by S. H. Kolee
“Hello? Why aren’t you answering the door? I know you’re inside, I heard you talking in there.” Marcus’ voice sounded uncharacteristically irritated. “Is this some sort of joke? It’s freezing out here!”
Sarah moved towards the door but I stopped her.
“Wait!” I hissed quietly. “We don’t know if it’s actually Marcus.”
“It sounds like him,” Grant said although he looked hesitant.
“Do I sound like your cousin?” Simon asked. Grant flinched at the reminder, but he seemed to get the message.
“So what do we do?” Sarah looked panicked. “We can’t just not answer the door. He knows we’re in here.”
Simon took charge. “We’re going to answer the door. But we can’t tell Marcus anything. We just need to get him out of here as soon as possible. Even I can’t tell whether someone’s been overtaken by their vardoger or not. Just be on guard for anything to happen.”
Simon indicated for Sarah to go ahead and open the door, and she walked over and unlocked it tentatively, like she was afraid it was rigged with an explosive. She slowly opened the door and Marcus, looking perfectly normal besides the disgruntled look on his face, walked in. He glanced at all of us before speaking.
“Why do you guys look so weird? And why did it take you so long to answer the door?”
“Sorry about that,” Sarah said with a forced smile. “We didn’t hear the doorbell at first. There must be something wrong with it.”
Marcus looked at her askance before his gaze settled on Grant. “I just got back from New Jersey and wanted to check in before I headed over to Jenny’s dorm. I figured you would be up here.”
Grant tried to smile naturally as he spoke. “You figured right.”
“We were just about to go out,” I blurted out, trying to move things along. “Simon and I are going to the library, and Grant and Sarah are going shopping.”
Marcus shrugged. “Okay, I already have plans with Jenny anyways.” No one spoke and Marcus furrowed his brows. “Well, I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving. See you later.”
The silence was awkward as Marcus looked at all of us again before leaving, clearly befuddled by the unexplainable tension in the room.
“Oh, God,” Sarah groaned after he had left. “I feel like such a jerk. It was so obvious that we were trying to get rid of him. He seemed perfectly normal, except for his confusion, which doesn’t surprise me. I’d be confused too if my best friends were trying to get rid of me.”
“It’s for his own good,” Simon said. “If he hasn’t been overtaken, he’s better off keeping his distance from us. We’re the main target, and being close to us is dangerous.”
Grant crossed his arms against his chest, looking combative. “So what are we supposed to do? Hole up in the apartment until Caitlin’s father comes knocking on the door?”
I answered before Simon could, not wanting another argument to start. “Marie is trying to find seers we can trust so that I can be put under hypnosis. My father is convinced that I hold the answers to how vardogers can become immortal. Maybe I also unknowingly hold the answers on how to destroy my father.”
“And until then?” Grant looked skeptical as he raised an eyebrow.
“Until then we try to stay alive.” Simon’s voice was flat, his face expressionless. Grant opened his mouth, looking ready to argue, but I put a hand up to stop him from speaking.
“Let’s just take this one step at a time,” I said, trying to sound reasonable. “We’ve told you everything we know. My father will come for me and I’ll deal with him. Until then, we stay here.”
“What about classes?” Sarah looked concerned, and I wondered if she understood the depth of danger we were facing. Missing classes was the last thing on my mind.
“I’m sorry, but it’s just not safe. No classes and no going anywhere alone. We’re the safest in this apartment.”
Sarah frowned but she didn’t argue, and I was relieved that Grant didn’t make any further objections.
Being tightly wound up and waiting for something to happen is even more tiring that facing actual danger. We got into a routine the next couple of days, which consisted of eating, watching television, and talking endlessly about what could happen. Sarah called Jenny with the ludicrous excuse that we had all caught a virus from each other, and that she and Marcus needed to stay away until we got better and were no longer contagious. Jenny protested at first, saying that she didn’t care and wanted to check up on us, but Sarah was finally able to convince her not to come over.
By Wednesday we were all on edge, having spent three days waiting to be attacked, only to be faced with another day of being trapped inside the apartment.
“That’s it,” Grant bit out, standing up from the couch where he had been watching TV for the past two hours. “I’m going stir crazy trapped in here. I can’t take this anymore.”
He paced the length of the living room, running his hand through his hair. “We’re like animals just waiting to be slaughtered. There’s gotta be more that we can do.”
Sarah remained seated on the couch, but she looked over at me on the recliner. “I’m sorry, Caitlin, but I agree. I don’t think I can take being trapped in here any longer either. Can’t we just go to our classes?”
Simon walked back from the kitchen where he had gone to get a drink, obviously having heard Sarah and Grant. “That’s what Caitlin’s father wants. For us to get fed up and have our defenses down. Once we separate, we’ll be even more vulnerable.” He gave Grant a hard look. “If he can’t get Caitlin, Sarah is his next choice.”
“Maybe we can compromise,” I spoke up, not wanting a fight to erupt. And I had to admit that I was going a little crazy trapped inside the apartment as well. “I’ll go with Sarah to her classes so she’s never alone. You can stick with Grant.”
“I do not need Simon to defend me,” Grant spat out. “I can take care of myself.”
“Grant, be reasonable. These vardogers are powerful. I know you can normally take care of yourself, but these aren’t normal circumstances.”
Simon spoke before Grant could respond to my entreaty. “No. That’s not a good idea, Caitlin. There’s no way you and Sarah are going off on your own.”
“We’ll just be going to class. It’s not like we’re going far away.” I sighed heavily. “Are we just going to move around like a pack, doing everything together like we’re joined at the hip? My father has controlled me enough. I don’t want him controlling me now, making me too afraid to venture out into the world. Honestly, I’m sick and tired of being stuck in here, too. I can’t take it anymore!”
I realized my voice was becoming loud, but the frustration and stress was taking its toll on me. Simon frowned and studied me for a few beats before responding.
“We’ll both go with Sarah to her classes. There’s safety in numbers.”
“Wait a second.” Sarah put up her hand in protest. “I can’t have you two following me around to all my classes. It’s one thing for you to show up to my lectures where there’re so many people that you won’t be noticed. But what am I going to say to the professors in my smaller classes? That you’re my bodyguards?”
“I should be the one protecting Sarah,” Grant interjected. The argument swelled as everyone put in their two cents about the best way to proceed, and soon we were just talking over each other.
“Stop.” Simon’s voice was quiet but authoritative, cutting through all the bickering. We all automatically looked at him. “This is ridiculous. No one’s going to any classes. Period.”
Simon’s command riled up Grant and he stalked over to him until they were just inches apart. “Who put you in charge? We agreed to follow your plan, but you have no plan! You don’t know what to do any more than we do! Hell, how do we know you’re not a part of the trap? You could still be working with Caitlin’s father. You guys are two of a kind, after all.”
Simon’s jaw tightened but his voice was calm when he answered. “I’m just t
rying to keep everyone alive. Sarah and Caitlin are in the most danger. Do you want to risk their lives just because you’re tired of being in this apartment? This is nothing compared to what we could be facing.”
Sarah walked over to Grant and put a hand on his arm, her tone coaxing. “It’s okay, I don’t need to go to class. It was a stupid thought anyway. Simon is right. We need to stay here where it’s safe.”
Grant took a deep steadying breath, and then backed away, allowing Sarah to lead him back to the couch. He sat there silently, watching the television, but I knew he wasn’t really paying attention to it. His hands kept clenching and unclenching into fists and I knew he was trying to control his anger.
The silence was interrupted by the sound of Sarah’s cell phone ringing. After she answered it, she listened for a few moments and then held out the phone to me. “It’s for you. It’s Marie.”
I had given her Sarah’s cell phone number since neither Simon nor I had one anymore, but this was the first time I had heard from her since we left Connecticut. I took the phone from Sarah eagerly.
“Marie?”
“Caitlin, I have someone that I think can help you. He’s a seer with incredible powers and I believe he’s going to be a pivotal force in the movement to eradicate not only vardogers, but seers who have betrayed us.”
“He?” I asked in confusion. “I thought all seers were women.”
Marie seemed amused by my response. “The majority of seers are women, but it’s a not a hard and fast rule. There are male seers as well. They’re just not as common.”
“Is he someone we can trust?”
“I believe so. And he’s the only one willing to help.” Marie paused before continuing. “A lot of seers are afraid of your father. They’re afraid to help you. He’s been responsible for a lot of seers’ deaths, and they don’t want to meet the same fate.”
I took a deep breath as I processed Marie’s words. “Okay, so how do I meet him? Where is he?”
“He’ll come to you. His name is Ryan Wisters. I just wanted to wait until I spoke to you before telling him where you were. Have you seen any sign of your father?”
“No, and it’s driving me crazy. I don’t know what he’s waiting for.”
“I didn’t think you would have. Ryan has the ability to track vardogers, and it’s what makes him so valuable. Once I told him what happened, he started to track your father but he doesn’t seem to be headed towards you.”
Hope bloomed inside of me at the thought that there was another seer willing to help me. A powerful seer that could help me defeat my father. Marie told me that Ryan would arrive by this evening and gave me his phone number. Everyone looked at me expectantly when I hung up the phone.
“There’s a seer who’s willing to help us. A powerful one that can track vardogers. He’ll be here tonight.”
Sarah raised her eyebrows. “It’s a guy?”
“Yeah, I thought the same thing, but apparently not all seers are female.”
Simon was frowning but he didn’t speak while I continued to share what Marie had told me. “Apparently, a lot of seers are afraid to help me because of my father. But this seer, Ryan Wisters, is willing to help. Marie thinks he’s going to be pivotal in not only defeating my father and other vardogers, but seers who have become traitors.”
“And we’re just supposed to trust him, sight unseen?” Simon’s tone was caustic and he looked on edge. I was surprised when Grant chimed in to agree with Simon.
“He could be sent by your father,” Grant said. “How do we know this isn’t some sort of trick?”
“We don’t, but we have as much reason to trust him as to not trust him. You said yourself that we have no plan. Maybe he can help us. It’s better than waiting here like sitting ducks.”
“Caitlin’s right,” Sarah interjected. “We can’t do this alone. We need help.”
Grant just sighed and didn’t voice any further objections, but Simon continued to watch me with an unreadable expression.
“What if you’re wrong? What if we trust this seer, only to be betrayed?” There was underlying steel in Simon’s voice, belying the calmness of his tone.
“Let’s just wait until we meet him,” I said. “We’ll have a better idea once we actually have a chance to meet him in person.”
The rest of the day was tense as we waited for Ryan. Simon’s mood worsened as the hours went by, while mine lifted. Waiting for Ryan was better than waiting for my father to attack, and it gave me a sense of purpose. We were doing more than just waiting to react.
It was late when the doorbell rang. We all jumped at the sound and Simon immediately walked over to answer it, although I was close behind him. He turned around before opening the door.
“We can’t blindly trust this guy. He has to earn our trust. We have to be careful with how much we tell him.” Simon’s words were directed towards all of us, but he was looking straight at me. I felt irritation rise at the tone of his voice, like I was some child to be lectured, but I tamped it down and instead just nodded at him.
I was surprised by how young Ryan was when Simon opened the door. He didn’t look much older than his mid-to-late twenties, and his height rivaled Simon’s. His sandy brown hair was cut short and his hazel eyes looked intelligent as they narrowed in on Simon and me standing before him. I was startled to feel a thrill of awareness from his gaze. He was attractive, but it was more than that. I felt an instant connection, and I wondered if it was because we were both seers.
“You must be Simon and Caitlin. I’m Ryan Wisters.” His voice was deep, and the timbre of it was pleasant. I tried to hide my reaction. The last thing I needed was for Simon to get jealous.
Simon just stared at him without answering, his gaze hard, so I answered for the both of us. “We are. Thanks for coming here to meet us. Come in.”
I moved back to allow him to enter, and I was relieved when Simon didn’t stop him from stepping into the apartment. Sarah and Grant were standing by the couch, staring at the scene as if they were watching a fascinating movie.
“Marie told us a little about you, Ryan,” I said, trying to ease the tension. “How much has she told you about our situation?”
“She told me everything that happened with your father.” Despite Ryan answering my question, he was staring at Simon. “So you’re the vardoger?”
Simon’s lips thinned but he nodded stiffly.
“Amazing.” Ryan studied Simon as if he were a fascinating specimen. “I can usually sense vardogers, even from a distance. It’s what makes me able to track them. But I can barely feel your energy. Are you purposely trying to mask it?”
“No,” Simon bit out. I could feel his impatience rising with Ryan’s questions, so I interjected.
“Why don’t we all sit down,” I suggested. “We have a lot to discuss.”
I gestured for Ryan to sit down on the couch and sat across from him in the recliner as Simon settled onto the armrest. Ryan looked surprised when Grant and Sarah sat down on the couch as well, and I belatedly introduced them to Ryan.
“I think it’s best if we talk about this in private,” he said, ignoring my introductions.
“They know everything,” I reassured him. “There’s no need to hide anything from them.”
Ryan raised an eyebrow, almost looking imperious. “Still. I don’t know them, which means I don’t trust them.” He gave them a sidelong look. “No offense.”
“You don’t know us either,” Simon countered with a scowl. “And I trust them a hell of a lot more than I trust you.”
“We have as much at stake in this as you do,” Grant added. “Sarah’s life is in danger, and we have a right to know what’s happening.”
I sighed inwardly at the inauspicious start of the meeting, but I was relieved when Ryan seemed to accept the situation with a reluctant nod before speaking again.
“I’ve been tracking your father, since he seems to be the leader in this mess,” he said. “Marie thought it would le
ad me to you, but instead he’s headed south. I lost track of him after Delaware. He must be moving too fast.”
“How are you able to track vardogers?” I asked, trying to hide my awe. “I didn’t realize that was something seers could even do.”
“It’s a rare trait, but it happens. It’s almost like I can feel individual energies and can pinpoint where they’re coming from. Unfortunately, I can only track the energies of vardogers that have overtaken their people. I can’t sense vardogers that are still just bodiless shadows. It’s not an exact science but I’ve honed it throughout the years and I’m pretty accurate.”
“Pretty accurate,” Simon repeated doubtfully. “So that means you’re not always accurate.”
Ryan’s expression tightened, his hazel eyes looking stormy. “It’s a hell of a lot better than nothing. What exactly can you do besides overtake humans and destroy their souls?”
I felt Simon tense beside me but I spoke up before he could answer.
“We need to work together. Fighting amongst ourselves isn’t going to help anybody. I appreciate you coming here to help, Ryan, but you have to accept Simon as an ally.” I glanced up at Simon’s implacable face. “And he needs to do the same with you.”
Ryan’s lips thinned but he nodded. “I’ll try my best, but you need to understand that this goes against everything I believe in, everything I’ve been taught. Vardogers don’t help humans. Every seer knows that.”
I took a deep breath, hearing the implied criticism in Ryan’s words. Even though I was a seer, I had put my trust in a vardoger. That either make me crazy or stupid. Or both.
I was relieved when Simon didn’t react to Ryan’s words, so I took the opportunity to ask more questions.
“So you’ll be able to know when my father is close? You’ll be able to feel his energy?”
“Yes, I’ve got a good read on his energy from tracking him. I’ll be able to sense him before we’re in danger.”
“From how far can you feel a vardoger’s energy?” Sarah had a look of awe on her face as she asked the question.
“It differs from vardoger to vardoger, depending on the strength of their energy.” Ryan turned to me. “Your father’s energy is particularly strong, so I’ll be able to sense him in time to prepare for his attack.”