The Rising Moon Read Online Free PDF Page B

family."
    “ Don’t you miss them?”
    "I miss my mom more than I do my dad. My uncle has always been more of a father to me than he ever was.”
    “ So why didn’t you move to California with your mom?” I couldn’t understand how anyone having parents would choose not to live with them.
    “ I’ve lived at the Rez all my life. I couldn't just leave," he said removing the hat off his head and running his hand through his loose hair. "Besides, if I’d left I wouldn't have met you."
    I rolled my eyes even as my heartbeat stuttered. “You’re sweet, but really who am I? I’m no one special.”
    He took my hand. “You’re wrong,” he said. “You are special and it’s a shame you don’t see just how special you really are.”
    I snatched my hand and placed it in my pocket. I could feel his eyes on me, but I didn’t want to look at him. My gaze strayed to the falling leaves that whirled slowly in the wind. With his eyes still on me, I covered my head with the hood of my sweater.
    He tilted his head, and his hair slid across one eye, “I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable again,” he said.
    I nodded, smiling at him. He smiled back at me, his cheeks adorned with dimples. "So, are you going to tell me how you got that bump on your forehead?" he asked.
    I grabbed the strings on my hooded sweater and wrapped it around my finger. “I’ll tell you, but only if you promise not to tell anyone.”
    He brought his fingers to his chest. “cross my heart.”
    I took a deep breath. “Last night, I had a dream. And in my dream, it was a beautiful sunny day. I was smiling and laughing as I ran through the plush meadows when suddenly the sky turned dark,” I paused to look at him. He raised his brow and gently squeezed my hand as though telling me to continue. “My hair began to smack my face as the howling wind pushed me forward. A dark shadow flew above me and when I looked up, I saw a vulture. It grunted and hissed, cheering on the wind as it continued to push me. I fought hard and tough against it, but I was no match for it. It continued to push me forward unto a cliff. With no more strength left inside me to fight, I surrendered and fell to my death. And that is how I woke up on the floor with this." I lowered the hood and pointed to my forehead.
    Ryan hopped off the bench and began to pace back and forth. "The vulture wasn’t cheering on the wind,” he paused. “He was trying to warn you.”
    “ Warn me?” I gasped. “from what?”
    “ My people believe that dreaming of a vulture indicates warning.”
    "You know how to interpret dreams?" I asked.
    "I don’t but my aunt does. She has a gift for interpreting dreams. She once told me that when we dream our soul enters the spiritual world where our past, present and future exist as one. They take turns imprinting images into our soul. Those images are what we call dreams.” He took his seat beside me, “My aunt’s going to be at the powwow this weekend. Maybe you can tell her your dream and she can help interpret it.”
    Was I going to lose someone I loved, again? Was John’s life in danger because of me? Because of my curse? Perhaps it was Ryan. Was our friendship a mistake? Oh God, what was the vulture trying to warn me about?
    Ryan held my face in his hand and gently massaged my forehead.“There’s nothing to worry about. I won’t let anything happen to you.”
    I looked up at him with eyes wide open.
    “ Come on, I’ll walk you to your car,” he said.
    I slid my hand around his elbow as we walked up the tree lined path back to the parking lot.
     
    ∞∞∞∞
     
    That night I was startled by a sudden blast of wind that cracked open the window while I lay in bed. The ivory curtains began to sway wildly. I rushed to shut the window, but stopped a few steps away when a set of small glowing eyes stared at me from behind the glass. I slowly stepped closer to try and get a better look of what was watching me, but the black shadowy figure flew