by H. T. Night
The sun would be coming out soon. I decided once again to go find Lena. I knew I had left her and everyone else stranded a mile down from the ranch. I doubted she was still there. I checked there anyway just to be sure. I scoped up and down from the sky and saw no one within two miles of the ranch. I decided to fly over to her trailer community. Hopefully she had gone back home. I got to the trailer park in minutes. I spotted her mobile home from the air and noticed a car parked in the driveway. Her parents must have come home.
I decided to land in the park across the street. It seemed like it was the best spot because of the large amount of soft grass. I circled the park as I had done earlier in the night. It was different this time because I wasn’t circling the park as an eagle, but as a man. I was getting better at landing as ‘the eagle.’ This was a completely different ball game, trying to land with legs. As an eagle, I can pull back and delicately hit the earth. I had no idea at what speed I should hit the ground flying as a Mani. I didn’t want to crush my legs on contact.
There was a barn at the Far East end of the park. It was some sort of petting zoo for kids in the area. As I circled the barn, I could see some barrels of hay to the left of the barn. I decided to aim my landing in that direction. Hay on top of grass was double the protection.
I continued to circle around the barn, each time making the circle smaller and smaller. Each time I circled, I inched my way closer and closer to the earth. I was about twenty feet from the ground. I needed to land and I was becoming apprehensive. I dip my legs down a tad, as if I was jumping off a roof of a house. That was not a good idea. I pulled back my motion as I got closer and closer to the ground. Right next to the barn was a scarecrow and I used it as my focal point. I pulled up hard, but I knew my speed was still too fast. I hit the barrels of hay much harder than I intended to. I curled my body up in a ball instinctively to protect my vital areas. All that did was make me roll instantly when I hit the ground. And roll I did. I rolled out of control and crashed directly into the barn. I had hoped the barn would stop my momentum. No such luck. My body broke through the wooden walls as if I was a tank. I wrapped my hands around my head on contact to prevent further injury.
Finally I stopped and laid there flat on my back. I looked up and saw a brown horse looking down at me. It stared at me with a bewildered look as if to say, ‘Who the hell are you?’
I got to my feet as quickly as I could. My body ached all over. I had put my body through the ringer tonight. Although I was in immense pain, my adrenalin was still off the charts. I felt like I had just drunk ten Red Bulls.
I wiped off the dirt and hay, cracked my neck, and walked out of the barn. The cold morning air hit my face. The sun would be up shortly. I walked across the grassy field and headed to Lena’s trailer park.
I felt like a superhero as I exited the park and went across the street. Cars passed me and I had for the first time the feeling of immortality. I felt nothing could ultimately hurt me. It felt insanely great.
I wasn’t even sure if Lena was home. Lena’s parents were home and that changed everything. I went to the side of the house and tapped the window to her bedroom. After just one tap, the lights in her room came on. Lena pulled back the curtain and I saw her face. She looked concerned and very beautiful.
She opened the window just enough to be heard, “Josiah,” she whispered, “Are you okay?”
“I’m more than okay,” I said, louder than I planned to.
“Shhhh, you’ll wake up creepazoid.” She opened the window more.
“Screw him. Let’s get out of here!” I whispered back.
Lena looked behind me. “Where’s your car?”
“I’m not going to need that anymore.”
Lena looked at me puzzled.
“Get some clothes together,” I said, “Let’s get out of here.”
Lena had a spark in her eye. “Really?”
“Of course, really. You don’t need to live here anymore. I have plenty of room, you can stay with me.”
Lena’s face looked like a child’s on Christmas morning. “Hold on!” She left for a moment and came back. She already had a suitcase packed with clothes in her arms and handed it to me through the window.
All of a sudden, I heard a deep voice, “Who the hell are you talking to little woman? Lena quickly jumped out the window and fell into my arms. We swiftly hid behind the trailer. We could hear Lena’s step-dad in her room. He was walking around. “That little whore snuck out again!” he said in a loud voice. He turned off the light.
I looked at Lena and I couldn’t help but have the biggest smile on my face.
She could see the excitement in my eyes. “What the hell happened tonight? Did you fight?”
“Yes.” I must have had a lot of scrapes and bruises.
“Did you win?”
“Yes and no,” I said.
“Well, you’re alive. That’s the only thing that matters.” Lena looked at the back of my head. “Josiah your head is cracked open. Do you feel alright?”
Goliath apparently had done a number to the back of my head. “Let’s get out of here. We need to take care of that.”
“Okay, I said. Put your arms around my neck.”
“Why?” Lena looked at me curiously.
“Just do it.” I said. Lena wrapped her arms around my neck. “Hold on tight,” I raised my arms as if I was a superhero preparing to fly.
“What the heck are you doing?” Lena gasped. I raised my arms again this time with some oomph. I had a small problem. Nothing was happening. Lena looked at me as if I had lost my mind.
“Uh… Josiah. What are you doing?”
“Hold on,” I said. “Watch!” I raised my arms again, this time I made a fist as if that would help. Again, nothing happened.
“What are you trying to do?” Lena asked laughing.
“I’m trying to fly.” I stammered.
“Well,” Lena said sweetly. “You’ll need to transition to do that.” Then we heard someone open the front door. “Transition, Josiah!” Lena immediately transitioned into a red hawk.
Dammit! I wanted to show her I could fly! Why couldn’t I fly?
Lena flew away leaving her suitcase behind. I could hear Lena’s step-dad getting closer. I transitioned to ‘the eagle.’ I grabbed the suitcase in my beak and flew out of the area like a speeding bullet. Yeah, now I was the super hero.
Chapter Six
We both had landed in my front yard and the sun was peaking up. It was a beautiful thing to see. It would be something I couldn’t enjoy anymore. That was sad to me.
We both transitioned into our Mani forms on my front porch. I picked up the suitcase and grabbed a key that was hidden under a pot by the door. I knew any idiot would check there first if they intended to rob me, but I really didn’t care, I had insurance.
I unlocked the door and we went inside. I looked around quickly to see if Tommy had shown up. There was no sign that he had been in the house, everything was the way I left it.
“Let’s re-duct tape the curtain drapes and blinds.” I said to Lena. “Light has a funny way of getting inside.” I grabbed two rings of duct tape on the table and handed one to her. I went around my house, reapplied duct tape on all areas light could get in, and Lena did the same. In a few minutes, we had finished. We were sure no sunlight could get in under any conditions.
We both went into my kitchen.
“So what happened?” Lena asked.
“With the wolves?”
“Yes, we all showed up at 3:15 and you were nowhere to be found. We transitioned and flew towards the ranch and saw Goliath finishing off one of his own the way he did Tommy. We all hoped it was because you worked him good. We flew around looking for you for a little while and just figured you had split.”
“I might have fibbed about the time.”
“Why would you do that?”
“I wanted to take care of my own business.” I walked passed Lena, went into the living room, and sat on the couch. L
ena turned and followed me.
“Look, you’re going to need protection. Everyone does. No one expects you to fight 30 Carni all by yourself. That is preposterous.”
“Well, I did fine.”
“Why are you being so stubborn?” Lena wasn’t messing around. She was becoming really upset. “You don’t have to do this alone.”
“Maybe I want to do it alone.” I said defiantly.
“Then you’re going to get killed. You might have been chosen, Josiah, but don’t forget we all were. . We have been called to help you.”
I looked down at Lena. I needed to tell her the real reason why I gave her the wrong time. “I told you the wrong time because I didn’t want you to get hurt.” Lena raised her head and gently looked up at me. I looked down at her and for the first time showed how vulnerable I was in her presence. “I don’t care what I have to do; I’m always going to make sure your safe.”
Lena reached out her hand and rubbed my arm. “Please let me help you, it’s what I’ve been called to do.” The slightest touch from Lena made melt. She looked at me lovingly. Dammit, I was falling hard for her. “There is just so much I don’t understand.” I said and took Lena’s hand into mine.
“That’s why you need all of us. We all need you, too.” Lena sat next to me on the couch. Her legs were now touching mine.
I turned to her and said, “It’s hard for me to trust a bunch of people who were trying to kill me a month ago.”
“I know it is. But, you need to remember, you’re one of them now. We both are and we’re all in this together. Wyatt and Hector have had amazing lives. They are good men. They have seen and done things that would blow your mind. You need to trust them. And I don’t have to tell you about Yari. All of them will lay down their lives for you, the same way they were prepared to do for Atticai. After Lena said ‘Atticai’ she stopped and stared straight ahead.
“Do you still love him?” I asked.
“That kind of thing just doesn’t go away.” Lena let go of my hand.
“Look, I know that there is this beautiful romantic part of you that wanted to live forever by his side. But, you are aware that he was only using you.”
“I know.” Lena held back tears. “I’m just confused.”
“Why?”
“I had my own visions, Josiah. I had amazing dreams where I was this beautiful angel watching over The Chosen.”
“Was it visions? Or wishful thinking?”
“All I know is that I felt so much love when I was watching over him.” Lena shook her head with disgust. “You’re right. It was just some little girl fantasy that got into my subconscious.” Lena now looked defeated.
I couldn’t let her feel this way. “Lena, don’t be upset with yourself. You are this amazingly beautiful woman inside and out. Your heart and soul is why the Triat chose you for this venture. Just because the details weren’t what it seemed, doesn’t mean anything less. You’re a spectacular woman.”
“I guess I’m still that.” Lena looked at her body. “I may be a Mani, but I’m still a woman.”
I looked at Lena and she was as beautiful as ever. “That you are.”
“The sun is up,” she said.
“Yes it is. We should probably get some rest.”
I got up and Lena laid her legs across the couch. She closed her eyes. I went to the closet and got a blanket out for her. It was an orange and white cover; one that my grandmother had made for me when I was five years old. It was my favorite blanket. I walked over holding the blanket and looked down on this beautiful young woman lying on my couch. Why did I have such intense feelings for her?
Lena opened her eyes and looked up at me. She gave me a warm smile. “Do you need something, mister?” She said in a very sweet, innocent voice.
“Do you want a blanket?” I asked.
“That would be nice.” I laid the blanket gently on top of her. I then sat on the floor and leaned my back up against the couch. I closed my eyes and sighed aloud. I just wanted to be near her.
Lena said softly in my ear, “Before all this happened, Josiah. What did you believe in?”
I sighed again, “I don’t even know.”
“Really?” You didn’t believe in anything?”
“Do you mean like God, heaven, and hell?
“Yeah. Did you believe in any of that?”
“I remember going to a church youth group when I was a sophomore in high school with a girl I was dating at the time. The pastor guy asked if anyone wanted to come forward to be prayed for. I remember wanting to believe in what he was saying so badly. I even went forward and got prayed for. The guy prayed with me. I had to admit, it was intense.
“So what happened?”
“Nothing happened. I started wondering if what I felt was more of a belief in a creator or for something greater than myself.”
“What do you mean exactly?” Lena had now sat back up. She was very interested in what I thought.
“Maybe what I felt was a hope that a God could exist and that my life had a plan.”
“But it does have a plan.” Lena said with conviction.
“I know now that it does. I’m trying to figure out what my stake in this is. I guess I can accept that I am needed to help make a change. But I still need guidance. I feel like I’m dangling. I feel the Triat, or whoever is leading this life has left me to figure it out on my own.”
“Have you stopped to listen?”
“Listen to whom?”
“I’m not going to pretend I know the answers, Josiah. But one thing is for sure, I’m listening.” Lena closed her eyes. She lay back down and wrapped herself up in the blanket.
She was quiet and I just listened to her breathe. I had never done that with anyone before. It was comforting.
I got up and tucked her in, went to my room to grab a pillow and blanket and walked back to the living room. I made a little bed with my blanket on the carpet and lay on the floor next to Lena.
As I rested, I closed my eyes. I felt my body and mind drift off. I could feel my muscles rebuilding. I’d had an insane night and my body definitely needed to relax and recover. I concentrated on my muscles and tendons. It felt wonderful lying there. I was in harmony with my body.
Suddenly I felt a jolt in my entire body. I opened my eyes instantly. I was in a dream; this was my first one since becoming a Mani. I was lying in a field on the side of what appeared to be a hill. I was in front of a gigantic beautiful white castle. The castle was huge and majestic. It was something out of a fairytale. I got to my feet and walked toward this magnificent fixture. There was brush out front, and what appeared to be pine trees. At the front of the great white castle, I could see something moving. Whatever it was, it wasn’t that tall. I walked closer to this creature. It was a grayish blue color. It almost looked like a gnome without the pointed hat. He was no taller than three feet.
A sudden burst of wind came over me. And the air became smoky. The little blue man walked over to me.
“Come and see me,” he said.
“Who are you?” I asked.
“As of right now; that will not be important. But I do have a message for you.”
This was definitely a vision. My surroundings felt as real as day. “What is it, friend?”
The creature looked at me in disdain, as if to say, “We are not friends.” He looked off to the side as if to purposely not look me in the eyes. Finally, he said, “tame the wolf.”
“Huh?” I replied.
“If you tame the wolf, you will find yourself.”
I looked at the blue Smurf-like creature. “What wolf?” I asked.
“Tame the wolf and you will find yourself,” he repeated. He was obviously being cryptic on purpose.
“Will I see you again?” I asked.
“Most definitely,” the little man replied. “For now, you need to do what I’ve told you.”
With that I woke up and was staring at the ceiling in my living room. I looked at the clock, it was 7:00 pm. Ma
n I was out a long time. I could hear dishes being washed in the kitchen.
“What are you doing?” I called out to Lena.
“Cleaning up; you live like a pig.”
“I do the necessities.” I got up, stretched my arms, and then made my way to the kitchen.
“There is a green fungus growing in your sink that I’m pretty sure would have killed you if you were mortal.”
I laughed, “You don’t have to clean, especially a life- threatening green fungus.”
“Trust me, if I’m going to be staying here, it’s the least I can do.”
“I have a guest room you can sleep in. You don’t have to sleep on the couch.”
“That will be fine. Thank you.” Lena put the last of the dishes away in the cupboard. I liked seeing Lena in my kitchen. It felt right, almost natural.
“So, you’re pretty domestic?” I asked.
“Not really. I just can’t stand filth.”
“I guess I had been living like a slob as of late. That’s what barricading yourself in a house will do to you. Why don’t you put your things in the guest room?”
Lena nodded and walked by me to get to the living room where her suitcase was still on the floor next to the T.V. I caught a whiff of her perfume or deodorant. Whatever it was, it was intoxicating.
“Wow, you smell good,” I said, a bit awkwardly.
“Do I?” Lena stopped and smelt her shirt. “It’s just little ol’ me.”
“Well, you smell great.” Now I had made things even weirder by piggy backing my original compliment. I tried to save myself, “I’ll go to the store later and get some things for your room. Who knows, I might even decorate it.”
“You don’t have to do that, Josiah.”
“I would love to. How about a nice ballerina theme? We’ll do the whole thing in pink.” Lena socked me in the arm playfully. “You’re right.” I said. “You have gotten stronger. I almost felt the punch.”
“Oh really, tough guy? Almost felt it? I’ll give you something to feel.” Lena began playfully punching me all over. “Chosen One or not, I’ll whip your ass.”