CHAPTER TWO

Dread clawed at my stomach, as I realized that I’d passed out. I forced my eyes open.

Crushing fear filled my chest when I realized I was alone. The arms that protected me were gone. Frightened, I jerked upright. I desperately tried to focus on the spinning blur of pines and oaks. Every muscle in my body flexed, waiting. I was wounded, half dead, and alone.

Where is Jake?

A hand settled on my shoulder causing a scream to erupt from my throat. I spun, violently throwing what little strength I had remaining into my assailant’s knees. He staggered back, but did not fall. He reached for me again.

Frantically, I tried to push my lame body off the ground, but it was impossible to rise without feeling like I would slide off the earth.  Arms caught me as I fell. 

“Easy, Ivy. It’s me,” he said. My heart pounded in my ears, distorting a voice I should have known. Twisting my shoulders, I freed myself from his grip.

“Eric,” I breathed. “What are you doing here?” Nervously, I glanced around for Jake. But we were alone.

Worry creased his brow. “I was nearby. Were you attacked? What happened?” His eyes darted, taking everything in, and then landed back on my face.

With shaking fingers, I pushed a chunk of my hair back. It was a curly mess that framed my face, and constantly fell forward. My skin was damp and cold. “I don’t know. I… don’t remember.” I tried to recall exactly what happened, but I wasn’t sure what happened. It sounded insane.

Looking into Eric’s face, his expression softened. He stared at me, and whispered, “Oh. Wow.” His eyes didn’t stray from my face.

My stomach squirmed under his gaze. I had no idea what was going on, but I was frightened, and didn’t like the look on his face. Swallowing hard, I tried to remember if we’d spoken at all, outside of class—but we didn’t. We were lab partners. I barely knew him.

“We need to get you out of here before they come back.”

Assuming he chased off my attacker, I looked at him wondering how that was possible. His frame was slight, and he wasn’t made of muscles, although he wasn’t scrawny either. He was normal looking. He slid his arms around my back and under my legs, and started to lift me off the ground.

“Eric, you can’t… ” but I was wrong. He could. And he did carry me. I didn’t like it, but I was too weak to walk. The self-consciousness that swept over me didn’t help either. I’m not a vain person, but his arms were around me, feeling the curves of my body and it made me uncomfortable. I expected him to slow under my weight, but he didn’t. Eric walked quickly in long strides. His scent meshed with the night air. It was familiar—something wholesome from childhood that I couldn’t quite remember.

Eric entered the parking lot and slid me down against his old blue truck. After opening the door, he slid his hand under my thighs, as he lifted me in. Then, he slid into his seat, turned the engine over, and peeled out of the parking lot.

Tears flowed down my cheeks, although I forbade it. Crying in front of other people was hideous. I tried to stop, but couldn’t. I said nothing and felt nothing, except the deafening pounding of my heart in my ears. I looked at Eric, wondering how he found me.

“Ivy. I need to tell you something. It’s important.” He glanced at me, then back at the road. “I know you’re not alright, but I have to tell you something. It’s going to sound weird. Promise you won’t freak out on me, okay?”

My voice was flat. It felt like I was speaking from a million miles away. “After tonight, nothing you say can shock me.” The old truck’s exhaust rumbled, as we left a stop sign behind. Body aching, I slumped in my seat.

“Well, this might,” the green tint of the dashboard lights reflected off his face. Clutching the wheel tightly, we turned onto my block. He stopped the truck a few doors down from my house. His golden gaze met mine. “Ivy, I need you to listen. You can’t forget. I know you’ve been through a lot… ”

Interrupting, I muttered, “I’m fine.” I wasn’t, but I didn’t want to discuss it. At that point, I just wanted to bury myself under my covers.

Taking a deep breath, he turned toward me with an expressive plea on his face, “Ivy, you have a mark on your head. You’re one of us. This is important. If you forget everything else—remember this. Hide that mark. Do not tell anyone and I mean anyone, that you have it. Do you understand?” His hand slid over mine, patting, as his eyes searched my face. I stared at him. He seemed alarmed, like something was wrong.

I reached for the visor. “What are you talking about? Do I have a gash or something?” Was I scarred? Why was he looking at me like that?  My fingers pulled the visor down, and flipped open the mirror. A tiny light turned on.

 “Don’t freak out. Ivy, please?” He said.

I expected to see a bruise or a nasty cut. Not this. At first glance, everything was normal: Pale skin, dark hair, wild curls frizzing from rolling in the dirt. That was all there with one glaring difference. Pressing my fingers to my flesh, I stared at the pale blue mark, glittering above my right brow. It looked like someone took a lightening bug, smeared it on my skin, and then stenciled an elaborate blue swirl on top. Prodding it with my fingers, my jaw hung open. It looked like a tattoo.  Where did this come from? I removed my fingers from the mark and examined them. There was no blue residue. My fingers slid over the mark. It felt like nothing was there. No paint. No glitter. No bruise. No burn. But it was there—a faint blue shimmering arch with pale snaking vines that formed a sideways S.

“Ivy? Talk to me, Ivy.” Eric’s voice interrupted my wide-eyed stare into the tiny mirror.

Panic crept up my throat, as I asked, “What is this? This is bad, isn’t it?”

Eric spoke to me in the same tone one would when comforting a frightened child, “It’s not bad, not at all. It’s just different. You need to cover it, and don’t tell anyone, okay?”

Swallowing hard I asked, “What is it? Did Jake do this?”

“No, he didn’t. And it’s not bad. But, it’s late. And I bet no one knows you snuck out. You gotta stop doing that, by the way.” He smiled at me. I stared at him blankly, too shocked to react. His face regained its former seriousness, “I’ll tell you everything you need to know. Tomorrow. You’ll be safe in your house tonight. We need to get you inside. In the meantime, stay inside, and don’t tell anyone. Your life depends on it.”

“Eric?” My eyes rested on his face. He was my Biology buddy. He was the other dumb one in a class filled with honor students who made straight A’s. We didn’t. Other than that, I knew little about him. “How did you know?”

“I’ll tell you everything,” he lowered his head to catch my gaze, “I promise. Let me know you’re safe at home tonight. Go to school tomorrow. Don’t mention the park to anyone. And do not sneak out again. Promise?”

Numbly, I reached for the lever to open the door, not agreeing to anything. Eric quickly reached across, putting his hand on my shoulder. “They’ll kill you, Ivy. Promise me.” His voice changed from a command to a plea, “Please.” Our gazes locked. 

He never said more than two words to me, outside of class. The newness of it was odd, especially after what just happened. I felt my soul leave my body during the attack, but somehow I didn’t die. I was alive. Eric saved me.

Breaking the gaze, I said, “I promise.” I slid my shoulder out of his grip; my hand lingered on the door for a moment, while I looked back at Eric. “Thank you.”

A soft smile spread across his lips, “No problem.”