Clan of Redemption

by Rushell Ann

Chapter 5

  Driving me Crazy

  We had everything all packed in the trunk when I heard Sully and Blake having a disagreement about something.

  “Are we already having a dispute before we even leave the driveway?” I said as I went up to them to try and figure out what was wrong.

  Blake was leaning against the door and Sully was standing next to him with her hands on her hips.

  “He won’t ride in the back.” Sully said.

  “I'm not riding in the back with a dog that obviously doesn’t like me. That’s setting myself up for a rough ride. Especially since that dog doesn’t seem to fond of me,” Blake said.

  “Why do you think that Saska doesn’t like you?” I asked.

  They both pointed to the back seat where Saska was sprawled out.

  “So, he’ll move when someone gets in the back with him,” I said.

  “And who do you suggest is suppose to sit back there with him, lady,” Sully said to me.

  “I really don’t care who sits back there with him, but one of you has to, there’s only two seats up front and one of them is the driver,” I said as I walked around to the driver’s side and got in.

  Let them work it out.

  I could hear the two of them arguing about who was going to sit in the back. I saw Sully try to get in the back and Saska growled.

  “Jayden, I refuse to get bit by your dog, you need to control that mutt or so help me I will go buck wild on him,” Sully said with anger in her voice.

  “Saska, you can’t have the entire back seat to yourself, there’s one seat up front and two in the back so take your pick,” I said.

  Saska jumped up front and sat in the passenger seat next to me and I could swear that he was smiling.

  “Well that settles that, you both can sit in the back together,” I said.

  Sully and Blake got into the back seat, but neither one seemed very happy about it. I guess being afraid of my dog stopped that argument.

  “Your dog seems to understand what you say, I’ve never seen a dog so well trained,” Blake said.

  “Well I guess he is just that smart,” I said as I took a glance at Blake through the rear view mirror.

  I noticed that Sully already had put on her tunes and was staring out the window watching the cars go bye on the freeway. I wanted to strike up a conversation with Blake but I didn’t know what to say so I turned on my stereo and popped in my Tracy Chapman CD. I kept it low volume just in case he might want to say something. Plus I only cranked Tracy if I was by myself so I could sing along with her.

  It was about an hour into the drive before he finally said anything. It took me a minute to realize that he was talking.

  “I’m sorry Blake, I was in deep thought, what did you say?” I asked him.

  “You must have been in deep thought because I asked you three times,” he said with a smirk.

  “Sorry” I smiled.

  “I said…..are you nervous about meeting your grandparents,” he said with a little irritation from having to ask me so many times.

  “I won’t be nervous until we get closer. So where did you grow up?” I asked with real curiosity.

  “I grew up in a small town North of here, it’s not much to talk about and there isn’t much to do around there either except to get into trouble,” Blake said with a smirk.

  “Yeah, growing up in a small town is hard, but I wouldn’t change it for city life. It’s too busy for me, everyone seems in such a rush, but there not sure where they're going,” I said as I looked at Blake through the rearview mirror.

  I never noticed that about his eyes, maybe because I’ve been so busy thinking about Logan to be able to concentrate on anything else but they glowed when light hit them.

  Time seemed to float by like I wasn’t even driving. That has always been so creepy to me that you can drive and not remember how you got there. I seemed to snap out of it when I noticed a sign for food up ahead.

  “I think this is the exit we take, Montesano. Is anyone hungry or thirsty?” I asked.

  “I am!” Sully yelled.

  “I thought you were listening to your music, how did you hear me ask that?” I said.

  “Anytime there is food involved I hear it.” She giggled.

  “Sully, are you seriously telling me that you’re hungry, we just ate an hour ago,” I said as I pulled of the exit. I know that I’m thirsty and Saska needs to be let out to pee.

  “I have a very fast metabolism, what can I say.” She shrugged her shoulders.

  She does have a fast metabolism, I hated the last hour before lunch during school, Sully would get so cranky and start to talk really fast, that was my cue to sneak her a snack while in math class. I would carry them just for her. I could always sneak stuff past Mr. Carlton, he never took his face away from that board. It was like he didn’t really have a class, it was like he was working problems out to himself.

  I pulled into the parking lot of a place called The Crows Nest.

  “Cool beans, a burger joint,” Sully said as she started to put her IPOD away.

  I let Saska wander around the parking lot, even though there wasn’t any grass, he found a few spots to pee on.

  Blake and Sully were already inside when I went to put Saska back in the car.

  I opened the door. “Get in,” I said as I waved my hand towards the seat.

  He just sat there.

  “Ok now, don’t do this, you can’t go into the restaurant with me, it’s not like you’re a service dog,” I said with one hand on the door and one hand on my hip.

  Saska jumped in the driver’s seat while I unrolled the window a bit so he could have some fresh air.

  As I was about to walk away, he put his paw on the rim of the window and pushed out a small bark.

  “What, I told you that you can’t go in there, no dogs allowed,” I said.

  He just barked again.

  “Are you hunger?” I asked.

  No response.

  “Ok, so are you thirsty?” I asked.

  No response.

  “So what do you want?” I asked knowing that I wouldn’t be able to understand him.

  My chest started to warm, then it moved to my right arm and down my hand.

  Keep the window rolled all the way down, so I can jump out if I need to

  “Ok, but if someone comes, you better protect our stuff,” I said as I opened the door and rolled the window down.

  “Wait a minute, did I just hear that…….did you just talk to me.” I looked right into his eyes. He just stared back at me.

  “Did I just answer you…no I couldn’t have heard what you said. Did you just ask me to roll the window down?. Ok Jayden get it together, there is no way you just heard that dog talk to you.

  If you can hear me, we are in big trouble

  “You’re telling me…..Oh shit," I said.

  Is this really happening.

  Shitshitshit.

  Jayden you need to stay calm, please don’t freak out and please don’t tell your friends.

  “I am going to pretend like I didn’t just hear that,” I said as I shut the door.

  I walked into the restaurant and walked over to the booth that Sully and Blake had picked for us.

  “Jayden are you ok, you look a little pale,” Blake said.

  “I’m ok, I’m just thirsty, have you two ordered anything?” I asked as I couldn’t help but look back towards the car.

  “Heck yeah, I ordered their combo, it looks scrumptious, I ordered a milk shake too, they have some cool flavors,” Sully said as she started to play the drums with her fingers on the top of the table.

  “Jayden, can I get you something to drink, you don’t look so good.” Blake asked.

  “I would love a milk shake, I don’t care what kind….oh yeah, can you get a cup of water for the dog too. I would hate to forget him,” I said as I looked at Sully trying to get her to focus on my eyes.

  Blake walked over to the counter
to order but was luckily beat by a large family that had just walked in. That meant that I had more time to try and explain to Sully what just happened between me and Saska.

  “Sully I need you to listen to me,” I said with my firmest tone I knew how to use.

  “Ok, I’m right here, talk away,” Sully said.

  “Something weird just happened with Saska,” I said.

  “Jayden…you can’t say weird around me anymore, everything that has happened over that last few days have been weird,” Sully said.

  “Sully, I don’t have much time to talk to you about this before Blake comes back, please listen to me?” I asked with eagerness in my eyes.

  “Ok, Ok, sorry, tell me what happened,” she said.

  “I think I just had a conversation with Saska,” I said as I looked for a response from her.

  “Yeah, you and I both, we talk to him all the time, what’s so weird about that?” Sully said.

  “No, I really talked to him, I heard what he was thinking and I answered him and he understood me,” I said as I swung my head about to see where Blake was.

  “That is so cool; I’ve always wanted to know what dogs are thinking. So, what was he thinking….let me guess, “Have you seen my “…

  “Sully this is serious, he talked to me like you and I are talking right now. Please be serious for just a minute, I don’t want Blake to know about this,” I said as I gave her my most stern face I could come up with.

  “I’ll be serious, I’m sorry, but seriously, what did he say,” Sully said as she gave me that grin like a kid in a candy store.

  “Sully, does it matter what he said, how come I’m the only one freaking out about this?” I said.

  “What are you freaking out about?”

  I knew that voice.

  “She’s just freaking out because she’s getting closer to meeting her grandparents,” Sully said as she looked at me and winked.

  Before anyone had a chance to say anything, our food and drinks arrived. For the next ten minutes, we all sat in silence drinking our shakes and Sully ate her burger and fries.

  “That smells really good, I might have to stop here on the way back and eat a full meal,” I said as I drank the last of my Chocolate banana shake.

  “So what made you order me chocolate bananas shake…not that I don’t like it, it’s just a strange combination.” I was sad to see the last of the shake disappear.

  “You can’t go wrong when you combine chocolate with anything,” he said as he gave me that smile that made my heart skip a beat.

  “It’s really late, we should probably be heading out, and these roads are really dark and windy. They can seem treacherous to someone who hasn’t driven them often,” Blake said as we all got up.

  “Yeah, you’re probably right, plus I hate driving at night anyway. I have the worst night vision. Sometimes I wish that I was a cat and could see better at night,” I said as I threw the empty cup away.

  The next few towns that we passed just seemed to sail by, I barely remember glimpses of fishing boats and a few shops along the way, but what I could stop thinking about were the dog’s thoughts in my head. How could I really be hearing his thoughts in my mind? Did I only think that he would be thinking those things, but the voice seemed so familiar?

  “You really seem to like that necklace” I heard someone say.

  It brought my thoughts slamming back in the car and I realized that I was rubbing the center stone between my fingers.

  “Yeah I do really like it, it’s the one of the best gifts that I have ever received,” I said as I let go of the necklace and let it drop back onto my chest.

  “Who gave it to you?” Blake asked.

  Don’t tell him

  “As I close my eyes I feel life slipping away, I come towards you,” Sully belted out, oblivious to the fact we couldn't hear her music.

  “Sully, your singing really loud,” I tapped her on the arm trying to keep from having to answer Blake about my necklace.

  “I love this band, hey Jayden did I tell you about this new CD I bought, I found it at a hole in the wall music store? I swore the guy behind the counter was sniffing something because he talked to himself even when no one was around, but he knows his music,” Sully said.

  “So what is the name of the band?” I asked.

  “I can’t remember, but I’ll put it on your IPOD when we get home,” Sully said.

  “I think you did mention something about that, but I’ve waiting to hear some fresh and sassy music,” I said with a smile. I knew that she would see the smile and know that I understood what she was trying to do. I did take a quick glance at Blake in the back seat hoping that he didn’t pick up on me avoiding his question.

  “Oh just pass me already” I said with a raised tone.

  “Is that car too close?” Blake asked as he sat up as if he was on guard.

  “Yeah, they just came out of nowhere. Why do people have to do that, just go around already,” I said as I rolled my window down and waved my hand as to signal to the other car to go by.

  “Maybe you should just pull over at the next chance you get,” Blake said with concern in his voice as he kept glancing behind us.

  “Please Jayden, if you pull over I will clock you just like I want to clock them. Just brake check them those good for nothing...”

  “Sully…cool it with the curse words,” I said as I started to grip the steering wheel a little harder.

  Jayden, do as Blake says but be very cautious, if you stop you might give up your advantage. Just pull a fake like you and I use to at the Lake. Let them think your pulling over then get behind them.

  “Logan!” I said, as I no longer had my thoughts on what was happening but on what I just heard in my head.

  “Sully are you ok?” Blake asked as he put his hand on the back of my seat and started to sit forward.

  I looked back at Blake and got lost in his eyes, those eyes of his make me forget about everything else. They seem to radiate green around the edges.

  Jayden (the voice was yelling) you need to wake up and concentrate or this car could run you off the road.

  “I’m awake, I’m awake. Ok guys I’m going to slow down and see if this car just wants to pass us. I want everyone to buckle in if they aren’t already,” I said as I took a look in my rear view mirror to see where the car was. These aren’t roads that I want to have to maneuver a car that I’m intimate with. On the right of us are cliffs that trail off to the water and on the left are rock walls.

  “Jayden I think the car just wants to pass, it’s coming up on your left,” Blake said with a sense of relaxation in his voice.

  “Great, well, I’m just going to slow down a little to give them some room to pass me,” I said as I didn’t release my tight grip on my wheel.

  The car proceeded to pass on the left and just as I thought it was not another attack the car swerved over to the right and bounced off the my left front fender. Without thinking I slammed on my brakes and turned the wheel to the left. It happened like time was standing still. The left front end of my car hit the right rear of the car in question. The car in question spun out if front of us and hit a tree. It took a few seconds for my car to come to a stop and I just sat there diagonal across both lanes wondering what I should do next.

  “Jayden, are you ok?” Sully asked.

  “Yes I’m ok, how about you two?” I asked but not looking anywhere but at the car that wasn’t moving.

  “We’re both ok, so what now Dale Earnhardt,” Sully said as she pulled her plugs out of her ear. It’s good to know that she can put her music down when there’s a need.

  “Jayden, it might be a good idea to get out of the middle of the road, with it being so dark someone could come around one of those corners and not see us,” Blake said.

  “Ok, I’m pulling up the road a bit and pulling over,” I said as I took my foot off the brake.

  I pulled the car up about 20 feet and onto a turn around that lined the dr
op off. It wasn’t much room but it was better than being in the cross hairs of other cars.

  I unbuckled my seat belt and started opening the door.

  Stop. What are you doing, you have no idea who is in that car.

  “I have to find out if they’re ok, what if they weren’t trying to run us off the road and it was all just an accident, we can’t just leave them here,” I said as I knifed out of my car.

  “Ok, we weren’t going to object, but take Saska with you and don’t get too close until you know what’s up,” Sully said as I called for Saska to come with me.

  As Saska jumped out of the car, I wanted to stop him and find out what was going on with us and how he knew about Logan and I swimming at the Lake, but other things seemed a little more important.

  Please keep your distance from this car you need to listen to yourself and put your guard up just in case.

  “I will be careful, but I have to make sure that no one's hurt, I couldn’t live with myself if we left and someone needed help,” I said as I looked down at Saska.

  The car or should I say SUV looked like a Chevy Tahoe but it was hard to tell in the dark. I was trying to see the people in the SUV but the windows are tinted. I was about three feet from the dark colored SUV and I yelled out.

  “Is everyone ok. Hello, can anyone hear me,” I said as I was hesitant to go any farther.

  Just as I was about to the passenger I felt my skin start to warm up, this seem to be happening a lot lately. The truck started to back up and then it floored it and hit both Saska and I. We both feel to the ground, but before I could get up the truck drove away in the opposite direction from where we were going.

  Are you ok Jayden?

  “I’m ok, but that felt really strange. I’ve always wondered what it would feel like to be hit by a car and that is not what I imagined,” I said as I started to get up.

  Are you hurt

  “No, and that’s the weird part, I feel fine,” I said as I checked out myself to make sure I wasn’t just in shock.

  You must have put up a force field around both of us

  Laughing “I didn’t know that you had such a sense of humor,” I said while I laughed.

  Jayden, things are going to start happening to you that don’t seem explainable

  “Yeah, like a talking dog” I said as I started to walk back to the car.

  Yes, like talking dogs, but more than that you need to conserve your energy we have no idea what lies ahead and until you’ve discovered all of your abilities you're in danger

  “I can’t believe that just happened, and I just got it today,” I said as I started to round the car to look at the damage from the accident.

  Jayden listen to me, there won’t be any damage…

  I stood where there should be damage to my car and there was none. How was this possible? “Where’s the damage on the car, they hit me hard and I hit them. I saw their vehicle, it had damage on it. I don’t understand,” I said.

  I told you that you have the ability to put a force field around yourself and that’s what you did when that truck attacked us. We need to get going, I don’t want those people to come back, you won’t be able to stand another attack so soon.

  “Ok, what do I tell Sully and Blake, they were in the car when it got hit,” I said looking at a dog I was talking to. I have official lost my mind.

  Try to say the least amount possible, I don’t trust Blake and you can’t tell Sully when he’s around.

  “That reminds me, how did you know about the Lake. I’m about to say something that sounds absolutely absurd. Are you Logan?” I said as I squatted down to get right in the dogs face.

  Jayden, let’s talk about this later, you're going to be getting tired soon and I don’t want to bring more stress right now. I promise that we will talk about this later, please let’s get going.

  “Ok, but don’t forget you owe me some answers,” I said as I opened the driver’s door and let Saska in.

  I sat in the driver’s seat for a second before I started the car.

  “Jayden, are you sure you’re ok, we saw that truck back up and hit you too?” Sully asked with concern.

  “I don’t think the car actually hit us, I think that the reaction made me fall down,” I said as I put the car in drive and started back on our voyage.

  “Did you get a look at who was in the car?” Blake asked as he sat back in his seat.

  “No, the windows were blacked out,” I said.

  “So who do you think they were, and what did they want?” Blake asked.

  The car was moving but I started to see black, why was all of this happening and why to me. What did my mother mean in her letter….I couldn’t see the road anymore. I feel so tired, I just want to sleep a little bit.

  “Jayden, Jayden are you awake, stop the car.” I heard Blake say and felt a hand on my shoulder.

  Jayden, listen to my voice, I need you to put your foot on the brake. I know you just want to sleep but you need to stop the car.