The Crescent

by Jordan Deen

my head. How could he have known if they weren’t real? “You haven’t?” He grabbed my hand and turned to look at my palm.

  “Have you always had this?” He pointed to a purple bruise that showed up the day I met him.

  “No. It just appeared.” I answered confused.

  He turned his palm upward to show me a similar mark on his palm. “We were meant to be.” He whispered and placed his palm over mine. Our marks were exactly in the same place; the place where his palm and my palm touched the first day we met.

  I barely whispered, “Brandon, I don’t understand.” The dizzy, lightheaded feeling was back. Brandon obviously didn’t understand the concept of personal space either as he pulled himself even closer to me.

  “I know. I’m sorry. We don’t have much time. You’re in danger.”

  “What do …” I started to lean back, but Brandon’s hands clasped to either side of my face and he pressed his smooth lips to mine. His kiss was hungry, full of need and longing. The only thing I could feel was Brandon, his soft hands and his heart beating against my chest. Overwhelming images of lying in bed next to him and his hands brushing freely through my hair flooded my mind. The amount of intimacy that passed between us was staggering; the connection was overpowering. The images felt so real, affecting every one of my senses. Brandon’s hands rested at the base of my neck as he took his lips away from mine. I struggled to catch my breath. I couldn’t take my eyes off him as my body shook with excitement.

  The world still hadn’t started spinning again as he grazed my lips with his. Remember Lacey, Remember.

  c h a p t e r

  TEN

  The next morning I couldn’t remember anything after Brandon’s kiss. Brandon’s touch brought more wonderful visions of our life together. We lived an entire lifetime together in my dreams – being married, children, a house, everything.

  I reached across my bed expecting to feel his body next to me, but all I got was Grant; his overgrown body taking up most of the bed. I patted him a few times and got up to get ready for school; Alex would be here soon. I scrambled trying to think of something to tell him about what happened yesterday or an explanation of how I got home.

  I showered quickly and pulled my hair up into a ponytail. With Grant still snoring on my bed, I was able to get my contacts in this morning. I brushed my teeth and then stared at the mark on my palm. I started to wonder why Brandon disappeared and reappeared so abruptly and how his kiss made my world vanish leaving only us. I felt slightly light headed again and decided I needed to stop thinking of Brandon; he brought on weird feelings that I couldn’t explain, not to mention dizzy spells that left me dazed with memory loss.

  “Bye Grant. See you tonight.” I yelled over my shoulder as I ran downstairs. Alex was already at the curb.

  He didn’t give me his normal greeting. “How’s your friend doing?”

  “He’s good.” I gave a generic answer trying to figure out if Alex’s greeting meant something or if I was being paranoid. I didn’t know what Brandon thought about my relationship with Alex.

  Alex wrapped me in his strong embrace and pressed his lips firmly to mine. I felt relieved at first, but that was when it happened. The horrible smell that disappeared and reappeared as often as Brandon, now radiated from Alex. It consumed my entire body and it felt as if my skin was detaching itself from my muscles and bones.

  “NO NO NO NO!” I screamed as each of my joints pulled in two. Hands on my skin that weren’t really there started tearing and ripping at my skin. My body convulsed and I threw up several times; half my stomach was on the grass.

  “SHIT. Sara! Jack! HELP!” Alex’s screams were muffled with my own. My parents ran from the house towards us. My body sprawled on the lawn while the hands still seemed to be pulling me apart. Alex tried to pick me up, but the pain rushing through me intensified and caused me to scream and thrash more violently.

  “Get away!” Dad yelled as he shoved Alex back and looped his arms around me to carry me into the house. I was only half aware that our neighbors had come out of their houses to witness the scene. I would’ve covered my face, but I didn’t think I had arms anymore.

  “It’s already happened! I told you that you were too late!”

  “Who can it be? There is no one else!”

  “THERE HAS TO BE!”

  Their voices blended together and seemed worlds away. I could no longer feel any pain directly; the memory of the pain was enough. My body started to shut down; I really wished I wasn’t aware of it. I was having an out of body experience, as if I was dying. Or I wished I was; at least then I’d know there would be an end to this.

  “I can’t smell the difference on any of her friends.”

  “Alex! Think, damn it! You are the only one she’s been with. I thought you said she loved you!”

  “I thought she did!” Alex yelled back.

  Mom interjected, “It’s too late if her mate found her. She won’t be eighteen for another three months!”

  My body twitched as I struggled for any oxygen I could get. The world melted away again and not in a great dreams ahead kind of way. “He’s found her, if she reacts to your touch this way.

  We can’t stop it now.” I concentrated on my heart, trying to will it to keep beating.

  When I thought I couldn’t throw up anymore … I did. Alex and my dad both stepped back. I tried to focus on what they were saying, but the pain was vibrating through every inch of my body again. “Make it stop …” I begged my mother as she pressed a cool rag to my head.

  “Alex, you better go.” She said coolly as she dismissed him.

  “But …” He objected.

  “No buts. If she is reacting this way to you that means only one thing.”

  “We’ll leave tonight.” Dad said as he took Alex from the room.

  “It’s ok baby. Things will be better soon. I promise.” Mom was right; things got better the instant Alex left the room.

  Everything went black.

  The dreams started the instant my eyes closed. Brandon and I were walking hand in hand next to a stunning stream; the water lapped over various rocks. I could hear birds singing a wonderful melody overhead. Brandon helped me cross the stream, carefully maneuvering over several of the rocks jutting just above the surface. The area was lined by beautiful trees full of green leaves, providing plenty of shade under their canopy. I sat on a blanket under the trees with Brandon at my side. He pulled food and drinks from a picnic basket. “After we eat, do you want to play in the stream?”

  Wanting to make him happy, I nodded. We talked and laughed for what seemed like hours, but it was truly only minutes.

  “Are you ready?”

  “Yes.” I barely whispered to him; a nervous wave had come over me.

  “Remember, it feels funny at first. You will be tired and you’ll want to sleep. But you can’t.

  I nodded again, pretending I knew what he was talking about, but I didn’t.

  “Ok, I’ll do it first. You have to clear your mind, let yourself go. Let it overtake you and surround you …”

  “Like a blanket?” I asked trying to become more aware of what he was expecting from me.

  “Yes, well, sort of. It’s more like your body will become the blanket, protecting you.” Sensing my nervousness, he added. “It doesn’t hurt, I promise.” Brandon rubbed his steady hand down my cheek trying to comfort me. “I love you. Always. Remember, we have to do this to be together.”

  My heart fluttered and butterflies overtook my stomach. “I love you. Always.” I responded easily. I’ve never loved a boy before, but he was the only reason for me to breathe.

  “Ok. Don’t be nervous. Just follow my lead.” Brandon smiled and stood from the blanket. “Let your mind go. Let it overtake you.” He stepped into the few rays of sun that were beaming down through the canopy. He pulled off his shirt and then his jeans, standing there in front of me like Adonis. Wonderful images of our dream life replayed in my mind until I couldn’t think straight
. Brandon tilted his head back for a moment and rolled it back and forth as though he was preparing for battle.

  I lifted onto my knees anxious for what was coming; excited for the new experience he would bring me. He leaned slightly forward and rested both of his hands on the ground. He let out a blood-curdling yell and arched his back. I watched motionless as his ribs and body lurched and twisted out of socket; just the way I had felt when Alex had touched me. Brandon would be ripped apart if I didn’t do something. I jumped from the blanket to stop his pain. I barely felt my feet touching the ground as I fought to get to him, to make it stop, to save him. Brandon’s body continued to contort and mangle into itself as I tried in vain to get to his side.

  Then he stopped.

  And I stopped.

  Standing before me was the largest wolf I had ever seen.

  My dream just turned into my worst nightmare as my reason for living morphed into this ferocious creature that was now baring its teeth at me. The beautiful forest blackened; the lush trees now dark and baron. My heart pounded in my chest; I panicked and scrambled backwards. I wasn’t sure if I was more amazed or terrified. I couldn’t escape as the forest closed in around me. The wolf’s eyes shined like two golden coins in the dark as it stepped forward. I lost my footing and fell with horrible force to the ground. I kicked my feet against the moss and the leaves as I tried to go backward. The wolf slowly advanced on me as if I was his prey. I wanted desperately to wake up. It’s just a dream. I