Rebirth Page 5

  “Huh?” Shellie looked back for a moment and chuckled. “Oh, Kyle has had a crush on my friend Jessica for quite some time. I’ve been pushing her to at least give the poor boy a chance. She needs a sweet guy for a change instead of all those jerks.”

  “Oh really?” Hotan smiled watching Jessica blush and Kyle no doubtedly saying something embarrassing, his forte. “He’s a good guy and deserves a chance. Do you know all the servers in town? It seems like wherever I take you, you seem to know at least one of the employees.”

  “Anyway, I just hope it works out between those two. They would make a cute couple, don’t you think?” They both watched as Kyle and Jessica chuckled for a moment as she placed the flowers in a vase. “Looks like it’s off to a good start so far.”

  “Shellie…” Staring down at his clasped hands on the table, he started to think about things again. Maybe it’s not fair to her. I am so distant, and it’s only getting worse. When we first started going out, it was amazing. My mom died and I distanced myself, but she pulled me back. Now I am doing it again, turning myself back to the recluse I was before she entered my life. It’s not fair to her to be stuck in a relationship I am failing to maintain.

  “Yeah?” Her smile faded as she looked at his solemn face. “What’s wrong now?”

  “If you want to end our relationship it’s fine with me. I know I don’t take you out much, and lately, I’ve been a loner.” He looked up at her big gentle eyes to read her reactions. “And Hisota’s been a real pain about us dating on top of that. I know that can be stressful, but I have a lot going on and-”

  “Hotan, if it bothered me I would have said so or ended it already.” She put her soft, sincere hands on top of his and gave him a warm grin. “I’ll always want to be with you. You’re not like the other guys at school. You let me have my freedom and I merely do the same for you, so if you want to be alone that’s fine. I can always make plans with my other friends, it’s not the end of the world. Just remember I’m here for you and if you need to let things out, I’m willing to listen. We don’t demand much from one another and we tend to understand each other’s needs with no questions asked. I doubt I can get that sort of mature relationship out of anyone in our high school.”

  “I just don’t want to tie you down. You deserve to be happy…” It’s your nature to be happy, but my life is one of sorrow.

  “I know.”

  “Are you guys ready to order?” Jessica greeted the two of them giggling to herself.

  “So, what did you say to him, Jessica?” Shellie leaned on the table smirking at her friend. “Yes or no? Or even a maybe?”

  “I said yes. I’ve never had a guy bring me flowers in person.” She rolled her eyes at Shellie. “So what do you guys want today?”

  “Coffee and today’s special.” Hotan handed her the menu as he smirked at her. “Watch out, Jess. He might convince you to have those seven boys he’s been wanting. He has plans you know… BIG plans for a BIG family.”

  “Oh no!” Laughing she covered her mouth with the menu. “Shut up! What about you Shellie? What do you want to eat today?”

  “The usual,” Shellie winked at her, following Hotan’s lead in teasing her friend. “But really Jessica, he’s a good guy.”

  Jessica shook her head as she left for the restaurant’s kitchen.

  “Hey! Look who it is!” Kyle came over when he noticed they were there. “I should have known I would see you guys here!”

  “Hey, congrats Kyle!” Shellie scooted over as Kyle slid into the booth next to her. Leaning onto the table, his goofy grin stretched across his face. “You finally harassed Jessica enough for her to say yes.”

  “Thanks! So what’s happening, my homie?” Kyle nodded his head at Hotan, his expression serious. “You still not feeling good?”

  “I feel fine. I wish everyone would stop asking.” Hotan grunted, “Found out I had an older Brother. Still trying to figure that ordeal out and how it never surfaced before.”

  “No kidding.” Kyle sat back into the seat, stunned. “So, is he, well, cool?”

  “I don’t know yet, barely got a chance to talk with the man. Let’s just hope I get another chance to talk to him, anyhow.” Jessica returned with their drinks. Taking his coffee from her, he started adding sugar and cream to it as he spoke. “I am just still trying to adjust to the idea, and the questions that have no answers to them yet. It was so sudden, and well, for once I feel clueless.”

  “Hey Baby.” Kyle lowered his voice, giving Jessica a seductive look. “How about you and me get married and have us some chicklens?”

  “In your dreams, red head.” Jessica winked as she busted out laughing. “You’re moving too fast for me! First flowers then skipping ahead to kids? Hell no!”

  “Told you so…” Grinning, Hotan took a cautious sip of his coffee.

  Kyle always lightens the air up when I get too serious. At least this helps relieve some of my stress. Granted, they have no idea how much crazier my situation truly is.

  “Kyle! Stop messing around!” Shellie chuckled, elbowing him in the ribs. “You’re so ridiculous!”

  “Ok, ok. Get back to work woman.” Kyle winked at Jessica who blushed in response.

  “Their food might be ready by now, anyhow.” Promptly she left the table and headed for the entrance to tend to a few customers waiting to be seated.

  Hotan’s attention followed Jessica as she neared the front doors. The bell rung over the doors as a new customer entered the diner, catching his attention. A tall, bulky man with dark-haired dread locks walked in from the busy street. He couldn’t see his face, but only the back of the man’s dark trench coat. Something in the back of Hotan’s mind was screaming that he should know this man. The stranger must have been quite buff with the way the coat fit him, a typical large brute.

  Hotan watched as he towered over Jessica, following her to his seat, a table not far from where they were. The man flipped his coat as he sat down, facing Hotan with his slanted eyes sharp. Amber eyes gleamed back at him from across the restaurant. A smirk slithered across the brute’s masculine face as they exchanged eye contact. It was as if he knew that Hotan had seen the color of his eyes.

  Why can I see the color of his eyes so vividly? What is so important about this man that it required this much attention? What am I missing? Who is this man?

  Hotan’s nerves unraveled as he slammed his coffee down on the table, splashing some of it. It was an involuntary reaction as he failed to break away from the yellow-orange eyes that stared back. Overwhelming fear shouted that if he looked away he would miss an imminent attack from this behemoth. The man glared back, amused by the look on Hotan’s paling face.

  This stranger didn’t look familiar to him, but his very presence made Hotan feel tense and uneasy. Recognizable dread filled him from the unfamiliar entity that continued to burn through him with his taunting glare. The man turned his playful look away from him to look at his menu, yet it seemed he was still watching Hotan’s every move.

  Who is this? I feel like my soul is screaming the answer but I’m too scared to hear it. Why does this man terrify me so much? Why am I so afraid? My chest hurts from the pounding of my heart.

  Every thought that came to Hotan felt like the titan could hear it. He swallowed hard as his heart pounded at his ears; the room darkened and muted itself around him as if an explosion had happened. The muscles in his body ached under the pressure of how tense he was becoming with each passing second. Breathing harder, his chest tightening, his skin clammy; Hotan was being crushed by his own sense of fear. He could only be thankful that the enemy was no longer staring him in the eyes. The invisible force of horror continued to invade him, drowning his very soul within it.

  Finally, muttering to himself, Hotan realized what and who was causing him so much panic: “Geliah, the element of Fear.”

  “Hotan, are you okay Bro?” Kyle’s smile had faded as he looked at his friend’s paled face. “You going to pass out again?”
>
  “No.” Standing, Hotan dashed into the men’s room, his stomach knotting and twisting.

  Rushing into a stall, locking it behind him, Hotan turned to lunge himself over the toilet bowl. Coughing and choking, cold sweat ran down the side of his face. Everything felt like it had crashed down on him, bringing him to his knees. He watched what nerve he had left swirl down the toilet. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath trying to stabilize himself, attempting to push back the sickening sensation of his fear.

  Calming down, trying to put things back together as he regained what few steady nerves he had left at this point. Desperately swallowing down the fleeting panic, the pain in his throat brought no comfort. The bathroom door creaked open, causing him to lose his hold of his nerves and almost failing to control his vocal cords.

  Fear came rushing back, and he began to freak. Frozen, he held his breath. A rabbit trapped in a corner, the stalking wolf with its hungry eyes ensnaring him.

  This is it! Geliah has me! Here huddled to a toilet! I have no way of defending myself!

  Chapter Six

  “Hotan?” Kyle’s voice came as a relief, dissolving the horror. “Are you that sick man? You shouldn’t push yourself that hard…”

  Coming out of the stall, Hotan walked over to the sink feeling depleted of his energy. “I guess so. I don’t know what’s wrong with me lately.”

  “Man, I don’t ever remember you getting this sick; it hit you hard out there.” Kyle watched as Hotan rinsed his mouth out and splashed cold water on his face.

  Slouched over the vanity, Hotan stared into the white sink. “It’s been a really strange week. Very strange, I don’t know what to think about anything anymore.”

  “No kidding.” Kyle sighed, clearing his throat. “So, what really happened that night at the old church? No matter how I mull it over, it’s impossible for that place to be in that good repair overnight, am I right? It’s like David Copperfield came in there and did some of his crazy mojo stuff. I was just there a week ago with you. Work like that takes months and there wasn’t any signs of repairs when I was there, so…”

  “It’s hard to say, I still can’t remember anything from that night. I don’t know if I will ever remember and last night didn’t answer my questions like I had hoped.” Looking up at his reflection, he yearned for his former self to give him answers. If this is all true, please let me wake up and remember. “Meeting my brother was strange. He had a lot to say but I don’t know what to believe. It all sounded so crazy.”

  “Last night?” Crossing his arms Kyle gave him a grave expression through the bathroom mirror. “Where last night? What all did he tell you?”

  “The church, he asked me to meet him at midnight last night. I wish I knew a way to explain, but I can’t. All I can figure is it has something to do with this mark on my back.” Hotan straightened himself. “I can’t help but feel this is the only proof I have that something is happening to me. What exactly is going on, I am not sure. Everything just seems irrational no matter how many ways I run it through my head.”

  “What proof is that?” Puzzled, Kyle gawked at him as if he had lost his mind. “You’re sounding weird, dude. Not that you’ve ever been normal, but this is just out of character, for sure.”

  “I guess I might as well show you. Just don’t tell Shel.” He took off his shirt, to expose his marking of the angelic tribal tattoo on his back. “This tattoo thing; we both know I have never been interested in tattoos, let alone had one.”

  Hotan watched Kyle’s eyes widened in surprise. “That thing covers your entire back, holy shit.”

  “See, I don’t know how, but it appeared after I passed out.” Pulling his shirt back down, he turned to face Kyle. “I just didn’t see it or it didn’t surface until the other night. I feel like I am losing my mind, Kyle.”

  Kyle cracked a nervous smile. “Heh, and I thought mine was big. I’ve been trying to talk to you alone, but every time I have chickened out on bringing it up. See, after the night you passed out, I started having weird dreams and then like you, this freaking huge tattoo just appeared on my back.”

  “What?” Hotan watched as Kyle pulled his own shirt up to expose a marking of a tribal phoenix across his back. “How? Kyle, you weren’t there, or were you? Why didn’t you say something sooner?” What on earth is going on?

  “No, I wasn’t there, but it showed up that same night. You got any clue on what it means? It’s clear it’s not a tattoo, man. I think we both would have felt that for a month.”

  “Yeah, but, but, how in the hell?” Hotan’s words fumbled over one another as his thoughts filled with more questions. What are the odds? My best friend too? I must be in another realm. “I just don’t understand? None of this makes any sense…” I just want this nightmare to end…

  “What does it mean?” Kyle gave Hotan a suspicious glare. “You have something to do with all of this, don’t you? It’s the only thing I could think of.”

  “Apparently it has everything to do with me, or who I used to be. This just seems too coincidental.” He headed towards the door, wanting to find more answers. “Let’s see if we can locate my brother. If anyone has answers, it’s him.”

  “Your brother?” Kyle was following close behind him as they left the bathroom. “You have to know more than that. How does this all fall back on your brother?”

  Hotan watched Geliah from the corner of his eye like a mouse sneaking pass the sleepy cat. Geliah’s stare was unbroken as he watched Hotan leave the bathroom. He grinned as he took a sip of his coffee and Hotan felt his heart flutter. There was no mistaken how amused he was by how sick with fear Hotan had gotten. Hotan and Kyle went back to their seats, both silent as they sat there. No longer overwhelmed by fear, Hotan glared at Geliah with a sense of rage. It was obvious that he had used his abilities of the element of Fear against him.

  Now I understand what their powers are like. He’s the element of fear, and he can control that in other people. He’s so strong. Not to mention he’s twice my size in height and muscle. Talib made it very clear he will not be letting me go too far out of his sight, but why hasn’t he tried attacking me? Doesn’t he want me dead? If that’s how the power of Fear works, then what on earth does Rebirth do exactly?

  “Are you two okay?” Shellie took a bite of her salad, chewing it slowly as she shifted her eyes from Hotan to Kyle. Both of them looked drained, she placed her fork on the plate as she made her voice louder. “What’s wrong? Are you two dying or something?”

  “We’re fine.” They had both responded as one, only adding to her suspicions.

  “What’s wrong now?” She twisted her mouth, expressing her irritation. “Are you two planning on leaving?”

  “Yeah, I need to leave.” Hotan broke his stare with Geliah and gave Shellie an empty smile. “I should have cancelled. I’ve got an upset stomach still.” She’s not buying my excuse, but I know she’ll let me go.

  “Hey! Jessica!” Kyle waved Jessica over to the table. “Do you mind taking Shellie home? I’m going to ride with Hotan, make sure he makes it home.”

  “Yea, I guess, why?” Jessica looked at Kyle puzzled, but noticed the awkward atmosphere at the table. “My shift ends in about 30 minutes anyhow. Maybe we can hit the mall or something, huh Shellie?”

  “Figures.” Shellie sighed as she picked at her salad. “You need to take better care of yourself, Hotan. I suppose when you feel better we can sit and talk some more.”

  “I’m sorry.” Hotan stood up watching Shellie’s flustered face. “I’ll make up for this later, ok?”

  Hope I didn’t hurt your feelings, Shel. You’re a strong person, but it’s not nice of me to rely on that one element of who you are.

  Shellie lifted an eyebrow at him not convinced. “Go ahead and go.”

  “Thanks Babe!” Kyle hugged Jessica. “I’ll make sure he gets home in one piece, Shellie.”

  “See you, Shel.” Hotan kissed her gently on the lips as he left money on the table. “We’l
l talk later, promise.”

  Kyle followed Hotan’s Suzuki across town in his green convertible mustang. They came to a stop in front of the old church and stood in silence staring up at the building. Both of them wanted answers, but they were unsure if they were truly ready to hear them. Two mourning doves startled them when they flew out from under a pew as they made their way to the front of the cathedral.

  They sat down looking up at the crucifix with its granite wings towering over them; it felt like it was protecting them from some unseen danger. Hotan sighed, thinking over how complicated things had gotten within the last 24 hours. Staring at the statue, both of them remained silent and deep in thought. His eyes observed the wooden pegs nailed into its wrist and driven through its feet. A slate at its base held an elegant engraving upon it:

  Unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in his wings. ~Malachi 4:2a

  Hotan smiled to himself, engrossed by the saying.

  What would I give if sitting here every day under those stone wings could actually heal me and take all the bad things away? It’s a nice thought. Righteousness seems to be rare in the world these days. Whatever happened to morals and those of divine justice and law? If it still existed, I don’t think I would be dealing with so much turmoil in my life now.

  Everyone makes human choices, and naturally, the mistakes. No one can accept the responsibility of their poor choices. Well, sometimes it’s not your choice at all. When did I lose control of my own life? It doesn’t even feel like I have a say in any of the events that are happening to me. Where does that leave me in the equation; just a pawn in destiny’s game?

  I have been thrown headlong in the most bizarre situation I have ever heard of. I feel like Alice in Wonderland and I have fallen into some other dimension. All I can do is be careful about what actions I make. I need answers, explanations. Hell, anything at this point would be beneficial. There is no way for me to judge things when I feel so naive about what’s going on.