The Queen's Red Lake

VII

The boy stares down at his hands before rubbing his temples in frustration.

I take a seat next to him. He looks at me curiously. "What's your name?" I ask.

"Dimitri." He answers his voice rough. He pulls the towel around his body tighter. I pass him a shirt and a pair of pants. He stands and disappears into the other room to change.

"What do you think?" I ask everyone in a low tone.

"We should have left him." Sakiya whispers harshly. "We don't know anything about him and now we're trapped with him in this creepy cabin."

"He's scared." Zaria voices. "The same as you."

"I'm not scared." Sakiya hisses. "I'm aware."

The floor creaks and Dimitri presents himself. "I'm not the one you should be afraid of." He says. His white hair is the first thing you notice. It's cut short, almost shaved. His honey-brown eyes look tired as he settles into the couch. He inhales deeply and exhales.

"Who should we be afraid of?" I ask gaining his attention.

"Do you hear them too?" He questions. I wanted to lie and deny whatever was happening to me but I couldn't because he already knew. My heart stops and I swallow. I can feel the other intense stare in my back. I squeeze my fist. It was too late to turn back now.

I needed answers.

"It comes and goes." I answer.

Dimitri looks sadden, "You've been touched somehow. First, it's the voices, then the intense dreams will come."

"How do I make it stop?" I ask.

"I don't know." Dimitri replies.

I begin to pace back and forth. I can feel myself beginning to panic. I breathe in deeply and stare at the fire.

I can hear Iris voice behind me. "What does touched mean?"

"Are you seriously entertaining this?" Sakiya ask. "I understand the Fest is stressful but ghost stories is for children."

"You and I both know by now that anything is possible, Sakiya." Zaria speaks.

I turn away from the fire and approach Dimitri again. "How about we start from the beginning."

Dimitri sits up, "I was only a boy when my parents died. I had to live with Ford."

"The old man who owns the flower shop?" I question.

"Yes." He spats. "He's my father older brother. When he discovered I was hearing voices he tried several ways to get rid of the bad spirits. One of those ways was beating me."

Sakiya frown and look away.

"I begin to teach myself to ignore it and with time it was bearable." He pauses and looks to me. "That is until you came to town."

"Me?"

"Yes." Dimitri confirms.

"I don't understand. What about the cemetery?" I question.

He shrugs, "I'm just as confused as you. That is the first time that has ever happened to me. I usually go to the cemetery to get away when I can't control the voices. I have never experienced anything like the storm and levitating." Dimitri looks at me and cock his head to the side. "I think maybe it has something to do with you—"

"We should get some sleep?" Javier announces cutting Dimitri off.

"Sorry I wasn't much help." Dimitri says. "I know what you're going through but I cannot help you."