3

by Shera Eitel-Casey

  Someone tapped me on the shoulder, she had a very large drink for me bought by a couple of guys around the corner, she pointed them out, I waved and took it. Ha! In your face I thought.

  Jett said “Don't accept that!”

  “Jeez you scared me. Why not? Jealous?” I received a couple more drinks and flowers, the waitress kept dropping stuff off. It did seem a little crazy. “Take one they're yummy.”

  “We're not here to drink, besides I didn't know you were a little lush.” He said laughing. I punched him in the arm halfheartedly. He pulled me in close with one arm around my waist, I leaned back a bit put one arm around his neck the other still holding my drink. He slid his hand up the middle of my back slowly pulling me in closer, so close I could feel his breath on me. And then he kissed me passionately. Hearing an “Awwww” coming from the crowd. He pulled away and I turned my head to the right and there we were on the monitor. I hid my face in his shoulder.

  He released me fast and grabbed my hand “Cale!” I slammed my drink down and Jett pulled me weaving us through the crowd to the back of the place and finally the back door. I tugged back on his hand “Get the car.” He paused, “You stay here” and went out the back door. The bar was fun, but it had distracted us from Cale who was slipping away. He must have seen us on the video, because he wasn't supposed to leave so quickly according to my dream. I walked out into the alley, it was calm and quite, spine-chilling, I walked further out and didn’t see Cale or his truck, I was startled by the sudden sound of Jett’s car squealing around the corner into the one way alley the wrong way. I jumped in.

  We passed one building then two, a truck turned on its headlights and was heading straight toward us. Jett slammed on the breaks and started backing up, we hit a pot hole and lost control of the car and backed into a dirt pile left from construction. The car was stalled but he had also blocked the alley way, his car started right back up. Cale slammed on his breaks, his passenger lunged forward not putting her hands out or anything.

  “Huh” I let out a hard gasp “She's already dead!” Cale looked right at me and flashed his bright whites; I noticed how prominent his eye teeth were, he was glad I was there, he held my attention with a hard stare, pulled his cap down low, gave me a half evil grin out of the side of his mouth, and whipped his truck into reverse and headed out the alley way. It was definitely the truck we've been looking for.

  Jett got the car started after the second try and took off after him. Cale stopped at the end of the alley opened the passenger door and dumped the body of out of his truck. He took off into the neighborhood. We got up to the girl and I jumped out, she was still alive but unconscious. Jett yelled at me to call 911, he took off after Cale. As I was running back to the bar a car passed me I glanced at the driver and she right back at me. I kept running and banged on the back door of the bar “I have to call 911! I yelled. I banged some more “someone’s hurt!” A bouncer flung the door open; I made the call, hung up, slipped my piece of paper out of my pocket and called Grey.

  I ran back into the alley where the girl was and Jett was sitting next to her, Jett pointed out puncture marks on her neck and told me not to touch her in case she had a neck or back injury. Declan, Rae and Nic pulled their car right by us, “What we're too late?” Declan said hopping out of his car.

  “Just a little, we think Cale started early because he spotted us inside.” I said.

  By the time the ambulance and police arrived, I noticed the marks on her neck were faded, they looked like an old injury. I forgot to ask Jett if he noticed.

  When his uncle showed up he was mad, just when he was about to start lecturing and yelling at us I let out an “Oh My God!” They were walking toward us. “I almost forgot in all the excitement. She knew it was happening too, but how? She said she had to touch someone to read them?” I told Jett and Detective Grey.

  “Well...” she echoed, “I of course, touched you.” It was Sheila and Cat.

  “What are you doing here?" Grey asked. “I came to see Addie, I wanted to know if her dreams come true, I don't like being the only psychic in town. So you really did dream this?” I gave my head a one sided shake and a nervous smile, I mean what was I supposed to say.

  Two days later and waiting in anticipation, we all met at the Richfield Reading and Speech Center. Jett's uncle reported the injured girl, Callie, was shaken’ up about the situation, but physically she was going to be fine. There were no leads on Cale and he was nowhere to be found, not the house or the apartment.

  Sheila told us “As my uncle and have been reading all the journals and notes we have and are following the family lines, we have found that everyone who was experimented on directly never got sick but has died of good ole old age except for Cale and his cousin. Some of the offspring of the originals have special 'gifts' and they usually appear after they hit puberty. We found some are very good athletes, runners, gymnasts, etcetera, possible psychics and none have ill effects when it comes to their health. Some are perfectly normal though, and one we know has several abilities, psychic and coercion abilities.” Of course, she gave me a dead stare “...and from what Nic told me a very good athlete.”

  “... Is there anything else?” I asked.

  “Yes.” Sheila explained. “Cale and his cousin are obviously looking for a cure. So along with Addie and hunting for the celestial healer we think they are hoping one or both is supposed to make them whole.”

  “How do we find this healer?” Nic asked.

  “Well we are not sure, she is supposed to, yes she, we found some mentions in our historical records about a clairvoyant savior that is born having a mark of an angel on her body, we are thinking a birth mark or tattoo of some kind. But we don’t know who, we can’t exactly strip search people to find the marking so we have no leads there so far.” Sheila peered at me, I felt discombobulated.

  “That would explain a lot.” Jett stated.

  “We have tracked Cale and his cousin in and out of hospitals getting blood transfusions for years on a regular basis, so unfortunately it's a huge probability they need blood to survive.” Sheila explained. “And when we tracked all the blood lines of anyone connected Addie comes up as the best blood candidate as several of her grandparents had been experimented on. This is probably why you have Cale's attention.”

  “So you're saying I'm Wonder Woman to them? This seems so surreal….” Everyone agreed. I glanced at Jett he seemed excited about the news and he should be there may be a cure for him. I feel like I’m not even here, like I am in a dream state. This made sense, though, Cale said he was traveling every so often, but he wasn’t. I bet it coincides with when he gets sick and the reason why he’s trying to get my blood from me, to try and cure himself.

  “There is one little last thing I would like to mention” Sheila mumbled. “In one of the journals written by Dr. Rewtnic at the very beginning of a book was an unfinished entry ‘…vehement acting as demons. This with the celestial angel and a shaman should make them whole.’ If we can find the book that precedes this book we may have a lot more information about Jett, Cale and his cousin’s conditions.”

  I had nothing to say to that, if Cale or his cousin had the book we can’t find them and if someone else has it who?

  We met Declan and Rae at Papa G’s Pizza, Declan raised his glass in a toast, “Here’s to helping people in need and having fun in between.” Jett replied “I'll toast to helping people, when we can.”

  Everyone clinked glasses. I hope they don't think I was going to be in charge of our crew coordinating rescue parties in pursuit of my dreams. We got lucky on where and when with this last one was but who knows what could happen next time.

  I saw Declan lean over to Jett and started talking softly so I tuned in, “What's with your mom going crazy over a bunch of dead animals at your house about?” Jett stopped smiling as soon as he asked and replied “What?” delayed and said “Who knows, I think we have a coyote or something on our lot, probably had a baby or something.” He was
grouchy after that comment.

  I wonder if my blood will heal Jett?

  CHAPTER 27

  Our parents took us camping this year for our family trip; we were rented a cabin that my parent’s friends owned. The property was large enough for a couple of tents so our parents told us we could invite a couple friends, so of course I invited Jett and Nic. Jett decided to bring Storm as he thought that Nic and he should get together. I was hoping Nic would have found someone by now, and I’m actually shocked that she and Topher didn't start dating. I told Jett that Shelby may not like the idea and that's when Jett told me they had broken up over spring break. I hadn't even known. I hadn't really heard from Shelby as I thought it was because she was busy, I feel like a terrible friend but something I could fix.

  The second morning of our trip Jett woke up and immediately went to grope my pockets, looking for a new note. I told him just once I wish he'd grope me because he wanted to, not because he wanted to know if I had another dream. He jokingly put both hands on my butt and then wouldn't leave me alone. After breakfast, I had retrieved my note from my bag and shoved it into my front pocket and Jett noticed it peeking out and got instantly mad; I had a dream and was hiding it from him. We were camping so I had no idea if I woke up at 3:17 or not so I didn’t even know if this one was valid. I shoved it deeper into my pocket and asked Storm and Nic to go with me to check on my mom and dad fishing.

  Jett got even madder. I gave the note to Nic and asked her to put it in my bag when she was done reading it.

  When we got to their fishing spot it was the usual scene, my brother and dad fishing about 20 feet apart and my mom reading a book in her folding chair. My mom didn't like to fish and truth be told neither did I. We hung out a bit, Storm went over to help Kit re-bait his hook and Kit let Storm cast his rod and in no time flat he had a bite, he gave it a quick jerk and let Kit real it in. Nic went over to check it out and held the net for them while they tried unhooking the fish. It was a nice peaceful morning. It's funny how everyone acts in a different place, different environment.

  When we went home on Monday evening I checked my bag for my note, and it wasn’t there. I verified with Nic that she had put it in the front pocket of my bag; she said she did it when no one was around, but it was gone.

  Jett’s parents own a cabin by the lake in Michigan and I've never been there before, but I’d seen pictures. I'm not sure if I dreamt about his cabin because we were camping at the time or not. Nic and I had planned to go check it out. We had a back story for our parents and we would take a bus up to the cabin first thing Wednesday. I’m assuming Jett stole my note and read it but I don’t plan on asking him about it because I’m not talking to him. I didn't want him to read it because I was still unsure of how valid my dreams really were and I wanted to check this one out first, do a little recon with Nic.

  It turned out that Nic couldn't go; I almost didn't go by myself but then decided to at the last minute. When I got to the cabin and I was pretty sure I had the right one because of the tree in front and the brown siding and brick red shutters. I walked around back, sure enough Jett's car was parked in the carport, meaning he stole and read my note. Being all by myself this trip had made me nervous so maybe Jett’s company would be better if I can get over being mad at him. I should have known he wouldn't be able to help himself from checking out my note. He goes on and on about me trusting him and he does this. Maybe I'm upset because there were some ‘personal’ parts I didn't want him reading. I was here and I wasn't about to leave so I knocked on the door, wondering who else was with him. He answered the door and said “I made lunch for us, are you hungry?” He held the door open for me and slid my bag off my shoulder. I said nothing to him as I passed by him and into the kitchen, I could smell him, fresh air and soap, which made me feel at ease but still mad. He had no shirt on just a dark rope necklace and shorts, his skin was the color of a dark golden brown. I leaned up against the counter and crossed my arms maintaining my staying mad status.

  He placed my bag in the next room which looked like a family room. “What were you going to do, break in our house?” Good point, I guess I would have been trespassing if he hadn't come. I looked at him and squinted my eyes “I brought a tent” I said coldly.

  “Why did you even hide the note from me” he asked in a neutral voice. “That's my personal business and I wasn't about to share it with everyone at camp, besides who do you think you are going through my things and stealing it?”

  “Fine, we both did something wrong – I want you to trust me and I want to help.” He pulled the note out of his back pocket and handed it to me. I ripped it out of his hands and dashed outside. I was more embarrassed than anything that he undoubtedly read the whole thing. I walked behind the car port and started to pace. This is way crazy; I'm a nut job that has crazy dreams and Jett was going through some physical changes that who knows what they were about. He came up behind me, “I'm sorry and I did read the whole thing, it's nothing to be embarrassed about. I have dreams like that too – all guys do – I never assume girls don't.”

  He moved closer and put his hand on my waist and I started to cry a little, I wiped my tear. He moved himself in front of me and hugged me. “Shhh, at least it was about me, it was me, right? I mean at least the good parts.” I shook my head and embraced him back. “I promise I'll never steal another note from you, I'll wait for you to share it with me. And I don’t expect the part about me to come true at least not anytime soon.” He told me in his deepest voice, true and blue.

  “This is so messed up.” I let go and took a deep breath. He gave me a peck on the cheek.

  “There is a place in town, similar to what you described, plus the messed up part is I’ve caught a glimpse or two of Cale around here before, not much, but a couple of times in the past.”

  “So you think this dream could be valid? I don’t want you to think just because I have a dream that it will come true, because I really have no idea if it will or won’t.”

  “Agreed, some, not all? But you described the cabin to a “T.” Let me show you around.”

  He grabbed my hand and pulled me through the family room, sure enough, it was just like in my dream. There was even a blue and brown plaid recliner with wooden arms. I pointed to the chair with my mouth open, and looked at Jett, he said “I know right!” He showed me the bedrooms even though I didn't describe them in this note, I felt like I was familiar with the rooms. One was all navy, I shuddered at the sight of it with an awful eerie feeling. The other room was all tones of green and the third was shades of rusty orange.

  He grabbed me and gave me a hug. “I think we should go in town, check it out, see if we can spot anything else you recognize and look around for Cale. I brought a photo my Uncle gave me; we can ask people if they've seen him.”

  “Wow you came prepared.”

  We went back into the kitchen and we ate the lunch he made. They were only plain turkey sandwiches but I was glad for it, I was starving. He tossed everything in the refrigerator along with some sodas, and put his hand out to me “Are you ready?”

  I took his hand “I'm feeling kind of guilty now, that I came up here without your permission, and I'm sorry about that. I would rather have been invited.”

  He pulled me out the door and locked it. “I'm feeling very guilty about reading your note too, and I wish I would have waited for you to give it to me.” He gave me a peck on the lips and a tight squeeze. “Despite our guilt, let's just go hang out and have some fun. If we see Cale or find something really wrong we'll call my uncle and by the way consider yourself invited.” I smiled.

  We walked downtown, it wasn't far at all. They had some cute little restaurants and shops, and we went into all of them. “So you're a shopper then?”

  “Oh yeah,” he said. “My mom says she trained us well.” His mom was right she did train him well I saw him perusing the clearance racks and he found me an orange tee for only four bucks.

  We ended up shopping until dinner time;
it went by fast and no leads. We went to a new Chinese joint it was decent, good food and the prices were economical. I was glad for it because I spent most of my money shopping. We filled up and packed up the leftovers.

  Before going back to the cabin we checked out the hot spot in town, it was just like in my dream. The first floor had seating and no walls on three sides, the stairs were in the middle and it lead up to a huge bar that was under a roof, no walls on three sides again, room for a band and one was setting up, a dance floor and a nice size deck with plenty of seating out in the open. Everything was made of wood except the floor. The railing that encased the bar had big wood posts that held lights on every other post. Plus, they had white Christmas lights strung post to post even though it wasn’t Christmas. It looked really nice and rustic. There were several people mingling around and seemed like the time to come because people started to stream in steadily.

  “I hate Chinese food.” I said to Jett as we found a table and clonked down.

  “Why didn't you say something?”

  “No, I hate it because I always eat too much and get sleepy but then in a couple hours I'll want more.”

  He laughed “Yeah, I know what you mean.”

  Dusk came quickly and the day was going fast. Jett asked me for a slow dance, “I thought you didn't dance.”

  “I can sway back and forth with the best of them, but if you don't want to...”

  “Oh, I can sway too!” I replied.

  After we sat back down I wondered how long we were going to wait around, I was getting very tired, my eyes were getting heavy. Jett thought we'd stay for another hour but as I was yawning I looked up past the bar and caught a glimpse of what I thought was Cale. I sat straight up and put my hand on Jett's hand urgently and looked toward Cale. We locked gazes no one moved not even Jett.