Like a wall, she breaks through the tree line, the moonlight bouncing off her dress and skin. The breeze this high up is cooler, and I watch her close her eyes and breathe in the cool air. “Here it is,” she says. Her voice is barely audible.
I force my gaze to peel away from her as I walk closer to her side, our shoulders brushing against one another. Before us, seemingly miles below, is the lake, swimming with glitter. The water conforming around the town in protection.
“You said you hadn’t seen enough of the town. And now you can see it all.” She glances at me with her arms outstretched toward the view, showing me her offering. “I love it here. My hideaway,” she whispers.
“It’s beautiful, Johanna.”
She points out the landmarks from a place she so clearly loves. “There is the high school, and if you look just to the right you can see downtown with Poncho’s in the middle, and if you follow that road to the left a little ways…that speck of light, that’s my house. The darkness that stretches beyond it is my backyard,” she says with amusement.
She turns to look at me. “My dad proposed to my mom here. Right over there.” She points to a large boulder sitting over the small clearing. “And Andrew proposed to Mary-Beth here. He had me up here for hours, lighting candles and fussing over every weed or twig on this very patch of grass.” She points down to the exact spot where we are standing. “As far as I know, we are the only ones that know this little spot even exists. Sometimes it’s good to come here and…disappear,” she says with a happy sigh.
She is staring at the sky. The light pollution is nearly nonexistent at this height. “Don’t you sense it sometimes? Something’s out there, Traveler. I can feel it. You can’t look up at the night, with the stars speckled across so perfectly, as if they were placed there one by one, and not feel it. When I’m here, I feel so connected. There’s more. Somewhere.” Her voice is hypnotic.
Any control I had on my ability to restrain myself from her has vanished. I reach my hand out from my side and wrap my fingers around hers. I ignore the voltage. I ignore the familiar feeling of energy winding up in my body. I slide my hand around her waist, turning her to face me. My hand reaches up, and I satisfy my craving to run my thumb along her bottom lip. She tilts her head up to me just as I lean down and press my lips against hers, my fingers twisting in her hair. My eyes are completely closed off to my surroundings as I taste the hint of lime and sugar along her tongue.
And then, behind my closed lids, the faintest tint of blue stains my vision, growing brighter before I can snap back into consciousness and be aware of what is taking place. I can feel the full capacity of my body dematerializing. It’s too late, and I can’t stop it.
And like a snap of a finger, I’m in my shifting chamber with Johanna Martin lying in my arms. Her lips are still molded into mine, and her eyes are unaware of what she will see once she opens them.
Chapter Eight
Johanna
His lips are soft and warm, his hands are purposeful and strong. I don’t know this man, and yet I have the sense I know everything about him. I feel like centuries have passed between the two of us. I’ve never taken Max to this spot. Only the people in my family know it exists, and Max never made it that far, even on the good days. There was a magnetic pull from the mountain tonight. The breeze was billowing off the hills, and as it rolled through the town it beckoned me to come here. At some point during the evening I decided to simply let go. Maybe it was his eyes staring at my lips, maybe it was the way he casually brushed his fingertips across my skin, as if it was his to touch. I found myself internally granting permission to something he never asked for. More than likely it was the effortless way in which I shared with him things that I don’t even talk with Andrew about. Whatever it is about Traveler that so forcefully attracts me to him, I’m giving in to it.
I feel something shift in his body language. One moment his hands are wrapped in my hair, his mouth exploring mine, and now his body has gone tense. His lips have stopped their conquest, and he slowly pulls my face from his. “Johanna, don’t…scream.” His voice is stern, even though there is a tremble in his hands.
At his words, my eyes swiftly open to his concerned expression inches from mine. Except, we are no longer standing on my mountain top. The gravity of the midnight sky is no longer holding us in place. Instead, I find myself lying in his arms in some sort of smooth tube. I look around, and we are in a dark room. I can’t make sense of anything, only that his hands are on my face, and as he pulls them away, his fingertips are stained with the fierce blue light I saw him standing with in the woods that night. “Holy shit. Are you okay? Do you feel okay?” he asks me quickly, running his hands down my back, patting my body.
He sees my attention is focused on his fingers, and he abruptly closes his hand into a fist. “Johanna, please, it’s okay. Don’t worry. I need you to be calm.” His eyes are wild, and his face pales.
“Insurance agent my ass,” I mumble through gritted teeth. I’m not scared. I’m not okay. I’m confused. “Where the hell are we?” I ask, straight and to the point. And he’s looking at my face in pure bewilderment, as if he is the one who gets to own that emotion right now. From the moment I laid eyes on him in the forest, I knew he was different. And every second I’ve spent around him since, I’ve been ignoring all the warnings. “Nice flashlight.” I grab his wrist tightly, applying pressure against his wiggling fingers.
“I can explain. Just…hang on,” he requests, reaching behind his head and unlocking this contraption we are in. I realize he is shaking. He’s terrified of something, and as I find the shock wearing off, it takes hold of me as well. My teeth begin to chatter.
“Oh, you better.” My cheeks are hot, and my entire body is like one big muscle spasm. He pushes the ceiling open on the tube, and we both climb out together. I smooth my dress over my thighs as he crouches down to the ground, motioning for me to do the same. “Sure, why not? Because this seems like a totally legit situation to be in.” I wave my arms around the room.
“Be mad at me later. Right now, you need to do exactly as I say.” There’s something in the wild-eyed look on his face that encourages me to listen. I lower myself to the shiny white floor and let my eyes wander. The machine I opened my eyes to isn’t the only one in the room. I count seven. There are wires around them, connecting each machine to a screen with buttons and symbols I don’t quite recognize. I have a distinct feeling wherever I am, and whatever place this is, I will never be the same.
Traveler places his hand over mine. “Johanna, look at me. Your lips are trembling.” He smooths his thumb over my bottom lip. My breathing slows, the tingling subsides, and all that is left is an eerie calm. I’m also not naive enough to think this peace will last. Something has altered within me, and I can sense it. But right now, all I can feel is his hand on mine, and right now it seems like enough to keep me grounded. “I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have kissed you. I lost control and I could have killed you.” He runs a hand through his dark hair and looks at the ground. “I’ll get you out of here. I’ll get you back home. First, I need to make sure you’re okay and check in before we shift back.” His words come out quick and jumbled.
“What is shift back? And don’t say that,” I say evenly. He raises his eyes to mine. “I don’t know what the hell is going on. But don’t say you shouldn’t have kissed me. That part I didn’t mind.”
“You have no fucking idea what I’ve done here. Let me explain, and then you can decide how you feel about me and that kiss.” With his hands on his hips, he lets out a frustrated breath of air. “I need to check the hallways and see if they are empty. Then I will take you to my room,” he says matter-of-factly. I decide that while I may have a million questions and doubts right now, Traveler does seem to have a handle on whatever this situation is.
He walks to the entryway and presses his back tightly against the wall, only allowing a small portion of his face to peek out into the unknown. His shoulders drop from the
tension in them. “It’s clear. Come here.” I hesitate. He gives me a pleading glance that has me crouching down and walking over to him. His arm snakes around my waist, and his lips brush against my earlobe as he whispers, “Stay by my side. We can’t let anyone see you. The time here is the same as it is in two thousand six—as it is in Alabama. What time did we leave your house? Do you know?”
My heart starts to palpitate, and I can’t catch my breath. There’s a squeezing inside of my chest, and pain radiates from my sternum. What is he saying? Traveler holds my face in both of his hands. “Look at me, Johanna, shhh. You’re okay, you’re okay. I’m going to make sure everything is fine. Slow breaths.” He takes in slow gulps of air, expecting me to copy him.
“It was nine forty-five,” I say shakily, between breaths of shallow air that don’t quite make it into my lungs.
“Good. That’s good. Most of the people will be in their homes or rooms. The students will have gone to Freedman for the weekend,” he says, but I don’t follow anything. He catches my confused expression. “I’ll explain everything.” He plants a quick kiss on my forehead, and I blink against the wet pressure. “Hold on to my hand. If you feel me squeeze, stand still, and don’t make a sound. Johanna, we cannot let anyone see you.” He stares into my eyes, and I believe him. The gravity of the situation is crashing down on me. “You are the strongest person I’ve ever met. Unimaginably and unscientifically strong. Walking this hallway with me is going to be easy, right? Piece of cake. You can do this,” he says confidently. I nod my head yes at him, afraid my voice will betray his belief in me.
He laces his fingers through mine and leads me into the hallway with a gentle pull. My shoes are making a sound that echoes down the corridor, causing him to grimace with every step. Traveler kneels down beside me, his fingertips sweep across the tender skin of my ankle as he lifts my foot up and slips my hiking boots off one by one. I lay my hands across his shoulders for balance. His gesture seems intimate, and it sends a wave of chills skating across my calves. He smooths a hand over my leg as he stands and brings a finger to his lips, reminding me to keep quiet. He hooks a finger through the laces and carries my shoes in the other hand. The hallway is dim but lit well enough for me to make out where we are going.
We come to a pair of large metal doors. Traveler lightly cracks one open, and the clicks from the mechanisms holding it shut sound like bombs exploding around us. Every sound I hear is making me cringe. I don’t know what I’m afraid of being caught by, but Traveler’s hesitations make me aware that something dangerous could be lurking around every door. “There are a few people scattered around the courtyard leading to my housing quarter. It’s no one we should be worried about but keep your eyes forward and just…blend. Act like this is where you’re supposed to be.”
“Where is this? Traveler, how?” I respond with a quiver in my voice. Don’t cry.
“Let’s get to my room. Listen, do you trust me?”
“No. I don’t know.”
“Fair enough,” he says with a half-smile. “I can’t walk with you out there, Johanna. It would draw too much attention. Do you see the patch of spruce trees to the right?” I peek through the crack and nod my head in response. “That’s where you go. Walk to the trees, and there will be another building around the corner. Wait for me there. Don’t talk to anyone. Just go and wait for me at the entrance. Okay?” he asks, appearing a little more worried than I feel comfortable with. I stare back at him, the pressure in my head giving me the sensation of being underwater.
“What is this place?” I don’t use a questioning tone of voice this time. This time it’s finite and demanding. He knows I won’t budge without an answer. I’ll stand here all night. I’m no longer going to play along. If I’m in danger, I want to know from what.
He closes his eyes tightly, creating creases around them, and pinches the bridge of his nose. He’s afraid to look at me, and it sends a new wave of panic to my brain. I slam my hand against the door creating a thundering boom, snapping his attention back to me. “You want trust? Then tell me the truth. Where. Am. I?” I say firmly.
He takes in a lungful of air, his chest puffing out. “You’re in the hallway of the Shifting Division.” He gazes at me, waiting for an acceptance or more questions.
“Fine. When am I?” I say, boring holes into his eyes with mine. He has reluctance plastered all over his face, but I know he will tell me.
“Johanna…” he begins.
“Tell me and I’ll walk through the doors. Just like you asked.”
He hands me my boots and I slip each one on. I stand and make him look me in the eye. “You’re in Andromeda, Colorado. In the year 2365,” he says in a voice so scared I almost don’t hear the words.
I blink back at him. “There isn’t an Andromeda, Colorado.” It’s the only thing I can think to say before violently pushing open the doors and stomping across the courtyard to the trees. I don’t look around. I don’t let curiosity take hold. Because, hell, apparently, I’m in the damn future, and I don’t know what could happen to me. I walk around the large blue spruce trees, and I find the towering building Traveler told me to stop at. I look back and observe the light peeking through the slightly open door of the building I just left. I spot Traveler’s silhouette leave the exit and casually make his way to me. But before he even makes it halfway across, a girl with bright red hair stops him. Even from my vantage point, I can see the scowl painted on her face. He stands with his hands on his hips, the same way he did in my kitchen, in a defiant manner. He throws his hands toward the building I’m standing in front of, and she seems to relent. She too is stomping off, but in the opposite direction of him now. He finally makes his way to me.
“Are you okay?”
“Oh, I’m just dandy!”
“We have to get to my room before someone notices you. I can’t explain you. I can’t get you home if we don’t get there first.” His eyes are wide, and the muscles in his arms flex involuntarily before he shoves them into his pockets. “You want to find out what the prison looks like here? Because I sure don’t,” he says pointedly, and it does the trick. I believe him, and I have a new urgency to get wherever it is he says we need to be.
“Well, can’t you go-go-gadget your magic flashlight hands and poof us there?” I turn my head to the side, chewing at the inside of my cheek.
“What are you mad at, Johanna? I didn’t want this to happen. I’ve compromised everything and I’m trying to get you back safely. But I can’t do it standing in the fucking grass arguing with you,” he raises his voice, drawing the attention of a couple people walking by. “Let’s go. Now,” he hisses, finally exasperated with my tantrum. He grumbles something unintelligible under his breath and grabs my hand, tugging for me to walk with him.
This hallway seems less clinical than the other. The walls are painted a warm brown, and there are plants placed between the windows; it ends in a common area of some sort that is seemingly void of any people. In its center sits a couch and several chairs. Against the back wall is a set of elevators that Traveler hurries us to. He places his ear against it, listening to see if anyone is using them. He frantically pushes the button, and the doors immediately open. Inside he presses the number 8 and the elevator comes to life, sending us up. The doors open, and I am greeted with another common area, surrounded by a series of hallways. Traveler takes the one to our immediate left. “My room is this way.” He grips my elbow, still pulling me at a quick pace until we reach a cream-colored door.
He takes a key out of his pocket, lightly guiding me inside, and he swiftly closes the door and locks it. He leans down with his hands on his knees, taking in shallow breaths.
“Ummm, you don’t get to panic. Me. I get to panic,” I insist, walking over to a window and looking out. “What are you?”
“I’m me,” he says breathlessly. I turn around, and he is still hanging his head between his legs. Looking back out the window, I see the Colorado Mountains against the stars. He’s tellin
g the truth. I’m relieved. I’m terrified.
“Johanna, I need to make sure you’re okay. Physically,” he says, while puffing for air. His back rises and falls as he gulps for air.
“You’re the one about to keel over. At least I’m on two feet. For God’s sake…where’s the bathroom?”
Without lifting his head, he points to the room on the left. I make my way into the tiny room that has a small sink and a toilet directly across from it. I crouch down to the cabinets under the sink and pull out a washcloth, soak it in cool water and ring the excess into the drain. Walking over to Traveler and draping the cool cloth around his neck, I pull him up and guide him to sit on the bed. “You got us here unseen. That part is over, and it seemed important. So, relax.”
“I’m good. Just…fuck. That was dangerous.” He looks up and to the door, pleading with it to stay locked. “I’m good. Let’s make sure you are.” He pulls me up by my hands.
“Yeah. I feel fine. Not that I know what even happened tonight. Not that I know what I’m supposed to be feeling right now. But the overall feeling I feel is fine,” I promise with a hint of sarcasm that causes his lips to turn up slightly.
“You feel more than fine.” He places a quick chaste kiss on my lips. “The feeling you invoke is not what I would call fine.” His voice is soothing as he brushes his lips against mine again, slower this time and holding my head in place with both of his hands.
I lazily pull away. “All right, Casanova, you have a lot of explaining to do. Like a lot.” I release myself from his grasp and take three large paces backward. I don’t trust myself when I’m in close proximity to him.
“You’re right. I owe you that much.” He plops down onto the bed with his elbows propped on his knees. I choose an oversized chair across the room.
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