Paranormal After Dark

by Rebecca Hamilton

  Dekram moaned, "You always knew?" Tears laden with blue sparkles rolled down her cheeks. "And you never told me?" She's telling the truth, Dekram thought. Nesohc has always been human, she's always been...much older than me, and everything in Wandermere has always been about Detaf and me—except the human stuff. Bet they regret compromising me and Detaf with all those human toys just to get the changelings ready to go back. How stupid was that?

  A buzzing noise, like a whole nest full of bees heading their way, jerked Dekram from her pity-pot. She turned to see the first Fire fairy zip from the forests edge and over the Black Shamrock log. It was Egar. The Fire fairy had riotous red hair, spiraling wild and free around his skinny body, all the way down to his naked feet. Long pointy ears separated a bristly red beard from the mess on his head and only left half a face until he opened his large wide mouth in a smile that revealed long spikey teeth. Scrawny arms waved four digit fingers at her, showing off rows of long spikey teeth. Two bright red dots spread wide over a hawk-like nose, sparkled under bushy eyebrows.

  The buzzing gradually became louder and louder. Neither fairy said a word when Detaf flew up behind them and landed beside Dekram. But when she caught a glimpse of him out of the corner of her eye, she sucked in a breath. Pix me! He looks just like Nesohc! I can't do this!

  Detaf tilted his head; the softness in his face told Dekram he understood. She started to say something to him, but Soahc buzzed out of the woods screaming her name, and looking like Dekram's former self.

  Time to buck up, no matter what I decide. I want my wings back! I need to go find Nes! Dekram gritted her teeth, turned to the pixy that was still her best friend and pushed her strongest voice. "So, Soahc is a halfling? We'll pix her a bit of poetic justice."

  Layol smiled comradeship and shouted, "Nope, even better. She's a changeling, all human."

  "Shut up! She's a changeling? " Dekram mocked, loud enough for Soahc to hear. "This totally, almost, makes up for you lying to me."

  "Yeah, well hold that thought, because if Fire mates with Soahc while she wears your wings, their halfbreeds will be wicked and scary. You think Etah, Bacs and Mirg are bad? You have no idea? That what you want?"

  "No, I just want Nes." Dekram's eyes jutted toward Detaf. She blushed, tightened her lips, and then blurted, "Would our halflings be as strong?"

  Layol's eyes caught Detaf's and he sighed and lowered his head. She answered, "Not here in Wandermere. We tried to breed with changelings, and when we were successful, the babies died within hours of birth. When we were fast enough to swap babies, we got a changeling and the fairy died in the human world; they called it crib-death. When we discard changelings, usually for rebelliousness, they become human runaways, their pictures on milk cartons."

  Dekram twisted a bare foot in the clover. "What about me giving up my wings and staying with Nes in the human world? Can we have human children? Can another elemental fairy use my wings like Soahc?"

  "I don't know what's possible in the human world, but Fire has always been able to breed here in Wandermere. The treaty forbad it and the elders destroyed their attempts. Your wings, and Detaf's, were nothing more than camouflage. Should this go south, I'll give you mine. You and Detaf can breed with or without your rightful wings."

  When Layol stopped talking, Dekram realized the field had become eerily quiet. The meadow was full of twinkling colored light almost like a misty rain. She could see the charmed student body of changelings, and over them, the rest of the town, mature fairy in true form, beautiful, ethereal, all flowing hair, sparkling eyes, enchanting smiles, and shapely formed bodies. The men were breathtaking, charismatic, and the woman captivating, bewitching. And all of them with long swords, sheathed, and belted around naked waists.

  Detaf, dressed in Nesohc's skin, stepped forward and shouted, "You brought this upon yourselves when you burned my wings. There is no turning back."

  "We finish this today!" Egar shouted, and grabbed Dekram's mirror image by the arms, removing her hands from his midriff.

  With a head full of soulful thoughts, Dekram looked from the field to Layol. "So, if we're gonna do this, how does this charm and glamour thing work?"

  Layol sighed frustration. "I hear it pixin' works different for everyone—the elders look at something, mumble, and things happen. I've only been able to use my magic in a pinch. That's all I know."

  "Great! Just great! I don't have wings. Yours are uncontrollable!"

  Egar raised yelled, "Don't wanna turn back, true dat!"

  Soahc's hateful smile looked misplaced on Dekram's lips.

  "Swell," Dekram's hand gripped her hip while her eyebrows reached for each other. "I have to fight myself. Well at least we're both human at the moment."

  "She's wearing your wings," Detaf warned.

  "We don't know if her magic will still work," Layol told Detaf and then turned to Dekram. "You could try summoning your worst nightmare," Layol said, and quickly added, "Not a mouse. I doubt Fire would run from a rodent."

  "How about a few characters from one of Nintendo's Super Mario games?"

  Detaf snorted, pulled a bow off his shoulder, an arrow from a quiver strapped to his back, knocked the fletching on his bow string and stood ready.

  Layol's squinty blue eyes became big and round. Her wispy arms pulled graceful hands over her mouth.

  "I don't get it. What's so funny," Dekram said.

  Through long fingers, Layol said, "I don't know. I'm entertaining the vision of an army of armed toadstools—a nosegay of fun guys named Wart. You know fungi? Fun guys?"

  Dekram rolled her eyes. "Where do you get that crap?"

  Soahc bolted forward, stopped short of the middle of the field, shot a look at Layol, and everyone's Adam apples bobbed as they swallowed hard, waiting for Fire to join her. They didn't and she glared at Layol like a venomous snake, wings spread taut, teeth bared.

  Layol closed the gap, wings countering with a vibrating rattle.

  They danced a circle, eyes locked.

  Dekram started forward. Nesohc's face turned, but it was Detaf that ordered, "Stay!" And he pushed her behind him.

  "Sure, now I have your attention." Soahc yelled at Detaf, rolled her eyes, and favored him with an open mouth and a shake of her head.

  "Talk about your elfin' other side of the tracks," Layol snarked, drawing enough good-elemental fairy attention to encourage embellishment. "You're bedding demons. That's why. And you know what they say about demons?" She sidled closer to Soahc's wings. "What goes under the belly of a beast, comes out with…"At a loss for a better word, time moving, eyes watching, Layol blurted, "…tattoos."

  Soahc darted straight up, glared, lips mocking. "Too hot for you to handle, fledgling?"

  "Too smart to try, clueless," Layol shot back a few human feet.

  Soahc reeled in another couple of inches between them pumped her wings until they buzzed louder than Layol's.

  "Oh, hellhound yes," Etah spat, and flew up beside Soahc as Fire slowly began to close the gap from the other site of the field. "Let's kick her butt into the next realm."

  "Enough!" Detaf shouted. "Time to give her your wings."

  Layol darted like a dragonfly and was by Dekram's side in a fairy heartbeat.

  "What?" Dekram said, "Who?"

  "You," Layol said, pulling her wings free and buzzing behind her friend's back.

  Dekram blinked her eyes and she was in the clover standing next to Nesohc. Only it's not Nes.

  "Sorry, I can never really be him," Detaf's voice said from Nesohc's lips. "But we are fated. And none of that means a thing if we can't stop Fire now."

  Dekram took a long ragged breath. "What if I can't do this?'

  "We can, together," he answered. "Berrymun said it would take the both of us to defeat them. You ready to try?"

  Dekram nodded.

  Egar darted forward. "And we fight!"

  Pandemonium burst forth with cries of war as swords swung, flesh bled green clover red and muddied the earth. Bro
ken wings scattered the air like leaves on a brisk October afternoon. Clouds gathered, rumbled throaty growls, and strings of light snapped across the darkening sky, demanding attention. The Elements cried their anger.

  Detaf, arrows spent, picked up a fallen sword in time to swing, slash through a redheaded fairy from hip to hip, and Fire burst into flames inches from Dekram.

  On the ground, Layol ran, slashed and jabbed a saber through flesh, quickly sending those still moving to their deaths.

  In a matter for Wandermere minutes, carnage lay scattered over the field. Eyes wide, mouth open, Dekram stood frozen.

  "Now!" Layol screamed. "Dekram! Do something now!" She leapt over and unmoving fairy, bolting toward her friend.

  "I'm coming," Detaf shouted from Nesohc's body.

  Dekram let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding, tossed up her hand and closed her eyes. Something big. Something ugly. Something that eats fire for breakfast, spits their spiky teeth right back at them, and squishes them like ants at a picnic. She cracked one eye; Layol was still running at her. No big scary monster sucking up Fire. She snapped her eye shut again. Oh, how? How do I do this? Goddess Aine, enlighten me! The screams of rage made her cringe. The cries of horror threatened tears. The laughter gave... The laughter?

  "Oh man, not only does that thing add tons to the parasitic family—a humongous winged worm with Fire fairy teeth—but you gave me a totally coolio new catch phrase. Suckulicious-trichinous. Sooo, radical! It's a fricken Fire vacuum."

  Dekram's eyes popped open; she yelped and plastered her body against the body of Nesohc as the hideous creature moved toward them.

  Layol chuckled. "How do those little-bitty wings carry that plump body so fast? It looks like a dirigible on steroids."

  Dekram slapped her eyes shut. "Don't let it eat me. Don't let it eat me. Don't let it eat me."

  "It isn't going to eat you," Detaf said.

  "You conjured it, idiot!" Layol finished through out-of-control laughter.

  The wing noise of the parasite sounded large furry animal throaty vs. the bee buzz of the Fire fairy as it flew by, splitting the swarm of Fire heading for Dekram, Detaf and Layol. The atrocity had a rainbow colored, parasitic body hanging off the head and nose of an ant eater, with spindly spider legs wiggling willy-nilly from it belly. It sucked in hundreds of sword wielding Fire fairies before Egar and his gang started hacking away at its underbelly. It burst like a garish piñata and spewed smelly green slime all over the place before it fell to the ground at Dekram's feet.

  Dekram leapt at Layol and wrapped herself around her friend's body.

  "Dang, girl, you charm wicked-cool," Layol said, leaning back to look into Dekram's eyes. "How long you figure you're gonna need to hang on to me?"

  Dekram opened one eye, loosened her death grip, and dropped to the clover.

  The gelatinous, winged-creature's body gyrated on the field, wings creating a backdraft that tossed sword sporting Fire fairies all over the grass. It looked like a giant slug, with buzz-saw teeth, trying to latch on to the fairies before it settled and took its last breath.

  "O'mifairygodmother! Now, what?"

  "I'm thinking block and defense," Detaf said, but it was Nesohc's finger that was pointing.

  A wave of gasps from the fairy merged with bell-like laughter from Soahc and the fire fairy.

  Dekram's head whipped toward the field. Mirg stood in front of a ghastly looking animal that only slightly resembled a dog.

  The creature slung phlegmy goo when it shook from muzzle to tail and emitted a foul smell from its oily jet-black fur. It lifted a hind leg and voided a stream of thick yellow liquid the texture of puss, producing an, even more, horrendous stench. Then the animal growled deep in its throat and back-kicked grass in the air with big clawed feet.

  Everyone, except Mirg, grabbed their nose and grimaced at the ghostly apparition. It sat. Fur matted and sticking out in a wild mess, the beast turned glowing red eyes on Mirg.

  "It is said," Mirg locked eyes with the foul animal, "that if you look into the eyes of a hellhound three times, you will die." She turned to the mesmerized mixed crown of fairy and lifted the black lace veil covering her face. "But this is just an illusion…right?" Mirg turned back to the rumbling animal and blatantly found its gaze. "Then again, we mustn't assume, and death can be quite an adventure, don't you agree?"

  "You already smell like death, dark one," Egar shouted and then chuckled. "Now back off, so's I can be makin' us twelve more or that one'll be sleepin' in your bed tonight. Feel me?"

  Soahc and Etah threw back their heads in laughter; a silent gesture behind the fast moving events that Dekram's mind slowed down to a snail's pace.

  Egar swung his arm back while taking three big steps as if he were bowling and tossed a ball of fire toward Dekram.

  Layol tackled Dekram to the ground as Detaf countered with a bolt of lightning in Egar's direction.

  Each ball exploded into a herd of large black beasts with flaming red eyes. Bailing a hunt through long-fanged maws, dripping saliva, ears pressed back against massive heads, the apparitions made the ground tremble when they ran towards their prey, kicking up grass and clover as they got closer to them.

  Detaf, who was crouched, arms spread, eyes big, faced off with Egar.

  Etah shot a look of pure hatred at Dekram, and then locked eyes with Layol.

  Adrenalin pumping, Dekram shot into the air, arms spread, body spinning rapidly until she pulsed florescent green with waves of white light, extending to the center of the field. Pooka, a fairy known to be an unpredictable, untrustworthy Prince of spells, appeared in the ray of light and sent a bellow of wicked laughter through the air. He raised his hands and shot translucent glass across the field that shimmered into two solid mirrors twenty feet in front of each team of advancing hellhounds.

  The dark creatures skidded to a dirt scattering halt, and began to do a dance of threatening growls, snorts, and sneers in front of reflections that countered their every move. The largest beast pranced forward only to be mimicked by his reflected adversary, just as threatening, just as feral. The animal bared teeth and snorted a warning, but so did his image, so he howled a command. The pack kicked up dirt, shook big furry heads and yapped understanding. Together they charged the reflection which charged back. Seeing their images running full force at them, the dogs fell over each other to turn in the opposite direction. As they wailed fear and scrambled to their feet they headed toward Egar and Etah.

  Detaf zipped for Soahc.

  Egar raged with fury. Etah grabbed Soahc, bolted straight up, emitted an unearthly screech, and dusted the animals with a blanket of fire. The dogs burst into flames and big airy ashes seesaw-floated their way down onto the grass. When the smoke and dust settled, charred Fire moaned and groaned to their feet, not one of them wearing wings, including their leader, Egar.

  Dekram let out a breath and sucked in another, her eyes following Detaf as he ripped her wings from Soahc's back and she fell to the ground; Etah threw up her hands in surrender. Slowly fairies emerged from the woods with swords sheathed, and changelings followed.

  In the back of her mind, Dekram heard Layol and Detaf shout victory, the crowd of Earth, Wind and Water fairies cheering. Obnoxious stings spewed from Soahc, Etah, Egar and the remaining Fire fairies, but all were useless without wings.

  As the elder's shouted directions, and winged fairies circled Fire, Dekram felt her heart hammering in her chest. Detaf saved my life. But he is so not Nesohc. I owe him, the fairy of Wandermere, but... Nesohc. The vision of cheering creatures, now in a form unknown to her, began to fade as she sank to her knees, tears streaming down her cheeks. She felt twiggy prickles wrap around her, heard Berrymun coo in her ear. Panting, feeling weak, she slid into his thorny embrace, thought she saw her friend's concerned eyes, and heard Layol's comforting words. Nesohc's face was the last thing she saw, and as she blacked out, she chanted, that was not Nesohc. Not Nesohc. Not Nesohc.

  "Take h
er now," someone urgently whispered.

  * * *

  SHE WOKE IN the warehouse, alone, a tall round container cast light and it took her a few minutes to realize it was a fire burning in the trash barrel. It was so big now. She felt like Alice in the children's fairytale. A rustling from behind sent her bolting into the shadows, flickering yellow sparkles fell from her wings.

  "You ever gonna be able to control that?" Nesohc said behind a chuckle

  "Probably not," she answered in a melancholic tinkle.

  "You shouldn't have come," he softly whispered.

  "Berrymun brought me," she answered, drifting toward his voice.

  Then she saw him, a giant of a man, and for a minute she thought she saw things until she noticed a strawberry birthmark shadowing and bridging his nose.

  He smiled all the way through his eyes, and a twinkle of the boy she knew shined through.

  "Is this why you gave Detaf your wings?" Dekram asked and hurriedly added, "Because age doesn't matter to me, Nes. We could-"

  "No, Dekram. I was a changeling, a human stolen at birth. My home is here."

  "I could make my home anywhere you are, Nes."

  "You're Wandermere's only chance for survival, Dek. Can we both live happily ever after knowing that?"

  He's made up his mind, and, o'mifairygodmother, he's right.

  Nesohc opened his shirt. A silver locket engraved with a dragonfly rested against his chest over his heart. He opened it and removed a tin box smaller and more delicate than an Enchanter's Nightshade petal. "Detaf wouldn't take my wings because he knew how I felt about you. When I insisted, he asked what he could do for me." Nesohc placed the box in the palm of his hand and Dekram landed next to it.

  "What is it?" Dekram asked, blinking back tears as she picked up the small box.

  "A small piece of my heart; open it."

  Inside was a miniature locket exactly like Nesohc's. Dekram opened it. An engraving of two fairy wings entwined was colorfully etched inside—one clearly a replica of Dekram's, the other Nesohc's. In a rainbow of colors, the word Wandermere arched above the wings."