Vindicate (Insight #5)(90)

I elbowed Landen. “What emotions do they have?”

Landen followed my stare and smiled as he squeezed me against him. “Confusion – a little anger .”

“They’re talking. That’s enough to make me happy.”

Landen laughed out loud.

Libby raised up to see why he was laughing. “You feel better now that daddy gave you medicine?” she asked.

I felt her concern. “We’re not sick, baby; just trying to focus,” I promised.

“Are you trying to see?” Monroe asked in a voice that was so innocent, it took my breath away.

“Do you want to help me with that?” I ask ed, wanting to understand her. To know what she knew about Donalt.

“Silas says your ready, but I don’t want to hurt you. You’ve been so nice,” Monroe said, looking down.

Landen leaned forward as Libby and I sat up. “Why would it hurt? Does it hurt you?” he asked sincerely.

She moved her head from side to side. “I just don’t think you’ll understand , and you have to understand…if you have fear… your grief will hurt you…but grief is not needed.”

I felt my heart race as a sick feeling absorbed me. “Can you see into the future? Is that what you are saying? What are you saying?”

She moved her head from side to side as Preston jumped down from the rail and came to her side.

“Everything that will happen has happened. To change the future, you must change now.”

“So you can see the future?” Landen asked.

“She sees like you, Landen, but deeper,” Preston answered.

“What do you mean, buddy?”

“She sees deeper into intent. She can perceive what will be by what she sees now. She sees what has be en when she looks into any soul. A nd through any soul, she can see into another because we are all connected,” Preston explained.

“And you can teach us that?” I asked.

“In time…it will come to you,” Monroe answered.

“Then how can you help?” Landen asked.

“If you were ready. I could open the door…but you’re not.”

“They are,” Preston said, taking her hand and pulling Monroe closer to us. “It will hurt, but then they will understand.”

“What will hurt, Preston?” Landen asked.

“What you see, but you have to understand. You will understand.”

“Will they?” Monroe asked Preston.

Preston looked around the porch at our family, then back us. “They are the on es that must understand first. If they do then others will follow. They lead this family. This dimension.”

“Now I’m curious,” Landen said as he locked e yes with Monroe. “I trust you. You tell me when you’re ready, and I’ll listen.”

“Show them,” Preston said, urging Monroe closer to us.

Monroe held out her hands as her eyes glassed over. Landen and I looked at each other, then reached for her h ands. The moment we touched her I felt a sho ck of energy course through me. So strong that I had to close my eyes, suck in one last breath, and hold it.

In my mind, I was standing on a busy street corner outside of a trendy coffee shop. The sun was shining, and people were everywhere.

Then I saw Dane and Claris sa step out of the coffee shop. The sign told them to walk. Dane put his arm around Clarissa as he kissed her cheek, then they stepped out on the street. I didn’t even see it coming. There was no way for them to - a bus – its brakes when out – it was flying down the street – it hit them – it knocked them twenty feet from where they were standing. Blood was everywhere, their bodies were mangled, and their eyes were open, staring at nothing - not blinking. They were wearing the same clothes. The same clothes I just saw them in a few hours ago.

I stepped forward in this image, feeling Landen’s panicked soul doing the same, but as we moved forward, the vision was taken. We were on the porch, music was playing, and everyone was having a good time.

Monroe didn’t let go of o u r hand s ; we pulled ourselves loose. Landen stood, and with one arm jumped over the porch, running at full speed toward the string. I wasn’t tall enough to jump, so I ran to the steps and pushed through everyone.

I ran. I ran so fast that I thought my chest would explode. Landen was in the string long befo re I was. I followed his grief. His solid intent to heal them before it was too late.

I finally found him pacing back and forth between two passages that I knew to be in Infante.

“Focus,” I said breathlessly, know ing he was trying to remember. I felt him remember that vision. Him going back and finding details – like street signs.

He grabbed my arm and pulled me into the gray haze just before us. We were in a musty old cel lar next to a large generator. Landen climbed the steps three at a time, and I followed as fast as I could. When he pushed open the door, I smelled the Cajun food cooking. We were in a restaurant kitchen. I followed the path Lande n had made through the people out into the restaurant, then to the street. Landen had stopped an old man. I assumed to ask him wh ich direction a street was in. I watched the old man point, then Landen took off at full speed.

I knew something was wrong. It was dark. The sun was not out like it was in the vision. There weren’t nearly enough people on the stre et. That vision felt like morning. This felt like late night.