As he talked so enthusiastically about the bird, I couldn’t stop staring into his eyes. I loved his caring nature, his love for animals and his evident need to protect them—just more qualities to admire about Jesse. He was gorgeous, but there was so much more to him than his striking good looks. I could have listened to him every second, every minute of every day, and I never would have grown tired of his voice or of what he had to say. His dedication to this zoo and these animals amazed me. Some of the workers told me he spent countless hours there, even when he wasn’t getting paid. He’d often go in on his day off to feed a baby animal or bird, and he never once complained.
“How do you know it’s a girl?” I asked.
He shrugged. “I’m just guessing. She looks like a Sally to me. The only sure way is a blood test.”
“Then Sally it is,” I said with a grin. “When did she get here?” I asked.
Jesse slipped on his long yellow gloves and apron. “About a week ago.”
“Why’d they wait so long to clean her up?” I asked.
“Sally had to be stabilized first. At first, for almost a week, she was warmed and fed eight times a day. They also gave her a rehydrating solution with a feeding tube to help flush out all that oil she’d accidentally ingested. Now she’s ready to be cleaned. Since birds depend so much on their wings and feathers to function properly, removing this oil is her only chance at survival.”
“I’ve got the warm water,” I said.
“Good. We’ll make her a nice bubble bath with Dawn,” Jesse said. “This is definitely a two-person job, because she might squirm a little. I’ll hold Sally, and you wash her feathers really well.”
I nodded, indicating that I understood.
When Jesse approached with the bird, she squawked and flailed, but he managed to keep a good hold on the animal without hurting her. “Cleaning can be pretty stressful on the bird,” Jesse said.
“I can tell. She’s not used to this, so I can’t blame her.” He looked into the bird’s eyes and told it softly to calm down. Amazingly, Jesse’s soothing voice worked.
I began washing her feathers and wiping off the slick oil. I used a toothbrush and cotton swab to get all that caked oil out of her eyes and off of her little head. As I scrubbed the underside of the bird, I could see her iridescent blue-black color starting to emerge. Her belly, shoulders, and large patches on her wings were bright white. “Ew! The water is getting so black,” I said.
“We move to the next tub, then the third and fourth and so on, until the water is clear.”
Working so close to Jesse made my heart pound, especially when he sneaked me little glances and smiles.
“Jeanie told me about her warning that I’m some big, bad wolf,” he said, “but I’m not.”
“Jesse, it’s okay if you’ve dated other girls. I’ve dated lots of guys myself. There’s nothing wrong with searching for the right person.”
“Maybe, but I think I might be done searching.”
“Huh?” I said, stunned.
“I’ve never felt a spark with others girls like I feel with you, Taylor,” he said with heartfelt sincerity.
“Yeah? Well, I definitely feel a connection between us.”
He shot me his gleaming white smile.
As if she was annoyed that we were ignoring her, Sally flapped her wings, splashing both of us.
I laughed as soapy bubbles flew everywhere. “I’m soaked!” I said, grinning.
Jesse touched my face in a soft caress as he wiped the soap bubbles off my face. His blue eyes locked on me, and I couldn’t tear my gaze away from him. For just a second, it felt like he was looking not just at me but into me.
The door cracked open a minute later, and Jeanie walked in. “I was assigned to help you guys. And judging by how wet you look, you definitely need me. That little bird is kicking both your butts!”
Jesse and I looked at each other, then laughed.
I was off the clock at three p.m., but I stayed until eight, and so did Jesse. I never knew I’d take so much joy in helping animals. I didn’t even care about the money. All I cared about was being with Jesse and doing something I loved.
* * *
Julie and I decided to take Max for a walk in the woods, as her father had told her about a place that was the perfect spot for dogs. Fred had finished working on our back yard for the day, and he’d overheard me talking to Julie on the phone and had given me the look, so I made sure to invite him too. Julie drove us to the destination in her truck, and the three of us and Max jumped out.
I glanced around. “Are you sure we’re in the right spot? I don’t see any trails.”
“Yeah…we look lost,” Fred said.
Julie squinted against the sun. “Well, we’re here now. It can’t hurt to have a look around.”
“Need I remind you of bears, mountain lions, and wolves?” I asked.
Max glanced up at me and barked.
“See? Max wants to go for a walk,” Julie said. “This is all public property.”
“All right,” I said, pushing some large leaves and twigs out of my way. “We’ll go a little ways, then come back.”
“Great.”
I put Max on a leash. He barked, then hurried off into the woods, dragging me along.
Julie chased after me. “How about after this, we grab lunch. I’m craving a big, juicy burger.”
“Mind if Jesse joins us?” I asked.
Fred offered an exaggerated eye-roll.
“That’d be great,” Julie said. “It’d be nice to get to know him while I’m sober.”
I laughed. “Do you remember leaning against him and telling him how pretty his eyes are?”
She cupped her mouth. “No way! Did I really do that?”
I nodded as she looked away in embarrassment.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I know how much you like him. I promise I’ll never do that again.”
I laughed. “It’s okay. You were pretty smashed, and we both knew it.”
She grabbed Fred’s arm. “I was soooo wasted.”
He smirked.
We walked for a little ways and enjoyed the beautiful, serene landscape. Having come from New York City, I knew I’d never take all that natural beauty for granted. Streams of sunshine poured down through the towering trees all around us. Insects hummed, and birds chirped.
Max barked, then pulled so hard that I tripped over a log and let go of the leash.
“Max!” I wailed.
Fred offered his hand. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah,” I said, jumping to my feet and peering ahead, “but where did Max go?”
He pointed. “That way. I hear him barking.”
I shuddered, recalling the last time Max had gotten away. “I don’t know why he does that,” I complained. “He just takes off.”
“He’s a dog,” Julie said. “He’s just acting like one.”
“Well, I’m sick of it. I need to train him better.”
We stopped at wire fence with a “No Trespassing” sign on it. I yelled for Max to come back, but he refused again, just like the last time. Having no other choice, I slipped my leg over the fence and jumped over it.
“Wait. What are you doing? That’s private property,” Fred scolded, pointing at the sign.
“He’s right,” Julie said.
I shot her a look. “Since when do you care?”
“Since now,” she said, pointing at a long line of skulls dangling from a rope stretched from one tree to the next.
I gasped. “Are those…human?” I asked, completely frazzled.
She walked over to more closely inspect them. “No. Animal.”
I let out a sigh of relief. My gaze shot to a long, horizontal rock, about ten by three feet, carved with weird symbols and ancient writing. I traced the engraved letters with my fingers. “What do you think this means?” I asked.
“I have no idea what the symbols are, but the letters are in Latin,” Julie said, squinting for a better look a
t them in the bright sunlight.
“Latin?”
“Yeah. Maybe it’s some kind of memorial or something.”
“Think it’s a headstone?” I asked.
“I don’t know, but this whole place is givin’ me the creeps. I’m not going past that rock, dog or no dog.”
I pulled out my phone and snapped a picture. “There. Now we can Google it when we get back.”
Julie shuddered. “I wanna get out of here.”
“Wait here,” I said. “I have to get Max.”
“I’ll come with you,” Fred said, trying to sound brave and chivalrous.
She grabbed my arm, then Fred’s. “Are you two crazy? You guys can’t leave me here in Freddy Krueger’s back yard all by myself!”
I sighed loudly. “Then you’ll have to come with us. I’m not leaving my dog behind.”
“But it’s some kind of creepy cemetery, and—”
“Go or stay. It’s your choice.”
“You expect me to wait here by the skull collection and the hieroglyphic mummy headstone for some chainsaw-wielding maniac to come after me?” she said.
“You’ve watched too many horror flicks,” Fred said, laughing.
“Well, maybe that’s why I’m still alive. Consider it research.”
I sighed. “We’ll be right back. I can’t leave Max.”
“Let’s just wait here for a minute. Surely he’ll come back.”
The place was strange, even more frightening than the mountain lion, and I didn’t like the thought of my dog running around over there. My gaze shot to the animal skulls knocking together in the wind. My stomach was in knots. “Look, Julie, we have no idea who owns this land. They might shoot him on sight. Clearly, they’ve got no problem killing animals.”
“Fine. Let’s go get your dog,” she said, climbing over the fence. “But if I get killed, just know I’ll be back to haunt you.”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” I said with a smile.
We walked through the thick woods, calling for Max. I stopped when I heard a twig snap, as if someone was following us. I took a deep breath to settle my overactive imagination, then pushed through some ferns that opened up like a doorway into an Easter-grass green meadow. There, we saw Max, barking at a fire ring made completely out of stones. I cocked a brow, confused. “Max?”
“He must be barking at a little animal,” Julie said, “like a mouse or something. It’s probably hiding behind one of those rocks.”
I gazed at all the rocks in the large ring, guessing someone had once camped there. But then, as I looked closer, I noticed a pile of boulders in the center, with a black tin box sitting on top of them. I swallowed an egg-sized lump in my throat. “Oh my gosh. Do you think this is some kind of…altar?”
Fred glanced around. “Whoa! Do you think they sacrifice animals out here?”
“Or humans,” I whispered.
Julie clutched her chest. “What if it’s some kind of satanic cult?” She picked up the black box and tried to open it, but it was too tightly sealed. “Won’t budge. I wonder what’s inside. Whatever it is, they’re trying to keep it a secret.”
“Dude, you touched it!” Fred said.
“One, I’m not a dude. Two, I’m sure it’s just an empty box,” Julie retorted.
“You don’t know that.”
“It’s light as a feather.”
“Maybe we should just leave it alone,” I said. “If I remember right, Julie, you didn’t even want to come over here.”
“I know,” Julie said with a gleam in her eye, “but aren’t you curious?”
“Maybe curiosity is what killed all those cats hanging on that clothesline back there,” Fred said.
“Yeah, we really shouldn’t be messing with it, Julie. I don’t wanna be cursed or something.”
“Do you really think it’s witchcraft?” Fred asked.
“Maybe it’s just teenagers experimenting,” I said, grabbing the box. “Let’s just put it back where we found it.” But as I held it, curiosity struck me, and I turned the box over in my hands several times, looking at it carefully. When the lid opened, seemingly on its own, I jumped.
“You did it!” she shouted. “What’s in there?”
The box was empty, but I read the words scrolled in dust: “You are the chosen one.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Julie asked. “Chosen for what?”
“How would I know?”
“Maybe you’re the chosen one because you opened up the box,” she said.
“That’s silly.”
“Maybe you’ll get superpowers or something cool like that.”
I playfully slugged her, then set the box down exactly where I found it. Letting out a trembling breath, I secretly recalled that old story of Pandora’s box, and I hoped I hadn’t unleashed some kind of evil on the world, my friends, or myself.
Fred bit his lip and pointed down at the rocks. “Look! The altar is surrounded by circular patches of burnt grass.”
“What burned it?” I asked.
“It looks like they were left by a ring of torches or candles.”
“So it was some kind of occult ritual!” Julie said. “Man, I don’t wanna be a Blair Witch sequel!”
“Enough with the horror movies,” I said, then glanced around and up into the trees, overcome by the eerie feeling that we were being watched. When the breeze stirred, I could have sworn I heard someone whisper my name, and I froze with fear.
“Taylor, what’s wrong?” Julie asked.
“I thought somebody called for me.”
“I didn’t hear anything but the wind,” Fred said, looking around.
I swallowed another lump. “Yeah. I’m sure it was just my imagination.”
All of the sudden, the wind picked up immensely, swirling our hair around our heads and rustling the trees violently, causing them to sway and creak.
Julie’s eyes widened. “What’s happening?”
Next, music began to play, an ancient melody in flutes and bells.
“That’s weird,” Fred said.
“Where’s the music coming from?” Julie asked.
I glanced around, darting my eyes in a slow circle, but I couldn’t tell where the sound was coming from. It was freaky, and a chill ran up my spine. I wanted to bolt, but my feet were suddenly glued to the ground, as if some invisible entity was holding me in place.
“Taylor,” a soft woman’s voice said lightly in my ear. “You’ve been marked. Know that you are in danger from my enemies. But do not fear, for you will have our protection until the full moon, the first day of the new year. Know that it is your destiny to free us from our curse.”
“Taylor!” Julie said, her face pale.
Fred softly gripped my shoulders, and I stared into his green eyes. “What’s wrong?” he said.
“Breathe,” Julie said, “and then tell me what’s happening.”
Beads of sweat rolled down my face as I gasped for air. I couldn’t talk. All I knew was that I needed to get away as fast as possible.
Suddenly, I could move my legs. I bolted toward Max and grabbed his leash. My heart was beating a million times a minute. “Let’s go!” I said between gasps, grabbing Julie’s arm and pulling her along. I gripped Max’s leash tightly with my other hand. We tore through the woods, past the weird rock and animal skulls, then jumped in her truck and breathlessly locked the doors.
“Go, go, go!” I shouted, glancing out the windows.
“What’s going on, Taylor?” she asked.
“Just start driving! I’ll tell you on the way!” I yelled.
“Yeah, let’s just get outta here,” Fred said. “That was freaky how the wind kicked up like that. And what was with that music?”
Julie put the truck in drive, and we sped away. No one said a word until she reached town and pulled into the parking lot of a restaurant.
“Taylor, what happened back there?” Fred asked.
“I-I don’t know. I can’t expla
in it.”
“Try.”
“You’ll never believe me.”
“Sure I would. I’m very open-minded.”
“And so am I,” Julie chimed in.
I glanced up. “Whoever owns that land is obviously practicing some kind of weird ceremonies out there. Maybe they summon spirits or something, because someone was talking to me in that wind.”
“Was it a really creepy voice?” Julie asked.
“No. It was a woman. She just sounded…ancient.”
“What did she say?” Fred asked.
“She said I’m in danger but that she’ll protect me.”
“Sounds like a guardian angel to me,” Julie said. “What’s so spooky about that?”
“She said she’ll only protect me until the new year.”
“What? So…after the ball drops, you’re on your own?”
“Yeah, I guess it’s temporary protection,” I said.
“What kind of danger are you supposed to be in?” Fred asked.
I pondered for a moment, thinking long and hard and trying to remember every word the wind-whisperer had said. “I have no idea.”
“Why would she want to help you?” Julie asked.
“I have no idea about that either.”
“Why didn’t you ask her?”
“I don’t know, Julie. Maybe because I was a little freaked out!” I said, growing a bit frustrated with the interrogation.
She opened her phone. “We should tell Jesse.”
I grabbed her hand. “Please don’t! As a matter of fact, let’s forget about lunch. I just wanna go home.”
“Sure, Taylor.”
I glanced at Fred. “Not a word to Jesse, Fred,” I said.
He nodded. “Mummy’s the word,” he joked. “What happens in the satanic campground stays in the satanic campground.”
“Thank you,” I said.
* * *
Back at home, I felt bad for canceling our lunch plans with Jesse, but I was too freaked out to see anybody. I just ran up to my room and locked the door. With trembling fingers, I uploaded the picture of the rock to my computer. Even when I zoomed in on the symbols, I couldn’t see them all that clearly, but I scribbled the letters and symbols down on my computer and started searching the Internet for clues.
Suspending Reality (Five Fantasy Stories) Page 54