Aftermath

by Jenna-Lynne Duncan

  I smoothed out my dress and took a deep breath. “You got what you wanted, now go.”

  I could tell Luke was stung, probably by the coldness in my tone. “I’ll go,” he looked at me sideways. “But I am far from having gotten what I wanted.”

  I exhaled a breath of relief when he easily walked away. I turned to go find my friends when I came face-to-face with Nikki. “Oh hey, I was just going to look for you.”

  “Found ya first, I was just waiting for you to finish your dance.” She waggled her eyebrows at me.

  “What? Stop, no. It’s not even like that.” I had to change the subject. “Where’s your date?”

  I followed Nikki off the dance floor. “Ugh, don’t even get me started. I should have just come alone. He left me and has been dancing with that Bethany from my calculus class ever since!”

  “Seriously?”

  “Never should have came with a freshman…”

  I wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her into a hug. Even though she tried to use humor to cover her hurt feelings, her eyes looked sad. “Screw ‘em.”

  Nikki lifted up an imaginary cup in her hand, “Screw ‘em,” she said with a nod.

  “Where’s Marie?”

  “She was swept off into the night by a mysterious gentleman.”

  “Really?” Nikki and I were smiling at each other, excited for Marie and anticipating hearing all about the new guy.

  The music died down and we turned toward the DJ. One of the teachers was in front holding up his arms and directing everyone back into the lobby for hors d'oeuvres and the coronation. Nikki gripped my arms and squealed. I smiled, tried to be excited with her but the fact was that even though I was surrounded by a hundred people, I still felt out of place; I felt lonely.

  “Why, aren’t you just a sight for sore eyes!”

  I whipped around at the sound of the warm, southern drawl. “Mr. Christian!” With realization, all the blood drained from my face. “Mr. Christian…”

  He wrapped his arms around me in a hug and pressed a scratchy kiss to my cheek as I stood there paralyzed in fear. Why was Mr. Christian here? He wasn’t supposed to be here.

  “What— are you doing here?” I realized that was the third time I'd asked that question to someone tonight.

  “You ain’t happy to see me?” He laughed heartily, “I’m teasin’. Didn’t your dad tell ya?”

  “Tell me what?”

  He put his arm around me, “the school called him looking for volunteers to help out with this but he had to watch Brittany last minute so he asked if I could come for him. Since you have been saving my behind at the dive shop, I thought this was the least I could do to repay you. Besides, I didn’t want to miss seeing you in dress.”

  “Hi, I’m Nikki, Ana’s friend.” Nikki saved me by cutting in and taking over with her mega-watt smile and relaxed charm.

  While Mr. Christian and Nikki talked, I studied him in horror. His face was lit up in innocent joy. He'd even cleaned up, wearing a brown suit and suede shoes. He had a “Hi, I’m Christian” name tag on his chest. Written underneath his name in bold, taunting letters read “volunteer”.

  No, no. This was fine. It would be okay. I nodded to myself. Luke had left. I would send Mr. Christian away, it will be fine.

  “Let’s go, I want to get a good table.” Nikki tried to rush us into the lobby.

  “Wait!” I inappropriately cried out, then managed to prevent my hand from clamping over my mouth at the outburst. “I mean. Mr. Christian—you don’t have to stay, really its fine. It looks like they have more than enough volunteers helping out.” I put my hand around his back and tried to move him toward the other exit.

  “Aw, I don’t mind, sweetheart. It looks like a good time anyhow.”

  Okay, so he wasn’t leaving with any subtleness.

  “Yes, and you have to stay and see Ana crowned Queen.”

  I groaned internally but refrained from shooting Nikki a look since she didn’t know what had happened in my dream.

  Christian turned to me looking at me with a renewed brightness in his eyes. His mouth was popped open in a silent gasp. “Now I wouldn’t miss that for the world! Your dad didn’t tell me nothin’ about that.”

  I brushed it off and tried to move him along. “Oh, it’s nothing really. Nothing is for certain. Besides, it’s going to be boring. A lot of waiting around and long speeches.”

  “I don’t mind really, thanks for looking out for me though.” And then he immediately started walking to the lobby with Nikki.

  I hesitated, out of shock, and then struggled to keep up. This couldn’t be happening. “Mr. Christian, I don’t really think it’s a good idea.”

  Nikki looked at me quizzically over her shoulder. I tried to warn her but Mr. Christian ignored my protests and held out an arm for Nikki to link with.

  I took a deep breath to calm my rising panic. What could I do? I couldn’t physically force him to leave. But Hayden could… I looked around for him, knowing he could help me. I wiped my forehead with my hand when I still couldn’t find him. I began to feel a little dizzy. Marie! I remembered Marie’s newly discovered powers and hoped she could help. I walked around the room this time, zig-zagging through the students waiting to enter the lobby. Why was it that everyone who could help me was missing?

  A pang shot through my heart at the realization that Hayden had left me alone. Defeated, I walked in with everyone else, spotting Mr. Christian and Nikki at a table with three other students. I kept watching the room even as I sat. Luke had left. That was the only thing I was relying on.

  I tried to return the smile Mr. Christian gave me as the lights dimmed in the lobby and the principal took the stage. After introductions, we had several performances and traditional dancers float by us as we ate. I picked at my dessert, too worried sick to be able to stomach anything. I watched Nikki laugh and Mr. Christian talk to the other staff member at our table, enjoying himself. I kept watching the room, miserably. But as the minutes ticked by I began to relax, wondering if what I really dreamt was right. What if it didn’t have anything to do with predicting the future? My mother had said my abilities were slowly coming back. What if I just had a regular nightmare? With everything going on with Luke and my roller coaster of emotions, it was completely possible.

  When they called the Court to the stage, I panicked. “Mr. Christian, we have to get out of here.”

  He patted the hands I had gripped around his arms as I tried to pull him out of his chair. “Don’t be nervous, sweetheart.”

  “Oh no you don’t, Ana. We haven’t come this far for nothing.” Nikki was pulling me away from Mr. Christian to the stage.

  “No, Nikki. Something bad is going to happen.”

  “Nothing bad is going to happen,” she chided.

  “Nikki, I’m serious!” I said in a low hiss. “I had a dream about it.”

  She froze and I could see her considering it. She looked back at Mr. Christian and then when she realized the danger I referred to had to do with him, she frowned. “Just go. I will get him out of here.”

  “I can’t—“

  “Go! Everyone is waiting for you. I will make him leave.”

  I looked around. We were stopped in the center of the room, the other students running for King and Queen, sans Stephanie, were already on stage and looking at me expectantly.

  “Go, I’ll take care of it, I promise.” She shooed me away.

  “Find Hayden and Marie.” I called back to her.

  She nodded and I looked back helplessly at her as I picked up my skirts and walked to the stage.

  The principal gave long introductions for each of us and I blushed at how good Nikki had made me appear on the application. I shot one last look around the room. Hoping to find salvation. Hoping not to find Luke.

  I watched Nikki from the stage as she spoke to Mr. Christian. Her hands were flailing about wildly around her in emphasis as she spoke. I had wondered what she said to make Mr. Christian shoot ou
t of his seat. Mr. Christian and Nikki looked around and then Nikki pointed to the courtyard, probably trying to find the best way to exit without disturbing everybody. They squeezed past the chairs of other guests until they got to the walkway by the courtyard. Nikki tried to lead the way out, but Mr. Christian stopped and held up a finger to her indicating she should wait. I gulped as I willed them just to leave already. Mr. Christian turned around with a smile. Taking something small and black from the inside pocket of his brown coat. A camera? He wants to take a picture?

  The action of Mr. Christian turning the winding mechanism seemed perpetually slow. Everything seemed to slow down. From Nikki trying to pull on his jacket, to the emcee saying the winner had to be changed because of a no-show. The only thing that seemed to be in normal speed was the appearance of Luke from behind the courtyard pillar. Watching me with pride. “No,” I gasped, not caring if the whole world heard. Then Luke’s attention turned toward Mr. Christian. He frowned, then his eyes widened. He must have remembered my dream. He turned to leave and that’s when I heard the buzzing. There was no mistaking the buzzing noise in my ears, or the slight vibration I felt against my skin. Something supernatural was here.

  You know that feeling you get when you know something terrible is going to happen? It’s a helpless feeling. It started off with a little pull against my insides. A little nagging feeling that became hard to ignore. But that was earlier in the evening, when I'd had hope, so it didn’t take its full form. Standing on stage with my peers as the crown drifted over our heads teasingly before it would land on the winner, I didn’t have hope. My ears buzzed and I felt currents vibrating my skin, getting stronger as if the supernatural being was getting closer.

  Luke had of course felt it, too, because he paused and his shoulders stiffened. He whipped toward me with a wild look in his eyes. Those wild eyes darted toward Mr. Christian, and where the currents were coming from. “No,” I whimpered again, quieter now for his ears only. His eyes came back to me and I felt relief that I hadn’t lost him yet. He drew in his brows and even from the stage I could see him clench and unclench his fists. He was struggling with himself. He was fighting the instincts to hunt. I shook my head and pleaded with my eyes. Go, Luke. Leave. He closed his eye with agonizing slowness. Please! I whispered out loud. Couldn’t he do this for me? Couldn’t he walk away this time, knowing what the outcome would be if he didn’t?

  I looked at Mr. Christian hoping to see if Nikki was getting him out of there but I didn’t matter now if Nikki did or not. Luke would find him. And he wouldn’t stop until he did. It wasn’t until I saw the familiar ghost dressed in white that I realized the supernatural vibes weren’t coming from Mr. Christian but from Christine, who was looming behind him in the court yard. Then all the pieces came together beautifully. Mocking me for not figuring it out sooner.

  I flinched as I felt something in my hair. I looked over my shoulder to see the Principal, resting the crown upon my head. I was Queen.

  I turned back to Luke only to find he was gone.

  I looked back to Mr. Christian and the ghost that was behind him. She looked at me with a sinister “I told you so” and shook her head disapprovingly at me. I wanted to scream at her, to get out all my frustrations about why this was happening and why I couldn’t have figured it out sooner and more importantly, why I couldn’t stop it. And that’s just what I did as applause broke out in the audience for the new Queen, I screamed. Because Christine now had Mr. Christian elevated, his face frozen in fear as her translucent hands bound around his neck.

  I turned to run off the stage to Mr. Christian. A pair of hands caught me before I made the stairs down the stage. I looked up horrified. The lady from the attendance office was now patting my back telling me it was okay and to not be nervous. I felt sick. I wanted to tell her that someone was in danger but my mouth kept opening and closing, no words escaping. I recoiled from her and even then she didn’t let go. I looked helplessly at Mr. Christian whose face had become a frightening pale and whose eyes had lost their luster. I looked at Nikki who was the only person who seemed to notice the ghost that was killing someone in the courtyard. Nikki was frozen a few feet away except for sobs that racked her body and the tears that were streaming down her face. I wanted to either tell her to run or help him but I didn’t know which one was more selfish. A glimmer of green caught my attention from besides Nikki. It was a pair of eyes; specifically Luke’s, who was in full hunting mode. The green in them looked particularly bright— and murderous. I had never seen him so dangerous, even with the demon the night before, and I realized then what his decision had been. He hadn’t chosen me over Hunting. His love for me didn’t prevent him from his blood lust. In his right hand held an old iron fire poker.

  I took off running, slipping from the attendance woman’s grasp, if only for a second. Her hands returned as well as another pair and words from all sorts of people who were hushing me and encouraging me to not have stage fright. I heard a strange noise and realized that it came from me.

  Luke ran toward Mr. Christian and Christine, but instead of the usual blur of his supernatural speed, everything and everyone around us seemed to slow down, and I could actually see him running. I held my breath; the moment he charged toward Mr. Christian with the iron poker, I still had hope that he would save him. That breath exploded when he rammed the poker through Mr. Christian and Christine who was behind him, binding them together.

  “No!” With all the strength I had in me, I pushed my arms out. Whoever had been around me was gone now, and I was free. I had taken off toward Mr. Christian when I noticed the flames. Those sitting nearest the courtyard had started to notice them, too, and there were a few screams and sounds of chairs falling back. Where Christine and Mr. Christian had been was now one form on fire. More shouts and chaos had started to form as the fire spread to the ivy. I fought the crowds to make it to the lifeless form. As I was standing in the spot where Mr. Christian had watched me from stage there was no sign of him. Flames started to consume anything flammable around me, but Mr. Christian was gone. Not even ashes remained on the floor. I had failed him. I had predicted this and yet I didn’t save him. I clawed at my hair as I dropped to my knees and just cried. Why? I sobbed. Mr. Christian, one of the kindest, purest-hearted people I knew. He was like my uncle. He was family. Why?

  I was sweating and I knew it was due to the heat from the fire, yet I couldn’t pull myself up to run away. I was empty. Numb. Suicidal. Who cares what happens to me?

  “Adriana.” A voice that wasn’t shaken nor panicked sounded from beside me.

  I turned to the woman kneeling beside me and wrapped my arms around her. “Mom,” I cried more until she helped me to a stand. I remembered something and panicked, “Where’s Nikki?”

  “She made it out with the others, I’ll debrief her later.”

  I stared at the bottom of my dress and the fire that was inching close to it. The brightness was almost enchanting and I couldn’t walk away.

  “I’m not ready to test your immortality tonight.” Rachel was still calm, and collected. “We are leaving. Now.” She led me out of the building and I longingly looked over my shoulder at the flames.

  Chapter Twenty Five

  We were in Rachel’s “teacher” car driving who knew where. This wasn’t happening. Mr. Christian wasn’t dead. He couldn’t be dead. There wasn’t anything even left of him. He needed a funeral. Zack. Oh my God!

  “Breathe, Adriana!”

  I looked at her suspiciously. And resentfully.

  “No, I could not have prevented it.” She read my expression.

  My features softened. I had no choice but to believe her. I let out another breath and ran my hands through my hair. Something caught on my finger nails and I reached with my right hand to the top of my head to pull the crown off. I looked at it for the first time. Large crystals and amethyst sparkled each time we passed under a street lamp. I threw it in my lap with a laugh. A maniacal, sort-of crazed laugh and I wondered
if this was it. If I had really lost it.

  “I’m sorry. I am so damn sorry. For everything.”

  I looked at her blankly. She was right all along. If I had known what I was doing I would have been able to stop it. I could have saved Mr. Christian. It was right then and there that I vowed that this would never happen again. I would never let myself be weak again. I would do whatever it took to save the people in my dreams.

  “So where is this plantation?”

  My mother looked a little surprised at my response. Apparently she was expecting a fight. But that was the old me.

  She nodded in understanding. “We’ll stop your house first. You can gather anything you hold sentimental and say goodbye. ‘

  Hayden.

  “Hayden is there?” My face scrunched up in pain at the memory of him leaving me there. He could have stopped Luke if he had been there!

  “I have to tell you. I had given Hayden an ultimatum to force him to leave you at the dance.”

  “You did what?”

  “It was wrong and I apologize. I thought I was doing what was best for you.” She was concentrating awfully hard on the road.

  “It doesn’t matter, it’s over now. Mr. Christian is dead and there is nothing anyone could have done to prevent. Not Hayden being there, not you being there, not my dad chaperoning instead of him, not Marie being there, not Luke leaving, not if the ball had been at the school instead, not if Nikki got him out of there in time! None of that matters because he died anyway!”

  “I’m not being insensitive but you need to know that his life wasn’t in vain. Ghosts are territorial. With all the spirits in the building, Christine lashed out. Her mind went back to the night she died and she wanted a male soul to pay for it. She would have destroyed anyone or anything in her way to do so. So it might have been your father’s friend, but it could have been your entire class.”