“It’s okay,” Cindy said in a steadier voice. “I think the bleeding has pretty much stopped already. I just need to wipe the blood off.”
I looked at her anxiously. “What if more of them are waiting at home?”
“If they knew where we lived, they would have attacked us at home during the night,” replied Cindy. “We’ll have to be quick, though. We can’t stay there.”
It was nearly dark when we pulled into Cindy’s garage. Inside the house, Cindy told me to start packing my clothes so that I could put them in the car. Then she went to the bathroom to clean up her wounded arm. Alia was still sobbing in the living room, but I left her to it and ran upstairs to do as Cindy asked.
I was about to take my gloves off and change out of my snowsuit, but then an all-too-familiar wind started to swirl through the house.
The windows began to rattle, and I heard a loud crashing noise from downstairs. I crept back to the top of the stairs, and as I looked down into the living room, my worst fears were confirmed.
There was glass all over the floor where the living-room window had shattered. Alia had stopped crying. She was standing amidst the glass fragments, looking up at the face of a man I had hoped to never meet again: a tall and skinny old man with curly white hair. Ralph was pointing his heavy wooden crossbow directly at Alia’s chest.
“Well, well, what do we have here?” Ralph said in his raspy voice. “A little healer! What’s your name, child?”
Alia gazed into his eyes, and a moment later, Ralph said, “Ah, yes. So you’re little Alia. I’ve wanted to meet you. So you’re a healer too, eh? No wonder Cindy wanted to keep you secret.”
The wind had stopped.
“Ali!” I heard Cindy’s voice calling frantically, probably from the bathroom.
Ralph grinned at Alia and said, “You be nice and quiet now, child, okay?”
Alia nodded silently, smiling back up at Ralph. I watched from my hiding place, sickened by what I was seeing. A moment later, Cindy came in, jumped in fright, and suddenly became quiet as Ralph took control of her too.
“Cindy!” said Ralph. “It’s very good to see you again.”
Cindy smiled pleasantly and said, “Hello, Ralph, it’s been too long. How did you find us?”
“Pure, blind luck,” said Ralph, grinning. “I was tracking a team of Slayers and they led me right to you.”
“Oh, so it was you that saved us?” asked Cindy.
Ralph nodded. “I knew the Slayers were after somebody, though I didn’t know who, so I followed them to find out. I figured if they were after our enemies, I’d give them a hand before I killed them too. But it was you they were after, and I wasn’t about to let them kill the great Cynthia Gifford, now was I? Bullets don’t fly straight in a wind.”
“Are you still killing everyone who gets in your way?” asked Cindy, her voice as calm as if she was talking about the weather.
“You’re not upset about me saving your life, are you?”
“Of course not, Ralph. I do appreciate what you did. But I don’t like it when we hurt people.”
“Ha! You always were a soft one for humans, Cindy. But there’s never need to show mercy to people who don’t know the meaning of the word.”
Cindy nodded slowly. “I guess you’re right.”
“Of course I’m right!” laughed Ralph, and then said so quietly that I could barely hear him from my hiding place, “Don’t think I don’t know what you did to this girl’s parents, Cindy. You’re not so different from me.”
I noticed that as Ralph was talking, Alia was coming out of her trance. She shuddered once and looked up at Ralph, her face rigid with fright.
Cindy smiled down at her. “It’s okay, Ali. This is Ralph. He’s a friend.”
Alia shook her head and ran to Cindy, grabbing her legs and trying to pull her away.
“Hey, what’s the matter, honey?” asked Cindy. “It’s okay. Ralph won’t hurt you. He’s just visiting. Come on, I want you to say hello.”
Cindy tried to push Alia toward Ralph, but Alia started crying again, desperately tugging on Cindy’s legs.
“We’ve already met, Cindy, though no thanks to you,” Ralph said accusingly. “After all I did for you, hunting down her parents and all, you never even told me she’s a healer.”
Cindy ignored Alia’s crying. “Oh, I am so sorry about that, Ralph. I was meaning to introduce you someday.”
“You should never have left us, Cindy. You know that, don’t you?”
“Yes, Ralph. I am sorry.”
Ralph chuckled quietly. “I must admit, I never expected to see you in this town again. It was smart, but your vacation is over now.”
I watched all of this from the stairs, trying to make sense of it. I knew that Cindy was under Ralph’s control, but something was missing from the picture. Alia was still bawling and trying to pull Cindy away from Ralph. Watching her, I wondered why Ralph didn’t use his peacemaking power on Alia again. Was it possible that he could only control one person at a time?
But that didn’t make sense either. Ralph didn’t need to constantly keep his power focused on his target. Why was he still focusing on Cindy when she was already under his control?
Then I remembered how Ralph had done the same with me back at the hotel just before leaving me there alone. Ralph was reinforcing his control on Cindy to make it last longer! Now was my one – and perhaps only – chance to act.
I didn’t want to try blasting Ralph from the top of the stairs, fearing that even if I didn’t miss, I was too far away to hit him hard enough to knock him down. However, if I could sneak up on him while his attention was on Cindy, I might be able to overpower him. All I needed was something to drain him with. Then Ralph would just be an old man with a wheezy voice.
“Addy! Addy, help!” I heard Alia yell into my head.
I almost shouted back to her, but stopped myself at the last instant. Alia was looking up toward me, and Ralph was bound to notice at any moment.
“You know I was never much of a finder, Cindy,” Ralph said slowly. “Not like you, anyway. Still, when I was following your car, I could have sworn there was one more with you. And now that I’m close enough, I can feel him in the house too, even with you hiding this place good and proper. A telekinetic… Perhaps another child? It’s hard to track a child. Who’s the other guest?”
“Oh, you mean Adrian?” asked Cindy. “I think he’s upstairs. I’ll call him down, okay?”
There was no time to think. Levitating slightly, I kicked off from the top stair and launched myself straight at Ralph, shutting my eyes tightly just before he turned his head toward me. I felt a sharp pain in my left leg as it made contact with the side of Ralph’s crossbow, and also felt a dull thud in my right shoulder and arm as I hit Ralph squarely in the chest, sending us both sprawling.
I had to open my eyes to get my bearings. I was on the floor, for the moment in better shape than Ralph, who I had used to cushion my semi-controlled fall. I struggled to my feet and looked around for something heavy to hit Ralph with, but the furniture here was not as easy to handle as the chair back at the hotel.
“Adrian, no,” said Cindy, though without any urgency in her voice. “What are you doing? Please don’t hurt Ralph.”
Cindy clumsily stepped forward and tried to grab me, but she was clearly very dazed and I easily sidestepped her. A moment later, Ralph had stood up and our eyes met.
“Adrian!” Ralph grinned, picking up his crossbow. “Well, well, well, well! Small world, isn’t it, lad? You did me in good at that hotel. Smart lad you are! I was mighty impressed! You don’t know yet what your power’s worth, but you’ve got spirit, lad. Oh yes, you’ve got spirit.”
Looking into his eyes, I knew I was under his control. I was furious that he had done it to me again. I glared at him, hating that calm old smiling face that took me from my house last year. Ralph, who always knew what was best for me. Ralph, who tied me to a bed and nearly drained me to death with the chain
around my neck. Ralph, who refused to help me look for Cat when it still could have made a difference…
“What’s the matter, lad?” he asked, looking deeper into my eyes. “Don’t you remember your old pal Ralph?”
I smiled back at him. As Ralph continued to gaze into my eyes, I could feel a slight touch of calm spreading through my body, but that was it. Ralph had no real control over me! Just like with Alia, it was a battle of willpower, but this time I had won!
“Yes, Ralph, I remember you,” I answered calmly, still smiling as it dawned on me that Ralph didn’t know that he wasn’t controlling my feelings. Ralph was still holding the crossbow, though loosely in his hands. Hopefully, it would only be a matter of minutes before Cindy was back to normal, and then it would be two against one.
But then I sensed Ralph’s calm even deeper in my heart, and I knew I had let my guard down. I focused my anger at him, willing myself not to give in to his influence.
It must have shown on my face, because suddenly Ralph was no longer smiling. He pointed his crossbow at me and took a few steps back. The wind started to pick up again.
“Well, well,” Ralph said quietly, “you really are something special, aren’t you, lad? You’ve learned to block it.”
“Yes,” I breathed furiously, glaring back at him, “I’ve learned to block it.”
“Block this, lad,” he sneered.
Cindy had once called Ralph “old and senile,” but I’d add “overconfident” to the list. If Ralph hadn’t taunted me, I wouldn’t have been expecting it, and if I hadn’t been expecting it, I might have died then and there. By the time Ralph pulled the trigger, I had thrust my right arm forward, releasing my telekinetic blast. I had intended to blast the crossbow out of Ralph’s hands, but instead, I ended up blasting the arrow itself as it shot toward me. I didn’t quite stop it, but I did slow it enough so that when it hit me, it bounced harmlessly off my thick snow jacket and fell to the floor.
Picking the steel arrow up in my gloved right hand, I ran at Ralph, screaming at the top of my lungs with fear and rage. But before I could stab him, I was hit by a powerful gust of wind that knocked me back. I heard Ralph laugh loudly.
Suddenly I found myself standing in a mini-tornado that had materialized in the living room. It picked me up, and the next thing I knew, my back was pressed hard against the ceiling, the wind pounding my body from below so that I couldn’t move. I could barely keep my eyes open. Squinting, I saw Ralph’s indistinct shape walk closer to me. He was looking up at me and saying something, but I couldn’t hear him because of the howling of the wind around my ears.
I felt my chest contract. The air was being sucked out of my lungs! I closed my lips tightly, but it was no use. The air was leaving my body through my nose. I couldn’t breathe. My vision, already blurry because I was squinting, started to fade.
As suddenly as it started, the wind stopped, and I fell back onto the floor, barely able to move. Something had stopped Ralph. My whole body throbbing from the fall, I weakly turned my head to the side, but my eyes couldn’t focus well. I could vaguely see Ralph facing Cindy, looking into her eyes. Something metallic slipped from Cindy’s hand and fell to the floor.
My eyes were beginning to refocus now, and I could hear Ralph wheezing angrily at Cindy.
“Naughty, that was, Cindy,” he said. “It’s not nice to drain people when they’re having fun.”
“I’m sorry, Ralph,” Cindy said in a hollow voice. “I didn’t mean to.”
I could see straight again. I felt the crossbow bolt still clutched in my right glove. This was where lack of psionic balance was an advantage. My power was taking care of my body, and I no longer felt much pain. Lightly jumping to my feet, I lunged at Ralph. I was closer to him this time, and his back was turned.
This time, I’d kill him.
Ralph turned upon me one moment too late. Our eyes met for a split second, and then I plowed into him, thrusting the arrow toward his neck. Ralph stumbled backwards and hit the wall behind him. I followed through, and a moment later I had him pinned against the wall, the steel arrowhead pressed against his neck.
“Are you going to kill me, lad?!” Ralph laughed manically, his fierce eyes daring me to cut his throat open.
“I should!” I breathed savagely through clenched teeth. I even wondered why I hadn’t already. What had stopped my hand? Ralph smirked, and I knew that in the brief moment that our eyes had met, Ralph had taken control, preventing me from cutting him open. But now Ralph was being drained of his power, and I was in complete control of my actions. I pressed the crossbow bolt harder against his skin.
“Adrian, don’t!” shouted Cindy, but I ignored her. I was sure she hadn’t recovered yet.
“Come on, lad,” Ralph hissed at me. “Let’s see what you got!”
“Adrian, please don’t,” said Cindy. “He’s not worth it.”
“He tried to kill me, Cindy!” I shouted, my voice shaking. “He tried to kill us all!”
“Adrian, look at him!” Cindy cried desperately. “He’s bleeding.”
And I instantly knew that this was the real Cindy speaking.
I looked down. Blood was trickling along the edge of the crossbow bolt and onto my glove. More had dripped down Ralph’s shirt. I lessened the pressure on Ralph’s neck, being careful to keep the arrowhead touching the skin. I wasn’t sure if this was enough metal contact to drain Ralph’s power completely, but if he tried anything…
“Get some rope, Cindy,” I said.
Cindy returned from the garage a minute later with a length of rope. We quickly marched Ralph into the dining room where Cindy tied him to one of the chairs, but not before shoving a pot lid up the back of his shirt to keep him drained.
Leaving Ralph there, I went back to the living room. I didn’t want to be in the same room as Ralph at the moment. Cindy followed me and I turned to her.
“Why did you ask me to spare him, Cindy?” I demanded.
“I didn’t want you to become a killer,” Cindy answered softly. “Not for him.”
I wasn’t sure that was all. Cindy knew Ralph from her Guardian days, and she knew him a lot better than I had originally thought. I regretted not pressing her sooner for her story. But once again, this was not the time for it. I steadied my breathing and looked around the living room. When my eyes met Cindy’s again, we asked each other at the same time, “Where’s Alia?”
At some point during the confrontation, Alia had fled to her room. We found her sitting on her bed with her arms wrapped around her knees. Her eyes were closed as she gently rocked herself back and forth.
“Hey, Ali,” whispered Cindy.
Alia slowly opened her eyes, but they were dazed and out of focus.
“It’s okay, Ralph is gone,” Cindy said soothingly. “But we have to leave soon too, honey.”
Alia just stared blankly at her. I don’t think she said anything.
Cindy turned to me, saying, “Adrian, I’m going to go finish packing. Stay here with Alia.”
Cindy left us there. I had never felt so awkward in my life. Gingerly sitting down on the corner of Alia’s bed, I just watched her for a moment. I could hear Cindy rushing about downstairs, but that just made the silence in Alia’s room all the more unbearable. I looked around at the toys and dolls.
“Addy,” said Alia’s faint voice in my head.
“Ali,” I whispered, giving her a smile. But she just kept staring forward, her eyes unfocused.
“Addy, Ralph is a bad man. He does tricks.”
“I know, Ali,” I said as calmingly as I could. “The bad man is gone.”
I held my hand out to her, but she kept her arms tightly around her legs. I gently touched her knees, and was relieved that she didn’t pull away.
“You saved me, Ali,” I said quietly. “Did you know that? You helped me beat him.”
“I’m scared, Addy.”
“I know,” I said, but stopped myself before I blurted out the truth: that I was scared too
. Instead I said, “Don’t be scared, Alia. I’ll take care of you.”
Alia finally looked up at me. “Promise?”
“I promise,” I whispered. “I’ll protect you. No matter what.”
Alia slowly lifted her hand to mine, and I squeezed it gently. She squeezed back, and then wiped some of her tears with her other hand.
Cindy came back in. “How are we doing?”
“We’re okay,” I answered.
“Finish your packing, Adrian. I’ll help Alia.”
Back in my room, I quickly changed out of my snowsuit and into some regular clothes. I even put on the teddy-bear sweatshirt, hoping it might make Alia feel calmer. I stuffed the rest of my wardrobe into a duffle bag, placing the birthday card Alia had given me on top. I zipped the bag shut and heaved it onto my shoulder. I didn’t have any other important possessions except for the pendant around my neck, which I stroked again for good luck. I had a feeling that luck would be in short supply in the near future.
After tossing my duffle onto the back seat of Cindy’s SUV in the garage, I went back into the house through the kitchen and saw Cindy and Alia coming toward me. Cindy was carrying both of their clothing bags, and I felt a twinge of sorrow when I saw Alia dragging her giant stuffed unicorn behind her. She was leaving her nursery, probably forever.
“Adrian? Where are you going?” Cindy asked me as I passed her.
“I’m going to say goodbye to our friend,” I said quietly.
Cindy looked at me uncomfortably, so I added, “Don’t worry, Cindy, I won’t kill him.”
“We’ll wait in the car,” said Cindy, holding Alia’s hand. “Be quick, okay?”
I stepped into the dining room, where Ralph was still sitting, tied to the chair. He hadn’t tried to escape. He hadn’t even moved.
“Hey, Ralph,” I said quietly.
“Adrian,” wheezed Ralph. “I always hoped we’d meet again.”
“Why’s that?”
“You’ve got the gift, lad. You’re as powerful as they come, and you still have no idea how very special you are.”
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