The Thirteenth (13 page)

One turned to face Val, and she recognised the woman from her previous dream. She was beckoned to Val to join them. As Val made her way over, she became aware of the damp earth beneath her feet. “Fabulous no shoes again.”

Val joined the circle. There were six of them in total, although she didn’t recognise any of them.

The woman who had beckoned Val lowered her hood. “We will make our move soon. Too many of our brothers and sisters have been murdered.” The group made noises of agreement and Val joined in.

“The chosen-one is nearly ready.” The group began a chorus of cheers.

“He will not win; we need to take action at the rising of the full moon. It’s our only chance.” Once again, everyone chorused their agreement. Then silence rested upon them and one-by-one they started to disperse. Val stood, not sure what to do. Then a figure from the other side of the fire made its way towards her. Val could see it was a young man. Maybe he was one of Val’s friends.

“Hello,” she said, thinking that maybe exchanging a few words with him would help open the chains of communication. It didn’t work and, as he stopped in front of her, she realised that only the bottom half of his face was visible.

“So… nice evening.” She tried again, hoping he would speak.

The man put his finger under Val’s chin, lifted her face and moved in closer, placing a passionate, knee-buckling kiss on her lips.

Val woke with a jerk. Her cheeks felt warm. She felt embarrassed about a kiss, in a dream. How crazy was that? She knew for certain it was a dream, but it had felt so real. Slowly pushing herself up, she thought about what the cloaked figures had been saying. Many innocent people had apparently died, but, she wondered, were they dead? Strangely, that was also what Shane had said. Did his friend know more than he was letting on? After all, he had found those pictures really quickly. More importantly, what could she do about any of it? They were just dreams and a picture from four hundred years ago. It made no sense, but she felt an underlying sense of danger. Hadn’t she nearly died under the sea? Wouldn’t that old lady have killed her if she’d had the chance? As she lay back down, trying to make sense of it all, her head began to pound. She would need to find some answers to these questions, but the only thing that loomed ahead was another day at work.

After a slow start, Val’s morning was going to plan. Delta had called early to organise a picnic lunch at the bookshop. Although Val was sure that Delta was doing this so that she could keep an eye on her, she didn’t mind. Delta’s picnics were amazing (obviously Delta didn’t make them; that’s why they were so fantastic) and it would break up her day.

As she moved around the shop, she realised she was starting to get the hang of things. Most of her customers knew where to find the books they wanted, and so they came and went easily, and sales were improving.

She was serving a young woman in the Classic Romance section when she heard her mobile going off behind the counter.

“Please excuse me. I will be back in two seconds.” The woman nodded and continued to browse the books. Val made her way to the counter and grabbed her phone. The screen flashed: number withheld. Val flipped it open. “Hello.”

“Hi Val. It’s me, Jason.” It was great to hear his voice, although Val didn’t remember giving him her number.

“Before you ask, Delta gave me your number yesterday. You have a boxing lesson at twelve fifteen today.” Val’s mouth dropped open. “Oh, and before you try to get out of it with the excuse you are having lunch with Delta, I have already spoken to her and she is bringing the picnic here.” Val still had her mouth wide open. She really wasn’t happy now. Sharing one of Delta’s picnics wasn’t part of the deal.

“Hello, are you still there? You aren’t saying much.” Jason asked.

“Yes, I’ll be there, but only because you have hijacked my lunch.” Val flipped the phone shut and went back to the woman who was still looking as confused as she had when Val left her.

“OK, romance is what you want, then romance is what we will give you.” The woman smiled as they both started to look at books together.

Val helped the woman choose a suitable book. As Val was taking her money at the counter, the front door flew open and a large wooden crate came flying in. Val stared at the doorway wondering what was happening. She smiled in relief as a delivery man followed, kicking the crate the last few feet into the shop.

“Thank you once again for visiting us and please come back again.” Val handed the woman her bag and watched as she negotiated her way around the box and out of the shop. “Wallace Fredrick Gallymore here, luv?” asked the delivery man who Val could not only see but smell.

“No, I will sign for it, thanks.” Val signed the clipboard he thrust at her then, manoeuvring around the counter, she ushered him out before she passed out from his pungent fumes.

Looking at the box, Val decided that it was too close to lunchtime to begin unpacking the books now so, with a large amount of effort, she pushed it out of the way, next to the mangled water cooler. ‘How does he expect me to put more books on the shelves, the shop is close to bursting as it is?’ Val wondered before she turned back to help another customer.

By twelve, Val was seriously in need of food, so she locked up promptly and made her way to Shane’s. As she crossed the road, she was met by Delta and two rather large men. She was showing off her mini and they seemed genuinely engrossed in what she had to say.

“Hi Val, please meet my new friends.” Delta opened her arm towards one of the men. “This is Butch and the other gentlemen is Sunny”

“Hello,” Val said, giving a small wave in their direction. “So, have you all come to watch me get beaten within an inch of my life?” Butch perked up. “Do you need any help?”

“Well Butch, if you want to have a go at Jason, Shane’s son, before he gets to me then yes please.”

Butch grinned an almost tooth-free smile. “No thanks. I’ve seen what he can do. I think he might even be better than his dad, but don’t tell him I said that.”

Val held a hand up for Butch to stop talking and walked past them into the shop. As she entered, she saw Shane was working, decorating a woman’s arm with a huge tattoo of a tiger. He smiled up at her and signalled for her to go out back. “I’ll wait for you, Shane.” Val started to move towards a chair.

“GO!” said Shane sharply, staring at her.

“I’m going,” Val retorted insolently kicking at the floor as she mooched out of the parlour and into the gallery.

In the gym, Jason was already working out. He was wearing tracksuit bottoms and a very flattering sleeveless top. Val couldn’t help taking in the moment and adding it to her mental photo album of Jason.

“Hi Xena.” Jason jogged towards her, wiping his sweat away with a neck towel. Val wasn’t sure where to look until a familiar voice came up from behind her.

“Personally I call her Alien; I think it suits her better,” called Delta. Luckily for her she had the picnic in her hands and Val didn’t want to damage it, otherwise she would have started her boxing practise on her.

“Grab these, Val.” Jason threw a pair of black boxing gloves at her. They had white spots at the ends and lightning bolts down the sides with the word Zeus across the wrists. Val had to admit she quite liked the way they looked.

“Have you ever done any boxing before?” asked Jason.

Delta burst out laughing. “She couldn’t do a round with mother Teresa,” she sniggered.

“No, to be honest I’ve never even been in a scuffle at school.” Val blushed and Jason smiled back.

“Then let’s get you started. Pop on your gloves.” Val put one on, closing the Velcro with ease. The second one wasn’t as simple and after a few seconds Jason came to her rescue.

“I can’t even get the gloves on. Don’t you think that maybe this is a bad omen and we should stop now?”

Jason shook his head. “Come on, I know you are going to love this.”

Val followed him over to the gym area.

“This is how I want you to stand.” Jason positioned his left leg in front of his right, bending his knees slightly. He was softly bouncing and Val followed his movements. “That’s great! You are a natural.”

Val tried not to show her embarrassment at Jason’s comments, but she was secretly quite pleased.

“Let’s try a basic jab. I’ll give you the moves in numbers to make it easier, OK?”

Val nodded.

“Don’t go over nine. She isn’t good with double figures,” Delta teased, dipping celery into some dip that looked mouth-watering.

“That’s OK, we’re only going to eight,” Jason shouted back.

“Well, I’m so pleased you two are getting on so well,” said Val.

Jason pushed Val with his elbow to get her attention back on track. “I’m going to stand in front of you with this pad. I want you to punch forward, through from your foot into your hips and hit the spot. Make sure your wrist is flat.”

Val nodded.

“Do it slowly until you get it right. This is number one.”

Val slowly swung her hips and landed a punch on Jason’s pad. She grinned. It actually felt good; maybe she was going to like this.

“OK Val, now I want you to really go for it.” Jason nodded at her as if ready for her punch.

“Kill him tiger,” shouted Delta who was now onto some chocolate thing that looked out of this world.

Val aimed and let go. It wasn’t quite as hard as she would have liked, but it seemed fine to her.

“OK, good. Now this time I want you really go for it. Think of someone you don’t like and release the inner anger.”

Who didn’t she like? She couldn’t think of anyone. Then the images started to rush in. She saw the man knocking her to the ground in the shop, the old lady ranting at her and, to top it off, remembered the man pushing her over on the beach. The anger was giving her pains in her stomach and she let it go full force.

She planted her glove on the spot in the centre of the pad, letting out a massive grunt. The pad started to move away from her. And so did Jason.

“Oh my God, Jason!” Delta yelled.

Jason was about ten feet away sitting on his bottom.

Val was mortified. “I’m so sorry! I was just so angry, remembering all that stuff…” She ran over to him and knelt down.

He was grinning from ear to ear. “That was fantastic! You’re amazing,” he enthused, visibly exhilarated. “This is going to be so much fun,” he laughed.

Delta poked Val’s arm. “If you ever hit me, Saunders, I will tell your mum, do you understand?” Val turned and showed her glove to Delta, puckering up her lips.

Jason stood stand up, rubbing his back. “I think that will do for now. Lunch looks like it’s ready.”

The gym door opened and in walked Shane. “How is it going, guys?” he asked, pushing against Val’s gloves. Val pushed back playfully.

“Well Dad, she hit me once and knocked me clean across the room. That’s about it,” answered Jason while Delta nodded in agreement.

“Are you being serious?” Shane looked between Jason and Val. Jason patted Val on the back.

“Yep. All we need to do is teach her the other punches without making her mad,” said Jason gleefully pulling a silly face.

Shane was checking Jason out for damage.

“Dad, I’m fine, get off,” Jason laughed as his dad obviously hit a sensitive part.

“All this chatting is making my Pak Choy wilt. Will you please come and get something to eat. Maria spent hours preparing this.” Delta was waving a piece of lettuce at them. Shane, Jason and Val all started to laugh as Delta walked away.

“Now we are all seated, I need to tell you guys about my dream.” Everyone looked eagerly at Val as if she was about to blurt out that Harry Potter was coming back for another book. She explained about the gathering and the woman, and what she had said, and that there had been something about a full moon. She left out the fact she had had a passionate kiss with a stranger.

Shane’s brow was wrinkled in thought. “So what did she mean by
chosen one
. Have you heard anything like this before?”

“Well, the man who pushed me over on the beach called me the chosen one and the old woman did as well.”

“OK, so you are chosen, but what for?” Delta looked at the others and the blank expressions that came back making it quite clear that no one had a clue.

“I get confused. She said I was nearly four hundred years her senior.” Val shrugged and gave a feeble grin. “It doesn’t make much sense, does it?”

“Well I have always told you to moisturise before bed but you just won’t listen,” Delta mocked, successfully lightening the mood.

“This could be really important, girls. We need to know everything they said to you. It will help us build a picture.” Shane looked sternly at Val and Delta.

“I need to tell my friend about this, it could help him. Jason, remind me to call him later on.”

Jason agreed and they all started to eat again.

Val glanced down at her watch. “Got to go, guys.” Standing up she grabbed yet another chocolate brownie. “Tell Maria she can do this again any day.”

Shane escorted Val out. He had closed the shop for lunch, and outside a queue of people was waiting for his attention.

“Will we see you tomorrow for another lesson?” asked Shane turning the key and pausing before opening the door.

“Yes OK, as long as Mr Gallymore isn’t there, I’ll come over. Thanks for everything and I’m sorry if I hurt Jason.”

Shane grinned. “Don’t worry, he can look after himself.” As he pulled the door open and Val pushed her way out, a very hairy man pushed his way in.

Val waved as she walked away. “See you tomorrow.”

Sauntering her way back to the shop, she took in the glory of the afternoon sun. Cars passed and people carried on as normal. The world was still turning, despite the phenomenon that Val was living through.

When she got back, she was pleased to find a few people loitering outside the shop, waiting for it to re-open.

“Good afternoon,” Val greeted them cheerfully, letting them in.

Val hustled behind the counter; she had books to put back on shelves and various jobs to keep her going. She really couldn’t be bothered with the crate that was staring at her from the other side of the shop. She was sure that it could wait until her quiet time tomorrow morning.