molly’s head tilts to one side as she looks up at me. She seems confused for a moment before saying. “You’re lying. It wasn’t just another nightmare.”

  Surprised, I pull away enough to look at her straight on. “Huh?”

  She shrugs. “You know it was different than a regular nightmare. You said nightmare different than usual.”

  “What do you mean? How did it sound
different?”

  “It wasn’t the sound.” Her face scrunches up as she thinks. Suddenly, her eyes pop open wide. “It felt different! The way your voice feels when you speak felt different.”

  “The way my voice feels?”

  Molly nods eagerly. “Yeah, you know how when people talk you can feel their words in the air?”

  She looks at me so expectantly that I hate to disappoint her, but I have no idea what she’s talking about. When I shake my head, Molly seems confused.

  “You can’t do that?”

  “Nope.”

  “Oh,” she says, “I thought all Aerlings could feel people’s words in the air.”

  I smile, once again thinking that Mrs. Britton has no idea what she’s talking about when it comes to Molly’s power. “I think you just discovered another talent. Aerling Lie Detector.”

  “Really? You think so?”

  I nod, hoping this will distract her from the original conversation, but I am not that lucky.

  “What was the dream about?”

  Apparently, lying to Molly won’t get me very far. I have no choice but to tell her the truth. “I have a talent I haven’t told you about yet, too. Sometimes my dreams and nightmares come true.”

  “And this was one of those kinds of dreams?”

  I wish it weren’t, but I nod slowly.

  “What did it show you?” Molly demands.

  “It showed me that the Sentinels are going to find me before my birthday.”

  Chapter 9

  Coincidence

  (Olivia)

  The longer I don’t hear from Mason, the crabbier I’ve been getting. I drag myself into my first hour class wanting to be anywhere else. When Hayden walks through the door, I put my head down on my desk and hope he doesn’t talk to me.

  I thought for sure that Mason would feel what happened when I tried to connect with him. I hoped he would find a way to contact me, but I haven’t heard from him. The anxiety plaguing me due to knowing that Mason will be sent to a new Caretaker home tomorrow isn’t helping.

  The soft caress of Hayden’s hand on my shoulder nearly makes me jump out of my seat. His already worried expression deepens. “Are you okay?” he asks.

  “Fine, just a headache.” I pick my head up, but slouch down in my chair, hoping that will be enough to convince him I’m not going to faint or vomit or something.

  Hayden frowns, but takes his seat behind me as our teacher stands up and starts yammering on about the day’s lesson. I sigh, remembering the days when I actually paid attention at school and got good grades on my own. Most of my teachers are giving me a lot of leeway right now thanks to everything that’s been going on, but I know I need to start taking school more seriously soon or I’m going to be in trouble.

  Or, I’ll just go to the Aerling world with Mason.

  That would certainly solve my school problems.

  Closing my eyes, I admit that it would bring on a whole host of other problems. Problems I am undoubtedly unprepared for. I wish I knew what was waiting for Mason back in his world.

  My mind begins to wander over the possibilities, and soon, I have missed the entire lecture once again. The ringing of the bell startles me into sitting back up. I rub my eyes and sigh. When I open them again, Hayden is standing in front of me with a frown that isn’t going anywhere.

  “I’m not buying the headache story. Come on,” he demands.

  He doesn’t give me a chance to refuse before grabbing my arm and hauling me out of my chair. I barely get all my stuff off the desk before being yanked to the front of the class and out the door. By the time we make it to the hallway I have a handle on myself, somewhat, and dig my heels in.

  “What is your problem?” I pull out of his grip and glare at him.

  “My problem?” Hayden asks. He shakes his head. “My problem is that you are falling apart.”

  Looking away, I say, “I am not.”

  Hayden’s rolling eyes says exactly what he thinks of my response. “Look, I get that what happened to you—everything that has happened to you—has been incredibly tough to deal with. I can’t even imagine what it must have been like to be attacked and hurt the way you were.” His hand drifts up to touch where the half-healed cut on my upper arm is hiding under my sweater. “I understand that you’re having a hard time, but I can’t sit here and watch you give up on everything around you. You’re stronger than that.”

  “Am I?” I snap. I pull away from his touch and meet his eyes angrily. “How do you know how strong I am? What if this is all too much for me? You have no right to say that I should be able to get through this. Maybe I don’t want to be okay. Maybe I don’t want to be here! Is it so bad if I want to get away from the reminders of him?”

  I gasp in a sob and turn away so Hayden won’t see the tears forming in my eyes. I just want him to go away and leave me alone. I don’t want his sympathy or compassion. Why can’t he just let me disappear back into the fog of students to muddle through the next few weeks without being studied and worried over?

  So much of me wants to lash out at Hayden, but when his arms close around me from behind, I don’t pull away. I turn into his embrace and sob. Hayden’s hand strokes my hair softly as I cry. I can’t pull away from him. I’m so scared that I can’t stand it. My whole body aches being away from Mason, but I can’t have him. I don’t want to make Hayden think there is more between us than there is, but I feel so alone right now.

  Slowly, Hayden pulls back and forces me to meet his eyes. “By him, you meant the guy you’re in love with, not the guy who attacked you. Right?”

  Maybe I should be surprised that Hayden saw through me, but I’m not. Somehow he always manages to know what I don’t want to tell him, what I’m feeling and thinking. My head nods quickly before ducking back down in embarrassment. It’s one thing to crumble to pieces over being attacked twice and watching your attacker be killed by your best friend. Becoming an utter mess because I can’t be with Mason and don’t know where he is right now is another thing.

  Hayden sighs, but there is a certain lightness to his embrace. Curious, I look up. The barest hint of a smile on his lips confuses me. He looks down at me seeming both relieved and sad. “Well, that actually makes a lot more sense,” he says.

  “It does?”

  “Yeah, actually.” Hayden loosens his hold on me, but only as far as letting one arm fall away. The other one stays draped around my shoulders. When he leans back against the wall, he takes me with him. “I’m sorry if I made assumptions about what you were going through, Olivia, but I really am worried about you. You are strong, despite what you might say.”

  I shake my head, but Hayden keeps talking.

  “After you were mugged in the park, you bounced right back. I knew it shook you up, but you refused to dwell on it. You’ve always been like that, ever since I’ve known you.” One corner of his mouth turns up. “I know you knew the other kids in school thought you were weird. They made fun of you a lot when we were younger, but it never bothered you. You were your own person and no one else was going to change that. I admired that about you.”

  I consider telling him that most of that was probably due to the fact that I was fairly oblivious to anyone who wasn’t Mason, especially when I was little, but I decide not to burst his bubble. I could use someone who doesn’t think I’m a total loon right now.

  “Anyway,” Hayden continues, “that’s why I was so concerned about how you’ve been acting. It just didn’t seem like you to turn in on yourself so much and blow off everything.” His eyes darken as he looks away from me. “I thought maybe more had happened to you than what you told the police. I was afraid …”

  “Hayden,” I say quickly, “it wasn’t anything like that. I promise.”

  It takes a moment, but eventually Hayden calms back down. “Thank you. I needed to hear that.”

  I’m a little shocked by the intensity of Hayden’s reaction to the idea of me being more hurt than I actually was, but I’d be lyin
g if I said it wasn’t reassuring… and kind of nice.

  “So,” I say, “me falling apart like a basket case makes more sense because it’s over a guy? So much for being strong, right?”

  Hayden laughs. “No, it makes sense because I have no doubt that you are the kind of person that when she gives her heart away, it’s for keeps. I know there’s a lot of history and stuff involved in your relationship with whoever this guy is that you’re not ready to tell me about, but it’s obvious that you really love him. Whatever he did to hurt you, it’s going to take a while to get over.”

  “That may be an understatement,” I mutter.

  “Even so, you can’t let everything go because of this guy. I won’t let you.”

  Laughing, I ask, “How are you planning to stop me?”

  “I’ll show up at your house and make you do your homework. When your homework is done, I’ll drag you out of your house where you’ve been hiding and force you to play basketball with me. I’ll convince your dad I’m up to the task of protecting you so you won’t have any more excuses not to go out with me… as friends, for now.” He pokes me in the center of my chest. “I’ll do whatever it takes. And if you know anything about me …”

  “… which isn’t a guarantee,” I say.

  “… you know I’m persistent.”

  That is certainly true.

  I know deep down that this is a good thing. I really need someone to kick me back into gear before I lose everything I’ve worked for in school. It’s also a very scary thing, though. More than anything, I want to go with Mason back to his world. If I’m being honest with myself, though, I know there’s a possibility that won’t happen. I may die, but I may just end up back here in the middle of my old life. If that happens, I would hate to know that I pushed away my only other friend.

  I’m not sure I know how to manage this balancing act with Hayden. I love Mason. I know I always will, and I would never choose to leave him. Hayden is a good friend, though. I think I need his help to survive until Mason’s birthday. I just don’t know how to accept it without getting tangled up in something I don’t know how to get out of.