by Silver, Ruth
“No. I'm not your sister . . . and I don't have a brother,” she said, acknowledging things were different here. She didn't quite know where here was, though. She glanced at Rawlie. “Explain yourself. Now!”
“Take a seat.” Rawlie gestured toward the sofa in the loft. Unlike her home, where the loft was allocated as a computer room, this loft had been heavily furnished as a living area.
Lil took a seat, watching as the young boy sat across from her. Rawlie opted to stand as he paced the small length of the room, forming his thoughts. “Willow was taken.” He glanced at Jamie, his eyes glistening. “It's okay. Lil is here to help us get her back.”
“Willow? Who’s Willow?” Lil asked.
“The girl you met the other night, when you visited us here. How were you able to do that?”
“I don’t know. I was asleep. At least, I thought I was sleeping.” Lil pinched the bridge of her nose, frustrated. “Where am I?”
“In a parallel world. Orenda.” Rawlie remained calm, answering her questions.
“How is any of this possible?” Lil felt her breathing hitch and her pulse quicken. How would she ever find her way home?
“I don’t know. Our worlds always have had soft spots allowing travel for certain individuals. I was able to bring you here because of my gift from the Mystics, but I don’t know how you crossed over on your own. It shouldn’t be possible. Not with Willow guarding the gate.”
“Gate? How do you people know about me? How’d you know about Jamey?” Lil was still concerned for her sister.
“Willow and I occasionally travel to your world, when we need food or supplies. Right now, we need your help, Lil.”
“Help how? I don’t understand what's going on!”
“Eilith has taken Willow. We believe you’re the only one who can help us bring her back.”
Bray waited by Lil's locker as the building cleared out and the other students rushed to the bus. He glanced down at his watch and slung his bag over his shoulder and headed out to the parking lot.
Bray climbed into his car, surprised Lil hadn't returned to class. He'd been in the middle of his physics exam when she escaped the test. He assumed she had come up with an excuse to leave early. He started the car and pulled into traffic at the back of the line. On the way home, it was impossible not to drive by Lil’s house. He parked the car in his driveway and walked across the street. He knocked three times on the front door. There was no response.
Of course Lil wouldn't be there. If she'd left early, there must have been an emergency. Hopefully, it wasn’t anything too serious. He turned around and jogged home across the street. It didn't explain why she hadn't texted him, but perhaps her mind had been somewhere else. He tapped a message to Lil. R u ok? Call me. It was short and simple, to the point. He wanted to know everything was all right.
Two hours later, Bray was sitting in front of the television when there was a persistent knock at the door. He paused the show on the DVR, got up, and didn't bother with the peephole. He threw open the door.
“Jamey?” he said, surprised to see her standing on the porch steps.
“Lil's not home. Is she here?” Jamey asked.
“No.” Bray walked back in, shut the television off, and grabbed his phone and keys. He slid his shoes on and followed Jamey outside the house. “We should go back to your house. Did you call your parents?” He couldn't fathom why they'd pick only Lil up if there had been an emergency.
“I can't reach Mom, and Dad told me to find you. He thought she might be over at your house.”
“We should call your father again. Lil left school early.”
“What? Why would she do that?” Jamey asked. “Who picked her up?”
“I don't know.” Bray called Lil's father, telling him the situation. Bray led Jamey across the street, promising to stay with her until her father returned home.
Bray and Jamey waited in the living room, until there was a knock at the front door. “Stay there,” Bray said. Jamey sat on the sofa, crying. He walked to the door and glanced through the peephole to find two police officers standing on the other side. Bray let the officers inside and closed the door.
“I’m Officer Roberts and this is Officer Johnson. We’re here to investigate the disappearance of Willow Porter. Do you mind if I take a look in her bedroom?” the younger, pudgier of the two asked.
Did Bray have a choice? “Go ahead.” Bray gave them permission, and the older officer walked upstairs. He hated that they were rummaging around Lil's bedroom without her permission. She'd hate it too and would find it unforgivable that he’d let them into her private space. If there was any chance it could lead to them finding her, he'd accept responsibility. Even if it meant she'd want to kill him. “You should start with our school, Twain High,” Bray said. If the police were here, Lil's father must have told them about the strange visitor.
“We have an officer investigating at the school. The first two hours are the most crucial. Is there anything else you can tell us?” the younger officer asked, pulling out a pad of paper to take notes. “Did you see who picked her up? Does she have a boyfriend?”
“No, I didn't see who picked her up. No, she doesn't have a boyfriend.” Bray would know if she was dating someone.
The officer wrote down a few notes. “Do you have any idea where she might have gone?”
“No. I tried to call her, but she's not answering her phone.”
The officer glanced down at the pad in his hand. “Yes, Mr. Porter called us already and gave us her number. It's going directly to voice mail. Are there any problems at home or in school?”
“No, she loves her family. They get along pretty well.”
“Pretty well?” the officer asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Lil is independent, but she wouldn't go anywhere without telling someone,” Bray said.
Suddenly, Mr. Porter yanked the front door wide open and rushed inside the house. Jamey ran into her father's arms.
“We'll find her,” he said, reassuring himself as much as his daughter. “I called all her friends, but no one's seen her since this afternoon at school.”
The officer thanked Bray before walking over to Lil's father, questioning him next.
Bray stayed a few minutes, trying to imagine where she could have gone. The only thought he had was an impossibility. He remembered the dream that had terrified her and the fact she'd brought back a trace of something, a polished fingernail. He couldn't tell Lil's family about the dream. They'd think he was crazy. Maybe he was, because it couldn’t be real. There had to be a plausible explanation. Someone had snuck into her bedroom. Some disgusting pervert painted her fingernail and stalked her until they were certain no one would believe her. Then they abducted her. Nausea gurgled in the pit of Bray’s stomach, and he could feel bile rising, unwelcome in his throat. Flinging the door open in a rush, he lunged outside and vomited on the front lawn.
Bray headed down the street, needing some fresh air and time alone. He couldn't stop thinking about Lil. Who would pick her up from school, and why would she go with them? He walked faster, kicking a stone in the center of the street, turning away from the main road toward the forest. He glanced up, staring at the large expanse of nothingness. She'd seen the mystery boy at the clearing by the school. Bray's heart skipped a beat. It was the first place they should have checked—the forest.
Bray walked through the forest. His eyes searched the bone-dry ground for any evidence that Lil had been there earlier, but he found nothing—no broken branches, no footprints. Those were the only tricks he learned from watching hours of crime dramas on television. What a waste.
From within the forest, a dirt path caught his attention. Bray jogged over, spotting tire tracks, but he couldn't make out how old they were. Had Lil been here? Was she dragged by a lunatic into the forest? Maybe whoever picked her up drove her through the forest? He was grasping at any shred of evidence he could, but nothing pointed to Lil. He followed the path, stopping when the tracks
vanished along the road. Where had the vehicle gone? Things didn't just disappear.
“Help!” The voice was undoubtedly Lil’s.
Bray spun around in the forest. He couldn't see their subdivision. There was no way the police would hear either of them scream.
“Lil!” Bray shouted for his best friend. If he could hear her, then she could hear him.
There was a slight whirl, accompanied by an odd wobbling sound. He stepped toward the sound and reached out his hand, feeling heat radiate off a strange, crystal clear shimmer. It rested at the edge of the tire tracks in the middle of the path. “Lil?” His voice held a tinge of panic. He had no idea what this was. It pulled at him and dragged his feet forward like a black hole sucking him up. Even if he wanted to stop, he couldn't. He was paralyzed by the force before him. The moment his skin touched the shimmer; it burned cold. Bray opened his mouth to scream, but the sound died on his lips. He gasped for air, unable to breathe. He quivered, then convulsed, collapsing onto the ground, out cold.
Minutes passed before Bray’s eyes fluttered open. Breathing hard, he ran his fingers through dry dirt. Realizing he was lying on the ground, he grumbled and moved to sit up. The dark forest surrounded him, and a hint of pink flickered from the distance. “Lil?” he shouted, standing up, swaying from dizziness. He groaned and fell forward onto his knees, throwing up the last of his lunch.
The wind rushed through his hair and grazed his body. “Braylon.” He heard her voice and wiped his mouth with the back of his arm.
“Lil?” His voice was less certain as he pushed away from where he had knelt. He tried again to stand, this time leaning on a tree for support. “Where are you?” he asked, seeing a figure in the distance. It was a girl with brown hair that hung down her back.
“Over here.”
“Is that you?” He stumbled into the forest, using the trees for support as he headed toward the mesmerizing voice. He was certain it was Lil. It had to be her.
His eyes squinted with suspicion, and he ducked as a black crow swooped low overhead. Bray shielded himself from the bird as it dove straight at him.
“You're in Orenda. It’s a land of magical power. It’s the reason your nails, hair, and eyes are different in our world.” Rawlie gestured toward the distinct changes that existed on Lil. “Our water and our atmosphere are unique. There are elements in our world that harness the abilities our people are capable of. The Willow who grew up here always had traces of magic in her blood, which is rare, but it was the Mystics who unveiled her destiny after the Scourge. I'm hoping you harbor the same abilities. By the looks of it, I'd say it's quite possible.”
“Mystics? Abilities? Scourge?” Now she had more questions than answers.
Rawlie grimaced. “You're a Porter.” He ran a hand through his hair. “A Porter in both name and ability. Just like Willow. She protects both worlds, a gatekeeper. She's supposed to keep the door closed and protect your world from the evil unleashed here by Eilith, brought on by the Scourge eight years ago. Both worlds have areas that are degrading, falling apart. You've heard of the Bermuda Triangle in your world?”
“Of course, there's always a lot of weird stuff happening there. People disappearing. Ships and planes vanishing. You mean they get sent here?”
“It's Willow's job to keep them from coming over to this side and from allowing anyone or anything to your side. Places like the Bermuda Triangle are degrading areas we call soft spots. They intensified with the Scourge. One of these spots happens to be where your house is, in both worlds.”
“Why's that?” Lil asked.
“I don't know. Willow couldn't figure out if it was natural or man-made, but she's the one destined to protect it.”
“What’s the Scourge?”
“A curse brought on by greed. Eilith, once a sorceress now cursed as part demon, is responsible for our world’s devastation. She’s wiped out the majority of the population of Orenda. Her strength is gained from feeding on human flesh and blood. She consumed souls by the thousands in the beginning. Willow and I suspect she’s grown weaker over the years, with less living entities to feed on. We’ve found no way to stop her, only to slow the progression of destruction. I suspect she kidnapped Willow to help gain entrance to your world, since Willow can easily move between parallel worlds with just a thought. Unfortunately, her ability only works in one direction. We usually travel together. She brings us over to your world, and I can bring us home.”
“Cursed?” She swallowed nervously.
“We believe so.”
Lil didn’t like thinking that her world might be in danger. Just hours ago she had hoped this was all some weird dream. It didn’t appear as though she’d be waking up anytime soon. “What was your world like before the Scourge?” She'd only seen a small part of their land, driving through the forest, and what she saw she didn’t like.
“Our technology had advanced beyond yours. There were scientists and sorcerers, both equally appreciated. However, they didn't work well together. Magic slowly began to overpower science. Our most talented scholars couldn't explain the supernatural. Eilith grew powerful, and when the Scourge happened, the intellectuals were the first ones she attacked. I suspect it was because they had attacked her professionally.”
“Magic is a profession?” Lil was astounded.
“Yes, but very few practice it as skillfully as Eilith.”
“So, what happens now that your Willow is gone?” Was her world in danger? Was he trying not to worry her? It sounded bad.
“Hopefully, nothing.” He cleared his throat. “Any other questions?”
“Why does Willow seem just like me, and why is your Jamie different than my Jamey?”
“Our worlds were once one. It's why some things are so alike, still connected. Other things have changed over time.”
Jamie leaned forward in his seat toward Rawlie. “Do you think she can help us?”
“Settle down, Jamie.” Rawlie sat down beside the boy, patting his back. “The two worlds can be seen as parallel worlds, though at times completely different, both born from the same seed. Eight years ago, our world was overpowered by Eilith when she unleashed Pandora's box. That was what brought about the Scourge.”
“That's an old story.” Lil remembered the Greek myth of Pandora being given a box by the gods, which contained all the evils of mankind. She had been forbidden from opening it, but driven by curiosity, Pandora had unhinged the container and all the evil enclosed had escaped and spread across the earth. She had tried to close the box and stop the evil from spilling out, but by the time she shut the box, all that remained inside was hope.
“Our worlds were already different. They have been for millennia,” Rawlie said. “Our waters are sacred. Not all the water, of course. Only a few select springs are filled with magical powers in the mountains.”
“Is that why your Willow is different?”
“Willow's lineage is what makes her special. I don't know where it originated. Her mother harbored abilities long before Eilith came into power.” Rawlie glanced toward the window, pushing past the curtains with a scowl. “We should go now. I'll explain the rest on the way.”
Jamie stood. “Can I come with you?” he asked with bright eyes filled with hope.
“Go where? What do you expect me to do? This world is nothing like my home! I may look like Willow, but I'm not your friend,” Lil said.
Rawlie headed down the stairs with Jamie in tow.
Lil threw her hands up in the air, frustrated they weren't listening to her. She dug into her pocket, found her phone, saw it had no service, and shoved it back inside her jeans. She left her book bag. She didn't need it here. Lil followed Rawlie and Jamie down the stairs. “Is anyone going to answer me?”
Rawlie grabbed his keys. “Jamie, you need to stay here. It's not safe on the way to the sanctuary.” He hugged the ten-year-old boy. “Lock up and don't let anyone in the house.”
Lil shook her head in dismay. “Why are we going to a sanctu
ary? Is that where Willow is?”
“It's a place of protection from evil and soldiers are trained there, right?” Jamie said.
“We can’t rescue Willow without your help,” said Rawlie to Lil.
“I'm not going anywhere, except back home.” Lil crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. She wasn't taking anything else as an answer. “This isn't my fight.”
Jamie's bottom lip jutted out, but he didn't cry. He stepped closer to Lil as if she was his last hope. “If you won't go, then please tell Rawlie to let me come with him. I can learn to fight; I've seen my sister train.”
“You're still a child,” Rawlie said.
“I am not!” Jamie insisted. “I can go to the Mystics. They should make the decision, not you. You're barely older than I am. I just need someone to believe in me.”
“Out of the question. Willow would kill me if you left this house without her.”
Jamie slumped onto the sofa. “I wouldn't be alone. You'd be with me.”
“Let the boy come.” Lil was tired of the arguing. She just wanted to go home.
The wind outside picked up, and Lil shuddered, though the house hadn't changed temperature. “What's that?” It sounded like a storm had blown in out of nowhere.
“Grab your bag, Jamie. We don't have much time,” Rawlie said.
Jamie's face lit up in excitement as he tore up the stairs to pack what he needed for the trip.
Rawlie glanced at Lil. “You should come outside and see this . . . ” His words trailed off as he unlocked the front door. It swung right open and the screen door flew off its hinges, disappearing into the forest.
The gale was fierce. Crimson clouds drew closer to the house. The squall stung unprotected skin and felt as if it could burn flesh. Lil held her hand up to shield her eyes, while Rawlie stood there unaffected. Lil noticed the slight tremble in his eyes; he was putting on a good show.
Lil shouted into the deafening roar. “What's going on?” Her voice barely reached Rawlie's ears as he turned to see her speaking to him.