Neither Light Nor Dark: Destiny Awaits (Beyond the Gates Book 1)

by Lynn McCain

  He knew we had to conceal my identity. The mud had already begun to crack on my face and was not going to keep me hidden. Because we were not from that Sector, we would have to register within the Assembly. Arcadia was separated into eight different Sectors, Shims being the fifth. Calev and the others were considered outcasts because they were all descendants of the Searchers; Calev being the last of the first born. They belonged to Sector 8 and were made to wander within the forests of Arcadia. Each Sector had its own insignia that was permanently tattooed upon each member’s right wrist with a number. At birth the markings began and were completed on the night of their sixteenth birthday. This was when they were given their place within the community. Marriage was only permitted to those of the same Sector, and only one child could be born to each family. Any other births after that were penalized by the sacrifice of the child. Those rules were put into place once Reficul took over as ruler of the kingdom. He had men everywhere enforcing his strict laws. Anyone found rebelling was brought to the center of town to be tried in front of the Assembly. Men with eyes like dragons would torment the person literally to death. Everyone in the entire Sector had to be present, and no one was permitted to leave until it was finished; even the young children had to endure the torture. Reficul ruled the people with fear.

  Shim went right to work. He knew at any time a member of the Dark Winds could enter the house. Like a mad scientist he mixed together different liquids and began to boil it together like a witches brew. I expected at any time to hear him chant, “Double, double, toil and trouble,” and let out a wicked laugh. Maleke and the boys had already gone to sleep while Calev and I sat and watched Shim’s madness. The day seemed to have come and gone. Darkness had settled over the land like a blanket, hiding us beneath it. I lie back on a cot staring around the room at all the men asleep, exhausted from the day. I too could hardly keep my eyes open, yet I could not stop thinking about going before the Assembly, wondering if we would get caught. I shook the thought, I had to find my father, at least see if he was still alive.

  Calev sat in the corner leaned over with his head in his hands. He looked as if all the weight of the entire world was upon him. Soon, glancing in my direction, he caught my eye. He could tell I was freezing, for my entire body was shivering. We were spending the night down in Shim’s dungeon, where the air was cold in spite of the small fire Shim was using. Calev slowly rose to his feet and walked toward me, the dim light flickering in and out of his legs with each step in my direction. Without a word, he laid down right beside me, pulling me into his chest. Lava seeped through my veins. Shim gazed in our direction but went back to his potion. The smell of his skin and the presence of his weight against me was all I needed. The shivering stopped, and I soon drifted off to sleep.

  Calev and I were woken to Shim nudging us both. He held two bottles in his hand and a large scrapping knife. I believe he had not slept, for he had a crazy look in his eyes. Maleke and the others were already up the stairs, at the request of Shim, to give me some privacy. He had a liquid that would stain my skin and hair. He also planned to tattoo the markings I needed upon my wrist to go before the Assembly. There were also small lenses for me to place over my eyes that colored them brown. He had thought of everything.

  Shim apologized for being so forward but asked me to undress down to my underclothes so he could apply the stain to my skin. I knew it was necessary, yet it still felt very awkward. I reasoned I was still half dressed. Blushing, Calev tried not to indulge. Shim, on the other hand, was like an artist with a blank canvass preparing to create a masterpiece. I simply could not remain serious with all his fluttering about. His little legs seemed to run in place at times. While Calev finished applying the stain to my hair, Shim completed the tattoo of Sector 8 upon my wrist. Once finished, he stepped back admiring his work. Taking me by the hand, he twirled me around, looking rather pleased with himself. I picked up a piece of my hair and slid it through my fingers, observing the shade. Where I’m from, it seemed only sailors got tattoos, yet I somewhat liked peering down at my wrist and seeing the same markings as those of Calev, like we were bound together as one.

  At this time, Calev had not said a word about my transformation, just leaned against the wall with one foot rested upon it.

  Clearing his throat to get Calev’s attention, Shim finally spoke, “Well, what do you think?”

  All he got was a half forced crooked smile.

  Shim let out a soft, “Ugh,” rolled his eyes, and stomped up the stairs.

  “I’m sorry you had to change your appearance, Lily,” Calev sighed as he glared down at the tattoo upon my wrist. “I promised your grandfather I would protect you and now it looks as if you have been taken into slavery, just like the rest of us.”

  “I know what I’m doing, Calev. This will work, you’ll see; it’s the only way.”

  Even though the words were coming out of my mouth, I needed to hear them just as much as Calev.

  As we reached the top of the stairs, the warm air wrapped round me like one of Grandfather’s hugs. Running to my side and clutching both my hands in his, Shim pulled me out in front of the others to show off his work. As he did, he let out a tiny yell as if rooted in deep excitement. I had only just met Shim, yet I loved him dearly already. Not the kind of love I felt for Henry or even Calev, but a love with regard to friendship. One that I knew would take up residence within my heart for eternity. It always amazed me how one’s life can change simply by that of another, good or bad, and Shim was definitely good.

  For a moment, the entire world was in order, laughter filled the air around us, and the smell of food penetrated our senses; when all of a sudden, Calev smacked both of his hands against the table, causing us all to look in his direction. I could tell he hated to have to always be so serious.

  “This is no time for games. We are in a real fight; a fight for our lives and the lives of all Arcadians. We must not get dis-distracted,” he hardly managed to get the last word out.

  The rest of us, of course, felt terrible for losing our focus. From that point on, he and Shim drilled me on what I should say to the Magistrate. I was terribly frightened at the thought of forgetting all I should say.

  As we prepared to leave, I walked by a mirror hanging in the entryway. I could not believe how much I looked like Mother. It was as if she were staring back at me from behind some glass prison. I even reached out my hand, running my fingers across its surface. Fear gripped me momentarily, as if she were in great trouble, but I was shaken back into reality by Shim pushing me toward the door.

  The doors to the Assembly were so tall I could not see the tops of them. The sectors were laid out in the shape of a circle, with the Assembly right in the center of town. That is, except for Sector 8. They were not even truly viewed as citizens yet still had the same laws to abide by. In my opinion, they should have at least been given that courtesy.

  It did not seem fair to see the Assembly so large and majestic with the citizens all around living much less extravagantly. They were by no means poor, just not as extremely wealthy as those in the Assembly. Reficul’s domain was in the center of all the other Sectors, which I thought strange and a not very efficient.

  Once through the doors, there were soldiers everywhere, standing around as stiff as statues, with their guns placed firmly against their chests. Since we were Shim’s guests, he would have to go before the Magistrate first to explain our being there. Being a naturally funny person, Shim tried to laugh it up with the guards on either side of us, with no luck at all. Their faces seemed frozen in time, with only their eyes moving. Nervously, Calved grabbed my hand, and then put his arm around my shoulder rather cheerfully. Soon we were called forward to stand before the Magistrate, whom I had pictured as a hateful man with bad teeth and thick glasses. I thought I could do the girly thing and smile while twirling my hair around my finger to win him over. I was taken back when I looked up toward the large platform before us. There sat Parits, an attractive woman with abnormal
ly beautiful teeth and no glasses at all. She was the absolute leader over all of Reficul’s armies and had been instructed to oversee the courts in each Sector, as the search for the girl from Eden was underway. If it had not been for Shim’s magic potion, we would have all been caught.

  The entire thing was a blur. I was Calev’s sister, bla bla bla. We were visiting an old family member, Shim’s mother, who was very ill. I could not believe we got away with it that easy. I’d had a harder time getting things past Mother before. I did get nervous on our way out when the guards had to examine our wrists to record our numbers in their files. They scanned it somehow in which it appeared upon a screen right before my eyes like magic. I had never seen such before. The name of Calev’s sister appeared right beside the number. Lucky for us Calev had never reported her death. As far as Reficul knew, she still lived in Sector 8.

  Finally, we were headed back to Shim’s to, as Calev called it, “plot strategy.” He was so handsome when he took control. Maleke, Azriel, Baruch, and Eitan expressed starvation. Although by the looks of all four of them, they could miss a few meals. Shim agreed to take us to a small bar on the other side of town. He had actually already made plans to go there. Calev was not at all excited about the idea of us remaining in public but agreed when I told him that I too could use a good meal. There was a small sign hanging out front that read Be’te-avon. Inside it was dark, and smoke filled the air. We were escorted to a room in the back, behind an ornate curtain that hung from ceiling to floor. There were no chairs, only a small table in the center of the room with cushions on the floor. Music danced around the room like fairies in the darkness, each note reaching inside and permanently leaving its mark upon your soul.

  After filling our bodies so full we could barely move, we sat and somewhat celebrated our small victory of the day. Maleke and Azriel lie back on the floor using the cushions like pillows. All of a sudden, four large, scary looking fellows pulled the curtain back and put an end to our celebration. Calev immediately pulled me behind him. Shim jumped to his feet; the top of his head only reaching just above their waists. He stood between them and Calev, who by that time, looked ready to fight.

  “Calm down my friend,” Shim started. “Now don’t be angry with me, but I have enlisted the help of some of my friends. They plan to help us in the fight against Reficul,” his voice lowered.

  Grabbing Shim by the shirt, Calev pulled him off to the corner. The four men started after Calev, but Shim put his hand up as if telling them he was ok. To this day I have no idea what Shim said, but within seconds Calev was back to himself welcoming the men to our table. Very quietly they spoke of many all over the land that were aware of the girl of Eden and her presence among them. The searchers hidden among all the Sectors had already begun to prepare their people for war.

  Tizipporah, who had the ability to transform into any type of bird, large or small, had been to the chief Searchers within each Sector and told them of Amlachi’s death and the prophecy’s fulfillment through the one of Eden. I could see confidence restored to Calev’s heart. It seemed after Amlachi’s death that he had almost lost all hope. The four men left almost as quickly as they had appeared. They rest of us headed back to Shim’s house while Maleke and the boys decided to reach out to more of the Searchers in Sector 5. To be honest, they had their hearts set on the beautiful women leaving the bar just as we were. They ran after them like lost puppies.

  “Brother,” Calev yelled in a fatherly tone.

  Maleke ran back rather quickly, not wanting to lose sight of the girls.

  “Be careful Maleke, don’t trust anyone and stay out of trouble would you?” he finished while rubbing his hand across Maleke’s head, messing up his hair.

  Maleke just patted him on the back and smiled his obnoxious smile, showing all of his beautiful teeth, as he ran back to the girls who were waiting for him on the corner. Eitan stood between two of them with each of his arms draped over their shoulders.

  I knew what type of girls they were. I had seen many like them in the city before with Mother. She would always state how tacky and unladylike they were. “Kerb-crawler,” she called them, yet they always did look beautiful to me, as did the ladies Maleke and the boys left with. I peered down at myself. I had on the clothes that the women in Sector 8 were made to wear. Rather drab and ugly, I might add. Everything was the color of mud, dirty, stinky mud. Even my skin and hair were mucky looking. Before I could stop it, I felt the girl thing rising up inside my throat like vomit from a sour stomach. Jealousy raged her wretched head, and I felt ugly and ashamed at my appearance.

  Noticing the inner turmoil going on inside me, Calev placed his fingers under my chin, raising my face up toward his. He glared into my now dark eyes.

  “Outward beauty will fade and wrinkle like the petals from a once vibrant rose, but the beauty in one’s heart will remain and shine even brighter as one grows in years.”

  It sounded lovely, especially coming from Calev’s lips, each word falling out of his mouth with such intensity. I smiled yet thought I would at least like to have a little beauty for the outside as well, especially if it was soon going to fade and wrinkle with time. It’s crazy how something that was spoken so kindly could reveal such vanity within me.

  Before I knew it, we were back at Shim’s. There was still plenty of daylight left, yet I felt exhausted. As I passed the mirror walking into the house, a sharp pain pierced through my side. Losing my balance, I fell right into it, knocking it off the wall. I caught myself with both hands, landing upon its broken surface. As my eyes peered into the polished metal, I saw Mother. She was hurt, alone in a dark place with chains upon her wrists.

  Still in a daze, Shim grabbed for my arm. Out of a place somewhere deep inside, hidden even from myself, I suppose, I turned and with a broken piece of the mirror within my hand, slashed right through Shim’s arm. Calev grabbed me and started shaking me rather brutally. I, of course, came back to my senses and began to cry uncontrollably. I knew I had seen her. I felt her pain in my own body. I thought she must have come looking for me and was caught by Reficul. Calev tried to comfort me to no avail. That is until I saw Shim lying on the floor grasping his butchered arm. Pulling at my skirt, I tore off a piece of the fabric and wrapped it around Shim’s arm, feeling awful for hurting him.

  He was so lovely, in spite of my slicing through his skin, he still managed a smile, turned to Calev and groaned, “I think she’ll do just fine, just fine indeed.”

  Rising to his feet, he excused himself and went to bandage his arm more properly.

  I turned to Calev in total desperation. I was ready to leave at that very moment. I didn’t care what I had to do. I just knew I had to save Mother.

  “Lily, you’re not thinking clearly. If we are to save anyone we need help. We need an army,” he yelled and headed up to the top of the roof.

  I followed, pleading for him to please help. Ignoring me, he paced back and forth across the roof. I could tell he was worried about Maleke and the others. He pulled the strange horn from within his pocket that he had used to call Tizipporah the first time I had ever seen her. Except this time, it made no noise, none at all. Within minutes, a tiny bird perched upon the arm of the chair I was sitting in. I motioned for Calev, who was still staring up at the sky, to come over to me. Kneeling down before me, he put out his finger, and the tiny bird fluttered right up to it, encircling it with her tiny claws. Calev’s face twisted with his crooked smile.

  “It’s her!” he whispered.

  I too became filled with emotion. I felt as if we were playing a game of scavenger hunt, each clue bringing us closer to the answer, like we were going to find a surprise at the end of the journey. Maybe a chest full of gold or silver, yet this was not a game at all. I wondered why Grandfather had not just told me what to do, who I was. He had left me to figure out all the clues on my own. It was real, he was dead, and Mother was in trouble. I became angry at him for leaving me alone.

  Calev and I took the bird insid
e and down to Shim’s dungeon. He, of course, followed. Again, before our eyes, Tizipporah transformed into her beautiful self. You would have thought Shim had seen a ghost. His little legs ran as fast as they could behind Calev. I looked at Tizipporah, and we both began to laugh. As Calev stepped aside, Shim was there crouching on his knees. Once he realized we were all staring at him, he scurried to his feet; his face flushed.

  “Well done dear, little Shim. You are a master of disguise. Why, I almost did not even recognize Lily,” she congratulated.

  It was like she was Saint Nicholas or something, knowing if you had been naughty or nice. Wasting no time, I told her about Mother, about seeing her in chains.

  Dropping her head to her chest, she simply said, “Asir.”

  I searched for meaning in the eyes of my friends.

  “We will meet at dawn. It’s starting,” she continued, and with fire in her eyes she whispered, “Acharit hyamin.”

  Calev and Shim’s faces hit the ground, both as if they had been slapped over by someone, or something. The entire room filled with blinding light and just like that she was gone. Darkness filed the air around us so thick you could almost feel the weight of it resting upon you. The power of her exit had blown the torches out, so Calev began to scramble about trying to light his up. Slowly the small, flickering flame grew large enough to light the space around us. Shim, the poor thing, was still lying on the floor.

  Pulling him to his feet, Calev shouted, “You heard her, the end, it is the end.” He laughed out loud and danced me around the room, “It’s time for you to meet your destiny my sweet, Lily flower.”

  We headed back up to the roof to wait for Maleke and the others while Shim tinkered with something in the kitchen. Calev called for the fairies of the sky to spread the word that we would meet near the base of Mount Alianza at dawn. I watched from the rooftop as the fairies went to work. It looked as if every star in the sky began to descend down upon Arcadia. Calev kept his eyes on me as I stood in awe of how beautiful it was. I never knew that the fairies were what lit up the night’s sky. I wondered if it was the same on earth, did fairies watch over Eden. The entire sky sparkled, each fairy glistening like tiny rain drops. Walking closer to me, Calev placed his hands over mine and pulled me in front of him so that we were facing each other. I could see the lights falling from the sky from the reflection in his eyes. A light breeze made his hair dance across his forehead. My heart pounded within me and my mind went blank. I forgot about the fairies, about Mother, about everything. I felt every rise and fall of my chest, as if I were breathing in slow motion, if I were even breathing at all. His hands passed through my hair causing thousands of fireworks to explode underneath my skin. Leaning over, he lightly placed his lips against my forehead, singeing the skin underneath. A rush of flaming fire raced throughout my entire body. Running my fingers across his lips, he gently kissed the tips of them, all the while leering into my eyes.