[Anthology] The Paranormal 13- now With a Bonus 14th Novel!

by Dima Zales

  “I stood still as the others ran past me. Only Katie-Anne and I remained. She looked at me and said, ‘Reese, don’t you want a kiss?’ I looked at her and said, ‘Not from you.’

  “Everybody ran down to the lake. Tyler had been restrained and was being carried by some of the members of the football team. He shouted to be released. They laughed and dropped him in front of her.

  “She looked down at the helpless boy, and it made complete sense to her. She looked out among the crowd. Everyone shouted for them to take off his clothes and throw him in the lake, but that wasn’t what Katie-Anne had in mind. She made another announcement: ‘I’ll go to the dance with whoever gets baby Tyler to cry the loudest.’ Everyone but me laughed because they thought she was kidding. But it turns out she was dead serious.

  “She begged a few guys on the team. And they began kicking him all over his body. A few kids didn’t want to take part so they left. A few others thought it was funny but didn’t have the nerve to join in. And then there were the guys who were hitting Tyler. They were big and knew how to inflict pain.

  “I screamed at Katie-Anne to tell the guys to stop. But she just laughed as Tyler was groaning on the floor. Then he stopped moving.

  “They panicked, started swearing and freaking out. I shouted for them to help me get him to a hospital. They said it was too late. I pointed out that no one had a medical degree and that he may just have passed out. One of the guys bent down to hear his heart beat. He said he heard nothing. They decided to push his body out into the lake. I tried to stop them but they kept pushing me out of the way.

  “Then, in a moment I relive every day without the help of collectors, I saw Tyler’s chest move. It was slight and weak. But it moved. I know it did.

  “That’s when I plowed into the guys with every thing I had in me. They weren’t expecting me to put as much force as I did into getting past them, so I was able to take a few of them down to the ground. The three that remained standing pushed Tyler’s body into the lake.

  “I was so horrified by the sight of Tyler’s body floating out to the middle of the lake, I rushed the guys again. This time they were expecting it and the biggest guy, Jeff Moore, rammed my head into a tree. I heard my skull crack.

  “As I was dying, I kept thinking if only I could get to Tyler. If only I could close my eyes and appear in the middle of the lake. I just asked Omnis that I be able to defy the laws of physics and transport myself to the middle of the lake and save him. That’s all I wanted to do, save him.

  “The last thing I saw before I died was Katie-Anne’s face. And as it faded from my view, I thought about the 56 times she said ‘no’ to being with me. I smiled as I lay dying. To think I was lucky enough to have avoided evil 56 times.”

  “What happened to Tyler?” I ask.

  “I don’t know.”

  “Maybe someone came for him.”

  “Maybe.” But we both know the odds were slim.

  “I’m sorry you died so awfully.”

  “The twins beat all of us in that arena. They’re glory hogs.”

  “Reese, why did you tell me?”

  “Why did I tell you my Core?”

  “Your what?”

  “Oh, so now you want to sign up for Angel 101?”

  “Please,” I beg.

  “It’s the story of an angel’s last few minutes on Earth as a human.”

  “So in your Core you cried out to be able to transfer yourself from one place to the other and that’s how you got the power to Blink?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Why did you tell me your Core?”

  “I want you to know that just because you love someone doesn’t mean they are worthy of being loved.”

  “You don’t think Marcus is worthy of love?”

  “He is, but so are you. And he hasn’t given it to you, has he?”

  “No.” He puts his arms around me. I lean my head against him. We’re both lost in our own thoughts.

  “Reese, how does the poem go?”

  “A lot has happened since my Core, Emmy. Now, I’m so far from the sap that memorized that poem, I can’t even begin to remember how it went.”

  I turn to him and look deeply into his eyes. I never thought angels had ghosts but I see that they do.

  “How does the poem go?” I push gently. He looks away from me for a full minute or so. Just when I think he’s chosen not to tell me, he begins. As he speaks, I picture him pre-Guardian. A naïve kid committing a poem to memory to impress his love.

  “I know I am but summer to your heart,

  And not the full four seasons of the year.

  And you must welcome from another part,

  Such noble deeds as are not mine, my dear.”

  “That’s the end,” he says. But it’s not.

  There’s more and he knows that.

  “I don’t remember the poet’s name,” he says. It’s Edna St. Vincent Millay, but he knows that too.

  4

  When I get to school Monday, I thought I’d have to hunt Ameana down, but as it turns out, she’s standing by my locker waiting for me. Miku saw her first. I never told Miku what I did. I don’t think Reese did either.

  She turns to me and says, “Hey, I forget to tell Rio something, I’ll be right back.” I look at her. She read the panic in my face.

  She hugs me. “She won’t kill you. We need you. She might just maim you,” she jokes. I go from panic to terror. “Emmy, I’m just kidding. Go, get it over with.”

  Miku disappears around the corner, and I head towards my locker. I never thought that I would pray for a Runner to interrupt me, but right now, they would be a welcome diversion. I look around, and wouldn’t you know it, not a gun-toting Wall Street guy around anywhere.

  “Reese said you wanted to see me,” she says with perfect articulation.

  “Yeah, I wanted to talk.”

  She looks around and motions for me to follow her. She takes me to an empty classroom.

  “Mr. Walt won’t be back for a while, he eats lunch in some café a few blocks away.”

  I look at her curiously.

  “We had every teacher followed. Rio said they all have souls, but we just wanted to be extra careful.”

  “I guess that’s smart.”

  “So, what is it you need?”

  “I wanted to tell you what I did. I asked Reese not to tell you. I wanted to come to you myself.”

  “I’m listening.”

  “I kissed Marcus.”

  “I see.”

  “I’m so, so, sorry. I shouldn’t have done it. It’s just that I was so…. Look, I’m sorry. I just had to tell you.”

  “And now you have,” she says plainly as she heads out the door. I stop her.

  “Wait, that’s it? You’re not mad at me? You don’t want to kill me or anything?”

  “I’d have to get in line now, wouldn’t I?”

  “I’m so sorry.”

  “Let’s not do this, okay?” She seems removed, like she is watching a movie.

  “Please, yell at me. Do something. I totally stepped out of line. I had no right to do what I did. You should … be throwing me across the room or something.”

  “I can if you wish.”

  “Ameana, please.”

  She bites her lip and closes her eyes. She’s trying to calm herself. I can tell. Only she really didn’t get upset, so I don’t understand why she would need calming down.

  “I have to go, Emmy. Lunch is almost over. I don’t want to be late for my next class.”

  I reach out for her and get a hold of her stylish jacket. “You don’t care about class.”

  “No, I care about Marcus,” she snaps.

  “I know, I’m so—”

  “—sorry. I got that. Can we go now?”

  “Yes, I just wanted to tell you the truth,” I say as she heads out the door. She stops dead in her tracks and whips her head to face me. Every single hair falls perfectly into place.

  “What do you kn
ow about truth? You haven’t told the truth since I met you. You lie to us about not having a secret even after Rio says you do. And now you hunt me down all weekend just so you can lie to me.”

  “I’m not lying. I kissed Marcus.”

  “I know you did. Did you think he wouldn’t tell me? That’s not what I’m talking about. I’m talking about you standing here telling me that you are sorry you did it. That’s such bull. You have wanted him since the moment you saw him. Now you come and tell me about it? Why? So you can say ‘Hey, I did a bad thing, but I apologized, so I’m a good person?’”

  “That’s not why I did it!”

  “Then why? So I could absolve you?

  “Well, I….”

  “You want me to tell you it’s okay that you kissed my boyfriend because I’m an angel and I forgive? Screw you.”

  I can’t bring myself to look at her. Her voice trembles with anger.

  “I can’t leave you here alone. Let’s go.” With that, I follow her out of the class and into the hallway. We walk down to the cafeteria in silence, just the three of us: me, Ameana and my shame.

  “Here, she’s all yours,” Ameana spits as she walks me over to where Miku and Jay are seated. She turns on her heel and storms out of the cafeteria. I sit down and put my head on the table. Jay says, “If you’re gonna piss off an angel, it shouldn’t be the one who can drop you fifty stories without ever touching you.”

  Miku chimes in, “Yeah, it should be a weak and ineffective angel like Jay.” I can hear the smile in her voice. It’s not helping.

  Mercifully, the school day ends. I have no idea what I learned. Classes had become a series of long drawn-out sessions of Charlie Brown-like speeches. Anyway, none of it would matter if we didn’t make any headway in finding Julian.

  As I walk to my locker, I thought I would see Ameana again. But when I get to my locker there is someone waiting for me.

  “Hey, Sara.”

  “Hey, I’ve been calling you all weekend.”

  “Yeah, I had my cell phone off.”

  “You finally get a phone and you keep it off all weekend?”

  “Well, I was kind of busy.”

  “Busy doing what?”

  Kissing other girls’ boyfriends….

  “I had to help my mom out with a few things,” I lie.

  “Well, I got your message, and I thought we could hang out tonight.”

  I am about to say no as a habit, but then I reconsider. I should give Ameana some space. Marcus is avoiding me, so I should make that easier for him by not being around.

  “You know what? Let’s do it. What time?”

  “How about seven? We could go see the new Taylor Lautner movie. I heard he has his shirt off in like three scenes.”

  “I’m there.”

  “And I can tell you all about Jack.”

  Great, I get to hear about her new boyfriend. Then when it comes time for me to talk about my love life, I can change the topic onto more pleasant things, like war and famine.

  At that moment I was going to back out, but looking at the excitement in her eyes, I knew I had to go with her. And it wouldn’t kill me to be a better friend.

  “Let’s meet in front of the McDonald’s on 42nd at seven, okay?” Sara says eagerly.

  “Sure, sounds good.”

  “And you can tell me about Jay and the other guys you hang out with now.”

  I know she’s thinking about one person in particular.

  “The gorgeous one, Marcus. The new senior, hello?”

  “Oh, him.”

  “Yeah, he was seeing a girl in his history class.”

  “Wait, what do you mean ‘was’?”

  “I saw them in the hallway having a huge argument. I think it’s over now.”

  “When did you see them?”

  “It was sometime after lunch. She really seemed mad.”

  “What did they say?”

  “I had already been late for gym twice last week, so I couldn’t stop and listen, but I heard her say something like, ‘It’s not sage.’”

  “What does that mean?”

  “Maybe I heard wrong. All I know is that they weren’t sitting together in class.”

  “We don’t have classes with seniors, how do you know?”

  “Joy told me. She’s in their history class.”

  “Oh, no.”

  “What? What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing, I just forgot I need to take care of something. I gotta go.” I sprint down the hallway.

  “Don’t forget about tonight,” she shouts.

  “I won’t, promise.” I run as fast as I can to find Marcus.

  I literally run into Jay first. “Hey, baby girl, slow down.”

  “Sorry.” I’m out of breath. He gives me a moment. “What is it?”

  “I have to find Marcus.”

  “This weekend with him wasn’t enough?” I look at Jay, shocked.

  “C’mon. We’re a group of six angels with powers. And one of us can read guilt a country away,” he says.

  “Rio told you?”

  “He said your wave changed suddenly. You were feeling an abnormal amount of guilt. And you and Marcus were alone after dinner … .”

  “Oh.”

  “Not to mention the fact that Ameana is so livid she almost deboned Reese when he Blinked in and made a joke about all the girls lusting after Marcus.”

  “I have to find him. It’s all my fault. I don’t want them to break up.”

  “Really?”

  “Not like this. He didn’t do anything. I was the one who was out of line, not him. I don’t want him to pay for what I did.”

  “He can handle hold his own against Ameana.”

  “Where is he?”

  “He left.”

  “Did she go with him?”

  “Yeah, I think so. I told Miku I’d take you home.”

  “You don’t have to watch me. I’m gonna be around people. I’m going out with Sara.”

  “When?”

  “Later today.”

  “That’s later. Right now, I’m your escort home.”

  I look at him, pleading.

  “You don’t want to go home do you?” He knows me too well for my comfort.

  “No.”

  “You want to go find Marcus?”

  “I have to make sure they’re okay.”

  “That’s the only reason?”

  “Yeah, what other reason could there be?”

  He raises his eyebrows. I hate him for knowing me so well. “Okay, I’ll take you to the house.”

  I give him a quick kiss on the cheek and say, “Thank you.”

  When we get to the house, everyone but Marcus and Ameana are there. I ask and they say that they just stepped out. I look at Jay. He shrugs. I tell them I’m gonna take a walk to the park near the house. I ask to do it alone, but they say no. I didn’t think they’d let me, but I had to ask.

  Jay is with me as we go down to the park. It was cold but not bitterly, so I could leave my scarf and hat in the house. I step on dead bark that the wind had ripped from the trees and thrown carelessly on the sidewalk. I keep my head down. I count the number of steps it takes to get to the park. Jay can tell that I don’t want to talk. And really, what is there to say?

  When we get to the entrance of the community park Jay takes my hand. “Are you sure you just want them to be okay, I mean as a couple?”

  “Yes, I told you that. I don’t want them to break up for this. It was my fault.”

  “Well, good, then you can stop worrying; it doesn’t look like breaking up is on their agenda.” I follow his gaze to the two figures, kissing in the center of the park. They are flawless in every way.

  The tears running down my face are warm. Jay looks at me and says, “C’mon, the cold’s making you cry. We should get you home.”

  I agree and take his hand and head home. Once there, I throw my stuff down and run into my room. The cold makes me cry long after I have left it.


  A knock on my door wakes me. “Come in.”

  My mom comes in and puts the phone to my ear. I’m still out of it. “Who is it?” I ask.

  “It’s Sara. She says you’re late to meet her.”

  Damn. Sara…movies…better friend….

  I take the phone from my mom. “Hello?”

  I look around my room. The alarm clock says 7:32 in bright illuminating red. I can’t believe I overslept.

  “I’m on my way.”

  “Never mind, just forget it,” she says.

  “Sara, no. I took a nap and I overslept that’s all. I really want to go.”

  “I’m not gonna wait another half an hour for you. We made plans and you stood me up. I didn’t go inside because I was sure you wouldn’t do that to me, but I was wrong.”

  “I’ll take a cab and be there in ten minutes. I’ll pay for the movie too. And you don’t have to wait outside. Just go to the café down the street and get some hot chocolate. I’ll come find you.”

  “Forget it, I’m going home.”

  I try one last thing.

  “C’mon, Sara, I’ve been dying to hear about Jack.”

  There was a pause. “Well…okay, but hurry up.”

  She hangs up. I knew that would do it. A girl can’t resist the chance to talk about her new guy. I am gonna listen to every mushy detail from how they met to their last date. I will be a better friend. I owe her that.

  I hop in a cab and head to Times Square. Once there, I enter the café and immediately smell burgers. It makes my stomach growl. I realize then that I haven’t eaten anything all day.

  “Emmy, over here,” Sara says calling me over to her table in the corner. I wave at her and head over.

  “I’m sorry I made you wait. I was knocked out.” I take a seat across from her.

  “It’s okay. I called Jack and told him I was waiting around and he offered to keep me company. Otherwise I would have been waiting all by myself,” she says, digging the knife in playfully.

  “I promise you my firstborn if I’m ever late again.”

  “That’s nice, but how about a really big tub of popcorn, extra butter?”

  “You got it.”

  “Anyway, I’m glad we met up. Now you get to meet Jack.”

  “Really? Where is he?”

  “He’s in the restroom. I can’t wait for you to meet him. He’s so cute and funny.”