Thirty

Cole

After Bobby's call I was lost in thought about everything he'd told me. It was all strange and a world I wasn't accustomed to. I'd found the name of the archangel in the writings but when I searched it up, I also found that archangel was associated with psychic abilities and enlightenment. I didn't want psychic abilities, and I really didn't want other people's thoughts in my mind. I glanced at one of the symbols we'd placed around my house, and I hoped they worked to keep Nox or whatever it was, away from me.

I tried to keep busy with laundry and chores, but my mind was still on Bobby. I missed him, every time we were together, I couldn't wait for the next time I'd see him. I hadn't gone to my parents for dinner, and I regretted it since it would have kept my mind off Bobby. I tried to keep busy, so I didn't keep looking at the phone, but the busier I was the more I worried I'd miss his call. I was about to call him when my phone rang.

"Hey, I was about to call you," I said.

"Miss me already?" he asked, but his tone was different than it normally was.

"Yes, more than you know. Is the psychic able to meet with us?" I asked, not wanting to press him too hard but needing to know.

"She can meet with us tomorrow at six. She said she'll stay up for us and that is the best time. Are you able to make that?"

"Yes. Give me directions to your house and I'll make it happen. Is there anything I need to bring?" I asked, not sure at all how this worked.

"You're going to think this sounds weird, but you'll need to be cleansed before you enter. Mum is going to cleanse my house and make sure nothing that's attached to you can enter here." He was silent and I imagined him sitting there waiting for my reply.

"I don't know how any of that works," I admitted.

"Me either, but my mum knows enough for both of us. I never mentioned it before, because I never thought it mattered. I didn't tie the two things together."

"What do you mean, Bobby?"

He took a deep breath and released it before speaking. "My mum was once part of a group of people who were all talented in different mystical ways. She doesn't have psychic abilities, but her friend Saorise does. She's a very strong psychic."

"What do you mean mystical?"

"More than I can explain on the phone. I don't even understand it all. I know that archangel is probably involved, but I don't know how. Then there's the fact my mom thinks Anna is the one pulling the strings, not Nox." He was rambling and I tried to keep up but it was confusing and some of it just felt wrong. "I'm worried for you. Mum said the symbols Anna gave you for protection do not protect, they do the opposite. It's all I can do not to drive back to you right now."

"Should I remove the symbols?" I glanced around the room expecting to see something strange.

"I don't think you should mess with any of it. We've probably done enough, and I don't want to take the chance of doing something else. Please just stay safe until tomorrow."

"I'm not going anywhere. I'll stay home and drive right to your house after work tomorrow," I said and glanced around again. "I don't feel good keeping those symbols up. I think I'd feel better if I just clean them off."

"Okay, and I'm so sorry we didn't know this before."

"I don't expect you to know this stuff. We're both doing the best we can. I'm going to go now, but I'll be there as soon as I can tomorrow."

"Take care, Cole," Bobby whispered.

"I will, you too." I hung up and immediately got to work scrubbing away the symbols we'd scattered all over the place. Thankfully we'd both worked in each room at the same time and my house wasn't exactly big, so it wasn't hard for me to find them. As I wiped the last one away the whispering started. Low at first then just loud enough to make me listen. But it wasn't the voice I'd heard before.

I concentrated this time and tried to figure out what it was saying.

I can't forget to get up early and go meet Gloria at the gym. No matter how tired I am I need to make myself go this time.

The words became clearer the more I concentrated on them, even if I had no clue what they meant. But then I remembered. The neighbor had recently joined a gym. I'd seen her leaving at the same time I left for work, and I knew she didn't start work until later. Could it be I really was reading her thoughts?