The Childe (24 page)

“I wonder what I’ll find under here,” Rachel said inquisitively, peering under Cat’s bed. “I bet she hasn’t cleaned under here since last spring! Alas, dust bunnies,” she said taking the dust mop and sweeping side to side. The dust mop hit an object, sending it sliding across the old wooden floor. Rachel saw that it was a small brown book and picked it up. There was no title on the front cover or on the spine. Flipping through the pages, she noticed the elegant handwriting and realized it was a journal.
This doesn’t look like Cat’s handwriting,
she thought to herself. Rachel let out a gasp as she read the last line of the page that was ear marked. Dropping her dust mop, she ran downstairs to call Sam.

Sam sat behind his humongous ornate wooden desk having just released his class. Surveying the room, he loved what he saw. He had obtained copies of some of the oldest maps in the world from Aldon and filled one wall with them. They never failed to impress him and his students. Shelves, around the edge of the room, were filled with artifacts from days gone by. There were books, globes and dioramas depicting important events from each century. Period clothing hung on another wall, of course scaled down, showing what people had worn from caveman to present. He realized most people thought of History as uninteresting, but not when they attended his class. Sam had a way of bringing the past to life.

Suddenly his classroom door flung open startling him, making him grab his desk to stop from falling out of his chair. This was his free period, he was not expecting anyone. One of his students, Stephanie Biers, who also worked in the front office, came rushing in. “Mr. Colvin! Mr. Colvin! Mrs. Colvin needs you at home right away!” she said breathless from running all the way from the front office.

“Did she say what was wrong?” he asked worriedly.

“No, she just said it was an emergency!” Stephanie exclaimed.

Sam sprang to his feet, dumped his books in his briefcase and followed her down the hall, overtaking her as he ran for the exit. Driving home, Sam reached for his cell phone, frustrated as he remembered he left it on the kitchen counter that morning. He pressed down the accelerator, speeding up a little.
Try not to go over the speed limit too much,
he thought. Pulling into his driveway, Sam slammed the car in park and ran to the porch as Rachel threw open the front door. He saw that she was frazzled and fidgety. She tried to hand him something but he ignored the item and took her in his arms, pulling her close. “Rachel what’s wrong, are you alright? Is something wrong with the kids?”

She pulled away. “Sam I was cleaning Cat’s room and I found this under her bed. I didn’t know what to do. Read the last line on the marked page,” she said thrusting the small brown book to his chest. He grabbed it and led Rachel to the living room, gently pushing her down on the couch. Sitting beside her, he opened it and started to read. His eyes filled with worry. “Oh Sam! You don’t think Cat suspects anything, do you?”

“Of course not, she would’ve come to us with questions. Don’t worry honey, everything will be okay,” he replied grabbing her in a hug and pulling her close. He only hoped he was right.

“Do you think we should tell Aldon?” Sam shook his head.

“No, I think we should just wait. Aldon has enough to contend with right now. We will keep this between us. And I’ll find a safe place to hide this. Teenagers are always losing things. Cat won’t give it a second thought,” he replied smiling reassuringly at his wife.

Cat’s day was moving along at a snail’s pace. With the big regional swim meet later that day she could hardly concentrate on her morning classes. Even with that on her mind, her thoughts kept wandering back to the night on the beach.
Why are all these weird things happening to me? Who was that creepy guy in that costume? And why did I feel so drawn to the barren clearing? So many questions. I wish I had someone to talk to. Someone who wouldn’t think I’m totally nuts.

At lunch, her friends gathered around and talked about how she was going to win all of her events. She laughed it off. “I guess you guys have more faith in me than I do.”

“Come on Cat,” drawled Amanda in her recently acquired southern accent. Her mom had been watching some classic westerns when she came home the night before, and she sat down and watched them with her. “With us cheering you on, you’ll definitely win, right y’all?”

Matt rolled his eyes. “Yes Miss Scarlett, of course she’ll win.” He flinched as Amanda slugged him in the arm. Elle covered her mouth, muffling a giggle.

“How dare you make fun of my Southern roots, Master Matthew!” Amanda said looking at him with disdain. “You’re just jealous because I’m a refined lady and you’re a scoundrel!” The group laughed and left the cafeteria, Amanda still punching his arm.

Walking away from her locker heading to the pool, Cat glanced down the next hallway. She saw Isaac and Ryan in a heated conversation. Ryan’s body language screamed anger as did Isaac’s. Wishing she could hear what was going on between them, Cat rounded back behind the corner and hid, still watching them.
I wonder if I could read their minds,
she thought. Concentrating, she heard nothing.
Great, just when I want to hear people’s thoughts, I can’t
. She wished she could at least read Ryan’s mind. Since the dance he seemed more distant. When she confronted him about it all he would say was, “It’s complicated”.
Complicated? Really? Why do boys have to be so frustrating? Either he likes me or he doesn’t!
During a recent study session she asked him if he wanted her to find another tutor. She was strangely happy to hear the resounding
“No”
he fired back at her.

“Hey Cat you better hurry up and get to the parking lot or the bus will leave without you.” a voice interrupted her thoughts.

Turning, she saw Michelle, Coach Hutchins’s assistant. “Oh crap! Thanks Michelle!” Cat huffed, rushing off.

“Good luck Cat!” Michelle called down the hall.

“Thanks!” Cat yelled back over her shoulder as she struggled with her duffle bag.

“I know what you’re doing Isaac and it has to stop.” Ryan glared at him.

“What am I doing exactly, and to whom am I doing it to?” Isaac replied innocently.

“I’m tired of your
almighty
attitude. And since when were you made the leader of our group?” Ryan lashed back.

“I guess you didn’t get the memo,” he replied with a smirk.

“I’m warning you, stay away from Cat! Leave her alone!” Ryan growled grabbing a hold of Isaac’s shirt and pushing him up against the locker.

“I’m the one that needs to stay away from Cat? What about you?” Isaac asked shoving him back. “You’re lucky you’re like my brother, or I would’ve decked you just now. Try that again Beckford and see what happens!” he said coldly.

“How many times do I have to tell you that I’m her tutor and that’s all! Anyway, the real question is, were you at the beach Saturday? Taylor said Cat was harassed by a vampire!”

“Don’t be stupid, I hate the beach! Why would I go to the beach! And besides, if it was me or any member of our group, don’t you think she would’ve said so! Besides, I’m tired of playing games with her pathetic little group. Taylor’s just trying to cause problems and of course you fell for it, hook, line and sinker. And if there really was a vampire, maybe it was a good thing he went after Cat! Maybe things should be shaken up more in this crummy town!” His smirk turned to an evil grin.

“How do you think the parents would react, if they knew you were harassing someone protected by our enemies?” Ryan asked.

“I think they’d be more upset hearing you have a crush on her!”

“You can threaten all you like Isaac but you know that I’m right about this. So give it up!” he whispered angrily, slamming his locker and making his way down the hall, leaving Isaac glaring at his retreating back.

Walking into the locker room at the Aquatic Center, Cat almost ran into Amelia. “Watch where you’re going! Oh, it’s you! Miss Catherine Colvin herself,” Amelia said smugly. Cat apologized quickly and walked on to her locker. She was thankful Amelia swam in different events. It was bad enough Cat was in an event with Kirsten. One pre-Madonna was all she could handle.

Quickly changing into her suit and grabbing her swim cap, Cat found her exit blocked by Amelia. “I think we need to have a little chat, you and I. First, about Hannah. You apparently are very stupid, or maybe just naïve, to think you can be friends with her. She belongs to us. Get it?” A melia said pointing her long red fingernail in Cat’s face. “Next, keep your hands off Ryan! I know he’s your tutor, but just know we’re not happy with the situation. If I were you I’d ask for another tutor ASAP. You don’t want to cross me, fire crotch! If that is even your natural hair color,” she whispered snidely with an evil smirk. Putting on her swim cap Amelia continued, “This is your last warning. Now run along little kitty, I’ve got to stretch,” she said letting her pass.

Cat walked to the door shaking her head completely stunned.
Why are they so threatened by me? Does she really think I’m going to listen? Well she has another thing coming. I’ll show her!
She thought, shoving her hair into her cap and angrily pushing open the door to the pool.

The bleachers were packed. People had to stand around the pool filling all available space. Cat spotted her parents, her friends, her Great Uncle Aldon and Great Aunt Druanna sitting two rows up from the front on the Astoria high side. A bright red haired man slipped through the crowd and took a seat by her mother. It was her Uncle Michael, Rachel’s brother. He was a priest in a small parish in Madison. He noticed Cat watching and began waving, calling out her name. She waved back smiling.

Elle, as the Panther, gave two thumbs up to Cat for a little encouragement and then turned to cheer again. Matt, Amanda and Julie sat in the front row holding a banner reading,
“Go Cat Go!”
Cat spied Taylor standing by one of the exit doors with his group of friends. She groaned as she saw Isaac and his clique also in the stands. She noticed Ryan was absent. Quickly scanning the room she saw most male eyes were focused on the end of the pool where Amelia and Kirsten were stretching their perfect bodies.

“Cat, Cat!” A voice floated across the pool. She saw Linda sitting by her brother on the Madison side. She thought back to the conversation she had with Linda over the phone the other night. Linda had told her that her brother’s girlfriend Mindy was competing against her and that secretly she was still rooting for Cat. Cat waved as Linda pointed a finger at her and mouthed, “behind you”. She turned and saw Mindy’s smiling face.

“Hey Cat! I heard we’re swimming the last freestyle event together, hope you can keep up!” Mindy said jokingly.

“I’ll hold my own,” Cat replied with a cheeky grin.

“Don’t look now but the Goth Queen is giving you the evil eye. What did you do?” Mindy asked nodding toward Amelia.

“Well, the simple fact that I’m here bothers her,” Cat replied glaring at Amelia.

“At least we don’t swim against her,” Mindy whispered. “Have you ever watched her closely when she swims? I don’t know how she does it. But she starts out neck and neck with everyone, and then all of a sudden it’s like she goes into super human mode and beats them by a mile,” she explained with a serious look on her face.

“Now that I think about it, I’ve noticed that too. But I just figured it was my imagination,” she replied looking at Amelia.

“Well, I better get my butt over to the winning side.

Good luck, Cat!”

“Yeah, you too,” Cat called out watching her walk away, noticing Amelia’s cold stare as Mindy passed her. Ignoring her, Cat scanned the crowd again looking for Ryan but couldn’t find him.

Cat was scheduled to swim in two events that day. Unfortunately for her nerves, they were the last two. She stood by stretching and watching the other races, her team winning most of them. Amelia won both of hers, proving her point, that she didn’t have to attend practices. Kirsten won her first race by a few inches.

At last, Cat stood on the blocks and waited for the starting signal. Minutes later she touched the wall and looked up at Stephanie, one of her other teammates, to see her beaming and yelling, “Cat you came in first!” The stands erupted with cheers as she exited the pool and was immediately hugged by her teammates. Except for Amelia and Kirsten, who looked on unimpressed.