by Simone Pond
“Thanks for meeting with me. I’m sorry for being so weird. I haven’t left the house in a year. I’m kinda new at this whole interacting with other humans thing.”
Woof!
“Vago seems to disagree,” Eli said.
“Well, Vago can just chill out. Anyway, it was nice meeting you, Eli. You have my email and my cell, so please let me know if you find out anything about my furry little friend.”
“Will do. And Sibyl,” he said, pausing a moment. “I look forward to seeing you both again, either way.”
Eli reached for Sibyl’s hand and held it for a moment without speaking. I’m not sure what happened between them, but whatever he was going to say to her before we walked away never came out of his mouth. He just stared at Sibyl, locked into something so profound words would only dampen the moment. After a minute of whatever was happening, Sibyl smiled and pulled away.
“See you soon,” she said, not correcting herself.
And the two of us headed down the sidewalk toward home with her watch spewing directions, most likely to annoy me.
Chapter Fifteen
Sibyl
As Vago and I strolled away from the coffee shop, I sensed Eli watching me. I could’ve asked him to walk me home, but I figured we had already had enough awkward for one day. And while I was bummed that he didn’t seem to be savvy about any supernatural activity in his world, at least he might be able to assist with finding out about Vago’s past. Starting with where he came from and how he came to be with Esther Townsend. I just hoped I hadn’t blown it with my weirdness and that he’d want to see me again.
I hadn’t been paying much attention to my watch or Vago, and careened right into someone on the sidewalk. Vago came over and nudged me, seemingly bothered. Then the smell hit my nose: a putrid aroma of urine and vinegar mixed with rank oniony body odor. Glancing up, I saw the shadow of a man before me; he had no spirit whatsoever. He was a dark smudge just like Pike. Another dead zone.
“Sons of … Open …” He sounded manic as if in a hurry to get the words out before someone took him away, but I couldn’t understand what he was saying.
“What?” I pulled myself up and approached the reeking smudge.
“Sons of Cain … Sons of Cain … Open your eyes. They’re coming … Open your eyes …”
His voice, no longer an incoherent mess, was clear and echoed inside me. Vago barked and barked.
“Shh!” I shouted at Vago.
The man grabbed my hands and got closer. My arms trembled with jolts of electricity and he whispered, “The Sons of Cain. It’s the Sons of Cain … Only you can stop them, Sibyl Forsyth.”
“What?!”
How did he know my name?
Before he could say another word, someone came up from behind and pulled him away.
“Are you okay, Sibyl?” Chief Pike yelled over to me, as he pressed the man against something; from the sound of metal clicking, he must’ve secured the man’s hands into cuffs.
The words rang so familiar … Open your eyes … But what did they mean? I couldn’t place them because I was so rattled. My heart was thrumming. A commotion gathered around us on the sidewalk, adding to my anxiety.
“Sibyl?” Pike shouted. “Did this sonofabitch hurt you?”
“I’m fine. He didn’t do anything! You don’t need to cuff him, Chief Pike. He’s harmless.”
As Chief Pike approached, his keys made that high-pitched jingle sound that had annoyed me during our walk the previous day. Vago stood in front of me with a low growl rumbling in his throat.
“It’s okay, Vago,” I warned, not wanting to create an even bigger scene.
More people and their flashing spirits gathered around on the sidewalk as they gawked at the altercation. So much for easing back into the community without drawing too much attention.
Chief Pike stood inches from me, his shadowy presence thick in the atmosphere. “What’s wrong with your dog?” he asked.
“He’s fine, too. We’re just gonna head home. Don’t worry about that man, he’s harmless.”
Pike cleared his throat. “This is the homeless man I told you about. And I’ve had one too many complaints about him. Now he’s assaulting my residents. I won’t stand for this type of behavior.” He turned around and walked back over to the homeless man.
“Like I said, I’m totally fine.”
“Let me do my job, okay.”
I nodded and told Vago to take me home.
As we crossed the street, Pike shouted, “Tell your aunt I’ll be by a little before six to pick her up.”
Knowing that he’d be coming by later did nothing to assuage the growing hornet’s nest buzzing in my head, but I waved politely and kept walking with Vago.
Once we were off the main street and safe in the seclusion of the neighborhood, I stopped walking and sat on the curb. I pushed my sunglasses back to get the hair out of my face. I needed to feel the summer breeze against my skin as I collected myself. The spin cycle of thoughts whipping around and around needed to stop. It was now one o’clock on Friday, and we still hadn’t made any progress on getting the meeting changed. We were running out of time.
Vago nestled up against my side, panting.
“Everything’s okay, buddy. Let’s just sit for a minute. Figure things out. I know we need to get that meeting changed, but I’m just gonna call the city manager.”
Woof!
“Look, it’s the best I can do. This day has been c-r-a-z-y. Eli probably thinks I’m a freak. Then that homeless guy yelling at me. Did you hear what he said?”
Woof!
“What on Earth does Sons of Cain mean? And how did he know my name? This shit’s getting too weird, Vago. I think we’re in over our heads. I mean we definitely are.”
I stopped babbling to catch my breath. The words the homeless man had said played back on a loop. Open your eyes …
And then it clicked into place.
“Esther Townsend!” I shouted.
Vago rubbed his snout up against my arm, encouraging me to continue.
“She used to say that whenever I’d wear my sunglasses. She’d make me take them off and tell me to open my eyes … Vago, she was trying to tell me about my gift. Esther Townsend definitely knew I could see into the supernatural realm. That’s why she wanted me to open my eyes.”
I sat on the curb waiting for some further revelation to strike that would explain everything else and lay out a set of instructions with our next steps. But nothing came. Except the sound of footsteps. Vago stood up, his tail wagging hard against my back.
“Sibyl?” Eli’s voice came like a warm and gentle hug.
I quickly stood up, not wanting him to think I was some weirdo sitting on the side of the road because life’s mysteries had gotten to be too much. Though I was. And though they had. Vago ran over to Eli and resumed the tail wagging and licking parade.
“You okay?” Eli asked.
“I was, um, just thinking about something.” I sounded much lamer than I had intended.
My sunglasses were still pushed back off my face so Eli could see directly into my eyes. Eyes that could see him. Eyes that were supposed to be blind to all things.
“Whoa,” he said.
I quickly pulled my sunglasses down, concealing my eyes. Trying to sound casual, I asked, “What?”
“I swear you just looked at me. Like your eyes registered me. That was weird.”
I laughed it off. “You’ve probably already heard, I’m kinda the town weirdo.”
He stepped closer to me. “No, that’s not what I meant.”
Heart now colliding into ribcage … “What then?”
He moved even closer. “There’s something else.”
Heart now dropping into stomach and starting a ping-pong match … “What’s that?”
He pushed my sunglasses back onto the crown of my head and examined my eyes. I tried not to register him in my sight, but it was difficult not taking in Eli Townsend. My irises probably double
d in size. I know I blinked.
“Our eyes are the same color,” he said. “And same with Vago.”
“Yeah … I told you it’d sound crazy if you don’t know the whole story. Are you sure your grandmother never mentioned anything?”
“Only that you and I would become very close one day.” He paused and squinted his eyes. “Are you sure you can’t see me? I swear, you’re looking right at me.”
My cheeks warmed up. Of course he knew when girls were looking at him because it probably happened all the time. I stared directly at Eli without shying away that time, then said, “We need to talk. Like really talk.”
Chapter Sixteen
Sibyl
Eli stood across from me on the sidewalk, contemplating my suggestion of having a real conversation. Did he know what was coming? Had he always suspected something was supernaturally different about his grandmother and possibly even him? I’m sure Esther Townsend hadn’t planned on dying and leaving us with a list of questions a mile long. But maybe this was our chance to work together and figure things out.
“We’re only a couple blocks away from my house,” I said, hoping to move along his decision.
“Is this a story I want to hear?” he asked.
I shrugged. “Want to or need to?”
He stared off a moment. “You can see me, can’t you?”
I nodded. “Yeah. But I really want to explain. So, can you just come back to the house with me?”
“Are you sure it’s okay?”
I smiled, thinking about Aunt Ruthie’s forthcoming delight. I sent a text saying I was on my way home and bringing Esther Townsend’s grandson. To avoid a slew of back and forth texts, I gave her some background bullet points.
Aunt Ruthie was waiting by the front door when we arrived, her spirit lighting up the place. She greeted Eli, practically bouncing up and down, excited to have another guest a second day in a row.
“Would you like something to drink? Are you hungry?” she asked Eli.
“I’m okay, thanks.”
“I’m sorry about your grandmother, she was so helpful after the accident. Sibyl adored studying with her. And Vago has been so wonderful.”
Eli touched my shoulder and said, “She adored Sibyl, too.”
His touch sent my synapses into a frenzy. Not that I minded. From the second I saw Eli Townsend walking down the sidewalk in his vintage shirt and those narrow-legged pants, I was smitten.
“We’re gonna go hang out in the back yard,” I said, trying to sound casual, like I had friends over all the time.
“Are you sure I can’t get you anything? How about some tea and cookies?” Aunt Ruthie asked.
Eli grinned and said, “That sounds good. Can’t resist cookies.”
When Aunt Ruthie turned around, he winked at me. We made our way to the back yard and sat in the Adirondack chairs, while Vago took his regular spot by the pond; still close enough to hear every word of the conversation.
“So, where should I start?” I asked.
“Let’s start with how you can see me.”
“I guess I’ll start from the beginning. The night of the accident. But I’m warning you, it’s a bit … strange.”
Eli laughed and rested his fingers on top of my hand. “To be honest, nothing surprises me much. Grandma Esther had some pretty crazy theories. And some of the books in her library … Wow.”
I had to turn away from Eli’s bright smile before I got lost in his wake. The joy of seeing another human during daylight hours was too much to contain unless digested in small pieces. Or maybe it was just Eli Townsend that could only be imbibed in manageable increments. His beauty was the kind that reached out, snatched you up, and took you wherever it wanted to go without asking.
“What kind of books?” I asked, trying to keep my focus on the conversation and not my ridiculous musings.
“Supernatural and paranormal combat. Whatever that is. Stuff about the unseen realms. She also has tons of musty old ledgers from the early settlers of this area. When I was a kid, I’d sneak into her library and read them for fun. But they always creeped me out. Allegedly, our town is a built on a supernatural centriole. Kinda like that movie Poltergeist. And supposedly, there’s been a battle between evil and good spirits vying for control of the area for centuries.”
A normal person might’ve backed away from the conversation at this peak moment, but I experienced a windfall of relief. The concern I had harbored about having to explain everything to Eli dissipated in an instant. It sounded like he was already familiar with the supernatural underpinnings of Coastview. I’d be able to openly tell him all about the Spirit Handlers—the evil slithery things that came from the shadows. I could tell him about the visions both Vago and I shared. Maybe I could even tell him about Vago being a dog shifter.
But then Eli let out a chuckle of laughter. “Grandma Esther was a little bit of a nut job if you ask me. Healthy as a horse physically, but something just a little off. Some of the things she’d say about my future and how eventually I’d come into my gifts … And like I said earlier, she used to say that you and I would become friends even though I had no intention of ever living in Coastview. Strange stuff. Yet … here we are. So maybe there was something to it?”
He paused and stared at me as I hid behind the safety of my dark sunglasses. I didn’t want him to see the worry in my eyes. How was I supposed to go into my explanation of the impossible after he just called his own grandmother a nut job. Fortunately, Aunt Ruthie came outside with a tray of clattering cups and saucers to save me from furthering the conversation. Knowing my aunt, she’d stick around for the good part of an hour, rambling away about either the historical society or the multiplex debate. Maybe by the time she was finished, Eli would be too wiped out to continue with our conversation and just go on home. I could pick up the phone and call the city manager, pleading with him to change the meeting date.
Eli helped Aunt Ruthie set the tray down on the table between our two chairs. She thanked him and then said, “Well, I’ll be getting back to my chores.”
Chores? What was she talking about? She didn’t have anything to do except get ready for her date with Chief Pike and that wasn’t for another four hours. She was leaving me alone with Eli in hopes that I’d forge some kind of relationship with him. I could just hear her later, prattling about how wonderful it was that we both had new beaus and what perfect timing with autumn approaching, then the festive holiday season.
The back door closed, leaving me alone with Eli and Vago, who was absolutely no help as he napped by the pond.
Eli handed me a cup of tea. “So, you going to tell me what’s up?”
I sipped the tea, then took a bite of the white chocolate macadamia nut cookie that was perched on the side of the saucer. The crunch of the cookie filled my head, blocking out the sound of the outside world. And if it weren’t for the fact that I could see Eli sitting across from me and Vago’s blue spirit sparkling by the pond, I could’ve been alone in the universe. But we had come to this place for a reason. That I knew. And as hard as it was to find the words, I had to trust they’d come out the way Eli needed to hear them.
“Okay, so some—if not all—of this might sound certifiably insane. Like lock-me-up-in-a-mental-hospital insane. And if you called your grandmother a nut job, I’m not sure what you’ll think of me after I’m finished.”
He sat back in his chair and stared up at what I assumed was a clear blue sky. “I’m familiar with the inexplicable. And you, Sibyl Forsyth, are precisely that.”
My cheeks heated up once again. I think it would’ve been less painful just getting out of my chair, straddling his lap and making out with him, rather than telling my story. But I set down my tea cup, leaned back in my chair with my eyes closed so I wouldn’t be distracted by any of Eli’s reactions, and began my story, starting with the night of the accident …
***
Eli Townsend now knew the whole story.
I had gone through every sin
gle detail from the car crash, to the angels taking away my parents’ souls, to the evil Spirit Handlers, to Vago’s ability to shift, to the horrific vision of city hall exploding on Monday morning.
“So that’s why I reached out to you. Because Vago and I hit a wall and we thought maybe your grandmother would be able to point us in a new direction. She must’ve put us together for a reason. But then we found out she had passed away, so you were next in line.”
After a prolonged and weighted silence, Eli said, “Wow.”
A stillness sat over us like a bell jar, echoing. I was afraid to say another word. I had already said too much. The only thing left was for Eli to say something to make me feel less freakish; anything other than wow would’ve helped, really.
“So … Vago is like a werewolf?” he said with a smile.
Woof!
“No. He’s a dog shifter.”
“And he shifts into a man at midnight?”
“Mm hmm.”
More silence.
The kind you can feel pressing the air out of your lungs and pulling you underground like quicksand. I couldn’t imagine what he must’ve been thinking. If I hadn’t seen the supernatural side of things with my own eyes, I would’ve run out of that yard faster than a flash of lightning.
“Why can you see me?” he asked.
I removed my sunglasses and gazed into his crystal blue eyes. “I can see only you, but nobody else. That I know of.”
Woof!
“Except Vago after he shifts into his human form. Other people are just shadows and shapes, except for their spirits …” I kept my eyes focused on him, trying not to slip back into myself.
The look of solicitude in his eyes ached in my chest. I was a freak.
He stood up, cementing my biggest fears into place. “This is a lot to take in, Sibyl. I’m gonna head back to my grandmother’s place and do some soul searching. Or something.”
