Macey's Missing: Taber Blood II

Chapter 2

It was as if everything, including time, stopped waiting for David to respond. He hesitated because sharing his thoughts could cause unnecessary turmoil. Besides, David suspected Macey would never return home, and that drove his fear. He missed his wife, plain and simple. David didn't have substantial evidence to prove anything beyond the fact they were dealing with a female boss of the dead. Contingent upon whether a few low-level demons were telling the truth. 

All eyes were on David. He took a deep breath and glanced downward. "I participated in an exorcism while in Rome."

"Who invited you to an exorcism?" Jared said.

'An old friend. He is a priest."

"Just get to the part about Macey being the queen bee of the underworld," Brenda said. She threw her hands on her hips. "Because I don't believe it."

"And you shouldn't," David said. "As the exorcism took place, the voices of demons were everywhere. They said they must take the girl to their queen. That's all I have to report." 

"You think it's mom," Jared said.

Their family survived every battle. Courage and smart moves helped, but the foundation of success is their honesty and dependability on each other. David considered Jared's question. Yes, the thought of Macey being a leader in the underworld did enter his thoughts, so he said, "It did cross my mind." 

The blunt truth had the effect David knew would come. Jared found a chair, plummeted, and slumped his shoulders. He shook his head while staring at the floor. David, Eddie, and Brenda waited in silence. Jared said, "You think my mother could do such a thing?" He stood and faced David with a balled fist, waiting for an answer.

David reached for Jared's shoulder, but Jared slapped his hand away, causing David to jump back and raise his arms in defense. "I've thought of every possible scenario. Your mother, the Macey we know, would not do such a thing."

"You're suggesting mom isn't the same?" Jared's jaw twitched, bicep muscles bulged. Over time Jared gained significant strength. Eddie and David thought it supernatural. However, they haven't revealed their suspicions. Looking at Jared, they may have to share their secret soon. "Mom, couldn't. She wouldn't do that."

Truth? Not one of them knows what happened to Macey. All of them are holding on to the Macey they knew years ago, and she may not be the same. Who knows what she's experienced during the last several years? 

David and Eddie glanced at each other. "Right, right," David said. "We'll assume Macey isn't the queen bee as Brenda describes it."

Jared squeezed his fist tighter, face red. "Assume?" His chest rose and sunk. In his view, Macey can never change. She's the hero who saved him from death when he was just a lad. A mother who gave her all to protect her son. She traveled back in time to burn the evil witch, Evalena, ending the life curse on his family. Like David, without Macey, they would not have succeeded. "My mother is a legend. Legends don't change. They die fighting for their beliefs." As soon as he said it, he choked. 

"Jared, your mom is not dead. She can't be," Brenda said. "She's not queen bee of the dead either." 

David knew he was treading on the edge of death. If Jared unleashed the supernatural powers David and Eddie suspected lay dormant within him; they'd all suffer. "Jared, I don't know what I am thinking lately," David chanced an explanation. "I miss Macey. I want her back."

"We all do," Eddie said, to help David because Jared's glare expressed deep anger. 

They've lived their lives with one purpose since Macey disappeared. Each had their own goal to achieve their end, which was to bring Macey back home. Jared's took on another meaning, as in superpowers. But he doesn't know that yet. Eddie and David assumed losing his mother sped up the process of becoming a supernatural force, his calling all along. 

Jared didn't say anything for a long while before saying, "We have to discuss all possible scenarios and plan how to handle each."

"And battle the creatures who will try and stop us," Roxanna said. 

They all turned to face Roxanna. "How is your headache?" David asked.

"It's dulled. I couldn't rest. There's too much happening." Roxanna joined them in a circle. The first thing we need to discuss is Jared." 

Jared glanced at her, still fuming over the idea of his mother leading the evil underworld. "Me? Why?"

Roxanna faced Jared, "Jared, you are developing supernatural powers."

Eddie and David looked at each other, then back at Roxanna. Roxanna nodded her head at them, "These two didn't know how to tell you. Haven't you noticed your muscles?"

Brenda said, "I have." Her face turned red, and she took a couple of steps back. She did notice but for a different reason. 

Jared gazed down at himself, "I've been working out a lot. What do you mean superpowers?" 

"We're not sure yet," David said.

"At night, your powers appear while you're sleeping. You sleepwalk, float over your bed, and talk, Eddie said.

Jared scowled, "How do you know?'

"Don't be mad. I sit by your side," Eddie said. "In beast mode. Somehow your new powers alert my instincts. We think your powers are coming to the surface because something bad is coming our way."

Jared walked over to his Aunt Sarah's portrait, "Or, perhaps I'm destined to bring my mother home." Sarah's ghost hasn't appeared since his mother went through the portal. He's always hoped they were together.  Aunt Sarah's eyes were identical to his and Uncle Eddie's. Eddie put his hand on Jared's shoulder and gazed at Sarah's portrait. 

"Why hasn't Sarah come back?" Jared asked. "Did something bad happen?"

"She'll return when we need her," Eddie said. But, inside, he wondered if Sarah was with Macey because Macey needed her more. 

Jared stared at Eddie with pleading eyes. "What are my new powers?" 

"We'll learn it together," was all Eddie said. 

"All of us," Brenda said from behind them. 

"Ok, we can talk more over dinner," Roxanna announced. "We do not have a butler, and the other staff has gone home. Whose helping in the kitchen?"

"I would love to help," David said, wanting to create distance from Jared until he cools down.

Eddie joined them, "Me too."

The three left the foyer, leaving Jared and Brenda behind. Brenda stood next to Jared. Their shoulders were touching, "You noticed my muscles."

Brenda felt herself flush. "So did everyone else."

Jared leaned into her, ready to kiss, when she said, "I've never kissed a boy."

Jared smirked, "I know." He leaned closer. Lips close to touching hers.

Brenda backed away, "Wait, what do you mean, you know? Have you been spying on me?"

"I wouldn't call it spying. I see you everywhere." He's telling the truth. He somehow sees Brenda in her classroom, at the mall, or the dentist. His visions of her started months ago. At first, he thought it was daydreaming because he couldn't stop thinking about her. One of his so-called daydreams involved Brenda dumping a soda on a classmate's lap. While eating dinner the same day, he learned Brenda did pour soda on the student because he called Jared a freak. 

"I got your back," Brenda said at the time. 

They stood silent, each considering what Jared's new powers meant.  

"Maybe there is something bad coming," Brenda whispered. 

"What's worse than losing my mom?" 

"Honestly, nothing compares. I miss Macey too." Brenda grasped Jared's hand. "We'll find her together."