Chapter Six

Jana invites me to go shopping with her and her friend, Lily, the next day.

“Listen,” Jana says, “I’m sorry about what I said last night—about the being marked thing. I didn’t mean to scare you or anything. It’s a joke we play on new people to freak them out.” Something in her tone of voice makes me believe otherwise.

“Don’t worry about it.”

I catch a glance from Lily, but she quickly flips through the clothing rack. I realize I know nothing about her. She’s petite, blonde and a total prep. I’ve seen her around the hallways at school. Although she seems like a nice girl, there’s something about her I don’t like. Maybe I’m overreacting, or maybe it’s the fact that she snubs me every chance she gets. I just can’t put my finger on it.

Nothing appeals to me at the boutiques. I buy one shirt, because it’s on sale, and it’s the only shirt that has my style written across it—a graphic tee that I can easily wear a hoodie over. Jana and Lily’s arms are loaded down. I think about taking Jana up on that offer for a job, because I’ll have more money to spend. But, if today’s shopping adventure is any indication, I won’t have much to blow it on, anyway.

By the time we load up in Jana’s Altima, it’s dark outside. The new night brings chilly air. My breath turns into white vapor each time I exhale.

“Hey, can you drop me off at Ben’s?” Lily asks.

Jana glances at Lily out of the corner of her eye before saying, “Yeah, sure, I guess.” She shrugs.

“Ben?” I ask.

Lily turns around in the passenger seat. “Yeah, Benjamin Conway.”

My heart stops beating.

“Are you two…together?” I ask, almost unable to get the question out.

She smiles. “You could say that.”

The trees lining the road become my main focal point. Anything to avoid my thoughts.

Jana pulls into a hidden driveway. Scraggly bushes and shrubbery form a net, camouflaging it from the road. If anyone tries to get out, we’re screwed—there’s barely enough room for one car. Her headlights beam down the dirt path, and nothing immediately comes into view.

“Are you sure this is it?” Jana asks. “It doesn’t look like anyone uses the driveway.”

“Half the time they don’t,” Lily says, giggling.

“What do they use?” I ask.

Lily turns her head toward me and drops her eyes, raising them again to look at Jana. Neither of them responds to my question as we approach a two-story, grey Colonial. The house is engulfed in trees and plants.

“Man, someone needs to do some yard work,” I say, shrugging them off. 

“Thanks for dropping me off, Jana,” Lily says. “It was nice to meet you.” She smiles at me.

“You too,” I say. I mean, it’s not exactly her fault she’s dating my crush.

Jana walks Lily to the front door. I get out, too, snooping around. The forest behind the house looks familiar, though I can’t figure out why. A dog howls in the distance, and I’m immediately frozen in place. The sound leaving its mouth, drifting into the air, is the most heartbreaking cry I’ve ever heard.

“Ready to go?” Jana asks, walking up behind me.

I ignore her and continue listening. She stares with me.

“Sounds awful,” she says.

“It’s upset,” I whisper. “What if it’s hurt?”

Jana shakes her head. “I doubt it.”

“Maybe I should go check on it.”

“Or…maybe not! I wouldn’t go into those woods alone, if I were you,” she says, placing her hands firmly on her hips, her mouth forming a hard line.

“Why’s that?” I murmur, not really caring what her answer is. I’m curious, inexplicably drawn toward the woods. It’s like my body isn’t mine anymore. Something deep, something hidden, aches inside me and pushes me forward.

“Candra! You can’t go in there! We have to go!” she calls behind me, but the edge of the forest looms just ahead. For a second, I believe the trees will talk to me, like in my dreams.

Howling continues somewhere to my right. I step into the forest’s edge and begin my trek slowly. I don’t want to startle the poor dog, just help it.

“Doggy?” I feel stupid for asking aloud.

Before I take another step, Jana yanks me away from the woods and drags me to her car. Her grip on my arm is tight, but I still fight her the whole way, attempting to escape her grasp.

“Let go of me! That puppy needs help,” I say.

“No, it doesn’t. Trust me.” She opens the passenger door. “Get in. I’m taking you home.” I’ve never seen her more serious. My heart pounds inside my chest, and my head tells me I should listen. So, I obey.

The whole way home my mind won’t shut up, worrying about that dog—and if it’ll be okay. Jana is as stiff as a board in the driver’s seat, completely fixated on the road ahead.

“I know it’s weird, but this place has always given me the creeps,” she says, turning into the driveway. I’m surprised she spoke.

I decide not to press her about the dog in the woods. She seems really tense about the situation, even though I’m dying to find out what her problem is. “Really? How come?”

“I’m not sure.” She looks lost, like she’s in some far away place in her mind.

“You’re more than welcome to come in,” I say.

She shakes her head. “No, that’s okay, but thanks.”

She waits to leave until I’m safely inside. Beth greets me at the bottom of the staircase.

“I thought I heard a car pull up,” she says. “I’ve made dinner, if you want something to eat.”

“Thanks, but I’m really tired. I think I’ll go lay down for a bit.”

Beth frowns, but doesn’t say anything. She walks back into the kitchen. I shut the door to my bedroom, ready to crash at any moment. My eyelids are heavier than they’ve been in a while, even more so than a couple of days ago.

I fall onto my bed, bouncing with the mattress. The ceiling shines somewhat, and then becomes fuzzy.

I run away from the man across the bank. This time, he doesn’t disappear—he follows closely. He yells at me, but I’m too frightened to stop and find out what he wants. The trees’ calls rise in one agonizing shriek.

A thick, grey fog cloaks the ground around me; it becomes deeper as I press forward. The trees are close now, holding out their rough arms to try and stop me. I have no idea where I am or where I’m headed.

I have to escape him.

He’s close enough that I hear what he says.

“Creatures of the dark they come…”

I cry out for help, surprised my legs can run for this length of time without cramping.

“Killing humans one-by-one…”

No. He can’t reach me. I won’t let him. I can’t die.

“If you hear them howl at night, lock your doors and windows tight.”

Howl? Like the dog? Something ahead of me whimpers. Its cry echoes against the trees. The man behind me stands still. 

Blinding white light explodes before me.

I bolt up in bed. Sweat trickles down the back of my neck and the sides of my forehead. My breathing is harsh and erratic.

When I finally calm down, I slide off my bed and open my window. A cool breeze wafts in, rolling over my sweat beads and causing me to shiver. I look up at the bright moon, hanging low in the sky. I almost have the window shut, when something moves in the shadows of the trees below-- a black figure.

My mind races, as does my heart. I can’t think straight. So many questions come to mind. I’m sucked into a trance, unable to will my body to move.

My breath fogs the window. The stranger stares back, never moving.

Don’t do anything stupid, I tell myself, but it’s hard not to run outside and confront him. I’ll be dumber than a frozen pea if I attempt to leave the safety of this house. Every ounce of energy drains from my body, leaving me with only adrenaline to run off of.

This can’t be happening, I think.

But it is.

This is my one chance to find out who he is, what he wants and why he haunts me in my dreams. I swing open my bedroom door and rocket down the stairs. The deadbolt on the front door makes a swift clanking noise, and the door itself creaks. I open it enough so I can slip through and dart outside.

Nothing.

He’s gone. Vanished.

            “Candra? What are you doing out here?”

            It’s Beth. I freeze.

            Oh, shit. She’ll never believe me in a million years. Think of something good—quick!

            I put on my best zombie face and start mumbling. “The bird…it fell…they tried to eat it.”

            “Oh, dear,” Beth says.

            “What’s going on?” Randy asks, as he steps outside. 

            “I think she’s sleepwalking,” Beth whispers. “We need to get her back to bed. She could go into shock if we startle her.”

            Beth leads me inside, as I continue the mumbling act. Randy follows behind her. She slowly opens the door; it creaks louder than when I opened it. She walks with me step-by-step until we reach my bedroom.

            “You just go back to sleep, sweetie. Nobody’s after your birds. I’ll protect them,” Beth says, her face oh-so-serious.

            I try my hardest not to laugh. Her forehead creases, causing deep lines. I can pretend to go into shock, but once Beth finds out I’m joking, she’ll send me off to a deserted island or something. Instead, I pretend that subconsciously I know what she’s talking about.

“Elizabeth, when are we going to tell her?” Randy asks.

Am I dreaming again?

“Soon, dear. But not now. Let her get adjusted first,” Beth replies.

“The changes are happening now. There’s no time to wait. She needs to know,” he argues.

Beth shushes him. “She needs her rest.”

My bedroom door clicks shut.

What do they need to tell me and why are they waiting to do so? Great, something else to worry about. And what changes? Something tells me this isn’t the type of change a kid experiences during teenage years, like a girl going through her first cycle.

Pushing that thought aside, I think about him. How did he escape so quickly? More importantly—what does he want with me?

Rolling onto my side, my eyes flutter—heavy from lack of sleep. I can’t pretend anymore. I am exhausted.

~*~

Dawn breaks, and sunbeams warm my eyelids. I roll out of bed and throw on some clothes. My window’s shut. Beth must’ve closed it last night. I glance outside, but don’t see the familiar yellow eyes watching me from the tree line. My body is sluggish, and it takes every part of me not to call the school and say I’m sick.

The whole day drags, and I don’t notice anyone—not even Benjamin. All I can think about is who the person from my dreams is and what he wants with me. How did he become a reality?

I arrive early to Geography. Jana and Blake are in their seats, looking beat.

“What’s wrong with you two?” I ask.

“We were up late,” Jana mumbles. She slumps further down in her seat, refusing to look at me directly.

“Partying?” I question.

“No,” she grumbles.

“Okay…” I don’t pursue the conversation further.

Mr. Williams walks into class. “Just to let everyone know, we’re having a fire drill, so don’t think the school is actually on fire.” He turns to the board.

Two minutes later, the red bulb above the classroom door lights up, and the deafening sound rings through the hallways. I practically jump out of my desk. Mr. Williams assembles us into a single-file line at the front of the classroom, so we can walk out “as a class.” We look stupid, in my opinion. Filing out of a high school like we’re twelve again.

Classes move outside and to the street across from the parking lot. I stand with Jana and Blake as we wait for the fire department to arrive. Each teacher checks their students’ names off of a list, noting whether anyone lags behind.

A few groups down from where my class stands are Cameron, Ethan, Benjamin and Lily. Lily plasters herself against Ben. His arm loosely drapes around her waist. I growl in annoyance. Cameron glares at me. I want to get inside his thoughts. I know he hates me—that’s apparent—but I want to know the reason.

Karma’s my only conclusion. I can’t think of anything else I’ve done to cause this. Maybe it’s from putting my parents through hell. Maybe it’s from staying in trouble. I really don’t know.

My mind’s still racing with questions, as the fire chief signals an OK and the flock of students wanders back to the school.