his head, lacing it through his mouth so he couldn't move his obnoxious and entitled tongue anymore. Who did he think he was? Apparently because he had created this world, he thought he had the right to could control their every move. And for what? His own amusement?
Donn seductively raised an eyebrow as she tightened the final knot.
“Not even if I'm stuck here for a million years,” she said.
“What now?” asked Monica. “He's the only one who can give us answers!”
“Yeah, but he's probably lying,” Shannon said.
What reason did he have to tell the truth? Sure, they might have been able to control his actions now that they had his rose, but if he were lying to them, they'd have no way of knowing. How did they know he wasn't just trying to manipulate them into gaining back his power? He might have been charming, handsome, and charismatic, but that didn't stop him from expressing some of the most disturbing tendencies Shannon had ever seen.
Why were some people more important to him than others when he looked down on everyone? What was it about Ben? Was this originally just a plan to introduce a love interest to a man who had been alone for over a hundred years?
“Um, guys, can we do something about Jane here?” Monica snapped them back to reality. “She's, uh... she's weird. Do you think we should just run through the whole 'you're dead' spiel?”
“I'm... what?” she said quietly.
“It's going to be okay,” Ben rushed over to her. “I know it's a lot to process, but –”
“You were in my dream,” her eyes were still glassy, and she looked as though she'd just awoken from a few hours of restless sleep. “I sang to you.”
“It wasn't a dream,” Ben said. “You've been here for a long time.”
“I think I'd like to go outside,” her voice was airy and dreamy, and she didn't quite seem to understand what was happening around her. “It's too dark in here.”
“That's not a great idea,” Shannon said.
What was wrong with her? Monica and Helen hadn't been this way.
“I want to go outside,” Jane stared blankly into space. “I need to see the sun.”
“Then you're going to be disappointed,” said Monica.
Jane pushed past them and ambled down the aisle. She stopped in front of Donn. “Did you know there's a man tied up here?”
She knelt down to his level, and Ben rushed forward to stop her.
“Leave him alone; he's dangerous.”
Sticking out his leg, Donn caught Ben at the shin, and he fell hard on his face. Donn jumped to his feet, the scarf left forgotten around the leg of the pew. Rolling over onto his back, Ben jumped up, stuffed the flower into his breast pocket, and charged Donn.
Donn punched Ben square in the jaw, and he stumbled backward. While Ben recovered, Donn picked up one of the boards from the broken pew and rushed him. Ben tried to defend himself, but Donn broke through and smacked him across the head with the board. He fell backward, tripping over the pew and landing hard on his chest.
“Damn it!” Donn turned over Ben's limp body and pulled the flower out of his pocket. His eyes bulged in horror as he stared at the squashed boutonniere. “That's it; I'm through with this town.”
He held his hand out, and the ground began to shake as the back wall of the church crumbled into a pile of dust and rubble. Shannon ducked down and shielded herself from the falling rock.
“What? No!” Donn swept his hand across the church, but nothing happened.
Keeping low, Shannon ran to Ben helped him up.
Donn cornered Monica, placed his hand on her forehead, and pushed her hard. “Time to go back to the way you were.”
She faltered, but caught herself. “What was that?”
“What the...”
Fluffing the petals, Donn pinned it back onto his jacket and closed his eyes in concentration.
“How about you give that to one of us?” Monica reached for the boutonniere.
Donn threw his hand out, and an invisible force knocked Monica back against the wall.
“Nope, I've still got it,” he said. “Some of it, anyway.”
“Haven't we done enough damage to each other?” Ben asked. “Leave us. Let us rebuild!”
He looked up at the ceiling, pondering Ben's words. “Fine.”
Fine? It was that simple?
“But you two – Shannon, Ben – you're coming with me,” he said. “And you're going to help me get a new rose. It's your fault we're in this situation, and since I'm not keen on losing my own neck, it's up to you to rectify it. Got it?”
“Get it yourself,” Shannon scowled.
“If that's what you want...” Donn reached above his head, and the mist began swirling around Shannon and Ben. “Oh, yes – I have still got it. You'll go first because you annoy me the most. Then I'll move on to your friends. How does that sound?”
Shannon panicked. She wasn't ready. She couldn't deal with the idea of not existing.
“Okay!” she conceded.
“Saving your own skin,” he shook his head. “How noble. Now give me your hands. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I need your help to make this work. Ben, what say you?”
“Fine.”
Donn held out his hands, and they approached him cautiously. Taking their wrists, Donn squeezed tight. Shannon felt as though whatever energy ran through her was being sapped through her arm. Her head spun as the rubble from the fallen wall reshaped itself into the original structure. Pebbles stacked upon pebbles, and the stone bricks took shape again. Even the broken pew melded back into place.
“Take a look outside,” said Donn.
The church door swung open before they could reach it, and Donn revealed an exact replica of the town he had burned.
“I'm doing this out of the goodness of my heart,” he warned. “Try to cross me, and I won't hesitate to take this town out again. Next time I'll ensure every soul is eradicated.”
“Can't you at least bring Sato back?” Shannon pleaded. “He belongs here.”
“I'm sorry; what part of this conversation led you to believe that this was a negotiation?” Donn adjusted with the boutonniere again, and the sky began to darken. “My power may be lacking, but do you really want to take the chance that it'll malfunction at the exact moment you need it to? Because from where I'm standing, it looks like I could obliterate you in seconds. Follow me; we're leaving.”
“Can you at least tell us where we're going?” Ben asked.
“Again. Not a negotiation. I'll tell you what you need to know when you need to know it,” Donn said. “Others will awaken while we're gone, Monica. I can't wait to see how you've handled it when I return. Now let's go.”
Donn marched out of the church, and they followed him down the path that led out of town.
Shannon was glad to be getting out, but she couldn't imagine what would happen to them now that Donn had them on this ridiculous mission. He had refused to give them any information on what they were supposed to do. But knowledge was power, and there was no way they would ever find out more than they needed to.
Donn brushed the ivy away from the gate and put his hand on the latch. The rust crumbled away, revealing a polished metal contraption. He motioned for Ben to move forward.
“I think you deserve to do the honors. One hundred and twenty-one years, and you're finally leaving,” Donn said. “How does it feel?”
He scowled at Donn, but didn't respond.
“Oh, come on...” Donn urged. “Is it exciting? Terrifying?”
Ben put his hand on the latch, but made no move to open it.
“I know this is a big moment for you, but we don't have all day,” Donn tapped his foot impatiently.
“How do I know something bad won't happen when I step outside the town?”
“You don't,” Donn admitted. “And with my rose on the fritz – thanks to you – I'm not sure it won't, either. But think of it this way
. Step forward, and you might fade into oblivion. Stay here, and I will ensure that you do.”
Taking a deep breath, Shannon reached for Ben's hand. “We'll go together.”
“Oh, isn't this sweet?” Donn mocked.
Shannon glared back at him before turning her attention to Ben once more. “It'll be fine; nothing's going to happen. I came from this forest a week ago, remember? You got this.”
She didn't quite believe her own words, but if it helped Ben gain the confidence to move forward, it was worth it.
He placed his hand on the latch. “You're right.”
With a single movement, Ben swung the gate open. He squeezed Shannon's hand, and together they stepped out into the forest.
END
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Awakening: Part 2 of the Hinterlands Series Page 6