Rest in Peace Roz: The R.I.P. Series Book 1

by Kris Johnston

  I shivered.

  “Follow me girl,” the being said, and I realized it was the owner of the horrible nightmare voice. “He’s been expecting you.”

  The figure turned and began walking off into the distance, its form not really moving even though it continued to flicker in and out of visibility.

  I didn’t want to move forward. I didn’t want to follow that thing. I didn’t want to know who had been expecting me, or why.

  However, just when I was about to turn and go back inside my bedroom and cover my head with the blankets, the creature said something else, and suddenly I had no choice but to follow.

  “Jimmy’s there, too.”

  I looked back through the window, into my room, where that stupid cat, Tobias stood on my bed. He stared deeply into my eyes and I heard his faint voice whisper, “Don’t trust the crone. I’ll be right behind you.”

  ***

  “The crone,” as Tobias called it, was apparently female and much more scary than I’d originally taken her to be. As I followed her in the dream, she took on the appearance of almost every person I’d ever known or loved- Odie, Derek, Bonnie, Amelia, even my mother. She would cackle in glee each time she shifted her appearance in an obvious attempt to get a fright out of me, but I wouldn’t say a word.

  I sincerely hoped that Tobias was indeed behind me, but let’s face it, how much help or support could I expect out of a feline?

  As we walked, the sky turned from the blood red color it had been to a pale lavender shade, and signs of life were sprouting amongst us. Trees bearing green leaves and brightly-colored fruit began to overwhelm the land, but each were lined up in perfectly straight, neat rows. I realized then, that we had entered an orchard.

  “Not much further now,” the crone hissed at me as her cloak billowed behind her.

  She led me into a clearing in the center of the orchard which was the shape of a perfect circle. A small pile of stones had been erected in the center, with a small table carved from granite directly behind it.

  A deep red cloth covered the table and upon it sat a jeweled dagger, a golden goblet, and a small, leather-bound book.

  My pulse raced and my heart shuddered as I understood what I was looking at.

  An altar. And not just any altar.

  A sacrificial one.

  The crone went straight to the altar and picked up the dagger. She made a small incision into her palm of her hand, and held it over the goblet. Squeezing a few drops of blood from her fist, she said some kind of blessing, then bowed her head. When she was done, she turned to me.

  “Your turn, girl,” she demanded.

  I shook my head, no, and began to retreat, but my back met with someone’s front and halted my escape.

  “What do we have here?” A familiar voice asked.

  I turned in shock, knowing instantly the person I’d run into. I looked up at him.

  “Parker?” I asked in disbelief.

  He smirked. “Why so surprised? The runes of protection were Odie’s idea, were they not?”

  I couldn’t reply. Although I’d had the feeling Parker was into some weird, crazy stuff, I hadn’t thought he’d be connected to the crone.

  I took a long look at him and almost gasped.

  He was Parker, but everything was different about him. He was even more gorgeous than he was in the waking world. His hair was long, past his chin, and had changed to a much lighter shade of blonde than his normal sandy color. His eyes appeared even more aquamarine than usual, his eyelashes thicker and darker than I remembered.

  But the way he was dressed was unlike anything I’d seen in modern days. He was dressed in black from head to toe. Black pants tucked into tall, black boots lined with tons of buckles. He wore a high-collared black shirt covered with a black cape, and on his head sat a black top hat. In his right hand was a silver cane, engraved top to bottom with snakes, serpents, lizards, and dragons.

  He looked like some sort of modern, gothic version of Doctor Jekyll, and I briefly wondered how long I had until he let out Mr. Hyde.

  “If you’ve gotten a good look then, Rosalind,” he said softly, “I believe Agnes has said it was your turn.”

  He raised his hand, gesturing to the altar.

  “Agnes?” I asked, stalling.

  He smiled pleasantly. “Her mannerisms are rough around the edges, I’ll admit. But, she makes up for it in loyalty.”

  “Why am I here?” I asked. More stalling.

  He tilted his head and looked at me with something akin to pity. “Because you chose to be, my dear.”

  I shook my head slowly. “No,” I said as I tried to explain. My head was feeling foggy, almost like it was drugged, and I began to have trouble forming coherent thoughts. “I’m here... for... Jimmy.”

  He raised his cane and pointed it to his left. “And Jimmy is just beyond those trees, there.” I looked, but saw nothing except for trees. Why was I looking in that direction, again? I couldn’t even remember what I’d just said to him.

  He reached for my hand slowly, taking it firmly within his own. “Before you can see Jimmy, however,” (wait, who?) “you need to make the required payment. Just as Agnes did.” He brought my hand up to his mouth, keeping his eyes pinned on mine, and he kissed it tenderly. “I must have my payment, Rosalind, or you do not see your beloved.”

  Beneath his sharp gaze and hypnotic words, I felt my own free will leave me completely. Parker wanted a payment? Okay. He wanted me to cut myself and bleed into a cup for him? Alright. He wanted to kiss my hand and stare at me like I was the only thing in existence? No problem.

  My only desire was to make him happy.

  I stumbled in a daze toward the altar where Agnes waited. I noticed she didn’t blink in and out anymore, she was just there, smiling an unholy, toothless grin as I took my place before the stone table. I held my hand out, lost in this dream that felt so real but became more and more dreamlike as I stayed.

  None of this is real, I told myself. It’s just another dream. But giving Parker a payment is the least I can do while I’m here.

  I felt no fear as Agnes brought the tip of the dagger to my palm. I had no qualms as she ran it down the length of my palm. It burned like fire, but I had no outward reaction. We watched, together, as my blood poured into the cup in a steady stream, with her chanting some hocus-pocus words that held no meaning. When it was over, she produced a small rag and wrapped it around my hand.

  She took one last look at me and shook her head.

  “Such a shame,” she hissed. And then she turned and left the clearing.

  I had no idea what she meant by that, but I didn’t care. I had a deeply-felt urge to help Parker and do whatever was demanded of me.

  As I turned away from the altar, my only goal was to ask him if I may stay with him, here in the orchard. I had no desire to return home, nor any to leave. But as I turned, a tiny black creature sprang out from behind the trees and jumped on me, tangling his claws in my hair and scratching my face.

  Tobias!

  “You crazy cat!” I yelled, fighting to get him off of me.

  Stupid human! He yelled right back, inside my head. It’s time you woke up!

  Then he brought his claws down the side of my face, so fast and deep he drew blood, and the next thing I knew I was back home, in my bed, panting with exertion and tenderly touching my rag-wrapped hand to my bloody cheek.

  CHAPTER 26

  Bonnie was full of fret and fuss that morning when I entered the kitchen and she took one look at me.

  “What in the world?!” She cried, immediately throwing down her dish towel, pinning her outrageous hair into a bun, and putting her cat-eye glasses into place. She approached me quickly, her bright orange, fuzzy slippers making a soft thunk-thunk sound as she inspected the side of my face.

  She sat me down on one of the chairs and pulled a first-aid kit from a cupboard. She tsk’d and muttered under her breath the whole time.

  She tenderly applied antibiotic ointmen
t and scolded the cat, who was nowhere to be found.

  “I'm going to kill you, Tobias!” She shouted out for the entire neighborhood to hear.

  I made every attempt to ease her ire.

  “He was actually doing me a favor,” I explained. “I was having a bad dream and he woke me up from it.”

  “I’m not a cat person,” she admitted, “I’m dog people. But Tobias showed up in the backyard one day last year, and he’s been ours ever since. I had him checked out at the vet, and they ran his chip. His owner had died the week before and there was no one else who wanted him. You know I'm a sucker for rescuing those who need it,” she smiled wryly. “But still, that is no excuse! I'm having you declawed today, do you hear me, Tobias?” She hollered.

  Just then the kids walked in.

  “Woah, Roz, looking good!” Vincent said sarcastically.

  “Gee thanks, twerp,” I replied.

  “What'd you do, step on the cat?” He asked.

  I shook my head. “I was having a nightmare and he woke me up, that's all.”

  “Dang, must've been some nightmare!”

  Bonnie watched me as I nodded and quietly said, “It was.”

  “Okay, the cat is on probation,” she announced. “But the minute he's out of line again, I'm dealing with him.”

  Amelia approached me and reached for my hand. I squeezed hers, and knelt down to give her a hug.

  “How about you?” I asked. “Did you sleep well?”

  She smiled sweetly and nodded her head, then reached out to pat the cheek that was unmarked. Her eyes held mine for a second, as I felt her silently saying she was sorry I got hurt.

  “I'll be just fine,” I reassured her.

  She raised her eyebrows at me, questioningly.

  “I promise,” I said.

  And sealed it with a hug.

  ***

  The moment Odie saw me that morning, the entire student body heard about my face.

  “Oh my gawd who did that to you! Was it Devon? I'll rip off every one of her nails and shove ‘em down her God-fearing throat!”

  “Shh!” I demanded, but it was already too late. The students mulling around us in the hallway had heard her giant exclamation, and the whispers instantly circulated.

  “Roz and Devon?” I heard a senior say. “Did they have a catfight?”

  I shook my head at Odie.

  “Try to have some tact next time, please?”

  “Sorry, she's the first person I thought of. I mean, have you seen her nails? They're like individual switch blades.”

  I pulled my notebooks from my locker and closed it.

  “The cat did it.” I said quietly. Her eyes landed on my hand, and she reached for it. Turning it over, she saw the large, square band-aid covering my palm.

  “And before you ask, this,” I held up my hand, “I did to myself, in a dream. But I don't want to be late for first period, so I'll explain everything in art class, okay?”

  And with that, I took off, leaving a very bewildered Odie in my wake. I really didn't like leaving her the way I did, angry, confused and seeking answers, but I'd spied the back of Parker’s dark blonde head out of the corner of my eye, so I did the first thing that came to mind.

  I ran.

  I couldn't face him yet, not after that dream. I wanted to believe that he was good and this whole situation was the cause of my overactive imagination. But the throbbing on my cheek and the twinges of pain in my hand confirmed it was all too real. I had to fully accept that somehow, my dreams were not just dreams.

  They were something more.

  Despite how real it all was, however, I couldn't decipher Parker’s involvement. And so far, the only tangible explanations I'd been given, came to me when I was asleep.

  And dreams, as I always believed, were not the most reliable source of information. That is, however, until now.

  It felt like forever until I was safe in Art with Odie. I had the horrible sensation of being watched all through my first couple of classes, and I found myself itching to get to my best friend so we could talk. I was already dreading the two classes after lunch, which I had with Parker, but I was hopeful my chat with Odie would give me the confidence needed to face him.

  Finally, in art class, she said the words I'd waited three periods to hear.

  “Are you serious?” She said loudly. Too loudly.

  We were hiding out in the supply closet in Mr. Harken’s class and I told her all about my latest dream.

  “Shh,” I admonished, “I'm totally serious. Tobias had to claw me up to get me out of there.”

  “What would've happened if he hadn't woken you up?”

  “No clue. I'd probably still be asleep, trapped in that crazy orchard with the goth version of Parker Evans.”

  “And who knows how much more blood he would've forced you to give,” she said darkly. “Huh. Payment. Sicko.”

  I nodded and then suddenly the door was flung wide open and Mr. Harken stood there looking at us.

  “I thought you ladies were grabbing the acrylics?” He asked, one eyebrow raised quizzically.

  “We are!” Odie piped up happily. “We just needed a girl moment,” she said, then lowered her voice conspiratorially, “You know how us females sometimes have... female… emergencies?” She asked.

  Oh. My. Gosh.

  She didn't.

  The furious red that instantly inflamed Mr. Harken’s face told me yes, she had.

  Then she reached into the inside pocket of her hipster plaid blazer and withdrew a tampon.

  A tampon.

  Oh sweet Lord, kill me now.

  “Here ya go, Roz!” She said loudly. “Good thing I’m always prepared for emergencies.”

  Mr. Harken immediately closed the door, mumbling a quick, “Take your time ladies,” as he made his hasty retreat.

  “What is wrong with you?!” I both screamed and whispered at the same time.

  She giggled. “I bought us more time. Ya dig?”

  “Now he thinks I'm having my period!” I said in sheer mortification.

  “Oh please. He's a teacher. Half of all his classes are chicks, and I bet you anything this is not his first introduction to teenage female periods.”

  “But you didn't have to use me as a scapegoat!” I exclaimed.

  “I didn't see you coming up with a quick alibi!” She retorted.

  True. I had stood there, frozen, under my teacher’s questioning gaze. She'd been the one to “buy us more time,” as she'd so eloquently put it.

  I sighed. “Fine. But next time, you're the one in the midst of a female emergency!”

  She laughed. “Deal!”

  ***

  After art came lunch, and I was thankful for the break. I needed more time to converse with Odie about what to do, and what my dream meant, if anything.

  Sometimes, being in this new life made me so incredibly happy I could burst, and yet there was all this other stuff to contend with. The bad dreams and supernatural events all added up to me being in a constant state of confusion. Half the time, I honestly didn't know whether to be happy or depressed.

  And then I checked myself, and realized that even with Jimmy gone and the cat clawing me up and my dreams being something more than mere dreams, I was happy. Truly happy. I'd much rather be in this new, weird, bizarre life than in my old, unhappy, sorrowful one.

  “So what's the plan?” Odie asked once we were seated at our usual table.

  “I was hoping you'd tell me,” I replied. I took a bite of my yogurt and swallowed. “My next two classes are with Parker. What do I do?”

  Odie munched on her bag of tortilla chips and frowned.

  “Confront him.” She said.

  “Confront him?” I asked.

  She nodded slowly, turning her head so she could get a look at him from where we sat.

  He was smiling in his typical devil-may-care way, sitting with his friends as they talked and ate. He looked like every other good-looking sixteen year old in the
country.

  Gone was any of the darker Parker from my dream. Here, in real life, he looked unassuming, maybe even slightly innocent. Based on appearances alone, one could say he looked intelligent, polite, and carefree. No one would ever guess what he could become in a nightmare.

  “Lay all your cards on the table,” Odie said quietly, “And see how he reacts. If he gets defensive, or angry, you know it's all real and he's involved somehow in Jimmy’s disappearance. If he acts confused, and you can tell he's not faking, then we need to move in another direction.”

  “Okay,” I said, nodding even though the idea of confronting Parker made me nauseous, “What if all of this is just my crazy head? What if… what if Jimmy is gone because he was finally taken to the afterlife? What if he never comes back?”

  “Roz,” she said sternly, “There's been too much happening, too many coincidences, for you to think otherwise. Jimmy told you himself he was being controlled by someone else, and then he vanished. That's not your crazy head. It's the facts.”

  She was right. The facts were before us, leading us to the answers. My only problem was, what if I didn't like the outcome? What if someone got hurt? My hand had already been cut open, for crying out loud. What if next time, it was worse?

  CHAPTER 27

  Parker completely ignored me all through Language Arts. I was fine with that, but I needed him to at least make some kind of eye contact with me. My plan was get him to look at me, ask him if we could talk after school, then let nature take its course.

  It never happened.

  Our final class of the day was much of the same: a lot of avoiding, a lot of ignoring, a lot of nothing.

  My stomach lurched when the dismissal bell rang.

  This is it, my Inner Roz encouraged, It's now or never. Go after him!

  I sprang from my desk and hurried after his retreating form.

  “Rosalind!” Devon called as I strode toward Parker. “Rosalind, we need to talk!”