I climbed out of the bed and looked around the room to see if any part of me remained such as pictures we had taken together or gifts I had given her. I wouldn’t be surprised if her mother erased any trace of me.
The ceramic elephant I had given to Kate for one of her birthdays was still displayed in the middle of her dresser. Only one picture of us was taped along the bottom edge of the dresser mirror. We were both sticking out our tongues like goofballs.
I didn’t recognize the other pictures taped beside mine. They must have been taken after the accident. One was of Kate in her wheelchair with one parent on each side, the hospital in the background. Another was of Kate on a horse, her legs tied securely to the stirrups. Then there was a head shot of a really cute guy I never met. The picture beside that one included Kate. She was sitting in her wheelchair while the same boy from the previous picture was standing beside her. He had two prosthetic legs. The final picture was of the two of them sitting at a table locking lips.
I was relieved that she had someone special in her life. I stared at her one last time and floated back to the farmhouse to rejoin my physical body.
I had made peace with my best friend and closed the door on that chapter of my life.
BOOK TITLE
15.
SEPARATE WAYS
The next morning I was like a completely different person. My head no longer hurt or felt fuzzy and I did not have the urge to throw up. In fact, I felt more rested than I had in weeks. I turned my head and saw that Taylor was already out of bed.
I squeezed the stones in my hand. I wondered if those little suckers had anything to do with zapping back some of my lost energy and my successful astral travel episode. I put them back in the drawer for safekeeping before heading downstairs to see if everyone else was awake.
Triona was in the kitchen drinking black coffee. “Good morning,” she smiled.
“Morning,” I replied pouring myself a cup of coffee.
“I’m glad you’re feeling better. Green is so not your color.” She laughed.
I sat with her at the table. “Ha, ha. I am never drinking again!”
“Oh, you say that now. But you will. It’s my fault really. I practically poured the wine down your throat.” She dipped her toast into her coffee and took a bite.
I grabbed some watermelon from a bowl of fruit salad on the table and popped a piece in my mouth. After swallowing, I spoke. “So, you and Zed eh?” There was no hint of jealousy in my voice, only curiosity.
“Yeah, we hook up on occasion in our time. Neither one of us is the commitment type so our arrangement works out well. That’s how I was able to find you guys. Once you become intimate with someone, you can practically hone in on their signal.”
I felt better knowing that is how she found us and that our signal was not vulnerable to the dark spirits. So far we seemed to lay low and stay off their radar. But something in the pit of my stomach told me it wouldn’t be much longer until we met up with them again. I took another bite of fruit. Taylor and Zed walked through the door, both looked happy to see me awake.
Taylor walked right over to me and kissed me on the lips. I was expecting his usual peck on the cheek or forehead so this surprised me. “Hope you’re feeling better?” he asked quietly.
I just nodded and smiled.
“Okay, now that we’re all here, we can compare notes before saying our goodbyes.” Taylor sat down beside me.
“Goodbyes?” I asked.
Zed hopped up on the counter again. “Yeah, well it looks like the power plant event won’t happen until some time in May. There’s no point in hanging out here for the next couple of months being bored out of our skulls.”
“May 17th actually,” I added.
The three of them looked at me and waited for me to explain how I knew the date. I told them of my vivid dream and about the 17th being marked on the calendar in red ink. After comparing notes, we established that the North Wing of the power plant was set to explode after a temperature gauge malfunction on May 17th. Taylor and I would travel together while Zed and Triona did their thing until we met up again a week before the explosion. We would periodically contact one another to see if anything had changed. Then we would go over the game plan about how to get inside the plant and who would do what.
“I have one last question,” I said staring in Triona’s direction. “How were you able to get Mr. Creepy to the flag pole? I mean, if people from the future can’t interfere with the present……..well, it goes against the theory.”
Triona looked at Taylor, then back to me. “Smart girl. We actually discussed this last night and came to the conclusion that when you altered the first event with the train crash, the time continuum curved slightly. This curve has allowed for subtle changes to occur from non present day persons. In the original past, Mr. Creepy did get his in the end but by Abby, not myself. But then again, this is just another theory. No one really knows for sure how this all works. We do know that we trust the top psychics and if they say you are the key, well, I believe them.”
Her response seemed logical enough. If it was true, than it was a double-edged sword. It would be useful to me. I could actually depend on my futuristic friends to assist with the next mission. However, if the evolved now had more power in the present time than so would the dark entities. Our only hope was if the dark spirits were unaware of their increase in power, though I strongly doubted that they didn’t know. They were always so close behind us. They even managed to frame Zed for murder!
I couldn’t be sure how much that weighed on Zed’s mind but he was pretty quiet. Triona had already packed and placed their bags in Triona’s car. I hugged Triona first, then Zed. With Triona and Taylor around, I thought he would be on his best behavior, but he managed to plant a sloppy kiss on my cheek and pat my ass.
Taylor and I waved as Zed backed out of the driveway. Triona stuck her arm out the passenger window and gave us the peace sign.
“So, where should we go first?” I asked Taylor as we headed back inside the house.
“How about somewhere tropical?” He flashed a huge smile.
“Do you think we can get some passports that will pass international inspection?” I asked pouring another cup of coffee.
“Who said anything about passports?” he quizzed.
“You want me to randomly teleport us across the globe? What if we end up in some hellhole and I can’t get us out?”
“You won’t. Look at the places you’ve already teleported to with great accuracy,” he stated. “Plus, we wouldn’t have to steal cars anymore or worry about security. We have a few months to do whatever the hell we want!”
Taylor would have made such a great car salesman. I pondered the idea for a few moments as I sipped my caffeine. The practice teleports had been successful and I did teleport the three of us. I was fairly confident that I could do it easily enough with Taylor and me with great accuracy. I would just have to practice.
“You know, I like the idea. But I’m going to warn you, we may end up in some pretty funky places……I’m not exactly a pro at this teleporting thing.” I dumped the small amount left in my cup and placed it in the sink with the other dirty dishes.
The first time I teleported was to the mountain side where the train wreck had happened, a place where I had often visited in my dreams. My teleports weren’t as accurate at the prison, possibly because I only saw the plans and not the actual jail cell where Zed was being housed. And I was able to teleport the three of us back to a place I felt safe.
Taylor followed me into the living room and onto the couch. I threw a few magazines on his lap.
“What are these for?” he asked.
“Maybe seeing pictures in the magazines will help me visualize better.” I shrugged my shoulders.
We both took turns pointing to places we would like to go on vacation. After eating, showering, cleaning up and each prepping a backpack, we were ready to start teleporting. With Taylor’s arms wrapped tightly around
me and sporting our bags, we did a few test runs in deserted areas just until I got the hang of things. My main concern was showing up in a public area and even worse, having it captured on camera.
The first test was on a large mountain top. We found a flat space to lie down and stared at the beautiful blue sky. Taylor and I held hands as we enjoyed the freedom of nature. When it was time to go, Taylor held me tightly but nothing happened.
“What’s wrong?” asked Taylor concerned.
“Um,” I said. Then I laughed and teleported us to a vacant stadium.
We landed safely on the turf. I quickly teleported myself to the far end of the field.
“Don’t scare me like that again, Lacey Bennett!” he screamed as he ran in my direction.
“You didn’t like my practical joke?” I asked laughing and running away from him.
Each time he would get close to me, I would teleport away from him on the stairs, on the bleachers and on top of the scoreboard.
“Okay, Lacey. I give up!” He placed his bag to his side, put his hands up in the air then sat down on the turf and hung his head low in defeat.
His pitiful face convinced me to stop fooling around. I teleported to his side and jumped on his lap, forcing him to fall back onto the grass. I moved my hair to the side and started kissing his neck.
“How….can….I….make….it….up….to….you?” I asked in between kisses.
Taylor pulled my backpack off and did some sort of fancy wrestling maneuver so that he was on top of me. His kiss was quick and forceful. I couldn’t control my breathing. I wanted to take him right there on the field but I stopped myself as the timing was completely inappropriate. Instead, I pictured him naked as he caressed my breasts.
During mid kiss, I involuntarily teleported us to the outskirts of Clear Waters.
“Is this another joke?” he asked rolling off of me and helping me up.
“Absolutely not. I don’t know what happened.” It was true. I blushed when I thought back to my fantasy about Taylor’s nudity. I allowed him to read my mind rather than explain it with words.
Taylor laughed uncontrollably.
“I’m glad you find it so amusing,” I said looking down at the ground.
“I’m laughing because I could see what your subconscious mind was thinking.”
“What?” I didn’t understand.
“You pictured me naked but you also thought about Mr. Creepy naked and tied to the flag pole.” He pointed towards the pole where the molester was once on display.
I shook my head. Partly in embarrassment and the other in disbelief. I was actually grossed out. I pictured my gorgeous boyfriend naked but it somehow became contaminated by one of the ickiest people I had ever met.
Clear Waters was still perfectly maintained. Obviously, it was still inhabited by inmates even though the facility was under investigation. I thought back to my first day when my father dropped me off so casually. It was so easy for him to ditch me there. I vowed to forget about my family just as they had done to me. But time had allowed my perspective to change. That and the news Triona had shared about them actually searching for me.
I grabbed Taylor’s hand to teleport outside of these woods. The last time I was here, someone tried to kill me. Luckily for me, Taylor hit him over the head with a large branch.
We went back to the field to get our bags before teleporting outside my old house on the cul-de-sac. Taylor gave me “the look.” There was no need for words or even to speak telepathically. I knew he didn’t think it was a good idea and it wasn’t. I would not go inside for a proper goodbye. Instead, we stood across the street by my neighbor’s bush covered by darkness.
We couldn’t stay there long. For all I knew, the dark spirits might have been lurking nearby waiting for a homesick teenager to return.
Through the sheer curtains, I could see the lights on in the living room and the silhouette of three people. My dad, Judy and Josh were probably watching a movie, laughing and eating popcorn. Underneath the window ledge was the small garden Josh and I had originally planted. I rubbed my hand thinking back to the blisters I received carrying and placing the large decorative rocks used to contain the soil.
I placed one hand in my pocket. My stones! I forgot them at the farmhouse in the top drawer. In my mind I told Taylor the bad news.
“It’s okay,” he whispered. “We’ll go back for them.”
The farmhouse was dark when we teleported into the kitchen. We had made sure to turn off all the lights since we didn’t know when the owner would come to check on his property as we had paid for a few months in advance.
I grabbed two waters out of the fridge while Taylor turned on the kitchen lights. I passed one to Taylor who downed his as quickly as I did. I threw my empty bottle into a recycling bin.
I flicked on the upstairs hallway switch at the bottom of the stairs. “I’ll be back in a flash,” I said, forcing my tired legs up the stairs, my bag still strapped securely to my back.
The light from the hallway allowed me to see my stones still nestled neatly in the top drawer. I pulled them out and slid them into my pocket. I wanted to feel them against my body. I recalled how energized I felt after sleeping with them in my hands. I could use any bit of magic to repel the bad guys and keep me revved up.
A board creaked in the hallway and I quickly turned my head in the direction of the noise. “Taylor?” I called out.
There was no answer.
“Taylor? This isn’t funny,” I said marching towards the hallway.
My heart dropped at my feet as a bald headed man glared at me yielding a long, shiny sword.
BOOK TITLE
16.
PARADISE
As the sword plunged towards my head, I teleported to the other side of the room. I was caught completely off guard and didn’t have a chance to process my thoughts, let alone remain calm long enough to envision a safe place to transport my body.
Not only was I concerned for my own well-being, but at this point I had no idea if Taylor was still alive. I called to him in my mind but there was no response.
The killer came at me once more, and again I moved over to the other side in a flash. His sword became lodged in the two-by-four behind the wall. He struggled to yank the sword from its hold and I used that opportunity to teleport to the kitchen where I had last seen Taylor.
The fridge door was ajar but there was no sign of Taylor. I heard a scuffle coming from the living room. Without pausing I ran to investigate and prayed that we weren’t completely out numbered.
The living room was dark. The light from the kitchen allowed me to see two shapes in full wrestling mode engaged on the couch. “Taylor!” I screamed.
There was no answer. The two bodies grunted and groaned as they wrestled with one another falling to the floor clanging and breaking everything in their path.
Heavy footsteps gained distance behind me. I had no other choice but to jump towards the quarrelling duo. One of their elbows hit me in the nose and my eyes instantly watered.
I gritted my teeth through the pain and choked back the taste of blood in my throat as I grabbed each guy. Since I couldn’t tell which one was Taylor as they both had hair, I teleported the three of us.
We ended up just outside the prison that had housed Zed until we broke him out.
“Holy shit!” exclaimed the unknown male.
Taylor seized the opportunity to put the guy in a headlock and pulled him down to the grass.
The lights from the prison allowed just enough light for me to see a blond haired boy with a similar build as Taylor. Upon closer inspection I noticed a resemblance to him as well. They could have been brothers.
“What the fuck, Varian?” demanded Taylor, holding the boy to the ground.
“You know this guy?” I asked. It was a stupid question but it just came out.
“All my life, he’s my cousin.” He looked disgusted.
That explained the resemblance. What was with Taylor’s family m
embers attacking us everywhere we turned? I looked around to see if anymore of his dysfunctional family was chasing us.
Taylor loosened his grip on his cousin and got up allowing Varian to stand up as well.
“I’ve come to take you home, bro.” He wiped grass from his pants. “The sequence of events isn’t right for what you are trying to do.”
Taylor was fuming. “No. It’s not right that you and my father are trying to kill Lacey.”
Varian furrowed his brows and shook his head. He was confused. “I’m not working with your father. I’m here to help you……” He stopped speaking when a bright spotlight focused its gaze on us.
I put up my hand to protect my eyes. Two guards ran towards us. I turned to grab Taylor and Varian but there was only Taylor. I held him tightly as I concentrated on a picturesque island surrounded by deep blue water.
The landing was rough. I bounced off a tree, stopping a few feet from Taylor who was lucky enough to drop in the sand. A plastic piece from the strap on my backpack jarred my side.
“Are you okay, Lacey?” he asked spitting sand from his mouth.
I clutched my side. “I’m okay. The landing just knocked the wind out of me.” I dropped my bag to the ground as if that would make me catch my breath.
“You’re a mess,” he said wiping the blood from my face with his shirt.
“I’ll live.” I forced a small smile.
“So, where did you take us?” he asked picking up the pack and flinging it over one shoulder. Taylor had lost his bag in the scuffle at the farmhouse.
“I’m hoping to a secluded timeshare I saw in one of the magazines. There should be a house around here somewhere if it’s the place I’m thinking of.” I stared into the trees as if I suddenly developed x-ray vision. That would be a cool ability to add to my repertoire.
We circled the perimeter of the island until we stumbled upon a long dock. There was no boat. A good sign that nobody was around. We followed a path to a large beach house. The front and side walls were built of windows though the bamboo blinds were drawn closed. A large deck housed a hot tub and patio set.
Broken - Afflictions of the Evolved (The Evolved Trilogy) Page 11