Empyreal: Awaken - Book One (16 page)

“A portal –”Coralie questioned,
skeptically. “… You mean, like a time portal?”

“No...” he said, taking a breath, “...
just a
portal …
we didn't travel to a different time, just a
different place...”

She took a deep breath, unbelieving.
“And this place would be...?”

Court stood in silence, searching for
words. Words that could help his explanation. But there were none
to be found.

After a few moments, Court finally
answered Coralie, as she sat awaiting him. “Olympia ... Coralie, we
are in Greece...”

Coralie lay still on, what felt like the solid,
earthy ground. Her clothes still felt slightly damp against her
skin. Though her eyes felt heavy, and unable to open, she could
hear movement surrounding her. She could hear murmurs around her,
barely able to make any of them into something comprehensible that
sounded like two men arguing.

“No – Sir, you can't!” one voice
said.

“Stay out of this!” another
countered.

“No – I won't, I can't –”

“You will! Step aside!”

“So this is … I mean, you are the
reason –”

“You are no longer needed. Please
excuse yourself to someplace else...”

“I will not leave her!”

One of them sighed in irritation.
“Very well...”

“I can't believe you, Sir
–”

“I believe I said to Step
Aside!”

“If you hurt her, Sir, I swear
–”

“What?” the one of them paused. “Do
you really think that I would do anything to hurt
her
?”

“Yes, I do ... I believe it because
you are! You are hurting her! You may not realize it, but you
–”

“That's enough!” the one of them
shouted. “I'm done here.” Then he snapped his fingers and ordered,
“Get the car.”

“Sir –”

“Listen to me young man ... you must
learn to stay out of business you know nothing of...”

“But –”

“But nothing – I will be speaking to
your father about this.”

“Go ahead – I'm not afraid of
you!”

The one of them let out a low chuckle.
“You've got spunk, kid! You remind me a little of
myself!”

“I'm not like you, Sir – unlike you, I
would never, ever, put
her
in harm's way...”

Another voice, aside from the two
arguing male voices spoke up. “The car... it's ready,
Sir!”

“Thank you – we're done here...
yes?”

“Not by a long shot...”

Those were the last words to fill
Coralie's ears before she faded into a realm of dimness, as it
surrounded her.

* * * * *

Coralie opened her eyes. It took her a
moment for her eyes to adjust. Once they were in focus, she
realized where she was. She was in her bedroom.

The room was dark except for a dim
glow coming from her window. The light was glowing from the outside
street lamps.

There, at the window, her eyes set on
a silhouette. It was a figure, a man... a young man that stood at
silently at her window.

Coralie began to startle, but that
feeling quickly faded when the figure turned and looked at her.
Even in the dimness and darkness of her room, she could
feel
that it was
him.

“Court?” she beckoned him
quietly.

“Hey, Cor ... I'm here...” he replied,
as he walked over to her bed, where she lay, reaching for her hand.
She started to rustle her way up into a sitting position, but
suddenly felt a little dizzy.

“You’re here. You’re still
here.”

“Yeah. I wanted to be here when you
woke up.”

“Asleep ... I've been asleep – for how
long?”

He looked away, as he said,
“Awhile...” He walked back to the window and stared blankly. Then
with a far-away, almost rehearsed tone, he spoke again, starting
with a deep breath inward, “you must have been tired after our
afternoon hike ... and swim at the lake ... After I brought you
home, you just crashed...” Then as if he couldn't stand it any
longer, he turned and said, “I couldn't just leave you ... without
saying goodbye, I mean...”

“Well, thank you. I'm glad you
stayed,” she said, with a smile that gleamed in the dim-lit room.
She expected a smile in return, but his usual response was
obviously delayed. “What's wrong?”

He walked toward her and sat next to
her on the edge of her bed. She could see the sincerity in his
questioning eyes. “Do you...” he paused to let out a sigh, sounding
of disappointment, “... do you not remember anything?”

Coralie stared at him with
confusion.

“Anything at all?” he pushed her to
try to recall the day's events. As she did, her memories were bits
and pieces. None of them were fluid. It was as if someone had taken
them from her brain and snipped out specific scenes with a pair of
razor-sharp scissors. Cutting and slicing through memories that
belonged to her. She continued to try to evoke her memory, but
pieces were missing.

“Cor –” Court jogged her
attention.

She shrugged, then began her
recollection aloud, “I remember school, I remember the walk to the
lake, and then...” she paused, her eyes widened, “... the lake ...
Court, I remember the lake.”

He urged her to continue. “Yes, Cor,
keep going. You can do this.”

“... the lake, Court ... we swam in
the lake...” she paused again, her mind started to race, “... we
–”

“Coralie, honey...” Her parents said,
entering the room, turning the lights on, and cutting off her
words.

Court jumped swiftly to his
feet.

“Oh, good ... you're up...” Katelyn
started. “Courtland, that's so nice of you to stay and check on
Coralie...”

“It's nothing...” he said sincerely,
but the sternness of his tone made Coralie edgy.

Katelyn pretended not to notice,
though she did, and Courtland knew it. “Also, thanks again,
Courtland, for walking Coralie home ... That must have been some
hike you guys took...”

Coralie flashed her eyes from Court to
her parents and back again.

Katelyn noticed and added, “... around
Lynn, right, Courtland?”

Coralie's eyes flashed back to Court,
who had moved back to her bedroom window. He answered, his face
expressionless, “Sure...”

Coralie heard the truth absent from
his words. She turned to her mother. “Mom? How long have I been
asleep?”

Katelyn answered her daughter's
question, and then added another question with a relaxed smile on
her face. “Practically, all afternoon, dear ... you must have
really been worn out, huh?”

But it wasn't enough. Coralie
stiffened with anger, as it began to grow inside of her, though she
didn't exactly know why. “Yeah, I guess so, Mom ... Wait ... you
just said 'Lynn' ... as in Lynn Park ... right???”

“Well, yes, Honey ... Lynn Park ...
why the need for clarification?”

“Because I don’t remember going to the
park...”

This sparked interest in Court. But he
wanted to watch Coralie’s parents’ reaction carefully, first,
before making any certain moves.

“Oh...” Her mother
questioned.

“Yeah ... I remember something
else...”

“Like what, Cor???” Questioned Court,
sensing the Colliers’ nervousness.

“I remember going to a lake ... a
beautiful, magnificent lake.”

“Oh yes, the lake that you guys come
upon sits right behind the park...”

“How come I ... I mean, why have I
never been there before?” Coralie questioned, blundering, knowing
she was getting close to
something.

“Oh, Honey – you have been there
before...”

“I don’t think so, Mom...”

“Oh I know,” Katelyn paused as if
she'd stumbled upon something, “... it must be the time of year ...
I don't think you've ever been there during this time of year –
things are always much prettier in the spring ... It is a beautiful
place, isn't it, dear?”

“Yes, it is a very beautiful place...”
she said, restating her mother's statement. She turned briefly to
look at Court, who was still staring out of her bedroom window. She
sensed that he was avoiding eye contact. But with whom?

“Hey kiddo, now that you're up ...
I'll go fix you something to eat – I know you must be starved...”
Cal spoke up, changing the subject.

Coralie couldn't shake the feeling
that something wasn't right. There was something else. Something
missing. “But, Mom, Dad, wait –”

“Yes, dear –” Katelyn answered her
daughter, as both her and Cal turned to look at her.

“There's something else –” Coralie
said. This caused Court to turn and stand up looking toward her, as
if something in particular struck his interest.

“What do you mean, kiddo?” Cal asked,
suddenly, and fearfully interested.

“Well, I don't know, really ... it may
have been just another dream – sort like the ones we've talked
about before ... they are so real and,” she sighed a deep breath,
knowing how she must sound to others, “... I know it sounds crazy,
but ... even though this was much different than the others, it was
like,” Coralie paused to look at Court, who was staring at her
intently, “...
someone
was trying to tell me
something...”

Court allowed a slight grin to come
over his lips. “Go on, Cor ... What else? What do you –”

His words were cut short by Katelyn.
“We can talk about this dream over dinner, okay? Come on, let's go
downstairs.”

“But Mom –” she started, but was
interrupted again.

“Coralie, dear...” Katelyn started,
trying to keep her composure in front of company, “Come on
downstairs ... we'll talk about it over dinner...”

“Cor,
I'm
listening...” Court
spoke up. “Tell
me
...”

Katelyn narrowed her eyes at Court,
but she turned with a grin toward her daughter. “Coralie, honey –
really ... your father and I would love to hear all about this ...
everything...every last detail, in fact ... but I would much rather
have this conversation over dinner, that's all...”

She shrugged. “That's just it ...
that's what I'm trying to tell you ... I can't remember everything.
I don't even know exactly where reality stops and my dreams begin
... there are parts and pieces missing...”

“Pieces missing, huh?” Court
questioned, focusing it toward Cal and Katelyn, as he looked
directly at them.

Court's face housed a look that
Coralie didn't quite recognize. She watched the expression exchange
between her parents and Court, and didn't quite know what to make
of them.

“Court, will you be joining us for
dinner?” Katelyn asked, eyeing him austerely.

Allowing a grin to slink on his face,
and backing down respectfully, he said, “No thank you, Mrs.
Collier, Mr. Collier,” nodding at them both individually, “I need
to go on home ... my parents are expecting me ... It seems that my
father is in need of a word with me.” He said, pausing for a moment
to look Cal Collier in the eye. Then he turned to look at Coralie.
He looked straight into her eyes, kissed the top of her forehead,
and said, “Cor, I will see you later, okay?”

Coralie nodded, as she watched Court
exit the door of her bedroom, her father following close behind
him.

Both Coralie and Katelyn stared at the
door from where the two men had just departed.

After a moment of still silence,
Coralie began, “Mom –”

Katelyn turned to her confused
daughter, and said, “Cor, come on downstairs ... your father and I
would like to have a word with you. We have some important things
to discuss...”

“Court?!?!?” Cal called out after him, as he
descended the stairs. “Courtland?!?!?” he called again, this time
with more severity in his tone of voice. “I would like a word with
you – please...”

Court stopped, just as he had opened
the front door, feeling the cool night air. He inhaled a heavy,
disgruntled breath of air, and then turned to face Cal.

Cal stepped just past him, closing the
door quietly. “In my office...” Cal said, as he turned and walked
inaudibly calm toward his office.

“Yes, Sir...” Court said, following
close behind, turning only for a moment to close the double doors
behind his entry.

Hearing the doors close, Cal began.
“Courtland, I wanted to address some things – things that I may
have said before –”

“Forget about it, Sir...”

“No, Courtland, I can't – I know that
you know ... as well as I know that you do not approve
–”

Cutting Cal's words off, Court started
to speak with furor. “You’re right, Sir ... I do not approve,” and
he paused to lower his tone, remembering his upbringing over his
passion, “and all due respect, Sir, I think that what you are doing
to her is quite unfair.”