by Rue Volley
We stepped onto the sidewalk and I immediately noticed that Josh was leaning on the side of the building. Sara saw him too. She has “guy-dar”...there are many “dars”, “radar” being the main one, but “guy-dar” is Sara's specialty.
Sara stopped and smiled. “Hello Josh!” she said to him.
Josh grinned and pushed himself from the wall.
“Hey…shopping huh?”
I looked everywhere but him, Sara on the other hand stepped right up.
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“Yea…just look at what we found for Rue...amazing right?”
Josh looked at me… “I like it,” he added.
I looked at him and grabbed Sara's arm. “Well, we have more places to go…see ya.”
I tried to move us forward, but Sara resisted. “Hey Josh…you wanna come with us?” I had been stopped when Sara tugged at me. I kept my back to him, just waiting.
“Yea, sure…I'll hang out.” I heard him say. I sighed...
I walked on Sara's right side and Josh at her left. I kept catching him looking over at me while Sara just chatted away, about what, I don't know.
“Lets go to Coffee,” she said, all excited.
Now I heard that and had to agree. “Sounds good, Sara,” I responded.
Sara spotted Coffee across the street and jogged across between traffic. Josh and I stood there watching cars.
“Nice dress,” Josh said to me.
“I thought I made it clear that I would stab a protector,” I said, waving to Sara on the other side… I had a fake grin on my face.
“I'm not wearing white…and my palms are not glowing Rue.”
I shot him a look, as he held his palms up to me. I sighed and saw a break in traffic… I started to jog across, but I didn't notice the truck coming at me. I heard a horn blow and felt myself get picked up at the waist, and ran to the curb in a hurry. Josh set me down and grinned at me.
Sara screamed out, “Oh my god! Rue…are you okay?”
I didn't have time to look scared and to tell you the truth, I didn't feel that way either. I looked at her and faked a reaction. “Oh god, yea, wow...that was crazy.”
Josh stood there waiting for me to thank him. I didn't want too, but I did.
“Thanks Josh,” I said half halfhearted.
Sara decided to award him for his bravery. “Coffee is on me Josh!”
She turned and started for the entrance, Josh and I lagged behind after her.
“You should have let it hit me, my body would have stopped it dead like some sci-fi movie Josh.”
He laughed. “No, I don't think so Rue.”
I laughed. “You don't know.”
We entered Coffee and scanned the room. Every teenager was here as usual. Sara was at the counter hooking us up. I turned to look for a booth and there was the rest of my dysfunctional family, sitting in the one we claimed the last time. I looked at Josh. “Why is everyone here?”
“Well, I called them... I figured that you two would end up here, after your shopping spree.”
“So…you were spying on me?” I asked.
“Well…I wouldn't call it „spying" so much,” he said with a smirk on his face.
“Huh...what part of „leave me the hell alone" didn't I just scream...” I had to stop when Sara came up with our drinks.
“Here we go...! Oh look Rue!” She looked towards the booth. “Awesome!” she added.
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I took my drink from her and sucked down a quarter of it…causing the brain freeze. I pressed my fingers to my forehead and hissed. Josh leaned in close to my ear. “Glutton for punishment, huh?”
“Oh shut up,” I whispered.
Everyone scooted over and I took a spot next to Sara, across from Johnathan. I had not made eye contact with him yet, I didn't want to. The longer I could be mad, the better. I kept sipping on my drink…not being so aggressive as to bring on another headache.
I looked up and Johnathan was looking at me…I knew he wanted to talk. I didn't want to hear it. I couldn't imagine what he could say, that would change my mind about just how stupid I thought he was.
“Do you want to go for a ride with me...Rue?”
I looked up and melted. The look on his face was the kind of “puppy in the window” crap I always fell for. “Don't think so,” I said, fidgeting with my drink.
He lowered his voice. “Please?” he added.
Oh crap.
I looked over to see that Josh was in the conversation and I didn't even know it.
“She said No…Johnathan,” he said…staring him in the eye.
“I think this is between me and Rue…Josh.” Johnathan had straightened up in his seat.
I bit my lip…I don't need this.
“Fine…fine, Johnathan…lets go,” I said.
I stood up and glanced at Josh, who still had his eyes fixed on Johnathan.
“Hey?” I reached down and touched Johnathan's arm. He looked up at me and pushed himself up. “We'll meet everyone at the library after while, okay?”
No one protested, including Josh, which kinda surprised me. Johnathan reached for my hand and I grabbed my bag…heading for the door. He rushed to open my car door and I let him open it. He got in his side and started the car up… I didn't say anything and neither did he.
******
We drove in silence until we pulled into Red Woods and parked. I grinned.
“Are you trying to get me in the mood?” I asked.
He turned the key and shut the car off…no music this time. He kept his hands on the wheel and then smiled. “Maybe,” he said under his breath.
“Well, this is cheating,” I said, as I took a sip from my drink.
He reached over and took the drink out of my hand and placed it in the holder.
“Hey...! Taking my frap is a dangerous thing Johnathan!” I said with as much anger as I could…which wasn't a lot.
“Listen to me Rue…”
I had never heard this tone in his voice, so I stopped joking.
“Okay Johnathan…I will give you one shot to make your case...make it good.”
He sighed and looked out the window
“I don't want you to think that I am a bad person, someone who takes things for granted… Truth is, maybe there was a time when I just didn't care where I was 236
going. I do come from money and things have never been difficult for me…not really anyway. I went to Barrington because my Mother and I do not get along, we never did. She has always looked at me like I was a stranger, we don't relate at all. As far as Sophie goes…we don't talk either. My Dad is never home…ever.
Well…I don't even know if he is my Dad…but anyway, I don't want that life… I don't, not now… not with you in my life now. After the library I thought about it…I did, but after Mikah… I just know where I belong and it's by your side Rue. I'm going to do it, whether you want me with you or not… I just want to be close to you, even if it's just to help protect you…forever, if you'll let me. Now, you can hate me…I know you would have your reasons…not having your parents has to be awful for you…and I don't want you to think that I am just throwing away something you cannot have, when I am trying to give you something more.”
I don't know when I started to cry…it wasn't anything but tears running down my cheeks. I reached up to wipe them away and he grabbed my hand and wiped them for me. I looked at him…really did for the first time. I looked past the cute…and the hot, and just looked at him. Here he was, opening himself up to me, knowing that it may not go his way. I may get out of the car and tell him to go to hell…he didn't know, but he was willing to lay it all out for me. Give anything up for me…give his life if he had too...for me.
“Johnathan,” I whispered.
He pulled my hand up to his mouth and kissed my palm. I kept my eyes fixed on him. He leaned towards me and gently put his mouth to mine. This was the first kiss…the one that makes your stomach flip and your head get light. I kept my eyes closed, hoping it would l
ast forever. He pulled me into his lap and I put my head against his chest… He held me close to him, without saying a word.
I could hear his heart beating. It wasn't fast, it was slow and steady like an engine. I closed my eyes and let it fill my ears. I could listen to it the rest of my life.
We both jumped when a thud hit the hood. We looked out the front windshield to see Kai and Josh standing there, I got off of his lap and we both got out of the car. Josh stood with his hands in his pockets, looking at me. Kai had to talk, because I think he'd die if he couldn't.
“So we doing this or what Johnathan?” he waited, with his eyes wide open.
Johnathan and I looked at each other and Johnathan confirmed. “Yea…we are.”
He reached his hand out to me and I took it. He squeezed my hand as we watched Theodore and Sam pull up next to us.
Sam jumped out and started to pull a large wall mirror out of the back of the car.
She paused. “Why the hell am I carrying this...? Come here!” she said with a lot of irritation in her voice. She had looked to Kai and Josh, they walked to her and grabbed it…dragging it out. The edge hit the ground.
Theodore raised his voice, “Listen…be careful…! It cannot be cracked!”
“Sorry,” they both said in unison.
“What is this for?” I asked.
Kai, Josh, and Sam started for the woods, mirror in tow. Theodore looked to me.
“Mirrors are just a fascinating thing, little one…! You see, Johnathan will give his memories to it and we will break it, to dispose of them.”
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“Oh,” I muttered.
Johnathan squeezed my hand again… “Don't worry Rue, Theodore assured me it is safe to do.”
“Yea…safe, well, mirrors have not been the luckiest things for us.”
He grinned and put his arm around me, kissing me on top of the head. “Come on…lets get this done okay?”
I looked up trying to grin, but it probably looked more like I just ate spinach.
He laughed. “That was a new look for you.”
We started to follow…when I really wanted to run the other way.
Theodore stopped. “Oh my, I almost forgot...! Johnathan…your gear is in the car…Get changed and catch up Okay?”
I looked at Theodore. “What gear?” He grinned. “Well…I just think it would be best if he put his warrior gear on… Just a little extra insurance.”
I stopped walking. “You can do this, RIGHT?”
He reached back and grabbed my hand, pulling me along. “Of course I can....
Don't you worry.”
We walked to a clearing where Josh and Kai had laid the mirror down in the dirt and leaves, dead center. I walked up to it and stared down at it, watching the reflection of the clouds pass over head. I thought I saw a rabbit forming above me in the reflection and I turned my head toward the sky to see it first hand. It wasn't there. I looked back to the mirror and nothing but clouds stared back at me…no funny animal shapes.
I turned to Josh. “Theodore has done this before, right?” I asked with anervous tone. Josh looked at me.
“Well…not exactly, but I'm sure it will work.”
“Oh crap…not exactly?”
Josh stepped toward me. “Listen, Theodore has been around much longer than any of us. I trust in what he says he can do.”
“I don't want any guessing here…I mean it!” I said.
Sam put her hand on my arm. “Rue, you don't have to be here… I could take you home if you like.”
I grimaced. “Umm, yea, that's not going to happen.”
She smiled at me and pushed my hair behind my ear. “You need to calm down, okay?”
I looked into her eyes and knew she was right. This was going to be a big enough mess, without me freakin out on top of it. “K,” I whispered.
Johnathan came flashing up, full on leather gear. “Okay…so…what do I do?”
Theodore turned to see him all strapped up. “Oh…such a shame.” Theodore grinned at him. “Well, Okay Johnathan, you need to lay on the mirror.”
Johnathan headed towards the mirror and I stopped him. I looked up into his eyes, just to give him one more “you don't have to do this” look, but he smiled and kissed me. We heard a throat clear and he backed away from me, heading towards the mirror.
Theodore walked up next to him. “Just lay down on your back...be mindful of stepping on it…we don't need any cracks.” Johnathan gently sat down and and slid back, he laid his body straight and turned his head to me.
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I grinned, had too right? Truth is, I am probably the most nervous person here.
Theodore took a white stone and started to scratch symbols in the earth all around the mirror. He placed his hands out in front of him and started to chant.
Josh stood there with his arms crossed, feet apart, relaxed. Kai leaned in and said something to Sam and she swatted at him. Me, well I was messing with my hands… I didn't like anything about this...nothing.
“Now Johnathan…I need you to center yourself… While you do, think deeply of your mom, dad, and sister…get them clear in your mind ,Okay?”
Johnathan closed his eyes and I could see traces of red start to swirl on his skin.
His breathing slowed.
Theodore had his eyes closed too. “Good…good Johnathan…keep yourself centered…”
Theodore raised his hands and started to chant again…light flowing from his hands towards Johnathan's head. It wrapped itself around Johnathan, like a snake coils it's prey. Johnathan exhaled and his breath was white like the temperature had dropped around him. I took a step forward to see better and Josh came to my side. Theodore continued to chant…his words flowing like a song, the light from his hands growing brighter. The entire time Johnathan laid still, on top of the mirror.
Suddenly Johnathan arched his back and cried out. Theodore opened his eyes and continued to chant in Latin. Johnathan thrashed on top of the mirror, groaning and grabbing at it's edges. He cried out his mother"s name. I lunged forward, but Josh caught me by my arm and stopped me.
“Johnathan!” I cried out.
The wind suddenly picked up in the clearing and dirt and leaves started to fly all around us. Johnathan slammed the back of his head against the mirror and the crack it caused echoed in our ears. Theodore cried out to Sam, telling her to bind him. As she flashed forward, light erupted from the mirror and knocked her and Theodore away from him. Theodore hit a tree behind him and rolled to the side. Sam slid across the dirt and hit a large rock sticking out of the ground. She stood up slowly, putting her hand on the back of her head. She held her hand out in front of her and I could see the blood dripping from her fingers. She fell to her knees and slumped to the side.
I looked at Josh in panic. “What do we do?” I screamed. We both fixed our gaze on Johnathan, who was still screaming and kicking wildly ,on top of the mirror.
“We have to get him off that mirror Rue!” Josh yelled at me. I nodded, ready and willing to do whatever I had to do.
We both started to flash towards Johnathan and the light started to pulsate from under him. He screamed louder than I think I've ever heard anyone scream before. It knocked Josh and I to the ground.
I had fallen on my face, it knocked the wind out of me, but I knew I had to move. I raised my head and watched as Johnathan started to sink into the mirror.
I scrambled to my feet and lunged forward, I reached through the light and grabbed his hand. The pull on him was so strong it pulled him from me almost immediately.
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Josh had staggered to his feet and saw me reaching into the mirror... “No...!
RUE!”
I rolled into the mirror and disappeared through it…Josh's voice still echoing in my ears.
******
All sound was gone. It was pitch black. My ears felt like they needed to pop...a high pitch ringing started in my head. I reached for my ears with both hands, but felt so much resi
stance I could barely touch them. I opened my eyes and realized that I was under water. I saw bubbles trailing upward and started to kick my feet, pushing with all of my strength, to reach the surface. I broke through and gulped for air. I looked around to see if I could spot Johnathan, but nothing…
no one in sight. I started to swim towards the shoreline. My feet finally felt ground underneath me and I stood, the best I could and walked ashore.
I stood there, teeth chattering…goose bumps forming on my arms. I was breathing hard from the effort it took to swim and my breath puffed out white, in front of me. I looked around and it looked like Red Woods but brown and dead plant life littered it all around me. I looked over head and the sky was overcast, the trees without leaves. I took a step away from the water and I felt all the water on me start to move downward. I looked at my arm and could see it drying up, like a fast motion camera on a desert floor. I looked down at my feet and could see the water trailing in the ground from me, rejoining the body of water. I reached up and my hair was dry…so were my clothes.
I tried to center myself…but nothing, I could see nothing but blackness in my mind. I opened my eyes when I heard a whispering up ahead. “Johnathan?” I called out, but my voice sounded like it was recorded backwards. “Huh,” I said with a grin, knowing it would sound the same either way. I've been around Josh too much. I heard the whisper again and started to follow. I came to a clearing and stepped out into it, hoping to find some sun, flowers...anything living, but still it was cold and lifeless all around me.
I stood there, quietly waiting for the whispering to lead me on and I felt a tug on my dress. I looked down and a small girl was looking up at me. She had black hair…dark eyes, so small… I leaned down to her and she grinned at me.
down at her periodically as she lead me on. She always looked up at me, at the same time and we grinned at each other. I have no idea why I trusted her, but I did, so I let her keep going.