Jacques ... her thoughts traveled to her dog. Where was he?
Coralie's mind raced as she tried to recall if she had heard him
since she'd been home. She'd been so wrapped up within the
'butterflies' in her stomach that she couldn't remember hearing him
bark, growl, or whine.
All of the sudden, something did
trigger a memory. The feeling... The feeling she felt when she and
Court had gotten out of the car.
Something felt wrong. Something felt
strange. Strange, like someone was … watching. Watching her ...
Could someone have been there?
Watching her? Could they have waited until Court left her?
Alone?
She walked slowly to the door, and
peered out of the side light panel windows.
Strange, Coralie thought to
herself. There was absolutely nothing in the darkness. Nothing. No
one. Not even a sign.
Coralie started to back away from the
door, but she heard another knock, startling her again.
She walked back to the door and
cautiously began to open it, nervous as to what may be on the other
side. She swallowed hard, pushing her fears aside, and opened the
door about the width of her own body. The light from the foyer only
illuminated a fraction of the body that stood before
her.
Tall. Wide-Framed.
Dark.
Coralie felt fear catch in the pit of
her stomach, as she began trying to pull some sort of recognition
of the being that stood in front of her.
* * * * *
Beep. Beep.
“You got a sec?” Criston heard, as
soon as she plucked her phone from her back pocket and answered
it.
“Well, Brother, I'm actually a little
busy right now,” she said, gripping another side of timber and
hoisting herself onto the rafters.
“Just give me enough time for you to
listen – I've got an idea...”
“Try not to hurt yourself
–”
“I'm being serious –”
“Okay, go on if you
must...”
“Coralie has NO idea who she really is
... but I think that I can help...”
“Court, you need to leave this to the
Colliers, don't you think? She is their daughter.”
Cutting his sister off abruptly, Court
blurted out, “And she's also the –” He paused, taking a breath to
calm himself.
“What?”
“Forget it – I'm going to tell her. I
can't wait on the Colliers... they are dragging their feet too
much, plus... it's getting dangerous...”
“But –”
“But nothing – with her not knowing
who she really is, her life is in danger ... Coralie's existence
could be jeopardy! I can't just sit back and watch it
happen...”
“But Court, doesn’t she have
–”
“It’s not enough - I must protect
her!”
“Okay, okay … settle down … Look, I
just got word from Dad –”
“I know –”
“Of course you do … you just keep me
posted on what you want to do, and I'll try my best to help in any
way I can.”
“Thanks, Sister...”
“Hey, no problem … it's my duty,
right, Brother?”
Smiling, letting out a muffled
snicker, he replied to his sister's inside joke. “Right
–”
Chapter 15
“Hello? Can I help you?” Coralie asked, trying
to cover the uneasiness in her voice.
The tall, dark, figure took a step
closer, allowing the light from the foyer to illuminate him. The young man smiled, his dark eyes shining like black pearls.
“Yes, I'm sorry to bother you, Miss, but I am looking for Professor
Collier. Is he in, by chance?”
“No, I'm sorry ... but he should be in
any minute, now...” Coralie answered, looking around
apprehensively.
“I apologize – I must have startled
you, with you being here alone...”
“You haven't...”
“Nonetheless, you have my apologies,
if so ... May I introduce myself?”
Coralie nodded, still leery and
untrusting.
“My name is Xavier,” he said, sticking
out his hand. He slowly re-coiled it, when Coralie did not accept
the gesture. Though, his demeanor never changed, he acted as if the
motion had never taken place, and continued. “I'm an intern for
Professor Collier. I had forgotten to run these by his office this
afternoon,” he said, holding
Coralie's mind raced as she tried to recall if she had heard him
since she'd been home. She'd been so wrapped up within the
'butterflies' in her stomach that she couldn't remember hearing him
bark, growl, or whine.
All of the sudden, something did
trigger a memory. The feeling... The feeling she felt when she and
Court had gotten out of the car.
Something felt wrong. Something felt
strange. Strange, like someone was … watching. Watching her ...
Could someone have been there?
Watching her? Could they have waited until Court left her?
Alone?
She walked slowly to the door, and
peered out of the side light panel windows.
Strange, Coralie thought to
herself. There was absolutely nothing in the darkness. Nothing. No
one. Not even a sign.
Coralie started to back away from the
door, but she heard another knock, startling her again.
She walked back to the door and
cautiously began to open it, nervous as to what may be on the other
side. She swallowed hard, pushing her fears aside, and opened the
door about the width of her own body. The light from the foyer only
illuminated a fraction of the body that stood before
her.
Tall. Wide-Framed.
Dark.
Coralie felt fear catch in the pit of
her stomach, as she began trying to pull some sort of recognition
of the being that stood in front of her.
* * * * *
Beep. Beep.
“You got a sec?” Criston heard, as
soon as she plucked her phone from her back pocket and answered
it.
“Well, Brother, I'm actually a little
busy right now,” she said, gripping another side of timber and
hoisting herself onto the rafters.
“Just give me enough time for you to
listen – I've got an idea...”
“Try not to hurt yourself
–”
“I'm being serious –”
“Okay, go on if you
must...”
“Coralie has NO idea who she really is
... but I think that I can help...”
“Court, you need to leave this to the
Colliers, don't you think? She is their daughter.”
Cutting his sister off abruptly, Court
blurted out, “And she's also the –” He paused, taking a breath to
calm himself.
“What?”
“Forget it – I'm going to tell her. I
can't wait on the Colliers... they are dragging their feet too
much, plus... it's getting dangerous...”
“But –”
“But nothing – with her not knowing
who she really is, her life is in danger ... Coralie's existence
could be jeopardy! I can't just sit back and watch it
happen...”
“But Court, doesn’t she have
–”
“It’s not enough - I must protect
her!”
“Okay, okay … settle down … Look, I
just got word from Dad –”
“I know –”
“Of course you do … you just keep me
posted on what you want to do, and I'll try my best to help in any
way I can.”
“Thanks, Sister...”
“Hey, no problem … it's my duty,
right, Brother?”
Smiling, letting out a muffled
snicker, he replied to his sister's inside joke. “Right
–”
Chapter 15
“Hello? Can I help you?” Coralie asked, trying
to cover the uneasiness in her voice.
The tall, dark, figure took a step
closer, allowing the light from the foyer to illuminate him. The young man smiled, his dark eyes shining like black pearls.
“Yes, I'm sorry to bother you, Miss, but I am looking for Professor
Collier. Is he in, by chance?”
“No, I'm sorry ... but he should be in
any minute, now...” Coralie answered, looking around
apprehensively.
“I apologize – I must have startled
you, with you being here alone...”
“You haven't...”
“Nonetheless, you have my apologies,
if so ... May I introduce myself?”
Coralie nodded, still leery and
untrusting.
“My name is Xavier,” he said, sticking
out his hand. He slowly re-coiled it, when Coralie did not accept
the gesture. Though, his demeanor never changed, he acted as if the
motion had never taken place, and continued. “I'm an intern for
Professor Collier. I had forgotten to run these by his office this
afternoon,” he said, holding
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