by Urania Sarri
“Just look, Madison. What do you see?” I asked, looking into her eyes intently. It crossed my mind to invade her mind again and try to convince her the easy way, but what good would it do if she wasn’t aware of the situation? I could not keep manipulating her forever.
She shrugged. “I can see you’re touching the car with your finger.”
I let out a sigh of frustration. “No, Madison. You are looking at me pushing the car up the hill with my index finger. Don’t you see the car is moving?”
“Hmm.” She looked at the car moving slowly as I followed it with small steps. “That can be a magnetic field ... or a trick. I’m not convinced.”
I took my finger off the car, and it came to a halt. “Is that right? Why don’t you try it yourself?”
She put her hands on the car and pushed with what I guessed must have been her full strength, but the car didn’t move at all.
I looked at her with a broad smile.
“Well? Obviously, the magnetic fields are not cooperating with you,” I teased her.
“What else can you do?” she asked me, evidently not satisfied with my display of strength.
I looked at my watch. We should not be outside for more than five minutes. I could spare a few more if that were all it took to convince the stubborn girl, who drove me crazy in any possible way, that she was in danger.
“Apart from being super strong, you mean? I can also be super fast. Want to see me run to the top of that slope in the blink of an eye?”
Her eyes widened. “You can do that?”
I tilted my head playfully. “If you need to see. I’m not usually a show-off. Well?”
She nodded, and I sighed. “Close your eyes and count to three,” I said.
“Why should I?”
“Just do it, Madison We’re losing time, and we’re sitting ducks out here in the dark,” I growled.
She pouted but closed her eyes anyway.
When she opened them, I had vanished. Standing on the top of the hill, I called her cell. “Can you see me? I’ll flail my cell as a flashlight,” I said.
She had to look up to see a flailing white light somewhere on the dark slope.
“Oh, my God!” I heard her whispered.
“DID YOU SEE IT?” I asked impatiently.
“Yes! Yes, I did!” she responded, still shocked by what she could not explain. “Jerome? Jerome?” she shouted when the light on the screen went off.
“No need to shout. I’m right here.” She turned to find me standing behind her. I saw how she studied me, how she found that I looked calm, not looking at all like someone who’d run up the slope and back again within seconds.
“How? How is that possible?” she asked looking at me in awe.
I nodded to the car. “Can we go now?”
CHAPTER NINE
Hide-out
When Jerome and I were back in the car, I was looking for the right thing to say, but somehow words eluded me. I was still shocked by what I had just seen. As if that wasn’t enough, my thoughts were back to my apartment and to what Jerome had said about someone who wanted to burn me alive. I felt the hairs on my back rise at the thought that someone out there hated me so much. I felt the strong urge to cry and look for shelter in Jerome’s arms, but I found it hard to even look at him. He hadn’t taken me away on a secret date. He had taken me away to hide me from whatever was after me and that, of course, meant that he hadn’t been honest with me. Was any of what he’d whispered in my ear true?
I wished my friends were here to help me through this. Jerome had said they were like him. Did that mean they were super-strong and super-fast too? I wondered if Megan and Blue had any idea about it. I had to see them. I needed to know.
“I want to see my apartment,” I said in a faint voice.
“You can’t. There’s nothing to see. Everything in your room is burnt down. Everything but your sword,” Jerome said, avoiding looking at me.
“The sword? That’s the last thing I care about! What about my friends?”
“They’re shocked, but they will be okay. They are all spending the night at Jake’s. As far as it concerns them, it was an accident.”
Should I ask how he knew? “But, we have to tell them. They could be in danger,” I said, taking out my cell from my purse.
“You can’t tell them Madison. It’s not your job to wake the Dormants. The last thing we need is to incite panic to the Watchers’ world.”
I thought that if I were going to scream, now it would be a good time. Because my world was shattered in less than an hour. I was going to my place to make out with a gorgeous guy for heaven’s sake! And here I was, talking about creatures and Watchers and …
“Did you just say Dormants? You’re talking about them as if they are some kind of plants.”
Jerome shrugged. “Well, you can include yourself among those plants, if it makes you feel better.”
I turned to him with a jerk. “I am a Dormant?”
“Bingo. Under the circumstances, you had to be told. I’m afraid rules do not apply in your case.”
“So, what exactly are we? And how come you’re so fast and strong, and I’m not? Can you be more precise?”
“I will explain everything once we’re safe,” Jerome said without taking his eyes off the wheel.
“Where are we going?” I asked, looking at the shadows outside my window.
“To a safe place. We’ll be there in ten minutes.”
“Then what?”
“Let me worry about that. It is my mission to keep you safe, and that’s what I’m going to do.”
“Lucky me,” I said sarcastically, dialing Megan’s number.
“What are you doing?” Jerome looked at me warily. “I thought I made it clear that you can’t tell them. Don’t make me take your cell.”
I wasn’t sure I liked that side of Jerome. I was tough. Tougher than he thought. There was no way I would accept any patronizing by him.
“Cool it, Jerome. I just want to make sure they’re okay.”
Jerome let out a sigh, unable to hide his frustration, but he made no effort to take my cell. His eyes were back on the wheel again, but I saw how he stiffened waiting to hear what I was going to tell my friends.
“Hello?”
“Hi, Mads,” Blue said from the other end of the line.
“I just wanted to know how you’re doing.”
“We’re still upset about what happened to our apartment. I guess you’ve heard.”
“Yes, I have.”
“Well, it was probably a gas leak. The thing is, only your room burnt down. Megan’s things and mine are almost untouched.”
“They are?”
“I’m sorry Mads. We were really lucky none of us was there when it happened. When I think about it… We left the party a few minutes after you left because Megan was really worried. You know, the usual psychic stuff.”
“Yes, I know.”
“It was a hell of a party though.”
“It sure was.”
“Listen, I will ask the firemen if they were able to find any of your stuff.”
“Aren’t there any other apartments available?”
“I’m afraid not. But we’re staying at Jake’s house until we find a place. So, what’s going on with Jerome? Where are you love birds off to?”
“I’m not sure. Jerome wants it to be a surprise.”
“Well, you know you’re going to give us every single detail when you’re back, don’t you?”
“Of course. Are you sure you guys will be okay? Because I can ask Jerome to bring me back.”
“Don’t you dare come here. The longer you stay away, the better. You don’t need to see this. We will find you a nice little room in the dorms by the time you’re back.”
“I’ll be in touch.”
“You better. Bye.”
I put my cell back in my purse thinking that never before had I felt so lonely. Not even when I found out I’d lost my memory; even then, I had my
friends there to comfort me. Now I felt like I’d finally lost them too. I kept secrets, and I lied to them ever since I met Jerome.
“She said it was a gas leak,” I muttered.
“It was no gas leak. It was made to look like that, but it was all planned. It was a trap for you.”
And for anyone who might have gone there, Blue and Megan included. The thought made me shiver.
As if Jerome had read my thoughts, he turned to me and spoke in his adorable gruff voice. “Madison, I’m sorry. I didn’t want this for you either. But you have to understand. The world as you know it ever since you survived that hurricane has changed for you. Nothing and no one are what you thought.”
I looked at him with glassy eyes.
“And ... who are you?” I asked frigidly.
“I’m someone who will try to keep you safe. That’s all,” he admitted.
“So, let me get this straight. This party crashing tonight was part of your plot to take me away, wasn’t it?”
Jerome didn’t have to answer; his silence spoke for him. He reached out to touch my hand, but I flinched.
“Madison ...” he pleaded. “I do care about you. That was no lie.”
I turned my head the other way so that he wouldn’t see the tears tumbling down my cheeks. “Just forget about it, Jerome.” No doubt he had some serious explaining to do, but that could wait until the lump in my throat let me breathe again.
The smell of cedar hit me as soon as I stepped out of the car. The safe house was a cabin on top of the mountain above Brassington Hills. A motion sensor must have activated a safety light, because the place was all of a sudden flooded with white light, followed by the sound of fluttering as it scared the birds away. I could not remember whether I had been in a cabin before, but this one looked like the ones I’d seen in magazines advertised by rental companies. Two steps led to a porch overlooking the forest. A swaying loveseat and a large pot of lavender gave out a homey feeling. I suspected that it was a regularly visited safe house for those… how had Jerome called them? Right. Watchers.
“What do you think?” Jerome asked as soon as he was out of the car.
“It’s not what I expected,” I said coldly. “Do you bring girls here often?”
Jerome blinked. “Why would I bring girls here?”
“God, you really must be from another world,” I shook my head.
“Isn’t that what I’ve been trying to tell you all night?” His eyes sparkled with amusement, making me roll my eyes.
“Let’s get inside,” he said.
The inside of the cabin was all about wood. A pull-out couch and two comfy chairs made a nice living room area. Behind it, I could see what looked like a well-equipped kitchen. On the right, the dining room area was spacious enough to include a dining table large enough to seat six people and an oak bookcase stood against the wall. A line of steps led to a loft where I guessed was the only bedroom.
The thought of Jerome and me sharing the same bed made the butterflies in my stomach stir.
He was checking the place like he expected to find someone hiding in the shadows. “It’s been a long time since I last visited the cabin, but Jake and Connor often drive up here for a getaway weekend. The safety lights on the porch were my suggestion. No one likes to be surrounded by darkness; we know from firsthand what could be hiding in the shadows.” He cast me a quick look and went on.
“There is an automatic generator for power, hot water, and enough provisions. We should be okay,” he said closing the door behind him.
“There’s only one bed?” I asked.
“Don’t worry. You can have it. I ...I don’t sleep,” Jerome said as he opened the fridge. “Jake spent the previous weekend here and he told me there was plenty of food left. Would you like something to eat? We can make a sandwich or drink some...” He took out a bottle and looked for the expiration date “... milk.”
“I don’t drink whole milk. And I want sugar-free cereal with my breakfast.” I knew I was acting childish, but at that moment I just couldn’t help it.
Jerome closed the fridge. “I’ll do some shopping in the morning. I should be back before you wake up. You can take a shower if you want. There are clean towels in the bathroom. And you will find a suitcase with some of your clothes in that closet.”
“You’ve brought my clothes? When did you do that?”
“While you were at the party. I saved your tablet too. I told you, I’m super fast.”
Normally, I would be grateful to him for saving at least some of my things, but under the circumstances, I only felt a strong urge to slap him. Because a new, infuriating thought was starting to make my blood boil.
“You knew they were going to burn up my room?”
Jerome was trying to make a fire in the fireplace. “No,” I just thought we should be prepared in case something happened.”
“So, it was just a coincidence that they burnt my room on the same night you had that idea?”
“Yes,” he said in the most nonchalant manner.
“You know, I will never be able to trust you again,” I told him before turning for the bathroom.
When I woke up the next day, I was alone in the cabin. It had been a terrible night, and my head was now throbbing. I hadn’t been able to sleep for more than three hours and even then, I would wake up at the slightest noise, most of it coming from outside. Jerome was lying on the couch, and I could tell he was doing his best not to wake me up. Only at some point, at the break of dawn, I opened my eyes and saw him standing by the window, absorbed in whatever he saw outside.
I had a quick shower, wrapped a towel around my body, and headed for the kitchen. I searched the cupboards and fridge, but the only thing I could eat was peanut butter and apples. I dismissed both, deciding to take a cup of coffee that Jerome had already made for me; it was still hot in the coffee maker. I curled in the armchair in front of the fireplace and had barely taken a sip when an angry voice behind me made me choke.
“WHO ARE YOU? WHERE’S JEROME?”
I stood up with a jerk, hot coffee spilling all over the towel. Instinctively, I clenched my free hand on the edge of my towel, afraid it might come off. The man who was standing in front of the door -that I couldn’t remember hearing it open- was in his twenties, with shiny blonde hair and dull blue eyes. His skin, almost transparent, was so fair that I thought it glowed as he was drenched in the sun rays that all of a sudden invaded the cabin through the windows. He was dressed in a white uniform that reminded me of loose cotton pajamas, but his clothes were not what made my eyes bulge; it was the golden sword that hung on a belt over his right thigh and his hand that was clenched on the handle like he was ready to draw. I had no reason to think he would hesitate to use the medieval weapon at my slightest move because he looked really pissed.
“I’m Madison,” I muttered, shivering under his glare.
He made a step forward, his hand still on the sword. The sunlight seemed to be following him.
“You’re not supposed to be here.”
His gaze scanned me from head to toe, and I crossed my arms in front of my chest watching him with what I hoped came out as defiance. Then he flinched as if he’d been struck with an awful stench. His eyes narrowed when he looked into my face again.
“What are you?” he asked.
I had regained some of my courage. Lifting my chin up, I returned the scornful look to him.
“You’re asking me? You’re the one bearing a sword.”
The glowing man cocked his head. “And I’m not afraid to use it. What have you done to Jerome?”
“Why would I harm Jerome?”
“You are obviously not a Watcher. Are you with the Cthons? Is that another trap to get to Jerome?” he said, starting to walk around me in a circle, all drenched in blinding sunlight. “If you don’t speak up, you’d better grab that sword of yours because I’m not leaving unless I have my answers. Or before I kill you.”
I followed his gaze to the fireplace. There
it was again. On the mantelpiece, I saw the rusty sword that should be among the ashes in my room. Had it been here the whole time? Had Jerome brought it here? The throbbing inside my head was now becoming unbearable, starting to make me nauseous.
“Well?” The sun-drenched man continued to challenge me to a ridiculous duel. Please, please let this be a dream! I thought, feeling the strong need to collapse in the armchair behind me.
“That’s enough Samuel! No need to draw your sword,” Jerome’s angry voice said somewhere behind me.
Jerome knew this lunatic? I couldn’t help feeling grateful to him for his timing. God knows what would have happened if this weirdo insisted on fighting me.
I turned to look behind me and saw that the glowing man could also move incredibly fast. The two of them were hugging and patting each other’s back like two long lost friends would do. Their image was the utter demonstration of contrast. Jerome was the dark part, his jet-black hair, black t-shirt and jeans against the glowing fairness of the man he had just called Samuel.
Jerome turned towards me. “This is Madison. Madison, meet my... brother, Samuel.”
My eyes widened in surprise.
“Your brother?”
But Jerome ignored me, turning to Samuel again.
“I will give you all the answers you need. Let’s take this outside,” he said in a deep voice, casting me a fleeting glance.
The two brothers obviously had issues that they were not willing to share with me, I thought, realizing I was still holding the cup in my hand. I put it on the table in front of me and walked to the window to watch the brothers talk. The pain in my head had worn off, and I was getting my strength back.
What exactly is Samuel, I wondered. How could he appear in the house out of thin air? How had he made me feel so weak? Jerome had some more answers to give. I decided it was time to get dressed, as I wouldn’t like to stand in front of them half naked any longer.
I found a pair of stretch jeans in the suitcase Jerome had packed for me and a long white loose shirt. He’d also brought my favorite sneakers. I’d have brought the same things had I been able to pack my things on my own, I thought, with a broad smile. Could Jerome have known exactly what I needed?