The Gateway Through Which They Came (21 page)

I try not to let my dreams get invaded by the Brethren of Shadows. Father Martin’s last words repeat themselves over and over. As I sleep, the letters form behind my eyelids, like a typewriter clicking each word into my brain:
These are things that can manipulate one’s soul to do ungodly things.

What if they’ve already gotten a hold on me? The thought of this brings a hungry ache deep in my soul, as if this alone is the answer.

No matter how hard I try to sleep, my dreams force me awake. The pounding of rain against my window brings no solace, unable to relieve the torture of my own thoughts. My eyes hardly function once I force myself out of bed. The hope of seeing Koren at school is what drags me out of the house and into my car. Paranoia eats at me everywhere I turn, taunting me. If I look one way, my mind envisions a shadow, lurking in the distance, oozing from the trees and the objects around it. When I look in the opposite direction, it follows, getting closer and closer.

My mind is being manipulated by fear and I force it out with every part of my being. I can’t let it get the best of me.

I follow the others students running into the main hall, escaping the heavy rain. My raincoat takes the brunt of the downpour, leaving me grateful I don’t have to walk around in sloshy clothes again. On my way to first period, the trigonometry door is open, so I decide to sit and wait for Koren to arrive. If she does.

I remove my jacket as I walk through the classroom door, shaking the raindrops to the floor, and stop cold.

Koren sits as her desk, carving at the upper corner, digging her initials deep into the surface.

Her hand halts midway, and slowly her head lifts up, turning toward me.

I’m breathless. It’s like everything starts and stops in this moment. She’s here, waiting for me. Not hanging with Justin somewhere, allowing him to grope at her in places I wish he’d never touched. Not gossiping with her friends, talking about the next school function or some overrated party. But here, staring back at me, like she’s completely forgotten they even exist.

“I knew you’d come looking for me,” she says. Her voice is unrecognizable, hollow. Under all her makeup, her eyes are sunken, the pout of her lips lacking luster, and her unkempt hair pulled into a loose ponytail.

Call me crazy, but even like this she’s beautiful. It doesn’t matter that she’s not the girl I remember, because she’s still Koren to me. The same Koren that kissed me under the mistletoe freshman year after the Christmas dance. The simple peck on the cheek meant more to me than she’ll ever know. She’s the same girl who cried in class while reading the death of
Romeo and Juliet
aloud, causing even me to choke up a little. And she’s the same girl that acts like nothing in the world can hold her down, but deep inside, she needs more help than anyone could possibly give.

I drift slowly forward, mesmerized as I slip into the desk beside her.

“I was worried about you,” I say.

“I know.” Her face looks as if it wants to smile, but her muscles are too weak.

“I went by your house.”

She stiffens in her seat.

“Where are your—?”

“Don’t, Aiden. Please. Not here.”

I reconsider, then say, “Let me help you.”

She scoffs. “How can you help me? You can’t even help yourself.”

“Tell me,” I beg her, leaning closer. “What is it you want me to do?”

With her finger, she traces the carved initials. “Did you go to church yesterday?”

I can’t lie. “Yes.”

She closes her eyes and bites down on her lip, like she’s fighting a strong emotion she can’t express.

“Why can’t I go to the church?” I stop her hand from tracing, bringing her attention back to me.

Her dull blue eyes lift to mine. “You can’t force things out of their home. They’ll seek vengeance and find their way back. Sometimes by manipulating the one pure thing you would never suspect.”

“Are you saying the church is tainted?” Could that explain the Bleeder, or whatever it was, inside the church Saturday morning?

“Among other things,” she says.

“Can you… see these things?” It never occurred to me that Koren could be like me, but nothing is impossible anymore.

A disturbing giggle escapes her lips. “Do you think you’re the only one who can do what you do?”

“Are you… are you like me?” The thrill of Koren being a Gateway erupts inside of me. Not that I’ve ever heard of a female Gateway before, but the idea can’t be that unlikely. Can it?

A playful smile pulls at the corners when she says, “Let’s just say, I’ve known about your little secret longer than you think. So from now on we’re working together.”

The bell rings after Koren’s confession. I’m putting it all together as I sit here, ignoring everything being said around me.

Koren’s known about my gift, for God knows how long. The night of our argument makes more sense. She knew I was hiding it from her. But how did she find out? That’s the question screaming in my brain for the next fifty minutes as Mrs. Kingsley gives her lecture. Koren is so quiet and focused. It’s like she’s completely un-phased by the simple fact that I’m a Gateway. A freakin’ vessel who lets the dead walk through him. And she’s listening to Mrs. Kingsley like she’s giving the most interesting lecture in the world.

What the hell is going on?

When class finally lets out, I grab Koren’s arm to stop her from leaving.

“Koren, wait.”

She looks at me, her face blank.

I keep my voice quiet since not everyone is gone just yet.

“How long?” I don’t have to finish that sentence for her to understand.

“Long enough,” she says, leaving it at that.

Throughout the day, it’s clear the dynamic between us has changed. I still can’t let go of what she’s told me, but interrogating her will have to happen another time. Definitely not while we’re in school. Until then, Koren follows alongside me in the halls, quiet and alert. Her presence is ghost-like, the way she floats about everywhere. She could almost go undetected, but the way people watch her, they’re curious and unsure. They’re beginning to notice that something about Koren doesn’t click. It’s something I’m still trying to figure out.

The cafeteria is packed as we make our way through the lunch line. I spot Trevor and Evan in our usual spot and head toward them. Koren follows with no hesitation. Evan sees us coming instantly. He smacks Trevor across the table and jerks his head in our direction. Trevor plays it off like he’s not surprised, but really his eyes are saying:
What the hell did I miss?

We place our trays on the table and Koren sits close beside me, sandwiching me between her and Trevor. She immediately begins to pick at her food, but doesn’t eat much. We each gawk at her like we’re expecting something incredible to happen. It’s not every day a girl like Koren Banks sits at our table. She doesn’t speak a word or acknowledge our awkward behavior, which leaves me feeling hopeless. I thought for certain she would say something about why we had to work together, but Koren remains just as mysterious as ever.

“So,” I take my eyes off her and look to them, “what did I miss this weekend?”

“Clearly not as much as— OW!” Evan shoots Trevor a dirty look.

Trevor ignores Evan, and says, “What are you two up to?”

“Um.” I look over at Koren, who shrugs. “You know, just hanging out.”

“Oh yeah?” Evan waggles his eyebrows at me. Does this man have no morals?

“Anyway,” Trevor interjects. “What did you end up doing…?”

The question trails off as Trevor’s eyes travel to the space behind me. I glance at Evan, whose eyes seem to be looking in the same direction. So I do what most people would do. I look. Behind me, Justin Chase stomps toward us, looking like a very angry (or should I say, jealous) boyfriend.

Fantastic. This is by no means familiar territory. Sure, we had our problems before, but this is flexing muscles and flaring nostrils. He’s looking for a fight… with me.

Is this guy serious?

Koren jumps to her feet, and like a gentleman, I follow. After all, isn’t this the asshole that forced her out of the chapel? I’m not about to let him terrorize her again.

“Justin. Don’t!” She pushes her palm against his chest, rocking him back. “This has nothing to do with you. Walk away before you make a scene.”

I stand ready behind her, glowering over her head at Justin. He steps closer, forcing me to do the same. Koren holds me back, looking from one to the other. My glare matches his, and the damn hum knocks against me again. From the corner of my eye, I spot Julie near the cafeteria door, frozen in place by our standoff. I hate her seeing me like this, but Justin brought this on himself.

Justin yanks Koren’s hand away from his chest, the force of it making me sweat with anger. I’ll break his hand before he touches her like that a second time. Her arm pushes harder against me, sensing what I’m preparing to do.

“Aiden,” she warns. “You need… to calm… down.”

Why is she saying this to me? He’s the one that needs to back off. Just looking at him makes my blood boil.

“This is why you’ve been avoiding me? Because of this jackass?” Justin points at me. I imagine snapping his finger. The delicious snap of his bone would make this all worthwhile.

With each move he makes, it gets harder to fight back the violent thoughts. The extreme temperature of my skin could glow if it were possible. I want to end this. To put a stop to Justin’s hold over her. It’s wrong to enjoy these vicious thoughts, considering he could be like me. Another Gateway. Are we supposed to fight against each other?

Koren’s hand flinches from my skin, like the very heat radiating from my body has projected through my clothes, but she doesn’t back down. Her eyes startle with surprise, glancing at her hand and back to me. Whatever she thinks of me right now, she doesn’t say. I can’t find it in me to care. All I can focus on is the way Justin is looking at her with domination.

She turns back to Justin, and over her shoulder, she says to me, “Aiden, please. Walk away.” The urgency in her tone tells me she knows. She knows that something inside me is tearing its way out. My feet won’t obey when I scream inside my head:
NOT HERE. NOT NOW. TURN AWAY.
But the words don’t sway me; the rage is too much. No, not just rage, the exhilaration. My body feels new, stronger. The more I allow this thing to consume me, the more rejuvenated I am. And as this thing inside grabs hold, I want to collapse into the blissfulness of its power. To live and breathe it. Become it, just as I felt in Redhead’s vision.

“Why are you defending him?” Justin demands, his words slamming me back into now. When Koren doesn’t respond, he grabs her wrist, tugging her hard into his chest.

I snap.

Everything’s a blur. The faces. Feet scuffling around us. The barrage of voices. I can’t tell if people are cheering or screaming with terror. Somewhere I can hear Trevor’s voice begging me to stop. I can’t hear the rest. I’m too busy focusing on my hand wrapped around Justin’s throat.

A voice leaves my lips, so unfamiliar and dark. “Touch her again and I will end you.”

Justin’s bloody lip quivers, his hands grasping my arm, trying his best to push it away. He’s too weak, his face turning odd shades of red as he fights to breathe. Father William’s voice yells from somewhere beyond the crowd, fighting his way through.

Justin’s futile efforts for air sputter spit down his face. The veins of his eyes become pronounced, ready to burst. His windpipe in my grip is vulnerable and capable of snapping with a simple crush of my hand. The worst thing of all is how badly I want to do it. The hunger to squeeze the life from him fuels my instincts, to snap his neck without hesitation. The want is thick and heavy in my throat like a thirst that can only be quenched by this one act.

Silence hushes over us, as if everyone suddenly registers the horror of my intentions.

Koren tugs and wrenches at my arm, pleading for me to stop.

“Let him go, Aiden! Put him down! Do you hear me? Aiden?” Her screams can be heard but it’s as if she’s in a tunnel. She’s so far away.

“AIDEN ORTIZ!” Father Williams’s voice crashes through the great distance where my conscience fled. The fierce sound barrels down on me, engulfing me completely.

I snap out of it, blinking back the haze. Justin’s pulse is weakening against my fingertips. And it’s then that I truly take in the sight of him. Justin is suspended in the air on the verge of passing out, or possibly something more fatal. He feels so weightless within my reach, my strength beyond anything I could imagine.

Startled, I loosen my grip. Justin collapses to the floor, coughing and gagging, as Father Williams throws himself beside him. He doesn’t speak, reaching to check Justin’s pulse. And just like everyone else, he stares at me in complete disbelief.

“Come on,” Koren whispers into my ear. “Let’s go.”

I can’t take my eyes off Justin, fighting for his life… because of me.

My body refuses to move, to leave. I’m frozen with fear and disgust with myself at what I’ve done. Koren tugs and tugs until my feet budge, and before I know it, she’s leading me toward the cafeteria doors. The crowd parts, making way for us as we pass. With Koren’s hand in mine, I spare one glance back, searching for my friends. Trevor, Evan, and Julie stare back at me, their expressions empty, like the person looking back at them is a complete stranger.