by Abra Ebner
“Just leave,” she spoke again, this time with an angry assertiveness.
There was nothing more I could do. One more push would unravel all the progress we’d made. I backed away from Avery before turning and making my way to the door. I grabbed my coat off the crystal on my way out. At the door I looked back, watching as her back hunched further into her lap, shaking to show she was crying. I wasn’t sure if I’d ever see her in Winter Wood again, but I had hope she’d find her way. I had hope she’d see the light I still held for her, safe and waiting within my heart.
JANE:
Tears formed in Eliza’s eyes as she continued to watch the swirling world above her. Her next life was full of danger, and I saw why she would fear going back. Her answers had not been found, but perhaps I could be the one to help. Her interest in my life gave me the advantage of influence over her. I could make her feel safe again, just as I had tried to do with Emily.
Eliza dropped her gaze and looked at me as one tear fell from her eye. “I’d very much like that. I always wanted a sister like you—someone who feared for me, supported me, and was there to talk to.”
I smiled, unashamed of the thoughts she pulled from my mind. Just as Emily had been—always knowing what I thought of her, whether good or bad.
Her eyes lit up then. She seemed to snap out of one state and into another. “I promised to tell you if Max was coming back.” Her excitement grew into a smile across her face. “I believe your time waiting is up. I can feel him coming! You should probably find your way back to the river. Quick, we must hurry!” She grabbed my arm. “Is it okay if I come?”
It was as though the whole world had just turned over. I opened my mouth to say something but stopped myself. Just then, I felt another presence within the trunk of the tree. Eliza couldn’t hide the disappointment this visitor brought. We both turned. A woman entered the room, her hands held calmly before her. She wore a pair of blue pants, held on her thin waist by a set of suspenders that stretched over her white tank top. Her hair was long and straight, the boldest color of red I had ever seen. She was a figure straight from the seventies, this there was no doubt.
Eliza wiped away the disappointment and replaced it with a smile. Glancing sideways at me, her eyes pleaded. “Give me a quick moment. Then we’ll go,” she whispered. She stepped away from me and approached the woman. Eliza took the woman’s hands, trying to act calm, but I could tell she was rushing whatever it was she was about to do. They began whispering amongst themselves.
I felt like I was eavesdropping—an intruder at a private event. The girl eyed me, but she didn’t seem nervous about my presence, just curious.
Eliza nodded and giggled, bringing the girls attention back to center. The both of them looked to the swirling world above. The girl’s eyes glinted brightly, reflecting such brilliance from her future that I understood what she was here for—she was ready to go back.
“You’ll find him. I promise,” I overheard Eliza saying. “You’re ready for this.”
I found myself backing against the exterior wall of the tree, my hands behind my back. I was under a spell of fascination. In my imagination I saw what it would be like to start over. My fingertips grazed over the rough bark behind me, my eyes fixated on the woman that had now been led to the middle of the room. Eliza positioned the woman facing her, hands at her sides. She shut her eyes for a moment and I saw her chest rise and fall as she took a deep breath. When she opened her eyes, Eliza slowly lifted her arms and ran her fingertips down the length of the woman’s body. Her fingers worked and moved as though picking at a veil of invisible fabric that had been draped over the woman. As a result, the woman’s glimmer began to gather and tug as Eliza collected it into her hands. She delicately wrapped and folded, taking her time. Looking lumbered with the weight of the woman’s past experiences, Eliza collected everything but the bright eyes and smile of the woman’s face, left floating in the air before her. With one last wrap, Eliza’s arms had gobbled her up.
Eliza, quite dedicated in what she was doing, then began to mold and press the nearly invisible glimmer. As she worked, the mass compacted down until the glimmer could be easily held in one hand. At last, Eliza stopped, cupping her hands together as though to cage the glimmer inside. Shutting her eyes, she whispered something before raising her hands into the air. I was too far away to hear what it was she had said, but when she was done, Eliza shut her eyes and slowly opened her hands. Cupped within her palm an object sat. From this distance it was hard to tell just what it was, but then it began to move. Two, broad, white butterfly wings parted, flapping slowly as though to test their limit. After a moment of gentle pumping, Eliza stretched her fingers even further skyward, lifting the butterfly into the air as it flapped its wings with enthusiasm.
I watched in amazement as the butterfly swirled upward into the golden ceiling. It was swallowed in the dust, spinning and spinning until I could see it no more. I closed my eyes and let my mind imagine what happened next. I saw a baby cry, a mother welcoming a new life into a new and different world. In an instant, all the woman had known of a life was gone forever. In my mind, she had been freed. What challenges was she to face this time? What chances did she have to find her true love? The feeling of relief in the possibilities that woman owned made me jealous—I wanted to feel that relief, too.
Slowly, I let the image of the woman and the jealousy I felt for her new life roll off my shoulders. Opening my eyes, I saw Eliza still standing in the middle of the space, though she was watching me with a smile.
“That was nice of you, Jane.”
“What was nice?” I asked, shaking away the assured look of fascination on my face.
“What you just imagined. I’ve never seen it like that before. Every time I send off another life I can’t help but feel trepidation for them. I dread what challenges they are going to face as though they were my own children.” She shook her head in shame. “My mind is a depressing place.”
The content feeling I’d felt drifted away from me as I tried to see it from her perspective. “Can’t you focus on their thoughts while you’re performing that task? Get in their head and soak up all the positive energy they’re feeling,” I offered. “It’s there for the taking.”
She shook her head and her eyes filled with a sudden pain. “No. I’ve tried that many times, but it doesn’t work. It’s the task itself that taxes me most. The way I wrap their glimmers over and over like a blanket reminds me of the day my mother died. After she had been taken to the morgue, it was my task to strip her bed and clean away all that was left of her memory. The wrapping of the glimmers always reminds me of the way I’d felt wrapping her sheets off that bed. Wrapping them and tucking them close made them still seem warm, but no matter how tightly I wound her sheets, eventually they had to turn cold. I knew that day that my human life was never going to be the same—My mother had been the only source of comfort in it.”
WES:
We followed Srixon through a door and down a long stairway. I hadn’t been able to take my eyes off the golden wall we’d passed by, now flashing in my memory. I’d never been to the priory and all this was new to me. It was amazing that I’d never known this place existed. Though I was trying to act unimpressed, it was hard given the ornate things I’d seen so far. As a foster child of meager upbringing, I was never exposed to a world like this, a world I often associated with grand empires of Rome. Everything was breathtaking.
I stepped slowly. Emily walking in front of me, then Jake, and in the lead was Srixon. On my arm Lacy was perched, looking ahead as I was. The stairwell was dark but it was hardly a challenge given the fact that my eyesight was improving the more time I spent in animal form.
Many dizzying steps later, it seemed we had reached the end of the spiraling stairs. A door met us there with a single torch to the left. Srixon opened the door and we entered a new room, just as dark as the last. Roots were hanging from the ceiling. I found this odd but not surprising given the fact that I knew w
e were underground. Here and there torches burned on pedestals. They led our way.
Walking along, I was annoyed by the dripping roots that broke away and brushed against my face and skin. The tickling sensation made my whole body tingle with discomfort and I was thankful as they began to thin and the room lightened. The change was subtle at first, but quickly picked up steam. I found myself shocked a few moments later as I stood in a now brightly lit space, seemingly roofless as though we had stepped outside. The roots that once grew from above had somehow changed into a forest rooted under my feet. Fall leaves fell along with a scant dusting of snow, just as it had been outside. I was confused. The ceiling that once was, was now a never-ending sky of gold. Walking further, voices tore me from the scenery, igniting a new sense of wonder.
“You’re really quite a cheater, you know that?” A woman’s voice began. It was the most beautiful voice I’d ever heard. “I don’t like playing this game with you. You always cheat.”
Srixon cleared his throat. “Genevieve? June? I have someone here for you to meet.”
I couldn’t yet see who he was addressing. It was as though they were invisible.
The woman’s voice spoke out again, this time closer. “That’s why you got so quiet, isn’t it? You’re cheating.”
She really had a thing for cheating—this was at least clear.
Srixon spoke again. “Don’t mean to interrupt . . .”
I heard the woman sigh with annoyance. “Sometimes, Srixon, you must practice polite arrivals,” the voice continued, yet still there was no visible source for it. “You know I hate it when you drop in like this.”
Srixon glanced sideways at me as though to roll his eyes. I looked away from him quickly, too afraid to look at him directly. The space felt fuller all of a sudden, and I jumped as cloud formed directly in front of me. Two figures appeared out of thin air, sitting at a table that, if I’d taken one step further, would have formed on top of me. There was a game laid out between them, but it wasn’t a game I recognized.
“Well hello there.” She winked at me.
I took one large step back.
The woman smiled. She was as beautiful as her voice, her eyes as gold as the sky overhead.
Emily touched my arm and stepped past me. She thrust her chin in the air, being brave as she presented herself to the woman.
“Is this her?” The woman stood, dropping a small group of pawns in her hand.
Srixon stepped in beside Emily. “This is.” He placed a hand on Emily’s back. “Genevieve, this is Emily.” He ushered Emily forward.
“Please call me Gen.” The woman reached out and took Emily’s hand, whether or not Emily wanted to give it or not. In my imagination, I saw a fight begin.
Emily did not seem to respond.
I looked to the man that was still seated at the table, he had his head down, examining the figurines in his hands—he didn’t seem very social.
The woman’s eyes lit up. “I can’t tell you how excited I am to meet you. We saw what you did today and I find it quite innovative. Not often do we get the opportunity to meld minds with a person still living as you did. Well, with all the laws over it and all, it’s a wonder we get to see anything at all!” She laughed boisterously, as though this was some sort of inside joke only a seer would understand. She looked to Jake and winked.
Jake seemed surprised if not a little nervous. I wished I knew what he was thinking.
“It seems our friend Greg hardly follows the rules, however.” She chuckled. “But, enough time spent chatting. Let’s do it again. Let’s give you another trip down memory lane—I’m quite anxious to see it in person!” She clapped her hands together before frowning. “I fear that even I can’t be certain what Greg is up to. There are a number of dark things he’s playing with and he hides quite a lot from my brother and I.” She made a ‘tisking’ noise as her tongue clicked. “That Avery is more powerful than you can imagine. I am ashamed to admit that she could even trick me.”
I could literally see Emily’s eyes flash with fire at the mention of Avery’s name.
Gen swayed her hips then, a new smile growing. “But I’ve still got my tricks. Max has been doing a wonderful job with her lately.”
Emily’s lips parted and I was afraid of what would come out. “Max is with Avery?”
Gen nodded.
“Is he going to kill her?” Emily blurted rudely, a sharp dose of spite on her tongue.
Gen just smiled, looking down on Emily. “That’s not for you to know. Let’s just focus on what you can do, shall we?”
My initial infatuation with the beauty of Gen had quickly faded. She was a viper in the grass. I looked back to her brother. I couldn’t blame him for remaining silent—why compete with such an alpha female as Gen? Then again, Emily was that way—perhaps it was a seer prerequisite.
Gen put her hand out, palm side up. “The pills?”
Emily reluctantly looked to me. I reached in the pocket where I had stashed them, not able to trust Emily with their safe keeping. I handed them to Emily and she passed them, lips sealed tightly, to Gen.
Gen took the bottle and shook it gently. “Lovely.” She struggled with the cap before pouring the two pills into her hands. “I’m happy to see there is more than one.” She slid one back into the bottle, handing the other to Emily. “Take it.”
“Right now?” Emily faltered.
Gen nodded. “When else?”
Emily stood with the pill in her hand. It was nestled into the crease of her palm, looking so innocent. The look on her face seemed torn between fear and delightful anticipation—I wasn’t sure I liked it. I grew up with the Emily of before—a drug induced, edgy, and admittedly troubled girl—and it pained me to see her revisit that life. I had fallen in love with the girl she had become—a girl much more like Jane.
Emily shook her head and threw the pill into her mouth. Everyone watched in anticipation as though her head would sprout a tiny image of Greg talking—it didn’t.
“Can you perhaps give me some space?” Emily tarted, looking around the group. “It’s not going to happen right away. Give it a minute.” Her gaze came to rest on June. He was quietly rolling a pawn around in his hand, still sitting at the table. Emily brushed past Gen and took a seat across from him. She crossed her arms against her chest and slumped down in her seat.
June slowly looked up at her and smiled. “Do you want to play a game?”
Gen looked astonished that June would ask this, or perhaps it was the fact that June said anything at all.
Emily smiled politely. “No, but thank you. I fear my attention won’t be there. I don’t want to ruin a perfectly good game.”
June nodded in return, looking only mildly disappointed. “Perhaps another time?”
Emily laughed. “Sure. Any other time I’d love to.”
EMILY:
I watched June as he went back to inspecting the figurines in his hands. He rolled each over and over before placing them in a line before him. His actions were so simple—so childish—it helped to distract me from the coming demon my mind was about to face.
A few moments passed and I felt my arms begin to relax and fall to my sides. My mind began to relax as well, like my brain was slowly unraveling. I felt the tight ball of emotion melt into a loose, frayed pile of yarn. It was then that I began to hear his voice.
“Avery, what do you mean?” he spoke, sounding angry.
“I can’t go with you,” Avery whimpered.
Was she crying?
“Why?” Greg demanded.
“I just . . .” Avery’s voice trailed into a bout of sobs.
“What’s changed? Why now? This was your war!” Greg yelled so loud that even I jumped.
Doing this alerted the others around me. Gen approached and I felt myself shying away from her advance. I couldn’t afford the distraction.
“Come with me.” Greg demanded.
“No.” Avery was still crying. “Stay here with me. Talk with me for a w
hile.”
I heard Greg grumble. His voice echoed off the walls of wherever he was. “I’m not that type of person, Avery. I thought we were in this together? I thought this was what we wanted?”
“I don’t know what I want.” Avery’s voice began to sound braver.
“You don’t know? You?” Greg taunted rudely. “You always know what you want.”
There was no reply.
Greg sighed. “I can’t stop this, Avery. I have to move forward. This is what I’ve always wanted.”
“Is it?” she challenged.
“What do you mean, ‘is it’?” he mocked. “Since I was a little boy I knew that the human world and the magickal world did not belong together. Look at what it did to me? I was cast out of my own family, cast out of society, and for what? Because I was normal?”
Avery once again said nothing.
Greg went on. “Magick is a disease. It infects everyone. The human’s don’t know it yet, but left untreated, this magickal pandemic will swallow them until there isn’t a single human left!” I heard a loud shattering noise as though he’d thrown something. “They’ll all end up damned like me!”
“We’re not damned!” Avery yelled with surprising fervor.
There was a pause before Greg’s low voice cut the silence. “Not damned? You’re changing sides, aren’t you? That’s why you’re acting this way. What happened in my absence? What made you change your mind?” he demanded. “You said so yourself just days ago, ‘we’re all damned’. Have you forgotten what my brother did to you?”
The sound of Greg’s voice, so dark and full of hate, made my heart rate quicken.
“It’s not his fault,” Avery sputtered.
I nearly fell out of my chair as I heard her say that. Gen gasped, and June’s hand jolted, knocking his figurines off the table. The voices were as audible to them as they were to me. I was allowing them to be a part of it.