by J. C. Lucas
I continued to scan the forest for some sign of the kid. He couldn’t have gone too far. Celeste went into the house with our packages, not concerned at all, and I gritted my teeth, struggling to control my temper. I may have been just a teenager, but I wasn’t crazy!
As I strolled along the tree line, close to where I had seen the boy, something caught the fading light from the sun, glinting in the grass. Stepping closer, I bent down to look.
A skeleton key! It was small, almost the size of a quarter. Picking up the key, I studied it with wonder. In my palm, it was warm and heavy for its size. Where could it have come from? Was this something the boy had dropped as he ran off? Shoving it into my pocket, I continued to walk around the exterior of the woods.
If the key was his, and he realized he had lost it, I knew he would be back.
Somewhere deep in the trees, an owl hooted, and small animals skittered through leaves and branches. I marveled at the sounds of nature surrounding me as I made my way to the patio.
Wooden Adirondack chairs surrounded a fire pit, perfect for sitting in while reading a book late in the evening. Pulling my legs up as I sat, I hugged my knees to my chest and stared at the clear sky, sighing at the beauty of the stars. Never would I have seen an atmosphere like this in the city with all the bright lights drowning them out. I wondered why Nan moved away from here. With her love of nature, I couldn’t imagine how she enjoyed the noise and pollution of the city over the beauty here.
Celeste called to me a while later, announcing dinner, and I stood up from the chair, taking one last look at the dark woods before heading inside. I would love nothing more than to sit out here all night long.
Ambling into the kitchen, I could hear Charlie in the other room. Celeste hadn’t been kidding when she said he was a chatterbox. He went on and on as if he was having a full-blown conversation with someone. With the door to the sunroom closed, I couldn’t make out what he was tittering about other than hearing him say, “No, not that.”
Such a strange bird.
Our meal was a quiet one, and I was lost in thought about school tomorrow. I just wanted to get the first day over with, so I knew what to expect going forward.
After eating, I helped Celeste with the dishes and then wandered off to pick out a book from her library. I thought reading would help me relax enough to go to sleep tonight. I chose one of my favorites, Gone with the Wind, and went up to bed.
The air was thick, and an eggy smell permeated the air as I walked through the crumbling hallway of an old house, frantically pushing cobwebs off as they clung to my face. As I reached the end of the hall, the air turned freezing cold, and the room in front of me was splashed with blood and gore. My stomach turned at the sight, and I opened my mouth to scream. No sound came out. It was as if something were squeezing my vocal cords tight. A creature huddled in the corner, ready to spring at me and mix my blood with the others whose body parts lay strewn all over. I choked on the fetid air, and my feet wouldn’t move as the creature shuffled closer. It was shorter than me, with gray-scaled skin and horns that stuck out from a misshapen head. Drool dripped from its foul mouth as razor-sharp teeth snapped when it got within a foot of me, a machete-like knife held in its long-fingered grasp. Terror like I had never felt before engulfed me, and then the creature lunged for me.
I can’t breathe—I can’t breathe!
I was frantic, trying to tear away from the creature, clawing as it wrapped around me, and my eyes snapped open in horror. My hand hit something hard, and I winced at the pain. It took me a minute to realize I had fallen out of the bed and my sheets were tangled all around me. Wrestling them off, I tried to slow my panicked breathing. I pressed my cheek to the cold wood floor, chanting over and over to myself that it was just a nightmare. My heart rate finally returned to normal, and I could think straight again, but I felt terror just the same.
The clock on the nightstand showed it was six in the morning. I hadn’t planned on waking up so early for school, but there was no way I could go back to sleep now. My earbuds were still in, but silent. I grabbed my iPod off the nightstand only to see that the battery was dead. Strange. I had just charged it yesterday. Sighing, I slammed it back down, frustrated. The best way I could rid myself of the lingering fright from the nightmare was to charge ahead and get on with my day.
After showering and getting ready for school, I packed my backpack with all I thought I would need. Braiding my hair and putting my beanie on, I went downstairs to make an English muffin for breakfast. As I descended the stairs, I could hear Charlie. This morning, he was singing in his cheerful bird voice as if only to me, knowing I needed something to lift my crummy mood.
“Good morning to you! Good morning to you!”
It was incredible that every time he spoke, it was always something different. I wondered if Celeste taught him a new phrase to say each day. Now that would be talent for a bird to pick up something so fast. I added teaching him something funny to my to-do list. I thought it would be hilarious and would catch Celeste off guard.
Speaking of Celeste, she was sitting at the table when I walked into the kitchen and reading that same book again. Every time I walked in to find her reading it, she would place it face down, like she was hiding something. Almost as if she didn’t want me to see the cover.
Still feeling the aftereffects of the dream, I knew I’d follow the same pattern as I always did. I would be snarky, maybe a little mean. I couldn’t help it because the dream last night had really gotten to me. My ugly side comes out when I try desperately to hide how shaken I am. I don’t want anyone to know about the nightmares. Like a defense mechanism, it automatically kicked in. What if they told me I needed to see a therapist, or if they thought something was wrong with me? That would be the icing on the cake.
“What’s up with the book, Celeste? Is it some trashy old romance you don’t want me to know you’re reading? You always turn it over when I come in.”
I knew how rude it sounded, and a little part of me felt terrible as I got the English muffin and toasted it. Looking over at me, she wasn’t fazed at all by my attitude, although she looked amused. Her reaction only fueled my combative attitude. I didn’t want her to be amused; I wanted her to get mad. Not because I really wanted her to be mad, but because I didn’t want her to be kind to me and cause the walls I had built to crumble. I needed all the resolve I could to get through this day.
I huffed as I poured a glass of orange juice.
“No, Andie. It’s not some steamy romance I don't want you to know I’m reading. If I were reading one of those, I wouldn’t care who knew. No... This book is ancient, full of tales so wild you wouldn’t believe it. Stories of magical creatures and different worlds. Full of love and violence like you can’t imagine. I promise I’m not trying to hide it from you. If I were, I wouldn’t read it when you were around and would keep it put away.” Celeste rubbed her thumb over the spine of the old book, and the wind chimes tinkled outside the kitchen window as the breeze blew through them.
How could she be so patient with me?
“One day, you can read it when I think you’re ready. It is a very long tale, longer than any story you have ever read before.”
Her description intrigued me and only made me more interested in it. I doubt the book was as great as she made it out to be, though. And why would it take so long to read? It didn’t look like that big of a book to me, not any larger than Gone with the Wind, and I read that in a week!
“Let’s get your stuff, Andie. It’s time to go to school. I know it’ll be a great day for you. I imagine you will meet all kinds of interesting students and enjoy your classes. Just remember, your day will be what YOU make it. Let nothing or no one get you down.” She gave me the pep talk like she’d done this before.
I rolled my eyes at her back after she turned away to walk out the door and trudged out behind her.
Chapter Four
Celeste dropped me off in front of the high school building, full of good wishes and a chee
rfulness I wish I felt. I watched all the other students hustling in as I walked up to the big red doors. To my relief, most of them were dressed like me, wearing jeans and old T-shirts, some with hoodies. No one walking into the school wore the latest fashion, and that gave me a little more courage, but I still ducked my head when a guy opened the door for me with a smile. Muttering my thanks, I shuffled into the small hallway only to trip over my own feet and stumble forward.
Ugh, so embarrassing!
I knew my face must be bright red. Steeling myself, I looked up to see if anyone noticed the clumsy new girl. No one around was looking, but as Teagan leaned against the wall by the office door, I realized he had. He smiled with a lopsided grin, arms crossed in front of him as he gazed at me.
Trying to make light of my embarrassment and shake it off, I walked up to him, hoping I could act more confident than I was.
“I had to make a grand entrance, you know!”
Flipping my braid over my shoulder, I laughed as he peeled himself from the wall in one fluid motion. I hadn’t realized how tall he was the other day until I stood beside him now. Next to my five-foot-six frame, he towered over me. He had to be at least six two.
“You don’t need any grand entrances, Andie. Don’t worry about what anyone thinks about you. You’ll be the rainbow among the clouds here.” He grinned, amusement dancing in his eyes.
Wow, where did that come from? I knew my cheeks flushed once again. His poetic words touched a cold place in my heart, and I felt a crack in my armor start to open. Shyly, I smiled up at him, and to my relief, he brushed my embarrassment aside.
“Are you ready for your first day? It’s a good school, and I think you'll enjoy the classes. There are difficulties, but overall, it’s a great place to be.” He reached forward, grabbing the backpack off my shoulder, casually slinging it over his as if it weighed next to nothing. Stunned by this gesture, I stared. He seemed to think nothing of it and turned to head down the hall.
Chivalry wasn’t dead!
“Follow me, Andie. I know your schedule, so I’ll show you where your first class is. Mr. Sloan’s science class. I’m going to warn you: don’t ask about dissecting frogs. You’ll be in for a huge speech about how inhumane it is.” I followed close on his heels, trying to figure out why the teacher would consider dissecting frogs inhumane. You know, because they were already dead?
“Uh, okay. That’s a little weird. But I guess there are worse things. He sounds like an interesting person,” I offered.
Teagan opened the door, holding it for me as he swept his hand in toward the room, before handing my backpack back. As I brushed by him, he leaned in to whisper, “You’ll meet a lot of interesting people here, Andie. See you after first period. Try not to cause too much trouble.”
I turned around to look at him, but he had already left.
Finding an empty desk near the back of the classroom, I sat down, placing my backpack by my feet. Several kids around me smiled, and some even said hi before class started. As Mr. Sloan welcomed everyone, the hairs on the back of my neck prickled. I felt someone watching me.
Scanning the room, everyone faced forward, all except one guy. He sat near the corner in the back row, his feet kicked out in front of him, arms crossed tight against his chest, and his steely stare directed at me. If I described the look on his face, it would be menacing. But that was absurd. Why would this guy have any reason to look at me with such hate? He sneered at me before I frowned back, turning my head to Mr. Sloan as he welcomed me to Junction High.
The teacher went through roll call, and I found out who the jerk in the corner was. I wouldn’t forget his name anytime soon after the way he had reacted to me. Hunter Thorn. Seemed fitting, since the look he had given me was that of a hunter staring down his prey. His piercing brown eyes had caused goosebumps to pimple my skin and a shiver to run down my spine. As the teacher lectured on molecules, I tried my best to ignore Hunter, but it was impossible. Periodically, I felt his gaze. Each time caused another round of goosebumps to travel over my skin.
The bell finally rang after what seemed like forever, and I met Teagan as he came down the hall. Hunter was long forgotten at the warmth of Teagan’s smile. He had such a genuine way about him that made me feel comfortable.
He asked how my class had been before his smile turned into a grimace as he looked over my shoulder. I looked to see what had caused his demeanor to suddenly change. And wouldn’t you know it, Hunter stood by the classroom door with a similar expression directed at Teagan. For a few seconds, it appeared as if they were in the midst of a stare-off, communicating silently with one another as only men can. Hunter broke the stare first, with a smirk that didn’t quite reach his stony eyes as his gaze slid over me. Turning, he ambled off, whistling as he went.
“Hang out here for a minute, Andie. I’ll be right back,” Teagan said, his voice strained. He squeezed my shoulder as he followed in Hunter’s direction.
He called out to Hunter, who turned around defensively, as if expecting Teagan to attack him. His forehead creased with agitation, and he gave Teagan that same menacing stare he had given me in the classroom. Tension rolled off the two of them as they spoke in low tones. Hunter shook his head and appeared to be even more agitated by what Teagan said. Responding, he pointed at me, his finger jabbing the air as his eyes met mine, nostrils flaring before he turned and stormed off.
I didn’t know what to make of the encounter between the two guys. It was confusing, if a little intriguing. Something about me set Hunter off, and from the way Teagan responded, he knew why.
“Teagan, what happened? He gives me the creeps,” I whispered, my spine tingling as we turned to walk to our next period. He ran his hand through his hair and sighed.
“Hunter is... different. No one can figure him out. He doesn’t talk much to any of us and has kept to himself since he started here last year. He gives off a bad vibe and always seems angry at the world. The best thing to do is to keep your distance from him.”
He said this so firmly I wondered if he knew more than he said. Their exchange had been heated, but afraid to tick Teagan off with more questions, I stayed quiet. I knew I’d have plenty of time to figure it out. But for now, I had to get through this stupid day.
At 3:30, the bell rang, and I was beyond ready to go home. Celeste was right about the classes and teachers. I had enjoyed them all. Well, except for science. I had been so focused on ignoring Hunter that I wasn’t able to pay attention. My sociology class seemed the most promising. Mrs. Tully, or Cherri—she wanted her students to call her by her first name instead—was down to earth, and she was excited about what she taught. Her quirky personality and enthusiasm rubbed off on all the students, including me.
Celeste sat in the car, waiting for me. I was so ready to get my driver’s license and be able to drive myself everywhere. It was embarrassing to be a junior in high school and still have to have someone pick me up. I would look for a part-time job once I get my license and save up money to buy a car. I hated having to rely on anyone.
As I walked closer to the car, it looked as if Celeste was talking to someone. There were a lot of times I walked in on her talking, but there was never anyone else there. Between Anne, Celeste, and Charlie, I sometimes felt like I was losing my mind.
She turned around to the backseat and continued as if she were carrying on a conversation with someone sitting back there. I strained to see if there was anyone else, but there was no one. Spotting me as I got closer, she waved, not worried at all about how weird it was that she sat there chatting away with absolutely no one.
Sighing, I got into the car.
After we got home, I made a sandwich and decided to sit out on the back patio to do my homework. The weather was warmer today, the sun shone high in the sky, and I planned to enjoy the warmth while I could. Charlie squawked in the sunroom as he watched me through the window. I couldn’t tell what he was saying this time, but he stared right at me with his big round bird eyes. Sticki
ng my tongue out at him, I turned back to finish the last question on my ethics homework.
Done! I closed the notebook and set it aside. I was about to kick back and put my feet up when I noticed movement out of the corner of my eye and swung my head around to look.
It was that darn kid standing by the tree line again!
He wore brown shorts, a short-sleeved white button-up, and suspenders attached to the shorts. White socks were pulled up to his calves, and his shoes were weird-looking loafers. Who wore clothes like that? I wondered if he was homeless. Something was tucked under his arm, but from this distance, I couldn’t make out what it was.
I wanted to find out who he was and what he was doing out here by himself, so I motioned for him to come over. He laughed, and the sound carried over the breeze. Shaking his head at me, he pointed to the woods and then turned to walk back into them.
That little stinker!
“No! Wait!” I yelled, jumping out of my chair to run after him. I was determined to find out who this kid was, and I only made it halfway across the yard before he disappeared into the thick trees. Reaching the edge of the forest, the crunching of his footsteps echoed as he traveled further away from me. I stopped and looked back at the house, knowing I should tell Celeste before going after him, but I would never catch up or find him if I took the time. So, pushing back branches, I followed the faint sound of leaves crackling underfoot. A giggle drifted in the air every now and then as I traveled deeper into the brush.
The air was much colder here, and I shivered. The light couldn’t break through the dense cover of the trees, making the forest dark and dreary. Noise from bugs scurrying around and the cacophony of birds high in the branches somehow soothed my sense of unease as I made my way closer to where I thought the last giggle had come from.
After ten minutes of walking, with no idea of where I was going, a clearing appeared ahead. Pushing through the weeds and sticks that surrounded it, I saw that the brambles all around the edge formed a natural fence. The clearing was large, with green clover covering the ground in a thick blanket. To my right, a small stream trickled, and an enormous oak tree towered in the back, making the surrounding trees seem tiny in comparison. It reminded me of redwoods I had seen in pictures. It was huge! I couldn’t imagine how old the tree was. It had to have been here forever.
