Chapter Three
Blackness started to fill the sky the closer we got to St. F. The music on the radio was interrupted several times by the announcer warning a dangerous storm was quickly approaching. Lightening flashed around us, and large raindrops smacked the windshield. Gabe drove as fast as he could towards St. F.
“So, who were they Gabe?” I ask as the rain drops slowly turn to pea-sized hail.
Gabe kept his eyes on the road. “People you don’t want to mess with.”
“What do you mean? They came into Pandora’s and she said they were selling stuff to her from an estate and then they showed up at the Wooden Nickel and Jimmy throws them out. What are they gangsters or something?” I ask through the plinking of the hail.
“Sort of.” His voice grew tense. “This is a bad storm.”
The music on the radio stopped for another weather warning. A tornado had been spotted north of St. F and was headed south- right in our direction. The voiced warned all in its path to take shelter.
“We have to find cover.” Gabe looked at me.
I could feel butterflies in my stomach, when suddenly Gabe slammed on the brakes. I looked out the windshield to see a dark car parked sideways in the road blocking both lanes. Through the water that rippled down the windshield, I could see the two mysterious men leaning casually against the car. They stood like statues and waited for us to get out.
“Whatever you do don’t leave this truck.” Gabe’s eyes were steady and his voice low. “If you have to, leave without me and don’t stop until you get back to Thornbrooke, Never mention this to anyone.”
I began to tremble and was speechless.
His eyes softened as he slowly reached under the seat and pulled out a silver dagger engraved with swirling designs that was as long as a pencil. I didn’t think it was real, like it was a movie prop, but I knew different, it was real as the two men in front of us.
“I promise Em that everything will be fine.” He smiled as he slid the knife discretely between his leather belt and jeans.
He got out of the car and went up to the two men. They seemed to be discussing something. I checked around Gabe’s truck, maybe he had left his cell phone. Unfortunately, I am too poor to have one.
I opened the glove box, only letting my eyes off of Gabe long enough to rummage. Through the many expired insurance and vehicle registration papers, I hoped to find maybe even a weapon. I was going to give up when a blue light blinked back at me. Ah, a cell phone. I grabbed it expecting an array of numbers, when all I saw were round, clear buttons marked with squiggly lines. There was six buttons on a small, silver, rectangular shaped disk that was about the size of a cell phone.
Frantically, I pushed the buttons until they began to light up and then blinked like Christmas lights. I threw the thing to the floor, and looked out the blurry windshield.
Suddenly, one of the men grabbed Gabe as the other punched him in the stomach. The last thing I thought of was leaving as instructed. I had to do something, and without a plan I opened the door and into the rain. The sky had a sickening green cast to it that matched how I felt inside. I had no weapon, and I wasn’t strong enough to fight them. Then, at the side of the road, between flashes of lightening, I saw a rock. It was about the size of a baseball with jagged edges.
I picked it up, lifted it over my head, and hit the guy throwing punches square in the back. I hoped to knock him out, but instead he only stopped and bent down as the other guy came towards me. Gabe crumpled to the ground. I didn’t have another rock.
“Em-Emily is that you?” The man questioned in a pleasantly fake tone. “Darling, you shouldn’t be out here.”
He grabbed me by the arm and jerked me close to him. I could feel the iciness in his grip as he pulled me towards the car. Gabe was still on the ground, the man that I hit only glared at me.
“Good throw,” he said, rain dripped from his nose.
He smiled and then something hard hit the left side of my face. I had felt it before, only it was David’s hand last time. Instead of fear, I felt hot anger. Even in the cold, pounding rain something blossomed in me. Thrown to the ground next to Gabe, I knew the knife was still tucked away in his belt.
“Gabe,” I whimpered his name. With my arms around his back, I felt for the blade that was cold in my hand. Discreetly, I pulled it out.
“Get in the car!” The dark skinned man growled between clenched teeth.
He held me by arm and with my other hand, I plunged the knife into him as he pulled me close to him. We stood facing one another and I could feel the blade go into him like a balloon popping. Everything happened so fast that my mind couldn’t keep up and I kept trying to tell myself this is a dream. The man fell to the ground and I knew it was very much real by the blood seeping through his white shirt. I dropped the knife and looked at my white hands running with blood.
Suddenly, something flew past me about the size of a bird. I turned to see a silver disk spring from the other man’s hand toward me. A burning sensation filled my stomach as I reached down and pulled out the small, silver disk with jagged edges. My cream colored tank seeped with rain and blood.
I crumpled to the ground, numb with pain. Gabe got up, grabbed the knife and threw it at the man. Like a magnet, it struck him in the throat. He fell backwards into the water filled ditch.
Weakness filled my arms and legs. The thunder from the storm was muffled and I couldn’t talk. I felt Gabe slip his hand under me, and his voice reassured me everything was going to be fine before everything faded to blackness.
“It’s a girl!” A voice exclaimed that was like a firecracker going off.
“You remember them don’t you Zach?” Another voice replied.
I tried to open my eyes as the ground beneath me rumbled like it was filled with a hundred bumble bees. A hot smell filled my lungs as I tried to move.
“It looks bad…but I don’t think it secreted all the poison. She must have pulled it out,” The voice named Zach said and with what I could see, he had lifted my shirt.
I smacked his hand away and tried to sit up as another hand pushed me back down.
“Don’t move.” Two brilliant blue eyes surrounded with long dark lashes peered down at me.
His voice was gentle, like Gabe’s, and his dark hair dripped water onto me like melting black icicles.
“Where’s Gabe.” I asked.
He only looked down at me without an answer as everything faded to blackness.
Violent jerking brought me to my senses.
“I don’t remember the passage being so rough,” A voice yelled in the distance.
I opened my eyes without much effort and looked up at a grey ceiling that looked like it was made of metal. A rough blanket covered me and gauze covered nearly my whole belly. My first thought was of Gabe and where we were.
I propped myself up as a dull ach filled my stomach. I looked around in the darkness. Flashes that reminded me of a camera’s flash, blinked savagely framing two silhouettes sitting side by side in front of a large window.
“Hey, Em,” A familiar voice said to my side.
“Gabe!” I yelled getting the attention of the two silhouettes “Where are we? Where are we going?”
“Lay back down and don’t talk.” He ran his fingers over the side of my cheek.
He didn’t say a word, only looked at me.
“But where are we?” I asked as the ground beneath felt like it was collapsing. I jumped latching onto his arm.
“It’s O.K.,” Gabe said with a reassuring smile. “We are in a plane.”
The plane shook and lightening flashed. I turned my head around and wanted to see what was going on.
“Look at me Em.” Gabe turned my head so all I could see was his calm, grey eyes.
“Who are these people? Where are we going?” I could feel my stomach tighten and sweat roll down my back.
“To a safe place.”
His voice had calmness to it in its monotone rhythm.
“What about St. F and the tornado? What about Jimmy and my dad?” I couldn’t help but to worry about everyone. “Why are we on a plane anyway?” I tried to push away from him and move my Jell-O-like legs.
“Em, it’s real important you don’t move.” Gabe’s eyes widened with concern and he looked behind him and motioned for someone else.
Another boy about my age, popped out from behind Gabe wearing a ratty cowboy hat with red- blonde hair poking out from under it. He had clear blue eyes and a checkered shirt with the sleeves torn off. If I could see his feet he probably had cowboy boots on as well. He looked like he had just stepped out of a field somewhere near St. F.
“Hi, my name is Zach,” he said with a big smile and a southern accent.
“Oh my God,” I said feeling my insides burn slightly as Gabe gently pushed me back down.
“No, not God, Zach, I know it’s easy to get us confused.” Zach shrugged his shoulders as Gabe shot him a glance. “I was just joking you know.”
Gabe ran his hand over my cheek. His touch was soft, like a kitten rubbing against my leg. Then, suddenly something sharp like a pin pierced my upper thigh. My muscle tightened and burned as something cool then warm seeped into it. All I could do was scream.
“There, all done.” Zach appeared again holding a syringe. “I’ve done that there lots of times on cattle, but never a person before.” He smiled and then looked at me. “You’re my first.”
“Gabe!” I screamed as my muscles began to relax.
“Zach you’re not helping,” Gabe said in a tense voice towards Zach and then looked back at me. “That was something so you don’t move.”
I couldn’t move now as my vision blurred slightly. Voices became slurred, even the plane bounced less. I struggled to keep my eyes open as I looked around.
Across from me was a small metal cage that contained a speckled bird. I watched it as it moved its head and then pecked at the ground. Gabe then sat by me again with a small smile.
“Feeling better?” His voice still had that playful tone to it.
“Is that a chicken?” I asked. “Or am I seeing things?”
“That’s my Leghorn chicken Bella.” Zach proudly announced. “They’re supposed to be good egg layers since we don’t have many chickens at Atlantis.”
I wasn’t sure if I heard Zach right. Gabe gave me a blank look.
“Atlanta?” I ask not trusting my ears.
Gabe looked uneasy as he turned and said something to Zach. He then turned back to me smiling with his grey eyes that had always mesmerized me.
“Close,” Gabe replied as he was the only thing that filled my vision until blackness took over.
Everything around me was still and quiet. I wasn’t on the plane anymore. I still couldn’t open my eyes, but my ears tuned in to my surroundings.
“You shouldn’t have brought her here, Gabe,” A girl’s whispering voice said.
“She saved my life,” Gabe replied.
“Yeah, but what is she doing with an amulet? What if she’s trafficking?” The girl’s voice questioned.
“She isn’t trafficking. Em has no idea what she’s involved in.” Gabe’s words seemed hollow and foreboding. I wanted to talk to him so badly.
I woke to darkness. The air around me moved with a slight breeze tinged with the smell of salt. As my eyes focused to my surroundings, I could see a large window to my side that was open letting the gentle wind blow the sheer curtain like a watching ghost.
My pain was gone, but I was weak and had to force myself up to my elbows. My mouth felt like it had been stuffed with cotton balls. I looked around and wondered where I was when a light flicked on.
A man wearing a long, silk robe and matching pants sat a distance away and looked at me. He was stocky looking with pulled back greying, thin, brown hair and reading glasses propped up by his large nose. He looked at me for a while, and then cleared his throat.
“Emily is it? Is that your name?” His voice was questioning.
“Yes.” My voice was dry.
“You are lucky to be alive. The poison from spine disk is usually fatal.” He closed the book he had and placed it on the table next to him. “My name is Abe, by the way.”
I smiled at him. “Where am I anyway? I remember being on a plane and Gabe…” I looked away wondering where he was. “Another boy was there…he said we were going to Atlanta, I think. Is that where we are at?” My head felt like it was spinning.
“No, we are nowhere near Atlanta.” He smiled and seemed amused by my question.
I wanted to know more and started to sit up when a stabbing sensation filled my stomach. I gasped and clutched my stomach as Abe quickly came over to me. He gently pushed me back down.
“If I may…” He asked inquiring to lift my shirt up.
The pain was so intense that I didn’t care what he saw. I shook my head in agreement. I watched Abe lift the slightly blood stained bandage. He then grabbed a pair of what looked like tweezers, and pulled something out of my wound, I closed my eyes and waited for a sting, but Abe was gentle and I felt nothing.
“I thought I got the entire disk out. It is designed to dissolve slowly once it becomes imbedded. I am guessing you pulled it out before it did too much damage.” His dark eyes twinkled in the dim light. “I do believe that is the last of it.”
With a plinking sound, Abe dropped something small and metallic into a silver bowl. He then opened a jar that emitted the pungent smell of roses onto my wound and then covered it up with a clean bandage.
“So, if we are nowhere near Atlanta, where am I?” The smell of roses was almost overwhelming.
Abe went over to his chair and sat with a blank expression. Silence filled the air, I waited for an answer and then I heard what sounded like waves crashing gently to shore. I looked towards the window, then back at Abe. He only looked at me as if waiting for me to draw my own conclusion.
“Is that-the ocean?” I asked through the pungent smell of roses.
“Yes, it is the Sanudra Ocean.” Abe’s words were soft and his eyes steady on me.
“I never…I don’t think I have ever heard of that.” I tried to recall the name from all of the geography classes that I sometimes slept through at school.
“It means, “Gathering of Waters”, and not many have heard of it.” Abe wasn’t giving much information and my eyes grew heavy.
I open and close my eyes wanting to know more, but the smell of the sweet roses only put me to sleep.
Light pierced through my eyelids. I opened my eyes to see Gabe standing by the window looking into the distance. The ghost like curtain blew in the salty air and curled around his legs. I sat up, looked at Gabe who didn’t notice my stare.
Sunlight fell on him like glitter. He was dressed in a gauzy white shirt and jeans, faded and worn with frayed holes so I could see teasingly peeks of skin underneath. He held back the curtain with one hand and peered into the distance, he looked deep into thought. I couldn’t take it anymore, and cleared my throat to get his attention.
Gabe turned his head quickly like I had broken the deep trance he was in.
“Em,” His voice rang with surprised joy.
I returned the smile as he came over.
“How are you?” He brushed back the few stray hairs from my face. I could only imagine what my hair looked like.
“Better, I think.” I really wasn’t sure.
“Where are we Gabe? What about St. F and my dad and Jimmy-the tornado…” My words trail off and a twisted knot curled in my stomach.
“Don’t worry about that right now, they’re fine. The storm passed.” His words had a hollow feel to them, like something someone would say as not to upset someone who already is.
“Where are we then? A man named Abe was here last night and said we are by the Sanudra Ocean…where in the heck i
s that? I would like to think I paid a little attention in Geography, but I’ve never heard of it.”
Gabe only smiled. “Its name isn’t in any geography books or even maps, because to some it doesn’t exist.”
I gave him a confused look. Gabe shook his head.
“I’m not good at explaining things, here, it’s just better if I show you.” He stood up. “Can you get up?”
Gabe took my hand and I swung my legs over the side. I could feel the soreness in my stomach and the softness of the gauze that covered my wound. Then, I realized I was dressed in a long, grey, nightgown. I could only wonder who had changed my clothes; hopefully, at least another girl lives here. I could feel my cheeks flush slightly.
“Are you O.K.?” Gabe asked suddenly. He must have noticed my cheeks redden.
“Yes, I’m fine,” I replied with a smile.
Gabe led me to a balcony that overlooked a vast blue-green ocean with pink tinged sands framed against the contrasting color of the water. Lush, green palm trees dotted the ground beneath us. I looked down and felt dizzy; we must be several stories up. The sweet smell of the vining, yellow, bell shaped flowers made them known through their intoxicating smell, climbed around the wrought iron fence that enclosed the balcony.
“It’s beautiful.” I stood next to Gabe, our shoulders touched and he wrapped his arm around me gently.
“It’s Atlantis, or actually just a small part of it. we are the island of Kangee.” He didn’t look at me, only kept his eyes on the rolling waves.
I slid out from under his arm and looked at him with raised eyebrows.
“Atlantis,” I said unsure of what my ears heard. “Really, where are we, at some resort somewhere?” I remembered hearing about Atlantis from time to time as a lost continent and the home of mermaids and other mythical creatures. Gabe’s stare never faulted, but remained serious “But, it’s just a myth.” I hoped he would tell me he had taken me to some tropical place.
Gabe didn’t smile, only kept a serious persona to him that was unmoving. My stomach began to tighten.
“No, it’s a legend and is very real.” Gabe eyes met mine. “I know it is hard to believe, but it is true.”
“It can’t be the lost Atlantis…you know the one they make movies about and one of the mysteries of the world. We must be in the Caribbean or…some place like that, right?” My words trailed off.
“Em,” His voice was filled with a serious compassion as he faced me. “This is the Atlantis, the lost civilization as humans call it. You are really here.”
I looked out at the endless ocean thinking it could be any tropical place on Earth. The waves came in and went out, the wind blew through the palm trees and the air smelled of a salty sweetness. Everything around me felt like a dream, but a very tangible one.
I drew in a deep breath and met Gabe’s eyes as if he was waiting for everything to soak into my foggy head.
“So, how did we get here?” I turned to see a cushioned chair behind me and sat down in it. I recalled the bumpiness that I had felt and Gabe looking into my eyes. I answered before Gabe could even respond. “We came here by plane, I remember.” I looked up at him. “But how did the plane get here?”
Gabe drew in a breath and then sat beside me. “Through a passage that is only open to us.”
“To us, who are us?” I asked trying to comprehend everything.
“Look, Em, I know it is hard to understand, but some things exist, even when shrouded in myth. This place is here for a reason and held secret for a reason.” He leaned forward slightly with his gray eyes peering into mine.
“Then why are you here? And why am I here?” My hands ran through my ratty hair, and pulled at the growing headache that made me feel sick.
I laid back into the cushiony chair and looked at the brilliant blue sky.
“The Fairchild’s’, along with a few other families have been guarding Atlantis for generations. Its existence was never meant for the world to know, and those who do know are few.” His words were tinged with a foreboding dread.
A pending silence surrounded us.
“So, what do you mean? I am never to leave or do you have to kill me now?” I tried to make light of the extraordinary situation, though my voice was thin.
Gabe smiled back at me. “No, I don’t have to kill you, but your fate isn’t decided yet.”
“What do you mean?”
“Abe and the rest of the Alliances Creed haven’t decided.” Gabe ran his hand over the bruise David gave me. “But, you also don’t have to go back where you came from.
Gathering of Blackbirds Page 3