Free Seraphina: Initiation by Sheena Hutchinson Page B

finally approach the
coffeehouse I miss so desperately.
    I stand staring at the brick façade of
Jack’s Coffee Bean. I’ve been so focused on running that I haven’t
even processed what I would say to Jack. My mind is blank as I
continue to gawk at the shop like it’s a painting in a museum, a
figment of my imagination just out of reach. Tears begin to well up
behind my eyes as a memory of me spending my Sundays curled up in
the comfy green chair beside the window flashes before me. Has my
life really changed this much in a week that I’m actually scared to
go inside?
    A stir in the store causes my eyes to
gravitate to Jack’s curly blonde ringlets bouncing as he stocks the
refrigerator with bottles. At the sight of him, something inside me
relaxes and I can’t help but follow my feet as I’m being mindlessly
walked inside.
    I slowly open the door of the coffee shop
I’ve missed so much. The bell chimes with my arrival and like
clockwork the scent of coffee beans wafts into my nose. Jack stands
and turns to greet his customer. Our eyes meet and suddenly it’s a
week ago. He pauses momentarily looking into my eyes before running
to close the gap between us and pulls me into a hug. I feel his
strong arms wrap tightly around me like he never wants to let me
go. My feelings overwhelm me as the tears I’ve been holding in
finally fall.
    “I’m so sorry Jack,” I whisper into his
shirt.
    “Shh,” he tells my hair and his hand comes
behind my head to hold me closer to him.
    I close my eyes as I lean my head against
his shoulder. I haven’t realized how much I’ve missed him. I used
to see him every single day, he’s kind of become my second closest
friend. I hadn’t realized how not being able to say goodbye had
affected us.
    When we finally pull away, Jack takes my
hand like he doesn’t want to be apart from me. He walks me over to
the front door where he locks it and flips the sign to ‘Closed.’
Before guiding me over to my favorite chair in the corner. When he
releases my hand to pull his chair closer, I use the time to slyly
wipe away any trace that I’d been crying. I can’t help but notice
he must be working out as his arms flex while his chair slides
across the floor to me. His muscles have gotten more defined in the
short time I’ve been away. He takes a deep breath before beginning,
“Spill.”
    His one word was all it takes for me to
smile again. It makes me believe that no matter what we’ve been
through, I know that I can always count on Jack. “I’m sorry for
leaving so quickly, but I had to.”
    “Why, what happened?” he asks grabbing my
hand in his again.
    “I was contacted, by him …” I let the
sentence drift off because I know he’ll know exactly whom I
mean.
    “What does he want from you?”
    “I don’t exactly know, he just wants me to
join him on the ‘Dark Side’” I mock the last two words with a deep
Darth Vader voice.
    If looks could kill the floor would burst
into flames, as he’s unable to meet my eyes. “Sera, I’ve sensed a
weird shift in things. It’s multiplying and it’s way angrier than
before, the spirits are even more excited and they aren’t keeping
quiet. Have you watched the news lately?” he asks me finally
showing me the blue green eyes I’ve missed. I shake my head in the
negative, I’ve kind of been on hiatus in my little love cabin.
“Well, humans have been noticing more and more paranormal activity.
It started with strange things around people’s houses, shadows
moving, weird noises, break-ins around town, but now they are
reporting people missing out of their beds, husbands that never
came home from work, a ton of people from all over the tri state
area –gone. Poof –straight up missing out of nowhere.”
    I’m staring at him shocked. I thought my
staying away would protect these people, but now all I can think
about is checking on Amanda and my parents, “I had no idea…” I
begin but lose all momentum as the gravity of his