The Puppets and the Strings (A Werewolf's Saga Book 7)

by Michael Lampman

  He smiled—for the first time in years. “How did you find me anyway?” He wanted to know. He thought everyone forgot that he was still alive.

  She returned the look. “I have always known where you were Rochie. I let you be alone. I thought you deserved the break from the troubles of this world.” She looked back down at his torn shoes. “I guess I was wrong.”

  He truly laughed. Again, it felt like the first true laugh in a long time. “You may be right.”

  She walked past him, and walked back out of the room.

  He joined her back in the hallway, and watched her close the door. “I am sorry that I stayed away Lady Sharlia. I’m also sorry for not telling you about this. I’m sorry for your loss.”

  She accepted this from him. She always did. “It may all not be lost. If we can find out what happened with this drug you spoke of, we may find those responsible for all of this.” She started back down the hallway, and he walked with her, side by side. “We Walkers must put this back to right again.”

  Again, he agreed, as he followed her back outside.

  “And thank you…you know, for coming to see me.”

  She stopped and looked at Mayvus, one of her wolves, and most trusted friends. “Please bring the car around. We are going to see the Gorhans.”

  He nodded and did what she told him. He left to get the car.

  She then looked back at Rochie. “You have always been there for us. I thank you for that. Friends are so hard to find these days.”

  He felt himself flush with embarrassment.

  She added to it, “Are you sure that you would not like to bathe first? You smell like you need one.”

  He laughed. “Possibly later.”

  She did too as the car pulled back in front of the house.

  They both went to the back seat, and climbed inside.

  The car then drove off to the Gorhan’s house.

  9

  He walked for hours, first heading to the high school, and then to the playing fields out back. It had already gotten dark, and he found the schoolyard empty. It didn’t matter to him that he did. He just wanted to see the building. He just wanted to see the fields. He wanted to feel the place. He wanted to smell it. He wanted to live it.

  Will he ever let me come here? Will he ever let me attend school? He walked out to the baseball diamond, and stepped up to the home plate. He looked out to the pitcher’s mound. A young man was there. His gray uniform sparkled in the summer’s heat. He could see the sweat percolating down his face from the bottom of his hat. He looked nervous. He looked controlled. He looked ready to give him the full power of his throw.

  It’s two strikes, in the bottom of the ninth. The bases are loaded with two outs for the home team. The pitcher looks to the catcher to get the sign.

  He shook off the first sign from the catcher. He took the second and readied himself for the windup.

  He gripped the bat that he could almost feel in his hands. It felt smooth and cool. It felt as firm as his grip. It nearly blended into his hands. He held it firmly, and took three practice swings as he readied for the pitch.

  The pitcher gets the sign. He winds up.

  He could almost see the ball as it left the pitcher’s hand.

  And he swings…

  The sound of the ball echoed off the bat with a clapping sound that boomed his hands. The bat made a perfect strike.

  It’s high, reaching the left side of the field.

  He dropped the bat as he watched the ball fly.

  It’s going—going—and gone!

  The crowd roared as he watched the ball fly over the back fence.

  That had to be three hundred and fifty feet.

  He ran to first, and then rounded it to second base. He continued to third and made his way home. Crossing home plate, he gave a high five to the teammates that welcomed him home.

  He looked to the stands, full and plenty, as the crowd cheered him on.

  He dropped his hands. The field fell silent. The darkness of the night consumed his mind.

  If only it was real. If only they knew, I was too.

  He looked back to the empty field. He felt more alone than ever.

  I have to make him see what I can do. He knew he would do well. He knew he would be good. His eyes were sharp—as sharp as anyone else he would play, for or against him. It would all be too easy. It would all be too right.

  He dropped his head, and left the field. He walked back across the empty parking lot, around the side of the school building and headed back to the side street that led to downtown. He didn’t look back.

  I have to make him see what I can be.

  He walked. He moved. He headed downtown towards the bright streetlights that sparkled overhead. He had no idea where he was going but he didn’t care. He figured that he would find it when he saw it. He just walked. He just went to the life that he so needed to find.

  Casey found Main Street seemingly full of life. Cars were parked along the side of the street. Several were grouped along it just ahead of him, so he followed the cars. They sat in front of a small diner, so he went straight to the doors. He went inside.

  The place looked packed with people. Only three of the nine tables in the center floor were free, so he picked the closest to him and took a heavy seat. He faced the center of the room.

  The white tiles of the floor looked stained and worn. The table had a slight crack at its edge. It felt cool to his hands. The metal, padded chair felt stiff to his back.

  “Can I help you honey?” A rather old, plump looking lady stepped to the side of his table with a small pad in her left hand and a pen in her right. She was ready to take his order with a full and a hardy smile.

  He looked at her with unsure eyes. “Could I have a glass of water?” He didn’t smile. He had trouble even looking her in the eyes. He just didn’t know what to do.

  I have to make him see what I can be.

  The pleasant look never once flinched from her face. “No problem. Would you like a couple more minutes to order?” She put the pen with the pad in her left hand and handed him the menu that was sitting on the table in front of him. She even opened it for him to take a look, as she set it down.

  He watched her closely, and then found himself staring at the glossy cardboard, but he saw nothing at all.

  He nodded. “Yes please.” He didn’t know what to say.

  She obviously noticed that he looked nervous. No one could have missed it.

  He felt her eyes. He felt her stare. He felt her concern.

  “Are you alright? Is there something wrong?” Her gleeful look vanished and her face turned with that of concern.

  This time he looked up and smiled. “I’m fine. I’m just a little tired,” he lied. He was never tired a day in his life. You have to do stuff to get tired. He quipped to himself.

  She simply nodded, even though he knew that she didn’t believe him, and left the table.

  Alone, he breathed. Why am I so nervous? He now had to ask himself. He was. He found that even his hands were shaking. He didn’t know why. See what he’s doing to me. I can’t even think straight in public. He looked at his hands and then looked back up.

  A booth, not two tables away from him, on his right, had several young people all gathered around it. They laughed. They giggled. They caught his attention.

  He watched them closely.

  Why can’t I have that?

  He saw the way they talked so freely. He saw the way they looked at each other. He saw how they liked being around each other too.

  I can do that.

  He suddenly saw himself sitting with the group, close to the wall and surrounded by his friends. He saw himself laughing at a joke that one of them told him. He saw the girl across from him smile. He loved all of it. He loved the way that she looked at him.

  “Hi.”

  The voice came to his left. It came from the other side of the booth and the wall. He didn’t notice it, until she said it again.

&nbs
p; “Hi.”

  He turned. He looked. He nearly fell out of the old metal chair.

  She had long blonde hair that flowed neatly around her smooth round and beautiful face. Her skin nearly glistened in the dim fluorescent lighting above them. Her deep green eyes almost sparkled in that same old dim light. Her smile looked even better. It lit up the room better than any lighting ever could.

  “Hi,” she spoke again.

  This time, he not only heard her, he actually answered her too, “Uh, hi.”

  “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you before.” She moved closer to his left arm. She still stood, but bent down some to him at the waist. It made the light blouse she wore dip some around her neck showing some of what was beneath it.

  He noticed, and caught himself noticing it too. “Uh, yeah, I don’t get out much.” He straightened himself in the chair. He gathered back his thoughts. It took every part of his strength to do it too. He just found his mind unfocused. He found it hard to breathe too.

  She laughed, which sounded almost serene in its nature.

  To him, she sounded like a warm breeze blowing over a hill on a hot summer’s day. It warmed him, yet cooled him completely too.

  “I’m Angel Rose.” She offered him her right hand.

  “Yes you are.” He felt himself suddenly freeze. It felt like even his heart froze in place. A small clogging feeling came into his throat. He had to swallow it down. He had to get it out of his throat. It felt like it was choking him. He couldn’t breathe.

  She laughed again.

  Hearing her, he caught himself, and took her hand with his and gently squeezed hers in to his. He shook her hand; at least he thought he did. He wasn’t even sure that he even took it at first.

  “It’s nice to meet you.” She released his cool and damp hand.

  He dropped his back to the table so hard that it made a banging sound, and the sound carried around them like thunder rolling down the same hill that the warm breeze flowed.

  She thought he looked so cute. “And you are?” She had to do all the talking, or so it seemed. She wasn’t against having to do it. After all, she came to him.

  He saw this emanating from her. He could read her so easily that it almost surprised himself.

  “Um, I’m Casey.” He stared at her hypnotic green stare. He couldn’t stop seeing them even if he wanted to, which he didn’t. He couldn’t drop his uneasy eyes.

  “Casey, again, it’s nice to meet you.” She leaned in, took the chair opposite from him, and helped herself with sitting down.

  He watched her every step of the way. She looked as graceful as she moved. The light jacket covering her blouse swayed around her hips. As she sat down and joined him, it made a cracking sound. It all felt too good to be true.

  “Are you new here?” She made herself comfortable as she asked, pulling herself to the table firmly. She then put both hands in front of her and him. She folded them, one on top of the other.

  He stared at them. They looked soft. They looked warm.

  As for him, he couldn’t even move. “I am.” He nodded sharply. He then suddenly realized that he wasn’t breathing, so he concentrated on doing it. It took everything he had to do it too. His mind was cracking. His voice was too.

  “Good. How old are you?” She stared deeply at his deep blue eyes. They nearly sparkled. They stood out completely against his pale and smooth face. His deep black hair helped the look.

  He couldn’t believe this. He didn’t understand it, but loved it anyway.

  “I’m going to be seven.” He grinned.

  She laughed again. “No seriously—how old are you?” She couldn’t believe how adorable he was. He acted beyond just nervous, that much was obvious; but he also acted innocent. He was completely not like anyone she had ever met before.

  He felt this from her too, and instantly, he blinked, realizing what he had said, he stuttered as he corrected himself, “I’m going to be seventeen. I am sixteen.” He grinned again. That was close. Come on Casey; pull yourself together. You’re acting like a moron.

  She could just shake her head. “I see. Good. I’m seventeen myself.” She looked down at his hands, as he sat them there in front of him with his palms to the table. His fingers were spread out almost like he was using all of his strength to keep himself from falling out of the chair. She liked this too. His face looked so smooth. His black hair looked sharply cut. He looked so prepping to her, but she could tell he wasn’t. He was confident, in a very different way. In other words, she liked everything about him. “I hope you like older women.” She looked back up.

  He loved the way she looked at him. He also liked it that she asked him all of the questions too. He wouldn’t have known where to begin.

  “I think they are fine, yes.” He swallowed hard.

  She laughed again. “Good.” She locked her stare on to his. “So, will you be going to school this year? It’s coming on us so fast. I can’t believe that it is next week already.”

  He blinked again. He had to make sure he was doing it. “Yes I am.” He was more sure than ever he would. His father no longer had the choice to say no. He just wouldn’t allow it now. Not when angels like her really existed. He would love to see what heaven was really like.

  “That’s good. I hope we have some of the same classes.”

  He hoped for this too. “I will be.”

  She laughed again, as she heard the door open to her right.

  A man came into the diner’s front door. He looked odd. He looked like he was in pain.

  He saw her turn, so he turned too.

  The man was his father, and seeing him, it made his heart sink even further in his chest.

  10

  He dropped her off at the house, and immediately began his search. He had no idea where to start, so he rolled down the driver’s window and let his nose do the looking. Even in his human form, he had every sense of the wolf. He could not only smell scents that humans couldn’t, but he could see them. They looked like fog on the air. He could even follow it with his eyes. After only seconds, he caught his scent. The flowering lavender scent led him to the east end of town. It led him to the high school first.

  He found it fleeting there, and then saw it move to his left. It headed downtown, so he kept on the hunt. He could see its fumes. He could see it lead him to Main Street, so he drove on until he lost it in front of the Town Wood Diner, so there he stopped. There he parked the car along the street, and opened the door.

  Now what do I do? What do I say? He had to think about this. He had to prepare himself for anything. He didn’t want to raise his voice. He didn’t want to get angry. He didn’t want to make a scene. He would never hear the end of it if he did. Rachel would kill him, so he couldn’t do that. That’s what I do then. I will just go in and bring him home. I will just tell him that I want to talk about this—about him. I’ll tell him everything and let the pieces fall where they may. He’ll just have to understand me. I am going to have to understand him.

  He stood out of the car.

  That’s all I have to do. I have to try to be his friend. I have to try to listen to what he has to say. It sounded good enough for him. As for Casey, he wasn’t sure. He just hoped it would work.

  What if he doesn’t want to talk to me? What happens if he wants to fight?

  He walked slowly towards the front door, and paused before opening it.

  You can’t think about that Jimmy. You have to be his father. You have to be his friend.

  It took another few seconds before he found the strength. When he was ready, he walked inside.

  The place looked full. He was flooded with color from all of the auras surrounding everyone. He saw yellow everywhere, but suddenly, he saw nothing. His eyes immediately began to burn. His head exploded with a heat that nearly burned him from within. It made him lose focus instantly. It even made his knees grow weak, and he stumbled to his right. Only the table nearest to him kept him from falling to the floor. A man sitting at the
table helped him by taking his right arm and holding him up.

  “Are you all right buddy?” the man asked, obviously not sure of what just happened.

  Jimmy gathered himself rather quickly. The feeling inside his head faded and then vanished just about as fast as it had begun. He found his legs, and stood back up straight.

  “I’m fine; I just got a little dizzy.” He didn’t think. He just stood up. He looked at the man thankfully.

  Casey stood up from his table when he saw his father stumble and almost fall. “Dad?” He rushed his father and came to his side.

  Angel stood up to. “This is your father?” She didn’t know what else to say.

  Neither did Casey. “What’s wrong?” He looked ill, almost pale. He had never seen him pale before, and he didn’t know what to think about it. It just never happened, but now, here he was, and he looked downright white.

  Jimmy turned to the sounds of his voice. He saw the concern on his face, and suddenly realized that he saw his skin. He saw his face. He saw his blue sapphire eyes.

  “I’m okay.” He looked at his hands. They shook some, but stopped quickly. For a minute—for a quick second—he felt odder than odd, he felt almost human. It just blew his mind.

  The man holding him released his arm.

  Jimmy shook his head. “I think I need to leave.”

  Casey took his father’s arm. He had never seen him weak like this before and it scared him a lot. In fact, it shook him to his core. Even with this, he looked back at Angel.

  She saw the fear on his face. “It’s okay Casey. Take care of your dad.”

  He didn’t want to hear this, but at the same time, he did. He liked her more for it too.

  “When can I see you again?” he had to ask.

  She only smiled with a firmness that was hard to miss. “Meet me here tomorrow night.”

  He returned the firmness with a nod. “I would love to.”

  She turned from the table. “It’s a date then.” And she left them, and headed back across the floor.

  He watched her leave feeling an overwhelming joy that burst through him like an explosion of excitement. It felt good, but now, turning back to his father, it turned to an overly stale blast of worry too.