by Bryan Cohen
Ted's mind raced and he looked around for something to patch up Natalie's wounds. "Oh my God, Nat. I'm gonna fix this." He breathed heavily and scampered from point to point in the cramped space. "I am so – oh man."
When Ted passed in front of Natalie, she grabbed him by the collar. "Stop moving."
Ted looked down at the impression left by the ropes on Natalie's wrist. "What did they do to you?"
Natalie rolled her good eye. "They served me tea and crumpets." She squinted and let out a low moan. "What did they say to you?"
Ted looked at Natalie and then at the door to the main hallway. He shook his head. "He said that my loved ones would suffer." Ted took Natalie's hand off his shirt and linked her fingers with his. "Unless we surrender the war."
19
Jennifer couldn't remember the last time she'd felt as happy as she did when Erica and Redican pulled up to the farm. With any type of communication off limits other than disposal cell phones, the only way to know her friend was safe was to see her in the flesh. When Erica hopped out of the driver's seat, Jennifer ran across the dirt path and leapt into the protector's arms. She cinched her arms tight around her neck and Erica spun several times.
Jennifer let the warmth spread through her body. "You're alive!"
Erica giggled. "And you're way too excited."
Jennifer planted her feet back on the ground. "Why shouldn't I be? You got the staff?"
Erica reached back and pulled the backpack out of the truck. She smiled. "I did."
Jennifer let out a sigh of relief. "Did the DHS give you much trouble?"
Erica seemed to scan her memories as she tossed her head from side to side. "Nah. Did spend some time with an old friend, though. How was Treasure?"
Jennifer fidgeted and tucked her hands in her pockets. "The same and not the same. Thanks for the backup."
Erica winked as the rest of the gang came out to greet them. It was almost like everything was back to normal, aside from them being in the middle of nowhere and on the run. The silent crops around them seemed to turn up the volume on their conversations. Everybody shared stories of their exploits, with particular attention paid to the flirting clinic Beth and Winny put on back in the lair. Jennifer knew she wanted things to go back to the way they were, but there was also something about seeing the gang together that completed her. If the book and staff worked, then maybe Ted and Natalie could join the party too.
Erica cleared her throat. "Alright, guys. If everything goes to plan, Redican will take the staff and the book in his hands, and a portal will open up to the Realm of Souls. From there, we can figure out where Ted and Natalie went."
Travis raised his eyebrows. "And if it doesn't work?"
Erica was about to speak, but Redican cut her off. "If it doesn't, the power might char me from the inside out. You'll be picking up pieces of me in every room of the house."
Jennifer paled at the thought of dodging parts of Redican flying through the air. Dhiraj raised his hand.
Redican pointed to him. "Yes, Mr. Patel?"
Dhiraj let his Cheshire grin loose on the room. "Should we get some ponchos?"
After several groans, Jennifer slapped her boyfriend playfully on the shoulder. Erica stomped her foot, drawing everyone's attention. "Enough, guys. We're not going to blow him up." She gave Redican the stink-eye. "Can we just give this a go already?"
Redican returned the disdainful look before giving her a nod. Erica cued Travis, who removed the book from its plastic covering while donning thick work gloves. Kelly twisted the two ends of the staff together, and they connected with a glow. Everyone in the room held their breath as Travis and Kelly handed the objects to Redican. He hesitated.
"If I don't make it, it was nice knowing all of your secrets."
Jennifer rolled her eyes at that, but despite all the evil things he'd done, she certainly didn't want him dead. Jennifer took Dhiraj's hand and waited.
After a few seconds, Redican gripped both objects at once and pointed the staff toward the wall. His body pulsed and his silvery hair began to rise as if he'd rubbed it against a balloon. As he shook more violently, a deep moan left his throat. In the spot he pointed the staff, a blue spark appeared. Soon enough there were several such sparks, and they all seemed to slam into each other. The resulting shape was a portal no bigger than a button. Redican's voice grew louder and he shook harder and harder.
Beside Jennifer, Dhiraj used his free arm to cover his eyes. "I knew we should've gotten ponchos."
Jennifer nudged him, though she didn't know enough about this ancient magic to rule out the possibility he was right. As Redican's moan became a scream, Jennifer put a hand in front of her eyes. Before any rain gear was needed, Erica ripped the staff out of Redican's hands. He dropped the book to the ground, and the small portal he'd created disappeared with a pop.
Redican collapsed to all fours and moaned once again. "That was not fun."
Jennifer got up from her seat and knelt by his side. "Are you alright?"
He gave her a cursory glance and looked straight back down. "I could use some air."
Jennifer helped him up, but her father came to take him off her hands. He put Redican's arm over his shoulder, and Kelly obliged by taking the other arm.
Jennifer's dad gave her a wink. "I don't want him to puke all over you or anything."
Jennifer shrugged. "Whatever you say."
Sheriff Norris grinned and nodded at Kelly. "Let's get him outside."
The three of them slowly stepped out the front door, letting a cool breeze waft inside. Erica, who was now wearing one of the gloves, flipped through the pages of the book.
She shook her head and mumbled to herself. "It should've worked."
Jennifer sat beside her. "It almost worked. I think an ant could've gone through."
Erica looked up from the book and gave a half-hearted smile. "Always the optimist."
Jennifer draped her arm over Erica. "Someone's gotta be."
The sound of vehicle driving up the dirt path caught all of them by surprise. Nobody had so much as paid them a visit in their entire stay on the farm. Jennifer's heart skipped a beat as Erica stood up cautiously.
She looked at Travis. "Get the weapons ready."
He nodded and darted into the other room.
Erica made sure she had Jennifer and Dhiraj's attention. "Do not take your eyes off the book or the staff. Okay?"
Jennifer nodded, but she had a bad feeling about this. Through the window, she could see Kelly having a conversion with an older man in the truck. He seemed to be alone. Perhaps he was a neighbor dropping by for a cup of sugar. Erica walked over to the door and opened it.
A gunshot rang out, and Jennifer saw the bullet wound splatter open on Kelly's back with a burst of red. Dhiraj reached for her as she dashed off, but Jennifer pushed his hand away. Several more gunshots went off as she ran toward the noise. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the gunman point his weapon straight toward the door. Right where Erica stood.
The shot fired just as Jennifer slammed into Erica's midsection with all her might. They tumbled onto the ground and the shot slammed into the doorway above them. By the time Jennifer had her bearings enough to look up, the man had already backed halfway down the driveway.
She looked to her side. "Are you okay?"
Erica nodded, but her eyes weren't on Jennifer. Dread filled Jennifer's mind as she followed her friends' eyes to the dirt path. She screamed as though her world had come to an end.
Dhiraj rushed to her side and froze when he saw the same horror.
"No!"
Jennifer stared at the bloody bodies laid out in front of her. Kelly, Redican and her father lay motionless. She ignored the hot tears that watered her cheeks as she sprinted ahead.
Her knees skidded across the dirt and she cradled her father's head in her hands. "Daddy?"
His eyes were open but lifeless. He'd taken gunshots before, but never one so expertly placed through his heart. Jennifer's
father was dead.
She buried her face in his chest and howled.
20
Natalie felt at least three of her joints crack as she woke up the next morning. She was used to waking up in pain; two-a-day workouts and practices would do that to a person. This was something else entirely. Even after the stab wound the previous year, she'd been on drugs so she couldn't experience it at full blast. Pluric did the opposite of dull the pain – he'd enhanced it. He'd made it deep and primal. While Natalie had always felt mature for her age, the man had made her feel young and helpless.
Returning for a second session wasn't an option.
Unlike the previous day, she could open both eyes, which gave her a look at their latest prison. It was more spacious than Razellia's basement had been, but the furniture within screamed mass-produced as opposed to hand-made. The air was stale and moldy, though Natalie had a feeling that the potential for black mold was the least of their worries.
As she attempted to rise, she remembered that Ted's arms were wrapped around her. It was the second time they'd shared the same bed since going through the portal. His touch was warm and his comfort helped her get through all of this. She tried to relax back into his embrace.
Then Natalie shook her head.
I'm weak. All of this is wrong.
She was too sore to remove herself from Ted's grasp with much finesse, so he woke up right away. Sitting up wasn't happening quite yet, so she gingerly rolled herself away until she faced him.
He yawned. "Hey. How you feelin'?"
Natalie didn't have the energy to glare. "You know how most injuries hurt worse the next morning?"
He nodded. "Yeah."
Natalie sighed. "Well, there's your answer. Thank God we don't have a mirror."
Ted reached for her. "Nat, you look beau–" He pulled back. "You don't look any different from normal."
Natalie shook her head and turned away from him. "This isn't the time for flirting, Finley."
He swallowed. "I wasn't trying.... Look, we're both scared. We need to stick together out here until the others–"
Natalie sprung up, ignoring the pain that came with it.
"What if the others can't get to us? What if they think we're dead? What if they died the day of the rally?"
She planted her feet on the cold stone and walked away from the bed. She didn't know where she was going, but she knew she had to put as much distance between herself and Ted as possible. There were too many thoughts and feelings that bubbled to the surface with her vulnerable and him nearby. As limiting as the pain was, she stomped away and yanked at the door handle. To her surprise, it opened into an empty hallway. She smelled the dry, sandy air and followed her nose. It didn't take long for her to find her way outside. The bits of sand that stuck to her bruised eye were more than worth the sun she felt on her skin. It made her feel less trapped, even though a few steps in the wrong direction would cause her to plummet to her death beside a fortified castle. Natalie looked to her left. A giant statue of the General nearly reached the height of the tower where she stood. It was an exact likeness of both the dark soul who'd ordered her torture and the ex-boyfriend who almost called her beautiful. Looking at the Ted replica brought up too much sadness. There were too many memories of what could've been. She flared her nostrils and walked in the opposite direction. She bridged the gap between her and the edge, leaning on one of the stone indentations and looking out into the cloudless sky.
She had a moment of peace before Ted came bounding around the corner.
His breath was heavier than she expected. "What are you doing?"
She scoffed. "I'm singing 'Somewhere Out There' to Travis. I bet he's doing the same exact thing."
As he gently put his hand on her shoulder, Natalie flinched and shrugged it off. She didn't need him touching her right now.
Ted crossed his arms. "I'm not trying to start a fight, okay?"
Natalie relaxed her body and looked straight into his eyes. "But you could have."
Ted squinted. "What?"
Natalie thought of their breakup at Page's. She remembered falling on top of him in gym class basketball and their team-up to deal with the amnesiac Erica. Even during the tender moments at junior prom and in Razellia's basement, the words had been brewing within her mind. She knew she'd have to let them bubble over eventually.
Natalie sighed and allowed the words to tumble out. "You could've fought for us. Last year, when all that crap went down." She let her fingertips brush against the top of the turrets. "As soon as Erica got back and you had the chance, you stuck your tongue in her mouth. Even though it wasn't really her." Natalie flared her nostrils. "You wanted a copy of Erica more than you wanted me."
Ted reached for her. "Nat, I–"
She brushed his hand away before it could get close. "And now you want to comfort me in my time of need." Natalie stared into his eyes. "I don't need your comfort, Finley. I may want it… but what I need is for you to take me home."
Ted was the first to look away. "So, you're saying I should surrender the war."
Natalie looked back out into the endless blue. "No. I don't think having a bunch of possessed Jason Torellos out there would make the world a better place." She leaned back against the stone. "But you need to find us a way back. I can't handle this." She pointed to her face. Natalie thought for a moment and gestured back and forth between the two of them. "Or this."
Natalie had nearly walked all the way back into the building when Ted spoke. "Okay."
She raised her eyebrows. "Okay, what?"
He walked up to her, stopping just short of arm's length. "I'm gonna figure out how to escape. And then I'm gonna get us home. Somehow."
Natalie couldn't help herself. She had to smile. "That's more like it."
Over Ted's shoulder, the castle stretched as far as the eye could see.
She rubbed at her face. "And if we can lay the smack down on Pluric the mind reader on the way out, you'll get some extra credit."
Ted grinned. "You've got it." He bent his arm at the elbow, presenting it for her to link her hand through. "Shall we get to plotting?"
Natalie rolled her eyes and took his arm. "It's good to know that being the most important person on multiple worlds hasn't made you any less of an idiot."
Ted tipped an imaginary cap. "Why, thank you."
Natalie stared straight ahead as they walked back to their room. She could feel Ted's confidence through their connection.
Maybe there's a chance after. Maybe we'll actually get to go home.
21
Dhiraj watched Jennifer in the back of the van as the vehicle bounced along an unfinished road. Her hands retained a trace of the blood she'd picked up when she'd cradled her father's body. Dhiraj helped her wash them off as best as she could, but Erica gave them less than two minutes to get out of there. She was certain that Kable had sent the assassin their way, whether or not he was a willing participant in the plan. Because of that, the farm was no longer a safe haven. Travis drove the vehicle while Erica barked directions at him. Their de facto leader hadn't unclenched her jaw since the incident.
"It should've been me." Jennifer's stare into nothingness was eerie. "I had Redican and then he took him. I shouldn't have–"
"It's not your fault." Dhiraj took her hand, though he wasn't sure she even noticed. "I know this is hard, but you can't blame yourself."
She gave the slightest of nods. "I wish we could've buried them."
All Erica gave them time for was to pull the bodies of Sheriff Norris, Redican and Kelly into the house. Dhiraj wasn't sure what Erica had said to Jennifer to get her to stop weeping over her father's corpse, but it seemed to do the trick.
Dhiraj tightened his grip on her hand. "Me, too. I wish we could've buried 'em, too."
Dhiraj knew he hadn't processed all of this yet. He loved the sheriff like a father, and he'd had faint ideas of calling him "Pop" some day. Dhiraj recalled the death of his mother three years prior. By the time sh
e passed, Dhiraj had seen her go from healthy-looking to ravaged-by-cancer over the course of a single year. He'd known it was time for her to go. Ted and Natalie stuck by him during his low points, and he vowed he'd do the same for his girlfriend, even though he imagined her coping process would be quite different under the circumstances.
"I'm gonna kill him."
The matter-of-factness in her voice frightened Dhiraj. He looked into her cold eyes. "Let's focus on staying alive first, cents."
Jennifer barely acknowledged his existence. "I don't care if it's on national TV." She looked straight at him. "I'm gonna put a bullet in his head in front of everyone."
There was so much Dhiraj wanted to say. He wanted to tell her that getting her revenge on Daly hadn't stopped her from rage-punching that field hockey girl in September. He wanted to tell her that shooting Kable would be a suicide mission and it'd stop her from being the girl he knew and loved. But he didn't say any of that.
"He'll pay for what he did." He put his other hand on top of hers. "One way or another."
Jennifer's features softened. "Thanks, dollar." She laid her head in her lap as the van rumbled on.
An hour later, Travis and Erica found a good point to rest beside an abandoned cornfield. Dhiraj opened the van's back door and saw browning crops in all directions. He doubted anybody had tended to the field in years, though a few stubborn stalks rebelled with new ears of corn despite the lack of care. As soon as they got out, Dhiraj saw Erica wrap her arms around Jennifer and not let go. He watched Jennifer cry and felt his heart break.
When Erica said they were going to take a little walk, Dhiraj was grateful. He also needed a few minutes of coping, and he'd rather Jennifer wasn't a witness to that.
Travis sat down beside him as their feet hung out of the open van door. Dhiraj thought of ride-alongs and boxes of fritters. He pictured the heroic and powerful man who stuck by them in all this inter-dimensional craziness. Then he saw the body, and the blood that still stained one of the shirts he'd been able to pack before they left. Dhiraj let the tears flow a bit, and Travis remained silent until the crying stopped.