Rise of Alpha (The Prodian Journey #1)

by Lorenz Font

  “Yes,” she answered with conviction.

  “How?”

  “It was predicted by what you would call a Shaman that a human boy with his own set of burdens would come into her life the minute her father died. You came to see Elizabeth at the same time Arthur’s aura disappeared.”

  Suuuuuuure. The tic-boy was going to come to Shannon’s rescue. The news had trouble written all over it, and I wanted to throw up. I cupped a hand over my mouth and tried to calm my nerves. Once my stomach settled, I launched the first of the countless questions I had.

  “Did my meeting with Madame Elizabeth trigger the weird dreams I’m having?”

  “When your paths finally crossed, her presence activated the gift you’ve always possessed. Also, the medication you were taking blocked your ability to see.”

  “What does that have to do with helping Shannon?”

  “You have dreams about her like you did of the snakebite victim and other tragedies that occur around you. Am I right?”

  I nodded.

  “I can’t see everything that you see in those dreams, but I know that you’ve seen the Ergans running after Shannon.”

  “Are those the weird-looking creatures?”

  “Since you connected with Shannon that day, you’re on the Ergans’ radar. They’re watching you and trying to find ways to take her. You are the only one who can help her. Binarian citizens have been watching over Shannon and her father for years. As I mentioned, Elizabeth is one of them, as well as Gilbert, their butler. Binarians don’t fight unless they are of noble blood. Their numbers are dwindling, and we can’t afford to send many of them here. With our powers weakened when we cross the gateway into your universe, it is difficult to overthrow our enemies, so humans have become our best defense. I’m afraid our adversaries are going to make their move before Shannon turns eighteen, when she will reach her Aarmark maturity and can live among us.”

  “Aarmark maturity?” This was getting weirder by the second. I glanced outside the window and sure enough, people continued to go about their business, not noticing me or the strange woman in my car.

  “When Binarian Aarmarks reach adulthood, their Aarmark heritage completely manifests itself. This period also ushers in changes that reveal their abilities and modifications to their appearance. This transition also prepares them to travel in safety to our universe. This happens on the eighteenth birthday. If a Binarian doesn’t make the Aarmark transition, he or she will remain human and won’t be able to change later. This is much more important for those with royal blood. Until their birthday, a royal Binarian is susceptible to acts of violence from our adversaries.

  Everything just blew right by me. There was too much stuff to digest. “Shannon is a Binarian, right?”

  “Yes.”

  The thought of losing Shannon to either those ugly-ass Ergans or her mother’s universe didn’t sit well with me. “Can’t she live here on earth forever?”

  “Once she learns to defend herself, we can bestow the Wetheiran on her.”

  “Wither-what?”

  “It is a talisman that would allow her to live here in safety.”

  “Why can’t you give it to her now?” I raised my voice in confusion.

  Detherina closed her eyes and wiped away more of her colored tears. I wondered if Shannon shed the same colorful tears, too. I watched Detherina contemplate her answer and could see it hurt her.

  “It’s not time yet. I wish with all my heart that I could protect her here, now. I have been aching to hold her in my arms, but there are things even I can’t change.”

  I had no idea why I believed her. A dreadful ache burned inside me for Shannon. And like the Boy Scout I was, I opened my mouth and swore an oath to help. “I will do whatever I can.”

  Her relief was obvious. The smile she gave me was so blinding, I had to cover my eyes. A glow emanated from her. It was weird.

  “I promise I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you both safe, but everything else will depend on you. Shannon has been told that you’re the key to what lies ahead for her. That is all she knows. I must warn you not to say anything about her background until the right time. I will be in touch. Elizabeth will find a way to get Shannon to live with you, so—”

  She stopped when she saw the grin on my face. Some days I really thought I was bipolar. These mood swings were a tad bit disconcerting.

  Detherina exhaled. “It is best if she’s with you most of the time. She’s safe in school because she’s surrounded by other humans, but now that Arthur … ” she paused, and her sadness rolled off her like a thick fog, “is gone, her home life is threatened.”

  I asked the obvious question. “Why can’t you go to the authorities for help?”

  “Do you think anyone would believe us? And if we involved more humans, the stakes increase, and we’ll have more blood on our hands. I assure you, our enemies will stop at nothing to get what they want, just as they did in your dream.”

  “Yeah, not cool. Why do they do this?”

  Detherina hesitated and then dragged in a deep breath. “It’s a war. I’m afraid you got pulled into it.”

  I nodded, still not grasping all the details. “I’m not going to lie. All this shit … oops, I’m sorry … ”

  “Go on,” she urged.

  “All this is unbelievable to me. I still can’t wrap my mind around it. But for Shannon’s sake, I’ll do whatever it takes to keep her out of harm’s way.” It was weird. My whole life was about to change, and I was calm as a clam. This was going to be a long day.

  Her smile was gracious. “That’s all I needed to hear.” Then she vanished, her molecules drifting in every direction,

  Just like that, I was alone again. The mist that surrounded my car disappeared along with Detherina.

  Then I saw Mark and Darryl standing by my window. I blinked and tried to compose myself. My radio started playing the same song I was listening to before Detherina materialized inside the car. When I glanced where she had been sitting, I found a little purple bottle on the seat. I grabbed and pocketed it.

  “Bro, let’s move.” Mark pounded on my window.

  I checked my watch and was surprised to see that only a few minutes had lapsed. It didn’t feel that way, though. I swore I had been talking to Shannon’s alien mother for more than half an hour.

  “Coming.” I unlocked the door and breathed a sigh of relief when everything seemed to be back to normal. The nightmarish episode felt like it never happened, except for the proof I had inside my pocket.

  Darryl and Mark kept up their steady chatter while we headed to our class, not commenting on my silence. As was to be expected, the surprise meeting with Shannon’s alien mother began taking its toll on me. Shivers started running up and down my spine, and my shoulders twitched hard. Just as we turned down the hallway, I saw Shannon ahead, flanked by her friends. She looked happy, unaware of the devastating news of her father’s death that was coming her way. The reality would crush her.

  My classes flew by faster than they ever had, even with the nonstop barrage of tics. Instead of heading to my car at the end of the day as was my habit, I hung around the hallway to wait for Shannon. I waved to her the moment she emerged from her Biology class, and her face brightened up when she saw me.

  “Now, isn’t this cute? The freak-with-a-tic is making a move on my girl.” Kevin Masters’ annoying voice came from behind me.

  From the corner of my eye, I saw Shannon walking faster in my direction. I turned to face him. “Last I heard, she broke up with you,” I said, feeling bold for the first time in my life.

  Normally, I would have walked away from this type of confrontation. I would watch everything I said around Kevin because he would beat the crap out of me, and I didn’t want Mark or Darryl involved in a fight. But not this time—I had to watch over Shannon.

  Instead of responding, Kevin launched his fist into my face, and a loud, cracking sound echoed in my ears. “Now you can hear that! Want to hear it again?�
� Kevin challenged.

  I stumbled backward, landing on my butt. Students ran over and formed a tight circle around us. Shannon pushed herself in front, rushing over to me. She tried to help, but I waved her aside. Kevin had gotten away with his attitude in the past, but I wasn’t going to let him off the hook this time. I’d had enough of bullies. He was done making my life a living hell.

  I cracked my knuckles and was preparing to barrel at him when someone yanked me back.

  “Don’t even think about it,” Mark said from behind. Darryl stood in the middle, his arms outstretched, keeping Kevin and me apart.

  “Stanton, tell that freaky friend of yours I’m not finished with him.” Kevin spit on the linoleum floor and stalked away.

  “Kevin, don’t start with me,” Mark called out.

  “Why don’t you tell him yourself,” I yelled after him.

  Just before he cleared the front door, Kevin was approached by the principal. A student must have reported the incident. Mark relaxed his grip, and Darryl picked up my backpack from the floor. I wiped the blood off my nose with the back of my hand before turning to check on Shannon. Her face was red, and she looked like she wanted to kill.

  When Shannon caught my eye, she snapped out of her daze and reached into her backpack and produced a tissue. Instead of handing it to me, she dabbed at the blood running down my nose herself, right in front of everyone. I felt like the luckiest man alive, despite the throbbing pain. My nose was already swelling. I’d be sporting an overgrown tomato in the middle of my face for days to come.

  “Are you okay?” Shannon asked.

  I nodded. “It’s nothing.” It felt good to sound tough for a change.

  “Mr. Morrison, I want to see you in my office,” Mr. Delson, the principal, said. The crowd scattered fast, including Mark and Darryl.

  “Sir, I saw the whole incident,” Shannon volunteered. I shook my head at her. There was no point in getting her involved in the situation.

  “You may come, too, Miss McKesson.” The principal motioned for us to follow him.

  In the end, I was given a warning—for instigating the fight. Not entirely accurate, but at least they didn’t call my parents. Since Shannon gave an eyewitness account, I got off easier than I would have otherwise. Kevin was looking at a three-day suspension for throwing a punch. He glared at me the whole time, but I was focused on the boatload of pain I was experiencing.

  After we were dismissed, Shannon dragged me to the nurse’s office, where I was given a cold pack. I pressed the thing on my nose like it was my redemption. Thank God nothing was broken, although I could barely open my eyes with the swelling.

  “I don’t think it would be a good idea to watch a movie tonight,” Shannon said when we left the nurse’s office. She touched my face, maybe trying to find everything else underneath the puffiness.

  I leaned into her touch, loving her warmth on my skin, but soon I stepped back.

  “Yeah, I don’t think I want to be seen with a swollen nose around town. It’ll ruin my reputation.” I held her car door open for her.

  Shannon tried to smile, without success. “I don’t want you paying attention to bullies like Kevin. He’s not worth the trouble, and he’s never going to accept that I broke up with him.”

  I wasn’t sure whether future fights with Kevin could be avoided. He had a well-established habit of threatening me, and he had many friends he could call on if he wanted to hurt me. I would have to be more vigilant to stay clear of him, although I would strike back if he managed to corner me.

  “I’ll follow you to work, if you don’t mind hanging out with ‘tomato face’. Then we can watch a movie at my place after. I’ll even make grilled cheese sandwiches for dinner.” My parents were attending a gala at my dad’s office, so either dinner would be take-out or I’d have to make it.

  “Cool.”

  The tarot shop was busy. I barely saw Madame Elizabeth, except in passing. She gave me a knowing look, which confirmed what Detherina had told me.

  I kept Shannon company, and we finished our homework together. By the time the shop closed, my empty stomach was growling, but I gathered our backpacks so Shannon could tidy up the magazines in the waiting area.

  She laughed. It was obvious she’d heard the embarrassing noise my stomach had made. “You’re just like my dad. His gets loud when he’s hungry.”

  Remembering what her mother had said about her father’s death, I responded with a small smile.

  “He’s coming back this weekend. He’s been delayed at work for a few more days. I’m excited to see him.”

  From the corner of my eye, I saw Elizabeth behind the curtain, watching us. Her face was a mask of grief, and my heart ached for Shannon, too. She had no idea what had happened to her father or what the future held for her.

  We convoyed our cars back to my house. On our drive back, I sensed a malevolent vibe that felt threatening. Glancing out my car window, I saw nothing out of the ordinary. Maybe it was the hours I’d been spending playing video games, or my hyperactive imagination was catching up with me. I trailed Shannon’s car as close as possible, and I realized that, for the first time in my life, I had a purpose. Just as I’d promised, I would do whatever I could to keep Shannon safe.

  Nightmare and Death

  “Brian?” Shannon waved her hand in front of my face.

  “Huh?” I snapped back to reality and took a quick bite of my grilled cheese sandwich.

  “You’ve been very quiet. Come back to earth, huh?” She laughed.

  I snuck a quick glance at her plate. It was empty, even clear of crumbs. I chuckled and said, “Back to earth.”

  “So why were you staring at me?”

  To keep Detherina’s secret, I had to make a conscious effort to hide my concern from her.

  “Spaced out.” I waved off the subject with my hand. “I bet my face is all swollen.”

  “You look terrible.” Shannon reached over and blotted my nose with a tissue. I tried to move away, not wanting her to fuss over me, but it was difficult to say no to her. Her face was almost angelic, and she seemed incapable of doing anything mean. So, like a softie, I allowed her to make my face look better.

  “Has my nose gotten big?” I focused on the swollen flesh I could see between my eyes.

  “I like plums. I don’t mind it.” She giggled.

  “You’re so nice!” I scowled. Even so, Shannon’s touch sent warm tingles across my skin, waking another part of my body. I flinched and drew away from her. Although the affected areas were tender and quite painful, I didn’t mind the contact, but if she were to stay with us, I had better make sure to keep my hands to myself.

  I wondered how Detherina and Elizabeth would come up with an acceptable reason to convince my parents to let Shannon stay with us. Whatever they ended up doing was sure to raise eyebrows.

  “Brian, do you know what lies ahead?” Shannon asked out of the blue.

  Unsure how to answer her question, I stood up, stacked our plates together, and brought them to the sink. She followed me and began rinsing the plates.

  “Why are you so quiet? Have I said anything to offend you?” she asked, her face a mask of confusion.

  My eyes were getting watery from the throbbing from my nose, so I took her chin and tilted it up to see her better. “Of course not. Why would you think that?”

  “You can be intense or awkward, but I’ve never seen you like this. You know, like you’re keeping a secret.”

  We’d been hanging out for just a week, not enough time for her to understand all my moods. She must have been observing me closer than I’d realized. If that was the case, then I needed to try harder to hide my emotions until she reached her Aarmark maturity. Whatever that meant.

  “I’m still thinking about the fight with Kevin,” I lied and let go of her chin.

  She wiped her hands on the dish towel. “Then I guess I better head home. You look like you’re tired.”

  I thought I detected a tinge of sadness
in her voice, and I spluttered, “Please don’t go. We can watch a movie.”

  “Are you sure?” She looked relieved.

  Maybe she didn’t want to be alone. I, for one, didn’t want her to be. “Positive. What about something scary?” I asked with a grin.

  Shannon eagerly rubbed her palms together. “Oooh, I love scary movies.”

  An hour or so into Insidious 2, I felt like a big gob of stupid. My plan had exploded in my face. Rather than jumping in terror and seeking my protective arms, she was sitting up, her back straight, enjoying all the blood and gore.

  I sat next to her, hoping to find an excuse to hold her hand. Concentrating on the movie was impossible. Good thing I’d already seen it.

  Shannon glanced at me. “You’ve been squirming like a worm. Is something on your mind?”

  “No, nothing,” I lied again.

  She returned her attention to the movie. After a few minutes, she took my hand and held it. If a man could die from happiness, I was skirting the possibility.

  I pressed my palm against hers, and like a balm, the sensation erased the ache in my face. We stayed shoulder to shoulder, leaning against the sofa with our hands entwined. It was after midnight by the time the movie ended. My parents still hadn’t come back from their party.

  Shannon stood up and gathered her things. “I should be going.”

  I hated the feeling of not touching her anymore, so I thought of a way to stay with her a bit longer. “Why don’t you leave your car here and I’ll take you home? Call me in the morning, and I’ll drive you wherever you have to go.”

  Wow, all of a sudden, I felt like Sir Galahad, ready for a quest for the Holy Grail. I stifled a grin and hoped she didn’t catch it.

  She raised an eyebrow. “Don’t you have curfew?”

  “I’m turning eighteen soon, so I don’t have a curfew anymore,” I proudly announced. Slinging her backpack on my shoulder, I bowed. “After you, milady.”