The Thirteenth (28 page)

“Whatever is happening to you? We are your parents. That isn’t a part time job. We made a decision a long time ago to make you; we brought you into this world and from that day to this it has been our job to look after you. I know how clever you are, I know we have done a good job when I look at the person you have turned into, but we are still your mum and dad and as such you must trust us.” Susan put her hand on Val’s.

Val’s eyes filled with tears. “I’m so sorry, Mum,” she sobbed. Susan moved in to hug her and Val slowly released all the tears she had been holding in. Mike stood up and walked out of the room.

“Is Dad angry?” Val asked Susan.

“Give him time. He was really worried about you. You are our only child; all our hopes rest on your shoulders.” Susan wiped Val’s eyes. “What happens to you now?” she asked.

“Nothing, until I get a calling. You know, like I told you, I hear noises, see images in things and then, puff, I disappear.” Val smiled.

“Oh yes, puff and disappear,” Susan said with a troubled tone in her voice.

“When the last three symbols have gone, I think this will all be over.”

“How do you know?” Susan asked.

“I don’t, but I can hope.” Val sighed, suddenly terribly tired. “Mum, I’m worn out. Would it be OK if I went to bed?” Val stood up, still holding onto her mum’s hand.

“Yes. If you need me, call,” Susan said. Val made her way upstairs. She was surprised to find her dad sitting on her bed.

“Are you OK, Dad?” Val asked.

“No, I’m not OK, Val. You have just told me something that, in my life, I have only seen on TV or read in books. You have kept this secret and now I can’t even protect you. You have been bobbing in and out all over the world and this man, this Shane, didn’t think that your father needed to know.” Mike was looking at the floor and Val felt his pain. “You don’t know when or where you may disappear again, or what danger you might face. So, no Val, I’m not OK. But one thing will never change; no matter where you are and who you are with, if you need me, call me and I will be there because I love you.” Mike stood up. As he walked past Val, she saw tears in his eyes. Never in her eighteen years had Val seen her dad cry. She didn’t like it.

Val dropped her clothes and for the first time in nearly two weeks she didn’t have to worry about anyone catching her. The hiding was over. It wasn’t what she had wanted, but considering all that her parents had just had to listen to, they had taken it reasonably well. Val snuggled into her bed with the translated copy of the book. She opened the first page and within seconds was out cold.

Morning came too quickly. As Val opened her eyes to the daylight, she was shocked to see her mum sitting on the end of her bed.

“Morning Mum,” Val said.

“What are you going to do today?” Susan asked hesitantly.

“Well, I have to go to work.” Val sat up.

“What if someone recognises you and takes you away?” Susan looked concerned.

“I work in the most boring place in Britain and I have no friends who don’t already know what I can do. No one came knocking our door down last night, so I think we are probably in the clear. You need to relax a little, Mum.” Val patted her mother on the shoulder as she walked over to her wardrobe. The truth was that Val was as worried as her mum that someone would recognise her, but she couldn’t let her mum see it.

“That’s not easy, Val. This is all so…so bizarre, so out of control. The news people will be trying their best to find out about you. And until all those signs have disappeared, you will still have more of these…these…” She trailed off, lost for words, but her expression spoke a million words.

“Mum, I promise you, if something happens to me today, I will contact you straight away and if I can’t, Delta will, OK?” She hugged her mum reassuringly.

Susan nodded and reluctantly let Val go.

Val got ready and headed to the kitchen “Where’s Dad today?”

“Still doing that cash job; he left for work early. Give him some space; he needs more time than me to get use to the fact that you’re special.” Susan gave Val a kiss and handed her a packed lunch. “Thanks Mum.”

“I don’t care how special you are, you still need to eat. Maybe it’s all the healthy food you have eaten that has helped you with these things you can do.” Susan smiled.

“Well, I’ll keep an eye on that one, Mum.” Val smiled back at her as she closed the door.

On Susan’s insistence, Val wore a baseball cap and dark glasses on her way to work, to avoid being recognised. To her amusement, she attracted far more attention wearing them than she did when she took then off.

Val had put the book and her translated copy in her bag. Today she was going to find out who she really was, or so she hoped. The bookshop was becoming part of Val’s life. She knew her security code off by heart. She had started to recognise some of her regulars and she felt relaxed. After opening up, she sat down with a coffee and opened the front cover.

This book is written for the eyes of the thirteen only. The chosen ones and the star child, the sisters and brothers sent to guard the doorway, never to allow him to return.

Val felt strange; was she one of the thirteen and who was the star child? She would need to make notes and Google was definitely going to come in handy. And who was this
him
?

The thirteen must be protected. They must live again and ‘V’, daughter to the star man and moon mother must lead us home to safety.

“Right. Star man and moon mother, weird,” Val muttered to herself. She remembered that she had been called ‘V’ in her dream. Could it be that she was the one the book was talking about? But then how did her mum and dad fit in? They couldn’t be the star man and moon mother; they were too ordinary for that! And she knew she was their daughter; she had proof of that in the form of some very graphic pictures of her birth. Val felt confused. Whilst she sat trying to digest the information she was reading, the door opened. It was Fran.

“Morning,” she greeted Val cheerfully. “So this is where the mighty Val works, and there was me thinking that you worked the local carnival as a rollercoaster repair woman.” Val stuck her tongue out at Fran and they both laughed.

“What are you doing here?” Val went to the kettle and flicked it on.

“Boys talking geek is so boring.” Fran started to look at some of the books on display.

“Was Sam there?” Val didn’t turn around; she wasn’t going to let her emotions get the better of her again.

“Do you mean that sexy hunk? Oh my goodness, I thought I had died and gone to heaven. How good looking is that guy?” Fran stopped for breath.

Val made hot chocolate and passed one to Fran. “Well, he was nice, but I need to focus on what is going to happen to me now that I have been, and am still, on the news.” Val walked back to the manuscript.

“What does it say?” Fran leaned over trying to look.

“Gibberish at the minute. Something about a star child, and a star man and moon mother.” Val looked quizzically at Fran.

“Can I ask a question?”

“Shoot” Val answered, smiling at Fran.

“How do you know this book is right? That what you are reading is true or meant for you?” Fran asked.

“Well the book’s zodiac has changed in direct relation to my arm so I am sure it does have something to do with me.” Val shrugged her shoulders.

“OK, so what…” Fran was cut short by the entrance of Delta.

“Morning ladies.” Delta floated elegantly into the shop then leaned on the counter. “How is my favourite alien this morning?” “Wow! Now we’re all here, it’s like the three musketeers have returned,” Val chirped waving her arm as if she was holding a sword.

“At least you have a weapon,” Delta retorted, “but what do we do now?”

“We wait.” Val looked at them with a determined expression. “What for?” Fran asked.

“Well, I still have two zodiac symbols and the V on my arm, so I’m guessing this thing isn’t over yet.”

“Yes, you’re right, it will only be a matter of time before you pop off again.” Delta clicked her fingers.

The girls exchanged a look of agreement as the doorbell rang.

Val stood up. To Val’s shock and horror, in walked Mr Gallymore.

“Well, I will get that book for you if you wouldn’t mind waiting.” Val smiled at Delta.

“What book?” Delta looked at Val confused.

“Mr Gallymore, good morning! How are you?” Val walked round the counter to greet her boss.

“I thought you were going to get a book for this young lady.”

“Yes.” Val started to turn.

“I hope you can find it and fast.” Mr Gallymore walked around the counter and, unlocking the private door, disappeared as fast as he had arrived.

“Wow, not only is he attractive, he also has a million dollar personality.” Delta let out a little girly squeal as Fran struggled to hold herself up against the counter.

“Shush, he might hear you.” Val punched Delta in the arm.

“Right, I’m going shopping with my mum while she’s here for a few days in-between lifts.” Delta pulled her face up tightly. “If you need me, call.” “I have to go as well and help Jason prepare some torture he has planned for Val later on today, plus I get to look at Sam,” Fran giggled. “Bye-bye for now.” the two girls left together and Val was alone again.

Val desperately wanted to read the manuscript, but didn’t want to risk Wallace catching her and asking awkward questions, so she busied herself with her usual organising and cleaning.

Val heard the doorbell ring and went to the front of the shop to greet her customer. To her surprise, Wendy was back.

“Goodness, you must read very quickly,” Val commented.

“I’m not here for a book.” Wendy seemed more serious than normal.

“I’m sorry I can’t do coffee today. My boss is in his office and he doesn’t like me drinking, or even breathing, while I’m working,” Val said.

Wendy snorted a laugh. “No, that’s not what I want either,” she said.

“So what do you want?” Val asked, suddenly feeling uneasy.

Wendy smiled coldly. “I saw you on TV yesterday,” she said. “And I want to know what you are going to do about it.”

Val managed to keep her expression blank as she looked at Wendy. Inside she was panicking. She hadn’t even taken Wendy into consideration. She had been too busy worrying about her friends and family to be concerned with anyone else.

“You’re wrong, but I’m not surprised. Even my mum commented how much that girl looked like me.” Val grinned, turning away from Wendy.

“Val, I have been looking at you for thirteen years, I know it was you. So what are you going to do about it?”

Val realised that there was no point in denial. “Look Wendy, you are walking into something that really isn’t what it seems.” Val was imagining knocking Wendy unconscious with a large book and making a break for it.

“You are not listening to me. I don’t want to cause you a problem, I want to help you.” Wendy’s expression changed and she stepped closer to Val. “I know you think I’m odd; I know you don’t want to be my friend, but I have knowledge that could help you.” Wendy was searching Val’s face intently.

“The only things I know is that your name is Wendy Whitmore, you have a very odd taste in books and that I don’t need any more people involved in this.” Val walked behind the counter using it as a barrier between them. “If you are prepared to keep my secret, then thanks; if you aren’t, then get out now.” Val pointed towards the door. She felt very vulnerable. Everything she had tried to keep secret was being shown to the world and she had no control over who wanted a piece of her. Maybe her mother was right; maybe she wasn’t safe at the bookshop.

“I know you don’t trust me and I know you don’t like me much, but you must listen to me, just for a few minutes, please,” Wendy pleaded.

“I don’t seem to have any choice, do I? You have me cornered,” Val replied angrily.

“Thank you.” Wendy relaxed. “Witchcraft has been in my family for generations. There is a Whitmore family legend that says my family line goes back to the Essex witch trials of sixteen forty-five; that my great, great, you get the idea (Wendy waved her arms) grandmother was murdered for protecting other sister witches from the Witchfinder General.” Wendy took a breath.

“OK,” Val said, slightly interested despite her antipathy towards Wendy.

“The witches are said to have rewarded my family with the gift of clairvoyance, which means clear of sight or fortune teller.” Wendy moved her hands around her eyes dramatically. “In the books passed down secretly from one generation of Whitmore women to the next, were stories of a coven in Essex. It was destroyed, but they left guardians to protect the ‘chosen one’.” Val caught her breath and Wendy touched her arm lightly. “Val, I was brought here as a child by my mother. She wanted me to go to only one school and she wanted me to make friends with only one girl.” Wendy was now making Val uncomfortable with her closeness and Val took a step back. “That child, Val, was you. She talked about you all the time and I tried so hard to get close to you but it was impossible.” Wendy was staring pensively at the ground. “I failed and now I have an opportunity to come to you with it all. Val, I’m your guardian.” For a few seconds Val could only gape at Wendy. “Are you telling me that you have always known that I was different and you didn’t tell me?” Val felt a tightening in her chest and her anger was written all over her face.

“I was sworn to secrecy.” Wendy was the one now walking backwards.

“
You
are my guardian? What a joke! Do you know what I’m capable of?”

“It doesn’t make any difference. Whether you like it or not, it’s a fact.” Wendy was now almost at the door with Val’s face only inches from hers.

“So, what’s your special power, Guardian? What can you do to protect me? Can you walk through fire, cause earthquakes or breathe under water?”

“No, that’s not my job. I’m here to teach you the ways of the craft.” Wendy was at the door, and pulling it open in fear of Val’s anger.