A Diamond in my Heart
The Unaltered series: book two
by Lorena Angell
co-authored by Joshua Angell
Copyright 2011 Lorena Angell
Smashwords Edition
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Chapter 1 - Freedom
I used to scoff at magical powers and abilities, used to have this amazing focused direction in life and didn’t allow my time to be wasted on frivolous conspiracy theories or speculations. I certainly didn’t believe in any existence of superpowers or unnatural abilities; that is, until I became the first person on earth to display all the known powers and abilities.
A few months ago I learned first-hand that cosmic energy rays exist and have always existed, and that nearly everyone on the planet has been affected by them in one way or another.
My mother, Dr. Charlotte Courtnae, and I belong to a bloodline of purity wherein something about our DNA protected us while in the womb and we were never altered. We are unchanged, unaffected, unaltered. Yet, we are different from one another because she doesn’t know she’s an unaltered human.
Living on a planet where I’m a member of the minority isn’t so bad, really. Those with the powers and abilities who think they can rule the world have no control over me. My mind cannot be read, my future remains unseen by Seers, Healers cannot manipulate my body, and I’m untraceable to a Hunter for I have no scent. Runners would technically have the advantage over me if I was a regular unaltered like my mother. But I’m not regular. I’m not ordinary.
I’m an Unaltered Diamond Bearer.
I carry a piece of the Sanguine Diamond within my heart which gives me every known power and ability plus a couple more. Maetha, my mentor and the person responsible for the jewel in my heart, hasn’t admitted yet, but I suspect she bears a diamond shard in her heart as well. She said there were other regular unaltered humans out there, like my mother, but she didn’t tell me there were other Diamond Bearers like me.
I met one just the other day.
I’d been helping at my mother’s counseling clinic while her regular receptionist was on vacation and was sent on an errand to take a couple of files over to the Behavioral Health building. I could have easily walked, but figured I’d hit the Coffee Shack on the way back, plus it would give me an excuse to drive my new cherry-red Mini Cooper. My parents bought me the car when I came home from my ‘Olympic’ training camp due to a ‘non-descript’ injury. I guess they thought it would cheer me up… they were right. I know I’m lucky to be the only child of two doctors and that most kids my age would be lucky to get a rusted-out, dented twenty year old car. I try not to brag but needless to say any opportunity to get behind the wheel excited me to no end.
I backed up carefully making sure not to hit any other vehicle and when I turned forward to put the car in drive I saw a man leaning against the building I’d just exited; strange that I hadn’t noticed him before.
He stood around six feet tall with well trimmed black hair and I guessed his age to be mid forties. He had a square jaw line and a straight nose. I couldn’t see his eyes because he wore black sunglasses. He wore a long cowboy duster, the kind with a slit up the back, and square-toed motorcycle boots and had his hands shoved into the front pockets of his faded blue jeans which contoured to his lean figure.
I didn’t realize at that moment he was someone of interest, but when I arrived at the Coffee Shack following the delivery of the files, I saw him again. This time he was leaning up against a pick-up truck with his thumbs hooked on the front pockets of his jeans.
There were two cars in front of me in the pick-up window line and I realized I’d be here for a few minutes, so I decided I’d try to probe his mind, and exercise my ability to do so. He immediately blocked me with a force so strong it knocked the wind out of me. I heard his low, smooth voice in my head as I sat with a death grip on the steering wheel trying to regain my breath.
“Now, why would a young girl like you be able to read minds?”
I tried to fill my lungs with much needed air as my mind swam around the realization that this man was a telepath. Maetha told me telepathic powers died out over the years and the power only exists inside the whole Sanguine diamond. I only have a piece of the diamond now and I cannot communicate telepathically anymore, so I put my thoughts at the front of my mind figuring if he had this power, he must have others; he must possess a diamond.
“Did Maetha send you?” I asked with my mind.
“Maetha? So, she’s behind this?”
Bingo! He knows about Maetha, he must have a diamond as well. “Behind what?” My lungs finally relaxed and I was able to inflate them properly.
He readjusted his stance and took off his sunglasses. His eyes were near slits with heavy eyebrows hovering above. He looked better with his shades on and must have read my mind because he replaced them on his face. “Who died for you?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” The car behind me honked to alert me to pull forward one spot.
“Maetha still operates with the same deception, I see. You should take my advice, little girl, get as far away from her as you can.”
“Why should I listen to you?”
“Because I know her better than just about anyone else!” His statement made my hair stand on end.
“What’s your name?”
“I don’t go by one. Names are mere labels which inhibit progression. I prefer to be recognized by what I offer, today I offer freedom. You may think of me as your freedom.”
Ooh-kaaay, I was officially freaked out! “Oh, I won’t be thinking of you at all, buck-o!” The car in front of me pulled forward and I followed, only I didn’t stop at the window, I pressed the gas pedal to the floor leaving tread-marks on the pavement and a smoke cloud hanging in the air.
My heart raced with panic and my eyes checked the rear-view mirror repeatedly as I sped through traffic on my way back to the office. My compact car sliced through tight spots with ease like a bobsled and the further I traveled away from the creepy man the more my clenched jaw began to relax… until I arrived back at the office and found Mr. ‘Freedom’ leaning up against the building in the same spot as before. I knew his diamond would afford him the running ability, but it still shocked me to see him.
“Calli, when you decide to utilize my help, all you’ll have to do is ask for it.” His lips parted in an almost evil smile revealing perfectly straight white teeth. Then he turned and walked away.
It’s been a couple of days now since seeing him and I can’t help but keep looking over my shoulder continuously. I still experience the same panic when I think about the man who I’ve named Freedom whose whole demeanor reeked of villainy, and it would be just fine with me to never meet him again. I’ve wondered how he found me, if he sought me out or if he was just passing through and detected a difference in me compared to other people. I’ve also pondered on what he told me, especially his advice.
More than anything, I’ve wondered how many Unaltereds have diamonds in their hearts too. Maetha said she’d come and train me how to visualize auras, like my roommate Beth from the Runner’s compound, but I haven’t heard from her yet. I will certainly ask her more about her powers and why Freedom was familiar with her—and how many others are like us.
*****
An important date is fast approaching; the day Chris Harding resigns as a spy.
I would love to go see him… just to get my ‘Chris fix.’ I could watch from a distance, he wouldn’t need to know I was present. But what if he saw me? What would that do to him? Assuming he hasn’t forgotten about me already, he’d be reminded of the pain we suffered because of Maetha. Not only would it torture him further, it would also be hell for me; I was several years older in the vision I’d seen through the Healer’s window. I know I will see him again, but I also know now is not that time. He, on the other hand, doesn’t and shouldn’t know I have powers. He wouldn’t believe it even if I told him. From his perspective, the whole chain of events was manipulated along with him and me, thus nullifying any future between us. Not to mention the fact that in his vision I was a Healer, not the ordinary human he now believes I am.
Chris doesn’t know I have powers and shouldn’t until the day the vision comes true. If I was present at his resignation he would deduce I had foresight or psychic abilities either of which would allow me to know his plans, and both would prove I have powers and abilities. Even without looking into the future I could tell it would upset the balance of nature for him to know I still possess powers; especially the healing ability.
I don’t know what Chris will do with his life following resigning. I don’t know what type of information he was feeding to the government, but he truly believed everyone would be in danger if I picked through his mind.
Chapter 2 - Nyctophobia
I was able to see many different types of people while helping at my mother’s Psychiatric office; apparently the receptionist, Evelyn, thought she needed a vacation. I’ll admit it; I was nervous at first. I’m almost seventeen, but compared to the age of most of her patients I’m just a ‘whipper-snapper.’ Alright, only one patient referred to me as that and he was eighty-nine years old. Imagine that, a man so old yet deathly afraid of the dark. Most of my mother’s patients suffered from the same phobia.
I never realized what my mother goes through in the course of one day at the office. Take today for instance, her patient line-up began with a middle-aged man who tapes black garbage bags together and plasters them all over his windows to protect himself from the light. Another patient wouldn’t go anywhere at night because his fear of the dark was so severe. Yet another wouldn’t even leave the house in the daylight because she was afraid of cloudy days or even the shadows cast by big leafy trees. The final patient was a young girl around eight who suffered panic attacks whenever her mother tried to take her outside after dark.
When my mother exited her office with the young girl named Sasha, she handed me the chart along with a yellow sticky which had a phone number and name written on it. She asked me to call the number and set up an appointment for the petrified girl.
The name said Charles Rhondell. My eyes shot up to my mother who didn’t seem to understand what I was thinking. I’d met a man with that same name before; he was the leader of the Mind Readers. Was this the same man? Did that mean… I looked at Sasha who was eyeing me curiously, angling her head from side to side.
She spoke to me in her quiet whisper of a voice. “You’re different.”
I responded with, “How do you know I’m different when you’ve never met me before?”
“No, you’re different than most, but just like the doctor.”
“Honey, it’s impolite to talk to people like that.” Her mother nervously tried to suppress her daughter’s thoughtless blurt. I knew without even looking into the mother’s mind she was embarrassed of her daughter’s ability and she didn’t want to believe her daughter could actually read minds.
“But Mommy, she doesn’t have a brain,” Sasha insisted only to be quickly ushered across the room and given a sharp reprimand.
I picked up the phone and dialed the number for Mr. Rhondell. He was out of the office but a receptionist lined up an appointment for the following week. He would come to my mother’s office and meet with the girl.
Sasha’s mother came back over to me. “I apologize for my daughter’s behavior. Sometimes she says things like that and leaves me horrified. I’m really sorry.”
I glanced across the room to the couch where Sasha sat with her arms folded and her ankles crossed. I handed the woman an appointment card with the date and time Mr. Rhondell’s receptionist had lined up for her and then answered, “Don’t worry about it; most of the time I feel like I don’t have a brain. The doctor will meet with you in one week.”
“One week? What am I supposed to do with her until then?”
I looked around for my mom so she could rescue me but she’d already gone back into her office. So I said, “Well, don’t try to force her outside and she won’t have a panic attack.” The woman seemed frustrated with my response and dropped the card in her purse, walked over, snatched her daughter’s hand and exited the office at a brisk speed.
Later that night at dinner, I decided I’d ask my mother about Charles Rhondell.
“Who is the man you had me call for your last patient? Is he a doctor too?”
“No, but he’s a behavioral specialist who works miracles with kids who are afraid of the dark and who think they can read minds.”
“Do you get many kids like her?”
“I’ve seen several patients with nyctophobia, but they weren’t all young like her. In fact, sometimes nyctophobia is accompanied with delusions of future sight. One mother was so upset because her teenage daughter was predicting the future with accuracy. It took me a long time to convince her it was mere coincidence.”
“Do you remember what the girl predicted?” I asked admittedly curious.
“Yes, she claimed to have foreseen the destruction of their entire town, Kalapana, on the big island of Hawaii in 1990. I didn’t meet the girl until several years later. I tried to explain to her that ‘premonitions’ are usually based on facts around us. The fact was, their town was in a potential lava path and sooner or later the town would be affected by the volcano. I told her our brains are quite powerful and can formulate possible future outcomes based on the facts at hand, but she defended herself to no end saying she’d seen the same images in her mind prior to the event happening. The mother was torn between believing her daughter and wanting to help her.”
My father, Dr. Allen Courtnae, put his fork down and wiped his mouth. “Well, that’s completely understandable. If Calli came to us with information that our town was going to be destroyed, I’d listen. I might be a little hesitant, but I know her well enough to know she would never lie about something like that.”
“Thanks, Dad.” I smiled at him and he raised his glass to me. My mind went back to Charles Rhondell and what might happen when he arrived at the office next week. I looked at my mother and quickly viewed her future and saw she would be blown away when Charles referred to my ‘injuries.’ I deduced I should tell her right now that I know the man.
“Mom, I think I met this guy while I was in Montana. One of the athletes was having the same symptoms as your patient and Mr. Rhondell was brought in to help.” A little white lie; sorry Dad, but I’m a seasoned liar.
“Well, he is the best in the nation; I don’t doubt they would be anxious for him to help a potential Olympic candidate,” my mother said.
“Mom, just out of curiosity, what type of premonition would you believe to be that of the paranormal variety?”
“It would take something earth-shattering, something unpredictable, so out of the norm that heads are scratched.”
“Like predicting the winning lotto numbers?”
“No, that’s just dumb luck. I mean something like, ‘On such and such date, at such and such time, aliens will land at a particular place,’ something like that isn’t predictable and highly unlikely to happen. If someone foresaw that happening it would certainly catch my attentions.”
“Calli,” my father interjected, “what do you want for your birthday?”
Oh yeah, my birthday was only a few days away; the big seventeen! “I don’t know.”
“See, I can predict the future too. I knew you’d say that.” He smiled at me and said, “We’ll surprise you, how about that?”
Charles Rhondell entered the office and right off the bat his eyes met mine. “Calli?”
“Hi, Mr. Rhondell.”
“What are you doing… how do you know Charlotte?” My presence had clearly caught him off guard.
“Dr. Courtnae is my mother, Charles. How is your wife?” I asked knowing they were reunited following the eradication of the Death Clan.
“Good, she’s good.” My eyes were drawn to his neck and the peculiar necklace he wore. The leather cord around his neck was attached to a glass encasement shaped like a teardrop. A piece of the Sanguine Diamond floated gently inside, suspended in a way that defied gravity.
“I’ll let my mother know you’ve arrived.” I lifted the phone and pressed button number one. I relayed the message that Mr. Rhondell had arrived and my mother asked that he be shown in. “Come, Charles.” I stood and walked him to the office door.
“Calli, how are you doing since, well, since what happened?”
“All back to normal, Charles.”
He leaned close and whispered in my ear. “It’s too bad you lost all your abilities.” As he did this, I experienced a sharp pain within my heart almost as if my shard moved. I kept calm.
“I don’t feel that way at all, sir. And by the way, my mother doesn’t know anything about what happened to me or about the world of powers and abilities.” I smiled and opened the door.
“Well, Calli, I’ll keep my tongue in check, but know this, your mother knows plenty about the world you visited briefly.” He walked past me and closed the door behind him.
I walked back to the front desk rubbing my chest, willing it to heal with my mind. The pain subsided almost instantly. I sat in the not-so-comfortable chair at the desk in heavy contemplation. Had Charles’ shard reacted like mine? Had it moved also? I hadn’t noticed.
The door to the clinic opened with Sasha and her mother entering. Sasha skipped over to my desk and smiled at me.
“Hello Sasha, do I have a brain today?” I asked with a smile.
“Nope,” she said as she fidgeted with the cupful of assorted pens on my desk.
“Leave those alone, Sasha.” Her mother directed her daughter’s shoulders toward the couch and sat her down.
I picked up the phone and spoke to my mother informing her that Sasha had arrived. Soon, my mother came to the waiting room and invited them back to her office. I sat wondering what would happen to Sasha. Would Charles drop a bombshell on the mother or would he skirt around the issue for now?
I kept myself busy until everyone exited the back office and entered the reception area. Sasha literally bounced her way into the waiting room like a jackrabbit. Mr. Rhondell handed Sasha’s mother a packet of information and explained about his treatment plan which, not surprisingly, included sending Sasha off to his therapy clinic for two months. The mother wasn’t very excited but was obviously at her wits end on how to deal with her daughter.
Sasha approached me. “Mr. Charles has a brain but he won’t let me see it.”
“What’s the difference? Maybe I have one too but won’t let you see it, just like Mr. Charles.”
“Nope, your head is empty like the doctor’s. I can feel his brain but it’s wrapped up like a present and I don’t know what’s inside.”
I smiled at her and realized her mother would gladly hand off her daughter to Charles in the hopes of taming her thought processes.
“That’s enough, Sasha! How many times have I told you not to talk to people like that?”
Charles intervened. “Sasha, how would you like to come to my office and meet other kids who can see brains too?” He winked at the mother.
“Yes, but not at night.”
“You know Sasha, I don’t like the dark either. It makes me feel unsafe.”
I watched Sasha’s eyes open wide in agreement. “My mom says there’s nothing to be afraid of in the dark, but she’s wrong.”
Before Sasha’s mother could scold her, Charles interjected. “Sasha, not everyone is afraid of the dark. My mom wasn’t afraid of the dark either and she didn’t understand why I was, just like your mom. At my clinic, I’ll help you understand why, alright?”
“OK. Why won’t you let me see your mind Mr. Charles?”
“Sasha!” her mother interjected.
“It’s alright, Sasha, you are not the first person to ask me that. What if another girl your age came up to you and asked why you wouldn’t let her see your mind? What would you say?”
“I’d say it’s right there,” she thumped her fingertip on her temple, “if you can’t see it then you’re not looking hard enough.”
Mr. Rhondell smiled and thumped his fingertip to his temple. “Sasha, it’s right there, if you can’t see it then you’re not looking hard enough.”
I must say, Charles certainly knew how to downplay the emergence of powers.
The whole Sasha/Charles Rhondell episode got my curiosity up about the Shadow Demons and I decided to conduct a few experiments. What I know so far is the Demons are people of powers stuck in our world preying on living people of powers, or at least that’s all Mrs. Winter knew about them. I could see them when I had the whole diamond in my possession, but come to think of it, I hadn’t seen any since arriving back home here in Ohio. Did I need the entire diamond in order to see Demons?
I decided I’d venture out into the night and try to find them. I’d have to do it tonight because tomorrow night would be my birthday party.
My cell phone rang and the display showed Suz calling. “Hey Suz.”
“You want to go to the mall? I heard Brand will be there tonight.”
“Who?”
“Brand Safferson! Where have you been, girl? He’s only the hottest guy ever!”
“Oh, right; mister all-star quarterback. I don’t think he’s all that good looking, Suz.” After being around the Runners Clan, no guy in my high school would ever compare to the looks of those fine specimens; especially when compared to Chris.
“That’s just fine, one less girl I have to compete with. But will you come with me, please, and um, would you drive?”
“Sure, I’ll pick you up around seven.” The sun wouldn’t be down until ten’ish so we’d have to kill some time till the Demons came out.
My experiences of a few months ago have changed me. The diamond inside of me has altered my perceptions, and not just because I can see into every person around me at will, but because I see intentions, both honest and deplorable. I see the rising generation’s low self-esteem and the current generation’s frustration.
It didn’t take long to realize Suz asked me to take her to the mall because her other friends were with Brand and she hadn’t been invited. I don’t like entering Suz’s mind and I make it a practice not to, but something was bothering her and I couldn’t tell what it was… well, besides being left out of the circle. I looked only for her current dismay. I found that she was extremely attracted to Brand but he wouldn’t give her the time of day anymore. Just two months ago, they were good friends even to the point that they’d hang out together—alone. But something had happened, something in the blink of an eye transpired and suddenly their relationship ceased. From Suz’s perspective I couldn’t determine what it was. All I saw was Brand and Suz in his room getting a little hot and heavy, and suddenly Brand pulling back and pushing her away both physically and emotionally. I pulled out of her mind and turned my focus across the food court to Brand.
This boy couldn’t be more average looking. His height was probably five foot eight inches and was neither fat nor muscular. His hair was reddish brown, short and curly and his eyes were hazel. His eyelids seemed inflamed a bit and he had a few noticeable acne splotches. His one redeeming trait was, at least in my opinion, his dimples when he smiled. Apparently he knew it because he smiled all the time.
Entering Brand’s mind was an assault on my senses sending me this way and that way to which I had to immediately remove myself. I shook my head and tried again. This time I only looked for the outermost edges of his current thoughts but again I was bombarded with confusion like turning on fifty different radios to fifty different stations. What the hell? I decided to simply read his lips and leave the powers of the diamond alone. The conversation was difficult at best to watch because of all the passing bodies so I gave up.
I looked over at Suz and entered her mind with ease. I turned my attentions to one of the other girls by Brand, Deb was her name, and entered her mind with ease. Eww, had to get out of that one quick, she was a bad girl with designs on Brand; well, designs on any upright walking male. Still, I easily entered her mind, and Suz’s mind, but Brand was different. A sudden thought entered my mind; I wondered what Sasha would say about Brand’s mind? She’d probably say he has a crazy mind, and she’d be right.
The girls were pathetically falling on their faces trying to catch his attention but he seemed more interested in the time of day as he continuously checked his watch. Maybe he had someone to meet? He stood and said goodbye and left.
“What, he’s leaving?” Suz asked. “At least he didn’t take anyone with him. Let’s follow him, Calli! Come on!”
“No. I’m not doing that.”
“Come on, your Cooper is perfect for tailing someone. Pleeeease?”
“Alright.” I caved; not merely to satisfy Suz’s curiosity, but to satisfy mine as well.
We hurried out the large doors and spotted him walking at a fast pace through the parking lot to his vehicle. Mine was located nearby, fortunately, and following him was made easier because of it. We tailed him straight to his home and watched him park his car inside the garage.
“That’s it? He was going home?” Suz asked exasperated.
“I guess so.” I drove past his house and to the next main road. “Suz, do you want to walk around town with me?”
“Walk? It’s almost dark. Why not drive around town?”
Good point. “Yeah, alright.”
We drove all over the place, up to the heights where all the rich people lived and down to the tracks but not beyond; no sense in placing ourselves in danger. Suz chatted the whole time and I searched for Demons. All I had to do was add a, “Uh-huh”, or “Really?” every now and then to satisfy her need to be heard. Not once did I spot a Shadow Demon in the dark. What a let-down.
Later I dropped her off at her house and reminded her of my birthday party the next night. She told me she wouldn’t miss it for anything. I entered her mind, almost accidentally, and found a most disturbing fact; Suz was the one who set the firecracker in the girl’s bathroom in middle school. When she realized how badly she’d hurt me she became my friend out of guilt; and she still held onto our friendship because of it.
Well, that sucks!
I drove home to my house in a state of shock with so many memories rushing through my head. Suz was the least likely person to befriend me while at the hospital. That should have been my first clue. I remembered feeling thrilled that I had made a friend, a popular girl to boot, but it was all a lie.
The next day, August seventh, my birthday, came and went without much of the over the top, cheesy ridiculousness that so often accompanies a birthday.
My parents gave me a new laptop computer to help with my studies, plus a few other smaller gifts, Suz gave me a gift card good for any merchant in the mall, that was nice, but most likely given out of her perpetual guilt, and a bouquet of roses arrived late in the afternoon from an anonymous friend. Suz was excited for me thinking it might be a boy, and I have to admit, it was a nice idea that maybe Chris had sent them, but I dismissed the notion upon reading the message in the card: You are perfect, Unaltered in any way.
I knew it must be Maetha who’d sent the flowers. She must be announcing her arrival in a few days. Finally, I could ask her some burning questions and the first on the docket would be about Freedom.
Chapter 3 -
Not everything bad in this world is evil,
and just because something’s good doesn’t make it right
Three long days went by without contact or even a message from Maetha. I was beginning to think she wasn’t coming at all. Evelyn, the receptionist, was back from vacation so I wouldn’t need to help at my mother’s office anymore.
After my parents left for work, I stretched out on a chaise lounge chair in the backyard enjoying the warmth from the morning sun. I closed my eyes and listened to the sounds of nature around me. A Meadowlark sang its beautiful song not far away, a bumblebee bounced from flower to flower near my head, and the leaves of the maple tree rustled with a gentle gust of a breeze.
“Hello, Calli.”
I bolted upright knocking over my glass of lemonade. Maetha stood next to me with a pleasant smile on her face. “Maetha! You startled me… sorry, I’ve got to clean this up.” I was glad I’d chosen a plastic cup or I’d have had an even bigger mess to clear.
“When you refill your glass, bring one out for me, dear.”
I nodded my head and entered the house. My heart was still thumping with the adrenaline from Maetha’s arrival. I poured her a glass of lemonade and refilled my own, and then gathered my thoughts of what I wanted to talk about.
Maetha had positioned herself in the shade of the umbrella topped table. I placed her drink in front of her and set mine down. Maetha looked the same as the day I met her in Harold Bates' office; immaculate modest clothing, perfectly in-place short blonde hair, beautiful nails and in excellent condition for a fifty-ish year old woman. I remembered her saying she’s lived several thousand years so I guess she looks amazing for a multi-thousand-fifty-year-old.
I knew my mother would throw a fit if I didn’t clean up the spilled lemonade so I used her hand-held nozzle that was already hooked up to the faucet for watering the flowers and bushes to spray the stone patio.
“Thanks for the flowers, Maetha.” I angled the water puddle toward the grass line.
“I thought you’d like them. How are you feeling?”
“Fine.” I finished my clean-up and hung the nozzle back on its hook and then walked over to Maetha and sat adjacent to her in the shade. “Maetha, I had a run-in with a man who called himself Freedom.” I watched her expression for any sign of acknowledgment but saw none. I continued, “He was a telepath and spoke into my mind.” Still nothing from Maetha to indicate recollection; boy, she was a tough nut to crack. “He advised me to stay away from you. Does Freedom have a diamond shard too? Do you have a diamond, Maetha? Should I trust you? And why doesn’t he?”
“You’ll have to come to your own decision whether or not you can trust me.” Maetha took a long drink of lemonade and inhaled deeply. “Not everything bad in this world is evil, and just because something’s good doesn’t make it right. I wasn’t planning on going into this much detail with you but seeing how he has forced my hand, so to speak, I suppose now is the time for you to learn the history of the Sanguine Diamond.
“I’ve been alive for several millennia. I’m actually from present Egypt, Calli. I was born in 2480BCE in the latter part of the fourth dynasty of the old kingdom during King Menkaura’s reign. The great Pyramid of Giza had been completed only about eighty years previous and the Sphinx was new. It was a beautiful time to be alive. It was common knowledge and generally accepted that the pharaohs or kings and different varying priests had the powers of gods. They were the mortal gods of this world delivering the will of the great gods and goddesses and the people bowed down and revered them. However, they were no different than the clans of today with similar powers and abilities.
“The priests learned how to create a stone that would capture the cosmic beams assaulting the planet and contain them within. Like the people of powers today, the ancients only had one power each. The thought of being able to possess all the powers was a tantalizing temptation that ultimately led to their undoing. They created the Sanguine Diamond on the top of the great Pyramid of Giza. Once they had created the most powerful stone, they couldn’t decide who should be the possessor of it. The conflict was made even greater by the fact that anyone who touched it died. They began forcing individuals to attempt to pick up the stone, yet were met with failure every time.
“I was labeled as soulless because the priests couldn’t see into my mind, future, or body. One priest decided that a soulless individual should try to touch the stone, and that perhaps the stone would not be able to kill ‘she who has no soul.’ They were correct. I could hold the stone and not die. I was ordered to take it to the pharaoh, which I did. I thought that would end my involvement at that time, but sadly I was wrong. I was quickly ordered to death because now I was a threat to the safety of the powerful stone. I hid myself to protect my life thinking that it was the best course of action but it only resulted in my family being murdered during the search for me. Out of anger and destitution, I stole the stone and ran away.
“The stone was large, much larger than the one you carried, and looked more like a milky crystal than a diamond, yet the powers emanating from it infused my body the same as you experienced. I felt invincible. The priests found me after a few years and tried to physically remove the stone from my possession; they died and I ran. It took several years for more priests to locate me again. This time I knew they were coming and I knew I would die because I’d witnessed it in a vision, and yet, I allowed it to happen because I felt that it was the only way to stop the endless pursuits. Plus, I’d witnessed in the vision the stone would be destroyed.
“The priests arrived and attempted to withdraw the powers of the stone without touching it. The scene was almost identical to what happened with you and the Death Clan. The priests died, the stone exploded, and a piece entered my chest and I died.” Maetha took a long sip of her lemonade. “Calli, do you remember what I told you following the Death Clan’s destruction?”
“Most of it,” I answered.
“I told you that the diamond had to be delivered by a human, an Unaltered, and that the Death Clan didn’t fathom the significance of it. The reason was because you could not be killed by Healers. The Death Clan didn’t understand the other, even more significant reason their plan would fail; I had relinquished the stone’s ownership to you in Harold Bates’ office and unless you had willingly handed it over to them, they would die in their attempt to ‘steal’ it from you. It wouldn’t have mattered if the Death Clan was actually a group of unaltered humans as long as they were trying to take what you had not given willingly they would have died as well.”
“So you’re saying that if I’d actually handed the diamond to the Death dudes things would have gone differently?”
“No, people of powers cannot handle the stone. If you’d handed the stone over, it would have killed the first person who accepted it. The remaining clan members would not have been able to heal the deceased either.”
“But, wait, I saw in one of my vision outcomes the Death Clan rising up and becoming empowered and murdering many people.”
“What you saw were the repercussions of the Death Clan realizing I’d duped them. If you’d watched that vision play out, you’d have seen their destruction by my own hand. You have a lot to learn about interpreting the visions you see. The Death Clan was always going to be destroyed Calli, but I coupled their end with your beginning. You asked if I have a shard, yes, I have a diamond in my heart. I received mine in the same manner as you.”
I interrupted her. “The diamond shard stopped my heart and killed me, Maetha. If that happened to you too, who healed your heart and brought you back to life?”
“A mysterious being revived me following the priest’s destruction. I don’t know who she was or where she came from but she had far greater powers than I have ever seen. My beliefs of the time labeled her as the goddess Isis. Isn’t it interesting how our culture and belief systems can influence our minds? She gathered the pieces of the stone and divided them into twenty equal sized pieces and instructed me on the will of nature, charged me with maintaining a balance forever. She instructed me to seek out candidates who would also respect the will of nature and empower them with one of the Sanguine Diamonds. The man who refers to himself as ‘Freedom’ was one of my choices; he and I do not see eye to eye. Freedom lost the desire to continue being an agent to the will of nature and has gone rogue.”
“The mysterious woman, where did she come from? Have you seen her since?”
“I don’t know much about her and yes, I’ve seen her a few times in my lifetime.”
“So, there were twenty-one pieces all together, right? Freedom has one, you have one, I have a piece of one, but where are the others?”
“The other stones are in Unaltereds around the globe. Each has a duty or responsibility and we are all interconnected mentally because all our diamonds came from the same stone.”
“I’m connected to other Unaltereds?”
“Not yet, you only have a fragment in you.”
“Are you saying I will eventually have all the shards inside me?”
“Yes. I mentioned this after the Death Clan’s destruction. I told you that once the splintering takes place, no one can halt or change the future of the diamond. Now, think about the possession aspect I mentioned. The diamond recognized you as its owner and reacted viciously to the attempted hijacking of its powers. When it exploded, it killed you, thus releasing your possession of the stone pieces, except for the one in your heart. Once you were revived, the shard was once again in your possession; the other pieces were in limbo. At that moment, any unaltered person could have picked them up and taken possession; luckily, I was the only Unaltered around. I picked them up one at a time and encased each piece in an amulet that can be worn by people of powers. So long as the shard is never broken out of the casing it doesn’t pose any threat to people of powers. But, if two or more shards are brought together in too close of proximity, they will try to hook together like magnets. If you push magnets together from a distance, they will jump toward the other when they get close enough. If that happened with two amulets, the shards will break their casing.
“The shard in your heart is protected by your body. You can be around people of powers and they can touch you and not die, but if you get too close to too many of the shards, some fireworks will go off.” She winked with the last comment.
“So, what happens when a Diamond Bearer dies?”
“The next Unaltered to touch the stone will own it. Technically, you died and the scattered shards belonged to no one. If I hadn’t brought you alive, the diamond shard in your heart would have been up for grabs too.”
“Someone died and their stone was given to me, am I correct?”
Maetha was genuinely shocked by my question. “A very good friend of mine removed his diamond for the purposes of annihilating the Death Clan.”
“What’s his name?”
“His name was Gustave.”
“He died?”
“Calli, Diamond Bearers live until they’re decapitated or their heart is separated from their body.”
“He willingly removed his heart?”
“Yes.”
“Wow! The diamond I carried came from the inside of a man named Gustave? The piece inside of me right now—”
“Gustave was a relative of yours, Calli, and he approved of my selecting you to carry his diamond.”
What a humbling revelation! “Are the Diamond Bearers immortal, Maetha?”
“No, we could be killed if we stopped paying attention to our surroundings and future constantly. When you had the whole stone on your chest didn’t you feel the power of awareness flowing through you?”
“Yes, I spoke telepathically with Chris and had a vision of my own future. It was at that point I realized I wasn’t going to die through all of it.”
“I placed the diamond in the pouch for protection from Freedom. I’d envisioned the capture of the stone and realized I needed to protect it from Freedom’s awareness. He set the situation in motion two hundred years ago when he taught the Death Clan how to feel inside the body and how to manipulate healthy tissue. Prior to that incident, he’d sided with a different group of Healers teaching them how to pull the life essence from people.”
“The Vampires?”
“They were referred to as such but looked as normal as you or I. A diamond was harvested from a Diamond Bearer and one of your relatives was used in the same way as you for the Death Clan. Some day you’ll meet him.”
I was excited to meet him along with all the other Diamond Bearers. “So, Freedom has been running amok for a while now?”
“Yes.”
“Why don’t you just read his mind or look for his future and put a stop to him?”
“It doesn’t work that way with a Diamond Bearer. Calli, you learned how to maneuver through mind-block walls and shocked more than a few people. The Readers were amazed the most by that. What you did was enter the mind in an angled fashion different than regular mind readers use; of course, yours is different because your power source comes from the diamond.”
“Can’t you break through his walls like I did with the Readers?”
“You didn’t break through walls you found the holes and gaps and entered through them. Imagine a game of checkers. All the disks are placed on black squares and can only move on black squares. You know the rules for checkers like when you can jump or when you can’t; one of those rules is you always move at an angle on the black squares, never on the red. Imagine that you haven’t moved any of your checkers but your opponent is trying to be kinged. He must get to the last row but is blocked and cannot get through. If you got down at eye level to the game board, your checkers would appear to be in a straight line, not a zig-zag pattern. This is how a mind block is seen by Mind Readers; a straight wall. But Diamond Bearers have the bird’s eye view and can play on both the black and red squares. We are able to reach the back row because everyone else only has blocks set up on the black squares. We move diagonally on the red squares and enter through the blocks. However, Diamond Bearers can set up blocks on their red squares too, but not to keep the Mind Readers out, because they can’t read our minds anyway, but to keep other Diamond Bearers out.
“This is the reason I exercise extreme caution when selecting a bearer. I need to be certain you’ll be a good agent of nature before ever giving you the diamond. I know once you have all the pieces of your stone and have learned how to block completely I won’t be able to enter your mind. I, along with the other Diamond Bearers, will be able to sense where you are at all times but won’t be able to read your mind if you don’t want it to be read. Freedom has found a way to prevent all communication from the other Diamond Bearers. He has figured out how to be ‘invisible’ in a sense. We cannot track his location all of the time. We cannot see his future either. The day he appeared to you, he resurfaced momentarily. I bi-located to his location, outside your mother’s clinic, and watched him communicate with you and then turn and walk away.”
I was amazed to hear her say this. “You were there? I didn’t see you.”
“I wasn’t there to be seen. I had a fix on Freedom and I needed to follow him. My eyes held onto his physical form but I could no longer track him using the diamond’s power; he’d gone ‘invisible’ again. Being able to see him but not feel him confused me greatly. I knew I must alert the others.”
“What do you think he’s using or doing to hide from you?”
“I don’t worry so much about the logistics of his ability to block us as much as I worry about his reason. The ‘why’ is much more disconcerting. Freedom disagrees with my choices and feels life on this planet should play out chaotically with disasters and illnesses keeping the population under control. However, that would also mean people of powers would rise up and rule the rest, as in my early days, and the Unaltered blood line would have ended during the Black Plague in 1348.
“The Diamond Bearers chose not to eradicate the plague because it would have been in direct violation with nature. The world’s population suffered a huge hit but without it the planet would be overrun with humans right now. However, Freedom, his wife and two children were infected and were going to die. I stepped in and healed Freedom and his oldest, a son, to keep the bloodline going. Freedom was to be the next Diamond Bearer and his son would continue the line. There was nothing to indicate to me that Freedom would stray from the path of nature, but once he became a Diamond Bearer and learned what I had done, his true nature surfaced.
“His son lived a full life and had several children, the first of which was Unaltered thus passing down the gene to continue the line. In Freedom’s mind, the good thing I did was not right, and as his son aged the more it angered him. The fire was fueled with the deaths of his grandchildren and his great-grandchildren. Freedom feels I took away his choice, I forced him into this immortal state against his will; in essence, he’s right. This is something you’ll need to wrap your mind around, Calli. Your present family will die before you. Your future family will die before you, and some because of you. But the first born from every generation will be protected and guarded, placed on the ready, should any be needed in the way you were needed.”
“So, is every Diamond Bearer a descendant of yours?”
“Almost.”
“Am I?”
“Yes.”
“So you’re like my great, great, great, great…how many greats?”
“Three-hundred generations.”
“You’re the greatest grandmother ever! How is it you’ve kept your existence a secret? I mean, you and all of the other Diamond Bearers. Why didn’t Mrs. Winter know about you, or Chris, or the Death Clan for that matter? We have ancient Greek mythology stories, Bible stories, even King Tut stories, but no Diamond Bearer stories.”
“You are comparing the lives of twenty-one individuals to entire empires and civilizations; of course you’ll have stories about them still surviving in this day and age. A small handful of people, regardless of their powers and abilities, slip through the cracks of time; besides, those grand iconic stories you mentioned are just fun bedtime stories told and retold to the point of becoming myths. The real stories behind the myths are much more interesting, trust me. How have we kept our existence hidden? We stay out of sight for our own preservation.”
“Once I have all the shards inside me I’ll be able to communicate with the other Diamond Bearers, right?”
“Yes, and they with you.”
“When will that happen?”
“When I know with a certainty you won’t become another Freedom. Do you have any other questions at this time, Calli?”
“You’re leaving? Will I be able to communicate with you? I thought you were bringing Beth and that I’d be learning how to spot auras? What do I do in the meantime?”
“Yes, I’m leaving. I have other pressing business to attend to. In the meantime you need to practice meditation. Learn how to control your mind; learn how to bring yourself to a place of neutrality. As far as communication, I will come to you when the time is right. Until then, try to find your place in nature. Keep current with the world’s news and you may be able to spot our interventions.”
“Do I have to go back to school? I mean, honestly, what’s the point?”
“As your greatest grandmother, I’m telling you to finish school.”
“Going to pull that card, are you? Alright. What about my parents? Should they know what’s going on with me?”
“Not yet; all in due time.”
“Maetha, what do you know about the Shadow Demons?”
“They are the consequences of using a diamond to wipe out a group of Healers.”
“So, they are the dead Healers?”
“Yes, their desire for power holds them to this world. That’s also why they only go after people of powers.”
“Can’t we get rid of them?”
“Oh, there have been attempts to do so throughout the years, but so far nothing has been successful. All we’ve come up with is how to push them back with light. I am of the mind that they live in an alternate dimension with our darkness being their windows. They are not present in all dark corners of the world, only those where they can smell the powers in existence.”
“Yeah, I’ve figured that out already. You said they are the consequences of using a diamond to wipe out a clan of Healers. Is there another way to wipe out clans without using a diamond?”
“Our group of twenty-one ‘Immortals’ can kill any group of Healers. But when we do, it only sparks the development of many more immortality-seeking Healers. Basically, we end up making more work for ourselves when we reveal our powers. In this current world we live in, it’s downright dangerous for us to step out of the shadows. Governments would love to capture us and find out what keeps us alive. We have enough trouble with the government as it is; we certainly don’t need them trying to find Immortals to boot.”
“I’m going to find a way to eliminate the Demons, Maetha.”
“Calli, I believe you will try, but I don’t see it in your future.”
“Well, things can change.”
“Yes, they can. For now, I want you to try to enjoy your childhood, enjoy your youth.”
I couldn’t help myself from laughing. “What? Are you serious?”
“I’m completely serious. You need to go out with your friends and go on dates with the young men.”
“I’m not interested in any of the boys around here.”
“Calli, I’m not telling you to forget about the vision you saw concerning Chris, I’m simply telling you to broaden your horizons and experience life for what it is. You have several years before fate intervenes; get out there and be a kid.”
“I don’t know. I’ll try but I’ve never really fit in.”
“That is the purpose behind my encouragement. You need social interaction to learn how to blend in better, to learn the social conventions of the age, to keep up with the trends. Before you knew how old I really was would you have been able to guess that I wasn’t from ‘your’ time?”
I shook my head.
“Some of the other Diamond Bearers are not as cultured and up to date with the world and they are actually handicapped by their refusal to press forward with advancements. I don’t want that to happen to you and social interaction on the basic level is the first step to staying current.”
“Alright. I’ll hang out a little more.”
“Good. I’ll visit you again down the road.”
She left me sitting in my chair under the giant umbrella pondering everything she’d revealed. What would it be like to be Maetha and watch the world change and evolve over her lifetime? What would it be like in my own lifetime? Even if I only lived five-hundred years, what kind of changes and advancements would I witness? The idea boggled my mind and I put it out of my head. The issue of hanging out with other kids my own age had my stomach in knots. I simply didn’t relate with the kids from my school and the other day at the mall with Suz was proof enough of that.
Chapter 4 - Brand New Power
I’ve gone out several different nights looking for the Shadow Demons but found nothing in all the places I’ve looked. I’d like to investigate them further but how can I when they’re nowhere to be found?
School will be starting soon, thank God; I’m tiring of Suz constantly whimpering about Brand and why he won’t pay her any attention. I’ve tried on multiple occasions to read his mind only to be perplexed at the mess he has inside his mind. Looking for his future is worse; I don’t quite know how to describe what I see. For one thing, I can’t actually see what he’ll do next because there are too many possibilities of where he’ll go. Never before have I actually seen possible outcomes in someone’s future; I just see their future. Needless to say, Brand has become my new project because I don’t like things I don’t understand.
School has been in session for one week now and everything is just as I left it in the Spring; no one pays me any attention. Even the teachers look right past me to the point I’m beginning to wonder if Maetha has something to do with this; but I’m torn. I don’t care for attention, yet I’m missing it—somewhat.
In my English class, Brand sits on the other side of the room surrounded by girls who are all doe-eyed and stumbling over themselves to win his affection. I just don’t understand it! He’s not even that good looking! Recently I heard he has a different girlfriend just about every day, yet everyone keeps vying for his attention. An even more confusing fact is the girls he dumps still like him.
Today, I’m even more confused. It would almost appear that Brand can read minds. As I sat in the cafeteria at lunchtime, I had a clear view of Brand as he charmed his table of girls. He looked at each girl and told them what their favorite colors were. Then he pointed around the table and named off their favorite movies. It was a sickening display. I checked to see if he was a Reader; no, he’s not.