by A. Kennedy
Looking around, it took me a moment to figure out where I was. Other than a painting of mountains on a wall, the room was simple. Besides the couch I was on, the room had an entertainment center with a small TV and was the access point for the stairs. I put the palm of my hands to the sides of my head and tried to keep the pounding from busting through my skull. The room was spinning, and opening my eyes made it worse.
“I brought you some water,” Ryan whispered. “Would you like me to get you something else?” Startled, I jumped as far away from him as I could.
“Something for this headache would be great.” I closed my eyes. I felt queasy. “I’m feeling sick. Where is the bathroom?” I managed to squeak out.
“It's just over there,” he pointed around the corner. “Here,” he held out his hand. “I'll help you to it.”
It took every bit of energy I had to get up. Ryan could very well still be a threat despite his willingness to help, but without him half carrying me, I would have never made it to the bathroom.
Standing over the sink, I splashed cold water on my face and tried to get my body to relax. The last day had left my body tense and stressed. I barely recognized my reflection in the mirror. I was definitely not the same dolled up girl who was ready to go out to dinner with her boyfriend. My hair had tangles throughout, I had huge bags under my eyes, and I had a huge bruise on my forehead. I looked down at my hands. They had cuts and bruises as well. I lightly touched the discolored skin that made a ring around my wrists. I winched from the pain. I was shocked that Ryan even stopped to pick me up. Even more so, I was surprised he didn't take me directly to a hospital.
When I opened the door, Ryan was right there waiting. I felt apprehensive having him there, waiting and making my emotions fly all over the place. I was angry because I needed help. I knew it and he knew it. However, I was grateful that he was willing to help, even if he might end up killing me.
“Here is some Tylenol and a glass of water. Do you want something to eat?”
I shook my head, “I don't really feel like eating.” If I ate, it might not settle well with my stomach, but I knew I needed some kind of nourishment. “But if you have something light. I do need—”
“Crackers? Maybe some soup?” Ryan suggested.
“Just crackers.” He helped me back to the couch.
“Yes ma’am,” he said in a low whisper that sent chills up and down my body. “I figured you might rather sleep in my bed, and I’ll take the couch.” I looked at Ryan and studied him. I noticed for the first time that he was handsome. Maybe mid-twenties. His dark brown hair was cut just above a buzz. His tan chiseled face told me he did a lot of outside work, and judging by the cut on his chin, he was freshly shaved. The dim lighting, however, kept his eyes in the dark, which made him look more sinister than he probably was.
Vigorously, I shook my head. “I’m good with the couch.” My cheeks started to burn, and I prayed that Ryan couldn’t see me blushing.
“I would feel bad if you slept on the couch. You are a guest in my house. Take the bed, I insist. And besides, if you don’t accept my offer, the second you go to sleep I will move you to my bed anyways.”
I was frustrated with his kindness. “Why the hell are you being nice to me? Do you think you will gain something from helping me? Now you are insisting I take your bed. I am a complete stranger to you. I only need the necessities until I feel better. Nothing more.” I hissed the last part as I looked into Ryan's shadowed eyes. Not knowing how he would react to my words, my heart started pounding.
He smiled down at me, causing my heart to pound even harder, “I don’t want you to be a complete stranger to me,” Ryan said, and it looked like he winked.
“What?” Had I heard him correctly?
Someone turned the lights on in the living room. The shadows no longer hid Ryan’s eyes. I wanted to say they were baby blue, but they had a green tinge that reminded me of the Caribbean Sea. I felt the presence of someone else right behind me, but I couldn't stop looking into Ryan’s enchanting eyes. I felt like I was watching a cascading waterfall, the beauty capturing all my attention, and everything around me seemed to fade away.
“Um, Ryan is there a problem?” The male’s deep voice came from behind me. “I heard a crazy chick yelling at you, and if she thinks she can take care of herself, well I’d let her. No need in helping her if she doesn’t appreciate it.”
I was aggravated for such a moment to be interrupted. Why was I drawn to this complete stranger? I shouldn’t be drawn to any man, especially one I didn’t know. I turned to see who the intruder was. Tears began to fill my eyes, and I didn’t bother to stop them. I never once thought I would see the boy—man, he was definitely a man—ever again. He was a lot taller than I remembered. I guessed he was close to six feet tall, and he definitely didn’t look like the kid I knew. His name left my lips in a small tiny gasp, “Boa?”
Chapter 7
The last time I saw Boa, I was walking down our eighth-grade hall before Christmas break. He walked up and hugged me as he usually did, except this hug was a little tighter than usual.
“I’m so ready for school to be out,” I told him as I looked up into his brown eyes. It took him a while to get taller than me, but he finally hit a growth spurt the year prior.
“I’m not,” he said with a hint of sadness in his voice.
“What do you mean you’re not? What kid isn’t ready for the break?”
“A kid who is moving away …” he looked away from me.
“What?” It took a moment for his words to sink in. “No, you can’t. You can’t move away.”
“I don’t want to. It’s not up to me.” He sighed.
“Why?” My heart ached at his revelation.
“Dad's job is relocating him to South Georgia.”
I never forgot those beautiful chestnut eyes and the grin he always gave me that showed his dimples. Often when I thought about him, I sometimes found myself laughing aloud. He understood me like no one ever had, but I let distance pull us apart. No phone calls, no letters. He was here one day and gone the next.
I blinked, still stunned that Boa was actually standing in front of me. He studied me, searching for someone he should recognize. We both had done a lot of growing up since we last saw each other. His hair hadn’t changed much, still brown and just enough length for him to run his fingers through. His face had lost its baby appearance and looked more oval with a strong wide jaw. His brown eyes had stayed the same, just like his grin. My smile deepened as he continued to search.
The quiet filled my ears, and I jumped a little when Boa finally spoke again, “Windy,” he said a little uncertain. “Is it really you?” He stepped closer. His hand went to my bruise and lightly touched the area outside of the bruise.
I flinched a little from his touch, but for the most part, my face beamed as I looked at my friend from the eighth grade. I couldn’t believe he was right in front of me. I reached out and touched his face to make sure that he was real. My friend who knew all my secrets up until he left. He brought his arms around my body and squeezed so hard that I might have puked if he didn’t loosen his grip.
“Boa,” I managed to get out. “Could you please let me breathe?”
“I’m sorry,” he whispered as he loosened his grip. “I thought I’d never see you again.”
“So, you two know each other?” Ryan asked.
“Noooo,” I couldn’t stop the sarcasm from exiting my mouth. “Never seen him before in my life.”
“That-a-girl. You haven’t changed a bit.” Boa smiled approvingly.
I'd changed more than he could probably imagine, just as I'm sure he had changed, but being sarcastic would never leave. With my arms still around him, I squeezed once more. I was scared to let go, scared that if I did, I would lose him again. “Boa is, well, he used to be my best friend.”
“Used to be?” Boa asked, concern filling his face.
I nodded. “Well, it’s been a long time and well—”
“Windy, no matter what, in my book you’ll always be my best friend.” Boa turned to Ryan, and I noticed Boa’s tan complexion go completely white. “This is the Windy they’re looking for, huh?”
“I believe so. I haven’t had a chance to ask her any questions as to where she came from and why she was walking up the road all by herself, but I had a hunch.”
“Who's looking for me?” My thoughts went to Doug, but how did they get the news out so fast?
It became evident that the guys didn’t want to answer my question. Ryan was the one who finally started talking. “Do you know a man by the name of Zac Graves?”
Just hearing his name brought me back to the gas station. A small tremor went through my body. I fell toward the floor when I heard an innocent man's neck snapping replay in my head.
Boa’s arms tightened around me as he half carried me, half dragged me to the couch. “I’ll take that as a yes.”
Once settled on the couch, I told the guys that Zac was my boyfriend, and I gave them as much of our history as they needed to know. I was shocked by the terror on their faces. Boa finally spoke up. “Windy, Zac doesn’t know who you are, does he?”
“Of course he knows who I am. We've been dating for a couple of years.”
“That's not what I meant. Does he know your secret?”
I shook my head. “He knows I'm Windy, a small town girl, but he doesn't know the secret you know.”
I was happy when I saw relief on both Boa and Ryan’s faces. I started to wonder if I was in more danger than I thought, and I wondered if Zac was at the root of the danger.
Looking at Ryan, the question came before I could stop it, “Do you know my secret?” My head turned to Boa to give him a stare that said you better not have told a soul.
“Well,” Ryan seemed to be thinking about what he should say. “Windy, will you step into the kitchen with me?”
“I have no reason to get up and no reason to follow you to the kitchen,” I said, trying to sound stern in my answer. I must have said something that amused him because his grin was starting to show.
“What?” I snapped.
“I just wanted to show you something. That was all. I figured you might like it.” Ryan turned and went to the kitchen by himself.
While he was gone, I didn’t feel like talking, so I continued to direct my death stare at Boa. I swear if he told a soul about me ... well, I didn’t know what I truly would do. I knew I would be really hurt, but I’ve missed him all these years, and he was the one person I could always talk to and count on. And really, who would believe that his childhood friend had powers?
Ryan walked back in with a glass of water. He sat it in front of me without a word. A smirk that I couldn’t read spread across his face. His motives left me confused and interested. Is this why he wanted me to come to the kitchen, so he could get me another glass of water?
“Watch,” was all Ryan said.
The water in the glass started moving slowly as if Ryan were moving the cup in a circular motion, but his hand was motionless. I watched the water as it climbed the sides of the glass. The tension in the room became stronger. I felt as if the air molecules had started pricking my arms. The water in the glass started splashing like little rain drops were falling into it. The room even began to smell like rain. If something was being dropped in, I didn’t see it. Then I witnessed the coolest thing; all the water in the glass started lifting out of the cup. I couldn’t help but gape at the scene unfolding before my eyes. Then I heard Ryan say, “Pretty cool, huh?”
I looked up at him. His face was stern from concentrating on manipulating the water. The air around me was pulsating against my skin. It reminded me of my dad teaching me to use my powers at the beach. It felt good, and I didn't want the sensation to stop. My headache even seemed to ease. That’s when the thought crossed my mind: how funny would it be to see if I could blow the water right on Ryan. With just a slight twitch of my hand, I felt the air whip past me. The water moved with ease and headed straight for Ryan. I tried suppressing a giggle, but when I looked at a drenched Ryan right in front of me, I busted out laughing. I wasn’t the only one who thought my trick was funny. I heard Boa try stifling a laugh too.
“Well, well, well.” Ryan didn't seem upset to have water dripping down his face. He seemed pleased. “You are more powerful than they say, Ms. Windy,” Ryan said with a grin that continued to grow.
“They? Who's they?” I asked.
Stretching his arm out dramatically, Ryan said, “They are the Society.”
I laughed, “I’m not powerful. All I did was use air to blow the water on you.” I tossed my hands up as if it were no big deal. I barely had to move my hand to change the molecules.
“Your father was the best Wind Manipulator out there, and the Society saw what you could do when you were little.” Ryan laughed. “No other Manipulator can use as little force as you did and completely change another’s altered pattern. They said you probably would be the head of the Society when you grew up.” Shaking his head in disbelief, Ryan continued. “Then you vanished after your father died, and we have been looking for you ever since. And not only the Society but also the murderers against our kind.” His voice dropped as if someone were in the other room listening. “Zac is one of our biggest enemies. Him and his father.”
I looked at Ryan in disbelief.
Arching his eyebrows, he replied, “You don’t believe me?”
My eyebrows scrunched up. “It doesn’t add up, completely.”
“Why’s that?” Ryan asked.
“If the Society was looking for me, why not just come to my house?” I said as if it should be common sense. “We’ve been in the same place since I can remember.”
Ryan seemed displeased with my statement. “The Society said they didn’t have a current address for you on file.”
“And if Zac is such a threat and has been looking for me to hurt me, why am I still alive?” I added.
“That’s a good question,” Ryan said. “Are you completely sure he didn’t know about your manipulation?”
I nodded. “I’m pretty positive.”
Ryan was quiet, lost in thought. “Then he must not have been looking for you as thoroughly as we thought, or he had some sinister reason to keep you alive.”
I shivered as the chills ran across my body. Boa noticed and placed a protective arm around me to let me know everything would be okay.
“Anything else?” Ryan asked.
“Nothing important.” I looked down in my lap. I didn’t want to really ask the question. I felt the answer should be obvious to Manipulators, but then again, I wasn’t your normal-go-to-meetings Manipulator.
“Get on with it,” Ryan smirked.
I blushed slightly at my ignorance. “What did you mean when you said pattern?”
Ryan sighed deeply before explaining, “I moved the water into a pattern, and you completely wiped it out. Only the most powerful Manipulators can change it a little bit, maybe move a couple of drops, but not the complete pattern. You, however, used the air to manipulate my whole pattern.”
I nodded, not believing I was that powerful. “One more thing,” I continued, “why have you and the others been looking for me?”
Ryan’s eyes bored into mine. “Because you are powerful and the Society hates to lose ties with any Manipulator. They have to know if things get out of hand so they can cover up any accident a Manipulator might cause.”
“And Zac really wants me dead just because I’m a Manipulator?” I pressed my lips together, not wanting to hear the answer.
Ryan nodded. “That is what has been discussed during meetings. You are rumored to be stronger than the average Manipulator. Zac knows one is out there, but we believe he doesn’t know who, or you would have been dead already.”
I figured Zac wanted me dead because I was a witness to him killing someone, but I never imagined he wanted me dead because I was me. And, if he didn't want me dead, he might use me in oth
er ways. I should be frightened, but I wasn’t. I was hurt. I felt like someone punched me in the stomach. The emotions had been there since the other night. However, in this moment, in front of Boa and Ryan, I finally let the lump in my throat take over and let the tears stream down my face.
Boa slowly rocked me back and forth. He didn't say anything to make me happy; he was just there letting me cry. He did the same thing for me after my dad died. I cried enough to soil Boa’s sleeve. As my pain eased, the tears became less. About the time I stopped crying, Ryan’s phone started ringing. I felt the muscles in Boa’s chest tense, and my sadness and hurt turned to being alert.
Ryan walked toward the kitchen. “No, we didn’t catch the news … What? … No, he can’t possibly know … All right. We’ll leave first thing in the morning … What about Doug and them? … Okay, I’ll call them … Yeah. I’ll turn it on right now.” Ryan walked back into the living room and went over to the TV. He turned on the news replaying from the 11 o’clock airing. Ryan went to finish his call. I was already sucked into the television. The reporter was in front of the convenience store that I was at last night.
The reporter said, “A lot happened here last night. An innocent man was murdered just behind this store I’m standing in front of, and not only will this man be missed, but the authorities think the murderer took an innocent victim that could have been the witness to the whole scene. Her name is Windy Gale, and she is described as 5’2”, green eyes, about 130 pounds. She was last seen in a black dress. She stopped at the store with one of the witnesses to go to the bathroom. Here is what the witness had to say about the incident ...”
The screen went to an interview from earlier. The person being interviewed, Zac, was in a shadow so you couldn’t see his face. Why was he being so secretive? The reporter started questioning, “How did you know the abducted victim?”
Zac almost sounded like he was going to cry when he replied, “She’s my girlfriend.”