Siphon (Siphon Chronicles, Book One) Read online

  As with all ciphors—those who sadly remained unaware.

  Her face went through three different turns before she said, “I will ask you later how it is possible you already knew me for I don’t believe that is something you meant to slip up on yet. However, when one has secrets sometimes they leak at our weakest moments.”

  She saw my shock. I’m not weak!

  “I meant me, Daniel. I keep telling you things I shouldn’t. I should go home right now and never look back at the last three days because something about you showing up scares me to death. So don’t pretend to go all tough guy on me now. I am very aware of how tough you are under that shirt.”

  Her face turned the color of my shirt and the irony was all too great for me to pass up. I couldn’t resist.

  “Your cheeks match,” I pulled my collar down, “Are you asking to see under my shirt, Lark?”

  She closed her eyes clearly not happy she’d slipped that one out quite the way she did. I was.

  “The Lark was a plane in the nineteen-twenties that was modeled after another called the Pigeon. You are like the pigeon to me. You carried your message on the wind calling to me to come here.” To make a comeback I didn’t deserve. Redeeming qualities weren’t my forte, but I was not sure I could take her into the council if their intentions weren’t for good.

  She liked what I said, I think. Would she ask more?

  When a smile perked up on her lips I felt like nothing could stop this turn of events.

  “And that means what since you already knew me? And how did I call you? I know enough of you after three days, you speak in metaphors to avoid the truth. I’m not going to run home screaming since I just told you I wanted to and haven’t yet. If there is more, and it involves me, I should be told. My parents too.”

  “NO! You can’t tell them,” I pressed.

  She unbuckled her seatbelt and I panicked.

  The words were there on my tongue, hanging there. Two seconds ago I was ready to take on the council to save her, now I was tongue-tied.

  “Then tell me something that will keep me here, Daniel.”

  That triggered a question of my own.

  “How did you know my name was Daniel?”

  That did it. The redirection of the conversation was there.

  “Pish! I’d heard of you for years,” she spoke softly never dropping her eyes from me.

  Well, well, well. Turnabout is fair play. However, I feared what she might have heard and that smarted something awful on my fear of losing her.

  “I’m certainly not the only one with more than one secret.”

  She sighed loud. “I’ve known about ‘The Daniel Crawford’ for a couple of years now and his cruelty. I heard from my parents behind their closed door about you and your missions and how you trick girls into things. When you showed up, I wanted to go see Jason and ask why you were here and find out when you were leaving. You were poison and I wanted nothing to do with you.”

  Smart, smart girl.

  So why did she let me kiss her? “Who is Jason?” I had a bad feeling the headquarters didn’t know everything.

  She curled her lip up derisively and stared out the window. “Oops. That one slipped. I told you I seem to forget to hide my secrets with you. It’s not like I’ve ever said them to anyone else. Jason is like us. He goes to the other high school in the area but I only get to see him at the football games and other sport events. We see each other at the hospital or nursing home sometimes. It’s how we remain anonymous.”

  Was he a guy-friend or a boyfriend?

  “Do you like this Jason?”

  Her face lifted to mine.

  Damn. I let her see my jealousy. When did I become like this?

  “Not in an attraction kind of way. He and I just have a joint agreement. Keep tabs on each other. He doesn’t know any others like us either. We found each other by accident at the nursing home both doing the same thing...at the same time. We were so shocked we both hid for weeks before we confronted each other and kept each other’s secret. It’s been my solace until you arrived.”

  Me? Great. “Can I meet him?”

  She measured her words carefully, “If you tell me what I want to know.”

  “Friday. Over dinner.” I wanted more time before she left me high and dry.

  “Then Jason will have to wait.”

  She liked to bargain. She and I were more alike than I liked to admit. What if her innocence was a front? She displayed all the qualities of a vixen on the prowl when she tried to get what she wanted.

  LARK ✜ Start Her Up

  Turns out, the coach got our assignments worked out earlier than expected and our afternoon classes were officially replaced with our internship. Several didn’t get assignments since the employers had their pick.

  I was the lucky one who would spend three hours, five days a week with Daniel and Foster at the hospital.

  Great!

  At least Zane wasn’t with us who tried to get in the class and failed. I could avoid him easily now. Boys always acted interested, but it was never about getting to know me, it was the mystery behind it. Foster had spread many a rumor about my oddness. I once heard Foster tell his friends that “I gave it good” and left you speechless. His tone changed when I broke up that day. From then on, it was an ever changing story of “giving it up” or “I’m a prude” depending on who he was talking too. I figured out fast how Foster Kelly works.

  Friday started off fine. The classes were in a groove by the end of the week, and lunch was with Daniel by the oak tree for the second day. Everyone greeted me as usual. No one believed Foster’s assessment of me being a witch. Life was good.

  With the one exception that I was labeled a siphon that took human years from people, met yet another like me who took from the young because of the same reasons I took from the old and had secrets he needed to tell me soon. Oh, and I had a date set with said “bad reputation” Daniel Crawford who was of the world I’d been hidden from until now.

  Yeah, life was good.

  We avoided the doom of our shadows looming in the future and left class towards our respective cars to the hospital for our first day of learning the ropes of the networking powerhouse of energy I would have to work at not taking years from.

  I waved at Daniel to be friendly, but I really just needed a few moments to myself.

  Sure enough, my car wouldn’t start. And of course, Daniel was waiting for me to pull out first. Chivalry was not dead yet, but my battery was.

  Stepping out of our cars, Daniel headed for the hood. “What’s wrong?” he asked.

  “I think the battery is dead.”

  “Pop the hood,” he shouted from the front. The last car left turned out of the parking lot as he lifted the lid. I stood beside my door daring myself to go speculate with my own assessment under the hood.

  I gave up my antsiness and went to look.

  “What are you doing?” I asked him as he fiddled with wires I didn’t know what went to.

  “What’s it look like I’m doing?” he chuckled.

  I haven’t a clue.

  He told me to hold on and disappeared around the back of his Jeep. A toolbox emerged and within minutes I was watching him jump my car with the jumper cables he’d thankfully kept in his vehicle.

  I briefly debated the idea of getting me some, but then who would work them when I broke down. NOT ME!

  I hopped a foot in the air when my Avenger turned over. And then it died. Daniel repeated the same and it died again.

  I left my driver’s seat and bent under the hood where his head was studying something.

  “What do you think?” I asked.

  Ever so slightly, he turned to face me. “I haven’t decided yet.”

  Now I know those words had a double meaning in them, but I refused to acknowledge them.

  Backing up, he removed the cables. “You dating Zane now?”

  Whoa! Where did that come from? “Um, not sure how we got from battery problems to
dating issues, but no.”

  He didn’t say anything else, but I caught him stealing glances here and there as he packed up and closed my hood.

  “You’ll have to ride with me. I’ll have someone pick up a new battery and install it before we get back.” Daniel cleaned his hands on a towel in the back of his Jeep. “Come on.”

  What choice did I have?

  In his car, I could not escape his scent that was all over the entire surface of the seats, console, him!

  Daniel told me he’d not been to many hospitals because he avoided the sad and oppressed. I reminded him that I always gave them happiness. With that, he wanted to watch.

  I was deathly afraid to show him that.

  He texted someone and told me the battery was taken care of. I offered to pay for it, (not that I have any money) but he said it was taken care of.

  We fell into a pack of four. Sadie, the bubbly idiot cheerleader, had joined us. I was more than annoyed with the way she hung all over Foster and Daniel.

  Pish! Now who was the moody one?

  I saw Daniel’s jaw flex as his stare skewered Foster down a notch at flirting with Sadie and watching me. It seemed to work as he squirmed a bit making me admire Daniel a little more for feeling the need to protect me in some way. Foster may be hanging all over Sadie, but we both knew it was all a game to him. I worried also that this was certainly some kind of familiar territory for Daniel. The way he looked...was too gorgeous. There just wasn’t any other word for him. He knew how to play any game needed and that’s what made him so easy to be intimidated by. He recognized fear in others.

  Before I knew it, Daniel had a hold of my hand. I looked down at where our fingers laced together almost on their own accord and wondered if he was aware of what he was doing. I didn’t even know I was holding my breath till Daniel’s other hand punctured my cheek.

  In all honesty, I was afraid of him. But secretly, the other half of me wanted him to want me. I liked having his hand in mine for all to see.

  We followed the guide around room to room seeing the setup of what our days would be like. I said hello and was greeted by virtually every worker and patient that I knew. Both Daniel and Foster found several moments to comment things like, “Is there anyone you don’t know?”

  I laughed appropriately noting that Sadie saw fit to ignore the hospital patrons and us. She didn’t want to be there and sure enough, thought this was the easier A.

  I decided right then that my route would be opposite hers.

  We entered the next wing of the tour that would end us back at the children’s wing. I knew I was safe there, but I worried Daniel wasn’t. Or rather, wouldn’t stop himself like I did. I didn’t know him well and yet here I was holding the guy’s hand. In some weird way I knew he was bad like I thought he was, but also knew he wasn’t all bad. He had good in him hidden deep for some reason. That scared me more.

  All went well with the four children playing in the floor as we whizzed by them.

  The cancer wing was the last. Inside we found eleven patients awaiting radiation or experimental medicine to alleviate their pain. If I could take the cancers out instead of years, I’d consider my abilities a little more useful. The world needs answers, not more loss.

  Three of the ladies were straightening their wigs to offer smiles, not the unwanted heartache they couldn't shake. They had all obviously been through chemo together and lost their hair.

  Four middle-aged men stood together conversing about the differences between their treatments. I caught on to the fact that they all had different cancers.

  The other four were elderly. Two men and two women sat comfortably in chairs around a table drinking coffee as if hanging out at a coffee shop. I chose to speak with them since they seemed the least cheery.

  “Good afternoon. I hope I’m not intruding, but I wanted to say hi. My friends and I will be here in the afternoons and would love to help out with anything you need. I’m Lark by the way.”

  The older man closest to where I stood laughed aloud. “Young Lark. Oh, how I have missed you.”

  I cocked my head sideways and moved over to see his face better. As soon as I did, I regretted it.

  “Mr. Browner. I didn’t know...” I trailed off at the realization that he had cancer.

  He smiled encouragingly, “You did not know my dear child. I only just found out last week. At eighty-five years old, I would not have considered anything could tire me more than old age.”

  I bent forward and landed on one knee. “What is it? What cancer?”

  “Stage four pancreatic cancer. But all is good my little lovely girl. Your care through the years is what holds me.”

  He took my hand and held it. I’d forgotten where I was until a throat cleared behind me. Mr. Browner looked away from me and up to him.

  “It’s about time you found another one. I didn’t think Jason was ever attentive enough for the likes of you young miss. Tell me this one is giving you the attention you deserve.”

  I slid my eyes up to Daniel who softened the hard look in his eyes just as he looked down to me. Whether it was for me knowing this old man personally and the premise it might suggest or the implication of Jason and I having a past—I did not know.

  “This is Dane Crawford.”

  I didn’t miss the way his eyes danced when I finally said the shortened version of his name.

  Another throat cleared. Reluctantly I offered, “And this is Foster.”

  Mr. Browning lifted his bushy brows, “THE Foster.”

  Oh, brother. That’s what I get for confiding in old folks during my teenage years. I nodded to confirm it.

  A bony finger wagged toward Foster, “You, my son, need a lesson in manners from what I’ve heard. You and I will have some long talks about how a lady should be treated.”

  Foster swallowed aloud and slunk back to the shadows of the doorframe. Sadie was nowhere to be found.

  I focused back on Mr. Browning. “It was nice to see you sir, but not necessarily under the circumstances. I hope everything...works out.” My heart hurt for the people in this room. Their life was being stolen from them without a choice.

  His hearty laugh sounded like rocks rolling around in his mouth. “You’ll stop feeling sorry, young lady. I watched you worry about us for years. You brought us joy, not sadness. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

  Mr. Browning was always intuitive before about my extra sensory abilities. He somehow just knew.

  “Thank you, Mr. Browning. I will be back Monday.”

  “With snickerdoodles?” he asked with a huge smile.

  I laughed, “Yes. I’ll be sure to not come empty handed.”

  We said goodbye to the room as a whole and left through the door we’d entered by.

  The second I rounded the corner, I ran into a body. From the impact, I knew it to be an elderly person aware of the push that gave not to mention the cane that entered my stomach and dented my hipbone.

  At the same second I tried to right myself with my elbow stuck in his arm, he yanked on my shoulder to hold himself up. I felt the give as soon as it shot out over my head and before I knew what happened, I was taking a year from the old man before me. His essence loomed above me in wait, offering to be taken.

  Gone. It was taken and gone from the man before anyone could stop it. Woozy and blinking away the pure energy of it, I lingered in the rainbow of colors above his head as the song ended. I’d never once told a soul about the whispers that talked to me afterward. Even now, I looked around for someone to comment on the weird A cappella surrounding us. I knew the words by heart.

  “Beware the one

  the light will free.

  Repeat thee and

  lose thee

  Sing thee and

  lose thee.

  Repeat thee.

  Repeat thee.”

  Holding on to what I thought was the handicap rail beside me, I realized the supposed rail moved and helped me stand. It was hard muscle, not metal. After
Daniel had me upright, he let me go to help the man. Somewhere in his nineties I guessed, his dentures fell forward and he garbled out some words that resembled a thank you of sorts. His face leaned in and something wet fell against my cheek. He wobbled away moving a little too fast for a man his age.

  “I think your ability might be a bad thing on old men. You better stick with old women.”

  My sour look made him smile more. “I just mean I don’t care for the way they react. It’s like they just...well. Anyway. I don’t like it.”

  Oh my at the blush on this tough guy’s cheeks. I loved seeing him embarrassed.

  DANE  The One They Want

  I know why I am here. She isn’t like any of the rest of them. When she takes years, they truly are happy with it. She claimed the hurt, but I’m not buying it. The council would never like it.

  They already know what she can do.

  She is the one they want. The long ago prophecy that said one day one would come to stop the council and flush out the crooked system it had become. That it would one day be corrupt and just like Noah and the Ark, she would clean them out and send them on their way. All she had to do was...sing!

  “Did you hear music?” It was dangerous for me to ask, but it was the only way to be sure. Time would become a major issue if she said yes.

  Her face said it all, but her mouth tightened into a tiny smirk of annoyance, not fear. “Can you hear it too?”

  Not wanting to scare her, I gave her reassurance and peace of mind. “I can’t, but I know who can.”

  LARK ✜ Left Out

  “Really. And how do you know so much about our kind, but there are those like myself left in the dark?” I mumbled some other things under my breath I wouldn’t voice aloud.

  Indecisive as he was on telling me things I added, “If you are here to take me away from my home, it’s not much of one anyway. They are not my parents and I intended to leave after school anyway. Tell me what I want to know.”