Absolution

by Jennifer Laurens

  What should I say? I have no idea what to tell her. I couldn’t imagine what she was feeling: terror, fear and relief at the same time?

  Krissy’s sobs began to subside. Finally, she let out a tremulous breath and lifted her emotionally bludgeoned face to mine. A long, belt-wide welt rose from the skin on her cheek and down the side of her neck. Blood oozed from her nose, mixing with the snot and vomit dribbling down her chin.

  “I… I couldn’t take it anymore,” she hiccupped, her hands wringing each other over and over and over.

  I nodded, stroking her arm. “I know.” I couldn’t say ‘it’s okay.’ How could I know if it was okay?

  “I think I killed him,” she whispered.

  Luke and I exchanged glances. “You don’t know for sure?” I asked.

  She shook her head, wiped beneath her nose with the blood and vomit coating the cuff of her long-sleeved tee shirt.

  “Maybe we should go see,” I suggested to Luke.

  “Hell no,” Luke said. “I’m not going anywhere near that place.”

  “What happened?” I asked Krissy.

  She wiped her face with her sleeve. Her tear-ravaged eyes shifted from me, to Luke.

  “It’s okay,” he said. “You can trust Zoe.”

  Krissy’s fragility was laid bare: a girl who could not think or do without the permission of someone else—even in the face of disaster—was as naked and vulnerable as a soul can get.

  “Tell me,” I urged.

  “He was…” she muttered. “He was mad. He…”

  “Hit you?” I suggested. If it was too hard for her to say the words, I wouldn’t make it any harder.

  She nodded. “I picked up these glass grapes we have and when he started to… when he wasn’t looking… I… hit him.” Her eyes searched mine as if I might be able to forgive her.

  “You defended yourself.”

  “What if I killed him?” She wept again, burying her face in her hands.

  Her guardian’s efforts to comfort remained steady. Often, he looked at Matthias. At me. Were they communicating?

  “We should call 911,” I suggested.

  Luke pulled out his phone but Krissy grabbed his wrist. “No, you can’t.”

  “We have to.” Luke’s response was gentle but insistent.

  “You were defending yourself, Krissy,” I said. “The police will see that.

  When they take a look at that welt on your face they’ll get what was going on.”

  Still, did she have the strength to admit the uglier part of the truth?

  Zoe, the wheels of justice can’t carry her to safety until she steps forward.

  I swallowed the knot in my throat and took a deep breath. “Krissy, Luke needs to call.”

  She shook her head. Tears poured down her cheeks in rivulets. Her grip on Luke’s wrist remained unbroken. Luke’s gaze met mine, then shifted to Matthias. Krissy’s guardian wrapped her in an orb of comfort so bright it stole my breath. A low buzz filled the air, a powerful yet soft pitch that soothed as the light illuminated.

  Slowly, Krissy’s weeping stopped. The tension stringing her limbs taut smoothed and she finally let go of Luke’s wrist. “Okay,” she whispered.

  Luke walked out of earshot and made the call. No one spoke as he explained what happened, gave names and addresses and took instruction.

  After the call was completed, he slipped his cell phone into his pocket.

  “They’re sending someone here. We’re supposed to wait.”

  Krissy’s face lifted her red, swollen eyes bulging in fear. “What’s going to happen?”

  “It’s gonna be okay.” Luke’s strength and conviction took control of the moment. He took her hand and held it.

  She latched onto him, sobbing against his shirt. I admired Luke’s sense of decency and compassion and I was proud of him.

  You’re on the trolley now.

  Nothing about this feels trolleyish.

  The quiet stillness in the air filled with more of Krissy’s weeping.

  I bit my lip, fighting tears.

  When Matthias didn’t respond, I turned to him. His face was rigid, grave. I waited for his thoughts but none came.

  Chapter Fourteen

  ____________________

  Not three minutes passed and sirens filled the air. Two navy and white police cars sped to a stop, their lights flashing yellow and white and red into the quiet stillness of the public park.

  Krissy jerked upright, panic causing her to move like a caged cat next to Luke. Luke tried to stroke her arms, but she took off, heading deeper into the shrubs and trees of the park. Her guardian remained with her.

  Luke trailed after her. So did the three police officers who had just jumped from their cars.

  One officer remained, and he jogged my way. “Can I ask you a few questions?”

  I told him everything I knew.

  Within minutes, the other officers were in sight, emerging from behind a smattering of evergreens two of them holding Krissy’s arms, the other walking with Luke.

  “Her dad…” Should I tell the police what I suspected? What if Krissy chickened out and didn’t tell them her father was molesting her? “He came to my house threatening our family the other night. He didn’t want Krissy out of his sight. Ever.”

  The officer listened but didn’t respond. His gaze was fixed on his fellow officers escorting Krissy our direction.

  Krissy collapsed. The officers surrounded her. Another siren pierced the air and a Fire and Rescue truck barreled down the street, followed by an ambulance. Cars passing the park, slowed. Some stopped, and their occupants craned their necks for a look. A few slowed for a better view.

  “I need you to wait here, miss,” the officer I was talking to said.

  I swallowed and nodded.

  He took off across the crispy iced grass where his fellow officers huddled around Krissy. A lonely howl arose from the center of the circle. Luke’s blonde head of hair finally emerged from the cluster. He stepped back, face pale, hands plastered to his cheeks as he looked on in shock.

  “Poor Krissy,” I whispered.

  Matthias’ comfort engulfed me. Though he didn’t say anything, I took hope in the steps she’d taken to free herself from the nightmare.

  Krissy’s guardian’s glow pulsed from within the circle as he administered to her.

  Suddenly, Krissy screeched and, from between the hunched blue uniforms I glimpsed her legs and arms flailing. The officers scrambled to hold her in place. More cries filled the air.

  The EMTs rushed across the park, their portable emergency supplies dangling from their shoulders and arms. Between the two of them, they balanced a stretcher. The officer’s huddle opened for them. More screams.

  “Let me go!” Krissy screamed. “Stop! Stop!”

  Luke stepped away from the people surrounding Krissy.

  I crossed to him, catching slivers of Krissy between the sandwiched officers and EMTs. Her guardian’s glow intensified and her sobs turned to whimpers.

  Luke’s eyes, latched on the scene, rimmed with tears. I slipped my arm around his shoulder and hugged him.

  Seconds later the officers and emergency medical technicians separated.

  Krissy lay still on the grass. A blanket covered her, leaving only her face exposed. My heart tore. The low murmur of their voices filled the air.

  Krissy was lifted and gingerly placed on top of the stretcher then carried to the ambulance, her guardian moving with her, the two of them encompassed in a soft golden hue.

  Two policemen headed toward Luke and me.

  “They’re taking her to American Fork Hospital. You can call the hospital later to check on your friend. She’ll be there for the next few hours.”

  “It’s not her fault,” Luke blurted. “Her dad was hurting her.” He scrubbed his face with his hands, smearing tears across his cheeks.

  “That black eye is from her dad.” I nodded at Luke’s bruise.

  “I’ll make sure that gets
in the report. Do you two need a ride?”

  “No, we’re good,” I said, bringing Luke to my side in a hug. His body shook.

  The officer left and joined his fellow officers at the back of the open ambulance and within moments, the door to the vehicle was shut and the red and white ambulance sped away.

  The police returned to their cars, got in and drove off. The silence left in the aftermath was cold. Empty. Curious on-lookers lingering at the fringe of the park now watched Luke and me. Show’s over, people. A shudder scraped my spine.

  My cell phone vibrated in my pocket and I dug it out. Chase. I kept my arm around Luke still pale, speechless and dazed, and led him to Matthias.

  Luke was in shock, no doubt about it. “You okay if I get this?” I asked him.

  He blinked dazedly. “Sure.”

  Matthias stood before Luke and ticked his head left. “Let’s you and I walk a bit.”

  Luke followed Matthias’ lead and the two of them started at a slow pace toward the trees.

  I clicked on my phone. “Chase, you won’t believe what happened.”

  “What?”

  “Krissy attacked her dad.”

  “What?”

  “First the guy hits Luke, then Krissy slams him over the head and now—”

  “Are you serious? Why did he hit Luke?”

  “Because she’s been hanging out with him and the guy’s a possessed psycho. I don’t know.” I explained to Chase what had happened at the park, complete with police, Krissy carted away and the uncertainty of whether her dad was alive or dead.”

  “Wow-oh-wow.”

  “I feel like I live smack in the center of a frying pan. I’m sick of the heat.”

  “Was Matthias there? Was your life in danger?”

  “He’s here, but my life wasn’t in danger. He’s with Luke right now.”

  “Where was Krissy’s guardian during all of this?”

  “With her. I wouldn’t want his job. I just hope she makes it through all of this. Her dad shouldn’t take one more breath if he’s just going to get out and hurt her some more. Luke and I are going to the hospital. Wanna meet us?”

  “Yeah… sure.”

  I told Chase which hospital Krissy was going to and said goodbye. Luke and Matthias were now a good distance away from me.

  I stuck my cell phone in back my pocket. I hoped Matthias was helping Luke. But of course he was helping him, what else would they be doing?

  Having a guy talk?

  Luke wouldn’t tell me what he and Matthias had talked about, but for a guy who’d been tied in emotional knots just a little while ago, Luke’s countenance had taken a complete turnaround. Color pinked his cheeks and his blue eyes were bright.

  Matthias bid us goodbye—a moment I never looked forward to—and Luke and I dropped the minivan off at home. I jumped in his car so we could head over to American Fork Hospital. I called Mom and told her what had happened and it wasn’t two minutes before my phone vibrated.

  I flipped it open. “Hey, Dad.”

  “Krissy’s in the hospital?”

  “Yeah.”

  Dad sighed heavily into the phone. “Be careful, Zoe. Her father’s not someone to fool around with.”

  “Her dad is… well, were not sure where he is, but he’s not on the streets. She hit him in self defense.”

  “I can’t say I’m surprised. The man was out of control. Is she okay?”

  The extent of Krissy’s injuries was undeniably deep and scarring, even if they weren’t visible on the surface. “She’s hurt, yeah. She tried to run away. It was awful. I think she’s going to need some support.”

  “Does she have other family?” he asked.

  “Her mom. And an aunt. But Luke says her mom is clueless.”

  “Well,” Dad’s voice was stiff. “She won’t be clueless after today.” A moment ticked by in silence. “I’ll keep Krissy in my thoughts.”

  “Thanks, Dad.” I hung up.

  Neither Luke nor I spoke for a few minutes. Was he thinking what I was thinking? That he and I were lucky to have the parents we had? That, in spite of our family problems we weren’t mistreated, neglected, unloved or any other myriad of anomalies that can damage people?

  Luke’s countenance lightened a shade. “Everything’s going to be okay,”

  he finally said.

  Luke, Chase and I sat in the hospital waiting room. The place was empty except for a youngish couple. Both looked pregnant, but only the female was. They sat in their over sized t-shirts and hoodies staring at a plasma screen hoisted on one of the walls.

  “So, you see anything?” Chase swept the room with a curious gaze. “No guardians, no black spirits?”

  “Nope.” What a relief.

  Luke’s face was buried in his hands. I wrapped an arm around his shoulder. “By the way, I’m sorry about earlier, yelling at you. I wasn’t really yelling at you.”

  His white-streaked, finger-scraped face lifted to mine. “Doesn’t matter any more.”

  “Yeah, it does. I tried to tell you, but…” I looked to Chase for support.

  His brown eyes brimmed with excitement behind his glasses. “I was talking to Matthias’ father.”

  Luke’s tired expression sharpened. I nodded. “His name is Albert—”

  “And he’s trying to destroy your family,” Chase piped.

  “Chase.” I tilted my head at him, my tone heavy with cut the drama.

  Luke bristled. “Are you serious?”

  “Unfortunately,” I said.

  “W—wait.” Luke shifted like he sat on hot coals. “How long has this been going on?”

  “A while.” I withdrew my arm from his shoulder, clutching my hands in my lap. “When Matthias and I… connected… Albert showed up. He’s trying to destroy Matthias, and he’s using every way he can to do it.”

  “Including your family,” Chase added.

  “Yes, thank you, Chase,” I deadpanned. “Albert shows up whenever somebody’s arguing or whatever. He’s got an open invitation, intentional or not.”

  “Serious?” Luke gulped. “Man.”

  “Yeah.”

  “And the dude’s not your average bad guy, either,” Chase interjected.

  “He’s, like, the quintessential bad guy.”

  “That’s trippy,” Luke mumbled. He eyed me. “I don’t envy you, Z.”

  “When Abria was in the hospital, you asked me what was going on? I wanted to tell you, so you’d know I wasn’t talking to air or was crazy.”

  “Z, nothing would surprise me about you any more,” Luke said with a light smirk. “Why you, you think? I mean, you’re deep and all, I told you that before. But, maybe you need to be exorcized or something.”

  I snorted. “I’m about ready.” In truth, though my ability to see spirits both good and evil was at times overwhelming, I knew to my core that seeing spirits was precious gift. I wouldn’t give it up for anything.

  Not when I could help people, like Krissy.

  “Wonder how she’s doing.” I looked around, hoping we’d get a chance to talk to her. See her. Show her we were there for her.

  There was no guarantee we would see Krissy. We weren’t family. “So, you’ve never seen her mom?” I asked Luke, my eyes trained on the arched opening that led to another wing of the hospital.

  He shook his head. “Never been inside her house. She said boys aren’t allowed.” He let out a sneer. “What alternate universe are her parents living in, anyway?”

  “Seriously,” Chase said. “And I thought my parents were weird.”

  “Like they can keep their kid caged up forever.” Luke shook his head.

  “She’s lucky to be free of them.”

  “Let’s hope her aunt is normal,” I said.

  “You think she’ll go live with her?” Chase asked.

  I shrugged. “Then again, if her mom just needs a wake-up call, maybe being at home is the best thing.”

  “Yeah,” Luke murmured.

  Heels c
lacked on the tile floor to our left, the sound echoing from the hall that led to the other wings of the hospital. A woman appeared, dressed in a black suit. I’d seen her at Brady’s funeral—in Krissy’s parents’ van. Two police officers accompanied her. Her hands were behind her back.