Renhala

by Amy Joy Lutchen

  The creature is somewhat human, thin, and stands about seven feet tall, but the horribleness is that it is somehow inside-out. How can it survive with all its internal organs hanging out? The heart is beating, and I can see the blood flowing to its kidneys, liver and many other nameless items—I was never good in biology. It has two eyes, which still stare at me, and have not blinked once. It has a mouth, for I can see about, oh, a hundred vampire-sharp fangs in it, and it has a black tongue, like some rabid chow.

  I grasp the monk’s spade a bit tighter, for the paralysis lets up slightly, and that’s when it moves. Before I can take a breath, it is standing an inch from my face, again staring. It breaths on me and smells like pork. I vow never to eat bacon again, if I live. It seems to be examining my face, maybe deciding which facial feature to eat first.

  It then says one word to me: “Run.”

  I try and move, but find I’m still stuck.

  “Run.”

  I cannot even open my mouth to give this creature some choice words I’ve thought up. I send out my feeler, quickly—my attempt at an offensive move. Nothing. My eyes opens wide. “It has no energy! How—”

  “Run!” This time it screams at me.

  My legs have feeling once again, and I do just what it says, just as a meeple jumps toward me from behind a soldering table. The inside-out man lunges at it and digs its teeth into the meeple. The bunny screams a hideous scream, and the blood splashes over my back as its head is ripped off.

  Fear creeps up my throat like vomit, and I take off as fast as my feet can carry me. I’m almost to the back door when I stumble over Mortimer and Ladimer, both tied up and gagged. Ladimer stares at inside-out man, and Mortimer has either passed out or died. The creature is just standing there now, not doing anything.

  That’s when I see the huge ax sticking out of the back of its head.

  “How is it still alive?” I turn to my friends and realize they cannot answer gagged. I use my monk’s spade to cut through the thick rope they are bound with. Ladimer quickly grabs Mortimer, undoes his belt, and starts to remove his pants.

  “What the hell are you doing right now?” I don’t know if I want to know. But I soon see why Ladimer was so eager to remove Mortimer’s pants: his legs are inside out. He is surely still alive, for I see the telltale blood flow. Ladimer does his magic and Mortimer’s legs return to normal.

  “Oh my god!” I exclaim. “What the hell is that thing, and why did it kill the meeple?”

  The creature pulls the ax from its head, returns it to a hook on Mortimer’s wall, and then bends over toward the meeple. It takes something from the meeple’s carcass, then leaves.

  Ladimer speaks to me. “It’s a deathman. Wherever there is death, you will find a deathman. They don’t choose sides. They only feed on those who are dying or newly dead, and the only way to avoid them is to be buried beneath the ground before they get you. Deathmen eat souls, and then they dispose of the souls wherever they take them, but nobody really knows where. I must say, though, I’ve never seen a deathman attack like that.” Ladimer looks at the meeple’s body.

  Mortimer stands up, brushing himself off. “Thank you, Kailey. You saved us,” he says. “When I entered my shop I saw Ladimer hanging.” I gasp. “The deathman was approaching him, so I grabbed my ax, cut Ladimer down, and then swung in desperation at it. Honestly, I didn’t want it coming for me, even if it was my time to go. I’m such a coward.” He spews disgust—with himself.

  “Mortimer, I would have done the same exact thing, so don’t beat yourself up over it.” A thought suddenly occurs to me. “Grim Reapers! They actually exist. That’s what the cape hides. Gross.”

  “That damn meeple was too quick for us.” Ladimer’s words are chock-full of anger. “Damn thing jumped on my mind so quick. When I got here, I was so worried about Mortimer I let my defenses down. It actually made me grab that rope down from a shelf so I could hang myself with it. Mortimer was not even in his shop. Good thing I was here first. That meeple might have gotten Mortimer’s lutheose secrets out of him, giving the bad guys a very powerful weapon against us, I think.”

  “Can we get out of here quick?” I don’t want to be here anymore.

  Mortimer’s face is suddenly one of sheer terror as Ladimer turns to him and says, “You know you need to leave this place for good.”

  “You know I cannot. This is my life, Ladimer.”

  “There is evidently a solid reason they keep showing up here, Mortimer,” grunts Ladimer. “They will continue until they get what they’re after. Every day, they are becoming smarter. They will figure out how to use your gift against us. Lutheose is your baby, Mortimer. Don’t let them discover the secret.”

  “Funny, because I don’t even know the secret!” says Mortimer, with a bit of sarcasm. “I just create it. It just happens. I’ve never told anyone this,” he pauses, “but I essentially black out while I make it. I black out! I don’t even know what goes into it. I’m the only one that can do it, though, so everyone gives me the credit and praise. So even if they got me, I don’t think they’ll ever know, because I don’t even know.” He stares at his feet and looks very much discouraged. “I’m the secret ingredient.”

  I walk to him, whispering in his ear, “We’re in the same boat. I have no clue how these damn powers work and what to do with them. I need direction, too. We need a foreman or something.” He laughs again, but this time it lightens my heart.

  Ladimer doesn’t laugh. “Your brains know how you do it. There’s an expanse of brain that’s working undercover, and someone is going to learn how to tap that. It’s only a matter of time. Let’s go.”

  Chapter 31

  Exposed

  The fighting seems to have died down, and there are only a few scrappy battles remaining. We find our friends at Lupa’s house, all eating homemade pineapple upside-down cake, but they don’t seem to be truly enjoying it. Conner gives me a glance and continues eating. There’s some blood on his face from a cut, and I step forward to tend to him, but he brushes me off.

  “Leave it. I’ll be fine.”

  “Are you sure about that?” I ask, reaching my feeler to examine him, but somehow he blocks my advances as he suddenly stands up and strikes up a conversation with Bu, who seems startled that Conner is talking to him while he’s busy eating.

  Gunthreon seems oblivious to my many problems. “I think that Meadow’s Edge is safe for the time being,” he says. “Greer seems to have some things under control for now. This attack had to be Velopa’s doing. It seems they all fanned out from Mortimer’s shop. I fear for him.” Gunthreon looks tired. “I tried persuading information from a captive of mine, but he didn’t know Velopa’s whereabouts. It could be that only a select few know. But we must continue searching for Neda. I think if Neda was destroyed, we’d all be dead at this point, or prisoners of war. The balance still exists, but it’s teetering.”

  I furrow my brow. “I’m sorry. I don’t understand.” Without realizing I even do it, I take out my father’s ring and run it between my fingers.

  Gunthreon nods. “Kailey,” he says, then hesitating, “we believe we may be on the edge of another ‘Surge.’”

  “Oh my god!” I exclaim, truly frightened as I think of Gunthreon’s tale of the original ‘Surge’ –the very one that gave birth to war and strife in Abscondia.

  Gunthreon says, “But I myself am confused about the way things are proceeding, like there’s a goal, but no organized plan of action. Things are messy and random, unlike anything I’ve seen before.”

  “My exact thoughts,” adds Ladimer. “Uncertainty creates chaos. It seems as though armies are being sent out with a known mission, but no map.”

  Gunthreon seems to be concentrating. Finally, after what seems like much gathering of courage, he says, “I’ve heard from a reliable source that Devoten has been talking of something he calls ‘the releasing.’”

  I think to myself that the reliable source may otherwise be known as Dena May, Mom.<
br />
  He continues with, “I have no clue as to what this ‘releasing’ is. And also, he...has an unidentified informant feeding him some very valuable information about us.” He looks to each face before him. “Devoten somehow knows we are working to get to the bottom of what is going on, and that we plan on stopping it.”

  “Whoa!” Conner shouts. “I’m well aware that we are searching for information, but I think of us as ‘intelligence’ vs. ‘the front line.’ I suggest we settle on doing the research, then passing it on to those more equipped for fighting a possible war.”

  I have begun fidgeting even more with my ring and drop it on the ground. It rolls from me, and as I watch, nobody moves to pick it up for me, instead they watch it continue on its seemingly endless roll. I think of Ladimer not touching my pendant.

  I walk to pick it up as each look at one another.

  Ladimer breaks the silence and says, “And this is what war does, doesn’t it Gunthreon? Makes mutiny in your own battalion quite believable. How long have you been sitting on this information? Secrets kept between old friends?” He is offended, and makes sure we hear it in his voice. “Just who might this informant be? Perhaps someone who might be the biggest surprise of all,” he looks at Gunthreon, “or maybe someone of whose history we know nothing?” He says this loudly in Conner’s direction.

  Conner turns, taking the comment as the blow it was meant to be. “Yes, Gunthreon, who among us would have such a past?” Then Conner says something in soulspeak, and we all turn to Ladimer, knowing Conner has spoken something to the effect that he’s innocent.

  Ladimer, frustrated, turns to each of us, examining our expressions, then walks out Lupa’s door. I run after him, grabbing at his arm. He tries to pull away, but I’m ready to put up a fight. I continue holding his arm.

  “Georgie Parker, eh?” I say. “Tell me, how would you know about that, Ladimer?”

  “How would I know of a heartbroken little boy who was the only one not invited to your ninth birthday party? Take a guess, Kailey. You’re really not as dumb as you appear.” He tries to walk away again, but I refuse to let him go, even if he’s trying to hurt me.

  “Luke Levine?”

  He sighs. “Kissed for the first time by the cutest little redheaded vixen.” I hear his words, but cannot believe what I am finally realizing—a unique coincidence. A scar below each of their left eyes. Georgie’s scar freaked out my best friend, hence no invitation to my party, and Luke’s was mysterious and intoxicating, hence my affection.

  “Why?” I say, shakily. Scared, I let go of his arm, now knowing that Ladimer, blessed with his special abilities, has been present in my life for longer than I know. Flashbacks of Philip’s strange touches and odd behaviors play in my mind. I’m afraid of Ladimer’s deception—how deep, and in what direction it may be running—yet I feel nothing harmful from his energy. But, he is indeed powerful and I consider the possibility of his powers managing a change in his energies.

  “What? Think I’ve been scheming all these years to get you into Velopa’s hands?” he says. “Well, perhaps I had a good reason for following you around your whole damn life. Maybe I was actually foresworn to protect you—karmelean, daughter of Quicksilver. You see, once upon a time, a young woman gave birth to a very special girl. This mother feared for her daughter and asked one of her very best friends to follow her through life, protecting her, for the girl’s father had fallen from grace. So, this best friend wasted a portion of his life following a girl he grew to love in so many ways. I gave up fighting in my own realm to live here, in this stupid, good-for-nothing realm. The complexities of living as different people, of different ages, is in no way a blessing, Kailey. It’s been a curse.” He pauses to look at me with his wet eyes. “And the one day I was needed most, I wasn’t there, and the beautiful girl I swore to watch over was hurt, badly. So, yeah, maybe I am not to be trusted, for I cannot even carry out what I have sworn to do.” He then looks away.

  I am filled with such mixed emotions it feels as though something is eating its way out through my gut. He seems to feel that it’s his fault I suffered the assault by the monster, that unforgettably painful day in my apartment. “Ladimer, I... ” I don’t know what to say.

  “No need,” he says. “I must leave now, for I am not trusted here. I will not allow myself to feel more pain from you and my so-called friends. You could never even begin to understand the angst I’ve experienced throughout your lifetime. Goodbye, Kailey.”

  With this, he turns and walks toward the rocklands. I sit on the nearest patch of grass. Then I see movement out of the corner of my eye. It’s Conner.

  “I’m assuming you overheard that, right?” I ask.

  “Yes, I did. Let him go,” says Conner. “Does he speak the truth?”

  “He’s not you, but yes, I believe he does.”

  “You know straight from my soul that I am faithful to this mission, Kailey, and I will not let anything bad happen to you while I am on it. I care about you, and will not deceive you,” he says. I start to say something, but he shakes his head. “Do not patronize me and tell me you care about me too. I want more than that. I saw that kiss with Ladimer, and ours should not be resultant of some life-threatening situation.” His hands move slowly to my face and then slowly, once he sees no rejection from me, his lips meet mine. There’s a small shock of static electricity as he touches me. “What, no strawberry lip gloss?” He’s spews determination, yet there’s an underlying sense of uncertainty—an undercurrent of something shaky.

  Despite my confused feelings, and need for something concrete in my life—something I can lean against without fear of falling—to Conner’s surprise, and mine, I pull him in with more force and kiss him back, tasting my salty tears as they run between us. My need for some sort of solid foundation has me suddenly reaching for his nervous energy and gently coaxing the uncertainty away, wanting him to be the support I desire. He opens his eyes, definitely feeling my workings, and I feel the muscles relax in his kiss. He whispers in my ear that everything will be all right as I realize that I may have just taken advantage of Conner, and that he honestly must believe that everything will be all right—exactly what I need.

  *********

  At night, I sit near the window closest to the fireplace, watching and hoping for Ladimer to return. He never does.

  Before bed, Lupa makes us all some deliciously smooth and creamy hot cocoa that goes down easily—not too sweet, not too thick. I myself am falling in love with this woman, for her love and ability to cook make her something special in my eyes.

  Soon, Gunthreon starts shooing us to our rooms, as he wants us all to have a decent night’s sleep. I ask to sit a bit longer, because the fire calms my nerves. After several assurances that Gunthreon never knew of Ladimer’s promise to my mom, Gunthreon and Lupa agree. They say their goodnights.

  Conner lingers a bit. He sits next to me and kisses me on my head while he covers my feet with my blanket.

  “You need sleep, Kailey,” he declares. “He will return in due time. I can honestly admit we need him on this journey.”

  “You need sleep, too. Today was a rough day for everyone,” I say. “Goodnight.” He stays seated, just staring at me. I see the fatigue in his face, but that doesn’t make him any less handsome. His whirlpool blue eyes steal my thoughts, and I want him to whisk me away on a current to some secret island, where there is no fighting and I can sit beneath a willow tree and drink wine and eat gummy bears and be merry all day. He smiles warmly at me, and I smile back.

  “You sure are something special,” he whispers. “I hope you realize that.”

  It’s what every girl wants to hear, but for some reason it’s something I can’t truly believe of myself. “Yeah, well, I wish I could believe that. But I know me best, and I feel I cannot live up to what everyone thinks I am.”

  “Ladimer’s stories aren’t the only ones I’ve heard from my parents, you know,” says Conner. I’ve heard stories of great ones to come,
and within you my dear, I feel something great and powerful.” I think of Greer’s words near the life pool. “Don’t be afraid to let it out, Kailey. Be the woman to spark a thousand more stories,” he says.

  These words and his firm belief in me ignite something deep within me, and the emotion I sudden feel has my hands on his chest holding him down, and again we feel the same static shock, but it fires my emotions further. “Wow, that’s a start,” he says. He’s surprised, but a twist of his weight flips our positions, and he’s suddenly on top. I feel a flame of power inside which awakens a bit of anxiety, and increases my breathing, but he whispers in my ear and it all melts away, replaced by a hunger so strong I cannot hold back. “Relax, Kailey. You know you can always use the whistle.” Again, that wonderful sexiness of his soulspeak warms me up. He smiles, and I laugh a throaty laugh, full of want. I pull his lips toward mine, and he holds back, still looking in my eyes. “Are you sure?”

  “Relax, Conner.” Cool moonlight highlights his face, and his magnetism is mesmerizing. His hands are gentle, but his want for me is not. The eyes staring back at me are puddles: mirrors for reflection, but of shallow depth, for his need of me is concrete and unporous, preventing the escape of a single hint of contemplation. His hair has fallen in my face, and it smells like summer sex—beach, cocoa butter, and sweat. I breathe in, and it makes all my worries disappear, like clouds dissipating as the sun bursts with heat.

  My pulse rises as my head clears, bringing forth my simple need and want for him. He breathes in my ear, whispering sweet truths to my soul, then lowers his face to mine, and his kiss is enrapturing, giving birth to a passion so intense, that when he grabs a handful of my hair, it sends a spark of energy between us, extending to the furniture, along the floor, and to the walls.