turns me, leads me back
to the circle, sits me down, and moves the items closer before
going over to my purse and removing my wallet. She hands me a
picture we took at Christmas. “Mia, look at their beautiful faces
and concentrate. They are not dead! You would feel that right away
and you know it. In your anxiety and thinking about what you
haven’t taught them, you are not considering all of the good you
have shown them, so stop allowing your mind to punish itself! You
just need to calm down and concentrate.”
Staring at their beautiful faces, I see my
sister and David in the hazel eyes of Nicholas and Kayla, while
Jacob and Nicole inherited the oceanic blue eyes Andrew possessed
after his re-emergence with Nicholas. Closing my eyes, I
concentrate harder. Finally, to my relief, I feel their precious
hearts beating. They aren’t moving in a car any longer, someone is
carrying them. Concentrating on each one separately, I try to
discern if any of them are more conscious than the other, hoping
that what they are registering will give me some clue as to where
they are now.
The first heart is strong, but they have no
real consciousness of anything going on around them other. Through
their nostrils, I no longer smell the overwhelming scent of ether;
it has been replaced by dank, musty air. On some level, they can
feel the cold surrounding them. I must have connected to Nicholas
or Kayla because I doubt that Jacob or Nicole would be feeling
cold. I no longer sense the hood placed over their head. They must
have reached their destination and their captures don’t seem to
fear their waking.
Concentrating on the next heart, I sense more
of an awareness of something bad going on around them and the
overwhelming fear accompanying their awaking consciousness.
Suddenly, my body jerks, they are struggling against their binding
restrains. They are still covered with their limbs still bound
tightly to their torso. It has to be Nicholas or Kayla.
The gruff voice of a man shouts in their ear.
“Stop struggling or I will test out my own theory that staking can
paralyze you and keep you under control! If I am wrong, at least
David will still have three of you.” My heart seizes as Jacob or
Nichole freezes in fear.
The woman’s angry retort echoes off the
walls. “I told you that they cannot be staked! They will bleed to
death. We are not losing one now! Let’s secure them and then we can
get David.”
“Who made you boss? I am a member of this
family too, I should have a say in what happens to them.” He
retorts frustrated.
A loud thud rings in my ears as my head is
seized with pain. I am falling sideways and then I feel
nothing.
Forcing down my panic, whoever I was with is
now unconscious. I concentrate quickly on another heart. I have to
find out what happened. I need to hear what is going on. Focusing,
the pounding of an anxious heart practically blocks the couple’s
argument.
“Why do you always have to be so hasty? See
what you made me do.”
“At least he is not fighting you anymore.
Come on let’s get them confined. I want to be done with this. I’m
not missing another meal.”
Nichole’s muscles feel as if they could snap
from the stress and fear raging out of control. As her fear mounts,
it overwhelms my senses, severing our connection! She must be
fighting to cast out all emotions. I never imagined our teaching
them to detach themselves from everything so they can think calmly
whenever they get upset to avoid a repeat performance of the
snapping turtle incident would develop into a way to toss me out. I
should have performed protectionist spell on the children, if I
had, maybe I would know where they are right now. The relative
peace and contentment made me complacent and now my children are
paying for it!
My firsts slam down, but hit cool palms.
Opening my eyes, my arms fly around Andrew’s waist, pulling him to
me. “Please tell me you found a lead! The kids are so frightened
right now and the ones who
Jessica Conant-Park, Susan Conant