Night World : Soulmate Chapter 1

The werewolves broke in while Hannah S flat was in the psychologists office.She was there for the intelligible reason. I think Im overtaking insane, she tell quietly as concisely as she sat down.And what makes you think that? The psychologists voice was neutral, soothing.Hannah swallowed.Okay, she thought. Lay it on the line. derail the paranoid smelling of being followed and the ultra-paranoid feeling that some integrity was trying to crop up her, ignore the dreams that woke her up screaming. Go straight to the sincerely weird stuff.I write notes, she said flatly.notes. The therapist nodded, tapping a pencil against his lips. Then as the silence stretched out Uh, and that bothers you?Yes. She added in a jagged rush, Everythingused to be so perfect. I mean, I had my whole life under control. Im a senior at Sacajawea High. I remove nice friends I hold in good shapes. I even have a scholarship fromUtahState for adjacent year. And now its all falling apart because of me. Bec ause Im going crazy.Because you write notes? the psychologist said, puzzled. Um, poison pen permitters, compulsive memo taking ?Notes like these. Hannah leaned forward in her chair and dropped a handful of crumpled scraps of paper on his desk. Then she looked apart miserably as he read them.He seemed like a nice guy-and surprisingly young for a shrink, she thought. His found was capital of Minnesota Win-field-Call me capital of Minnesota, hed said-and he had red hair and analytical drear eyeball. He looked as if he might have both a sense of humor and a temper.And he likes me, Hannah thought. Shed seen the flicker of appreciation in his eyeball when hed opened the front door and found her stand silhouetted against the flamingMontana sunset.And consequently shed seen that appreciation change to utter blankness, startled neutrality, when she stepped inner and her face was revealed.It didnt matter. community usually gave Hannah two looks, one for the languish, straight fair hair and the hold gray eyes and one for the birthmark.It slanted diagonally beneath her leave cheekbone, pale strawberry color, as if soul had dipped a flick in blusher and thusly drawn it gently across Hannahs face. It was permanent-the doctors had removed it twice with lasers, and it had come back both times.Hannah was used to the stares it got her.Paul light his throat suddenly, startling her. She looked back at him. Dead before seventeen, he read out loud, thumbing through the scraps of paper. Remember the Three Rivers-DO not throw this note away. The cycle can be broken. Its almost May-you recognize what happens then. He picked up the final scrap. And this one moreover says, Hes coming. He smooth the papers and looked at Hannah. What do they mean?I dont know.You dont know?I didnt write them, Hannah said through her teeth.Paul blinked and tapped his pencil faster. But you said you did write them-Its my handwriting. I admit that, Hannah said. Now that she had gotte n started, the words came out in gasping bursts, unstoppable. And I find them in places where nobody else could put them in my drogue drawer, inside my pillowcase. This morning I woke up and I was holding that last one in my fist. But I still dont write them.Paul waved his pencil triumphantly. I see. You dont consider writing them.I dont remember because I didnt do it. I would n eer write things like that. Theyre all nonsense.Well. Tap. Tap. I stroke that depends. Its almost May-what happens in May?May first is my birthday.Thats, what, a week from now? A week and a day. And youll be ?Hannah let out her breath. Seventeen.She saw the psychologist pick up one of the scraps-she didnt need to get which one.Dead before seventeen, she thought.Youre young to be graduating, Paul said.Yeah. My mom taught me at home when I was a kid, and they put me in first grade instead of kindergarten.Paul nodded, and she thought she could see him thinking overachiever.Have you ever-he paused delicate ly-had any thoughts about suicide?No. Never. I would never do anything like that.Hmm Paul frowned, staring at the notes. There was a long silence and Hannah looked around the fashion.It was decorated like a psychologists office, even though it was just part of a house. Out here in centralMontana , with miles surrounded by ranches, towns were few and far between. So were psychologists-which was why Hannah was here. Paul Winfield was the only one available.There were diplomas on the walls books and impersonal knickknacks were in the bookcase. A carved woody elephant. A semi-dead plant. A silver-framed photograph. There was even an official-looking couch. And am I going to lie on that? Hannah thought. I dont think so.Paper rustled as Paul pushed a note aside. Then he said gently, Do you feel that someone else is trying to hurt you?Hannah shut her eyes.Of course she felt that someone was trying to hurt her. That was part of being paranoid, wasnt it? It proved she was crazy.Sometimes I have the feeling Im being followed, she said at last in almost a whisper.By ?I dont know. Then she opened her eyes and said flatly, Something weird and supernatural thats out to get me. And I have dreams about the apocalypse.Paul blinked. The-apoc The end of the world. At least I guess thats what it is. Some huge battle thats coming some giant dreadful last fight. Between the forces of She saw how he was staring at her. She looked away and went on resignedly. Good. She held out one hand. And evil. She held out the other. Then both detainment went limp and she put them in her lap. So Im crazy, right?No, no, no. He fumbled with the pencil, then patted his pocket. Do you happen to have a cigarette?She glanced at him in disbelief, and he flinched. No, of course you dont. What am I saying? Its a filthy habit. I quit last week.Hannah opened her mouth, closed it, then spoke slowly. Look, Doctor-I mean, Paul. Im here because I dont postulate to be crazy. I just require to be me again . I want to graduate with my class. I want to have a great summer horseback riding with my outdo friend, Chess. And next year I want to go toUtahState and study dinosaurs and maybe find a duckbill nest site of my own. I want my life back. But if you cant help me She stopped and gulped. She almost never cried it was the ultimate loss of control. But now she couldnt help it. She could feel warmth conk out out ofher eyes and trace down her cheeks to tickle her chin. Humiliated, she wiped away the teardrops as Paul peered around for a tissue. She sniffed.Im sorry, he said. Hed found a case of Kleenex, but now he left it to come and stand beside her. His eyes werent analytical now they were blue and boyish as he tentatively squeezed her hand. Im sorry, Hannah. It sounds awful. But Im sure I can help you. Well get to the goat of it. Youll see, by summertime youll be graduating withUtahState and riding the duckbills, just like always. He smiled to show it was a joke. on the whole thi s will be behind you.You really think?He nodded. Then he seemed to realize he was standing and holding a patients hand not a very skipper position. He let go hastily. Maybe youve guessed youre sort of my first client. Not that Im not trained-I was in the top ten percent of my class. So. Now. He patted his pockets, came up with the pencil, and stuck it in his mouth. He sat down. Lets start with the first time you remember having one of these dreams. When-He broke off as chimes sounded somewhere inside the house. The doorbell.He looked flustered. Who would be He glanced at a clock in the bookcase and shook his head.Sorry, this should only take a minute. Just make yourself flourishing until I get back.Dont answer it, Hannah said.She didnt know why she said it. All she knew was that the sound of the doorbell had sent chills running through her and that right now her heart was pounding and her hands and feet were tingling.Paul looked briefly startled, then he gave her a gentle reassuri ng smile. I dont think its the apocalypse at the door, Hannah. Well talk about these feelings of apprehension when I get back. He moved(p) her shoulder lightly as he left the room.Hannah sat listening. He was right, of course. There was nothing at all menacing about a doorbell. It was her own craziness.She leaned back in the soft contoured chair and looked around the room again, trying to relax.Its all in my head. The psychologist is going to help me.At that newsbreak the window across the room exploded.