The Awakener (The Watchers of Men) Page 2

  She set her book aside and waited.

  “Sweetie, how are you doing? With the move and all?” her mom asked, her hazel eyes penetrating.

  Eden knew what her mom really wanted to ask. Are the kids teasing you again? Are you finding friends this time?

  When her dad’s engineering firm went bankrupt, their family downsized, leaving their home next to the Hawkins to move into a small apartment two hours south. Her dad had found work as a water treatment engineer in the naval shipyards. Eden had been ten at the time and had never given any thought to popular verses unpopular. She’d only known Micah, her best friend. Hitting a growth spurt that left her lanky, and needing glasses as well as braces, changed everything. Receiving the brunt of jokes, she turned inward, escaping in books and academics.

  “I’m fine.”

  “Are you sure? You haven’t said much about your first week of school.” Her mom tilted her head to the side, her dark brown curls framing her chin. Eden wished she’d gotten some of her mom’s natural curls, but Brendon inherited that gene. Already taller than her mom and sharing the same blue-gray eyes as her dad, the only one thing she’d gotten from her mom was a wide smile.

  “It’s been great,” she lied. Since running into Micah, she’d yet to see him the rest of the week at school, though she’d seen Megan one too many times, each time receiving a fake smile. She saw Willow and Chase less frequently, but it was equally uncomfortable. Being a sophomore, her locker was upstairs, along with most of her classes, but to get to trig, she had to cross the junior hall, the longest walk of her life. The only highlight so far was her new friendship with Jessie, who was indeed her neighbor, living two doors down.

  Her mom continued to gaze at her. “Just know you can tell me anything and I mean anything, ok? I moved a lot as a kid and I know it’s tough.”

  “Ok, thanks, Mom.”

  Her mom kissed the top of her head. “Good night, sweetheart.”

  “Night, Mom.”

  She left, closing the door behind her, and Eden stared at her bulletin board, counting the number of pushpins on it. She slid off her bed and began pacing back and forth.

  I’m faking sick. There’s no way I’m going tomorrow night. I’m almost sixteen, old enough to stay home by myself.

  The ride over to the Hawkins was quiet as Eden pressed her face against the glass. So much for faking sick. Since she rarely was ill, she knew it’d look suspicious if she tried, and probably raise questions of why she wouldn’t want to see Micah.

  Surrounded by tall, arching trees, the highway was more like a tunnel of thick foliage pressing down on them. The sun was setting, dripping down from the sky like a magical paintbrush, smearing its hues across the trees. Then, as the sun sank beyond the horizon, the vibrant colors were gone, leaving the forest dark and ominous.

  Eden shifted away from the window, goose bumps crawling down her arms. She saw the Ram’s Gate sign as her dad slowed the car. This was the Hawkins’s neighborhood, her old neighborhood. Memories flooded in her mind as lights pierced through the trees’ silhouettes, the shadows of the night hiding the southern mansions tucked deep in the woods. They passed the Johnson’s, the Moody’s, the Myers—homes she knew well and had targeted with Micah for toilet papering on more than one occasion.

  As the SUV veered right, her pulse quickened. The circular drive leading to the colonial estate with white wicker furniture on an oversized porch was all too familiar.

  I cried so many times to come back here as a kid, she thought. But Micah’s not my partner in crime anymore. He’s a stranger to me. His social life’s a polar opposite to mine. Obviously handsome and popular, he was ashamed of his nerdy friend’s return.

  The car stopped and she sighed, yanking the door handle back. Guess I have no choice but to get this over with.

  Micah knew it would end, it always did, at least so far, but it still terrified him. The black, scurrying bodies, hiding in the shadows with red, beady eyes glaring back at him. It was happening so frequently now that he could hardly sleep or eat. Loss of appetite and exhaustion had his mom keeping him home from school the past week, which was fine with him. He didn’t know when the ‘visions’ would begin or end. The first time it’d occurred, his dad had been mid-sentence about a scout’s interest in Micah for a possible football scholarship. One minute his dad was there, the next, Micah was running for his life in the forest, countless black creatures chasing after him.

  It’d taken his dad shaking his shoulder to snap him back to their living room. Micah had tried to explain what’d happened but his dad had asked if he was using drugs. Stunned, he decided to keep his supernatural senses to himself after that. He knew his dad meant well. He had been the partying type in high school and had warned Micah as a kid to stay clean, which he had.

  Relief flooded him. The monsters are gone. He was back in his dad’s study. Heart thumping, he typed the word demon.

  It was the only logical thing he could think of. What else could they be? As the computer page filled with definitions, classifications, and history of, the room brightened and warmed.

  He glanced up, inhaling sharply. She’s back!

  Leaning over the desk, her black hair tumbled forward as her hand reached toward him. Eyes wide, he waited to see what she’d do. After seeing the dark creatures, he no longer feared her. In fact, he was almost happy she was there.

  There was a tap-tap at the door, drawing Micah’s eyes away long enough. The woman was gone, vanishing like she’d never been there.

  Frustrated, Micah expected his dad or mom to enter, but it was Eden. Her eyes darted around and then landed on him.

  “Your mom said to come get you.” Her tone sounded apologetic.

  “Oh hey,” Micah said, still trying to compose himself. He found each vision left him physically drained. She hesitated in the doorway. “You can come in. I was just doing some,” he paused, “research.”

  She stepped in, her expression hard to make out. Realizing the lights were off, and the natural light from the window was gone with the sunset over, he flicked on the floor lamp next to him. The light cast long shadows on the walnut bookshelves.

  She chose one of the high-back leather chairs across from him, keeping her face pointed down at her intertwined fingers.

  Micah considered her a moment, and then deleted his browsing history before his dad saw it. He turned off his laptop, shutting the few books he’d found referring to heaven and hell, and closing the leather-bound Bible he’d discovered on a bookshelf.

  “So are you glad you’re back?” he asked, rising to his feet and collapsing in the chair next to her. He wasn’t sure why, but he hung onto the Bible.

  She lifted her eyes briefly to his, before shifting them back to the floor. “Yeah, I guess. It’s different.”

  “Different? So in other words, you hate it?”

  She smiled, it was small, but he was glad to see it. “No,” she answered. She peeked over. “Is it a good book?”

  “Huh? Oh yeah this.” He peered down at what was in his hands. He hadn’t realized he’d been rubbing the spine with his palm. “As a matter-a-fact, it’s The Good Book.” When she didn’t say anything, he explained, “You know, the Bible.”

  “Oh.” Her eyebrows shot up.

  “Guess you didn’t peg me for the Bible-thumping type, huh?”

  She giggled a little.

  Guess not, he thought, smiling. Something about her quiet way made him open up. “Eden, have you ever wondered what it’s all about?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Life, religion, what’s really out there.” He spread one hand out, like he was feeling the air in the room.

  “Yeah, I suppose I have. Why?”

  He was tempted to tell her everything, hoping she’d believe him, but instead he said, “It’s funny, my parents have always taught me to be good, you know, make good decisions and stuff, but now that I’m,” he paused, not sure how to say it, “searching for my own truth, they’re worried
about me.”

  “They are? Why do you think?”

  He snorted. “I don’t know, maybe ‘cause I’m not sleeping.”

  “That explains it.”

  “What?”

  “The dark rings under your eyes. You didn’t have them before, I mean, when I saw you at school…” Her words trailed off, her face growing pink.

  “Oh yeah, hey about that, I’m sorry.”

  She shot him a glance. “Why are you sorry?” Her words were barely audible.

  Man, she feels really bad, doesn’t she?

  “‘Cause my friends were total jerks to you.” He was glad to get it off his chest.

  Her glasses slid down her nose, landing in her lap, and she fumbled to replace them. Without them, she reminded him of the girl he’d once known.

  She slid them back on. “No, they weren’t. They were fine.”

  “Whatever, now you’re lying for the worthless sacks.” He grinned, hoping to see another smile.

  She giggled again, her blonde hair blocking her face from his view.

  He noticed. “Your hair’s gotten long.”

  “I know. My mom’s dying for me to chop it off.”

  “What? No way, it’s really pretty.”

  “Thanks.” There was an awkward pause. “Oh, shoot. Your mom told me to get you for dinner. Wonder if they’re already eating.”

  Always worried about obeying. Micah grinned. “All right, want to go?”

  She nodded and he followed her, noticing for the first time how long and lean her legs were. It felt odd to realize her body was attractive. He cleared his throat. “How tall are you?”

  She turned, pausing in the doorway. “Uh, five eight, maybe nine, I don’t know, why?”

  “It’s not a bad thing; don’t look so offended.”

  “I’m not.” Her tone said otherwise.

  Wonder why that struck a nerve? “It’s nice not staring at the top of your head,” he said honestly.

  She cocked an eyebrow at him. “Huh?”

  “Oh, never mind.” He steered her by the shoulders. “Let’s go get some dinner before Caleb eats it all.”

  Sitting around the oblong dining table, the roll of laughter ebbed. Micah’s parents hadn’t aged a day to Eden. Lacey was still slender with short, blonde hair, Jared was tall, muscular, with the thickest black hair she’d ever seen. Caleb, Micah’s brother, now a junior at UVA, was home for the weekend. Micah leaned over, informing her Caleb was into body building and that he swore up and down he wasn’t on steroids.

  Eden wasn’t so sure; he was a giant. After eating, the two families retired to the living room to visit. Without a word to anyone, Micah slipped from the room. Feeling more confident since his apology, she followed. Crossing the front entry, she found him in the formal sitting room. He stood with feet shoulder-width apart, and hands clasped behind his back. She hesitated. Maybe he doesn’t want to be disturbed. I don’t think he knows I’m here yet. Maybe I’ll just slip out…

  His body stiffened, a groan escaping, like he’d been punched in the gut.

  “Micah, are you ok?” she asked, moving closer. She was surprised to see his eyes were shut. She watched as his brows furrowed deeper, creasing his forehead.

  Is that sweat above his lip? It’s like he’s having a nightmare… standing up.

  “Micah.” She touched his shoulder.

  His eyes flew open and searched the room. Finally, his gaze landed on her. She dropped her hand.

  “Eden?” he panted.

  “Are you ok?”

  “Yeah. Was I… were you in here long?”

  “No, just came in.”

  He swiped his forehead. “Oh.”

  Trying to act like nothing had happened, she turned, saying, “I still love it.”

  “What?” His breathing was ragged.

  “That.” She pointed at the painting behind the couch.

  Impressionistic strokes depicted a downtown street in Paris caught in a torrent of rain. Her favorite part was the café, the round tables in the courtyard empty because of the inclement weather. Inside the windows, she could see people gathered in the warm, glowing restaurant. She remembered each little scene at the white tables visible through the windows. The young couple holding hands at one table, the single woman shaking her umbrella out at another, the man holding his newspaper up with one hand while drinking from a coffee mug, the waiter displaying a bottle of wine to another table, and the little girl with her face plastered against one of the windows with the look of yearning to play in rain, while her parents chatted behind her. The painting was on canvas, there was no glass, but she could have sworn in that moment she saw something, like a glimmer of light.

  Eden gasped. It was like the painting became a mirror. The reflection of a woman with long, black hair was staring back at them. Her dark red dress clung to her body, and the skin on her face and chest had a pearly glow. The woman’s gaze shifted from Micah to her. Her inky black eyes widened, her lips spreading into a bewitching smile as she raised an arm, extending one slender finger toward Eden.

  She’s pointing at me! Terrified, Eden opened her mouth to scream, but Micah muffled it with his chest as he pulled her to him.

  A warm hand landed under her jaw, lifting her chin up to him. “Eden, what did you see?”

  Being in his arms, his blue eyes studying her, their faces inches apart, she realized there might be another reason why her heart was thumping now.

  She didn’t have time to answer because Brendon barged into the room. He stopped short. “Ah, Mom wanted me to get you for dessert.”

  By the time Brendon finished relaying his message, Micah had released her, and they had stepped apart.

  “Ok, thanks, be there in a sec,” Micah said.

  How’s Micah so calm? she thought as Brendon left. She peeked back at the picture. The woman was gone.

  “Did you see her?” Micah’s tone was eager.

  She met his probing eyes. “I… I’m not sure what just happened, but there was a lady in a red dress.”

  He ran his hands through his hair. He stepped closer, “Did you see anything else,” he paused, “when you came into the room?”

  “No.” Her knees felt weak, her ears ringing.

  Micah’s face was close again as he gently took her arm. “You look kind of pale, maybe we should sit down.”

  “No, I’m fine,” she said, but her body was shaking. He guided her to a couch, thankfully not the one in front of the painting.

  They were both quiet. She glanced over.

  “So yeah, I see ghosts. That’s what you wanted to ask right?” he asked.

  “No, that’s not what I was going to ask. But that means I see ghosts too then, right?”

  “I suppose so.” He seemed thoughtful.

  “Who is she?”

  “I don’t know. I’ve only seen her a few times.” The way he emphasized her led Eden to believe he’d seen others. She wasn’t sure she wanted to know more—it scared her.

  “I guess I know why you’re reading the Bible now.” She had said it in all seriousness, but Micah started laughing.

  Confused, she stared back at him.

  “Oh, Eden.” He threw his arm around her shoulder, pulling her close. “I can’t tell you how glad I am you’re here.”

  Startled, she felt him squeeze her shoulder. She was at a loss for words. Boys never acted like this around her. But this isn’t just any boy, this is Micah. We’re friends, so this is normal, she reminded herself.

  She relaxed a bit and smiled. “I’m not, should’ve stayed in Portsmouth, no ghosts there.”

  He chuckled, his smile lingering. And then she wasn’t so comfortable anymore. He’s so close. Why isn’t he laughing anymore? Why’s he still staring at me like that? Why isn’t he saying something?

  She looked away, breaking the weird moment. “I haven’t seen you at school lately,” she admitted.

  He sighed, bringing his arm back around as he lowered his body, resting his elbo
ws on his knees.

  “Yeah, well, I sort of see things a lot. Like almost all the time. Kind of makes it hard to be anywhere public.”

  “Oh.” Comprehension dawned on her. “Like when I walked in and you were—”

  “Yeah,” he interrupted. “Just like that.”

  “What are you going to do then, homeschool?”

  He sat back. “No, I’m, oh, I guess you don’t know. I’m leaving for Rome in a few days. I’m going to be a foreign exchange student.”

  Eden’s mouth opened, but nothing came out. He’s leaving? Just when I feel like we’re friends again and he’s gone? The pain shooting through her heart was too much, and her eyes began welling.

  I am not going to make a fool of myself crying! She jumped to her feet, forcing out the words, “That’s awesome, Micah. That’ll be fun.”

  He rose, standing behind her. “Thanks?” It came out like a question.

  She accidentally sniffed. Crud! She scurried from the room, but he was right behind her, keeping up.

  “Eden?” His hand first touched her arm, and then secured it in his grasp, making her halt. “Wait, are you crying?”

  “No,” she croaked.

  Now he was in front of her, his eyes sweeping her face. “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing.” She directed her stare to the carpet.

  He raised her face to his, their eyes finally meeting. There was a hitch in his voice as he said, “I’m going to miss you too.”

  She was dumbstruck. Can he possibly feel the same way?

  This time her mom walked in, interrupting what might have been a moment, but he didn’t let go of her arm.

  “Oh sorry, I just wanted to tell you we’re getting ready to go, Eden,” her mom announced.

  Eden tried to place her mom’s tone. Then her mom smiled brightly at Micah. “I’m so glad you two are getting close again.”

  Thanks, Mom, for making this even more awkward!

  But Micah grinned back. “Me too, I’ve missed my best friend.”

  Micah’s gaze remained fixed on the painting long after the McCarthy’s had left. I can’t believe Eden saw the woman. With his dad helping his mom with the dinner dishes and Caleb talking on his cell phone, no one noticed him slip back into his dad’s study. He wasn’t entirely sure what he wanted, he just felt a need—an insatiable hunger. Scanning the desk, he realized he was searching for something specific. Not here. He turned and spied it lying on the chair where he’d left it earlier that night, the leather Bible.