by Azzurra Nox
“NO! NO!” he screamed at the TV. “Adriel is behind it. I know!” he kept shaking his head, thinking about the time he was in the limousine with Madoka and how she had warned him of steering clear from Adriel. She probably got back at Madoka for revealing to him what she had. Anger bubbled in his veins, wishing he could do something about it. There had to be a way to stop her.
Without much thought he grabbed the phone on the kitchen counter and dialed Sydney’s number. She picked up after three tries.
“Sydney? Put Hope on the line,” he said, knowing that Hope had moved into Sydney’s residence recently.
She sounded still asleep when she murmured, “Jon? Is that you? What’s going on?”
He tried to think of a quick lie, and settled with, “Hope promised me that we’d be going down to UCLA together for an orientation of the campus in case we decided to go to college there.”
“Oh. I didn’t know,” Sydney sounded a little disappointed in being kept out of his presumed plans. “I don’t know if she’s sleeping though.”
“Doesn’t she sleep next door to you?”
“Yes, but I was sleeping and I’m not hearing any sound coming from her room.”
“I’m sorry I woke you up, but I don’t have a number for her.”
“I know,” he heard her getting out of bed, “I’ll go over right now, and if she’s awake, I’ll let you talk to her.”
“Perfect. You’re the best, Syd.”
Sounds of walking and knocking on a door were heard, and after a brief muted conversation, he heard Hope’s soft voice on the other end of the receiver.
“Something happened, didn’t it?”
“You’re the second person who’s asked me that this morning.”
“It’s seven in the morning during summer vacation, what gives?”
“Did you see the news?”
“Not yet.”
“Go online, Google Madoka Yoshimoto.”
“Why? What happened?”
“She died last night.”
There was a silence on the other end of the phone as the sound of swift typing took over. Then she got back to him, “You think Adriel is behind this?”
“Who else? We’ve got to stop her.”
“There’s only one way we can.”
“How? We failed on prom night.”
“We weren’t strong enough then. We have to set up a trap.”
“What kind of trap?”
“One where she’s tempted to show up.”
“I don’t think I’m catching your drift.”
“She’s present during times of despair. Then we’ll give her that. I know the perfect place.”
“Where?”
“Griffith Park.”
“What about that place?”
“It’s where we’ll set up the trap.”
“Are you sure about this?”
“Jon, we both lost someone because of her. I’m willing to risk my life for this,” her voice for once sounded defiant and urgent, Hope’s usual insecure tone gone for a brief moment.
“Then we’re on. When’s show time?”
“Summer solstice.”
“When?”
“The 21st. It’s the longest day of the year.”
“What’s that supposed to do? Give us more hocus pocus credibility?” Jon attempted to joke, not really getting the importance behind that particular date.
“There’s more positive energy because of the long day.”
“Oh.”
“You wouldn’t know,” she quickly told him, “I mean, it’s hard to explain. In short, the longer it’s light, the less negative energy there is, and creatures like Adriel thrive on the negative energy.”
“Do you think she’ll be weaker because of this?”
“I don’t know, there’s a slight possibility, but we mustn’t underestimate it.”
“Of course.”
“You do realize that you have to come to UCLA with me today.”
Taken by surprise Hope said, “Really?”
“Yes. It was my excuse to talk to you when Syd picked up the phone.”
“What’s the plan?”
“I’ll come pick you up. We’ll tour the campus like any other normal perspective college students, while we devise a plan to annihilate Adriel.”
“Sounds perfect.”
“Be ready in twenty minutes.”
“Are you forgetting about the summer traffic?”
“No beach bum is awake at this hour, besides, I drive fast,” he told her, giving her a quick goodbye and putting down the receiver before she had a chance to rebuttal. His head spun with numerous thoughts. He had so many things he wanted to discuss with Hope. Without much thought, he gulped down the rest of the black coffee and bolted down the hall to take a quick shower. The morning had begun with a feeling of dread, and he only hoped that the sensation would begin to dissipate later in the day.
The warm water hit his skin like a welcomed morning kiss from a lover. His black hair stuck to his scalp from the water pressure, the heat fogging up the glass door surrounding the shower. Closing his eyes, he tried to clear his mind of everything that troubled him. His scars appeared a deeper red under the hot water, and anyone seeing them would mistake them for being recent burns. His skin was particularly sensitive where he had repeatedly burned himself day in and day out after all those years, the water feeling like tiny pokers scorching their way into him. But he bit down on his lip, and tried to ignore the pain. Although he never wished for it to disappear, because the pain defined him. He had gone so long with pain, that he wasn’t sure who he’d be without it. The physical pain was nothing compared to the weight of the emotional pain he carried but tried to dismiss on a daily basis. Jon was expected to be the strong one. He had to be for his mother. If she had any notion of what a wreck he truly was, she’d crumble down beside him. Shutting off the hot water, his skin stung with the remnant tingling sensation. He quickly turned on the cold water and shivered once the ice cold liquid fell down on his back and arms. But at the same time it felt incredibly refreshing.
When he stepped out of the shower, his body was dripping wet. His hair hung over his eyes, and he tried to push it away. Walking up to the mirror, he noticed a phrase written in the fogged up glass. You can make it last forever, you. Suddenly his throat went dry, and his heartbeat increased tenfold. His hand shook as he reached out to touch the mirror, poking his finger so lightly as though he were coming in contact with something both fragile and dangerous. Someone had been inside, but it wasn’t just that, but the fact that that phrase was from a Smashing Pumpkin lyric that Amelia had inscribed on a Zippo she once gave to him.
“Milly?” he called out, pausing to wait for a response. He shook his head feeling like he was going mad. This couldn’t be real. But lately with everything that had gone on, was it really wise to question what was acceptable as reality and what wasn’t? He quickly got dressed in a pair of torn jeans and black long sleeve shirt, not bothering to dry his hair. There was no time to ponder about ghosts or ex lovers. Hope was waiting for him, and he needed to get a move on. Although the initial feeling of acute anxiety that had awakened him became even more accentuated after reading the message on the mirror. Jon tried to shake it loose as he grabbed his Ray Bans and car keys, wanting to leave his past locked away in a vault where his present held no signs of dead ex lovers or missing twin brothers. More than anything he wanted his life to resemble what it used to be in New York, before Robert’s disappearance. But the past can’t be easily erased like an etch a sketch doodle, and every day he held the weight of that reality. A reality that he was still denying, no matter how many scars he acquired that dictated the very opposite.
* * *
The luscious green lawns of the university campus were a stark contrast to the grey weather, bringing color to the drab surroundings. A fountain blasted water upwards, looking as though it could reach the sky before it fell back down. Jon had picked up Hope from Sydney’s home. He
knew that Sydney wanted to join them, but was grateful when she told him that she was meeting up with Connor at Zuma Beach that morning to catch some waves. There was no way he could’ve discussed about the plan to annihilate Adriel with Sydney lingering around.
The campus was vast compared to St. Lucy’s Academy. He almost felt out of place. Hope’s black hair was shiny, and he thought how he never had seen it looking that way, but reasoned that being able to afford shampoo on a daily basis probably helped maximize her looks. They walked in silence for awhile, watching students walk to and fro, whilst crows cawed in the background.
“So why Griffith Park?” he blurted out.
“It’s historically known that it’s the place that holds the most souls in all of California.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Ghosts, Jon. Their energy could help us.”
“You think?”
“Yes. Adriel was too strong last time. I think she’s getting her power from somewhere else.”
“You’re the expert. What do you mean?”
“She must be accessing someone’s vital energy.”
“But who?”
“I don’t know.”
They found a spot under a large tree, whose large limbs seemed to sprawl over the campus like a sinister claw. Hope settled on the soft grass, and Jon followed suit. She took out a notebook from her book bag. Jon watched her jot down a few notes. He was about to say something when a familiar figure caught his attention.
Standing a few feet away from them was Lena, dressed in a dark cherry short dress with ruffled sleeves. She was talking to her dad, before he left her to go into a building straight in front of her. Her eyes wandered over the campus, and then for a split second she met Jon’s gaze. He quickly looked away, cursing himself for doing so because he didn’t want to appear fleeting. Feeling agitated, he stood up. Hope noticed and asked, “Where you going?”
“Lena’s here.”
“I see. Go on, go talk to her. I know you want to.”
“What? How do you know?”
“I can sense your nervousness from here, just go. We’ll talk about this when you get back.”
“Okay,” he mumbled, as Hope continued to scribble away in her notebook. Jon walked closer, as he shouted out, “Hey, Lena!”
Her gaze was that of a deer’s frightened look captured in the headlight’s of an incoming car.
“Hey, what are you doing here?” he asked her once he made his way over to her. The sweet smell of cherries clung to her essence like a second skin, and it made it hard for him to think because all he could fathom was to kiss her right then and there.
“My dad has a summer session, and since I had nothing to do, I took a summer job at the library.”
“That’s nice.”
“The extra money is nice.”
“Why haven’t you been answering my calls?”
“Been busy with work,” she diverted her eyes from his gaze. He couldn’t quite pick up what was her problem, but it seemed like she just wanted to flee from his sight.
“Is something wrong?”
“Yes. I mean, no, everything’s perfect,” she said looking up at him. Her black kohl rimmed eyes seemed magnified in size, whilst her lips seemed paler than usual.
“You can’t lie to me.”
“It’s none of my business.”
“What is?”
“Since when have you been sleeping with Sydney?”
“What? Where’s this coming from?”
“I saw her at the pharmacy. She got birth control pills.”
“So? What about it?”
“Maybe I’m just stupid to think that you were different.”
“Different how? What do you mean?”
“That maybe feelings meant something to you.”
“I don’t know what you’re getting at.”
“Remember that time when you said you loved me?”
“Lena,” he sighed, stopping himself before progressing. He could see her eyes water, but was resilient in keeping them from falling down her pallid cheeks. “I still do,” he admitted, looking her in the eyes for only a moment, before he looked past her, his gaze fixated on Hope seated under the tree who was still writing away in the notebook like a writer who had just been hit by the muse Calliope.
“But see, love is like a poker game. I’m losing this round so I’m folding my cards. I’m out of this game. I just can’t do this.”
“Maybe you don’t want to do this.”
“What’s it matter to you? What happened to Michael?”
She looked down, unable to talk for what seemed like ages, but he knew it could only be a mere seconds. The silence hung over them like an icy glove, gripping their throats relentlessly.
“I don’t know where he’s at,” she finally told him, “I know it’s stupid for me to feel betrayed by you. I’m crazy. But I’m just scared of losing you as a friend.”
“I’ll always be your friend, Lena. Nothing is going to change that,” he pulled her into a hug. Her small frame fit perfectly against his taller stature. “I promise you that whatever happens in our lives, it will never change our friendship.”
“I’ve felt so alone.”
“You shouldn’t. You have me. You’ll always have me,” he reassured her, stroking her long hair. It was soft like a baby’s wisps under his palm. They remained unmoved for what seemed like hours, but he was certain it was only minutes. Perfection could only last a moment, and for a moment, the two of them were perfect. But then reality set in and he had to face it, and reluctantly pulled away.
“Hope is here with me. We’re discussing on how to get rid of Adriel.”
“Is that even possible without Michael’s help?”
“I don’t know, Hope thinks we can set up a trap for her at Griffith Park,” he told her, and signaled over to Hope who was seated beneath the tree. The two of them walked over to Hope, joining her on the green grass.
“Any ideas? I was telling Lena that you have a plan.”
“I’m going to climb up on the letter H of Hollywood and lure Adriel to come.”
“That’s dangerous!” Lena interjected with a hint of concern.
“Not to mention illegal,” Jon added, “They have helicopters looking out on the sign at all hours. The police will stop you.”
“Not if it’s foggy and they can’t see anything. They’re not going to jeopardize lives just to have a helicopter stay on watch.”
“How can you be certain there’s going to be some fog.”
“The marine layer has been high lately, and it’s been foggy every single night, getting more intense during the hours of eleven and midnight.”
“What have you been doing? Studying the fog movement?” Jon joked, shaking his head, and pulling out his cigarettes from his jeans pocket, lighting one up. He forgot that Lena disapproved, and watched her make a disgusted face as she fanned the smoke away from her.
“Yes,” Hope said in all seriousness. “Adriel killed my gram, she’s not going to get away with it. I’ve been thinking about doing this for awhile now.”
“Really?” He puffed out a large cloud of smoke, before taking another long drag.
“I surely wasn’t going to articulate a plan of vengeance for a Japanese author I wasn’t close to.”
“Wait, what happened?” Lena interrupted.
Jon had forgotten that Lena hadn’t learned of Madoka’s death. “Madoka Yoshimoto was found dead in her hotel room. Cause of death is still unknown.”
“You think Adriel is behind it, don’t you?”
“You bet your bottom dollar I do, Lena. Madoka warned me to stay away from her, but she also told me the only way to get rid of her was to have someone of her equal power.”
“Michael…” Lena’s voice trailed off.
“Exactly.” He took the last few puffs of smoke, before butting out the cigarette on the ground, making sure it was out.
“He’s going to help us.” Hope told him, sprea
ding out the pages of the notebook to show him what she had been writing for all that time. Only when he looked down, it was a drawing of a diagram.
“How do you know?” Jon asked, “And what does all of this mean,” he signaled at the drawings.
“Michael comes whenever someone is in need. If I put myself in danger, he’ll show up. Trust me on this. This just shows how I’ll go to Griffith Park around ten forty-five, that’s when the fog will start coming in. Once it’s gotten really thick, that’s when I’ll climb up on the letter H of Hollywood,” she pointed out where she drew that sequence of events. “Once there, I’ll wait for Adriel to show up.”
“I’m just worried if he comes too late. It’s too risky.”
“Jon is right, it’s too risky.”
“I’m not asking for your permission, I’m just letting you know that I will do this whether or not you two want me to. You’re either with me, or you’re not. But I’m not backing out.”
“Can you do a protective spell around the place just to be sure?” Jon inquired.
“I can try, yes. But the park is full of souls, I shouldn’t have a problem.”
“What do you mean by that?” Lena sounded confused, playing with a lock of her hair, twirling it around her finger.
“Griffith Park is full of ghosts. Their energy will protect me.”
“How do you know if they’re good spirits though?” she sounded concerned for her friend.
“Let’s just say that I’m aware of some already, and their aura isn’t negative.”
Both Jon and Lena nodded, even though he wasn’t sure if either them fully understood what Hope meant by that statement.
“So where do we come into this grand master plan?” Jon was curious, since Hope hadn’t brought up what their role was in all of this.
“You two will be my barriers. It’ll be like having a double protective spell.”
“How?” Lena’s eyebrows furrowed.
“I want you to hold mirrors with a protective spell put on them at the base of the letter H. This is going to help me be protected from any possible negative influences that could arise.”