He navigated the stairs soundlessly, pausing at the top to look in both directions. Left. Her scent was strongest there. He went that way and found her bedroom at the end. Back against the door, he pushed into the room and reached the bed in two long strides. Her weight sank into the mattress. He pulled blankets to cover her.
He wanted to stay, wanted her to wake and know he was real. But instinct and caution prevailed over emotion. There was a greater need to observe and understand why she had ever left him.
Chapter 6
Dark. Dread. Heart pounding fear. The horseman first entered Kali’s dreams that night.
Her blood hammered brutally against her temple. She strained to see, peering at her feet and hands. The shadows frightened her. Somewhere the moon shone vibrantly. But where Kalista stood, that luminary was blocked by lush trees of the forest. She gazed up at their ancient, bowed branches reaching endlessly into the night sky, utterly entwined for all eternity. The sight stirred hope within her.
She looked ahead and caught a glimpse of light. Just as quickly it disappeared, like an animal scurrying away to hide deep in the forest. The terror of being discovered clutched at her heart, squeezing air from her lungs. Light. She had to find it. Only it could keep the shadows at bay. She began moving to where she had last seen the light, but abruptly halted.
The forest was too quiet. To disturb that stillness would place everything in peril. But she couldn’t stay where she was. Forcing herself to continue, Kalista trudged onward. Every step sank her feet deeper into the unforgiving mud of the overgrown path. One slipper got sucked down into the sludge and stuck fast. She tried to pull it free, but the shoe didn’t budge. She would have to abandon it rather than risk capture.
Gathering her skirts into a firmer hold, she pressed forward and tried not to think of the dress that had been so beautiful only a few hours ago. Now it was ruined. The bottom of the garment was in shreds, covered by muck and briars. An assortment of small creatures probably clung aboard as well. The lavish material was no friend to her now, whispering in the night whenever she moved. She gritted her teeth against the sound, knowing the smallest noise could be heard by the alert ears of those that crouched, waiting in the forest. The day should have been one of celebration. Instead, a horrific turn of events had left her scrambling through the mud like a wretched dog. That hardly mattered now. Only survival was important.
Directly ahead, she saw the light return. Kalista gradually realized where she was. The clearing. She was so close. Her hope surged. The impulse to run forward became very strong…until a noise from behind made her freeze. Her mind and heart raced to consider the possibilities. She could not risk revealing herself, but darkness would not conceal her much longer.
The sound in the forest grew louder and closer. Something was crashing through the undergrowth at a rapid pace. And it was frantic to reach her. Turning back, Kalista ran to the light. As she burst into the clearing, something grabbed her from behind with incredible strength. It tore at her dress, trying to drag her flailing body away from the light. Deeper into the forest.
As hard as she struggled, the thing that had her was winning. She reached out for anything to hold on to. But it was useless.
Help
, she cried soundlessly.
Help!
No one answered.
Swallowing despair, she flipped onto her back to confront the creature that hunted her so doggedly. The pair of primordial eyes that met hers glowed like embers of a dying fire. Hypnotized by her gaze, the creature paused in its attack. She held on, willing it not to move. Minutes were like hours as they ticked by. No movement, not even their breathing, was evident. But the creature had a powerful will of its own.
Kalista began to feel her hold lessening.
It opened its jaws and inched forward, fighting for every stride. Clouds of its pungent breath engulfed the air between their faces. The stench of it was thick. Kalista could taste the hunger for her death. Will spent and near collapse, Kali was able to command the creature no longer. She resigned at last to surrender to the enemy.
All of a sudden, the light advanced. It rushed through the trees and exploded onto the scene, banishing the darkness. Fear covered the creature like a thick blanket, possessing even its movements as it struggled with the possibility of retreat.
A figure in black armor emerged from the light. He moved like a phantom, silent and fluid in grace. He was seated upon an extraordinarily large mount. The horse’s size alone was enough to strike awe into the heart of any challenger. Its skin was as dark as the night that surrounded it.
As the horseman brandished his weapon expertly, the light moved with it and Kalista realized that the sword was the source of blinding radiance. In one sweeping motion, he brought the blade down upon the creature’s head, delivering a crippling blow. The animal snarled with a blend of rage and pain. Then it fled into the forest.
Kalista quivered with relief, unable to control the shaking even as she climbed to her feet. She kept her eyes on the mysterious rider. Everything about him remained concealed. Even his stature was distorted by the immense armor. Somehow she knew he would not reveal himself.
The horseman looked past her, staring into the forest with his sword held in high guard. Blood steadily drained from its edges, dimming the blade’s brilliance. Then the horseman turned to Kalista. She could only assume their eyes met because his remained hidden. He dismounted and reached her in a single stride. When only an arm’s length separated the distance between them, the horseman raised his scarlet touched blade…
Chapter 7
Kali lay quietly with her head on the pillow listening to a pair of finches singing outside. Thirty minutes ago, she had awoken. And she’d been very confused. The memory of driving home the night before wasn’t there. She didn’t remember fumbling with the lock or walking up the creaky staircase.
Where am I?
The question plagued her brain until the familiar bump of a loose spring at the foot of the mattress rubbed against her foot and the oil painting of yellow daisies caught her eye. Those clues brought a wave of recognition and relief. She was in her own bed, in her room.
Still feeling somewhat uneasy, Kali crawled out of bed. She was rewarded with a chill that almost sent her diving right back underneath the covers. The cold from the hardwood floors clung to her feet as she walked to the window. Reaching up in a languid stretch, she drew the curtains aside. It was definitely morning. The finches chirped in welcome, like faithful heralds. Smiling appreciatively, Kali raised the window.
For the past few winters, the tiny birds had made a home in the huge oak tree whose branches hung low over her bedroom window. Even in two feet of snow, they could be spotted tirelessly foraging for food. She often made it easier for them by preparing a plate of peanut butter mixed in birdseed and hanging it near the base of the tree. Pat and Stew sang to her every morning. But whenever that special meal awaited them, their song was extra enthusiastic.
“Hi, fellas.” She addressed them both as males, though they were a mated pair. But Pat never acted as if she minded. “Good things will happen today,” Kali said softly.
Shoving the worries she’d awoken with to the back of her mind, Kali figured what she needed was a hot shower. She grabbed a towel and went down the hall to the bathroom. Standing beneath the steaming water felt good. It pounded her back and shoulders in a liquid massage that could have lasted for hours. Kali closed her eyes and inhaled the steam, enjoying the soothing effect.
Behind the dark of closed eyelids, aberrant images slowly began to seep in. There was a flash of wolves chasing her through the woods. Another flash and people were being devoured. A big man stood amongst the trees pointing and laughing at the gory scene. Kali frowned and struggled to make sense of it. But the water ran cold. Icy fingers nudged at her brain and body, jerking her from thought. She shook her head and left the shower.
Outside the bathroom, wonderful smells wafted upstairs. Kali wasn’t surprised. Most Saturdays, Lisa made breakfast for the family. Today smelled like pancakes and turkey sausage. Kali inhaled deeply. The delicious aromas tickled her nose and made her stomach growl, begging her to move faster. She slid into a pair of black sweatpants and headed downstairs, pulling Cal’s oversized hoodie over her tank top as she did so. It still smelled like him. But the scent of chocolate chip pancakes absolutely thrilled her, clearing out all thoughts of ex-boyfriends.
The kitchen was immediately visible from the bottom of the stairs. Sure enough, Lisa was busy at the stove whipping up another batch of pancakes and what could have been vegetarian omelets. The older woman was dancing, carefree and entirely out of step with the music playing from a stereo mounted below the cabinets. Without turning, Lisa posed a question in a motherly tone long ago perfected, “What time did you get in last night, young lady?”
“Um…” Kali really didn’t have an answer. “I think it was pretty late.”
That wasn’t going to fly. “You think?” Lisa repeated.
Kali took a seat at the table and started picking at the checkered table-cloth. “I don’t remember,” she admitted.
“Kalista!”
“I know. I’m sorry.”
Her adoptive mom had both hands on her hips, the pancake on the griddle forgotten. “Were you drinking?”
“No. No. I went to a movie like I told you…” Kali’s voice trailed as memories flooded in from the prior night. Empty, black eyes glowered hungrily from the rearview mirror. A dull throb began at the base of her skull. She remembered being pulled into the backseat, rough hands against her skin. She pressed a hand to her head discreetly, and tried not to remember what happened next.
“Kalista,” Lisa called again.
Blinking the images back, Kali concentrated on her not yet angry mom. “I went to a movie. That’s all, Lisa.” A knife, sharp and cold, pricked painfully at her throat. Her hand strayed there reflexively and felt the raised skin of a small nick. Alarms horns were blaring into the night. Her attacker screamed. His blood was everywhere. There was a voice, a face. The stranger.
Kali exhaled. Standing up abruptly, she began to arrange place settings at the table to disguise the motion. For a while, Lisa said nothing more. Then the smell of burning pancakes got her attention. With a squeal, she turned back to the stove, frantically scraping at the ruined flapjack in a futile attempt to save it.
“Flying fudge monkeys,” she muttered. The Metts had a rule. No profanity was allowed in the house. As a result, many other colorful expressions had been invented. “Kali, honey, come take the bacon out of the oven.”
“Bacon?” Kali repeated in surprise. The Metts had another rule. No cholesterol, fatty meats, or complex carbohydrates were allowed in the house. Of course, the rule was annulled when the girls were on their own for dinner. Cholesterol, fatty meats, and complex carbs were building blocks for fast food. And fast food was what Kali and Rozzy usually ordered.
Lisa smiled. “It’s turkey bacon, extra lean. Chop chop, before that burns too.” Kali hurried to the stove obediently, grabbing an oven mitt to retrieve the endangered breakfast while Lisa busied herself raking the ashes of the dead pancake into the trashcan. “Put the bacon in that awful serving dish. You know the one with the smiling pansies. It makes your dad happy to see me using it every once in awhile.”
Kali couldn’t help grunting as she retrieved the bulky orange, brown, and purple atrocity from the cabinet. Its colors matched nothing in Lisa’s meticulous black and red deco that was accented by white appliances. One of a kind and hand painted, the artist had chosen to place a brown flower as the focal piece in a field of happily colored pansies. If anyone gazed at the picture for more than three seconds, the brown blossom appeared to have teeth. To make matters worse, Greg’s mother had given the ‘gift’ to Lisa as a tenth anniversary present.
“It’s not like she hasn’t been here a million times.” Lisa gestured about the kitchen. “She’s seen my taste. That woman intentionally picked out the most garish item from the bargain bin at the flea market.” Lisa shook her head, continuing to rant. Kali sort of tuned her out. Every use of the serving dish incited the same speech from Lisa. Each time Lisa came to the same conclusion. “All these years and she still hates me.”
“She’s not so fond of me either,” Kali volunteered without thinking. She had often thought those words but never said them out loud.
Lisa carried the omelets and pancakes to the table with a concerned expression. “Why would you say such a thing?”
Too late to take it back. “It’s the way she looks at me some times. And stuff she says…more so what she doesn’t say.”
After a hesitant pause, Lisa told Kali something she had never explained to her daughter before. “Greg’s only brother died young. When your father and I accepted that we couldn’t conceive any more children, his mother took it even harder than we did. She understandably wanted a grandson to carry on the family name. We all decided that Greg and I would adopt a boy, but then you came to us Kali and we completely fell in love with you. I’ve never regretted the decision and neither has Greg.” She tucked a lock of Kali’s hair behind her ear. “Marie didn’t feel the same way. She’s really angry at me for not being able to give Greg a son.”