Chapter 5/Trust me
Daniel pulled into the driveway a few seconds after Selah, she was walking towards his car, smiling the wind turning her cheeks bright red and her lips slightly blue, if only he could warm them up for her, he thought.
Selah watched as Daniel got out of the car, excited to have him at her house, she grabbed him by the arm and lead him to the front door. As soon as she opened the door Gunner came running to meet her, he sniffed her pants as if wondering what she had been doing all day was clearly visible on them. When Daniel stepped next to her, he stopped sniffing her instantly and happily began smelling him, clearly very glad to have someone new to give him attention. “I’m sorry he doesn’t meet too many new people and gets really excited, his name is Gunner.” She hoped he liked animals she had forgotten to tell him about Gunner.
Daniel knelt down and gave the dog a good rub down, Gunner was enjoying himself so much he began to moan, he dropped himself onto the floor rolling on his back and let Daniel rub his belly, “I see you like that eh, boy.” As Daniel stopped the dog got back on his feet and licked Daniel’s hand in thanks for the rub, he had made a new friend.
Selah watched as Gunner ignored her and followed Daniel, traitor she thought, in his defense she hadn’t paid much attention to him the past few days…She took the opportunity to grab Daniel’s hand and lead him towards the kitchen.
Daniel held her hand running his fingers along her life line, rubbing it, as they reached the kitchen, they found Selah’s brother and a cute girl playing with the dish water in the sink. Daniel saw how much they looked a lot alike, Jacob and Selah.
Jacob pulled back when he saw them he had been trying to get Tracy shirt wet, his hands full of bubbles, from the dishwater. His eyes opened wide upon seeing Daniel, he tried to look serious all of a sudden, until the handful of bubbles Tracy had put on his head fell into his eyes.
Selah started laughing “Good one Tracy.” Jacob grabbed the dish towel and wiped himself off, trying to act all macho because Daniel was with her, she noticed. Tracy seemed just as shaken as she looked at who Selah had with her; Selah smiled at Daniel realizing he had that effect on people.
She squeezed Daniel hand gently, “This is my brother Jacob and his girlfriend Tracy Davis.”
Daniel smiled at them both, “Hi, I’m Daniel Evans please to meet you both.”
Tracy smiled shyly, already forgetting Jacob, lifting her hand in a small wave “Hi Daniel.”
Jacob walked over to Daniel and offered his hand making Daniel let go of Selah’s , smiling “It’s awesome man to actually meet you, when I asked Selah this morning…well I never thought I’d have the chance so soon.” He pumped Daniel’s hand furiously, obviously in awe of him. “I guess I underestimated her, you two going out or something?” he looked at Selah waiting for a confirmation one eyebrow up.
Selah began to deny any such thing when Daniel interrupted her saying “Well it’s still too soon to tell, do you think I stand a chance?”
Selah mouth dropped in shock, she looked at Daniel wondering if he was pulling her leg, he grinned back, satisfied with her reaction as he waited for a comment.
Selah turned to hide her excitement she felt like doing a victory dance after a touchdown, “So Jake what did you make for supper, I invited Daniel to taste your culinary expertise.” Hoping it would take the attention off of her; she glanced tentatively at Daniel and saw he was still looking at her, waiting.
“Seriously, you want some of my cooking?” he grabbed Selah’s arm and dragged her to the side whispering “You should of called first telling me he was coming I could of made taco’s or something…your making me look bad…I thought you were joking this morning.”
Selah burst out laughing at Jacob, he sounded like an angry wife who hadn’t been told company was coming…and he had saved her from Daniel’s puzzlingly optimistic gaze.
“It’s ok Jacob I’ll make some grilled cheeses for Daniel and I, don’t worry about it,” Selah reassured him. She turned back toward Daniel “So you want grilled cheese and a salad…?”
“Yeah, that sounds good, how about I help you,” he offered.
As she got everything out, they began to get supper ready, she watched Tracy trying to convince Jacob with much difficulty to go in the living room…it was obvious he wanted to just sit and talk with Daniel the way he hung around. He let go of a huge sigh, almost sulking, as they left the kitchen.
As soon as they were alone Daniel grabbed Selah by the waist turning her towards him, pinning her against the counter, as he looked down into her eyes “So are you gonna answer the question?”
Selah feigned ignorance as she felt him press up against her, her heart racing she swallow hard “What…what was the question?” she whispered barely legible.
“Do I have a chance with you, Selah?” he took his fingers and traced the line of her jaw.
She couldn’t even bring herself to blink as she licked her lips which suddenly felt like sandpaper. Still whispering she said “You think about me… like that… really… me?” having trouble absorbing the information being given to her.
“Oh yes, you and no one else…” he touched her wet lips as they parted, waiting; he began to bend toward her slowly.
Selah reached up to hold onto his arms curving her body into his as she tilted her head back closing her eyes as his lips grazed hers lightly, she felt tingles run up her spine, she opened her mouth slightly touching her tongue to his, her whole body trembling as she opened up to him, giving him his answer. She pulled him closer still as she hungrily kissed him, not holding anything back.
Daniel held her as close as her could crushing her against the counter, he felt his breath coming quicker as he pulled away, the passion she was showing him, drowning him, he pulled away breathless. “Wow you’re amazing Selah…I hope that meant yes.”
Suddenly ashamed of her desire for him Selah looked down afraid to meet his intense gaze. “That was my first kiss…I hope it wasn’t too bad...I didn’t want to stop.” She had let go of him, and was clenching her fingers together nervously…
Daniel put his arms around her, smelling her still wet hair, he wanted to lift her in his arms and swing her around he was so happy, “That was the best kiss I ever had, thank
you for being you, please never change.” he ran his fingers lovingly thru her hair and kissed the top of her head.
Selah circled her arms around his back feeling his strength as she rested her head on his shoulder, “Daniel, you really mean a lot to me, I’m so glad we finally met, I feel like I‘ve been waiting for you a long time…does that sound strange?”
He held her tighter and whispered “No it’s not strange at all, it’s like that for me too, Selah, me too.”
The phone rang awakening Selah out of her moment of bliss, she reluctantly let go of Daniel, and walked over, answering it on the third ring “Hello,” her eyes holding Daniel’s, he turned away first and began to butter the bread for the grilled cheese sandwiches.
Daniel smiled as he listened to Selah on the phone, he was so happy he could burst…in no time he had a few grilled cheese sandwiches ready to be cooked, he put the pan on, dropping the sandwiches in. She felt the same as he did, knowing that made him feel light as air. He began humming as he cut up the vegetables Selah had taken out, making the salads…
It was her dad, Selah turned her back from Daniel, her mom had had the MRI and they would get the results of both tests tomorrow after the CAT scan, Selah filled him in on her and Jake’s day, she asked her dad to make sure he called as soon as he had results. She told him to give her mom a kiss how much she loved them both. She called out to Jacob passing him the phone.
As she got to the table she smiled wide at Daniel, “Wow, gorgeous, great kisser, and he cooks, I definitely will keep you around for a while.”
Daniel gave her his best smile, and presented her with the supper he had thrown together, “so is everything alright with your mom?” concern entering his eyes.
; “She’s the same; they won’t find out the results of her tests until tomorrow, if you believe in prayers Daniel, maybe you can say one for her?” She asked hopefully.
“I do, and will, hoping for everything to work out for the best.” He grabbed his sandwich “So are we gonna eat now, I’m starving, all that kissing has taken all my energy” he laughed.
They ate, Selah thanking Daniel for finishing supper, he helped her clean up afterwards. He was sorely tempted to start the same kind of fight as Jacob and Tracy had had, but he restrained himself.
Selah was having a difficult time recovering after that kiss, it had surpassed her every wish, for her first one…and having it be with Daniel made it all the more dynamic to her…she wanted to ask him if they were a couple or…they hadn’t really began dating she had only met him days before, even though it felt as if she had always know him, she knew Maria had been “Spot on”. She felt goose bumps on her arms; she shivered thinking about her reading.
Daniel saw her shiver “Are you cold, do you want me to warm you up”, as he pulled her to him, her back to his chest as he tucked his chin on top of her head. He ran his hands down her arms until he held both her hands in his.
Selah’s goose bumps instantly disappeared, as she felt his body heat thru her clothes. She leaned against him, relishing the feeling. She closed her eyes, and relaxed completely. “Daniel?” she whispered.
He was rubbing his cheek on her head, as relaxed and content as she was “Hmm?”
“Is this really happening, I mean we only just met? How can we fit, so perfectly?”
Daniel still holding her hands put them around her and held her tight… “Do you believe in faith?” she felt like she was safe in his cocoon.
“I don’t know…I want to, but you kinda scare me Daniel.”
He loosened his hold on her suddenly worried he was going too fast and would mess things up, “I’m sorry Selah, sometimes I don’t think before I act, my emotions take over…I’m really sorry, I’m moving too fast, I should have known.” He was clearly upset.
Selah let him go and turned quickly “No, no Daniel, that’s not the problem, you scare me because I…” she looked down as if trying to find the right words “I don’t know what I would do without you, and it’s only been a few days…and I…it scares the hell out of me…so please if you’re not being honest…I can’t take being lied to, I hate it…so don’t lead me on, with everything happening with… with…” her breath caught in her throat as hot tears rolled down her face, “Please don’t lie to me Daniel, I won’t be able to…”
Daniel wiped her tears away, “Selah, I wish I could make you truly understand, I don’t know how I can prove my feelings for you…But I’m truly being honest when I say no-one has ever made me feel as much as you do…and I’m not going anywhere, I promise I won’t let you down.” He kissed her tears away tenderly, “Let me be strong for you right now, you’re going through a lot and that’s what I’m here for, you, just you, can you believe that.
Selah held him tight, Thanking god for sending her Daniel just when she needed him the most, he was her angel. “I’ll try my best, to trust you, and Daniel thanks for everything, you’re like my very own angel.”
Daniel chuckled softly hearing her said that “Ah Selah if you only knew.”
Selah held on, listening to his heart beating against her ear as she wondered what he meant. She had never let herself truly trust someone so deeply… and he wanted her to even more, she reached deep inside and made her choice.
Selah pulled herself back and looked at him, there wasn’t a bone in her body which told her to run, she wanted him more than she had ever wanted anything or anyone in all her life… she kissed him softly, sweetly, confirming to Daniel that she was reassured…that she would let him in.
They talked for a bit, siting at the table holding hands. Tracy had left a little while before and Jacob came into the kitchen, he was itching to talk with Daniel. Daniel invited him to sit and let him ask all the questions he wanted, Selah watched them both, smiling at how Daniel was with Jacob, as he patiently answered all his questions.
They were absorbed in hockey talk, she knew Jacob had found an outlet with Daniel, he was just what they both needed…he was keeping then both sane. She called Gunner over and sat on the floor with him, as she whispered, in his ear how magical her first kiss had been. He licked her face happy to have so much attention.
Daniel talked with Jacob for quite a while enjoying his company, they planned to meet up soon to have a stick handling session in the garage, Jacob had told him how he had a net set up.
Jacob was just as smitten with Daniel as Selah was, just over hockey. Selah just couldn’t believe how lucky she was. She walked over to him as he announced he had to head home. He promised he would texts her goodnight before he went to bed, he kissed her, and held her “Thank you for the best night ever.”
Selah got on her tip toes and kissed his nose, “Ditto, bye sexy” she teased him.
After Daniel had texted her and she was snuggled under her blankets, she had let Gunner sleep with her tonight and he was on the end of her bed snoring softly already, she closed her eyes remembering her kisses, as she relaxed, her breathing slowed and she felt herself drifting going to her secret place…
Selah was in the park where she had met Thomas, she walked over to the swings, as she got on and began pushing with her feet, higher, and higher…she extended her arms and let the momentum of the swing carry her as she closed her eyes, her hair flowing with the wind…it felt great, she was so free…as the swing slowed down she pulled her arms against the rope sitting up, as she opened her eyes…and saw a very tall, buff, blond demi-god leaning against the steel poles of the swing set, his biceps were the size of small honeydew melons, she noticed as he crossed his arms on his chest and he had an arrogant grin on his face, as he watched Selah.
Selah put both feet down stopping herself, she hadn’t been thinking about anything as she swung, but now felt extremely self-conscious, her clothing began changing at a rapid pace, she just couldn’t focus…
Caleb watched her as she lost control of her thoughts, loving the effect he had on her…this was gonna be a piece a cake…he made a mental note to truly thank Daniel the next time he saw him.
Selah wished the man before her would disappear, thinking her thoughts would give her results, instead her clothes disappeared, she got so frustrated she focused on her class room at school and found herself sitting at her desk, relieved she had lost the stranger. She put her head down on the desk…
“These things are made for midgets.” Caleb exclaimed as he tried to squeeze himself out of the desk he was in.
Selah jumped in fear at hearing a voice, she turned and saw the stranger in a desk a few rows over, she felt herself quiver in fear, “Who are you, what do you want…?”
Caleb smiled, “Sorry honey, I’m Caleb I’ve been watching you for a while in here and thought it was time I introduced myself, pleased to meet you,” extending his hand out.
Selah felt apprehensive as she looked him over “How did you follow me?”
“You leave a trail as thick as my arm; it’s hard not to follow you.” His arm still extended in offering.
Selah was confused how had she left a trail, what was he talking about? “I left a trail, where? I can’t see it…”
Caleb waved his arm in a wide circle and Selah saw the exact path she had taken to get at the school it looked like smoke from an old exhaust; it was fading as she
watched it. “If you don’t know what you’re doing around here, well anyone or anything can find ya. I have seen you coming in and out of this place and I thought you would find some trouble sooner rather than later, so I decided to step in and teach you a bit of what goes on around here, so are you game?”
Selah looked him over he could snap her like a twig if he wanted too, she wouldn’t be able to stop him…she looked him in the eye, blue they were, and very nice, he extended his arm once more. S
elah grabbed his hand to shake it her fingers were swallowed in the sheer enormity of his hands. She felt reassured instantly, as if she could trust him, the feeling was vaguely familiar as if she had experienced it before, she shrugged it off, “I’m Selah, nice to meet you I thought this was just a dream, this place.”
Caleb laughed a huge deep throaty roar, “Well I’ll take that as a compliment that you thought of me in your dreams, but this place is real darling…and I think you should understand a bit more what you’re dealing with, wouldn’t want you hurting that pretty little noggin of yours.”
Selah smiled he had a drawl to his voice, she didn’t know where he came from; it had its charm though, “You said anyone or anything could follow me, what do you mean by that, are there creatures here?”
Caleb looked at her, she was tall and thin, nothing but a slip of a thing, and it was hard to believe she was so powerful… “I wouldn’t call them creatures, there are a lot of different things here, and I’ll start with the basics so as not to scare you too much, but don’t get me wrong this place is very dangerous.
Selah tilted her head looking at him, suddenly very interested in what he had to say.
“How bout we go somewhere more comfortable were we can talk…he closed his eyes and Selah felt the scenery ripple as if it were water, liquid, and found herself at the most beautiful beach, she could felt the hot sand in between her toes and the warmth of the sun beating down on her, the waters were a pale blue and crystal clear, she imagined herself in a sun dress with a large hat on her head to protect her from the sun. Her clothes began shifting soon after she settled. “The first thing I want to show you is how to control your appearance and clothes, you change more than a chameleon and frankly honey you sometimes leave nothing to the imagination.”
Selah felt her face heat up hotter than the sun in July. He came closer to her, she looked down shyly, “Focus on what you want to look like he said, then imagine a loose thread on your pretty little dress, ya that’s it. Now this is a bit tricky, but once you get the hang of it,” he pulled the string out and tied it off.
Selah noticed the string had glowed slightly as he pulled, “Why was it glowing, the string when you pulled it, what did you do?”
“I gave it a base, made it stable, since I tied it off it won’t change unless I untie it, you see everything hear is in energy form, that’s why it was glowing, energy, is a form of light. That’s also why when we want to change things it happens so fast, the speed of light and all.” He looked at her hoping she would be a fast learner.
Selah smiled it made perfect sense, as she looked down at her clothes, they were the same as she had originally though, she could see the string he had tied off too, she sat
down on the hot sand imagining a blanket underneath her, she attempted to tie off that thought too, picturing the blanket as energy and unraveling a corner and tying it in a knot.
Caleb watched her, amazed she had caught on as quickly as he began explaining, “This place is a parallel of the real world, things are almost an exact duplicate in both places, and a long time ago there was only one world, way back at the beginning. Do you believe in divine beings or in evolution?”
Selah didn’t hesitate and answered, “I believe in god.”
Caleb was relieved he wouldn’t have to convince her of such. “Good, that makes it easier to explain, I’ll refer to God as the creator, ok. In the beginning there was only men and beast that roamed the earth they lived for hundreds of years, even a thousand, the creator found thought that after so many years each person became complacent and oftentimes turned to evil, having lived for so many years doing the same mundane things they sought change and most times suffering ensued from it, he believed there must be a balance at all times between both negative and positive forces.” He saw she was soaking all the information in like a sponge.
“He decided to shorten their time on earth, giving them a life span of about 60 years, but in so doing gave them the freedom of choice on how they would live, if they choose to be evil or good it was all up to them, but there were consequences with each choice. Karma would reward them for their actions, specific to each deeds performed.”
He was sitting next to her running sand thru his fingers as he continued, “With our lives shortened, it changed the dynamics of the learning process, the creator had originally wanted to observe, that’s why he had created the human race, and they fascinated him. So he decided to create this place this parallel universe, when the human body dies, its soul or energy comes here. Each soul decides which path it will take as it takes on a life form, or a human body.” He saw her brows bend down as if confused or questioning his explanation.
He tried to simplify it so she could better understand. “You agree that you have a soul, right?”
Selah looked at him, “Yeah, I understand that, I just don’t get what you mean by each soul decides its path.”
Caleb tried a different approach, “Before you were born as Selah, your soul knew exactly what choices it would have to make being born you, and does that make sense then?”
“Are you saying everything has already been decided? All my choices?” the disbelief in her voice obvious.
“No, I mean the choices you had to make are still yours but the soul chooses to have to deal from those choices, it has certain lessons to learn in making those choices.” She was still confused he could tell “For example a certain soul has lived many lives but never learned how to deal with great suffering, so it chooses a body that will provide that experience, so the end results is humility perhaps, now do you get it.”
Selah shook her head finally understanding better, “Ok but what do they have to do with here, in this parallel?”
“You may encounter such souls here; having just passed from their human forms contemplating their life lessons…this is like the next stop in their journey”
“Oh wow, like people that just died you mean?” Selah was in awed of this revelation.
“Yes, but they are best left undisturbed, they cannot digest any new information and are too busy contemplating their life lessons, they will not necessarily be happy to see you, they are in a pure form and if their life was difficult it can continue here, some never learn and wander here forever, becoming a menace of sorts…”
“Kind of like a ghost right? So there must be good and evil ones…”
“Now you’re getting the picture, the good ones usually resolve their life lessons fairly quickly, they then move on, to another lesson… so going back to earth and starting over, or reincarnation as you guys call it. While others get stuck, perhaps because they came to a no good end on earth, murdered or such a thing…they never learn anything and are always searching for a way to return to their previous life, all the while they long to have a human body.”
Selah got the chills all of a sudden, as if the sun had disappeared her blood ran cold, “Can they ever get back…?”
Caleb turned to look at her, his expression grim, “Yeah they can latch onto you without you really knowing, that’s how some people become possessed in your world… so you understand when I say this place is dangerous.”
Selah grew quiet letting all the information he had given her sink in, and she had been here a lot lately…she stared at her hands noticing for the first time they looked like the picture of her television. “Why are we like this here, kinda digital?”
Caleb reached over pulling a string from his hands “Everything here is like a pattern of cloth, it can be unravelled. That’s also how things can be created here so easily, as long as your imagination can think it, then it becomes real here.”
Selah imagined a star and watched as it appeared suddenly in her hands…
Caleb reached over and touched it, as it disappeared as if it were made of smoke.
“How come some things are different in color here, some things are greyish I noticed?”
“The greyer the color the less energy is used to make it appear here, things that are colorles
s are usually just dreams, you see people dream and find themselves here. They never remember this place because they unconsciously come here, they think they are in the real world but they are here, Have you ever heard someone tell you how they love their dreams because anything is possible…”
“What about me, I’m not faded and tomorrow I’ll remember you and everything you told me.”
“You and I are special Selah, we’re travellers we have the ability to disconnect out body from our soul, but it’s dangerous we leave our bodies exposed to anything, and what happens here happens to our bodies also.”
Selah thought back to the dog bite she had received a few nights before, the pain still fresh in her memory. “How do you know so much about this place Caleb?”
He looked at her realizing he could only tell her so much, if she knew the full truth…”I had a teacher, just like I’m telling you…they really helped me a lot here, there’s still more but I don’t want to overwhelm you with too much right now how about we meet again sometimes?”
Selah realized they had been talking for a long time and agreed to meet another night here at the beach, “In two nights, around the same time?”
She went back to her safe spot where she could see millions of lights, she just floated there for a while thinking of everything her had told her. After a few minutes she let her spirit drift back to her body imagining herself pulling the invisible thread which connected all her parts.
Daniel having watched Caleb instruct Selah on the do’s and don’ts of the void also returned to his body feeling a bit better, thinking Caleb would do right by her…
As Selah left, Caleb felt the presence of Daniel leave with her, he had told her the bare minimum tonight he needed Daniel to trust him, he couldn’t watch from above every time Caleb was with her. He knew he just had to bide his time… he would get his chance, and when he did his chance for power would present itself, Daniel hadn’t always been Selah’s protector, in some lives she had chosen differently, and in this life the creator had opened a door to endless possibilities for Caleb…he would be wise and play it safe for a while. If she became his…he would be the most powerful guard, and he would be able to change things, he just had to wait for the exact right moment…he would get what he wanted…