Zack smiled up at her, “Don’t worry about it. I’ll catch up with you this afternoon.” He glanced over his shoulder and said, “Go!”
Lyssa swung her leg over and attempted to turn around. Instead she tumbled down and landed hard, flat on her back. All the air in her lungs burst out at once. She turned to her side and worked to refill her lungs.
“Are you okay?” Zack asked, preparing to climb the gate himself.
“Fine!” She sat up and wiped the gravel from her palms and got to her feet. “Thanks again, Zack,” she shook her head and ran.
“Dana was so wrong!” That was all she could think as she ran towards home.
When she reached the road leading to her house, she ducked into the tree line to avoid anyone seeing her. “What can I say to them if I am forced to face them?” she thought. She wondered what would they do to her; throw rocks? Cart her away to be studied?
When she rounded the last dusty curve before the house she saw they were already there. The front yard was full of people holding signs. She ducked back into the tree line and crossed the side yard so she could sneak in the back. Then she stopped suddenly as something caught her attention. Not thinking, devastated, she stepped into view. The protesters had crushed the little tree she and her father had planted two weeks before he died. Her heart dropped into her stomach. She felt all the pain from that day shoot back to the surface. Hot tears sprang to her eyes and before she thought a second more, she ran towards them and screamed,” Get off of it!” She darted right into the middle of the crowd, “That’s our tree!” She remembered what her father had said as they planted the little tree; “I won’t be with you anymore, but our tree will live on for years and years to come. This little oak will turn into a mighty oak and watch over you.” The words melted away leaving only an empty echo whispering through her mind.
She pushed her hands out and water from the grand fountain out front sprang up and shot at them. The crowd went silent and moved back. She knelt down by the tree and started sobbing uncontrollably. The pain inside her had to come out. Her small body couldn’t hold it in. It was too powerful and growing too fast.
“Get out of my yard!” She heard Dana scream.
She felt Dana grip her arm, “Get up, Lyssa. What are you doing? Come on!” She tugged her to her feet.
“Dad’s tree!” she managed to say through her sobs.
“Come on,” Dana pulled her toward the house, “forget the tree!”
That statement snapped her back to reality. Suddenly the angry shouts of the protestors penetrated her dazed mind. The images on their signs and the words they shouted only causing more pain, “Witch,” “Devil worshiper,” “Freak!”
The door slammed behind them and everything went silent. Dana bent over as she tried to catch her breath, “Are you insane?”
Lyssa sank into a chair by the door, her mind replaying the last few days in one long stream. Dana’s words floated back to her, the words that had started all of this; “We’re going to lose the house, Lyssa. The things you can do will make you famous. Do you want to be poor forever? Your father left us in debt and if I don’t have a house, I’ll have to turn you over to the state. You won’t ever see Zack again. Trust me Lyssa; everything will be great for us. All you have to do is show them.”
Lyssa shivered and looked up, “You were wrong, Dana. I should never have exposed my gift. We’re not going to be rich and famous. I’m going to be hung.” She pointed at the door, “That is, if they have anything to say about it. What are we going to do now?”
Dana straightened, “Calm down, we’ll be fine. Trust me. The answering machine was full of requests for interviews today. We just need to find the right one to explain everything. You can show them you’re not a witch. Tell them everything you told me; about the people born with gifts and the secret island. They’ll eat it up. They will probably offer us protection. If they want the interview, they’ll have to. Just trust me.”
Lyssa stood up, “Whatever you say, Dana.” She walked out of the room.
“It will be fine. I promise,” Dana shouted behind her. “You’ll be treated like a queen, just wait and see.”
Chapter Two…What if?
…Ava…
“What is this place?” Blake asked.
Her hand was still tucked into his and she smiled as she pulled it free, “Don’t worry,” she smiled, “We’ll get you home.”
“What part of the country is this?” he stepped closer.
The two Greens jumped forward trying to grip his arms again.
He pulled loose. “I just want to know where I am. Please.” His dark eyes leveled with hers.
Ava wanted to tell him; the quiet desperation in his eyes bothered her. She had to keep telling herself that he wouldn’t remember any of this in a few hours anyway. It was pointless to tell him. “You’re on an island and we’ll have you home soon.”
His brow furrowed, “No one will tell me anything. It’s been hell. Please, Ava?”
Ava blew out a breath, “You’re on Element Island. We are located in the middle of the Bermuda Triangle.”
“And who are you…exactly?” He stepped closer and looked at her crown.
Ava reached up, and touched the crown, “I am,” she shook her head and stifled a laugh, “Mother Nature.” She had never had to say it out loud before. It sounded so crazy to her.
He paused for a minute, “That explains it.” He tilted his head to one side.
“Explains what?” She asked.
“Why I am so drawn to you. You are the most beautiful girl I have ever seen,” he locked eyes with her.
“Thank you,” she said, trying not to blush as his dark eyes washed over her. “This man is definitely hot, she thought.” Acknowledging that made her miss Alec more than ever, and as she thought of him the blush that had threatened to overtake her cheeks earlier became a quick heat that rushed through her body. She frowned; it was almost as if he had reached out to her. She could see him as clearly as if he were standing in front of her right now. That wasn’t possible though, not when she was awake. “Was it?” Missing Alec was messing with her concentration. With a tiny shake of her head, she focused her full attention back on the man standing before her. “Let’s get you out of here, Blake Sanders.”
“How old are you anyway?” Blake asked, most likely noticing the pinkness of her cheeks.
“Old enough,” she snapped.
He looked around, “I won’t tell anyone about this place. I promise.”
“I know you won’t,” Ava smiled. “Hold your hands out please.”
He held them out, locked eyes with her, and turned his palms up.
Ava put her hands on either side of his face first. She spoke the ancient words of the memory spell. “Deep inside you hold secrets that must never be known. Melt away,” she was careful to do it just right, “the past few days. Grow a perfect day to replace,” she moved her hand up over his face, “the one I wash away!” The memory spell was one of the most powerful spells ever created. She slid her hands down either side of his face and placed them on the palms of his hands. “I release you from the island. You are free to go.”
He slowly opened his eyes and wrapped his fingers around hers, “I will never forget you, Ava.” He didn’t blink as he said it. “Your fiery red hair and cool blue eyes will be burned into my mind forever.”
Ava nodded, knowing his memory would fade within an hour. “Thank you.” She gestured toward the two Greens, “There is a boat waiting for you and these gentlemen will escort you.”
He still held one hand, “Will I ever see you again?”
She glanced at the Greens, feeling her face turn red, “Probably not.” She pulled her hand free and took a step back. She felt bad about the small moment of attraction she’d had for him. She thought about Alec again. Blake Sanders was hot, but he was nothing compared to Alec, “You need to go now.”
Blake nodded slowly and turned to leave.
The two Greens took him
by the arms and walked with him towards the boat dock.
Ava watched them as they walked away. Blake stopped and looked back. He stared right into her eyes, then smiled and followed the Greens to the boat.
Ava sighed and lowered her head. She wished Alec was here now. She missed being in his arms. He had a way of making her feel complete; making her feel that what they shared was special and unbreakable. She really didn’t like the way Blake Sanders had looked at her; the way he had smiled at her. It felt wrong. Banishing her depressing thoughts, she lifted her head and walked back towards the castle.
…Lyssa…
Lyssa stood in her room and stared at the old pink rose wallpaper. Even though she didn’t believe in ghosts, memories of her mother and father haunted every inch of the house. Sometimes she could almost swear she heard their faded whispers floating in the kitchen; in her room, in theirs. The house had been passed down in her father’s family since his grandparents built it in the early eighteen-hundreds. It was a historical landmark. His grandfather was one of the town founders and the mayor at one time. Most of the furniture had been passed down through the generations too.
When Lyssa was brought to live with them, her father had just taken over the Relic family’s once thriving factory. By the time she was ten years old, the factory had been shut down and her mother was dead; killed in a car crash during a storm three days before Lyssa’s ninth birthday. Losing her mother had almost killed her father too. He’d fallen into a deep depression and the Relic family fortune had quickly disappeared.
When Lyssa turned thirteen, her father married Dana. She’d hoped things would be better, but less than a year later he was diagnosed with cancer and what little money that was left went to pay for his medical care. She didn’t know her father had been forced to put a mortgage on the house to cover his medical bills until after he was gone. He’d loved this house; had treasured each piece of furniture inside it. He would want her to save it.
Lyssa’s thoughts were whirling. “Could she really trust Dana? Was she right? They had to save the house. That’s what her father would want, but was it worth all this? Would she eventually be sent off to some science lab to be examined like a lab rat?” Lyssa knew of only one person who could help her find a way out of all of this but she didn’t know how to find her, or if she should. Ms. Shelby had always found her when she needed her, not the other way around. She seemed to have a way of knowing when Lyssa needed her most. “Why wasn’t she here now? Surely everyone, everywhere, had seen the news.”
Lyssa still remembered the first time she’d met Ms. Shelby. It was only two weeks after she’d turned eight. Lyssa was terrified. She had only just discovered her gift and at the time she had tried desperately to convince herself that everyone else in the world had the ability to move water too. Maybe they just hadn’t figured it out yet. It was the third time she had snuck down to the lake to see exactly what she could do. She’d played with the water like a child playing with blocks, curious to find out what she could make it do. She couldn’t really control it yet; at eight you can barely predict your next adventure. How was she supposed to predict what would happen that day?
With her toes dug into the cool water’s edge, she’d lifted her hands and watched as the water miraculously moved away from her. She’d stepped further out and lifted her arms towards the sky. A wall of water had risen in front of her. As she connected to her element a warm buzz slipped through her body. She had never felt so beautiful, so free, so amazing in all of her life. She’d built the water wall higher and higher. When she felt the connection break she’d tried to run, but she was not fast enough. The wall of water crashed down on top of her, taking her breath with it.
She was half-drowned when Ms. Shelby pulled her out of the lake. She was immediately drawn to such a peaceful and loving presence. Ms. Shelby had explained about the others and introduced her to Zack. She’d told Lyssa and Zack that they were not alone. She’d also explained how important keeping the secret was. “She might be mad about all this. Maybe that’s why she hasn’t come.” That really didn’t make sense though, she’d always been there when Lyssa needed help. Like when she got in all the mess after her father died. This was the first time she had purposely exposed herself though. “Maybe she’s not going to come this time.”
A gust of wind cooled the room. Lyssa heard a tap on her window. She carefully pulled the curtain back and saw Zack staring back at her. “Come out,” he whispered.
Lyssa smiled, “Are they gone?”
“No, but we can get around them.”
She paused and held up a finger, “One minute, okay?”
“Okay,” He moved back as she let go of the curtain.
Lyssa ran over to her bedroom door and locked it. She slipped her hoodie off of the bedpost and opened the window.
Zack smiled up at her and tried to help her down.
“I’ve got it,” she said jumping past him and landing in a squat. She stood up, “See?”
Zack shook his head, “Come on.”
They slipped through some loose boards in the back fence and ran until they reached the back of the property where Zack’s dirt bike was parked. He got on and Lyssa climbed on behind him, “Hurry up.”
Zack kicked his foot down and the dirt bike started instantly. They took off. He wove through the trees, turned beside the railroad tracks behind the property, and rode alongside them for a long time. Their secret hangout was an old servant cabin that was tucked away in the north woods on her property.
Zack parked the bike and they both climbed off.
The look on Zack's face made Lyssa burst out laughing. It felt good. She had not felt like laughing since the moment she saw the protesters at the school. She shook her head, “Okay, I’ll say it.”
Zack took a bow, stood back up, and tilted his chin up, “I have waited for this day for so long. Ladies and gentlemen, Lyssa Relic admitting she is wrong…so, so, wrong!” He crossed his arms and smiled widely.
Lyssa rolled her eyes, “You were right, Zack. Okay?” She walked past him and into the cabin.
He followed behind her. “This is crazy.”
“I know,” Lyssa shook her head, “What the hell am I going to do, Zack?”
He dropped down on the small sofa they had lugged back here two years ago, “I don’t know. You can’t listen to Dana though. She’s crazy. People knowing what we can do is not only a bad thing; it’s dangerous.”
Lyssa sank down onto the couch cushion beside him, “You know I would never say anything about you, right?”
“I know,” he looked at the floor. “My Mom is freaking out about you being on the news and all. She keeps asking me questions about you.” He looked back up and narrowed his eyes. “She wants to know if you can really move water, or if it’s a big hoax. If she only knew about me,” he smiled a quick half-smile.
“Well, your mom never liked me. I’m sure she would blame your ability on me if she found out about it.” Lyssa remembered the day she’d loosened the screws on Ms. Kline’s seat. She also remembered the argument with Zack afterwards. He sort of understood though. Lyssa couldn’t imagine having a teacher for a mom.
“I know. I honestly don’t know what to say to her.” He looked up, “After you left school today, things got bad. Everybody was talking about you. Principal Evans even made an announcement that everyone had to stay inside during gym. He told us that we weren’t allowed to talk to the reporters, that we would be expelled if we did. Now we’re getting calls on our machine. Someone at the school must have told them that we’re friends.”
Lyssa felt guilt and fear, “What if someone found out about Zack’s affinity for wind?” “Zack, I’m going to put a stop to this somehow.” She let her head fall back to rest against the cushion and closed her eyes, “I don’t know what to do.” She leaned forward and cradled her face in her hands. “This is not what was supposed to happen.”
Zack started laughing.
Lyssa spun around to face him, narrow
ing her eyes. “Why would you be laughing right now?”
He laughed harder.
For the first time, Lyssa noticed how much Zack's looks had changed; maybe because he was pissing her off so much. His laugh was sending tingles all through her body and the way his blue eyes stood out against his dark complexion was entirely too mesmerizing for her peace of mind and for some reason just the fact that she was even noticing those things made her madder. “Stop laughing, Zack!”
He leaned forward and started wiping the back of her hair, “You have dust all in your hair. I know you’re stressed, but gray hair is not a good look on you.”
Lyssa stood up, aggravated, and shook her fingers through her hair. “It’s not that funny Zack. This is serious!”
Zack smiled, stood up, and put his hand on her shoulder. “I do have one idea,” he said as he helped her brush the hair from her face.
Lyssa tried to ignore the strange fluttery feeling that caused her stomach to clench when Zack touched her.
He paused for a brief moment, as if he felt that strange fluttery feeling too.
Lyssa swallowed, wishing it would go away. She wanted everything to stay the same. No complications. Zack was her best friend. She couldn’t mess that up because of hormones. She took a step back, “What?”
“I wasn’t going to bring this up because I know how you feel about it.”
“What is it, Zack?”
He studied her for a moment, “You won’t like it.”
“I am willing to do anything to fix this, Zack. I can’t live like this; running everywhere I go and dealing with Dana. I have to find a way to make it all work out.”
He tilted his head down and looked into her eyes, “It’s a long shot, but the truth is we need help…”
“I know, Zack, but Ms. Shelby hasn’t shown up. I don’t know if she would even be willing to help me now after what I did.”
“She would. She’s helped both of us so many times. We really need to find her.” He tilted his head, “There is one way we might be able to find her...”
Elementris, Exposure, Eruption Box set: The Vangeretta Curse Series Page 28