Talisman

by S. E. Akers

  After a direct roll of my eyes, I grabbed his arm and then jerked him down beside me.

  “I guess I’d better,” Ty acknowledged with a grin. “I would hate for you to kick my ass.”

  I flashed an uncomfortable smile. I suppose I deserve that one. He seemed to want to make Mike topic Number One.

  “What was up with that anyway?” Ty asked.

  “I was just giving Mike a little payback for what he did to you,” I replied defensively.

  Ty nodded and smiled. “Yeah, but…how did you know what he did? You weren’t in the locker room.”

  Think fast…

  “No…But I saw him wiping some blood off his hand when he came out. Good assumption?”

  Let’s see how that one flies…

  Ty let that one roll around for a few seconds. “Okay, maybe…but Shiloh…when I got to the gym floor, you didn’t just shove him like a typical girl would, um — no offense — you tossed him like you were throwing a wadded up paper ball into a trash can. There was no effort. I couldn’t have done that. Not even with the weight-training program I’m on.” He continued to shake his head. “HOW did you do it?”

  “A rush of adrenaline?” I replied innocently.

  By the look on Ty’s face, I could tell he was fighting a battle between wanting to believe me, and his own cynical reality. I knew what side I wanted to win.

  “Possibly,” Ty speculated. We sat for a moment in silence. I assumed he was debating about “what to ask me next”.

  Ty nudged my shoulder. “You know…I heard his nose is broken.”

  I cringed on the spot.

  “Oh, and a couple of his ribs are cracked, too,” Ty continued, forcing my head to lower in shame. He patted my back. “Don’t beat yourself up over it.”

  I shook my head and pursed my lips after hearing his playful, yet warranted jab.

  “Personally I think his busted lip looks the worst…especially with that missing tooth,” Ty added.

  Without delay, I whipped my head up and around. “I didn’t lay a finger on his mouth,” I insisted.

  Ty grinned. “No…But I did.”

  My mouth dropped open.

  Ty chuckled. “Come on, Shi. I had to get in at least one jab for the way he jumped me like that. Why do you think I’ve been out here running laps for the past two and a half hours?” Ty bragged.

  We laughed for a moment. I found it much easier to find some humor in it now, especially since I’d resigned myself to the notion of healing Mike to clear my conscience. But I’ll let him suffer with his injuries…for a few more days.

  Soon our amusement dwindled, and we found ourselves sitting in awkward silence. The handsome jock seemed to be wrestling with something else he wanted to ask.

  “So what’s next on your list of talking points?” I blurted.

  Ty raised his brow. “Um, about last Saturday night…”

  I nervously awaited his question. Is he going to bring up the fact that I ran off, right as we were about to kiss?

  “I’m still curious about…the rattlesnake,” Ty stressed.

  I breathed a silent sigh of relief.

  “I think it’s more than just a coincidence that two huge rattlers had their sights set on you, on the same day… Don’t you?” he speculated. I was unquestionably quiet, and he picked up on it. “Especially since you said that Mr. Estell was in Bea’s neighborhood staring at you.”

  I tried to muster my best clueless and innocent look.

  “You know he’s a member of that snake-handling church in Jolo, right?” Ty remarked.

  He “was”, I mused to myself.

  “I think he did it,” Ty charged, “but I haven’t figured out why he would.”

  Ty tried to study my reaction to his claim. I needed to play this one off — fast.

  “That’s an interesting theory,” I pondered aloud. “But what would he have against me? I don’t even know the man.”

  “I don’t know,” Ty replied. “But the next time I see him wandering around Welch, I’m planning on asking him.”

  I don’t have to worry about that happening. Ty noticed me shudder and draped his arm around my shoulder.

  “Don’t worry. It won’t happen again,” Ty vowed.

  How sweet. He’s thinking that I’m scared, when I’ve been sitting here trying to get the image of Mr. Estell’s severed head out of my mind for the past few seconds.

  “Oh, I’m not worried,” I interjected confidently. Ty just sat there and shook his head.

  We hadn’t addressed any of the rumors floating around yet. Maybe he wants to save the “best for last”? I couldn’t take the suspense, so I decided to broach the subject.

  “Ty, I’m not sure what Kara told you today, but—”

  Ty interrupted, “Shi, I know how rumors fly around the halls at school. I was always told to believe none of what you hear and half of what you see. But I’ll admit at first, the thought of you and Mike kis—”

  Now it was my turn to cut him off.

  “We did not kiss!” I insisted emphatically. “He may have gotten the wrong idea and leaned in to kiss me, but it NEVER happened!” I made repulsed gesture. “The thought of Mike Riverside going down in my mental memory book as my ‘first-kiss’ makes my skin crawl!”

  Ty seemed both surprised and intrigued by my “first-kiss” confession. Maybe I should’ve omitted that part, I thought, sitting there feeling utterly embarrassed about my gaff.

  Ty grinned. “I can certainly relate to Mike on that one. He’s not the only guy you’ve shied away from when it comes to that.”

  Now I was really getting uncomfortable. I hadn’t intended to run off from Ty, far from it, but I still couldn’t openly reveal what had happened. The evening was full of insane premonitions. They had my mind so jumbled as to what was real and what was yet to be. However, I was sure of one thing — from the moment he led me onto the dance floor, I knew exactly where I wanted to be…in his arms. I jumped up and started to walk down the bleachers.

  “Is that the same reason why you ran away the other night? Did the thought of kissing me make you feel like that?” Ty questioned.

  My eyes widened as I spun around. “No,” I replied adamantly. Upon hearing and observing my rigid response, a beaming smile emerged on Ty’s face that sent my cheeks straight into a flush. “I didn’t run off because of anything like that. I promise.” I hopped off the bottom step of the bleachers and began to stroll around the field.

  Ty laughed. “You’re running away right now,” he called out.

  I turned and flashed him a playful grin. “No, I’m walking…and did anyone say you couldn’t follow?”

  I watched as he rose from the stands and started to head my way. I continued to walk along the outside edge of the field at a slow pace. Ty quickly caught up with me. We strolled around the football field in silence. As soon as we had reached at the end zone, Ty jumped ahead of me and reached around to grab the chain-link fence, blocking my path. I had no other choice but to stop. As I looked up at him, I spied the reflection of the stadium’s bright lights dancing within his dreamy blue eyes, heightening their sparkle. My heart began to race and I felt my flush exploding into a full-on glow.

  “So, how do you feel now?” Ty asked softly as he leaned closer.

  My heart was now pounding right out of my chest, but I tried to play it as cool as possible. He had a curious, yet sly look about him. He knew I wanted him to kiss me. My body language had sent him that message, loud and clear.

  “You won’t know until you try,” I hinted, rather boldly.

  Ty leaned closer, but he paused and pulled back slowly. He grinned as he looked down at his sweat-stained tracksuit.

  “Let me run in and hit the showers. It’ll just take a second, okay? Just wait here.”

  “Okay,” I replied as I tried to subdue the goofy smile creeping across my face.

  Ty jogged over to the team’s locker room and stopped as he pulled open the door. He turned back around and calle
d out, “I’m serious…DON’T run off!”

  I assured him with a flirtatious, “I won’t.”

  My enthusiasm took hold of me as I watched him disappear into the team’s locker room, and my smile was no longer containable. Even my emotions were running rampant. Without realizing, I was clutching the top bar of the chain-link fence, trying to balance myself. I felt excited, nervous, and even somewhat giddy, like this was a dream. After the day I’d had, if someone told me that I would be alone with Ty at Golden Knights Stadium, about to finally take part in one of a girl’s rite of passages, I would’ve thought they were crazy. I smiled as I thought about how resistant I was to being “normal” for a day.

  I did need this after all…

  My mind lingered with thoughts of a freshly showered Tyler Smith emerging from the locker room. The vision of his wet tousled hair and the faint scent of Acqua di Gio cologne, which I’d smelled on him many times before, was undeniably intoxicating. I felt myself getting more aroused with every passing second. I tried to calm down, but that was next to impossible with the reality of handsome and hard-bodied Tyler Smith probably showering off at this very moment. However, my daydream came to an abrupt end as soon as I heard someone behind me clearing their throat, quite crossly.

  “WALLACE! Suspension from school includes ALL school property,” the familiar voice scoffed.

  As I stood there staring out at the field, my hands automatically tightened around the top rail on the metal fence. Coach Hayes — So much for a “perfect” evening! He was the last person I wanted to see (with the exception of Lazarus and my newly-acquired creepy stalker). I kept my back turned to him so he couldn’t see the disgusted glare in my eyes.

  “I’m waiting on Ty. I’ll be gone before you know it,” I assured him.

  I could feel his approach, but I remained still. He was now propped against the fence, standing right beside me. My pouty stare fell to the ground. Why did HE have to come along and ruin this perfect moment?

  “You know, I don’t particularly care for punishments like suspensions,” Coach Hayes acknowledged. “I’ve always been a big believer in something else…”

  I really couldn’t have cared less about anything the surly old coach had to say, but the fact that he never finished his thought and was now silent struck me as odd. Curiosity got the best of me.

  “Oh yeah…What’s that?” I asked in a flippant tone as I tilted my head his way.

  As soon as he turned towards me, I caught a subtle whiff of a peculiar odor, and his face darkened on the spot.

  “An eye for an eye,” he roared in a menacing voice. Coach Hayes’ eyes were now as black as night. My nostrils flared from the pungent stench of sulfur, and in less than a second, my eyes exploded with streaks of white light.

  Oh Shit! The Onyx!

  Suddenly, I felt the Onyx’s stinging grasp around my neck as he swiftly lifted me off the ground. I tried desperately to break free from his vicious chokehold, but his painful grasp was wickedly unyielding. Without any effort, he then catapulted me over the fence, where I crashed into the goal post. The crushing blow threw me for a loop. Dazed, I found myself lying in a mangled mess of metal. The force of the strike, combined with my indestructible bones, had dented the goal post into an unrecognizable shape.

  Before I could get to my feet, the possessed body of “Coach Hayes” had already scooped me up and sent me flying across the field. I crash-landed in the Home section’s metal bleachers. Though my bones and skin were still intact, I was in a lot of pain from being knocked around with the amount of force the Onyx was using. The press box was just a few feet above me. I turned to spot my fiendish attacker charging into the stands. Speedily, I jumped up and raced towards the side door of the structure, praying it was unlocked. It wasn’t, but I opened it with a swift kick and hurried inside.

  There were several loud “thumps” on the door. I’d managed to lock it, but it took all of my strength to keep the Onyx from busting through it. Finally, the relentless banging stopped. I stepped away from the door and waited breathlessly for the Onyx to make his next move. My eyes scanned around the small, dimly lit space. The lights from the football field were streaming only a small amount of light into the press box.

  I jumped when suddenly, the outdoor field lights went out. My eyes narrowed as I slowly crept towards the long window that spanned the dark room. I couldn’t see much. The only lights that remained were the ones at the opposite ends of the field, illuminating the locker rooms and the concession stand. There wasn’t the slightest movement of any kind, and the Onyx was nowhere to be found.

  Anxiety took hold of me as I scanned the field. I wasn’t fairing very well against my cunning assailant. I looked over at the locker rooms and pictured Ty’s astonishment when he stepped outside. He would be helpless against the supernatural being’s attack. Surely this “thing” couldn’t leave any witnesses after killing me. I had to get back out there. Something struck my shoulder blade when I backed up, forcing me around. It was a wooden ladder that led up to a small door in the roof. I looked out the window one last time and then clamored up the ladder, pausing to unlock the latch. Gradually, I raised the hatch while I kept a watchful eye on my surroundings.

  Without warning, I was jerked the rest of the way out of the press box and thrown down onto the roof. The Onyx had anticipated my next move and had been waiting for me the entire time.

  The body of “Coach Hayes” lunged at me. The Onyx’s grasp was A LOT more formidable than I remembered. No doubt about it. The diamond’s energy was intensifying my assailant’s powers, causing the pain to be nothing less than unbearable. We soon found ourselves locked in a violent game of tug of war. Our bodies rocked back and forth while he tried his best to keep me pinned. Not only did I have to muster all of my strength to defend myself, but I also had to mentally block out the excruciating pain from his slightest touch.

  One of the Onyx’s hands broke free from my hold. The next thing I knew, the hand of “Coach Hayes” was driving his college football ring into the left side of my face. The diamonds on the ring were able to penetrate my skin. My face was stinging from the brutal gash, and I felt blood flowing down my cheek. I clenched my teeth and let out a long grunt, in an attempt to muffle my screams from the searing slash. I couldn’t let Ty hear me. After all, there was nothing he could do to stop my supernatural attacker.

  As my anger swelled, so did the sky. Suddenly, thunder began to roar around us, and I sensed the clouds stirring with fury. Just as Tanner had revealed the other day, my temperament could unexpectedly trigger a storm. I focused vehemently on the swirling sky and felt the power of the lightning’s fierce current churning above me. I used what strength I had to hone in on its energy and summoned a large bolt. As it came barreling towards us, the Onyx abruptly released me and rolled away, safely out of the bolt’s path. When the lightning struck, the explosive blow caused the roof to collapse, and I went crashing down into the press box. Quickly, I brushed off the rubble as I rose to my feet and hurried out the door. There were no signs of the Onyx. I raced down the bleachers and looked all around.

  Where is he?

  With a vigilant eye, I hopped over the chain-link fence and headed towards the center of the field. I spun around and scanned the entire stadium. Though I felt undeniably exposed out there on the 50-yard line, I figured I could at the least see the Onyx’s next blitz coming and eliminate any unexpected surprises — this time.

  I summoned another bolt of lightning, which I caught and kept ready to cast if needed. I continued to survey the field in all directions, confident that the Onyx had escaped unscathed, but still optimistic.

  Could the lightning’s force have made him retreat? Maybe the Onyx felt threatened? The mistake of underestimating my attacker could be disastrous, so I kept up my guard.

  I heard a noise coming from the locker room. I spun around to hear a pounding sound resonating from the door. Ty.

  “Shi? What the Hell’s going on out there?” Ty y
elled as he banged on the door. “THE DOOR’S LOCKED!”

  Without a doubt, he’d heard the ruckus going on outside. I hesitated. I had to get him out of there, but I wasn’t sure if it was safe, not to mention, how the heck I was going to explain what had happened to the football field?

  Cautiously, I headed towards the locker room. I felt a slight vibration, which stopped me dead in my tracks. From out of nowhere, a mound of earth appeared, humped up under the turf in the end zone that lay directly in my path. It was horrifyingly clear what it was. The Onyx. Like Gallia, the Onyx was an earth stone. He’d been under the ground waiting for me the entire time.

  Confidently, I hurled the bolt of lightning at the mound of earth. I watched, now wretchedly disappointed, as the blast of electricity had no effect on him. The mound of turf and dirt began to swiftly rise and was heading straight for me. The Onyx was deep underground and obviously, well-protected. I quickly turned to run in the opposite direction. I rallied another bolt while I dashed down the field and then turned to sling it at the mound that was tunneling towards me like a high-speed train.

  Shit! NOTHING! I’d hit the spot on the ground directly, but the Onyx remained on course.

  As I approached the end zone, I zeroed in on the standing goal in front of me. The aluminum goal post had to have been set several feet under the ground. I had a plan. Once I’d reached the end zone, I leapt up onto the cross bar and conjured up one more bolt. This time, I aimed it at the goal post. When the lightning struck, the metal carried the hazardous volts of electricity deep under the ground. I held on and watched as the ground under me erupted into a large explosion. A horrifying scream roared out as I witnessed the Onyx flying up from underneath the earth in a cloud of dirt, turf, and dust. The very filthy body of “Coach Hayes” had been thrown backward, towards the middle of the field. With the sounds of Ty trying to bust out of the locker room echoing in my ears, I hurried towards the other end of the field. Coach Hayes’ body was lying face-down on the 50 yard-line — smack in the center of its painted Golden Knight emblem. As I approached, the Onyx scrambled up off the ground. I gasped when he turned around. Coach Hayes’ body was badly battered, singed, and very bloody. Immediately, I realized whatever force I used to attack the Onyx, it would inevitably kill Coach Hayes.