Paranormal Summer (Indigo Moon Rising) (20 page)

Ryan and Jillian hung outside for a little bit, letting everyone else go in first. As they walked through the heavy double doors, adorned with beveled glass and brass, they could smell the incense. Something like tangerine and sandalwood. The first section of the floor was composed of tiny mosaic tiles in the pattern of a sun with rays extending outward. The rest of the floor was made of unusually wide, polished, hardwood planks. Oversized decorative crown molding gave way to an ornate tin ceiling. Under the large glass windows were what looked like deep window seats, but they used them for a display area, Some things faced out to the street and some faced in toward the store.

The wall to the far right was the street corner, so it had sunlight streaming in. That is where the Book Nook was. Rows of tall wooden bookshelves with books in every topic imaginable filled them to the brim. New and used were sorted together by categories. There were even stacks of books on the floor and on the window seats. There were a few oversized chairs and some cafe type tables to sit at. You could relax and read and have tea, a latte or a smoothie from the bar.

A banner that said “Getting into Your Vortex Videos” was hanging above a large screen TV just past the Book Nook. It was playing soothing music and was showing a motivational video to encourage positive changes in people’s lives. There was a woman explaining to guests how to custom order the videos.

Further to the back and on the right of the store they had clothing racks where antique and newer cotton and hemp clothing hung. On the left wall was the old soda fountain. Jillian had never seen one like this before. There were red, button-top bar stools that spun around forever on shiny silver bases, the glass window overlooking all of the ice cream tubs, and behind, on the back wall they displayed all of the condiments you could imagine in large glass jars with large scoopers. The mayor was the first to be served, a triple-sized banana split!

"This is awesome!" Jillian said as she walked with Ryan.

"It was the general store for the town. I think it said established in 1854. What you couldn't grow or make yourself came from here. Everything! Can you imagine what it must have been like?" Ryan asked, pointing to some old photos on the wall. "Probably taken around the turn of the century."

Jillian studied them, amazed how different everything was back then. She knew that everything has always been in color, but the photographs and TV shows that were in black and white just seem so lifeless. “
Did people throughout history experience all of the same feelings we do? They must have
,” and just that one thought seemed to breathe life into history for her
. “They sang, they danced, and they were artists and lovers. Their hearts broke just the same way. There must have been some, like me, that must have felt different too, like they didn't fit in. Maybe now things will be different. With Sonya and Ryan, and what we did, we can make a difference in the world.”

"Hey! Time for a smoothie?" Sonya came running up to Jillian and Ryan with two cups in her hands. "I made these. Tell me what you think!" she said.

They looked at each other and nodded. They both said, "Cheers," and pretended to smack their cups together. They both tried their samples, and Jillian grabbed her throat with one hand and gasped as if she had drunk poison. Ryan finished his, smiled with his frothy smoothie mustache, and acted like didn't know it was there.

There were so many people here. When Jillian looked at Doreen, who had seemed so laid back and easy going, she was sorta buzzing, maybe overwhelmed at how many guests were here. She was at one of the jewelry display counters explaining the properties of the crystals that were wire wrapped into pendants, rings, and pendulums. A couple had picked up a pair of dowsing rods from the counter and were trying them out. Thomas was manning the soda fountain, pretty well, but people were starting to line up! Sonya was back at the bar making smoothies and lattes and serving samples of teas. Aunt Jana was talking about her products that were beautifully displayed and scooping up bulk herbs for some of the customers.

There was a woman she met yesterday at the picnic, Elise, standing by an easel at the back of the shop. Listings of the class schedule were posted and she was taking down reservations and answering questions. Her daughter, Seelie was back at the dressing rooms helping customers with the clothing.

"I never expected it to be this busy!" Jillian said looking around in amazement.

"Jillian, Ryan?" Doreen called. The two walked up to the jewelry counter.

"So, you said you'd like to help. Is now a convenient time?" She said as she smiled. "I know where you could be of immense help, it you want to."

"Sure." Ryan said looking at Jillian.

"Count me in!" Jillian said, honestly meaning it. She wanted to be wanted. The excitement cancelled out the fear of doing something new.

Doreen told Ryan to see Thomas at the soda fountain, and she took Jillian over to the Book Nook. She explained to everyone standing there how it worked. You were welcome to sit and read, or you could sign the books out like a library, using the honor system, or you could buy them. She put Jillian in charge of signing people up for the lending library and walking around getting email addresses for their monthly newsletter.

While Jillian was helping someone sign up for the lending library, she saw Allison walking towards the books. She started looking through them, not aware that Jillian was watching her. At one point Jillian thought it was time to go say hi and maybe sign her up for the newsletter. Allison looked up towards the front door. In walked Jorge. Allison’s body language changed. Jorge looked her way and she dropped her head, trying to look like she was reading. Jorge was walking and looking, and then walked over to the soda fountain. He sat down, and he and Ryan began talking. Allison scowled and slammed the book shut, shoved it back onto the shelf and walked out the front door. Jillian just stood there, taking the whole thing in. Guess she didn’t like Jorge being friends with Ryan, huh?

Both Sonya and Ryan made sure that Jillian had enough goodies to eat throughout the day. The hours went by so quickly and before they knew it, it was 5:00. It was time to close the doors, and then classes started at 5:30. The three sat in the oversized chairs in the Book Nook, feeling beat but exceptionally good about what they had done today.

People started lining up at the back of the shop where two different rooms where set up to hold the classes. Ryan and Sonya got up and headed for one of the doors.

"Hey, what did you sign me up for?" Jillian asked Ryan.

"This one is called 'Your Gifts and the Veil.'“ He waved to GG, who was standing at the other door.

"What class is he taking?" Jillian asked, thinking it was kinda cute.

"He's not taking a class. He is teaching a class on solar power in that room. Tomorrow Lois, his gramma, is presenting on heirloom seeds and later I think she's doing one on canning." Sonya said. "My Grandma Hilde said she is thinking about teaching classes on manners and etiquette, “ she said, rolling her eyes and shaking her head.

As they walked into their room, they marked their name off the list and took a handout. Some of the people were standing around talking, so Jillian spotted three chairs together and immediately sat down so Ryan and Sonya could sit next to her. At 5:28 there were about 20 in attendance, and all but four chairs were taken. Elise closed the door and sat in the back of the room. Doreen started the class with an introduction of herself when four more people walked in. You could almost cut the tension with a knife as they took the last seats. Jillian tried not to stare, but they scared her.

They would stand out in any crowd. The taller one had short, spiky white hair, and he was wearing a black muscle shirt and black saggy pants with chains on them. On his left wrist he wore a thick bracelet, with spikes protruding from it. One girl had black and white hair that looked like it had been blow dried to death and then teased. She wore a tank top and baggy carpenter pants, with a camouflage pattern. The shorter of the boys had reddish brown hair, was frightfully pale and had black eyes. He was wearing a skull cap sideways and a dirty ripped t-shirt and droopy pants. They were falling down so his underwear showed, and his costume was set off with red tennis shoes, and of course no laces. And last to sit down was Allison. 

Jillian looked at Ryan, who was looking at Sonya. You could tell they understood something, and they didn't like it. They didn't look at the three at all.

Doreen said welcome to them and gave them handouts as if they were no different from anyone in the room. But they were. Very different.

When Doreen concluded the class, Ryan and Sonya looked at Jillian and motioned to the door. Ryan got out of his seat, grabbed his backpack off the back of his chair and they quickly made their way out. They were the first ones leaving either classroom and walked swiftly through the store and out the front door.

"Can we go to your house?" Ryan asked Sonya, walking quickly, heading in that direction.

"Yeah, sure." She said knowing that they had to talk about what just happened.

Jillian had a hard time keeping up and walked into Sonya's, closing the door behind her. "What is going on?" she asked, out of breath, flopping down into a chair, trying to catch her breath and watching Ryan pace the floor.

"Those three were the ones that were in the cabin," he said sitting down, looking at Jillian. "They are bad news."

Sonya handed them each a can of pop. "At least they can't hurt Emmy and Elizabeth, right? So we don't have anything to worry about,
right
?" she said, sitting down next to him.

"Well, no, they are safe now, but I don't like that they were in the shop, in the class. That's like sacred ground. They don't belong there," he said nervously.

"Yeah, why were they there?" Jillian asked. "I know why we belong. Now I see what has been happening. All of the supernatural things. They are our gifts. Like Doreen said, there are so many types. If we can focus on the ones we know we already possess, we need to learn more about them and strengthen them. That in turn will align us up to the other gifts we have. The veil is thinning, and we are becoming more conscious of our spiritual nature. Science and spirit are coming together. Ya, so why would those three be there? I thought they were going to be loud and obnoxious, but they were totally silent and acted like they were listening. No matter what, it's not a good sign," Jillian said, shaking her head, her eyes now wide.

"It's like what I learned about myself in the regression," Sonya said. "Some types of information shouldn't be handed out freely. Some is so powerful that it can't be risked getting into the wrong hands. Doreen must not have known who they were when they signed up. I don't know. Does she have to let everyone in that wants to attend? I'll keep an eye out for her and Thomas when they come in tonight and ask. Hopefully it was too dull, and they won't ever come back."

"So, what do you think the chances are that they were at the cabin, and then they showed up tonight?" Jillian asked. She didn't know anything about these kids, except for what Ryan told her about Allison. But just the feeling she got from them, she didn't want to know anymore. Then she started to feel sick. "Nooo, do you think they have gifts, too?"

"Well duh..," Ryan said. He didn't mean for it to come out that way, but it just did. "Sorry, that's what worries me. Do they already have some that they are using, or are they just curious? I seriously hate to think that there are people like that, but I know there are, and believe me, they wouldn't use their gifts for anything good. They would just manipulate people and situations to get whatever they want." He looked to Sonya.

She nodded her head. "I have heard stories about them. Deryk is 18. I think he was expelled a couple of years ago. Roberta and Gage constantly get kicked out of school. They have all been in juvenile detention. Their parents gave up on them, so they run the streets doing whatever they please. Pretty much everyone is afraid of them. I don't think the police want to deal with them, either. Who knows how they will respond if they get angry? Allison, I don’t know. She seems kind of…Edward Sissorhands."

"Something else worries me," Ryan said, folding his hands like he was in prayer. "When we were at the cabin, when Emmy was letting me see what happened, Gage fell through the floor by where you did Jillian, and he pulled out a book too. But when I saw this book, I heard Emmy say, ‘Oh no,” and I started to feel sick. I had to take myself out of the vision."