Chapter 5a

Chapter 5a WC: 4,020





“Chandra, you sure were quiet. Are you feeling all right?” Ondi felt Chandra’s forehead as they carried the sacks into the cabin.

“Sure.”

“Let’s get these things put away and we’ll go have dinner at the restaurant our first night. It was a long drive and I’m kind of tired. We will make it an early night tonight and then get up and find out what fun things they have going on around here.” She wasn’t sure Chandra was as tired as she was, but they both could do with an early night.

It wasn’t long until they were walking down the path to the dinning hall. The sun was low in the sky; the crescent moon was hanging over the lake.

There were bird houses swinging from the tree limbs.

“Look Mommie! The bird houses have faces on them.”

“Look at that, how clever. They look like little trolls with hats.”

“Oh Look, a bird flew up that troll’s nose. There goes another.”

“The entrance to the houses must be carved in the noses of the trolls.” They laughed as they walked to the lobby and saw a few more birds flying up the noses of the Troll birdhouses.

The log crafted lodge was beautifully carved. The entrance was a wide, curved door, like a Hobbit house.

The dining room was decorated in the Northwood’s style. There were lots of open beams and a central fireplace. Deer antler chandeliers hung from the ceiling and metal sconces with cutouts shaped like Moose and bears shed soft light to those seated beneath.

The woman at the entrance smiled and led them to a table near the fireplace, handing them their menus.

“Momma?”

“Yes, you don’t have to whisper.” Ondi opened the menu and began to look at the offerings.

“I don’t like this place.”

“We haven’t been here long enough to judge it yet. Give it a little more time.”

“No Momma, I don’t like these people.” She was still looking at the other guests. Chandra slid into the chair next to her mother instead of across from her.

“Now don’t be silly. You don’t even know these people. Look at the children’s menu. Choose what you want to eat and there are color crayons to do the puzzles.”

Ondi continued to read the menu and didn’t pay any attention to Chandra.

“Momma, I am tired. Can’t we just go back to the cabin and have grilled cheese sandwiches and soup? We could watch a movie and play a game before we go to bed.”

“Chandra, what is wrong with you? We just got here. The food looks good and I don’t have to cook it.”

“But-“

“No but’s pick something to order.”





Colin parked just off the road near a pump house. He had put an invisible circle around it, just in case someone had to check the small building. He moved around the resort sorting the area. He frowned as he sorted some of the residents in their cabins. There was definitely something going on here. The little hairs on the back of his neck were standing at stiff attention. Not a good sign on anyone, especially Kindred.

14A cabin was located at the end of the road almost surrounded with tall, thick evergreen trees; it was cut off an isolated from the other cabins. He sorted the cabin, found it very homey and surrounded by a very weak protection circle. They had not unpacked their things and he saw Ondi had stashed their bags in the corner of the room before they left. He shook his head. She had no clue that any Jaka, could break the circle and search their things. If the Jaka were of true Kindred blood, they could sort the room without even entering or disturbing the circle.

Most of the guests were probably in the dinning hall. He went around the back of the lodge and stepped on the deck, outside the dining room. The windows opened to the scenic view.

Standing in the shadows, he saw his two charges were seated at a table in the middle of the room. Odd, he thought, and moved closer to the window, but ran into a strong protective Circle. Then he saw the people. He almost choked on his own breath. Everyone in the place was a Fledgling or a Halfling. They had completely surrounded the two at the table. They weren’t doing anything but eating, but he could tell that they all were watching the two unsuspecting innocents, almost drooling with anticipation. Whatever they were planning, Colin had to get the two of them out of there fast.

‘Colin, there is something bad here.’ Chandra’s telepathy was weak coming through the Circle. He was again surprised that she knew he was there.

‘I know honey; I am trying to figure out what to do. I wish I could just put them all to sleep.’ It still amazed him she could sort him so fast.

‘Okay.’

All of the sudden everyone in the room slumped over. Some fell face first into their food; others just sat slumped in their chair; still others fell off their chairs lying still on the floor.

‘Now what do we do?’ Chandra asked non-shelantly.

‘You are one amazing girl. You had better bring your mother to me. We will need to get out of here to the deck.’

Ondi was almost hysterical. “What is going on here?” she whispered to Chandra.

“These are bad people and we have to leave Colin says for us to go to him.”

“Wait, who is Colin-“

“He is helping us. He has been following us and watching over us. We need to go to him. He will tell you everything.”

“Chandra we just can’t go off-”

“Momma, I confidence him, he says we have to get out of here fast.”

Ondi sensed her urgency and sometimes her daughter had an intuitiveness she had to trust.

“Did he do this?” indicating the people.

“No I did.”

“Chandra, you did this?” She stopped for a moment then Chandra was tugging on her arm toward the sliding glass door.

“I’m sorry Momma, but I had to use my Majik. They were going to hurt us. They are all bad people.”

Ondi sensed that someone was waiting just outside the patio door.

“Wait, we can’t go out there, we don’t know who is there.” She stopped just short of the door.

“Momma, Colin. He is the Protector, he came for us.” Chandra pulled on her mother’s hand again.

“Chandra, there are some people we just can’t trust.”

A figure materialized on the other side of the glass door and Ondi sensed an aura about him but she couldn’t place it. She was just castigating herself for being so trustwothy. She should have sorted the room. She should have made sure. She had just trusted; Jenna.

She stepped out of the doorway keeping Chandra behind her at the same time Colin stepped into the light.

“You! who are you? Why are you floowing me?” She demanded.

‘I am Colin, nice to meet you.. We can’t stay here talking, we have to get away from here and get you both to Heartland were you will be safe.’ He telepathed.

‘Why should I believe you are the good guy and they aren’t all just ordinary people?’ she hadn’t even realized she had answered him the same way he has spoken to her.

'Do you trust your daughter’s intuition?'{ii/} He answered.

Yes, some of the time.'

“Then ask her. In the mean time let’s get to your cabin and pack up.” this time he spoke out loud holding his hand out to Chandra, who took it.

“Pack? What?-I mean what are you talking about? I’m not going anywhere with you. Let go of my daughter!” She stopped in the middle of the path, suddenly aware that she had been following him toward the road.

“Please walk and talk.” Now he had taken Chandra’s hand, but Ondi pulled Chandra away from Colin walking away from him.

“Momma, he is just like us.” Chandra had moved between the two adults and was gently steering her mother back to path.

“Honey, so are they but that doesn’t make him a good guy and them bad.”

“They are bad.” Chandra muttered to herself

“You are right, but in this case I am on your side. They won’t stay asleep forever and we need to be on the road.” Colin guided them down the path behind the cabins.

“How do I know that I can trust you?”

“That is the real point isn’t it? Trust is something we have to do without condition. It goes both ways, I have to trust that you will do what I tell you in order for me to keep you safe; and you are not trusting me to do that.” He stopped outside the cabin door while she unlocked it, “Get your things ready, we don’t have much time.”

“I don’t think that you heard me. You are either deaf or just plain ignoring me.”

“The latter.”

“In that case, thank you for getting us out of the hall but we am not traveling with someone I don’t know a thing about.”

Colin stepped up close to her forcing her to either stand nose to nose or back up into the kitchen. His back was to Chandra, who was busy pulling her backpack to the door. He lowered his voice so only Ondi could hear him. His hands reached out to grip her upper arms tightly. She could feel his power pushing her to do what he wanted. She tried to fight it and tried to put up a shield, but she couldn’t think or move. His spicy scent filled her senses and she fought to regain control.

“You are wasting precious time; time, that will cost you to lose your daughter and even you life. Are you willing to risk that? To hand her over to Charles? Now I can make you come against your will but I don't want to upset your daughter. Get your stuff and lets get out of here.”

When he let go there was a brisk warm wind the blew againster skin, the air shimmered with something she could define. She felt exhilerated.

“You will pack your things and we will be leaving. It won’t be long until they wake up and come after you. Do you want to stay and face all the people in this resort, who seem to be some sort of clan, who know what abilities they have and who they work for? My guess it is Charles. Like your friend, Jenna they are not alone in this.” She shook her head. That was the last thing she wanted.

“What?-“ she realized the last part of what he said.

“Look we don’t have time to chat any more. Get your stuff that you want to take and let’s get going.” He reached for the grocery bags and the cooler and sent with Majik them to his SUV.

“Wait, don’t use Majik, they can-“

“It is too late to think of that. They know what we are and it doesn’t matter. We have to get on the road.”

Ondi picked up her bags and followed Chandra to the door.

“You have everything you need?” he asked politely.

“Yes.” She made a wide path passed him to the door and started for her van.

“Nope not that way.”

“Why?”

“They know your car. They will be looking for it. They don’t know mine and have no idea I am here. They will soon enough, but it will be too late.

“What are you going to do?”

“Don’t ask. Just go around-“

“To the water house.” Chandra went off ahead, her mother following quickly to keep up to her.

Colin shook his head and smiled. The girl was just too smart. He tossed the bags into the back fo the SUV and Ondi buckled Chandra in.

"Shotgun.' he ordered.

"Huh?" Ondi frowned.

He shook his head in disgust, "Passager seat!" She got in and slammed the door.

Then a sudden darkness came over him. It was weighing him down. His arms felt too heavy to lft and eh couldn't move his legs. Before he could act, it was gone.

"I think we better leave now." Chandra's voice was worried.

“What did you feel?” Chandra piped from the back seat.

“Not something good.”

“Me too. I pushed back and it went away.”

“What are you two talking about?” Omdi was holding on to the hand hold as the SUV skidded around the curves. The road was dark except for their beams.

“Something bad was trying to make us stop. I pushed it back.” Chandra answered.

Ondi looked at her daughter and then out the window. This was getting worse. She hadn’t felt a thing. This man sitting beside her seemed to have more in common with her daughter than she did. She felt helpless, like she did all those years ago when her father had wanted her to do things she couldn't.

Colin concentrated on driving and Ondi didn't bother him.

'Honey, are you okay?' Ondi looked back at her daughter.

'Yes. Mommy, Colin really wants to ehlp us.'

'I know you think so. I am not sure he wasn't just setting this up so we would trust him then he would hand us over to Charles. I know you used Majik back there. I wish you wouldn't have. Where did you learn to do that?''

Chandra didn't answer her mother. She hugged her stuffed rabbit and put her thumb in her mouth and closed her eyes. This wasn't the first time she had disobeyed her mother.