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Chapter 23
Eyes wide, Gabe’s hand planted firmly over her mouth, Nayome felt herself spiraling. At least this turn of events proved Bal and Gabe weren’t lying to her about the FBI. What had she done to make them suspect her of anything? And why would they want to search her home?
As her heart rate picked up, she felt her body temperature rise, sweat beginning to pool on her forehead and run down the back of her neck, dripping down her spine.
Gabe released her when she didn’t make another motion to scream, making his way back towards the door silently. As he moved into position next to the front door, he motioned for Bal to move closer towards Nayome. Gabe positioned himself right beside the entrance, back pressed to the wall, so he wouldn’t be immediately visible to the Agents when they entered.
Nayome felt Bal’s hands on her shoulders, as he shook her slightly. Was he saying something? His mouth was moving, and she shook her head a little bit, trying to clear her ears. It felt as though pressure had built up in her head, sealing up her eardrums, like when you lost altitude too quickly.
He was motioning to the door. Did he want her to open it? That seemed like a bad idea.
Through the fog in her head, she could discern a rhythmic pounding getting louder and louder. The door, they were going to break in her door—just like on one of those TV crime shows.
She felt Bal move in to shield her from the splintering door jam as it gave in and caved inwards. One more push and the Agents would be inside, Nayome thought, shock making her thoughts feel distant.
Nayome recalled the park, the bench she had enjoyed her hot dog on today. She wished she could flash back to a couple hours ago, go back to that moment when she had a plan. Hell, go back to a couple of weeks ago before she had met any of these people, to when she had just been a normal person.
Groaning, Nayome shifted under Bal’s grip. She felt unbearably hot. The heat was centered on her chest, radiating outwards through her whole body, covering her in a thin sheen of sweat. Clutching the little piece of amber, she was surprised that it was cool to the touch, after having been resting against her feverish skin.
As Nayome watched in horror, she saw the Agent’s final push, her door beginning to swing inward, and closed her eyes. Everything appeared in slow motion, and she didn’t want to watch Agents rush into her home. This wasn’t something that happened to people like her, people who followed the rules.This can’t be real.
Eyes closed, she saw a flash of light on the inside of her eyelids. Her body felt light, like she was falling, but she didn’t feel like she was moving. Maybe she had fainted? Gripping the amber necklace, she let it ground her, letting it remind her who she was while she floated in this haze between consciousness and sleep.
Nayome waited to feel something, hear something. The Agents would be inside now, pulling Bal off of her, she would be taken away for questioning.
I feel nothing.
Opening her eyes, she frowned again. Nothing. She couldn’t feel the ground under her feet any longer, but she could feel Bal, his arms around her, shielding her from the impact of the door that should have been kicked in by now. Maybe shehadfainted.
The necklace, it was pulsing. She could feel it in her hand, even if all she could see was cloudy, white light. The beat of the necklace was sending warm, comforting vibrations out, her body absorbing them greedily, as though the pulse was perfectly in tune with her being.What a strange thought.
She felt Bal’s arms tighten around her, as though they were now in a full embrace. Even though she was furious with him, it felt nice. Warm. Hadn’t she been boiling hot a moment ago, though?
She was glad he was here with her in this strange, in between place.
Nayome winced as she felt the same pressure, building up again in her head. Her necklace heating up in her hand, the energy pulsing from it picked up the pace, until it was a constant stream. The light around her grew brighter, even as she squinted against the shock of it. No, that wasn’t it, there were many sources of light. They were coming together, blurring into one behind the milky white veil that was clouding her vision.
Nayome raised her hands up, trying to shield her eyes from the light, even though she was sure it was coming from the inside of her head and would make no difference. She thought she may have screamed, but couldn’t hear any sound. She felt as though she was in motion, but she couldn’t find any purchase, any semblance of reality to grasp. Clutching Bal to her, she held on, nails digging into his arm. He was real, and she gripped him as though her life depended on it.And maybe it did, in this strange white fog.
And then it was over.
Blinking her eyes, the nothingness dissipated and her vision cleared, Nayome stumbled back as gravity slammed back into her. Disorientated, she lost her balance just as Bal’s arms loosened around her and she felt him falling in the opposite direction.
She saw sparkling water and a large weeping willow out of the corner of her eye, as she landed hard, falling backwards square on her butt. Hands sinking into the rich earth as she hit the ground, she let out a surprisedoofas the wind was knocked out of her.
She heard rustling and cursing as Bal peeled himself out of a bush a couple feet away.
Grabbing a fistfull of dirt, Nayome lifted her hand up and watched as it slipped through her fingers, returning to the earth.
She felt weird, confused, disoriented.
Bal wiped some leaves off himself, and turned to face her. His eyes were bright, shining with some hidden depth, some kind of urgency that lit up his features. Nayome didn’t react as he kneeled in front of her. She hadn’t budged yet.
Frowning, Nayome watched as he reached forward and picked up the small chunk of amber that was glowing with warmth on her chest. Her eyes widened when she caught sight of it, in the center of Bal’s palm. Glowing. It was a gentle glow, but with Bal’s back to the sun creating a shadow over her, there was no mistaking it for what it was.
The perfectly preserved insect, with the delicate wings, had lit up the stone from the inside.A firefly. Glancing around, Nayome was somehow unsurprised to see more of them, glinting off the surface of the water as they skimmed the shallow bank of the pond.
Bal rested one of his large hands so that it rested gently on her cheek, and she glanced up at him, eyes shining in the fading light of the day.
