Chapter 4 #2
For no reason, Beretta gets up from where she’s laying next to me on the sofa, jarring me with her sudden movement.
My head swims slightly, but I’m able to focus when I notice her stalking towards the windows facing the woods.
All the hair on her back has risen, and a deep growl fills the room. Hearing that makes us both sit up.
“Beretta, what’s wrong, baby?”
Beretta, who usually never has to be called more than once, doesn’t waiver from her spot by the window, and her growl becomes louder.
My sense of alarm grows. I have never heard a growl like that come out of my docile, easygoing dog.
Yes, she would bark and growl when she thought I needed protection, but she is straight up snarling, and that scares the shit out of me. I look at Megan who is equally alarmed.
“Does she ever growl like that?”
I shake my head, not taking my eyes off my dog as I ease up from the sofa and walk over towards her.
I try to look out the window to see if I can find what she’s so bent out of shape about.
I’m almost to the window when Beretta moves in front of me in a protective stance, her growling turning into vicious barking right before she lunges at the window.
I back away quickly, going to stand next to Megan, who’s reaching for the phone, “Are you gonna call the cops? Cause I’m seriously freaking out. She has never done this.”
As Megan starts dialing, Beretta suddenly stops. She gives one last bark and walks back over to us wagging her tail like nothing had happened. Megan and I look at each other, completely baffled.
“I have no idea what just happened,” I tell Megan, before plopping back down on the sofa. “I’m too drunk for this,” I mutter with a groan.
Megan sits down next to me.
“No shit, that scared the crap out of me…and I think my buzz has been officially ruined.”
Beretta climbs back onto the sofa next to me. I drape my arm around her neck and hug her to me tightly.
“Beretta, you are going to give me gray hair.”
As if to answer me, Beretta licks me on the cheek. Megan reaches out to scratch Beretta on the head.
“You’re such a crazy girl, Beretta.I think I’m gonna be creeped out for the rest of the night now.”
I sigh, “I’m pretty sure this is my week to be creeped out.”
“Is that why I kept getting desperate sounding texts from you?”
“Yes! I have told you about the creepy math teacher right?”
She laughs and nods.
“Ok, so I have come to the conclusion that it was an incredibly bad idea to be nice to him.”
Megan raises an eyebrow at me.
“No, I’m serious. Cause now he seems to think we are meant to be together, and he has gone full creeper mode on me.”
“Creeper mode? Are you being overly dramatic?”
“No, I’m not being overly dramatic, Megan. He actually came up to me, asked me out, and when I told him I was going away for the weekend, he asked to come…and that isn’t even the weirdest thing that’s happened…it just keeps getting weirder and weirder.”
Her mouth gapes in horror. “What? He seriously asked to come with you?”
“Yes! I can’t make this shit up. And he wouldn’t take no for an answer, so I had to lie and say I was seeing someone and that is who I was going away with. You know how much I hate lying; he drove me to do it.”
Megan snorts. “I realized you had bad luck with men…but this is kinda ridiculous.”
“Don’t laugh! This is not funny because he didn’t stop there.
Megan, he fucking came out to my car when I was leaving today and tried to make a last ditch effort to change my mind about this weekend.
Like I was being the unreasonable one! I finally had to get mean.
I don’t know what changed in the last few weeks.
I’ve wracked my brain but literally can’t think of anything.
I’m taking crazy routes to my classroom just to avoid any contact with him, and that didn’t even work.
I’ve been hiding in Cory’s room during my conference period so I’m not alone.
And now that I’m saying this out loud I realize just how fucking crazy this situation is. ”
“Hmmmmm, I don’t know. That is crazy, have you reported him at work?”
“No, I haven’t…I should, shouldn’t I?”
“Kinley, of course you should. That is harassment.”
“I hate confrontation! Why can’t I just go to work and have a satisfying day teaching teenagers that science can be cool…when all they really want to study is the opposite sex and how to get more followers on their social media?”
Megan puts her arm around me.
“I don’t know lady…but seriously if he keeps doing that, you need to report him.
But for now let’s finish this bottle of wine and see if I have anything stronger in the kitchen, cause we need to get our buzz back on.
Tomorrow we go on a man hunt, cause you, my dear, need a real man, and I’m going to help you find one. You will be my new project.”
I sit up suddenly, remembering the four men that I ran into at the gas station.
“Oh my god! Megan, I almost forgot! I came in contact with the absolute man of my every sexual and romance infused fantasy!”
“Now this sounds promising, do tell me more.”
I lean over and pour the rest of the wine into our glasses and hand Megan hers.
“Ok, so I stopped for gas, feeling a little down, when this drunk guy leans up against my car and starts hitting on me with cheesy pick up lines. I’m thinking my day has just gotten worse, when Beretta barks at him from the back seat of my car, startling him and making him fall on his ass.”
“I hope this wasn’t the man of your dreams…”
I wave my hands at her.
“No, let me finish! So I guess this guy had just gotten dumped by his girlfriend and got into the booze, or at least that was what the gorgeous man said. Megan, there wasn’t one gorgeous man but four of them, including the drunk one.
I was in heaven! So I didn’t get the names of the other guys, but the really hot one’s name is Donovan. ”
I sigh just thinking about the feelings that man stirred in me, making Megan crack up.
“Did you really just sigh? Good lord, girl, you need to get laid.”
I smack her playfully. “Shut up, don’t ruin my fantasy!
Besides I’m not done with my story; so I was talking to him, trying not to drool—Don’t roll your eyes at me, he was definitely drool worthy.
Beretta butted in again, so I let her out and he thought she was beautiful, which she is.
” I leaned over to give Beretta a kiss on her head.
“Beretta adored him. She must get her taste in men from me. Anyways, we had a nice little chat, and I found out that he and his friends are actually in this area for a guy trip. So if we are gonna hunt for a man for me…can we just go hunting for him? Because that man could make all my dreams come true. Well, for sure all my sexual ones.”
Megan shakes her head at me in amused disbelief. “You’re too funny. And I will try my best to deliver this Donovan man to you on a silver platter.”
I can’t help the giddy grin that spreads across my face as I drink the rest of my wine.
We spend the rest of the night talking and drinking a stray bottle of wine that Megan happened to find in the pantry.
When we run out of things to talk about, mostly due to the fact that our level of drunkenness supersedes our ability to form sentences, we drag ourselves off to bed.
Even with my level of intoxication, heavy images are still able to wrack my sleeping mind. The scenes that pass through my mind don’t feel like made up dreams; they feel like memories. Memories I should not have forgotten.
“Come, my dear. Let’s get you to the altar.”
The crone gestures for me to lead the way, and as I move towards it, the crowd parts.
The altar is breathtaking—filled with greenery, wild flowers, crystals, and candles.
In awe, I can’t help but want to weep and smile at the same time.
I didn’t want this, and I did not believe in it.
Except at this moment, I can’t help but feel that maybe I need to be here.
Perhaps this was part of my pathway in life.
I take my place in the center of a half circle of crystals, innately knowing where I need to be. The crone comes up right next to me.
“We all gather here today to welcome the Chosen; may her path be true and her heart be brave. May this be but the first step in her journey to restore The Maiden.”
People are clapping and cheering. A sense of inadequacy washes over me. A beautiful elderly woman steps up to my side, gently patting my hand and clasping it with hers.
“Let us celebrate this new era for our clan. Let us cleanse our souls of negativity, and embrace the change.”
The woman continues, never letting go of my hand. Her palm is so warm, and it grounds me like only a kind soul can do.
“We have been blessed with a Chosen. Only some of you know the true meaning of this. When the Goddess blessed us with a Maiden, Mother, and Crone, our Clan was strong, and the magic was balanced. Long have we waited for the fates to align. May the spirits follow the song of the Chosen into our souls and bring our Clan back to greatness. Come, let us embrace the touch of our Chosen, for only she may act as the conduit of our once great magic. Only she may instill the gift if you are found worthy.”
I can barely breathe, for as the woman finishes her speech I feel the stirrings of something powerful deep within me.
A power unlike anything I have ever experienced before bubbles up.
A breeze gently brushes my cheek. An ache in my chest builds as if I long for something I have been waiting for.
A whisper on that gentle breeze I’m not able to identify, but the feeling of longing intensifies as a single tear slides down my cheek.
The candles flicker, and the crystals glow faintly now that the magic is stirring. But how? How is this all even happening? And why does it feel so right? The elderly woman squeezes my hand, bringing my attention back to her, and her voice fills in my mind.
Don’t be afraid. Let it happen. Your magic is ripening and will release as long as you don’t fight your body. They will all come forward for the blessing touch. All you are expected to do is hold out your hand; be the conduit our people need. You were born for this; embrace your destiny.
She drops my hand and steps away from me, but surprisingly, I don’t feel alone. I finally feel a sense of peace, a sense of belonging; maybe I can do this.
People quietly approach me, and as if my body has a mind of its own, my hand reaches out for them, and a song of power makes its way from deep within me.
I’m not a musical person; I have never sang a day in my life, but this song that builds within me feels like the most natural thing in the world.
It begins as a hum and gradually builds until it bursts from my mouth.
I don’t understand the words that come forth, but the power and joy weave into each note, and I know that the words are true.
One by one, the people in my clan touch my hand reverently.
Gone is the negativity from earlier; all of it is pushed away by the power building inside me, reaching out to each and every one of them as the song continues.
I don’t see their faces as they brush their hands with mine; I only see the colors of their souls and how they grow brighter once they touch me. I don’t understand this power, but I revel in it. They are all so beautiful as my song merges with them; it’s all so beautiful.
Until it isn’t.
My song halts abruptly as an excruciating pain erupts from my stomach.
“Mmmmmmmm, your pain is so delicious. I can’t wait to soak up every last drop in person, my sweet Chosen,” a voice so hauntingly malicious growls in my ear.
My body begins to sink, but strong arms band around me.
The male’s voice holds so many dark promises that I don’t want any part of. I have to get away.
“Noooo, please don’t hurt me.”
“Ah, your begging is almost as sweet. Beg me. Beg me to be merciful. Beg me, and I just might forgive all your past betrayals.”
A sob chokes out of me. I don’t know what he wants me to beg for. I haven’t betrayed anyone. I can’t think with all the pain that floods my system.
A feral snarl penetrates my mind—it feels near but at the same time so far away—a snarl that snares me and yanks me free from the brutal grasp of a male who demands far too much.
Another sob leaves me as my mind fights for consciousness, the snarl quieting as my eyes open.
I blink rapidly, trying to clear the tears that cloud my vision in the dark bedroom.
A warm, wet tongue swipes across my face, and I’m fully awake.
A heavy, shuddering sigh leaves me as I wrap my arms aroundBeretta’s neck.
She lays her big body down next to me; her head coming to rest on my chest. I probably squeeze her a little too tightly, but she doesn’t protest. “Good girl, Beretta.” I whisper into the darkness, my voice sounds so raw. That was such a fucked up ending to a weirdly nice dream.
I snuggle as close to Beretta as I physically can get and let her comforting warmth and soft snores lull me into a dreamless sleep.