Behind the Curtain

by Shannon Ainslie

  “Then your dad will remain blind to his past, your aunt will remain trapped in a crow’s body, I will remain stripped of my powers, and all of Sionnin will remain frozen in ice.”

  Her voice was quiet and firm.

  “The choice is yours.”

  She stood up stiffly, her face now set in a serious expression. She briskly put the caps onto the jars, gave him a little pat on the back, and left the room.

  Soon after, to his joy, Rose hopped up to him, still cold from her night flight. She followed him to his bed and perched close beside him, rubbing her soft feathers on his cheek.

  He stared at the ceiling, rhythmically petting the top of the crow’s head with his finger. She closed her eyes. Eventually, he closed his too.

  * * * *

  The next day was the last day of spring break.

  Rowdy was allowed to sleep in. He awoke confused that Rose hadn’t screeched at him to wake up yet.

  He stumbled to the table, and Granny brought him waffles, honey, and fresh eggs.

  “Congratulations, Rowdy. You have worked hard and gained weight and strength.” She placed a glass of water beside him.

  Rose surprised him next when she brought him his father’s old leather boots. His shoes had fallen apart.

  He put them on gratefully and followed her out into a beautiful first day of April, his belly full of waffles and honey.

  He prepared to run, but Rose was in no rush. She led him at a leisurely pace over the two small hills to the dirt road, a route they hadn’t taken since the Hugo incident.

  The sky was full of sound. Birds chattered and chirped, sleepy fat bees buzzed, mice rustled, and the last of the melting old snow trickled.

  Rowdy found himself stunned by the beauty around him. He smelled the fragrances, he touched the tips of new grasses growing along the roadside, and he soaked in the sun.

  Rose led him back to the opening in the pine forest to the rock that trickled with water. The solid rock that had reminded him of his mother just two weeks ago. He held the rock and slurped up the water as before, knowing that he was stronger now.

  After that, he reached up and laced his fingers over a low branch of a pine and followed Rose all the way to the top again. He took in the view, this time with more strength of body, mind, and spirit. He looked out across the vast land, at first exhilarated and then heavy in his heart about the task that loomed ahead.

  “What do I do, Rose?” He asked because he didn’t know. How could he leave his family frozen under Conan’s and Cern’s spells? And yet, how could he slice the beast’s throat? He wasn’t a killer.

  Ants were crawling on his hands. He stayed still, observing them. They moved in lines, each ant hauling a piece of pitch or cone that was bigger than its body. They moved with unfaltering purpose, taking full advantage of their short lives and commitment to their communal purpose.

  Rowdy was jealous of them. They knew exactly what their mission was and didn’t pause to doubt it.

  He sighed and worked his way back down the tree, his hands collecting pitch. He was wishing he, too, was an ant until Rose swooped down and pecked a bunch of them into her hungry beak. Rowdy shuddered.

  They made it back to Granny’s shortly after noon. She had baked him a cake. They enjoyed a small celebration, and then he packed his few belongings and headed home to prepare for a week of school.

  He ate his supper across from his father that night, peeking up to glance at him as he considered all he had learned from Granny about his dad’s bizarre childhood. His mind was burdened mostly with the thought of slicing Conan’s throat.

  “Everything okay, son?” his father asked.

  Rowdy shrugged and said, “Yeah, but I have a question for you.”

  Rowdy’s dad looked interested as he piled butter onto his potatoes. “Go ahead.”

  “Well, what if a bad guy came into this house and threatened me and Mom?” He paused to allow his dad to consider it, then finished with his question. “Would you kill the bad guy? I mean, if it came down to it?”

  His dad bristled a bit. He watched the butter melting on his potatoes as he thought.

  “Son, is everything okay with you?” he began suspiciously, obviously wondering why his son would pose such a difficult question.

  Rowdy shrugged again and took on a nonchalant demeanor. He forced some potatoes into his mouth. They got stuck in his dry throat, and he waited while they painfully moved down into his stomach.

  “Nothing serious, Dad, just wondering.” He took a sip of water to help the potatoes go down.

  His dad was quiet and thoughtful for a time, loading his fork up with buttery potato. At last he spoke.

  “Yes, Rowdy. The answer is yes. If a monster came into my house and went after my family, I would kill him even if it meant a lifetime in prison.” He nodded and took a big bite of food.

  Rowdy nodded, hiding his dread. He knew then what he needed to do.

  The following morning, he stood beside Jordyn at the bus stop. She refused to speak to him, turning her back.

  He wanted badly for her friendship. He wanted badly to share with her everything that was happening in his life. But how could he trust anyone with such important and risky information?

  He sighed pitifully, playing with a pebble with the toes of the new running shoes his dad had surprised him with. They were black and neon green. He really liked them.

  He shivered against the chilly air. The spring weather was a surprise each day; today it was overcast. As he stood beside Jordyn, feeling apprehensive about their relationship, waiting for the bus to arrive, it started to rain.

  “Great,” Jordyn grumbled.

  Rowdy stifled a giggle and jammed his cold hands into his pockets, shuffling from one foot to the other. He could see the orange bus approaching as the rain picked up in tempo. The drops splashed against his face.

  “How long are you going to be mad at me?” He took a chance at trying to break the ice. He missed her. He didn’t want to spend every morning ignoring each other. He wanted the chatty, annoying Jordyn back.

  “I don’t want to be friends with someone who keeps so many secrets. Friends should trust each other.” She didn’t look at him.

  The bus screeched to a halt with its windshield wipers waving frantically. Jordyn hopped in first, turning her green eyes on him for only a second. They were full of hurt. She headed to the back, where Jessica was waiting.

  Rowdy slumped into a seat, squishing his nose up at the old-apple smell in the bus. He heard the kids around him talking to him and looked up.

  The people around him were smiling at him and asking him how his break was. They were including him in their conversations and giving him friendly jabs on the shoulder. He nodded along with it, feeling uncomfortable.

  When the bus came to its final stop, everyone started filing off the bus.

  “Hi, Rowdy!” the girls said as they passed.

  “Hey, man!” one of Hugo’s stooges said with a nod.

  Obviously news of his recent incident with Hugo had spread among the kids and probably gained in proportion. He decided he would have to mend fences with Jordyn and hear how crazy the rumors had become. He would do this as soon as possible.

  When Jessica walked by, she looked at him differently than she had before. He put his arm out to stop Jordyn, and she glared at him.

  “What?” she demanded.

  “I’m ready to talk. My house after school?”

  Jordyn’s eyes softened. She tilted her head to the side and then smiled. She nodded and got off the bus with Rowdy grinning behind her.

  That day he was the center of attention everywhere he went. People made a point of saying hi and inviting him into their groups for lunch and sports. Hugo wasn’t at school.

  Rowdy felt the attention was disingenuous and even irritating. He was relieved when he and Jordyn got off the bus that afternoon. They took turns trying to splash puddles on each other as th
ough they were kids again. Rowdy’s new shoes were a mess when the two walked into his house.

  There was a note from his dad on the table saying he was at the job search center.

  A basket of bread and jam from Granny sat on the counter. Rowdy was hungry as usual. Excitedly, he put on some coffee and heated up the bread.

  Jordyn looked around the small tidy house. She hung her pack on the back of a kitchen chair and sat down, watching Rowdy.

  “You drink coffee now?” she asked. “Thought it was supposed to stunt your growth or something.” She casually tucked her hair behind her ears and settled into her chair. “It feels nice to be warm and dry.” She watched the coffee dripping and Rowdy spreading butter and jam on Granny’s homemade bread.

  “Not particularly, just all we got right now.” He smiled and slipped a plate of food in front of her. He sat down and shoved a huge piece of bread into his mouth.

  “Gross,” Jordyn said, taking tiny bites. “I might like a splash of coffee too.”

  Rowdy filled some small cups before the brew was finished. He was pleased to serve her. He was pleased to see her happy.

  He sat down and sipped the strong brew. He wanted to know about the star treatment he was receiving at school.

  “What does the school think happened that day in the field with Hugo?” He searched her expression for clues, but she just smiled and shook her head. She took a sip of coffee and grimaced, then wrapped her hands around the hot cup.

  “Nah-uh. No way. You first.” Her green eyes were so playful he couldn’t resist smiling, despite his anxiety; he didn’t know what he could tell her. Where would he begin? How could she believe any of it anyway?

  He leaned back in his chair and looked her in the eyes.

  “My granny is a witch.”

  She didn’t flinch, just studied him for a minute.

  “What kind of magic can she do?”

  “Manipulate water and light and make weird medicines that work.” Rowdy hoped that would satisfy her curiosity, at least on the subject of Granny.

  “Now it’s your turn,” he said, changing the subject.

  Jordyn nodded. She did seem satisfied with the news about Granny. It was so hard to believe that it was almost believable.

  “The rumors grew. The crow didn’t just rip up the back of Hugo’s jacket. It was so big it lifted him a couple feet off the ground.” Jordyn tried another sip of coffee and grimaced again.

  “Tell me about the pet crow.”

  Rowdy didn’t know what to tell her. He decided he would tell her the truth and hope she simply didn’t believe it. That way he could keep her friendship and not betray his granny. He made Jordyn vow total confidentiality. She nodded earnestly.

  “Rose isn’t actually a crow. She’s my aunt, who is under a spell cast by a timber wolf and a unicorn.”

  Rowdy took a sip of coffee as casually as he could, relishing Jordyn’s reaction. Her demeanor went from playful and curious to doubtful and then concerned. She sat forward a little bit and looked deep into his eyes, making him feel uncomfortable.

  “You aren’t being serious, right? You’re just kidding me, right?” She tucked a loose hair behind her ear again. The ruby stud in her earlobe sparkled.

  Rowdy went on to tell her everything from his visions to Sionnin, from liathroids to four-leaf clovers. He stopped when Jordyn’s wide eyes began to fill up with tears.

  “What is it?” he asked.

  Jordyn shook her head, bringing both hands up to wipe her cheeks. She sniffled.

  “I’m so sorry,” she managed to say, reaching out to touch his hand. “I haven’t been here for you about your mom. I just didn’t know how to behave around you. It must be so difficult.”

  He felt her cool, tear-covered fingers rest on the back of his hand, and his neck got hot. He couldn’t look at her.

  “Maybe we should hang out more?” she suggested hopefully. “Maybe you could just talk to someone, like a professional? And maybe you should spend a little less time at Granny’s house?” She nodded at him encouragingly, her eyes full of sympathy.

  Rowdy chuckled and took his hand back. He could hear his dad’s approaching footsteps cutting across the front lawn.

  “You think I’ve lost my mind?” He felt his smile broaden.

  Jordyn scowled. “You think this is funny?”

  Rowdy’s dad opened the door and entered, flapping a stack of papers.

  “Oh, hello, young lady!” He greeted Jordyn and bent down to untie his shoes, then looked up again quickly at her tear-stained cheeks. He glanced at his son.

  “Everything all right? Anything I can help with?”

  The pair shook their heads. Jordyn stood up to collect her things.

  “No, but thanks, Mr. H. Rowdy was just about to walk me home.” She offered him a genuine little smile of gratitude while pulling a silk scarf out of her pocket and tying it fashionably around her neck.

  The two stepped into a gray dusk glittering with fallen rain. Unlike their earlier walk, this one was more subdued. They walked quietly, watching kids zooming around on bicycles, hitting puddles. The air smelled fresh and new. It was nice they weren’t shy being seen together anymore.

  “I love spring,” Jordyn said, breaking the long silence.

  “It looks good on you,” Rowdy replied boldly. He meant it. She looked like an angel, her pale skin made paler by the darkening world around her.

  “Rowdy!” She reached out and whacked him on the chest, turning her face away. He laughed, delighted he’d had the courage to say it.

  “It’s true.” He shrugged, jamming his fists farther into his pockets. They walked silently until they could see Jordyn’s large historical home. He felt her hand on his arm and stopped. Brown eyes met green eyes.

  “Is what you told me about Sionnin true?”

  He nodded.

  “Okay,” she said, then sighed. “You really need to talk about this with a professional, Rowdy.”

  “You swore to secrecy,” he reminded her, worried she would expose him out of her genuine concern.

  “And I will keep my word.” She started toward her house, turning to give him a little wave.

  “Good night, Rowdy of Sionnin!”

  “Good night!” Girl of my dreams.

  Chapter 6

  Saving Rose

  Rowdy went home to find out what job leads his dad had found that day. To his dismay, when he got home, he saw that his dad was back into his whiskey.

  Rowdy scowled and made supper. Rice and beans. As it was cooling, he charged out of the house and broke into a hard run. He pounded up and down the neighboring streets, dodging the puddles. It was exhilarating. He felt strong. He pushed and pushed himself until he was nauseated, then slowed into a fast walk toward home, feeling his sweat drying in the chilly air. When he got to his front lawn, he pushed himself more, doing sit-ups and push-ups, more than he had ever done at one time before.

  He ate, drank water, and went to sleep. He dreamed of Sionnin, at least the parts he had been either told about or shown in visions.

  In the morning, he awoke early and exercised again. He filled up on the rest of the food from Granny’s basket and hopped into the shower, pausing to admire his reflection in the mirror.

  That week he worked hard at school and exercise.

  Some nights he dreamed of the Sionnin that was under ice. Often he would see the polar bear, Ondag, frozen solid mid-fight, his giant claws extended, his silky white fur flowing around him. He would see a unicorn horn lying in a dark cave beside a great slow sea.

  Sometimes he would dream he was scrambling frantically among the dark, dank corridors in the Great Mountain above the delta, and he would awaken trembling with the howl of the timber wolf in his ears.

  Some nights he would dream of Sionnin before Wizard Conan took it over. It was so different, so green and alive with wildlife and a bright blue sky exploding with sound.

  The Gre
at Mountain that Ondag had shown him in a vision wasn’t dark and foreboding; it was covered with many types of vegetation. Wildflowers burst in swaths of vibrant color across its rocks. Waterfalls spilled from all sides and gushed down the cliff faces on their way to an endless heaving sea.

  Rowdy wanted so badly to see this Sionnin. He would awaken with the taste of salty seawater on his tongue.

  He was eager to see Rose and Granny again. After school on Friday, he ran without stopping all to the way to Granny’s house.

  “Welcome!” Granny said brightly, swinging the front door open wide just before his knuckles met the wood.

  Stepping into Granny’s familiar house was like coming home for Rowdy. He stopped himself from picking his little granny up and swinging her in circles. Meeting her magical crystal eyes reminded him instantly of the depth of her power.

  Instead, he beamed at her, grinning from ear to ear.

  “Oh dear, look at your clothing!” She clucked and snapped her fingers in the air. “You best get yourself cleaned up while I finish making soup.”

  He looked around the room for Rose.

  “She’s not back from Sionnin yet. She will be very soon. We all have a meeting upstairs to attend this evening.”

  Rowdy removed his neon-green shoes and hurried down the hallway. He was excited to slip under the steaming hot water once again.

  It wasn’t long after the heavy water enveloped him that it started its humming.

  Rowdy smiled, knowing a vision was about to appear. This time, the humming got louder and louder. The candles in the crow-shaped glasses went out, leaving only a blue glow from the stained snowflake glasses that remained lit.

  Rowdy felt a shiver of fear and then an alarming, intense cold. The vision filled his eyes boldly and suddenly. His heart rate quickened. It was a picture of a tall dark tree with a sliver of light at the far top. A glowing liathroid lay on the snow at the base of the tree. A pile of black feathers—a crow, he saw—lay motionless beside it.

  He jumped up at once. He threw his clothes on without pausing to towel dry. He barged down the hallway, calling for Granny.

  “What did you see, child?” she demanded, studying his face intently.