“Who are you?” she called to him.
He turned away from her and everything went black.
***
The unmistakable slam of the truck door woke Lucy from sleep. She hadn’t realized just how tired she was. It was as though she hadn’t actually slept the night before. She looked up to see her parents walking away from the truck into a family-favorite candy store that only existed in Bandon. James was addicted to “The World’s Greatest Saltwater Taffy,” and that place had it.
Lucy unbuckled her seat belt and stared out the front window. The forest was still foremost on her mind. She couldn't believe how real it felt. It was so vivid. She couldn’t help but feel that both events had actually happened.
Lucy flipped open her phone and texted Kat, who responded immediately.
Lucy: i had the dream again
Kat: the forest one with the guy?
Lucy: yeah …
Kat: and??
Lucy didn’t know what else to say.
Lucy: idk, it’s weird. the guy is so
familiar.
Kat: u think it’s the library guy or
someone else?
Lucy: i don’t know
Kat: i’m sure you’ll figure it out
Lucy: yeah, i guess
Who cares; it’s just a dream, Lucy thought to herself as she leaned forward to unlock the door of the truck. “Get ahold of yourself, Luce; he’s just a stupid, AAAH!” she shrieked, as she was startled back into her seat by a face looking in the window.
Standing outside the truck, Benjamin Raven looked almost as startled as Lucy as he reached for the door handle and pulled it open.
“Are you okay? I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“Yes, I’m fine. What are you doing here?” Lucy said in frustration, not sure if she was still dreaming.
“Jack is attempting to make a surfer out of me.” He smiled and gestured to the familiar black Camaro parked only a few spaces down from her father’s pickup. It sported a roof rack that securely held two long surfboards.
Lucy could see the black collar of a wet suit beneath Benjamin’s t-shirt. She pulled herself up to the front seat.
“I didn’t know you could do real surfing on the Oregon Coast,” she said, still trying to wake up.
“Oh, you can surf anywhere there are waves, if you’re competent enough.” He winked, reaching his hand up to help her down.
She declined his hand, preferring the rigid door frame of the truck, as her body was wobbly and still weary from her nap.
“Are you competent enough?” she asked, holding the hair out of her face and squinting to look up at him with the bright sky as a backdrop.
“I suppose in the loosest sense of the word you could say I’m competent, but I’ve had a few years to work at it since we moved here.”
“Years? How come I’ve never seen you around before this summer?” Lucy suddenly came more alive with query.
“I don’t know. I’ve been around.”
“Did you go to Marshfield last year?”
“No. Was everything okay with your car?” Benjamin asked, suddenly changing the subject.
He smiled pleasantly and the daylight caught his eyes and reflected their mystical green rays back at Lucy, making her feel somehow frozen. She had to shake her head subtly to break free.
“Oh, yeah! Thank you so much! Tell your brother I … I don’t even know what to say. Just thank you. I can’t believe he did that.”
While enthusiastic, she felt her gratitude wasn’t adequately expressed; but she didn’t know what else to say.
“No thanks required; that’s just what he does. But, I’ll relay the message,” Benjamin said.
Suddenly remembering her conversation with her father she asked, “Do you know a Peter Raven?”
“I do. He’s my brother. I think he knows your dad.”
“Yeah, he does,” she responded, having all too quickly reached the end of that topic of conversation. Searching for a new subject, her eyes fell on the surfboard-clad Camaro. “Where is Jack, anyway?”
“He’s in the candy shop.”
No sooner had he spoken the words than the jingle of the bell hanging from the candy shop door rang through the air like a death toll. With acute panic, Lucy snapped her head toward the sound. Coming down the painted white steps, Lucy saw her father with a paper bag chockfull of saltwater taffy. He was engaged in an intense conversation with a man that Lucy had only seen in the glow of her headlights. Jack was recognizable by his size and swagger. He was carrying an equally packed bag of taffy. Both men were talking and chewing as Lucy’s mother, Laura, trailed behind them. Lucy's heart stopped as she prayed their subject of conversation didn’t involve her mode of transportation.
“Jack loves that stuff. I don’t really see the appeal," Benjamin said, interrupting her anxiety attack.
Lucy didn't respond because she was too focused on the conversation between her father and Jack. As the two men got closer, she sighed with relief. She heard what she assumed was a dream come true to her father: a passionate discussion about basketball or something else in the sporting world—something he didn’t get too much of in a house filled with women. If she knew her father at all, they were miles away from talking about her car hitting a deer.
“The man is the logo, for crying out loud. How could anyone even argue that he’s not one of the ten best to ever play the game?” Lucy had never heard her father talk so adamantly about anything.
“I totally agree,” Jack said.
But before he could say more, Lucy tried for her father’s attention.
“Uh, Dad?”
“Just a moment, Goosey.” James barely gestured in Lucy’s direction, as if to put her on pause.
“James,” Laura calmly said to him. She was the only person in the world that could bring her ridiculously distracted and single-minded husband back to reality.
“Yeah, just a minute,” James began, before meeting his wife’s gaze, a look that left him paralyzed and useless. “Yes, love?” he responded forcedly to Lucy.
“Daddy, this is Benjamin. I was telling you about him in the truck.”
James snapped immediately back to Earth. He turned and faced Benjamin, sizing him up. His expression was a little suspicious. Before he could say a thing, Benjamin raised his hand to the man that stood nearly eye to eye with him.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Higgins.” He articulated every word in perfect respect for the man to whom he held out his hand.
It was apparent that James could sense that Benjamin was at least attempting to be a gentleman as he took the hand in front him and gave it a firm, all-business handshake.
“It’s nice to meet you, Benjamin.” James shook a few times and released Benjamin’s hand.
“Thank you. I see you and Jack have more than a few things in common.” He indicated to the bags of taffy.
James glanced down at his handsome assortment of candy and suddenly remembered his bantering companion and turned to him.
“Well, I suppose great minds think alike, as you know a good ball club when you see one.” He looked around the circle of people and addressed the group in a jovial tone. “What are you boys’ plans for lunch? Why don’t you join us for fish ‘n’ chips, my treat?”
“Well, how can I say no to that offer?” Jack replied, looking at his brother.
“Sounds good to me,” Benjamin said, then turned to Lucy. “What do you think? Could you stand us being around for lunch?”
Lucy blushed, but before she could reply Benjamin looked around to Laura.
“Actually, I should probably be asking your sweet mother what she thinks, as she’s the one who has to put up with all of us.” Benjamin shot an enthusiastic smile to Laura Higgins.
“Well, I was thinking of something a little more sit-downy than a fish stand. Why not the restaurant, James?”
James looked disappointed as his shoulders slouched. “I was really looking forward to fish ‘n’ chi
ps,” he maturely whined.
“If I may,” Jack cut in, “why don’t James and I go get fish, and you three go to the restaurant?” He raised his hands and his eyebrows waiting for a consensus.
“That sounds like a great idea,” James responded enthusiastically.
“I suppose we could do that,” Laura said, looking to Lucy and Benjamin, who both nodded in approval.
“It’s settled, then. We’ll meet back right here in what, an hour?” James inquired of his wife.
“Perfect,” Laura said, flashing a smile around the circle and tossing her purse over her arm. She grabbed Benjamin with one hand and Lucy with the other saying, “Let’s go, you two.”
As the three of them walked arm in arm, Lucy looked behind her mother’s back at Benjamin. He met her glance with a look of his own: a subtle smile. She felt strangely attached to Benjamin, though she barely knew him. As they held each other’s gaze, she saw something so appealing about his eyes. Not only were they beautifully bright, but they emanated a sense of calm goodness. No matter what she thought of all the guys her age at school, she knew that he was a lot different, she just couldn’t pinpoint exactly how.
The restaurant was decorated to look like an old fisherman’s cabin; fishing nets were draped over the wooden walls and an assortment of authentic fishing paraphernalia related to the ocean covered any empty spaces. The trio was seated at a table that looked out over the pier. Through the window at the front of the restaurant, James and Jack could be seen across the street climbing the stairs to the small shack that housed “The World’s Greatest Fish and Chips.” The waitress set down three menus as Benjamin helped Laura and Lucy into their chairs and sat down on the end of the table between the two women.
“Why thank you, Benjamin.” Laura shot an impressed and approving glance at Lucy.
The situation was still a little awkward for Lucy since she really wasn’t quite sure what her relationship was with Benjamin. Were they even friends?
“Okay, Benjamin, if you’re not allergic to crab, you have to get the crab cakes. They are so good here. I promise you won’t order another thing here as long as you live,” Laura said.
“Then I’m convinced, the crab cakes it is,” Benjamin replied as he slapped his menu shut and took a sip of his water.
“So, how long have you two known each other?”
Laura had wasted no time beginning the inquisition that Lucy knew was coming. She was quite adept at finding out all the pertinent information. She was a very educated woman, with a Bachelor’s degree from Stanford and a Master’s from UCLA. But, investigation seemed to be her real talent, especially when it came to her only child.
“We don’t really know each other that well, to be quite honest with you,” Benjamin stated rather directly and honestly.
“Well, I wondered, because I’ve never even heard your name before today.”
“We met at the library this summer. That’s really all there is to tell,” Lucy said, wanting badly to change the subject away from her non-relationship with Benjamin.
“So do you go to Marshfield High School, then, or North Bend?”
Benjamin was more than eager to answer Laura’s every question.
“Well, I’ve been doing mostly correspondence courses, but I think I’ll give high school a shot this year. I’ve always wanted to be a Pirate.”
The two shared a laugh, and Lucy kept a sharp ear on the conversation while perusing her menu. She didn’t feel comfortable with the small number of topics these two would have to talk about, so she decided to steer the outcome in her own direction.
“Hey, Mom, Benjamin taught me how to fold a flag.”
“Really? How did that come up?” Laura asked, with a little too much enthusiasm.
“That’s how I met him. He helped me put the flag up at work.”
Too fast, Luce. Slow it down, she said to herself.
“Well, that’s interesting. Were you a Boy Scout or in ROTC? That doesn’t seem to be something the average young man knows how to do these days.”
“Boy Scout, yeah, but not for very long; we moved so much that I wasn’t really able to do much with it except learn a few handy skills.” Benjamin smiled, taking another sip of his water.
The rest of the meal went smoothly. Benjamin never broached any questionable subjects, and Laura seemed pleased that he was such a respectful and respectable young man. Lucy just sort of picked at her meal, only eating enough to look like she had eaten something.
During a moment when Laura and Benjamin were engrossed in a discussion about the greatest movies of all time, Lucy’s thoughts moved back to her dreams. It was him, she was sure of it. Benjamin was the man in the dreams. She could feel it. For no rational reason, she knew it was him.
As her thoughts engulfed her, she reached for a small potted flower on the window sill. From the looks of the brown leaves and withering petals the poor plant was probably already too far gone to be revived with water. As she pondered the strangeness of her dreams, she stroked a single dead leaf.
At the end of the table, Benjamin watched her out of the corner of his eye. He observed Lucy’s fingers on the leaf, gently stroking its ribbed surface, and was only mildly surprised when he saw the dead brown leaf begin to transform as Lucy’s thumb and forefinger caressed it. What had been brown was slowly and unmistakably turning green again. Lucy didn’t notice anything, as she was immersed in her thoughts.
“Okay, sweetie, I think it’s time we caught up with your father,” Laura said, bringing Lucy out of her trance.
Unaware of her magic trick, Lucy stood and took her mother’s outstretched elbow. Together they walked toward the door.
Benjamin turned back to look at the flower with a pleasantly surprised look on his face. The petals were still withered and dying, but the leaves and the stem were a vibrant green, the color of botanical life. Slowly, Benjamin looked to see that no one was paying him any attention. He then reached over to the small flower, cupped his hand over the dead blossom for a moment, then placed it back on the window sill and followed Lucy and Laura out the door.
As the waitress began to clear the table, she looked up toward the window and smiled as she admired the bright yellow flower that sat tall and thriving in the light beaming in the window. She was surprised because a quick glance at the rest of the dining area confirmed that every other flower is the room was either dead or dying.
Chapter 4
Lucy pulled into Marshfield High on the first day of school and circled the lot, hoping to see something that signaled the presence of Benjamin. He never told her what he drove, so she was looking for a black Camaro. Her cursory scan of the lot was fruitless. There was no sign of the car that would stick out like a sore thumb in a pack of decade-old vehicles that had lost their sheen at the hands of teenage drivers, and no sign of a new student at all.
Having parked her car in a hurry, she climbed the stairs to campus. Heading past the front door of the office, she froze when she saw Benjamin inside, standing at the desk. As she gazed in at him, a pleasant tingling feeling ran the length of her extremities, and she turned to go inside and greet him. It was then that she saw her arch nemesis, Samantha Morris, on his right arm, practically groping him, lips flapping at the speed of sound, and hanging on him like a trained monkey. Benjamin seemed completely enthralled by what she had to say and, to Lucy’s digestive horror, they shared a laugh.
Grabbing the handle of the office door, she was prepared to save Benjamin from a fate worse than death when she realized that she had absolutely no claim on him. Benjamin in no way belonged to her. He was only someone she had met at the library. Her mother bought him lunch, but she couldn’t think of one good reason why he belonged to her. In his mind, she was probably little more to him than Samantha.
Lucy released the handle and looked at the two of them talking and laughing. As she did, Benjamin looked up and met her eyes. He waved to her through the door, and she managed to raise her hand and slide it through the air
enough to make a coy wave back. Samantha’s attention was immediately transferred to Lucy as well. She clutched Benjamin’s arm even tighter and waved enthusiastically. Lucy smiled weakly and turned around to head back outside.
Sitting on the bench under the oak tree in the quad, Kat was sporting a pair of short shorts, which were technically against the dress code, and a Pirates Cross Country T-shirt. Her long black hair was whipping around in the cool coastal wind.
“Hey, there you are,” she called to Lucy.
Lucy tried not to look dejected as she approached.
“Can you believe we’re already back here? I mean, it feels like we just left this place,” Kat said cheerfully, hopping to her feet.
“Yeah, I know. It’s weird.”
“Are you okay, Lucy?” Kat questioned observantly.
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
“You sure? We can cut first period if you want to talk.”
“On the first day? No, I’m okay.”
“Did you have another dream last night?” The concern was obvious in her voice.
“No, it’s not that. It’s just—” she stopped short.
“It’s what?” Kat asked, leaning down to look into Lucy’s eyes.
“It’s … it’s nothing. I’ll see you at lunch.” Lucy picked up her backpack and looked Kat in the eyes. “It’s nothing, just beginning of the year blues I guess.”
“You know where to find me, Luce.” Kat held up her cell phone.
Lucy flashed a smile, hugged her best friend, and walked back toward to her first class.
The classroom was nearly empty when Lucy walked into her English class. She had her choice of any seat she wanted, so she sat down at a desk on the far wall next to the windows. She pulled out a notebook and immediately began doodling on the brand-new recycled cardboard cover. Her dreams were at the forefront of her mind, so she drew a tree like the ones she had seen in the rainforest. She drew with detail a tall, gnarled-looking trunk whose branches spread wide, covered with long, slender, arrowhead-like leaves. Having drawn numerous branches and bunches of leaves, she moved her pencil to the side and examined her creation.
Immortal Light: Wide Awake Page 5
