Micah knew it would end, it always did, at least so far, but it still terrified him. The black, scurrying bodies, hiding in the shadows with red, beady eyes glaring back at him. It was happening so frequently now that he could hardly sleep or eat. Loss of appetite and exhaustion had his mom keeping him home from school the past week, which was fine with him. He didn’t know when the ‘visions’ would begin or end. The first time it’d occurred, his dad had been mid-sentence about a scout’s interest in Micah for a possible football scholarship. One minute his dad was there, the next, Micah was running for his life in the forest, countless black creatures chasing after him.
It’d taken his dad shaking his shoulder to snap him back to their living room. Micah had tried to explain what’d happened but his dad had asked if he was using drugs. Stunned, he decided to keep his supernatural senses to himself after that. He knew his dad meant well. He had been the partying type in high school and had warned Micah as a kid to stay clean, which he had.
Relief flooded him. The monsters are gone. He was back in his dad’s study. Heart thumping, he typed the word demon.
It was the only logical thing he could think of. What else could they be? As the computer page filled with definitions, classifications, and history of, the room brightened and warmed.
He glanced up, inhaling sharply. She’s back!
Leaning over the desk, her black hair tumbled forward as her hand reached toward him. Eyes wide, he waited to see what she’d do. After seeing the dark creatures, he no longer feared her. In fact, he was almost happy she was there.
There was a tap-tap at the door, drawing Micah’s eyes away long enough. The woman was gone, vanishing like she’d never been there.
Frustrated, Micah expected his dad or mom to enter, but it was Eden. Her eyes darted around and then landed on him.
“Your mom said to come get you.” Her tone sounded apologetic.
“Oh hey,” Micah said, still trying to compose himself. He found each vision left him physically drained. She hesitated in the doorway. “You can come in. I was just doing some,” he paused, “research.”
She stepped in, her expression hard to make out. Realizing the lights were off, and the natural light from the window was gone with the sunset over, he flicked on the floor lamp next to him. The light cast long shadows on the walnut bookshelves.
She chose one of the high-back leather chairs across from him, keeping her face pointed down at her intertwined fingers.
Micah considered her a moment, and then deleted his browsing history before his dad saw it. He turned off his laptop, shutting the few books he’d found referring to heaven and hell, and closing the leather-bound Bible he’d discovered on a bookshelf.
“So are you glad you’re back?” he asked, rising to his feet and collapsing in the chair next to her. He wasn’t sure why, but he hung onto the Bible.
She lifted her eyes briefly to his, before shifting them back to the floor. “Yeah, I guess. It’s different.”
“Different? So in other words, you hate it?”
She smiled, it was small, but he was glad to see it. “No,” she answered. She peeked over. “Is it a good book?”
“Huh? Oh yeah this.” He peered down at what was in his hands. He hadn’t realized he’d been rubbing the spine with his palm. “As a matter-a-fact, it’s The Good Book.” When she didn’t say anything, he explained, “You know, the Bible.”
“Oh.” Her eyebrows shot up.
“Guess you didn’t peg me for the Bible-thumping type, huh?”
She giggled a little.
Guess not, he thought, smiling. Something about her quiet way made him open up. “Eden, have you ever wondered what it’s all about?”
“What do you mean?”
“Life, religion, what’s really out there.” He spread one hand out, like he was feeling the air in the room.
“Yeah, I suppose I have. Why?”
He was tempted to tell her everything, hoping she’d believe him, but instead he said, “It’s funny, my parents have always taught me to be good, you know, make good decisions and stuff, but now that I’m,” he paused, not sure how to say it, “searching for my own truth, they’re worried about me.”
“They are? Why do you think?”
He snorted. “I don’t know, maybe ‘cause I’m not sleeping.”
“That explains it.”
“What?”
“The dark rings under your eyes. You didn’t have them before, I mean, when I saw you at school…” Her words trailed off, her face growing pink.
“Oh yeah, hey about that, I’m sorry.”
She shot him a glance. “Why are you sorry?” Her words were barely audible.
Man, she feels really bad, doesn’t she?
“‘Cause my friends were total jerks to you.” He was glad to get it off his chest.
Her glasses slid down her nose, landing in her lap, and she fumbled to replace them. Without them, she reminded him of the girl he’d once known.
She slid them back on. “No, they weren’t. They were fine.”
“Whatever, now you’re lying for the worthless sacks.” He grinned, hoping to see another smile.
She giggled again, her blonde hair blocking her face from his view.
He noticed. “Your hair’s gotten long.”
“I know. My mom’s dying for me to chop it off.”
“What? No way, it’s really pretty.”
“Thanks.” There was an awkward pause. “Oh, shoot. Your mom told me to get you for dinner. Wonder if they’re already eating.”
Always worried about obeying. Micah grinned. “All right, want to go?”
She nodded and he followed her, noticing for the first time how long and lean her legs were. It felt odd to realize her body was attractive. He cleared his throat. “How tall are you?”
She turned, pausing in the doorway. “Uh, five eight, maybe nine, I don’t know, why?”
“It’s not a bad thing; don’t look so offended.”
“I’m not.” Her tone said otherwise.
Wonder why that struck a nerve? “It’s nice not staring at the top of your head,” he said honestly.
She cocked an eyebrow at him. “Huh?”
“Oh, never mind.” He steered her by the shoulders. “Let’s go get some dinner before Caleb eats it all.”
The Awakener Page 4
