Heartmender

by V. Romas Burton

  He squinted and adjusted his spectacles again, only he wasn’t looking at me but past me. I glanced over my shoulder, but nothing was there.

  “Lyle?” I asked, fear wrapping itself around my heart once more. “Lyle, can you hear me?”

  He began to open his mouth to respond when he suddenly arched his back, a scream bursting from his lips instead.

  “Lyle!” I cried as he fell to the ground, writhing in pain. My heart squeezed, panicked. What happened? Was he okay? My mind swirled with so many thoughts that I didn’t know what to do.

  My brother sobbed on the ground before his voice shifted from his deep, throaty cries to the soft, strained wails of another. I looked down at the hand I was gripping to find it was now covered in a fingerless glove.

  “Claire?”

  Claire’s body shuddered as she fully transformed back into herself, the bruises and bleeding on Lyle’s skin changing into Claire’s copper tone.

  “Ugh,” she said as she tried to sit up, her movements unsure.

  “Claire, what happened? Where’s Lyle?”

  “That one is always worse than possession,” she grumbled, placing her hand to her head as she squeezed her eyes shut.

  I wanted to burst out of my skin and continue asking her questions but waited until she opened her eyes once again.

  “Wh—”

  “Addie,” she interjected, raising her hand toward me. “Remember, Ophidian owns me. He can do whatever he likes. Although he hasn’t used transformation in a while.” She rubbed her head again before attempting to stand.

  I helped her up as she groaned, stretching out her back, wincing with each movement.

  As she twisted her upper torso from side to side, I couldn’t believe Lyle had just stood there. “Was that actually Lyle? Can you feel what happened to him?”

  Claire leaned to the side, issuing a loud crack from her back that resonated through the desert before she let out a sigh of relief. “Yes and yes.”

  “Claire,” I began but stopped, reflecting on Lyle’s state. He looked awful: beaten black and blue, and so thin, I hardly recognized him. An icy chill flooded my veins as my worst fear plagued my thoughts. “He’s not—"

  “He still has some time,” Claire quickly reassured me, her voice somber as I sucked in a sharp breath. “But not much.” Crouching, she picked up the lantern and rod with a grunt and walked toward the orange door.

  Gripping the hilt of the sword, I followed her, knowing the only way I could get to Lyle was to defeat every last Choice.

  “Make it quick,” Claire said, all playfulness gone from her eyes.

  “I will,” I replied, giving her a firm nod.

  The lock clicked, and the door burst open, allowing loud, jovial music and bright lights to pour out of it. Smashing my hands over my ears, I ran toward the Fifth Choice.

  The bright lights continued glaring all around me until my eyes finally adjusted. Like the previous Choice, a corridor greeted me. However, this one wasn't nearly as elegant as the previous one, as only gray stones composed its foundation. I clutched the hilt of the sword, not willing to be taken advantage of again. I didn’t have time to play Ophidian’s games. I needed to get to Lyle fast.

  As I ran farther through the bare hallway, the music grew louder. A series of pipes accompanying a drumming beat vibrated throughout the walls.

  The hallway opened into a large, rectangular room. Dark, wooden planks lay on the ground, shining like ice against the warm light beaming from above. A long, golden table surrounded by large, marble columns extended past my vision. The comforting scent of freshly baked bread directed my attention to what was on the table. Countless colorful bowls and plates of miraculous food rested upon it, waiting to be devoured.

  A loud roar sounded, and I stopped, gripping the sword, only to realize the roar had come from my stomach. I placed my hand on my stomach, trying to calm my hunger. When was the last time I had eaten? I thought back to dinner at Nana’s house, my heart squeezing at the memory of my loved ones.

  My stomach roared again, and I winced. I wasn't sure how long I had been in Ophidian's Realm, but I knew it had been a while since I'd eaten anything. Lowering the sword, I inspected the table of food.

  The brassy sounds of trumpets bounced through the room as cymbals chimed in between. Although the music was jovial and inviting, there didn't seem to be anyone around. I checked the perimeter once more before walking toward the golden table.

  The food was immaculate. There were dishes in front of me that hadn't been in Barracks for years. Large platters of ruby-red lobsters, giant suckling pigs, and a turkey bigger than my body were laid out on the table.

  Saliva collected in my mouth as my eyes feasted on the sight. Enchanting smells drifted into my nose, teasing me with delight. I began to take a step forward, but cautiously stopped myself. If this food was here, I knew something bad would come of it. Ophidian was trying to tempt me with another one of his tricks, but it wouldn't work this time. Not when I had so much at stake.

  Holding the sword in defense, I walked further down the table. My stomach roared again. Luscious fruits sparkled in shades of deep purple and emerald green as the light danced across them. They looked so fresh and plump, tempting me to dive into them. The only type of produce we had in Barracks was what we grew ourselves or what could be traded from the everyday vendors. After Schism arrived, the frozen ground grew hardly anything at all, and the vendors always charged a hefty price.

  My stomach growled, but I bit my lip, hoping that would be enough to control my hunger.

  Continuing past the decadent fruits, I tried my best not to become enchanted by their beauty, knowing nothing good could come from them. I lowered the sword slightly, my shoulders relaxing, when the fruits finally disappeared and there was a break in the table. But a groan soon escaped my lips when I saw what came next.

  Piles and piles of desserts were stacked one on top of the other. Chocolate crystals spilled from a sapphire bowl, pooling around the other luscious treats. Next to the bowl stood a five-tiered blue cake, decorated with intricate silver designs. Pink, sparkling glasses were filled with a golden liquid I was dying to taste.

  I swallowed hard. I could handle living without some meat. I could even go without fruit. But sweets? There was no way I could avoid those. Especially . . .

  My eyes grew wide and my thoughts stopped as a perfectly designed tower of the plumpest, juiciest cherry donuts appeared mere inches away from my hand.

  My stomach roared louder than it had before. I was so hungry. I knew I shouldn't eat. But I was starving.

  My mouth began to drool uncontrollably, my lips unable to hold the saliva in. My eyes focused on the delicious pastry as I extended my hand toward the plate. Just a bite, that would be all. One little bite. Plus, if I wanted to save Lyle, I needed my strength. It wouldn't hurt me. And it couldn't hurt anyone else. After all, no one was here.

  My fingers were almost around the soft, golden crust when a plate clattered to the ground. I pulled my hand back, simultaneously whipping the sword in the direction of the sound. Just as I was about to charge, my legs froze, my mind unable to comprehend what I was seeing.

  A plump arm extended from under the table, reaching for anything it could find, then pulled back, disappearing into the darkness.

  I held the sword tightly and waited a few moments to see if the arm would return. The moment it reappeared, I rushed over just as it pulled down a tray of shining cherries. When the hand disappeared, I leaned down, hoping to make sense of what was going on. Before I could blink, the arm whipped out and grabbed the collar of Lyle's sweater, pulling me beneath the table.

  I fell fast, landing hard on my backside. I didn’t have time to stand before something soft and mushy was shoved into my mouth. I tried to spit it out, but my teeth had other plans. Chewing ravenously, my mouth devoured the sweet mush. I didn't know what it was, but it tasted amazing. I swallowed, only to be bombarded by another piece of food, this one hard and cris
p. Its taste was completely different from the first, but just as delicious.

  My stomach gurgled in delight, wanting more. I was about to shove my fist into it, when a hand gripped my chin, forcing my mouth open once more. A cool, wet liquid seared down my throat. It burned at first, bringing tears to my eyes. But after a few gulps, I relaxed, and my thoughts became fuzzy.

  "That's it, girl," a breathy voice said. "Drink—drink it all."

  My throat continued to burn from the liquid, but I didn't stop drinking until the bottle was pulled from my mouth and thrown to the floor, shattering into pieces.

  With a break from feeding, I could finally see where I was. I tried to stand from under the table, blinking a few times to clear my head. Everything was fuzzy, but I could make out a very large room. And there were bodies. Lots of bodies.

  An airy feeling swirled through my thoughts as everything began to slant. I raised one hand to my forehead and used the other for balance when another piece of food was pushed into my mouth. I half-choked on it as someone shoved it down my throat.

  "Eat, girl," the breathy voice said forcefully. "Eat!"

  As I chewed, my mind began to clear, and I remembered that Ophidian knew I needed food to survive and would purposefully make it more enticing. Quickly spitting the delectable mush out, I tried not to react as the scene in front of me came into focus. Elegant iron sconces hung on the stone walls of the enormous room, giving off just enough light for handfuls of figures to come into view. When the fog fully lifted from my thoughts, I took a step back as I saw clusters of people lying around, draped over one another and piled on plump pillows and cushions.

  A chill ran up my spine as I remembered a similar scene from the first Choice. But this one was different. While those people were all sleeping, these were all eating, as if every piece of food they put in their mouths would be their last. Men and women were shoving food and drink down each other's throat, laughing wildly with each mouthful. With each burst of drunken laughter, bits of food shot from their mouths onto each other.

  A tall, rotund male began to pour a dark-red liquid down the front of a scantily clothed, plump woman sprawled along a pile of purple pillows. I assumed he was too drunk to know where her mouth was, but once he started to lick the liquid off her, making her laugh hysterically, I realized he knew exactly what he was doing.

  The odor of fermentation, various foods, and bad hygiene swirled in the air. Scrunching my nose, I tightened my fingers around the sword and began to back away. I needed to find a way out of here, and fast. A soft, sweaty surface hit my back, causing each one of the hairs on my neck to stand straight up.

  Cautiously, I turned around to see another extremely large man with a wide smile on his face. Chunks of various food tumbled off his chin, latching onto his exposed stomach. He held up two bottles of the same dark liquid, shaking them with vigor.

  "Why don't we give that a try?" he asked, wriggling his eyebrows.

  "No," I said, backing away as I looked for an escape. "I think I'm okay."

  "You can't be okay," he said, a look of genuine concern crossing over his face. "Look how thin you are! You must eat and drink! Eat and drink!"

  I thought back to the beautiful, voluptuous woman from the previous Choice with Silas before blocking it out. She was only a monster, like siti Silas had been. She wasn’t real.

  And while I had always assumed being thinner had its perks, I still wasn't willing to give up dessert for it.

  "I'm not thin," I retorted. "I'm just fine."

  The power of the sword merged with my heart as if it knew we had little time to spare in this Choice. Its beating intensified as the glow of the blade began to match that of the bright light from the room.

  "You are fine," the man said with a chuckle that made me want to vomit. "But you need to eat. You need to drink."

  He began to walk toward me, and I knew it was time for me to act.

  I raised the sword above my head, ready to strike, but the image of Silas came to my mind. The blood rushing down his chest, the shocked look in his eyes. I couldn't do it. I couldn't take the life of another human.

  As I lowered the sword, the man in front of me began to change. His eyes receded into tiny spheres, allowing his mouth to widen and disfigure. Fear gripped my heart as my fingers tightened around the hilt of the sword. The man's face continued to transform until there were rows upon rows of sharp teeth lining his mouth, waiting to devour me. In an instant, he dove at me, ready to feast.

  This man was no longer human. I dodged the pointed teeth ready to sink into my skin, swinging the sword toward the monster. Its body immediately split into two equal halves. I blinked a few times, shocked at the accuracy and deadliness of the sword. I hadn't expected it to sever the monster in half. Panic rose in my throat, but I pushed it away, realizing that all the people around the room had stopped their eating and drinking, focusing their hungry attention on me.

  Yet when I lowered the sword, I noticed they weren't focused on me, but on the man's body. I had only seconds to move before they started racing toward it like starved animals.

  As soon as I was out of the way, the sound of teeth breaking through flesh filled the massive room. I held my hand over my mouth, literally holding back the vomit rising from my stomach.

  Once I had it under control, I frantically searched for a way out. Although I caught Ophidian's temptation earlier this time, it didn't mean I wouldn't escape unscathed.

  Looking up, I saw light streaming from the room above. A space, just wide enough for me to fit through, brought hope of an exit. My eyes traced down the high wall descending from my escape. It was at least forty feet high. I had no way to get back up there. The ravenous chomping quieted down, indicating that the crowd had dispersed to their original areas to continue eating and drinking, leaving a perfect view of the man's half-eaten body. I covered my mouth again, blocking the bile rising from my throat as pity lanced through my heart. Had this man realized this was how he would die when he traded his heart?

  As I focused on my surroundings, looking for something to climb, my heart pulsated, prompting an idea. It was incredibly risky and left an unsettling feeling in my stomach, but as I looked around at the people gorging themselves, I knew their humanity had vanished long ago.

  All their eyes began to transform into the same small, round balls as the creature had before. Their mouths overtook almost the entirety of their faces, and when they opened them, long, pointed tongues flicked in and out of thin lips. The tips of their pointed teeth shined against the dim lights. No, these people were no longer human, they were monsters.

  With that thought, the unsettled feeling left my stomach, and I stood directly under the hole, allowing its light to beam down on me. Taking a deep breath, I let out a loud whistle. All eyes turned on me, and they were hungry.

  Chapter 26

  I grabbed a bottle of the dark liquid perched on a nearby table. Using the sword, I cut off the top, allowing a purple stream to seep out. Taking a breath, I poured it over my head, dousing my short curls and allowing the purple to stain Lyle's sweater. The scent of wine filled my nose as the gleam in the monsters’ eyes changed from hunger to thirst. Their tongues rolled out of their mouths, dripping saliva on the floor. No more than a few seconds passed before they began racing toward me.

  Planting my feet on the ground, I breathed in deeply once more, feeling the invigorating power of the sword entwine with my heart. I raised it high over my head and slashed the first creature that reached me. Its body instantly split in two, just as the one before.

  Immediately, the monsters' focus shifted from me to the body. Like a pack of wolves, the monsters descended upon it. I did my best to ignore their feeding frenzy as I slashed another body, causing more of the starved beasts to rush over.

  Soon there were dozens of bodies heaped on one another, trying to get a bite of the meal below. Consumed by their devouring, the monsters didn't notice when I began to climb over their obese bodies toward the space
.

  The bright light shined through the opening like salvation. One more body, and I would be free of this madness and closer to saving Lyle. I reached my hand out and grabbed the ledge. As I pulled myself up, a sharp pain seared through my ankle, like hundreds of nails had punctured my flesh. I screamed before looking back at the monster chomping on my foot. I kicked my leg wildly, trying to shake the disgusting creature off. But it tightened its grip, leaving me no choice. Holding the ledge with one hand, I twisted my arm back, slicing the sword until I cut its throat. Its grip on me immediately loosened, and I kicked the monster down to the pile, pulling myself free from the chaos below.

  The stench of rotting food rushed toward me as I pulled myself up, wincing as I put pressure on my mangled ankle. Hobbling away from the horrors below, I gagged and coughed before pinching my nose shut.

  When I turned back toward the table, I gasped. The once beautiful food was a disaster. The succulent meats were green and squirming with maggots. The sparkling fruits were rotten, emitting a pungent, fermented scent. And the desserts were covered in ravenous rodents.

  My heart pulsed with confirmation as the realization about the Choices entered my mind. Sleeping for eternity, wanting physical pleasure at the cost of compromise, and stuffing yourself with anything to feed a hunger that would never be fed. Every one of the Choices were temptations trying to lure me away from the path I was destined for, the one I had decided to take the moment I dove into Ophidian's Realm.

  Energy pulsated through every vein in my body, filling me with a power I never knew existed. I wouldn't be enticed by pleasure or anger. I wouldn't be swayed by false happiness or laziness. I had been chosen. I would fight the darkness, and I would save my brother. My heart and the sword beat as one as I jogged parallel to the table. I'd never felt this alive before.

  Doing my best not to injure my foot further, I slowed to a limping walk until I saw the orange door in the distance. Relief flooded my heart as soon as I saw Claire with her usual stance: rod gripped in one hand, the other hand on her hip with the lantern swinging between her fingertips. As I approached, she crinkled her nose with disgust.