Earth Bound

by Serenity Williams

  I watched him standing there, his gaze downcast, a frown on his face, and I felt sorry for him. All he had ever wanted was for someone to love him, unconditionally. He was just as much of an outcast as Ruby and Caleb. But at least he had had Mindy.

  Now, he has me.

  The need to comfort him was too strong to resist. So I reached out and gently cupped his strong jaw. My palm tickled from the thin layer of scruff on his cheek. Then I forced his gaze up to meet mine.

  “I don’t hate you Malcolm,” I whispered my voice tight, clogged with tears. “I love you.”

  Malcolm’s face lit up with a radiant, hopeful grin. His brown eyes shone with his love for me.

  “You do?” He asked as his fingers ran up my arm until he gripped the hand I held on his cheek.

  “Yes,” I sighed and squeezed his hand reassuringly.

  He gently lifted my hand to his lips and placed a feather light kiss on the back of it. Then he placed that hand down at my side before both his palms ran up my arms. His gentle caress blazed a trail along my nerve endings as he ran his hands slowly up to my neck. My breath caught in my throat and my eyes must have betrayed my fear, because he smiled tenderly down at me.

  “It’s ok,” he whispered. “I'm not going to hurt you.”

  Then his fingers found the collar that still hung around my neck. A constant reminded that I belonged to him. I was his slave. My body trembled and I waited, not knowing what to expect from this man anymore. There was a soft click, and the collar fell lifelessly from my neck. A soft gasp escaped my lips and my questioning gaze turned to him.

  “You’re free Raina,” he said gruffly. And his hand left my neck to unclasp the chain at my wrist. The entire piece fell to the ground at my feet.

  Tears pooled in my eyes and trailed down my cheeks.

  “I'm free?” I whispered. “Really?”

  I can’t believe it! This doesn't make any sense…

  “Yes,” he answered and his gaze stayed steadily on mine. “You’re free.”

  I threw myself against him. His body warm and solid against mine. One of his strong arms wrapped around me and pulled me tight up against him, as the other cupped the back of my head, his fingers splayed in my hair, and he pulled my hungry mouth up to his. Our breathes mingled as our lips locked. A warm electric current ran through my body and pooled at the pit of my stomach. My head was reeling. All my senses consumed by him…

  Then everything went black.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Hurtful Truths

  “Raina...Raina!” my father’s voice drew me from the darkness that had overshadowed everything else.

  I blinked and slowly opened my eyes. A blank starless sky greeted me. There was only a sliver of moon left to light up the sky. Beneath me the cool damp ground seeped into my clothing and chilled me to the bone. Very slowly I sat up and tried to look around. The moon alone wasn’t enough to light up the ground. Infact, it was so dark that the only illumination radiated from the designs on my skin. And like under the sea, I could only see in a two to three yard radius around me.

  At first I didn’t see my father. All I could see was a rocky, grassless ground that lead down into what looked like black sludge.

  What is that? I stood up and walked a few steps in the direction of the sludge.

  As I drew closer, I realized it was the lake. Only it didn’t look the same anymore. It's once crystal surface was no longer clear and glistening. The water was now a murky cloudy-gray color that bubbled in spots with some sort of toxic neon green slime. A foul stench rose from it that made me want to gag. Swarms of flies hovered over the top of it in waves. As I peered closer at the lake, I saw fish heads floating on the surface, their glazed eyes staring lifelessly back up at me.

  I placed my hand over my mouth and took a few slow breathes through my mouth. That wasn’t all that was floating in there. Interspersed among the fish heads was the occasional dead bird and rotting frog. My stomach churned and I had to turn away to keep from vomiting into the already disgusting sludge.

  What happened to the lake?

  I turned around in a slow circle, so I could see the rest of the valley and my stomach plunged. The rolling hills had turned into garbage heaps. The beautiful green grass had withered and dried to dust. There were no more flowers.The carcasses of at least a ten other animals littered the ground. Everywhere was death, destruction, and decay.

  Then I saw father. He walked towards me from the shadows outside my visual field. As he got closer, I could see the sadness in his golden eyes. A haggard sigh escaped him as he stopped beside me to gaze out over the water.

  “What is all this?” I asked him motioning from the lake and out towards the the grassless field.

  “Malcolm did this Raina,” my father answered flatly.

  I couldn’t breathe.

  “No,” I whispered shaking my head in denial. “No, he couldn’t have father. There must be some sort of mistake. He’s changed.” I pleaded looking over at my him. He finally turned his steady gaze on mine.

  “No he hasn’t. It’s all a ploy Raina. He knows what those kids mean to you. He’s using them, and your love for him, to make you playable. He’s manipulating you.”

  I shook my head again trying to clear all the screaming thoughts swirling in my brain.

  “But he loves me,” my voice sounded as broken as I felt.

  “He does.” Father sighed. I looked to him in confusion.

  “He does love me?”

  “Yes Raina, he loves you.” Father answered haggardly. “But love isn’t always enough. You have to do what’s best for everyone. Not just what’s best for you, or for Malcolm, or even for those two kids. Your responsibility as Earth’s guardian is to protect her first. And by protecting her, you will keep the earth a safe place for children like Ruby and Caleb. And eventually, you’ll keep it safe for their children, and their children’s children, and so on. So all life can have a place to grow and flourish. All life Raina. Look around you.”

  I did. Taking in all the damage Mankind had done, or will do. My stomach twisted.

  I haven't saved anyone. He's going to kill everything!

  “Is your love worth all this?” father whispered and I could hear the tears he wouldn’t shed clogging his voice.

  “No,” I sighed brokenly. A single tear ran down my face. “It’s not.”

  “Then you have to do something Raina. You have to stop him.”

  “But how?” I asked. “How do I stop him father?”

  He smiled sadly over at me.

  “Tonight, he’s going to ask you a question. If you want to know his true intentions, say no.”

  “Say no,” I repeated with a nod. “What is he going to ask me?”

  “That’s something you should find out for yourself.”

  I nodded. Then I looked over at him, tears brimming my eyes, and my bottom lip trembled slightly.

  “I'm scared father.”

  His gaze filled with love and he offered a warm cat-like smile.

  “I know daughter, but you’re going to be ok. I’ll be watching over you the whole time.”

  “Promise?” I whispered.

  “Always.” He grinned and snuggled his furry cheek against mine.

  I wrapped my arms around his neck and buried my face in his fur.

  “I love you father. It’s good to hear your voice again. I really missed it.”

  “It’s good to be heard,” he said the relief clear in his words. “I love you daughter.”

  That was the last thing I heard before everything went black… again.

  ◖... ◐ ...◗

  “Raina… Raina...,” Malcolms voice shot me back into the present. He was kneeling over me as I laid on my back in the wet grass. My clothing damp. His expression concerned.

  His nearness made me uncomfortable so, giving him an awkward smile, I scooted away and he pulled back to give me some space. His expression became guarded.

  “Are you alright?” he asked and
he helped me to my feet. As soon as I was steady I pulled my hand from his an took a step back. He wasn’t able to hide the hurt from his gaze before I saw it.

  “I'm fine,” I answered hoarsely and tried to pass it off with a shrug. “I must have fainted.” For some reason it was hard to meet his eyes.

  I still watched him out of the corner of my eye as he fought the urge to ask me why I was acting so strangely. Then he seemed to shake it off and a small smile returned to his face.

  “Well,...um...There actually is a reason I asked you to come on this walk with me,” he offered a hopeful ring in his tone.

  This is it…

  My stomach tightened and my hands tremble so badly I had to ball them into fists at my side to keep him from noticing. Then, as quick as I could manage, I forced myself to smile up at him. Our eyes locked and I could see the hope shining there.

  Oh no. Not that…

  “Yes?” I said instead. Knowing I had to go through with this. If only to find out if he had actually changed.

  He reached out and gently took my hands in his. My heart rate accelerated to it’s bursting point, my breathe locked in my chest, I waited.

  “Raina, I love you more than I could have ever imagined. You said you love me. We both love those two crazy kids back there.” he nodded towards the tent. “I don’t want to spend any part of my life without you guys. So, I guess what I'm trying to ask you is… Will you marry me?”

  I froze.

  No. Why did it have to be that? Why do I have to say no to that? Oh I want to marry him so badly.

  Images of the future lake tore through my mind and I knew what I had to do.

  Taking a deep steadying breath, I looked Malcolm straight in the eye, and said…

  “No.” That was it. I simply said no.

  If I live forever, and I will, I’ll never forget the expression on his face. The way it transformed from hopeful husband to a twisted demented demon with one foul smirk. His brown eyes were glazed with anger and... obsession.

  “I don’t know why I ever listened to her,” he shook his head tiredly. “I told her you’d never listen. You’d never join with me willingly.”

  I took a step back as terror gripped me.

  “You really were just using me so I would work with you willingly!”

  Malcolm’s gaze darkened and his hand snaked out to grasp my hand in an iron grip.

  Something snapped inside me and I yanked my hand back with so much force it broke his hold. His eyes widened in surprise.

  I smiled maliciously at him and my gaze raked him with disgust.

  “How could you?” I demanded. “You have no respect for life other than your own!” My body shook with a deep gut wrenching fury. “All you want to do is use, use, use, use, use! You don’t know how to love!”

  Malcolm was staring at me like I'd gone crazy.

  Maybe I have…

  “Is this about the leopards? Because-”

  “Silence,” I growled my eyes flashed electric white and Malcolm's face paled. “You think you can take, take, take and just keep on taking without consequence! Your selfishness will destroy this world and all you care about is gold! It's metal! Meaningless junk! What matters most, Earth's most precious commodity, is life Malcolm. And you want to destroy it!” I stalked towards him with lightning in my eyes. Jades words echoed in my head.

  It's the circle of life. It's all part of the balance and it's up to you to keep that balance.

  You're stronger than you know...My future self had said, and I was right. I just had never felt it, until that moment.

  I felt something growing deep inside me now, something hot was swarming inside my stomach like flowing molten lava. Then, it started to build and build, growing hotter and hotter. I was about to blow. Malcolm was retreating now, an expression of slack-jawed horror on his face. I advanced on him, my toes barely touched the ground as I floated across the grass. Lighting fizzled and shot out from my body in tiny burst. My hair floated around me in an invisible wind storm.

  “I have the power of hurricanes coursing through my blood. I have the force of a thousand rushing rivers streaming through my muscles,” I said my voice deep and resonating. “I have all the power of this world. I just wish I didn’t have to use it on you.”

  “Raina wait! I'm sorry Raina…”

  “I can't allow you to disrupt the balance Malcolm,” my voice vibrated with the voice of a hundred thunder clouds. My skin glowed and I could feel my energy building, bubbling to the surface.

  “Raina no!” he cried but it was too late, blinding fire exploded across the valley and miles past. It was a bright flash of light, that for a split second, enveloped the entire world. When it subsided Malcolm was gone.

  Chapter Eighteen

  New Beginnings

  I stood in the middle of the valley. Tears streamed down my cheeks as I gazed down at the pile of ash at my feet. The only thing left of Malcolm.

  I can’t believe he’s gone…

  Sighing, I bent down and placed the tips of my fingers on his ashed.

  “Goodbye Malcolm. I will always love you. I'm so sorry it had to be this way, but you were never going to stop,” I whispered brokenly.

  Then I stood tall and looked down at my hands.

  I can’t believe I did that. It must have covered the whole earth… A horrible thought suddenly occurred to me.

  Ruby! Caleb!

  I gasped and my gaze swept out over the valley. I saw several more ash piles. My heart ached and my stomach tightened.

  So much death. Please don’t let Ruby and Caleb be one of them...

  My body shook, and my legs felt like jello, as I forced myself to walk back towards the tent. Dawn was breaking and had cast the valley in a gray and pinkish light that lit up everything for my eyes to see. I was still surprised to witness the vast number of ash piles dotting the ground. I walked slowly through them, tears framing my vision.

  So much wasted potential…

  Something glittered in the pile at my feet and I bent down to examine it. There, nestled among the ashes, was a long thin gold chain.

  “Mindy,” I whispered my voice cracking from the tears that clogged my throat. Her smiling, laughing face flashed through my mind. “I'm sorry.” I stood and gazed at the thousands of other piles, each representing what was once a living being. “So sorry.”

  I forced myself to keep going.

  I have to find Ruby and Caleb…

  Finally, I paused in front of our tent. My hands shook uncontrollably as I reached out to lift the door flap.

  Please be alive… please, please, please be alive..

  I peered inside the tent. And at first it was difficult to see anything, then my eyes adjusted. My breathe escaped in a relieved rush that stirred the two sleeping figures nestled under a pile of feather blankets. Their heads popped off their pillows and they rubbed their sleepy eyes before peering back at me. Both their faces lit up when they recognized me.

  “Hi ma,” they greeted me. “Good morning.”

  “Good morning kids,” I whispered trying to keep my voice from trembling. “Can you come out here for a moment? I need to talk with you.”

  “Sure!” They agreed and crawled from their nice warm beds and out into the early morning air.

  They both shook slightly, which helped me hide my own, as they came to stand in front of me. Their expression expectant. I smiled down at both of them but they must have seen the sadness in my eyes because both their face turned worried.

  “Are you alright mama?” Caleb asked wide eyed.

  Tears misted my eyes again and I shook my head.

  “I have some bad news to tell you guys,.”

  Caleb took a step closer to his big sister and she took tiny hand in hers. They were ready.

  “You’re daddy is gone,” I whispered. Getting straight to the point.

  They looked confused. Their heads tilted to the side.

  “What do you mean? He left us?” Ruby asked breathlessl
y.

  I shook my head and watched understanding dawn in her eyes. Little caleb was still oblivious.

  “Is papa gonna be back?” Caleb inquired hopefully. His worried gaze searched mine and I could tell he was still holding onto hope.

  I hated that I had to crush that hope. That I had to be the one to bring tears to his eyes. But he deserved to know. They both did.

  “No Caleb. He can’t come back, he’s dead,” I said and my heart broke as I watched the look on Caleb’s face run through so many different emotions. Shock, denial, understanding, pain, and then finally he settle on anger. His little body shook with fury. His blue eyes shot daggers right through me.

  “You killed him didn’t you!” he demanded.

  My lip trembled and I bit down on it to still it. Then I met his accusing gaze and nodded.

  “Why? Why would you do that! He changed!” Caleb cried and he shoved me hard. “He changed! He was my pa!” he pushed me hard again but this time I pulled him into my embrace. “He changed! He was my pa! He changed!” he cried brokenly. I soothed the hair on the back of his head as he buried his face in my chest. His body racked with grief.

  I glanced over at where Ruby stood a few feet away, alone and distant. She wrapped her arms around herself to ward off a chill that had nothing to do with the cool morning air. Tears she refused to shed misted her eyes.

  “It’s ok,” I soothed, trying to comfort both of them.

  “No, It’s not ok!” Caleb shouted and he broke from my arms to run and hide in the forest.

  I went to run after him but Ruby lifted her hand and placed it firmly on my shoulder. My gaze swung to hers and she shook her head no.

  “Give him some space,” she advised.

  I nodded and turned my attention on her.

  “Are you alright?”

  One corner of her mouth rose in a mockery of a smile.

  “No,” she answered truthfully, “but I understand why you did it.”

  My gaze searched hers in question.

  “You do?”

  “It’s your job to protect the earth,” she shrugged. “It’s like your her mother too. I told you before, Malcolm wouldn’t change. I just like to hope for a while, you know?”