Rua (Rua, book 1) by Miranda Kavi Read Free Book Online

obscured by darkness, their clothes strange and misty. But they were there, and they were moving in.
    She backed away until she ran into the desk behind her. She groped the desk in vain, almost shouting in relief when her hands wrapped around a lamp. She raised it above her head. Two shadows grabbed her feet and pulled her down, trying to force her into the floor. She screamed and threw the lamp down on the floor with all her force.
     

Chapter 6
    Celeste picked at the red upholstery of the dish-shaped chair she sat on. To her, it looked like a giant, red mushroom.
    “Celeste?” Dr. Ramone asked. “Did you hear my question?”
    Celeste glanced back up at the school counselor. She didn’t look like a shrink. She was tall and curvy with short platinum-blond curls tied up in a bandana, ripped jeans, and a vintage t-shirt.
    “No.” She returned her gaze to her lap.
    “This is the easy part. I want to know why you are here. Your mom was pretty freaked out when she called.”
    “What did she say?”
    “She said she found you last night standing next to a shattered lamp screaming at the top of your lungs.”
    “Oh.” Celeste pulled her blue sweater tighter around her.
    “Are you having nightmares?” Dr. Ramone asked.
    “Doesn’t everyone?”
    “Yes. Tell me about yours.”
    “I don’t want to talk about it,” Celeste said.
    “Why? Do they scare you?”
    “Yes, that’s why they’re called nightmares.” Celeste didn’t mean to sound so snappy, but this was going nowhere fast.
    “What are you afraid of?” Dr. Ramone asked
    Celeste looked at her again. She truly wanted to tell her everything, but she was afraid she’d end up in a padded cell or on heavy medication, not that either one of those things sounded too bad right now.
    Dr. Ramone watched her with piercing, hazel eyes. Something was not quite right about her strange eyes. A light flashed in her retina, like someone taking a picture from the inside of her head.
    Celeste flinched deeper into her chair, pushing it back with her legs until the back of her seat hit the wall.
    Dr. Ramone blinked rapidly then leaned forward to lay an arm on Celeste. “What’s wrong?”
    Celeste yanked her arm back.
    “Okay, okay. Calm down.” Dr. Ramone put her notebook down and scooted her chair a little further back. “You have to trust someone, Celeste. Yes, I’m different. You’re different. It’s not me you need to fear.”
    Celeste shrunk back into her chair. This woman, this thing, admitted something was off, and it scared her.
    The bell rang. Dr. Ramone tilted her head to the side as it did.
    Celeste stood up and grabbed her backpack.
    “Wait, please,” Dr. Ramone said.
    Celeste paused at the door.
    She pulled out a business card. “I know what’s happening to you. You’re not crazy, Celeste. The dreams and visions are trying to tell you what you are. There will be a moment soon when you need help. When that moment comes, call me. My cell is on the back.”
    If she took the card, it’d be an admission that she heard and saw things like a crazy person. If she didn’t, she could walk away and pretend she was normal.
    “You can’t pretend you’re normal anymore,” Dr. Ramone said.
    I didn’t say that out loud. Celeste hands flew up to cover her face. Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit. She can hear my thoughts.
    “ Not all of them. Take the card. I mean you no harm.”
    Celeste found her strength. She took two tentative steps forward and snatched the card out of Dr. Ramone’s hand. Then she fled the room without looking back.
    She ran into the nearest bathroom and faced herself in the mirror. Her eyes were deep brown today with her contacts in, but the whites zigzagged with red from her lack of sleep. Her skin was flushed, and her hair formed its usual crazy halo around her head.
    She pulled her hair back, using its length to tie a loose knot behind her head. She splashed her face with water over and over again. The cool water hitting her face soothed