In Book Two of the Solstice Series, SACRIFICE, Julissa Grant must pass through the physical as well as the figurative door. Once through, she is relieved to find her mother alive, but another friend’s death will shake the foundation of what she has lear
Copyright © 2010 John J Blenkush No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or by any information storage retrieval system, without the written permission of the author. www.jblenkush.com All rights reserved. ISBN: ISBN-13: To all the dedicated fans of the Solstice Series. REDDITION STACY’S STORY THE DOTHORIAN DOOR SOLSTICE – OF THE HEART SOLSTICE – BLACK MOON RISING CATWALKS AND CRYSTALS To all those readers of the Solstice Series, who add meaning to the story of Julissa Grant and Aaron Delmon. I turn toward the glaring light. It’s not really where I want to go. I want to stay with Aaron, to drive away with him in Bernard’s beat-up old truck, to be close to him, to cradle, in my hands, the bouquet of flowers he gave me and watch in awe as they spring back to life and know, too, my heart will restart. But, like a moth driven to the glow, I float forward, staring into the brightness, catching glimpses of the silhouette of my mother, praying that what I see isn’t my mother’s ghost, but truly her physical self, standing there in the doorway. Dierdra greets me within the framework of the front door, stiff, motionless, without a smile or open arms. The hood from her coat sits high on her head. The high points of her face—her nose, cheeks, chin, forehead, and lips—are awash in light. They protrude from the shadows and give the illusion I’m being greeted by the grim reaper. All that is lacking is the blood-soaked sickle clutched in her hand yet, here too, I imagine a weapon of sorts. I hear a whoosh-whoosh from above and, as I look skyward, I see a bird, a large one, crane-looking, swooping down, following the road to where I see the brake lights of Aaron’s truck beaming through the darkness. I think maybe he has changed his mind about escorting me to the front door. I hesitate, caught in mid-step. And then I see the strange-looking large bird circle above him. I see Aaron stick his head out the window. He looks up. The brake lights disappear. The truck moves forward. The bird flies out ahead, as though in the lead. And I remember back to when Cherrie and I were climbing down from Helen Lake on Mount Shasta. Although I had only caught a peek at the bird between breaks in the clouds, the form is familiar. There, on the mountain, it appeared ghostly. Here, caught in the glow of the street lights, I see the bird more clearly, yet without detail. It flies, similar to the shadow one sees passing along the ground as a bird passes overhead, bent and twisted, blending with the texture of its milieu. I stand on the threshold, an arm’s length away, a step from entering the cabin, yet my heart aches to retreat, to turn from my mother, the grim reaper, and to sprint down the road in chase of Aaron. But to what end? Could I beat Aaron to the stop sign? I can still hear the sound of his truck rumbling down the gradient. Catching him is possible, if he slows and stops, and if I’m at my best running speed. But what then? Step in front of the truck? Hold up my hand. Plead my case? What can I say to change Aaron’s mind that I haven’t already said? He made his choice. Turned and drove away. He left me with a hand full of decaying flowers and a bruised if not broken heart. He gave no care to the thought of my mother dying or the pain I might endure at the knowing. Why should I make the effort to reconcile? “Where’ve you been?” I brush past Dierdra and saunter into the living room. A man, dressed in a policeman’s uniform, sits on the couch, perched forward, as if ready to spring into action at the slightest provocation. Dierdra, grabbing me by the shoulder, spins me around, her eyes a-glare. She has never before been physically abusive to me. I sense this is about to change. “I asked you, where you’ve been!” I jab my thumb over my shoulder to the officer. “What’re the police doing here?” Dierdra’s slap comes hard and fast. The sting, biting my cheek, causes my eyes to water. The liquid crests and overflows, draping oversized tears down my cheeks. I swipe them away. I put on my case-hardened looking face. “Answer me!” I hear the police officer rising to his feet behind me. I want to scream at Dierdra. Tell her what a mean mother she’s becoming. My hand, instinctively, balls up into a fist. Deep down, in a place I’m not known to frequent, I feel an urge to fight back. I do neither. I turn and walk into the kitchen. “You didn’t see the note?” I ask in as calm a voice as I can. “What note?” . continue to mount a come-back-to-life transformation, even as I stand and stare. I ask myself: At what point does Aaron’s transference of life-force energy no. escorting me to the front door. I hesitate, caught in mid-step. And then I see the strange-looking large bird circle above him. I see Aaron stick his