The Otherkind Book One:Heart

~*~ 27 ~*~

~*~ 27 ~*~

Up ahead, parked in front of my house was another news van. Groaning audibly, I hastily pulled into a driveway up the street from my house, backing out, returning the way I had come. I didn't want to deal with them, especially alone. I couldn't understand the big interest here. How had they known that I wasn't at the school or had they pulled up waiting for me just missing me before I had left for school? I felt really alone. Heading back up north I decided to go for a drive, maybe find someplace to hang out until school let out when I could go to Sarah's. I kept heading north past town and further up into the mountains.

The drive was relaxing, the view absolutely gorgeous. It was sunny and the snow was sparkling on all the trees. The roads were clear and free from all other traffic. Up ahead there was a little gas station with a convenience store for the hunters who came up this far, but mostly for the local logging traffic which consisted of a good portion of the men from town and the surrounding area. Pulling in and putting in another forty dollars of gas into my car. I purchased some munchies and a couple bottles of juice. It wasn't long before I was heading north again.

I didn't have an objective to where I was going. Just driving and letting my thoughts go wherever they meandered to. Deeper and deeper into the primordial forest I drove, the road curving through trees so thick it obscured the view. Most who traveled this far north on this highway towards Canada were loggers and I didn't see many of them. Driving alone up here I relaxed.

The feeling came again, thick like a cloak, it was so overwhelming that I had difficulty taking a breath. It was like what I would imagine a heart attack would be but without the pain. It scared me. Putting on my hazards and pulling over to the shoulder of the road, I grabbed at my cell phone. I was waiting for that strange cloying feeling to pass as the others had, this one by far the worst yet. I kept telling myself I was safe, there was no danger for me here. I tried to probe the feeling gently, find out what was causing it.

Holding my cell phone which was on the car charger, I looked down at the front display just as it lit up, beginning to ring and vibrating. Startling me it slipped out of my hands. Fumbling for it I dropped it again. Reaching down I pulled it up by its charger cord. "Hello?"

I couldn't shake the feeling of apprehension, nor did it didn't feel wise to probe it anymore. In fact it was something I wanted gone— now!

"Rowan?"

It was Tina.

"Yes?"

"Where are you?" She sounded edgy.

"Not sure, why?"

"What do you mean you're not sure?" she sounded confused. I could hear the anxiety that mirrored my own creep into her voice.

"I'm north of town by about, I don't know, forty miles? Why?"

"Gray—- Bryce sent me a message."

"I know his real name, you can use it. What message?"

"He said for you to turn around and get your butt back home immediately!"

How had he known?

"Why?" I quipped back at her. I was still struggling with a now almost debilitating feeling of overwhelming fear. I didn't want to let her know. I could handle this.

She sounded a bit mystified herself. "He didn't say, only told me to make sure you did it now." she stressed that last word intensely. "Now Rowan!"

"How come he sent that message to you and not me?"

She was silent for a long time, probably trying to figure out what she could say and what she couldn't.

I helped her out. "Just spill it Tina! I know!"