Roam (Roam Series, Book One)

by Stedronsky, Kimberly

  “Roam, come here now!” He orders. I am confused by his tone, even more curious. I close the remaining distance between myself and the casket. I drop to my knees in horror.

  It is Morgan.

  The bell ripped through my ears, and I sat up with a start, eyes wide. The class was flooding toward the door, ignoring me. I glanced at West. He sat at his desk, watching me.

  “Tired?” He asked, arms crossed over his chest. Closing my notebook, I gathered my things into my bag.

  “A little.”

  “You stayed up last night.”

  “I’m afraid of nightmares. I just dreamed Morgan was dead. Now, I don’t even get to have normal dreams,” I zipped the book bag angrily, rubbing my eyes. “I’m swimming after school. Open swim until four o’clock. Do you want to meet me outside the locker room after?”

  “If you don’t sleep, you will be weak and exhausted. An easy target.”

  “Yeah,” I stared at the board, covered in West’s neat handwriting. “Okay, then, see you later.”

  “Roam.” He lowered his voice to barely a whisper. “I’m sorry.”

  “You already apologized- yesterday. And I didn’t stop you. So, just forget it. Just- tell me Morgan is okay- tell me my dream didn’t mean anything, just now,” I ordered, my eyes burning. I had to get some more coffee.

  “I don’t think it means anything. You’re worried about your family.”

  “Okay, thanks. See you later,” I hurried out the door before he could speak again.

  At lunch, Logan offered to pick me up at the pool that afternoon, but I assured him that Morgan was coming. “We’re planning a sister day Saturday. Head start tonight with a sleepover.” I felt guilty for lying, but I needed to talk to West.

  By the end of the day, I caught my second wind and hurried to the pool. The locker room was completely empty. When I finally found the gym teacher, Mrs. Sevarin, she assured me that open swim was still an option. “With it being Labor Day weekend, I think the kids aren’t interested in sticking around here any longer than necessary,” she glanced at her watch, and then at the pool. “What time do you want the pool until?”

  It was obvious she wanted to leave as well. “I can swim alone, it’s fine.”

  “You’re a great swimmer, Roam, but school policy states that you can’t swim by yourself. “

  “I understand. I’ll just do a couple of laps, is that okay?”

  Relief flooded her face. “Sure. I’ll clean up a few things. Have fun.”

  I thanked her and went to change. My suit was dark blue with one white stripe running horizontally down the side, Madison swim team colors. Swim was a winter sport, but the pool was open all school year for normal Phys Ed classes.

  The deep end of the Olympic-sized pool was beckoning. I dived, the cool blast from the water saturating my senses. When I swam, the world disappeared, and I was fluid. I touched the bottom of the pool, my ears pleasantly plugged from the water pressure change. I’m glad to be alone. The lap ropes were still up, and I stretched, careful with my form as I swam up and down the lane.

  A half an hour later, Mrs. Sevarin squatted by the pool. “Do you mind if we close up?”

  Disappointed, I nodded. “That’s fine. I’ll just do four more laps and get out, okay?”

  “Thanks for understanding. My husband and I are going out to dinner for the first time since my daughter was born, so we’re pretty excited.”

  Having forgotten that she’d just had a baby, I smiled warmly. “That’s so nice. Go ahead, I’m getting right out. And if you ever need a sitter, I’d be glad to help.”

  “You’re a sweetheart Roam. See you Monday.”

  Though tempted to continue swimming, my conscience forced me to stop after my promised four laps. Mrs. Sevarin was already out the door, and the pool was blissfully empty. Sighing, I dove to the bottom of the pool one last time, enjoying the calming silence under the water.

  When I surfaced, something- someone- caught the corner of my vision. Goosebumps erupted over my body, and I made a small circle in the pool, searching the doors. Staring intently at the locker room door, I decided it must have been my overactive imagination. The edge of the pool was a foot away. I leaned back to dunk my hair, smoothing it away from my face.

  When I straightened, a man stood in front of me.

  I widened my eyes, my heart failing to beat. “Hi Roam,” he said smoothly, crouching next to the pool.

  He looked vaguely familiar, and I moved to back away from him. His dark hair was short, and his eyes were light, a shade lighter blue than West’s. His face was defined, a clef in his square chin adding to his overall, muscular form. He wore cargo shorts and a black tee-shirt. His smile was- amused?

  “Do I know you?” I asked, trying to identify him.

  “Morgan showed you my picture, I’m sure,” he said, his voice much lower than West’s or Logan’s. I shivered, now freezing in the pool. Something is wrong.

  “Reed,” I remembered, my eyes darting around the pool. No one else was in sight. The security cameras were fixed in the corner of the gymnasium, but I wasn’t sure if they just recorded, or if they were monitored from the office.

  He grinned. “Morgan calls me Reed. It’s my last name.”

  Dread washed over me. I’ve heard his voice before. Tears threatened. “Is Morgan here with you?” I asked. My words were broken and foreign to my ears.

  “Morgan told me something… interesting,” he stood up, towering over me. I moved to the center of the pool, as far away from all four edges of the rectangle as possible.

  “Oh yeah?” His hair, longer and dirty, hanging in his face…

  “She told me that her baby sister went and got herself a tattoo. Little rebel,” he murmured, his gaze fixed on me like a vice.

  My eyes darted to my arm, and I regretted the act immediately. Where is your hero now, mademoiselle?

  “Does it look something like this?” He rolled up his sleeve, flashing his forearm.

  The numbers.

  My chest was hollowed. I tried to tread water, but my muscles were refusing to cooperate. Breathe, breathe, please, I struggled, gasping.

  “Oh, don’t be scared.” His eyes crawled over me. “I’ll make this easy- and mostly painless. I’ve already had my fun with you in the past.”

  I remembered the dull knife breaking my skin as he thrust it through my throat.

  Adrenaline should have been rushing by now, but instead I felt weak. I’m trapped- I have no time to get to any edge of this pool without him meeting me there. If he jumps in after me, I may be able to out-swim him…

  “Come here.”

  I tried to scream, but, like in my nightmares, my voice was gone. I went under the water a little and came up gasping. He laughed.

  “You’re terrified. He really found you young this time. He- he hasn’t even touched you, has he?” He laughed harder, menacing. “You’re still just a child.”

  I pivoted and swam away from him, hearing the crashing of his jump into the water like the sound of a shark at my feet. My limbs were shaking as I pulled and kicked the water, reaching for the edge.

  He was on me in seconds. I tried to scream, water gurgling in my throat. “Now, come on, I want to talk for a minute. Hey,” he had my hands from behind, pressing me rigidly against the coping of the pool. He was dripping wet, and he pushed his mouth against my ear. “Stop. I could have snapped your little neck but I haven’t. I want to talk.” We were waist deep in the water.

  “What?” I went slack against him, shaking violently.

  “That’s better,” he buried his nose deep into my wet hair, just above my ear. I cringed, moaning pitifully. “Has he used the fountains yet?” His mouth was so close to my eardrum, I could barely understand him. He pressed himself against me from behind, crushing my stomach against the side of the pool. I whimpered.

  “The fountains?”

  “West. The fountains,” he repeated, his teeth closing sharply on my earlobe. Pain radiated throu
gh my ear. He bit me… he broke the skin on my ear. Sobbing, I tried to focus. “Has he used them yet?”

  I turned his words over in my mind, drawing my knees up as far as I could. “The doors- yes,” My voice trembled so badly, I could barely understand myself.

  “St. Petersburg?”

  The curious part of me, the driven intellect, registered his words. St. Petersburg… fountains… the Peterhof Fountains, built by Peter the Great… the fountain is a door?

  “Yes, the- Peterhof Fountains,” I confirmed. He snarled, wrenching my arms behind me until I felt the sockets pop. I cried, my head jerking backward automatically.

  “And your little dream water-mirrors, they lead him right to it,” he hissed.

  Cold realization hit me. He was going to hunt West.

  After he killed me.

  He had inched backwards when pulling my arms, and I used that opportunity to flatten my bare feet against the pool wall in front of me. I expected the pain in my arms, but readied myself anyway. Crying out, I pushed off as hard as I could.

  He was knocked backward, buying me moments to throw myself over the edge of the pool. I did, scrambling to my feet as he followed me. Halfway between the pool and the wall, my foot hit a puddle of water and I slipped, falling forward and landing hard on my knees.

  He picked me up by the waist and threw me back in the pool. In the moments I was underwater, I tried to absorb the pain in my knee, but he was already yanking me back to the surface with a brutal grip on my shoulders. The water was draining from my ears as he spoke, so the first part of his hissing sentence was muddled.

  “I’m going to kill you now, once and for all, you little bitch.”

  “Roam!”

  Troy turned, watching Logan run to the edge of the pool. He dropped me instantly, moving to the side and heaving himself out. I prayed that he was going to run like a coward, but instead he advanced on Logan. “Run! Logan, run please run!”

  Logan threw his fist at Troy, but Troy caught it in a simple movement. Suddenly, Logan was on the ground, screaming in pain. He must have broken his arm, I realized, trying to run through the water toward Logan. I’m in my nightmare, so slow, can’t run…

  At the edge of the pool, Troy reached down and grabbed me by the hair. In one movement, I was under the water.

  Eyes open, I clawed at his hand. He only pushed me further down. My lungs began to burn- I didn’t have enough time to fill them. In seconds they were on fire. My heart throbbed in my ears as panic seized me. I beat against his hands, and then tried to rip the handful of hair he had out of my scalp.

  I fought the urge to inhale for a second more before opening my mouth. Water rushed into my throat, fiery. Trying to breathe, terror took over as searing liquid flooded my lungs. Suffocation was a fleeting thought, and then I began to feel heavy, too heavy to move. The familiar ringing in my ears finally filled the bottled silence. I’m dying.

  I recognized death only moments before it came.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Humming. Distant words, bright lights. “Cough- breathe, cough,” he was murmuring, his mouth covering mine. I opened my eyes, but they were on fire. Chlorine stung my nose, all the way down my throat.

  Suddenly, I was choking. West lifted me into a sitting position and I gagged, vomiting and heaving. Water poured out of my mouth and nose, and I retched again.

  “Good- baby, it’s almost out, keep coughing,” he whispered, soothing, brushing the hair out of my eyes. I gasped for air, my lungs fighting like they were filled with sand.

  I could breathe. I took deep breaths, every one burning a little less than the one before. I looked around me; West kneeled next to me, both of us beside the pool.

  “Help,” My voice was strangled. I tried to stand, but he lifted me into his arms, my wet bathing suit soaking his dress shirt.

  “Oh thank God,” he murmured against my neck, holding me against him. Limply, I leaned into him as he carried me.

  Fear jolted my senses. “Troy- he was here,” I began coughing spasmodically, unable to catch my breath. “Logan! Logan…,”

  “I’m here,” Logan’s voice was behind me. I turned in West’s arms, and he gripped me even tighter. Logan was soaking wet; I guessed that he’d been the one to go in after me.

  “What happened?” I asked, looking at his arm. “Did he hurt you?”

  West set me to my feet gently, holding me while I tried to stand. My legs were gelatin beneath me, and he lifted me back into his arms.

  “Roam, you had no pulse. He drowned you. Mr. Perry brought you back.” Logan met West’s eyes, and then looked back at me.

  “You saved me?” I looked up at West. He was guarded; something was wrong.

  “I walked in and found Logan pulling you out of the pool.”

  Logan reached for me, but West took a step back, still gripping me protectively to his chest. I shifted uncomfortably, coughing. “West- Mr. Perry- you can put me down.”

  “Logan needs to know, Roam.” He set me again to my feet, and this time I stood, using his arm for support.

  “I told you, all along, that Logan would understand–“

  “Understand this?” Logan reached for me, his arm extended. West put himself in front of me, blocking me from Logan.

  It was too late. I saw the numbers before he fully extended his arm. The coordinates, the location of the one he was born to find… and destroy.

  Me.

  “No… no, please,” I crumbled, my mind closing in on itself. “Logan, no…,”

  “What is this? Why do you have the same thing on your arm?”

  I held my breath, willing myself to faint. It happened so easily before, why wouldn’t unconsciousness come and take me now? I remembered Logan throwing a punch at Troy, and Troy catching his arm… I thought he’d broken Logan’s arm…

  The numbers had come when they touched.

  “Breathe,” West ordered, holding me up. “Logan won’t hurt you. He has no idea what this is about yet.”

  “And you do? What the hell is going on?” Logan demanded, reaching for me again. West pushed me further behind him.

  “I’ll tell you, but you need to keep your hands off of her right now. You’ll understand why after I tell you about those numbers, and about the man who just killed your girlfriend.”

  Logan was quiet, rubbing his forearm as if trying to wipe away the numbers. I remembered doing the same thing when they first appeared to me.

  “We need to get her to a hospital.”

  “No hospitals,” West snapped. “Go grab her clothes and bag from the locker room.”

  He scowled. “She’s not leaving my sight.”

  “Stop! Oh my God, Morgan!” I tried to run to the locker room for my phone, but my limbs were heavy and sluggish. “Morgan had no idea who he was, and she’s been dating him…,”

  “Morgan called me- that’s why I came looking for you,” Logan said, confusion adding to the anger in his words. “She said she couldn’t reach you on your phone, and she wanted to know if you were with me.”

  “She was okay?”

  “She sounded fine- Roam, what the hell is this? Why aren’t we calling the police?”

  “Go get her things,” West repeated, pointing at the locker room. “We need to get her out of here. If you love her, you’ll listen to me,” he was seething. I had never seen him so infuriated.

  Logan looked at me. I nodded. “I’m safe with him, Logan, I promise.”

  Logan shot him another antagonizing glare, and then stalked to the locker room.

  West pressed me against him. “Don’t be afraid. Logan is the same person- for now. We have him, and we can protect him.”

  “Troy will kill his family! He will kill Logan if he doesn’t cooperate- you told me that,” I pressed my hands against my knees; my knee was buckling, and felt sprained or bruised. I remembered slipping as Troy chased me. “Why did it have to be Logan? He is so close to me… I love him,” Sobbing, I pressed my face to West’s damp shirt.
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  “This is…,” West shook his head against my wet hair. “So cruel... I’m sorry.” His sincerity, and being in is arms, was reassuring.

  “Does Troy think that I’m dead?”

  “Not for long. The numbers are supposed to disappear. They won’t. I’m not leaving you,” he promised.

  “It hurt- the water hurt so much,” I wept, trembling. He held me from falling.

  “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have left you alone, I should have known he would come looking for you early, I’m sorry.” He cradled me in his arms, my cheek pressed against his chest while I cried. “Things have to change now, Roam.”

  Logan burst out of the locker room, carrying my clothes, flip flops, and bag. “Okay, talk before I call the cops,” he ordered, dropping my bag.

  West glared at him. “We need to get her out of here first. Can you put your clothes on over your suit?” He asked me gently, and I nodded, accepting my shirt. Slipping it over my head, I winced, and then flattened my palm over the crown of my head. It was sore where he’d pulled my hair. My ear hurt as well, and I touched the lobe with my fingertip. Blood.

  “He bit my ear,” I whispered, trying to register the full impact of what had just transpired. I faced Troy, I fought him, and he had killed me.

  “Jesus Christ,” West gripped both sides of my face, brushing the layers of hair away. Blood, now dried, crusted down my face and behind my ear. “Hurry, put your pants on.” He held my capris out, helping me step into them. I lifted my eyes to Logan, who was stuffing my bra and panties into my back pack.

  “Where will we go?” I asked. West looked at me, his dark eyes commanding.

  “I have to take you away,” he stated, as if those few words were all the explanation that I would need.

  “Away where?” Logan demanded, glaring at West. “I don’t like the way you’re talking to- and touching- my girlfriend. You’d better get your hands off her.”

  “We’re not doing this right now, Logan. Get her bag and let’s go.”

  “Screw you! Roam, come on…” he reached for me, his hand circling my upper arm. West was on him in a flash, and I watched in horror as he grabbed Logan, lifting him inches off the floor, and shoved him across the pool deck.