Aegis: Catalyst Grove

by Nathan Roten

  “You ok, amigo? You look like you have seen a ghost.”

  “Shhhhhhh,” replied Graham. He waved his hand dismissively at Damien, trying to focus on Chase’s reply.

  “I am doing just fine. Cavaness has helped me immensely. It was hard at first, but over time, I learned why I was having them in the first place. Once I knew that, I was able to cope. I haven’t had one in over five years now.”

  Olivia stood up and placed her hand on Chase’s shoulder. “That is lovely, dear. Just wonderful. I am glad to hear it. You gave us all quite a scare over the years with the screams and cold sweats.” She walked past Chase, placing her cup of tea on the large marble countertop to the left of the fireplace. Once placed, she made her way to the large portrait over the mantel.

  Chase watched Ms. Winstone as she placed the cup down and walked over to examine the portrait of Mr. Alexander. The cup of tea and matching saucer teetered on the edge of the countertop. He watched the swaying cup as gravity overtook it. The tea fell over the edge and began to spill.

  It must have been at least fifteen paces from where Chase was sitting to where the tea cup was falling, but in a single blurred motion, Chase ran over to catch the cup, placed it back on the countertop, and returned to his seat before the next word could come out of Ms. Winstone’s mouth.

  “Oh, my!” said Ms. Winstone, turning. The force of Chase’s rapid movement caused a breeze to run through the room. “There is a draft in here. Did you feel that?”

  “No, ma’am. Not a thing.”

  Graham and Damien stared at Chase with wide eyes and wider mouths.

  “Impossible,” said Graham. “I could hardly see him move, but I know he did. No one can move that fast.”

  “Este es loco! How did he do that?” replied Damien.

  He is like me, Graham said to himself. The nightmare, the unexplained ability; I have to talk to him! Graham stood up from his kneeling position and began to walk into The Commons. “I’ve got to talk to him right now.”

  Damien reached for Graham. “Eres loco?! Get back over here! You are going to get us caught!” Despite his best effort, Graham was out of reach.

  While still in mid-conversation, Chase twisted his head towards Graham’s direction as if he had heard their conversation. Graham froze. Within a millisecond, he saw the same blurred movement and the door slammed shut in front of him.

  “What on earth was that?” said Ms. Winstone, startled by the sudden noise.

  “I don’t know,” Chase spread his hands. The door back there slammed shut. I suppose the draft you mentioned earlier created a cross breeze through here and caught the door.”

  “Strange. Very strange. Are you sure? We have had a few incidents with children sleepwalking during the night. I’d better go check.” Ms. Winstone left the portrait and walked over towards the Parlor Room door.

  The vision of laundry duty for the next ten years ran through Graham’s mind. They looked at each other with their hearts pounding in their chests. Their guts sank and they were both paralyzed with fear.

  “We are sure to get caught this time,” whispered Damien.

  As Ms. Winstone’s hand grasped the doorknob, Chase intervened.

  “It was nothing. I happened to see it slam shut from the corner of my eye. I am confident it was just the wind.”

  Chase stood up. “I think I’d better call it a night. Thank you very much for the tea and conversation. It is always good to see you, Ms. Winstone. Thank you for your dedicated service to both myself and to the children of Greenwood. This place is one of the few beacons of light here in Portfield.”

  “How very nice of you to say. Thank you, Chase. Be safe in that house. Oh, and please give my best wishes to Cavaness when you see him at Wellington tomorrow.

  “Yes ma’am. I’ll be sure to pass along the message over lunch.”

  Ms. Winstone and Chase both continued into the hallway until they disappeared around the corner towards the front door.

  Graham and Damien took this as their chance to get back upstairs. They ran into the hallway and up the stairs, being careful to listen for any other footsteps along the way. They quickly made it back to the entrance of Graham’s section.

  “I’m going to Wellington tomorrow, even if it means I am to do laundry for the rest of my life,” said Graham.

  “I’m coming with you,” replied Damien. “After what I saw tonight, there is no way I am missing out on this, even if it means more drama.”

  “Tomorrow, then,” said Graham.

  “Tomorrow.”

  CHAPTER SIX

  An Invitation

  Graham and Damien stood at the edge of the forest. Graham gently punched Damien’s shoulder.

  “You ready amigo?”

  Damien looked back at Graham. “From what I saw last night, I want to see this guy just as bad as you do.”

  “Ok, then. Let’s get a move on.”

  The two set off into the woods. They jogged through the forest, ducking under branches, hopping over logs and zig-zagging through the foliage. The two never had so much fun together.

  “I can see why you come out here. It is amazing!” said Damien.

  Twenty minutes passed by before they came to the large stone arch. It towered over Damien as he stood in its massive shadow, his mouth open in awe.

  “What in the world is that?”

  “I am not sure, exactly. It looks like the remains of some sort of building. I don’t know how long this has been here, but it looks ancient. If I am not in Wellington, I am here.”

  Damien walked over to the arch taking in the beauty of the structure. It stood probably twenty feet tall with large stones stacked in random order. The lush green moss hung over it like a shawl, and the sunlight gave it a life-like glow.

  “Who in the world would have built this thing in the middle of the woods like this?” asked Damien.

  “I dunno. Someone who wanted to have it to themselves, I guess,” replied Graham.

  The two stared at the arch for a few minutes until Graham punched Damien’s shoulder again as he said, “Better get a move on. We don’t have long. This Chase guy said they would be there during lunch. I hope we haven’t missed him.”

  The two picked up their pace and made their way past more trees, down a bank, around a large cluster of rocks and over a small creek. Every so often Damien would notice a small ragged piece of white cloth tied to a tree branch as they passed by. After crossing a small creek and sidestepping a large cluster of rhododendron bushes, they found themselves on the edge of Wellington.

  Standing at the backside of Building 14, Graham began to give the layout of the Market to Damien. Pointing to the left, he began with Ms. McKay’s stand, then worked his way down the line. Pointing slightly to the right, he said, “That is where we are going to start. Collin’s Cafe. There are only four places to eat here, and Collins is the most popular.”

  Graham took hold of a metal rung and told Damien to follow. “Usually I go all the way to the top of a good view, but we need to be able to get down fast, so let’s go to the first story balcony.”

  As they climbed the metal ladder and stepped out onto the balcony, Damien ran his hand up and down one of the gargoyles.

  “Wow. These look so real.”

  “Come on! We don’t have time to look at these,” Graham said, fully knowing how enthralled he was the first time he saw them.

  Graham pointed across the street to the patio of Collin’s Cafe.

  “Start looking over there. You know what Chase looks like. The only description I have of Cavaness is that he very large with a black goatee.” Pulling his binoculars from his back pocket, Graham continued. “I will check down here at O’Mally’s.”

  The two looked intently at the crowd of people eating lunch. Many were almost finished and were taking a stroll up and down the cobblestone road to let their food settle.

  “Come on, come on, come ON!” Graham mumbled. “You’ve got top be around here somewhere.”

 
“Graham, look!” yelled Damien. A tall thin man in a long coat was walking into the Cafe. “That looks like Chase!”

  It was hard to see his face with all the umbrellas set up in the patio.

  “Maybe,” said Graham. “Let’s see if we can see his face as he walks out.”

  The two waited for a few minutes in anticipation as they watched the man walk in through the line, order a drink, then make his way out to the patio. He was just at the edge of the table, ready to take a seat. Graham and Damien couldn’t keep still in their excitement. Graham focused intently on the man through his binoculars. Sitting down, his face was finally revealed.

  “Ahhhhh! He has got to be at least 40 years old! COME ON! WHERE ARE YOU!” Graham shouted in frustration.

  “Calmate. You are going to give us away. I want to see this guy too, but you have got to cool the engines a little.

  “Cool the jets,” Graham replied.

  “What?”

  “The saying is cool your jets, not cool your engines.”

  “Whatever. I have never seen you like this before. What’s with you?”

  Graham’s grip on the binoculars almost cracked the lens. He could feel the blood pooling in his cheeks as his anger grew. I cannot miss you this time, Graham said to himself. Even though he was looking through the binoculars, Graham could feel Damien’s eyes on him. Graham did not want to answer his question, but he knew Damien was hard headed enough to get it out of him. Plus, if he didn’t calm down, he might accidentally hurt Damien with his ‘power,’ and that is the last thing he wanted. Taking a breath to relax, he put the binoculars down and turned to face Damien.

  “Fine. I’ve been having nightmares. I’ve had them for years now, and after hearing Chase talk about his last night, this is the only shot I have to get some answers. Special powers or not, if Cavaness helped Chase with his dreams, then maybe he can do the same for me.”

  Damien just stared at Graham. “Why didn’t you ever tell me? We all got stuff we deal with amigo. We’re orphans. We could write books.”

  Graham sighed. “You wouldn’t believe me even if you wanted to.”

  Graham thought of his parents being attacked by the black smoke. He could hear their yelling, and his screams. He could see the intense light flash all around them, then darkness. I killed them. What if I was the one who- Just then, something caught Graham’s eye. He looked through his binoculars to see a man standing in the entrance of the alley between Collin’s Cafe and the jewelry store next door. He was leaning against the building with his legs crossed and though the shadows concealed his face, it was obvious that he was looking right at Graham. The man stood there like a statue watching the two of them perched up there like two little birds in a nest.

  Dropping his binoculars, Graham immediately darted towards the ladder.

  “Hey, where are you going?!” yelled Damien.

  Graham made no effort to reply. He just continued down the stairs assuming Damien would follow. Damien chased after Graham, slinging his legs over the ledge to the first rung of the ladder.

  “Wait up man!” Damien yelled.

  Graham did not wait. His adrenaline would not let him. Not bothering to look for on-coming traffic, Graham ran out right in the middle of the street as screeching tires and loud blasts of car horns echoed through the street.

  “HEY! Watch out kid! Ya wanna get killed or somethin?!” yelled the driver.

  Graham fell back onto the uneven cobblestone road in reaction to the car. Damien rushed out and took Graham by the arm to pull him back onto his feet.

  “I gotcha. Vamos.” The two ran up to the edge of the patio and frantically looked towards the alley, but no one was there. The man was gone.

  “What did you see?!” asked Damien.

  “I saw Cavaness! It had to have been him. He was standing right there! Damien, he was looking right at us.”

  “I didn’t see anyone. Are you sure you saw someone there?”

  “Why would I make something like that up? He was right there Damien. Right there!”

  Graham pointed to the vacant alleyway. Crowds of people gathered and stared at the two kids, still in shock that one of them was nearly run over. Graham paid no attention to the people in the patio staring at him, nor the people walking past. He was focused on one thing, and one thing only. Cavaness.

  The two boys looked all around desperately looking for any sign of him. Graham ran down the street a little ways past the Cafe, hoping to see something. Damien ran the opposite way also looking for anyone who matched the description. Graham’s head was on a swivel so much that it almost made him nauseated. He decided to go back to Damien and regroup.

  Turning back towards the Cafe, Graham kept looking behind him, just in case he missed something. He took a few more steps until he hit something hard and fell to the ground. Looking up at the object he just ran into, he saw a man in a long, tweed jacket starring at him. Graham’s blood went cold. It was all he could do to keep from panicking as a large hand reached out towards him.

  “Easy there little man. Are you alright? Here, let me lend you a hand.” The stranger took one hand out of his jacket pocket, while keeping his other hand on top of his walking cane.

  Graham was hesitant to take the stranger’s hand, but reluctantly accepted. With a quick jerk, the man pulled Graham to his feet.

  “Cavaness?” Graham said with an unsteady voice.

  The man smiled. “Goodness no. I am much too small to be Cavaness. My name is Silas.”

  Graham looked him over. Long coat; walking cane. Wait a minute, is this the guy from-

  “You were in the field the other day staring at me, weren’t you.”

  The stranger brushed off his hand against his jacket. He leaded in close so that only Graham could hear what he was about to say. “Admittedly yes. I don’t mean to come off as rude, but one cannot help but stare at a boy that creates small quakes, surrounded by light and hovering objects.”

  Graham’s heart leaped into his throat. He must have looked like a fool to Silas with his eyes wide like a deer in headlights.

  Silas kept his warm smile. He didn’t appear alarmed at all with what he had seen. To the contrary, he actually seemed accustomed to it. Maybe he knew something, or maybe it was because he had such a sophisticated tone to his voice that he seemed more knowledgable than he really was.

  “You know, fits of anger coupled with boundless curiosity can produce a whole host of odd, unexplainable reactions.”

  “How do you know I am angry, or that I have questions?”

  “My dear boy, everyone has questions. I have never met a person yet who had it all together. Trust me, as a professor of psychology, I have seen it all, well, almost. I haven’t yet seen such a young person with your type of, how should I say……unique circumstances. As for the anger…well…the slamming of your fist is a good indicator. I cannot claim to know your specific circumstances, however I can help with the other, more unexplainable problems. You are not the only one out there who can create these unknown forces and surges. I know because I have worked with others much like yourself.”

  Graham was speechless. Someone knew. This Silas guy knew, but he wasn’t afraid. Maybe he could do something. He was kind and inviting enough. But he does not know about my parents. If he knew what I did…

  Just then, Graham felt Damien’s hand on his shoulder.

  “¿Eres bien?” Damien kept his hand on Graham’s shoulder for a few moments as he looked around them for anyone who looked like Cavaness, completely oblivious to the man speaking to Graham. A few more moments went by before Damien’s grip grew stronger and stronger, until it felt like a vise tightening around Graham’s shoulder.

  Graham winced. “Oww. I’m fine. No need to break it off. What’s with you?”

  Graham looked over at Damien and saw that his face was pale as he stared into the distance.

  “Damien, hey Damien!”

  Graham waved his hand in front of Damien’s face to get his attention. Da
mien did not blink. All he could do was slowly raise his hand and point. Graham quickly looked in the direction Damien’s finger was pointing and saw a tall thin boy sitting at the last table at the edge of the patio. He was hunched over with arms crossed. His elbows were resting on the table and his head was tilted, looking at them. It was hard to see his face with the hood pulled over his head like that, but they knew who he was.

  “Chase,” Graham whispered. “CHASE!”

  He looked quickly back around to address Silas, but he was gone. Evidently, his focus on Chase made Silas leave. He wanted to keep talking to Silas, but he didn’t have a moment to think. Chase was right there in front of them. Graham removed Damien’s vise grip from his shoulder and began running towards him.

  “Hey Chase! I’ve been looking for you!”

  Graham felt as though a huge weight was removed from his soul. As his heart pounded in excitement, his hands waived in the air in a desperate attempt to get Chase’s attention.

  “You don’t know who I am , but- hey! Where are you going? STOP! I just want to talk!”

  Graham and Damien bolted down the road, but Chase was faster. He leapt from his chair like a cat, knocking it to the ground as he took off down the street.

  “Oh no you don’t!” Graham yelled.

  Chase continued to run. As he approached a small wall, he leaped, placing his hands on top of the wall and tucked his knees underneath him, clearing it with minimal effort. Now close to another store, he took a few more strides and jumped, placing one foot on the front of the building, then as if using the building as a launching pad, he propelled himself to the adjacent wall, grabbing the top edge. He pulled himself to the top and stood up, looking back at Graham and Damien as if to taunt their inability to keep up.

  “HEY! I JUST WANT TO TALK!!!!!!” yelled Graham, but before he could finish, Chase jumped from the wall to the roof of the next store and continued running. “Come on Damien! We will have to chase him from down here.”

  As an all-star soccer athlete, Damien blew past Graham with ease. “You are the one who is going to have to keep up, amigo.”