[Anthology] The Paranormal 13- now With a Bonus 14th Novel!

by Dima Zales

  “Who did you tell her you were?”

  “Classmates of yours.”

  I’m weak with relief. I crash onto the sofa and sob. They let me. They don’t approach or try to comfort me. I’m grateful for that. I need the space to fall apart.

  My mind wanders from my mom and on to my neighbor, Donna. She has a four-year-old son, Benjamin. I take him to the park on weekends. He loves the swings, and he’s sure if he keeps trying he can go high enough to touch a cloud. The thought of his little body pulverized by some evil force makes me sob even harder.

  And just when I think it’s not possible to shed any more tears, a fresh salty stream runs down my face. Sorrow and desolation engulf me. I stop trying to hold myself together and let the weight of my grief pull me into the fetal position. My body steadily rocks, sob by sob.

  They don’t speak or impose on me in any way. They allow me all the time I need. Maybe patience is another power that angels are granted. And even though I’m ensconced in misery, I’m certain that if they were not with me, I would be worse.

  Finally I stop crying. I don’t feel better, I’ve simply run out of tears. So I just lie there and take in the silence. My head is throbbing. I’m light-headed and empty. I should eat something but the thought of chewing is exhausting.

  “I have some questions,” I say to no one in particular. My throat is raw and strained. I speak so softly I think they don’t hear me.

  Rio asks, “What do you want to know?”

  “What’s a tri thingy?”

  “A Triplex. It’s a cover coat that protects the object inside it by taking the shape of its surroundings. It’s what our wings are coated with. That’s why you can’t see them even though they’re out all the time; it blends into whatever surroundings we’re in. If it’s snowing, the Triplex will take the form of falling snow,” Rio explains.

  “Can’t people feel your wings when they’re standing beside them?

  Reese responds, “Not with the Triplex. It takes no space. It has no definite form. You can only find it if you expect it to be there. I can always see Miku’s wings because I know that they are there.”

  “Why did I see yours before then?” I inquire.

  “Because you thought you were dead. You were expecting angels; so you saw one. I’m not sure you realize it but you screamed the whole way down… and even after you were safely back on the roof.” He’s trying hard not to make fun of me. “I think I lost all hearing in my left ear.” Apparently he can’t help himself, nor can I really blame him.

  I must have looked like a nut. I didn’t even realize I had screamed. “Sorry about that,” I mumble.

  “What? I can’t hear,” Rio shouts back.

  I throw a pillow at him and he blocks it with his wings. It didn’t get anywhere near him.

  “So the map of the bridge is in the Triplex, making it virtually impossible to find,” I surmise.

  “Virtually,” Jay chimes in. “But since your name is our clue, we think that the council met you and decided to leave the Triplex with you.”

  “I think I would remember running into Death, Time and Fate, don’t you?”

  Miku replies “Actually, no, you wouldn’t. The council would have used someone you know to put the Triplex somewhere in your life where you wouldn’t discard it, either because of necessity or sentiment.”

  “Nothing jumps out at me. Sorry.”

  “Don’t worry. It will,” she says encouragingly.

  “We’re already two days into the New Year. Why did it take so long for you guys to come to me?” I ask.

  “There are 53 Emerson’s in New York City alone,” Reese retorts.

  “So, how do you know that I’m the one?”

  “You’re the only one being shot at today.”

  “Oh.” Point taken.

  “It’s more than that. I’d felt dark waves heading toward you and thought that it would be a good idea for us to keep a closer eye on you,” Rio adds from across the room.

  “You knew they’d attack me?” I am amazed. “Can you tell the future?”

  “Why, you play lotto?” Rio jokes.

  “Seriously. How do you do it?”

  “All Watchers, Guardians and Akons have at least one power. It comes from their last moments on earth. Let’s say you were crushed by a car on your last night on Earth—”

  “Ooh, that’s a good one,” Miku says, completely taken by the image of carnage in her head.

  “—Anyway.” Rio rolls his eyes and continues. “Let’s say after being crushed to death, you get chosen to be a Guardian. Your power would be the ability to manipulate metal because at your time of death, that is what your spirit asked of Omnis. Everyone’s powers have to do with the way they died.”

  “So, you can’t see the future,” I state, half-deflated by this additional downer to death.

  “No, but I can feel the emotions and desires of people miles away from me. Their emotions give way to their actions. I knew you were feeling nausea even before it registered in your body. “

  “That’s why you brought over the trash can,” I say, amazed.

  “Yeah I could tell by your color wave you were feeling unsettled and overwhelmed. I knew you’d get sick but I didn’t know the exact moment or where to place the trash,” Rio clarifies.

  “You see people’s feeling as colors?”

  “Yep, he’s our very own mood ring,” Jay teases.

  Rio ignores him and continues. “They appear in colored waves. Humans usually emanate the same three colors; orange, gray and blue. That usually means worry, insecurity and fear. It can change throughout the day. If they meet a loved one or find out there’s a baby on the way, the change is powerful. They radiate a soft white glow.”

  “So you know what the guy down the street is feeling right now?”

  “I know what Manhattan is feeling. That’s how I was able to find you in the hall. Your color wave is almost always…” He was going to say something but then thought better of it.

  “Let’s just say your color changed to onyx. That means the person fears for their life.”

  “Can you change what people are feeling?” I have to know.

  “No, but along with Jay’s ability to ‘glide,’ he has suggestive powers. So if you radiate deep sadness and you’re near me, I’ll get Jay to suggest something to lift your spirits.”

  “That’s sweet,” I can’t help but say.

  Rio smiles, “Can’t you tell by now what a nice guy I am?”

  Miku scoffs, “Yeah, tell her what you and Jay do when you see a cute girl radiating purple.”

  “What does purple mean?” I ask.

  “It means she’s … thinking private thoughts,” Miku says coyly.

  “You know when a girl’s turned on?”

  “And then he has Jay go up to her and ‘suggest’ she gives him a kiss,” Miku volunteers.

  “Jay!” I scold.

  “On the cheek,” he says, unable to face me.

  “What kind of angel are you?” I accuse.

  “What kind of angel would you like?” End of the world or not, that boy’s a flirt.

  “He has to use his powers. How else would he get a girl with me around?” Rio taunts.

  Jay shouts back, “You’re crazy. My game is foolproof.”

  I quickly interject before they decide to fight it out. “Do all of you have a protective shield?”

  Rio says “No, only me.”

  “So, what were you doing when you died that you asked for a shield?”

  Right away I know that I shouldn’t have asked that question. The mood of the room instantly changed. They all stiffen up. Reese looks up at the ceiling as if it were suddenly the most interesting thing in the room.

  Jay looks down at the floor. Miku avoids her brother’s eyes. Rio’s jaw tightens. And for the first time since we’ve been talking, he looks pained. Miku says, “Excuse me,” gets up and goes to the kitchen.

  “I’m sorry. It’s none of my business how you
died. I’m sorry Rio. Don’t be mad,” I say trying to fix this major error.

  He smiles but it doesn’t reach his eyes. He’s just being polite. I’ve offended him.

  He gets up and says, “I’m gonna go look out for Marcus.” He moves quickly and heads up to the roof.

  I made an angel sad. What kind of monster am I? “Why don’t I take you home? Tomorrow we’ll be at your school just in case the Runners come back.” Reese gets up and holds out his hand. I take it and stand up.

  I want to know what “Runners” are, how they’d all died, and who Lucy is and why she’s after me, but I don’t want to risk saying anything else to upset them. Jay senses my dilemma.

  “Don’t worry,” he says. “We’ll fill you in on the rest tomorrow.”

  “Okay, thanks. And can you tell Rio I’m sorry, again. Please?”

  “He already knows, remember?”

  “Oh yeah, right,” I say, now feeling even more inadequate.

  Just then Ameana comes out of her room and addresses the guys. “It’s too late for her to go home by the usual means. Reese, Blink her a block from her house.”

  “No problem,” he says, taking my hand.

  Panic spreads through my body. What is she talking about? I can’t just pop in and out of places like Reese. What if I get home and half a leg gets left behind? No way. Not gonna happen.

  “It’s okay, Emmy. Blinking is much safer than driving. Or at least it is when Jay’s behind the wheel,” Reese jokes.

  “I’m right here. You wanna go? Let’s do this!” Jay counters.

  Ameana is not amused. I look down and remember that the sweater I have on doesn’t belong to me. “Just let me put this back in the room.”

  “It’s Miku’s. She’s cool if you take it home,” Jay offers.

  “No, it’s not mine. And it looks like it costs a lot of money. My mom will wonder where I got it,” I explain.

  I head back into the bedroom where I had slept. It’s decorated in lace and satin. Teddy bears from different countries are displayed throughout the room. It’s not really my style, but it’s pretty.

  Miku enters the room. I don’t even give her a chance to say anything. I give her a big hug. “I’m sorry if I said anything that hurt you. I was just—”

  “Stop. It’s okay. And why are you returning the sweater? Don’t you like it?”

  “I do but—”

  “But nothing.”

  “I’ll keep it here. And get it whenever I come back, okay?”

  I can tell that she is about to argue her point, so I rush on ahead.

  “Miku, there are six Guardians, right?”

  “Right. The first Guardian is in charge of the other five.”

  “Is Ameana the first Guardian?” I ask.

  “She acts like she is, but Marcus is the first Guardian. He’s our leader. Just like Julian was. The second-in-charge is Ameana, then me and Rio, and then the two knuckleheads out there.”

  “You guys don’t seem worried about finding this Triplex thing. That must mean you’re close, right?” I ask, trying to downplay my fear.

  “We’ve been trying to track down Julian. He’s the best link into how the council thinks. He can give us a better idea of what we need to look for. Marcus went to check out a few places he could be. We’ll find him soon. Try not to worry.”

  “Why did the council leave him to roam the Earth when he knows where the bridge is?”

  “Julian was sent back by Omnis, so the council could do nothing about that, but they stripped him of some of his memory. He doesn’t remember where the bridge is, but he does recall the council.”

  “He remembers them?”

  “Yeah, but he thinks they’re aliens who abducted him,” Miku quips.

  “So, all the alien stuff is true?” I have to ask.

  “Well, Julian’s aliens are true, I can’t say for the rest of them.”

  Reese shouts to us from the living room, “C’mon ladies. Some of us have to recharge!”

  I look at Miku blankly, “We find a spot that is absolutely quiet and perfectly still. It recharges us. Like what sleeping does for you,” she explains.

  “Oh, like meditating?”

  “Without the annoying sound of the ocean and the smelly mats,” she smiles.

  “Okay. Five more seconds and I’m coming in. You two better be ready!” Reese barks.

  So much for the patience of angels, I think.

  Someone calls out from the living room. This time, it’s Jay. “He’s back!”

  “Good, I bet he has a lead on Julian. C’mon.” She drags me back into the living room.

  Standing there among a room full of gorgeous angels is the most perfect creature I have ever seen. If beauty were measured by water, all of them would be a full glass, while I would be the proverbial half-empty. But Marcus’ beauty spans two oceans; seriously, he’s flawless.

  He stands at 6’1. His hair is chestnut with natural auburn highlights. His eyes are blue green with flecks of gold. His lashes, jealous of the attention the eyes are getting, stretch out like a proud peacock. His nose, lips and cheeks are the original blueprint of beauty. His shoulders are broad and strong. His arms and legs are well defined but not bulky.

  He’s wearing dark Diesel jeans, a charcoal gray cashmere sweater, and an open black leather jacket. The simplicity of his outfit in no way detracts from his stellar beauty. The only time I’ve ever encountered something close to the beauty of Marcus was when I first met Ameana. And even that encounter would be a distant second.

  I refuse to blink and miss a moment of him. The water builds up in my eyes. It stings. It burns. No, I won’t blink. It’s like having a thirst so deep water cannot quench it. The more I drink him in, the more of him I want.

  Tears gather in my eyes, waiting, begging for me to blink. I won’t. So the tears run down my face. My vision gets blurry. No, I won’t blink. My eyes feel like they’re being pricked by hundreds of small pins. It stings badly. But I remain steadfast. The second round of tears falls from my eyes. I won’t blink. I will not move from the vision before me.

  My stomach quickens. My whole body is warm with the exception of my hands, which are ice cold and trembling. I don’t know a lot about the heart, but I’m certain it’s not supposed to beat this fast. I want to look anywhere besides his face, but the thought of looking away from him makes me dizzy with despair.

  Suddenly I’m very aware of how I’m dressed: faded jeans and a Winnie-the-Pooh “Piglet” T-shirt with the cartoon pig trying to catch a runaway balloon and saying “Oh, d-d-dear.” Great, Emmy, that’s real sexy.

  And if my hair looks the way it usually does after I’ve slept, right now I resemble a mad scientist. I want to go back into the room and fix it, but it’s too late. He’s already seen me. I mean, it’s already time to go.

  Miku, whose existence I have all but forgotten, pokes me lightly. I blink. A third round of tears make their way down my face. It’s embarrassing but I’m powerless. Not for the first time today. Get a hold of yourself.

  He had been studying a small red leather-bound book. Miku introduces us. “Marcus, this is Emerson Baxter. She’s gonna help us save the world.” He looks up at me, says a quick “hey” and goes back to the book. His dismissal stings worse than my eyes.

  “Tomorrow we need to go over your life and find out about everyone you know, everyone who knows you. They know that you’re not a boy like they originally thought. We’re going to keep you in school because you’re safer in a crowd of humans,” he contends.

  “They attacked me in a crowd today,” I say.

  He continues to flip through the book and responds without looking up. “They weren’t trying to kill you, they just wanted to get you before we did. If Lucy wanted to kill you, she would have sent Akons. But since we got to you first, she’s gonna have to get past us now. The only way she can do that is to send out all six Akons.”

  “So, this Lucy person isn’t out to kill me?”

  “She is, b
ut only after she’s tortured you and gotten enough information out of you to locate the Triplex. Then she’ll have the Akons finish you off or do it herself, if she has time.”

  “Oh,” is all I can say.

  He is speaking about my death so casually; Miku and the others exchange a look. I guess I’m not the only one who thinks he’s being rude.

  “The council forbids Akons from attacking in public. So you should be okay if you stay in public places. You are never to be left alone unless we are standing watch. Do you understand?” he asks, once again never looking up at me.

  Why isn’t he looking at me? I know I’m not “angel-good-looking,” but I’m not a dog. What’s his problem?

  “Where do we pick up Julian?” Miku asks.

  “We don’t. Lucy got to him first. There’s a good chance he’s dead.”

  “Wait, you told me that the council couldn’t kill Julian but this Lucy woman can? Who is she?” I ask Miku.

  “Don’t worry, Emmy. We’re not gonna let her get to you,” she says.

  “Who is she?” I demand.

  “Atourum,” Marcus says plainly.

  I can’t breathe. The air is too thick that I’ve forgotten how. I lean against the wall for support.

  “The devil is a woman?”

  “You tellin’ me!” Jay jokes in an attempt to lighten the mood.

  “For this cycle, yes,” Miku says.

  Jay looks into my ashen face and what he sees there causes him to worry. He comes up to me. “I can calm you down, if you want.”

  My voice cracks, “No. Just take me home. Please.”

  Marcus speaks with the authority of a general. It sounds strange coming from a boy barely eighteen. “Jay and Rio will watch over you tonight. Reese, when you’re done taking her home, get back here and help Miku search a few Runner hangouts. See if anyone knows anything.” Reese nods in agreement.

  Marcus turns his attention to Ameana and says, “Mina, can we talk?” There’s something in the way he says her name. It bothers me. Then it bothered me that it bothers me.

  She leads the way and he follows her into her room. Why can’t they talk in front of the rest of us? Wasn’t all business talk done on the roof or in the living room? Why did he want to be alone with her? He said her name with such care….