Darlings

by Ashley Swisher

  “Come on now, we have to get back. Keep our wits about us,” he said

  “Wait. I have one more place I have to go.” Gwen said breathing hard. The place she dreaded even more than the dark world.

  “I have to see Pete.”

  Chapter 12

  To Gwen’s surprise, Ry nodded. “We have to make it fast.”

  “I will,” she said, extending her hand and closing her eyes. With her stomach fluttering she envisioned Pete and waited for her mind to take them to him. When she opened them, they were in a forest, though no kind of forest Gwen had even seen. Everything seemed to shimmer. Even the leaves on trees sparkled in the pink sunlight. It reminded Gwen of that perfect time of night when the setting sun cast its honeydew light upon everything that lay before it. The golden hour, but even more golden. The smell was the best of all. Vanilla, honey, cupcakes, lavender – Gwen couldn’t even begin to identify everything she smelled.

  “The royal forest,” Rynnal muttered. The trees were massive, around the size of a small house in middle earth. Fairies flew, Manticans and Immortals were dressing for battle. Andrew told them, good she thought. Gwen was tempted to leave, but couldn’t force her feet to move when she saw him. Pete was carrying his heavy steel armor through a door in the base of one of the trees. She followed and stopped at the door attempting to turn the handle but remembered her hand was not solid.

  “Just walk through,” Ry reminded her. Gwen squinted as she made her way through the thick base of the tree. Once inside, she glanced around the room. It was like something from a movie, from someone’s wildest imagination but better. It was cozy. Like a cottage. It had a bed etched decoratively into the far side of the room that was surrounded by some sort of flowing sheer. The blankets, Gwen noticed, were made of some sort of purple silk that reminded her of flower petals. There was a small table and chairs and a television like image was projected onto the wall of some news reporter like man speaking of the weather. A modern wonderland. Gwen thought to herself. She saw Pete dressing in the far corner. He was so stoic as he looked into the large mirror and buttoned his shoulder armor. Gwen felt a fluttering in her chest as she remembered their kiss. The way he lifted her up as the danced. She wanted to go to him. To be safe in his large arms and at the same time ask him about Lily and Tiger.

  Rynnal startled her as he spoke, “Okay we’ve got to go.” Gwen nodded. As she began to turn around, Tok entered and she stayed. He was in his human form and reminded Gwen of Andrew in his athletic shorts. Even in paradise, those boys wore gym shorts, Gwen reflected.

  He spoke low and deliberate, “Did Andrew tell you how many?” Tok asked. Pete answered by shaking his head still looking in the mirror.

  “Did I do the right thing?” Pete asked as he studied his unchanging reflection.

  Tok pulled out a too small chair as he sat down elbows on his tan knees his head in his hands. He looked up. “With Gwen?”

  Pete nodded.

  “You had no choice. You knew she’d find her and bring them back.”

  “I hoped. I hoped she’d find my daughter and bring her back. I turned her over Tokala. I turned her over to the pirates on hope.”

  Gwen felt her stomach drop. She couldn’t believe her ears. “He sent me?” she whispered.

  “I know,” Tok said quietly.

  “I sent your brother without even telling him,” Pete said.

  “You know we couldn’t have told Andrew. He wouldn’t have let her go-”

  Pete cut him off. “I shouldn’t have let her go.”

  Tok was silent then added, “We will get them back…she’s already used Tiger’s ability and in the spirit world as we speak. She should be back to break the barriers at any moment. Then, we attack. When Andrew sends word we attack and get all of them out.”

  “I love her Tok. What kind of man sends the woman he loves to her possible death?”

  “A man who loved his daughter as well,” Tok said softly.

  “Ugh!” Pete hollered as he punched the mirror shattering it into a million pieces as he stormed out, Tok following.

  Gwen stood staring at the glimmering glass lying haphazardly on the beautiful stone floor. It might as well have been her heart. He sent her. He sent her to her possible death. She felt the emotions burning in her stomach. The anger spread to her limbs and she fell to the floor, sobbing into the glass.

  “I’m sorry Gwen. I don’t know what to say,” Ry muttered, hands shoved deep into his pockets. Gwen didn’t want him to say anything. She didn’t want to do anything. She wanted to be the pieces. She wanted to fall apart and lay like razor blades on the floor. Gwen stared at those pieces and her tears abruptly stopped. She grit her teeth and stood. Without a word, she placed her hand through Rynnal’s and closed her eyes. Imagining the room where her solid body laid beside the small tan girl who depended on her. No matter how she got there, Gwen was there. She would complete her mission. She would save them. The rage built in her soul like smoke trapped inside a windowless room.

  Gwen opened her eyes and saw Lily now praying beside a coughing Tiger.

  “She’s weak,” Ry said. “We have to hurry. Come on. Gwen followed Rynnal to another boy who stood alone. He had dark skin and deep brown eyes. He ran his hands over his fuzzy hair as he clenched his jaw. He was in no group, standing completely alone. “He’s Aeton. I think you can break his collar’s barrier Gwen.”

  “How? I can’t even touch him,” Gwen said, staring at the boy.

  “I have a theory. If you become one with him, by walking into his body, you may be able to channel his energy. Follow the energy line to his mind and break his barrier. You’re a taker or borrower in whatever form you’re in.” Gwen was confused but agreed to give it a shot.

  “Okay, but why him?”

  Ry smiled. “You’ll see.” Gwen walked to the boy and stood face to face with him. Slowly, she closed her eyes and stepped into his body. She felt his energy instantly and found the channel. She followed it quickly to his the block in his mind. With all her might, she focused her energy through it. Nothing. Gwen thought of Pete. His lies. His deceit. She tried once more and felt the barrier crumble. It was gone. Quickly she stepped out of the boy whose face lit up.

  “It worked!” Ry said excitedly. “Hurry now, come on. We have to get give Tiger’s energy back.” They rushed back across the barracks. “Alright Gwen. You need to make your body one again and push her energy back. Slowly and steadily. Remember it will be difficult like a pin brick in a water balloon.” Gwen nodded.

  “Good luck, my friend,” Ry smiled.

  “I will be back, Rynnal,” Gwen said sternly. “I promise,” she wished she could hug her mentor, but waved instead.

  He nodded and added. “Go now, hurry and when you’re back, find the Elite. They will help you.”

  Gwen breathed hard as she stepped back into her own body. The rest was a blur. She found the energy channel between Tiger and herself. It was much more difficult than she expected to give the energy back. It was as if she were swimming up a waterfall, the current of energy pushing back at her. Gwen forced it slowly and steadily back to the girl until she remembered no more.

  She awoke to Lily’s cold hands shaking her shoulders. “Gwen. Gwen wake up you did it!” she said smiling. “She’s alright. You came back.” Lily hugged Gwen as she opened her groggy eyes. Aeton. She had to get to Aeton. Gwen forced herself to sit up and swing her shaking legs over the side of the bed. “Woah,” Lilly said. “Careful.”

  “Help me,” Gwen said and Lily tugged as Gwen stood. “I need to get to Aeton,” she muttered pointed across the large room. Gwen looked to Tiger and saw her rolling around on the bed her dark hair a mess. A faint smile spread across Gwen’s flushed face. Tiger was ok. Gwen and Lily staggered through the crowd to the dark skinned boy still standing alone. Everyone was silent as the pair stumbled across the barracks to him. Without a word, Gwen placed her hand on the boy’s shoulder and stopped with just the right amount of energy. Aeton fell to
his knees as Gwen instinctively held out her hand to touch a nearby shoe. The shoe turned to ash before her eyes. Gwen knew what Rynnal wanted her to do. One by one, she carefully touched each of the immortals collars, turning them to dust. They laughed and squealed at the relief of the restraints. Many were left with open bloody sores and gouges where the needles had ripped their skin. Gwen felt stronger as the last of the immortals collars dissipated. She placed her hand once more on Aeton and struggled but indeed returned his ability.

  Gwen hollered as she addressed the crowd. “Everyone! Even though your collars are gone your work is not done. The hard part is yet to come. You have to break the barrier of your mantican. Take your energy fuel it with anger towards this place, fuel it with resentment, with hatred if you must. You must break your mantican’s barrier for us to stand a chance.”

  “How will we know when it’s broken?” a girl shouted over the crowd.

  “You’ll feel it snap...and hear their voice. Now hurry. Concentrate. Be strong we don’t have much time.” Gwen watched as they closed their eyes in concentration.

  “It’s gone!” someone yelled.

  “I did it!” another shouted. Soon the room was full of fully bonded immortals, ready for revenge.

  “You really did it Gwen,” Lily smiled.

  Gwen nodded solemnly. Her expressionless face was stained with tears as she quickly ran back to the cover of the tent like bunk. She sat on the edge holding back sobs as Lilly approached.

  “What happened?”

  Gwen stared straight ahead as she answered Lily. “He sent me here.”

  “Who sent you here?” Lily asked her black eyebrows furrowed.

  “Pete did,” Gwen answered, her gaze still unchanging.

  “Why?” Lily managed to get out.

  Finally Gwen looked into Lily’s confused eyes, “To save Tiger.”

  Lily stared at Gwen in disbelief. “Did you know?” Gwen asked softly.

  “Gwen. I had absolutely had no idea, I swear.”

  In that moment Gwen knew she was telling the truth. “They’re coming. I got to Andrew he warned them. I went to them. They’re preparing.”

  “Gwen I am so sorry,” Lily bit her luscious bottom lip. “Did he say anything about…me?” Gwen could tell she was embarrassed even asking.

  “No. Nothing,” she replied a little sharper than she knew she should have.

  The hard expression returned to the tanned beauty’s face. “Alright then. We should get going.”

  Gwen somewhat regretted her cutting comment seeing the hurt in Lily’s face but there was no time for apologies. Gwen had to prepare herself for war. She wiped her face and made her way back into the middle of the room.

  “I hope everyone has practiced,” Gwen announced, making her even more aware of her inexperience. She figured this was not the first battle some of the immortals before her had fought in.

  “What’s he plan?” a short blond boy asked.

  Gwen wasn’t sure. “I…I…we fight our way to our manticans. I hope you all have been in contact. Once we reach them, we fight. We take out as many pirates as we can and we escape. Pete will be leading his army to attack from outside the fences, while we’ll be fighting from the inside out. We can do this,” she reminded herself. “How many telekinetics do we have?” Gwen

  searched the crowd for raised hands. She counted seven. “Alright. We need to bust out of here. Can you unlock the doors?”

  A girl with braided hair shouted, “Yes. I’ve unlocked many, larger than these.”

  “Alright then. As soon as I give the go, you unlock the door and we fight…good luck,” Gwen said, though sure she was the one that would require luck.

  She took position near the back of the group and addressed Lily. “We have to stay together.” Lily nodded holding her sleepy daughter in her arms. Gwen caught a glance at Tiger’s petite face. So peaceful and innocent. Why hadn’t he asked her to save his daughter? Did he think she would refuse? Would she have?

  “Ready?” Lily asked.

  She touched her mark. Ready to turn?

  Waiting she heard back in his sultry revenge filled voice.

  “Everyone ready! Get set! We fight!” Gwen commanded. The doors unlocked and Gwen heard the blood curdling shrieks as pirates and immortals alike began to fight. They poured out of the barracks like a real army. An army full of personal revenge. The worst kind. Worse than highly skilled and methodically trained killers. They had a powerful axe to grind.

  As the sea of tattered soldiers brought Gwen and Lily out the doors, Gwen stopped briefly to survey her surroundings. Pirates on fire were screaming and running for their lives. Some were being turned to ash by Aeton. Objects whizzed by at the command of the telekinetics. Water rushed like snakes up around the faces of drowning pirates at the hand of immortals possessing the water ability. Huge bouts of wind crushed enemies against objects resulting in their gruesome death. Suddenly Gwen heard buzzing from above. She looked up to see a black swarm of dark wings.

  “Fairies!” she screamed as she ran for cover behind a large wooden cart full of rocks. Lily and Tiger slid under as well and tucked themselves near the back. Loud booms echoed as Gwen saw bombs of fire exploding before her. The fairies were throwing some sort of energy fireballs.

  Gwen could barely hear Lily shouting over the explosives, “Over there,” she pointed. Gwen followed her finger to a crying girl sitting under what looked like a blue-bubbled dome. She was around twenty feet away tucked behind a large pile of dirty laundry. Her face was covered in dirt as tears streamed down her face. Timing the bombs perfectly, Gwen made a mad dash to the girl.

  The blue bubble disappeared as Gwen slid in beside her.

  “What’s your ability?” Gwen shouted. Instead of answering, the girl returned the bubble, this time over herself and Gwen. It was quieter inside as if they were two fish watching the outside world from inside the safety of their fish bowl.

  “What is this?” Gwen asked.

  “A shield,” the girl sobbed. “I’ve never used it before and I can’t keep it up long. I ran away from my mantican and I can’t find-” She broke down bawling again.

  Gwen’s heart skipped a beat. She figured the girl never had a chance to use it before she was captured. Inexperience could have proved fatal to the girl, but to Gwen it may have been just what she needed to save her life. Gwen placed a hand up to the girl who shuttered at the sight of it.

  “Trust me,” Gwen said softly and the girl nodded apprehensively. The moment Gwen touched the frightened girl she could feel the energy enter her open mind. When she had filled the hole, she stopped and removed her hand. She was made for the shield. The energy flowed so smoothly. Gwen held out her palm commanding the shield to form above her. It started as a small bubble but as Gwen felt surer of herself, it expanded. She stood as the dome rose. With her free hand, she motioned to Lilly and Tiger to join her. Lily pressed her daughter into her body as she darted for the laundry pile. A small hole appeared in the bottom of the shield as Lily and Tiger slid through.

  “We’ve got to…run,” Gwen said through clenched teeth. Gwen began moving the shield as they ran. Lily pushed the distraught girl ahead as fireballs bounced off the shield like a trampoline.

  “Just up ahead is the door. That one to the left,” Lily shouted. Gwen saw it about thirty feet away. A large steel door.

  “Mama, I’m scared,” Tiger squeaked as Lily hushed her. Gwen could relate. Fear rushed through her veins like ice chunks in a fast flowing river, despite the shield. Suddenly, a pirate appeared in front of them. He was large and bloody. Refusing to stop Gwen kept running, leading the shield right into him. Electricity flew as the pirate convulsed and slumped to the ground. The shield was electrified from the outside. Amazing, though Gwen could feel herself weakening from the bout of energy she expended. The door. They had reached it. Gwen reluctantly lowered the shield and held her hand out to open the steel barrier but stopped. She heard ferocious growls and roars from inside the
fence. Andrew.

  Andrew, what’s going on in there? Is everything ok? We’re at the door.

  Gwen waited impatiently.

  “Gwen behind us. Look they’re coming!” Lily pointed to a group of six pirates running full speed at them. Put up the shield!”

  Gwen wanted to obey, but knew she wouldn’t be able to open the door if need be. Finally. I’m here. Back up he said.

  Gwen braced herself as iron claws dug through the metal yanking the door off its hinges. It was a blood bath. Pirates’ entrails were strewn everywhere. Manticans had completely obliterated the immediate guard pirates and left them in messy piles. Andrew was intimidating in his mantican form, his thick chest swollen with pure muscle. With a single swipe of his massive paw, her protector swiftly moved the girls out of the way and gorily ripped the approaching pirates to shreds. His blood stained brown fur glistened now soaked with blood.

  “Andrew, watch out!” Gwen screamed as a ball of fire came whizzing through the air. Instinctively Gwen closed her eyes and held out her hand feeling the shield forming over a crouching Andrew. The burning ball bounced back into the air as he made his way to the girls.

  Maticans poured out of the now open door to reunite with their immortal and fight like they were born to fight, as one. The pirates were no match for their prisoners. Soon the final shriek came from the last guard pirate in sight. Panting manticans and weary immortals stood in short lived victory.

  Immortals mounted their unsaddled protectors as they ran past the Mantican’s work fields as they had so many times alone. They reached the short spot in the fence and began climbing over disappearing into the dark forest.

  The plan is to scale the fence in hopes of joining the rebels in the rebellion. Andrew’s voice appeared in Gwen’s head as they stood face to face.

  You don’t sound sure. Gwen said quickly.

  They’re stronger than you think. See the fairies circling the forest? Gwen looked overhead and nodded.