July (The Year of The Change Book 1) (42 page)

This wasn't how I wanted The Change to end for me. I’d promised my grandmother that I would succeed. If I had to fail, I wanted it to be with someone special. I wanted a love like my grandparents had.

It rose from somewhere deep inside me. The inner strength was so strong it startled me. My mind cleared. The fear that had always bound me was broken.

I will not settle for less! I will have a true love and I will succeed!

The only question now was what was I willing to do to make it happen?

Drew lost focus and had both of his hands in my hair. The truck hit a huge pothole and he bounced off. Free I lunged for the side of the truck and threw myself over.

When you see actors on TV or in a movie do what I just did they make it look easy ... almost safe.

I landed with a huff and rolled into the brush bordering the dusty path of the road. My back hurt, my shoulder hurt, my knees hurt and my head was spinning. I could feel every one of the bumps and bruises as they throbbed. I smelled of evergreen, where I’d wiped out a Lilliputian grove of saplings.

Keep moving
!

Gingerly, I climbed to my feet and tried to avoid my knee caps. I wasn't sure of anything, except this dirt path would lead me back to a main road. The only problem was I had to stay off of it. Drew would see me on the road and if I didn't move fast, he would catch up to me.

Delegating the agony to the back of my brain, I limped out of the view of the potholes. I could follow it just out of sight, I hoped. The forest was thick and made my gimpy pace even slower.

My stomach awoke and growled like the starving lioness it was. I would have to eat soon or would be in worse trouble. Right now the bark on the trees looked pretty darn good.

The road curved. I came out of the trees, and onto the road’s dirt edge. Looking all around and not seeing anyone, I hobbled across. Deep into the evergreens, on the other side, I hid. Not being on the same side as where I jumped might throw Drew off, if he was even following. It was useless to hope he wouldn’t keep hunting me.

Each root I stumbled across jarred my aching body. I wanted to sit down.
Must keep going
. Must get home and feed my gnawing stomach. The churning and cramping was worse than my bruises and cuts.

It tickled my nose, and I ignored it at first. The wind swirled through the trees and this time I took notice. Smoke! I feared it might be a forest fire. My stomach thought it was a campfire. It imagined roasted hotdogs, sizzling hamburgers and s’mores. I told it to shut up.

More importantly, smoke meant people!

And Food!
My stomach ranted. Stupid stomach.

I forced myself faster, away from the road and further into the trees, hopefully toward rescue. The trees became so dense it choked out the sun. The once protective forest turned cold and sinister. I was rethinking what I was doing and about to turn around when I heard a voice.

"Hey, Trudy! Don't forget bologna!"

People!

Food
!

I plunged further into the gloomy darkness, not stopping until I stumbled – literally - into the light of a clearing. I caught myself on a stump.

A man, of about fifty-something with dark graying hair and a beard, froze in place as he saw me. "Wait, Trudy!"

A car door slammed and I looked to the sound. A small woman with bleached hair came around a car, towards me, or perhaps it was the man she was aiming for.

The man had a gentle, welcoming face with concerned eyes. "Hello, are you alright?"

I shook my head. "No, I'm lost and hungry." I added the last part for my stomach.

They walked slowly towards me. "Are you hurt?"

I rubbed my shoulder. "Yes."

He put his hand out. Although he didn't try to touch me, I flinched back.

"I'm Scott and this is my wife, Trudy. Where are you from?"

What did they think I was an alien from Mars? "I'm Sylvia and I'm from Talkeetna." I snapped. Must control myself.

He raised his brows. "You're a ways from home."

"Yeah, do you have a phone? I need to call my dad." Too demanding. Calm, Sylv, calm.

"All we have is a cell and it doesn't work up here."

The woman pulled on some bravery and put a warm, soft hand on my arm. "I was just going into Talkeetna, we'll drive you home." She looked at her husband who nodded.

"Thank you, I really appreciate it." Stay calm
,
I told myself, but could feel the anger building.

They led me to their car and helped me in the back seat. I looked around hoping Drew hadn't followed. He was nowhere to be seen, but that didn't really mean anything. I hadn't seen him at the football game, either. Stan drove down their long drive to the road I’d followed. I scooted low in the seat so Drew couldn't wouldn’t spot me.

"So how’d you end up so deep in the forest?" Trudy spoke from over her shoulder.

"A stupid guy forced me to go with him."

"What?!" The car swerved as Stan turned to look at me.

"Honey, please, watch the road."

"Right." He forced his eyes forward. "Who did this?" He demanded.

It was oddly comforting to hear him angry for me, but I had enough anger already. It wouldn't hurt to tell him the truth.

"A stranger, but I got away from the idiot." I threw myself back against the seat. Drew certainly was an idiot if he thinks I’m going to just go off with him to who knows where. I gritted my teeth.

"How'd you get away?" Trudy half turned in her seat.

"I jumped out of the truck." I was having trouble sitting still, so I rocked.

"That sure was gutsy." The man smiled.

"Actually, it was pretty stupid. I didn't think before I did it." I arched my back and hit the seat beside me. "They make it look so easy on TV."

The couple chuckled nervously. I was making them uncomfortable. I put my head back and closed my eyes. Must relax.

"How'd you find us?"

"I smelled smoke and thought maybe there were campers that might help me."

I bolted upright and Trudy flinched back. There were familiar streets as we entered Talkeetna.

"Turn right at the corner and go five blocks ... I think ... then turn? ..." I had to really think. Concentrating was getting harder by the minute. "Uh ... left."

My rocking shouldn't have made the car go faster. Perhaps I made Stan nervous. I motioned and he turned into our driveway.

I jumped out of the car. "Thanks!" I threw a bye at them as I slammed the door.

Food! I had to have food!

The front door flew open. Dad rushed out with Sue right behind him. What was he doing home so early? Or was it that early? I’d lost track of time. He put his arms out like he was going to embrace me. I shoved past him and ran to the kitchen.

Eat!
My stomach demanded. I was determined to obey.

Wrenching the fridge open I grabbed the first thing and crammed it into my mouth then reached for more.

I heard Dad and Sue as they spoke with Stan and Trudy. They could handle the nice couple who wouldn't go away.

I cleared one shelf and started on the next. The cold air blew from the fridge and cooled the sweat on my skin. I shivered. Nothing was going to make me stop eating. My stomach was willing for me to burst first. My head ached now, along with the rest of my sore body. It was my stomach that had my full attention.

I was most of the way through the third shelf when Dad, with Sue behind him muttering something about
her
refrigerator, came in. I looked up long enough to ascertain that Stan and Trudy weren't with them.

Dad stopped a couple of feet from me. "Sylv, are you okay?"

I swallowed, mostly. "Just dandy." I snapped.

He eyed me. "Sylv, what happened?"

"We stopped to watch a football game,
and of course
, it got out of hand." I swallowed and took another bite of ... butter? "I couldn't watch one lousy football game without The Change ruining everything." I dug my fingers in and took another bite. "Heaven forbid I should actually get to play." I dropped the empty tub on the floor.

Sue cringed.

I reached for a package of hamburger.

Sue grabbed Dad's arm. "It's not cooked Len."

Dad snatched the package from my hands, tossed it to Sue, and dragged me to the table, forcing me into a chair.

"I'm hungry!" Was he crazy? Getting between my stomach and food was very dangerous.

Dad motioned to Sue. "Find something." He held me by the shoulders and knelt in front of me. "Now what happened at the football game?"

Sue held out a bag of apples. My stomach was quieting, but I grabbed it anyway.

"I told you it got out of hand." I bit into an apple.

"After it got out of hand, Richard said you disappeared and he couldn't find you."

"That's because Drew dragged me away."

"Drew?"

I bit into another apple. "Yeah."

"Who's Drew?"

I swallowed and took a breath. "You know, Drew from the Alaska Ferry, the one you said was a figment of my imagination?"

"You're hallucinating?" Sue stood by the fridge with a loaf of bread held too tightly in her hands.

"No, I'm not hallucinating. Drew is real." I looked at my dad as the tiredness descended on me. "I know you don't believe Drew is real, but he is. He took me into Phase, which is why Richard couldn't see me. He dragged me to a truck and forced me into the back where we rode way out of Talkeetna. I got loose and jumped out of the truck and ran away from him." I put my heavy head on Dad's shoulder. "It doesn't matter whether you believe me or not. I have a problem and he doesn't appear to be going away."

The last two apples in the bag slipped from my hand. Dad caught and placed them on the table.

"He was supposed to go to Fairbanks and I was never going see him again. Dad, what am I going to do when he comes back?"

I’d no doubt he would come back. It was like having my own personal poltergeist to haunt me, never knowing when he would pop up or what he would do next. The tears dripped on Dad's shirt and my whole frame shook with sobs.

"Now, Sylv, it’s okay, it’s okay. We'll figure something out."

He patted my back as I sniffed into his shirt. I wasn't so sure he believed me.

"Do you remember when you and the twins went to hear the forest ranger on the ferry?"

"Uh-huh." His hand picked up speed.

"Well, Drew showed up and talked me into going into Phase with him. We walked around the ship."

"Uh-huh?" His hand thumped harder.

"Well, it was me who had all the guys standing around dazed."

"Oh?" The whacks paused for a moment before he tightened his hold and resumed the not-so-comforting whacks.

"Yeah, Drew wanted to see the bear claw up close. It was really creepy and I made him take me back to the cabin when you and the twins noticed."

Dad patted me faster and breathed harder.

"Dad?"

"Yes?" His hand stilled.

"I think I'm full."

"That's good." He hugged me with both arms. I could smell his aftershave. It was the same Old Spice that he always used. The familiarity was comforting.

"Drew was right. It wasn't as hard the second time."

"What?"

"Drew said it was always hardest the first time you Phase. Then again, I wasn't in Phase as long this time."

Dad pulled me away and held me straight out from him. "This really happened?"

"Yes." I hung in his arms, too tired to do anything.

"Oh my gosh." He hugged me tight to him and rocked. "I can't protect you from someone I can't see."

"It's okay Dad, I can see him, and I’ll tell you when he's around."

Dad paled. This was one more thing for him to go gray over.

"I'm sleepy, and too tired to climb the stairs." I sighed into his collar. "Carry me up?" I asked with a grin.

He peeked down at me and tried to smile. "How about if you just lie on the couch?"

"Okay, but it would be more fun if you carried me."

Dad hauled me out of the chair and walked me to the couch.

I looked around, it was too quiet. "Where’re the twins?"

He lowered me to the cushions. "They're next door with Eddy. Emma suggested they would be better off out of the action."

"Emma's smart."

"Yes, she is." Sue handed Dad an afghan and he spread it over me.

"Dad, how am I going to survive this year? It was bad enough when it was just regular boys."

"Don't worry, we'll think of something." He cleared his throat. "You know, it's not too late to do home schooling."

"I'll think about it."

Behind Dad, Sue gasped. Being home schooled by Sue wasn’t something I’d really consider. Then again I would let her stew a while before I let her off the hook.