Soulmates (11 page)

“Oh my gosh, she’s letting me pet her,” she whispered. “She is so sweet and soft." The deer were huge, much more muscular than any deer she had ever seen in Missouri. Her hair was as soft and smooth as silk. She was calm and curious.

“Paulette, come here. You have to pet her,” Presley said. Paulette slowly walked over, knelt down by the deer and stroked her brown coat. Jesse encouraged the girls to keep going.

“You have to remember that this is not a good place. We have to move. We need to find Manna as soon as possible. The Manes could find us at any time,” he warned.

Suddenly the deer became spooked. They held their heads up high, with their ears back, and they simultaneously leaped into the air and ran out of sight.

“Come on, girls. Let’s go,” Jesse said anxiously looking around the field. “I think that they’re here. Keep walking,” he gritted his teeth. He pulled out The Book of Codes once again as a guide. “I think that we need to go—um, through the woods." The woods were creepy, dark and gloomy.

“I feel an eerie presence,” whispered Presley.

“Me too,” said Paulette as she skittishly examined the woods. A strong breeze blew the trees branches and some leaves fell to the ground.

“Guys, I see a dark shadow through the trees up ahead. Look over there. It moves every time we move,” Presley said in a controlled calm voice.

“I see it,” said Jesse. Just hold on to your crystals.”

“How do we use these crystals?” questioned Paulette.

“I’m not sure. I know that they have power, but I don’t know how to use it,” answered Jesse.

“Great. That makes me feel better,” Presley said under her breath.

“I’m not so sure that the crystals are working,” said Jesse.

“Why?” asked Paulette.

“Because there are more shadows right over there,” Jesse pointed over Paulette’s shoulder directly to her left.

“Run!” Jesse screamed. Jesse and Paulette ran, but Presley stood frozen with fear. She couldn’t move. As the shadows grew closer to her, she began to spin around in circles, helplessly trying to find a way to escape them. She held her crystal tight hoping the shadows would disappear, but they didn’t. Jesse and Paulette noticed that Presley wasn’t following them. When they ran back to get her, a dark figure was looming above them, so they quickly hid behind a tree.

Presley looked skyward and saw the mass of darkness plummeting down toward her. Once the shadow was near the ground, it materialized into an evil being. He was the most terrifying vision that Presley had ever seen. He was tall, with dark black, greasy hair, red eyes, pale white skin, and a distinct foul goat-like smell. He stood with a slight slouch in his back; his head cocked to the side and on his head stood two erect horns. Dark wings protruded from his back. Presley noticed the black veins that covered each wing.

“Do you assume because I don’t have eyes in the back of my head that I can’t see you?” the being screamed. He flew up in the air again and landed by the tree that hid Jesse and Paulette. “Are you so naive that you think I can’t find you wherever you are?" the being hissed as he flew back towards Presley. “Do you know who I am?” he screamed. He let out a sound similar to an animal cry that sent chills down Presley's back. “Fiend,” he whispered as he arched his head closer to Presley. He was so close to her that she could feel his breath on her cheek. She shut her eyes tightly, wishing he would go away. He raised his arms up and motioned to the other shadows.

Like Fiend, the other dark shadows materialized into wicked beings. They had red eyes as well and looked just as evil. They had smaller horns which were different in size and color. The demons made strange spine chilling cries as well. Presley was too scared to cry and too shocked to speak. She was surrounded with nowhere to go. Jesse ran intending to ram one of the beings, instead he flew through him. Jesse fell to the ground at Presley’s feet. He quickly got up and stood puzzled. Fiend laughed.

“They are spirits—or ghosts,” Jesse whispered to Presley.

“Ya think?” she whispered back.

“No, I’m not a ghost. Spirit, yes. Ghost, no,” Fiend corrected. I prefer demon.” Fiend held out his hand to Presley as he commanded, “Come with me."

Presley began to tremble with fear. She shut her eyes tightly and shook her head.

“No,” she murmured, shaking uncontrollably.

Fiend held out his other hand to Jesse, “Come with us. You two can be together forever if you come with me, now!” he bartered. Jesse looked at Presley and then back at Fiend.

“No,” his voice shook.

“No? Well, then. You are aware that there is no other way for you to be together? I’m offering you your wish,” he looked at Jesse. “And your answer is, ‘No’ -after all these years longing for -”

Jesse quickly interrupted, with a tremor in his voice. “I said, NO! We will
not
come with you!”

“I see,” said Fiend.

“Have you lost your touch?” one demon laughed.

“Actually, I’m glad that you declined my offer. This has been amusing. Truly-I’ll see you soon. I’m going to enjoy this!” he shrieked.

The demons gradually dissipated one by one into the grey sky, following Fiend until they were gone.

“What
was
that?” yelled Presley, as she began to cry.

“Those are the spirits I told you about. I encountered them before when I first came here, but I hadn’t seen them in their true spirit form before,” he said. Jesse held Presley as Paulette came out from behind the tree.

“Are they gone?” Paulette asked.

“I think so,” answered Jesse.

“Well, I can tell you this much,” Paulette held up her crystal. “This don’t work." She threw it to the ground. Jesse quickly bent down to pick it up.

“We don’t know how it’s supposed to work,” he said, frustrated. He put the crystal in his bag.

“Let's get out of here,” Presley said as she began to stumble through the woods.

≈≈≈≈≈

They were quiet as they walked, struggling to comprehend the danger that they had encountered. To break the silence, Jesse asked Presley questions to help keep her mind off of Fiend and the other spirits.

“So, tell me about yourself, your parents. What are they like?” he asked.

“In short, my mom is an alcoholic and my dad is dead,” she answered bluntly.

Startled by her statement, Jesse stopped walking. “I’m so sorry,” he said genuinely.

Presley turned towards him. “My dad died a long time ago. It’s fine. My mom’s been an alcoholic equally as long, so I’m used to it. Unfortunately, it’s just my life, I guess.”

“You shouldn’t have to be used to it. You deserve better.”

Presley was confused and taken back by his compassion. She couldn’t understand why he was so sympathetic towards her.

“Have you ever tried talking to your mother about her drinking?”

“Yes, but she denies that she even has a problem, so in her mind there’s nothing to fix. She just gets defensive and angry if I push the issue. I just try to stay out of her way."

Jesse could sense her discomfort and changed the subject. “I see. What do you like to do? I mean for enjoyment?” he asked.

“I like to write music and sing. And I taught myself to play guitar,” she answered.

“So you entertain?” Paulette asked.

“Yes, I guess. Personal entertainment mostly or therapy. Maybe both. I mainly just write for myself, you know? I just like to get my thoughts down on paper. Whether the words become a poem or I turn them into a song; writing has always helped me sort my feelings,” she added.

“I could see you writing songs. Do you play the piano, too?” he asked.

“Play the piano? No. Why?” she asked, confused.

“No reason. Just thought that maybe you did.”

“But why the pian
—
”

Jesse cut her off, “You know the worst part about being here for me is the thought of being forgotten. I wish now that maybe I had done something big. So, that people would remember me by something. Anything.

They sat down on a grassy hill for a rest.

“I could understand that. I mean you do only have
one
life,” Presley stated.

“Yeah. Maybe,” Jesse laughed.

“So being forgotten has been hard on you.”

“Um, well,” he paused, biting his lower lip. “I have spent so many days reminiscing about my old life, from my family and friends to Emily, of course. And now knowing that everyone I once knew is gone and I’m still here, that weighs heavy on my mind.

“It’s almost like being in prison, except much worse,” muttered Paulette.

“She’s right. Everyone I once loved is gone— dead.” Jesse looked down at the ground. “I wish I had been more present in my life. Looking back, if I had it to do over again, I would have married Emily sooner than we had planned,” he said.

“Why? What does that have to do with anything?” asked Presley.

“Because if I would have just married Emily I wouldn’t be stuck here,” he explained.

As Presley began to question him her thought was interrupted by a loud roaring sound. They all quickly jumped to their feet.

“It sounds like a tornado!” screamed Paulette.

“No. Look at the sky. It’s blue and there’s no wind,” countered Jesse.

Just then a herd of pristine wild white horses ran through the valley below. As Presley looked closer she could make out the large wings hanging from their sides, and each had a large horn protruding from their foreheads.

“They’re unicorns,” she whispered.

Unexpectedly, like a flock of birds, the winged horses soared into the sky.

≈≈≈≈≈

“I see Gracie a few yards away,” said Presley. Let’s set up camp for the night. They reached Gracie as the sun was going down.

“She’s a small tree,” Presley remarked.

Paulette grabbed one of the draping branches. “Yeah, there’s no way that all of us will fit up there tonight."

Jesse sat on a rotted fallen log, and from his bag he pulled out the flint, iron, and an old cloth.

“What’s all of that for?” Presley asked.

“We are starting a fire,” Paulette said, as she gathered dry large sticks from the heavily wooded area and placed them in a pile. Jesse tore a small piece of the cloth off and put it in the tinder, and then used the iron and flint to make a spark.

“We have a fire, ladies!” said Jesse excitedly. He helped Paulette gather more wood and he placed the logs in a separate pile. “There, that should be plenty for the night." He took half a loaf of bread and some jerky out of the bag.

“I know it isn’t much, but it’ll do,” he said. He handed the food to the girls and they all sat around the campfire.

“Aren’t you gonna eat?” Paulette asked.

“You two go ahead. I’ll eat later,” he said. Presley knew that he was waiting until they were finished before he ate. She split her piece of bread and handed some to Jesse.

“No, really. Eat,” he said adamantly.

“I insist,” she said sternly.

“Okay, since you insist,” he said with a crooked smile.

After they ate, Jesse took Presley’s hand and said, “Come with me."

She stood up and followed Jesse. He led here over to Gracie and he pulled down two of her branches.

“Sit here,” he said.

Presley sat on the branch and Jesse sat next to her. Gently, Gracie raised them both up high into the sky. Three moons shone over them enabling them to see for miles.

“I could never have imagined this place even in my wildest dreams. A whole other world that nobody knows about. Who do you think Manna is? I mean, did he come from our planet? Or this planet.”

“I don’t have any idea. All I know is that he helped write The Book of Codes. Who knows if he’s even still alive? I hope he is for your sake. He may be your only chance of getting back home.”

Presley leaned over and put her head on Jesse’s shoulder. She looked up at him and wondered why she felt so close to him. He leaned down and pressed his lips to her ear and whispered, “I think you’re falling in love with me."

Without moving she whispered back, “What makes you think that?"

“Because every time I touch you, you get goose bumps." He gently ran his fingers down her arm. “See, goose bumps,” he said.

“No, I’m cold,” she replied.

“Yeah, okay,” he said smiling. They sat silently together watching the falling stars in the night sky. She felt as if she were melting into him. They both wished time would stop.

Paulette yelled up to them, “Hey, I’m ready for bed. You guys need to get down here."

Gracie slowly lowered Jesse and Presley back down to the ground.

“This tree’s too small for all of us and it’s probably better that someone keeps watch for Fiend and the others anyway,” he suggested.

“Who's gonna stay up to keep watch?" Paulette asked.

“I’ll stay up first. You two get some sleep. I’ll keep watch for a few hours and then we can rotate,” he said.