The C I N Series Bundled

by Christina Leigh Pritchard

  “Who is Reginald?” I asked. She led me to the other side of the fire to a group of three girls and a tall, handsome Haitian. His head was shaved and he had a snake tattoo that covered his left arm and there was barbed wire around his right wrist. His eyes were light brown. Everyone really did have light eyes! What was it with this place? I observed the three girls, too. One had light blue eyes, one hazel and the other, light green. My heart beat furiously. Had something happened to them, too? Why was it that people who were typically born with darker features seemed to have such unusually light features? Why was it as if something drained them of their color?

  “Hi, Lisa; Michael and Donna haven’t stopped talking about you. I feel like I know you already.” Reginald said. He offered his hand and I shook it. His body was ripped and his muscles pulsed. I blushed. He was still in his white briefs and they were soaking wet.

  “Hello, Reginald.” I grinned, turning away. Michael came to my side, brushing his hand through his hair. He had a cigarette hanging out the side of his mouth, unlit.

  “So you’ve met Reggie, I see.” Michael replied, resting his hands on my hips. “He thinks he’s God’s gift to women.”

  I giggled. He was. Reginald was perfect in every way.

  “Can I bum one, man?” Reggie asked, pointing at Michael’s cigarette.

  “Sure, why not.”

  “Where have you been hiding this one? Did you check out her purple eyes? She’s pretty.”

  Michael chuckled, lighting his cigarette. “I’m not the one keeping her hostage.”

  “Well, I can see why they do.”

  “Are you guys going to talk about Lisa like she isn’t right here listening?” Donna complained, placing her hands on her hips. “How rude can you get? Hey, did Ally come with you?”

  I nodded. “Yes she was getting mauled by some guy named Pete.” I looked across the fire. I didn’t see her. Pete was sitting there with Marie but no Ally. “I better go find her.” Was seeing Pete with Marie too hard for her?

  “I’ll help you look,” Donna decided, intertwining our arms together. “Allison Moody, where are you?” She yelled. People stared but Donna didn’t seem concerned. “Oh, Ally.”

  “I forgot that was her last name. It’s similar to Jane Mood. What is the story with Ally and her Jane obsession?”

  Donna ignored me. “Let’s find Ally before she panics.” She dragged me away from the crowd.

  “Ally!” I shouted. “Where are you?”

  “I’m right here,” she said. We turned around and spotted her sitting on the swing at the beach playground. “It was too much seeing Pete with Marie. I miss him.” Her eyes watered.

  “Oh, Ally,” I sighed. “I didn’t know about Pete. You didn’t tell me.”

  “You didn’t ask.”

  “Well, technically, I did.”

  “Your questions are always so vague.”

  I sat down in the swing next to her and leaned close to her face. “I’m sorry, if I had known, I would never have made you come.”

  “You would’ve just gone with Michael and left me home.”

  “I don’t know.” Would I have done that?

  “If you asked, I would’ve stayed with you,” Donna admitted. “I’ve always wanted to be your friend.” She stood behind us and placed her hands on our shoulders. “It would be cool if you boarded with us this year too. It’s three beds to a room and only me and Lisa. Why don’t you think about it?”

  “I have been.” Ally sighed. “I think right now what I want to do is go home.”

  “Okay, let’s go.” I replied. “Donna, can you tell Michael I said goodbye?”

  “Sure thing.” She hugged Ally. “See you guys on Monday.”

  “Thanks for your comforting words, Donna.” Ally smiled. Her light blue eyes were puffy. “I won’t forget it.”

  “Good, maybe this year you, Lisa and I can be our own clan,” Donna said, racing back to the bonfire. “Bye!”

  “Where are our shoes?” Ally sniffed, wiping her nose. “I wish I never came to this stupid bonfire. At least I didn’t get angry.”

  “Why, what happens when you get angry?”

  Ally stopped in the middle of the road. The street lights were out so the only light was the glow to her eyes. They were catlike and spooky. “I go crazy and murder people.”

  Her face was serious. She didn’t flinch or smile. Was Ally for real? Was I living with a serial killer?

  “I’m just teasing, Lisa Brown!” she laughed, smacking me in the shoulder. “Come, let’s go home. Alex will be waiting to hear about what mischief we got ourselves into.”

  “Besides seeing the hottest, half naked Haitian ever, my night was pretty mellow.” I laughed.

  “Reginald is a beautiful man,” Ally groaned. “Man, oh man…”

  “Hey, what rules were you and Pete talking about?”

  Ally turned away. “It’s better to not know, at least for now.”

  “What is it with all the secrets?” I asked. “I feel like I’m surrounded by people who have something to hide. I almost wonder why I’m here.”

  “Because, Lisa Brown, you have something to hide, too.”

  What did I possibly have to hide? Was I the only one who didn’t know my very own secret? Did this have to do with the lightning? Was I more different than even I noticed? Besides the great hair, skin and cool purple eyes, what hadn’t I noticed? I was filled with more energy and I longed for adventure but there wasn’t anything weird about me. At least, I didn’t think so, anyway.

  Fifteen

  Clown Fish

  Ally decided to bunk with us. It only made sense considering that all the students were supposed to stay at the school. Millie said it would be easier on her as well, and suggested Alex stay in a single room that was initially used as the live in janitor’s quarters. It had been empty for years. Ally begged me to ask Alex if he would join us or at least try it out. After hours of listening to Ally beg, I finally agreed.

  Alex sat in his lazy boy chair with the light out. His eyes glowed aqua. I peeked inside his room and took a deep breath.

  “What do you want, Lisa?”

  “Have you thought about staying at the school? I mean, you could try it out for a while and if you don’t like it then you can always go back to living off campus.”

  “I have lived in the dorms before. I hated it and don’t wish to do it again.”

  “This time it’s different. You’ll have your own room! Doesn’t that sound nice?”

  “I have my own room now.”

  “Alex! Why are you being so difficult? Is there something you’re not telling me?”

  “Yes, of course. It’s pretty obvious that I keep a few secrets.”

  “Ally said I had secrets, too.”

  “Like what?”

  “I dunno; I’m a pretty mysterious gal.”

  Alex smiled and turned on his light. There were old books sprawled around his room as if he’d taken them from off the shelves and tossed them onto the floor.

  “There’s only one thing about you that I’m certain,” he crept closer, now inches from my face, “…just one little thing.”

  “And what’s that?”

  Alex entered my personal space, standing just a hairline away from me. His eyes peered deep into mine almost as if he were talking. Had he forgotten to speak the words? “You were meant to come to Lynn.”

  My heart pounded. “How would you know something like that? I’m supposed to be in Florida with my mother. We had a pretty good life there and it’s ‘meant to be’ that I’ll go home soon.”

  “Why do you lie to yourself?”

  “Excuse me?”

  “You had a horrible life in Florida. I heard the message when your mom called begging for your Aunt Millie to take you in. She didn’t sound like a woman who wanted help; no, she wanted to escape.”

  “Alex Moody, I’m happy you don’t stay at the school.”

  “You lie about everything; your mom, me…”


  I shoved him and he stumbled backwards. He did not wince with pain this time.

  I did.

  I fell to my knees and screamed. Bolts of electricity shot through me. “What did you do to me?”

  “N-nothing, what’s the matter with you?” He leaned over me and put his hands on my shoulders. “Come sit in the chair. I will get Ally.”

  I squeezed my stomach and doubled over. “What’s happening to me?” My insides vibrated and it was as if a thousand locusts were flapping their wings in my ears. I tried to focus on a tattered book inches away but my vision was blurred. Suddenly there were two beds and instead of ten books on the floor there were twenty.

  Ally raced into the room with her hair flying behind her. She placed her hands on me. “This ought to fix it.”

  Her touch only made things worse. I went blind and I convulsed on the ground like an epileptic, my tongue sticking out. I couldn’t control my arms or legs.

  Alex and Ally leaned over, pinning me to the ground. Within an instant, the pain, the seizure and the blindness was gone.

  “What just happened?”

  “I don’t know.” Alex breathed heavily as if he were having an anxiety attack. “That’s never happened before. I mean, I’ve been doing extensive research trying to find an answer but, never in my life have I seen that.”

  I glared at him. He’d been doing research on me? That meant there was something wrong with me and he was holding back information. “It always hurts when you touch me but never that severe.”

  “After the lightning?” Alex blurted. I shook my head and swallowed.

  “Before, whenever you’ve touched me it has hurt but only a little.”

  “What about when I touch you?” Ally’s legs trembled. “Does it hurt, too?”

  “No, only when Alex touches me.”

  “I hurt you?” His eyes watered. “Why do you always try to touch me, then?”

  “It’s embarrassing.”

  “Lisa, tell me. I can’t try to help if I don’t know what—”

  “Can’t fix what? What is wrong with me? Don’t leave me in the dark anymore.”

  “First, you must tell me why you always try to touch me; I won’t laugh.”

  My cheeks burned. “I’m addicted to your touch.” How embarrassing.

  Ally stood. “What about me? What happens when I touch you?”

  “I feel numb.”

  “When we both touch you?”

  “Perfect.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “When Ally touches me, the pain that you give goes away and a good, calming feeling overpowers me, as if I’m high or something. So, I guess the addiction is still there but not the pain that comes with it.”

  “Weird.” Ally scratched her head. “Alex, what do you think it means?”

  “That she has both traits. But, the pain never should’ve happened before the lightning.”

  “What do you mean, before?” I stood up and backed away from them. “What traits are you talking about? Has this happened to someone else?”

  “Yes, two-two, two, teenagers in the late sixteen hundreds. There was one boy and ten years later—one girl. Two bolts of lightning came down from the sky, one translucent, which hit the boy and the other a bruised color. That one struck the girl.”

  I swallowed. “I thought it was just Mathew Mood. There was a girl too?”

  “Yes, his sister, Jane Mood. No one knew about her, though. She was bringing her brother lunch and was struck outside in the woods.”

  “She, um,” Ally trembled. “She became completely numb to all physical pain after the lightning and eventually she felt nothing and was unable to control herself. She did drugs because they made her feel at least a little something. She liked hallucinating because then she felt an imaginary form of fear. It was a feeling and that was all she aimed for; to feel again.”

  “That’s horrible,” I cried, running from the room. Where was I? What happened to me? Why when Ally touched me did I feel numb to physical pain but not emotion? My heart beat furiously. Why did it hurt when Alex touched me? How did I know things about him after touching him?

  “Can I try something?” Alex whispered, creeping up behind me.

  I twirled around throwing my hands in the air. “Stop freaking me out!”

  “Sorry, I just need to touch you again. But you need to be calm first. I think when you’re upset the pain is more intense. So calm down and I’ll touch you again.”

  I took deep breaths and waited for my heart to slow. “Okay, do your stupid experiment.”

  When his finger brushed against my cheek, we both winced with pain. It wasn’t as severe this time. He was right. Being calm helped. He placed his palm against my cheek. I recoiled but after a few minutes the pain lessened. I hated to admit it but I liked when he touched me. It was as if, the more he touched me, the less it pained us. Were we like clown fish and sea anemone? As long as clown fish brush against the plant, they stay immune to its stinging poison but they can be stung if they do not brush regularly.

  “Touch me again.” I grabbed his wrist. The pain was even less. “Put your hand on me.”

  Alex cupped his hand around my neck. My heart raced and I felt lightheaded. He pulled me close—so close that I had to lean against his chest. We breathed deeply and slowly his arms wrapped around me.

  His arms were warm and strong. Alex held onto me with fierceness. “I’m afraid you’ll have to touch me every day—at least until I find out what’s causing this pain.”

  “Okay.”

  “Then I’ll detoxify you off my touch.”

  “Not funny.” I smacked him. He grinned, pulling my head forward. I lay my cheek on his shoulder and let him lead me in a slow dance. It was to the beat of a song I didn’t recognize. He hummed lightly. It was soothing and I closed my eyes letting his touch calm me.

  “I didn’t know I was causing you pain. I’m so sorry.” Alex mumbled, “I don’t want you to ever be in any kind of pain.”

  “Why do you say such cruel things to me then?”

  “I’m a bitter, stupid—”

  “Aunt Millie thinks you’re a genius.”

  “I have a lot of experience, but I’m of average intellect. Anyone can become a genius if they have plenty of time to learn.”

  “You’re pretty negative.”

  “Oh, you don’t say! It’s the pot calling the kettle black, how original.”

  “Listen, Alex, I’m not negative. Your family calls me too hopeful, remember?”

  “I know what you feel, that is the real you and the real you is just like me.”

  “How could you possibly know what I feel?”

  “Let’s leave that question for another night. If I tell you everything now we’ll have nothing to talk about when I get to hold you again.”

  “So, you like touching me, do you?”

  “It’s all right, I guess.” He teased, squeezing me tighter. “Guess we should all get ready to go to school. We wouldn’t want to be late.”

  “Are you going to stay on campus?”

  “Looks like I have no choice now.”

  Ally tip toed down the hall. She put her hand on my wrist, “Lisa, I—”

  ‘It’s okay, Ally. We better go. See you there, Alex.”

  “Goodbye, Lisa Brown.”

  I turned back to get one last look at him. His eyes and hair seemed darker than normal. I glanced in the mirror. Mine however, were lighter.

  My body twitched and all I wanted was to touch him again. It used to be a passing thought – my desire to touch Alex. But, now the feelings – my twitching hands – stayed; they lingered and this time I couldn’t let go.

  Sixteen

  C I N Boarding School

  Michael pulled up in his pick-up and grinned from ear to ear. “Hey, girls, are you ready?”

  “As ready as can be.” Ally sighed. “Lisa and I put our things on the porch.”

  “Does that mean you expect me to get your bags?”

&
nbsp; “You did offer to help us.”

  “I said I’d pick you up, not be your bellhop.” Michael said but he grabbed two suitcases.

  “And yet you conform so well.”

  “Ally!” I screeched. “Don’t insult him when he’s helping us.”

  “I’m used to her.” Michael winked. “Since you came to town she’s gotten much sweeter.”

  “I didn’t realize I was such a good influence.”

  “You aren’t.” Ally rolled her eyes and climbed into the truck.

  Michael poked me in the sides. “Don’t worry Lisa, I think you’re great. Who cares what the Nazi says?”

  We drove to school and parked in the back near the drop off area. The school was tall and square with extra wide double doors. There were several steps up to the front and a few students were already entering the school. None of them had luggage. Come to think of it, Michael didn’t, either.

  “Michael, why don’t you have any bags?”

  “Mine are already here. Most of us stay all year on campus.”

  “Why?”

  “I guess, because we have nowhere else to go.”

  “So, do you stay here, too?”

  “Usually, but sometimes I stay with my mother during the summer. She likes it when I visit.”

  “Michael, that’s enough; Lisa has a problem with asking too many questions and she’s freaked out already.” Ally shoved him.

  He dropped her suitcase. “Oops, my bad.” It opened and all her clothes tumbled out.

  “You did that on purpose.”

  “Yes, I did.” He grinned.

  “Would you guys stop fighting?” I put my hands on my hips. “It’s annoying.”

  “Check out Lisa’s eyes,” Michael exclaimed. “They’re really purple!”

  “Yes, I know.”

  Ally motioned for us to follow her inside the school. There was a large lobby with several wooden doors. Each door had a metal sign with words etched into it. There was a door for “Mathematics”, “Social Studies”, “American History”, “English”, “Art”, “Music” and “Dorms”. A stair case made out of mahogany led to the second floor where there were probably even more doors. Antique furniture pieces dressed the lobby and there was stained glass on all the interior doors leading to the cafeteria and study room.