So, I’ll see you at 7:00 p.m., then,” said Brent.

“Yes. See you then,” said Tara. “Oh, and Stephanie is out with some friends for the week—thank God—so just come on in when you get here. The doorbell is broken and if I’m in my room I might not hear you knock.”

“Sounds good. See you in a little while.”

Tara hung up the phone. It was getting to be crunch time. She had to make one more interesting preparation in order to make the camping trip everything she was hoping it could be.

Brent was coming over to pick her up, along with all of her camping and hiking equipment, so that they could get a head start in identifying the necessary gear before they all left for Southern Ohio on Saturday morning. She planned a little surprise for him this evening, though; one that he was certain to enjoy; one that she was certain to enjoy showing off.

6:57 P.M.

TARA SAT BEFORE her window watching through the sheer curtains for Brent to arrive. Her hair was freshly washed and dripping wet. At the moment, she wore only a robe. Never before had she done anything this brash. She felt a twinge of nervous excitement. This is going to be simply delicious.

After a couple of minutes she saw Brent’s Grand Am turn the corner onto her street. She got up and her robe dropped to the floor. Walking straight to her Walkman cassette player, she picked it up and put the headphones over her ears.

Tara walked into the bathroom just down the hall and waited.

7:03 P.M.

BRENT PULLED HIS Grand Am to the curb in front of the house in which Tara was staying for the summer. He got out of the car and walked across the lawn to the front door. He knew that Tara had said to just walk on in, but he just didn’t feel comfortable doing that unannounced.

He knocked on the door and waited. He knocked a second time without a response. Turning the handle to the door he pushed it open and stuck his head into the house. “Tara! It’s Brent. You here?” He didn’t hear anything so he walked in.

Knowing that this wasn’t Tara’s home, he felt awkward entering as he did. However, having been in the house one time before, Brent did know where Tara’s room was.

He walked into the hallway and called out her name once again. A door to his right opened and Tara walked into the hallway wearing only a set of headphones attached to a Walkman in her left hand. Brent stopped, stunned.

Tara was bobbing her head to music and looking at the player. She lifted her head and looked down the hallway toward Brent. She screamed and dropped the Walkman on the floor ripping the headphones from her ears. She quickly brought her hands up to her chest and crossed her legs, attempting to hide that which Brent had already gotten an eyeful.

“Brent! What are you doing?! What are you doing here?!”

Brent was completely flustered and didn’t know what to do. His initial instinct was to turn away, but he couldn’t make himself do it. Adrenaline and testosterone surged into his bloodstream. He was unaware it was happening, but endorphins had been released that immediately led to an imprint of this moment being seared into his memory. “Uhh … You said seven,” he said quickly in his defense.

“What? It’s not seven!”

Brent tried to keep his eyes zeroed in on hers. He realized that she had just said it wasn’t seven o’clock. “Umm … yes. It’s seven.” Why isn’t she going into her room?

Tara seemed to relax. “It is? I’m sorry. I thought I had plenty of time still.” She dropped her hands and stood straight before him. “I suppose hiding myself now is ridiculous since you already got a good look.” With what appeared to be an embarrassed smile, she said, finally, “But I should probably go put some clothes on.”

“Yeah, okay. I’ll just … umm … wait in the living room.”

“Okay.” She hesitated for a moment, then turned and walked away from Brent, toward her bedroom. Brent didn’t turn away until she had disappeared. What he didn’t see after she rounded the corner, was the smirk that played across her lips.

7:28 P.M.

BRENT DIDN’T KNOW what to say about the incident. Tara was sitting to his right as they drove to his house. Packing the car had created a bit of nervous tension, but nothing like having her sitting right next to him.

While driving out to pick up her camping equipment he had wanted to relate to her what had happened with his parents the previous Sunday, but now he wasn’t so sure that he wanted to talk about anything spiritual. He knew he was losing a small battle by not saying anything, because his real hope was that conversation would turn back to what he had seen just under a half an hour ago. He didn’t have to wait long.

Without any small talk, Tara just asked him, point blank. “Did it bother you to see me naked?”

“Depends on what you mean by bother.” Brent cringed the moment his little joke escaped his lips.

Tara giggled. “Well, I’m all dressed now. Don’t stress yourself about it. Besides, truth be told, it’s not like you wouldn’t have eventually seen me naked sometime soon anyway.”

Brent’s testosterone levels were beyond tolerable now. He wanted to give in and just go with the flow. He wanted to reach over and take her hand and lift it to his mouth and kiss it. He wanted her to respond to his touch…

“Brent?”

Brent cleared his throat. “Yes?”

“You just missed your turn,” she said with another one of her tantalizing giggles.

THURSDAY,

JUNE 25 – 1:15 P.M.

IT WAS ANOTHER boring afternoon. Though the sun shined outside, Tara sat in Stephanie’s living room and sulked.

At least Saturday’s only two days away. That should be the start of several days of interesting. There was an anxiousness building inside of her to get close to Brent, and even Marta. Of course, she refused to allow mental or emotional connections of friendship to take place. They weren’t going to reach that status in her life. The two of them were simply playthings; entertainment for the summer. Be that as it may, being around either of them at least passed the time. 

As the monotony of the afternoon got to her, she decided to take a walk. Getting up off the couch, she went to her room to get her sandals. 

Stephanie’s phone rang. As it wasn’t her phone to answer, she allowed the call to be taken by the machine. After the fourth ring she heard Stephanie’s outgoing message, annoyingly cheerful: “You’ve reached Stephanie. It’s not that I don’t want to talk with you—possibly; It’s more likely that I’m just not here—possibly. Leave your message at the beep!”

As Tara worked the buckle on her sandal Stephanie’s voice came through. “Tara, if you’re there, please pick up.”

With a slight grimace, she walked back into the living room and did so. “Hello, Stephanie.”

“Tara, there’s no reason for this to be long and drawn out, so I’ll get to the point. We have come to the conclusion that you are a liability to our cause. I want you to pack up your stuff and be gone from my house by the time I get back on Sunday.”

“What?!” Tara could hardly restrain herself. “What do you mean? Who’s ‘we’?”

“The answer to that is not your concern. Suffice it to say that those with whom I associate do not want you bringing undue attention to us. What you were being groomed for will not happen now.”

“Groomed? You mean I was being fashioned for something?” asked Tara with both frustration and a sense of impending loss.

“Everything is a test, Tara. And you failed yours.”

Tara went from hate and anger to repentance in the blink of an eye. “Stephanie. I’m sorry! I’ll back out of my plans right now. If I had known…”

“… If you had known, Tara, it would not have been a test. I will expect you to be gone by Sunday.”

“Wait!” said Tara in desperation. “Please wait. I can do it. I can do whatever it is that you and the others want!” She began to grasp for straws. “I was the most advanced and well-practiced in my coven...”

“Coven?” questioned Stephanie, with obvious disdain. “That wasn’t a coven, little girl. That, too, was a test. A qualifier. Trust me, you have no idea what a true coven is. Anything and everything you’ve ever done has been little more than child’s play.”

Stephanie continued in measured tone, “You are a danger to everything that I—that we—are working to accomplish. I want you out of my house and out of my life.”

Tara heard the phone connection click dead. She lowered the receiver slowly to the cradle and stared at it in disbelief. Tears welled up in her eyes as she dropped to her knees next to the small table on which the phone rested.

“No, no, no, no, no. This can’t be happening. This can’t be happening.”

She was overwhelmed with emotion. The initial shock of disappointment and regret would eventually transition into anger and hatred, along with no small amount of self-loathing.

After several minutes she got up off the floor and walked back into her bedroom and began pacing and biting the nail of her right ring finger.

What now? What am I supposed to do now? With those questions, she heard in her mind the unmistakable voice of her spirit guide.

“Tara, you are at the end. You’ve missed your chance to be useful.”

“That’s not true. You could be wrong,” she whispered.

“We are never wrong, Tara, my love. You know that. Now, do what many others have done before you. Reach for the final fulfillment. Be free. Just step across the threshold into the Otherealm. I will be here to meet you.”

“Shalinar, you’re wrong. I know it. I can still be useful. I can still be used.”

“Come to us, Tara, my dear one. Join us and we’ll give you a purpose here, with us. There is power to be had here in the Otherealm. Leave your old broken life and let me introduce you to your true calling. Let me make you happy.”

Broken in spirit, with all pride now gone, she thought about what was being offered. She was tempted. Oh, was she ever tempted. But she still thought she could prove herself somehow. She couldn’t just give up yet. Not yet.

“You have been my spirit guide for many years, Shalinar. I’ve done what you’ve asked. I’ve trusted you with my development. Now I’m asking for your help. Help me get back into Stephanie’s favor.”

“Come to me, my lovely. Come to me.”

But Tara knew that she couldn’t leave this earth yet. She knew that she could still prove herself worthy. She would prove herself worthy.