Awakening

by Catrina Burgess

“Then I’ve no choice but to find someone else.”

  Without a word, he turned and stormed away from me.

  Chapter Four

  On the Run

  “I don’t understand, why are you leaving?” Darla asked.

  We were both standing at the kitchen counter. She was cutting up potatoes, and I was peeling carrots.

  “Your brother said he can’t help me.”

  “He surprised me when he said he’d teach you. It’s not something he should have agreed to.” She averted her eyes. “I know about the rituals. I haven’t been through them yet, but I’ve watched them.” She put down the knife and looked at me. “I know I’m not supposed to say it. I know they expect me to go through it one day and I will. But honestly, Colina, the things they put you through…”

  “Luke went through them,” I said.

  She went back to chopping potatoes and said in a low voice, “He did. He won’t admit it, but it wasn’t easy for him. He had nightmares afterwards for a long time.”

  Luke wandered into the room. He gave me a hard stare. “You’re staying for supper.”

  “I promised Darla I would,” I answered.

  He nodded and picked up a piece of celery off the counter.

  “Luke, convince her not to leave until tomorrow. It will be dark out soon, and that gang, they might come back,” Darla said.

  “I’ll make sure she gets safely in a cab,” Luke answered.

  Darla dropped a handful of potatoes into a pot. “Where are you going? Home?”

  I hadn’t told her about my family. I would leave it to Luke to fill her in on the details of my life after I left. Maybe once he did she’d understand why I was so desperate to find a teacher.

  “I’m not sure.” I turned to Luke. “If you could give me a name of someone, maybe someone in your guild?”

  He shook his head. “No.”

  I turned back to Darla. “Do you know anyone who could help me?”

  She didn’t answer but instead got busy wiping off the cutting board.

  Luke was watching me. His face full of disapproval.

  I didn’t care what he thought. If he couldn’t help me, I had no choice but to move on and find another way to get what I needed.

  I looked him straight in the eye and said in a firm voice, “Fine, if you won’t help me, I’ll find someone. It may take time, but I’ll find someone who’ll teach me.”

  Luke frowned and moved toward the windows.

  I looked down at the carrot in my hand. “What are we making again?” I wasn’t much of a cook. Mama had always done all the cooking in our house.

  Darla answered, “Stew. It’s my uncle’s recipe and--” The door flew open and slammed against the wall, cutting off her words.

  Men rushed in. I stood in shock, completely immobile at the counter.

  Luke turned and yelled, “Run!”

  His words set me in motion. I grabbed Darla by the hand and began pulling her toward the windows. If we could get to the windows, we could escape down the fire escape.

  Suddenly there was a commotion--loud shouts, strange noises, and flashes of lights in a rainbow of colors. I didn’t bother to turn around and see what was happening. Instead, I focused my whole being on escape. We were within inches of the closest window when Darla’s hand was yanked from mine.

  I turned. A man held onto the tail end of her golden pony tail. He yanked on it hard, forcing her body back.

  I reached out and grabbed for Darla and, for a moment, our fingers once again locked, and I pulled with all my might to try and force her free. But he was stronger, and she was soon out of my grasp again. He had her now and was moving her away from me. A part of me wanted to let her go, to forget about everything but escape. A few more steps and I would make it to the window and out into the night to safety.

  Darla screamed.

  I turned away from the windows and headed to where she was now fighting the man. He was trying to wrestle her down to the ground.

  Where was Luke?

  He was standing in the middle of the room. His hands in the air and lights flung from his finger tips. Banshees circled the room and the men. One man lay slumped down inches from Luke on the floor. Two other men had their hands raised in the air and spells spewed from their lips. Blue streaks of lights hit a wave of purple, and the force of the collision set off sparks of all colors flying through the air.

  Whatever spells Luke was doing, the magic they had was just as strong. Luke might have taken one of them down, but the others were still on their feet and fighting. I watched in horror as Luke was forced back, one step and then another toward the window. Luke wasn’t going to win this fight. He was going to be overpowered.

  Darla screamed again. I spun around. The man had Darla pinned down.

  I started toward her, not sure what I planned to do. How could I help her? I had no war training and no weapon in hand. I was moving across the floor when a bright orange light flooded the room. But this light came with a punch. The air rushed toward me in a wall of static, crackling energy. It pushed me back. I stumbled, trying to stay on my feet as it washed over me like a wave.

  Luke got the worst of it. The impact knocked him off his feet, throwing him through the air, and he crashed through two windows. Glass rained down in all directions. As shards of glass flew my way, I instinctively covered my hands over my head and crouched down.

  And then hands were on me. Someone had me around the waist. I fought. I scratched. I kicked. I swung my arms, making contact with a nose. I heard a male, yelp out in pain. I kicked again. I screamed at the top of my lungs, beyond reason. I was about to die like my family. Any minute my throat would be slit, or a bullet would tear through my flesh. I fought harder until something slammed against my head, and a wave of dizziness overcame me. My body went limp as darkness filled my eyes.

  When I came to, a man was carrying me over his shoulder out the front door of the magic shop.

  I could hear Darla’s cries. I turned my head and watched as someone shoved her into a dark SUV. The SUV roared away, and another one screeched to a halt in front of us.

  The door swung open, and I was tossed inside. I let my body fall hard against the seat. An exclamation of pain hit my lips, but I forced it back. It would be better if they thought I was still unconscious.

  I heard voices next to me. “Where’d you put the rope?”

  “Try under the seat,” someone answered.

  “That death dealer took out Angelo.”

  A loud curse filled the air. “Anyone else hurt?”

  “I’ll let you know when my ears stop ringing. Banshees! Can you believe he raised banshees?”

  A phone rang and then a voice answered loudly. “Yeah. We got them boss. There was some trouble.”

  I opened one eye just a little. Next to me was a dark form. One of the men. He was only a few inches from me bending over, his hand reaching down toward the floor. I inched slowly up. In the seat behind me, there was someone with a black hood over their head.

  I inched up a bit more until I could see over the front seat. The driver was on the phone--his eyes on the road thankfully and not on the rear view mirror. If I was going to escape, it was now or never. I reached out and grabbed the door handle. I pulled it open and felt relief as it swung out. My relief was quickly replaced by panic when I looked down and saw pavement racing by. The car was going fast. I had no choice but to jump from the moving car and hope that neither the jump nor the landing killed me. As the door flung open, the driver started to shout, but before my companion could react I threw myself into the air. I hit the pavement hard, and cried out as my elbow jarred against the ground. I rolled, bumping and scraping along the pavement. My body slowly came to a stop, and I lay there on the side of the road, stunned.

  The sound of screeching tires got me to my feet. I started to run before I ventured a quick look back. They were turning around, coming back for me. I forced myself to move faster but my ankle buckled, and I stumbled crying out in pa
in. I couldn’t stop, not now that I could hear the car not far behind me. I sucked in a breath and then another and ignored the pain now radiating up my leg.

  There was no way I could outrun them. A ten foot metal chain-link fence ran along the road to my right. I changed direction and headed for the fence. When I hit the fence, I didn’t stop. I just slammed my fingers into the first opening and propelled myself up. One hand and foot at a time I climbed the fence. I didn’t dare stop or glance back this time. I just kept climbing. The only sound in my ears was my breath now coming out in gasps.

  I rolled over the top of the fence, catching the edge of my top on the sharp twisted wires. I pulled myself free with one hand and made my way down, climbing, sliding, and finally dropping the last four feet.

  The car had stopped, and the men started to get out, but as I dropped to the ground on the other side, the driver yelled and they all got back in. The SUV spun ahead.

  They were going to go around, find the first opening in the fence or make their way up the street and around the block, circling around until they could find me.

  I pushed myself off the ground and ran. Every time I came to an edge of a building I turned or changed direction. Around one building and then past another, down one alley and then up the next. I ran until I couldn’t run any longer. My chest was burning, I was gasping, and my legs refused to go on. I had to find cover. I squeezed behind a large metal garbage can. I slumped down against a brick wall, my legs giving out. I cried out when my bruised body made contact with the dirt.

  I don’t know how long I stayed huddled behind the garbage can, but when I finally emerged it was dark and cold. I cautiously looked around the corner. No cars anywhere, the place was deserted, but I had no idea where I was or if I could make my way back to Luke’s. I had taken so many twists and turns that I was completely turned around. I wrapped my arms around my body for warmth and slowly made my way down the alley.

  * * * *

  I don’t know how long I walked. The miles stretched on and on as I limped my way slowly along. Every time I saw headlights or heard the roar of an engine I ducked behind the corner of a building or dove behind the closest telephone pole. I didn’t know if the men were still out there searching for me.

  I was in the industrial part of town. The place at night was essentially abandoned. It was cold, but thankfully the sky overhead was clear. I wrapped my arms tighter around my body and kept moving. Finally, the landscape slowly began to change. Large brick buildings and warehouses gave way to rows of small white houses. I had finally stumbled into a neighborhood. Now I just needed to find someone to help me.

  The sound of music filled the air. I changed direction and followed the loud thumping bass booms echoing on the wind. A few blocks up I came upon a house in the midst of a party. Bodies crowded the front yard, and even more were trying to cram their way into the front door. Partygoers had parked, and double parked, a couple of dozen cars sat along the street and a few had pulled up onto the sidewalk. As I got closer, the music became so loud I could feel the vibration of it against my skin.

  A blue mustang roared up the street and came to a sudden halt in front of the house. A group of girls about my age piled out of the car. I quickened my steps and headed in their direction.

  “Can you help me?” I yelled over the music.

  One of the girls stopped and stared. “What happened?”

  I realized I must look a sight in my torn top and jeans--my clothes and arms splashed with dirt.

  “I was attacked. I need help getting home.”

  The girl called to her friends, who were heading toward the house, “Hey, Amy, do you have my phone? We’ve gotta call the police. Somebody mugged this girl.”

  I moved quickly to her side and gestured with my hands. “No police. I don’t think I could deal with all their questions right now. I just need…I need to get home. Can you help me?”

  “You sure you don’t want the cops?” She was standing next to me now. Her expression was one of sympathy.

  “I can pay you once I get back. I don’t have money on me now.” Any money I had was in my jacket pocket back at Luke’s place. “But if you can get me home I can get you some cash.”

  She shouted to her friends, “Hey, Amy you wanted to get some food, right? Let’s go get some before we head back into the party.” She turned back toward me. “Sure, we can give a lift.”

  She motioned for me to follow her. She opened the car door, and I got in. Soon four girls piled in after me, squeezing me tightly between bodies in the back seat.

  One of the girls asked, “Carla who’s your new friend?” Then she asked me directly, “What happened to you? Did you roll in the mud?”

  Before I could answer Carla shouted from the front seat, “She needs a ride. She was mugged. What do you think? We can give her a ride and then go get something to eat?”

  A choir of voices shouted out in unison “Yeah” and “Sounds good.”

  Carla turned and looked back at me from the front seat. “Where do you want to go?”

  I gave her directions and laid my head against the backseat.

  Carla turned up the radio and music blaring the car roared down the street.

  * * * *

  I’m not sure how far we traveled. I’d closed my eyes and only opened them when I heard a chorus of voices singing, “We’re here!”

  We were in front of the magic shop. I made a not-so-gracious exit, stepping on a few feet and hitting one girl in the shoulder with my elbow on my way out.

  “Sorry. Excuse me. Oops,” I said finally pulling myself out of the car.

  I walked around the driver’s window, and motioned for Carla to lower it. “I’ve some money upstairs. If you wait, I can run up and get it.”

  She shook her head. “Don’t worry about it.”

  I gave her a wide smile. “Thanks for the ride.” Without her help, I could have been wandering the streets all night.

  Carla smiled back, and the car took off.

  The door to the magic shop had been smashed in. I made my way cautiously into the shop. The place was a mess. Someone had broken every piece of glass in the room. Items once neatly stacked on shelves were now covering the floor. Ripped books lay piled around.

  It had taken a brutal streak of violence to tear the place up like that. As I stood in the middle of the wreckage a chill ran down my spine, and my thoughts turned to Luke. The last time I had seen him, he’d been tossed out the window.

  Please goddess, let him be okay, please let him be alive. I prayed under my breath as I took the stairs two at a time.

  I rushed into the main room and there he was, sitting in a chair, with his head lying against his folded arms.

  I was so happy to see him that I cried out his name, “Luke!”

  He looked up and leaped out of the chair. We came together, our bodies slamming into a hard embrace.

  “You’re alive,” I whispered.

  He tightened his grip. “So are you.”

  We stayed like that, entwined in each other’s arms until he slowly pulled back and asked, “Where’s Darla?

  “They still…” my voice broke into a sob. “They still have her.”

  He pulled me into his arms again. “How did you get away?”

  “I jumped from the car.”

  He took a step back and looked me over. “Are you hurt?”

  I held out my arms and turned them over, “I’ve got some cuts and bruises, but I’m all right. How about you?”

  “The railing stopped me from going over, head-first, into the alley. I hit my head.” He reached up and touched the side of his head and winced. “I must have been unconscious for a while. When I came to it was dark, and you were both gone.” His voice was full of anguish now. “I didn’t know where to start looking. I know people hate our kind, but I never imagined they would raid the house and try to kill us.”

  I cleared my throat a few times before I could get the words out, “Those men weren’t after you. Th
ey were after me.”

  “You recognized them?”

  I nodded my head and turned away. I couldn’t meet his eyes. I was the reason he’d almost died, and Darla was now in danger. “I’m so sorry. I should never have come,” I whispered.

  He came up behind me and rested a hand on my shoulder. “We need to find Darla.”

  I spun around. “Your family, people from your guild can help us find her and bring her back.”

  “My guild, my family, everyone… they’re all on the retreat. It’s up in the mountains. It’s remote. Cell phones don’t work up there. Darla and I were the only ones who stayed back to watch the store. There’s no one to help.”

  “But you said your uncle would be gone for weeks, does that mean none of them will be back for weeks?” Panic filled my voice.

  He nodded his head. “Darla’s not dead. I’d know if she…” He stopped and took a deep breath. “They have her, we have to find her.”

  “What about the cops?”

  “The cops won’t help my kind. That goes for help from any other Guild. You know the way people feel about my people. Look it’s just the two of us.”

  “How do we find her?”

  “We don’t. You do.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “Your family was murdered by these people.”

  “Can you call on them, my family’s spirits?” I knew he could conjure up the dead. If my family was in the place ‘between’, their spirits in an eternal state of unrest, would they be like one of the Luke’s banshee’s? I didn’t know if I could stomach seeing Mama’s face filled with the pain and sorrow of a banshee.

  “No. If they were going to contact me, they would have when you first showed up. Spirits decide who they’re going to visit. They didn’t come to me, but I’m betting they’ll come to you.”

  “You want me to call on my family’s spirits?” my voice trembled as I asked the question.

  “Yes, but for you to do that you’d have to become one of us.”

  I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “You said you wouldn’t teach me.”

  “There’s no choice now. Those men have Darla.” He turned and started pacing. “I don’t want to do it. You don’t understand how hard it’s going to be. For you to become one of us…I don’t know what’ll happen if we do it this way. But these people killed your family. They haven’t hurt Darla yet, but that doesn’t mean they won’t kill her.”