Burden Of Blood

by Wenona Hulsey

  Her eyes followed the trail of flowers from her feet, reaching out from under the canopy of trees. Her eyes continued forward, stopping with a start when she realized she was standing at the edge of a cemetery. The scattered head stones were weathered from time with most having green moss creeping over them and very few of the inscriptions were still legible. A large weeping willow towered in the center, its long, dangling limbs dancing in the breeze, giving the place an ancient and magical ambiance.

  This graveyard had been forgotten long ago and how she managed to be standing here was a mystery. Nicole shook her head slightly, squinting her brows together, as she tried to figure out where she was. But a fog clouded her mind, and kept her from thinking past the moment. She caught a glimpse of movement ahead of her, making her heart skip a beat and her breath catch in her throat. A woman with beautiful flowing white hair who was dressed in a drab, long-sleeved, brown dress stood only a few feet away. She moved up to a Celtic cross shaped headstone with her back to Nicole, seemingly unaware of anyone else. “Hello there, excuse me.” Nicole said softly, hoping not to startle the woman.

  The woman stopped and turned toward Nicole, as a gentle smile played delicately across her face. Her age was hard to judge, her skin was slightly lined with a few dark spots on her face and hands but the way she carried herself appeared young and strong. This woman had a timeless beauty about her that years of age would never be able to end.

  “Hello, Nicole.”

  *****

  Nicole awoke with a gasp, the old woman’s piercing blue eyes flashing in her mind, eyes identical to her own.

  “She knew me….but how?”

  “Who knew you, baby? Open your eyes, Nicole! Come on, honey, focus.” a familiar voice pleaded with her. A soft caress swept across her forehead.

  “Dad….Where am I?” she said, her tongue feeling thick in her mouth. She cracked her eyes open only to close them again from the blinding light. Her body felt heavy and sluggish. She tried to sit up, but the slightest movement sent pain shooting across her chest and down her right arm. She groaned with frustration, hating nothing more than feeling helpless.

  “You’re at the hospital and that’s exactly where you are going to stay until the doctor says otherwise. Do you hear me, Nicole?” James said. “You are as stubborn as your mother ever was. Luke told me about the stunt you pulled, not wanting to come to the hospital, which was just plain crazy.” He loomed over her bed talking in a tone he hadn’t used since she was a teenager. He ran a shaking hand through his salt and pepper hair. The stress in his body radiated from him as he started to pace the small room.

  “Dad, you’re overreacting, please calm down, okay? I’m fine, really. It’s only a flesh wound so I’m sure I’ll be back to normal in a few weeks.”

  “Yes, it could have been a lot worse than it is, but the fact remains that someone tried to kill you, baby.” He stopped at the end of her bed, his eyes steely hard as his mouth tightened into a line. “I know you’re a police officer and it’s all part of the job, but you weren’t even on duty this morning. Did you piss someone off while you were jogging?” His face was a mix of worry and confusion, the lines deepening as his jaw grew tight with tension.

  Nicole lay still, not saying a word. She was hoping the medication in her system would knock her out so she could put off this conversation for a while longer. She knew when she told her dad the full story, his stress level was going to go through the roof. She loved him more than life itself so she hated causing him to worry. She could handle this herself but she knew he would never see it that way. She let out a frustrated sigh when she realized “Plan A” had failed, in her still being conscious, so she was relegated to telling the truth.

  “It was a hit man, or something like that. He was waiting for me. His thoughts were easy for me to hear, he was sent by someone to test me and if I failed…to kill me. He didn’t give me any clues about who sent him but he made his intentions loud and clear.” As if she needed to emphasize her statement, she pointed to her bandaged arm then let her hand fall heavily at her side.

  “What do you mean ‘test you’ and who do you think he works for?”

  “I don’t know, one of the many people I was responsible for sending to prison would be a good start.” she said sarcastically. “I can’t point out one person for you, Dad. I’ve pissed off so many people by locking them up and even more by busting drug dealers.” She paused thinking there might be something to that statement, but decided to push it onto the back burner until her mind wasn’t so jumbled and foggy. “If Luke would have listened to me, we wouldn’t be having this conversation in the first place. That jerk, whoever he was, would be behind bars.” Anger mixed with exhaustion was turning her mood dark. Thoughts of living the rest of her life looking over her shoulder until this creep was caught were not taking her to a happy place.

  “You shouldn’t be so hard on Luke, if he had not come along when he did…God, I don’t want to think about what might have happened.” James sat down in a chair next to Nicole’s bed placing his elbows on his knees and rubbing his temples with his palms. “Speaking of Luke, he had quite a story to tell me when I got here. He said he knew something was wrong with you because some supernatural force drew him to you. Then he asked if I you had ever said anything about feeling different from other people.” He let his hands drop down to his lap and leaned back in the chair. “I blew him off like I didn’t have a clue what he was getting at. Nicole…do you think this is a new part of your gift and maybe that was what the test was about?”

  Nicole didn’t know what to say, shock and confusion were evident on her face because she didn’t remember anything unusual happening. Well, outside the “normal” unusual thing her mind does already. She was scared, trapped and hopeless, but suddenly the man just stopped. She remembered hearing his footsteps approaching her while listening to him plan out how he was going to finish her, and then there was nothing. He was gone without another sound. She thought of Luke in those moments before she heard the sirens. Regrets of turning him down for breakfast had flashed through her mind, thoughts of how her morning might have turned out a little bit better if she wasn’t so damn stubborn when it came to Luke.

  “I don’t remember anything strange happening… I heard the guy’s thoughts when he started to take aim at me, then the cat and mouse game started. There wasn’t much time to focus on anything else. Besides, Luke stayed out late last night so I’m sure he was just exhausted and reading more into it than there actually was.” Secretly she hoped that was all there was to it. An uneasy tightness formed in her chest and her stomach twisted when she pondered the possibility that her ‘gift’ might be growing into something else. She hadn’t wanted this responsibility in its basic form, let alone a new one. And what did that guy mean by testing her?

  She began thinking about the night on that Florida beach years ago when a man, well she was sure he was no normal man, brought her to her knees with a power that put her in the hospital. It seemed to ripple off him in waves, crashing into her body over and over again. She remembered his glowing red eyes being the last thing she saw that night. His words, the first she ever heard inside of her mind, still haunted her to this day, always reminding her she would one day face that power again. “I have awakened you and one day, I will come back to take you and all the power you hold. When the time is right, I will find you again.”

  Sensing her discomfort, James stood up, stretching out his stiff body and rolling his tight shoulders. There was a lot they needed to figure out but it would have to wait a little longer. “You look tired, baby, try to get some rest while I go talk to the doctor.” he patted her hand. “Oh and by the way, you’re going to stay with me for a while.” He put up a hand to stop the protest building behind her tightened lips and crinkled brows. “Just until this man is caught. I won’t be able to sleep knowing you’re not safe so do this for your ol’ Dad without a fight alright?” He turned and walked out the door closing it softly behind him. H
e didn’t wait for an answer because he wasn’t giving her any choice. She was his daughter and he was going to protect her.

  Chapter 5

  Nicole sat in her childhood bedroom, bathed in the vibrant pinks and purples. God how did I ever exist in a room like this! She laughed, digging her toes in the fuchsia heart shaped shag rug next to her twin bed. She remembered how excited her mother had been to show her the rug, a yard sale treasure, one early Saturday morning. Those were happy times for their little family when they were grateful for the small things in life-like a family meal around the kitchen table or a day at the park together. Nicole’s eyes prickled with tears, causing her to blink rapidly to restrain them. Two weeks locked inside this house was getting to her. She wondered how her dad could stand living here when everywhere she looked were memories of her mother’s touches.

  She got out of the bed and walked over to the window. The view was beautiful from the second story. She looked down into the back yard where various colored azalea, giant purple iris’ and two large red rose bushes were in full bloom. Her mother had nurtured each plant with immense pride every summer when she was alive. Beyond the white fence, a large green pasture spread across the horizon, dotted with black and white dairy cows, grazing with tranquil ease. The sun was rising, casting an orange glow across the fresh morning sky.

  Nicole could hear her dad downstairs moving around in the kitchen, as the scent of bacon and coffee started to drift into her room. Almost on command, her stomach let out a loud growl. She hadn’t had much of an appetite since getting out of the hospital, but it seemed like her body was ready to get back into the swing of things today.

  “And not a moment too soon, because this girl is heading back to work tomorrow.” She said to herself as she started downstairs. She had never been as happy about going to work as she was now. She was ready to get back to life and to work on this hit man mystery. Luke had kept her out of the loop, saying she needed to focus on recovering. She knew that was a load of bullshit; he was trying to pull the same crap on her as her dad was by keeping her locked away. Well that time is coming to an end, she thought as a small mischievous grin crept across her lips.

  “Morning Dad, breakfast smells great.” She said in an uncharacteristically cheerful voice. Apparently, the prospect of getting her hands back into police work was having a positive effect on her mood.

  “Thanks, baby, I was hoping you would be hungry.” James said with a smile. He began filling her a plate with scrambled eggs, bacon and buttered toast. “Listen, I thought I’d go out fishing with the guys for a while tonight. I’ve asked Luke to come keep you company while I’m gone. He should be here around six this evening.” He tried to say it with a nonchalant attitude but was having a hard time covering the grin sneaking across his face. He could never hide how highly he thought of Luke. He told her more than once she should give the poor guy a chance.

  “Thanks, but no thanks, old man. I know what you’re trying to do and it’s not going to happen. Dating is not in the books for me and you know I have a damn good reason. You and I having to deal with my freakish problem is bad enough. I’m not going to drag anyone else into my drama, so just push that little idea out of your mind.” Shaking her head, she threw up her hands when she noticed James’ small smirk had turned into a broad smile. He loved to get her riled up about Luke. Nicole wasn’t good at covering up her feelings especially when her dad knew her so well, but what she said was true. She couldn’t risk having to live through the rejection she would suffer when Luke discovered her little quirk. There was no way she was going down that road.

  James strengthened the set of his jaw, taking on a serious tone, “I’m not trying to play match maker, Nicole, but I also don’t want you left out here alone. It would take too long for the police to get here if something went wrong, so I worry less knowing someone is already with you. Just think of it as a stake out.” He sat down beside her with his own plate and began to eat. He was acting like they were talking about something as simple as the weather, but to Nicole this was a very big deal.

  “Did you forget I’m a trained police officer? I’m not some helpless damsel in distress, sitting idle and defenseless while the big bad wolf encircles me. I’m capable of keeping myself safe. What are you going to do tomorrow when I’m back in the world hunting for the man who shot me? You have got to trust me, Dad. Plus I’m sure Luke has better things to do with his time off than baby sit a grown woman.” Pausing to take a deep breath from her frustrated rant, she glanced at her dad’s face. He had stopped eating and was staring down into his plate. Lines of worry were deep in his forehead as he studied his food, obviously not seeing it at all. Slowly, his light blue eyes returned to hers and she could see the glistening of tears he fought to hold back. Nicole had only seen her father cry once in her life and that was beside her mother’s hospital bed as she took her last breath.

  “Please, Nicole…I don’t know what I would do if I lost you too. Let me protect you this little way. You are all I’ve got left in this world, baby.” His voice became unsteady as he tried to continue. “You’re just as stubborn as your mother and you know where it got her.” He paused, struggling with the tightness in his throat. “I still miss her every day, Nicole.” He blinked a few times as he tried to regain control over his emotions. He took in a deep, calming breath and pasted on a small, forced smile. “Besides, Luke said he would be glad to come over. He was going to bring some movies and pick up a pizza for y’all. He had laughed, saying it would be just like a slumber party, he would even let you do his make up.” James chuckled.

  Knowing there was no way she could argue with her dad any longer, she just nodded, adding, “I do have some blue eye shadow I think would look great on him.” She smiled mischievously at her dad. She could see his relief when she spoke the words. Her dad looked as if a giant weight had been lifted off his shoulders. The tension left the room and a comfortable calm settled in its place between them. He was smiling broadly at her joke, making the laugh lines in his face stand out. She had never realized how much he worried about her but she never doubted she was the luckiest daughter in the world.

  *****

  Nicole spent the morning doing research on the internet. She clicked for several hours looking for information in the headlines about women being shot mysteriously. “The guy acted like I wasn’t the first one he tested. There should be something.” Dead end after dead end only frustrated her more. She leaned back in the desk chair, gazing out the window, watching squirrels jump from limb to limb as a gentle breeze slid through the trees. Her mind drifted to the beautiful dream where she was standing among rolling hills with the smell of the sea tickling her nose. After a few moments, she typed “Ireland” into the Google search bar and watched as the page filled with links.

  She browsed page after page of pictures until she was sure she had the right idea. “Everything from my dream is in these photos, the landscape, the trees,” she clicked open another photo, “and here’s that little yellow flower that led me to the graveyard.” she mumbled reading the description.

  “What’re you up to?”

  Nicole jumped, her breath catching in her throat before it turned into a scream. “Dang it Dad, you scared me.” She shook her head as she turned her attention back to the screen. “I had a….strange dream I guess, and was looking up a few things I remembered.”

  “A dream?” he asked as he leaned over her shoulder. “You’re dreaming about flowers.” he chuckled. “Wish I had your kind of nightmares.”

  Nicole rolled her eyes, “Dad, this wasn’t a nightmare. It was…well, I really don’t know how to explain it, but I can’t stop thinking about it.” She pointed to the bright yellow flower. “I think I remember this flower and listen,” she highlighted the description under the picture. “It’s called Machall Coille and the Irish believe it drives away evil spirits.”

  “I guess that means this was a good dream. No way a boogie man was gonna get ya with super flowers on the job.” J
ames wiggled his brows as he laughed.

  “Dad, must you joke about everything? This dream was different, there was this woman in a graveyard and,” she paused trying to find the right words, “I think I know her. I mean, I haven’t ever met her but,” she sighed and leaned back, causing the old chair to squeak, “it felt like home to me, like I had been gone for a long time and she was there to welcome me back.”

  James’ smile fell as he took in his daughter’s serious face. “Baby, maybe you’re over-analyzing this. We are not Irish, well, as far as I know anyway. This is America so most families came from somewhere else four hundred years ago.” He flashed a small smile as he patted Nicole’s hand. “I’m sure it was just a dream.”

  “You’re probably right.” she nodded, then began closing out the screens.

  James walked towards the doorway then stopped. “I’m gonna grab a snack. You want something?”

  “No thanks. It’s almost two so I guess I should get out of my pajamas.”