“What is it?” Nisca asked, guiding her to the bed. “I’m fine. Stop fussing.” Ava said, sitting down on the edge. She winced a little at the pain in her ribs. “I want to know if you’ve seen anything about this whole weather thing and…”
“About the missing children?” Nisca supplied.
“Yeah, so you have?”
“Missing children?” Brea said.
“Yeah, four unborn children of the element went missing this morning.”
“Unborn?”
“Yes. Their mothers were taken this morning.”
“Never a dull moment around here.” Brea muttered.
“What have you seen?” Ava asked Nisca.
Nisca sat down on the bed, her shoulders slumped forward. “I keep seeing a hospital. I hear a woman crying and I see an empty cradle. Over and over again, I’ve seen the same thing. Then I see babies lying together in a room.”
“What does the room look like?”
“Nothing special. It’s just a white room. There are three boys and two girls. I don’t know. It’s just the same thing over and over again. It started yesterday and hasn’t stopped. I was going to tell you as soon as you were a little better. I can’t believe it’s already started happening.”
“And nothing about the weather thing at all?” Brea asked.
“No, I mean…” She looked up at Ava.
“What is it?”
“I didn’t want to tell you until I figured it out. I have no idea what it means, or if it’s connected to the strange weather patterns at all.”
“What is it, Nisca?”
“I keep dreaming this same word. I’ve been dreaming it for a few months now. Eruption.”
“Eruption?”
“Yes,” Nisca confirmed.
“Does that mean that a volcano is going to erupt somewhere?” Brea whispered, as if saying it too loud would somehow cause it to happen.
“Maybe,” Ava said, closing her eyes. Images of the strange weather patterns flew through her mind. Snow in Florida, heat in Washington. All different and confusing, but nothing to do with a volcano erupting. She thought about the strange dream again; the land beneath the island, the lost city, and the woman. “Only a dream,” she thought as she opened her eyes and looked around the room. Nisca was watching her intently. Ava avoided her gaze; she had no answers to the questions she saw in Nisca’s eyes. Instead, she felt like she was going to break. There was too much to worry about, her responsibilities had never felt so heavy.
Chapter Four …(Faded Whispers)
…Alec…
“You okay?” Shawn asked. He was elbow deep in a boat motor.
Alec nodded, rubbing his neck, “Tired, but yeah, I’m good. I’m just glad Ava’s okay. I couldn’t…” He stopped, unable to finish.
Shawn looked over his shoulder, “I know, brother. I know. I was pretty freaked out myself.”
Alec nodded. He looked out over the water, thinking of the past. Thinking about what it used to be like before all this; thinking about Scott. He remembered the days the three of them had spent working on the boats, the missions they had shared; the early days. The days when they didn’t know the secrets that hid in this beautiful place. The days before they were able to see what hid behind those castle walls and Lareina’s thin smile. He still felt the sting of his friend’s death. That had been hard, but it was nothing to what he would have felt had he lost Ava. Not wanting to think about it, he focused his attention back on Shawn. “What about you?”
“What about me?” Shawn asked.
Alec crossed his arms, “You know what I mean.”
A silence fell between them. The sound of the wrench turning grew louder. Then Shawn pulled his arm out and wiped the sweat from his brow, “I don’t know man. This thing with Brea is a little complicated.”
“It is. Brea is Ava’s best friend. She’s like a little sister to me.” Alec stopped. “You’re my brother and you know I’ll always have your back. What you did, though. The way you did it… I don’t know what to think.”
Shawn looked down, his large shoulders dropping. “I don’t know, Alec. It’s all just wrong. I love Brea, I do. I’m just not sure it’s that kind of love. The only thing I am sure about is protecting her; even if that means that I have to protect her from myself.”
“What do you mean?” Alec’s brow furrowed, his expression revealing his concern.
He shrugged, “She deserves someone good, someone that can be there for her. I’m not sure I’m ready for that kind of commitment and I don’t want to ruin what we do have, you know? What if it doesn’t work out? What if I just end up hurting her?”
“Like you already have, you mean?” Alec stepped closer as Shawn stiffened. He knew that his comment had stung Shawn, but he also knew it was best to be straight with him. They had been friends too long not to. He took a breath, knowing Shawn wasn’t going to like his next comment much more than his last. “Or, is it more about you getting hurt?” Shawn’s head jerked up and his fists clenched but Alec met his angry gaze steadily, “I know you were really hurt when Scott died, and I know that it only got worse when you found out he didn’t tell us everything. Are you sure you’re not going after Bianca because it’s less of a risk?”
“Damn it, Alec! No. I’m not sure, and that’s exactly what I’m trying to protect her from. I’m not sure about anything these days.” Furious, Shawn went back to turning the wrench.
Alec knew when it was time to back off. They were close, but judging by Shawn’s reaction, this conversation needed to end. Alec raked his fingers through his hair, “I’m sorry, brother. Just one more thing though. Bianca. She’s cool, but you might have bit off more than you can chew there, my friend.”
Shawn shook his head and smiled slightly. “What can I say? I like a challenge.” He lost the smile and was quiet for a moment before continuing, “I think maybe you’re right, Alec. About the way I handled things with Brea, I mean.” He looked out over the water, shook his head and sighed before turning to look at Alec. “I don’t know, man. I feel bad about the way I handled things. I should have talked to Brea, told her about me and Bianca...” He looked up, “I never planned for her to find out the way she did.”
Alec saw the regret reflected on Shawn’s face. He knew how complicated relationships could be. After all, he’d never wanted to meet Ava; had tried his best to avoid it. Now he could not imagine his life without her. “You just need to make it right, Shawn. Whatever it takes.”
Shawn looked down at his greasy hands, “I know, Alec. I know.”
…Brea,…
Brea stared up at the house. The old white house always looked alive somehow and coming here always brought happy memories to mind. Things didn’t change much here. She made her way up the steps and knocked on the door, then turned to look at the sky. It was a brilliant blue and she relaxed as she watched white, fluffy-looking, clouds slowly drift by. “At least the weather hasn’t started acting crazy here,” she thought.
“Why on God’s green earth are you knocking on my door, child?”
Startled, Brea spun around, “Aunt Avalene!”
“You know you don’t have to knock on my door, Brea. Get on in here and let me look at you!”
Brea walked through the door and straight into a hug. When Aunt Avalene hugged you, she did it with all of her heart and soul. Brea held on tight and felt herself relaxing even more as she returned the hug. Noticing Aunt Avalene's bag sitting by the door, Brea asked, “Are you going somewhere?”
“Yes, I’m going to the island. Have you been there? How are they handling everything while Ava is away?” Aunt Avalene frowned, suddenly concerned. “Come to think of it, why are you here? Something must be wrong.”
Brea couldn’t help but smile at the rapid-fire questions coming from Aunt Avalene, “I just came from there. Ava’s back from her honeymoon.”
“What? Already? Because of the weather?”
“Not exactly, although that’s part of it.”
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p; “Is there something else going on? What in the world is going on with this weather? I just don’t understand it.” She shut the door and put her hands on her hips, “It’s been all over the news.”
“I know, it’s crazy. Ava doesn’t know what’s going on, do you?” Brea asked.
“No, I don’t. The only thing I do know is that Ava needs me. What do you know about that?” Aunt Avalene asked, her gaze nailing Brea’s feet to the floor.
“She’s positively scary when she does that” Brea thought. Squaring her shoulders, she prepared herself to deliver her news, “She sent me to talk to you.”
Aunt Avalene didn’t flinch, a slight widening of her eyes the only indication that she was bracing herself to hear whatever news Brea brought, “What is it? What’s happened?”
“Don’t freak out, okay? Ava was in an accident. She’s fine.” Brea hastened to add. “She’s okay; they used the spirit element to heal her and she really is fine now. She wanted me to tell you before you heard it from someone else.”
Aunt Avalene took a step back, her hand at her chest, “Is the baby okay?”
“Yes, the baby is fine. They did an ultrasound at the hospital and everything checked out perfectly.”
“Good.” Aunt Avalene said as she drew something from her front pocket. She pulled the front door open with her other hand and Brea followed her out onto the porch.
“Thank you,” Aunt Avalene whispered to the empty yard in front of them. She lifted her palm and blew what looked like cream-colored seeds into the wind. The winds suddenly shifted bringing an earthy smell with the change and the seeds floated out across the big yard.
“That was amazing,” Brea said.
“Earth is an amazing place, child.” She said as she walked back into the house. “Come on in the kitchen.” She walked through and pushed the kitchen door open. Her face looked calm, but her velvet eyes were wet with tears.
Brea pretended not to notice. “That smells awesome. What are you making?”
“Soup,” Aunt Avalene said as she moved to the stove. “I was going to drop it off with your mother before I left. You can drop it by for me now.” She took five plastic containers all filled with soup and stacked them inside a box on the counter, “These are for the women’s center.”
“Have you seen her lately?” Brea asked.
“Yes, just yesterday,” Aunt Avalene responded as she handed the box to Brea. “She really misses you.”
“I know; I was going to visit her this coming weekend.” Brea said. She had been promising to visit her mother for months now, but she hadn’t been able to bring herself to do it. The only time she had seen her mother was the few times she and her new boyfriend had travelled to Gainesville to see her. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to see her mother; it was the thought of returning to that house. She just couldn’t bring herself to return to that house, she didn’t want to have to deal with all of the bad memories alive inside it.
“Well, now you can surprise her.” Aunt Avalene said as she moved towards the kitchen door. “Sorry to rush you, but I want to get to Ava. She and Alec have some explaining to do.”
“Are you mad at them?” Brea grinned as she pictured Alec having to endure one of Aunt Avalene’s lectures. She had a way of making you feel like a worm’s underbelly when she really got angry, all without ever raising her voice.
“Yes, Alec should have sent someone to get me!” She reached down and picked up her bag, “Thank you for coming to tell me, love.” She pulled the curtain back in the living room, frowning as she noted the darkening sky, “I’d better get going. Whatever is going on with this weather is dangerous. Ava’s going to need all the help she can get.”
Brea’s stomach clenched at Aunt Avalene’s words, they were as ominous as the impending storm outside. “I hope everything is going to be okay,” she whispered.
Aunt Avalene whirled around, her long, flowing skirt spinning with her, “Me too, Hon. Ava can handle this and she has us.” She opened the door, “Use your phone and call one of those Clutch Guards, “I’m sure one of them is away from the island. Tell them to meet me at the boat house at about ten tonight.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Brea said as she followed her outside.
“One more thing, child…” Aunt Avalene said, again pinning Brea with her gaze.
Brea paused, balancing the box at her hip, “Yes, ma’am?”
“You go easy on your mother. She hasn’t always made good decisions and she hasn’t always put you first like she should have, but she loves you. You make sure you remember that.”
Brea blushed slightly, remembering the last visit with her mother. Remembering the tears in her mom’s eyes when she’d mentioned her unpleasant childhood. “I will, Aunt Avalene.”
Aunt Avalene gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, then climbed into her truck and drove away.
Brea stowed the box with the soup on the back seat and got into her own car. As she turned the opposite way from the way Aunt Avalene had taken, she felt her muscles tense as she thought about where she was going. Dust swirled behind the car as she made her way down the dirt road. She found herself watching the rear view mirror as if she thought there might be someone following her. She knew no one was behind her, that there was nothing to fear. The fear came from what was in front of her.
Her hands tightened on the steering wheel as the house came into view. It still looked exactly the same, crooked chimney and all. She hadn’t been back since she’d started college. The house held too many memories. There were very few that were good. She half expected to see Buck’s ugly truck parked out front. Buck was two counties away serving a ten year prison sentence, but, the reality was that no matter where he was, he was a permanent ghost in her mind and in that house. She parked the car and stared at it. So many things flashed through her mind as she got out and walked towards it. The snap of the belt, the vein that had bulged between his eyes when he was angry, his brown hair stuck to his red sweaty face. Buck was always hot, always sweaty. It was like his constant anger made his temperature boil. The echo of his roaring voice blasted through her mind, bouncing around in there until she took a deep breath and forced it away.
As much as she loved her mother, this house would always torture her. It was crazy that just five minutes down the road, at Aunt Avalene’s, she’d felt so safe and happy. “How could two houses so close together feel so different?” She turned the knob and stopped in the entryway. The house did look sort of brighter. Her mother had re-painted it and took down all the family pictures that had Buck in them.
“Mom?” she called out as she softly shut the door. Almost as if the weather could react to her the way it could with Ava, thunder sounded and lightning flashed in the windows. “Mom?” she called again.
She heard the quick padding of footsteps, and then her mother appeared in the archway leading to the kitchen, “Brea?!”
Her mother was small, and had brown eyes that seemed too large for her heart-shaped face. She was wearing a pink scrub top and she had makeup on. She looked pretty. Brea couldn’t remember her mother ever wearing makeup when she was growing up. Buck hadn’t allowed it.
“Hey,” Brea said quietly, absorbing the changes in her mother and liking what she saw.
“I thought you were coming this weekend?” she said as she rushed towards her and pulled her into a hug.
“I had to go by and see Aunt Avalene. Ava needed me…,” she stopped.
“Have you talked to Ava? Avalene says she loves her school in Alaska. Why in the world she didn’t go to Gainesville with you, I’ll never understand. I guess it’s quite beautiful there on the island.”
“It is,” Brea replied, a little bemused at seeing her mother looking so happy in this house.
“I’m so glad to see you, Brea. I wish you would come home more often. I really do miss you, you know.”
“I know, Mom. I miss you too.”
Her mother smiled at her, her warm eyes glinting in the dull light coming through the w
indow, “I am so happy you made it. I’ll cook your favorite dinner tonight, or we can go out if you’d rather. I just finished packing a box of stuff for you. There are some cookies from Avalene, and I found the cutest dress for you.”
“Thanks, mom,” Brea replied, still trying to deal with this new version of her mother.
Her mother turned towards the T.V. Brea couldn’t help but notice the crooked scar down the side of her neck from Buck’s knife. She forced herself not to think about that night. She ignored the guilt she felt. It had all worked out for the best, but she still hated the part she and Ava had played in all that had happened. “That stupid black powder spell.”
Her mother grabbed the remote from the table and turned the volume up. The weather man’s voice filled the small room. “We have more developing news. Another storm has appeared on the Doppler. This is an unnaturally fast moving storm and, if our predictions are right, it will hit North Florida tonight.”
“North Florida?” Brea echoed, thinking about her friends in Gainesville.
“Yeah, this weather is crazy.” Her mother shook her head, “Are you staying with me tonight?”
Brea looked around the house feeling a million different emotions and memories at once. “No, I can’t,” she said. “I have to get back to school.” At least she wasn’t really lying, she did have to get back to school, but the truth was she just didn’t want to spend a night in this house. Not yet, maybe one day, but not yet. “I’m not going to be able to stay for dinner, Mom. I need to get home ahead of this storm.”
“Brea, you can’t go to Gainesville; not with a hurricane headed there.”
“I have to, Mom. I have class. They haven’t cancelled them yet. I would have gotten an email if they had.” Brea moved towards the door, “Besides, the dorm is a big brick building. I’m sure I’ll be safe there.” She grabbed the door knob, “I have some soup from Aunt Avalene for the women’s center. She asked me to drop it off to you.”
“Oh, that’s wonderful! Her soup is so good. It’s always a big hit.” She said as she followed Brea outside.
Elementris, Exposure, Eruption Box set: The Vangeretta Curse Series Page 59