Chapter 15 - The Visit to "Nevoc"

Back on Earth, Aiden was back at home crashed out in his bedroom. The sun had barely made its journey to clear blue skies followed by a rooster crow. “Aiden, time to get up, son!” Grandpa yelled up the stairs.

“What is going on?” Aiden asked as he made his way down the stairs still getting the remainder of his clothes on.

His grandpa stood at the foot of the wooden stairs and sipped his coffee. He turned and headed toward the front door and pushed open the screen door, but not without stopping to grab his old ball cap ridden with sweat rings from many days of physical labor on the farm. He put the cap on and said, “We have some work outside, and I need your help. I have a guy coming to pick up some hay, and I need you to help him out and get it loaded.” He took a pause and examined his grandson’s eyes - they were droopy and tired. “What is the matter, did you have a late night with Amy?”

“Actually, no. She went on to some party, and I stayed behind talking to an old friend at the bar. Seems to be an increasingly popular place. And no, I did not drink and drive either, before you ask,” Aiden sarcastically remarked as he smiled back at the only father figure he had ever had. He followed his grandpa out as he was pulling on an old Metallica T-shirt from a concert he and Chris had gone to.

“You still listen to that loud ruckus?” Grandpa smiled as he poked at Aiden.

“Yeah, as a matter of fact, I do. You sound like Chris.” Aiden laughed as he recalled the night they went to the concert. “I had to drag him to that concert. He complained the entire time. But, that’s what buddies are good for. Trust me; I have had to pay that favor back plenty when I have to sit in the dorm and listen to country singers that sing about how their dog died and their ex isn’t coming back.” Aiden woke up a firecracker despite feeling tired.

They made their way outside and helped the farmer load up his hay. The sun felt warm against Aiden’s back as he worked and attended to the additional chores that his grandfather lined out for him. The landscape had escaped the morning’s heavy dew that touched every single blade of grass earlier, and the leaves were vibrant with color as they wisped to the ground on the soft breeze.

Aiden took a pause to catch his breath, and then he looked up the long dirt drive to the old oak tree he had not stood under since his blind encounter with Meridian. His memory of that moment lingered in his mind, and he still was unsure if it truly was his mother who had been watching over him. His placid stream of thought was interrupted when his grandmother motioned for them to get inside to eat breakfast and do some long overdue catching up. They sat around the table and discussed plans for the holidays, and his grandparents wanted to know how school was going for Aiden.

“Things are good. I like school, and it’s nice rooming with Chris.” Aiden’s heart was full being at home with his grandparents and taking in the aroma of the house that was always filled with grandma’s cooking and baking. The kitchen was full of autumn sentiments of baking apple cobbler sprinkled with cinnamon that traveled throughout the house. Aiden’s favorite of his grandmother’s desserts. As he sat at the table inhaling a plate of cobbler, he said, “I do miss home.”

Aiden’s grandmother was like any other, and she certainly always got to the point when she spoke. “What happened with you and Amy? She called here this morning. She sounded a little upset and wanted to know when she could stop out to talk.” Grandma inquired with a raised eyebrow.

Aiden didn’t want to get into that conversation and was quick to ignite a round of sarcasm with one of the women in his life that always called his bluff. “Gee, grams, why don’t you get to the point.” Aiden smirked as he chewed the cobbler in his mouth.

“Son, I don’t have time to waste. When you get to my age, wasting time is a risk of not getting out what needs to be said. I swear, I never could stand folks beating around the bush. Seems your generation spends more time avoiding the point then making one,” Grams replied to Aiden as she got up from the table and pulled on his ear to get his undivided attention.

“Please, tell her I am out working all day. I can’t deal with her right now. I have some things I want to do, and I am going to go see Eric for a bit before I head back out today,” Aiden said.

His grandmother got up from the table and went on about her usual kitchen routine after cooking breakfast. She stopped to let Aiden know how she felt about Amy. “Well, all right. I sure hate to see you two split up again, Aiden.”

“Yes, I know. The perfect Amy. You know she is really starting to get on my nerves these days. I just need some space. I am turning my cell off; I have been ignoring her all morning and all last night. Tell her I have gone back to school,” Aiden said.

His grandmother didn’t say too much to Aiden’s response. She stood watching Aiden from the front door and waved to him as he was walking to his truck. “You be good!” Grandma said as she waved.

Aiden got in his truck and took off, but not before waving and smiling at his grandmother who he loved very dearly. He went into town to check out the psychic’s place, just out of curiosity. Then he took a drive to his old school, stopped in the parking lot, and thought back to the night at his prom. He had not spoken to anyone about what had happened to him, but his memory of seeing Meridian - who claimed to be someone watching over him - had haunted him for months and was a large reason he was feeling distant from Amy. He could not get her out of his head. No matter how hard he tried.

After sitting for a while in the parking lot of his old school, he drove downtown and parked in front of Tallulah’s place. Aiden was also curious about the girl Eric had been talking about the night before. He put his truck in park and walked over to the front door where the sign read:

Gone until November 2. Blessings.

Aiden continued to look through the windows of the building but could not see too much.

“Looking for someone?” Stephanie asked as she walked across the street from her bar.

“Uh, no…I just wanted to see what this place was.” Aiden was searching for his words.

“I run the place across the street. You look familiar.” Stephanie smiled at Aiden.

“Well, I was just in there last night. Nice place. I enjoyed the band,” Aiden said.

“Oh, good! We have been experiencing more customers. I have hired some new girls, and that may be the reason.

“Yes, my friend said that there were some girls in there he was fond of. Who are they?” Aiden asked.

“Oh, now, I don’t give out the names of my girls. You just need to come by more often,” Stephanie said with a smile. “Tallulah will be back soon if you are looking for her?” Stephanie shouted as she walked back over to her bar.

“Sure! Thanks!” Aiden shouted back and smiled with appreciation. Leaving the shop’s exterior, he went back to his truck and drove home to collect his things to return to school.

Things in Salem were progressing nicely, Meridian and Tallulah took the directions Esmra gave them to meet her over at the friend’s place that they were told about. As they drove through Salem, the town was really getting geared up for its Halloween festivities. Esmra rode in the back seat and continued to give directions as they went. The place that they stopped at was away from all the hustle and bustle of the tourists. The building was old and looked like it needed some work.

“Is this it?” Meridian asked with disappointment.

“Yes, child. It doesn’t look like much, but it is a nice place inside. They do get some frequenters here,” Esmra explained.

“What is this place? Why do people come here?” Meridian asked as she looked up at the sign Esmra was pointing at. “Nevoc? What is Nevoc?”

“Well, it’s a bar for starters.” Esmra paused and looked over her shoulder. “Among other things.”

The guides stayed quiet with curiosity, but Talon and Luna were growing restless at the sight of the building. Ridge watched Talon pacing around the old bar that looked just like an old abandoned house from the outside. “What is it Talon?”

“I don’t know if this is a good place for me to be near.” Talon rushed his answer as he continued to pace.

A familiar and sometimes annoying voice interrupted before Ridge could continue his line of inquiry. “Oh stop, you will fit right in here. I just know it!” Relic shouted.

“Oh good, ITS back!” Slaten shouted out. Slaten and Relic had been close through their time as guides and, for the most part, they were a balance of one another. Slaten’s sarcastic remarks were not unlike Ridge’s where Relic was concerned. Slaten’s sly comment was welcomed by Relic.