by Dora Blume
“Do you?” Erik glared at Sloane but dropped Jessie, tucking her against him. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders.
“It’s good to see you’re okay, too Erik,” she smirked and walked around them. “So, did anyone plan on how we were getting home? I’m not keen on riding in the back of a semi-trailer again.” She looked around the parking lot. “Has anyone checked on the other teams?” She turned back toward Erik and Jessie.
“We’re done. The building is clear, but Rachel and Peyton were knocked out. Ely and Mya were helping them. They should be awake soon.” He tightened his arms around Jessie, and she began rubbing the hairs on his arm.
Mike walked out. His eyes brightened when he saw Erik. “Hey, everything good?”
“Yep,” Erik was tired of explaining what had happened. “Anyone see Magnus? Our coms weren’t working. How about the last team?”
“I think Caroline was checking on them,” Mike said.
“Should we head over to the other buildings? What if there were more demons in them?” Erik looked between them.
Caroline walked out the back door. “That won’t be necessary, Erik. I’ve been in communication with everyone. There were only a few minor injuries sustained. It sounds like all the demons here have been taken care of, for now. I hear some of them went home for break. We’ll need to address this when they get back.” She turned her head to Sloane. “Where is Chloe? I’d like to thank her for her help. She took care of most of the students before we even arrived.” Her voice was thoughtful as she spoke.
“Oh, I’m meeting her over in the library. They got everyone out of here that they could before we came. They wanted to make sure no other students got caught in the battle. The students did an excellent job. I’ll make sure to pass on your appreciation.” She reached out for Mike’s hand. “We should head over there now.” Mike followed as she pulled him toward her.
Jessie leaned back to look up at Erik. “Should we go with them?”
“Nah, I’m sure they got it,” he shrugged.
Chapter 24
A black Tacoma pulled next to them in the parking lot. Bryant glided out of the front seat. “I see all is well here?” Erik shook his head thinking back to the conversation he’d had with Sloane. Maybe she was right; he showed up after all the fighting had ended. Bryant looked to Erik, concerned. “Is it not, my son?”
“No, Bryant, everything is fine. We took care of the demons here.” He stroked his thumb over Jessie's abdomen.
“Good, good, where is Magnus? There is a matter of some urgency I must discuss with him?” He glanced toward Caroline.
“He should be here shortly.” She muttered. “If you’ll excuse me, I believe I will take my daughter home now.” She turned and walked back into the building.
“Maybe we should go, too?” Jessie looked up to Erik.
“Yeah, hey Bryant can we catch a ride? Wait, where are we staying? Do you think Magnus will let us go back to his place? I think Caroline may want time with her family.” Erik looked to Bryant.
“You will need to come with me to Magnus’ we have much to discuss.” Bryant got back in the sleek, black SUV. “Where is your sister? She’ll need to join us, as well. We need to discuss what will happen, next. We need to address the issue of the order. Which building was Magnus in?” He asked, turning to Erik who’d gotten in next to him.
He’s at the East building. Bryant nodded and drove toward the parking lot.
“I’ll go check on what’s taking them.” He hopped out. Jessie jumped out, too.
“I’ll come with you.” She grabbed her phone from her pocket. “I’ll call Sloane.”
“No need, the library is in here. We can find her on the way.” He opened the door for Jessie, and she walked passed into the building. “Library first? Maybe Sloane and Mike found Magnus.”
“Okay, here, It’s down this hall.” He took a right and continued. Jessie hurried to catch him and took his hand.
Sloane was sitting atop a long wooden table in the reference section. Mike stood next to her and Chloe was sitting in a chair next to Katie. “Hey, you guys came over.” Sloane put her hands together when she saw them.
“Yeah, Bryant drove us over. Have you seen Magnus? We need to find him. Bryant has something important to share with him, I guess.” Erik rolled his eyes.
“Ahem,” came from the doorway. “I have something to share with him, with all of you.” A tall man with wavy blonde hair stood in the doorway. Magnus came up behind him.
“Ethan,” Magnus held his hand out toward the man. Erik studied him. He wore khakis colored trousers and a navy sweater over his dark button-up and light blue tie.
“Magnus, it’s good to see you.” He clasped his hand and shook.
“So, what’s the urgent matter?” Magnus asked. Bryant walked into the library.
“It’s about the order. We’ve been attacked. I fled with many others, but we are in need of assistance. Demons, wearing the face of friends, have taken over the archive. We must not let them continue. It’s imperative we dispense them at once, but we need your aid to do so. We need everyone. Many leaders have fled to various cities abandoning the archive. We need to take it back before the damage is irreparable.” Ethan looked meaningfully around at the group.
“Oh my, they’ve taken over everything?” Magnus was in shock.
“Yes, this is why I rushed here. We need to get to Kansas City immediately. The future of the Shikari depends on it.” Bryant looked to Sloane and Erik.
“I contacted those in Minneapolis, and they directed me here. I do hope you can assist us. You’ve been pivotal in all that has transpired, thus far.” Ethan scanned the group again.
“I explained that it was your decision to make.” Bryant gave Erik a meaningful look.
“Okay, onto our next adventure, then.” Erik shrugged. “You guys game?” He met the eyes of Mike, Sloane, and Jessie.
“You know I’m always up for a good fight.” Sloane smiled wide rubbing her hands together. “It’s time we finally end this and find out who’s behind the events which led to our mother’s death.”
Mike took a step toward Sloane, wrapping his arms around her and gazing into her eyes. “I go where she goes.”
Jessie looked up to Erik. Her eyes glistened, and she squeezed his hand. “We need to talk.”
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Read on for the first chapter of Haunted by a Moment
Chapter 1
The hospital lights are blinding as I blink my eyes open once, quickly then shut again. I take a deep breath and the antiseptic smell is prevalent, the combination of alcohol and talcum powder sends my mind through a flash of memories. What am I doing in the hospital? I think. A shiver runs down my body and I open my eyes again, braving the fluorescents. I examine my surroundings, people are walking quickly around me. Few even notice my presence on the gurney. The hallway is filled with people; I am the only one on a gurney.
“Hello?” I call out.
A nurse points in my direction talking to a young man with a scruffy brown beard. “Go talk to her, keep her awake,” the nurse demands as she hurries off to the next room.
“Hey, I’m Sam,” the beard says. He smiles, and I couldn’t help but return such a warm smile. Then I remember why I called out. I’m cold. I glance down and blush.
“Can I ask where my shirt is?” I’m lying on a gurney in the hallway, topless.
“Oh yeah, sorry. They had to cut it off of you in transit,” he smiles again. At least he is looking at my eyes and not my chest.
“Do you think that I could get a blanket or something to cover up?”
“I’ll check.” He walks back to the nurse with the stern voice and finger.
“No, she can’t have a blanket, she’s in shock! Don’t you know anything?” She scolds loudly and goes back to organizing the medical supplies in the cabinet.
He walks back over to me with slumped shoulders and rosy cheeks. “She said no, you were in shock earlier and so we can’t change your body temperature, sorry.” He looks down at the floor.
“Seriously, so I get to hang out in the hallway shirtless. There isn’t anything you can do?” I am desperate, I don’t like the idea of laying here shirtless.
“I will try to snatch you something as soon as she leaves.” He winks and goes to check on another patient.
“Where is she? Where’s Katherine?” I hear my mother, frantically calling down the hall.
“She’s down here,” a nurse says. I recognize the nurse who is holding my mom’s hand. Perfect, that’s my old boss and here I am laying on a gurney without a shirt on.
“Hey mom,” I say, smiling weakly at her. I know I’m in big trouble because no one ever wants to greet any of their parents from a hospital gurney, especially after borrowing your father’s brand-new convertible.
“Oh my God, Kat honey, are you okay?” She clasps my hand in an iron grip.
“Jeez, mom. Chill on the death grip would ya. I’m okay, really I’m fine.” She loosens her grip on my hand. She takes my hand in both of hers and looks down at me.
“Really Kat, you’re reassuring me? You’re the one on the gurney.” She shakes her head at me. “My girl, always taking care of me. I don’t believe you’re fine.” I hear her near sob when she speaks, gripping my hand tighter in the process like she needs to feel I’m still here. “Where’s her shirt?” she demands, glancing around. Carol, the nurse she approached with, hurries away.
She returns and lays a blanket over my bare chest. I breathe a sigh of relief.
“Thank you.”
She smiles. “No problem.” She looks to my mom. “Why don’t we head over to the nurse’s station. They’re ready to take her into x-ray now. I’ll bring you to see her as soon as she’s done.” The nurse takes my mom’s hand and places a hand on her back guiding her away from me toward the other end of the hall. Another nurse comes and wheels me into an x-ray room. She starts with my neck while I’m still lying still. After she determines that I don’t have a spinal injury, I can finally sit up to do the rest of the x-rays. I want to scream out at the slightest movement, but instead I bite my lip until I taste the familiar copper of my blood in my mouth.
Finally, I’m done taking x-rays, and I lay back on the gurney. The room spins, and I can hear the nurse say, “I’ll take you to your room,” before everything goes black.
Hours later, I open my eyes slowly expecting the glare from the fluorescent lights, but the room is dim. I hear the regular beat of the machine next to me and I glance to look at the monitor with numbers and lines that for the moment are inconceivable to me.
“Kat honey, are you awake, can you hear me?” My mom says quickly. There’s panic in the swiftness of her words.
“Yeah,” I croak.
My mom holds my hand, the warmth in contrast to the cold, sterile air around me. I try to think back to what happened, but my head throbs and the room spins. My head feels clouded. I have trouble focusing on any one thought as things flash through my mind one moment, and are a blur the next. I can’t focus on one flash before it’s gone, replaced by another. I look back to the monitor with the lines and numbers. There are lines and regular beeps, that’s good right? I think as I try to focus my attention on something I can understand.
“What day is it?” I ask.
“Easter,” my mom responds.
“Yes, but what day is it?” I ask again.
“Easter,” she says again.
I blow out an exasperated breath. “That doesn’t tell me what day it is.”
“I’m going to get the doctor.” She hurries out of the room.
I don’t understand why she furrowed her brow when she left. The beeping is still normal, regular, like me. I’m fine; I’m sure I’m fine. I look down at myself. The IV line is running out of my hand and to the stand next to me. The drip is regular too, like my heartbeat. I scan the rest of my arm and notice blood on the sheet next to where my right elbow lay. I lift my arm tentatively and look at the spot just above my elbow. There’s a gaping hole and these cords are hanging broken outside of the hole. It looks similar to what frayed electrical cords look like. I reach my left hand over to touch them. Instantly, I hear my mom’s voice.
“Oh my God.” she cries out. I jump in response and look to the door.
My mom is frozen with her mouth wide open. The doctor scurries quickly around her to examine my arm. I hold my arm suspended in the air. His hands are cold as he turns my inner arm toward him to look closely at the hole. He reaches for the call button and hits it to get the attention of the nurse.
“What’s wrong?” I ask, looking at the doctor.
“We need to put a nerve block in your shoulder so you won’t feel this,” he says as he points to the hole in my arm.
“Is that bad?” I ask still in awe at the hole and the cords sticking out of it. I know I should be horrified but at the moment everything feels so surreal.
“No, we’ll put in a block so we can repair the nerves here.” He points to the wires coming from the inside of my arm.
“Oh, those are my nerves? They probably shouldn’t be on the outside, should they?” I blink at him.
“No, they definitely shouldn’t.” He looks to the entering nurse. “We need to put in a nerve block and we may need to check her morphine levels.” The nurse leaves the room. The doctor looks down to me, I smile at him. Within a few minutes several other people join the doctor next to my arm. The nurse grabs the tube that is coming out of my hand and carefully inserts a needle into the tube. I smile again and everything goes black.
Hours later, I can hear my cousin crying in the hallway. She sobs and asks, “Are you sure she’s going to be okay?” I open my eyes and look around the room. It’s dark and empty. The monitor beeps in a steady rhythm. I glance toward the sliver of light shining up from the bottom of the oversized wooden door. I look to my arm and notice that my arm has been wrapped in gauze. The tingling makes me reach to itch at it but I think twice before doing it. I sigh heavily as I listen again to the visitors in the hallway. I realize my mom never really answered when I asked what day it is. I look to the board across from my bed. Carol is written next to attending and 1730 is written below my name.
I take a deep breath and try again to remember what happened. I close my eyes to try to focus on the memories, but I only get flashes. I see myself laughing with my friend, then suddenly to another moment in a completely different car. As soon as that memory hits, like a flash, I’m in another place. Bellcreek, the skating rink that I’ve gone to every Friday for years. I can see the owner’s face, frowning and I can feel her disappointment like a weight on my shoulders. I open my eyes. I can’t take the random sudden flashes. I can’t focus on any one thing for more than a few seconds and I don't want to see that woman’s disapproving face again. I look back to the light, hoping that someone from out there will come in here to check on me.
It surprises me to hear my cousin crying, I know she loves me, but honestly, Melinda is the last person I thought I would hear crying outside my hospital room. I look around my bed to find the remote for the television. It registers for a moment that I should be feeling pain right now but I don’t. My head feels cloudy and I know I’ve been drugged considering I don’t feel any pain. I hit what I think is the power button on the remote and stare waiting for the ancient television to power up. When it does, I can barely register
what the people on the screen are saying. I reach to turn up the volume, so I can actually hear what is going on before I start flipping quickly to find something bearable to watch. Infomercial after infomercial fills the screen. I realize it must be late. Why is my cousin here if it’s so late, I think?
The light from the hall increases as the door opens. My mom looks to the television then to me in the bed. “How are you doing honey?” she asks as she reaches to grasp my hand.
“Fine,” I answer automatically.
“You’ve been out for a long time,” she says.
“Oh yeah, how long was I out for?” I ask, now curious about the voices I heard in the hall. Maybe there was a good reason for Melinda to be here so late. I glance down to examine my body. It’s weird how I can see myself, move my limbs but still feel disconnected from myself. Like I’m both in my body and outside of my body at the same time. I look back to my mom and her brows are furrowed again and I know she is worried. The dark circles beneath her eyes let me know she hasn’t left my side, no matter how long I slept.
“You’ve been sleeping for about two days now” she answers.
“Wow, I slept for two whole days,” I say, unbelieving.
“Yeah, how are you feeling? Should I call the nurse? Are you in any pain?” Her questions come one right after the other with little breath between.
“No mom I’m fine,” I respond. “What happened to my arm? The last thing I remember they were putting in some kind of block they said? Why did they need to do that?” I could remember what the doctor said but not much else.
“Oh, they needed to put in a nerve block. You had some nerve damage from the accident.”
“Nerve damage? What does that mean?” I ask. I move my right arm up just to make sure I still can. I feel a shooting pain in my shoulder and cry out. It’s not my arm that hurts but my shoulder is killing me.
My mom rushes into the hall. “I need someone in here,” she calls down the hall and takes her place next to me.
