Visions: The Mystical Encounter Series (The Mystical Encounter Series Book 1) Read online

  Barry.

  He’s here. Now?

  My heart began beating at a higher rate just from the idea of talking to him. I leapt out of bed, racing over to the dresser mirror. Displeased by my reflection, I grabbed my brush in a desperate attempt to tame the flyaway strands. Mom answered the door, which bought me a few extra minutes, but that was probably not good. It seemed to be causing further distress as reasons for his visit flitted through my head. Did he come here to apologize, or say we’re done? Or, worse yet, he wants to part ways after finishing what we started with Johnny. My stomach became nauseous at the possibility of not being able to reconcile.

  Mom came to my room, ending my internal conflict by announcing Barry’s arrival. Regardless of his reasoning, I had to face him. A hair tie, lying to the side, made me abandon the idea of taming my frizzies. Without giving it any thought, I picked up the elastic band and placed my hair into a loose ponytail. With another glance in the mirror, I couldn’t procrastinate any further. With a deep breath I thought, the sooner I faced the consequences of my behavior, the sooner I’d feel better.

  As I walked toward the living room, Mom scurried off toward the kitchen to give us privacy. The idea of facing him had my stomach twisted in knots. As I rounded the corner, our eyes fell upon each other, stopping my forward motion. Speechless. Unable to move, he was tantalizing, standing there waiting for me. That sudden urge to reach out and touch him came at me strong, but I didn’t dare. There wasn’t any way he would want me to touch him. The concern etched on his face caused a slight relief, forcing me out of my stupor.

  “Hey,” I whispered, barely finding my voice.

  “Hey,” he responded shakily.

  The nervousness in his voice triggered my conscience. Even though I was embarrassed by the way I’d treated him, the tiny consolation from his lack of anger gave me hope.

  “Let’s go for a walk,” I suggested, wanting nothing more than to be alone to talk privately. Mom wouldn’t be hanging by the door listening, but I didn’t want her quarantined to the kitchen either.

  As we headed outside, we automatically turned and walked toward the woods. I wasn’t sure what decided that course‌—‌the easier path would’ve been the sidewalk‌—‌but we gravitated toward it naturally. As we walked, it was clear, by the continuing silence, that neither one of us knew how to initiate the conversation. I should’ve been formulating a speech instead of falling asleep earlier. Now that he was beside me, that awkwardness hung above as we continued trekking deeper into the wooded area.

  Much to my relief, Barry spoke first, breaking through the uncomfortable silence hovering overhead. “Heather, I need to apologize. I shouldn’t have told Nicole without your permission which I realized too late. It’s just…‌I got caught up in the possibility of finding out what happened to Johnny, I couldn’t wait to share the news with her.”

  An unexpected twinge of jealousy zipped through me, wondering how close they’d been. Since I was a newcomer to town, their history was a mystery, and I mentally questioned whether they’d been a couple. Was that why I got so upset? She’s beautiful, after all, it wouldn’t be surprising. Long, blond hair with a perfect figure placed her in a higher, desirable playing field than me. What if he still has lingering feelings? As he continued talking, I forced myself to listen, dispelling any thoughts of them being together.

  “My grandma used to babysit Nicole as well,” he explained, answering my unspoken question. That information alleviated any turmoil brewing, allowing me to relax. “She played with Johnny more than me. The three of us were best friends, so she’d want to know, especially if there’s a possibility of finding out what happened. Of course getting caught up in the excitement of telling her, I completely forgot about your feelings. The last thing I’d want to do is betray you. You have to believe that I’m truly sorry. Please forgive me, Heather.”

  The familiar log came within sight, and I wandered up to it, straddling the limb as I sat. Barry followed suit, sitting across from me. When my eyes grazed his face, he frowned as his gaze shifted downward. The remorse he displayed melted my heart, silently proving his actions weren’t intentional.

  There was no way I could’ve stayed mad at him even if I wanted to.

  I lowered my voice replying, “I can understand wanting to tell her. I just wished you had given me a warning first. She surprised me, and I felt betrayed.”

  Noticing him wince at that word, I turned away before continuing. “Well, I owe you an apology, too. As upset as I was, I didn’t mean what I told you. You’ve been so understanding and helpful from the beginning that I couldn’t ask for a better friend.”

  “Thanks. I appreciate that. But you know…” He paused as the atmosphere turned serious. With a gentle touch, his hand moved part of my bangs to the left side of my face, drawing my eyes back at him. His stare penetrated deep into mine as he added, “I think about you as more than just a friend.”

  My breath hitched as it became hard for me to breathe, wondering if he was going to kiss me. My mouth went dry, making it hard to swallow. Never being kissed, I wasn’t sure I was ready. Most people think nothing about the simple gesture, coming second nature to them without uncertainty. But in my case, it was taboo. Any form of personal touching had always been off limits as far as I was concerned. Nobody had been that close to me to cause worry, and I honestly wasn’t sure what I wanted just now.

  While I continued to stare back at him, my pulse quickened when he leaned closer. My thoughts became jumbled together, like one giant cluster ball of what ifs. He whispered softly, “I was hoping you felt the same way.”

  Still unable to utter words, our gazes locked. The seconds ticked by, but I didn’t notice. Instead, they seemed to have halted as I’d lost sense of time. His sharp intake of breath made my eyes drop to his mouth as his lips parted. All my reasons to stay away vanished with the thought of those lips upon mine. The need to have him consume me was overwhelming. Incapable of fighting that urge any longer, our bodies collided, his soft lips pressed gently against mine. It was…‌magical. There weren’t any visions or images racing through my mind. Just the yearning my body had for him.

  After he pulled away, a tingling sensation continued as if my lips wanted more. I shuddered in response while Barry closed his eyes, taking in a breath. Upon opening them, his heated look made me blush. The corners of his mouth rose into his signature half–grin, but with an added dose of confidence. God, he’s handsome.

  “You know,” he said as he grabbed hold of my hands, intertwining our fingers together. “We need to forget about this paranormal stuff for a while and go have some fun. I believe a real date is due. How about Saturday? Are you free?”

  “Yes, of course.” I continued blushing. He just asked me out on a date. Me. How my life came to this point, I’d never know. I was happy, and oddly enough, that was surreal.

  “All right then, it’s an official date.”

  He leaned in closer, kissing me one more time. I never would have guessed I could experience anything that great. It was wonderful. When our lips parted, I scooted toward him, resting my head on his shoulders. With his arms around me, I wanted to cherish that sense of contentment forever. Who knew how many moments like that I’d get to savor? As with everything else in my life, I should’ve known it wouldn’t last.

  The faint laughter of a little boy interrupted our tranquility, snapping my head sharply toward the right where the sound originated. “Did you hear that?” I asked apprehensively.

  He gazed in the general direction I was staring, but shook his head no. “What exactly did you hear?”

  “I’m not…‌sure. I guess nothing.”

  Unable to draw myself from staring over there, I was perplexed because a child had clearly laughed. Why didn’t Barry hear it? Just as I questioned my sanity, I paled as an image of the boy from my visions came into sight. Johnny? With a quick glance at Barry, I couldn’t believe he wasn’t reacting. He stared toward the general vicinity of where Jo
hnny’s figure stood, but obviously wasn’t visualizing the same thing as me.

  I swallowed hard, composing myself before Barry could sense something was wrong. I closed my eyes, blinking them a couple of times, hoping to dislodge the image. Once I kept them open, Johnny remained standing there with much determination. Is he trying to communicate to me? His gaze bored into mine, causing me to shiver. He nodded, as if encouraging me, and raised his arm to point to something. Confused, I scanned the direction he pointed to, but nothing was there. When I examined it closer, a small clearing became visible.

  The place wasn’t far, approximately twenty yards away. The grounds, covered in old leaves with a few sporadic fern fronds, appeared to be about ten feet in diameter. I still didn’t notice anything special, other than a cleared area. What is he implying? I turned toward Johnny’s figure, mentally questioning him, but he offered no explanation. He kept cryptically pointing his finger toward that direction. Does he want me to go over there? As the thought fleeted, Johnny nodded as if in agreement before dissipating into thin air.

  The current surroundings faded into the background as the clearing became the main focal point. I stepped off the log without a word and started walking to where Johnny guided me. He clearly was trying to show me something of importance, which I needed to find out what. Why would you summon me over there Johnny? The realization that something consequential was about to occur became stronger as I neared the area. Perhaps, revealing the most crucial piece to my imaginary puzzle.

  “Heather, where are you going?” Barry’s voice echoed through my clouded mind.

  As if in a trance, I whispered, “over there,” as I continued to press forward, picking up my pace. I needed to reach the place, now. I heard rustling sounds of movement and knew Barry was following. His quietness suggested he’d gotten used to my quirks, which was, in a sense, comforting.

  Coldness crept through me as I reached the open space, causing me to shiver. My body swayed as lightheadedness came on strong. I know what he wants. He wants me to find him.

  He’s here…‌Somewhere.

  But where?

  With my arms spread outward, I closed my eyes, walking around the perimeter of the clearing. I could sense his presence. Although hard to explain, that suspicion penetrated deep inside of me, letting me know I was close. Advancing another six feet, I abruptly stopped, snapping my head toward the left.

  I drifted over there skeptically, fearing what I was going to find. Deep down, I knew what lay below the surface. There wasn’t any doubt in my mind, but that dreadfulness prevented me from speaking. I needed to tell Barry that Johnny sent me here for a reason. He wanted me to find him.

  Determined to fulfill his wish, I continued. With only a few steps forward, tightness clamped in my chest, making breathing impossible. This tightness was unlike earlier, for this was a pain I’d never encountered. I dropped to my knees, clutching my arms against myself, while being mentally pulled in multiple directions. Hurt, mixed with a strong desire to start digging, overcame me. I remained still, fighting off that urge as I concentrated on breathing.

  “He’s here. This is where he’s buried,” I managed to gasp out.

  I forced my head to turn away to focus on Barry instead. He stood there speechless with our gaze zeroed in on each other. The ashy coloring of his face betrayed his efforts of putting on a brave front. He was frightened. Is this when he’ll snap and run far from me as he can? No matter how often he tried convincing me otherwise, I felt one of these days it’d be too much to handle.

  “How…‌How do you know?” he squeaked out.

  “It’s hard to explain, but this sensation is overpowering... I just know.” I wasn’t about to tell him that Johnny’s ghost pointed me in that direction. That was information I’d never share with anyone since they already thought I was crazy.

  Barry stood there, staring at the spot. His contorted face revealed the raw, emotional pain he was enduring. I didn’t have to be a mind reader to figure that out. But witnessing him going through that killed me. When will I quit hurting him?

  “Johnny…,” he muttered, breaking the silence. With tears swelling up, he fell to his knees, clutching both hands against his thighs.

  With small steps, I walked over to him. As I approached him, I dropped to my knees, positioning myself in front of him. Two strong arms reached out, and pulled me into a firm, tight chest. Embraced in his arms, I never thought we would share a moment like that again, nor would I ever want to over these circumstances. But at the same time, I’d never felt that close to anyone in my entire life.

  For once I was thankful for the capabilities bestowed upon me, since it brought us closer together. More importantly, it helped by finding his long, lost friend.

  “Barry, it’s time we go talk to Nicole’s uncle.”

  After agreeing, we walked back home. Our hands were intertwined, but we remained quiet. The atmosphere was too heavy to engage in conversation. Besides, what’s left to say after an encounter of that sort? When we approached the edge of the woods, Mr. Barton’s house came into view. Not being able to shake the sensation that he was somehow involved, part of me wanted to go grab a hold of him to reveal his secrets. That’d be the quickest, easiest way. The possibility of him being a cold–blooded murderer prevented me from following through, but it was tempting nonetheless.

  It would be nice to have solid proof that he was behind Johnny’s death before going to the police. It would shed more credibility, forcing them to take me seriously. Some type of evidence was hiding inside that house. There had to be. Regardless, we needed to get in there. My mind won’t rest until we did.

  ~10~

  Puzzles

  Insomnia…‌the routine of late. Even so, tonight it was somewhat self–inflicted. As I lay in bed, I kept going over the events that occurred earlier today. The memories replayed over and over like a movie the cable channel constantly repeated. That did little to aid me into my nighttime slumber, but right now I wasn’t sure I wanted to sleep anyway.

  There was such a wide range of emotions that surfaced today; I believed I’d covered them all. The one overshadowing the rest was fear. I was afraid of closing my eyes, worried of what Johnny had in store for me tonight. Each night I dreamt about him, the dreams became more realistic. Like…‌I was having a one–way conversation with him. I’d come to the conclusion his way of communicating to me was through my subconscious state. That alone made me wary of falling asleep, especially after today. I think he only wanted me to help him, but what if I fail?

  I’d never had any visions scare me before‌—‌they’d troubled me, but never scared me. Today that changed, because regardless of Johnny’s intentions, I was shaken. I’d always accepted that I had talents above the norm, but seeing a ghost–like figure? Whatever that was delved deep into the supernatural. Unsure of my next step, or what could be done, I was completely lost.

  Barry often looked at me with amazement at my resiliency regarding my visions, but I didn’t know anymore. I was frightened. Not frightened from Johnny himself‌—‌Johnny only wanted help‌—‌rather frightened over what the overall situation entailed. Previously, visions came at my will, but that particular situation was uncontrollable. What distresses me most was the possibility of where it may lead. Am I opening up a gateway for spirits to contact me? Since being clairvoyant was bad enough, possessing that type of ability was hard to fathom. Hopefully, I wouldn’t be seeing any more ghosts in my future. That certainly wasn’t my wish. The truth‌—‌I wished to be normal.

  Once we convince the police to exhume Johnny’s remains, maybe then he’d be at peace. My dreams could once again belong to me.

  Before rolling over, I let out a small sigh. I was exhausted, and concentrating on Johnny wasn’t helping, it was too daunting. I forced those thoughts away, shifting them toward Barry instead. It seemed to work‌—‌at least temporarily. The simple thought of him made a smile form while my hand rose unconsciously, touching my lips. The sof
t tenderness of his mouth pressed against mine made for incredible first kiss‌—‌one that I’d always cherish. But then, I started to imagine his arms wrapped around me. With my thoughts straying in that direction, warm sensations began flowing through me‌—‌heating places I didn’t want to think about. This endearment was unexpected, and I wasn’t sure how to handle it. But I did know, when he touched me earlier, the security that swelled inside me was amazing. Who knew I’d enjoy having that level of affection from another person?

  As I continued to lie there, I tried with all my heart to reminisce about Barry, but even the sole vision of him couldn’t keep Johnny away. The three of us were connected on too many levels.

  The heaviness of my eyelids lured me into going to sleep, but I fought the urge to close them. Earlier, when we emerged from the woods, we sat on my back porch steps. We had remained quiet up to that point, each lost in our own thoughts. As we sat down, Barry broke the silence, asking, “When should we go see Detective Tanner…‌Now?”

  “No, give me some time to think. I have to come up with a way to make him believe me. We can have Nicole call him tomorrow, I just…” Glancing over at my neighbor’s home, I couldn’t finish what I was going to say. I somehow got lost in the notion of that house being connected. I could sense it, but I wasn’t sure how to prove it.

  “Something’s bothering you.” He glanced over to where I was staring and frowned. “You’re still wondering about Mr. Barton, aren’t you?” he asked warily.

  “Sorry, but I can’t shake this feeling I have. We need to find out if any evidence exists inside his house before the police visit. When they come here I’m afraid he’ll do something drastic.”