Manifestation

1: Bernard

"Arizona, coming up on your left." Jack grazed my shoulder as he scanned the next room.

"Upstairs is clear!" I heard Jane call down.

"House is clear." Jack came out of the room and I flopped onto a nearby couch. Ryan flopped next to me.

"Now some alone time." He kissed me lightly on the lips and I giggled.

"You guys are so gross." Jane scoffed.

It had been a month since Aiden died and she still hadn't gotten over his death.

We have had to make temporary camps here and there as creepers took over our other settlements. We were trying to make our way to Phoenix, where there was a refugee camp.

Jack hauled in all of our supplies.

I stared into Ryan's brilliant eyes. I pulled his face close to mine and kissed him.

I felt the same love and passion as I always did when I kissed him. If he could love me through all of this, he must be the one.

I got up and walked upstairs to claim a bedroom.

I picked the one at the end of the hall. It was quaint and had an undisturbed double bed.

I threw my small backpack on the bed and pulled off my red t shirt.

I turned around and looked at my back in the full length mirror in the corner. My bullet wound had started to heal. The black ink was distorted and looked more like a blob now.

I saw Ryan step into view and he wrapped his arms around my waist.

"It's healing good." He said.

"Only because you are treating it." I smiled.

He frowned. "Maybe I wouldn't have to if Kiera didn't shoot you."

"Don't blame yourself for that."

"It's my fault I wasn't protecting you."

"I can protect myself. She didn't kill me."

He leaned his forehead on my shoulder.

"It's ok. We are safe. Right here, right now." I whispered.

He looked up. "You're right." He kissed me on the cheek.

I laid down on the soft linens. Ryan flopped next to me.

I rolled over to look at him and smiled.

"Are you going to sleep with me?" I asked.

"Why not?" He smiled and kissed me lightly on the lips.

"I never said there was anything wrong with that." I laughed.

"Good." He pulled me in closer and kissed me again.

I heard a knocking on the door and pulled away.

"Jack found a few cans of food." Jane peeked her head in the doorway.

"Ok, we will be down." I giggled.

She rolled her eyes and walked back downstairs.

I got out of bed and put my shirt back on.

"Sorry, have to save the fun for later." I sighed.

He groaned. "Aw darn it." He rolled out of bed and we walked downstairs together.

Jack had started a fire in the fireplace.

We sat down on one of the floral printed couches and ate our slim dinner.

"You know what I found in the cabinet? An Ouija board." Jack said.

"I've always wanted to try one of those!" Jane squealed.

"I really don't think we have time for black magic when there are creepers knocking on our door." Ryan protested.

"Please Ryan!"

"Come on, Ry, it's all fake anyway." I said.

He rolled his eyes. "I want no part of it."

Jane squealed and rushed into the kitchen.

I cleared off the table and she set up the small board. We gathered in a circle on the floor and held hands. Ryan sulked in the corner.

"If there are any spirits present please make yourself known to us." Jane chanted.

We placed our hands lightly on the small eye and waited for it to move.

Then, slowly, it moved to the letter B. Another five seconds and it moved to the letter E.

"Stop moving it, Jack!" Jane scolded.

"I'm not!"

The next letter was R, then N, then A.

My heart started pumping. No, it wasn't it, the word wasn't even done yet, I shouldn't get my hopes up.

The piece stopped moving for a full thirty seconds.

"Berna? What's that supposed to mean?" Jane asked.

Then, it moved again, my hands gliding with it, R. My eyes grew wide as it landed on the last letter.

Bernard.