“Where are we?” she asked, turning back to face Gavin once more.
“My friends and I were in my boat on the lake when we spotted you. We landed in Michigan not long after picking you up, and I brought you back to my lake house,” he answered. But Arista felt like he was holding something back.
She tried sitting up all the way again, this time more slowly, and the pain wasn’t as bad as it had been before.
“I didn’t mean to trouble you,” she said. “I’m grateful for everything, but I should be on my way now.”
She managed to kick her legs over the side of the bed before Gavin jumped out of the chair to stop her. He gently eased Arista back onto the pillow.
“No, it’s alright,” he said. “I’m sure you’re hungry and still tired. Why don’t you rest a bit longer? Later, we can grab a bite to eat and then I’ll help you get on to wherever it is you need to go.”
Arista turned to look out the window again, uneasy with the thought of staying there much longer.
“Don’t worry,” he said. “You’ll be safe here, I promise. If you’re in trouble, running from someone, I can help you.”
Arista nodded, and silently made up her mind to trust him, at least for a few more hours. She was still so exhausted. She closed her eyes, and the last thing she felt before falling asleep was Gavin wrapping the blankets around her once more.
…
It was several hours before Arista woke up again. Her head throbbed with the deep headache that can accompany too much sleep. This time when she looked out the window, the sun appeared ready to dip below the horizon in an amazing spectacle of color. She stared in awe for several minutes before forcing herself to look toward the chair where Gavin sat earlier, but it was empty.
He had left a glass of water on the table next to the bed. Arista took a deep gulp, almost consuming the whole glass at once. She wasn’t used to drinking water, but it gave her the bit of strength she needed to leave the bed. She placed the glass back on the table and noticed the framed photograph sitting there. A little boy lounging in a red wagon was grinning as a giant baseball hat fell around his head.
She smiled as she looked around the rest of the room, at what she assumed were family photos hanging on the walls. Gavin, his sister, and their parents caught for just a moment in time. Arista felt a pang in her chest, wishing she had pictures of her family like these with memories that wouldn’t fade.
There were two doors at the other end of the room. One was ajar and appeared to lead into a hallway, while the other was cracked open with a stream of light trickling out. When Arista first tried to stand, she had to return to her seat immediately. The pain was so great she didn’t know how her ankles and knees could ever support her weight. She tried once more, and this time forced herself to endure the pain of standing. As hard as it was to stand, it was more difficult to take her first steps. Unsteady, she felt her way slowly across the room, holding onto pieces of furniture as she went. Legs still wobbling, she pushed open the wooden door and discovered a small bathroom on the other side.
She gasped when she saw herself in the mirror for the first time. Her long dark hair was in knots and tangles and her blue eyes belied her weariness. Gavin had put one of his shirts on her, and it was wrinkled after being slept in for hours.
She pushed her hair away from her neck and traced her fingers along the three thin ridges of skin right below her jaw. A deep shade of red tinged the edges, appearing as though something had sliced her. As her hair slid back to hide the marks, she moved her hands down her neck to the only item she brought from the water. She squeezed the amulet in her hand. It hung on a dark silver chain, a large blood-red stone protected inside of a silver circle. A deep chill ran through her as she grasped it; it was the only real connection to her past.
She opened the top drawer of the sink and found a comb jumbled among the odds and ends. She tenderly pulled it through her hair, trying hard not to rip the strands out of her head. After she got it somewhat straightened, she pushed her hair over her neck to hide those red marks.
No need to trigger any questions.
She left the bathroom and carefully walked through the hallway, using the walls to help her. She peeked inside another room she passed on her right, a tiny office with a desk and several bookshelves. She closed the door and kept walking down the hall. With each step, it became easier and she found herself relying on the wall less as she went along.
Dark wood furnishings filled the main room of the house. The large windows on all sides offered up a beautiful view of the scenery. The window to the north looked across the lake. To the south, she saw a dense group of trees. The sun had all but set and the sky once again filled with tiny stars. Arista peered through the skylight and was astonished at how many stars twinkled through the small opening.
She heard a soft noise coming from the couch in the middle of the room. She leaned over the back of the leather sofa and found Gavin asleep on the other side. His parted mouth created muffled whispering sounds. He looked so peaceful and Arista felt a tug inside, wanting her to stay.
I told him I would, but I know this is my only chance to leave… before he learns any more about me.
As quietly as possible, Arista returned to the bedroom and looked through the drawers. She wouldn’t get far in her unkempt state. She found a pair of old-looking jeans easily enough, but it took longer to locate a belt to keep them from falling down. After tugging on a pair of socks, she decided there wasn’t time to find anything else. She hurried back through the hallway and checked that Gavin was still asleep.
Leaving him like this gave her a twinge of guilt, especially since he had rescued her. When they had spoken earlier, she was struck by the kindness in his brown eyes. It was only by coincidence, sheer luck, that he found her in the lake. She thought of her grandmother who always said that, luck or not, there was a reason for everything that happened. You only needed to be wise enough to see the moment and use it.
Arista had no choice now. She couldn’t stay any longer, waste any more time. She brushed her hand against his cheek.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
She walked across the room, opened the sliding glass door, and stepped outside. The evening air was cool with a heavy breeze blowing in over the lake. She walked down the wood plank path to the beach, stopping halfway.
Again, a pang of guilt and a voice in her head begged her to stay. Arista debated going back inside and pretending as though she had never left. She had no idea where she should go but, even as scared as she was, she had to keep moving. She could not get distracted.
She shook her head to clear the thoughts from her mind and turned her back on Gavin and his house. As Arista stepped into the sand, she noticed a seagull perched on a railing, watching her. She stared back and felt each tiny hair on her arms stand on end. She stepped towards it and it let out a loud cry before flying off. Arista took a deep breath and laughed at herself for feeling anxious over nothing.
With that, she started walking through the sand, unsure of what direction she was traveling or where she should go next.
˜
{ Chapter 3 }
The soft light cast by the moon was enough for Arista to keep her footing. With no idea of where she was headed, all she could do was take one step at a time. She followed the shoreline as best she could, hoping it would eventually lead her somewhere with a chance to find the answers she sought.
By now, her absence would be noticed back home. She didn’t tell anyone she was leaving and it would take some time for them to figure out where she went. Arista only hoped they wouldn’t come after her, that they would let her disappear.
The chill in the air made it hard to keep up her quick pace, and soon she was completely worn out. She slowed and closed her eyes as she walked, letting the cool breeze blow strands of her long hair across her face. She took a deep breath and opened her eyes to look out across the water. The moonlight reflected off the small waves grazing the shoreline. Th
e tiny grains of sand ran over and under her feet, slipping beneath and between her sock-covered toes, as she sank slightly with each step. As the sand was pushed around, the rocks clicked together with a musical quality. Arista stomped harder, then softer, and even skipped to change the song. She smiled — it made her feel less alone.
She paused to scan the lake, once more feeling the slightest yearning for the comforts of home. As if hearing her thoughts, the waves picked up strength and ran fiercely into the shore, lapping up against her ankles and soaking her socks. She heaved a sigh and turned away from the water to continue on her way.
It was slow going through the shifting and singing sands. She wasn’t sure how long it would be until sunrise, but she was ready to see the rays of light hit the sky. The beach gradually changed from a smooth descent in the water into a rockier shoreline. Ahead, Arista saw a lighthouse with waves pounding against a rock wall under it. Bright lights gleamed near the lighthouse, so she walked in that direction.
The lake broke off into an inlet, where several fires burned brightly. Large groups of people gathered around the flames, laughing and dancing as music played in the background. Although no one noticed Arista, she moved away from the shoreline to hide among the brush along the edge of the beach. There the sand mixed with larger rocks and her shoeless feet grew sore as she inched closer to the group of people. The sights were captivating. Although she couldn’t hear their conversations, their movements in the soft glow of the firelight fascinated her.
“Hey there, I don’t believe we’ve met.”
Arista turned around, startled at the sound of the voice so close behind her. She was so caught up in watching everyone that she didn’t hear the man walk right up to her. He shifted his weight to his right foot as he kicked some sand out from his other sandal. Arista took a few uneasy steps away from him.
“No, I don’t think so. I’m only visiting here,” she said carefully.
“I’m Chris,” he said, extending his hand towards her. She hesitated before mimicking his movement, and he shook her hand in his own. As he let go, his eyes drifted across her and widened in the examination. Arista was quite a sight. She still wore Gavin’s rumpled button-down shirt and jeans, both of which overwhelmed her petite frame. The wind had blown her hair around as she walked on the beach, and it needed another brushing. It was hard to tell because the jeans were so long, but she also had nothing more than a pair of wet and dirty socks on her feet.
“Hey, are you okay? I have a phone if you need to call someone to pick you up,” he said, reaching into his pocket.
“No, I just wanted to see what was going on here, but I can leave. Thank you,” she said, turning away from him to walk back along the beach. Chris frowned before reaching out to touch her shoulder.
“Hang on,” he said. Arista stopped and turned to see him looking at her again, with more curiosity this time. “You don’t have to leave, you can stay. We have plenty of food and drinks here. You can go when you’re ready, okay?”
“Thank you,” she said, as she followed him towards the group of people. “My name is Arista.”
“Arista, that’s pretty,” he said with a grin. She smiled absently at him as she stared at the people around them.
Everything moved so fast. No matter where she looked, people were talking, cheering, clapping, and dancing while the fires sparkled and music blared. Arista stopped walking and stood still for a minute, soaking it in before following Chris into the dense crowd. He stopped next to a girl reclining on a blanket in the sand with her legs outstretched in front of her. Arista eyed her long, smooth legs extending from her jean shorts and felt a twinge of jealousy.
“Hey, Brit, got a minute?” Chris yelled so she could hear him over the noise.
The girl flipped her blonde curls over her shoulders as she stood up from the blanket and brushed away the grains of sand stuck to the back of her legs. “Yeah, what’s going on?”
“This is Arista,” he answered, with a nod of his head towards her. “Arista, this is Britney. I’m going to go grab some drinks, need anything?”
Britney shook her head and returned to the blanket, motioning for Arista to join her. Arista stood hesitantly as Chris walked away before sitting on the edge of the blanket. Britney leaned in closer to talk to her in spite of the loud music.
“Is this your first time at a Pi Kappa Alpha party? You seem nervous to be here,” she said with a laugh.
“Yes,” Arista said warily.
“I remember my first time… well, no, I really don’t. The tequila and vodka took care of that for me, right?” Britney said while giggling and waving the remainder of her drink in the air. Arista smiled back, not sure what she was talking about.
“The Pikes can get pretty serious about these parties. Honestly, they wear me out. I don’t even know why I’m still here. Still looking for Prince Charming, right?”
Finally, something Arista understood. She recalled the stories her mother had told her in secret late at night, when no one could hear them. As Arista drifted off to sleep, her mother told her about the human girl whose true love found her with the aid of a glass shoe. Thinking about the story made Arista miss her mother, and she remembered why she left home in the first place.
“So that makes you Cinderella, then?” Arista responded with a knowing smile.
“Aren’t we all,” Britney said, laughing loudly and spilling her pink drink down her slender wrist. It left a trail of damp spots across the blanket. “I don’t think there are any left in this bunch, and instead we’re left cleaning the fireplace with nothing to show for it, right? Ah, well, to Prince Charming then — wherever he may be,” she said, taking a big swig of her drink.
Britney then held the cup out to Arista, who cautiously looked at it and took a quick sniff of the potent drink.
“What are you afraid of? Here, take some,” Britney said, insistently holding out the glass. Her curiosity was aroused and before she knew what she was doing, Arista had the cup in her hand. The pink drink tickled its way down her throat, leaving a burning sensation in its wake. Her face puckered and contorted in distaste to the tart flavor of the cranberry and the sting of the alcohol.
“Hey guys, I’m back. What are you ladies up to?” Chris said, sliding in next to Britney and pressing up against her long blonde curls.
“Watch it, get off my hair! We’re trying to find some princes among all these louts,” Britney answered with a smile.
Chris laughed and shook his head. “I guess I fall into the lout category. It is starting to thin out a bit, huh?”
Arista looked around. Although there were fewer people than when she first walked up it still seemed busy. Chris handed them each a small glass. “They were running low on the beer, but I managed to grab these.”
Arista held hers up to her nose and grimaced at the tingling sensation as she caught a whiff of the strong alcohol.
“What is it?” she asked, hesitating to take a sip. She was already feeling light-headed from the last drink. The other two smiled and drank theirs in one smooth gulp, so Arista closed her eyes and tilted her head back. From the second the liquid slid past her tongue, her throat felt like it was on fire. She coughed and sputtered while Chris and Britney laughed.
“You really are new at this, huh?” Britney said. “It’s not so bad, you get used to it.”
Arista struggled to regain her composure. Her head felt worse and the ground around her seemed to be tilting from side to side. She tried to stand and fell back down, spinning around on her heels.
“Sorry, I’m not feeling so good,” Arista said, putting a hand on her stomach as it quivered in response to the drink.
“I think there’s only one place to go then. We’ll be back in a bit,” Britney said to Chris, whisking Arista away.
Britney led her to a tiny building at the edge of the beach that housed a small bathroom. Once inside, Britney sat Arista on the seat and told her to place her head between her knees until the room stopped spinning. I
n the bright overhead light of the bathroom, Britney got a closer look at Arista. For the first time she noticed the muddy socks with a growing hole over her left toe and no shoes, along with the dirty clothes much too large for her. She let out a low whistle as she pulled Arista’s dark hair away from her face.
“You’re not in good shape, are you? Where did you come from tonight?” she asked.
Arista wasn’t sure how to answer. Gavin had seemed skeptical, and he had actually discovered her in the water. How could Britney possibly understand?
“We’re friends, right?” she asked Britney, who nodded and knelt down on the cold tiled floor next to her. Arista decided to keep it simple.
“I ran away from home. I was walking along the beach and ended up here,” she explained. The world was feeling more stable and the room wasn’t spinning as much, but Arista’s stomach still felt as though it was going to jump up and out of her mouth. As her emotions overwhelmed her, she began to cry.
“I don’t even know what I’m doing here. I’m completely lost and I’m not even sure where I’m supposed to go to find who I’m looking for,” she said. She leaned backwards against the seat, tears streaming down her reddened face. “I mean, so far everyone has been so nice to me, not at all like the stories I heard growing up…. But I don’t know what to do, and now I just feel sick.”
“Aw, sweetie, it’ll be okay. That’s the drink talking. I’m sure after a good night’s sleep everything will seem much clearer in the morning,” Britney said brightly. She opened her purse and took out a hairbrush and makeup. “Here, let’s fix you up and get you back out there.”
Britney helped Arista stand in front of the mirror. She brushed Arista’s hair, but paused when she noticed the jagged red marks under Arista’s jaw.
“What happened to you?” she asked, looking concerned.
“Those? Oh, nothing. I’ve always had them,” Arista said, unsure of what else to say.
Tangled Ripples: Book One: The Morrigan Prophecies Page 2
