“Umm, I don’t think…” I said hesitantly, racking my brain for an excuse.
“Lexi, don’t worry,” she said tilting her head sideways, “I won’t bring up Essence again. Not until you’re ready. I promise.”
“Okay,” I uttered. Unfortunately, she took that to mean that dinner was on.
“All right then. Dinner will be fun, and I promise Essence is off limits.”
#######
An hour later, Ally and I were driving towards downtown, but I was deep in thought. I gripped the steering wheel like it was a zip line and I was holding on for dear life. Emotionally, I was still reeling.
“Okay, what gives?” Ally asked.
Knowing she wouldn’t give up until I talked, I finally broke down and told her about Essence and Amethysts. Having witnessed and experienced all the craziness of my premonitions over the years, she thought the idea of healing through touch wasn’t preposterous at all. She was enthralled with the possibilities. Impatient and curious, she asked a ton of questions, but with my limited knowledge, I didn’t have many answers.
“Lexi!” she said with disbelief. “I can’t believe you didn’t drill Jessica for more info. When she says healing, what’s the extent of her abilities? Like can she cure cancer? And when will you be able to use your Essence to heal people?”
I shrugged my shoulders, keeping my eyes on the road. “I don’t know. I was so shocked; I was freakin’ out and I couldn’t think straight,” I said, sounding more cross than I’d intended. Guilt tugged at my conscience. I understood why she expected me to be delighted with the idea of becoming an Amethyst, but my secret from Ally was complicating things. Still, I had no intention of telling her about the mountain lions. She’d do everything she could to prevent the inevitable from happening; even if that meant following me around 24/7 with her dad’s hunting rifle in hand.
She sighed. “Okay, I’m sorry. It just seems like you should be ecstatic instead of upset.” As I shrugged she added sympathetically, “You know I’ve never been very patient. And I know I can’t truly understand how you’re feeling, so I’m sorry. I’ll just chill for awhile.
As I waited for a red light to change, I turned to offer an apologetic smile, but she was busy looking in the mirror, so I said quietly, “You’re too good to me.”
“Yeah, but I’m kind of a bossy…and nosy,” she said as she finished applying lipstick. After flipping the visor back into place she said, “Why is it that you’re always such a magnet for paranormal excitement? My life would be dull without all your drama.” She chuckled, and I relaxed a little as the tension in the car seeped out the open windows.
We walked into the pizza place and found ourselves in a huge, open room with about 20 tables, all with red checkered tablecloths. Jessica wasn’t there yet, but we went ahead and ordered. I paid with my debit card, informing Ally it was on my dad since he’d transferred money into my account earlier in the day. After going through the salad bar we found a long table next to the wall. As we started eating, Jessica came bouncing into the restaurant. She came over and greeted us, while the other three in her party walked back to order. Once I’d introduced her to Ally, she bounded off to place her order.
While they stood in line Ally and I scoped them out from a distance. “Wow!” Ally exclaimed. “Jessica’s sister is gorgeous. Long, thick, jet black hair and a body with extra curves in all the right places; you sure she’s not related to Angelina Jolie?” Without waiting for an answer she continued, “I can certainly appreciate her taste in clothing – expensive and contemporary. She’s a natural when it comes to fashion. I’m gonna have to find out where she shops in Bellingham.”
“Those stilettos are absurd,” I commented.
“No,” Ally said with admiration, “they’re impressive.”
“She looks like she should be at a cocktail party.”
“Maybe she just came from work.”
“Her name is Madison,” I said, poking at a tomato. “And her twin brother there is Max.”
They chose that exact moment to turn around and glance our way, as if they knew we were talking about them. “He’s a hottie,” Ally said. “They both have an exotic air about them.”
“I choose to reserve my opinion until I see them up close,” I said, popping a crouton in my mouth. “I don’t know who the blonde girl is. Oh, shhh…here they come.” Once everyone was seated, Jessica made introductions, and I wondered if she’d told them about our earlier conversation. I was relieved we didn’t shake hands, because if they could sense a person’s Essence, too, I certainly didn’t want them gaping at me.
“You three have the same incredible green eyes,” I said to break the ice. “Do you get them from your mom or your dad?” I directed my question towards Madison.
“Actually,” Madison said, flipping her hair, “both our parents have amazing green eyes, but ours definitely come from our mom. Your brown eyes are…nice, though.” From her tone, I couldn’t tell if she was being facetious or not.
Max joined the conversation. “So, how do you like Bellingham? Jessica said you’d both recently moved here from Tacoma.”
“We’ve settled in; although, some of us still have boxes to unpack,” Ally responded, giving me a sideways glance. “But everyone we meet seems really friendly.”
“We’ve got a great mix of people in this town,” said Laci, who we’d learned was a long time family friend and appeared to be Max’s girlfriend. “Lots of retired folks, young families, and of course you can’t forget all us college students who keep the town rockin’ when classes are in session.” She spoke with her hands, and her natural, blonde curls bounced around, sometimes covering her sparkling, blue eyes. “We enroll around 13,000 students at Western each year.”
“Laci works at the Viking Union up on Western’s campus, so she’s a great resource if you have any questions,” Madison jumped in, like she didn’t want to be left out of the conversation.
“That’s great, what do you do up there?” Ally asked.
“She does all kinds of things, like….” Madison started to say.
Max stopped her. “Madison, I think Laci can speak for herself.”
“Sorry,” she said nonchalantly, examining her white-tipped nails.
“No worries,” Laci said with a wave of her hand. Swiping a couple loose curls away from her face, she told us all about her job. Not long after, all our pizzas arrived. They looked gourmet and the white sauce smelled wonderful.
“This is really good pizza,” Ally said after a couple bites.
“I told Lexi this place was great,” Jessica said.
“I prefer La Fiamma myself.” Madison announced with a sigh. “Very upscale.”
“Maybe when mom and dad are buying, but this place is my favorite,” Jessica said good-naturedly, taking a sip of her soda.
Ally and I exchanged glances. Suppressing a smile, Ally changed the subject. “I’m surprised at the number of Canadian shoppers we have at the mall. I’m still trying to get accustomed to this exchange rate stuff and how it fluctuates from day to day.”
Max smiled knowingly and seemed genuinely interested. “The Canadians are great for our small economy, especially when the exchange rate favors their dollar.” He was full of information, and offered Ally all kinds of tidbits as she questioned him about Canadian currency.
“So Ally works at Macy’s, and Lexi you work at the store with Jessica, right?” Laci’s big eyes flashed my way, and I nodded in affirmation.
Madison dabbed her mouth with a napkin. “And now Max will be there too.”
I looked curiously at Max and said, “You work in the stores, too? Are you transferring?”
He nodded slightly, and I studied his solemn face. In a business-like tone, he said, “After much deliberation, I’ve decided to accept the Assistant Manager position at the Sehome store. So, yes, I will be working with you and Jessica soon.” His traditional crew cut fit his serious demeanor perfectly.
Jessica reached over and patt
ed him on the shoulder. With the adoration of a younger sister, she said, “I’ll be soooo glad to have you around.”
A family next to us began singing happy birthday to a young girl with pigtails. She blushed brightly, shrinking back in her chair.
“What about you Madison?” I said when the song was over. “Do you work at one of the stores?”
“Are you kidding?” She rolled her eyes and grunted, like I’d just asked her if she worked at the garbage dump. “I’m a real estate agent. I also attend Western, where I’m pursuing a degree in Business Administration and Management.” She nodded her head once and looked expectantly at Ally and me.
Ally did not disappoint. “Wow! That’s great. You must have had a clear vision of your career path at a young age. I can relate with that.”
“Definitely,” Madison said, tilting her sharp nose upwards. She proceeded to tell us all about her clients and current listings. Afterwards, we spent some time sharing stories, with Madison dominating most of the conversation.
Dusk settled heavily around us as we stood outside on the sidewalk saying our good-byes. All at once a sharp pain shot through my head and I knew the snapshots were coming. I leaned down, pretending to tie my shoe and closed my eyes. I didn’t know how I was going to escape this group and run off without arousing suspicion, but I wouldn’t hesitate. Never again, for as long as I lived…however long that might be. The snapshots came spiraling out of the black abyss:
An apartment building in flames
People running from the building
A woman trapped under a large beam
A door with the number 406
Unnerved, I shot to my feet and bumped into Ally. After we made eye contact, understanding dawned on her face, and she grabbed my arm.
“What is that smell?” Laci asked, crinkling her nose and sniffing loudly. “I think…oh no look over there,” she said urgently, pointing at plumes of black smoke rising steadily into the air only a couple blocks away.
“Something big is on fire,” Max said impatiently. Sirens wailed in the distance. “We better check it out. Maybe we can help.” He seized Laci’s hand, and they took off in a sprint. After slipping out of her heels, Madison shot off, hot on their trail.
Ally, Jessica, and I followed in their wake, but they pounded the pavement hard. The distance between us grew significantly. “Damn they’re fast,” I called out.
Running at my side, Jessica puffed, “Track stars in high school.”
All of them? Moments later, we rounded a corner and located the source of the smoke. Ally and Jessica cried out in horror, and even though I’d been expecting it, I was overwhelmed. Hot flames shot from the roof and burst through the top floor windows of a six story apartment building. Glass popped and shattered to the ground as windows blew out from the heat. Screaming people ran out the front entrance, while others climbed through ground floor windows, accepting help from strangers. A crowd was gathering.
“Listen Lexi,” Jessica said, glancing at me nervously and clasping my shoulder, “there are going to be people who need my help. I know you won’t be able to heal in the same capacity as me, but your touch will still be soothing. It will be beneficial to anyone who is suffering from smoke inhalation or minor burns. If you stick by my side, I’ll show you how to help.”
“Of course I will,” I said hurriedly. “But first I need to see if I can get people out of the building.” I gave Ally a hard look and shoved her towards Jessica. “Ally will work with you until I get back.” Before Jessica could speak, I turned and sprinted away.
That didn’t stop her from yelling hysterically behind me, “Stop Lexi! You can’t run into a burning building.”
I ignored her and made a beeline for the entrance. Fire trucks roared around the corner with sirens blaring. Once inside, I struggled up a narrow stairwell against a steady stream of hysterical residents. Some were barefoot and wearing pajamas. Many carried whimpering children, frightened pets, or personal belongings. The higher I went, the smokier the air became. I pulled my t-shirt over my mouth and breathed through it like it was a mask.
Once I reached the fourth floor, I stopped and touched the heavy door with the back of my hand. Finding it cool, I opened it, but reeled back in surprise when a warm blast smacked me in the face. Cautiously, I peered down the hallway. The smoke was thick and visibility was limited. What worried me most were the loud crackles traveling on the hot, dry air. Blood coursed through my veins, and I questioned my sanity as I slowly progressed down the vacant corridor.
I was reading the numbers on the doors when one flew open. A big man, wearing only a white t-shirt and boxers almost plowed over me. A white poodle yelped madly in his arms. The man grabbed my shoulder and shouted, “Lady, you’re going the wrong direction. The stairs are that way.” He pointed and started dragging me with him, his dog nipping at my arm. “This whole place could go up in flames.”
“Sir,” I yelled and snatched my arm away, “There’s someone trapped down there, and they need me. You go ahead.”
“You’re crazy, and you’re gonna get yourself killed. You need to come with me now!” he bellowed and swiped at me, but I ducked and dodged away. Coughing and gasping, he said, “Whatever. If you wanna get yourself killed, that’s your problem.” He staggered down the hallway, hollering vulgar words.
I hurried the opposite direction through coiling gray smoke. The air sizzled, and I dropped to the floor. At the far end of the hallway, orange flames snapped across the ceiling, and my nerves tingled. I said a silent prayer that room 406 wasn’t already engulfed in flames.
Luckily it wasn’t, but I did find it locked. Screaming in frustration, I sat down and kicked at the door like a crazed person. I was sweaty, winded, and warn down when it finally flew open, but I crawled inside and slammed it shut behind me. The apartment was dark, and the air was smoky but not as bad as the hallway. Screams from another room boosted my adrenaline another notch, and I jumped to my feet and ran to investigate. Shock stopped me short at the bedroom entrance. Part of the ceiling had collapsed, and furniture from the upper floor had slid down and scattered all over the room. But worst of all, a huge ceiling beam held the lady from my snapshots pinned to the ground.
“Help me! Please help me!” she cried when she spotted me. Drenched in sweat, with her nightgown clinging to her body and her black hair pasted to her head, she looked to be in pain.
Quickly, I climbed through the mess of overturned furniture. “It’s going to be okay,” I assured her but cringed when I glimpsed her crushed legs.
“Hurry,” she said. “I can’t move my legs, and the smoke is getting thicker.” I nodded, and she said, “Can you lift the beam?”
“I’ll try.” But no matter how hard I heaved, it wouldn’t budge. We looked at each other in despair.
“Now what?” she asked, hacking away.
Coughing uncontrollably myself, I said, “First, I get us wet towels to breathe through. Then if I can find a flashlight, I’ll signal for help through the window.”
Once we had wet washcloths and I had a flashlight in hand, I opened the window in the other room. I shot the beam of light downwards and screamed at the top of my lungs. The street was a mass of people, fire engines, and flashing lights. I prayed someone would see my distress signal.
Something crashed back in the bedroom, and the lady hollered, “More of the ceiling is falling. Oh my God! I can see the fire burning in the room above.”
Totally flustered, I hunched over and rushed to her side. I worked for a long time, tugging and shoving on the beam.
“Save yourself,” she cried. “You still have time.”
I couldn’t believe it. I was trying my best, and yet, it looked like I wasn’t going to be able to save her. One thing I did know, there was no way I was walking away. If this lady was going to die, then so was I. “No, I’m staying with you,” I said and held her hand. Not long afterwards, she passed into unconsciousness. I covered her with more wet towels and even placed one
over my own head. Engulfed by dense, gray smoke, my eyes stung, but I continued to tug at the board while burning ashes drifted through the room and the heat intensified.
I’d all but given up hope, when out of nowhere, a fireman burst into the bedroom. While I took a couple breaths from his oxygen mask, I watched in disbelief as he lifted the beam off her legs like it was a simple two by four. He hoisted the lady over his shoulder and dragged me out of the room as chunks of burning debris rained down on us. Upon exiting the room, something whistled and popped, and then the rest of the ceiling collapsed. I heaved a sigh of relief at the open window where I found another fireman at the top of a long, fire truck ladder.
Our descent dragged on forever. I didn’t breathe a sigh of relief until I was standing safely on the ground and the woman was placed in an ambulance. I barely had time to whisper words of gratitude to the fireman, who was looking at me rather severely, when Ally almost plowed over me. Jessica joined in, and they hugged and scolded me as an EMT placed an oxygen mask over my head. Luckily, I didn’t have to wear it long. I didn’t have any shortness of breath, and I felt fine. Jessica whispered something about how I could attribute my abundance of oxygen to my Essence.
Once the paramedics deemed me fit to go, Ally and I hung around awhile longer, assisting where we could. When it looked like the fire department and paramedics had everything under control, we said our good-byes to Jessica for a second time. With a meaningful glance, Jessica said we’d talk soon. Max, Madison, and Laci showed up just as we were leaving. They looked disheveled, but not nearly as sooty as I did. On the way home, Ally informed me those three had carried people out of the building, while she and Jessica tended to the victims. Ally marveled at their speed and aptitude and was clearly impressed at having witnessed Jessica’s skills firsthand.
Once we were finally home, we collapsed onto the couch. As Ally thumbed through the mail she said, “That was crazy insane! Talk about an adrenaline rush.” She paused and frowned. “Oh yuk. It looks like we’ve gotten our first official bill – from the power company. Hey, here’s another letter from your mom. Should we call and tell her about the fire?”
Amethyst - Book One of the Guardian Series Page 6
