Redemption (Night Marchers #2) Written by: Rebecca Gober and Courtney Nuckels
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Authors: Courtney Nuckels,Rebecca Gober
Tags: #paranormal, #young adult, #hawaii, #night marchers
Night Marchers
By: Rebecca Gober and Courtney Nuckels
©
2011 by: Rebecca Gober and Courtney
Nuckels
Cover Photo: © Konradbak / Fotolia
Cover Work: Marya Heiman
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Table of Contents:
About the Authors
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Chapter One:
“Dad,
slow
down!” I scream at him with
tears of frustration falling freely down my cheeks. My father is
driving
my
convertible like a bat out of hell. The
infuriating part is that I have no idea where we’re headed or why
he’s in such a rush. Salty air blows in my face as we wind down a
road that snakes through the lush rain forest. The scenery passes
by us in a green blur.
My dad just glances over at me through his
peripheral vision without uttering a word. I’ve never seen my dad
so livid. This is how he’s been since Tristan and I got home
earlier this afternoon.
Tristan is the caretaker’s son. My father and
I are currently living in a home in Kauai, Hawaii owned by the
Kealoha’s; a wealthy couple that hired my father to do a
documentary on some
very real
evil spirits called the Night
Marchers. Our home comes with its own caretaker, Alani. Alani and
her son Tristan live in a small home next to ours. Tristan and I
have a bit of history; he was the first person to help me get
settled in Hawaii after my father moved us here during my senior
year of high school. Tristan and I have some unresolved feelings
for each other that I’m not ready to delve into yet. After all,
right now I have much larger issues to worry about.
“Dad, are you going to talk to me? At least
tell me where we are going,
please
!” Suddenly, I realize
that my voice has turned into a childlike whine and I can tell it’s
not helping the situation. I can see that his mouth twitches
slightly but his lips remain sealed. My tears are rendered useless
so I brush them aside with the back of my hand. There used to be a
time when my crying was all it would have taken to slice through my
father’s anger, not anymore.
I guess I can’t really blame my dad for his
fury. Tristan and I were missing for twenty-four hours and, where
we were, there was no cell service to allow us to call in and let
our parents know that we were okay. For all my dad knew, I had up
and disappeared, once again.
Yes, this isn’t the first time I’ve gone
missing. It seems like forever ago, but only a few days back
Tristan found me in the forest unconscious and sporting a broken
arm. I had been running from an evil Night Marcher who was after my
soul.
My dad makes a sharp turn breaking me from my
thoughts. The wind starts whipping hair around my face now that we
are angled in a different direction. I hastily try to push it
behind my ears only to have it fly back into my face a second
later. I didn’t even have time to get a stupid hair band before my
dad was dragging me out of the house to the car a few minutes
ago...
When Tristan and I arrived home, both Alani
and my dad were at the door waiting for us. I could tell from their
haggard appearance that they hadn’t gotten much sleep the night
before. Alani took Tristan into her arms immediately with an
exasperated hug. She started talking rapidly to Tristan in Pidgin.
I had never heard her speak in a different language other than
English before. From the nods that Tristan was giving his mom, it
was apparent that he must have understood what she was saying,
which stunned me.
Guilt hit me hard when I looked away from
them to my dad who was raking his fingers through his hair causing
it to stick out in all the wrong directions. I’m not sure if my
mind was playing tricks on me but his hair seemed to have a lot
more salt than pepper in it today. Looking in his eyes, I could see
the exhaustion; I doubt he got much sleep last night. I don’t
recall having ever seen my dad look so worn-down.
I was standing still just staring at my dad.
I had expected him to embrace me in a hug or yell at me or do
something. So I was surprised when the only words from his lips
were, “Emma, go take a shower.”
I looked down at myself and sighed. I hadn’t
realized how ragged I looked. My clothes were covered in mud and
grass stains. Threads were hanging down from the right knee of my
jeans where there was a hole stained with blood. I knew by now that
if I inspected my knee where I had fallen yesterday, all I would
find is a fading scar, no proof of where the staining blood would
have come from. I’ve been healing at rapid speeds lately.
Questioningly, I looked back up and into my
dad’s eyes. He kept his gaze firm and steady then gestured with his
head towards the hallway that lead to my room. “Fine!” I spat out
of irritation then stomped off to my bedroom to take a shower.
It took me a while to find something to wear
after my shower. My closet seemed devoid of clean clothing. I guess
it was laundry day or something. I settled with a plain white tee
and a fresh pair of jeans. After running the brush through my
knotted hair I stood for a few seconds looking at my reflection. I
hadn’t bothered drying my hair and when it was this wet, it looked
more black than brown. Mostly though I was taken aback by how much
more grown up I looked. It might be psychological but my face
looked more mature, less juvenile. Stress and lack of appetite had
thinned my cheeks. My brown eyes looked tired and haunted. I’d seen
too much and lost what I’m not sure that I will ever get back. I
wonder if some day I will again resemble the innocent seventeen
year old that I was only a week ago.
“Emma!” I heard my dad hollering to me from
down the hall. I threw on my flip-flops and ran out to meet him. He
was at the entryway with my car keys in his hand. I had thought
that perhaps he was going to take my car away from me, which I
certainly would not have blamed him for. I set my jaw and held my
head up high ready to take my just punishment. Instead of grounding
me, my dad just told me to get in. Confused I followed him and got
into the passenger side of the car, which is where I sit now.
I look over to my dad again to see if he’s
softened any, but his jaw is still set on edge. Succumbing to the
fact that I will just have to wait and see, I gaze out into the
rainforests that line the road. The thick luscious vegetation
displayed in numerous shades of green sends shivers down my spine
along with unpleasant memories. I’m thankful when we head into a
more developed part of the island and I’m able to look at houses
and businesses with hotels and tourist shops dotted in between.
Then it hits me! I know where we are
going…the airport! “Dad, what’s going on?” He still doesn’t speak,
and his face is set with even more determination the closer we get.
I’m instantly set at unease. This can only mean one of two things.
One, Kaylee, my best friend, is arriving here a week earlier than
expected. Or two, my dad and I are leaving. I pray that it’s the
former thought that takes the prize; I can’t leave right now.
Anyhow, Kaylee is set to come in next Friday night. The Kealoha’s
paid for her ticket to visit me knowing that I would need support
after what happened.
Tristan isn’t the only one who knows about my
run in with the Night Marchers. Mrs. Kealoha confronted me about it
two days ago. She had earnestly asked me if I had seen her son
among the Night Marchers; he had disappeared a few months earlier.
From what her son’s friend stated, she believes that her son is now
one of them, a Night Marcher. Night Marchers are ancient wandering
spirits of soldiers who are believed to wander from their graves to
places of battles past. Not all Night Marchers are ancient soldiers
though. There are those who choose to turn in order to become
immortal, those who became unfortunate slaves due to a curse and
most recently one who chose to sacrifice his life for another.
Hawaiians believe that looking a Night Marcher in the eyes can
strike a curse, which would end in either death or eternal
servitude. I not only believe this legend, my experience has proved
it true. Mrs. Kealoha's son had locked eyes with a Night Marcher
just like I had done. Only he was not so fortunate. He most likely
is among their ranks now. For me, someone else took my place…Kai. A
knot the size of Texas swells in my chest at the thought of Kai,
with his stormy grey eyes. He’s still out there and I have to help
him. I push my thoughts of Kai down deep as the airport comes into
view up ahead.
I start shifting nervously in my seat when my
dad passes the arrivals exit. Anxiety sets in and nausea fills my
stomach as my dad pulls into the departures parking lot and takes
the key out of the ignition. “Dad…” I say at a tone barely above a
whisper.
He doesn’t respond, he just presses the trunk
release button and exits the car. With my heart beating a hundred
miles per hour I can do nothing but follow suit. My dad pulls out a
suitcase, slams the trunk and says his first words since we left
home. “Let’s go Emma.” I instantly wish to have the silence back
again. Hearing him finally speak to me in a tone so full of pain
and anguish cuts through my heart. Tears well in my eyes as I
follow him up to the airport doors.
I stay standing near the door as my dad
continues on towards the ticket counter. The last time I was here
in the departure wing I was seeing Tristan off for his two-week
training in the Army reserves. It was a time filled with hope: hope
for our relationship and hope for our future. Heat hits my cheeks
as I think of the kiss we shared before he left. That was when
everything seemed so simple.
I don’t believe I will ever look at this
place the same again, through eyes of hope. I’m filled with despair
at the thought of leaving Kauai. A month ago I would never have
believed it when I moved here from Texas. I thought I would hate it
here. I don’t though. I have found a new life in such a short time
and I can’t leave now, especially not with everything that’s going
on. I can’t leave Kai! He needs me! He sacrificed himself to save
me! I need to help him!
My dad comes back with a ticket in his hand.
“Emma, please don’t cry.” He says compassionately, all hostility
now gone.
Instinctively I wipe the tears from my eyes.
I hadn’t even realized I was crying. I look to my dad and then down
at the ticket in his hand. Ticket as in singular... “Where’s your
ticket?” I ask already resigned to the fact that I am obviously the
one who that ticket is destined for.
“Emma, I love you. I can’t even explain how I
felt…I mean, when you didn’t come home…. again.” His voice is shaky
which is truly hard for me to take, especially coming from a man of
my dad’s stature and poise. “I think it was a mistake, my taking
you here with me. It’s just too dangerous. I should have agreed
with you and allowed you to stay back in Texas. You are not safe
here and I don’t know if you understand how hard it is for me to
admit that I can’t
keep you safe
here. The only thing I can
do to protect you is to send you home.” His eyes are pleading
earnestly to mine.