Circling Stars

🌟 Chapter 39 🌟

    The talk with mom didn't go well. As I thought it would, it centered on my rapidly approaching wedding. In addition to the objections they'd already registered one more had since been added to the list.

    "Can't you understand why your father and I are concerned?"

    "Yes, but you saw the video. Jasper was defending us," I said flatly. "He's not a violent person."

    "Then what are those bruises I saw on your arms?" Mom wanted to help Sean unpack and had followed us to the room. As I'd taken off my coat the sleeves had ridden up to expose the fruit of my labor. Shirley was too hurt to do much more than watch as Jasper and I traded punches and kicks. Even reducing his speed and strength wasn't enough to spare me from fallout of connecting with his diamond hard skin. It was a price I was willing to pay though.

    "For the last time, Jasper has been teaching Shirley and I how to defend ourselves. You can't learn this stuff without taking a few hits." It took every ounce of self control I had not to shout. Mom freaked when she'd seen the bruises, and I'm not saying that's an inappropriate reaction, but she had damn near called the police, convinced I was being coerced into this marriage. Mom bit her lip. "You can talk to everyone in the Marx's house if you want and they'll tell you the same thing."

    Sean watched us go back and forth from the couch his eyes wide.

    "I will." She walked out leaving the two of us alone.

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    "Look at all the people." Sean said while taking another bite of his ice cream. July 3rd was always busy as people from neighboring small towns converged on ours for the weekend. Some were lured by the great camping and others wanted to see the huge fire work show that shot off from the top of the falls. Jasper and family were celebrating by going on a hunting trip across the border for the weekend. With Brandon gone and Shirley attending a fancy party her mom's company was putting on, it was just me and Sean for the weekend.

    It was almost nine p.m. and still light out though it was beginning to fade. Lots of people shot off fireworks all night, and Sean and I would be heading to the observatory to watch tonight and tomorrow. It was a great vantage point especially since it would most likely be deserted. You needed a pass to get through the gate during off hours, and as I was a prime member of their Astronomy for All Ages community I had such a life time pass. Not that is was a large or prestigious thing to belong too but some of the perks were good.

    "Turn around," I said excitedly. Little kids were lighting fountains in the street and Sean was fascinated. We finished our ice cream then got in the car for the couple mile drive to the observatory.

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    "Are you ever gonna come home?" Sean asked as we spread a blanket on the ground. We had our coats on but would still get cold just sitting here. Especially with the plunging temperatures. Which was why I had brought a heated blanket and cranked it up to the highest setting. Thank God for modern technology.

    "I don't know. I miss you while I'm gone."

    Sean stared as a flash from a firework filled the night sky. "Will Jasper take you away so I'll never see you again?"

    "Of course not."

    "But that's what happens on tv."

    "What kind of shows have you been watching?"

    "The ones where the girls all wear dresses and there are carriages and horses instead of cars. All the girls talk about it getting married and leaving."

    "It's not like that anymore, that was hundreds of years ago. But after summer you know I'll be going to school in Texas. And so will you."

    "I don't want to go back to school," he pouted.

    "It's important. Because I went to school someday I'll be making engines for spaceships."

    "Can you get me on a spaceship?"

    "No. Every person who has ever been a spaceship got to be there because they studied and trained hard." Just then a series of loud fireworks exploded overhead. They were accompanied by another sound I couldn't place. It had been mostly covered by the fireworks and I didn't hear anything after it. I looked around but we were alone. 

    Deciding that I was hearing things, I turned my attention to the skies. It was an unofficial tradition of the town to light as many rockets as possible at the top of the hour. If my watch was right that should be in less than ten minutes.

    As the hour crept nearer I began to feel like we were being watched. It was a slow creeping of ice traveling up my spine, making all my hair stand on end. I turned my head side to side slowly trying to see if I could spot something. None of the shadows moved, the heated blanket around us did nothing to dispel the feeling. Our breathing mingled, cold and white as a multitude of fireworks exploded and I definitely heard something move behind me.

    I jumped up startling Sean as a dark figure plowed into me. My head cracked against the ground. I saw stars and my world momentarily shrunk to nothing but pain. Another figure had a hold of my brother. Sean suddenly went limp in the other attacker's arms and panic filled me as a needle was pushed into my neck. It began to be hard to keep up eyes open as I felt myself be lifted up. The world bounced as Sean and I were thrown into the bed of a truck. Before my eyes closed for the final time I saw there was another person in the back of the truck with us. I couldn't tell who because my vision was blurry and it got dark as a canvas was pulled over the bed of the truck sealing us in darkness.