by Nicole Smith
“Good night little lady,” he yelled after me. I shuddered. The cab driver held the door open for me. How much did Hayden pay for this ride? The black sedan had tinted windows and leather seats. It was very comfortable. The driver knew where to go so I didn’t really have anything to say to him. As I sat back I realized I still had Hayden on the line.
“Hey, are you still there?” I asked, hoping he was.
“Hey you,” he replied, I knew he was grinning, I just wished I could see him.
“How are you holding up?” he asked softly. I sighed.
“I’m missing you, but other than that I’m fine.”
“I’ll be with you soon. So what movie were you watching or should I guess?” he asked. He was making small talk because he didn’t want me to hang up. I was just about to answer him when the car came to a sudden stop and the phone flew out of my hand. I bent down to reach it but couldn’t. I had to take my seat belt off. As I sat back up I was so startled by the faces looking in the car that I had to catch my breath. The faces belonged to phantoms. They were expressionless and they wouldn’t take their eyes off me. Even though the windows were dark, they could see me easily.
“Driver, are we stopped for a reason?” I asked, trying to make my voice sound calm.
“Sorry Mam, but there appears to be an accident up ahead, it looks like we will be moving soon, don’t worry,” he explained. I undid my seat belt and crouched down again to pick up the phone.
“Hayden?” I tried to not sound shaky. I didn’t want him to worry but it was too late. I could tell he was on the move.
“I’m coming love, don’t worry, I know where you are. Don’t open the door for any reason. Is it locked?” he asked.
“Yes.” I checked just to make sure.
“Maybe I should go see what is going on?” the driver thought out loud.
“NO! It’s okay please don’t open the door. I can wait,” I said shakily. He looked in his rear-view mirror at me and nodded.
“Okay, we can wait,” he tried to calm me but I knew he heard the fear in my voice. The eyes were at the side window now. They were still staring at me. I remembered what Hayden had told me. Not to talk to anyone, living or not. I looked away, trying to completely ignore them. I rummaged through my purse, looking for anything that I could fidget with. I pulled out my lip-gloss and put some on. I was trying really hard to ignore them. Maybe they would bore of me and walk away. I didn’t trust their stare, it was somehow menacing. Hayden could hear my breathing. He knew I was afraid.
“I’m almost there Natalie, don’t panic. Don’t look at them,” he ordered calmly. Just as he said that I looked through the front window and the stillest figure I have ever seen was staring in at me. He had long blond hair and very pale skin. His eyes were such a light blue they almost looked like ice. I couldn’t look away from him. I wanted to but he was captivating. It wasn’t his looks that I was attracted to, it was his eyes. He was looking at me like I was a prize he coveted. He had some sort of power over me. It was like a nightmare that you can’t wake up from. I tried to move but couldn’t. I lost control of myself. My arms wouldn’t lift, my eyelids wouldn’t close and I tried to scream but only air escaped my lips. Just as I was feeling ready to faint Hayden banged on the door. The driver quickly unlocked the doors, shocked by Hayden’s urgency.
“Sorry sir, there was a traffic accident and I couldn’t switch lanes,” he apologized frantically to Hayden.
“It’s okay Joel. Thank you for keeping her safe.” Hayden’s reply seemed to confuse him. He just nodded as he glanced at me. I knew he was wondering what he kept me safe from.
I still couldn’t blink as Hayden opened the door. He grabbed me by the waist and quickly carried me to his car. He placed me in the passenger seat and swiftly flew over the front of the car to his side. The doors were locked and the car was already flying through the side streets and alleys before I could finally breathe properly. I started to cough. Hayden put a hand on my back as I leaned forward. I was unable to look out the windows. I was feeling dizzy and afraid. What had just happened to me? I have never felt so vulnerable in all my life. Hayden didn’t say a word he just rubbed slow circles on my back as he navigated the small streets with one hand on the wheel.
The car finally slowed to a stop. I could hear the water hitting the shore. We were at the pier and we were still going to get on a boat with more demons. I was more afraid now than I was earlier. Hayden helped me out of the car. I wasn’t able to walk fast enough for him so he picked me up again and it felt like we were flying. Within seconds we were on the boat. The breeze felt good, like splashing cold water on my face. I started to feel like I was just beginning to wake up.
I shook and it wasn’t due to the cold. Hayden wrapped his arms around me and held me close. He carried me into the cabin and placed me down on the bed. He gently brushed the hair off my face. He looked so frightened, I had to smile. I didn’t want him to be so worried about me. He smiled back but he still didn’t look relieved. I sat up feeling stronger now. I had to console my dearest Hayden. I knew he felt so bad for leaving me. He was more aware of the dangers that faced me than I was. I reached my hands to his face and caressed his cheek. He seemed to relax some more. I inched up onto my knees and gently placed my lips on his creased forehead. He grasped hold of my arms tightly. It didn’t hurt but I was surprised by his intensity. He kissed me fervently, like it was a good bye kiss.
“Hayden?” I breathed heavily as he still kissed me.
“I’m sorry my love,” he said as he pulled away.
“I was so scared. I thought I was going to lose you. I should never have left you,” he continued, almost to himself.
“I’m safe because of you. Please don’t feel guilty. You saved me. From what I’m still not sure but you were perfect, almost unreal in your timing. Thank you Hayden,” I said slinking closer to him again. He placed his hands on my hips and rested his forehead on my chest. I placed my hands in his hair.
“I’m really not capable of talking about what happened yet. I will later. I just need time to control my anger,” he explained as he gently placed me down on the bed. He wrapped me in a blanket and rubbed my shoulders. I was having trouble fighting my eyelids. I knew I was losing the battle. I was exhausted now.
I awoke screaming. I reached my arm around for Hayden but he wasn’t there. Just before I went into a panic I saw him fly down the stairs and land on the bed beside me.
“It’s okay Natalie. It was just another dream. I’m here. You’re safe. I promise,” he said holding me tightly. I sighed heavily as I looked around. I had forgotten where I was.
“We will be stopping soon. The plane is waiting for us. Do you want to come up?” he asked. I nodded, trying to forget my latest dream. It was similar to the others, the trail and the three shadows racing towards me, but this time I saw the leader of the group. He had blond hair. I was probably just seeing him because of last night. How could he possibly know me and why would he be after me. I shook my head and fixed my disheveled clothes. I grabbed Hayden’s hand as he helped me up. I was surprised that it was still so dark. I thought I had been sleeping longer. That would explain why I still felt so exhausted.
Hayden helped Emanuel, the man that had been driving the boat tie the ropes up once we reached the pier. Emanuel had kept his distance from me the whole trip. I was grateful for it but I wondered if there was more to it. I nodded at him as Hayden helped me out of the boat. He quickly glanced at me then went around the boat. That’s when I realized the GTV was there. I had been so disoriented that I completely forgot that Hayden had already delivered his capture to the boat before he came to rescue me. I shuddered, thinking I was sleeping so close to this thing that may have looked like one of those ghosts that was staring at me last night, with the same malice.
Hayden said something in Spanish to Emanuel and then he led me away from the boat down towards the plane. I was so nervous about all this traveling. The plane seemed new enough. It wasn’t to
o large. I noticed the hatches in the bottom of the plane where open. It looked like it could hold a lot of cargo. I shivered, thinking about the cargo it usually carried. Hayden held my hand pulling me along. I knew if he let me go I wouldn’t be able to move.
The pilot and another man were standing beside each other talking. They were both dressed in dark suits. I could tell one was a pilot because he was wearing the wings. They immediately stopped talking as soon as we approached the stairs to board the plane.
“Good morning Hayden, Sir. I hope your boat ride was uneventful?” the man in the dark suit inquired. I had a feeling he was talking more about the events before the boat than the actual ride over.
“Yes, everything went smoothly,” he answered the man. He squeezed my hand when he said that. I knew he was still troubled by last night’s scare. So was I. The man looked at me then.
“Hello Miss Natalie. I have heard wonderful things about you. It is a pleasure to finally meet you. My name is Kevin Thornton. I will be escorting you to Argentina. If there is anything you require please don’t hesitate to ask.” He picked my free hand up and kissed it gently. I smiled at the gesture. Hayden squeezed my other hand in reassurance. The pilot gestured for us to board the plane. Hayden led me up the metal stairs. I was pleasantly surprised by the comfortable looking cabin. I have never been on a plane before but I knew most people didn’t travel like this. There were no rows of seats. It looked like a little living room. The small leather sofas faced opposite each other. There was a large screen television and a stereo, a fully stocked fridge and bar. Apparently there was even a little kitchen hidden behind another door. I smiled as I flopped down on the sofa.
“I guess I can suffer through this trip,” I told Hayden, smiling. He grinned at me.
“I’ll be back in a minute. Don’t go anywhere. I just have to talk to the Captain.” He walked to the front of the plane and shut the door. Kevin had disappeared through the same door. I was alone in this strange plane. I felt nervous again. I sat up and looked out the window. I was so tired. I wondered how long I would be able to keep my eyes open. Kevin had said `good morning’, but it was only about three. I found a blanket below the table in front of me. I wrapped it around my shoulders and looked out the window again. Everything was dark. I turned to look out the other side of the plane. There was a spot light shining on an old wood building. I couldn’t make out what it was used for. Possibly a large storage shed or garage. As my eyes roamed I saw someone leaning against the building. He was tall and husky, but strangely appealing. His skin was pale and his hair was wavy and blond. I felt my heart begin to pound and my throat close, making it difficult to breath. He was not of the living. I could tell by the odd smile on his face. I wished he wasn’t standing under the light. I didn’t want to see his white teeth as he smiled at me. He noticed I saw him. I was surprised by his vision. I quickly shut the curtain over the window and curled down onto the sofa. Before I could catch my breath Hayden was back. He lifted me up and pulled the blanket off my face. He saw my fear immediately.
“Where did you see him?” he asked seriously.
“Out that window, he was standing under the light by the shed.” Hayden opened the curtain and looked. He was gone. I knew he would be. He was there just to scare me. I had a feeling Hayden knew that too. He cradled me beside him and held me close. He kissed my forehead.
“Don’t let them get to you. They want to make you afraid. There has been a lot of talk about your special skills over the last few weeks and they have come out of the woodwork to see for themselves. Some of them wanted to try and stop you from taking this trip. Some of them know you will be a Seeker upon your return,” he explained. I was confused by what he was telling me.
“What do you mean there was talk about me?”
Before Hayden could answer the captain came on and said we’re preparing to take off. I put on my belt and clutched Hayden’s hand out of fear. I knew I would be nervous but I was feeling sick now. My head was spinning.
“I don’t know if I can do this,” my voice was quivering. Hayden wrapped his arms around me.
“You know I would never put you in danger,” he told me.
“What about last night?” I said questioning him, regretting it as soon as I said it. He sighed.
“That wasn’t intentional. Please be fair Natalie. I know you can do this. You will love the view when we get up there.” He held me close as I felt my empty stomach turn as we ascended into the sky. Hayden must have noticed my face go white.
“Are you okay? Can I get you anything?” he asked nervously as he placed his hand against my forehead. His cool skin felt nice. I leaned back and opened the curtain. I gulped and glanced out. I could see the lights from the city below. It looked beautiful. There were so many bright lights. I leaned further towards the window and watched. When the captains’ voice came over head I was startled, for I had forgotten where I was. I was in a trance. Hayden smiled at me.
“It’s safe. You can take your belt off now. You should try and rest. This will be a long flight.” He was right. I knew the events of the evening had left me exhausted. I wrapped the blanket around me and placed my head on Hayden’s lap. He stroked my hair as I quickly fell asleep.
The trail was different this time and the trees seemed lush and taller, making it difficult to see very far into the woods. The birds sounded louder and the way the canopy would sway was somehow eerie. I walked quickly. I was alone now. I started to sense that someone was approaching, fast. I began to run.
“Hayden!” I screamed. He didn’t reply. I called him a few more times. He still didn’t appear. I was terrified. I could see the dark shadows now. There were more than three this time.
“Adam!” I whispered. “Help me!” I knew he was there now. He calmly walked out of the woods in front of me. I slowed as I saw him. He looked exactly the same as the last time I saw him. He was smiling, which scared me. Did he not see what was approaching?
“Get me out of here!” I demanded. He didn’t move. He glanced behind me and nodded. He looked back at me and held his hand out. I went to reach for him and then he vanished. I screamed.
“NO! Come back!” I bolted awake. Hayden was already kneeling beside me. I was still crying.
“No.” It took me a few seconds to realize I was awake. I had been sweating. Hayden was holding me and telling me to wake up.
“You’re awake, I’m here with you. You’re safe,” he kept telling me this, over and over again. I wasn’t sure who he was really trying to convince. I held onto him, wanting to believe that I was going to be safe, but I knew something wasn’t right. Something or someone was trying to get to me. I just hoped Hayden would be with me when they finally reached me.
He handed me a glass of water and ordered Kevin to get me some toast and jam. I knew it upset him that he couldn’t make my nightmares stop.
“I need you to tell me about your dreams. You have to start telling me about them no matter how hard it is. The only way I can help you is if I know what I’m dealing with. Please Natalie you have to let me in,” he begged, holding my hands. He reached up for my face and kissed me so sweetly. I melted into him. I didn’t want to stop but he pulled away and cleared his throat.
“Please don’t distract me. Start talking now,” he ordered.
I knew he was not going to let this go. I explained my previous dreams and then I described this most recent dream as vividly as I could. I was surprised by how fresh it was in my mind. When I remembered it, I almost felt like I was there again, all I had to do was close my eyes. I started to breath heavily. I didn’t want to blink. I had to stare at Hayden to stay with him. He was aware of my stress.
“It’s okay Natalie,” he pulled me close and whispered that he would never leave me. He was going to take care of me forever. I put my arms around his neck. I needed him so much it frightened me.
“You should eat.” He handed me the toast and went to grab the teapot. When I finished I placed the plate down and glanced
out the window. I had been so engrossed in my dream I hadn’t realized the sun had risen. I saw fluffy white clouds below us. We were flying over the ocean. Hayden sat beside me.
“Are you enjoying the view?” he asked.
“Yes, it’s really amazing to think how high up we are. Thank you for bringing me.”
“Do you really think I would have left you behind?” He was so serious.
“No, at least I hoped you wouldn’t,” I smiled, wishing he would relax.
“I don’t think you realize yet how important you are, not only to me but to the Seekers. Your power is unusual. They are looking forward to meeting you,” he explained. I was feeling uneasy about meeting these Seekers. I had serious doubts in my ability to assist them in their hunting. I was still questioning my own judgment. I knew that it was still possible for a phantom to trick me into believing they were living.
Hayden went to talk to the pilot again. I leaned back and looked out the window. Kevin had offered to put a movie on but I declined politely. I just wanted to look out that little window and feel the freedom it offered. I felt so unattached from everything. I have never felt so free in all my life. I was reminded of my parents. I missed my mother. I wished she could have felt this freedom. I was so far away from all the pain now. The beatings I could take, bruises heal. It was the crushing of my spirit that had always been so devastating to me, the hurt and the betrayal. I was just a little girl. All I wanted was to feel safe. To see such pain in my family was almost unbearable. I had needed my phantom friends. I had needed to see them and hear them. They protected me and I was able to talk to them when I had no one else. I didn’t see this as `power’ but more of survival. I just happened to fall in love with all of them. I hoped I would never have to deliver a phantom that I loved to the Seekers. I still didn’t know the process and I didn’t know if I wanted to do this. Hayden doesn’t seem to think I have a choice. He’s probably right.
When I think of what my life would be like if I didn’t have Hayden, I almost want to cry. If Adam had stayed with me I still may have faltered. Eventually Adam would have left or been hunted, since Hayden refused to do it, maybe another Seeker would have been called in. I was grateful for the time we had had. I just can’t believe he was ever cruel to anyone. He was so special to me. He saved my life. He stayed with me for so long. As I looked down at the ocean I realized my vision was blurry. I was silently crying. I loved Hayden now, ‘I have to let you go Adam.’ I silently whispered. I wiped my tears, not wanting Hayden to see them.
