The Holding Station (Rivercreek Crossing Book 2)

Chapter 4

Reese was ready to go home. She felt fine except for the odd hyper acuity she was experiencing as she recalled that day at the cemetery. Why was she remembering it all of the sudden? She tried to block it from her thoughts so she could focus on her present situation.

She was anxious for her dad to bring her a change of clothes, but he was busy making funeral arrangements for Mrs. Caldwell. He promised to come by in a couple of hours and sounded genuinely happy that Reese was doing so well.

She recalled the team of doctors who had visited with her an hour ago and had vocalized their amazement of her progress. Although they had disconnected her from the machines and the IV drip, her charge doctor wasn’t ready to release her yet. He was nervous she was having a delayed reaction to her trauma or would develop an infection at her surgical site. Reese could tell he didn’t believe that she was doing as well as she claimed. She figured by now there was a pull going in the doctors’ lounge as to how long she would be before having a medical setback. But she couldn’t be concerned with their confusion and disbelief. She had things to do. Besides it kind of freaked her out that she wasn’t in major discomfort.

She stopped pacing her hospital room long enough to call her office. She wanted to collect any voicemail messages and was surprised when Lucy answered the phone. She was touched by the girl’s kindness as Lucy explained she had rescheduled all of Reese’s appointments. They talked for a couple of minutes about each other's condition but not about what happened. Reese got the feeling that Lucy wanted to pretend it never happened. After hanging up with her, Reese tried Paul on his cell phone but he didn't answer. She was disappointed and didn't bother leaving a message. She had a horrifying thought that maybe he was in police custody for shooting Gregory. She needed to get out of the hospital and as soon as her father came with her change of clothes, she was leaving.

She was about to go for walk in the hallways when that girl Demi barged into her room with another girl about her age. The other girl seemed frazzled and kept looking behind her.

"Come on Demi," the girl said in a hushed but urgent tone.

"I know, I know," Demi answered as she held out a small black velvet bag with a drawstring toward Reese.

Reese kept her hands to her sides. She liked the girl although she didn’t really know her, but she had no desire to get caught up in whatever antics the pair was up to.

Demi grabbed Reese's wrist and shoved the bag into her hand. The look in her eyes was that of desperation. "Please take it. They are coming for me and they can't find it."

Reese looked at the bag in her hand, flipping it over to see both sides. There was an embossed pentagram on each side. "What is it?" She asked, not sure she really wanted to know.

"It's an amulet and they can't get their hands on it," Demi answered.

"Who were they?" Reese asked, looking beyond the girls, half expecting to see a throng of sentient goblin beings charging them.

"Just hide it and I will come and get it when it's safe," Demi said as she stole a quick glance behind her just as her friend was doing the same thing. Although the girls were similar in height, the friend had unkempt mousy brown hair and was a little chunky. She wore braces and her clothes were too blousy for her - probably an attempt to hide her weight. But her facial skin was flawless and bright, the kind that evil stepmother queens would kill for in fairy tales.  

"How will you know where to find me?" Reese asked Demi.

Demi looked back at Reese with the typical teenager look of "well duh.”

The other girl hurriedly patted Demi's arm and said, "I have to go. They'll know something is up if they see me here."

Demi turned to her friend and hugged her. "Thank you so much Sabina for bringing it to me."