Enigma

by Aimee Ash

  “Kate, calm down,” Jonathan pleaded and hung his head in defeat. He then took the keys from me and opened the cabinet.

  I peeked inside and flashes of outrageous colors dazzled my eyes. There were beakers and test tubes full of what looked like aluminous liquid. Then it hit me and I wondered which one would be flowing through my veins in a matter of hours.

  Jonathan took out a glass beaker containing a white, thick serum, and then another containing an aluminous purple liquid. The purple liquid looked alive with the way it bounced inside the tube. Jonathan placed both beakers on the table in front of me and glared at me.

  “I’m not trying to frighten you, Kate. But if we’re going to do this, we need to have a mock rehearsal.” Shaking his head, he headed over to the opposite wall and pulled a lever. There was some creaking as a steel bed lowered to the ground. Everything was becoming real. My heart raced and my mouth ran dry.

  Jonathan turned to face me, pointing at the steel bed. “I was hoping I wouldn’t have to use this.”

  The bed hit the floor with a loud bang. Jonathan brushed it down with his hands, choking through thick layers of dust. I cringed at the thought of lying on the bed. In my mind, it represented an ancient coffin.

  “I want Jack and Sebastian in here, now! Jack! Seb!” I called out. They were by my side within seconds.

  “What’s going on? This isn’t happening now, is it?” Seb asked.

  “No, Jonathan is taking me through the motions.”

  “A mock rehearsal?” Seb shook his head.

  Jack looked at Jonathan. “Tell us what to do and then you can go.”

  “What are you talking about? Jonathan is going to adrenalize me. He agreed,” I said.

  “I don’t care if he agreed or not. We can’t trust him.”

  Jonathan looked hurt by Jack’s words. “Of course you can trust me,” he insisted.

  “Well, with all the lies, it’s hard to know who to trust around here anymore.”

  “Jack, don’t fight with your dad. I’m sure he’s devastated over what he’s done,” I said.

  “Don’t defend him, Kate. You don’t owe him anything,” he said sharply.

  “Jack, you aren’t as innocent as you pretend to be,” Jonathan said, sitting down and wiping his brow.

  “How dare you? You’ve kept monumental secrets from us. Forgive me if I’ve lost my trust in you! My past has nothing to do with any of this.”

  “Please! Stop fighting!” I begged, but everyone ignored me.

  “Just remember who raised you, Jack—who gave up their normal life for you. Whatever I kept from you, it was for your benefit.” Jonathan held his chest, but Jack wasn’t letting up.

  “You made me like this and killed my mother. You deserve to have lost your normal life.”

  Jonathan looked devastated as Jack threw such hurtful words at him, but, thankfully, Lindsey entered the lab.

  “Please don’t fight. Let’s all just focus on why we’re doing this. Kate is going to save both of your lives and there’s no amount of gratitude any of us could ever show her for being so selfless.”

  With her words, everyone relaxed. Jonathan ushered me over to the steel bed. I pulled my hair around to one side of my face and lay down. The bed smelled musty and creaked as I attempted to get comfortable. Then, I felt something cold touch my arm and flinched; it was only Jonathan feeling for a vein.

  Jack knelt down beside me, holding my hand. He kissed my cheek and tried to distract me by conversing with me, but I was focused on what Jonathan was doing and why he was doing it. I was also concerned about his condition; his face was deathly pale. He stopped to wipe his brow again and I noticed that he was wheezing.

  “Jon, are you okay?” Lindsey asked quietly.

  He nodded, placing his handkerchief in his pocket, and I felt his shaky hand touch me again. He tapped two of his fingers along my left arm, but stopped suddenly to massage his own. Something was seriously wrong and everyone except Jack looked concerned.

  Before I could ask if he was okay, Jonathan yelled out in agony and stumbled backward holding his chest. Seb leapt over the bed and caught him just as he was about to hit the floor. Jack was already beside Seb, yelling for me to call an ambulance, when I swung myself off the bed and ran out of the lab. I called up the stairs to Ethan and heard something smash as he came running out of the kitchen.

  “Quick, we need to get help! Jonathan collapsed!” I yelled.

  Reaching for my cell, I breathlessly called for an ambulance and Ethan agreed to wait by the door for the paramedics. Seb carried his father up the stairs with ease and placed him on the couch. Jonathan’s eyes were unfocused and his wheezing was deeper.

  Within minutes, the paramedics rushed in, asking us to clear the space around him. They were sure that Jonathan had suffered a heart attack and swiftly lifted him into the ambulance. Lindsey went with him and Jack grabbed the keys to his father’s car. Seb insisted that he should drive and Jack threw him the keys. Ethan and I jumped in the back seat and we were on our way, but we were silent, trying to prepare ourselves for what might happen.

  Arriving at the hospital, Seb pulled over. Ethan told us all to get out and head inside while he parked the car. Seb handed him the keys and we rushed into the emergency room, Jack and Seb trying their best to run at a normal pace. A nurse pointed us in the right direction and soon, we found Lindsey. She was shaking, and her eyes were red and puffy. Jack put his arm around her and we waited for her to catch her breath so that she could tell us what was going on.

  “They lost him in the ambulance. They managed to get him back, and now they’ve rushed him off somewhere. I don’t know what’s going on,” Lindsey cried into Jack’s shoulder.

  Jack held his mom while she sobbed uncontrollably, and Ethan arrived after parking the car. All we could do was wait and hope that Jonathan would pull through. It wasn’t just his life that was hanging in the balance; it was all of our lives.

  Two hours passed and we were beginning to fear the worst. Nobody had really spoken, although I was sure we all shared the same harrowing thoughts. I felt completely selfish indulging in my problems, but I couldn’t help thinking that if Jonathan died, he wouldn’t be able to adrenalize me, leaving us all damned.

  Another hour went by before a doctor came to tell us what was happening. He explained that Jonathan had suffered a heart attack, but that he was now stable, and the next forty-eight hours were critical. We all sighed with relief, and since the doctor instructed us not to crowd Jonathan, Lindsey and Seb went to see him first.

  Ethan excused himself and Jack and I sat in the hallway. I felt guilty; we all had put so much pressure on Jonathan to adrenalize me, and I wasn’t sure if I wanted to see him; I didn’t want to distress him further.

  “Kate, are you okay? I can take you home if you want,” Jack said, holding my hand.

  “I feel responsible for this,” I said, my voice wavering.

  “What? Why? None of this is your fault. Dad brought this on himself. This is years of deceit and guilt finally taking its toll on him.”

  I was surprised that Jack felt such a lack of guilt and compassion. I knew he was feeling bitter toward his father, and he certainly had a lot to be bitter about, but I didn’t feel like this was the time or place to be so uncaring. Lindsey and Seb came out of Jonathan’s room.

  “He wants to see you two,” Lindsey said quietly, as she followed Seb down the hall. Jack reached for my hand, but I declined it.

  “I think you should go in alone,” I said.

  “No, he wants to see us both. Don’t feel guilty. If he hadn’t kept secrets, we wouldn’t be in this predicament. This isn’t our fault.”

  He took my hand and we walked into Jonathan’s room. He was hooked up to several beeping machines and looked dreadful, but he managed to open his eyes. We walked nearer to him and he removed the oxygen mask from his mouth. With each breath, he gasped for air.

  “Listen to me. Remember this. The lab. The cabinet . . . on
the top shelf.” We both listened carefully. I grabbed a scrap piece of paper off the table by his bed and began writing down everything he said. “There is a . . . brown wooden box under the table. There, you’ll find everything you need to know. What you should’ve always known. I’m sorry.”

  Jonathan closed his eyes and the monitor next to him made a loud noise before Jonathan flatlined. A flurry of doctors and nurses ran into the room. Well aware of what was happening, Jack and I stood back. After the doctors attempted to save Jonathan’s life, we knew it was over. Jonathan was dead.

  Seb burst through the door and Lindsey ran in after him in. She screamed and Seb held her close as she fell to the ground sobbing. Tears welled up in Seb’s eyes and Jack looked over at his mom. When I composed myself, I suggested that we leave Lindsey alone to say goodbye to the love of her life.

  Jack and I waited in the hallway and all we could hear was Lindsey’s howling cry. I held Jack’s hand and he looked down at me with sad eyes.

  “That’s going to be you,” he said disturbingly.

  “Stop talking like that! For goodness sake! Why would you say something like that at a time like this?”

  “Why not say it—face facts? In a matter of weeks, possibly days, you’ll be weeping over my dead body.”

  “Your dad just gave us instructions, which I’m sure will help us solve this problem ourselves. You have to have a little faith, or else what’s the point in me even trying?”

  “I can’t be positive anymore, Kate. It’s too hard.” Jack was weaker than I had thought.

  “Well, you’re going to have to toughen up then, because I’m not going to give up so easily. Now get in there and comfort your mom and show her some sympathy,” I ordered.

  Jack left my side and walked into the room. Lindsey was draped over Jonathan’s dead body and I watched from the corner of the door as Lindsey flew into Jack’s arms. Ethan had gone for coffee and Seb walked out of the room, closing the door behind him.

  I raced over and wrapped my arms around him; he fell into me and held me tightly. I kissed his cheek; I didn’t care about the stupid rules. I wanted to comfort the guy I loved, the guy I’d do anything for.

  The door open and Seb was gone. Jack looked at me, his eyes red. He was in need of comforting too, so I pulled him close. As I held hi, I saw Seb looking at me from round the corner. I felt sick with guilt. Time was closing in on us all too quickly and I had no idea how long Seb and I could carry on denying each other. I just hoped that Jonathan’s cryptic instructions would lead us to a solution.

  CHAPTER 27

  We all arrived back at the Joneses’ house, but I chose to go home, leaving Lindsey to grieve with her sons. I sat at my dresser and realized that I looked a complete mess. When I picked up my brush, there was a knock on my door, and I heard Tobias’s voice.

  “Kate, your brother is on the phone.”

  Thinking about Brett made me smile.

  “Put him through to me, Tobias. Thank you.”

  I hadn’t spoken to Brett in days. Now I had the perfect opportunity to say a secret goodbye to him. It could potentially be a last time I ever spoke to him.

  My hands began to shake, but I had to pull myself together; if anyone could suspect something was wrong, it would be Brett. Picking up the phone, I took a deep breath, fighting back tears.

  “Hey, Brett—”

  “Finally! I’ve been calling you all week. Where have you been?”

  “I’ve been spending a lot of time at Jack’s house, that’s all. How are you?”

  “I’m doing good. I hope to be home real soon.”

  “That’s fantastic! I’m so proud of you, Brett. I knew you could do it!” I gushed, forcing my tears to stay put.

  “If it wasn’t for you, I might be dead right now. You saved my life, Kate.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous,” I said softly.

  “I owe you my life. Kate? Are you still there?” he asked quietly.

  A few tears escaped. “Yeah, I’m still here.”

  “Are you crying?”

  “Only because I’m so proud of you. I love you so much.”

  “I can’t wait to see you. I want to meet this guy who seems to have your undivided attention.” There was a brief pause and then he said, “I have to go. I love you too. I’ll see you soon.”

  After hanging up the phone, I lay on my bed and sobbed into my pillow. I didn’t know if I was crying because I felt guilty for getting so close to kissing Seb again, or if I was crying over Jonathan’s untimely death. I could have also been crying over Brett coming home and the fact that I might not be there to welcome him. Was I crying because we had lost hope of the adrenalization? I was so confused and there was so much to cry about, but I had to snap out of this depressive state; I had to be positive.

  With the last of my energy, I reached for a tissue on my bedside table but before I could grab one, Seb passed me the box, startling me. I took a tissue and mopped up my tears.

  “I had to come and see if you were okay.” He sat on the edge of my bed.

  “Well, I think you’ve got your answer,” I said, blowing my nose.

  He took my hand and our fingers entwined as our eyes met. He spoke to me with guilt all over his beautiful face.

  “Kate, I want to comfort you.” Seb moved closer to me. “I want to kiss you.”

  “Seb, you just lost your dad. Do you want to lose your brother too?”

  “Let me kiss you,” he said.

  I wanted him to kiss me more than anything.

  “Seb, we can’t. What about Jack?” I was weakening. “This could kill Jack and we’re so close to finding an answer to our problem.”

  “I don’t care anymore. I need to kiss you. If I die never having kissed you I will have never truly lived.” He wrapped his arms around my waist.

  “This could jeopardize everything,” I whispered.

  “We don’t have anything to lose anymore.”

  I felt his breath brush across my mouth and could no longer resist him. Our eyes locked, and before our lips touched, there was an undeniable chemistry between us. Seb gently tucked my hair behind my ears and, cupping my face in his hands, he leaned into me. His lips touched mine and I lost myself in the moment. Kissing Seb felt amazing.

  He slowly released his lips from mine and I sat on my bed with my eyes still closed, absorbing every detail of that moment in order to lock it away in my heart forever. Seb then ran his finger down my face and I opened my eyes. I pulled him down on my bed, wrapping my legs around him, and he firmly gripped my waist. We kissed again and began removing each other’s clothes before Seb pulled away from me.

  “We can’t do this. It was just supposed to be a kiss,” Seb weakly protested.

  “I want you to make love to me,” I said, sitting up.

  “This was supposed to be about a kiss—just a kiss, Kate.”

  “Whatever we do, we’ve already betrayed Jack in the worst possible way. Neither of us can take it back.” I wanted him so badly, but then Seb’s expression changed. “What’s wrong?” I asked.

  “Shh! Listen!” Seb said, while looking out of my window.

  “I can’t hear anything,” I replied.

  “It’s Jack. He’s yelling out in pain!” Seb looked horrified.

  “It must be because of us.” I felt sick with guilt.

  Seb turned to me and held my shoulders. “Whatever you do, deny this or he’ll be dead by the morning. You have to deny it. Tell a thousand lies if you have to, for Jack’s sake. I have to go. Don’t follow me or he’ll know we’ve been together. Wait for one of us to contact you.” He buttoned up his shirt.

  “How will I know if he’s okay? How will I know if you’re okay?” I asked, panicking.

  “I’ll be back early in the morning. If I am not here by eight—”

  “Don’t say it!”

  Seb jumped off my balcony and was gone.

  The curse was underway and there was no stopping it. Seb wanted me and I wanted him;
we could no longer resist each other.

  As promised, Seb returned the next morning. Jack had been in pain all night and it had left him weak. Seb was plagued with guilt and we swore that we wouldn’t allow ourselves to be intimate in any way until after the curse was broken—if there was still a chance.

  In the days that followed, I tried to stay away from Jack’s house, but we had to bury Jonathan, and I had to support Jack. I felt guilty, but I wasn’t the only one. Lindsey was blaming herself, justifying her blame on the fact that she’d forced Jonathan to adrenalize me, inducing stress and the heart attack.

  I didn’t disagree that stress had contributed to his death, but everyone had to take blame for their part, including Jonathan. He’d kept such huge secrets for so long, that he must have felt like a ticking time bomb for most of his life, never knowing when something or someone would expose them. Everyone felt responsible and guilty in some way or another, but we all had to try to move forward.

  The day of the funeral arrived and everyone was dreading it. Lindsey looked terrible; she had lost weight and seemed to have aged dramatically over the last few days. Jack was exhausted, physically and mentally, and Seb kept up his pretense. I was sad, but didn’t know Jonathan very well. Then again, did anyone really know him?

  The service was small and quick. There was nobody else at the funeral except us and Ethan, who had felt compelled to come. As Jonathan was lowered into his grave, Lindsey broke down. Seb held his mother, trying to be strong for her, while Jack stood by her side. Ethan and I stood opposite them, he was distant and showed little compassion, which I thought was a little heartless.

  As we looked at Lindsey and her sons, something flickered behind them. Ethan looked at me, and we waited to see if the flicker would reappear. Sure enough, it did. We turned our backs to the others.

  “Did you see that, Ethan?” I whispered.

  “Yeah.”

  “What was it?” I asked, knowing that he would’ve seen the image much clearer than me.