“You OK, Tess?” asked Will.
“Yeah, I’m managing. I do have one question for you, though.”
“Uh… what do you want to ask me?” he asked hesitantly.
I stared at him. “How did Bully get up and over the wall in his wheelchair?”
“I was waiting for you to ask me that,” he sighed.
“Well”, I retorted, “are you going to tell me?”
“I don’t know if I can,” he remarked, looking at me anxiously.
“Please try.” I asked, glaring at him.
He didn’t say anything for a minute while he was gathering his thoughts. He finally pulled over to the side of the road. “Look, I’ll explain it as best as I can. You’ll have to be patient, so just listen.” His tone implied that I wasn’t very patient!
He took a deep breath and turned to face me. “One day when I was a little kid, I was sitting in my bedroom bored out of my mind. I was eight years old at the time and I was sent to my room for the day as a punishment for something. I can’t remember what it was. Anyway, I started playing around. I’d always been interested in magic shows and so I was trying some magic trick I saw on television. I was trying to move an object with my mind. To my amazement, I was able to move a penny about a quarter inch on the surface of my desk by concentrating my mind on pushing that penny.”
I knew I was being impatient but I couldn’t help myself. “One-quarter inch? Are you sure it wasn’t just your imagination? And what does this have to do with tonight anyway?”
Will glared at me. “Tess, remember, patience! I know you’ve had a rough night but you have to just listen. I’m trying to explain it so that you understand. Otherwise, it won’t make sense to you.”
“Sorry, Will. I know it was weird for you, too,” I answered. I took a deep breath to calm myself.
Suddenly, we could hear sirens approaching from the distance. It sounded like the police, but no, it was an ambulance. It flew down the street, flashing lights and blasting sirens. Will said grimly, “It’s probably going to get Jimmy.”
My anxiety crept up a notch but I tried to ignore it. “So anyway, Will, continue with what you were telling me about moving the penny.”
He continued, “Even as a little kid, I knew not to tell anyone about it because they’d think I was crazy. However, I did continue to practice in my room whenever I had a chance and I’ve gotten pretty good at it. I’ve even performed some telekinetic moves to freak my parents out.”
“Like what would you do to them?”
Will cracked a smile. “Just last week I was half asleep on the couch while my dad was watching TV. He went to use the remote and he couldn’t find it on the coffee table where it usually is. He was going crazy looking for it. My dad goes insane when he loses the remote. Anyway, while his back was turned I lifted the remote from under his chair to the coffee table with my mind.”
“With your mind?” I asked, narrowing my eyes.
“Yes! As I said, I was using the telekinetic power I’ve been practicing for years.”
“What else can you do?”
“Just last week I was able to lift my Physics book a foot off my desk and move it across the room onto the book shelf.”
“So, Will, are you telling me that you lifted Bully Boy up in his wheelchair?” I asked skeptically.
He replied, “Not exactly. I couldn’t do that, at least not alone.”
I was taken aback. “What do you mean by not alone?”
“I’m pretty sure I did it with Mercy. I believe that in our charged frame of mind, our adrenalin kicked in and helped us to lift him and keep him up. You know how you hear about people who are able to lift heavy objects like cars when they are in an extreme state of stress such as feeling imminent danger or fear? That’s due to excessive bursts of adrenalin. I believe that Mercy and I put our telekinetic powers together which increased its effectiveness, plus we were both pumped up with adrenalin. I was absolutely terrified that Bully was going to stab you and I’m sure Mercy felt the same way. I didn’t even think about what to do at the time. I simply reacted. The adrenalin may also have enhanced our telekinetic abilities. I developed a splitting headache which is just beginning to go away.” Will started rubbing his forehead.
“Will, that sounds crazy, but it’s as good an explanation as any. If I hadn’t seen Bully’s wheelchair lift up like that, I would never have guessed it could be done. Do you have any idea what Mercy thinks?”
Will thought for a minute and then answered, “When we first turned the corner and saw what was going on, there was no way we could get there in time to stop Bully from hurting you. Mercy grabbed my arm said something about how it was up to us. There was no time to wonder what she meant. We just did it.”
Abruptly Will looked down at my hand. “By the way, how much is your hand bleeding? Let me look at it.”
Will lifted it up and partially unwrapped the gauze. “Look, my mom is a nurse. Let’s go to my house first and have her clean you up. We’ll have to think of something to tell her on the way. There’s also your head,” he commented as he peered down at my forehead. “It’s stopped bleeding but it has to be washed up again and it needs a band aid. If you’re fixed up with no blood showing by the time you get home, your aunt won’t be as freaked out.”
“Thanks for your help. Will, I have to say, you’re a much nicer guy than I originally thought.”
He smirked, “Oh, really? What did you think of me?”
I leaned over and kissed him on the cheek and answered, “I thought you were a wise guy. Now, I think that you’re a nice wise guy.”
He just looked at me. I was waiting for a sarcastic remark but I think he was at a loss for words, not a common occurrence around Will. On closer inspection, I think I saw him blush! He is really a cute guy when he looks embarrassed like that. I’ll have to kiss him more often.
21. Finally, Ian
I’m glad Monday’s almost over. I hate Mondays, especially when you show up at school with a drastic new haircut. Everyone had to put their two cents in, although the comments were generally positive (at least the ones to my face!). I just don’t like people staring at me. I was able to scrunch my hair over the cut above my eye so people wouldn’t ask about that. Eve let me wear her favorite yellow sweater. I thought about wearing a skirt, but I didn’t want to overdo it since I seldom wear skirts, so I wore the sweater with my best old jeans. People are always scrutinizing what you do in high school. It’s like living in a fish bowl.
I bumped into Rainy in front of the school at the end of the day. I was listening to her go on and on about an incident in the café when I had the feeling that someone was watching me. I turned my head and quickly glanced at him out of the corner of my eye. It was Ian. He was across the street a little ways down, staring right at me. I didn’t want to go running over to him so I turned my head back and pretended to be completely oblivious. As Rainy was talking, I could see her continue to glance at someone behind me, and then I felt a light touch on my arm. She popped her gum and said with a funny smirk, “Hey, Tess, I have to head to work. See ya later.”
I turned to Ian. As much as I tried to steel myself, I was taken aback by his masculine appearance. He had been doing some kind of construction work because he was wearing a dirty (tight) t-shirt, old work boots and there was a smudge of dirt below his left eye. He was as beautiful as ever. It’s just not fair! Even dirt becomes him. On top of that, he was smiling at me. Of course, he has perfect teeth.
“Tess, I was working on a house down the street when I realized that the high school was about to be let out and I wanted to catch you,” Ian said, still smiling at me.
“Working on a house?” I reply like a dummy.
“Yeah, I work for my uncle’s construction company during my free time. We’re renovating an old house over on Prospect Street,” he answered.
So that explained his perfectly formed muscles; he does construction work. I have to stop staring at his muscle-man arms. I’ve never bee
n a fan of guys who spend hours pumping iron in the gym. Guys get a much better physique the old fashioned way, plain old physical labor. How can I maintain my composure under these trying conditions? I swear he knows what I’m thinking about. He still has that grin on his face.
He got a little more serious. “So, Tess, I wanted to tell you how much I liked your new haircut. It really suits you, except, what happened here?” As he was studying my face his hand lightly brushed up my hair to expose the band aid over my eyebrow. As I self-consciously smoothed my hair back down, Ian grabbed my hand and held it. “And what happened to your hand?”
I looked at him sheepishly and pulled my hand back. “Oh, THAT!” I waved it off. “It happened last night when I tripped on the old soccer field and my head hit a piece of metal. It was nothing. As far as my hands, I was just helping my gram pull out some old rose bushes. I probably should’ve worn gloves because those thorns cut me up a bit.” That excuse for my hand just popped into my head.
Think I’m gonna change the subject. “Didn’t I see you at the bonfire?” I asked him innocently.
“Yeah, I wanted to say hello to some old friends but I had other plans so I didn’t stay very long. I did see you in the crowd and I have to say, I didn’t even recognize you at first because of your haircut. By the way, I heard that some strange stuff happened there. Did you know anything about how Jimmy O’Donnell got hurt?” Ian asked. Was he looking at me suspiciously?
I regarded him with the most innocent look I could manage under the circumstances. “No, I didn’t see anything when I was there. In fact, because I hit my head I didn’t stay for the entire time, so I think I missed out on all the commotion. Someone at school was saying that Jimmy got hurt going down that steep hill behind the athletic fields. Is that what you heard?”
“Yeah, Jimmy’s cousin is on the construction crew I work with. He was saying that Jimmy went flying down that hill in his wheelchair and then his chair flipped over at the bottom,” said Ian. “That must’ve been brutal. Can you imagine? I heard that if he hadn’t been in such good shape physically it probably would have killed him. He’s had some real bad luck lately.”
“Do they know how he ended up going down that hill?” I had to ask him even though I was freaking out about it. I had to know what people thought.
“Jimmy hadn’t really said. It was like he didn’t know, or else he just didn’t remember. The doctors say that he should eventually recall what happened. It was so bizarre! At the top of that hill is that abutment. It’s not like someone could have lifted him over. He’s really a big guy, plus you have to add in the weight of the wheelchair. You’d need a forklift to get him over that. It’s a real mystery.” As Ian was speaking he was shaking his head with disbelief.
I had to ask, “Why would anyone want to do anything to hurt Bull…I mean Jimmy?” I wanted to hear what Ian thought of Bully Boy.
“Oh, there are probably plenty of people who wouldn’t mind seeing Jimmy take a fall, but I don’t see anyone wanting to kill him! Jimmy can be a real obnoxious pain. I’ve seen him really torment kids in school. I don’t go along with that stuff. I would say that I was never really big friends with Jimmy, or enemies for that matter. He left me alone and I left him alone.”
THAT bugged me. I just had to add something so I responded, “I have to say, I can’t stand bullies.”
He looked at me thoughtfully and replied, “I don’t like bullies either, but there are some people you just don’t want to mix it up with. You know what I mean?”
I’m not giving in on this. I narrowed my eyes at him. “There are times when you have to take a stand, like when you see a bully picking on someone who’s weak. Wouldn’t you agree?”
He suddenly looked taken aback. “Tess, why are we going on about this? I’m not friends with Jimmy, but at the same time, I don’t want to see him get hurt.” Ian quickly glanced at his watch before he continued, “I’m sorry, I have to get back to work. I’d like to stay and hang out with you but I came here for a reason. The Tri Town fair starts on Friday in Andover. My crew is building the stage for the bands that are playing there. Anyway, I was wondering if you’d go with me on Friday night? I love greasy fair food, I love crazy rides, and I love country music, so what do you think?”
He’s so darn confident, like he knows what I’m going to say. If I was smart I’d keep him guessing, but I can’t. I want to go with him and he knows it. “I guess I can make it. I have nothing else going on Friday night. I’ve never been to a town fair before.” I tried not to sound overly ecstatic.
“Great!” I was rewarded with a full smile of perfect white teeth. “I have to get back to work. Pick you up on Friday at six.”
I watched him stride back from the direction he came. I didn’t want him to turn around and see me admiring his every step, so I forced myself to look away. It was hard to do.
22. Belinda
On Wednesday after school, Mercy invited me over to her house. I was grateful because I was going crazy just sitting home. All of the events of Friday night were going round and round in my head and none of it was making any sense. Mercy might be the one person who could shed some light on what was happening.
My aunt offered to drive me to Mercy’s place, since it was a few miles out of town. When we got to the designated address, we weren’t sure where to go. There was a turnoff onto an unkempt dirt road that was lined on both sides with overgrown bushes and trees. It didn’t appear that anyone had driven down that way for quite some time.
My aunt put the car on idle and we sat there for a minute trying to figure out what to do. Could they live down that road surrounded by all these woods? I seem to recall Mercy mentioning that she lived next to a state forest and that her closest neighbor was over a mile away. But, this isolation was a little creepy. My aunt finally shrugged her shoulders and turned onto the road. It was rough going so we proceeded slowly. After a while, we went around a curve and came upon a house trailer in a clearing. There was Mercy, lounging on a faded blue couch under an awning. When she saw us she got up, adjusted her long skirt and ran over to greet us.
“Hey, Tess, I’m so glad you could make it. You can see why I don’t get too many visitors around here. It’s out in the boonies.” She turned to my aunt, grinned at her and stuck out her hand. “So nice to finally meet you, Mrs. Littleton.”
“Nice to meet you too, Mercy,” Aunt Amy replied, smiling. Then Auntie turned to me. “I have to head out because I’m meeting Grandma for lunch. When should I come get you?”
Mercy jumped in, “Don’t worry, Mrs. Littleton. My mom said that Tess can stay for dinner and then she’ll drive her home on her way to work. Mom’s on the eleven o’clock shift. ”
Aunt Amy nodded. “OK, girls, see you later.” As my aunt turned her head around to back up the car she glanced at me. She looked very pleased. I knew she was happy that I was making some friends in Woodley. And my aunt wasn’t the snooty type. She wouldn’t care if Mercy lived in a trailer or a mansion. As long as I liked Mercy, that was enough for her.
As I looked around at all the surrounding woods I asked, “You guys really are out in the boonies. Do you mind living out here?”
“My mom and I have moved around a bit over the years. Every time we relocate we find a place further out in the sticks. I guess I’m just used to it. In fact, I’d say that I’ve really gotten to like the peace and quiet and I find that when I’m in a noisy place like a city, I’m not that comfortable. Anyway, Tess, one reason I invited you here today was to help you figure out what’s going on. I want you to meet my mom cause I think she can help you.
I was a little dubious about how Mercy’s mom could help, but it was certainly worth a try. We walked up the steps into the kitchen of the trailer. The first thing I saw were dried plants hanging from the ceiling in the corner of the room. There was clutter everywhere but I would call it an ordered clutter. Most of the available surfaces in the kitchen and the living room were covered with jars or books or some other k
ind of paraphernalia. Perhaps it was because their living space was rather small; there wasn’t a lot of available room for storage. I have to say that this place did fit Mercy. She was frequently wearing a floppy hat over her mop of hair, with long earrings and a big skirt. It wasn’t exactly a neat, tailored look.
A screen door from the back opened and a slender woman in worn baggy jeans and a flannel shirt emerged, carrying a bundle of greens. Her brown hair was streaked with gray and pulled back into a long braid. She stopped and scrutinized me for a minute before asking, “Are you Tess?”
Mercy answered, “Of course she’s Tess. I told you she’d be coming over today, remember?”
She was still studying me as she responded, “Yes, I know. I just wanted to be sure.”
Mercy looked anxiously between Tess and her mom. “Mom, remember what you told me the other day? You said that you would help Tess find out what was going on. I had Tess come over today for that reason. Things are getting bad out there and she has to know what’s up in order to protect herself.”
“I think you’re absolutely right. I guess I’m a little nervous because I’m out of practice. I haven’t hypnotized anyone for over a year. I can never guarantee success. Of course, ultimate success also depends upon the subject.” Mercy’s mom turned to me and asked, “Have you ever been hypnotized Tess?”
I was completely taken aback. “Hypnotized? Not that I remember. Why would you ask?”
Mercy’s mom replied, “Because I plan on hypnotizing you, Tess. By the way, why don’t you just call me Belinda? I think that will help you to feel more relaxed when I put you under.”
23. The Past
Mercy touched my arm and smiled at me. “Don’t worry, Tess. I’ve been hypnotized a few times. There’s nothing to it. Just follow my mom’s directions and you’ll do fine.”
“What do you want to hypnotize me for? How will that give me answers? I don’t understand.” I was starting to feel panicky.
A Girl Beyond (War of the Witches Book 2) Page 10