Finding Me (11 page)

Chris immediately pointed to me, sitting motionless and stupefied on the bed. Everyone turned and looked at me in surprise, as if I were invading their privacy. A petite girl about my age with long jet-black hair, a kind face, and beautifully large midnight-colored eyes, bounced on the bed and threw her arms around my neck. She squealed with obvious delight. I, out of impulse, recoiled from her touch.

“Amanda –” she started, Chris promptly cut her off.

“She calls herself Chloe.” He gave me a reassuring grin. My mouth twisted up at one side and my brows creased together. It was my version of a smile under the present circumstances.

I moved to stand beside Chris. Actually, behind him, so he separated me from the others. I didn’t want to take any chances. He reached back and put his hand around my waist, caused a current of pleasure to rip through me. Waves of delight flooded my body where his hand caressed my side. I lingered in that touch for an immeasurable amount of time. However, Chris’s next words drew me from my trance.

“Everybody, this is Chloe. She doesn’t remember anything. Sorry, Sam.” He motioned to the pixie girl seated on my bed. Her face twisted, lips pursed, saddened. A pang of guilt tugged at me for reacting as I had. But I didn’t know her or any of the others. From Chris’s statement and their looks of what I could only interpret as disappointment, it appeared as if I should.

“Chloe,” he said. He turned to face me and locked the fingers of my hand with his own. “This is everyone. This is Sam, the sad-faced girl sitting on your bed.” He pointed to the girl who’d thrown her arms around me. She waved hello, scooted off the bed, and then stood back with the others. A tear appeared under her large eyes as she moved.

“This is Joseph.” He pointed to the big guy that had spoken upon their entry. He had his arms wrapped tight around Sam as if they were a couple. She leaned back on him with her eyes cast down.

“This is Scott and Jill.” He motioned to the couple standing closest to him. Both Scott and Jill favored one another as if they were twins. She had the reddest hair I’d ever seen falling in long ringlets down her back. They were dressed formally, not like normal high school students. He wore a black tuxedo, and she a full-length red gown that had a long split that ran up the length of her right thigh and a train that she had draped over her left arm. I could tell she was badass. Through her gown I could see she had an athletic build and seemed to case my bedroom as they were introduced. She continually pivoted and allowed her eyes to encompass the room a few times before she seemed to relax. I assumed she did this to make sure no one crept up on us. Why someone would creep up on us, at least in my bedroom, was beyond my comprehension. But so were people appearing out of thin air, yet here they stood.

“This is Phillip and Raja,” he said. He gestured toward the final couple and I immediately recognized the girl he called Raja. She was the girl in the red tee from the memorial service. I smiled: she was real. So that meant I wasn’t crazy.

No. You aren’t crazy. The girl who disappeared at school the other day has now materialized in front of your eyes. In your bedroom nonetheless. And she doesn’t appear thrilled to see you at all. Her lips were pulled in a tight line and her dark, already slanted eyes were narrowed and glaring at Chris and me.

“All right, Raja,” Chris said. “I have a theory about that.” I looked at Raja. She hadn’t spoken a single word. I looked up at Chris bewildered. Why had he said that?

“I know,” Raja answered back, nostrils flaring, at Sam who obviously asked some unspoken question also. “That does sound like a possibility given the circumstances.”

Now they could read each other’s minds. How the hell was I going to keep up with them?
Do I even want to?
I was thoroughly confused. Though I tried to contain my emotions, I could barely keep a frown from clouding my face.
What are they talking about?
I wanted to scream.
I need answers and someone had better start supplying them before I totally lose it.

Chris turned and looked at me with a grin, “I’m sorry. You’re right we’re going to explain this to you. I promise.”

“No fair. You can hear her,” Sam said. She folded her arms over her chest and pouted. Joseph, who must have been her boyfriend, pulled her closer, grabbed her hand, and cradled her in his arms.

“She belongs with me, Sam. She’s my soul mate. You heard Joseph’s voice first, remember?” he said. He sounded sympathetic to the pretty pixie girl’s plight. Something I didn’t understand again.

“I know. I just...miss her is all,” she said. She looked at her small hand, engulfed in Joseph’s massive hand and the tears she held in spilled down her slender face. Joseph rubbed her cheeks, gently wiping away the tears. She looked up at him with large hazel eyes and a slight smile.

It was weird for her to say she missed me. I had no idea who she was. If I’d seen her on the street, I would’ve walked right by her.

“If it’s any consolation she continually blocks me. I can only hear her sometimes, and it’s usually fragments, not complete sentences,” Chris said. “Maybe if we all work together we can get through to her.”

Chris turned and looked at me without speaking. They all faced me. Without warning, a low hum echoed from every corner of the room. I couldn’t detect initially where it came from, but after a couple seconds it was clear that they were making the noise. I didn’t know what to do. I shrank from their stares. I wanted to run out of the room, but Chris’s eyes stopped me. He held me spellbound with his sultry stare.
But
God, this is so weird.

“It’s no use, Chris. She’s fighting us too hard. We can’t get through to her. Either she’s extremely powerful or she’s not who we think she is,” said Scott. He pulled on the black bowtie he wore until the fabric collapsed and the material hung loosely from his neck.

“She is. I can feel her,” Chris said. His eyes narrowed and his face serious, he stared with an intensity that left me breathless. “And she can feel me. But you’re right, she’s fighting it...us. There are long periods that I simply lose her. Like she’s vanished from Earth. Terrifies the hell out of me.”

“I’m. Right. Here,” I said, waving my hands. “What am I fighting? Who is Amanda? For God’s sake tell me what’s going on!” I exhaled a deep breath and clenched my jaw. I was on the verge of tears and knew if they began, I couldn’t stop them.

“You’re fighting who you are,” said Raja. She held her lips in a tight line and crossed her arms over her chest. How could she be irritated with me for apparently no reason?

“What we all are,” said Sam.

“Who we need you to be,” said Chris. He gazed at me and stroked the side of my face. It caused havoc to my respiratory system.

“Who or what is that,” I asked. Trepidation built a mile high now.
Did I want to know?

“A superhero,” Sam said with a sideways grin.

“What?” was all I could get out as my brain shut down and I stared at Chris in disbelief.

Chapter 11

“A superhero,” I said, mouth agape. I rolled my eyes and backed up a foot from them. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“We are not joking. We need you to take your role seriously. We need you to be Amanda. A heroine,” said Raja. She narrowed her eyes at me and shook her head.

“A preserver of good and a destroyer of evil,” said Jill. She flexed her muscular arms. Yeah, she looked like she could kick some major butt.

“A soul mate,” said Chris. A crooked smile played at his lips as if he thought I might object to that. The use of the word “soul mate” was confusing. I understood, though. It was a seldom-used term, not something I’d hear someone I knew say. But he was nothing like any teenager I’d ever known. It made my insides melt that he thought of me that way. I’d take that job any day. Well, I needed to get answers first, and then I’d happily be with him.

“I get it. You all think I’m some superhero. Which I must note is the most insane thing I’ve ever heard. Anyone who knows me knows I’m not a superhero.” Everyone frowned – except for Chris who smirked at my words. “Um, also, not sure who this Amanda chick is, but I’m not her. That said, you still haven’t answered any real questions. I need answers. Now.” Yeah, the chicken in me was subdued for the moment.

If they thought I was a superhero then they also believed I was powerful. So I could get away with a small hissy fit until they realized they came to the wrong house.
Or planet.

“Okay, princess. Sit down before I tell you this. And promise to allow me to explain everything before you interrupt. Do you promise?” Chris asked. He wasn’t smirking and his face was serious. I swallowed hard.

“Yes,” I whispered, breathless. He smiled and pushed me to sit on the bed. My pulse quickened and my heartbeat accelerated again. I’d finally understand why this was happening to me and why they seemed so comfortable around this madness. I sat on my bed and braced myself for a scientific-experiment-gone-wrong story…or something like that.

“All of us in this room comprise a…team. We’ve existed for decades in five other universes for the sole purpose of stopping the potential destruction of all humankind,” Chris said hurriedly, bunching the words together.

Despite my promise, I found the story hilarious and howled with laughter. I had to hold my abdomen as the laughter shook my body. I laughed so hard my sides cramped and I teared up. No one said anything, moved or joined in the laughter. So, after some time, I quieted. It wasn’t fun if no one else joined in. And maybe I’d gone a little mad because maybe it wasn’t that funny.

“Are you serious?” I asked. I needed to calm myself. These kids could rip me apart, I reminded myself. “If you don’t want to tell me then–”

“You agreed to not interrupt,” the girl named Raja said, frowning at me. “Would you like me to restrain her mouth and hands, Chris?” She took a step toward me. I jumped and cringed behind Chris. She was wicked scary! Note to self: try to stay on her good side.

Chris pushed me back to the bed and continued, unperturbed by my interruption and not taking Raja up on her offer. “Six separate universes exist in the Milky Way Galaxy. Each of us has existed on all of them for the purpose of capturing the being that will be responsible for the death of every human in all six universes.”

“Ooookay,” I said, frowning up at him. I didn’t particularly see how that had anything to do with me or my supposed superpowers. Was he saying I was from these other universes – one of the six he was referring to? I almost laughed again. But the stern expression on Raja’s face – those narrowed eyes and pursed lips – made me stop.
Chill, please.

“You’re a superhero sent to save the world,” Raja said. She appeared irked again by my reaction.
Seriously!
It was possible she was crazy if she believed all this. I wasn’t certain if crazy people had much of a sense of humor. So maybe I shouldn’t expect a smile from her anytime soon.

“On each universe when we reach the age of twelve we become enlightened to our true purpose. After enlightenment, we find each other and actively seek the ENO until we die,” Chris continued.

“What is an ENO?” I looked directly at Chris and no one else. I didn’t even want to look at Raja.
Was crazy contagious?

“The ENO stands for Enemy Number One. He’s our target. We suspect he’s the reason for our powers. We made up the name ENO a few lives ago as a joke. But it stuck. It’s not scientific, but we’re only teenagers.” This amused everyone else and they doubled over. I gawked at them. I didn’t understand what was so funny, which wasn’t entirely surprising.

“We’re supposed to find and destroy him. But he continually eludes us – he’s a crafty killer. He plans to destroy us, then all of our universes, starting with Earth’s first,” Chris finished explaining. I exhaled a deep breath and shook my head.
He’s too cute to be insane.

“He’s from some far away galaxy. We haven’t been able to pinpoint his exact home yet. Or who or what he really is. Before we can destroy him, however, we must determine how he plans to wipe out everyone else.” He rolled his head and his eyes in the direction of everyone else. “This part is proving to be the most difficult for us.”

“You left out a major detail,” said Sam. Chris shook his head in her direction. She scrunched her eyebrows together as if she might be upset, then nodded slowly. I recognized what they were doing. They were talking with their minds again.

Chris turned and looked at me. “I don’t think we should explain that yet.”
Oh great
,
there’s more.
I stared at the floor as my stomach flipped upside down. What were they keeping from me now?
Am I really a boy, a mermaid?
Or maybe I have two heads instead of one and only people from other universes can see it
–
or people who thought they were from other universes.
I looked up to find them engrossed in another of their private inner conversations. I collapsed on the edge of the bed. Heat rose and invaded my cheeks. I could feel an explosion ready to burst within me.

“Explain what?” I asked, my voice elevated an octave. This was all too creepy. Deep down I knew their story wasn’t entirely false, but could it be entirely true? And how could they leave me out of the conversation when they talked about me?

My entire life was devoted to doing the right thing. To making sure everyone around me was okay with the decisions I made. Now I’m supposed to just be okay with having to devote the remainder of my life to a cause that I didn’t understand and couldn’t fathom?

I wanted to scream. To really howl. I wanted to claw at someone. To throw a proper tantrum, to cry until my tears filled this whole house. I wanted to hit someone. Instead, I did what I thought was expected, as usual. I bit my lower lip and tried to follow their conversation.

Chris looked around at each of them and they each nodded . I assumed they were approving something he said to them, again using their minds to speak. Insanity, meet Chloe! Actually, we’re well acquainted.