She bowed her head some after listening to him. For the first time since all of this began, she felt like she agreed with what he said. She didn’t belong in this world. She didn’t belong in his world. Now, she felt alone. She felt displaced. In a way, she felt this way for some time now, hasn‘t she. She just didn’t want to admit it to herself, but now, with hearing all of this, that feeling exploded around her like a small bomb going off in your hand. It made sense to feel it. It made sense to think it. It also made sense as to why she brought Brandon with her in the first place. She needed to have someone like her with her. She needed the company. She needed someone human. There just seemed no other way to feel about it, so she didn’t even try to convince herself of anything else.
He watched the bookcase come up in his mind. He could not only see it in front of him, but now, he could also remember that there was something very special about it too. In his thoughts, he saw a hand reach for a big blue bound book near the top shelf, and watched as the hand pulled the book out towards his face and heard the shelf click. He watched the same hand then pull at the side of the case, as it swung open and towards him. Seeing it all, he blinked. He held his breath. He looked up at the bookcase and up towards the top shelf, and could see the big blue book resting comfortably there towards the ceiling. He reached for it and pulled the book towards him. A clicking sound echoed throughout the basement just within a blink of an eye after he did it.
She watched him doing it and removed her hands from her jeans. “What is it?”
“There’s something behind this.” He pulled open the shelf, revealing it as some type of a door. Behind it, when he could see it clearly, a darkened, cave like room opened there with a heavy musty smell flowing from the room. It smelled so strong that it nearly knocked him backwards. He had to step one-step back to keep himself from falling to his back.
“What?” She watched the room come into view. A strong odor flowed to her almost instantly, once the door came open. “What is that smell?” She rushed her right arm over her face, blocking the strong, for lack of a better word for it, wet dog smell from her face. She couldn’t believe how strong it smelled.
He looked into the room and stepped inside the doorway. Inside his mind, he could see himself move inside the room and lye on the floor. His memory showed him nothing but comfort. He felt nothing but relaxed, lying there. The place looked dark. It felt like his place to hide and to be by himself.
The smell faded some, allowing her to drop her arm back to her side. The smell still seemed strong, but she managed with it better. “Jimmy?”
“This is where he went.” He could only say what he felt. “This is where he went when he wanted to be him.”
She swallowed. Her mouth stayed dry. She had no idea what to say.
The room felt warm. It felt moist, almost comfortable within the moist and heat. It felt right. “He came here a lot. He loved it.”
She blinked.
Thankfully, for both of them, the sounds of footsteps above them snapped them both back to where they were. In unison, they both looked up and turned towards the sound.
“I think we should go back upstairs before Brandon sees this,” she stated first.
He nodded. “Why did you bring him here anyway?”
With that, she shrugged. “I thought that he might help.” She smiled. Now knowing her reasons for it, it also made her wince some. She couldn’t bring herself to tell him the truth behind that reason, so she kept that to herself.
“He doesn’t know, does he?” He needed to know how far down the road Brandon might have gone. The memory of what he said about him needing money flashed back into his thoughts. “You shouldn’t have brought him here. You both should have stayed in Redford Forge.”
The smile vanished from her face. “I had to see you again.” She bowed her eyes. “I wanted to make sure that you were all right. I was worried.”
With that, he smiled. “You did?” He felt pride swell up into his heart. The frog that he felt finally went down his throat.
Her face lit up the room.
He melted some by the sight and couldn’t bring himself to want to argue with what she did. What’s the point? What happened is now over, and besides, hearing that she missed him and felt worried for him too, did more for him than anything else did.
The creaking of the floorboards became louder, sounding like Brandon and Sasha were obvious moving around in the living room.
Rachel was right. It was time to go.
Together, they left the basement and both of them headed back up to the first floor.
15
“So what was in the basement?” Brandon asked the moment he saw Jimmy and Rachel rejoin him and Sasha upstairs. He had an idea that they were actually talking. She was probably asking him about Sasha. They were probably talking about their relationship. He hoped they weren’t fighting. He started to like Rachel a lot. She seemed to be the first girlfriend that he could ever remember Jimmy having that he really liked. He wasn’t sure of how he would get by with them breaking up. Besides, she was his only ride home. If something did happen between them, he would be stuck there with no other way to get back. He didn’t relish the idea of having to do that. Seeing their faces when they rejoined them upstairs, and seeing their eyes, he realized they were fine. That made him hopeful that they had worked everything out.
Jimmy laughed. “The basement.” His grin lit up the room.
Seeing it, Brandon knew that he was right. It just made him laugh. “So.” He turned to everyone and began rubbing his hands back together again. “What’s the plan for the night?” He felt himself in a great mood. He felt playful. He felt right. Thinking about Jimmy, it gave him hope. If Jimmy chose Rachel, then Sasha was fair game. If she gave him the chance, he was ready to try to take it. He couldn’t wait. He figured that it was only a matter of time for him to make his move.
Rachel had other things on her mind. She had to get rid of Brandon somehow so that she and Jimmy could ask Sasha some more questions. She knew Jimmy well enough to know that he wanted to do just that. Besides, she had some questions of her own, but first, she had to get him out of the house. To do that, only one idea came to her so she went with it. “I don’t know about any of you, but I’m starved.” She smiled to everyone.
Jimmy listened and instantly nodded. “I am that’s for sure.” He looked to Rachel and then to Brandon.
Sasha smiled to all of them, knowing what was up.
Brandon nodded strongly. “I sure as hell could eat a cow or two.” He put his hands into the back pockets of his jeans. He and Jimmy had never double dated before, and that thought alone made him feel excited. The night was coming, and he couldn’t wait to see where it would take all of them.
“Good.” Rachel stepped up to Brandon and took his right shoulder into the palm of her hand. “How about you go and get something?” She smiled. “You can even take my car.” She reached into her jeans back pocket, brought out the keys, and held them out towards him.
Brandon’s eyes widened and his smile instantly vanished from his face when he saw the keys. “Me?” He looked at the others. None of them moved. None of them looked like they planned to volunteer. “Why me?”
Rachel squeezed. “Um,” She looked to Jimmy, and suddenly wasn’t sure of what to say.
Luckily, Jimmy thought of something for her. “Sasha, Rachel, and I need to discuss a few things.” He smiled, and again, how right he really was.
Brandon understood and nodded. “Where do I go? I’ve never been here before.”
Sasha came in with her turn to play the game. “There are several places just a couple of blocks east from here. You can go there.”
Brandon looked to Jimmy. “What does anyone want?” He couldn’t believe that they were trying to get rid of him. There was no other explanation for them trying to do what they were obviously doing.
Jimmy saw the look on his friend’s face. He wanted to laugh at what he saw, but fought it. He looked almost he
lpless. He looked lost. He liked it, but still had to force the desire to laugh back down into his belly before he did it.
“Why don’t you surprise us?” Rachel let go of his shoulder and dropped both hands back to her sides.
“Anyone Veggies?” Brandon looked at all of them. He met their stares. No one looked interested in answering his question. In fact, they looked like they didn’t even care. It wasn’t the point of him leaving. They just wanted him gone, and nothing else mattered.
Sasha and Jimmy both laughed together.
For Rachel it felt rather eerie hearing them. Knowing what they were, she couldn’t help it. The thought made her cringe some. She had to push the thought of it out of her mind quickly. After all, they are what they are. She had to accept it, like it or not.
“I guess not.” Brandon turned to the front door and made his way to it with a heavy feeling in his legs.
Jimmy laughed, watching him walk to the door. He looked like a little schoolboy that didn’t want to go to school, but was being made to do it anyway by mom.
Rachel followed him to the front door and handed him her car keys.
He took them as he opened the door and stepped outside.
She then closed the door behind him when he was on the steps.
With Brandon now out of the way, Jimmy, Sasha, and Rachel had the chance to begin.
Sasha was the first to start. “How does this human know about you?” Her eyes flared. She couldn’t believe that he would expose them like that. It made her angry. It made her frustrated. It made her disappointed to no end.
“She helped me when I needed it the most.” Jimmy stepped between the two of them. He trusted neither of them to remain calm. He didn’t trust Sasha for the anger that he could feel coming out from her and as for Rachel, he could feel the fear that she had for everything that she now knew. He had to be the calm one. He knew that much.
“How could you put yourself into that situation?” Sasha shrugged with her disappointment coming out even stronger. She couldn’t believe that he did what he did. Why would he? How could he? How dare he? Humans were dangerous. They couldn’t be trusted. That’s why they kept in the shadows. That’s why they stayed out of the way. Their kind had to be silent. Humans were too dangerous to know everything, and he should have known that too. They all did.
Rachel heard enough and stepped out from behind Jimmy. “He didn’t put himself into this.” She stepped beside him. What she heard so far was enough for any fear that she had to slide away and be quickly replaced with the protection that she now felt that Jimmy needed. How dare this woman blame him for something that he didn’t do? “Collins exposed you, not him.”
Sasha looked, watching her come towards her. She admired the anger. She hated the fact that she was able to feel that way for him. How dare she? “Collins wouldn’t have done that. He knew better.”
Jimmy felt that this was now his time to come in. After all, this was about him wasn’t it? “I don’t know what he came there for. He was helping some people with something. I don’t know what, but he was there on his own free will.”
Sasha shook her head and turned back towards the front door. “Why would he do that?” she asked herself, more than to them. The idea didn’t seem right. It felt unfocused. She was right about what she said. He knew better. He wouldn’t have done that, not in a million years.
Jimmy could see that she didn’t want to hear what he tried to say. He stepped towards her, took his right hand, and placed it on her left shoulder. The warmth of her skin raced to the palm of his hand. It felt warmer than anyone her had ever felt before, and that feeling stuck out in his thoughts as he continued, “I have no idea of what he was trying to do. When they found out that he bit me, they tried to keep me hostage. Rachel here saved me from that attempt.”
Sasha bowed her head. “You don’t know what he was there for—Collins?”
Jimmy turned slightly and looked towards Rachel. “No I don’t.” He stared her in the eyes. “I was hoping that you could help me answer that question. That’s why I came here. I need answers.”
Rachel returned him the look of doubt heavy in her face. She had no idea of the reasons for it either.
Sasha turned back around.
Jimmy turned back, feeling her look come on him.
Sasha looked into his eyes and felt herself melt away within them. “Okay,” she finally accepted his answer. She had no other option to do otherwise. All she could do was nod. “I don’t know why he would have done that.” She shook her head and shrugged strongly.
Seeing her face and hearing her voice, new thoughts flared to the forefront of his mind. “Do you know what happened with Samuel and Collins?”
Sasha looked to Rachel.
Rachel just had to ask, “Who is Samuel?”
Sasha looked back to Jimmy. “He’s our leader. He’s our alpha male.” She bowed her head, not sure of what she should say or not. Quite frankly, with some of it, she had no idea what did happened anyway, so it didn’t bother her to answer him fully. “I don’t know what happened with the two of them. I thought they were friends. Something changed between them about two years ago. It all happened so fast.”
Jimmy swallowed. “Why did Samuel not believe me? Who I was?”
Sasha left the front door and walked past him and Rachel through the archway and into the living room. “Samuel told all of us that he killed Kalima.” She stopped in the center of the room. “He obviously lied.” She turned around and faced the two of them.
Rachel turned with Jimmy towards the living room. “Who’s Kalima?” This was all becoming too much for her to take in at once. She found it hard to keep up.
Again, Sasha huffed. She had so much air in her throat that it almost echoed around the room. “Kalima is the one inside Jimmy. He’s the one that bit him.”
Jimmy passed Rachel and walked into the living room. He stopped just in front of Sasha. “Bit me?” He bowed his head some, looking to the floor, but not seeing anything really. His mind felt numb, almost not his own. “You mean Collins?”
Sasha crossed her arms over her chest. “No. Collins was the host. The one that bit you was Kalima.”
It was Jimmy’s turn to take in a heavy deep breath. It came out so deep that he almost felt his mind numb over to the point of him feeling like was going to pass out after he did it. He had trouble understanding what he just heard. He spoke that out, “I’m not sure that I understand that.”
Sasha uncrossed her arms and reached out to him, taking him by the shoulders and squeezing him there. “When a walker, a Moonwalker knows their time is done, they will pass on their soul, their knowledge, their life, onto a new host. They give that person who they are. They give them everything that makes them what they are. Those they bite become the one that bit them.”
Rachel walked into the room, passed both of them and made her way to the sofa. She sat down on it so heavily, that dust came up all around her when she did so. It caused her to cough some because of it. When her throat cleared, she began, “You mean that this Kalima, the wolf in Jimmy, was the same wolf that was inside Collins? He passed himself onto him.”
Jimmy looked to Rachel feeling rather surprised by the clarity in her voice. He felt rather surprised that she seemed to understand all of this better than he was himself. He admired her for it.
“Yes.” Sasha let go of Jimmy and walked over to the sofa. She stepped to the other side of the coffee table from it. “Kalima is a very old soul. He’s been around longer than all of us. His life force is what was passed on.”
“What are you called?” Rachel smiled, taking everything in. She felt completely fascinated by everything she heard. It all sounded so fantastic, but at the same time, somewhat practical. What she knew, after studying the samples from Collins, made everything seem more focused. The cells in his sample did exactly what she described. It made everything clearer more than anything else she already knew.
“I am a new soul. I received nothing but the
bite.”
“You called him a moonwalker?” Rachel continued asking the questions. With seeing Jimmy’s head down, looking to the floor, she knew that he too was trying to take everything in. Knowing him, the fact that he had trouble understanding himself, she decided to do all of the asking for him. It felt like her small part to play, and she felt determined to do it.
Jimmy stood there, keeping his eyes down, and just listening as the two of them continued. He couldn’t move. He couldn’t bring himself to speak. He felt content just to listen along to everything.
“We are Moonwalkers. We are those who carry the wolf within us.” Sasha watched Jimmy, as she answered. She felt for him. She could easily remember how she felt when they explained everything to her after she received her bite. “There are many types of walkers, those of the night and those of the day. We are all different. Even moonwalkers have differences.”
“How do you mean?” Rachel looked up and to her right. She looked as Jimmy kept his head down. She felt for him, so she didn’t hesitate to continue to ask the questions that she felt sure that he would have asked himself if he could have.
Sasha nodded. “There were four walkers to begin with, back in the time of the beginning. No one really knows how they became what they were. The original four were all different from each other. Most of them are no longer in existence. They passed on a long time ago. I am a new soul, like I said. I am clean. I’m what can be called a third generation.”
“A third generation?”
“I was bitten by a moonwalker that did not pass on their soul to me. In that case, I have a soul that I can only pass on. I was given nothing.”
“So you make yourself what you want?”
Sasha nodded.
“What are the other walkers?”
Sasha put her hands into the pockets of her jeans. “Nightwalkers are those who feed on the blood of the living. Others can turn themselves into bats; they call themselves Shades. All of them have speed. All of them are children of the blood walkers. They are unable to move about during the day, so they keep pretty much to the night.”
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