Embers

by Karen Ann Hopkins

  “There’s going to be music and food. We do it every year the day after homecoming. You’ll have a blast. And Preston asked me to make sure you’d be there,” Maddie put in for good measure.

  I thought about it for a moment. Maybe, if I spent more time with regular people, I wouldn’t be so hung up thinking about Sawyer. I snorted at the thought. Now that I’d met some of the neighbors, I was feeling pretty ordinary in contrast.

  But if I went along with the girls, I’d have to deal with Preston. He was letting the whole world know the he aimed to make me his girl, bringing images of the character Gaston from the animated movie, Beauty and the Beast, to mind. I laughed out loud at the mental picture of Preston singing and dancing around a pub. Maddie and Lindsey looked at me as if I’d completely lost my mind. Even Hannah turned to see what was so funny.

  “I’ll go to the bonfire with you guys. It sounds too entertaining to miss,” I told them. For the rest of the period, Maddie and Lindsey made plans. I had to admit, their excitement was beginning to rub off on me. And I was thinking a little bit less about Sawyer.

  *

  When I pulled into the valley, I was still stressing about how Preston had walked me to my truck. He’d offered to drive me up to my aunt’s after the game on Friday, not realizing I was spending the night with Maddie. That bit of information spread his lips into a sunny smile, a smile that made me very paranoid.

  Preston didn’t make my body go crazy the way Sawyer did. But there was something pleasant about him. He was definitely safer to be around than the Demon, and a lot less complicated. And to hammer that point home for me, I had just as terrifying an experience driving by the fort that afternoon as I did in the morning. Something was going on in there. I was sure of it.

  When I parked the truck, Ila was working in the sunflower patch beside the driveway. I gave her a quick wave before I threw my backpack on the porch steps and then jogged over to her.

  The wide brimmed hat she wore shielded her eyes from the brilliant sunlight and the basket she clutched in her hand was full of sunflower seeds. I reached out to snatch a few, popping them into my mouth. Angus and Riley were both lying in the shade of the gigantic flowers, panting from the heat. Unlike yesterday’s rainy, fall-like weather, today was in the eighties with only a few stray wisps of clouds dotting the blue sky. Summer didn’t want to let go just yet.

  “How was your day?” Ila paused from her task.

  “It was fine. I’m doing better in chemistry and all the other classes are pretty easy so far.”

  “Come on. I have a new lesson for you. Oh, and bring the seeds.” She handed me the basket and headed towards the barnyard. Instead of going into the barn though, we took a narrow footpath that followed the rock wall the length of the valley.

  The warm wind blew the tall grass in the pasture. The sound was a unified swooshing of air as the stems brushed each other, bending low to the ground. The grass reminded me of a flock of birds twirling in the air, reversing direction in harmony, only to whip back seamlessly, as one. Clumps of Black Eyed Susan dotted the path in vibrant displays of yellow and black, while the honeysuckle vines clambered along the wall, carrying their thick, sweet perfume to us.

  What a glorious day it was. To feel nature all around, touching and teasing was heavenly. A wild rabbit bounded out of the grass close by the rock wall, pricking Angus to full attention. Using one of the tricks that Ila had taught me, I quickly sent him the picture to not chase the little creature. He looked disappointed, but obeyed.

  One of the barn cats stepped casually through a gap in the wall and joined us. The Siamese paused to observe the rabbit’s hasty retreat before he graced Angus’ leg with a rub. His bright blue eyes flicked at me with a look that said, “Okay, human. What do we do now?”

  Cats were strange, even in the real world. I ignored the cat’s questioning eyes and hurried to catch up with Ila.

  A few more minutes and we arrived at a gothic looking bench that was completely out of place in the mountain wilderness. It was ornately carved from graying stone and there were intricate flowers, birds and dragonflies decorating it. Next to the bench was a birdbath that had similar designs on it. I was glad for the seat and dropped down next to Ila on the bench.

  There were several different kinds of birds lining the rim of the bath, drinking and occasionally wetting their wings. I identified two Doves, a Chickadee and a female Cardinal. When the large crow landed on the bath, all the other birds flew away. I smiled at the party crasher. He graced me with an intelligent nod of his head before he thrust to the nearest branch in a flutter of black feathers. He remained there, watching us.

  “Wouldn’t you like to be able to fly like a bird?” Ila asked lightly as she tossed out handfuls of sunflower seeds to the birds.

  Out of nowhere, dozens of birds came from all directions. They excitedly swooped down on the banquet.

  My heart skipped a beat. “Do you mean really fly? Is that my next lesson, flying?” I was worried and excited at the same time. All other thoughts vanished from my mind.

  “In a sense, yes, I’m going to teach you to fly, but first I want you to bring Cricket over here.”

  I wondered what my mentor was up to, but I wasted no time searching the pasture for the horse. I brought my fingers to my mouth.

  “Not that way, you silly girl, use your mind to bring her here.”

  “But she’s so far away,” I protested.

  “Clear your head and call to her with your mind, then picture her running here. It doesn’t matter the distance.” Ila waited patiently for me to give it a try.

  At first the call was quiet, too soft for the mare to hear, so I projected it louder. A few seconds later, Cricket’s pounding hooves could be heard growing louder. She made a show of almost sliding into the wall, turning at the last second and tossing her head.

  “Okay, now what?” I said, thoroughly pleased with myself.

  “You, my dear, are going to enter Cricket’s mind and see what she sees.” She must have seen the doubt on my face, because she went on, “There are many gifts gained from being an earth Watcher and one of those is the ability to enter the mind of earth’s children. With our minds, we can communicate with them, compel them to do our bidding and in the case of very strong Watchers, see through their eyes.”

  “What do I do?” I asked eagerly.

  Ila smoothed her hair off of her brow and stood up. “First, you erase all other thoughts and reach out to make the connection with the horse. This time, instead of communicating with her, you will attempt to push your mind into hers. It’s not easy. You mustn’t get frustrated if it takes a while.”

  I couldn’t help but ask with a smirk, “Is there enough room in there for both of us?”

  A little laugh erupted from Ila’s lips. “Believe it or not, yes, there will be enough room. But what you really need to grasp is that animals don’t want us in their minds in that way. They become confused, and sometimes will act in unpredictable ways. You must go gently, pulling out if the animal can’t handle the intrusion. It’s always best to work with animals that you have a relationship with already; ones that know you, and have felt you before.”

  “Can this be done with any kind of animal?” I queried.

  “The simple answer would be, yes. But some animals are easier than others…and a few are nearly impossible. For instance, Cricket is a good choice for your first subject. You already have a strong relationship with her and being a prey animal, her mind is easier to manipulate. If you were to try a cat, it would be more difficult.”

  Angus’ head was pressing on my foot. “Could I do it with Angus?”

  “Oh, yes. Angus knows and loves you. Even though he has a predatory mind, he would allow you access. In contrast, a coyote or a bobcat would fight you.”

  Ila was getting impatient to begin the lesson. I could tell by the way she stood up straighter, talking quicker.

  “What about another person? Could I see through someone else’s eyes?”


  Ila looked sharply at me, her eyes narrowing to liquid slits. She didn’t like the question, although it seemed perfectly reasonable to me.

  Her voice was tentative. “In theory you can do this with a human, but it would be more difficult than with the most intelligent animal. Unless, the subject knew what you were doing and allowed you in, you’d fail.” As an afterthought, she added, “And you’d probably drive the person mad in the process.”

  “So Watchers never enter people’s minds?” I asked quietly.

  Ila sighed, studying the yellow and black butterfly that had landed on her hand. The colorful creature walked daintily along her fingers, distracting Ila. She was too engrossed with the insect to follow up on my question. Or, maybe she wasn’t going to.

  Finally she answered in a serious tone, even for her. “There are occasions when we enter the minds of people, but only in times of great need, when nothing else will do. The evil Watchers used to employ their talents on the humans all the time. That was one of the things that separated us from them. It’s always difficult to work within a person’s mind, but a talented Watcher can accomplish it with subtly.” The butterfly drifted away on the air followed by Ila’s watchful gaze.

  “Have you ever gone into a person’s mind?” I felt a little bolder, instinctually feeling I should know about this.

  She spoke defensively. “I have at times intruded in a person’s mind for one reason or another. I only did it when the benefit was greater than the cost. Among Watchers, it’s a common thing to communicate with our minds. There was one time in particular that the ability was helpful to me. I was in trouble and called my friend from about ten leagues away. I was able to locate her from that distance and put the subtle suggestion into her mind to come looking for me. I gave her a picture of where to go. She rode her fastest horse, arriving by my side rather quickly.”

  Seeing the look of interest on my face, she said, “No. Today is not the time for that story.” She flapped her hand at Cricket for me to begin.

  Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes. I went to Cricket’s mind the way I had when I’d called her, but this time, I started to push with my mind. There was a wall. The more I pushed, the more it seemed the wall pushed back. My concentration faltered, Cricket began backing away, shaking her head. Her mind escaped me. The mare stopped with a snort. She glanced at me in disdain before dropping her head to eat again.

  “That didn’t go well, did it?” I breathed deeply, trying to relax.

  “Did you feel the wall?” When I nodded, she continued. “The next time you get to the wall, don’t push it. Instead go over it. And don’t stay for more than a minute.”

  “That’s all? I simply have to climb the wall?” I was skeptical.

  “For the horse, it will work. If it were a fox, you would also go up the wall, but there would be much less space at the top and maybe only sporadic holes.” She warned, “Only stay in the horse for a minute.”

  I looked at Cricket who was munching loudly on the grass. Seeing that I was watching her, she actually turned her rump to me.

  All righty, my sweet horse—here we go again.

  Cricket’s obstinate nature fueled my determination and I connected with her mind easily. When I felt the wall, I went up the way Ila had instructed and found the opening. Pushing through, suddenly everything changed. One second I was in my own body, staring at the horse, the next I was gazing out through Cricket’s eyes at me. I almost panicked at the strange sensation, but I managed to hold it together somehow.

  I looked around. Cricket’s head felt heavy at first, then gradually lighter, more fluid. The colors were all different, with everything appearing the same as an old black and white photo that was aged and yellowing. The truly amazing thing was that when I held the head steady, I could still see almost entirely around my body without turning in the slightest.

  Carefully, I asked the mare to move out into the pasture at a walk. The feeling of the horse’s massive muscles flexing was thrilling. I was so strong. Bravely, I asked her to canter. She changed gait, working into a smooth run across the pasture. It was so effortless. I wished that I could run forever, but Ila’s instructions tugged at me. I guided the mare back to the rock wall, slipping out of her mind and back into my own.

  I was wobbly for a few seconds, surrounded by the flesh of my own weak body. The shock of the bright colors was startling. I blinked, getting used to the rainbow again.

  “So…how was it?” Ila asked, curious and impatient at the same time. She reminded me of my fifth grade swimming coach after the first time I did a flip off the diving board.

  “It was amazing. I wasn’t expecting to feel her body that way.”

  Ila nodded and for the next hour I practiced entering Angus’s mind, a squirrel’s, and even the cat’s mind. The Siamese had been the most difficult to work with, but I’d succeeded in the end.

  The difference between each animal’s body and the variations of their vision was wondrous. To feel them all so intimately was similar to lying in a strange hotel room’s bed and reluctantly, right before sleep crept in, the bed suddenly felt like home.

  I was pumped and confident when Ila asked me to join her again on the bench. She surveyed the area for a minute before pointing a short distance away at a gnarled old Mulberry tree. The crow was now perched on one of its lower branches.

  “I think you’re ready to learn to fly,” Ila said nonchalantly.

  Apprehension fluttered in my belly. “Is it much different than entering an animal’s mind?”

  “Yes, very different. You have something in common with the animals you entered—you’re all grounded to the earth. The bird, on the other hand, will take you into the air where it is foreign for your mind to go. I must tell you right now that this doesn’t work well with all birds, especially birds of prey. They panic when they feel the touch of another mind and they’ll fly themselves into the ground. You can never be in the mind of a bird or animal when it dies, Ember. It could mean death for you also.”

  I listened closely as she explained about the different types of birds and the method to enter them. I would be able to go over the top, the same as with the animals, but the walls were always moving. I’d have to feel my way around. She told me that long ago, Watchers had discovered that Crows and Ravens were their friends. Those birds enjoyed being touched by a Watcher’s mind. They would follow us on their own accord, lending their services freely.

  “Are you ready, my girl?”

  I nodded.

  “As before, don’t stay in too long, until you are more practiced. Remember that you’re pulling more of the earth’s energy to do this, which means, you’ll be affected afterwards. Not too much, but you should be prepared nonetheless.”

  I studied the crow that had swooped from the branch to the ground, a few feet away. It appeared to be waiting for me. I called to it with my mind. It responded instantly, lifting from the ground with a flap and landing on the arm of the bench.

  It was almost too easy. While the bird waited, I slipped out of my body and into the crow’s. It let me in with no argument. Its body was so light that I felt nonexistent, as if I was a wisp of fog. There was just a speck of solidness to keep me from floating away. The sight from the bird was completely different than the animals, too. Everything was extra vibrant, bright and colorful. With sudden excitement, I wasted no time asking Mister Crow to lift his wings. Up, up, up into the air we went!

  The first thing that rocked me was a sense of vertigo. I closed my eyes for a second and that made it worse. It was as if I was on the scariest amusement ride ever made—after I’d eaten five funnel cakes. Mister Crow was not moving very fast, but Ila was right, my mind was fighting the sensation. And my poor brain kept thinking that we were about to drop from the sky at any second.

  That didn’t happen, though. Instead we soared up even higher, out over the trees we traveled. Every few seconds that passed, the nausea lessoned, until I felt as if all I really needed to do was burp
. I could deal with that feeling, so I began to look around in earnest. Ila and I were just specks on the ground, the barn and cabin looked like toys. Once my mind acclimated, my heart beat slowed. The view was spectacular.

  Ila had said to stay with the bird for only a short time, but I really wanted to see something. I asked the bird to turn north and it did so without hesitation. We flew away from Ila’s valley, staying parallel to the road. I was just about to turn Mister Crow back, thinking I had misjudged the distance, when I saw it.

  The compound was directly below us. The massive fence looked like it was a miniature Great Wall of China, meandering around a large area of land. It might have been a thousand acres, completely wooded and secluded. Here and there were neat looking cabins that were spaced out among the trees. Situated near the center of the enclosure was an octagon shaped building. Sawyer’s Hummer was parked near the building that was the Smoky Mountain equivalent to the White House.

  There weren’t any Demons wandering around that I could see. Maybe the others slept during the day, like vampires? All was quiet. There were no evil deeds going on that I could see.

  Feeling ever braver on the wings of the swift bird, I asked him to fly lower. Call me nuts, but I planned to land on the skeleton branches of the tree beside the Hummer.

  We were almost there when I heard a distant call. Similar to an echo, it started out soft and grew in intensity. It was Ila, and she wanted me back, pronto. I didn’t know if she was calling the crow and I’d heard or if she was directly communicating with me. Either way, I certainly didn’t want to incite her wrath. We turned and headed for the valley with the wind at our back, pushing us along. I was disappointed to leave. I wanted to see Sawyer and perhaps get an idea of what his world was like.

  Strange, come to think of it, in the bird’s mind I didn’t feel any fear or anxiety at being in the fort. Maybe it was because it wasn’t in any danger. After all, Demons eat human souls, not crow souls. I contemplated this as we flew swiftly on the air currents into the valley. When I saw myself clearly, sitting next to Ila, I slipped out of the bird and back into myself.