She slowly forced herself to sit up. Closing her eyes, she waited for the room to stop whirling. She slid her feet out from under the silky brown sheets and onto the cherry wooden floor. Her clothes were replaced with a pastel blue night gown from her own bedroom. Slowly she made her way across the room to the mirror. Bracing herself on the dresser she stared into her reflection. Gwen was horrified. Her face. She had dry blood under her nose. Her eyes were ringed with dark circles. She looked…sick. Nausea took over her and she decided she’d better make her way back to the bed before she really got sick. Just as she turned, she lost her footing and fell to the floor. She smacked her back against the large dresser. Sliding her hand down her chest she touched her mark. Andrew? Are you there? she thought. A few seconds later, her silent inquiry was met with a knock at the door.
“Can I come in?” Pete softly asked from outside the door. Gwen was expecting Andrew, but wasn’t disappointed to see Pete.
“I’m over here,” she muttered from on the floor.
“What are you doing? Come on let’s get you back into bed.” Pete reached down and helped Gwen onto her feet. Noticing she was still wobbly, he scooped her up and carried her back to rest. His arms felt strong and smooth beneath her bare knees. She wanted to wrap her delicate arms around his neck and sob there forever or at least until all of this was a dream but was too weak to think about anything but getting back into that bed and letting her throbbing head fall to the silk covered pillow.
Gwen’s hands were trembling as she pulled the covers back up over her chilly arms. Pete sat on the bed beside her. He was wearing a pair of blue jeans and gray T shirt. His hair was styled in his usual somewhat tamed yet messy manor. He looked a Gwen with now sad green eyes.
“What’s wrong with me? What happened?” she asked, obviously terrified.
“I didn’t figure you’d remember. You had what Ashton thinks was a brain bleed. She healed you, but said it could take a while for you to fully recover.”
“A brain bleed. Why?”
“You just got sworn. You’re fragile. Andrew never should have told you any of that stuff. I shouldn’t have let him-”
“Oh God, Andrew!” Gwen began to sit up but Pete took her by the arms and gently pushed her back down. Even in the midst of all the pain and confusion, Gwen got butterflies from his touch.
“He’s fine.” Pete stated sharply.
“This happened to him too?”
“Yah. You went down and almost immediately Tina screamed from the kitchen that Andrew went down too.”
Gwen rubbed her aching head. “My brothers?”
“They’re with Arthur. He’s really good with them. Big ol’ teddy bear. They’ve been really enjoying Koli’s stories in which he is the almighty hero of course.”
She smiled. “Sounds like them. They loved mom’s stories too… My nightgown? How did you get it?”
Pete adjusted himself, “Tina thought it would be a good idea to get you guys some clothes and things last night.”
“Well how sweet of her. I’m surprised I didn’t get last year’s Halloween costume or a used garbage sack.” She rolled her eyes.
“Well…she does have somewhat of a heart; she brought you your old cheerleading spandex and the sweatshirt shirt your grandma Darling sent you last year for your birthday…” Pete cringed.
“The sweatshirt with the cross stitched horses!” Gwen huffed. “I’ll be sure to thank her.”
With a cocky smile, Pete added, “I’m sure there’s no thanks needed.”
“My parents ok?”
“They’re fine. They were asleep. I left your mom a note. Hopefully she…gets it.” Pete’s tone lowered.
A silent understanding lingered between them. Hopefully Janie wasn’t too high to understand it.
“I can’t even wrap my mind around Emma. She’s eighteen and in some other world?”
“We don’t know much about the other side. It’s always been a theory that if a half-dead could open the portal it would bring much evil with it. There’s almost no communication possible with that side…only the half-deads can be summoned by very experienced and powerful fairies. Tina’s ancestors, some great great great…I don’t know how many greats grandmother once opened the portal for a half dead. The result was a regal being taken over by evil becoming a monstrous creature, feeding on the hearts of his fellow regals-”
“The pirates?” Gwen concluded.
“Yah. The portal was said to have only been open seconds and anything in its way, touched by the evil it expelled, was turned into wickedness.”
Gwen’s stomached turned. Her precious little sister was caught in a world full of monsters at her mother’s grieving hand.
“Pete, I made scrambled eggs and ham, you hungry?” Tina appeared in the doorway. She seemed….taller from what Gwen could see. “Oh the princess is awake.” she stated with a snide smile. Wrinkling her tiny pointed nose she added, “Isn’t that wonderful!” Clunk. Tina appeared to have stepped off of something and landed on the floor.
“Tina.” Pete scolded. He spoke to Gwen, “Are you hungry?”
Gwen nodded in affirmation.
“We’ll be out in a second.” Pete said.
Crossing her arms, Tina pouted. “Fine.” She appeared again taller. Gwen sat up in the bed just enough to see air between Tina’s small feet and the floor, as Tina half floated-half walked into the kitchen.
“Is she…flying?” Gwen asked.
Pete appeared confused for a moment and looked out after Tina. Then he remembered everything was new to Gwen. “Oh yah, she does that sometimes. She’s used to it from back home. Took quite a while to get her to start walking only, no flying in public, when we first got here.”
“Where are her… wings?”
“Oh they’re there, you just can’t see them. Like-”
“The garden,” Gwen completed.
Smiling Pete stated, “Exactly.”
Familiar awkward silence once again. Gwen wondered when this was ever going to become more natural. She figured it was due to his extensive knowledge of her and her knowing nothing about him. She tried to find a neutral subject and settled on the clock.
“Is that a movie clip of Everland?” she motioned to the clock.
“No, that is Everland.” Pete said.
“What do you mean, like a camera?”
“Yah kind of like a camera. It’s what’s going on at one of my favorite spots in Everland. It’s the shore just down from my home.”
“Like your palace?”
Pete half-heartedly smiled. Memories from his home ran through his mind. “Yes. Home to me.”
“Do you ever see people you know?” Gwen inquired. Feeling a little better she crawled across the bed to get a closer look at the clock scene. Pete couldn’t ignore her beautiful curves from behind.
“Sometimes,” he stammered. “It’s a small lagoon, kind of hidden. Not many people go there. There’s a minute portal hole hidden in a tree that lets me see into Everland. About the size of a grain of sand. It’s dangerous to leave portal holes open, no matter the size so this is the only one I talked Tina into leaving for me. I had to have something from home. Tina linked the hourglass up there on the dresser to the portal. If someone finds the portal which is highly unlikely, I can smash the glass and the portal will disappear.”
Gwen sat back down. “Do you know Emma hasn’t opened the portal for sure?” She pulled her knees up to her chest and fiddled with her cotton candy painted toes.
“No. The communication between Tina and the other fairies is broken up to say the least.”
Gwen yawned. Pete stood. “You need rest. That button over there drops the blackout shades,” he said motioning to a small black button on the wooden headboard. “I’ll bring breakfast to you in a bit.”
“Pete?” Gwen asked after him.
He stopped in the doorway. His elbow rested on the frame, boyish eyebrow cocked.
“Is this your room?”
“Yah.�
� His smile widened as he shut the door and made his way to the kitchen.
Gwen laid, staring at the large tray ceiling. She was in his bed. Her cheeks felt flush. A ray of light shined onto her face through the slit in the heavy swirling curtains that covered the large
window to her right. She observed little particles of dust that floated away and back again with her every breath. Fuzzies. She remembered sneaking into her mother’s room in the mornings after her father had left for work. They would stand on the bed, get pretend nets and chase the little particles they dubbed fuzzies. She loved those lazy mornings.
Throwing an elbow above her eyes Gwen was suddenly annoyed with the light. Reaching above her head she pushed the little button. Blackout shades descended over the windows, making the large room dark, the only light radiating from the scene on the clock. She touched her chest. The golden figure eight glowed.
Andrew? She thought. No answer. Andrew? Are you there?
I’m here, Gwen. His voice sounded gloomy.
You okay? she asked. Gwen was still amazed at this new ability.
Yes... You should be sleeping, he suggested.
I can’t…I know Pete’s mad at you…Gwen stated, guilt ridden.
Yah. Well he should be. I shouldn’t have told you about Emma yet…
I’m glad you did. I needed to know…Do you think about him a lot? Gwen asked.
Rasha? Every day. He was my hero… Andrew’s voice faded. Gwen could feel his pain.
Yah…Emma felt like mine… Gwen became lost in thought, thankfully remembering to remove her hand from the mark first. She replaced it. Do we really have to…end it? She couldn’t bear to say it. The word…kill.
Get some sleep Gwen. He answered the question for her.
Chapter 5
A shower felt amazing. She worked the sweet, nectar-smelling shampoo into her long now tangled hair. Gwen was feeling better after her two day “coma”. She tried to recall any of the time, but only remembered bits and pieces here and there. Still, her conversation with Pete was a highlight she couldn’t forget. She was anxious to talk to her brothers and Ashton. A note sat on the pillow beside her this morning. It read:
Gwen-
Went to take care of some business with Tina and the boys. Arthur took
Jonah and Mike fishing. I know we told you, but not sure you will remember.
Don’t worry the boys are fine. Feel free to shower in
my bathroom when you wake. Should be back soon.
Pete
Gwen closed her eyes and took a second to relax in the hot water. Letting the stream run onto her chest, she inhaled the heavy air deeply, attempting to relax. The floor of the giant shower was made of some natural cobblestone that felt great beneath her feet. The shower head wall reminded her of a cliff. Feeling the rough, gray, rocky wall, Gwen tried to imagine where it came from. It was as if someone had sliced a chunk off of a mountain, behind a waterfall, and attached it to the shower. Sparkling white lines followed haphazard paths through the dark rock. Yet another exquisite piece in this woodland palace. She kept feeling for a shower door but remembered there wasn’t one. The shower was completely open to the rest of the bathroom, which made her feel a bit uncomfortable even though Pete said he and the others had gone.
Her feelings for Pete confused her. The guilt that he had developed feelings for her and she hardly knew him was at one end, and the resentment toward him for never telling her about her true fate was at the other. Somewhere in between was gratitude. Gratitude for keeping her and her brothers safe…for now.
Gwen tipped her head back to let the water flow onto her neck just as she heard someone gasp.
“Oh god! Sorry…I um…sorry.” Andrew turned away mortified.
Gwen covered her chest and turned her head just in time to see the back of Andrews. He walked to the door and leaned against the frame, facing away from Gwen, making extra careful not to turn around. Gwen reached for a white fluffy robe she saw hanging outside the shower.
Laughing uncomfortably she quickly said, “It’s ok, really. I thought everyone was gone.” She quickly tied the robe belt around her slim waist.
“I was stealing some shampoo from Pete. I’ll come back later.” He started to walk away.
“No, I’m finished. You can stay, I mean if you want.” Gwen secretly didn’t want to be alone with her thoughts anymore.
“Oh uh ok…safe to turn around?” he spluttered.
Gwen could feel her cheeks turning pinker than usual. “Yah, I’m covered.” She began to search for a brush. Somewhat because she needed one, but more so to avoid the awkwardness. Finding it among her bag of toiletries, she ran it smoothly through her now dark wet hair. She could see Andrew in the mirror as they talked. Hair un-styled and rings surrounding his deep brown eyes, he looked tired in his powder blue athletic shorts and white college T-shirt.
“How do you feel today?” Andrew questioned.
“Better than you I’d say.” Gwen flipped her head upside down and flung it swiftly back up not realizing she was flinging water in Andrew’s direction.
He wiped his eyes, “Well no need to shower now.”
Gwen giggled, embarrassed. “Sorry! Makes my hair dry better.”
“Well then by all means feel free to spray me with slimy hair water any time.” He said ever so seriously, though she knew he was teasing. He rubbed his eyes and yawned.
“Really, you truly look wiped. Didn’t you sleep much?” Gwen asked.
He looked guilty. “Not as much as I probably should have…”
“Well what were you doing? I couldn’t help but sleep.” She opened her make-up bag and began to apply a first layer of creamy natural foundation.
“I was busy…” He sounded so mysterious.
Gwen brushed on a hint of golden bronzer. Looking at him in the mirror, she sensed he didn’t want to talk about his ventures of the last couple of days.
“So when should the others be back? Gwen asked, feeling a bit self-conscious. She realized she was alone in a bedroom with yet another boy. This time in a robe. Scrambling through her somewhat disgusting messy make-up bag, she found the black eye liner pencil she was looking for.
“Soon I’d say, but that thing is…we will just say it’s a lot like your locker,” he said, looking at the pink striped bag like it was something he found stuck to the bottom of his shoe.
“Hey, it serves its purpose.” Gwen looked offended, though Andrew knew she wasn’t.
He couldn’t argue with that. He thought she was beautiful without any make up but she transformed into absolutely stunning right before his eyes.
“I wouldn’t get too dolled up today princess. We leave for Everland in five days. Today we work on our abilities, I guess.”
Gwen felt somewhat excited for the first time since she met Andrew and all of this came to light. “Don’t call me princess and you mean like powers? Ugh, I feel so cheesy saying that.”
“I wouldn’t take this lightly, Gwen. It’s truly a blood bath right now where we are going. A lot of people are depending on your abilities.”
She knew it was true. But humor was Gwen’s only defense right now against a complete nervous breakdown.
“Did I sound like Pete just there?” Andrew teased; a slight smile on his square tanned face. Gwen could tell he really did mean what he said though.
“Yah you really did, but don’t think I am making a joke of this. I just mean. I’m Gwendolyn Darling. Not a star athlete, not valedictorian, a decent cheerleader, satisfactory singer. I mean, I just have never seen myself with “abilities”. I’ve always been…average.”
“You mean you’ve never thought of yourself with uncanny abilities of no match to any other regal in another world known as Everland?” His sense of humor was so dry, yet Gwen enjoyed it.
“Well only every other day,” she smiled. “I thought we couldn’t use magic here?”
“Well not on our own, but Tina will enchant an area and we’ll be able to practice there.�
�� Andrew clarified.
Gwen nodded in understanding. “There done. Look ok?” she asked.
Andrew could feel his face begin to burn, he was thankful for his tanned skin at this moment. “You look fine,” he shrugged.
“Well thank you, Casanova.” Gwen said rolling her eyes.
“I’ll let you get dressed. I have breakfast out here. Pete said you’d want banana pancakes?”
Gwen grinned: her favorite.
“I’ll never get used to the weird food here.” Andrew said as he walked out into the bedroom and then the hallway closing the door behind him.
The pair ate in silence, both pretending to watch the flattest flat screen television Gwen had ever seen. It was two sided and rose up from what looked to be the back of the oven with the push of a button. Gobbling down her pancakes, Gwen thought of Everland. A bloodbath, Andrew had said. She didn’t even like looking at her own scraped knee let alone blood from anyone…or thing else. The closest to a fight she’d ever been in was sophomore year when Lisa Levingten slammed her into her locker door for supposedly being the object of her boyfriend’s affection. Even then, Gwen walked away from the situation. Now she was supposed to take part in an all-out war? She put down her fork, regretting her banana feast.
“Done?” Andrew asked.
“Yah.” Gwen responded as Andrew reached for her plate to take to the dishwasher. “Oh I got it.” She said, not used to someone else being responsible for the dish washing.
“Tina does them all later. Well I guess I should say has them do themselves later.”
“Thanks,” she said.
Just then, the crowd returned.
“I did too get the biggest fish in the whole lake Jonah!” Mike squeaked.
“Alright bud for the hundredth time I’m sure you did.” Jonah looked a little more…peppy than usual. He was actually almost smiling.
“Gwen!” Mike ran to his older sister and climbed up onto her lap. “We went fishing, and hunting for toads, and pet some animals and even a real live skunk let me pet him. Oh, and a deer with big horns. And even a raccoon!”
Darlings Page 8