Chapter 6

Sitting up in Phillip’s bed Chloe shields her eyes from the glaring midday sun drifting in from the half closed curtains.  Rubbing the night from the crevices of her eyes she rolled out of bed stumbling as her body was recovering from the strain of the night before.

     Straitening her hair and swatting out the wrinkles of her clothes she sat pondering the horrible events that seem to have followed her ever since she came to this town.

     Lost in her thoughts she was pulled from them as the hairs on the back of her hair raised and she turned to the door of the room to find Phillip standing stiffly slightly inside the door. She immediately tensed up remember their last encounter.  

     “Oh, Phillip, I didn’t hear you come in. How are you doing today?” She searched his eyes for the hunger that had terrified her the night before she let out a sigh of relief and found the same usual color and warmth stare.

     “I slept very well my dear and how about your night? Sorry you had to sleep in my room but I am better and we can swap back now.”

     “Wait Phillip, you can’t seriously believe that I am simply going to let this go? What the hell was following me last night? Why did you have me run? Why did your eyes and skin change blue and now they are back to normal? What is going on Phillip?” The sudden rush of words made her feel relieved and she had a strange feeling like she was suddenly freed.

     Phillip just stood there silent and seemingly intensely concentrated with staring her directly in the eyes. Angry at his silence and taking it as a refusal to bear the truth Chloe stood from the chair and placing her hands on her hips she glared back at him her chin raised in defiance.

     Phillips eyes seemed as if they were fading back to the icy blue from the night before and he shook his head, closing his eyes. When he reopened them they were the full caramel brown again but he had a confused look on his face. He walked over the short distance to Chloe and laid a single hand on her naked hand and once again made eye contact.

     “Chloe I don’t know...”

     “Oh know you don’t.” Interrupting his words and taking a step back so she was out of his range. “I am not settling for this crap again. You have me here feeling like I am going mad. Thinking that all these things that have been happening have been my own mind playing tricks on me. I really thought I was going crazy, and why, because you have been placing a spell or something on me.”

     Her anger was growing more and more as she found her words for the first time since she had met him.

     “Do you think me to be such a simple minded girl that you could just toy me along in this sick twisted game of yours? Well I have bad news for you, I am not.  I am on to your game and I want an explanation.”

     She stood there, her hands had dropped down to her side and she had them tightly clinched into fists. This time it was Chloe staring Phillip straight in the eyes demanding he explain everything.

     Phillip just stood there, abandoning his staring for a look of shock and disbelief. She could see his emotions much clearer through his caramel eyes now as if the protective layer of color no longer worked on her.

     With a sigh and his apparent resignation showing in his slacked shoulders Phillip walked over to the mess of his bed and sat down running a hand through his hair.

     “Chloe I can’t explain everything to you right now. If I attempted I am afraid I would only succeed in confusing you or giving you the impression that I am insane.”

     “Well I am sorry Phillip but that won’t work for me. I don’t even know what to think any more but we just cannot go on like this anymore. I think it may be best if I just returned home and end this crazy vacation of mine.”

     Phillip was standing in front of her all of a sudden and she almost tripped on herself as she took a step back. He took her hand in his and for the first time looked at her without attempting to put his spell on her. The fear she saw in his eyes startled her and stirred an emotion that she couldn’t quite understand.

     “Please, let me take you to someone who can explain Chloe. They can tell you everything and answer all your questions. Yes, I am different and yes I have been trying to shield you from this other life that many don’t see. For some reason you are drawn to it and I cannot explain why. You are special to me and I need you to trust me. I promise it’s a short trip and if you still chose to cut your vacation short I will understand.”

     Chloe stood silent for a moment staring at the floor and pondering his words. She could go with him and most likely something terrible was going to happen to her again or she could get on the next train for home. Somehow she knew that she was not going to be tricked again, by Phillip, into forgetting but she was not sure if he was taking her to someone more powerful who could or if he was finally being honest to her. Something inside her wanted to trust him and believe him and she felt like an idiot.

     “Fine, I will trust you this last time. Where are we going?”

     The joy that radiated from him was her silent confirmation that she had made the right decision.