Authors: Christie Anderson
I tossed on the mat while nightmares thwarted my rest. The black-eyed man chased and stalked me like prey. No matter where I ran or where I hid, he was always right behind me. It was one long, never-ending pursuit until I finally found myself back in the gray and silver room, my prison cell. The man was there with me. He crept forward in the dark, hands ready to grab me.
I wanted to run or scream but I froze in place on the bed. He moved closer, his wild eyes haunting me until his hands clamped around my neck. I fought to breath, struggling to escape, but I couldn’t fight him from choking me.
I shot upright on the bed in a panic, grabbing my neck and gasping for air.
It was just a dream,
I told myself,
just a dream
. I took deep breaths until they were calm and even.
The light clicked on in the room, followed by the puff of the door as it slid open. I shuttered when the man’s black eyes appeared through the opening, just as dreadful as in the dream. I held my breath as he took a few steps into the cell. When he stopped to set a plate of food near the door, I silently let the air slide back out with relief. He didn’t come near me this time.
His voice was indifferent. “Breakfast,” he said, and I was alone again.
I eyed the food with disdain, but only due to the nature of its delivery. It actually looked delicious. The spread appeared too fancy for a paper plate. My mom ordered eggs benedict whenever we went out for breakfast, so I recognized the dish right away. There was a small muffin sprinkled with cinnamon and fresh slices of melon.
Was I a kidnap victim or a guest at a five star hotel? Had the boy talked the man into being more pleasant to me?
My first instinct was to ignore the food in protest, but what would that accomplish? If anything, it would anger the black-eyed man. I didn’t want to give him reason to return to my cell, and after tossing around all night I was starving.
After eating, there was nothing left to do but stare at the wall, or at the ceiling, or at the impossible door. Time dragged by. There was no reappearance from the man or the boy. I sat in silence. At first it was nerve-racking, my mind unable to rest. Then it grew into boredom for several hours, until finally settling on hopelessness.
I ran my fingers over the mark on my wrist, the symbol of my malfunctioning body. The glossy black surface was not a good sign.
If Rayne was correct about my condition, it was only a matter of time before I suffered another episode of physical or emotional instability. It didn’t help that my necklace filled with Healing Water had been stolen from me. A vision of my eyes turning dark and webbed with black veins like the black-eyed man made me cringe.
Some of my energy had already faded. I lay on the bed, curled in a ball, waiting; waiting for something unknown. For my rescue? My torture? My body and mind fading to nothing?
I hated every minute of it. I hated my helplessness.
I began to drift out of consciousness, always waking back in the same unfriendly room. Images in my mind began to blur with reality like a dream. I saw my mother, Heather, and Rayne. Usually they were in safe, familiar places like my house, the hospital, or at school. I took comfort in their loving faces; like beacons lighting my way through a dark tunnel.
But soon the calm leached from their expressions. All three of them gathered outside my bulletproof prison cell. They banged their fists on the hard surface, yelling my name. I tried to run to the door but my feet were stuck like cement to the floor. I stood in the center of the cell with an ax in my hand. I fought to swing, to break through the walls to my escape, but the blade never made contact.
I awoke on the prison mat and rolled onto my side. A figure sat across the room on the floor with eyes like coal. I shuttered in fear, scrambling back towards the wall. The figure leaned forward out of the shadows and the black eyes turned to sparkling emeralds.
My voice wavered. “Rayne? Is that you?” I reached my arm out to him but he didn’t move.
His body flickered, starting to fade. He whispered, “I’ll come for you,” as he disappeared to dust.
Time no longer had meaning, my mind lost in confusion.
The black-eyed man appeared through the door with a plate. He spoke to me but it came out muffled, like he was underwater. I squinted trying to make sense of him. My body wouldn’t move.
I wanted to explain to him about my Watermark, that it was broken and went dark, but my throat faltered. “Wa…water…” was all I could push through my lips.
My left hand shook as I fought to slide it towards him.
He snatched my arm and held it up, examining the mark. Then he peered into my eyes, lifting my eyelids with his rough fingers. I didn’t like him touching me, but I was too weak to protest.
His muffled voice was angry. “You can’t be serious,” he said. The sound was like an echo in my head. He thrust my hand to the mat. It dropped like a brick. Then the man’s dark form staggered away through the door.
More time passed. I faded in and out, unable to decipher dream from reality. My mind faded to a dark place where truth had no meaning, yet I was strangely aware of it. I sensed the light going dim inside me. I was imprisoned; powerless to fight it.
Just as I thought the last glimmer had extinguished from hope, a tiny ray of light finally broke through.
A face swayed and teetered a few feet from mine. I tried to focus the blur. The form fell beside me, calling my name. Warm, smooth skin trembled down my cheek and across my shoulder. My glazed expression failed to react, my body numb and unmoving.
The eyes were two pinpoints of light through a mist of blackness. My heart longed to follow them, to reach out for them and escape my prison, but I was trapped inside myself.
A voice shook, echoing through the thick fog. “Come back to me. It’s not too late. It can’t be. Come back to me.”
The sensation of touch caressed my hand and I managed to pull my gaze towards it. Silver liquid swirled in my palm then vanished into my skin.
The figure moved around me and nudged me upward as he lifted me towards him. How was it I understood this gentle movement, yet I could not respond?
He cradled me in his lap and rocked my limp torso, studying my face. “Look at me,” he said. “Look into my eyes, Sadie. It’s me…it’s Rayne.”
A strange panic fled through my veins. I wanted to go to him. I stared up at his eyes unable to move.
Lines of pain creased his face. “This is all my fault. I promised I’d keep you safe.”
I wanted to ease his suffering. I fought to break free, struggling to tear away from the invisible bindings. There was no release.
His frantic eyes glistened with tears, begging. “Sadie,
please
. Don’t leave me. I can’t lose you.”
He cupped my neck in his palm and hugged me to his chest, arms clutching me in desperation. His heart thumped like a drum against my cheek and a hand slid to the back of my head pulling me tighter.
A quiet sound began to murmur in my ear as I pushed through the dark. His voice quivered as he hummed with broken notes. He sang to me quietly, rocking me in his arms. The words were familiar. They resonated through me, triggering a memory that played through my mind.
I pictured the same face…Rayne’s face, but it was animated and smiling. He drove in a car, singing the same song, only more cheerful and upbeat; not like the gentle lullaby now whispering in my ear. I was there in my memory, singing with him, so happy, so full of life.
I could feel the cheer from my memory lift me upwards. I let the notes soar through my body and push me away from the dense cloud. Relief unleashed the ache in my heart as I broke through the darkness. Rays of light pulsed all around me. Energy vibrated over my limbs.
My lips tingled as my voice cracked through the restraints. “Rayne?” I said weakly.
He jerked his head at the sound. His eyes went wide with hope as he searched my face. “Yes, it’s me. I’m here.” A strange, painful smile crossed his face, his cheeks streaked with tears.
I gazed up at him, a beautiful vision of comfort. Was it real? Was he really here this time?
My throat was weak. I had to push out the words. “Are you…a dream?”
I couldn’t tell if he was laughing or crying. “No, this isn’t a dream.” He pulled me back to his chest, squeezing his arms around me. “You’re all right, you’re safe now.”
I let his presence dispel the fear, using the little energy I had to wrap myself around him.
“You came for me,” I breathed.
He pushed back gently, his expression troubled. “Of course I did. I will
always
come for you.”
My gaze dropped. I didn’t know if I believed him. I wanted to; I wanted to trust him like my heart told me I could.
“I understand if you don’t believe me,” he said, his head hanging low. “I’ve let you down so many times. I wish I could be more for you. I wish I could be the superman that you deserve.” He stopped as if at a sudden loss for words and stared at me with sad eyes.
I couldn’t take the hurt in his gaze. It tugged at my heart. It spoke to me. There wasn’t anything to forgive.
My eyes smiled quietly as I said, “I believe you.”
He returned my gaze and I could feel the bond between us grow stronger. He was truly a part of me.
His forehead creased. “We’re out of time,” he said. “I need to get you out of here—now.”
I nodded and clamped my arms around his neck as he scooped me up from the bed. He moved through the open doorway as if carrying a tiny bird whose bones would break at the slightest touch, but I could feel myself growing stronger already. My energy seemed to come back in bounds as we reached the elevator door.
“I think I can walk,” I said.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, I’m sure.”
He released me from his arms, letting my legs slide to the ground. I stumbled once but recovered my steps just before Rayne’s hand reached over to catch me. As we waited for the elevator I peered back at the closed door of my prison cell, remembering the hours I spent rubbing my fingers raw and struggling to figure out the secret to getting it open.
“How did you open that door?” I asked, gesturing towards it.
He shot a quick glance over his shoulder. “That’s some pretty high-tech material. It’s programmed to scan fingerprints and DNA at the same time. There are only two people alive who can access it.” He turned back to the elevator and jammed his fist impatiently to the button a few more times.
Even though he didn’t say it out loud, I had a pretty good idea who those two people were who could access the door, and Rayne wasn’t one of them. “So then, how did you—” I said, but before I could finish Rayne held up his left hand and began to rub at his palm.
“I guess I don’t need this anymore,” he said.
To me his hand looked perfectly normal, but suddenly he was peeling away a fine layer of something clear from his palm, like he was literally peeling off his skin. He threw it on the ground and looked back at me, about to explain.
“Let me guess,” I said, “fingerprints and DNA?”
He nodded and a high-pitch ding sounded as the elevator door opened. Rayne grabbed my arm and pulled me forward in haste.
I noticed only two floors listed as he smashed the back of his fist to the button.
“What is this place?” I asked.
The floor jolted beneath our feet as it moved upward.
“A house in Laguna Beach,” he answered.
“This is a
house
?” I said surprised. The elevator continued to ascend. Where were we headed, the roof?
“I guess Voss bought it years ago, but this is the first I’ve heard of it.”
“Voss?” I asked. “That’s his name? The man with the scary eyes?”
The elevator halted, the door opening to a dim, empty hallway.
Rayne clasped my wrist, pulling me forward. “Yeah, that’s him,” he said. He pressed a large silver button at the end of the hall, causing the entire wall to swing open like a door.
My eyes widened as I staggered forward. The wall closed behind us, revealing a completely furnished display on the other side. It wasn’t just a hidden door, it was a full entertainment unit with a mounted TV, electronic equipment, and built-in shelving on both sides.
I stumbled over my feet as Rayne’s hand urged me forward. I probably would’ve beaten him to the front door if I wasn’t so shocked at the amazing house that served as a front for my prison. The vaulted ceiling towered above us, lined with wooden beams. The room was bright and open with sleek modern furnishings. Two of the walls were made entirely of glass panels, revealing a stunning ocean view.
“We have to hurry,” Rayne said. “He could be back any minute.”
My pulse quickened at the thought and I came back to focus. We raced towards the front of the house. As we moved down the hall an object caught my eye, sitting on a small table.
“My diary,” I said. I snatched it from the table and continued to flee.
I could see the front door; we were so close—but not close enough. The door swung open. I ran into Rayne’s side when he stopped in his tracks. The man’s fierce eyes halted our flight. His arm sprung toward us, a gun pointed at my face. My limbs froze with a gasp.
Voss’s glare narrowed to black slits. “Going somewhere?”
We inched away. Rayne acted as a shield and pulled me to his back.
“This is between us,” Rayne said. “Let the girl go.”
“I don’t think so,” Voss said, hand steady on his gun.
“What good would come from shooting us?” Rayne said. “Just think it through. How will that give you what you want?”
Voss scoffed. “Nice try. Do you really think your pathetic, farm-boy tactics have a chance against me?” He waved his gun towards the back of the house. “Now move.”
Shock stunned me. Everything was suddenly commotion. Just as Voss moved forward, Rayne pounced at him, grabbing his arm with both hands and sweeping his leg with a foot. They both dropped to their backs. I fumbled away from the bodies wrestling before me.
A bang roared. I shuttered, throwing my arms to my head. Ceiling dust trickled over their struggling forms as they fought back and forth on the ground.
Rayne pushed his way on top with fierce determination. He jabbed his right elbow to Voss’s neck and chopped his left hand at Voss’s arm. The gun flew, skidding across the room.
Everything happened so fast. Voss plunged himself around Rayne’s neck cutting off his air, choking him. I winced as I stared at him in pain. Rayne’s knee flew upward smacking Voss’s head. I stumbled backwards through the hall, not sure what to do except watch in alarm from the next room.
Rayne locked his arms over Voss’s chokehold and thrust their bodies forward. Voss rolled over Rayne’s head and landed with a thud. The hit didn’t seem to make a mark.
Voss jumped back to his feet, eyes focused on his target. They both stood facing and circling, punches and elbows flying back and forth.
Voss swung sideways plunging his foot to Rayne’s chest. The blow launched Rayne through the air and he crashed through the hall table, leaving it in pieces.
“Rayne!” I cried.
He jumped to his feet. “Get back.”
I hesitated but obeyed.
I ran to the far side of the room behind the couch. What could I do? Smacks and gasps continued from the hall. My eyes darted around the room. Should I cower in the corner? Look for an object to break on Voss’s head?
Suddenly Voss flew in the room collapsing over a chair. A lamp shattered as he rolled to the floor.
Rayne rushed in behind. “You’re getting weak old man.”
“Fight’s not over,” Voss said. He leapt smugly to his feet, wiping blood from his face.
Voss plunged his fist, but Rayne blocked it mid-swing.
Rayne paused a split second and said, “This looks familiar.” He yanked the chain from Voss’s neck. “Sadie,” he called. He threw the necklace to me and I reached to catch it with shaky hands.
Voss struck with a jab to the ribs and a foot to Rayne’s calf.
Rayne winced but sprung forward, pelting Voss’s jaw with his fist.
Their feet shuffled forward with each move, straight through the open back door. I marveled after them. I knew Rayne was in excellent shape and probably had training, but his fighting skills were unbelievable. Even Voss, with his leathery skin and grey-streaked hair, made each move with precision.
I gaped at them through the glass wall as they struggled across the wide deck outside. How was this going to end? I had to do something, but what could I possibly do? I glanced frantically around the room.
Then it hit me—the gun.
I charged back through the hall and stared at the weapon on the floor. Could I really do this? I’d never touched a gun before. Was it anything like in the movies? I glanced over my shoulder to ensure I was alone and lifted the handle cautiously in my hand.
I didn’t know what I was doing. The last thing I wanted was to make things worse. What if I accidentally shot myself or Rayne? Even if I wanted to shoot the gun, I wasn’t sure how to do it. Just pull the trigger? I scanned my mental images for any knowledge of guns. Wasn’t there some kind of metal thing you click with your thumb so your victim knows you’re serious about blowing him away?
My eyes darted down the hall. I was still alone. I examined the gun with careful fingers, but I couldn’t see any kind of lever or button. As far as I could tell there was a handle, a trigger, and a boxy, black barrel; that was it.
I slid my hands around the handle and practiced gripping it a few different ways.
I settled on the best hold and clutched the gun forward with arms extended. If it came down to it, could I really kill Voss? I thought of his threatening eyes and the way he’d thrown me around the gray room. It would be self-defense, but could I do it? Could I pull the trigger?
Whatever happens…happens
, I thought. I had to try.
I didn’t have a plan, but I closed my eyes, inhaling a deep breath and started toward the back room. My heartbeat quickened. Adrenalin pulsed through my body.
You can do this. Slow and steady
.
My feet moved at a crawl’s pace when I spotted their figures through the glass. I had to wait until Rayne was as far away from Voss as possible—in case I had terrible aim. I crept forward, staying close to the wall, hoping they wouldn’t see me.
Rayne’s punch thrust forward. Voss toppled over a lounge chair across the deck and rolled to the ground a couple yards away.
This was it; I had to react. I burst through the door, gun pointed at Voss, hands shaking.
“Don’t move,” I said.
Both men froze like statues, more from surprise than fear.
“Sadie, don’t,” Rayne said. He leaned forward slightly to catch his breath.
I kept my focus on Voss. He had the gall to laugh. “Sweetheart, why don’t you put down the weapon and let the
men
finish their business.”
His face sickened me. “I’m not joking,” I said, still poised to shoot.
Voss meandered to his feet and held a hand outstretched. “Just give me the gun.”
“I’ll do it,” I said.
But would I do it? Could I? No matter how awful he was, could I really shoot him?
Voss crept towards me. “You’re not going to shoot me.”
Rayne took a step forward in warning. “Voss, stop.”
I had to decide. The black eyes were too close. If I was going to do it, I had to do it now.
The rumble of feet broke my focus. Rayne charged forward and spun around in the air, snapping Voss’s head with a kick. Voss staggered back from the force and lost balance. His body flipped back. His feet flung in the air as his body fell over the railing.
I flinched and turned in surprise as a voice called out from right behind me.
“Father!”
It was the blue-eyed boy, my other captor. He ran to the rail, leaning over the edge. “Father!”
Rayne rushed to his side. “I’m sorry. He was going to hurt her.”
The boy thrust his hands at Rayne’s chest, eyes wild. “What did you do?”
He pushed past Rayne and ran away through the house.
Rayne hurried after him. “Ash, wait,” he called.
I dropped the gun, relieved to have it out of my hands, and ran to the edge of the railing. It was a cliff. The entire deck extended over a towering drop that hovered above the rocky shore of the ocean. Voss was nowhere in sight, but the bottom was too far to see clearly. I pictured his body hurling through the air, slamming over rocks until it plummeted at the edge of the sea. I winced at the image and looked away.
The adrenalin rush diminished and reality set in. A man was dead. Not exactly by my own hand, but almost.
Tears flooded down my face, filled with relief, but also helplessness and fear. Everything I’d felt the last few days poured out of me. I leaned against the rail for support and buried my face in my hands.
A tense voice came from behind. “Are you all right?”
I turned at the sound. Rayne stared from across the deck, like a stream of sunlight through a dark tunnel. I rushed to him, throwing my arms around his sides.
“Where is he?” I said through broken sobs.
Rayne moved back, holding my shoulders. “Who?”
“That guy, the boy that helped kidnap me. Did he get away?”
“I let him go,” Rayne said. I couldn’t read his tone.
“Why? You should’ve taken the gun.”
His hands dropped. “He’s the reason you’re safe. He told me how to find you.”
“He did?”
So the boy heard my pleadings after all.
Rayne looked at the ground. “Even if he hadn’t helped us, I could never shoot him.”
“But he…”
“He’s my oldest friend,” Rayne said. “At least he was. I don’t know what to think now.”
“Your friend?”
“Yes, his name is Ash. We’ve known each other for years.”
“Oh,” I said, pausing. This made the whole thing seem a lot more complicated. A string of questions formed in my head.
“Is he a Keeper too? I saw his eyes, they glowed like yours. And what about that man, Voss, your friend’s father? Was he a Keeper? What happened to him? Why were his eyes so black?"
Rayne stroked my hair. “Shhh, Sadie, don’t worry. There will be time for explanations later. Right now my priority is making sure you’re safe.”
I looked into his eyes and sighed, but I knew he had a good point. “Okay, we can talk later.”
He held my hand. I could feel the calm spread from his fingers to mine.
“Come on,” he said. “Let’s get you home.”
Home
. I could think of nothing better.
I sat in the passenger seat of Rayne’s car as he circled around the front bumper. It was still light outside.
The door closed behind him and he started the car.
“What day is it?” I asked, my head slumping to the back rest.
“Saturday.”
“Really? But wouldn’t that mean I was only here, like, one day? It felt like forever.”
His smile was sad. “I know…”
We pulled away from the curb and I pushed the memories of this ordeal behind me.
“Can you do me a favor?” I asked. “Take me to see my mom at the hospital? She must be worried I didn’t come home last night.”
“Of course.”
“Then can you do me another favor?” I added.
“What is it?”
“Will you take me to the dance tonight?”
He paused. “Uh…are you serious? Aren’t you exhausted?”
“Completely,” I said. “But it’s important to Heather and she’s important to me.”
“I’m sure she’ll understand after all you’ve been through.”
I smiled. “Just give me an extra dose of your magic water and I’m sure I’ll be fine.”
He spoke through half a laugh. “Okay. If you say so.”
I gazed out the window. Small shops and homes floated by on Coast Highway. I could feel home drawing near.
I turned to admire Rayne’s smooth face. “I just want to forget this whole thing ever happened,” I said.
He slowed the car at a red light and gazed at me. “I’m sorry you had to go through that. I should’ve seen it coming.”
“Don’t beat yourself up,” I said. “It wasn’t your fault.”
“I’m still sorry.”
I leaned my head to his shoulder. We didn’t speak for several minutes.
At the edge of Main Beach in Laguna I noticed a young couple not far in the distance. They frolicked and skipped hand in hand. The girl jumped on the boy’s back for a piggyback ride. I envied their free spirits through the windshield.
I lifted my head. “Let’s go have some fun tonight. I think we both could use some right now.” I turned on the radio and flipped to the most upbeat song I could find.
“Fun it is,” he said, but I wasn’t sure he looked convinced. He shook his head, amused.
“What?” I said.
“You’re just…bouncing back from this really fast.”
“Is that a bad thing?”
He chuckled. “No, that’s what I love about you.”
My cheeks flushed at his choice of words. “Oh,” I grinned. “Thanks.”
***
I caught a glimpse of my mother’s back at the hospital and a smile spread wide across my cheeks. Rayne sat in the waiting room, insisting he give us a moment alone.
“Mom,” I called.
She turned at the sound of my voice. “Sweetie, hi.” There was no worry or sighs of relief. “I’m surprised to see you here.”
I hesitated a moment, trying to read her reaction, boggled she wasn’t upset. “Uh, just wanted to drop by to say hi.”
“Before we go to the dance,” I added.
“That’s sweet, honey.” She set down a clipboard. “So you two worked everything out then?”
Now I was really confused. “Worked what out?”
“Don’t worry, I’m not mad,” she said. “Heather told me everything. It was a good idea to sleep over at her house since you were so upset about the fight with Rayne and all.”
She thinks I slept at Heather’s house? No wonder she wasn’t worried.
“Oh she told you?” I said, voice casual.
“Of course she did. Weren’t you with her when I talked to her on the phone?”
“Oh right. Sorry, I forgot. I was sort of preoccupied yesterday.”
“So everything’s okay with Rayne now?” she asked again.
“Yes. I guess everything’s fine.”
If she only knew what I’d really been through; but I decided to go with it. She was better off not knowing.
“We’re going home to change for the dance right now,” I said.
“That’s great, honey. He seems like a really nice boy.”
“Yes. He is…” I agreed with her more than she could imagine.
“Oh, I meant to tell you,” she added. “I know how much you like Dr. Jensen, so I invited him for Thanksgiving dinner next week.”
My eyes lit up. “
Really?
”
Even if it wasn’t an actual date, I understood my mom’s gesture. She was finally giving Dr. Jensen a chance.
She fidgeted with a pencil. “Maybe you had a point the other night when we talked. I don’t know, we’ll see.”
I didn’t want to put on too much pressure. I tried to sound even, holding back my excitement. “That’s great, Mom, really.”
She smiled. “You better get going. Your date’s waiting for you.”
It was hard to contain my grin. “Yeah, I guess I should go.”
“Be good, sweetheart,” she said. She gave me a squeeze then whispered mischievously in my ear, “But have lots of fun too.”
***