Talisman

by S.E. Akers

  The next thing I knew, I was home — safely home. I couldn’t remember anything after the incident with Mr. Estell, not steering my Charger down the road or if I’d passed the first car along the way. My thoughts were still inescapably held captive by the remnants of Lazarus Xcavare’s voice swirling in my head.

  I gazed at my reflection in the rearview mirror. You have to snap out of this! There’s a logical reason for what happened. You just don’t know what it is…YET.

  I was gathering up my things when I heard the phone ring. Katie.

  “Hey,” I answered. “Look, I saw where you called and—”

  “Then WHY haven’t you called me back?” Katie interrupted, sounding a touch ticked.

  “Sorry. I’ve just got a lot on my mind,” I muttered, which was truer than she could ever imagine.

  “I’ve already heard the news. The whole town is talking about the sale, so you can stop stressing. Well, at least about the mine. You can go back to your normal worries about college . . . and your witchy mom.”

  I sat in silence, half-listening to her ramble on about the “good news”.

  “Shi? Are you still there? SHILOH?”

  “I’m here,” I finally answered, though a tiny part of me wanted to pretend my phone was losing signal and hang up. But I could never do that to my best friend.

  “Out with it,” Katie demanded. “What’s wrong?”

  I wasn’t surprised by her assumption. After all, she did know me like the back of her hand. Should I tell her what happened? Will she think I’m a mental case? Isn’t your BFF supposed to believe you, no matter what crazy thing pops out of your mouth? Isn’t that in the best friend by-laws or something?

  “Well,” I started, “Don’t get me wrong. I’m glad the mine isn’t closing and that Daddy’s job is safe, but . . . I just had a not-so-great encounter with the new owner, Lazarus Xcavare.”

  “You MET Lazarus Xcavare?” Katie gasped.

  It seemed my BFF was far too impressed to pick up on any of my distress. “I sure did,” I answered flatly.

  “What was he like? I bet he’s extremely sophisticated,” Katie gushed. “You can tell from his pictures in the magazines.”

  “He was different.”

  “Different?” Katie’s excitement turned into puzzlement. “Anyone not caught runnin’ around draped in plaid flannel and missin’ some teeth is different in this town, Shi. What do you mean by different? And what was ‘not-so-great’ about it?”

  Strictly going off her tone, you would have thought I’d just clipped the gilded wings of Welch’s newfound savior. I puttered out a sigh. “I don’t know. He seems anxious about acquiring the mine, but I don’t think he cares too much for the area . . . or the people who come with it.”

  “Did he say that?” Katie inquired.

  I paused for a moment and thought, What the heck… Just let it rip. However, reality forced me to tread lightly with my answer.

  “No . . . but he was thinking it,” I replied.

  “Well, Mayor Williams stopped by the store this afternoon. He said that a representative from Xcavare met with the city council this morning. They talked about restructuring some of the town’s zoning ordinances. They’re planning on bringing in some new businesses to help revitalize the area. It seems they want to adopt the whole damn town!”

  Now I was totally bewildered. That certainly wasn’t the impression I’d gotten from Lazarus Xcavare, and my gut had never failed me before. I knew what I’d heard (and felt). Lazarus Xcavare’s vibe wasn’t one of a Good Samaritan — far from it. Plus, I was still ticked about his unwarranted barb about me being knocked-up. I mean the whole telepathy-thing was enough of a cold-water slap, but THAT CRACK wasn’t slidin’ off this ole duck’s back anytime soon!

  “That’s good for Welch, but I don’t particularly care for him or any of his contributions.”

  “Hold up a sec,” Katie interjected. “How do you know what he was thinking? You can’t just assume something like that, not without a reason. I think all of your worrying is starting to send your mental elevator from side-to-side.”

  I was a tad insulted. Despite the countless playful ribs we’d both lobbed back and forth throughout our friendship, Katherine Julia Stowell—my forever bosom friend—had definitely struck a nerve with that one.

  “Maybe so,” I snapped. “I shouldn’t have said anything. Look, I have to get off here.”

  “Wait. Are you pissed?”

  “No,” I lied. “I have to get started on Daddy’s workshop out back. It’s a mess, and he wants me to clean it up tonight . . . for some daggone reason.” The longer I thought about how out of the blue his request had come, the more I realized it had to be some sort of punishment for my embarrassing behavior.

  “Call me when you get finished, okay?” Katie requested.

  “Sure. Bye.” I lied again, I thought as I turned off my phone and threw it in my purse. I didn’t feel like talking to anyone. Except maybe Daddy, and all I could muster would be an “I’m sorry,” or possibly, “I plead temporary insanity”.

  At least I hope it’s only freakin’ temporary.

  I ran up the steps of our front porch and threw open the door. No need for any secrecy this time. Charlotte was in the living room watching Chloe as she twirled around modeling her new dress. Knowing I wasn’t in the mood for a fashion show, I quickly made a break for the stairs.

  “That’s awfully rude, Shiloh,” Charlotte criticized. “Come down here and see how beautiful your sister looks.”

  I trotted back down to the bottom step and cast an unenthusiastic glance into the living room. “You look nice, Chloe.” At least I didn’t tell another lie. The color and cut of the dress looked perfect on her, but I wasn’t about to lay it on any thicker than that, not for Chloe or Charlotte’s benefit.

  “Nice?” Charlotte challenged. “That’s all you can say?”

  Chloe hadn’t even heard me. My little sister was too fixated on the girl staring back at her in the mirror, the one striking various exaggerated poses while she twisted around in the low-cut aubergine dress.

  “Really nice,” I added. Charlotte didn’t seem too pleased with my embellished reassessment nor the lackluster tone in my voice. “I don’t have time for this. I have to change and head out back to start cleaning up the workshop. Those were Daddy’s orders.”

  That got their full attention. They both gasped and appeared just as confused by his request as I was.

  “He’s never told you to do any sort of work before,” Chloe stated just as positively delighted as she looked boggled.

  Then it was Charlotte’s turn. “You’re right. Saint Shiloh never has to be asked or ordered to do chores.” My mother stood there eyeing me suspiciously with her arms crossed, racking her brain for a reason. “Hmmm… What did you do?”

  My mother’s unnerving smirk confirmed my hunch. This has to be some sort of punishment. I took a deep breath and attempted to play it off.

  “He’s going to be working out there this weekend and needs it organized — That’s all,” I declared. Then I spun around and dashed up the steps. Oh, Charlotte knew she’d hit the correct button. Well, at least I was able to put a smile on my mother’s face, one way or another.

  I quickly changed into an old pair of jeans and one of my WVU hooded sweatshirts. Once my ponytail was good and tight, I stomped back down the stairs. I wasn’t the least bit thrilled to start the project, not feeling like this. I still didn’t know what had happened back there. Hopefully I wouldn’t act like such a dazed idiot the next time.

  It couldn’t possibly be as shocking a second-time around? Could It? Knock on wood, it won’t happen at all, I thought as I tapped my knuckles twice on the banister and then jumped from the third step and onto the oriental rug lying in the center of the foyer.

  I stepped into the kitchen to grab some water before I headed out to the workshop. Charlotte and Chloe were
in there sifting through a pile of cosmetics that she’d dumped out of her little pink shopping bags and onto the table. Makeovers must be next on the agenda.

  “Mom, which eye-shadow do you like? My left or my right?” Chloe asked, twisting her head back and forth.

  “Your right eye. The smoky plum color makes your hazel eyes pop, sweetie,” Charlotte bragged.

  I couldn’t help noticing how proud Charlotte seemed as I strolled towards the sink to fill up my plastic tumbler. Chloe was definitely her mother’s daughter. While the water rose closer to the rim, I wondered if I really could listen in on someone’s thoughts again. The idea of knowing what was running around in their heads sure triggered a smile.

  I turned off the faucet and placed the tumbler down on the counter. Why not give it a try? In the name of science, of course.

  I stood there silently focusing on Chloe. Nothing. After a minute, I turned and directed my full attention to Charlotte. Still nothing! Considering how upset I’d been when it happened with Lazarus Xcavare earlier, I found myself strangely disappointed. No matter how hard I tried to concentrate, I couldn’t make a connection with her either.

  Unwilling to concede defeat, I strolled over to Chloe. Maybe I need to be actually touching them?

  “Shi, how should I wear my hair?” Chloe asked.

  I ignored my unsuspecting sister’s question as I placed my hands on her head and then began tossing her raven mane around in several directions. Then I pushed back her hair to get a better grasp of her head. Seeing how this was my first “intentional” attempt at telepathy, I honestly didn’t know what the heck I was doing or how I should go about it. So with no foolproof plan of attack, I decided just to wing it by simply looking into her eyes and focusing on her mind while I tried latching on to any random thought I could find.

  Chloe’s hazel eyes narrowed cluelessly. “Sooo? Should I wear it back . . . or up?” she asked.

  Again, I heard nothing but the sound of my sister’s words coming out of her mouth. Frustrated, I stood there shaking my head back and forth.

  Chloe shoved my hands away. “Stop it, Shi! You’re confusing me!” she snapped. “I thought you were trying to help!”

  Charlotte threw back her last swig of wine and slammed the glass on the table. “What in the hell are you doing, Shiloh?”

  Like a defeated batter on their third and final strike, reality forced my fixation to subside. Seriously… Even if I were to have picked up on anything, it probably would have sounded like the whiny hum of a conch shell.

  “Nothing. Absolutely nothing,” I mumbled as I shook my head, grabbed my water, and stepped out the back door.

  Through an open window, I heard a faint, “What did I ever do to deserve HER?” coming from Charlotte as I hopped off the back porch.

  I could ask you the same thing, I grumbled quietly as I headed across the backyard, straight for the workshop.

  I bent over to retrieve the key from underneath the small terra cotta planter where Daddy kept it hidden and unlocked the door. My stunned glare swept the room as I stepped inside, my eyes growing wearier with every turn. It was HORRIBLE! Scraps of wood littered the entire space like a snowstorm of confetti. I’d actually seen wood-chippers make less of a mess. Most of his tools were randomly lying all over the various worktables, caked in sawdust. Drill bits and spades looked like they hadn’t seen the inside of a tool chest in years. The whole room was in complete disarray, and its jumbled appearance just confirmed how overworked and exhausted Daddy must have been. He wasn’t a messy person by nature and always took great pains to keep his stuff in perfect order.

  I glanced at the clock on the wall. Ugh… This is going to take awhile.

  Surprisingly, the job didn’t turn out to be as grueling as I’d originally thought. I’d been cleaning and organizing away for almost two hours when I decided to take a quick break. I was just standing there in the silence of the workshop when suddenly I heard a strange noise coming from somewhere outside. It was an odd sound, definitely out of place for such a rural area. I peered out the window and listened closely for a moment. I couldn’t hear it anymore.

  Whatever, I thought as I finished off my water and started back to work. Then just as I was reaching for the broom, another long “squeak-k-k-k-k” rang out. I walked over to the door and curiously stepped outside.

  “Squeak-k-k-k-k,” the drawn-out racket blared again. My ears followed the direction of the noise. It sounded like some sort of engine from a machine—like gears grinding or pieces of metal rubbing—and it seemed to be coming from out on Shiloh Ridge.

  What is THAT?

  Granted my curiosity was roused, but I hated the thought of going out there to investigate it — by myself. But there wasn’t one good reason anyone should be back there at all, and Daddy wasn’t here to check it out.

  Should I? He wouldn’t want anyone screwin’ around behind our house…especially if they were breakin’ the law. It hadn’t been too long ago when Daddy discovered someone’s illegal moonshine still on the ridge, not to mention, a couple of sites where some ballsy local had snuck back there and seeded a spot for their stash of marijuana plants. Several of our local cops had been sent out there to dispose of the pot plants properly. Though I wasn’t the least bit surprised when they all emerged from the woods with slanted red eyes and goofy grins plastered on their faces. Most of the time it was just people back there riding their four-wheelers. I never understood why my father was so protective of that particular spot of land. If Daddy even thought someone was back there, he would be the first to grab his shotgun and run out of the house to “shoot first & ask questions later”. He never really was what you’d call a 9-1-1 kind of guy.

  Daddy would want someone to make sure there wasn’t any funny business going on…and the only one “here” to do it is “me”, I thought to myself. But there was only one little problem. I didn’t go out on Shiloh Ridge.

  I tried to rationalize my fears away, especially being faced with this dilemma so soon after having that horrible dream. There’s nothing to be scared of out there. You were just a little girl at the time. Daddy’s been back there a million times without seeing anything. A lot of people have… Hell, odds are hearing what was going on inside Lazarus Xcavare’s head is the scariest thing that’ll happen to you today.

  Cautiously, I started creeping slowly up the hill, headed towards the fence that bordered our backyard and Shiloh Ridge. I walked a little ways and then stopped. I continued onward, only to find myself chickening-out again. By the time I’d finally wrapped up my pussyfootin’ round of tug-of-war and roused the courage to head out on the ridge, unexpectedly, something tapped my shoulder. I screamed as I whipped around in a fright and ended up tripping over my own feet, which sent me crashing to the ground. I looked up to find Samuel standing there, laughing and grabbing his chest.

  “I don’t know which one of us is more scared, Shiloh?” Samuel chucked. “You or me?”

  It seemed I’d startled him too…though I didn’t see his spooked rear down here with his ass covered in dirt.

  “I’m sorry about that, honey,” Samuel laughed. “That’s a first. I thought no one could ever sneak up on you?”

  Once I’d managed to catch my breath, I picked myself up and laughed along with him. This is the SECOND TIME today. Maybe all of my senses have gone haywire?

  “You got me pretty good, Samuel,” I conceded, smacking some dirt and leaves off my jeans. “What are you doing here?”

  “Checkin’ on you,” Samuel insisted, his tone softening with concern.

  “Why’s that?” I asked as we walked back to the workshop. It sure didn’t sound like a coincidence to me.

  “Caiden told me you were a little rattled today. A little woozy, too. He’s still giving the fellows from Xcavare a tour ’round the grounds. He’ll be home soon, but he wanted me to check on you in the meantime. So? Are you okay?”

  I stepped
back inside the workshop and started organizing Daddy’s tool chest. “I’m fine,” I replied curtly, avoiding any direct eye contact.

  “Do you want to tell me what happened?” Samuel asked, not buying a bit of my act.

  I really did want to tell someone. But what would Samuel say? Would he think I’m crazy? And if so, what would he tell Daddy?

  “Whatever it is, it’ll be our secret,” he coaxed, sensing my apprehension.

  As soon as my mind became fully aware that I was about to let down my guard, my body locked into a tight flinch. Apparently my heart’s attempt to release myself from this burden was being halted by my brain’s own defenses.

  “I can’t. I just can’t tell you or Daddy. It’s too . . . Well, let’s just say, you two would find it hard to believe.”

  “Whatever it is Shiloh, I promise . . . It’ll be our secret,” Samuel vowed whole-heartedly.

  I paused to contemplate his proposal. Eventually, I chose to ignore the voice inside my head and let out a compliant sigh, signaling I was ready and willing to let the truth set me free.

  Samuel pounced on my concession. “You’re not pregnant, are you?” he blurted. “ . . . ’Cause I’ll hunt the sorry bastard down and show him the business end of my shotgun!”

  Reminded of the raw sting I’d felt from Lazarus’ slap, I threw the screws I was holding down on the floor automatically. “Why does EVERYONE keep THINKING THAT?” I yelled and stomped my foot down hard.

  The alarm swelling in Samuel’s eyes started to fade. “So, you’re not?”

  “No — I’m NOT,” I assured, sounding as crisp and scorched as burnt piece of toast.

  Samuel averted his stare in a humble fashion, obviously embarrassed for even entertaining such an absurd thought. He started to say what I was hoping would be an apology when his head fell into a curious tilt. Now he looked like the poster-child for confusion.

  “Hold on now . . . Who else has been thinkin’ you’re pregnant? Besides me?” he inquired.

  Crap. “Nobody,” I muttered and then quickly grabbed a broom to sweep up the mess I’d made, but mostly to avoid answering his question.

  Samuel snatched the broom out of my hands. “Shiloh Wallace,” he said sternly. “Who’s been saying that? Who’s got you all upset?”

  I lowered my head as my hands gripped the front edge of the table saw and stared blankly at its jagged blade. Samuel propped the broom against the wall and stepped closer. Gently, he lifted my chin and turned my face to his. Then those big, warm & earthy brown eyes of his stared deeply into mine, seeking to reassure me in a heartening way — just like my own father would.

  “Shiloh?” Samuel whispered softly.

  This secret was draining every ounce of sanity I had left, and Samuel’s concern was weighing heavily on my heart…so ultimately, I caved.

  I shied my gaze from his as I mumbled, “Lazarus Xcavare . . . That’s who.” I slowly tilted my head back to see his reaction. I just hoped he didn’t cut his bottom lip on any of the sharp wood-scraps when his mouth hit the floor.

  You could almost hear the notes of my dwindling confession being devoured by the silence like the chomps of a junkyard car-crusher as he stood there wide-eyed and mute. “He said that? He said that to you?” Samuel finally questioned, looking more than a touch puzzled. “How could HE make a comment like that to you? YOU? A stranger to him?”

  I listened, feeling slightly amused, while my surrogate father racked his brain trying to figure out why their new boss would ever say something so crass. A twisted thought popped into my head. I think I’ll let him ramble on a bit more…before I get to the good part.

  “Does Caiden know what he said? Of course he doesn’t! He’d be locked up at the police station right now,” Samuel insisted. “And I’d be there with him . . . on MURDER CHARGES!”

  Fun’s over… I looked him square in the eyes. “As touched as I am by your chivalry, I need to be clear about something,” I stressed.

  Samuel settled down a bit and nodded rigidly, fearing the worst. “All right.”

  Here we go, I thought nervously. Steady, slow, and clear seemed like the best route.

  I exhaled a deep breath. “He didn’t speak it. He thought it. And what’s got me so freaked-out is that I heard it . . . in my head,” I emphasized.

  With that off my shoulders and out of my mouth, I crossed my arms and backed up to wait for his reaction. Samuel stood there speechless, almost like he’d made it to the final round of Jeopardy and was struggling with the answer. The only thing missing were the nerve-racking ticks of a countdown clock. Alex — What is a lunatic? That’s what he was thinkin’. No two ways about it.

  After the initial shock of my confession had worn off, my surrogate father looked into my eyes with some conjecture. “You were able to hear his thoughts?” Samuel slowly pondered aloud.

  “Yes. I heard him think it, not say it.” I let out a sigh and added, “I could also feel his emotions as the words floated through my head. They were so dark and full of anxiety about something.”

  Samuel appeared deep in thought. I waited for what seemed like minutes for him to respond.

  “You didn’t tell Caiden?” he finally asked.

  “No. I didn’t. I couldn’t. And you can’t either!” I spied a look of apprehension in his eyes. “Samuel, PLEASE,” I begged. “You promised.”

  He muzzled his doubts and agreed to my request with a simple nod. “Has this ever happened before?” Samuel asked.

  “No,” I answered in an uneasy tone, shaking my head.

  It was strange. Samuel was clearly mystified, but it seemed there was also a part of him that I could tell actually believed me beyond a shadow of a doubt.

  Samuel grinned. “Do you know what I’m thinkin’?”

  “I can probably guess what you’re thinking, but no . . . I can’t hear your thoughts.” His smile grew a bit wider as he patted my back.

  Suddenly we heard the sound of several vehicles charging up the road. Samuel and I stepped outside, just in time to see a fleet of black SUV’s pulling up to the house. Lazarus Xcavare and his entourage. Well, at least Daddy’s home.

  Samuel turned to me. “I think you’ve got company,” he said and nodded towards the house.

  “I’m fine right where I am,” I announced.

  “Well, I haven’t had the pleasure of meetin’ Mr. Xcavare myself. I’d like to see our worldly, new owner in person . . . if you don’t mind?” Samuel said, fully intrigued. “Are you gonna be all right?”

  “Yeah. I’ll be fine.”

  “Okay. I’m gonna head up to the house. I’ll let your father know you’re out here.” Samuel paused for a moment. “Shiloh, I’ve lived long enough to know one thing. Don’t ever be afraid of things you don’t understand. The world is full of mystery and each day brings us new challenges. It’s up to us to make sense of them. Whatever comes your way . . . embrace it. Don’t ever fear it. You’ve done so all of your life. It’s not in your nature to stop now. Whatever this is, you’ll figure it out.” He gave me a quick bear hug and then headed for the house. Samuel turned back and shot me a wink. “Let’s see what’s so extraordinary about Mr. Xcavare.”

  I waved and watched my surrogate father until he disappeared around the corner of the house. Then not a second later, I heard our creaky front door opening, followed by Charlotte and Chloe’s voices.

  They must’ve been dying to meet the new rich guy in town, I thought as I headed back to the workshop.

  Before I even stepped inside, there it was again — another distant and drawn out “squeak-k-k-k-k” rattling the air.

  What in the heck is that? I’d completely forgotten about the perplexing noise. Well, I was on my way to check it out before Samuel showed up, and there’s nothing that’s keeping me from doing so now. Samuel’s right. There’s no need to fear anything… Just embrace it.

  This time, I marched towards the ridg
e with a sense of purpose in my stride. I trekked up the hill, and before I knew it, I’d reached the line of pickets that ran along the tree line. I paused, took one heck of a gutsy breath, and then hopped over the fence. As I lifted a large pine limb out of my way, I thought, Let’s see what’s raisin’ such a ruckus.

  I followed the strange sound through the woods. Though I hadn’t been out on Shiloh Ridge for many years, I couldn’t spare the time to take in the sights of the beautiful fall foliage rolling throughout the scene all around me. I was on a mission.

  I listened attentively and changed my course like a fine-tuned compass with every “squeak” I heard. The sound was gradually getting louder, so assumed I was traveling in the right direction. Any fears I’d had about Shiloh Ridge seemed to subside with every step I took. My left shoe felt a little loose as I made my way across the rough terrain. I finally looked down to discover my laces were a mere tug from coming undone. Of course I wasn’t surprised, what with all the broken twigs carpeting the bumpy ground.

  I came upon a massive oak tree and decided to pause for a moment to secure my shoestrings. A large root trailing from its trunk provided my foot with the perfect prop.

  There, nice and tight, I affirmed as I pulled back on the loops. Then I raised my head and abruptly found myself face-to-face with a rather large bird resting on one of the low hanging limbs. I jumped back and grabbed my chest as the bird belted out a “squawk” and stretched its wings.

  Make that THREE TIMES today, I tallied mentally.

  Perched on the branch sat a magnificent brown and gold falcon. It made no attempt to fly away, let alone be startled by me in any way. The bird appeared to be cautiously checking me out. I’d never seen a falcon this close before — hawks plenty of times, but never a falcon.

  “Is this your home, pretty bird?” I found myself casually asking the fowl. “Can I listen in on your thoughts?” I joked.

  The falcon let out another ear-piercing “squawk”, flapped its wings, and then soared straight up into the air.

  I’ll take that as a definite “NO”, I assessed and then turned around to continue my quest.

  Immediately I froze. Then my body started to tremble and my eyes widened at an alarming rate as soon as I realized why my feathery-friend had flown the coop so fast. Just inches from my face, a silhouette of something was hovering — something that appeared to be a building mass of translucent black mist. My breaths became heavier as my heart started to race. In spite of the fact that the unearthly fog didn’t have any visible eyes, I could feel it watching me—just like it had years ago—while it waited for me to make some sort of movement. My nostrils flared as I took in a deep breath of air. There it was, the same foul stench of sulfur. A small tear rolled out of the corner of my eye as all the emotions I’d felt that harrowing day came rushing back to me, just like they had in my dream.

  A murky hand formed out of the fog and smudged the tear on my cheek. An excruciating pain stung the left side of my face, forcing me to jerk back. The hazy hand paused, taunting me for a moment, and then slowly retracted.

  Don’t be afraid. Don’t be afraid, I kept telling myself. You’re not a little girl anymore, and there’s no need to be afraid. One of Daddy’s favorite adages popped into my mind to comfort me: It’s more afraid of you, than you are of it.

  Yeah… Let’s hope that load of crap is true, THIS TIME, I thought nervously, standing my ground, but still wary of what could happen next.

  Unexpectedly, the fog began to roll away from me, almost like it was starting to dissipate. Could whatever this THING is be leaving? It seemed to be disappearing with every second that passed. It’s almost gone… Just a little more, I assured myself. I clutched my oval locket and found myself desperately trying to wish it away like when I was five.

  Without warning, a monstrous growl roared out of the fog and the mist swiftly thickened into a billowy black cloud. Then two clearly-formed arms appeared within the murky haze and lunged towards me in a merciless rage.

  Frantically, I tried to turn and run, but the crafty hands had already wrapped around my neck. The fiendish black mist hurled me towards the massive oak. I heard the sound of the tree’s bark cracking as my body hit its trunk — hard. The hands were choking me, and I couldn’t catch my breath. I tried my best to pull the dense fog away from my neck, but its hold felt just as fierce as it had before. Its piercing touch burned hot, like a jolt of biting electricity set ablaze. The pain was becoming more than I could bear. I flailed about and tried to scream, but my vocal cords were constricted. The only sounds I made were of me, violently gasping for air. There was nothing I could do but wait until the dark, sadistic hands of death choked my last breath out of me.

  In the midst of my losing struggle, I thought I heard something rustling above my head somewhere up in the tree. The next thing I knew, the curious and apparently feisty falcon was diving into the fog amid a pillow of mystical golden smoke. It appeared to be pecking at it, attacking it somehow. The murky fog’s taut grip loosened enough that I was able to free myself. I fell to the ground while the eerie haze savagely struck back at the spunky bird.

  Quickly, I sprang to my feet and took off through the woods, assuredly running for my life. Though I felt extremely grateful to the falcon for helping me get away, I couldn’t shake my fear that this fight would be its last.

  I ran so fast I wasn’t paying a bit of attention to where I was going, and my nerves were so frazzled I didn’t have the first clue where I was either. All I could hear were the sounds of the falcon squawking and what seemed like an endless stream of horrific roars blaring in the distance. I couldn’t stop, but I knew I had to look back to see if anything was on my tail. Keeping my stride at its present pace, I turned my head for a second to check my rear. There wasn’t anything behind me. I felt a sense of relief as I turned my head back around. Then all of a sudden, “BAM!” I’d crashed into something, and I’d hit it hard enough to stop me dead in my tracks…and I was still fused to it.

  Crap! I must’ve run into a tree. It had knocked the wind right out of me. Though my eyes remained winced shut as my body began to pull back, something moved and locked on to my arms. My nerve receptors immediately sent a clear signal to my brain. This wasn’t the rough bark of a tree I was clinging to. It was strangely supple…and warm. An overwhelming sense of serenity flooded every cell in my body. Suddenly I felt like I was floating on a cloud peacefully, without the slightest care in the world.

  My eyes fluttered open. It appeared I was clinging to someone’s chest—a man’s chest—a warm and incredibly firm man’s chest, to be exact. As my arms gripped the sleeves of his leather jacket, I slowly lifted my head. There before me, I gazed into a set of wide hazel eyes that were handsomely framed by gleaming strands of brown flowing from his widow’s peak. They were what now kept me pinned, willingly. His seductive stunners just stared back at me in a strange, but comforting way. I felt like nothing could harm me in this man’s arms. My eyes traveled across his face like Magellan surveying a map. He was handsome and rugged, yet he had a soft boyish look about him, though clearly he was no boy. That was more than evident from the way his smoldering eyes creased as he looked at me and by the way his finely toned biceps tightened as my arms gripped them. But mostly, I could feel it just from the way he stood there, simply holding me.

  “Miss? Are you okay?” he asked, sounding genuinely concerned.

  A smile swept across my face uncontrollably. “I’m fine,” I murmured, still transfixed on the bewitching stranger. Unexplainably, my thoughts began to drift into an arousing state of bliss the longer I stared into his hypnotic eyes.

  I’d no sooner released myself from his soul-stirring embrace when a raging rush of fear tore through my body like a savage beast. I panned the forest in all directions. The terrifying reason I’d run into this man had resurfaced with a vengeance.

  “I have to get out of here,” I declared,
panic-stricken. “I mean, get home. Have you seen anything in the woods? What are you doing here?” My questions were as about as erratic as my sudden mood shift.

  “I thought you said you were ‘fine’?” The beautiful stranger looked me up one side and down the other. “You don’t seem that ‘fine’ to me?” he replied and crossed his arms casually.

  “You didn’t answer me. Have you seen ANYTHING out here on the ridge?” I demanded as I kept one eye on him and the other on my surroundings.

  “I’ve been out here for the past few hours collecting samples, and the only thing I’ve happened upon is a scared little girl in the woods,” he replied with a slick grin.

  I was too rattled by the fog creature that could still be lurking nearby to scoff at the stranger’s “scared little girl” crack. I was more interested in why he was out here.

  “Samples? For what?” I asked as I continued scoping out the woods. He was standing beside an apparatus that appeared to be some sort of drill.

  “Samples of the earth, no doubt,” he replied suavely and then flipped a switch that started up the rackety machine.

  “So you’re the one who’s been making that noise,” I yelled over the roaring clatter of “clinks” and “clanks”.

  “Guilty,” he confessed and raised his hands in an apparent surrender. He began to gather up some tools lying on the ground.

  I scanned the stranger from head to toe. By the way he was dressed and carried himself, it was obvious he wasn’t from around here.

  “Are you with Xcavare Enterprises?”

  “I’m not with them, exactly,” he hollered over the noise, sounding slightly defensive. “But I do some consulting work for them whenever my expertise is needed.”

  I watched while he collected all of his samples and then placed them into a canvas backpack, still confused by his suspicious presence on the ridge.

  “Why do they have you working out here and not down at the mine?” I shouted even louder with my hands cupped around my mouth like a megaphone, hoping he would catch my hint.

  He rose to his feet slowly and finally turned off the drill with a purposeful flick of his finger. “Mr. Xcavare insists that all the surrounding areas be checked for additional resources. I enjoy that part. I tend to like the exploration my field work allows, more than the mundane technical duties of my job.”

  “Oh,” I replied much softer, now that my rattling eardrums had mellowed out.

  “Now, answer my question,” the stranger demanded as he stepped closer, locking his eyes with mine. “What should I have seen out here?”

  There was no way I was telling him the truth, so I decided to sidestep his question.

  “I live on the other side of the ridge. I heard a strange sound, and I came out here to check it out. Now I know, so I’ll be on my way. Sorry for running into you like that,” I stated with a direct nod and whipped around to get my bearings.

  I started to walk off and then stopped. I turned around and headed in the opposite direction, only to pause again.

  “What’s wrong, Gretel? Can’t find your breadcrumbs?” the man chuckled as he packed up his equipment. “For someone who claims they live nearby, you sure don’t seem to know your way around, if you ask me.”

  “I do live nearby!” I snapped. “I just don’t come out here very much. But I’ll find my way back.”

  “I see,” he hummed. “Well, I have a compass if you need it, or I could accompany you home. You really shouldn’t be out here all alone in the woods, seeing how the light is beginning to fade. Little girls tend to be scared of the dark.”

  My eyes narrowed. “Humph! I’m not alone. You’re out here,” I replied like a smart-ass and smiled.

  He grinned. “Good point . . . but I’d feel better if I saw you home, and I won’t take ‘NO’ for an answer. No matter how stubborn you are, little girl.”

  Even though his “little girl” reference was starting to piss me off, his persistence was comforting. After all, I’d just been running for my life a few minutes ago. Maybe whatever had attacked me would steer clear of two people walking through the woods? Safety in numbers…

  He grabbed his backpack and motioned that he was ready to go. I noticed he hadn’t packed up his drill.

  “Are you just going to leave that out here?” I asked as I pointed to the piece of machinery that had gotten me into this whole mess in the first place.

  “It’ll be fine,” he nodded assuredly. “That particular core drill is such a pain to disassemble, and I’ll be back tomorrow collecting more samples.” His stare homed in on my neck, led by a suspicious look now glazing his eyes. “Unless you think there’s something out here that might bother it.”

  I consciously tugged my sweatshirt up closer to my chin. “Nope,” I insisted with my best poker-face. “Nothing at all.”

  He stood there scrutinizing me for a moment, his head firmly cocked with one of his brows arching high enough to scrape a daggone cloud. “Well, you are quivering,” he remarked and then removed his weathered leather jacket. “So you must be chilly,” he added with a subtle grin as he draped it around my shoulders.

  The beautiful stranger was right about my shaky appearance, but it certainly wasn’t from the temperature. As soon as I felt his arm winding around my back, that euphoric feeling started to pulse through me again. I didn’t know what it was about him, but I felt like nothing could harm me with him around. As we walked through the woods, I found myself getting lost in every peaceful thought I could imagine. When I gazed over at the stranger, I noticed a slight twinkle in his eyes, and then for only a split-second, I could have sworn I’d seen a couple of purple flecks sparkling in the midst of the two hazel pools, like the glinting facets of a gem. Instantly, I felt a surge of blood rushing to my face. I quickly looked away, before it became apparent I was blushing.

  How embarrassing.

  It didn’t take long for my surroundings to become more familiar. Within minutes, we were at the tree line that bordered my backyard.

  He pushed back several pine limbs. “Is this it, Miss?”

  “Yes. Thank you,” I replied, grateful for the stranger’s kindness.

  All of a sudden something buzzed over our heads. We ducked in unison. Soaring in the sky above was the brown and golden falcon that had fended off my demonic attacker.

  “Thank goodness!” accidently slipped out of my mouth right along with my sigh, relieved that it was okay.

  “A friend of yours?” the stranger quizzed.

  I shook my head as I hopped over the fence and proceeded to walk towards the house. “No. I prefer my friends not so feathery,” I teased.

  “Hey, I didn’t catch your name?” he called out.

  I realized I was still wearing his jacket, which I quickly peeled off and hurled back over the fence.

  “I didn’t throw it,” I cracked with a grin.

  I looked towards the house to spot Daddy blazing a hot & heavy trail straight for me.

  “Who’s that, Shiloh?” Daddy inquired, his eyes never leaving the stranger receding into the trees.

  “Some guy who works for Xcavare. He surveys or does something like that for them. He was out on the ridge collecting soil samples.”

  “What were YOU doing out on Shiloh Ridge?” Daddy asked, seeming flustered.

  “I heard a noise coming from out there, so I went to check it out.”

  “Shiloh, that’s dangerous! Anyone could’ve been out there. Where’s your head at today?” Daddy fussed.

  If you only knew the half of it, I pondered to myself.

  “You’re right, Daddy. I’m sorry. I got a little lost, and that guy was nice enough to walk me home.” I saw no need in telling him about being strangled by the big, black cloud of death that had attacked me out there. My intention was to stay the hell away from there and NEVER go back — and I really meant it this time!

  Daddy gave me a lingering hug as we walked towards his worksh
op. “You were really hard at it, weren’t you?” he asked with a proud air after taking a peek inside.

  “You told me to clean it up. I still have to bag some of the wood scraps and sweep up,” I added.

  “Just leave it. It looks great,” Daddy praised. “I didn’t expect you to get this much done.”

  I smiled, finally spying some delight on his face. I hadn’t seen that old cheeky grin of his since this morning at breakfast.

  “Let’s go inside,” Daddy ordered with a playful nudge. “It’s getting kind of late, and you’ve worked really hard today.”

  He didn’t have to tell me twice. I wanted back inside more than he could ever know. I still wasn’t sure what that sinister thing was out there in the woods or why it wanted to hurt me. Just get me the heck inside!

  “Did you show them around the mine?” I asked coolly as we stepped into the house through the back door.

  “There’ll be plenty of time to talk about Xcavare Enterprises, Shi. I really don’t want to jaw about the mine. Not tonight. I just want to relax and enjoy my family this evenin’,” Daddy insisted as we sat down at the kitchen table. He took my hand in his and gave it an affectionate squeeze.

  I guess he’s not upset about my behavior anymore, and if he doesn’t want to talk about Lazarus Xcavare, that’s fine by me.

  Chloe burst into the kitchen abruptly with Charlotte trailing behind her, sipping on her half-empty glass of wine. Feeling out the teeter of her sway, I guessed she was well on her fourth.

  “Daddy, do you like my dress? Isn’t it beautiful!” Chloe was clearly making a statement of fact rather than a general inquiry.

  “You look lovely, honey,” Daddy bragged. “Those seniors on the court had better watch out. The students might just give the crown to you at halftime.”

  “I know, Daddy. That’s sooo true,” Chloe beamed. “I can’t wait for Mike to see me in it!”

  I found myself rolling my eyes, knowing Chloe’s vanity was about to get the best of me, yet again. Unfortunately, my mother happened to notice my gesture, which sent me scrambling to adjust my expression.

  Charlotte threw me a covert sneer and then quickly rallied one of her classic pageant smiles. “Shiloh,” she announced in a sugary tone, “Why don’t you try on your dress for your father?”

  “I’m a sweaty mess,” I sighed. “Chloe, just get it and bring it in here. It’ll be on me soon enough. Daddy can see me in it then.”

  Chloe threw our mother “a look”, almost like she needed her permission.

  “Well, go and get it for her, sweetie,” Charlotte urged with a nod. Chloe bustled out of the room not a second later.

  At that moment, all I wanted was to take a long, hot bath and wash the stench of Shiloh Ridge off my body. I could still smell a hint of sulfur around my neck. I rubbed my hand across the areas where the black fog had grabbed me. My neck was throbbing, but thankfully it wasn’t the excruciating pain I’d felt earlier.

  Chloe emerged without delay, carrying a long black garment bag.

  “Are you ready?” my sister asked.

  “Yes,” I shrugged indifferently.

  “Here it is,” Chloe announced as she unzipped the bag and whipped out the mystery dress.

  My right eye started twitching uncontrollably. Then my jaw began to drop, just as a sinking feeling set in the pit of my stomach. She’s done it… She’s really done it this time! I’d never seen a more hideous dress in all of my life! It was yellow—puke yellow—with some sort of black cording for straps and a matching band of trim around the bottom edged in black lace. I have no remnants of a summer tan left, and she would have me show up to a school dance looking like a daggone washed-out, sick-ass bumblebee?

  Charlotte cast a smirk my way as she sipped on her Zinfandel, waiting for me to announce my discontent. “I think it’s charming. Shiloh, what do you think?” she probed.

  “Is that, umm . . . in style, Chloe?” Daddy asked uncertainly.

  “Oh, Daddy. Something like this never goes out of style,” my little sister simpered. “You don’t know fashion like I do. She’ll look timeless. After all, we were kind of limited in our selections. Shiloh tends to lean a little more on the conservative-side when it comes to clothes. She said ‘nothing slutty’,” Chloe added with a crafty grin.

  I could see Daddy’s expression from out of the corner of my eye. Even he was skeptical, but after what I’d put him through earlier, I didn’t want to initiate a big argument in the middle of his downtime. Thoughts of touring college campuses whirled in my head, right along with the special birthday dinner on Sunday that he’d planned.

  I resigned myself to swallowing my discontentment and quickly spoke up. “It’s fine. Thanks, Chloe. You really put a lot of thought into this selection.” I jumped up from the table and headed for the hallway. “I really do need to take a bath,” I declared as I glanced back at the heinous glob of putrid fabric.

  “Do what you need to, sweetie. You’ve worked so hard today,” Charlotte replied with a witchy twinkle in her eyes.

  The blank stare I shot my mother was all she needed. She would revel in my disheartenment all evening. I’m sure that’s better than any buzz she could ever get from any old bottle of wine.

  I ran upstairs and drew my bath. Seeing how I was still in a funk over that ugly yellow and black nightmare, I decided to use some of Chloe’s bath salts (she owed me that much). I dumped the whole container of Sea Island Salts into the water and then sat down on the lip of the old claw-foot tub, pondering the events of my bizarre day. It had been filled with oddities, each more shocking than the last. I was leaning over to shut off the valves when the thought of checking my messages crossed my mind.

  After I’d retrieved my phone, I wandered back into the bathroom and placed it on a stand beside the tub. Once my dirty clothes had been tossed into the hamper, I slowly guided my tense body down into the steamy, aromatic water. The heat from its wet caress felt so soothing on my sore neck. I’d noticed it looked awfully red when I’d taken off my sweatshirt. Surely there would be the beginnings of a bruise by morning.

  I hope this helps…

  I dipped my washcloth into the warm water and laid it on my brow. My head was throbbing, and I found myself still feeling restless. A million questions were racing through my mind, but answers were what I really needed.

  Unable to shut everything out of my mind, I abandoned my efforts and reached for my cell phone. Katie had left two voicemails (that I didn’t feel like listening to) and numerous messages. Another Xcavare gabfest was the last thing I wanted, so I sent her a quick text.

  Within seconds Katie replied.

  I swiftly hammered out my response on the keypad.