Donec

By Sandy Tague

From all outward appearances, nineteen-year-old K looks like a typical California teenager. But inside, K knows shes very different from her peers. The offspring of a mortal and angel, K has been told that theres something special in store for her life and that one day shell be contacted by the appropriate entities.

While on a service trip to Africa, K becomes confused when she meets Kender, known to all the other volunteers as Dr. Grandchester, a beautiful but enigmatic man. K feels a strong connection with Kender and soon learns that their existence is at odds for he is not what she expected him to be.

Despite their enormous differences, K and Kender fall deeply in love with each other. Kender is faced with a difficult struggle: should he be with K and cave in to short-lived, pure love and joy followed by tremendous grief, or should he stay away and avoid those sentencing feelings altogether?

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Dec 8, 2011
• ISBN: 9781462070664

Sandy Tague

Sandy Tague graduated from UCR with a psychology degree. She chose motherhood as her career path and began writing. Tague and her husband, Curt, have two sons. This is her debut novel.

Book preview

Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

~For everything revolves around two eternal forces…good and evil~

Chapter 1

As soon as Kender materialized into the small room, he felt the presence of the beast. Without any hesitation he walked outside to find it. The night was clear and the full moon cast a soft shadow over the village. He limited himself to a fast human pace and followed his senses. Coming around the corner where two dirt roads met, he saw it. The lion was huge, crouching as if tracking its prey. The enormous animal did not sense his presence, so Kender moved closer to get a better view of whatever the brute was so consumed with.

There, standing in the middle of the road, staring right at the beast was a young mortal girl. She looked small and frail compared to her hunter. For a few seconds Kender contemplated the girl. There was no fear in her eyes. A great number of reasons why this was so, crossed his mind—but he picked the most logical one—she was probably in shock. The warm breeze of the night was picking up and lifting her long soft curls away from her face, revealing unusual beauty. Her knee-length white nightgown was also being tossed, reflecting the light with a fluorescent hue as it moved. She looked delicate and somewhat mystical, like a lighted candle in the middle of a storm. It might have been her numinous nature or, on the other hand, her total vulnerability—who knows, but Kender suddenly felt a strange desire to protect the girl. He would have done it for any mortal, but the need to protect this one came from a part of him he did not know existed inside him. With no time to analyze the emotion, he moved so fast it seemed as if he appeared out of nowhere, right behind the girl.

By now the lion should have sensed Kender’s presence and fled for his life, but he appeared to be too frenzied with the easiness of his flimsy prey. Kender wondered if he were losing his power because the creature continued to stare at the girl as if he were not even there. Just then, the girl extended her hand toward the beast, and the lion took a step closer to her—too close for Kender’s comfort. In an effort to conceal his identity, he ran with human speed and came to stand right between the girl and the lion.

The sudden movement startled both the girl and the beast. At this point, his physical presence was enough to stun the lion. The animal jumped back with a growl, sounding more like a cat that had been unexpectedly struck with force. He ran away fast, disappearing between the tents and back into the savannah.

Hoping the girl would not make anything out of the unprecedented event she had just witnessed, Kender slowly turned around to face her. He tried English first, a popular language in the planet, since she did not appear to be a native. Aren’t you too young for suicide? he asked, before losing himself in the deep pull of her black eyes. Rare as they were, he had seen mortals with black eyes before but never with the intensity he found in this pair. Not necessarily what he was expecting from someone so mentally unaware. After all, a mental disability now seemed to be the most logical explanation for her irrational human behavior.

• • •

Two weeks earlier in California…

Mom, I’ll be okay, K reassured Paige as she stood facing her just before the check point at the ever-congested LAX. She wore a simple light yellow cotton shirt and an old pair of jeans. Flats on her feet were perfect since K was above average height and did not need an extra boost.

Call me as soon as you land, Paige urged with half a smile that could have been convincing aside from the fact that the pleated skin between her eyebrows and her squinted caramel eyes reflected her distress. She was not to blame, for any loving mother would be concerned with her only daughter traveling alone overseas to a remote location. After all, K was only nineteen.

Okay. K looked at her mother’s expression and felt guilty—again. There was still a sparkle of hope in Paige’s eyes. Why does she have to make it so difficult? It’s not like I’m going to war, K wondered. Last time she heard, giving humanitarian aid was actually quite the opposite. But K kept her thoughts to herself, just grateful that in a calmer moment they had both agreed that it was time she began searching for her destiny, even when that search was taking her as far away as a distant continent—Africa.

They exchanged a long, tender hug and a kiss on the cheek. Don’t forget to call me when you land, Paige whispered in K’s ear again, still a little hesitant to let her go.

At first glance they appeared to have established the typical connection between a mother and teen-aged daughter, but the reality was quite different. They shared a much deeper bond than average, one that was undoubtedly based on the trials they had endured, and one that had created a connection that surfaced in the constant devotion they displayed for each other’s wellbeing. But the true underlying foundation of their relationship, most likely the real reason it was so strong, was…their secret.

I will. K gave Paige a comforting look, touched her mom’s face with the palm of her hand, gathered the straps of her purse onto her shoulder, turned around, and walked away. The silky curls of her long, black hair swayed back and forth as she disappeared through the metal detector.

• • •

K had traveled by plane before, but never alone. It was as exciting as it was frightening. She felt like a grown-up as she walked the long hallway to gate 66. Good thing she did not have to wait long for the service crew to begin boarding the plane. The waiting part would have made her a bit more anxious.

But K’s good luck could have ended there, for sitting on the restrictive coach seat for hours on end could have been insane, except that she had concluded it did not have to be tedious for her and the two passengers sitting next to her. She began to chat with them and soon all three were involved in a fun conversation. The two middle age ladies next to her had the most entertaining stories to tell and K listened, fascinated, asking the right questions at the right moment to prompt more blissful stories. Conceivably, they were the only ones giggling and laughing when they were not catching small naps. It was also the reason K did not feel awkward returning the affectionate hugs she got from the two strangers as they parted ways in the lobby at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on a warm Sunday afternoon.

K looked around searching for her girlfriend Angela who was going to be waiting for her at the terminal. Although K had been the one to choose the African service project, Angela had decided to make it her adventure too, just to get away from her family for a while. Angela had successfully convinced her parents that she needed the service participation for college credits and to K’s dismay, she had been in Africa for two weeks already.

K? She picked up Angela’s voice through the din of the foreign language around her. She turned her head toward the familiar voice and saw her energetic friend enthusiastically waving her hand as she was approaching to greet her.

Cheerfully the two teenagers hugged one another as if they had not seen each other in years. Although Angela was also nineteen, she looked older than K due to the voluptuous curves of her well-proportioned body and her very short, blond and sharply sculpted French hairstyle. She was the opposite of K, who was tall, and slender, with a full head of long shiny curls. That was not the only obvious difference setting the two girls apart. Angela was never at a loss for words, whereas K only spoke when needed. She mostly listened and when it was her turn to speak, her conversation was insightful. Yes, they were very opposite in that respect.

How was the red-eye flight? Angela asked, as she let go of her friend.

Long but good, K replied with a smile.

Didn’t you sleep? You look terrible. Angela assessed in a kind tone evident on her light brown eyes.

Thanks, K responded, wondering if Angela remembered that she had not flown first class as she had.

You’ll feel better in a couple of days, Angela promised, shoving her designer purse to one side to hook an arm around K’s elbow. Then she began leading her away from the crowd and into a small corridor towards the baggage claim area.

What! A couple of days? K asked, alarmed as she kept up the pace.

At least, Angela confirmed. It took me a week to get used to the time change. People usually stay at the project grounds for a few days to adjust to the time change, she explained.

K became concerned. She was only going to be in Africa for four weeks. I can’t do that. I don’t have that kind of time, K established. She was there to serve not to sleep.

I think your stubbornness will lose out this time, Angela teased.

I’m not stubborn, K denied.

Angela smiled. Yes, you are.

Not. K shook her head with a smile of her own, taking comfort in the familiarity of the small disagreement that was their signature exchange.

When the girls arrived at claims, the luggage was already being lined up away from the single line conveyer belt by a couple of airport workers in dark blue uniforms. K’s bag was still not out yet, so the two girls made their way to an empty space in the middle of the waiting crowd. K grabbed the cell phone from her small purse and touched a couple of keys. Got to call my mom, she told Angela as she tilted her head to hold the phone between her cheek and her shoulder so she could close the zipper on her purse with both hands.

Hi Mom, I’m here…yes, Angela is here with me. She says hi. K picked up on Angela’s hand signal. I’ll call you soon. I love you too, bye. She shut the phone and slipped it back in her purse through a side slit.

I hope I didn’t bring too much stuff. K thought about all the extra items Paige had insisted on packing.

Paige? Angela probed.

Yeah, K answered, shrugging her shoulders in resignation.

Paige had always been overly caring and K had been friends with Angela long enough for her to witness it.

She got the international phone plan for this month so we can keep in touch. I know it will be really expensive. K sighed helplessly.

There’s an old computer at the camp. That’s what everybody here uses for keeping in touch, Angela informed her while propping herself up on her tiptoes to see over the shoulders of a hefty man wearing a khaki safari shirt who was blocking her view of the conveyer belt. Angela was good that way—she never really cared that K lacked the financial means that she had.

Great, K said, a bit relieved. Oh, there it is. She pointed her finger at the small black suitcase tumbling down the chute.

That’s barely anything. Angela said as she followed K, who was heading towards her bag. I brought four times that, she confessed.

K smiled. Angela’s concern with the world of fashion was apparent—the designer jeans and the delicate lace shirt she was wearing attested to that fact.

• • •

K felt the African heat strike her right on the face as she exited the air-conditioned building. The dry air instantly sucked a few ounces of water from her body, or at least that’s how it felt. There was an old white van parked on the curb. The blue stripe along the side of its dull white body made it stand out. She could not remember ever seeing a van quite like it in California.

A skinny young African man jumped out of the driver’s seat and immediately took control out of the bag. He had a full smile and vibrant eyes that allowed him to speak without words. K felt the playfulness of his soul and knew the young man was a force for good.

K, this is Jaime, Angela said, by way of introduction.

Hi, it’s nice to meet you, K replied with a smile, wondering why his name wasn’t Hamil or Shakil or Etdrick.

Nice to meet you too, Jaime replied with a very thick British accent. The not-so-gently-used LaCoste shirt he was wearing had probably been bright yellow when new. It seemed strange to K to see the familiar logo so far from home.

Angela got in the back of the van while Jaime was putting the luggage in the trunk. Do you want to ride in the front? Angela offered, as K was stepping into the back seat with her. So you get a better view, she explained.

Sure. K closed the sliding door with some effort. The van was old and it looked like the great, great, grandvan of the modern minivan with automatically closing doors. She walked around and climbed into the front passenger seat without further fuss. She noticed the ripping seams of the seats and felt the dried pieces of the vinyl that cracked into little dull daggers and stabbed the back side of her legs when she sat. She was just glad she had worn her sturdy old jeans. Perfect, she complemented herself, thinking it was going to take a lot more than dry vinyl to tear those puppies.

Jaime got into the driver’s seat with an old plastic container full of water he had taken from the trunk. He took a wide plastic lid off of the center armrest and K was quite surprised to see that the radiator was positioned in between the two seats. With a few short twists of his wrist, he opened the small metal cap, which was still blistering hot, and filled it with water all the way to the top. As if he had performed this task a thousand times, he mechanically put all the lids back in their places and set the water container in the back, right by Angela’s feet. The acidic smell of car coolant began to spread throughout the vehicle. Without missing a beat, he turned on the ignition and quickly began making his way through the traffic. He wove in between and through moving cars with dangerous precision.

K looked for the seat belt and found it was stuck—probably due to lack of use.

Noticing her struggle, Jaime and Angela shared a smile. You’ll get used to it, Angela’s smile turned into a chuckle, grabbing onto the back of the front seat as the vehicle jerked into a right turn.

Well, I didn’t come here to be killed in an accident, K said, defending her seeming uptightness. Even as she spoke, she recognized that in all likelihood, death was probably not the next event on her list.

Just to bring you a little peace of mind, Angela interrupted her thoughts, Jaime has yet to be involved in an accident.

K concluded that the key word on Angela’s statement was yet.

Not even a fender bender, Jaime proudly added with a big grin, revealing a set of big white teeth that stood out against his rich mocha skin.

O-kayyyyy, K said as she slid across the seat and was pinned against the door by another of Jaime’s sharp turns.

• • •

Thanks to Jaime’s love for speed the three young people were soon out of the city continuing to rush along the African Savannah on their way to the project’s headquarters.

K was delighted looking through the window at the new landscape laid in front of her. It was a different kind of beauty than she was used to back home. The dark blue of the Pacific Ocean had been replaced by an ocean of thin tall spikes—almost amber in color. The yellowish-brown grass that carpeted the rolling valleys was interrupted only by the isolated Acacia trees which looked as if they had been painted onto the landscape. K was sure she had never before seen sky with such a deep shade of blue. It was as rich and crisp as a robin’s egg and it went on forever. The air did not feel quite so hot, as it came in rushing through the open window.

It’s beautiful, she thought aloud.

"You have not seen beautiful yet, Angela corrected her. Ah Jaime?" she called for backup.

Not unless she’s seen doctor Grandchester, he responded, keeping his eyes on the road.

Angela, are you finding love in Africa? K asked, wondering if her friend had found yet another guy.

I’m looking, but it’s not finding me, Angela confessed, in a disappointed tone.

So, is the doctor playing hard to get? K teased.

Not just with me, Angela said defensively. None of the girls have been able to have even a casual conversation with the guy. Even Kristina, who is model gorgeous, hasn’t gotten past work-related topics with him. And she tries hard, Angela chuckled. The distant look in her eyes revealed amusement as she recalled the scene. Oh, my goodness, Angela’s smirking face turned to a dreamy one. He is beautiful beyond belief, K. You’ve never seen anything like him, nor will you ever see anything like him again in your life. It’s definitely a once in a life time experience! she assured her. "Maybe you can land a date with him. Give up that silly no dating rule of yours." There was a glimmer of hope in her friend’s voice.

K felt Jaime’s eyes on her face after the comment. If neither you or the model have been able to catch his eye, what makes you think I will? she asked, more as a distraction from the dating issue than as a genuine concern about her looks. Glad too, that Angela saw her lack of dating as merely silly, though in reality there was nothing ridiculous about it. Only another undisclosed misfortune she had to put up with.

Just the mere fact that guys can’t keep their eyes away from you? Ah Jaime? Angela called out on the driver who was still looking at K.

Jaime cleared his throat before responding. Scary beautiful, he said shamelessly.

Exactly! K rested her head on the back of the seat, as if defeated. Her voice was almost sour when she said, They’re not looking. They’re staring.

There is nothing wrong with you K. You’re just not the average looking girl, with those big black eyes and perfect skin. But it doesn’t matter, there’s no girl beautiful enough to be by his side anyway… even Kristina looks like Quasimodo next to him. Angela chuckled again.

Or man, Jaime interceded. Hey, don’t look at me like that, he quipped, even when he knew the girls were not actually looking at him. I’m just saying he’s probably had his share of hits from men, too. Being a self- proclaimed ladies’ man, Jaime defended the masculinity he was so proud of. As a matter of fact, K would learn that Jaime had many self-proclaimed titles.

K concluded they were exaggerating, but the idea of a man with such incredible beauty was not new to her. The father she never knew had that kind of beauty. She turned her head again to the landscape on the side of the road and allowed the wind coming in from the open window to brush back her hair, as if the wind itself could bring back the memories she so often repressed.

Of course, her father’s beauty was out of this world because he was, in fact…out of this world. K’s father was an angel. Yes, an actual angel—a heavenly, celestial being! Justifiably mind-boggling for anyone. Not even K herself would have believed her mom’s story unless she had experienced her own supernatural abilities.

But so what if people did not believe their story, even if they would have been willing to share it more openly. Disbelieving did not make it any less true—although, sometimes she wished it did. The older K got, the more difficult it was to deny her reality and keep her secret buried. Her abilities, such as communicating with animals or sensing the good and evil in people, became more refined as time went by. She would have happily traded her gifts for the chance to be just like any other human girl and live a normal life—one without any supernatural impositions or uncertain self-expectations. She felt uncertain about herself because she did not know how a half angel, like her, was supposed to behave. Although she was good and kind as she supposed an angel might be, most of the time her conduct was like that of any other teenage girl.

But she was stuck with her gifts, wanted or not, and she was trying very hard to go through life pretending they did not exist, while looking for the meaning of her half-human half-angel existence. The truly valuable thing she believed she had inherited from her angel father was her love for humanity, and even that was an inference, for she did not know too much about her progenitor. In fact, in the matter of her father, K had a lot more questions than she had answers.

Angela had continued talking about the doctor but K had not been paying attention. She was too deep in her own conflicting thoughts. When she finally refocused on Angela’s monologue, her friend was still talking about the man, … and he looks young. Twenty, twenty one–tops, Angela was saying. They say he was a child prodigy. I’ll tell you, the guy has it all, Ahg, Angela sighed. What wouldn’t I give to be Mrs. Grandchester, she said hopelessly.

The woman who marries him will be cursed, Jaime kept a casual laidback posture in the driver’s seat with one hand on the wheel and the elbow of his other arm on the top of the windowsill, but his voice was serious.

Oh Jaime, I thought you didn’t believe in all that voodoo, woodoo stuff, Angela said without looking at him, her focus on the side window and her legs lined along the top of the ripped grey seat.

No, this is for real. What more of a curse could you want than having your man be desired by every single woman who lays her eyes on him? That’s why I won’t commit to any one single woman myself, he said with arrogance. It’s for their own good. Everyone deserves a piece of the Jaime. The half smile on his face and the twinkle in his eye revealed his commitment to the statement.

Jaime, you’re a pig, Angela laughed.

Hey, but the girls still come for the bacon, he chuckled to himself.

K tuned them out again. The beauty of the landscape in front of her was all she wanted to see.

• • •

The sun was beginning to set on the African Savannah as they finally reached Camp Donec. A long wooden sign hung at the top of the entrance gate with the word DONEC painted in big black letters and in smaller print just underneath, it read,

Delivering Others Needing Emancipation

Campground

K noticed an armed guard standing casually at the entrance gate. He nodded his head to Jaime as he drove in. Once inside, Jaime made his way to the sleeping facilities. He helped K with the luggage while Angela showed her to the big military style tent they were going to sleep in with four other girls.

The strong scent of heavy weathered canvas was first apparent when Angela pushed open the flap of the metal-framed door; but it was soon overpowered by a selection of other scents, good ones, like the perfumes preferred by young girls. K recognized lilac, musk and apricot.

She visually scanned the room. Two single rows of folding beds faced each other in a simple hospital style. A petite brunette was lying on the second cot to the left when they walked in. She was using one of her arms to prop her head up above her very flat pillow. Noticing the new arrival, she sat down on the bed with her legs interlaced—yoga style. Hi, she greeted K cheerfully, while pulling out the little set of headphones from her ears. A lock of her very straight hair came down from the top of her bun as she did.

Hi, K replied, from where she stood at the entrance of the tent. K felt it immediately. This was a peaceful, amiable soul. She could tell because the corresponding strings of her own soul vibrated in reaction to her encounter with the girl. K would have not purposefully pried into people’s souls because she considered them their sanctuaries but the gift was involuntary. She did not exert any effort to feel anything. The impressions just came to her.

I’m Passelly, you must be K, she said.

Yes, nice to meet you. K navigated the narrow walkway between the cots to shake the girl’s hand. Only at this distance was K able to notice the charming freckles on Passelly’s face.

Where are the others? Angela asked as she made her way to the back of the tent, throwing her purse on one of the cots as she walked.

Doing laundry, Passelly said in her soft raspy voice.

Chickens, Angela said in jest.

Jaime and Passelly chortled, but K missed the joke.

Jaime, when are you going to teach us how to run? Passelly lay back down on the bed with her eyes on Jaime.

Everyone in town had heard Jaime’s story of how he had outrun a rhinoceros once. Although the project grounds were well inside the small village of Mukuru, the village itself was tucked in a corner of the African Savannah, making it accessible to the wild life. The natives were not strangers to stumbling upon the indigenous animals and knew for the most part how to deal with such confrontations—or at least when and how to run away. The project volunteers, on the other hand, were better off staying away from such encounters. In fact, they were advised during orientation to avoid situations that could put them in danger.

Still at the doorway leaning against one of the metal pipes that supported the tent, Jaime grinned semi-mockingly. You girls are better off pretending to be dead. Even my little two year old nephew, Vince, could outrun all of you. He snickered, turned around and walked away, leaving behind the protests of Angela and Passelly.

What’s with the running? K asked, wondering if her duties would include physical activities.

Just trying to keep from being eaten by a wild animal, Angela replied from the back of the room in a very calm voice. They come close to the village from time to time. They’ll tell you all about that tomorrow in orientation, Angela spoke as if disappointed for she had not even seen a monkey yet.

K went back to the doorway where Jaime had left her suitcase and began rolling it all the way to the back where Angela was standing next to the very last cot—obviously her assigned bed. Any other volunteer would have been concerned after hearing the piece of information Angela had just shared, but not K. It was not a concern to her. She not only communicated with animals, but she could also subject them to her will. But of course she would rather not be placed in a position where she needed to use this particular gift.

I take it these will be my sleeping quarters? She placed the suitcase she was carrying on top of the cot. The sheets covering the makeshift bed were mis-matched and faded. She noted a little tiny flower pattern on the fitted sheet and a solid yellowish flat one on top. They looked liked they’d had their fair share of use, but they did not appear to be dirty. There was another pancake-like pillow on her bed covered with a case that was so old the material was almost transparent. K, who was not expecting anything better, ignored her bedding conditions and proceeded to open the side pocket of her suitcase. She took out a few magazines and spread them into a fan. Light reading, she announced.

Great! Angela picked the one with a famous celebrity on the cover.

Jaime seems kind of funny. K observed. What’s with the average name?

Yeah, Angela said, as if she was just realizing this herself. I don’t know, but most people here have regular names.

Cool. That makes them easier to remember, K said as she walked towards Passelly, who was still lying on her bed, and sat at the edge near the foot. She displayed the rest of the magazines on her lap.

I’ll start with this one, thanks. Passelly sat up again and picked up a National Geographic. She was that kind of a gal—kind of serious, but a little wild, reminiscent of a hippie. The bar code tattoo on the back of her neck attested to that.

Let me give you the grand tour, Angela offered.

From where she was seated on Passelly’s bed, K visually followed Angela’s pointing.

The first bed to your right is Diana’s. She’s from Ohio. Across is Holly’s. She’s from England. Across from Passelly’s is mine and then this one right here across from yours is Emily’s. She’s from Spain. Passelly is Italian.

Oh, really? K turned to face Passelly, I’m half…Italian, she shared.

I can see that, Passelly glanced into her face for a moment. You’ve got the coloring, she concluded.

Yeah, K agreed. My mom is from Naples, K explained, as she heard Angela calling out again.

Okay. Attention please. I’m not done yet. Angela walked to the very back of the tent and opened a lightweight canvas curtain to reveal two small cubicle-like spaces. We change here. Angela pointed to the small empty space where the only décor was that of a few metal hangers hooked on the top railing. Then with her finger she directed K’s view to the other small space. A tiny table and chair, both made of wood and probably carved by a local carpenter, furnished the miniature room. And this is our office. She let go of the curtain and began walking toward the door but stooped at her bedside to fish out a flashlight from underneath. Now I’m going to show you the bathroom outside, but it is the only thing I will show you. It’s too dark to see the rest. You’ll get the complete tour tomorrow, she assured her.

K got up, tossed the rest of the magazines on her bed and followed Angela outside. See you in a bit, she told Passelly as she headed towards the door.

Bye, don’t get run over by a rhino, Passelly warned teasingly.

We’ll try not to, K joked back, as she exited the tent.

The two girls walked side by side on a dirt road for about forty yards. The night was young and warm and the light of a three-quarter moon created a dim mantle of shadows. Although Angela was doing her best to light up the area with her small flashlight, K could not make out any of her surroundings except for the dry reddish dirt they were walking on. Has anyone seen a wild animal in the village? K noted that the conditions were actually ideal for an animal attack.

No, and the closest they’ve been seen is about ten miles from here. They say the animals actually avoid human-populated areas. The bigger the population, the fewer the problems for the people. And this village is pretty big; you’ll see it in the morning when we drive through it. I think there is probably more concern with humans. Angela informed her.

What do you mean?

"There is a lot of crime going on