“Not yet. And who’s the big shot he works for?” Mitchell says.
“The producer works for Devil May Care Productions. There’s plenty of people he could know.” Stuart states.
“We have any other leads?” Paul asks.
“All we got is a dead phone number.” I reply, and take another bite of my turkey sub.
“Maybe we can talk to this big shot movie producer.” Mitchell says.
“You’re not likely to get hold of him, mate.” Paul replies. “I bet even his assistants have assistants.”
We all stop and look at Beth.
“What?” Beth asks as she see us all staring in her direction.
“Fancy doing some snooping, gorgeous?” Paul asks and winks at her.
“Never going to happen, stupid.” Beth says to Paul, and then turns to me. “What do you want me to do?”
“Look into Devil May Care Productions. We need to know where this Paul Thomas Richardson lives. Okay?” I ask.
She nods and elbows Paul in the ribs playfully. Paul sniggers as he finishes the rest of his fries.
“Okay. But Paul’s going to help me on this one.” Beth says.
Paul grins and raises his eyebrows. “Get in there.” Paul says.
Beth rolls her eyes. “Don’t make me regret this, okay?” She asks Paul.
Paul salutes her stiffly. “Yes, sir, no, sir.”
“Good luck.” I say and chuckle as the bell goes.
“They’re going to kill each other.” Mitchell says as we head to our next class.
I can’t help notice Stuart smile at that comment.
After school, I walk home in a daze, thinking about our mysterious assailant, and where this hunt will take us. When I look up to open the metal gate outside of our townhouse, it’s not there.
I find myself in the cemetery in front of my mom’s gravestone instead. How did I get here? I thought I was walking home. I look down and see a fresh red rose lying on the grass in front of the gravestone. What’s the date? I check my cell phone, and let out a gasp. It’s February 20th.
My birthday, and the anniversary of the accident.
“Oh, Mom. I’m sorry. I almost forgot.” I say weakly and reach down and touch the grave.
“Wow. I’m seventeen now.” I say and let that sink in. “It’s been eleven years.” I say and sigh. “Man, has it really been that long?” I look at her grave and let out a moan. Why couldn’t I get powers that bring people back from the dead?
“I’d better get back, Mom. I’ll see you soon.” I say, turn and leave.
“Hello, birthday girl.” Dad says as I enter and hang my coat up.
“Yay. Birthday.” I try and mimic someone who’s psyched, but I don’t think I’m very convincing.
“We have to celebrate your birthday, Pumpkin.” Dad says, and quickly thrusts a package wrapped in purple and red striped wrapping paper at me.
“Thanks, Dad.” I grumble and walk into the kitchen.
“You’re not going to open it?” Dad asks.
He’s trying to hide it, but I can hear the hurt in his voice.
I try and throw off my funk and have fun, and even manage a smile. It’s only when I’m in my bedroom that I let the tears come, as they do every year. The same thoughts rear their ugly heads, and I again try and convince myself that it wasn’t my fault. It was an accident. I hear the blast of the car horn, and the sound of grinding metal. My mom screams, and I black out as glass rains down on me. The same memory, the same pain, the same unanswered questions. What if?
What if I hadn’t asked to go to that store, and we had gone somewhere else? What if we had hit a few more stoplights? What if traffic was a little heavier that day? But all I have every time is the same answer. It was an accident.
Man, she’s been gone eleven years today. With everything that’s been going on, I completely forgot. Since that awful day, I had sworn off celebrating my birthday, so my friends already know not to bring it up. It had slipped my mind.
I get ready for bed, and grunt at my copy of Wuthering Heights as I take it from my backpack. I unwrap Dad’s gift, and place the small CD player on the dresser. Apparently, the house is too quiet these days, and I should play some music. I’m too quiet, he says. I should be a kid and have some fun. I wish.
I kiss the photo of my mom goodnight, and climb into bed.
Twenty
A week later, and a very excited Paul calls me on my cell phone.
“We have an address. Boom baby!”
“Really?” I ask.
“Of course. Piece of cake. See you tomorrow at lunch.” Paul says and hangs up.
An address? Great news. My cell phone goes off again as I try and get back to my Spanish homework.
“Oh, hi.” I answer when I see Mitchell’s number.
“I’m not interrupting anything, am I?” He asks.
“No.”
“Great. I’ve got some good news.”
“What is it?” I ask.
“I’ve found a place where we can practice.”
“Oh.” I had forgotten about that. “Where is it?”
“I’ll show you all tomorrow. Just wanted to tell you first.”
“Thanks.” I say, and then he hesitates for a second.
“Well, I’ll see you tomorrow, then.” He finally says, and hangs up.
I shrug, and carry on with my homework.
“Hi, guys.” I greet the others when I sit down at lunchtime.
“Hello, lovers.” Paul says mockingly.
“Excuse me?” I ask, suddenly angry.
“You two went to New York. Alone.” Paul says and wags his blond eyebrows.
“You’re just jealous ‘cause you’re pathetic.” Beth replies, and smiles at him.
“Ouch.” Paul says and winces. “Who pissed on your cornflakes?”
“Behave yourself, or no hanky panky.” Beth replies.
“Right you are.” Paul replies and winks at Mitchell.
Mitchell gives Paul a look, and Paul just shakes his head. Then nods, and then shrugs. Mitchell smirks, and then Stuart looks up from his cell phone.
“I think it’s great, you guys.” Stuart says and smiles.
“You like it?” Mitchell asks.
What’s going on? Am I the only one who is protesting that Mitchell and I are not lovers?
“It’s perfect. Isolated. Quiet.” Stuart replies.
“Okay. What are we talking about now?” I ask in frustration.
“The island.” Stuart says, and Mitchell grins at me.
Ooh, an island?
“We’ll need to go there and check it out, of course. But it looks promising.” Mitchell says. “Show them.” Mitchell asks Stuart.
Stuart passes his cell phone to Beth and Paul, then they pass it to me. There’s a very large expanse of water with various islands.
“Where is this?” I ask.
“Canada.” Mitchell replies. “One of the great lakes.” He adds as I gaze at the various small islands. “That one there.” Mitchell whispers in my ear, which gives me goose bumps, and points to a small dot on the screen.
“It looks very small.” I say.
“It’ll be big enough.” Mitchell says.
“So, when do we check it out?” Paul asks.
“How’s Saturday?” Mitchell asks.
“Oh, can’t. My mom wants to take me shopping.” Beth says. “Can we do this on Sunday?”
I nod, and Mitchell nods in agreement.
“Okay, Sunday. Meet on Lakeshore Drive, near the miniature golf course, at 1 p.m. Okay?” Mitchell says, and everyone nods.
“Bring food.” Beth suggests, and looks at me when she says it.
I raise an eyebrow in question, but the bell goes. Beth slips me a piece of folded paper quickly as she passes me. I open it and check it. It’s an address in New York. I fold the paper and shove it in my jean pocket, and head to my next class.
It’s P.E. Volleyball practice, to be more precise.
I
close my eyes and take a deep breath. Focus, Britney. Be in the moment. No distractions. Try not to kill anyone, okay? Okay. I enter the gymnasium like a terrified seventh grader. I try to score and help our team win, but there are so many near misses and collisions, that I’m a nervous wreck by the end of it. I can’t wait for it to be over.
Yay, no fatalities. Just one bruised shoulder, but she was on the other team, so I think that’s okay.
Sunday couldn’t come soon enough. I’m itching to see the island.
“See you later.” I say to Dad and Jessica as I head for the door.
“Where are you going?” Dad asks suspiciously.
“Heading over to Beth’s.” I lie.
“Wear a coat, Pumpkin. It’s freezing outside.” Dad says as I open the door.
Everything outside is coated in a thin layer of snow, and snow is still falling from the dull sky. I don’t feel the cold though. Oh, well. For the sake of appearances.
“Okay.” I say and hurry to the basement door.
I slip into my purple parka, and then put my backpack on over the top. I close the basement door and head back to the front door.
“Bye.” I call out as I leave.
I hop down the snowy steps, and head east along the paved sidewalk at a quick pace. Before I realize I’m even doing it, I’m racing like a devil towards the lake. I reach Lakeshore Drive in a few seconds and then head north. I skid to a stop near the miniature golf course, and check my cell phone. It’s 12:48 p.m. I pace back and forth as I wait. I’m looking forward to seeing Mitchell again, and kissing him, and touching him, and….Whoa. What the hell happened just then? We’re just friends. Right. I shake the images from my mind.
“Hey.” A voice calls out.
I turn, and see Paul walking along the footpath towards me. He’s wearing a green and white striped jogging suit with the hood up. I smile as he gets nearer.
“Hey, Paul.” I say.
“Where’s loverboy?” Paul asks, and chuckles when I blush.
“He’ll be along soon.” I say.
“So, you and Mitch, huh?”
“No. It’s not like that.” I protest.
“Yeah, right.”
“So, you and Beth, huh?” I fire back, to change the subject.
He grins and shrugs. “What can I say? She has great taste.”
“That’s debatable.” A calm voice says behind me.
I turn and see Stuart walking nearer. He’s wearing a deep blue thick padded jacket with a hood, and warm looking brown corduroys.
“Hey, Stu.” I say as he smiles at me.
“Hey, Bro.” Paul says and they bump fists.
‘Boys?’ Beth’s sultry voice says in my head, and I look around for her.
I see her silhouette approaching through the snow flurries. She emerges through the snow, wearing a white leather jacket and black jeans. She holds a large umbrella over herself as she saunters over. I see her give Paul a cheeky look before smiling at me.
“Hey, girl.” Beth greets me, and gives me a one armed hug.
I motion towards Paul and raise an eyebrow questioningly.
‘Nothing serious.’ Beth says in my head, and smiles mischievously.
“You’re so naughty.” I say, and laugh as she giggles.
We don’t even notice when Mitchell arrives. He just materializes next to me, looking dashing in his brown leather jacket, black t-shirt and stone washed jeans. He’s cradling a large metal tool chest in his arms.
“Hi.” He says and flashes me a crooked smile.
“Come on, already. Are we going or what?” Paul asks.
Mitchell looks at us with a twinkle in his eyes.
“Follow me. If you can.” Mitchell says and smiles wryly.
“Ooh, that sounds like a challenge, doesn’t it, Stu?” Paul says.
“It certainly does.” Stuart says.
“Boys?” Beth mutters and rolls her eyes.
“Let’s go.” Mitchell says, and then disappears with a loud boom.
“Damn it, no warning.” Paul shouts and then disappears with a bang.
I take off after them, as Stuart and Beth also race after us. I’m not quite prepared for how dangerous running at a few hundred miles an hour on snow can be. Let’s just say, that after a about a minute, my head is hurting from the amount of concentration it requires.
As we race north towards Canada, I have to keep this level of concentration up for quite a few minutes. I lose track of time, it might be 5 minutes or 5 hours, but I’m exhausted when I finally come to a stop.
The snow has already stopped falling here, but there’s still a thick layer covering the trees and the road around us. We seem to be in some kind of woodland area that the road weaves through. Mitchell walks over, still cradling the large tool chest.
“We’re not far from the border. We’ll need to take a different route from here.” Mitchell says, and looks in my direction.
“I can’t carry you all. I’ve only got two arms.” I say.
“I have an idea.” Paul says and waggles his eyebrows. Oh, no.
A few minutes later, and I’m flying about a thousand feet up in the pale white sky over a huge forest. Mitchell is dangling from my right arm as I hold it rigid, while Stuart dangles from my left arm, which I also hold out rigid. Beth and Paul are both dangling from my legs, as they hold on to one each. The added weight doesn’t bother me, it’s just that I must look stupid, like one of those old-school circus strongmen, who lift people. I try not to look down through my legs at Paul, as he chuckles and swings from my left leg like a naughty monkey.
“How much farther?” I shout over the wind that’s whistling past my ears.
“At this speed? I’d say about another five minutes.” Beth shouts back from behind me, as she dangles from my right leg, with her cell phone in her free hand.
I pitch forward carefully and start to descend slowly. I look to my right and catch Mitchell looking up at me with a big grin on his handsome face. I wink back, and gaze forward as I emerge through a thick moist cloud into clear air. Far below is a vast dark forest, and beyond that just ahead, is a pale glimmering body of water. I know it’s a lake, but it might as well be an ocean. I can’t see either edge of it, even from this height, it just stretches out in all directions, for miles and miles. It reminds me of Lake Michigan back home.
“You’ll need to guide me.” I shout as I fly over the forest, and head towards the water.
“Give me a second.” Beth calls out.
I’m now over the lake, and still descending slowly. A beautiful looking golden eagle flies by below me, circling in a wide arc. It’s looking down towards the water, and doesn’t see me until I’ve passed it. I hear its high pitched cry behind me as I glide over the glimmering water, towards some small dark islands.
“Okay. It’s not these. Pass these, and you should see a larger one on your left, and a smaller one on your right.” Beth calls out.
“It’s the larger one, I’m guessing.” I say to Mitchell who dangles from my right arm.
He shifts the metal tool chest that’s tucked under his right arm, and nods. I pass the smaller islands in a few seconds, and then see the island that we‘re heading to.
It looks five times the size of the island that’s next to it, and has a hill, like a hump in the middle. The whole thing is covered in pine trees, and looks like a giant porcupine. I see a spot near the shoreline, and swoop down and hover a few feet over the brown dirt. Everyone let’s go and drops to the dirt, then I swivel upright and land. I inhale the clear fresh air and then turn to Mitchell.
“Okay. Now what?” I ask.
“Recon.” Mitchell says, and nods to Stuart and Paul.
“Huh?” Beth and I both say.
Stuart and Paul nod to each other, and then take off. Mitchell puts down his tool chest, and then he too blurs into the forest, leaving Beth and I scratching our heads and shrugging to each other.
They return a few seconds later looking very satisfied with
themselves.
“It’s cool. Just a black bear, and some otters.” Paul says.
“No sign of human habitation, or presence. I’d say we’ve got about twenty square miles to work with.” Stuart says.
“I’ve found a spot that has potential.” Mitchell says and picks up his tool chest.
“It’s this way.” Mitchell says, and takes my hand and leads me slowly through the woods.
The clouds are starting to part above us, and here and there, rays of sunshine pierce through the thick canopy, casting beams upon the moss covered dirt.
The woods are alive with birds singing, and the sound of insects buzzing around us. I stroke the bark of the trees absentmindedly as Mitchell leads me through the forest. He stops on a flat section, just before it starts to incline up towards the main hill of the island.
“I was thinking this might be a good spot.” Mitchell says and pulls me closer.
Easy, tiger.
“What do you think?” He asks as he gazes deeply into my eyes.
A small shiver rolls up my spine. What did he ask me?
Cosmic Girl Rising Up Page 19
