Though she did not know how or why, Coralie's panic diminished.
Just as they had begun to swim again, Coralie noticed a glimmer in water. Something shiny, bright, illuminating.
As they got closer, she felt a pull – not a physical pull, not from Court – but a drawing sense that seem to be from the light ... the shimmering … What was this? The surface?
Coralie took a breath. Her head was above water. She was breathing in air, actual air. She looked around, with Court circling around her in the water, with his smirk ever present.
“Where are we?” she asked, expecting to be breathless, but noticed she wasn't.
“Olympios Lake, the other side of Empyreal Lake...” he answered, still encircling her.
“Oh...” Coralie said quietly, to daunt away from the fact that she was very confused.
“Come on,” Court said taking ahold of her hand, “I want you to see it from up there...” he finished, pulling her closer to shore.
The Olympios' bankside was much the same as Empyreal, except for the landscape was much more lush and vibrant, which from what Coralie recalled was saying a lot.
She and Court walked up onto the bankside and took seat on a plush patch of grass. Beautiful, brilliant flowers surrounded them. The sun shone bright overhead through the trees, letting in slight rays that were beginning to warm Coralie's skin. She was thankful for the sun as she suddenly noticed that her clothes were drying fast from its rays, but were still damp and clingy.
“It's really pretty here, Court ... I have to admit, at first, it seemed like a little bit of a weird way to get here, but thank you...”
“No, Thank you...”
Court was leaning back, allowing himself to rest on his elbows. Coralie sat with her knees up, and she rested back onto her outstretched hands.
“No, I mean, really … thank you for bringing me here...”
“Well, it is yours to see, Coralie...” Court said, waiting on her to catch a glimmer in his words.
But nothing... she was still looking around, taking in all of her surroundings.
Suddenly, Court sat up and leaned toward her. Leaning in very close, he whispered to her. “I'm glad you like it here...” His whispers were so close that she could feel his words on her lips.
Hanging on his every word, she hardly noticed as he slowly leaned in closer, and then he kissed her. Coralie melted into the beautiful earth that surrounded her.
“If this is what you asked me to come for,” a girl's voice said, seemingly to approach them. “... to gross me out ... let's just say, that there's a slim chance that you're getting away from here without a shiner for the whole world to see ... I'm sure Mom & Dad would love that ... Golden Child comes home with a shiner from his little sister – I can see it now in the headlines...”
Coralie heard an amused chuckle come from Court, who still sat very close to her. Close enough to feel his breath on her shoulder.
The girl laughed, appearing, emerging from the tree line. She continued, “... Can you imagine that? Bam! Take that home to Mom & Dad...”
“Omigosh, Criston –” Coralie started, standing up to greet her.
“Coralie, nice to see you again...” Court's sister obliged Coralie's address, trying to be as pleasant as possible.
“You, too ... wait – I'm sorry, but I don't think that I understand ... I thought you were in Romania.” Coralie questioned in confusion.
“Yeah, well,” Criston started with a smirk, “… my brother, here, is very convincing ... besides, it's really not all that far...”
“Not that far?” Coralie said, anxiously, suddenly feeling nervous about her surroundings. “What are you talking about?”
“Coralie –” Court took her hand to calm her.
“Court, what's going on? I don't understand – I don't ... I mean –” Coralie stopped, looking around herself. Coralie noticed that something was obviously different about this place. “Why aren’t there any people around ... a beautiful place such as this ... Olympios, and come to think of it, Empyreal as well. There wasn't anyone around there either...”
“Cor –” Court started, interrupting her. Court had been hanging on her every word, waiting for the opportunity to step in. But she continued, needing more than anything at the moment to complete her thought.
“What is this place? Where are we?”
“Cor –”
“I would think that we would have seen at least one person other than ourselves, right?” She thought aloud.
“Coralie, no one comes here...”Court paused.
“What do you mean?”
“No one comes here, because...”
“Because of what? No one comes here, because why, Court?” she asked, intrigued, but afraid. Afraid of what the answer may actually be.
“No one comes here, Coralie ... because no one knows about it...” Criston blurted out, “... no one knows that it even exists...”
Coralie stared at Criston confused. “What? That's insane!” she shouted in disbelief. “How can that be? How can no one know that an entire lake exists?”
“Well, by no one, I don't exactly mean no one ... we know about it ... because this is meant for us ... so...”
“And by us and we, you mean who? Like, you and I?”
“Well, yes and no ... yes, I’m talking about you and myself … Criston, as well … but there is more … there are others...”
“More? There are others? What do you mean by others?”
“Yes, there are more of us...”
“Court, just stop it! This is insane ... She doesn't even know who she is!”
Court cut her words sharply. “Give it a rest, Criston!”
Coralie sat and stared at him in confusion. He was trying to give her cues, but none that she recognized. She knew she should be able to identify and recall what he was trying to explain to her, but she just couldn't.
Court began by searching for words. “Coralie, although this is … I mean, yes, this is other side of Empyreal Lake, but it's not just the other side of the lake – it's just not that simple...”
“Court, I’m not sure that I understand...”
Okay, so, you see, you can't just walk to the other side...” Court stopped and sighed, “Do you understand what I'm trying to say?”
Coralie stood silent, in confusion.
Court sighed abruptly, once more, this time in frustration with himself. “Of course, you don't understand...” he paused, taking another breath, running his fingers through his glistening golden hair. “... You don't understand, because I'm talking in circles...”
“Court, what are trying to say?”
“Court, just spill it - you're confusing her even more than she already is...” Criston snapped at her brother.
“Quiet, Criston!” Court snapped again, trying to gather the right words.
“But I just –” Criston started.
“I said, 'Quiet'!” Court barked, with an intense stare. The two of them shared it for a moment, with Criston backing down first, like a scolded child.
Court turned to Coralie, who was startled by the intensity being shown by him. “Coralie, we just came through a –” Court hesitated before saying the word, it seemed, he'd been stumbling around, “... portal...”
“A portal –”Coralie questioned, skeptically. “… You mean, like a time portal?”
“No...” he said, taking a breath, “... just a portal … we didn't travel to a different time, just a different place...”
She took a deep breath, unbelieving. “And this place would be...?”
Court stood in silence, searching for words. Words that could help his explanation. But there were none to be found.
After a few moments, Court finally answered Coralie, as she sat awaiting him. “Olympia ... Coralie, we are in Greece...”
Chapter 19
Coralie lay still on, what felt like the solid, earthy ground. Her clothes still felt slightly damp against her skin. Though her eyes felt heavy,
and unable to open, she could hear movement surrounding her. She could hear murmurs around her, barely able to make any of them into something comprehensible that sounded like two men arguing.
“No – Sir, you can't!” one voice said.
“Stay out of this!” another countered.
“No – I won't, I can't –”
“You will! Step aside!”
“So this is … I mean, you are the reason –”
“You are no longer needed. Please excuse yourself to someplace else...”
“I will not leave her!”
One of them sighed in irritation. “Very well...”
“I can't believe you, Sir –”
“I believe I said to Step Aside!”
“If you hurt her, Sir, I swear –”
“What?” the one of them paused. “Do you really think that I would do anything to hurt her?”
“Yes, I do ... I believe it because you are! You are hurting her! You may not realize it, but you –”
“That's enough!” the one of them shouted. “I'm done here.” Then he snapped his fingers and ordered, “Get the car.”
“Sir –”
“Listen to me young man ... you must learn to stay out of business you know nothing of...”
“But –”
“But nothing – I will be speaking to your father about this.”
“Go ahead – I'm not afraid of you!”
The one of them let out a low chuckle. “You've got spunk, kid! You remind me a little of myself!”
“I'm not like you, Sir – unlike you, I would never, ever, put her in harm's way...”
Another voice, aside from the two arguing male voices spoke up. “The car... it's ready, Sir!”
“Thank you – we're done here... yes?”
“Not by a long shot...”
Those were the last words to fill Coralie's ears before she faded into a realm of dimness, as it surrounded her.
* * * * *
Coralie opened her eyes. It took her a moment for her eyes to adjust. Once they were in focus, she realized where she was. She was in her bedroom.
The room was dark except for a dim glow coming from her window. The light was glowing from the outside street lamps.
There, at the window, her eyes set on a silhouette. It was a figure, a man... a young man that stood at silently at her window.
Coralie began to startle, but that feeling quickly faded when the figure turned and looked at her. Even in the dimness and darkness of her room, she could feel that it was him.
“Court?” she beckoned him quietly.
“Hey, Cor ... I'm here...” he replied, as he walked over to her bed, where she lay, reaching for her hand. She started to rustle her way up into a sitting position, but suddenly felt a little dizzy.
“You’re here. You’re still here.”
“Yeah. I wanted to be here when you woke up.”
“Asleep ... I've been asleep – for how long?”
He looked away, as he said, “Awhile...” He walked back to the window and stared blankly. Then with a far-away, almost rehearsed tone, he spoke again, starting with a deep breath inward, “you must have been tired after our afternoon hike ... and swim at the lake ... After I brought you home, you just crashed...” Then as if he couldn't stand it any longer, he turned and said, “I couldn't just leave you ... without saying goodbye, I mean...”
“Well, thank you. I'm glad you stayed,” she said, with a smile that gleamed in the dim-lit room. She expected a smile in return, but his usual response was obviously delayed. “What's wrong?”
He walked toward her and sat next to her on the edge of her bed. She could see the sincerity in his questioning eyes. “Do you...” he paused to let out a sigh, sounding of disappointment, “... do you not remember anything?”
Coralie stared at him with confusion.
“Anything at all?” he pushed her to try to recall the day's events. As she did, her memories were bits and pieces. None of them were fluid. It was as if someone had taken them from her brain and snipped out specific scenes with a pair of razor-sharp scissors. Cutting and slicing through memories that belonged to her. She continued to try to evoke her memory, but pieces were missing.
“Cor –” Court jogged her attention.
She shrugged, then began her recollection aloud, “I remember school, I remember the walk to the lake, and then...” she paused, her eyes widened, “... the lake ... Court, I remember the lake.”
He urged her to continue. “Yes, Cor, keep going. You can do this.”
“... the lake, Court ... we swam in the lake...” she paused again, her mind started to race, “... we –”
“Coralie, honey...” Her parents said, entering the room, turning the lights on, and cutting off her words.
Court jumped swiftly to his feet.
“Oh, good ... you're up...” Katelyn started. “Courtland, that's so nice of you to stay and check on Coralie...”
“It's nothing...” he said sincerely, but the sternness of his tone made Coralie edgy.
Katelyn pretended not to notice, though she did, and Courtland knew it. “Also, thanks again, Courtland, for walking Coralie home ... That must have been some hike you guys took...”
Coralie flashed her eyes from Court to her parents and back again.
Katelyn noticed and added, “... around Lynn, right, Courtland?”
Coralie's eyes flashed back to Court, who had moved back to her bedroom window. He answered, his face expressionless, “Sure...”
Coralie heard the truth absent from his words. She turned to her mother. “Mom? How long have I been asleep?”
Katelyn answered her daughter's question, and then added another question with a relaxed smile on her face. “Practically, all afternoon, dear ... you must have really been worn out, huh?”
But it wasn't enough. Coralie stiffened with anger, as it began to grow inside of her, though she didn't exactly know why. “Yeah, I guess so, Mom ... Wait ... you just said 'Lynn' ... as in Lynn Park ... right???”
“Well, yes, Honey ... Lynn Park ... why the need for clarification?”
“Because I don’t remember going to the park...”
This sparked interest in Court. But he wanted to watch Coralie’s parents’ reaction carefully, first, before making any certain moves.
“Oh...” Her mother questioned.
“Yeah ... I remember something else...”
“Like what, Cor???” Questioned Court, sensing the Colliers’ nervousness.
“I remember going to a lake ... a beautiful, magnificent lake.”
“Oh yes, the lake that you guys come upon sits right behind the park...”
“How come I ... I mean, why have I never been there before?” Coralie questioned, blundering, knowing she was getting close to something.
“Oh, Honey – you have been there before...”
“I don’t think so, Mom...”
“Oh I know,” Katelyn paused as if she'd stumbled upon something, “... it must be the time of year ... I don't think you've ever been there during this time of year – things are always much prettier in the spring ... It is a beautiful place, isn't it, dear?”
“Yes, it is a very beautiful place...” she said, restating her mother's statement. She turned briefly to look at Court, who was still staring out of her bedroom window. She sensed that he was avoiding eye contact. But with whom?
“Hey kiddo, now that you're up ... I'll go fix you something to eat – I know you must be starved...” Cal spoke up, changing the subject.
Coralie couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right. There was something else. Something missing. “But, Mom, Dad, wait –”
“Yes, dear –” Katelyn answered her daughter, as both her and Cal turned to look at her.
“There's something else –” Coralie said. This caused Court to turn and stand up looking toward her, as if something in particular struck his interest.
“What do you mean, kiddo?” Cal asked, su
ddenly, and fearfully interested.
“Well, I don't know, really ... it may have been just another dream – sort like the ones we've talked about before ... they are so real and,” she sighed a deep breath, knowing how she must sound to others, “... I know it sounds crazy, but ... even though this was much different than the others, it was like,” Coralie paused to look at Court, who was staring at her intently, “... someone was trying to tell me something...”
Court allowed a slight grin to come over his lips. “Go on, Cor ... What else? What do you –”
His words were cut short by Katelyn. “We can talk about this dream over dinner, okay? Come on, let's go downstairs.”
“But Mom –” she started, but was interrupted again.
“Coralie, dear...” Katelyn started, trying to keep her composure in front of company, “Come on downstairs ... we'll talk about it over dinner...”
“Cor, I'm listening...” Court spoke up. “Tell me...”
Katelyn narrowed her eyes at Court, but she turned with a grin toward her daughter. “Coralie, honey – really ... your father and I would love to hear all about this ... everything...every last detail, in fact ... but I would much rather have this conversation over dinner, that's all...”
She shrugged. “That's just it ... that's what I'm trying to tell you ... I can't remember everything. I don't even know exactly where reality stops and my dreams begin ... there are parts and pieces missing...”
“Pieces missing, huh?” Court questioned, focusing it toward Cal and Katelyn, as he looked directly at them.
Court's face housed a look that Coralie didn't quite recognize. She watched the expression exchange between her parents and Court, and didn't quite know what to make of them.
“Court, will you be joining us for dinner?” Katelyn asked, eyeing him austerely.
Allowing a grin to slink on his face, and backing down respectfully, he said, “No thank you, Mrs. Collier, Mr. Collier,” nodding at them both individually, “I need to go on home ... my parents are expecting me ... It seems that my father is in need of a word with me.” He said, pausing for a moment to look Cal Collier in the eye. Then he turned to look at Coralie. He looked straight into her eyes, kissed the top of her forehead, and said, “Cor, I will see you later, okay?”
Empyreal: Awaken - Book One Page 11