by Jaz Johnson
“Here we see Fran Mousescawits, an employee of Clemming Zoo, and the legal guardian of Saphora. It has been confirmed that Saphora is also the leading suspect of the Jones case, which happened only a couple of weeks ago.” The camera zoomed in on Saphora’s disconnected expression, her gaze fixed on the eyes of the dragon.
“After it was determined that Saphora’s actions called for stronger forces, she was tranquilized, and carried away by security, and followed by her guardian, Fran.”
Footage was shot of Saphora falling to the ground after being shot with a tranquilizer, causing outrage from Arol, who actually began to thrash his skull against the thick glass. People screamed, and finally began running away from the exhibit once the possibility of him escaping presented itself. Arol continued, shaking the building with each thrash until he was tranquilized as well.
“The dragon’s apparent rage was made clear after Saphora had been taken away. And a total of 74 elephant darts were needed in order to bring down the beast, finally calming it down. Police are eager to get a hold of Saphora, as well as the owner of the Zoo, who had this to say.” Footage switched to a very tall, and very bald man in a brown suit, sporting a red tie.
“Obviously there was some connection between this dragon and that woman. From the footage I saw, it looked like they knew each other. I mean, did you see the way she was trying so hard to get to him? And his reaction. Obviously there was something going on there that we don’t yet understand. I’ve been working with animals for years, and I know what a bond between wild animals and people looks like. And that, is what I saw.” The camera switched back to the reporter.
“Could this woman have known this creature? If so, how? Whatever the case may be, I’m sure that this is a day that will not soon be forgotten. This has been Yoldine Carter, reporting for channel 17, eye-witness news. Back to you, George.”
Saphora’s eyes fluttered under closed lids as a soft groan vibrated her vocal cords. Her conscious had slowly been creeping forward from its visit to the past. Her head turned, as her eyes began to pry open. And then with sudden alarm, she sprang forward into a sitting position in her bed. She looked around, almost frantically. That anxious feeling soon fading when she realized where she was. Somewhere safe. And then the feeling of safety faded into a feeling of remorse, when she realized that Fran was not by her side, looking over her. Not wanting to stay in bed after what she had just seen – no, remembered, she flung the blanket from her and moved to the edge of the bed to sit up. She gave a glance to the bedside clock that read 5:47PM, before making her way out of her room with the intention of going down stairs to talk to Fran about what had happened. But as she rushed out of the door, she found herself running into Fran in the hallway – practically knocking her over.
“Oh! Saphora, you’re up!” she said with joy, springing forward and wrapping her arms around her neck to hold her. Saphora’s body actually tensed from the sudden affectionate contact, and her body took a few moments to adjust before reacting and placing hands on Fran’s back. “I was so worried … How are you feeling?” she asked, pulling back to see her face, while her hands remained on Saphora’s arms. Saphora couldn’t help but smile. Not just from the fact that Fran was showing a bit of the persona she knew, but also because she was excited to tell her about what she had just seen. What she had just remembered.
“Fran …” Saphora laughed, moving her hands to grip Fran’s arms. Fran half nodded, waiting for her to say something about her well-being. “Fran, I remembered.” Fran’s eyes shifted to a worried gaze as she heard the words. And she was hesitant to respond.
“ … Remembered what, sweetie?”
“So much. My mother … it was her voice I was hearing. My father. He … well I don’t know about him but he was there too.”
Fran’s head spun. Her eyes dropped for a moment as she registered the information. She remembered her parents? Fran’s heart rate spiked, as questions and fears rushed through her thoughts. Her parents. Her actual parents. Where did that leave her? Would she leave to go find them? She would, she thought. Her little girl was going to go searching for her real parents, and leave her all alone. Fran shook her head slightly, trying to compromise with her own thoughts. She looked up at Saphora, who was beginning to watch her questioningly.
“Uh, where? Was where?” she asked, referring to the mentioning of her father.
“My dream. My memory.” she said, quickly rewording. “It was like … It was a completely different planet, Fran. I … I don’t think I’m from Earth,” she said with a little laugh.
Fran’s brows furrowed, as she listened. She had always known that Saphora wasn’t human. And she had always been willing to accept that and take her as she was. With all her special gifts. She had always known that she was from another world. She didn’t know how she came to be on Earth, but she didn’t care. She had always seen Saphora as the daughter that God had given her to compensate for her inability to have children. She was never going to tell her, of course. She had done her best to make Saphora feel as normal as possible, as impossible as that seemed.
Fran looked down again, trying to hold back the emotions that were beginning to spill forward. Why did she have to remember? Why couldn’t she just be content with being there with her? She knew that Saphora would now be bent on finding her parents, and that she would have to let her go. But she couldn’t help but fret over what it would be like if she hadn’t remembered. If she could be convinced that she hadn’t remembered, but just dreamed it all up. Her grip on Saphora’s arms grew a bit tighter, and Saphora noticed. She tilted her head downwards to try and look into Fran’s eyes.
“Fran?” she asked, a little concerned.
Fran’s mind was racing, and slowly but surely corrupting.
What if she could convince her that it was all false? That the thoughts were false. A result of her fainting at the zoo? Then maybe she would drop it. Maybe she would let it go and not chase after her parents, but continue to stay with her. Fran shook her head, putting on a reasoning smile as she looked back up at the waiting Saphora.
“Are you sure it wasn’t just a dream, hun? We don’t want another repeat of what happened with the police.”
Saphora’s heart stung, hearing the words. Hearing the doubt. The mockery.
“What?” she could barely utter. “What does my memory have to do with involving the police?” she said, sounding offended, as she was.
“We don’t know if it’s a memory, hun. It could just be your mind working against you again,” Fran tried to reason with her. Saphora shook her head, dropping her hands from Fran’s arms and prying herself from her grip. She even took a step away from Fran, which caused her to frown. “Saphora,” she said with distaste. But emotion had stirred in Saphora once again.
“I can’t believe this …” Saphora started in a low voice, her head turning away from Fran for a moment. And then it snapped back up, suddenly stricken with grief and betrayal. It tugged on the strings of Fran’s heart, but she stayed quiet as Saphora’s emotion poured over once again.
“Who are you? Huh?” she asked Fran. Fran furrowed her brows and shook her head hesitantly.
“What?”
“I said who are you? Because the woman that took me in and loved me with everything she had is not standing in front of me. The woman who believed me. Believed in me! Where is she? You’ve done nothing but doubt me, mock me, and scold me ever since that day I saw Tebias in the woods. And again when I saw him at the-”
“But honey, you didn’t see-“
“Yes I did! You stupid human!” Saphora spat, making Fran take a step back in shock. Her hand rested gently against her chest to console its thudding beats.
“Saphora,” Fran stammered.
“You’re all the same! You never want to believe anything that you don’t understand. Anything you’re afraid of! You must fear me, Fran. Is that why you won’t believe me? Is that why you would do anything to keep my truth buried away forever?” she continued,
taking a step towards her now, making Fran retreat a step down the hall. “Well I’m sick of it! If you’ve decided that you’re finished being the closest thing to a mother I’ve had, then I’ll go find my own.” she said, turning around and storming through the hall. Fran’s mouth fell agape at her words as she rushed forward to grab a hold of the bend in Saphora’s arm.
“Saphora, wait-“
But Saphora ripped her arm away from her as she spun around to face her again. Fran’s eyes welled up as she realized that she had just drove her baby girl away.
“Saphora, please.” she pleaded, reaching out again to touch her arm. But Saphora’s rage stopped her, almost in her tracks. Saphora’s eyes shifted into a white color, and a large gust of winds leapt from her body, pushing Fran back several feet and making her lift her arms to defend herself. When the winds stopped, Fran’s trembling body allowed her arms to lower so that she could peek out at Saphora. And what she saw really did scare her. She saw the glowing white eyes, her hair, whipping about her head and face, the illuminated markings on her back, and the anger that seemed to be generating this immense amount of energy in the form of wind. Fran shook her head slowly, taking a few more willing steps away from her.
“… What are you?” she asked, barely over a breath. Saphora’s eyes faded to their not so natural, natural colour, but still maintained their ruthless glare.
“I was your daughter.”
Thank you so much for reading!
As a thank you, here’s a sneak peak of
Saphora vol.2 Residence!
Knowing exactly the shelf of the book she required, Artemis wasted no time scurrying in to find it. The large wooden double doors swayed shut behind her as she journeyed further into the familiar library. She had memorized every word, every photo, every map, every bent and wriggled page, every worn book jacket, every rip in every scroll, every dusty table, and every flickering bulb.
Reaching the bookshelf she needed, she ran down the aisle to the book’s location. Being the mere four feet and ten inches that she was, she was grateful for her ability to manipulate gravity. It was similar to levitation, though she could not control the direction of the objects, or herself for that matter, aside from up and down. Using her ability, she raised herself up, enough to reach the book that was about twenty shelves high. Gripping the spine of the book, she held it close to her chest, before lowering herself back to the carpeted floor. Her landing, graceful, immediately turned into a mad dash to get back down the aisle. She had a smile on her face, thinking that perhaps she beat the clock of fate with enough to time to alter it. Pivoting around the bookshelf into the wide aisle of the library, she nearly stumbled to a stop. Her platinum hair, boxing her dark face in with bangs, tied in funnel-like ornaments on either side of her face, swayed forward in the sudden stop. Her red eyes, behind largely framed glasses, went wide at the sight before her, and her grip on the book grew tighter with every strained breath. There in front of her, on the far end of the library with a smug grin, was Enya. She frowned as she tried to steady her breathing. Panic would only end things more quickly. Glancing down at the book in her hands, she thought of a way that she could get it out of the library safely. She needed the book to survive.
Enya smiled as she started walking down the wide aisle of the library, her index finger trailing along each table that she passed.
“Hello, Artemis,” said Enya. Artemis was silent, and Enya’s toothy grin spread. “My apologies. Let me introduce myself.”
“I know who you are, Enya. Guardian of Hades. Winged creature of fire,” Artemis spoke up. Enya giggled.
“I prefer the term phoenix. Though that does have a nice ring to it.”
“You’re making a mistake, Enya,” Artemis said, glancing around the room and silently making a mental list of the things that could be used as a weapon. The tilt in Enya’s neck corrected itself as her eyes narrowed.
“That sounds like you know what I’m here to do.”
Artemis scoffed.
“Unfortunately.”
“And yet you’re still here. Standing still. Have you lost hope? I would have expected you to run, being the tiny thing you are.”
“Do not underestimate the small,” countered Artemis. Enya smiled.
“Oh? Tell me. Have you seen yourself surviving this?” she asked as she began to walk forward again.
This time as her index finger dragged along the surface of the table she passed, her nail dug in somewhat, and left behind a trail of flames, barely kindling. Artemis couldn’t help but draw her eyes to the slowly growing flames atop the table. A part of her ached. She knew the damage that would be dealt to this library. And though she would not be there to mourn it, it burdened her conscious.
“I have not,” she answered, seeing no point in lying. Enya raised a brow, drawing nearer. “But I will not lay down and be slain.” Enya smiled.
“Good. I was hoping this wouldn’t be boring.”
With a swift pivot of her body, Artemis launched the book she was holding behind her at one of the large windows. It crashed through it, pages fluttering as it made its way to the ground. It captured Enya’s attention, making her head snap up at the distraction. In that time, Artemis dashed down the bookshelf aisle closest to her. Enya hissed as she ran up, making the same turn down the aisle. But Artemis was gone. Groaning in frustration, Enya looked around agitatedly, as if Artemis would be hiding within one of the many bookshelves. But she had ran up one of them and was now hoping from bookshelf to bookshelf, trying to hurry her way to the swords at the front of the library, held by hollow armored statues. But the sound of Artemis’ pitter patter atop the bookshelves drew her attention. She smirked, leaping to the stop of the bookshelf to her left, and spotted her, hopping away.
“Now you run!” Enya laughed, jerking her wrist forward and sending a ball of fire charging at Artemis.
Hearing the sounds of the crackling flames, she ducked, letting the ball rush past her into the wall. She looked behind her, and saw that Enya was aiming to throw another. Focusing on the bookshelf that Enya was standing on, she released its gravitational pull, causing it to lift into the air. Startled, Enya wobbled on it before looking up at the ceiling she was headed for. Making the decision to jump, she landed on the bookshelf in front of her, snarling as she looked up at the now hopping Artemis. She stood on the bookshelf, and started leaping after her. Hearing this, Artemis started sending all the bookshelves she had passed into the air. Annoyed with the trick, Enya’s ginger hair began to harbor flames as fire trailed down her arms into her hands. Launch after launch, fire struck down the bookshelves as Enya fought to stay balanced on one. After the bookshelves were struck down, there was nothing in the way of aiming for Artemis. A stream of fire chased after Artemis’ figure. She twisted to the side, but was still licked by the flames. She groaned in pain, wobbling to the edge of the bookshelf. She winced, holding onto her arm as she looked over at the grinning Enya.
As Enya powered another stream of fire, Artemis stood and leaped into the air to avoid the hit. Her manipulation keeping her safely afloat. Using the nearby chandelier to kick off of, Artemis flipped, allowing her feet to make contact with the ceiling. Once they did, she took off in a mad dash to continue towards the front of the library, now only a short jog away.
The library was quickly being consumed in flames by the time Artemis reached and drew the sword from the lifeless hands of the armored statue. But still, she felt a surge of confidence once she possessed it. Enya, on the other hand, laughed, in mockery of the decision.
“A sword. How valiant. But I wonder if you’re trained to use it,” Enya jabbed. With some fancy wrist work, Artemis held the sword in a combat ready stance, and glared at Enya.
“Come and find out for yourself.”
“I intend to.” Drawing the sword that was sheathed against her back, she took careful, yet confident steps towards the ready Artemis.
Artemis took her cautious step forward. And then they were upon each othe
r. Blades colliding, bodies dancing in the struggle to land a significant blow upon one another. After several unsuccessful attempts, the two pressed their swords against one another’s, eyes locking before they pushed off each other, taking several steps back. Already having exerted most of her energy during the flight to retrieve the sword, and the scramble to gather the information, Artemis was now panting. It didn’t help that smoke was now beginning to fill the room from the flames that were eating away at the library. She coughed, wiping her forehead as Enya giggled.
“Not bad!” Enya applauded. “It’s a pity though. Had you laid down to be slain,” Enya smiled. Artemis glared. “You may have spared this library.”
Artemis frowned, and charged at Enya again with a cry of anger. Enya readily picked up her sword, happy to engage with her. Their blades clashed again, and their hair whipped about their faces. But this time, when Enya’s sword raised for an attack, Artemis stole its gravitational pull, aiming to banish it to the ceiling. Enya’s eyes widened, caught off guard as she grunted, trying to keep control of the sword. Artemis spun with her sword, cutting Enya across her torso. She scowled, letting go of her sword to back away and hold a hand over her now bleeding torso. She backed away, just enough to be under the now floating sword. Artemis waited the split second for the sword to point downwards, before applying a harsh gravity, aiming to slice the sword through Enya’s skull. But she made the mistake of gesturing her hand towards the sword, giving away her intention to Enya. Enya rolled out of the way, dodging the sword by a mere fraction of a moment. Artemis groaned, going into another fit of coughing, when her attention was grasped by the opening of the library doors. Mishka had pushed them open in distress, her eyes wide and her mouth agape.
“Artemis!” she cried, ready to run into the room.
Artemis rushed to the doors, wrapping her arms around them and pushing them shut. She used what energy she had left to apply gravity to the doors, as she pushed her sword through the handles. Mishka beat against the doors frantically. Artemis closed her eyes as she coughed, listening to her friends cries of denial.