“You’ve come to steal me from my home?”
“This is a prison. You belong home with us. Where are our other sisters?”
“They’re not interested in this game.”
Teri stepped forward. Spears pointed in her direction.
“See, Teri, darling, I don’t need rescuing.” Diane picked at her fingernails.
“They’ve brainwashed you!” Teri grabbed a net.
“That won’t hold me.”
Teri tossed it anyway, blowing the pigs backwards. Diane stretched out her arms, ripping apart the rope as if it were nothing.
“She’s strong!” Sandy exclaimed.
“What else can you do?”
“I can float.” Diane lifted off the ground.
“Big deal so can I.” When Teri lifted, the girls shot up into the sky about thirty feet.
“Interesting,” Diane smiled. Her eyes danced. “What else can we do together?”
PAINS
The walls shook. Tahmi fell to the floor. A foul vapor filled the room. “What’s happening?”
“Foolish girl,” the voice laughed.
Her eyes darted around the room, heart pounding. “Are you Lark? Answer me!” She screamed, hands shaking. What was happening to her? Sharp pains penetrated her stomach. “Stop it,” she cried.
“Get up,” the voice commanded. “Look out the window.”
“I can’t,” Tahmi said, holding her stomach. She struggled to stand. “What have you done to me?”
“Look!”
Tahmi’s legs trembled beneath her. She glanced out the window and gasped. “What’s happening? Why do my sisters look like they’re about to fight?”
The voice boomed. “Seems Diane wants to kill Teri. Did you think when you woke up this morning that is would be your last?”
“Yes, I did think that.” Tahmi breathed hard, narrowing her eyes, “Where are you, ya stupid jerk!”
“Ha ha HA.” His voice was sarcastic. “Let’s watch them die.”
“Stop it!” Tahmi screamed, punching the window. Glass shattered around her and she winched with pain as her finger gripped the jagged frame. “Teri!”
“It’s no use,” The voice said.
Tahmi couldn’t breathe. She grabbed her throat, turning white. “Stop!”
Laughter filled the air.
She grew dizzy and the walls spun.
“You’ve brought your friends to their deaths.”
Tahmi fell to her knees.
She convulsed. It was as if a rock, the size of a lemon, was traveling up her stomach and through her throat. Tahmi couldn’t breathe. She gagged, choking.
Tahmi screamed. “Why are you trying to kill me?”
Her throat burned and she vomited a round, pink translucent object. It was covered in mucus. The thing tumbled to the floor.
She sat up, wiping her mouth. Tahmi’s eyes widened. There was blood all over her hands. “What are you doing to me?”
Fog clouded her vision. Pain rumbled in her stomach again.
“Stop it! You’re killing me!”
“Lark! Stop!”
Another “thing” burned her throat. It was worse than when she had the stomach flu—one of the only sicknesses she ever got back home; home. She’d never see that place again, would she? What about Andy? If she died, how would he get back? Would Queen Maryanne send him even though she never got her daughters?
“I just need to get my friend home,” Tahmi said, tears streaming down her face. “I’ll let you kill me if you just please, please let me send my friend home!”
The voice did not answer.
She vomited more.
She stared down at the objects. Was there something moving inside them? Tiny dark specks wriggled furiously.
“Lark!” Tahmi convulsed, tumbling out the door. She tripped down the steps.
“Tahmi, wait!” The voice ordered.
She couldn’t see; everything went hazy. Her arms smacked a guarding war pig in the head.
He tumbled backwards, landing on the floor.
Her hand burned with the war pig’s acidic mucus. “Why are you doing this?”
Tahmi’s feet slid from under her and she fell to her bottom, vomiting another translucent thing. It tumbled down the stairs, splitting in two.
“I have to get Andy out of this place.” She wiped her mouth. Her fingers were stained red.
“Tahmi!” The voice hollered.
She looked up.
A war pig squealed, flying through the air. His spear aimed for her. She covered her face—this was it. She was going to die. She sobbed, shaking violently. “I don’t want to die.”
A sound she’d heard only in movies filled the room.
Tahmi opened her eyes.
A gigantic grey donkey flew through the air. He smacked into the war pig and the spear pierced his side.
The death cloud that brought Tahmi to this sick and twisted world, spun around them, driving the air out of their lungs. The vortex sucked the war pig and donkey into its black hole.
Tahmi skidded across the floor, the vortex growing stronger and stronger. “I can’t leave yet! I have to find Andy!”
Someone grabbed her by the wrist.
Jerry’s green eyes blinked. His hair blew in his face and she could see him struggle against the suction. He held onto a long rope.
“Don’t let go!” He shouted, gripping her tighter. “I’ve got you.”
“I can’t go back yet! I have to find Andy!”
“I’m not gonna let you go!”
Tahmi’s legs flapped in the air. The death cloud grew larger and colder.
“Tahmi, grab my waist.”
She struggled against the wind.
“C’mon, you can do it,” Jerry said. Veins popped in his neck. “Hold on to me.”
“I can’t, it’s too hard.”
“You can. I know you can.”
Tahmi’s lungs burned. With all her might she forced herself forward. Jerry pulled her closer and she wrapped her arms around his waist.
He grabbed the rope with both hands, pulling hand over hand, inch by inch, away from the death cloud.
“My fingers,” Tahmi tried to say. Her voice wouldn’t come.
“We’re almost there,” Jerry shouted. “Don’t give up on me now!”
Tahmi closed her eyes and forced herself to breathe. They flopped around in the air like swirling kites.
“My arms,” Jerry said. “I can’t feel them.”
“Get us to the wall. We can hide in the interior hall.”
He focused. The wind tunnel strengthened, tossing them about.
“Now!”
Jerry let go. They flew through the air. His shoulder smacked into bricks. He cringed. Tahmi tumbled into his arms. “Move it,” she said, shoving against him. They leaned against the wall.
Winds whistled, entering the hall. “It’s coming!”
“No, just wait it out.”
“I’ll never see Andy again.”
“Yes, you will.”
“No, he’ll be stuck in this horrible place and it’ll be my fault.”
“I’m not letting you go anywhere.”
“We’ll see about that.”
“You should see your hair.”
Tahmi covered it with her hands. Strands still flew about. She trembled. “I’m cold.”
“It’ll pass.”
Their bodies slid along the floor. “No, it won’t.”
Jerry reached for her hand.
She took it.
Their bodies rose.
Then, suddenly, the death cloud disappeared.
Jerry and Tahmi dropped to the floor.
“What happened?” Jerry rubbed his head.
“It left.” Tahmi whispered. “Let’s go before it comes back.”
“Comes back?”
“Yeah, it always comes back.”
He offered her his hand and she took it. Her legs trembled beneath her. “I feel weak.”
Jerr
y encompassed her with his arms. He hoisted her up, inches from his face. Tahmi wrapped her arms around his neck.
She cringed at the sight of blood on his collar. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay, I don’t care,” he whispered, squeezing her close. “Are you all right?”
“I’m okay.” She rested her head against his neck.
Jerry carried her down the interior corridor. Smashed pictures of royals lay in pieces on the ground. “Looks like this castle belonged to a human king and queen once.”
“Look at that.” Tahmi pointed. He placed her on the ground. She bent, brushing glass shards away. A nearly burned photograph caught her attention. “This old lady looks familiar.”
“Yeah.” Jerry trembled. “Give it here.” He shoved the photo in his pocket. “We’ll look at it later. Let’s get out of this place.”
“Okay.” She followed. What had Jerry so spooked? “Hey, how’d you know to bring rope?”
He froze. “I can’t tell you.”
“What’dya mean?”
“The Queen made me take an oath of secrecy, so ask her.”
“Fine.” She jerked her hand away. “Let’s find the others.”
RED
“What are they doing up there?” Jerry pointed at Teri and Diane.
“Looks like they’re about to fight.” Tahmi cringed. How was she going to help Teri? She couldn’t fly.
Where was Sandy?
There, pinned in between ten war pigs, stood Sandy with spears pointed at her flesh.
“They’ve got Sandy!”
“What’re we gonna do?”
Tahmi bit her lip.
AIRBORNE
Teri hadn’t flown this high before. Her body filled with adrenaline. She glared at her twin sister, Diane. “You’re not a nice person, are you?”
“You’re not as dense as I thought,” Diane said. “Let’s see what else you can help me do.”
“Help you do?”
“Yes, you pathetic, whiny, dirty, poor excuse for royal blood.” Diane’s laugh echoed. “I see which of us received the better genes.”
Teri’s skin burned. “What’s Lark done to you?”
“He has no control of me,” Diane screamed, racing towards Teri.
“What are you doing?” Teri turned sideways. Diane flew passed, knocking herself into a tree. “Are you attempting to fight me?”
“Again with the idiocy.” Diane grabbed the tree and ripped it from its roots. She punched the small branches, sending them to the ground in pieces. The raven girl narrowed her eyes and held the barren tree like a baseball bat.
“You really are strong.” Teri swallowed. “I’m supposed to take you to our mother.”
“Our mother?” Diane frowned, “She’s wicked.”
“My mother is not evil. Your king is the problem. Look at what you’ve become!” Teri lashed back, oil seeping from her fingers.
“You know nothing of the past, do you?” Diane blinked, lowering her weapon. “Shall I educate you?”
“Teri!” Tahmi shouted from below. “What’re you doing?”
Diane glanced down at the puny human girl. Her blonde hair was matted with mud and she looked so human. That was who Lark said would come? Diane laughed loudly. “She’s the one who has come to take me home? The future queen is supposed be that little rodent down there?”
“She’s not a rodent. Take it back,” Teri said. Oil dripped from her fingers. She balled up her fists, struggling to control herself. “She may not look like much, but Tahmi is going to be our savior.”
Diane aimed the tree above her head. “Let’s see how she handles this.” The princess tossed the trunk with great force, aiming for Tahmi’s head.
“Look out!” Teri shouted.
The tree dropped fast, flipping through the air. Teri chased after it. Her body soared through the sky, the wind stinging her face.
Tahmi’s eyes widened. Was her sister trying to kill her? Diane had been brainwashed! Jerry grabbed her around the shoulders, dragging her away. The tree smashed into the earth. Splintered wood smacked against them. Jerry covered her with his body. She was burning up, almost as hot as fire. He jumped back. “What’s wrong with you?”
“I’m not sure,” Tahmi whispered. Her eyes glowed red and her fingers straightened. “Diane tried to kill me.”
Diane laughed.
Teri turned around. She flew fast towards her twin. This was it. She wasn’t going to let her continue playing these foolish games. Diane’s back faced her. She bent sideways, laughing hysterically.
“What fun this family is!”
Teri’s fingers itched and she sprayed oil.
Diane screeched, covering her face. Black liquid covered her. “How disgusting.”
The twins faced each other.
“Sometimes a lesson needs to be learned,” Teri said. “I think yours has come, little sister.”
“Little? We’re twins.”
“I was born first.” Teri screamed like a raven, blowing her twin backwards.
“What else can you do?” Diane brushed her fingers through her hair.
“I can burn you with acid,” Teri said. “I don’t even have to touch you to do it.”
“Interesting.” Diane floated a few feet backwards. “So, you can create oil, acid and wind?”
“I’m the strongest of us all.”
“I’m the strongest physically,” Diane said. “Why do you protect that pathetic creature?”
“That’s our sister and future queen.”
“Loyalty to her kind will be your demise, older sister by one minute.”
“Loyalty is her most admirable quality.” Teri grinned.
“Why do you grin that way?”
“No reason.”
RED EYES
Tahmi pulled shards of wood from her flesh. “I’m going to hurt that girl. She’s not getting away with this. Who does she think she is? How dare she threaten my sister!”
“I think they’re both your sisters,” Jerry said.
“No, that one is evil and I’m not going to let her get away with it. The queen wants that horrible girl to poison your world—well, how could you stand it? That girl is probably not even the worst of them. I won’t take them home. They don’t deserve to be in Gadaie. This is where they belong. Here, in this muddy, disgusting prison.”
Jerry backed up, scrambling to his feet. “What are you gonna do?”
Tahmi ignored him, stomping through the mud. She stood inches behind several war pigs. They eagerly guarded Sandy.
“Get away, Tahmi!” Sandy neighed, “They’re dangerous.”
Tahmi laughed.
Two horned war pigs snorted, turning in her direction. “What do you want?”
“Give me my friend, now.”
They snorted, pointing their spears in her face.
“I don’t think you heard me.”
The war pigs froze. They watched the little blonde princess with fear. Her eyes glowed bright red. “What’s she gonna do?”
“She’s supposed to be the most powerful of all.”
“If she can do worse things than those two...”
“Retreat, retreat!”
Sandy reared up, knocking one of them in the head. She pounded him with her hooves, racing over to Tahmi.
“What were you thinking, child?” She knelt, letting the young girl climb on her back.
“If they think I’m some kinda ‘legacy’ or whatever, I might as well use the one weird thing I’ve got going for me.”
“Those red eyes?”
“Yep.” Tahmi dug her heels into Sandy’s side. “Let’s stop that girl.”
Sandy took a running leap, rising high in the sky, she flapped her wings, pressing forward. Tahmi got on her knees and leaned over the horse. “Have you gone mad?”
“No, I’m going to kill her.”
“You can’t kill her,” Sandy said.
“Why not?”
“She’s your sister.”
“Diane tried to kill me.”
“What’s happening to you?” Sandy’s voice trembled. “You’re scaring me.”
Tahmi shook her head. Why was she so angry? “Let’s knock her out of the sky. Maybe she’ll pass out and we can tie her up.”
“Tying her up doesn’t work.”
“Tried it already?”
“Yes, she’s super strong.”
“Then I guess we know what needs to be done.”
DIANE
“Why do you smile so smugly?” Diane asked again. She narrowed her eyes at Teri. “I don’t like games.”
“It doesn’t look that way to me.”
Diane screamed, rushing towards her sister.
Teri stretched out her arms, blasting Diane backwards.
Diane tried to compose herself. She flew through the air, arms flailing. Out of the corner of her eye she saw something very unusual; a horse flying. What was on its back?
Tahmi raised her fist and with a deep breath, punched Diane in the shoulder.
The raven-haired girl soared through the sky, disappearing behind the trees.
Teri dropped like a lead ball. She dropped fast nearing the ground.
“We’ve got you!” Sandy neighed, flying besides her.
“Grab my hand,” Tahmi shouted.
“I’ll drag you with me,” Teri said, reaching for Sandy’s back, “Closer Sandy.”
“The velocity will suck us down with you.”
“Just take my hand!”
“You’ll die!”
“I won’t!”
Teri was several feet from the ground. She closed her eyes and stretched her arm out. Tahmi’s fingers tightened around her wrist.
Teri jerked up, inches from the ground. She screamed out. Jerry ran beside her. He grabbed her around the waist and hoisted her up and over Sandy’s back.
“I can’t stop,” Sandy whinnied, rising higher.
Jerry ran faster, grabbing the horse’s tail. She neighed, tumbling sideways. Tahmi and Teri rolled in mud, slipping down a slope.
Tahmi reached out.
She grabbed onto a rock. Teri’s weight tugged her shoulder, pulling it from its socket.
Teri glanced down.
She hung above a high valley. Her body swayed in the wind. “Get us down from here!”
Lark's End Page 19