Paranormal Summer (Indigo Moon Rising)

by Sherry Guyberson

  She looked up to her mom who was looking towards the garage smiling.

  “Well I guess we’ll be going now,” Jillian's father said as he walked out from the garage and headed for the front yard right on cue.

  “What?” Jillian shouted and ran after him. He turned around and she could see he had something in his arms. As Jillian got closer she saw little pointed ears and then little eyes and a little nose. “A kitten!” She yelled. “A kitten, it's beautiful," she said gently lifting it from his arm.

  The girls were all walking towards them “oohing” and trying to pet the tiny thing. Jillian sat down in the grass and held the kitten and stroked its head with her face. The kitten returned the love by rubbing its cheek on Jillian’s. "All of her things are in your room. Her bed, litter box, toys and a brush. She’s only 8 weeks old, so you will have to give her lots of love!”

  “No problem,” Jillian said as if she was the happiest girl on earth. Her heart was so full. She couldn't ever remember feeling this happy before. “Tiffany. Tiffany Marie is your name!” She said as she kissed her kitten.

  “Okay kids get your selves ready to go,” Aunt Monica called out. “Well honey we have a long drive back. Happy Birthday. Maybe you can come up for a weekend before school starts.”

  “Thank you,” Jillian said as she hugged her aunt. Celia gave her the "Call me" gesture with her hand and Jillian nodded. The kids all climbed into the van and minutes later they were gone.

  Jillian took Tiffany Marie to her bedroom to check out the goodies that came with her. She had a cute little basket with a soft fleece blanket in it. When Jillian set her down on it she began to purr loudly, kneading the blanket with her little paws as she closed her eyes. Jillian's mother came into the room and smiled at the site of the two of them. “Mommy, when am I coming home?” Jillian asked as she wrapped her arms around her mother.

  “It probably won't be until the end of summer. Before school starts I hope. Just this last week daddy and I have worked so many hours, and barely even gotten to talk to each other because our schedules are so crazy. We have 10-12 hour shifts at both jobs, along with our online classes, but as soon as a spot opens up for one of us to maintain stable hours and stay at home at night, you will be home. Jana tells me you've met some new friends."

  "I thought I did. I invited one of them today. Guess she was busy."

  "Tell me about them." Her mother said as she sat on the bed.

  "There's Sonya. She's kinda Goth looking, kinda hard a-s-s. She lives with her Grandma Hilde who owns the Baker Street Bed and Breakfast. Sometimes she doesn't seem particularly friendly, like she doesn't trust anybody. But I have seen a softer side of her. I don't think she has any other family other than her Grandma. Then there's Ryan. He's really quiet, and seems to spend a lot inside his own mind. You think I am sensitive, he's worse than me. He lives with his grandparents most of the time helping them out on the farm. He's pretty cute, but I don't know, I don't think we're friends yet, more like acquainted. It's so bor-ing here, I am gonna die." Jillian said flopping back on the bed and pretending to yawn.

  "It's only been a week. How can you be bored here? All of the things to do in this big house, and acres of land to explore. I promise you will come to love it here and make terrific memories. All 5 of us that grew up in this house, well 4 of us had the best experiences of our lives and you will also. Here, I wanted to give this to in private." Her mother said and pulled something out from behind her back and handed it to Jillian.

  "Mommy" Jillian said liking the idea of a secret gift just between the two of them. She ripped open the purple and green wrapping paper. It was a deep red book. Well it looked like a book, but when she opened it, there was no writing, it was empty. Her mother turned it so Jillian could see the binding "MY STORY" was printed with metallic gold ink.

  "You have to write it!" Her mother said and smiled.

  Jillian rolled her eyes, "Thank you!" She said hugging her mother and seeing Tiffany Marie.

  Jillian forgot about her kitten!! Her heart soared. It was as if someone had turned on a spot light in the room. She looked at Tiffany Marie, her fat little belly rising and falling slowly. Watching her made her heart feel the Fourth of July fireworks!

  "Well, daddy and I have to go." Her mother said standing and bending slightly anticipating Jillian's response.

  "Mommy," Jillian said reaching up to hug her mother. Her heart hurt so badly. It felt like it was dragging on the ground," I just miss you so much," she said hugging and kissing her mother.

  "Soon, honey, I promise!" Her mother said squeezing her tight and giving her a kiss on the cheek that seemed to last for minutes. Though it was not long enough, and then she was gone.

  Jillian walked into Aunt Jana’s kitchen and sat down looking at a plate of French vanilla cake. Is this all there is to it? It’s over with now.

  “Well, wasn’t that a nice party? Jillian, what’s the problem?” Her aunt asked as she saw Jillian’s expression and pulled up a chair. "Would you like a glass of ice tea?"

  “No thank you. I just thought...I don't know what I thought. I invited Sonya. I don't know if she was just busy or didn't want to come. It seems like it was all over really fast.” Her sad face slowly turned to look at her aunt. She saw her aunt’s warm smile and couldn’t help but feel comforted. She leaned over to meet her aunt's outstretched arms and started to feel safe from the sadness she felt in her heart. Aunt Jana gently kissed her on the forehead and then held her face in her hands.

  "You know sometimes your friends won't be comfortable with meeting your family. They don't know what to expect, how weird we are or if we would judge them." Looking deep into her teary eyes she smiled and said “I know what's really bothering you, you were just worried that I didn’t get you anything.” Jillian suddenly realized that there wasn’t anything from her aunt. She broke into a big smile.

  “You didn’t forget did you?”

  “Of course not,” she said looking at the board where Jillian had written ‘Jillian’s Birthday Party’ in 3 colors. Aunt Jana’s head motioned towards the side porch. Jillian giggled in anticipation and opened the screen door. It was there on the swing. Beautiful leaves tied with an ivy vine and flowers. She had never seen a living gift wrap. It was so beautiful that she didn't actually want to open it. Yes she did! Tucked in the vine was a dainty handmade card with pressed flowers.

  Jillian slowly untangled the vine and the leaves fell open to expose a deep blue velvety pouch with ornate stitching of a sun, moon, star and a rainbow within a heart. There was a long thick silk cord that cinched it shut. She slowly began to open it. She didn’t see anything. As she turned it upside down something fell into her palm. A stone. Jillian looked at it over and over again, turning this way and that. She looked in the pouch. That’s all there was. A stone. Was there a diamond inside? Probably not, it’s just a rock she thought. A stupid rock, what fun can I have with a stupid rock?

  Just then she realized she wasn't alone. “So, do you like it?” Aunt Jana asked.

  “Oh yes!” Jillian said. "Thanks, you can never have too many rocks. Can I go to the meadow? “She asked as she tucked the card inside the pouch.

  “Sure," her aunt said with a smile. "Don’t go into the woods and be back before it gets too dark."

  “Can I take Tiffany? Asked Jillian.

  "No, let her sleep, she’ll be just fine here. I will check in on her later,” Aunt Jana said.

  “But I want to take her with me. She’s mine now and I have to take care of her, she was getting hot and Aunt Jana wrinkled her brow.

  “When she gets a little bit older you can take her out on journeys, but not today.’’ Aunt Jana said crossing her arms and breathing calmly. Jillian’s eyes squinted and curled her lips, her chest was heaving as her arms flung in the air trying to get her point across. “You adults think you’re all that. You don’t ever let me have anything, you always say no to everything.’’

  Aunt Jana said, “Okay.” Knowing not to arg
ue. She took another deep breath and turned from Jillian and walked in the door. Jillian loudly sucked in a large gulp of air and released a squeal of anger, turned on her heel flinging the screen door open and walked into the kitchen. She turned quickly to look at the staircase. She could have sworn someone was standing there. She shook her head, and stomped down the hall to her room.

  As she got closer to her room she thought twice. Ssshhh. She went in and quietly changed her clothes as not to wake Tiffany. She looked at the pouch lying on her bed. She shook her head, rolled her eyes, put the pouch over her head like a necklace and tucked it under her shirt. Huh, that's an excellent fit she thought. She got down on her hands and knees and got inches from Tiffany Marie's tiny little face. Tiffany Marie she thought I looove you! There was a bright warm feeling in her heart when she said this. Tiffany sleepily opened her eyes, and looked at Jillian for a few seconds, she closed her eyes, and it looked as if she were smiling! A gentle purring rose from her, and Jillian giggled, watching her fat little belly. Jillian kissed her goodbye and then headed off to the meadow.

  As she walked along the stream, she thought about today. Disappointment, and Sonya, her "friend." She started to get a whopping knot in her stomach. What a lame excuse for a birthday party she thought.

  She walked alongside the stream and frowned, shaking her head. It was almost dried up. Looking around there were hardly any flowers in the meadow, just weeds. Up ahead there was an tremendous million year old willow. She walked to it and sat under the weeping branches. How appropriate she thought. Every time she came out here, it seemed to get more and more boring. Things just do not excite me like they used to she thought. Maybe that is what happens when you get older. Maybe I’ll go to the woods. Maybe there's something exciting there. What about the cave? She thought about walking into the cave and finding a bear, or a gang of men hiding out. Naahhh she thought.

  In the distance, she saw movement amongst the trees at the edge of the woods and stared, was it fear or excitement that was making her heart pound? As it moved into the meadow she recognized it was Ryan walking towards her. Everything inside started feeling all crazy. He didn't even try to get a hold of me yesterday. And what's he gonna think about the experience Sonya and I had? I wonder if he would have been able to see what we saw in the regression? Did he make up the things he said he saw at the cabin? She was wondering would he have come to the birthday party if I had gotten a chance to ask him. Would it be because I wanted my family to meet him, and perhaps to show him off? But then again, the cousins probably would have embarrassed me too badly. She wasn't sure why, but she always got confused when she felt fear and hurt. Like the two feelings just stuck together like sticky spaghetti.

  As she watched him walking towards her, it was all in slow motion. His beautiful sandy hair, showing slight streaks of blonde, natural highlights from working on the farm. He had smooth tan skin, over a kind and gentle, friendly face. His long wispy lashes framed his shiny black eyes. He was wearing a pale charcoal grey button down shirt and soft worn blue jeans on his long legs. Again, like the other night he was wearing a bunch of wristlets. As he got closer, he looked up and their eyes met. She honestly did not know him well enough to know what to expect from him yet. Was this wave of heat she felt from the sun, or him?

  "Sorry I missed the party. I had things to do." He said brushing his bangs away so she could see all of his features. His long lashes blinked slowly. He set his backpack on the ground and leaned back against the giant tree. "Well then, I didn't know if it was okay since Sonya invited me."

  "Hmm, she didn't show up either. It was just my little boy cousins and the bigger girl cousins, cake and ice cream, no big deal. Kinda lame." She said not letting on that maybe she wished he would have been there, but she did not want to come right out and say that.

  "Lame? At least they had a party for you. That shows that they care, cared enough to celebrate, celebrate you," he said shaking his head.

  Awkward moment. He was jealous and she was acting like a spoiled brat.

  "So what do you think happened the other night?" Jillian jumped in trying to break the embarrassment she was now feeling. Maybe they could both get on the same page here because they both seemed to have experienced something inside the cabin.

  "I know I'm different. I like movies, music, video games, horses, reading, four wheeling, and girls. Those are what other boys like right? Just like you, from the outside you seem like a normal girl. That is why I asked you to accept my friend request. You seemed normal, but I could feel that there was something different about you. There are the kids that write about their big paranormal adventures that are just adding too much made-up drama to the mix. Nothing happens when they go ghost hunting at an abandoned bridge for example. So they let their imaginations run away with something that was already a 'story' created by someone else. Not an event that actually happened. Sometimes the fear freaks them out so badly that they don't know the difference between the truth and what they 'think' happened. And, when two or more are gathered, it becomes an episode.

  Sometimes I think what happens to me is a curse. There are always so many things going on in us and around us that we cannot take it all in. It's impossible. That is where the focus comes in. It is our focus on specific things that keeps us in sync with what we are looking at or for that helps tune out the other things that aren't so important at the moment.

  Like, at school there are times when there is so much damn drama going on around me that my head throbs and I can't get any peace and quiet. Kid’s thoughts are always shooting out of them. I just want to walk up to them and tell them to mind their own business and to get a life. They just need to stop messing with other people’s feelings. You know, that there are those kids that can't or don't or won't stand up for themselves, they can't handle the confrontations from those that are bullying them, and they are always being mowed down, and probably will be for the rest of their lives.

  Then there are those kids that are in the 'popular circles’. Those are the kids that live on pure ego...They make me sick. Literally. How they can imagine that they are better than anyone else when they are certainly nothing but shallow and self-centered? Seriously, they have no connection to their own hearts. They don't care about what kind of irreparable damage they do to the other kids. They put everyone else down because they think they look better, dress better, they live in the nicest houses, they have lots of money and their parents are more prominent. Sorry, but that don't mean diddily.

  Jillian, I know that you are sincere. I think that's why the spirit at the cabin gravitated towards you. Because you two are a lot alike. I know what I saw. I do not understand what you said though, except I believe she was saying it through you. I only saw her happy, not in pain or crying." Ryan looked at Jillian waiting to see how she was going to respond to him spilling his guts.

  "It was as if I had lost everything and nothing mattered," Jillian said shrugging her shoulders and shaking her head, trying to remember what she had said. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and tried to recount the night in the cabin after she lit the candle. "I introduced the three of us... I asked for a sign... It was silent... Then I was thinking that we were all gonna have a good laugh... It got so cold, to the point that I started shivering...Then I felt overwhelming sadness...In my heart...," Jillian was focusing. Her breathing became erratic, very fast, and her chin fell to her chest, her head was shaking as if she were saying no.

  "No, this isn't happening, this is all wrong what have I done? My baby. How could she have disappeared? I didn't do anything to her. Maybe he did. Does he have her? Did he take my baby? Please help me, please." The voice cried as Jillian covered her eyes.

  "I see her." Ryan said as he had been intently watching her the whole time. He looked as if he were in a trace, the way he stared at her. "It's the woman I saw in the garden. But there is a little girl playing in the garden. She had a little girl... Had. She's gone. Now she is searching frantically for her. Calling for her
, 'Elizabeth.' And there's a bunch of people coming to the cabin. But she's scared. They’re not there to help. They don't understand, they think she did something to her baby. Their yelling and screaming at her, and she's running, chasing her through the woods. Someone threw a lantern on the roof. There is a fire." Ryan was shaking his head in disbelief as he watched all of this in Jillian, who sat before him. He closed his eyes for a long second, and opened them to see Jillian, sobbing harder and harder as he had unraveled the story.

  He knelt down to hold her. "What the hell is going on?" Jillian cried. "How can we help her?"

  "Do you remember the book I found when you fell in the cabin?" Ryan said as he pulled it from his backpack. "It must have been hers. It's full of writing, drawings and even dried plants and stuff. I don't know why it was written this way, but it's not another language. I figured some of it out; I think these are spells or something. Like this one," he said as he opened to a bookmarked page and reading his notes, "Having walked through the three leaves that burn; you must crush the flower and stem of the yellow jewel. Wrap tightly to the area of pain and it will be new again in a day."