Summer Shadows

I didn’t speak for the first twelve hours after the call. For the most part I had no need to. Oliver had taken my phone after I’d dropped it in the sand, carefully getting the story from the woman on the other end. I had walked back to the beach house in a stunned state, trying to process the news when coupled with Darren’s reappearance; trying to understand how and why.

Simon had told me once that he couldn’t move an exceptional distance from me without being pulled closer to where I was. He’d had a mile, maybe a mile and a half radius at least given where the hospital was in relation to the school. But this, this was nothing like that. Chassie had been hundreds of miles away. By Simon’s state of being she should have been far beyond his reach.

I had made my way up to the bedroom they had put me in, shutting the door behind me securely before walking across the room to take a peek out of one of the windows that faced the ocean. Oliver’s figure had been making its way down the beach to where we had left his car, phone pressed to his ear all the while. Overhead, a dark gray sky was slowly seeping into the picture, coloring the world in a muted light. The dark clouds were ominous as the gentle breeze began to whip the flags and grass of the dunes a little harder.

And there, directly in front of the house in the soft white sands he stood, dark and misplaced. He hadn’t been there a moment before, another contrast between he and Simon hitting me like a bolt of lightening. Darren seemed to be able to vanish at will, appearing where or whenever he desired. Simon had never done such as far as I had known. I had seen him go through walls, but never disappear in the blink of an eye like Darren tended to. Simon had been scary at times, but never anything like that.

I glanced down at my arm, peeling the bandage back to reveal the fading scratch marks; Simon had never drawn blood.

The bed was still unmade from the night before as I crawled into it, fingers grasping at the soft fabric of the chocolate pillow I hugged against my chest.

Two people that had meant something to me were dead; and the culprit was dancing in and out of my line of sight the whole while. But there was nothing I could do about it; there was no way to stop it.

I had closed my eyes on the forest green room just before the first crash of thunder; just before the dull sound of the garage opening resonated throughout the house; just as a voice came to me that made me wish I would never awaken again.

“Remember, Maggie, this is just the start. How many more deaths because of your actions will you be able to bear?”

***

The shaking started gently, and I groaned against the comforter as I pulled it up tighter around myself. A sigh carried through the cool air, and a warm hand carefully grasped my shoulder and rolled me over.

“C’mon, Maggie, wake up.”

The pair of blue eyes watching me in the dark of the room was enough to startle me into a more wakeful state. Staring unabashedly I didn’t move, I couldn’t. It was happening again, exhausted and falling in and out of the realm of sleep I was seeing him once more. It was pure instinct to reach out to him, to want to touch him even though I knew I couldn’t. But this time nothing stopped me; nothing prevented the tips of my fingers from brushing against the soft, heated flesh of his cheek. My heart fluttered as I retracted my hand quickly, sitting up as I scurried back hastily. Suddenly I felt just as confused and surprised as he appeared.

It was Oliver, not Simon.

The frames over his pale irises seemed to come into focus then, the dark V-neck certainly not the attire of the brother I had initially expected. Oh, that made things a bit uncomfortable, and more than a little painful.

“Sorry,” he offered after a moment. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”

My throat felt tight, embarrassment leaving me wordless and cheeks burning red hot in the darkness of the room.

“Look, I’ve made some arrangements for us to go back home, just until after the funeral,” he stated, averting his gaze. “Here’s your phone. I’d suggest packing a bag, we leave for the airport in an hour.”

After he slid my cell carefully onto the table at the bedside he left the room, and I merely stared after him. I was still in a slight state of shock from the realization that my mind was so unstable I’d believed real life to be one of my dreams. And then his words began to sink in; we were going back to Rhode Island; we were going back for Chassie’s funeral. Chassie was dead because of Darren. Darren had now killed two people who had been of importance to me. Darren wasn’t anything like Simon.

I turned, looking out the window at the blackened night sky. There were no lights to dilute the sight. I felt caged again, trapped in the house that wasn’t my home, caught in a world of chaos and supernatural things that were beyond my control, and utterly surrounded by the presence of death. The need to get out of the bedroom and away from the Dreytons’ beach residence was once again strong. But I had things to do; I had to pack for a trip that was to begin in an hour. Of course no major location changes were under any good circumstances at that point, but I had known missing Chassie’s funeral wasn’t something I was willing to even consider despite how poorly things had ended for us. She had still been a key factor in my life for years, and there was no denying her loss had an impact on me.

I unsteadily shuffled off the bed, fumbling with the small reading light on the bedside table before I found the switch. The sudden brightness hurt my eyes, and I found myself squinting as I struggled to adjust before making my way to the dresser. The black dress I’d worn to my father’s funeral was the first thing I pulled out before grabbing an assortment of clothes that I presumed would hold me over until the trip was completed. The lack of bag to put things in was quickly gone, as I noticed a piece of luggage that was placed to where it had been just out of my view from the bed. The few items I’d chosen fit easily.

My gaze moved to the closet in the corner of the room, something I hadn’t explored yet. I was surprised to find that it actually held clothing; boys’ clothes. It was mostly short-sleeved shirts of a variety of color, but in the far corner hung a jacket or two. My fingers caressed the soft material of one of their sleeves lightly; they were soft and I’d need something to combat the chilly air of the plane and at the airports. I hesitated for a moment; it almost felt wrong to take it without asking. Who did it belong to, exactly? I bit down on my lip as Simon’s face flashed across my mind. There weren’t too many options, now were there?

It was with reluctance and a meager bit of strange satisfaction that I took it. I slipped it over the loose shirt that I hadn’t bothered to change, long sleeves reaching past my fingertips. It was a soft olive green, and it felt well worn. There was a gentle, lingering scent on it—it was clean, but a bit spicy. Nonetheless it was pleasant and comforting.

I carried the bag downstairs then, the light from the room down the hall had been glowing beneath the door; Oliver was probably busy getting his things together. It was two-thirty in the morning and I still had half an hour to spare before we left. The white of the room I stood in brought back the smothering feelings of discomfort, reminders of hospital rooms and memories I wanted nothing more to do with.

Ocean air greeted me eagerly as I found myself beyond the threshold of the house and once again on the back deck of the Dreyton’s house, gazing steadily at the dark waters and deep navy sky dotted with stars. The air was a bit cooler than I had anticipated, railing of the deck damp as I touched it. I recalled the darkening sky just before I had put myself to bed for the day upon hearing the news from Mrs. Foster. Even the salty air seemed to dim, the gentle scent of fresh rain managing to subdue it slightly.

Conditions seemed right for clearing my mind; I inhaled the pleasant air heavily before leaning forward against the wet rail, staring off towards the horizon where the stars and ocean collided. How much more fascinating would it be if I hadn’t had such heavy thoughts on my mind?

A slight flickering of a light caught my eye from the right, I turned my head instinctively, and only two seconds later to have the blip of brightness appear before vanishing again. The pattern continued without break, and the realization that there was a lighthouse on the island over finally dawned on me. It dulled the stars in the background with every go-around, holding my interest with ease. A light in the darkness, something comforting to those at sea as well as a warning. What I wouldn’t have given for one of those in my life.

A strange need began to tug at the corners of my mind, looking away from the lighthouse in the distance and back towards the large beach house only for a moment. I slipped my sandals off without much of a thought, soles of my feet brushing against the walkway as I made my way through the dunes. The generally dry, white sands at the top of the beach were cool and hard due to the rains earlier. They still melded to my feet, but sand didn’t go flying up the back of my calves with every step. The gentle sound of the ocean grew louder, and my toes breached the cold black waters with haste. I slowed to a stop as the water reached my ankles, tugging back and forth with every rise and fall of the tide. Heaving a sigh I dropped my head forward into my palms.

The soothing effects of the water weren’t completely lost on me; it seemed to ebb away at the chaotic state of my mind slowly but steadily. I let it continue, not fighting against the distracting, almost numbing sensation the ocean offered. For a moment, that was all there was, that was all that mattered. It was a strange peace I hadn’t felt before, a calm that had become unfamiliar ever since January. There was nothing then—no death, no visitors from the beyond, no maddening schemes that would derail my life—just the ocean sloshing gently against my ankles.

The slight splashing of footsteps at my side barely registered, and slowly I let my hands drop, looking over to find Oliver at my side staring towards the distant horizon where ocean and sky met. His clothes were different, a pale short-sleeved shirt and a pair of dark shorts graced his figure. I recalled the awkward moment in the bedroom a little while earlier, embarrassment coursing through my system like adrenaline. All the peace I’d obtained was gone, thoughts alive and bouncing from place to place with his sudden presence.

“I should have figured I’d find you out here,” he commented.

I didn’t reply, merely watched him as he continued to gaze off into the distance.

“I think you hate being in there as much as I do, sometimes,” he said. “And this? This is an escape. That’s what you need right now, and I can’t blame you. But we’ve got to slip back into reality for a couple days. There are things that need to be taken care of back home, but we’ll be back soon enough. The cab is out front waiting.”

“But I just came out here, I thought I still had thirty minutes,” I countered, speaking for the first time since the news of Chassie had been brought to my attention.

“It’s nearly three, Maggie, you’ve been out here almost half an hour.” He looked over at me with an almost piteous expression. “I understand, though. When it’s like this and you’re out here, time slips from you without you even realizing it. Unfortunately we can’t stay right now. C’mon, let’s go.”

He turned away without further discussion, and I followed only a few paces back. I used the mat in front of the back door to attempt to dust off any loose pieces if sand that had clung to the soles of my feet on the short walk back, Oliver and I both slipped our shoes on in the cool, sterile living room. He slung a mid-sized duffle bag over his shoulder before grabbing the piece of luggage I had packed.

“I can get that,” I protested, attempting to take it from him.

He shook his head, shifting back a bit as he pulled it beyond my reach. “I’ve got it. But you can do me one favor; text Cal and let him know you’re alive and you’ll be back in a couple days. That kid blew up your phone while I was dealing with Mrs. Foster and trying to get everything sorted out. You don’t know how irritating that was.”

“It’s in that bag, Oliver,” I pointed towards the coffee colored piece of luggage he held, remembering I’d shoved it in atop the clothing. It wasn’t as though it would be of any use to me on the plane, anyways.

He glanced down, before shrugging and turning towards the front door. “Let him sweat it out then. You can text him when we land. Cal isn’t used to having anyone ignore him for the period of time I think you have, especially a girl. This should be good.”

“Trust me, texting him back at this very moment is the last thing I’m worried about,” I muttered as I followed in his wake. “And, um, Oliver?”

I stalled at the top of the steps, watching as he turned at the bottom to look back at me. The cabby came up to him, and Oliver offhandedly passed the bags to the man. I bit my lip as the boy watched me with expectant curiosity. In the starlight his pale hair almost appeared silver, it almost glowed like his brother had under the light of the moon. That made the words that felt like glue in my throat no easier to let out.

“Maggie?” He asked cautiously.

“About what happened when you came to wake me up,” I paused, averting my gaze as I felt heat once again reach my cheeks. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to do that, I just…”

The air was quiet, the sound of the waves barely an echo in the distance against the sound of the cab’s engine down below. I could feel the weight of Oliver’s gaze, heavy and with the pure intention of pulling mine to meet it. After a moment, I caved. The perplexed expression on his face rendered me silent and still. He scoffed, pinching the bridge of his nose as he closed his eyes, frustration becoming apparent.

“Of all things for you to be concerned about, that’s the one that came to mind?” He asked with a shake of his head. “How on Earth am I ever going to understand you, Maggie Walton?”

With that he turned, clambering into the cab without another word. I sighed, irritated with myself more than anything. I couldn’t let things be easy between us, I couldn’t just let it go. I barely made it two steps down when a voice cut through the night, freezing me on the spot.

“He might not understand, but I do. And I think you’ve just chosen your own grand finale, Magnolia.” I felt Darren’s breath on my neck, and the chill of his cold fingers carelessly running through my hair. “Don’t worry though, we’ve got a few more to go before we get to him. It would be a let down not to save the best for last, don’t you agree?”

The scratches he left down the back of my neck felt like nothing next to those words. I shuddered, a crushing weight pressing forcefully down on my chest as I struggled to breathe. I had known nothing good would come from lumping the twins together, projecting my thoughts of Simon onto the still living brother. I had known I would only hurt myself. Never did I expect those unresolved feelings to affect anyone but me. Darren’s words had brought to light just what I had unwittingly done; and there would be no one to blame but myself when it all played out.

I had just signed Oliver Dreyton’s death warrant.