worry about him, he'll be fine." Uncle Tom said, with a slight smirk
on his face. "Fine with what?" I asked, holding the bottle of syrup. Dad shot uncle Tom one of his shut the hell up looks, which I was
very familiar with. "Ah nothing." Uncle Tom said still with his smirk
on his face.
"Hey Mia didn't you have plans for today with the girls or
something?" Dad asked, while trying to butter his pancake. I think
he really just wanted to change the subject. "Yeah, but I had
plans with Jon and that's not until later today." I said, grabbing the
butter from him. At that moment I thought about Nadia. Oh my
god, Nadia. I forgot about her; she's going to kill me when I see
her. I shook my head in disappointment.
I slowly picked up the bowl of egg's and gave some to dad
then passed it to uncle Tom who was staring at the food like he
hadn't eaten in days. "Gee girls if this tastes as good as it looks
and smell, I'm taking one of you home with me." Uncle Tom said
with a laugh. "Yeah, right over my one hand." Dad laughed back
while trying to hold up his arm that was tight in the sling.
After breakfast dad and uncle Tom went out on the front
porch. They talked for awhile then uncle Tom left; dad came in
and just sat on the couch. He didn't say a single word. "Dad." I
said walking into the living room. "Yeah." He answered. "What
happened last night?" I asked, still confused about what Mrs. Hawks said the night before. "Don't worry about it Mia,
everything's fine." He replied, leaning back into the couch.
"What do you mean don't worry about it. I came home to a
totally trashed house. Look around dad, in case you didn't notice
the pictures are all broken, the pillows on the love seat is torn,
there's knife marks running down the wall. Now what the hell
happened here last night? Lily was scared out of her mind and so
was I." I snapped, at his reluctance to tell me. He just sat there not
even looking at me.
"Like I said Mia; don't worry about it, and everything's fine."
He said, with a very stern look on his face. "Fine, don't tell me.
After all you didn't even take time to tell me that my mother would
be coming to my graduation; I don't know why I thought you would
tell me about last night anyway." I snapped, as I made my way
toward the stairs. I went to my bedroom and slammed the door
behind of me.
I sat on my bed with my eyes closed tightly feeling every bit of
anger that I had felt yesterday. I could feel the anger growing, and
growing, like a balloon; it felt like I was going to pop. I felt an
overwhelming feeling of frustration and confusion building as well.
It was that same energy that I felt yesterday when my mom and James showed up. I could feel the air in my room getting thick and
cold, as my body grew hot like I was burning up.
I felt the room suddenly begin to fill with a breeze just like it
did yesterday. My hair began to flutter around again like the fan
was switched on. I didn't open my eyes to see if the window was
still open, I was too upset. Pictures of yesterday started to play in
my head; as if someone was flipping through the pages of a
picture book; sending my emotions into a spiral.
I saw my mother laughing and hold James' hand. I saw her
long thick red hair, that made me look like her. The more I thought
about it the more the energy built, and as the energy built the wind
got stronger like the fan was on high. The air got colder and
thicker like I was sitting in a dense fog in the middle of the forest.
My body grew hotter, as if I had a fever.
I began to get a little scared, but the anger was way too
overwhelming. I could feel a slight shake beneath my bed, and yet
still I refused to open my eyes fearing what I might see. Then I
thought about Jon; his soft lips kissing mine; his warm hands
running over my arms; his tight hug that brought my body closer to
his. I didn't feel so angry anymore, and the energy began to
subside a little. I slowly opened my eyes as the wind in the room began to
disappear and the shaking underneath my bed stopped; and I
found my dad standing there in front of me, just staring at me.
"Mia, what are you doing?" He demanded angrily. "What?" I
snapped back. I looked around my room, and noticed that my
pillows were on the floor and the papers that sat on my desk had
been flown around my room. I looked at the window and noticed
that the window was completely shut and the lock was in place.
I jumped off the bed pulling my hair away from my face.
"Damn it." Dad said, still angry looking at my bed. I followed his
gaze onto my bed and saw that my chard bed sheets. "Dad?" I
said, even more confused and scared than I was before. "What's
going on?" I asked looking down at my sweaty palms. "Come with
me baby." He said calmly, as he took me by my hand. We went
down the steps where Lily stood quietly. "We'll be back." Dad said, as he hurried pass Lily. "Alright." She looked at us worriedly.
3 THE MEETING
Dad and I drove around for awhile in complete silence. We never spoke to each other either. I just sat quietly with my hands folded on my lap. I thought about Tucker and his quick exit this morning; I thought about what just happened in my bedroom. I felt confused and I desperately wanted answers; but from who. Who would have answers for me if my dad wouldn't tell me.
As we drove around town I wondered where my dad was
taking me. We drove for a bit longer and then I realized that we
were now headed towards uncle Tom's house. We pulled into his
long driveway, that led to a small brown log house; it was
surrounded with old dead bushes and tall grass. It was a house
that you would never know was there; it was in the middle of
nowhere. Surrounded by only forest, his only neighbors was
about 10 miles down the road, in either direction. We stopped just
short of a porch that was totally overgrown with weeds. Dad jumped out of the truck and disappeared around the back
of the house. I just sat there, wondering what was I doing here.
Shortly after dad and uncle Tom came to the corner of the house.
"Mia; come on, get out of the truck." Dad called out, as he waited
for me while talking with uncle Tom. I slowly got out of the truck,
still confused; still scared, not knowing what was going on with me
and why I was even here.
I slowly walked over to them. "Hi again." I said, looking at the
ground. "Hum... Well Mia looks like we all need to sit down hum?"
Uncle Tom laughed pointing to Tucker's truck that was parked in
the back yard. "Tucker?" I said, even more confused than I was
just a minute ago. "Dad; Mia." Tucker called out from inside the
house. "Yup, looks like we all need to sit down and talk a little."
Uncle Tom said, pulling up his baggy pants.
We all slowly walked over toward the back steps. I noticed
that there was a big fire burning in a large stoned pit way in the
back of the yard. There was huge logs placed around the pit, and
a small little hut not to far away from the pit. The back yard wasn't
as badly overgrown as the front, but it was still
full of high grass
and dead bushes everywhere. There were even a few busted old
cars piled in the corner. We stepped into his house and the smell of burning pine trees stunk up the entire house. I crinkled my nose
at the stench, and squeezed it tightly. "Sorry Mia; I know the smell
is a bit much, especially for a girl; but this is how I keep my place
warm." He said pointing to a small metal stove that sat in the
corner of the house. "I don't get much visitor's so I'm used to the
smell; besides why buy oil if I got wood right outside, right." He
laughed. "Um; yeah I guess." I replied still holding my nose.
Tucker sat at the end of a small old dusty couch. "Tuck, what
are you doing here?" I asked looking around. "Well, I guess I
could ask you the very same thing." He said with a smile.
“I'm not sure." I replied shrugging my shoulders.
I sat down slow so I wouldn't disturb the dust that was built up
on the old covers. Uncle Tom started in on his questions quick.
"Mia, let me ask you a question. Do you remember much about
when you were young? Like do you remember your
grandparents?" Uncle Tom asked with a serious look in his eyes.
He sat down on a small wooden stool beside his old iron stove.
"Yeah, I remember them, why wouldn't I?" I asked rather
annoyed with that question. "No, Mia do you remember what it
was like. Um, maybe things that they might have told you about
the Weeping Mountains perhaps?" He asked quickly. "Well I remember some stuff but not a lot. I remember that
they always told us stories about the mountains, I remember that
they always made us do obstacle courses and stuff. Um... I used
to walk in the forest a lot with grandma to pick berries and herbs.
Why?" I demanded, as I began to get very suspicious. "Some of
the stuff they told us well, some of it was real." Tucker said softly.
"What? They told us stories Tucker." I said, as I turned to look at
him. "No Mia they weren't just stories well not everything." He
insisted.
"Mia, what happened today in your room?" Uncle Tom asked
now sitting at the edge of his old small wooden stool. "Tell him
Mia; tell him the truth." Dad said softly as he tried to encourage
me. "Well I really don't know what happened. All I know is; is that I
was think about what happened last night and yesterday and I got
really angry because dad wouldn't tell me anything ; he just left me
in the dark and I; I don't know. The next thing I knew dad came to
my room, yelled at me and here we are." I blurted out angrily.
"Tom she's experiencing some of the signs of the change, but
this is too soon." Dad said leaning over to uncle Tom. "What
changes?" I demanded, cutting them both off. "Like this." Tucker
said, as he squeezed his hand into a fist and a short swirl of wind formed right above it; like I could actually see the air rotating
around his fist like a energy force field of some sort. I jumped back
fast freaked out at the very sight.
"What the hell." I said loudly. "Mia, what do you really r
remember about your mom?" Uncle Tom continued with his stupid
questions, while he and dad totally ignored what just took place. I
looked at dad and uncle Tom very confused; I know they just saw
that. I could feel the frustration building up in me. I think they could
sense it because uncle Tom sat back in his chair. "Alright, ok." He
said. He and dad got up and walked outside, leaving me and
Tucker there in the small smelly living room.
"Tuck, what the hell was that?" I demanded. "Mia; you
wouldn't believe me if I told you." He replied looking down at his
hands. "What?" I said. "Yeah, last night something happened
when I got to the hospital and luckily uncle Tom was with me. He
told me that it could have ended up a whole lot worse if he wasn't."
He said, still looking at his hands.
"Tell me Tucker, why won't anyone tell me anything." I
demanded. I could feel the frustration still growing, then it started
to turn to anger. I could feel that energy again, the burning in my
veins; the tick cold air growing around me. "Mia, you have to relax." He said, with both hands on my shoulders.
" But; but I can't relax Tucker; I'm trying." I said, as I felt the
energy building even more. "Dad." Tucker called out. "Ah shit." I
heard uncle Tom say as he ran into the living room. "Hey." He
said, slapping me across my face; as if to snap me out of it. But he
shouldn't have done that.
My blood pumped harder through my veins, my body began
to burn again like I had a fever that kept getting higher. The air in
the room grew thicker and thicker, until there was a dense cloud of
fog in room blocking the sight of the old dusty floor; I could barely
see in front of me. Sudden gusts of wind began to blow throughout
the house; a wind so strong it felt like it was gonna topple the
house over. Suddenly the entire house began to shake.
I felt my heart beating faster and faster until finally uncle Tom
was caught by the wind let go of my shoulders as he flew across
the room. Dad tried to grab hold my hands; that were tightly
closed into fists; but he flew across the room too. Tucker took
cover behind the old couch. "Dad, what's happening?" I said,
afraid of what was going on; afraid of the feeling that had
overcome me. "Mia, baby you need to relax." Dad yelled out.
"Dad; I can't; I'm trying." I called out reaching my hands out for him; I suddenly began to float up from the couch.
Gusts of wind swirled beneath me, as I got closer to the
ceiling of the house. I felt my head shoot straight up toward the
roof; it was like someone grabbed my head and held it facing
heat flowed out of my mouth. "Grab her before she burns this
house down." I heard uncle Tom scream out.
In one full motion Tucker jumped off the floor and he speared me
to the ground. I didn't know what was happening, it felt like all the
air in my body was gone. It felt like I was floating in complete
darkness, listening to the sounds of everything around me.
"David, I'm gonna call the counsel together. You stay here
and make sure she doesn't burn down my house." He said,
nervously. "Tucker sit with your sister." Dad said, as he went
digging around the kitchen, looking for a phone. "Dad, is she
gonna be alright." Tucker asked rubbing my hair softly and slow.
"She really hot. He said, as he lightly touched my forehead with
his hand. I could tell he was worried just by the sound of his voice.
"Don't worry son, she'll be fine." Dad replied still digging and
looking around for the phone. "So, this is why mom's here huh?" Tucker said softly. "She's
here for you Mia." He whispered into my ears. "Yeah, and now
that your sisters getting her power; sooner than I thought she
would, I think she timed it perfectly. She knew that her being here
would start the change." Dad said very angrily. "So what now?"
Tucker asked. "Now we wait for the elder counsel Tuck, that's all
we can do." Dad replied, as he pulled the phone co
rd out of the
bundle of newspapers that went flying around the house.
"Hi, Lily.”
“Yeah, it's me David.”
“Me and the kids are fine, but we may have to spend the night over at Tom's.”
“Yeah. I'll explain later; I promise.”
“You gonna be ok.”
“Alright, we'll see you in the morning.”
“I love you too." Dad said, as he spoke on the phone.
"David." Uncle Tom called out from outside. "Yeah; did you
get a hold of them?" Dad asked. "Um, they already knew, and
they're already here." He said, stepping slowly back inside the
house. "Bring her to the hut." He said, pointing to the little old
shack out back. Dad and Tucker both carried me out the back door, pass the
old pile of junked cars and across the large yard into the small old
hut that sat near the large fire pit. Tucker found some old fur's that
uncle Tom collected over the years and he rolled them into a
pillow. They laid me down on a small wooden bench covered in
animal fur. I'm not sure how long I laid there, or what was going on
while I laid there.
For me it was just darkness, and sounds. I tried to open my
eyes and talk; but no matter what I did, I couldn't and I didn't
understand why. I could hear some voices while I floated in the
darkness, but I didn't know who they belonged to. I could smell
smoke; like there was a fire burning and it made my nose burn a
little. I could hear someone talking just above me; but the voice
belonged to someone I didn't know.
I could feel the soft plush fur beneath me but I was afraid to
try to open my eyes. What happened to me? Why was this
happening to me? What was gonna happen to me? I was so
confused and scared. I peeked with one eye to get a glimpse of
where I was. I was in a small room that reeked of fire, ashes, and
saw dust. There were old dusty mounted heads on the walls, with
animal fur hanging beneath them. Was I dead? Was this going to be my hell, surrounded by dead animals? I thought to myself;
terrified of what could be happening.
Suddenly the door opened. I quickly closed my eye so that
whoever was didn't know that I was awake. I felt a warm hand on
my forehead. "Oh good, you're cooler now." The voice said. This
voice I knew.
"Tucker." I said, in a very dry hoarse voice, as I slowly opened