Sleepwalker: (Sleepwalker Trilogy Book One) Page 2

  Makenna twitched anxiously in her seat and rubbed her eyes. There had been no clouds like those just a short while ago. It was late summer and quick weather changes were not uncommon, but there was something else to. Something was missing and she couldn´t quite put her finger on what it was.

  “How come you just ran out like that?” she asked. “Did something in the woods scare you?”

  “It takes a lot to scare me,” he said, sounding both jaded and well aware of his own importance and she couldn´t help not to tease him.

  “You´re so brave, then…” Makenna gave him a flirtatious smile but it died when she heard his next words.

  “I was hoping to find you.”

  Her pulse went haywire as if he´d just said something that was a lot less innocent than it sounded.

  Daniel had hoped to find her.

  Why would he want to do that?

  He´d said he wanted to get to know her, but you didn´t lurk in forests in order to do that. Maybe Daniel was crazy. He was new in town and no one really knew him. Makenna tried to calculate if thirty years had passed since the last misfortune on the highway, but her mind kept going blank.

  “What did you say?”

  He didn´t answer and she thought she must´ve heard him wrong. That was the only explanation.

  They were supposed to be at Jacinda´s by now but they were still on the highway. She couldn´t wait to get out the car. Luckily it wasn´t dark yet but soon it would be. And the road suddenly seemed never ending, as if she wasn´t driving to a destination or as if the destination was the gape of a beast. Makenna shivered.

  “Are you cold?”

  It was just a simple question but she could feel her flesh heat from the way that he was looking at her. She was wearing bright pink heels and a light blue off shoulder dress that was almost the same color as her eyes.

  “No, and I uh…, I don´t usually dress like this but Jacinda´s having a party. You´re new here so you probably don´t know, but she has one every summer or every summer since we´ve been fifteen at least.”

  “I know,” he said. “I´m invited.”

  “Are you?” Makenna almost shrieked but then again it wasn´t that surprising since he seemed to get along well with Jacinda. “I mean…you just don´t look like the type who likes parties.”

  “I don´t, I just like the drinking part…it makes me forget for a while.”

  “Forget what?” Makenna asked in a low voice. She didn´t know what to do with this sudden openness.

  “Things,” Daniel shrugged and removed his hoodie.

  She´d seen his hair before but it always surprised her how light it was. It almost looked white and she wondered if he bleached it but probably not. He didn´t look like the kind who would bleach his hair.

  “I understand.”

  It had been an automatic, polite answer but he turned towards her and transfixed her with his dark green eyes. They were strangely hypnotic and she found herself unable to look away.

  “Do you?” he asked in a sharp voice and she shrugged helplessly.

  Had she offended him in some way? This was getting a little too serious a little too fast. He was still staring at her, he´d even turned his torso her way and he wasn´t blinking.

  Makenna´s parents had always forbade her to pick up hitchhiker and apparently that rule applied to any hitchhiker, even someone you were going to go to school with.

  “Look, I don´t …I don´t know you,” she began but he cut her off and leaned back in the car seat.

  “You will and you will understand everything soon. This is how it has to be.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “I wanted it to be like this. This…you will be perfect.”

  “Perfect for what?”

  For unknown reasons her body started trembling and she thought about stopping the car and step out of it, or maybe ask Daniel to do it. She was embarrassed by her reaction but she couldn´t help it. Something about his words and the way he looked at her had set it off, screaming at her that he was dangerous and that if she knew what was best for her she would stay away from him. I´ll do it, Makenna soothed herself to get her pulse to calm down. I will stay away from him. She was trying to trick her mind to trick her body, but it didn´t work and she wondered if Daniel could hear how loud her heart was beating.

  “Don´t be afraid of me,” he said all of the sudden and she stared at him in shock. “Not you. Never you.”

  “Daniel, what are you talking about…what…are you sick? Daniel!”

  She said that because he´d gone rigid, clenching his fists and his eyes rolled back in his head and she could see the whites. He seemed to be having some type of seizure and she panicked. Makenna stopped the car and reached for her phone.

  “Damn it,” she yelled when of course the battery was still dead.

  Daniel clenched his jaw so hard it looked as if he was going to break it in two. Frantically Makenna peered down the highway hoping that a car would come driving by, but no cars had passed in a while and neither did they now.

  Makenna tried to grab a hold of Daniel´s arms, thinking that it would help stop the shaking so that he didn´t hurt himself. But Daniel seemed terrified at the idea of her touch and pulled away as far as he could. He looked at her hands as if they were going to burn him. Confused she kept them to herself and watched him powerlessly.

  “Tell me what to do,” she pleaded. “How do I help you?”

  But he was too far gone and then it seemed to ebb out a little and he opened the car door. Daniel groaned and fell to the street but pushed himself up with one arm.

  “I´ve stayed too long, I need to go,” he said between his teeth. He rose to his full height and with poor balance he started to walk.

  “Go where? You can´t go anywhere like this,” Makenna yelled after him. She removed her seatbelt to go after him but he snapped at her.

  “Don´t follow me! Just…drive away.”

  “But…”

  “Now!” he almost screamed and then the strangest thing happened. Some unseen force seemed to take over him and he slid to the edge of the highway, jumped higher than Makenna thought was possible and disappeared into the woods.

  Chapter Two

  It took Makenna a moment to realize where she was and what just had happened. She was still on the highway in the car, her hands were in her lap and her head was leaning against the seat. Strangely enough she was even wearing her seatbelt even though she remembered trying to go after Daniel. Makenna blinked several times and rubbed her temples.

  She looked at the clock and it was ticking again and even her phone was working.

  Battery full.

  Odd, Makenna thought but then again it wasn´t the weirdest thing that had happened today. Or perhaps she should say night and she shuddered at the realization.

  It was pitch black outside, rain falling heavily and the clock said it was midnight. She had driven away from home at 9.30 and now almost two hours had passed? Usually it was only a ten minute drive from her house to Jacinda´s.

  Quickly she turned the key and stomped on the pedal. When she finally arrived and stopped the car, she felt some strange relief at the sight of the pastel colored Victorian houses. For some silly reason Makenna had almost expected it to be no street here.

  The homes rested in darkness for the night and everything was so quiet, far too quiet. No music was blasting out the windows of Jacinda´s house and only a lamp in the kitchen was lit.

  What is going on today, Makenna thought in annoyance and closed the car door and her heels crushed the pebbles of the gravel walk. She didn´t bother using the door bell, thinking that maybe everyone was down in the basement.

  But as soon as she walked in, a loud snoring erupted from somewhere in the house. Makenna reached out her hand to search for the light but touched human flesh instead.

  A piercing shriek echoed through the dark and the hallway lit up.

  Jacinda was standing in front of her, with crimson lips and black hair that went down to her chin and was so well cut and shiny, that most people mistook it for a wig. She was wearing a black leather dress, a pearl necklace and pearl earrings. Apparently she´d forgotten about the matching part.

  “Oh god, you scared me sneaking in like that,” Jacinda said and slowly removed her hand from her heart. “You could´ve knocked, you know.”

  “I thought that maybe you wouldn´t hear me.”

  From the living room a boy that Makenna had English with, peered his head out sleepily, murmured something in confusion and then went back to lie down on the couch.

  “I didn´t mean to scare you.” Makenna wringed her hair out and ignored the look Jacinda gave her when the droplets fell on the white carpet. “But what is going on? Why is it so dead in here? And what is that guy doing sleeping in your living room?”

  “I should ask you what´s going on,” Jacinda said, crossing her arms and expensive perfume spread in the air. “You were supposed to be here at eight and you show up after midnight. You´re just the worst cousin ever and this was the worst party ever.”

  Makenna did her best not to yell at her. She didn´t feel like dealing with one of Jacinda´s tantrums, she was too tired and too confused.

  “Don´t be like that, I´ve had one of the worst nights of my life, you won´t believe what…”

  “No, I had the worst night of my life,” Jacinda immediately pouted. “I make sure to organize the best party of the summer. I put in the time, the effort and then before the party was even about to start, half of the guest showed up completely smashed. And after an hour they all just passed out.”

  “Really, that bad?”

  “Worse. I´m glad mom and dad won´t be back until Sunday. Imagine coming here, seeing a bunch of kids sleeping everywhere.”

  “They´re all still here?” Makenna said in surprise.

  “Most of them. Isn´t it pathetic? Some are down in the basement though, doing god knows what. I´ll never organize another party ever again, if this is how I´m treated.”

  Makenna knew that wasn´t true of course but she felt bad for Jacinda. She took her role as a hostess gravely and she always made an effort to make others feel welcome. As long as they weren´t related to her that is.

  “Weren´t you supposed to be wearing that baby pink dress?” Makenna asked and Jacinda let out a little laughter, “wasn´t it your lovely idea that we should look like Barbie’s?”

  “Oops,” Jacinda said but didn´t sound regretful at all. “I tried it on but the neckline just didn´t go with the pearls and I wanted to shine like the goddess that I am tonight.”

  Someone snored even louder in the living room and Jacinda shook her head. Her cat like eyes narrowed to two little slits.

  “I just can´t take it. I mean the nerve.”

  “I´m sorry, Sindy Doll,” Makenna said with a small smile. “I know how much you looked forward to this.”

  “Not your fault Ken Doll,” Jacinda sighed. “And I forgive you for being late, since clearly you’re not yourself right now. Let’s go into the kitchen, there´s lots of leftovers if you´re hungry.”

  Makenna didn´t think she was hungry but her stomach churned and she realized that she was.

  The rest of her friends were sitting around the kitchen island. Parker looked like he had put on more muscles if possible. Hugo had spent summer at his grandparent’s farm and had a wholesome country glow on his otherwise agitated face. Tiny Flora appeared to have ignored brushing her hair and was wearing velvet pants and a velvet sweatshirt with bunny ears. She was carefully putting potato chips in Hugo´s mouth.

  “There you are, beautiful,” Parker said when he saw Makenna. He smiled broadly and reached out to give her hug and it felt like being hugged by a bear. “We were worried about you and your cousin almost had a mental breakdown in your absence.”

  Quickly he gave her a peck on the cheek, ignoring Hugo´s eyebrow innuendo and Makenna forced a smile. She found herself wanting to go to sleep herself, maybe because of all the excitement that had happened with Daniel earlier. And the two chandeliers above the kitchen island seemed to be shining too brightly but no one else appeared bothered.

  “Look who´s talking,” Hugo laughed but then quickly grabbed on to his ribs and made a grimace.

  “What´s up with you?” Makenna asked and sat down, placing her elbows on the dark, shiny wood. Jacinda´s mom, her aunt was obsessed with a clean environment and everything had to be spotless.

  “Broken rib, I tried to see if I could tip one of my grandfather´s cows and it kicked me.”

  “You deserved it for harassing that poor animal,” Flora said and turned to Makenna. “And you should´ve been here.”

  Flora was the only one who sat on the island instead of a chair because she was so small. She was also the only one who had her sock worn feet on its surface. Jacinda caught Makenna looking and said between thin lips.

  “Flora unfortunately forgot that this was a party and not a sleepover. That´s why she showed up dressed for bed.”

  “It turned into a sleepover anyway,” Flora shrugged but then she shivered. “And besides I had a strange feeling before coming here and I just have to be comfortable whenever I don´t feel balanced.”

  “And you sure are comfortable,” Jacinda muttered displeased and pushed at Flora to take her foot down.

  “What do you mean by strange feeling?” Makenna asked but Parker groaned.

  “Don´t encourage the madness,” he said and Flora ignored him.

  “You know it´s like that feeling you get before it´s about to storm. Or that feeling you get when you leave the house but realize you forgot to blow out the candles and the cat could shove them down on the carpet. It´s like that, something crawling up your spine and prickling your neck, like something is about to happen.”

  Makenna couldn´t tell if this excited Flora or worried her.

  “Good or bad?” she asked and Flora crouched a little, throwing a nervous glance around.

  “My bet is on the latter. Bad things seem to be on their way,” she said in a timid voice. But then she caught Parker´s annoyed scowling and decided to change the subject.

  “But you have no idea what you missed when you were gone, it was a complete disaster.”

  “Oh, Jacinda told me,” Makenna said casually and Jacinda pushed forward a pizza slice but Makenna shook her head. “I´m hungry but I don´t think I can eat.”

  “It’s your favorite,” Jacinda coaxed. “Salami, arugula, mozzarella and mushrooms. I made it especially for you.”

  “You mean your housekeeper made it,” Hugo said and Jacinda grimaced and threw a napkin at him and he pretended to be hurt.

  “Ouch, don´t harm the cripple.”

  Makenna picked up a fork and a knife and in the reflection she saw her own face and it startled her. She looked haunted and pale. Her burgundy hair was plastered to her forehead and mascara was running down her eyes and onto her sharp, little nose.

  The lips with their wide cupid bow, which she carefully had painted in a mauve color looked bruised.

  “I should go…” to the bathroom she wanted to say but Jacinda was right there with a wet wipe in her hands.

  “No need, I´ll take care of it.” Quickly she wiped Makenna off in her face and Makenna knew better than to protest.

  “Thanks,” she murmured and tried not to sneeze from the baby powder scent.

  Hugo leaned forward in his chair.

  “So tell us, how come you were so late and didn´t even bother to call. Hmmm? Parker almost peed in his pants when he couldn´t reach you. He was close to calling the cops.”

  Parker gave Hugo a murderous look, which Hugo did his best to avoid. For years Parker had been interested in Makenna on and off but had never really done anything about it. Makenna had done nothing about it either and ever since the Lestrange family had lost much of their wealth, she´d felt as if they had little in common.

  Parker vacationed in southern Europe, had dinners with his parents in fancy restaurants every Sunday and dressed so luxuriously that the difference between them almost became painfully obvious. Now he was wearing slacks, a sweater that looked soft as butter and a grey jacket. On top of it all he smelled like an ocean breeze, while she looked like a drenched rat.

  “I´ll tell you, but you won´t believe me,” Makenna said between bites. “You have no idea what just happened to me. Firstly about the phone, the battery died and then also time seemed to have stopped but also speed up. I was on my way here, when I almost ran over Daniel Barlow with my car. He didn´t get hurt so I offered him a ride and he had a seizure and then he ran out into the woods. And when I looked at the watch afterwards several hours had passed…” Makenna trailed off when she noticed how her friends were staring at her as if she´d told them she´d stopped showering.

  “I know its sounds crazy, but it really happened. I swear.”

  “You saw Daniel out on the highway?” Flora said slowly and Makenna nodded.

  “That´s impossible,” Jacinda said. “Daniel came here before you. He was one of the first even and he was also the only one who remembered to bring the hostess flowers, a courtesy that seems to have been forgotten by most.” Flora, Hugo and Parker all avoided looking at her.

  “That…that can´t be right.” Makenna had been confused before but now her confusion spiraled. Daniel had been with her, she´d seen him, talked to him and he´d even sat next to her in her car. But she had thought that something had been off, the weather, the way that there had been no other cars as if they´d been all alone…

  “Go check yourself, if you´d like. He´s still sleeping upstairs,” Parker muttered and Makenna looked at him and then out the hallway.

  It was dark, serene and familiar but the thought of Daniel being in the same house as her, her friends and other classmates made Makenna uneasy. He wasn´t like the rest of them, he was different and she wasn´t sure if it was all good.

  “Are you sure it was Daniel?” Makenna asked. “Maybe it was someone who just looked like him.”