Solstice - Of The Heart (19 page)

“No. There were a bunch of them. Jason
was with them.”

“What’d you tell him?”

“You don’t want to hear
it.”

“Pretty mad at him, huh?”

“I was freaked out. We were all
freaked out. Your mom was in hysterics. For all we knew you were
gone. You looked dead, laying there in the street. Blood gushing
from your forehead. Your eyes were open, but they weren’t moving.
We yelled your name. You didn’t respond. Was I mad at Jason? Damn
right I was. I was furious with him. Furious with all of them. I
ripped them a good one.”

I smiled. “Wish I had been there to
see it.”

“You can bet they’ll be around
apologizing.”

“Cherrie?”

“Yes.”

“Did you tell me the story of you
taking your grandpa to a shack in Oregon and him dying, or did I
dream that?”

“No. I told you.” Cherrie looked over
her shoulder. “Not a word said, okay?”

I nodded. “I did have a dream of
clouds and geese and Aaron was there. Aaron..,” I said with a
startled expression, remembering we were supposed to go on a
hike.

“Aaron’s in the waiting
room.”

“He’s where? In the hospital waiting
room?”

“Yes. He’s been there pretty much all
night.”

“I’m supposed to go hiking with him
this afternoon.”

“I think you’re going to have to put
that date on hold. You’re not going anywhere but to bed for a few
days.”

“Can I see him?”

“I don’t know. It’s against hospital
rules. No visitors after hours.”

“You’re here.”

Cherrie winked. “Yes, because today
I’m family.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Your mom was great. She told
the hospital staff I was your sister. I don’t think they believed
her, but they caved anyway.”

“Do you think you can sneak Aaron
in?”

“You know me, Julis, I’m always up for
a challenge. I just don’t know I want to do it. If you remember the
grandpa story, you should take heed. You’re in a weakened state.
Any transference of energy from you to him and you’re a
goner.”

“He’d never let that
happen.”

“No. Probably not. Not on purpose
anyway. But who knows what the Leprechauns are
thinking.”

“I’d really like to see
him.”

“Yeah. Puppy love is alive and well, I
see. Okay, I’ll do it on one condition.”

“What’s that?”

“You don’t let him touch you. And you
don’t go traipsing off with this guy hiking. At least for a couple
of days.”

“That’s two things.”

“Yeah, well, today I’m your sister so
I’m entitled.”

“You got my word, sister.”

“Okay.”

A few minutes later, Cherrie returned
with Aaron in tow. As usual he lit up the room, leastways in my
eyes. But I couldn’t help but notice he looked a little pale, as
though he had not gotten any sleep.

I asked Cherrie to give us a few
minutes alone. She nodded and said something about finding a cup of
coffee.

Aaron pulled up a chair beside the
bed. “I tried to get in earlier,” he said. “They wouldn’t let me.
Said it was after hours and to come back later.”

“You stayed in the waiting room all
night?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“I was worried about you. After all,
you’re my partner in biology. Who else is going to help me dissect
the pig?”

He said this with a twinkle in his
blue eyes and a sly grin on his face.

I could think of a few
girls who would be more than willing to help him dissect the pig
(and move on to other things), but I kept my mouth shut.

“I appreciate it but you didn’t have
to stay in the hospital all night.”

“Yes, I did.”

“You couldn’t worry from home, in
bed?”

“I needed to be close.”

“Are you trying to tell me something?
You have feelings for me?”

I knew, since it was early in our
relationship, I was being a bit forward. But, hey, what better time
to act presumptuous than when you have a knock on the head and have
an excuse should you need to apologize and offer an excuse for your
impolite behavior?

“I do care for you, Julissa. I wanted
to be close in case something happened.”

I grew cold. “Like what?”

He didn’t answer.

“Like me dying?”

“I’d never let it get that
far.”

The chill deepened. “You think you
could stop it?”

“Give me your hand.”

I hesitated. Thought about what
Cherrie had just made me promise her; Don’t let him touch
you.

“I won’t bite.”

He sweetened the offer with a
smile.

I broke.

I looked to see if Cherrie was
anywhere in sight. She wasn’t. I gave Aaron my hand.

Aaron took my hand and raised it up as
though about to give me a high-five. He brought his hand flat to
mine. One by one, he laced his fingers through my fingers. He
squeezed his palm against my palm.

I felt his grip tighten.

Aaron bowed his head and, from where I
sat, it looked like he closed his eyes as though deep concentration
would be required.

At first I felt nothing but the warmth
of his palm against my hand and my palm sweating. The touching
alone increased my heart rate, which we could hear as a beep-beep
on the monitor.

And then it happened.

I felt a surge of energy as though I
had just flushed my system with a high charged caffeinated drink,
the kind we students use when we stay up all night to cram for a
big final.

The ache in my head
receded. The pain subsided. Vigor replaced exhaustion. Color
returned to my face. My breathing softened. My pulse shortened. I
didn’t need the full amount of air I inhaled. I exhaled; forcing
the air out like Cherrie taught me to do on the mountain. The sound
of the beep-beep quickened.

I tugged at my hand, but Aaron’s grip
stayed strong. It took several yanks before I sprung my fingers
free.

“What are you doing?”

“Helping you.”

I could see the hurt in his
eyes.

“Why did you pull away?”

“I’m afraid of what you’re
doing?”

“Why?”

“The way it makes me feel.”

“It should feel good.”

“It does, but how?”

“You’ve never felt this way when
someone places a hand on you and tells you they love
you?”

He was right, to a degree. The simple
touch of a hand by a loved one while voicing their feelings could
warm the heart and soul of anyone. But I had never felt anything
this intense.

“What you
are doing is different.” And, I added in my head, but didn’t say it
out loud;
you didn’t say you loved
me!

Aaron shook his head. “Not really.
Pretty much the same. The transference of energy from one body to
another. It’s called vampirism.”

“You’re not one of those guys who has
sparkly skin and goes around sucking blood, are you?”

“I don’t know.” Aaron flashed me his
teeth. “What do you think?”

I pointed to where the sun streamed
through the window. “Stand over there.”

Aaron followed my order and stepped
into the sun.

“Nope. No sparkles, no fangs. You’re
good.”

“Glad to meet with your
approval.”

“Isn’t vampirism the belief in
vampires?”

“Partly. More of a belief in what they
do.”

“You mean like suck blood?”

“I mean like drain a
person of their life force. For us, vampirism means the
transference of energy from one person to another.”

“But you weren’t draining my life
force. You were adding to it.”

“Yes.”

“And that doesn’t hurt
you?”

“Perfectly natural function which, I
might add, follows the Laws of Physics.”

“But it does make you
weaker.”

“Somewhat. Yes. But I can afford to
give a little, same as if I was giving a pint of blood.”

“Still makes you weaker.”

“I’m okay. Really. See.”

Aaron stood and flexed a
bicep.”

“Nice,” I said. “Looks strong, but is
it?”

Aaron placed his elbow on the table in
front of me. He opened his hand, smiled, and said, “Give it a
try.”

“You want me to arm wrestle
you?”

“No, I don’t.” He pulled his arm back
and sat down. “Just want you to know the transference didn’t hurt
me. I know my limits.”

“Do you?”

“Yes.”

“Did you know your limit when you
pulled our car off the mountainside?”

“That was different.”

“So you admit it. You saved
us.”

Aaron looked away.

“Why was Bernard so mad at you? Was he
angry you saved us from certain death?”

Aaron rose up out of his chair. “That
wasn’t it at all. He would have done the same thing if he had seen
what I saw.”

“So why was he so mad?”

Aaron sat back down.

“Because,” Aaron stopped for a second
as though wanting to make sure he chose the right words, “we’re not
supposed to reveal our gift.”

“What gift?”

“You just saw it.”

“The ability to transfer
energy.”

“Yes.”

“But you said anybody can do
it.”

“They can. It’s done all the time.
Ever sat next to someone and felt depleted or depressed or
vice-versa? Energetic?”

“Sure. But if anybody can do it,
what’s the gift?”

Aaron bowed his head.

“You don’t want to tell
me.”

He looked at me. “I don’t think I have
to spell it out for you, Julissa. You just experienced
it.”

I nodded. “Yes. I think I know what
you’re saying. Most people transfer energy without realizing it. It
just happens. You can somehow manipulate and control
it.”

“And store it at will.”

“More than other people?”

“Other people don’t store it. They
have no control over their energy. It just comes and
goes.”

“And that’s your secret
gift?”

“I like to think of it as
a skill.”

“But on the mountain you
looked exhausted, like you over did it.”

“I did. But it was for a
good cause. We had just come off the mountain. We were fully
charged. And now I was running on empty. Bernard had a right to be
concerned.”

“Concerned about what? Were you
dying?”

“I would never let it go that
far.”

“But you do become depleted, don’t
you?”

“To a certain extent, yes.”

By now, I was imagining,
Aaron wished he hadn’t given me such a heavy dose of life
sustaining energy. Clarity returned to my mind. I felt in full
control. I felt I could question Aaron into a corner. I could get
him to tell me everything I wanted to know about him. I felt above
him, as a parent feels superior to a child.

“And what happens, Aaron, when you
become depleted? Where do you go to replenish your life-sustaining
energy?”

“There are things it’s best you don’t
know.”

“But I already do. You said you are
recharged by the mountain, but not always, are you? You don’t think
I know where this,” I pointed to my hand, “energy came
from?”

“Does it matter?”

“Yes,
it
does.”

“Then it should matter to you so much
of the universe’s energy is never used simply because mankind has
not reached a level capable of harnessing it. If I, and others, are
given the gift of channeling energy through our bodies, then how
can that be a bad thing?”

“Depends on how you use
it.”

“We don’t use it for warfare. We don’t
use it to hurt people.”

“No? I saw you and your cousins
touching other students in the halls yesterday.”

“We didn’t’ do any harm.”

“What do you mean? They got
sick!”

“Not because of us.”

“But you sucked life-force out of
them, the same as a vampire does when he sucks blood!”

“Not blood. Energy. Energy which, had
we not captured, would have been squandered, lost back to the
universe. Where’s the good?”

“I don’t have an answer. All I know is
a lot of kids got sick.”

“And they would have done so with or
without the transference.”