Bloodlines: Everything That Glitters (10 page)

I rose from the bed and walked over to a box in the corner. I pried open the cardboard flaps and searched for a random outfit I no longer wore. After finding a pair of paint-stained sweat pants and an old white shirt I never threw out, I changed into them.

Since Corey wouldn’t know anything about this, I figured I’d conduct my own experiment. “It has to be something just as simple as give me clarity,” I mumbled.

Ignite
. I thought, bracing myself for whatever happened next.

The flame spread from my hands then up my arms and soon reached my torso. Surprised that it actually worked, I was overjoyed as I looked at myself in the mirror. My body was engulfed in flames and the experiment clothes were remarkably still intact.

What does this mean
? I thought softly, temporarily falling in love with the sound and feel of the fire. How would my mom react if she saw this? I needed to show someone, just to confirm I wasn’t crazy.

What does what mean
? Ash’s voice interrupted my thoughts and echoed through my mind.

I’ll tell you when you come home. Where are you by the way
?

The flames were still radiating all over my eager body. It was as if my body couldn’t totally rest until I was completely engulfed in fire, and the longer it stayed bottled inside, the more it wanted to escape. This was a brand new world I was venturing off into and I had started to like it.

I’m coming in the house now. What‘s burning
? I faintly heard Ash say hello to Corey and stomp his way up the stairs. “So you’re the one that has the entire house smelling like a chimney. I smelled it all the way from the driveway.”

“Why aren’t my clothes burning?” I said as he walked into the room.

“I don’t know, but I really do not like this new stench you have surrounding you.”

I laughed and focused on putting out the fire. “Well Corey told me how to get the voices to go away, some weird language that only means ‘give me clarity’ in English.” I said, flopping down on the bed.

“I’m going to go and see if she can help me,” Ash said, dashing out of the room.

I followed him down the stairs and immediately thought of an internet search.
Why didn’t I think of this earlier
?

The house was colder than usual, the air more crisp and stale than what seemed to be normal. I shoved my hands in my pockets in an attempt to keep them warm but instead stabbed myself in the finger with a writing pen I’d apparently left in the pockets a while ago, the wound didn’t draw blood but it still hurt like hell when I tried to touch it. Then, just like that- it was gone.

When I reached the office, the door was closed but there was a light shining through under it. I figured my dad must be using it and headed back to the living room.

“Your dad’s at work and your mother is out getting groceries.” I heard Corey tell Ash as I almost rounded the corner.

I spun around to face the office door and walked slowly back toward it. Giving the door two tiny taps, I grabbed the handle and twisted it open calmly. I was sure I wasn’t hearing any thoughts so no one could possibly be in the room. I pushed open the door and walked in; no one was there, someone must have left the light on and forgot.

I opened up the computer and began searching, there were things all over the web about telepathy and accelerated healing, but all of the references were of comic books and cartoons, nothing real or solid. I scanned over the comic characters and tried to put pieces together but nothing was making sense. “I’m just a freak of nature,” I whispered. “Not even the internet can help me.”

The thought proved to be sobering every time, I couldn’t escape it. I just want to be normal- not thoughts, no healing, just me, Alizarin ‘plain’ Truehart.

After a few hours of vigorous searching and turning up with nothing, I logged off of
my dad’s computer and sat in the chair with my face buried in my palms. 

You won‘t find the answers there
.

The thought was smooth and edgy but I had never heard the strange voice in my life. It fed images and visions of the open sky into my brain and I found myself longing for that existence- riding through the clouds without a care in the world. “Then where will I find them?” I replied aloud. In the back of my mind, I knew this should have confirmed what I feared most- I was officially losing my mind. Yet, I waited for the seraphic voice to reply.

Once you embrace who you are, you will know what to look for
. The voice answered.

I straightened my back and stretched. “Tell me what I’m looking for and I can embrace it,” I lied. I wanted to accept it all, I somehow felt like I needed to, but I couldn’t bring myself to do so just yet, it was unreal.

Corey was right about one thing- even with what I’ve been experiencing in the last two days, which should at least be enough to convince anyone. I still figured at any moment I would wake up and this would all be a dream.

I got up from the computer and walked into the living room, Ash and Corey were still sitting down watching television. “Did you hear what just happened, super senses?” I asked Ash as I flopped down on the couch.

“No I didn’t hear anything, fireplace.”

“So I am going crazy,” I said under my breath, taking out of my phone and calling Dr. Vincent’s office.

“I wouldn’t do that if I was you,” Ash said without looking away from the television.

“If you were me, your opinion would count,” I replied before storming back up to my room for the rest of the day. Something had to start making sense soon.

It took nearly two weeks before we could find enough papers for Corey to finally be enrolled into school- most of her records were torn beyond recognition or just plain nonexistent. It also included my parents finally considering becoming her legal guardians.
             

“Welcome to the family!” My mom squealed with excitement.

“Thank you so much, Mrs. Truehart,” Corey said on the verge of tears for the eighth time today.

“Please, just call me mom or Psenora” My mom answered.

I slapped my forehead with the palm of my hand and looked annoyed.
Call her mom
? I thought. I was unsure why I was so annoyed and upset with what was going on, Corey hadn’t done anything to me and she was an orphan of sorts.

Maybe we should drop her off at the shelter down the road and hope her dad shows up, or just set her on fire while she is sleeping
. The voice reasoned.

By now it was no longer a stranger, it was unafraid to say whatever it wanted, not held back by any constraints or feelings and emotions. Whoever she was, she was definitely fueled by anger, lust and pure passion. The irony of it all was, she only started talking when I didn’t want others in my head.

“I’m going to wait outside.” I said angrily as I got up from the office chair.

On the way out, Ash joined me and walked toward the car. “What are you upset about, Aliza?” he said opening the passenger door.

I walked behind him and got into the backseat. “Nothing, what do I have to be mad about?” I answered, although still sounding annoyed.

Ash put the keys into the ignition and started the car, the cool air felt delightful as it blew across my face. I found myself not even remembering why I’d even agreed to tag along anyways.

I leaned forward into the vent and closed my eyes, I had barely realized how hot it was inside the attorneys office, but maybe it was just me; I was easily heated these days and although it didn’t bother me, air conditioning seemed to be my cat nip.

“Talk to me.”

He was concerned, but so was I. Corey was not holding up her end of the bargain and she had managed to infiltrate our family unit. “Do you think that if mom and dad adopt Coco she’ll be able to read our minds as well?”

“That is a good question. But don’t try to change to subject, something’s going on and I want to know what it is.”

I sat back in the seat and looked at Ash through the mirror, I wanted so badly to tell him what was going on and let him help me search for what it is I was looking for, but whenever I even open my mouth to try I can never get the words to come out.

Mom and Corey were walking back to the car now, both beaming with expressions of excitement written all over their faces.

Doesn’t it sicken you
?

I slightly nodded in reply to the voice as Corey opened the door and climbed into the backseat alongside me. I remembered my brothers concern and even though I couldn’t bring myself to tell him the real reason I could give him a reason, one believable.
You would think that giving her a place to stay would be enough. Now this
?

Helping people in need is what mom does; you of all people should know that. Which is the reason she went into the medical field, to help people
.

I thought is over for a moment then agreed, she was a doctor and it was the reason we moved out here in the first place, to help the needy hospital staff. I stared out of the window as we drove back to the house; whenever the trees and major buildings would disappear I knew we were getting close. I’d gotten mumbling those three little words down to a science and soon I was going to ask Corey to teach me how to say it in our language. But still I wondered if there was something I could do that was even simpler.

We pulled back into the driveway and I looked over at Corey, trying hard not to stare. I leaned over the seat and whispered in her ear as asexually as I could. “I know you know more than you’re telling me, and I don’t like it.”

I opened the door to the backseat and got out, not fully realizing that I had zoned out during the entire car conversation.

“Did you hear me, Alizarin?” My mom said from behind me as I opened the front door.

“Yeah mom, whatever you say.”

You have no idea what she said do you
?

Of course I do
. I thought with false confidence.

“If you did, you wouldn’t have said yes so easily,” he said softly after mom had disappeared into the kitchen.

“Whatever it is, it can’t be that bad,” I replied confidently.

“I expect it done before your dad gets home!” Mom called from the kitchen.

I walked through the living room and into the kitchen, “What exactly is it you want me to do again? Be specific.”

“I do not know how simpler it can get than going to the store and picking up dinner. Also, when you come back I want you to help Corey pick out something to wear for her first day of school tomorrow. I swear sometimes I feel like you just don’t listen anymore, are you feeling alright?”

I was sick of people asking me if I was okay, of course I am not okay, I have power that I know nothing about and a voice that’s convincing me I am insane. “I’m fine mother, and she is 16 years old, I‘m sure she knows how to dress herself.” I answered awkwardly.

“Well do it for me,” she replied as if I had any other option.
             

I took the list she held out from her hands then read it over. Luckily I already had my keys on me so there was no need to run upstairs. At first I thought it kind of random that we’d passed the store on the way home and she didn’t stop, but then it was my mom, she was allowed to do these kinds of things. I pulled them from my pocket then turned on my heels and left the kitchen.

I needed this ride alone though, less people I had to ignore. I traveled down the roads letting my mind wonder over my screwed up life. How had things gotten this bad? I was at an absolute low, the lowest I’d been in a while. Occasionally I’d veer off into the other side of the street as my mind went to deep within its own thoughts, I was quickly losing track of what I was doing here in the real world.

I pulled into the market parking lot, then dropped my face into the palms of my hands. I’d pull this together even if it killed me. There was a light tap on the window and I straightened myself to see who it was, his gentle grey eyes stared warmly into mine. 

“Do you need some help?”

“I’m fine, thanks for asking though.” I opened my car door and stepped out. “I have a little bit of a headache that’s all.”

“Oh, sorry for bothering you then,” he stepped back slowly then awkwardly turned to walk away.

“My name is Alizarin,” I called behind him, “What’s your name?”

He stopped walking for a moment then turned to me. “Nikko, nice to meet you, Alizarin,” he smiled again then walked back to his car before words had time to form in my mouth.

I thought about him briefly as I walked into the store, wondering why he’d just run off without wanting to talk to me. I pulled open the door then stepped in,
More Catnip
. I thought to myself when I felt the cool air blow gently across my face.

The inside of the store was average, like any other grocery store in any random small town. I walked around the store with the list my mom had gave me in one hand and holding the hand basket with the other, it would take all of five minutes to get the stuff she needed.