Mama Lucy’s tea failed to keep the nightmares away last night, and I had to get out of the house. Saturday was my day to wander the town anyway and do some running for Mama Lucy while I was out.
It was still early, and I’d skipped out on breakfast back at the mansion. Mama Lucy would’ve asked me questions, and I wasn’t ready to tell her about my dream.
It started as they often did, me flying around high above the clouds… but this time… this time the sky turned black, and it started raining. But it wasn’t water. It was worse, so much worse.
I shuddered thinking about it now and stared up at the clear blue sky overhead. No dark clouds here and no raining blood. The dream only got more horrifying from there, but I forced myself to think of something else as I headed towards the local café for some pancakes and OJ.
“Oh, hello,” I said when I spied the large black and white dog sitting outside.
He barked and wagged his tail, headbutting me until I patted his head.
“No collar, huh? Are you lost, boy?”
I glanced around, looking for any sign of an owner, but there wasn’t one around. He didn’t look like he was in bad shape. His fur was soft, despite it being extremely bushy. His eyes were bright and alert, and he seemed happy.
“Are you hungry? How about I get you something to eat and then I’ll take you home with me?”
The dog barked, and I grinned. I’d get my breakfast to go and lead him back to Mama Lucy. The kids would love to have a dog around for a while, and Mama Lucy never said we couldn’t have a dog in the house.
I worried the furry beast would take off, but he circled twice and sank back down to the warm sidewalk, basking in the sun. I hurried inside and glanced around the café. It was busy with the usual faces, but I frowned to see a new one near the back corner. The town wasn’t large by any means, and I was good at remembering faces.
The guy, maybe a year or two older, sat with his back ramrod straight and glared out the front window. His face was pale, and he hadn’t touched a bite of the food in front of him. As I waited at the counter to order, my gaze kept going back to him… and for the strangest reason, I felt the urge to go talk to him.
“Morning, Kate,” Jimmy, the owner of the café said as he neared my stool at the counter.
“Morning,” I replied automatically, but barely turned my head.
“Ah, I see. Busy checking out the new guy in town?’ he teased.
“What, no I just… is he alright?” I whispered.
As if the guy heard me, he stiffened, and his gaze suddenly shot towards me.
“Not sure. Came in here this morning with that dog outside. Barely said enough to order some food,” Jimmy replied quietly. “Not sure I like the look of him, so you stay away from him, alright?”
“What if he needs help?”
“Kate, what would Mama Lucy think, huh?”
I frowned.
He was right, but at the same time, Mama Lucy taught us to look after each other in this town. He was in this town, and he looked like he needed help.
“Can I get an order of pancakes to go, please?” I ordered, even as I hopped off my stool.
Jimmy’s brow furrowed, but he wrote up the ticket and didn’t say another word as I slowly made my way towards the guy. The closer I came towards him, the more I had to stop myself from rushing to him and sliding into the booth across from him. What was wrong with me? He was attractive sure, with his sandy brown hair and its messy style and his piercing blue eyes, so pale they reminded me of ice in the winter.
“Can I help you?” he snapped.
I flinched.
I laughed nervously. “Sorry, I uh, I just haven’t seen you around town before,” I mumbled. “I usually remember everyone, but you’re new. Passing through or coming to stay?”
His eyes narrowed, and I felt his annoyance hit me like a punch to the gut. “Why do you care?”
“Just curious is all.”
I breathed deeply through my nose and froze. What was that delicious smell? It was magnificent and tantalizing… was it his food? No, Jimmy’s pancakes never smelled so good. Like all the holiday dinners mixed together.
I breathed again, and he tilted his head, watching me. I stopped sniffing the air, realizing what I was doing and that I probably looked like a crazy person. “Sorry, it’s been a weird morning.”
“Sure,” he said.
“Right, well, I just didn’t know if you needed help or something.” I watched him closely, but then my gaze shifted to the item resting against the seat beside him. It was wrapped in leather, but the light refracted off of something red and sparkling beneath it.
My shoulders tensed and the sensation of something trying to move beneath my skin had me stepping back quickly.
“Are you this weird around everyone you meet?” he asked annoyed.
“Uh, no… no… what is that?” I blurted out, pointing to the thing.
His hand automatically went to it, and he glared at me. “None of your business, little girl.”
“Little girl?” I snapped and fiddled with the silver bangle on my wrist. “Seriously? I’m just trying to be nice, and you’re going to bite my head off?”
“You haven’t exactly been nice.”
“I was worried about you. You look like someone’s chasing you,” I pointed out. “All I was going to say was if you needed help, I know someone you would be safe with.”
He glanced around as if I’d brought in a team of other people to corner him. “Who sent you?”
“What? No one,” I muttered. “I came in to get breakfast for me and that dog, but then I was told that dog is yours so just getting food for myself.”
“Harry, his name is Harry,” he grunted as if I offended him by not knowing the dog’s name.
“Maybe you should get a collar for your dog,” I shot back.
“That’s none of your business.”
“You’re right, totally right.”
It took another second to take in his weird look, the long leather trench coat, and the torn-up shirt beneath, and his pants. They weren’t jeans. He was wearing knee-high leather boots, and… were those breeches?
“Did you come from a convention?”
“Now you’re going to insult what I’m wearing? You’re great at making new friends, aren’t you?”
My hands curled into fists at my sides, and the strangest urge to smack him across the face hit me. I stopped myself short and backed away.
“You know what, never mind. I didn’t want to help you or your dog anyway. Crazy, paranoid freak,” I mumbled and stalked away.
I paid for my pancakes and grumbled as I stepped outside. I gave Harry a long scratch behind the ears and stomped down the sidewalk. I’d eat my breakfast in the small park then do my running for Mama Lucy.
That guy, he was such an asshole. All I tried to do was help. My steps slowed, and I frowned realizing he might have been right. I had acted weirdly. I’d been sniffing the air like a dog. And that thing with him, what had it done to me? A shiver shot down my spine as flashes of my dream last night hit me again.
Didn’t matter. I’d never see him again. I’d do my running, go home, and try to catch up on some sleep and pray that whatever strange crap was going on with me was nothing more than a fluke.