Josephine Marlin and The Alternatives_Book One_A Friend in Need_Feilds of Elysian 1

by Karen Eastland

  ‘They know I will,’ Ann said. ‘I know I will, but you keep moving closer to me, so I don’t think you quite understand who I am Eric.’

  She thrust the despatulator at him, only just missing his hand.

  ‘Will what? Will what?’ I asked. I’d missed something important, and no-one was telling me what it was, although they all had horrified looks on their faces.

  ‘Ya jest be some girlie who’s had too much whisky,’ Eric said, taking a swipe at her with his despatulator.

  ‘You’re still thinking pre-sugaar,’ I called out, believing I’d caught up.

  ‘No Eric,’ Ann said slicing down through the air, missing his face by mere inches. ‘That’s what they told you to protect you. Now, Bob, they can’t protect you.’

  ‘Bob? Me names Eric,’ he said, pulling up from his en-garde stance to an upright defence move. In a more suspicious tone, he asked, ‘How’d ya get a despatulator?’

  ‘I know what your name is,’ Ann said, waving her despatulator around as if it was a toy. ‘Bob gave it to me. Anyway, I was just giving you the same warning I gave him.’

  ‘What do ya know ‘bout Bob missy?’ Eric asked, with his right eye twitching as he moved back to his attack ready position. He walked to Ann’s right and stabbed his despatulator at her, but didn’t connect.

  ‘It didn’t matter how fast he ran,’ she said, thrusting towards him. ‘He still couldn’t outrun my throwing arm.’

  She was getting closer with each thrust, that’s when I realised Ann had been toying with him. It looked like she was still hoping he’d just leave, but with every word she spoke, she made things worse. Eric dug his heels in; he wasn’t going anywhere.

  ‘What did you just say?’ he asked. Finally, there was a certain amount of healthy fear in his voice. I could see the cogs clicking over in his head, and I don’t think any of the Bob scenarios playing out in his mind would’ve been too far-fetched.

  ‘Bob an I had words earlier,’ Ann said moving to his left, thrusting her weapon in a little closer. She cut so close, I saw a piece of cuff slice off Eric’s sleeve and fall to his feet.

  ‘He couldn’t leave our ghoul alone either. So I cut him,’ she growled and sliced through his ghoul hide belt. I know I let out a gasp as it fell to the ground, but Eric couldn’t be swayed. He stepped over it to position himself nearer to Ann.

  ‘You cut him? Where?’ he asked menacingly, while circling Ann and closing the space between them. ‘Where?’

  ‘Just his hand,’ she said, that’s when I realised she’d been setting Eric up for a strike to his arm. He spun around believing she was trying to retreat, but Ann stepped in and struck at his hand. He was a lot quicker than Bob had been. He’d realised what she was up to just seconds before the blade sliced through the air.

  ‘It wasn’t enough for him,’ Ann continued. ’No. After dropping his spoons and forks, we knocked Bob’s despatulator, he had aimed at me mate Pony, out of his hands. Didn’t go too well for him then and it isn’t gonna go too well for you now.’

  I knew what Ann was saying, was to make sure Eric understood what was to follow. I also knew it would be his only warning. Sadly, he either didn’t get the memo or didn’t care.

  ‘Are ya gonna run as he did? Or are ya gonna back away quietly an’ let us go? This is your only warning,’ Ann said, and she rounded on him, then moved in for another slice.

  I could see she was deliberately cutting his clothing, and not his flesh, but that wasn’t going to last for long… Alright, I think she did mean to get his hand, but since then she could’ve cut him twice, but I watched her pull her despatulator back from connecting with him.

  ‘Take it,’ I hissed into the dark. ‘Just leave Eric.’

  They circled each other, and had been at it so long; they’d created a small trench with their shoes. Ann was only waiting to see what he decided. She was good for anything. Eric looked conflicted. Ann’s a human, and he kills monsters. I had no idea… no… I had an inkling about what could happen next. Brain and I were only hoping Eric would leave, even though we knew he wouldn’t.

  ‘Give me a reason,’ Ann said, lunging at him with the despatulator. ‘Just one.’

  Even I could see she’d follow through on her lunges.

  ‘What’s it gonna be Eric? Are ya gonna be another Bob, or are ya gonna leave us in peace?’

  Ann was asking for the last time. Kaz and I’d heard that tone earlier. Ann was about to go in for the kill and Eric was quick, but he’d missed all the big signposts on his way to the point that said, “Cliff ahead! Stop Now! Death is imminent”.

  ‘There’s no way she’s asking again,’ Deb called. ‘Please leave while you still can.’

  ‘Yes,’ I pleaded. ‘Leave us with our ghoul, and Ann’ll put away her despatulator.’

  ‘Now I don’t know if I can do that missy’s,’ Eric said with a twitch. ‘She’s jest finished tellin’ me she’s done somethin’ to me brother. No, I don’t think I can.’

  ‘Nope, I cain’t leave this one alone,’ he said after a few moments, then took a swipe at her with his despatulator. He had every intention of slicing it through her.

  I screamed because it looked like he’d got her.

  ‘I’ll cut you old man like I did Bob,’ Ann said, then lunged at him again, slicing a large piece of flannelette covered flesh from his belly.

  ‘Ya bitch, ya fuckin’ cut me. I’ll ‘ave ya, ya bitch, I’ll ‘ave ya head on me bike before the nights over.’

  That was the moment Eric decided Ann, although human, was worth killing. He held his despatulator towards her while feeling around with his other hand to check the wound on his stomach. He glanced down occasionally to see his blood was still dripping from his shirt to his boots.

  Pony had begun to glow. Her yellow eyes were bulging, and I saw her tongue flick out to lick her lips. She began moving towards Eric’s bleeding stomach.

  ‘Oh, God! Here we go.’ I said. ‘Pony’s ready.’

  We were right in the thick of it, and things were looking dire for Eric. I was busy wondering if Deb would be okay should things go badly, remembering how I’d felt, still feel, about what happened to Bob.

  Suddenly there was a loud sound of gushing wind, and a bright swirling white light began to grow out of the darkness towards the other end of the park. I was sure it was some type of portal. Not like the Star Gate portal, but it was pretty impressive.

  ‘Oh, that’s what happened to the sugaar,’ I thought, ‘he fell into a portal.’

  Both Ann and Eric stopped fighting, and we all looked towards the light. From where we were standing, it looked like the light had strange letters swirling around in it.

  ‘What the…’ said Kaz in a rising screech. She’d been pretty quiet up until then. ‘What the fuck is that? What the hell’s going on?’

  I wanted to say something but like everyone else had been caught by surprise and found myself stuck to the spot. I was captivated by the size and beauty of the light. We all murmured in surprise, as a woman stepped out of the middle of it.

  ‘Don’t let go of my hand,’ she yelled over the noise of the wind. ‘We have to hurry. The next portal won’t wait for us. It’s here somewhere; we just have to find the key. Hurry Jeff; they’re coming.’

  The woman pulled a tall man by the hand from the portal. He stepped out slowly, as though he was walking through water, and brought his free hand up to shade his eyes from the light of the portal.

  ‘What’s happening Kay? Where are we? Where are the children? Stop!’ he demanded pulling back on her hand.

  I could only make out their silhouettes against the light of the portal.

  ‘What’s going on?’ he yelled again.

  ‘The shadows,’ she said turning to face him. ‘They’re coming for me. They will take you to get me. We had to leave the children. Chris knows what to do. We’ve been preparing for this our entire lives. She’ll look after them. If I hadn’t called on my light, the shadows would’ve infiltrated e
very corner of the house. We had to leave when we did, they would’ve taken the children, and they’re not ready yet.’

  ‘The light I make,’ she continued, ‘kills the shadows, but it takes a lot to call on that much light, so we need to keep moving because I’m not fully charged, and if the shadows catch us, I can’t save you.’

  ‘Not ready?’ he yelled as the portal closed.

  For a moment I stood waiting for my eyes to adjust to the sudden darkness. The noise of the wind had stopped, and I could hear them talking.

  ‘What do you mean?’ the man asked while the woman looked for the key. ‘“They’re not yet ready”? Where are we going Kay, and what do you mean “you’re not fully charged”? Kay! Stop, and tell me what’s happening.’

  ‘We’re looking for the key,’ she said again. ‘Help me find it.’

  ‘Key? What key?’ he asked while sounding a little hysterical. ‘And what does it look like?’

  ‘I’ll know it when I see it,’ she said.

  ‘Well that’s a big help,’ Jeff said, sounding slightly annoyed. ‘Are you going to answer any of my questions?’

  ‘Our children are very special, Jeff, and they are destined to undertake a great task,’ Kay said. ‘Right now we need to keep skimming world to world. While the shadows are chasing us, the children are growing in their abilities. Each time we move through a portal, my light re-charges. Only when I am at full charge will I regain my ability to kill the shadows.’

  ‘Abilities?’ asked Jeff. ‘What abilities? Yours, theirs, just tell me.’

  ‘I’ve found it,’ Kay called. ‘I’ll fill you in when we skim the next world. Right now we have to go.’

  I felt a jolt of excitement as if it was I who’d found the key.

  ‘Come with me,’ I heard Kay say.

  Then everything went quiet for a moment until another light on the other side of the park began to grow. The familiar sound of rushing wind started to pound its way towards us. I watched the silhouetted couple run towards the light. When they reached it, the smallest of the silhouettes, Kay, put her right hand on what appeared to be the centre of the portal.

  ‘Hold my hand,’ I heard her call. ‘Hide your eyes, hide your eyes now!’

  I saw Jeff put his free arm up over his eyes. I squinted a little too, fearing what was about to happen. Kay made it sound dangerous.

  I saw her touch the light; then it wove itself around their joined hands. The light bound them together and began to twist down along the length of their bodies, before drawing back to its centre. As the light once more reached the centre point, another swirling bright white light shot out into the air. It illuminated the entire park. As it disappeared, it took the couple with it.

  I stood in darkness waiting for my eyes to adjust. After a few minutes, we were back into it with Eric.

  ‘God damn it,’ Ann yelled, taking a swipe at him.

  The light had revealed Pony still wearing her Cantoré Blazer.

  ‘Damn it Pony,’ she yelled. ‘Kaz’s velvet jackets in that lot. Why don’t you put that on?’

  Kaz’s protests went unheard as Eric took a quick lunge at Ann. She didn’t miss a beat though and peeled another strip of flannelette from his belly in retaliation.

  ‘Run,’ someone called to Eric, someone from the darkness. ‘Run Eric, it is best to live to fight another day. You find your brother now.’

  As Eric turned to leave, Ann took another swipe at him. The despatulator was so sharp, Ann took off his right arm, just below his shoulder. It was gasps all round again. I know my mouth had fallen open, and my eyes had almost popped out of my head as they looked down at his pinky finger still moving on the disembodied arm lying on the ground at our feet. Looking up, I was certain Ann had a smile on her lips.

  More and more I’d begun to wonder what the hell was going on with Ann.

  ‘That’s impossible,’ I heard Kaz say, as his arm fell to the ground. ‘How the hell did she do that? It’s just a spatula.’

  Kaz genuinely looked surprised. I wasn’t thinking about how Ann did it, I was thinking about what was going to happen next. Fearing it was too late for Eric, it was only a matter of time before the eliminator, Pony, ate him.

  ‘Oh, there we go,’ said Brain, just as I looked up to see Pony had moved in, and picked up his arm.

  We heard the familiar sound of crushing bone, and the ghoulish digestion of Scottish meat. Then she slurped up all the blood from the surrounding area. Eric stood back in terror, watching Pony move towards him for a full body Scottish snack pack, when Vila appeared in front of her.

  ‘That will do Pony,’ Vila said.

  Vila began fluttering in and out of sight. I kept losing track of her until I finally saw her sitting on Eric’s shoulder. She was whispering something in his ear, and his eyes had glazed over. He looked like a robot being reprogrammed. Suddenly he turned and walked away, and I lost sight of him in the darkness.

  Vila appeared on the branch above what was left of Bob and Eric’s table.

  ‘What did you say to him?’ I asked.

  ‘I told him he needed to leave. I also told him to get some help because his brakes failed coming down the hill, and when he came off, he lost his arm.’

  ‘What brakes are they?’ I scoffed, looking down at the shredded heels of my lace-ups.

  ‘Thank you for fighting the sugaar,’ she said coming to rest on Pony’s shoulder.

  ‘It’s not as if we had a choice, is it!’ I said.

  Choosing to ignore me, Vila turned to Ann.

  ‘If it wasn’t for you,’ she said. ‘I would never have been able to push the sugaar into the portal.’

  ‘So you opened the portal?’ I asked. ‘I was wondering. But where did you send him?’

  ‘Somewhere… or was it nowhere… I am unsure,’ Vila said with a sparkle in her eyes, and a wicked smile on her face. ‘It does not matter where, as long as it is not here. Wouldn’t you agree?’

  At that moment I’d felt as if I’d been pulled out of time. The air around Vila and I had become still, silent, dense. The girls looked as if they were miles away. It was like we were standing in a thick, murky bubble. Vila was the same size as me, and she looked me in the eye then said, ‘Wouldn’t you agree, Josephine?’ in an extremely odd tone. I was wondering if Vila was experiencing it with me, when her small nasally squeaky voice pulled me out of it.

  ‘What just happened Brain?’

  There was only silence, and it seemed as if Vila was going to leave, but I had more questions that needed answering.

  ‘Before you disappear again,’ I called, ‘how did you make Eric leave the park to get help? And how do you know my name?’

  ‘We all know your name Josephine,’ said Vila. ‘We just don’t know who you are, until you are. What you are… well that is still a mystery. You must tell me when you make that discovery.’

  ‘Eric, whether he knows it or not, helps me to keep the park clear of other beings who covet my garden,’ Vila continued. ‘He helps my men sleep without fear. After tonight, it will take a little longer for all my men to return, but they will. No-one has a better sleep than those who rest in my garden, as for my ability to make suggestions… Well, that will be my little secret.’

  Vila vanished again, and I was looking for her everywhere. I’d turned my head to the right, listening to the sound of her voice. There she was on my shoulder.

  ‘So, why did you need us to get rid of the sugaar for you?’ I asked.

  ‘A sugaar is only tempted from the Aether world by women. It is why only I suffered his intentions. When you arrived, I saw you were already a friend to the unseen and knew you would kill him for me. Getting him to fall into my portal was a last-minute opportunity to rid myself of him forever, because as you would know, death is never final, and no-one got hurt doing it.’

  ‘Except for Eric,’ I said, ‘and what do you mean, “death is never final”?’

  Ignoring me, Vila disappeared from my shoulder, reappeared on Kaz’s
, then disappeared again only to materialise on her branch.

  ‘Thank you, friends,’ Vila said. ‘If there is anything I can do for you, you now know where I tend my Garden of Men.’

  ‘Oh, there is one thing.’ I whispered, making my way to the table that used to have a top.

  ‘Yes?’ Vila asked.

  ‘Ann,’ I whispered. ‘Is there anything you can do for her? Maybe remove the memories from her mind about the things she’s done today, as you did for Bob?’

  Vila disappeared, reappeared on Ann’s shoulder very close to her mouth, and tasted her breath as she exhaled. I didn’t like that one bit, but Ann didn’t even know she was there, and I was never going to tell her.

  ‘No,’ Vila said, as she materialised on my shoulder.

  ‘No?’ I asked, wondering why if she was able to “glamour” Eric, couldn’t she do the same for Ann.

  ‘It’s impossible to take the memories from Athêna, the goddess of war,’ Vila said. ‘To even try would bring devastation down upon us all.’

  I have to say, Brain and I were not expecting that!

  ‘A goddess of war?’ I asked.

  I took a quick look in Ann’s direction, trying not to draw too much attention to myself, thinking it explains a few things.

  I now have a friend who’s a God. Damn, Ann and Debs heritage stories were true.

  I wanted to know more and Vila was going to tell me what she knew.

  As a side note, I hadn’t once stopped long enough, or as my old aunt Renee would say, I haven’t been out of trouble long enough, to think about why Vila would want to speak to me, how she knew my name. I know I hadn’t told her, where the hell did she take me when she did use it, and why were the girls happy for me to do all the talking without their input.

  When I got the time, I decided I’d talk about it with Brain.

  When being the operative word.

  Athêna

  I’d started wondering if Deb was also a god and if she was, which god. Did she know about it? Did Ann know about it? Is that why Deb wasn’t interested in checking Ann on the bike?

  ‘Did you say war-god?’ I asked Vila. ‘I don’t understand what you mean?’