by CS Yelle
The others flung me face first to the ground and attacked Allister. I pushed myself off the ground and looked up as Allister reached down and helped me to my feet.
He smiled, his eyes filled with assurance. “Are you alright?” he asked.
“Yeah, fine,” I whispered.
“You shouldn’t be out here alone.”
“I’m not, you’re with me.”
“I shouldn’t be with you after what’s happened,” he said, his smile now gone.
“What?” Crap, he knew. He knew about those people in my dreams. My heart raced and I began to panic.
“You had better get back inside,” he suggested.
“Wait, I can explain,” I pleaded, taking a step towards him as he turned to leave. I stumbled and he spun, catching me in his arms.
He stared into my eyes. His were so deep and clear I could see my reflection. He leaned closer, his breath against my face.
I don’t know why, but I felt the urge to kiss him, leaning in, forgetting everything but the need to kiss him. His lips brushed mine, their soft skin caressing me softly. The connection drew me in as my lips parted and yearned for more. I gasped as he suddenly pulled away.
The doors burst open and the three amigos rushed out.
He gave me a smile, turned, and disappeared into the darkness.
“Oh my God, Britt,” Elisa cried. “This is where you’ve been hiding? What happened to these guys?” She added looking at the unconscious boys scattered around me.
“They tried to get to know me better and Allister stopped them,” I said.
“Making out with Mr. Gorgeous,” Cassie squealed.
“You should have told us where you were going.” Trish was not pleased. “Grand Rapids might be small, but not everyone is nice.” She looked down at the boys beginning to stir, giving the one nearest her a little kick in the side.
“Sorry, I didn’t plan it that way,” I tried to explain.
“Too late now.” Trish crossed her arms, giving me an angry look. “So tell us all about it.” She grinned suddenly, sending me stumbling with a hip check. “Is he a good kisser?”
“I only have Jimmy Reynolds in the fourth grade to compare him to,” I reminded her. “It wasn’t actually a kiss, but close.” I shrugged.
“Sleepover at my house,” Elisa cried and we nodded our agreement. “I want every detail.” She took me by the arm, gave the boys on the ground one last glance, and pulled me into the dance. Trish and Cassie followed close behind.
We danced every dance together, Carl and Tommy joining in, until Jeb ended the night with a song dedicated to Trish. Trish blushed and stood swaying in front of the stage the entire song.
We stayed around until Jeb finished packing up the equipment. Trish and Jeb then spent about a half hour making out in her Jeep while we waited for them. Elisa and Tommy steamed up the windows in his car and Cassie, Carl and me, sat awkwardly in Carl’s car. Carl looked at his watch every few minutes, afraid of staying out too late and getting in trouble with his parents. Trish finally opened the door to the Jeep as Jeb stumbled out his side, reluctantly ending a lip lock with her. He gave us a smirk and hurried to his waiting band mates. Elisa and Cassie said goodbye to their boyfriends and I wandered over to the Jeep, feeling more than a little left out.
We stopped by Sammy’s to pick up some pizza and then headed over to Elisa’s house for a sleepover. We talked into the early morning. I explained the ‘kind of’ kiss with Allister at least a dozen times before the girls finally drifted off to sleep.
I knew he’d saved me twice now, but still didn’t know why. He didn’t act like anyone I ever knew. What would he do when he found out about my dreams? What if he knew? My hand slid to my lips, thinking of what almost was.
I fell asleep on the couch, my hand still to my lips.
My dream came slowly, easing into clarity as a window slid open. Why would anyone leave their window unlocked? Standing on a fire escape with looming buildings all around, the sound of traffic came to my ears as I turned and looked to the highway close by before stepping into the room. It was a bedroom, small and cramped, and cluttered with too much furniture. A young woman lay in her bed, sleeping peacefully as music played from a tiny stereo in the corner.
As I moved closer a wispy image surged towards me, confident, defiant. It resembled the woman sleeping, but more ghostly, spirit-like, her face stern.
“You don’t belong here,” she scolded, her lips not moving. “Be gone with you.”
“I don’t come for her,” I said in a deep voice.
“Your kind is responsible for these deaths,” the spirit accused. “I know it.”
“Being aware of it and being safe from it are two entirely different things,” I laughed.
My hand reached out quickly, gripping the ghost’s neck, not realizing what happened until I heard the gasping.
“How is this possible?” It strained to speak.
“All is possible for us,” I said as the spirit went limp. Then the wispy body was drawn into my own, absorbed.
I woke up screaming, sitting up on the couch where I’d fallen asleep. Elisa, Trish, and Cassie gathered close, their arms around me trying to comfort me. I cried so hard my blanket was soaked with my tears.
“It’s okay, Britt, it’s just a bad dream.” Elisa tried to soothe me.
I looked to each of them, their eyes filled with worry.
“But what if it isn’t?” I cried.
I rushed to the bathroom, closing the door behind me feeling their eyes on my back. Leaning on the sink I stared into the mirror. Foreign blue eyes, red from the tears, were reflected back at me. It was as if a stranger stared back, someone I didn’t know anymore.
I splashed cold water on my face and wiped it away with a towel, leaving my face perfect. Perfect like them; Allister and Angelina. They knew something.
Allister and his sister held the key to this mystery. I needed to find out what they knew. No more delays. I raced out of the bathroom, grabbing my clothes and stripping off the t-shirt I wore to sleep. I quickly pulled my shirt over my head and yanked my jeans up, fastening them. I glanced up and Elisa, Trish, and Cassie watched me, motionless, their faces a mix of confusion and fear.
“What?” I asked, looking around the room for my shoes.
“What? That’s all you have to say. You wake us up screaming to death, nearly giving us a heart attack and all you can say is ‘what’?” Trish had the edge in her voice I knew wavered on the verge of a blowup.
“What do you want me to say?”
“Try explaining,” Cassie spoke up.
“Fill us in,” Elisa urged.
“I don’t think I can,” I sighed, pausing to look at them for a moment and then renewed the search for my shoes.
“Great.” Trish threw her blanket back from her legs and stood up. “Just keep it to yourself. That usually works for you. Like when they diagnosed your cancer. It took you six months to tell any of us. You’d rather keep it all inside and then drop the bombshell on us. I for one am not going to sit around and let you rip me up like that again.” She turned and stormed into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her.
“Is that what this is about, are you dying again?” Cassie asked, tears filling her eyes.
“No,” I cried. “Not that.” At least not from cancer.
“Then what?” Elisa asked.
“I’m not sure and don’t want to tell you anything that might complicate things,” I said, trying to explain. How could I share something I couldn’t understand myself?
“Did anyone tell you not to share this with us?” Elisa pressed.
“No, but if I don’t believe it, how could you believe it?” I asked.
“Have we ever not believed you Britt?” Cassie asked.
No. They were always there for me. Since first grade, they were there for me. Why did I need to shut them out? Allister told me to stop healing people, he never said I couldn’t tell anyone.
“Get Trish,�
�� I whispered. “I doubt you’ll believe it because I don’t believe it myself.”
Elisa ran to the bathroom and dragged Trish back into the room. Trish had her arms crossed in front of her, not a good sign, as she stared at me with doubt filling her eyes.
“I think it’s time you knew the whole story of what happened to me, my cancer and … the dreams,” I started.
Trish sat down in a chair across from me as Elisa sat on one side of me and Cassie slid in closer to place a comforting hand on my knee. Good, I had their attention. Now, if I could only make them believe.
“You know we went canoeing at the BWCA a month ago,” I began as they nodded. “When we were there something happened, something that changed everything about my life. Something totally out there, but I need you to listen and try not to judge.” I looked to each face, relieved no skepticism showed. Hoping it would stay that way.
Taking a deep breath I rushed into the story, beginning with me sitting on the rocks in the river, the thoughts of suicide, and the change of heart which came too late. I raced through the part with the angels, not looking up, instead staring at my hands in my lap. I went through all the testing, the dreams that I now knew were visions, the hospital, and finally, my belief that Allister and Angelina were the angels from the waterfall.
When I stopped I still looked down, waiting for the doubting accusations or their laughter at my delirium.
When the room remained silent, I cautiously lifted my eyes.
Trish met my gaze first, her face awash with fear, her eyes, full of tears.
I turned to Cassie and she leaned into me, throwing her arms around my neck and crying on my shoulder.
Elisa stared back at me, no expression, not anything. Her face so void of emotion, she might have been a porcelain doll.
“Say something,” I urged.
“That explains a whole lot,” Trish spoke softly.
“Why all of a sudden you got better. Why you’ve been acting so weird and enthralled with Allister and Angelina Parks. Everything.”
“You really think they’re angels?” Cassie asked, seeming to agree with Trish’s synopsis.
“I don’t know.” I shook my head.
“So what are you going to do?” Cassie brushed my hair off my neck where her tears had plastered it.
“She’s going to confront Allister and find out,” Elisa finally spoke.
“What if he won’t tell me anything?”
“You don’t think he would hurt Britt, do you?” Cassie’s concern was evident.
“I don’t know how he’ll react when I tell him about the dreams.” I rolled my shoulders.
“But if he has the power to save you, he has the power to…” Trish started, unable to finish the thought. To kill me. We all understood without her saying it. We stared at her, our combined fear filling the room at the prospect.
“We need to go over there,” Elisa insisted.
“I can’t ask you to put yourselves in danger like that,” I protested.
“It’s the only way,” Trish agreed.
“We won’t let you go there alone,” Cassie added.
“If we go in the day it should be safer, more chances to be caught if he does try something,” Trish pointed out.
I nodded my agreement. It made sense.
The girls scurried, getting ready as I sat watching them flit around me. It felt good to have them on my side. I didn’t feel so alone anymore.
Chapter 8 We sat in front of Allister’s house in Trish’s Jeep, the top down, the wind blowing our hair in our faces in the early Saturday morning hour.
“Here’s the deal.” Trish glanced at me then turned to look at Elisa and Cassie in the back seat. “We can’t tell anyone else about this. It’s too unbelievable and it could be dangerous if we let the Parks think we’ll out them on a whim. It might force them to get rid of us to feel safe. We need them to realize we’re here to protect our girl Britt, that’s all. Now put your hands in here and swear.” She stretched her right hand out so it hung suspended between the seats. Elisa put her hand in, then Cassie and, finally, I set mine on top of theirs.
“We all swear we won’t tell a soul about what Britt told us and we’ll keep Allister’s secret no matter what it is.” She moved her gaze to each as she spoke and finished with a nod. “This I swear,” she added.
“This I swear,” we said in unison.
“Now we have a pact that can’t be broken.” Trish smiled. We marched up to the front door, standing on the large porch with white railings and a porch swing on one side. I reached up and swung the large metal knocker to strike the door. The impact echoed inside the large house and we waited impatiently before the closed door.
“Well, I guess they’re not home,” I said, losing my nerve and turned, starting to leave.
Elisa snagged me by my collar, pulling me back just as the door opened inward and Angelina stood staring at us, her head cocked to one side like a dog listening to a high-pitched note no one else can detect. Her right eyebrow lifted and her lips puckered as if she just tasted something very unpleasant. She looked perfect as always, not a hair out of place.
“May I help you?” she asked, her voice light and soothing yet tinged with disapproval.
“Is Allister here?” I barely heard my own whispered words.
She opened the door wider to usher us into the foyer.
“Please come in.”
The ceilings stretched so high it reminded me of a gymnasium. The stone floors shone sending our reflection back at us, the dark surface like a deep, cool pond.
“Would you please wait in the study?” Angelina pointed to the doorway on our right.
We nodded and moved into the room lined with cases filled with books. The shelving rose to meet the high ceilings. A ladder, slid to one side, allowed access to the far reaches of the highest shelves.
Angelina closed the door behind us and we moved around the room, staring in awe. A large cherry wood desk took up the entire end of the room in front of the big bay windows facing the street. Overstuffed leather furniture filled the room on the other side of the desk. The chairs and couches showed wear from years, maybe centuries, of use while reading the infinite volumes of text lining the shelving. Their deep, rich brown leather exuding a welcoming smell of worn leather beckoned us to sit.
Trish tentatively sat down in a huge chair while I eased onto a couch, the squeaking of the leather against our jeans echoed around the room. Elisa and Cassie moved behind the desk to stare out the window at the street. The same street we’d driven down countless times in our lives holding new interest from this rare vantage point.
“What are you doing here?” Allister asked, entering unheard with Angelina by his side.
I stood and walked over to stand in front of him. “I needed to speak with you.”
“Why are they with you?” his displeasure lay heavy in his voice.
“They’re my friends. They’re here because they’ll always stand beside me in tough times.” I nodded to them as I spoke.
“What do you want?” he pressed, unmoved by my declaration.
“Some answers.”
“About what?” Allister raised an eyebrow.
“What did you do to me at the river?”
“Not following,” he said with a confused expression.
“You and Angelina were at the river below the waterfall,” I continued. Even as I did, uncertainty crept up, giving me an uneasy feeling.
“I think you may have been so traumatized last night when I stopped those boys from harming you, you’re projecting something more onto me. Something from another traumatic event.” Allister patronized.
“I’m not making this up,” I argued.
“She says you saved her life.” Trish stepped up beside me.
Allister twitched, turning to Angelina but said nothing.
“I’m not lying about this,” I pleaded, needing him to validate my sanity.
“When did this happen?” Angelina asked.
“A month or so ago,” Cassie said from behind the large desk.
“We were still in New York.” Allister met her eyes.
“Do you need to see our ticket stubs from the airline?” Angelina added.
“No, that won’t be necessary,” I said as my shoulders drooped. How could I have been so wrong? My mortification took a backseat to my confusion.
“But you were sure they knew something.” Elisa gaped at me.
“I guess I made a mistake; maybe we should go,” I sighed.
“Come on,” Cassie said walking up to us. “Thank you for your time.” She smiled at our hosts and walked from the room.
Trish looked at me, confusion painting her face. She shook her head after seeing my expression, not what she hoped for, and followed Cassie.
“Come on, Britt.” Elisa swung an arm around my shoulders as we walked from the room.
I shot a quick glance back at Allister as I exited. His eyes, sad, or maybe disappointed, turned away from my gaze. Angelina stared hard after me, forcing me to look away from her accusing eyes.
We reached the Jeep, Cassie and Trish were already inside waiting for us. Elisa stopped before getting in, spinning around and leaning her back against the side of the vehicle. The look on her face made me pull up short and take a step back.
“If I wanted to start my Saturday off looking like an ass, I could have run naked through the neighborhood and been less embarrassed,” she shouted. Cassie and Trish nodded their agreement from the Jeep.
“I’m sorry, but I was wrong. I guess it was just a dream,” I stammered, trying to make sense of it myself.
“Fine time to decide,” Trish said from the driver’s seat.
“I think we need to be alone right now,” Cassie said.
“I agree.” Elisa glanced over her shoulder at Trish and Cassie. “It’s only a few blocks to your house from here. Maybe you should walk to clear your head of that bad dream.”
“Fine, I will.” I turned without another look, storming down the sidewalk. The Jeep’s engine roared. None of them turned their heads as they sped past. I successfully alienated the only true friends I had, losing my mind and taking them with me. I shook my head in disgust.