I really missed Josie, she hadn’t responded to any of my messages and she hadn’t tried to dream walk like she said she would. I was starting to get worried, maybe she had heard that Oakley and I had gotten closer or maybe whatever Arien was doing was keeping her from getting in. That had to be it. Oh, I’m going to design a stake for him, the most insufferable man or vampire on earth.
After the guys left on their hunting trip, Abel and I practiced the different techniques from his sense of smell to his hearing abilities. We had secluded ourselves away from Shaynie and Bryon just trying to get back to basics of his human life mixed with his wolf life. Abel’s physical characteristics had changed from the first day that I met him at that FBLA meeting. I remember that scrawny kid, the one with the messy hair and awkward gait, now he was sculpted with rock solid abs, more defined features and a personality that was made up of humor and wisdom. There was a small part of me that missed that kid, the one with the crush on me, the one that held onto my every command. Not now, he was becoming a man and our relationship was changing from mentor to equals.
Abel and Bryon were crashed out in the family room after watching episodes of Family Guy so I took the opportunity to try something I had never tried with Abel… I was going to attempt entering his dream. Even though the guys were cutting logs with their freakishly loud snoring I tip toed into my room so I could get into a relaxed state of mind.
One two three four, four three two one, one two three four, four three two one, one two three four… over and over until I had erased all of my stresses and could concentrate only on our connection. Abel was easy to detect in the house, our proximity was going to help the dream walking for our first time.
“Abel?” I tapped him lightly on the shoulder trying desperately not to freak him out. I looked around to see where we were and realized we were inside of the school cafeteria. Leave it to a guy to dream about the cafeteria. He was sitting at a table alone eating chicken nuggets and ketchup.
“Hey Pru, whats crackin’?” He popped a doused nugget in his mouth. “shwit down,” he said with a mouthful of nugget. He motioned for me to sit across from him, it was obvious he enjoyed his food.
“You eat in your dreams? That’s killing me! How funny.” I reached over and try to snag a nugget from him, but he playfully batted my hand away. “Oh no you don’t mister, give me one of those.” I diverted his eyes with one hand and snatched with the other. “Too slow, Joe!”
“Is this a real dream or are you in my dream?” He asked between slurps of his coke.
“You sure don’t have any manners in your dreams, you’re like an animal over there shoving food in your pie hole. As a matter of fact, you are dreaming, and yes, I’m in it via walk. All joking aside, I really need you to remember the feeling okay? You should be feeling just a little bit different, like you can sense my true self or what we call our essence. We as wolves have the ability to mentally memorize that in our memory filing cabinet.” I leaned forward and whispered, “I don’t know if I’ve said this before or not, but for what it’s worth, I’m proud of you.” I leaned in a little further and kissed him on the cheek. “You’re kind of quiet, are you okay?”
“I am, but I don’t think we’re alone.” He was looking around the cafeteria like he could hear someone.
“I gotta go. Wake up! Now!” I tried snapping him out of it to no avail. I sat up and ran into the other room to see he was still asleep. I shook him until he finally woke up. Damn, I hope it wasn’t Arien.
“Pru? Something’s wrong.” Abel said with a stricken look on his face.
“What do you mean? What’s wrong Abe?” I knew the answer before he said it.
“We have to get to the farm, right now! Get your mom, Bryon, and Shaynie and take them to the farm. I’ll be there soon, I have to stop and get something. Hurry, you have to leave now!” He was worried but his words were composed.
I felt the strain. My heart was pounding and I could feel my internal temperature rising, the tell that my body wanted to shift. I had the control to keep it from randomly happening, but I knew that we were in danger. I’d never felt such enormous amounts of pressure in my chest before. Without saying a word, we all met outside, Bryon taking my car and Shaynie while I rode with my mom. I could feel the chaos, my temperature was so high, I was sweating, I was so hot. “Mom, I don’t know if I can make it. I think I need to shift.”
“Pru, hold on, you can’t do that honey. You have to stay focused. Just find that quiet place, the one in your mind, just count like we’ve practiced. Keep it together just a little longer.” Tears were streaming down my mother’s face.
I’d never seen my mother cry before. “Mama, don’t cry, please don’t cry.” I felt like a little girl again, it was breaking my heart to see her in pain.
“Don’t worry Prudence, you don’t have to worry about me baby. Just breath, steady breaths. One two three four. Just like we’ve done. Imagine the sanctity of our circles, just focus. Please focus.”
I wasn’t sure if her orders were for me or if she was reminding herself. She didn’t usually speed but not today, she was peddle to the metal. “It’s dad, he’s hurt isn’t he? I can feel it, that is why we didn’t even have to tell Bryon, because he could feel it too. How far did they go? Are they even in Oklahoma?” My mind was racing, was Oakley hurt? I tried feeling him but I couldn’t. I wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or bad. “You don’t think he’s dead do you?” I felt the tears stinging my eyes.
“Yes, no I mean yes it’s your dad but I don’t think he’s dead. He is weak, very weak. I think they were just over the Arkansas state line, that’s where he was the last text I received from him. Check my phone, see if I have any messages.” She pulled her purse out of the back seat and dropped it on my lap.