Burnwood - The Dragon Arum

by Sarah La Rose

CHAPTER TWENTY- NINE

  I looked out the passenger window of Nick’s car. “I can’t believe I finally get to go home.”

  “Well, don’t seem too excited.”

  “It’s not like that. I really enjoyed camping on the lake with you. I’ve never really been camping.”

  “You city people have no survival skills.”

  I laughed. “And now I don’t need them. If ever there is a zombie apocalypse, I’m sticking to you like glue.”

  “Hey, I’ve already got one burden to deal with. You better find yourself a backup just in case I abandon you in the woods while you sleep.”

  My eyes widened and my jaw dropped open. “You wouldn’t.”

  He smirked. “Nah, I would wait for you to wake up before I left. You know, give you a fighting chance and all.”

  I punched him hard in the shoulder and then reached for the door handle. “You wish it was that easy getting rid of me. Admit it! I’ve grown on you the last couple of days.”

  I had expected to be homesick or just plain bored at some point during the week, but I wasn’t. We went on long walks along the shore and hiking down the trails. We went to the diner in the morning and drove all the way to Portland for a late-night movie. For the first time in my life, I was actually experiencing what I’ve witnessed so many kids take for granted- what it was like to have a cousin.

  What Uncle Felix and I had was different. He was a father to me, and since I really couldn’t recall more than a few brief imagines of my real father, he was all I had.

  “I wouldn’t blame you for being glad to get out of there.”

  Nick tried to make the tone in his voice sound humorous, but the shame was there.

  “You know, you’re always welcome here if you want to get away for a bit.”

  He smiled. “Yeah, leave him and I might not be able to find him when I get back.”

  I didn’t know what to say, so I said nothing. Instead, I just sat there for a minute in silence as he looked off into the distance.

  “You should go inside,” he said. “You’ll only have a few hours to get ready for the Red and Black Lantern Festival.”

  “That’s right,” I said. “It’s tonight, isn’t it?”

  Nick nodded. “Shouldn’t you be more excited about it?”

  “I am,” I replied. “At least, I will be. I just forgot about it until you said something.”

  “I’m surprised Jane hasn’t called a million times to remind you.”

  I pulled out my phone and stared down at the screen. “Have you talked to Carter at all since he left?”

  Nick shook his head. “But he’s coming back today, isn’t he?”

  I nodded. “That’s what he said, but I haven’t heard from him in two days. I called Alec, but he’s acting strange. Something’s not right.”

  “Alec is strange, but I will call you if...” Nick’s voice trailed off as his gaze settled on something behind me. “Actually, I don’t think that it’s going to be a problem.”

  I followed his gaze to the black Charger cruising down the street.

  I smiled and hopped out of the Hummer.

  Carter parked in the driveway and I raced over to meet him, jumping into his arms as he stepped out of the car.

  Nick honked the horn twice as he passed us, waving out the window. Carter raised his hand and nodded, a gesture that seemed as heartfelt as it got for the men of Burnwood, except maybe Kendrick who insisted upon a ‘firm and comforting’ hug, as he put it.

  Carter nuzzled his face into the curvature of my neck, his arms wrapped tightly around my waist. “This is what I drove 13 hours straight for.”

  Carter held me close, too close. The warmth of his touch was so overpowering that I almost missed that look in his eyes. Almost.

  Reluctantly, I forced myself from his embrace. “What is it?”

  “Annabelle,” he started, but I raised my hand before he could continue.

  “No,” I said. “Don’t do that.”

  He looked surprised for a minute and then his regularly occurring, cute, but infuriating smudge smile appeared.

  I rolled my eyes and continued. “The secrets are behind us. Keep that in mind when you tell me what’s wrong.”

  He was quiet as he stared at me with his intense hazel eyes. I tried to match his gaze with every bit of seriousness and intensity I could muster, but it was a feeble attempt against those beautiful sapphire rings.

  I managed to keep straight-faced for almost 30 seconds before bursting into laughter.

  He smiled triumphantly and enclosed me in his arms again.

  “Not fair,” I said.

  He kissed me and with one final squeeze, he released me.

  “I know it’s not,” he said, taking my hands in his. “I promised you no more secrets and I intend to keep that promise.”

  “So…” I probed, batting my eyelashes.

  “Not so fast. I drove 13 hours straight to take my girl to the Red and Black Lantern Festival and I’m not about to ruin it by telling you what an epic failure Cravens Ville turned out to be.”

  “Where’s Cravens Ville?” I asked.

  Carter frowned. “I will tell you all about it… tomorrow.”

  I sighed. There was definitely something wrong. His shoulders slumped and his eyes looked tired, like he was carrying the weight of the world on his back.

  “Tomorrow?” I pressed. “You promise?”

  He nodded. “Now go get ready and I will see you at 6 o’clock.”

  I let myself sink back into his arms for one final hug. “I’ll see you tonight.”

  He smiled faintly and slid back into the car. I watched him drive down the block, all the while unable to shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong.

  I stepped inside and breathed in the scent of spaghetti and meatballs. The smell brought back memories from my childhood. Uncle Felix and I had practically lived on pasta for the first three years of my life with him. Needless to say, he had a lot of adjusting to do when I was dropped on his doorstep.

  “Spaghetti!” I said, hurrying into the kitchen. “We haven’t had spaghetti in…”

  I stopped, the words catching in my throat as I stared at the pile of boxes stacked in the corner of the dining room.

  The walls were bare where pictures once hung and the kitchen cupboard doors were open, revealing empty shelves. I turned and ran to the living room. It was just as I suspected, everything was boxed and moved the corner of the room. My mind went blank and my vision blurred as my eyes welled up with tears. I backed away, catching a quick glimpse of Felix carrying a box from the bathroom to his room.

  I ran, darting out the door and across the street. I saw the dirt trail cutting into the woods and bolted for it. I ran until my legs gave out and I collapsed on the hard dirt ground. I fought to force the air into my lungs, tears pouring from my eyes. There was a sharp pain in my side, piercing me with every breath.

  How could I be so naïve to believe I actually belonged here? It was bound to happen. It always happens. How could I not see it?

  I closed my eyes and pulled my knees to my chest, ignoring the throbbing pain in my legs. I couldn’t erase the images of those boxes piled high in the corner of the house and the emptiness I felt in every room.

  We can’t move again! Not after everything I’ve discovered. He said this was home.

  I let my face fall into my hands, muffling my sobs.

  “Has no one warned you about wandering into the woods all alone?”

  I froze, every inch of my body locking into place as the sound of his voice sent quivers down my spine. I didn’t have to look up- that voice had been scarred to my memory for weeks now. It was Yury.

  I could hear the sound of crunching leaves and snapping twigs as he closed in on me, each footstep deliberately placed. Of course he would drag this out.

  I wouldn’t allow him to see my fear, he drew too much pleasure from it. I closed my eyes and swallowed down the lump in my throat. I took a deep br
eath and looked up. His eyes gleamed bright red and there was something odd about his appearance. His features seemed sharper, different from before.

  “The woods are such a dangerous place for a young girl like you. I had assumed you would’ve figured that out by now,” he said, pausing with a sinister smile as he watched the realization wash over me.

  “That man in the woods… you did that, didn’t you?” I said. “You killed him.”

  “You’re quick… quicker than anyone else in this town, but what more can you expect of outsiders,” he sneered, saying the word outsiders like it left a foul taste in his mouth.

  I felt the rage wash over me like fire in my veins. “What do you want?”

  He leaned against the tree behind him, crossing one leg over the other. “Is that not obvious yet?”

  His cryptic words infuriated me. I could feel my hands trembling, clenching at the ground beneath me. “I know you want the medallions. Is that why you killed that man? Did he know about the medallions too?”

  Yury laughed. “You mean the outsiders?”

  “Outsiders?” I asked. “You mean…”

  He met my gaze with his dark hollow pupils. “That’s right. You’re dear Miss April was nothing more than another sacrifice for my cause.”

  My vision flashed red and I lost all control over myself, giving into the darkest parts of me. The raged surged through me and my most animalistic instinct kicked in. Survival mode took-over.

  I screamed and launched myself at his throat. He quickly moved to the side and I slammed hard against the tree. I fell to my knees, coughing and wheezing as I tried to replace the air that had been knocked from my lungs.

  “Are you beginning to see it yet?” he whispered into my ear.

  I spun around and threw my fist forward. Surprisingly, I connected with the left side of his face. He barely moved, but the smug smile disappeared from his face. He lifted his fingers to his lip and wiped away the fresh drop of blood dripping from the corner of his mouth.

  The sight of his cut lip made me feel strong. I knew I couldn’t overpower him, but I wouldn’t go down without a fight.

  I got to my feet and faced him. He narrowed his burning red eyes on me. Within a blink of an eye, Yury had me against a tree, his firm grip around my throat. I fought to get free, kicking and punching, but it was useless. He was too strong.

  “Don’t you get it yet?” he hissed through clenched teeth.

  He took out a leather glove from his jacket pocket and slipped it on, grabbing the material with his teeth as he pulled it snuggly onto his hand. With the gloved hand, he reached back into his pocket and pulled out a purple flower with a long yellow stem.

  I remembered the flower from the boutique he had given Jane.

  “Let’s see if this helps jog your memory.”

  “Get that away from me!” I screamed. “I’m allergic.”

  He laughed. “This act… this display of ignorance, it’s almost convincing.”

  His face went flat with emotion as he raised the flower to my face and then slowly dragged it down my neck, carefully avoiding his ungloved hand.

  The pain was unbearable and I couldn’t help but cry out. My skin felt like it was burning. Every pain receptor I had was firing off like it was under attack. I could feel the energy draining from me like flowing water. I wasn’t sure whether I would pass out from the pain or exhaustion, but I had an idea it was only a matter of seconds before one or the other took over.

  Suddenly, the pain stopped. My body felt like it was made of lead. Every movement was like moving underwater with your feet stuck in the sand. It was impossible.

  I realized I was no longer held against the tree. Instead, I lay on the hard dirty ground beside it. I was disorientated, but I managed to push myself up into a sitting position. My body shook violently as I moved, every muscle threatening to give out.

  “Get away from her!”

  Uncle Felix!

  I spun around just in time to see Felix rush Yury, slamming him hard against the very tree Yury had pinned me to. I scurried backwards as the two wrestled for the vantage point. Yury was a hybrid, but Felix was armed with an old axe, which he was using to hold Yury against the tree.

  At first, Yury seemed more amused by Felix’s attempts, but then his eyes found the axe and focused upon a strange little symbol craved into the handle. It was a circle with three small triangles arranged within one large triangle.

  Yury gasped, a mixture of shock, fear, and panic spreading across his face. “It can’t be.”

  Felix’s eyes looked angry, even dangerous. His mouth pulled into a devious smile. “That’s right.”

  Felix stepped back and drew his axe behind him, and in one fail swoop, he swung hard for Yury’s neck. Yury, with hybrid speed, ducked the blow and sped into the forest. The axe hit the tree, slicing through it like a knife through butter. Slivers of wood showered down around me. What was left of the tree toppled to ground with one loud thud.

  Yury was gone, leaving a gust of wind in his wake.

  “Uncle…”

  He dropped to his knees, placing one hand on my shoulder. “Annabelle, are you okay? Did he hurt you?”

  I rubbed my neck, feeling a stinging sensation. “I’m okay, but how did you…”

  Felix took my arm and pulled me to my feet. “Let’s get you back home and into bed. You need rest.”

  “Wait,” I said. “What about…”

  “He’s gone.” He continued to guide me forward.

  I pulled my arm from his grasp. “Uncle! I want to know what’s going on.”

  He paused, his face solemn. He shook his head and when his gaze met mine, it was void of all emotion. He surveyed the area as though someone may be listening.

  “Let’s talk about this at home,” he suggested, nodding in the direction of the house.

  I shook my head, images of the empty house and boxes flooding my mind. “I’m not going back there.”

  Suddenly, I felt weak. I took a few steps forward and then everything went dark and silent.