Karen nodded. Reed grunted. And Marsha put her head down.
I met Sam’s eyes and nodded.
Sam nodded with me. “Alright…let’s make this happen.”
I fell into step next to Sam and kept my voice low. “Take care of her if something happens, okay?” I couldn’t stop the nauseated feeling in my stomach as I thought of all the things that could go wrong. As I thought of Lanie’s beautiful, maniacal red hair and her pale green eyes.
Sam hesitated and then his eyes turned to slits. “No matter how much I would like to do that, she loves you. It’s like…fate or something.” He smiled. “So get over yourself, Curtis, everything will happen just the way it should. You just remember to slip back out before the door closes.”
I gulped back my worry and thought of the mission. “Okay.”
Lanie
It was like a bad movie on rewind—watching them walk into the cave. I was tired of playing this out over and over again. My wrists were bound, holding me in place, but all I knew was that if I was the key…if I had been chosen…then it was up to me to end this.
Mr. Drake stood next to me, balancing the book in one hand, and holding the coin out with the other, as he recited the ancient words I didn’t understand.
They fell to their knees, one by one—the power sucked out of them before they could even get fully inside the cave—though they remained conscious.
Mr. Drake tsked his tongue and gestured to me. “And where could your big brother be, hmm?”
Rob materialized behind him and took the coin out of his hands. “It’s not like you to make a move like this, Drake. You’re usually long gone for these things.”
Mr. Drake didn’t seem surprised. He shrugged. “It doesn’t matter, Rob. If you’ve figured out what my son is, you’ve also figured out that you have no choice but to become a disciple.”
Rob glared at him. “If I’ve learned anything from my parents’ lives, it’s that there’s always a choice.” Rob’s glare turned to a scowl. “What are you doing, Drake? He’s a kid. Leave him out of this.”
Mr. Drake looked resigned. “It’s hard to control things you can’t see, Rob…isn’t it? Tim. Tell Molly we need help.”
“Timmm.” It was a rush of voices that came from far away and then zoomed loudly around us. And then she was there. A figure in flames.
Molly.
I watched her, every part of me wondering how I would fight her even if I got my powers back. How do you fight fire?
Her intense light dimmed, and the beautiful, dark-haired girl emerged from the flame, moving to stand next to Tim. “You called?”
Mr. Drake pointed to Rob. “Get the coin.”
Molly stepped forward and put a gentle hand on Tim’s head. “I don’t take orders from you.”
Mr. Drake put an arm around Tim protectively. “Don’t touch him.”
Molly hissed and yanked her hand away.
Mr. Drake turned on his parent voice. “Tell Molly to get the coin.”
Tim looked up from his Luke Skywalker. “Okay, Daddy.” He recited what his father had told him.
My heart clutched in my chest. Tim was young…innocent. He didn’t deserve to be mixed up in this.
Rob dropped the coin to the ground before Molly could physically take it from him, clearly afraid at the prospect of her touching him. She plucked the coin from the ground and handed it to Tim, who in turn handed it to his father.
I looked at Mr. Drake. “Don’t do this, Mr. Drake. Let’s figure something else out. This isn’t fair to Tim.”
Mr. Drake didn’t look at me. “It’s too late.” He gestured to the rest of them. “Over there. It’s time, Lanie.”
I shook my head back and forth. “No—it’s not. I won’t open a portal to the other side. It doesn’t matter what you do.” I looked toward the mouth of the cave at Jake, Sam, Reed, Marsha, and Karen, then finally at Rob, who was only a short distance away. They looked nervous, but all of them nodded in agreement.
The side of Mr. Drake’s lip turned up. “Okay.” He gingerly opened the book again and started to recite something.
Jake grabbed his chest. “Ahh!” He fell over onto his side.
I stared at Mr. Drake. “What are you doing?”
Mr. Drake held the book in the air with one hand, the coin once again gripped tightly in the other. “I can open the portal without you, Lanie. But I have to use the coin. And your boyfriend will die. Is that what you want?”
He started to read again, and Jake screamed out in agony.
I bucked against the wraps around my wrists. “Stop it!”
Reed lunged for Mr. Drake, but he held the coin up to him and Reed went flying back against the wall.
“None of you seem to be getting it. I control everything right now.” His eyes looked unsure as he looked at Tim. Then determination shifted into place. “And I’m opening this.” He took a step closer to me. “You have to choose, Lanie. Open the portal with your powers…or I open it, and Jake dies.” He looked at Jake and I could see the mixed emotions on his face at seeing him suffer. “Everyone has a choice to make.”
Jake turned to me, sweat pouring off of him, like he’d been engaged in some massive fight. “Don’t do it, Lanie. Please…don’t do it.”
My heart pounded inside of me. I looked at Rob, who stared back at me. He winked like he knew something.
I looked at Sam who resembled some sort of caged animal—his hair messed and his fists clenched. He nodded at me. “You’ve got to open it, Lanie.”
Marsha crossed her arms and looked ferociously at Mr. Drake. “Do it, Lanie.”
Karen scrunched up her face. “Do it.”
I was confused. How could they want me to open a portal to the other side? It felt like they knew something I didn’t. I closed my eyes and tried to calm the pounding in my heart. What were we going to face if I opened a door between worlds? What darkness would I be unleashing?
“Don’t do it, Lanie.”
I opened my eyes and looked over at Jake.
Jake.
His ocean blue eyes and his arms that, when I was in them, made me feel like I was home. I felt a tear go down my cheek. I looked at Mr. Drake. “Why should I open it?”
Mr. Drake smiled. “I still have the coin. Your powers won’t work on me.”
I looked at Tim.
Mr. Drake sighed. “And Molly will hurt you and your friends if you touch Tim.”
Molly hissed into the air.
Rob cleared his throat and I turned to him. “It’s alright, Lanie.”
I sighed, resigned to trusting the others, even though Jake was still telling me not to, like it was all part of some larger plan. “Let Reed untie me, and I’ll do it.”
Mr. Drake nodded. He looked to Reed. “Go ahead.”
Reed stood from where he had been thrown from the force of the coin and moved to untie me. He whispered, “Just get out of the way when it’s opened.”
Mr. Drake walked over to Tim. “Come here, son. It’s time to give you a special gift. A gift that will make you powerful.”
Tim stood and eagerly went to his side. “Like the Jedi, Daddy?”
Mr. Drake swallowed and blinked his eyes. “Yeah…like the Jedi.” He knelt next to him and hugged him. “I love you, son. Remember that.” He stood and pointed to the back wall. “There, Lanie. Right there. Imagine a circle—with a mark on it—just like this coin.” He held it up and recited some words out of the book.
My stomach burned. I closed my eyes and pictured the coin against the back wall of the cave.
A loud explosion ripped away the side of the mountain and left a gaping hole. Wind whooshed around me. Black ash materialized into the symbol, like a crack of a shadow between worlds.
Before I knew wha
t was happening, Jake rushed at Mr. Drake. “Give me the coin!” He grabbed it out of Mr. Drake’s hand, and then turned and dove into the portal.
“No!” My heart felt like it would stop.
Mr. Drake shook his head like he was waking from a bad dream. He turned to me. “Take Tim to his mother. I’ll take the book in and make sure the door gets shut.”
I was so confused, but I put my arm around Tim. “I thought you wanted him to be the Emperor?”
Mr. Drake shook his head. “I couldn’t risk Molly realizing my real intentions and trying to stop me. I had to get the portal open and get everything that belongs to the other world back inside.” He held up the book. “That includes this and me, as last of the original seven…and Jake has the coin.”
The wind grew stronger around him.
“After you seal it, use your powers to their fullest, Lanie. Make them part of your creation.” He pushed his way to the portal opening. “I love you, Tim! Be free!” He dove into the swirling vortex.
Tim began to scream. “Daddy!”
“No!” I cried out and ran to the opening.
“No!” Molly screeched beside me, and then I felt her being sucked into the portal as well. “No!”
Rob pulled me back from the opening and I watched it getting smaller. “You’ve got to seal it, Lanie.”
Sam was on my other side. “Alana said there wouldn’t be much time once it began to close. You have to seal it…now.”
I shook my head and felt tears rushing down my cheeks. My hand trembled and I pulled it to my chest. “No! No!”
Reed moved beside Rob, looking absolutely ruined. “Jake knew, Lanie. He knew…we thought he might be able to come back…but he knew.”
A sharp pain ripped through my chest. “No! No! No! Where did they go?”
Karen pulled the frantic Tim into her arms and held him. “He’s gone, Lanie. Someone had to shut the portal from the other side. They’re gone.”
I couldn’t do it. My trembling got worse. How could I shut them in? How could I kill them?
Marsha pointed to the portal, her eyes wild. “Shut it! Shut it now!”
“Daddy!”
I looked at little Tim clutching his Luke Skywalker. Mr. Drake had given him a chance to have a life…he’d given him freedom—something good.
I closed my eyes and began to imagine the portal closing. I felt rubble and rocks whizz by my head as they moved to close the opening.
“Wait!”
I opened my eyes and saw a hand gripping the side of the portal.
Rob moved closer. “It’s Jake.”
Sam and Reed moved beside Rob, holding their hands out to try to grab Jake.
Mentally I imagined Jake standing beside me…but nothing happened.
I saw Jake’s other hand grip the side of the portal and then his head appeared.
“Jake!” I moved next to the rest of them. “Jake!”
Jake’s arms shook as he pulled himself out and took hold of Reed’s hand.
“No!” Molly appeared behind him from the mouth of the portal. She took hold of Jake’s legs. “You’re staying with us.”
I tried to blast her with energy, but nothing happened.
The portal started to re-open. The winds began to turn and push against me.
Jake stared at me. “Seal it, Lanie.”
I reached my hand out, willing him to be next to me. Willing Molly to let go of him. “Jake…I love you!”
Rob, Reed, Sam, and Marsha all knelt, holding on to Jake’s arms. But I knew he couldn’t fight the pull from Molly.
Sam yanked his hand back and stood. He turned to me. “I guess destiny has a way of finding all of us. Have a good life, Lanie.” He turned back to the portal, and dove into Molly, pulling her free from Jake.
“No!” I scrambled after him.
“Sam!” Marsha held her hand out.
Rob and Reed hefted Jake completely out of the portal.
I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t think. I couldn’t believe…Sam was gone. There was nothing but a black hole.
The portal began to close, again.
Karen stepped next to me with Tim clutching her side. “You’ve got to seal it. You’ve got to.”
The gap was almost completely closed now.
Rob stood. “Lanie!”
I looked at Jake and then closed my eyes. I focused on creating a binding seal. I felt it meld into place. The rushing air stopped. I tried to do what Mr. Drake had said, to push my powers to their limit. I let them form a covering on the seal—a covering that would prevent anyone else from finding this doorway to the other side ever again.
Samuel Wells Turner
Son-Brother-Friend
August 27, 2012
Marsha stood in front of me. Her plain, black dress and simple, straight hairstyle were nothing like the girl I’d first met. She placed her hand on the gravestone.
“I’m so sorry, Marsha.” I’d told her this countless times before today…but I knew she never heard me—not really.
Marsha didn’t acknowledge me.
Silence hung in the air.
“We’ll meet you later, Lanie.” Rob touched my hand and squeezed it.
I nodded at Rob and Karen.
Karen’s eyes had dark circles under them and her lip quivered as they departed. “He was a good guy.”
I felt my own lip quiver and I looked away. “I’ll see you in a little bit.”
Reed hugged Marsha to him and then released her. He stepped to me and wrapped his strong arms around me in a crushing embrace.
I felt myself relax and cry against him.
“Shh…” He pulled away. “I’m going to go wait over…there.” He pointed to the parking lot where Jake stood by himself. “You two need some chic time.”
Marsha didn’t respond as Reed walked away.
“I’m sorry,” I tried again.
Marsha didn’t look at me. “He loved you.” Her voice was soft, not angry. Not sarcastic, not…her usual.
Tears streamed down my face. I knew he loved me. I knew that and that’s why I knew his death was my fault. I hated myself for it. “I know.”
She turned around and looked as though she might punch me.
I prepared myself for the hit, willing to take it.
Her face softened and the side of her lip turned up. “I’m proud of him.”
I steadied myself. “What?”
Marsha touched my hand softly. “I know I’ve never seemed to…care that much for you. But—it fits.” She sniffed. “Sam died for someone he loved. And he died to protect all of us.” She pulled her hand away and moved past me. “Just remember that I loved him more than you did.”
I wiped another tear away and let myself gurgle out a cry/laugh.
I focused on Sam’s gravestone and couldn’t stop another round of tears.
“He told me it was fate.”
Jake’s voice surprised me and I wiped at my face. “What?”
He stepped next to me. He wore a suit and had his hair slicked away from his face. His eyes were puffy and I could see the moisture still hanging in them. “That jerk—it’s like he knew.”
I blinked back my own tears.
“Before we went in the cave, when I knew I had to shut the door to the portal from the inside, I told him to take care of you, and he told me that nothing would happen to me because…you loved me.”
I cried harder. I’d never felt more miserable.
Jake put his arm around me. “You loved him too, Lanie.”
I turned and saw him wince slightly at his own words.
“What?” I pulled away from him.
Jake squeezed me tighter against him and kissed my forehead.
“You couldn’t see it…but I could. There was a connection between the two of you.” He sighed. “Turner—I guess he made the choice between us easy for you.” A stray tear went down Jake’s cheek and he wiped at it. “I wish he were here so I could beat the crap out of him.”
An unwilling laugh escaped me. I thought of them together, always brooding at one another.
I closed my eyes and pictured Sam’s face. Warmth filled me and I leaned against Jake. “He gave us back our lives. He gave us all a chance to have a normal life, even if we do have our powers again. I finally feel like I can handle that.”
Jake wiped his face and pulled away from me, taking my hand. “He gave me something more important than my life…he gave me you.”
My heart thudded inside my chest as Jake gently pressed his lips to mine.
“I love you, Lanie.”
I smiled back at Jake, staring into his eyes as I reached for the gravestone. The touch of it felt cold and rough against my hand. “I love you, too.”
Epilogue: Perfect
The Flat Irons reached up into the sky, the giant cliffs daring me to test them, again. My heart raced and I thought of that night; the flying rock, the rushing of power, the loss of Sam. Had that really been six years ago?
I took a quick, mind-clearing breath and focused on the mansion estate Rob and Karen had chosen for their venue—also the location of the school we were creating. A white tent stood in preparation to hedge against the unpredictable mountain weather. Staff bustled around the arranged chairs, with tuxedoes and chiffon, red dresses to match the color scheme. Two ice sculptures of doves towered next to the flowered arch at the end of the red carpet that lay spread from the house’s patio out to the edge of what seemed like the sky. I watched the guests trickling down the red carpet and taking their seats. A pianist was playing soft, classical music on a grand piano next to the ice sculptures. I’d been told Rob had come out here to mingle with the guests. Where was he?
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