Back to the Dream Page
"There's no going back, is there? Not after what just happened." She sounded terrified.
"Nothing just happened, Juliet. You saw what we were for yourself. The Fire and the Water you saw, you searched for on your own. I told you that you have the abilities."
"But what now? What can I do next?" Desperation crept into her voice and her eyes looked pained. "I didn't want this!"
"What you want doesn't matter, unfortunately, at least not in that way. As for what comes next, well, that's up to you."
"What do you mean?"
"I don't want to force you into something you're unwilling to do, but I am curious. Juliet, can you please tell me about your experiences with Energy before this evening?"
"Excuse me?"
Simon leaned forward now. "This is important. I need to know exactly what you experienced this afternoon at the gym, that afternoon in Lance's house, the afternoon after school that Monday, and the day of your doomed field trip."
Lance looked at Juliet in surprise. She's been involved that many times and she never said a word? His feeling of being an unfaithful and disloyal friend to her heightened as she recounted each experience with amazing detail of her emotions. He listened as she confessed to her feelings of being watched, most often when Lance was around or in town after he'd learned who he was. And now he sat back looking at Juliet as if they were strangers. How come she never told me?
Simon's attention never wavered at all as she matched everything he and the rest of the Council suspected. There's only one thing more. After she had finished, he asked, "Is there anything else? Were there any other times?"
Lance glanced sharply at his master as she quickly denied there being anything more. Can't he see she's been through enough? What more can there be? Lance wondered, but he knew the look on Simon's face. He knows something.
Again, Juliet tried to protest when he asked again. "Really, nothing more."
"Are you sure?"
Juliet looked up, an angry retort forming in her mouth as she looked into his eyes. How dare he suspect my words! The words died away as she felt him enter her mind then. Quickly, she watched in her mind as he went backwards in her memory. He seemed sure of himself and where he wanted to go, and then there it was. Juliet gave a little cry as he resurrected a memory long buried because of the pain it brought. She didn't even notice as he quietly left her mind and resumed looking at her.
Lance had jumped at her desolate cry and rushed to her side. "Juliet? Juliet!" He took her in his arms in an effort to comfort her but she didn't even know he was there. The haunted look in her eyes told him she was reliving a memory.
Quietly, she began to speak.
"It was a long time ago. I was four years old. My dad was away on a business trip. It was night. I was supposed to be asleep because it was so late, but I couldn't. Something was keeping me up. My mother was in the bathroom taking a shower when I heard the door open downstairs and after a second, it shut again. I thought it was dad home early so I crept to my door and opened it slightly so I could surprise him when he passed to go to his room. But instead of dad, two men climbed up the stairs with sacks on their backs and passed my room. They went into my parents' room and then I heard a scream. I ran from my room and stood outside the door, scared and uncertain of what to do. But then mother cried out again and I quietly opened the door.
"It was dark inside but light streamed from the bathroom from the crack under the door. It wasn't much, but it was enough to see the shadow figures inside. The taller man had forced my mother onto the bed. They joked around in their gruff voices, telling her how they'd be torturing her before they made off with our stuff. By chance, the other guy turned toward the main door and saw me peeking in.
"'Look what we have here, Jess. A little girl wants to join in on the fun,' he said.
"I tried to run away but he easily caught up to me and carried me back. He held me in one corner of the room, making me watch as the other struggled with my mother.
"I remember hearing her beg for my safety. 'Let the child go! She's only four!'
"The guy on top of her laughed. 'So? Four's a good age to learn what it takes to be a woman.' I didn't understand what he meant then but I do now.
"My mother struggled that much harder. She'd do anything to make sure I'd be okay but she couldn't. He was too strong.
"I didn't even know I was crying but I felt the guy holding me brush my tears away roughly. 'Watch, little girl. This is how men make sure naughty girls like you behave.'
"He laughed into my ear as I screamed and screamed. My mother was hopeless and all I could do was watch as the guy prepared to violate her. I didn't want that to happen. I loved my mother and I was furious at these two guys for scaring us that way.
"Tears still streaming down my face, I remember calming down. I stopped struggling and focused my anger at these intruders. How dare they do this, I thought. 'Stop it! Leave my mother alone! She doesn't deserve this! Go back where you came from!'
"The room stood still for a second before I felt myself being lowered back onto the ground. The man who'd been on top of mother vanished and soon I felt the warmth behind me leave as he too disappeared.
"Immediately, I rushed into bed with my mom. Apparently, she'd blacked out for a while and I woke her up. At the sight of me, she started crying and wouldn't stop. I felt like a grown-up, calming her down. Then she looked at me funny and asked, 'Did you see that, honey? Were those two men real?' She couldn't believe it and frankly, neither did I, so I lied.
"'See what, mother? I didn't see anybody. You must have been having a nightmare. Your screams woke me up and I came in to see what's wrong. Is everything okay, mother?'
"'It was just a dream then?'
"'Yeah, just a dream. Nothing happened.'
"Soon enough, mother was back asleep and I went back to my room. I couldn't sleep though. I needed company and I couldn't find it in my mother so I crept out of the house and climbed the ladder to Lance's room. He was still asleep but just being in there made me feel better. I fell asleep immediately, knowing I was safe."
Lance looked at Juliet, who was still in his arms. The haunted look remained in her eyes and he gave her a squeeze, reminding her of where she was. Then he let his own mind wander. He searched his memory and found the one he was looking for. It had always been one he treasured and he thought back on it fondly. "That night… I remember it," he found himself saying out loud to no one in particular. "I woke up in the middle of the night when I felt someone snuggling next to me. By the time I realized it was you Jules, you were already asleep. I should have been shocked, angry even. We hated each other at the time. You never wanted to play with me and yet there you were. I couldn't be angry though. You looked so scared and exhausted, so I just held you. And I realized that that was the first time you'd opened up to me and you hadn't even had to say anything."
He smiled softly at the memory and looked down into Juliet's wide eyes. Quickly, she lowered her gaze and drew herself away, disentangling herself from his hold. "Thanks, I'm fine now Lance," she mumbled.
"So you felt it that night too, Lance?" Simon asked. As his pupil agreed, he nodded and tucked the information aside for the moment. "So Juliet, that confirms everything. Energy works strongly with you and has chosen you. However, I have one last thing to say before you accept or deny anything." Again, he waited until she focused on him before going on. "Accepting your role as Casta is only the first step on a difficult journey because with acceptance comes the need to be trained and taught. Just like Lance, you'd be learning the ways of the warrior but you'll be going so much further. You'll be going through so much and you'll be tried in ways unimaginable to you right now.
"However, along with all the work ahead, sacrifices need to be made. As a Chosen one, you are required to renounce your connections to this world for your safety. It is vital that you stay hidden from the public's eye because you'll be a major target for the Nica out there. We have had members of the Council remain out there but that is because they were already obligated to public lives before they knew who they were. An example is Justin Jeffre of the group 98 Degrees from awhile back. He'd grown up learning what he was though, so he was prepared every time he was in the spotlight.
"You, on the other hand, don't have as big a place in the world as he did. You've remained here all your life and your entire family lives here. Because of your isolation, few would miss you if you died."
He let it sink in to her and watched as the realization hit her. "You're asking me to stage a death." He nodded. "But if I do that, how-"
"Look at me Juliet. Do you understand now why I have to live in isolation here? The few who know me help in my survival, and in return, I lead them. The same would go for you."
Juliet felt the full weight of his words bear down on her and she suddenly felt exhausted. So many things rest on my decision… How can I choose? She looked up and saw the expectant look on Lance's face. Although not as apparent, Simon also anxiously waited for her answer. "Umm… Would it be possible if I thought about it for a few days? This is all such a shock to me and I'd like some time to sort through everything."
"You do realize that you're putting yourself at great danger now. The Nica know who you are and will stop at nothing to have you for themselves or else destroyed."
"I know, but can you honestly expect me to throw my entire life away? I've learned so much in the past two hours. Do you think I can think clearly right now? I'm too overwhelmed!"
Simon smiled understandingly. "I know. I'll give you the time you request, but if you come up with an answer before then, please get back as quickly as possible. The less time you need, the better for you."
"Thank you," she said as she finally rose from the floor and headed out the door.
As Lance got up to follow her example, he felt an arm hold him back. "You realize you have to complete your training now, don't you?"
"Yes, teacher. I know."
"You'll be her guard. Keep her under your protection at all times and while she's safe, come here so we can finish your studies."
"Yes, sir." And with that, Lance joined Juliet in his car.
The drive back to town was a silent one. As they approached their street though, Juliet spoke quickly. "No, don't take me home."
"Huh? Well, okay. I guess you can stay over-"
"No, I have to be alone."
"But where?"
Juliet gave him directions that led them to another part of town. Getting out of the car, she led him to an apartment. Before letting him in though, she turned around and gave him a hug. "Pick me up in a week. I'll have my answer then."
"Look Jules, you sure you want to do this? Are you going to be okay for an entire week here?"
"Don't worry about me, Lance. I stay here when I want to be alone and the place is stocked for such occasions. I'll be fine."
"Okay… Look, one thing though."
"Yeah?" She glanced up at him as she fished for the key in her pocket.
"Don't try to leave the apartment. Once you're in, I'm going to put up a wall so that nothing can go in and nothing can get out. It'll be for your protection, okay?"
"Are you sure that's necessary? I mean-"
"Please."
She paused and saw the pleading look in his eyes. "Okay. I trust you." She reached up and gave him one last hug before opening the door and letting herself in.
Lance stayed true to his word and formed a wall of Energy to surround the place. As he turned to walk away though, he got the feeling that he should turn back. He shook his head though. She asked for privacy so I'll give it to her. Still, the feeling of dread didn't diminish and so he promised himself he'd personally check up on her in a couple of days. First though, he had some business to get done.