Emma: Book 1

Church

Nothing—like the lights are out. Like I’m stuck in a void. Like the walls are black and stone cold.

Then—eyes—nose—lips. A young girl’s face appears, protruding from my mind’s eye.

Her lips part and form round o’s—she’s speaking.

No. She’s screaming!

Help me! Save me!

She shrieks, and I hear the stiff indifference of her tormentors. She yells, and her voice drowns me, suffocates me.

She’s dying.

I have to save her.









I wake up shivering, sweat gluing me to my clothes and sheets. I untangle myself and softly tread to bathroom. I turn on the faucet and let the water run freezing cold while I pee. I splash my face with the icy water and twist the faucet off, letting my breath out in a whoosh.

I’m not sure whether it was a vision or just a bad dream. Either way it made the spot between my shoulder blades throb harder. I lean against the doorframe, pressing my back up against it. Usually pressure soothes the troublesome spot.

I glance back to the room and see Chris grumble and turn over. It’s probably seven o’clock. Since we went to bed so late, being up at this ungodly hour is torture.

I yawn, running a hand through my hair. Trouble is, we’ll have to get up earlier than seven tomorrow morning for school.

I shake my head and go back to bed, yawning again. But today we’re not going to school. So why bother being awake now?

I flip onto my stomach and shut my eyes, inhaling the scent of my pillow.

Next thing I know, it’s nine o’clock, and I can smell bacon sizzling. In the twin bed next to mine, Chris groans and buries his head under his covers.

I chuckle and stretch, my feet extending off the edge of my bed.

Two knocks, the twist of a doorknob, and Nate is stumbling into the bathroom from his room.

“Morning,” he yawns, scratching his brown-haired head.

“No,” Chris replies, still buried. “It’s not morning. I’m dreaming that we’re all awake.”

Nate leans against the wall, eyes shut. “Just keep telling yourself that.” He blindly flips on the light, and I instinctively flinch.

I sit up. “We going to church?”

“As far as I know,” Nate says, now blindly peeing into the toilet. “I just got up.”

I laugh. “Clearly.”

Suddenly a knock comes from the bedroom door, and Lillian pokes her head inside.

“Breakfast in ten, guys,” she announces, very awake.

“Hm-fm,” Chris groans under his covers.

Lillian giggles and shuts the door again, bounding back down the hallway.

I stand up and stretch again. “Hey, Nate?” I call.

Nate is now blindly washing his hands. “Yeah?”

“My shoulder blades are aching like crazy.”

“Okay.” He replies.

I stare at him.

He just stands there, slowly leaning forward. When his forehead touches the mirror, Nate’s eyes spring open and lock on mine.

“Wait,” he says. “What did you say?”

I chuckle. “The spot between my shoulder blades hurts.”

He frowns, lips pursed. “Did it just start?”

“Last night,” I answer, shaking my head.

Nate grips his chin, glancing at his reflection. “Any particular reason?”

Chris grumbles. “Holy heck you guys talk too much to be in a dream.” He emerges from his cocoon of covers. “And if I’m going to be awake, I might as well eat breakfast.”

Nate nods. “Yeah, let’s go. I’m hungry.”

We wander downstairs, still in our pajamas, and find Meredith and Lillian cooking breakfast.

“Mm,” Chris hums, heading for the fresh bacon, swiping a slice.

Lillian frowns at him, scrambling eggs. “Stop it!”

Chris glances at her. “Don’t tell me this bacon’s not for eating.”

“Oh, no, it is,” Meredith smiles.

“Whew, that’s good.” Chris replies, reaching for another slice.

Lillian swats at his hand, but he dodges it.

“Hey, where’s Jules?” Nate asks, leaning on the bar, still half asleep.

“Upstairs.” Lillian answers. “She discovered the movers misplaced her camera, so she’s frantically tearing our room apart.”

“Oh,” Nate says, his eyes sliding shut. “Sucks.”

Lillian snickers as Nate’s head slips out of his hand and snaps back up, Nate embarrassedly stretching.

He glances sheepishly at Lillian and then at me. He frowns. “Hey, did you ever tell me if there was a particular reason?”

I shake my head. “Chris interrupted.”

“What?” Chris says, looking up at his name, more bacon in his hands.

“Stop!” Lillian exclaims. “Can’t you wait, like, two seconds?”

He frowns and retreats, going to the refrigerator while stuffing the bacon in his mouth.

“What were you saying?” Nate asks me.

“My shoulder blades are particularly painful.”

He frowns.

“Why?” Meredith asks.

I shrug.

“You haven’t had a vision recently.” Nate notes, thinking out loud. “Perhaps you’re about to.”

I nod. “Actually it’s possible I already had one.”

He glances at me. “Oh?”

“Yeah, I had a really weird dream last night.”

Nate frowns. “A dream dream?”

I shrug.

Julianna suddenly bounces into the kitchen, her camera safely in her grasp. “I found it!”

“Good!” Meredith congratulates. “But now it’s time to eat, so set your camera down. Come on, everybody. Nate, you pray please.”

We all bow our heads as Nate prays for the food, and then we all grab plates and serve ourselves breakfast.

“Gah!” Chris cries in alarm.

“What is it?” Meredith asks, worried.

He’s standing at the fridge again. “There isn’t any yogurt!”

“Relax,” Meredith soothes. “I’ll buy some at the grocery store. Eat something else instead.”

Chris shakes his head. “The Council let me down.”

Julianna snickers. “Don’t worry, Chris. I know how you feel. The movers hid my camera.”

“Come on,” Meredith urges. “Eat your breakfast. We have a church servicer I want to try out at ten thirty.”

Julianna and Chris join us at the table, and Nate turns to me.

“So tell me about this dream.”

“You had a dream?” Julianna asks me. I nod, and she narrows her eyes at me. “A vision?”

I shrug. “I dunno, Jules. It could’ve just been a weird nightmare.”

“What was it about?” Chris asks, glancing at me.

“Just a girl screaming for help,” I say.

“A girl?” Nate frowns.

I nod. “I’ve never met her.”

“What does it mean?” Meredith asks.

Nate shrugs. “It could mean anything, or it could just be a dream like Ian said.”

“She was screaming for help?” Julianna inquires.

I nod, and she shudders. “Do you know why?”

I shake my head, smiling sympathetically at her.

“Well, let’s hope it’s just a dream.” Nate concludes.

Lillian nods. “Anyone want to hear about my dream?” She asks brightly.

She continues to describe some bizarre encounter, and we respond accordingly, soon thereafter finishing breakfast and getting ready for church. All six of us pile in Lillian’s minivan, and twenty minutes later, we’re pulling into a parking lot.

The church building is a rather grandiose thing—high arching doorway, spacious lobby, auditorium-like sanctuary. It’s impressive but intimidating.

I nervously fiddle with my tie. From the looks on people’s faces and stiffly pressed clothes, it’s clear this church is high-brow. I’m not underdressed, but my appearance nonetheless doesn’t fit in.

I glance at the others. Meredith seems to be perfectly at ease, already chatting with another mother.

“Let’s play One of These is Not Like the Other.” Chris mutters to me, snickering at the crowd’s collective reaction.

Julianna rolls her eyes. “Shut up, Chris.”

She looks natural among these churchgoers with her dress to her knees and open-toed sandals. Her twin, however, does not, and Lillian anxiously keeps touching her bare neck, tugging at the low scooping neckline of her blouse.

Nate shakes his head, looking like a regular James Bon minus the bow tie and spy gear. “We’re not that out of place. I kinda like it here.”

Lillian growls at him. “Easy for you to say.”

Chris snickers, matching Nate but not James. Lillian crosses her arms across her chest, huffing away from us.

“Well,” Julianna says, “Why don’t we find some seats?”

“You go on in,” Nate tells her, distractedly watching the crowd. “I want to check things out.”

“Yeah, me, too,” Chris chimes in. “There’s bound to be something exciting lurking around here.”

Nate gives him a reproachful look but quietly walks away, disappearing into the mix. Chris shrugs and follows suit.

“So it’s just me and you, eh?” Julianna smiles up at me.

I nod. “Looks like.”

“Seems to be a reoccurring thing.” She says, smiling at the young usher who is opening the door for us. He nods us a hello, his eyes blatantly fixed on her.

I laugh and lean over to whisper in her ear, “So what do you think? Do we fit in here?”

She shrugs and whispers back, “I guess. I mean, that guy smiled at us.”

I chuckle. “He was definitely smiling at you, Jules. He didn’t even see me.”

She snorts. “Well, he’s a human. No good.”

I shake my head. “I’m partial to some humans. They’re good for laughs.”

She grins, pointing at a nearly empty pew. “Looks promising.”

I nod, and we sit down. Julianna reaches for the visitor’s card in the back of the pew in front of us. She pulls a pen out of her purse and begins filling out the card.

“Yeah, I guess I like this church so far,” she says, scribbling information in the different blanks. “But I’m not real worried about church. It’s school that has a higher risk factor.”

“All the contact with humans?” I question, confused.

She shakes her head. “No, no, not necessarily the whole keeping being psychic a secret thing. What I’m concerned with is getting attached.”

I narrow my eyes at her. “Talk sense to me, Jules.”

Julianna stops answering the mini survey. She looks me in the eye. “I didn’t get to say goodbye to my friends. And now I’ll never be able to contact them.”

I sigh. “You meant a higher risk factor of getting hurt—both you and those around you.”

She nods. “We had a life in Georgia, Ian, and it’s not that I don’t like being adventurous. I do, but not when things are completely out of my control. I hate the Council, Ian. You know, I really do.”

“They’re a necessary evil, Jay,” I say softly. “But what you’re saying sounds more like Lillian than you.”

She studies the tile floor. “Yeah, you know, maybe it is Lilly talking.” She looks at me. “But she’s right. The League is screwing us over. They’re also screwing over all those we come into contact with, and we owe our human friends more than that. They deserve better than sucky relationships with us—with people they don’t really know.”

Julianna runs an agitated hand through her thick hair. “But what really gets me is how the hell do these actions promote peace?” She thunders.

I touch a finger to her lips and point to the ceiling. “Sh, Jay, we’re in church. I know you’re upset, but now’s not the time for language…especially since we don’t know all these prospective eavesdroppers.”

She sighs in exasperation but quiets, admitting, “You’re right. Sorry…I just…get so worked up about this.”

I chuckle. “I can tell.”

She smiles. “It doesn’t bother you?”

“What? You? Or the League?”

She playfully knocks her knee into mine. “The League, crazy.”

I grin. “No, the League sucks, don’t get me wrong. But it also keeps everything together. Like I said, they’re a necessary evil, and I am thankful for it.” I wink at her. “Otherwise, I’d never have met you.”

She laughs, rolling her eyes. “Sweet.”

“Thanks,” I reply, leaning back against the pew.

“But the League is hypocritical, and it’s not like they make me wanna bash skulls or blow anything up—no, violence wouldn’t help. Violence doesn’t help anything. I think the League just needs someone to point out their faults and fight to fix them.”

Julianna looks at me, smiling crookedly. “How’s that for being a pacifist?”

I laugh. “Next you’ll want to save the rainforest.”

“Oh, no, that’s the humans’ problem. I could care less.”

I shake my head. “You’re ridiculous.”

She giggles.

“Hey, guys,” Chris greets, sitting down between us. “Have I missed any fun?”

“No, just Julianna here ranting about the League.” I comment.

“Oh? What about?” Chris asks, intrigued.

She rolls her eyes. “Don’t get me started.”

Chris laughs. “Where are the others?”

I shrug. “They all disappeared.”

“Yeah,” Julianna echoes. “Speaking of which, you disappeared, too, Chris. Where’d you go?”

“Oh, I was just snooping, you know, stuff like that. Talking to random people, going places. I like this church.”

Julianna rolls her eyes. “I think you need a leash and be one of those leash kids.”

Chris laughs. “I’m not five.”

“You act like it!” She retorts.

I shake my head.

“Anyway,” Chris continues, “I met then youth pastor, and he told me that the youth group is having a New Year’s party here this evening. He invited me and my family to join them. Interested?”

“I think you should ask Meredith,” Julianna replies, “but it definitely sounds like fun.”

“I figured it’d be a good way to meet some people,” Chris adds, “and to get a better feel of the church.”

“Taking the initiative,” I nod. “Very Nate of you.”

Chris frowns. “Hey, he is not the only guy around here! Who said he got to take charge anyway?”

“Oh, you know that’s just who he is,” Julianna says breezily, trying to avert the possible rant. “He can’t help it.”

Chris huffs. “Yeah, well, we’re in a new place now. Maybe it’s time for a new group leader.”

I shake my head.

“You’re too immature,” Julianna points out.

He flashes her a look.

“Are you listening to yourself? That’s no way to be a leader.” She says calmly.

He rolls his eyes. “What are you? My mother?”

She grins. “What can I say, Chris? You bring out the mom in me.”

“Oh, brother,” he groans, pinching the bridge of his nose.

I glance at Julianna, smiling. “And I bring out the brooding teenager?”

Now it’s her turn to groan.

“Don’t even start that again.” She says.

I chuckle.

“Look who’s finally joining us,” Chris interrupts, noticing Meredith, Lillian, and Nate making their way to our pew.

“What took you so long?” He teases.

“Lillian got lost.” Nate says in a hushed tone, trying to hold back a smile.

Lillian shakes her head in embarrassment. “I was only looking for the bathroom, okay? It’s not my fault I had trouble finding it.”

Meredith chuckles. “Yes, well, we all know you are directionally challenged. No need to remind us.”

Lillian’s jaw drops in deeper embarrassment, her face flushing. “Mom!?”

We all laugh as her cheeks turn a bright red.

Nate waves a hand. “All right, all right, I’m sorry I brought it up. It wasn’t nice of me.”

“Yes,” Meredith agrees, sobering, “and the service is about to start, so settle down children.”

Chris leans over to Julianna to crack another joke about Lillian, and Julianna snickers, playfully shoving him back.

“Shut up!” She whispers.

“Make me, Mom.” He retorts, sticking out his tongue.

“Leash kid!” She hisses and turns away, trying not to smile.

Meredith leans forward to reach for a hymnal, but at the same instant, the music minister welcomes everyone to church and asks for everyone to rise and sing the Doxology. We do as the audience does, and soon the service is underway.

We sing several hymns and listen to an offering, Julianna dropping the visitor card in the offering plate. Then, the senior pastor stands to begin the sermon and opens with prayer.

The service isn’t startling. Most churches are the same. We’ve tried out so many that they can’t surprise us anymore—unless they’re just plain wacky. We tend to go more toward that one church that isn’t wacky but isn’t contemporary. It’s like Goldilocks and the three bears—Psychic Team and the churches. What a game.

Anyway, I think we like this church. It fits the just-right parameters. And the fact that it’s the closest church to our house is a big plus.