Bewitched, Bewildered & Beguiled

 

Astronomy graduate Jasmine Finlay goes camping in Alaska for five days to take in the clear, night skies.  However, her stargazing expedition takes an unexpected turn when she's saved on her first night from a bear attack.  Her savior Kurt Wisetail has never met anyone like Jasmine before and falls head-over-heels in love with the beautiful English woman. At first Kurt is curious about Jasmine’s status however, he’s hiding a supernatural secret of his own. True love is never easy and the couple experience highs and lows to their whirlwind romance.

Published December 2024

The good looking boy who looked like he could be part Native Alaskan, waved his hand towards the vacant seat.

 

(Excerpt Alma Chapter 1)

 

            After I signed in, I was told which classes I would be in.  I was given a map to download onto my phone of the school building, with my class time table.  I was relieved to see on my schedule that I was placed into the Home Science and Music classes that I nominated as my electives.

            The school bell sounded and hurriedly I left the office.  I walked down the now empty corridor looking for Room 306 for my first class of the day which was English.  To be honest, I didn’t find the school map that helpful.  I kept losing my place by having to check the ‘key’ at the bottom, to work out what all the different colours meant.

            Merde! I'm going to be late for my first class! Now I’m really going to stand out!

            At last, I found Room 306 after walking up one staircase and down another corridor.  Nervously, I approached the closed door where I knocked once before slowly opening it.

            The English teacher was a red-headed woman, who was standing up the front of the class.  She was writing on an electronic board with a sensor pen before she paused to look on my lateness, unimpressed.

            “I’m – I’m new,” I tried to explain.

            I heard some snickering from the students who were all staring at me.  Most of them eyed me analytically and looked unimpressed with what they saw.  Their expressions mirrored the look on my teacher's face.

            “You’re new?” the teacher raised her eyebrows. “That would explain why I’ve never seen you before.”

            There was more snickering as the whole class stared at my appearance.  I stood there, like I was stuck in the mud, wondering if I was supposed to say anything else? The teacher didn’t ask for my name nor did she offer hers.

            “Well, unless you want to stand there and help me teach, you can find a seat," she said at last.

            My face burned in embarrassment as I looked for a place to sit down and hide, but there were only two places.  Beside the vacant seats, sat fashionably dressed boys or girls who looked like they were secretly hoping I wouldn’t sit beside them. But if they didn’t want me to, where else am I supposed to sit?  I’m going to have to sit in one of those seats whether they like it or not.

            I moved towards a seat beside a boy who was wearing a sports team jacket, when abruptly he put his foot on the chair to stop me from sitting down.

            Mon Dieu!  This day was worse than I could have imagined!  Not only does nobody like me, but they already hate me!  I froze in terror as I didn't know what to do, when out of the blue I heard this…

            SMACK!

            …a good looking boy who was sitting behind the mean boy who'd stopped me from sitting down, had just slapped him on the back of his head!

            “Don’t be a dickhead, Johnson! Move your frickin’ big foot!” he snapped.

            The other kids who'd witnessed this, burst out laughing, whereas I wished I could turn invisible.

            The good looking boy was sitting next to a broad-shouldered girl with a very pretty face.  But her physique was what made you notice about her first, as she was one of the strongest looking girls I'd ever seen.  Truly, she looked like she could have been a weightlifter!  She had bright blue eyes and long, wavy, dark blonde hair, and was looking at me with a curious expression.

            She was sitting next to another boy, who was the exact opposite to her as he was very thin.  He had faded blue eyes and his pallor was so unnaturally white, his lips were almost blue.  To say he looked sickly would have been an understatement. 

            The good looking boy who looked like he could be part Native Alaskan, waved his hand towards the vacant seat. 

            Immediately, I sat down and busied myself by taking out my laptop.  I tried to ignore the death stare by the sports jacket guy named Johnson.  He glared at me then the good looking boy and back to me. 

            Mon Dieu!  That's it, tomorrow I’m not coming back to this school!  I’m never going to come to this school again!

            However, I noticed the good looking boy didn't bother with Johnson's threatening looks, he was too busy staring at me.  And he wasn’t just staring, but he looked completely transfixed.  Then I noticed so too were the blonde girl as well as the pale guy.

            The good looking guy had scruffy, dark brown hair which sat just below his ears and dark brown eyes.  Although he and the girl were sitting down, I could tell they were both tall.  Their pale, thin friend wasn’t as tall, or anywhere as built-up as the other two.

            These three weren’t dressed as trendily as their classmates and seemed to have their own style.  The good looking guy was wearing blue jeans, a grey t-shirt and a brown suede jacket.  The girl was wearing brown jeans, a pale blue shirt and a black suede jacket.  The pale guy was wearing black jeans, a white shirt and a black, pin-striped suit jacket.

            What’s more, it wasn’t just the good looking guy that was staring, but it was all three.  Whereas the first guy’s mouth hung open, the girl and the pale guy looked very curious.  Then, the two smiled in a friendly way, but the first guy continued to stare.  When the girl noticed her friend’s mouth was hanging open, she whacked him on the arm to make him snap out of it.

            “What?” he looked back in surprise. “Oh yeah.”

            He straightened, closed his mouth and gave me a goofy grin. 

            I liked his smile, it told me that he was a nice person.

 

*****

“But Mama, look at their clothes! Look at my clothes! I won’t fit in here! I fitted in, in my old school in Nara!”

(Excerpt Alma Chapter 1)

 

            We sat in our vehicle and looked at the kids who appeared to be my age or older, all stream through the front doors of the large school building.

            The students were a mix of Caucasians, Asian-descent or Native Alaskans. I spotted a couple of African-American kids, but their hair was treated so it looked smooth and straight, not like my frizzy hair.  All of their clothes looked like the latest fashion and they all carried the latest models of laptops or tablets or mobile phones.  I saw how they pretended to look busy by messaging each other using their technology, as they checked their class schedules on their tablets. Some of them even wore large earphones to listen to loud music and block the world out.

            I knew I was going to stick out with my old clothes. My laptop was second-hand and used to be Mama’s and my mobile phone was old so it didn’t have all of the extra features of the newer models.  In Nara none of this mattered, but here I was worried that I wouldn’t be accepted because of it.

            “Can I move back to Mali and live with Uncle Bouren and Aunt Menaka?”  I passed her a pleading look.

            “No," she was quick to glare. “Your father left me for another woman and now you want to leave me too?”

            “But Mama, look at their clothes! Look at my clothes! I won’t fit in here! I fitted in, in my old school in Nara!”

            “Then make them fit in with YOU!” she flared and next, she hit the control for my door to make it open. “Now go to school!”

            With a huff to show my unhappiness, I climbed out of the vehicle.  Then as I slowly walked up the concrete path towards the large building, I looked back.  Mama powered up the hover-car and I watched the vehicle rise into the air.  Lastly, she threw me a wave before she flew off down the road.

            Merde! I’m all alone and I’m going to have to ask one of these fashionable kids where the school office is to pick up my class timetable.  I walked through the doors to find a crowded school corridor with lockers lining the walls.  The students stood with their friends in front of them, either putting things in or taking them out, as they all talked loudly.

            There weren’t any signs that I could see for the school's office, so I was going to have to ask for directions.  I started to walk over to two girls who appeared to be my age, who were touching up their made-up faces using small mirrors.   Mama would never let me wear make-up to school.  Now there’s another reason why I’ll stick out like an elephant next to a giraffe.

            “Pardon," I smiled as warmly as I could. “Could you please tell me where the school office is?”

            “Down the corridor and turn left," one of the girls answered without looking away from her mirror.

            “Merci - er - I mean thank you," I replied awkwardly.

            Merde!  They were like the neighbour Mama and I encountered.  Only worse, the teenagers here won't even look at you.

            I walked down the corridor and I turned left just as the girl directed only to find another long corridor.  Mon Dieu, please don’t make me have to ask for directions again!  Feeling lost, I started to walk down this hallway past more lockers and kids chattering loudly.  I still couldn’t see any signs of any school offices so I stopped and looked about, confused.

            Just then a pretty girl with long black hair and dark brown eyes noticed me standing in the middle of the corridor.  She was standing with a similarly looking friend and I think they were Native Alaskan. The first girl walked up and smiled which immediately made me like her.

            “Hi, you look lost," she laughed, but not meanly.

            “I’m trying to find the school office.” I told her.

            “It’s just down the end of this corridor," she pointed.  "The door is hidden, so I’ll show you.”

            “Thank you!” I gushed in relief.

            Next, both girls walked me down the corridor and as they did, they openly examined my appearance.

            “Where’s your accent from?” the second girl asked out of interest.

            “I just moved here from Mali.”  I answered.

            “Mali?” the second girl echoed in surprise. “That’s a big change coming to Alaska.”

            “Where’s Mali?” the first girl enquired.

            “In Africa," the second girl answered for me.

            “Wow," the first girl sounded impressed before she stopped and pointed out a door.  “There it is.”

            “Thank you very much,” I said gratefully to the two.

            “Good luck on your first day," the first girl smiled then she and her friend walked on.

            I gave them a wave as they departed and I wished I could be in their classes but unfortunately they were younger than me. 

 

*****

I came from a climate where a ‘hot day’ could reach forty-five degrees Celsius; to a climate which could drop to minus forty-five degrees Celsius.

 

(Excerpt Alma Chapter 1)

 

9th September 2380 – Nine Months Previously

 

            The hover-car landed with a gentle thud on the side of the road out the front of Alma High School and powered down. 

            Our second-hand hover-car wasn’t as shiny and new as the other models that we passed on the streets, or even those that were parked in the student car park.  Our vehicle also made a loud humming noise coupled with a slight rattle when we were zipping from A to B whereas the newer models moved almost soundlessly.  These differences only aided my self-conscious tendencies which were nerve-wracking when starting at a new school.  

            Mama turned off the ignition and turned to give me a brave smile. 

            She ordered, “Don’t be scared.”

            “I’m not,” I lied.

            “Today is my first day at my new job.” Mama continued. “I’m not scared, I’m excited.”

            “Mama, I’m not scared.” I repeated.

            She wasn't convinced though as she examined my face which looked very similar to hers in features, but our colouring was different.

            Mama was full-blooded Mali with the typical smooth, dark brown skin, big brown eyes and short afro hair. Her eyes were her best feature as they were large and yet pointed in the corners which gave her a feline-like quality. Mama was 170 cm’s tall and skinny.

            I wasn’t as tall as Mama, I was at least ten centimetres shorter. I was 16 years old so I still had a couple of years left where I might reach her height. My hair was long and frizzy and my skin was a light brown colour. My paler skin came from my father since he was Caucasian French.

            My parents divorce had just been finalized.  Papa had moved back to France at the start of their separation and with its completion, Mama and I moved to Alaska.  It was thanks to her getting a job at the new hydro power plant which operated just outside of Alma.

            It was ‘fall’ as they called autumn here.  Mama and I were already wearing coats as we had to adjust to the colder climate. I had moved from arid conditions to almost arctic.

            I came from a climate where a ‘hot day’ could reach forty-five degrees Celsius; to a climate which could drop to minus forty-five degrees Celsius.  Alma had odd daylight hours being so close to the Arctic Circle.  In summer, I've heard that there are days where the sun doesn’t set until 11 PM and in the middle of winter, there are days when it doesn't rise until 11 AM.

            I didn’t want to come here. I didn’t want to leave Mali. I miss my Aunts and Uncles and I miss playing soccer with my cousins. I miss the warm weather and the warmth of my family.

            Alma has a population of around 7,500 and people here aren’t as friendly.  When Mama and I first moved into our small, two bedroom townhouse which was in a complex, we asked a neighbour for directions to the supermarket. The lady was snobby and only gave a short answer which wasn't helpful.  Now I'd be going to school with people like this and I've been dreading my first day.

 

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How could we make the Detective and Forensic Scientist understand that this was a war between Werewolves and Vampires?

(Excerpt Alma Introduction)

 

It took me a minute or two to regain my bearings and recognize physical sight instead of my gifted sight.  I blinked then I blinked again as my mind returned to Alaska.  I lay on my back, breathing deeply to slow my racing heart.

            Eventually, I turned my head to look at the digital clock sitting on my bedside table and saw the time read as 7.49 AM.

            Were the Sabre’s awake, especially Aunt B and Uncle Dec?  I wanted to run into their bedroom and deliver my warning.  I knew they'd believe what I had ‘seen’ in my sleep, but what would their reaction be?

            Would they harm the Moscow Police Officers?  I've seen what Uncle Dec can do to protect his family.  Could we think of a peaceful solution instead that prevented his arrest?  How could we make the Detective and Forensic Scientist understand that this was a war between Werewolves and Vampires?

            The smell of bacon and eggs cooking filled my room, indicating that he was awake and preparing food for the family as usual – which now included me.

            Uncle Dec wasn’t really the cold-blooded murderer the Officers thought.  But how to make them see this, without exposing the Sabre family and the Lokoti Tribe’s secret?  Now that would be tricky. 

            Oh dear Mama in heaven, what do I do?

            Anxiously, I jumped out of bed and flung open my bedroom door.  I raced down the upstairs hallway in my flannel pyjamas then slowed as I approached the staircase.  But just as I started down the stairs, I stopped.

            I saw below the Sabre family congregated around the table with Uncle Dec carrying people’s plates out from the kitchen.  He and Aunt B were dressed but their children were still in their pyjamas.  Susanna was wearing her ‘Scooby Doo’ set and Sophia was wearing dark purple satin.  Lucia sat in her usual seat in a white singlet top and grey pyjama bottoms.  They looked just like a regular family preparing to eat their Saturday morning breakfast.

            “Mali, you’re right on time.” Uncle Dec greeted, as he carried out a plate and put it down at my spot.  “Pull up a seat.”

            But I couldn’t eat, not with the bad news I was carrying inside.

            Aunt B noticed my hesitation and she asked, “Mali, what’s up?”

            I opened my mouth to answer but I couldn’t find my voice, I was so nervous.

            Lucia and Sophia noticed this as they looked up from their food whereas Sues seemed oblivious and kept on eating. 

            “Mali, are you OK?” Lucia looked on concerned.

            “Spit it out!” Sophia prompted.  “Our breakfast is going cold!”

            My wide eyes met Uncle Dec’s curious ones as he stood beside his seat at the head of the table, holding the last plate of food which was for himself.

            “I had another storm dream.” I uttered out.  “They’re coming for you.”

            His eyes narrowed as he squared off his shoulders defiantly as if he thought I meant more Vampires. 

            “Who Mali?”  Aunt B stood up in alarm. “Who are coming?”

            “The Moscow Police.”

 

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