Under Changing Tides

Chapter Five: Truth or Terror

The longing for someone is something she has never known before. Dawson was always a decent person to her, but something about staring at Jack Haven's golden stair, had her wishing they were always in a room locked away from prying eyes so she wouldn't feel wrong for what she wants to do to him... he takes her in his arms and she knows safety at that moment. There is something between them though, their tension is distracted a bit, but Nora isn't sure why. Jack kisses her softly and when she smiles under his lips she notices the hunger within him come out, and his eyes flash a brilliant dark yellow that tells Nora she should be worried.

Not a worry fills her mind as she arches her chin so her hair falls off her shoulder, wanting him to take full advantage of her, and use every inch of her. She can feel the wet tip of his tongue travel around her neck and suck periodically at her skin; causing goosebumps to spread. Tingles capture her from his touch as Jack lines kisses along her jaw and begins to lift the hem of her shirt as their tongues meet. She holds his hands and helps herself out of his noticing now she isn't wearing her bra, his hands enclose on her instantly, releasing moans from them both their used mouths; and the darkness overtakes her vision once again.

The night seemed to go without a hitch from Nora's memory. Never once did something go flying off the shelf, and nothing levitated, thank goodness; but there was something real that happened last night. Lying in her bed, the lights are out with the night time that should have kept her under; there is snoring in the air, and the clock reads two thirteen. She can hear the crash of the waves as they land on her family's dock out back and something about her window open again makes her get up to go check it out. The window is cold to the touch, she latches it closed before facing her room.

The room is like the night before she opens her door to the hallway which is just as obscure. Being at Harper's last night flickers as if snapshots were playing through her mind. Nora remembers her friend telling her that her Gramma believed in the impossible of Cresthaven, but that her dad always told her Gramma was just crazy... last night was not just hocus pocus; Nora knows something was initiated within Harper last night. How magical can magic really be? She wonders as she travels down the steps toward the kitchen door. The glitter bounced off of every fracture of light in the room, the candles bellowed and grew and then dwindled when necessary for the ritual. Nora notices that her hands have gotten sweaty thinking about last night when her hand touches the doorknob.

Night air hits with an icy fall chill that takes her breath away, as she steps outside. The motion light pops on illuminating slightly the backyard and less of the dock. Nora hesitates, thinking about all the stories the people would spread about the Cresthaven Bay and how no one should ever go at night alone, but hand closing the door behind her, and she can smell the salty-sweet she has come to know. The mossy grass that covers the ground is cold and damp; her feet are frozen numb by the time she reaches the dock walk. The black water glitters with the slimming moon, not too long ago it was full, soon it won't be there at all and the cycle will restart and Nora can only imagine how many more people might get attacked by whatever creature is lurking in the Bay.

The wind picks up and Nora decides to sit on the dock; last night was liberating; there was something totally primal about it. The feeling of the unknown as it traps you outside of your own mind because you have no idea what to expect. Curiosity is tugging at her legs, as the Bay below her looks like tar and she dips her toes in; the warmth shocks her and she lets her feet go in all the way. Within a few moments, the chill of her body above the water almost begged to be inside too... the thought of it being a good idea came and gone all in an instant as she dips her legs in even lower to see how high the tide is now. Not able to touch the bottom yet, Nora retreats from the murky black water to see her legs have changed color, and when she brings them back up onto the dock, she splashes the dock with the black looking water and hurries away in panic. Nora reaches the light in the backyard before she realizes that the black guck is actually burgundy and reminiscent of blood.