Talisman (15 page)

Daddy wouldn’t have left his shop looking
THIS BAD if he could’ve avoided it
.  I glanced at the clock on the wall. 
This is going to take awhile!

Surprisingly, the job didn’t turn out to be a grueling as I’d originally thought.  I’d been cleaning and organizing away for almost two hours when I decided to take a quick break.
I was just standing there in the silence of the workshop when suddenly I heard a strange noise coming from somewhere outside.  It was an odd sound, definitely out of place for such a rural area.  I peered out the window and listened closely for a moment.  I couldn’t hear it anymore.

Whatever,
I thought as I finished off my water and started back to work.  Then, a long
“squeak-k-k-k-k”
rang out.  I walked over to the door and curiously stepped outside.

“
Squeak-k-k-k-k
,” the drawn-out racket blared again.  My ears followed the direction of the noise.  It sounded like some sort of engine from a machine — like gears grinding or pieces of metal rubbing — and it seemed to be coming from out on Shiloh Ridge.

What is
THAT?

Granted, my curiosity was piqued, but I hated the thought of
going out there to investigate it —
by myself
.  But there wasn’t a single “good” reason why anyone should be back there at all, and Daddy wasn’t here to check it out.

Should I?
 
He wouldn’t want anyone screwin’ around behind our house — especially if they were breakin’ the law
.  It hadn’t been too long ago when Daddy discovered someone’s illegal moonshine still on the ridge, not to mention, a couple of sites where some ballsie local had snuck back there and seeded a spot for their stash of marijuana plants.  Several of our local cops had been sent out there to dispose of the “pot plants”
properly
, but I wasn’t the least bit surprised when they all emerged from the woods with slanted red eyes and goofy grins plastered on their faces.  Most of the time it was just people back there riding their four-wheelers.  I never understood why my father was so protective of that particular spot of land.  If Daddy even thought someone was back there, he would be the first to grab his shotgun and run out of the house to “shoot first & ask questions later”.

Daddy would want someone to make sure there wasn’t any funn
y business going on…and the only one “here” to do it is “me”
, I thought to myself.  But there was only one little problem. 
I
didn’t go out on
Shiloh Ridge
…

I tried to rationalize my fears away
, especially being faced with this dilemma so soon after having that horrible dream. 
There’s nothing to be scared of out there. You were just a little girl at the time.  Daddy’s been back there a million times without seeing anything.  A lot of people have…Hell, odds are hearing what was going on inside Lazarus Xcavare’s head is the scariest thing that’ll happen to you today
.

Cautiously, I started creeping slowly up the hill, headed towards the
fence that bordered our backyard and Shiloh Ridge.  I walked a little ways and then stopped.  I continued on, only to find myself chickening-out again.  This tug-of-war went on for several minutes.

By the time I’d
found the courage to head out on the ridge,
unexpectedly
, I felt a firm tap on my shoulder.  Startled, I screamed as I spun around and tripped on my own feet, which sent me crashing down onto the ground.  I looked up to find Samuel standing there, laughing and grabbing his chest.

“I don’t know which one of us is mor
e scared, Shiloh?” Samuel chucked.  “You or me?”

App
arently I’d startled him, too.  Though I didn’t see his rear down here, covered in dirt.

“I’m sorry
about that, honey,” Samuel continued to laugh.  “That’s a first.  I thought
no one
could ever sneak up on you?”

Once I’d managed to catch my breath, I picked myself up and laughed along with him. 
This is the SECOND TIME today.  Maybe all of my senses have gone haywire?

“You got me pretty good, Samuel,” I conceded as I brushed some leaves off my jeans.  “What are you doing here?”

“Checkin’ on you,” Samuel insisted, his tone softening with concern.

“Why’s
that?
” I asked as I walked back to the workshop.  It sure didn’t sound like a coincidence to me.

“Your father told me
you were a little rattled today…a little woozy, too.  He’s still giving the fellows from Xcavare a tour ’round the grounds.  He’ll be home soon, but he wanted me to check on you in the meantime. 
So?
Are you okay?”

I stepped back inside the workshop and started organizing Daddy’s tool chest.  “I’m fine,” I replied curtly, avoiding
any direct eye contact.

“Do you want to tell
me
what happened?” Samuel asked, not buying a bit of my act.

I really did want to tell someone. 
But what would Samuel say?  Would he think I’m crazy?  And if so, what would he tell Daddy?

“
Whatever it is…it’ll be our secret,” he coaxed, sensing my apprehension.

As soon as my mind
became fully aware that I was about to let down my guard, my body locked into a tight flinch.  Apparently my heart’s attempt to release myself from this burden was being halted by my brain’s own defenses.

“
I can’t
.  I just can’t tell you…
or Daddy
.  It’s too…Well, let’s just say, you two would find it
hard to grasp
.”

“Whatever it is Shiloh, I promise
…
Our secret
,” Samuel vowed whole-heartedly.

I paused to contemplate his proposal.  Eventually, I chose to ignore the voice inside my head.  I couldn’t hold it in any longer, so I let out a compliant sigh, signaling I wa
s ready and willing to let “the truth” set me free.

Samuel pounced on my concession.  “You’re not
pregnant
, are you?” he blurted.  “…’Cause I’ll hunt the sorry bastard down and show him the business end of my shotgun!”

Automatically,
I threw the screws I was holding down on the floor.  “Why
does
EVERYONE
keep
thinking that?
” I yelled and stomped my foot down,
hard
.  I didn’t know if I was more shocked or insulted that the man who was like a second-father to me would ask such a
STUPID
question, or the fact that he thought I’d be too scared to tell anyone the truth!

Samuel looked relieved.  “So, you’re
not?
”

I
shook my head and glared at him. 
“
No.
I’m NOT!”

Samuel lowered his head for a second, obviously
embarrassed for even entertaining such an absurd thought.  He tilted his head toward me, now looking like the poster-boy for “confusion”.

“Hold on now…
Who else has been thinkin’ you’re pregnant?
Besides me?
” he inquired.

“
Nobody
,” I muttered quickly as I grabbed a broom to sweep up the mess I’d made, but mostly to avoid answering his question.

Samuel snatched the broom out of my hands.  “
Shiloh Wallace
,” he said sternly.  “Who’s been saying that?  Who’s got you all upset?”

My
hands gripped the front edge of the table saw as I lowered my head.  I stared blankly at its jagged blade.  Samuel propped the broom against the wall and stepped closer.  He then gently lifted up my chin and turned my face to his.  His eyes gazed deeply into mine, reassuring me in a heartening way — just like my own father would.

“
Shiloh?
” Samuel whispered softly.

This secret was draining every ounce of my sanity, and Samuel’s concern
was weighing heavily on heart…so ultimately,
I caved
.

“Lazarus Xcavare,” I mumbled as I turned my head away.  “That’s
WHO
.”  I slowly tilted my head back to see his reaction.  I just hoped that he didn’t cut his bottom lip on any of the sharp wood-scraps when his mouth hit the floor.

“
He said that?
  He said that
to you?
” Samuel questioned, looking more than puzzled.  “How could
he
make a comment like that to you? 
YOU?
  A stranger to him?”

Casually, I
stood there (slightly amused) while I listened to Samuel try to figure out
WHY
their new boss would ever say such a thing.  A twisted thought popped into my head. 
I think I’ll let him ramble on a bit more…before I get to the “good part”
.

“Does Caiden know what he
said?  Of course he doesn’t!  He’d be at the police station right now,” Samuel insisted.  “And I’d be locked up with him,” he added with a rigid nod.

Fun’s over
, I thought. “As touched as I am by your chivalry, Samuel…I need to be clear about something…
Okay?
”

Samuel nodded as
I looked him square in the eyes and took a deep breath.

“He didn’t
speak
it.  He
thought
it…and what’s got me so freaked-out…is that I
heard
it.”  I crossed my arms and backed up, waiting for his reaction.  Samuel stood there speechless, almost like he was playing in the final round of Jeopardy.  He was probably thinking,
Alex — What is a lunatic?

After the initial shock of my confession had worn off, he looked back into my eyes with some conjec
ture.

“You were able to
hear
…his
thoughts?
” Samuel pondered aloud.

“
Yes
.  I heard him
think it
, not say it.”  I let out a sigh and added, “I could also feel his emotions as the words floated through my head.  They were so dark and full of anxiety about…
something
.”

Samuel appeared deep
in thought.  I waited for what seemed like minutes for him to respond.

“
You
didn’t
tell Caiden?” Samuel finally asked.

“No…
I didn’t. 
I couldn’t
.  You can’t either —
Okay?
”  I spied a look of apprehension in his eyes.  “Samuel,
PLEASE
,” I begged.  “You
promised
.”

He
muzzled his doubts and agreed to my request with a simple nod.

“
Has this ever happened before?” Samuel asked.

“
No
,” I answered in an uneasy tone, shaking my head.

It was strange.  Samuel was clearly mystified, but it seemed there was also a part of him
that I could tell, believed me beyond a shadow of a doubt.

Samuel
grinned.  “Do you know what I’m thinking?”

“I can probably
guess
what you’re thinking…
but no
…I can’t
hear
your thoughts.”  His smile grew a bit wider as he gently patted my back.

Suddenly, we heard the
sound of several vehicles charging up the road.  Samuel and I stepped outside, just in time to see a fleet of black SUV’s pulling up to the house.
Lazarus Xcavare and his entourage.  Well, at least Daddy’s home
.

Samuel turned to me.  “I think you’ve got company,” he said
and nodded towards the house.

“I’m
fine
…right where I am,” I announced.

“Well, I haven’t had
the pleasure
of meeting Mr. Xcavare myself.  I’d like to see our worldly, new owner in person…
if
you don’t mind?” Samuel said, fully intrigued.  “Are you gonna be all right, Shiloh?”

“
Yeah
…I’ll be fine.”

“Okay.  I’m gonna head up to the house.  I’ll let your father know you’re out here.”  Samuel paused for a moment.  “Shiloh, I’ve lived long enough to know one thing.  Don’t ever be afraid of things you don’t understand.  The world is full of mystery, and each day brings us new challenges.  It’s up to us to make sense of them.  Whatever comes your way
…
embrace it
.  Don’t ever fear it.  You’ve done so all of your life.  It’s not in your nature to stop now.  Whatever
this is
…you’ll figure it out.”  He gave me a quick bear hug and then headed for the house.  Samuel turned back to me and winked.  “Let’s see what’s so
extraordinary
about Mr. Xcavare.”