Walking Into Shadows

Chapter Three

I closed Caitlyn's bedroom door behind me and dropped my bag in her empty chair.
Caitlyn was a beautiful girl, from a beautiful family. Her house was beautiful. Her yard was beautiful. She was the middle child of three including her brothers; Justin and Charlie. Justin was two years older than us, and Charlie was ten years our junior. Each of them had a heart as beautiful as their faces and I always felt her at home with them.
"Why is your mom treating me like an orphan?" I asked awkwardly, dropping down onto Caitlyn's bed and kicking my shoes off.
She laughed hysterically before responding.
"I told her about everything you've been going through all year with Jessibelle, and school. All of that on top of what ahe already knew about, Gran, well she feels terrible. It's why she agreed to let you stay here as long as you need." She explained.
I accepted her answer and flipped through Caitlyn's TV channels.
"So what happened this time?" She asked, scooting closer to me.
I explained my day, and the events that unfolded when I got home. I watched as my best friend's face shifted from apologetic to shocked to angry.
"Wow," she groaned. "What a bitch."
I nodded in agreement.
"My mom is the nosiest person I know, and she still knocks before coming into our rooms. Even, Charlie." She added.
She was right, too. I had no idea what Jessibelle thought she'd find in my room, and she definetly had no right to be angry about a couple pairs of pajamas on the floor. I was angriest about my missing money.
I wondered if my father knew I was gone yet. If he was even worried about where I could be.
"I hate to change the subject to an even worse subject but..." Caitlyn began, snapping my attention away from my thoughts. "You know those dreams you've been having?"
"Sure." I confirmed.
"I've had one." She admitted. "I think maybe I've just heard you talk about it too many times or something but I had one of those...nightmares."
My eyes widened.
"When?! Cat, I'm so sorry..." I wasn't sure why it terrified me so much to know that other people were being affected by my negativity.
"Two nights ago. I haven't had one since, but it was so scary that I remember everything about it." She said in a low voice. Her eyes stared through me, at her bedroom door to check for any lurking siblings. When she didn't find anyone, she continued.
We were in some dark room- at least, I think you were there. I couldn't have been alone, I could feel you."
"You never saw anyone else?" I interrupted.
"No." She shook her head. "And I was doing something to the wind- making it stronger somehow? I was trying to push pure air at someone... something? That wasn't what really stuck with me though. Not like the fear did."
I knew what fear she was talking about. It was the same sheer terror showing on her face that I'd been feeling for weeks.
"The worst part is, I don't even know why I was so afraid. I never saw anything but my hands." She mumbled. I stared blankly at the TV screen and sighed, and thought about what Brandon had said earlier. My hand flew up to the necklace, and Caitlyn's eyes followed.
"Do you think that's what's causing them?" She wondered.
I shook my head.
"Maybe..." I mumbled. "I don't think I'm supposed to be afraid though. When Gran... nevermind, you'd think it was stupid."
Caitlyn nudged my arm.
"Oh come on, just tell me. We've been friends since we were five, there's no stupid thing I haven't heard you say." She folded her arms across her chest and stared at me until I spilled.
"Gran blessed this... and said that it would protect me. And maybe whatever I am so afraid of in these nightmares is what I am supposed to protect myself from. I just get the feeling sometimes that they're more real than I even realize sometimes." I started off slow and quickly became a babbling mess.
Caitlyn didn't seem surprised, but she didn't seem completely convinced either.
"Annabeth?"
"Hmm?" I responded.
"I don't mean to sound like a nut... but I think all of this could mean something... kind of big." Caitlyn said slowly.
"But what?" I was getting frustrated. "What could this possibly mean?"
There came a light knock on Cat's bedroom door.
"Come in!" She shouted over the TV.
The door opened, and Justin poked his head into the room.
"What are you guys talking about so seriously in here?" He asked.
"None of your business, now what do you want?" Caitlyn said firmly.
"Dinner is ready. And I understand that Annabeth is... living with us?" Justin was standing just inside the doorway now.
Growing up, I had always thought that he was incredibly handsome. I was more and more right about that, the older that we got. He was a little taller than Brandon, who was already much taller than me. He was lean, and muscular from running track for an all boys prep school. His hair was dark, and his eyes were light, very similarly to Caitlyn and Charlie both.
"Yes, she is." Caitlyn confirmed.
"And... Her dad is cool with that? None of the adults see a problem with that plan?" He pressed.
"Justin mind you own business and get out of here!" Caitlyn rolled her eyes.
He shrugged and left the room. Caitlyn and I followed.
When we sat down for dinner, it was very quiet for a long time. I had assumed that Caitlyn told her parents everything about what had happened that lead me here, but after the long silence, Mr. Campbell asked what brought me over.
"My father." I rolled my eyes, with a shake of my head.
Mr. Campbell didn't seem to understand right away, but nodded.
"How has he been lately?" He asked.
"He's been better." I admitted. "He's been cooking again. And singing."
Both of Caitlyn's parents seemed relieved to hear that. My father was one of the livliest people but after my mother died, he seemed to disappear into himself.
"But he's also been very absorbed by Jessibelle." Caitlyn reminded them, annoyance thickly coated her words. Her mother straightened up in her seat and cleared her throat.
"What an awful woman." Mr. Campbell rolled his eyes. He's only met her once. After that meeting, he did everything in his power to avoid her.
"Annabeth, you wanna come see my big boy bed?" Charlie asked excitedly, over the chatter.
I looked over at him and grinned. Justin patted the top of his head.
"She's got better things to do than check out your bed, doofus." He chuckled down at Charlie. I raised an eyebrow challengingly and stared straight at Justin when I responded to Charlie.
"I would love nothing more than to see your new bed, Charlie." I insisted.
Charlie smiled proudly and Justin smiled mischiviously.
"Oh in that case, you wanna come check out my big boy bed too, Annabeth?" Justin chuckled with a wink.
"Wildly inappropriate!" Caitlyn hissed.
The room fell quiet, and awkward. We finished supper in silence.
"Mom, can Annie and I be excused?" Cat asked, upon cleaning her plate.
Mrs. Campbell nodded, and Cat yanked me out of my seat.
We spent the next four hours talking about Brandon, and Cat's boyfriend Martin. We talked about the yearbook committee and we talked about Stacey-who-stuffs-her-bra. Before we knew it, 10:30 had rolled around and everyone was setting their alarms for in the morning.
Caitlyn and her parents set me up for bed in their spare bedroom, and everyone said goodnight.
The house was dark, quiet and still.
I stared up at the ceiling above me, trying to convince myself to stay awake. I was terrified to have the nightmare again.