“Thirteen, hm? Aren’t you going to, I don’t know, kill me for that last little incident?” It was a task not to bruise Julianna’s fragile skin pigments although my hold on the peasant woman was anything but rough.
“You’re a fool if you think that they are in a safe haven. The Protectors are weak… they have hardly distanced themselves from us. Their song is still strong within my ears, Julianna.”
“Julia,” She corrected me, her tone dry. Her lips parted and she exhaled a small gasp—- I realized I’d been bruising her. “Well you’re obviously not going after them now. Weren’t you programmed to kill them as the modern day Terminator?”
“Terminator,” I tested the meaningless word. “Yes, I do terminate, perhaps… there was another one to terminate, in the past?”
“Ah, Christ,” Julianna mumbled, frustrated for some reason of the sort. “The Terminator… It’s an old movie.”
“Movie?”
“Yeah.” Confusion welled in my head as I tried to remember the term, if I had ever witnessed the use in the past.
“What?”
“I’m starting to wish that you’d killed me earlier.” Julianna answered in a sigh, bringing a translucent hand to her forehead. “A movie. Moving pictures on a screen… motion picture. Do you know what ‘motion’ and ‘picture’ mean, or are you too dense—-”
“Ah, perhaps you are referring to a film, yes?”
“Sure.”
“The terminator you are subjecting to is a film.” I took a moment to ponder this as we broke from the forestry. “I was not… programmed. It is, in jest, my destiny to find and destroy the Protectors and retrieve the Prophecy to the human kind.”
Julianna barked a guffaw as she prodded from to the edge of the forest. We were now between nature and mankind; the border between the beginning of the forest and town. “And what’s Jack’s role in this?”
I wetted my lips. “I know of the Protectors and who’s to be, not their placements.”
It was only when Julianna lightly brushed a lock of my flaxen hair from my eyes that I realized I had released my grip on her arm. I froze, momentarily stunned by the sudden compassion. Stiff and no longer trekking, I angrily locked my eyes with hers. Julianna drew in air, cross. “I’ve noticed a few things about you, Thirteen. When you talk to me, you don’t move your lips. In fact, I’m not sure if I’ve ever even seen your lips open before, at all. Half of your ear is torn off. Every word you say echos. You’re pale. Your eyes are a weird shade of yellow. The way you walk...” Her words came across as gentle, yet firm. “maybe all of this urban shit is true and Jack has a place. The Protectors have a place. The humans have a place, they’re the ones being protected. But, according to the Prophecy, what’s your place in all of this?”
The back of Julianna’s hand brushed against my jaw line as she drew her arm away from my hair. She did not receive a peculiar answer from me. Once and for all, the human weapon of sound emitted none, for she had no answer.
I was silenced.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Chase
After being freed from the vines of flowers and anything else that had happened upon me -and trust me, there were lots-, I stepped back to take a look at my savior.
Before I even thanked them, I gasped and started to stutter.
She-s-she was a g-girl!
A girl!
I was- she was standing right- and I was- we were so close!
“Thanks,” I mumbled, trying to think of something funny to say. All that came out was, “Did you know jelly-fish are 95% water? Isn’t that funny, because they swim in water, and they’re part of the water, so you’d think they’d fall apart or something… but they don’t...”
The girl watched me, her mouth tilting up slightly, forming a smile. She was laughing at me. As usual. Everyone laughs at me…
“I.. I’m Chase,” I stuttered, looking at the mess of flowers and ripped of vines at my feet.
“Ember,” she muttered, looking at me, clearly confused.
“How’d you get stuck in those flowers?” she asked, poking me in the side.
I shrugged.
“I don’t know. It was like a mutant swamp monster thing attacked me or something. Only, we’re in a forest. So a forest monster. Do you think it could have been one?” I nodded my head towards the flowers and vines, and she shook hers slowly.
I was scaring her away.
“What are you doing in this forest, anyway?” I asked, trying to find some common groud.
“I could ask you the same thing.”
She frowned at the sun that was shining through the tree tops and getting in her eyes.
I didn’t say anything more.
I was stupid, anyway.
I would just scare her away.
She was a girl!
Girls don’t talk to boys like me, unless they’re forced to.
There had to be a reason why she was here.
“No really, why are you here?” I pushed once more.
“I was just trying to find my dog,” she said uncertainly, as if she was making this up on the spot.
“Can I help?” I jumped, speaking a little too fast.
” I- I mean, to repay you. For helping me?”
She nodded, laughing a little bit to herself, but still uncertainly.
Before I even thanked them, I gasped and started to stutter.
She-s-she was a g-girl!
A girl!
I was- she was standing right- and I was- we were so close!
“Thanks,” I mumbled, trying to think of something funny to say. All that came out was, “Did you know jelly-fish are 95% water? Isn’t that funny, because they swim in water, and they’re part of the water, so you’d think they’d fall apart or something… but they don’t...”
The girl watched me, her mouth tilting up slightly, forming a smile. She was laughing at me. As usual. Everyone laughs at me…
“I.. I’m Chase,” I stuttered, looking at the mess of flowers and ripped of vines at my feet.
“Ember,” she muttered, looking at me, clearly confused.
“How’d you get stuck in those flowers?” she asked, poking me in the side.
I shrugged.
“I don’t know. It was like a mutant swamp monster thing attacked me or something. Only, we’re in a forest. So a forest monster. Do you think it could have been one?” I nodded my head towards the flowers and vines, and she shook hers slowly.
I was scaring her away.
“What are you doing in this forest, anyway?” I asked, trying to find some common groud.
“I could ask you the same thing.”
She frowned at the sun that was shining through the tree tops and getting in her eyes.
I didn’t say anything more.
I was stupid, anyway.
I would just scare her away.
She was a girl!
Girls don’t talk to boys like me, unless they’re forced to.
There had to be a reason why she was here.
“No really, why are you here?” I pushed once more.
“I was just trying to find my dog,” she said uncertainly, as if she was making this up on the spot.
“Can I help?” I jumped, speaking a little too fast.
” I- I mean, to repay you. For helping me?”
She nodded, laughing a little bit to herself, but still uncertainly.
Excerpt
The masses of people were like cattle today. Tourists filed in and out of doors, anxious to see the same buildings and landmarks that Jeremy had observed many times before. He didn’t understand why exactly this day was important. To him, it was as if somebody was having a birthday, and that somebody had a lot of friends. If that were true though, why wasn’t he invited?
“Busy day, ain’t it, kiddo?” Startled, Jeremy turned. Nobody ever talked to him unless they were scolding him for stealing their goods. The man was tall, almost too tall. He had big muscles, Jeremy noticed, that were starting to go away. He had wrinkles littering his face, and his eyes looked tired. The man seemed friendly, but he had such a deep voice that he slightly scared Jeremy. The man looked away, a shadow of a smile stretched on his lips. Almost to himself, he muttered, “Never thought I’d be here again...”
At that, Jeremy bit back his coyness with wide eyes. “You be gone from here before?” The white man lifted a brow and uttered a small cough. He leaned against the bricks of an old restaurant that Jeremy wasn’t allowed in anymore. There was a lot of black people in Seattle, but Jeremy didn’t know any of them except for himself and the nice old lady at the church. The white people though, Jeremy noted, were plentiful.
The man chuckled. “Kid, I’ve been to tons of places. I was born and raised in Canada, but I’ve traveled here in the U.S too. America, South America, several places in Europe, New Zealand...” Jeremy hadn’t heard of any of those countries before, but he nodded as if he did.
“I be in lots ‘o places too,” He boasted, puffing out his chest a little. Moments later, though, Jeremy felt bitterness make its home inside his chest. “ ‘Cept they don’t want me should stay. Iffen I do, it only be fer a tinsy time.” Jeremy exaggerated this with his dirtied hands. “They say I be a horrid guesty. They be planning to turn me out come ‘te morning to the creatures.”
The man raised his eyebrows, making his forehead seem more wrinkly. “Why do they not let you stay?”
Jeremy let a mischievous smile slip. He leaned in and lowered his voice, looking quickly both ways to make sure no one was listening. “I be take’n their goodies! Them be have’n to chase me all the time. Iffen I be sleepy there one night, I can’t come back or they be call’n the cops.”
The man cracked a small smile, as if he remembered something. “What’s your name, kid?” Jeremy stared up at the man, stretching on his bare toes to meet his eyes. Even though he was stronger and faster than most of the kids he played with, he looked a lot shorter and younger than he acted to be. Though, Jeremy wouldn’t know if he was younger or not, since he wasn’t entirely sure of how many birthdays he’d had.
“Jeremy. Actually I be have’n TWO names. Jeremy Hawthorn be all of ‘em.” Jeremy outstretched his grummy hand proudly to the tall white man. He was proud to remember seeing people do this on the streets and felt that this was a proper time. Just in case the man didn’t know what he was doing, though, Jeremy explained. “It be a hand shakey. Iffen you shaken my hand, we be friends.”
The man let out a loose torrent of laughter, breaking into a grin. Taking Jeremy’s hand, he responded, “My name’s Kiorri. And I’ve been looking for you for a hell of a long time, kiddo.”
They shook.
“Busy day, ain’t it, kiddo?” Startled, Jeremy turned. Nobody ever talked to him unless they were scolding him for stealing their goods. The man was tall, almost too tall. He had big muscles, Jeremy noticed, that were starting to go away. He had wrinkles littering his face, and his eyes looked tired. The man seemed friendly, but he had such a deep voice that he slightly scared Jeremy. The man looked away, a shadow of a smile stretched on his lips. Almost to himself, he muttered, “Never thought I’d be here again...”
At that, Jeremy bit back his coyness with wide eyes. “You be gone from here before?” The white man lifted a brow and uttered a small cough. He leaned against the bricks of an old restaurant that Jeremy wasn’t allowed in anymore. There was a lot of black people in Seattle, but Jeremy didn’t know any of them except for himself and the nice old lady at the church. The white people though, Jeremy noted, were plentiful.
The man chuckled. “Kid, I’ve been to tons of places. I was born and raised in Canada, but I’ve traveled here in the U.S too. America, South America, several places in Europe, New Zealand...” Jeremy hadn’t heard of any of those countries before, but he nodded as if he did.
“I be in lots ‘o places too,” He boasted, puffing out his chest a little. Moments later, though, Jeremy felt bitterness make its home inside his chest. “ ‘Cept they don’t want me should stay. Iffen I do, it only be fer a tinsy time.” Jeremy exaggerated this with his dirtied hands. “They say I be a horrid guesty. They be planning to turn me out come ‘te morning to the creatures.”
The man raised his eyebrows, making his forehead seem more wrinkly. “Why do they not let you stay?”
Jeremy let a mischievous smile slip. He leaned in and lowered his voice, looking quickly both ways to make sure no one was listening. “I be take’n their goodies! Them be have’n to chase me all the time. Iffen I be sleepy there one night, I can’t come back or they be call’n the cops.”
The man cracked a small smile, as if he remembered something. “What’s your name, kid?” Jeremy stared up at the man, stretching on his bare toes to meet his eyes. Even though he was stronger and faster than most of the kids he played with, he looked a lot shorter and younger than he acted to be. Though, Jeremy wouldn’t know if he was younger or not, since he wasn’t entirely sure of how many birthdays he’d had.
“Jeremy. Actually I be have’n TWO names. Jeremy Hawthorn be all of ‘em.” Jeremy outstretched his grummy hand proudly to the tall white man. He was proud to remember seeing people do this on the streets and felt that this was a proper time. Just in case the man didn’t know what he was doing, though, Jeremy explained. “It be a hand shakey. Iffen you shaken my hand, we be friends.”
The man let out a loose torrent of laughter, breaking into a grin. Taking Jeremy’s hand, he responded, “My name’s Kiorri. And I’ve been looking for you for a hell of a long time, kiddo.”
They shook.
Bia
I found Ivy sitting with her back against the rough bark of a mangled tree and her knees brought up to her chest. She was sobbing loudly, with each heave her chest rising dramatically. What I could see of her face looked streaked with makeup.
I sat down next to her and immediately put my hand on her shoulder.
“What’s wrong? Why are you crying?” I asked.
She hiccuped. “My brother’s missing… Mom’s going to be so pissed.. and Dad.”
“But we’ll find him.” I rubbed part of her back softly. “I promise.”
Ivy looked up at me, her baby blue eyes swollen and filled with tears. Her lips were pouting and parted slightly, as if she couldn’t breathe through her nose.
“You promise?” she said softly.
I nodded. “Yes. We’ll find him. It will be okay.”
She looked back down at herself and scoffed quietly. I stopped rubbing her as she was easing up on the crying.
“I’m a mess.” She laughed eerily.
“No, you’re gorgeous.” I glanced at her white skinny jeans that now had smears of dirt on the sides.
The sun wasn’t reaching this part of the forest as well as it had been where I was with Fable. Though there was a small stream a few feet away, it still smelled like dirt and pine needles. I couldn’t smell the water at all. I could barely hear it.
“How old are you, Bia?” Ivy asked me.
I watched the water in the stream. “Fifteen. I’ll be sixteen in the spring.”
“I’m fourteen,” she boasted.
I smiled. “I know.”
We both watched a rabbit hop down into its burrow.
“Why don’t you go to parties? Are you afraid you won’t fit in? Because everyone’s too drunk to notice, you know.” Ivy started wiping the mascara streaks off her cheeks.
I let out a sigh. “It’s not that. I used to go to parties, but I stopped. They’re all the same, honestly. Kids get drunk, have sex, make mistakes, and add new regrets to their lists. I don’t belong on that scene.”
“So where do you belong? At home with your cats?” She giggled.
I thought about the pets I’d left behind. Would Mom remember to feed them today? Probably not. She didn’t care about anything of mine. She only cared about her men and her birth control. God forbid she have another child, another mistake like me.
“I don’t have a place. I don’t belong anywhere, really. I drift.” My mind wandered to my childhood.
I was seven years old. My teacher was a strange bald man with half a finger missing on his left hand. I shared a desk with Calyx Baker and Amanda Rawlins. Calyx was getting mad at me because I could draw a perfect circle and she couldn’t. Amanda told her to shove it. Calyx started to whimper and our teacher yelled at me for making her cry. He made me sit in the corner for the rest of the day. I couldn’t even have a washroom break or go out for recess. The whole time he told me what a naughty little girl I was and how I deserved to be punished.
He kept me after school. He was the first guy to violate me. A week later, he was my mom’s boyfriend. I never told.
“Are you okay? You look… scared,” Ivy said quietly.
I tried to erase the memory from my mind. “I’m fine. I was just thinking.”
“About what?” she asked.
“Losing my innocence.” My voice cracked on the last word.
Ivy asked no more questions, she simply gave my hand a squeeze. It was as if she understood. But she couldn’t possibly. She wasn’t the little girl with her pants down. She wasn’t the older girl screaming for help. She hadn’t seen what my mom ignored.
Maybe she still had her innocence.
“There you are!” Calyx jogged over to us. “Bia ran off suddenly and we had to follow her. You didn’t have to go so fast, you know. We- oh. Um, are we interrupting something?”
Ivy let go of my hand quickly. “No. We were just talking. Bia made me feel a little better, but we still need to find Chase.”
Fable jumped up in the air and landed half in my lap. She grinned up at me and gave my head a small pat, as if I was an animal.
“You took her hurt away, right?” she asked.
Ivy laughed. “She did.”
“We should probably look for Chase,” I said while standing up. “Hopefully he’s in the forest somewhere and not out with whatever was chasing us.”
“Chasing Chase,” Calyx muttered.
Ivy stood up and tried to brush the dirt off her pants. “Darn, I really liked these jeans.”
“Oh here, I’ll help.” I wiped some of the forest floor off of one leg. Ivy looked at me weird.
Fable threw herself in my arms and demanded that I carry her. I stopped helping Ivy and hoisted Fable up. She wrapped her legs around my middle and clung onto my neck like a monkey.
“We’re going on an adventure,” she giggled. “We’re explorers. This is awesome.”
I sat down next to her and immediately put my hand on her shoulder.
“What’s wrong? Why are you crying?” I asked.
She hiccuped. “My brother’s missing… Mom’s going to be so pissed.. and Dad.”
“But we’ll find him.” I rubbed part of her back softly. “I promise.”
Ivy looked up at me, her baby blue eyes swollen and filled with tears. Her lips were pouting and parted slightly, as if she couldn’t breathe through her nose.
“You promise?” she said softly.
I nodded. “Yes. We’ll find him. It will be okay.”
She looked back down at herself and scoffed quietly. I stopped rubbing her as she was easing up on the crying.
“I’m a mess.” She laughed eerily.
“No, you’re gorgeous.” I glanced at her white skinny jeans that now had smears of dirt on the sides.
The sun wasn’t reaching this part of the forest as well as it had been where I was with Fable. Though there was a small stream a few feet away, it still smelled like dirt and pine needles. I couldn’t smell the water at all. I could barely hear it.
“How old are you, Bia?” Ivy asked me.
I watched the water in the stream. “Fifteen. I’ll be sixteen in the spring.”
“I’m fourteen,” she boasted.
I smiled. “I know.”
We both watched a rabbit hop down into its burrow.
“Why don’t you go to parties? Are you afraid you won’t fit in? Because everyone’s too drunk to notice, you know.” Ivy started wiping the mascara streaks off her cheeks.
I let out a sigh. “It’s not that. I used to go to parties, but I stopped. They’re all the same, honestly. Kids get drunk, have sex, make mistakes, and add new regrets to their lists. I don’t belong on that scene.”
“So where do you belong? At home with your cats?” She giggled.
I thought about the pets I’d left behind. Would Mom remember to feed them today? Probably not. She didn’t care about anything of mine. She only cared about her men and her birth control. God forbid she have another child, another mistake like me.
“I don’t have a place. I don’t belong anywhere, really. I drift.” My mind wandered to my childhood.
I was seven years old. My teacher was a strange bald man with half a finger missing on his left hand. I shared a desk with Calyx Baker and Amanda Rawlins. Calyx was getting mad at me because I could draw a perfect circle and she couldn’t. Amanda told her to shove it. Calyx started to whimper and our teacher yelled at me for making her cry. He made me sit in the corner for the rest of the day. I couldn’t even have a washroom break or go out for recess. The whole time he told me what a naughty little girl I was and how I deserved to be punished.
He kept me after school. He was the first guy to violate me. A week later, he was my mom’s boyfriend. I never told.
“Are you okay? You look… scared,” Ivy said quietly.
I tried to erase the memory from my mind. “I’m fine. I was just thinking.”
“About what?” she asked.
“Losing my innocence.” My voice cracked on the last word.
Ivy asked no more questions, she simply gave my hand a squeeze. It was as if she understood. But she couldn’t possibly. She wasn’t the little girl with her pants down. She wasn’t the older girl screaming for help. She hadn’t seen what my mom ignored.
Maybe she still had her innocence.
“There you are!” Calyx jogged over to us. “Bia ran off suddenly and we had to follow her. You didn’t have to go so fast, you know. We- oh. Um, are we interrupting something?”
Ivy let go of my hand quickly. “No. We were just talking. Bia made me feel a little better, but we still need to find Chase.”
Fable jumped up in the air and landed half in my lap. She grinned up at me and gave my head a small pat, as if I was an animal.
“You took her hurt away, right?” she asked.
Ivy laughed. “She did.”
“We should probably look for Chase,” I said while standing up. “Hopefully he’s in the forest somewhere and not out with whatever was chasing us.”
“Chasing Chase,” Calyx muttered.
Ivy stood up and tried to brush the dirt off her pants. “Darn, I really liked these jeans.”
“Oh here, I’ll help.” I wiped some of the forest floor off of one leg. Ivy looked at me weird.
Fable threw herself in my arms and demanded that I carry her. I stopped helping Ivy and hoisted Fable up. She wrapped her legs around my middle and clung onto my neck like a monkey.
“We’re going on an adventure,” she giggled. “We’re explorers. This is awesome.”
Fable
As soon as she realized I couldn’t run as fast as her, Calyx pulled me up onto her back and sprinted far away from whoever told us to run. She was quiet, but I didn’t want to invade her thoughts. It seemed like she needed her privacy.
Bia trailed behind us, her face paler than normal. I wanted to say something to her, but I couldn’t find the right words. Besides, she was off in her own world anyway. My words wouldn’t make a difference.
We finally started to slow down when we reached a forest. I couldn’t tell how big it was, as we were only a couple feet in. But it was darker than it had been in the parking lot and the air was cooler. Whatever we were running from wouldn’t find us here.
“I’m scared,” I whimpered.
Calyx set me down on the ground carefully. “Don’t be. We’re fine. It’s all fine.”
Bia caught up with us and flopped onto the ground. She was panting heavily as if she didn’t run at all. Ever.
“This is insane. Why are we running? What are we running from? What if it was a prank?” Bia grumbled.
Calyx clicked her tongue. “It seemed real enough to me. Besides, better to be safe than sorry.”
I nodded.
A bird flew by where we were standing and chirped loudly. I wanted to ask it if we were okay, but birds never liked me that much. Instead, I sat down next to Bia.
“Where’d Ivy go?” she asked.
I looked around. “Not here.”
“I don’t know… she wasn’t that far away when we started running,” Calyx stuttered. “But maybe she found safety.”
Bia bit her bottom lip. “I hope she’s okay.”
“Me too,” I nodded.
Calyx sat down next to me, her leg almost touching Bia’s stomach. I decided to lie down as well. Maybe I’d fall asleep and wake up to find this all a dream. I rested my head on Bia’s chest so I could listen to her heartbeat. The tha-thump told me we’d be okay. Bia was calm.
“I think I’m going to see where we are,” Calyx said suddenly. She stood up and walked away from us.
I felt a hand stroking my hair softly and I closed my eyes. Bia’s fingers grazed my cheek as if she was more than a stranger to me. She knew me. This was obvious.
“I’ve never had a little sister,” she whispered. “But I think this is what it’s like.”
I opened my eyes. “You’re nicer than any of my big sisters.”
Bia sat up, forcing me to sit up as well. I glared at her. She wrapped me in a tight hug.
I listened to her heart beat faster now and I wondered if she was afraid. Was she terrified?
“Do you think Ivy’s okay?” she asked.
“I don’t know. I hope she is,” I replied.
Bia stopped hugging me. “She’s gorgeous. I wish I could look like her.”
“Or look at her?” I smiled.
“What?”
My finger twitched. “Nothing. I meant nothing.”
Calyx came running back to us, her cheeks red and her hair somewhat frizzy. She seemed worried.
“I found Ivy,” she said breathlessly. “She’s sitting behind this huge tree near a small stream.”
Bia stood up. “Is she okay?”
“She’s crying,” Calyx sighed.
I scrambled over to Calyx and plucked a twig off of her shirt. “Why?”
“Does it matter why? We have to go make sure she’s okay,” Bia cried. “She could be hurt.”
Calyx shook her head. “She’s not bleeding. She’s just upset.”
“That’s hurt. In a different way though.” Bia took off in the direction Calyx had come from.
We had no choice but to follow.
Bia trailed behind us, her face paler than normal. I wanted to say something to her, but I couldn’t find the right words. Besides, she was off in her own world anyway. My words wouldn’t make a difference.
We finally started to slow down when we reached a forest. I couldn’t tell how big it was, as we were only a couple feet in. But it was darker than it had been in the parking lot and the air was cooler. Whatever we were running from wouldn’t find us here.
“I’m scared,” I whimpered.
Calyx set me down on the ground carefully. “Don’t be. We’re fine. It’s all fine.”
Bia caught up with us and flopped onto the ground. She was panting heavily as if she didn’t run at all. Ever.
“This is insane. Why are we running? What are we running from? What if it was a prank?” Bia grumbled.
Calyx clicked her tongue. “It seemed real enough to me. Besides, better to be safe than sorry.”
I nodded.
A bird flew by where we were standing and chirped loudly. I wanted to ask it if we were okay, but birds never liked me that much. Instead, I sat down next to Bia.
“Where’d Ivy go?” she asked.
I looked around. “Not here.”
“I don’t know… she wasn’t that far away when we started running,” Calyx stuttered. “But maybe she found safety.”
Bia bit her bottom lip. “I hope she’s okay.”
“Me too,” I nodded.
Calyx sat down next to me, her leg almost touching Bia’s stomach. I decided to lie down as well. Maybe I’d fall asleep and wake up to find this all a dream. I rested my head on Bia’s chest so I could listen to her heartbeat. The tha-thump told me we’d be okay. Bia was calm.
“I think I’m going to see where we are,” Calyx said suddenly. She stood up and walked away from us.
I felt a hand stroking my hair softly and I closed my eyes. Bia’s fingers grazed my cheek as if she was more than a stranger to me. She knew me. This was obvious.
“I’ve never had a little sister,” she whispered. “But I think this is what it’s like.”
I opened my eyes. “You’re nicer than any of my big sisters.”
Bia sat up, forcing me to sit up as well. I glared at her. She wrapped me in a tight hug.
I listened to her heart beat faster now and I wondered if she was afraid. Was she terrified?
“Do you think Ivy’s okay?” she asked.
“I don’t know. I hope she is,” I replied.
Bia stopped hugging me. “She’s gorgeous. I wish I could look like her.”
“Or look at her?” I smiled.
“What?”
My finger twitched. “Nothing. I meant nothing.”
Calyx came running back to us, her cheeks red and her hair somewhat frizzy. She seemed worried.
“I found Ivy,” she said breathlessly. “She’s sitting behind this huge tree near a small stream.”
Bia stood up. “Is she okay?”
“She’s crying,” Calyx sighed.
I scrambled over to Calyx and plucked a twig off of her shirt. “Why?”
“Does it matter why? We have to go make sure she’s okay,” Bia cried. “She could be hurt.”
Calyx shook her head. “She’s not bleeding. She’s just upset.”
“That’s hurt. In a different way though.” Bia took off in the direction Calyx had come from.
We had no choice but to follow.
Jack
Vision
There is a tree. The tree is tall and dry looking. The bark is dark and ragged, it’s branches twisted and gnarled like an elderly man’s knotting hands. One branch is twisted into an odd spiral, which I relate to Julia’s curls.
I look around.
A few feet beside the tree is a noticeably large hole. Forest litter fills it, along with something else I can’t place. Looking beyond the tree and the hole, the forest looks dark, almost… too dark. I try to take a step, but my feet are anchored. I need to…
Now
“Jack, you handsome devil,” I blink several times as the world spins into view. Brady’s glowing features materialize before my eyes and I suck in a sharp breath. As if he took that as a good omen, he grinned. “you saw something, didn’t you?”
“No,” I muttered, shrugging Brady off with a turn of my shoulder. “Just, a patient earlier… was trying to regulate her immune system, and...” I interrupted myself with a yawn. “Look, Brady. I’m going for a walk...” Brady’s ecstatic mood was destroyed.
“Number one, some wicked witch of the west tried to kill you twice, and number two, Lassie’s gone missing—-”
“Then come with me,” I spat between my teeth, knowing I was going to regret the decision as soon as I said it. Brady chuckled.
“I’ll get Elin.”
I thought of objecting to that, but I stopped. Something was going to happen near that tree I’d seen, and I was going to find it. The kid was absurd, but hell maybe she had a point. She knew something. It might not be what I thought it was, but knowledge in my opinion was something you didn’t bitch with.
Ember
I leaped over a bush and ducked under a tree branch as I sprinted into the forest. I quickly turned my hat backwards as I ran, so It wouldn’t fly off. I have to admit that the dog was really fast, and of course he was. He was running on all fours. Though I doubted it would help me much if I started running on all fours too. So I stuck with running on two legs and chased after Sarge.
A tree branch scratched against my cheek and a root tried to trip me. I swatted the branches aside and jumped over the twisted roots. Though it became harder to concentrate on both the stinging branches and the tricky roots. Crap. Which way did that dog go? A bush caught my shirt and another branch scratched across my forehead. I slammed my foot against a rock, hurdling through the branches and landing roughly on a patch of grass.
“ Uh…Ow.” I grumbled, sitting up. Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea to run that fast when the forest got so thick. Oh well.
I looked up, and there the dog was, sitting comfortably with his ears pointed. I sighed deeply and ran my hand down his back. He didn’t even look at me. Sheesh.
I stood up and dusted myself off, picking a few twigs off my shirt. My knees were grass stained now and one was scraped up. Sarge stood up and started walking off. “Hey! I gotta take you back, don’t-”
Holy crap.
“WHAT THE HELL!?!” I shrieked, grabbing for Sarge’s collar.
At first sight, it looked like a giant cocoon. Just standing there all sprouted with pink and white flowers. Then I realized, there was a face. “HOLY SHIT IT HAS A FACE!!! RUN SARGE RUN!” I picked up a rock and threw it at the thing as hard as I could. I turned to run when I heard, “Owwwwwww!”
I froze. Holy shit, it speaks! Sarge hadn’t even moved. In fact, he was wagging his tail now. At the monster. That has a face. And speaks. I walked over to it and realized; it was a boy. The monster with a face that spoke was a boy. All wrapped up in vines and flowers and dirt. His face was all mushed together like someone was pressing the two sides of his face together. I laughed. “How did you manage to do that?” I mused.
“Help me.” The boy whined in a muffled voice. I laughed again and started pulling at the vines surrounding him.
A tree branch scratched against my cheek and a root tried to trip me. I swatted the branches aside and jumped over the twisted roots. Though it became harder to concentrate on both the stinging branches and the tricky roots. Crap. Which way did that dog go? A bush caught my shirt and another branch scratched across my forehead. I slammed my foot against a rock, hurdling through the branches and landing roughly on a patch of grass.
“ Uh…Ow.” I grumbled, sitting up. Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea to run that fast when the forest got so thick. Oh well.
I looked up, and there the dog was, sitting comfortably with his ears pointed. I sighed deeply and ran my hand down his back. He didn’t even look at me. Sheesh.
I stood up and dusted myself off, picking a few twigs off my shirt. My knees were grass stained now and one was scraped up. Sarge stood up and started walking off. “Hey! I gotta take you back, don’t-”
Holy crap.
“WHAT THE HELL!?!” I shrieked, grabbing for Sarge’s collar.
At first sight, it looked like a giant cocoon. Just standing there all sprouted with pink and white flowers. Then I realized, there was a face. “HOLY SHIT IT HAS A FACE!!! RUN SARGE RUN!” I picked up a rock and threw it at the thing as hard as I could. I turned to run when I heard, “Owwwwwww!”
I froze. Holy shit, it speaks! Sarge hadn’t even moved. In fact, he was wagging his tail now. At the monster. That has a face. And speaks. I walked over to it and realized; it was a boy. The monster with a face that spoke was a boy. All wrapped up in vines and flowers and dirt. His face was all mushed together like someone was pressing the two sides of his face together. I laughed. “How did you manage to do that?” I mused.
“Help me.” The boy whined in a muffled voice. I laughed again and started pulling at the vines surrounding him.
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