Scars of the Earth (15 page)

The laughter in the air faded away and was replaced with a familiar silence. She wasn’t at all surprised when the Scar took form in front of her, but she was surprised to see both Cole and Madgie still with her. They looked at each other full of confusion. When a Scar took you it wasn’t a group thing. That Scar opened to you, she had never heard of a Scar taking more than one person before. And from the look on Cole and Madgie’s faces, neither had they.

They were on the high pebble strewn banks of a clear river watching two young lovers on the opposite side. The pair didn’t notice the three of them standing there, too caught up in each other. Amanda knew immediately that it was the teenage boy who was trapped here, in this Scar. The girl was a mere memory, not a spirit. Fear rippled across her bosom and she fell to her knees, momentarily overcome with the emotion. Cole pulled her back on her feet and she tried to push out the feeling of trepidation.

It was a terrible thing to watch, these Scars unfolding. Sometimes you had scenes like this, love, laughter, calm; but it was merely the calm before the storm. If they were here, in this Memory, something was eventually going to happen; something terrible enough to Scar a spirit, and the world.

It was really a beautiful day in the memory, the sunlight seemed almost golden as it reflected off of the surface of the smooth water and highlighted the cotton blowing about on the breeze.

It’s spring time. She thought, making note of every detail. Cottonwoods shed their seeds in the spring. Suddenly the young man was on his feet. He was dressed in a humble suit that reflected the style of the 1940’s.

“Come on! It will be fun; the boys and me do it all the time.” He said to his sweetheart with a smile dancing around his lips.

“I can’t John! For goodness sake I am in my Sunday dress! My Mama would tan my hide.” She replied.

“What if I told ya that I’d give you all of the dead presidents in my wallet?” He asked.

“I’d say that I don’t want anymore Lincolns jingling around in my purse.” She giggled.

“Oh I have more than pennies you little tease. Now are you up for fun, or not?” He asked as he offered her his hand.

“Okay, but it is your own fault if my Ma won’t allow me to see ya for a month.” She said taking his hand.

They walked hand in hand down stream laughing with each other and giving shy kisses, until they reached a tree. It was a great deal larger than the rest of the ones lining the river making it seem out of place. Its wide branches stretched out over the water and dangling from one of these strong branches was a thick rope.

John picked up a long stick propped against the tree and leaned over the bank swiping at the rope. After a few swings the improvised hook snagged it and he pulled it into him. His girlfriend looked nervous as he held it out to her.

“You go first; show me how to do it.” She said hesitantly. He straightened his shoulders.

“Okay. Well first make sure that you have a good grip on the rope. Like this see.” He said showing her the position of his hands.

“Alright.” She said.

“Then just walk back a couple steps and do this.” He said and ran off the edge of the bank swinging into the air. When he reached the highest point that the rope came to he threw himself back, doing a flip before hitting the water. He resurfaced in a few seconds flipping his hair back causing drops of water to rain down all around him.

“Just like that huh?” She asked sarcastically.

“Well you don’t need to do the flip, I was just impressing you.” He said as he swam out of her way.

“I believe the term is ‘just trying to impress you’.” She said jokingly.

“Nope, no trying about it. I impressed you. Now get down here with me the water’s fine.” He said while floating on his back. Her smile faded then.

“I don’t know if I should do this John, if I come home with a broken leg my Pa will probably kill you.” She said looking down at the fifteen foot drop.

“Oh, you get free health care anyway; your Dad’s a Doc. So don’t worry so much, it isn’t that high. I wouldn’t have you do it if it were dangerous, now live a little.” He chided.

“Alright, but if I break my leg I’m not letting you sign my cast.” She giggled at him and straightened her shoulders as she had seen him do.

“Okay, make sure that you have a good grip and let go around the middle…that’s where the water is deepest.” He instructed.

She took a few steps back and ran off of the edge, closing her eyes as her foot left the earth. She swung out over the water, her dark locks shining in the sunlight. The rope reached its highest point and she threw herself back.

No! Amanda heard John think. Don’t try to flip, don’t! His mind raced as he saw her falling fast. She attempted to right herself as he had, but to no avail. Her eyes shot open, full of fear, and met his right before her head awkwardly struck the water.

Amanda knew that the loud crack that sounded couldn’t have happened in real life. He must have imagined that he heard her neck breaking afterward, but all the same it chilled her to the bone.

He swam over to her body quickly pulling her out of the water and laid her on the bank.

“Mae?” He whispered.

She didn’t respond, her body limp and lifeless. He put his head gently on her chest where her soaked Sunday dress clung to her skin.

“Mae?” He screamed. “Mae, wake up.” He took her face in his hands and kissed her hard, half expecting her to slap him across the face as she usually did when he got fresh.

I guess not too many people knew CPR in the forties. Not that it would have mattered. Amanda thought.

“Mae, don’t leave me. Don’t go.” He begged her through sobs. He gently picked her up in his arms and began running. There was no need for the Healers to give chase; they were drug along with him. He ran across two wheat fields with Mae’s limp body in his arms before a small town came into view.

Looks like a postcard, little white church and all. Amanda thought as they neared the quaint country town.

“Help!” John screamed out frantically. “Someone Help us please!” He begged. His voice was so full of pain Amanda had to lean on Cole to keep herself standing.

Where is he going? Doesn’t he know it is too late? She wondered. She could see that he hadn’t given up; he still believed that he could save the very dead girl in his arms. He has to believe that. She thought. He can’t go on without her.

She couldn’t believe the pace that he kept. He had run three miles before Amanda understood his destination, the hospital. She sucked in a breath as John’s words to his sweetheart played in her mind. “Oh you get free health care anyway; your Dad’s a Doc.”

Oh no. She thought. She was beginning to understand why this memory hadn’t stopped by the rivers edge. It isn’t only this girl’s death that was scarring. It’s whatever happens next. With Mae’s father.

Amanda felt herself pulling back, attempting to fight the force dragging her along after John. She didn’t want to see what happened next, she didn’t want to feel this boy’s pain. He was such a simple fragile spirit. Madgie and Cole were looking at her thoughtfully.

They haven’t put it together yet. Neither of them knows what is coming. She thought.

“Mae’s father is a doctor.” Amanda said quietly.

She turned to look at Cole and his eyes met hers. He scanned her face searching for the reason behind her apprehension. She looked away from him turning back to the boy that she was scared to follow.

“We are headed to the hospital.” She said gesturing towards the building that was growing in size and clarity at their approach. Madgie’s face contorted in pain and Cole’s fell in realization.

“Oh!” Madgie cried. “You don’t think that…”

“Yes, of course something terrible is going to happen. We’re here aren’t we?” She stated bluntly. Like the girl’s death wasn’t hard enough on him. She thought, choking up. What is going to happen now?

John’s screams had caused a stir and people began flowing out onto the street from small shops and eateries. They were all done up in their Sunday best, but it didn’t stop the women from dropping to their knees as John passed by.

“Mae!” Some of the women cried out before fainting. And Amanda understood why they did. Mae’s body was devoid of all color. Her once pale, milky skin was now a nauseating grey.

Some of the men joined John in his run to the hospital. A tall middle-aged man ran next to him. He was dressed in a police uniform, but that isn‘t what struck her. As soon as she saw the man she knew who he was, John was the spitting image of his father.

“What happened John?” His father asked.

“She hit the water.” Was all John said. His father looked confused by this short answer, but didn’t question him any further. It was plain to see that John was in a state of complete hysteria.

“You’re tired son, here let me help you.” He said leaning down to take Mae from his arms.

“Don’t touch her!” John screamed. “Don’t touch her!” The man jumped back. “Mae will be fine, she just needs a doctor. Right Mae?” He asked looking down at her lovingly.

Amanda took in the haunting building as they entered the hospital grounds. It stretched toward the sky, towering over the small town.

It looks disproportionate. She thought.

The building was stretched tall, like a yard of taffy, and its surface reminded her of seeing something through water. The color of brick faded from dark scarlet to light pinkish tones and the windows bowed so badly that Amanda was sure they would break at any moment, spewing shards of glass all over her. Just then she heard a voice ring out so loud that it shook everything around them, including the bulging windows.

“Whaaat hasss haaappened?” It asked. Amanda shivered as her skin tightened into goose flesh and she wasn’t the only one. She felt Madgie shudder next to her.

That voice! It sounds so-inhuman. She thought. The hospital doors trembled in their frame before bursting open. Oh my God. She thought, still being drug along on wobbly knees.

The man stepping out of the hospital wasn’t at all what she had expected. He was in a long white coat like the doctors she had seen on Television, but he didn’t resemble the tall proud men with good cheek bones. He looked more like a wounded animal. He limped out of the hospital gasping as if each movement brought him incredible pain.

The man looked up at the approaching group of men when they were ten yards from where he stood and Amanda’s mind swirled in confusion. His eyes were double the size that they should have been and a solid sphere of black. She wasn’t taken back by their size or color, or by the severe pain that was so evident in them. She was confused by the feeling they gave her. She wasn’t at all fearful; she just felt that they were eyes in need of help. They were eyes that she fell in love with instantly, and that could only mean one thing.

He is a trapped spirit. She thought. Amanda looked over at Cole and Madgie and saw that they reflected her astonishment.

“Two spirits in one Scar.” Amanda said wonderingly.

“I have heard of this happening, even heard rumors about Ancients healing scars with thousands of trapped spirits, but I have never experienced it. This is like opening a Cracker Jack box and getting two prizes!” Madgie exclaimed excitedly. Amanda tried not to feel angry, most Healers felt this way. Excited to heal every Scar, free every spirit, save every soul. She knew that she should feel this way too and probably would, if their pain didn’t affect her so.

“Ya.” Amanda said breathing out hard. “Double the fun.” Cole gave her a squeeze, letting her know that he understood her reluctance. I struggle with one person’s pain. How will I deal with two? She asked herself.

“You can do this Amanda; you are so much stronger than you know.” Madgie whispered as if she had spoken the question aloud. She felt Madgie’s warm hand enclose her forearm. “Don’t try to separate your love from their pain; it is your love that releases them from all of this. Allow yourself to love them and take their pain on to your shoulders without resistance.”

“I don’t know that I can Madgie!” Amanda squeaked as John stepped nearer to Mae’s father. “I’m not like you, or the rest of the Healers. When they put their pain on my shoulders, I fall. I am too weak!” Madgie’s grip on her arm tightened at her words.

“You are so young Amanda, and therefore accustomed to speaking about things that you don’t fully understand. But I will not let you speak about yourself this way. No matter how young and stupid you might be!” Madgie huffed. “No, Amanda you are not like me, or other Healers, you are so much better than us. You feel for these spirits as if it were you in pain!” She spun Amanda towards her so that they were face to face.

“You have more love and empathy in your heart than any Healer that I have met in my many decades. If you would just own who you are, you could be the strongest of us all.” She released her then in a frustrated fury. Amanda felt hurt that Madgie was so upset with her, but she couldn’t feel offended. Because somewhere deep inside of her a cog clicked into place.

I have never stopped fighting who I am, what I am. She thought honestly. This was no epiphany; she had known this fact her whole memorable life. She never forgot running, never made excuses for it. This was different though, for the first time in her life she thought that maybe she wasn’t too weak. Maybe Madgie was right.

Maybe feeling their pain as if it were my own isn’t weakness; it could be a strength if I allow it to be. If I stopped stifling it with my fear and apprehension… She was snapped out of her thoughts by Mae’s father’s icy voice.

“Whaat is thiss?” He asked. The hissing voice seemed to infiltrate her very being, slamming into her like a strong gust of wind. Only this wind seemed to move through her, leaving in its wake the feeling of rage and remorse. Her bones felt heavy under the weight of it, making it hard to stay upright. Cole put a hand out to steady her.

“Are you alright?” He asked, his perfect features twisting into a mask of concern. She was equally thankful for his concern and annoyed by it at the same time. After all SHE wasn’t the one in need of help. She was whole, she was strong. She thought about her life, about all that was happening outside of this Scar.