Chapter Ten
Oh! The Irony!
“I mean,” she said, her face serious, “are you--?” She stopped mid-sentence, her face suddenly flaming. (The girl certainly blushed a lot.) She giggled and shook her head. Had he missed something?
“What? What’s so funny?”
Becca looked at him, still giggling her beautiful, musical giggle. “It’s just—I can’t believe I’m telling you this—but, I thought…” she took a deep breath. “I thought, when we first met, and again the other day, that you were magic—that you were an angel.” She quickly buried her face in her hands again, releasing an embarrassed groan.
Kayde could hardly believe what he’d heard. Him? An angel? He started laughing at that thought, and at the fact that he’d thought the very same thing about her. When he finally composed himself, Kayde said, “Well, you couldn’t be further from the truth on that one, Becca.” He sobered more. “I’m definitely far from being anything pure or holy.”
Becca looked at him warmly. “Well, you were my angel today. Thank you for helping Toby and me.”
Kayde gave her a curt nod, uncomfortable with the positive attention.
Dinner went quickly and they talked about unimportant things. Afterwards, Becca insisted they walk for a few minutes. “It helps my stomach settle,” she explained. Kayde was willing. With still so many unanswered questions, he wasn’t in a hurry to take her home.
As they walked, Becca tilted her head back to gaze at the darkening sky. She sighed contentedly and smiled. Wondering what she was smiling at, Kayde followed her gaze. Even in town, he couldn’t get over how big and blue the sky was here. A jet flew high overhead, leaving chalk line of white across the dimming light of the day. It seemed to get dark early here, but Mrs. K had assured him the days were getting longer.
The yapping of a small dog drew their attention to a house just off the main street along a residential block. Becca stopped and turned toward the noise. “Oh!” she stated irritably. “Ryan left GH out too long again. She’s all wrapped up in her leash!”
“Who’s Ryan?” Kayde asked dryly. He wasn’t excited about this unexpected interruption.
“A friend. He’s in his mid twenties, but he acts more like a kid most of the time. His dad left him with a big chunk of money when he passed, so Ryan has a lot of play time. I just wish he’d pay more attention to his dog.”
Kayde followed Becca as she crossed the deserted street and approached the dog which was tied to the trunk of a young ash tree. The dog had to be part poodle—it looked a lot like his sister, Tayla’s dog. (Kayde shoved a lonely pang away at the thought of his little sister.) This dog hadn’t been groomed in awhile, though; its hair was long and the soiled curls poofed all around its body, making the animal look three times its size.
The little dog wiggled its entire body with excitement as Becca approached. It rose up on its hind legs and started hopping and pumping its front legs in a begging motion. But, when Kayde came closer, it landed on all fours and barked hysterically.
“Oh, now stop that, GH,” Becca spoke soothingly. “Kayde’s a friend of mine, he won’t hurt you.”
Kayde wasn’t too sure of that. He wasn’t fond of dogs barking at him, chasing him, tackling him, etc. He stood back and watched Becca work with the animal. Her voice took on a smooth, alluring sound that made his stomach feel like he’d just jumped off a ten story building. The dog quit barking and became still as Becca unwound the tangled rope from its body. She then unhooked the end from the dog’s harness and picked it up. She laughed and nuzzled GH; the dog gratefully licked the end of Becca’s nose with its tiny pink tongue.
Kayde had never wanted to be a dog so much in his life.
“I just need to get GH in the house and chew Ryan out quick, then we can do something else,” Becca said as she smiled back at Kayde. He just nodded and followed. Her soothing voice had stirred crazy emotions again. He wanted nothing more than to be alone with her right now.
Becca pounded on a metal door that looked like it led to a basement. After a few moments, the door creaked open and Toby stood before them. Kayde stiffened and fought ugly thoughts—he knew Becca had said she and Toby were just friends, but Kayde felt on edge at the sight of him.
“Toby, I didn’t know you were here!” Becca exclaimed, sounding much more pleased than Kayde cared for. They hugged, squishing the dog between them. Kayde released a heavy sigh.
Toby released Becca and scowled at Kayde. Becca poked him in the arm with her elbow. Toby glanced at her, and then cleared his throat. “Uh, thanks for helping us today,” he said in a rehearsed fashion. Kayde just nodded. He was feeling extremely uncomfortable—even agitated. He had a feeling Toby didn’t like him any more than he liked Toby.
“Who’s there, Toby?” a male voice trailed up from the set of concrete steps that led to a basement apartment. Kayde wondered if Becca had any female friends.
“Come on,” Toby said and led them down.
Kayde entered a living area to the sound of Becca scolding Ryan for leaving GH out too long. He took the moment to look around. Tables were set up everywhere—all covered with computers, digital recorders, video equipment, and a lot of strange devices Kayde couldn’t identify. Wires snaked around all the equipment in organized chaos. Books were scattered on an old, rust colored sofa; a Bible, a book of ghost stories, facts about paranormal activity, and a “Dummies Guide to Training Dogs”.
“Ryan, this is Kayde.” Kayde turned his focus to the humans in the room as GH lapped water from a grungy looking dish. “Kayde, Ryan,” Becca said, motioning with her head towards a man. His dark, unkempt hair stood out in jagged tufts; they went nicely with the man’s wrinkled shirt that hung unbuttoned over a green T-shirt, which was half tucked into a crumple pair of khaki shorts. He looked at Kayde over the black rims of his glasses.
“Hey, Kayde! Nice to finally meet you,” Ryan said. He gave Kayde a firm handshake after setting a super sized cup of soda next to a lap top. Ryan had an air of casual ease that helped Kayde relax. He liked this guy.
“Nice to meet you,” he said. Then, looking around, he asked, “What is all this?”
Becca groaned and Toby chuckled. “Don’t get him started, Kayde,” Becca said. “We’ll be here all night!”
“Hey! Now that was just rude!” Ryan answered. He shot Kayde a cheesy smile. “But she’s right. I love to talk about what I love to do. This,” he gestured with his hand toward the entire room, “is ghost hunting equipment.”
The following two hours found Becca sitting on the sofa, curiously thumbing through the books while Kayde listened to Ryan go on about the ghostly encounter that had led him into hunting. “I just want some proof, ya know? I’m not the only one, either. There are so many TV shows now about paranormal activity and hunting spirits to capture them on video or audio,” Ryan said. He excitedly picked up a recorder. “Listen to this. Toby and I caught this in the basement of the library last week-end. I think it’s my ghost.”
Kayde looked at Toby, but he sat with his back to them, scrolling through some strange graphs or something on one of the computers. He was wearing headphones. Ryan played the recorder, drawing Kayde’s attention. A low moaning came from the devise for the span of two seconds. When it was over, Ryan’s face was bursting with glee. “Isn’t that great? That’s the best EVP we’ve ever captured. I’m positive the apparition I saw down there was trying to speak to me.”
Kayde smiled politely. He wasn’t exactly sure what an EVP was, but he hadn’t gotten much from the recording. Anything could’ve made that sound. Maybe Ryan’s brain was a little short of some important software.
Becca stood up and walked over to them. “That’s great, Ryan. You’ve captured the sewage pipes groaning,” she said dryly.
“Oh ye of little faith,” Ryan said shaking his head. “You’ll see. Someday, I’ll have hard evidence, and then what will you hav
e to say?”
Becca chuckled and gave Ryan a hug. Kayde wondered when it would be his turn to get a hug. “Thanks for looking out for GH, Becca,” Ryan said as they parted. He smiled at Becca warmly. Oddly, this didn’t seem to bother Kayde. Ryan was like another one of Becca’s brothers.
“You’re welcome. But take better care of her from now on, will you?”
Kayde had to ask before they left, “What does GH stand for, anyway?”
Toby had taken off his head phones and was smiling at them. He answered Kayde, “After spending time with Ryan, you can’t guess?”
Kayde looked at him blankly. Ryan gave him a wide grin and answered, “Her full name is Ghost Hound. She helps us look for spooks. Don’t you, babe?” He bent down and affectionately scratched the dog behind the ear, sending her back leg to tapping against the floor. “If she won’t enter a room, I know there’s something good waiting for me!” Yep, the guy’s crazy. Kayde was sure if a dog refused to enter a room, then so would he.
They departed soon after, much to Kayde’s relief. Becca mounted the Shadow behind Kayde and told him to follow the road over the bridge and out of town. She continued to direct him until they turned onto a modest country highway. The road wound around a large bend, climbing higher into the sandstone hills that now burned with a golden glow from the setting sun.
The highway continued on, but Becca signaled for Kayde to pull off the road. They stopped at the edge of a large embankment overlooking the town of Glenville. Its white lights were already shining in contrast to the golden sunset. Pink and orange clouds streaked the horizon and birds sang farewell to the day. For once, Kayde didn’t mind their calls. It was peaceful up here.
Following Becca to the edge of the embankment, Kayde stood and listened to the amazing quiet of the area. A soft breeze stirred, playing with Becca’s soft wisps of hair. The glow of the evening reflected off of it, making her look more angelic than ever.
The ground before them fell sharply a couple hundred feet. At the bottom, large sandstone boulders created curious designs. A few scrawny trees grew on the cliff side, along with wispy grass and purple and yellow wildflowers. Tufts of sage dotted the area, sending their sharp aroma into the damp air.
Kayde watched Becca, wondering what she was thinking. Her gaze was fixed on the horizon, and a small crinkle had formed between her brows. Finally, Kayde had to know. “What are you thinking?” he asked.
She turned to him, her mouth set in a soft frown. “This is where my parents went off the road.”
Kayde didn’t know what to say. How could such a peaceful spot carry such tragedy?
Becca continued, turning her gaze forward again. “They came around the bend we just passed. I always wondered if there was a deer or something on the road. You can’t see what’s on the road up here until you pass that bend. Maybe Dad swerved to miss it, then...” She lowered her gaze. “But there weren’t any skid marks indicating he’d used the brakes.”
“I’m sorry, Becca.” Kayde said.
Turning to him, Becca’s brows softened. She gave him a small grin and answered, “Every time I’ve been up here, I’ve felt dark, angry, bitter. I brought you here as sort of an experiment. I wanted to see if you’ve really done what I think you’ve done.”
Kayde was taken aback. “And what is it you think I’ve done?”
Becca pressed her lips together, giving him a thoughtful look. “I was wondering why you’re here. And what you have about you that’s so special.” She looked at him more seriously. “Kayde, before I found you in that storm, I hadn’t felt peaceful in a long time. I’d been wallowing in that dark place where no music and no light could touch me. It’s been that way for me since Mom and Dad died. But now,” she said, taking a step closer. Kayde’s heart quickened. He could feel her energy, hear her music, and he was afraid of what she might ask about him. “You brought something with you. And I can’t explain it, but it’s given me life again. Even up here, where I’ve felt that darkness the heaviest, it’s just not here anymore. You’ve saved me somehow.”
Kayde couldn’t speak. It was if she’d taken his thoughts and feelings about her and expressed them far better than he ever could. And this terrified him. He took a step back.
Becca looked away, back to the dimming horizon. “I’m sorry. I’ve said way more than I wanted to!” She released a nervous laugh and twisted a strand of hair around her finger.
Although part of Kayde wanted to get on his bike and flee for his life, a greater part of him knew he never could. Becca had a hold of him, and he somehow knew she always would. He took a breath for courage, approached her cautiously, and wrapped his fingers around hers. The same energy sparked at their touch. He knew she felt it too, because she gasped softly as she turned to him.
Kayde raised his other hand to her face, his heart keeping time with the music playing in his whirling mind. He touched her cheek softly, momentarily agitated at the bruise that had formed there earlier. He watched her blue eyes widen with wonder. He traced her cheek bone, then trailed a finger along her jaw line. She closed her eyes and Kayde’s attention was immediately drawn to her lips. They were parted slightly, invitingly. His throat vibrated as he instinctively hummed a seductive melody. Their bodies swayed in a subtle dance. He drew closer to her until he could feel her breath on his face. The tension was magnetic, as if something was drawing them together; and yet another force was trying to keep them apart--like the wrong ends of those magnets.
Kayde hummed louder to break that barrier. He wanted to be with her, his desire was overwhelming. But the sound of his rising voice struck his consciousness. He became aware that he was about to put Becca under the same spell he’d used on every other girl he’d ever been with.
Kayde pulled back abruptly, horrified at what he’d been about to do. He couldn’t do this, not to her. Becca’s eyes snapped open. They looked shocked, maybe even hurt. “What’s the matter?” she asked breathlessly.
A strangled laugh flew from Kayde’s throat and he ran a hand through his hair. Oh the irony! How many girls have I seduced with my music and never given it a thought? Now, the one girl that I actually care about, the one that matters to me, I’m afraid to even kiss!