Drift (Drift Series) (12 page)

I walked up and giggled at her. “Here, hold out your hand.”

She stuck her hand out, unsure. I placed the meteor in her palm and gently closed her fingers around it. “I picked this up for you.” My hands were now caressing hers.

“It’s cold. What is it?”

“A meteor. Hang on to it. It will remind you that all things are possible.”

Her
face lit up and she opened her hand and gasped in astonishment.

“Maybe you still don’t believe me yet?”

Again, I reluctantly released my hold on her soft skin and let my arms fall, slapping my hands against my sides. She spoke not a word, just shook her head from side to side in light humor, completely aware I was just showing off now.

“More proof? Well, if it
’s validation you need, then validation you shall receive.”

I approached a gigantic oak tree. (No, not my special tree) “See this dying tree?”

I approached the unsuspecting tree with great determination then gripped it in a bear hug and pulled up on it with everything I had in me. The roots crackled and broke free from deep within the soil they had been buried in for decades. Some of the moister soil was still clinging to the dangling roots, creating a kind of base around the bottom. I marveled over the dropped-jaw expression that had overtaken her face. I swung the tree in a show of force. Then, I tucked it in one hand and carried the oversized baseball bat to the edge of my overlook and peered into the valley, making sure no one was around. I swung the tree with one arm and tossed it. It broke through the wind as it soared, eventually smashing into the trees at the bottom of the valley. Shade ran over to see exactly where it landed.

“Show off.”

Her witty comment caused us both to burst out with laughter. This eased the awkward tension and erased her defensive guard. I grabbed her waist, pulling her close to my side.

“I
’m gonna take you to my favorite spot. This is where Shadow, my cat I told you about, and I spend most of our time.”

With a slow whisk, I snatched her up. As our feet left the ground, Shade gasped. Again she was breathing heavy, but
she calmed a little when we landed on my branch.

“Voila! Home sweet home. Have a seat. You should be used to this by now,” I kidded.

“Very cute. This is your home?” Shade asked in confusion as we both sat. It finally dawned on her that there was no structure anywhere to be seen.

“I mean, I guess I thought there was a house of some kind around here, somewhere. You just stay here, with nothing over you?” She sounded sorry for me.

I shrugged. “Why? I just drift from place to place, from job to job. It’s not as if I need something to shield me from the elements, and it’s not like I need somewhere to sleep, because I don’t need to sleep. Besides, a home means I have some kind of sanctity. Demons have no home. That would mean safety, and we get no rest. What’s really going to happen to me without a physical home, anyway…I’m a demon, remember?”

“I guess so. You don’t rest…at all?”

“No. I’m not human, even though my shell appears to be.”

“Well
, geez, Leo, the least you could have done was pick a better spot to be if you’re going to be up twenty-four hours a day staring at the environment,” she chuckled. “I mean, I can see why you picked this place, the view is breathtaking, but the vegetation is dying. All the trees, the grass, the plants, everything is withering, unlike all the green life that completely surrounds this spot just yards away.”

In slight embarrassment, I hung my head and acknowledged her light-hearted concern. “It wasn’t always like this here. At least not when I first arrived. There were flowers; the trees were alive and budding with thick bushels of shady leaves. It was beautiful. But not anymore. This is what always happens to my kind.”

“What do you mean?”

I began picking dead bark from the branch. “Like I said, I only appear to be human. As you
’ve just found out, I’m not. Whatever I did when I was human condemned me to what you see before you now. It’s the penance for a life gone astray that I live daily, hinting at what I once had and can’t remember. Something I can never have a second chance at again. Never again will I smell the fresh scent of apple pie, nor can I ever taste it. These are human sensations. All I can ever smell is sulphur, and the only thing I can taste is burnt ash, the sensations of Hell.”

“But I
’ve seen you eat at school.”

“Yes, you have. Again,
I appear to be normal, but inside I am anything but that. I’m a Drift Demon. Forever wandering the world a foot soldier of Hell, gathering corrupted human souls. I know one thing, at some point, although I can’t remember when, just like all demons, I chose to be this…thing. “

“If you
’re ashamed of what you’ve chosen to be, why would you choose to be what you are, Leo?”

“I guess because, since we can’t go to Heaven and we can’t be human again, this is the closest to normal we can get, even though we work to bring down humankind. I guess living in torture is better than not living. Who knows, maybe, just maybe, I might run into a hint from my past. Maybe even get a chance at redemption. But that has never happened. It seems we truly reap what we s
ow in life. What is done is done, and so…here I am.”

Shade looked like she was searching for something comforting to say. “I’m sorry
, Leo.” She placed her hand on my knee.

I said nothing, just stared at her hand.

“How does that explain your poor choice in scenery here then?”
she joked, trying to lift my spirits.

“Being a demon means payment for the darkest of sins. It also means being the furthest from light, love, and grace. Doomed to be hated, feared, and in darkness. Man is Heaven’s finest creation and greatest love. That
’s why man gets second chances. But when a man betrays spiritual laws by committing horrendous acts like rape, abuse, or murder and so on, then those second chances are out the window, barring a miracle. If you are a beast in life, so will you be one in death. Thus, you get what you see before you, a demon. I must be constantly reminded, for all eternity, that I’m no longer a part of the living. I’m dead to the world, not allowed to enjoy the beauties within it. Therefore, everything around me fades and dies if I linger too long. I can pretend to laugh, but a demon feels nothing but hate and anger.”

I briefly felt her rub my knee. I couldn’t help but look deep into her eyes when I spoke of loving someone.

“Everywhere I wander, if I linger too long in a specific area, everything living around me begins to sicken and die. Trees, plants, animals…whatever. Until you get what you see around us here.”

She stopped rubbing my knee.
It was almost as if she could feel my pain. Then she leaned into me. “What about people? What if you stay around someone too long? Do they…die as well?”

I met her stare with a harsh one of my own. “Yes.”

Shade slid her hand from my knee and squeezed my hand, only to raise it up and touch my head, brushing her fingers through my hair. She placed her hand across the side of my face and pulled my gaze to hers. She leaned in so close I felt her warm breath hitting my cold lips. I was completely lost in her essence as she spoke the kindest words I have ever heard. “You aren’t hated by all, Leo. I think you’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen…inside and out.”

We peered into each other’s gazes for what seemed an eternity. A white-hot flame of emotion overtook me. It felt like we were about to kiss. Just as her sultry lips touched mine, a certain furry feline friend jumped between us.

The ill-timed, but not unwanted, welcoming of Shadow startled Shade, causing her to hop back from me with a big, “Oh!”

The usual suspicious-of-strangers Shadow took an immediate liking to his newfound friend. He was already pacing back and forth, rubbing and pushing against her as his tail flickered in excitement. Shade giggled and rubbed the top of his head. He squinted and purred in enjoyment of this pampering from his new buddy.

This of course completely soured the mood for a kiss, but I didn’t mind. I was glad to have the company of both of the beings I cared most about.

“So this is the infamous Shadow, huh?”

“Yep, this is him all right, with exquisite timing, I might add. Thanks a lot, Shadow.” I grabbed one of his back paws and gave it a light pinch that he completely disregarded. We shared a laugh and played with kitty for the next few minutes.

“Well, I guess I better get my butt back home. You better get me out of this tree, mister,” she teased.

“No problem.”

We stood and patted the dirt off our backsides.

Again I lifted her, and this time, in flight, we faced one another, never speaking and not looking away until we safely touched down. I walked with her to her mildly battered vehicle.

“So, you wanna pick me up Saturday night?”

I had to admit I was a little stunned. I figured she would want to stay away from me, but apparently she was unphased by this concern for her own well-being. Even if she wasn’t fearful for herself, I was. I knew I had plenty of time before the dying process started, but it wouldn’t be long before Christian showed up to yank me back to Hell anyway, so I did what any young man would do, accepted the hot girl’s invite.

“You bet I do. What time?”

“Ummm, let’s do 7:30. Sound okay?”

“Sounds like a plan.”

“Great!” She got in her car and laughed at her mangled door. Before she could speak about it, I swept into action. “Hang on. I got this.” I began straightening it and re-contorting it. Soon, I had it fixed. Well, not the broken window.

“Good as new. Mostly.”

“My hero. Aren’t I lucky to have a regular MacGyver hanging around me now? I’d like to see what you could do with a toothpick, a rubber band, and a paperclip.” She leaned into my chest and batted her eyes at me as I held the door for her to get in. “No worries about the window there, MacGyver, I’ll tell my parents a rock hit it or something.”

“Very clever, very, very clever
. It’s not enough just knowing a hot chick, but a hot chick with adequate knowledge of popular 80’s television programming. Priceless. Aren’t I the lucky one?”

Sharp as a tack and with the speed of a Cheetah, Shade fired one more off at me. “Oh yeah, and Leo, when I say pick me up
, I do mean in your car.”

“Ten-four
, chief,” I responded innocently while watching her bite her bottom lip flirtatiously.

Just as I was about to close the door and say goodbye, Shadow squeezed between us again, and stuck his furry head up under her door like he was saying goodbye
, too.

“Bye for now
, Shadow!” Shade leaned down and cooed at the loving cat, scrunching his face together in her hands. Shadow finally backed away, allowing her to close the door and start the engine.

“See you at school, Leo. And Saturday night.”
She grinned as I waved farewell while Shadow circled at my feet.

“Two times today. Two times you cut me off, Shadow. We
’re going to have to have a talk, bud.” He looked up and meowed. “Yeah, yeah, I know. You’re hungry, and…I like her, too.”

While we walked back to our tree, I couldn’t help but wonder when Shade was going to realize I was the one encouraging Darryl to be unruly to her. It would have been partly my fault if he had killed her. I wasn’t sure when she would put two and two together on that, and wasn’t sure how she’d react when she did. For now though, I would play it cool. Hopefully she wouldn’t be too brutal when those questions arose. I wouldn’t try and cover it up
, either. I would tell her the truth about what I was doing in Mountainside if she asked. If she hated me, at least I could move on knowing I was truthful to one person.

CHAPTER 10

DREAM

I broke all the rules by acting like I didn’t have a care in the world and went to school the rest of the week, anxiously waiting for two things, one good, one bad. First, of course was my date with Shade. Second, the meeting with Christian. I sucked up some courage and answered my slightly distraught friend Scruffy’s questions about deserting him at the party.

I explained that I had felt sick and couldn’t find him before I needed to leave. This was also why I’d missed so many days of school. But when he kept catching Shade and I having private conversations and sharing flirtatious laughter, he got suspicious of my explanation.

“Dude, one moment you
’re all reserved and shy when it came to anything having to do with Shade. Then suddenly, out of nowhere, you’re an open book with her. I’m not so sure you were sick, buddy.”

“What do you mean?”

“Maybe you were having some late nights…you know, a little too tired to come to school? Newfound love, maybe? Huh? Huh?”

“Easy
, bro,” I said. “It’s not like that. Shade isn’t like that.”

“Okay fine
. Keep your secrets. Just remember, ol’ Scruffy is wise to you two.” He winked.

“Whatever.”
Although he cracked my coconuts a bit about it at first, like all good buddies should, he ultimately said he was pretty dang proud of me for coming out of my shell. Something else kinda cool happened as well. Shade and Scruffy started to become really good friends instead of just social acquaintances. We hung out together at breaks and lunches. Even Sandra Tipton opened lines of communication with Scruffy and I.

Another tidbit that pleased me was it looked like I was going to get a chance to return the favor to my friend on the whole girl ball-busting issue. Scruffy had developed a real pulse for Sandra. I caught them many times just sitting and talking by themselves. It looked like when Shade and I broke the ice with one another
. Scruffy and Sandra found a way to kindle a friendship, too. I was happy for my friend, but I was saving up my nut-cracking ammo for when he admitted he liked Sandra, which would be soon, I figured. Everything felt almost back to normal and on the up-and-up after all the Darryl drama.

With all these bonds coming together, something foreign was going on inside me. As a demon, I
’m not supposed to feel human emotions other than hate and malice, yet I very distinctly felt lust and joy. I’m certainly not complaining; I liked feeling these emotions. It was almost as if I was a normal teenage boy. I was grateful. Overall, this was the best week I’d ever known. But my good times would soon come to an end.

So imagine my elation when Saturday night arrived and I
had yet to see my whip-cracking boss. Fate had delivered me another evening with this young beauty and I was thrilled.

I picked her up in
my car as requested instead of just swooping in on her. Her house was a quaint little Victorian style, two story home, nestled in a humble, well-kept suburban community named “The Heartland” on the outskirts of town. Her house was painted off-grey with complementary red shutters around each window. Two beautiful white wrap-around porches surrounded the home with white railings containing some of the scattered outside décor. What stood out the most were four big white pillars that went from the base of the first porch in the front of the house, all the way to the bottom of the roof above the second floor. There were beautiful peach trees placed all around with a lovely assortment of flowers spread out among landscape.

Surrounding the perimeter of the home was an actual white picket fence that had a single gate. It opened up to a concrete sidewalk which led up to
the front porch steps. It was a beautiful middle class home that wasn’t overdone in elegant fixings. I found it extremely welcoming. It matched Shade’s humble personality in every way. I have to admit, regrettably, I assumed her family would have some kind of lavish home with all the trimmings, a fault on my part for judging.

Although her home was spectacular, it wasn’t the most beautiful object in the landscape.
That honor belonged to the elegant Shade, lightly jogging down the walkway towards me. She must have been staring out the window anticipating my arrival because she was out the door relatively fast.

My jaw nearly hit the
ground. She was stunning. She wore a very tight pair of blue jeans and a skin-tight, sleeveless black shirt that exposed a little cleavage. I couldn’t help but notice, guilty as charged, a sparkling silver necklace resting there, but I couldn’t see what was hanging on it and I didn’t want to spend
too
much time looking. Her hair was loose and swayed back and forth, caressing her silky shoulders. Just a hint of makeup accented her features nicely. She was a natural beauty who rarely wore makeup, so it was a nice to see her “dolled up.” She looked like the girl next door, as gorgeous as ever.

She
opened the door and plopped down in the seat.

“Hey, Leo!” She shut the door, briefly taking me out of my wide-eyed drool-fest.

“Hey, girl. You didn’t give me a chance to come up and get you. You don’t want me to meet your parents or anything?”

“Nah. You can meet them next time. They have an appointment tonight, so you lucked out. Besides, it’s not like I
’m going out with a rapist or something…just a demon, so I should be safe.” She nudged her elbow into my side.

“Yeah. No worries here. I’m a good little slice of Hell.” This caused her to laugh as I pulled away.

Oddly enough, I guess because we both knew this was an official date, we sat nervously quiet for the first mile or so. Finally, she reached for her pendant. “Check it out. Look what I did with the meteor you gave to me.”

She leaned into me and stretched the shiny chain and extended the memento for me to see. It was indeed the space rock that I
’d picked up for her.

“Dude. That is awesome. How did you get the chain through it?” I leaned closer to her and grabbed the rock while keeping one eye on the road.

“My father drilled this fine hole right through the middle. My mother gave me the chain on my sixteenth birthday. It was the gift that threw me off the scent of what my real present was—a car. Both of these things are kind of important to me. I figured I could mesh them together. I hope you didn’t mind me drilling a hole in your rock.”

We were almost meeting face to face between my two front seats. I practically forgot I was driving.

“No, I don’t mind at all. It’s for you…from me,” I muttered.

She fluttered her eyelids and turned to face front. “Ahhhhhh, Leo. Car. Driving. Road.” She pointed at the windshield. I grinned and watched the road in front of us more carefully.

We chatted about everything from her friends, the rumor mill dying down about her, and the hottest topic of all…well, at least to us…Scruffy and Sandra. It was then that Shade clued me in on the fact that our friends were also going out tonight, and they wanted us to stop by BNB’s before going our separate ways for the evening. I agreed.

BNB’s was bustling as usual. Sandra and Scruffy were already there, relaxing in her topless convertible, talking with people when we pulled up next to them. They shouted and waved and we returned the sentiments right back to them.

Shade was almost leaning out of the window screaming at her best friend as we came to a stop. The two ladies jumped out and hugged each other while Scruffy and I casually approached each other for a “bro” handshake.

“What’s up, brotha Leo?” Scruffy called.

“What’s up, Scruff?”

We clasped hands and shared a one-armed man embrace. I hit him with a lingering question that I already knew the answer to. “So man, are you and Sandra a thing now or what?”

He looked over at our two excitedly talking female companions and smiled, unable to wipe the pie-eating grin off his face. “Yeah, it looks to be so, man. I asked her out officially today and she said yes. How about you?”

“Not yet officially, but maybe tonight.”

“Like you once told me, no worries, you got this. So crap or get off the pot.”

“So, you don’t think she
’s going to get tired of chauffeuring your bum-ass around and eventually dump you on it?”

Scruffy chuckled and slapped me right back with a shot of his own. “Man, I wouldn’t be worrying about me. Once Shade comes to her senses about you carrying her around so
your
ugly mug can look better, you’ll be tossed out of her life like a sack of hot garbage.”

The two of us rolled our heads backwards and bellowed. Then I placed my hand on his shoulder and gave it a light squeeze.

“Scruff, the you and Sandra thing…I think it’s dang cool, my lad. I couldn’t be any more proud of you than I am right now. Congrats, sir.”

Scruffy looked at me with the most sincerity I ever saw. With no joke or
ulterior motive, he returned my gesture and replied, “Thanks, bro. We both have had a little stroke of luck here lately. It’s really nice to see you and Shade are finally getting to know each other on a deeper level. So I say to you, Leo, my boy, congrats to you too, homey.”

We stood there for a moment, so proud of the hotties we
’d been fortunate enough to snag.

“So, what’s on the agenda for you two tonight?”

“I guess we’re going to go check out a movie, and then, who knows after that? Hopefully, a little make-out action if I get my way…” Scruffy wiggled his eyebrows while rolling his tongue around on his lips like a predator
.
“What are you guys gonna do?”

“That’s the Scruff I know
—”

He interrupted me with a loud, “That’s right!” and slapped me on my side.

“Anyway, I think we’re going to Golf and Carts to hang out and, well, whatever else, I guess.”

“Make out!”

I shook my head in disgust again at my hormonal bud. “Whatever is the matter with you is no little thing.”

The girls heard Scruffy’s blatant display of vulgarity and called us on it
. “What the heck are you two talking about over there? Make out? Are we gonna have to keep an eye on the two of you even more so than we already do?” Sandra teased.

Scruffy
headed over to his new girlfriend. I followed a few paces behind.

He slid his arms around her waist and rested his chin on her shoulder. Sandra clasped her arms around his. I was really proud of the boy. Since I wasn’t quite sure where Shade and I stood yet, I just kept still next to her, sliding my hands in my back pockets. Shade bumped her hip against mine playfully.

“So…Golf and Carts, huh?” Sandra said as she leaned back into Scruffy.

“Yeah, I guess so. Should be pretty fun,” I answered as Shade and I shared a glance.

“Make sure you try the chocolate volcano sundae if you haven’t already. It’s to die for. It’s
sooooooooo
good. It’s our favorite snack, huh, Shade?”

“Hell yeah, it’s good!”
she agreed.

“I-I’ll be sure to try it myself then
. I’m sure it will be…just scrumptious,” I lied.  Shade nudged me, letting me know she remembered my confession about how everything I eat tastes of ash.

“What?” Sandra asked
, concerning our odd spontaneous laughter.

Shade got back on subject, rescuing me from having to do so. “Oh, we
’ll be certain to eat that after we play a few holes of miniature golf and race some carts around the tracks a few times, right, Leo?”

“Sounds good to me, chick.”

Scruffy, never missing an opportunity to, well, be himself, leaned over Sandra’s shoulder and whispered loud enough for all of us to hear, “Leo put her in the wall.”

Sandra looked over her shoulder at him with a sour smile and poked her elbow into his side causing us all to bust out laughing. “Mark, behave yourself.”

“Sandra, if you can get him to do that, then you’ve just solved one of the great wonders of the universe.”

“That’s for sure.” Sandra rolled her eyes and flipped open her cell phone to check the time. “Oh crap
, Mark, we better get going if we want to catch the movie.” She spun out of his grasp.

“Let’s roll, babe. Leo
, my boy, later on.” Scruffy extended his hand again for another handshake and we hugged again.

“Later on, Scruff. Have fun, but not too much fun,” I kidded the young couple.

“I hope that’s not the case at all. I hope we have
waaaaaaayyyy
too much fun!” Scruffy pushed at a disgusted Sandra, who stuck her tongue out at him.

“Speaking of that, take care of my boy
, Shade. He’s innocent and child-like. I don’t want him coming back all corrupted by your ways.”

“Oh yeah. Okay, you got it there, Scruffy.”

“You better watch him, Sandra, he’s already feisty!” I warned as we climbed into my car.