by Dee King
needs to get out of my system. I think you are all crazy! There is no such thing as a muh-ga-des
or whatever you called it. That’s not me. Until tonight neither of you, hell any of you have given
me the time of day. So this is just a game. Making fun of me. I hope you enjoyed it. I am out of
here!”
I am so embarrassed and angry that the sweat bubbling on my forehead. What was I thinking? Why would I ever think any of them would ever like me! I turn around and start running towards the steps. I kick off my shoes and carry them,
taking two steps at a time.
I am an idiot! I need to find Chris and Chloe. I have got to go home.
This is such a nightmare. I am so stupid to have ever thought that Alex could have ever
liked me.
Must find Chris, it’s time for me to get out of here!
I can hear footsteps running behind me.
“Selene. Stop. Please stop!” I do not turn around. I keep looking for Chris. Finally, I see him and Chloe are still dancing.
How did everyone not hear the fighting? How are all these people so oblivious to what
just happened. They are still dancing and jumping around. What is this drug? Why did it effect me like it did, but not them?
“CHRIS! We have to go! Right now!”
I grab him hard on the shoulder. He turns around. Chloe stops dancing and looks at me.
Chris still has a drink in the other hand. Before I can stop myself, I hit the cup. It splatters all over him.
“What the hell, Selene?”
“Stop drinking that. It’s drugged. We have to go. NOW!”
“Whoa. Hold up. I’m not leaving. We are having fun. Right, Chloe?” He smiles at her. Her cheeks blush as she smiles back at me.
“I don’t have time for this shit! Just give me your keys. I will drive us home.”
“Selene, Stop. Let me explain.” It’s Alex. I want to believe every word he says, but there is nothing left to say.
I turn my back to him.
“CHRIS! Let’s GO!” His face turns a dark shade of red. He steps closer to me.
“I don’t know what’s going on Selene, but chill. It’s going to be alright. Why don’t you have another drink. Relax and have some fun. There is more to life than just the beach and surfing. It’s called FUN! Come on. I will take you home later, okay? How about I go get you a drink?”
“I don’t want another drink, Chris. I want to go home. Please, Chloe. Surely, you want to go home?” I can feel the tears starting to fill my eyes. Chloe steps in front of Chris.
“Are you ok?”
“No, I am not ok. Please. I just want to go home.” She looks at Chris. He looks back at her. They both look at me.
“Hey, Chris. If you don’t mind I could take Selene home. I am sure Cali would give her a ride too if you guys aren’t ready to leave.” They both look at each other. Then back at me.
“How about I give you my keys and we can catch a ride with Alex or Cali.”
“FINE! You two do whatever. I will walk home if I have to. I am out of here.” I turn and push through Chris and Chloe.
“Wait! Here are my keys.” I turn around as he tosses the keys, and catch them mid air.
“I will take them home, Okay? I promise. No hard feelings?”
“Whatever, Cali. Just make sure they get home safely. That’s all I care about!” Chris, Chloe, and Cali all glance at one another.
I start through the crowd again, and have lost my shoes somewhere between catching the keys and the crowd. I don’t have time to find them now. I just know I have to get out of this house! My heart is racing.
I run through Sebastian’s house like I have been here before. I can feel someone gaining on me. They are closer to me than I want them to be.
I see that vase with the flowers. They look different. There is not as many as there was. I stop to look again. There is only a dozen in there now.
Where did all those roses go?
No time for this.
I keep running. I open the big mahogany door, it swings back. I think I hit something or someone. Keep running. I have to get out of this house.
Away from here.
Away from this nightmare.
I see the car.
I can still hear foot steps behind me. Don’t turn around, just get in the car. I almost trip over the solar lights, again. I find the car, and hit the alarm instead of the
unlock button. My breathing is fast and hard.
Stupid alarm. Shut up. Turn off.
I’m hitting the right button. Why won’t you turn off? Come on.
I can hear the footsteps getting closer.
Come on stupid thing! I knew I should have drove.
Finally, the alarm shuts off.
I hit the unlock button this time.
I’m shaking so bad I can hardly grip the handle.
The door opens before I even get my hand on it. Then the door closes. What is going on. Put your hand on the handle and open you piece of crap! The door opens. I have my hand on the handle and it closes.
Did that just happen? No. I am imaging this. “Selene, please stop. I can keep doing this all night.” I turn around and smack into somebody. Alex is standing right behind me.
“Do what all night?” I push him away from me.
“The car door. If I wanted to keep you here I could.”
“What? Keep me here against my will?”
“No. I would never do that. Please just let me explain. Let me talk to you for just a minute. Just hear me out.”
“I just want to go home.” Tears start to fall down my cheeks. I put my hand up to my face to wipe them away. Alex puts his hand on my face, and gently brushes the tears away. He looks down at me.
“I would never hurt you. I feel the same about you as you do for me. Now that I know your a Migades we can be together.”
Did he just call me that thing again? A Migades? How do they even say that? Muh ga dees? What did they say that was? A half breed child of a God or Goddess? I must be drugged. Focus. Home. Go Home,Selene.
He wraps his arms around my waist. I stand there like a statue, I don’t want to be the brunt of anymore of their jokes tonight.
I can hear footsteps again.
I look around Alex to see Sebastian heading towards us. He bares his teeth. His fists clench to his sides.
“Alex. Stop! Let her go home. She needs to process what is happening. You are influencing her. Just let her go! Tonight is not going to be the night you proclaim the love you don’t have for her!”
Alex releases me. I see this as my chance to leave. I open the car door. Sebastian comes close to the car. He slams the door shut.
“I know this is a lot to understand, and believe me, I thought you should know the truth. It was the only way for us to find out who you were. Please, forgive me for using you.”
He looks sincere, too bad I could care less right now! I just want to go home!
“Yea, okay. Whatever you say, I just want to go home. Please stop all this.”
He pulls his hand away and opens the door for me. I get into the driver seat and pull it up closer to the steering wheel. He closes the door for me. The car purrs as it starts. I put it in gear.
They both step back from the car. I look at them one last time, as the tears roll down my face.
I am humiliated, disgusted with myself for drinking that drink.
I never lose my cool like that.
I turn the wheel sharply and put the car in drive. Stepping on the gas and speeding away.
Home.
Home is the only place I want to be.
Safe and away from this nightmare of a night.
I drive the curves through the hills.
Home. Safe at home. I repeat this to myself the whole way there.
Chapter 6 Starting a new day is harder than I thought it would be. Waking up and knowing my whole world just flipped upside down is like watching a car wreck in slow mo
tion. You see it going to happen, but you can’t stop it. You want to yell, scream, say STOP! It happens anyway and your just standing there watching it all go on. You wake up and feel like maybe the life you had you still do have, but you remember that this is the day after your life was changed forever.
I have to hit the waves. It’s the only place I feel at peace. I have to make sense of what happened. I don’t think the drug is still in my system. I feel better. Yet, I feel oddly different.
I jump in the shower to clear my mind. Water always melts away my fears. The water feels great as I let it hit my face.
Maybe last night wasn’t as bad as I think it was. Maybe I just thought I heard all that, and maybe the wave wasn’t what I thought it was.
That’s it. This was all just a drug induced night.
Once I hit the beach and ride the waves, this will all be a distant memory.
“Selene. I have been calling for you.” My mom is sitting on my bed. I wrap the towel around me tighter.
“How was last night? Tell me all the details. Oh, and Chris’s car is in the drive, did he stay over?”
“No, Mom. I was tired and wanted to leave before they did. Cali is supposed to give them a ride here for Chris’s car.”
“Chloe and Chris got a ride from Cali? I am surprised they did not come home with you. Did something happen, Honey? You can tell me.”
I hate lying to my mother.
I don’t even know how to describe what happened last night. I don’t want her to know I made a stupid decision, and drank something I shouldn’t have.
I start looking around for my black bikini and my board shorts. I can’t look her in the eye and lie to her.
She has always been very open with me. This is just something I can’t tell her. To see the disappointment on her face from doing something she has always told me not to do would crush me.
“Everything was fine. I just wanted to come home and sleep. I have waves to hit today. Remember surf competition in a couple of weeks? I need to stay focused. The team is counting on this win for the Nationals.”
“Okay. If that’s what you say then I won’t pry. Just remember I am always here when you are ready to talk about last night.” She stood up and kissed me on the forehead like she always does. I smile.
“Oh, by the way. While you were in the shower your phone kept receiving messages. You may want to check those before you head out.”
“Did you read my texts?”
“No, but you shouldn’t leave your phone on your bed if you don’t want me to be able to see who you talk to.” She winks at me.
What does that mean?
She shuts the door. I scramble to find my phone.
Twenty text messages?
I scroll through them. I do not recognize the three numbers. I will read them later.
Right now, I need to hit the beach.
I throw Chris’s keys on the coffee table and walk slowly to the front door. “I’m leaving. If Chris tries to come get his car before I get back his keys are on the coffee table in the living room.”
“Okay, honey. Be careful out there. Oh, wait!” Mom yells down from the stairs.
“Yea?” She comes down the stairs, holding my bracelet. It’s still sparkling.
“I think you should wear this. It may bring you good luck. Plus, I found it on the floor in your bedroom when I walked in earlier. Did you drop it?”
I don’t want that bracelet anywhere near me right now, but if I don’t take it, she will ask too many question’s, and I am not trying to deal with that.
“Oh yea, I must have dropped in when I thought I was putting it on my dresser. Thanks.” I take the sparkling charm bracelet from her, and turn towards the door.
“Are you sure you’re ok?”
“Yes, Mom. I am fine. Thanks for picking it up for me. Oh, and don’t forget Chris’s keys, okay?”
“Yes, honey. Have fun.”
I could not get out of there fast enough. I head to my Jeep. Looking down at the keys in one hand, and the charm bracelet in the other. I should put the charm bracelet on so I don’t lose it. My mom would actually care if I lost it. I do not know why she cares about my father after all these years, but she does.
She definitely has a compassion for him I do not feel.
I fasten the charm bracelet, and open the Jeep door. A note falls out onto the ground. I pick it up.
Dear Selene, I know you think last night was just a bad “trip” off some drugs.
You are wrong. What you were given is crushed rose. The red fire and ice roses you admired in the entry way. Those are my special roses. They have an herb in the petals.
Crushed up it allows us to see others like us. I have used it for the past three years at all my end of the years parties. It has always only been used so we could find the Migades (the other goddess) at the school.
I know this makes no sense, but I will explain. You were not drugged. You were just finally able to see who you really are. I promise I did not want to hurt you in any way. Sincerely, Sebastian
P.S. Chris and Chloe are fine. They stayed over, as a lot of mortals do. The herb allows them to leave their worries behind for a twelve hour time period. They will think last night was fun. Cali offered to drive them to your house to get his car.
P.S.S. I know those are your favorite flowers. There is a reason for that.
That’s it? A note? Who write’s notes anymore? I crumble the letter and throw it in the passenger seat. I grab my sunglasses from my bag and put my keys in the ignition.
Finally.
I turn out of the driveway and already feel better. Fresh air hitting my face, my left arm out to feel the wind blow past it.
Who leaves letters? How does Sebastian even know where I live? What does that mean there is a reason why those are my favorite flowers? An herb? To see people like us? Waiting to find out who was a what? A Migades? A goddess? Seriously, this joke is out of hand. Just focus on the road. Turn on the radio. Crank it up. Drown out all this nonsense in my head.
I pull into my favorite spot. Two years ago I claimed this spot on the beach. I park here almost every day. So generally, no one parks here. The spot is out of the way of the tourist trap area. I found it when I was about ten looking for a good place to surf away from all the “wannabe surfers”.
At twelve I joined a surf team. I was the youngest on the team, and still am. Surfing has always been in my bones my mom says. I have no idea what that means, I just know I love the water. Surfing just lets you feel the water in all it’s glory.
I grab my board and bag. looking at the letter still crumbled inside the passenger seat. I put it in my bag, take my towel out, and head to the shore line. I throw all my stuff to the side and run to the water.
I paddle out. I stand. I feel the waves underneath me. They rise. I rise. They fall, I ride. I feel the water underneath my hand as I stand to ride the wave.
Pure. Clear. Liquid velvet under and through my hand.
I can see something a little farther out. What is that?
Is that a dolphin? A pod of dolphins? No way. A pod this close to the shore line. Maybe, I am farther out than I thought.
I look back to the shore line and I can see someone sitting where my towel and bag are. It looks like something is shining off their arm. Is that Cali?
Oh no. I grab my board and walk over to my towel.
It is Cali.
I grab my towel and dry off my hair and face. I pull the towel down from my face, and she is standing in front of me.
“Selene.”
“Cali.”
“I wanted to apologize for last night.”
“No, I am sorry. I shouldn’t have hit you last night.”
She doesn’t even have a bruise
“Can we talk?”
“Yea, wait. Did you take Chris and Chloe home?”
“Yes. I took them back to your house. I met your mom. She is real sweet, and I see why your dad chose her.”
Chose her? H
e was lucky to have her. Idiot.
“He was lucky to have her. He chose wisely.” She grins while she tosses her hair over her shoulder.
“Selene. I can not read your mind, but I can hear your thoughts. As you can mine, if you try.”
Oh, now I have really lost it. I am losing my mind. Why do they keep tormenting me? Did they not have enough fun last night at my expense? First, Sebastian with his note or letter, and now Cali? These people don’t play around when they want to mess with you.
“Selene, I am not messing with you and you are not losing your mind. I am telling you the truth.”
She holds up her charm bracelet. The rubies are so beautiful.
“When a Migades or God turns eighteen we are given our charmed piece. It is from our parents, to recognize who we are while we are on earth. It will only reveal it’s true beauty to someone who is either immortal or half immortal.”
She sounds like she may have been drugged worse than me.
She clamps her lips together.
“No, I was not drugged. Nor were you. What Sebastian told you was the truth. In the letter he left in your Jeep today. It is an herb. We have all been waiting to see who the chosen child of Poseidon is. WE knew since you wore the charm bracelet to the first dance of the school year, at Homecoming. Alex stopped Sebastian from telling you then. We all wanted to make sure we found the right person. So last night when you drank the herb mixed in with the fruit punch, it immediately set your charm bracelet to come alive, so to speak. When you did not want to keep dancing, we all knew for sure.”
I must look like she has just told the craziest story I have ever heard, because she is really giving me a weird look.
If she can read my mind, and this is true, prove it. I dare you. Ha. Ha.
“You dare me, huh? Okay. I will prove it to you. Walk with me to the water.”
Whoa. She did hear me? No way. I am not sure if this is cool or twilight zone material.
“Let’s go with cool. I am not that big on the Twilight Zone thing.” She laughs as she turns and smiles at me. I nervously smile back at her.
Now, I am afraid to think. How do you not think though?
“Okay Selene, put your hands in the water.” I put my hands in the water. The water rushes over my hands, but nothing magical happens.
