Awaken (18 page)

Colin protected his book, which he had kept with him all day, hidden under his sweater, just in case. Part way back to camp, one of Kanda’s caretakers was burning a large pile of brush.

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“Gotta wait for a rainy day to get a permit,” he reveled in the irony. The foursome enjoyed the fire, but after a minute, Sebastien and Jae went and sat on a nearby rock, saying the heat was too much for them. Colin shortly followed. Meghan thought it was perfect and could have moved closer. When she tried, the manager peeked around the corner.

“Don’t be gettin’ too close, little lady,” he warned. “May be damp out here, but clothes can still catch.” She stepped back, shivering. In a split second, the flames pulled her back in. The Catawitch stared at her from inside the fire.

“Hello Meghan. Did not think I forgot you now, did you?” it purred.

“Like that’s possible,” she mumbled back. “What do you want?”

“You know what I want, and you know you want to.”

“You don’t know anything!” she boasted too loudly, seizing the attention of the manager. He stepped around the corner of the fire.

“All right there, little lady?”

Meghan nodded yes, hoping he would not come any closer and scare away the Catawitch.

“What do you really want?” she asked as soon as it was safe. “Are you using me to get to someone else?” She decided to speak bluntly.

“Someone else,” it purred. “Like who, your brother or dear old uncle? Maybe your best friend, Sebastien?” it purred more loudly. “Or, perhaps your new friend, Jae?

Ah, wouldn’t you like to know.” It snarled at her and then stepped closer.

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Meghan was so close to the fire now she was afraid the manager might come and pull her away.

“Come and you will see. My master will show you.”

“Who is your master?”

Before the Catawitch could reply, the camp manager yanked Meghan backwards. She did not realize that she had fully stepped into the fire. The boys, now seeing what was happening, flew to her side. The Catawitch was gone.

Disappointment covered her face. The manager looked over her arms, which were completely unharmed by the fire.

“You’re mighty lucky, little lady, not a burn on ya.” He was clearly shaken. “Better be more careful, might not be so lucky next time.”

The boys briskly whisked her away before the manager could ask any questions.

Jae scolded her, harshly.

“He is right! You should be more careful. You could have been hurt, or worse.”

“I was standing near the fire. Okay, a little too close.”

“How about in the fire, Meghan. Uh, how did you do that exactly?” asked her brother.

“It’s the same as last night. I think it is because of the Catawitch,” she admitted, not quite believing that was the entire truth.

“It was back, just now?” Jae confirmed hastily, glancing back at the now distant fire.

“Yes,” she answered, remembering that Sebastien did not understand what they were discussing. He was about to ask when she broke in, explaining.

Jae was gravely concerned. What would happen to his new friends after his departure?

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“Promise me something, right now!” he ordered, looking Meghan straight in the eye, his old arrogance returning.

“After I leave, if the Catawitch comes back, ignore it! Do not even talk to it. It cannot harm you or take you anywhere unless you go willingly!” He then said to Colin,

“I expect you to watch her until this Catawitch decides to leave her alone.”

He clearly did not trust Meghan to listen to him, which angered her. She stormed off but Sebastien seized her arm, stopping her. She faced him eye to eye, recognizing something she had never seen before… fear.

“I think this is important, Meghan.”

She did not speak, but gawked awkwardly at the three boys, growing infuriated. She kept walking. No one stopped her this time.

“Why does everyone suddenly think they need to tell me what to do? I have always done just fine on my own,” she muttered crossly. Her stomach was ill and she hated that she had not found out what the Catawitch wanted.

What if it did come back?

What would she do?

Could she ignore something that might want to harm her, her family, or her friends?

What if the Catawitch did not mean any harm? Jae had said they were not evil cats, just loyal to their masters.

No. She knew if she followed her gut, that it did not have good intentions. She found herself back at her uncle’s trailer, but with no desire to go inside. Tears filled her eyes and she slumped down letting the rain drizzle over her face; it did not hide the fact that she was crying. She heard the boys enter Jae’s wagon. Colin’s thoughts perplexed her.

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“No, I think we should let her be. You can’t talk to her when she gets like this.”

“Like this! What is that supposed to mean?” Behind her, the trailer door opened and Kanda Macawi climbed down the steps. Meghan hastily wiped her face, but her smudged makeup easily gave her away.

Her uncle waved Meghan into the trailer and out of the rain but she ignored him. It was impossible for Meghan to hide. Kanda had already spotted her.

“Get yourself together,” Meghan said. “This isn’t like you.”

“Hello, Meghan,” greeted Kanda. “I dropped off an old radio I am hoping Arnon can fix. If anyone can…” she saw Meghan’s face and plopped down, putting an arm around her shoulder. “What, may I ask, is the cause of this?” she asked, genuinely concerned.

“It’s nothing, I’m fine,” squeaked out Meghan.

“Meghan, I have seen plenty of tears in my day. Tears do not happen for no reason,” she took out a tissue and dabbed Meghan’s wet face. She could not answer; the words would not come out. Instead, a torrent of uncontrollable tears erupted.

Meghan despised it.

It was weak.

Kanda hugged her and let the tears fall. After a few minutes, she was finally able to stop the tears and regain some control. Kanda did not ask her to speak, but sat patiently as Meghan blew her nose.

“Thanks,” she said, throwing the tissue into the soaked fire pit.

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“It was nothing. Honestly, I almost decided to join you.

Sometimes there is nothing like a good cry, somehow I feel better after, renewed.”

As Meghan thought about it, she did feel better.

“I wish there were another way. Crying sucks,” she admitted.

“So why were you, if you want to talk about it?”

“I dunno. A lot of reasons. Everything’s changing.”

“Oh, I see. Change is bound to happen.”

“But that doesn’t make it any easier.”

“Meghan, you are growing up and so is your brother.

People change. You cannot expect things to stay the same forever.” It was one of those statements grown ups were known to make. Meghan considered herself already quite grown up, but still did not see why anything should have to change.

“Meghan, my sweet child, if I may be honest,” Kanda began.

Meghan feared what she would say, but it was not what she expected.

“You have had a hard life, traveling from place to place, losing your parents before you could even remember them. Plus, you seem to be under the impression you can control everything about your life. Do not think it has gone unnoticed how you take care of your brother when he is in trouble, or worry about your uncle. You have had to take on many responsibilities, far beyond most girls your age.”

Meghan’s perplexed face made it clear she had never thought about it that way before.

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“My point is, have a good little cry over it. But please, remember, sometimes you have to look out for yourself too.”

Meghan was speechless.

“Look, it’s getting colder and you are soaked,” said Kanda. “We do not need you getting sick again, so why don’t you get warmed up and dried off. Come by tomorrow and we will have a tonic, or some hot tea, if it persists on raining.”

It had been awhile since Meghan had visited Kanda. Her teas were always soothing.

“Yeah, okay,” she agreed.

Kanda reached over and hugged her. It was a deep, warm kind of hug, one that you could disappear and hide in. Meghan stiffened a little, not being used to that kind of a hug. Kanda let go and stood up to leave. The drizzle had wilted her hair and was collecting on her sweater.

“If events start to seem overwhelming, Meghan,” she started, “there is only one place to look.” Kanda placed her hand over her heart. “It will guide you through the muck and confusion.”

Meghan was confident that her heart was causing most of her confusion. She sat a little longer, watching Kanda’s figure disappear around the corner. It was the first time she had ever had a grown up type conversation, and although she felt better, she still did not want things to change. She definitely did not want to worry her uncle. It seemed he always had enough to worry about for the three of them.

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8

Evening had arrived. Meghan cleaned up her face and headed for Jae’s wagon, determined to salvage the rest of the day. The boys were at the table. They stared at her unsure of what to say. She sat down, opened a tonic, with an air about her that said you’re the crazies, not me.

“So what is your plan for tonight, Jae?” asked Colin after awhile.

“Pretty simple. Gonna head out about half hour before midnight, stay hidden, and then when the doorway opens, go home.”

“And what if something does goes wrong?” challenged Meghan.

“Don’t worry, I won’t be alone. As I said, I am sure my dad will be there, maybe more. They will fight off the Scratchers if they show. It will all go perfect.” Sebastien raised his bottle of tonic.

“A toast then, to our departing friend.”

“And our lives getting back to normal,” added Meghan.

“To hoping maybe a little magic sticks around once you’re gone,” Colin muttered timidly.

Jae raised his bottle clinking it against the others.

“To my new friends! I hope we meet again.” They downed the tonic, which bubbled and stung their throats. Sebastien was the first to finish and belched loudly and proudly. Meghan swished her hand across her nose, choking over hers. Colin could do little better than 167

tiny sips at a time. Jae guzzled his and slammed the bottle down.

The sun was fading fast.

“Do you want to have dinner with us, Jae?” asked Meghan.

“I need to rest, save my strength for later. Just in case,” he added at the end, seeing their untrusting faces. They said their goodbyes, hugging and patting each other on the back. Jae waved to the trio as they departed, somberly.

Sebastien walked the twins to their camp and joined them around the fire. Uncle Arnon had dinner simmering over the fire pit and glanced oddly at the gloomy trio as he stirred the pot. Meghan, noticing her uncle’s stares busied herself setting the dinner table, and ordered Colin to help.

The last thing they needed was for him to question their worried demeanor.

Every few minutes their eyes drifted toward Jae’s soon to be deserted wagon. In between their worried gazes, they listened for any sign of the Scratchers.

After dinner, which Sebastien ended up staying for, their uncle told them it was time to come in for the night.

Colin went in first, not wanting to watch Meghan and Sebastien awkwardly say goodnight to each other.

“Night, Sebastien,” Colin called out, taking one last glance in Jae’s direction.

“Yeah, later, Col.”

Before Meghan could follow him inside, Sebastien pulled her into the shadow of the trailer, so they could not be seen.

“What?” she asked anxiously.

“I…I wanted to say, I’m sorry,” he stuttered, keeping his gaze on his feet.

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“Sorry for what?”

“Earlier today, we all sort of ganged up on you. I thought maybe we might have hurt your feelings, or something.” He squirmed.

“Oh, that,” was the only reply she could muster. Meghan thought back to her talk with Kanda. And although she was still afraid of things changing, she thought maybe it was time to talk to Sebastien, really talk to him.

“I was upset,” she admitted. “So many strange things happening.”

“That’s why I started feeling bad, a lot has happened. I am sorry.”

“Nothing makes sense to me anymore,” she continued. “I hate that.”

“I would bet that after tonight everything will go back to normal,” he reassured her.

Meghan shifted her feet in the dirt and took a deep breath.

“I have this feeling, Sebastien. It keeps telling me nothing will be the same again.”

He put his arm on her shoulder to comfort her and smiled his famous smile. For a moment, she lost all her worry and smiled back.

Meghan knew her uncle would be calling her inside any second.

“I better head in,” she sighed.

“Yeah, tomorrow then.”

He started to turn away and as he did, an uncontrollable urge surged through Meghan. Without thinking twice about it, she sprang at Sebastien, planting a kiss on his unsuspecting lips. She could not believe she had done it!

Her heart skipped twenty beats.

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Before Sebastien could respond, Meghan darted away.

She saw, from the corner of her eye, that he stood frozen in place and to her incredible delight, he was beaming.

She rushed inside drowning herself under her bed covers.

Before she could stop it, Colin was in her head.

“Oh, come off it! I don’t want to hear about that!” Meghan was too electrified to get angry.

“Then stay out!”

“Fine, goodnight.” he said grumpily.

Their uncle came to the door.

“No talking, out loud or how ever else you do it! I want to hear snoring,” he chuckled. He walked into their room and gave one of those speeches that grown ups give, and kids despise. Meghan thought she had heard enough of that for one day, but listened anyway, her heart still strumming.

“Look at you two, practically all grown up.” Meghan’s first thought was that he had seen her kiss Sebastien, or worse, heard them talking.

“Before I know it,” continued their uncle, “you’ll be all grown up and living lives of your own.”

“No need to worry,” said Colin. “We will be around for a while yet. I mean, I can’t legally leave until I’m sixteen.” His uncle laughed and ruffed up his hair.