The Awakener (4 page)

Micah’s gaze remained fixed on the painting long after the McCarthy’s had left.
I can’t believe Eden saw the woman.
With his dad helping his mom with the dinner dishes and Caleb talking on his cell phone, no one noticed him slip back into his dad’s study. He wasn’t entirely sure what he wanted, he just felt a need—an insatiable hunger. Scanning the desk, he realized he was searching for something specific.
Not here.
He turned and spied it lying on the chair where he’d left it earlier that night, the leather Bible.

Anxious to open it, he decided he might have more privacy in his bedroom.
He was at the base of the staircase when his mom came into the front entry.

“That was a fun night.
Looks like you and Eden really hit it off.” Her eyes spied the book in his hands. “Did you have a nice time?”

“Yeah.”
He felt bad leaving her standing there, but the need for answers was overwhelming. “Good night, Mom,” he called, jogging up the stairs, feeling her eyes on him the whole way.

Shutting the door to his
room, he sank into his recliner, turning on the floor lamp next to him. His hands seemed to have mind of their own, his fingers rifling through the book. The pages stopped turning and he tilted it toward the light. It was the Old Testament, in the book of Samuel.

And Samuel answered Saul, and said, I am the seer: go up before me unto the high place; for ye shall eat with me today, and tomorrow I will let thee go, and will tell thee all that is in thine heart.

Micah typed one word into his laptop’s search engine bar. The room brightened at the same time he felt her presence. He glanced up to see her standing over him, the hem of her red dress almost touching his feet.

He was exuberant.
She’s back.

She leaned over and pointed at the page.

“What? You like what I read?” he asked.

She nodded, smiling.

“So, what’s it mean?” he asked.

Her eyes flicked to his computer screen, where the search results for
Seer
had popped up.

Micah followed her gaze and read aloud, “A person who sees, an observer, a person who prophesies of future events, a prophet, a person who has special powers of divination, a crystal gazer, or palmist.”
He stared at her, “Is that why I see you? I’m sort of a seer?”

Her lips puckered and then her finger rested on the page in the Bible.

He re-read the four words she was pointing at.
“I am the seer.”

She nodded once. With her so
near, he had to fight the temptation to touch her.
She looks so real, tangible…

Then his bedroom was gone, replaced with a tunnel-like room with marble floors and walls lined with statues.
This is new, no black monsters,
he thought, relieved.
He saw himself in vision staring at a statue: a Roman or Greek bust of a man. A guy with a stocky frame walked up and Micah immediately recognized it to be his cousin Trent; the brown hair spiked with hair gel in every direction was a dead giveaway. The room disappeared, replaced with St. Peter’s Cathedral looming before him, lit up, glowing orange against the black night. Though he had never been there, he recognized it from his parents’ vacation pictures. Then it was all gone, his bedroom returning.

He inhaled sharply, trying to reorient himself.
He gazed up at the woman. “So you want me to go to Italy still?”

She nodded, her black hair bobbing with her movement.

“Micah?” his mom’s voice called at the same time there was a knock at his door. “Can we come in?”

The woman was gone before his mom had finished talking.

“Yeah, sure,” he said, disappointed.
It’d been the first time they’d actually conversed.

His mom and dad walked in as Micah stood up.
His mom announced, “Micah, we need to talk.”

“Ok.” He dreaded the conversation they were about to have.
His parents sat on the bench at the foot of his bed, so he opted for his recliner again. His mom’s eyes glanced at the Bible on the desk next to him.

“We’ve been worried about you lately,” she paused, “We’re thrilled you want to learn about religion but
…” She hesitated.

His dad jumped in
. “It’s not healthy the way you’re going about it. You’re not sleeping. You’re hardly eating. You aren’t acting like yourself. When was the last time you went outside and played ball?”

Micah waited, not sure what to say.
He sort of doubted saying,
But Dad, I’m the Seer
, would improve their opinion on the matter.

“Micah, hon, we don’t think you should go anymore,” his mom said quietly.

He stared at his parents. “What do you mean, to Rome?”

His parents exchanged a glance.
His dad responded, “It’s not a good idea, son. We’ve made an appointment with Dr. Childs—”

“No way, I’m good.
I don’t need a doctor. I
need
to go to Rome.” He didn’t mean to bark his words. His mom’s brow knitted together as his dad crossed his arms.

Micah took a deep breath in.
I need to calm down
. “I’m not trying to worry you. I think what I’m going through is normal.”
Total lie, seeing ghosts isn’t normal
, he thought. “Dad, you can’t tell me you didn’t try to figure out the world when you were seventeen. At least I’m reading the Bible and not,” he stopped, opting for better words, “doing other things.”

His dad must have understood his meaning and sighed
. “You’re probably right.”

“Jared,” his mom sputtered.

His dad turned to his mom. “Lacey, he’s got a point. He’s a good kid. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to know about God and religion.” His gaze returned to Micah. “But you’ve got to promise us you’ll take care of yourself. Don’t read all the time. Get outside.”

Micah nodded.
“I promise. Thanks, Dad.”

His parents didn’t stay long after that.
Lying in his bed that night, Micah’s mind replayed the verse he’d read over and over.

I am the seer: go up before me unto the high place; for ye shall eat with me today, and tomorrow I will let thee go…

For some reason, the last phrase made him think of Eden.
Funny, we did eat dinner together and now I’m leaving.

And tomorrow I will let thee go…

“I’m serious, Eden. Andrew digs you,” Jessie said again. When Eden remained silent, she added, “Hello, earth to Eden.”

“Huh, what
?” she answered, her eyes focusing on her friend, who was sprawled across her bed, lying on her stomach.

Jessie shoved her math book aside as she sat up. “Did you even hear what I said?”

Eden eyed the book, now teetering at the edge of the mattress. “Y-e-s.”

“Liar, you’ve got no idea what I’ve been saying for the past ten minutes, do you?
Why aren’t you excited? Andrew’s way cute.”

She considered her friend’s words before it registered. “Wait, you think Andrew likes me?
Jessie, you’re crazy.”

“No way, he stares at you like the whole time during trig.
He’s always talking to you too.”

“He’s teasing me, making fun of me.
I’m pretty sure that means he does
not
like me.”

“Whatever, I know what I see
—”

Jessie’s words were cut off by Eden’s mom hollering
. “Eden, phone’s for you.”

Eden jumped up off the floor, her own math book falling from her lap, and ran to the door.
Her mom met her in the hall, handing her the cordless phone.

“Hello,” she said, returning to her bedroom, where Jessie was off the bed, peering at herself in the mirror, fiddling with her red curls.

“Hey, what’s up?”

Eden instantly knew the voice; it was one she longed to hear almost daily now.

“Nothing. How ‘bout you?” she answered, trying to ignore Jessie mouthing the words
who is it
over and over.

“Not much.
Just getting everything ready, you know.”

“Yeah, bet you’re excited
, right?”

Micah sighed
. “I guess. Hey, can you come over?”

She swallowed.
“Sure.”

“I’m leaving pretty early in the morning, and…
well, I’d like to say good-bye.”

She struggled to keep her voice even with the lump lodged in her throat. “Ok, yeah, me too.”

Jessie was now throwing her hands up. “Eden, who the heck is it—?”

“I can come get you if you want,” Micah offered.

Eden waved her hand at her friend to be quiet as she said, “Ok, thanks.”

“See you in ten.”
He hung up and Eden stared at the receiver.

Jessie’s hands were on her hips.
“So?”

“It was Micah.
Guess it’s time to say good-bye.”

“Oh well, good riddance if you ask me.”

“Jessie, Micah’s my—”

“Best friend, yeah, I know.
But the dude’s popular and cocky.”

“Micah’s
not
cocky.”

“Ok, well
, maybe he’s not, but all his friends are stuck up. And don’t even get me started on his girlfriend, ugh, gag me.”

Eden smiled, agreeing full-heartedly with Jessie on that point.

“I just don’t want you to get hurt, Eden,” Jessie sighed. “Micah’s not like us. And I know how you feel about him.” Jessie cut off Eden’s protests, “Don’t even try to deny it, I can totally tell you like him. Just remember, Micah thinks of you as a friend, nothing more. He’s got a girlfriend, Megan, the biggest—”

“Trust
me, I know where I stand with Micah. And we
are
just friends, anyway.”

“Ok.”
Jessie grinned, raising an eyebrow. “Now Andrew, on the other hand…”

Eden was not happy to be home alone waiting.
Jessie left soon after the phone call, her dad was working late, and her mom had taken Brendon and his friends bowling. Since seeing the woman at Micah’s house, she jumped at shadows, turned on lights in every room, peeked under beds, behind shower curtains, and in closets just to make sure.

What was strange to her was how easily she fell asleep at night.
It was like a calming blanket wrapped around her, leaving her feeling safe and relaxed. She’d never felt anything like it before.

The living room darkened as the sun went behind the clouds.
She hurried to the light switch, flipping it on.

There, that’s better.

Spying a novel she’d left on the end table, she moved to grab it, and heard a resounding thump upstairs. She froze.
Is it another ghost?

Eyes searching the room, she remained planted, terrified to move. The blood pounded in her ears, making it hard to hear.

Just the house settling, nothing’s going to happen,
she reassured herself.

There was a firm knock and she sprinted for the front door, throwing it open.

Micah filled the
doorframe. “Hey, ready to go?”

“Yep
.” She practically shoved him out of the way, trying to escape.

He stepped back. “Well, ok then.”

Once inside his Ford F-350, she finally felt safe. She ignored the nagging fact she’d only seen the supernatural while with Micah.
Seeing a ghost without him would be way worse.

He threw the truck into reverse, pulling out of the parking lot.
He was quiet as they drove.

She peeked over.
He turned, their eyes meeting briefly. She glanced away.

“So you leave tomorrow?”

“Yeah.”

“You don’t sound excited.”

He made a sound, somewhere between a grunt and a hum, then said, “I know I need to go, so I guess that’s enough for me.”

She stared at him.
His eyes were focused on the road, one hand on the steering wheel, the other arm resting on the cushion between them.

“You
need
to go to Rome?” she probed.

He glanced over and smiled.
“Saw another vision.” He laughed. “Man, I sound nuts.”

“No,” she asserted, realizing she believed him.
“You don’t actually.”

He glanced over again, but said nothing.

Micah’s mom was chatting to Eden as they chopped carrots and potatoes together.
Micah sat on the bar stool watching; it was a comforting sight. How many times had he sat at these stools as a kid with Eden, staring wide-eyed and hungry as his mom prepared snacks for them? He smiled to himself. Now, Eden stood taller than his mom did, which wasn’t hard since Lacey was probably 5’4”. Micah had passed her up years ago.

“Micah, your dad’s going to
be back soon from the airport with Trent. Are you sure you packed everything?” his mom asked.

“Yes.”
He wanted to add,
You’ve only asked me a hundred times
… but he didn’t want to spoil the moment.

He gazed at Eden; her lips
were pulled together, a crease between her brows. He knew she was concentrating her efforts on slicing the carrots evenly. It was the face she’d made since they were kids, only now her lips were fuller, and the effect it had on him was… different.

“Hey
Mom, care if I show Eden something?” he asked, rising to his feet.

His mom didn’t look up from the potatoes she was shoveling into a pot of boiling water, “Sure hon, that’s fine.”

Eden glanced up from her task, her brows remaining bent.
Funny how I can still read her. Now she’s curious.

He grinned at her
. “Come on, it’s out back.”

Eden’s feet sloshed through the damp grass, which got longer the further back they wandered.
Snow in January was rare in Richmond and its suburbs, but cold, drizzly rain was not. The trees were getting closer together as they trudged on, the fading light of day harder to see. She stayed close behind Micah, preferring to follow his path through the woods.

When he paused abruptly, she collided into his backside.

“Sorry.”

He turned around partway and she saw why he’d stopped. “The tree house!”
she gasped.

“Remember all the good times we had in there?” he asked, grinning.

“Yeah.” His smile was infectious and she beamed back at him.

She stepped forward, resisting the urge to fly up the ladder.
The square fort nestled in an old oak had been there as long as she could remember. When she and Micah were about three and four, their dad’s had built it together. Being engineers, they crafted a two-bedroom tree house with a pitched roof, four windows, a ladder ascending into the middle of the larger main room, and a fireman pole and tire swing off the sides.

She gazed up at the rusted telescope poking through one of the many spy holes.

“And I remember you made
me
play the dragon every time too. I never got to be the princess or damsel in distress—”

“What?” he cut in, “A knight needs something to fight!
Besides, you hated princess crap anyway. Don’t lie,” he stated, when she scoffed at him. “You loved being the dragon because you got to kill me.”

“You’re right. I did like killing you
over
and
over
again.”

“Hey, as I recall I wasn’t
that
bad.” He gave her a crooked smile that left her insides feeling like jelly.

“Think it’s safe?” she asked, touching the ladder.

“Only one way to find out.” Micah was bounding up the steps with her right on his heels.

Something magical about this place
, she thought as she playfully pushed him out of the way once they climbed inside. When he shoved her back with a mischievous grin, she corrected herself,
No, there’s something magical about Micah.

He peered through the telescope.
“Pretty dirty, but still works.”

“See any monsters?” She moved behind him.

He turned unexpectedly, bringing his face close to hers.

His eyebrows knit together.
“Eden, can I tell you something?”

“Sure.”

He exhaled and she waited.

“I do see monsters.”
She surveyed their surroundings and he added, “Not now. I mean, I see them in my sleep, in visions. I guess that’s what I’m calling them.”

“You do?”
Her skin crawled.

“Yeah.
It’s kind of freaky.” His eyes searched hers.

“Totally freaky.
What are they?”

His shoulders hitched up as his brows relaxed.
“Don’t know. They look black, sort of human. They have arms and legs. All I can ever make out is their red eyes though and,” he frowned, “they’re always chasing me.”

She stared back at him, his expression almost pleading.
He needs to tell someone,
she realized.
Wonder why not Megan?

“That’s creepy.
What does it mean?”

“I don’t know.
That woman told me I’m the Seer, so maybe that’s why.”

“Seer?”

“I think it means I’m sort of a prophet. I see dreams, visions of what’s going to happen. I’ve seen Trent and me in Rome, so maybe I’ll learn more there.”

As much as she hated him
leaving, she understood and nodded.

She was surprised when he said, “Thanks.”

“For what?”

“Believing me.”

She gazed back at him, afraid to say anything.
Another stupid lump in my throat.

“Man, I’m going to miss,” he hesitated, “it here.”

She was confused by his closeness, so she deflected with humor. “Mm, Bon Air High or the Coliseum? It’s a pretty tough decision. I can see why you’re torn.”

He scratched his forehead, smiling, “I know, right?”
Then his gaze was intense. “But you won’t be there.”

“Like you’ll miss me!”

“I will,” he insisted.

Not as bad as I’m going to miss you.
She shook her head, determined not to take him seriously. “There’s so much to see and do there. You’re going to have the time of your life….” Her words faded as he took a step toward her.

“I wish you were coming with me.”
His eyes were focused on her
.

Objectivity was getting harder.
Friends don’t act like this, do they?

“Your cousin’s going to keep you company.
I’m sure you’ll make lots of friends.”              

“
Yeah, you’re probably right.” His eyes searched her face. “I’m glad you’re here. You make me feel,” he paused, “normal again.”

That she could understand.
He was seeing monsters and ghosts now. It was probably comforting to have a friend to tell.

She grinned back at him. “Normal’s my thing.”

She didn’t see him move, until his arms were already around her, hugging her.
Her heartbeat became erratic.

I don’t think I’m breathing anymore.

His hand brushed the hair from her face, his fingers warm against her skin. It felt so natural, like they’d done this a thousand times before.
But we never did this as kids…

The euphoria shattered with a loud bang from below.
“Time to stop making out, Micah,” a masculine voice called out in a fake, high-pitched, singsong voice.

The spell
broken, they stepped apart.

Through the hole in the floor, a boy emerged.
His spiky, brown hair came first, followed by a lean frame.

“Trent!” Micah slugged his cousin in the shoulder, who stood inches below him.

Eden met Trent once before, when they were kids. All she remembered was a boy two years older than she was, who teased her mercilessly. He looked the same, except bigger, built like a wrestler.