Marked

The Beginning

"Let's get some fresh air and sunlight in here. I'm living like a vampire." Victoria opened the curtains, sending beams of bright sunlight into the minuscule apartment. She lifted the window and a fresh breeze blew through the apartment from the open window, bringing with it the smell of a crisp autumn day, and the sounds of car traffic and birds singing. Before she turned away from the window she caught a glimpse of a man, he ducked behind a tree. She caught a glimpse of a leather jacket and dark hair. "Wierd."

"What's weird? Are you listening to me?" The barks of her mother's toy poodle echoed in the studio apartment. 

"Huh? Yes, I'm listening," she lied. 

"When are you going to get over Mark?"

Victoria groaned and threw a wine bottle against the wall, glass sprayed onto the carpeted floor and bed. "You don't know what he took from me!"

"Honey." She softened. "Just tell me what he did that was so bad?"

"Forget it." She collapsed on the lumpy sofa. "Just forget everything."

Victoria took a deep breathe and let the fresh air wash over her and the sunlight warm her skin. Over the last three months, Victoria has deviated from her norm--healthy food, exercising, reading, and meditation was gone from her life. Bad food, over-consumption of alcohol, hook-ups with random guys, and Netflix binging had become her life. It was so unlike her and yet she needed something to dull the pain. Her body was showing the damage from her new lifestyle, but Victoria felt no motivation to shift the fifteen-pound weight gain. 

"Honey, if you won't talk to me talk to someone," her mother said. 

Victoria shook her head and turned on her TV that was supported by a TV tray. The news weather woman was on the screen with a weather map behind her. "It looks like Dark Waters, New York is getting a break from the lightning storms, hail, and heavy rains that have become the norm for the month of October. Today will be a sunny clear day, and we predict that the next few days will be similar." The weather woman smiled and her blond hair bounced as she moved. "It looks like Halloween will have nice weather, so everyone needs to prepare for tons of trick-or-treaters." The weather woman chuckled and Victoria clicked off the TV. 

"I'll be fine." Victoria grabbed her boots and laced them, but she noticed they were a little tight around the calves. Maybe I should get back to the gym. She wrapped a scarf around her neck and slipped on a light jacket over her cardigan. "It's Friday," Victoria said to her mom. "The highlight of my day will be helping the local homeless man, Nick, find American Civil War books."

"Oh Victoria." Her mother's voice echoed in the apartment. 

"Mom, I'm fine. I'm getting used to this small town. And besides..."

The energy around her shifted and ran to her nightstand. A handgun lay under some papers.

"Victoria?"

 No one had knocked, but Victoria could sense a person's presence. "Someone's at my door." Her heart pounded against her ribs. 

"Who?" Her mother replied.

"I don't know."

Victoria closed her eyes and took a deep breath and let the energy move over her. If she was still and allowed the energy surrounding her to penetrate her, she could read the emotions in the energy. Victoria called it her superpower. It has been with her since she was a kid. Different feelings created different energy. Happiness felt like a hug from a loved one, hatred felt like ice water shooting through your veins, and anger felt like pinpricks over your skin. This person behind the door was more frustrated than angry. She could barely feel the pinpricks on her skin.