My Traveling Love

Prologue

He watched her in the hospital room, she was sleeping peacefully. Each beep of the heart monitor relaxed him a little more. They meant she was alive, that they had spared her. “Why was I so stupid?” He asked himself. Suddenly she sat up and yelled,

“Derek!” He stepped back so she wouldn’t see him.

“Had they not done it? Had they forgotten?” He thought hopefully. He was about to step forward, his heart pounding hard in his chest, when her eyes glazed over and she looked confused and dazed.

“Mom? Dad?” She asked looking more confused as she looked around.

“They had not forgotten,” He thought bitterly. “They wanted to punish me even more.” Soon he heard feet running to her door. As the door opened he stepped into the shadows where he would remain for the rest of her life.

Chapter One

“Should I do this?” I thought as I walked toward his back. I was in the town of Johanngeorgenstadt, Germany and it was very cold outside.

“I have been traveling for years and I always see him watching me.” I was trying to convince myself that I would just tell him to leave me alone. I really didn’t want to call the police on him. He might just be another person traveling the world, like me.

“Just another person?” Said that maddening Voice in my head. “Then why is he always at the same hotels, restaurants, shopping centers, and landmarks?”

“I don’t know why!” I said out loud. Several people turned to look at me but he stayed put. I was kind of upset he wasn’t moving, because if he had moved I could have stopped what I was doing. But no he stayed right there staring at a piece of paper.

“Here we go.” Said my Voice. I was right behind him, no turning back now. I tapped him on his shoulder which was surprisingly high. He must have been 6.1’’, way taller than my 5.8”. As he turned I noticed everything on that street. I saw the people walking around, and I saw the gleam of the sun off their coffee mugs. But when he faced me all I could see was him. The waves in his dark brown hair, the curve of his eyebrows, and the shape of his mouth.

“Hello, can I help you?” he said. I couldn’t help notice that he was looking at me like I was looking at him. And I was looking at him like he was the most amazing person on the planet. For some reason I didn’t mind. There was something familiar about him, I didn’t know what but I think I liked him. This was absurd because I had never seen this man before in my life.

“I ... um ……. was wondering……. if ...” I couldn’t finish my heart was pounding and my palms were suddenly sweaty.

“Do you want to get a coffee?” he asked me smiling.

“Sure.” I said smiling back. I probably couldn’t have said anything more even though I’m usually a very talkative person. We walked to the coffee shop in silence.

The whole time my Voice was screaming at me, “What are you doing?! He could kill you!”

“Would you leave me alone for once?” I shot back even though I knew it was right.

“So I never got your name.” He said looking at me. My stomach was shaking like a thousand butterflies were in there trying to get out.

“My name’s Silene. Silene Oakley. “I said staring at him.

“My name’s Derek. Derek Frost.” He said staring right back. I knew that name. I don’t know how but I did know that name.

“Like the poet?” I had to say something. We had stopped walking and were just standing there staring at each other.

“Exactly. Except the Derek part.” He said cracking a smile that matched his eyes.

“Yeah except for the Derek part.” Oh my gosh that name sounded so familiar. We had moved out of the frost covered street and sat down on a bench. He just sat there smiling at me.

“Um, do you want to get that coffee?” I asked kind of nervous.

“I’m good right here. Unless you want to leave. Do you?” Slowly he leaned toward me. Oh my gosh he’s going to kiss me! I don’t know him, he’s a complete stranger. But the scary thing was I did know him somehow. I was freaking out in my head but on the outside I closed my eyes and leaned toward him.

Right as our lips touched I heard something that chilled me to the bone. “Run! Now!” My Voice was back and it sounded terrified. And for once I listened to it. Probably because I was now terrified.

“I’m so sorry. I need to go.” I said trying not to let the fear that was beating on me like a drum show.

“Wait. Can I have your number?” He asked shyly. I was scared but I wouldn’t let him see me like that.

“Sure.” I said already scribbling down my number as fast as I could. “I need to leave right now. Call me later?”

“Ok I’ll call you later.” He said looking a little confused. I couldn’t blame him, I was acting very strange. I felt really bad for him when I turned around. So I turned back and gave him a kiss on his cheek and then I fled down the street.

XD

“What just happened?” I asked myself once I got my breath back. I had run all the way to my hotel which had been a block away. I had let him kiss me! I was so confused, and he was a complete stranger besides when he was stalking me.

“Oh” I said while I hit myself in the head. “You idiot! You were supposed to talk to him about that. But instead you let him kiss you!” I was talking to myself. Never a good sign. I needed to clear my head so I turned on the TV and watched the news.

“In recent news there was a drive-by on Maple Street ten minutes ago.” Maple Street? That sounded familiar. I turned my attention back to the TV.

“Only one person died but several people were wounded. Here’s a picture of the crime scene.” My blood froze, that was the street that Derek and I had been on. I checked my watch. Twelve minutes ago. If I hadn’t of listened to my Voice I might have died. Suddenly there was a knock on my door. I nearly jumped out of my skin but I went over and opened it. And who should appear but Derek.

“Hey.” he said cradling his arm in his jacket. I looked more closely at his arm and saw a dark red spot getting bigger. Blood. He had blood on his arm.

“Oh my god! Why is your arm bloody?” I asked still standing in the doorway.

“Um I would love to explain but maybe we could do this in your room.” He said nodding toward my room.

“Of course. Come in.” I said leading him to the couch. “What happened?” I asked him getting out my phone to call the ambulance. I had medical training but I didn’t have the tools to patch up something with that much blood.

“Don’t call an ambulance. I don’t like hospitals.” He said looking at me with so much intensity I hung up the phone.

“If you’re not going to let me call an ambulance at least tell me what happened.” I told him while I went to grab my first-aid kit.

“I got shot at that drive-by. I won’t need that.” He said looking at my first-aid kit. I stared at him.

“Um yeah you do.” I said looking at him like he was crazy. Now that I think about it he probably was crazy.

“Here look, it’s done healing.” He said holding out his arm. I looked at it; all I could see was blood.

“All I see is blood.” I said reaching for my first-aid kit that I had laid on the table.

“Here let me go wash it off.” He said as he walked into the tiny kitchenette that came with the room. I followed him into the kitchen clutching the first-aid kit. He went over to the sink and turned on the water to full blast. Then he plunged his arm underneath the spray of water. I winced thinking he must be in pain but he just stood there calmly rubbing the blood of. When he was done I went over to him to patch up the wound.

“What…” I said. I couldn’t believe my eyes there was nothing there not even a scratch. “But all that blood….impossible.”

“I told you I didn’t need first-aid.” He said. Then he suddenly grabbed my hand and pulled me into his arms. “I believe we have unfinished business.” Then he kissed my with such intensity I just stood there. But then I realized what he was doing and I kissed him back. Sparks erupted in my head as he kissed me so lovingly I thought my heart would burst.

I don’t know how long we stood there when logic finally hit me and I thought about what had just happened. I wrenched myself away from him gasping.

“Who are you? What are you? Why are you following me? Why doesn’t your arm have a bullet hole in it? And don’t lie.” I yelled at him and I saw a something in his eyes but I didn’t know what. “Well?”

“I’m an angel.”