by Lucian Bane
“Yes sir,” he said with a salute, and then shut the door.
Poe headed down the corridor, not even knowing where the pool was, only knowing he was lethally pissed. He paused at a hall crossing and listened, closing his eyes. Using his power, he snaked energy in every direction, seeking her out.
“Found you,” he muttered, heading toward the sound of her laughter. The idea that she could laugh at a time like this infuriated him more. Proving her selfishness.
Poe paused outside the glass door leading to the swimming pool. Five seconds is all it took for his anger to overtake him at seeing her wearing only a bra and panty and playing her sexual tricks on Lucas. She spotted him and her shocked reaction was very telling.
“So glad you could make it. Where is your date?”
Date? His mind tried to connect the term with Lark, whom she clearly referred. “In her room where you should be. It’s getting late.”
She approached him now. “I think I know how to tell time, Mr. Poe,” she said lightly.
“Do you always swim in your underclothes?” he muttered, finally angling his eyes at her.
She laughed. “This is called a bathing suit.”
“I don’t care what it’s called. It’s inappropriate attire.”
“For what? For who?”
“For public. Ah that’s right. You don’t really get out much or know anything about scruples.”
“Poe!” Lucas yelled. “Come join us man! Water’s great!” He jumped in the pool, sending a spray on them.
“You should have brought your girlfriend.”
Poe jerked his gaze to her. “Lark is a child. A damaged one.”
“Pfff. Now you know her past. Did she have a tearful confession while fucking you?”
Poe’s jaw hardened, not knowing how to respond to that.
She continued to glare at him, her jaw hard. “I can tell you now, that if that happens, I’m out of here and you’re on your own.”
He raised his brows. “Really?”
“Oh yes, really,” she crossed her arms over her chest and Poe realized she was very serious. He then considered what that would actually mean for him and his mission.
“Don’t worry, Scribbler,” he leaned his face closer to her. “I’m not that kind of man. Unless of course you made me that way? Can I trust myself, Scribbler? Will I be out of control like you?”
She slit her eyes and cocked her jaw. “I’m done saying sorry to you. I’m done explaining myself to an asshole.”
“I want to see you in my room.”
She stared at him, her breathing shallow. “Fine. When?”
“As soon as we get back to it.”
“I’m not done here.”
Poe eyed Lucas and then the Scribbler. “One hour. Then I need to speak to you.”
“That works for me,” she said lightly.
Poe walked away and headed back to his room where he paced for the next hour until he got that knock at the door.
He hurried to it and opened it. The sight of his Scribbler was like a punch in his stomach. He gazed at her as she walked in, still wearing her bathing suit with a clear dress looking material over it, opened in the front. How could she just parade around half naked? The idea made his anger burn inside him unlike anything before. He wanted to send her out and never look at her again, but his stupid human body refused him that noble thought.
She sat on the bed and leveled a haughty look at him. “What do you want to talk about?”
What indeed?
Chapter Twenty
Poe raked a hand through his hair, feeling suddenly confused about everything.
“Are you okay?” his Scribbler asked, sounding worried. “You look… disoriented.” He paused and stared at her, not able to respond and she hurried to him.
Poe raised both his hands, not wanting to touch her, or her him. She stopped abruptly and drew away like the wall had been literal.
He suddenly sat and put his head in his hands. “I need to leave. I need to find the other arks. I need to finish this mission. I can’t stay here any longer.”
“What?” she sat next to him, keeping her distance. “Why?”
How could she not get it? “I don’t belong here. I’m not meant to be human.” He realized then that he couldn’t hear her thoughts. Had she done something more to him?
“You need to sleep,” she said softly, sadly even.
“I don’t.” He stood and paced. “My body is wound up, it won’t sleep. I have more power than I should, I don’t know why but I… I need to get the other Arks and finish this before…”
“What?” she whispered. “Before what?”
“I don’t know. And I don’t like not knowing. I’m not right, something is not right with me.”
She put her hand over her mouth and began to do the crying thing. “It’s all my fault,” she whispered, “It’s all my fault, Poe. I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. I never meant to make a mess of this. I promise. You have to believe me.”
The sound of her sorrow only made it all worse. “Stop,” he gasped, holding his head. “You’re making me… want things that I don’t want.”
“Okay, okay,” she whispered, “drying my tears. I’ll go get them ready and we’ll leave.”
Poe should have been relieved but he wasn’t. He was more angsty than ever. “We need a bigger vehicle.”
“Yes, I thought of that. I’m on it. I’ll call for one to be delivered.” She closed her see through top and nodded off to the right. “We’ll go fetch the next four arks and… get your mission all done. I’ll help you. I’ll…” her voice went raspy, “I’ll see you through to the other side my dear Poe.”
All the anger slowly seeped out of his body as he stared at her. She suddenly seemed very fragile to him. And yet he couldn’t unhinge his jaw to speak and even if he could, what would he say to her?
Poe watched her hurry to the door and walk out. He stared for several moments then closed his eyes. It was at that moment his shields were clobbered by a huge power wave that knocked him to the floor. Dear gods, what was that?
He fought to his hands and knees, pushing with his energy into his shields, feeling for the area being hit. It came from all around. They were surrounded by something.
Poe hurried out and banged on the Scribbler’s door. She opened it and he yanked her into his room. “Something’s here, something big,” he whispered. “We’re leaving carefully.” She nodded, searching his gaze frantically, making Poe long to kiss her with everything he had. “There’s no time to pack. Take only what we must have. I’ll get the others.”
In ten minutes they were all sitting quietly in the vehicle.
“What’s going on, man?” Lucas whispered.
Poe put his finger to his mouth to indicate silence then motioned for Scribbler to drive to the next destination. Whatever was surrounding them was going to demand every bit of power and concentration from him to keep them hidden.
What had he done to be found?
“I’m sorry, Mr. Poe,” Kane whispered. “I think my dreams are telling on us.” Poe turned to Kane who wiped tears from his cheeks. “They come when I sleep and do things.”
Alarm hit Poe. “Okay. Don’t worry. No more sleeping, that’s my fault son.”
“I been tryin’ to fight it.” He shook his head. “I’m not a hero yet. But I’m trying really, really, hard.”
“Nonsense, Kane!” Poe grabbed his little leg tight and shook it. “You are very much a hero. Because of who you are. Look at me. You must never forget that.”
“Oh poor sweetheart,” Charlotte barely whispered, looking distressed.
“Well he’s sure my hero,” Lark said. “He helped me beat that level on Candy Crush.”
“And he helped me fall asleep twice,” Cado said. “He’s a good singer.”
“Mom taught me that trick,” he mumbled.
“Did she?” Poe said. “I had no idea she knew how to sing.” But Poe had heard her sing to Kane. It was one of the
loveliest things he’d ever heard, he realized now.
“I cannot sing!” Scribbler added adamantly.
“Can too!” Kane said, ready to argue.
“I sound like a dying chicken,” she said, making her voice do funny things.
Kane laughed. “That’s not how you sound!”
“I sound worse,” she argued.
“You sound like an angel, Poe said so.”
Poe rolled his eyes and looked right.
“Diiiiiid heeee?” she asked, sounding pleased.
“Guilty,” he held his hands up then flopped them back down.
“Mr. Poe can sing too!” Kane yelled.
“Now that is an untruth,” Poe argued.
“He doesn’t sing, he hums! Hmmm—hmm-hmmmmm.” Kane imitated him and made everybody laugh.
“He will most certainly have to hum to me someday,” Scribbler said.
Pain stabbed Poe’s chest at her words. Her impossible words. They finally got back on the road and he blindly gazed out the window, watching not the scenery, but the reflection of his Scribbler. He just wanted to stare at her. That’s all. Just stare. Until he fell asleep.
Two hours later they seemed to be circling a location. “I can’t get to the address. It must be there.” Scribbler pointed to a huge parking lot full of cars.
“Pretty sure that’s a night club,” Lucas said.
“Sure is,” Lark muttered. “What’s here?”
“God, help us,” Scribbler muttered. “Two more Sound Arks we hope.”
“Sound Arks,” Lucas said, curious. “Hey man, when are you going to explain to us what’s going on? I don’t mean to rush, but I’m kinda curious.”
“Me too,” Cado and Lark said in unison.
“I can tell them,” Kane offered.
Poe shot up a hand, silencing them in the growling noise around the vehicle that they clearly didn’t hear. “Park. I feel them. They’re not far.”
“Feel who?” Lucas asked.
“The Arks, I think.”
Lucas leaned in. “I can go with you.”
“I may need you. In case I blind myself.”
“Tell me what to do,” he said.
“I just need you stay close to me. Something fights to break through my shields.”
“Shields?” Lark asked. “Like the power of the force?”
“They’re invisible,” Kane whispered.
“Kane,” Poe turned. “Remember I said I would give you a gift for learning the puzzles?”
He sat forward quickly. “I do, Mr. Poe.”
“Give me your hand.” Kane shot his hand out and Poe took it and channeled some of the power into him, coding it with the same language the boy read in that first puzzle. “If anybody comes while we’re gone and tries to do something bad, I want you to use that.”
“What is it, Mr. Poe?”
“It’s a sleeping trick.”
“I’m still not so good at that, Mr. Poe,” he whispered. “You’re still gonna show me that?”
“Soon, yes.”
“How do I use it?” he wondered, looking at his hand.
“You close your eyes and you’ll see the puzzle. But do not read the puzzle unless you have to.”
“Got it,” he whispered. “I’ll protect Mom and Miss Lark and Mr. Cado, I will.”
“Lucas,” Poe said. “Give me your hand.”
The ark reached over the seat and Poe gripped his hand and loaded his arm with power.
“Wow, I felt that!” he gushed.
“Use it only if you need it. Close your eyes and you’ll see the power. You’ll know how, it’ll show you.”
“Power with instructions. In English I hope?”
“Yes.”
“How will I know if I should use it? I don’t want to make a mistake and kill anybody you know?”
Poe appreciated the man’s concern, but none of his powers killed. “Don’t worry. If you need to use it, I’ll tell you.”
Poe and Lucas made their way into the club. To the invisible eye they were a dark line of power moving slowly along the channel Poe set between them and the two Arks he’d tagged. When they were right in the throng of people dancing wildly, Poe realized the two Arks were on a stage, playing instruments. Finally, Arks that had instruments and knew how to play them. He wasn’t sure if that was good or not, but it seemed like it should be.
You see the guy with saxophone?
Lucas, a foot away from him, jerked his gaze to Poe.
Yes, I’m talking to you. Do you see him?
He nodded, wide eyed.
We’ll go for him first. His name is Joe. I need to touch him I think, to make sure he listens. Then the guy with the harmonica on the side. See him?
Again he nodded.
I’ll get him second. His name is Duane. At seeing his wonder, Poe said, I know their names when I see them. Don’t ask how. And I can talk to you because my power is in you. We’re linked when it is. One way,” he added at seeing him maybe wonder if it worked for him too. Don’t worry, I can’t read your thoughts, only project mine.
They made their way to the stage and off to the side. Poe was trying to figure out how to get onto the stage when Lucas yelled, “Look!”
Poe glanced at the hallway he pointed to next to the stage and they both made their way to it. Navigating a few dark passages, they came to security. “I need to speak to the man playing the saxophone and the one playing the harmonica.”
The man grabbed his temples and Poe realized he’d tried too hard. The man finally nodded and waved them to follow him.
Lucas tossed him impressed brows as they followed the man all the way to a spot behind the curtains. He turned to them and looked at his watch. “They’ll break in thirty minutes. Can you wait?”
“No,” Poe said. “I can’t wait. I need to talk to them now.”
The man nodded with ease. “Not a problem, I’ll get them now.”
He opened the curtain and Lucas looked at Poe, seeming worried. In a few minutes, the guy with the saxophone entered the space behind curtain. “Who the fuck demanded they see us? We’re in the middle of performing!”
Poe raised a hand. “Hey, Joe.”
“He did,” Lucas pointed a finger at Poe.
The man with the dark shades stalked toward him and Poe waited till he was in reach to touch him. He met Poe nearly eye level and ripped off his glasses. “Who the fuck are you?”
“I’m Jeramiah Poe. And I need you and,” he pointed at the sax he held, “your musical instrument to open a portal to Octava, the realm of fictional beings.” Poe gave him a small smile.
The dude looked at Lucas then back at Poe, like he was waiting for the punch line. “You jest.”
Poe put his hand on his shoulder. “I do not.” The man dropped to his knees and gasped then Poe helped him right back up. “You okay there?”
He didn’t speak, he couldn’t. Poe knew he was fighting the power roiling through him, wondering what it was and what might have caused it.
“What guy?” a voice said.
Poe looked to see the harmonica player talking to the security person. “Over there, him.” Security pointed in Poe’s direction then patted Duane’s shoulder and pushed him on.
Poe watched as the black man with the long braided hair came cautiously, observing Joe now staggering to his feet. “Duane,” Poe called, waving him on. “This is Lucas,” he introduced when he stopped before them.
“What’s going on?” He looked back and forth between them. “My momma call or something? Is there an emergency?” Fear lit his dark eyes as he pocketed his harmonica.
How would he have a mother, Poe wondered. “Not an emergency,” Lucas said. “Not like that,” he corrected, looking at Poe.
“My name is Jeramiah Poe.” He held his hand out to Duane just as a disturbance of noise erupted on the other side of the curtain.
Divinities. Poe grabbed Duane by the arm. “I need you to come with me. Don’t ask questions. Lucas!”
/> “Here!”
“Stay right behind me and be ready.”
“I’m ready, I’m ready.”
Poe walked with Duane and Joe in front of him, holding tight to their jackets while thrusting power into both of them until they were dense shields of blinding light. “Stay behind me Lucas!” he yelled. “Joe and Duane, run for the doors.”
As they ran, Poe realized the place was filled with authorities.
Gunfire erupted followed by a cacophony of screaming.
“They’re shooting!” Lucas yelled behind him, “They’re shooting at us!”
“Use it! Use the power!”
“Oh shit,” Lucas gasped as Poe formed his own energy into a multiplier.
“Now, Lucas!”
The power in Lucas’s arm released with a whomp and Poe multiplied it. The sound of bodies and metal hitting the ground, filled the air.
“Don’t stop running!” Poe ordered as he glanced back. Lucas was right behind them, eyes wide, arms pumping.
“What the fuck is going on!” Joe gasped when they made it to the vehicle.
“Get in!” Poe ordered.
There wasn’t another word of arguing as they scrambled into the vehicle.
Chapter Twenty-One
“Holy shit!” the black man said. “Did you see that?”
“Yes! Yes we all saw it!” Charlotte drove like mad, barely missing vehicles in her panic. “I thought this was fictional, Poe! Why was their law enforcement trying to get us?”
“They’re… using real Scribblers on Earth to gain control. I told you this.”
She gasped. “Like… possession?”
“I don’t know!” he yelled.
“They were shooting at you!”
“I think I know that,” Poe cried.
“So this is real?”
“Are you asking if we’re all hallucinating? Yes this is real! What’s happening on Octava is apparently happening here. People are really being hurt here!”
The vehicle went suddenly quiet and Poe glanced around at all dumbfounded expressions aimed at him. “What?” he exclaimed.
“Poe,” Charlotte said carefully. “Our realm… has always been this way. The pain, the death, all of it, all the horrible things we write in fiction… are real here.”