by Allegra Skye
“That’s all?” Nora persisted. “You just exchanged a few words?”
“Yeah, and I was curious about him.”
“But it seems like he’s got you under his spell,” Nora said. She was nobody’s fool.
Keira smiled. If Nora only knew how right she was. “That’s a funny way to put it. His spell?”
“Sure, it’s easy to see, he’s a powerful dude. But he’s weird as well. Very. Please be careful.”
After she hung up, Keira went right to her Journal and started to write.
From the first minute I saw him something was up, but now that we actually spoke to each other, I can’t stop thinking about him. He’s captured my mind and he’s captured my heart. I’ve never, ever seen anyone like him and I know I never will again. He makes sense to me. Everything about him makes sense, and nothing about anyone else does. The world is topsy turvy, one second you’re fine and the next, you’re trapped in a hospital, fighting for your life. Love turns to hate here, friends turn to enemies, and nobody says what they really feel. But he’s different. I wonder where he came from and what he’s doing at Bertram High. It’s definitely peculiar, that he would end up here. Most of all, I wonder why he’s so drawn to me. He is drawn to me, I feel it. I matter to him, and nothing can take that away.
As she finished writing, Keira heard the door downstairs open and her father walk in.
“Keira,” he called out into the dark house. “Are you there? Where are you?”
She ran to the door of her room, opened it up and called back. She realized she had forgotten to put on the lights downstairs, and it had gotten dark. “I’m here, dad. Everything’s fine.”
“Why is the house so dark?”
“I didn’t realize.”
She saw some lights go on downstairs.
“The table’s not set,” her father called back. “Didn’t Ella come in today?”
Ella, the housekeeper, came every day at noon, and left after dinner, now that her mother spent the entire time in the hospital with Amanda. Keira hadn’t even noticed that Ella hadn’t been there today.
Her father started flashing on the lights. Keira came downstairs. The house was empty and the dining room table not set. Her father was distressed.
“You could have at least set the table,” he said.
It hadn’t even crossed Keira’s mind. “I got home late from school,” she replied.
He went into the kitchen and began open and closing the cabinets, slamming them. “There’s nothing decent to eat here,” he said.
We could order in, Keira thought, or go out to a restaurant. Things happen.
“Maybe Ella’s sick?” she said.
Her father turned and stared at her. “Why would you say that?”
“Why not?” asked Keira. “She didn’t come in, she didn’t call. “
“Why did you come home from school late?”
Keira felt under fire. She guessed he had to let his upset out on someone.
But she was tired of being it.
“How’s mom?” Keira asked then, from out of nowhere.
Her father stopped in his tracks. “Why?”
“Why? It’s a normal question.”
“She’s the same.”
“She’s never coming back home?” Keira was tired of the charade. “She’s hiding from me?”
“Your mother is eating and sleeping in the hospital at your sister’s side. She’ll come back home after Amanda comes out of the coma fully.”
“Fully?” Keira’s heart skipped a beat. “She’s come out a little? She’s getting better?”
Her father took a step back. “At times we see some signs. Other times we’re uncertain.”
“So, why won’t you let me see her for myself?” At first Keira was petulant, but then, suddenly, she heard the answer clearly. Although he didn’t say a thing, once again she heard her father’s thoughts, clear as a bell, in her mind.
We don’t dare let your sister get upset. Just having you in the room could bring back everything that happened. And, of course, your mother - .
Keira turned on her heel and walked away. She was sick of it all. And, also, she’d gotten stronger, was less affected by her father’s moods. He didn’t have the same power over her. More and more she saw him for who he was - an empty shell.
He stopped her loudly as she got to the door. “Where do you think you’re going, young lady?”
Keira smiled. He’d never called her that before, and she certainly didn’t think of herself as a young lady. She thought of herself as something else, someone being transformed, right under his own eyes.
“I’m going out,” she said.
He sounded flabbergasted. “Out?”
“For dinner.” And she yanked the door open, and left.
*
Keira walked out into the cold, night air without even a sweater on. She didn’t have a destination, just walked and walked, letting the cold autumn wind wash her face. The cold air felt good across her body, didn’t chill her, like it used to. Oddly enough, now it strengthened her, made her feel more alive.
Keira walked for block after block, twisting and turning. She hated this neighborhood. She hated all these houses, all these lawns, the formality, the emptiness. . She didn’t want to go home. For the first time in her life, she really didn’t want to.
It started to rain. She raised her face to the rain and let it wash her. It felt good.
Suddenly, she heard a rustling in the branches, followed by a strange noise. She looked and there they were - high up, two sets of yellow eyes, glaring down at her.
She was terrified.
“You’re soaking wet,” came a voice.
Keira jumped and turned, screaming.
It was Cooper.
“Oh my God, you scared me,” she said, and spun back to the trees. The eyes were gone.
“I’m sorry.”
“What are you doing here? Out in the rain?”
“I was just out for a walk,” he said, “and I saw you.”
He leaned over and wiped her face and hair with his beautiful, soft, powerful hands. Keira was transported to another world. A place where everything was beautiful, just as it was supposed to be. She wished she could stay there with him forever.
She prayed that he would lean in and kiss her, in the rain.
Instead, he leaned back.
“I’ll walk you home,” he said softly.
Keira had no idea why, but didn’t want to ask him. Not now. She didn’t care. All she cared about now was being with him. Once she started asking questions, she had a million for him. Where was he from? Did he also feel this magic between them? Did he ever have a girlfriend before? Did he want one?
Cooper didn’t speak the entire way, and he stiffened up when they reached her block.
Did I say something wrong? Keira wondered. Is he mad at me? What happened? Everything between them had felt so natural and inevitable, it was as if every move had been planned thousands of years ago. Now, he was acting oddly.
She wanted to invite him in. She knew it was crazy, that her Dad would freak out, but still, she wanted to.
“Okay,” he said in a tight tone. “We’re here. Good night.” His voice had a sharp edge to it.
“Good night?” Keira said, startled.
“Good night,” he repeated, with no emotion. A blank slate. No feeling at all.
“But -” Keira looked right at him. His jaw was set and he was just staring straight in front of him.
“Do you want my number?” she asked.
“I don’t have a cell phone,” he said.
“What!?” she asked. “That’s crazy! How is that possible?”
He just shrugged. She wondered if he was lying.
“Did I say something to upset you?” she asked.
He didn’t answer, just kept staring with an odd, strained look on his face.
Offended, Keira answered in a haughty tone, “Okay, if that’s the way you want it. What kind of ga
me was he playing?
Whatever it was, Keira didn’t like it. Obviously, she’d offended him. But at least he could tell her why.
Keira didn’t let the sinking feeling she was having grip her. Who was he anyway? Why had she cared so much? She didn’t even know him. They’d barely spent any time together. Whatever she had felt for him was probably just her imagination. Shocked, hurt and angry, Keira turned and walked briskly into the house.
When she got inside, her father was pacing in the foyer, waiting for her. The minute she entered, he stopped and glared.
“Where did you go?” he demanded.
Keira remained silent.
“Who was that guy walking with you?”
Again, she had nothing to say.
“In the midst of our pain and heartbreak, you are putting us through this?”
Keira bit her lip. What was she putting him through? She’d only gone out for a walk.
“I don’t know how we’ll ever be able to forgive you!” her father was relentless.
Keira’s stomach turned into a knot, and she shook her head hard, trying with every ounce of her strength to think clearly about what had just gone on.
“You won’t forgive me?” She snapped back, defiantly. “For what?”
Her tone must have shaken her father, because his voice took on a rough, grating edge, she’d never heard before.
“Your mother won’t see you because—”
He was trying to hurt her and she felt it. Keira lifted her hand to stop him.
“Enough. I know that mother is sick to her stomach that it happened to the wrong twin. If something terrible had to happen, why Amanda and not me?”
“Exactly!”
“And you agree?” she said.
“I didn’t agree! Not before tonight!”
The fire began burning again in Keira’s heart and veins and it became hard to breathe. The atmosphere suddenly felt very heavy too, as though thick clouds were surrounding them. “Nothing is the same since we moved to Everstock.”
“You’re blaming your sister’s accident on moving to Everstock? It’s because of Everstock that you drove on that twisting back road? And, you’re blaming your horrible behavior tonight on Everstock as well?”
At that moment, Keira fully realized then that not only had she never known her father, she didn’t care to anymore. In a whirl of agony, her whole world started to dissolve. Then from out of nowhere, at the edge of the window, her eye caught a glow. It was the soft, indigo light she’d seen right after the accident. It caught her attention and held it now. It opened her mind and gripped it. Time passed as she stared and stared.
“Can you hear me? Can you hear me?” her father was calling to her, his voice sounded frightened. She didn’t know why. “What are you staring at? What’s wrong with you?”
“I see you,” she said to the light.
“You’re sick,” her dad spit out. “Something’s happened to your brain during the accident. You need medical attention.”
Keira felt her teeth grinding. There was no way in the world she would accept medical attention. It wasn’t her that something was wrong with. Maybe her brain had shifted, but it wasn’t bad. She just saw more now, heard more and understood things no one else was able to. What did her father want to do? Sedate her? Turn her into a zombie? She would never let it happen. Of that much she was certain.
“I do NOT!” she yelled back, making two fists and standing her ground.
Her father went to grab her by the shoulders, to drag her away, but as his hands touched her, Keira felt a new power rush through her. It was like a heat, and it coursed through her veins. She felt her anger rising and rising, and felt herself becoming more powerful.
She suddenly threw his hands off of her, knocking him back several feet. At the same time, she let out a shriek of rage, and as she did, a crystal picture frame went flying off of the piano and shattered into the wall.
Her father looked over at the frame, then slowly looked back at Keira. He looked at her with utter shock and fear, as if just seeing a new creature for the very first time.
CHAPTER 14
Bacterial Epidemic hits Everstock. The next few days the paper was filled with stories of what had become an epidemic in town. The unknown bacterial infection that has hit Everstock can now be considered to be of epidemic proportion. Highly drug resistant, it is clear that this illness has a life of its own. Cases are multiplying rapidly. Hospital staff is working overtime. Additional medical supports are being called in from the neighboring towns. The death toll climbed this week to 5 individuals, mostly among the elderly and very young. Frantic attempts are being made to find these invasive, lethal bacteria. Time is of the essence. So far, the true cause is unknown.
The news was all over town and kids were even talking about it in school. A member of the school board was in the hospital with it, right now. Keira felt worried about Amanda, that in her comatose state she might be more vulnerable to it. She couldn’t talk to her father about it, of course. Keira actually thought she’d never talk to him again, but in the morning at breakfast, he seemed to feel badly about what happened last night. He left a little later than usual, waited to eat with Keira, and even mentioned that her mother would be coming home soon for short stays, to rest. Her sister was stable. Her life wasn’t in danger.
Keira acted as though everything was fine and wished him a good day at work. He seemed to feel grateful for that. Keira realized that all he was dealing with both at the hospital, and in the family, had to be a nightmare for him. It wasn’t a nightmare for her though, and that amazed her. Where was this odd strength coming from?
That day at school, she decided not to go to lunch in the cafeteria. She didn’t want to see Cooper right away, and it was possible he might be there. He’d hurt her a lot the day before, turning cold and distant like that. It wasn’t nice and it wasn’t fair.
When Nora said she’d see her at lunch, Keira shook her head, no, immediately, Nora was curious.
“What happened?” she said.
“I’m just not that hungry today,” said Keira.
Nora wasn’t buying it. “Something happened with Cooper, didn’t it?”
Nora was very bright, Keira realized again. Not only was she bright, she was aware of everything that was going on.
“Tell me,” Nora repeated, “Did something happen with him?”
“Not really,” said Keira.
“Not really? You saw him again?? You talked to each other?”
Keira didn’t like Nora’s level of alarm.
“So what? Cool it,” Keira said. Back off, she thought, you’re getting way too involved.
“Cooper asked you to the Autumn Harvest Dance?” Nora’s eyes were wide.
My God, thought Keira, who cares about the dance?
“Nothing like that.”
“It’s coming up soon,” said Nora. “Ben said he wants to ask you.”
“The dance is not even remotely on my radar,” said Keira.
“It’s on everyone’s radar,” quipped Nora, slightly put off. “It’s huge, and amazing, and everyone wants to go with a date. There’s amazing music, food, decorations, everyone’s really dressed up. I mean if you don’t go, you’re really missing something. And you’ll feel really left out! Everyone goes, one way or another!”
Keira breathed out forcefully. She didn’t want to offend Nora. She had no idea the dance was that important to her and everyone else.
“I doubt that Cooper even knows the first thing about it,” Keira said.
“Oh, he knows!” Nora said. “Lana, told me. She knows some kids in the early track, and they were talking about it in front of him. Besides, a girl in his class, Melba Haye, actually invited him to it.”
What? Keira’s heart stopped. How dare she?
“Melba really likes him.”
Keira couldn’t stand hearing this. Terrible pain washed through her body.
“Is she pretty?” Keira asked then, in a little vo
ice.
“Oh boy, you’re CRAZY about him,” Nora said.
“I’m not crazy about anybody,” Keira protested.
“Practically in LOVE! Something’s happened.”
“Nora, what do you want?”
“I want you to realize what you’re up against. I don’t know what happened between you two exactly, but he’s definitely Trouble.”
“You don’t even know him.”
“It’s obvious. He’s not like anyone else. He comes to class, then disappears the second the bell rings. Why? Who knows where he came from or why he really left? He doesn’t walk down the hall with anyone or talk to them. Most of the time he doesn’t even answer when people talk to him. Is he that arrogant and stuck up? It’s something else – much creepier. It’s a warning sign.”
But these warning signs fascinated Keira. Better than the dull cloud that hung over everything else in this town.
“Thanks for letting me know, “Keira said. “But you’re you, and I’m me.”
Nora put her hand on Keira’s arm. “I don’t mean to interfere, but you’re new here and you’ve been through so much. Getting involved with this guy could really take you down.”
Keira took deep breaths as Nora spoke. She knew that Nora meant well and everything she said made perfect sense. But she didn’t agree with a word she said. Deep down, Keira felt the reason she was holding up so well had something to do with Him. Somehow Cooper was giving her courage, letting her know she wasn’t so alone. Of course she could never say that to Nora – ever.
Autumn Harvest Dance hadn’t meant a thing to Keira, until she heard that the other girl, Melba, asked Cooper to go. That killed her. Who was she, anyway? How dare she ask him? Keira didn’t know how she could stand it if Cooper were there with someone else, holding her in his arms, dancing.
Nora didn’t mention if Cooper had accepted that girl’s invitation. Keira’s body trembled at the thought of him saying yes. She hadn’t even realized that this stupid dance could make such a difference. It would be heaven to go with him. She couldn’t even imagine how wonderful it would be to be dancing, in his arms.
