by Ron Francis
Chapter three
Thomas felt like he would never fall asleep. He was still wired from his date with Abby. It had gone even better than he had dared to hope, and that kiss kept playing over and over in his mind. His thoughts were racing, and sleep was nowhere in sight. His phone lit up with an incoming text. He saw it was from her and reached for the phone. The text was short and sweet;
I had a great time tonight. I can't wait til Friday. Sweet Dreams.
He responded:
Me, too, I'm really looking forward to it. See you Friday. Goodnight.
He tossed for hours before sleep took him. He began to have the strangest dream. He was in a cave lit by torches. There were wolves and tigers, eagles and hawks, elves and warriors, and... his parents? They were gathered around a stone table and reading from a scroll. The discussion was carried on in hushed tones as if the fate of the world hung on their every word. He didn't get much, but he heard the words Dunamis Covenant whispered several times. They were arguing with two men, he didn't get the warrior's name, but the elf's name was Asa. Thomas was afraid, and very small. Sitting next to him holding his hand was a just-as-small, chestnut haired, green-eyed girl. She turned to him and whispered, "This will be us one day." He woke up in a sweat.
That was no ordinary dream; it was as vivid as the kiss that had been playing in his mind all week. He lay in bed and his thoughts were troubled. He almost never remembered his dreams. Who was that little girl? She had really green eyes. Was that...? No way? How could a child version of Abby pop up in his dreams? How would he even know what she looked like as a child? Another thing that troubled him about the dream was his parents. He had no pictures of them and had long since forgotten what they looked like, but there they were as real as could be. He now remembered exactly what his parents looked like. What would Lucas make of all of this? What would Abby say if I told her?
The next day, he called Lucas while he was delivering the mail. He tapped his blue tooth to keep both hands free to do his job. The sky was cloudy, and the temperature was cool. It was a perfect day to deliver the mail. The phone rang twice and Thomas was greeted by the usual, "What's up, bro?"
"Last night was great, man. Even better than I imagined," Thomas replied.
"Wow, and with a girl like that, I bet you can imagine quite a bit."
"Very funny, but it wasn't like that. It was the conversation, I felt like we really connected and we're going out again on Friday." He climbed the steps of a light blue house and placed several envelopes in the black, iron mailbox.
"Nice, you guys wanna hang out with me and Darcy?"
"Maybe after, but I did want to tell you about the strangest dream I had last night," he replied while he was walking back down the stairs.
"You and Abby? Let's hear it. Don't leave anything out!"
"It wasn't that kind of dream, bro." Thomas went on to explain the whole dream, and asked Lucas what he thought it all meant while he continued delivering the mail. Lucas told him it didn't mean anything, and said his mind was just all jumbled thanks to the Irish beauty he was seeing. Lucas had to get back to work so Thomas hung up the phone and finished his route.
The following day and a half was filled with texts and waiting. The only mental reprieve he was able to find was during his bike ride. His ride always cleared his head. In fact, he was always in his most alert mental state after he had been engaging in physical activity. He remembered feeling very clearheaded after the Tae Kwon Do lessons he used to take. He was really good, too. He couldn't remember why he ever stopped. His thoughts turned to Abby as he passed the twenty-five mile mark of his ride, and turned to begin riding home. He finished his ride and prepared his dinner. For the rest of the evening his thoughts were dominated by Abby.
Friday afternoon arrived, and he didn't know why, but he was a lot more nervous this time. He was shaving for the third time because he wanted to make sure he looked perfect. He brushed his hair although he knew it didn't look much different when it wasn't brushed. He pulled his navy blue polo over his head, and as soon as he saw it decided to switch to green. He looked in the mirror and then it was back to blue. He picked his tan cargo pants over his jeans because she had already seen him in jeans twice. He wondered if he should wear his black shoes but instinct caused him to reach for his Chuck Taylors. At times like this he was thankful he didn't have many clothes. He briefly thought, I'm never gonna be in her league no matter what I wear. Three minutes later he left the house so he wouldn't be late. He pumped the air condition on high for the ride over because he was starting to sweat. He pulled up in front of Abby's house, took a deep breath before getting out of the truck. She had already stepped through her front door while he was still walking towards the house. She locked the door and greeted him with an intimate hug and a brief, but intense kiss.
"I like this blue on you, Thomas," she said after she got in the car and waited for him to close the door. He hoped she didn't notice his celebratory fist pump at her comment.
They drove around for hours talking and ended up at Coulter's Barbeque for dinner. Coulter's was almost always in the discussion when it came to the best barbeque in the area, and the decor reminded Thomas of a simpler time. All of the table and chairs were lacquered wood and the blinds were pulled low. The food was served buffet style and paid for before they found their table in the middle of the crowded restaurant. Abby accidently made contact with an older gentlemen who was trying to stand.
"Oh, I'm so sorry, Sir. I didn't realize you were standing up," Abby said in an apologetic tone.
"No harm done, Ma'am. Get's awful crowded in here sometimes. Y'all, have a good night now." He leaned heavy on his cane and began walking towards the restrooms.
"You, too, Sir," Abby replied. A moment later, Thomas found them a table and they both sat. The smell of sweet barbeque sauce filled the air. They both began to eat, and a couple minutes later they noticed a family standing up from their table to leave. A busboy arrived almost instantly and cleared the table with the practiced ease of repetition. A few moments later, another family sat down.
Thomas was studying Abby, trying to figure out what she was thinking, and she pushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear when she noticed. She smiled at him and all he could think about was kissing those perfect lips. Her manner was playful, when she said with a coy smile, "I dreamt of you last night."
"Oh yeah," he replied with an air of anticipation. "What was the dream about?"
She blushed when she looked around and then whispered, "I'm not comfortable discussing it in public." She grabbed hold of his hand from across the table and flashed a mischievous grin.
"Well, I dreamed of you two nights ago, I think," he said. He didn't know why he had decided to tell her, he just hoped she wasn't disappointed.
"Really?" she asked.
"Yeah, but unfortunately, not the same kind of dream you had. It might not have even been you." He looked right into her eyes as he continued. "It was very strange, and the details were vivid. I've never remembered my dreams before, but I haven't been able to forget this one."
He could tell her interest was piqued, and he now had her full attention. "Let's hear it," she said.
"Okay, here goes. Remember," he said, "It's a bit strange." He looked at her and then continued, "The seven-year-old versions of you and I, at least I think it was you, were in a torch-lit cave with a bunch of strange adults, and my parents were there. I had completely forgotten what my parents even looked like, but I recognized them and now their faces are all I can think of. Abby, my mom was so beautiful. The adults were arguing and there were a lot of animals, people that looked like elves, and warriors. Then you looked at me and whispered, "This will be us one day." He paused and looked at her before adding, "That's a weird dream to have, huh?"
"Yeah, I guess." She shrugged like it was no big deal, but her eyes said otherwise. "Why do you think it was me?"
"I've never met anyone else with eyes as green as yours, and she had the same color ha
ir. She was adorable, and she was holding a little stuffed tiger. You like tigers, right?"
"I do, I guess it was me. Now, enough about dreams. Let's go watch a movie at your place."
In his excitement at her suggestion, he almost didn't notice how quick she was to change the subject. It seemed as if the suggestion was a purposeful misdirect. He was sure there was something more going on here, but he let it slide. He paid the bill, left a tip for the busboy, and they left the restaurant.
*****
When they entered his apartment, Abby looked around; it was neat and clean, and she approved. She liked the fact that he didn't seem to have much in the way of possessions. This is good, she thought. It will be less difficult for him to leave his belongings behind if he needs to. He turned on the TV and then he disappeared into the kitchen. He returned a moment later with two open beers. He handed her one and then they sat down on the couch. She was so excited about his memory. She remembered it like it was yesterday. It was the last time she had ever seen the man she was destined to be with until a couple days ago. Of course she couldn't yet tell him it was a memory. She wanted him to remember her so she could pretend surprise. Five minutes later she started snuggling up to him. He leaned in and kissed her just like she hoped he would. She was hoping that being with her would open up his memory of the past. She couldn't introduce him to her world... his world, until he remembered. She also realized that if she pushed too hard, he might revert to his altered, cautious nature.
It was a shame that a Paladin like him was raised not knowing who he really was. She was hoping that in a more natural setting, that would start to change. Now that he had made the first move, she leaned on him, pressing him down into the arm of the couch. Their mouths locked in passion, the sweet taste of his lips lingering in her mind as they kissed each other. This pleasure was destined for them and they had missed out on so much time. She didn't want it to end, the electric flow of the moment threatened to stretch out into eternity. Without warning, Thomas sat up, sweating and in pain. He was holding his stomach as he grunted out the words, "Abby, I'm sorry. I just had the worst... pain in my stomach... I don't know what it is." He looked up at her with a mix of pain and confusion on his face.
She stood up and kissed his cheek. "Thomas, sit still. Let me get you a glass of water." By the time she came back with the water, he looked a lot better. She gave him the cup and he drank slowly. "Are you all right? Do you need me to get anything else for you?"
"No, that's okay, it's going away now." He handed her the cup and she placed it on the coffee table. She noticed he was sitting straighter now as he continued. "I don't know what just happened, but the pain was intense. Can you just stay here for a while, and I don't know, maybe just watch the movie with me?"
"Of course I can." She leaned on his chest and they lay on the couch enjoying each other's company. She knew what the pain was and what had triggered it because she felt it, too. Her thoughts were far away as she lay on the couch with Thomas. How do I tell him that a Mage had cast a spell that won't allow us to be together until our betrothal ceremony is complete? How do I tell him everything he needs to know about us, about his destiny? She knew that he would have a hard time believing any of that, and she might lose him forever. She knew the spell was cast for good, for their benefit, but fate had not been kind and so the betrothal spell could not yet be completed.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a loud noise of glass shattering from Thomas' kitchen. He was on his feet fast. Before she could move he already had a bat in his hand as he made his way into the kitchen to see what had happened. Just then, five masked men broke through his front door. Thomas came running out of the kitchen, bat in hand and went right at them. Abby loved how brave he was. She marveled that he thought he could hold his own even though he had never been trained to use his abilities. He hit the first man with his bat, and the blow sent him crashing into the open door. As the unconscious man slid down the door, a streak of blood followed him down. The second man kicked Thomas in the chest, causing him to stumble backwards, but he did not lose his balance. The intruder's next three attacks were parried by Thomas who waited for an opening. He found one and sent the attacker flying into the wall with a powerful front kick. He spun into the middle of the remaining three men, clearing a path to the door and yelled, "Run, Abby."
That's when it hit her; he's trying to protect me. She knew that somewhere inside him he loved her, even if he couldn't remember. He was about to find out that she needed no one's protection. Thomas began taking punishment from the remaining three men. The first one hit him in the eye with a hard overhand right while the second kneed him in the stomach. Abby decided she had seen enough, she jumped into the fray, careful to hide her animalistic side as she spun into a sidekick to the gut of the first man she saw. She followed up by delivering a vicious knee to his face, and smirked at the satisfying sound of the cartilage in his nose breaking. She kicked the next man in the face and spun him into Thomas' bat. She back flipped away from the last intruder's kick, and punched him hard in his temple. She watched his eyes roll into the back of his head as he slumped to the ground, and then glanced at Thomas. They were now side by side with five unconscious men lying on the ground.
Thomas looked impressed and said, "Here I was trying to save you, and you turn around and save me. Where did you learn to do that?" He was still doubled over and breathing heavy from the shot he took to the stomach.
"Self defense classes?" she replied with a shrug. "How about you?" She fussed over a bruise developing by his eye as she looked at the unconscious attackers. He had taken down the first two without much effort, and that was encouraging.
"I took a few years of Tae Kwon Do as a teenager; I guess it stuck with me." She looked at the beads of sweat forming at his hairline and then looked at him still holding the bat. He was confused and she knew she was going to have to tell him the truth, but she hoped it could wait because she wanted him to know they were friends as children before he was introduced to this world. His eyes widened, and she knew that would no longer be possible when two tall, black-clad, cloaked figures entered the room with swords drawn.
"Abby, they're dressed just like the men from my dream." Thomas said taking a step back, and pulling her in behind him.
"We need to get out of here, TJ!" she yelled. Then she hoped he didn't realize her mistake at calling him TJ. The attackers moved towards them and she dropped into a defensive position. She didn't think there was any way they could fight their way past two fully trained Zdrada. Then, Thomas sprung into action. A spinning roundhouse kick took the first Zdrada off his feet. A look of shock crossed Thomas' face as if he were wondering how he did that. She was wondering the same thing. He blocked the sword of the second warrior with his bat while kicking the first attacker in the face again, taking consciousness from him. The second one sliced into Thomas' arm, causing him to drop the bat. Abby jumped on the man's back and began clawing at his eyes. She scratched one of them pretty good before he flung her across the room. "Abby!" Thomas yelled. He picked up his bat and turned to see the second Zdrada rubbing at his injured eye. He hit him hard across the face with a one-handed swing of the bat. The blow took the man off his feet and launched him into the wall. She noticed the same shocked look crossed Thomas' face again. He looked at the bat in his hand as if it held the answers. He was very strong and even in her fear she was excited that his powers were emerging.
The intruder hit the floor, and Thomas was across the room in two strides. He helped her to her feet, and she looked up at him with green, pleading eyes, and said, "TJ, we need to go, more will be on the way now that they have found you."
"Found me? More what? Abby, what's going on? Why are you calling me TJ?"
"Later! I'll explain everything. Just get a bag together quickly, we don't have much time."
Seconds later he emerged with his laptop and a bag. He had also hastily wrapped a bandage around the cut on his forearm. Abby gave him a confused look and he answ
ered her unasked question. "I always keep a bag packed in case I need to go somewhere. This way I can be spontaneous."
"Fine, let's go," Abby said. She turned towards the door but Thomas didn't move.
"We can't just leave these guys here, Abby, we have to call the cops. They tried to kill us, with swords!"
"We can't call the cops, Thomas."
"Well, we can't just leave them here like this. I work for a government agency, they'll want to question me if they see...this." He gestured to the seven unconscious men, and then he noticed that Abby was texting. "What were you—?"
"It's already taken care of. I have people on the way here to clean this all up, but we have to go now." She heard some voices across the parking lot and she looked back to him. "Now!"
They ran out of the apartment and Thomas shut the door on his way out, "What do you mean you have people? What the heck is going on?"
"I'll tell you in the car, hurry up." They arrived at Thomas' truck and Abby jumped in. Thomas ran around to the driver's side, jumped in, and started the truck up. He almost peeled out as he left, and hoped he hadn't drawn undue attention. He turned left on Green Oaks and drove towards highway three sixty.
"What the heck was all that, Abby? And why did you call me TJ?"
"Later, we need to get to my people. They'll keep us safe."
Thomas made the left and began to merge onto three sixty. "No, not later. What's going on and how did you know my middle initial was J?"
"I saw it on your license, please, just trust me."
Thomas weaved in and out of traffic to pass the slower drivers and then looked at her. "No you didn't see it on my license, because it's not on there. How am I supposed to trust you when I know you're lying to me?"