Awaken (6 page)

The moaning below the boat resonated so much that it felt as though the boat might vibrate into shreds. More 45

bubbles escaped to the surface, boiling around the walls of the canoe. Sebastien and Jae stopped paddling. They needed all their strength just to stay seated. Jae looked as if he might be sick.

“This is my fault,” he mumbled. “I shouldn’t have come.” No one responded. They were too frightened to care what Jae meant.

The boat began to rise up out of the lake. Water seeped in through a crack forming in the bottom. Meghan screamed and fell into Sebastien’s lap as the boat lurched to the side. There was no time for embarrassment over falling into his lap, as seconds later, the four passengers were tossed out of the boat and into the frigid, slimy-plant and leech-filled water.

Meghan and Sebastien surfaced beside each other, looking more plant-like than human. Meghan choked on a slimy weed that found its way into her mouth.

Jae had already started swimming to shore.

Sebastien helped Meghan clear the tangle of plants surrounding her and they followed Jae.

A voice rang out in Meghan’s mind. “Sis,” it called, hesitantly.

“Colin!” She sensed fear in her brother’s mind and swam faster. Sebastien made it to shore with Meghan right behind. He started to help her out of the water when his hand dropped, his eyes widened and his mouth fell open.

“I know I look like crap right now, but give a girl a break, huh!”

Sebastien could not speak. He could only point over her head, at the lake. She stood at the waters edge and turned around.

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“Impossible!” she whispered, nearly falling back into the water. The boat was broken, split down the middle and partly sunken, with Colin sitting upright, seemingly on the surface of the water.

“I’ve landed on it,” he whispered ominously, pointing below the surface.

“Keep very still,” said Jae with growing unease.

“How do we get him out?” cried Meghan.

The water around Colin began to bubble again.

“Grab onto something,” ordered Sebastien.

“What would you suggest I grab onto exactly,” Colin shouted.

Something began to surface, lifting Colin completely out of the water.

A monstrous set of antlers appeared, covered in lake plants, followed by a massive muscular body. Colin straddled the animal’s back. It had to be seven feet tall, the antlers nearly six feet wide.

Recognition seemed to hit everyone at once.

It was a moose, just a moose.

“I should’ve known,” Sebastien said, relieved. “What else that big would be underneath the water around here?” The moose continued chomping on food, unnoticing of the boy sitting on its back or the youngsters standing on the shore.

“At least the sun is still shining,” he added. “Gonna be a long walk back home!” His laughter tripled as he helped the slime and now leech covered Meghan onto the bank.

She pulled him back into the water for it, and then once on the bank, started pulling off leeches, grumbling with each new one she found.

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Jae fell onto the ground, rolling and laughing, seeming the most relieved of all. He then bounced off the ground and swam back out to assist Colin, keeping his distance so as not to startle the moose.

“I think it’s best to wait for it to go back under, and slowly slide off its back and into the water, Colin. It doesn’t even notice you’re there. You’ll be fine.”

“Easy for you to say,” replied Colin doubtfully, while clinging onto the antlers to keep steady. “You’re not sitting atop a seven foot tall Moose!”

They waited, while the moose, still acting quite unaware of the human presence, munched on a lake plant. After a few minutes, it shifted itself around and began to sink under the water.

“I’m not a strong swimmer,” Colin reminded the group, as the Moose took him even farther from shore.

“You’ll be fine. Do what Jae said. Let go and slide into the water,” his sister urged.

“Remember to kick your legs once you are in the water,” added Sebastien. Colin cautiously slipped off the moose and tried to maneuver his body so that he was heading toward the shore. Jae swam out and helped him. Once in shallow water Jae let go and they collapsed onto the bank, out of breath, and covered in leeches.

“Unbelievable,” Jae said to the other three. “I’ve seen a lot of things, but that was definitely different.”

“I’ve heard stories about moose surfacing next to people out fishing before,” said Meghan, “But to actually see it…”

“I think what happened here might be a first!” Sebastien told her.

The echoes of their laughter carried across the once again calm water.

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Meghan helped Colin sit up, and set in to peeling off his leeches.

“Man these things find blood fast,” said Jae, finally plucking off his last one.

As they slogged back around the lake looking for an exit that would take them to the road, the twins could not help but notice that Jae’s mood had improved, as they laughed and relived the moose adventure.

The rest of the day passed quickly and in the late afternoon, the chill of evening rolled in along with patches of fog. Meghan shivered. They had finally come out of the woods, but there was still a good distance to go.

Jae ran up to her and offered his somewhat dry jacket. He kept walking, not waiting for any response.

“Thanks,” she said, lingering her eye on him.

“Too bad we can’t get fully dry,” said Sebastien, regaining her attention.

“Hm. Oh, yeah. I know. This humidity sucks. You can’t get anything dry in this weather!” They continued trudging down the road hoping a driver would come by, but it did not look recently used, as overgrown plants attempted to take over the open space. Late afternoon passed into evening and soon, it was nearly dark.

The later and darker it became, the more Jae’s attention turned to the sky. Unease grew noticeably in his eyes.

“What are you looking for?” asked Meghan. Maybe we can find out more about those screeching, howly things.

Jae stalled for a minute but then finally answered.

“Nothing. Nothing at all. Just not fond of the dark,” he insisted.

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The twins could not help but notice that his pace continued to pick up though, the closer they got to the campground.

Many long hours after the moose ordeal had ended, they found themselves, at last, at the camp’s entrance. As they neared the Jacoby camp Jae stopped once again, standing with his arms folded.

“It was an interesting day,” Jae said. “But I gotta run.” A bit of the arrogance returned as he hurried away.

“Wait,” said Meghan, handing him back his jacket.

“Thanks again for that. If you don’t get into too much trouble, maybe you could hang out again tomorrow.” Jae stammered for a moment, apparently taken aback by the request.

“Wish I could, guys. It’s been great to spend the day with you all, but, you see, we are leaving tomorrow night, and I’ll have to help with the preparations.” He shrugged, then waved goodbye, vanishing around the corner before they could respond.

“And just like that, he’s gone,” said Colin somberly.

Meghan wondered if Jae’s apparent arrogance was blocking the same feeling she and Colin always felt: people never stay around too long, so why get to know them.

“We need to get home,” reminded Sebastien, after a quiet moment. “Everyone’s probably going nuts worrying about where we are.”

The twins rolled their eyes knowing he was right. The trio scurried toward the Jacoby campsite.

As expected, a group had gathered at Arnon’s trailer.

Five figures rushed them with instant questions and sighs of relief.

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“Where on earth have you been?” demanded Uncle Arnon, standing next to Kanda Macawi. “You were due home hours ago! We were about to put together a search party!”

“Why are you all covered in mud?” asked Sebastien’s mother, when Arnon finally took a breath.

The three took turns explaining, each filling in parts left out by the other, including meeting Jae.

“I’m surprised you didn’t seem him run by,” said Colin.

“He was right ahead of us.” The five adults shook their heads. None of them had seen Jae.

With the adventure fully explained, the adults now laughed as hard as the youngsters had after the event had occurred, possibly harder.

“We will grab you some dinner. You must be starved,” said Kanda, as she motioned Sebastien’s mother, Kay, to follow her into the kitchen.

Uncle Arnon fell into a chair, still in disbelief.

Sebastien’s father, Milo, patted Arnon’s shoulder, and then set to lighting a fire.

The twins, as exhausted as they were, could not help but feel the pat on the shoulder had some hidden meaning they did not understand. Especially when after a minute, Arnon disappeared into the trailer and hushed whispers escaped an open window.

The twins grew more suspicious when Milo ordered them all closer to the fire, to warm up. The fire pit was too far away to overhear what they were discussing inside the trailer. The hidden conversation did not last long however, as minutes later they exited, serving dinner.

Once warmed and fed, the Jacoby’s guests decided to head home. After a round of goodnights, the twins 51

watched as the Jendayas and Kanda Macawi faded into the night.

“I think we should make it an early night tonight,” their uncle said, while putting out the fire. “You guys look exhausted.”

“I am pretty tired. I think I will clean up first though,” said Meghan. She sauntered into the trailer. A moment later Uncle Arnon and Colin jumped as Meghan let out a scream.

“What is it? Are you hurt?” asked her uncle, worried there was some overlooked injury.

“Why did someone not tell me how terrible I look?” Both the Jacoby men rolled their eyes.

“We did fall into a lake, Sis. Remember?” Meghan did not hear him. She was too concerned with pulling mud-caked weeds from her tangled hair and washing the dark streaked makeup off her face.

“Ahhh!” she then screamed, again. “Get it off me!” she demanded, pointing at her hairline. “Get it off! Get it off!

Get it off!”

“Well stand still so I can see,” ordered her uncle.

Colin’s stomach turned when a second later Arnon located the object of her horror.

“That sure is a doozy!” he said, gently plucking a severely blood-bloated leech from her forehead. He opened the trailer door and heaved it into the woods, being sure to wash his hands afterward.

Colin washed his too. He had not touched it, but he had been close enough.

Meghan proceeded to grow more agitated by the minute and disappeared into the bathroom. Before showering, she 52

did a full body search for any lingering bloodsuckers.

Thankfully, she found none.

After bathing she rested at the kitchen table, make-up-less, losing herself in a dream. She sipped on hot blackberry cider, a specialty of her uncle’s.

Colin took his turn in the bathroom. After finding the still attached leech on Meghan, his uncle had done a search on him but found nothing. Colin did a once over in the shower, just to be sure.

Back in the kitchen, Arnon sat across the table, watching Meghan intently, trying to grasp what she could possibly be thinking. He called her name, but she did not hear him.

“Meghan,” he finally said loud enough to catch her mind.

“Sorry, d’you say something?”

“I was wondering about your dream last night.

Wondering, actually, if that has ever happened to you before?”

Meghan had almost forgotten about the previous night’s fiery dream, and the hairs on her skin felt singed at the mere memory of it.

“It was some stupid dream about me and Colin, and another little girl, who was caught in a fire.”

“A fire. That would be scary.” He lifted his eyebrows, leaning forward.

“And was that the first time you and Colin have ever shared a dream?” he asked intently.

Meghan gasped, speechless! She imagined her face must have given away how stunned she was, because her uncle continued without waiting for an answer.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to frighten you. You did not honestly think I wasn’t aware of your talent did you?

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What kind of uncle would I be if I hadn’t seen it many years ago?”

“How long ago did you figure it out?” she stammered.

“Not long after you came to live with me, actually. You were both so little, then,” he reminisced. “You probably don’t remember this, but the two of you had this special language you spoke, just between the two of you. I could never understand what you were saying. But then one day, about a year later, you just stopped.

“I noticed little things after that. One or the other of you would respond to a question, or joke, and I was quite certain I had heard nothing said from the other. I caught on pretty quick.” He winked at Meghan.

“You’re right, Uncle Arnon. I do not remember that at all. I really don’t even remember the exact moment that Colin and I realized we were different, and that not everyone could speak to each other through their minds, like we could.” She paused and then added, “I’m sorry that we never told you about it. I guess it seems silly now. We always thought you might be angry, or think we were freaks or something.”

“Freaks! Never!” he insisted. “And do not be sorry, either. I have always been impressed with the way you two kept the secret. And believe me, there are people out there that would unfortunately think you are freaks.” Meghan nodded in agreement.

“So,” Arnon continued. “Was that the first time sharing a dream?” he asked again.

“Yeah, it was. Why do you ask? And how did you know Col was in my dream?”

“Curiosity mostly, wondering how your talent will develop. And Colin was clearly spooked, I sort of 54

assumed,” he chuckled, adding more seriously, “You haven’t told anyone else about your secret have you?”

“Only Sebastien,” she answered honestly, with a tinge of guilt. “He kind of guessed one day, a couple of summers ago. Don’t worry, though! He has never told anyone else!”

“I assumed as much,” Arnon replied knowingly.

Meghan still had the look of shock on her face as Colin came out of the shower. His eyes darted back and forth between them.