by Amy Clapp
I snapped back to the present when the choking sensation lessened. My lungs burned again, but this time it was in response to the flow of oxygen through them. Gagging and coughing, I doubled over into a ball on the floor. I heard the Fury howling and shrieking. I expected the choking sensation to return, but it didn't. I could breathe.
I looked up to see a pair of denim-covered legs standing in front of me. Black unlaced boots connected to the legs. My mind still felt fuzzy from oxygen deprivation at the hands of the Fury, but I heard the Fury shriek, "No!"
I tried to stand up, but was shoved back to the floor. "Stay down," a familiar voice commanded. But the harshness of the command couldn't mask the smooth richness I knew belonged to Varick.
I closed my eyes and covered my head as I listened to the furious howling of the Fury. "No! She's mine! I had her!" The entire building shook with the Fury's wrath.
"Sotowt miae bidowy bidtop kitout," Varick said firmly to the Fury. Whatever he said infuriated the Fury and they screamed louder. "No, she is mine," Varick said softly.
The Fury snarled and paced angrily in front of us.
"You got that fire started?" Varick yelled out. Who is he yelling to? My hands still covered my head.
"Yeah, all set," came the answer. My head snapped up and I searched for Jamie. Are Jamie and Varick working together?
"I've got Jacey. You get Oma," Varick ordered. Varick's attention was still on the Fury. His tattooed arm was held straight in front of him his palm facing the Fury. It was as if that hand created a shield around us. Varick's other arm was almost touching me as he held his palm out toward me. I looked up at the Fury. It had morphed into a shrouded, faceless creature. It was obviously furious, planning its attack as it floated just on the other side of Varick's protective shield.
"I can do this all night," Varick goaded the creature. His statement was met with another deafening roar of protest. I flinched at the painful and frightening sound.
I searched for Jamie and saw that he was knelt next to Oma, assisting her.
"Oma," I whimpered. She wasn't moving, and I saw Jamie gently picking her up to carry her. Tears stung my eyes as I started crying again. "Oma."
Varick was still holding off the Fury, his body rigid. I glanced at his face. He stared intently at the Fury. Only the muscles of his jaw moved as he flexed them in concentration. The Fury was enraged. I could see the sinister creature trying to penetrate Varick's shield with its powers. But the shield held and I remained protected within it.
Jamie ran closer to us with Oma in his arms, and I could see that Oma was holding onto Jamie's shirt, her head resting against his chest. At least she was alive. A wave of relief washed over me at the sight of Oma holding onto Jamie.
"How's that fire going?" Varick said to Jamie. His voice was urgent.
"It's going," Jamie yelled back. "I can see the flames now."
I looked at the door leading to the hallway and out of this prison. Orange flames licked at the door jam and black smoke floated around the door and over the metal cabinet into the room we were in. The pungent odor of burning leaves, debris, and gasoline hit my nose.
"Get Oma out of here."
"What about Jacey?" Jamie yelled above the Fury's screams of protest.
"You go with Oma. We'll be right behind you."
"And you're sure the fire will stop the Fury?"
"If it's hot enough, it will."
I watched in astonishment as Varick moved the heavy cabinet with some invisible force of his hand with his other hand still extended toward the Fury.
Jamie and Oma disappeared through the cleared doorway.
"Time to go," Varick said. He concentrated on the Fury while reaching down and giving me the same hand he had used to move the cabinet. I stared at it in wonder.
"Jacey! Now!"
I blinked as Varick yelled at me. Then I grabbed his hand and he pulled me to my feet. He pushed me toward the open doorway and the hot flames, away from the Fury.
As we neared the doorway, the Fury's howls intensified and the walls of the warehouse shook again. I stopped just before the doorway. The smoke was much thicker now. I coughed violently as the black cloud suffocated me. I could feel the scorching heat through the doorway; it burned at my face even though I could not see the flames. "Varick," I whimpered, trying to shield my face. His arm circled around my waist as he stood behind me, his tattooed arm still holding off the Fury.
"I'm right here. I've got you." With his arm around me and his body shielding me from the Fury, he pushed us through the black smoke and through the scorching flames.
I closed my eyes and held my breath, relying totally on Varick as we struggled through the fire. Once on the other side, Varick yelled. "Run! Now!"
I opened my eyes. We were in the hallway I had walked through when I first entered the warehouse. But, it didn't look like the same hallway. The fire that Jamie had started burned all around me. The rooms jutting off the hallway were engulfed in flames. Sparks and burning embers fell from the ceiling. It was a fiery hell.
I ran, jumping over flames in my path. I felt the fire around me, scorching my skin and burning my lungs. The black smoke encircled us burning my eyes and nose. Although Varick was no longer touching me, I knew he was behind me, running after me. I heard a crash as part of the warehouse caved in behind us. I screamed and covered my ears as I ran.
Then I saw Jamie, his face dirty with soot at the end of the hall, holding the heavy steel door open for us. "Come on!" he yelled, using his free hand to wave us toward him.
I heard more shrieking from behind us as we neared the door leading to our escape. But I couldn't tell whether the shrieks were from the Fury or the building crashing down. I ran faster.
I ran through the open door and jumped off the cement landing onto the gravel. I heard Varick land next to me. He placed his hand under my arms and lifted me to a standing position. "Are you alright? Are you injured?" His voice was urgent again. So were his eyes, made even bluer by the black soot smudged on his face.
I shook my head, breathing heavily as I struggled for air. "I'm okay," I gasped. I covered my mouth coughing violently. Sirens screamed in the distance and I saw the glimmer of red lights flashing in the trees lining the road to the warehouse. Varick let go of my arms, and we stepped away from the warehouse as it was engulfed in flames. Suddenly, I turned to Varick. "Oma. Where's Oma?"
"She's right here, Jace," Jamie called out. He was kneeling next to her as she lay on the grass some distance from the warehouse. "She's not doing so good."
I sat on my knees next to her. Her skin looked pale where it wasn't black from smoke. Her breathing was shallow. Her eyes closed.
"Oma?" I grabbed her hand and held it between mine. It was icy cold. "Oma?"
Her eyes fluttered open. It seemed to take her a moment to see me through the cloudiness of her eyes. "Jacey?" she said with frightening weakness.
"I'm here, Oma, I'm here," I was only vaguely aware that I was crying again. I rubbed her hand, trying to warm it. "Tell me where it hurts so I can heal you." I looked at her wrist, cringing when I saw the sores her bindings had caused. "I'm so sorry. So, so, sorry," I sobbed.
"Hush child," Oma said, struggling to breathe. But speaking was too labored for her. Her eyes closed. "So tired...so cold," she whispered.
I looked at Jamie kneeling across from me. His face was grim, his eyes sad as he shook his head somberly.
Shaking my head, I murmured, "No...No..." and turned my attention back to Oma. "Oma, tell me where to heal you. Please." I looked up at Varick. He glanced down at me and Oma before he turned back to the burning warehouse probably searching for any sign of the Fury. "Varick," I sobbed. "What do I do?"
Varick turned back to us and kneeled next to me. He placed his hand over Oma's chest close to her heart. He closed his eyes and tilted his head as if he were listening for something. All I could hear was the wailing of sirens as emergency vehicles approached.
Varick opened his eye
s. They were sad, filled with grief as he turned to face me. "I'm sorry, Jacey. She's hurt pretty bad. I don't know..."
"No, no, no." I shook my head in denial. "I can save her. I can heal her. Varick, I can do it." Varick just shook his head in disagreement.
"No, I don't believe you. I can do it." Tears streamed down my face as I yelled at Varick. I bent over Oma, placing my face close to hers.
"Oma! Oma, please tell me where it hurts. I'm going to heal you. I'm going to save you. I can save you. Oma! Please! Oma!"
Oma opened her eyes again and tried to smile. She slowly lifted her hand up to my cheek, caressing it lightly with her fingers. They were so cold.
"Oma, please!" I sobbed, tears freely falling down my cheeks.
"Jacey, you are safe. That's all that matters," Oma breathed. She was struggling to stay conscious. "I love you. You are my heart."
"Oma," I whispered. "I love you too."
The sirens ceased as the ambulance and fire trucks stopped abruptly in front of the warehouse. Emergency personnel rushed from the vehicles with their equipment.
Oma's hand dropped to her side and she closed her eyes again. Her breathing became shallower and less frequent.
"Oma, Come back to me. You can't leave me. Please." I was sobbing hysterically. "Varick, help me. How do I save her? Do I touch her heart, her head? Tell me, please!"
"Jacey stop. She's gone. You can't heal her." Varick grabbed my hands, his eyes filled with sadness.
"He's right, Jace. I'm sorry." Jamie's face was also grim, his eyes filling with tears. "I'm so sorry."
"No, you're both wrong." I turned frantically to look at them. "You're wrong. She can't leave me. She can't."
I turned back to Oma, yanking my hands from Varick's. "Oma," I yelled. "Come back to me, please!" My shoulders heaved with my sobs. "Please, don't leave me," I begged hysterically.
Varick placed his hand on my shoulder. "Jacey...."
"No!" I screamed, shrugging his hand roughly off my shoulder. "I can do this!" I sobbed. I placed my hand back over Oma's heart. I didn't feel anything. "No, no, no." I moved my hands to her lungs, pushing down on her body. I closed my eyes tightly, refusing to give up. "Come on, Oma...breathe."
"Jacey..." I felt Varick's hand on my arm, gently trying to stop me.
"No!" I yelled at him, throwing his arm off me again. "I can do this!" I sobbed.
"Jacey, stop it," Varick said sternly. "It's over. She's gone." Varick grabbed my arm again.
I yanked my arm from Varick's grip again, sobbing uncontrollably. My head lowered and my shoulders shook with my crying. I was being lifted to a standing position by Varick and Jamie. They dragged me away from Oma's motionless body as paramedics took positions around her.
"No," I sobbed, fighting to free myself from Varick and Jamie's grip. "Oma!" I watched through blurred eyes as Oma's body rose under the paramedic's shock paddles.
"Clear!" the paramedic yelled, shocking Oma's chest again. "Try again."
I felt as if my heart was breaking into thousands of pieces. "Oma!" I desperately fought Varick and Jamie but they held me fast.
"Clear!" the paramedics yelled again. I watched Oma's frail body rise again with the shock of the paddles. "Nothing," he said grimly, rubbing the paddles together.
My head lowered and I gave in to uncontrollable grief and despair.
-Twenty-Eight-
I stared at myself in the bathroom mirror. I had pulled my hair into a tight bun at the back of my neck, the kind Oma used to put in my hair when I went to dance class as a child. My chest tightened as I thought of Oma. "I am not going to cry. Not now," I told the reflection in the mirror. I took a couple deep breaths to calm myself and stop the tears. My eyes were puffy and red and my face was blotchy from days of crying. No amount of make up would hide any of that, so I didn't even try. I closed my eyes and walked out of the bathroom. I was exhausted, and I knew today was going to be another trying day. My stomach churned with dread.
I walked into my bedroom to get dressed. I rummaged through my closet and found my black wrap dress shoved tightly among the other clothes. Ripping it off the hanger, I flipped the dress a few times to get the wrinkles out. I wrapped the dress around my body and tied it securely at the side of my waist. Then I put on my pearl earrings. Before walking down stairs to where I knew Jamie was waiting, I picked up my sparkling angel's wings pin. I held the pin in my hand, staring at it ruefully. My vision blurred. Stupid pin. Stupid healing powers. Stupid Fury. If I had never found this pin, never found my healing powers, none of this would have happened. With a sob catching in my throat, I threw the pin at the opposite wall. It fell to the floor and settled somewhere under my bed. Stupid pin. My breath came in stuttered movements as I fought the tears. I had to be strong today. No tears. It was going to be hard. No, it was going to be impossible.
I walked down the stairs, my hand running down the railing as I went. Jamie was waiting for me in the living room dressed in black pants, a white dress shirt, and a black tie. He had a black and brown patterned sport coat over his arm and his hair was pulled back neatly in a low ponytail. Any other time I would have commented on how handsome he was, all cleaned up in a shirt and tie. But not today. Not for this occasion.
Jamie's eyes were cloudy grey and sad as he reached out to me. I looked at his outstretched hand and up to his face. Jamie attempted a smile, but it looked painful on his clean-shaven face.
"We can do this," he said softly. "Together." When I hesitated, he nodded lightly, his hand still extended toward me. I placed my hand in his and he folded his bigger hand around mine and squeezed tightly. Then he took my hand and brought it up to his arm, cradling it between his arm and his body as we walked slowly to the front porch.
The sky was grey and dreary. Heavy clouds threatened to let loose. I noticed Jamie held an umbrella in his other hand just in case. It would rain some time today, I had no doubts.
Jamie helped me into his Jeep, even fastening my seatbelt for me before getting in the driver's side.
"You're wearing your glasses," I said, my voice wavering.
"Yeah," Jamie answered, looking at me before turning back to the roadway he was backing us onto. "The contacts hurt my eyes this morning." The emotion was unmistakable in Jamie's voice too.
"I like your glasses," I answered softly, turning to look out the passenger window. I saw Jamie glance at me before he turned away again. Raindrops began to hit against the window.
The rhythmic thrumming of the Jeep's windshield wipers quickened as the rain fell harder. I felt a single tear slid down my cheek. I stared outside, trying not to think or to feel. I wished for numbness.
We pulled into the small Lutheran church in town, the same church Oma had brought me to for as long as I could remember. The parking lot was already full so Jamie pulled up to the door to let me off.
"No," I said, looking at Jamie. "I don't want to go in without you. I'll just walk in the rain with you."
"Alright. Anything you want, Jace." Jamie pulled through the driveway and parked his Jeep out by the road. I had never walked into that church without Oma. But I knew she was already inside the church, waiting for me.
We ran to the doors, both of us huddled under Jamie's large umbrella. He gave me his sport coat to wrap around my shoulders so I could stay dry. Once inside, Jamie closed the umbrella and shook off the water droplets before propping it up against the heat register in the foyer with the other umbrellas. I handed Jamie's sport coat to him so he could put it on before we entered the vestibule of the church. He placed his hand at the small of back, gently urging me inside.
I was met by many sad, grief-stricken faces. Murmurs of apologizes and condolences followed me as I walked past our friends and neighbors and went directly into the church. Inside the sanctuary, soft organ music played and I recognized one of Oma's favorite hymns. Soft chattering by those already seated in the pews silenced as Jamie and I walked down the aisle to the front. Emma was already seated there with her parents
sitting behind her. Mr. and Mrs. Quarter nodded at me with sad faces. Mrs. Quarter wiped her face with a tissue she had balled up in her hand.
Emma hugged me tightly. "I'm going to sit right here next to you?" she whispered in my ear. Her voice wavered and I felt her tears dampen my cheek as her face touched mine. Jamie was lightly rubbing my back with his hand. He kept clearing his throat as he did.
I closed my eyes tightly and concentrated on my breathing, slow and controlled. Although my breathing was calm, my stomach was churning. I had hardly eaten anything the last few days. I couldn't. In fact, the thought of food made me ill.
"Jace," Jamie whispered. "Do you want to go up and see her?"
I opened my eyes as Jamie spoke. I didn't really want to see her, but I knew that the service wouldn't begin until I did. Sighing heavily, I nodded and grabbed Jamie's hand. He squeezed and led the way up to the altar. I followed with my head down, not wanting to see her until I had to.
When Jamie stopped he held my hand with his left hand and wrapped his right arm around my waist to support me as I stared at the silver grey casket and the body that lay inside it. I noticed that the lapel of her pink suit was flipped up in a funny way so I reached in and gently folded it down. "There Oma," I whispered. "Now, your suit is just right. You would have never left the house if you would have seen your suit like this." Jamie's arm tightened around my waist and he cleared his throat again.
"All these people are here to see you Oma," I continued. "All these people loved you." I took a calming breath before I continued. "And I love you. So much." My voice wavered as I struggled to contain my grief. "Watch over me, Oma, until we see each other again."
The funeral proceeded after we sat back down in the pew. Emma sat on my right and Jamie on my left. I watched the minister and listened to the hymns. The eulogies given by Joanie and Mr. Quarter were heart wrenching, beautiful reminders to everyone of Oma's giving and caring nature. I listened to Emma crying softly next to me and Jamie clearing his throat to prevent crying. But I didn't cry. I sat numbly as I watched the events of Oma's funeral unfold.