Bluestone

by C E Johnson

  “Just a few more questions,” Emily said while shuffling the remaining cards. Because she still felt somewhat tired from not sleeping well the previous night and from martial arts practice, she planned on limiting her fortune-telling today.

  “Okay, Em, a repeat,” Elizabeth began. “Name four types of houses you might live in, in the future.” Elizabeth’s eyes were twinkling. She loved this game. Caroline and Hannah made spooky howling noises, doing their best impression of ghosts.

  “A castle, ace of hearts; a mansion, ace of spades; a farmhouse, ace of diamonds; and a shack, ace of clubs.” Emily pointed to each representative ace as she answered. She placed cards until she turned the king of hearts in the ace of hearts column, showing a match.

  “It happened again! A castle just like every other time.” Elizabeth picked up the ace of hearts and studied it.

  “Mysterious,” Emily taunted. She made her own eerie noises. “I haven’t seen any castles around. You’ll have to tell me when you see my future home.”

  “Conserve your energy for the meet,” Coach Palin roared to the Sharks team as he sauntered past, flipping a whistle around a red cord. He had earbuds in and was blasting music so loudly, Emily couldn’t understand how he could hear or concentrate on anything at all. “And no more laughing,” he pointed accusingly at Elizabeth, teasing as usual. “Try meditating instead. Save every ounce of energy for your races.” The friends laughed at their crazy coach who tried to keep a stern face as he ambled away.

  “Just one more,” Emily said. She was feeling a little drained.

  Elizabeth appeared thoughtful, tapping a finger on her chin. “A new one. Name four occupations you might have someday.”

  “Landscape architect, ace of hearts; a professional athlete, ace of spades; a teacher, ace of diamonds.” Emily pointed to each ace as she gave her choices.

  Elizabeth took the cards from Emily and shuffled them herself. “Make the last one really cool, Em”

  Emily impulsively added a new option. “An extremely powerful magician, ace of clubs.”

  “If it lands on that one, the ace of clubs, I’m going to give up my belief in your fortune-telling,” Elizabeth said while handing back the cards. Emily started going through the deck until the queen of clubs landed on the column of the ace of clubs.

  “Emily, the powerful magician,” Marie spoke with reverence while bending her arms up and down in mock-worship. The other girls joined in, and they nearly fell to the ground, filled with helpless laughter.

  “I hope to guard and advise you one day while living in your castle,” Elizabeth teased, looking like she was going to again die laughing at the preposterous thought.

  “Medley relay time, girls. Clean up the cards,” Mrs. Rew called out. She was gathering up her swimmers. She had three children on the team several years ago, but now her older sons, were ‘too cool’ to swim. Only her daughter, Marie, was still competing. “Marie, let’s go!” Mrs. Rew gestured with large motions to urge on the four young ladies. “Caps, goggles, and get moving!” Mrs. Rew snapped her fingers at her daughter who was moving too slowly for her. “I’m getting nervous for you girls. I can’t believe it’s the final meet of the year.” Mrs. Rew looked over the heat sheet, whispering to herself, “I hope you ladies get the record today.”

  The heat sheets gave lane assignments and the time of the league record. The first relay was eight lengths with each girl swimming two lengths. Elizabeth swam backstroke, Caroline breaststroke, Marie butterfly, and Emily freestyle. Each team occupied one lane of the enormous pool with twelve lanes for the twelve teams. All the thirteen and fourteen-year-old girls swam in one big heat. The cheers started at a low level upon their approach but began to build steadily as the members of each relay stepped up to their lane. Mrs. Rew pulled out a sparkling gold-plated stopwatch. “Win this one, ladies, and you’ll have a nice championship medal and possibly a record that will last for years.”

  “Whoa, shiny,” Elizabeth gasped in pretend awe while looking at the stopwatch. Mrs. Rew rolled her eyes. Doing a few stretches, Emily started shaking her arms loose.

  “Backstrokers, you may enter the water,” sounded over the loudspeaker. Elizabeth jumped in.

  “It’s so cold,” Elizabeth said with grumpy over-dramatic emphasis.

  “You’re tougher than you realize,” Emily rasped as she attempted to form a voice that imitated Coach P.

  Marie growled, “When you make greatness a part of your life, success will come naturally.”

  In a gruff tone, Caroline added, “Embrace adversity and enjoy the moment.”

  “Girls, enough.” Mrs. Rew rapped her heat sheet on her leg to make a noise as sharp as her voice. “Listen for the start.”

  “Take your mark,” went the loudspeaker. Elizabeth pulled up into a crouch. Beep. Using an enormous butterfly kick along with arms pointed like a torpedo, Elizabeth stayed underwater for half the length before surfacing. Her powerful arms emerged to whip relentlessly through the air. She flipped her turn and was in second place coming back into the wall.

  The Shark’s swimmers watching the race broke into one of their cheers. The noise level was rising, but Mrs. Rew’s voice became more intense and resounding than all the young voices combined. “Come on, Caroline! Swim your fastest!” Caroline traced Elizabeth coming in to the wall with her outstretched hands and then dove in just after Elizabeth touched the wall, beginning her breaststroke in perfect form like another small rocket with a magnificent underwater pull-out.

  Emily reached her hand down from the wall and helped Elizabeth out of the water. “Nice swim, Little Bit.” Elizabeth was panting and wheezing faintly as she stood dripping on the deck.

  “Caroline’s going to have a tough time against the other teams. They have fast breaststrokers.” Mrs. Rew was speaking her thoughts aloud. Caroline stayed in second. Once Caroline touched the wall, Marie dove in to swim butterfly, long and swift like an arrow. “Great swim, Caroline,” Mrs. Rew murmured while keeping her eyes on Marie. “Go Marie,” she whispered emphatically. Her daughter was like a machine in the water, still in second as she approached the wall. “Go Marie,” she began to chant. “Go Marie.” The crowd was going wild, loving the close race. “Go Marie,” she screamed.

  The current team in first place was right next to Emily’s lane and she glanced at the adjacent diving block to see who she would square off against. “Oh,” she gasped. The swimmer next to her was none other than Delores Quadmire.

  Delores sneered at her. “How’s your head feeling, batty?” Emily shook her head in distaste, pulling her cap over her ears. I need to block her out of my mind. Delores dove in several seconds ahead of Emily.

  “No-breather, Em!” Coach Palin yelled in a booming voice from the side. “We need a win!” He pulled his earbuds out of his ears. “Take her!”

  Watch closely, came her ki. Emily traced Marie in to the wall. Now! Emily was off, almost completely stretched over the water with only her toes remaining on the wall when Marie touched.

  The stroke-judge watching her start shook his head admiringly to Mrs. Rew, “Textbook.”

  In the water, Emily was in another world, the liquid providing a wonderful buffer from all influences aside from her ki. Streamline, kick, her inner voice roared. She projected herself in a tight form, kicking butterfly in a fluid motion for extra distance, only surfacing when her speed slackened, with her strong arms flying. I’m gaining on Delores, she realized while still refusing to take a breath. Keeping her head straight in the water, she focused on her technique, strength, and form. Emily flipped her turn with Delores just ahead of her. Caught up in the competition, she debated using a spell for help, but Dr. D had warned her against using spells in front of others. Although she steadily gained on her rival, she couldn’t pull it off. The pool simply wasn’t long enough and Delores out-touched her by two tenths of a second.

  “Great swim!” Coach Palin called out to Emily. He nodded to her and put his buds back in before making a few marks o
n his heat sheet.

  Delores jumped rapidly out of the water as if she couldn’t stand to be in the same liquid as Emily. She stared down arrogantly, water cascading off her body. “You’ll never beat me.” Her voice was cold and hard. Emily gave a small shrug while relaxing in the water as the last swimmers from the other ten teams finished in the adjacent lanes.

  Marie, Caroline, and Elizabeth were jumping up and down on the deck. “A second-place medal,” Marie gushed. “Nice swim!” She reached down to help Emily out of the pool. Emily leapt to the deck, visually searching the stands for her parents. On the bleachers, she saw her mother and father clapping, and a warm feeling of pride and love swept through her. She wished Xena was here, watching her too.

  “Let’s get some candy.” Elizabeth distracted Emily, grabbing her hand and pulling her away while bubbling over with excitement. “I can’t wait for the final relay. It’s our best chance at getting a record. Can you imagine what Mrs. Rew will do if we win. She’ll probably have a stroke,” Elizabeth giggled.

  “Or swallow her gold stopwatch,” Emily laughed. The meet progressed, and the Sharks remained neck and neck with four other teams at the top of the standings. Scoring well for the Sharks, Emily and Elizabeth cruised through their three individual races.

  Mrs. Rew grouped the girls together for the final relay, giving them a pep talk. “You’re so close to the record. Make a mark on history today. I always wished I had a record when I swam, she began fiddling with her gleaming stopwatch, “but I never got one.”

  Emily spoke gruffly in her Coach Palin voice, “My weapon is my body. My world is swimming. I will eat, sleep, and swim.” Mrs. Rew gave a nervous laugh while shaking her head and giving Emily a disapproving look.

  “Emily, you’re swimming the last leg of the race, the anchor leg, focus.” Mrs. Rew was admonishing her gently. “This spot is reserved for the fastest swimmer on the team, you need to be the leader.”

  “Swimmers, take your mark,” squawked the loudspeaker. The crowd of parents and swimmers grew hushed until the starter let the race begin with a loud beep; then they exploded with noise.

  Elizabeth was in the water first, glistening among the bubbles that were sparkling like gemstones in the filtered sunlight. “She’s too deep.” Mrs. Rew began to pace while studying her stopwatch as if it held all the answers in life. Elizabeth’s dive put her in last place, but she moved up to fourth place when she hit the final wall. Marie and Caroline were the next legs of the relay, each making up more time. They were in second coming into the final lap. The level of cheering was steadily rising. Emily turned to look over at the last swimmer for the leading team. This time she wasn’t really surprised to see Delores pitted against her again.

  “Eat my bubbles,” Delores snarled just before she dove in.

  “Kick it,” Mrs. Rew screamed at her daughter while Emily was waiting for Marie to touch the wall. Tight Streamline, Emily listened to her ki once in the water after her dive. She was steadily gaining on her opponent, flipping her turn in a flash of spray that only a gymnast could accurately perfect. Viewing her rival’s legs and then body next to her, Emily dug deep. The wall was getting closer and closer as her ki became more demanding and louder, Increase arm speed! Increase kick! She strained to follow the advice, with cheers reverberating through the water in impressive crescendos. She neared the wall with one mindset, one goal—hoping to win. Her desires were fusing with her movements and she couldn’t restrain that which she was becoming. Some component of her magic pooled unbidden within her body and mind. It was fully a part of her now, something she couldn’t deny, spreading through her muscles like a magical-infused potion of strength. With a final burst of power rushing through her system, she shot ahead in an amazing flash of speed to barely out-touch Delores. An enormous cheer swelled like a tremendous wave as swimmers and parents rose to their feet. Stunned, Emily floated in the water, soaking it all in. Elizabeth pulled her out of the pool and the girls began a round of high fives. I fully gave in to my ki, she realized with pride.

  “What a finish,” Caroline gushed, “I really can’t believe it! We won!” She enveloped Emily in a huge hug.

  Standing next to the timers and peering down at the time the girls received, Mrs. Rew was uncharacteristically quiet. Suddenly, she let out a loud scream. “You did it! You got the record! What a triumph! You did it!” Mrs. Rew began to do a victory dance. Emily was beyond thrilled. She watched Mrs. Rew’s antics, barely suppressing a strong desire to jump in with her before turning to regard Delores who was staring at her wide-eyed. Delores shook her head and spit on the ground near Emily before storming away.

  “Ignore her,” Elizabeth inclined her head toward Delores with a wrinkled nose. “You were incredible on that final length!” Elizabeth gave Emily a hug. “I’ve never seen you go that fast.” Emily searched the stands and waved to her parents who were giving her fist pumps. Their support and happiness for her gave her chills of joy.

  Caution, sliced into her consciousness from her ki and her blood which had been so warm seconds before turned to ice water in her veins. Her eyes were directed to a man standing under a tree. He was thick of body with brawny arms, dark black hair and piercing eyes that stared at her intently without blinking. They’re everywhere, Emily thought worriedly.

  Memorize his face, Xena advised though their mind-link from her location at Emily’s home. Show it to Dr. D.

  Is there really a way Dr. D can do something about them? There’s too many, Emily worried. Her observer was furiously making notes on a notepad. Reviewing something on a video camera and shaking his head, a second man with dark eyes was now at his side, a smile flickering across his face. They left the shade and moved rapidly to a vehicle in the parking lot where they were greeted by a female with long black hair who was too far away for Emily to see clearly. Could they have a device that can record magic when used?

  Impossible, Xena scoffed. Emily tried to suppress a growing feeling of discomfort. Dr. D had warned her not to use her powers, but this wasn’t a spell, this was something she couldn’t control. She couldn’t wait to review everything with him, she was sure he would understand and figure out what they needed to do. She went to stand with her friends to watch the last relays, but her happiness was replaced with concerns. The Sharks ended up coming in second place, their highest finish in the history of the organization. Emily was proud, but exhausted and her thoughts kept drifting to the agents.

  Once home, she dozed on the couch in her family room while her father listened to his television programs. She began to perk up and listen with growing horror when the news anchor on one station detailed Tropical Storm Isaac’s progression to a Category 2 hurricane.

  “Dr. Dalton called this morning.” Her father had noticed her open eyes. “He wanted you to come by today for tutoring.”

  Emily felt more refreshed after her rest. She had several hours before her riding lesson and she was sure she could make it to his office and back before they had to leave. “Do you mind if I head over to see him? I can jog over.” She was dying to find out what he had learned and to go over the events by the trails and at the pool.

  “I guess I’ll let that man steal my only daughter for a little while,” Richard teased.

  Xena was fast asleep in a sun patch by a window. Emily woke her gently, you’re coming with me today. As they exited the front door, Xena directed Emily’s attention to a black vehicle with tinted windows down the street with a deep rumble in her throat.

  Let’s go out the back door, Xena growled. After passing through their black iron gate at the corner of the back yard, Xena helped Emily keep clear of teams of agents. They jogged the several miles through the woods unaccosted until the path deposited them in a neighborhood that led to the hospital and Dr. D’s office. Emily and Xena burst into his room.

  “Your favorite green, a Zen variety,” Dr. D said serenely while handing Emily a cup of tea. He appeared completely unfazed by her rapid entrance, but there were dark circl
es under his eyes. He rubbed Xena on the head. “I’m amazed you can make it through these corridors without anyone complaining about your bondsmate. Your link must be exceptional.” He gave her a warm hug.

  Unusual, she thought, he acts like he hasn’t seen me in a year.

  He’s smells differently, Xena whispered, sending Emily the scent of trees she had never smelled before, stones, and magic beyond compare.

  Emily wasn’t sure what to make of the aromas. She took a gulp of the warm liquid. “You sensed me coming?” she asked. He nodded. She slipped into their language and told him about the men and woman she had sighted outside his office, by the trail, and at the swim meet. She discussed her final race and her concern that they might have detected her use of magic.

  Dr. D sank into his chair, slumping his shoulders. “I thought something like this might happen.” The circles under his eyes appeared to be getting darker.

  “What do we do?” she asked. Fear crept into her stomach and she didn’t like the feeling at all. A silence stretched between them. She sat patiently waiting for his decision, staring at the rider on the stallion on his desk-front. Even her carved knight couldn’t save her now.

  “I tracked down the men that you showed me through our dream-link.” His arms were hanging limply at his sides. “They’re part of a team of federal agents who I’m certain are watching me. Their group’s name is Blacksky and they’re led by a man named Hadrian Simara.” His teeth were gritted. “Unfortunately, someone probably realized you’re very special while they were observing my movements.”

  “What’s really going on?” Emily asked, leaning forward. “Why are you being watched?” She had to know.