TEN MINUTES LATER, WHEN I finally wrap my mind around what they are telling me, I decide that I need a break.
“Colton, is my bag still in your car?”
“Yeah, I’ll go get it for you.” I walk to the living room, because that’s really the only room I actually know how to get to, and sit on the couch. David follows me in there, and sits across from me.
“You okay?”
Ignoring his question, I ask, “Do you think you could train me? Just some basic self-defense moves, so I know what to do if I’m ever in a similar situation again.”
“Umm…” He runs his hand through his hair. “Yeah, I guess I could do that.”
“What could you do?” Colton, who had just walked back into the room, hands me my bag.
“Ryanne wants to learn self-defense. I think it would be a good idea.”
“I agree.”
I reach into my bag, and grab out my notebook. Pulling my knees under me, I place the notebook on my legs. Turning it open to a blank page, I begin to draw. I tune out the brothers in front of me as I start to sketch the grassy field I dreamt about once. I can remember the details as if I had actually been there. The tall trees with the thick trunks; the rough textured bark; the way the trees form a circle, leaving a large open field in the center. Uncut grass covers the area with random wild flowers dispersed throughout. Butterflies of all different colors fly around. I remember everything.
“You’re really good at that. Can I see?” Before I have a chance to reply, Colton grabs the notebook out of my hands, and flips to the front page.
“I really don’t like people looking…at…my drawings.”
He disregards me and continues flipping through the notebook, nodding occasionally, until he reaches the flamed one—the one he had briefly seen at school. He looks at the page for a second, and then looks at me, his eyes landing on my pendant. “This one looks like the necklace you’re wearing right now.”
I pick up my pendant. “That’s actually a drawing of a tattoo I saw on someone once. I thought it looked really interesting.” I pause, glance down at the flame and continue. “This necklace was his actually.”
“Whose?” asks Colton.
“His name was Liam, is Liam. I…uh…met him in a dream, I think.” I feel my face turning red again. I know I sound crazy, but there is no other way to explain it.
“In a dream?” asks David incredulously.
“Well…kind of. I was awake when it happened.”
“What do you mean, when it happened?”
“Okay, but I’ll warn you, this is going to sound crazy. I fell through my bedroom wall, and landed in a different world, I guess. I don’t know. Liam was there and wouldn’t tell me anything. He kept saying, ‘You are not supposed to be here. This isn’t your world.’ Then we got attacked by something called a gorgoth, and later a dragon-like thing. I got stabbed by its spiked tail, and woke up in my bed after dying in the field. My stomach hurt whenever I moved, and I found this necklace on my pillow. I’ve worn it ever since.”
They both stare at me like I have three heads. Before either of them can say anything, Claire walks back into the room.
“Ryanne, I would like to work on controlling the thoughts if that is all right with you.”
“Yeah, let’s do it.” I am glad for the interruption. I don’t know why I tried to explain everything to them when I don’t fully understand it myself. Claire walks in front of me, and shoos Colton out of the way, so she can sit there. Colton gets up, with my notebook in hand, and goes over to the window seat.
“I would like you to try and unleash the thoughts from their locked place. It shouldn’t be too painful because there are only three of us here.” She stops talking to me, turns toward David and Colton, and says in a stern voice, “Monitor your thoughts.”
She puts her hands out as an anchor, and I graciously grab onto them. I close my eyes and search my mind, seeking the large locked box. Finding it, I concentrate on turning the lock, and opening it. With a click, the lid turns, and the thoughts come swarming out. The headache isn’t as bad as I anticipated, because there are only three people here. I open my eyes and look at her, telling her that I am ready.
“Good. Now, I want you to focus solely on me. Push the other thoughts back, but keep mine out.” I attempt to do that, but I can’t. The thoughts are jumbled up. I can’t tell which one is hers.
“I can’t. I can’t do it.”
“Yes, you can, Ryanne. Try again.” This time, when I look at her, I see her faith in me. I know that she believes I can do this. I close my eyes and think of Claire, repeating her name over and over again. For a couple seconds nothing happens, but then one of the thought strands gives off a lighter hue. I mentally grab onto that strand and pull it forward, pushing the others behind. Come on, I know you can do this. I believe in you. Her thoughts are all encouraging.
I open my eyes and look at her, smiling. “I did it.” She laughs and squeezes my hands. “I told you so. Let’s see if this works. I’m going to think a few random thoughts, and you tell me what I’m thinking.”
“Sounds easy enough.”
I focus intently on Claire, and what she is thinking. It turns out to be easier than I thought it would be.
My favorite color is purple.
“You like purple.”
“Correct. Okay, another one.”
I have to go open the bookstore soon.
“You have to open the bookstore soon.”
Nodding, she continues. I hate having to clean up after two boys all day. They are such slobs.
I laugh, and turn toward Colton and David, who are both looking at us. “She just called you both slobs.” They both glance at Claire, who shrugs sheepishly.
I think you like Colton.
“You think I—what?” I peek out of my eye, and see both Colton and David still looking at us. I feel myself blush. I just shake my head at her.
I think he likes you too.
I shake my head again. It isn’t possible. Claire just stares at me, I can feel her eyes on me, but I’m looking at our hands. A guy like him would never be interested in me. With a sigh, she lets go of my hands, and pats my leg.
“David, can she try you next?”
“She can try me anytime.” David grins widely, and winks at me. I bite my tongue, but my laugh escapes anyway. With that, he comes over and sits in front of me. He puts his hands out just like Claire did, and I grab hold of them. Following her instructions, I repeat everything I had just done. When I am ready, I look at him waiting for him to think something.
I’m hungry.
“You’re hungry.”
“He’s always hungry,” Colton mumbles.
I have a fear of sloths. I think they are weird looking. If they ever decided to assert dominance, they could probably rule the world.
I can’t help it. I start giggling. “You’re afraid of sloths?”
“Hey, I just told you why.”
“I know, but it is still a little funny. They could rule the world?” I continue laughing.
Stop it now. I could kick your little butt.
“But you wouldn’t, because you’re a gentleman.” He just scoffs at me.
Says who?
“Okay, she can read my thoughts. Colton, your turn.” Colton puts my notebook down, and walks toward me, sitting beside me on the couch, instead of in front of me like everyone else. I angle my body toward him, and place my hands in his outstretched hands. Ignoring the butterflies that shoot through my stomach, I close my eyes, and concentrate on his thoughts only, but get nothing. There are only two thought strands running through my mind, and I have already determined they are Claire’s and David’s.
“I can’t read your thoughts,” I mumble as I slowly open my eyes, and glance up into his green ones. “I can’t read your mind.”