Now that the dreams had stopped, Nathan found himself even more consumed with finding out if they were actually real and to helping the girl. He sighed as images of the fair-skinned girl replayed through his mind. “At least I have a name,” he thought. “Leah.”
There was a quick knock on his bedroom door and Nathan jumped and turned around to find Roy smiling in his doorway. “Looks like you’re almost done in here,” Roy said.
“Yeah,” muttered Nathan, sounding a bit surprised. He’d been so distracted by his thoughts about Leah, he hadn’t notice that he had folded the last item to be put away.
“You’ll have fun,” said Roy, reassuringly, and with a grin. “Don’t look so – spaced out.”
Nathan paused; giving himself a moment to return back to reality and then he nodded. Roy cleared his throat. “Umm – Lafonda has already started packing her car,” he said. “I assume you guys will actually ride together this year?”
“Uh – yeah,” stuttered Nathan, pausing to grab a suitcase. “No problem.”
“Good,” said Roy. “Because LaDonda has already left for campus and I don’t want to have to drive you over there.”
“Okay, Grandpa,” said Nathan, while shaking his head.
Outside the cottage, Nathan saw Lafonda struggling to load what looked like several overloaded suitcases into the trunk of her new red Ferrari Spider. Casually, he approached from behind her. “So,” he said in a playful tone. “Need any help?”
She put down what looked like a humungous suitcase in comparison to her size and faced Nathan. Her long black hair, still slightly curled from the party, danced softly across her windswept face. The small gold locket around her neck occasionally caught the sun’s rays and reflected brilliantly in the light.
“Good afternoon to you too, Mr. Urye,” she responded with a confident grin. She paused; placing a lock of hair behind her ear. “It’s so nice of you to volunteer to place all my bags in the trunk for me. You’re such the gentlemen.”
“Sure, sure,” he mocked her, with a huge grin. “So, what time do we have to be there?” he asked. “Shouldn’t we have been there hours ago to help with check-in?”
She leaned against the car and grinned. “Not this year. My grandmother said this year she had enough counselors volunteer to work check-in so we’re off the hook.”
“Oh – really?” mumbled Nathan, while loading the trunk. “Well, that’s no fun.”
Lafonda had a surprised look on her face. “Really?” she responded, folding her arms. “I thought you would enjoy not having to wake up early in the morning to work check-in, especially being that its summer.”
“True, true,” he said, pausing to catch his breath in between loading Lafonda’s bags. “But I was looking forward to seeing all the excited faces turn sour after the first night.”
She shook her head. “Nathan,” she said in a weary voice. “You never cease to amaze me.”
“Yeah – and ditto here,” he responded. He stood up straight and leaned back to stretch his back. “So, how much crap are you taking to camp anyway?” She glowered at him and he protested by shaking his head.
“Leadership camp is only for four weeks, Lafonda,” he continued. “And it’s not like you’re going to Rome, the Devaro Mansion is only twenty-two minutes away.”
“I hope that explains why you only packed two suitcases,” she retorted in a disapproving tone.
“Hey, you kids ready to hit the road?” asked Roy, arriving from the main house. He grinned. “LaDonda’s already called twice to see if you two have left the house. I told her you two were – happily riding over together.”
Nathan turned to examine the almost full trunk and scowled. “I guess we’ll be leaving as soon as I finish stuffing the trunk with the rest of Lafonda’s entire wardrobe,” he said.
She rolled her eyes and pursed her lips into a sarcastic smile.
Roy cleared his throat and grinned. He gave Nathan a hand with the last of the suitcases while Lafonda climbed inside of the car.
“Thanks, Grandpa!” smiled Nathan. “You’ve still got some life in those arms of yours.”
Roy slightly chuckled and then huffed through his nose. “Go get in the car,” he responded half-heartily, “Before I show you, just how much life I have left in these arms.”
Nathan smiled at his grandfather and then proceeded to open the door to Lafonda’s Ferrari. He paused and then a puzzling smirk appeared on his face. “Uh, Lafonda?” he asked, sounding bewildered. “Why are the seats and interior of your car a light blue?”
Immediately, she sat up straight while quickly examining the vehicle. “What?” She responded innocently.
With wide brown eyes he gawked at her and took a few steps back from the open car door to look at the vehicle. “You are aware that your car is red and the trim is a light blue,” he said. He paused again and then slowly shook his head. “And – you don’t see a problem here?”
“No,” responded Lafonda slowly. “Blue is my favorite color.”
He stood there looking at her with wide eyes. “And – it never occurred to you to maybe just ask for a blue car?” He suddenly released a quick snicker. “I don’t know why I didn’t notice it before,” he continued with a perplexed look on his face. “Surely, I would have said something earlier.”
“Just get in the car, Nathan!” she spouted, sounding annoyed. She had a smug look on her face. “And it’s not light blue – its Carta Da Zucchero.”
“And what is that?” he grinned, “Italian for light blue?”
“Can we go now?” demanded Lafonda, clearly irritated.
He slid into the passenger seat. “Okay!” he said in a high-pitched voice. Nathan inspected the blue trim in her car again and mumbled. “Good luck when it’s time for resale.”
Roy approached the driver’s side of the car and sighed while slowly shaking his head. “Can you two please play nice while driving into town?” he asked.
Lafonda looked up at Roy and smiled reassuringly. “Don’t worry, Roy,” she grinned. “We’ll be fine.”
Roy took a deep breath and then released it quickly. “Okay,” he said. “Now please, drive the speed limit and let me know when you get into town.” He glanced over to the passenger seat at Nathan and his chest heaved again. “And, Nathan,” he said. “Do you have your cell phone?”
“Yes,” said Nathan, sounding annoyed as he patted his pockets.
Roy looked away and then back at Nathan again. “Good,” he said. “Then use it.”
Nathan smiled.
During the summer, the back road into town from the Devaro mansion was always lush with greenery. There were so many trees alongside the road that they often blocked out the sun. Occasionally, there would be pockets of sunlight and you could spot deer grazing amidst the trees or along the road. On cloudy days and just before nightfall however, the dense cluster of trees made the road seem mysterious. It was still inviting, but yet quite menacing.
“What time is it?” asked Nathan, while looking at the clock on the leather dashboard to Lafonda’s Ferrari. “It’s suddenly so dark.”
“Yeah, it is darker,” Lafonda agreed, removing her sunglasses. She chuckled. “I noticed things were a little darker through my sunglasses, but then again, they always are.”
He glanced over at her and laughed too. Nathan squinted as a prism of golden light reflected from her locket. “I see that you’re wearing the locket your grandfather gave to you.”
She quickly glanced down before returning her focus back on the road. “Umm – yeah,” she smiled, placing a hand on the locket.
Nathan settled back into his seat and turned to look at the locket again. He smiled. “You look good,” he said. Abruptly, his eyes fluttered and he began to stumble. He could feel his cheeks turning red. “I meant – it looks – good on you.”
She turned to face him and smiled. A few moments passed and Nathan abruptly cleared his throat. “So,” he said, while awkwardly clasping his hands. “How does Jim
Darding feel about you not wearing his necklace?”
She turned to look at him again and her happy face quickly turned sour. “Umm, Nathan is that really any of your business?”
“Okay then, don’t tell me,” protested Nathan. “It’s just that I noticed yesterday you were gone most of the day.” He cracked a smile and then snickered. “And it didn’t help my curiosity any that every time someone called looking for you, LaDonda kept saying you were at Jim’s place.”
There was a brief silence and then slowly Lafonda opened her mouth. “Jim and I,” she said, abruptly, “decided to take a break – at least for the summer, anyway.”
Nathan thought he saw what looked like a half-smile creep unto her face.
“I hope this didn’t have anything to do with me or the fruit punch,” he said.
“No, Nathan,” she said, sounding annoyed again.
He smiled. “All right,” he said with a grin, “I won’t ask again.”
They sat in silence for a while and as the car continued down the road, Nathan thought about the events of that night. In his mind, he recalled his shaky hands and the stained white dress. He also remembered overhearing the conversation Lafonda was having with her friend Amanda and how suddenly he’d wanted to dance with her. Now, that was definitely weird, he thought. But – I wonder what Leah looks like? I bet if I saw a picture of her, I would know for sure if she was the same person.
“So,” he said, taking a long pause before continuing, “Any news about your friend?”
“What friend?” she asked, suspiciously. “Are you talking about Amanda? Her face distorted into a slight frown as she tried to glare at him while keeping her eyes on the road. “She has a boyfriend you know.”
“No,” he sighed. “Your friend Leah.” He took a deep breath. “I overheard you and Amanda talking about her – is she okay? Is she still in the hospital?”
Lafonda sat in silence for awhile before slowly answering. “The last time I heard anything about her was two days ago,” she said. “She’s still in the hospital as far as I know. It’s been a few days since I’ve spoken to her mother.” She paused. “I haven’t spoken to Leah since the day she was committed to St. Lucas Memorial Hospital in St. Louis.”
“Okay,” muttered Nathan, sounding slightly sad.
“So – why?” she asked. “I mean – why are you asking?” Lafonda’s face softened. “Did you know Leah?”
Quickly, Nathan sat up straight again. “Umm – I don’t know,” he said. “She does sound familiar – do you have a picture of her?”
Lafonda paused and her eyes fluttered for a second before speaking. “No, not with me,” she said. “But I’m sure there’s a freshmen class photo of her in the school’s yearbook.” She smiled. “We all took pictures right before the end of the semester. We should be able to find a yearbook once we get to campus…”
She stopped mid-sentence and squinted as they drove around a corner. Nathan looked on, but looked slightly confused. “What’s wrong?” he asked.
Lafonda blinked her eyes a few times and then quickly shook her head. “Uh – nothing,” she said. “It’s just so dark all of a sudden.” She exhaled. “And I swear a dog or something darted across the road.”
“Well, then turn your lights on, Lafonda!” exasperated Nathan. “You’re going to hit something if you can’t see.”
“Yeah, but it’s not even five o’clock yet,” explained Lafonda. “I don’t want to look silly driving with my lights on when the sun is still out!”
“Ugh, just turn your lights on, Lafonda,” he said in a weary voice. “It won’t matter what people think if we hit something or have a car accident.
Suddenly, Lafonda gasped and the red Ferrari swerved.
“What – what happened!” asked Nathan, sounding panicked.
“Did you see that?” she shouted. “Something just darted across the road!”
“What?” he asked, “another dog?
She looked into her rearview mirror. “I don’t know,” she said. “It was dark. I couldn’t make out the shape from the shadows.”
Nathan followed suit by scanning the road behind them and then the trees. “It probably was a deer or a fox in the road,” he said. “Now, you know why I asked you to turn on your lights.”
“Oh my God!” complained Lafonda, cringing slightly and then squinting.
“What now?” he groaned, while quickly scanning the road and the trees again. “I don’t see anything.”
“Not on the road!” cried Lafonda, still squinting. “The car behind us is driving way too close and they have their high beams on.”
He spun around to see what she was talking about, only to be repelled by the cars’ bright headlights. “Who is that?” he spouted.
“I don’t know,” she muttered, through clinched teeth. “But it’s quite annoying.” She paused and then abruptly turned to look at Nathan. “Wait, did he just speed up?”
The roar of the engine from the vehicle following close behind them could be heard as it accelerated and its lights grew closer and closer. Both Nathan and Lafonda turned to look at each other as the vehicle weaved dangerously close to Lafonda’s car.
“Umm, Lafonda,” said Nathan with a hint of fear in his voice. “I think he wants you to move.”
“Umm, Nathan,” she responded angrily. “You think?”
Lafonda continued to drive along the road with both hands clenched tightly around the steering wheel. She suddenly became focused and only moved when her eyes occasionally made contact with the rearview mirror.
Nathan noticed that her hands appeared to clench tighter and tighter as the new red car gradually accelerated. “Uh, Lafonda,” he said, while keeping a watchful eye on the still approaching vehicle. “You’re not pulling over.”
Her dark brown eyes made contact with the rearview mirror again and her lips pursed with concentration as she accelerated. Nathan’s eyes grew wide as he watched the dial gradually increase on the speedometer. “Look, don’t piss them off!” he shouted. “Just move or pull over!”
“I know, I know!” she yelled.
Nathan’s face suddenly looked beleaguered. “If you know,” he snapped. “Then why the heck are you accelerating!”
“Look, Nathan,” she explained, with a confident grin. “I’m driving a Ferrari and if this guy thinks he can keep up with me – well, let’s find out!”
Nathan sighed heavily and shook his head. “Whatever,” he said. “I guess this is the part of the movie where I buckle my seat belt and say a prayer before we have a car accident!”
“You are so dramatic, Nathan!” she shouted.
“Dramatic!” he cried, while gawking at the ever increasing speedometer. “Look who’s talking!” Nathan noticed the trees alongside the road were now whizzing by in a blur. “100 mph!” he yelled. “Lafonda, this guy is not going to give up!”
The headlights from the tailgating car continued to dance side to side as it attempted once to pass Lafonda’s vehicle. “I don’t think so!” she groaned, shifting gears and slamming down the accelerator.
In response, the engine of the unknown car behind them roared and proceeded to drive on the approaching traffic side of the roadway. Nathan could now make out the metallic silver car as it drove beside them; matching Lafonda’s speed. “Lafonda!” he yelled. “Let the guy pass us already – before another car comes!”
“Okay, okay,” she spouted. “But, can you see who it is?”
“What – no!” he yelled, only pausing briefly to look at the silver vehicle. “The windows are tinted and besides, what difference will it make if we’re dead!”
“Ugh!” she huffed and the red Ferrari began to decelerate. “What a freaking jerk!”
Nathan sighed and his chest heaved in relief. “Yeah – he’s a jerk,” he said with a nod. “And you’re freaking crazy!” Suddenly, his mouth fell open as they both realized what was approaching from the top of the hill in front of them. “Lafonda!” he screamed. “A truck is coming
!”
“I know, I know – I see it,” she stuttered, a hint of desperation settling in her voice. “But he’s not passing me – he keeps matching my speed!”
The approaching truck drew closer as the silver car next to them continued to match Lafonda’s speed. They could hear the horn of the approaching truck as it drew closer to them. “Are you crazy!” she yelled, while gawking at the person behind the tinted windows.
“He’s not going to stop!” he cried, his palms sweating and his heart racing now. “Just brake Lafonda – brake!”
“I am braking!” she yelled.
“Then just pull over, Lafonda!” he moaned. “Just pull over before you get us killed!”
“I’m trying to,” she stuttered. “But there’s nowhere to pull over to!”
Nathan frantically looked to the right side of the road, but she was right; there was no room for the red Ferrari. The entire right side of the road before the trees was lined by a deep ditch. The blaring horn from the approaching truck grew louder and so did the sound of his pounding heart against his chest.
“Why don’t you just come to a complete stop?” he yelled, but before he could elaborate, he noticed something moving fast beyond the ditch amongst the trees. It looked as if something shadowy was moving alongside them. He squinted and as the shadowy shape continued to move quickly through the forest, he was sure it was definitely some sort of animal. It wasn’t until the creature appeared out of the forest, with what looked like supernatural speed, that he was able to see what looked like to him, a black and lean, disheveled-looking dog. The creature’s bright blue eyes immediately connected with Nathan’s as it paced the small side road coming up ahead of them.
“Wait!” he yelled.
“What!” responded Lafonda in sheer panic. Her hands still gripped tight around the steering wheel.
“Don’t stop, pull over there!” he pointed. “There’s a side road up ahead.”
Lafonda looked frantically over the dashboard. “Where?”
Nathan’s eyes connected with the creature’s piercing blue eyes again. “Over there!” he shouted, pointing towards the side road.
The Legend of the Firewalker Page 7