Touched by Darkness (Young Creator Trilogy)

by Christiane Shoenhair

  “Why don’t we hang out in my room, maybe watch some TV?” asks Kristina.

  “I’m going to meet Sam.I told him I would once we got back from dinner.” Chelsey gives me a hug and heads of.

  “How about it, Trish, wanna watch some shows?”

  “Sure, why not.” I follow her to her room. Kristina keeps up conversation the entire time and I try to lose myself in what she is saying versus worrying about all of the drama.

  We end up having an awesome night, watching the Walking Dead while curled underneath blankets on her floor. That show just amazes me;it’s crazy what people will do to survive. Unfortunately, the fun comes to a close all too soon and I return to my room for the night. Lying in bed, I worry about what tomorrow brings and how I’m going to make it through the day. I really want to be strong and not let what people are saying about me get to me, but it’s just so hard, especially when they are so cruel. I doze off after tossing and turning for what feels like forever.

  Chapter 13

  Touched by Disaster Opening my eyes, I instantly panic. Instead of my nice warm bed that I fell asleep in, I find myself standing on a cliff. If that weren’t enough to freak out about, I also feel like I’m having an out of body experience. I can look around, but Ican’t move the body that is attached to me.

  “Do you like the new little trick I learned?” I hear the words and instantly recognize the voice. However, I can’t see Haddie in my limited vision. To say that I’m freaking out is an understatement. How is this possible … am I sleep-walking or has she taken over my body? I glance around; not only am I standing on the edge of a cliff, but right in front of me is a massive dam that spans many miles, water cascading down the front of the man-made barrier. Is this how everything is going to end? Am I about to plunge into the darkness of the water that is so far below me? I try to squeeze my eyes shut, but just can’t seem to gain control of my body. I have faced so much, but out of all of the scary situations, this one is by far the most frightening. Not being able to move or do anything about what is happening, everything being completely out of my control, is terrifying.

  “I bet you’ re just freaking out right now,” Haddie says with a cackle. I want to reply, but my efforts are futile;no words escape me. “I wanted you here to witness my first of many great destructive accomplishments. Mom has not been herself lately, so I figure since it’s been quiet for a few days I should make life more interesting. The best thing about all of this is that you can’t do anything except watch. I know that wedidn’t get to spend much time together, which I plan to rectify, but I can tell that while I enjoy watching these insects that you consider worthwhile wiggle in agony, you consider each life precious. So watch and behold my awesome power.” She cackles again at the end of her speech, and I watch the body that I’m attached to hold up its hands and throw them in the direction of the dam.

  A ball of electricity, the size of which I’m in awe of, flies toward the dam. When it crashes into the dam, it leaves a gaping hole, allowing for the millions of gallons of water that were being contained to spill forth in a wave of destruction. The body—which I have now come to realize is that of Haddie—turns in the direction that the water is hurtling. From the vantage point of the cliff, I watch in shock as the massive wall of water takes out an amusement park, and then starts taking out the valley that was filled with houses. I want to gasp in shock, but once again no sound escapes. I can’t even begin to imagine the carnage that that tidal wave just caused. It seems like all of the fight and hard work Aunt Tisi and I put forth against Allecto and Haddie was for nothing. How could this have happened?

  “While Mother’s goal was to bring a new world forth from the destruction of the old one, I just want to play. I figured out that I don’t have to move mountains or oceans to cause destruction and have a bit of fun. There are so many things that the humans have built to help me accomplish my mission. You have no idea how excited I’m to have you try to stop me. Ican’t wait.” I hear the excitement in her voice, which makes me nauseous. How could my twin sister do this? I justcan’t grasp how this is possible.

  “Too dle-oo. I can’t wait for us to play this game. I hope you know that I will win. There’s just so much more for you to lose than me. Muah.” With those words, I feel as if I’m being sucked out of her body.

  I come awake in my bed, drenched in sweat. I’m having a hard time breathing and am gasping for air. Just a nightmare, I tell myself over and over again. My hands are clenched by my side and I try to steady my breathing. In an attempt to relax my body, I sit up to gain some composure. When I finally gain my bearings, I get up and walk toward the window, sliding my curtains open to see the sun slowly rising above the horizon. Therefore, it’s a little further along than my dream. I don’t know what the dream meant, but I have to talk to Aunt Tisi so that we can figure it out together. It seemed so real. I could make out all of the details of my surroundings, and even though I couldn’t move, I could smell the pine trees growing on the side of the cliff and feel the wind on Haddie’s face. I need to speak to Keagan, he should know how to get in touch with them.

  I run out of my room, down the stairs, and into the common area. It’s still early, but I notice a few people up huddled around the TV; some with tears in their eyes and others with expressions of shock. I make my way toward the large screen, noticing for the first time that I’m still in my pajamas when my bare feet sink into the lush carpet.

  I gasp in shock when I see the headline streaming along the bottom. JUST IN: UNEXPLAINABLE DAM RUPTURE FLOODS VALLEY. STILL LOOKING FOR SURVIVORS, BUT SO FAR OVER A HUNDRED THOUSAND ARE ESTIMATED DEAD. A young, darkhaired news reporter—in a red business suit with a bright yellow poncho over it—is waving frantically behind her at the valley, now covered in water.

  “What’s going on?” I ask the crowd surround ing the TV. A girl, who I think is in one of my classes, turns to me with wide eyes.

  “They are still trying to figure out what happened, but apparently something hit the Los Angeles Dam, which caused a wave of water to cover the San Fernando Valley… well, some of it. They said that over 1.7 million people live there and now a part of it is under water. I still can’t believe it. I have family out there. A lot of us do.”

  More pictures flash across the TV; some of them pictures of the devastation and some of the dam. I remember watching news of Hurricane Katrina when it hit New Orleans, and the pictures I’m watching now are very similar. People are sitting on roof tops, waving for help. The water is really high, which must be why so few houses are visible. A helicopter is allowing us to see everything from further away, and when a wide range picture is shown on the TV of the dam I feel as if my stomach turns inside out. I fight not to throw up when I see that the hole is the same from my strange dream. It’s the one that Haddie’s energy ball made. I recognize the cliff that Haddie stood on. How can this be… how did this happen?I just don’t understand.

  Tears burn behind my eyelids at the thought of all the lives lost at the hands of my twin sister, who did this for amusement. The need to see Keagan so that I can talk to Aunt Tisi is now on my mind more than ever. I stumble my way out of the growing crowd, whose eyes are all glued to the TV. Whispers of terrorist attacks are being thrown around in muted voices. I can feel the sadness and terror in the air as the girls in my dorm worry about both the people that were lost and about what this may mean for them.

  As soon as I get outside, I take off.I’m running as fast as my legs can carry me around the pool and to the boys’ dorm. It seems as if news has spread about the incident. Just as in my dorm, the guys are all crowded around the TV, watching the news. I get a few strange looks thrown my way, but mostly everyone is too engrossed with what’s happening on TV to really pay too much attention to a girl being in theguy’s dorm this early. At least I’m not rushing out of it, I guess. That’s more Porsche’s speed. I slow down at the thought of Porsche. What if she’s in his room with him?I don’t know if my heart could bear that. I decide that th
ere are more important things than my love life and make my way to Keagan’s room, which I have never been to before.

  As I stare at the number, reality is really kicking in. What am I going to do and say to him? Was this the right decision to make? I hesitate, let the breath that I have been holding out, and loudly knock on the door. Heart beating erratically in my chest, I wait for what feels like at least five minutes before it hits me… Keagan runs in the morning. I feel like an idiot, especially when I stare at my bare feet. I really wish I would’ve put some shoes on. I contemplate it for about two seconds before deciding to run back to my room for some shoes. As I spin around, I collide with a rock wall.I’m completely thrown off balance, but before I can fall strong arms steady me. I glance up and meet midnight blue eyes.I’m lost; sucked into their depth. Throat clearing and a chuckle bring me back from lala land, and I feel my face flush when I see the smirk onKeagan’s face. He leans into me, one arm braced against the door, sweat dampening his shirt and making it cling to his body. I should be completely grossed out, but for some reason I’m not. I want to pull him to me and press my lips against his. My gaze travels from his lips to his eyes again, one raised in question.

  “Like what you see, little one?” His voice only makes it worse. Stop it, Trish, I tell myself. Snap out of it. Think, think! Why did you come here? There was something… something important. Reality is like a bucket of ice water thrown in my face, completely transporting me back to reality. The dam, the flood. How could I forget? Keagan must notice the change in body language as he takes a step back and gives me some air. Where before he was flirty and carefree, he’s now leaning against the other wall, arms crossed with a look of concern on his face. “What’s going on, Trish? Why did you come here?”

  I’m in a state of panic and can’t seem to form any coherent thoughts. I start walking back and forth, taking several steps from wall to wall. I know that I must look like a lunatic, but I’m panicking and don’t know how to gain composure. Keagan patiently waits, standing on the opposite side from his room and following me with his eyes. On the fifth trip in his direction, he grabs me by the shoulders, startling me into a yelp. He hunches so that we are now face to face, eye to eye. “Breathe, Trish. Take a deep breath, slowly in and out. Good, it’s all right. Whatever it is,I’ve got you.”

  Keagan’s smooth, soothing voice calms me down. I can feel the scattered thoughts that are tumbling around in my head, starting to makesense. “Keagan,it’s horrible!I don’t know how or why,but she’s in my head. It was all so horrible and then it was real.” At least I thought I had assembled the thoughts into a coherent sentence, but by the confused look on Keagan’s face, I apparently haven’t.

  “All right, take a minute and then start at the beginning. Right now I’m not sure what you’re talking about.” I appreciate how calm he’s staying; it’s making it a lot easier for me to gather myself. I don’t think that there is anything worse than being in a panic and having someone yell at you; all that does is make me want to crawl inside of myself and shut off. Instead,Keagan’s understanding and calming words enable me to think. So, I tell him the entire thing from my dream to what I saw on TV. By the time I’m done, its Keagan pacing back and forth.I don’t think I have ever seen Keagan look so frazzled, he’s always so calm and collected, in total control. Seeing him like this makes me feel that flutter of panic in my belly start again.

  “Okay, we have to find Maximus. We have to immediately get in touch with Tisiphone. This is bad, really bad. Haddie is what we Guardians have been trying to protect humanity from, an unstable Young Creator.” It’s as if Keagan’s words bring the steel back into his blood, give him that confidence that I’m so used to. I can tell that he has a plan and I trust him. This is the Keagan that I fell for, the one that is so hard to let go off. The one that makes me remember what we had and what it could have been, but all of those possibilities seem crushed. I know that for now I have to be okay with this; at least Keagan is not telling me that he hates me anymore… just because of what and who I’m.

  Nodding my head, I’m surprised when Keagan grabs my hand and pulls me along with him. We rush across campus, and to my surprise head to the parking lot. We stop in front of a sleek, powerful looking black Harley. I look at Keagan, surprised that I’ve never seen him on the bike. When I finally pull my eyes away, Keagan is holding out a helmet to me with an amused smirk onhis face. “Where are we going?” I ask while strapping the helmet on.

  “We’re going to see Maximus. He gave me the address when we got back.” I nod my head and get on behind him. It’s just like the time when we left the Rebel Camp for Haven.

  Being able to hold him and breathe him in, but knowing that he is not mine, is bittersweet. I lean my head against his shoulder and enjoy the ride. All too soon we stop and Keagan puts the kick-stand down. I slide off the bike while he steadies it for me with his weight. Taking the helmet off, I glance around and notice that we’re at a cute little cottage that could have stepped right out of one of Thomas Kincaid’s paintings. It’s beautiful; the small wooden cottage is surrounded by weeping willows, and purple and orange daisies. A wooden bridge leads over a small stream that separates the parking area from the property. It is quaint in its simple beauty. As I walk over the bridge toward the door, the water twinkles from the sun that is streaming through the weeping willows. Several large pink and black Koi fish are swimming around in the shallow stream. Keagan and I stand quietly for several minutes, enjoying the peace and tranquility of this place. Just as I calm and am relaxed, the front door opens and Maximus is frantically waving us inside.

  Quick hugs are exchanged before Keagan and I are ushered into the sitting room. The inside of the cottage definitely delivers on what the outside promised. Keagan and I sit down on lush leather couches which are placed in front of a fireplace. The floors are deep earth tones done in tile and the walls are a cool blue, displaying pictures of landmarks from all over the world. Large plants are scattered throughout the room and several statues of the Greek gods are placed on both side tables and shelves that have been hung on the walls. Plantation shutters grace the windows, allowing for some sunlight to filter through. The room is warm and inviting; the perfect place for a family to spend their time in.

  Maximus sits down across from us in one of the armchairs. Looking very upset, he takes his glasses off, placing them on one of the side tables, and runs his hands over his face. When he looks at both Keagan and me,worry etches the lines of his face. “All right you two, let’s start at the beginning and please don’t leave anything out.”

  At his command, I recount the situation. The more words that tumble out of my mouth, the more anxious and upset Maximus seems to become. By the time I finish my tale, he is literally pulling hair out of his head. Frown lines have appeared on his face. Both Keagan and I wait in anticipation to hear what Maximus has to say, only to be disappointed when he gets up without a word and leaves the room.

  I’m shocked! I was expecting at least something that would explain what was going on. Haddie scares me. Her lackluster care toward the well-being of the human race and crazy need to play a game with me has me chewing my fingernails; something that I don’t think I’ve done since I was a little girl. I don’t realize it until Keagan takes my hand and points out that chewing your fingernails is disgusting.

  “Do you also chew your toenails?” he asks.

  “Eww,that’s so gross! Whywould you even ask that?” He gives me a smile and places my hand in my lap.

  “Well, I figure that the taste of nails must be really good since you are chewing on them as if this was your favorite meal. Just wanted to know if it only applied to your fingernails or also your toenails.” Smacking his shoulder at the odd question, I roll my eyes. Only when Maximus walks back into the room do I realize that Keagan was distracting me, which he succeeded in since I ceased my fingernail chewing. I also realize that I’m okay with this. By this I mean how Keagan and I are. I know that we can never be anything more th
an friends. On his side he will always see me as a Young Creator, and as far as I go there’s just too much damage that has been caused after Keagan forgot me. I glance from Keagan to Maximus, waiting for him to explain why he is acting like the world is ending.

  “I apologize for leaving without a word after what you told me.” Maximus takes a deep breath, places his glasses back on his face, and shows us an object that he’s holding in his hand. The object ends up being a book, which I recognize immediately. It’s the book that Maximus was reading from at the Rebel Camp when I first found out my true history. I’m surprised that he has it here with him; I would’ve thought it would stay on the island. Flipping through the pages, he stops when he reaches the desired section. From my spot on the couch I can make out intricate looking writing and sketches displayed on the pages. I lean forward to get a closer look, only to have Maximus move the book toward him, eliminating my view.

  “This is not easy for me, and a part of me wishes that Ididn’t have to share this with you. This thing that is happening is why Haven exists… why such drastic measures are believed to be the only way. You already know that only the daughters of a Fury have powers. However, what you don’t know is that if one Young Creator kills another the dead’s life energy is absorbed by the one that killed her. Every human has a specific lifeline, and the amount of years the killer steals get added to her own. Not only that, but whatever age she is at she will remain until the stolen years lapse.” The look on Maximus’ face is serious, and I can tell how much this is stressing him out.

  “So it’s like Highlander?” Keagan exclaims.