by Claire Marta
Zook shrugged. “That I can’t tell you.”
“Do you know where I can find them?” Twitch asked, grabbing a hold of the other male’s bicep. “I need to find her.”
Whatever it took. He would find Lexi and rescue her. They were still on a date and he refused not to get her home safely or at least back in one piece.
“And what are you going to do?” Zook stared at him questioningly. “Go all Batman on them?”
“If I have to. Yes.”
With a sigh, Zook crouched down on his haunches. Fishing out a pair of silver dice he shook them in his closed hand before letting them tumble onto the ground. The symbols that were etched into the surfaces of each one was something Twitch were not familiar with. They looked archaic. He noticed the throb of magic that rippled from them the moment they touched the concrete path.
A half smile curved Zook’s lips as he scooped them back up. “Cool, count me in. Looks like we’re off to Brighton.”
“Brighton?” Brow furrowing, Twitch watched as he pushed back up onto his feet.
“The dice never lie.” His friends voice was low and serious. In the shadows, his face took on a mysterious, deadly edge. The eyes that glittered back held a wealth of secrets.
“O-k,” Twitch said slowly, his tone laced with uncertainty. This was a side of Zook he had never seen before. Not that he knew much about his friend. “I’m not sure how much time we have until the next train.”
In an instant Zook’s expression morphed. Back was the easy-going smile. “Train? No man, we have other ways to travel. Come on.” Not waiting for a reply, he strode down the street.
Twitch hurried to catch up with him. “Where are we going?”
“To find Nelly.”
“Zook, I can’t waste time.”
A deep laugh vibrated up through the male’s chest. “Trust me, this isn’t a waste of time, Twitch. If you want to get to Brighton fast, our bird lady knows how.”
Feeling even more bewildered, Twitch didn’t argue. If it meant getting to Lexi quicker he would do anything.
Lights from the closed buildings threw creepy shadows across the dark cobbled square as they made their way across it. People sat at tables outside as they enjoyed the evening. The murmurs of their voices and the soft sound of music were blown along on the breeze.
Nelly sat on her wooden cart at one end of the market place; a gaunt, lone ghost. Her faded wedding dress was fluttering in the wind. Shoulders hunched, her bony hands were resting in her lap. The pigeons she usually had around her had long since found somewhere safe to roost. She was watching a couple in one of the restaurants. A sombre expression graced her wrinkled face as she observed them. Sitting so still in the dark no one noticed her.
The couple were laughing. Faces bright with joy, it appeared they were enjoying a love-filled intimate meal.
As they got closer Twitch saw a glimpse of sadness in Nelly’s hazel eyes. It was so raw that it pained him.
As they neared her attention bounced their way. “What are you two up to? Twitch, what happened to your face?” Her previous emotions were wiped away with her concern.
“I ran into a fist.” He grumbled, rubbing his aching jaw. “I was out on a date and my girl got snatched.”
“They took her to Brighton.” Zook cut in, giving her a sharp, knowing look.
The old woman’s expression darkened. “A dangerous place.”
“A popular English sea side town?”
Gaze locking with Twitch’s, she adjusted the small blue cap on her head. “There are hidden under currents there that only the very gifted can see. A place of power where those with a darkness within them have ruled over for far too long.”
“You do know this sounds crazy, right?” Twitch told her as he blew a stray lock of hair off his nose.
“As crazy as your birthplace, the mystical island of Avalon?” Nelly countered with a sly smile.
Her words made him freeze. “How do you know about that? I never told you were I was from.”
“Twitch, you know there are things hidden around us that not everyone sees. Don’t be afraid of the power growing inside you. Open your inner eye.” Nelly encouraged, raising to her feet. “Seek the truth.”
Stepping forwards, Zook wrapped an arm around her tiny waist to support her. Grimacing, Nelly leaned into him as she found her balance. Her fragile fingers brushed the rings on his hand.
“No. No way am I doing that. Are you fucking crazy? It’s unstable.” Panic rose inside Twitch. If he embraced it, he’d be burned by the magic as he had in the past. Already his scars ran deep. Anymore and no one would be able to bear to look at him. He’d be more of a freak than he was now. Not even the outcasts would be able to stomach him. No. He couldn’t do it.
“Nell, it will take time, we both know that. Don’t push him.” Zook advised, staring down into her waxen withered face. Gently, he tucked a strand of her white hair back under her hat.
“You two are seriously starting to freak me the fuck out. Maybe I should just jump on a train.” Twitch turned to leave. This was wasting time he didn’t have. Gods only knew what was happening to Lexi while they stood here chatting.
“No.” Zook grabbed his arm firmly. The rings he was wearing dug into Twitch’s skin through his shirt, making him wince. Magic was stirring within the metal. He could feel it. “We’ll get you there and help you get Lexi back.”
“How do you know her name? I never told you that.”
His friend glanced at Nelly. Shuffling away from his side, she shook her head with an amused cackle. Turning her back to them, she fumbled through the items in her cart.
“I’m going to be honest with you.” Zook told Twitch, as he rubbed his chin with the pad of his thumb “I’m a God.”
Staring at him as if he had gone crazy, Twitch rolled his eyes. “God of what? Bad Seventies style and riddles that make no sense? Have you been drinking?”
“Zook, you’re just confusing him more. Leave the poor boy alone,” Nelly chided. Taking hold of the handle of her cart, she wheeled it closer.
“Look, are you two going to help me or not?”
“Of course, we are.” With gnarled fingers, the old woman soothingly patted Twitch’s shoulder. “Come on, let’s get going.” Hobbling forwards, she tugged along her rickety cart. The click clack of its wheels drew the attention of a few couples strolling by.
Zook nodded encouragingly as Twitch shot him a look. With no idea what his friends were up to, he followed reluctantly. Together, they made their way back across the cobbled square. Nelly was heading for James Street. This lead to Covent Garden metro station. As they passed the empty closed shops no one said a word.
Abruptly stopping, the old woman turned to her left. With an expression of confusion Twitch turned his head to see what she was looking at. A gap between two buildings.
Twitch stared at the gloomy opening. He knew every inch of the city. It was something he had done on purpose so he never got lost. This was something that should not be here. As if it had somehow just appeared.
“This smells like magic.”
“See it too, do you?” Nelly chuckled in delight. “Maybe you are opening up, after all.”
“Don’t be scared.” Zook whispered in his ear. “Me and Nell will look after you.”
Twitch’s heartbeat quickened. He had seen a lot of shit in his lifetime. Being a techno mage, he was used to feeling the magic of this century. This, though, was different. It was ancient. Something forgotten and slumbering with so much depth that it stole his breath away.
Abandoning her cart, Nelly shuffled into the darkness. Head held high she gave no hint of fear. Twitch stood watching. What lay ahead was unclear. Yet deep in his soul he knew somehow this was right. Fate. Destiny. These were not things he had ever believed in before. But something inside him told him the moment he stepped after the old woman things were going to change.
Not dwelling on that thought, he edged slowly after her. Zook’s heavy footsteps joi
ned his own.
The buildings were tight together making the alleyway so narrow they had to go in one by one. Twitch glanced up. Even in the dark there was always some kind of light source in the city, but here there was none. He could not even make out the outline of the roofs.
Trepidation growing, he reached a hand out to trail his fingertips along the rough brickwork to give himself comfort. They were leaving behind the sounds of the street. The farther they ventured along, the sound of the people and music faded into a dim murmur.
“Ok, what the hell is going on?” A chill shot down his spine as he asked.
“There is a world inside a world, but what you don’t realise is there is another world inside the world you know.” Zook’s voice echoed around them. His words deep and sombre.
“Ok Yoda, what the fuck are you talking about?” Halting, Twitch turned. With the pitch black surroundings, he couldn’t make out his friend’s form. Palm out flat in front of him, it landed on the other male’s chest. Zook stopped at the touch.
“What Zook is trying to say is that you are part of the supernatural community that is hidden within the human world. But beyond that, there are guardians hidden among you supernaturals.” Twitch swivelled, facing the sound of Nelly’s voice.
“Guardians?”
“For both the light and the dark. We keep the balance.” The old woman continued, the sound of her voice moving farther away. “We are older than time itself.”
The jab of Zook’s fingers in his back got Twitch walking onwards again. Trying not to stumble, he fumbled for the wall. “Ok, please tell me this is a joke or something and can we please get some light down here!”
In a burst of radiant white sparks, a bobbing glowing orb materialised above them. Blinking frantically, it took him a moment to adjust to the sudden brightness.
Nelly smiled at Twitch as he finally focused on her weather worn face. “No joke.”
They had reached a dead end. Glancing around the compact space, Twitch’s attention danced over the brickwork that surrounded them like a tomb. “So, what? You’re helping me because Lexi was taken and this could somehow shift the balance between the scales or something? Do I even want to know?”
“Probably not,” Zook muttered from behind.
“Things have been set in motion which will affect the outcome of future events. That is all you need to know.” With a shaking hand, the old woman laid it on the rough brick work. Her hazel eyes became glazed with concentration.
It was then Twitch noticed the splashes of bright colour sprayed onto the wall. Letting his gaze wander over the image, he found the graffiti art work was of a tree. Lush, green branches stretched outwards, filled with an abundance of fruit and wild life.
It was so realistic he swore he could see the leaves sway in the breeze.
Symbols had been scrawled within its roots. Symbols he knew well. Magic began to build around them. It sent the hairs all over his body standing on end with its force. He had encountered nothing like it before. The magnitude of the enchantments coming from the painting was unimaginable. Something that should not have been able to exist unless it was a sacred place of power. His surroundings became blurred. How could all this be? How had he never known that this existed right under his nose?
The paint swirled before their eyes. Bleeding colours merged into a sea of abstracted shapes. Soon there was nothing left of the tree.
Sweat appeared on Nelly’s upper lip. She seemed to struggle as her fingers coiled into twisted claws. Breathing laboured, she slumped.
Zook shambled forwards. Leaning past Twitch, he placed a supportive hand on her bony shoulder. “Don’t overdo it, love.”
Nodding, she relaxed her clenching hands. As if the wall had been waiting for that moment, a solid, shiny, grey metal doorway formed. They could see no hinges or handle to open the thing.
“Now what?” Twitch asked, eyeing the orb above his head. How long it would last, he had no idea.
“Now, we open it,” Zook replied, curling his fingers into a fist. The silver rings he was wearing gleamed in the light. Bringing his hand forward, he bumped his knuckles against the door.
Something clunked. A second later it swung open. Thrusting some wild messy curls out of his face, Twitch looked through with curiosity.
A white gravel path stretched like a beacon among a grey shapeless horizon. Nothing moved beyond. The harsh bite of a howling wind lashed at them through the gateway. It sent tingles up Twitch’s arms with an alien sensation of something not of this world.
In silence, Zook stepped through. Gravel crunched beneath his biker boots as he pivoted around to assist Nelly. Carefully taking her arm, he patiently helped her through.
“What is this place?”
“Some call it the in between. Others the nether. It is a place between realities.” Zook answered Twitch as he shifted to the side so Twitch had room to pass. “A corridor we can travel through from one place to the next.”
Now that they were inside the view changed. No longer grey, the landscape around them was a chaotic, never-ending, melding and shifting of colours. Much like the mural that had bled into one another when Nelly called forth the door. This place seemed to mimic that. Deserts clashed with forests, breaking into each other like waves before dissolving into one. Mountain ranges collided into oceans with a savage impact. It was as if the place was constantly rewriting itself; a continuing flux of indecision.
“Do not stray from the path. If you do, you will become lost in unreality.” Nelly’s calm voice dragged Twitch from his gawking.
“Unreality?” He questioned, checking to make sure his feet were firmly on the gravel.
“It’s like a state of limbo, but with nasty beings that will happily feast on you until the end of eternity.” Zook’s expression held a look of excited anticipation. Like this adventure was giving him a buzz.
“And these pebbles are safe?” With a finger, Twitch pointed at the path.
“It’s the only thing connecting us to our own reality, and yes, it’s perfectly safe.” Slowly, the old woman straightened her faded wedding dress. The hem kept snagging along the floor as she walked forward. Zook fell into step behind her. Trailing at the back, Twitch matched their speed.
“The painting back there? I felt something that should not exist in London. A place of power.” Twitch shared, trying to wrap his head around all he was seeing. Coming from a hidden mystical island it should not have been surprising. But having something like this hidden right under his nose was unbelievable, even for him.
Nelly chuckled. “Twitch, that city was built on things that existed long before settlers came along to inhabit it. Buried beneath, only a few of us know how to awaken and access it.”
“Well, call me Alice and take me to the tea party,” Twitch purred back.
“You might need something stronger than tea by the time tonight is over.” Zook grinned roguishly at him over his shoulder.
Gaze skimming the undulating scenes, Twitch thought he saw something rippling among the disorder; loose forms that liquefied seconds after manifesting. Whatever they were they kept pace with his group. Were these the things Zook had mentioned? The beings who lived here?
Whatever they were, they made his friends edgy and alert. Nelly’s head was tilted to the left as they walked. Zook was observing the right.
“Where’s the way out?” Twitch questioned, feeling uneasy... The constant movement was making him sea sick. What he wanted was fresh air and something solid to stare at.
“Just up ahead,” Zook muttered, distracted. “It looks like we won’t have any trouble this time.”
A grey door hovered ahead of them in the path. It was flapping in the breeze as if it were made of tissue paper rather than metal, but something kept it fixed in place. No matter how hard the howling wind blew, it could not dislodge it.
“What kind of trouble?”
“Sometimes the creatures that live in this chaos get hungry.” Nelly’s voice was low. �
��They will attempt to snatch a traveller from the road.”
“Let’s get the fuck out of here then.” Twitch panicked, increasing his speed. “I can’t let Lexi down by getting eaten by some alien monster, because it has the fucking munchies. This date has turned into one epic disaster. Guaranteed she won’t want to see me again after this.”
“Boy, of course she will. This evening is one she won’t readily forget.” Nelly cut in.
“All right all right, calm down.” Zook raised his palms in the air in a gesture of calmness. “Let’s not draw too much attention to ourselves.”
Reaching their destination, Nelly reached out to the doorway. It was still fluttering like a kite, but the moment her fingers made contact, it hardened into metal. With a shudder, she released a shaky sigh.
“Nellianthia?” Zook questioned softly. Roguish face a mask of concern, his velvety brown eyes never once left the old woman.
“I’m fine.”
Looking unconvinced, he reached passed her shoulder to bump the surface with the knuckles of his fisted hand. His rings clinked together with the action. The door swung outwards. Before them, they could see the wooden boards of a pier. A night sky was filled with stars and the sound of the ocean lapping against a beach could be heard.
Wrapping an arm around Nelly’s thin frame, Zook lifted her quickly across the threshold. She groaned. Fingers digging deep into his forearm she steadied herself on the other side. With a grunt, he joined her.
Screeching shrieks now joined the wind. Not daring to look at what lay behind them, Twitch scrambled out.
Bang. Slamming shut, the portal vanished within a blink of an eye. With it went the unease that had gripped them.
With wobbly knees, Nelly sunk down sitting on the boards of Brighton pier. They were outside the main pavilion. Gates locked, the shops lay in darkness.
White strands of her thinning hair had worked their way loose from her blue cap and hung limply down her cheeks. Eyes closed, it looked like she was struggling to find the strength to get up.
“Go now and find the girl. I shall stand guard here.” Voice weak, she did not look up. Instead, she rearranged her tattered dress around her legs with fumbling hands.