Soul's Journey

by Joanne Johnson

the boulder trying to come up with a plan. I had to find a way to get my sister out of this alive. I was frightened to see her held hostage in such a brutal manner. Frank was obviously more desperate than Morton had perceived. Frank needed his precious powers and there would be no delays.

  “Jordan,” he yelled. “Trade yourself for you sister. You will die, or she will. It is your choice. I need to acquire your power since you’ve stolen mine.” I turned to run back to the circle to give myself up when Derrick approached me, grabbed my hand, and jerked me to the ground.

  “You will not do this,” he said with fire in his eyes.

  “He needs someone, and I won’t watch her die. She wouldn’t be here if I hadn’t agreed to see her,” I replied.

  “I cannot watch you die, so I have made the choice for us. You would not be here either if you had not become involved with me,” he explained.

  “So what does that mean?”

  “I’ve made arrangements,” he said. “My house, money and all my belongings are to be given to you.”

  "Why? I survived on my own, without you before, so I will be fine without your stuff,” I hadn’t fully understood why he was explaining.

  “You don’t understand. I may not live through this ordeal. If that is the case, my child is to be properly looked after,” he replied.

  “What the hell are you talking about? I had no idea you had a child.” He moved his hand down to feel my stomach. “Our child is growing within you... I will not risk your safety.”

  “It is written in the ancient books that the first time I broke my vow, the possibility of fathering children would be extremely high. We could have used protection, but it would not have mattered.”

  “You knew that and proceeded anyway without my consent - but why?”

  “I knew you were the one when my tattoo started bothering me shortly after you found your third stone. My tattoo has been radiating heat and light since then, and I remembered that this could only happen when I was near my soul mate. My parents have reminded me since adolescence to watch for the effect. I had all but given up until I met you. The chemistry between us has been undeniable from the start and the sensations I received from my tattoo were the confirmation.”

  “Soul mate, that only happens in books. If you knew you were going to knock me up, you should have informed me. I might have thought twice about our passion ride.”

  “My bloodline will continue, if I do not.”

  “What the heck do you mean bloodline?” I looked at Ryan who was staring at us surprised. I’m sure he was wondering when we had time to do the deed in all the excitement.

  “I have great powers, of that you are well aware. However, when I die all my gifts and abilities are passed to my children. That is why each generation is more powerful than the last.”

  “I have chosen to take your place in this situation. Frank doesn’t know that you are pregnant, so he will think that he will gain my gifts; he’ll be satisfied with that. I have foreseen this possibility, so I have a plan which does not actually involve me dying. This all started with me and will end with me.” I watched him look at Ryan, and then he nodded a couple of times. Then he walked over gave him a hug and said.

  “Take care of my girl, brother.” Ryan nodded in agreement.

  He moved closer to me and without warning embraced me and covered my face with passionate kisses. The intensity of each kiss changed into hunger and raw need on both our parts. I wished we were alone. I could hear Ryan clearing his throat as he started to walk away to give us some privacy.

  I wrapped my arms around Derrick, my body molding into his. I could feel his firm body holding me tightly; the smell was intoxicating. I knew that I loved him. I broke the kiss off, and stared silently into his eyes. I saw in his eyes love, hope, and happiness radiated where frustration and anger used to linger. This man loved me most definitely. I could see the soul connection I had to him, and passionate love in his brilliant blue eyes. I would be able to get lost in those eyes for hours without realizing it.

  “I don’t want you to go,” I cried.

  “I have to set your sister free, there is no one else. He pulled out the vile of liquid that he had made at his parents, and rubbed the container within his fingers. I have to send the book to another dimension where it cannot do harm.” I understood that. I moved in for one more kiss. Our lips connected as we embraced. He quickly pulled away.

  “I love you, Jordan. I always have.”

  "It sounds like you're saying good bye,” I replied crying hysterically.

  “It’s not goodbye, please don’t cry,” he gave me a loving kiss on the cheek before moving away.

  “No!” I cried harder.

  He walked out of hiding and into the clearing. Frank stood holding my sister, with the knife still at her throat. She was crying and sniffling, as he called out to me.

  “Jordan, come out, or I will slice her throat.”

  “I will trade myself for the girl. You must let her go,” Derrick interjected.

  “I’m the one in charge,” Frank said.

  “You need permission to take anyone’s power when you perform the spell,” Derrick replied. “I will give mine freely as long as you let the girls go, so we should do things my way.”

  “How do I know that you’ll keep your word,” Frank asked.

  ‘Ask Morton, he’ll tell you the truth,” I yelled.

  I popped my head out from behind the big boulder so that Frank could hear me clearly, and then promptly hid back, peeking around the edge again.

  “Who is Morton,” Frank asked.

  “I am,” Morton said.

  “Why do I care what you have to say?” Frank said, “I didn’t even know you had a name!”

  “I can read minds and see the future,” Morton replied.

  “Okay then,” Frank said. “Is he telling the truth?” He asked looking directly at Morton.

  “He is honest and truthful. He has no motive to get away from you.” Morton looked at Derrick and nodded. I had wondered what sort of silent communication was going on between the two of them.

  I heard Ryan sigh; I asked him, “What does that mean.”

  “Derrick has changed his plans,” Ryan replied.

  “Morton knows Derrick’s plan and agrees that it’ll work.”

  “What plan,” I asked, “I need to know what it is.”

  “Be quiet, so I can listen.” He looked at me sympathetically, and then moved his eye to watch the story play out.

  I had a bad feeling about this. I watched Derrick walk up to Frank. Tim and Ted approached, each one grabbing an arm. Derrick was once again, trapped.

  I watched Frank kiss my sister on the mouth, then shove her away from him. He seemed to knock her off balance and as she recovered, she had a strange look on her face. I could see she was disgusted by the way she wiped her mouth.

  “Don’t travel too far; I’m coming for you after the ritual is done,” Frank affirmed. “We have a life to plan together.”

  My sister needed no further warning, she ran toward where we were hiding out. As she made her way to safety, I noticed that she was wearing a dark trench coat that went to her knees. It looked like a man’s coat. As I hugged and kissed her, I saw that she had something frilly under it. I opened the coat to see a French Maid’s outfit. Her voluptuous breasts were right in my face. I could see her frilly French Maid’s panties. She looked sexy I thought as I hugged her again. “It is a good thing you wear heels for a living otherwise you might not have been able to run like that,” I laughed in relief that she was beside me.

  With one arm around her, I looked around the boulder and could see that things had clearly worsened. They were strapping Derrick down on the flat rock with chains and clamps. Both the book and Morton were hovering near all the excitement. The sun had almost set and Frank kept looking up to see if his stars were in alignment.

  “About ten minutes and this all will be over,” Frank hummed with excitement. Derrick was chained on his
back, stretched out as if he was making a snow angel. Why had he not used the vile of liquid yet? I just wanted us all to go home peacefully. His right hand was closed as if he was holding on to something tightly, why had he not used it yet? He looked at Morton nodding a few times. It looked like the two of them had come up with a plan… thank God.

  “No Jordan, that’s not correct,” said Megan.

  “What?”

  “You’re not going to like this,” she replied.

  “What do you mean?” I asked.

  Ryan came over and said, “Now is not time to talk about it.”

  How I wished I could read minds. I hated being left in the dark. My sister hugged me with the one arm around me as we watched. I watched Ryan and Megan nod their heads at each other. I was really getting sick of all the rudeness. I hated this, I just wanted to yell and scream. I felt like ‘that kid’ in school that everyone left out.

  I could hear Morton saying the words Frank demanded from him. He was starting the ritual. I let go of my sister so I could run out to Derrick; I had to help him. I could not watch him die; I knew I loved him and I had never told him. I started to run through the boulders at a full tilt. Ryan, being much faster than I expected, caught me just inside the clearing. He tackled me as if I were in a football game. It knocked the wind out of me for a few seconds. I turned on Ryan swinging my fists violently. I punched him a few times in the face, trying to free myself before he grabbed hold of my wrists.

  “Jordan, this isn’t helping. Please come back to safety, or you will interfere, ruining Derrick’s plan,” he hissed. I watched Frank pull out a huge knife. He waved it around in the air above his head and started to chant, using some unknown language. I felt horrified, on the verge of shock. This felt like a terrible dream from which I could not wake up.

  “Move your hands in a figure eight,” Morton instructed. I watched as Frank made the motion with his hands. Move your hands with in a Celtic cross, honoring all four directions. Frank moved his hands as directed. Oh my God, I needed to do something to stop this from happening. I had to come up with a plan.

  Repeat after me, Morton said. He then started to speak in some foreign language. Frank expertly repeated the words as he heard them. I relaxed my body for a minute so that Ryan would believe that I was calm and loosen his grip. Just as I felt his body relax, I turned and shoved him away, knocking him over slightly, and bolted toward Derrick.

  A few yards from him, I witnessed Frank move his hand up, then send the knife plunging directly for Derrick’s heart. At the last second, Derrick intercepted Frank’s arm, somehow pulling his hand free of the chain. He spilled liquid from the vile he had within his hand all over his body and Frank’s. The liquid glowed in the dark until it, along with Frank and Derrick… disappeared.

  I searched around the rock; Derrick and Frank were actually gone. Ted and Tim had disappeared also, but by running in the opposite direction. The knife was lying on the ground beside the rock. I ran over to see if there was a trace of blood on the ground, or the knife. None…Thank God.

  Suddenly, without warning Morton spoke, “I am being pulled back to my original location, before Frank found me. The amulet keeps me anchored to my surroundings, but since it has been sent to another dimension with Frank, I am being sent back,” Morton explained.

  “I will see all of you again soon,” he replied.

  “Derrick is alive, but it is uncertain if he will find his way back to you Jordan,” he explained.

  “Jordan, you need to activate your stones very soon.” He disappeared into the night. When I took a second look, there was no trace that either book, or man had been here. Ryan and Megan were beside me now as I threw myself on the rock that once had held Derrick captive. I sobbed uncontrollably. This could not be happening. The situation was too much; my head started swimming in blackness and then there was nothing.

  The Life Change

  The sun came in through the window, and I could feel its warmth on my face. I could hear birds chirping merrily. My mind flashed back through the past couple of weeks. My life had gone through such a complete change that I no longer knew who I was. I felt too exhausted to cry anymore. It felt like there was a huge hole within my soul. I wondered if I would ever find the pieces to refill the emptiness. I opened my eyes to look around the room, and recognized the surroundings. I was in the guest bedroom at Ryan’s house.

  I could hear people conversing outside the door, but I could not make out what they were saying. I wasn’t really sure who it was, and I didn’t really care at the moment. I sat up in bed, and placed my feet on the floor. I thought to myself; this is how my healing would begin, one-step at a time. Maybe I could convince myself it was a great dream or something. I knew deep down though, that however hard I tried, I would not be able to persuade my heart it was a dream, even if my mind convinced itself it was. I managed to stand upright and walk to the bedroom door to peer outside. There standing at the end of the hallway was my sister and Ryan in a fully heated discussion.

  “You won’t tell me what is best for my sister,” Megan yelled.

  “She needs to stay here for a few more days to rest and recharge herself,” Ryan explained. “She’s been through a lot and will need time to integrate everything she has experienced. We don’t know anything about Derrick yet, so she should stay here for a while just in case.”

  “It does not matter, it is my job to take her home and look after her. I am sure our family is worried.” I must have made some noise because they both looked my way. I walked back to my bed and lay down, hoping I would be able to sleep away the pain of losing Derrick. My sister ran into the room.

  “Jordan, are you okay?”

  “No, I’m just tired. I’d like to be left alone.”

  “Would you like something to eat?” she asked.

  “No thanks, I’m not really hungry.”

  “It has been two days since we brought you here and I cannot stand another moment in this house. Please Jordan eat something so I can take you home.”

  “So you and Ryan have introduced yourselves?”

  “He is an insufferable bore who thinks that everything should go his way. I have never in my life met a man so annoying.” I smiled, it sounded like they were two peas in a pod. I would never say those words aloud though.

  “That’s not true, Jordan. We’re nothing alike,” my sister affirmed. I had forgotten that I had showed her how to tap into people’s minds. Damn that was shit loads of annoying, her being able to hear my thoughts like that. Of all the things, that I could have taught her that was probably the most regrettable. I would no longer have any secrets to myself.

  “Did you say that I slept for two days?”

  “That’s right,” she said. I really do not like Ryan at all, but I tolerated his company for your sake. Please… eat. Once you have eaten he said he may allow me to take you home.”

  “I’ll go and get you something now,” she said. Just as she was leaving, Ryan came in. She took one look at him and snubbed her nose in the air. It looked like she thought he smelled bad. He simply looked at her shortly before saying, “I left soup and toast on the counter if you want to bring it up for her.”

  “I’ll do just that,” she said, “so we can get the hell out of this place.” That being said, she stormed out. I looked at Ryan who came over to stand by my bed.

  “I see you have finally met my sister. It looks like the introductions went well.” He smiled happily, and blew a corner of his hair out of his face.

  “Jordan, she’s amazing. I know that we are going to have a great life together, once she warms up to me.”

  I smiled, “It could take a while for that iceberg to melt, but I wish you the best of luck.”

  “I’ve seen her many times in my dreams. I am fully prepared to do whatever it takes to get her to lower her guard. I know that under that tough exterior there’s a pussy cat.”

  “Yes surely, but watch out for the claws.”

  “You wait and see,
” he said. Just then, my sister came back up to the room.

  “Have you heard anything from Derrick?” I asked.

  “No”, he said and looked down, “I don’t know how to tell you this, but it doesn’t look good.”

  “What does ‘not look good’ mean?” I asked.

  “The full moon was last night, and according to our history, if he has not been married by the next full moon, he will lose some of his powers,” Ryan replied.

  “This can’t be happening. What have I done to him?” I started to cry hysterically, I would never be able to forgive myself. Sadness and anger took over. How could I go on now? My sister came over to sit beside me and placed her arms around my neck.

  “I need you to eat now please. We will deal with this later,” Megan urged.

  “Get out,” I demanded. “I need a minute.”

  They both looked startled, and left my room. They quarreled all the way out about who was to blame for my being upset.

  “You did this,” she said.

  “You’re such a pushy woman. Couldn’t you even give her a minute before you urged her to eat? She just lost her soul mate.”

  “Soul mate,” she said. “That’s only in books, and I do not believe that he was anything more than a passing fancy”.

  “You’ll see. One-day love will knock you on your rear, and you will be more than happy to eat your words. I can’t wait,” he replied.

  “It’ll be a cold day in Hell,” she roared. They closed the door, and continued to argue back and forth all the way down the hall. The sadness was overwhelming, I felt like I had been the cause of so much pain. Why did I have to go and sleep with him? Why could I not have shown some restraint? His parents would be disappointed in me, and probably hate me for being the cause of their son’s demise. How can I look at myself in the mirror anymore?

  Megan is one of the most persistent people I know. She had only been away from my side for about an hour before returning, and insisting that I eat and get dressed. She packed my things as I finally gave in, and questioned why I carried a stick around where ever I went. I never answered so she packed it away with my few other things. After I had dressed and brushed my hair for the first time in days, Ryan walked over to the dresser and handed me a leather medicine pouch.

  “I found these in the drawer after you left last time and placed them in a pouch for you. Are you aware that they are diamonds?” I opened the bag and there were my diamonds. At least I wouldn’t have to go back to work too soon. I would have enough money to give myself time to heal.

  He then replied to my thought, “You do remember that all Derrick’s financial belongings are yours now. You’ll never have to go back to work again.”

  “Thank you, Ryan, but I don’t want his things. I’ll be just fine.”

  “I made him a promise and I have to keep it,” he replied softly. “My job is to look after you.”

  “I will be fine,” I said. “I just need some time to put my life back together.” He handed me my other three stones that he had kept so that he would be able to find me.

  “You need to activate them soon,” he said. “If they fall into the wrong hands, it could be your own downfall.”

  “I will do it when I am ready and not a moment before,” I said a little too harshly. “I am sorry Ryan, I feel so responsible for this. I am carrying a heavy load of guilt.”

  “This is not your fault, he knew the risk himself, so let it go,” Ryan replied. “I will call you in a couple of days. I will be picking up my car from your sister so I will see you again, soon. Take care.”

  A few hours later, my sister was driving one of Ryan’s cars, with me buckled into the passenger seat, we were making our way back home. I was recalling the hug and kiss Ryan had given me… very brotherly when Megan interrupted; “Jordan, are you listening?” I had not been sure how long I had been thinking about my goodbye, when my sister’s irritated voice overwhelmed my eardrums.

  “Jordan, have you heard a word I have said?”

  “Sorry-- what?” I asked.

  “I was trying to tell you how much I despise your friend. He is the most annoying, arrogant, self-absorbed ass I have ever met.” I smiled, remembering those exact words coming out of my mouth towards Derrick at the beginning.

  “My relationship with Ryan is different. I won’t see him again after he picks up his car.” I really hate it when she reads my mind.

  I clearly remember the raw emotions that Derrick had triggered in me the first few days. How I wished I could go back there and hold on to those feelings. I had an empty feeling inside, and was not sure how long it would take to put my life back into some sort of order. The memories were painfully fresh, and the sense of loss too intense.

  My mind drifted restlessly, but tuned into my sister still rambling on about her dislike of Ryan. I quickly realized that I had not missed much. We were finally driving into town. All I heard during the ride had all been the same, Ryan this and Ryan that…she was clearly pissed off.

  “Jordan, where is your car?” she asked.

  “I left it at the coffee shop.”

  We pulled up to the front of the coffee shop to see police cars everywhere. I got out of the car and Ross came over to give me a hug.

  “Are you okay? Gerry phoned the police after you were kidnapped. We’ve all been worried sick since,” Ross explained. A police officer came over asked me for my name.

  “My name is Jordan Howard.”

  “Are you the same Jordan who was taken against her will a few days ago?” the police officer asked.

  “I was kidnapped, but I was able to escape.”

  “Who kidnapped you?” he asked.

  I looked at my sister who was now out of the car, and then said, “Bruce, I think is his name, He is somehow connected with the mob in Chicago.”

  “I’ll need you to come down to the station and give a statement,” he replied.

  “Fine, we’ll meet you there,” My sister interjected.

  “Ok, I’ll let them know you are coming,” he said. My sister got into the car and spoke quickly.

  “We need to keep our story straight. If we tell them about magic and time travel they will think we are insane, and all my credibility will go down the drain.”

  “Good, we will keep it simple,” I said.

  “We were kidnapped; we got away, walked to a house, and borrowed this car. That’s it.”

  “Because Frank was part of the mob, they’ll keep tabs on you,” she said. “They’ll probably even watch your house for a while.”

  “I never thought of that.” My sister drove over to my car so I could load my belongings into Ryan’s car. Then we drove to the police station. We walked in, and our mother was standing there clearly shaken up. She ran over to bless us with large hugs and many affectionate kisses.

  “I’ve been worried sick,” she said.

  “I need to see that you are ok”, she was holding my hands outstretched and looking over my whole body. There is something different about your aura, Jordan. Are you feeling ok?” I nodded, but I could not even give her a comforting smile. “Well let’s get through this ordeal, go home and talk about it,” she replied.

  We had spent about three hours in the police station when they finally sent us home with a surveillance team to make sure Frank was not coming after us again. I wanted to tell them it was okay, but I was sure they would not understand that Frank was in another dimension.

  I walked into my sister’s beautiful home and as usual, everything was so neat and tidy. Her place looked show-home perfect. She grabbed my suitcase, walked it up a flight of stairs, and placed it in her bedroom.

  “Jordan, sleep in my room and get some rest. You look like hell.”

  “Thanks Meg,” I replied. My mom helped me choose some new clothes out of habit and then left me to change and shower. When