Eden's Children

by Sandy Johnson

  I jumped into the passenger seat of Jakes red ford fiesta as he revved up its rusty engine. I laughed to myself, but he caught me.

  “Oi don’t you be rude about my car; can’t all be rich like you.” He said sarcastically.

  He was right though; my father did have money and cars which would revert to me on my 18th birthday although I had no idea what I was going to do with it all. I couldn’t see much of a future for me. I didn’t really belong anywhere. The thought of working with people filled me with dread and having to converse with them was worse. This is where I needed him. I needed his guidance. I needed to know where I belonged. The only time I felt relaxed was when I was alone.

  “Well I haven’t got a nice car now, have I? I drive a banger and you know when I get those cars I’ll give you one. It’s not like I can drive two.”

  He tapped me on the shoulder and smiled at me. “You’re the best bro in the world.”

  “Wow I never thought I’d hear those words coming from you.” I chuckled.

  “Well moment ruined. Let’s go get some tail, oh sorry I meant food.” He smirked.

  I rolled my eyes at him. What a douche.

  “Come on what about Olivia? She’ll be working today, and she has the hots for you.” He said.

  “She sleeps with everyone. Even you.” It sounded like more of an insult than I had meant.

  “Exactly she’s easy; hey what do you mean even me? I'm awesome, girls love me.” He grinned. Well he wasn’t wrong. He was a nice guy but a major player and had a few broken hearts trailing behind him.

  We pulled up outside and walked through the restaurant entrance of the hotel and were greeted by Olivia the hostess.

  “Hey boys aren’t you both looking handsome today.” She said looking at me with the biggest smirk I’d ever seen.

  “Yeah hey.” I said.

  “Olivia aren’t you looking gorgeous today.” Jake said flirting with her, but she was still looking at me.

  I don’t know what she wanted. I gave her the same greeting every time we came here, and I’d probably come more often if she wasn’t here. She probably just wants to tick me off her list.

  “Oh, don’t mind him Olivia he’s always moody. He’s probably just hungry. Is there room for us two for lunch?” Jake said. She looked down at the schedule.

  “Well we actually are very busy. We have a school trip with us today and they will be coming down in ten minutes, but I can squeeze you in the corner if you don’t mind.” She said as she started to walk us through the busy tables.

  I started to feel very hot. I pulled off my hoodie as I sat in the seat. “Is it hot in here?”

  “Not really, a little warm I guess.” He replied.

  I tried to ignore it until I felt a tightening in my stomach like an invisible rope had wrapped around me and was pulling me harder and harder.

  “Whoa dude look at that beauty.” Jake pointed to a pretty blonde that walked in, but I couldn’t answer him. The tugging was turning into a pleasurable rhythm, and I didn’t want him to notice. “I’m glad we came now she’s sexy as hell.” He said. Then he looked at me. “You ok? you haven’t said a word?”

  “I’m fine.” I said.

  “You sure? You look a little funny and your face has gone red.” He lifted his hand up to my forehead, but when he saw the look on my face he relented. “Ok I got to go speak to Olivia. I’ll be back in a minute. Why don’t you get some fresh air?”

  I was glad he was leaving, as this feeling was becoming unbearable. I shifted in my seat, but it wouldn’t go. I was hanging my head in my hands when the uncomfortable feeling turned into full lust. I wasn’t looking at her, but I knew whoever was making me feel this had walked into the room. I looked up and pleasure pulsed through my body. She was the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen. I watched as she sat down and talked to the boy next to her. I took in every detail., Her long brunette hair that fell over her shoulder, her smooth ivory skin and her rosebud lips that were parted now. I could see that her eyes were a bright emerald green, but she wouldn’t look up and wanted her to. The boy next to her had moved now and I could see more of her. She was looking intently at the menu whispering something. Then the blonde Jake was talking about looked up at me, but I couldn’t tear my eyes away from her. I could see her cheeks blushing, was that me? Was I doing to her, what she’s been doing to me? I had to go to her, but she got up and walked through the hotel lobby just as Jake appeared at our table again.

  “Aiden you ok? You’re looking a bit flushed.” Jake looked at me up and down.

  “I’ll be back in a minute.” I told him as I saw the blonde get up and go after her friend. I moved from my seat and towards the direction she was going.

  “Ha! I knew I’d find someone you were interested in. I wanted her, but I’ll give you this one. Didn’t think blondes were your thing.” His voice was fading.

  I couldn’t think. I wanted her to see me. I wasn’t quick enough though as I lost her, but I could still feel the pull getting stronger. I was getting closer and as I turned the corner I saw a man standing outside a room knocking on the door. I stopped and turned back. What the hell was I doing stalking some girl. Feeling like a complete idiot I walked back down to the restaurant to Jake and sat down.

  “You alright?” He asked. I nodded back. “Ok well I ordered for both of us. It should be here soon. Did you catch the blonde?” Jake waited with amusement as I blinked a few times to get my mind together.

  “No, I err, I wasn’t going after her.” I stammered.

  “Really? because it looked to me like you were in a hurry to catch her.” Jake wiggled his eyebrows at me again. I couldn’t concentrate I could still feel her, but now all I felt is pain instead of pleasure.

  “Jake, I think I need to go I’m not feeling good” I said. I was gritting my teeth as it was so intense.

  “Have you looked outside its pouring down. I’m not going out in that.”

  I looked out the window and sheaths of rain were crashing down. It was impossible; it was bright and sunny ten minutes ago. “I don’t care I’m going.”

  I got up and walked towards the door and out into the rain. I usually loved the rain, but I started to feel a tinge of guilt wondering if I was just imagining all this or was she pain? Either way I couldn’t go up to her and ask. I was a stranger. I jumped into Jakes passenger seat and waited. I saw him come running out. If he went any faster, he would be flying.

  He got in the car and started shaking all the water onto me. “What the heck man I’m soaked.”

  “Better hurry up and get home then.”

  The rain hadn’t stopped by the time we got home. In fact, it lasted till late that night. After dinner I went to my room and locked the door knowing Jake would probably try and burst through any minute. I had a door that joined my room to the bedroom next door. There was no lock on it, so I jammed a chair against it. Jake wasn’t shy. He didn’t care what I was doing. He would still come in uninvited. I couldn’t stop thinking about that girl. I saw her when I closed my eyes. I saw her lips move as she spoke and watching her skin blushing under my stare was turning me on. I wanted to hold her. My whole body was yearning for her. I tried to ignore all the sensations her image was giving me. I needed a distraction, so I turned the TV on. I flicked through the channels, but it didn’t help so I laid back and went to sleep. I knew I’d dream of her.

  Here I was again standing in a barren wasteland alone. I look around but can’t see anything but death. As I start to walk, in the distance I see someone walking towards me, and with every step she takes, flowers and trees surrounds her. I always thought she was an angel enticing me to join her in heaven. I was able to get closer to her this time, closer than I had been able to before. Then I recognised her; the same long brown hair, the same smooth ivory skin, and the same emerald eyes. She was wearing a long white lace dress that clung to her curves. When our eyes met everything set on fire, flames engulfed her as she screamed. I raced to her and pulled her into m
e and in that moment, I knew she was mine. I felt our souls merging together I move her hair off her shoulder and lean down to kiss her.

  I woke suddenly panting. As I tried to catch my breath I could still feel her against me setting my skin on fire. I walked to the bathroom and looked in the mirror. My black eyes staring back at me looked brighter than before. That’s when I realise how flustered I looked. I splashed some water on my face and went back to bed. I got in and looked at my cell phone to see that I had a message from Jake.

  locked the door huh? Bet I could guess what u are up to ?? blondie

  I shook my head. “What a dickhead” I muttered. Its 4 am and I was wide awake. I decided to go for a run in the woods. I went downstairs and put my sneakers on and headed outside. I jogged up to the treeline then I took off running, but all I could think of was her. I tried to focus on everything around me, but her image was burned into my mind. I had barely even seen her face, but in my dream, I saw all of her. How could I have known any of that. She looked like a goddess who had come down to punish me at first until the flames came then I had to save her. I could still feel what it felt like to have her body against mine. I could feel every detail and curve, even her soft skin against my lips as I kissed her shoulder. I loved what she did to my body by just being there. I stopped when I realised I’d run way too far and it was now daylight, I turned around and headed home.

  Evelyn

  I woke up to the sound of rain hitting the balcony window. I tried to open my eyes, but they were sore and stuck together. I rubbed them to clear my vision, and I saw Caitlin sitting on the floor in front of me looking at me sadly. Then I remembered my mom’s gone. I burst into tears and Caitlin wrapped her arms around me and cried with me. We stayed like that for what felt like an hour until Mr Jeffrey’s came back in.

  “Evelyn I’m so sorry, but the police want you back home. We arranged a flight for you and for Caitlin to return to LAX, and Caitlin your mom will be waiting for both of you. She’ll take you both back to her house and the police will be around in the morning to ask you some questions. The flight leaves in an hour so we need to hurry.” He said.

  I looked down. Home. I’m not going home, there is no home. Oh my god what’s going to happen to our house? Where was I going to live? I knew that was selfish, but what else did I have to hold onto?

  Mr Jeffrey’s met us in the lobby and took us in a cab back to the airport. It was pouring with rain. I knew Caitlin would be worried about the flight home, but I didn’t care. The rain felt almost comforting. Like the heavens were crying for my mom. When we reached the airport, I got out of the cab and let the rain pour all over me. Caitlin tried to get me inside, but it felt like I should feel like this. I deserved this. I took my mom for granted. I always wanted to go out on my own, and my own selfishness caused this. If I was home I could have helped her. I could have prevented this, or at least I would be with her now. The rain was coming down heavier now. I knew the teacher was in my face trying to get me inside, but I couldn’t hear him. I couldn’t move. I wanted to drown. It was Caitlin’s screaming that brought me back to reality. A thunderstorm had rolled in. A lightning bolt hit a car in the parking lot and it had exploded. I looked at everybody’s horrified expression and I could hear all the sirens coming closer. There was chaos all around us, yet it felt almost serene. The teacher managed to get me into the airport, but all flights had been delayed so we sat and waited. The storm cleared within ten minutes. They had almost called for a severe weather warning it was that bad, and luckily nobody was in the car that got struck although I wished I had been. The flights were up and running now, but I wasn’t sure if I was happy or sad about it. I wanted to go home, but I had no home to go to. I sat in the window seat again. I tried to speak but my throat was sore. I took a drink from the water in front of me, but it didn’t help. I hadn’t said a word since I screamed. Caitlin rubbed my hand and held on the whole way home. I don’t know if it was for me, or because she feared the plane. It didn’t matter; nothing mattered anymore. I was alone.

  It felt like we were on the plane for an eternity. I kept looking at the time, but 5 minutes felt like an hour. Every time I closed my eyes I felt him, the way he made me feel was intoxicating, but when I opened them I just felt the pain of losing my mother. I had to alternate between the two just to get through this. The guilt was killing me. How could I be thinking about that stranger right now? He had a stronger effect on me than my own mother. The pleasure I felt thinking about him, against the sorrow I felt, was torment. I looked over to Caitlin, but it looked like she had gone to sleep. I wasn’t going to dare try after our last flight. I knew if I dreamt about him now it would be a lot stronger. What I had been feeling in my dreams was tiny compared to being near him. I wish I’d seen his face, but I knew if I looked at him I probably wouldn’t be able to control myself. Wow I’m so pathetic. I can’t even have a boyfriend, but some stranger has me turned on and he wasn’t even near me. I breathed a sigh of relief when the seat belt light came on. There was a rowdy group behind us and their derogatory rambling was really getting to me. Mom was right, boys are a waste of time. She said I’d find him one day and I think I did, but the opportunity was gone now.

  Chapter 4

  Evelyn

  Caitlin let go of my hand when we landed. I got up out of my seat and walked towards to the door in silence. She was in front of me, and I could feel someone close behind me. To my dismay it was one of the rowdy boys. I could feel unease forming in my stomach. I was already on the edge and I was close to jumping off, but when he put his hand on my bum, I lost it. I could hear him laughing with his friends, so I stopped. I grabbed his hand away from my bum and twisted it around as I faced him, now he was on his knees in front of me. I towered over him. I watched as his face contorted in agony as his arm was twisted the wrong way around. Caitlin was shouting at me and trying to pull me off, but I wouldn’t budge. I moved slowly so my face was nearly against his. When I looked into his eyes I could see fear.

  “Don’t ever touch me.” I said venomously, and I let go of his arm.

  He fell to the floor and was screaming. Such a baby. I hardly did anything to him and it was only a little sprain. The pilot came over to me asking me what happened, and that security were coming. I looked up at him.

  “He put his hand on me where he shouldn’t. I was only defending myself.”

  Caitlin got my arm and pulled me away and off the plane. As I walked in I could see the paramedics rushing past us, and then we were stopped by airport security. They took us to waiting area where they told Caitlin to wait while they took me into an interview room. I waited in there alone for about 20 minutes, but I could see through the window in the door that Caitlin’s mom was demanding to see me. As I was only 17 they had no choice but to let her, she opened the door and rushed over to me.

  “Evelyn I’m so sorry.” She whispered as she took a seat next to me. I tried to smile at her, but it fell flat.

  After being questioned they let us go as I hadn’t done any real damage and witnesses saw his hands on me first. As I walked out, Caitlin ran and hugged me.

  “You were awesome.” She whispered to me. I could hear pride in her voice. She wasn’t usually there when I got into this trouble. I was always alone.

  “Come on girls let’s get going. It’s getting late and you need your rest.” Caitlin’s mom was shouting to us across the lobby.

  I was half expecting all of this to be a sick joke and find my mom was waiting for me at the doors, but she wasn’t there. My hope died once we got in the car and started driving away from the airport. From then on it was silence. As we entered our street we had no choice but to go past my house to get to Caitlin’s. I could feel the tension in the air, thick, suffocating me. As we turned the corner I saw my house. It was covered in crime scene tape. I felt my heart shatter into a million pieces. The front door had been smashed in and all the lights were off. I wanted to go inside, but I knew they wouldn’t let me. We pulled up outside Caitl
in’s house. All the lights were on and I could see there were people in the living room. As we got out of the car, Caitlin’s dad came out to us.

  “Evelyn I’m sorry but the police are here, and they wanted to speak to you straight away.” He said solemnly.

  “What? Now? Can’t they let her get some rest first.” Caitlin’s mom replied.

  “No, its fine I want to talk to them.” I said as I walked into the house. I entered the living room where two officers were waiting for me. I sat in front of them.

  “Miss Terra I am Detective Hart, and this is Officer Lopez. As you know we are investigating your mother’s disappearance. Could you tell us when you last saw her?”

  “She dropped me at LAX yesterday early morning about 5am and then she went home.” I said as I could feel the lump in my throat growing.

  “Can I call you Evelyn?” He asked me. I nodded. “Thank you, Evelyn. Your neighbour called 911 yesterday morning around 6am saying there were six men standing outside your house. They were shouting and banging on the door. Another neighbour was walking past and tried to intervene, but they held a gun to his head and told him to keep walking. Once they got inside, there was a struggle and your mom was seen getting into the car.”