She had to have anticipated my question, but I asked it anyway, “Why me?”
“Because of your potential, Lauren. He targeted you because he too sees what you are capable of, as well as your untapped potential.”
Questions started forming in my mind, and I could see her reaction as she heard them.
She began answering before I was able to speak them aloud. “The Council has had many names over the years. We do not interfere with the population. We do not wish to impact anyone’s destiny, as lives are mapped, and challenges are selected from each person’s beginning. Although some people select very difficult lives, many ultimately require a small nudge in the right direction. That is where we come in. Many times we are that voice of reason, or a conscience when someone has to choose a path for their life. We have been called guardian angels, we are seen as kind strangers, we have been many things to many people.”
“So you are my guardian angel?” Astonished at the thought, I was disappointed to see her shake her head.
“Lauren, it is not like that. I do not watch over you per se. But an evil so vile attacked you that it altered your course in life. It was not supposed to exist, it was not supposed to attack you. Because the Council was unaware of the Beast’s existence, it was allowed to feed from you and change your path. I will stay with you and watch you, not because I have wings or have been sent from anywhere – I am with you because we cannot permit that evil to attack again. It was unsuccessful in extinguishing you – it views you now as a threat, rather than an accomplishment. I warn you, Lauren, the Beast will return.”
Horror gripped me from the inside out. My stomach knotted as her words sunk in, “He’s coming back for me?”
Chapter 3
Rewsna nodded. This time you will be prepared; this time you will be ready. The Beast will not be able to take you by surprise again, and when he faces you head on, you will have the power of the Council supporting you.” Her words of encouragement did nothing to unknot the fear I felt. She must have felt now was not the right time to go into the details of exactly how. She had given me enough of a warning that I knew the hardest part was far from over.
Rewsna and I spent the rest of her visit on subjects that were far less frightening. We talked about the weather, about my rehabilitation, about stocks and bonds (her idea, not mine). We talked about everything under the sun except this evil Beast. Being clairvoyant must be a real asset because as soon as our conversation changed from general topics to impending doom, she must have known I was ready to shut down. She quickly changed the subject to nothing important and kept on talking.
It isn’t that I wasn’t interested in this beast thing - I think it was just too much to process. She avoided the whole subject of Max, too. It isn’t like she didn’t know about him. She knew all about him before we ever met: she knew how he used to visit me in my dreams telling me about our destiny together. But having now been awake for weeks with no word from Max, I was appreciative that she avoided mention of him.
Shortly after Rewsna departed, my friend Rachael stopped by to see me. My brother Steve made an appearance on his way home from work. Seth stopped by with a vase full of flowers. Conversation with each of them was easy, and they were as insightful as Rewsna by not asking if I’d heard from Max yet.
The next morning I looked at my wheelchair and started to reach for it when it hit me, it wouldn’t do me any good, and I wouldn’t get out of here any faster by taking it easy. I shoved the wheelchair out of the way and reached for the walker that was placed on the other side. Balancing the best that I could with part of my weight on the table, I extended my arm and pulled the walker to me. Up until now I had only used it a few times just to steady myself from the wheelchair to the parallel bars. Today was a new day. I was going to see Max soon, really see him – not some phony dream. When I did, I would be on my own two legs. I stood up from my bed and started making my way out of my room. I got as far as the doorway and could see a chair ten feet down the hall. Though my legs ached both from doing nothing for a couple years and from the physical therapy I’d been going through, I was sure I could shuffle through the ache.
I made it to the chair and sat down. Collapsed into the chair might be a better description. The blood rushing to my feet was an awkward sensation. There were so many things, little things that I had taken for granted, I actually found myself pleased with this minor accomplishment. I sat in the chair for at least ten minutes. Looking further down the hall and another twenty feet away set an identical chair to the one I was seated
