by C. Elizabeth
It was already dark, but with the full moon and the snow’s reflection, it was still very bright and could see everything as I crawled onto my rock and let my legs dangle over it. The feeling of wanting to cry still hadn’t left me and the need to feel closer to Nathanael was intense. I raised my arms—the trees in the distance swayed, the snow fell off the branches—the pink hue came to me easily and gently swirled in the air. A smile came to my face when I thought of a name for it. Pue. How silly, but the combination of “pink” and “hue” tickled me.
With one lesson under my belt, I recalled the book and how I thought how neat it would be to control something like the wind and there I was training to do just that. The Pue was becoming one of my favorites—it was time to play with my pink mine monster. As my hands rolled, the Pue’s pink tail followed. A flick of my wrist had the Pue snap against the rocks on the side and an echo ricocheted against the walls as the rocks tumbled into the depths of the hole and crashed to the cavern floor. As I watched them fall, Zack’s lesson came back to me. He had said I would eventually become more comfortable with my ability and it would strengthen to ultimately be able to control the wind for miles.
That seemed an impossibility, but mind you, so was finding out I was a Half Light.
I absorbed myself in the way the Pue flowed, getting more comfortable with it. After some time passed, a sense of peace eventually fell over me—a peace that gave me the ability to simply saunter back home—no need to run. The lights of the town shimmered off the soft curtain of ice fog that hung in the air. Houses were lit up and a dog barked off in the distance. All of it combined gave the ambiance of stepping back in time—Main Street was practically deserted and most shops were getting ready to put their “closed” signs out. A breeze picked up and I thought about playing with it, but thought better, it wouldn’t be good if I lost control. The last thing the town needed was a freak mini-tornado going through it. I laughed at myself.
I walked passed a few shops and waved to the people I knew, noticing some even had Christmas decorations outside in boxes waiting to be put up. Just when I was about to turn down the street that would take me home, something caught my eye. A red Mercedes was parked outside the leather store...Norma was wrapped up in someone’s arms.
There was only one person I knew in town that owned a red Mercedes... No! He loved me! He kissed her softly and my stomached pitched forward. She said something that had him throwing his head back laughing—the street light caught his green/blue eyes. The air was instantly stolen from my lungs, my blood pumped so hard it palpitated against my ears and wrists.
With no control, I clutched my chest, commanding myself, Breathe! With a fiery cough the air let go, and so did the sobs. The blaze rammed into my heart and worked its way into every crevasse of my being—I gagged, not only for the loss of Nathanael, but also the betrayal of my friend.
Norma wasn’t the person I thought her to be. Maybe she had always been like that and I chose to ignore it. Case in point—when Job called her, she didn’t hesitate to meet up with him and gave no consideration to Angie’s feelings. That incident alone should have made me cautious. Instead, I overlooked it because of who Job was and how he was a master of his suggestive abilities. What a fool you are! The scene in front of me gave me no reason to doubt Nathanael instigated the whole thing. That left me to come to only one conclusion—they had turned him.
My legs wanted to dissolve from underneath me. The street disappeared behind me as the park went past in a blur, the pathway long gone. I ran around the swimming hole with my hands held high. The thin layer of surface ice cracked from the pressure of the rising water. It listened to my command, cascading into the air and twisting with each pass I made around the swimming hole.
Saydi! What’s wrong?
“Get out of my head!” I screamed, tears pouring down my face. My throat burned as I tried to take deep gasping breaths.
Saydi!
A suit of armor clamped down inside me, closing me completely up—hiding myself from myself, not wanting to feel the pain growing steadily in every cell of my body. I even had to conceal my love for him, tucking it away, and when it was hidden completely, only then could I stop running. They did turn him, the ritual worked. I am simply his prey.
I let go of my hold on the water. It hovered for a second then came crashing down, folding into itself. It splashed over the sides and sprayed on my face. Then I watched as the wetness slowly receded back into the hole from where it came and that second in time allowed me to think.
The self-protection peeled away, rendering my ability to keep myself hidden useless—unleashed were dozens of razor sharp tentacles, first ripping my heart in two, then with speed, strength and precision it took out my soul in one pass. It was hell-bent to ensure that neither would ever mend as it wound its way around and punctured every piece of me. The torture seemed to have a mind of its own, leaving me completely empty.
I held myself tight, praying for it to end.
~ * ~
As I opened the front door, loud voices shocked me out of my personal torment. The whole house seemed to be in an uproar. The air was thick with anger—the living room was the stage.
“I tell you, Mora, the boy was wreaking havoc all over the place today. The ritual worked. He’s more Pyre again,” Zack insisted.
Mora fired back. “That’s impossible! He has Tov in him as well, and he’s always been stronger with his human side. Nathanael would never be like them!” She was crying.
Dad stood up. “Mora...Zack is right. The feeling in the air today was wicked. Two stores were robbed, Luis and Gerald separated, some kids from the town over showed up to taunt our kids at the school, fights were instigated...and every time we looked, there was Nathanael or his red car.”
Mora shook her head. “No, Nathanael would never do such things.” She saw me in the doorway, jumped and hugged me. “Saydi, tell them.”
Gently backing away from her, I braced myself and very coolly said, “I saw Nathanael...”
Mora threw her arm out and twisted, looking at Zack and Dad. “See, I told you,” she said.
“I saw him about forty-five minutes ago on Main Street kissing Norma,” I finished.
Everyone’s mouth dropped.
“Oh, honey!” Mom burst out, reaching for me.
My mind shut down right along with my emotions. “It seems it did work, Mora. How will we know when the battle will begin?”
Everyone exchanged glances.
Dad spoke. “Honey, we don’t need to worry about such things right now. Do you want to talk privately with your mother?”
I shook my head. “No, there’s nothing to talk about. How will we know when the battle will begin?” I reiterated.
Mom gave Dad a nod and he started, “Well, things will get worse. People will get very agitated, more rudeness and unhappiness will be the norm. A large number of murders will occur frequently, but it won’t be confined to just our town. Chances are, it will start in the big cities and work its way to the source.”
I tightly smiled. “It already has started in the big cities. Lilly and Ted, their neighbors... Is anyone keeping track of any of that stuff?”
They shook their head.
“It shouldn’t be starting already," insisted Pearle. “Saydi isn’t eighteen for another five months.”
Grunting, I looked at them. “Maybe you were wrong about that, too. You can all go home now, I won’t be needing you.” I sauntered through the living room, then swiveled around in the hallway door. “There is no battle without Nathanael.”
I left them to their surprised looks.
Melting on my bed, the feelings shoved hard at me, wanting to spill out and cause me torture. I worked hard to repair the cracks and beat back the pain. Sleep finally found me and the morning dawned with fresh suffering.
“Saydi, it’s time to get up,” Mom said from the doorway.
“Mm-hm.”
She sat beside me. “How did you sleep?”
Rubbing my back, she soothed, “Oh honey, I’m so sorry.”
Flopping my head on my pillow, I tried to hide from it. “It hurts.”
She stroked my hair. “I know, honey. Unfortunately, we don’t have the luxury of being able to hide. We must keep going.” She kissed my head. “I wish I could take the pain for you.”
“Mm-hm. I know.” The hole in my chest ate at me little by little.
~ * ~
The morning was a blur. Everything I did was methodical, right up until I started walking across the field to school. Then I was jolted back into reality. Nathanael ran to me from the parking lot and it didn’t look like he had slept. His terrified eyes were swollen and red, along with dark circles—and in one leap he had me around the waist, putting one hand on the back of my head as the other pulled me tight against his chest.
“Where did you go yesterday? I thought something happened to you. All of sudden you weren’t there...then you were...then you weren’t! When I tried to speak to you, it bounced back and I couldn’t feel you. Saydi, what happened? And why are your parents so angry with me?”
My head said dismiss him, he was playing me for a fool. You’re his prey. My heart, however, was weeping, tempting me to wrap my arms around him and tell him everything. If you tell him everything, you’ve shown your hand, my inside voice warned.
Swallowing hard, I felt the pain try to breach my armor. I pushed passed him. “Nathanael, please leave me alone.” The words scarcely got out.
“Whoa!” he choked, then was suddenly in front of me holding my arms. “I’m sorry I got so angry with you. I spent all day yesterday needing to get my head on straight, but also try to figure out what to do. Father knows she’s here, and he was none too pleased.”
It became clear the overwhelming feeling of needing to cry wasn’t exclusive just to me. I was feeling Nathanael’s emotions for the first time. Saydi it’s all a trick. They need you close, cautioned my head.
“Saydi! What happened? I tried to see you last night and then again this morning, but your parents turned me away. What’s going on?”
The pleading almost got to me, then I saw him and Norma in my mind—Here is a guy who I’ve known for just over two weeks and in those two weeks he’s shattered my heart twice! That realization gave me some strength. “Nothing. Please leave.”
“Saydi, don’t.” He reached for me.
“Everything okay, Sayds?” Todd asked, jogging toward us and glaring at Nathanael. Behind him I could see Norma, who happened to be standing beside Angie and Becky. She was smirking. What is wrong with her? Was she getting pleasure from my torment?
The sarcasm couldn’t be helped. “Why yes, Todd, it’s all fine and dandy. Can’t you tell?”
“Todd, this is between me and Saydi. If you would be so kind as to...” Nathanael attempted to say.
Todd put his arm around me. “When Saydi’s crying, it automatically becomes my business, and it looks to me like she doesn’t want to see you.” He started leading me away. “Come on, let’s go talk,” he continued, shooting a look behind him. Angie and Becky followed, and I had no idea where Norma went. Probably to see Nathanael.
“Saydi, are you okay?” Angie asked when I got to my locker.
“You don’t know?” I said not so nicely and judging from the surprised look on her face at my outburst, she didn’t. I sighed. “I’m sorry, but...” I fanned my face to stop the tears.
Todd pulled me into his chest. “What did he do?”
Becky and Angie hugged me too.
Sniffling, I sputtered out, “I saw Nathanael with Norma last night.”
“Noo!” They all reacted with surprise.
Todd held me tighter. “I’m going to kill him!”
“No! Todd, don’t.” The thought scared me; Todd had no idea who he was dealing with.
“Angie and I will take care of Norma,” Becky stressed, stroking the back of my hair. “We don’t do that to anyone, let alone our friends.”
“You got that right, Becks, we’ll definitely take care of Norma.” Angie’s voice was stern, then it softened. “Don’t worry, Saydi, everything will be all right.”
I lightly pulled away and smiled weakly at them. “Thanks, but don’t start anything. I really don’t want anyone to fight and get hurt.” The smile I gave them was strained and not real. “It’s nice to know you would, and that’s all that counts. Can we just leave it?”
They nodded, but something told me they weren’t really going to listen to me.
For the rest of the day, Norma slithered around school avoiding us. It was apparent her visit with Todd on Saturday didn’t go as she had hoped, because the second she could, she moved in on my Nathanael. And to confirm my assumption, Todd met me at the end of every one of my classes, holding my waist as we went down the hall. Him being there made me feel better as he jabbered on about useless things, such as his classes and how stupid other people were, and he even managed to make me laugh. Todd was a really good friend and made me feel like I was worthy of love.
Twenty-nine
Todd, Angie and Becky walked with me out of the school. Todd insisted he take me to Sloppy’s for a quick bite, even though I told him I had to get home.
“No way,” he insisted, taking my hand before I could escape. “She needs a burger, doesn’t she, Ang?”
Angie’s face lit up. “She sure does, come on.” She tugged on my other hand, while Becky gently pushed from behind. I giggled at their antics. Then Angie and Becky were gone, and when my eyes found them, they were circling Norma.
“No! Todd, stop them!” I hollered, sprinting toward them.
Becky shoved Norma from behind and then Angie shoved from the front, tossing her back and forth like a ping pong ball. Norma would try and side step—it didn’t work. They were on her like dust.
“What do you think you’re doing, cheating on Saydi?” Angie sneered.
I pushed between them. “Stop, you guys!” It was exactly as Dad said it would be. People would behave intolerably toward each other, hurting one another—it scared me to death!
Becky snarled, not taking her eyes off Norma. “Saydi, she needs to learn a lesson about how we friends stick together.”
“Leave me alone!” Norma shrieked, trying to make a run for it.
Angie lunged, landing the two of them on the concrete... Something cracked and Norma screamed.
I shoved Todd. “Stop them!”
He looked confused as to what to do, then his eyes narrowed.
“Ladies!” A voice boomed out, as two very strong hands picked them up and pulled them apart. “School ground brawls are certainly not very ladylike,” Job said, or at least I think it was him.
Their presence overshadowed anyone else’s and all three were there. Nathanael wasn’t looking very good; his face was blotchy and his eyes were red.
Todd didn’t wait for an invitation, getting right up into his face. “How dare you! You get yourself tangled up with the most beautiful girl in the world...”
If it hadn’t been such a horrible situation, what he said might have made me feel good.
“And you cheat on her!” He jammed his finger into Nathanael’s chest. “With one of her best friends!”
Norma was lost in Nathanael, seemingly okay from the attack and completely unaware of her impending doom at the hands of her friends.
Nathanael held Todd’s stare. “What are you talking about?” he yelled.
Norma threw herself around his waist. I choked. Nathanael yanked back with his arms out to his sides, palms out, looking at her like she was nuts. “Wha... Um...Norma, please back away.”
The only way for me to hide the pain was to cover it up with resentment. “Humph!” I lightly clapped my fingertips. “You should go into acting. That performance would have earned you an Academy Award.”
&n
bsp; Nathanael’s eyes snapped back to me. “Saydi, what...wh...”
“Come here, you wench!” Becky shouted, moving swiftly to grab Norma.
Joshua had Becky by the waist. “Oh no, you don’t.” He smiled. They were finding my hurt and pain humorous. How nice for them.
Through it all, Norma still clung to Nathanael. “But babe, you said we would continue tonight.”
My lunch was about to have its debut spillage, available for all to view. “I have to get out of here!” I wheeled around and ran.
“Saydi!” I heard Nathanael yelp. “Excuse me, Norma.”
Todd caught me and instantly took my arm, leading me to his car. Nathanael was already there, blocking the passenger door. “Saydi, talk to me,” he begged. His beautiful eyes were so tormented, it was hard to resist him. But I knew I had to.
Todd shoved him to the side. “Move!” Then he opened the door.
But before I could get in, Nathanael plucked me up and placed me in his arms, looking genuinely confused. “What happened? Why do I feel like I’m in a triangle of sorts?”
Even with him being so adamant he didn’t know what was going on, I couldn’t let him fool me. I had to stay strong against him and pushed him away. “Go to your new girlfriend.” And in that moment, my friendship with Norma was over. It didn’t matter to me whether she got tangled up with a demon or the devil himself—she could have him. Oh what a lie, Saydi!
Nathanael reached for me...then a blur flew in front of me. Nathanael was gone. Todd had him pinned, pummeling him. “You took her from me just so you...could screw with...her heart!” Todd yelled, punching anywhere he could.
Before I could scream, Todd was in Nathanael’s clutches, dangling above the ground.
Joshua and Job stood back with flippant grins on their faces.
Norma stepped forward and totally ignored that Todd was a foot off the ground. “Nathanael, isn’t it better Saydi knows about us now, rather than later?”