Knight Flyers

by Ann McCune

  I got in the shower and cried. I was so relieved my parents were alive. My hands shook so badly I dropped my loofa twice. I closed my eyes and counted to ten. Everything was alright. There was nothing to freak out about. It was only a dream. Except it wasn’t, if I didn’t find a way to get rid of the goblin I would never be safe, and if anyone I knew ever slept without their dreamcatcher, I was sure that goblin would find a way to make me watch while he killed them.

  I turned off the shower and got dressed. I didn’t know what I was going to do, but I had to figure something out to keep everyone I cared about safe.

  I made it through the day trying not to think about my dreams and the goblin, but it was hard. I would think about how tired I was, and I knew it was because of him. When lunch came around, I was in a daze. I was the first one to show up at our table, forgetting I wanted to be the last one. I turned to look at the doors; if anyone saw me leave they would know something was wrong with me. I made myself sit down at the far end and pulled my lunch out. I tried to act as normal as possible, but I had never felt so vulnerable in my life.

  Billy was the next one to join the table and he sat in the middle and opened his lunch. “Hey.”

  “Hey,” I said, hoping he would not move down to my side of the table.

  Tommy and Tracy sat next to Billy before he could move or say anything else. “What’s going on, kids?” Tommy asked, before taking a bite of his pizza.

  “Same old, same old.” I mumbled.

  “I hope Tiffany doesn’t sit with us today,” Tracy said, stabbing some lettuce with her fork. “She’s such a bitch.”

  “No joke,” I said around a mouthful of food.

  “Looks like we have the gang back together,” Sam said, sitting down next to me.

  “I guess.” I went back to eating my lunch until Jo and Shawn showed up. I looked at them for a second then went back to my lunch.

  “Hi, how’s it going?” Jo asked the table while sitting down.

  “Just another day?” Billy asked, sounding different than he usually did. I shot him a confused look, but then remembered I was mad at him and looked back down at my food.

  “Are you ready for the history test?” Shawn asked, and this time I kept myself from looking up.

  “I hope so, what about you?” Billy asked, he almost sounded nice while talking to Shawn. That was a first.

  “I should be alright,” Shawn said, sounding like he always did, amazing.

  “Hey, Shawn,” Tiffany’s squeaky voice penetrated my ears. “Is there room for me?”

  “Um,” Shawn said.

  I looked up in time to look around the table, it was full thank God, unless he let her sit on his lap.

  “Sorry, looks like we are full up,” Shawn said, looking at me before I could look away.

  “Where am I supposed to eat?” she whined.

  “There’s a table right over there.” Billy pointed to an empty table in the back of the room.

  “I don’t want to sit all by myself.” She huffed and crossed her arms under her boobs to try to make them look bigger.

  “Sorry, we are talking about our history test. I’m sure you can find somewhere else to sit.”

  “Fine.” Tiffany huffed and stalked away.

  “Sorry about that,” Shawn said to the table. “I said hi to her once and she thinks we’re soulmates. I don’t think I will ever understand women.”

  “I completely understand,” Sam said, finishing his pizza.

  Done with my food, I got up to leave. “See you guys later.” I picked up my trash and left the cafeteria. I was starting to think about finding a new table to sit at. Sitting so close to Shawn but not being able to touch him was killing me.

  I walked down the hall to my locker, thinking about what happened. Why was Billy acting so weird with Jo? Shawn had actually smiled at me. I thought he hated me. Billy said he would make it right, but how could he? If Shawn didn’t believe me, why would he believe Billy?

  I stopped in the middle of the hall. What did any of it matter? I was done with Shawn, and I still wasn’t ready to talk to Billy, but then I thought about my dreams and how badly I needed help. Maybe there was a way Shawn and I could just be friends. I didn’t need a boyfriend to be happy, but I didn’t know how long I could go on with the goblin terrorizing my dreams. I put a smile on my face and went about the rest of my day pretending everything was fine. I would just fake it till I made it.

  I let out a breath as I set my test on Mr. Anderson’s desk. I knew I could have done better but I was so tired, and even though I studied for it, I should have put in a few more hours instead of trying to find the meaning behind the rune. It was too late though.

  After school, I went to work and spent my time stocking shelves and helping customers. When I was done stocking and fronting all the merchandise I worked on the weekly orders to keep busy.

  The house smelled amazing when I got home. I left my backpack at the base of the stairs and followed my nose into the kitchen. “Mom, did you make stew?” I asked, coming around the corner.

  “Yes, it sounded good.” She turned from the stove with a spoon in her hand. “How did your test go?” Mom always had a reason for making stew.

  “What’s the occasion?” I asked, leaning against the bar.

  “Nothing dear, just sounded good.” She didn’t look up as she spoke.

  “Mom, you always have a reason, give it up.” I crossed my arms over my chest.

  “I know you and Shawn aren’t together anymore, but do you still want to go shopping this weekend?” She went to the cabinet and pulled out three bowls.

  I let out a breath. Prom and Shawn were two things I didn’t want to think about, and I had been planning on spending Saturday at the library researching the gates and the rune, but Mom was looking at me like I would break her heart if I did not go. “We can still go, Mom. If I find a dress and don’t go to prom I can always wear it next year.” I gave her a smile, hoping it did not look as fake as it felt.

  CHAPTER 20

  I opened my eyes and found myself in Shawn’s padded room. I got up and looked around. How had I ended up here? The last thing I wanted to do was talk to Shawn. I walked around the room running my hand over the wall, looking for a door but found none. I wanted to get out of there before he showed up. I closed my eyes and thought of my room, but it was too late.

  “What are you doing here?” Shawn asked from behind me. “How did you get here? This is my dream.”

  “I have no idea. I went to bed, hoping not to have another nightmare, and I ended up here.” I crossed my arms over my chest and thought about how mad at him I was, not sad. If I was sad, I would start crying, and I didn’t want him to see me cry.

  “Well leave.” He turned his back on me and took a few steps away.

  “You know what? No.” He needed to know what was going through my head. “I need to tell you a few things.”

  “I don’t want to hear it.” He crossed his arms and disappeared.

  I looked around the empty room. “Shawn,” I yelled, closing my eyes. He was going to listen to what I had to say. I needed his help damn it, I thought to myself.

  When I opened my eyes, I was looking directly into Shawn’s. It took him a minute to recognize me, but as soon as he did, he backed up a step. “How did you? Never mind, leave me alone.” He was gone again.

  I sighed, I was not going to give up. I had nowhere else to turn. I closed my eyes and thought of him. When I opened them again he was standing on a beach looking out at the ocean. “Shawn, I have to talk to you.” I tried to use my calm voice, but it came out a little harsher than I wanted.

  “Are you going to follow me around until you’ve said your piece?” he asked, not looking back at me.

  “Yes.” I crossed my arms over my chest.

  “Then let’s go back to the padded room.” He closed his eyes and we were back in his safe space. “You want to talk, then talk.” He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the wall.<
br />
  “What you saw was bad, believe me it wasn’t enjoyable for me either, but instead of talking to me about it you just left. You didn’t find out what was going on. You assumed. We could’ve had something special if you would have gotten out of your Jeep and talked to me or punched Billy.” I put my hands on my hips.

  “I didn’t have anything to say.” He turned his head to avoid meeting my eyes.

  “Look, I’ve said my piece and I would walk away and let you live your life, but I need help and I don’t know where else to go.” The thought of the goblin showing up at any second made tears prick my eyes.

  “What are you talking about?” He looked up to meet my eyes.

  “The goblin, the one you killed. He won’t leave me alone. He has been in every dream I have had since Sunday. I tried to kill him, but my protection goes both ways. He can’t hurt me, and I can’t hurt him. He said he would kill everyone I loved until I gave myself to him.” A tear leaked out and I quickly wiped it away. I wasn’t sad, I was just so tired I couldn’t control my emotions any longer.

  “I killed that goblin, it must be a different one.” His voice was gentle, but his eyes were hard.

  “He told me it was him, that he came back, he always comes back.”

  “Why is he obsessed with you?”

  “He said I have enough power to bring him over to our dimension. Shawn, last night I had a nightmare where he ripped my mom’s head off and sucked out my dad’s soul. I don’t know what to do.” I crumpled to the floor, cradled my head in my arms, and let the tears come, no longer caring if he thought I was tough or not.

  “What’s on your wrist?” he asked, coming over to where I lay and picking up my hand.

  “I fell asleep on the couch on Sunday, I didn’t have my dreamcatcher and he said he marked me. I woke up with it.”

  Shawn dropped my hand and took a step back like I had the plague. “You’ve been marked. This is not good.” He ran his hands through his hair.

  “Do you know how to get rid of it?” I asked, rubbing the burn.

  “I don’t. I’ve read about it, but I have never seen anything about removing it.” He turned to the wall.

  “Okay, well thanks anyway.” I got to my feet and closed my eyes, thinking of my room.

  “Don’t go,” he all but whispered.

  I opened my eyes and met his. They looked soft for the first time since our date. “Why?”

  “Because I like you. This week has been so messed up. I’m pretty sure I failed the history test because I couldn’t take my eyes off you.” He looked away and put his hands in his pockets. “Billy talked to me yesterday. He told me how he has had a crush on you for years and I forced him to make a move. He also told me you rejected him and if I didn’t make things right with you he was going to kick my ass.”

  I laughed, Billy said he was going to make it right, but still. “So, you believe Billy, but you don’t believe me? This is a small town, Shawn, no one can get away with seeing two people at the same time without getting caught.”

  “Hey, I just moved here. I’ve heard people talk. You and Billy are always together. I understand being friends, but it’s hard to believe something else isn’t going on.”

  “What about Tiffany? Are you two dating now? Your interest in me didn’t last long.”

  “Tiffany? When she heard about our fight she started following me around. I only let her sit with us at lunch because I felt sorry for her, but she isn’t a nice person.”

  “No kidding.” I laughed again.

  “Who do you really want?”

  “You.” I backed away from him. “If you can handle me being friends with Billy and being marked by the goblin.”

  “I can handle it, if you promise not to kiss him again. Don’t worry we’ll figure out how to get rid of the mark.” A small smile played on his lips.

  “Him kissing me was the grossest thing that has happened in my life so far. It would be like you kissing your sister.” I looked at my wrist and ran my finger over the mark. “Do you think there is a way to get rid of it?”

  “Kissing my sister? Gross,” he took a step closer to me. “I don’t know if we can get rid of it, but I won’t let the mare get you.”

  “Really?” My eyes widened.

  His lips were on mine, just like I remembered them, soft and plump. Goosebumps broke out on my arms as I wrapped them around his neck. My lips missed him, it was almost like they were meant to always be together. Shawn’s arms came around my back and squeezed me tight. I hoped he was right, and we would find a way to get rid of the mark.

  I pulled away when my lungs started screaming for air. “I’m so scared, Shawn.”

  “Don’t worry, we’ll find a way to get rid of it.” He smiled and came back in for another kiss, but he stopped before he met my lips. “Crap, I’m on duty I have to go. My dad is looking for me.”

  “Okay, I’m glad we talked.” I took a step back from him.

  “Me too. I’ll see you tomorrow okay?” His eyes were bright and the smile on his lips reminded me why I liked him so much.

  “Okay.” I closed my eyes and thought of my room. This time when I opened my eyes, I was where I thought I would be. I got into bed and pulled the covers over my head, praying the mare would leave me alone for a change.

  CHAPTER 21

  I woke feeling centered and happy, Shawn and I had made up but what if it had been a dream? I hoped it wasn’t, but at least I had been able to sleep without having to deal with the goblin.

  Then there was Billy. I was getting tired of being mad at him. He said he would make it right and he did. Part of me wanted to thank him for talking to Shawn but the other half of me was still mad. The fight with Shawn was because of him in the first place.

  “What about dress shopping Saturday?” Mom asked later, while I ate a piece of toast covered in peanut butter.

  I shrugged. “Sure, Mom, if I don’t go to prom I’m sure I’ll find some reason to wear it.”

  She knew I hated shopping. That I agreed to go at all, was enough for her. “Okay we will leave early, so we can get to Denver right when the stores open.”

  “Sounds good. I’ll see you tonight,” I said, grabbing my backpack and leaving for school.

  I checked the parking lot out of habit for Shawn’s Jeep when I arrived. It was there, as always. Butterflies filled my stomach as I walked into school and down the hallway to my locker. I needed to calm down, I never saw Shawn before lunch and it was hours away. I needed to get control of myself, or I wouldn’t make it to lunch. I was looking at my feet as I walked to my locker, and when I got there I looked up to see Shawn leaning against it.

  “Hi,” I said with a small smile while I nervously adjusted the straps of my backpack.

  “Hi,” he said, returning the smile, and pushing off my locker to stand a few feet away.

  “So, last night wasn’t just a dream?” I moved to my locker and dialed in the combination before opening it.

  “Not just a dream.” He sounded nervous too.

  I hung my backpack on the hook, then my coat. I pulled my books out and put them on the shelf. “I’m glad.” I looked over to him and smiled as the butterflies in my stomach disappeared.

  “Yeah, me too.” The bell rang indicating we only had a few minutes to get to class. “Will you have lunch with me? I want to talk to you.”

  “Yeah, where do you want to meet?” I pulled what I needed for class down from the shelf then closed the door.

  “I’ll meet you here,” he said, putting his hands in his pockets.

  “I’ll see you then,” I said as he walked away. It was still awkward, but it was worth it.

  I was walking to math class when I saw Billy shut his locker. “We need to talk,” I said to him before he could walk away.

  “Okay at lunch?” he asked, giving me a hesitant smile.

  “No, I’m having lunch with Shawn, after school alright?” I met his eyes for a second before looking away.

  “Sure,” he
said, looking down the hallway with a frown. I turned and went to class. This was going to be hard on Billy, but he was going to have to move on if we were going to continue to be friends.

  I spent the rest of the morning watching the clock tick slowly by. I couldn’t wait for my lunch with Shawn. I was excited we had made up and wondered what he had planned for lunch. I almost ran to my locker when the bell rang and found Shawn waiting for me when I arrived.

  “Hey, how’s it going?” I asked, opening my locker, putting my book in, and pulling my lunch out before closing it.

  “Not too bad for a day at school.” He bounced off the locker he was leaning against and took my hand before walking down the hallway away from the cafeteria.

  “Where are we going? We aren’t allowed to eat anywhere except the cafeteria.” I let him pull me for a moment before I quickened my pace.

  “It’s a surprise,” he said, squeezing my hand.

  I had forgotten how good it felt to hold his hand, I squeezed it back and felt my face turn red in the process. He led me to the doors of the gym and pulled one open. “Shawn, we will get in trouble if anyone catches us in here.”

  He pulled me inside and I expected it to be completely dark, but there was a battery-operated lantern sitting on a card table with two chairs around it. “It’s alright I got permission to do this.” He led me to the table and pulled my chair out for me, then went around to the other side and sat.

  “This is romantic,” I said, putting my paper bag on the table, and pulling my lunch out. I looked up at him with a grin.

  “Well, I wanted to talk to you where we wouldn’t be overheard, and this seemed like the best spot after last night.” He let out a breath. “I’m sorry I was a dick to you this week. When I saw Billy kissing you I blew a gasket. I thought you were pranking me, the new kid initiation or something. I’ve watched you be miserable all week, so I set this up yesterday.”

  “Wait, you set this up yesterday? Before we talked last night?” I asked dumbfounded.

  “Yeah, well last night just reinforced the truth.” He ran his hand through his hair nervously. “I was wondering if you would…” he trailed off and the lights in the gym came on.