by C J Benjamin
“Don’t even think about it, Tippy,” came Nova’s voice in my head.
I sighed again, but this time I sat at the table and tried to enjoy a chocolate teacake, slipping pieces into my invisible shoulder bag when I could. After a few more minutes of celebrating I decided we needed to get down to business.
“Alright, if we’ve had enough to eat I think we should discuss our plan,” I said, interrupting Journey and Remi mid-toast.
“Yea…awl’t…ls’do-ts…” Journey mumbled with a full mouth. I stared at him no longer trying to disguise my disgust for his eating habits.
“He means, ‘All right, let’s do this’,” Sparrow interpreted, with a shy grin.
“Okay, good. I’m glad somebody speaks ‘Journey’,” Nova joked. “Here’s what I’m thinking. The simpler our plan, the better. Tippy and I will leave first and head to Greeley’s office. Journey and Remi, you give us a good head start and then follow. Sparrow, we’re going to need you to stay here as our lookout. If you hear or see anything suspicious telepath to Journey, okay?”
Everyone nodded, but started to look uneasy, realizing that this wasn’t just talk anymore; it was actually going to happen.
“You’re sure the book is in Greeley’s office?” Sparrow asked.
“According to the part of the legend we read in the locker, that’s where we think it will be,” I said.
“What are you going to do when you get it?” Remi asked.
This made me pause for a second, realizing that I hadn’t really thought beyond finding the book. “Bring it back to our room I guess. We can do the invisible charm on it until we can take it out to the forest with us.”
“Works for me,” Journey shrugged.
“Okay. Well, here goes nothing,” Nova said, winking at the others as he got up from the table and sauntered out of the dining hall.
I took a last look around the table at my friends, thanking each of them with my eyes. I looked to Remi last, locking eyes with him, feeling his concern and fear for me in each frantic thump of his heart. I quickly looked down, not wanting to absorb his worry. I pushed back from the table and walked out of the happy dining hall, and into the dark hallway of my destiny.
49
I caught up to Nova in the hall. He was waiting for me outside the John’s room. He was right, now was the perfect time for us to do this. There were groups of orphans wandering the halls; on their way back to their rooms, visiting with other years, heading back to the dining hall for seconds. We were able to blend in easily. The fact that we didn’t look suspicious among the other orphans did little to calm my nerves. I think I actually would have preferred the halls to be empty as they usually were. All the commotion was unsettling. I felt like every set of eyes was on us, despite the reality that no one paid us a second look. They probably just thought we were a couple of lovebirds looking to celebrate the New Year together. This thought made my cheeks burn, so I put my head down and pushed forward through the crowd that was now thinning as we got closer to Greeley’s office. Even though the other orphans all knew she was never here after hours, it still felt wrong to celebrate too close to her office. It was as if the shadowy atmosphere around it could choke the joy right out of the very air we breathed.
I slowed to a stop a good twenty paces from her door, letting the heaviness of the situation settle in my chest. I readjusted the invisible shoulder strap of my bag and froze. Niv! I still had him with me. I had been in such a rush to get my plan into action that I had forgotten about him! Perhaps it was because he had been with me all night and having him close was almost like a security blanket for me, soothing and calming my anxiety. Yet in this moment I felt paralyzed that I brought him so close to the mouth of danger. Nova stood behind me, sensing my fear and reading my thoughts.
“It’s okay, Tippy. I think he’s actually safer with us right now than anywhere else considering what Jemma did earlier.”
“You’re right. I just… I just worry about him so much. If anything ever happened – ”
“Nothing’s going to happen,” he cut me off. “The others should be on their way here. Let’s get started on the lock so we’ll be able to slip in as soon as they arrive.”
I nodded and took a deep breath as I stepped out of the protection of the shadowy corner I plastered myself into and followed Nova to Greeley’s office door. It only took a moment for Nova to check the door. It was locked as usual. I was busy staring at the worn spots on the floor where the tarcats normally sat. Their constant pacing had worn a smooth, dark trail from one end of the door to the other. Where were they all tonight? I hadn’t seen any on our way to the office. Thankfully, Nova drew my attention to him before I could let myself slip into the dark thoughts of my last tarcat encounter.
“You’ll have to unlock it.”
“What do you want me to do?” I asked.
“Can you echo Journey’s strength?”
“Yes, but that won’t help with the lock. I’ll just end up breaking the door down.”
Nova grinned at me with that old twinkle in his eye, “What’s wrong with that?”
“Um, won’t that be a little obvious?”
“Hey, we’ve got to get into that room one way or another. Unless you know a better way…”
“Alright,” I whispered. “Just stand guard okay, and make sure no one is coming.”
Nova’s face lit up again and he gave me a nod as he walked a few paces off to keep watch. I turned back to the door and took a deep breath as I reached for the doorknob. The iron was cold and rough in my hand. I closed my eyes and concentrated, feeling the same power and strength Journey taught me to harness returning on command. The warmth and light of the power rushed through my body and I channeled it all to the doorknob securely in my palm. With a slow whine, the knob cranked against the locking mechanism within, turning further and further, until there was a crisp click! I opened my eyes on baited breath as I watched the door slowly creak open as I released the knob.
“Nova! We’re in!”
“Great job, Tippy! Such finesse. Although, I was kind of looking forward to some Journey-like destruction.”
“Very funny. Let’s go.”
“Wait, I hear Remi and Journey. You go in and I’ll meet them and show them in.”
Before I could protest Nova was shoving me inside and the door was closing between us. I felt a moment of panic being in Greeley’s office alone, but I concentrated on slowing my breath and calming my nerves. All the late-night forest training had really paid off. I pulled forth my night vision and got my bearings. Greeley’s office was cold and dark. It seemed damp; bone chilling even. It was nothing like the other rooms in the Troian Center. The parts of the walls that weren’t lined in bookshelves were smooth and curved. They were a silvery color that shimmered in a way that almost appeared wet. The floor was stone, rather than dirt and it was covered in layers of expensive-looking rugs. There were no windows in this room. For light, there were hanging candelabras and lanterns of different shapes and sizes. There were large torch fixtures bolted into the walls that seemed easy enough to light. I tossed an orb to each and soon the room was glowing as I transformed my light source to fire as Nova had taught me while we were in the locker. I walked forward to Greeley’s massively ornate desk. It was as black as Jemma’s hair and its scrolling details were encrusted with glittering stones and gems. Behind it was her plush, green-velvet chair, although throne may have been a more accurate word. The enormous chair looked like a castle, with its two spiked pillars rising high above me. In front of the desk were the all too familiar kneeling blocks, where we were forced to repent as Greeley doled out punishments to difficult orphans. I’d been on these blocks before and gave them a wide berth because of the bitter memories they were conjuring up. I could feel the sadness of this room. The atmosphere was heavy and old; perhaps remnants of all the emotions left behind by the terrified orphans who had come before our headmistress.
The door behind me creaked and I instantly vanished myself from view. A
moment later, three familiar heads poked in and I breathed a sigh of relief to see Remi, Journey and Nova all file into the room.
“What took you so long?”
“Sorry, there were a bunch of Johns in the hallway outside. We had to wait until they left. What’d you find?” Nova asked.
“Nothing yet.”
“What were you doing? Taking a tour?” Journey asked, trying to mask his nerves.
“Shut up,” I hissed. “I was turning on the lights,” I said gesturing to the glowing torch lights.
“Okay, let’s get to work. We’re looking for the Book of Secrets, so fan out. There’s a lot of book shelves to cover,” Nova said.
“Any hints here?” Journey called from a bookshelf to the right of the desk.
“Only the Book of Secrets can unlock the truth of the chosen ones,” I called back. “It will never betray the truth to the seeker under the reign of the suns. Locked away, high and safe, behind the one sworn to protect its secrets, who wishes to enslave the truths of the island, valuing self and greed over the greater good. To gain what you seek, you must display bravery and strength where one hundred and forty warriors once stood.”
“Um, okay, I said hints, 65, not riddles,” Journey said, smiling for the first time since we’d entered Greeley’s office.
I kept repeating the mantra softly to myself, willing it to guide me to what I was looking for. I was fairly certain that Greeley was the one enslaving the truth and protecting the secrets, which is why we were in her office to begin with. The legend said the book would be ‘locked away high and behind…’ I grabbed her ancient-looking chair and pushed it back from her desk toward the towering bookcase behind it. I climbed atop its soft, springy seat to get a better look at the higher shelves. The moment my hands closed around the clawed arms I felt a shock hit me in the spine, and I was blinded by a white light. The vision hit me hard, leaving me paralyzed and breathless by what I saw, and there wasn’t even any time to warn them. I lay crumpled on Greeley’s massive chair, sweating and gasping for air as the others crowded around me, calling my name.
“What happened to her?” Remi asked wide-eyed as he stared down at me.
“I think she had a vision,” Journey said.
“What?” Nova barked, turning toward Journey.
“Sparrow said she’s been having them,” he shrugged.
I begged my brain to stop convulsing so I could warn my friends to run, but all I could do was look up at them and choke out a whisper. “I’m sorry.”
50
“Well, well, well. What have we here?” came her smooth calm voice.
The Johns froze, and I watched as fear washed across their faces as they turned in horror toward the sound of her voice. My fall made such a commotion that it masked their entrance; three women, each wearing different expressions. Sparrow’s slight frame emerged from the shadows looking terrified as her eyes wildly searched the room. When they landed on us, however, she dropped her gaze, unable to meet our eyes. Jemma stood boldly beside Sparrow, with her black mane swinging as she shook her head in satisfaction, giving us a sinister grin. But worse of all, behind them both stood the statuesque silhouette of Headmistress Greeley.
“This is turning into quite a party, isn’t it? What can I do for you four?” Greeley asked as she snaked toward us.
Nova had pulled me from the chair and was slowly guiding us, taking cautious steps away from Greeley as if trying to counter her advances.
“John 18? We meet again so soon? I must say I would have thought you might have kept your lesson learned a bit longer. Although…” she paused peering closer now, “You don’t seem to look worse for wear,” she finished with a twitchy smirk.
No one moved or said a thing. I was concentrating on an exit strategy, but something about the way Greeley was looking at us was giving me a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. It was almost as if she knew something; knew what we were up to, knew what we could do. And then she gave me a wink and I widened my eyes with a sudden realization, my bag was no longer invisible! I could feel Niv restlessly pushing against me now that we were all crammed up against the bookshelves. Jemma opened her mouth and let out a little gasp.
“There!” she said. “She has it! 65 has the rodent.”
“Ah yes, 31. I thought you said that it belonged to 42? No matter.”
Greeley snapped her fingers and Khan and Ria came padding into the room. Ria stopped next to Greeley, allowing her to scratch her head while Khan stood, sniffing the air, looking curiously at me and my bag.
“Jane 65, you know the rules. We do not allow such vile vermin in the Troian Center. Hand it over.”
“No,” I whispered.
“Excuse me?”
“No!” I said forcefully this time and I vanished right before pushing myself forward into a run and barreling straight toward Greeley and the door.
Greeley, let out a high-pitched cackle and then snapped once more and the door slammed shut in front of me. Her laughter filled the room when I hit it full force and slid to the ground groaning and visible again. Jemma was staring at me, arms dumbly hanging at her side, mouth wide open in disbelief.
“What? How?” she stammered.
Greeley ignored her. She was occupied by the little marmouse that had escaped my bag and was running in circles on the floor.
“Niv!” I shrieked, only adding to his panic.
“Stop!” Greeley commanded and Niv froze in place.
I stared at her in wonder. Next she commanded him to “Come” and with a snap of her fingers he floated up into the air, tail first squirming all the way, whiskers twitching, eyes wide with fear. He let out frightened squeaks the closer he got to her. I longed to run to him and each call from him threatened to tear my heart open, but I seemed to be pinned to the door. I was unable to pull myself from its sudden magnetism. I looked around the room at the others, wondering if they too were stuck under Greeley’s spell, because none of them made a sound or moved. All eyes were on Niv, including that of Ria and Khan.
“So, it has a name?” Greeley asked looking from Niv to me.
“Please… please, don’t hurt him.”
“Why would I do something like that?” she asked coyly.
“He hasn’t done anything wrong. I’ll let him go, put him back in the forest.”
“The forest?” she said suddenly looking dangerous. “You found him in the forest?”
I didn’t respond. Instead I swallowed hard and tried to telepath to Nova.
“We have to do something! Make her let him go!”
Greeley’s laughter broke through my thoughts like icicles slicing through my brain. “He can’t help you, little Jane. Not in here,” she laughed and with a shrug she flicked her wrist and Niv went soaring. I felt a lapse in the magnetic pull and shoved off the door toward my flailing marmouse and as I leapt to catch him, I saw a black and white blur out of the corner of my eye pouncing toward me and before I knew what happened I was hitting the floor hard and empty handed while the air filled with a screech so loud and horrid that it felt like my head was about to split open. I rolled onto my back, still gasping for air, but I managed to scramble to my feet searching for Niv. I whirled around toward the tarcats and felt Nova’s hands quickly fold across my chest as I finally spotted Niv, amongst the blood-red mass in Khan’s powerful jaws. It happened so fast that my brain couldn’t register what my eyes were seeing. Ria stood timidly by in a crouch licking her lips as she anxiously swatted at the scraps that Khan let fall from Niv’s desecrated body. There was almost nothing identifiable left of him and I started to feel faint. I had to turn my head from the violence to fight the bile rising in my throat. This couldn’t be real!
“NOOOO!” I screamed as I sank to my knees with Nova restraining me all the way. “NIV!”
I gasped as I felt the air rush out of me and hot tears streak down my cheeks. This couldn’t be happening! But somehow it was, because I could feel each blow as if it were happening to me. The weight of K
han’s paw was crushing my chest as his sharp teeth tore my soul from my very being. Everything went bright white as the pain became too much to bear. My heart was bursting with pain and fear. This must be it; this was the end of me as well as Niv because I had foolishly tethered my soul to my precious little marmouse that I had sworn to protect. A white-hot rage surged through me as the realization that I failed hit me. I failed Niv. I failed myself and my friends. I may have even failed all the people of Hullabee Island. The implications were too great and I felt myself bursting forth outside of the confinements of flesh and bone. My breathing slowed and my heartbeat steadied. Bright white light surged from me, taking over, cracking the walls and ceiling, silencing everything else in the room until nothing moved; everything was still and silent and I was finally able to see again.
I had unknowingly fissured our reality again. It seemed to happen every time I let my extreme emotions take hold of me. I surveyed the room that was now under my fissure, strewn with papers and books. My friends were all huddled near Greeley’s desk with tortured looks on their faces; even Jemma was with them looking frightened. Greeley stood blinking before me, but she was frozen by the fissure too. I slowly made my way toward what remained of Niv’s tattered body and knelt in front of him weeping my apologies, trying to take comfort in the fact that his death had been quick. But what of my death? Wasn’t I supposed to parish as well? Was there some part of Niv that was holding on still?
I wanted to reach out to him, but his body was so ravaged that my stomach flopped. Instead I tore a piece of my white tunic off at the knees and delicately draped it over him, wrapping him in a proper burial cloth. The least I could do was take him to the forest and reunite him with his mother while I still had the chance. I didn’t know why I was still breathing, but I wasn’t about to challenge it.
As I stood to leave I noticed something. The bookcase I had been examining before Greeley caught us was in ruins. It was almost completely empty except for one book. I pushed through the heavy fissure air to where my friends were standing, clasping each other for support. I stared past them, up at the bookcase and it all fell into place! The Troian Center was the old prison on the island before the Flood. This must have been where our ancestors came to demand the release of their wrongly imprisoned people. If the legend is accurate, there must have been 140 of them. I looked around now, wondering how 140 people ever fit it this room, hoping it was a metaphor, because right now there were only five of us to unite and fight for our island. On a hunch, I reached out and took Nova’s frozen outstretched hand and the lone book on the top shelf of the case began to glow.