CHAPTER FIVE
REID (P.o.V.)
I sat in the van, watching life pass by. I wondered how she was doing. I felt bad for just leaving her like that but Covenant business was Covenant business. I drove us to Caleb's first colony house. As soon as we got out of the van, a gunshot rang out.
"Gorman! It's just us!" Caleb shouted.
I smiled to myself. Crazy old caretaker Gorman. He was guarding the house because of . . . well, he used to take care of William Danvers the Third (Caleb's father) before William went and Willed his Power to Caleb during his Ascension. Caleb's father looked like he was 300 years old but in reality, he was only 44. That's the price of Using your Power. It's addictive and hard to control. It weakens you and you age each time you Use, then you die. Which is kinda stupid, since I love The Power. Caleb said that I'm reckless and irresponsible. But I don't care. What's the point of having Powers if you can't use them? That's why after Ascension, the others don't Use that much anymore. I try not to Use that much but...
We headed to the basement. We sat on the 5 square stones that were placed in a circle, with our respective surnames names etched into them. Caleb looked at the bookcase across the room, and we watched as if someone was pulling it out, a Book moved towards us, floating in the air, then hovered over the altar that was in the middle. The altar erupted into a ring of flames and the book dropped onto the altar. Ugh. Caleb was Using Pyrokinesis (the ablilty to set the ring of fire), and Telekiesis (the ablilty to move an object or levitate things). The Book of Damnation began to move, flipping open, the pages turning on its own. Caleb scanned the pages quickly, then apparently finding nothing, the Book slammed shut.
"Last night we all felt something--or someone Use," Caleb spoke, glancing at each one of us.
"What do you think? Could it be Ch--" I started.
"He's dead," he hissed harshly. "But whatever or whoever it was, it Used a lot of strength."
"So, what are you saying, Caleb?" Pogue asked.
I watched Caleb's face. "I don't know," he admitted finally. I could see the wheels turning. He was denying, refusing to believe the possibility that Chase might've returned. But if Caleb said he was dead, he was dead. He wouldn't lie to us without good reason. Right?
We sat in silence. I looked over at Tyler. He was being quiet.
"Mother told me a couple of months ago . . . after Reid's Ascension, about something called The Curse of Ipswich from the Chronicles of Paganism. That we should keep an ear out for it. She didn't say more about it," he trailed off.
Suddenly, someone's cell phone rang. I looked around at each person, then realized it was mine.
"Hello?"
"Reid? Can I talk to Tyler?" Katia's voice said from the phone. It was nice hearing her voice.
"Um...sure. Hold on," I said. I handed the phone to Tyler.
"Hello? Hey, Katia..." Tyler said. He paused, glancing over to me for a split second, meeting my eyes, then looked away.
"What? Ok... No, no. I understand. I'm fine with that. As long as you're happy, Katia... I don't care. Alright. Bye. Here's Reid, " Tyler said, handing my phone to me.
"Reid? Are you alone?" Katia asked, as I got up, jogging up the stone steps.
"REID! Don't do anything stupid!" Caleb shouted behind me.
I rolled my eyes. I remembered that last time he said that, it was to Pogue. Then...Pogue got into a motorcycle crash, then slipped into a coma. Just listen to Caleb, you dumbass.
"Hey, Katia. What're you doing?" I asked, as Gorman gave me a suspicious look. I stared back until he looked away.
Suddenly, Katia yelped, then laughed. "Hey, Rudy-fuhludy. How ya doing, old buddy? Yes..uh-huh... Oh, uh...Rudy's my cat, by the way. Say hi to Reid, Rudy."
A weird loud purr filled my ear. "Hi, Rudy," I spoke into the phone.
I heard Katia laughing.
"Shoo. Shoo. Go away... Sorry about that," she said.
"How's . . . um, everything?" God, I kinda sucked at conversation with her on the phone. I winced at my choice of words. I've never had this problem before, chatting up other girls. I needed to see her in person. Yeah, that'd be so much better.
"It's... good." There was a slight hitch when she spoke. It was obvious she was lying. Something was bothering her.
"Is something bothering you, Katia?" I asked.
There was a long pause before she spoke. "I haven't slept in 3 days..."
"What? Why? Katia!" I started.
"I keep having weird dreams about you, Reid," she said quietly. I didn't know what to say.
"About me?"
"Yeah. We're at a barn. Just... facing each other. That's it. Besides the thundering and lightning outside."
I heard footsteps and saw the others heading outside.
It killed me to say it, but I said: "Um, Katia? I'll have to call you back. I'm sorry."
She was silent for a minute before saying, "No... that's all right. I have a test I need to study for anyhoo, so I'll call you later, Reid. Alright?"
"Ok. Be safe, okay? Caleb'll kill me if anything happens to you. You hear me?" I snapped the phone closed after hearing her response of goodbye, then ran outside to join the others.
KATIA (P.o.V)
I called the third number on the paper Caleb had given me. Apparently, Reid and Tyler shared the same phone. Well, that wasn't weird at all.
"Hello?" It was nice hearing Reid's voice, but I had talk to Tyler first.
"Reid? Can I talk to Tyler?"
"Um...sure. Hold on." I heard shuffling, then a voice came on.
"Hello?"
"Hi, Tyler," I said.
"Hey, Katia!" he exclaimed, I heard the excitement in his voice. How to break it to him, gently? Break it to him gently, Katia. Ah, who the fuck am I kidding?
"Um, listen...I need to tell you something..."-- I took a deep breath---" I...uh, like Reid." I winced, then started blabbering. "And I know you like me too...and--and if you hate me...I understand...and--"
Silence. I waited, wondering whether I should continue to run my stupid mouth. When he spoke, I could hear the pain and bitterness in his voice.
"No,no. I understand. I'm fine with that. As long as you're happy, Katia. I don't care."
Why'd I have to a bitch to him? Ugh.
"I'm really sorry, Tyler."
I've never dealt with this type of thing... having two boys like me at the same time... Heck, I've never been kissed by a boy before in my life. That showed you how much my life sucked. I started to say something, my tone apologetic when Reid's voice came back on.
"Reid... Are you alone?" I asked. I hear the sound of footsteps. In the background, I heard Caleb shout: "Reid! Don't do anything stupid!" Which made me wonder what he did. You already know, you dumbass.
"Hey, Katia. What're you doing?" I sighed, throwing an arm over my face. Where the hell do I even begin? Something jumped on the bed and I yelped before realizing it was Rudy, my tabby cat. I scratched his ears. He purred that broken purr of his I loved so much.
"Say hi to Reid, Rudy," I said, after explaining to him that Rudy was my cat. Reid said hi. I laughed.
"How's...um, everything?" Reid asked. My smile faded as I recalled the events earlier. I pushed it back into my mind.
"It's..." I hesitated. "Good."
I hope he couldn't tell I was lying. Apparently, he must've because he asked what was bothering me. Again... I hesitated.
I told him I haven't slept in days, which was true because--- "I keep having dreams about you, Reid," I answered. Every night I closed my eyes... There was me and Reid... in a brightly lit old colony wood barn, rain pouring through the small cracks in the ceiling. It was night outside...thundering and lightning...
Reid listened for a minute, then spoke: "Um, Katia?I'll have you call you back. I'm sorry."
My throat constricted. "No... that's all alright. I have a test I need to study for anyhoo, so...I'll call you later, Reid."
"Ok. Be safe, okay? Caleb'll kill me if anything happens to you. You hear me?"
"Bye," I whispered. I pressed END, then let the phone collapse on the bed.
I groaned loudly. I threw my arms up in the air, then got to my feet. I need to sleep. Maybe a bath will relax my bones. I headed to the bathroom, turning the water to the tub on. I stepped inside the tub, not caring that I was still in my T-shirt and jeans, laying down, my head resting against the edge. I stared up at the ceiling. The water felt so relaxing...
It was up to my neck now.
Just let it run for a second more...
I was so tired...
Just close your eyes for a second...
Just one...
second.