Page 12 of Christmas Past
“That’s her name,” he said, inanely. Making no sense whatsoever.
“Oh my…I amsosorry I called you. How can you know her name? I don’t even know her name. Because there is no girl. She doesn’t exist. These arefeelings, Chad. That’s all.Feelings. I’ve been getting them on and off, in different situations, for my entire life. That’s partially why I stay away from crowds, from people. I tend to imagine what they’re feeling and I just don’t want to do that anymore. It wears you out and…”
He was staring at her. And the panic inside her was growing. The pain in her foot. The scrape on her elbow. She wasn’t nauseous anymore. And her pants didn’t feel wet. But the blackness was there.
And so was Chad. Leading her to her stool.
“I don’t know what’s going on with you, Bella, but Camille is real and it’s time that you just admit it. Especially if you know where she is. If there’s time to save her.”
“She doesn’t feel dead.” She wanted to take back the words the second they came out of her mouth.
He’d think there really was a child. That she’d called because she knew something.
And she didn’t…
“Tell me about Camille,” she said, completely against her will. It was a natural response – but from her past. Not her present.
“She’s Camille Posey – the three year old great-granddaughter to the woman who first opened the first Posey’s Diner in town. One that burned down. Camille and her family are visiting Christmas Town for the holidays. They just arrived this morning and when the snow hit hard, stopped off at Posey’s diner.”
“And you think this three year old child is missing? In this storm?” Her words were only a whisper because she had no voice.
“Yes! She’s missing! Disappeared from the diner over two hours ago now. Which leaves us less than anhour to have the best chance at getting her back alive. Less than twenty-two hours to have much hope at all…”
Burying her head in her hands, Bella shook it. No.
She was not feeling that child.
Because there was only her imagination.
There was no…
Opening her eyes, she looked at Chad.
And she knew.
Therewasa girl.
~*~
“I need you to tell me what’s going on Bella.” He’d seen realization dawn on her. And now that she was up to speed, he felt…sorry for her.
“I don’t know where she is, Chad. I swear to you. I haven’t seen her. Until this moment I was fully convinced I’d made the whole thing up.”
Her sincerity sounded so genuine. And he didn’t have time for confusion.
“You have to know something. The whole town’s out searching for a missing child. You call me, telling me that a little girl is hurt. Surely you see why I can’t believe that one has nothing to do with the other?”
Looking like she might cry, she said, “I see that it’s too much of a coincidence. But I don’t know anything else. I don’t even know why I’m getting the feelings. It’s not like they’re anything you can use.”
He felt the clock ticking.
“My whole life, I was told these sensations were a special gift…and…” shehad tears in her eyes as she looked up at him… “what if they do mean something, Chad? I’ve read about empaths. Even the FBI uses them. They’re called psychic detectives.”
“So you think that’s what you are? A psychic detective?” This was getting stranger by the second. But…could it be possible?
“No! I think I’m a fraud. But, what if?” She was shaking again. “The feelings this morning, I ran to thebathroom to throw up, the feeling was so strong. That's why I called you. What if I’m getting her? And what if I didn’t call? And what if she died? But I could have helped?”
She met his gaze, reminding him of the woman who’d so briefly enchanted him at the creek.
