Ella Awakened

by S. E. Duncan

  Burke sighed. “The warriors are police, judge, and jury. They are perceptive and are able to instinctually read facial expressions and body language. You can’t lie to a warrior.”

  Ella took a deep breath and held it for a second, silently counting to ten. “We’ll talk later about how messed up it is that the fact that you can’t lie to me seems to upset you. Now, is there anything else I can do that you haven’t told me about?”

  “No, not that I know of anyway. The photographic memory was a surprise even to me. I told you from the beginning that I wasn’t sure what exactly you’d be capable of after the awakening. This is as much a mystery to me as it is to you; you were half human, Ella.”

  “So is it possible or not for you to share the visions with me?” Ella was getting frustrated.

  “I don’t know, but it doesn’t matter because we’re not going to try.”

  “You have got to stop treating me like a child!” Ella paced around the room waving her hands in the air. “Honestly, think about Willow. Think about my parents and about everything you and my father left behind. Haven’t enough people sacrificed and suffered?” She stopped in front of Burke who was still sitting on the bed. “We have to end this by any means possible!”

  Burke pulled Ella into his arms. “I know, Hutsool, but I’ve only just found you.”

  Ella climbed onto Burke’s lap. She straddled him and wrapped her legs around his waist. She kissed him, then ran her hands through his hair. “We can’t have peace in our lives until we figure out a way to stop the Demon.”

  “If you want to try, we’ll try. But I don’t like it,” Burke whispered into her hair.

  Chapter 10: A Night Gone Wrong

  Ella and Burke were a few minutes late getting to the apartment to meet Sarah and Jeremy for their double date. From the look of Sarah’s mussed hair, their tardiness was probably a good thing. There was no telling what they would have walked in on had they been on time.

  “Come with me,” Ella told Sarah as she grabbed her hand and pulled her up from the couch. “We’ll be right back. You guys decide where you want to go eat,” she called over her shoulder as she led Sarah into her bathroom. “Seriously, Sarah, your hormones are on overdrive. Let’s get your hair back in order. I’m surprised your shirt isn’t on inside out,” Ella teased.

  “I refuse to apologize! You guys were late and your cousin is an animal. That - by the way - is not a complaint.” Sarah grabbed a tissue to wipe her smeared lip gloss, then took the tube out of her pocket and reapplied it.

  “You’re not complaining about what exactly? Us being late or Jeremy being an animal?” Ella asked as she ran her fingers through Sarah’s unruly hair, trying to smooth it a little bit before putting it back up for her.

  “I’m not complaining about either fact,” she grinned like the cat that ate the canary.

  “No details, remember!” Ella finished fixing Sarah’s hair. “There,” she said, “presentable once again.”

  The girls went back into the living room.

  “We decided on Outback, if that’s okay with you ladies. We men want a steak!” Jeremy exclaimed.

  “Sounds wonderful,” Ella said. “Why don’t we just take Burke’s truck? Then we can park back here at the apartment afterwards and walk across the street to see the movie. Oh wait a minute, let me grab some towels for us to sit on.”

  “I have a blanket in the back of the truck,” Burke said, taking her hand and heading towards the front door. They all went down stairs to Burke’s truck and drove to the restaurant.

  ~~

  “Where are you working this summer, Jeremy?” Burke asked once they were seated and had placed their orders.

  “I’m just working part time at the hardware store downtown. I wanted to make a little spending money over the summer. My parents don’t really like Ella and me to work while we’re taking classes. They prefer us to concentrate on our grades. I do want to get involved with the university paper next semester, though, since I’m majoring in journalism. I took a lot of photography classes before transferring here. I’m interested both in writing and photojournalism.”

  “That sounds exciting,” Burke said. “Ella told me you enjoyed photography and have taken some magnificent pictures. I’d really like to see them sometime. How about you, Sarah? Ella told me you work in a little shop downtown, but she didn’t mention what you were studying in school.”

  “I’m majoring in political science and minoring in psychology. I’d like to go to law school if I can keep my grades up.”

  “Don’t even start whining about your grades,” Ella said. “You barely study and have a 4.0.”

  “You have a 4.0 too,” Sarah reminded her.

  “True, but I had to study like crazy last semester.”

  “I don’t know what either one of them are complaining about,” Jeremy told Burke. “I barely made it out of junior college with a 3.2.”

  “That’s because you never study,” Ella teased her cousin.

  “What about you, Ella? Have you decided what you want to do yet? You’ve bounced back and forth between several different programs over the past two years. Is this internship pointing you in a new direction?” Jeremy asked.

  Ella thought for a minute. What did she want to do? She had been leaning towards medical school but with everything that had happened recently, she really hadn’t thought about it lately at all. Once she and Burke had laid this whole Demon situation to rest, would she just go on about her life like nothing had changed? Would she finish college? She would have to take into consideration the fact that she wasn’t going to age like everyone else around her. Also, her new photographic memory made anything a possibility. What about Burke? She knew he missed his home. He had been all consumed with the Demon for the past twenty years. With that problem out of the way would he be happy just being with her, or would he become obsessed with finding a way back to Quintar? They hadn’t really had a chance to talk about any of this yet.

  Ella looked at Burke. Wow, she silently told him. I haven’t thought about that at all since you came to pick me up from the dorm room when I was so sick.

  You’ve had other things on your mind, Hutsool; don’t worry about school right now. Just tell Jeremy you’re still thinking about it. He’s staring at you. You and I can talk about it later tonight.

  Ella smiled at Jeremy. “I’m still thinking about it,” she said. “It’s a big decision.”

  Jeremy smiled back at his cousin. “You’ll be amazing at whatever you decide to do. I wasn’t trying to stress you out, you know.”

  Jeremy worried about Ella; he always had. She put on a good show, but she had been through some horrible things in her life. He was still trying to decide how he felt about this Burke guy. Jeremy wasn’t stupid. He knew Ella was an adult; Hell, she was only six months younger than he was. She was more than likely having sex with this guy. Not just cop a feel stuff, but actual SEX. Ella and Burke hadn’t known each other long and Jeremy wasn’t sure how thrilled he was that they seemed to be moving along pretty fast. Sarah told him earlier today that Burke and Ella had already started using the L word. When the food came, he was still trying to decide whether he wanted to pat Burke on the back or punch him in the face.

  ~~

  By the time the group had finished eating it was quarter past eight. “We’d better get moving if we want to get a decent spot on the lawn,” Sarah pointed out after glancing at her watch.

  Burke got the waiter’s attention and asked for the check. “I’ve got it this time,” he said when Jeremy got out his wallet.

  “I’ll get the tip then,” Jeremy responded and threw a twenty dollar bill on the table.

  After Burke had signed the receipt they left the restaurant, went out to the truck, and headed back towards Jeremy and Ella’s apartment.

  “I almost forgot to tell you Ella, mom is bringing Sophie to us tomorrow morning,” Jeremy said from the back seat.

  “I wish she would have brought her when they cam
e to move us into the apartment. It would have saved her a trip.”

  “Yeah right, but you know mom can’t bear to be separated from Sophie longer than is absolutely necessary. I’m sure it’s a million times worse now that I’ve moved here with you. You know, empty nest and all that.”

  “Who’s Sophie?” asked Burke.

  “Sophie is the most beautiful, sweetest cat you’ve ever met,” Ella said. “Jeremy and I are babysitting her because Aunt Rachel and Uncle Ben are taking a two week cruise. It’s like a second honeymoon. They’ve been married twenty-five years.”

  “Where are they going?” Burke asked.

  “Alaska,” Jeremy said. “It’s something my dad has always wanted to do. They’ve done Europe and the tropical thing. They’ll actually be gone eighteen days. They’re flying to Washington and visiting some friends there for a few days before the cruise.”

  Burke parked in front of Ella and Jeremy’s apartment. They all got out of the truck, and Burke opened the back so he could grab the blanket.

  “If you want, I’ll ride with you to meet her half way,” Sarah told Jeremy. “It seems crazy for her to drive an hour here then back. She probably has a lot to do.”

  “Or,” Jeremy said, “I could call into work sick and we could drive the whole way there and spend the night.”

  “When are they leaving?” Sarah asked.

  “Their flight leaves tomorrow at four, so they need to leave around one in the afternoon.”

  “Hmmm, that sounds like an amazing idea. Maybe you’ll get really sick and we can stay for a few days,” Sarah cooed suggestively to Jeremy.

  Ella looked at Burke. Ugh! I don’t think I’ll ever get used to this.

  Burke just smiled. You’re looking at it all wrong. Without Jeremy to sneak around you’ll be able to stay at my house.

  The two couples walked across the street to the park. It was dark outside, but the park was lit up with flood lights and would be until the movie started. There were already quite a few couples on blankets in front of a large screen that had been set up. They found a spot in the middle toward the back, and Ella helped Burke spread the old army blanket neatly on the lawn. Jeremy plopped down with his legs sprawled out, and Sarah sat between them leaning back against Jeremy’s chest. They started whispering and giggling about playing house together at Rachel and Ben’s. Little did they know, they might as well have been yelling. Whispering doesn’t mean a whole lot when you’re with a warrior and a healer.

  I’m dying over here, Ella told Burke when he smirked at something extremely inappropriate Sarah had just breathed into Jeremy’s ear.

  This is the perfect opportunity for you to learn how to concentrate and block things out. I haven’t had much of a chance yet to encourage you to experiment with and master your senses since your awakening. Ignore Sarah and Jeremy; you can hone in on any conversation in this entire park. See the couple toward the left at the bottom of the hill on the red blanket? Block everything else out; what are they talking about?

  Ella looked at the couple and tried to focus her hearing. She blocked everything else out and concentrated on them alone. At first she could barely hear them, but the more she narrowed her attention the more clearly she could make out what they were saying. Eventually, it was as if she were sitting on the red blanket with them.

  They’re talking about their babysitter. The mom is anxious about leaving the baby for the first time.

  Awesome Hutsool! Okay, young couple right next to them on lawn chairs; what are they talking about.

  Ella shifted her focus and listened for a few minutes. She thinks he’s cheating on her with some girl named Mara. He swears he’s not, but even from here I can tell he’s lying. Poor girl, I think I recognize her from school. What a jerk! I hope she realizes he’s a loser and moves on.

  I hope so too, but sometimes I think humans thrive on that kind of thing. I’ll never understand it.

  They aren’t all like that, Burke. Look at my Aunt and Uncle.

  You’re right, they aren’t all like that. It’s just that where I come from almost no one is like that. There are a few people who flirt and have casual relationships because they haven’t found their soul mate, but it’s just different. I have never known anyone from Quintar to be sneaky and dishonest about that kind of thing. Okay, one more - how about the two guys closest to the movie screen on the far right. What are they talking about?

  Ella transferred her attention to the other side of the field and listened. OMG, they’re secretly seeing each other. The one in the white t-shirt is openly gay but the other guy is still hiding in the closet, so to speak. He actually has a girlfriend he’s been stringing along. Ella looked at Burke with wide eyes. Wow, there’s a whole lot of drama in the park tonight.

  Anything else catch your attention?

  Just that popcorn over there. I know we just ate, but the smell is sending me over the edge. I’d like to go get some. Do you want to come?

  Sure. Let’s take a little walk before the movie starts.

  “Hey you two,” Ella said to Sarah and Jeremy. “Burke and I are gonna walk over and get some popcorn - you guys want any?”

  “Where do you see popcorn?” Sarah asked.

  “Can’t you smell it? It’s over there on the right. See the old fashioned popcorn machine? It looks like they’re selling soda too.”

  “Oh, I see it. I can’t smell it from here though; I must be getting a summer cold. I don’t want any popcorn, but a diet soda would be nice. Do you want anything, tiger?” Sarah asked Jeremy, running her fingernails up his thigh.

  “A coke and peanut m&m’s if they have any candy over there.” Jeremy handed Ella a ten dollar bill.

  “We’ll be back in a few minutes,” Ella said as she and Burke got up. They weaved their way through the scattered blankets and lawn chairs hand in hand.

  The old fashioned popcorn machine was set up on a table next to several different kinds of candy. There were coolers on the ground full of ice and canned drinks. The student behind the table was leaning back in his chair looking bored. A poster taped to the front of the table proclaimed in bold letters that proceeds benefited the university baseball team. Ella picked up some peanut m&m’s and fished two diet Pepsi’s and a Coke out of the ice filled cooler.

  “What would you like?” Ella asked Burke.

  “I’ll take a Mountain Dew and share your popcorn if that’s okay.”

  Ella put the candy and drinks on the table. “This and a large popcorn please,” she said.

  As the athlete let his chair drop, his foot caught the extension cord that led from the popcorn machine to the generator about twenty feet away. He pulled the cord just enough that the popcorn machine stopped working and its light went out. There was a young man standing next to the generator scanning the crowd as if he was looking for someone.

  “Hey buddy,” the concession worker called, “can you help me out and plug that cord back in?”

  The young man looked over at the concession table, reached for the plug, then pulled his hand back, and looked towards the table again.

  “Just plug it back in!” the worker called loudly, then mumbled, “What the hell”.

  What is he doing? Ella asked Burke.

  The young man hurriedly walked away, heading behind the movie screen and out of sight.

  “Oh for the love of all that’s holy.” The student manning the refreshment table scowled as he stomped over to the generator. When he reached down and pushed the plug back in, blue and orange sparks arched accompanied by a popping noise. He quickly jerked his hand away and shook it. The popcorn machine lit up and started working again.

  “That extension cord has a short in it, which could be a fire hazard,” Burke told the worker once he returned and started scooping Ella’s popcorn into a bag.

  “Yeah, it gave me a little shock and startled the crap out of me. I’ll let the coach know.” He handed Burke the popcorn, put a ‘will return in ten minutes’ sign on the table, and walked awa
y.

  Ella and Burke gathered their purchases and walked back across the lawn to join Sarah and Jeremy. The movie was just getting ready to start as they sat down. A representative from the school stood in front of the screen and thanked everyone for coming. A few minutes later the flood lights went out and the screen lit up.

  The two couples sat and enjoyed the movie together. It was a beautiful night; the sky was clear and full of stars. The temperature was in the mid-seventies. It was one of Ella’s favorite movies. She was just thinking to herself as she sat with her head on Burke’s shoulder that the night couldn’t be more perfect - then someone screamed.

  Chapter 11: Vision

  Ella sprang to her feet.

  Stop! Burke screamed in her head. Ella! You can’t move that fast in front of the humans. You can never draw that kind of attention to yourself!

  Ella glanced at Sarah and Jeremy still sitting on the blanket and noticed they were indeed looking at her curiously.

  Burke quickly grabbed Ella’s hand and headed toward the back of the movie screen at a fast but reasonable pace. There was a shallow, rocky gully that ran through the city park. Sometimes rainwater ran through it, but typically it was dry. Wooden bridges crossed it in several places. The girl who had screamed sat on her knees close to one of the bridges, crying uncontrollably. Burke and Ella weren’t the first to arrive; several people had milled around the girl trying to comfort her and figure out what was wrong.

  I smell blood, Ella told Burke.

  I do too. It’s coming from the gully.

  Looking down, Ella and Burke could make out the shape of someone lying in the bottom of the gully. The head and shoulders were obstructed from view by the shadow of the wooden bridge.

  “Somebody get me a flashlight,” Burke said.

  The young man who had been running the movie projector quickly left and returned with a flashlight.

  “Stay with her,” Burke told Ella as he gestured toward the crying girl. Burke turned on the flashlight and carefully made his way toward the body to check for a pulse.