Libera Me by Christine Fonseca Page B

Azza.
          Here.
    I startle, pulling back as the strange girl opens her eyes. She stares at me, her complexion almost translucent.
    “You must find her,” she says, grabbing my hands. “Find her before it’s too late.”
    I step back, shaken.
    The girl stands, a slight smile forming on her lips and her green eyes refocused on mine.
    “Find her,” she says again before running away.
     

 
    Chapter 14 – ILLLUSIONS

     
    Aydan
    The rain pounds over me as the thunder and lightning continue to make their assault. Mounting the bike, I speed away. I have to find Nessa. She, alone, can quell this tempest. Just like she’s always done.
    “Where are you?” I say, my words eaten by the wind. “Where?”
    Determined, my mind racing, I push the bike faster and speed up the coast. I have to find her, hold her, kiss her.
    “Where are you?” I scream in frustration. 
    Home?
          —doubtful.
    Mountains?
          —no idea.
    Coast?
          —where?
    A strange truth blankets me as the bike shakes under the speed. I don’t know Nessa at all. Not in this life.
    I spin up the coast, the bike skidding slightly. Shadows continue to draw my attention, blurring out from the jagged rocks and cliffs that line the road.
    My body trembles in unison with the bike. Rain falls in sheets, blinding me.
    I skid.
    The road drops.
    My mind screams.
    Pain shoots through my arms, my legs, my ribs.
    I roll, feeling chunks of skin scraping off of me as I slide against the pavement, stopping when I hit the face of rock. I growl, forcing my thoughts to gel.
    I push myself up on my elbows, inhaling the blinding pain that sears through me. My bike spins, sputters, dies. It doesn’t look like I hit anything.
    What happened?
    Nothing makes sense—one minute I’m riding, the next I’m falling. I run through the crash frame by frame, but nothing accounts for the accident.
    Except…
    Someone walks down the road toward me. My age, tall with pale skin and black hair. Amber eyes like mine. If I didn’t know better, I’d say it was me from a former life. Haunting and familiar.
    Too familiar.
    “You should be more careful,” the boy says as he reaches out a hand.
    I grab it and stand, surveying the road rash and gravel imbedded in my skin.
    “You’re Aydan, right? I have a message for you.”
    I wipe the rain from my eyes and stare at the stranger. “Who are you?”
    “That’s not important,” he says.
    I turn away, impatient.  “Whatever,” I say as I walk to my bike. I have to find Nessa, she is the only thing I care about right now.
    “You won’t find her. Not now.”
    “Find who?” I pull up the bike.
    “Vanessa. You won’t find her.”
    I turn. “What are you talking about? Who are you?” My blood begins to boil.
    “She doesn’t want to be found right now. At least, not by you.”
    The stranger starts to walk away.
    “Wait!” I hop on the bike.
    The stranger keeps walking.
    I pull down on the throttle and ride to him, stopping him. “Where is she?”
    “Nowhere. And everywhere.” The stranger chuckles.
    “That isn’t an answer,” I say as I move the bike toward him.
    He stops, his face defiant. “It’s the only one you’re gonna get. At least for now. But I do have a message for you.”
    “A message?”
    “Yes. From someone in your past. He says you still owe him something and he intends on collecting very soon.”
    Chills raise goosebumps along my arms as the apprehension swirls through me. “Who gave you the message?” I glance around, half expecting to see demons coming from the rocks.
    “Oh, I think you know who it is.”
    Azza.
          — not possible.
    Sulfur and rotting flesh fill the air as the stranger disappears. Laughter riddles through me and the marks on my neck again begin to burn.
    I’m coming for you Aydan. There’s no escape. One way or another, I’ll have you.
    “No,” I whisper.
    I pull out my phone and call Nessa. It goes straight to voicemail.
    Damn.
    I send a