When, at last, he found me. Read online

  NINE

  As the dog panted there was whispering telling it to control its breathing. The dog would not listen. The whispering was kind but the panting was angry. Agreeing with the whispering voice, I wanted the dog to stop panting too. It was painful to hear. Someone stop the panting.

  “Breathe slowly. Try to take deep breaths.” Joseph whispered.

  I felt the warmth of his lips by my ear. The awareness pulled me conscious. The realization that Joseph was giving me instructions on how I should breathe sank in. I was the panting dog—rather, I sounded like one.

  The memory of drowning had me gasping for air again.

  He urged. “Seraphin, please try to be calm.”

  Was Joseph all I had? Am I in a hospital; recovering or dying?

  He assured. “You are safe.”

  I could see only black and I could not speak. As I tried to move, pain snapped.

  Joseph still close to my cheek began to hum. Fingers ran across my forehead, down my face and back around; repeatedly.

  Focusing on the soft sensation, I fell asleep.

  The dream was peaceful and calming. Clear, colorless waves washed overhead. They continued moving in a stream like sea currents and as I wiggled my fingers, they shimmered. A powerful flow of energy passed over my body. An iridescent glow moved to tranquil tones.

  A woman was singing. When I opened my eyes, she stopped. Before they could focus, I closed them, hoping she would begin again.

  She spoke. “Welcome Seraphin, is my song helping?”

  Yes, though, I wasn’t certain how. I nodded my head—unsure where the voice was coming from.

  Pain was no longer my companion. Able to move again, I turned my head—trying to make sense of everything—looking for the voice.

  Perrine Canard crossed into view. The contrast between the woman and the environment where she stood was extreme. So extreme, that I thought it was a dream. She was lovely. The space was dreary and cave-like.

  “Am I dead?” My voice was rough. Only three syllables and my throat burned. Obviously, I was not fully healed.

  Perrine giggled. “No. Please, try not to move or speak. Your lungs are still functioning at 60% and your leg muscles are only 70% adapted which is usual for a first time transformation.”

  What did that mean? Shouldn’t I be in a hospital?

  “Joseph will be here momentarily.” She said, sensing my irritation. “You must have many questions. He will explain everything.” We were quiet for several minutes before her attention turned to a dark opening in the corner of the room.

  Joseph announced, “Good morning.”

  His voice was pleasant and familiar. The feelings caught me off guard.

  “Thank you Nasani.” He politely said to Perrine.

  Perrine smiled at Joseph and gave him a warning, “She’s still very weak.”

  Who is Nasani?

  He answered my silent question. “Seraphin, you know how I’m both Jay and Joseph? Well, Perrine’s name is actually Nasani Caro.”

  “Nice to meet you—again,” she smiled.

  For a second, I wondered what I would change my name to if given the chance—then realized an alias is an indication that someone is in hiding. And I had no one to hide from.

  I tried to speak but sharp pains raced through my throat.

  Nasani whispered. “Seraphin, you need to rest.” She gracefully left the room.

  Joseph gave me his attention. With an expression full of concern he approached. “I don’t want you to speak; I’ll do all the talking. I recognize that might be hard for you.” Winking he let a massive smile take over his face.

  I let a little smile escape. Did he save me? I recalled someone diving off of the John F. Kennedy and the voice before I drowned. It was Joseph who warned me not to breathe and while it didn’t seem like it at the time, it turned out to be a very valuable message. How did he find me?

  “Nasani, doesn’t sense you’re in good enough health for in-depth explanations. You need rest. We have plenty of time to talk about the things that have happened. Healing is your most important task.” He was formal in the way he addressed me and I recognized that his concern was very real.

  Is Ethan safe? Shifting—I could only rest knowing he was safe. “Eee—” Was the only sound I let escape.

  “The Coast Guard airlifted Ethan and the rest of the crew to safety. Nasani even went for a ride. Only because she had never been on a helicopter, though, it did help to bring down their losses. You and I were the only ones who didn’t go with the Guard. We, uh—went our own way. Falling in the ocean wasn’t the best thing to do Seraphin.”

  My shoulders relaxed. Ethan was safe.

  A playful smile crossed Joseph’s face as he brushed a piece of hair away from my eye. “That’s interesting. Out of all the questions I thought you’d ask, I didn’t think Ethan’s wellbeing would have been the first.”

  Is Nasani your girlfriend?

  Unexpectedly was the second question that came to mind but I didn’t attempt to ask. It mattered little at the time.

  “Anything else you need to know before you rest?” Everything—although to my amazement, I didn’t want to hear it right then. I reasoned that it couldn’t have been great news that I was laying in a cave instead of on a hospital bed. Perhaps Nasani was right? I wasn’t ready to hear in depth explanations.

  Oddly enough, I also felt out of harm’s way and even though I barely knew Joseph, the clear peaceful blue of his eyes made me trust.

  He let his eyes wander down my body. Whispering as his affectionate hands wrapped around mine. “You should sleep, I will go.”

  I shook my head, not wanting to be left alone in the eerie cave.

  “I can stay. But, only if you want.” With surprise in his voice he suggested.

  Smiling, I nodded my head. It was nice to smile.

  Joseph sat beside me. I drifted to sleep.

  It wasn’t a dream. Currents of energy washed over my body. It was the same as before, yet more powerful. The colorless waves were stronger and flowed faster. Areas of iridescent waves clustered around my throat, lungs and legs. There was more focus.

  My eyes were closed but I was awake.

  A man was singing. I focused on the song, but couldn’t make out any words. It was composed from a series of striking tones. “Seraphin?” The singing stopped.

  When I opened my eyes Joseph was still beside me though appeared pale with dark circles under his eyes. Immediately, I felt bad for asking him to stay.

  “Joseph? What was I seeing?” The roughness and pain in my voice was no more.

  Joseph smiled. He sat on the bed, fussing with the pillows behind my head. Pulling me forward; I noticed his hands were cold and his skin rough.

  Taking his hand, I voiced my concern. “You’re hands, they’re like ice.”

  “Sorry.” He pulled away. “It’s cold down here.”

  It wasn’t cold; the air was damp and warm. “Something’s wrong.”

  “I’m fine Seraphin, or at least, I will be after I get some rest.” Unconvincingly, he tried to assure me.

  “You should rest now.” I worried.

  “No, what I need to do is talk.” Speaking seemed to exhaust him and his eyes were a sickly shade of bluish gray. The color was disheartening.

  Though I disagreed, I held out my hand, signaling for him to begin talking.

  He obliged. “The currents are healing waves created through sound—from the sea. Nasani and I are able to use this power. It’s an ancient form of healing that some of us have been gifted with. We healed you.”

  As he spoke, I gazed around the room. The bed I was lying in was stunning. Purple velvet blankets covered my legs. Lavender trimmed pillows stitched with elaborate embroidery supported my body. The bed was large and the Victorian inspired bed frame held wrought iron interwoven wisteria branches with blooms.

  “Thank you.” I mumbled. They healed me?

  Bragging, he continued. “I was able to go for one
full moon orbit this last time.”

  “Moon orbit?” I asked, wondering if aliens had abducted me. Before asking, I convinced myself that aliens would not have such nice bedding.

  “The time it takes for the moon to orbit the earth. Approximately 27 days.” He spoke nonchalantly.

  “I’ve been asleep for a month?” Pain moved through my throat as my voice grew louder and I sat up.

  Joseph placed his hands on my shoulders, gently guiding me back to the pillow. “Seraphin, don’t undo all my hard work. I‘m exhausted and I don’t think I have anything left in me to fix you again.”

  “I’m sorry. It’s just that—how is all this possible? I remember the falling into the ocean and drowning. What happened after that?”

  “Actually, you almost drown, which should be impossible. You took a lot of water in, even though I specifically told you not to breathe. Next time don’t suck water into your lungs. It makes things worse.” As if what he said was common knowledge, people drown all the time. He made no sense.

  “Why are we here then—why didn’t you take me to a hospital?” The obvious place for healing, I asked.

  “Because I knew I could heal you.” He tiptoed around the question. “You told me that you didn’t want me to leave, so I stayed. Then, I couldn’t bring myself to stop until you were healed. The energy was different. Like when…” his voice trailed off, “Forget it. I don’t quite know how to explain.”

  “I‘m sorry I kept you here. I had no idea. When I said I wanted you to stay…I shouldn‘t have…well, you can go now. You need to rest.” I urged. “We can talk later. Unless—is there a possibility that I might fall asleep for another month?”

  “No. Your body is healed, weak, but healed.” A sense of satisfaction washed over him. “Truth be told, I’ve surprised myself.”

  “Really, I mean it. Thank you for whatever you’ve done. I feel like I’m healed.” I sensed no pain in my body. He was right though; I did feel a bit weak.

  “If you are comfortable with it, I’d like to take a little nap and maybe get a bite to eat. I won’t be long. In the meantime, Nasani can bring you something to eat so your energy level will be restored.”

  “Yes. Of course I’m comfortable with you resting. I’m close to demanding it. You’ve done so much. The least I can do is let you rest. We can talk later.” Assuring him, my voice was positive and encouraging.

  Placing his hand on mine he smiled with his tired eyes. “Thanks Seraphin. I’ll send Nasani in.”

  Before he left, I had to know one minor detail. “Joseph is Nasani—you know…I mean, who is she?” Squirming a little with embarrassment, I wanted to ask if she was his girlfriend but I stopped short.

  “Nasani and I have been friends for a very long time. I trust her with my life and you should too. She’s amazing. The two of you will get along wonderfully,” he left.

  A tinge of jealousy ran through me. “Yeah, she seems great,” I muttered.

  The room was large and for the most part, it was empty. There was, of course, the bed. However, besides that, only two antique wooden chairs and a side table filled the dreary space. Atop the table sat a gold urn, which held a floral arrangement. The flowers were a mixture of aqua blue petals, green blooms, and deep red foliage. I wondered where they were indigenous, perhaps the rainforest. Even though I had never been outside of Maine, the dampness of the room and the strange moss covering the rock walls had me guessing we were far away from my house on Briarwood Court.

  Nasani entered the room carrying a silver-serving tray. Her brown eyes were friendly and her hair was arranged like a Greek goddess—ringlets fell far down her back. Thin ribbons were braided in, serving as a headband. The threads of the colored ribbons fell to one side of her face. A long robe crossed her thin body and was held tight by pink satin sash. She moved with the grace of a ballerina.

  “Seraphin,” saying as if she were starting out a song, “Joseph tells me your appetite might be back. I have prepared warm tomato bisque and you have to try this tea. It’s my favorite. I just finished drying the leaves, which is a difficult feat down here.”

  She unfolded little legs from the tray and placed it over my lap. The serving set could have been from the Queen of England’s personal collection. She moved over to the flower arrangement and began to rearrange the stems—pulling out a few withered leaves.

  I took a spoonful of the bisque, my stomach roared with hunger. I remembered that my last meal had been on the John F. Kennedy with Joseph. Finishing too fast to be considered ladylike, I began sipping the tea.

  “Is that not divine?” Nasani said, referring to the tea. She finished arranging the flowers and sat on the edge of the bed where Joseph had been. “Did you like the bisque?”

  “It was delicious. Thank you.” I said, trying to slow my drinking. I wasn’t sure if it was her elegant presence or the silver serving pieces, but I felt like I had very little etiquette and almost no manners.

  “I’m glad Joseph is resting. I’ve been worried. He’s been channeling his gifts more than usual and I could tell he was beginning to wear down. His determination to get you back is something I would not have thought him capable of.” She gazed into my eyes. “Although, I can see the appeal, you are quite remarkable. Aren’t you?”

  “I’m not sure I know what you mean Nasani.” Feeling quite uncomfortable locked in her gaze. “Why would he be determined to save me? I’m no one special.”

  “Do you feel like going for a walk, Seraphin?” She ignored my question.

  “YES.” The idea of getting fresh air was exciting. It wasn’t until I stood that I noticed I was no longer wearing the tank top and shorts I fell off the John F. Kennedy in. A blue silk robe, of which, I had never seen before was draped over my body.

  As I began taking steps, my legs were wobbly. Nasani helped to stabilize. Against the rough rocky floor, my feet were bare. They were decorated with little silver toe rings and beaded bands, just like Nasani’s.

  “Are you alright Seraphin?” She asked, concerned.

  “Just getting my footing, my feet feel so heavy and hard to lift.” Taking steps was a struggle.

  “That’s something we have problems with down here. You’ll get used to it. The source of gravity is stronger because we are closer.”She made little sense.

  “Down where, exactly?” We entered into a large open chamber with candles burning along the walls. Stacked in random piles were planks of weathered wood and broken pieces of what looked to be antique chairs and tables. There was a waterfall that poured down. Growing from the ceiling was a maze of vines with blooms of blue and green; the same kind that were in the golden urn.

  “We are no longer by the coast of Maine. After the attack, it was too dangerous to stay in the Atlantic area, so he brought you here to heal. I know, deep down, you understand that you are different. He couldn’t just take you to the corner clinic. Do you know he saved your life?” She continued a few steps ahead.

  “I do know that.” I answered.

  She was right. I could tell that home was far. I knew Joseph saved my life. Did I understand I was different? That depended on what part of my life she was referring to. I wanted specifics. “You said Joseph brought me here for a reason? Forgive me if I sound a little reluctant to sing his praises. I’d like to know that reason before I abandon all skepticism.”

  “I won’t speak to his reason; you’ll have to ask him why. I can show you where we are but I doubt you’d believe me. So, I’ll just show you something spectacular.” She continued along a narrow dark path—there was a glow at the end.

  The path opened into a massive cavern, the space was comparable to the size of a football field. Blue stalagmites and stalactites covered the entire ceiling and most of the floor. A few hung so low that we had to duck under. Weaving in between the tall formations, I wondered where Joseph had taken me. Never had I seen nature in such a raw form.

  The light from her candle lit the space but outside of the candle’s protective ci
rcle, the air was a dark glow of greenish-blue. “Seraphin, we are in the crust of the Ionian Sea—right between Italy and Greece.”

  “Italy and Greece!” I squealed. At least, we were still on the planet Earth.

  “Yes.” She said, seeming bored with my excitement. “We only come here when it’s time to lay low. Think of it as a summer home.”

  She confirmed my suspicion. They were hiding from something. “What do you mean ‘the crust’? And why are we hiding in a cave?”

  “Like I said, this is a very dangerous time. The John F. Kennedy was attacked.”

  “Nasani, the John F. Kennedy was in a storm—unless you consider it an attack launched by Mother Nature.”

  “That’s what they want you to think Seraphin.” She dismissed sarcasm. “Do you want to go for a swim?”

  “You cannot be serious,” laughing.

  “Oh, I’m perfectly serious. Follow me.” Her voice was commanding as it echoed around me.

  We entered a grotto. Crystal speleothems decorated the space. Stone arches sprawled over two pools. A soft cloud of steam rose from the water.

  “Welcome to Cosa Identica grotto. This is the most amazing puddle on the planet.” Nasani untied the pink sash that held her robe together, letting all her coverings fall to the floor. Wearing a tank top and bikini bottoms, she kicked her leg and with a hop, dove head first into the farthest pool.

  Even the smell of it was frightening. My lungs began to ache as I could feel the salty air filling them.

  She popped her head out of the water and shouted. “Seraphin, are you coming in?”

  “Oh, Nasani—no, I don’t…”

  She cut me off. “You have a suit on, you know? It’s under your robe. I let you borrow one.”

  “I do?” Sure enough, under the blue silk was a tank top and bikini bottoms—just like Nasani wore. Folding the robe back over myself, I tried to explain again. “This is all so thoughtful of you, but really, I’m not a swimmer.”