Orion (24 page)

The next day proved better than ever.  Calum’s new knowledge of claim over me seemed to puff his chest out a bit more even if it was one big show for me now.  Lee had asked Maze to come hang out with us at the library.  She was very reluctant muttering things like, “Why are we going to the library for fun?”

I
’d always got a thrill out of the library.  I could delve into a little bit of Elizabeth’s world in P and P and walk right beside Pip in Great Expectations.  Annabelle Lee was my best friend.  And the road not taken was my greatest mystery.  Who could discount the idea of not hanging out with the greatest heroes and heroines this world could offer?  A world where monsters could be the hero.  And I’m one of those monsters. 

In a crazy world like this, it
’s easy to feel alone. 
Pat, my superhero rock star, said that.  It’s ultimately, very true.

Another note appeared on the detention desk when Calum and I both got detention in weapons class for supposed “horseplay” in the ring.  True enough. 

Keep your eyes open.  Find out who you are!

A clue to the fact that we are right.  Something was up with our past or mothers or something.  It made me wonder if somehow wandering ears are listening and holding the same fear I had.  Double agents almost always double cross.  We needed to be careful where we chose to talk and more importantly, what we say.

Saturday came and we were completely covered in fake spy gear and laser guns.  The vest made me feel especially taller and quicker on my feet.  The illusion continued when I posed with my gun and goggles allowing Calum to snap a picture of me.  Maze giggled and copied me.  We both wiggled our hips and set off into the black-lighted room of doom.  For the boys that is!

Showing off my mad skills was an easy feat.  Calum was most assuredly a Hunter in every way.  I never once beat him, but “sneaky” was my middle name in most situations.  I let him win
the first but never made a comeback once I gave effort.  It was humbling to know I have someone who challenges me.  But any game with weapons and a supernaturalist who readily practiced weaponry since youth was a long battle.

Once, in the back section of the sweat scented warehouse-sized room, Calum and Lee both had me cornered in a hole.  I kept to the shadows and slid around the wall without a sound.  Calum announced in a sly voice, “I know you are there.”

I scooted down to a crouch and waited for both their heads to appear around the corner in a peek to see if their hunch was correct.  It was dark, but I was able to make out the fallen face when he thought he’d been right about my position.  After the two of them moved away, I took a long quiet breath and slinked away on my hands to a different spot.  As soon as I was there, Maze popped into my face and whispered fiercely, “That was awesome.  They just knew they had you.”

“You watched and they didn
’t see you?”

“Oh, Stace.  I
’ve known for a long time now they watch your every little move.  I’m just eye candy for the ride.”

I coughed up a response sending our two boys a location point and without a doubt in my head, gave them our whereabouts. Found!

ℓ ℓ ℓ ℓ ℓ

Now at the library posing to Maze as avid researchers of nothing important I held my Pride and Prejudice in hand while Calum took a turn researching the constellations as he announced what he found.  So far we’d arrived with what we already knew.  The story of Orion and how Anat brought him to his doom was the only connection.  That Orion fell in love with Anat and had him killed. 

After more than an hour, we
’d almost given up and I’d taken two turns when Lee announced from around the corner from us where he and Maze were at that he had to show us something.  I’d heard her giggle twice as if she were at least reading a good joke or possibly having a good time.

“Come see this story guys.  It
’s great fun,” Lee laughed.

We both walked around and stood above the two of them looking rather cozy and close.  Hmm! Good! 

              My hair needed to a wash and I can barely stand it in my face anymore.  When I saw Maze still had her hair tie on her wrist I asked if I could have it.  Maze squirmed in her seat and when she saw me and said, “Stace, do you ever not need me for the little details?”  She handed me the tie and laughed at my obvious
need
for her.  She was a great friend.  I rolled my eyes enjoying the sidetracked moment as Lee stood up and let Maze navigate the mouse.  Really tired, I couldn’t seem to get all of my hair up and Maze was wedged between the seat and the next cubicle so I looked to the boys for help with my hair.  Lee and Calum were standing shoulder to shoulder beside me reading while I battled with my annoyance.  Finally I gave up and held my hand out with the ponytail, “Okay boys, help a girl out.  Who wants to do me?”

Stupefied, both boys just stared.

“Oh great one, Stace.  Don’t answer that
BOYS
!” Maze offered choking.  She practically pulled my hair out while putting it up.  I refused to look back at them feeling stupid.  It was a mistake I wouldn’t make again.

On the screen, Lee hurriedly pointed to the prophecy I knew all too well and scarily proved to be coming true.  His face darkened in my direction
but I didn’t look directly at him.  He’d found where the prophecy had a more interesting fact that not even Kassie had found. 

Daughter of the goddess Anat and son

of the great huntress Queen Euryale of the

Amazons shall bond the charms of all into one.  

When the bond was made with Neptune the sea god,

the great Hunter, Orion came to earth ending the great fast.

His hunger will be fulfilled when the two suns create one. 

I
’d already considered the idea of Anat having some bearing on my mother’s death, but did this other have to do with…Calum?  And there seemed to be a lot of goddess and god stuff.  If it is true, and we are somehow possible descendants of these Greek and Roman legends, then why do so many names seem to pop up?  And the sun part.  I have always thought it to be the sun surrounding my navel, but it sounds like Calum, the Orion takes part and then...doesn’t.

Anat seems to pop up a lot.  I
’d never told anyone about reading the letters I found once in my father’s library.  I still wouldn’t.  They seemed like a fairy tale that somehow just included my name.  But my name means more than I’d been led to believe.  And to find all this and confirm a connection to Calum?  Maybe, just maybe there’s more to it.

Maze was a little confused as to why we all found this story fascinating, but the three of us knew something was happening way beyond our means.  As if we really needed to build any other tension Maze felt the need to add, “If you
’ll excuse me I need my beauty sleep.  You three can duke it out for rutting rights and let me know.”

I couldn
’t believe her audacity to speak this way and rile them up.  I was at a loss for words.  Worse, I understood the vulgarity of the lingo.

Lee said, “I
’m going to print the whole story.  I’ll read it later.  Let’s get out of here and get something to eat.” Real reason.  Talk freely later and avoid each other at all costs.

ℓ ℓ ℓ ℓ ℓ

At the restaurant, I realized why Maze couldn
’t fit completely with us tonight.  And why Lee was more separated from the group as a whole.  She doesn’t and can’t know our secrets.  And that alone, was tearing him apart.  Not because of Maze, simply because he was left alone and we had each other.  That wasn’t fair!  But if I know Maze, she would have a comeback comment tonight to jumpstart these two boy’s hormones. 
Again.

“Don
’t eat the burger labeled “best in town” boys?” Maze suggested.

“Why
?” I had to ask.

“Because it
’s rutting season and you’re prime rib on the menu.”  She looked at me and wagged her eyes up and down.  I gave Maze the facial expression equivalent of a very popular hand gesture.

Calum
saw me watch Lee for the next few minutes.  He knew what I was thinking as I looked from him to Maze.  Someone could have misconstrued my intentions, but Calum saw inside my head for once.  Lee was alone, yet he was helping us without any gain in this game we are playing.

I excused myself for the restroom.  Lee was by the little diner
’s old jukebox punching buttons when I came back out around the corner.

“
You can’t tell her and therefore you keep your distance.”

He nodded slightly.  I looked over my shoulder at Calum and Maze watching our exchange.

“Why are you helping me…us?”

“You already know that answer,” he looked to my eyes for clarity.

“No!  What other reason.  You know that will never happen, so what other reason?”

“I let you down once, Anastacia.  And I have to believe that I can mend that mistake, but more importantly, I believe something bigger is going on here whether you, or,” he motioned to Calum but didn
’t say his name, “want to admit it or not.”

I watched him intently now.

“And I will see it through.  Alone if I have too!”

He left me stand
ing there staring after seeing the click of his fingers punch the button on the jukebox.

As I walked back following a good fifteen seconds later, I stopped cold when I heard the song playing.  My whole life felt like one big picture on a wall, and I
’m watching from the outside and not able to have an effect on my own course.  And without a doubt, my mind wandered to the stars.  Enemies among friends.  Scorpio tries to kill its enemies, friends, anything in its way.  Legend says that’s why Scorpio is on other side of the sky not able to alter his own course.

No promises.

No promises.

No demands.

Love is a battlefield!

I made my sidestep pick up again realizing too late that Lee had seen my little clumsy moment of realization.  Dang!  Not only did he know I was a huge Pat Benatar fan, he picked that song for a reason.  I used to joke about going into some great battle and giving him a play by play of how I
’d defeat my enemy.  He’d seen me dance step that song all the way through replacing the words with how I would conquer the world.  He’d laugh and sing the parts of my favorite song inserting them into the appropriate sequences in my parody’s fantasy battle as we sparred.  My music would be blaring it as we battle danced to the music.

But tonight, his motive was different.  He was sending a message.

Believe me.

Believe me.

I can
’t tell you why

But I
’m trapped by your love

And I
’m chained to your side.

We are strong

No one can tell us we’re wrong.

I watched the ground as I walked, but Lee knew his message made it through the invisible wire tied from the jukebox to the booth all four of us were seated at in the little diner.  I think at this point Calum saw my barely there dance moves across the diner.  His look of concern caught my eye as I slid in next to him.  I never once looked at Lee.  I was too worried it would confirm a message received look.

He had to let this go. Maybe he was just telling me why he kept his distance from Maze.  She couldn
’t know what I know. 

I managed a fake smile and joined the conversation that Maze was having mostly with herself.  She was the only one who didn
’t, or couldn’t, read between the diner’s invisible lines of communication.

I wondered if Calum would ask me later.  Lee helped me out with that dilemma when the song ended.

“Stace, go put in another one of those horrendous songs of yours.  The ones you quote all the time and think others don’t know where your wisdom comes from.”

Calum and Maze were lost.  I stared blankly at Lee.

“OH, don’t give me that.  My mom used to force me to listen the 1980’s music.  She was obsessed with all those rock star types.  Let them in on your obsession.”

I glared evilly. I should have heard the music part of the comment, but I heard the mom part of where she used to do something in his life.  I never had that.  I looked at Calum.  He hadn
’t either.  But even more, he was revealing something that wasn’t his to reveal.

“You caught that, did you?” I seethed at his telling of private thoughts just so he could show he knew them.

He looked sideways at Calum to assure his personal note in my life, “Benatar songs seem to top her list in the advice column.  Turns on her inner music box.”