CHAPTER EIGHT
“Uncle…”
If his mood was bad before, this would certainly make it worse.
“What happened?” he said.
I couldn’t tell if he was angry or concerned, and I was sure my response to his question would push him in one direction or the other.
I shook my head. “I don’t want to tell you.”
He scowled. “Why not?”
“Because you’re going to get mad.”
“And what do you think I’m going to be if you don’t tell me?”
I was quiet for a moment as I considered my options. Finally, I blurted out, “I went into the woods during my run.”
Felix tipped his head back and shook his head. “Annabelle, what did I tell you about going into the woods around here?”
I bit down on the side of my lip. “That’s not all.”
He paused, waiting for me to continue.
“I may… well, I kind of came across a… a dead body… in the woods.”
“She ran into him actually,” chortled Carter.
My mouth dropped open and I stared at him.
Felix glared at Carter, and Carter took a quick step back, the hint of humor quickly dissipating from his face.
Felix ran his hand through his hair and shifted his weight from one foot to the other. “What were you thinking going into the woods by yourself?”
I threw my hands up defensively. “The sun was in the horizon.”
“So?”
“So I thought I would be safe.”
He laughed, shaking his head as he paced in quick little circles before stopping directly in front of me. “You’re just a kid! What do you know about safety?”
Speechless, I stumbled back a step.
I had never seen him like this before. He was so angry.
I took another step back. “I’m sorry.”
He furrowed his brow and crossed his arms. “Sorry? Do you have any idea of the danger you put yourself in?”
“I know…”
“You know nothing about the dangers that await you out there!”
I stared at Felix and for a brief moment I saw a red blaze circle his irises. He blinked and they were hazel again.
I hadn’t realized I had been slowly inching my way backwards until Carter was at my side. I felt his hand on my back, but the feeling barely registered over the fear.
Suddenly, Darius was there, his hand on Felix’s shoulder, and whispering something into his ear. Felix nodded and walked away.
Darius turned to Carter. “Take Annabelle home after she gives her statement.”
Carter nodded and led me away.
“You okay?”
I took a deep breath and swallowed down the lump that had formed in my throat. “I’m okay.”
But I wasn’t okay. Not after tripping over a dead body and not after that.
“He’s overreacting. Fear can do that to a person.”
“I’ve never seen him so furious. It’s like he hates me.”
“He doesn’t hate you. He’s just worried that it could’ve been you in those woods.”
The thought hadn’t crossed my mind. Did this mean the man in the woods had been attacked? I hadn’t seen any blood, but had I been too frightened to notice?
“You know, he’s right. You shouldn’t have gone in there alone.”
I frowned. “I know he’s right. He’s always right.” My shoulders slumped and I stared down at the ground. “Do you think he’s ever going to talk to me again?
“I think that’s how the whole parenting thing works. We do something stupid, they get angry, and then they forgive us.”
Carter handed me the pen and statement sheet on a clipboard as Officer Jansen corralled the crowd that had started to form. I wrote down my statement, which didn’t take long, and placed it on the hood of the car.
“Is that it?” I asked.
Carter nodded. “Want me to take you home?”
“Isn’t school about to start?”
“You’re not actually considering going today, are you?”
I shrugged. “I was, but maybe a day off wouldn’t be so bad.”
He smiled. “Now you’re thinking.”
I arched my brow. “Let me guess, this has you all shook up too?”
“Annabelle, I am simply terrified at the moment. I need some recuperation time.”
I laughed. “Horrible acting! It’s never gonna fly.”
“Wanna bet?” Carter pulled out his cellphone and dialed. “Hey, Dad, just letting you know that I’m dropping Annabelle off at home and then I’m gonna head over to the school. Oh man, it’s going to be hectic over there today,” he said, finishing with a heavy sigh. “They’ll probably be asking me a lot of questions about it and about Annabelle…”
He paused to listen and then a triumphant smiled spread across his face. “Sure, Dad. I’ll take the day off to let things cool down.”
“No way!”
He laughed. “What did I tell you?”
“Well, I’m impressed.”
He nodded in the direction of his car and I followed him. “You could learn a thing or two from me.”
“I’m not so sure,” I said. “My uncle’s a lawyer so…”
“Oh, that’s gotta suck.”
I shrugged. “It has its ups and downs. Well, mostly its downs.”
“Like what?”
“The late hours, the multiple out-of-town trips, and worst of all, the moves…”
“Yeah, I guess I can see your point. We moved from town to a little acreage 10 minutes out, and the packing and hauling was tedious and exhausting.”
I laughed. “Try doing that about 20 times in about 20 different cities.”
“You’ve moved 20 times?”
“I’m not sure.” I shook my head as though to dislodge the information. “I’ve kind of lost track.”
“Isn’t there plenty of work for lawyers in the last place you lived… or anywhere for that matter?”
It was a good question, one I hadn’t really thought to ask.
I fidgeted with the sleeve of my shirt. “Carter, does Burnwood have a law office?”
He shook his head. “Not that I know of.”
If Burnwood didn’t have a law office, what were we doing here?
He stopped at the passenger door of his car, his hand idling over the handle. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” I said, shaking my head. “It’s nothing.”
He opened the door and I slide inside, ignoring his curious eyes.
The drive home was quick. I wasn’t surprised to find Felix’s car missing from the driveway. In fact, I was almost relieved knowing that I wouldn’t have to face him again so soon.
Carter walked me to the door, but I hesitated on the porch. I stared in at the empty house, the silence more frightening than I had anticipated.
“You going to go in?”
“Yeah,” I said, but I didn’t move.
He placed a hand on my shoulder. “Annabelle…”
“Can you stay with me?” I blurted out. “Just for a little while.”
He smiled. “I’ll stay for as long as you need.”
I showed him to the living room. “You can help yourself to anything you want in the kitchen and I will be down in a minute.”
I hurried upstairs and into the bathroom. I could still smell the scent of death on me, even if it was just in my head. My skin felt frozen where I had touched the man’s cold dead flesh and my clothes clung to my damp skin.
I turned on the shower and let it run until the room filled with steam. The water washed over me, taking with it the stench of death.
I returned to the living room wearing white and blue striped pajama pants and a white tank top. He had already found a movie on Netflix, so I grabbed the blanket off the recliner and joined him on the sofa.
He raised his arm and I slipped in close, letting him envelop me into his arms. Being next to him calmed me, a feeling a desperately clung
to today.
“Get the dead person stench off you?” he chuckled.
I narrowed my eyes and his smile quickly faded.
He shrugged. “You’ll laugh tomorrow.”
“You have an odd sense of humor. It’s horribly inappropriate and ill-timed.”
He pursed his lips. “Hmmm, that’s what my dad always says.”
“Hey, do you think your dad knows my uncle?”
Carter shook his head. “I don’t see how he could.”
“They just seemed like they knew each other today… you know, by the ambulance.”
“Ah, that’s just my dad. He’s good at calming heated situations down.”
I nodded. “I can see that.”
Darius had been so kind and helpful this morning. I should’ve drawn the connection between him and Carter sooner, especially with those familiar hazel brown eyes.
“Is your mom that way, too?”
Carter face went blank as he stared ahead silently.
“Carter…”
“She’s gone.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry.”
Who would have guessed that he was just as emotionally damaged by the loss of a parent as I was?
“But your dad’s pretty awesome.”
Carter’s smile returned tenfold. “He is, isn’t he? And, you know what, so is your uncle.”
I sighed and leaned my head against his chest. He folded me into his arms and I let the sound of his heart beat lull me to sleep.
It was dark outside when I awoke and Carter was gone. Waking up in his absences left a feeling of emptiness inside me.
I sat up and tossed the blanket to the side, hearing a crinkling noise coming from somewhere near me. I moved my hands up and down the sofa until I realized the noise was coming from me.
I stood up and reached into my pajama pants pocket and pulled out a little piece of folded paper. I unfold it and there was a note inside.
I heard your uncle’s car in the driveway and left out the back. I’ll come back for you tonight since you obviously won’t be tired.
He had scribbled a dorky little smiley face next to his cell number.
I glanced up at the clock over the fireplace. He was right.
It was midnight, which meant I had slept through the entire day.
I crept up the stairs and cracked the door open to Felix’s room. Sure enough, he was sound asleep.
I tiptoed to my room and found my cellphone on the dresser. I went to my contacts and tried to add Carter’s number only to find the number already existed under the name “Awesome.”
I laughed, clasping my hand over my mouth as the sound echoed far too loudly.
My phone vibrated and an incoming text appeared on the screen.
Outside. Don’t be a girl by keeping me waiting.
I peered out my bedroom window. I didn’t see his car on the street. I turned away just as a tap sounded against the window. I looked through the window again, this time sliding the window open and hanging my body halfway out the frame.
Carter stepped out from beneath the big oak tree that shaded my room from the afternoon sun.
“What are you doing?” I whispered.
He pulled a single red rose from behind him and held it up. “I’m taking you on a date.”
“Now?”
He looked up at the starlit sky. “What better time than now.”
I paused, deliberatively.
“Come on,” he said. “I have something to show you.”
I smiled. “Okay, give me a second.”
I went over to my closet and threw open the door, searching for something subtle, yet eye- catching. My hair was a write off so I didn’t even bother to do anything more than throw it into a ponytail. After settling on a fitted, grey, long-sleeved shirt and a black pair of leggings, I applied a thin layer of mascara. I tiptoed down the stairs and slipped outside.
Carter grabbed my hand and led me down the block.
I couldn’t stop myself from giggling. I felt rebellious and free, and it was exhilarating.
Carter stopped and stared at me with his dazzling hazel eyes. The sapphire ring around the irises looked yellow in the moonlight, softening his appearance.
“What?” I asked.
He didn’t answer. Instead, he leaned in and kissed me. His lips were soft and alluring, impossible to resist.
Our lips parted and for a few minutes we just stood there, forehead to forehead.
He took my hand again and started around the corner.
I jogged behind him to keep up with his long strides. “Where are we going?”
“I’m going to show you what you’ve missed living in the big city your whole life.”
He opened the door for me and I slipped inside.
“So, what exactly do you think I’m missing out on?” I asked as he slid into the driver’s seat beside me.
“You’re gonna have to see for yourself. Besides, it’s not really something I can describe.”
I laughed. “I find that hard to believe.”
He gave me a sideways look. “Really? You’ve never experienced anything that you couldn’t quite put in words?”
I laughed again, this time harder. “There’s no such thing.”
“Okay,” he said. “You just wait and see. I’ll make you a believer.” He shook his head. “Ye of little faith.”
Carter drove through town and onto one of the many dirt roads that winded through the forest. I paid no attention to the turns, knowing I’d never remember them anyway. Every road looked the same and the trees were just one big blur of dark green, distinguishable by the mile. I wondered how long it took him to memorize these roads, which he clearly did the way he navigated down them so skillfully.
Finally, he slowed and pulled the car to the side of the road. There was nothing around that seemed the slightest bit interesting, but I stepped out and followed him to the trunk of the car anyways.
He popped the trunk and retrieved a black duffle bag from inside. “Thrilled yet?”
I rolled my eyes. “Underwhelmed to say the least.”
He took out a large flashlight and then slung the bag over his shoulder. He flicked it on and pointed it at something behind me. I turned around and saw a small trail cutting through the woods.
“Let’s go,” he said.
“Inside there?”
He paused, dropping the duffle bag from his shoulder and running a hand through his hair. “The incident in the woods today… I’m such an idiot.”
“No.” I forced a smile on my face and squared my shoulders. “It’s fine.”
He eyed me and I knew he wasn’t convinced.
“Are you sure?”
I nodded and put both thumbs up. “Yes.”
Did I really just give him the thumbs up? I’m such a dork.
I followed Carter down the trail. It was dark, the trees so tall and thick that only the tiniest bits of moonlight found their way to the ground. Even with the flashlight, the darkness was overwhelming.
I stayed close to him, shadowing his every step.
He took my hand and gently squeezed it as he smiled down at me. “We’re here.”
We stepped out from the canopy of trees and into the uninterrupted moonlight. The ground was hard and I could hear the swishing of water below us.
“Where are we?”
He led me to the opposite side of the clearing, the only side not bordered by trees.
“Careful,” he said as we approached the edge of a steep slope.
I looked down and discovered it wasn’t a slope at all. We were standing at the edge of a very high cliff. I kicked a small rock over the side and watched it fall, slashing into the water and sending ripples course over the surface.
“This is the highest point in all of Burnwood. You can see the whole town from here.”
I looked over at the little dugout in the center of the clearing. It was filled wi
th ash and charred pieces of wood. “Do you come here often?”
He nodded. “This place is special to me.”
“I bet you say that to all the girls.”
He stopped and met my gaze. “You’re the first.”
I had been hoping he would say that, but now that he had I felt like the air had been sucked out of my lungs. My cheeks warmed and I was forced to look away.
I gazed out over the glistening water. “You were right. It’s beautiful here.”
He bent down and unzipped the duffle bag. He took out a large plaid blanket and sprawled it out a few feet away from the makeshift fire pit.
He laid down on the blanket and patted the spot next to him. “Prepare to be blown away.”
“Wait, this wasn’t what you wanted to show me?”
I lay down beside him, resting my head on his outstretched arm.
He smiled his cocky grin at me, the one that seemed to always have a secret behind it. “Be patient. You’ll see soon enough.”
I relaxed into his arm and looked up at the sky.
“The stars are so bright out here. Not at all like anything you’d see in the city.”
“How could you even appreciate them with all the noise?” he said.
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath of the cool fresh air. “Sometimes I miss the noise.”
“Why?”
“When it’s quiet, it feels like you could be the only person on the planet and not even know it.”
He turned to his side and looked at me. “What’s wrong with that?”
“It’s… lonely.”
“Is that how you feel? Alone.”
I stared up at the twinkling stars. “Sometimes I feel like I’m missing the relationships that everyone else my age has.”
“Like a mother and a father?”
The words cut me like razors, but I nodded.
“Do you miss them?”
I was quiet for a moment. “I don’t remember them. I was only 3 years old when they died. I can remember my mom’s face, though.” I smiled. “My uncle says I look just like her.”
“What about your dad?”
I sat up, hugging my knees to my chest. “No, I can’t remember him. But I have a photo at home. Just one, the rest were destroyed in the fire.”
He sat up beside me, resting his elbows atop his knees. “At least you have your uncle. A small family is better than no family.” He smiled. “That’s what my dad says.”
“He’s a ‘the glass is half full’ kind of guy, isn’t he?”
Carter nodded. “You know, we’re not so different… you and me.”
“How so?”
“Well, it’s just you and your uncle, and it’s just my dad and me.”
“What happened to the rest of your family?”
He shrugged. “Doesn’t really matter. I’ve got all I need.”
I pointed up at the sky. “Oh my God, is that it?”
A light green hue swept across the sky in a wave of varying shades.
Carter jumped up and pulled me to my feet. He wrapped his arms around me as we stared up at the wave of green dancing against the midnight sky. The stars around twinkled as the green glow swayed from side to side, looking more majestic than the pictures I’d seen in my textbooks.
“It’s incredible,” I said.
“It’s the northern lights.”
“Aura borealis.”
He smiled. “Right. You like to read.”
I giggled and nestled in closer. “You know, I think I remember this.”
“From where? It’s not really noticeable in the city.”
“No,” I said, stepping from his embrace and staring up at the dazzling green hue. “I remember seeing this from my bedroom window. My bed… it was beside the window and I remember I used to watch it before I fell asleep.”
I turned back to him and smiled. “My mom said that things like this were signs of how blessed we are to be alive. I remember it like it was yesterday.”
I was elated, pacing the clearing with the memory fresh in my mind. I was surging with a new sort of energy, one I had never encountered before. I could feel it coursing through my veins like fire.
I ran my hands through my hair. “I can’t believe I remember that.”
I leaped into Carter’s arms, catching him off-balance. He stumbled back a few steps, but miraculously avoided dropping me. “Thank you for bringing me here.”
He smiled down at me. “How old were you then?”
“I must’ve been about 3 years old then.” I paused. “Right before the fire.”
Carter’s smile faded. “Well, at least you weren’t inside the house that night.”
I stopped and stared at him. “That’s just it, Carter. I was.”
CHAPTER NINE
Burnwood - The Dragon Arum Page 8