Lark's End

by Christina Leigh Pritchard

  “What’s that?” She pointed. Jerry frowned. Gadaie was once filled with flowers and wildlife. Now, there was just this one patch left. All that remained from the destruction of Mary. The muddy palace realm and No Where Zone (the two most destroyed lands) were desolate wastes. Gadaie was left mostly unharmed—so far.

  “It’s what Gadaie used to look like. We’re all that’s left,” Jerry answered. She put her hands on his waist, making him jump.

  “I’m sorry to hear that. I bet this place was really beautiful even if it is filled with weird loony creatures.”

  “Yeah.” He blinked. “Like wait till you see the muddy palace realm. It’s a wasteland now. Mary destroyed that first.”

  The flowers were invisible to them as they passed by. Their stems looked more like thick green bamboo reeds. Loonypillars and loonettes scurried away, blinking their bug eyes at Tahmi. It was as if they knew who she was.

  “Can the bugs talk?”

  Jerry nodded. “If they feel like it, they can. Most won’t speak to humans though.”

  Andy whistled. “Here bug!”

  The loonypillar disappeared deep in the greenery. The loonette did not move. Her reddish orange eyes and six fuzzy legs stood still, waiting for them to pass. Her thorax was filled with colorful swirls of purples, blues and pinks.

  “Why do the bugs hate people so much?”

  Jerry rubbed his head. “You sure ask a lot of questions.”

  Before she could answer, the flowers above them rustled. A tulip bent over sideways revealing a girl inside. She had long black hair with raven eyes. Tahmi swallowed. It was her sister. What was she doing in the flower?

  “Trusty, you’re a stable hand.” Princess Teri sighed. She pushed away some of the red petals so that she could take a better look at the set. They were a Hodgepodge. Her sister wasn’t special. How disappointing. The freckle faced boy was a peeping-tom and Jerry—an orphaned rebel. Didn’t Tahmi know how to make friends? “Go home, Trusty. This isn’t something you’re qualified to do.”

  “I’d like to help the young princess.” He stood his ground.

  Teri rolled her eyes, “I have someone more qualified to accompany us.”

  “Us?” Jerry blurted, “What do you mean us?”

  “As if you could make it all on your own,” Teri snickered. “Foolish boy.”

  “If she comes then you don’t need me,” Jerry said, hopping down. A shadow hung over him. He looked up. “Sandy?”

  Sandy stood on all fours. She stretched exposing nearly translucent wings. Her body was all white. Her mane and tail was blonde. Tahmi had never seen such beautiful gray eyes in all her life. “Is that your wife, Trusty?”

  “Yes, Tahmi, it is. She doesn’t remember me, though.”

  “Doesn’t remember you?”

  “No. All the bad in our lives is hidden in the orange. I go there to remember her.” His eyes watered. “Whenever I begin to forget her, I go.” That’s why he was in the goo.

  “See?” Teri swayed in the flower above them, “I’ve someone more qualified to help us. So, please go on home Trusty. I’m sure your chores are piling up.”

  “Teri keeps my wife as her pet. I hate it—it’s so degrading. She’s not really a horse.” Trusty’s voice deepened. “I’d like to give her a swift kick in the butt sometimes. She’s a selfish, stupid girl.”

  “I want Trusty to come with us!” Tahmi yelled at Teri. “Nobody invited your snotty little butt with us, anyway. Jerry, forget her and come back. We need you—not her.”

  “Excuse me?” Teri’s eyes widened. How dare she, that ingrate! “I don’t need an invitation to anything. I’m the princess!” Why won’t that freckled boy look at something else besides me? “I’m your only hope of getting to Lark alive.”

  “Teri, darling,” Sandy’s voice was like honey coming from her mouth. “Let’s not argue. She’s your sister. Why not allow her new friends to come along? We can use all the help we can get.”

  “All right, fine, the horse can come,” Teri said. She narrowed her eyes at Trusty. “No funny business.” He knew what she meant. “I’m not giving up what belongs to me.” And by that, she meant Sandy.

  “Trusty will come with or without your approval.” Tahmi motioned for Jerry to hop back on. She looked up at her sister. Could this really be the same girl who’d, when just a little girl, had saved Tahmi’s life? It seemed impossible now. “Do you really think it wise for you to come? I mean, you might ruin your dress and those pretty heels.”

  Trusty let out a short chortle.

  “We’ll see about that,” Teri muttered. She folded her arms. “Yes, we shall see about that.”

  Sandy looked at the princess. “Are you ready? We’ve a long journey ahead of us.”

  “Not that long,” Trusty neighed. “They don’t realize how close we really are. No one except me ventures out.”

  “How do we get to the Muddy Palace Realm, anyway?”

  Jerry pointed at the wooden bridge. It was there as if it had never fallen. “It comes back whenever it falls.”

  Andy’s freckled face turned pale. “We’ve got to cross that ugly bridge again?” Tahmi trembled. The last thing she wanted to do was go back on that awful thing.

  “You can’t all ride the stable hand,” Sandy said. “Won’t one of you ride on my back?”

  Teri grabbed the long tulip stem and slid down as if she were on a fireman’s pole. “I’ll ride. And, Tahmi shall as well.”

  “No,” Tahmi snapped. “You’re not running this mission.”

  “And you are?”

  “No,” she thought. “Jerry is.”

  He turned his head, eyes wide. “Me?”

  “Yes, you know this world the best. So, I think you should be in charge.”

  “No, he isn’t.” Teri said. “I’m not allowing some pauper to tell me what to do.”

  “Please, princess,” Sandy whispered. “This isn’t the time for that.”

  “I’ll ride with the princess.” Andy smiled. Before Teri could protest, the boy covered in freckles ran towards her. Sandy bent down on one knee and motioned for him to climb up. He wrapped his arms around Teri’s waist.

  She raised her eyebrows. “Comfy?”

  Andy grinned wide. “Oh yes, I’m just perfect.”

  “How about you release your grip? I’m not accustomed to being manhandled by—” What was he?

  “We need to get going,” Jerry shouted. “If you’re coming, then I suggest you hurry up.”

  Teri cringed. The boy was not listening. Instead he squeezed her tighter. “Don’t worry, I’ll grow on you.”

  “That’s what I’m afraid of.”

  There in front of them was the rotted rope bridge with its old, nasty planks. “Has everyone crossed before? If not then you’ll have to do it alone,” Trusty told them.

  “I never have,” Teri said.

  “Me, either.” Sandy lowered her head. “Is there a special rule to the bridge?”

  “Don’t look down,” Tahmi and Andy chorused. They looked at each other and laughed.

  Teri went first. She kept her head held high and gently stepped on each plank. Sandy followed close behind.

  The bridge was narrow and the rope rubbed against her sides. “It’s hard to not look.” Sandy said. “I can see why people fall from here. Who in the world would make such a horrible bridge?”

  Teri thought for a moment. “Someone who wanted to keep intruders out. …Someone who wanted to keep Gadaie safe.”

  “Like who?”

  Teri stepped off the bridge and then Sandy did the same. Easy as pie. “Like, maybe the same someone who stopped Mary.”

  Sandy glanced up at the brown horse with his three humans. “Who is that? He looks so familiar.” Her eyes watered. Did she know him? The children on his back reminded her of a different time, a time when she was someone else.

  Teri glanced down. Sandy stood in a fresh pile of orange goo. “Come stand next to me.” Together they watched as Andy clompe
d across the bridge. He gripped the rope as if he were petrified. “They’re not very brave, are they?”

  Sandy said nothing. Trusty, with the other two, stepped onto the planks. He carried them halfway across. She paced.

  Something was wrong.

  Trusty held his head high. “Why are we shaking? Who’s looking down?”

  Tahmi closed her eyes. “Not me.”

  “Me, either.” Jerry fidgeted. “What else could cause the bridge to tremble like this?”

  “I dunno,” Trusty shouted. “Maybe we should all walk by ourselves.”

  Tahmi climbed down first then Jerry. They held onto the rope as tight as they could. Even still, the bridge swayed so high that their hands slipped, jerking them about. “It’ll disappear! Run, Trusty!”

  Trusty galloped as fast as he could. The rope burned his flesh leaving marks. He leaped into the goo, sinking halfway in.

  Teri shook her head at him. “Amateur. Still think you should be here with us?”

  Trusty’s knees knocked as he forced himself up. “Yes.” He turned his attention to Jerry and Tahmi who stood in the center of the swaying bridge. They screamed with their eyes closed. His heart pounded. He knew the rules. He had to grab Andy by the shirt.

  “Let me go!”

  “You can’t help them,” Teri answered for Trusty. “If you do, they’ll die.”

  Andy glanced up at the Princess. “What kinda place is this?” He looked across the emptiness at his best friend. Tahmi stood on the bridge in front Jerry with a face as white as snow. He could hear them shouting about something.

  ***

  “Tahmi,” Jerry whimpered. “What if I never have gone on this bridge?”

  “You said you had!”

  “I know, but maybe I think I have. I’m always helping people get across.”

  “I don’t know what to tell you then, Jerry. No one can cross the first time with help. Maybe you’re making it fall apart.”

  “Then go—leave without me.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous.”

  “I don’t want to be the cause of anyone’s death.”

  “We’ll get through this together,” Tahmi said. “You didn’t let me die and I’m sure as heck not gonna let you.” Her eyes watered. “Maybe I’m the problem. Things seem to go weird whenever I’m around.”

  “Run.”

  She obeyed, smacking her bare feet into the splintering wood. Up ahead she could see Trusty waiting for them. He reared up, clobbering the goo with his hooves. His body sunk partly.

  Tahmi lowered herself, building momentum. Then, without a second thought she pushed off, soaring through the air. As her feet left the bridge it began to disappear. Was she really the cause of its destruction? Or was it Jerry?

  She smacked into the orange goo, sinking some. Trusty grabbed her by the shirt and tugged with all his might. She sat up and gagged. Jerry! Had he fallen below? She stared out into the emptiness. Tahmi couldn’t believe her eyes.

  Jerry could no longer feel the wood beneath him. Don’t look down. He kept running anyway as fast as he could. She stared, wide eyed. Jerry was running on nothing. He kept his head up and focused on the goo up ahead. How was he able to do that?

  He dropped to his knees in the goo. “This stuff is gross.”

  “I know, right.” Andy laughed. “Tahmi loves to eat this stuff back home.”

  Teri narrowed her eyes. “Interesting.”

  “Well, we’ve all made it across; now what?” Sandy asked. She glanced at Trusty. Something about him tugged at her heart.

  With most of his body submersed in the goo, Jerry fidgeted. Something strange happened to him once. He reflected back to the day he thought he’d crossed. His uncle, Jon Landers held him in his arms tight. There was a strange world behind him filled with humans roaming on hard gray fields and there were tall steel buildings all around them. “I must take you with me. Your caretakers,” the old man couldn’t finish, “are no more.”

  “Who are you?” Jerry squirmed in his arms, “What do you want?” He was maybe five years old. “Let me go, you crazy old man!”

  He had crossed. Jerry rubbed his eyes with the inside of his shirt. It wasn’t him causing the bridge to disappear after all. A horrible thought infiltrated his mind. One he’d somehow seemed to have forgotten. He was from the same world as Tahmi. Tell no one. That’s what his gut told him.

  “Ready?” Tahmi leaned down close to his face. Her lips were inches from his. “We’re waiting.”

  He smiled. “Let’s go.”

  THE BRIDGE

  “We’ll have to find a new way home,” Teri said. “I’m not going over that thing again.” Her dress was still perfectly intact, unlike everyone else who was covered in goo. Sandy of course, was of the same caliber and free of the guck as well. They trudged ahead.

  Tahmi was disappointed. She’d envisioned a different person. In her mind, Teri was her hero. Now, all she saw was a spoiled, selfish girl stomping ahead of them—embarrassed by their very presence. Where was that little girl who begged to be reunited with her? Had that been a lie?

  “We’re almost there!” Sandy called over her shoulder. Her eye met with Trusty’s. She quickly turned about.

  They passed the red brick bridge and now stood in between it and the golden bridge. Teri surveyed the area. “Something’s not right.”

  Andy inched closer to the brown horse. He could feel his heart pound. The ground shook all around them. The goo jiggled, forcing their legs deep.

  Tahmi’s heart stopped. Her mind raced. An eerie noise infiltrated the air. She’d heard the words they spoke once.

  Kill her. Kill her.

  Kill her.

  Shadows danced around them. Jerry, Tahmi, and Andy struggled to free themselves from the guck. The more they tried the farther they sank.

  A dozen war pigs with flaming spears marched across the red brick bridge.

  Kill her. Kill her.

  “Trusty, why aren’t you doing anything?” Teri’s voice was dry. “You said you’d be useful. I’ve yet to see it.”

  “Stop it!” Tahmi shouted. “Leave him alone, already.”

  “Jerry? The leader my silly sister chose. Have you any ideas?”

  Andy breathed hard. There were even more nasty creatures now. These stood on the golden bridge with spears in their hands.

  Jerry looked down at his bare hands. There was nothing he could do. He’d led them to their deaths.

  The war pigs marched, circling them, trapping them with no place to run.

  One of the pigs had long horns protruding from his back. He looked like an ancient pigasaurus. Or at least that’s what Tahmi thought.

  The horned war pig sniffed the air with his rat nose. “She’s with them. I can smell her.” His hand went up revealing human hands with long fingernails black with mold. They were so long they curled up at the ends. He smiled showing rotted teeth. “Kill them!”

  “Kill them. Kill them,” the war pigs chanted inching closer, confining them.

  The horn backed war pig tossed a flaming spear. It pierced the goo and just like oil; the goo caught fire. The others near the red brick bridge did the same.

  Fire lit up the sky as spears raced towards them.

  Trusty struggled. He had to get out. Tahmi and Andy needed him. He had to do it for them. He looked up. Fire surrounded them like a thick wall.

  War pigs grunted and squealed. Were they happy? What sort of creature cheered on the death of others?

  Tahmi felt like she was stuck in cement. The closer the fire came to them, the thicker the guck became.

  “I don’t wanna die!” Andy blubbered. Tears poured down his cheeks. He pulled on Trusty’s mane. He grimaced with pain.

  “Oh, you’re fools.” Teri rolled her eyes. “I guess Jerry isn’t the best leader, is he?”

  Tahmi struggled harder. “What? Think you can do better?”

  Teri raised her arms parallel with her shoulders. “Oh, I know I can. But first, you have to ask m
e to help you.”

  “I’m not going to do that,” Tahmi snapped. “Get a life, crazy psycho.”

  Teri dropped her arms. “Is that all you have to say? I’m offering to save you and your pathetic friends’ lives. Does that not afford me some gratitude?”

  “You don’t deserve it!”

  Teri’s eyes darkened. “Trusty, tell me you were wrong for this mission or I’ll let those monsters kill you and your human pets.”

  “Don’t do it, Trusty. She’s the real monster,” Tahmi screamed, finally breaking free from the hardened goo. She ran over to Andy and tugged on his arm.

  “Tahmi, tell her whatever she wants to hear, please. I don’t wanna burn to death,” Andy pleaded, clawing her with his fingernails.

  Teri could feel the heat against her cheek. The fire was almost too close now. Sandy glanced up at her. “I know that you’re a very good leader,” the white horse said.

  The princess raised her arms once more. “At least someone here isn’t a moron.” Tahmi watched as Teri screeched just as a raven would. A gray vapor similar to the one in the emptiness under the wood bridge emanated from her skin.

  Andy’s eyes goggled. Tahmi couldn’t believe it. The gray vapor slowly melted, first the princess’ clothes then the goo around her.

  She walked in a complete circle around them.

  “She’s spraying acid.” Jerry whispered, “She’s very ‘special’.”

  Tahmi’s eyes widened as Teri stepped into the line of fire. It melted like water under her.

  Andy stared at the naked princess. He blinked. “How’d she do that?” His skin itched and his body was weak—so weak, he fell to his knees.

  Teri lowered her arms and glared at the intruding army. There was at least a dozen frozen in place.

  “Look, the goo has vanished,” Trusty said, nudging Andy. “Let’s get out of here.” Tahmi and Jerry nodded, picking the freckled boy up. They were ready to abandon the evil princess. She’d demeaned them and then saved them. Tahmi stopped.

  “We can’t. She saved our lives.”