Red River Song by A. R. Mummey
Chapter Six
I awoke, pain flowing from every part of my body. Moaning hoarsely, throat dry, I struggled to sit up in the darkness.
“Lorelei,” a voice whispered from the corner. “Oh my God, Lorelei. Thank God you’re awake. We’ve been so freaked out.” A small light flickered on, and Madison swept over to me. “I am so freaking sorry. I don’t know why I was being jealous and crazy. I was so mean to you, and then … and then this happened. I felt so guilty. What if … you know?” Her face was tight with emotion. I touched her hand, trying to ease my face into a grin but only managing a grimace as pain rolled through me.
“Water,” I gasped. She obliged quickly. Drinking eagerly, I rested my head back against the pillows, looking around. I was in a private hospital room, hooked up to monitors. Stifling a groan, I flashed over the events of how I got there and shuddered as I remembered everything.
“I should get the doctor,” she said suddenly.
“No! No. Please, tell me what’s happened. How long have I been out? How bad is it?”
“Well, we’ve been really worried. You looked awful. You lost so much blood, and you were so weak. We’ve been taking shifts you know, so someone was always with you, Theo, Anabel, Heath, and me.” Her eyes looked away as she continued, “It was bad. Jackson has been great, covering your shifts and getting you on medical leave so you get paid. He’s been to see you. Then we contacted your professors, and your work is on hold. We got you notes and extra time to do your midterms. Everything is taken care of, but….” She hesitated, looking around, deliberately not meeting my gaze. “It’s been five days,” she whispered.
“Five days,” I gasped, pinching my eyes shut. I had missed so much. Fuck! What was happening?
“Yeah. Listen, there’s more. The police have been here. They’ll want to see you to find out what happened. Do you remember what happened?”
My mind was reeling. I shook my head. What could I possibly tell the police? I needed time. I needed to think. And I needed Patrick.
“Go ahead and get the doctor.”
As sore as I was, as awful as I felt, the doctor told me how lucky I was and I believed her. Bruises caked the entire right side of my body from impact with the car. A long gash, ran the length of my forehead. Bruised ribs, along with minor scrapes running the extent of my body made me look and feel like a zombie. After a few days and some sedation I was discharged.
True to Madison’s word, I was never alone. They came in shifts, Madison, Heath, Theo, and Anabel. Always questioning, poking, prodding, and most noticeably, with the exception of Madison, they were brooding. A few times, I overheard them outside my door in hushed conversation, looking anxious. I wanted to question them, but I couldn’t.
The biggest change was that I could feel them. Whenever Anabel, Heath, or Theo were near, I could feel an energy, much like my own only less potent, radiating from them. Something inside me clicked, I was either insane, or people were lying to me. Either way I decided to pay closer attention to my friends. I filed it away in my mind, chalking up my moodiness around them to being in the hospital. They were easily appeased.
The police turned out to be easily appeased. I stuck to the story that I remembered little. I was in the bar, and that was the last thing I remembered. I was there alone, had a few beers. I met up with Nicole and Greta, but that was all.
One of the detectives seemed strangely familiar, but I couldn’t place him. As soon as he walked in the room, I felt at ease. Everything about him, Detective Ash, brought my senses to attention. He smelled like spring and earth, with a hint of musk. Tall with tousled, jet-black hair and deep cyan eyes, he was lean and toned with muscles showing through his suit. His voice was kind and gentle, low and seductive. His eyes never left my face as I answered his questions. Power radiated from him, causing energy to stir within me. It both frightened and comforted me. I could feel my sparks, wafting on invisible tendrils, trying to reach out to him and his energy. It recognized him as one of us, whatever we were. More importantly, I recognized his power as equal to my own, whatever that meant. I didn’t feel so crazy anymore.
His partner, Detective Cramb, seemed to think I had been intoxicated and blacked out before being grabbed. He muttered something about “probably some guys on drugs” and referenced the “zombie apocalypse,” causing me to question his sanity. I knew a few years back there’d been a lot of drug-related deaths from bath salts in which people had been found chewing on other people like they were chicken wings but still. I wanted to argue, but who knew? Maybe somebody did slip me something. Regardless, I still left Thea, Nicole, and Greta out of the equation. I’d be locked up if I told them what I remembered.
Apparently I’d been found by my car, covered in shards of glass from having been thrown into the windshield. No wonder my body ached. It was to everyone’s surprise that I had only scratches and bruises. When they moved to leave, Detective Ash lingered, giving me his card.
Our fingers touched and, feeling a jolt, I glanced down hurriedly to see blue and black sparks emanating from our joined hands. Gasping, I scrambled back on the bed while he smiled at me knowingly. My breathing was frantic, eyes wide.
He chuckled lightly. “We have a lot to talk about.”
“What are you?” I whispered.
“Same as you. Only slightly different. You don’t seem ready yet to know who and what I am.”
“I don’t even know who or what I am.”
“I think I can help you with that. You, Lorelei, are part of the Others. There’s a whole separate world out there, and you’re at the center of it. You’re one of the Gifted. A sorceress. But I think you’ve already started to figure that out. Making strange things happen? Kill any small appliances lately?” I gasped in shock, making him chuckle.
“We’ve all been there. I’m your friend. I’ve been watching out for you. When you need me, I’ll be there. In the meantime, let’s keep this between us.” He walked out, adding mischievously, “Call me, anytime.”
Madison walked in, winking at me after that. “Oh my, oh my. I am jealous, Lorelei! All of these sexy men lining up for you.” Waving her off, I rolled my eyes, outwardly trying to conceal my terror while simultaneously trying to stifle my trembling hands. Deciding to keep the incident to myself, I focused on pretending to be normal.
Heath brought me my school books and laptop. Under the close scrutiny of my babysitters and in an attempt to avoid questions I couldn’t answer, I diligently did schoolwork. Obviously, I wouldn’t be going to study group, and midterms were only two weeks away.
Heath kindly called my sister, preventing her from coming to see me. He wasn’t pleased, but he followed my instructions carefully. I couldn’t face her, and our father wouldn’t care. I was right, of course. He didn’t even attempt to come to the hospital; he was busy with his girlfriend.
Being given two more weeks off work when I went home made me feel incredibly grateful. If only I could get time off when I was well! Feeling exhausted, I slept all the time, having terrifying nightmares. Moving around, getting up, walking, everything tired me significantly. Mostly I awoke from my dreams with no memory of them but other times I was in the forest running again, only the face was no longer my mother’s. It was Thea’s, her face inhuman and contorted, her teeth so close I could feel them slicing into my flesh. Waking in the darkness, I could swear I heard her, calling to me.
I felt myself growing weaker day by day. Something was wrong. When I looked into the mirror, my body looked sunken and pale. I had no appetite and little desire to move. I just wanted to sleep. No, I needed to sleep, to see Thea. Even in my nightmares, I was drawn to her like a snake to a mouse, only I was the mouse.
I was still under constant guard. Heath grew more anxious, peering out the windows, pacing the apartment. He stayed every night. Anabel tried to nurse me to health, her eyes always red, face puffy. I could hear her crying in the bathroom. Something was happening, and I needed answers. Theo was the most normal of the three, h
A week into this new routine, I awoke from a dream. I’d been in a meadow, Thea next to me holding my hand.
“Tell me everything.” She smiled at me, her face jubilant.
“There’s nothing to tell. I haven’t seen him. I’m under guard. I don’t even have my phone. It was lost after the accident.”
Her fingers tightened on my hand, desire quickening through me. I knew I needed to heed her. “They have your phone. Get it back, Lorelei. You need to see Patrick. You want to, don’t you? When the time comes, you will need to do something for me. But for now, find him. Will you do that for me, Lorelei?”
“Yes,” I whispered.
She smiled sweetly, pulling me closer to her. “Tell no one,” she said, her face an inch from mine. The second our lips met, I woke shaking. The line between reality and dreams was blurring. I was losing it.
“Heath!” I cried. He was beside me in an instant, his arms draping around me while I sobbed. “What’s happening to me? I don’t understand what’s going on. Help me, please. Please don’t send me away. Please,” I choked out the words between deep, wracking sobs.
Rubbing my back gently, he asked, “What are you talking about? Why would I send you away? Everything is okay. It’s okay,” he coaxed.
“It’s not okay.” I pulled away, my voice raising, a tirade of verbal vomit I could no longer hold back spewing forth. “You were there. I heard you, Heath. I saw you there after the accident. Don’t lie to me. You have my phone. I want it back, now! I need it. You followed Patrick and I when we went to dinner. You won’t let me be alone for a minute. I’m under constant guard. Anabel is a mess; you’re nervous and jumpy. You spend half the night burrowing a hole in the living room floor, staring out the window. What’s going on?” I fell back on the bed, weakened by my outburst.
“Why don’t you start, Lorelei?” Heath yelled. “You’re throwing accusations around, but you’ve been lying this whole time. You know what happened that night, don’t you? You know things aren’t what they seem. Yet you lie and hide behind this wall you’ve built. So tell me, your best friend, what happened to you at the bar. There’s no way you were there alone. Was that guy there, Patrick? Did he do this to you?” Heath’s voice was strained and feverish.
I closed my eyes tightly, tears running down my cheeks. “I don’t want you to think I’m crazy. I’m not sure that I can trust myself. Trust my mind. I told you before what’s been happening. Strange, insane things, and they seem so real … but then, they can’t be, can they? What if I’m losing it? You said I wasn’t, but … you don’t know what it’s like to not be able to trust your own mind. I don’t want you—not you, of all people—to lose faith in me.”
“Lorelei, Lorelei, I’m always on your side. Always.” He flung back on the bed next to me, patting my head. “I love you. You’re my best friend in the world. We’re family, you and I. Not everything is what it seems, Lor. I will always believe you. Sometimes, life is a little weird. Just tell me what happened. Trust me.”
I took a deep breath. Heath would believe me, maybe. At the very least, I felt like he loved me enough that he’d never have me sent away, even if he thought I was nuts.
I lay there in the darkness, perfectly still, every now and again feeling him nod in understanding as I explained it all—my blue sparks, the door locking itself, the lights coming on by themselves with a burst of blue energy. Then I explained Thea, her fiery eyes and sharp teeth. I told him everything, leaving out only the weird feelings I had about Patrick, the fact that Thea was appearing in my dreams, and my conversation with Detective Ash.
When I was finished, there was a deafening silence. Unable to stand it anymore, I whispered, “Heath?”
“No, Lorelei. This is my fault. I should have been honest with you the moment I saw that Patrick had taken an interest in you. You’re right, of course. We were there, Theo, Anabel, and I. I was worried when you hadn’t come home. I wanted to apologize for following you and Patrick and explain why he was dangerous. Well, when you weren’t here, I called Theo, and we went looking for you. Anabel found you. She said she saw a bright flash of light, heard screams, and the sound of breaking glass. She found you lying by your car. She called us, and we were there in minutes. We didn’t know what to do, so we argued. Then we had Anabel go to a pay phone and make the call to 911, saying she’d seen you at the bar. You stepped out without your things a little later, but you didn’t come back. Worried, she went looking for you. Or so that’s what we told the police.”
“So, wait…. How did you find me? How did you know where to look for me? I was on campus at a bar I’ve never been to. And the argument you had after I’d been hurt, arguing about how to help me… Theo said you guys didn’t have enough power to help me. What did that mean?” I was suddenly invigorated with a determination for the truth.
“Everything you’ve told me, I believe. And there’s a reason why I believe it. I just need you to trust me for a minute and don’t freak out. Promise me you’ll stay calm.”
“Okay,” I agreed.
He sighed next to me, knowing full well I was lying. Calm was not my strong suit. We sat in silence for several seconds. Beside me, he took a deep breath. Then, a spark of white tore from Heath’s hand, disappearing into the light switch. The lights came on, and I gasped. He remained motionless beside me, his eyes on my face, watching my expression intently. I sword I could hear the spark moving through the circuits as the hallway light turned on.
Leaping off the bed, my eyes wide and frantic, I asked, “Did I? Wait, no. Did you? Did I do that?”
He grinned and rolled his eyes. “No, I did that.”
“I don’t understand.” I felt the adrenaline ebbing, faintness taking hold.
“Power. That’s what Theo meant. We’re different, see? Theo, Anabel, me, and you, too. We have certain Gifts, so to speak, and Anabel thought we could heal you on our own. But we’re not that strong. As for how we knew where to find you … easy, we called for you.”
“What Gifts? I don’t understand. How did you call for me?” My voice was small, holding the note of wonder like a child. I ran my fingers through my hair as he spoke. Watching his face, I saw him in a whole new light. I simultaneously noticed his sandy hair had grown shaggy the past few weeks, his eyes darker, and a five o’clock shadow that made him look fierce. Sleeping on my couch was clearly not agreeing with him, or maybe it was.
“We have certain Gifts. I can do things with my mind if I focus. When it started, I could make things happen when I was in a state of distress. That’s how my mom taught me to recognize when I was vulnerable. Anytime I was distressed. For some reason, you’re just now changing. I don’t know why now, but it’s real, and with time and practice, you will be able to control it. Theo and Anabel each have different Gifts, but that’s for them to discuss with you. With these Gifts, we’re able to call for one another and we can sense each other’s general whereabouts. When were close we’re also able to sense each others energies.” I nodded. That’s why I could feel them now. “I called for you in my mind, and I saw flashes of restaurants and bars on campus so we set off and split up.”
It took several moments for what he said to sink in. I wasn’t entirely sure that this was real, but a part of me understood that I was different. That I’d always been different.
“So, Thea … she’s like us?”
“No. There are different types of people in the world. Then there are monsters. We … we’re … we’re called Gifted. When you break it down, though, we’re sorcerers. We’re very, very real. I’m not sure what Thea is, but she’s not human. However, it seems to me Nicole and Greta are very much human, and that’s what’s worrying me. How they’re being controlled. You said they were the ones drain
I shuddered. Their eyes so cold, so dead. The image of them would haunt me forever. Heath put his powerful arm around me, dragging me back to the bed. Laying me down, he covered me with blankets. Then he sat beside me, shaking his sandy head.
“I’m sorry. This is too much for you.”
“No,” I cried, “I have to know. I need to know. What do we do now? And why are you guys so worried? And why can’t I have my phone?”
“We don’t know who or what Thea is, Lorelei. We can’t just leave you alone, unprotected. We don’t even know how you survived. Whether they just stopped or if you have some hidden power. And we’re freaked out because you’re getting weaker, not stronger, and we don’t know how to help you. We’ve been doing research, but we’re coming up empty. When I saw your wrists, I thought … I thought Patrick did this.” His voice cracked, and I felt a rush of fear. Patrick. Oh, no. He was in danger.
“But he didn’t.”
“But you just told me this woman wanted information on him. He’s connected somehow. And if you think I’m going to let him waltz in here after this, you’re wrong.” His blue eyes brightened.
“He can help. I’m sure of it. Besides, why and how would he have done this?” I shoved my wrapped wrists in Heath’s face, he cringed away, disgusted.
“You don’t know what he is or what he’s capable of. You shouldn’t trust him.”
“And you do?” I retorted. “What is he then?”
Heath shook his head, saying, “Your phone is hidden. We will protect you, and we’ll discuss this more later, but you need to rest, and we need to keep researching. I won’t let anything happen to you.”
With that, he was gone, shutting the door and turning out the lights on his way, but sleep evaded me. He couldn’t just plop all this info on me and expect me to sleep after. However, part of me felt relieved that I wasn’t alone in this.
But, they had hidden this from me. My friends. I didn’t know if that word fit anymore. I tossed and turned. Sorceress. Gifted. Detective Ash. So many secrets and lies, yet somehow I knew the revelations were just beginning and I was going to be in for a whole lot more anger and hurt.