The Last Seeker: Book 1: a teen & YA magical, fantasy, paranormal, & adventure novel (TRISTEN)

by Fleur Camacho

  “Hmm… a connection?” He hesitated. “Tristen, I…” he stopped short. “Okay, I understand. You have a connection with her. So what are you going to do about it?”

  I thought about it and realized that I didn’t really know the answer. “I don’t know really. I guess nothing. I mean, there is nothing to do about it. I just like hanging out with her is all.”

  My dad smiled, “Cool. I’m glad. You need to get out more.”

  I looked at him questioningly.

  “I know…I know that you like to spend time with your mom while I’m at work. But it’s good for you to get out, too. There are lots of fish in the sea, my son, and you need to meet lots of people and have fun. And Ailey’s nice, but she’s not the only girl out there. And she seems to be very…” he struggled to find the right word. “Attached. To Brooks, I mean.”

  I thought about it.

  “Yeah. You’re right,” I agreed, “and I like Brooks too. He’s a pretty good guy. Sometimes I just can’t help it though, she just draws me in.”

  “Well, some girls are that way. That’s how your mom was for me. But Ailey’s different.”

  I looked at him, wondering what he knew about Ailey.

  “Different how?” I asked.

  He shrugged. “I’m just saying that I hope you don’t have a crush on her when it seems like she really likes that other guy.”

  My face burned red. “Ah, I know Dad. Okay, okay. I don’t want to talk about this anymore.”

  “Now, your mother,” he said, changing the subject, “I was very taken with her from the day we met; she was always the woman for me.” He sighed, remembering. “Although it did take some convincing to get her to feel the same way about me. She had lots of choices.”

  “Really?”

  “One day, I took her out on my motorcycle. We’d been dating for about seven months. We drove up to the mountains. I wanted to take her to the trails to see the fall leaves. Really, I was just hoping she'd think I looked hot on my motorcycle. And I knew she liked hiking.” He started laughing, remembering what happened.

  I couldn’t help but smile. “What? Did she like the hike?”

  He laughed again. “Actually, I never found out. My motorcycle broke down along the way. We never made it up the mountain.”

  I laughed. “I guess that should have been her first clue, huh?”

  He stopped, glaring at me, then laughed and playfully hit me on the arm. “Hey! If it weren’t for me then you wouldn’t be here, buddy, you’d better remember that.”

  “Okay, okay, fine. So then what happened?”

  “Well, we started walking down and it got pretty late. We followed a curve in the road and it was like God was waiting for us to hit that spot because as soon as we turned the corner the sky lit on fire. The sun was setting and the sky was filled with amber and gold. And that is when your mother fell in love with me. The heavens willed it. We’ve been together ever since.”

  He laughed again. “I had fun telling her other suitors to shove off, and they were pretty unhappy about it. But it didn’t matter. Your mother’s heart welded to mine during that sunset and there was no separating us.”

  I thought back, trying to imagine my parents on the hill watching the sun going down. I looked at him and could tell he was thinking the same thing; his mind was somewhere else. Suddenly, he looked up. I could see pain in his eyes; the present always lurked, no matter the good memories.

  “And you take such good care of your mom. She loves you very much, you know.” He smiled sadly.

  “Sometimes I think that if it weren’t for you that she would have…” He choked a little bit on his words and I stared in shock. “She would have — you know — given in. There was a point when she was so weak…”

  I just stared at him in silence, waiting for him to finish.

  “You were in school and I was at the hospital with her. She had fallen asleep, and I thought…” Tears began to run down his face and he wiped at them. “I thought that she wasn’t going to wake up. Her breathing was shallow and she seemed so worn down; her face was pale grey. All the light had gone out of her eyes before she’d fallen asleep.” He paused again, trying to hold back his emotions. “I was holding her hand and I just couldn’t stand the thought of losing her. I kept praying that she would make it through, saying it over and over, pleading with God, ‘Please help, God. Please.’”

  He stopped and I stared at the floor. It felt like my heart was being squeezed tightly in the quiet room. After a minute, my dad composed himself and continued: “Finally, she stirred a little bit and said one word. She just said, ‘Tristen.’ That’s all she said. After that she grew more and more determined. Her breathing grew stronger and I could just see her come alive again. It was amazing. God gave me a gift that day and I knew she didn’t want to give up. Because of you, Tristen.”

  I sat glued to my seat, shocked. “But what about you, Dad? I know she loves you so much.”

  “Yes, son, you’re right.” He looked out the window. “But she thinks I’m stronger than I am. When she first got sick, she told me that she didn’t want me to be sad. That I should be happy and that eventually I could, I could…” he choked on the word, “…move on.”

  “What?” I couldn’t breathe. “What did you tell her?”

  “Well, I know I can’t. I could never move on, but I told her yes.”

  “Why? Why would you tell her that?”

  “I didn’t want her to worry. All I wanted was for her to get better.”

  “Oh…” My dad stared off as if I weren’t even there, lost in thought. I felt the emptiness inside me. I thought of my mother and how she was always so happy, always so giving to my dad and me, and the sadness just swallowed me up inside. I thought of my dad and what it would do to him if she died. I didn’t know if he would make it through something like that; his life was always connected to hers. I was grateful that she seemed to be doing much better now.

  Finally he shuffled in his seat and looked at me. “Tristen, there’s something that I should tell you.”

  I looked at him. This sounded serious, and not at all like my dad.

  “Sometimes, life changes in ways that you can never expect. And I just can’t help but feel like you have something coming, something even bigger than your mom getting diagnosed with leukemia. I don’t know… I don’t know what it is, but I just have that feeling.”

  It was quiet again, except for those crickets. I was so taken back that I didn’t know what to say. I couldn’t imagine anything bigger than what we were already going through.

  “And you say that I’m the sentimentalist?” I tried to joke to break the silence.

  He grinned at me. “Where do you think you got it from?”

  I smiled back at him. “Of course.”

  “No seriously though. I just want you to know that if something big does come up —”

  I huffed, interrupting him; I didn’t want to hear about this.

  “Okay, okay,” he continued, “I know that it seems like nothing will ever happen to you. But if it does, IF it does, I’ll always be here for you, okay? Anything you need to talk about, or any help you need, I’m here.”

  “Okay, all right, Dad. Enough. I’m sure everything will be fine, ‘kay?”

  He looked at me like he wanted to tell me more but when he saw my skeptical face he changed his mind. “Yeah, okay. Sure. I’m sure everything will be fine.”

  Lying in bed that night, I fell asleep to the sound of the now lulling crickets, while my dad still sat on the porch, staring off into the night, deep in thought.

  ❦

  Later on, after finally falling asleep, I jerked up in my bed with a sudden feeling that something was wrong. Orange, red and black raged around me. I jumped to my feet as the heat from the fire singed the hair in my nose and arms. I frantically looked around me, and seeing only flames and blackening grass, I began to run. I ran toward the trees, hoping they would offer shelter. Maybe I could find my parents from ther
e.

  “Mom! Dad!” I yelled.

  When I reached the trees, I turned back toward the house and, to my horror, all I could see was the blazing remains of the house. It was almost completely torched to the ground.

  How did I survive that?

  The fire groaned and crackled as my stomach churned and turned. Tears sprung to my eyes and I leaned over, gagging, nauseated at the thought that my parents might not have made it out, burned alive in the remains of our ancestors. I strained to hear the sounds of the sirens, any kind of sign that the firemen were on their way. I was sure that someone had called them. Yet it was eerily quiet other than the crackle of the flames, like a witch laughing at my suffering.

  Thump.

  Then I heard a bark. Relieved, I called out for Lucky.

  Maybe he can show me where my parents are waiting…if they are out there somewhere.

  It was suddenly dark and I couldn’t see across the meadow despite the light from the fire. I called to him, “Lucky, show me Mama,” and ran in the first direction that my feet took me, hoping that he would show me where they were.

  I sat up with a start. My sheet was wrapped tight around my chest and sweat ran down my face and back.

  Thump.

  One of my school books fell to the floor. The smell from the fire filled my nose and smoke rose from my sheets. I pulled them off me and frantically patted at them, but there was no fire. My bed was soaked and I shivered from the coolness of my sweat.

  I felt queasy and leaned over the side of my bed, choking on the nausea that overwhelmed me. Eventually, the feeling passed, and I lay back down in my sweat-soaked bed. I tried to catch my breath and said a silent prayer of thanks. Lucky continued to whimper by my bed.

  I’d better check all the batteries in our smoke alarms today.

  “All right Lucky, it’s ok. I’m awake now.” I tried to get out of bed but the floor rose up to my face. I opened my eyes to see the dark hardwood squishing my nose. I looked down to find my blankets in a tangle around my legs. I unwound them and grabbed a towel from the floor and went to the bathroom.

  Looking in the mirror, I saw that my hair was tangled and sweaty. My breath was still shaky so I closed my eyes and relaxed, trying to even out my breathing.

  Relax. It was only a dream. A Nightmare. Again.

  What is going on with me?

  It’s no big deal. No big deal.

  I opened my eyes again to look in the mirror and could see dark circles under my eyes. My thoughts drifted to the things my dad and I talked about the night before. It had taken forever to fall asleep with my thoughts swirling around my head. I turned on the shower and closed the door. I tried to scrub both my dad’s sad words and that awful nightmare out of my mind.

  It’s no big deal.

  ❦

  When I arrived at school I casually looked around the parking lot for Ailey’s car. Disappointed, I turned to walk to class and almost bumped into Piper.

  “Whatcha looking for?” she asked.

  “Ummmm… no, nothing. I was just…” I finished lamely. “So…I hope you had fun the other night.”

  Since I said it as a statement she didn’t answer and a painful silence ensued. What did my dad say the other night about getting a girl to talk? Something about questions.

  “How are you doing this morning?” I asked, trying to fill the silence.

  “I’m fine.” She stood looking at the ground. “Yep, doing just great.”

  She looked like she wanted to say something. I hoped she would get around to it soon. She was making me nervous.

  Finally she asked, “What about you?”

  “Me? Oh, I’m fine. And I had fun the other day. Also. I thought the movie was pretty funny.”

  “Yeah. Me too.” Pause. I didn’t know what else to say, or what she expected me to say. I focused on a small rock on the ground and kicked it with my sandal.

  I tried to think of another question to ask.

  “So, did you get up late?” I asked. She stared blankly at me. “The next morning, I mean…” I am a retard. “Since we went to bed late.” I finished lamely. What could possibly be more embarrassing this this? This is the worst conversation I’ve had. Ever.

  “Umm, no. My alarm went off. As usual, you know.”

  “I see.”

  Back to the rock on the ground. Would she notice I was going to grind it into a powder?

  “All right. Well, I’ll see you later.”

  “Yeah, see you in class.”

  I walked off in the opposite direction of my first class just to avoid walking with her.

  Wow, that was mortifying.

  CHAPTER THREE

  I opened my eyes to see the most beautiful face hovering over me; her blue-green eyes pierced into mine. Her mouth opened and closed; her lips were so close I could smell her watermelon lip-gloss. She bit on her lower lip to concentrate on something. Her blonde hair fell over her face and she brushed it aside, trying to focus. Her eyes became concerned, restless, like the sea during a storm; swirling green and blue. I blinked, trying to decide how I had passed on from this life to wake up with this beautiful angel looking down at me.

  She opened her mouth again, and this time I tried to concentrate on what she was saying. “Are you okay? Hey—can you hear me?” I took in my surroundings as the fog from my brain began to lift. I was on the floor in the gym. Again.

  Oh crap. What am I doing here?

  I saw a badminton racket near my right arm, which was never a good thing. A throbbing pain filled my head and I reached up to feel it. I could feel a large bump bulging from my forehead. I grimaced as I felt the area around it. It was definitely tender. Then I saw her again and forgot the pain.

  “Hey, are you okay?” she asked, biting on her lower lip again.

  Those amazing, shining lips.

  “Yes, I think so,” I said as I tried to get up. I instantly regretted it as dizziness set in.

  “No, don’t get up. Oh man, I’m so sorry. You have an incredibly huge bump on your forehead. I’m so sorry! I can’t believe I did that with my racket! I feel awful.”

  I instantly tried to comfort her; of course she could do no wrong. “No, it was my fault. I’m always hurting myself.”

  “Yeah, Tristen always gets hurt. He was standing too close to you.” Someone behind us tried to console her.

  Just then I remembered how I’d gotten into this strangely wonderful predicament. I was trying to figure out who the new girl was in my gym class, edging closer to try to see her face. Out of nowhere the volley flew over us. She tried to hit it at the same time that I leaped forward to hit it. Her racket whacked my head and I fell over. After that it was only blank, until I saw her beautiful face over mine.

  How do I always get myself in these predicaments?

  “No, I’m sure it was my fault. I…” She was interrupted as Coach Jane slid in between us, hovering over me.

  “Are you okay? How many fingers am I holding up,” she fretted.

  “Umm…six,” I said, not even bothering to look. I was frustrated, trying to look around her to see those eyes again.

  “No, only three. You need to go see Nurse Allan. You might have slight concussion. Mike, can you take him?” Coach Jane said.

  “I’ll do it. I’m the one who knocked him in the head,” the girl insisted.

  Yes. She’ll do it.

  “Fine. Just please wait with him until you know for sure that everything is okay.” Coach Jane walked away, then stopped, “Oh, and Isolda, please be more careful next time. We have enough guys tripping themselves up around you already.” She rolled her eyes as several boys around her turned red.

  Isolda. What a beautiful name. Of course she would have a beautiful name. And of course all the boys in school would be buzzing around her like bees to honey.

  The dizziness in my head melted away and I felt a wonderful tingle in my hand as she took it in hers, trying to help me up.

  “I’m okay, really. I just have a littl
e bump is all,” I protested. “You don’t have to walk me…”

  She tugged on my hand, again sending tingles up my hand, willing me to go with her. “It’s okay. Besides, we’ll get out of gym.”

  I hesitated uncertainly. I was embarrassed that she would walk me to the nurse.

  “Do you really want to keep playing badminton?” she asked.

  I did an about face and immediately walked to the door. Her hand was still holding mine as we walked.

  She laughed. “I thought so. You don’t seem to be very good…”

  I stopped dead in my tracks and looked at her, her hand dropping away from mine at the abruptness. She raised one eyebrow.

  “…At staying out of my way,” she added. I tried to hide my smile.

  I touched the bump on my head, willing it to go down, and she watched me with concern. “It’s not too bad,” I said, trying to pull my hair over the bump.

  “Sure, sure,” she grabbed my arm. “Okay buddy, which way is Nurse Allan’s office?”

  I smiled again but immediately grew nervous; she was holding my hand again. I looked away before she could see the fire in my cheeks and walked quickly toward Nurse Allan.

  ❦

  “You’re fine!” Nurse Allan declared in her Irish accent after examining me. “Just a bump, that’s all. Here’s an ice pack. You can sit here for a little bit, then best be off. Wouldn’t want you to miss too much gym.” She laughed. “I suppose that’s why you’re here,” indicating Isolda. Then she shrugged. “I don’t care, you might as well sit down, too.”

  Then the nurse looked back at me and leaned in close. “I was never very good at gym either,” she whispered as if she was telling me some big secret. Or maybe she didn’t want me to be embarrassed about my clumsiness; this was not my first visit to Nurse Allan’s office. She laughed again and walked off.

  My attention turned back to Isolda. She was wearing a tie-dye shirt with her short gym shorts; the awful brown color of the gym shorts actually complimented her long tan legs.

  “Nice shirt,” I commented.

  “Thanks!” Her eyes glowed with my compliment.