Soul Decisions

by Casey Harvell

  I begin to notice differences between the me pods and the others. I follow a series of wires that only seem to have a connection to the pods that have other Letties inside. They run far down into the cavernous space and then disappear into a grate in the floor. I tug at the grate and it moves freely, so I drop down. It’s not far, but soon the space decreases as I follow the wires into a maze of even smaller tunnels. It must be some sort of ventilation system, because it’s definitely only a service access space.

  Sure enough I begin to find vents as I crawl through the narrow hamster tunnels. One room has some Chases playing poker. Another some computers. Finally the wires come to an end. The room has a large screen, so it’s easy to see what it holds. It takes me a moment to figure it out and digest it, but it becomes clear. Somehow Elias uses the other mes as a power source. A shield it looks like? I shake my head at the irony when I hear a distinct click much closer than I’m comfortable with.

  “Don’t even try it.” A familiar mean-sounding voice says.

  And just like that, my window is shut.

  I remember to play meek, scared even. It takes another moment for Elias’ men to get to me and lead me out. What seems like a bazillion long hallways later, we’re back in the pod room. I sense it coming, but can’t stop it without blowing my cover. Seconds later there’s a sharp pain on the back of my neck. Then everything goes dark.

  It’s dark and foggy here. The air is dense, its pressure weighing on each movement I make, fighting me. Only it doesn’t realize how strong I am. I fight through, step by step. Eventually it becomes easier to move. It grows darker, but the pressure is gone. I notice a dim light and move towards it. Inside, another me lies crying. She’s not strong enough to fight it. I want to help her, but if I can’t figure out how to get out of here, we’re all screwed.

  I push further on. More dim lights, more mes. Occasionally there’s a Chase or Maddy. I even find a Shay. It’s the last light I find that does a number on me.

  Gabe.

  I approach him. I can’t help it. He doesn’t appear to be awake, but I curl up next to him anyway and lie my head on his chest. His smell hits me again. The feel of him. It’s all so bittersweet. My heart aches for him like nothing else, except maybe our poor lost child. But Gabe made his choices. And no matter how much I miss him, I have to be strong right now.

  I give Gabe a kiss on the forehead.

  “I’ll always love you.”

  I wander off to find the next dim light and some hope of getting out of here that won’t blow my cover.

  It feels as though I walk through this crap endlessly. I even give up enough to attempt to poof out, only I can’t. So the whole meek and helpless bit isn’t so much an act here than an actuality.

  Great.

  Suddenly I see a light. It’s brighter than the others. I step towards it and—

  My body slams upright as I gasp for air. “I don’t recommend that. Like, really, it sucks.” I say to Chase. “Thank you.”

  “Sorry it took so long. It’s a big place.” He looks sheepish.

  Without any more hesitation I climb out of the creepy pod and stretch out a bit.

  “Lettie,” Chase says quietly. “I think we should go.” He nods to the end of the room. The shuffles and voices of others can be heard.

  I grab Chase’s hand and try to poof us to Jack’s, but get nothing. Crap. It hits me that the shield might be a factor, so I try again, but this time to the door we came into.

  “Smart thinking.” Chase says and rips open the door to outside. “Let’s move.”

  As much as I don’t recommend a nap in a cryostate pod, I also don’t recommend running through a swamp. Sometime after we’re a hundred feet out or so, my poofing ability rights itself and we stand back in my apartment.

  “What do you make of it all?” Chase asks.

  I tell him about my findings from our little field trip, the room, the shield.

  “That makes sense. That’s why you can only move us around inside the structure.”

  “Yes,” I nod. “It’s damn good intel.”

  “I got a bunch of stuff I think you’ll like.” Chase holds up a memory stick.

  This new information has a plan forming. Not a little in and out plan, but a plan to end this. To do so, we’re going to need everyone... except maybe the two unknown guys we can’t awaken at Jack’s, we need every angel and Cerberus at hand.

  This also means I have to fess up to what went down today. Not the most fun thing, but unfortunately necessary.

  “We’ll look at it back at Jack’s. Get changed and I’ll poof you back. I’m going to freshen up, then I’ll join you.” I seriously need to wash the Everglades off.

  As soon as Chase is gone I step into the shower. By the time I finish, I have a full plan of attack.

  Now I just have to convince everyone to go along with it.

  “You did what?!?” Shay practically screeches at me.

  “Calm down.” I try to say, but he’s being his overly-dramatic Shay self.

  “I can’t believe—”

  We all watch in shock as my Mom, who always (and I mean always) composes herself calmly, practically yells. “Enough!”

  The room becomes instantly quiet and she continues. “Yes, it was foolish and pig-headed. Yes, she should’ve told us beforehand. But it’s done and we have work to do. Save it.”

  Shay’s cheeks redden. “Yes, ma’am. Sorry.”

  “Here,” I hand the stick Chase gave me over to Shay. “We need to know what’s on this. You game?”

  He mouths a thank you for the out only a BFF can know when you need, and begins to work on his laptop in the corner of the room. The rest of the room seems to wait for my queue, so I begin without any more beating around the bush. “We know where Elias is. Now we know part of what he’s up to, and hopefully Shay will have more information for us soon. The other us’ that Elias continues to pull from other dimensions, the other mes particularly, seem to be generating a type of force field around his location.”

  “That’s why?” One of the other Lettie’s asks. “He put us in those things for that? Like what, a battery?”

  I nod sadly. “I know how bad it is. We can’t let this continue. He’ll just grow stronger.”

  “Aye, then.” Jack’s the first to back me. “What all do we have to do?”

  “For starters, we’re going to need everyone.”

  “I’ll call a gathering.” Cyrus says.

  “Erm, why don’t you plan an event at Shay’s house on the beach, so it doesn’t seem so odd to the regular folk.” I suggest.

  Maxwell springs up. “Leave it to me. Come on, big guy.” He takes Cyrus by the arm, much to his surprise. “We have a party to plan.”

  The look on Cyrus’ face as Maxwell leads him off is priceless.

  It’s then I notice who’s missing. I find Maddy in the small bedroom at Jack’s, standing over the two unknowns on the bed. Her palms extend over them facing downward while they move in small circles. I let her do her thing, knowing that she’s feeling them out. Finally with a sigh of frustration, she drops here hands and opens her eyes.

  “Still nothing?” I ask.

  “They’re powerful.” She says. “And somehow their entrapment is woven into their power. I know freeing them is important—more so than anyone may know, I just can’t seem to break the hold on them.”

  I study the two. “Maddy, what if they’re...”

  “Yes, I believe they are.” She confirms.

  “I thought surely they were still with Elias. But I did check a lot of pods and didn’t see anyone else we don’t know.”

  So the leaders of Aether and Abyssus are trapped in a spellbound coma in Jack’s room. No wonder everything is so screwed up.

  “Can you do it, Maddy? Can you wake them?” I ask her.

  “I can try. Meanwhile we must keep this to ourselves.”

  “You heard the rest?”

  “I knew it before you did, just as your mother and I
knew when you left.”

  “Sorry.” Here I thought I was slick.

  “No need. You’re smart and capable. You need to embrace your inner strength to find your true power, Lettie. Trust in yourself.”

  I give her a hug. “Thanks, Maddy. I’ve got to get going.”

  “I’ll be here, doing this.” She turns back to the bed with a huff.

  Maxwell can certainly put together quite the last minute shin-dig. We eat and drink in a large congregation that swells out the back of Shay’s mini-palace to his large expanse of public beach. As the night wears on, we all gather by the large bon fire.

  “You all know why we’re here.” Cyrus takes the lead. “Both tonight and why we had to abandon our homes.” Murmurs of agreement surround me. “We know more now than we have previously—and with much deliberation feel that waiting any further to act will only allow Elias to grow more powerful and hinder our chances at defeating him.”

  Everyone digests Cyrus’ words while I rise to stand beside him. “I went to Elias’ compound. Before they threw me into cryostate—which really blows, by the way—I did some recon. Elias is using us as a shield. The more of us he collects, the stronger it is. I’m unable to penetrate it... but I can get through it and destroy him from the inside out.”

  “What is it that you need?” Aurora, Chase’s mom asks.

  “I need a full attack on the outside of Elias’ base five minutes after Chase sneaks us in again; an all-out war-zone... a monumental distraction.” I tell them.

  “Then you’ll have it.” Dorian, Gabe’s father says. I know he sees my pain as I meet his gaze, just as I see the sadness in his own eyes.

  “Thank you.” I say at first softly, to Dorian. But then again, more loudly, “Thank all of you for standing with me.”

  “You saved us all.” Another me points out.

  “That’s not the point.” I tell them all. “And nobody here is under any obligation to fight—but I will say the more we have, the better our chances. If you choose not to, that’s okay too. You won’t be reprimanded or exiled. Because this isn’t a fair fight. It won’t be easy.” I swallow hard. “We’re going to lose those we love.”

  “Aye, but if we don’t, we lose the whole damn world.” Jack points out. I remind myself to fist bump him later for timing.

  “Yes.” I say softly. “Everything we know ends if Elias wins. Across all worlds and dimensions. It will all be gone.”

  Cyrus begins it. “I’m with you to the end.”

  “Me too!” It follows again and again, until everyone—even Maxwell—stands with their chest out and their pride prominent.

  I place a hand on Cyrus’ shoulder. “Tomorrow then?”

  He nods. “We’ll prepare.”

  “So will I.”

  Maybe a better idea would be to sleep and rest up, but there’s something I’ve been meaning to do. Not to be overly morbid, but I’m unsure of how tomorrow will play out and I’d like to tie off this loose end first.

  Back at my apartment I dig into the closet until I find the right box. Inside I retrieve the guide Elias gave me at the beginning of this mess.

  The one that now shows its true form.

  It pulses with forebodingness, a palpable being in itself, a tangible evil. To think I trusted in this once.

  It’s not the only thing you were stupid enough to trust in...

  I shake off the thought. I’d thought, hoped, that there may be something helpful inside here, but I know in my soul that I must destroy this book.

  I poof back to Jack’s where I find my mother before me with a piece of paper in hand. “Don’t dawdle.” She says.

  I don’t bother to ask how she knows, I just take it and the small bag she gives me and poof back to my apartment to grab the stupid evil guide. Once it’s in my possession, I take it to Abyssus. What better place to destroy something so evil?

  It doesn’t take long to create the spell. It casts a fire, the flames an unnatural purple hue and its heat palpable. As if it’s alive and it knows the end is near, the guide pulses in my hand as I pull it from my bag.

  “Oh, no you don’t.” I tell it. “You’ve already been around too long. Don’t blame me, blame Elias for giving you to me.”

  I toss it into the flame and recite the necessary verbiage. Within seconds it begins to hiss and pop, slowly melting into the purple flames that engulf it. The ashes of it sparkle, its magic now destroyed.

  It doesn’t take to long for the entire thing to burn, but I ensure I watch until the end. I poke at the ashes with a stick. There are no chunks left, so I call off the purple flame spell. All that remains is a dark fire stain and pile of sparkly ash on the ground.

  Good riddance.

  It feels kind of nice to have that off of my to-do list. It feels even nicer to know that I brought an end to something Elias created—even if it was just a book.

  I suppose it’s a start, despite being a small one. I don’t linger too much longer. Abyssus is somehow even more creepy so empty, still, and silent. A ghost town of horrific proportions.

  I suppress a shudder before I poof back to Jack’s.

  It’s time to prepare for the end game.

  Everyone prepares themselves differently. Maddy remains in Jack’s bedroom, and attempts to awaken the two game-changers. Mom hits the books still, her focus still on breaking Elias’ spells. Jack drinks whiskey.

  I decide that I like Jack’s method the most. He hands me the bottle when I approach wordlessly. After I take a few solid swigs I hand it back.

  “Want to come check on everything at Shay’s with me?” I ask after a rather loud burp.

  Jack stands a little too quickly and I grab his arm to help steady him. “Aye, but I dinnae know if I can handle the transport bit at the moment, lass.” His accent is thick with his inebriation.

  “How about a walk then? Mostly down the beach?” I offer, for both of our sakes.

  “There’s a solid plan, then.” Jack agrees and finds his balance.

  It doesn’t take long to get to the beach, though it won’t be a short stroll down the sand. Jack doesn’t seem to mind, and I really don’t either. He hands me the whiskey bottle and I take another swig.

  Everyone prepares themselves differently, right?

  We spot a washed up piece of driftwood just about bench level. Jack plops down first. It creaks a little, but holds so I join him.

  “I could do this here forever.” He slurs slightly.

  “Drink whiskey on a beach?”

  “Yes.” He confirms quickly. “When you’ve been around as long as I have, you realize it’s the moments like this that really matter.”

  “Yeah,” I agree because he’s right. I try to ignore the yearning inside me, the loss. The desire to go back in time, before everything got so messed up.

  I may have a lot of abilities, but time travel isn’t one of them. I grab the bottle from Jack and take a long swig.

  “Lil sis, maybe you don’t want too much of that, eh? My recovery time is conditioned, but you need to be ready for him.”

  I roll my eyes and take one more swig, but I hand back the damn bottle without argument. It’d be easier to handle everything drunk off my ass emotionally, but Jack’s right (again) and if we’re going to take out Elias, I need to be sober.

  We sit a bit more in silence until Jack stands and stretches. Then we make our way down the shore to Shay’s.

  “Lettie, I want you to know—no matter what happens tomorrow—I’m real glad to find me kin and that me lil sis is so cool.” Jack says.

  “Thanks, Jack. I’m real glad I found you, too.” I say sincerely. He’s the brother I always wanted, but that Michael never quite stepped up to be. I suppose this is why.

  “Are you nervous?” Jack asks.

  I think about it. “Not really. I’m...I suppose I’m just decided on it. Anxious to get it over with.”

  “That makes sense.”

  We can see Shay’s now and it gives us both pause. To the average o
nlooker, it seems to be a large cookout party, full of beautiful bodies. Some gawk, but nothing seems out of sorts. However to Jack and me, with or perception undisrupted, the scene is much more to take in.

  Cyrus and the other Cerberus train the Angels in battle. Even Shay participates, unable to actually shoot firearms, but who surprises me with his instruction as I approach. He tells his group to take a moment to familiarize themselves with their weapons before he jogs over to me.

  I greet him with one eyebrow higher than the other.

  “Hey,” he says.

  “Hey, Rambo.” I half-tease.

  “The more you know and all.” Shay shrugs. My BFF never ceases to amaze me.

  “You all have been busy.” I say, surveying the action around us.

  Shay nods. “They’re all behind you, Lettie. Everyone knows the alternative and we have your back until the end, and beyond.”

  I smile softly. “Thanks, Shay. Let’s just hope that we don’t reach that beyond part.”

  I don’t sleep. My mind is too awake.

  The only preparation left for me is mental and emotional. Containing and masking my powers during our last recon trip came in handy. It was a test, not only to see if we could get in, but for myself. To see if I can keep it together when the time comes and do what needs doing. If I let my rage take over, it may get sloppy—and sloppy is not what we need to accomplish this mission.

  I take a deep breath and try to center myself.

  Then I make myself a promise. Until it’s over I will not allow my emotions to control my judgement. I will shelve every ounce of pain and longing until Elias is gone.

  Or die trying.

  The sun rises. With it my determination rises. A sense of closure looms near. Whatever it will be, it will end today. The lack of sleep has no effect on me today. I don’t feel tired.

  I feel powerful.

  I feel ready.

  I don’t hesitate any longer. I shower, dress, and feed my fish for what I hope isn’t the last time.

  Jack’s is a flurry of activity. I can’t imagine the state of Shay’s place—though we’ll soon find out. All of us, except Maddy who stays relentlessly in the bedroom, file out Jack’s door and to the beach. It’d look odd, but it’s early enough where most people aren’t awake yet, much less out and about.