A Girl Between

by Marjorie Weismantel

  With a shiver I started, “I fell in a pile of hay or something because my fall was somewhat cushioned. I wouldn’t go so far to say that I was knocked out, but I was definitely stunned after I fell. After I got up, I started walking around looking for people, but I think I started going into shock. Will found me and got me out of the park. He ended up driving me along with Rainy, Annie and Eve to the hospital where they took x-rays. I’m OK other than some scratches and bruises. The doctor said that I was lucky.”

  Ian studied me a bit and then said, “I thought I heard you did something to your yourself Aren’t you supposed to be wearing something to protect your neck?”

  “Oh, that!” I waved dismissively with my hand, “I don’t have to wear it ALL the time.”

  Ian managed to give me a half smile. The other half of his face was too stiff. (He looked beautiful even with a swollen head and two black eyes!) “I’m not sure if I believe you, Tess, but I’m so glad you’re OK. When I woke up, all I could think about was you. That’s why I had my mom call. By the way, how’s everyone else?”

  “Eve got burned a little from splattering hot grease. My friend, Mercy, was on the Roller Coaster which ended up getting knocked off the tracks. Fortunately, they got down from there just in time. Some others weren’t so lucky,” I said softly.

  Then, Ian looked a little guilty when he added, “So, Will was your hero. I have to say that I wish it was me, but I am grateful that he was there when he was. Going into shock on top of everything else must’ve been scary.”

  We sat there blissfully for a minute with Ian holding my hand. All of a sudden a question popped into my head. “By the way, who found you and took you to the hospital?”

  Ian hesitated for a moment and then answered, “It was Tonya and Red.”

  “It was Tonya?” I practically shouted. Ian looked at me funny. When I think about it, Ian doesn’t know anything about what’s going on between me and Tonya, at least I don’t think he does. He probably doesn’t know that Tonya may very well be a primary cause of the disaster. I just wonder what this connection is between Tonya and Ian. It’s definitely weird. She can’t seem to leave him alone. Is it mutual?

  Suddenly, Mrs. Miller came bustling in to Ian’s room. She came up to me with a big smile and said, “Hello dear. You must be Tess. It’s so sweet of you to visit Ian.”

  “Oh, no problem. I feel so bad for him,” I responded sympathetically.

  Mrs. Miller glanced over at Ian before she said, “Ian, I think it’s time for Tess to go. The doctor said that you shouldn’t be overtaxed.”

  Ian answered, slightly irritated, “Mom, I’ve been laying around in this bed forever. I’m used to working all the time. This is terrible for me. Tess is helping me to forget.”

  Oh boy, time for me to leave. I don’t want to get on the bad side of Mrs. Miller. “Ian, I have to get going anyway.” I made a point to check my watch and added, “My mom was going to pick me up shortly. I’ll see you after school tomorrow, if you like. Would that be OK?”

  “It would be wonderful if you could visit Ian tomorrow, Tess. It was so nice meeting you,” Mrs. Miller replied as she glanced between us and discreetly left the room.

  I’m thinking that Ian’s older brother, James, must take after Ian’s father because Mrs. Miller seemed like a really nice lady. I could see the edges of her aura around her face, a beautiful orange yellow. No aggression or darkness there, just sweetness and light.

  As I got up from the bed and walked toward the door, I looked over at Ian with a reassuring smile. “So, I’ll come by tomorrow. You have to get some rest today.”

  “Come here, Tess,” Ian stated, his tone serious.

  I walked back to him hesitantly. What does he want with me? As soon as I got within reach, he quickly sat up, grabbed me by the back of the neck and pulled my head down for a long, slow kiss. Oh… my….God. It set my brain humming and a tingle down my spine. He then released the pressure from my neck and I started to stand up. His hand slid down my neck to my shoulder and upper arm and he held it there. I had to stop moving when my face was a few inches from his.

  Ian looked directly into my eyes. “Tessie, I was so worried at the fair. I was afraid you would fall off that ride and die.”

  I paused for a moment and answered softly, “I’m here and I’m alright Ian. Nothing bad happened to me.”

  He took a deep breath. “I know. I’m so relieved. You just don’t know how much I’ve been thinking about you since that awful fair. I really like you, Tess. You have a way about you. You’re cute and sweet, but you also have a stubborn streak. You’re irresistible to me.

  I went to say something but he put his index finger on my lips. “You don’t have to respond to me. I just wanted to let you know how I was feeling and how relieved I am that you’re doing OK.”

  I didn’t say anything. I just leaned in and pressed my soft, warm lips on his mouth, and then rested my forehead on his for a moment, listening to him catch his breath. Then, I quietly got up and left.

  33. Storm

  I floated down the stairs, hoping that I wouldn’t bump into nasty James. My head wasn’t in the right place to deal with him now. Mrs. Miller poked her head out from the kitchen and gave me a quick wave. “Good bye, Mrs. Miller. See you tomorrow,” I imparted.

  The minute I stepped outside Ian’s front door I felt something strange. The weather was threatening, but it was more than that. I KNEW there was a menacing presence in the area. I immediately looked around and noticed two people walking in this direction through the drizzle. Oh, great! It was Tonya and Red, probably coming to visit Ian. What was it with Tonya and Ian? He says he doesn’t like her but she’s always turning up around him. You certainly couldn’t miss the two of them from this distance because of their flashy auras. Both of them might as well have been shouting, “We’re coming, so deal with it!” Their combined auras were dark red and orange waves of color with sharp streaks of black. It made them look like they were engulfed in bright angry flames.

  As they got closer, I could tell by their unpleasant expressions that they realized it was me. Tonya muttered something to Red and then turned to me and gave me a deadly look. As she stared at me, I could feel that weird prickly sensation in my forehead. I’ve felt that around her before when she sends me her nasty thoughts.

  Tonya sent to me, “So you survived the disaster at the Tri-town fair.”

  I let her know my feelings but with a big smile, “Yes, I did!”

  She turned her lips up in an evil grin and sent back to me, “Well, this is just perfect!”

  I have to say that her last thought sent a shiver down my spine. To make matters worse, I heard Ian’s front door open. I looked back and saw James staring at me. How shocking is that! He’s with them. This was starting to freak me out. It was becoming apparent that Tonya, Red and James would like to inflict bodily harm upon me. After all, Tonya failed to hurt me at the fair. And I am all alone here. No one else was outside because the storm was bearing down. It was getting darker, the wind was building, swirling in different directions, and the intensity of the rain was increasing to a steady stream. I wish Aunt Amy would get here!

  Before I knew it, James was right behind me and Tonya and Red were in front of me. Through the heavy rain, all I could really see was Tonya’s leering face and fat, puffy Red with his pig nose. Fight or flight. What should I do? They’re almost upon me!!

  A cool sense of detachment suddenly came over me. Somehow, I knew what do to. I could feel heat emanate from the center of my body outward to my limbs and my hair. When the energy reached my toes, I could tell that I was slightly off the ground. I felt my hair sticking straight out like I had stuck my finger in the plug. Tonya tried to grab my wrist. She screamed and quickly pulled her hand back. I smelled scorched skin. Red was going to grab my other arm but pulled back when he saw her reaction. Meanwhile, I felt someone grab my hair so I turned around and saw James whip his hand back and yelp. I saw sparks and a wisp of smoke rise from
his hand.

  I rose up a little more and backed up onto the grass lawn. The three of them had converged and were now all within my range of vision. I felt like I was viewing everything through a thick lens. I know that feeling wasn’t merely from squinting through pouring rain. It was from the agitated state I was in. I’ve been here before when I faced Tonya in school. Tonya, Red and James were all looking at me, trying to figure out how to destroy me. They had a slight problem though. They couldn’t touch me. It gave me a little time.

  Suddenly, Red pulled out a long thin jack knife and popped it open. “Maybe I can’t touch you, but this knife sure can,” he jeered.

  As he said that, I initially felt a wave of fear, but then I felt something else. The heat inside me intensified. It became pulsing, alive. I felt electric. Without thinking, I started rapidly rubbing my hands together. I knew I was gathering more electricity inside and outside of me. I continued rubbing and rubbing, my movement causing sparks to fly, initiating a mini show of fireworks as a ball of concentrated electricity was formed between my palms. It distracted Red for a minute. He was rubbing the blade of the knife while he was staring at the flashes. Tonya was pushing him and yelling something at him but I couldn’t hear what she was saying. James was picking up a big rock. I had to do something soon, but it had to be the right moment. It was almost time. I could feel it coming, the perfect atmospheric pressure. Red was losing interest in the fireworks. He took a step back, gleam in his eye, ready to throw.

  THIS WAS IT! I levered my hand back and whipped the ball of electricity at the bad ones, the diaboles. Right at the moment it reached them, lightning from the sky flashed straight down and connected with my electric ball smack in the center of the tormentors, lighting up the air around them. For a second, their hair was straight out, bodies rigid and eyes bulging. Then, they collapsed.

  I was tossed back by the violence of the strike but was left untouched. The charge around my body must’ve shielded me. I lay there for a minute but then quickly got up in case I still had to defend myself. I looked over to see Tonya, Red, and James all flat out. Ha ha, guess they were done for. I caught a whiff of stinky, burnt hair.

  BEEP BEEP!!! I looked over to see Aunt Amy’s car in the driveway next door behind a tall hedge. She probably couldn’t see Ian’s address in the darkness. I stood up, ran to her car and jumped inside. As we drove by Ian’s house, it was fortunate that Aunt Amy couldn’t see the bodies on the ground. It was too dark.

  Driving past Ian’s house, I caught a glimpse of something that made my heart skip a beat - Ian’s bruised face peering out of his bedroom window, right at me.

  34. Bad Day Monday

  What am I doing up here? Up in the murk, with the electric shards stabbing me. I’m dizzy from the spinning. Please stop. I want to stop. I want to stop this. I wanna step down from here. Please let me down.

  I opened my eyes. What day is it? Have to think for a minute. It’s MONDAY! Oh crap, it’s Monday. Is that MORE rain and wind I hear? This weather isn’t normal, howling wind in the morning. That’s just wrong. I don’t want to be here. Something’s going to happen.

  I heard Aunt Amy’s voice from down stairs, “Tess, I’ve been calling you. We’re leaving for school in 35 minutes.”

  “Auntie, can I stay home today?” I asked as pitifully as possible.

  “What? No way, Tessie. You’ve got to go today. And don’t forget your neck brace, dear.”

  Oh, darn, I forgot about that thing. That does it. Today is Total Slob Day, the whole deal: slippers, sweatpants, t-shirt. At least they’re clean. I’m gonna look like crap with that thing around my neck so I might as well be comfortable doing it.

  I took a five minute shower, threw everything on and ran downstairs.

  First thing, Eve looked me over, “Tess, what’re you doing? You’ve reverted back to your old self already. It’s only been a couple of weeks. Did you even comb your hair?”

  I asserted, “As a matter of fact I DID comb my hair.” Technically, I did the finger comb but what’s the difference?

  Aunt Amy added, “Where’s your neck brace, Tess?”

  “Aunt Amy, I was thinking that since I don’t have gym today I shouldn’t have to wear it.”

  “Tess, march right upstairs and get that brace. You heard the doctor say that you have to wear it for a full week. Your neck is a rather vulnerable area you know!” Auntie replied, sounding exasperated.

  “OK, OK . . . . .”

  I was in a daze all the way to school and into my first period class. Initially, students stared at me and my brace but then they stopped looking. There was only so much to see. Between the braces, casts and crutches, there were other students who had their own injuries on display. Our school was lucky because at least no one died from here.

  The principal came on the loud speaker and read the names of the four students who did die at the Tri Town Fair. They were from the other two Tri-Town schools. The principal talked about the personal stories of each of the students.

  As the principal continued to explain that the School Board was assessing whether to cancel the upcoming Halloween dance, I could feel a prickling sensation at the back of my neck. I reached under the neck brace and rubbed it, trying to sooth it. It was really irritating. Then, it dawned on me that someone may have been trying to communicate with me. I turned around and looked. No students were looking at me, only the Old Hag English teacher. I’m always forgetting her name, probably because I’ve never liked her. She has a very unpleasant aura. It’s a foggy, gloomy gray. I sense a boring, shallow, follower type.

  I turned back to the front and closed my eyes for a minute. I started to ruminate about Ian. I wondered what he saw yesterday when he looked out the window. Maybe it was too dark but I’ll find out soon enough. The principal was still talking about the tragedy and the victims at the fair. I didn’t know any of them. I try not to contemplate death because it brings up thoughts of my mom. That’s not helpful right now. There were students in class openly crying or wiping their eyes.

  The prickling sensation returned with a vengeance. What’s going on here? It almost felt like someone was scratching the back of my neck with their nails. I looked back again. It’s only Old Hag English teacher. I turned back to the front.

  Then, I heard in my head, “It’s YOU. Go away from here! You are an unwanted incarnate.”

  I turned around and could only see Old Hag again. I studied her closely. She wasn’t looking at me before, but now she was. In fact, she was staring at me with absolute hatred in her eyes. Oh, my, God. It IS her! Old Hag English teacher is a diabole and she is sending her evil threatening thoughts directly to ME!

  “We don’t want you here. Why didn’t you die with them?” Her thoughts shrieked in my head. I wish I could shut them out. I felt like putting my hands over my ears to shut her out, but that would’ve been pointless.

  Suddenly I realized that the loudspeaker was no longer on. It was so silent you could hear a pin drop. I looked around. The entire class was watching me and Old Hag English teacher. They knew something was up.

  What was that? I could hear, hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. Where was that humming coming from? I looked around. It was from her. There was a girl in the corner humming and it was getting louder. I turned around to study her and she flashed me a big grin. She was Abby, the new girl who showed up in school about a week ago. I hadn’t taken much notice of her because she was the unassuming, quiet type. She continued humming with a smile on her face. Students were staring at her but seemed very unconcerned. Couldn’t they hear her? They appeared to be getting tired, rubbing their eyes and putting their heads down on their desks. What now? Was she the pied piper?

  Old Hag English teacher screamed, “Stop your singing! Stop it NOW!!”

  A male voice boomed out from the back of the room, “NO! She will not halt her song. There’s no sense involving the innocent among us.”

  Who was that? I turned around to see Abe standing up pointing at the old hag. Abe was Ab
by’s twin brother. Now I remember when they first showed up in class last week. It was striking because Abe was the gentle giant and Abby was the meek mouse. There was such a contrast in size, but their personalities were closely aligned.

  Old Hag English teacher yelled, “How dare you! You go away from here. Get out of my room and leave this place.”

  Abby’s humming increased in volume. By this time, every student had their head on their desks with their eyes closed, fast asleep.

  Abe stated loudly as he pointed at Old Hag, “May you be punished for your action against the sacred one. Malevolence is practiced by those who profess goodness but are innately evil. Stop your blasphemy for it spreads false witness.”

  Old Hag English teacher ran across the room toward me, her arms upraised in fists. “You do not command me. You will face the full wrath of our reckoning.” As she came at me waving her skinny arms, she looked really nuts so I dove under my desk.

  Abe and Abby quickly made their way over to Old Hag and grabbed both of her arms. Abby’s singing suddenly increased in pitch. I wanted to block my ears. It was painful. She sang as they simply held Old Hag who continued to struggle for a few minutes. Suddenly, she stopped moving and her head dropped. Abe felt her pulse. “Her heart is erratic but it is still beating. I believe she suffered a mild heart attack. Tess, call the office and let them know that she needs help quickly. I’ll put her in her chair. Then, we must sit down.” He nodded to Abby, “at that time your song must come to an end.”