Palindrome

Memories

For the next days, the only glimpse I got of the Adamsons was when they drove past the café in their car. I wanted to spy on their house but thought better off it. What information could I get out of that? It was a bad idea to try to get in there alone. I could cast a cloak-spell, but somehow I guessed they would be able to pick up on that. Samuel hadn't called me back yet, so that meant he hadn't found out anymore either. I was staring into the air when Paul startled me.

"Hannah, do you mind getting the plates?" I excused myself before I hustled away. I could think at home.

I waved my goodbyes to Paul and Mary before I got up on my bike. As I cycled out from the back of the café, someone was in the way. I hit the brakes and screamed but the person just stood still. Heart hammering in my throat, I wanted to yell at the girl. She just stood there staring at me, hands down her side. "Are you ok? You can't just stand in the middle of the road like that, you know." Her eyes responded first; I saw a glimmer of laughter. With dread, I recognized the eyes. She was beautiful, with long, dark-Brown hair which fell in ringlets down her back.

"Ahh, you're from the Pevensy-house, aren't you?"

The girl, a few years younger than me, smiled in answer. "William and Benjamin talked about you. I wanted to meet you for myself. To see if they'd told the truth." Her voice was like bells. When she walked to the side of the road it was like watching a dancer.

"And what did they tell you?"

I didn't take my eyes off her. The girl took a pack of cigarettes up from her pocket and offered me one. She took one and lighted it when I declined. I wafted away the smoke that blew in my face and waited for her to answer. I tried to get a reading out of her, but I came up blank. There was nothing, she didn't give out any vibes. When I thought about it, neither had her brother. It was only William who had made me feel something. Before I knew it, a vision of him lowering me to the ground flashed in my head. He was tender and I was eager.

"They said you were special. That you were strong." She looked me over like I was a horse she was about to buy. "They also said you were pretty. I don't agree with them on all of those." She didn't mention which one. "Did they?" I smiled at her, sizing her up. I had mountain ash in my pocket, that would halt her if she attacked me, but just momentarily. It would be much easier if I just knew what the hell they were. I straightened, "Well, I am. Special and strong that is." I was better off if she was scared. "What should I say about you if anybody asks?" Her eyes glimmered with laughter, so like her brother. The girl stumped the cigarette and sauntered over to me on her ballerina legs. "You can say I'm all the things you are, and more."

With that she walked out of the alley, she was gone by the time I was out on the street.

At home, I went straight to the library. I'd had a thought there in the alley, something that floated by me, but I wasn't sure if there was any substance to the thought. Many years ago, Samuel had been here with his family, Bridget and I were playing outside, Samuel were with dad in his study. I needed to use the bathroom, so I ran inside. When I got back, I saw them both leaned over the desk where there was an open book. Dad pointed at something, and I heard Samuel say the words "Sons of Adam" out loud. At that moment, Bridget called after me, so I went back to the backyard. I recalled the episode so vividly because of the look on their faces. It was one of the few times I've seen dad scared.

Now, if I could only remember how the book looked like. I went to stand in the same spot I was standing all those years ago. It seemed wrong somehow. I thought about it and lowered myself to the height I was at that age. I closed my eyes and envisioned the sounds and smell of that day. It was summer, the door out was open, I could hear Bridget laughing. There was a smell of food in the air, mom and Sarah, Bridget's mom, was making lunch. Then came the smell of dad's cigar over that, in my mind I peeked out from the door and saw the two men leaning over the desk. Dad smiled to Samuel in response to something he said, but then they both became serious.

"I hope it doesn't happen in our lifetime, and neither our kids. We need to prepare anyway; the signs are too many to ignore."

Samuel nodded, "Show me the passage again?" Dad pointed down on the page, the book was grey-ish, very old. Not big, more like one of the children's books I had in my room.

I opened my eyes, and I was back. With the vision fresh inn mind, I walked over to the shelf. There weren't many books that size. I started on the top left corner and worked my way down. I was nearly at the end when I spotted something that could be it. There wasn't any title on the front but when I opened the fragile pages, there was a small inscription on the second page.

"The Children of Seth-The Prophecies"