Simon grinned. "We hope our first song is a treat." He started playing his guitar and Grant and Marcus joined in, a familiar Henchmen song filling the crowded bar. I watched Simon as he sang, pulling the crowd into his spell. The song was about a drifter futilely trying to make connections with others and Simon's voice conveyed the despair and loneliness, bringing the words to life. His body swayed with the beat of the song, his hands wrangling a haunting melody from his guitar. The crowd was silent as they soaked him in.
Simon searched the crowd, and his eyes settled on me. His eyes pierced mine and I felt vulnerable, as if he could see through my mask of normalcy. He broke eye contact as he finished the song and the crowd erupted in more cheers.
The Henchmen started another song, much more upbeat and raucous. The crowd responded with dancing and wild gyrations. Janice returned with the drinks and Jenny took a long sip. Her eyes brightened as she looked past me.
"Claudia!" she exclaimed, waving someone over. "Over here!"
I turned to look at who she was talking to and my world stopped. My breath stopped. I froze in place. Walking towards us was a girl with blonde hair that fell just below her jaw. Her grey eyes were clear of the pain and anguish I had seen in my vision as she smiled and waved at Jenny. Suddenly, her eyes shifted towards me, boring into mine. Her expression changed and she no longer looked like a happy college-aged girl. Her eyes were sharp and brittle, cutting into me as if she was able to slice into my soul. Her smile now looked like a twisted sneer. I had the irrational thought I could see my death in her eyes.
I gripped the edge of the table, trying to ground myself in reality, but my breath started coming out in short hitches. I was afraid that I would either pass out or start screaming. All I could focus on was the conviction that the girl from my vision had materialized before me with one motive in mind. To kill me.
So I did the only thing I could think of. I jumped up and ran towards the entrance of the bar, mindlessly pushing people out of the way and barely hearing their exclamations of protest. The only thought pounding in my brain was that I needed to get away from the girl. I frantically pushed open the door and the rush of cold air was welcoming. I leaned against the wall outside, bending over and placing my hands on my knees, desperately trying to catch my breath and not pass out.
CHAPTER TEN
I inhaled deeply, trying to regulate my breath so I didn't start hyperventilating. I wished I had a paper bag to breathe into. I didn't know if that would actually help, but I would try anything at the moment.
Charlie was at his usual place by the door and he called over to me. "Caitlin - you okay?"
I looked at him blankly, unable to formulate an answer with my frazzled brain. The image of the girl's face was burning in my mind, her anguished face in my vision transposing itself with the picture of her face leering evilly, until they melded into a grotesque smiling face screaming out in pain.
I saw Charlie make a movement towards me, but the door suddenly burst open and I saw Sarah and Jenny walking quickly towards me, their faces etched with concern.
"Caitlin," Sarah said as she leaned over me, pulling my hair away from my face that had been shielding me like a dark curtain as I bent over. "What's the matter? What's wrong?"
I shook my head at her, glancing over at Jenny. I tried to give her an unspoken warning with my eyes. I didn't want her saying anything about my visions in front of Jenny.
Jenny crouched in front of me. I could see that she was shivering in the cold in her skimpy outfit but she just looked at me, worried. "What the heck just happened? You ran out of there like someone was chasing you."
My legs couldn't support myself anymore and I slid down against the wall, sitting on the cold ground. I leaned against the wall, my legs bent in front of me and shielding my body. I wrapped my arms around my legs and laid my head down against my knees, hiding my face. I knew that I should be reassuring them right now, telling them I was okay. But I couldn't seem to say it. I wasn't okay. I was far from okay.
Seeing the people from my visions was always a shock, but I had practiced covering up my reactions. But seeing the girl tonight punched me in the gut like never before. I wasn't sure if it was because the visions of her had seemed so real. Different from all the others. But when I saw her tonight, I felt as though I was going to die. I knew I must have imagined the cruel look on her face. But I couldn't escape the feeling that she was a harbinger of my death. She wasn't the victim. She was my executioner.
I heard the door to the bar open again but I didn't look up. I felt a warm hand stroking my hair, soothing me when I didn't think it was possible. I felt my heartbeat start to regulate itself until I no longer thought it would burst out of my chest.
I raised my head to thank Sarah for comforting me and looked straight into Simon's blue eyes, his face troubled.
"Simon," I whispered. I could think of nothing else to say.
"That was some sprint, kiddo. I thought you were going to take a few people out." Simon was crouched in front of me. His hand slipped down to cup the back of my head, his hand stroking my scalp, sending shivers down my back.
"Caitlin." I turned to focus on Sarah, who looked like she was on the brink of tears. She opened her mouth and then closed it, glancing at Simon and Jenny. She opened her mouth again. "Let's go home."
"Wait," Jenny protested. "We don't even know what's wrong." She turned to me. "Caitlin, what happened? Why did you run out like that?"
I shook my head, having no answer. I wanted to mouth some platitude
s about being fine but my tongue felt thick and swollen, too big for my mouth.
"Jenny," Sarah warned. "I don't think right now is the time to get into it. I just need to get her home."
"I'll come with you," Simon announced, straightening. I felt emptiness at the loss of his stroking hand. "Let me just tell Grant and Marcus."
Sarah frowned at him. "Aren't you supposed to be playing right now? Who's up there if you're here?"
Simon shrugged. "I just said we were taking a break."
Sarah shook her head. "It's okay, go back to playing. I can take Caitlin home." She turned to Jenny with an apologetic grimace. "I'm sorry, Jenny. I hate to abandon you, tonight of all nights, but I don't think Caitlin can stay."