“Not shocked. It’s just amazing. I still cannot believe that you don’t have to use any words to communicate. Did it scare you?”
“We didn’t even realize it.”
“Is it everything? I mean, can you hear his thoughts now?” she asked glancing to the doorway.
“We only hear each other when we speak to one another.”
“What about the dreams, are they the same place?”
“I think so. The last few have been at this beautiful home.”
“I bet it’s the one he built,” she said, smiling wider. “They all help. The family starts the house when the children are around the age of ten. It’s not something that happens overnight.” She ran her fingers over the pictured in the album in her lap, “Natural energy powers the houses—the whole dimension. The power of sun, wind, and water is all they need.”
This world was becoming a utopia to me. It was as if the world that I’d lived in had the same choices, but failed to take the right path.
“Ashten went to see Aubrey today. There must be something in the air...she said Clarissa found her soul mate.”
I sly smirk rested on the edge of my lips. Landen was confident it wouldn’t be long before she did.
Mom started to tell me about all the people I would meet when we finally got Chara. I drifted off to sleep somewhere in the middle of that conversation.
At first, I slept without any dreams. Slowly, though, my home came into view. I walked into the house, stopping to smell the flowers on the front steps. Once inside the house, I made my way through the rooms I’d seen the night before. I made plans to create paintings and place them, highlighting my first time in the string. I traced my fingers through the designs in the framework that bordered the center of the walls.
I was in a large room. The couches and chairs all had beautiful patterns on them, and I ran my fingers across each one. I could feel the handmade stitching.
In the center of the wall was a vast fireplace framed by a stunning mantel, and along it were pieces of what looked to be crystal. The shapes were all amazing, but one caught my eye: a willow tree. It was crystal, six inches high. The sunlight peering through brought out an array of colors. Stepping closer, I could see a little knob on the base of the tree. I gently picked up the delicate tree and twisted the knob. I felt it wind up like a music box, and I could only imagine what song would come from it.
I felt Landen’s hands on my shoulders; he moved them slowly down my back birthing a throbbing sensation from my soul. One hand reached for my waist, and the other reached for my arm, he gently lifted it, so that I was stretching back and threading my hand through his dark hair. As I gazed into his eyes, his fingertips feathered down my arm; it took all I had not to laugh. His tender caress fell further, tracing my chest, my ribs, all the way down to my waist. I held his stare as I leaned up to let my lips brush against his.
Every touch that night was innocent, yet provocatively sensual, keeping the promise that we were eternal.
I didn’t want to wake from the dream, but daylight brought us both back to reality.
“How did the convo go downstairs last night?” I asked.
He stared intently into my eyes and carefully thought his words through before he spoke. “All we came up with were more questions. It doesn’t make sense why the string doesn’t burn you when you pass through. Your dad said that was always his biggest fear. He could always see the green haze around you, but it didn’t ever hurt you, inside or out. We can’t figure out why you can’t change the emotions of the ones that are in your presence. It’s amazing that you can see them through an entire string.”
“Do you know why they can’t see me or feel me?”
“You never completely leave the string. You stay in the haze. That might be why.”
It bothered me that I’d never seen the haze before.
“Livingston thinks that if you focused your energy, you’d be able to affect the ones in your presence. If you could, you’d be able to give courage or a sense of empowerment to those who need it. He knows that there are good people in all the worlds, even in Esterious,” Landen said, looking away. I could feel that he was uneasy with his thoughts.
“You don’t like his ideas, do you?”
“He believes what he’s saying, but they’re guarding their intentions, not thinking about anything but the moment they’re in.”
“What do you think it is?”
“I don’t know, but I don’t think it’s anything we should look forward to hearing,” Landen said, tightening his jaw.
“The way we feel is a choice. I hope Livingston doesn’t think I’ll be able to change those who aren’t willing.”
“That’s exactly what our fathers and I said.”
“So when do we leave? What’s the plan?”
“That storm we were in was just a little one. Marc looked at the string last night, and it got worse after we left. It should pass by late tonight. We’re going to leave early tomorrow so Libby won’t have to travel through the night. Today, we’re going to go to one of the towns here and practice what you do so we can start to define it. You can’t help anyone until you can control it.”
I felt like a freaking science experiment. Showing Landen was one thing, but I already felt embarrassed, thinking of the others watching me and critiquing what I was doing.
Libby ran into the room and dove onto the bed, making a place for herself between us. “I wish you guys would go swimming with me instead of hiking,” she said with a big pout on her face.
Questioning her words, I looked at Landen, but he was just as lost. I assumed it was another story my mother had told her to keep the peace.
“I promise to come back soon...we’ll think of something we can do then.”
Libby laughed out loud when I started to tickle her then all at once she went rigid, and her eyes were somewhere else, looking past the room. I sat up quickly, feeling the fear coming from her. I shook her lightly and called her name. Landen stood up and lifted her to a sitting position. Her fear impacted us both, and we were reaching the point of panic. Then all at once, it was gone, and she resumed her normal excitement. Landen and I sighed deeply, and Libby looked at us as if we’d lost our minds.
“Did her emotion change, too?” Landen thought.
“To fear, but now she’s fine. What do you think she saw?”
“I don’t know...”
A sickening feeling came over me, accompanied by an intense sense of dread.
Landen and I got ready for our day. When we went downstairs, I was surprised to see that only my mom and dad were there.
“Where is everyone?”
“Marc and Livingston went to check the progress of the storm. Dad went to see my mother.”
Relief came over me. I wouldn’t have to be anyone’s science experiment after all. When I glanced at Landen, he was grinning.
“You didn’t think I’d let them make you uncomfortable, now did you?”
“You might just be too perfect, Landen Chambers.”
“Doubt that,” he said seriously. “You just bring out the best in me.”
I could feel his disdain, but I didn’t understand it. “I’m a bit adventurous and stubborn, even reckless, but…I was that way because I wanted to find you. Figure out why I’m different. You’ve calmed me down.”
“Is that why your dad and the others are looking at you like you are a ticking time bomb?”
He grinned. “Not a time bomb, they just know they crossed a line by keeping secrets from me. If there is one thing you do not mess with in Chara, it’s a person's soul mate. They’re still hiding something, and they know I won’t take it well.”
“Whatever it is…we’ll get through it.”
We’d forgotten we were standing in the den, with my parents a few feet away. Until we heard my dad say, “I hope you guys are hungry. There’s more than enough.”
Mom was sketching the mountain view. “Are you going with Landen and me today, Dad?”
/>
He was surprised and flattered by my question. “I think I’m going to stay here with your mom and Libby,” he said, sitting down. “I heard you had a good day traveling yesterday."
I glanced at Landen, “I promise I didn’t tell them everything. They don’t even know where we went,” Landen thought.
“So where did you two go anyway?” my father asked.
Landen raised his brow and tilted his head as he took a big bite of his omelet.
“Well, a lot of places. We started at Victoria Falls.”
We had my mother’s attention now. She’d put her sketch down and was looking at me, a surge of energy coming from her. “Zimbabwe?”
There was no holding back the laughter from my father, Landen, and me. My mother sat back in her chair and tried to imagine how.
Right after breakfast, Landen and I took the rental car and drove to the closest town. It was a tourist town, and we hoped it would be easy to find someone who was unhappy when they were vacationing.
“Landen, do you think I could help people close to me like Livingston does?” I thought as we strolled across the sidewalk that lined the town.
“I think there’s a reason for your gift. I don’t want you to rush it. It’ll happen when it’s supposed to.”
“Do you think I can, though?”
“I know you’re special,” he said, giving me my favorite playful grin. “Did you like your tree last night?”
It had been dancing through my thoughts all morning. “Is it really there?” His eyes told me it was. “Where did you get it from?”
“Your grandmother, Rose, gave it to me almost two years ago. She told me when she saw it, all she could think about was me.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw someone. It was Monica’s mother, Sharon, and she was hysterical. I felt a panic rush through me. Something was wrong. Why would she be in Montana? Then I felt a pull come across me, and a sinking feeling fell through my stomach as my eyes raced over her. Sharon was an image.
“What’s wrong, Willow? Willow?” Landen said, trying to follow my gaze.
“Sharon is an image,” I thought with a shaking voice.
“Who is Sharon?” he asked.
“Sharon lives in Franklin. I’m friends with her daughter, Monica. Remember I told you about her yesterday? She’s the outspoken friend of mine.”
“Are you sure she’s an image? What does she look like?” He’d followed my stare and was searching for her.
“She has on a black dress. Long blonde hair. She’s crying, screaming.” I knew he couldn’t see her. There was no way not to feel sympathy for her.
Landen’s gift of intent was working. He knew that’s what I was planning to do, and he was ready to argue his point of view. “It could be a trap. She’s in Franklin. If Drake is anywhere near her, he’ll see you.”
“Landen, I have to help her! Something has to be wrong—what if he’s hurting them?” I felt a sick feeling rise and settle in my throat.
It would be my fault, and I wouldn’t be able to live with myself.
“What if you just call and see?” He knew he was fighting a battle that I wasn’t going to let him win.
“Landen, I have to help her,” I thought in a pleading tone. “You’ll be there, and you can pull me back into the string if he’s there. I’ll even let you take me all the way home if he tries anything.”
Landen clenched his jaw. I could feel the turmoil stirring inside him. I felt his pain. He knew I was going to go, and I knew he was trying to think of ways to stop me. He knew if he tried by force, I’d just find another way.
“Okay, let’s just compromise. You can’t stay, no matter what you see. If it’s bad, we’ll get the others and we’ll all help,” he thought.
I could handle that compromise. I didn’t want to put myself in danger. I wanted to help. I had to help.
We walked to where Sharon was. She wasn’t screaming anymore, and she looked like she was calming down. Landen held my hand as we passed through the crowd.
“Willow, don’t say anything to her. You have to keep your concentration. You can’t do anything differently than you normally do. I don’t know what could happen if you do.”
I was having doubts. What if I put Landen in danger? I argued with myself. I had to help. No choice.
When we reached Sharon, Landen stood behind me and wrapped his arms tightly around my waist. His anxiety was growing stronger by the second. Putting him through this was torture. Taking a deep breath, we reached for Sharon, and the string pulled us through with a rush of energy.
We were at the police station. Sharon was not alone. Other parents were there, in fact, all the parents of my friends were in the room with her. Using all my strength, bringing her a feeling of safety was all I could do. Her tears stopped, but she didn’t smile. I knew I was only giving her temporary peace. Deciding that was the most that we could do, we let go.
Stopping in the string, I could still feel Landen’s arms around me. Sorrow replaced his anxiety. When I turned to face him, his face held the same emotion. He pulled me closer to him. He saw more than I did. He knew what was wrong, why they were so upset.
“What happened?” I asked.
I knew my thoughts were as pleading as my face. Landen hesitated, just like he always did when he didn’t want to tell me something.
“Landen.”
He breathed in. “There are six missing.” I heard his words, but I couldn’t process them at first.
“He took her,” I thought, remembering how Monica had wanted to go with Drake to the beach to go out on his boat.
“I don’t know how. Drake would've had to take them one by one. Esterious is not close.”
Landen was rocking me back and forth, trying to calm me down. The humming and the gentle current of the string were helping him. All at once, Landen stopped. His whole body became ridged, rage coursed through him. Then I heard who was making him angry.
“Well, well…what do we have here?” It was Drake’s deep, charismatic voice.
Landen moved, shielding me with his body.
“Have you hand delivered my queen to me?” Drake asked.
My adrenaline rushed to my defense. I was infuriated with Drake. He had now crossed the line.
“You know, I’d expected to have to deal with her father, or maybe her little boyfriend, Dane. But you, my friend,” Drake paused while looking Landen up and down, “are a worthy opponent.” He began to circle us. “Mmm…yes…a degree of chivalry always makes for a good story.” Drake tilted his head, smiling arrogantly and winking at me. “It will be a good one to tell our sons when I say how I won you and every dimension.” He stopped in front of us; his eyes moved from me to Landen.
They were locked in a dead stare.
“She’s not leaving with you,” Landen growled.
“You would think that a man of Chara would want the color to return to Esterious,” Drake said, folding his arms across his chest. “Would respect soul mates.”
“You don’t need Willow to release those people. It’s you and your beloved Donalt that holds them captive,” Landen said in a harsh tone full of disgust for Drake.
“Willow’s destiny threads through mine,” Drake said, glancing at the tattoo of the dragon on his arm, then to my ankh.
I lunged at him, pushing him into the wall of the string. I could hear the singe of his clothes as he quickly stepped forward. The wrath in the string intensified. Every muscle in my body hardened, trying to block out the sheer force of the emotions coursing through the string.
Drake didn’t scream in pain. Instead, a proud grin filled his face. He chuckled under his breath.
“Where are they?” I screamed at him as Landen pulled me behind him and blocked Drake, who was stepping toward us.
Drake looked at Landen with an arrogant sneer. “She’s always belonged to me…I’ve been with her more nights than you could imagine,” Drake spat. “Willow, are you going to make this easy or hard?” he said, glaring at L
anden.
Before I could answer or manage to pull a thought forward, a rush of energy with an unbearable force plowed through my back, knocking me into Landen. The flow intensified, and Landen pushed into Drake, then turned and pulled me close to him. We were both watching the sides of the string. The hazes were rushing by so fast; there was no way to be sure where the passages were. The hum suddenly rose to a roar. I felt every part of my body vibrate violently.
“Let me go first. It won’t burn me,” I thought, feeling my confidence build. I pulled Landen’s arm and stepped through the moving wall into an open field.
“Do you know where we are?” I asked, shaking.
I looked back at him. The string had burned his arm—there was a large hole in the sleeve of his shirt, blood oozing out. “You’re hurt!” I gasped.
Landen looked down at his arm, then around to find our place. I started to tremble.
“It’ll be all right. I promise,” Landen said as he picked me up and held me as tight as he could. Over his shoulder, I saw Libby. I blinked a few times, thinking the stress had caused me to hallucinate. She seemed frantic. I felt a pull reach for me.
“Libby!” I gasped. “It’s Libby—she’s scared!” I screamed.
We ran the twenty-yard distance between her and us.
“Landen, hold on to me!” I yelled, reaching for his hand as I reached for Libby.
When my hand touched her, I screamed her name. When she looked at me, all the fear vanished from her face. I’d brought us back to the cabin. Everyone was there with her.
Landen shouted toward Ashten. “Drake is in the string! Willow’s friends are in danger!”
Without hesitation, Ashten, Marc, Livingston, and my father stepped through the passage I’d made. Landen was still holding my hand.
“Stay here. I love you. Stay here.” He let go.
“LANDEN!” I screamed.
My passage vanished.
Chapter Eight
“Scorpios are super intelligent, intuitive and ambitious. They are very attractive passionate, and intense individuals. They know how to succeed in life and they always leave an impact wherever they go. They truly have it all.” – Thought Catalog