Talisman

by S. E. Akers

  “Your application to Yardley.”

  My mouth fell open, left speechless once again.

  “Really, Shiloh. I would think someone who’s smart enough to be accepted into Yardley could’ve figured that out just by looking at the cover.”

  Elated, I ignored his comment and flipped through the pages rather quickly. Unfortunately, reality hit (as soon as the price tag went “cha-ching” in my head) and pulled me back down to earth.

  “Tanner, I told you, I can’t afford this…Not unless you don’t mind me selling any of my diamonds’,” I jabbed.

  “There won’t be any need for that. You’ve got a full academic scholarship…as long as you major in Geology, of course.”

  I looked at the diamond gemstone in my class ring. “Of course,” I acknowledged slyly. I quickly located the form I was to sign in the folder and cleared my throat. “Pen, please?”

  Tanner pulled a black Mont Blanc pen out from the inside pocket of his leather jacket. I noticed it had been customized with a tiny amethyst on the tip of its cap.

  “Imagine that,” I quipped and quickly signed my college application without batting an eye.

  “Here you are,” I announced gleefully as I handed him back the folder with a flick of my wrist, adding a touch of dramatic flair. I couldn’t contain my excitement. Even though my life had taken a different path, I was still being allowed to fulfill one of my dreams. College. And not just any college either — the country’s best and finest.

  Tanner opened the folder and glanced at the form with an intrigued look on his face. He pulled out the application and waved it in the air. “What happened to your ‘y’?”

  Shiloh Wallace

  That’s strange, I thought as I looked at my signature. It wasn’t there. I didn’t even think about the “y”. I’d just signed it. I guessed the frightened little girl deep down inside had put that childhood fear to rest, once and for all.

  “Well, that is my name, isn’t it?” I answered fearlessly.

  Tanner squinted his violet eyes and then gave my head a swift and playful smack with the folder before he put it away.

  “I guess that’s that,” Tanner stated. “I need to be heading off now.”

  My heart sank slightly in my chest. I didn’t want him to go. I was really going to miss him. So many important people in my life had disappeared. Yet again, I was faced with the loss of another one, even if it was only temporary. My mind grappled with what a proper “send-off” should be. I didn’t want to appear too sappy, and I certainly didn’t want any more tears to fall. I’d had enough of those lately to last a lifetime. I thought to myself, Just suck it up. After last night’s attempt to hug him was thwarted awkwardly, I decided a formal handshake would be best.

  Hesitantly, I extended my hand. He took it and appeased me with a few firm shakes. Then to my surprise, Tanner pulled me into a warm embrace.

  “Oh, believe it or not…I’m going to miss you, too,” he confessed.

  I closed my eyes and let myself become lost in his euphoric aura one more time. Within seconds, all my heartache over Daddy, Katie, and Ty had been magically washed away and replaced with an indescribable, heavenly bliss. I couldn’t be sure, but I thought I sensed a few jubilant waves flowing from him as well.

  That’s odd. Tanner had never exuded any feelings of his own. I started to focus in on them when he quickly pulled away.

  He dusted off his jacket and pointed to me. “That’s enough.” He seemed slightly flustered, but managed to compose himself rather quickly.

  “Shiloh, try not consume yourself with so much grief. The world keeps turning, whether you’re present or not. Caiden wouldn’t have wanted that for you. The ones you love are always with you, but unfortunately so is the pain. Time is the only thing that can heal those wounds.”

  “I know. I’ll try. I was just coming to terms with Daddy’s death, and now I have to deal with Katie’s. I’m going to miss her so much, Tanner. She’s always had a special place in my heart. I felt like it was ripped out of me last night.”

  Tanner patted my back. “Well, don’t worry. She’s still a part of you… More than you know,” he said with a wink.

  Tanner started to pull something out of his jacket, but he paused at the sound of a loud engine approaching. The closer it came, the more recognizable it was.

  Mike’s Camaro.

  In no time, Mike’s red muscle car was pulling into the driveway. We watched him maneuver out of the low-sitting car painfully, grimacing from his injuries and holding his ribs.

  Chloe heard him pull in as well. She was still upstairs, but she raised her bedroom window. “Hey, Mike. I’m getting dressed. I’ll be down in a sec. What a nice surprise!” she yelled down.

  Mike ignored her as he hurried towards us. He glared at Tanner and then shifted his attention to me.

  “I need to talk to you…Alone,” Mike demanded.

  “About what?” I asked innocently.

  Oh, I knew good and well about “what”. I supposed I deserved whatever butt-chewing Mike was about to give me. His nose looked horrible, and I could tell by the way he was standing there wincing that he was still in a lot of pain. I ignored the busted lip and missing tooth guiltlessly. That wasn’t “my bad”.

  “You’re going to explain something to me,” Mike snapped.

  I figured he had the same question that was on Ty’s mind the other night. Nervously, I began to form my excuse.

  “Look, Mike…I’m—”

  Mike cut me off. “You’re WHAT? WHAT ARE YOU?” He jumped back slightly, appearing skittish about something.

  Does he think I’m going to kick his butt again? I looked over at Tanner. We were both confused by his demeanor.

  “Excuse me?” I replied. “What are you talking about, Mike?”

  He let out a caustic laugh. “WHERE do I begin? I’m talking about you kicking my ass, for starters. I’m talking about you breaking into our guesthouse and ransacking it! I’m talking about electricity shooting out of your hands, and you killing that guy. I SAW EVERYTHING! THAT’S what I’m talking about!”

  I was taken aback — literally. My eyes flew open as I staggered backward and found myself propped up against my car. I couldn’t believe that I’d been more than a little absentminded about what Mike revealed when he’d driven me to the mine after the dance. But once I’d arrived at the guesthouse, I became so obsessed with searching for the hilt that I didn’t give “them” a second thought.

  “The cameras…” I muttered.

  “Yeah,” Mike replied as he pulled out a disc and waved it in the air.

  Damn…

  I didn’t even have to look at Tanner. I could feel his stare singeing the hairs on my skin.

  “Did you show it to the police?” I asked as calmly as I could.

  “I started to…but I couldn’t,” Mike replied in a softer, almost somber tone, as he struggled to hold back his tears. “You killed the bastard who shot and killed my father. I owed you that much. But I want some answers, Shiloh! Why did you break into the guesthouse? Why did that guy shoot you? Why did that asshole REALLY kill my father? How in the Hell did electricity shoot out of your hands? NOW, SHILOH! What in the Hell ARE YOU?”

  I looked over at Tanner. He was leaning against his bike, slowly shaking his head as he stared up at the sky. Without a doubt, I sensed another “identity” lecture brewing.

  “This is your mess to clean up,” Tanner insisted with a doubtless point of his finger.

  I turned back to Mike, who was still yelling and demanding answers. I sighed and shook my head.

  Well… I did say I was going to heal him before the game. That will take care of my “identity” problem for sure.

  Anxiously, I weighed my options. I figured I couldn’t compel him to calm down, so I could heal him peacefully. There were too many emotions involved (though 99% of them weren’t pleasant ones), but frankly — he was too daggone worked up! I just didn’t know if I could stomach what I had to do. I si
ghed deeply and shrugged my shoulders at Tanner.

  What the Hell…At least this way he’ll SHUT UP! Nothing like killing two-birds with one stone…

  Forcefully, I grabbed Mike and threw him against my Charger. I’d thrown him off guard, but he quickly leaned in and pressed his lips against mine. I ignored the fact that he didn’t even try to resist. I stayed focused on healing his injuries, making sure to only heal them internally, while keeping his outward appearance relatively intact. The sensation was so bizarre. I could actually feel his bones fusing together. While one of my hands clutched the side of his chest where I’d kicked him in the ribs, the other one pried the DVD out of his grasp. Without looking, I tossed it towards Tanner. Immediately, I heard a sharp “crack”, signaling that he had snapped it in half. After a minute, I sensed Mike’s injuries were healed enough to play and his head was now “clear” — thankfully!

  I pulled my lips away from his to the shrill sound of my little sister screaming.

  “YOU BITCH!” Chloe yelled down at me. “You ARE trying to steal him from me! The rumors are TRUE!”

  As soon as I’d released Mike from my grasp, he went crashing back against my car, slid down its side, and landed ass first on the gravel drive. I smiled as I thought about Chloe’s “wrong idea”.

  Make that “three” birds.

  The humming roar of Tanner’s motorcycle pulsated through my body. I turned around to see him sitting on his Harley with his shades on, revving his engine and grinning from ear to ear. I guessed he was pleased with my performance.

  As I approached him, he handed me a small scroll of paper that had been sealed with a regal-looking purple wax stamp.

  “What’s this?” I asked.

  “Early Christmas present,” Tanner replied with a grin. “Later.”

  I was both offended and strangely amused by his choice of farewells.

  “Later? What no ‘good-bye’, or even one more ‘little girl’? You know…one for the road?”

  Tanner lowered his shades and flashed his smoldering violet eyes one more time. “I don’t say ‘good-bye’. It’s too final.” He leaned back and glanced at Mike who was still dazed, trying to get up off the ground. The seductive Talisman locked his eyes with mine and shook his head. “And I’ve never seen a ‘little girl’ kiss like that.” He winked as he gave his Harley one final rev and then like a shot, zoomed off down the country mountain road.

  “THAT WASN’T A KISS!” I screamed out.

  He ignored my declaration, either because he couldn’t hear me, or he just wanted to get under my skin. It wasn’t! It was simply a “means to an end”! Nothing more! I turned to go inside once the last roar of his engine could be heard trailing off in the distance.

  I passed Chloe as I ran up the porch steps. She didn’t say a word. She just charged towards Mike — stomping, snorting, and grunting.

  Whatever…

  Once inside, I paused in the foyer and peeked out the window. Chloe was cursing at Mike for kissing me, to which he replied, “Shiloh who?” Chloe got so mad she slugged him in the face herself. She left him hunched over by his Camaro with nothing but a “Go to Hell” and a “Screw you”. I was pretty sure she re-broke his nose too.

  Well, I’m not fixing it, I thought to myself. I hurried away from the window when I saw her about to enter the house. Charlotte was coming down the stairs, just as Chloe came storming through the front door.

  “I told you Shiloh was trying to steal Mike away from me!” Chloe yelled and slammed her hand down on the table in the foyer.

  Before I could say a word, Charlotte cut in.

  “CHLOE!” my new & improved mother bellowed. “Your sister would NEVER do something like that to you. How could you ever think such a horrible thing? Apologize to Shiloh. Right now!”

  Chloe was utterly stupefied by Charlotte’s reaction. It took her second to respond.

  “But, Mom she was—”

  Charlotte threw Chloe an icy glare and shook her finger. “No ‘buts’! Apologize to your sister!”

  Cluelessly, Chloe started patting Charlotte’s head like she had a fever. “Mom, are you feeling okay?” she asked in an uneasy tone.

  Charlotte swiftly brushed Chloe’s hands from her face and responded with a gruff, “I’m WAITING!”

  Chloe turned and looked at me like she was stuck smack dab in the middle of a bad dream.

  “I’m uh…uh…I’m sorry,” my stunned little sister mumbled.

  I thought Chloe was going to pass out when Charlotte leaned over to kiss me on the cheek before she bounced out the room humming.

  Chloe kept staring at the empty space Mom had occupied before she left. I took my hand and gently lifted her bottom lip back up — to close her mouth — before I trotted up the stairs. No one could have removed the smile plastered on my face. Not even with a lit stick of dynamite…or a carnelian!

  As soon as I stepped inside my bedroom, I gently closed the door and laid the scroll down on my dresser. It’s not even Thanksgiving yet. I can wait. At least, I think I can. Hmmm…? I wonder if there’s a stone that gives you patience?

  I sat back down at my vanity. Still doubting if I could even look at it, I slowly pulled the diamond pendant out of its velvet pouch. A single tear ran down my cheek. I took a long, deep breath as I fastened its clasp. It fell against my chest gently. My fingertips caressed the dainty gemstone’s gold setting while I watched the sunlight reflecting off the diamond’s facets. At that moment, my thoughts were only of Katie.

  Tanner was right. I can feel her in my heart, I thought as gazed at the necklace’s reflection in the mirror. My thoughts of Katie seemed to intensify the longer I stared at the diamond. It was odd in a way. At one point, I could have sworn I smelled her perfume. I scanned all around my vanity, trying to locate the source of the scent.

  Weird… It must be coming from the chain.

  Suspiciously, I looked at the stone again and strangely enough, the sound of a faint, familiar voice echoed in my head. But what was truly “bizarre” was that the voice sounded like Katie’s.

  I laughed. “I’m missing her so much I’m hearing things,” I remarked out loud, as I rose from my chair.

  “WHO’S THERE?” a scared female’s voice cried out.

  I dropped back onto my stool like a ton of bricks.

  “KATIE?” I mumbled skeptically as I stared at my reflection like a spotlighted deer.

  “SHI? Shiloh, is that YOU?” the voice asked frantically.

  Still wide-eyed, I gazed at the diamond pendant that was now swirling with ominous streaks of light and vibrating.

  My hands flew up to my mouth. “Um…Yeahhh,” I muttered.

  “W—Where are you?” Katie called out, her voice sounding shaky.

  “In my bedroom,” I replied in a daze.

  “Oh…That’s nice,” she replied offhandedly. I heard her clear her throat. “Where the Hell am I?” she snapped nervously.

  There was no beating around this bush. I had to tell her.

  “Katie…I’m not one-hundred-percent sure, but um…I think…you’re um…in your diamond pendant,” I replied hesitantly. I still couldn’t believe this conversation was actually happening!

  Katie was silent for a moment.

  “Really?” she replied in a subtle, yet clearly jaded tone. Katie continued calmly (at first), “Shiloh, I don’t know what the heck happened to me, but…GET ME OUT OF THIS PLACE — RIGHT FREAKING NOW!”

  Katie may have been EXTREMELY pissed, however, I was over the moon — but overwrought with anxiety nonetheless.

  “OKAY!” I blurted nervously before I knew what I was saying.

  How the Hell did this happen? I started recalling everything that had transpired at her parents’ jewelry store yesterday. Then it came to me. I’d told the diamond in her pendant — the “unpredictable” diamond — to “keep her soul safe” and apparently, it had!

  Ooohh Shit…

  “Shi? SHI? Are you still there?”

  “Yes! Y
ES! I’m trying to think! Ugh! I don’t know what to do!” I spouted as I paced around the room. Frustrated, I kicked my vanity stool with a little too much force and broke off one of its daggone legs.

  “You better think of something, DIAMOND DIVA!” Katie’s voice yelled out. “I know we’re ‘bosom friends’, but I’m not spending the rest of my eternity hanging between your boobs!”

  “I know…I KNOW! Just be quiet for a second…so I can think!” I pleaded.

  I plopped down on my bed and stared aimlessly around the room. Maybe Bea would know what to do? Vigorously, I shook my head. See, I knew Tanner shouldn’t have left yet! I stood up and began to pace around my room again, mentally cursing Tanner Grey up one side and down the other.

  I started to retrieve the amethyst when my eyes fell upon my dresser. I paused, curiously fixated on something lying on its top.

  The scroll…

  Swiftly, I ran over and grabbed it. After I’d cracked open its wax seal, I unrolled it and sat down on the edge of my bed. The parchment-like letter was scripted in purple ink. I scanned through the entire thing and then started back at the beginning. My eyes rolled as I fell back onto my bed.

  Christmas Present — My ass!

  I flipped over and nestled myself comfortably amongst my pillows to prepare for my next lesson. The letter began,

  Dearest Shiloh,

  I discovered your mess last night at the hospital,

  but you ran off before I could tell you.

  Typical little girl…

  Okay, if you want to bring her back,

  here’s what you have to do…

  Thank You

  Thank you for purchasing

  Talisman

  Shiloh will return — Fall 2012

  Bloodstone

  Talisman : Volume 2

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