The Thirteenth (30 page)

“Who got stabbed?” Fran tightened her grip, dreading the answer.

“Some blonde girl.” The woman felt Fran’s grip loosen for a moment and took advantage of it to run.

“Jason, I think we have a problem. I think Delta’s hurt,” Fran called to Jason. He grabbed her hand and pulled her through the crowd, which was moving in the opposite direction.

The full extent of Val’s anger was apparent the moment they entered the rink. The ice had been completely cracked from one side to the other. There was a crater in the wall, which they could only assume was where the man had hit it.

“I think she may be getting more powerful.” Fran gave Jason a concerned glance.

“Look at the ice in the middle.” Jason pointed to a large pool of blood. Fran put her hand to her mouth.

“That’s a lot of blood,” Fran whispered. They headed back outside trying to find out what had happened. “Hello strangers. Come to rescue me?” said a voice from behind Jason.

“Delta!” Jason exclaimed, spinning around to come face to face with a paler than usual Delta.

Delta smiled back at him.

“Are you alright? You’re very pale. What happened?” Jason put an arm around Delta’s shoulders, as a man pushed past her.

“It’s just a long graze.” Delta pulled at her top to show an elongated bandage around her upper back. “It’s nothing, but look at the lump on my head. Do you think it will be worse tomorrow?” Delta pulled up her fringe to show a small egg on her forehead.

“But there was so much blood.” Fran looked confused.

“Can’t answer that one, sorry. I was out cold.” Delta looked around. “Where’s Val?”

“She left from the tattoo parlour so I assume she will be back there by now. Let’s give her a ring and find out.” Jason pulled out his mobile.

The speed at which Val moved was disturbing. It was only when Sam managed to catch her up and informed her that she had walked past his car a few moments earlier, that she snapped her out of her shocked state. She stood still, looking lost and vulnerable.

“I need to get to Delta, Sam,” she said, her voice breaking on a sob. “She’s my best friend. I can’t let anything happen to her.” Sam grabbed her hand and led her back to his car.

“Wow, it’s so small and green and cute.” Val stood next to Sam’s car.

“This is Sandy; she is a Racing Green Sagaris TVR. She goes from zero to sixty in three point seven seconds and her maximum speed is one hundred and eighty-five miles per hour. She is not cute. We will never have this conversation again and check your shoes before you get in.” Sam got into the car without looking back at Val who was standing on the curb not sure whether to laugh because Sam’s car was called Sandy or cry because he was truly a geek. She did neither, just checked her shoes and got in.

On the way to the ice rink, Val received a call from Jason. She was relieved to hear that the blood had looked worse than it was. She sat back and relaxed as she chatted to Jason. Then she spotted something that made her look back.

“Stop, now!” Val shouted, shoving her phone in her pocket and cutting Jason off. She could feel Sam’s body tensing up as he slammed on the brakes. Val jumped out of the car and ran across the road.

“Wendy!” Val yelled, but she was already too far away, entering a shop about fifty metres down the road. Sam was now hot on Val’s heels. They burst into the shop together to find a startled Wendy and shop owner gaping at them. Val felt a flush coming over her; they looked like Miami Vice on a bust.

“Wendy, I need to talk to you, please. I am so sorry for the way I acted earlier on. I just don’t know what’s going on and who I can trust. Could you please tell me exactly what you know.”

Wendy was still looking at her in shock. As Val got closer, it dawned on her just how much the woman behind the counter looked like Wendy.

“This is my friend, Sam.” Val turned and Sam waved a hello. “He backed up the story you told me. I was under a lot of stress; I should have listened to you. I’m sorry.” Val gave a meek grin and touched Wendy’s arm. Wendy still hadn’t spoken and Val was starting to think she had burnt her only bridge.

“Hello Sam.” Wendy smiled meekly at Sam. “Val, this is my mum.” Wendy moved over to let the woman through.

“Val, I’m so honoured to meet you at last.” Wendy’s mum came around the counter slowly as if she was meeting the Queen.

“Hello Mrs Whitmore, please accept my apologies for not listening to your daughter.” Val walked over and shook hands with Wendy’s mum who was now almost in tears.

“We have waited for so long: all my life and my mother’s, and her mother before. We just didn’t know when you would arrive. All we knew was that we had to believe you would get here eventually.”

Val was amazed. This woman seemed quite ordinary and yet her whole life had been spent waiting for someone who might or might not appear.

“All I can say is thank you and I hope I won’t disappoint you.”

“How did you know who Val was?” Sam asked.

“We had charts of the stars. We waited for them to align then we moved to the place where we knew she would be born.” Wendy’s mum smiled warmly at Val. “I was at your birth. We found your mother when she was pregnant and we stayed with you. I moved Wendy closer to you when she was school age in the hope you would bond, although that wasn’t to be.”

Wendy looked at the floor as though ashamed.

“But that doesn’t matter any more now you are here.” She patted Val’s hands.

“So what do I need to know?” Val glanced over at Wendy, almost expecting her to flip out a PowerPoint presentation.

“Well, first I really need to know what you do and what you are struggling with, and then we can fill in the blanks. I can teach you all the basics of the craft, like spell work and potion preparation, phases of the moon and how to work in alignment with the elements.”

Wendy would have carried on but Val’s mobile was ringing. Val apologised, pulling it out to see that it was Delta calling.

“Hello,” Val said mouthing to the others that it was Delta on the line.

“Yes, we have been lucky enough to run into Wendy. Sorry about cutting you off,” Val responded. “Well yes, we can meet you there in about ten. Alright, bye for now.” Val closed the phone.

“Delta has to go and be checked out at the hospital so we need to get over there. Wendy we need to talk, but I need to help my friend right now, so maybe you could come with us to the hospital?” Val raised an eyebrow and Wendy looked to her mother for approval. The woman nodded and Wendy joined Val and Sam heading for the door.

“Slight problem ladies,” Sam butted in as they got out onto the street.

“What?” Val questioned.

“My car only has two seats,” he whispered.

“Sorry, did you say Sandy only has two seats?” Val giggled.

“I told you never to mention that again, but yes, she does only have two.” Sam was puffing his chest out at the girls in defence of his seat deficient car.

“We can take mine if you like,” Wendy offered.

“Then it’s sorted, we go in Wendy’s car.” Val was pleased with her organisational skills. “Where is it?” Val asked as they moved along the path.

“Here.” Wendy indicated what looked like a little boy’s toy van.

“It’s a Morris Traveller.” Sam stood at the side of the road and for a moment Val wasn’t sure he was going to get in. Wendy went around unlocking the doors.

“That is a very cool van.” Sam nodded as he walked around it. Val was pleased he had said that, even though she wasn’t sure he meant it.

“Well thank you. It’s sort of like a family heirloom.” Wendy placed the key in the ignition and it turned over first try. They all climbed in.

“Was it your mum’s?” Val asked genuinely interested.

“No, it was my dad’s,” Wendy responded emotionlessly.

“Oh, where is he?” Val asked.

“He couldn’t cope with the family quest so he walked out on us. The only thing he left my mum was this car, so I have it as a reminder of my mission in life.” Wendy turned a corner and, as she did, Val sat quietly, feeling humbled by all that Wendy and her family had given up for her.

They arrived at the hospital slightly slower than Val was used to, but safely. Val ran into the hospital reception and breathlessly demanded to know where Miss Troughton was. They were directed to a side room. As they entered they were greeted by all the others.

“Took your time then. And Wendy is here because?” Delta said pushing her nose into the air like a rejected top model.

“Delta, you can sulk and moan all you like, I’m just so pleased you’re OK, and I’ll tell you all about Wendy in a minute, but first I have to hug you.” Val moved over and grabbed Delta. She wasn’t taking a ‘no’ for an answer and it felt great.

“Hello you.” Fran smiled at Val. “Going to introduce me to your new friend?” Fran waved at Wendy.

“Sorry. Wendy, this is Fran, she’s Jason’s girlfriend.” Val patted Fran as Wendy waved back. “OK, does anyone know what happened to the guy who did this? Did he get away?” Val looked at Jason and Fran.

“Val, he’s critical,” Jason replied.

“What? He can’t be, he ran away.” Val looked from Jason to Delta for confirmation that they were wrong. “I wouldn’t hurt someone. I’m the one who protects people.” Val sat down on a plastic chair next to the bed.

“From what I could find out, Val, you flipped. You threw the bloke almost through a solid concrete wall and then cracked the ice in half. I could go on, but by the expression on your face I don’t think I need to.” Fran fell silent.

“Why would I do that? This has never happened before.” Val looked at Delta.

“You lost it when I got stabbed and I don’t remember any more.” Delta raised herself from the bed and stood up. “Val, you did what you had to, whether you think it was right or not. That man stabbed me.” Delta started to walk towards the door. “I have had enough of your precious NHS for one day, let’s get out of here.”

Val felt a prickle in her arm. She could see Delta was still speaking, but she wasn’t sure what she was saying. “What did you say? All I can hear is a woman moaning.” Val knew none one else could hear it. Was she going to teleport again? And if she was, where to?

“I think I’m going,” Val called out. Everyone stopped moving as Sam locked the door. Val walked searched for the portal, but there seemed to be nothing. “I can’t find anything.”

“What’s happening?” Wendy asked looking at the others.

“She’s screaming and it is getting louder.” Val was spinning in circles. “There!” Val shouted and they all watched her run towards a tin bowl on the shelf. She placed her hand on it and was gone.

“What!” Wendy stood with her jaw hanging open.

Jason pulled a chair up behind her and helped her onto it. “I think we need to do a little catch up with our new friend,” he said.

Val landed with a groan as she hit the pavement. “So much for cat-like reflexes,” she moaned to herself. The scream hit her ears instantly, but the bigger shock was that she was outside the bookshop. Her mobile started to ring.

“Hello,” she whispered.

“Where are you?” Jason whispered back.

“Outside the bookshop,” Val responded. “Why are you whispering?” “I don’t know,” Jason laughed. “Stay there. We’ll come to you.” He hung up.

Val knew she couldn’t wait for them, however nice the thought was; the screams were getting louder; the woman was obviously in serious trouble. Val move past the shop, following the direction of the sound. Looking around the corner of the building carefully, she spotted the woman. It was the last thing she expected: the cries were not because she was being threatened or attacked, but because she was in labour. She was lying on the ground giving birth in the alleyway next to the book-shop. Val quickened her movement, but stayed acutely aware of her surroundings alert for any danger.

“Hello,” Val said to the woman quietly, trying not to scare her. She jumped anyway babbling in some strange language that Val couldn’t understand. “I-am-Val.” She sounded out each word slowly, finishing with an exaggerated smile.

“Eva,” the girl said smiling back between gritted teeth.

Val knelt down beside her. She wanted to get her into the shop without scaring her too much. Suddenly Eva had hold of Val’s hand and was squeezing like a mad woman. She started screaming in Val’s face, it seemed to last a good ten minutes and all Val could think was that this was a great advert for contraception. She was definitely never going to have a baby; it really did hurt. After Eva had come down from the contraction, Val pointed at the wall next to them. “My shop,” Val said. The girl seemed to understand and seemed relieved at the idea of going indoors.

Val helped her to her feet and they shuffled towards the shop. Whilst they made their way, Val was struck by the fact that this was her last but one tattoo and then it would be over. She also wondered what use Wendy would be to her; she had arrived a little late in her adventure – unless she was a trained mid-wife.

They turned the corner to be greeted by Sam, Jason, and Delta exiting Delta’s mini.

“Hello people, this nice lady, Eva, is having a baby. We need to get her into the shop.” Val welcomed the men helping her as Eva was quite heavy. “Delta, are you sure you should be here?” Val questioned.

“I wouldn’t miss this for the world.” Val unlocked the bookshop and they all passed inside.

“Call an ambulance, Delta.”

“Will do.” Delta reached for her phone.

Eva grabbed Val’s hand as another contraction started. As she did, the spark passed between them and Val found herself back at the hospital with Wendy still in shock and Fran passing her some water.

“Hello,” Fran said. “I’m surprised to see you so soon.”

“Well, that was crazy! There was no baddie Fran, just a pregnant woman who was in labour.” Val scratched her head in confusion. “She wasn’t at risk, she was just having a baby in the street. As soon as I got her into the shop I came back. I just don’t get it. Has Wendy been like this since I left?” she asked Fran who nodded back at her. “Wendy it’s OK, I’m back,” she said, kneeling in front of Wendy who now seemed to be almost chanting. Just then Wendy grabbed Val violently by the arms. Val was petrified at her strength. She was trapped in her grip. More intimidating was the fact that Wendy’s eyes were completely white. Fran stumbled backwards falling onto the floor as Wendy started to talk.