“What happened?” I asked. “Where are we?”
“I don’t know.”
“Of course you don’t. Well, I’m not sticking around. I’m getting out of here.”
Zach turned around in surprise, his arms stretched out, with a frown creasing his brow. “But why? This place is awesome!”
Now, remember, Zach was only fourteen. Anything crazy or otherworldly was fascinating to him, and if he got run over by a Mack truck, he’d think he was on an adventure when he woke up in the hospital.
“Don’t you want to explore first?” he asked, not in any sort of hurry. “These woods are so beautiful, mysterious, and… and magical.”
That was enough for me. I turned and started trudging up the hill. I could tell there was a path of some sort just ahead, and in about five seconds, I would be on it, going home. I had plans for today, and they didn’t include hiking in the woods. I was going to the mall with my friends. And maybe to the movies, too.
The thought had crossed my mind that when I got that terrible electric shock it had knocked me out and, right at this moment, I was really lying unconscious, on Zach’s filthy bedroom floor. Hopefully, our mother would soon find us and call an ambulance.
Until that time though, I had to assume this experience was real, because it sure felt real. It did not feel like I was dreaming. And I should know. I always remembered my dreams. And never once had they been like this. With real sweat or bouncy grass.
I made it to the path, and Zach followed not far behind, mumbling about how awesome this place was, how familiar it felt, how it was a new and exciting adventure, and why the crap had his stupid older sister come along to ruin it?
At this point, I stopped and turned around, looking at him hard in the eyes, so he’d know I was serious. “I’ve just about had it, Zach. Shut the crap up.”
He didn’t even look at me. His eyes were trained down into a verdant valley to my right, where green grass sprawled, surrounded by a thick veil of trees. At the far end was a cave opening. Huge, gorilla-like beasts foraged through the thick brush, looking for food. They were giant Chewbaccas, milling around in assorted colors. Some with thick, reddish-brown fur, some with black, and a couple were snowy-white. The one thing they did have in common was that they were huge.
“What are those?” I asked in disgust. “They don’t look… normal.” And I could smell them from where we stood. Also not normal.
Zach watched them for a moment in openmouthed surprise. “You know, there’s a place I know of… with creatures like that.”
“Oh, really? And where would that be, Einstein?” I couldn’t help it. He was acting so stupid, and it was irritating. I vowed not to say another mean thing, because I didn’t like being rude… okay, so maybe Zach was right. Maybe I was a snob, but everyone knows how stupid little brothers can be…
“There’s this game I play,” he said finally. “And I wouldn’t believe it if I weren’t looking right at them, but… but those things look like… like… hilda beasts… from my game.” He turned to look at me, hesitant, like he knew I’d say something horrid or cruel.
I regarded him, my arms crossed over my chest, doing everything in my power to not say what was on the tip of my tongue. “That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard. There’s no such thing as hilda beasts, and I’d know. I actually study. Unlike some people I know.”
Okay, so it was rude, but I could have said something worse, and like I said earlier, I used to be a snob. I’m not anymore. Just let me finish the dang story.
“Well, I have seen them before while playing my game,” he mumbled, walking away.
I shook my head and stared off into the distance, momentarily hypnotized. “This isn’t your game. This place is real… I think.” And somehow, I knew it was. I wasn’t dreaming. I wasn’t unconscious. No matter how much I would have rather been. Somehow, something was happening to us, and we really were on a new and exciting adventure, but I wasn’t about to admit it at that point. To anyone. Especially Zach.
We resumed our march along the path, and I’m sure Zach wished he could have left me behind with the hilda beasts, because he walked ahead of me, ignoring me. But I watched him as he examined the landscape and the huge flowers that lined the trail. Their seeded faces followed him as he walked, and I kept my eyes on their wide, yellow petals, unable to resist the temptation to reach out and touch one. Slowly, mesmerized, I wanted to feel their velvety softness. Just before I brushed the edge, Zach yelled.
“Stop! Don’t touch anything!” he hissed, running back to grab my hand. “These plants are poisonous. If you get too close, they’ll spit at you, making your skin boil and peel.”
I glanced around apprehensively. “Seriously, Zach? And you know this, how?” He could be right, after all. How would I know? As crazy as this whole situation was, who was to say what was real or not?
“Uh, well, I told you. There’s this game I play online…”
And then it registered. “Online? You mean on the computer? Oh man, you’re in big trouble,” I said with a slow smile.
“Can you stop being a freak for one second?” Zach scowled, turning away. He never could win an argument with me. But I motioned for him to continue with a flip of my hand, and since he couldn’t hold it in, he said in a rush, “Okay, I play this game, online, and in it you have characters, and quests, and stuff like that. This place looks just like it. And those beasts will tear you to pieces if they catch you,” he said, pointing back down the hill to the Chewbacca’s. “Got that?”
“You know, online games are super addictive and will ruin your life.” I knew that firsthand. I had a friend, who just two months ago was admitted to computer game rehab. Yeah. It really exists. Game rehab. Who knew?
“You mean, kinda like modeling, Lauren? Thrown up lately?” He turned to walk away, not seeming to care if I followed.
And that was it. I lost it. I had never thrown up in my life, but his bringing it up, brought back the memory of my ruined portfolio, which in light of what we were going through, I’d forgotten about.
With a howl of rage, I screeched, “You’re the rudest person I know! Do you know that? The rudest! I’ve never thrown up!”
He turned, and I stared him down, my eyes burning into his like hot coals, my hands fisted at my side. I was definitely ready to punch something. Maybe him. He ran to cover my mouth, and I struggled in his grasp, which still tasted like pancake syrup.
“Be quiet!” he growled while glancing over his shoulder. One of the hilda beasts stared up at us with black, slitted eyes, and an icy chill crept up my spine. Both Zach and I froze. The animal lifted its nostrils, sniffing, and took a step forward, grunting and attracting the attention of the herd.
“Oh no,” Zach moaned. “Run!” He grabbed my hand, and we took off down the path, running harder than I ever had before. Zach’s chest heaved, and I could tell he could barely catch his breath, but that was mainly because he was so chubby and out of shape. I, on the other hand, ran beside him without a word of complaint.
I chanced a glance over my shoulder to see half a dozen hilda beasts giving chase, the biggest in the lead with amber fangs dripping saliva. My thighs started to burn like fire, and a cramp stabbed through my side. I wasn’t used to this. I was slender, but I wasn’t on the track team, and I couldn’t leap tall buildings in a single bound. I was going to be a model. I didn’t need muscles. In fact, I wasn’t supposed to have any for that job.
Beside me, Zach doubled over, moaning and stumbling along, and the beasts gained ground.
“Come on, Zach!” My voice sounded shrill.
“I… can’t,” he rasped, slowing again.
And then I stopped, too. Abruptly. Zach crashed into me, pushing me forward a few steps. Not five feet in front of us stood a hilda beast of massive proportions, its beady eyes boring into ours. Spittle flew from its canines as it threw back its head and roared.
We stood frozen until I grabbed Zach’s arm, dragging him off
the path and down the other side of the hill, where it looked much safer. At least for now. There weren’t any beasts down there that I could see.
Zach protested, yanking on his arm. “We should… probably… stay on the path.” His breath puffed out in short and obviously painful bursts. “It’s not safe… to get off!”
“I don’t think it’s safe on the path!” I hollered over my shoulder. He was at least three steps behind me when we crashed through the thick foliage, our feet sinking into the spongy soil, and one of my shoes almost ripped off. I managed to pull free at the last second.
Just as we were about to vault over a log, Zach was jerked back into the air, the powerful claws of a snowy-white hilda beast holding him aloft. Zach hung helplessly, choking and clutching his throat. The beast’s jaws stretched wide. Putrid air erupted from its open maw—and yeah, I was close enough to smell it—its jagged teeth gnashed as it pulled my brother in for the kill.
I stood there, frozen, my heart racing a million miles an hour. Zach was my only sibling. In that moment, something shifted inside me. He wasn’t just my annoying little brother who bothered me all the time; he was… my brother, gasping for breath, about to leave this world forever in an extremely violent way.
And I could do nothing but watch.
I had no ability to fight this monster. No strength, no weapon. An ache grew in my chest, and I found myself sobbing once again, only this time there was no hate in my heart for this crazy kid I’d grown up with. Only something foreign. Something so alien I almost didn’t recognize it. Affection? Love?
I didn’t have time to even contemplate, because just when I was about to throw my life away for my brother—and you have to realize, all of this happened in a split second—Zach struck out with his hand and rammed his fingers into the animal’s left eye. A warm gel, along with a staring, black eyeball, suctioned to his skin as he pulled away, and goo dripped from his fingers in long tendrils.
I stared at the mess, feeling my gorge rise. One second later, I felt the hot, acidic contents of my stomach rise up and out of my mouth. I think the same thing happened with Zach, but I tried not to focus on anyone’s puke but my own.
The maimed, screaming creature dropped Zach and bounded into the trees. Zach fell to the ground with a grunt, but quickly jumped to his feet. He grabbed my hand, and we darted forward, hiding between logs and bushes, behind trees and branches, but wherever we turned, another hilda beast waited. The animals formed a tight circle, strategically closing us in.
“What do we do?” I asked while hiding behind Zach and holding onto his torn and bloodied shirt.
He didn’t sugarcoat it at all, which I wish he would have. “We die. ‘Cuz this isn’t like my game at all. I have no armor, no sword and… and…”
Fear gripped my heart in its icy fist, and I said the first thing that came to my mind. “No courage.” I said it mostly to myself, but he echoed the thought.
“Yeah.”
The hilda beasts moved in synchronized precision, working together to trap us. We were easy prey as we turned, trying to keep the beasts at our back. But there were just too many of them, and then something happened that surprised me yet again.
Zach shrugged me off and held up his fists. “If I’m gonna die, then I’ll do it like a hero in my game!”
A hilda beast with large, rounded horns lunged at us. Time seemed to slow as its claws reached out, sharp and stained. I stood there quaking, holding my fists up too, but not really intending to use them. I didn’t know how. The most I’d ever done was pinch or pull hair. True girl fighting.
But Zach. He leaped into the air, swiveled his hips—which by no means is a small feat, because like I said before, he was pretty chunky—and kicked the beast in the face. He’d never done anything like that before—at least that I’d seen. He could hardly run without getting out of breath. And doing what looked like a black-belt karate kick? No way.
His feet extended in a double roundhouse kick, snapping the hilda beast’s head back. It lost its balance, tripped over an exposed root, and toppled down a shallow incline. A roar of outrage bellowed from its mouth.
“Where did you learn that?” I shrieked as he grabbed my hand and took off down the path.
“I don’t know! I’ve never done it before!” But he was flying high as a kite, and he wouldn’t quit talking about it. It blew my mind too. We’d never really been into sports. I’d taken dance for a while, but quit when I was twelve. I should have stayed with it. I think I would have been a great dancer.
We raced on, ignoring our exhaustion until the hilda beasts fell behind. Their huge, lumbering bodies held no stamina, and they weren’t fast runners. Thank heavens. Because we weren’t either.
Coming around a bend, we found ourselves on the outskirts of a quaint, little village. And I mean totally cute, with white picket fences, houses with rounded roofs, and people in pioneer clothes. If I didn’t know better, I’d say we’d traveled back in time. That seemed much more likely than being in a computer game.
We hurried forward and came to a large building with white siding and dark shutters. A sign hung on the front that read, Morgantown Inn.
“Terratir,” Zach whispered, half in dread, half in amazement. “We’re in the land of Terratir.”
“What?”
“I can’t believe it!” Zach exclaimed. “This is my game! Come on.” He hurried past a large mailbox and ran inside the inn. I followed, warier. I wasn’t about to barrel into a strange inn like I lived there.
The aroma of hot, home-baked bread engulfed me as I entered a wide-open dining room, which had a fire crackling in a huge fireplace. A long counter ran the length of the wall, and a bald-headed man stood behind it, wiping tall glasses. Just like in the movies. I almost expected to see a bunch of cowboys lined up drinking beers and wiping three-inch-long mustaches.
Zach rushed to the counter, panting and out of breath. “Let’s get something to eat. I’m starving.” He stopped in front of the bartender and ordered bread, cheese, and a quart of milk. Not food I would have ordered in a restaurant.
“Anything else?” the proprietor asked.
“No thanks.”
“You gonna pay for that?” I asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Oh.” Zach didn’t have any money. He never had money, but he shoved his fists into his pockets anyway, and brought out a huge handful of gold, silver, and copper coins. He ogled the treasure, and so did I, counting the small fortune.
“Wow!” he whispered, paying the man. He took his food and sat down at a table by the fire. I sat across from him, staring hard into his eyes, my accusation clear.
“Where did you get that money?”
“Who cares?” He took a bite of warm, homemade bread, moaning in delight, completely ignoring me.
Too hungry to care about his integrity, I asked, “Is that all for you, or are you gonna share?” Granted, I was watching my figure, which meant carbs were definitely out, but the smell of that bread, and the way the butter melted on top… plus I hadn’t eaten hardly anything for breakfast, and honestly, I was starving! I snatched a piece, which melted on my tongue like chocolate. Never had I tasted anything so sweet, so wonderful. I closed my eyes in ecstasy.
We didn’t sit there long before a hulking giant of a man limped in, his armor dented, his sword dragging by his side. He fell into a chair at a nearby table. A long, fresh gash stretched across his massive chest, bleeding. He grimaced in pain as he glared at… you guessed it: me.
Never had I seen eyes so penetrating. Never mind they were the deepest, darkest blue, or ringed with thick, dark lashes that any girl would beg for, or the fact that he was drop-dead gorgeous with all those bulging muscles, but he was looking at me with raw hatred. Like he wanted to kill me. Seriously.
“Uh… Zach, that man is staring at me,” I whispered, leaning in close, as though he could protect me from this Conan the Barbarian. “Let’s get out of here.”
“Huh? Guys always star
e at you, Lauren. Ignore him. I want to finish eating. Besides, everyone here is a good guy.” He continued shoving the warm bread into his mouth, as though savoring every buttery bite. There’s something you should know about Zach. He cannot be parted from his food. And if his bread tasted anything like mine had, he’d soon be a rabid dog if I tried to pull him away.
“How do you know who’s good or not?” I asked. “He doesn’t look good to me.” I sank lower as the man stood, his muscles rippling.
He slowly limped toward me, and my throat closed. I could not breathe. I even said a little prayer, begging for a miracle, but the man’s heavy boots just kept pounding on the wooden floor, getting closer and closer.
The brute eyed me, towering over our table, and placed a heavy hand on my chair. “You should be more careful, girl. You could stir up something dangerous out there.” His eyes closed to slits as his lips pulled back into a snarl. I have to say, I was surprised that his teeth were so white and straight, but it was the long dark hair, wet with sweat at the moment—that I found myself staring at. Never had I met a guy who so totally terrified me, yet made my mouth water so profusely. Never.
Zach scooted back in his chair, staring up at the muscular stranger. “Dardanos?”
The man straightened, his jaw muscles flexing as he clenched his teeth. His thick, heavy armor glimmered in the dim firelight.
“Oh my gosh! I can’t believe it!” Zach turned to me, grabbing my sleeve. “This is my toon! Unbelievable!” Suddenly, Zach was yanked from his chair, the front of his shirt knotted in the man’s meaty fist.
My heart leaped out of my chest, and I found myself jumping up and yanking on the man’s rock-hard arms, coming to my brother’s rescue. I would not freeze up another time. Not if there was anything I could do, and Zach seemed to attract the wrong kind of attention everywhere we went.
My little hands didn’t seem to faze him at all. He just kept staring down into Zach’s eyes. “Who are you?” he growled.
“He is my coolest, and highest, character!” Zach yelled down to me, ignoring the man’s question. “He’s a human warrior and super powerful!”
“I see that,” I said, wanting to shrink back down into my chair. Everyone was watching, including the bald guy at the counter. Never had I felt so small or helpless, or like no one was on my side. I didn’t think anyone would come to our rescue if it came to that. But then the warrior shoved Zach down against the table and turned away in a huff of exasperation.
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