Trapped

by E J Pay

I am not here to argue with you, she says. I am here to do as Dom has asked me to do and to help you. He has a plan in place and you are to follow it.

  I hold my forehead to bring it out of the freeze. If only Ananke could have taken us a day earlier. What is the plan? I ask of the pearl. Will it allow us to save Dom?

  Of course it will, she responds. Her words bristle with offense. I would not have left him if I was not fully certain that he would be saved.

  I calm myself. Dom will be okay. He has a plan. I have to listen to the pearl so I can help him and save him.

  Where is he? I ask of the pearl.

  He is in one of the lower rooms of the man in the purple robe, she replies. Dom is safe there for now. The man in the purple robe has been asking him for parlor tricks, simple things that any child could do. She says this with a pointed nod my direction. I know I don’t understand how to use all of the powers this body possesses, but I resent being referred to as a simple child. But I have to put aside my resentment so I can help Dom.

  What is Dom doing for him and what is the man in the purple robe saying to Dom? I ask, eager for all the information the pearl can give to me.

  At this point, all Dom has done for the man is levitate small objects like vases and platters, she responds. All of the objects in the house are prepared to help Dom in any way they can. They know too much of what their owner is capable of doing. They have all been encouraging Dom. I left Dom in good hands when I came to you.

  I shudder as I think of what the objects in that house have seen, but I am equally as grateful that they are willing to help Dom. I know how powerful that kind of communication and support is.

  What am I to do? I ask. What is the plan and my part in it?

  I feel satisfaction from the pearl as she senses my devotion to Dom. I am glad to be gaining her trust. I need to be able to work with her if Dom and I are ever going to be free.

  You are to stick with the plan currently in place, she says to my mind. Dom is going to use his mind manipulation to free himself from his captors tonight. You will need to bring his bag with you to the meeting place.

  I don’t know how I will be able to keep myself occupied until then. It is close to dinner time and Dom should be heading home at any moment.

  What happens when he doesn’t come home tonight? I ask.

  The pearl is silent for a moment before she responds. You will use your mind manipulation skills, Pearl. You must make them feel that everything is alright.

  My stomach drops a few inches. Using mind manipulation to help our escape tonight was always part of the plan. We were going to reassure Mama that this is the best way to care for the family, letting Dom and me travel with another adult, finding a good and steady source of income, bringing her comfort. But that was going to rely heavily on Dom’s skills. I am still new in trying to understand what I am supposed to do.

  The pearl senses my hesitance. You must control your fears, Pearl, she warns. Dom’s entire plan rests on you doing your part. She is angry with me, frustrated that I do not see the path clearly before me.

  You must do your part, she admonishes again. The pearl is staring me down mentally from the palm of my hand. The force of her will is overpowering. She is firm in her belief in Dom and in his plan. She is not as firm in her belief in me, but she expects me to rise to the occasion.

  Please tell Dom I will not let him down, I say to her with all the confidence of an eleven-year-old girl. I am being forced to lie to our family when Dom is in danger. My confidence is not strong. The pearl sighs from the depths of her soul. She still knows I am lacking, but I am all she’s got.

  I will tell him, she replies. She is willing to buoy him up with my words at least. Anything to give him the confidence to see this thing through. Even if I mess this up with the family tonight, Dom will be able to clean it up before we leave together.

  The little pearl rolls from my hands and falls until she is only an inch or two from the ground. I can hear the air molecules talking to one another as they keep her aloft. They are eager to help Dom, but they are more eager to help me.

  Just as the pearl is rolling away, a gut wrenching pain sears through my abdomen. I scream in pain, wrapping my arms around myself and falling to the ground. The little pearl is by my head in an instant.

  What is it?! She questions. What is going on? Images flash through my mind of a stone room with no windows. I see armed men standing around me as I lay on the floor. A large foot swings toward me and strikes at my stomach. But it is not my stomach I am seeing. It is Dom’s. And just before my mind goes dark, I see the edges of a purple robe.

  Chapter 12

  When I come to, the pearl is gone. A light breeze brushes against my cheek and I hear the air speaking to me.

  Pearl. Pearl, it says. You must get up. Pearl.

  I sit up and feel that only a few moments have passed since I saw the vision of Dom being beaten. I jump to my feet and run to find Mama. A strong wind hits me in the face.

  You must not run to your Mama like this, it says. The pearl was clear. In order to save Dom, you must take over your part of the plan.

  Every fiber in my body wants to run to Mama and Grandfather and beg them to help Dom - to save him. But the elements refuse to let me deviate from the plan. I have to do as they say. They will help me.

  We have been in communion with our sisters where he is being kept, the air tells me. He is already working on his plan to escape. He will be successful, Pearl. You must trust us. This is not the first time we have helped a human in need.

  I feel the collective age of the air around me. How old is it and how much has it seen and done? Will it be the same air that comes to me in over two thousand years?

  I inhale deeply and let the breeze calm my racing heart. The air is with me, around me, in me. It is with Dom. I will wait as long as I can, trusting that this older, wiser element is able to see my twin.

  I walk into the kitchen and see Mama setting the table with Ananke. As Dom’s place is set, I send an image to Mama’s mind: Dom is working in a neighboring field tonight. He will meet up with Pearl and Ananke. You hugged him and bid him farewell this morning. As soon as the thought finishes in my mind, Mama picks up Dom’s plate, silently chiding herself for forgetting he would not be joining us this evening. She wipes a stress-filled tear from her cheek. Money is tight and her boy has to find work away from home. How can she stand the strain? My heart breaks for her.

  I make my way to the moussaka I was working on earlier and mix in the tomato sauce. Mama and Ananke have been helping in the kitchen but I need to finish preparing the meal. In the stone pan, I layer the eggplant and beef, topping it off with white sauce and placing it on the fire. I watch it warm through in the embers while I inhale the scent of meat and smoke.

  I sit without eating at the table. Everyone is quiet, but Mama can see that I am shaken.

  “Pearl, darling,” she says. “Please eat more of your meal.” She places her hand on my arm and sighs. “We have all been working so hard lately. You need your strength, Love. Please eat a little more and I’ll clean up the kitchen tonight.” Grandfather, who is rarely with us for any meal, grunts to himself. I know he thinks I have been babied too much and maybe he is right. I’m ready to take my place and do my part.

  I give Mama a small smile. “That’s alright,” I tell her. “I was just daydreaming. I will handle the kitchen.” I eat more to build my energy for the travel ahead of me. I go over the list of food and clothing I have in my small traveling bag. I plan to pack a few more pasteli into the bag just in case Dom didn’t pack enough food. The small honey and sesame seed bars will provide much needed energy in a pinch.

  When the dishes are cleaned up and I am ready for bed, I hold Mama a little while longer. I send waves of the love her daughter has for her. She squeezes me tightly and kisses my head. I feel her love and try to hide it safely within me for my own memory later. It will be a long time before I am embraced by her again.

  I wait in
my room, eyes wide open in the darkness as the last of the household sounds settle down for the night. The plan is to leave before dawn with Ananke. We want to cover as much ground as we can for our journey. When I know the time is near, I reach for the bag under my bed. Everything I will be taking with me is inside. It will all help keep me alive until Dom and I can find work in a safe place. I shoulder Dom’s bag as well and head out of the room, taking one last look at the space I have lived in for almost two years.

  With Dom’s and my bag in hand, I tiptoe to Ananke’s room. She is dressed and ready to go as well.

  “Are you ready, my Pearl?” she asks with a tired smile. My heart is racing. I cannot get out of here fast enough.

  “I am,” I reply. “Are you eager to go?” It has been a long engagement for Ananke. She has met her fiancé only once or twice and has corresponded with him solely by letter. I do not know if she even loves him.

  “I am eager for my new life, Pearl,” she answers, “but I am nervous as well. I am leaving so much behind. You are too.” Ananke has no idea how much I am leaving or how much I am running to. She takes my hand in hers and together we leave the estate of our grandfather.

  We make our way to the edge of Grandfather’s land. The breeze assures me that Dom is on his way to our meeting place. I whisper a goodbye to my olive tree and to my little Acacia buried beneath it. I whisper goodbye to all the other versions of myself that I have had in this home. If we are going to be safe, if we are going to protect Mama and Grandfather, we are both going to have to forget. I let out the last sigh of my old life and take the first deep breath of the new as Ananke and I leave the estate, heading to the wild trees that line the road leading to town.

  When we arrive at our designated spot, I pace from side to side. I try to not imagine what could be happening to Dom. Was he really able to escape his captors? How much was he hurt before he got away? How far away is he now? Does he need me to come to him?

  “Patience, Pearl,” Ananke says, “Dom will be here soon enough.” But I can see Ananke tapping her own fingers against her leg.

  After almost an hour of waiting, I feel the little pearl coming to me again. But this time she is not alone, she is in Dom’s satchel. As soon as I see Dom, we run to each other and embrace. His clothing is torn and he is filthy. Bruises are beginning to show through the welts on his arms. I am sick inside to know that he has been hurt in this way. I cry as I hand him his bag. Ananke reaches us just a moment later.

  “Dom!” she says. “What in the name of Zeus happened to you?!”

  “Oh, it’s nothing,” Dom assures her. “I got in a fight with some kids in the fields. They were saying stuff about Grandpapa and I wouldn’t let them. I won!” His eyes are bright and his voice is triumphant, but Ananke isn’t buying it.

  “Dom,” she says, “we should take you to the house to get you cleaned up and get your wounds tended to. You are in no condition to travel.” Dom reaches out and takes Ananke by the hand. He speaks to her with his mind and his mouth as he leads her back to the road to Argos.

  “It will be fine, Ananke. You’ll see,” he says. “I’m not in bad shape. We can keep traveling now. You want to get going as much as we do.”

  I see the change come over Ananke’s countenance. It’s an eerie sight to see someone forget what they were doing, knowing that it’s your fault their memory has changed.

  “You’re right,” she tells Dom. She walks steadily forward, never letting go of his hand. “You look fine. We can get you cleaned up when we get to where we are going.” She pauses. “Where are we going?” she asks as she looks at Dom.

  “Don’t you remember?” Dom asks. “We are heading to Thyrea so you can get married. You’re going to live with your fiancé’s family for a few months before the wedding.” Ananke nods as she continues again on the road.

  “That’s right,” she says. “I’m starting a new life.”

  “And you don’t want to listen to me and Pearl while we walk,” Dom says. “You have other things on your mind.” Ananke is quiet. She nods and walks.

  Dom and I watch Ananke for a few more minutes before he starts talking to me again. He continues to hold her hand, assuring that she won’t come out of her trance.

  “Dom, tell me what happened to you,” I say after several minutes.

  He is silent for a moment before he begins his story.

  “Men grabbed me while I was walking toward the school,” he says. “I tried to scream, but they were too quick with their hands and they gagged me before I could make any real sound.” He rubs his jaw. “I couldn’t reach any of their skin, they were covered well, so I had to wait for my time to come. They tossed me into a wagon, covered me with heavy material, and took me to an estate to the north.

  “Once we got to the place, they carried me into the house and tied me to a chair. I sat in a great room for a long time before the man in the purple robe came to see me. I was still working on how to get out of there, so I decided to be safe and do whatever he asked.”

  “What did he ask you to do?” I question. The man already had contact with Dom. He knew he could manipulate minds. But the pearl said Dom was doing simple levitation tricks.

  “He started by telling me that he heard an interesting story about a boy and a girl who could command nature,” Dom tells me. “I knew he was talking about the rocks and the corn, but I knew I had to keep you out of it. I told him that I didn’t know that kind of story, I only knew of a boy who could do those things.”

  “What did he say?” I ask.

  “He laughed. He said, ‘Boy, there is no need to fear for your sister. As long as you cooperate, she will be fine.’” Dom lowers his voice as he mimics the man in the purple robe. Some part of him thinks this is funny.

  “I asked him what he wanted me to do,” Dom continues. “I knew I had to keep you safe. He said he wanted me to do what I did in the field. He brought me to a small garden off of the house kitchen and put some corn on the ground. My hands were still tied and I asked to have them let go so I could work. He laughed again and said I could do it with my hands tied or they would get you to do it for them.”

  My heart beats faster. I love him for protecting me, but I wish I could have helped him sooner.

  “So, I did what he asked,” Dom continues. “I spoke to the earth and grew the corn. He pulled off the top ear of corn and inspected it. He mumbled something to his servant and that guy ran off. Then the robed man said, ‘Into the house,’ all low. He led the way and his guards grabbed my arms and yanked me along.”

  I wince. I know the guards did more, so I wait for Dom to reach that part of the story.

  “He didn’t lead us back into the grand room we were in before,” Dom says. “He took me to another room with no windows. Before they shut the door, I told the pearl to find you. I had a plan.” Dom puffs out his chest and smiles. He gives me a wink and I roll my eyes. Even when kidnapped, he boasts.

  “Once the pearl was gone and I was sure you would know what to do, I focused on touching skin. All I needed was to touch anyone’s skin and I could manipulate my way out of there. But the purple robed man knew that. He was wearing gloves and was covered everywhere but his face. He took one of his gloves off and walked toward me. He was smiling while he walked but once he reached me he snarled and yelled, ‘demon child!’ and hit my face with the glove.” I wince again.

  “He put the glove back on and smiled,” Dom continues. “‘Now,’ he said, ‘you will help me with what I am asking you or you will receive more of that.’ I knew what I had to do, Pearl. I had to let myself be hit and kicked so I could have skin on skin contact.

  “I told the robed man I wouldn’t do anything else for him. He let out just one laugh. One ‘ha’ then looked at his guards. ‘Make sure he submits by sundown,’ he said. ‘I want him in good working order when my guests arrive tomorrow.’”

  “What guests did he mean?” I ask Dom.

  “Judges and political leaders,” he says. “He wants my min
d manipulation to help him gain power.”

  “What does he want them to do?” I ask.

  “I don’t know for sure,” Dom says. “But when he left the room, he turned to me and said, ‘If you aren’t ready to help me by tomorrow, young Domideus, I will have to visit your Grandfather and bring your sister home with me.’” Dom looks at me and says, “No way that’s gonna happen.” I shake my head. He thinks he is my protector.

  “I can take care of myself, Dom,” I tell him. Then I look at his face, swollen and bloody in the moonlight. “But I love you. Thank you.”

  Dom gives me a swollen smile and puffs his chest out again. “You are welcome. Now, back to my story. Just as the robed man was leaving the room, the first guard punched me in the gut.”

  “I felt that!” I interrupt.

  “I told you that you are better at this stuff than I am,” he says. “I can’t read anyone’s mind across that kind of distance, not even yours.”

  I blush with pride. I accomplished something big with my powers today, even if I didn’t intend to.

  “Anyway,” Dom says, “the guards had their gloves on at first, but once the robed man was gone, their gloves came off. They grabbed me by my hair and sat me on a stool in a corner of the room. They started slapping me. Once I had the rhythm of their hits down, I turned the tables on them.”

  Dom laughs to himself and continues. “I made them think I wasn’t on the stool anymore. I made them see my face on each other and their faces on me. Pretty soon, they untied me and started slapping each other around. Once they were fully fighting on the ground, I got out of there.”

  “You got out without anyone noticing you?” I ask.

  “Well, I found things to hide behind. The doors all opened for me when I asked. There were some dogs, but all they did was sniff me and lick my hands. I got a few cuts on my legs from climbing over the outer walls and through weeds and stuff, but once I was outside, the pearl helped me figure out which way to go to find you.”

  Dom pulls the little black pearl from his satchel and hands her to me. She is glistening and quiet in the moonlight, happy to be praised by Dom. She is warm in my hand and I wonder why we create this heat whenever we touch. I am about to ask Dom about it when he stops and jerks his head to the side, grabbing my arm. Ananke stops with us, her eyes staring forward into the darkness of the early morning hours.