{"id":917,"date":"2011-12-12T00:00:23","date_gmt":"2011-12-12T05:00:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/?p=917"},"modified":"2011-12-10T23:35:39","modified_gmt":"2011-12-11T04:35:39","slug":"day-21-chapter-12-marin-15","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/?p=917","title":{"rendered":"Day 21 – Chapter 12 – Marin – 15"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I cast a doubtful glance at the slope before I sighed and nodded.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Either my knee would take it, or it wouldn\u2019t.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cAll right,\u201d I said quietly.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cLet me go first.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>That way if I fall, I\u2019m not going to take you down with me.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Phelan gave me a questioning look before understanding dawned on him.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cYou\u2019re sore.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cMore than a little.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I did something to my knee when I landed in that pile of bookcases.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I started to ease down the hard-packed slope, moving from root to sapling to avoid tumbling headlong down toward the marsh below.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Phelan followed, keeping one tree or root behind me as we picked our way down the steep incline.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cHow long ago was it?<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>That first time you saw a <\/span>camazotzi<\/span><\/em>.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cAlmost two years ago,\u201d I said quietly as my feet hit the marshy turf of the ravine\u2019s bottomland.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>He landed next to me, blinking.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThat long?\u201d he murmured, sounding surprised.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I shrugged slightly.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cYeah.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He stopped believing a few months later.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I took Phelan by the hand and picked my way across the soggy ground, working mostly by touch and instinct to find the place where we\u2019d been that night.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cIt was weird.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>The night down here, the two of us with Drew, that\u2019s when I knew he believed, and knowing he believed made me feel\u2026I don\u2019t know.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Safer.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Like I wasn\u2019t crazy.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I stared out across the tall grasses and sighed quietly.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI know I\u2019m not crazy.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>It\u2019s just nice to not have to justify my gut instincts sometimes.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Phelan squeezed my shoulder.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWell, at least you know you\u2019re not crazy.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I snorted humorlessly.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cYeah.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n


\n<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>My heart beat so hard I thought it was going to come right out of my chest.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I crouched with Drew and Thom, trying to catch my breath.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cDid it follow us?\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cGive me your pendant,\u201d Thom said quietly, fingers tightening around my arm.<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>My lips thinned.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Then I felt it, heard it.<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>We hadn\u2019t lost it after all.<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I jerked on the chain.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>The old clasp slipped and I passed it to Thom, who weighed the pendant in his hand, then held it like a skipping stone.<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhen I throw this, run,\u201d he murmured.<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I blinked at him.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThom?\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cJust run.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I\u2019ll be right behind you.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I looked at Drew, who just nodded.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I straightened up.<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cGet ready,\u201d Thom whispered.<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Then I saw red eyes flecked with gold in the moonlight.<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Thom whipped the pendant at the thing.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Drew and I turned and began to run, down along the creek toward the bridge.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>The creature roared.<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Out of the corner of my eye, as Thom began to follow us, I saw the boy\u2014tall, gangly to the point of being almost painfully thin.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>His blue eyes glinted in the moonlight, wide with panic.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He stood, transfixed and watching as we fled.<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Then the boy dove for a glint of silver laying in the mud.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>His fingers closed around it as another of the <\/span><\/em>camazotzi<\/span> appeared from the darkness.<\/span><\/em><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>It was suddenly daylight, sun shining down through trees that were suddenly older.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>The boy straightened up, brandishing the pendant\u2014my pendant\u2014that he\u2019d found in the mud.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Light built around him, around his hand, so bright that the creature reared back for a moment.<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Then it struck, and I screamed.<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I bit Phelan\u2019s hand when I came to, eyes wide.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I was soaked to the skin, flat on my back in the marshy ground.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He was on his knees next to me, staring down at me.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cDoes this happen often?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I took him by the wrist and pulled his hand away from my mouth.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I was hoarse\u2014I must have screamed in more than just the vision.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cHow long was I out?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cOnly a minute,\u201d he said, starting to help me sit up.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhat did you See?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cYou say that like you know I saw something.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>His expression was deadpan as he stared at me.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I just shook my head.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cSomething that doesn\u2019t make sense,\u201d I said softly.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cAnd let\u2019s just leave it at that.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cAll right,\u201d he said softly.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He looked around slowly as I got my feet back under me.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThere\u2019s something down here that feels like it\u2019s holding things at bay, but barely.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Some kind of portable ward.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cMight be my grandmother\u2019s pendant,\u201d I said softly.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThom threw it at the creature so we could get away that night.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>We haven\u2019t been able to find it since.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Phelan looked at me curiously.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWe could try to find it now, if you\u2019d like.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I hesitated, thinking of the boy in my vision, thinking about how painfully like Thom he looked, and shook my head slightly.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cNo,\u201d I said softly.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cNo.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I think it\u2019s meant to stay out here until someone else finds it.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Someone who really needs it.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>He looked at me strangely for a moment, then smiled.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>It was as if realization had dawned on him, as if he realized what I must have seen when I dropped like a sack of rocks.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI understand,\u201d he said, then squeezed my shoulder.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWell,\u201d he said briskly after another moment, \u201cit doesn\u2019t look like there\u2019s much to see down here, then.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Shall we head back up?<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>You could probably use a change of clothes.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I laughed weakly.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cYeah.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>But we\u2019re not going to go back just yet.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>There\u2019s one more place to show you that\u2019s easy to get to.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>You need to see that first.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cOh?\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He shrugged.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cLead on, then.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cRight.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I turned and headed back to the steep slope.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He hesitated for a moment, staring at the grass, at the trees.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>He said something softly under his breath that I couldn\u2019t understand, but I suddenly felt more at peace.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>When I glanced back over my shoulder toward him, he\u2019d begun to follow me again.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I mounted the slope and began to climb, cursing a bad knee and steep inclines.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I was going to be sore in the morning, I knew that much for certain.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>It took us three times as long to make it to the top as it did to get to the bottom.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I collapsed onto the bench, breathing hard for a few moments as Phelan struggled the last few feet to the top as well.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cAnd you\u2019ve climbed that in the dark?\u201d he gasped as he sat down heavily next to me, leaning forward with his head almost between his knees.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I laughed weakly.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cNo, just gone down it.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I think Kellin and Rory have, though.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Phelan shook his head, grinning wryly.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cYou\u2019re all crazy.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cTakes one to know one,\u201d I fired back, then stood up slowly.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>My legs throbbed, but what came next would be an easier walk.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cCome on.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>One last stop.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>He groaned.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cPlease tell me no more climbing.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cNo more climbing.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I promise.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 I cast a doubtful glance at the slope before I sighed and nodded.\u00a0 Either my knee would take it, or it wouldn\u2019t.\u00a0 \u201cAll right,\u201d I said quietly.\u00a0 \u201cLet me go first.\u00a0 That way if I fall, I\u2019m not going … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[31,32],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-917","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-chapter-12","category-day-21"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1EBlN-eN","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/917","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=917"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/917\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":922,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/917\/revisions\/922"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=917"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=917"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=917"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}