The wind intensified and moaned through the ghostly fingers of winter trees that dotted the surrounding slopes. The remains of fires smoldered in the distance like orange embers pockmarking the terrain, and pyres of inky smoke corkscrewed into the night sky.
A screech from above echoed through the hills, and a large black bird soared over the valley and wheeled toward me. I followed the night bird’s flight as it banked and darted downward, and then gasped when it transformed into human form and accelerated away – but not before I saw its face.
Jared’s features, his cobalt eyes burning with intensity and gazing into mine as though the distance between us could be traversed in a blink.
He sped into the distance until he was just a tiny dot against the tapestry of stars, and my throat burned like liquid fire when I screamed.
“Nooooo!”
I started awake and noted that I was breathing hard, as if I’d been running. Cyrus’s furry face stared at me from half a foot away like I’d lost my mind. He shifted on Jared’s jacket and leapt to the floor, indignant at being roused from his slumber.
I looked around the darkened room and regained my bearings. My roommates were out, so my waking from the nightmare hadn’t been witnessed by anyone. I swung my legs off the bed and stumbled to the circular table, where I saw a note in Serena’s neat script.
Lace ~ Going into town for more health food at the pizza parlor. Call if you break free.
I smiled in the gloom. There wasn’t a lot to do at Ridley besides study and wolf down carbs, both of which Serena had embraced. I patted my stomach at the thought of more pizza and made a face on the way to the bathroom to get ready for my night shift on the set.
I set off at a good pace, figuring I would make it with a few minutes to burn. When I got there, I found the set subdued, with none of the flurry of activity of the prior night. I looked around, hoping to see Jared, but only saw a few grips and gaffers going about their business. Alfred was texting on his cell phone near one of the trucks, and I walked over to him. He nodded in recognition and turned to me.
“Evening,” he said. “Calm night. No shooting, so we’ve only got half the crew.”
I frowned. “Why not?”
“Technical issues to work through.” He looked me over. “We probably won’t need everyone here the whole time. I’ll talk to Melinda, but it’s okay with me if you want to bug out once we get started. We’ll just need a few pots of coffee to keep us going.”
“Oh…great,” I said. “Let me know if you need anything.”
Alfred smiled. “Perfect.”
An hour crawled by, and Melinda appeared at my station with one of the other students.
“Casey volunteered to stay to the end if you want the rest of the night off,” she announced. With no Jared in evidence and only two cups of coffee poured since I’d gotten there, I couldn’t see any reason to stay.
As I walked up the path toward the road, I smelled smoke. I slowed when I came upon a man standing near a big motorcycle, a cigarette glowing in his hand. I drew nearer, there being no other way to get to the access road. He was wearing a leather vest over a denim jacket, and a Harley T-shirt and jeans. A pair of black motorcycle boots completed the outfit, along with a baseball cap perched backward on his head.
I glanced around, painfully aware of how deserted the area was. The lights of the shoot were now well in the distance – too far for anyone to hear if I had to scream for help. The man turned from where he’d been watching the set and blew a cloud of smoke at the sky. His teeth glinted white in the moonlight when he grinned, and I could see he wasn’t that much older than me, although a five o’clock shadow and spider tattoo on his neck made him look far more weathered.
“Hey. You snuck up on me there,” he said, his tone friendly.
“Yeah, uh, sorry,” I replied, slowing as I approached where his bike was blocking half the trail.
“You with the movie people?” he asked, indicating the set lights by the auditorium.
I nodded. “Catering.” I paused, thinking fast. “I’m surprised security hasn’t made you move along. This is private property, and they patrol it regularly. There should be another along soon.”
He laughed. “I’m not worried about it.”
“They’re pretty serious, with the movie down there.”
He looked me up and down. “What are you, the cops? Don’t sweat it. I’m not doing anything wrong. Just out for an evening ride.” He flicked his cigarette onto the gravel path and stepped forward to crush it beneath his boot. “Seems pretty dead down there, actually,” he said, indicating the set.
“They’re not filming tonight. Just lining up some shots for tomorrow, I guess.”
I noticed the glint of a silver bracelet above one of his motorcycle gloves. I tried not to stare, but he noticed my interest and grinned again. “What?” he asked.
“Oh, nothing. I mean, your bracelet, is all. It looks familiar,” I explained.
“Yeah?”
“My TA has one like it.”
Another harsh laugh. “Your TA? Not Robert, is it?”
My surprise must have shown, because he held up his wrist so I could better see the bracelet.
“That’s my brother. I’m Victor. Small world, huh?” He extended a gloved hand.
“Lacey. Nice to meet you,” I said, shaking it.
He held my hand long enough for me to feel uncomfortable. He finally released it and chuckled. “So my bro is your TA? Some guys have all the luck.” He eyed me. “You in college? You seem awfully young…”
“I’m a first year here at the academy.”
“Oh. Sure. That’s right.”
I didn’t say anything, hoping my nervousness didn’t show.
