Talisman 1 - The Emerald Talisman Read online

  The Emerald Talisman

  . . .

  By Brenda Pandos

  . . .

  Published by Brenda Pandos for Smashwords

  Copyright © 2010 by Brenda Pandos

  . . .

  Smashwords Edition, License Notes

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  . . .

  LATER THAT DAY

  Was it my fate to die at sixteen? I didn't want to, but I couldn't see any other way out of this nightmare, unless I was dreaming. My situation seemed too surreal to be true. The pain told me otherwise. I was wide awake and about to take my last breath.

  In the dead of night, I hung precariously from a tree root that slowly unraveled out of the cliff face, hands bloody and raw. Above me, an animal waited to rip me to shreds. Below, the jagged rocks of the riverbed threatened to smash my body to pieces. I was trapped in between with aching arms, waiting for a miracle as dirt continued to rain down on my head. My lifeline was slipping further down the rock face, taking me closer toward my doom.

  My pleas for help echoed throughout the ravine, but were greeted with silence.

  It was over unless…

  . . .

  1 – DECISIONS

  “What kind of secret superpower would you want, Julia?”

  Startled out of my usual daydream I shifted my focus to Katie’s chestnut-colored eyes, concerned about her choice of subject.

  “Why?” I asked, trying to act natural.

  “You know that TV show about heroes with superpowers? I’ve been thinking about how cool it’d be to have one,” she answered innocently.

  “Oh,” I said, relieved she didn’t mean anything by her question. My brain froze though, unable to find a legitimate power. “Flying, I guess.”

  “That’s so cliché,” she said with a raised pierced eyebrow. “Everybody wants that. Pick something more obscure.”

  I wanted to laugh at her for using such ‘big’ words and tell her to mind her own business, but didn’t want to look obvious. Super powers weren’t all that glamorous like they portrayed on TV; they always came with a price.

  “Ummm…”

  I scanned the table looking for help when I sensed Cameron’s confidence. He should’ve been offended that Katie interrupted his riveting discussion about Calculus, but he had an answer he was dying to tell us though the expression on his fair, freckle covered face didn’t show it.

  “I don’t know. What about you, Cam?” I asked hoping to deflect the question.

  “That’s easy; shape shifting ability.” His blue eyes twinkled beneath his mop of wild red hair.

  A question like that wouldn’t have bothered me, if I were normal. But I did have a secret power, or gift as people might call it and I wanted to keep it that way – a secret.

  “Shape shifting?” Dena asked. “What’s that?”

  Cameron straightened his shoulders and amusement played across his face because the conversation shifted back to his in-depth knowledge.

  “To turn into anything I wanted. An animal, another person, an inanimate object, whatever suits me.”

  “That’s cheating. You can only shape shift into one thing,” Katie said, feeling annoyed but kept an aloof disposition.

  I smiled. Cameron wasn’t playing the game by her rules.

  “Hey, it’s my power, I wield it as I see fit.”

  Katie made a face before moving to her next victim, Dena, who now had an air of confidence as well.

  . . .

  The first time I was aware I was different was the last time I saw my mother. We were happy, together, laughing and holding hands when I was suddenly consumed with fear and pain no five-year-old should have to experience. The feelings seared into my conscience forever. I’ve never been sure if I’d always had this sixth sense of reading other’s emotions, or if somehow the ill-fated event of my mother’s disappearance caused the change, but I’ve been aware of it ever since.

  To look at me, you’d never know. I’m just an average teenager with a slight build, dishwater-blonde hair and hazel eyes trying my hardest to blend in. People say I’m shy, which is fine. I’d rather have that label than ‘freak’ any day. I do seem to wander off topic in conversations frequently appearing ADD, but that’s because it’s become increasingly difficult to concentrate among my overly hormonal peers. And today was no exception; Katie’s boredom screamed so loudly, I shouldn’t be able to concentrate. But, lucky for me, I’ve learned how to ignore her.

  At the moment, I sat at our usual table in the quad on a chilly Fall day with Samantha, Dena, Morgan, Cameron and Katie waiting for fifth period to start. Most of us had been friends since elementary school and met for lunch almost every day.

  Cameron had been rambling about Ms. Smith’s lecture in Calculus, a class none of us are in, before Katie so rudely changed the subject. Even though he bored everyone, I appreciated his enthusiasm for math. He just didn’t realize we didn’t share the same affinity for the subject, which wasn’t his fault. Gifted with smarts, he lacked social graces. I was willing to overlook that flaw, because he was a genuinely nice guy with a huge heart.

  “Seriously, Dena? Only you would pick a super power that would help people,” Katie said in contempt.

  Katie’s comment snapped me back into the conversation. Mentally, I’d drifted away again. Knowing Dena, I’m sure she picked something to save the world.

  “Well isn’t that the point? To use it for good?” Dena said, furrowing her brow. “What’s wrong with wanting to heal people?”

  “I think it’s a very good super power. I wish I’d of thought of it,” Samantha chimed in.

  “I agree,” I said.

  “Of course you can use your power to do good, but that’s not the point,” Katie said pretentiously.

  “I agree with Dena,” Morgan said quickly. “That’s better than the one I thought of.”

  Morgan, somewhat attractive with his dark hair and smoldering auburn eyes, was a newer addition to our little clique. Even though he didn’t let on to anyone, I knew he had a crush on Dena. Daily, I felt his internal struggles. His yearning was very subtle on the outside, but not to me; the chemistry was so strong sometimes it felt like I could cut it with a knife.

  “Well, what did you pick?” Dena asked.

  “Oh it’s stupid,” he said and turned away, averting her stare.

  Katie laughed. “I bet its x-ray vision,” she said, flipping her short raven-colored hair, currently tinged with magenta highlights.

  Morgan’s cheeks flushed. “Shut-up.”

  Dena put her hand on his shoulder and his elation erupted, subduing his anger.

  “Well, since the rest of you won’t answer…” Katie said, glaring at Morgan. “I’ll share mine. I want mind reading abilities.”

  I wanted to laugh and say oh no you don’t, but then I’d have to explain why. Of all people, that gift might be the medicine she needed to be humbled. People didn’t like her total disregard of people’s feelings when she verbally marched right over them.

  The problem was, unlike Dena, Katie knew she was attractive. Her conceit caused her to be pretty shallow most of the time. But since I knew she was just as insecure as the rest of us, I’d encouraged everyone to give her some leeway, hoping we’d rub off on her in time. Today I didn’t feel so inclined.

&nbs
p; “I don’t think I could handle knowing what people are thinking of me,” Dena said softly, tilting her head down, hiding under her long white-blond hair.

  I wondered if she’d feel the same way knowing people envied her.

  Morgan grew nervous. I sensed he definitely didn’t want her to read his mind, especially at this moment.

  Currently, Katie’s crush was on a very popular Senior, Tyler Kennedy, who had a serious girlfriend and wouldn’t give Katie the time of day. Since Katie felt she was far prettier than his girlfriend, she saw it as a competition and tried to gain his attention any chance she got. I really wanted to tell her Tyler picked his girlfriend, Mandy, because she was pretty and one of the kindest girls in school, but I knew she wouldn’t believe me.

  I watched her glance wistfully in Tyler’s direction. Mind reading definitely would’ve helped her formulate her next ‘accidental’ interaction, but then she’d really know what Tyler thought.

  “Well, I’d like to control the weather,” Sam said.

  Samantha or Sam as we called her, with her impeccable style and long brown locks was my very best friend. She was the most genuine and happiest person I’ve ever known – someone I called safe.

  I’ve always struggled with making new friends. It’s difficult to give people a real chance when you’re able to size someone up as soon as you meet them. Most people are untrustworthy, so I prefer to stick with my short list of safe friends. And if Katie didn’t watch it, it might grow shorter soon.

  “That would be cool. Why don’t you make a hurricane or something, so we don’t have to go to 5th period,” I said.

  Sam closed her green eyes and threw out her hands, acting as if she was summoning some powerful force of nature and then peeked out to see if anything happened, which it didn’t.

  “Crap, I need to figure out how to use it.”

  A sly smile crossed her face. Everyone laughed except Katie. I’m sure she thought we were making fun of her.

  “So anyone ask you to homecoming yet?” Katie asked in my direction.

  What’s with the questions today?

  “Oh… um… no. I think I have to work that day.”

  “Work?” She turned her nose up in disgust. “But it’s homecoming! Don’t you want to go?”

  “Not really?” I said, not meaning it to sound like a question.

  If I really wanted to go, Cameron would take me. We’d been each other’s date, as friends, for quite a few dances. But homecoming didn’t appeal to me for some reason. Not only did I dislike the feelings of the crowd at dances, but I currently didn’t have any prospects. It seemed the short list of guys I liked didn’t know I was alive.

  “I wish Tyler would ask me,” Katie murmured to herself, glancing over her shoulder again.

  “I’m not going either,” Cameron said trying to sound like he didn’t care.

  “Why not?” Dena asked, sounding a little disappointed.

  “Dances are lame,” he said, with a detached disposition.

  I knew his lack of self-confidence was the real reason, but didn’t know how I could help. I had just as much trouble with guys as he had with girls.

  “I don’t know if I’m going either. I don’t have a date yet,” Dena said while looking down at her tray, playing with her uneaten pudding.

  “Didn’t Brady ask you?” Sam asked.

  “Yeah, he did. I didn’t accept yet. I don’t know—” Dena’s eyes drifted in Morgan’s direction. “I was waiting for someone else to ask me.”

  I casually glanced at Morgan, who suddenly was interested in flicking the peeling paint off the table. I wanted to kick him so he’d wake up and pay attention. It was crazy they both wanted to go with each other, but neither would make the first move. Maybe letting Morgan know she wanted him to ask her was exactly what he needed since he wasn’t picking up on Dena’s body language.

  “I’ve decided to go with Todd after all,” Sam said.

  “Oh, that’s cool,” I said.

  I noticed Todd McMullan, a Senior, showed a little interest in Sam and hoped he would ask her to the dance. Sam already mentioned privately she had a crush on him, but didn’t want to say anything to the group because Katie had a bad habit of teasing. But Sam hadn’t told me he’d asked her yet.

  “Come on Cam, I’ll go with you,” I finally offered feeling a tiny bit of peer pressure and sorry for Cam.

  “Naw, that’s cool. It’s no big deal,” Cameron said with a waning smile. I think he was tired of the pretenses too.

  I didn’t want to spend money on something like Homecoming anyway. Besides, Cam had two left feet, so we never actually danced. All we really did was go as two singles and spent the rest of the night with friends. I didn’t feel up to it this time. I actually would rather work.

  I was trying hard to save money for a newer car. Currently, I drove my older brother Luke’s 1984 Volkswagen Quantum. He bought it to turn into some sort of veggie oil driving automobile to save money on gas, but never got around to it. He offered to let me drive it until I could get something of my own. It was old but it got me where I needed to go.

  I tried to think of something insightful to say to alleviate Cam’s discomfort, but was saved by the bell. We sighed in sync as we got up and headed for our prospective fifth period classes. Sam and I were the only ones who had Algebra, which was not my favorite class.

  “Todd asks you and you don’t tell me?” I asked as soon as we were alone, headed down the hall towards our class.

  “Well, I was going to. It literally happened right before lunch. He pulled me aside after class, but I had no idea that’s what he wanted to talk to me about. He seemed pretty nervous when he asked but so adorable,” she said with a grin.

  Sam’s giddiness was like sun breaking through stormy clouds and I couldn’t stay upset at her. Somehow I missed her elation all through lunch. It must have been because I was consumed with dodging Katie’s question.

  “That’s so great,” I said.

  “You should try to go. Isn’t there anyone you want to go with?”

  Deep down inside, a part of me wanted to attend, but there wasn’t anyone I felt safe to go with. It was hard to try to explain that to Sam. I’d given up on boys, for now anyway. They were all the same to me—immature and focused on one thing.

  “Really, it’s okay. I’m going to skip it this time.”

  She sighed. I think she wanted to double with me and I felt bad for bailing on her. Maybe I’d try to get Dena and Morgan to go with her and Todd, once I orchestrated Morgan to ask her.

  We walked into the classroom and found our seats. A knot formed in my stomach. Ms. Smith was an incredible teacher, possibly the best at our school, but I was so horrible at math it didn’t matter.

  “I’m never going to get it,” I moaned while we worked in small groups.

  “Just double check your work as you go, like this.” Her pencil darted across the page, leaving organized sets of numbers meaning something to her, but nothing to me.

  I chuckled. “Can’t you just do my homework for me?”

  Sam rolled her eyes. “With practice, you’ll get it, I promise.”

  “Yeah, right.”

  A hopeful expression formed on her face. She wasn’t going to let me quit. It gave me some confidence I’d actually have a fighting chance to get through this class without flunking. Frankly, I didn’t know what I would do without her.

  I was the first to get up when the bell rang.

  As always, sixth period Spanish flew by and I became anxious to get home. I had a few things to do before leaving for work.

  “Do you want me to come over tonight and help you with your Algebra?” Sam asked as we walked to our lockers.

  I’d completely forgotten about Algebra and at her mention of it, I groaned. I imaged myself sitting at my desk tempted to snap my pencil in half from the frustration. What do we need Algebra for anyway?

  “I think I’ll manage. I’m working but I’ll call if I get stuck.”


  Of course the managing part of my comment was an exaggeration. I’d probably just put it off until lunch the next day so she could help me then.

  My pocket vibrated with a text message and I took out my phone. It was from Luke.

  - Jo is coming for dinner. John is out of town. You working?

  Dang it!

  I didn’t want to miss dinner with Aunt Josephine, or Auntie Jo as we affectionately called her.

  - Yeah. What time is she coming over?

  Aunt Jo was the closest thing I had to a mother. After our mother’s mysterious disappearance, our father moved us from Los Angeles to Scotts Valley. Josephine was his only sister and took care of us while he traveled during our younger years.

  - She’s coming at five.

  I sighed. My shift started at four-thirty.

  - I have to work. Why don’t you come to the deli for dinner so I can see her?

  Even though Aunt Jo lived right around the corner from us, I never wanted to miss an opportunity to spend time with her – without John, her new husband. I tried not to be jealous of him, after all she’d sacrificed everything while we were growing up; she deserved a life of her own. But things didn’t feel the same anymore and I didn’t feel like I could just drop by now that she was married. And thinking about it reopened a wound I’d tried to forget.

  - I’ll ask and see. We were planning on having Mexican.

  Disappointment flooded me. Not only was I missing out being around the people I loved, I was missing out on my favorite food too.

  I worked at Erik's, the best sandwich deli in town. For an emotion reader, it was a job I felt comfortable doing. Something about people being hungry didn’t bother me. In all reality though, I didn’t need to work. My dad, Russell Parker, made pretty good money as a computer consultant. Since he traveled on business frequently, he wanted everyone available to do things together when he was in town. My job encroached on that time, so he asked me multiple times to quit. It was tempting, but when he was gone, I would get so bored alone at the house since Luke was rarely there. Plus, I liked having my own money to spend as I wanted. But, today I wished I’d taken him up on his offer.