The Half-Hearts Chronicles

by Kealohilani

  As the camp was in the final stages of preparing for nightfall, Jharate and Arante met to discuss the strategy for the next day.

  “There is a Kelamosan family who resides on the edge of Lake Helasi. They have remained secretly rebellious toward Vranah and his armies,” Jharate relayed in a deep hushed tone.

  “They have a small sailing ship, which they use to transport refugees to safety,” Jharate continued. “It is well-stocked with fresh provisions at all times— to be ever-ready when desperate travelers appear. I am confident that we can rely upon this family to have the boat in readiness with ample provisions for all of us— should we need more than what we have on hand.”

  “Yes, I’ve heard of that family as well. I will have everyone ready before daybreak so that we can get out of the forest at first light and begin crossing the lake shortly after that.”

  “Agreed.” Jharate nodded once to Arante, and she lowered her head in response. The two cousins separated to attend to their duties in preparation for the coming dawn.

  As the last bit of light slipped behind the thick tree line, the six Earth friends found themselves around one of the campfires. It was the first time that they had all been together in almost two weeks. Training and taking care of the camp had been all-consuming— and the men and women slept in different areas— so they had only been able to run into each other randomly.

  As they realized that they were all present and accounted for, they hugged each other— grinning ear to ear— and began to swap stories about what they had been doing while they had been away from each other. Their words flew from their mouths, seemingly at the speed of light, as they ate their dinner.

  “What I wouldn’t give for a game of Mario Kart right now!” Justin exclaimed loudly, a split second after Raoul had finished telling his story about shooting all of his targets dead center with his crossbow— for an entire day of perfect shots.

  “Back on Earth, I would have bet that you would die if you ever had to go without technology for more than a day, let alone this long!” Kendra laughed.

  “Hey! There’s more to me than just video games and tech stuff,” Justin defended.

  “Yes there is,” Lani smiled. “Your cheerful attitude, for one, has made this whole experience better. And although I have been loving the technology hiatus, you know I’m always down for Mario Kart. It’s a classic!”

  “Yeah, that’s one of the things that made you such a great girlfriend, sugar bunny! How many other girls will play Donkey Kong and Tetris and Mario Kart and Mario Party for hours on end, just because their boyfriend wants to? You really were the best…”

  There was an awkward silence for a few moments as Lani tried to think of how to respond.

  “I do actually like those games too,” Lani reminded, blushing slightly. “I had lots of fun with those games and with Kingdom Hearts and Legend of Zelda and all the other old games—”

  “All you really ever did in Zelda was cut the grass with your sword, haha!” Justin interrupted.

  “Oh wow! I almost forgot about that,” Lani laughed. “That was so much fun! There were times I would have played any of those games for days on end if we’d had enough time in-between all of our homework.”

  Justin had become quiet again. Despite the happy memories, Lani could feel that she was trapped in a moment that could only end in more awkwardness.

  “I sure wouldn’t have” Kendra interjected, trying to help Lani escape. “I hate video games. They’re stupid.”

  “No they’re not!” Erik defended.

  “Are you trying to refute my point or prove it?” Kendra asked with a scoff.

  “Kendra,” Lani appealed gently.

  “Alright, alright,” Kendra backed off. “Have your little trip down memory lane. Why don’t I just add all the other stupid stuff my brothers played with besides video games? Let’s see there were Furbies, Razor Scooters, Sailor Moon, Pokémon—”

  “You’ve gone too far now, Kendra,” Justin laughed. “You know you owned one of those scooters AND a Furby. And if anybody watched Sailor Moon, am I really supposed to believe it was one of your brothers?”

  “Okay, fine,” Kendra conceded with a sheepish grin. “I guess you got me there.”

  After a long chat, the conversation lagged and a comfortable silence fell amongst all the members of the group. Kara finished eating rather quickly, and then nestled her head into Raoul’s shoulder. Within seconds of closing her eyes she seemed to be peacefully dreaming.

  Raoul was quietly doing his little hand trick— making the pinky and thumb of opposite hands point the same direction, while folding in all other digits, and abruptly changing to the opposite pinky and thumb over and over again— all the while keeping his shoulders very still so as not to disturb Kara. Justin and Erik continued shoveling food into their bottomless stomachs. Kendra was thinking of starting a new conversation, but wasn’t sure just yet what to say. And Lani was— as usual— lost in her own thoughts, with a far-off and content look on her face.

  She was replaying every last moment she had experienced since Jharate had entered her life. The curve of his mouth whenever he smiled at her. The masculine yet gentle way he always guided and taught her— like the times during her training when he had stepped up behind her and held her arms to help guide them through the motions that her new heavy sword demanded of her. The heat in her veins whenever he touched her.

  Lani shuddered slightly. As she remembered, the sparks flew within her again and the hair of her neck stood up as if he were right there with her now. Although his method was entirely necessary for teaching, she fancied that it was an excuse for him to touch her and be close to her as well.

  Her mouth watered as she relived the anticipation of their missed kiss. His intoxicating scent never seemed to leave her altogether. Nor did the timbre of his voice nor the sound of his laughter, which played in her ears like a whisper in the wind.

  The compliments he had given her warmed her heart as much as the memory of his touch set her body afire. Remembering the pleased look in his eyes as he told her how impressed he was with her ability to press forward and not complain brought a smile to her face then and now.

  She appreciated the fact that he would notice how tired or sore she was without her saying a word— especially since she had tried to hide how much her arms were aching and only rubbed them on breaks when she thought he wasn’t looking. He always praised her for being ready to practice and for giving it her all each and every time. But she also loved the extra praise when she did especially well.

  She knew she was still no match for Jharate, but his telling her that he now felt she stood a good chance in a real fight made her feel that she could possibly be an asset in a physical conflict rather than a potential liability. She couldn’t believe that anyone like him even existed— let alone that he had somehow found his way into her life. He was so supportive and so respectful and so…

  “What do you think about that, Lani?”

  Lani blinked. Her daydreams evaporated and she saw her friends sitting there in front of her— the blazing firelight flaring and illuminating their expectant faces.

  She saw an impatient look on Kendra’s face that obviously meant that she was waiting for Lani to weigh in on a conversation she hadn’t even heard a word of. Lani’s throat constricted. She wished that her gift of vision would kick in and save her by showing her the conversation she had just missed. But alas, it did not.

  She sighed as she realized that there was no option. Lani simply had to ask, “What?” which caused her cheeks to turn red with embarrassment that the ever-moving firelight was kind enough to hide.

  Justin laughed loudly. “Helllllloooooo? Earth to Lani… or, wherever this is anyway. You know, one day your daydreaming is going to get you into trouble!”

  “I was asking,” Kendra fumed curtly, with untamed irritation, “what you think about what we have been talking about, which I am now sure you heard none of, so never mind!”

  “
I’m sorry… I wasn’t really here… I guess it’s the curse of an overactive imagination.”

  “Well it doesn’t feel good. I have a great imagination and I pay attention to what you say! I am so sick of that!”

  “I’m so sorry, Kendra. I will try harder to—” Lani started.

  “Actually, I am getting sick and tired of this whole— whole— whole— EVERYTHING! I don’t want to be here, I didn’t ask to be here, and I’m sick of being ordered around by everyone! Especially Arante! I cannot stand that woman! She is the most irritating, stuck-up, selfish, uptight, poor example of our sex that I have ever had the incredible displeasure to know!”

  Kendra finished with an emphatic pounding of her right hand onto her knee. Justin sat laughing with his mouth still full, and little bits of food sprayed out as he spoke.

  “Tell us how you really feel, Kendra!”

  “You don’t have to work with her all day. Just be thankful for that.”

  Everyone’s head turned sharply to look at Kara. They had all thought she was asleep. But more than that, there was an unnerving quality in the tone of her distinctly quiet voice.

  “I don’t know, she seems nice to me…”

  Erik had spoken before he could stop himself. All eyes were now on him and everyone froze. He looked at the faces around him and cringed, bracing himself as Kendra verbally pounced.

  “Nice? Nice? You call that she-devil nice?!”

  “You liiiiiike her, don’t you?”

  Justin prodded Erik enthusiastically in the ribs.

  “Grow up, Justin!” Erik turned as red as a beet and the firelight was not as kind to him as it had been to Lani.

  Kendra and Justin erupted in laughter, much to Erik’s visible dismay.

  “She’s literally a princess, dude!” Justin scoffed. “Zero chance, buddy. Zero chance.”

  “Leave him alone!” Lani blurted out. “His chances with Arante are up to Arante— princess or no. And whom Erik likes or does not like is his own affair, and certainly none of your business— unless you are lucky enough to be invited into his confidence. What is this, junior high?”

  “Sorreeeee! Can’t you take a joke? Sheesh!” Justin exclaimed, rolling his eyes and shaking his head slightly.

  Kendra’s eyes narrowed at Lani.

  “Yeah, don’t think we haven’t noticed the way you are around her cousin, Prince Jharate. Could you be more obvious? Why don’t you just put up a big billboard in this stupid forest that says ‘Hi, my name is Lani, and I’m desperately in love with the Prince of the Forest’ ? Not that it would take a sign— a blind man could see the way you’re after him.”

  “Hey Kendra, be nice. We’re all friends here.”

  “Shut up, Raoul!”

  “Thank you for defending me Raoul, but Kara looks really tired. She might appreciate your walking her back to her bedroll. And by the way, nice job on your perfect shooting day.”

  “Thanks, Lani,” he beamed, before turning serious again and lowering his voice. “Are you sure I should leave you here?”

  “Like we’re going to kill her, Raoul— really?” Kendra scoffed as she folded her arms.

  “Yes, go ahead. I’ll be okay. Thank you, Raoul.”

  Raoul hesitated, but saw the tense looks on all the faces around him. His shoulders lowered a little and he kept his eyes on the ground as he took advantage of the temporary cease-fire. He helped Kara up and left, just as Kendra and Justin burst into laughter again.

  Erik shifted his shoulders uncomfortably and stared at his feet. He felt ashamed that he didn’t defend Lani the way that she had defended him. But what made him feel worse was that his most overwhelming feeling was relief— relief that he wasn’t in the spotlight anymore.

  Lani could feel her blood beginning to boil. She was sick of their immature behavior and was trying to keep herself from sinking to their level.

  It would be so easy to just fly off the handle, but she didn’t want that. She’d have to apologize later for something she shouldn’t have said, which would be super frustrating because that would then become the focus and obscure what had started the whole situation in the first place!

  She decided firmly to say nothing. She gripped her right hand into a fist where they couldn’t see it. Her jaw was clenched tight and every inch of her body was tense. It was harder than she thought to stay quiet on this subject, especially since Justin and Kendra both continued to taunt her.

  “Lani and Jharate sitting in a tree…” Justin sang.

  “Oh Jharate, of course I’ll marry you! Let us ride off into the sunset to your castle in the clouds!” Kendra cooed, fluttering her eyelashes.

  “K-I-S-S-I-N-G! First comes love…”

  “If she marries him she’ll be a princess,” Kendra laughed. “I bet you’d like that, huh, Lani? Princess of the Forest?”

  “… then comes marriage, then comes BABY in the baby carriage! Ha, ha!”

  “Your Royal Highness,” Kendra jeered, bowing her head low before a mocking snort escaped her.

  Kendra and Justin both burst into a renewed fit of laughter. They laughed so hard, tears streamed out of their eyes, and they could barely breathe. They both took several deep breaths to try to calm down, but additional laughs continued to come, slowing only slightly.

  As they finally tired of their own jokes, Lani decided to speak at last. She tried to relax all of her muscles, especially in her face. Her voice was strained but she gathered all the composure she could muster to keep a steady and even tone.

  “Are you finished?”

  The smirks fell from their faces and both Justin and Kendra looked around uncomfortably. Justin rubbed the back of his neck with a nervous motion before dropping his hand back onto his lap. Kendra averted her eyes. They didn’t apologize, but they answered her with a quiet “Yes.”

  “Thank you. Now if you will excuse me, I think I am going to retire for the evening.”

  With that, she got up and left. The others soon followed. As they filtered off in their separate directions, the same pair of glittering green eyes that had watched them when they had first appeared in this land peered at them from behind the dark trees. When all but the assigned watch had retired to their beds, the mysterious face disappeared into the thick forest in as ghostly a manner as it had come.

  Tyler sat on Lani’s bed, holding Lani’s cat, Portia. He stroked Portia absentmindedly as tears fell down his cheeks and splashed quietly onto the cat’s fur. Portia nuzzled him and purred sympathetically. It was clear she felt the loss herself.

  A knock came at the door but Tyler didn’t look up. He just kept petting Portia. Portia meowed at the person who entered the room as if calling for reinforcements.

  “Tyler…” came a soft female voice.

  “I don’t want to hear it, Jenna.”

  Jenna sighed and sat by her brother on the bed and placed her arm around his shoulders.

  “Mom and Dad called you, didn’t they?”

  “They’re worried.”

  “I’m fine.”

  “They said you haven’t spoken to anyone since—”

  “I don’t need to talk to anyone!”

  “I’m not your enemy, Ty-Ty.”

  “Don’t call me that! My sister’s gone! Lani’s gone!” he yelled, tears falling more rapidly and his cheeks undulating with anger as he set the cat down and stood up— crossing over to the window and staring out of it aimlessly into the dark of the night.

  “I’m your sister too. You have to believe that the authorities will find her.”

  “Yeah because missing persons always come back when they’ve been missing for over a month! Not!”

  “Tyler—”

  “Just leave me alone, Jenna! I don’t want to talk about this!”

  “Tyler Morgan Thomas! You are not the only one who lost a sister! And Mom and Dad lost a daughter! I know it’s hard— I know it’s awful— I want her back too!

  “But you need to stop acting like this only happened to you and
start worrying about other people. That’s what’s going to get you through this— that’s what’s going to get all of us through this! And don’t you dare give up on Lani! If we give up, then it’s real— it’s really over. But until then there’s hope.”

  Tyler sighed heavily.

  “You’re right, Sis. I’m being a jerk.”

  “I wouldn’t go that far.” Jenna smiled at him as he turned back to face her.

  Tyler crossed back over to his sister and sat beside her. He let her put her arm around him and rested his head on her shoulder. Portia straddled both of their laps and nuzzled Tyler again.

  “What would Lani want you to do?”

  “Help you guys… Keep my grades up… And keep hoping for the best…” Tyler said flatly.

  “Exactly.”

  “Sorry you had to fly in all the way from New York…”

  “That’s what family does.”

  “I just feel so guilty. She asked me to go with her. Maybe if I’d been there she’d be here… safe…”

  “She and five friends went missing at the same time in three different places on this Earth. Something beyond our understanding is going on.

  “I don’t think, even as awesome as you are, you could have stopped whatever happened. You probably just would have ended up like Jonn and Jezzy and Mrs. Iremia— left behind on vacation— trying to find out where your family members went. Or worse— you might have gone missing too.”

  “I know… Still… Do you really think Lani could be okay after all this time?

  “I really hope so…”

  Now Jenna was the one staring aimlessly out the window. Her brother could not see her face at the moment. Tears fell from her own eyes. She carefully and quickly wiped them away and kissed Tyler on the top of his head.

  Lani opened her eyes and wiped away the tears that had fallen down her cheeks in her sleep. She sat up in the darkness of the night and sighed in relief as she saw that no one near her was awake.