Hidden Worlds

by Kristie Cook

  “Really? I didn’t know you two were that serious.”

  “He’s a junior at Claremont high. We met when I was waiting for you to take the bus home.” Her voice reached a fever pitch and I had to squeal right along with her.

  “We sat together and talked about school and stuff. He had me laughing the whole way. Then, when it was my stop, he offered to walk me home.”

  “Seriously?”

  “I told you, he’s really nice like that.”

  “Okay, so he walked you home. Then what?”

  A male voice answered my question. “Then I asked her out and she said yes. And that’s why I’m the luckiest guy in the world,” Jack says.

  I look up and see a tall guy with red, curly hair and green eyes.

  He waves at me. “Hey, I’m Jack.”

  “Jack, this is my friend Emmy.”

  We shake hands. Sara continues, “I was just telling her how we met.”

  “Did she tell you that I waited for days to get a chance to go up to her?”

  “Wow, that’s impressive,” I say, smiling broadly at Sara.

  “I should have gotten you a menu. The service here is kind of slow,” Jack says.

  “No, it’s okay. I’ll go get one. You and Emmy sit and talk.”

  She jumps up out of her seat and almost floats over to the counter.

  “So, Jack, what is it about Sara that attracted you to her?”

  “You.”

  “No seriously, why did you approach her?”

  “Lucy said it was the only way to get to you.”

  A pool of ice forms in my stomach. I look in his eyes and the guy who Sara has fallen for is gone. He is still the same, physically, but his eyes are cold and hold no humor. His lips curl with cruelty and disdain. Before I have time to process what’s happening, Sara comes back and sits next to the Runner. I can’t take my eyes off of him. He puts his arm around my friend.

  “The waitress is coming,” she says.

  “I was just telling Emmy how you’ve been dying for us to meet,” he says with malice.

  “Sara, it’s getting late. Maybe I should call it a night. I’ll take you home since I’m the one who made you stay out so late.” I try to sound casual, but my voice cracks.

  “What? No, we’re seeing a movie. It’s not that late, Mom,” she mocks.

  “No, but we should head to the movie theatre.”

  We get our coats. All the while Jack keeps his hand around Sara’s waist. What she takes as a sign of affection, I know to be a threat. If I run, he’s going to kill her. I can’t allow that to happen.

  We walk out of the cafÉ, and he takes us through the back alleys. When Sara complains, he says he hates crowds and this is a shortcut. She doesn’t like it, but she doesn’t want to appear disagreeable.

  The whole time we’re walking, I’m looking for Jay or Reese. Once Rio sees my onyx color wave, they would be the first ones to get to me.

  A slew of questions swirl around my head. How could a Runner be so young? How long has he been watching Sara to get to me? Is he taking me to the Akons? Is he taking me to Lucy? What is she going to do to me? Will he let Sara go if I promise not to put up a fight? Where are the Guardians?

  We stop two blocks later, behind a back alley with a huge dumpster. It reeks of trash and gutter water. A rat scurries across our path and disappears behind the dumpster. The wind picks up causing Sara to go cozy up closer to the Runner. I cringe when I see how comfortable she is with him.

  “Stop right here.” He stops walking.

  “What are you talking about?” Sara is upset in addition to being confused.

  He turns Sara’s arm until it twists behind her. He holds her in place.

  “Stop, Jack. What are you doing? This isn’t funny, let go of me.”

  “Sara, it’s gonna be okay. I promise, I won’t let him hurt you,” I reassure her.

  She doesn’t understand what’s going on, but it hits her that whatever is happening isn’t good. She panics and tries to fight him off.

  “Move, and I’ll break you arm.”

  “Jack, you’re really hurting me.”

  He takes something out of his pocket that looks like a CD. He throws it at my feet. It’s black and hovers a few feet above the ground in front of me. It grows to the size a large Frisbee. It continues to spin at an unbelievable speed. It sounds like a whip cutting through the air.

  “Get on,” he orders.

  “What is it?” I ask.

  “It’s a Port. You step on it and it takes you straight to Lucy.”

  “Let her go first.”

  He takes out a knife and puts it by her throat. “I’m not gonna tell you again.”

  “Emmy, get on the stupid thing,” Sara sobs.

  “How can you do this to her? She’s in love with you.”

  “You’re the one who’s gonna make me cut her throat.”

  He pierces her skin with the point of his blade. Drops of blood trickle down her pale throat.

  “Please, stop. Please,” she sobs frantically.

  “Get on.”

  “Emmy, help me,” Sara pleads.

  I’m trembling. My legs feel like they’ve been filled with lead. My hands are blocks of ice. I can’t take my eyes off Sara. Her face contorts in shock and desperation.

  “Get on it, Emmy, please,” she cries.

  “You promise you’ll let her go?”

  “Just as soon as you step on the Port.”

  I go to put my foot up on the Port, when a figure swoops down and takes me into the air.

  “No!” I scream.

  “It’s okay, I got you.”

  I look up and find Marcus’ face looking fearlessly back at me.

  Jack is livid and shouts at Marcus from the ground. “You bring her back here, or I’ll cut this girl’s freaking head off and leave it for the rats.”

  While he rants and raves, Miku and Rio sneak up on him from either side. Jack sees them and holds Sara as a shield in front of him. He carefully backs himself into the wall so no one will approach him from behind.

  “Get any closer and she’s dead. I swear.” His eyes shift back and forth between the twins.

  Jay and Reese are on the rooftop above him. Rio points to the center of his chest and beats on it twice. Marcus sees him and grits his teeth. Why doesn’t Jay or Reese just take the Runner down? As if reading my mind, Marcus speaks to me.

  “He’s not a Runner. He’s a Pawn. That means he has a soul. We can’t take him.”

  “Then take me back down. I’ll trade myself for her,” I shout back at him.

  “That can’t happen,” he says.

  He addresses Jack. “Let’s work this out, okay? Let Sara go and I will let you walk out of here with the same amount of limbs you came in with,” Marcus offers.

  “I’m not leaving here without the girl,” Jack says.

  “Not gonna happen,” Marcus states plainly.

  Jack looks at his situation and decides to up the ante. He stabs Sara in her side. She lets out a blood-curdling scream that fills the cold night air.

  “No!” I scream, almost in unison with her.

  Blood soaks through her jacket and spreads quickly. The dark red liquid drips carelessly on to the ground. I lunge toward her but Marcus’ inhuman strength holds me back.

  I pull, punch and claw at his grip, but it doesn’t loosen. My body flails in every direction, hysterically. Every inch of me screams to be set free.

  I’m several feet in the air, and if Marcus had let me go, I would most likely break something in the fall. But I couldn’t care less. It’s me Jack wants and if that’s the only way to save Sara, I’m willing.

  “Emmy, no,” Marcus says.

  “You can still help her, Emmy. Don’t let her bleed to death. Come save your friend,” the Pawn calls out to me. “You promised to help her.”

  “Let go of me,” I scream and punch Marcus so hard the pain from my almost-healed hand flares up. There’s a dull ache running up my
arm. One of my shoes falls off and plunges to the ground. I twist and wriggle myself so hard my shoulder pops out of its socket. The pain is immense but it doesn’t stop me from trying to break free.

  “Emmy, no,” Marcus barks as he effortlessly holds me to his chest.

  “Let me go.” My whole body trembles. It’s no use. Marcus’ hold on me is unyielding. Jay and Reese don’t yet have an opening to attack the Pawn.

  Sara has passed out, her body limp in Jack’s hands. He holds two fingers against the side of her neck to take her pulse.

  “She’s still alive, Emmy. But I don’t think she’ll make it unless you help her. I thought you were her friend.”

  I look up to face the angel who holds me. There’s no more screaming from me. My voice is nearly gone. I beg him softly as my tears spill over. “Please. Please. Please let me go.” Concern furrows his brow; his eyes are pained as they look back at me. But his grip doesn’t change.

  “Oh, well. Guess you don’t care about her after all,” the Pawn says, faking concern for Sara.

  He lets her drop, and she hits the ground face up. He holds the knife above her body. “It’s your fault she’s gonna die, Emmy. Remember that,” he says as he plunges the knife into her chest.

  I scream helplessly as I watch it happen. Jay and Reese finally have an opening to intercept him. They attack Jack just in time to stop him from striking her. Jay picks him up and throws him across the alley. Reese promptly Blinks him to what I hope is hell.

  Finally, the steel arms of the First Guardian loosen around me, but not completely.

  “Let me go!”

  “Not while we’re still in the air,” Marcus says as he swoops down and places me safely on the ground.

  I catapult over to Sara. She’s lying face up, still and soundless. Rio, Jay, and Miku look on as I kneel down beside her.

  “Call 911,” I order them. They look at each other. It seems they’re having a conversation I can’t hear. “Call 911. Hurry!”

  Jay says my name with care. “Emmy …”

  I don’t want him to talk to me. I don’t want to hear what any of them have to say.

  I just want them to get help.

  “Miku, call someone for me, please?” I beg her. She takes the same tone as Jay.

  “Emmy …”

  “Please do something,” I beg her.

  “She can’t, Emmy,” Marcus says.

  “Shut up! She’s okay. She just needs some help. Please, somebody help!”

  I shout out to anyone, everyone, in New York City. If the Guardians won’t help, maybe someone else will.

  Meanwhile, Rio follows a wave that is invisible to the rest of us. Alarmed, he calls out, “Akons in thirty.”

  That’s when I remember the one person that can dispute the lifelessness in her face.

  “Rio, what color is she? What is she feeling?” I ask. Just then Reese reappears without the Runner.

  “Reese, take Emmy back to the house,” Marcus orders.

  “Akons in twenty seconds.”

  “What color is she?” I demand.

  “Take her home. Now,” Marcus orders Reese. He Blinks next to me and tries to pry me away from Sara’s body.

  “No. Leave me alone.”

  “Emmy, we can’t fight them with you here, it’s too dangerous. We have to go,” Reese explains.

  But I won’t let go of her body. I clutch her close to me. Reese could have pulled me off, but he’s afraid of pulling too hard and hurting me.

  “Akons in fifteen.”

  Miku asks, “How many?”

  “Too many.”

  “Rio, what is she feeling?” I rage at him. He finally replies.

  “Nothing, she feels nothing.”

  I lean over her body. My hand strokes her face. She looks up at me. The girl who couldn’t stop smiling, the girl who found love, lay broken on the ground.

  I cry over her body. Wave upon wave of sadness envelops me. I talk to her. “I’m sorry I was late. I’m so sorry.”

  “Akons in ten seconds.”

  Jay calls out my name as if I can’t hear Rio’s countdown.

  “Emmy …”

  “I don’t care.”

  Reese addresses Marcus, “I can’t Blink more than two people.”

  “Akons in five seconds.”

  “Emmy, go,” Marcus demands.

  “I’m not leaving her,” I yell back, never taking my eyes off of her.

  I guess Marcus motioned to Jay because while I was holding Sara, a soft breeze blows by and the next thing I know, I’m in Reese’s arms.

  Before I can react, the alley blurs in front of me. Less than three seconds later, I am back at the house of the Guardians.

  I jump down off of Reese’s arms. “No, take me back. Right now.”

  “I can’t do that.”

  “You’re letting her die. She could be getting help right now.”

  “Rio said—”

  “I don’t care. Take me back.”

  “I’m sorry about your friend.” He Blinks away.

  “No. Reese, come back!” I beg to the spot here he stood a second ago. “Reese, come back,” I cry and hurl the closest thing I can find where Reese once stood. “Reese!!!” I throw everything that isn’t nailed down across the room.

  I’m exhausted. My nose is running, my stomach is in painful knots. I don’t care. I scream again but there is nothing left. My voice is gone. My throat is raw and there’s nothing left to throw. I collapse against the wall. The waves claim me once again. I slide down the wall pitifully and onto the floor.

  I say the words “I can’t leave her” over and over again until they, like my promise to Sara, become meaningless.

  ***

  I am watching a movie. It’s a movie I don’t want to see. A movie I have no interest in. I think it’s real. I think it’s my life. Angels are calling my name. They are asking me questions. I don’t answer because it doesn’t matter. Nothing does. They do things to me. They wrap a blanket around me. The Asian girl washes my face. She says that I will be okay. I don’t answer. It doesn’t matter. I want them to go away but I don’t care enough to tell them. They can stay if they want. I’m not with them. I’m in a hole too dark for any light to shine through.

  The movie goes on. Angels are guiding me somewhere—a church? There’s a big picture of Sara. A woman in the movie I’m watching looks just like Sara’s mom. She gets up on the podium. She talks and cries. Talks some more and cries again. She says something to me. The movie doesn’t have sound. So her words don’t reach me.

  They move on to the next scene. It’s a set that looks just like Sara’s house. I find her room. I sit on her bed. Across from me, under the dresser, is a pink box with small engravings. I go over, grab it and sit on the floor. It has words on it I don’t feel like making out. I open it up. There is a bunch of cards, pretty ones with flowers and words. The one on top has my name on it. It has pictures of balloons and cats. I open it. The cat purrs and says, “Happy birthday. You’re perrrrrrrrfect the way you are.”

  Someone stabs me with something sharp. I cry out. The pain rips into my flesh. I cry out again. I can’t breathe. Why am I being taken apart? Help me. Help me.

  He comes in and finds me moaning on the floor. He kneels down besides me. I talk for the first time since the movie started. “It hurts.” I beg him to make it stop. The angel holds me but can’t help me. The agony wraps around my chest over and over again. It squeezes and tears savagely into my heart. I won’t survive this.

  I look down on the floor to watch the blood as it leaves my body. The floor is clean. Not a drop of blood anywhere. I don’t understand.

  I see the card I dropped on the floor when the pain first came. It all comes back to me. I was late to meet her. She called him to keep her company while she waited for me … she cried out for me to help her … I didn’t … then … she … she … fell.

  “Where is she?” I ask him. “She’s gone,” he says.

  I was right. I wo
n’t survive this. I leave my body there on the floor with him. But I send the rest of me away. My mind, sprit, heart, and soul have been taken to a place so far away that they will never be found. A place so dark, even the light of angels won’t shine through.

  Book TWO: MARCUS

  “ … I was mistaken about Eve in the beginning;

  It is better to live outside the Garden with her

  than inside, without her …”

  —Mark Twain

  Chapter FIVE: THE FIRST GUARDIAN

  I’d like to kill the Sage. I’d like to rip him apart and throw the rest of him into the ocean. There are a number of reasons why I can’t. First off, I’m the First Guardian, and the Sage is the only one who can be my guide.

  He has been for every First Guardian since Julian. So it’s probably not a good idea to piss him off. He has been chosen by the council as the only human wise enough to share information with. Although he does not know where the Triplex is, he can help us find where to begin.

  He gives both sides the clue and tells us what he feels we are to know. So he is not only wise but untouchable. Akons and Guardians are not permitted to harm him in anyway. And the city where the Triplex is hidden is where the Sage will be found. Another reason I can’t kill him or even take a swing at him is that he’s six years old.

  We have been here for a few days. The first thing we did when we got to Earth was go see him. The sound of the crowd ringing in the New Year filled the street as the six of us made our way to a little fish store off Canal Street.

  The Akons should be waiting for us as soon as we come out of the Sage’s home. The council had forbidden either side to strike until both sides had been to see the Sage. But make no mistake about it, the second we come out of the door, they will show no mercy.

  I was prepared for anything the Sage had to tell me. I knew this fight would be very dangerous and lives would be lost. I didn’t know exactly what would be said, but I was certain finding the Triplex and destroying the map inside it would be extremely difficult. Lucy had been trying for centuries, and she was getting better each time.

  The Sage lived with an elderly couple who owned a fish shop. We all arrived in front of the door exactly at midnight. An old lady came and opened the door for us. She led the way to a small narrow waiting area with plastic chairs. She told us to wait there. Moments later, she came back out and showed us into a dimly lit room with “Jeopardy” playing on the TV. A little Indian boy sat at the table playing an intense game of army men.