Visions (Forest Secrets Book 1)

Chapter 14

I sucked in a painful breath as Emily poured a tough antiseptic over my arms. We were standing over my bathroom sink. I told them about the clue on the highway, but not about anything that happened after. They knew I was hiding something, but I couldn’t tell them. I didn’t want to relive it again, didn’t want to freshly remember the terror when I thought I was a second away from death via ripped throat. They didn’t push me after the first few tries, but I knew they’d wait patiently for an answer, because they were worried.

            “Here,” Christine said, spreading Neosporin on my arms before wrapping them up. I was glad to have them wrapped up. Before I picked up Christine and Emily, I hadn’t realized that my arms had been steadily dripping blood onto my legs as I drove. I guess I was still running on adrenaline then. Cause…

            Don’t think about!

            I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. I looked at Emily and knew, by that hesitant but determined look, what she was going to ask. I didn’t need to be a Seer to know that.

            “I think it’s time we looked to divination for some answers. We’ve been walking around outside for most of the day…and we’re tired. Jenna’s all cut up. It’s still daylight, but we might as well do something a little more low-key. Everyone agreed…?”

            I just nodded. She was right. When she smiled a loopy smile I had to turn my head so they didn’t see me fight not to cry. That smile, that crazy looks-drugged-but-isn’t smile made it finally click inside my head that I was safe, really, actually safe. And I wanted to cry, but I didn’t. I put my hand on my stomach, feeling the warmth that reminded me I was alive.

            “Oh… You should eat.” Emily said, looking over her shoulder at me as she sorted through my divination supplies.

            “Okay,” I said and walked downstairs. I almost didn’t notice my grandmother sitting at the table.

            “Jenna! What happen to your arms?” She jumped out of her seat, her face clouding with worry. She hurried to me.

            “I just fell, Grandma. You know how I can get clumsy.” I tried to smile encouragingly at her, but she saw through it.

            “Jennifer, did someone try to hurt you?” She was angry as well as concerned now.

            “No. No, don’t worry, Grandma. Nothing like…I was walking and I got scared and ran, and I tripped.” I tried to open the refrigerator, but it hurt my arms when my hands flexed.

            She came over and put her arm around me and opened the door for me. She got out a tuber wear filled with leftover pasta salad and a jug of juice. She poured me a glass, and handed it to me with a fork to eat the pasta with. She gave me a kiss on the head and said, “Here you go sweetie; feel better.”

            “I love you Grandma.”

            She smiled. “I love you too.”

            I walked up stairs with my meal, sipping the juice as I went.

I finished off the last bit of juice, my stomach pleasantly full of that and the pasta salad. We’d voted to use the crystal ball since I’d seen so much in it about Carter the night of the party. They held silent as I concentrated on the crystal. I closed my eyes for a second and said quietly, “Who took Carter?” And for the second time, I opened my eyes to candle-lit crystal, and saw. But I didn’t see what I wanted.