Coralie put her arms around her mother. “Mom, I'll be fine ... there's nothing to worry about, okay?”
Katelyn spoke with an agreeing tenor. “Okay ... just be sure to take Jacques with you...”
“I don't think they allow dogs into the library, even if they are as smart as Jacques.”
“But the library does have plenty of places to tie his collar out front for a few minutes ... like you said, you aren't going to be long, he'll be fine ... and it'll give us, your Dad and I, peace of mind ... where is he, by the way...”
“Okay, okay, Mom ... I'll be back soon.” Coralie said, as she leaned in to give her mother a hug. She then walked over to the side door and reached for Jacques leash that hung on the wall.
“Love you,” she called out, as she closed the door. Coralie smiled when she heard her mother's muffled Love you, too seep through the door.
Coralie walked to the fence that opened into a portion of the backyard and started to call out for Jacques, but he was already there, awaiting her.
She entered the gate and knelt down to the ground, near Jacques. Patting his head and his back, she began to admire his soft, thick, fur coat.
Jacques was mostly white with big, random splotches and patches of black covering his body, one in particular that covered his left eye like a pirate's eye-patch. Jacques' frame was immense and muscular, and he always carried himself as such.
Even though she felt that Jacques bark was bigger than his bite, she had always felt safe with him. He had always been very protective of her. Come to think of it, she couldn't remember a time when he had not been there. He had always been a part of the family. He had always been such a lovable and playful dog. Even in defense mode, though, she couldn't have ever imagined Jacques hurting anyone.
“Hey boy, you wanna go for a walk?” she asked while attaching his leash and patting his head, lovingly. He reciprocated his affection by licking her hand and up her arm and jumping in attempt to lick her face. “Okay, Okay, bodyguard ... let's go...” she said, as they set off towards town.
* * * * *
Thessla was a pretty place, she had to admit, although it had always felt strange to her ... Too small to be a big town. Too big to be a small town. Somehow it had been caught somewhere in the middle.
The townspeople of Thessla were left alone most often – no big city stories, no news casters or writers trying to find the “diamond in the rough” small town cover story ... It had always been a quite peaceful and beautiful town.
In one sense, the town felt strange to her, in another, it also felt safe.
Coralie looked up toward the sky. The sun was shining bright, reminding Coralie that she had forgotten her sunglasses. Although she enjoyed the sun, making her feel happy and warm, she felt herself beginning to get a headache from the squinting of her eyes to block out the brightness of the sunlight.
“If we take Johnson Street over to Ponder Avenue, then we should be able to catch a good bit of shade on the way in and out ... so, what do you think, boy?” she asked Jacques, who seemed to be a little reluctant to stray away from their usual path.
Coralie shook away the silly thought and gave the command, “Come Jacques!” then with a sudden feeling of reluctance of her own, she added, “Let's go!” Jacques did as he was told.
Just as Coralie thought, the old live oaks that lined the long stretch of Ponder Avenue gave plenty of shade to make for a pleasurable walk, void of all squinting, which made Coralie smile a satisfying smile.
After a few blocks, she started to notice a large orange and white sign up ahead of her. As she approached the sign closer, she pushed aside the feeling of cursing her decision to take this street. She stopped, and then looked both ways. The road that led her straight was closed. Road Work Ahead, at the Farland and Ponder Intersection ... Strangely, to her right, the road was also closed.
“This way would have put us back on McCaw Avenue,” she said, directly her words down to Jacques. Again, she pushed aside her feelings to curse.
Always trust and follow the sun, dear, it will lead you to brighter places, her Gran had said to her many times. This was a time she wished that she would have remembered to do just that.
She looked to her left. She noticed that she would have to take the next street over, Industrial Street. Before she realized, she let go of a cringing motion that traveled all over her body.
Industrial Street was lined with buildings, mostly abandoned industry buildings, which were now used for storage. With the lack of trees and landscape, Coralie had always thought of Industrial Street as 'cold and lifeless'. She had never traveled this street much, there had been no need. She, along with her mom and dad, enjoyed the more scenic routes through town.
Suddenly, the thought of traveling this road on foot, alone – with the exception of Jacques, of course – made her feel small.
“Well, we can't turn back now, Boy. I promised Mom that we'd be back in less than an hour, and we don't want them to worry, now, do we?” Coralie said, swallowing her apprehension.
Jacques let out an uneasy whine. “It's okay, Boy, let's go...” she said, as she began to lead Jacques to the corner of Industrial Street.
Coralie looked down the street. Just as she remembered … cold and lifeless, she thought as she made the turn and continued toward Clark Street.
She kept Jacques close by, watching for any odd reaction on his part, giving her reason to worry.
She felt a very uneasy feeling wash over her. She tried to shake it, but the feeling began to fill her entire body. Coralie began to tremble slightly from her nervousness.
She shuddered in thought to herself. Maybe running could help her shake this eerie feeling. “Come on, Boy ... let's pick up the pace!” she said to Jacques, who began to strike a trot beside her.
Up ahead of her, Coralie thought she saw movement of some sort. She slowed her pace, trying to gain clarity in her vision. She slowed even more when she thought she saw another movement.
There ... ahead of her, stood a figure.
The figure stood still, except for the occasional shift from side to side, as if awaiting something, or someone, impatiently. Though the figure was in plain line of sight, Coralie scanned her surroundings for extra hidden lurkers.
Just someone, waiting … waiting for someone ... someone that's not me ... Coralie said to herself.
Jacques countered with a whine.
She thought she heard a sickening sound of laughter … not a joking laugh, but a taunting one. But was she close enough to hear something come from the figure up ahead?
Coralie then saw movement off to the side, a few feet away from the figure, close to the buildings. One animal, no … two, Coralie said under her breath. There was one on each side of the figure now.
They began to move inward, verging toward the figure’s side. She saw the human figure make a simple, quick snapping gesture. The animal-like figures immediately flanked to its sides.
She felt Jacques tense and let out a low, protective growl from his throat. “Easy, Boy...”she said, in a low voice, almost a whisper.
As Coralie moved closer and her eyes came into focus, she could see that the figure was wearing a dark-colored – black, maybe charcoal – jogging suit, with a hood pulled over its head. The hood was large enough that it hung low over the figure's face. She couldn't see their face. It was like looking into a black-hole of nothingness.
The large animal-like figures moved around the close proximity to their 'master'. Their fur looked wild and untamed and when they growled they showed their jagged teeth. They stood tall and stout, much taller than any domestic dog, more the height of a Bengal Tiger. The both of them were pacing back and forth like a pride-ruling lion.
The furry, feral creatures paused aside the human figure for a moment, staring at her and Jacques. This made Coralie slow to an abrupt halt. Her heart started to beat faster, causing her breathing to speed as well. Her chest began to rise and fall in quick motions, as if she had been runnin
g at full tilt.
The figure and its furred sidekicks stared straight ahead, directly at Coralie and Jacques, titling their heads slightly, in unison, then pausing. Though she could not see the figure's face, Coralie almost felt as if the figure was smiling at her, and she began to feel sick with fear.
She scanned her surroundings in a quick, but unnoticeable motion. The bestial beings were still paused, watching Coralie and Jacques as a predator would watch its prey before they began their chase.
With another tilt of their master's head, as if speaking in silence, the furry creatures crouched in waiting for the next command. The both of them let out a deafening howl, followed by a low growl that came up from their throats, both in flawless sequence.
Then, as if given some silent signal, both of the hairy, muscular animals both crouched even lower, wriggling their bodies, as if preparing for a predacious mad dash toward their game.
Jacques started to bark wildly, jumping their direction, but Coralie continued to hold tight to his leash.
She quickly scanned her eyes to her right. She could see the next street through the wooded area that split them.
Her chest was rising and falling even faster between breaths. Coralie looked back at the figure, and although she could not see their face in the blackness underneath the hooded jacket, she knew that his eyes were focused solely on her.
Suddenly, she stopped. Coralie saw something that made her freeze in her motion. She saw something frightening. Something alarming. A simple, miniscule flicker of green appeared underneath the figure’s hood. Startled, Coralie held her breath for only a mere moment. For that moment, there was silence.
Then as if a switch had been flipped, all sound surrounding them returned. The wolf-like creatures were still growling low rumbles from their throats, standing close aside their master ... and then, they were given the signal. The tall, but slight, manly figure gave a slight nod of his hand and his ferocious, furry sidekicks took off from their predatory stance.
* * * * *
“Cal –,” Katelyn called from the back door, into the backyard. She grinned as she watched her husband complete one of his meditated, Grecian Pankration fighting moves.
Cal looked up, breathing still steady. “Yes, dear love of my life...”
She smiled at him, still standing at the door. “Pank-ra, today, huh?” she asked, as she walked out toward him. She was walking in the shaded part of the grass, which felt cool to her bare feet.
“You know, it's my favorite ... besides, it's a good work-out. Gotta keep the ol' body in shape … Can't let myself go, you know...” Cal said with a smile.
Katelyn returned it, as she approached him.
Cal reached for her and she took his hand. With a mischievous look in his eye, he abruptly pulled her close to him, holding her arms in a restraint hold. She eyed him, silently questioning his next move.
With his face close, he looked deep into her eyes. “You've always been too trusting.” He said, smiling, playfully down at his wife.
“Isn't Trust and Faith supposed to be a portion of our Heavenly Virtues...?” Katelyn countered, teasingly.
Unexpectedly, in a single, hastily maneuver, Katelyn whipped out from within his arms, flipped up and over him and appeared behind his back. Cal found himself in a firm-armed headlock, with none other than his wife's arms around him.
“Is that all you’ve got, Love?” Cal playfully taunted. But just before he could finish his sentence, Katelyn released Cal just as she swept his feet out from under him. Cal fell backward, but just before hitting the ground, Cal threw himself into a back-flip landing on his feet, like a cat.
“You've been practicing...” Cal said, offering a congratulatory grin to Katelyn.
“So have you, Dear...” Katelyn said with a smile. “Before you go back to 'getting into shape', could you go check on our daughter?”
“You got it!” Cal answered, with a martial arts style bow. Katelyn reciprocated the bow. When she lifted her head, he was already gone.
Chapter 3
Coralie spun around quickly, shouting to Jacques to 'run'. Both darted through the wooded area, running fast ... faster, faster, run faster, she thought. She could hear them getting closer. It was just like her dreams. Only this time, she was the one being chased.
Dodging low lying tree limbs, trunks and brush, Coralie pushed herself to run faster still.
The growling and snarling behind her was getting much closer. Close enough that she thought she could feel them snapping at her heels, with every stride that she took. Pushing herself not to slow, she could feel the hanging branches and tree limbs scratching her skin as she flew past them, knocking them out of her way. She could feel the stinging of those scratches, but continued to push herself forward.
A dream, this must be a dream, she thought. Wake up, Coralie, wake up ...
She kept running full throttle until her legs felt as though they may collapse right out from under her. Though it seemed it impossible, she continued to push forward through the trees that surrounded her.
A dream, this has to be a dream ... could I really run this fast, if it wasn't? Coralie asked herself.
Suddenly, she had an idea ... a wild, crazy, senseless, idea.
Coralie thought of the Black-Racer snake that she had heard her father speak of in one of his lectures. Suddenly, she couldn’t remember if it was a true example or an old legend. But, it was worth a shot. She replayed her father’s words in her mind.
The Black-Racer will only chase you as long as you run from it, she thought. She commanded herself, Turn on them! It'll work ... and if it doesn't, it's just a dream ... right?!? What did she have to lose??? Turn, now!
They could see her. They could smell her. This is what their master had trained them for. Their orders were set. There was no turning back. Coralie knew this to be certain.
The two of them pushed their legs harder, faster in front of them, propelling them closer towards her, closer towards their prey. They were getting closer. Even through the brush covered ground and intertwining trees, they would surely find her.
Hesitant to slow her speed at first, she looked around for a good turning point, though there was none to be found. There were trees and brush all around her. She knew she had to turn now. The next street was coming into view, through the trees. If they reached the approaching street, she would have nowhere to run but straight, with no shrubbery or earthy growth to slow her trailers. They would surely gain on her then and catch her. It had to be now. She had to stop now ... Now, she commanded to herself.
Coralie was starting to slow, but no … she had a plan. It had to work, or – Coralie paused, realizing that there was no ‘or’. She didn't want to think anymore. She only felt the notion to act.
She caught sight of a large upcoming tree trunk. The base was big enough to get a good footing.
A dream, it's just a dream... If you can't wake up, you might as well have some fun with it, right? Come on, Coralie, you can do this ... it's just a dream ... just a dream … a dream …, she thought to herself, allowing a slight grin come over her.
Suddenly, it seemed as if something natural, beyond her control, was taking over her.
She released Jacques leash, but he didn't stray. He halted watching her every move.
Coralie leapt forward onto the large trunk base and scaled up two or three feet before turning and using an adjacent trunk to propel her back toward the approaching animals. Jacques was directly underneath her in a protective stance.
The galloping, mongrel-like creatures quickly advanced upon the two of them, gnarling and gnashing their teeth. The beasts were ready to pounce onto their prey. But Coralie was first.
She came down on the first of them with a crushing blow, causing it to crash down hard onto the ground and roll, smashing into the firm base of the tree. The animal leapt to its feet and charged her once more; this time, catching her off-guard, sweeping her feet out from underneath her. As her legs gave way, she fell backwa
rd, landing atop her left shoulder awkwardly.
Agony shot through her, causing Coralie to let out a painful cry aloud. Pushing aside the ache in her shoulder, she rolled up onto her feet slowly and painfully, and then planted them into a cautious stance.
The canine creature turned around and charged her again, beckoning the aid of its friend. As the first charging animal reached Coralie before its companion, she hit the beastly mongrel in its side, knocking him sideways and causing him to slide a few feet from her. It rolled to a stop just before the second furry beast came hurdling over him, flying towards Coralie.
Jacques bounded into Coralie's charger, knocking him aside, causing him to stagger. When the first creature got up stumbling to its feet, Jacques jumped at him and collided forcefully into his side. This time, the first beastly creature did not budge from the place he laid.
The second fur-coated brute of a creature turned snarling at the sight of his canine cohort lying still against the hard ground. This angered him, almost into oblivion, until all that he could see was Coralie and all he felt was the need to destroy her.
Coralie could read him. She could read his every thought. She swallowed hard, knowing that he was meditating his next move.
The wild-eyed beast started to rush toward her again, barring its jagged teeth and snarling at the very sight of her. He had been ordered to retrieve her by his master, but now his comrade lay still at the base of a tree because of her.
Angry, the beastly creature leapt into the air. Coralie lifted her arms over her head and jumped for the nearest, lowest tree branch. She grabbed a hold of the branch and pulled her body upward, causing the creature to miss her by just inches. The creature hit the ground and rolled back into its fighting stance. It was as if he were a machine, programmed to do one thing – to kill her.
Coralie twisted around, dropping from the branch, landing gracefully on the ground. She caught sight of a low lying branch, about the girth of her own arm, just within her reach.
Empyreal: Awaken - Book One Page 2
