Oxygen

Chapter 15 - Magic tricks

I'm way too excited. After several weeks here in Oregon, I was ready to go home, and see some people again, other than Jordan, Charlie and Georgia. Since the time we crossed paths with Martin from the Summers clan, nothing else has happened. It's almost more worrying than we haven't seen them, but at least they aren't near us, and the family back home in Christchurch are certain that Natalie hasn't been at school, so it's safe to come home next week.

Jordan and I have been practicing using our abilities, but Jordan hasn't discovered his yet, which is clearly making him frustrated. It must be related to mine though; destroying things with my emotions. So whatever it is, I'm willing to help him find out.

I wake up that morning extremely tired, and Jordan is sitting straight up in the bed next to me. Without speaking he knows what I'm going to say. "Don't" he warns. I freeze in my half upright position, and look at my hands, awkwardly. Something else seems wrong here, not just the absence of Jordan's ability. I'm still very weary of everything; after the attack in my dreams where Martin gave me the most painful bruises. The marks disappeared quite quickly, which is odd. I've never been a fast healer.

I sit up and cradle him in my arms. "I know, it's okay" I conclude. I rub my thumb up and down his arm, and he shivers under my touch. Neither of us are really used to it.

He leans his head on mine, since I'm too short for him to reach my shoulder. "I love you, Jordan. It doesn't matter if you don't have your ability". He shrugs, getting off the bed, and leaving the room in his boxers.

I sigh, pulling the covers away from me and heading to the kitchen. Charlie and Georgia are already up, after spending the night on the couch. We take turns now, just in case.

"Hey" I say glumly, making my way to the toaster, and starting the kettle for coffee. "Are you alright?" Charlie asks, investigating the worry on my face. "Yea, Jordan is still down" I say, misery shown in my voice.

The day drags on miserably, and I spend the day practicing my punch with the punching bag Charlie hung on one of the trees. Each blow strikes the punching bag with major force, and the bag swings fluently towards the tree and back again.

My black sports bra and pink bike shorts are wet with the smell of sweat, but I keep punching. Jordan's stress is making me stressed, and with the bonding process in the final stage feelings are stronger than ever.

I step back, with my left leg forward, ready to punch and kick with my right. My leg swings and hits the bag, sending it flying through the air, and back to it's original position. My fist smashes against it, and sweat pours from my tensed fingers.

I stop, exhausted, and laying on the ground, I take deep, staggered breaths. I stand up after a few minutes, punching the bag again. Suddenly, I hear a cracking from the tops of the tree and without time to react, two firm hands grip my shoulders and pull me to the side, knocking my arm into the hard dirt.

Just in the nick of time, a large branch tackles through the tree as it makes it's way to the ground. I take a thankful breath, and turn to see a blonde, strong built man laying on the ground behind me. "You should be more careful with your abilities" Jordan says, smirking as I turn to see his deep blue eyes.

"I'm sorry" I state, "About everything". "I know" Jordan softens, turning me round on the grass. He holds my waist and whispers in my ear. "We're leaving tomorrow to go to the airport".

"Okay" I say. After a minute of staring into his infinite pupils, I start to blush, realizing what a stalker I must look like. Jordan gets to his feet, and offers a hand for me. I take it and get to my feet, and we head back inside. I decide I need a shower, and some time to relax. The high emotions going around are really affecting me, and my ability.

•••

I've packed everything I own, and I'm ready to go. Jordan is packing the last few items; toothbrush, pajamas, and some food for the airport. I decided to do some cleaning, since it would be a good impression for Emily to come home to a tidy house. I get out a cordless vacuum and start collecting dust from the kitchen. 

"Hey Fern, excited to go home?" Charlie asks, a wide grin on his face. He must have a life to go back to as well. "Yea, I can't wait" I reply. Then Georgia comes out from the hall, smiling from ear to ear. Hmmm, what have they been up to?

"Hey, Georgia" I say, a smirk showing on my lips. "Oh, hey Fern" she greets, a light dust of pink appearing on her cheeks. I turn away, laughing to myself. Lovebirds.

After a couple of hours cleaning, and everyone else packing, we have everything in the car and ready to go. I'm last to get in the car, locking up the house and stuffing the keys in my purse. Charlie and Georgia take their car and Jordan and I follow in ours. 

When we reach the rental place where Charlie got the car, we make room for all four of us in the van. The final part of the drive is through the forest. Oregon is a very secluded place, and there is a lot of nature where we were staying. About an hour from the airport, we hear a strange noise from the car. It sounds like a banging sound. Oh no.

"What was that?" Jordan asks, slowing down rapidly as the sound comes again. After four loud bangs, Charlie replies, "I don't know, keep going until we get to somewhere with a petrol station". Charlie's suggestion sounds like a good idea, but it doesn't last.

The car comes to a sudden stop, and we let the car drift to the side of the road. Why is this happening now? 

Then, without warning, two men swing open the doors, trapping us from every angle. "What the hell?" Jordan mutters, and Charlie does the same. The men are both of a large build, and have excessively toned arms, shown under black tank tops. They have ski masks hiding their faces, except for their eyes.

With big burly hands, the man to my side of the car picks me up, and drags me away. I start to scream, but he takes one hand and covers my mouth. I shout in my head to Jordan, "Help! What's going on?". In a few seconds he replies, "I don't know, I think it's the Summer's. The men's eyes look like Natalie's". I stare up into the mans eyes, and sure enough, his shady brown eyes look just like Natalie's.

Oh crap. Suddenly I realize what's about to happen. We reach a stretch of road, on the other side of the forest, and I'm thrown onto a trailer, at the back of a white van. Suddenly I feel a sharp pain in my left arm, like a needle, and I start to drift away as I'm covered in a blanket, all sound muffled.

"Jordan! Are you okay?" I yell in my head, as best I can. But I can tell it isn't going anywhere. I feel the life dripping from me and I slink into the blankets surrounding me. I recognize that man, he was one of the men that came with Martin when they threatened us. These are the Summers, and they're not here for a tea party in the park.