by Rue Volley
They kept going, for what seemed like a day then as they came over another hill, they saw a small house nestled in the side of a rock cliff.
“Look Elin... look!”
Elin stared, almost in disbelief, Grace had been right.
Grace squeezed Elin's hand and started to move towards the house but the house moved away from them, with each step they took.
“NO!” Grace yelled towards the house. “No, we can make it there Elin, believe that we can.”
Grace felt Elin’s hand slip from hers. She turned and Elin was falling in slow motion into the long grass. Grace knelt down by her side and held her hand.
“Elin?” she whispered.
Elin looked at Grace with heavy eyes.
“I am so tired Grace... please, I have to sleep now.”
Grace started to cry.
“Elin, I wanted to protect you, that was my intent… it truly was. I am sorry I did not build this place, I seem to have no power here.”
Elin lifted her hand and placed it on Grace’s cheek.
“Don't weep for me, I am truly grateful to you Grace... for showing me the heart of a protector. I did not know there was such compassion among your people.”
“I would have gladly died for you or any other human Elin, a protector is supposed to protect the earth and those who inhabit it. You are a beautiful creature.”
Elin smiled her hand slipping from Grace’s cheek and her eyes closed, going into a deep and uninterrupted sleep. Grace stood up next to her and watched the grass slowly cover her body. Wildflowers were left where she had just lain.
Grace looked towards the sky and then towards the house.
“I know I can reach you now,” she whispered. “This place is not meant for anyone but a protector, I understand.”
She started walking towards it and made it to the door. She opened it and walked through leaving the grass, sun, and Elin behind.
***
I must have fallen asleep on the couch. I had curled into a fetal position and I was startled awake, when Kai came bounding over the top and almost landed on me. At the last moment, he veered right and rolled onto the floor.
“Kai! What the hell?” I said in a grumble.
“Jeezus Rue! I could have crushed you with all my man-ness.”
I sat upright and rubbed my arm, it was asleep. I must have laid on it funky.
“Your man-ness? Is that even a word Kai?”
He stood up lifting his shirt, tapping at his stomach.
“Gross.” I said, turning my head away from him.
He grinned. “I think Sam would argue that.”
I looked up at him with stink eye. “Sam wouldn't even respond to that, turd.”
He reached down to the coffee table and picked up his controller, then he drop bounced next to me and almost knocked me off the couch.
“Kai! Fine I've got to brush my teeth anyway.”
“That's the truth,” he added under his breath.
“Shut up stud.”
He smiled at me, not the intention. I sighed and went to my room. I took off my jacket, took off everything. I just wanted a shower. I used way too much shampoo, because I didn't realize how little I needed for my hair now. Suds were dripping down my face and got into my eye. I reached out the side of the shower, trying to find the towel and it got placed in my hand. I gasped, used it quickly then peeked my head out, only to see Josh standing there.
“Ummm, is this a habit of yours... ya know, coming into girl’s rooms when you hear water running?”
Josh laughed. “No, only yours.”
I shut the water off and wrapped the towel around me.
“Well, I feel sooo special now. Do me a favor and when you abduct me in a van, make sure it's not one of those shitty seventies vans with the smelly carpet, K,” I said to him.
“I'll keep that in mind when I buy it Rue.”
I stood behind the shower curtain, wondering why I could still see his shadow outside of it.
“No stupid dragon on the side either,” I added.
“Ahhh, come on Rue, airbrushing is the shit.”
“Listen Josh. I am really enjoying this cryptic conversation, really I am, but do you think you could leave my room now, please?”
“Ohh, yeah sorry, I ummm, well breakfast is ready.”
“Okay... thanks?” I said, as I waited for him to leave.
He cleared his throat, “Yeah well, when you’re ready, it's downstairs.”
“Awesome Josh thanks for making me aware of that important information.”
He left the bathroom. Really... what the hell?
I finished getting ready. I didn't feel so emo boy band this morning, so I put on a light gray tee and my jeans. Couldn't change my hair, but honestly, I did not regret it one bit. I blew my hair dry really quick and headed downstairs. I walked up to the table and a pop tart was sitting on my plate. Josh was sitting down chewing on his. I looked at him and back at the plate.
“Really?” I asked him.
He looked up at me and smiled.
“I made it for you.”
“You didn't paper cut yourself or anything right? You know, when you had to tear it open and navigate the toaster.”
He started laughing. “No, I did not. It's blueberry.”
I sat down. “Mmmm, awesome.”
“Soo…” I started to pick at my delicious pop tart.
He looked at me, “Listen, I think I reacted strange last night but no more funny business, we're on a mission.”
I looked at him, “A mission?”
“Yep, I mapped it, Barrington. It takes four hours to get there.”
“K…? I thought we were waiting until Sam got back?” I asked.
He shrugged his shoulders. “Nah.”
He grinned at me. I didn't like it.
“Josh, why are you in such a cheery mood?”
He stood up and took his plate to the sink. He turned around to me and crossed his arms.
“I like road trips.” he said.
“For some reason, I don't believe you.” I stopped picking at my food.
“Ohhh, come on, it'll be fun. I've never been there, have you?”
“No,” I said.
“Well then, awesome. Whenever you’re ready we can hit the road,” he said.
He walked out of the room grinning.
I didn’t like it.
Kai had been informed that we were leaving. Josh told him to stay behind, just in case Sam arrived, so she wouldn't flip out. He was fine. He had chips and his games. He was in heaven. Not me. I was embarking on a four-hour drive with serial killer here. Josh had grabbed road snacks, I shoved a few things in my backpack and we jumped into the car. He pulled out a stack of CDs and started shuffling through them. Without asking, he pushed one in the slot and started the car. He looked at me and I tried to smile at him, but it came off as a ‘Who the hell are you?’ grin.
We pulled out and he turned up the volume. It was jazz. Okay, phew, I thought he'd pull out some crap, but it's actually okay. He turned to me and smiled. I smiled back, not so psycho this time. We drove for about an hour and then he decided to say something.
“So, Rue.”
I looked over to him. He wasn't looking at me, just gripping the wheel.
“What Josh?” I asked.
“You need to learn to center yourself,” he said. I turned to look at him.
“What do you mean by center?”
He slowed the car down and pulled off the side of the road. I looked at him, not knowing where this was going. He shut the car off and turned to me.
“You need to understand that energy is something you can and will control. You have the power to do it. You've just never been shown.”
“Ohhh, well, my mom showed me how to pull the static out of my hair and throw it away.”
“K... well that's a start but, here” He held both of his hands out to me. “Take my hands. I want to show you something.”
I put my hand
s in his.
“Ohhh,” He said.
I looked up at him. He was staring at my hands.
“What?” I said.
He looked into my eyes, “You are humming.”
“What?”
Josh looked back down at my hands, “The vibration coming off of you is crazy. It's the energy you store. You have a lot of it.”
“Is that normal?” I asked, as I stared at my hands.
He laughed at me, “Rue, you find out you’re not even human and you want to know if you humming is normal?”
I smiled. “Well, I'm kinda new at this, sorry.”
He shook his head.
“Now close your eyes.” He looked at me, “Listen, I'm not going to do anything, trust me. Look we are in a car, no van in sight!” He laughed.
“Alright...” I closed my eyes.
“Listen to me. You need to concentrate. Think of the core of the planet, all the melted rock turning and twisting.”
“Okay,” I whispered.
I focused in on what I had only seen on the history channels, in books and tried to envision it. I started to feel it, churning, glowing hot. I felt my feet start to vibrate and it slowly started to creep up my body. I slowed my breathing, almost instinctively, relaxing my body and allowing it to flow through me.
Josh slowed his breathing, to match mine.
“That's good Rue, keep focusing and draw it up through you.”
I kept visualizing it and I started to heat up. Josh looked around the car and the windows started steaming up. He looked back at me and I was starting to shimmer gold.
“Well that's new,” He said.
I opened my eyes. “What?”
He sucked in his breath. “Rue, please... concentrate.”
I closed my eyes. “Sorry,” I whispered.
“Now listen to me. Energy is always moving like water. Send it to me. Feel it in your body moving?”
I did. It felt like a wave moving like the ocean. “Yes,” I said.
“Now let it flow to me like water, through your hands, slowly.”
I visualized it leaving my hands and entering his. I could feel his hands shaking in mine.
“Rue...” he whispered.
“Now take it back from me.” he said.
My eyes were shut, but I could see it swirling blue and white like oil in water. I took it back from him and felt it creep through my hands, into my arms, until my whole body vibrated. I could feel Josh’s hands getting colder in mine.
“Good Rue. Now you need to throw it away. You can let go of my hands and release it. Imagine something eating it, don't send it back to the core.”
He released my hands and I tried to push it out of me, it lingered. I got frustrated and pushed it out with force. At that moment, the windows cracked in the car the back window shattered. I screamed out and put my hands over my head to shield myself. Josh jumped out of the car and put his hands on his head. I looked at him from my seat.
“Sorry?” I said.
He grinned at me…
“Well that's just crazy Rue. I've never seen that happen.”
I got out of the car and walked to him. I looked back and crossed my arms.
“Well...oops,” I said, no knowing what the right reaction should be.
Josh started laughing so hard, you would have thought that I just told the funniest joke in the history of the world. He looked at me.
“You are something special Rue. You really are.”
“Well Josh, what are we going to do now?” I asked, as I looked at the windows.
“We have to get the windows fixed.”
I looked at him. “Where?”
“We'll just drive to the next town, I'm sure we can find someone to do it.”
***
We drove for an hour before we saw a sign, Adda, ten miles. I looked at him and he grinned, not looking at me. We entered Adda and we realized this was a one-horse town. The grocery and gas station were combined. He pulled in and stopped.
I crossed my arms. “You think they even have a mechanic here?”
He shut the car off and turned to me smiling, “I'm sure they do. Every town has one guy to fix stuff.”
“Well Josh, we need a mechanic, not a plumber.”
He laughed and got out. He came around to my side and leaned in. “I'll be right back grumpy.”
I looked at him and he jogged off towards the door. I sat there, hoping we could be lucky and someone in this town would be wanting to fix these windows now. I started feeling like I was in a delay on purpose. I saw Josh come out, with a grin on his face.
I looked at him. “Well?”
“Got somebody who can do it.”
“Awesome, good deal,” I said with a sigh.
Josh got back in the car. He started it up.
“Where are we going?”
He looked before he pulled out, onto what could only be MAIN St. in this town.
“Going to the hotel,” he said.
I looked at him. “What?”
“Yeah, this guy can do it, but it won't be until tomorrow morning.”
“You’re kidding me.”
“Nope,” he said.
We pulled up to the Adda Inn, vacancy sign blazing. No surprise, who would be staying there?
Josh jumped out and looked back at me, “Come on, Rue.”
I got out of the car and grabbed my backpack. Great. I am not prepared for a sleep over. Guess I'm not that high maintenance, but a toothbrush is a must have. We walked into to dimly lit room and found a bell on the counter. I leaned over to Josh.
“This is how all bad b horror films start out. Whatever you do, don't tell him that we don't have anyone expecting us.”
Josh smiled and rang the bell, then again. A middle aged lady with eighties hair came around the corner.
“Whatcha all need?” she asked.
Josh and I looked at each other and then he spoke.
“Well, we need a room.”
I interjected. “Two rooms, please.”
This goddess of prose popped her bubble gum and smiled at us.
“What's wrong honey? He piss you off or something'?” She looked Josh up and down and sucked on her teeth.
“Listen baby boy, if your woman won't let you stay tonight, I would love me some company.”
Josh leaned over the counter, “I'm gonna have to take a rain check on that baby girl. You see my little fiancée here, she may be small, but she packs a hell of a punch.”
Big hair looked past him and gave me a crooked smile.
She opened her book, no computer of course.
“Well I only have one room,” She looked at me, “Sorry honey.”
Josh reached into his pocket, “That's fine. We'll take it.”
She handed him the key to our room and ran her press-on nail across the top of his hand.
Josh smiled and pulled the key out of her hand. We turned around and started walking out.
We heard “mmm” as we opened the door.
“You kids get in the mood for a party later just let me know.”
We looked at each other and then headed out.
“Gross,” I muttered.
Josh started to laugh, “Yeah, just a little.”
“Did you see her hair ? We must be in a vortex here,” I said.
He laughed and looked at the key, “Oooo… room 3, wow, wonder how many they have?”
We both looked up and down the stretch.
“Looks like 10. We're high rolling here,” I muttered.
Josh ran to the car and grabbed his bag. We walked to the door. He smiled at me.
“You want me to carry you in?”
“Shut up Josh.”
We stepped in and it was old Vegas. Everything was draped in gold and red. I stood there and dropped my bag.
“Yeah… Okay.”
The bed was heart shaped with cherubs on the backboard, embossed in gold of course.
Josh looked at me.
“I don't
know about you, but this puts me in the mood for love,” he said.
He ran over to the bed.
“No way!” he yelled.
“What?” I said.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a quarter and put it in a small silver box. I heard a hum.
“What are you doing?” I asked him.
He jumped on the bed and crossed his legs.
“Ittttt vibbbrattes,” he said.
He rolled onto his back putting his arms behind his head.
“Itttts awwesommee Rrrrue.”
“Ummm, Okay…”
“Trrry it reaaally.”
I smiled at him, it was funny, I had to admit. I walked over and touched the bed with my hand. It tickled.
“Yeah... no thanks.” I said.
He reached up and knocked me down onto the bed and everything looked fuzzy. My teeth chattered.
“IIIIII… thinkkk itts bbrokennn,” I tried to say.
He started to laugh but his it sounded creepy from the crazy bed. I laughed too. Why not.
The bed started to stop, but it jerked like it was broken. I started to move, but it jolted me back and forth and I fell off the side of it.
Josh leaned over the side and looked down at me.
I looked up at him. “I think we killed it,” I said.
He laughed and rolled away from me, out of sight. I laughed too, holding onto my side.
***
We had to eat. Josh went out to kill something. He may have to here. I doubt he could find any take out. I flipped on the television. The reception was awful. Only three channels worked. I could either buy something, watch an old black and white movie, or be saved by some preacher pushing the importance of abstinence. Good sermon, umm, yeah. I sat there listening to him rant on about sin and consequences. Truth was I've never, ya know. I didn't even want to, until Johnathan. My face started to get red. I heard the key turn in the door. I reached for the remote and flipped it off. Josh came in with a brown bag in his hand. I looked at him and smiled.
“You saved us,” I said.
He set the bag down on the table. “Yea… okay, so I found a diner.”
He pulled out two Styrofoam boxes. I got up from the bed and came to the table for two.
He looked at me, handing me plastic utensils.
“I went for the burgers… figured we might be safe.”