“How did you know that?” I asked. My eyes flew open for the first time. Mr. Parks told me Reid’s grandfather died when he was driving me to his house and Blair was not with us.
“The Cloccan bell signal came through about twenty minutes ago. They only use that for really important news,” Blair answered. She looked over at me and studied my face for a response. The impassive look I gave her must have made her decide to expand her explanation. “Whitney, Duncan Buchanan is the leader of the Cloccan Tribe. Reid was his favorite grandson and I am sure he is expected at the funeral…”
“Very good. I see we are all together and ready for tea,” Mr. Parks interrupted as he walked into the dojo. He had three cups with him and was unperturbed by Blair’s presence. Blair and I rose and gave Mr. Parks a respectful bow. We followed him over to the low table that faced the extensive woods of Fort Hunt Park.
Mr. Parks carefully set down the tray and repeated his favorite saying. “Contentment in life comes at no cost. We must remember to savor the moments of being. That is why we sip tea. A full life is rich in small pleasures.” We sat in silence for several minutes as I thought about all that Mr. Parks had taught me about The Way and distilling my mind to concentrate on existing only in the moment. This was why I was failing to find peace earlier—I was fighting to control the universe and it was a fight I could not win. I needed to be more like water and remind myself when to let go of command and to go with the flow. My heart rate dropped and my breathing slowed and a barely perceptible smile crossed Mr. Parks’ face. He had taught me my lesson and I gave him a nod of acknowledgment.
Mr. Parks spoke softly, “Blair mentioned Reid’s grandfather died. Let us remember that our good health is our greatest possession and taking good care of yourself is your first concern. All small decisions lead to a final result. Just like you do not get fat from one cookie but hundreds of cookies too many. The actions of others tell us about the person within and if they have what it takes to survive. Strength of mind is something we work toward and it never stops. You needed it to navigate the Light Bringer’s Way more so than any compass. We gave Whitney the transmitter since she would be in the greatest danger and the Cloccan block made the outcome so uncertain. We only knew everyone who had tried in the past had failed.” Mr. Parks’ eyes focused on the woods through the giant picture window. The outlines of the branches were bare and could be seen in the strong moonlight.
“It helped we have had excellent teachers and a team committed to survival,” I said with a half smile. “The defining moment for me was when I saw Chen’s shoes. They seemed like a sign we were almost to the end and were there for me to use. I was sure they were the invisible bridge across because I had seen the exquisite crane embroidery in your mind, Mr. Parks. If there was a Cloccan block, how did you know to let me see her shoes ahead of time?”
Mr. Parks looked me in the eye and said simply, “The Light Bringer’s Way is a path I could not know because it was meant for you alone. Your sense of connectedness to the universe allows mysteries to be revealed.”
His answer knocked me for a loop. I knew it was lucky we had ducked in time in the shrine of elephants but did not recognize I had made a leap of faith about how to cross the lake. In hindsight, I wondered if I should have taken such a risk.
Mr. Parks gently touched my arm. “Seeing connections and listening to yourself is something I cannot teach. Confidence is your greatest friend when you need to turn adversity into advantage. The Light Bringer’s Way was a path designed to repel, not to attract. Many would have turned back or have given up on their own ability to surmount the obstacles. Only those capable of turning potential disaster around through cleverness, resourcefulness, and inner strength could have created the good fortune necessary to complete it. It was an ultimate test to see if you would be worthy enough to acquire the Spear of Light. This was your destiny.”
Mr. Parks described our mission in a much more positive manner than it felt while we were moving through the caverns. I swallowed hard, debating if I should tell him he had glamorized it too much.
“My mom always said the measure of a person is reflected in how they deal with adversity. Whitney never stopped thinking about our next move and that kept us positive and hopeful. Failure was not an option and even when Whitney thought she was going to be left on the island, she gave the spear away to help us succeed. That was pretty incredible,” Blair said, and her Irish-green eyes started to blink with emotion.
Before she got too carried away, I felt I should clarify that I was not the superstar they thought. It was simply good instinct and extensive survival training. “Giving away the spear helped me feel better about a terrible situation. Yes, it was altruistic but I didn’t want to come so far and have nothing to show for it. Besides, it didn’t belong to the cave or me and that’s why I had to give it back. If I was going to die, I wanted to at least set the spear free.”
“Yeah, I see that with the spear. But it does not make sense to me about why you gave away the dagger. You seemed to like it. I saw the way you held it in your hand and it was a perfect fit. Why did you give it to me?” Blair looked self-conscious and I did a double take. That was a first for her to be embarrassed to ask me anything, and I did not realize giving her the dagger would make such an impact.
“I did like it. The cairngorm stone reminds me of Reid’s eyes and the hilt is thin and easy to hold in my small hands, but I gave it to you because I liked it so much. It was a gift of my appreciation for your true friendship. I couldn’t have completed the trip without you, Blair.” Blair’s cheeks blushed. I realized it was important to make more opportunities to let her know how much she meant to me. If good health was our greatest possession, then good friends were our greatest treasure, I thought to myself.
“Thanks. You might change your mind if you knew it was the Dagger of Dundee. It is priceless,” Blair admitted softly. I could tell by the way she was fidgeting that she hoped that didn’t mean she had to give it back.
I laughed. “I knew by the way Reid had recognized the dagger that it was valuable and Cloccan. If the dagger is priceless, that makes me even more certain it belongs to you.”
“Ah yes, the Dagger of Dundee, another weapon that had passed from legend into myth. It is said that the dagger belongs to the lionhearted, those with extraordinary courage. It will only cut for a heart that is true and will only fight for true love. It is a special gift indeed, Blair. Use it well and wisely. And Whitney, know that the rope that suspended Vlad could not have been cut if you did not do it for the right reasons,” Mr. Parks explained. “I trust you have resolved this within yourself?”
I nodded, grimly remembering I decided on the best choice in a bad situation. “I am at peace with it. Cutting the rope was the right thing to do because it was what I would have wanted if the situation was reversed.”
Mr. Parks further highlighted my thoughts when he said, “Yes, to put your wants over another person’s needs is wrong. You did the right thing and in the next dimension Vlad can reunite with Marlin and fulfill his greatest wish,” Mr. Parks said serenely. He sipped his tea and looked out into the woods. His eyes searched through the dark trees and I wondered what or who he was looking for there. Chen came into my mind even though his thoughts were closed to me.
Blair set down her cup. “What do you mean go on to the next dimension? Are you talking about death?”
“Death as in the transition from one dimension into the next. Not as in a coffin, burial, and darkness. According to string theorists, life as we know it exists on a particular string of time but if matter cannot be created or destroyed—only changed—then it simply moves from one string to another across the universe. In between the strings of time are the vibrations of sound, and those with pure energy have been trying for centuries to figure out how to use sound to jump between these planes,” Mr. Parks explained. He took another sip of his tea while we digested his words. Was he proposing traveling through time? After a pause he said, “Chen and
I stumbled upon the solution by accident through a dance.”
“Ah. I know what you mean. Whitney and Reid were like a blur moving through air and not touching the ground at the lake. It was…how do you describe the indescribable?” Blair held up her hands, tongue-tied.
“A vision of two people tripping the light fantastic?” Mr. Parks said with a knowing smile.
Blair nodded. “Yeah. That phrase seems oddly appropriate. It was electric.”
Mr. Parks took another sip of his tea and answered, “Yes. I have seen it for myself. It is true; you cannot engineer that kind of chemistry. I am glad they had enough knowledge and focus to make it across the lake. Manipulating time and space takes a lot of practice but it is trust that makes flight possible. It is what gives your heart wings to fly.”
Uncomfortable, I looked down at my half-finished cup of tea. On some level, Reid and Karen cared for each other. I would let Blair try to prove to me why she was irrelevant but I had to face the truth that I was the one who wasn’t Cloccan. Most likely, Reid and I were coming to an end.
Chapter Twenty-One: Haunted
My finger hovered over the erase button of my answering machine. I was playing back Reid’s message for the hundredth time. He said he would be gone for most of the week and would be unable to get to a phone until he returned. His voice sounded strained and there was a lot of noise in the background. Through the din, I heard Karen Eubanks telling Reid to hurry up because it was time to get on the plane. He managed a quick “I’ll call you in a few days, Whitney” before the call ended. I had to stop listening to this and I pressed erase.
The week of Reid being gone would be good for me, I tried to tell myself. It would allow me to practice getting used to life without him. It would be easier to get down a solo routine without having to see him out of the corner of my eye or hearing he was driving Karen to school. I decided the best way I could do it was if I stayed busy, and there was more than enough to do.
I needed to catch up on schoolwork, go to field hockey practice, and finalize the literary magazine layout. Finishing the magazine meant that I had to go straight to the computer lab before and after school and in between practices. The more distance I put between my answering machine and myself without a message from him the better.
As usual, Sean was waiting for me at my locker. “Hey, Whit. Where’s your shadow? I don’t think I caught sight of Wallace all day. I knew there was something about this Monday that was less painful than usual.” Sean laughed at his own joke and I rolled my eyes at him. I didn’t have time to have a lengthy conversation with Sean, especially about Reid. I hurled my books into my locker and they banged loudly as I rushed to grab my stick and practice bag.
“He’s out of town,” I answered. So was Karen Eubanks but I left that out of my answer. I hoped Sean wasn’t in the mood for Fifty Questions. “I gotta go. I have to get to the computer lab before practice.”
“What a coincidence, I have to print out a book summary,” Sean said with a wide grin. I somehow doubted it since he didn’t have a book or a computer disk with him. “Here, let me take that.” He grabbed my backpack off my shoulder. It was the same shoulder that felt like pulp from being pulled up by the Cloccan rope and getting too many African travel vaccinations. I winced. Quickly, but not quickly enough, I regained my composure and calmed the pained look on my face.
He eyed my shoulder suspiciously. “Are you all right?” He did not wait for my response but flipped up the sleeve of my short-sleeve shirt. The bruise was not nearly as bad as before but it left my skin an ugly and mottled yellow and violet.
Sean’s eyebrows knit together and his lips hardened into a tight line as he took in the bruise. “That’s a pretty bad bruise. I’d better not find out it is from Wallace,” he warned. He wagged a finger at me. He was joking but there was a vibration of anger in his voice. The thought that Sean couldn’t be more wrong choked me up. I couldn’t even allow myself to think about how many times Reid tried to take a hit or make a sacrifice for me. The only way Reid would ever hurt me was by trampling on my heart.
“Shots. There was a mix-up with my player physical and I had to get some boosters last week. It was no big deal.” I shrugged as we walked through the mob in the locker bank. “Hopefully, it will be better before the game this week.” Sean remained skeptical even though I had basically told him the truth. We wove between the flood of people trying to get out to the student parking lot.
“OK, but you should know you can always count on me for help. I mean it, Whitney,” Sean said gruffly. Where was this coming from? He had jumped to a big conclusion about Reid as if the idea was waiting in his head. My intuition shivered down my arms in warning. Something was not right.
“Thanks, Sean. Trust me, I am fine. Are you and your friends going to the Zeta Halloween Bash?” I decided to shift the topic away from Reid and try to lighten the mood. The Zeta party was the talk of the school. The sorority had rented out the historic Grist Mill down by the river. The large stone building had belonged to George Washington.
“Yeah. We’re going. You need a ride?” Sean asked, hope springing eternal in his eye. “Eileen will be at Zeta’s hell night after the party and if Reid’s out of town you might need a ride home. So no one else bothers you.”
We walked into the computer lab and out of the crowded halls. Jurgen was right behind me and must have enjoyed eavesdropping on this awkward conversation. With Reid gone, he was always within my range of vision. He took a seat at a nearby computer and started to work on it. It was quiet and warm in the room.
“Sean, I am pretty good at taking care of myself,” I said with a slight edge of warning to my voice. Several small actions Sean made annoyed me. First, he took my backpack without my permission. Second, he looked at my shoulder without asking me. Third, he knew Reid was out of town but wanted to give me a ride to a party that would be attended by the entire school and would get back to Reid. Lastly, and most importantly, my intuition was telling me something was not quite right about the way he jumped to conclusions about the bruise on my arm. He seemed to be crossing too many boundaries and making too many assumptions. That put me ill at ease. “I have my own car and so does Ruth. We will be all right.”
Sean’s computer would not turn on and the computer teacher came over to tell him it was broken and he would have to move. I silently waved goodbye as I turned on the Mac I needed to do the layout design work. The next time I looked up, he was gone.
My attempts to exhaust myself were working except I was having trouble sleeping at night. The Tule Lake vision was clouding my dreams, and this time there was something so dark about it that I wouldn’t even let my conscious mind see it. Instead, I woke up to the sound of my own scream four times over the past couple of days. Mr. Parks had tried different meditation techniques to fortify my mind and it concerned both of us that they were not working. It suggested the Tule Lake vision might be edging that much closer to reality.
After our field hockey game, we pulled up to the Delaney house. I decided not to go home first to avoid my answering machine. My intuition sensed Reid was back and there was a message from him. It would test all of my willpower not to return his call and I wanted to wait until Blair had an opportunity to prove her point. I only hoped it would be soon since I had little doubt Reid would know where to find me tonight.
Ruth’s FBI car was parked out front and Ruth and Shannon climbed out. As usual, they were all in black but this stakeout costume looked a lot different than the cat burglar ensemble of our last mission.
“Happy Halloween, ladies,” Shannon purred. She grabbed a large bag from the trunk and tossed a pair of high-heeled boots at me.
“Oh brother,” I muttered. “What are these for?”
“So you will be roughly the same height as Blair and Ruth. Don’t worry, I’m wearing the stilettos. For this to work, we all need to look as similar as possible.”
Blair wheeled out a BMX bike from behind one of the Delaneys’ fences and tossed it
into the open car trunk. Ruth did the same until four bikes were piled into the trunk. “Do I even want to know where you got the dirt bikes? Or why we need them?” I asked Blair.
“Relax. They are Bobby’s and Adam’s from down the street. I gave them some candy in exchange for a one-night rental,” Blair said. She was pleased with herself and in her element. “Let’s get moving. We need to get dressed and get over there.”
Blair and I showered and got into our cat-woman costumes. Our tight black jeans and black turtlenecks were identical to Ruth’s and Shannon’s and we wore black-felted cat masks with whiskers that had holes for our eyes and covered half our face. On our lips was the same shade of bright red lipstick and Shannon pulled our hair back into tight buns that was held into place with gel, mousse, hair spray, and bobby pins. It was like a helmet of hair care products.
“Wow. We look great!” I was impressed as I looked in the mirror. “How come you didn’t go with the Robert Palmer girls?”
“We could have rocked that look but it would have been too hard for your whole field hockey team to pull it off. Besides, we needed the masks,” Shannon said as she showered her hair with a final hiss of Aqua Net.
“The entire field hockey team is doing this? Because…” I focused on Blair. I had never gone into her mind but I was feeling tempted. This seemed bigger than I would deem prudent.
“For team unity! And because if there are twenty-some cat-women at a party it makes it very hard to find the one we are trying to hide. It’s genius, Whitney. You can thank me later,” Blair said, beaming. If Blair and I had managed to get through the Light Bringer’s Way, this Halloween party should not be too daunting, I told myself. Although the fact that we had bikes in the trunk did concern me.
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