Breathless (The Breathe Series Book 1) Read online

  “Why did my mother send me to a psychologist when I told her I had seen you and why did you disappear when she came into the room?”

  “Devin and his father have been traveling between the seven planets destroying them and every chosen on each planet.” She goes on disregarding my questions.

  “So you’re aren’t going to–” She puts her hand up over my mouth.

  “I’m getting there.” I nod and wait for her to go on. “They have killed all 6 of us.”

  “Wait–”

  “Shh! There are actually seven chosen for the seven different planets and you are number seven meaning you are the most powerful.” My heart drops—I didn’t want to be the most powerful even if I knew how to be. “Seven is the number of completion. Now, I don’t know what crap the Creator has going on or what he has up his sleeve but he chose you for a reason.”

  “What!? How!? I can’t even pass Sudan’s trainings!” I stand to my feet, frustrated.

  “Nora, sit.” She doesn’t look at me. Her voice remains calm. I take the seat in front of her again. “No one asked for this. It’s just something we are destined for. Just hear me out.” Her voice begging. “Devin got to you a lot quicker than he had with any of us. There’s something else,” She drops her head, “You died before too but luckily, it wasn’t by Devin’s hands. You died because you wanted to save Riley from his fate.” She goes on.

  I blink, trying to process my death. “So explain to me, how are we here? Alive?”

  She smirks. “I was waiting for you to ask that.” I roll my eyes. “You know those bullshit stories about when you die, that’s it for you? Well, not quite, whenever someone dies, they’re reborn on the next planet and live their life out. It’s a huge cycle, hence, Déjà Vu. When you have that feeling that you have already been through something, truth is, you probably have on the last planet but since all of us that are Chosen are on this one planet, the cycle is broken. No one can pass to the next realm. Once a Chosen dies from that planet, the planets become inhabitable and all the life force on it, dies. But like I said before, we are just reborn into the next planet—lifetime.”

  “So where do the people go when they die, die? Like, after the seven realms are completed?”

  “That’s the thing we don’t know. There’s so much that we still don’t know.” She searches my eyes.

  “Does this life repeat exactly like the last?” I ask.

  “No, just some things. That’s why you don’t have Déjà Vu about everything.”

  “That makes sense.”

  “You and Riley are always together on every planet except Keuria. Although, you are both from that planet. You spent a lot of time in your dreams together, hoping you two would finally meet. That’s why when you met, you felt that jolt. Those are frequency waves between you two. I don’t know how most of this stuff works but you get the gist.”

  “That’s why I couldn’t stop looking at him when we first met. It was like I already knew him.” I lower my eyes. “And the reason I can’t be with him is because I’ll die for him?”

  “Yes.”

  “What powers do I possess?” I look up to her for the answer.

  “Well, for one, you have the power of vision. Now, there are many types of visions but you must do the research about them on your own and I don’t mean on the internet either.”

  “How?”

  “There’s a book with your tattoo embedded on it.” I focus my eyes past her thinking about the book my mother had locked away in her office. That was mine.

  “I know where it is.”

  “Good, you have to get it soon. It will teach you more about your powers and how to control them.” I nod and wait for her to tell me more. “You also have the power to time travel. Unlike some of us, you can travel between the planets. Only a select few have that power. You only have those powers as of now, the rest will be unlocked soon.”

  “Okay but when.” I whisper.

  She lowers her head, “I can’t say when. I—I don’t know.” She lies. “And you cannot tell anyone who you are. I mean no one.”

  “Right.” I corner my eyes at her.

  “You’re waking up now.”

  “What?” I look back at her.

  “Wake up.”

  “Wake up, Nora.” Her mouth still moving and her voice loud as if it was right there in my ear. “Wake up.” I open my eyes to Devin standing over me wanting me to wake.

  “Hey.” He says smiling at me. I couldn’t move. That lump lodged into my throat. I was afraid of him.

  “Hey.” I choke out.

  “Where’s your necklace?”

  I sit up, looking around my room, “How did you get in here?”

  “Mairi let me in.” Fear snuggles into my stomach even more now that I knew of her and my mother’s betrayal. I try to act as if I was okay with her letting him in.

  “Oh. Where is she anyway?” It was almost 10p.m.

  “She went out with some friends. I’ve been calling you all day. Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine, just tired.” I rub my eyes and yawn.

  “Well, do you mind if I lay with you?” I cut my yawn short as the chills brush over me.

  “The bed is a twin size, Devin, plus Mairi may be back soon.”

  “She won’t be. She said she’ll be out all night.” A pang of worry settles in as I realize he could lay and they could both have the advantage over me while I’m sleeping.

  “Okay,” I agree to let him stay to not raise any suspicion.

  “Scooch.” He crawls into bed smiling. I slide over to the edge of the bed but he pulls back in close to him and snuggle into the back of my neck, breathing down my spine. I just lay there stiff as a board hoping sleep wouldn’t find me tonight.

  28 a dose of him daily

  “I’m terrified but I think I’m more addicted to the ‘used to be’ happiness to even acknowledge that my heart is actually breaking. He’s no good for me but mom, he is so addicting. I’m so strung out on him. I just –” Tears gut the rest of my words as mom stares at me with solemn, swollen eyes.

  “My Creator, Nora. How much weight have you lost? 30 pounds?” She says rubbing my upper arms. What has he done to me? I question myself. I wince as her hands glide over the bruises.

  “I don’t know what to do.” I keep my head down, staring at the tissue in my hands, with my hands rested assured in my lap.

  “Maybe he’s trying. You have to give him some kind of credit.” I cringe. How could she condone someone frightening me? Abusing me?

  I don’t respond to her, instead we remain in silence, eventually clutching one another. She smooths my hair down and I cry on her shoulder. “I know,” she says continuously stroking my hair, “I know.”

  I pull away from her, drying my tears. “I, um, actually came here to talk to you.”

  “Okay, about what?” She asks, not looking into my eyes, instead she looks down at her loose fitting jeans and sandals.

  “What’s Chosen?” Shut up, Nora! I scold myself. Although her head was still hanging low, I could see her bulging eyes widen.

  “I don’t know, baby.” She lies.

  “I need to know, mom.” My voice begs her. She sighs. “Mom please?” I cry. Nora, stop.

  “Nora, I–”

  “Mom, please, Riley could die because of this.” Where did that information come from?

  “Wait, what?”

  “I need to know. I know you know.”

  She sighs again, “follow me,” she says grabbing my hand.

  She’s careful, looking around every corner and making sure we aren’t being followed. Her hair whips in the wind as she moves. I watch her closely and realize that fear has taken her. We walk faster underground into a twisted, drippy tunnel. Our footsteps echo throughout the entire tunnel.

  “Where are you taking me?” I whisper but she doesn’t answer. “Mom!” I whisper louder.

  “Shh, just keep following me.” She tugs at me harder. Oomph!

  “O
kay.” I whisper through grunts.

  “Through here.” She points to a black door. She doesn’t enter first but motions for me to go into the door before her. I hesitate before touching the rustic knob. Why would mom insist I go in first? I look back at her. “Go on.” She contends.

  I slide my fingers across the knob allowing my hand to wrap around it, feeling the bleak coldness of it. I turn it slowly and push the door open with ease. It creaks and squeals as it inches open.

  It’s dark inside. I squint to see something more than the small candle burning in the distance. My eyes fill with tears as I realize I am afraid to know what Chosen actually is, but that doesn’t stop my feet from moving forward into the room. As soon as both feet are over the threshold and my hand is off the knob, the light switches on.

  “Hello Nora.” Devin sits on a throne with a grimaced look.

  I spin to face my mother, “How could you?”

  She laughs sadistically, “How could I what?”

  “You betrayed me! After all, I’ve told you. You’re my mother!” I sob.

  “I am not your mother!” She screams as she slams the door in my face leaving me behind with danger.

  *****

  I don’t gasp or sling myself from the bed after the nightmare, instead I lie there silently with tears streaming down the sides of my face embracing the heart ache. The betrayal of my mother made little sense, but the dream had to be a sign. After all, I had the power of Vision. Was she not my mother?

  I look over to see the right side of the bed empty. Devin had gone and Mairi’s bed was still made. She hadn’t come home. I sit up trying to pull myself together before getting ready to go have a chat with my mother.

  The Call Car pulls into my driveway. I hand him the allowance bits needed for the ride, thanking him and exiting the car. I notice the paved driveway was painted black rather than the white my mother loves. In fact, this entire planet was obsessed with white things; white walls, white furniture, white floors, whites houses—so white that it’s blinding but my mother changed. Her house now painted grey. The logs on the small cabin home transformed from white to grey. The two small windows on either side of the entranceway door had white trimmings painted all around them—the only white on this house. I take one step closer to the home, afraid to enter. I didn’t know who this woman was anymore—correction, I didn’t know her at all. I breathe in deeply preparing myself for what was yet to come. I lift my foot to take another step when a rock flies over to me, smacking me across the face. I gasp in pain, gripping the wound that was now bloody, staining my hands. I look to face my transgressor when I notice, Mrs. Lauren, our neighbor standing there throwing sharp rocks into my direction.

  “Get out of here, girl!” She squeals. “You’re infectious. We don’t want you around these parts infecting our children with infertility.” Her ignorance was much more than bliss.

  “Wh–” Astonished, my words are caught by the other neighbors walking out of their homes with rope in their hands.

  “It’s time, Nora.” Time for what? Nick says to me. My childhood semi-friend. He’s holding the rope with his father who’s cringing at my demise. Nick’s soft grey eyes stare into mine, expressing his sorrow for me. He looks down, away from me to his father who’s coming in closer.

  “Banish her!” Mrs. Lauren screams at Nick and his father. Oh, that. “Let’s banish her.” Her teeth clenched tightly together with hatred, showing her plaque. Her glasses slipping off her nose as she glares into me through the top of them. Her orange-red hair burning in the sunlight.

  “I’m sorry, Nor.” Nick says, following his father, proceeding to tie my hands behind my back. I run to my home but Ed, the guy across the street, grips my wrists, twisting them behind my back. He doesn’t show his remorse for me, he only twists harder, watching me bellow out in pain. I drop to my knees.

  “Where is it!?” Nick’s father comes in closer, scowling in my face. The sun bounces off his bald, sweaty head. His eyes chancy and sinister.

  “Where is what?” I cry.

  “The tattoo of your shame. Where is the infertility tattoo?” I press my mouth shut, not permitting anything to escape it, not even the spit I wanted to spew out into his face.

  Ed twists my arm harder and I cry out, “You heard the man.” He says, “Where is it?” snarling behind me. I feel his hot breath on my ear, almost melting it.

  “I don’t have one.” I lie, wondering when mom would come out to save me. I look over to our home to see the door opening. She steps out of the house, flicking her hand once. Nick and his father fly backwards into Mrs. Lauren who’s still shouting out for my banishment.

  “Let her go, Ed.” Mom smiles sadistically. Ed drops my arm and scuttles over to his home but before he could reach the door, mom clenches her fist tightly, causing Ed to drop to his knees gripping his throat. She continues crushing his windpipe as she walks over to me.

  “Come on, get up.” She grabs me by my arm with her free hand, lifting me from the black pavement. As we reach the door, she drops her hand, releasing Ed’s neck. He gasps for air, sulking at the pain. She opens the door of the house, letting me inside. I fall to my hands and knees, gasping for air, letting the tears fill me.

  “I’m sorry that happened.” She says, coming over to pat my back gently as if I were her pet. “C’mon, let’s get that wound cleaned up.”

  I try not to squint my eyes in anger at her. I watch her as she talks about my father as if he wasn’t good enough. She winces at the emotional “pain” she feels. “… But no matter, I still miss him.” She carries on, patching up the small cut on my face.

  “Mhm.”

  “What’s wrong with you today, Nora?” She asks as if I wasn’t just two seconds away from obliteration.

  “Nothing, just tired.” I roll my eyes trying to down the situation that had just occurred only 20 minutes ago.

  “You sure? You seem distant.” Suspicion arises within her. She reaches out to touch my forehead.

  “I’m fine.” I snap, smacking away her hand before she could press her fingertips firm to my head.

  “Nora!” She exclaims, surprised.

  “What?” I slide away from her onto the small accent seat resting next to the couch.

  “You tell me what’s going on now!” She demands.

  “You know, mom, you’ve always been a terrible pretender. Who are you?” It all gushes out of me with no warning.

  “Wh—what do you mean? I’m your mother.”

  “My mother? Ha! The thing is, mothers don’t keep things from their daughters that could destroy them later. They also don’t give their daughter’s secrets away!” I scowl at her, pointing outside to the angry mob outside our home.

  “What are you talking about? Are you having symptoms again? Are the medications not working anymore?” She reaches out to touch me once more.

  I stand with fury, rushing away from her. “I am not schizophrenic.”

  “Only a schizophrenic would say that, dear.” She chuckles.

  “Well–” I look down trying to think of a comeback. “If I were schizophrenic, you wouldn’t provoke me because I could have an episode. I would be careful if I were you.” I squint at her but the truth was, I knew nothing of this condition. I had no idea of what I was talking about.

  Her mouth twists into a sinister smile. She had obviously bought what I was selling her. She stands to face me. “Fine! Whatever.” She throws the piece of bloody tissue down onto the floor as her demeanor changes. Her white blouse and khaki skirt turns into a tight black dress that revealed her breasts and hugged her hips and thighs. It was almost so tight, I feared it would burst and all of her would leak out of the seams but shockingly, it suited her. Her light tan heels darkened with a color so red, it could have been mistaken for blood. Her nails grew darker and her nude colored lipstick greyed into black. With her lips pursed, she watches for my next move but I just stand there telling myself to back away from her or maybe to run as fast as I could. The tran
sformation of her hooks me and she laughs sadistically. Her face bends and twists. Her flat nose stretches into a longer one, her eyes were no longer brown but now black and piercing into me. She stands there holding out her arms, watching her body stretch and mold into who she really is. Her black hair grows further down her back and curls itself. Astonishingly, she was beautiful.

  “Who are you?” I ask but not really wanting to know.

  “Well, I’m not your mother as you can tell.” She smirks and raises her brow, checking out her own figure. She sighs, “I missed my body.” She rubs her protruding hips.

  “Where is my mother?” Fear settles.

  “Mm, I don’t think you want to know.” She teases, scrunching up her face.

  “Tell me!” I clench my fists.

  She shrugs, “Dead.” It took little for the room to spin and for the ground to fall from under my feet. I hit the floor, clutching my face but even my heartbreak couldn’t move this woman. She laughs again, shaking the walls. With every break and ache I felt, I stood slowly needing to fight against her. She could not win. I lift my hands trying to stop her with an unknown power I may or may not have.

  “Oh no, you don’t.” She lifts her right hand and forces me backwards into a wall knocking the breath out of me. I grunt in pain. “There’s someone expecting you.” She smirks. I look up to her under my brow as she strides over to me, picking me up by my throat. “Sweet dreams,” she says as everything goes black.

  29 supernova

  “The universe could collapse at this very moment and Jeshyria could slip from under us, you know?” I study his eyes.

  “Why are you so weird?” He chuckles and rips off a piece of his pizza slice with his teeth.