Embody (19 page)

Chapter Eleven

When I opened my eyes, I heard a huge clap
of thunder and felt a rush of wind. Landen was at my side, and we
were somewhere in Esterious. People were rushing around the
streets, trying to work faster; each of them had an Aura of gray,
which made them look dusty. The yellow Aura around me and Landen
seemed to shine like sunlight in the dull streets.

“
Well, looks like we picked a good time;
this storm has them all on edge,”
I thought. Landen smiled
slightly; I knew he wasn’t happy about being here.

“
Are we near Delen?”
I asked.

“
Not even close,”
Landen thought,
growing more uncomfortable.

I took his hand, and we passed down the
street. When we allowed the people to walk through us, I smiled as
I felt their rush of energy; they would hesitate in their steps,
then look back. Landen watched them closely, afraid that they’d be
seen by one of the priests. The wind picked up, then lightning
flashed, followed by thunder.

Letting go of Landen’s hand, I started to
focus on the ones who seemed to be the most solemn. As I passed
through more people, I smiled as I felt their peace. I looked back
to smile at Landen, but he wasn’t looking at me; he was watching
the storm grow stronger. I knew he was going to ask me to wake
soon, and I was determined to walk through as many people as I
could before we left. As I turned onto another street, I froze; my
image, the one we’d seen a few nights ago, the young frail girl was
there. She was leaning against a store front, and her eyes were
lost somewhere inside herself. I felt absolute grief and terror
coming from her; it brought pain to my heart. I slowly stepped to
her, determined to take all her pain away.

“
Willow,”
Landen thought as he
reached for my shoulder to hold me back.

“
Look, it’s her; we found her again.”
My thoughts were just as excited as I was.

Landen’s jaw tightened.
“This doesn’t
feel right, Willow. I think you need to leave her alone,”
he
thought, looking at the young girl. I couldn’t believe the words he
thought; she needed our help more than anyone else did. Walking
away from Landen, I approached the girl, determined to help her.
“Stop, Willow
!
We cannot help them all!
” Landen
thought as loud as he could.

The anger I felt for him was foreign, and I
hesitated before slowly turning to see his piercing blue eyes
staring at me through a flaming red glow.

“
Who are you to choose who we help?”
I said, defending myself. As my temper began to rise, my yellow
Aura changed to match his red.

Landen sighed deeply, then covered his face
with his fists and let out a horrible growl. I looked back to see
the young woman; her pain was nearly unbearable. I had never felt
an emotion with this much sorrow and dread.
“She’s just one
person, Willow; it’s not going to matter if you help her or anyone
else around her,”
he thought sternly.

“
You don’t know that. If she helps one
person because I helped her, then the whole universe could
change.”

“
Willow, I don’t even know where we are.
Let’s just wake up, then we’ll come back here.”

“
No, you just said you didn’t know where
we are; we could be too late
.”

“
If we are too late, then it’s meant to
be,”
Landen said in a more approachable tone.

I could feel his anger turning to dread; he
already knew I was going to do this.

“
Have you lost your mind? You sound like
your father!”
I watched as my words stung his soul. I hesitated
for a second, then thought,
“I’m going to help her one way or
another; she has passed our path twice now, and there’s something
about this that feels right.”

How could he not feel it? What was he afraid
could happen? We’ve done this before.

“
This is Esterious - nothing here is
right
,” Landen thought, looking around at dull gray buildings
and masses of people who’d lost everything they were born with.

“
I’m doing this, Landen.”

“
Fine. I’ll watch you go,
” Landen
thought coldly as he folded his arms across his chest, pulling his
broad shoulders back in an absurd manner.

I looked in his blue eyes one more time,
then turned to the girl. I took a deep breath, focused on the gray
haze around her, and imagined her body as nothing but a cloud of
energy, then stepped in. The first thing I felt was an agonizing
pain in her stomach; it was so strong, I was having trouble finding
an emotion. I could feel Landen easing closer to me; he could feel
the pain now that it was coursing through me, and his anger turned
to fear.
“Willow, get out – she’s not sad, she’s dying,”
he
thought.
“Willow, SPEAK to me – it’s too late
!
”

I couldn’t say anything. I couldn’t think
anything. It hurt so badly. A rush of wind blew through the
streets, and something hit me hard in the head – then...

“Evee...Evee...Evelyn, look at me...” I
opened my eyes and saw a beautiful young girl with dark eyes and
long black hair standing over me, shaking my shoulders. Who was
she? Who is Evelyn?

“
Willow...Willow, answer me,”
I heard
a different voice say...a deep, corporeal man’s voice. Who’s
Willow?

“Evee, say something,” the girl said.

“
Willow, say your name...do you hear
me?...say Willow!”
The man’s voice was near panic – I could
feel panic all around me.

“Evee, speak to me...say
something...anything,” the girl said.

“Um...Willow,” I muttered.

“
That’s my girl...are you OK?”
the
man asked.

“Willow...is she helping you?” I could feel
excitement coming from the girl now. “You hit your head. Can you
sit up for me?” the girl said.

“It’s not over. You girls better move away
from those windows,” a different man’s voice said.

“Help me move her...please,” the girl
said.

“
Willow, you have to leave...it’s too
late; she’s already gone...come on, leave,”
the voice in my
head said as he grew nervous again.

“Leave where?” I asked in a haze.

“The storm is not over; we have to move
before you really get hurt,” the girl said to me. The older man
walked over and picked me up, then walked toward a dark doorway. I
heard a whoosh of wind and the breaking of glass, then looked over
his shoulder to where I’d been laying and saw that it was now
covered in glass and wood.

The man looked down at me. “Looks like I’ve
done my good deed for today,” he mumbled.

He carried me through the dark hallway and
down some steps; as he did, it sounded like the building itself was
ripping apart piece by piece. At the bottom of the stairs, he
opened a narrow doorway and laid me on a small cot. I watched as he
lit candles. The girl was at my side, holding a towel to my
head.

“Does it hurt? Are you OK?” she asked.

“Who are you?” I asked her.

The man across the room turned and looked in
my direction, and I could feel their panic as if it belonged to
me.

“She may have hit her head harder than you
thought,” the man said. He was now at my side, examining my head
with the girl.

“
Willow...can you hear me, baby? Talk to
me,”
the voice in my head said.

“Who’s Willow?” I asked out loud.

The man at my side eyes widened, then he
froze for a second and stepped slowly away from me.

“Listen, I am not prepared to die...you
better make her stop saying that name, or I’ll toss you both out -
storm or no storm,” he said. His fear was real, but the girl was
almost relieved.

“What?” I murmured.

“
Willow,”
the man’s voice in my head
said softly.

“Stop saying ‘Willow’...you are scaring
me...please stop!” I screamed into the room, choking on my own
tears.

The man and the girl stared at me, and the
voice in my head fell silent. It felt like arms surrounded my
waist, but I couldn’t see anything. A calm feeling then coursed
through me, dulling the agonizing pain that I felt everywhere. The
older man stepped further away from me; it was clear he didn’t want
anything to do with me. He looked at the girl, who was still
crooning over me. “When this blows over, you need to find someone
to look at her. She’s more hurt than you think,” he said.

“Of course, she is,” the girl murmured,
feeling overwhelmed.

As she settled in next to me and hummed a
soft melody, the man sat against the wall across from us and stared
at me. I frantically tried to remember anything; I didn’t know who
I was, where I was, or who these people were. My own anguish
outweighed the concern of those who were with me. Time slid by, and
the storm outside raged on. I looked to the girl beside me; she’d
been staring at me without pause, and her concern was beginning to
scare me - even more than my not knowing who I was.

“Listen, don’t get mad or more scared - but
who are you?” I asked the girl.

Tears came into her eyes, and I immediately
wished that I hadn’t asked; she was now full of sorrow. “I’m
Estelle, your baby sister...you’re Evelyn. You really don’t know,
do you?” she asked. I shook my head no, then looked down,
ashamed.

“That’s Tim. He usually works here,” she
said, looking at the man across the room. He smiled and nodded his
head.

“What’s the last thing you remember?” she
asked.

“You...yelling ‘Evee,’” I answered.

The girl sighed. “That may not be such a bad
thing,” she said, looking down at her feet.

As she thought over something, I felt her
sorrow intensify. Meanwhile, the storm had grown still, and Tim
stood and walked to the doorway. “I’m going to go check to see if
it’s safe, Stella,” he said.

Stella stood and put on a long black coat,
then handed one to me. I stood, but a sickening, dizzy feeling soon
brought me back down. What felt like a gentle embrace around me
tightened, though, catching me before I fell too hard. I took a
deep breath and tried to stand again, and this time I was
successful. As Stella watched and braced herself to catch me if I
fell again, the room swayed back and forth, but it finally stood
still. I heard footsteps and felt a remorseful person approaching
us; it was Tim, who leaned in to the small room we were in. “It’s
over now, but it’s bad up here, so watch your step, girls,” he said
solemnly.

Stella took my hand and led me back up the
narrow staircase that Tim had carried me down earlier. At the top
of the stairs was broken glass, pieces of wood, and debris
everywhere. We weaved our way through to the doorway, then Stella
stopped, looked back at Tim, and pleaded with her eyes.

Tim looked down at his feet. “I won’t tell
anyone, Stella...good luck,” he said.

Stella nodded her head and looked at me,
then led me out. I could feel her doubt; she didn’t believe him. I
didn’t know how I knew, but I knew he was telling the truth and had
no intent of telling anyone whatever Stella wanted him to keep
private.

“Stella...he was telling the truth,” I
whispered.

“Are you starting to remember now?” she
asked, peeking with excitement.

I turned my head from side to side. “I just
know,” I whispered.

Stella looked at me and said, “Well, I hope
your right; we don’t need any more problems.”

The streets were covered with broken glass
and paper, and it was gray, gloomy, and very damp.

“
Willow...I have to wake up now. I’m
going to get the others and find you...don’t be scared...I love
you,”
the man’s voice in my head said.

I stopped in my tracks. I could feel love,
compassion, and fear, and all at once on my lips it felt as if
someone were softly kissing me. A warm sensation ran through me,
and for a brief second I had no pain...the dizziness was the kind
that someone would enjoy. I stood frozen in place, staring blankly,
then the feeling left me. “Wait...who are you?..where are you?” I
said loudly.

Stella abruptly pulled me into a dark alley;
her fear was out of control. “Do you have a death wish?” she said
in a harsh whisper. “You cannot talk that loud - ever,” she said,
staring at me for understanding. I gave it by nodding. “Are you
hearing voices again?” she asked. I nodded. “Don’t answer
them...don’t tell anyone...they’ll kill us both.”

I could tell she believed what she was
saying - which made it all the more frightening.

Stella walked to the edge of the alley and
looked in both directions, then waved me to her side. I went, not
sure how to act anymore; I was so alone and afraid. We walked for
two blocks, then in the distance I could see what was left of a
three-story building. The roof was gone, and so was most of the top
floor. Stella’s emotion was near devastation at the sight of it. I
was starting to think that this building was our home.

People were digging in the rubble for
belongings, and Stella searched the ground for anything that
belonged to us. I wanted to help her, but it all looked the same to
me; instead, I stood out of the way, watching all the people. It
was strange; some of them I could feel, and others, nothing. I
wasn’t sure if I should or should not feel them; either way, it was
frustrating. An older woman walked over to Stella and handed her a
bag, then pointed up the street. Stella took the bag and walked to
where I stood. As she reached me, a young boy came to my side.
Stella looked down at him and asked, “Robert, did you find anything
of ours?”

I could feel this Robert kid; he was feeling
excited on the inside, but on the outside he seemed solemn. I knew
he was hiding something, and he had whatever it was inside his
coat.

Robert looked at Stella and said, “Sorry,
Stella. I didn’t find anything - but if I do, I’ll bring it to the
shelter for you.”