New Title 3

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Book: Read New Title 3 for Free Online
Authors: Michael Poeltl
whole group exploded in conversation.
    “ Intense, man,” Connor sighed as he studied the stars. “We wonder why wars break out over religion, and these people are friends . Man, everyone has their own ideas on how someone else should live.” A melancholy mood struck us both. I glanced over at him, and saw him regarding me with vacant eyes.
    Oh shit, not again.
    For as long as I’d known him, Connor has had what some called a ‘second sight’. He could often sense that something was going to happen before it did. He told me once that his grandmother had had the same ability. He’d never predicted anything that spooked me, at least nothing that he told me about in advance. Whenever one of those premonitions struck him, his expression would go blank and he’d stare off into space.
    “ Shit, Connor, if you’re going into fortune-teller mode, keep it to yourself. I’m too buzzed to handle shit, good or bad. Call me when it’s over.” I turned to leave, but was unable to see in the dark and banged my head on a low-hanging branch. “Shit!”
    He jerked as if electrocuted, and watched me rubbing my forehead, his eyes slowly focusing. Then he started laughing. So did I, relieved that he was back and apparently without grim news. We wandered off into the trees, moving further from the noise, not stopping until the fire was a distant flicker. Finding a dry spot, we sat. Connor got cozy with the tree behind him, wrapping an arm around its trunk and resting his head against its rough bark.
    “ This is a good tree. Put your hand on it, Joel.”
    I did, and the experience blew me away. A rush of energy shot through my body as my hand breached the tree’s aura, an aura I swear I could see. Connor watched the expression on my face change as I connected with nature. “Pretty amazing, eh buddy?”
    “ Insane.” That was all I could say. Connor knew what I meant. I got up and began touching as many trees as I could. The phrase ‘tree hugger’ had just clicked. I giggled.
    “ Let’s start a fire of our own,” he suggested. “What do you think?”
    “ Good call, but I think everything is wet from the storm this afternoon.”
    “ We’ll find dry wood somewhere.” He rose with a grunt and stepped over me. “These are birch trees. We’ll peel their bark for kindling. Shit burns good. You got a knife?”
    “ No, but I have a lighter.”
    “ No worries.” I could hear the bark being pulled apart as I resumed my tree loving.
    A skunk crossed my path a moment after I left Connor. Not a bizarre thing in the north woods, but this was no ordinary skunk. My brain, still working on some instinctive level, recognized the threat in front of me. I froze. Raising my hands slowly, I massaged my eyes and prayed the image would fade away. “No, no, no....”
    Unfortunately, the scene did not diminish. In fact, it got more freakish as my vision cleared. The skunk had positioned itself on a dead stump and stared at me with an urgency that sent me reeling. My heart stopped as my gaze fell upon the animal’s distinctive and familiar abnormality. One front leg was shorter than the other.
    He stood on his hind legs, like a puppet. Suddenly light from an unknown source illuminated his stage. “Joel, you know who I am,” he said. “You need to know why I am here. Please don’t be frightened, I am only a vision.”
    I cut him off.
    “ You’re right about that!” I pointed an accusing finger. “You’re nothing more than a vision. And a bad one at that.”
    I’d lost any ability to move and in trying, fell to my knees. Now face to face with the talking skunk, sure I had lost my grip on reality, I could only listen. It was all so very real, palpable. I giggled at the thought, shaking my head. “Joel, please, you must know. You must be prepared….”
    Before he could say more, Connor’s voice broke the spell and the skunk ran off.
    “ Joel! Where the hell did you go?” He slapped me on the back and knelt down beside me.

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