The Light Tamer (16 page)

“Oh, I went there and you liked it. I bet your going to like it when I tell you that I think you’re the most beautifully built girl in this yard. The next time you fuss at your mirror after a shower, I want you to remember what I just said.”

Beat one, beat two…

“What on earth is he saying to you? Snap out of it, we’ve got a backyard full of teens and your grandma is practically baking smores with the lights,” Amber growls.

“You feel better Jess?” Caleb asked with his hands rubbing up and down my arms. It occurs to me that we’re swaying back and forth to imaginary music.

“I feel great.”

“Great, rub it in. He’s over here thinking naughty thoughts, you’re about to rip your clothes off and I’m about to slap you both into reality,” Amber huffs.

“We know who the Miss. Congeniality award isn’t going to,” Caleb teases as he bumps into Amber.

“Yeah, well you weren’t so pleasant before Miss. Thang here showed up,” Amber retorts.

“True, but I didn’t try to spread my venom. Don’t worry about Otto, I think this plan will work and he’ll be history. That isn’t a play on words either…he is already history. Get it?” Caleb says.

“I need you all to CONCENTRATE,” Grandma says. “You have to fight the euphoric feeling. This plan will not work if you can’t get passed the giddy happy stage.”

Gabe switched the light boards off and left the regular lights on. “Listen up, this isn’t a game. We are dealing with an entity we don’t know much about. In mythology, he was ruthless and I need you to remember that when he is around…you aren’t safe. Now, I’m going to have the guys go inside the house, girls stay here.” He smiles awkwardly at the group of girls and tells us how he wants us to pull the energy away from the lights. He said we could each focus on one light bulb and draw the energy.

“What’s it like to have a bond with a guy?” A girl with black and green hair asks me.

“To be honest with you, I don’t know if it feels any different than a regular relationship. There are other tamers of the same sex that bond together and stuff, and it isn’t romantically. I think it helps the boyfriend-girlfriend thing, but I’m not sure. The strangest part is how we became so close so fast,” I reply.

“Right on. Every girl at school has tried to score him, I’d watch my back if I were you,” the girl said.

I furrowed my brow as I look at her nametag. “Madison right? Why should I watch my back? Everyone here seems really nice?”

Putting her hand on her hip she leans in and lowers her voice. “We aren’t the only tamers at school. I’d say over half of the school is a tamer. I think my gift or whatever you want to call it; is to sense a tamer. If I go to the store with my mom, I can tell who one is and who isn’t. I can even sense if a baby is one of us. There is a group at school that actually wants to be a Dark One. They would be what some call gothic, but this group is serious. This one girl Beth is the leader. She is neither nice or liked.”

“Girls, you need to focus. Jessie, stop distracting people,” grandma says.

“We’ll talk when everyone leaves, if that’s okay with you,” I say to Madison.

“No sweat off me, but know the girl in the sundress…they are trying to recruit her. I’d be careful. I don’t know if she knows Otto or whatever his name is, but she isn’t to be trusted.”

“Thanks,” I say and mentally breathe. “I’m surprised there are so many. It’s a small town to have so much power.” I look up in time to see Grandma Gayle cross her arms and give me the stink eye. “Hey, I’ll talk to you in a few. I think we’re almost finished with the girls and then the guys have to try it.”

“No problem.”

Caleb, earth to Caleb. Did you know there are two hundred Light Tamers at the school? That’s ridiculous!

After the guys finished up with the exercise, grandma announced she wants everyone outside for one last test.

“I know it’s been a long night, and I’m glad you all came out. There are a lot of
Light Tamers
that aren’t here tonight, so I want you to share what you’ve learned tonight, with them. I want everyone to see Jessie on your way out and program your phone number in her cell phone. I’d like us all to meet again in three days. It’s very important that you stay away from the shadows. Everyone has done fine with being protected up to this point, but now you’re vulnerable. Flashlights people, flashlights! With that being said…everyone turn on your flashlight. Now, I want you to make a giant circle and hold hands. Share the holding of the flashlight with your partner, but make sure you are skin to skin. You’re old enough to figure it out. Those that around bound together don’t touch the other couple that is here,” she says taking a pause to sip on her water. “Gabe, will you please turn off the lights?” Grandma asked.

I don’t want to hold hands with the creepy guy that is standing on the other side of me. His hand feels like an ice-cube. Dude, ease up on the crunching of my bones
. I turn his direction and pretend I’m checking out the circle. I give him a quick smile, the kind you do when you get caught staring at someone…the no teeth smile. He takes it as a hint to embed the flashlight into my hand, I swear!
I’m going to bite this guy in two seconds if he doesn’t stop smashing the flashlight in my hand. Focus…what is she saying now? Dammit, she said something but I didn’t hear her.
Caleb leans in and whispers that we’re going to concentrate on turning on all of the lights.
You’re such a good boyfriend
.

“Remember that later,” he whispers.
Not fair
!

“Think about the light and how beautiful it is,” Gayle says. Nothing happens. “Only think about the light, clear your mind of everything else.” Nothing.

“Grandma, what if we all hold our hands palm side up. The way people do when they meditate, only we’re holding hands…softly,” I say.
Maybe dufus over here will realize he doesn’t have to squeeze my hand
. “Everyone, close your eyes and think about the lights being on.” It was no more than thirty seconds and I feel a rumble vibrating through my hands. I peek out to see the circle and I see other people peeking too. No one made a sound. The vibration radiates through me, chilling me to the core of my soul. It isn’t the same feeling I get when I touch Caleb, no it is more of a powerful feeling. In one giant swoosh, light flew from the palms of our hands and into the bulbs. Everyone lets out a surprised gasp, but we held our hands together.

“Now, I want you to concentrate on bringing the light back to your hands,” Gabe says.

Without any trouble the light made a giant arc as it connects us to the light, and then it was over.

“You can let go,” grandma said excitedly.

Everyone let out a sigh and then started laughing and high-fiving each other.

Amber bounces over to Caleb and I. “That was flippin’ awesome! Did you feel it? I felt like I could take on anyone. Amazing shit man,” Amber says and jumps up and down.

It seems as though the group works well together. I watch as everyone gathers up their stuff to leave and like obedient robots they put their number in my cell phone. The last straggler comes over and I notice its Madison.

“Do you have time for us to talk?” I ask her.

“Yeah, I have about 45 minutes before curfew.” Madison said. “Look, I can’t get caught talking to you, or life will be hell at school.”

Caleb took my hand in his and pulled me closer to him. I hear Amber sigh in disgust and I laugh a little.

“You might find it funny, but those girls will bring everyone down that gets in their way,” Madison says.

It takes me a second to realize what she’s talking about. “Oh, no, no, nothing like that. I snickered at Amber over here, sighing about Caleb holding my hand.”

Amber takes a strawberry Twizzler and chomps down on it. “You know, how do we know you’re not a spy?” She bites the other end off of the candy and attempts to look through it. “I mean, I’ve gone there a long time and you’ve always been quiet. Now, you’re in-the-know about the secret
Dark Ones
group.”

Madison rolls her eyes at Amber. “Right, I warn you in my secret plan of good versus evil. Whatever, believe what you want.”

“I’m just sayin’” Amber antagonized.

“Okay…both of you need to calm down. Madison, thank you for giving the heads up, it is always good to know who to watch.” Caleb said as Amber stormed away. He turns back to Madison. “Don’t worry about her, she’s upset about Otto. She really liked him and feels like a fool for trusting him.”

“No worries. Thanks for having me over. I’ll see you in a couple of days.”

~~~~~~~~~~

It feels a little awkward sleeping at my boyfriend’s house, I think to myself. My Hello Kitty pajamas, faded from years of wear are my go-to pj’s, when I want to remember the Bronx. Jersey has a matching pair, and when I would stay over at her house we’d wear them and watch hours of Charmed. The pinhole on the right knee reminds me of the night we decided to smoke a cigarette. It is probably the most disgusting thing I’ve ever tasted. I dropped it on my knee as I tried to hand it to Jersey. We laughed as we coughed up a lung. I brushed my teeth at least a hundred and one times to get the taste out of my mouth. Sadly it looks like New Bern is going to be a permanent thing and we’ll never get to hang out again.

I put on my white fuzzy flip flop slippers and go looking for Grandma Gayle
. I wish Caleb and I could run away, somewhere that only consists of the two of us. We could sleep on the beach and dance in the morning sun, drink lemonade and eat pb&j sandwiches.

My knees creak as I walk up the stairs. “Grandma, are you up here?” I whisper as I reach the top of the stairs.

“Come on in sweetie,” Grandma says. “You too worried to sleep?”

We sit down on the couch, the same couch that Caleb and I talked for the first time. The couch that I sat on and appreciated Caleb’s long legs. “I don’t know…I just want to be with you.” I say, as I lean over to rest my head on her shoulder. “Do you think I’m going to die? What would happen to Caleb if I were dead? He’d turn out like my dad and wither away to a shell of a man.”

Grandma pulls me in closer and assures me that everything will be okay. “Jessie, how do you know about your dad?”

My body tensed and I knew I was busted. “Okay, before you freak out…my dad came over. Not here…at your house. Do you know that he was once bonded with someone and she died? Do you know that he absorbed her light?” We spent the next thirty minutes going over what my dad said to me.

“That answers some of the questions I had about him. The coward should have told Tabitha, she would have helped any way she could.”

I shook my head no. “Grandma, we can’t tell her. I don’t want her in danger. Mrs. Ward said that she would be safer in the world of
Light Tamers
to be oblivious. Her lack of knowledge can keep her alive.”

Grandma Gayle lets out a big sigh before agreeing with me. “This is the beginning of a good life for you. Now look what you’ve done.”

“Huh?”

“You made me get all grandma-like with you. Don’t tell anyone, or my reputation as a cool hip woman will go out the door.”

I lifted my head and looked her in the eye. “Ms. Gayle, I think you’re about the hippest grandma in the world. I’m going to go on to bed. I’m sure Amber will keep me up for about another hour with her chatter.” I hug and kiss her good-night. “Beg-a-bug,” I say as I walk out of the door. When I was a little girl and she would say, “Don’t let the bed bugs bite.” I’d always reply, “Beg-a-bug.”

“Beg-a-bug and don’t let them bite your skinny little butt either. Tell Amber that you both need some rest.”

I giggle at her suggestion. I tip-toe down the stairs and just on the other side of the door is Caleb and his flashlight. “Hey there, whatcha doing sitting in the hallway?” I ask.

“Nice pajamas,” Caleb said. The look on his face caused my heart to skip a beat.

I look down at my faded sleepwear and realize that I’m naked underneath.
I knew I should have put on a bra before walking around the house.
To my horror it dawns on me that he can hear my thoughts. I look up and we lock eyes.

“Yeah, I heard you and don’t worry…I already noticed,” Caleb said without adverting his eyes.

One beat…two beats…

“Caleb?”

“Yes beautiful,” he replied.

“Will you walk me to my room and tuck me in bed?” I asked boldly.

“You don’t have to ask me twice,” he replied. He took my hand and we walked down the hall, hip to hip doing our version of walking like they did on Wizard of Oz.

The door opens up to a room full of candles. They were set on every flat surface and Amber is lying on the floor.