Part 4 (1/2)
”What are you talking about?” He had to shout to be heard and leaned in closer to me. I tried not to tremble at having him in such close proximity. ”How could you know that?”
”I ... I saw something. A screw came out from beneath one of the cars. It's not safe!”
Something in my expression must have registered with him. Instead of getting me hauled off by security or the cops, he frowned at the plates of the ride.
He reached out and touched my arm. ”Wait here.”
My whole arm fired with goose b.u.mps, and I stared at his leather clad back as he leaped deftly between the spinning cars and to the center of the ride where an older, fat man sat in a booth.
I didn't see anything, I realized.
His touch on my arm hadn't caused any images to flash in my head. That had been the second time today I'd not seen something about a person when they'd touched me.
The strange buzzing pierced my head again, and I clamped my hands to my ears. My eyes darted frantically at the spot where I'd seen the screws come loose, but the cars flew by making it impossible for me to see anything.
The accident I'd witnessed, if only in my head, wasn't going to happen weeks or even days from now. It was going to happen any minute.
”Do it!” I yelled at the booth. ”Shut the power down now!”
The ride powered down at the exact moment the car rattled loose. Screams issued around the crowd as the car spun off the track, but at nothing like the extreme speed I had witnessed. Even so, it flipped as it careened off the ride, scattering the crowd, sending people running. The car behind followed, but at a much slower velocity so it came to a standstill half on and half off the platform.
I bolted from the ride and down into the crowd, heading to the overturned car. The m.u.f.fled cries of fear and possibly even pain came from the couple trapped inside. I was strong enough to flip the Waltzer car, but I couldn't risk doing so in front of crowds of people. All I needed was a couple of others to make it appear as though the righting of the car wasn't all down to me.
”Help me!” I cried.
A few of the guys ran forward to help.
Myself, the carnival guy, Flynn, and the friend I'd seen thumping Flynn, all lined up on one side. Together we heaved. The car felt light to me, but the men on either side of me strained, so I forced myself to hold back, though doing so pulled my emotions two ways. I didn't want to leave these people trapped any longer than needed, knowing they could be badly hurt. I couldn't smell blood, but I needed to protect myself.
Together, we turned the car over, righting the terrified couple still strapped inside. The girl must have hit her head, as a lump like a golf ball was starting to protrude over her left eyebrow. The boy clutched at his shoulder, wincing in pain. Both were pale-faced and shaking.
Mutterings came from the crowd, a few people nodding or pointing toward me, discussing my foresight of the accident. The crazy reaction I'd had right before the ride broke loose hadn't gone unnoticed.
Before anyone could accost me and start pelting me with questions, I ducked my head down and shoved my hands in my jean pockets, trying to make myself smaller, less noticeable. I took off, slinking between the rides, planning to put a good distance between myself and the midway.
A male voice with an Irish lilt called to me, but I continued to walk away.
”Hey! Are you all right?”
I didn't answer him. Instead, I picked up my pace.
His footsteps turned into a jog, and he caught me by my arm, pulling me back around to face him.
”Wait up!”
The sight of him took my breath away, like he'd literally punched me in the chest and winded me. The Cupid's bow, the full lower lip. The sharp cheekbones, and the dark shadow across his jaw. His eyes were an incredible shade of dark blue, especially in the moonlight, cast beneath thick, dark brows which were drawn down in concern. He was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen.
”What's the story?” he asked, his eyes studying my face. ”How the h.e.l.l did you know what was going to happen?”
”I didn't.” I pouted my lower lip like a sulky child.
His heavy, dark eyebrows lifted. ”Uh, yeah, you did. You shouted at me to stop the ride.”
I looked away, studying a chip packet someone had carelessly littered. ”I told you, I saw a screw come loose.”
”At the speed the ride was going? In the dark?” He couldn't hide the disbelief in his voice.
”Yeah. Let's just say I have good eyesight.”
I looked down at where his hand was still wrapped around my forearm.
A red haze descended upon my vision and a beating filled my head-thu-thump, thu-thump, thu-thump. My mouth sapped dry of moisture, and a pain speared tight in my throat. I struggled to swallow. My heart rate stepped up a notch.
Oh c.r.a.p.
Chapter.
7.
I yanked myself out of his grip, tears blurring my vision. It was happening again, the thing I'd tried so hard to deny to myself.
The person people saw on the outside wasn't the same as the person who lurked within the slightly scruffy, try-too-hard exterior. I had darkness inside me. Writhing, coiling, scary darkness. I had been fighting it my whole life, but recently the darkness felt so much closer to the surface. My jaw ached, my throat running so dry I could barely swallow.
No, no, no, no. I closed my eyes, trying to focus in on my reaction, trying to will it away. I wanted to tell the boy standing in front of me to run, to get away, but the words wouldn't come out of my mouth.
Movement and a yell, not one caused by me, made my eyes ping open, the driving darkness at my soul retreating at the distraction.
”Leave her alone!”
Flynn stood between me and the new guy, his broad shoulders completely blocking my view of the dark hair and brooding eyes.
”You don't frighten me, jock-boy,” the carny said. ”And I was only talking to the girl.”
”I don't want you even looking at her, never mind talking to her. Your kind is dangerous.”
”Ay, don't I know it? Maybe you should think about that next time you take one of my kind on.”
I moved around the side in time to see the dark haired boy start to push up the sleeves of his leather jacket.
”Hey! Quit it, both of you! I don't even know what you're fighting about.”
Flynn looked to me. ”He was bothering you, Beth.”
”So what if he was?” I said, suddenly angered for a different reason. ”Since when has it been your business to protect me? We barely know each other!”