SILVERBONE: The Blood Medallion (Book One)

Chapter One

August

Frier Barn decayed in the center of the ten-acre lot, awaiting a new owner who would never arrive. A stupid rumor went around that the land was cursed after Farmer Frier passed away on its hot, dry straw. However, that didn’t stop the annual summer gathering of new high school seniors from congregating there. No one seemed to care or notice since the barn was in the middle of nowhere, and the convention only took place at night every August first. Besides, the countryside of Hays, Kansas stretched out in a flat line like the screen of a heart monitor connected to someone recently pronounced dead. Only an occasional lump of hay poked up to disrupt the leveled terrain. It was an unremarkable place where unremarkable things happened.

Katie’s 2003 Acura rumbled over the dirt road leading up to the old, rustic building, dimly lit by the fire pit constructed by past seniors. Her AC was broken, leaving us no choice other than keeping the windows down. It was better to have sticky, hot air than no air at all. A new pop song muffled through the old speakers which Katie quietly hummed to, dismissing my presence in the vehicle. We hadn’t talked the entire ride, but that was normal.

Katie parked by the other cars. She unbuckled her seatbelt, but before getting out, she turned to me very seriously, her brown eyes matching her smokey eyeshadow.

“Don’t embarrass me,” she said, bluntly. “You’re too young to even be here, but since Mom and Dad think we’re visiting cousin Laura…” She sighed. “...Why couldn’t I have thought of something more clever, like a summer reading project? Just anything where Mom and Dad wouldn’t think you’d need me involved.”

“I mean, technically we are visiting Laura,” I replied with no consideration to her argument.

She rolled her eyes. “You know what I mean.”

I nodded, paused, then replied, “Sorry.” I really wanted to impress her. A healthy relationship was all I ever wanted with my sister. Since we would soon be in high school together, I was determined to win her approval.

She drew her face closer to mine, glaring with authority. “And under no circumstances do you talk with Peter. I don’t want you scaring him away with your awkward conversations about me, okay?”

“How will I even know who Peter is?” I inquired.

With agitation, she clarified, “I will point him out to you when we’re inside. And take off your jacket; you look like you’re an emo.” She got out of the car.

Blushing, I followed. I was wearing one of Katie’s old dresses. The white flowy fabric with pink flowers looked tacky under my brown, lumpy zip up hoodie, but the bust was too revealing for me, and all my clothes were in the laundry. I had hoped that my black, military boots would scale out the gracelessness of the outfit, but apparently not.

Inside the barn, the smell of smoke intensified along with generic pop music. The lit fire pit illuminated everyone, casting quivering, teenage shadows against the rotting wood. Some kids sat around the hearth, sipping beers. Others had slipped away into dark corners for intimacy. Some swarmed my sister, welcoming her with smiles and appreciation for her existence. As she was swept away by her mob of friends, Katie glanced at me and extended her finger outwards, mouthing, “Peter.” I followed her pointed direction, noticing a tallish, handsome boy with blonde hair, jeans, and a tight shirt to exaggerate his young muscles.

I nodded at Katie to affirm to her that I understood, and from there on, I fended for myself. Actually being there, I didn’t understand why I was so insistent on going. No one paid attention to me because no one knew me. I was fresh out of middle school about to start freshman year. However, my curiosities typically brought me places I ended up wishing I never went. Like a lost child, I shuffled my way around partying seniors, not comprehending how they found their activities to be an entertaining pastime.