A Teaspoon Of Stardust

20) Finding Evangeline

“      Often those that criticise others reveal what he himself lacks.
               - Shannon L. Alder

I had only one thing on my mind: finding Evangeline Blackwood.

Well, that and a pounding headache.

Apparently at the time, even though it was clearly registered in my head, the fact that Luke shared the same last name as the witchy woman from my nightmares who haunted every sleeping, and now waking as well, moment in my life didn't seem to matter as much as finding her, and killing her.

That is all I wanted to do. Find her, kill her. Find her, kill her. Find her, kill her.

She deserves it.

My bed head hair was stringy and knotty, but not even that mattered. Which is very unusual. I was awake, the sun brightly pouring it's light over my face and blinding me in the process, and the single thought of revenge coursed through me.

My mind was a crazy jumble of important thoughts bouncing around, clashing and bumping into each other, but I was focused in on finding the clock tower. And now I had the riddle to go with it.

The trouble with her clue wasn't that I wouldn't be able to remember it- because that horrifying memory is burned into my skull- but what it means.

I don't know where to find the willow tree, or the wicken of one hundred and three.

How the hell did I end up in this situation?

Everything happens for a reason.

I pushed Luke's unforgiving voice out of my head, knowing that if I thought about him I'd get distracted.

"Okay," I breathed and stood up, walking to the wooden platform at the foot of the tower. It's funny, during the day it doesn't seem as menacing. You'd have never known a ruthless nightmare-giving ghost was in it. "First, I need a ride."

"Ride, ride, ride, ride." I hummed and swung my legs out in front of me.

As if God was sending me a reminder, my phone went off. My heart thudded in ny chest, nearly smashing my ribcage. Luke? Dylan? Evangeline? Who?

I need to answer it. By the time it rang it's third ding, I hastily swiped the button on my phone and held it shakily to my ear.

"H-hello?" I whispered. Anticipation overtook me. Luke?

"Hello?!" The crazy person wailed from the other line. "Sugar, I'm gonna need some help."

I don't know if I was relieved or disappointed upon discovering that the caller was only Marie, my boss.

"Oscar, you know the other driver, had an emergency er something, can you come help out? I SAID THE ORANGES ARE IN THE LEFT COR- I swear this shop will be the death of me." Halfway through she had to yell at a customer, but overall Marie sounded eager and desperate, so I agreed.

"On one condition."

°°°°°«^^»°°°°°

"So are you going to explain?"

I bounced my knee rapidly as Marie's truck rumbled out of the dirt pathway. The false clock tower grew smaller and smaller in the rear view mirror, a sight I never needed to see again.

"Well, am I going to get an explanation?" She urged, again.

"I don't know if I have time." I sighed, completely exhausted. Because really, how good for your sleep can the dirty ground be?