Force (An Alex Warren Novel) Page 8

  “You look beautiful!” she cried.

  “Maria, I’m busting out,” I gestured at my chest, feeling foolish that I had thought this was going to work.

  “Don’t be ridiculous! You look awesome. You’re just missing… something…” She went to her dresser and searched her jewelry box. She picked out a small, silver, star shaped pendant, which she clasped around my neck. I looked in the mirror, and hated to admit it, but she was right. I looked prettier than I ever had in my life. It didn’t look like me staring back, and I wondered how she had turned this ugly duckling into such a pretty swan. She looked over my shoulder at my reflection and I could see from her expression she was deep in thought.

  “SHOES!” she squealed, and she raced back into her closet. She returned with a pair of sparkly, satin stilettos, with a delicate ribbon that tied up around your leg like a ballerina.

  “Maria,” I cautioned, “I don’t know if I’ve got the dexterity to wear those.”

  “And what do you intend on wearing instead?” she challenged, reaching for my foot. She had me there. I had nothing but boring black shoes and a pair of trainers. I didn’t fight her as she tied me into the treacherous shoes.

  The buzzer rang just as she finished. Was it seven already? Maria raced to answer it, eager to see who was picking me up. A minute later, she was at the door, opening it before Casper could knock. He stopped short when he saw me, speechless. Maria beamed at me, no doubt admiring her work.

  “You look… radiant,” he stammered, finally able to speak. I blushed.

  Maria was behind me then, pushing me out the door, before adding slyly, “You two kids have fun now!” I felt her nudge me in the ribs as if this were some form of silent code, but I ignored it.

  I made it down the stairs without tripping on my shoes, and my excitement returned. Would I get to see one of my energy lines along the way? I had no idea where the party was so I watched eagerly out the window as Casper drove.

  “You seem really excited,” he commented, as we pulled away from my building.

  “I am,” I replied, though I’m sure he didn’t know why.

  He laughed a little, and then reached for my hand, “You seem a little too excited. Maybe you should calm down a bit?” I took his hand, not wanting to look away from the window, in case I missed any signs of the incandescent blue light I yearned for. His touch was warm and soft, and in truth, I did feel calmer holding it. Eventually I turned back to him, watching him as he drove.

  He caught me staring, and smiled. “What is it?”

  “It’s just that sometimes, your eyes… they twinkle. And once and a while, I feel like you twinkle. Like just then, when you looked back at me.”

  “I assure you the only person twinkling tonight is you.” I looked away from, blushing furiously at his words.

  “You know,” he continued, his eyes not leaving the road, “I am a bit surprised at your outfit.”

  “Is there something wrong with it?” I started to become worried. “Because my roommate picked it out, and I told her not to go overboard, but she-”

  He squeezed my hand, interrupting my rant. “Don’t be ridiculous,” he grinned, pulling onto a steep, dirt road. “You look beyond amazing. I was merely commenting on your choice of accessory.” He reached the hand he was holding up to the necklace, then left my hand there while he reached into the backseat. He handed me a black cardboard box. I looked at him confused.

  “What are you waiting for? Open it.”

  I did, and even in the moonlight I could see the ornate detailing on the white mask. It covered only the eyes, with wing-like protrusions extending behind the head. It tied behind the head with fine silver ribbons on each side. As I looked at it more closely I could see that it was covered in fine silver stars, sparkling as they caught the tiniest bit of light. Tiny wires sprung out from the mask randomly, with little star shaped gems attached to them, giving the impression that they floated around your face. The sides of the mask each finished in a star shape, and combined with the ribbons each side looked like a shooting star.

  “It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen,” I mumbled, still stunned.

  “I’ve seen better,” he smiled, glancing at me. My face burned, and I’m sure he saw it, because he chuckled. We were slowing now, approaching the end of a steep climb, and I could see a large white building looming ahead of us. I read the sign, and my jaw dropped open.

  “The Aerie? The party is at The Aerie?” The Aerie was an exclusive villa located at the peak of the only mountain near town. It had its own helicopter pad, and unless you were a celebrity, it had a three-year waiting list just to visit their restaurant.

  “Yeah, it’s held here every year. Nic has connections.” He got out of the car and came around to my door, and I noticed now that he was wearing a rich blue and white period ensemble, but I couldn’t figure out what he was meant to be dressed as.

  “What are you supposed to be?” I asked, and this seemed to please him.

  He reached back behind my seat and grabbed a crescent shaped mask, holding it up to his face. “The moon, of course,” and he chuckled. “One more thing for you first though,” he said, placing his mask on his car, and helping to tie mine around my face. Reaching again into the backseat, he grabbed a small velvet pouch. He poured a fine glitter into his hand and tossed it over me before I could object. I rolled my eyes. I hated glitter. He seemed amused at my reaction, and simply said, “Now you really twinkle,” and looking at my bare arms I could see that the glitter appeared to dance across my skin in the moonlight.

  “I’ll get you for that,” I teased. He finished putting his mask on, then offered his arm, still grinning at his apparent victory over the glitter. I took it, and I felt a part of me was glad to sparkle.

  Chapter Ten

  Entering the villa, it was easy to tell where to go. The music was thumping all the way from down the hall. When we approached the massive ballroom I remembered something that my earlier excitement had pushed aside.

  I don’t like parties. No, I do like parties, just not this kind of party. The kind of party with costumes. The kind of party with costumes that you can’t buy from a store, or if you can, I had no idea what store that would be. The kind of party where you talk to people you don’t know, but you pretend that you do. The kind of party where someone like me would not be caught dead.

  So why had I agreed to go? Why was I putting myself through this misery? Probably because it was New Year’s Eve and I hadn’t made plans. Maybe because I was new and wanted to make a good impression. Or because I enjoyed torturing myself, perhaps.

  It was too much for any normal person to be able to take in. The whole scene was almost overwhelming. The entire room had been transformed into an indoor winter snowscape, complete with a few snow covered evergreens, and a mirrored dance floor disguised as a frozen pond. There were hundreds of crystal snowflakes suspended from the ceiling, and they acted as mini disco balls, scattering the light around the room. Occasionally a snow machine burst out tiny, weightless snowflakes, which seemed to float aimlessly amongst the party goers for a few minutes before evaporating. The atmosphere was excited, and combined with the loud music, it had a distinct nightclub feel, that is if the nightclub was outdoors in the snow.

  The partygoers were dressed in costumes more exuberant than the pictures I had seen on my computer. There were many dressed as harlequins, and I spotted a few women together in full Elizabethan gowns. I saw a few fairies, with wings so delicate I worried that the crowd would damage them. One person was dressed as Zorro, and another as the Phantom of the Opera. No one was dressed in the usual Halloween fare: no Batmans or anything like that. Everyone was dressed in costumes that involved gowns or suits, with the odd exception here and there. As I took it all in, I felt my energy level plummet, and I was overwhelmed with anxiety.

  I shut my eyes, thinking how ridiculous it had been to come, and how completely out of place I was. I felt faint, and started to fall backward but C
asper caught me before I lost my balance completely.

  “You okay?” Casper whispered.

  “No,” I said through gritted teeth. “This is too much. There are so many people here.” I glanced back at the myriad of costumes, all which seemed so accurate that they belonged in a museum or even an art gallery, and then back down at myself. “Ugh. Why did I come? I stick out like a giant sparkly marshmallow.”

  He turned me to look at him, and placing both hands on my shoulders he stared through his mask into my eyes. “Alex, how many times do I need to tell you this? You look amazing. You won’t stand out, at least not in the way you are thinking.” He didn’t appreciate my eye roll, so he added, smiling, “Besides, you’re here now, and I challenge you to find a way home considering I’m your chauffeur tonight.” His grin sparkled from the dancing lights of the room.

  I let out a big sigh, and in response he held out his arm once again. With slow, even steps I made my way into the crowd. He had been right; no one really seemed to notice us. Still, I felt like a giant beacon as the light reflected off the glitter he had thrown on me.

  We found the table where Paul was sitting. He was dressed as a jester, and his date, a woman named Andrea, whom I hadn’t met before, was dressed as the Queen of Hearts. I struggled to keep up with the casual conversation, feeling a bit dizzy and overwhelmed from the lights and noise. I was grateful Casper did most of the talking. He and his brother were having one of those conversations only twins could have, where they finished each other’s sentences, or didn’t finish a sentence at all before the other understood and replied. I was a bit surprised to see that Andrea could keep up.

  “Casper, really, did you have to-” I could barely hear Paul under the thumping of the music.

  “Oh, it’s harmless-”

  “But she doesn’t know-”

  “I’m sure she doesn’t possess any state secrets-”

  It was Andrea’s turn, and her voice was so calm and even that no one dared cut her off. “I don’t care. It’s wrong. She should have been warned.” They all looked at me then, but had no idea what they were talking about.

  Paul turned back to Casper first. “Be careful,” he whispered.

  The conversation was interrupted by that screeching interference sound that happens when someone who doesn’t understand technology tries to use a microphone. I recognized Nic in his usual Italian suit; he didn’t have a mask on either, which helped. The room became silent as he started to talk.

  “I want to thank you all for joining me tonight at our annual Snow Ball.” He stopped as the crowd cheered. Most of them were already intoxicated at this point, so I was betting anything he said would be cheered for, unless it was that the bar was closed. He continued on, talking about the past year’s accomplishments, and talking about the challenges the company would be facing in the New Year. He then started introducing people, a few whom I had met before, and I felt frozen with fear when I realized that he was listing all the new employees that had joined the company over the past year. I saw as each person stood up and nodded as the crowd applauded loudly.

  I was sure I heard my name, but my body didn’t respond, terrified to stand up. Another reason I hated parties was moments like this, where you are singled out for all to see. I felt Casper nudge me, and I stood, slowly, though I could feel my body fighting to sit back down. I heard the cheering, though it felt distant. All I was listening for was the next name to be called; the second it was I flopped back down in my seat, grateful that the attention was now focused on someone else.

  “You look like you could use some fresh air,” Casper whispered to me, as the crowd roared at something I hadn’t heard. “Come with me.” I saw Paul eye him warily, and Casper mouthed, “It’s fine,” back to him.

  I hadn’t brought my jacket in my haste to get outside, and I shuddered as the cold air bit my skin. Before I could say anything, Casper was putting his jacket around me, rubbing my arms to create warmth. He hadn’t needed to, because the second his jacket touched me I could feel his heat left inside it warming me.

  It was beautiful outside. The sky was clear, and there were more stars visible in the sky now that we were away from the city lights. We said nothing, and I was aware of his warm presence standing close behind me. I felt his arms encircle my waist, and I did not resist his embrace, instead keeping my eyes entranced on the stars. It was a perfect moment, until my stomach growled loudly, breaking the silence. I felt my face go bright red, and he turned me around to face him.

  “Hungry?” he smiled, not noticing my embarrassment.

  “No, I’m fine,” I lied, unconvincingly. I tried to think of how long it had been since I had dinner, and I realized I hadn’t had any dinner, or lunch for that matter. I had felt so full from my experimenting with the energy cords that I hadn’t ever felt the need to eat. As I realized this, I started to feel a bit dizzy. I wavered, and Casper caught me. “I think I need to sit down,” I mumbled, but he was way ahead of me, leading me to a nearby stone bench. I felt so comfortable with him tonight, more than I had than with anyone before, but I was weary now, almost exhausted as the energy from the day felt sapped from me. Casper was quiet, waiting for me to speak.

  I hadn’t really been looking at anything in my daze. I knew I wanted to look at Casper, and tell him I was okay, but I almost couldn’t tell where he was, despite the fact that he had his arms around me. I closed my eyes tightly, clearing my thoughts and orienting myself again. Looking up at him, I saw it.

  Behind Casper, through the open doors to the party was a light. It was burning brighter than any I had seen before, even brighter than the one at the harbour. It was different though, in that it was vertical, intersecting through the center of the dance floor, and up through the ceiling. I felt my now clearly focused eyes follow the light as it streaked up through the roof and disappeared high in the night sky, like an invisible beacon only I could see. It did not bend in the wind, it merely stood, still and resplendent, beckoning to me. I saw Casper turn his head to see what I was looking at, and I quickly looked back at him, hoping he wouldn’t look too hard.

  “Tell me something,” he said, turning back to look at me. I could still see the pole of light behind him as he spoke, and struggled to keep my eyes on him so he wouldn’t think I was crazy. It glowed in the background of my vision, and I quickly tried to figure out if I could just taste, if that was even the right word, just a little bit of its power without him noticing. He kept speaking, unaware of my mental debate. “You’ve been at Mobius almost a week now.” He paused for a moment, carefully choosing his next words. “Have you noticed anything… strange?”

  “I guess,” I murmured, still calculating the precise amount of pull I could get away with before my body responded.

  “Like what?” he asked, curious.

  I reached out before I answered. It only took a fraction of a second, and when my thought touched the pole, I felt a small surge. I could feel the results immediately, though they were minor compared to what I had become accustomed to.

  “Well, the history of the company was a bit strange,” I said, remembering about the manual I had read the night before. “It seemed a bit mythical if you ask me.” I could feel myself opening up to Casper; it was so comfortable, so natural.

  He chuckled. “The story is true, you know. You don’t believe it now, but you will, in time. But is that really all you found strange?”

  I had reached out for more energy while he spoke, yearning for the metallic taste as I could feel my muscles responding. His voice was so gentle and kind, and genuinely interested that for some reason I felt I could share this secret with him.

  “There is something,” I began, and his eyes opened in interest, “but I don’t think it’s to do with the company, though.” I felt like I should stop talking, but a part of me urged forward. “I think I’ve been seeing things.” That was the only way I knew how to put it.

  He didn’t seem surprised; in fact, I almost detected a slight smile, as thou
gh he was in on the secret. “What sort of things?” he pressed.

  “Well,” I replied slowly, “the other day, at the harbour, I noticed a strange blue light. It looked like a rope floating in the air.”

  This seemed to surprise him, and I regretted saying anything. “You can see that?” he asked, shocked.

  His response hadn’t been what I had expected him to say. “Um, yeah, I guess. What is it?”

  “Do you see any other lights like this, or just the one?” he asked, avoiding my question.

  “Sometimes,” I shrugged. “Mostly along the water, but there are a few holding Bob up, and one inside him I think, though I suppose that’s more of an orb than a cord. And there’s one over there.” I pointed into the ballroom. What was this about? “What are they?”

  He looked deep in thought, like he was struggling internally with something. “Inside Bob? This explains a lot,” he murmured coolly.

  I felt a twang of fear. “What is it!?” I demanded.

  He looked up at me, and a crooked smile broke across his face. I didn’t like it. “I will tell you exactly what you are seeing, if you tell me one more thing.” He didn’t give me a chance to agree to his terms. “Can you do anything with these lights?”

  I hadn’t been expecting that question either, but I felt an urge to keep telling him my secret. “Yes, I’m not sure what I do with them though. You’re going to think I’m crazy, but for some reason, I feel like I can pull power from them. I’m not sure how else to explain it.”

  He looked intrigued by my words. “Try something for me,” he said, touching his fingertips gently to mine. They felt unusually warm in the cold winter air. “Can you pull power from the one you see right now?”