The Bonding Chronicles Ch. 18

Andrew's eyes were closed, and his arms were raised slightly from his sides, his fingers twitching and flexing as he focused his will out in all directions. The magical hands of telekinesis reached out, providing Andrew with a tactile sense of everything it crossed. With every loose piece of detritus it came into contact with, his consciousness would split, spawning a new thought that would take that item towards the piles that Andrew was forming a few feet before himself.

The sound of fragments of glass became louder as more pieces were dragged in from Tani'm's bedroom, creating that wind chime sound that brought music to Andrew's task. The glass was followed by pieces of wood, cloth and anything else that had been left on the floor. Hundreds of items ranging in size from flecks of dirt to large pieces of wood made their way to the ever growing pile of garbage.

Karen stood in stunned silence, witnessing Andrew accomplish a feat she would have never even dared to attempt. Beyond that, he made it seem simple, his emotions never showing a hint of concern or exertion. She could feel that it was draining him, but not to a degree that was worrisome.

After fifteen seconds, every loose piece of garbage in the entire house had been gathered together, two piles standing before Andrew. One composed of obvious garbage, while the other contained socks, coins, a remote control, a few keys and other random mundane objects; nothing amazing, but items of potential value.

Karen just shook her head, an unstoppable smile spread across her face while she went to the kitchen and took the garbage out from under the sink. Placing it beside the pile of refuse, she said, "Well? Don't stop now."

The pride in Andrew's eyes was infectious, his smile mirroring her own as he easily lifted the dirt and debris with telekinesis, before placing it all into the can. Meanwhile, Karen returned to the kitchen where she filled two glasses of water.

"Here, you seem thirsty," she stated, holding out one of the glasses for him to take.

He hadn't even considered that, but as he looked at the beverage he was forced to admit he was thirsty.

"Thanks."

He took the water and began to drink, turning his attention on the doorway to the bedroom, and the fragments of the old door that were held to the frame by sturdy hinges. Studying the diagram in his mind, he continued his long drink from the glass while he ensured he was ready to continue.

A gasp left his lips at the same time as the glass, which floated across the house and placed itself into the sink.

"Andrew, are you just showing off? Or, are you really that comfortable with that spell?"

It took a moment for his concentration to break away from the doorway, and for him to realize she had been talking to him. "Sorry, what was that?"

"The glass, you silly boy."

Andrew shook the errant water from his hand, looking over and seeing the glass in the sink. "Ohh, thanks. That really hit the spot, and I appreciate you putting it in the sink for me."

"Andrew, I didn't. You did that."

He looked past her and to the sink once more, squinting his eyes as he thought. Then, after a moment of consideration, he shrugged and smiled. "Guess I did."

"You need to be waaay more careful, sweetie. If you did something like that in the open..."

That was a sobering thought, and something he had not considered. He had become so used to using telekinesis that he barely even thought of it anymore, much like his gift with technology. In many ways, it was becoming like any of his other limbs but infinitely more useful.

He stepped over and sank into Karen's arms. "You're right. That spell is way to startling to accidentally use in public, and I'm getting a bit too cavalier about using it."

"No, no... You shouldn't stop entirely, it seems like that might be one of your natural gifts, but you need to be more conscious of when you use it." She pulled back and gazed into his eyes, sensing his uncertainty as he considered what she had said. "You can do it, darling. It just takes control, which we both know you have plenty of."

They both smiled as she leaned down and he leaned up, kissing for a few passion-filled moments. She was right, just as she always was.

Their tender moment was far too brief, and like all good things it soon came to an end. While Andrew walked over to start working on the door to the bedroom, Karen grabbed a pen from the pile of miscellaneous items that Andrew had created, her purse from the table, and returned to the couch. Andrew grabbed each piece of wood, before using his gift to unfasten the screws that held it to its hinge, all four screws coming loose at the same time. Once free, he threw the fragment of wood towards the garbage, his gift guiding its path and ensuring it landed within its new prison.

A few moments later, all of the hinges were bare and ready to welcome their new tenant, but the section of frame across from them where the latch plate had been was shattered, broken out and needing to be replaced. Andrew reached out with his mind, preparing to bring the tools he would need to himself, but decided he should start practicing some control, and walked over, gathering the materials manually.

There was something comforting about holding the reciprocating saw in his hands, feeling it dig into the wood as it cut in above where the new section of wood would be placed. A short time later, the section of wood where the old door had latched into the frame was gone, and Andrew measured out the distance within his mind, that strange new spell showing him the calculations that proved he had cut out the piece with perfect right angles, and exactly the length of wood he would need to replace it.

Andrew had worked with his parents for years to renovate and restore houses that they were stationed in, so the work that he performed was nothing new to the small man. What surprised him was how much simpler the task was when he no longer had to measure, and had the assistance of an invisible set of hands that were available at any moment. Even the widths of his cuts were taken into account with barely a thought, something he had often stumbled over when helping his mother with segmenting wood.

Karen had finished the note minutes before, and watched as Andrew worked with what seemed to be expert proficiency. He had repaired the door jam, replacing the section of wood, chiseling out and area for the latch plate and routering out a hole where the latch would secure itself. Telekinesis made the installation of the new doorknob a breeze, Andrew holding the door with both hands as the pieces all floated into place.

The old molding came loose quickly, each nail removing itself before everything floated to either the garbage or outside. Soon the new molding was in place, and the nails forced their way into the wood with a high pitched squeek, securing it to the frame.

His muscles flexed as he held the door against the hinges, thin wiry muscles coming to the surface of his slight and boyish arms, trailing up along his shoulders and down his back. Despite the strength of his body, he still looked much like the weak and frail boy Karen had met a few weeks before. It was not until he exerted himself that the muscles he had worked so hard to create came to the surface, and made their presence known.

The fact was, he was in exceptionally good shape, and Karen bit her lip as she admired the efficiency with which his body worked. The door was heavy and awkward, much sturdier than the one that had come before it, and while he struggled to keep it in place, his gift worked to secure it to the hinges.

The monolith and his new spell worked in tandem to calculate the positioning of the door, before confirming the right moment for Andrew to seat the screws into the wood. There was a creaking sound as sixteen screws fastened the door to its new hinges, and after only a couple of seconds Andrew relaxed, allowing the wall to take the weight of the door from him.

He closed the door, and it latched into place, but he could feel it scraping along the frame far above the latch. It had settled, and shifted into a slightly different angle than his gift had calculated. Andrew opened the door, concentrated long enough to loosen the screws, adjust the door a fraction of an inch, and refasten it into place. Opening and closing the door a few times with smooth and perfect alignment brought a smile to his face.

"Fifteen minutes," Andrew stated, pride evident in his all consuming grin. "Do you have any idea how long that would have taken me before these amazing spells?"

Karen was struggling not to giggle, his excitement bleeding through their bond and her empathic gift, infecting her with joy. "No idea, sexy."

Andrew looked at the door and back towards her, "Neither do I! But it would have taken a lot longer, like a whole lot longer."

She rushed across the room, kissing Andrew in celebration of his accomplishment, though they both knew it was more about how they felt, and how his excitement had stirred their lust.

"The window shouldn't take too long, unless I find something unexpected when I pull the old one out. How about we go get some lunch after this?"

Karen's heart grew heavy, longing mixing with defeat as she let him go.

"I wish we could... But we still can't go out in public together, Andrew. It's not safe, remember."

Andrew shook his head before reaching up and caressing her cheek. "I'm sorry, honey. I keep forgetting that we have to keep this a secret."

He looked back into the bedroom, at the window which stood open and shattered.

"Dammit!"

Karen kissed him on the top of his head, wrapping her arm around him and making sure he felt her adoration as their embrace filled her with contentment.

"We'll find our way there in time. These joyous moments we share are no accident, and no matter how sparse they may seem, we will continue to stumble upon them."

Andrew savored their contact, and allowed her love to consume him, returning it in kind as he sighed and let go of his frustration. Nothing would keep them apart, and once Sara and him graduated from high school they could find their own way in life. Recreate themselves wherever they wanted, as whomever they wanted.

"How about you finish this up, and then we can go back to my place and I'll make you the best lunch of your life?"

Andrew turned and looked at her with narrowed eyes. "Those are some big expectations you're setting."

Karen just shrugged and smiled, as if to say, "You'll see," before she turned and grabbed a chair from the table that dominated the center of the living room. As she dragged it into the bedroom, she said, "In the meantime, why don't you tell me about your parents, and how you learned to do all of this?"

The next hour passed like water down a stream, Andrew and Karen bantering back and forth as he removed the broken window, repaired the damage, and installed the new one. The hardest part for Andrew was painting, but even that stood little chance against his prowess as he sanded and textured with ease, his gift aiding him every step of the way.

By the time he was done, he was exhausted, and Karen caressed his back while he used her strength to gather the dust and debris that had been created during his work, placing it into the overfilled garbage. He was starving and coated in sweat, his spells making the work infinitely easier, but taking a toll on even his vast reserves of power.

They loaded up the S.U.V., and made sure that Tani'm's house was ready for her return, before hugging and parting ways, knowing they would see eachother soon. Karen turned to walk to her car when she saw the clearing where she had been talking with Tani'm, the late morning sun bringing the green of the forest to life, and reminding her of something she had realized earlier that day.

"Andrew?" she turned and almost yelled, excitement at having someone to share her revelation with giving strength to her voice.

He turned and smiled, sensing her joy but finding it difficult to muster the strength to return it in kind. "Yeah, honey?"

"We can talk about this more at my place, but you know how Tani'm and Thunderfoot are close?"

Andrew took a long blink, rubbing exhaustion from his eyes with the back of his hand before responding, "Yeah, I guess so. The rabbit seems kinda' clingy with her, I guess."

Karen looked like a teenager, waiting for Andrew to finish so she could blurt out what she wanted to say. "They're bonded..." she waited a moment, studying Andrew for his reaction, and as his eyes widened she concluded, "They have to be, she sensed him coming earlier today, and he ran into the clearing thinking she was being attacked, prepared to fight whatever he may find, just like when Sara came to you at school."

Andrew stood up straight, surprised by that turn of events. "Does she know?"

"No, of course not, and we can't tell her. Not yet, at any rate."

***** Bound In The Past *****

"Seriously, what are we doing?"

Eddie stood before the open back of a nondescript white panel van, his eyes glued upon a sniper rifle like nothing he'd ever seen.

"What? I thought this was what you wanted?" Carl asked from Eddie's right side, his eyes glinting with barely contained eagerness as he studied the weapon. "I can tell you, ain't much bigger than the Barrett."

"No, it's perfect... I just miss when my biggest concern was organizing the tribe to welcome the salmon back every year."

Carl swung the doors closed one after the other. "Can't help you there, boss."

"I guess I should've seen it coming," Eddie stated as he turned his eyes, scanning the trees as he took a few steps away from the van.

"Eddie, no one envies your job, and we all value what you've done for the tribe, but even you couldn't have seen the arrival of the great wolf."

Exhaustion cascaded down Eddie's body like a splash of cold water, seeping through his flesh and rooting itself into his bones. His shoulders were slumped, and it looked as if he carried the weight of the world on his back.

"Good morning, boys."

They both jumped at the unexpected sound of Tani'm's voice, the small woman appearing at the side of the van.

"Fuck!" Carl yelled, his pistol half drawn before he realized who it was.

"Dammit, Tani'm. Make a noise or something. Shit!" Eddie blurted as he shook the sense of shock out of his body.

They both studied her closely, surprised to see her in jeans and a t-shirt. Without her leather suit, she appeared normal, almost mundane. Though nothing could get rid of her presence, or the way she seemed to look into their souls. There was a confidence behind each of her movements, a sense of self awareness that few held, as if she was at peace with not just herself, but the world around her.

While Carl was stunned by the magnificence of Tani'm, her presence again surpassing the rumors that had circulated about her for years, Eddie could tell that something was different. He watched her closely, and as their gazes crossed, he could see something hidden behind her cocoa-colored eyes.

She looked aside almost immediately, confirming for him that something was wrong. He ignored her subtle reaction, choosing to focus on the reason for their meeting.

"The rest of the men should be here tomorrow, ready and willing to do what's necessary."

There was a hollowness to his words, undermining the confidence with which he had delivered them.

"Well..." Carl cut in, "the rest of the men, and a woman, will be here tomorrow. It was a bit harder to find volunteers after what happened last time, but I was able to rally a few of the more... well, let's say colorful members of the tribe into helping out. I could still reach out to one of my ex-military buddies and-"

"No, we need to keep this in the tribe. It was hard enough covering up that last massacre, and if we get some outsider who can't keep their lips shut, god knows what could happen."

"Willie is as hard as they come, and..."

The two men continued their debate, oblivious to the far-off stare that developed on Tani'm's face as she witnessed their exchange. They were arguing, but within their words was a friendliness and companionship that Tani'm struggled to understand. It pulled at something within her, making it difficult for her to maintain the enigmatic aura of a wise and eternal spirit — the very thing she knew the tribe expected of her.

Their banter brought forth memories from middle school, and the last few friends she had made before her gifts manifested, and before her parents had secreted her away from the world.

"Enough, children," she almost yelled. "The wolf is dead. It was dealt with last night."

Their eyes went wide as the two men gapped at the impossibility of her statement.

"No... No fucking way! We had a half-dozen men and a small arsenal last time, and that thing swept through us like we weren't even there. How did you kill it all on your own."

Tani'm fought the urge to look towards the ground, her gift bolstering her strength as she glared into Carl's eyes, forcing the large man to divert his gaze. "I had help, and while it was a difficult fight, we managed to defeat the beast. Do you not hear its absence in the breeze, or sense the calm in the very soil upon which we stand?

"The forest has breathed its sigh of relief, and again slumbers as life flourishes in our mighty home. With every moment, I can feel the balance returning to the forest, and know with certainty that the wolf threatens us no more."

Eddie sighed while continuing to study the small woman that stood before them. Carl's hand began to shake as he rested it on the butt of his pistol, his eyes turning toward the van as he whispered, "Thank god."

"Whatever you two were cooking up, you should probably see it through," Tani'm continued. "While the wolf might be gone, we cannot ignore the threat it posed, or assume that another does not wait in the shadows. Whatever may come, we need to be prepared to deal with it ourselves."

There was an inflection to the way Tani'm concluded her statement that Carl failed to notice, but Eddie held onto, recognizing that there was importance hidden there.

"I secured a fifty cal sniper rifle, and an old military contact of mine has a line on some anti-armor rounds. We could stop a truck with this thing, so if another one of those little puppies shows up around here, it'll be kibble in no time.

"Beyond that, I got a new job training the Quinault Militia, which I guess is going to be starting a bit sooner than I expected. Isn't that right, boss?"

Eddie clapped the large man on the shoulder. "We'll talk details next week. Check out those properties, and let me know which one will work best for the compound. The main thing is, with that 'secret' military base their building out there, we need to keep this low key. Can't be drawing attention to ourselves right now, not with this whole 'bear' situation happening."

Tani'm thought about what Eddie had said, his statement triggering a thought. "You know I can't sit back while you all go out there and kill one of my bears, right?"

They studied her for a long moment, worry creeping into their eyes as they tried to think of a way around her eddict. The force of her presence kept them from even questioning the wisdom of what she had said.

"There's a solution, though. When I fought the wolf, it killed a bear and ate its flesh to regain some strength. If we can get some hunters together that'll go along with our story, I can lead you to the body, and that should satisfy the locals."

"Is this girl not amazing or what?" Carl whooped, reaching his arm out to grip her shoulder before her iron gaze stopped him short. He had meant it as a friendly gesture, but fear tugged at his heart as he saw the rage behind her eyes.