"What do you care about Mrs. Tender?" Jamie asked, frustration lacing his voice.
"It's not just her. It's Oma too. She's expecting me to go to church with her too," I lied. Oma wouldn't really mind either way, but I needed any excuse I could muster to stall the conversation with Jamie.
Resigned to defeat, Jamie let out a sigh. "Okay, I won't push you." Placing both his hands on the steering wheel, Jamie stared out the windshield. "Just promise me that you will talk to me when you're ready. And especially if you're in trouble or something."
I wasn't listening. I don't think I was even breathing. "Jacey?" Jamie asked, turning to face me. I barely noticed he was speaking. I kept staring out the window, my eyes locked on the oak tree in Mr. Kuiper's yard. My heart was pounding fast and loud. I could hear it in my ears. My stomach fluttered uncontrollably. "Jacey, you're shaking. Are you alright?" Jamie grabbed my shoulder.
Jamie's touch brought me out of my trance. My stomach still fluttered and my heart pounded. "I'm fine, really. I just want to go inside." I tried to keep my voice under control so as to not worry Jamie any further. I glanced back at the oak tree. My heart pounded faster, and my breath quickened involuntarily.
"Jacey..." Jamie started, squeezing my shoulder lightly.
"Jamie, thanks for the run and the cinnamon roll, but I have to go. Now." I faced him as I spoke
Jamie was silent for a moment. "Okay," he finally said, frowning. He placed his hand on the steering wheel. "Can we talk later at least?"
"Sure," I said, unbuckling my seatbelt. I felt as though I was going to explode. I couldn't get out of the Jeep fast enough. I slammed the door a little too hard, much harder then I intended. Then I glanced back at the big oak tree.
"Okay, then," Jamie replied. I knew he was confused and hurt by my erratic behavior. I also knew I wasn't really being a good friend to him right now, but I wasn't about to let this opportunity pass. I hit the hood of his Jeep with my hand, two short little pounds, a signal to him to be on his way. "Bye," I said impatiently.
Jamie didn't respond. He was hurt. I had offended him by being so brusque. He backed out of the driveway, squealing his tires slightly as he left. But, I wasn't really paying attention to Jamie anymore. I stared at the oak tree.
There, standing against the thick trunk of the tree, was him.
My breath caught in my throat. I was frozen in place, standing in the middle of the driveway staring at him. My vision tunneled until only he was in my sight. There was just him and me. My heart throbbed in my ears.
He was leaning casually up against the tree. His legs were crossed at the ankles, his arms folded over his chest. He wore dark jeans and a black t-shirt, a smile spread across his face. I was still frozen, not even blinking. I was afraid that if I moved or even blinked, he would be gone.
"Breathe," I heard him say to me. "I don't want you to hyperventilate every time you see me." His lips weren't moving, yet I heard him clearly.
I had been holding my breath and hadn't even realized it. I took in a breath, slow and deep. He was still standing there. I took a chance and blinked, giving my eyes a needed break. He was still there. I felt my body relax a little, breathing a little easier.
"That's it. Just relax. I'm not going anywhere," he said reassuringly. His lips still didn't move, but I had no doubt that it was him I was hearing. It was as if he knew exactly what I was thinking, what I was feeling. I allowed my body to relax and my heart to slow. I began to unthaw, feeling not so frozen in place.
"Good. I'm coming over to you now."
I nodded. He stood up, dropped his arms his arms to his sides and with his palms facing me, he took a step toward me. I took a step toward him in response. He took another step, never taking his eyes off me. I took another too. He made his way across the road onto our lawn until we were just a couple feet from each other. He stood in front of me, his arms still at his sides, palms facing me.
"Okay?" he asked. His lips still didn't move.
How is he doing that?
I nodded again in response. His eyes were so blue, bright. I couldn't stop staring. "I see you found the pin," he said, this time moving his lips. He nodded at the angel's wing pin I had secured near the v-neck collar of the t-shirt I was wearing.
I brought my hand to the pin protectively. "Yes. It's beautiful. Thank you." My own words startled me, sounding loud and clumsy next to his.
He smiled, flashing brilliant, white teeth. "I suppose you have a lot of questions for me."
"Yes, I do," I said, a little too quickly.
He chuckled lightly, "Yep, I bet. Is there somewhere we can go?"
I was suddenly very aware of being in the front yard of our home. Yes, it would be a better idea to go somewhere a little less visible to the outside world. I looked at the house. Oma wouldn't approve of bringing a stranger up to my room. I could just imagine, Oma in her bathrobe, pouring a cup of coffee at the kitchen counter and him and I entering the house, meeting her in the kitchen. I could imagine the concerned shock on her face as I tried to introduce this mysterious stranger. What would I say?
Hi Oma. He is helping me discover these incredible powers I have and we are going to my room to talk. Oh, by the way, I don't even know his name.
Yes, I was sure Oma would not approve.
I looked back at him. "We can go in the back yard. It's fenced and there are lots of trees. It should be private enough."
"Show me the way," he grinned, bowing his head slightly in my direction. He motioned with his hand that I should lead the way.
I opted to go around the house instead of through it for the same reasons that we didn't go up to my room. I was sure that Oma would see us talking in the back. I also knew that I would have to explain everything to her eventually. But, I expected to have a lot more answers by then.
As I walked around the house, I looked back over my shoulder. He was still following me. I felt my heart quicken again.
This is really happening. I am finally going to get some answers, an explanation.
I stopped at the gate leading to the back yard. I lifted the latch and opened it. He reached around me to hold the gate open while I passed through. I looked back at him. He simply nodded in response, but I didn't miss the twinkle in his blue eyes.
We proceeded through the gate and latched it behind us. I eyed the large maple in the back yard. The grass under the maple was green and lush. The tree was in the back corner of the yard, the most remote spot. I walked toward it with him following. He knew where I was taking him. "This is perfect," he stated, as we neared our destination.
I sat on the lush grass, folding my legs underneath me. He sat across from me, using the trunk of the tree as a support. He kept his legs straight out in front of him, crossing them at his ankles. We sat there staring at each other for a moment. Now that he was here, in front of me, I didn't know what to say or where to begin. I looked away, down at the grass by my side and absently began to pick at the grass. I was very nervous and embarrassed.
Where do I begin?
"Jacey," he said, "You start at the beginning."
Astonished, I gaped at him.
How does he do that?
He seemed to know what I was thinking and feeling.
And how does he know my name?
My eyebrows wrinkled in confusion.
He leaned forward slightly, looking directly into my eyes. "You're wondering how I do that. Read your mind. And you want to know how I know your name, right?" Captured by his gaze, I nodded. "I know a lot about you, Jacey. A lot. And I ought to know a lot about you because that's my job."
"Your job?"
He chuckled again. "Well, sort of. I don't get any monetary reward for it, but it is my purpose."
"Purpose?" I stammered. Now I was really confused.
"Yes, my purpose. I'm a Protector. Specifically, I'm your Protector. My purpose, my entire reason for even existing, is to protect you."
"To protect me? From what?" So many questions. My mind was swimming. I tried to hang on to his words to keep from drowning.
"From everything, anything. Anything that might want to harm you.
"But, I'm just an ordinary girl. There is no reason anyone would want to harm me.
"Jacey, there is a force out there that is pure evil. It only has one desire, and that is to destroy Healers."
"I don't understand," I said, shaking my head.
"Yes, you do. Think about it. You are far from ordinary. You have incredible powers, incredible healing powers."
"No, I don't. You have those powers." I tried to deny what deep down I really knew.
"Jacey, I'm just a Protector. You are the Healer." He emphasized the you, nodding his head towards me.
"How?" I asked quietly. It was all I could manage to say.
"You were born with the power to heal. You can heal illnesses, cuts, bruises, broken bones. Some healers have even been able to bring people back from the brink of death. It's rare, but it has been done."
I stared at him with a look of wonder and disbelief.
He continued. "The Healers' powers come from their hands. By placing their hands on the injury or illness, Healers can cure the ailment facing the prepont."
"Prepont?" I questioned.
"Sorry. Patient, injured, dying. We call that person a prepont."
"We?"
"Yes, others like me and you."
"Others? There are others like us?"
"Yes. There have been many Healers throughout time. Hundreds. And each Healer has had her own Protector."
"You said hundreds throughout time?"
"Yes."
"But what about today? Are there other Healers and Protectors today?" I was curious to know if there was anyone else like me, like us.
He looked down at his jeans for the first time, breaking eye contact with me. "Not many," he said, sadly. "There is one in Egypt and a couple in Europe. And you." He raised his head and looked at me with his last statement.
"Where did they all go?"
He stared off at some imaginary place. "The Fury is very good at what it does."
"The Fury?" I choked. My heart began beating more rapidly.
He looked back at me. "Yes, the Fury. The Fury is a shapeshifter. It is pure evil. No light. No good. Just an evil force bent on destroying Healers." His words were filled with venom and disgust.
I stared at him, swallowing hard.
"The Fury destroys Healers and assimilates the Healers' powers into their own being, making it more powerful."
I was sweating. This sounded uncomfortably familiar to me.
He immediately noticed the change in my physiology. "You know what I'm talking about, don't you? Have you been visited by the Fury?" His voice had a hard edge to it.
"Only in my dreams," I whispered.
"Zak pats dep!" he spat angrily. "Qualpet su micheckuk toput." His fists were balling up at his side.
"What?" I said, blinking my eyes. The strange words he rattled off scared me.
He looked back at me, as if seeing me for the first time. "I'm sorry. I'm just angry with myself for not seeing that."
I stared at him, fear growing inside me.
"If the Fury has been in your dreams, it is close to making actual physical contact with you. It knows who you are." He said this more for own sake than mine I hoped. "I thought you could read my mind and hear my thoughts?"
"No, not really. I can't actually read your mind. But I do understand your body. I can respond to changes in your body. It just seems like I can read your mind." He offered a tight smile.
"But, I can hear you in my thoughts," I argued, my forehead creasing with frustration.
"Yes, you can hear me. That's true."
"How?"
He rose up, sitting closer to me. He rested his left arm on his raised knee. "We are connected, you and I. The more I know, the closer we are in tune with each other, the better I can protect you."
His stare was so intense, I couldn't breathe. I was mesmerized by his brilliant blue eyes. There was only him and me, the world void around us.
"Protect me? From the Fury?" I gulped, finally taking a breath.
"The Fury or anything else for that matter," he answered. He leaned even closer to me, our faces nearly touching. "Jacey, I promise you. I will never let anything harm you. I will protect you. Always." His voice was hard, stern. His jaw flexed involuntarily with resolve. Those deep, blue eyes seemed brighter, even bluer in the intensity of his speech. "Trust me," he said. And I knew I did. I felt my body relax. My heart slowed to a normal pace. "I exist because you exist."
I let those words sink into the depths of my mind and soul.
I exist because you exist
. No wonder I felt so drawn to this man. Everything was starting to make more sense now. The weight of my new responsibility was crushing. His entire existence depended on me and my powers to heal. What if I didn't want that responsibility? What if I didn't want these powers? Emotion made my chest heavy and my chin quiver. My eyes blurred with tears for the second time today.
"I don't want this responsibility. I don't want these powers," I sniffed.
He gently placed his left hand on my hand. The gesture was simple and meant to be soothing. But it had the opposite effect. My hand prickled with electricity from his touch. The spark traveled up my arm and spread across my chest. Goose bumps followed the path of the current. I looked back at his face wondering if he felt the same thing.
He smiled, his blue eyes twinkling again. "I felt it too. Like I said. We are connected."
I blinked back the tears, wiping the remnants away from my eyes. He sat up again, leaning back on the tree. He waited patiently, allowing me to process everything he'd shared. I sighed. So this was it. I was a Healer and he, my Protector. That was simple enough.
Nobody was going to believe this.
"If there have been hundreds of Healers in the past, why haven't I ever heard about them? I mean this seems like a really big deal. Can you imagine a cure for cancer? Aids? The possibilities are endless."
"Yes, the possibilities are endless and that is what you are meant to do, help others. However, Healers must be careful. They must be as quiet as possible about their gifts," he warned.