by C. A. Kunz
As they walked outside, Cat grabbed hold of Ryan’s arm trying to steady herself on the slick icy sidewalk.
“Hey Cat, wait up!” Taylor’s voice called out from behind them. “I stopped by the library to tell you that Trish and I are taking you home. Mrs. Finch told us you had left already,” he said, staring questioningly at Ryan.
“Oh, we finished early. Ryan was going to take me home so I didn’t have to bother Dad,” Cat explained while trying to keep her balance.
“Well, now you don’t have to go out of your way, do you, Beckford? We’ll save you the drive. Come on, Cat, let’s go home,” Taylor said as his eyes flashed a warning to Ryan. “I’ll take it from here, Beckford. Cat, give me your arm. Trish, can you grab the other one?”
“Hey, guys, I can walk you know,” Cat huffed.
“Mom would have my hide if you fell and hurt yourself. So be quiet and come on.”
“Thanks, Ryan! See you tomorrow,” Cat yelled over her shoulder as Taylor and Trish moved her along the icy pavement.
“Later, Cat,” Ryan murmured under his breath as he made his way to his car.
Two days later at the Colvin residence, the phone rang interrupting dinner. “Hi Rachel, Harold here. I’ve got Cat’s test results back from the lab, and I’d like to see her tomorrow morning at nine. Is that convenient for you? Of course, I’ll give her a note for school.”
“Harold?” Rachel whispered. “Is it bad?” her voice trembled.
“It’s as we feared, but I think if we put her on their treatment, hopefully it’ll alleviate the problem.”
“Harold, I’m so worried.”
“I know, Rachel, but we’re all in this together and we must try and stay positive. Now, I’ll see you in the morning.”
“That will be fine Harold, thank you.” Rachel hung up the phone, biting her lip as she walked back into the kitchen. “Cat, we have an appointment with Dr. Bane in the morning to go over your test results,” she announced as three faces looked up from their dinner plates. Rachel sat down in her seat and tried to eat, but instead found herself pushing her food around the plate.
“May I be excused?” Cat asked. Her plate was still full of food.
“Of course,” Sam replied looking puzzled, as Cat did not ask that often, especially never before clearing her whole plate.
After she left the room, Taylor looked at his parents. “Did Dr. Bane say anything about the results?” Rachel shook her head, unable to speak.
Sam tried to smile, but failed. “Well, I know everything will work out, our little Cat will be just fine.”
Cat fell into a deep sleep early that evening. She awoke in the middle of the night, breathing heavily. Her nightmare seemed so real and was more intense than ever before. She lay in a puddle of sweat. Her head was throbbing and she felt nauseous again. “This is getting really old, really fast,” she murmured, walking into the bathroom. After plugging in the night-light, she turned on the faucet and splashed cold water on her face. Thirsty, she filled the glass cup by her sink and drank it all down in one gulp. Water dribbled down her chin.
Cat thought about her appointment in the morning. She would be missing school again for it, which she guessed was sort of a plus. “What’s wrong with you, Cat?” she asked her reflection in the mirror. Her contact was out and she gazed at her one amber eye. In the glow of the night-light it looked oddly golden. She turned on the real bathroom light causing her eyes to tear up from the harsh fluorescents. When she looked at them again her eye was amber, just like it had been before. “You’re losing your mind Cat, you really are.”
After climbing back into bed, she looked to the window. It had been awhile since Jewels had come to visit. I wonder if it’s too cold for her. It wasn’t unusual for her feline friend to stay away for a few days, but she always seemed to know when Cat needed her the most. Hoping Jewels was safe and sound, her eyes drifted shut while watching the snowflakes fall outside.
Rachel sat with Cat in Dr. Bane’s office waiting for the news. She could tell Cat was nervous when she took her hand and Cat let her hold it. They both stared straight ahead, watching the snow through the big glass window in the office. “If it keeps snowing like this, the plows won’t be able to keep up and we’ll get snowed in.” Rachel’s voice sounded strained to her own ears. Breakfast had been a tense affair. Sam and Taylor tried cracking jokes to make the women smile, but failed miserably.
I don’t know what I’ll do if I lose her, Rachel thought, struggling against tears. She had lain awake all night in Sam’s arms, listening to his gentle snoring, wishing she could fall asleep.
Cat didn’t move. She just sat watching the scene in front of her. What’s wrong with me? Why hasn’t Dr. Bane come in yet? Mom’s biting her lip, that’s never a good sign. Where is he? As if he heard her, the door behind them swung open. Two sets of eyes watched as Dr. Bane walked to his desk and flopped down into his chair.
“Sorry to keep you ladies waiting. I was up all night at the hospital with a few patients. Now let’s discuss these results.” He pushed back his chestnut-colored hair, his handsome face very serious. “I found the cause of Cat’s problems and it deals with her blood. Her red blood count is extremely low, and it’s a wonder she hasn’t been passing out more frequently. I had a conference call with a friend of mine yesterday, a blood specialist, and we’ve come up with a regimen that should work, if done properly.”
“Has this person ever had a patient like Cat before?” Rachel quizzed.
“No, but he has experience with rare blood disorders, so I have confidence in him that this will work.”
“Rare blood disorder?” Cat shook her head in disbelief. “How did I get it?”
“We don’t know. There’s very little data on it. But we will begin slowly. And as we go along, we’ll figure out the right dosage to alleviate your symptoms, and get you feeling normal again. Carol, could you retrieve Catherine Colvin’s medication please?” Dr. Bane asked while pressing and holding the button on the intercom. “While we’re waiting, I’ll explain what you’ll need to do.”
Carol Nelson, Dr. Bane’s assistant nurse, opened the door that led to the basement under the office. After flipping the switch, the industrial lights illuminated the stairs and the vast room beyond. She walked across the room and passed shelves of stored medical equipment. After opening a large stainless steel door, Carol shivered as she entered the freezer and the cold air hit her. As she continued toward the main storage vault, she passed more shelves full of jars, canisters, and boxes. At the end of the corridor, she found herself standing in front of another stainless steel door with a numeric panel. Carol pressed the ten digit code and heard the electronic lock open. She slipped into the second room and approached a huge cabinet full of large medicine bottles. After grabbing one of the bottles, she turned and retraced her steps, making sure that both doors were closed and locked securely. As she reached the top of the stairs, Carol flipped off the lights and re-entered the warm office.
A knock on Dr. Bane’s office door announced her entrance. Carol smiled at Rachel and Cat as she handed her boss the bottle. “Thank you, Carol. A little cold down there, huh?” Dr. Bane asked.
“Just a little,” she replied, standing off to the side.
“Now, Cat, here’s the medicine I was telling you about. It’s imperative that you take one pill first thing in the morning, every morning. It has to be kept refrigerated, so reminding yourself to take it could be a little difficult. I’ll see you back in a week, or sooner if you find it’s not helping. Any questions?” Both of them shook their heads and Dr. Bane watched as Carol escorted Cat and Rachel out of the office.
Carol returned to the office moments later. “Do you think this will work?”
“It has to,” he replied, worry etched all over his face.
“Mom, I’m so relieved!” Cat stated as they entered the car. “I thought something was really wrong with me. But I can just take a pill every day. That’s a piece of cake. Not that I’m happ
y about it, but it could’ve been much worse,” she joked, trying to make light of the situation.
“I know how you feel. I was up all night, worried. But Dr. Bane is such a good doctor, and I trust his judgment one hundred percent. We will get a handle on this. Now, here take your first dose. Use my bottle of water,” Rachel said, handing a pill and the bottle from the cup holder to Cat.
“Geez, Mom, it’s a horse pill! Look how red it is. Ugh, it smells terrible! How am I supposed to swallow this?” Cat complained as she showed the pill to her mom.
“Just do it, Cat. Hold your nose, quickly put it in your mouth and wash it down with the water.”
“Yuck! Seriously disgusting! I can still taste it, even holding my nose,” she whined and then took another gulp of water.
“Oh, we’ve got to get you to school! I can’t believe it’s almost eleven,” Rachel exclaimed, pulling the car carefully into the flow of traffic.
By the time Cat reached school, lunch had just begun. After kissing her mom on the cheek, Cat hurried to the office and presented her doctor’s note. While making her way to the cafeteria, she felt more positive than she had recently. Sitting at the table surrounded by her friends, she listened as they gave her a play by play of the events she had missed. By the afternoon Cat was feeling wonderfully energized with no sign of a headache. She had lost weight over the last few weeks due to her constant nausea which had her avoiding food altogether. Everyone at lunch noticed her appetite had returned as they watched Cat gobble down the huge tray of food that sat in front of her. The reassurance that she would be her old self soon brought smiles to their faces.
“Mom? Aren’t blood disorders hereditary? Does this run in our family?” Cat asked later that night.
“Umm…well…I believe when your father was younger he had problems with his blood, I can’t remember exactly what it was, though,” Rachel said, hoping Cat didn’t notice her hesitation.
“Oh, well then at least maybe that explains it. I was beginning to think I was a freak or something that just developed this out of nowhere,” she said with a chuckle.
“Cat, this is a very serious matter, you shouldn’t laugh at it,” Rachel said sternly.
“Mom, if I don’t make light of it, I’d get depressed. So I’ve got to joke about it for my own sanity. Especially since I can’t talk to any of my friends about it. You’re the only one I can joke with.”
“I’m sorry, Cat. I guess I’m still very sensitive to all this. It worries me to think that something could happen to you and take you away from me,” Rachel said, beginning to sob.
Cat hugged her. “I’ll be alright. I’m a tough chick. This will go away eventually. Remember what Dr. Bane said, we only need to wait it out and follow his instructions.”
“I know, I know,” she said, patting Cat’s arm that was wrapped around her.
Each day Cat waited for her symptoms to return, but they stayed away as the medicine seemed to be working its magic. Ryan even noticed. He was amazed at the change in her from the last few weeks.
Miss Amaya picked up the phone and dialed with shaking fingers. She hoped that Gretchen would answer. Before the second ring, she heard a strained hello. “You saw it, too? It was awful,” Miss Amaya asked, her head bent, her hand covering her eyes.
“Yes, it was horrible. Those eyes, those awful evil jet black eyes,” Gretchen replied, reliving the vision she had just witnessed.
“What can we do?” Miss Amaya’s desperate plea came over the phone line.
“I’m going to have a meeting in the village. We need as much power as we can get to stop this monster. Those poor girls! We have to make him cease. I’ll call you this evening when the ladies and I are together so you can join by speaker phone. The roads are too treacherous for you to physically come here. It will just have to suffice. Blessed be, Amaya.” As Miss Amaya continued to sit at her breakfast table, she knew she needed to get up and ready herself for school. She was glad that Gretchen had shared her vision, as she didn’t think she could verbalize the horror she had just witnessed.
During her first period class in the last week of February, Miss Amaya wasn’t surprised when a somber Principal Landers announced that yet another girl had gone missing.
Cat closed her locker and made her way to the gym. Her group was standing quietly by the door waiting for her. “It’s just terrible! Who’s doing this?” Amanda asked quietly. Cat nodded somberly in agreement and then opened the double doors leading into the gym. A man sat behind a table with stacks of large envelopes containing copies of the pictures that were taken at the homecoming dance. A line formed and the group waited patiently near the back of it.
“I can’t believe what’s happening. I’ve always felt safe in Astoria. Things like this only happen in big cities, not little towns like ours. My mom has started locking every door and window since the other girl’s disappearance. I can’t imagine what she’ll do now. We’ve never had to lock our doors before!” Elle rambled on.
Cat put her arm around her, “Don’t worry, Elle. They’ll catch this monster. I only hope it’s sooner than later.”
“Yeah, and you guys have me to protect you, so what’s your worry?” Matt interjected. He flinched as he readied himself for the punch he knew would be coming from Amanda. They all stared in disbelief as she just stood there staring into space. He turned to Amanda, realizing a punch was not coming. Seeing the somber look on her face, Matt placed his arm around her, hugging her close. Everyone looked on in amazement at him, most of all Amanda.
“Name?” the man behind the table asked.
Cat gave him her receipt, “Catherine Colvin.” The man quickly flipped through the envelopes looking for hers.
“Here they are, let’s take a look,” he said, pulling out the numerous photos. “Well, I don’t know what happened with this one here. There seems to be some kind of black shadow standing in front of you,” he stated, placing the photo off to the side. “The others here look okay, see?” He laid the rest of the photos on the table in front of her. Ignoring the other photos Cat asked to see the one with the shadow. “See, this one’s a little messed up,” he explained, pointing to the black shadow framing Cat’s head and shoulders. “In fact, it kind of looks like a person. That’s creepy. Hope he wasn’t your date,” he joked, chuckling to himself.
Cat peered at the photo. It does look like a person. She felt a chill while staring at the black mass, sensing it was real and that it looked very familiar.
“I’ll take them all,” Cat said, sliding the photos back into the envelope and leaving the table. While her friends weren’t looking, Cat placed the odd photo in her coat pocket to examine it later.
Later that night, up in her room, Cat pulled the photo from her coat pocket. After placing it on her desk under the lamp, she scanned the photo looking for the shadow. The shadow had disappeared. “Of course it’s gone. Why would there be any evidence proving that I’m not going insane. Great, Cat! Just another creepy imaginary thing to add to your long list of creepy imaginary things.”
15
Troubled Waters
A stone’s throw away from Astoria, near the mouth of the Covington River, violent dark waves crashed forcefully on the rocks that lined Oldes Bay. A solitary object lay on the sand. Upon closer inspection, Astoria’s Sheriff, Barry Stokes, confirmed what his deputy Kim Burkins had reported. It was a body. Though ravaged by the elements, he had a gut feeling that it was one of the missing girls. He watched as the waves hit the shore, the howling wind ripped through him, but he barely felt it. “Sheriff Stokes, could you please move out of my light. I need to take a closer look before we move the body,” a voice called out, bringing his attention back to the scene.
“Sorry, Doc, let’s move out of this man’s way, Kim, so he can do his job.” They watched for a couple of seconds as the short, stocky, balding man carefully examined the body with his bright green gloves. An ambulance stood silently by the sheriff’s cruiser, its lights flashing. Barry nodded to the t
wo attendants waiting patiently to transport the body back to the morgue. He motioned for Kim to get into his cruiser. Feeling the air from the car’s heater blasting over them, they sat in silence.
“Barry, Barry, you there?” the night dispatcher came through loud and clear, making him jump a little.
“Yeah, I’m here,” Barry answered wearily, picking up the hand radio.
“You need backup?”
“No, we’ve got enough, over and out.” He released the button and sighed. “I’m not looking forward to the next couple of days, no sir,” he said, rubbing his eyes. Kim glanced at her boss, realizing that this must have hit close to home with him being the father of two young teenage girls.
Several minutes later they watched as the body was loaded into the back of the ambulance. “This son of a bitch made a mistake, bringing this to our county,” Barry muttered under his breath as he started the vehicle.
“Cat, Taylor, we’ve got a town hall meeting tonight!” Rachel called out frantically, shuffling around in the kitchen. “Dinner’s in the oven, so please remember to take it out when the timer goes off. The last thing we need is for the house to burn down!”
“I’m right here, Mom.” Cat’s voice behind Rachel made her jump.
“Oh, Cat, honey, you startled me.”
“Is the meeting about the young girl they found today?” Her worried eyes met her mom’s. Rachel nodded.
“Rachel, hurry up, we’re going to be late,” Sam’s voice carried into the kitchen. Cat walked with her mom to the foyer where Sam stood with her coat in hand. Rachel grabbed it as Sam bent down and gave Cat a quick hug and a kiss on the forehead. “Taylor we’re leaving,” he called up the stairs. Taylor’s head poked over the banister.
“I know, make sure the house doesn’t burn down and put Cat out with the garbage!” Taylor called out, grinning.
“You better be nice, young man! I can still put you over my knee,” Sam replied. He tried to look foreboding, but the twinkle in his eyes gave him away. “Just ignore him, Cat. I know you do all the time.” He chuckled. “Now, woman, we have to go.” After grabbing Rachel, he opened the door and the two hurried down the pathway.