Twenty-One

Bobby

"This was a bad idea, we should never have come here," I said as I watched Cole grimace in pain fighting whatever invisible battle he was fighting.

"We need to go to her," he said, and put the car in Drive.

"Cole, be careful," I pleaded and was thankful we were on a country road with zero traffic. He turned off onto the narrow dirt lane that led to the house I'd noticed the goats at before. As soon as we pulled up, the door to the house swung open, and the lady I'd noticed that day walked out on the porch.

"Cole Ryan, you need to get in this house right now," she said, and glanced around her property as she spoke. Never once sparing me a glance.

"Anna, you're in danger," Cole said as he got out of the car and walked around to my side. "I need you with me." He reached out his hand and I opened the door and took it.

"He knows you have the power he wanted. Nox won't stop until he gets it," Anna said. She was maybe in her late sixties, but she didn't look like some weak little old lady, not at all. "Get inside."

The two of us rushed inside and she slammed the door. "Miss Avery, we came to tell you about Nox," Cole said.

"I already know. Listen." She watched Cole and waited a few seconds before speaking again. "Haven't you noticed that your mind has quiet now you're here?" she asked, staring hard at Cole.

He closed his eyes and concentrated. He took a deep breath and relaxed, but this his eyes shot wide open. "I can't hear the other noise and voices in my head. There're only my thoughts now. But how?"

"This house has many protections. My sister also practiced magic, but not the way Nox did. She met someone and left him with me. I've never seen her again. He was fond of telling people she died in some horrible accident but that wasn't true." Anna walked over to the couch and sat down. The house was small but neat with lots of pictures of her when she was younger and sepia-colored pictures of relatives from long ago.

"You're the guy in the van that helped Cole when he was struck." She stared straight at me, not looking away or blinking. Her eyes were a clear blue. Her weathered skin and nearly white hair made her eyes even more intense.

"Yes, I saw it all happen and I drove him to the hospital." I didn't really know what more to say. I didn't want to reveal anything that Cole didn't want her to know so I stayed quiet.

"My mom told me about Nox, and the summer they spent together with my dad," Cole said, and took a seat close to Anna.

"The power you now possess was what Nox had been after for as long as I can remember. He always wanted to be able to read minds, but I never really took it seriously until he got older. He killed one of my goats as a sacrifice to something. I didn't care what his reasons were, I made sure it couldn't happen again."

"What do you mean?" Cole said, as I tried not to think about some guy I didn't know, making one of the goats a sacrifice.

"There used to be an old lady that lived near here. She knew a lot about magic. I didn't know anything about that stuff. I knew farming and was more than happy to live my life out here doing just that. One day she showed up here when Nox was still quite young. She told me that he could be influenced by dark forces if he chose the wrong path. She also told me how to ward the house against any power." She pointed out small markings that were on every door frame and even along the baseboards. "He can't tell what we're talking about when we're inside, and he can't read your mind."

"He can read my mind?" Cole asked.

"Yes, and he can connect with your consciousness and suggest you do things you would never in a million years think you'd do," Anna said.

"I've heard his voice in my head. But he always says the same thing over and over. Before we went to the carnival, his voice was the only one I could hear. But as soon as we crossed the entrance something changed. But Bobby seems to calm the storm in my head."

"With a flash of blue," Anna said.

"What does it mean?" I asked and squeezed Cole's hand.

She drew her lips in a tight line and took a deep breath before she answered. "Nox was killed in one of his many attempts at power. The voice you're hearing is all that's left of him. He didn't want my body or just anyone else's, he wants someone who can hold the very power he wanted, and that person is you, Cole."

"What are you saying?" I asked, barely able to get the words out.

"With a flash of blue there will be two—that means you and Nox. Both of you could wield the power of the blue lightning. There's far more to it than just reading minds." She looked at both of us. "One of old and one of new. Nox would be your parents' age now, and you're new to this power. Wisdom and innocence must combine, if one of them is to remain alive. He wants to inhabit your body, and he does have the knowledge of magic to do it."

"What?" I all but shouted. "How could this happen?"

"If Cole isn't strong enough to resist then Nox will take over. He's already in your mind. You've felt him, haven't you?" She gave Cole a critical look and I waited for him to say she was wrong. But instead, he turned and looked at me.

"Remember at the hospital the voice that was speaking wasn't me? I didn't understand it then. I was aware of it, but I knew for a fact it wasn't me. I think that was him. It was a bit like standing back and watching someone else control me."

"What about at the carnival?" I asked.

"The carnival in Woodland?" Anna asked.

"Yes, we went there for a date. As soon as we crossed the entrance, I could hear everyone's thoughts all at once. Almost like a switch had been flipped."

"Or a veil lifted," Anna said.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Nox wouldn't want you to be able to use the power that he thinks is only for him. He'll hide it from you at any cost. But something about that carnival must have revealed it while you were there. Can you still hear thoughts?"

"Not everyone. Some I can without any effort while others I can read an emotion but not thoughts."

"Imagine if you could read every thought as someone had it. What would you do with that information? Would you use it for good or bad?" Anna said.

"I never wanted this power, and for sure I never wanted to be hit by lightning. This whole ordeal has been horrible. I don't want to know what anyone is thinking."

Anna smiled then. "Cole, I've known you nearly your whole life. But I still needed to make sure you were not interested in using this power for your own gain. I will help you to break the connection Nox's spirit has with you. But it won't be easy." She turned then to face me. "You, I don't know at all. But not many would help a stranger the way you did, and it's obvious you care deeply for Cole. Hopefully your connection is strong because you're going to need it."

"I've never felt as connected to anyone as I do to Bobby."

"I hope that's true, but either way we'll know soon enough."