Eyes: The Story Of A Blind Heroine

Chapter 9

I was about to inquire more, when the unmistakable sound of Elise's clunky car came rolling up to the subway parking lot. The door opened, then the rhythmic clicking of two pairs of heels grew louder as they headed in our direction.

"Bridge! Hey, there you are!" Elise voice floated towards us across the expanse of parking lot.

Relief, like nothing I've ever felt in my entire life, washed over me as I heard my friend calling to me. "Elise! Amelia!" I called out, waving for them to see me.

Very soon, my friends joined our little company.

"Are you ready to go?" Elise asked. "Sorry I'm late. There was some kind of accident on the turn-off to this place. Looks like a collission, a mean one at that."

This was no accident, a voice spoke in my mind, accompanied by the tingling sensation from earlier. Say nothing of it.

"Oopsie," Percy's father remarked, "I am glad you made it, though."

"You two can't leave our Brigid alone, can ya?" Amelia commented mischievously.

"What can I say?" Percy said, "it's like the universe just ... keeps crossing our paths with one another. She tries to stay away, but we're ... victims of chance, all of us." His voice trailed off for a moment, then, with an audible intake of air, he geared the conversation into a different direction. "Anyway, Brigid, think on what we told you today. I suggest you follow up on it, do your own research, you know. Then, come back to us. You will, won't you?"

Oh, boy, I thought, my heart sinking. "Thanks, I will," I replied shortly, "but, for now, I need rest. Amelia, Elise, let's go."

"Do you mind if I keep the business card?" the unnamed man asked, "I would like to pay a visit to that café some time."

Yeah, pal. I'm sure you would. Better to stalk your target, right? I could kick myself for dropping the card! "Sure," I replied, shifting my handbag, "Perhaps the cinnamon cappuccino or the vanilla lattes would help you ... think on your own decisions about the matter."

"If you are trying to sway us from our decision, darling, save your breath," the man said, then, as an afterthought that somehow managed to sound both condiscending and dry, "but they do sound delicious."

Just then, I was hit with a wave of shock, so strong, that it almost knocked me off my feet. This was followed by a deep fear, one I've never felt before. It was raw and painful, my heart sky-rocketting, a steel hand clamped around my throat. I tried to breath deeply, tried to process what was happening. What the hell was going on? Why did I feel as though I was on the verge of a panic attack? I knew that, sometimes, they struck very unexpectedly, but this ... This was different. 

"Hey, can we move this along?" I urged. I was finding it hard to sound nonchalant, but I had the feeling that I couldn't show my panic in front of the Waterfords or whoever their friend was.

"Are you okay, Bridge?" Amelia asked as we got into the car.

"Yeah, I ... I'm all right. I ... will be, I think."

I wasn't lying. As we rode, the fear ebbed slightly, replaced by a weird sense of relief, but it was tinged with helplessness. These fears are not your own, the voice from earlier informed me as the ring momentarily heated up. You feel the fear of your friend who calls herself Elise.

Huh? Why would Elise of all people feel this way? I wondered. She was so chill, carefree. I couldn't imagine her feeling this way.

However, the ring was correct, I would later notice. During the ride, I couldn't help noticing Elise was being uncharacteristically quiet. She didn't speak a single word as she drove. Knowing that she would never have passed up the opportunity to be the chatterbox Amelia and I knew so well and loved, I knew something was wrong. I didn't need the ring to tell me that, now that I thought about it. If it had anything to do with that sense of shock and fear I had felt earlier,  it couldn't be good.