Emily slowly raised herself up into a seated position at the mention of the word ‘portal’. She tried to ignore the waves of pain that exploded at her sudden movement. Grimacing, she tried to hold back the tears forming in her eyes.
“What happened?” Emily asked, beginning to feel the panic return. “Where are we?”
James smiled tightly. “We are on Earth. Well, still the Earth but in the other dimension.” He grinned at her. “It has been a while since I have last been here.”
Emily stared at him trying to process everything. Another dimension on Earth? she thought. And why was that creature chasing us? She must have hit her head harder than she thought. In a few seconds, she would find herself on her bed.
James nodded his head slowly as if he could read her thoughts. “I know you are probably confused, so really, you can ask me anything you want.”
“There is another Earth!?” Emily whispered. “I mean, a dimension? This is really confusing.”
“Yes. You have to understand that this can be another part of living on Earth,” James said matter of factly.
Emily smiled to herself. He was lying or joking, she was sure of it. The scientists would have found another Earth dimension hundreds of years ago. Someone would have picked up on inconsistencies. It was clear that James and her aunt had big issues. Mental issues. But what was that thing? Where was this place?
“You can’t be serious, James. Please.” She was annoyed. “People would have found this place already. I know you’re pulling my leg, James.”
“This dimension is so special that people on your version of Earth cannot see it or have access to it.” He pulled out the necklace that Emily had used. “Objects such as this open up brief portals that allow people to travel between worlds. There was a time when this world coincided precisely with your dimension. Things overlapped.”
James continued. “You know those stories about vampires, werewolves, witches?”
“Yeah, of course. Why?”
“Those are the words that your world would call us, how you named us. In this place, some families or individual people have abilities. Gifts. Normal people from your dimension couldn’t explain these powers so they made up these terms. But somehow, over time, things escalated. Powers became unbalanced.”
He shook his head.
“People, women in particular, were not understood for having strengths and extraordinary perceptions. They were hunted down as witches. You’ve heard of the Salem witch trials? There also have been the brutal werewolf and vampire hunters. Those seen as different were murdered. It just got too dangerous. We retreated from your world completely.”
“Wait,” I shook my head back and forth, slowly. “So you are saying that there really were vampires and werewolves?”
James laughed at her question, “No. No. Those people desperately needed an explanation, so they decided to see us as monsters. You know how fear works. It makes people see things that aren’t really there. Abominations to the world and creatures that needed to be destroyed.”
“So what type of gifts are there that people have here?”
“Some people have minor abilities, like reading dreams that people have or talking to animals, or night vision. That type of thing. But there are more powerful ones that people from your world have always feared. Shapeshifters, soul sealers, healers, element users, and so on. The idea of werewolves came from shapeshifters. Soul sealers caused panic about vampires, and healers, along with element users, were called witches. Because of all the persecution, we permanently went into this dimension and limited interactions with your world.”
James craned his head around to look beyond the trees to the side of them. “Are you starting to see the picture?”
“Okay. Yeah, sure. I get it. ” Emily was still trying to figure out the purpose of this joke. But she looked around her. Something was nagging at her mind. Deep inside of her, she felt as if jigsaw puzzle pieces were finally locking into place. And just like that, she knew that this situation was real.
“Um... what was that creature that chased us? And why...why was my aunt fighting it?” Emily felt her hysteria begin to rise at the thought of her aunt being killed. She was the only family she had left. Her eyes were blurring as she felt her eyes moisten.
“Calm down, Em! Your aunt is fine.” James put a hand on her shoulder. “Take deep breaths.” Emily’s breathing soon became regular.
“Okay, that creature that was chasing me was called a Soul Beast, said James. “They are sent by the House …”
“By the House 0f Soul Sealers.” Emily finished his sentence. Her eyes widened as she realized the truth. “All of this stuff is written in those books by Tallheard! So that means the characters from the book are real?” She looked at James desperately. “Please tell me this can’t be true. It can’t be true, it is not possible.”
James smirked. “Why would it not be true? Did your parents and aunt tell you nothing about this place?”
Emily moaned as she realized the truth. “Are you telling me that my parents and aunt knew about this?” A sudden thought came to her. “Are my parents alive!? They may have come to this world!” Emily's eyes shone brightly as her words hinted at a possibility she had always hoped for, that her parents were somehow alive. It hit her hard in the chest as she realized this. Wasn’t it possible that they could still be alive? They died in that car crash when she was only five. She shook her head. She had seen the death certificates and read the obituaries and newspaper clippings. No, they were dead. “But that still does not explain my family’s knowledge of this place.”
James shrugged his shoulders, totally uninterested. “People who are in trouble on this world usually flee to the other dimension. Sometimes it is because they are exiled or because they don’t want to stay here. It's very hard, though, because you need a portal object, something which not many people have. And it's expensive. ”
“Expensive in what way?” She suddenly thought of her aunt. “What about my aunt!? Is she alright?”
“She is from the Dark Ridge Tribe. She is definitely okay. They are as tough as nails. Never get into a fight with any of them unless you have a death wish. Wind Blade can handle herself just fine.”
Emily narrowed her eyes thoughtfully. “I heard that tribe’s name in the book, but what do they do?” Wow, she can’t believe that she was taking this in calmly and talking about it as if it were really possible.
“They are our guards, soldiers, fighters, assassins. Like that. Trained since they were little to fight and protect. Very skilled in combat.”
The ground swayed beneath Emily at the word ‘assassin’.
“Are you saying that my aunt is an assassin!?” Emily choked out. “Her? That's impossible. She would never hurt a fly, let alone a person.”
“That is correct, Emily.” Her aunt’s voice was suddenly heard behind them.
Emily shrieked while James whirled around, his eyes wide. Aunt May stood in the shadows with her face covered. She wore baggy black pants with a black undershirt with combat boots. Her hair was tightly pulled back.
Stepping out from behind an evergreen tree, her eyes gleamed with an odd expression. She was still the same person Emily had known all her life, but the eyes that were normally shining and bright were now red-rimmed and squinting.
“When your parents died, I had to watch over you, Emily, “she said softly. “I was a guard for your parent’s House. It was my duty to protect them and you. But then they passed away. And they had told me to always watch you and make sure that you were safe, no matter what. I never meant to lie to you, but that was the only way for you to be safe. I wanted you to grow up as a normal girl. To have a happy childhood.”
Emily snapped her head back and glared at her aunt. She thought of all the years of living with a person who had lied to her over and over again.
“So my whole life is a lie? Are you even related to me? But then again, I should have realized it. It was clear as night and day.”
“I did it for a reason, Emily. I had served your parents, so when your parents died, I then took care of you, “ her aunt stated. “It is my purpose in this life to protect your family.”
Emily felt herself falling into confusion at her aunt’s - no, not her aunt’s - words. Those words filled Emily’s head. Her “protector” only watched over her because that was her job. All those times, with her aunt laughing and hanging out with her, had been a fantasy. All those holidays, days at the water park, riding in the mountains, shopping together - all of it was just a sham.
Emily face flushed because she had been taken for a young fool. “So, what is your real name?” she asked softly, and hung her head down, refusing to look at her protector.
“My name is Wind Blade and I am from the Dark Ridge Tribe, servant to your House.” Wind Blade looked into Emily's face, hoping to see any sign of forgiveness.
Emily felt a strange weakness, a dizziness, and her head pounded. She needed some quiet time away from both of them, James and her Aunt May. A place where she could be by herself and think. She was in a strange world with two complete strangers, now unknown to her.
Emily turned away from James and Wind Blade and began to walk to the trees. “I am going for a stroll.” She looked back at them and narrowed her eyes. “Do not follow me right now.”
Emily left the two of them staring after her. Her ex-aunt, or Wind Blade, shook her head, clearly disappointed by how Emily was taking in all this new information. She took a step forward only to be stopped by James.
“No, you should not go after her. It is you she’s angry at. I am going to follow her and make sure that she’s okay.”
Wind Blade looked over at him. “Really, James? This is your fault. I should end your miserable life right now. You put her in danger by coming to the apartment with that thing following you. If she gets hurts, it’s you who will pay the ultimate price.”
James rolled his eyes at her remark. “Geez, how scary. I am shaking so hard right now.” Wind Blade could see that he was still so much the teenager he had pretended to be. She laughed out loud and shook her head.
James glared at her. He paced around the muddy clearing and looked after the space between the trees where Emily had walked.
A thought came to him. “You better not tell them that I am here.” He looked forcefully at Wind Blade, his eyes flashing a warning. He took off into the woods in the direction of Emily without looking back.
Sighing, Wind Blade sat back down below the welcoming branches of the trees.
“I will protect her, I promise, “ she whispered to the trees around her. “I will not fail.”
Chapter 5
Two men stood in the shadows of the trees watching a girl walk through the forest. They smiled at each other and nodded.
“This is definitely the girl who was with the fugitive”, one of them whispered.
“So now we capture her and bring her to Prince Declan.” The other hidden man said, his voice filled with relief. “We will get a promotion! Think of the rewards that we will receive! Just imagine!’’
“Not to mention the respect.”
The two men smiled dreamily and watched her the young girl continue to pick her way through the forest, walking unaware under the safety of the spreading arms of the trees.
Emily walked through the forest admiring the soft branches that seemed to hold back from the trail, allowing her passage. The trail itself wasn’t easy to walk on, as it was mostly filled with puddles of yellowish mud. Most of the trees had wide trunks and were covered in bright green leaves. Weak beams of sunlight broke through the leaves, leaving some places in light and others in shadows.
Emily couldn’t help but smile. Birds were chattering through the upper branches of the trees but, unfortunately, the leaves blocked her view of them. Emily had always enjoyed spending time in the woods. The air that filled her lungs was fresh and cool. There were no sounds or sights of human life. No rattling cars or creaking trains, or clumps of people threading in and out of her view.
A small squirrel scampered across her path, hopping over the golden puddles, and stopped. It looked up at Emily with sparkling brown eyes filled with curiosity. Reaching out a hand to it, she found herself wondering how it would react to her in this place. She couldn’t believe how close she has gotten to this wild animal.
All the animals were terrified of humans on her Earth and she couldn’t blame them. The busy streets, people walking about, the heedless destruction of the every animal living space, the loud noises - all would scare any creatures away. Humans were at the top of the food chain and thought nothing of routinely using animals, even eating them without a thought. Emily might spy small animals in the park near her home now and again. But even there, the animals would run away if people got too close to them. Would it be different in this version of Earth?
This tiny squirrel bounded over to Emily’s hand, not timid in the least, then froze as if it heard something. With a sudden terrified look, it leaped to the nearest tree and soon disappeared into its dense leaves.
She sighed and stood up, brushing the dirt and leaves from her clothes. She hoped that they wouldn't stain. This was the only change of clothing that she had here.
Snap!
Whirling around, she saw the huge shadow standing between her and the safety of the trees. It was the dark shape of the creature! Emily gasped sharply as it moved into a stream of sunlight that blazed through the dense forest leaves.
It was the beast, the one they thought they had left behind. The wolf-monster growled and foam dripped from its mouth. Its eyes glowed red with rage as it shook its large, shaggy head.
“No, no, no ...” Emily whimpered softly as she realized the truth. Somehow, the creature had managed to follow them here. Did the creature have a portal object? How? How could it pass through?
“Yes, indeed.” A man’s deep voice spoke loudly, echoing through the forest. “There you are.” He came into view behind the wolf-beast.
Horror and confusion filled her as she recognized the man. The man from the train; it was him! How was this even possible? It began to sink in. Perhaps he was from this world, too. That explains the muddy hiking boots and the strange, long coat. And the odd conversation...He was most likely from here, with his mucky shoes. Just how did he find them here? She was in the middle of nowhere.
“What do you want?” Emily asked, trying to keep her voice steady. I should not show any fear she thought. She needed to be like her aunt. A strong and fiercely independent woman.
The man smiled sweetly but his evil eyes betrayed him. They were cold and hard, like marbles. Emily shuddered and she turned away from him. He looked like a killer.
“I want that boy who is with you. Your boyfriend, I presume.” The man spoke in a low voice. “Hand him over and I will not order Fluffy here attack you.” He motioned to the snarling beast beside him.
“He is not my…” . Emily paused as she stared at the snarling black beast in front of her. What did it matter? She was going to die.
“Wait. You named that creature Fluffy!?” she asked incredulously.
He looked confused. “ Never mind about my helper. Where is the boy? Where is Kator!?” he snarled impatiently.
“I don’t know who or where Kator is!” Emily's voice faltered. She was no longer trying to act confident. The creature and the man had totally unnerved her. She needed to find a way to escape, but she didn’t know how. The creature would catch up to her easily.
“I really did not want to kill you. But, because of your lack of cooperation, I think I will.” He smiled brightly at a sudden thought. “At least Fluffy will be fed today.”
Fluffy seemed to smile at the word ‘fed’. Fluffy
barked and wagged his long, thickly matted black tail. For a second, he looked just like an overgrown normal dog, not a ravenous wolf that wanted to consume Emily.
“Wow, what a great owner you are, “ Emily said. “ Always thinking of your pet. Now I know I don’t need to call animal services.”
Emily took a step back as Fluffy began to approach. It started at her with its bloodshot eyes. Emily looked around wildly for a weapon. She did not want to die by the fangs of a monster named Fluffy. Seriously, could anything be lamer?
“I will ask you one more time, Miss. Where is Kator!?” His voice rose to an angry scream.
She felt anger begin to move up from the center of her body. She had already told him she did not know who Kator was. She had no idea what was happening! And she was stuck here! Forced from her world and her home! And everything she had ever known, everything about the fabric of her life, was a complete and total lie! She was so done with being scared. Of being dragged around and being threatened. Especially by a guy who, frankly, came up with real strange names. Who was this guy?
The Shadow Beasts: The Sunclaire Chronicles Page 3