Shadow Heights

by E. N. Goeking

  She waited a few more minutes, waiting for the late stragglers to enter before starting her introduction. She was dressed in business attire, a gray woman’s suit, but not without a feminine touch. She styled it up with a white top underneath and leather pumps. She was probably in her late thirties. She had blonde hair which was pinned up neatly, not one hair out of place. She slipped on a pair of glasses as she read off the attendance list.

  She didn’t make us go through the motions of introducing ourselves; instead, we were to give a three-minute speech about ourselves due next class. Wonderful but at least it’s not due today. I hated talking about myself. It was hard enough giving a speech in front of thirty complete strangers, let alone talking about me through all of it.

  I heard Chad spew a heavy sigh next to me when she announced the assignment. I internalized my laugh but was comforted by his tension; at least I wasn’t the only one dreading it. She explained her syllabus, grading outlines, and attendance policy. I glanced out of the corner of my eye and saw that Chad was staring at me, his pen in his mouth—chewing incessantly. I looked away trying to ignore him the best I could.

  She announced that for next week, we were doing a group speech to help lessen our anxiety and to bring comfort to the strangers in the room. We were to either pair off or get in groups of three. The speech had to be a persuasive one on any topic that we wanted as long as we gained her approval. Chad suggested that we pair up and I was in agreement. I didn’t know anyone else and at least he was somewhat familiar to me. She wrote some terms on the whiteboard about proper speech etiquette, things to avoid, etc. and I took down the notes with a diligent hand.

  “What class do you have after this?” he asked while leaning closer to me.

  “Economics,” I replied without looking over.

  “Do you have Professor Reynolds?”

  “I think so.”

  “Have fun with that one. I took his class years ago and it was the most boring class I ever took in my life.” He quieted down when the teacher turned to face us. I copied down the rest of her lecture and we were free to leave at our disposal.

  I put my notebook in my bag and slid it over my shoulder.

  “Well, I guess I’ll see you around,” I said while walking away but he followed closely behind me as I made my way into the hallway. He kept up with my pace and walked alongside me. I guess he had class in the same building as me next, but I didn’t really believe him. His words weren’t very convincing, at least.

  I lit up a cigarette as soon as we stepped outside since I still had twenty minutes until class and it was only one building over. The sun was scorching and was a lot hotter than I remembered it being a couple hours before. It made me wonder what was going on in our solar system that the media wasn't telling us about. I fanned myself with my hand but it didn’t seem to be helping. Chad lit up a cigarette and leaned against the brick wall with me.

  “Did you want to get together sometime to work on our speech?” he asked.

  “Um sure. What topic did you want to do it on?”

  “Legalization of marijuana?” We both laughed but it was a pretty good idea. His laugh was pleasant but not as captivating as Jaden’s gloomy intonation.

  “Not bad but let me think about it.” He smiled and took a drag from his menthol. “Maybe we could meet up at the library later this week.”

  “On campus?”

  “Uh, no. The one in town.” He casually waved at a couple guys he knew from town.

  “Okay. I can do that. I’ll have Jaden give me your number.”

  I felt a little uneasy about him telling Jaden we were working together. After the way he reacted to Greg, I wasn’t sure if it was a good idea. Although, he was Chad’s friend and maybe he would see things differently. It would be a good test.

  I stood up straight and stretched my arms.

  “Are you feeling all right today?”

  “Yeah, why?”

  “You just seem different, not as happy somehow.” I avoided his eyes and concentrated on an ant carrying a piece of food twice the size of itself.

  “Let’s just say I had a rough morning. I’m gonna take off.” I walked away from him but I knew he was still following me.

  “How are things with Jaden? Good?” I nodded, smiling at the depiction of him in my mind. Chad looked a little disappointed at seeing my ever-growing pleasure for his friend.

  “Actually, things are good...except for one minor thing.” His eyes grew more interested.

  “What’s that?” I stubbed my cigarette out into an ashtray.

  “He got a little angry with me the other day.” Chad’s eyes suddenly grew concerned.

  “You should watch yourself around him. Jaden can be a little intense sometimes. I’ve seen him fly off the handle more than once.”

  “I’m beginning to realize that but yet, I feel so protected by him. I don’t think he’d really hurt me. Do you?”

  His boisterous laugh made me feel like a moron by my own words. “No. I think he’s really into you. He doesn’t generally hurt things that he prizes.” He winked with his right eye and I smiled but then it disappeared once I thought about Greg.

  “He did almost rough up my friend, though.” I started to feel a little angry which made me realize that I hadn’t let it go yet even though I accepted his apology.

  “Oh yeah. Ryan told me what happened but said he didn’t want to get involved.”

  “I just hope that he can control himself and doesn’t get to the point of being a dictator with me.” He rolled his eyes.

  “I don’t think he will but then again, I’ve never seen him fawn over someone as much as he has over you.”

  “Well, thanks for walking me to class. I’ll see you on Thursday.”

  “Yep.” His smile was enough to brighten my mood that afternoon.

  I found my way to class and there were only about twelve others inside. Good, a small class for once. An old man dressed in a flannel shirt and jeans walked inside carrying a briefcase. He had white hair and a wispy mustache and probably should have been retired by now.

  As soon as he opened his mouth, I knew it would be a long class. I would dread this class as much as my Biology class, maybe more. I didn’t mind the subject matter so much; it was the teacher that ruined the material. He talked in a slow manner and insisted on enunciating every syllable; it was hard not to space out into your own world while he spoke.

  He was droning on and on about the recent stock market and other economic news and that was the most exciting part of class. By the end of the hour, he hadn’t assigned any homework for Thursday and I was overjoyed.

  I stepped outside and the sun made sweat droplets magically form on my skin. There was a flood of people headed toward me into the building so I moved off the sidewalk to avoid them. I could hear people’s footsteps behind me so I tried to quicken my pace to get them off my back. A few seconds later, I felt something touch my hand and I brushed my hand against my leg, hoping it was just a bug.

  I kept walking and soon felt it again. I looked down and saw someone else's hand extremely close to mine. Before getting weirded out and readying my fist for attack, I quickly moved my eyes up their body and saw the source.

  Jaden. I should’ve known. He smiled joyfully and took my hand. His recognizable tingle spread up my arm and I was becoming quite addicted to it. Halfway to the parking lot, he still hadn’t spoken a word and I wondered why. He looked happy and not at all angry.

  “Is something wrong?” I inquired.

  “Nope. I’m just enjoying the moment,” he spoke with sincerity and this was enough to drive away any suspicion. “How was class?”

  “Good but economics was boring. Did you have class today?”

  “Yeah, quantum physics. It’s a fucking breeze.” A fucking breeze? Quantum physics? I have trouble just getting through general chemistry. He pushed his hair back from his face, revealing his sparkling eyes which were showing signs of worry in them. “Are you all right?”
/>
  “Yes, I’m perfect.” I kissed him quickly on the cheek but he didn’t seem convinced.

  “Well...I talked to Chad earlier and he said you were a little depressing today.”

  “Like he would know, he’s only been around me a few times.” The tone of my voice suddenly grew heated. “How could he possibly know how to distinguish my moods?” I waited for a few cars to pass as I stepped on the curb.

  “True but I had to see for myself.” I stomped away to the next row of cars.

  “And what do you think?” I glanced at him as we made our way through the busy lot.

  “It’s hard for me to decipher. I’ve never seen you depressed, or angry for that matter.” We stopped when we got to my car and I saw his parked in the space next to mine.

  “Do you purposefully look for my car when you get here?” He snickered.

  “No. I had class early and moved my car here afterwards. I was hoping to catch you before you left.” He ran his hand through his long mane and the center of my chest began to tingle. “I ran into Chad on my way out and he told me what building you were in so I waited.”

  I glanced up at him. “You did?”

  He nodded back while lighting up the cigarette he had placed behind his ear. I could see that he was sweating and I was too. We were both dressed in black and paler than the others seen nearby. We looked like goth twins without the makeup.

  “Do you want to stop by my place and smoke?” He looked hopeful; his eyes warm as he waited for my reply.

  “Okay. I'll meet you there.” He took my hand and moved it to his lips. He lightly swept my knuckle with his tongue and dashed off in a hurry to beat me out of the lot but due to luck and quick maneuvering, I managed to make it out first.

  A short drive later, I pulled in front of his house in my usual spot and he was right behind me, his engine growling. He sped up his driveway and got out of his car before I even turned mine off. After locking my car, I headed up the lawn to meet him.

  He held the front door open for me and as I walked inside, the cool air encircled me. The air conditioning was blowing high and it felt at least twenty degrees cooler than it did outside. After the cooling sensation dwindled, I immediately smelled food. There were two pans on the stove. One was boiling a liquid and the other had meat frying in it. Even though I didn't eat meat, it still smelled good on occasion.

  Jaden grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and drank it down. I watched him as he swallowed, every muscle in his neck tensing and relaxing with each gulp. He wiped his mouth with his arm, wiping away any straggling water droplets.

  “Do you want something to drink?” He offered me the bottle.

  “Sure.” I took it from him and placed it between my lips, lightly touching the inside with my tongue hoping to find the taste of him. I hadn’t realized the extent of my thirst until I finished off the rest of his bottle. Ryan entered the room wearing nothing but a pair of red boxers and a smile. I covered my face with my hand and tried to look away. He was skinny and not nearly as muscular as Jaden but was still toned.

  “Hey man, when did you get in?” Ryan asked after nearly running into his roommate. He jabbed a piece of meat with a fork and shoved it into his mouth. He leaned against the counter, chewing excessively in order to choke it down.

  “Just now,” Jaden answered. He moved away from me and threw the water bottle away, grabbing another from the fridge. I felt the cool air blow past my skin as he shut the door. After Jaden stepped away, Ryan finally noticed me but paid no attention to the fact that he was practically standing there naked.

  “Hey Mina.”

  “Hi,” I replied.

  “How hot is it today?” He walked to the fridge to grab a bottle of ketchup.

  “Fucking brutal,” Jaden said, drying off his hands. He threw the wadded paper towel across the room and it banked off the wall into the trash can. Ryan stirred his food and clamored the dishes until he found the one he needed.

  “You hungry man?”

  “No. I’m good. Come on.” He reached for my hand and I felt his electricity shooting out before our skin even touched. “We’re going to go smoke.” Ryan flipped around in panic that we were doing it without him.

  “Oh, man. Can’t you wait a few minutes? I gotta eat lunch and be at work in an hour.” He rubbed his nose with the back of his hand.

  “If we’re still smoking when you’re done, just come on up.” I followed him up the stairs to his room, admiring his physique from behind. I could hear pans clanging around downstairs, Ryan must’ve been in a hurry to eat and join us.

  He unlocked his door with a small key and led me inside. His smell hit me so quickly that I nearly fainted. It always made me slightly delirious—a sweet intoxication to my senses. He locked the door and headed to his dresser while I found a comfortable spot on his bed.

  He retrieved his stash from his top dresser door and sat down next to me while he rolled us a joint. He broke up a bud, taking out the stems and seeds and laid it neatly into the folded paper. After that, he lost me in his movements. He did it so quickly; it was almost like a magic trick. In less than five seconds, he had it rolled, licked, and ready to smoke. He smiled as he saw my astonished expression.

  “Practice,” he mouthed. He handed me the rolled cigarette and asked me to start it. I grabbed a lighter from my purse and lit the end on fire. It stayed lit longer than it should have and a flame lingered on the end. He blew lightly on it, causing paper ashes to fly around us but managing to put out the flame.

  When the joint was halfway through, a knock sounded on the door and I wondered if Ryan even digested his food as quickly as he ate it. I stood up without hesitation and ran to answer it. I unlocked both of his locks and quickly moved out of the way when Ryan charged through the door. He ran inside yelling, “Is it still going?” Jaden held it out and he ran over to retrieve it like a good doggie. I laughed as he moved with haste. After he took a few big hits, he handed it to me but I denied it. I was plenty high and felt that I didn’t need anymore.

  “Wuss,” he said softly and Jaden laughed quietly at his remark. When the joint was so far down that it was burning his fingers, he finally put it out. I saw the tempting bottle of ice water sitting on his dresser and claimed it as mine. I gulped it down, the sweat from the bottle rolling down my face and neck. Jaden’s eyes penetrated every nerve in my throat as I drank.

  “All right. That’s it for me. I gotta take off.” He put the roach into the ashtray and lit a cigarette. He shook Jaden’s hand and then his attention turned to me. “Mina,” he said, reaching for my free hand. “Always nice to see you.”

  “You too. Have fun at work.”

  “I always do. Later bro.” That was Ryan—always cheerful. He grinned and left the room. I heard him trod down the stairs and a few minutes later, the back door slammed shut. I leaned my body against his dresser and looked around the room, admiring its decor. My eyes drifted around the walls until they focused on his weapons display. It still made me nervous to be in a room filled with such destructful things.

  “So, are you going to tell me what's bothering you?” He pulled out a pack from his shirt pocket and lit a cigarette.

  “Well, I never told you this but ever since I moved here, I’ve been having these unusual dreams.” He inched forward on the bed and grabbed a nearby ashtray. “Not just dreams, though. Lately, it's been happening when I'm awake. It’s as if I’m stepping into someone else’s memory. But that’s not possible, right?” He shot up from the bed so quickly that his reaction was enough to cause alarm. “What?”

  “Where do your dreams take you?” he inquired without pause in a chilling voice.

  “It changes but they’re usually in my house or in a forest somewhere.” He put his arm around my shoulder and tried to comfort me but it was too restraining. I broke away from him and kept pacing. “At first I thought they were just dreams but now...” I tried to find the right words. “I think these dreams are trying to tell me something. Possibly
warn me.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me about this before?” I flinched from his harsh tone.

  “I don’t know. I didn’t think it was anything to worry about. Should I be worried?” I could feel the tension searing in the room with every word I muttered.

  “Who’s in your dreams?” His eyes never lifted from mine.

  “It changes but lately, it’s been this little boy. It’s like I’m this little boy, seeing things from his eyes and not my own. I’m wandering through his memories, memories he had in my house.” I could see a flicker of light in his eyes as I spoke. “What’s the matter?”

  His eyes were still focused, dilating to a darker hue. He hesitated before he spoke. “My sister had dreams, too.” His words came out like a punch to my stomach.

  “So, it’s not just me?”

  “No.” He leaned against the dresser, placing his hands over his eyes, and rubbed his temples in small circles. “I don’t want you to end up like Melinda. I couldn't handle that happening to you.” His voice was tight as the words escaped it.

  “Nothing will.”

  “Yes it will!” he shouted with wrath. I took a step back from him, a reflex from fear. He grabbed a glass from his dresser and threw it against the wall, grunting while he did. I sheltered my eyes from the hundreds of shards flying in the air, squatting down to the floor for cover. His action had shocked me and I had the sudden urge to run away.

  “Jaden!” I screamed.

  “You don't understand,” he insisted, still enraged. He took a step toward me and I distanced myself further. “You’re in danger because of me.”

  “And why is that?” I managed to choke out.

  “They’ll never stop.” He pounded his fist against the wall.

  “Who won’t stop? Jaden, please tell me,” I pleaded with watering eyes. With shameful sorrow, he looked away from me.

  “My family.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  “What do you mean?” I shrieked.

  “They’re doing this to get at me. I’ve ignored them for too long.” He continued to squeeze his forehead to relieve the tension building inside. I moved closer to him but at a slow pace since I thought prudence was necessary. He was still facing the wall, deep within his own thoughts. I lightly placed my hand on his arm but he didn’t flinch from my touch.