“Makes sense,” I said a little bewildered at our conversation and a lot nervous about where she was headed. A bicycle bell rang behind us, so we crowded closer together. Shadows of tree branches danced on the gravel path as the cyclist sailed by. We walked in silence for a bit, our shoes crunching on the gravel. Occasionally, a blue jay’s gull-like scream echoed through the woods.
“Let me stretch your mind even further.” She glanced at me, and I noticed she was chewing on her bottom lip. “First off, I should say you’ll find I’m pretty opinionated and like to think outside the box. Well actually, my parents say my biggest weakness is that I can’t think inside the box.” She laughed.
“You won’t have to convince me of that either,” I said, immediately thinking of her plan to send me flowers just so she could annoy Tori.
“Well,” she said, slapping her hands against her legs, “I also believe in the power of touch as a way to heal or…to restore someone back to health.” I narrowed my eyes, but she didn’t notice and kept talking. “Like with your mom’s touch, I think you instantly felt better because she was passing her energy onto you.”
“So, you’re saying her touch gave me positive energy and relieved my headache?” I said hesitantly.
“Exactly.” She wound her hair around the tip of her finger, like she was nervous. “But I also believe that some people can knowingly heal another person – a person who is seriously injured.”
Slowing my pace, I rubbed my forehead. My sweaty palms and spiked heart rate were not from any physical exertion, but rather from an eerie feeling threatening to sweep me off my feet. I halted in the middle of the trail and turned to face her. She stopped and looked at me expectantly. “You’re talking about your own special abilities?” I asked, swallowing hard.
She busied her foot, moving it around in a circular pattern in the gravel. Without lifting her head she slowly raised her gaze. “Yes,” she said barely above a whisper. Her hand shot to my arm, and she propelled me into a steady gait again. “Blake was hurt, and I knew I could heal him on the inside, where he might have—“
“Broken bones?” I suggested with an edgy tone.
She nodded warily. “I go into this meditative frame of mind and focus solely on transferring my healthy energy through touch.” She clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth. “You’re probably flipping out right now – thinking I’m totally crazy, huh?”
Kicking a large rock to the side of the path, I said, “No, I don’t think that. I’m just trying to take it all in. I mean, yes, I’m shocked. It would all seem so unbelievable if I hadn’t just witnessed what you did with Blake. But I know that what you’re telling me is true.” With her lips pressed together she nodded. “I definitely want to know more, though.” I glanced into the woods and collected my thoughts. I knew I should be shocked and appalled, but with my own ability to see the future, none of this seemed that unreasonable. “If I’m hearing you right, you’re saying you have an ability to heal people, and this incident with Blake was not the first time?”
In a quiet voice she replied, “Yes.”
Suddenly, I remembered an episode at the store. “What about that toddler with the goose egg on her head a couple weeks ago? The one who was screaming when her dad brought her up front.”
Her eyebrows shot up. “Yes, her too. She actually did have a concussion at first… ”
“But you took care of that,” I finished for her. She nodded, and we remained silent. While the whole healing thing sounded like it was straight out of one of my fantasy books, who was I to judge or doubt her? I realized my heart was pounding more from having met someone else with a unique ability and less from learning about the ability.
After reaching the north end of the lake, we emerged from the protective cover of the trees and stepped into the hot sun. Along the east shore, people picnicked in grassy spots. Kids played along the shore and in the shallow water. Ripples of relaxation and playfulness rolled across the lake as children jumped through the water, but waves of turmoil crashed through my mind.
“Let’s find a spot here in the grass and stick our feet in the water for a few minutes. Do you mind?” I asked.
“Good idea. This will be easier if you just ask me some questions.”
We stomped through the grasses, pressed down an area where so we could sit, and then slipped out of our socks and shoes. I stuck my feet in the lake and welcomed the cold that nipped my toes. “Jessica, watching you with Blake was amazing. Can you explain how you did that?”
She took a deep breath and smiled. “Lexi, I knew you would believe me, and you wouldn’t laugh in my face. This whole healing through touch thing seems outrageous. I know. But for me it’s real, and I’ve been wanting to tell you about it.” She splashed her feet in the water.
Wrapping my arms around my knees, I rocked back and forth. “Okay then. How long have you had this ability?”
“My first experience with healing came when I was about 10 years old.” She played with a long blade of grass, bending and twisting it around her finger as she continued. During the next hour or so, she shared many stories. For the most part, her healing abilities remained imperceptible to others. Usually, the victim was unconscious and didn’t even know the extent of their injuries. Bystanders tended to attribute a victim’s recovery to Jessica’s CPR and first aid training.
In some ways I didn’t want to believe her. If all these absurdities were true, the existence of supernatural possibilities in this world were increasing by the second. In another way, I was eager to believe her. The idea that someone else on this planet was unique like me – that was consoling. Our abilities placed us both in a different dimension, one that separated us from the general population.
“Okay,” I said, “I have another question for you.”
“Shoot.” She dug her fingers into the ground, prying loose a rock.
“Why can you heal people?”
“That,” she grunted as she pulled the rock loose and threw it into the lake, “is the million dollar question.” Out of the blue, but so characteristic of her personality, she rolled back into the grass and started giggling. She gazed up at the sky and stomped her feet on the ground.
“What?” I asked, lying back. Scratchy grasses poked through my t-shirt, and I wriggled around to get comfortable. A white plume of airplane exhaust was the only mark on an otherwise infinite blue sky.
“Now listen, I’ll try to explain my theory.” She sighed. “But I guarantee that this time, you’re really gonna think I’ve gone mad.” She glanced at me.
“Jessica, with you, I’m learning always to take everything in stride. I won’t be judgmental.”
She pulled out her ponytail holder and slipped it onto her wrist. “Here goes then,” she said definitively and turned my way. “I think we’re all born with a good energy – a life force that is with us at all times. It acts like a booster, rejuvenating our bodies and keeping us healthy, helping us heal when we get sick. I call this energy Essence.”
“Hmm…Essence,” I repeated. “Kind of like the Chinese concept of Ch’i?”
“Sort of…in a way, but not really,” she stammered. “Ch’i is considered to be a life force that flows throughout the entire universe. And there are many types of Ch’i. Essence is simply the revitalizing energy a person is born with.”
“Okay. But how does Essence help you heal others? And why don’t we all have that ability?”
She nodded firmly like I’d asked exactly the right follow-up question. “I think everyone is born with Essence, but I think people are born with varying degrees of it. Only a few people are born with a sort of dynamic Essence, more like a gift…if you will.” She grabbed my arm, pressing her fingers into my skin. “Do you agree that some people are born with the raw, natural talent necessary to become exceptional musicians or athletes?”I nodded and she continued, “For example, we can all sing right?”
“Well, that’s debatable.”
“Exactly my point. We can
all sing, but most of us sound pretty crappy. Only a few individuals, the ones born with innate talent and great lung capacity, are able to stay on tune, harmonize, and belt out lyrics that move people. Essence works the same way.” She sat up excitedly.
“Makes sense; I guess,” I said and pulled myself into a sitting position as well.
She balled one hand into a fist and began pummeling it into her other hand. After a deep breath, she said, “Let’s take this a step further. Imagine Essence passing freely between two people when they touch.” She raised a brow. “Touch becomes very powerful! Essence rushes from the strongest person to the weakest, like when your mom eased your headaches by holding your hand. So in some ways, anyone’s touch can soothe, comfort, or even heal on a basic level. But,” she munched on a piece of grass and gazed at me, “some people, like me, have the ability to intentionally direct it at will. Does that make sense?”
“Don’t be afraid to lay it all on the line at once.”
She giggled. “I’m sorry. It’s that Energizer Bunny in me.”
I grinned but said in a serious tone, “Does anyone else know about your ability to heal or your theory on Essence?”
“Oh yes! My whole family does. But my mom is the only one like me.”
I nodded. “Explains why she became a doctor. Didn’t you say you had a brother and sister that are twins? Why do you think they don’t have the ability?”
Jessica stretched out her legs. “Yeah, Max and Madison. They have strong Essence, just nothing like my mom and I, but I’m not exactly sure why.” She waved her finger. “The ability is rare and usually skips several generations. I was the lucky one.”
“How do you know it’s rare and skips generations?” I asked confused.
“Well, mostly through documented family history. We don’t know of anyone else who has passed it directly on to their kids, either.”
“Are you implying there are others, not in your family, who have these same abilities?”
Her eyes widened. “Yes.”
“Where are these other people like you and your mom?”
“They’re spread out all around the world. They use their Essence to help people or heal the injured, just like my mom and I do here in Bellingham.” I listened attentively as she talked about how she and her mom kept in close contact with a network of people who lived around the world. “Healers didn’t want to be viewed as abnormalities, subjected to public scrutiny, or possible governmental testing, so they use their abilities covertly to save others.”
“So, you call yourselves Healers then?” I mused aloud. I watched enviously as kids splashed in the lake, their only care in the world – to have fun.
She let out a derisive snort. “We don’t exactly sit around and refer to ourselves as Healers.” She crinkled her nose. “Actually, we use the word Amethyst.”
Plucking a purple wildflower, I said, “That’s logical, I suppose. In fantasy books the gemstone used for healing or energy is usually an amethyst.” She closed her eyes and shook her head. “Really,” I drawled, lowering my voice, “it’s so obvious it’s almost comical.”
All of a sudden, I wiped the smirk off my face and remembered her shocked reaction when she’d pulled me off the floor at work. My brain went into overdrive. Had she sensed something about my Essence? Was it seriously low? Because with the recent hallucinations and migraines, I felt crappy all the time. Maybe I had some disease. Of course, that wouldn’t really matter if the mountain lions got me first.
Unfortunately, she noticed my emotions flashing like a traffic signal. Reaching over, she touched my arm. “Hey, what’s wrong?”
I gathered my courage. “Jessica, I want you to be honest, and don’t hold anything back when I ask you this next question. Okay?” Wide-eyed, she agreed with a nod. “That morning when I tripped and you helped me up – you looked shocked and you started acting all weird. Was that because you could feel my…I guess my lack of Essence. Am I sick or something? Are you able to sense that? Because I’m thinking you did and have been too afraid to tell me.”
Her jaw dropped so low, she looked like she was waiting for the dentist to pull out a tooth. “I’m so sorry. I—” She broke off and sat gaping at me before pulling me into one of her vice-grip hugs. “Oh Lexi,” she gasped for air and looked at me, “I’m super sorry I made you think that. You’re not sick. Your Essence is soooo prevalent it’s…it’s transcendent! I’ve never felt such powerful Essence in anyone before. You could probably heal yourself and a hundred other people all at the same time.”
“What?” I said, staring at her in disbelief, everything in my body shutting down.
CHAPTER 5 – AN AMETHYST IN THE ROUGH
“When you tripped and I grabbed your arm, you were radiating incredible energy flow.” Looking at me intently, she said, “Lexi, you are an Amethyst in the rough. I think you have the ability to be a Healer, just like me and my mom. All you need is training and guidance…”
My ears cleared, and I could hear her incredible words. The noise level from children shouting and playing in the water suddenly became deafening. I was on sensory overload and too astounded with Jessica’s news to utter any kind of intelligible response.
“It’s okay.” She flashed a reassuring smile. “Please believe me when I say it’s true. Very true. And I can teach you how to use your Essence and help people. Lots of people. You’ll be able to help them all the time.” She spoke with confidence, her face serious.
“Th-this must be a m-mistake,” I faltered.
“No,” she said with certainty, “I promise this is no mistake. You have a gift, just like mine. If you let me teach you how, you can save a lot of people, too.” She looked at me expectantly.
I was too numb to respond. She thought she could teach me to save people. Ha! If she only knew that’s what I’d been doing all my life – or more recently, that’s what I’d been failing to do. And now…now she lays this on me. Staring at her dumbly, I felt like the fates were playing tug-of-war with my soul.
Unable to wait any longer for my response, she said breathlessly, “You and I together could work so many miracles. You know that college student who just came out of his coma, the one who was found unconscious in Fairhaven?” I managed a nod. “Well, there’s a reason he came out of his coma,” she said, lowering her voice. My eyes widened to saucers as she continued. “I snuck into his hospital room and shared my Essence.” My jaw dropped, and she nodded furiously. “Lexi, imagine the good you could do; your Essence is extraordinary. And,” she said desperately, “If my suspicions about what happened to him are correct, there will be a lot more people turning up in the same condition. You becoming an Amethyst is imperative to our cause. With both of us working as a team we can stop the people responsible for…well, stop so many people from dying unnecessarily.”
She rambled on about her cause or something, but nothing registered. I was lost, shutting out reality. I didn’t know what she talking about, and I didn’t care. My curiosity was muted, because I was absorbed in my own despair and denial. Now that she’d involved me, I needed breathing room – time to think. Hastily, I started pulling on my socks and shoes. I could feel the fury building in the pit of my stomach. I wanted to scream. What was she talking about? Here I was trying to escape the premonitions, and now I was being told I could heal people, as well. This was completely insane. I was done with responsibility; I didn’t want any more.
“Lexi, you look shaken. I didn’t mean to frighten you. I thought you were okay with all of this.” She looked frazzled.
“Jessica I’m fine,” I said, but a little voice inside my head was shouting, “Not true.” I took a deep breath. “Okay, honestly, I’m freaked out. Everything that’s happened today…and everything you’ve told me…well, it’s mind-boggling. But now that you’ve involved me, it’s impossible. Not to mention terrifying. It’s not every day you learn your friend is actually a gifted healer and thinks you could be one too.” Scrambling to my feet, I busied myself stretchi
ng from side to side. I reached for my toes, and my back popped loudly.
She tied her shoes and said, “This is a lot to take in at one time. I’m sorry. Let’s head back, and we can talk more tomorrow.” I gave her a faraway look and turned towards the trail. “Or in a couple days,” she amended. “But,” she grabbed hold of my hand from behind as she followed me through the tall grasses, “we have to talk soon. This is very important. Lives depend on it, and there’s so much I need to teach you.” She squeezed my hand.
I twitched involuntarily and looked down at our hands. In a shaky voice, I said, “Well, I can see where you’d think I might need your touch for a little energy boost right about now. You’re probably passing your Essence along so I don’t faint right here on the trail.”
Her eyes darted down. “Honestly, that’s not what I was doing. Besides, your Essence is so strong, I think it’s flowing the other way right now.”
“Scary thought,” I muttered. I was quiet as we walked to the car. Even though I had a million questions for her, I couldn’t ask them – my thoughts were in complete chaos. I was afraid that if I acknowledged everything she’d told me, it would alter my plans. I’d be accepting a double life sentence which made me responsible for saving people all the time – only I’d probably make more mistakes and people would die.
This couldn’t be happening. She had to be wrong about my Essence. When we hit the parking lot, I tried to act casual. “Well, I gotta call Ally. We’re supposed to go out for dinner tonight; Ben’s shift isn’t over until eleven, so it’s just us.”
Jessica smiled thoughtfully. “Sounds nice. I’m supposed to have dinner with Max and Madison tonight.” She tapped her watch, her eyes lighting up. “Hey, we haven’t made any plans yet, what if we all went somewhere together? You could meet my infamous twin siblings, and I could meet Ally.”
Amethyst - Book One of the Guardian Series Page 5