See Me

by Michelle Lee

  “Your heart rate and stress level elevated this time,” he said. “Heart rate quite a bit more so than the stress, but still lower than most. Though to be fair, I’m pretty sure my heart rate skyrocketed, and I wasn’t in the same position as you. It’s very impressive I’ll admit.”

  “So how many more today?” I dreaded the answer.

  “Just one,” He stood up. “I’ll take you down to Father Roarke now.”

  Thank God. I think more holy water was in my immediate future and I wasn’t looking forward to it. We went down many floors in the elevator, and I figured we were below ground somewhere. I saw Taklishim leaving a room as we stepped off the elevator. “Thank you,” I told him gratefully as he walked past us. He nodded gently at me and kept going.

  I’d never tell either of these men I now stood with, but I was at my limit for the day. Exhaustion was seeping into my bones and I knew that dark energy had something to do with it. As we stepped through the doors, I found myself in a church. Not quite the catholic ones I remembered from my childhood, but close enough.

  The energy in me shifted and I grew nervous. I didn’t want to talk about this in front of Dr. Stone. “I request privacy for this meeting, please.”

  Dr. Stone looked affronted, but Father Roarke nodded his head at me and turned to Dr. Stone, “It is her right.” Clearly pissed off, he stormed out, slamming the door behind him.

  Father Roarke waited a few minutes, then walked over and locked the door. “This room has no monitoring, and is soundproof, he can’t see or hear you.”

  Relief swamped me and I sank to the pew behind me. “Have I got a story for you,” I started. I spilled the story of my last meeting with a priest and told him about what I experienced today. Finishing up with what Asher had told me, and then what Taklishim had said.

  Father Roarke looked astonished at my tale, but said, “Taklishim was just here and told me his theory. I’d have to agree with Asher, it’s not a demon. And it may well be a manifestation of emotion, but I think there’s more to it than that or you wouldn’t have reacted to the holy water as you did.”

  I agreed with him, but that made this an unknown thing, and that sat heavy on my soul too. “So what does that mean for me?” I asked, resigned to whatever fate had in store for me.

  “Sadly, it means since the holy water worked, we will do that again until we know more and can find a better way. In my years of dealing with the odd occult things, I’ve learned that salt water can be effective too. Seeing as how you need to get it out of you sooner rather than later, we won’t experiment yet. Though I do want to try an additional step to maybe keep you safer,” he said, thoughtful. I would have agreed to anything to keep hearing him talk.

  I told him as much, and then was about as happy as I could be in the given circumstances to hear his rich laughter. He was maybe on the higher side of middle age, and not hard on the eyes. Ginger coloring, red hair, fair skin. Deep brown eyes with kindly wrinkles at the edges. I watched as he went to the pulpit and pressed a button on something, and the jolted ad the pew moved off to the side with me sitting on it.

  The pews were on rotational circles that as they moved, they opened the center of the room and exposed what looked like to me a witch’s circle. I must have had a befuddled expression on my face, and he told me that in some situations the priests were trained to use circles like this for protection. I wasn’t about to question it. If it kept me safe, I was all for it.

  There was more to this priest than met the eye, that was for sure. He excused himself to go prepare and I sat there, trying to remain calm. Winnie popped in and said, “I hope you know what you are doing. Last time was traumatic for both of us.”

  “I remember,” my voice quiet. “This energy is vile Winnie. I’d rather drink toilet water than feel this creeping around inside me.”

  “I’ll be here,” she smiled softly at me, concern filling her eyes. “I do have to admit though; my testing was a lot less eventful than yours has been. I wouldn’t have passed. You are beautiful Airy, everyone who looks at you sees you shining with it.”

  “Don’t, not now Winnie. I can’t process anymore today.” A look of sadness crossed her face and I didn’t want to delve into if that look was because I didn’t believe her, or because I refused to admit that I was what she claimed. I closed my eyes and waited.

  It wasn’t long before Father Roarke came back in, carrying a glass of holy water I assumed, a bag of something and a vial filled with a green liquid. He pulled some white candles out of the bag and placed them around the circle, lighting them and whispering a prayer in Latin. He then reached in the bag and pulled out what to me looked like a bag of weed, but I guessed was some herbs of some sort, then pulled out a bag of rock salt and sprinkled them around the circle as well.

  This felt anything but holy to me, but I was out of my element here and I really wanted this crap in me gone. He then dipped his fingers in holy water by the pulpit and came over to me and said another prayer and made the sign of the cross on my forehead, which made the energy in me cramp in pain.

  “In the circle,” he said. I gingerly stood up and moved into the circle, then feeling unsteady, I laid on the floor. “I don’t have magic lass, so I can’t say that you’ll be safe, but I think this will keep you safer than if we didn’t use it.” His voice was kind and soothing.

  “I’m going to recite a couple of prayers while you drink this, I have a strong suspicion that someone up there is watching out for you,” he pointed up. I didn’t know if he meant in the building or heaven, and I wasn’t going to ask. “Whatever this manifestation is, the circle and the prayers should keep it contained to this area within, that is why I put the herbs and salt down. The holy water should keep it from having it re-enter you,” he explained gently to me.

  He handed me the cup of water and I sat up to drink it as he started reciting prayers in both Latin and English. Once it was all gone, I laid back down and closed my eyes. I didn’t feel anything at first, nothing like the last time, and I got scared it wasn’t going to work. I opened my eyes to tell him when it hit me.

  Pain roared through my body and I distantly heard screaming again, realizing it was probably me. I went in and out of consciousness, the pain relentless in its need to take me apart. I’m sure I heard snippets of the prayers between bouts of consciousness, but I couldn’t make any guarantees.

  I had no idea how long the agony lasted, but I finally blacked out for good, sure I was bleeding from my eyes. I don’t know how long I was out, but it wasn’t long enough. Pain woke me to hear Father Roarke repeating, “Lass? Can you hear me?” And patting my cheeks.

  I think I nodded, but maybe not since he kept asking. I cracked open one crusty eyelid and saw him with a bloody gash on his cheek and Winnie looking pale even for a ghost. Suddenly I was very awake as I saw how rumpled Father Roarke looked and I mistakenly tried to sit up too fast.

  With a guttural cry my body gave in to the pain that tore through me and I couldn’t move. “Did I do that to you?” I croaked through my hoarse voice. I motioned with my head at his face, misery flooding through me at the thought of hurting him.

  “It happened because I failed to understand the level of pain you described to me from when you did this before, and I was too close. It’s entirely my fault,” his kind words didn’t detract from me having hurt him. “Drink this, quickly now.” He handed me the vial of green fluid. “Taklishim left if for you.” As if that explained anything.

  I downed it like a shot of tequila by a thirsty man, feeling a numbing sensation much like a shot of tequila would do, without the burn of the alcohol, spreading throughout my body. “Water,” I pleaded.

  “Not yet, let the medicine work first,” were the gentle words I heard.

  “Your arm, Airy,” were the next words I heard as I lifted my arm to see blood soaking through the bandage again. This day needed to be over.

  I moved around until I positioned myself in a seated position and peeled the bandage off
and replaced it with the one Father Roarke silently handed me. I stood slowly and moved to a pew and plopped down ungracefully. “Was it as bad as I feel?” I asked, not caring who answered me.

  I heard Winnie’s quiet yes from next to me but was too tired to look at her. Father Roarke must be walking around as I heard movement and then a scraping sound in front of me. I opened my eyes again to see him sitting in a chair he had moved, and he was holding a wet washcloth to his face. I winced.

  “I’m so sorry, Father.” Words couldn’t convey it properly.

  “You my lass, have a great gift for understatement,” he joked.

  I blanched, “No, I truly am sorry,” completely misunderstanding his statement.

  He leaned forward and tipped my chin up, “I’m talking about what you described to me from last time. Not this,” he pointed to his face. “If you must explain this again, please don’t undervalue the pain that it puts you through. I’ve seen some awful things, but nothing quite like that.”

  His face got gravely serious. “You stopped breathing lass. I thought I had lost you. Then, you lit up with a glow that I can’t even describe, but this entire room filled with love and I saw your chest fill with air again. You have been given a rare gift, or better yet, you ARE a rare gift that this world will exploit given a chance.”

  I shook my head in denial, but I could feel that every word he spoke was true. My walls had been shredded by this last go around and my senses were wide open. “I’m afraid I don’t understand Father.” My voice thick with tears I refused to let fall.

  “I don’t either lass, but I’m getting a better picture. You are exquisite and divine, I consider myself blessed to have been here for this. You are my hope for the future, and also my fear that it will get taken away. You must be very careful in your upcoming trials that I am sure will be coming. Never fear the darkness, lass, for you can shine brightly in any corner and expose it for what it is hiding. This will not be the last time we will speak, but rest assured I will be searching for answers in how to better help you than this. Your humble strength brings me to my knees,” his eyes were shining with tears as he cupped my cheek in his hand and made the sign of the cross on my forehead again.

  Winnie was sobbing noisily next to me, and I needed food and sleep. “Father, I can’t find the words to tell you how much it pains me that my actions hurt you, but I am also reduced to a jumbled-up mess at the beautiful words you just gifted me. Thank you will not be enough. Though, I don’t understand any of this, I will do my best to live up to your hopes. Right now, I find myself lacking much of the strength you say you see, but I will take my leave and hope for a brighter tomorrow.”

  I stood bracing myself against the pew for a moment. He stood with me, “Wee lass, think about this for me please. The fact that you can offer me hope, without understanding, stand after that ordeal, without assistance, and carry on this path you find yourself on, without knowing what awaits you, that my child, is strength.”

  I didn’t care if it was proper or not, I hugged him. Then turned as quickly as I could and left the room for the elevator. Dr. Stone waiting in the hall, and I inwardly groaned. “What I find amazing is that your heart rate tracker stopped working for five minutes while you were in there, care to explain that?” he asked as I got in the elevator, his tone impervious.

  “Nope, I don’t care to explain it. All I care about now, is eating and sleeping,” my voice harsh.

  “The car is waiting to take you back,” he said as the elevator opened at the ground floor. Dusk just setting. How was it only just now dusk? It felt like today had been three days. “The car will pick you up at 7:00 am tomorrow,” he called after me. I gave him a thumbs up and kept walking, feeling shattered.

  “Hotel please,” I said to the driver and passed out.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Winnie watched in horror as Airy passed out in the car, unable to get the attention of the driver or to help her. She started to panic, worried about the energy exertion Airy had used, the battering her body had taken, the blood loss, lack of food, the list went on and on and added up to nothing good. And the testing was going to continue tomorrow. She shuddered thinking of what would happen next.

  The car stopped and the driver noticed Airy slumped over. Concerned she watched him bolt out of the car and try to wake her. She was out. Winnie yelled in her ear, trying to help, but no response. The driver carefully lifted her out of the back and carried her inside the lobby, asking the front desk to please help him get her to her room.

  Winnie almost laughed as the front desk clerk took in the bloody clothes and battered appearance and gave the driver a look of disbelief and lack of trust. She insisted on calling security to escort him to the room to ensure Airy was safely inside. Winnie was grateful for the extra care shown.

  Once Airy was safely placed on the bed and the driver out of the room, security shut her in and left. She sat there keeping an eye on her, but the worry not diminishing at all. She cursed at her lack of ability to communicate clearly with anyone else. Making songs play on the guys phones would not convey this.

  Suddenly she noticed Airy moving. She got up dazed, moved stiffly and stripped her clothes and got in the shower. Maybe all was okay, Winnie started to think. Then she heard deep wracking sobs coming from the shower. All was not okay. She popped out and into one of the guys rooms, she didn’t know which one. She saw Aedan playing with an Ovilus and Mags curled up on a sofa reading.

  The Ovilus would work, but Aedan wouldn’t get it, she needed Smitty or Ronnie. An idea came to her and she played with the device on her side of the veil separating them and the device spoke, “Art.”

  Aedan started, dropping it in surprise and Mags looked up. “Did that just say Art?” she asked.

  “Sure did,” Aedan said, confusion coloring his face. It was a start, she had their attention.

  Winnie played with it again, and got it to speak two words, “Need” then “Art”.

  Mags jumped, her book forgotten. “Holy shit Aedan!”

  “Yep,” he looked at her in amazement.

  “I’m getting the guys,” she yelled behind her as she ran out of the room.

  Winnie was excited it was working and clapped as Ronnie and Jax ran into the room followed by Mags. She played with the device again and got it to say “Air” and “Bad” but that didn’t get the message across. They were all confused.

  Her mind racing, she tried again. “Angel, need, help” it spoke, and Ronnie jolted.

  “It’s Winnie,” he stated. Mags and Aedan staring at him like he was crazy.

  Smitty carefully said out loud, “Airiella needs help?”

  Yes! Winnie knew he’d get it. She made the device say yes.

  “Is she in her room?” Ronnie trying to narrow it down, standing like he was ready to bolt to her rescue.

  Winnie made it say yes again, knowing now that they would help her. Ronnie started to go but Smitty pulled him back. Mags and Aedan still staring, dumbstruck.

  “Winnie, should we go, or should Mags go?” Smitty turned to Ronnie, “She might not need someone with a penis around her right now, dude. We don’t know what she went through today.”

  She thought about it and understood what he was getting at. While Airy would enjoy their being there, she would not like them seeing her like that. She manipulated the machine until it said, “Magenta.”

  The guys all looked at Mags, who just nodded and asked Smitty what room, then left. Winnie felt a wave of relief. And went back to Airy.

  That had been Mags first experience with what the guys called an intelligent spirit. It was exhilarating, but unnerving at the same time. Smitty and Ronnie had filled Aedan in on Airiella, sharing their impressions and wonder at their reactions to her. Mags was sure she would like her but had no idea what was wrong enough to send a ghost seeking help.

  She knocked on the door and waited. Pressing her ear to the door she could hear movement and knocked gently again, then heard a shuffling sound. The
door opened and Mags gasped in shock at the sight. This girl indeed needed help. Mags jumped forward as she started to drop, like she had no bones.

  She helped her back to the and sat her down. “Hi there, my name is Mags, short for Magenta. My parents were horrible at names,” she chattered, giving her time to check this poor girl out. “I’m Aedan’s wife, you haven’t met him yet. But he just got a stunning message on one of his devices that you needed help, so here I am.”

  “I’m not at my best,” her voice was rough and weak. “I’m Airiella, please call me Airy,” her voice nothing but a whisper by then. Mags heard her stomach growl.

  “Are you hungry? Don’t talk, just nod,” she prodded. Airy nodded and Mags got up to grab the room service menu and bring it back. “Okay love, point to what sounds good,” she instructed.

  Airy pointed to a grilled cheese sandwich, french fries, a cup of soup, and chocolate cake. Mags chuckled, she chose all comfort foods. This girl needed some love. Mags ordered the food and had them add chamomile tea, some honey and lemon.

  She went back to Airy and got her back in bed, tucked in and propped up. “Don’t talk until after you eat and drink the tea I ordered. Your throat needs some rest,” Mags ordered sweetly. Airy smiled at her, not a huge smile, but she saw what Ronnie and Smitty meant about a draw. She felt the overwhelming need to protect her. “I’d love to hear about your day, but right now, I am just going to provide some TLC, okay?”

  Airy nodded and sagged again. Mags sat next to Airy and pulled her into her body to just hold her. Airy’s body shook as silent sobs claimed her. Mags fought back her own tears as she realized just how deep whatever it was that shook her up was. Airy curled up into Mags and just cried.

  Mags stroked her still damp hair, checked the bandage on her arm, cataloged the bruises she could see, and silently cursed the council that pushed her this far. There was a knock on the door and Mags eased out from under Airy and let the room service in. When he left, she helped her up and over to the table, set the food in front of her and prepped the tea while Airy started eating. It was slow going but she was keeping it down.