The Queen's Red Lake

VIII

"You're not crazy." Dimitri says. "I refuse to believe we are just that. I know there is a way to control it."

"How?" I push. "You're not giving me anything."

Dimitri hurry to his bag on the floor. He pulls out this thick book. "I found this in Ford attic. It gives history on the Other Side and how we can communicate with the ones who haven't chosen to move on." He begins to turn page after page. "This." He points. "This is the way."

I squint my eyes and try to understand the language. "No need." Dimitri tells me. "I understand."

"This looks like rubbish." I tell him. "I don't even recognize this language."

"It's a dead language." Dimitri explains while waving his hand as if that isn't important at the moment. "You can learn it through ritual."

"Dude, I don't know—" I start but quickly cut off by hearing the rattling of the front door. "Shit. You need to leave."

Dimitri's eyes widen and he grabs his books and stuffs it in his bag before heading for the side door but it was too late. Queen has already entered the house. "She'll smell you." I tell him. "Upstairs and jump out my window and onto the tree. Go."

Dimitri sprint up the steps and Queen come around the corner. "Who are you talking to?" She questions.

I roll my eyes, "Myself. Is that illegal too." The cane come across my ankle yet again. "Ouch!" I hiss. "That's gonna bruise."

"Good." Queen tells me. "Maybe it'll remind you to be respectful to your Elders."

I huff but choose to not say anything. I can see behind Queen, Dimitri hanging from the tree before falling into the bush. Queen turnaround but I kick the chair over distracting her. Dimitri hurry to his feet before sprinting off and back across the bridge.

Queen narrow her eyes at me and look around the house. I didn't want her snooping around the house so I begin to question, "Do you know anyone named Faye?"

Queen freezes and for the first time since I've met her, she looks shocked. Her face becomes blank for a second and then she's hissing at me, "Stop asking me stupid questions. Go to your room."

I roll my eyes but do as I'm told. I walk into my room and slam the door behind me aggressively. I can hear Queen downstairs shouting, "Stop slamming doors in my home!" I ignore her and take a seat on my bed. I then notice something underneath me. It's a piece of paper. I open it and notice the nice penmanship.

Let's meet on the docks tomorrow.
-Dimitri

Just like that, Dimitri and I meet on the docks. Under the blue and sunlit skies, the view is wondrous to behold, for the lake teeming with life. I was a city girl but now I feel sorrow for the people who would never get to experience such a feeling from nature. The breeze blows gently on my face and I close my eyes for a second to breathe in the feeling.

This time I hear Dimitri approaching and I turn around in time. "You're here." He says.

"Why wouldn't I be?" I cock my head to the side curiously.

Dimitri shrugs his shoulders and avoids eye contact with me. I choose to not push him. "So?" I ask. "How do we stop the voices?"

Dimitri's eyes shift and he seems more confident in this subject. He pulls out his book again and flips through the pages. "We could channel the other side but I'm not strong enough. So, we'll do a blocking spell."

I furrow my eyebrows in confusion. This all sounded like a joke but I didn't want to run him away. So, I take him seriously as he explains the steps to accomplish this task.