“Alone with my thoughts at last,” I spoke out loud, and felt a sense of relief that for the time being I only had myself to contend with.
I turned and headed toward my room, my backpack slung over my shoulder and drink in hand.
When I walked into my bedroom, I went straight for my bed with my bag, placed the pop can on my nightstand, stared at the very large pile of books and papers that I had just emptied from my backpack, and contemplated where to begin.
A minute or two of mental preparation passed, then I spread out all of my books and papers across my comforter to see what, and how much, work I had to deal with. Finally, I decided to organize it all in to stacks according to subject and priority for which subjects needed tackled first and foremost. The task was daunting. Did we really cover this much work in a day’s time at school?
I was grateful to Mr. Stanley for collecting all my missed work from all my other teachers, but I was beginning to wish that he hadn’t been so thoughtful. All of this homework was a good four hours worth of work if I buckled down and completed it in one sitting, and that was with the assumption that I would have a clear frame of mind but knowing very well that I didn’t.
How was I going to get through it all with the visions of Zoey coupled with the continuous thoughts about what it all meant, the glares from Luke, and the ever-growing tension and heat between Leo and me? I just had to do it. Everything had to be put out of my mind so that I could move on with my daily routine. I did my best to wipe my mind clean, and set out to concentrate on my school work and only my school work.
Almost two and a half hours in to my four hours worth of work, I was brought out of my deep train of thought by loud rustling in the yard outside my bedroom window. I figured that the distracting sound was probably just the wind, or maybe a squirrel running around collecting and burying nuts for its winter stash. I shook the thought and the rustling sounds from my mind, cleared my throat, and set myself back to work on my geography paper.
I was busy outlining various cities across the world, for which I was preparing my paper to compare and contrast these various locations, when not more than a few moments later I heard the rustling sounds again outside my bedroom window. This time surely louder than before.
The mysterious sounds were incredibly too much commotion, for my assumption of the sounds being caused by a squirrel, to be accurate. My curiosity of the unknown got the better of me, as usual, and I was driven to find the cause of my distraction with the rustling sounds of leaves and autumn debris leading the way.
I stood from my bed, no longer able to concentrate, and walked over to my second floor bedroom window in an attempt to catch a glimpse of whatever had pulled me away from my concentration on school work; work that I was attempting so desperately to get finished in the shortest amount of time possible.
I pulled the curtains aside in order to get a clear view of the noisome intruder in my yard that had distracted my dedicated attention. I drew my face nearer to the windowpane and let out a silent gasp as I watched a dark swooshing blur speed off across the lawn and disappear around the corner of my house.
What the hell was that?
At least, I think I saw something running away. I barely caught a glimpse of the thing --- the thing --- and it all happened so quickly. I wondered if it could have just been the sun shining through my window, causing shadows and playing tricks on my eyes. It happened so fast. I couldn’t make out if the darkness I spied was even animal or human --- animal or human?
I stood stiff. I continued to peer through my window, another minute or so, searching and waiting for something, anything, to reappear.
Nothing happened. I saw nothing and heard nothing. I reluctantly turned, after several minutes of searching, and sat back down along side all my papers that were still strewn across my bed from the previous hours of study.
I reached over to my nightstand and grabbed my pop, took the last sip, then tossed it into the small trashcan at the end of my bed.
I contemplated what the dark blur could have been. Surely what I saw --- or thought I saw --- was just a dog, or maybe a coyote, that had ventured out of the woods for an afternoon stroll. Possibly it had been lead to my yard by a fresh scent of whatever animal it had been stalking. Perhaps the scent of a squirrel, rat, even a rabbit or raccoon. Sure that made sense, I told myself. A wild dog, or at the worst a coyote which we did see on regular occasions around our house. These were both definite and plausible possibilities.
The proximity of the woods to our home was so close that it was not unheard of to have wild animals appear in our yard quite often. My parents, for as long as I could remember, have always warned me to be on the lookout for such things during my frequent walks through the back woods.
A coyote. I’m sure that’s what I saw, I tried to convince myself. Relinquishing to the fact that my concentration had been fully broken --- and I knew it would be too much of a task trying to get it back --- I decided to take a snack break. I stood from the bed, leaving the scattered papers and opened textbooks scattered haphazardly across my comforter, then headed downstairs toward the kitchen.
“Hmm, what to eat, what to eat?” I whispered out loud to myself.
I sifted through the pantry shelves and found nothing appealing, so I made my way across the kitchen to the refrigerator. I opened the door and felt the frigid air hit my cheeks as I searched its contents.
“Some grapes, maybe?” I considered out loud again, taking a bit of joy in the fact that I was actually talking to myself.
I pulled out the bottom drawer and removed the plastic grocery bag of green seedless grapes that my mother had just bought at the store the previous day. I shut the refrigerator door and walked a few steps over to the sink, placed just under the kitchen window.
I looked out across the cornfield toward the back woods as I washed the grapes in the sink, then found a clean bowl from the overhead cabinet. I plucked the firm wet grapes from their stems, one by one, and dropped them into the bowl. When I had removed enough to fill my bowl to the rim, I grabbed the bag from the counter, chancing a quick glance out the window toward the forest as I was on my way back to the refrigerator.
I gasped, dropping the bag of grapes to the floor, frozen with the shock of the figure that had just caught my glance --- again. The grapes fell from their bag, spilling out onto the floor and rolling freely under every single nook and cranny they could fit into. I felt a couple of them squish beneath my feet as I took a hesitant step back, startled and stunned.
I saw it. Skin and dark fur --- maybe fur. It was still hard to tell with the blur of motion from the speed of the creature. A blurred swoosh, from a dark figure that I just caught a half second glimpse, made its escape into the front row of trees at the edge of the woods, then disappeared.
I did see something this time, I was sure of that. The figure was human-like almost, but then again, it was unlike any human I had ever seen. The figure was definitely not a coyote like I had previously assumed from the noises I’d heard. It was too fast, too dark, and it just didn’t move with the same characteristics as coyotes do --- or humans, for that matter. It almost appeared to be a mixture of the two, although that was completely crazy, right?
My shock remained as intrigue and addicting thoughts of mystery also set in. I was still attempting to catch my breath and bring my breathing back to a normal rhythm, as I allowed my mind a moment to process what my eyes had just seen. I continued to stare from the kitchen window, longing to catch another glimpse.
I finally conceded that it was not coming back, and I broke my gaze to close my eyes for a minute so that I could replay the split-second scene over again in my mind. I hoped that I could slow it down and receive a clearer view inside my head for a logical explanation of what this figure really was.
No luck. No matter how many times I searched every corner of my mind and memories, the figure was unlike anything I had ever seen; therefore, there was no explanation that could be found regardless of how
many times I racked my brain trying to find one.
The grapes were still strewn all over the floor, so I eventually kneeled to clean up my mess. They were everywhere, and the sticky juice had already begun to congeal from the two that I previously stepped on and smashed onto the floor.
“What a day,” I mumbled, still talking to myself.
I think, perhaps, I was more disturbed by the fact that it took me the next fifteen minutes to finish picking up the grapes and then mopping up the sticky juices from the kitchen floor, than I was by my visions from earlier today and by the mysterious dark figure I had just spied darting into the forest just moments ago. A little excitement, and even some danger, in my life is exactly what I needed and longed for. Things rarely spooked me or caught me by surprise, but there was something different about that figure. Today’s events didn’t feel as if they were just random happenings or things that could simply be chalked up to as a strange day. Even though I wasn’t scared off by my visions and the strange figure, I couldn’t shake the feeling that more was out there; more than I ever dreamed to believe was actually here on this earth and not just parts of storybooks and fairy tales.
I had always hoped, more recently than ever, that something different would happen in this small town --- but this? Something other than tomorrow’s everyday routine to get me out of bed in the morning was all I had ever wished for. Now, I think I was on the verge of all my hopes and wishes coming true. The phrase ‘Be careful what you wish for’ resonated in my mind once more. I was scared, but more so, I felt intrigued and excited. I felt a sudden purpose to my life. I had a mission now in searching out the truth to that strange figure and my visions of Zoey.
I picked myself up off the floor, put the mop and bucket back in the laundry room, and walked back to the counter where my bowl of grapes sat, still waiting for me. I took one last look through the kitchen window toward the woods, even scanned the field all the way across to the neighbor’s houses, before finally giving in to the fact that there was nothing else to be seen. I reluctantly headed back upstairs to my room, snack in hand.
I felt more anxious than ever. I had to find something to occupy myself, other than mundane homework, in order to keep my thoughts from running wild and getting the best of me. I decided to text Emmy and tell her the news about Leo asking me to Homecoming. I picked up my phone from the nightstand and began texting. I decided to add a couple question for Emmy in my text as well, to take the focus off myself and get her chatting. The more chatting the better, anything to distract my brain and take the focus off the craziness of today’s events.
what r u wearing 2 the dance?
has Will asked u yet?
Will’s a junior, like us, and Emmy has had the biggest crush on him since just this past summer when we ran in to him at the Fairview Town Street Fair. He had been there with Leo and a couple of the other football players. While Leo and I talked, Will and Emmy chatted for a little while as well. Emmy has been “in love” ever since.
I couldn’t figure out what page Will was on though. He’s hard to read, and he keeps to himself for the most part. Will usually lets Emmy do all of the talking when we all meet up, but that’s probably a good thing since the girl never stops.
My phone buzzed with a return text from Emmy, and I was a little wary with anxious anticipation to read her response to my news. Of course, just like my mom, Emmy said she had a feeling that this was coming. Had everyone else already seen what I was just now catching on to? I wondered if I was the only one around here who believed friends could remain “just friends”. Oh, who was I kidding? I didn’t even think I believed that anymore.
Emmy also texted that Will still hadn’t asked her to Homecoming yet, but she added that she hadn’t heard that he’d asked anyone else either. So, that was a good thing. Knowing Emmy the way I do, she had probably been asking around school to see if Will had been bringing her up in conversations, but since Will’s the quiet type, I doubted he’d ever talk to anyone about Emmy.
“Damn it,” I whispered to myself.
I was hoping Will would’ve brought up the subject of Homecoming with Emmy while they were at school today. I might need to intervene, saving myself from many evenings of having my ear chattered off. How many more days could I keep up my friendly smile while Emmy rambled incessantly over Will and the ever approaching Homecoming dance? I made up my mind to ask Leo if he would mention the subject
to Will first thing tomorrow morning.
I texted Emmy again, reassuring her.
I’m sure he’ll ask soon
he’s probably just nervous
I tossed my phone on the bed, along with all my strewn homework, as I heard the sounds of my mom coming in through the back door. Thank God, I thought. Something else to distract my over-stimulated and confused mind.
“Becca, I’m home. I’m going to start dinner. You hungry?” she called out.
I walked out of my room at the sound of my mom’s voice, then moved to the top of the staircase where I could see my mom standing below.
“Yeah. I had a snack, but other than that I haven’t eaten since breakfast. I’m starving.”
“Good, I’m making spaghetti. Sound good?”
“Yep, sounds delicious. I’ll be down in just a minute,” I called to her.
My dad arrived home, shortly after we had started boiling the noodles, and announced that he’d had a crazy day. He’s not the only one, I thought. It’s almost deer season, and this time of year is always busier for him that the rest. Being a Conservation Officer with the DNR always has had its ups and downs, but the craziness of the overly anxious hunters just before deer season had always taken its toll on my dad.
The three of us ate dinner together at the kitchen table while we took turns volunteering bits about each of our days. My mother volunteered some of my day, however; the part that involved Leo asking me to Homecoming, of course, and my dad just rolled his eyes in response.
We all finished eating, and I helped my mom load the dishwasher while my dad made his way to the living room, turned on the TV, and clicked the remote till he found a football game. I could hear the fifty clicks of the remote and the cheering of fans floating down the hall into the kitchen.
Once the kitchen was free of clutter, splattered spaghetti sauce, and our dishes cleared, I headed back upstairs to my room so I could finish the last of my school work that needed completed for tomorrow. I found it strange, I was thinking while climbing the stairs to my room, that my mom had only asked me once this evening about how I was recovering from my fall and fainting spell this morning. Maybe I appeared to be fine, and so she just assumed everything that had caused the dizzy spell had simply passed. Maybe she knew more than she had been letting on and could explain why I’d had visions of Zoey. No, that couldn’t be true, I thought.
If only she really did know how much more there was to the incident, and for that matter, the rest of this peculiar day. It would be nice to have someone to talk to about the sudden turns in my life. I had always wanted to be different --- for my life to be different --- but I never realized how hard it would be if I never had anyone to share all of that different with.
I quickly finished all my homework and tried exceptionally hard to put the visions, and also the figure I’d seen, out of my mind. Time had passed rapidly while I was working, and by this point in the evening it was nearing ten o’clock.
I felt the exhaustion hit me full force from the long day of unusual and baffling events, so I packed up my school things, took a shower, then got myself into bed at a somewhat decent hour.
I laid in bed for a little while, going over the day’s events in my head. I knew that I’d never get any sleep the way my mind was racing. I pulled out my iPod from the drawer in my nightstand, and I finally closed out the thoughts and images from my mind, falling asleep to the music pounding in my ears.
That night, I dreamt of myself in the woods. The dream was so vivid and clear. I was standing in the middle of tall tr
ees. Although they were so thick that I couldn’t even make out the night sky from where I was standing, I could tell that it was first light because of the glow of a few thin rays of pink sunrise piercing through the arch of thick branches overhead from the surrounding trees.
I was standing alone with a beautiful swirl of tiny glittering twinkle lights all around me. They looked like tiny bits of dust shining in the moonlight and the oncoming morning glow. The tiny lights completely engulfed me and had begun swirling even more quickly than before, lifting my feet along with my entire body from the ground below.
Soon enough, I was moving at a speed so fast that I could no longer make out the images of what I knew to be trees flying past me at such an incredible speed; yet, I was distinctly aware and in control of my every movement.
I had never felt anything like it. So real. It was the most superlative feeling of being alive, and strong, and at peace.
Chapter 3.
Just the Beginning
be-gin-ning
/bi’gigiNG/
Noun
The point in time or space at which something starts.
Adjective
New or inexperienced.
I woke the next morning abound with feelings of exhilaration and contentedness. The dream had been more real than any I’d ever had before, and I was more excited than ever to get to school and officially meet Zoey. I would have to have better control over myself today; I had to, in case the visions were to return.
I got myself dressed, brushed through my hair, and quickly swept it up in to a ponytail. I barely looked at myself in my mirror as I brushed on a light coat of blush and wiped the clear lip gloss across my full lips.
I recalled how differently I felt just yesterday morning when I made my way through this very same morning routine; however, at a much slower pace. There was such a vast change in me, caused by the events of the last twenty-four hours, that the two mornings felt worlds apart.
Beautiful Souls Page 4
