That evening after Beth received Star's letter the three girls visited Beth's place, to confirm with her mother that Star was indeed moving to Whetshores. Beth's mother, whom insisted they refer to her by her first name, Jasmine, was a kind young woman in her late twenties who dressed in complete contrast to her daughter's dark attire, tending to wear a lot of long light pastel dresses that had many ruffles and her long brown hair held up by a bandana tie-dyed bandana. Next to each other it was hard not believe that they two were actually mother and daughter unless they looked very closely. The only similarity between the two was their green eyes and taste for lots of jewellery. Jasmine seemed to match her daughter's attraction to earrings with an equal attraction to large bracelets that jingled as she walked. She claimed that several helped her control her own "gift", she always referred to psychic powers as a "gift" and was not ashamed to mention that she held more then a few talents when it came to future telling and the like. Trish and Sam had met the woman on several occasions, but never for very long for she was a very busy woman and always running out the door. She was very accepting of her daughter's chooses in life and hugged Trish when she was told that the two of them were dating, telling the girl that she was welcome to visit at anytime and fussing over how good her daughter's taste in girl's were, causing Trish to flush brightly. Beth's mother blinked at the group of girls as they stood at the door to the kitchen, Beth up front with Trish and Sam behind her, asking about Star's new home, "How did you know about that?" She inquired curiously as she glanced from one girl to another. Beth held out the letter to her mother, "I got a letter from Star. She said she was returning in a couple mothers is that so?" Jasmine dried her hands, which were wet from washing dishes, and took the letter from her daughter, "Indeed it is true." She smiled at her daughter, "I was going to tell you closer to their arrival. Mary-ann said she wanted to wait until Star's graduation before moving, but wanted everything set up before they moved so I have been helping out. I found them a nice little duplex on Pine Crescent that was just perfect for them." She said proud of herself, her eyes moved across the shocked faces of the girl's before her, "What about her father?" Beth inquired worriedly, "Is he really out of jail?" Jasmine was startled by this news; "I didn't think Mary-ann told her daughter about that." She said with a sigh and set the towel down, "Mary-ann spotted the man nearby and that is why they are moving." She glanced down at the letter again, reading it a little more carefully this time, "But I guess you already know that." "Aren't the police going to do anything?" Sam inquired, "Can't they stop him?" "They are doing what they can." Jasmine explained scratching her head in frustration of the situation, "But he hasn't done anything yet so they can only give him a warning and not much more. He claimed he just moved into the area and it was an accident that they crossed paths so there isn't much that can be done." "There has to be something." Beth interjected. "Alright you three, what is up?" She inquired curiously, "You can't lie to me so don't try it. Why are you all so interested in Star and her father all of a sudden? I noticed the photo albums have been moved a lot recently, but I thought it was just Bethany," She always called the girl's by their full names, "showing Trisha her photos, but now I'm starting to wonder." Beth took a deep breath and glanced over at Sam, "Sam?" She inquired of the girl. Sam shrugged. She could not tell Diana about what was going on, but Beth's mother was another psychic so maybe the woman could help in some way. She licked her lips nervously and let out a long breath before speaking, "I saw something about Star and I'm afraid for her life." Beth's mother smiled brightly, "I knew you were one of us the moment I set eyes upon you. You have such a strong aura and such a kind heart, but you do realize that not all prolific dreams come true right?" Sam nervously danced in her place, "It wasn't a prolific dream..." She started to say when Beth jump in. "Mom, this is much more complicated then prolific dreams." Beth stated urgently and quickly explained the entire situation in words that her mother could understand, using every bit of psychic terminology that she could muster, not allowing room for her mother to interrupt. Her mother's eyes widened with every passing minute that her daughter spoke, her hands moving to her mouth in shock as Beth told her everything from Sam being hit over the head by her mother to her cousins demise, in as much detail as she could muster without distressing Samantha too much. Only when she was finished the story did she give her mother room to speak, however the woman only stood there in stunned silence slowly shaking her head and staring at Sam with a bewildered look upon her face. Suddenly she pushed passed her daughter and dropped to her knees in front of Sam, her hands landing upon Sam's shoulders, tears in her eyes. "I'm so sorry..." She whispered softly, "No child should have to experience something like that so soon after developing their gift... It is just... just..." She could not finish her words and simply pulled Sam into her arms and held her tight and hugged her. Sam's mind instantly became a flutter of images of Beth's mother through the years, images of a child being pushed to the ground and having rocks thrown at her to her running through the streets with a child in her arms. Sam had to pull away from the woman, staggering from the surge of emotions that filled her and nearly falling to the ground. Beth quickly stepped in beside the girl and helped her to a beanbag chair, her eyes angry upon her mother, "What the hell did you do to her?" Her mother seemed shocked and confused, "I just wanted to give her a hug to let her know she is welcome here." Sam waved a hand at her friend, "It... is... alright..." She panted as she tried hard to shake the feelings from her, "I just wasn't ready for that." Beth stood to her feet and glared at her mother, "Sam is very powerful and when she is near an extremely emotional source she is like a sponge. You have to be more careful around her. I thought you would know that." She shook her head in disbelief of her mother's actions. "I'm sorry." The woman sat upon a dinning chair next to the door to the kitchen and rubbed her forehead, glancing around sheepishly at the girls; "I just get so emotional when I see a child in need that I sometimes forget." She stated sheepishly. Beth rubbed her forehead, "Sometimes I wonder about you mother." She said in distain. Trish suddenly stepped forward, "So what do we do now? We know she will be moving in to Sam's old place so do we tell them now or what?" Beth's mother shook her head, "If I understand fully what Sam experienced we are walking on thin glass and we have to be very careful how we handle this." She explained worriedly. "Can we call the police?" Trish inquired anxiously, "They will believe you over us, won't they?" She almost begged. Beth's mother gave a weak smile to the girl, "I wish they would, but it is not that easy. I've tried to warn them about danger before, but they just laughed." She thought for a moment and then looked around as if she had an idea, "I know..." Without finishing her sentence she got up from her seat and went to her room, leaving the girls to glance at each other in confusion. When she returned she was holding a small photo, "I don't know why I kept this, but maybe it will come in handy." She handed the photo to Beth who stared at it perplexedly, "It is Star's father." She stated in distaste and the girl's all let out a breath of shock, each trying to get a good look at the photo in Beth's hands. The man looked like nothing special. He was a thin man with a long drawn out expression upon his face. He eyes were small behind a pair of black-rimmed glasses. His hair was thin and black, parted neatly upon his head and he wore a blue business suit. Sam starred at the photo and recalled the silhouette of the man that shot her friend, "That's him." She muttered in anger and fear. Beth glanced up from the photo, "Are you sure?" She asked, holding the photo closer to Sam, "This is who you saw?" Sam nodded, "I'm almost certain of it, I only saw his shadow, but I think it was him." She said hesitantly. "Take the photo in your hands." Beth's mother insisted, "If he really is the one who murdered my sister and niece we must be absolutely sure of it. Since you have such a connection with the events ahead maybe you will see something that will help us track him down." Beth pulled the photo away from Sam and looked at her mother. "Is that such a good idea, mom?" She inquired worriedly, "I haven't had time to teach Sam how to object read and it could be more then she can handle." The woman nodded, "Let Sam decide for herself. She will have to learn clairvoyance soon enough." She turned to Sam, "What do you think?" Sam swallowed hard as she looked at the photo, over the past while she only gained a small glimpse of things when she picked up an object belonging to someone else. For the most part it was blurry and only a quick flash so nothing to worry about much and she figured that touching the photo might be a good idea. Maybe she would get a fleeting image of where the man was and they could stop him before he could hurt Star, "I want to save Star." She insisted while reaching out for the photo. Beth seemed reluctant to give the girl the photo, "You sure this is a good idea?" She inquired uneasily, but when she saw the insistence in Sam's eyes she knew there was no arguing with the girls and handed the photo over. The moment Sam's fingers folded around the photo her eye suddenly blurred and she had a sensation of floating. Suddenly she became aware of someone else and she looked around to find herself in a small field, standing beside a tree. Her breathing was coming out sporadically, as if she had just run a great distance and she could feel the bark of the tree under her fingertips. Within moments Sam realized that she somehow was seeing through Star's father's eyes, if it was the present or the future she was not certain, but it was clear that the man was trying to hide from something and she could feel anxiety fill her, along with the feeling of sweat upon her brow and her heart pounding out of control. Then she saw her, Star was walking along a path to her right, schoolbooks in hand as she quickly moved on her way, looking no younger or older then she remembered the girl telling Sam that this must be the present or close to it. The man ducked behind the tree and Sam lost track of the girl, only too see her again through the branches of the tree. He watched her for a moment and Sam could sense fear overcoming the man just at the sight of the girl. His hand slipped into his pocket and brushed against something cold and solid, wrapping around it and looking down at a bunt end of a pistol. ((NOOOOO!!!))) Sam screamed out and shoved at the man, wanting nothing more then to hit him, but instead she shoved too hard and pushed herself out of the man's body. Seconds later she found herself laying upon the floor of Beth's living room, a scream upon her lips and she sat bolt right up. "What did you see?" Beth probed nervously, helping the girl to a beanbag chair. Sam found it hard to breath as she gasped for air, she could still feel the grip of the gun in her hand and the sweat upon her forehead and wiped that, her fingers stopping on the bullet scar and running around it surface as anger filled her heart. Beth's mother rushed over to the girl with a glass of water, "Here drink this." She insisted, holding the glass out to the girl. Sam took the drink gratefully and whispered a thank you before downing half the glass. Trish worriedly approached the girl, "Are you alright?" She inquired, watching her friend carefully. Sam nodded, "I wasn't expecting that at all." She said between pants, taking another drink of water, a small sip this time. "What happened?" Beth asked again. Sam glanced up at her friend, fear in her eyes, "He is watching her... he is watching Star..." She said between breaths and then looked up at her friends, "And he has a gun." ***** The night grew close as they sat around Beth's apartment, thinking over their options. Jasmine mother called up Diana to explain that the girl's were staying over for dinner and maybe overnight, then ordered Chinese food for them all. They sat around the small square fold up dinning table in the corner, near the kitchen, talking over how they were going to stop this tragedy from happening. "Well, we know that they are safe until September, at the very least." Jasmine said as she scooped out some rice onto her plate. "That is what we figured." Beth stated then took a bite of a fried chicken leg and swallowed, "But what are we supposed to do on the eighteenth?" Jasmine thought for a moment, "We can't warn Star or Mary-ann that is for sure. If we tell them then they will simply run away again and we'll never catch that bastard." The woman covered her mouth in embarrassment, "Sorry girl." She apologized for her language. Trish laughed, "We have heard worse then that at school." She stated with a giggle. Sam sighed, "Yeah, between Lisa and her friends I've heard almost every insult I can." She stated miserably. Jasmine looked between the girls with worried eyes, "Are the kids at school bothering you girls?" Beth shrugged, "Nothing we can't handle." She insisted, "Just one of our old friends not taking to well to Trish and my relationship." Jasmine eyed the girl's closely, "You sure there is nothing I can do to help? I can come down there and give them all the 'Evil Eye' for you." She said with a broad grin that made the girl's laugh. After a moment of laughter her face turned serious again, "We really need to come up with a plan. We can't take this guy on head on and since the police won't help, so we are pretty much on our own." Beth starred at her mother in shock, "Does this mean you are going to help us?" She inquired in amazement. Jasmine nodded, "I can't allow my only daughter and future daughter-in-law to go up again this mad man alone, now can I?" Trish and Beth flushed brightly, "Mother!?!" Beth exclaimed, "We aren't engaged!" She said in a panicked state, glancing to Trish every now and then. Jasmine smiled, "I know, but the two of you look so cute together that you can't blame a mother for hoping." She turned to Sam, "Speaking of which, what are your plans with my niece when all of this is over?" Sam chocked on a mouthful of rice and reached for a glass of pop, washing it down quickly. "Mother!!!" Beth shot across the table at the woman, "Well you stop it." Jasmine returned her daughter's gaze, "I have a right to know, Star is my sister's child and my god child after all." Sam swallowed hard, trying to cover her blush behind a napkin, "I..." She tried to find her words, but felt too flustered to speak and took a moment to compose herself, "I don't know what will happen." She admitted shyly, "I'm just hoping we can be friends for now." Jasmine nodded slowly, "That is good, she needs some friends. From what I hear she will be attending your school next year so I want the three of you to watch over her." "WHAT?!?" All three exclaimed at once. ***** To be Continued . . .
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