Jinx - Casiana 'Autumn' Hernandez (great novels txt) 📗

to me and Mara and then disappeared. “Do you see ghosts often, Ari?” I nodded. “I didn’t know you could see them.” I stared at Mara hoping she would tell me how. “I’ll explain.” She said as id she read my mind. “I did.” Mara said with a sly smile. I sat through an hour of Mara explaining what happens when we make a strong contact with ghosts. “Some people like me, are born with the ability. Others get it from being so close to death and then finding a way back to the living.” She looked at me. “Aribelle, have you had any near-death experiences?” I shook my head.
Mara had looked at me with a hard expression.” Then she went on to explain some of the other details in being a psychic. “Psychics have all sorts of abilities from manipulation, to seeing and hearing others personal thoughts, even inflicting pain.” It had caught my attention. “There are others?” I asked. She nodded. “But, caution, not all of them are nice.” Mara told me her ability was to enter other’s thoughts and anticipate what they are thinking, she could also manipulate their movements. “Yours are quite interesting.” She had said. “You can see the future but I think there is more behind it.” But when I went to ask what she meant she changed the subject. “Though we all have our different ‘strengths’ , we can all see the dead, maybe this is because we also have a close relation with it ourselves.” At the time I hadn’t really understood what she meant by it.
Chapter 4
The next day at school, Hunter’s desk sat wide and empty. Joel entered the room. “Okay, paired study, Montresor and Fortunato. Compare and contrast on their personalities and lifestyles. You can chose who to work with as long as you’re actually working. Twenty Minutes, go.” Me being a new student, the partners paired up pretty fast. Just as I was about to give up hope and work alone, a petite girl with short black hair and brown eyes waltzed up to my desk. “Partners?” She asked. I shrugged. “Sure.” She took a seat at Hunter’s desk. “My name’s Naomi, your’s?” She asked. “Aribelle. When she smiled, I noticed 2 dimples on her face. “Sorry to say this, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen you in class. She smiled wider. “I transferred from advanced.”
Though her story seemed a bit sketchy she pretty much said it was too challenging for her. But from what I saw she was brilliant. We finished the assignment in record time and even had time to talk. “So, why did you move to Minnesota?” She had asked. I shrugged as reply. “I don’t know. My Mom lives here. My Dad convinced me to move here to get to know her better.” She smiled. That’s cool. So do you have any siblings?” She asked. I shook my head. We talked about bands, clothes, even boys. “That Hunter boy I think he likes you.” I gagged. She giggles. “Hunter’s cute but not my type at all.” She shrugged. “Well he seems to think you’re his type.” I shuddered at the thought of even touching Hunter much less dating him.
After class I dispersed and headed straight for my locker at the end of the hall. When I got there and finally had everything I needed, Naomi popped up. “What’s your cell number?” She asked. She held out her phone. I sighed, took it and dialed in my phone number. She smiled, and then to my surprise she hugged me and that’s when I saw it. A bone chilling terrifying image. Something that was uncontrollable. I saw Naomi die.
“Are you sure?” Mara asked over the phone. I sat on my bed huddled under piles of warm soft blankets, hoping to calm down a little. “What did you see? Explain in full detail.” I shuddered and then went on to tell her what I saw the moment Naomi touched my skin. “It’ll be dark when it happens. Somewhere rural. It’s on a bridge. I can’t tell if it’s a lake or river. But it’s snowing. She driving. Something jumps in front of her car. It’s not an animal, but not human either, it’s too quick. She skids and the crashes over the railings into the water, she cramps up from the cold and drowns.” I hear Mara assessing everything. “This doesn’t add up though. It’s almost spring. It’s not supposed to snow after tonight. Is your friend out tonight?” I sigh. “No, I was just texting her. She’s sick and is bedridden.” I could almost see Mara nodding. “Good, that’s better for both of you.”
“Well what should I do about it?” Mara was quiet. “We can’t interfere with natural causes. You know that.” I was filled with such disappointment that soon turned to anger. “She doesn’t die accidentally. She was killed.” I hiss. Mara shoots back fast, “No, it may not be accident, but it wasn’t intended for her to be saved by you.” I think about it, but hold my ground. “No, I can’t accept that.” Mara snaps at me. “If you were supposed to save her, you would have seen it.” I hang up. I sit and fume for a little bit and then I stomp down the stairs. Mom is crashed out on the couch. A bottle of wine and two glasses are on the coffee table. I went over and picked the bottle. I took a quick swig and then picked up the glasses. I turned and before I could process what was going to happen next, I was out.
Chapter 5
I sat up with a jolt so fast it sent me back landing on the pillow. I looked around. My room. I looked down. My clothes were the same as I could remember and I felt my head. It ha a giant bump on the right side. “Ouch.” I mumbled. I sat up, slowly this time. Mom popped into my head just then. Before I knew it I was up running to her room. I looked around frantically only to find a neat, empty bed. I was down the stairs just as fast. Mom laid on the couch, not moving. I walked slowly towards her and then as I reached out to touch her face. She rolled onto her side and let out a loud grunt. I almost sighed relief. “Scared much?” I turned. Hunter sat on a chair at the counter in my kitchen, smirking his little face off.
“What did you do?” I growled. “Don’t misunderstand. I didn’t do that to her.” He gestured to something in the corner and there, laying on the linoleum floor, was Naomi, covered in blood. I scrambled over. “What’s wrong with her?” I asked. Hunter shrugged. “She had a near death experience, what do you expect?” I felt her pulse, she was still alive and breathing. “Explain to me what the hell is going on?” I screamed at him. When I looked up he was hovering over my head. His eyes glowed red in the light of the lamp. “You want to know?” He whispered to me. I nodded too scared to speak. “Come then.”
The woods were packed full of creepy dark looking figures. Naomi hung over Hunter’s shoulder, limp. We finally reached a cave. “Go in.” He nodded towards the black hole. I shook my head. He cocked his eyebrow and then walked in leaving me behind in the creepy forest of death, by myself. I turned fast and sprinted into the cave. I stumbled by. “Hunter? Hunter, you ass where are you?” I screamed. Something yanked my arm. I let out a loud yelp. “Shh!” Hunter shushes me and then pulls me along. “Where Naomi?” I screech at him. He chuckles. “Follow me and see?” He finally yanked me up and threw me over his shoulder. “I can walk.” I mumble. “You’re slowing us down. We need to hurry.” Finally I could feel that we stopped moving. “Hunter, where are we?” I asked. “Shh.” He whispered. He pushed a door open and then for the first time ever, it became clear.
Chapter 6
The cave was carved out into the shape of a loft with a tall upper balcony cover with a floor to ceiling wall of books. The cracks dripped with lit candles and their wax making eerie shadows seep across the carpeted cement floor. A large entertainment system was set up in the corner with a love seat and couch set. In the corner was Pac-Man and ping-ball machines. As I looked closer at the large cracks, I realized they were hallways. Hunter turned and kneeled down into the narrow passage. We entered into an electric lamp lit room that served as some sort of office. It was decked out with another equally sweet entertainment system hooked up to a 360 and Wii. A handsome man laid sprawled across the couch with a controller in his hand, completely focused on the screen. “Charles.” Hunter said. ‘Charles’ looked up and left the couch without pausing the game. “Who is this?” He asked.
“Aribelle. Remember?” Hunter said replacing Charles at the gaming station. As my eyes swept the room I saw a crumpled figure in the corner and realized that it was Naomi. She sat with her head in her lap breathing heavily. I rushed over but she shoved my hands down at my sides. “Wait,” She said. She looked up her face looking rosy with color. “Let me catch myself.” I felt so confused. “What the hell?” I gasped. “I thought you were dying. And here it looks like you just got done running the mile?” My voice cracked at the last part coming across as a question, not quite sure what it meant. She giggled. “I’m fine Ari. See? All in one piece?” I glared at Hunter who didn’t even pay attention as he played his stupid game. “Explain to me what is going on. Now.” Charles held out his hand. “Come with me.”
Charles led me down a thin corridor to a hidden balcony. It over looked a lake surrounded by pines. “What is this place exactly? Wt is it that you do here?” Charles motioned for me to sit at a patio set towards the balcony railing. It was supplied with 3 Vitamin Waters and a stack of manila envelopes. I took a seat and eyed an acai and blueberry water. “It’s safe to drink, hasn’t been opened yet.” I cracked it open and began to guzzle it. “Ready?” I nodded. “Okay. You’re Aribelle Adorável. You were born with the umbilical cord around your neck suffocating you. It took a little over 3 minutes to resuscitate you back to consciousness. They were about to claim that you were dead when you mysteriously began to scream and began breathing on your own. You were born 1993 in February on the 7th. All of this correct?” I shook my head. “My mom said the birthing process was fine. Plus she said it was a natural birth, and at home birth. I had pictures shown to me when I was thirteen. I know.”
“That can’t be correct, I was there when you were born. I helped deliver you.” I squinted. “But that just can’t be possible. That would make you almost twice my age if not more. You look like what, 4 years older than me tops?” He laughed and sat on the railing his bare feet dangling and the light from the moon hitting his cheek bones at just the right angle to make him look like an Abercrombie model. Then in one swift movement he sent himself hurdling over the railing and plummeting down towards the sharp rock on the