The Awakening

by Rochelle Southwick

  “But Karen, please be reason….”

  “Don’t you be reasonable me. I have put up with a lot from the Elders in regards to Bea lately. Just because some Seers think our children will someday be together doesn’t mean you have a right to treat Jake in this manner.”

  “Thank you.” I heard Jake say quietly.

  “I know what is best for her. The seer’s said so!” Mitch said. I could bet that mom was turning to him.

  “Excuse me?”

  “Mitch, that was crossing the line.” His dad said.

  “Get out. Until you can respect me, my daughter and Jake, I don’t want you in my home.” I could hear the tension in mom’s voice.

  “But what about Bea’s protection?” Malcolm asked.

  “Jake has her very well protected. Now leave.”

  “Come on Karen don’t you think…” That was all he got out before there was maroon light coming from the kitchen.

  “Okay okay, settle down Karen. We are leaving. Let’s go, Mitch.”

  I ducked back onto the landing so as to not be detected by Mitch and Malcolm as they headed for the door.

  They whispered among themselves as they headed for the door. I couldn’t make out what they were saying. When the door clicked shut mom said, “you can come down now Bea, I know you’re listening.”

  I came downstairs and peered around the kitchen door. “Hey,” I said my hands clasped in front of me. “Thanks for protecting mom,” I said to Jake.

  “What are you talking about?” He asked confusion written all over his face.

  “The maroon glowing from the kitchen. Wasn’t that you?”

  “No.” He said looking towards mom.

  “Mom you didn’t!” I said with a smile growing on my face.

  “I did. It felt good blowing off some steam. Malcolm deserved it. I haven’t done magic since ...well you know.” She said her face falling slightly.

  I nodded. “I think after all of that I need to go for a run.”

  Jake nodded and stood up. I noticed his sweater was back on. “I’ll come with you.”

  “Okay, I’m going upstairs to change,” I said moving towards the stairs. When I got to my room I pulled on some leggings and a tee-shirt, and my running shoes.

  After coming back downstairs we headed out. Jake was quiet as we started our run, about a mile in he still hadn’t spoken a word.

  “Jake,” I said coming to a stop.

  “Need a break?” He finally said.

  “No, I need…” I gasped for air, “you to know that whatever is bothering you…” I didn’t know how to finish the sentence I had started. “Just know that I am here for you. Always.” I said as I pushed my bangs out of my face and breathed deeply.

  He nodded.

  A big van passed us. It was pure white and had no identifying markers. I didn’t give it much thought.

  We began running again and a few minutes later the van passed again. Maybe they were looking for a house or something and couldn’t find the address. I thought.

  The third time around I was getting suspicious of the van.

  “Jake,” I said nodding to the van.

  It slowed down and stopped two blocks down from us. There was a little girl playing in a yard a few houses down from the van in between the van and us. Her blonde hair danced in the wind as she giggled and ran around the yard.

  It was Harley Richardson, one of our clan-mates' daughters. She was four years old and was very out-spoken for one so little.

  A man got out of the car, he was older, probably in his fifties. He was wearing Levi overalls and had white long hair and a beard that made him look like a gruff Santa Claus. He started making his way towards Harley. We ran as fast as we could towards him.

  ‘Emma! Emma are you there?’ I called out in my mind frantically trying to call Harley’s mom. We watched as he moved faster to get to Harley, he pulled a dirty red rag from his pocket and as one arm reached around her the other pressed the rag over her nose and mouth.

  I watched as Harley struggled and screamed for a moment before going slack in his arms. I knew we were still too far away for a spell to work. I pushed my legs harder, Jake doing the same. I could feel them burning under me but I didn’t care.

  The man carried Harley back to his van and tossed her in the side door. He booked it around the back of the van. I noticed he walked with a slight limp.

  He got in the van and started it. I started mumbling a spell under my breath, I was going to take out his tires so that he couldn’t drive away but Harley wouldn’t get hurt.

  I heard her bang on the door of the van, whatever he used to knock her out had worn off. As I threw the spell I saw a green shield put itself up around the van, my spell ricocheted off and hit a garbage can. Blowing the lid off it flew several feet in the air.

  The van peeled out. I could see the man in the driver’s side mirror. A sick smile on his face.

  Twelve

  We collapsed in front of the Richardson’s house, breathing hard as we tried to make sense out of what had happened.

  I looked towards the house and saw the same green glow. The door opened, and we saw Emma standing in the doorway. She smiled at us and spoke. We couldn’t hear anything. She then looked around for Harley.

  Her smile slipped, and she tried coming out of the home as the green barrier held her in. I could see the panic on her face, tears welling in her eyes. She slammed her fists against the shield, trying to get out.

  We watched the green shield flicker and fade as the magic ceased. I could hear Emma crying now. She fell through the shield and onto the cement in front of her house.

  I ran to her and gathered her in my arms, knowing that she needed support right now.

  I rocked her and stroked her hair as she cried. “Jake.” I said, still comforting her.

  He nodded and pulled out his phone. He walked away from us and called the Elders and the police. Soon there were cops swarming the house, I sat with Emma until her mother got there and then I was summoned to give a report to the police.

  “What did you see?” A cop in his thirties asked me. He had ebony hair and a mustache that wiggled when he spoke.

  I gave a description of the van and the man driving it. I told him how we had run to try to keep him from taking Harley, but we were too far away. The only thing I left out was the magic used.

  I would give only officer Terrence that information as he was a part of the clan. He understood the realm of magic and sorcery.

  After I had given my statement Emma came and found me. She wrapped her arms around me and thanked me for trying to save her daughter.

  “We will get her back, Emma, I promise you that.”

  Emma nodded and wiped her tear stricken face. “I know you know what this feels like, with your dad going missing and all. I hope they both come back to us.”

  Jake came and found me and Emma thanked him as well and then went inside to wait for directions from the police.

  He put his arm around me and we started walking back home. I couldn’t believe the events of the day. Jake had also contacted mom to let her know what was going on.

  When we arrived, she launched herself off the couch and threw her arms around me.

  “First Salem and now this? What is going on?” Mom asked. The question was rhetorical, and we all knew it. The rebels were getting more outspoken. We couldn’t let this go much further.

  Jake stood back, trying to give us privacy.

  “Are you both all right?” She asked, stepping away and looking at him.

  “Yeah, I just feel bad for Emma.” Jake responded, running his fingers through his hair.

  “Well, you know what this means.” Mom said going to the hall closet to grab her purse.

  We didn’t answer for once I did not understand what mom was alluding to.

  “Before long The Clan and The Rebels will go to war. That means it’s time to pick myself up, brush myself off and get back to work.”

  I looked at mom,
shocked. Was she serious? Was she going back to The House of Elders?

  “Jake, stay with Bea. Don’t leave her side for a moment.”

  Jake nodded. We stayed home the rest of the day wanting to relax after the events of that morning.

  We watched movies and played board games. Just after three, I went upstairs to take a nap. My mind and body exhausted.

  Jake sat in my desk chair watching over me as I slept. “I will always protect you.” I heard him promise when he thought I was asleep. I smiled at the notion and kept my eyes closed. He ordered pizza for dinner and I awoke just after it arrived.

  He ordered combination, my favorite, and I was pleased that he remembered. As we sat down in the living room to eat our dinner and watch another movie, my cell phone rang. I looked at the screen, and it was mom.

  “Hey, mom,” I said with a smile.

  “Hey baby, I will be staying late. I just wanted to let you know.”

  “Thanks.” I was thrilled for her. She had wanted nothing to do with the house of elders since dad’s disappearance. Now she had spent all day there.

  “Have you two eaten?”

  “We were just sitting down. Jake ordered pizza and we are going to watch The Princess Bride,” I told her.

  “Fabulous, I always loved that movie. I’ll be home later. Don’t wait up, also if there is any funny business you two will be on the opposite end of my pent up magic.”

  I understood what she meant. “Yes, mom. We will behave, I promise.”

  Jake shot me a questioning look. I didn’t know how to explain that to him without it being awkward as hell.

  “Bye, mom,” I said and hung up the phone.

  “What was that about?” He asked, taking a huge bite of pizza.

  “Well….”

  “Oh, come on it can’t be that bad.” He started taking a drink of root beer.

  “She said no funny business or we will be met with pent up magic.” I managed to say as quickly as possible.

  Root beer sputtered out of his mouth and nose and I erupted into laughter. “Ow!” He said rubbing his sinuses. “Trust me, there will be no funny business. Not with you being all mean to me!” He said with a wink, still rubbing his nose.

  I shrugged my shoulders and went to the kitchen to get some paper towels so he could clean up his mess.

  We watched the movie and as much as I loved it, my thoughts kept wandering back to Harley, Emma, and Salem. How could any of this happen? How could we live in a world where children got kidnapped, and people died?

  “You aren’t watching the movie anymore are you?” Jake asked me.

  “I ... No, not really.” I said, looking at the ground.

  “It’s okay to be sad. Just don’t let that sadness run you over.” He said moving closer to me and putting his arm around me.

  “Can we go see Zeeda tomorrow?” I asked, letting his presence comfort me.

  “Sure we can. She would like that, I’m sure she’s been worried about you.”

  Even though we had seen her yesterday, it seemed like a lifetime ago. Zeeda brought me so much comfort. She was a part of me that I never wanted to give up.

  “Thank you.” I said to him.

  “Of course. I am here. You know that.”

  I nodded. That was one thing I knew for sure. I looked up at him, Jake’s eyes shone in the light and I knew he was happy to protect me.

  Thirteen

  The next day, as promised, I found myself heading up the mountain with Jake to see Zeeda. He stopped the car in our usual spot, and I rushed out to call for Zeeda.

  Moments later she arrived, and I sensed that something was off. She was a little more melancholy than she normally was.

  “Hey Zee, what’s the matter?” I said walking towards her.

  She stepped back, fear etched into her features.

  I stopped and searched her face, I held my hand up for her and whispered, “Zee. It’s ok. We won’t hurt you.” I felt bad that she was upset with us, and very much confused.

  ‘Yes, I know you won’t but I may hurt you.’ She said, still shying away.

  By this point Jake was walking over the hill. “What are you talking about, Zeeda?” He asked.

  She looked down awkwardly. “Zeeda, it’s ok. Whatever it is you can tell me.”

  She fell to the ground and covered her face with her wing, ‘I took someone’s life.’ She breathed to us.

  I couldn’t hide the shock on my face, and I was glad that she was hiding hers so that she couldn’t see.

  “Zeeda, please. Explain.” Jake said, stepping up to me and placing his arm on my wrist.

  ‘The man, he came back. The man who killed your friend. He saw me, I didn’t know what else to do. I panicked.’ She pulled her head out from under her wing. ‘If he saw me and told his people, I don’t know what could have happened. He was starting a destruction spell.’

  I rushed to Zeeda. “It’s okay Zeeda, you were protecting yourself. You didn’t have a choice.” I collapsed with her and snuggled into her. She wrapped her wing around me, and I soaked in her warmth.

  “Zee, she’s right. If he was starting a destruction spell ... well honestly, I’m not sure what it would do to you but it wouldn’t be good. It could have seriously hurt you.” Jake said making his way over to us.

  ‘So you guys aren’t scared of me?’ She asked.

  “Of course not.” I replied, stoking her gently, trying to comfort her.

  “Let me put it this way.” Jake said sitting on the ground next to us. “It is my job to protect Bea, you don’t even break my list of threats. And it’s a pretty extensive list!”

  I felt a surge of happiness flow through me from Zeeda. ‘You seem a bit off too.’ I watched as her head shifted to the side.

  “Yeah, we had some weird things come up yesterday.”

  I looked towards Jake; he knew I didn’t want to talk about it so he summarized what had happened to Harley.

  Zeeda wrapped herself around me a bit tighter at the end of his telling and surged more positive vibes into me. ‘You will find her. I will help you!’ Zeeda said her voice seemed firm and true in my mind.

  “I don’t know about that Zeeda, we need to keep you safe too.”

  I heard her sigh and smiled, knowing that she too was always there for me if I needed her. “You’re the best Zee.” I said with a smile, hoping that she felt my positive vibes too.

  We spent some time comforting each other and then decided we should go on a hike. I stood and brushed the dirt and grime off the seat of my pants.

  We went on a hike up one of the more difficult trails so people wouldn’t see that Zeeda. The trail was grueling and steep. I kept having to regain my footing when my shoes would slip on dirt and moss lining the forest floor.

  About a mile in I could hear a river raging in front of us. I smiled and took in the sounds of nature. Birds chirped around us, and I could hear small creatures running through the bramble.

  Arriving at the river it was loud enough we couldn’t hear each other, so we spoke in our minds. We decided to keep going and walked up the river for a while longer, coming to a bridge.

  The bridge was old and decaying in some spots. The wood slats creaked as I stepped on to the first one.

  Jake placed a hand on my shoulder. ‘Let me go first’ He thought, and I knew he was trying to protect me.

  I nodded, and I stepped down off the bridge. ‘Stay here until I get to the other side so we know it’s safe.’

  I nodded again. Zeeda was playing in the bushes, chasing a squirrel in the trees.

  Jake started walking across the bridge. I could see the ropes strain as he walked slowly across. He got to the middle just a few more steps and he would be safe on the other side. I heard the crack before I saw him slip beneath the bridge.

  I saw his arms reach up, trying to catch onto something. The rushing water took him under. “NO!” I yelled. “Zeeda!” She came running. I couldn’t see him anywhere under the rushing water. She looked
around for Jake, when she saw the broken bridge she sprang into action she flew high above the water searching the raging water for a sign of Jake.

  Minutes passed, and I watched as she hovered, looking for him. Out of nowhere she dove, flying straight for the water. I waited with bated breath and then I couldn’t wait anymore.

  I began running down the river’s edge, slipping and sliding on moss and tripping over branches and bushes. “Please. Please. Please.” I chanted, wanting nothing more than for him to be safe.

  Zeeda came out of the water with a water-soaked Jake laying in her arms. She circled, locating me and then landed a few feet from me. ‘He’s not breathing.’ She thought, and I could see the panic on her face. She laid him on the ground, face up. His lips looked a ghastly greyish blue, his skin pooled with water.

  I thought back to when Mitch had tried to heal me and that had ended with me in more trouble than before. I thought about last year in health class at school when we had learned how to do CPR and decided that was the best option.

  I took a breath and then began counting compressions. When I got to the allotted number I took a breath, cleared his airway and pinched off his nose and breathed into his mouth. I did this three times before he jolted and spewed water everywhere.

  He coughed and more water came up. After he finished, he lay back onto the trail, which was now muddy. He closed his eyes for a few minutes.

  I lay my hand on his chest, breathing hard after having to resuscitate someone. Never when I took that class did I think I would have to do it, but here I was thankful for it being there.

  Zeeda crept towards us. Her paw reached out, and she placed it on Jake’s shoulder. He reached up and placed his hand over her paw in a reassuring manner.

  “Jake.” I said. I just needed to say his name. I kept my eyes on him and soon his eyelids opened.

  “You guys saved me.” He said, his voice low and raspy.

  “Of course we did. What did you think we would leave you in there?” I teased.

  He smiled, and his eyes fluttered shut for a moment. I could see the exhaustion on his face.