2:32 a.m.
Emily Ford
_
Smashwords Edition
Copyright 2012 Emily Ford
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PROLOGUE
Sixteen-year-old Cat Townsend has always had powerful dreams—the intensely believable, heart pounding, out-of-body-experience kind.
But tonight, at 2:32 a.m. an incident so disturbing occurred, Cat questioned her own sanity.
An unknown black man sat on the edge of her bed, waking her from a deep sleep. Without uttering a word, the middle-aged man with shoulder-length dreadlocks and flawless skin reached for her hand. His touch was shocking. Their eyes locked as he smiled brilliantly. She should have been afraid, but she wasn’t. For in that undefined place between asleep and awake, the moment felt hazy and surreal. Was this a dream?
Whatever it was—she and this mysterious man shared an intense and immediate connection. Then, he was gone.
He simply disappeared. Cat reached for the spot where he sat, and it felt warm. Her body trembled as she lay back against the cool pillows, her mind fuzzy but clearing. She wanted to remain awake and think, but a strong force was pulling her back to sleep. Cat felt herself falling…
*
Suddenly, the sun beat down on her seven-year-old skin. Salty beach air filled her nostrils. As if watching an old family video, Cat saw herself running back and forth to the water. She hurriedly filled her pail, hoping to get back to her sandcastle moat before the water seeped into the sand.
Looking up, she saw her nine-year-old neighbor Todd Wilkinson barreling down the beach towards her. His face was sweaty, sandy and laughing as he ran past her three brothers, only stopping briefly to toss them a football.
Reaching her castle, he tromped on the edge with both feet, making the walls slowly cave inward. With a jeering laugh, he doubled over as the entire structure disintegrated into the ocean. In anger, she started to cry.
Even still, Cat knew she loved this boy.
*
Abruptly, the dream ended, blurring into another.
She was no longer at the beach or seven years old. Instead, she was in a library where the musty scent of old paper lingered in the air.
It struck her as odd that she was suspended from the ceiling, but it also felt natural. Cat could view the impressive room from a full three hundred-and-sixty degrees. The colors of the library appeared monochrome, and she squinted as she glanced around.
Suddenly, she saw sitting alone and frightened at a reading table, a dark-haired young man about her age. Unthinking, Cat whizzed through the air to get a better look at his face.
She did a double take. It was Todd Wilkinson again - now, all grown up. Blinking, she couldn’t stop staring. There was no mistaking his handsome features. Suddenly, she gasped. He leaned over sideways awkwardly in his chair, like he was a puppet on a string. His muscular frame hung parallel to the floor in an unnatural and painful pose.
Then incredibly, a woman popped into the seat beside him. She was strikingly beautiful, with porcelain skin, ruby red lips, and black Cleopatra-styled hair. Her coloring seemed a vivid contrast to the dull, flat room. She leaned over and whispered something in Todd’s ear. He grimaced.
As the beauty spoke, her striking face began to swell and contort. It stretched and twisted, expanding slowly until it looked like it would pop. Which it did into a mass of bubbling green and black pus.
Cat screamed at the horror, waking instantly. It was 2:32 a.m.
~ ~ ~
Chapter 1: Reality
Sixteen-year-old Cat moaned as she opened her bleary eyes and glanced around the unfamiliar bedroom.
“What a dream,” she grimaced, remembering the unsettling images of the black man, the scary woman, and the handsome Todd Wilkinson. However, it was the powerful sense of being out of her body, astral projection — that made her skin crawl. Sitting up abruptly in bed, Cat attempted to shake off an icy feeling. Something had happened to her last night. She didn’t know how she knew this, or what it meant. But she was certain this was true.
Her thoughts wandered to Todd. She hadn’t seen or heard from him in the ten years since her family moved from Florida to Colorado. As of yesterday, that was officially two moves ago. Pulling the covers tightly under her chin, she sighed. It felt like a lifetime ago.
So why dream of him now? She couldn’t answer that. But knowing he was real made her wonder if the hideous lady was too. And what about the black man? He was here.
She shook her head, trying to rid herself of the image and glanced at the piles of unpacked boxes cluttering her room. Perhaps she dreamt of Todd because they’d moved again. Another night in a new bed, new town, new life….
“Cat, get up!” Hayden, her eighteen-year-old brother bellowed from downstairs. His voice jolted her back to reality. She flew from bed as he hollered again. “Cat, get down here quick!”
She glanced at the clock. 11:43 am. “Just a minute!” she called, jumping from bed. Pulling out fresh shorts and a t-shirt from a nearby box, she quickly detoured to her bathroom before bolting down the stairs. “Easy Hay, what’s up?”
He just smirked.
“Uh-oh, you’re up to something, I can tell.
“I’m not sayin. But you have to come with me right now.”
“Where on earth…?” She mumbled, following him to their car. She shrugged, “Might as well get a look at Savannah. I haven’t been out of this house since we rolled up.”
Her brother said nothing as his smile turned to an all-out grin. It wasn’t like him to keep her in suspense: secrets weren’t his thing.
Just seventeen months apart, they were practically twins, the best of friends. As he drove down the driveway, Cat pulled down the sun guard and glanced in the mirror. She frowned. Her long, chestnut-brown hair was a mess and she pulled it up in a ponytail.
In the mirror, she glanced back at her new house. She liked the regal, two-story white Colonial with black shutters and trim. The porch was an expansive wrap-around with a nice swing. The front yard was large, and the grass a lush green. Majestic oak trees stood in a line as if protecting a slice of southern history.
There were five additional houses on their street, set back on their lots. It was difficult to see so of the homes; especially the house next door at the end of the cul-de-sac. It looked like something out of Gone With The Wind.
“Feels like a sauna here,” Cat wiped her brow. “I’m literally soaked.”
“Yep,” Hayden agreed. “Far cry from the cool summers of Colorado. But I like it here. The music scene is amazing.”
“Really, already? We’ve been here less than twenty-four hours, and you’ve had time to check out the music…”
“Of course.” He laughed. Cat glanced at her oldest brother and knew he was destined to be a rock-star. He had the look, the voice, and the charisma to be great. Perhaps even a superstar.
“Look Cat!” He pointed toward City Market in the historic section of downtown Savannah. It was already packed with shoppers and diners, and a stage was set up for a band. The port town of Savannah was huge compared to the small, sleepy mining town they’d come from.
“Whoa, check out that group of kids hanging out in front of that ice cream parlor. Hayden, let’s stop! I want to get out and walk around.”
“Not yet, there’s someone I want you to see first.”
“See?” She asked, staring at his smug expression. “Who in the world could I possibly want to see? Have you already found someone you know?”
“I’m not telling. It’s a surprise!”
He turned up the radio and music blared from the open windows.
As they turned away from the river, Cat saw the entrance to Savannah Hills High School. Catherine Ann Townsend, a name she absolutely never used, would be starting her junior year there in a matter of days.
“Here we are,” Hayden said, pulling into the parking lot of the football stadium, where practice was in session.
Cat looked curiously at her brother. “So why exactly are we here?”
Hayden grinned broadly, saying nothing.
“Great!” Cat muttered. She got out of the car and followed behind him to the bleachers.
Hayden waved at a player at mid-field. The person turned toward them.
Curiosity and nerves hit her. “Quick, so I don’t make a complete ass out of myself, who is this!”
“Nope, you’ve got to guess.”
This wasn’t like Hayden. Cat peered toward the field and mumbled, “Freak.”
The guy neared and pulled at his helmet. Cat noticed his size. He was well over six feet tall, seriously sweating, and undeniably cute. He got to the bleachers, shook out his wet hair and flashed an enormous smile. His two mammoth dimples were a dead giveaway.
Cat froze. It was — Todd Wilkinson. Though he was much cuter in person, the uncanny resemblance of the Todd in her dream, made her shiver. She wondered what he was doing here.
“Hey Kitty Cat, it’s been awhile!” Todd’s deep voice rang out.
Cat blushed hard. It was impossible to keep her range of emotions from hijacking her otherwise confident self. She heard her voice speak, but had no idea what she was saying. “Todd Wilkinson…who’d have thought?”
She continued gaping. The accuracy of her dream was uncanny. “Wow, I can’t believe it’s you…and you’re here.”
Cat couldn’t tear her gaze from him. More words spewed from her mouth. “You were a kid with a geeky buzz cut, big ears and even bigger mouth when I last saw you.”
“Yeah, and you were a skinny little runt with a permanent layer of dirt all over your face.”
She giggled. Even in the extreme heat, goose bumps rose like mountains on her arms. Seeing Todd was shocking. It was nearly impossible to believe her family had moved across the country, and just happened to land so close to the Wilkinsons.
Her mind could process nothing but the big brown eyes that danced in delight as he gazed at her. Todd glanced anxiously at Hayden, who was still looking totally elated. Cat couldn’t focus. Memories of the three of them spending long, lazy afternoons together at the beach, fishing with string, throwing sand, digging to China, and collecting shells overwhelmed her.
Todd and Hayden had been best friends then. And even though she was young, and Todd had teased her unmercifully, she’d had a total crush on him. It had been horrible to say goodbye when they’d moved to Colorado, and Hayden talked about Todd for years after they left. Whatever she imagined happened to him, she never dreamed a kid so geeky could grow up to look so great.
She couldn’t stop from staring.
Todd laughed. “Take a picture it’ll last longer!”
Cat turned away, her face growing crimson again. Todd and Hayden howled in delight.
Embarrassed, she stammered, “You-you know what? You may look different but you haven’t changed a bit. You’re still a creep, Todd Wilkinson!”
She looked away, as her heart pumped furiously. Todd’s laugh rang out as he pulled his helmet back on and headed back to the field. He turned to face her and shouted, “But you’ve changed Cat Townsend! And you look really good all grown up. See ya Hayden.” He waved goodbye, and was off.
On the outside, Cat appeared calm, cool and collected as she followed Hayden back to the car. But on the inside she was mush, and her legs felt wobbly. Wiping her sweaty hands on her shorts, she muttered, “Can’t believe he’s here, in Savannah. What are the odds?”
“Yep, it’s pretty cool, isn’t it?” Her brother beamed.
“Really?” She rolled her eyes. “He’s still an ass.”
Hayden burst out laughing. “No he’s not, and you know it! That’s why your face is still beet red.”
Back in the car, Cat felt altogether strange. Her body trembled from the inside out, and it wasn’t just her attraction to Todd getting to her. It was the awareness somewhere in the back of her mind, that seeing Todd was no accident. “Listen, Hayden…I need to tell you…I had another one of those dreams last night. You know the one’s I’ve told you about where it feels 3D, like I’m a freak of nature?”
“Ye-ah.” He hesitated.
“Yeah, well…last night I dreamt of Todd —twice.” She glanced sideways at her brother, whose smile faded. “One was more a memory — we were kids again, playing on the beach and he was teasing me, of course. The other was weird, and horrible - impossible to describe really. Anyway, then he shows up here? I think that’s more than a coincidence, don’t you?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know Cat, these dreams of yours have always been creepy to me. They don’t make sense. It’s probably nothing. …”
“Nothing?” Cat countered sarcastically as she stared at her brother.
His quick glance silenced her for the rest of the way home.
They walked up the steps of the front porch and opened the front door. “Hey Momma,” Cat called overly enthusiastically trying to shake the ominous feeling she had. Both she and Hayden carefully made their way around her mother’s petite frame, and the hardwood floors that were littered with unpacked boxes.
“Where have you two been?” She asked standing knee deep in a combination of Styrofoam peanuts, and crumpled newspapers. She stopped flattening packing boxes to gaze at them with her sparkling emerald green eyes.
“Here, let me help you,” Cat offered.
“No dear, that’s alright, you know I need to do this myself. It helps me acclimate.”
At that moment, Rex, Cat’s younger brother by eighteen months, walked in from the kitchen holding a family-sized bag of Fritos with Drew, her fourteen-year-old brother, one step behind.
“Hey where’d you two go, and why’d you leave us here?” Rex asked, his mouth full. Cat glanced at Rex and once again marveled at the dirty blond curls that bounced across his forehead. She constantly thought how amazing it was that he inherited his blond hair/brown eye combination from their father, while the rest of them had their mother’s brown hair and green eyes.
Taking a few chips from the bag, Hayden grinned at Rex. “Wouldn’t you like to know?” he teased.
Cat huffed.
Her mother looked up in surprise. “Well…?”
“You’re never going to guess who lives here,” Hayden blurted.
“Who?” She stopped folding tissue.
“Todd Wilkinson!” He beamed as Cat rolled her eyes again. His laughter filled the room as their father stumbled from his office to join the conversation.
“You’re kidding!” her mother exclaimed looking up. “The Wilkinsons live here…in Savannah? I’ll have to call Susanna. I haven’t spoken with her in years. So, what’s Todd like these days?”
Cat glanced at her father, his dirty blond hair hidden under a baseball cap, and glasses perched on his nose.
“That’s the kid from Florida, right?” Rex interrupted, stuffing another handful of Fritos into his mouth. “Even though I was young, I remember he was cool.”
“He’s still a jerk,” Cat commented as she picked up trash from the table and took it toward the kitchen.
“You are so full of shit Cat!” Hayden teased. “You totally think he’s hot, it’s written all over your face!” His laugh was boisterous as she escaped into the kitchen.
“Hey-your language!” her father scolded as he returned to his office.
“Didn’t he have a sister? Allison or something?” Rex asked, putting down the bag, and licking the salt from his fingers.
“Anna!” Cat called from inside the refrigerator. Another icy chill pierced her spine as she thought of Todd’s family living so close again.
~ ~ ~
Chapter 2: Fitting In
“Hurry Cat, we don’t want to be late!” Rex shouted from downstairs. The first day in a new school was always nerve wracking, but never more than today.
“Alright, already,” she called back.
Now, not only did she have to figure out her schedule, navigate the campus, and try to make new friends, but she also had Todd to contend with. And he provoked new and unusual feelings in her.
Cat sighed as she fiddled with her hair. She’d become used to being the new girl, even liked the attention it brought. But today felt different; and she wasn’t certain if it was the anticipation of starting again, or seeing Todd that affected her. Thinking of seeing him definitely made her heart skip a beat.
As she applied mascara, Cat tried not to notice the circles developing under her eyes. They were just another delicate reminder of the night of strange occurrences - and her lack of sleep ever since.
Bounding down the stairs, Cat caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror at the foot of the stairs and sighed. She was satisfied with her look.
“You ready?” Hayden asked as she and Rex grabbed backpacks and headed out the door.
“Bye Drew, have fun today!” Cat called as she, Hayden, and Rex loaded up one car for the high school.
“Bye!” he said over his shoulder as he waited for their mom.
The school seemed enormous as Hayden found his parking spot and they headed to the admissions office. Glancing at her schedule, Cat asked Hayden, “So, where do you go first?”
“Economics, room G-14 - wherever that is.” He laughed. She turned to Rex.
“You?” She asked as they made their way into the crowded hallway.
“It looks like Science.”
One last look at their schedules and they all went their separate ways.
Homeroom and first period were a blur as Cat tried to navigate the crowded hallways and find her classrooms.
After second period, Cat found her locker and unloaded her books. Suddenly, she felt a sensation—and her heartbeat quickened in a rush of anticipation. She whipped around and there was Todd, moving gracefully toward her with a huge smile on his face. Briefly, she wondered how she’d known he was there, but seeing him looking so cute made her forget everything. She was completely tongue-tied.
Shit, shit, shit!
He stopped right in front of her and Cat felt her heart pounding furiously in her chest. When he smiled, her knees almost buckled.
“Hey Cat,” he said sweetly. “You okay?”
His niceness caught her off guard.
“I-umm, yeah, I think so. I mean…” she hesitated, glancing down at her paper schedule. “I’m lost but otherwise fine.” She had to make a conscious effort not to stare too long at him.
“Well, where do you go now?” He asked as he moved even closer. She held out her schedule and he leaned over. Her body buzzed with his nearness and she held her breath. Being beside him was intoxicating.
“Science, I think,” she whispered.
“Ah, well you’re right here. Can’t you smell?”
“What?” She laughed, realizing the pungent odor. “You’re right! How could I have missed the sulfur?”
His dimpled grin took her breath away, and only the brash shrill of the bell kept her grounded.
“Thanks,” she said. “Sorry now you’re late.”
“No problem, I’m here across the hall.”
Moving inside with other students, her heart hammered away as she found a seat in the middle of the classroom. Opening her book, Cat tried to focus on the teacher but couldn’t. She kept hearing Todd’s kind voice, and feeling his closeness.
In the following class, Cat felt someone staring at her. When she glanced over her shoulder, she saw a burly, but nice-looking guy studying her intently. She smiled shyly. When she accidentally met his gaze, Cat blushed and quickly turned back to her book.
At the sound of the bell, she loaded up her backpack and again pulled out her schedule. She sighed.
“So what’s next, new girl?” A deep, friendly voice came up from behind her. When Cat saw it was the same guy, she flushed at his attention.
“Looks like History. Do you know where is B204?”
He grinned happily. “Come on, I’ll show you. You’re in my class.”
“Oh, okay, thanks, and by the way, it’s Cat.”
“What’s Cat?” he asked as they headed into the overcrowded hallway.
She laughed. “My name. And yours is….?”
“Oh, Brett Callahan,” he said, beaming. “So who’d name a kid Cat?”
Giggling, she answered, “Catherine. My brothers nicknamed me that when we were little.”
“I like it.” He smiled.
Entering History, they found seats next to each other. As the class filed in, many other students stopped to greet Brett. It was easy to see he was not only nice, but popular as well. Before the teacher arrived, Brett leaned over in his chair. Pointing to two guys in front of them, he smiled.
“Cat, this is Cody and Mitch; and that quirky one behind me is Ginny.” Cat eyed the pretty girl.
“Hey, Ah-m not quirky, just dramatic. Ah-m an actor—what do you expect?” The boys laughed, and Cat instantly liked Ginny. Her strong southern accent accompanied a full head of sun-streaked brown waves, a face full of freckles, and hazel eyes.
“Cat, da-on’t mind them, they’re sao lame! Why da-on’t you sit with ma-e at lunch, and I’ll introduce you to m-i real friends.”
Cat smiled as relief swept her face. Lunch was always the worst part of the first day in a new school.
As the lunch bell rang Cat stayed close to Ginny as they entered the chaos of the cafeteria. She glanced through the sea of people pouring into the massive room, and spotted Todd instantly. He was talking to a group of guys making their way through the lunch line. Once again, her pulse quickened.
Turning to Ginny she asked, “Do seniors come to this lunch as well?”
“Only the varsity athletes—they come to late lunch since they have practice after school! Over here Cat, I see my friend Charlotte.” Ginny moved toward an empty table.
Cat followed, periodically glancing Todd’s way. Ginny dropped her backpack in a chair and greeted her friends. Cat smiled at the approaching girls awkwardly, and met Todd’s gaze instead. As he carried his tray, he beamed and headed toward her.
Her face flushed again, and she turned back to the girls. It was strange and overwhelming to look up and see his face at school.
Sitting down, she calmed her racing heart. Thankfully Todd and his friends sat at the next table with what appeared to be the football team. Slowly, Cat unclenched and began to focus on Ginny and the other girls filling the table. They all chatted away about classes, teachers, and boys.
Suddenly Ginny stood up and announced to the table, “Hey y’all, this is Cat, she’s new here so try to be nice.”
A redheaded girl named Charlotte sitting across from Ginny immediately smiled, “Haah Cat, welcome to Saavannah Hills, ha-ow’s it going so far?”
Cat grinned. Charlotte’s accent was even heavier than Ginny’s and made her giggle. “So far, so good.”
Others introduced themselves, but Cat barely heard them. Todd’s gaze was on her, and she didn’t need to turn to see him. Even still, she blushed for the umpteenth time that day. Luckily the moment passed quickly as Brett, Cody, and Mitch, the boys from her history class, approached the space between the football table and theirs.
In a boisterous voice, Brett boomed. “So where should we sit guys? With the ugly football players, or the new pretty girl? Hmmm.”
Cat’s blush turned purple, as Ginny rolled her eyes. “We’re too crowded already, y’all go away.”
The guys at the football table hooted as Brett winked at Cat. He sat with the other players and for the second time in a minute, Cat’s body temperature attempted to return to normal.
Ginny whispered, “He means well Cat, really he’s harmless.” Ginny and Charlotte exchanged a meaningful glance and Cat wondered why.
“Agreed, there’s no one nicer than Brett,” Charlotte insisted.
By the end of lunch, Cat had made many new friends. Besides Ginny and Charlotte, there was Georgia, Melanie, Caroline, and a host of other’s whose names she couldn’t remember.
As lunch ended, Cat snuck one more peek at Todd. He was completely comfortable, laughing with his table of guys, and a group of girls who now hung around flirting. A tinge of jealousy seared through her, yet she knew he’d known these people for years. She honestly didn’t know the first thing about him anymore - he might even have a girlfriend.
Cat realized then and there, she’d have to reacquaint herself with the new version of her memory. He more closely resembled her dream than the boy he had been in Florida.
As the girls gathered their packs, there was a ruckus at the guys’ table. Cat turned to see a tall, thin, pretty blonde girl with bright pink lipstick, leaning over Todd’s shoulder talking to another guy. Her breasts nearly hung out of her tank as one of the players whooped, and another chanted, “Abby, Abby you’re so fine…”
Melanie whispered, “That’s Abby, as you can probably guess. She’s acting, well…”
“Abbyish!” Charlotte interrupted.
“Yeah well, that’s one way to put it…” Melanie continued. “I mean look at her; the bleached hair, the sunglasses…really?”
Cat noticed Todd’s elated expression as the blonde leaned over him and it made her stomach turn. As she watched him, their eyes met briefly and Todd shuffled uncomfortably in his seat.
She looked back at Ginny who was defending Abby. “…She’s not all bad, y’all, stop! Cat, Abby sometimes hangs out with us, that is…when she’s not dating one of the guys.”
Melanie made a gagging sound as they stood and gathered their backpacks. “That’s a nice way to say that - generous in fact…”
Cat laughed, “So she’s the class sleaze….” For a moment, she regretted the comment until Melanie choked on her Coke as the others giggled.
The group left the cafeteria, and Cat inconspicuously glanced over her shoulder for one last look at Todd. He caught her eye and winked, sending her stomach in the opposite direction. Taking a deep breath, she followed the others into the hallway until they separated for class.
As the afternoon passed, Cat finally relaxed. She felt comfortable with her new group of friends, and had at least one in each of her classes. She was finding her way around school, and was happy the way things were going with Todd.
When the final bell rang, she met her brothers in the sweltering hot parking lot. Both Rex and Hayden were trying out for football, so Cat went to meet the tennis coach. She wanted to try-out for the tennis team later in the fall. Hopefully it would be cooler.
On the way home, Cat literally held her nose and rolled down the windows. “Wow, you guys stink!”
“Well it’s hotter than shit here,” Rex countered as he downed a Gatorade.
“So how was practice?” she changed the subject.
“Well, I don’t really care if I make the team or not.” Hayden blurted. There’s this awesome band I’m going to hear this weekend that might be just the sound I’m looking for. I introduced myself yesterday and they invited me to sit in on a weekend practice session.”
“Really?” Rex asked as he polished off his drink. “What’s the name?”
“Southern Lights. They’ve already established a fan base around here from what I’ve heard.”
“Yeah, but are they interested in adding another member?”
“I’m not sure yet.”
“Can you believe Labor Day is this weekend?” Rex changed the subject. “I’ll never get used to starting school before the holiday. Seems ridiculous, but a perfect weekend to head to the beach and check out chicks.”
“Yeah, well I’ve got to go shopping. My wardrobe sucks,” Cat complained. Shopping wasn’t her thing.
*
After four nights without sleep, Cat was completely wasted as she fell, head first into bed. I’m too damned tired to dream.
But much later, Cat was aware of faces. They swirled around her, engaged in conversations oblivious of her presence. She recognized a few from school, yet others were familiar only from past dreams. There was one face in particular Cat wanted a longer peek at, but he faded away as soon as she saw him.
His look was distinct and impossible to forget. He was the most handsome guy she’d ever seen—almost god-like as he towered over others with his golden blond hair, perfectly chiseled features, and flawless olive skin.
This guy had appeared periodically in her dreams for years, but he didn’t seem to notice her. It was never more than a flash. The past few months however, he’d been coming closer, and staying a bit longer.
Tonight— they made eye contact.
He gazed quickly but intensely at her with amazing sky-blue eyes and long eyelashes. Cat was transfixed by their perfection. She even detected a whiff of his scent.
Everything around her seemed to stop. All was quiet except her breathing. The moment was so powerful, this time she woke up in bed, feeling excited.
Kicking her covers off, Cat couldn’t help wondering if this guy was real. After all, she’d dreamed of Todd and he ended up right here in town.
~ ~ ~
Chapter 3: The Face
Saturday morning, Cat headed outside for a run down one of the many trails along the river. Putting in her ear buds, Cat tuned into “Mr. Brightside” by The Killers and headed down her driveway to the street. She was still thinking about the blond in her dream when a car honked, scaring her.
A brief look at the driver and Cat smiled. It was Brett. He screeched to a halt and with his head hanging out the window, he called, “Hey Cat, what are you doing here?”
“Going for a run what are you doing here?” she asked, equally surprised to see him.
“Do you live around here?”
“Yeah, right there.” She pointed toward her driveway.
‘You’re kidding! You moved into the old Moody house? Wow, that’s great. I’m your next door neighbor. We live there!” He pointed to the large plantation next door.
“You’re kidding?” Cat craned her head in that direction and laughed at the coincidence.
“That big plantation is your house? I can’t believe it— we’ve been trying to see that house since we got here!”
Brett’s face shone. “Well you’re just going to have to come over and take a look.”
“Sure, love to! Well…” she went on, “I guess I’d better get on with it.”
*
She let the front door slam as she came in from her run, and grabbed a piece of uneaten toast left sitting on a plate at the breakfast room table. She knocked on her dad’s office door.
“Come in!”
Like the rest of the house, his office was a hodgepodge of unpacked boxes, computer equipment, notebooks, files, and of course his heavy-duty safe. Cat was always curious about what he kept in there, and what his latest project was. Her father was a writer. Yet neither Cat nor her brothers knew exactly what he wrote, who he wrote for, or who paid him. They all thought it particularly strange that they never spoke of their father’s work—even with their mother. When they were younger, he mentioned it was top secret, and she and her brothers made a game of trying to play detective.
When they moved to Colorado, they speculated he worked for the FBI or CIA in some capacity, and that accounted for the silence. It seemed to add up; the research he never discussed, unexpected travel, spontaneous moves.
“Hey Daddy!” she said, plopping down into her favorite chair and the only one not piled high with stuff.
“Hi baby, how do like Savannah so far?”
“I like it! You know our neighbors to the right in the huge house? Well, a kid in my class lives there. His name is Brett Callahan and I think he plays football with Hayden.”
“That’s nice dear, you’re making friends. Have you seen Todd at all?”
“Yeah, once or twice… “
He looked at her over his glasses.
“And as much as I hate to admit it, he may have actually grown up while we were in Colorado.”
He laughed, commenting, “I guess we all grow up sometime!”
“So, what are ya working on?”
“Now Cat, you know I don’t discuss my projects.” He was nonchalant.
“Oh Daddy, you know we’ve figured some of them out anyway. Like the Colorado one. We know you were investigating mines.”
“Hmm, and what makes you think you’re correct?” A smug look crossed his face.
“We have our ways!”
Cat heard a clatter in the entryway as her brothers gathered up their football gear and headed out the door letting it slam behind them. “Oh, there are the boys daddy, I want to go with them.” She quickly rose from the chair, kissed his forehead and followed the boys outside.
“Hey y’all wait, I want to go!” She shouted as they were already in the car.
“You want to go sit in 99 degree heat and watch us practice? Why? I thought you wanted to go shopping?” Hayden inquired.
“I can do that later. You know how I feel about shopping.” She rolled her eyes and piled into the back seat beside Rex.
When the car started, Cat sighed “So, I tried to get something out of Dad as to why we’re here and I came up short. Anybody get any clues yet?”
“Nah,” Rex answered. “I was helping him unpack, trying to get a peek at something, but no can do. We’ll have to sneak around when he leaves town to get anything good.”
“You know Dad would kill us if he ever found out we’ve honed our investigative skills on him.” Cat said.
“Yeah, but it took all of us nearly a year to figure out his Colorado mission.” Hayden chimed in. “Who would have guessed that terrorist groups could infiltrate American mines, steal the goods, than funnel money all over the world - without being detected. Crazy shit!”
“They’re everywhere,” Cat concluded. “Makes you kinda wonder what could possibly be wrong in Savannah, Georgia.” Glancing at each other, they remained quiet for the remainder of the ride.
Football practice was crowded, clearly more social than Cat had anticipated. Most of those who came to watch were girls there to “cheer” on some specific player. Cat hadn’t thought of that. She would die if Todd thought she was there to watch him - even if he did look great.
She rooted for her brothers, trying not to even look at Todd. But it was difficult to miss how graceful and confident he was among the other players. He was a definite leader, perfect for a quarterback.
After a half-hour or so, she was bored and relieved to see Charlotte heading toward the stands.
“Haaayy Caaat,” Charlotte drawled, and Cat knew she’d have to get used to hearing her accent.
“Hey Charlotte.” Cat smiled, taking in Charlotte’s outfit—soccer shorts, bikini top and a t-shirt hanging over her shoulder.
“So who are you here to watch?” Charlotte asked.
“My brothers actually. They’re both trying out for the team. Hayden’s a senior,” she said, pointing him out. “And my younger brother Rex is a sophomore trying for JV, he’s over on the far side.”
“Oh.” Charlotte glanced back to Hayden “He’s cute!”
“Yeah, I know.” Cat laughed, accustomed to this reaction from her friends. “So why are you here?”
Charlotte shrugged. “Well, it’s sort of a long story. They’re all my friends, but… I really come to watch Brett.”
Cat raised an eyebrow at her new friend.
“I’ve had this tiny crush on him since first grade.” Charlotte admitted as she blushed. Our families are best friends though, so it makes it—awkward and completely uncomfortable to, you know get serious or anything. Just imagine how awful it’d be if we dated and broke up. We’d still have to see each other…”
Cat nodded appreciatively at Charlotte’s openness. “Yeah, I know what you mean, it sucks.” Her thoughts turned to Todd and she knew that could easily be her, if she let it.
“So what about Ginny? She’s so cute, is she dating anyone?” Cat changed the subject.
“Nah-oo!” came her friend’s response. “She’s best friends with most of the boys too, but doesn’t date any of them. Smart girl!”
Gossiping until practice ended, Cat was not only completely up to speed socially, but also sunburned. As the field cleared, Hayden, Rex, Todd, and Brett all approached the stands talking plays, players, and coaches.
Rex handed Cat his helmet, so he could dump a cup of water over his sweaty head. At the same time, Todd and Brett picked up a water cooler filled with icy water and dumped it over Hayden’s head. He screamed at the top of his lungs. Some of the water splashed on Charlotte, but most of the water seemed to land on Cat.
“Aahhhh!” she screamed, as the cold shocked her. Now Cat understood completely why Charlotte had her bathing suit on!
“Cat,” Charlotte screamed through laughter, “are you okay?”
Cat laughed good-naturedly but was acutely aware that she now looked like she’d entered a wet t-shirt contest. Feeling Todd’s lingering gaze, she dropped Rex’s helmet and crossed her arms over her chest. Though the other boys kept laughing, Brett took off his shirt and gave it to her.
She graciously accepted the drenched and sweaty, really stinky, too huge t-shirt with a smile. “Thanks, I’ll bring it back clean on Tuesday.”
“Yep,” Charlotte whispered to Cat as they walked back to their cars, “that’s why I’ve liked him all these years.”
“No more explanations needed.” Cat giggled.
“By the way, I saw how you looked at Todd at lunch yesterday. What’s up?”
“Well…” Cat hesitated, unsure whether she could trust Charlotte with her secret. “Believe it or not, Todd and I were next door neighbors years ago when we were kids living in Florida. My family moved away when I was eight, and I hadn’t seen him since…well last Monday. It’s so weird to see him after all this time…”
“Wow, that’s so cool!” Charlotte laughed. “Who randomly runs into people twice in their lives like that? It’s fate! And, not only is he adorable, but he’s a nice guy too. Everyone loves him!”
Another spine-tingling shiver hit Cat and she shuddered.
Fate.
On Sunday, Cat’s family loaded up the Suburban and headed to the beach on Tybee Island. Although they came to love the mountains of Colorado, her family had missed the lazy days of seaside life.
Lugging chairs, awnings, coolers, and towels, it was difficult to find a spot large enough for them in the crowd. Walking down the beach, Cat recognized many faces from school. They made slow progress as each of the four kids stopped to talk to new friends along the way. The sand was hot through her flip flops and Cat was running out of patience.
Before she completely lost it, she felt the same odd tingling sensation she had at school.
Todd?
She looked around and there he was heading straight toward them with his family.
Hayden’s deep voice rang out. “Hey dude, over here!”
“Susannah, Phil!” Cat heard her mother say as she hugged Todd’s parents, “The kids told me you were here! I haven’t had a chance to call. It’s unbelievable we’re all together again!”
Cat barely heard her mother rambling. Her heart hammered as Todd slowly walked toward them. When he stopped in front of Hayden, his eyes inadvertently stopped at her bikini-clad body.
“Easy there, home boy.” Hayden joked, catching Todd’s gaze. Todd turned beet red. Cat felt self-conscious and held the towels in front of her as Todd put his sunglasses on and turned to face her brothers.
“Hey, you must be Rex.” Todd held out his hand, before looking at Drew. “Drew, right?”
“Yup,” Drew replied.
“Cool to see you guys.”
Todd’s mother came toward her, “Is this little Cat?”
Cat smiled as she faced the tall, graceful woman wearing a bright floral dress and very pink lipstick. She remembered her looking the same way all those years ago. More than anything though, Cat still felt the intensity of Todd’s eyes on her—even through his glasses.
“Yes, Ma’am, it’s me.” She hugged Mrs. Wilkinson, and shook hands with Todd’s Dad. The boys surrounded Todd’s fourteen year-old sister, Anna and Cat greeted her before they said their goodbyes. Walking in opposite directions, Cat peeked again at Todd who looked at her from over his glasses. Their eyes met briefly then she quickly glanced away again.
The day was stifling, and by the time everything was arranged, they were all ready to get in the water.
“Hot or not, it’s great to be back at the beach!” Rex commented as they dove into the salty water.
It took all of five minutes for her brothers to attract the attention of girls from all over the beach, and a crowd began to congregate as Hayden threw the Frisbee, and Rex the football. Cat was accustomed to this kind of reaction and usually it didn’t bother her. Yet, she began to feel a unique sensitivity to all her senses. The sounds and sunlight began to magnify to the point of being painful. The smell of salt burned her nose. Her skin crawled as a feeling of genuine dread set in. Instinctively Cat knew something bad was about to happen.
The voices of those around her began to blend together, like a background hum, and Cat couldn’t shut them out. Her body quivered in the heat. She looked out to sea, but found nothing unusual. Then she turned toward the shoreline. Suddenly, a girl in a hot pink bikini caught her attention, and the hum in her head grew louder. Cat could not look away.
Instead she slowly gravitated toward the brunette who stood in waist deep water with a group of her friends. Without warning, the girl teetered and her legs buckled under her. As if in slow motion, she quietly slipped unnoticed, under the water.
“Help!…Your friend…” Cat screamed before diving under.
When Cat pulled up the unconscious girl, Hayden was by her side ready to lend a hand. There was also a crowd gathering, but Hayden’s strong grasp helped her hold the girl until the lifeguard came. The incident had taken moments, yet as the lifeguard carried the girl to the beach, Cat felt as though it had been an hour. She stood in the water, eyes burning from the ocean, overwhelmed and frightened.
Staring blankly toward the beach, all activity seemed to return to normal. Yet for Cat, there was still the sound of voices humming in her head.
She snapped her head to the left, and saw a figure standing alone.
It was him! The black man who sat on her bed.
Immobilized by fear, Chills racked Cat’s hot and sweating body as she observed the now shorthaired and clean-cut man. She tried to turn away. She could not.
He’s here. It was not some bad dream - it was real. This man is very much alive, and I’m very much awake.
In a blurred rewind, previous sightings of this man came racing vividly back. She was maybe three, getting ice cream from a truck on the beach in Florida. He stood across the street with that same huge smile while saluting her with his cone. Cat could never mistake his bright white teeth that shone against his skin. She remembered clutching Hayden’s leg for protection.
Then there were numerous glimpses in Colorado—on the ski slopes, river rafting, and hiking in the mountains. She’d seen him on family vacations, and eating at Disneyworld. He was in shopping malls and even had appeared at the hospital in Maine, when she’d broken her arm at camp.
Then he came to her in the middle of the night.
This is no coincidence. None of this is… He wants something and he wants it from me.
~ ~ ~
Chapter 4: Diversion
Her head spun and Cat thought she would throw up in the water. Forcing herself to put one foot in front of the other, she slowly trudged to the beach and the safety of her family. Her eyes, however never left the man, who stood gazing, approvingly at her. Then he turned his back, and was gone. Absolutely no one seemed to notice.
Reaching the beach chairs, she heard her parents talking but no words registered in her brain. She grabbed a towel and held it to her mouth so her teeth wouldn’t chatter, then she wrapped it tightly around her chilled body. Hayden approached her with concern.
“That was awesome Cat. Did you see that girl go under?”
All she could do was nod as she glanced back to where the black man had been. Instead, she saw Brett and his family. She tried to focus, but her mind was elsewhere.
“Are you all right, Cat? You don’t look so good,” Brett asked, coming up beside Hayden.
“Sure,” she mumbled through the towel, which still rested against her face. “I’m just cold, that’s all.”
“The water’s cold?” he asked, surprised.
“Not really, I just got a chill.” Cat gazed up at his sunburned cheeks and relaxed her grip on the towel. He didn’t affect her the same way Todd did, but there was something soothing about him.
Only half paying attention, Cat heard Brett’s parents invite them for dinner, and she was grateful for the distraction.
“What should we bring?” her mother asked.
“Nothing at all, just yourselves,” Mrs. Callahan answered.
Cat smiled at Brett as her family began to gather their belongings. “Guess I’ll see you later,” she told him. “I’ll bring your shirt!”
“Great, see you then.”
*
Later as she dressed for dinner at Brett’s house, Cat reviewed the facts as she knew them.
There’s a real man that haunts both my dreams and my life, and he’s done so for as long as I can remember.
He’s appeared in my room and sat on my bed. He hasn’t hurt me or spoken a word, but smiles as though we’ve met.
Curling her hair, she remembered the strange feeling that warned her the girl was in danger. Somehow she knew to save some girl from drowning.
None of it made sense.
Then another thought hit her: If Todd is real, and the black man is real, than what about the scary black haired woman? What about the gorgeous blond guy?
Fear and excitement collided inside her.
Cat Townsend, you are one pathetic psycho!
*
After a fun-filled evening with Brett’s family, Cat knew she and Brett had struck a fast friendship. Still, she was surprised when he phoned her as she crawled, exhausted into bed.
“By the way,” she asked, after they had chatted about their families and some of the kids at school, “have you ever thought about asking Charlotte out?”
“I’m with Charlotte plenty, believe me!” he said sharply.
“Easy there,” she said with a laugh. “I’m not suggesting you do, I just wondered if you ever thought about it, that’s all.”
Brett sighed heavily. “Sorry, it’s just that our parents have been trying to set us up for years, and I’m sick of answering that particular question. Charlotte’s a great girl, but not for me.” The irritation in his voice warned her from prying further.
“That’s fair. I get it.” She yawned loudly. “Sorry Brett, but I’m beat. I need to hang up now. Good night. Tonight was really fun.”
“It was, wasn’t it?” he answered softly. “Night.” He clicked off.
*
Darkness surrounded her and she was confused. Panic set in as she tried to figure out where she was. Suddenly, she could see something move in the distance. A soft mysterious light shone from somewhere. In the distance Cat saw a snake slithering toward her. It was abnormally long, and a head disproportionately large for it’s body. She could see the mouth open and it became the size of her. Fear gripped her like nothing else, and Cat glanced around in panic. Then snakes began dropping from every direction; seemingly out of thin air. They came up from the ground and oozed from walls. Cat tried to scream. Nothing came out.
Instantly, the image faded, dissolving into an angry face. It was the handsome blond guy she’d seen before, and he was absolute livid about something. The image became 3-D as the blond turned away from her. Cat slowly walked toward him. She had this inescapable urge to touch him, reassure him.
Inching closer, she felt heat —a fiery heat emanating from his body. Cat jerked her arm away.
The vision disintegrated into nothingness.
She immediately sat up in bed, panting. Again, the contrasting range of emotions left her simultaneously hot and shivery.
It took several hours to wind down, but finally Cat felt herself dozing again. She hoped for another glimpse of the blond. Yet, there was no visual. Instead she heard a voice coming from her subconscious. The sound was deep and seductive, and it seemed to hit her everywhere at once.
“Not yet Catherine, it’s not time.”
~ ~ ~
Chapter 5: Football Fever
Summer heat gave way to the cooler days and crisp nights of fall. Cat’s life was full of school, tennis team practice, new friends, and Todd. Most evenings, he came over and hung out with Hayden as they watched sports, and talked football including the college recruiting process.
But Cat also knew he was there to see her. Every night he made some effort to include her, whether they tossed the football outside, pretended to beat up on each other like siblings, or watched games on television. She was genuinely happy when he was around.
It was easy to forget her dreams during the day.
One Friday at lunch, Melanie announced, “Okay, so is everyone coming to the Rubies first meeting after school today? Y’all know you have to join!”
“What’s a Ruby?” Cat asked the group.
“The Spirit Club!” Charlotte replied, oozing enthusiasm, “Mel’s the president this year and it’s going to be awesome.”
Cat looked skeptical “What do we have to do? I’m not the spirit club type, exactly.”
Ginny giggled. “Me neither, but I am. And you’ll get wrapped up in bake sales, pep rallies, locker decorating, and everything else too. It’s the best part of the football season!”
“Well, I’m not sure…”
“Come on, do it for Hayden!” Charlotte urged as Cat rolled her eyes. “So all you do is lavish attention on the players, huh?”
“Well, no…” Melanie explained, “we decorate the school on Fridays, sell spirit ribbons before pep rallies, decorate the player’s lockers, and wrap their houses, make them cookies...”
“Isn’t that slight overkill?”
Melanie laughed, “You’ll see —your brother will love all the attention. I swear it’s the reason some of them even play.”
“Well if it helps Hayden,” Cat muttered, pushing thoughts of Todd from her mind.
After school the number of girls attending the Rubies meeting astonished Cat. Melanie and her group of leaders explained the various responsibilities of the Spirit Club. “I know most of y’all are here to get and support one certain football player. But keep in mind that we raise money all year for the booster club through bake sales, spirit ribbon sales, homecoming activities, Spring Fling Carnival, and many other fundraisers. It’s not about the guys!” A few girls rolled their eyes, but most seemed to hang on Melanie’s every word. Cat shook her head and hid her smile. This was definitely not her personality at all.
As each player’s name was called, a girl, or in most cases, an already established group of girls, raised their hands and claimed him. She was stunned to see the reaction when her brother’s name was called, and shuddered when they got to Todd. He was obviously extremely popular.
Although she said, and did nothing during this meeting, Cat was secretly relieved. Her group that included Charlotte, Ginny, Melanie and Caroline would have four players -Todd and Hayden, as well as two other guys Mitch and Cody.
On the way home, Cat tried not to think of Todd. He was clearly nice to everyone and could date anyone he wanted. Just because he was nice to her, didn’t mean he liked her. And, just because he hung out at her house, didn’t mean it was for her. He was there to see Hayden. They’d become nearly inseparable since school started.
She forced away uncharacteristic feelings of jealousy.
The first Friday morning in October, the girls met to decorate the players’ lockers. They started with Todd’s, and were all surprised when he showed up to watch.
Cat eyed Charlotte first, and then teased Todd, “Don’t you have anything better to do this morning, like sleep?”
“No, actually I don’t,” he answered smugly. “I can sleep any time!” Charlotte and Ginny laughed as Cat taped up a yellow poster that read “Terrorize the Tigers, Todd!”
“I mean, don’t you want to be surprised when you walk up, rather than watch the process? Doesn’t it ruin it for you?”
His grin was electrifying, and her insides flipped. She was keenly aware of the way he looked at her.
“What?” she mouthed to him, feeling hot under his unsettling gaze.
“We ready to move on girls?” Charlotte asked as she snatched the bag of supplies.
“Sure.” Ginny replied.
“Bye, Todd,” Charlotte and Caroline said in unison.
Gathering her backpack, Cat threw Todd a smile as she followed behind her friends. “There you go QB,” she called over her shoulder.
He stood, arms crossed against the lockers with a happy, almost adoring look on his face. Cat felt it down to her toes.
“Honestly Cat, it’s so obvious he likes you.” Charlotte whispered as they walked away, “I mean he is soooo adorable.” Caroline gushed. “Any girl would give her right arm to have him look at her that way.”
Biting her bottom lip, Cat smiled. She noticed a warm fluttering sensation in her stomach.
*
The Mustangs maintained their undefeated record, and Todd’s popularity soared. Posters, banners, and signs covered the walls, bulletin boards and doorjambs everywhere she went.
Slamming her locker shut, she turned down the hall and stopped abruptly. There he was, surrounded by a group of flirting girls. Cat sighed. She was growing accustomed to the surge of jealousy that accosted her when these girls surrounded Todd. Each time, she got angrier and angrier… at herself.
Relax she scolded herself. He seems to like me…at least for the moment. Just enjoy his attention. It might not last long.
Charlotte ripped around the corner nearly knocking her down. “Whoa Cat, sorry! Hey, is everything okay? You look a little frazzled.”
“Yeah, well…” Cat mumbled under her breath. “It’s all about Todd these days. Honestly, I can’t go anywhere without running into him, his picture, or his harem of girls…”
“You mean you’re finally noticing, Cat? It’s about time…” Charlotte laughed. “And now maybe you understand how awesome it is that he likes you.”
“Could be momentary,” she glanced at her friend as they entered class.
“My ass!” Charlotte whispered. “He’s there when we wrap his house, decorate his locker, at lunch, after practice. He hangs out at your house every single night. He’s seriously into you, Cat. Wake up…”
As class started, Charlotte’s words reverberated in her head.
And I really, really like him too.
The next week, when they delivered signs and freshly made cookies to the players’ lockers, Cat was disgusted.
“Oh my God!” She covered her mouth. “Why exactly do we break our backs making cookies for him when he has all these?” She pointed to the dozen Baggies of cookies and baked goods already on the floor by his locker.
Ginny laughed. “Because…” she began, stopping suddenly as Todd whipped around the corner. He saw Cat with the cookies in hand, and he smiled appreciatively at her. His dimples made her want to melt, and she locked eyes with him as she handed him the baggie of homemade M & M cookies.
“Awww thanks,” he said sweetly, and she turned three shades of red.
“Yeah, well…you’re welcome.”
She felt light-headed. He looks so good. The bell rang and she jumped. Her heel caught on her backpack strap and she started to fall. Instinctively, Todd reached for her arm and caught her just before she hit the ground. Her heart and head throbbed as he pulled her closer. She could smell the soap on his skin.
“Okay?” he whispered so softly she could barely hear.
“Yes, thanks,” she murmured back, not realizing she was still holding him until she heard Ginny’s, “Awww…”
Quickly Cat released Todd and pushed herself away, but her face was flushed and she felt fluttery all over.
Turning to leave, she mouthed the words ‘thanks’, and he winked as they turned in opposite directions.
We definitely just had a moment.
She floated through the rest of the day.
*
As bedtime approached however, her good mood diminished. It was time to begin her nightly ritual of brooding. She dreaded going to sleep because she never knew what was waiting for her in her dreams. Heaven or hell. Brushing out her hair, she contemplated the two.
It’s heaven if I get the blond, hell if it’s horrid faces or snakes. If only there was someone I could confide in. But I can’t. Anyone in his or her right mind will know I’m out of mine!
~ ~ ~
Chapter 6: Birthday Surprises
As October fourteenth, her seventeenth birthday approached, Cat felt different. She had an ever-increasing sense that her world was changing. Yet she couldn’t pinpoint how, or why she knew this.
On the surface, everything seemed to be normal. School, tennis, her friends, football season, and her budding relationship with Todd buzzed along. Even Hayden, who was spending more time with his new band, Southern Lights than on the football field, was happy.