The Seer (Book Two)

Chapter One

Blue

I have to focus. I have to find her. I have to help her. The words beat through my head in rhythm with the slap of my shoes pounding over the pavement as I race back to my car. My throat and lungs burn from dragging in gulps of cold night air. Getting in, I slam the door and grip the steering wheel trying to stop the violent trembling wracking my body.

A sense of urgency fills me as I pull onto the road and flip a U-Turn. Hunching forward, my eyes dart back and forth through the smoky grayness and thicket of trees hoping for a glimpse of her. My headlights pierce the dark as I try in vain to find the trail of her footprints, a flash of pink from her torn, soaked shirt, or, God forbid, her lying face down in the dirt.

But there’s no sign of Mandy anywhere. She never reappears, but I can’t figure out where she went. It’s not as if I imagined her or our entire conversation.

My mind races with the possibilities. Maybe she ran off. Or maybe she went back to the marina. She could have met up with her friends or her boyfriend when my back was turned and I was further down the road from her. But wouldn’t I have noticed or heard them?

Trying to fight off a panic attack, I keep reassuring myself that Mandy is fine and made it to safety. But a nauseating pit has settled deep in my belly. I have a horrible feeling she’s not fine at all. But, what happened to her? Where did she go? Why were her shoes missing? And what was she running from?

When I’ve exhausted every option and have driven up and down the road countless times, I give up and decide I have no choice but to head home. Mandy isn’t out here. And my parents are going to be worried sick. I’m surprised Mom hasn’t blown up my phone with frantic calls and messages.

Since our town is small it doesn’t take long to get to my court, and a few tense minutes later, I pull into the driveway. Panic still has its clammy grip on me and I don’t have the self-control to restrain my fear. When I fling the back door open, both my parents turn, their eyes wide at my abrupt entrance. I’m already anticipating Mom’s frantic questions. She doesn’t disappoint me. Her cell phone is in her hand. She must’ve been about to call me.

“There you are.” Setting her phone on the counter, she rushes toward me, her eyes scouring my face and clothes to make sure I’m not hurt. “Are you alright? What took you so long?”

“I’m fine. But there was this girl from school...” Beginning to hyperventilate, I bend over, bracing my hands on my thighs as I try to calm down. My heart is thrumming in my ears and a sticky sheen of sweat coats my skin. The kitchen is dead silent as my parents wait for me to fill them in. You could hear a pin drop. The only sound is my ragged breathing. “She ran out from the trees and in front of my car.”

Color draining, Mom’s hand flies to her mouth. She looks as if she’s about to faint. “Oh no, Juliet. Did you hit her?”

A little more steady, I straighten, leaning against the counter for support. “No. I swerved just in time.” I watch as Mom’s shoulders sag with relief. “But, when I got out to check on her, I noticed she was soaking wet. I think she came from the marina. She couldn’t find her shoes so I was trying to help her.”

“Her shoes?” Dad repeats. The microwave beeps, the sound an intrusive interruption in the middle of our conversation. He pulls the plate of lasagna out and sits at the table.

“Yeah. She was barefoot for some reason. When I asked her what happened she said she couldn’t remember.” My words are fast and manic as I chase the hysteria. “I searched everywhere for them and she was following me. But I couldn’t find them and when I turned around, she had vanished.”

Fork halfway to his lips, Dad looks up. “What do you mean she vanished?”

Unable to make sense of it, I helplessly shrug. “One minute she was there and the next she wasn’t.” My legs are quivering and feel as if they could buckle and give out beneath me. I’m on the verge of tears. “I don’t know where she went.”

“Well, maybe she found her way back to the marina,” he offers, his voice low and even. I’ve heard the tone before when he’s trying to keep me from spiraling.

“I hope so.” I wring my hands together. They are freezing; the tips of my fingers are tingling and numb. “I even drove up and down the road a bunch of times, but couldn’t find her.”

“Do you think someone picked her up?” Mom asks.

“I wondered that too, but no one was out there but us.”

“That’s very strange,” Mom says, shaking her head. She’s just as baffled as me. “You said she was soaking wet?”

“Yeah. And she had a cut on her leg.” I wince as the garish image of her blood flashes across my vision. “It looked bad.”

Mom presses her lips together as she thinks through the possibilities. “Does she live nearby?”

“I don’t know. I’m not really friends with her.”

“She probably was at a party and was drinking and things got out of hand.” Dad’s tone is dismissive and unconcerned as he continues eating. “You know how teenagers are. And if there was a problem the police would’ve shown up.”

Glancing at him, I cling to his words. His suggestion sounds logical, even reasonable. There were no sirens. No flashing lights or cop cars. Which means there was no crime to investigate. And that group does like to party. It’s why I steer clear of them. I’ve heard rumors about her boyfriend, Caleb, and how easily he can fly off the handle. His reputation for getting drunk and going too far is well known and he has gotten in more than a few altercations. His dad is the judge in town so I think he gets away with a lot more than he should.

Is that what happened? Did Mandy and Caleb get into an argument and she left the marina and went home? I desperately want to think I’m overreacting and her disappearance is tied to typical juvenile behavior. But I can’t shake the awful feeling that something is very wrong.

“I’m going to let Beth know and hopefully her cousin, Lucas, can check it out.”

“That’s a good idea. Oh, honey, you’re shivering.” Mom rubs her hands up and down my arms trying to create friction and heat. I’m not sure why people think that helps. “Why don’t you go and change into some warmer clothes? There’s leftovers in the fridge if you’re hungry.”

I’m too stressed and anxious to eat. At a loss of what else to do, I trudge down the hall to my room. My sisters are cuddled up on the couch with a blanket watching a movie. Neither of them pays any attention to me. I think my parents are letting them zone out after such a long and emotionally exhausting day.

Closing my door, I lean back against it as the wall of silence washes over me. I’m glad to finally be alone. I need to block out the noise in my head. Every muscle in my body is sore as I peel off my funeral clothes and change into sweatpants. I feel as if I’ve run for miles. I’m too tired to stand or think.

Needing comfort and warmth, I put on Jesse’s sweatshirt. His smell lingers on the thick material, offering a small reassurance. Climbing into bed, I bring my knees up to my chest, curling into a ball. I can’t stop shaking. Max lays next to me, his yellow eyes glinting and watchful of my every move.

Desperate for help, I send Beth a message letting her know what happened and ask if she can have Lucas patrol the area where I last saw Mandy. I consider messaging Jesse about it since he is friends with that crowd, but don’t want to burden him with it. He just buried his mother. He has more important things he’s dealing with.

Out of habit, I look towards the corner where Jacob normally stood. Even though I know he’s crossed over, I still expect to see him and a deep ache fills my chest as I stare at the empty space. My only solace is he is with his wife and at last resting in peace.

While I wait for Beth to respond, I close my eyes and focus on trying to slow my racing, churning thoughts. As the adrenaline begins to fade, exhaustion overtakes me, making my limbs sluggish and I sink deeper into the pillow and mattress.

I must have fallen asleep because I am jolted awake by my cell buzzing next to my ear. Picking up my phone, I squint at the screen to see what time it is. My room is dark and I wonder who turned my light off.

Through bleary, groggy eyes, I see it’s 2:36 in the morning which surprises me. I thought I was only out for a few minutes. Hope bursts through me that it might be Beth letting me know they found Mandy. Propping myself on my elbow, I frown when I notice the caller ID reads an unknown number.

Less than a minute later, a voicemail pops up. Who would be calling me in the middle of the night? Pressing play, I lift the phone to my ear but all I hear on the other end is a few rough, scraping seconds of static. I can’t make out any words or voices. And then the call goes dead and the connection drops.

That’s weird, I think. They probably called me by mistake. Scrolling, I search through my texts but there’s no message from Beth. Maybe that’s a positive thing. No news is good news. Still drowsy, I yawn as I lay my head down and fall back to sleep with my phone clutched in my hand.

The nightmare sneaks up without warning as if it was lurking and waiting for just the right moment to jump out and attack. I find myself back on the deserted road, searching through the mist trying to find Mandy. Her wet footprints lead me on a weaving, confusing path that spins me in circles. I keep ending up where I started. Frustrated and frightened, I shout her name into the soundless night, my voice echoing and fading as the looming fog swallows up everything around me.

And then I see her up ahead, where the dirt lane curves to the left and leads to the marina. She’s standing on the dock, drenched and bleeding, and pleading with me to help her. Heart pounding, I run towards her, but my legs feel as if I am moving through quicksand. The dock sways and rocks, creaking from the force and weight of my feet. What if I can’t make it in time?

She’s barely an inch away from me and I reach out, my fingertips skimming hers, and I almost get a hold of her outstretched hand. But, before I can, she loses her balance, toppling backward into the marina, sinking and disappearing under the surface.

“No!” Screaming, I fall to my knees and scramble forward, splinters digging into my palms and through my clothes, as I lean over the edge and desperately call out for her. But she never comes back up.

Her name is still on my lips as I start to become aware of a piercing ray of light streaming through my closed lids. Still locked in the nightmare, I at first think it’s the fog horn or light from a boat coming to our aid. Groaning, I throw my hand over my eyes to block the blinding, intrusive glare.

When the beam doesn’t fade, I peek through the slats of my fingers and discover I’m not outside. I’m home. In my bed. And it’s morning. Sitting up, I look around and realize the room is full of dazzling, brilliant sunlight.

Throwing off the covers, I open the blinds and stare in astonished wonder at the view just beyond my window. The fog has cleared and the sky is the most intense and vivid shade of blue I’ve ever seen. Birds are joyfully chirping and singing as if celebrating that the sorrowful mist has lifted and the world has finally returned to normal.

But then the dream and disturbing events from the night before come flooding back, hitting me with a sharp, winded thud. What does it mean? Was the nightmare a premonition of what happened to her? Is it literal? Or am I simply processing my anxiety about it? My skin is damp, causing my clothes to cling to my body.

Picking up my phone, my confusion builds when I see there’s still no message from Beth. Why won’t anyone tell me anything? That odd voicemail is sitting in my inbox and I play it again trying to see if I can pick up any clue of who the unknown caller was. But all I hear is white noise.

A grumbling gurgles in my stomach and I realize I’m starving. I didn’t eat anything yesterday at the funeral and fell asleep before eating dinner. Opening my door, I go down the hall to the kitchen, my slippers shuffling over the hardwood. Morning sunlight pours in through every window, creating a golden sheen on the walls and floors. The entire house seems to be glowing from within.

Mom looks up from where she’s sitting at the table drinking coffee while she reads the newspaper. My sisters aren’t awake yet which is a relief. Lizzie creates chaos and aggravation simply by being her. “Good morning, sweetheart. How did you sleep?”

How do I answer that? Unsure where to start, I offer a shrug and an intelligible response. She doesn’t seem to notice. Turning on the burner under the tea kettle, the flame clicks and sparks to life. While I wait for the water to boil, I grab my favorite mug from the cupboard and a packet of Earl Gray.

“You were out cold when I came to check on you. Yesterday was very draining for all of us.” She sips her coffee, holding the mug in both hands as she looks out the window. “It’s beautiful outside. I guess you were right about the fog clearing after the funeral.”

The sunlight is so bright it hurts my eyes. After days of depressing gloom and gray, it’s a refreshing sight. But I can’t shake the feeling of dread hanging like a crouching shadow over my shoulders. Beauty can hide terrible things. “It’s going to be like this for a while. Cold, but sunny.”

“That’s nice to hear.” She casually turns the page and keeps reading. She doesn’t ask how I know and I wonder if this is how it will be now. My abilities are accepted as part of normal everyday conversation.

The high, shrill whistle from the kettle startles me and I turn to pour the steaming water into my mug. Turning off the heat, I carry my tea and sit down across from Mom. She had set out cereal and bowls and I selected the honey nut cheerios and began to eat while waiting for the tea to cool.

“Is there anything in the paper about Mandy?” I ask. My mouth is full but she doesn’t chastise me about it.

Mom flips through the pages, scanning the articles and advertisements. “No. Nothing. It probably was just a lover’s quarrel. Did you hear anything from Beth?”

I shake my head. “No, which I’m hoping is good news.”

“I hope so too. Did you have any dreams about her?”

Before I can answer, a knock on the back door makes me jump. Mom gets up to check who it is. Light radiates and pours in from outside as she opens the door, along with a draft of brisk November air. “Oh good morning, Jesse.”

I peek around Mom and spot him holding the steel pot I had taken over last week. “My dad asked me to return this and say thanks for the chicken soup. It was really good.”

Mom takes it from him. “You’re welcome, honey.” Her tone is tinted with sympathy. I think that is how everyone will greet and respond to him now. With head tilts and pity. “Juliet is up.” She steps to the side so he can see me at the table behind her. “Would you like to talk with her?”

His eyes lock with mine, making me momentarily go still. Sunlight streams over him giving him an angelic, ethereal aura. “Sure.”

Pushing my chair back, I walk towards him. He’s wearing jeans and a black sweatshirt. I’m still in sweats from the night before and my hair isn’t brushed but he doesn’t seem to mind. I step outside, closing the door behind me to give us some privacy. Glorious blue morning light bounces off the pavement and I squint as my eyes adjust to the glare. The winter chill seeps around us. Frost glistens on branches and blades of grass, making the air seem as if it is crystallized and sparkling.

“How are you doing?” I ask him, my breath fluttering out with my words.

“As good as I can be I guess.” He kicks at the asphalt with the toe of his shoe. “But something cool happened that I wanted to tell you about.”

I’m instantly on alert. Is it about Mandy? Has he heard something? “What is it?”

“My dad said he woke up last night and saw my mom standing by that window.” He points up to the one in their bedroom. “He told me she smiled at him and said she loved him. He told me about it when I woke up this morning and I came clean about what happened at the cemetery. He totally listened and didn’t deny it or tell me I was imagining it or anything.”

“Does he believe you now?”

“After what he experienced last night, I think so. He said he’s been seeing her the last few days, but just didn’t understand what was going on. At first he thought it was because he was missing her so much, but then this morning he told me he knows she’s really around us.”

“That’s so great.”

“Do you think she’ll be here for a while?”

I hear the tender, fragile hope in his voice. He still needs her and is too young to have to live so long without her. Wanting to ease his pain, I nod. “I feel like she will be. She’s going to continue watching over you.”

“I hope she does.” The creases and ravages of grief soften from around his eyes. “It doesn’t make losing her easier, but knowing she’s still close helps.” His mouth falls open as he looks up. He seems awestruck by the vast, endless sea of sapphire above us. “This weather is crazy. I don’t think I’ve ever seen the sky this blue before. The fog is completely gone.”

“I know.” I can’t concentrate. I have to find out if he knows what happened last night. “Hey, did you hear anything about Mandy Burnett?”

“No.” Turning away from the sun, he frowns. “Why would I?”

Trying to ward off the biting cold, I tuck my hands into the pocket of my sweatshirt. “When I was driving home last night, she ran out in front of my car. I almost hit her.”

Startled, his shoulders jerk as he stares at me in shock. “Seriously? What happened to her?”

“I don’t know. She was soaking wet and had no shoes on. I think she came from the marina. I was trying to help her find them but then she vanished. I was wondering if you knew anything?”

He rocks back and forth on his heels. I think he’s trying to keep warm. “I do know that Caleb’s dad has a boat and that Caleb parties on it. A bunch of kids from school go out on the water with him. He’s invited me a couple of times. It can get pretty wild, especially since Caleb likes to drink.”

His words don’t make me feel better. “No one has messaged you about it?”

“No, but I haven’t been around them for a bit. Maybe he and Mandy got in a fight and she left.”

“But, why was she soaking wet? And she had a huge gash on her leg.”

“I don’t know. Maybe she fell or something.”

I wince as the traumatic image of her disappearing under the water comes rushing back to me. “I just hope she made it back safely. She looked really scared and confused.”

“I’m sure she’s fine. She was probably drunk. It’s high school. Stuff like that happens all the time around here.”

“Yeah. I guess.” But I’m not convinced. People don’t just vanish for no reason. “Are you going back to school tomorrow?”

“Yeah,” he answers, not seeming thrilled. “I have to face real life eventually. My dad thinks it will be good for me to get back to doing normal things. Whatever that is.” He laughs, but there’s no humor in the sound. His life is now permanently stained and scarred by grief. Nothing is ordinary anymore. “But at least I know my mom is still around. I even dreamt about her last night.” He flashes me a smile and it’s even more devastating since it’s his first real one in weeks. My heart flips over in my chest. “I’m turning into you.”

I force a smile in return. I hope he isn’t. I wouldn’t want him to experience the terrifying things I see. He’s suffered enough. He still is.

The blue sky shimmers out of focus as he leans in and brushes his mouth over mine. Even with my eyes closed I can sense the brightness penetrating through.

“Nice sweatshirt,” he murmurs as he breaks the kiss. It’s nice to see him acting a little more like his old self. He still has a long way to go but the Jesse I know is beginning to glimmer through.

A blush creeps into my cheeks as I look down. The sweatshirt is much too big, the hem falling over my thighs, but I don’t care. It’s his and that’s all that matters. “Do you want it back?”

He shakes his head, causing his hair to tumble over his brow, giving him a cool, tousled look that is irresistible. Reaching over, he gives the hood ties a teasing tug. “Nope.”

The way he’s watching me makes butterflies swarm in my stomach and my thoughts scatter. “Good, because it’s my favorite.”

“It looks way better on you anyway.” He tugs me towards him for another kiss and I wonder if he’s making up for lost time. “I should go. My aunt Joni is cooking breakfast. She’s staying with us for a few more days.”

His face is close, his breath warm. It’s dizzying. “Okay. Will you let me know if you hear something about Mandy?”

“Yeah, I will.” Noticing my worried expression, he tries to soothe my fears. “I’m sure she’s fine, Jules. She and Caleb are always fighting and then the next day they make up. Sometimes I think they like it.” Keeping his eyes on me, he walks backward toward his house. “Glad to see your neck is better. You can’t even see the bruises anymore.”

Flustered, I instinctively cover my neck. I had forgotten all about the fingerprints the widow left on me. “Yeah,” I manage on a shaky exhale. “They’ve finally healed.” How did my life get so scary and strange?

“I’ll call you later.” He gives me one last wave, the latch clicking into place as the gate shuts behind him.

Left alone, I wonder why I’m the only one worried about Mandy. I can’t bear to ask the question of what happens to her if one of the fights with her boyfriend goes too far.

Turning away from the daylight, I go inside and head to my room. My sisters are up and I don’t feel like talking. I need to check my phone and see if I have a message from Beth. When I pick it up, my heart leaps when I see the preview screen. She responded. But as I read her text, disappointment replaces my hope, and feeling deflated, I sink to the edge of the bed. Apparently, Lucas went out to check and patrolled the area a few times, but never found Mandy. Or her shoes.

Why can’t anyone find her? Is it because there’s nothing to find or because she isn’t in the place they are searching? Still clutching my phone, I stare dully out the window. The sky may be the clearest, most breathtaking blue I’ve ever seen but there’s a sinister darkness creeping in, hissing and slithering along the edges of the horizon that I’m worried no one will notice until it’s too late.

And I can’t shake the disturbing memory of my nightmare. All I can see is Mandy slipping from my grasp as she disappears underneath the surface of the water, her lips turning bluer by the second as she slowly runs out of air.