in shame.
She stood in her spot in the choir hall, in the last row of the girls. They sang a song, one of her own. In fact, it was the very tune she’d sung for Clan Zemos in the waking world. That had never happened, of course. Elisa’s silly song was not in the recital they practiced for, but dreams never made much sense.
Two rows of girls stood before her, girls from age eleven to eighteen. Their voices soared high and beautiful, just as she remembered. They were among the best in the southeast district. The sound of so many young, gorgeous voices was enough to bring tears to Elisa’s eyes.
Though she did not dare to turn her head, she heard the boys behind her. Some sang as piping high as the sopranos, while others had deep, pulsing tones that shivered the spine. Only one voice mattered, though. It came from directly behind her, a clear, ringing tenor made more provoking because of who sang it.
She felt him touch her, as he always did at this part of the dream. It was a touch that provided equal parts joy and angst.
Star-crossed lovers , Elisa thought. The romantic notion brought bitter amusement as Audie pressed the note, folded as small as a postage stamp, into her palm.
She waited for the dream to turn ugly, as it always did at this point. Now all eyes would turn to her, the choir director would point in accusation, and there would be shouts decrying Elisa’s harlotry. She cringed in anticipation.
Instead, the singing went on. No one noticed her secret sweetheart had passed her a note filled with declarations of adoration and love, a note that would declare their sin.
Confusion warred with relief. The dream had been the same for years. Why was it changing after all this time?
Then came a touch Elisa had not expected. Audie’s fingers stroked through her hair, sending thrilling shivers down her spine. She gasped.
How could he dare in front of everyone? Was he trying to get them both executed?
The gentle caress moved to her shoulder, his palm cupping and sliding down her arm, warming her even as she froze in place. Elisa looked at those in front of her, not daring to move as Audie touched her in full view of camp counselors and fellow singers. The choir sang on, not noticing the illicit drama taking place.
His hand traveled back up to her shoulder, where it stopped. Now there was pressure. He was turning her to face him, to look into his sweet, lovely face.
No, no , Elisa’s thoughts screamed. They would get into so much trouble, more than what they had faced 33 years ago during that fateful summer. She must not turn around. She must not.
Yet her body refused to obey the dictates of her terrified mind. She slowly pivoted towards the boy behind her.
Elisa had been facing the front of the practice space, which took place in the camp’s basketball gym. She stood on bleachers three steps up. She was on the end of the row, with no one on her right, the direction Audie turned her. As she moved, the backs of the heads of the girls before her and Mr. Collette, the choir director, slid from view. Now there was the basketball goal before her wide eyes. The poster hanging on the wall behind the foul line declared ‘Strong bodies + strong faith = victory for God!’
Next came the door that led outside, the door Elisa came through each afternoon, her eyes already searching for Audie as she entered. She stared at it for the moment, thinking she must spring down from her perch on the bleachers and run to escape the judgment to come. Instead of launching her into flight, however, her treacherous feet continued to turn towards Audie.
Her chin lifted so she could gaze into his eyes, eyes surrounded by long gorgeous lashes that every girl at camp envied. But instead of those fringed circles of clear blue, Elisa stared into a pair of slitted-pupil purple eyes.
It wasn’t Audie. Elisa looked into the face of Dramok Zemos.
Her heart tried to
She stood in her spot in the choir hall, in the last row of the girls. They sang a song, one of her own. In fact, it was the very tune she’d sung for Clan Zemos in the waking world. That had never happened, of course. Elisa’s silly song was not in the recital they practiced for, but dreams never made much sense.
Two rows of girls stood before her, girls from age eleven to eighteen. Their voices soared high and beautiful, just as she remembered. They were among the best in the southeast district. The sound of so many young, gorgeous voices was enough to bring tears to Elisa’s eyes.
Though she did not dare to turn her head, she heard the boys behind her. Some sang as piping high as the sopranos, while others had deep, pulsing tones that shivered the spine. Only one voice mattered, though. It came from directly behind her, a clear, ringing tenor made more provoking because of who sang it.
She felt him touch her, as he always did at this part of the dream. It was a touch that provided equal parts joy and angst.
Star-crossed lovers , Elisa thought. The romantic notion brought bitter amusement as Audie pressed the note, folded as small as a postage stamp, into her palm.
She waited for the dream to turn ugly, as it always did at this point. Now all eyes would turn to her, the choir director would point in accusation, and there would be shouts decrying Elisa’s harlotry. She cringed in anticipation.
Instead, the singing went on. No one noticed her secret sweetheart had passed her a note filled with declarations of adoration and love, a note that would declare their sin.
Confusion warred with relief. The dream had been the same for years. Why was it changing after all this time?
Then came a touch Elisa had not expected. Audie’s fingers stroked through her hair, sending thrilling shivers down her spine. She gasped.
How could he dare in front of everyone? Was he trying to get them both executed?
The gentle caress moved to her shoulder, his palm cupping and sliding down her arm, warming her even as she froze in place. Elisa looked at those in front of her, not daring to move as Audie touched her in full view of camp counselors and fellow singers. The choir sang on, not noticing the illicit drama taking place.
His hand traveled back up to her shoulder, where it stopped. Now there was pressure. He was turning her to face him, to look into his sweet, lovely face.
No, no , Elisa’s thoughts screamed. They would get into so much trouble, more than what they had faced 33 years ago during that fateful summer. She must not turn around. She must not.
Yet her body refused to obey the dictates of her terrified mind. She slowly pivoted towards the boy behind her.
Elisa had been facing the front of the practice space, which took place in the camp’s basketball gym. She stood on bleachers three steps up. She was on the end of the row, with no one on her right, the direction Audie turned her. As she moved, the backs of the heads of the girls before her and Mr. Collette, the choir director, slid from view. Now there was the basketball goal before her wide eyes. The poster hanging on the wall behind the foul line declared ‘Strong bodies + strong faith = victory for God!’
Next came the door that led outside, the door Elisa came through each afternoon, her eyes already searching for Audie as she entered. She stared at it for the moment, thinking she must spring down from her perch on the bleachers and run to escape the judgment to come. Instead of launching her into flight, however, her treacherous feet continued to turn towards Audie.
Her chin lifted so she could gaze into his eyes, eyes surrounded by long gorgeous lashes that every girl at camp envied. But instead of those fringed circles of clear blue, Elisa stared into a pair of slitted-pupil purple eyes.
It wasn’t Audie. Elisa looked into the face of Dramok Zemos.
Her heart tried to
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