Part of the Truson S. E. T. series
Note: This is chapter Three of An Orman’s Revenge
Knowing he couldn’t wait too long for the elevators, Ford bounded down the stairs, hoping to catch her before she ran out the door. He breathed a sigh of relief when he found her outside the door, puking. Ford pushed it open and saw how pale her face looked when she gawked at him. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and leaned out.
“I’m sorry. I wish this transformation was easy for you.” Mandy bolted upright.
“Just leave me alone. You can’t possibly understand what I’m going through.” She grimaced. She hunched over and waited until the contents in her stomach landed in the snow.
“Actually, I do know what you’re going through. I was much younger than you but not as young as my students when I transformed,” Ford said. He walked to where he was within reach before he squatted down.
“Yeah? How old were you?”
“Well, I died when I was in my twenties. Like you, Dr. Madison found me washed up on the Hawaiian shores and decided to fly me back here to the Island of Truson.” He stood up before extending his arms. “The great Island of Truson.” Ford put his arms down. “This is the place where Dr. Madison brought me back to life as an Orman.”
“Half-human, half-orca,” Mandy said. She put her hands on her knees and exhaled.
“You may not know this, but the name ‘orca’ is the scientific word used to describe what we usually call killer whales.”
Mandy nodded. “Right. So how did I become an Orman? I didn’t ask for this. Why did Dr. Madison choose me for this stupid experiment? Couldn’t she find someone else?”
“That’s the first thing that came to mind when I found out who I had become. I didn’t like it. Who would want to have a killer whale as an alter ego? That would mean spending some of my time in the water. Why would I want that kind of life?”
“Right,” Mandy said, lifting a brow.
“But then I quickly realized that after Dr. Madison explained it, that there were criminals who are also sea animals. They have existed since the Egyptian days. The federal government tried to shield them from making contact with humans for years. They were successful for a while, but within the last twenty years or so, the government decided that keeping them a secret was a bit harder than they realized.” The wind suddenly picked up speed. Snowflakes that fell from the darkness tangled with the wind, stinging her face. Ford reached for Mandy.
“I have to take you inside before it gets too cold. May I walk you to my cabin?” Ford asked. Her light green eyes peered back at him. The sensations she felt the night before bubbled inside again. She felt the tingling sensations flowing through her veins when she had her hand on his.
***
Ford pushed the feelings out of his mind, but his body was saying otherwise. His alter ego gave him a slight nudge, letting him know he was alert and ready to be out whenever possible. He kept telling himself it was just physical, that after the training and finding the information he needed on who killed his wife, Mandy would be able to leave and go back to the life she wanted, knowing how to control her power when it came to her emotions.
“So, what happened when it became too much to handle?” Mandy said. Ford felt the snow invading his boots, trickling into his socks.
“The federal government decided it was time to take action. They were very successful capturing the Ormans but weren’t very smart about keeping them in jail or imprisoning them on the island.
“They needed to escape so they could transform into their other side to survive.” Ford dug into his pockets to look for his keys.
“This is where you’re staying?”
Ford glanced at the cabin before he went back to searching for his keys.
“Yes.”
“Wow,” Mandy said.
“I know,” Ford replied. Where were his keys? He wrecked his bratin trying to remember when the last time he saw them. He eventually wrapped his fingers around something in his pocket.
“How long have you lived here?”
He flipped the keys into his hand and used his fingers to separate them until he found the key he was looking for and opened the door.
“Ten years.”
Mandy stepped inside. She caught sight of how beautiful the cottage was and inhaled. Crystal chandeliers full of sparkling real diamonds and jewels hung from the ceiling. The room had a mahogany couch with two small square shaped pillows with unusual patterns of triangles and squares spread throughout the fabric. Mandy stepped closer.
A few inches away from the couch was a small cocktail table made entirely out of glass. Mandy bent down and carefully glided her fingers along the smooth surface.
“You must really like the way it’s decorated,” Ford said, locking the door behind him.
Mandy shrugged. Her eyes focused on the glass, her own reflection staring back at her. Flashbacks of a little girl in pigtails invaded her thoughts,, causing her to lift her hand off the table.
“Are you all right?”
Mandy straightened herself up.
“Yes, I’m fine. You have a beautiful table here.” Mandy turned to see a widescreen TV spread from one side of the wall to the other with a huge fireplace underneath. “How long did it take you to decorate?”
“A couple of months.” He paused. “Would you like something to eat? You must be starving after the experience you had.”
“Uh…no thanks. I think I’m just gonna lie down for a while.” Mandy walked a couple of steps towards the stairs but came to a halt when Ford stationed himself in front of her, blocking her from her destination.
“I think you should have something to settle your stomach. It’s been two days since you’ve eaten anything. You need food to build your strength. Come with me please.” He turned and led the way into another room. “Are you coming?”
“No,” Mandy said. “I’m tired. I just want to lie down.” Mandy proceeded to the stairwell. “Which one of the rooms are vacant?” Mandy waited for his response. Her stomach growled.
“If I’m not mistaken, I believe your stomach is telling you otherwise. If you stop being stubborn and actually listen to what your body is telling you, you won’t have any more problems.”
“Don’t you mean if I listen to what you’re telling me?” Mandy sassed. “I’ve only known you for two days, and I’m already starting not to like your attitude.”
“Same here,” he replied. “Your stomach is growling, I can hear it. You need food to keep up your energy. I’ll fix you something to eat. Come.”
Mandy wanted to protest, but her stomach didn’t. She needed her strength if she was ever going to get out of this place. She had to agree with him on that. Plus, he was holding all the cards to her identity. She needed to know who she was and why Dr. Madison picked her to be an Orman.
So many questions. Not enough answers.
There’s still more to come in this story. Find out what happens in Epsiode eight of An Orman’s Revenge.
Love what you are reading so far? Here is where you can find the Truson S.E.T. Series:
The Truson S.E.T. Series on Amazon.
Thank you for all the support I received when it comes to reading the Truson S.E.T. series. It is truly appreciated!
Dominique Gibson
