Cursed (29 page)

I watched out the window as my bus made its way
to the main transit stop where I could switch buses and head home.
I didn’t know what to do but I knew that my best chance of survival
was in a place I was comfortable in. I switched buses still looking
over my shoulder still unable to convince myself I had managed to
out run him. Even when I boarded the bus heading toward home I was
skeptical I would make it. I felt surrounded by him even though I
couldn’t see him anywhere. When the thirty dollars ran out I found
myself hours from home at a random bus stop. I locked myself into a
bathroom stall and sat and waited eating my granola bar slowly. I
didn’t feel hungry but I wasn’t sure how I was getting home or when
I would eat again.

Chapter Thirteen - AM I A
WANDERER OR A BELIEVER, DOES IT MATTER

According to Google Maps a person can drive from
the bus stop I was at to my town in around four hours and walk it
in around three days. I however seemed to have reacted rather well
to Dorian's demon blood and was able to do it in two days. I shaved
a day off by running as much as I could. I rarely sweat, I never
got hungry and I didn’t have to use the bathroom. My feet never
hurt wearing shoes half a size too small and I didn’t need to
sleep, not even a little. I didn’t know what to say about that. I
felt like one of the terminators. I walked past the sign for our
town and felt a small sigh of relief.

Port Mackenzie was my safe haven in that crazy
moment. I walked into town seeing the gas station and knew I would
have to be very careful, everyone in town knew me. I didn’t know
where to go but decided at least my own house might be nice. It was
dusk and I knew my dad would more than likely be home.

I crept along back yards and kept my head down
until finally reaching our street, I snuck through the back yards
and woods till I reached our fence. I climbed over it again
surprised by the strength I seemed to be able to muster to climb up
and over with little or no problems. I landed in the back yard as
the sky turned quite dark. Our house was black.

I wondered where my sister was, where my dad was
and mostly where Dorian was?

Would he sit in my house and wait for me to come
home?

Did he know where I lived?

Would he have held my dad and Shane hostage
until I came to them?

Would he tell them what I had become?

Would they be dangling from a bridge somewhere
expecting me to save them with my new super strength?

I moved stealthily across the grass to the back
door where the hidden key was. I unlocked the backdoor and crept
inside. I didn’t turn any lights on. I just stood there smelling
the air for a second, I was home. I felt my heart racing but my
soul enjoyed the moment. I grabbed a drink of water suddenly
realizing I was desperately thirsty. I gulped back three huge
glasses of water and instantly had to pee. I ran to the toilet and
peed for several minutes. I assumed this was what life was like for
Aleks, doing what he needed when he got the chance. I flushed and
ran upstairs to my room. I opened the bag with my mom’s nightgown
and took deep breaths. I savored the smell immensely.

“Mom.” I whispered looking around wishing Aleks
would show up so I could at least get the answers I needed about my
moms death.

I cursed Dorian under my breath, he’d told me
that to make me go crazy. Unfortunately it had worked.

I grabbed a crayon from my art set and opened
the window to my bedroom and in light yellow crayon I wrote on the
outside windowpane, “I need to see you, Come find me!”

I knew he would see it and know I needed him. I
grabbed two changes of my usual black clothes and stuffed them into
my beach backpack. I put a few key items I knew no one would know
were missing. I jumped into the shower and rinsed myself in the
dark, not turning any lights on. It was by far the scariest shower
I ever had. I was clean and dressed and ready to go in about
fifteen minutes from arriving home. I grabbed my ball cap my Gran
had bought me a few summers before and stuffed it on my head
tucking my thick hair through the back making a ponytail.

I didn’t know what to do so I slipped out the
back door again locking the house and ran out to the back fence.
Night had fully set in and enveloped the world in black. I was
grateful for the moonless night as I ran through the woods at the
back of our property till I reach Shane’s parents house.

His truck was there but that meant nothing as my
dad had taken his truck to Portland with Shane. I slipped in around
the back of the house and peeked in the windows hoping to catch a
glimpse of him, just to know they were safe. I saw no one. Shane’s
house was as dark as my own. Frustrated I didn’t know what to do.
My energy levels were still so high and I was feeling fine but how
long did I have?

I looked at the forest where Shane had carried
me from so many times and shook my head. It had only been a few
days since I had been on my deathbed and there I was feeling
stronger than I ever had but still dying. I wondered if maybe my
body reacted badly to the demon blood and instead of immortality I
just got really healed and strong. Maybe I would be fine and could
just go on with my regular life. I wondered if god just felt sorry
for me for all the shitty things that had happened and he was
giving me a second chance.

I sat down on the back steps of his deck and
pondered life and choices. I looked back at the grass and
remembered how it had felt to lay with Shane under the stars, the
way he had looked at me. I loved him still no matter what had ever
happened with Aleks I couldn’t get him out of my mind or heart.

I heard a vehicle pull in as men’s voices
started to speak with car doors closing and opening, “Okay well
thank Shane. I’m sure she’s fine. Like I said the Dr seemed to be
convinced she needed to go there.”

My dads voice filled the yard. I stopped
breathing realizing I had nowhere I could run to except the stalker
woods, which scared the life out of me to contemplate. I sat very
still hoping I would have a few seconds at least to hide.

“I know Mr. James but I’m just really bummed
about it. I just can’t believe I never got to say goodbye.” Shane’s
voice was full of emotion, he sounded crushed.

“She knows you love her kiddo, good luck on your
test son and if I hear from her I will call you right away.” My dad
used my nickname on him. It warmed and broke my heart
simultaneously.

“Thanks sir, have a good sleep.” Shane called
out. I heard his front door close and I jumped up and ran around
the side of the house where the garage was. I froze as I heard him
inside the house opening the back deck door.

“Hello, are you there?” He asked.

I looked back not moving, not breathing, how did
he know I was there?

“Oh okay yeah. My cell does that too.” He
laughed. I breathed a sigh of relief still not moving as he talked
on the phone.

“Yeah I need to know where in California is the
clinic that does celebrity liver treatments. A friend of mine is
there and I just want to know the name of it. Thanks, yeah just
call this number and leave a message if I’m not here. Thanks man. I
need to find her.”

He was one corner of the house away from me so I
crept along the side to the front of the house and stood in front
of the garage breathing heavily.

Dorian hadn’t been prepared for how much Shane
loved me. Shane wouldn’t stop until he found me.

I didn’t know what to do but I was suddenly
starting to feel a bit tired. I wondered about just revealing
myself to Shane and letting the cards fall where they may but I
wasn’t sure what I would become and I didn’t want him getting
hurt.

A small part of me wondered if he would still
want me or love me if he knew I was changing in a supernatural way
or if he would just end things between us. I didn’t want to push
the envelope so I decided to leave his yard and find somewhere else
to haunt.

I just walked keeping my head down as cars drove
past me. I walked for a while thinking about the way things had
played out.

I stopped for a moment at the fork of a road and
thought about which way to turn since I was homeless.

I knew which way I wanted to go.

I turned walking carefully as I approached his
driveway. I rounded the corner of the house and opened the door to
the garage with the lock code. I slipped through the garage into
the hallway. I walked softly not making any noise till I reached
the stairs to the basement and crept down them very slowly.

I could see the faint glow of the computer
screen flashing from the far corner where I knew he sat playing
World Of Warcraft. I snuck along not wanting to scare him but not
wanting to wake his parents, if they were even home. Blake’s
parents were lucky he was such a calm kid because with the amount
of free time he actually had he could be doing the unsavory without
any hindrance easily.

He sat hunched over the game with headphones on,
he chatted to himself softly so I couldn’t hear what he was saying.
I plopped myself down on his leather couch and watched him for a
minute.

He must have gotten the eerie feeling someone
was watching him because he sat very still for a second and the
turned his face slowly. Seeing me sitting on his couch he smiled,
“Hey.” He went back to his game instantly not registering that I
shouldn’t be in his house.

Stopping again after a second he froze, he
looked scared to move as if I might be a ghost coming to say my
goodbye to him. I could tell he was nervous as he turned again
almost peeking at me.

I waved at him, “Hey.”

He smiled but not the peaceful one he had given
moments before. This was a tense smile, which made me laugh
softly.
“Aims?” He spoke carefully not getting up from the chair.

I nodded wanting to cry with relief as he
removed his headphones and looked at me, “You okay?”

I nodded and chewed my lower lip. I felt it
shake in my mouth as the fear and confusion set in. I couldn’t hold
back the damn of emotions as they burst free and I lost control of
myself.

He rushed to my side holding me, “Did someone
hurt you Aims?”

He wrapped himself around me squeezing the life
out of me. I let him cocoon around me and make me feel a sense of
safety even if it was fleeting. Even his love couldn’t save me from
what was coming.

I cried in sheets like the cold coastal
rain.

It poured out in sobs and heaves.

I had lost it.

This was me falling off the proverbial bandwagon
of self-control.

I felt his shirt getting wet where I cried and
left other forms of my bodily fluids. Suddenly I started laughing,
finding it funny I had snotted his shirt thoroughly.

He pulled me back, his eyes were intense, “Did
someone hurt you Aimee?”

I nodded, “Sort of but I did it to myself.”

I wiped my eyes dry with my sleeves as he passed
me a tissue. He took an extra one for himself and began wiping his
shoulder looking horrified at the wet mark.

I laughed harder unable to control myself.

He frowned at me, “I’m glad you find it so
amusing that you’ve left nasal secretions on my shoulder, dear
god.”

His fussing over the shirt made me laugh
more.

I couldn’t look at him without being sent into a
fit of giggles again.

Turning away from him for a moment I
straightened my face and waited for the fit to pass by.

He left the couch and sat across from me on the
other leather couch.

I looked at him gravely as I had finally found
my calm.

“Something terrible has happened Blake and I
don’t know what to do. I’m putting you in terrible danger coming
here but I don’t know where else to go.”

He shook his head, “Aimee whatever is going on
we will find a rational and sensible solution. I’m still your best
friend Aims, even if I haven’t acted much like one.”

I shook my head, “I haven’t either Blake and I’m
sorry. I shouldn’t care who you date. I was being petty.”

He smiled, “I should have told you the truth
years ago. I thought honestly that you knew. I’ve been head over
heels for that twit forever.”

I nodded not smiling.

I couldn’t bring myself to smile as I dreaded
what was about to happen. I knew the possibility he would either
commit me or just plain old turn me out of his house lingered in
the air as I started to speak.

“Blake remember when you asked me to just listen
and hear the whole story before I slapped you and walked away?”

He nodded looking confused now.

“I need that same favor. But I need you to act
like an adult not the child I acted like, is that possible?”

He nodded again sitting back on the couch
getting comfy.

My stomach twisted and turned as my nerves
prepared the rest of me for the worst-case scenario.

I took a deep breath, “Remember when I saw that
guy outside of Shane’s house the night of the party? Well he is
really a person, he’s magical. He is a man who was cursed in Norway
in the thirteen hundreds, he is an immortal. A Shaman blesses
Shane’s yard; it stops the magical cloaking that Aleksander does to
stop regular people from seeing him. He’s like a guardian angel
sort of, I’m not entirely sure about what he is. The night of the
party he was there and he cleaned me up and put me to bed, he saved
my life. But I had died before he got to me, when you all left me
at the top of the stairs I choked and had an outer body experience.
While dead I saw him and it gave me second sight.”

I watched as his brain was translating and
diagnosing me as I spoke.

He couldn’t understand what I was saying and
couldn’t imagine any of it would ever be real. He had a scientific
reason for everything I said but I continued speaking until I got
to the very end of the story that landed me on his couch crying and
homeless.