Inescapable (The Premonition Series) (5 page)

“Red…are…ya…o…kay?” Russell asks, panting and holding me to his chest. He’s damp with sweat, probably from sprinting flat out the moment he had exited the bus.

“Russ…can’t…breathe,” I manage to respond, even as the air in my lungs is being forced out of me. Almost instantly, he eases up, allowing me to draw in a ragged breath. “I’m okay,” I say, “I’m fine. He didn’t hurt me.” Russell’s frown churns in shades—from dark to black—as he continues to pant, looking me over for any obvious signs of trauma. “Really,” I say gently, my eyes meeting his lovely brown ones. “You can put me down now. I’m okay.”

To prove my point, I wiggle my dangling feet. Gently, Russell sets me back on the ground, but he doesn’t release me. Resting his chin on the top of my head, he continues to hug me close to his body.

“Russell, I’m…”

“Shhh.” Russell breathes into my hair. “Just gimme a second here. I have a pretty active imagination, and it was workin’ overtime on the bus all the way back. So just gimme a minute, then I’m gonna walk ya home, and then I’m gonna go find Reed, rip his arm off, and beat him with it.”

“No, Russell, you can’t!” I say, pulling back from his embrace to look up into his brown eyes.

“Yeah, I can, and I’m gonna,” he retorts, just as emphatically.

“No, you really can’t! I’m serious. Reed seems to have some sort of a power of suggestion that can make you do things against your will. He can probably make you beat yourself up and not even lift a finger,” I argue, trying to reason with Russell. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but it didn’t look like it was your idea to take a hike tonight.”

Russell’s frown darkens. “Naw, that wasn’t my idea. So I’ll get some earplugs. Then I’ll rip his arm off and beat him with it,” Russell states, not at all dissuaded by my objection.

“A good plan—could possibly work, but I have a feeling that there is more to Reed than what we are seeing on the surface,” I say, trying to take another tack.

“Some sort of a gag, so he can’t talk,” Russell says, almost to himself.

“What if Reed can do more than the thing with his voice?” I ask.

“Whaddaya mean, Red?” Russell asks in confusion.

“I mean, what if he can do other stuff, too? Like, after he made you leave us, he said something about my heart,” I explain, trying to remember the conversation with Reed.

“Yer heart?” he asks, attempting to keep up.

“Yeah…Reed said, Your heart is beating so fast, Genevieve,’ and that I should try to calm down,” I say slowly. “But he wasn’t close enough to hear my heart, but it seemed to me that he did hear it—the way his head tilted to the side—like he was listening. It was beating really fast because I was really scared when I saw you leaving.”

“I’m sorry, Evie,” Russell says with a look of horror, “I tried to stop, to turn ‘round and come back for ya, but it was like someone else was in control of me, and I had no choice but to frickin’ cop to it. I’ve never felt so useless in my life,” Russell explains, dipping his head in remorse.

“Stop, Russell, you don’t have to say you’re sorry. I was there—remember? I heard his voice, too,” I say, placing my hand on his arm. “In fact, Reed tried that voice on me a couple of times already, but it doesn’t work on me.” I feel guilty for briefly thinking that Russell was in on this with Reed. It’s obvious that Russell is just as tweeked as I am over what has happened tonight.

“Why does he want y’all to leave school?” Russell asks in anger. “And why doesn’t it work on y’all? ‘Cuz I felt like Elmo.”

“Elmo?” I ask.

“A puppet,” he replies.

“Oh. I don’t know why he wants me to leave. Maybe I don’t have enough bank for him,” I hedge, not wanting to explain to Russell about my upbringing and lack of parental units. “He said something about Crestwood not being right for me.”

“I don’t have Benjamins either. What does that matter?” asks Russell furiously.

“I’m not sure,” I reply, feeling uncomfortable about not being completely honest with him. I want to tell him everything, but I can’t seem to bring myself to explain to him how I had been raised, so I can’t tell him about the rest of what Reed had said. I rub my forehead, saying, “I have some questions I need answered before either of us approaches Reed. You have to promise me that you aren’t going to try to talk to him until we know more about how his persuasion works.”

“Did I say I want to talk to him?” he asks me sarcastically. “I can get my point across without sayin’ a word.”

“Promise me,” I say again in a quiet tone.

“So, where’re ya stayin’ anyway? Are ya in Oldmen?” he asks, attempting to evade the pledge.

“No, I’m in Yeats, but don’t try to change the subject,” I counter. “Listen, at least think about your scholarship. You can’t beat someone down and hope to stay on the team, especially not the guy whose family is a main contributor to the school.”

At this, Russell laces his fingers together behind his head and groans in frustration. My argument has hit a nerve, and I feel the tide turning to my side. I feel relief. I’m really concerned about Russell. He appears to be the stronger of the two, but somehow I know that that isn’t the case.

“It wouldn’t be a beat down, Red; this would be more of a good ol’ fashion ass kickin’,” he says, smiling until he sees the look on my face. Then he groans. “Yer tyin’ my hands, Red. The first rule for dealin’ with a bully is to confront him head on, so he knows yer not afraid of him and that yer not gonna stand for his shen,” Russell explains, glaring at me accusingly.

“Shenanigans, huh?” I ask with a ghost of a smile. “Well, I see your point. I’m just saying that maybe we should try getting a look at our bully’s playbook before we challenge him to a game.”

Russell stops then, peering down at me. “Who are ya?” he asks me.

I’m taken aback. That is the second time tonight someone has questioned who I am. “I’m just a girl,” I say, somewhat defensively. We arrive at my dormitory. “Well, this is me,” I say with a sigh, indicating the door to my dorm and fumbling for my key. “I guess I’ll see you around campus, huh?”

“Yeah, especially if ya agree to meet me at the union after registration tomorrow. Ya didn’t boyfriend drop me, so I’m assumin’ it’s all right,” he smiles, waiting for my answer. He means that since I haven’t yet mentioned a boyfriend to him, he is going to assume that I don’t have one.

“No boyfriend to drop. Anyway, we’re just talking,” I reply, smiling back shyly.

“What time do ya register?” Russell asks me, his brown eyes watching me close.

“Umm, in the morning, around eight-thirty, I think. You?” I ask, trying to cover my surprise at his invitation.

“I’m already pre-registered. I just have to go and make it official tomorrow. It shouldn’t take ya more than an hour to register for yer classes. Meet me at the union at around ten o’clock—we’ll go buy our books together,” he says.

“Okay, I’ll see you at ten,” I reply. As I stick the key in the door, I remember something very important. Turning back, I see Russell walking away, so I call out to him, “Hey! You didn’t promise me about confronting Reed!”

“I know,” he calls back over his shoulder as he walks away.

Stumbling up the stairs to my room, I throw my bag down by the door. I’m to my desk with my laptop open before I know what I’m doing. With a fresh email to Uncle Jim ready to go, I want to bludgeon the keys of my keyboard with an account of what had happened to me, but I can’t. My hands shake as they hover above the keys. Remembering my encounter with Reed by the lake, the locomotive beat of my heart far surpasses the idle tempo of the blinking cursor.

How do I explain the kind of phenomena I experienced with Reed to someone and make it sound plausible? It doesn’t really matter if Uncle Jim believes me or not. He would come to Crestwood regardless, but then what? Maybe we can go to the police? But, there is no way they will buy this. I wouldn’t be surprised if they demand a drug test from me on the spot.

So, maybe I should just go home with Uncle Jim. I can enroll in some community college for the semester and hope that I can apply to other universities in the winter. Visions of living at home and working at the mall dance in my head, making me want to cry. I have wanted this my whole life; I want to make something of myself so that if the father I have never met does finally show up, he will see that I’m a success and that he has missed out on me. If I go home now, I can kiss that dream goodbye, at least for the foreseeable future.

Slowly, I begin typing:

Wiping the tears from my cheeks, I click the send button, reaching a new low.

CHAPTER 4

Registration

I am knocked back into consciousness by the viciousness of my nightmare—jolting upright from the shadowy fist that leaves a fiery echo of pain against my cheek. I hold my face in my hands as I wait to make it fully back from the dark. Fear like snake venom slowly begins to ease in my veins, allowing me to breathe easier.

I switch on the lamp, before squinting at my alarm clock— three a.m. I know I should try to go back to sleep for a few hours, but I’m not ready to yet. I feel sweaty and scared, like I’ve been running from the monsters in my dreams for hours.

As I push myself to a sitting position in bed, I jar the dull, gunmetal gray box cutter resting on the bedside table. With a heart-thumping grimace, I remember how wicked-sharp it is. Lifting my finger, I examine it under the soft glow of the yellowish bulb. There is nothing there, no scarring or redness, just smooth skin.

With shaky fingers, I reach for the box cutter, feeling the cold weight of it. Exposing the silvery blade, a little drop of dried blood still clings to it. My blood is the same as everyone else’s; it runs red—no different—normal. I slide my fingertip gently over the blade as the razor edge shines pale against the night.

Occam’s razor,
I think.
Tend, toward a simple theory; the simplest answer is usually correct.

Before I even realize what I’m doing, I press the razor’s edge harder against my finger until I create a thin slice in the tip of it. Drops of blood well up, staining the blade. I stare fixedly at the cut; a couple of minutes pass and it stops bleeding; two more minutes and it has knit together; and only one more minute for it to become a small red line. By the end of ten minutes, my laceration is completely gone.

Occam’s wrong, unless the simplest explanation is that I’m a total freak.

“What’s happening to me?” I whisper aloud as I curl up in my bed.

Too afraid to turn off the lamp, I drift off to sleep, clutching the box cutter in my hand.

I feel as if I haven’t slept at all when my alarm goes off. I get ready with my eyes half shut before walking a little more than a block to the only cafeteria on campus. Everyone calls it “Saga” because it’s a microcosm of drama—with food. When I arrive, I fish in my bag to find my “saga card” so I can get a quick bite to eat before registration.

The selection of food is what I expect from a cafeteria— appalling. I opt for a banana and a bowl of instant oatmeal. Carrying my tray, I go searching for an empty table.

I quickly recognize a riotous table of freshmen in the center of the room as being Mason and his associates—Russell’s friends. I hunt for any sign of Russell, but he’s clearly absent from their group. Feeling disappointment, I look around to see if he is sitting at another table.

I don’t find Russell, but I manage to locate Freddie. He’s alone in the back by the large picture window. Squeezing my way past tables full of gossiping students, I make it just about half way to Freddie when someone begins calling my name from a table nearby. Turning toward the voice, my eyes widen in surprise to see that it’s Mason calling to me.

“Genevieve! Yo, Genevieve! There’s a seat open at our table!” Mason waves enthusiastically.

Eyeing the table full of young men skeptically, I can think of no more awkward a place to be at this moment than alone at a table full of freshmen boys. “Thanks,” I say, calling to Mason, “I promised my friend I’d have breakfast with him. Sorry, maybe another time?”

Unwilling to wait for him to respond, I flee to the back of the room where Freddie is seated. “I can’t tell you how psyched I am to see you, Freddie! Can I eat breakfast with you?” I ask, sitting down next to Freddie in a vacant seat.

“Evie! Hey, of course,” Freddie says in surprise. “What happened to you last night? I was kinda worried about you. I tried to find you, but you weren’t on the bus, and Russell wouldn’t tell me what happened to you.”

“Umm, I missed the bus and had to walk back. Sorry I worried you,” I explain.

His eyebrows shoot up. “You had to walk back, that’s killa,” he says, laughing at me while continuing to eat his breakfast.

“Thanks, Freddie. Remind me why I like you again,” I say sarcastically, but I smile at him because I can tell he’s only teasing me.

Just then, a boy walks by and says, “Yo, Genevieve, sup?”

“Hi,” I say in bewilderment, watching him walk away. I don’t recognize him at all. Turning to Freddie with a puzzled gaze, I ask, “Do you know him?”

“Umm, I don’t know his name, but I think he lives in Brady,” Freddie says.

“How would he know who I am?” I ask, almost to myself.

“Ooohhh, it’s that Mother’s Club thing—that freshman directory—they sent it to all the freshman. The one with all of our pictures in it and bios on everyone.” When I nod stupidly, he goes on, “Well, a bunch of guys in the dorm got together and they were rating the girls in the freshman class using the directory. I think it’s on a standard ten-point scale. You got a really high rating. Most everyone is giving you a ten in the over-all category. I’m not sure how you did in the stacked category, though, but I know you shined in the ass category…”

Blood flushes my face. I nearly have to put my head down to hide my mortification. “You’ve
got to
be
kidding
me!” I stiffen as the creepy factor of it all overcomes me.

“Nope. In fact, I sold my directory to a couple of guys from one of the fraternity houses on campus. They gave me fifty bucks for it. I think they use it for scoping the freshmen girls and for finding out about prospective pledges before rush,” he grins.

“That’s so nasty…I think I’m going to be sick. Here, do you want my oatmeal? Because I’m no longer hungry,” I ask, pushing my bowl at him in disgust. “And how could you
sell
your directory when you know what they’re going to do with it?”

“Evie, it’s simple econ one-o-one: supply and demand,” he explains as he takes a bite of my oatmeal and makes a face.
“This
is so nasty!” he says, mimicking my earlier outburst, “How do you eat this?”

I can’t help but laugh at the face he is making while he tries to swallow the mouthful of oatmeal. “Okay, you’re off the hook, but that Mother’s Club has had it. They’re getting hate mail outlining their flagrant violation of our privacy!” I say passionately.

“Are you going to sign the letter?” Freddie asks, leaning back almost arrogantly in his chair as if he’s evaluating my indignation.

“Probably not,” I say crossly, realizing he has me pegged pretty well already.

“Well, good luck! Power to the people and all that!” says Freddie with a sarcastic grin as he holds up his fist. “I don’t know what you’re worried about; like I said, they’re giving you tens.” As he says this, he holds both of his hands palms out to me to illustrate his point.

“That’s vile, Freddie,” I reply, feeling myself blush again. “What’s up today?” I ask, attempting to change the subject.

“I have to chill here until I can register for classes. Buy my books—maybe some lunch. Then I have a dorm meeting at four. You know, rules, blah, blah, no girls, blah, blah, don’t prop the doors open, blah, blah, blah. Then I don’t know—dinner I guess,” he shrugs.

“I have a dorm meeting at four, too. Do you want to meet up for dinner here at around five-thirty?” I ask, hoping he will say yes. I’m realizing that it’s comfortable talking to him. He’s really kind of funny.

“Sure, I’ll bring a wipe board, and you can rate all the freshmen guys that walk by as a sign of protest,” he laughs as I throw my balled up napkin at him.

“Okay, I’ve got to run. Wish me luck with my classes, Freddie,” I say, gathering up my things.

“Good luck, Evie,” he smiles, but as I begin walking away from him, he calls out to me. “Evie.” I turn back around to see him mouthing the word
ten
and holding up both of his hands again. He’s trying to cajole me out of feeling bad about the directory thing.

He has a good heart,
I think as I hold up my fist to him, shaking it in mock anger before waving goodbye to him.

Registration is one floor down from the cafeteria. Entering the stairwell, the fluttering in my stomach that I recognize now as the harbinger for Reed Wellington becomes increasing riotous.

He must be down there somewhere,
I think, stopping midway down the stairs to grip the railing in fear. I haven’t allowed myself a moment of time this morning to analyze what had happened the night before. In fact, I’ve gone out of my way to block out almost the entire evening, which is now crashing in on me.

What’s he going to do when he sees me again?
I wonder, feeling fear twist snake-like through my veins to my extremities.
It’s a public place. He can’t do anything with all these people around. You’re safe,
I reason, willing myself to loosen my death grip on the railing and continue down the stairs.

Exiting the stairwell, I approach a table set up to administer the registration cards and give the bored-looking female student my name. She hands me a registration card from her stack, and I begin the process of choosing my classes. I have no problem obtaining the English and math classes that I need.

I move on to the science classes and hit a wall, well maybe not a wall, more like a Reed. He is seated at the registration table designated for the upper level physics classes and labs. There is another student ahead of me in line, so I have a moment to study Reed while he helps the student figure out his class schedule.

Reed’s dark-brown head bends over the student’s class list as he points out where the freshman should fit in his labs. His broad shoulders stretch his t-shirt to display some of the sleek contours of his muscles beneath it.

He’s off the charts on the hotness scale,
I think grudgingly. The butterflies that have been flying around in my stomach are increasing their tempo with every step I take nearer to him.

When it’s my turn, I square my shoulders and extend my class list to him across the table, but he doesn’t look up. Instead, he casually studies the pen in his hand like it contains the secrets of the universe within it. I try to read the expression on his face in order to gauge his reaction to me, but he is blank—unemotional.

Placing my class list on the tabletop facing him, I wait. He remains silent, unmoving, ignoring me. Crossing my arms in front of me, I sigh heavily, shifting from foot to foot. Finally, I decide it’s up to me to get this over with.

I clear my throat. “Reed, may I please register for the Physics Two Hundred class with Dr. Farrow at nine o’clock on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays?” I ask as politely as possible, trying to pretend everything is normal and that I hadn’t Tasered him less than twenty-four hours ago.

Not even glancing up, Reed says, “No,” with casual lassitude.

“Is it full?” I ask dejectedly. “How about Physics Two Hundred with Gertz at eleven o’clock on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays?” I say, trying to find a time that would work with the schedule I have already compiled.

“No,” Reed says again, crossing his arms over his chest.

“No…as in ‘no, its full’ or no as in ‘no, I can’t take physics?’” I ask suspiciously, reading the stubborn set of his jaw.

“No as in you can’t be here. No as in you need to transfer somewhere else. No as in no,” says Reed, his hair falling further over his eyebrows as they draw together in a scowl.

“Why? Why can’t I be here? What is it with you?” I ask in exasperation. “Do you want an apology for the Tasering? Okay, I’m sorry I jacked you with the Taser. Maybe that was out of line, but you started it with that creepy voice and the Russell thing. Listen, I get that you’re the big fish in the little pond here. I’m just trying to get the best education I can. I just want to take physics so I can get into the honors program. Please,” I end, apparently not too proud to grovel a little.

Another student lines up behind me to register for physics. Reed glances at him with a look of annoyance on his lovely face. I want to touch his cheek, to soothe him, but before I can make a fool of myself, Reed speaks to the freshman behind me, saying in a low, commanding tone, “I’m not ready for you now. Come back in an hour.”

I go rigid when I hear echoing undertones in Reed’s voice. The student immediately leaves without a word. Reed’s green eyes shift back to mine as if nothing out of the ordinary has happened.