Mind of Darkness

by Jes Drew

  He gives me a patronizing look. “But it hurts, too.”

  A gasp escapes me when he says this, and I can almost feel my pain in his words. But I don’t. I tell myself that I don’t, and reach up to press on my chest.

  And feel the sting of a bruise. Another gasp escapes.

  “You still don’t remember getting it, do you?” Dr. Earnestine’s eyes are kind and sad.

  I shake my head. “But it wasn’t Christopher. He’d never hurt me- he almost died for me.”

  “So he thinks he has a right to you. Owns you, even.”

  This time I stand up and punch his desk. “Stop it. That is not Christopher. You are lying.”

  “Defensiveness is common when a delusion is threatened-”

  “Or someone I love is slandered!”

  He sighs and folds his hands. “Forgive my forwardness, but have you two been… intimate?”

  I recoil in disgust. “No! We both believe that intimacy is for marriage alone and are keeping ourselves pure-”

  “Ah.” He nods like this explains everything. “So, it’s a case of suppression-”

  Rolling my eyes, I sit down again. “Freud had a totally twisted outlook on life and has nothing to do with this or us.”

  “You said he was in your room last night.”

  My jaw drops. “I did? It’s not what it seems like- my roommate was there the whole time-”

  “Was she there with you during the whole time you skipped school?”

  “No… But I kind of remember that day. Christopher did nothing to hurt me.”

  “And you were awake and fully conscious the whole time?”

  I purse my lips. “He wouldn’t have hurt me.”

  He sighs. “Just promise me you won’t try to leave the school grounds with him alone. I’m worried he might try to harm you.”

  My heart jolts at that, but then I glance at the glass door and see Christopher at his post, as loyal and pure-hearted as a golden retriever. “I owe you nothing.”

  Standing up, I leave.

  Christopher pushes away from the wall. “Did everything go okay?”

  “Um… sure.” Now that I’m standing here with him, though, without a door between us, I don’t feel so safe. Well, I do, but I wonder if I really should. Like when I’m with Dr. Earnestine. Can I really trust my feelings in this? “I just wanted to stop by the nurse real quick.”

  He reaches to touch my forehead again. “Are you feverish?”

  I inch backwards slightly. “I don’t know about feverish.” Maybe hallucinations… “Let’s go find out, though.”

  ~~~

  I have to sit down when the nurse smiles at me. “Oh, you’re back, sweetheart.”

  “Y-you recognize me?” I glance back to where Christopher is sitting in the waiting room.

  “Of course, hon. You were only here this morning.”

  I lick my suddenly very dry lips and turn back to her. “And my ailment...”

  “You had a bruised rib cage. It was making you nauseous.” She leans forward. “Is someone hurting you, dear?”

  I back away quickly. “No. No one at all.”

  Gulping, I glance at Christopher, who quickly pulls himself to his feet when he sees me leaving. “No one at all.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  Kyle Rivers wakes up before the others. He takes in his surroundings. The sun is just rising, and except for Charisa, Tim, and himself, there is no one else around.

  Yawning, Kyle gets up from his uncomfortable position and stretches. Then he looks down at the others. They’re both still fast asleep.

  His hand reaches out involuntarily to smooth a strand of Charisa’s curls out of her face. Her soft, innocent face.

  He’d kill Jin Yin before letting him get anywhere near her again. And he’d die if necessary to get her back to the safety of her father.

  The father who is totally going to kill him now.

  Sighing, Kyle pulls away and stands up before making his way out of the gazebo and toward the edge of the park. He needs to get his bearings. At the street, he studies a sign. The street is familiar- he’s fought crime here before. They’re a lot closer to home than he had assumed last night.

  A grin spreads across his face. His house is just a few miles from here.

  Kyle doesn’t think- he runs. And he doesn’t stop until he stands just outside his house.

  Using the spare key, he lets himself into his small home. His hearing focuses on the gentle rise and fall of his mother’s breathing upstairs; the gentle thud of her heart; the awareness that she’s here and alive and well and needs to know he is too.

  His heart in his throat, he moves toward the stairs.

  But then his eyes fall on a printed missing persons posters lying on his mom’s desk.

  Kyle picks it up and studies it. The poster contains three detailed sketches. One obviously depicts Tim; one depicts Charisa; and one depicts Kyle himself.

  And sketch though it is, Kyle couldn't help but notice that his looks good.

  The poster is dated to have been uploaded to the internet yesterday, by Jin Yin. Three columns of text- one next to each sketch- describe Tim’s, Charisa’s, and his features in words. A paragraph at the bottom of the poster says:

  Missing: three adopted children of Jin Yin: Tom Yin; Karl Yin; and Carrie Yin. If anyone has information about their whereabouts, call this number- or this email-

  “Great,” Kyle mutters. Not only were there people who would be looking for them, but also Jin Yin couldn't even get their names right. How insulting.

  They can’t go back home now- the sketches and the names were too close. It would be impossible to inconspicuous- especially with Tim tagging along. Someone would contact Jin Yin, and he’d come for them; then he’d find not only them, but also their families.

  Kyle slams his fist into the wall, accidentally leaving a slight dent. Then he takes a deep breath.

  If the three of them were going to be on the run until they could find and bring Jin to justice, then they’d need a few things.

  He creeps up to his room and finds it neatened. Grabbing his back pack, he begins throwing necessities- like money and toothpaste- into it.

  When he finishes, he returns in the hall and pauses.

  Should he tell his mom he’s fine but has to leave for a while? Or should he leave things as they are? Which would be easier for her?

  He should tell her. She deserved the truth…

  But how can he leave her once she sees him?

  Kyle slings his back pack over his shoulder. He needs to get back to the group.

  But that’s not all he needs.

  “Be back soon, Mom,” he whispers before stepping back outside.

  Chapter Nineteen: Charisa

  I wake up with a man’s arm around my waist. Groaning, I roll over to tell Kyle to lay off.

  And find that the arm belongs to a sleeping Tim. And Kyle is nowhere to be found.

  Frowning, I squirm out of Tim’s grip and glance around the gazebo. Where is that boy? And how could I have missed his leaving with my super hearing? Why does he always sneak up on me… Well, away from me this time.

  Tim mumbles something and then jerks awake. Then he takes in his surroundings lazily. “So, where’s Kyle?”

  I sigh. “Beats me.” Under my breath, I say, “Two; four; six; eight-”

  “One; three; five; nine- stay where you are. I’ll be right back.”

  I turn back to Tim, who is trying to make his tangled red hair more presentable. Makes me scared about my own. “So, Kyle will be back soon.”

  “You two telepathic or something?”

  I laugh. “Don’t be silly. Kyle and I would no longer be friends if that were so. Speaking of friends.” I tilt my head at him. “What do you doing now that you’re free?”

  Dropping his hands from his vain attempts, he shrugs and gives me a lazy smile. “Beats me.”

  “But do you remember anything at all about your life before, you know…”

>   “Nope. Except that I lived in Alabama. I know more about Faith than I do about myself.” He looks down, sadness in his eyes. “She was an orphan named Freya Smith, whom Jin Yin legally adopted.”

  “Why didn’t you tell us her name is Freya?”

  “She refuses to answer to that name… I miss Faith.”

  “Me too.”

  Tim studies his lap. “She was all I had, but I still couldn’t protect her.”

  I reach over and place my hand on his shoulder. “No one blames you.”

  “I do.”

  “Well, I don’t,” Kyle says suddenly, leaning against the gazebo.

  I whirl around to face him. “Where were you?” I demand.

  “Getting breakfast,” he answers, pulling several granola bars out of a back pack he didn’t have last night.

  I frown. “Did you go home?”

  “Maybe. I have something to tell you… But first, this.” He takes something out from underneath is shirt and holds it out to me.

  I gape at it. “My… whistle?”

  “I told you I would get it back for you.”

  “But… how?”

  “I found our confiscated property in the control room I also grabbed my cell phone.” Kyle pats his shoe. “But I couldn’t’ get our costumes because, you know, these things don't have pockets.” He gives his outfit a look of disdain.

  “Did you find anything that might have been mine?” Tim asks, almost succeeding in hiding his hopefulness.

  “Well, this certainly isn’t mine.” He removes a wallet from his other shoe and hands it to Tim. “Sorry I didn’t give it to you earlier. It’s been a bit crazy.”

  Tim nods lazily, but his eyes are focused on the simple leather wallet. He opens it, but there’s nothing inside but a photo. Gingerly, he removes the photo- a picture of an elderly man- and studies it.

  “Gramps,” he whispers.

  I lean in over his shoulder. “You remember?

  Tim turns the photo around and shows me where ‘Gramps; is written on the back.

  “Oh.”

  Tim puts the photo back into his wallet, and puts the wallet in his own shoe. “Thank you, Kyle.”

  “No problem.” Then he clears his throat.

  Immediately, Tim and I glare at him.

  “Sorry,” Kyle says, “didn’t mean to imitate Jin. Anyway, we can’t go home.”

  “What?!” I cry.

  “Jin’s got missing persons posters out for us; it’ll be too dangerous for our families. We need to bring Jin to justice first.”

  I nod, but I feel hollow inside. “We’re at least going to see them again, right?”

  Kyle seems to hesitate a moment. Then he nods. “Yes. And we’re closer than I thought last night.”

  I stand up. “Then let’s go.”

  ~~~

  I gaze up at my house- my house! “Do you think they’re home?”

  “Yep,” Kyle answers. “And my mom’s here too.”

  We both stand where we are for a moment longer.

  Tim rolls his eyes lazily, strolls up to our back door, and then knocks.

  It takes a few moments, but finally, someone answers.

  “Hello?” Mother says, looking curiously at Tim.

  He points back at us. “I believe you know them.”

  Mother’s mouth drops. Then she yells, “Carlos!”

  Dad comes running. “Where’s the criminal?!”

  “Right here,” Kyle answers.

  Dad takes one look at me, and then he’s by my side, hugging me so hard I’d almost think he has super strength too.

  Mrs. Rivers and Courtney join Mother at the doorway.

  In seconds, everyone’s in the bear hug- including Tim.

  “What happened?” Dad asks.

  “It was a trap,” I answer. “We were kidnapped.”

  “By who?”

  “And, uh, who are you?” Courtney asks Tim, looking a little weirded out to be hugging a stranger.

  “I’m Tim.”

  I smile up at my father. “He followed us home. Can we keep him?”

  Dad furrows his eyebrows. “But we already have a dog.”

  “Again with this dog business?” Tim looks heavenward. “Seriously, do I resemble a canine or something?”

  Kyle grins. “You really want to know?” His humor melts to sobriety. “We should go inside.”

  A moment later, we’re all around the kitchen table. Kyle, Tim, and I are all drinking hot chocolate despite the fact that it’s summer.

  “Start at the beginning,” Dad orders.

  Kyle glances at the windows, and Mother immediately closes them. “I don’t think we have that luxury.”

  Dad frowns. “What do you mean?”

  I turn to Kyle, who turns to his mom, who nods and removes a paper from her pocket. She unfolds it.

  It’s a missing persons poster.

  It’s a wanted poster too.

  “I tried to tell you last night,” Mrs. Rivers says.

  Dad furrows his eyebrows again.

  “Well,” Mother adds, looking between the poster and Tim, “at least the extra picture makes sense now.”

  “You still haven’t told us exactly who you are,” Courtney points out.

  “That’s because I don’t know myself,” Tim answers.

  Courtney shrugs. “Fair enough.”

  “Is this Jin Yin your kidnapper?” Dad asks, reading the paper.

  Clenching my fists, I nod.

  Dad mutters something under his breath. Then he asks, “Why is that name familiar?”

  I un-clench my fists. “His sister is Mulan Yin.”

  Recognition floods everyone’s faces- as does the knowledge of just how dire this is.

  “He’s got this plot about some kind of ‘Cure,’” Kyle adds.

  I glance down. “Which he tested on us.”

  Everyone’s silent for a moment.

  “My poor baby!” Mrs. Rivers finally cries, pulling Kyle into a ferocious hug.

  “And where does Tim fit in the picture?” Dad asks through gritted teeth. “Besides his picture on the poster, of course.

  “I was there too- only longer,” Tim answers lazily. “I’m an amnesic superhuman.”

  Dad raises an eyebrow.

  “There was another superhuman there too,” he adds. “Her name was Freya. She… she chose to stay behind.”

  Tim, Kyle, and I look down at our hot chocolate.

  Suddenly, Mother stands up.

  “I think it’s time to get you all cleaned up. Claudia, do you think Tim could fit in one of Kyle’s outfits?”

  Mrs. Rivers nods. “I’ll go fetch some clothes for them.”

  I stand up too. “Well, I’ll be right back, but a shower sounds really good all of a sudden.”

  And maybe I’ll burn this outfit while I’m at it…

  ~~~

  “No,” Dad says. “Absolutely not.”

  I glance down at my stuffed back pack and then around the living room for support. No one speaks up- not even Kyle or Tim, who, like me, are wearing fresh clothes.

  “But I don’t want to bring danger down on you guys,” I add. “Again.”

  “We’ve taken care of danger just fine before,” Dad answers. “This is no different.”

  “But it is. This is bigger than everything else we’ve ever faced- even Marcus Greene.”

  Kyle comes to stand beside me. “We need to stop Jin Yin. And only then will it be safe for us to come home.”

  “But we’ve only just gotten you back again!” Mother cries. “And now you want us to let you go again?”

  “You were gone for a week,” Courtney adds. “A week!”

  “I wonder how long I’ve been gone,” Tim says. Then he glances at Rylie, who is reproachfully watching him. “I take it that’s my almost namesake.”

  Dad steps toward me like he used to approach Rylie when she was a skittish puppy. “Look, we can figure this out together.”

  I bite my lip and nod.
r />   Suddenly, someone rings the doorbell.

  Mother stands up. “I’ll be right back.”

  I hear her answer the door. Then I hear an unfamiliar voice ask, “Excuse me, but have you seen this girl? There have been reports that she might be found here.”

  “That’s ridiculous,” Mother answers, but her voice sounds scared.

  “I’m sure it is,” the stranger agrees, “but I’m afraid I have to search your house.”

  “What?!” Mother cries.

  “That’s against our Constitutional rights,” I mutter.

  “I have a search warrant, ma’am,” the stranger says.

  Oh, well that changes everything.

  “So if you’ll just step aside-”

  Dad clenches his jaw and tosses me a credit card. “You were right; you’re not safe here. Get a head start on stopping Jin. I’ll join you when I can. Now run.”

  I turn to Tim and Kyle, and then back to Dad. But Dad’s already hurrying to Mother’s aid.

  I shoulder my back pack. “Come on, guys.”

  “Stay as safe as you can,” Mrs. Rivers orders.

  “And come back the moment you can,” Courtney adds.

  I nod. “I will.” Then the boys and I hurry to the back door.

  After closing it behind us, we link hands and run.

  ~~~

  I look around our hotel room. “I can’t believe we’re in Tennessee.”

  “I can,” Kyle says from the bed he had plopped down on. “I feel half-dead.”

  Tim comes up to stand by the window I’ve put my focus on. “It might take a while for your dad to catch up, Chrissie.”

  I stare at the skyline outside. “Yeah. I finally got to see my family again… But then they were snatched away. Again.” I feel tears filling up my eyes and I try to choke them down.

  Tim gently places a hand on my shoulder. “I’m sorry.”

  “It’s okay; you have it even worse.” The tears start to flow out of my eyes.

  Ugh, I really need to get better border guards for my tear ducts.

  Kyle comes up to my other side. “It’s okay, Chrissie. We’re going to fix this- just like we’ve fixed everything else before.”

  “I know,” I sob, “but I’m getting a bit tired of always having to fix things.”