One is Come (Five in Circle)

by C. H. MacLean

  His eyes caught hers up again. “There is one I have spoken to recently, though… I want you to meet this friend of mine,” he said.

  “Um, Ok,” Haylwen stammered, blushing slightly. How would he introduce her…

  He looked away, then shyly back. “Yes, I hope someday you will call me friend.”

  Haylwen tried not to let her jaw drop and wondered if she had hit her head on a rock. This whole scene was so unreal, but felt so right, somehow. Like a dream. He noticed she was staring at him and smiled. Crazy, maybe, but boy, he was cute.

  Rivenwake stood up. “I think those boys are gone.” He stepped out of the little thicket of reeds.

  Haylwen paused, looked around her hiding spot and, without much choice, followed him. Rivenwake was waiting just outside the thicket, still standing in the stream. “My friend will meet you, three days from now, at the top of that hill there.” Haylwen looked and, from where they were standing, she had a peek through all the bushes and branches to a rocky outcrop. “The trail starts in the park over there. Be there at one o’clock in the afternoon. Will you do that?”

  What? Was he going too or was she supposed to meet some stranger by herself? She tried not to sound interested. “Well, no offense,” Haylwen said, “but I’m not sure I’ll be able to go.”

  “Yes, destiny is not much for our plans. But I have a feeling you’ll go,” he said.

  “Huh?” Haylwen’s control slipped a little. “How do you know I will be able to get away? How do you even know I want to meet your friend?”

  He looked at her, and their eyes locked for a moment. The anger melted, and Haylwen felt like she was floating. “Because I know you, that’s why,” he whispered.

  Later, playing the scene again in her mind, Haylwen thought that answer made absolutely no sense. At the time, she just nodded. Just after Rivenwake smiled in response, she heard her brother’s voice behind her. Looking over her shoulder, she saw him on the top of the ravine.

  “Hayl? Oh my god, what are you doing? I thought I was crazy, hearing your voice, but no, it’s you who’s crazy. Did you fall? Are you Ok? Who are you talking to?” he asked.

  Haylwen turned to point at Rivenwake, to see only a green frog barely covered in the shallow water. Cadarn peered down the slope, and seeing the frog, shook his head. “You’ve really lost it now. Good thing I decided to take this shortcut home. Come on, you’re a mess. I’ll help you back up, and you can tell me what happened.”

  He slid down to her, took her backpack, and helped her up the steep slope. He shook his head at her, but Haylwen didn’t notice. She looked past him to catch a glimpse of the frog, still sitting there, and could have sworn it winked at her. She never saw the sad expression settle on its face before it slid into the water and disappeared.

  Chapter 10

  Resignation

  “Stephan!” The voice thundered, despite not being louder than conversational. Stephan found himself on his knees again, praying for himself. It was Sunday, after all. He was in his office, shades drawn and only one dim light on, catching up on his work. The voice seemed to come from everywhere, and only after being on his knees for several pounding heartbeats did Mr. Johansen realize it was just the speaker phone. Ignore the fact that it didn’t ring, and he didn’t pick it up. It was just the phone.

  “Yes, my liege!” he replied automatically, his thoughts racing. What have I done? I haven’t done anything! Was I supposed to? Maybe I was going to be commended for working on Sunday?

  “Report on the Rightad boy,” the voice inquired casually.

  Mr. Johansen swallowed so strongly his feathered hair swooped around his eyes. He carefully smoothed it back into place. “All orders executed, sir. His teachers have all been instructed, with severe censure if they so much as...”

  He was cut off. “And how is he doing, with this special attention?” The voice was a glacier, cold and undeniable.

  “Uh, he, um, there have been no complaints.” Ice and fire exploded in his guts, and a cold sweat trickled out down Stephan’s spine.

  “And the girl, she has successfully reintegrated after her suspension?” The voice paused, but just long enough for Stephan to realize it had been stringing him along the whole time. “But you haven’t checked, have you?”

  Stephan’s mouth was too dry to do more than start to stammer. Excuses, even legitimate ones that had him working again on Sunday, would only make things worse.

  “The fact is that they have moved.” The last word was an iceberg dropped into Stephan’s bay. “Capricious, but what did I expect. You will go and find them, and not let them out of your sight until I tell you.”

  Stephan felt a moment of relief, then utter panic. “Find them? Of course, I will make immediate inquiries, discretely, of course...”

  “You will go personally and immediately. They should be easy to find. The girl has a powerful magic item on her.”

  Who would give that horrible child such an item? What item? It must be tremendous if He wants to get his hands on it! But to leave! Despite the risks, and knowing the outcome, Stephan still tried to deflect the glacier. He stood. “Certainly! I can take a short leave, find them and report, and not get too far behind on my important work here. The School Board counts on me, you know.”

  The glacier ground on, uncaring. “Leave, yes. But you will not return. With your connections, I am sure you can find a job at one of the schools there. They are always looking for good janitorial staff. You will need a cover, anyway. Here is what you must do when you find them.”

  As Stephen listened to the King's plan, part of his brain was screaming in denial. Once finished, he tried again. “But the Board meetings...” His eyes involuntarily flitted to his computer monitor as the windows changed. He watched as his email opened, and a message popped up.

  “The school Board has accepted your resignation,” the voice said. “I trust you can get your things packed up tonight.”

  Stephan barely registered it, still staring at his computer. He edged a bit back from it, looked around with wild eyes, and bowed to the phone. “Of course, my king. Tonight. I shall start immediately. It will take some time, clearing out my computer files, copying email, it will take a good amount of time. I can do tonight, but perhaps next week would be more prudent?”

  There was no response. He looked at the phone but it had hung up by itself. He crumpled into his chair, and spent ten bone-chilling minutes looking through his computer files, sent email, archived folders, and secret hidden folders to which only he had access. There was nothing. They had all been wiped, as if they didn't exist. He opened his file cabinet. His files were gone. The pile of administrative memos he was saving to sign had vanished while he was looking through the computer. Stephan looked around again, and shivered uncontrollably. It was as if he had never been here, had never lived!

  His eyes landed on the wall. He jumped up, grabbed his framed credentials off the wall and peered at them closely. Intact! All of this nasty work was for a good cause, just like his education. He hugged the two frames, grabbed whatever else could fit in his pockets and ran out. The bright sunshine was blinding. He was starting his car when he remembered he forgot to lock the office door. The thought did not affect his slamming his foot on the gas to speed out of the parking lot.

  Chapter 11

  Ring of Fire

  “Stupid rock.” Haylwen kicked at the stone that had tripped her. It didn't budge, and she hurt her toe. She limped for a few steps, but limping was more bothersome, so she quickly gave up on it. The trail was too narrow and too rocky. She almost tripped again. She didn't try to kick that rock, but glared at it for a moment. It would have to do.

  She had been trudging for a while, and the top was only marginally closer. It had looked like an easy, short walk from where she started. The granola bar was long gone and she was saving the last of her water for when she got to the top, or decided to go home. After getting a few scratches from a few of the sharp bushes along the path, she was starting
to entertain thoughts of quitting. Stupid bushes and stupid rocks, nothing else up here. She knew her frustration was mostly a cover for lack of sleep and anxiety over meeting Rivenwake again, not that it helped her be less angry. While she thought about turning around, she knew she never would.

  A crow, or maybe a raven, it seemed rather big, had been following her up the hill for a while now. Every once in a while, it would make a sound that reminded her a little of laughing, like an old person’s chuckle. It had gotten closer and closer since she threw it a little piece of granola bar at it. She supposed the bird could just be asking for more granola bar.

  After a bit more hiking, the trail mixed in some short trees, gnarled, and stunted. Scrub oak, that’s what they were called. They gave the trail some shade, but had Haylwen think someone was watching her, hiding behind the trees. She picked up the pace and time flew. She came out of a stretch of trail that had made a little tunnel going between two larger scrub oaks. There was a flat area with large boulders all around. It looked like the rocks were having a pow- wow. She walked into the open area and looked around. This might be the place. She looked at her watch. It was five minutes to one.

  She set her backpack down near a rock and leaned on it to stretch. The raven boldly came and pecked at her backpack. In the sunlight, the feathers on its head and back reflected highlights of maroon.

  “Scram,” she said, taking a few steps toward the raven.

  It looked her in the eye and did its chuckling sound, but didn’t move. Stupid bird was laughing at her! She glared at the bird, barely in control. It looked at her for a moment, then flew off over a rock, and was gone.

  “What are you doing up here, fat girl?” The voice completely surprised Haylwen and she whirled around. Still furious, she glared at the voice, not caring this could be Rivenwake’s friend.

  The voice was a girl, a few years older than her, wearing a breezy red top and yellow shorts. She was annoyingly thin and pretty, and reminded Haylwen of Amanda so much she was speechless.

  “I said, what are you doing up here, fat girl?” the other girl sneered. “Sneaking off for a candy binge? I guess when you’re ugly you might as well be fat too. I don't understand at all. Rivenwake is your friend? I don't get it.”

  Haylwen lost it. The climb, the heat, the pent up frustration of the day, and of everyone who had ever teased her, erupted. She felt it surge within her, blinding her, and she just reacted.

  She didn’t care if this girl was Rivenwake’s best friend, she was horrible. Without thinking, she took all her mad and let go, all at once. She focused it completely on the girl, everything else blurring—her finger seeming to cut through the air, leaving torn pieces behind it as she pointed at the other girl. She wanted to shout, swear, something to express this fury. Some sort of sound came out of her mouth, low and very angry sounding. If it was words, it wasn’t English. The girl looked surprised, just before she burst into flames.

  Giant leaping flames made Haylwen cringe back from the heat. For a second, she was in shock, trying to figure out what she did, how she did it, what just happened. A hissing, popping sound, getting louder, broke her out of her startled state. Was that the sound of the girl cooking? The enormity of what she had done was starting to flood her with overwhelming emotions. But the flames were shrinking, the heat backing off. Quickly, they were small enough so she could see that the sound was coming from the girl inhaling the flames, sucking them up like spaghetti. With the last one gone, she licked her lips, smiling. She gave a small burp, and smoke puffed from her mouth.

  “Well, that was unexpected. A positive test, if an unusual outcome,” she said, smoothing her shirt. “And I see now what Rivenwake was talking about.”

  Haylwen was still wide-eyed and trying to process what was going on.

  The girl looked her up and down, and Haylwen took another step back. “Yep, you are a mystery. If I hadn’t been here myself, I would have never guessed… well, first things first. Here, I have something for you.” She half turned, muttering to herself, making motions in front of her. Haylwen couldn't hear what she was saying or see what she was doing. It was all too strange, and Haylwen wondered if she was having hallucinations. How would I know?

  Before she could chase the thought more, the girl turned back, holding out her hand. She tilted her hand so Haylwen could see what it was. Sitting there, glittering in her palm, was a ring. Thick, woven in a complex braid, it was gold, with a red tint that was pulsing, as if it were breathing. It was gorgeous. She had never had a real ring before. She looked at the girl, whose eyes were flashing but without a trace of malice. Haylwen didn't move closer, but neither did the girl.

  The girl smiled and flipped her hand, the ring a flying glint of gold in the sun. Haylwen held her breath as it flew in slow motion toward her. She knew if she didn't catch it, it would bounce away and she would never find it. She threw her hands out and clapped them together. She opened her eyes to confirm what her hands told her.

  “Oh, it’s warm!” she said.

  The girl laughed, a throaty chuckle. “Only for you. Put it on.”

  Without thinking, Haylwen slipped it on her right hand— for some reason, her pointer finger. The same one she had used to point at the girl, she suddenly remembered. The ring was huge on her, and she wondered if it would even fit on her thumb. As she watched, it shrunk until it fit perfectly. The red pulsing stopped. She looked up at the girl, or where she had been. She was gone.

  Haylwen whirled around, looking everywhere. There was no sign of the girl. Except for the ring on her finger, she would have sworn she imagined the whole thing. This must have been what Rivenwake wanted, for some reason. A large black bird flew by, the sound of feathers cutting through air. The memory of the girl, the fire, even the reason she had hiked up here dissipated like smoke. She was left with only the vague memory of Rivenwake smiling at her.

  Maybe it was just the thought of him, the thought of making him happy, but Haylwen felt great. She picked up her pack, and started home— fatigue, hunger, and thirst magically gone. She fiddled with and gazed at the ring often on the hike down. What a lucky find! How could someone lose such a beautiful ring? Despite her distraction, she didn’t stumble a single time. She certainly didn't notice the crow above her, circling and laughing.

  Chapter 12

  Kidnap

  Long before she walked in her front door, Haylwen decided she couldn't wear the ring on her finger all the time—her family or someone at school might take it. She tried hiding it somewhere safe in her room, but she felt naked without it. She thought for a moment, then dove into a box in her closet labeled “arts and crafts.” She grinned when she found the long leather shoelace she remembered. She tied it around her neck, hanging the ring on it, low enough to where it wouldn't show. The knot was a hassle, but she wore the ring on her finger when she went to sleep anyway.

  All day at school on Monday she debated trying to leave early again. Getting caught cutting class didn’t really outweigh the dread of Brice catching her, but there had to be a better way. When walking between classes, she looked around for the old Hispanic janitor, but didn't see him anywhere either. She considered staying behind and cleaning up, or seeing if Mr. Vestas would just let her hang out in the art room. But who knows how long Brice would wait for her? She had to leave sometime. Walking between classes, she saw an inspiration. When the final bell rang, and everyone was streaming out of the halls, she turned down a side hall that led to a smaller exit. She had no clue where this one led, but a few kids were walking that way, so she knew it would lead her outside. A long walk home was well worth avoiding Brice.

  She came out on the opposite side of the school, went down a short flight of steps that ended at a side street. Kids were getting into their parents’ waiting cars. She briefly remembered when her father still picked her up after school, but just sighed and started walking down the street away from the front of the school, filing by the line of cars. She wasn't paying attention, figuring out how
to get home without going by the front of the school when she bumped into someone.

  “Hello, there.” Haylwen froze, recognizing the voice immediately.

  “Mr. Johansen?” she said. “What are you doing here?”

  “Looking for you,” he said, as he put his large hand on the back of her neck with a firm grip. His squeeze was just slightly painful, but it let him easily drag her along, away from the other kids. “You have been a troublemaker, but that is going to end.”

  Haylwen felt a prickling all over her as he touched her, like being stuffed in wool pajamas. She could barely breathe. She tried to scream, but nothing came out. She tried to stop her feet from walking, but she couldn't control them. She could feel Mr. Johansen's hand flexing on the back of her neck as if she was a doll and he was making her move. As if from far away, she heard him mutter, “To use you to get to the boy just seems complicated, but whatever.” She watched herself stop by a long, red car. The door grated softly as Mr. Johansen opened it and he folded her into a backseat that smelled like disinfectant chemicals. Mr. Johansen leaned his head close to her as he buckled her in, and he still needed a breath mint. She was trapped, and it was her own fault. She kicked herself in her mind. If I hadn't tried to go that other way! Brice is nothing compared to this!

  Her arms felt too heavy to move, but she had a few seconds to think while Mr. Johansen went around to get into the driver's seat. What did he want? What would he do? How did he even find her? She tried to focus her frantic thoughts and noticed the seatbelt pressing something hard into her chest. The ring! Something about it... Trusting her intuition, she desperately tried to turn her fear to anger, and focus it through the ring. I hate Mr. Johansen! How stupid am I to get trapped in his car that smells like chemicals! The ring warmed and, like a switch, Haylwen found she could move. As Mr. Johansen buckled his seatbelt, she popped hers off and scrabbled for the door handle. Mr. Johansen yelled, and tried to lunge to grab her. His face twisted from surprise to hate. He still got one hand on her, but his seatbelt caught and he was pinned against his seat. He tried to shift to get free, and only pinned himself tighter. She jerked back away from his arm and managed to open the car door and fall mostly out. Mr. Johansen grabbed again and caught two fingers onto her backpack, but she yanked it free, stumbling the rest of the way out of the car. Mr. Johansen stabbed his finger at her and barked something that wasn’t English, but nothing happened. Haylwen saw his face twist in surprise and anger before she turned to sprint back to school. She could feel her ring, almost painfully hot, bouncing with her chest as she flew up the steps and through the doors.