The Meridian Gamble Read Online Free Page B

continues. And he starts to
glow.
    At first I think it’s a trick of
the light. A kind of radiance seems to shine from within him, and forms a ring
around his body. And the longer I stare at him, the more distinct it becomes,
to the point that I no longer feel it’s an illusion.
    Is anyone else seeing this? I look
to Staci, but she’s still talking about Darcy. The man stops at a crosswalk,
but the other people on his side of the street just stand there as if nothing
odd is happening.
    And suddenly, the man transforms
just as Staci did, only much quicker. He becomes someone different. He’s
shorter with skin that’s just a slight shade more fair. He wears simple robes
and has a beard, and carries a walking stick.
    For a moment, the entire scene
changes, and I see him in what looks like a small arena with sandy floors. Something
about the architecture makes me think it’s in Egypt, during the times of
Pharaoh. And in the daydream, the man’s head turns, and I’m certain he’s about
to look my way. I’m convinced it’s happening in the real world, too. I panic,
and in a flash, my fear returns my consciousness to modern times.
    Thank God, we’re next to Saks. I
grab Staci’s hand and pull her toward the front doors.
    “Oh, I saw this totally hot dress
in here that would look great on you. We have to go inside!”
    “But I don’t really need a new …”
    Before she can protest any further,
I drag her into the store.
    “Upstairs. It was on the second
floor. Or at least I think it was …” I say, panting, practically flustered.
    From the way Staci looks at me, I’m
sure she’s convinced that I’m crazy, but she goes along with it as I lead her
up the escalator. Before we ascend to the next floor, I look back at the doors
of the front entrance, and am relieved to see that we’re not being followed.
    Of course, there is no dress on the
second floor. But luckily, there’s lots of other fun stuff to see, and we’re
soon happily perusing the racks. Staci tries on some ridiculously overpriced
jeans, ones that are hundreds of dollars a pair, and decides she has to have
them. And I see a top that’s nice. Afterwards, we go to the higher floors to
look for a gift for her Mom. We swing through the shoe section when she
mentions needing some new pumps, and both try on a few pairs.
    As we shop, I think back to the man
on the street. I wonder what that strange glow around him was. Is it that I’m
becoming psychic in adulthood, and can see auras now? But how would that
explain how my vision of him changed to someone from ancient times, just as it
did with Staci, when she appeared to me as Marjorie? He certainly isn’t a
character in my Victorian novel, though I am writing another book set in Egypt.
Perhaps I was pulling up images from that one.
    Or perhaps I’m going insane.
    And I remember something I had long
forgotten, from when I was a child at the LAX airport with my parents. It was
before they had passed away, and we were picking up my aunt, who was visiting. There
was a man who had walked by us quickly on his way to a flight, too fast to
notice me, and I had seen the same glowing radiance around him that I had
detected today. I remember thinking he was magical at the time, perhaps someone
from the fairy realm.
    But I don’t feel that way now. Even
though the spark around the man on the street should make me think he’s
special, it doesn’t. There’s something about the tall, glowing stranger that
makes me afraid. On some instinctual level, I feel that I need to stay away
from him. And I’m glad to have escaped him, so I can return to my normal life.
    After trying on shoes, we hit the
first floor cosmetics counter. And as Staci samples a new MAC blush, she turns
to me.
    “Didn’t you say you wanted to show
me a dress?”
    And I look to her, pretending to be
confused.
    “You know what? I think it was at Bloomie’s.
I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have dragged you in here.”
    “It’s okay. It will give me