A Hidden Truth: Seer Chronicles book 1 (Available on Amazon)

Chapter Five

The first text I received was from Skye. She declared in joy and assertively asked me what took me so long in getting a phone in the first place. What could I say?

I had nothing. So, instead, we didn't get to text long before she had to get back to her cousin's baby shower decorations and party. She told me they were just starting to cut the cake.

I pulled out my phone and checked my message. I still hadn't heard a word from Bryce or Sara. Was something wrong? Should I be concerned?

A loud roar of thunder startled me. I took in a shaky breath through my mouth and struggled to relax. Something was keeping me on edge. I didn't know what it was, but it felt wrong. Yeah, right, I was just overly paranoid. The ringing in my eardrums was starting to agitate me to death and the light tingle in the back of my mind was driving me to the brink insanity.

I shook my head. I had to stop thinking about this. And to get my mind off of all these overwhelming thoughts, I decided to watch something on the television. When I went to grab the remote, I halted. My hand hovered above the little black controller. My innermost sense alerted me. Something or rather someone was approaching. It's wasn't anything obvious like the sound of clonking footsteps or the sound of any afternoon critters signaling. The only sounds around me was the sound of the loud swooshing rain as it drummed against the roof and the sound of my own erratic breathing.

A spark of dread tightened in my chest. Did this mean I had all my abilities back? Or was this just a one-time thing? A part of me was hoping they weren't back because when I did have them I felt closed off, more so than I am now. Back when I had my powers I felt like the world was weighing on my shoulders. No, I couldn't go through the pain and loss I felt all those years ago. But as I contemplated my feelings, there was another part of me was hopefully expecting them to come back. Yet, I don't know why...

My thought was abruptly cut off when out of the corner of my eye I caught sight of a swift flash of movement. In a rapid effort, I shifted my head and glanced at the window. Even though the curtains were pulled back, I still saw a large shadowy figure float by.

Panicked, I shot up from the couch and dashed out the door. It was a stupid move, but it was just a natural reaction for me because I wanted to find out what it was. I guess I inherited my dad's instinct to discover what was happening as well as wanting to help.

But just looking around, I noticed something. There was no one out here. Figured. Maybe it was the storm causing my sense to be alert and heightened. Maybe, just maybe it had nothing to do with anything supernatural.

I laughed at myself for getting so worked up over nothing. Just when I turned around to head back inside, I caught a glimpse of a shadowy hand creeping out of the darkness. Before it had the chance to touch me, I whirled around and grabbed a hold of the calloused hand of the stranger and bent it behind the intruder's back.

"Who are you?" I demanded.

The stranger chuckled. "I see your survival instincts are still intact." The stranger's baritone, candid voice sounded so awfully familiar. I knew it, but from where?

Then it dawned on me.

"Symon, is that you?" I asked, surprised.

"Yeah, it's me, kiddo," he said, sounding strained. "Since you know it's me now, would you mind letting go of me?"

Guilt punched me and I released his arm. "Well, if you hadn't come out of the darkness like a robber, I wouldn't have done it the first place!" I shouted, exasperated. "God, why'd you sneak up behind me anyway? You scared the hell out of me, jerk!"

He rotated his shoulder a couple of times before he surrendered his hands. "Whoa, hold up. No need for the angry name calling," he said with a pleasing smile. "I was just testing you. And I'm proud to say, you've passed."