《The Education of Ali Waly and Pious Jaius: Book 1, Every Way the Wind Blows.》


 Chapter 1: Ali Waly

    ¡°...do not throw your pearls before swine....¡± Matthew 7:6.


    The bus trundled along down the twisting, rural, road. Its yellow color and flashing lights are a constant annoyance to most other drivers on the road, the unintelligible chatter within an annoyance to the bus driver. Children of varied ages were letting off steam after a long day in the ¡°Dungeon¡± or so the children called St Pious the X¡¯s Catholic High School here in Black Canyon, Pennsylvania. Some children were venting their frustration by drawing pictures of their teachers inside their notebooks with horns on their heads and tails protruding from behind. Others were talking about sports or how gross or attractive, depending on their age, that the opposite sex was. Some kids were on their phones either texting, or watching movies, or taking selfies. There wasn¡¯t a shut mouth or phone on the bus save for one child. In the back of the bus, fifth seat from the rear on the left, sat a girl of about thirteen years old. She had long blond hair and glasses, she would have been very pretty had she been allowed to wear makeup, of this she was very certain, but her parents wouldn¡®t allow her until she was sixteen. She sat alone, which appeared to be fine by her for she was lost in the pages of a book about a Knight who rescued a Fair Lady from captivity in a tower. She always had her nose in a book, which might make her seem like an ideal student, except that it wasn¡¯t textbooks that were constantly in her hands. She delved as much as she could into one world of fantasy or another.


    The name on her birth certificate was Alianna Renee Oaksen and she was currently in the seventh grade. Now, some called her Ali Ali Oxen Free, others named her Ali Waly; such are the labels given by those who find pleasure in deriving humorous alterations to someone¡¯s name. She never showed any outward sign that these taunts affected her, however, as anyone who has been taunted knows, you wouldn¡¯t be human if it didn¡¯t hurt you. She hid the hurt by pushing further and further into the fantasy worlds that were contained in her books. They were her refuge, a place where only she could go, and the names that they called her couldn¡¯t follow.


    There had been no such name calling, no phone cameras recording it, so far on this ride home. This was such an odd occurrence that curiosity got the better of her and she tore her eyes from the words on the page and looked up over the rim of her book to see what wondrous thing had distracted the others from their favorite pastime of amusing themselves at her cost.


    She saw that the kids in her immediate area were looking at a seat that was a little ahead of her to the right. She could just see the left side of a boy¡¯s head. He was sitting quietly by himself, his head bowed as though he too were reading. He had dark hair and she could just see the arm of a pair of glasses bouncing up and down as one of the Eighth graders, Stephen Pennington, started flicking the boy¡¯s earlobe, the boy next to him named Pete was recording it on his phone. This seemed to bring a lot of enjoyment to those looking on.


    She wracked her brain for the boy¡¯s name. ¡°Jarus, Jass, Jaius, that was it. What were Stephen, Pete, and Jaius doing on our bus?¡± Those boys, along with a few other new faces, had never gone home on her bus before.  ¡°Oh yeah, my mom said they had cut back on the number of buses for our school to save money.¡± She felt herself relax somewhat as she turned back to her book. Soon a feeling of relief began to flow through her, bordering on happiness. Someone else was being picked on on this bus. Perhaps they would leave her alone now, but following along behind these good feelings she felt was a burning, sickening wave of guilt. ¡°How can I wish this on anyone else, just to have it taken off me.¡± she thought to herself. ¡°But then how can I keep going on with this for the next three years until I can drive.¡± She locked her eyes on the page she had been reading. Tears started to trickle from them, and so she raised the book more so that it blocked her face from anyone seeing. She would love to have said that she cried for the boy, empathize with him for the humiliation he was going through, but the war between joy and guilt that now waged inside her was too much. As she struggled with these emotions a shadow fell over her.


    ¡°Aawww¡­¡± drawled the owner of this shadow. She didn¡¯t have to look up, to know who it was. Trudi Bellows was a tall, large girl, with hair that was neither blond or brown, but some hideous color that was in between. She was a year ahead of Alianna. . She wasn¡¯t very pretty, her hair was always tangled and her face looked like a brail board with all the pimples that dotted it. You might wonder how, given all of this, that Trudi was not the one that got picked on? Well for starters she was tough and imposing, she also had a twin sister who was neither ugly nor tough, but was one of the prettiest girls at St. Pious. Her name was Keri.


    Keri Bellows had silky black hair that came down to her shoulders. She looked like a future supermodel. She was seated, as always, in the back left corner of the bus reading one of her textbooks. She sat lazily nuzzled into the curved wall of the bus as if it were a throne, which for her position as she was the Queen of the Middle School, captain of the Cheer team, eighth grade class president, at the top of this rung of this particular scholastic social ladder. Unlike those girls who were typical of her kind, normally too concerned with their looks to worry about their grades, Keri was the top student in her class. She used both her mind and looks to get what she wanted. Trudi and Keri were as different as night to day. There was one thing , however, that the twins shared; a need to make Alianna¡¯s life as miserable as they could.


    ¡°Hey Mandy.¡± Amanda Ferlon¡¯s red hair flashed as she turned quickly to look at Trudi.


    ¡°What¡¯s up Tru?¡±


    ¡°You better tell Steve to quit picking on Pious Jaius, cause it''s upsetting his girlfriend Ali Waly.¡± She said as though she were chiding Mandy and her friends. Keri smiled an evil smile, but kept reading her text book.


    ¡°Hey Steve I guess you better stop flicking Pious¡¯s ears, your making his girlfriend mad.¡± Said Mandy with a pout on her face and defeat in her voice, which was immediately followed by shrill laughter, and soon the others joined in.


    Alianna knew she shouldn¡¯t have looked up. If she had just sat there and done nothing she might have actually made it home without anything happening to her. She quickly tried to escape back into her book, but Trudi was far from through with her. Before she could react the book was ripped from her grasp. Alianna stood and turned to face her tormentor.


    ¡°Give me back my book!¡± she said, her voice breaking somewhat. Trudi was about to respond when a soft, but firm, voice came from the corner.


    ¡°Trudi, let us see what she has been reading shall we?¡± Said Keri. Trudi nodded and walked the book back to her. Keri took the book from her sister¡¯s hands, opened it, and started flipping pages. Alianna knew she was looking for something nice and juicy to use against her. She jumped up and ran at Keri. She reached out to grab the book, but Trudi was able to grab Alianna by the arms. She pulled her into the seat across from Keri and held her fast.


    ¡°What has Ali Waly been reading about sis?¡± asked Trudi, as she leaned over Alianna¡¯s shoulder to get a better look. The movement made Trudi shift her grip, which allowed Alianna just a brief moment to free herself. She squirmed free and lunged across the aisle at Keri, but Trudi was faster then she looked and was able to grab Alianna again. Trudi gave her a very nasty look and tossed her into the seat in front of hers. A new pair of hands grabbed a hold of Alianna.


    ¡°It¡¯s not polite to grab at other peoples things Ali Waly!¡± The sound of this new voice gripped her heart like an ice cold hand. It was Alison Trendale. It was because of her that they started calling her Ali Waly. It used to be a game between them, when they had been as close as sisters. One had been Ali Waly and the other Ali Sally. They would switch names every time they switched diaries. It was a game to try to remember who had which nickname throughout the year. They were never able to remember, however, without looking at who had which name because they would constantly switch between each one for each other throughout the year. There was a sticker covering the nicknames at the beginning of each diary. When the Diary''s were full they would make a guess as to who had which name at the start of the year, then they would open the covers to see if they were correct. Now though, she was pretty sure that the mystery of the last time they started new diaries would never be revealed as Alison still had her diary and she had hers and she couldn¡¯t bring herself to open it, even to solve the mystery. The memory of the second worst day of her life came flooding to the front of her thoughts.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-


    Alison used to be her best friend, since they were five years old they were always together. Their parents both called them Ali, and so they had started the Ali Club and only those whose names started with A-L-I could be in it, needless to say the membership included only themselves, but that was perfectly fine with them. They had even had a clubhouse. It wasn¡¯t the traditional shack set up in a tree, but was merely a tree by itself. In Alianna¡¯s back yard there was a large pine tree that had lost all the bottom branches in the front part of it. Which made an opening almost like a cave. Alison and her would spend hours there, reading books, or acting out scenes from movies.


    Near the end of their sixth grade year however, Keri had pulled Alison aside in the hall between classes. Alianna had stopped with her, but Trudi stepped in front of Alianna. ¡°Keri only wants to talk to Alison, you can keep going on to class.¡± Alison had mouthed to her that it would be ok. Alianna gave her friend a worried look, but went on to study hall, trying to figure out what was going on.


    Something definitely seemed strange when Alison arrived at study hall. Normally she would wave at Alianna, or make some weird face at her that always made her laugh. This time, however, when she came in she did neither. She did have a smile on her face though. Alianna was about to wave at her when, instead of coming over to sit with her, Alison went to sit next to Tiffany Lockman, one of Keri Bellows wannabe¡®s. She handed her a note, and waited for her to read it. Tiffany read the note and then looked at Alison and smiled. They leaned their heads together and started whispering about something. Then they tapped their iPhones together. ¡°Where did she get an iPhone from?¡±. Alianna¡¯s mouth dropped open. Tiffany and Alison were both smiling now.


    Thinking that Ali must have gotten some good news, Alianna grabbed her stuff and went to sit by them. Not having a cell phone of her own Alianna pulled out a small piece of paper and wrote a short note asking Alison what happened, and if everything was ok.


    She then folded it neatly and stretched her arms back over her head as if she were yawning and dropped it. After a few seconds she heard the paper being unfolded and pretended to study her math while she waited for the reply. A few minutes later Alison dropped her reply into Alianna¡¯s bag. Alianna waited a few moments and then reached in to get it. She opened it and read what Alison had written.


    ¡°Everything¡¯s ok Ali, in fact its great! Keri told me that I could sit at their table with them at lunch, and hang out with them after school. She also said I could try out for


    the cheerleading squad. I am soooooo excited!¡±


    Alianna smiled and felt really happy for her friend. She wrote back and told her how great that was. She also asked if she could sit with them too. She heard Tiffany make a brief laughing noise. A few minutes later a note was again deposited in her bag. She opened it and all that was on it was the word


    ¡°Sure¡±


    There was a small smiley face under the word, and that was all that was on the note. Something had seemed odd about such a short response, but Alianna just put it from her mind, and pretended to study math, all the while imagining how cool it would be to sit at Keri¡¯s table.


    The bell rang for lunch, and Alianna had hardly been able to contain her excitement. She followed behind Alison and Tiffany. She listened to their discussion of a certain rock star who they both liked, but Alianna had never heard of before. Not wanting to sound ignorant, she just walked along behind them and listened.


    A few short minutes later they were walking over to Keri¡¯s table. A few of the ¡°in crowd¡± were sitting there already, but Keri, Trudi, and the other Eighth graders hadn¡¯t arrived yet. Tiffany pointed Alison to a seat at the end of the table. Everyone had assigned seats at ¡°The Table¡± and since she was new, Alison would have to sit at the end. Alison indicated to Tiffany that she didn¡¯t have a problem with that. Tiffany smiled and then went down to her seat. Alison didn¡¯t move, her eyes were locked on her new seat. After a minute or two she came back to the present and placed her bag in her chair. Seeing an empty seat across from hers Alianna placed her bag there. They then went to get in line to get their food. When they got to the line Alison turned to Alianna, a wide smile breaking on her face.


    ¡°Oh Ali, can you believe it, we¡¯ve made it, we¡¯re at the Table!¡±


    ¡°I know, I know,¡± She said, jumping up and down a little. She stopped quickly.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong¡±? said Alison


    ¡°Well, Keri invited you, not me, what if they tell me to leave?¡± Alison didn¡¯t answer right away, which caused the sinking feeling to deepen. After what seemed like an eternity, Alison finally smiled and said.


    ¡°Well she didn¡¯t say you couldn¡¯t sit there either.¡±


    She accepted this without noticing the forced way in which Alison said it, probably due to Alianna¡¯s fanatical desire to sit at that table. She breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Your Mom¡¯s gonna be so happy Ali, all she ever talks about is how much she loved being a cheerleader when she was in school.¡±


    Alison practically beamed. ¡°I know she is gonna flip out! All those years of gymnastics are going to pay off when I have my tryout this week.. Plus this summer, if I make it, I¡¯ll finally get to go to camp with Keri and the rest of the team. You¡¯ll be going too right.?¡±


    Alianna forced a smile and nodded her head, but inside that pit in her stomach got deeper still. ¡°I don¡¯t know the first thing about cheerleading, and I¡¯m pretty sure my parents can¡¯t afford to send me to a camp. Oh, but how cool would it be to get on the team and get to hang out with Keri and her friends?¡±


    Alison had been going to gymnastics since she was four. She had cheered in elementary school, but as everyone knows to get on the middle school squad you had to be part of Keri¡¯s group, because Mrs. Bellows was the girls cheerleading coach. Alison¡¯s Mom had been pressuring her to make friends with Keri, since the sixth grade.


    Alianna on the other hand had been playing soccer since she was old enough to stand. Her parents had both been teaching her everything they knew. They had met at college during a scrimmage between the boys and girls varsity teams. Alianna loved running, loved the thrill of watching the ball go into the net. Deep down inside she knew that she would never be happy doing flips and jumping up and down, all the while watching others play the game. She had to be in the game, in the thick of the action, but she wanted to be part of Keri¡¯s group so badly. ¡°Bad enough to give up soccer?¡±


    Before she knew it they were through the line, and headed back to the table. They usually sat at a table in the corner by themselves, which had always been OK with her, but as they walked toward Keri¡¯s table she saw some of the other kids watching them. Some had looks of shock on their faces, some smiling, and others frowning, as they realized where the two of them were going. Alianna felt like she was a poor peasant girl who had just found out that she was really a princess and was walking down the aisle to receive her crown. This vision shattered when they got to the table. The rest of the group had arrived and Alison¡¯s bag was still in her new seat, but Alianna¡¯s stuff had been placed unceremoniously on the next table. Loti Brewster was sitting in the seat that she had put her bag on. She was the shortest girl in school, and one of only four Sixth graders at the table. Normally Sixth-graders were not automatically on the team, but her size made her the right choice, perfect to be tossed into the air and stand at the top of the pyramid. Loti looked up as they approached.


    ¡°Oh was that your stuff Alianna? I¡¯m sorry but we all have our own seats here and this one is mine.¡± She then turned to Alison. ¡°Welcome to Keri¡¯s table Alison.¡± she said with a smile. Alianna looked helplessly at Alison, who bent down and whispered in her ear.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be ok Ali, I¡¯ll talk to Keri after lunch and I¡¯m sure she wouldn¡¯t mind if we added a chair at the end.¡± Holding on the slim hope that Alison had just offered her she nodded her head and went to sit where her bag was.


    That night as they talked on the phone all Alianna could think about was whether Alison had asked Keri, and what she had said. Finally Alianna asked her what happened. And Alison made a noise ¡°Oh my gosh I forgot, I am so sorry Ali, I¡¯ll ask her tomorrow.¡±


    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    For three days this went on, Alianna asking Alison had talked to Keri, and Alison slapping her head saying she had forgotten. Finally Alianna cornered her in line as they waited for their next class. When Alianna asked her the same thing she had been asking her for the past three days Alison turned around, a look of utter contempt upon her face.


    ¡°She said No!¡± bellowed Alison. ¡°Now leave me alone, and stop following me around like some lost dog!¡± It had been as if Alison had stabbed her in the heart, she even remembered grabbing her chest as if she really had been stabbed. She staggered out of line, stumbled over her own feet, and fell hard on her backside. Laughter exploded around her. She had to get away from there. So she picked herself up and she ran, chased by the laughter of the kids in line, one very familiar laugh continuing to stab at her heart.


    She headed for the Art room in the basement, trying to get as far away from them as she could. She thought she might find some comfort there, it was her favorite classroom, and she knew that no one had class in it at this time. Every year the senior class got to paint a mural on one of the walls or part of the floor. It was an amazing menagerie of pictures drawn from so many different places. On one wall there was an album cover of a band that most of that class had liked. Opposite that, a rendition of a favorite painting.


    She burst into the room, thankfully no one else was in there. Mrs. Schafer must have been in the teachers¡¯ lounge. She ran over to the corner and slumped down, pulling her knees up to her chest and buried her face in her arms. She sat there and cried, every day that she and Alison had spent together flying through her mind, each memory a scalpel cutting into her heart. Just as her tears began to subside a new vision of her an Alison would float before her and would start them anew. She stayed that way until Mrs. Schafer came back to the room. Mrs. Schafer hurried over to her and kept asking her what was wrong, but Alianna was lost in her tears and wouldn¡¯t answer. Her mother arrived thirty minutes later and she too failed to get what had happened out of her, but Alianna did get up and leave with her. She cried all evening, not even stopping to tell her parents why, until right before she passed out from exhaustion. That had been the second worst day of her life, today seemed to be shaping up to be the third.


    --------


    Coming out of that horrible memory, the present flooding back into her mind, she felt something she was unaccustomed to boil up inside her, it was rage. She loathed Alison for abandoning her, and at the same time envied her because she got to be friends with Keri and her gang. These emotions had been building ever since that day and they finally boiled over.


    ¡°Give me back my book!¡± Shrieked Alianna so loudly, and shrilly that it cut through the maddening chatter on the rest of the bus. Everyone turned their heads and looked toward the source of the noise. Alianna could feel the cameras of nineteen smartphones capturing this whole horrible scene.


    ¡°What''s going on back there?¡± Shouted the bus driver. Without missing a beat, Alison answered him. ¡°Nothing Mr. Pellmen, we were just goofing around. We¡¯ll be more careful. Sorry bout that.¡±


    Alianna saw Keri nod in approval at Alison¡¯s performance. She turned to see if maybe Mr. Pellman would come to her rescue. She could see his eyes looking up in the mirror over his seat, he almost seemed to be looking right at her. After a moment though, he turned his eyes back to the road. Frustration and embarrassment burned inside of her. Tears of rage started trickling from her eyes as she struggled to free herself from Alison¡¯s grip. Just as she was about to break free, Trudi reached over the seat and grabbed her as well. Having used all her anger, she gave up and hung her head in defeat, her long blond hair covering her face. Mr. Pellman¡¯s inaction seamed to break the silence, because behind her the chattering started again. Except this time she could hear her name coming from many different directions.


    Through all of this Keri merely smiled as she flipped through the pages of the book. Halfway through the book her eyes lit with a happy glint. She cleared her voice, which apparently didn¡¯t have the effect she had desired, because she gave Trudi a nod. Trudi stood up, with her ham-hands still pushing Alianna down into Alison¡¯s seat. She shouted ¡°Shut Up!¡± At this the immediate vicinity became quiet again as attention focused on Trudi. ¡°I was just trying to quiet things down for ya, Mr Pellman.¡±


    ¡°Thank you Trudi, but I¡¯ll handle the discipline on the bus. Sit down now.¡± he hollered back.


    ¡°Yes Sir.¡± She said, pretending to be dejected.


    Seeing that the rest of the kids were still looking back at her, Keri knelt on the seat so that she could be seen more clearly. Keri cleared her throat again and started to read.


    ¡°They sat atop their horses, alone on the windswept hill.¡± She said in an overly dramatic way, waving her hand as if she were making the scene appear before them all in the air. ¡°She closed her eyes as the cool evening breeze rushed across her face, the first breath of freedom that she had had in two years. She then stole a glance at the man next to her. He set atop a massive war horse, the last rays of the setting sun illuminating his face and armor. The rush of thankfulness she felt toward him for rescuing her, mixed with the exhilarating feeling of freedom, caused her to move her horse next to his. She reached up to tilt his face toward hers. Before he could protest, she pressed her lips against his and kissed him fervently.¡±


    Alianna raised her head to glare at Keri Bellows. Those words flew through her like daggers. They had been the words that had caused her and Alison to both swoon and gag on at the same time. The pages that had them dreaming of knights in shining armor coming to rescue them from their tower prisons. Now they became the words of a nightmare.


    Keri looked up and Alianna could see victory dancing in her eyes.


    ¡°Now Ali¡± sounding like Alianna was her dearest friend. ¡°What are you doing reading this tawdry, second hand romance? Were you looking for tips on kissing? Perhaps in preparation for a date with your boyfriend, Oh what was his name¡­Ah yes, Jaius?¡±


    At this Trudi started whistling and cat calling, and a boy from the sixth grade, who sat across from them, started chanting ¡°Ali and Jaius sitting in a tree K-I-S-S-I-N-G. First comes love, then comes marriage¡­¡± He stopped as Trudi glared at him. Just her stare was enough to make the boy flush red and then turn in his seat, sulking. In the ensuing silence Alianna looked at Keri with fire burning in her eyes. Keri met it with an ice cold stare of contempt. ¡°Only my friends get to call me Ali.¡± Said Alianna through clenched teeth.


    ¡°I am very hurt Alianna¡­¡±. She said drawing out her name in a tone that made it seem like she was hurt. ¡°¡­that you don¡¯t consider me a friend and so went looking to some book for advice on this matter instead of coming to me. I would have been delighted to share with you all the wealth of knowledge I have on this subject¡± Keri actually, truly, sounded hurt. ¡°Instead you turned to this¡­.this trash!¡± She said waving the book, now she sounded angry, so much so that Alianna couldn¡¯t tell if she truly was or not. Something turned putrid in her stomach, a brief thought flashed in her mind. ¡°Could she have actually liked me? Could she really have wanted me to be in her group? Did I just mess up a possible friendship with her? I mean she was calling me Ali, and now she¡¯s using my full name. Keri stared at Alianna, seeming to be expecting an answer. Lost in her confusion Alianna had none for her. After a few moments Keri shook her head and sighed. ¡°I do this for your own good Alianna, perhaps next time you¡¯ll come to me first.¡± Alianna started to believe that she really had messed up her chance to be in Keri¡¯s group. She had no time to figure it out though, for something so terrible happened in that moment that it wiped these thoughts from her mind.


    Keri motioned to Tiffany Lockman in the seat in front of her. She indicated Tiffany¡¯s window and moved her hand in a downward motion. Tiffany reached up and opened it. Cool air wafted in. With a triumphant smile Keri flung the book out the window. Alianna watched in morbid fascination, as it cleared the window and floated back behind the bus. She strained against Alison and Trudi so that she could look out the back window to see where it went, hoping she could walk back and get it once she got off the bus. With all her strength she lurched forward, dragging both girls with her. She saw the book laying in the road. Hope bloomed insider her, she could get off an run back and get it. This hope was dashed by the car that was trailing them. It ran right over the book, sending pages flying off in every direction, borne away by the wind.


    She couldn¡¯t move, she sat frozen to the spot, mesmerized by the pages as they floated out of sight. Someone behind her gasped, and she felt one of the pairs of hands let go of her. This brought her out of her daze, and she turned her head to see Alison sitting there with her hands over her mouth. She was kneeling up on the seat, staring out the back of the bus. Her eyes were wide, and Alianna swore she saw tears starting to form. Those tears, the thought that her old friend was still in there, the friend that loved her family as much as she did, filled her with rage. ¡°How dare she cry after what she did.¡±  She drew back her open hand, ready to slap those tears right off her face, but then her action was interrupted.


    The bus slowed down and pulled to a stop. The sudden deceleration had knocked Trudi off balance, and as Alianna grabbed the seat to keep from falling into the aisle, she could see a green house out the window. It was the landmark that told her when to get off the bus. Her anger at Alison dissipated. She was free, and her need to get out of there overcame all her anger and sorrow. She jumped up from Alison¡¯s seat and ran back to the seat she had been in. She quickly grabbed her bag and ran as fast as she could down the aisle through a gauntlet of phone cameras. She flew out the door, just as the bus driver opened it. As soon as her feet hit the ground she started running as fast as she could away from that bus, and the Bellows twins.


    She stopped at the end of the block and looked over her shoulder to make sure they were not following her. She breathed a sigh of relief as she saw that the bus had already headed on to the next stop, This truly was the third worst day of her life. She wiped at her eyes, turned, and walked back along the way she had come. A few minutes later she was standing over the demolished remains of her book. She bent down and picked up the mutilated cover. She could still read the title ¡°The One for Whom She Waits.¡± She opened it and saw that most of the pages were gone, the spine had burst when the car ran over it. In the bottom corner of the inside cover there was something written in very neat penmanship.


    ¡°Happy Birthday to my Ali''s, this book was mine when I was a girl. It was my favorite story, and I thought the both of you might enjoy it too. Never stop reading and dreaming my dears.


    Love,


    Nana


    Tears blurred her vision, but hearing the faraway noise of a car approaching, she mechanically moved over to the side of the road and didn¡¯t stop till she hit the round tubes of a small railing. She could hear the trickle of water flowing over some rocks and looked down, what was left of the book clutched to her chest. A small creek was running lazily into the distance. On either side of the water were trees that lined gently sloping banks. The railing was the only evidence of the large pipe that let the water flow under the road behind her. She stared out down the natural hallway that the creek cut through the trees, trying to see where it went, but she couldn¡¯t see an end to it.


    ¡°Why did I bring this book with me today? It was so special to me, it is one of the few things I have left of her. Why did I bring it!¡± she screamed as she bent her head down and cried, her tears falling onto the ruined cover. She knew why. Today was the anniversary of the day her Nana had died. That had been the worst day of her life, the day her Nanna died. She had loved her Nanna more than anyone else besides her parents. Alison had always been there with her on this day. They would sit in their club house and talk about Nana together and all the good memories and it so helped them both get through this day every year, except this year. The year that Ali wasn¡¯t there to help her through the grief. That was why she brought the book, to help her and Keri had trampled on it.


    She had no idea how long she was leaning against that railing, no idea how many tears she shed, but her misery was broken by a very strong wind that came from nowhere and whipped her hair to the side, straight out from her head. She clutched the book tighter so as not to lose anymore of it. She was finding it hard to stand still, the wind was pushing her toward the end of the railing toward the slope that led down toward the creek. She fought it and just before she reached the end of the railing the wind stopped, as quickly as it came. She had little time to process this odd event as a screeching of tires behind her made her turn to see what had happened. She turned quickly and saw a familiar silver minivan stop just a few feet past her. The driver side door opened and out jumped her mother. Her mother¡¯s eyes looked wild and she was screaming Alianna¡¯s name as she ran up and threw her arms around her.


    ¡°Oh Ali,¡­.My dear Ali, oh I thought something had happened.. I thought¡­ oh I am so glad you¡¯re ok.¡± Then her mom¡¯s mood switched faster than a light switch being turned on. ¡°What in the world were you thinking! You were supposed to be home an hour ago, I¡¯ve been worried sick! I called the school, the police the hospital, what are you doing just standing here where anyone could come along and¡­.. and what is poking me in the side!¡± She yelled as she pulled away and looked down at what Alianna was holding. Her eyes softened instantly, and soon understanding seemed to register on her face. ¡°Oh Ali, what happened?¡±


    Usually Alianna gave some made up reason when her mother asked her this, on the bad days when she came home crying. Today, however, reeling in pain, she found herself spilling the entire story, and only when she was finished did the true horror of what she had just done dawn on her.


    ¡°Oh really!¡± said her mother, anger flashing in her eyes. ¡°Get in the car Alianna, I am going to have a word with these girls¡¯ mothers, especially Alison¡¯s.¡± Sheer terror gripped Alianna¡¯s heart, there would be no refuge to be found in her books if her mother got involved. What they had done to her up till now would be like a day at the amusement park, compared to what they would do if she got them in trouble.


    ¡°Mom No, you¡­ you can¡¯t!¡± her fear was clear in every word. ¡°It won¡¯t do any good, it will just make it worse, please Mom, Please!¡±


    Mrs. Oaksen looked very worried at the fright that she saw on her daughter¡¯s face and so she nodded ¡°Alright dear, but I want to know what has been going on, all of it. We¡¯ll talk over ice cream. But, first let''s see if we can find any of the pages from your book.¡± Her mom moved the car to the other side of the street, and they spent the next half hour looking.


    By some miracle they found all but one page. It was the page that Keri had been reading from. A deep sinking hole of fear opened in Alianna¡¯s stomach. ¡°Keri couldn¡¯t have taken it could she? What would she do with it?¡±  She didn¡¯t mention this to her mother, even more scared that she would actually call the Bellows house if she said anything.


    -----------


    Later that night Alianna sat in her nightgown, her knees tucked into her chest. She was concealed on the staircase that led upstairs, right before the wall ended and the banister began. In front of her lay the front door, and off to the left was their living room. It was the nicest room in their house, a brick fireplace lay against the far wall, a long stone hearth in front of it. Two white hutches flanked it on either side. On them were pictures of her family members, weddings, and those who had passed on. A bay window opened out onto the street, with a pretty little loveseat in front of it. Opposite of it set a full sized couch, a pretty floral pattern covering both of them. A large picture of a stream flowing through the woods, as it passed an abandoned mill was set above the long couch. It was one of her favorite things. She has spent hours sitting on the love seat staring at it. You could see the stream disappearing into the distance, and she often wondered what lay there beyond what she could see in the picture.


    Now there may be some who would give Alianna a strange look if she wondered this aloud to them. They might say to her ¡°But my dear, it is only a painting, there is nothing beyond it¡±.  And to this she would indeed answer them. ¡°Yes there is, just because you can¡¯t see the place dose not mean it isn¡¯t there.¡± But the place unseen in the painting was far from her mind right now, for she was trying to hear what her parents discussed as they sat on the love seat, sipping glasses of wine. They did this every night before bed. It was their special time together. She could hear the popping of a fire in the fireplace. Her parents always lit a fire, even on nights, when one wasn''t needed. She felt a sting of guilt when she realized that they were wasting this time talking about their concerns for her.


    ¡°Jonathan, is there no way for us to get a second car? If Marcie hadn¡¯t been home and lent me her van, who knows what could have happened.¡± Said her mom, her voice shaking a little. She then heard her Father sigh.


    ¡°Emi, we¡¯re just scraping by as it is¡­¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll get a job, part time¡­¡±


    ¡°And what about the twins? They¡¯d have to go to daycare and anything you made would only be going to pay for that¡­¡±


    Her mothers voice broke a little. ¡°Jonathan yo¡­ you didn¡¯t see her face today, she was terrified! These¡­these monsters have been hurting my little girl for a whole year, and I can¡¯t do a thing about it.¡± She heard her mom start to cry softly. ¡°Oh, Jonathan, Alison has completely turned on her. She is in cahoots with these Bellows girls. Jonathan, I could literally hear her heart breaking¡­¡± her mom really began to cry.


    ¡°Shhh.. Emi it will be ok, we¡¯ll figure something out.¡±


    Alianna wiped a tear from her eye as she remembered even this morning all the frustration and resentment she had had with her mom when her mom had yelled at her for coming downstairs late. She had seen her mom holding a screaming Sarah, her little sister, in her arms when she finally came down the steps, and Simon her little brother, Sarah¡¯s twin, smearing jelly all over the kitchen wall. Even though it should have been obvious why her mother had scolded her, at that moment, that morning, she had been too focused on her own pain to worry about her mother¡¯s. She felt so bad at how she had yelled back at her mom. She definitely needed to apologize to her for that. She quietly got to her feet and tip-toed back upstairs. Another flight of stairs led up to the landing, then it was down the short hallway, past the bathroom, and then turning right at the twin''s room she passed her parents room and finally made it to hers where she shut the door quietly. She didn¡¯t want to go to bed, for as soon as she closed her eyes she would have to open them again and then she would have to face another day at the Dungeon. She picked up one of her books, and tried desperately to read it, but the events of today seemed to have barred her from entering the refuge that her books offered. She just couldn¡¯t stop thinking about having to go to school tomorrow.


    She felt so scared and alone. In her desperation she went over to her bookshelf and grabbed an old brown stuffed bear whose fur was sticking out at odd angles and missing in some places, and he was also missing an eye. These were not deformities, but battle scars. This was the courageous Mr. Bear, who had fought off the boogie man, and goblins, and vampires, and all of the monsters that had threatened her in the night when she was growing up. Surely he could defend her from the fiends that awaited her in the dungeon.


    With Mr. Bear in her arms she crawled under the covers. She held him close, whispering to him as she had when she was little. Even with Mr. Bear, she still couldn¡¯t fall asleep, she found herself staring at the door in the corner of the room, the one that led up to their attic. She used to think that every monster in the world knew how to get into her room through that door, and now she was starting to worry, because that same fear started to boil again in the pit of her stomach.


    An hour later her bedroom door opened slightly as her Father looked in on her. Jonathan Oaksen was a tall man of strong build. He ran his hand through his sandy blond hair and sighed. ¡°She hasn¡¯t slept with that bear since she was ten, I have a mind to do what apparently these brat¡®s parents have been unwilling to do, and take my belt to the whole lot.¡± He said, his hand reaching for his belt before he stopped himself. Sighing, he went quietly into her room and moved over to the bed. He gently kissed the top of her head. ¡°Everything¡¯s goanna be ok Ali.¡± And he then softly tip-toed out of the room and shut the door.


    She had no words to describe the peace that flooded through her as her father kissed her on her head. He was so strong, she knew he could tear apart any monster that came her way. When he shut the door, out of no-where, she began to cry. The tears that fell down her face were not sad tears, but something more pure and healing. That kiss from her dad had opened the blockage in her heart. She felt safe now, Her daddy had told her it would be OK, and he never lied to her. Her Mom and Dad would set this whole mess in order.


    She nuzzled Mr. Bear, and stared at the small sliver of light filtering in through the slightly opened door. Eyes glistening, Mr. Bear held tight, she whispered, ¡°I love you Daddy.¡±

 Chapter 2 Pious Jaius

    ¡°Always his mind on the future, never on where he was, what he was doing....¡± Master Yoda


    ¡°All hands, Battle stations!¡± roared the captain into the com. ¡°Raise shields, and get those weapons hot.¡± The crew rushed to their stations as the concussions of energy volleys hit the hull of the ship¡­


    ¡°Wow Jaius, I didn¡¯t know you were Dumbo¡¯s Brother.¡± said Stephen Pennington in mock wonder as he flicked Jaius¡¯s earlobe. ¡°Will you take me flying some time.¡± Jeers and laughter exploded from around him. The flicking of his earlobe had apparently knocked out his air pod and pulled him out of the revelry of watching his favorite movie on his iPhone. The flicking continued and soon someone else took up flicking the other ear as well. You see Jaius had some very large ears that ended in some very large and detached earlobes. This created a very tempting target for those who had the need to flick something. He dreamed many times of just turning around and letting Stephen have it. A good pop right in the face, or to toss him or Pete into a locker. The other pair of flicking fingers belonged to Steve¡¯s best friend Peter. Jaius had heard on a T.V. Show once that all you had to do was throw an elbow once, and the person harassing you would back off. He¡¯d have done it by now if he didn¡¯t have wet noodles for arms, or the worst hand eye coordination in the world. He had thought for one brief moment when he heard that he''d be riding another bus home, that he might finally be rid of his tormentors. This hope was dashed when he got on this new bus and saw Stephen and Mandy sitting together, the only vacant seat left on the bus right in front of them.


    Jaius just picked up the air pod from the seat and put it back in, it was such a practiced motion by now that he did it without thinking. ¡°Gates opening from every side sir! We¡¯re about to be overrun.¡± ¡°Calm yourself corporal, we¡¯ll be far away from here before they can lock on.¡± Jaius found that if he lost himself enough in the imaginary world of T.V. and movies that he could ignore the flicking, for the most part anyway.


    He tried to lose himself in the movie, but memories came flooding back to him and the constant thud-thud of the fingers rang against his ear lobes. He used to live in Pittsburgh PA. They lived in a row house near the University. Jaius had grown up with a bunch of kids from the neighborhood and went to school with them all and they had all gotten along really good. He had grown up in the Roman Catholic church. His whole family was Irish Catholic, all his friends were Catholic, and he had thought for a long time that everyone in the world was Catholic. He had these books that gave descriptions of all the Catholic Saints and he would read them constantly. Jaius always wanted to be one of the Catholic Saints because they were the only ones who didn¡¯t have to go to purgatory, or worse yet Hell. He always tried his hardest to sit still and do everything the way everyone else did at Mass. Stand, sit, kneel, repeat. He had memorized the Apostles Creed and the Act of Contrition. He had a collection of statues of the saints in his room and would pray to them nightly. When he received the Sacrament of Penance he went to the confessional as many times a week as his parents would take him. When he was eight, he was old enough to train to be an altar boy and so he took the first sign up for it right after his birthday. After the first training he had come home and told his family he wanted to be a priest when he grew up. He reasoned that since a lot of more recent Catholic saints were priests and nuns that that would give him a better chance at it. His older sister Jennifer, who they called Sis, because his mom''s name was Jennifer too, was like his best friend until that day that he declared his intention to be a priest, then for some reason unknown to him she began to hate him. It was like night and day though with his little sister Anne who was a few years younger than him. They had a great relationship, which had been a great help to him once they moved. At the end of his Fifth grade year his whole life got turned upside down. His Dad got a new job and so they needed to move. They moved out to Eastern PA, a city called Black Canyon and that is where his hardships began. All his friends were now four and a half hours away. They kept in touch through social media, but that had grown somewhat cold in the two years since they moved.


    His Parents had enrolled him in a new Catholic School called St. Pious the X. They had gotten there with one more week of school to go. His old school had finished for the summer, but it seemed like St. Pious finished a week after his. So he went to the school on a Monday to spend the day there and get acclimated. He had gone to the office that Monday morning and met the Principle, Father James, and the Priest had summoned a boy from the 6<sup>th</sup> grade to show him around. That Boy''s name was Steven Pennington. Everything seemed to be going okay at first, but after about the first hour Steven started talking about a fly that was buzzing around them. Throughout the day other of Steven''s friends would say the same thing, or something else about a fly, or make a buzzing sound. Jaius kept looking around for the fly they were talking about, but he could never see it. They had a pop-quiz in one of the classes and the Teacher let him take it also. He had already had this material the year before so he got a 100%, while everyone else got in the high 70''s. It might have been okay if the teacher had not announced this fact to the class. This news didn''t seem to go over too well with the others.


    Some of the other kids would ask him if he drank, or smoked, vaped, or ever stole anything and he would shake his head and say that he never did because he wanted to be a saint. They all laughed at that, but he didn''t for some reason think they were laughing at him. At the end of the day he asked Steven who he should check with to be an alter server at the weekly mass that all the students attended that was held in the church next to the School. Steven busted out laughing and shook his head and looked at him and said, I don''t know Pious Jaius but you should probably be more worried about your fly then being an alter boy.¡± He said laughing and pointing at his pants zipper. All the other kids laughed too, and too late he realized what all the fly questions had been about all day, his pants zipper had been down the entire day. He was mortified. He was crying the whole ride home. He begged his parents to send him the public school, but they told him no. He pleaded with them to get his hair dyed, or wear a fake beard, or get plastic surgery, but each idea was shot down.


    Sis laughed hysterically when she found out what had happened. The only one who sided with him was Anne. She tried to get mom and dad to send him to another school, but she got the same answer. He prayed every chance that he got to every statue he had in his room that all the kids would forget what happened to him that day. On the first day of school, however, every kid in the school knew about Pious Jaius and his open fly. That''s when the bullying began. Steven sat at the popular kids table that was run by some Queen, and so they all made fun of him constantly. Which continued into the next year when some girl named Keri Bellows became Queen and continued his torment.


    Something on the bus had changed, which brought him back to the present. Usually, the flicking lasted till he got home, but it was the sudden cessation that made him look up. All the kids around him were staring at the back of the bus. He knew he should just sit there and enjoy the few moments of respite, but instead, morbid curiosity got the better of him and so he pulled out the air pods and peaked around the corner of the seat.


    He could see two girls sitting in the second seat from the back, one of them had chestnut colored hair and the other was blonde. Trudi Bellows and the girl with the chestnut hair were holding onto the blonde haired girl. Keri Bellows was kneeling up on the back seat of the bus reading from a book. Something about a Knight. ¡°Knights are cool.¡± thought Jaius as his mind immediately wandered to Knights and wanting to be one someday. What pulled him back to what was going on around him was some kid across from him shouting out. ¡°Ali and Jaius sitting in a tree K-I-S-S-I-N-G. First comes love, then comes marriage¡­¡± And he groaned inwardly. Alianna Oakson must be on this bus. Apparently she had run afoul of the Bellows twins again, and drug him down with her. Like he didn¡¯t have enough reasons for people to be picking on him, now she went and turned Keri Bellows eye on him.


    All of a sudden the girl with the chestnut hair, took her hands off the blonde girl, who he now assumed was Alianna. She placed her hands over her mouth. Then the bus slowed and stopped somewhat suddenly and made Trudi let go of Alianna. A moment later Jaius saw Alianna running down the aisle toward him. He quickly sat back in his seat and watched her run out the door and away down the block. As he watched her, he noticed the next stop was just down the street. His stop was still two more away, but something had made her run off the bus. He barely knew her, in fact all he knew was that she got the same treatment as he did. They must¡¯ve done something really bad to her to make her run like that. Maybe he could help her out, be her knight in armor. Making a decision, which was a rare occasion for him, he grabbed the strap of his bag and got ready to mingle in with the kids leaving on the next stop. The bus slowed again, and he let one and then two kids pass and then quick jumped in front of a short sixth grade girl who yelled ¡°Hey!¡± But he ignored her and hurried toward the door. He jumped down the last step to the curb and waited till the bus moved onward and started to head back the way he had come. As he walked by a large bush, he saw something stuck in the branches. He stopped to investigate it. It was a page from a book, page 92 to be exact. It was wrinkled but he could still read it. It looked like a scene about a knight and a damsel in distress kissing. ¡°Bleh!¡± he thought to himself. ¡°Don¡¯t people know that the human mouth is one of the dirtiest, most bacteria ridden places in existence.¡± He thought to himself.


    Among other things he was a plethora of useless knowledge. Many years of watching Jeopardy, and playing trivial pursuit, and watching every movie under the sun, had given him quite the arsenal of useless knowledge. He folded up the page and placed it in his pack. He then headed back down the street to where Alianna had gotten off the bus. In the years to come he¡¯d often wonder what had made him get off the bus at that stop, on that day.


    He hurried back toward the stop she got off at, hoping to catch up to her. As he neared the green house on the corner he saw her standing on the sidewalk where it passed over a gently rolling creek. She was leaning against the guard railing clutching something to her chest, Her head was bowed and her shoulders were shaking.


    ¡°She can¡¯t be laughing.¡± As he got closer, he could see she was crying. Suddenly he didn¡¯t know what to do. She was really crying. They didn¡¯t know each other that well, and he might freak her out more. He was a crappy knight in armor. Faced with the more normal for him bondage of indecision he jumped into a bush and sat there cowering, his damsel in distress standing twenty feet away getting more distressed. An hour passed and he grew angrier with himself. Then his pocket buzzed. He jumped and almost yelped till he remembered he had his iPhone in his pocket. He pulled it out and saw he had a text. He saw it was from his older sister.


    ¡°Where are You?¡± He groaned and texted her back.


    ¡°Walking home with a friend.¡±


    ¡°Friend! What friend? You don¡¯t have any friends. Get home now!¡± He sighed heavily and started making his way out of the bush. Before he could get out though the strongest wind he had ever felt in his life blew past him. It was so strong it knocked him back into the bush. When he finally got disentangled from the branches inside, he heard tires screech and turned to see a silver minivan come to a halt. A woman jumped out and ran toward Alianna throwing her arms around her. A minute later she was scolding her. ¡°Mothers!¡± He mumbled under his breath.


    He crouched behind the bush and watched them talk, and then walk around picking up pieces of paper that were scattered on the road and the yards of the houses around them. Then they got into the van and drove away. He emerged from behind the bush and moved over to where she had been standing to watch the van disappear down the road. Once it was gone, he looked at the creek that flowed out of the pipe that ran under the road, and on down a forested tunnel. The branches of the trees on either side forming a canopy. It snaked left and right for about thirty yards and then turned out of sight. He knew that the creek eventually flowed behind some houses, his being one such house, but right then something tugged him. The certainty that this was the same creek that flowed behind his house lessened until it seemed an alien body of water to him, something he had never seen before or knew where it went. Something seemed to be drawing him forward, an uncontrollable need to follow this creek to wherever it led him. Just as he was starting to walk down toward the bank of the creek his pocket buzzed again. He took out his phone and saw another text from his sister. ¡°If you are not home in fifteen minutes I¡¯m going to call Mom at work and you know what happened the last time I did that.¡± He texted her back. ¡°How could I forget! It was yesterday when I wouldn¡¯t let you watch your show. She¡¯s eventually going to start getting on your case if you keep bugging her at work.¡±


    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    He snickered to himself, that would shut her up. A minute later his phone buzzed again. This time she had sent a picture text. It said ¡°GET HOME NOW, OR ELSE! ¡° He looked at the pic. and saw that it was of his sister holding a brick over his PlayStation IV. Jaius shook his head as he began to run, back the way he came. ¡°Sisters, Mothers, damsels in distress. Heh! Women! Not sure why Captain Kirk spends so much time with them. She wouldn¡¯t really do it, would she?  Her and her friends play it too, and if she broke it, she won¡¯t be able to use it.¡±  He had a feeling though that this time that wasn¡¯t processing in his sister¡¯s mind right now. He abandoned all thought of women and concentrated on running.


    He stood huffing two blocks away, hands resting on his knees, trying to keep himself from throwing up. ¡°Let her bust it.¡± he wheezed. Maybe if she did drop the brick, it would force him to take up running. After a few more minutes in that position, he straightened up and started walking, a bit shakily, toward his house. He cut through the woods that separated the street he was on from his backyard. It was a small copse of trees, not more than 500 yards, but once you got 100 feet in, all you could see were trees and underbrush. There must not have been any cars going by too closely because all he could hear were the sounds of some birds and the wind whipping through the trees. It was a strong wind, one that he had taken notice of over the past few years while walking home. Twice a year it blew. once in the spring and once in the fall. It blew through his hair, and he could smell it, warmth, if the smell of warmth could be quantified then this would be it. The warmth of summer, of hotdogs roasting on the grill or the flowers in full bloom. He liked this one more then the other, the one that blew in the fall. That one carried the smell of cold on it. It is the smell of ice, that biting smell that tweaked the inside of your nose.


    He watched it blow deeper in the copse. As he stared after it, the copse in the direction he was looking seemed thicker than he remembered. In fact, it seemed larger, more overwhelming. The wind pulled at him, drew him on after it. Enticing him with every gust to travel along with it. He began to walk slowly after it but moving ever faster as the wind seemed to push him along the way it wanted him to go. As he walked further away from his house, he seemed to get a sense that he wasn¡¯t just putting yards between him and his house, but miles. Something started to seem different to him he couldn¡¯t place the change, but the feeling became stronger and stronger with each step he took. Odd smells started to waft toward him. Manure, wood smoke, rust. Old, earthy smells like on his grandfather¡¯s dairy farm. Suddenly he heard his name being called from behind him.


    ¡°Jaius! Jaius, where are you!¡± came the shrill cry of his younger sister Anne. He spun around and as soon as he was looking back the way he came the wind stopped and the copse seemed to return to normal and his shoulders slumped with a dreadful feeling of loss. He turned in time to see her come around the corner.


    ¡°There you are Jaius, sissy is major pissed at you, what have you been doing?¡± She said with her hands on her hips, tapping her foot impatiently. Trying to look commanding even though she was three years younger than him. He clenched his fist as his face became slightly red. He had to endure everyone else talking down to him every day, he wasn¡¯t going to take it from the one person who should have some respect for him. He walked briskly toward her and when he got to her, he pushed her out of his way. ¡°None of your business¡±. He started to walk away but then heard a splash behind him and a shriek. He turned around to see Anne sitting unceremoniously on the ground in a puddle of water that had been hidden by the underbrush. He felt a stab of guilt as he saw her sitting there, tears starting to leak from her eyes.


    ¡°Anne I¡¯m sorry.. I didn¡¯t mean to¡­¡± He reached out his hand to help her up. She slapped it away.


    ¡°Keep your sorrys jerk! I¡¯m telling sissy.¡± She said through gritted teeth. She stalked past him furiously swiping at her eyes.


    Guilt roiled inside him. Anne was usually the only person that was decent to him, and she hated him for now, he hoped it was only for now. The guilt slowly turned into anger. How come everyone but him had a high horse from which to talk down from. Whenever he felt wronged and took some action to redress it, it always got turned around as to make him the bad guy. He lashed out with his foot to kick a stone. Unfortunately, a large part of the stone was buried in the ground. He yelled out in pain. He stomped off back toward his house.


    When he got there Jenifer, his older sister, was standing on the deck waiting for him.


    ¡°Who do you think you are. You lag around instead of coming home. You lie to me about hanging out with a friend, when everyone knows fully well that you have none! And then you push Anne into a pool of water when all she was doing was coming to find you because she was worried about you. God only knows why she would be, but she was. She kept calling you a jerk as she ran up to her room, and I couldn¡¯t agree more. You¡¯re lucky that Dad has to work late tonight or else he¡¯d strap you till you couldn¡¯t sit for a week. Don¡¯t worry though I¡¯ll make sure he knows tomorrow. Maybe if you go up to your room and let me have the T.V. all night I might forget this happened. Not sure how you¡¯re going to get Anne to forget though.¡± She said with a victorious smile on her face. He started past her, then paused.


    ¡°Fine!¡± he said and then stalked up to his room. He¡¯s taken her deals before, sometimes she even honored them, sometimes. He walked glumly up the stairs toward his room. Halfway there he paused in front of Anne¡¯s door. Guilt warred inside him with the indignation that he had felt earlier. He stood there unsure whether to walk away or knock on the door. The decision was taken from him as the door swung open and Anne came stalking out. She took one look at him and shut the door behind her.


    ¡°Sissy may have given you a deal, but you won¡¯t get one from me. Just wait till Dad gets home, Jerkus!¡± She said as she stormed past him and down the steps.


    ¡°All this over a little puddle of water!¡± Jaius kicked the wall next to the door and heard a crunching noise from his big toe. He clenched his fists as he hobbled into his room, which was right across from Anne¡¯s. Sis¡¯s room was the next one down on the right, it was the largest beside the master bedroom, and of course, because she was the oldest, it was hers by right. His parent¡¯s room was at the end of the hall just past Sis¡¯s. He shut the door behind him, perhaps a bit harder than he should have. His room wasn¡¯t much more than a lime green 10 x 10 box. He tossed his bag down on the ground and turned on the TV. He switched on his Playstation and popped in Call of Duty, he really needed to blow something up right now.


    Hours disappeared as he sat there wasting enemy soldiers, the violence had become nothing to him after years of desensitization. He started hearing a knocking sound, he eventually realized it was his door. He paused the game and opened it. Anne was standing there with a malicious smile on her face. ¡°Mom¡¯s home.¡± That was all she said before turning on her heal and skipping down the hall. He stared after her, watching her ponytail bob up and down as she skipped, it seemed to be mocking him. Slowly the stern face of his mother appeared over that bouncing knot of hair, as his sister descended the steps. His mother sighed heavily and then came up the steps and walked toward his room.


    ¡°Jaius, why on Earth would you push your sister into a puddle?¡±


    His mind processed the outcomes to a few of the responses that flowed through his head on their way to his mouth. ¡°I had a bad day and didn¡¯t like how she was speaking to me. I didn¡¯t think it¡­¡± His mother grabbed his arm and brought him in closer to her face. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter how bad of a day that you had young man, she is your little sister who idolizes you. How could you be so mean to her. Now, go apologize to her and then you can wait in your father¡¯s study till he gets home.¡± The fear on his face must have shown through because he saw a slight struggle erupt just under the parental mask his mother had put up. She did not relent, however, but let go of him and took a step back, allowing him to pass by her to the downstairs. He stared at her for a few moments, hoping that his pleading eyes would pierce through her resolve. Standing firm, she thrust out her arm and pointed down the steps. Defeated, her slumps his shoulders and went to find Anne. She was sitting on the floor playing with Barbie and Ken dolls.


    ¡°Anne¡­ I¡¯m sorry that I pushed you down. It wasn¡¯t right of me to take my bad day out on you.¡± She didn¡¯t look up at him, but merely continued to play. He began to turn a bit red with frustration, and was turning to walk back upstairs when Anne made the dolls face each other and she began to talk.


    ¡°My goodness Ken, did you hear what Jerkus did this time? His sweet, innocent, sister Anne was really worried about him, because he was late getting home from school. So, she went out to find him, and when she finally did, guess how he thanked her for her concern?¡± ¡°Did he give her a nice big hug and make her some Ice cream when they got home?¡± She said in a deeper voice. ¡°No Ken, he pushed her down into a cold puddle of water.¡± ¡°No! Wow he really is a Jerkus.¡± The last part was practically catapulted after him as he stomped back up the steps.


    He stalked past his mother as she stood in the kitchen and proceeded to his fathers study and shut the door. The study was dim and had the prevalent odor of brandy and cigar. It had one whole wall that was covered from floor to ceiling with books. Jaius had a Kindle Fire in his room, but he didn¡¯t use it very often. If he couldn¡¯t play it on the iPhone or watch it on T.V. then it wasn¡¯t worth his time. Reading was just too much work for him. A lot of times he would forget what he just read or have to read the same sentence three times to figure out what it was trying to say. He didn¡¯t have such problems with movies. He had a knack for pulling the meaning out of the plot, and really understanding the characters, he could even usually predict the ending. But since he had nothing to do at this moment, except wait to be executed, he started reading the spines of the books. Treasure Island, 20,000 League¡¯s under the sea, Sherlock Holmes. ¡°Hrm, that one might be interesting.¡± The movie was far better than he thought it would be. Iron Man did a great job playing Holmes. He picked up the book and opened it to the first page. As he was reading page three his mind began to wander away from violins and pipes, and back to the movie that he had been watching on the bus. Within a few more words he had not retained, he dropped the book from his hands and whipped out his iPhone and connected to Netflix. He put in his air pods and shut the rest of the world out. Before the end of the movie, the rest of the world came barging in as the double doors to the study opened and a large shadow stood in the doorway.


    Hours later he lay on his side on his bed. The strapping that he had gotten from his Dad had made it impossible to lay on his backside. He clutched at a small blue blanket that had been his since he was born. He felt alone, his Dad wasn''t mean to him, he''s seen him take his belt to both of his sisters before, it had just been one of those days. He didn''t have any friends here to hang out with after school or blow off steam with. He kept up with some of his friends from Pittsburgh on social media, but it just wasn''t the same. You couldn''t talk about the things that bothered you on Facebook, even on Facebook messenger, someone might hack your account and then billions of people would know your troubles.


    Tears started to fall from his eyes as that horrible first day that he went to St Pious, the one where his fly had been down the whole day, came flooding back to him. He suddenly had the sensation that he wasn''t alone in the room, he sat bolt upright on his bed, still clutching the blanket. Anne stood in the doorway in her nightgown. He glanced at the clock, which said 2am. ¡°only six more hours till D time, another day at the dungeon, she got me in trouble tonight and now she is going to suck away more of my freedom from that Hell!¡± Anger started to well inside him and he turned back to her. He was about to shout her out of his room, when his eyes adjusted to the light from the hall and he saw tears in her eyes. All the anger left him, and he swung his legs over the side of the bed and patted the spot next to him. There were a few moments of an audible silence, then the subtle noise of feet on his rug, and then Anne was sitting next to him. She stared at his TV screen as if watching something, even though the screen was off.


    ¡°Hey¡± she said sheepishly.


    ¡°Hey¡± he said back. ¡°what¡¯s wrong¡±


    ¡°I had a bad dream; I can''t get back to sleep.¡± She laid her head on his shoulder. ¡°I''m sorry I got you in trouble.¡±


    ¡°I''m sorry I pushed you down.¡± He said as he laid his head on Her¡¯s. ¡°I had a lot of kids picking on me today, and I took it out on you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I was so mad, a kid in my class was talking bad about you so I shoved him down. I got in trouble, Dad took his belt to me tonight too.¡± She took a deep breath. ¡°My dream was about all the kids in my class making fun of me.¡± She looked up at him with new tears starting to form. ¡°How do you stand it?¡±


    His heart sunk inside him. His sister was in fifth grade, and kids in her class were making fun of him, it was an entirely different school. He pushed that thought down till tomorrow and turned his attention back to her. ¡°I have no Idea. It gets harder and harder every year.¡±


    She gave him a big hug. ¡°I love ya Jaius, you can hang out with me and my friends if you want to.¡±


    He hugged her back, but he had a mental picture of his palm hitting his forehead.


    ¡°Great, I can hang out with three ten year old girls, that will make life at the dungeon so much better.¡±


    After an hour Anne had fallen asleep on his bean-bag-chair. When he finally got to bed, he had a dream too. It began with the smells of manure, wood smoke, and rust

 Chapter 3 Night Terrors

    ¡°Fear is the mind killer and fear is the little death...¡±


    Frank Herbert..


    Jaius found himself walking through the woods outside his home. The strong wind that he felt earlier that day was back again, pushing him ever further into the copse. The only light that filtered through the trees came from the moon. Just as he finished jumping over a small tree that had fallen, he knew that something around him had changed. He looked behind him and knew, deep down inside, that even if he went back the way he had come, he would never find his house. A sickening fear gripped his guts, and he stumbled forward. Soon he could smell wood smoke ahead. Also manure and other smells one might smell on a farm. He continued on and after a few minutes, through the branches ahead, there was<u> </u>a house. It was a double story house, but was like no structure he had ever seen. The walls were made of water. At least that was what It looked like from here. As he neared it though he saw that the walls were some form of translucent crystal, and that water seemed to be flowing upward inside the crystal. He shoved his hand into his pocket, looking for his iPhone. Touching the screen he hit the Google tab, but after a few seconds it informed him that he has no signal.


    ¡°Where the hell am I?¡± He said in a hushed tone. He inched as close to the wall that surrounded the house as he dared and stole a peak at the sky, there was an unbroken layer of clouds up there. At first, he thought it must be a storm, but none of the clouds were dark. It was just one big, white, fluffy mass. Even though he could not see the sun, it was almost as bright out as noontime, and he could feel warmth coming from the sky.


    An ear-piercing scream brought him out of his musing.


    ¡°Ma-MAA!¡±


    It had come from the structure. He spotted a window in the house from where the noise came, but he hesitated out of fear of someone seeing him. The scream came again, and after it ended, he could hear crying. It sounded like a girl. Something began to boil inside him. He had let Alianna endure her grief by herself earlier today, He wasn¡¯t going to leave another damsel in distress. He rushed forward across the well cut grass to the window and looked in. Inside he saw a kitchen that seemed to fit better in Robin Hood Prince of Thieves. There was a big fireplace with a brass kettle on it, a large wood table in the middle of the room, and bundles of herbs and spices hanging from the ceiling. There was a woman standing near the table, she wore fancy white robes with silver inlays. She held a whip in her hand and at the end of the whip was a glowing red crystal. She drew the whip back, and then sent it hurtling forward. He followed its trajectory and saw it hit the back of a blond-haired girl who was kneeling on the floor using her body to shield another girl with dark hair. When the whip struck the blond girl¡¯s back, her head snapped back as she let out another scream. He let out a scream to match Her¡¯s as he recognized the blond girl was Alianna. The woman looked up at the new sound and saw him. She began to move toward the window. Jaius ran back the way he had come, lept the fence and headed back to the trees. He heard footsteps behind him, the distraction causing him not to see the root sticking out of the ground. His foot caught in it, and he tumbled forward onto the lime green carpet on his bedroom floor. He landed inches from the beanbag chair that Anne had fallen asleep on. She woke up with a scream, due to all the commotion.


    ¡°Jaius, what are you doing! Trying to scare me in my sleep?¡±


    Jaius could hear the earlier tone of anger creeping back into her voice.


    He lay there shivering for a few moments unable to speak.


    ¡°Jaius¡± She said, the anger becoming ever more pronounced.


    Then a bright light came on directly over him, making it impossible to see.


    He heard a gasp and then the light dropped, Ann''s phone bouncing off his arm.


    ¡°Jaius, Jaius are you ok, your soaking wet. Are you sick?¡± He felt her hand touch his forehead. ¡°You don¡¯t seem to have a fever.¡±


    ¡°Nightmare¡­¡± he croaked.


    ¡°Oh man, I know all about those. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll fix ya up. I¡¯m gonna get you a towel from the bathroom.¡± He heard his bedroom door open, then close.


    As he lay there the dream played out over and over in his head. What crazy sci-fi channel production had he been watching that spurred that waked out dream. And what the heck was Alianna Oaksen doing in his dream. He desperately hoped that this dream would never be found out buy anyone, or else the kids at the dungeon would torture both He and Alianna mercilessly. Why Alianna though? Why her?


    ---------


    Alison made sure that Keri was asleep before she turned her back to Keri''s bed and let the tears start to fall from her eyes. Her shoulders shook, but she bit her lip and stifled the sounds she wished to let out. The scene from the bus kept playing over and over in her head. Ali''s book sailing out the window, and then being destroyed by that car. Alisons''s eyes squeezed shut, as a sick feeling rose up from her stomach. She shook her head back and forth. That book had been very special to Alison also. Alison had never had a grandmother, her parents were both orphaned at a young age, Alianna''s grandmother, Mrs. Stavits, had accepted Alison as her own the first time she met her. She had insisted that Alison call her Nana also. After about a year, Alison cemented in her mind once and for all that Mrs. Stavits was her grandmother. That had been Nana''s book. She had given it to them both on their 8<sup>th</sup> birthday. Ali and Alison were both born on March 15<sup>th</sup>. They would sit together in their club house and read that book cover to cover at least once a week.


    Then the worst image flashed before her mind¡¯s eye. It was the look in Ali''s eyes when she turned to stare at Alison. She had seen hate there. Alianna, one of the kindest people she knew, hated her. She couldn''t hold in the scream anymore. She knew it would wake Keri up, knew it would make her look like a spaz, but she couldn''t stop it, couldn''t stop Ali''s eyes from boring into her soul.


    A piercing scream filled the room. At first Alison thought it was her own, but slowly she realized that the scream was coming from across the room. It was a wailing, crying scream. It was Keri. Alison rolled over and squinted into the darkened room. The light from the hallway showed Keri''s shadowy form sitting up in the bed. She was screaming and crying out something unintelligible, so much so that her scream bent her forward. Alison had heard something like that only once before. It was the day that Ali and she had come home from school and Ali''s mom had told them that Nana had died. Ali had cried like Keri that day, Alison had too.


    ¡°What do I do, I need to make sure she is OK, but if she knows that I saw her like this it could go bad for me. I could pretend to still be sleeping, heh, she wouldn¡¯t believe that I slept through that noise.¡±


    Light flooded the room as the door flew open. Alison was blinded momentarily by the light. When her vision cleared, she could see Trudi sitting on Keri''s bed holding her sister. Trudi was whispering quietly to Keri as Keri cried into her shoulder. Alison''s mouth dropped open. It was the most tender thing she had ever seen Trudi do. She closed her mouth just as Trudi''s head swung toward her. Trudi stared in shock as her eyes fell on Alison. She looked puzzled, as if she had forgotten that Keri had asked Alison to sleep over tonight. Trudi shook her head slightly and that stern mask that she always wore returned. She jerked her head toward the hallway. Alison got the hint. She put her feet into her slippers and walked quietly out of the room. She almost bumped right into Keri''s mom. Mrs. Bellows looked like an older version of Keri. Even having just gotten out of bed without any makeup, Alison could see that she had been as pretty and popular as Keri was when she was their age.


    ¡°Oh...Alison, is everything ok?¡± She said as she looked past Alison into Keri''s room.


    ¡°Umm...well..¡±


    ¡°It''s alright dear. There are some brownies left, and milk or other drinks in the fridge. Why don''t you go make yourself something, I''ll come get you when everything is OK.¡±


    There was some compassion for Alison in her voice, but the suggestion had the undertones of a command. Alison nodded her head, but Mrs. Bellows was already heading into the room. Alison caught movement out of the corner of her eye. When she looked down the hallway, she saw Mr. Bellows standing there. He was staring at Keri''s room. After a moment he sighed, ran his hand over his balding head and then headed back into the master bedroom.


    Alison made her way down the stairs and into the massive kitchen. She had to pull twice on the door of the large stainless steel fridge to get it open. She took a bottle of water, she had never been able to stomach white milk, and she didn''t see any chocolate. She then went over and lifted the aluminum foil from the plate that bore the brownies. She put one on a napkin and then looked around for a place to sit. She locked in on the kitchen table, but movement took her attention from it. She looked to the left and saw one of the curtains blowing out straight. The kitchen window was open, and from the feel of the breeze it was still warm out. Odd weather for the end of March.


    Something tugged at her from outside, like a yearning for something she had lost.


    She went to the sliding door that led out to the deck and unlocked it and slid it open. She stepped out onto the composite wood and instinctively skirted the Hot Tub that was set in the center of the deck. She stopped once she got to the railing. She set the water and brownie down on the wood and stared out at the yard below her. The yard itself was half an acre long and beyond it was a wooded area. There was a strong wind blowing, it was warm, but also strong enough to whip back her chestnut-colored hair. There was something on the wind, she had no idea what to call it, but it seemed to draw her attention to the woods at the end of the yard. She felt the sudden urge to run through the yard and into the woods. But this something that floated on the wind also made her think of Ali again.


    Alison''s own house lay on the other side of the wood from Keri''s. Ali and she used to swim in a creek that was near there. The sick feeling returned as she thought about that last summer, the one between fifth and sixth grade, the last time they swam there.


    ¡°Why did I have to think of her?¡± She slammed her hand down on the railing. ¡°Keri''s crying episode had scared it out of me, and there I go letting myself think about her again.¡± As her mind turned away from the wind, it seemed to slack off and fade from her.


    ¡°I would have still been her friend, secretly, but still her friend. We could have talked at night like we always did, maybe passed some notes, and we could have still met at the Tree, but no, she had to go and insist on joining Keri''s group!¡± Alison said as she tried to justify her position and what she had done to Ali. Alison''s mother had insisted that she could no longer be Alianna''s friend. She had told Alison that since Ali wasn''t on the team, and didn''t hang out with Keri, that any time spent with her was either time that could be spent practicing or getting to know Keri better. Alison had rebelled, had stood up for Ali and their friendship, but in the end, like always, her mother had won.


    Years ago, her mother had locked her in a closet down in the basement for a week one summer. It was after Alianna and her mother had had a large fight, and Ali had intended to run away. Alison had gone with her, because she didn''t want her to be alone, and because Alison''s own mother was being a bear. They had made it as far as the bridge that led into the neighboring town of Oak Creek, when the lights of a cop car turned on and that ended their journey. Ali and her mom made up, Ali had still been grounded, but it wasn''t the same as what happened to Alison. Alison''s mother was furious. She screamed at Alison until she was horse, and then locked Alison in that closet. She let her out to use the bathroom, and put food in for her, but the rest of the time, Alison was trapped in the dark. Her sister Megan would come visit her when she could, but it was difficult for her to come visit when their mother was around. Alison would cry endlessly when she was alone in that closet, that feeling crippled her to this day, being alone, being forgotten and unloved.


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    She found out afterward that her mom had told Alianna that Alison had gone to stay with a friend of Alison¡¯s Mom in Harrisburg that the family had known for years, and that she would see her the next week. Alison''s mom had made her swear not to tell anyone about putting her in the closet. She said if she did tell, the closet would become Alison''s room. Alison would do anything never to go back in that darkness, even betray her best friend, her sister, Alianna.¡±


    She felt a hand on her shoulder, the weight making her realize that her shoulders had been shaking, and that there were tears rolling down her face.


    She turned to see Keri withdrawing her hand. Alison quickly wiped at her eyes.


    She almost choked when she opened them and saw Keri handing her a handkerchief. It wasn''t the gesture that shocked her, but the look on Keri''s face. She could be dreaming but Alison would swear that that was compassion on Keri''s face. Alison stammered somewhat as she reached out and took it.


    ¡°I''m sorry if I frightened you, Alison. I...I had a bad dream, well my mom calls them night terrors, I guess that is a better name for them.¡±


    Alison dabbed at her eyes. She used the time spent dabbing to try and process what was going on here. Keri Bellows, being nice to someone, even one of her friends, was not heard of. Also, she has Night Terrors! Alison knew all about them. In some of her dreams she would find herself trapped in that closet again, except in the dream, the closet was all there was. She didn''t know how she knew but in the dream, there was no house around the closet, no town around the house, no planet around the town. There was just blackness, and she knew she was totally alone. It was terrible.


    ¡°I...I...¡± She tried to commiserate but couldn''t get the words out.


    ¡°It is okay Alison, nothing to be worried about now...¡± Keri''s eyes squinted shut and she put her hands to the sides of her head. ¡°Och!¡±


    ¡°Keri, are you OK?¡±


    ¡°...Jus...just a headache. I...I get them sometimes.¡±


    Alison moved to stand next to her and took her arm and helped her over to a chair that set near the hot tub.


    She helped her to sit down and then stood back a step. She went over and grabbed the bottle of water. She brought it over to Keri, undid the cap, and handed it to her. Keri looked at it through half closed eyes. Slowly she reached out and took it and took a few sips. After a few more moments Keri seemed to relax somewhat. She looked up at Alison, and for some reason the red, poofy, eyes that met hers gave her the idea that Keri really was a human being. She had heard it said that the eyes are the gateway into someone''s soul. Alison swore, in that moment, that she actually saw something...human... behind Keri''s blue eyes.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± Keri stood somewhat shakily. Alison took her arm again to steady her. ¡°You are okay Alison. Look, no one at School knows about these night terrors, and it must stay that way.¡± Keri looked her in the eyes when she said this, and Alison saw the normal hardness return to them. Keri''s eyes softened somewhat after a few moments. ¡°I''m moving your seat at the table tomorrow.¡± Ice gripped at Alison''s heart. Any kind of change in the seating at the ¡°A¡± table could be very bad news for the one being changed.


    ¡°Your new seat will be right next to Jim''s, across from Mandy''s...equal to Mandy''s.¡± Alison''s mouth dropped open. In the hierarchy of the ¡°A¡± table, it went Keri as Queen, Trudi as her Second and Jim as the Prince, and then Mandy who sat in the Heir Apparent seat. Normally the Queen picks an Heir at the beginning of the year of her reign. Mandy had been given the seat, but not the title. Keri had yet to name an Heir, but everyone assumed it would eventually be Mandy. Tiffany Lockman currently sat next to Jim, and across from Mandy, but she didn''t hold the same standing in the leadership of the group as Mandy did. That last part about being equal to Mandy meant that Keri had just made her a contender for the role of Heir, one of the leaders of the group, and set up a possible battle between Alison and Mandy for the title of Queen, at the very least it opened the door for Keri to choose her instead of Mandy to be her heir. Alison would answer now only to those above her, not below. Keri was also indicating to the table that Alison also had a chance to be Queen of the table next year.


    ¡°I''ll talk to Tiffany before school, she''ll understand.¡± Alison wasn''t so sure about that, but she did know that Tiffany wouldn''t say anything to her about it. Alison had truly arrived. Tomorrow she would be one of the most popular girls in the Middle School. She might even convince her mom to cement over the closet when she told her this. Alison also knew that this promotion wasn''t out of generosity. It was to make sure she never repeated what happened here tonight. ¡°Thank you so much Keri, Oh wow, like I just can''t believe it, you are really the best, and as for tonight all that happened was that I woke up and was hungry and then came out to the deck for some air.¡± Keri smiled with satisfaction. ¡°Trust is an important commodity Alison, I hope I will not be disappointed investing it in you, it''s something that you can''t get back once squandered.¡±


    That hit Alison like a knife. The image of Ali on the bus jumped into her mind, the fire that burned in Ali''s eyes at her, fires of hate. It took every ounce of will she had not to lose it right there in front of Keri. ¡°You...You can count on me Keri.¡± She tried to cover the stammer by rubbing her arms and making Keri think that she was cold. Keri stood, put her arm around Alison and led her back inside. When they got to Keri''s room, Alison saw that the door to Trudi''s room was cracked open. As they went into Keri''s room, she heard the door click shut. Keri shut the door and as Alison was taking off her slippers, Keri gave her a hug. Alison went rigid for a moment. ¡°Keri hugs?¡±  After a moment though, Alison hugged her back. ¡°Thanks.¡± said Keri before she pulled away and got into bed.


    Alison stood there in shock for a few moments. She watched as Keri turned away from her, and her shock deepened as she saw an old teddy bear poking its head out over her shoulder. She heard Keri whisper ¡°Goodnight Liquorish'''' Alison shook her head and climbed into the bed. She stared up at the ceiling and marveled. ¡°Keri Bellows is human¡± Without warning Ali''s face appeared in her mind. She saw Ali mouth the words ¡°Are you?¡± Only with every ounce of will she possessed was she able to stifle the cry that had been building all day. She turned away from Keri and cried herself to sleep.


    Keri was nowhere close to sleep after that terror. Even Liquorish, the bear with the softest fur in the world, couldn''t bring her peace tonight. She began to hear crying, and for a moment was afraid it was hers. That dream, the one at the airport, on that cold December night, was one of the worst, the one that destroyed her heart every time. Not wanting to remember any more of that she sat up and looked around for the noise. Her eyes fell upon Alison. Alison''s back was to her, but she could clearly see her shoulders shaking. They seemed to be shaking so violently that Keri marveled that the bed wasn''t rattling. ¡°This isn''t because I scared her. This is something else.¡± Keri scanned her memory of the past day for any hint of what might be causing Alison such distress. Keri could remember most things that she saw or read. Her dad had called it a Photographic memory, he had called her a prodigy. Something caught her attention as she replayed the scene from the bus. When she had thrown that stupid book of Alianna¡¯s out the window, some form of movement out of the corner of her eye. She replayed the scene again and this time she saw it. Alison had been helping Trudi hold Alianna. When the book went sailing out of the bus, Alison let go of Ali and put her hands to her mouth. Keri could see the tears forming in her eyes. Fear and anger mixed in the pit of Keri''s stomach. It had been Alison who had messed up and let Alianna go, not Trudi, Keri had been miffed at her sister the whole day. It was because Alison had shown loyalty by holding Ali that Keri had invited her over, and it turns out she didn''t even deserve such an honor.


    But then the fear hit. Alison had also seen her weakness, the chink in her armor, and for that reason Keri couldn''t take away from Alison what she had given her. Not yet anyway. If Alison kept showing any signs of feelings of loyalty for Alianna then Keri would have to take steps. She knew that Alianna had Alison''s Diary, just as Alison had Her¡¯s. After all Alison had done to Alianna, Keri was fairly sure that Alianna would jump at the chance to join Keri''s group. Keri was also confident that Alianna would have no problem handing Alison''s diary to her. ¡°The old Switch-er-rue. It doesn''t matter which one sits at the table, and which one takes the heat. The goal is still the same, the promise would still be kept.¡±  Keri smiled. If Alison had been looking at her, the smile probably would have reminded her of the Cheshire cat¡¯s; all white polished teeth, and utterly malicious.


    Alianna''s dream that night was anything but sweet. She found herself standing in a dark space with an even thicker curtain of darkness in front of her. Suddenly a scream rang out from the darkness. ¡°Help me please!¡± There was such terror and pain in that scream. ¡°It hurts, it burns!¡± came the cry again. It was a girl''s voice crying out. Alianna started to become very scared. She felt like she wanted to run away from the screams and the darkness, but something kept her there, straining to listen, that voice sounded familiar.


    ¡°Help me Mama¡­Ma¡­MA!¡± Came a wail so heart wrenching that it triggered something inside her, an instinct perhaps? It was something buried deep inside of who she was. She steeled herself and jumped into the darkness. The screams became louder as she stepped into the darkness. They pulled her forward until she saw a point of light that grew larger as she rushed toward it.


    She found herself drawn into the light. When she could see again, she found herself in a kitchen that looked completely different from the one in her home. Spices and herbs hung by the bushel from the walls and ceiling. A large brick fireplace apparently was used for the cooking, for a large copper kettle stood in the middle, but it was not heated by a fire but an array of different colored crystals. These same crystals seemed to give off light for the room as well.


    Stunned by the oddness of this kitchen it took her a moment to remember why she was there. A scream from her right quickly reminded her. When she turned her head, she saw a woman dressed in white robes with silver inlays. The woman held in her left hand what looked like a whip, except that it had a crystal attached to the end that was glowing a deep red. The whip rose and then descended upon someone in front of the woman. As it hit, another scream rang out. Alianna dashed around the preparation table and hid behind it. From where she hid however, she could see who the woman was attacking. Huddled on the floor were two girls that seemed to be about her age. One was blond and the other had black hair. The blond-headed girl seemed to be covering the other girl with her body, apparently shielding her from the blows, but Alianna could not see their faces. ¡°I have to help them.¡± she thought to herself. ¡°They¡¯re in such pain, but what can I do?¡± The blond girl seemed to slump almost as if she was dying. Before she could think of what she was doing the whip began to descend again and so she leapt on top of the blond girl and it hit her right between the shoulder blades. Alianna¡¯s body stiffened as if electricity were flowing through it, like when she placed a fork in a socket when she was three, except this was 10 times worse. She screamed out in pain and terror. It struck a second time and the pain was something more then pain, something she could not find a word for. The failure of the stone hit the blond girl who lay beneath her brought the blond haired girls face up into the light to look at her. Alianna stared in horror when she saw the girl¡¯s face, because it was her very own face that stared back at her wracked with pain, pale and sweating.


    She sat straight up in the bed screaming her head off. She heard crying off in the distance, but in the darkness could not tell if she was still in that awful kitchen, or somewhere else. The idea that she might be safe and sound in her own bed could not seem to make its way through her hysteria. ¡°Mom! Mooom!¡± She screamed.


    Suddenly she was flooded with light as a doorway to her right burst open, and a tall figure rushed into the room and made more light appear. The sudden change from pitch black to bright light had blinded her, which made her scream even more since there was now some stranger in here with her. Then she heard someone call her name, then two strong hands grabbed her arms and shook her gently. ¡°¡­.ianna¡± She heard, as what was actually going on started to dawn on her. It was her father, that was her father¡¯s voice. ¡°Daddy!¡± she screamed and tried to fling her arms around him, but he was holding on too tightly. He must have sensed her need for before she could say anything else she felt his strong arms close around her, protecting her from that whip and that woman. ¡°Ali what happened, what¡¯s wrong¡±. She couldn¡¯t answer him, all she could do was sob against his chest and shake with fright.


    ¡°Jonathan is she ok?¡± Her mother¡¯s terrified voice came from the doorway. From the sound of things, she had both twins in her arms, and they were both screaming. ¡°I don¡¯t know, she won¡¯t answer me. It looks like she had some kind of nightmare, but I haven¡¯t ever heard anyone scream like that. Ali¡±. He said gently ¡°Ali!¡± this time a little more forcefully and pushed her away a little and looked down into her eyes, which were shut tight. ¡°Alianna, what happened?¡± Dads had a certain way that they could say things that, no matter what else was going on, made everything else stop and command all attention on them. ¡°There¡­.there¡­.theree¡­waaa.sss a..a..a..a¡±.


    ¡°Ali, take a deep breath and let it out.¡± She did as she was told and after a few more was able to speak more clearly.


    ¡°There was darkness, and I heard screaming, and so I ran toward it and then I was in this weird kitchen that looked medieval, and there was a woman in robes and she was whipping two girls at her feet and the whip had a glowing red stone on the end that seemed to make it hurt more. And one of the girls she was whipping was ME! But it wasn¡¯t me, because I was watching her do it, but it was me.¡±


    ¡°Ali It was just a nightmare sweetie,¡± said her mom from the doorway, still trying to settle down the twins, with little success, however, because they were crying so hard that their faces were turning red. ¡°Jonathan, I¡¯m going to take them downstairs and quiet them, I¡¯ll be up as soon as they fall asleep.¡± Her Dad nodded his head, as did Alianna. She looked up at her father. ¡°It wasn¡¯t a nightmare dad; I was really there. It was hazy like a real dream when I was walking in the darkness, but as I stepped through the darkness everything became crystal clear, I could see the woman with the whip just like I see you. And before I woke up, I could feel the whip hit me, it felt just like the time I stuck that fork in the socket, and it hurt so badly.¡± She buried her head in his chest again. It was quite some time before everyone at the Oaksen house was back to sleep, and even longer for Alianna, whose stomach was all tied in knots. She tried to keep her eyes open as long as she could so as not to have to go back to sleep and risk facing that woman again.

 Chapter 4 A Special Day

    ¡°A sure friend is known in unsure times.¡±


    -Ennius


    The alarm clock awoke her at 6am. As soon as her eyes opened her stomach started to turn, as it had been every morning for the past year. This morning was the worst though, how would Keri use that page she stole against her? What torture would she be made to endure today, how was she going to get the images from that dream out of her mind?


    After fifteen minutes she had managed to flip the covers off her, which in her estimation was quite an achievement. Just as she was mulling over swinging her legs over the side of the bed, there was a soft knock on the door.


    ¡°Ali, can I come in?¡± asked her mom. Whatever vestiges of sleep that she was still fighting off were instantly washed away in the torrent of thoughts that went through her head.


    ¡°What do I do? Do I jump back under the covers or jump out of bed. Or maybe dive into the closet or run up to the attic¡­. she¡¯ll freak if I¡¯m still in bed at almost 6:20.¡±


    In the end she folded; and threw the covers back over herself and pretended to be asleep just as her mom opened the door. There was a short pause, which didn¡¯t make sense because she had been expecting to hear her name yelled out at a volume that only mothers could produce. The yelling never came, instead she felt her bed sink down a little farther as her mom sat on the edge. She pretended to stir a little, to try and keep up her guise of being asleep.


    ¡°Ali sweetheart, are you awake?¡± And of course, at those words Alianna made her eyes open and then squint shut.


    ¡°Is it time to get ready for school mom?¡± she asked innocently.


    ¡°No dear, I¡¯ve already called the school and told them that you were sick, I just came in to tell you that you could sleep in today.¡± Alianna¡¯s eyes flew open, and she stared up at her mother. A small glimmer of hope appeared, but it was quickly crushed by her conscience.


    ¡°But that¡¯s not true Mom.¡± she said, her voice falling to a whisper.


    ¡°Who said it is not true? Is your stomach bothering you right now, as I know it has almost every school day this past year.¡± She said as she turned her head slightly away, her voice growing a bit faint as she finished speaking. An ocean of relief flooded through Alianna; this was the happiest she had felt in months.


    ¡°M..mom¡± She paused to clear her throat as her voice broke. ¡°Thanks, Mom.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going to take today and put our heads together and figure out a plan for getting things back on track for you. Now here is what I have planned for today. We are going to go to Dr. Korvac¡¯s about your stomach around 9:30. So you can sleep till about eight. Then we are going to head into Wilkes-Barre and go to the mall and do some shopping for some new clothes, and then we¡¯ll visit Ellane. She fixes my hair whenever I go to town, we are old friends, and she is very good at what she does. And we¡¯re both going to teach you how to put makeup on.¡±


    There was a moment of joy which collapsed almost as soon as it came. ¡°Why is she teasing me like this, is it some sort of sick form of punishment!¡± She felt sick, she knew she was turning green by the look on her mother¡¯s face.


    ¡°Alianna¡­What¡¯s wrong¡­. Is your stomach really bothering you that much¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not allowed to wear make-up mom; Dad will be so mad.¡± Thoughts of the two times her dad had taken his belt to her came to the fore of her mind. Alianna just kept repeating that she wasn¡¯t allowed to wear make-up. It was a moment before she heard what her mother was saying.


    ¡°Alianna Renee Oaksen, look at me!¡± As always when her mother used her full name, she shut her mouth and looked at her. ¡°Good, now that I can talk, it was your father who suggested that we let you. Now this is his one condition, you cannot overdo it.¡±


    She had never known her Father to change his mind about one of the ¡°House Rules¡±, she felt such gratitude to both her parents. She threw her arms around her mother and thanked her continuously. Over her mother¡¯s shoulder she saw her dad standing in the doorway trying to hide a smile. ¡°Oh Daddy¡± She squealed and jumped out of bed and ran to him and hugged him. ¡°Oh, thank you, thank you daddy, it means so much to me.¡± As she kissed his cheek.


    ¡°I know Ali, I guess we didn¡¯t realize how much it did until now. As your mom said though you can¡¯t go overboard.¡± He knelt, set her feet on the floor and looked at her. ¡°I still want to be able to see my Little Girl in that face, for a few more years, anyway. Now get some more sleep, I want to hear all about your day when I get home from work.¡± She buried her face into his shoulder. ¡°I love you so much Daddy.¡± She whispered so only he could hear it. She felt his strong arms hug her tightly. She imagined that his arms were walls that could repel all the arrows that got shot at her daily. Then she was being lifted, effortlessly into the air. He kissed her forehead. ¡°I love you too Ali. I always will.¡± He walked toward the bed, stopped so her mom could lean in and kiss her too, he then set her down on the bed and tucked her in. He gave her an Eskimo kiss, which made her laugh and took her back to when she was a little girl. He chuckled too and then kissed her mom and walked out of the room. Again, there was that sensation that her Dad was the strongest force for good in the world. The calcified remains of her heart began to beat once more, pushing hope through her veins


    Her mother watched her father walk down the hall, her hand resting over her heart. After a minute her mom turned back to her bed. She fluffed the pillows and tucked the covers close under her chin. She got a big hug from her mom. Her mom''s hugs were the most soul warming things in the world. Her mom kissed her again and then went to the door. She looked in before shutting it. ¡°I¡¯ll wake you up at eight, now rest, and don''t worry Ali, things are going to change for you in a big way tomorrow.¡± Said her mom as she left the room. Alianna smiled and held Mr. Bear tightly. She had not felt so at peace since she was a little girl, and would crawl into bed with her parents, when some monster had managed to slip past Mr. Bear. She fell asleep, all thoughts of yesterday gone from her mind.


    --------------


    Alianna sat on the love seat in their living room waiting for her mother. She occupied herself, as she always did, by staring at the painting above the couch. She started at the bottom left corner where the creek was wide, the water tumbling over the rocks. She then followed its course into the background. It slowly began to narrow as it passed by the old mill. It then continued out of the woods and then down a long slope into the valley beyond. On the other side of the valley a long mountain rose and fell. Where it ended, another mountain began. Between the two there was a pass, and that was as far as most people could see inside the painting. Alianna, however, could see beyond the pass into the next valley and the one beyond that one.


    She had stopped telling others about what she saw, because they gave her the strangest looks, and of course she got teased about it at school. Alison knew about it, how she saw things that lay beyond the point that most people stop looking. She must have told Keri all about it, because Keri loved taking every opportunity to remind her how silly that notion was. Alison also had her diary, and she probably let Keri read it whenever she wanted to. Alianna and Alison had switched diaries, as they always did, right before Alison betrayed her. Within those special books they would write secret notes to each other, they had developed their own secret alphabet that only they knew how to read, and so they could read each other¡¯s thoughts, for there were no secrets between best friends. Alison had been the only one who understood, the only one who seemed to see the world like she did. The first time Alison had come into Alianna¡¯s house she had stared up at the painting over the couch and asked Alianna about what she thought about the valley that lay beyond the mountain and what she thought it looked like. Right then Alianna knew they would be best friends. If only she had known then what she knew now, what an evil little traitor that Alison was.


    Alianna still had Alison¡¯s diary. Every day she looked at it as it sat untouched on her bookshelf, and every day the temptation grew to use it against her, to humiliate her in front of the whole school, but in the end one thing stopped her from doing so. If she did this thing that she wanted so desperately to do, then she would be just the same as Alison¡­ a traitor. They had sworn a vow with each other to never reveal the secrets that they shared to anyone else. Alison had broken her word, Alianna refused to break hers. It was one of the few things that Keri and her click couldn¡¯t control. Her Dad had taught her that telling the truth and keeping promises were the most important things. He said that she might see people lie and get away with it. Lying might even make them popular, or rich, but in the end, they would still have given away one of the few things in this world that was truly theirs, their word.


    Her thoughts were disturbed by the chiming of the clock that set on the mantle. She turned to look at it, it read 9 o''clock am. The time was confirmed by her mother calling for her from the door that led to the garage. She sighed, wiped at her eyes, and then smiled. She would not allow Alison or Keri, or Trudi or anyone else to ruin her special day. She walked out into the hall toward the kitchen, just as she entered the kitchen she turned to her left and stepped out into the garage. She heard a low rumbling and saw her Dad¡¯s F250 idling in the driveway. Her Dad owned a small construction business and so it was their only vehicle. With the extended cab and doolee in the back, it was a monstrous truck from her perspective, and she always had trouble getting into it. Her Mom must have taken him to work. As she was fastening her seat belt her mom climbed in and looked at her.


    ¡°Ready for a great day!¡± her mother¡¯s smile lit up her face. Alianna smiled too and was about to say, ¡°Yeah¡±, when one of the twins beat her to it as a loud ¡°Yeah!¡± came from the back seat. Her Mom and her both started to laugh.


    An hour later they left the Dr''s office and headed down Rt. 118 toward Wilkes-Bare. The Dr. had given her mother a prescription to settle her stomach down in the mornings, and a note for school. Alianna stared out the window as the trees flew past. Mountains and trees were one thing that north-eastern Pennsylvania had in abundance. Black Canyon lay nestled in what was known as the endless mountain range. She had flown in a plane once when she was seven, and she understood why these mountains had gotten that name. All she could see below her were mountain and valley, mountain and valley, as far as the horizon in every direction. Trees had covered all of the mountains, and a lot of the valleys too. You could hide an entire world inside that continuous growth of trees, or so she liked to imagine anyway. She loved the mountains and the trees.


    ¡°I could just walk into them and live in the forest, and never have to go back to the dungeon again.¡± She thought to herself. She had been trying as best she could to keep her mind focused on the great day she was going to have, but she couldn¡¯t keep these dreary thoughts out completely.


    They drove through Dallas, heading toward the cross-valley express way. There were several narrow side streets that meandered off the main road and disappeared around bends or into a canopy of trees. She found herself imagining some exotic land that lay at the end of these mysterious roads. She got so engrossed in the images her mind conjured that they were on the other side of Dallas by the time she noticed that anything had changed.


    Right before they got on the expressway, Alianna turned her head and looked out her mom¡¯s window for one of the landmarks that always stood out when they went this way. It was an old building, only one story, and it was completely open in the front. Inside there was a bunch of junk and scrap metal, but what made it stand out in her mind was a curved section of train track that was resting upon a platform. It curved out an opening in the back wall and she couldn¡¯t see where the rest went. She tried to imagine where the track led, she imagined it curving out of the building and traveling into the woods and mountains to a land no one had ever seen before.


    Her mind was flooded with memories of that Lion. She had read the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe when she was seven, and ever since then she imagined that the lion on the side of the building was Aslan. Lost in her memories she forgot to look away from the road sign that now was filling her vision. It said: ¡°Plains 1 mile¡±. Tears began to make everything blurry, and her shoulders began to shake a little. She felt her mom place a hand on her back, rubbing it gently. That sign used to bring such excitement for her, because Plains was where her Nanna had lived. Visions of the garden behind the house, where she had learned all about planting and growing vegetables and flowers, and the special drawer in her Nanna¡¯s hutch that always held candy or surprises for her and Alison and Megan, when she came with them, flashed through her mind. Her Pop-Pop still lived there with her mom¡¯s younger sister Karen, who had been caring for her grandfather since Nanna died.


    It took quite a while for Alianna to banish her sadness, so much so, that she barely noticed that they had arrived at the mall. It was so much larger than the one near her town. Most of these department stores were two stories, and this mall had a food court where hers didn¡¯t. She helped her mom get the twins double stroller out of the truck, and then helped her get them into it. They walked carefully through the busy parking lot and entered the mall through J.C. Penny.


    ¡°Should we look at clothes first? If I remember correctly tomorrow is picture day, and you don¡¯t have to wear your uniform for that.


    Alianna nodded her head. ¡°I¡¯ve been dreading it for months now. I never take a good picture.¡±


    ¡°You take a lovely picture dear, and this time round it will be even more so.¡± Her mom said with a smile. They got to the Jr¡¯s section and Alianna went one way and her mother the other.


    There were so many clothes she didn¡¯t know what to look at first. She tried to picture in her head what Keri would wear. But, when she came to something she thought Keri would wear, it was either far too expensive or else something she herself didn¡¯t like. When she came across an outfit that she liked she pictured them on Keri and saw the Keri in her imagination scrunch up her face in disgust at them. She stamped her foot on the ground. This was going to be harder than she thought. Then she saw it, a long-sleeved, button-down white shirt, with stripes of different widths, lengths, and colors on it. There was a large orange one on the right side, the rest were a mix of red, yellow, tan, and gray. And they had it in her size. Like finding the first piece in a puzzle it wasn¡¯t long before she had a complete outfit. She had found an awesome pair of jeans that were just the right shade of blue. Also, a denim Jacket that was white, and a light brown belt with tassels at the end of it. Finally, a pair of nice boots to finish it off.


    ¡°Mom¡­ mom over here I¡¯ve found something.¡± She yelled. A minute later her mom came over to her.


    ¡°My those look nice, let¡¯s see how they fit you.¡± Alianna smiled and practically skipped to the dressing room. A few minutes later she came out and twirled around laughing


    ¡°What do you think mom?¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s very nice dear. You¡¯ll be the coolest one there. Now is this what you want, or do you want to look some more?¡± Alianna turned and looked at herself in the mirror. She knew that they didn¡¯t have a lot of money so she tried to find stuff that was on sale or not too expensive and thought she had done quite well. As she looked at the outfit on her though, she began to wonder if she had gotten to much. She looked longingly at what she had picked out, trying to separate out what was necessary instead of what she wanted.


    ¡°Well, I really like it mom, but maybe there is something over there.¡± She said looking at the half-off racks. Her Mom followed to where she was looking, and then turned back to Alianna.


    ¡°Alianna this isn¡¯t about money, if this outfit is the one you want then that is what you shall get.¡± She said in a voice that brokered no argument. Alianna took one more look in the mirror and then nodded.


    ¡°Yup I think this is what I want.¡± She said, smiling.


    ¡°Good now go and change and we¡¯ll head to Ellane¡¯s.¡±


    They walked to the other side of the mall and came to a salon called Cross Cutters. Her Mom went up to the counter and told the woman behind it that they had a Twelve O¡¯clock appointment with Ellane. The woman scanned her list, but before she found their name another woman, who looked vaguely familiar to Alianna, came out of the back room and waved at her mom. She was a tall woman with red hair, who Alianna thought was very pretty. Her hair style was cool too. It was wavy down to her shoulders with highlights in a way that almost made it look like flames were dancing as she walked. ¡°Emily, how are you?¡±


    ¡°Hi Ellene, sorry we¡¯re a little late, we got held up in J.C. Penny''s.¡±


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry, that place is always crazy this time of day.¡± Ellene came over to them and gave her mom a hug. She then looked down at Alianna. ¡°No! This can¡¯t be Ali, my goodness child you cannot have changed this much since I last saw you.¡± she said and gave Alianna a hug too.


    ¡°Ellane what are you doing here today, today isn''t your day to work?¡± said a woman off to the right who was wrapping pieces of foil into a girls hair. Ellene made a shushing motion at her. ¡°It¡¯s ok Maggie, this a favor for a friend. right this way ladies, and gentleman.¡± She said as she touched Simon¡¯s cheek, which made him giggle. She motioned them to a chair near the back of the salon. Alianna felt a sting of guilt as she walked over and sat in the chair, this woman had come in on her day off just for her? There were a lot of people making sacrifices today. She appreciated what they were doing for her. She was just very worried that all their work would be for nothing once she got to the Dungeon tomorrow. Her Mom came over and sat down in an empty chair nearby and started to roll the stroller back and forth to try and keep the twins quiet.


    Alianna looked up at Ellane as she draped the smock over her.


    ¡°Thank you, Miss. Ellane, for taking the time to do this, I really appreciate it.¡±


    ¡°Oh honey, think nothing of it.¡± She bent down to fasten the smock at the back of her neck, and she whispered into Alianna¡¯s ear. ¡°Your Mom told me a little about what was going on, don¡¯t worry dear, you¡¯re in good hands. When I¡¯m done with ya you¡¯re going to be the prettiest girl at St. Pious.¡± Alianna blushed a little at the thought of that. She was also a little embarrassed that her mom had told Ellane about what was going on. This embarrassment lasted only a few minutes however, because Ellane plopped a stack of magazines on the counter in front of her. ¡°Now you go through these and find the style that you like, and we¡¯ll fix you right up. While you¡¯re doing that I¡®m going to spruce up your mom.¡± Alianna looked up at her in disbelief. She had never had any say in what her hair looked like, or how it got cut.


    ¡°Oh, Ellane you don¡¯t have to worry about me, anyway someone has to keep these two monster quiet.¡± said her mom, pointing to the twins.


    ¡°Oh, there is no problem there. Olivia.¡± Ellane called toward the back room. A girl who looked to be about Alianna¡¯s age came out from behind the curtain, she had dark hair with red highlights that came to just below her shoulders.


    ¡°Yeah mom?¡± she said sounding completely bored. ¡°Olivia this is Mrs. Oaksen, and her daughter Alianna, you two used to play together, when we lived in Black Canyon.¡± The two girls looked closely at each other and then finally recognition spread across their faces.


    ¡°Ya, I remember, you had that cool tree in your back yard. You and that other girl had some club going on, and that was your club house.¡± Alianna smiled slightly at the good memories now turned sour and nodded. ¡°Yup The A.L.I. club¡­¡± she said a bit too sullenly


    ¡°Olivia dear, I¡¯m going to give Mrs. Oaksen a trim while Alianna here finds a style she likes, would you watch these two precious little angels until we¡¯re done?¡± Olivia looked a little put out at this request, and still looked very bored. Totally understanding how she felt Alianna grabbed the first magazine off the stack and jumped off the chair.


    ¡°I¡®ll help you if you want. One of us can push the stroller while the other looks for the best style.¡± Olivia looked a little shocked but quickly a smile appeared on her face. ¡°That sounds like a cool idea.¡± And so, Olivia got behind the stroller and started pushing it around the back part of the salon, which was empty right now. Alianna skipped along after her and started asking Olivia what she thought about this style or that.


    Meanwhile Ellane seemed to have a whole mess of neat stories about Alianna¡¯s mom and her and the things they did together when they were Alianna¡¯s age. She found herself laughing so hard a couple of times that she dropped the magazine. After the tenth time she switched off with Olivia she bent down in front of the stroller to check on the twins. She saw Simon¡¯s eye crack open and then shut quickly when she made a funny face at him. Suddenly the magazine was thrust between her and the twins.


    ¡°Alianna look at this one, I think it would work great for you.¡± Alianna stared at the picture in the magazine. The model had her hair layered so that her bangs framed her face and curled inward under her chin. The rest fell back behind her ears separating the front layers from the rear. Then she noticed something else about the picture, the style included blond highlights that made her already blond hair really pop.


    ¡°No way¡± she shouted grabbing the magazine from Olivia. Unable to contain her excitement she ran back over to her mom, and Ellane. ¡°Mom, mom look, I think this is it. It¡¯s so pretty and look!¡± She nearly squealed as she pointed out the highlight. ¡°Highlights!¡±


    Her mom looked at the picture and then up at Ellane, asking without words if that was too much. Ellane gave her a reproachful look, and then turned to Alianna.


    ¡°I think that would look great on you Alianna, and the highlights will be no problem. I¡¯m almost done with your mom so why don¡¯t you go back to that sink there and sit and we¡¯ll get started in just a few minutes.¡± This time she squealed and ran toward the sink and sat down in the chair in front of it.


    ¡°Olivia, she said she would do it.¡± she said waving at her. Olivia brought the stroller over a broad smile on her face.


    ¡°That¡¯s great Alianna.¡± Alianna could see Sarah and Simon rubbing their eyes, the squealing had apparently woken her brother and sister up. ¡°Do you hear that Sarah, your sister is gonna get highlights.¡± Olivia said as she bent down and gave Sarah an Eskimo kiss, which made her giggle and say ¡°Yay Hi-whites.¡± The two girls looked at each other and started laughing too. When she calmed down Alianna looked at Olivia.


    ¡°You can call me Ali by the way, that¡¯s what my friends call me.¡± There was a small twinge inside her head at the small lie she just told, about having friends, but this girl seemed so cool, and better yet seemed to think the same about her too. She didn¡¯t want Olivia to think she was some kind of freak. Olivia smiled at her and nodded. ¡°Cool. Well Ali you can call me¡­¡± she looked a little sad. ¡°I guess there really isn¡¯t a good way to shorten my name. Oli sounds like a bargain store and Olive is completely different name.¡± She said with a pout. Alianna remembered how exclusive the A.L.I club had been and thought that Olivia was thinking back to that time, so she reached out and touched the other girl''s shoulder. ¡°You don¡¯t need to shorten or change it for us to be friends, I think Olivia is a great name.¡± A smile split Olivia¡¯s face. ¡°Friends it is then.¡± She said extending her hand. Alianna looked at the hand and then jumped up and hugged her. Olivia didn¡¯t respond immediately as the gesture had caught her off guard, but she quickly recovered and hugged her back. Alianna let go and sat down. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m a bit of a hugger.¡± She said with a little bit of a laugh. ¡°It¡¯s okay, my family¡¯s Italian, so hugging is nothing new, I just don¡¯t normally see it outside my family.¡± They both smiled unaware of the happy tears both their moms were shedding.


    Three hours later they were finished. She stared at herself in the mirror and couldn¡¯t believe her eyes. Was the person staring back from the mirror her? Her glasses kind of took away from the whole effect, but she really didn¡¯t have a choice there. ¡°I can¡¯t believe that I am really wearing makeup.¡± She kept running over and over in her mind how Ellane and her Mom had shown her how to apply it. She looked behind her in the mirror and saw her mom and Ellane hugging again. She could just make out what they were saying.


    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡°Thank you so much Ellane, you don¡¯t know how much this means to us, she looks so beautiful.¡±


    ¡°Was nothing Emi, you can repay me by coming by more often.¡± Ellane leaned in closer to her mother and spoke a bit more softly. ¡°Oh, and by taking my daughter with you for an hour or two, she has been cooped up all day because of the teacher in-service at her school. Since I¡¯m here I¡¯m going to see if I can pick up any walk-ins.¡± Alianna had always had good hearing, so she was able to make out just enough of what Ellane said to let a smile creep cross her face.


    ¡°We¡¯d love some company Eli, we may be a few hours or so though, is that too long?.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s plenty of time,¡±.


    Alianna¡¯s mom looked at Olivia.


    ¡°So, Olivia we have a few more places to go to, would you like to join us?¡± Olivia smiled.


    ¡°You know it Mrs. Oaksen! Mom is it ok?¡± Said Olivia with wide pleading eyes as she looked up at her Mother.


    Ellane faked a stern look ¡°I don¡¯t know, you got a C on your last math test¡±.


    ¡°Ah Mom¡± she said a small pout on her face. Alianna covered her smile with her hand.


    ¡°Well, I suppose if you behave yourself, you can go.¡± Said Ellane as she winked at Alianna¡¯s Mom, who also had her hand over her mouth to stifle a laugh.


    ¡°Awesome Mom, you rock.¡± And not wanting to give her mom a chance to change her mind, Olivia grabbed Alianna by the hand and pulled her out of the salon.


    She stopped outside and looked up the aisle one way and then back down the other. Olivia turned to look at Alianna. ¡°So where are we off to?¡± Alianna shrugged her shoulders.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, my mom didn¡¯t tell me. All she said was that it¡¯s a surprise.¡± She said a bit over excitedly. ¡°Oh I love surprises.¡± Olivia rubbed the palms of her hands together. She took Alianna by the shoulders and turned her this way and that looking at her head.


    ¡°Oooh I love your hair, my mom did a great job, as usual¡±. She said, smiling. ¡°Thanks¡± said Alianna as she did another little twirl.


    ¡°Okay Girl¡¯s we need to get something to eat, the twins are getting hungry, so let¡¯s go to the food court.¡±


    ¡°Oh cool, come on Ali I know the way.¡± She grabbed Alianna¡¯s hand and headed off toward the main aisle of the mall.


    ¡°Just stay in sight girls!¡± said her mom as they walked off. Olivia kept pointing out stores and what was in them, Alianna smiled and nodded and acted excited at the appropriate time. Olivia seemed to be having so much fun she didn¡¯t want to deflate her mood by telling her that she had been to this mall at least a hundred times. She liked Olivia, she seemed very outgoing and seemed more sure of herself than Alianna felt.


    They arrived at the food court, which was a large, rounded section of the mall. Above the doors leading outside rose a wall of windows that let the sun shine in as you ate your food.


    ¡°What do you girls want for lunch?¡± Asked her mom as she caught up with them. ¡°Chine-cheese¡± Said Sarah from the stroller. Alianna and her mom both laughed. Olivia smiled and bent down to the stroller and started to tickle Sarah and talk baby talk to her.


    ¡°Well dose Chine-cheese sound good to everyone?¡± Asked her mom trying to keep a straight face.


    ¡°We would wuv sum Chine-cheese wouldn¡¯t we Simon¡±. Said Olivia as she tickled Simon who was feeling left out. He giggled as he nodded his head.


    As they sat eating Alianna stared out the windows at the clear blue sky, thinking that this day had been the best day in her life. It felt so good to have one to offset the bad ones. When she looked back at the table her mom was whispering into Olivia¡¯s ear. She put a shocked look on her face and cleared her throat. They both looked at her and smiled.


    ¡°Keeping secrets from me are we?¡± she said pretending to be flustered. Her mom laughed.


    ¡°Well since you two seem to want to run off on your own, I was just telling Olivia where we were going and what the surprise was.¡± Olivia looked at her and scrunched up her face and mouthed the words, ¡°I know something you don¡¯t know¡±. She then placed her hand over her mouth and giggled.


    ¡°Ohh I can¡¯t stand it, come on what is it?¡± Said Alianna breathlessly.


    ¡°Well, the quicker you finish your food the quicker you can go and find out.¡± said her mother in a very forced, motherly tone. They all smiled and then continued with chit chat on this and that as they finished their food. ¡°Olivia¡± said her mom. ¡°What do you like to do, what are your hobbies?¡± Olivia swallowed. ¡°Oh, nothing special Mrs Oaksen, I''m pretty boring really.¡± She said her eyes looking down to her food. ¡°I don''t believe that for a second Olivia.¡± Said her mom. ¡°Yeah, you seem very cool Oliva, and I''m so glad you¡¯re with us.¡± Alianna added. Olivia smiled slightly and looked up. ¡°Aww, thank you both. I guess I love to read books, and I play the piano. I play the keyboard in the worship band at my church.¡± ¡°That is totally cool Olivia, I wish I could play an instrument, singing is all I can manage.¡± Said Alianna. ¡°Singing is great Ali, it always sounds much better when a band has a singer.¡± Said Olivia. Ali smiled. ¡°Olivia, what is a worship team?¡± Olivia looked at her for a moment. ¡°Well, we have a band that plays the worship songs at our Church before the service.¡± ¡°Oh, so they play music before the Mass?¡± ¡°What''s a Mass?¡± Asked Olivia cocking her head to the side in confusion. Her mom got a slightly worried look on her face and hurriedly changed the subject. ¡°Wow, look at the time, you both better get going, I¡¯m going to clean up here and then do some shopping, but don''t forget Olivia where I told you I would be and at what time.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll be there Mrs Oaksen¡± Olivia said giving her mom a thumbs up.


    ¡°Ok then go ahead. Oh, here take this just in case you see something that you want to get.¡± She handed Alianna forty dollars, and Alianna couldn¡¯t believe it. This was more than she earned in a month by babysitting her brother and sister, and helping out around the house. She hugged her mom.


    ¡°Thank you so much mom, this has been the best day ever.¡± Her mom kissed her on the forehead.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry Ali there will be more best days to come. Your father and I are very sorry that we haven¡¯t put as much attention on you since the twins have been born, but that¡¯s going to change.¡± And she hugged her again and then they let go and as soon as they did Olivia grabbed Alianna¡¯s arm and started to drag her from the food court. ¡°We¡¯ll see ya there Mrs. Oaksen.¡± She said over her shoulder as they disappeared around the corner into the main hall.


    They had gone into a couple of shops and looked through the windows of a few more. They had stopped in front of a store that sold wedding gowns and were discussing what their wedding days would be like. ¡°Is it time?¡± she said excitedly. Olivia had become so lost in the topic she said. ¡°Time for what?¡± ¡°For the surprise? I don''t want to miss it¡± She said with excitement mixed with worry.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry Ali, you won''t miss it, we got plenty of time, your mom told me to take you around a bit,¡±.


    ¡°Phew. Great, now I have to go to the bathroom, is there one near here?¡± She realized that even though she had been here so many times, she never needed to use the bathroom while in the actual mall hallways. Olivia looked around and then pointed to two black double doors that were set into the far wall.


    ¡°It¡¯s through there and then it¡¯s the first left. I¡¯ll go with you I got to go too.¡± They went through the double doors. Once on the other side Alianna froze. A long hallway disappeared into the distance. Fluorescent lights were set in the ceiling every 15 feet or so, but between them were pools of darkness. The closest such pool looked darker then the other¡¯s, like the blackness that she had found herself in her dream last night. The blackness that led to that kitchen and that woman, and the whip. ¡°Ali? Are you okay?¡± Said Olivia from up ahead. Alianna shook her head and when she looked up the darkness didn''t seem so dark, just normal shadows. She laughed nervously. ¡°Yeah, sorry Olivia, just wondering where the hallway goes.¡± Olivia looked down the hallway and at the darkness that floated about 30 feet away as some of the overhead lights were out and shivered. ¡°Let¡¯s not find out. I don''t like the dark.¡± Alianna looked at her and smiled. ¡°I don''t either.¡± She then quickly followed Olivia into the bathroom.


    Alianna stood looking at herself in the mirror, turning this way and that, trying to see the new her from every angle, and trying to forget that awful dream. Olivia and she had begun playing twenty questions. Mostly general things that people ask when they are trying to figure each other out. Things like: What do you like to do? Where do you like to hang out? What music do you like? And so on. She had just begun telling Olivia what kind of music she liked when she heard a scream echo from the hallway outside. She stopped in mid-sentence and turned her head toward the bathroom door.


    ¡°You like classic rock and what?¡± said Olivia from inside the stall.


    ¡°Huh?


    ¡°You were answering my question and then stopped. Is everything Ok?¡±


    The scream came again, it sounded like someone was in pain. It sounded like the scream from her dream last night, but it wasn''t her voice.


    It was a girl''s voice though. ¡°It must be that dark haired girl, the same one from my dream.¡±    She thought. This scream pierced Alianna''s heart as she remembered the pain and knew that it was that dark-haired girl who was enduring it right now, and she felt an overwhelming need to go and protect her. But this wasn''t a dream, she was hearing it for real and the weight of that reality pressed down on her. The dream must have been giving her a glimpse of what was coming. If she ran out that door and followed the scream then she knew she would find herself in that kitchen again, except this time she would be on the floor covering that dark-haired girl and enduring the pain of that whip. As hard as she tried, she could not push away the feeling that she needed to stop this, stop the pain that girl was in. Without a word she flung the bathroom door open and rushed outside. As the door was closing, she could hear Olivia shout her name. She looked back toward the mall but didn''t see anything, she then looked to her right, down the long hallway to where the section where the lights were out. That same thick veil of darkness from her dream was there again, roiling almost as if it was a living thing.


    She could only see about fifteen feet from where she stood, anything further was shrouded in that darkness. The scream came again from down the way she was currently looking, but the curtain of darkness prevented her from seeing what was happening. She clenched her fists. ¡°I have to help that girl.¡± she swallowed hard and then took off running toward the noise. As she got closer to the darkness, she found that she still couldn¡¯t see past it, like a black wall. She didn''t stop, and just as her right leg was disappearing into the darkness, the darkness seemed to grab a hold of her leg and was dragging her into it. She screamed as the darkness seemed to come alive. Just before her waist disappeared into it, it felt like her feet connected with something, but she didn¡¯t find out what that something was someone grabbed her hand from behind and drug her backwards. She was dragged out of the darkness and skidded along the tile floor into the light. She looked up, her eyes partially blinded by the light, until she realized that it was Olivia who had pulled her back.


    ¡°Alianna what the heck are you doing? What made you decide that you needed to head out for a jog down the hall, and why did you scream?¡± Said Olivia looking concerned and not a bit scared.


    Alianna looked back at the way she had been going and could see now that it wasn''t a curtain of blackness, but just an area of the hall where two of the lights had gone out. She shook her head and then looked again; nothing had changed. She turned her gaze back to Olivia. ¡°I''m sorry Olivia, I could have sworn I heard a young girl screaming. It was coming from that direction.¡± She paused, covering it by sucking in some air. ¡°I need a valid reason, can¡¯t let her think I''m skitzo.¡± she thought quickly, and thankfully a valid reason jumped into her head. ¡°I...I thought she might have been abducted or something, so I ran after the noise to see if I could help, and then once I got out of the light into the shadows I got scared of the dark and so I screamed.¡±


    Olivia looked down the way Alianna was pointing, and squinted into the shadows. After a moment or two she looked back. ¡°I don''t see anything Alianna, it was probably just a kid out in the mall crying cause they couldn''t get the toy they wanted. This hallway probably carries a good echo.¡± She cupped her hands over her mouth and yelled ¡°Echo!¡± she shouted into the shadows. ¡°Echo. Echo.¡± came her voice bouncing back to them. She looked back to Alianna. ¡°See.¡± She said with a smile.


    Alianna could see that Olivia wasn''t teasing her, she was only trying to ease her concern. So, she smiled and nodded her head. ¡°You''re probably right Olivia, sorry for spazzing like that.¡±


    ¡°It''s OK, I didn''t hear it, but I¡¯m pretty sure if I had, I¡¯d have been running down the hall too. Are you ready to get back to shopping then?¡± She said, extending her hand to Alianna.


    Alianna looked at the hand, nodded, and then let Olivia help her up. They walked back down the hall to the double doors that led back to the mall. Just before she left the hallway, Alianna looked back to where the shadows had begun. As she stared at where the curtain of darkness had been, she had the sudden feeling that she had just lost something very precious, perhaps the girl had died because Alianna hesitated. Waves of guilt rolled inside her, but she couldn''t do anything about it until the curtain was gone. She begrudgingly turned back into the mall and joined Olivia.


    A little bit later they were walking out of Macey¡¯s and back into the mall. Alianna spotted a bookstore just down from them called BAM.


    ¡°Oh I¡¯d love to go and look, it¡¯s been so long since I was in a bookstore. She said she liked books, so maybe she''ll want to go in.¡± Suddenly, before she could go to the bookstore, Olivia grabbed her iPhone and looked at it. Her eyes went wide.


    ¡°Oh my gosh, we got to go we¡¯re so gonna be late.¡± And before she knew it she was being whisked away again down the main hall. After they had run for a few minutes, Olivia stopped and placed herself in front of Alianna so that she couldn¡¯t see in front of her. ¡°Ok we¡¯re almost there, now you got to close your eyes, I just saw your mom coming and I promised her she could see your face when you saw where we were. So come on hands over your eyes¡±. The sudden excitement of finally finding out what this surprise would be pushed the thought of books to the back of her mind, and so she put her hands over her glasses and shut her eyes.


    ¡°Ok my eyes are closed.¡± She said practically jumping up and down. Olivia led her by the arm. After they had walked a few yards, they stopped and Olivia turned her to her right.


    ¡°Here she Is Mrs. Oaksen.¡± Alianna felt a hand on her shoulder and her mom whispered in her ear.


    ¡°Keep your eyes closed Ali and give me your left hand.¡± Alianna did what her mom asked. As she stretched out her left hand. her mom put something into it. It felt like a part of a newspaper. ¡°Ok Ali, open your eyes.¡± She opened her eyes and found herself in front of The New-U Eye care. She didn¡¯t quite understand what the surprise was, surely all this build up hadn¡¯t been merely for a pair of new glasses. It all became clear as she looked down at the news ad in her hand. It was an ad from this store, and circled in red marker was a picture of some contact lenses. This couldn¡¯t be true, she had wanted contacts since she was old enough to know what they were. She hated her glasses, hated wearing any pair of glasses. She just didn¡¯t like how she looked in them. The page blurred as tears filled her eyes. She couldn¡¯t believe this was true. She looked up at her mom, the biggest smile she could produce on her face. She saw tears in her mom¡¯s eyes too. ¡°There is that smile that I haven¡¯t seen in quite a while.¡± Said her mom as she gave her a big hug. They heard sniffling near them and they looked and there was Olivia standing with the stroller wiping her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, that was just one of those moments.¡± she said half laughing half crying. Her mom and Ali joined her in the sentiment.


    Another hour later they were walking out of New-U eye care, it had taken Alianna a long time to get used to putting the little lens in her eye. She had been starting to think that she wouldn¡¯t be able to do it, that she would be doomed to wear her glasses forever. But thankfully she had finally managed to do it. And what was even more special is that these contacts had a blue highlight in the middle that made her blue eyes stand out more prominently. It wasn¡¯t her mother''s phone. ¡°This is your father''s old work phone. He just got a new one and so he wanted you to have it. Look behind you.¡± Alianna looked behind her, her head still not accepting what her mother had just said. Behind her was the Comcast store. She kept blinking at it, a realization slowly dawning. ¡°Let''s go in and get you added to our plan.¡± Her mother touched her shoulders and turned her toward her. Tears glistening in her eyes and mouth open in wonder Alianna looked up at her mother. ¡°Now Ali, this type of phone carries a lot of responsibility and so your father and I added some things to the plan to protect you and so it may seem more limited than some of your friends phones, I hope that is okay.¡± Alianna nodded vigorously. ¡°Totally okay Mom. I can''t believe it. I can''t believe I''m going to have my own phone.¡± She started bouncing up and down and Olivia looked at her with a big, surprised face and mouth the words ¡°So Cool.¡± ¡°Now Ali, you need to follow the school¡¯s rules about phone use, and when you are home you can have an hour to be on it before bed, but we don''t want to see you on it all the time, and we''d like you to put it in our room before bed.¡± ¡°Sure mom, definitely not a problem.¡± ¡°Okay then let''s go get it fixed up.¡± They walked into the store and a half hour later she and Olivia had their shoulders together as they stood next to each other texting their information, and then Oliva was showing her how to use some of the apps and which apps she should download. Soon it was almost five o¡¯clock at night and her dad needed to be picked up at six, so her mom rushed them back to the salon to drop Olivia off.


    Alianna walked up to Olivia as their moms said goodbye to each other. ¡°Thank you so much Olivia for coming with us, it was so nice to have someone to talk to.¡±


    ¡°I should be thanking you Ali, if you guys hadn''t come along I would have been doomed to a day of helping my mom clean the house.¡± She said screwing up her face at the mere thought of wasting a day off doing that. Alianna laughed.


    ¡°Call, or text me anytime.¡± Said Olivia. ¡°It..it would be nice to have someone cool to talk to again. My two closest friends, or the two closest that I have to friends anyway, moved away at the beginning of this year. They went to my church, but their parents became missionaries to Africa, and it''s been hard to keep in touch with them outside of email. It''s been kinda lonely.`` She blushed. ¡°Sorry, didn''t mean to dump that on you, probably think I''m spaz girl or something, heh, anyway if you want to ever talk...¡± Oliva was cut off as Alianna threw her arms around her. Olivia froze for a moment, then she returned the gesture. Olivia looked up and saw their mom''s looking at them. She read volumes of gratitude on Mrs Oaksen''s face, and from her mom she got a look of encouragement, with a slight nod toward Ali. When they pulled away, Alianna''s cheeks were red with embarrassment.


    ¡°So...sorry, I hope that didn''t weird you out, I...I just know how hard it is to lose a friend,


    plus, like I said, I¡¯m a hugger.¡± she said. A look crossed Olivia''s face so quickly that Alianna couldn''t place it. It almost looked like sadness.


    ¡°Well it looks like it''s easier to make them then lose them.¡± Said Olivia with a smile.


    Alianna smiled. ¡°Yeah, yeah it looks that way. I''ll give you a call.¡± She said waving her new to her iPhone at Olivia excitedly.


    Soon they were on the cross-valley expressway again heading back toward Black Canyon. ¡°Awi you wook pitty¡± Said Sarah from the back seat. ¡°Yeah pitty¡± shouted Simon next to her. Alianna smiled and looked behind her into the back seat. ¡°Thank you Sarah.¡± And she blew her sister a kiss. ¡°And thank you Simon¡± and she blew him a kiss as well. Both the twins reached out their hands and pretended to catch it and popped it onto their mouths, which made them both start giggling. Which also made Alianna start to giggle too.


    As her mom got out of the truck at her dad¡¯s construction site to tell him they were there, Alianna sat there and stared out the window, her thoughts swimming through all the awesome things that had happened to her today, she also dwelt a little too long on what had happened in the hallway. ¡°How could my dream become so real like that, and then fade like a hallucination. Was it a hallucination?¡± Fear began to creep in that she might be going crazy.


    There was a knock on the driver''s side window which made her jump and she looked over her shoulder and her mom was standing at the door pointing over her shoulder mouthing that her father was coming behind her. Alianna took a deep breath to compose herself and pushed away those less joyful memories and letting the excitement of all the cool things that had happened wash over her again she threw open her door, not able to wait to see what her father thought of the new her. She jumped down and ran around the front of the truck, and when she came around to the driver¡¯s side she saw her father standing next to her mom. ¡°Hi Daddy¡± she said, giving him the same large smile that she had given her mom earlier. She spun slowly in place. And then looked up at him. ¡°What do you think Dad.¡±


    He just stood there and stared at her, which wasn¡¯t the reaction she had been envisioning. The smile started to fade from her face a little, and this seemed to unfreeze her father, because he then broke into a smile, knelt and hugged her to him. ¡°Oh Ali, you are prettier than any princess that you¡¯ve told us about from your books. I¡¯m sorry that it took us so long to give you a special day. I guess I was trying to keep you my little girl as long as I could, and that was selfish of me.¡± She hugged him tight. ¡°It¡¯s ok Daddy I¡¯ll always be your little girl. Thank you so much for everything today, Dad, it has been the best day of my life.¡± He hugged her tighter at that, picked her up and twirled her around, which made her giggle and laugh because this was how she had envisioned he would react. He then set her down and turned back to the driver''s door, but Alianna would swear that she saw him brush at his eyes.


    They rode home as a family, Her mom telling her dad everything that had happened that day from her point of view. When they got home, she modeled her new clothes for her dad. ¡°You picked that out all by yourself Ali¡±? asked her dad, and she nodded smiling. ¡°Well Emi looks like we could have a future fashion designer in our family.¡± Alianna blushed and looked away. ¡°Ahh come on Dad¡±. She looked at her mom and dad, staring intently at their faces, wanting to etch this moment in her memory. She had never loved her parents more. She didn¡®t know what this day had cost them, but both of them had probably sacrificed a lot to make it possible. She would never think that way about her parents again. ¡°Mom, Dad,. Thank you so much for everything today. This has been the very best day ever, and I¡¯ll never forget it.¡±


    ¡°It was a day that should have happened a long time ago Ali. Ellane did a great job, and you did a real good job picking out that outfit. So tell us what did Olivia and you look at while you had your free time, we want to hear all about your time today?¡± Alianna recounted the stores that they visited and the things they talked about. She left out what happened in the long dark hallway and shifted over to telling them about the nice dresses they had seen in the wedding store. She started to tell them about all the ideas she had gotten for the day she would get married.


    After she was done telling them about her thoughts, her mom took a deep breath and looked at her father. Her father sighed a little and nodded. Her mom nodded and looked at Alianna. ¡°Those are all great ideas honey. I''ll stop by your room later and I can show you some pictures of our wedding to give you more ideas.¡± ¡°Oh wow, I bet you looked so beautiful on your wedding day Mom.¡± Alianna said. Jonathan Oaksan turned toward his wife and said very sincerely. ¡°She most certainly did, the most beautiful woman in the world and she still is.¡± ¡°Oh Jonathan, stop, you''re going to make me tear up.¡± She said with a lot of emotion in her voice and her cheeks reddening.


    Alianna watched her father get up from the table and go over and kiss her mother on the lips and said ¡°I love you Emily Oaksan even more than when we first met and you are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen, and I''m very grateful that you are my wife.¡± Tears ran down her mother''s cheeks and she stood and threw her arms around her husband. ¡°Oh Jonathan, you really are the bravest, most honorable, handsome best father in the world and Husband, and I love you too.¡± Alianna watched in awe. Her parents were always showing affection in front of them, but she had never seen such a real, tender moment as this between them and she also learned in that moment what a good man looked like and knew that she could only marry someone like her father. A man who would say things like that to her.


    She helped her mom prepare dinner and then they all sat down to eat. After dinner she helped her mom clear the table and do the dishes, and then she headed to her room to do her homework. About 15 minutes after she started a knock came at her door and her mom said. ¡°Ali, can I come in.¡± ¡°Sure mom.¡± Her mom opened the door and came in carrying a large white photo album. ¡°Can you take a 15 minute break?¡± ''Sure mom, is that your wedding album?¡± Her mom nodded her head and sat down on Ali''s bed and patted the spot next to her with her hand. Alianna put down her pen and went over and sat next to her mom. ¡°Yep, it¡¯s hard to believe it has been 15 years since these pictures were taken.¡± Her mom said as she opened the album. She showed her pictures of her and her father, of relatives at the wedding. After a few minutes of this, before turning the next page her mom took a deep breath and set the book down next to her on the bed and looked Alianna in the eyes. ¡°Ali, I''d like to switch to another topic. Something I''ve been wanting to talk to you about for a while, but just wasn''t sure when the best time would be, but I think with all this talk about weddings and the new you, there is something I''d like to talk with you about.¡± Alianna had not been prepared for the topic that her mom switched to, and for the next hour they had a very private talk, that should be kept between a mother and daughter. After her mom left her room. Alianna lay on her bed digesting everything her mother had told her.


    Her parents also allowed her to stay up till 10pm on a school night, which was also something new. She took the extra time she had and called Olivia and thanked her for going around with her today. They talked a lot, like friends would, and Alianna felt a lightness inside that she hadn''t had in a year. For some reason she felt safe with Olivia and so she shared her fears about tomorrow, about Picture day, and what everyone would think of the ¡°New Her,¡± especially Jim Kurtz. She told Olivia all about how she thought of him as her knight in armor and such things. When it got near to 10 o¡¯clock she said goodnight to Olivia. She went down and kissed her dad goodnight and her Mom, who said they would be up in ten minutes to say goodnight. She handed her mom her phone and then went upstairs and brushed her teeth, and removed the makeup like Ellane had shown her. Ellene had given her mom a complete set of makeup before they had left the salon, and Alianna spent a good while going over the process in her mind once again. She then put her hair up the way Ellane had told her so that it would be easier to put back in the morning.


    She had just climbed into bed when her parents came up the stairs. Her dad came in first. ¡°Goodnight, Sweetheart, everything is going to be great tomorrow. If you can be ready by seven, I¡¯ll take you to school on the way to work.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be ready Dad¡± she said and kissed him on the cheek goodnight again. He smiled and then left the room. Her mom came over and sat on the bed and adjusted the covers somewhat. ¡°Mom, I¡¯m a little scared about tomorrow. What if none of this changes anything, what if they still treat me the same way?¡± she said her voice was getting softer as she spoke.


    ¡°Alianna, it already has changed something. I¡¯ve seen you smile more today than I have in the past year. I saw you as you walked back to the salon with Olivia, you were walking a little taller, I think. Now Alianna you¡¯re a beautiful person, you always have been one on the inside, and now that your beauty is coming out on the outside and because of that I want to caution you. There is a good chance that their attitude toward you will change tomorrow, and they will offer you what you¡¯ve been wanting, to join in with them. I understand that desire, dear, I had the same dream when I was your age. That¡¯s right I was the odd, clumsy fat girl that just didn¡¯t measure up in my peer¡¯s opinion. Until an older cousin of mine moved into the area, and she did kinda the same thing that we did today, and when I got back to school everyone saw me differently, they even let me join their group. I thought it was the happiest day of my life, Ali, but instead I changed, for the worse. I forgot very quickly what it had been like to be picked on and started doing it myself along with my new friends. Until one day when I hurt someone who used to be a very good friend, I embarrassed her very badly just so I could gain some points with the leader of our group. I¡¯ll never be able to forget the hurt look on her face when she found out I was behind it. The reason I¡¯m going into all of this Ali is that, if things do change, and they ask you into their group, just be very careful that you don¡¯t let them destroy the beautiful person you are inside.¡±


    ¡°I promise Mom I won¡¯t ever act like they do¡±.


    ¡°I know you won''t, dear. Good night Alianna. I love you very much.¡±


    ¡°I love you too mom.¡± Her mom stood up and Mr. Bear fell onto the floor. She reached down and picked him up and held him out to Alianna. ¡°Do you want Mr. Bear, or should I put him back on the shelf?¡± There appeared to be an internal struggle going on inside Alianna, but her mom waited patiently.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take him¡­.and put him on the shelf myself, it¡¯s kinda a private moment if you know what I mean mom¡±. she said finally.


    ¡°I certainly understand my dear, here you are. Have sweet dreams sweetheart.¡± She handed Alianna Mr. Bear and then kissed her again on the head and left the room.


    Alianna looked down into Mr. Bears good eye and smiled. ¡°Thank you Mr. Bear for defending me again from the things that are trying to hurt me. I need to start facing them on my own, and defeating them, but rest assured Mr. Bear that should anything arise that I cannot handle you will be the first one that I call upon.¡± And then because she knew that her mom was listening at the door, she bent down to whisper in his ear. ¡°Don¡¯t worry I¡¯ll come visit you on the shelf every once and a while.¡± She then hugged Mr. Bear very tightly and then got out of bed and set him on the shelf in an easy chair that her dad had made for him when she was ten, a subtle hint from him that it was time to let Mr. Bear go. She then covered him with the miniature blanket that her mom, she assumed, had knitted with the same motivation. She went back over to her bed and crawled back in, and fell asleep, and finally had one good night''s sleep.

 Chapter 5 Absence

    ¡°I often wonder if I had been in school that day if any of this would have ever happened? Most days I¡¯m glad that I wasn¡¯t there, and everything did happen¡­most days.¡±


    -Alianna¡¯s Diary. Sept. 5th


    Jaius stood there gazing through half-closed eyes as he attempted to brush his teeth. He felt like he had gotten absolutely no sleep at all, but at least he and Anne had seemed to make up. His stomach began to sour as he looked at his iphone which read 7:30am. Only fifteen more minutes till the bus got there, and then twenty-five more till he¡¯d have to enter the Dungeon again. Myriad thoughts of the torture that the other kids would visit upon him flew through his head. The physical forms: wedgies, being thrown in the locker, being pushed down, those hurt, but the pain usually went away in fifteen minutes or so. The mental forms of torture, however stayed with him. They just continued to stack up inside him, threatening to crush him from existence.


    Knocking at the bathroom door brought him out of his dreary musings.


    ¡°Jaius, come on we¡¯re going to miss the bus!¡± said Anne.


    ¡°Um¡¯ Cumin.¡± He replied, trying to speak around the toothbrush.


    He rinsed out his mouth, heaved a heavy sigh, and then opened the door. Anne was standing just off to his left at the top of the stairs. She waved her hand at him and mouthed ¡°Come on.¡± He picked up his back pack from where he had set it in the hallway and slung it over his shoulder. It seemed to get heavier with each new day at the dungeon. How much longer till the weight of that place buried him forever?


    Anne¡¯s bus came first today. She grabbed his hand and squeezed it before she got on. She didn¡¯t say anything, but he knew what she meant. He squeezed back, and then she headed onto the bus. She found a seat near one of the windows that was facing him, and turned to look at him as the doors closed. She put two finger¡¯s together and placed the tips on her forehead, she then brought her hand down in a crisp salute. He returned the gesture with a slight grin. She always found someway to bring that grin out of him before they parted ways for the day. ¡°I really was a complete jerk to her yesterday, I got to find a way to make amends.¡±


    Five minutes later he saw his bus coming down the street toward him. The doors shut behind him and it was like they shut behind him all the things that brought him peace and happiness. He moved halfway down the aisle and found an empty seat. Most other kids shoved him out of the seat if he tried to sit with them. A quick glance around the bus revealed the Bellows and their clique in the back of the bus, and the rest were kids that were trying to find a seat each day that was closer to the back, or kids that tried to find one furthest away. One last fact filtered into his mind as he turned to sit down, none of the faces that he had seen belonged to Alianna. He had assumed that she rode the bus to school in the morning too, but it turns out that she probably got a ride from her parents. He had been nurturing a slight hope that they could sit together. If they were both to be tormented, perhaps sticking together would lessen the blows. He knew it was a pipe dream, she would endure far worse then she had been if she was seen teaming up with him. Plus she was different then he was. She was tormented because she had royally offended Keri Bellows in some fashion. Where Jaius just seemed to have a bull horn permanently fixed atop his head that shouted ¡°Pick on Me!¡± to anyone who came upon him.


    He shook the pipe dream from his mind¡¯s eye and put in his air pods and watched Sherlock Homes from his iTunes library. He didn¡¯t even get to the first scene before his earlobe began to flutter back and forth. After a minute the air pod fell out.


    ¡°Having fun Steve?¡± said someone behind him.


    ¡°Meh, it passes the time, plus I get a free movie out of it.¡± Said Stephan Pennington.


    Jaius dove into his imagination to escape the painful reality of that bus ride. He placed himself in the scene from Sherlock Holmes where Holmes is fighting the giant in that underground arena. Jaius imagined that he was Holmes and that Steve Pennington was the Giant. Just like Holmes did in the movie, Jaius calculated the amount of damage each of his blows would inflict on Pennington and how long it would take him to recover.


    The fact that his earlobe had stopped moving brought him out of his reprieve. He saw kids moving past his seat an block of ice started to form in his stomach. He turned and looked out the window and swallowed hard. They had arrived at The Dungeon. He sighed heavily, got up from his seat, and joined the condemned as they queued up for another day of torture.


    His first period was a study hall with Mr. Dullus the history teacher. He had done all his homework already, so he sat there drawing swords on a piece of paper. He had always found swords to be fascinating. The way they glimmered, the damage they could do to someone. He often pictured all those who had picked on him as gladiators when he pretended he was Maximus in the Collasuame. He would picture himself cutting them down. Only in his imagination though, he knew he could never hurt someone in real life. This is the main reason he had never learned to fight, he was afraid of the pain he might cause someone. If it was one thing that Jaius understood, it was pain.


    ¡°McFarlan¡± Mr. Dullus bellowed.


    Jaius looked up from what he was doing. Mr. Dullus was holding three books up from his desk.


    ¡°Yes Sir.¡± Said Jaius.


    ¡°I need someone to take these books back to Mrs. Shafer down in the art room, and you¡¯re my man.¡±


    Jaius heard a bunch of snicker¡¯s after that was said. They were quickly silenced by a slicing glare from Mr. Dullus. He had spent many years in the military and every kid knew that he could kill a man with an eraser. You learned very early on not to mess with Mr. Dullus.


    Jaius got up, gathered his stuff and headed up to Mr. Dullus¡¯s desk. Jaius had learned very early on, never to leave his things unattended at the Dungeon. He took the books from Mr Dullus and the hall pass that he handed him.


    ¡°No distractions now McFarlan, give Mrs Shafer the books and then hightail it back here.¡±


    Jaius nodded his head. ¡°Yes Sir, I¡¯ll come right back.¡±


    Once in the hallway the silence enveloped him, and he welcomed it. Out here, alone, he could imagine that there was no one else but him. No one who could hurt him, like everyone but him was permanently on the absentee list. He started to become aware of the dark path those thoughts began to form and shook his head to clear them from his mind. He took his time going down the steps to the lowest level of the Dungeon, it gave him the most time away from the other kids. He heard someone coming up the flight just below the one he was on and the tranquility of solitude vanished. He glanced over the rail and saw one of the Nuns coming up the steps below. He froze for a moment, feeling like for some reason that he was in trouble, but remembering his hall pass he began to move just as the sister turned the corner and started up the steps he was on. She paused on the first step when she realized that she was not alone. Her lone eye locking in on him like the cross-hairs of a weapon.


    ¡°Out of class McFarlan?¡± Said Sister Justina.


    He froze again as she spoke, her tone could freeze even the most self assured student in their tracks. Sister Justina only had one eye, her other covered by a black patch. Jaius had heard that she had lost it in ¡°The War¡±, he couldn¡¯t remember which one, but the story he had heard was that she had had to walk fifty miles to the nearest town with only one eye. She was tough as nails. There was a rumor, whispered in locker rooms and dark corners, that even Keri Bellows could not stand before this gaze.


    The paralysis left him as he remembered his hall pass. He grabbed it and held it before him as if it were a shield. She looked to the note, and then took it from him. She squinted her eye, scouring the paper for any sign of forgery. Jaius ¡¯s mind was flooded with scenes from the Terminator movies where the terminators would scan their surroundings looking for targets.


    Finally satisfied that the document was authentic, she handed it back to him.


    ¡°Very well McFarlan, move along to Mrs. Shafer¡¯s room and do not dally. I don¡¯t want to see you there when I reach her room on my rounds.¡±


    He took back the paper. ¡°Yes Sister Justina, I will.¡±


    She scrutinized him for a moment more and then gave a curt nod and moved past him up the stairs.


    He let out the breath that he had not noticed he was holding in, and jumped down to the landing and then proceeded to jump the stairs two at a time till he reached the bottom-most landing. He moved into the main hall and turned toward the cafeteria toward a secluded row of lockers that were the inheritance of the sixth graders when they first arrived. Just past those lockers, on the right, was a solid wood door with a wood plaque on it that read ¡°ART ROOM.¡± He had never been in this room before. He had had Art in sixth grade here, but due to renovations in this hallway they had had to use an alternate room for class. After sixth grade, Art was an elective, which he had never chosen to take. He wasn¡¯t coordinated enough for it and the kids had laughed and made fun of his efforts. Mrs. Shafer had tried to stamp that out as best she could, but it still happened often enough for him not to want to go back again. It was probably cluttered with smelly art supplies and the walls covered with the remains of halfhearted efforts.


    He knocked a couple of times on the door. When it opened and it was like a portal to another world. The first thing he saw was Mrs. Shafer standing in the doorway. To her left he could see the beginning of a table and then beyond, covering a large part of the floor was a painting of a.dragon rising out of the ocean with its front claw turned palm upward and a silver sphere floated above it. And on the wall across from him was a picture of a woman in a wooden boat. Her dress was of medieval fashion and her face looked so forlorn. Next to that, at the bottom corner of the next wall was a scene where a large, gilded globe that looked to have once rested on top of a large pillar was falling down upon some mountains and causing a cataclysm as it crashed to the earth. He stood with his mouth hanging open. This was the absolutely coolest classroom Jaius had ever seen. Mrs. Shafer raised her eyebrow at him, and he slowly came out of his stupor.


    ¡°Can I help you?¡± She said, showing a slight hint of a smile, a rare facial expression among teachers at the Dungeon.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mrs. Shafer. Mr. Dullus sent me down to return the books that you lent him. Her eyes flicked to the three books he carried and the smile widened.


    ¡®Oh yes, he told me yesterday that he¡¯d be returning them this morning. Thank you for bringing them¡­I¡¯m sorry I don¡¯t believe I know your name.¡±


    ¡°Jaius McFalan Mrs. Shafer.¡±


    She put her hand to her forehead and nods. ¡°Yes, I remember now, you were in my art class last year when we were in room 208. I had never met someone with your name before, and so it stuck with me. How did your parents come by it?¡±


    Jaius grimaced inwardly, the truth was that his parents had wanted to name him after some guy in the Bible named Jairus and the clerk at the hospital left off the ¡°r¡± from the birth certificate. At first they were going to complain but after a little debate they found that they liked Jaius better. This reason had always sounded lame to him, so he had another response prepared.


    ¡°They read it somewhere and liked it a lot, ma¡¯am.¡± It was the truth too, they had read it.


    ¡°I see, very interesting indeed. Hrm, come to think of it if you add an R after the I, but before the U, then you¡¯d have the same name as a man from the Bible, Jairus.¡±


    Jaius groaned inwardly.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you in my class this year, Jaius?¡¯


    ¡°I took Computer lab instead, I¡¯m not a very good artist.¡±


    ¡°No one is a very good artist when they are young Jaius. Some people have to work harder at it then other¡¯s but that doesn¡¯t make them sub par. In fact, sometimes taking the slower approach makes you appreciate something more.¡±


    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am, I¡¯ll remember that. Mrs. Shafer, why are there so many different types of paintings around the room?¡±


    ¡°Well, each year the senior class gets their own piece of floor or wall to paint a picture that means something to that class. Come in and I¡¯ll give you the nickel tour.¡±


    Completely forgetting Mr. Dullus¡¯s admonishment to not dally and Sister Justina¡®s warning about finding him here, Jaius steped into the room and followed Mrs. Shafer around as she described each picture. There were a number of album covers from the 70¡¯s and 80¡¯s, the names of the bands seeming somewhat familiar to Jaius. The lady in the boat that he had seen from the doorway was titled, the Lady of Shallot, some kind of old poem. When they got to the one in the corner, where the cataclysm was being depicted. He asked which class had done that one.


    Mrs. Shaffer paused for a moment before answering.


    ¡°That one is a bit of a different circumstance then the others. That is the work of just one student. Her name is Alianna Oaksen, and I think she is in your grade?¡±


    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am. We ride the same bus home now. Why did she get her own place on the wall?¡±


    ¡°To be honest, she was the first one who ever really showed an interest before their senior year. She spends a lot of time down here, and as a teacher it is my job to support the academic ventures of my students.¡±


    ¡°You like her better then the other kids too, huh?¡± He said right on top of her last statement. There was the slightest pause before she answered that told Jaius that he had hit pretty close to a mark.


    ¡°I like all of my students the same, Jaius, even the ones that haven¡¯t been here for a while.¡± That hung in the air for a few moments of awkwardness, as it sunk in that she was talking about Jaius.


    ¡®Speaking of Alianna though, I hope she is felling better, I had been informed that her mother called in and said she was sick today.¡±


    An icy chill ran through Jaius. All that crap that was done to her on the bus last night seemed pretty traumatic, he found himself hoping that she was OK.


    He looked closely at the picture that Alianna was working on. It was of this large sphere that was crashing down on the shore of some peninsula. There were intricate carvings on the sphere that made it seem translucent, and there was a fiery, molten, substance pouring out of holes in the side of it. Trailing away from the globe was a enormous stone pillar that had broken into three pieces that stretched all the way to a range of mountains in the background. It almost seemed to him that this globe had been some kind of lamp. As he continued to stare at it, he found himself being drawn to those mountains. The sky just above them was lit with yellows and oranges, as if a large fire was burning behind those mountains. He began to wonder what land lay beyond those mountains, what the people were like, and what tragedy had befallen them.


    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°Its called The Destruction of the Great Lamps.¡± Said Mrs. Shafer after clearing her throat. ¡°She is copying it from this book.¡± She held a soft cover book down so he could see it. It said Tolkien, The Illustrated Encyclopedia. She then opened the book to the page that Alianna had been using. Jaius glanced from the book to the wall many times, trying to estimate how close she had come to getting it right. He had to admit, she had a good bit of talent. The flames highlighting the background were especially close to what was in the book. As he stared at those flames he found his mind wandering once again to what lay beyond them.


    His musings were disturbed by the sound of foot falls in the hallway. They sent ice flooding through his veins. They were too heavy to be one of the students. The distinctive clap of the shoes on the tile floor left only one possibility, one of the Sister¡¯s was coming this way. He knew which one too. All color left his face so quickly that Mrs. Shafer grabbed his shoulders asking if he was alright.


    ¡°Sis..Sister Justina co..coming this way. She..she told me that she better not find me here when she made her rounds. I¡¯m a gonner Mrs. Shafer, save yourself¡± he said trying to be brave.


    Mrs. Shafer nodded her head. ¡°Alas Jaius I am the teacher and so I must think of my students first when there is danger.¡± She hid it well but Jaius thought he detected a small bit of mirth riding the undercurrents of the heroic image she was putting forth.


    ¡°Quickly go hide in the back of my storage room.¡± She pointed to a door opposite them which was slightly ajar.


    He didn¡¯t waste time to inquire further, the instinctual need to survive took over and it drove him quickly into the storage room and shut the door. Once the door was shut he backed into the far corner and hunkered down.


    The footsteps stopped outside the Art room and he heard Sister Justina speak.


    ¡°Good morning Mrs. Shafer, is there someone in this room with you? I thought I heard you speaking to someone.¡±


    ¡°Good morning Sister, no there isn¡¯t anyone in this room with me.¡± Jaius heard her place a strong emphasis on the word ¡°this.¡± ¡°I have a bad habit of speaking to myself sometimes, it comes from years of talking to students who are unresponsive or not present.¡± Jaius could imagine the joke leaving her mouth and floating through the air on wings of mirth. When there was no response from Sister Justina, he then saw the joke hit the Sister¡¯s force shield and crash to the floor in a burning heap.


    ¡°Hrm.¡± was all the sister said. ¡°I have just been informed that the Suit of Armor that we use for the mascot¡¯s costume has gone missing. I am letting all the teachers know individually to be on the look out for it. Theft of any kind will not be tolerated here at St. Pious.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s terrible Sister, I hope it wasn¡¯t any of our students that did this.¡± Said Mrs. Shafer, with genuine concern.


    ¡°I hope not either, for their sake''s. We are looking especially closely at those students who are not in school today, they would have the best opportunity to pull this off I would think.¡±


    Mrs. Shafer hesitated a fraction too long at that statement.


    ¡°Do you know of someone who might be involved Mrs. Shafer?¡±


    ¡°N..No Sister Justina, I am just in shock that one of our students might have done such a thing.¡±


    Jaius understood why she paused. Alianna was one of the students that were out today. She¡¯s probably safer then any of the boys who were absent. This caper smacked more of boys being rebellious then what a girl might do.


    ¡°What if she was the only one absent today?¡± the thought sent waves of concern coursing through him, which made him pause. ¡°Why am I worried about her?¡±


    ¡°I am appalled as well Mrs. Shafer. If you notice anything suspicious in your students'' actions today I expect to know about it as soon as possible. No anomaly is too inconsequential not to be reported.¡±


    ¡°Yes Sister, I will be sure to report any odd behavior.¡±


    ¡°Thank you Mrs. Shafer. Have a blessed day.¡±


    Jaius heard Sister Justina walk from the room and continue down the hall. Moments latter the door to the supply room opened and Mrs. Shafer stood in the doorway.


    ¡°Jaius, how well do you know Alianna, do you know if she really is sick today?¡±


    Jaius didn¡¯t answer. He felt a connection to Alianna, like kindred spirits going through the same hell, and would like to say he and her were friends, but he also didn¡¯t want to lie to a teacher.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know her that well Mrs. Shafer, as to whether she was sick or not I..¡±


    He paused again, he didn¡¯t know what had happened after Mrs. Oaksen had picked her up last night, but if what had happened to her had happened to him instead, he knew he would be sick for the rest of his life.


    ¡°Jaius, what is it? What do you know about why she is absent?¡±


    ¡°I..I got to go Mrs. Shafer, Mr. Dullus will do worse then Sister Justina would have, if I¡¯m not back to his class soon.¡±


    She came into the storage room and knelt down before him. ¡°Jaius McFarlan, tell me what you know about why Alianna isn¡¯t here today. I am only trying to look out for her, not get her into trouble. I¡®ll give you a note for Mr. Dullus.¡±


    Jaius gulped, but he could hear the sincerity in her voice and so he told her everything he had witnessed the previous afternoon.


    As he was finishing he could see tears starting to run down Mrs. Shafer¡¯s cheeks.


    When he was done, she wiped at her eyes.


    ¡°I love children as a general rule, but those Bellows make it harder and harder to keep that rule. What she ever did to Keri Bellows that warrants the treatment she gives her is beyond my understanding.¡±


    ¡°They spent a half hour looking for those pages Mrs. Shafer. I get the impression that Alianna likes books, but isn¡¯t that a bit much.¡±


    Mrs. Shafer helped him to stand up. ¡°That was not just another book, Jaius, it was probably Alianna¡¯s most special possession. Oh that poor child.¡±


    ¡°I better not find out that you had any part of that business, Jaius.¡± She said and he could see the flash of anger that briefly escaped her eyes.


    He actually turned a bit green at the very thought that he would dare visit upon someone like Alianna the torture he himself received.


    The anger left Mrs. Shafer as soon as it came. She saw the reaction to those words and knew what it meant. ¡°Oh Jaius, I¡¯m very sorry, you receive the same treatment don¡¯t you?¡±


    Embarrassment flooded through him, but he found himself shaking his head. Mrs. Shafer gave him a large hug and then led him out of the storage room. She went over to her desk and wrote something on a slip of paper. She then came over and handed it to him. It was a note to Mr. Dullus, telling him that Mrs. Shafer had needed Jaius to help her move something and that was why he was late getting back.


    ¡°Thank you Mrs. Shafer, I better get going now.¡± He turned to leave but she called out to him.


    ¡°Jaius the new semester begins next week, and you can pick a new elective then if you want. If computer¡¯s interest you that is fine, but you are welcome to join my art class if you wish. Not a lot of those students who harass you choose art as an elective. They think that it is useless. Plus I usually allow my art students to come down here during the study halls to work on their projects. It would lessen the amount of time you had to be around those other students.¡±


    Jaius turned and a small smile touched his lips.


    ¡°Thank you Mrs. Shafer, I¡¯ll think about it.¡±


    He then turned and left that unique room behind.


    He took the back stairs up to the second floor. They were the ones which were back the way he had heard Sister Justina come. If she had used them to get down to the basement then it stood to reason that she probably wouldn¡¯t be on them now.


    When he got back to Mr. Dullus¡¯s room he saw Mr. Dullus¡¯s face begin to turn red, and so he knew he had to act fast. He hurried over and handed Mr. Dullus the note from Mrs. Shafer. He swiped it from Jaius¡¯s hand, but his color returned to normal as he read the note. He dismissed Jaius as if he didn¡¯t realize he was there. Jaius stood there shocked by Mr. Dullus¡¯s reaction for a moment. He returned to his seat a few moments later, not wanting to disrupt Mr. Dullus¡¯s musings and incur his wrath.


    The rest of the day was pretty normal for him. People called him names as he went down the halls, being tripped and falling unceremoniously in front of a group of pretty girls. Who proceeded to laugh at his misfortune. Having Brute cologne poured all over him in the locker room after gym class and the guys calling him Brute man. His last class that day was another study hall in the Library. Since Ms. Fulton saw every student in the school at one time or another, it was hard for her to know the names and faces of everyone. A lot of kids used this to their advantage to sneak out of her study halls and goof. off till the bell rang to go home.


    Jaius thought that today he would try it too. Especially since Steve Pennington was in the library that day and was walking Jaius¡¯s way carrying his chair. The image of Pennington sitting behind him and flicking his ear the whole period was what really drove this abnormal behavior in him.


    He grabbed his bag, got up and skirted around the other side of the library from Steve, who was so stunned by Jaius evading him that he stood frozen long enough for Jaius to reach Ms. Fulton¡¯s desk.


    Ms. Fulton looked up from the book she was reading, the title at the top of the page said A Wrinkle in Time.


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t there a Star Trek episode named that?¡± he thought, even as he stammered his question to her.


    ¡°Ms. Fulton, could¡­could I go down to the Art room? Mrs. Shafer said it would be OK so I could work on my Art project.¡± He didn¡¯t see this as a lie since it was mostly what she had said that morning.


    Ms. Fulton squinted at him and realizing that this wasn¡¯t one of the student¡¯s that were known to make trouble, she nodded her head and wrote him out a pass.


    Relief flooded through him. He had done it. He had escaped one of the tortures that had plagued him. A slight hope bloomed inside him. Perhaps Art class held the salvation he had been craving.


    He walked down the back staircase again, and was too lost in his thoughts to see Steve Pennington and another boy sneak into the hall after him. He also didn¡¯t see them heading down the middle stairwell, since he was going down the stairwell at the far east of the building.


    He got down to the basement and started walking past the sixth grade lockers toward the art room. Just before he got to a break in the row of lockers, Steve stepped out in front of him, and out of the corner of his eye he saw the other boy Peter McGinniy, move from an alcove on the other side of the hall to stand behind him.


    All the hope of an escape from the disgusting routine he had to endure every day left him as he saw his doorway to respite blocked by the Troll that had just emerged in front of him.


    ¡°Hey McFart-land what¡¯s the idea of running out of study hall, and just as I was bringing my chair over to hang with ya. Man that was pretty rude.¡± He herd Pete laugh behind him.


    ¡° I think there''s only one thing to do, eh Pete.¡±


    ¡°I think your right Steve¡±


    ¡°Sorry Pious but you need to learn not to be so rude to people.¡±


    He knew what was coming, it happened to him at least every other day. Pete took Jaius¡¯s bag from off his back, and Steve opened an unlocked locker nearby and shoved Jaius in. He then shut the door. He heard them rummaging through his bag, as they usually did, but Jaius had learned the hard way to keep anything valuable or personal in his pockets. They checked the bag but tossed it down when all they found were school books.


    ¡°Lame bag Pious.¡± Said Peter. ¡°Come on Steve, let''s go to the weight room till the bell rings.¡±


    ¡°Meh, alright.¡± Steve punched the locker door that Jaius was in, which rang loudly inside the locker. ¡°I hope you learn your lesson Pious, I¡¯m getting tired of teaching it.¡±


    Their laughter echoed back down the hall to him as they went away.


    His usual tactic at this point was to yell and bang on the locker till someone, usually the janitor, let him out. At this moment, however, something inside him was urging him to be still and wait. This feeling had never arisen before in him and so he decided to wait a bit before yelling for help.


    A few minutes went by, and just before he was about ready to ignore the voice and start yelling out he heard the doors to the center stairwell open and the voices of two girls as they entered the hallway. They walked past the locker he was in, but stopped at one close by. One of the girls was Keri Bellows, the other was one of Keri¡¯s followers, he thought her name was Alison.


    ¡°I said I wanted a look at the diary Alison, not a trip to the sixth grade herding pen.¡± Said Keri with irritation.


    ¡°I keep it in my younger sister Megan''s locker, Keri. Alianna might be able to get into my locker, so I thought it would be safer here.¡±


    ¡°Fine, whatever, just get it.¡±


    Jaius heard a lock being fumbled with and then the click of the latch being lifted up.


    ¡°Here it is Keri, what did you need it for?¡±


    ¡°Alianna wasn¡¯t in school today, which indicates to me that the odds are good that she told her Mom about yesterday. I know she just blew the whole thing all out of proportion. This will teach her what happens to tattle tales.¡±


    ¡°I wanted to speak to you about yesterday, Keri.¡±


    Jaius heard a book slam closed.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Well, I mean, well¡­¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re friends Alison, you can speak openly.¡±


    He heard Alison take a deep breath.


    ¡°Well, it was just that book that you threw out the window, it wasn¡¯t just an ordinary story book.¡±


    ¡°I know, it was a particularly badly written romance.¡±


    There was a pause before Alison began again.


    ¡°It was very special to her, it¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care Alison. It could have been written in gold lettering for all I care. It''s done and we are now moving on to something else.¡±


    ¡°Yes Keri, you''re right, I¡¯m sorry for bringing it up.¡±


    Keri¡¯s tone became soothing. ¡°No need to apologize Alison, we¡¯re friends, remember.¡±


    Jaius noted a funny inflection in Keri¡¯s voice whenever sge said ¡°friends¡± but he couldn¡¯t figure its meaning.


    ¡°Yes, here it is, the entry where she talks about having a dream of Jim Kurtz in a suit of armor astride a horse. Then she opens the face-plate and kisses him. This will be a great video for YouTube, TikTok, instagram, and anywhere else we can show it.¡±


    ¡°You said you had something planned but hadn''t told me yet.¡±


    There was a long pause.


    ¡°You can trust me Keri, I¡¯m so through with Alianna, I wouldn¡¯t dream of telling her.¡±


    ¡°I know that Alison, I just hadn¡¯t gotten around to talking to you yet. It''s simple. Greg Parker and a few of the other Eighth grade boys, have taken the suit of armor that the mascot wears and hid it backstage in the prop room. Tomorrow, we¡¯ll be changing how we treat Alianna. We¡¯ll let her think we''re sorry for all the things we''ve done to her and that we want her to join us. We¡¯ll tell her that Jim has expressed an interest in her. Then we take her backstage where there will be the armor on top of one of the saw horses that will be made up to look like a real one.¡±


    ¡°With Jim inside the armor.¡± Alison said with confusion in her voice.


    Keri heaved a heavy sigh. ¡°No, Alison, Greg is bringing in a bag of Manure from his dad¡¯s farm tomorrow. We¡¯re going to fill the armor up. We¡¯ve already lined all the joints and the holes with wax paper to hold the suit together, and keep the smell inside. When she lifts the face plate, well she won¡¯t be able to smell anything else for a week.¡±


    ¡°Wow, I can¡¯t believe you were able to get all of that done without any of the teachers or sister¡¯s catching on.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the Eight grade class president, and the captain of the J.V. cheerleader squad. What suspicion can I draw?¡±


    ¡°Wow, you are amazing Keri.¡±


    ¡°I know. Anyway, I¡¯ve gotten what I need from this. Come on, the bell will be ringing soon.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll put it away and meet you upstairs, I have to make sure it''s buried enough in the clutter of my sister¡¯s stuff that she doesn¡¯t find it.¡±


    ¡°Suit yourself, practice is at 6pm, tonight.¡±


    Jaius heard Keri walk away and the doors to the middle stairwell close.


    He felt his legs starting to go weak as the sheer magnitude of what was going to happen tomorrow started to sink in. They weren¡¯t trying to torture her anymore. They were trying to destroy her.


    A noise brought him back to the here and now. It was someone crying. He listened at the slits in the locker door. It was Alison. What had he missed that had made her cry.


    ¡°Oh Ali¡­Oh I am so sorry. God forgive me Ali I didn¡¯t know this was what would happen. There is no way you could forgive me for what I¡¯ve done, there is no way I can go back now anyway. No way I can go against my Mom.¡±


    ¡°Was she calling Alianna?¡± She couldn¡¯t be that stupid.


    Jaius looked out through the slit, and could see Alison from the shoulder¡¯s down. She was cradling a book to her chest.


    ¡°Oh, she was just talking to herself.¡±


    He then saw her put the book into the locker and then shut the door and lock it. She turned toward him and he moved back from the slits and held his breath. He saw the light that filtered in through the slits dim briefly as she passed.


    When he heard the doors to the center stairs close, he began counting. When he reached 120 he started shouting and banging on the locker. Ten minutes later the Janitor opened the door and let him out. He had hoped Mrs. Shafer would come and free him, but the Janitor said she had left early today. He ran to where the buses picked the kids up, only to find that the one he rode home had already left. His heart sank when he looked at his iPhone 3:15. He¡¯d missed it by five minutes.


    He had to get a hold of Alianna. First, though, he called his Mom to say that he had missed the bus. She yelled at him for that, and told him he¡¯d have to wait for his Dad, who would pick him up at the McDonalds that was down the block from the school. As he walked down the block toward the McDonalds he opened up the Instagram app on his phone and tried to find her there. He spent a half hour looking, but could not find her. Is it possible she was the one teenage girl in the U.S. that didn¡¯t have a Instagram? He tried all the other media sites he could think of, but there wasn''t anything. He tried finding her phone number on White pages, but all he could find was one for Oaksen Construction. He tried calling that but got an answering machine. He thought about leaving a message, but if this was her Dad¡¯s business he didn¡¯t want some stranger to get this message.


    About 5:30, his dad came into the McDonalds with a stern look on his face. The ride home consisted of his dad lecturing him about being responsible and being where he needed to be on time. Then things went from bad to worse when he walked in the door and there was Sis with a big smile on her face as she held a letter out to their father.


    ¡°Look Dad, our report cards for the semester came. I opened them cause I wanted to see if I had gotten that A in Math.¡±


    Jaius had never been served a death warrant before, but he felt pretty confident that this was pretty close to what it felt like.


    Anne looked up at him, with sympathy in her eyes, from where she was doing her homework at the kitchen table.


    ¡°Well, let''s just take a look at those.¡± said his Dad.


    They had dinner, then his dad took him into his study and lectured him for two hours about how he needed to get good grades, and go to college if he was going to make anything of himself. He was then grounded for a week, which meant he had to give up his, laptop and PSP. All he was left with was his T.V and his iPhone. Neither of which could aid him in getting a hold of Alianna. He had no idea how to get out of his house to her house because every time he even tried to sneak downstairs to watch TV he always tripped or made a noise and got caught. What a crappy time for report cards. He had to tell someone what was going on. So he asked Anne if she¡¯d join him in his room. He told her everything that had happened. She said that she felt so helpless, she offered to help him sneak down to the garage and help him get out the door at the back of the garage. After trying to plan it out, Jaius decided that it put Anne in too much risk of getting in trouble. He then came up with the solution. He¡¯d just find her early tomorrow morning, before first period maybe, and tell her everything.


    Jaius that¡¯s insanity! You¡¯ll be signing your own death warrant.¡± Said Ann with genuine concern.


    ¡°This is bad Anne, this isn¡¯t just them teasing her, they are trying to ruin her. I got to do this

 Chapter 6 Lies

    ¡°A lie never lives to be old¡±


    -Sophocles


    Alianna woke up at 5:30 am that Friday morning to start getting ready for school.   She had so much to do before seven o''clock.   There was a lot of preparation to make herself look as good as she had yesterday afternoon.  Her Mom was already up, and she had had to call her into the bathroom a couple of times to help her get her hair right and the makeup straight.  By 6:45 they had everything perfect.  She spun in front of the full mirror on the back of her door, and couldn¡¯t find anything that looked out of place.  For the first time in over a year, she felt excited to go to school.  She barely touched her food, she was so nervous.  She had to eat something to take the pill the Dr. had given her.  So she forced a half of an English muffin down and then took the pill.  7 am came and she heard her Dad¡¯s truck start up.  She looked up at her mom, her eyes filled with worry.  Her Mom clasped Alianna¡¯s face in her hands and kissed her on the forehead.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be OK Ali. You are beautiful on the inside and the outside.  God made you to be just as you are, and God doesn¡¯t make mistakes.¡±


    Alianna smiled and hugged her mom.  She had been wondering that for a while now, wondering if God had made a mistake when he made her.  Mom¡¯s had a way of washing away the lies that you had convinced yourself were true.


    As she was walking out of the garage toward her Dad¡¯s large truck, he got out of the drivers side and came around to get the door for her.  He then lifted her up effortlessly and gave her a big hug.


    ¡°Always remember Ali, no matter what life throws at you, we love you very much.  God never told us life would be easy, just that He would be with us through it.¡±


    Tears began to form at the corners of her eyes, and she had to bring all of her will to bear on not letting them come out because of the damage they would do to the makeup.


    ¡°I¡¯ll remember that Dad, I love you too.¡±


    He squeezed her tight once more and then set her down in the seat.


    On the ride to school he asked her about the mall again, specifically if she had liked Ellen¡¯s daughter Olivia.  She told her dad how much she had enjoyed the time they spent together and that Olivia had been nothing but nice to her.  She also told him that she hoped they could be friends.


    ¡°Well, your mom and I are going to try and help with that.  We talked with Olivia''s parents last night and we''re going to try to get together more regularly and give you a chance to hang out, if that is something you would want to do?¡±


    Alianna started bouncing up and down with excitement.


    ¡°Get out Dad, are you serious? That is so awesome!¡±


    Excitement, joy, love, all flowed through Alianna, this was shaping up to be the second best day she¡¯d ever had.


    When they got to the dungeon her Dad closed his hand around hers.


    ¡°No matter what happens Ali, your Mom and I love you and we¡¯ll do everything we can to turn things around for you.¡±


    She squeezed his hand and felt herself  begin to get teary again.  ¡°Ah, Dad, stop your going to make me cry, which will make my makeup run.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s it going to run too?¡±  Said her Dad in mock confusion.


    These bad jokes that her father told always made her groan on the inside, but this time she began to laugh.


    ¡°Good one dad.¡± She said through her giggles.


    Her dad looked shocked for a moment that someone had actually laughed at one of his bad jokes, but then laughed with her.


    She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek and as she sat back in the seat she noticed something in his eyes.  It was as if he was straining against something.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong dad?¡±


    He was surprised by the question. He had forgotten how his daughter had always had a knack for noticing the littlest details.


    ¡°It''s nothing Ali, just a problem that I haven¡¯t found a fix for yet.¡±


    ¡°Maybe I can help?¡±  She asked with just a hint of concern at what level of problem could bring a hint of frustration to her dad.  If it was one thing her dad knew it was how to fix things.


    He smiled at her response.


    ¡°We¡¯ll talk it over later, but you gotta get going in there now and I gotta get to work.¡±


    ¡°Oh..OK Dad, later then.¡±  She was a bit in shock, her parents had never sought her opinion or advice about anything before.


    ¡°Later.¡± He said as he smiled.


    She smiled back at him then opened the door and jumped down to the sidewalk.  She reached back into the truck and grabbed her bag.  She stepped back with her right hand on the outside of the door and waved at her Dad with the other.  He waved back.  In that moment there was a prick of pain deep within her heart.  Something wasn¡¯t right about this, she began to feel an emptiness.


    Her confidence faltered.


    ¡°Dad¡± she said with a quiver in her voice.  ¡°I¡¯m scared.¡±


    Her Dad reached across the seat and closed his hand around hers.  She could feel his strong grip and the callouses that came from years of hard work.


    ¡°It¡¯s OK to be scared Ali, everyone gets scared, even Keri Bellows.  It''s what you do once you become scared that makes the difference.  You want me to walk in with you, maybe we¡¯ll see some of these hooligans and I can give them my patented Dad-glare?¡±


    The pang was receding, and was replaced by a decent amount of embarrassment as her cheeks reddened at the thought of what it would look like if her dad walked her into school.


    ¡°No way Dad, none of the other kids'' parents walk them in.¡±


    She saw his face fall a little at that, so she quickly added.


    ¡°But, keep that glare handy, next time they hurt me like that again, you can glare them into the ground.¡±


    This brought a big grin to her Dad¡¯s face.


    ¡°That¡¯s my girl, now you''re speaking my language.¡±


    She laughed at that.


    ¡°Have a good day at work Dad, I love ya.¡±


    ¡°Love you too Ali, Remember you''re not alone.¡±


    ¡°I will Dad.¡±


    With that she shut the door and  stood back as the F250 pulled away from the curb and headed down the street.


    She watched it go till it was out of sight, and then took a deep breath and let it out slowly to calm her nerves.


    When that didn¡¯t work, she just gave up and turned around to face her fate.


    There were hardly any kids around the front of the school.  Usually there were many small clusters of them, laughing, talking, reading, praying.  But there was only one small group sitting on the stone rails near the entrance.  It was a group of  seventh grade boys.


    She spent a moment trying to figure out why there weren¡¯t more kids outside, when it hit her.  It was like ten after seven, she didn¡¯t usually get here till seven forty five. She¡¯d never really been to school this early before.


    She laughed softly at her blond moment as her mom called them, and then used every ounce of will and determination she had to take that first step toward the school. She did take that step though, her Dad had been right, even though she was scared, she needed to take that step forward or else she¡¯d be stuck on this sidewalk for the rest of her life.  She didn¡¯t want that, she needed to be in the game, even if her team was loosing.


    Each step became easier.  By the time she reached the group of boys there was even a hint of confidence in her step.


    Then the oddest moment of her life occurred.  The chatter among the boys died down to a murmur and  all their heads turned toward her.  She almost stumbled, the shock almost overwhelming her.


    ¡°Oh my gosh what are they looking at? Is my hair shooting out in all different directions, did my make up start to run, did I put it on wrong?¡±


    Ice began to flow through her body, beginning to paralyze her.


    Then, the only thing that could have made this moment more stressful happened.


    ¡°Hi, hey there..uh..new girl.¡±


    It was Jim Kurtz, she¡¯d had a crush on him since sixth grade.


    She sucked in what air she could and then let it out.  She turned around to face the death of one of her dreams.


    There was Jim walking over to her.  He had this quiet cool about him.  He didn¡¯t get into fights or say all that much, but when he did speak, everyone listened.  He was also one of the most popular boys in the seventh grade.  Of course that meant that he sat at Keri¡¯s table.  The only point of light on that day that Alison had gotten to sit there and Alianna hadn¡¯t was that Jim had been out sick that day.  She would have died right there if he had been there to witness that embarrassment.


    ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Jim Kurtz, welcome to St Pious.   It is a dungeon, but it is our dungeon so it ain''t so bad.  What¡¯s your name?¡±


    Her mind locked up, this was too much for it to handle.  Not only was he talking to her, but he didn¡¯t know who she was.  Which for most people would have been an affront, but with the reputation she had received over the past year, someone not recognizing her was a blessing from God.


    She knew as soon as she said her name they¡¯d start laughing, and she knew that seeing him laugh in her face would see her begging her parents to put her in another state.


    So she did something she always tried not to do, but she saw no other way out of this predicament, she lied.


    ¡°My name is Emily, Emily Savits¡±  Emily was her Mom¡¯s name and Savits was her mom¡¯s maiden name.


    ¡°Wow, no way!¡±  He pulled out his iphone and began scrolling through one of the pages.  ¡°It looks like I finally found Emily.¡±


    That was not the expression she had been expecting.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡± She said, acting like she hadn¡¯t heard correctly.


    His head raised slightly and one eyebrow raised as he looked at her.  ¡°Not a Simon and Garfunkel fan then I''ll take it, not a problem.¡±  He pulled out a set of air pods and took off the rubber buds on them and put on a fresh pair. He reached up and made a motion to to her to see if it was okay to put them in her ears. She was taken aback at him thinking forst of how she felt about it and smiled and nodded. He smiled and placed the Air pods in her ear.  She felt a shiver go down her neck as he did this.


    ¡°Here have a listen. The song is called ¡°For Emily, Wherever I may find her.¡±  He pressed play on his phone.  She listened, becoming enraptured to the beautiful song that sprung into her ears. She closed her eyes and imagined the scenes that were sung about.  She imagined herself  in a crinoline dress covered in a burgundy felt fabric and them both hand and hand walking on frosted fields of Juniper and Lamplight.


    This time she was unable to catch the lone tear that escaped her eye as the song ended, describing what she felt could only be the truest description of love.


    She opened her eyes and wiped away the tear that had formed, and removed the ear buds. She prayed that she hadn¡¯t wiped away her makeup in the process.


    ¡°Way to go Jimmy, ye made her cry.¡±


    ¡°Yeah it was probably that crap you listen to, I told ya, girls like the heavier stuff, you should have played some Guns and Roses.¡±  Came the voices of a couple of the other boys.


    Jim merely shrugged and turned to them over his shoulders.


    ¡°That tear means she either hated it or she loved it.  50/ 50   is still  good odds.¡±


    She placed the headphones back into his hand.  This made him turn back to her.


    ¡°I loved it.  It was the coolest song I¡¯ve heard in awhile.¡±


    She groaned inwardly. ¡°Coolest song I¡¯ve heard in a while! He¡¯s gonna think I¡¯m a complete loser.¡±


    ¡°Hear that losers, she likes the heck out of it.¡±


    For a moment she thought he had actually called her a loser, but then it caught up to her that he had been talking to the others.  He pushed the air pods back into her hands. ¡°Keep them, I got two other sets for Christmas,  plus, then I can show you a few more songs later if you want.¡±


    She looked down at the expensive equipment and her mouth dropped open.  ¡°Wow, I don¡¯t know what to say Jim?¡±


    ¡°Say thanks.¡±  He said with the most amazing grin that turned her to mush.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±  She said softly and smiled at him.


    ¡°You¡¯re alright Emily, you come sit with us at lunch today.  Keri shouldn¡¯t have a problem with it.¡±


    He must have taken the look of utter shock on her face for one of confusion because he went on to explain.


    ¡°Well, ya see, technically the table belongs to Keri Bellows.  She is Queen of the table and so she¡¯s got final say as to who sits there, but she likes that song too, and you''re cool, so you should have no problem.  Plus, I¡¯ll vouch for ya.¡± He said, smiling confidently.


    ¡°Thanks, that''d be great.  I¡¯m looking forward to it.  I¡­I better head inside and find my locker.¡±


    ¡°I can help you find it.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± She said a bit shrilly.


    He withdrew from her a little.


    ¡°Sorry, first day nerves, I meant thanks, but they showed me where it was when I visited last night.  I¡¯ll be OK, I don¡¯t want to take you away from your friends. I¡¯ll see you at lunch.¡±  She said fast enough not to let him get a word in, then she waved at him and  turned sharply and walked very quickly into the building.


    Her heart was racing at a million miles a minute as she  went into the middle hallway where the seventh grade lockers were.  There was, thankfully, no one else in the hall.   She opened her locker and started throwing the books she¡¯d need for the afternoon into it.


    ¡°What did I just do! Lie to the one boy in this school who isn¡¯t as immature as a fourth grader.  Oh man, he¡¯s going to tell everyone about some new girl in school and when I get to the lunch room everyone else will recognize me.  Why couldn¡¯t I just tell him the truth and be done with it?¡±


    Home room and first period were down  in the Art  Room for her.  Since she spent her first period study hall there anyway, Mrs. Shafer had made a deal with Alianna¡¯s home room teacher that Mrs. Shafer would give Alianna the announcements and send a roll call sheet to the office for her each day.  The deal hinged upon her grades staying fairly good, and so Ali worked as hard as she could.  An hour secluded away from the other kids was worth any amount of effort from her.


    At least it would give her and Mrs. Shafer sixty minutes to figure this mess out.


    Before she shut her locker she noticed that the one next to hers was empty.  A pain stabbed at her heart.  She had tried to forget that Alison had gotten her locker moved closer to the other seventh-graders in Keri¡¯s group.  She bit back the anger and opened the door to Alison¡¯s old locker.  She thought that if anyone saw her at her actual locker, who she really was would get back to Jim, so she decided to use Alison¡¯s for the day.


    She felt terrible about lying to him, but what else could she have done.  Jim Kurtz would have laughed in her face if she had used her real name.  That was something she knew she could not have endured, not after what happened on the bus.  She couldn¡¯t let this get back to him.  She¡¯d frizz her hair out and put her glasses back on and be back to plain old Alianna on Monday, but this was picture day.  If she could just have one perfect day, and a picture to remember it by, it would be enough to get her through the next few years.


    She took her books out of her locker and transferred them to the empty one. When she stood up from stacking the books on the bottom shelf she saw something written on the back of the locker.  She leaned in further to read it. It was written in sharpie, in Alison¡¯s handwriting.


    ¡°I¡¯m Sorry.¡±


    Alianna scratched her head at that.


    ¡°What in the world could she be sorry about.  She couldn¡¯t be talking about what she did to me could she? Humph, if that little traitor thinks an apology will make up for the hell she¡¯s put me through, she can forget it.¡±


    That thought hit her like a brick.  Even in the moments when her depression was the worst, and all she could hear was Alison¡¯s laughter following her down the hallway, she had never let such a hateful thought into her head.


    She looked back at the Sharpie apology and sighed.


    ¡°Maybe someday Ali.¡±


    She whispered as she gently touched the writing.


    She thought of the beginning of sixth grade , they had just gotten new diaries and for the life of her she didn¡¯t remember which nickname was her¡¯s at that time  Ali Walt or Ali Saly.  She assumed it was Ali Waly because that was what they called her, and so she assumed Alison¡¯s was Ali Saly She couldn¡¯t bring herself to lift the sticker at the beginning of the diary to see which name was hers and which was Ali¡¯s, deep down she kept holding out hope that there would be a time in the future where they would reconcile and be able to switch the diaries back again.


    She held her hand there for a moment, and her mind went back to another time to the sleepover they had had at their 12th Birthday, the last time they would exchange diaries.  She had just written down the dream she had had the night before.  A dream where it was the scene from her Nana¡¯s book, where the Knight had just rescued the princess and she leaned in to kiss him.  Except in the dream she was the princess and Jim was the Knight.  The Dream had ended before they kissed however, her unconscious mind having no real experience to draw from.


    The chill running down her spine brought her out of the memory.


    ¡°God, It¡¯s Alianna, please, please, please erase that page from the diary, in fact could you erase the entire thing.  God please don¡¯t let Alison find that entry, she¡¯ll show it to Jim and then, well then  I¡¯d be seeing you pretty soon after, because I would die from embarrassment.¡±


    She closed her eyes tight, trying to push that prayer up to God with all her might.


    After a few moments she opened them, sighed, and shut the door.  She prayed silently that no one would look in that locker or take her books, but she was also starting to fear that no one was listening.


    She headed down to the lowest level of the school and nearly ran to the Art room.  It had only been a day since she¡¯d been in it, but it seemed like a lifetime.  It was her favorite room in the world.  All the murals and sculptures were so fascinating.  The physical manifestations of the imaginations of classes that had gone before her.


    She bobbed up and down with excitement, and then knocked on the door.


    A few moments later it opened and Mrs. Shafer looked down and smiled.


    ¡°Good morning.  Can I help you?  Are you new to St. Pious?¡±


    Alianna started to laugh  as if Mrs. Shafer was joking with her.


    ¡°Ah.. Come on Mrs. Shafer, I don''t look that different do I?¡±


    Mrs. Shafer¡¯s face drained of color for a moment, as the pink started to return her hand flew to her mouth.


    ¡°Ali? Ali is that you?  Saints protect us, Alianna Oaksen how is this possible?¡±


    ¡°Yup, it''s me, just plain old Ali.¡±


    She twirled around so that Mrs. Shafer  could see her outfit.


    ¡°Ali, this is truly amazing, you look so pretty.  Where are your glasses, and is that make up?¡±


    She giggled ¡°Yup, and contact lenses!¡± She squealed.


    Not a few tears formed in Mrs. Shafer¡¯s eyes as she embraced Alianna.


    ¡°Oh, Ali, I was so afraid for you yesterday, I left early so that I could stop by your house and check on you, but no one was home.  It is not right what they did to you, and if I had half a mind, I¡¯d have all those children in  here cleaning paint trays, this room and anything else that I could think of!¡±


    Alianna pulled away looking confused.


    ¡°What do you mean Mrs. Shafer, who did what to me?¡±


    ¡°On the bus home on Wednesday¡­¡± She stopped as she saw Alianna¡¯s cheeks go bright red, and the rest of her face turn green simultaneously.


    ¡°It''s all around school then, what a spaz I was on the bus¡­¡± she trailed of in a whisper.


    ¡°Oh, no dear, as far as I know not a word has been said in the halls about it.¡±


    ¡°Then how did you know?¡±


    Mrs. Shafer took a deep breath and then put her hand on Alianna¡¯s back and led her into the Art room.


    She motioned to the chair next to her desk and then sat down. Alianna sat in the blue plastic chair and looked up at Mrs. Shafer, her normal color starting to return.


    ¡°Now Ali, I¡¯m only telling you this because I know you won¡¯t give me  a moment''s rest till I do.  A boy came down from Mr. Dullus¡¯s room yesterday.  He was bringing me back some books that I had lent to Mr. Dullus.  Hs name was¡­¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t say Jim, please don¡¯t say Jim!¡±  she began repeating the mantra in her head.


    ¡°¡­Jaius McFarlan.¡±


    ¡°Jaius?  Oh no, that¡¯s right, he was on the bus he saw the whole terrible thing.¡±


    ¡°He was quite concerned for you, it seems that the others don¡¯t treat him very well either.¡±


    Alianna shook her head. ¡°No they don¡¯t Mrs. Shafer.¡±


    ¡°How long have you known that they don¡¯t?¡±


    There was an odd tone to Mrs. Shafers voice that set Alianna on edge.


    ¡°Since sixth grade, Mrs. Shafer.  I never joined in, Alison and I mostly kept to our¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d ban you from my class Alianna Oaksen if  you had told me you had joined in with the others in tormenting that poor boy.  I am, however disappointed that after the others started treating you badly, that you never went over and talked to him.  Tried to be his friend,  It could have helped you both out a lot.¡±


    She had never heard disappointment in Mrs. Shafer¡¯s voice before, at least not directed toward her.  She felt waves of guilt start to rise up in her.  And a little anger.  What did Mrs. Shafer expect, her to double what she got by being seen with someone  who got picked on even more than she did.  She never would have survived.


    Some of these things must have shown on her face because Mrs. Shaffer sighed, and the reached over and squeezed Alianna¡¯s hand.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry dear,  I didn¡¯t mean to lay that burden on you, I get so frustrated with how much teachers'' hands are tied nowadays.  Back when I was in school, if I had behaved like the kids that have been harassing you, then I would have been paddled by a sister that would¡­¡±  She paused as she leaned in and spoke in a whisper.  ¡°¡­That would have made Sister Justina cringe.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not possible. Mrs. Shafer, Sister Justina isn¡¯t afraid of anything.¡±


    Mrs. Shafer laughed a little at that.


    ¡°We''re only human Ali, and yes Sister Justina is human, and so we are all afraid of something.¡±


    Alianna seemed to chew those words over in her head for a few moments, when she was done she looked back at Mrs. Schafer.


    ¡°What are  you afraid of Mrs. Shafer?¡±


    Mrs. Shafer dropped her mouth open a little, as that was not what she expected Alianna to say.


    ¡°I suppose my greatest fear is that something bad might happen to one of my students.  I can¡¯t  have children Ali, and so I guess I¡¯ve kind of adopted my students as my kids.  I  love you all, even the bad ones, and I want you all to succeed in life.¡±


    Alianna blushed a little as she said this.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if the other kids feel this way or not, but I think you¡¯re the best teacher here, I really love coming to your classes.¡±


    Mrs. Shafer smiled at that, and gave Alianna a big hug.


    After the separated, Mrs. Shafer looked down at Alianna and smiled.


    ¡°So Ali, how has the first day as the new you been going?¡±


    Alianna tried to keep the quavering from her voice as she spoke


    ¡°Great, Mrs Shafer, a bunch of boys near the front doors didn¡¯t even recognize me.  They were staring at me in a weird way, it was so unsettling I almost tripped.  I thought I had put the make up on wrong, or that my hair had frizzed out.  I still haven¡¯t figured out what they were staring at.  Do you see anything wrong with my hair or Make up Mrs. Shafer?¡±


    Mrs. Shafer became very uncomfortable as Alianaa asked her question. She cleared her throat before speaking.


    ¡°Hem.  I¡­I don¡¯t see anything out of place Ali, you look perfect.¡±


    Mrs Shafer started fiddling with some paint brushes that were in a large cup.


    ¡°Ali, you seemed to hesitate when I asked you how everything was going today.  Are you sure that it is going well?¡±


    Alianna¡¯s face had adopted the scrunched up look that it bore whenever she was bending all she had to solve a problem.  She was so focused on trying to figure out what the boys had been staring at, that Mrs. Shafer¡¯s question caught her completely off guard.  So much so that the truth came rolling out before she could stop it.


    She told Mrs. Shafer about Jim coming up to her and about how he thought she was new to the school.  She also told her about her new name.


    ¡°Oh Ali, you didn¡¯t!  How in the world do you think you''re going to be able to walk around this school pretending to be someone else.  Ali, it will never work.¡±


    Alianna found herself getting defensive of her plan.


    ¡°Yes it can Mrs. Shafer.  I¡¯ll get through today, and then this weekend I¡¯ll sit down with my parents and we¡¯ll set it up so that they withdraw me from the school, and then my Aunt Karen can bring me to school and say that I¡¯m her daughter, Alianna¡¯s cousin and then enroll me.  It would only be for five years and then I can graduate, and no-one will know the difference.¡±


    ¡°Ali, I¡¯m not your mother, but I feel fairly safe in saying that they won¡¯t be too supportive of this Idea.¡±


    Alianna¡¯s face fell at that.


    ¡°I can¡¯t go back to how things were just two days ago Mrs. Shafer, I¡¯m not strong enough.¡±


    Mrs. Shafer knelt down in front of her.


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    ¡°Ali, you are strong, so very strong.  You¡¯ve endured more than a lot of grown ups had to.  If the Bellows had had to go through what you have, they would have folded under the pressure months ago.  I don¡¯t know why these things are allowed to happen child, but I believe that God is never far from us, and that he is holding us up in our times of need.¡±


    ¡°I am definitely in need, Mrs. Shafer.  Why doesn¡¯t God do something to stop Keri and Trudi? Why does he let them torture me?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know Ali, we just have to trust that he knows what He is doing.¡±


    ¡°It''s starting to get hard to do that Mrs. Shafer.¡±


    Mrs. Shafer placed her hands on Alianna¡¯s shoulders.


    ¡°Ali, I know that it is hard, especially when you see people acting inappropriately and seeming to succeed where you seem to fail.  I know this more strongly than anything else Alianna, no matter how great their lives seem, the rug will be pulled out from under them one day, and they will have nothing firm to stand on.   If you trust God Ali, you will not fall when the rug gets taken away.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Mrs. Shafer smiles.


    ¡°He will hold you up during the troubles that knock people like the Bellows down.¡±


    ¡°I think I get it¡­I¡¯ll try to keep trusting Mrs. Shafer.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s my Girl.  Well homeroom is almost over, I¡¯ll send to the office that you are here.


    Icy fear gripped Alianna¡¯s heart, if the office thought that she was Alianna then she would have to say that she was present in all of her other classes today.  Why hadn¡¯t she thought of this.  She has a third period with Jim, Mr. Dullus¡¯s History class, he¡¯d find out she¡¯d lied to him.  Her life would be over.


    ¡°The movie starts after this first period Ali, It¡¯s the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe I believe.  I bet you''re glad to have a short day.¡±  Said Mrs. Shafer from her desk.


    Alianna¡¯s breath left her in a rush.  She started choking  as the muscles that had been constricting her throath lossend.  Mrs. Shafer looked up in alarm.


    ¡°Ali, are you ok?¡±  She said as she jumped up from her chair.


    ¡°M..Movie?¡±  She croaked.


    ¡°Yes dear, Picture day is always a shortened schedule.  They show a movie during the morning classes and then lunch and then the rest of the afternoon is pictures.  It''s just like it was last  year.  Goodness gracious Ali, you gave me such a fright.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, Mrs. Shafer, I had forgotten about the schedule for today.¡±


    Relief flooded through her.  A movie, it would be dark, and if she was cautious no one would recognize her.  Maybe even Jim would ask her to sit with him.


    ¡°Jaius said he really liked your project Ali.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Who?  Did she say Jim liked it?¡±


    ¡°Jaius, the nice boy who brought the books back to me yesterday.  He seemed to be particularly fascinated with the background, where the light of the fires rises up from behind the mountains.¡±


    Alianna turned and looked at her project.  She focused on the mountains in the background.  The light of catastrophe rising up behind them.  She had often wondered what lay beyond those mountains.  What land had just seen its last day, what were its people like?


    ¡°I wonder what he thought of it.  Mrs. Shafer is right, I need to be strong and make friends with Jaius, there is strength in numbers, and really what more can they do to us?¡±


    She spent the first period working on her project and talking to Mrs. Shafer.  As she was heading out the door to head toward the Auditorium, Mrs. Shafer called out to her.


    ¡°Alianna, I haven¡¯t forgotten what you told me about lying to that boy.¡±


    ¡°Drat, I thought she had let it slip her mind!¡±


    ¡®I need you to promise me, Ali, that you will tell him the truth.  I know it seems like the end of the world, but it really isn¡¯t and you never know Ali, he may just respect you for it.¡±


    ¡°Is she crazy! He¡¯d laugh at me everyday for the rest of my time in the Dungeon.¡±


    For the second time that day Alianna did something that was totally unusual for her, She lied. She noted also that it became easier to do it once she started.


    ¡°I¡­I will tell him the truth Mrs. Shafer.¡±  She said, mentally crossing her fingers.


    ¡°Lying will only make the situation fifty times worse Ali, believe me I know.¡±


    ----------------------


    Jaius got off the bus and headed toward the main entrance.  There were groups of children scattered around the front of the building.  The A crowd, the B crowd, the Jocks, the computer geeks, the Goths, the Kids in the advanced classes.  All of them could have existed in another dimension for Jaius as there was no way he would ever be included in any of those groups.  He waited by the front door, scanning the kids coming off the buses, and out of the cars, trying to spot Alianna.  He kept checking his iPhone.  He watched as the minutes clicked ever closer to 8am.  At 7:55 an outside bell rang and the kids let out a collective groan and started filing toward the entrances.  Jaius really began to worry,  how would he find her in this throng.


    ¡°I have to get to her before classes start, she can¡¯t go backstage!¡±


    A large pair of arms shot out from the crowd and shoved him into the bushes next to the entrance.


    ¡°Oops sorry Pious, didn¡¯t see you there.¡±  Said Steve Pennington with a chuckle.  Followed by a chorus of laughter from the kids that witnessed it.


    Jaius landed in a heap.  The branches from the bushes scraped against his cheek and arm.  When he regained himself, he first checked his iphone for damage.   After confirming that it still worked he checked himself for damage.  There was a cut on his left arm and he felt something warm running down his cheek.   At first he thought it was tears, but as he pulled his hand away and saw red, he felt the nausea begin.  The sight of actual blood, especially his own, had always made him queasy.  He thought it was extra weird, because he could watch the Terminator movies and have no problem with the fake blood.


    After a few minutes of pulling himself together, he stood up and leaned against the wall of the building to regain his balance.  He then made his way slowly inside and headed for the nurses office.  He didn¡¯t want to bleed all over his new outfit, his Mom would kill him.  He wasn¡¯t much impressed with what she had picked out, dark blue, plain jeans, and a plaid shirt.  He thought he looked like a loser, but with no say in what he wore, he had little choice.


    The nurse looked up from her desk.  Her name was Sally McCormick, and she was an LPN, whatever that was.  She was working her way through the rest of her schooling by patching up the kids that the dungeon ground up and spit out.


    Sally looked up at Jaius as he staggered into her office.


    ¡°Oh My, Jaius, what happened to you?¡±


    He had been to see Sally many many times this past year.  Being thrown into a locker is not a very safe profession.  She must think he is the biggest klutz in the world. He had to keep telling her these injuries were the result of his own awkwardness or else she would have to report the kids that hurt him and then his life would be officially over.


    ¡°I tripped as I was walking into the school and fell into the bushes.¡±


    Something in her look said that she was starting to doubt that all of these occurrences were his own fault.


    ¡°Tripped Huh?  Jaius, are you telling me the truth?¡±


    ¡®Yes, Ms. McCormick, I stumbled over my own feet.¡±


    She sighed heavily.  ¡°Ok Jaius.  Hop up on the bed and I¡¯ll clean those cuts.  Then you rest here till the movie starts, you said last time that blood makes you queezy.  I¡¯ll tell your homeroom teacher that you are here.``


    He  felt the tension ease from his muscles.  He had forgotten that today was a shortened schedule.  Movie, then lunch, then pictures then home.  He loved days like today, they severely limited the time he had to spend with his classmates.


    Sally began wiping the cuts with iodine, which sent pain raging through his arm and cheek. He sucked in his breath and squinted his eyes shut.


    ¡°Sorry Jaius, it¡¯s the best thing for cleaning out the cuts.  It will go away soon.¡±  She got some band-aids from a carton and laid them next to him on the exam bed.


    ¡°So, Jaius, have you seen the movie that is playing today?¡±


    ¡°Is she serious?¡±


    ¡°Which one is it?¡±


    ¡°The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.¡±


    ¡°N¡­No, Ms McCormick,  I haven¡¯t¡±


    He was in shock, a movie he hadn¡¯t seen, is that possible?


    Ms McCormik began to describe Narnia to him and as she talked he began to remember the movie.


    He had read the synopsis on Disney+, but thought it had looked lame, no explosions, or spaceships, or swords.  But as she talked more and more about it he decided that he might actually enjoy it.


    The hour went by fairly quickly, and as he was heading out the door to the auditorium, Ms. McCormik called after him.


    ¡°Jaius, if there is ever anything you want to talk about, about what might be causing your miss-steps,  my door is always open.  Maybe there is something we can figure out on how to fix the problem.¡±


    ¡°No way, they¡¯d destroy me.¡±  he thought.


    ¡°Sh..Sure Ms. McCormik will do.¡±


    ------------------------------


    Alianna entered the main hall on the first floor through the middle doors.  She saw the throng of other kids ahead of her, waiting to get into the auditorium.  She felt relieved that there would be no one coming behind her.  She would sit in the very back, and no one would know the difference.  The movie would give her time to plan how she would handle lunchtime.  She wanted so much to sit with Jim at the A table, just one day in the sun.  What about Alison though?  Ali would recognize her immediately, and then the gig would be up.


    She was so wrapped up in worrying over this new problem that she didn¡¯t notice it when someone joined her at the end of the line.


    ¡°Hey there Emily, how¡¯s your first day going?¡±


    ¡°Oh my gosh, its Jim.¡±


    ¡°Oh, hello¡­um..Jim, right?¡±


    ¡°Hey, yeah, you remembered.  Cool. Hey I saved ya a seat for the movie, if you want to join us that is?¡±


    This couldn¡¯t be happening to her.  How could a little makeup and contacts change her entire life?  Jim Kurtz, the boy who every girl in middle school had a crush on, just asked her to sit next to him.   She didn¡¯t let her nerves show through though.  She used the techniques she had learned at community theater to portray calmness when there was a storm of nerves raging just below the surface.


    ¡°I¡¯d love to, Jim.¡±


    ¡°Sweet! Follow me, I got someone saving us two seats.¡±


    He took her hand in his, which sent chills running up and down her arm.  A boy had never held her hand before.


    She followed along after him, half in a daze, and before she knew it he stopped before two open seats  in the front row of the auditorium.  Jim sat down in a seat next to one of the boys that had been in the group with him that morning.  The boy looked up at her and then at Jim and elbowed him in the arm and began making noises and nodding up and down.  Alianna had no Idea what that was about, but Jim gave him a sour look and told him to shut up.


    Alianna looked at the empty seat next to Jim and then to the one next to it to see who she would be sitting by.  Mandy Ferlon, her red curls smushed against the back of the chair as she sat reclining in it, was in the seat next to the empty one.


    Mandy looked up at Alianna, she squinted a little in the low light, and a smile began to spread across her lips.


    ¡°Oh, no!  She recognized me.¡±


    Alianna began to raise her head, so that she could identify the nearest exit.


    ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Mandy, Jim said there was a new girl at school today.  You¡¯re Emily right?¡±


    The tension left her so quickly that she almost fell over, but she used all of her strength to keep her poise.


    ¡°Yes, Emily Savits.¡±  She sat down and turned to look at Mandy.


    ¡°Its nice to meet you, Mandy.¡±


    ¡°I know it is.¡±  She began to laugh as if she had made a joke.


    Alianna hesitated only a moment before joining in.


    ¡°You''re pretty funny, Mandy.¡±


    ¡°I know, it''s what everyone else tells me.  I get it from my dad, he¡¯s a professional comedian.  He¡¯s playing a show in New York City tonight, he¡¯s pretty famous.¡±


    ¡°No way, oh man I¡¯ve always wanted to go to New York, I hear they have the coolest shops.¡±


    She¡¯d never gone anywhere but the Bon-Ton for her clothes , but she thought it might be an okay conversation piece.


    Mandy nearly squealed.  ¡°I know, right!  Macey''s, Sacks, my dad said he would take me there this summer for a few days while he did one of his shows.  Said he would take me shopping.  Hey, you want to come, I was going to see if some of the other girls wanted to go, and I figure if you''re cool enough for Jim to talk to, you''re okay to hang with us.¡±


    This made Alianna¡¯s head spin.  Just like that, Mandy Furlon was inviting her on a trip, just because one boy had vouched for her.  Was it that insanely simple to break into the ¡°in¡±  crowd?


    ¡°Sure, that would be awesome!¡±


    Just then there was a tapping on her shoulder.   She looked over and Jim was pointing to his phone.  It had a screen that said Spotify on it and a list of song titles.


    ¡° You liked that song I played for ya this morning right?¡±


    Alianna nodded her head and smiled.


    ¡°Well here is another great one.  It¡¯s called Kathy¡¯s song.  These guys that wrote it sure knew a lot of girls.¡±  He said as he shook his head.  He then leaned in and whispered in her ear.  ¡°Plus, Mandy will literally talk your ear off, and I didn¡¯t want you to think that I hang out with annoying people.¡±


    Alianna laughed a little at that, and smiled when she heard him chuckle too.


    She took out the Air Pods he had given her and put them in and listened as the acoustic guitar began.  This song was as amazing as the earlier one.  She had to download this Spotify App and get this album..


    ¡°These guys are great Jim, I am going to download these when I get the chance.¡±  She said.


    ¡°It''s true, you just don¡¯t hear the guitar played like this anymore.  I play, by the way, in the school''s jazz band.  Do you like the Guitar?¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah! I¡¯d love to learn how to play someday.¡± She said, feeling a bit better in being able to tell the truth about something finally.


    ¡°Awesome, I¡¯ll teach ya, it''s really easy.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯d be great!¡± She said sincerely.


    ¡°So do you play any sports Em, you don¡¯t mind if I call you Em do ya?¡±


    She smiled and shook her head.


    ¡°Not at all, it''s what most of my friends call me.¡±  She paused, knowing that he had asked her a question somewhere.


    ¡°Oh yeah, I play soccer.¡±   She began to think that she could make up for the lies she had told by telling the truth about certain things.


    ¡°Sweet. I¡¯m the captain of the boys middle school team, and my Mom is the coach of the girls team. I''ll talk to her tonight, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll have no problem getting on the squad.¡±


    Something deep inside her felt like things were getting way out of control with the charade, but she also felt another force pushing her onward into more and more complex lies.


    The movie began before they could continue the conversation.  He gave her a wink of his eye and then he sat back and turned toward the screen.  She smiled at him and then sat back too.  She looked up at the screen feeling happier than she ever had in her life.  There was no stress in the A crowd.  These kids had no cares in the world.  They just drifted through the days at the dungeon on the wings of their own coolness.  No matter the price, she was going to find a way to make this new life  her permanent one.


    As she watched the movie the coolness of the A crowd and her new life faded into the background and the Old Ali made an appearance.  She had read the Chronicles of Narnia at least ten times.  She would lay on the bed for hours reading about Peter, Edmund, Susan and Lucy, and the wondrous world they got to go to.  She had wanted so desperately to be able to go to Narnia, to get away from this world where she was unable to fit in anywhere.


    Before she knew it the lights were coming up and she had to push down the Old Ali and let the new one back to the fore.


    ¡°Oh no!¡±  She thought to herself.  ¡° I was supposed to spend the time during the movie coming up with a plan for lunch.  What am I going to do about Alison?¡±


    ----------------------


    Jaius had intentionally sat at the very back, so that he could be the first one out the doors.  He¡¯d wait in the stairwell near the auditorium and watch for her to go by.  Then he¡¯d pull her into the stairwell and warn her about what was going on.   He grew very nervous as the doors to the auditorium opened and the voices of hundreds of kids echoed down the hall.  If anyone from Keri¡¯s Click saw him drag her in there, and then she didn¡¯t show up for their surprise, they¡¯d know that he somehow tipped her off.  It will be the end for him at the Dungeon, and might just be the end of her too.


    He peered out the window in the door at the kids as they passed.  No Alianna so far.  He did get distracted by one girl however, because he had never seen her before.  She had shoulder length blonde hair that framed her face, and for a moment he thought it might be Alianna, but this girl looked totally different.  Plus she was walking with Jim Kurtz, Mr popular himself.  There is no way that he would hang out with Alianna.


    As the last kid passed by him, and there was still no Alianna, some of his anxiety lessened.  She would have had to have been in that crowd if she were here today, and he hadn¡¯t seen any sign of her.  She must have stayed home again.  This was great news.  Now he would have the entire weekend to figure out a safer way of alerting her to the danger.


    He let out a sigh of relief and in his euphoric state he opened the door and walked into the hall without looking first.


    ¡°McFarland!  What are you doing in that hallway?¡±


    He froze, as if paralyzed by some death ray.  He didn¡¯t have to turn to see who had spoken, it was the Justinator.  What was he thinking walking into that hall without looking first?


    Slowly he turned to face her.  As that lone eye bore down on him, he began to stammer.


    ¡°Sis¡­sister Justina, I¡­I¡­was¡­just¡­just¡­keeping¡­.¡±


    ¡°Keeping away from that Pennington boy were you?  Hiding from your problems McFarlen will only allow them to grow.   I saw what he did to you this morning and believe me he will not like what I have in store for him.  Well it is a blessing I found you here, it saves me having to walk around the school to find you.  We are going to go visit Mr. Pennington in the cafeteria, and there I will invite him to join us in my office.  I¡¯ve found that a little dash of embarrassment works wonders in getting the truth out of a student.  Now, to the cafeteria McFarlan, I will be right behind you.¡±


    Fear like he had never known before seized Jaius.  Not only had he been caught by the  Justinator, but she had seen Stephen push him into the bushes.  She was going to out him in front of all his friends, and with Jaius standing next to her it would be impossible for Jaius to convince him that he hadn¡¯t told on him.  There would be nowhere for him to hide on Monday.


    Sister Justina had to prod him a few times to make him start moving. She also had to yell at him a few times for dragging his feet.  He now had full knowledge of what a person on Death Row feels like as they are walking down that final hallway.


    ---------------------------


    It felt to Alianna that she was walking into the cafeteria for the first time.  Walking next to Jim, seeing every head turn to look at them.  Some of those faces had looks of awe or wonder on them, some of them were soured by jealousy, but all of that came from a respect and desire to be in her shoes.  It was a euphoric feeling that she couldn¡¯t describe, but she never wanted it to end.


    ¡°Was this what Keri felt like all the time?¡±   She mused to herself.


    Jim led her to Keri¡¯s table and set his bag on the seat to the left of where Keri sat at the head of the table.  He then grabbed a chair from a table nearby and set it on the corner between him and Keri¡¯s seat.


    ¡°I talked to Keri before  as she was heading into the movie, and told her all about you.  She thought you had potential so she is all good with you sitting with us.  I knew there would be no problem, she always says I got the best eye in the group for picking out the cool ones.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you approve, I wasn¡¯t sure I¡¯d find a crowd cool enough to hang out with at this school.¡±   Said Alianna, hoping that was a cool thing to say.  She had read a lot of  books that take place in middle school and  that had popular characters in them and was trying to emulate  one of the character who was supposed to be the coolest one in the school.


    ¡°Look no further, Em, cause ya found the best in PA.  We¡¯re far cooler than any kids at your other school.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m beginning to see that.¡±  She said with a smile.


    Jim then led her over to the lunch line.


    She reached into her purse for the five dollar bill her mom had given her, but Jim placed his hand on top of hers.


    ¡°Uh-uh, its your first day, and lunch is on me.¡±


    ¡°Why thannk you Sir¡±  She said in her best southern accent.


    He grinned and then put his fingers to his brow and tipped an imaginary hat to her.


    ¡°Not a problem ma¡¯am.¡±


    She got a salad, and a chicken sandwich, he took the meatloaf and  a double dose of mashed potatoes.


    He took her tray before she could pick it up and carried them both back to the table.  Her anxiety returned anew as she saw that the table was now fully occupied. Keri was sitting at the head of the table, reading a book and eating  some of those mini-carrots.  The others were either eating or, texting,  talking to the person near them, or both.  Then she saw it.  An empty seat across from Mandy, Alison¡¯s empty seat.


    ¡°Oh my gosh, she¡¯s not here. How can it be, she wouldn¡¯t miss Picture day.  I can¡¯t believe this, it''s like someone is orchestrating this, setting all the pieces just right so that I can leave my old life behind and start a new one.¡±


    Then, before she knew it they were back at Jim¡¯s seat. And she was less than a foot away from Keri.  She looked up at Alianna from over the lip of her book.


    She studied her for a moment then put the book down and put on her best smile.


    ¡°Emily, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s correct, and Your Keri, Jim has had nothing but good things to say about you.¡±


    ¡°He has, has he?  Well, he has had nothing but good to say about  you as well.  I understand you like Mr¡¯s Simon and Garfunkle, I find the older classics to be much more intellectually stimulating.¡±  Alianna smiled. ¡°I¡¯m becoming a fan, very quickly.  My mom and dad listen to a lot of the older music,  I like it a lot better then some of the stuff that is around today.¡±


    ¡°Oh really, what is your favorite of the older bands?¡±


    Alianna put her finger to her lips and turned her eyes upward.  The part about her parents liking the older bands was true.  They had one CD or the other playing most of the day at the house.  Her dad¡¯s favorite was Rush, and she liked a lot of their songs too so she went with them.


    ¡°I¡¯d have to say Rush, Red Barchetta being my favorite of theirs.  Neil Pert has got to be one of the best drummers ever.¡±


    Keri raised her eyebrow as Alianna spoke.  If Alianna had to guess she would have to say that Keri was impressed, but then felt a bit uncertain as she stood up.


    Keri reached out her hand and lifted a strand of Ali''s hair with her finger.  ¡°Love your hair Emily, where did you get it done?¡± Relief flooded her, one because Keri still seemed impressed and two because she didn''t have to lie again.


    ¡°At the mall in Wilkes-Barre. My mom''s good friend Eleine is really good at what she does.¡±  Keri smiled at that.  ¡°Maybe you can introduce me to her. I really need to brake up with my stylist, she has just fallen way behind the times.¡±  Alianna nodded.  ¡°Definitely Keri, I know you''ll love Eleine.¡±


    Keri smiled and nodded and then looked down at Jim.  ¡°You were right Jim,  I think Emily here will fit in just fine.¡±


    ¡°Like you always said Keri, I got a talent for picking them.¡±


    Suddenly Keri grabbed her head  and began to wobble.


    Alianna reacted without thinking and grabbed her to steady her.  She helped Keri back into her seat.


    ¡°Are you okay Keri?¡±  Alianna asked.  She was surprised by the genuine concern in her voice.


    ¡°Wow, I think so, the room just started spinning and my head started hurting.¡±


    Trudi plucked an un-touched water bottle from Amber Crawly¡¯s tray, opened it, and placed it into Keri¡¯s trembling hands.  Trudi then looked at Alianna.  Alianna could see a deep concern in her eyes and she thought she also saw fear.


    ¡°You''re quick Emily.  Thanks for helping her.¡±


    Alianna smiled.


    ¡°It was nothing.¡±


    She moved away to give Keri some room and sat down next to Jim.


    Jim leaned near her.


    ¡°Your in Em, it''s going to be a great time next year, keep impressing Keri and she might make you Queen of the Table at the end of the year.¡±


    That image took hold in her mind and seemed to blot everything else out.  She imagined her sitting  at the head of this table and Jim sitting next to her, like a king and queen ruling over their domain.


    A strange noise disturbed her reverie.  It was the distinct sound of the shoes the Nuns wore.   Alianna looked over her shoulder and  saw Sister Justina walking down the center  aisle of the cafeteria, and walking with her was that Jaius kid.


    ¡°What are they doing here?¡±


    Sister Justina began to turn away from Keri¡¯s table, heading toward where some of the jocks sat.  A boy she thought his name was Stephen was leaning into the table talking to one of the other boys.  Alianna almost let out a sigh of relief, when sister Justina stopped and the clap her shoes made on the floor when she stopped sounded like thunder.  She turned on her heel to face Keri''s table.  Her lone eye bore right into Alianna.


    She turned toward them and walked over and scrutinized Alianna.


    ¡°Hrm, very nice Oaksen, I almost didn¡¯t recognize you.  Carry on.¡±


    She turned on her heel once more and marched back to where she left Jaius.  Who was also staring intently at her.


    Jim got a very disturbed look on his face.


    ¡°Why¡¯d she call you that Em?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± She was unable to finish as a hand gripped her by the cheeks and whipped her head to the right.  Keri¡¯s face was inches from hers.  Keri was amazingly strong as she turned Alianna¡¯s head left and right.  Then she let her go and made a noise of utter disgust.


    ¡°It is her!  Alianna , I can''t believe this.  I didn¡¯t think even you would sink this low.¡±


    ¡°Whao, Keri what are you talking about.¡± Said Jim, his cool definitely shaken.


    Mandy Ferlon sat forward and looked more closely and started to laugh and point at her.


    ¡°It''s her, Jim, Alianna Oaksen.  A little makeup, and a haircut and contacts and she fooled all of us, made us think she was some new girl. Hrmp, If Alison hadn''t called off today she never would have gotten this far.¡±


    Keri turned back to Alianna.


    ¡°You planned this didn¡¯t you, you planned to weasel your way into our good graces and then  wait till the right moment for revenge right.  Revenge for that piece of junk book that I threw out the window.  Isn¡¯t that right Ali.¡±


    She just about spat the last part of that.


    ¡°No, no its not true,  I didn¡¯t mean to lie, I¡­ I just.¡±


    ¡°Just shut up Ali Wally.¡±


    When those words from that voice reached her ears, Alianna¡¯s whole dream died inside her, and her heart wasn¡¯t far behind.  It was Jim that had spoken those words that pierced through her like a bullet.


    She turned to him, tears beginning to form.  She looked up at him, pleadingly.


    ¡°Jim,  I¡¯m so sorry, I didn¡¯t want to lie, I¡­¡±


    ¡°Lying I could ignore, all these wannabes lie to try and make themselves look better, but you¡¯re the one who made fun of Keri  and Trudi when she was in grade school.  You tormented her and Trudi, Keri told me all about it. You are really the lowest of the low, a true loser,  trying to come in here and hurt them again.  Get outta here Ali Wally, you¡¯ll never be one of us.¡±  Alianna moved away from the anger she saw on his face and caught out of the corner of her eye a satisfied grin on Keri¡¯s face.


    Everything fell apart at that moment.  Her dreams, her heart, part of her mind.  It was too much to take, she had had a taste of freedom and then was tossed back into the cage.


    ¡°I think you better leave Ali.  I know, why don¡¯t you go look for the little pieces of that second hand romance I tossed out the  window,  I¡¯m sure you might be able to find a page or two.¡±


    Keri began to laugh, and soon they were all joining in.


    She had heard the phrase ¡°Seeing red¡± but she never thought she would experience it.   Her vision was clouded by red, and her blood pounded in her ears.


    She stood up and grabbed her bag, and then bent in near Keri, who stopped laughing, and looked back at her with ice in her eyes.


    ¡°I hope you die, Keri Bellows!¡±  She said through clenched teeth.  And then, tears breaking forth like water from a damn, cries starting to escape her throat, she ran straight for the doors that led to the back stairwell. She ran up the stairs to the main floor and began opening the door that led outside when She heard someone  shouting from inside the Caff.


    ¡°What''s wrong with her?¡±


    Then Alianna was outside and sprinting at full speed.


    Her home was many miles away, but distance didn¡¯t matter now, she knew where she was headed, and it wasn¡¯t her house.


    After a few blocks her bag began to slow her down.  She dropped it on the grass in someone''s front yard,  she wouldn¡¯t need it anymore.  Unburdened, she picked up speed.  She never had any problems running.  She was the only one on her soccer team who could finish all the suicide sprints they did at practice.  She had run in a 5k charity race with her mom last year and placed in the top 10.  Running was a second nature to her.


    --------------------------


    Jaius started on in horror as he watched the scene unfold at Keri¡¯s table.   He had heard Sister Justina call that new girl sitting next to Jim Kurtz, ¡°Oaksen.¡±  As soon as she said it, it was like a veil was lifted from his eyes, and he recognized the girl as Alianna.   He couldn¡¯t believe it, she looked so different, and from the sound of it, the A crowed didn¡¯t like the charade she had put on.   Then everyone at the table started to laugh at her.  Alianna leaned in twoward Keri and everything got quiet. So much so that Jaius clearly heard Alianna say ¡°I hope you die, Keri Bellows!¡±


    She then grabbed her bag and ran from the room.


    Sister Justina  was already in motion, heading for the door that Alianna had just run through, when  more then one someone let out a scream from Keri¡¯s table.  Sister Justina stopped and turned to see what the problem was, and Jaius took a step back as he saw her face go pale and her mouth drop open.


    ¡°What the heck could make Sister Justina go pale.¡±


    He turned his head back toward Keri¡¯s table just in time to see Keri¡¯s eyes roll up in the back of her head as  blood was pouring out of her nose.  She began to fall out of her chair and would have crashed to the ground if Jim hadn¡¯t of caught her.  He eased her down and put her head in his lap.


    ¡°Help, so.. Someone help!¡±  he yelled


    Trudi tossed Keri''s chair out of the way to get to her sister, and most of the girls at the table had their hands over their mouths and were screaming ¡°What¡¯s wrong with her?¡±  as they ran over to where Jim sat holding Keri.


    Jaius tore his eyes away from the garish scene and back toward the stairs that Alianna must have run up.  He had to go after her.  She  was a damsel in distress too, and Keri looked like she had enough people to support her, and it looked like even sister Justina had forgotten Alianna, for the moment.


    He ran behind Sister Justina and pushed open the stairwell door and ran up the stairs two at a time. As he got to the main floor he saw the door that led outside just clicking shut.


    ¡°Ah, crap, where they heck is she going.¡±  he grunted as his breathing had already become labored.


    He only hesitated a moment before making up his mind and pushing open the door.


    It took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the bright sunlight, but once they did  he began to look around for her.  He saw her straight ahead running on the sidewalk.  She tossed her bag onto someones lawn and took off at a dead sprint.


    ¡°Where the heck did she learn to run like that?  I¡¯m never going to catch her.¡±


    Then he saw it, in the yard where she ditched her back was a bicycle.  It was pink, and obviously a girls, but it was they only way he could even hope to keep her in sight.


    He ran over to the bike, and got on.  He then began to peddle as fast as he could, stopping only to grab her bag and dump out both of their school books hoping that he can get them later.


    -------------------


    She ran, and ran, and ran.  She let the rest of the world slip away, it was just her, her legs, and the tatters of a life gone wrong.  How had it gone so badly, even in her nightmares things had never turned out like this.  She tried to recall what curse she had called down upon herself that morning, but everything before the movie seemed to be inaccessible to her.  It was five miles to where she was headed, but she took more side streets than normal this time.  If the school had called her parents, they might be heading there now, and she didn¡¯t want them to see her, she couldn¡¯t let herself see them.  If she did¡­well, she just couldn¡¯t.


    Finally she saw her destination come into view.  She had no Idea how long she had been running, an hour, two, time seemed meaningless right now.  As she slowed in front of the railing that looked over the little creek where she had cradled her Nana¡¯s book just days before, she began breathing heavily.  The adrenaline that had been coursing through her body began to fade and her lungs began to burn.  She had pushed too much even for her, and her body was not happy about it.


    She put her hands on her knees and sucked in breath after labored breath. It only took her a minute to recover enough to stand upright again.  She had to get word to her parents, but she couldn¡¯t call them, even if she had a phone, she wouldn¡¯t be able to go through¡­


    ¡°How can I get a message to them?¡±  Then she patted her jeans pocket and felt the phone her mom had given her.  ¡°I put Olivia¡¯s number on it. Olivia would be able to get my message to my parents.¡±


    She pulled the phone from her jeans pocket and pulled up the contact list.  She selected Olivia¡¯s name and hit send.


    It rang three times before she picked up.


    ¡°Hello?¡± Olivia''s hushed voice.


    ¡°Olivia, it¡¯s Ali, I know your probably at school, but I really need a favor from you.¡±


    ¡°Hey Ali, hold on, .¡±


    Ali waited for three minutes until Olivia picked the phone up again.


    ¡°Sorry about that, had to get away from the noise at the lunch table.  So what¡¯s up Ali, hows the first day of the new you going?¡±


    Alianna couldn¡¯t stop it, the laughter came unbidden from somewhere deep inside her, followed closely by deep sobs.


    ¡°Ali? Ali, what happened whats wrong? Shh.. Shh,  It will be OK.  Alianna please, please just talk to me. What happened¡­¡±


    Olive kept trying to soothe her, Alianna could hear panic begin to twinge her new friend''s voice.


    ¡°Oh Ali, please tell me what happened.¡±


    She was finally able to bring herself under control, by which point she could hear Olivia crying softly. When Alianna spoke, she even surprised herself at how even and controlled her voice had become.


    ¡°It''s over Olivia, my life is officially over.  Olivia, thank you so much for being so kind to me.  I need you to do something for me.  I need you to tell my parents that I love them so dearly.  Tell them that I tried, I tried so hard to make it through this, but I¡¯m just not strong enough. Please tell them that for me.¡±


    Sheer terror was evident as Olivia spoke.


    ¡°Ali¡­ Ali stay right there, stay on the phone with me¡­ Oh God please , please keep her right there.  Ali, it is going to be OK.  Please Ali.¡±


    Alianna heard a door open and she heard Olivia breathing heavily and her feet pounding on the floor.  Alianna knew she was running for help, she needed to end the call now.


    ¡°Thank you Olivia, I¡¯m glad I got to hear a friendly voice before¡­¡±


    She couldn¡¯t go on any more.


    ¡°Ali! Don¡¯t go, Ali Please!¡±


    Alianna gently set the phone down on the sidewalk and then moved over to the bank above the creek and began following it into the woods.


    -----------------


    Jaius was huffing and puffing as something familiar came into view ahead.  He had lost sight of her a few blocks back when he had to stop to catch his breath.  He had passed many side streets that she could have gone down, but he was too tired to venture down them.  He just kept going forward hoping that she hadn''t taken any of them. Now he saw the metal railing that he had seen Alianna leaning against the other day.  He could hear the creek trickling along its course.


    As he got closer he saw something laying on the sidewalk near the railing.  He hit the brakes on the bike and looked down.  It was a cell phone,  He could hear someone crying on  the other end.  He got off the bike, adjusted his backpack and hers, and picked up the phone.


    ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­Oh Ali, Oh thank God you picked up I¡­wait, who is this?¡±


    ¡°Jaius, who is this?¡±


    ¡°Who in the world are you? And where is Alianna.¡±


    Screamed some girl on the other end.


    ¡°Like I said, I¡¯m Jaius, and I was looking for her too. Do you know where she went.¡±


    ¡°No!¡±  She screamed.  She reminded Jaius of  Sis when she yelled at him on the phone.


    The girl took a few deep breaths and spoke a bit more calmly.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Jaius, I didn¡¯t mean to freak on you.  Look Ali is in some major trouble.  I think she might try to hurt herself.  You have to find her now, Jaius.  I¡¯m at my school''s office and the secretary is calling my Mom.  My mom knows her mom and so we are going to be sending help.  You have to find her though, find her and keep her talking.  Where are you?¡±


    ¡°Black Canyon.¡±


    ¡°I know where she lives, you¡­¡±


    She growled in frustration but was very calm when she poke again.


    ¡°Where in Black Canyon are you standing right now?¡±


    ¡°Oh, heh, sorry.  On Reid street, where the creek is.¡±


    ¡°what is the closest cross street?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Arrrrgh¡­The closest street that crosses over the one your on?¡±


    ¡°Oh, Bennett Street.¡±


    ¡°Okay Got it. Now, go find Alianna.  Take the phone with you and stay on the line with me.  If you find her, get this phone into her hand as quickly as possible.¡±


    ¡°But you told me to talk to her.¡±


    ¡°Just do it!¡±


    ¡°Sheese, alright already.¡±


    Just then a strong wind blew through the trees on either side of the creek.  The wind was so strong that Jaius was knocked back a step.  As he regained his balance he heard a loud snap in the woods that flanked the creek, and a girl scream.


    ¡°Crap!¡± he said as he headed into the woods toward the noise.


    ¡°Crap, what do you mean crap. Jaius what happened?¡±


    ¡°I heard a noise in the woods and then heard her scream.  I¡¯m trying to get to her.¡±


    ¡°Hurry!¡±


    Jaius began to run, stumbling on something in the underbrush every few feet.


    He ran and ran, but didn¡¯t hear anything else ahead.  Deeper into the woods he ran.   After a few minutes he came into a clearing and there was Alianna standing by the edge of the creek. She was on her knees, there was a large branch right behind her.  She was rubbing her shin and looking back at the branch. The creek was wide and deep here.  He had heard of kids going swimming here in the summertime. While she was looking back at the branch she saw him standing there.  She stood up and looked at him.


    Before he could figure out what to say, that strong wind got stronger.  It whipped Alianna¡¯s hair in a straight line to the right.  It stirred the water in the creek and it made him stumble.  He dropped the phone on the ground.


    Jaius couldn¡¯t worry about that right now, because this odd tingling was running through his body.  Alianna must have been feeling it too, because she began rubbing her arms.  She turned around and Jaius could see fear playing across her face.  She opened her mouth to say something but the wind drowned out anything she might have said.


    Then as soon as it had come it was gone.


    ¡°Jaius¡­Jaius what..¡±  The girl¡¯s voice disappeared from the phone and was replaced by silence

 Chapter 7 What lies beyond.

    Alianna limped over to him.


    ¡°Wha..What are you doing here?  Please you need to leave, I..I need to be alone for a while.¡±


    ¡°No way, I peddled halfway across town to make sure you were okay, and I¡¯m not leaving without you, plus this girl on this phone told me not to leave.¡±  Said Jaius in as confident a tone as he could muster, although there was a good amount of concern building up in his gut for some reason.  He dropped his backpack and hers on the ground.  His shoulders had begun to ache something fierce.


    ¡°Jaius,  It''s Jaius right?¡±


    He nodded, with a somewhat dumb look on his face, this concern that was building up inside him was turning to fear.  He had absolutely no idea what there was to be afraid of.


    ¡°Okay,  Jaius, I appreciate the concern, really I do, but I¡¯m okay, really I just need a little time to myself,  I promise I¡¯ll head home in a little bit.¡±


    ¡°Lying seems to get easier the more you do it.¡±   She thought as she was trying to think of some way to get rid of this kid.


    Something in her voice brought Jaius¡¯s full attention back to her.  He had heard that tone before,  the kids used it every time they tried to set him up for some kind of prank.  She was totally lying to him.


    ¡°Uh-Uh Alianna, I saw what happened and you don¡¯t just shrug that off and go home.  Come on, we really need to get out of here.¡±


    She looked like she was about to respond when instead she began coughing.  She fell to her knees holding her chest.  Jaius began to reach for her shoulder to see if she was okay,  when he began coughing too.  The air had suddenly become different.  It had an odd taste to it, he sucked it in, but something at the back of his throat didn¡¯t approve.  He joined her on the ground coughing, holding his chest.  He began to feel light headed.  But then after what seemed like days, he was able to slow the coughing.  Alianna was also able to get control of it.


    She looked at him.


    ¡°Wha¡­What was that all about?¡± she stammered.  ¡°I took a breath and the air was different.  It¡­it tasted different.¡±


    ¡°Yeah I know, I thought you had swallowed a bug or something, but then it hit me too.  I didn¡¯t even know the air had a taste till this moment.¡±


    ¡°I kinda did. This air reminds me of something else.  Two years ago I had to have my appendix out.¡±  She touched her abdomen where the scar was, remembering the pain and nausea that had hit her so suddenly, and also the fear of surgery that she¡¯d had.


    ¡°I had to have surgery, and when I woke up again there was this tube that went across my face and the middle part had two prongs that were set under my nose.  I freaked out a little cause I didn¡¯t know where I was and I tried to pull the tube away, but the nurse told me I had to leave it in for a few more minutes.  I asked my Dad what it was and he said it was oxygen, not like the stuff in the air, but he said it was pure O2, whatever O2 means.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the elemental symbol for the oxygen we can breathe .  O2, two molecules of oxygen.¡±


    Alianna looked at him  with a raised eyebrow, but then smiled a little and continued.


    ¡°Chemistry isn¡¯t really my thing.¡±  She said, blushing a little.


    ¡°It''s not really mine either, I am a storehouse of useless facts.¡±


    She nodded her head in acceptance of that.


    ¡°Anyway, this air, it reminds me of that pure oxygen.  Jaius, how can the air  just change like that?  I mean one minute we¡¯re breathing the air we¡¯ve always breathed and then all of a sudden it changes?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, and what happened to the girl on the phone.  I just looked at it again.  When I was talking to her it showed four bars, but now it isn¡¯t showing any.¡±


    This brought his iphone to his mind.  He reached into his pocket and tapped the screen.  He checked the reception and it too was showing no signal.  He hit the internet button and after a few seconds it told him it could not connect.  His dad had told him that with the network plan they had he should have reception in most places in the U.S.  The phone didn¡¯t look broken.  What was going on?  Icy fear started to creep back into him.


    ¡°Alianna I think we...we better head back.  Something weird is going on, I¡¯m getting worried.¡±


    She looked behind her, past the creek to the   trail that led to the old quarry.


    ¡°He must be talking about Olivia. She must have stayed on the phone.  She probably made him tell her where we were.  I¡¯m not going to have much more time.  Her mom is probably calling my mom right now.  My mom could be here any minute.  If she shows up there is no way I¡¯ll be able to go through with this.  I could still make it, I could still run up the trail as fast as I could.   He¡¯d never catch me.  I know where the fence around the quarry  has a break in it.  I¡¯ll run up the trail as fast as I can and not stop at all.   I can¡¯t go back,  I can¡¯t do anything but this.  God will understand won¡¯t he?  He knows what they¡¯ve been doing to me.¡±


    There was the smallest voice that spoke into her mind, it was Mrs. Shaffer''s.


    ¡°Ali, you are strong, so very strong.  You¡¯ve endured more than a lot of grown ups had to.  If the Bellows had had to go through what you have, they would have folded under the pressure months ago.  I don¡¯t know why these things are allowed to happen, child, but I believe that God is never far from us, and that he is holding us up in our times of need.¡±


    ¡°Oh God!  Wouldn¡®t the world be better off without me?¡± She pleaded.


    Just then a picture appeared in her mind.  It was of her mother, dressed in black.  She was holding one of the twins and her father, also dressed in black, was holding the other.  They were standing in front of a casket.  Her mother¡¯s face looked dead.  Like the light had gone out from behind her eyes.  Her dad had tears streaming down his face.  She had never seen him cry before.  Then she turned to look at the casket and saw her own lifeless body laying there.


    ¡°Oh my God, my mother, I can¡¯t, I can¡¯t do that to her. Oh her face, oh her face, Oh¡­¡±


    Suddenly someone was touching her face.


    ¡°Alianna, come on, we need to go.¡±


    She looked back at him and anger flashed through her, but she didn¡¯t know why.  It must have flashed in her eyes because he took his hand away and stood away from her.


    ¡°Hey look, I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t mean to touch you, but you looked like you had become paralyzed or something.¡±


    She sucked in a deep gulp of this new air and let it out.


    ¡°Its not your fault Jaius, I.. I was just thinking of my parents.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure they¡¯d be glad to see you, come on let''s head back.¡±


    She laughed nervously.


    ¡°I¡¯m not so sure about that. I think I might be in some trouble.  Running away from school like that.¡±


    She stood up and turned back toward the water.  When she reached the edge she stared intently at the spot in the middle of the creek.


    ¡°I can¡¯t ever let my mom¡¯s face look like that!  Not ever.¡±


    She looked up into the sky.


    ¡°God I¡¯m really sorr..¡±


    She placed her hands over her mouth to stifle a shriek.


    ¡°Jaius, Jaius come here.¡±


    Jaius ran over to her.


    ¡°What, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Loo¡­look up.¡±


    Jaius looked up and he saw the sky covered in a thick cloud like mass.  They weren¡¯t dark like rain clouds, but white and fluffy tinged with a hint of blue, like clear ice.  He looked around him, the light hadn¡¯t dimmed, it was still as bright as it had been when he came into this clearing.


    He¡¯d seen this before, somewhere, but what movie was it from?


    ¡°Jaius, I don¡¯t remember that it  was supposed to rain today, and I¡¯ve never seen clouds like that before.  This is all too weird!  I¡¯m getting scared, I definitely want to go home.¡±


    ¡°Me¡­me too. Come on,  I think we need to go back that-a-way.¡±  He said pointing behind him.


    She nodded and began to run.


    ¡°Hey! Wait up.¡±  He yelled as he stopped to pick up his backpack and hers and ran after her.


    She stopped and looked back to see him trying to keep up.


    She waited for him to get to her.


    ¡°Sorry,  I forget how fast I am sometimes.¡±


    He had his hands on his knees and was breathing too deeply to talk.


    After a minute or two, he righted himself.


    ¡°Could we maybe walk fast?¡±


    She smiled a little at that.


    ¡°Sure, actually you walk fast, I¡¯ll just walk.¡±


    Jaius  shook his head.


    ¡°Great, thanks.¡±


    They walked back the way he had come, following the creek, but they didn¡¯t say anything.  Alianna seemed lost in her own thoughts, and Jaius didn¡¯t have the nerve to interrupt them.  He felt like a pretty lousy Knight in armor.  It looked like, from where he was standing,  that she had taken care of her own problems.  He had barely said a word, and all of a sudden she just wanted to go home.  He began to believe that the girl on the phone had been overreacting.  Alianna didn¡¯t want to hurt herself.


    When Jaius had pulled out his iphone before the clock had said 1:30 pm.  He pulled out his phone again to see how long they had been walking.  The time read 2:45 pm.  He stopped as if his feet  just sprouted roots.  It took Alianna a few yards to realize he wasn¡¯t with her any more.  She stopped and looked back.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Was I going too fast?¡±


    ¡°N¡­No.   Alianna, we''ve  been walking for at least an hour.  There is no way that it took us that long to get to that clearing.  I know this is the way I came, but even if it wasn¡¯t there are houses all around these woods.  We would have found one of them by now.¡±


    She walked back to him, her face going a bit pale.


    ¡°But we¡¯ve been following the creek. Whichever way we followed it would have led us to some form of civilization.  Jaius, I¡¯m really getting scared now. Jaius what are we going to do?   Where are we!¡±


    He could hear the panic welling up.  He knew what she felt because it was welling up inside him too.   He also thought that this could be a chance for him to be that Knight in armor.


    He tried to put as much confidence in his voice as he could.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry Alianna, we¡¯ll be okay.  The creek must branch off and we just took a wrong turn.  Look let''s go back to the clearing and follow the creek from there. Like you said, either way we follow it will lead us back to somewheres.¡±


    He reached out his hand to her.  She started at it dumbly for a moment, then , as his words slowly sank in through the layers of panic.  She smiled and nodded.


    ¡°OK.  It sounds like a good idea.¡±  She took his hand and  started walking back the way he had come.


    He was rooted to the spot still.  He had never held a girls hand before, outside of Anne¡¯s, but she wasn¡¯t a girl, she was his sister.  His hand tingled in an odd way.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Alianna abruptly got tugged back a step because Jaius wasn¡¯t moving.


    She turned back.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    He was too weirded out to be coy.


    ¡°I¡¯ve¡­ I¡¯ve never held a girl¡¯s hand before.¡±


    Suddenly the innocent gesture didn¡¯t seem so innocent to her any more. She pulled her hand free and backed off.  She scrunched her face up.


    ¡°Ew Gross!  Weirdo.¡±  She didn¡¯t know why he was a weirdo, just a scene from one of those books came to mind where something similar happened to the lead girl.  So she continued with the scene.  She turned on her heel and marched off back the way they had come.


    ¡°Huh? Hey wait what did I do?  Alianna come back, or wait up, or Arg!  Girls, why did all the men in the movies I watch always seemed to want to be around them.¡±


    He grunted once, but seeing that she was getting farther away from him, he jogged after her.


    She stayed ahead of him for a while but then she looked back over her shoulder and he saw her shake her head, she slowed down and after a minute he caught up to her.


    ¡°Hey, not sure what I did, but I¡¯m sorry.  Didn¡¯t mean to freak you out.¡±


    She turned her head and smiled a little at him.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry too.  I don¡¯t know why I freaked, you were just being nice.  Maybe I¡¯m not used to people being nice to me, and wasn¡¯t sure how to take it.¡± She laughed a bit forcefully.


    ¡°Yeah, I know how that is, people in my family try to complement me and to me it feels like they just threw a bucket of crap on me.¡±


    Alianna nodded.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve started to feel that a little too.  Why do you think that is?  Why do we feel lousy when someone gives us a compliment.¡±


    Jaius opened his mouth to respond but then closed it.  He had never thought about it before.  Why did he feel like crap when someone praised him.


    After about minute of mulling it over in his head  he looked back at her and shrugged.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, I¡¯ve felt this way fro a few years now, never really thought about why I did though.¡±


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s a side effect of being picked on?¡±


    Jaius made a disgusted noise. ¡°That be great.  They make you feel like crap whether they are there to pick on you or not.¡±  His mood began to become very gloomy.


    Alianna stopped and looked at him.  He kept walking a few paces and then stopped and turned back to look at her.  Alianna could see the depression engulfing him like a dark misty vapor.


    ¡°They¡¯ve only been doing this to me for a year.  He¡¯s been tortured for two or three at least.  How does he keep going on?¡±


    ¡°What?  Was I walking to fast?¡±


    He said with a bit of venom in it, brought on by the depression filling him.


    She felt the venom, and for a brief moment was about to let it hurt her feelings, but then stopped as something else Mrs. Shafer said that morning came back to her.


    ¡°I am, however disappointed that after the others started treating you badly, that you never went over and talked to him.  Tried to be his friend,  It could have helped you both out a lot.¡±


    She let the venom wash over her and let go of the biting remark that had sprung to mind.


    She went over to him.


    ¡°I just wanted to say thanks.  Thanks for coming after me.  I was pretty sure no one would, I had counted on it.¡±


    The cloud seemed to lift a little from his face.  He even bushed a little.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, you looked like you could use some help.  Believe me I¡¯ve been through enough of what they dish out to know how much it hurts.¡±


    He turned his head back the way they were going, like he was going to start walking again, but then turned part of the way back to her.


    ¡°Alianna, what were you doing there by the creek.  Why did you come to this place?¡±


    ¡°Ali¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    She giggled a little.  ¡°You can call me Ali, it¡¯s what my friends call me. Well, I guess it will be friends if you want to be friends, that is.  The only friend I have right now is Olivia.¡±


    Jaius blushed a little, but turned back to her and smiled a little.


    ¡°You¡¯d want to be friends with me? You know that means more crap¡¯s going to be thrown at you.¡±


    Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    ¡°I know, but my only escape route from the pain has been closed off.  I have no choice now but to stay at the dungeon and tough it out.  Plus, it might be more bearable if we have eachother to hang out with.¡±


    He thought for a moment and then his smile got a bit larger.


    ¡°Alright, Ali.  Friends?¡±  He said extending his hand.


    She didn¡¯t hesitate in taking it.


    ¡°Friends.¡±  She smiled and turned to start walking, but he did not let go of her hand.  She turned back.  ¡°Jaius, don¡¯t get hung up on this hand holding thing again, we need to keep going.¡±


    He was looking at her, his eyes filled with concern.


    ¡°What? What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Ali, you didn¡¯t answer my question.  What were you doing there by the creek?¡±


    A few tears began to run down her cheek.  She wiped at them and turned away from him.


    ¡°I tripped over that branch.   I¡­.I.. was going to run up the trail to the Old quarry and not stop at the edge.   I couldn¡¯t do it anymore Jaius, I couldn¡¯t go back to the Dungeon after today, and even if I went to another school, I¡¯m sure the news of what happened today would be all over the internet.  There isn¡¯t a school in the world I could go to.  I was just hoping that God would understand why I had to do it.¡±


    He put his hand on her shoulder.


    ¡°There have been a lot of times that I¡¯ve stared at my Dad¡¯s desk drawer.  It¡¯s where he keeps his hand gun and ammo.  He keeps it locked,  but I¡¯m pretty sure I could get to it if I wanted to.  Really the only reason that I haven¡¯t done it was Anne, my little sister.  I keep having this image of her standing there at my funeral.  Her face, well the look on her face is more then I could bare to see.  So I keep going, praying that senior year will come very quickly.  What stopped you?¡±


    She laid her hand on top of his hand, and then turned back to him.


    ¡°The same thing that stopped you. I had a vision of my parents standing before my casket.  The look on my mother¡¯s face was horrible.  It was like all the light had gone out of her eyes.  I couldn¡¯t¡¯ let that happen Jaius.  I¡¯d go back to the dungeon and endure whatever I had to prevent that look from ever being on my mother¡¯s face.¡±


    He nodded to her.


    ¡°Alright Ali, lets make a promise right here.  We¡¯ll never let those visions come true.  No matter how hard things get we¡¯ll tough it out and keep going.¡±


    She thought about it for a moment and the nodded her head and held out her hand.


    Jaius, looked down at it and then took it in his and they shook hands.


    ¡°I promise.¡± they both said in unison.  This brought smiles to both of their faces.


    They began walking again, but this time they were talking.  Talking about where they grew up, funny and embracing things that happened to them in childhood. Their family¡¯s.  Alianna talked a lot about her Nana.  When she was describing the book that her Nana had given her Jaius stopped and slapped his hand to his forehead.


    ¡°Jaius, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°I totally forgot.¡±


    He pulled off his back pack, and opened it.  He pulled out a piece of paper and unfolded it and handed it to her.


    She took it and looked at it closely.  Soon her vision was blurred by tears of joy as she realized what it was.  It was the missing page from her book.  She was so happy that she threw her arms around him and hugged him.


    Jaius stiffened at this reaction, but after a few moments returned the hug.  There was a moment of healing within each of them that neither would notice for quite some time.


    After they pulled apart Jaius had this odd look on his face.  Alianna raised her eyebrow.


    ¡°What, you¡¯ve never hugged a girl either?¡±


    Jaius face went red at that.


    ¡°Just my sister Anne, but she doesn¡¯t count.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°Cause she isn¡¯t a girl.¡±


    Alianna laughed at that.  It was a loud deep laugh, on she hadn¡¯t of been able to produce in over a year.


    At first Jaius looked really hurt, but then what he had said became clear to him and he began to laugh too.


    ¡°I guess that was dumb thing to say.¡±  He said running his hand through his hair.


    ¡°Not really, I mean I got a little brother too and I can totally see what you were saying.  It just caught me as really funny just then.¡±


    They both began walking again as they laughed some more at what Jaius had said.  She took the page and finally, noticing that he  had her back pack  she jumped for joy a few times and thanked him profusely for bringing it along.  He handed it to her and she opened the main pocket and placed it inside.


    Before they knew it they were back in the clearing, with the creek bubbling along a few yards a way.  They both walked over to the edge of the creek and then looked to the right where the creek meandered for a hundred yards or so, then disappears around a corner.  To the left it continued straight for as far as they could see.  About twenty feet from where they were trees rose up on either side of the creek, creating a kind of tunnel.


    Alianna squinted her eyes, trying to see as far down that tunnel as she could.  At the farthest point that she could see her imagination took over.  She envisioned herself following the water until it came out to a wide plain, and in the middle of that plain was a gleaming city made of crystal that radiated hues of rainbows as the sun¡¯s rays passed through its structures.


    ¡°Ahem.¡± Jaius cleared his throat. ¡°Which way do you think? If we go right, it looks like the creek bends back the way we just came.  I¡­I think that that was what we were following and not some branching of the water.¡±


    ¡®Sorry I was just¡­Just¡­¡±


    ¡°Just trying to imagine what fantastical place might exist at the far end of that tunnel.¡±


    Her mouth dropped open and she turned to face him.


    ¡°How¡­How did you know that?¡±


    ¡°I do it a lot too, mostly in the movies I watch.  I try to imagine the places that might exist on the other side of the mountain range in the back ground, or if they pass by a city or village and don¡¯t stop I find myself wondering who those people that lived there were.¡±


    Alianna took Jaius¡¯s hand in hers and began to walk to the left.


    ¡°Come on then Jaius, let see what lies beyond the furthest point that we can see.¡±


    He felt that strange tingling again as she grabbed his hand and began moving.  The tingling didn¡¯t freak him out this time, so he followed her up the small incline toward where the trees started again.


    Before they got there, he stopped and looked up once more at the odd sky.


    ¡°How can the sun be covered by clouds and there still be all this light around?¡±


    She stopped when he did and looked up too at the odd sky.


    ¡°So you think its some kind of weird storm?  I mean there was that strong wind that came through the clearing right after you got there.¡± She said.


    He looked back at her and shrugged.  ¡°I have no Idea.  But I ain¡¯t never seen anything like that before.¡±


    She looked back down at the creek, needing to reassure herself that it hadn¡¯t changed.  She saw many gleaming points of light in the water.  Now that they were a little above it she was able to see them.  When she had seen the creek from the shore, she had thought the gleaming was just the light from the sky reflecting off the water, but apparently there was something in the creek causing the effect.


    ¡°Jaius, look.¡±  She said pointing at the water.


    He looked down and after a few moments. ¡°What the heck is that?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know but I want to find out, maybe it has something to do with all this weirdness.¡± She let go of his hand and ran back down to the edge of the creek.


    ¡°Ali, Wait.¡± He said as he ran after her.  By the time he got to the water¡¯s edge she was already in the creek swimming toward the middle. She then dove under the water.   He looked down to see her boots set right by the water¡¯s edge.


    He took off his back pack and took a step into the water.


    She swam down toward the lights, and she saw clear crystals, glowing like they had a mini star inside them.  She reached out and touched them, and they felt cool and smoth.  ¡°Oh wow.¡±  She gurgled as she let out some breath.  Suddenly everything turned white, then black.


    Before he took another step, there was a flash of light from the spot where she had dove under and a moment later her body rose to the surface.  She was face down and not moving.


    ¡°Ali!¡± he cried as he ran forward and then swam the rest of the way to her.  He turned her face out of the water.  Her eyes were closed and she wasn¡¯t breathing.


    He put his arm under her¡¯s and across her chest and then swam with his free arm and pulled her back to shore.  He silently thanked his mom for those swimming lessons she had forced him to go to for all those years.


    When he could touch the bottom he stood up and dragged her to the shore.  He was very thankful she was light, or else he never would have gotten her there.


    He stood frozen, looking down at her.


    ¡°Oh crap, what am I going to do, I¡¯m not a doctor, I¡¯m a kid.¡±


    Her chest wasn¡¯t rising or falling.  He did know that unless it did that she¡¯d be dead in a few minutes.  Suddenly scenes from hundreds of different movies came flooding into his mind.  Scenes of people pushing on the chests of people who had drowned, or they weren¡¯t breathing.


    He immediately knelt down next to her and put his hands, one over the other, in the middle of her chest and started to push down. He did it way to gently at first, but started adding more pressure as the seconds ticked away.


    ¡°Come on Ali, come on back.  It would be the stupidest thing I can think of to decide not to drown yourself, then die from drowning.¡±


    He had no Idea how long he had been pushing on  her chest, but he was beginning to fear it was too late, when she began coughing up water.  She jerked onto her side and kept coughing.  Jaius sat back and just watched her.


    After a minute or two, she stopped coughing and looked up at him.


    When he saw her looking at him, the relief that she wasn¡¯t dead left him and was replaced by a deep anger.


    He jumped up and picked up a rock.  He glared at her and then turned and threw it into the water.  He then reached for another and did the same, screaming his rage with each throw.


    Alianna had no idea what was going on.  She was soaking wet and Jaius was a few feet away, also soaking wet,  throwing stones in the water and yelling unintelligible things.


    ¡°Jaius¡­¡± She croaked.  ¡°Jaius, what are you doing?¡±  He didn¡¯t seem to hear her.


    ¡°Jaius!¡± she was finally able to yell.  Her throat and her chest hurt, and she felt like she had after the time she stuck that fork in the electric outlet.


    He stopped in mid throw and turned back to her, anger flashing in his eyes.


    ¡°What!¡±  he growled.


    She cringed back from him a little, her disorientation making it hard to resist that anger, ¡°What¡­Why are you so mad?¡±


    ¡°Why am I so mad!¡±  he said as he threw the rock into the ground.


    ¡°Friends might grow on trees for you Ali, but I haven¡¯t had one since we moved from Pittsburgh.  After all these years someone tells me they actually won¡¯t die just being seen with me, and then she goes and does something so stupid as jumping into water to investigate something that we know nothing about.  There shouldn¡¯t be lights at the bottom of this creek, Ali.  The fact that there are means that there is something totally strange going on.  But does that make you the least bit cautious?  No, you go running in without even trying to check for danger.  Then I come down here to find you floating face down in the water.  I¡­I thought you were dead, and I didn''t know what to do¡­and¡­¡±


    He knelt down, hung his head and began to cry.


    ¡°He¡¯s right, that was kinda stupid.¡±  She thought to herself as she tried to stand up.  Her legs felt like jello, but she was able to make it over to him.  She knelt down and closed her arms around him and laid her head on his shoulder.


    His whole body shook with his sobbing.  Three years of pent up grief poured out on her shoulder, but she didn¡¯t mind.  He was her friend now and this is what friends did for each other.  She felt so sorry for him, for what he¡¯d had to endure.  She felt a lot of guilt for not doing this back in sixth grade, when she first saw what the other kids did to him. She had had Alison, and since the other kids didn¡¯t bother them, she had been too scared to risk drawing their ire.


    She saw his hands clench the water soaked gravel at the edge of the creek, as if he was holding on to the only thing keeping him from falling into a pit.  She gently whispered soothing words into his ear, and rubbed his back like her mother did when she cried.  The breeze picked up a little, and it hit her like having ice dumped over her head.  She began to shiver.  This must have brought him back to himself, because his sobbing eased and he pulled away from her and looked at her with red, puffy eyes.


    She looked back at him, teeth chattering together.  His cheeks turned red with embarrassment.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Ali, sorry I yelled at you. Sorry you had to see me crying like a girl.  I was just so scared that you were dead.  We got to get home though before we get sick.¡±  His teeth had begun chattering just like hers


    ¡°Yeah¡­Yeahh¡­, I did..didn¡¯t think about being cold when I dove in the water either.¡±


    He stood, and then reached down to help her up. She  put her arm around his shoulder and put his around her waist to steady her.  She leaned on him for support, as if her legs weren¡¯t working right.


    ¡°Can you hand..d hand me my backpack?¡± she said through chattering teeth.  ¡°I have  my gym uniform in there annn..d a towel.  I had forgotten that  picture day had a short schedule.¡±


    Jaius thought for a moment and he also shivered violently as the wind tore through them and then smiled.


    ¡°Hey, I gooo¡­.ttttt  mine with me tttoo, and a decently large towel.  My mom must have forgotttteeen  that we didn¡¯t have morning classes too.  At least we have a spare set of clothes.¡±


    On the inside she did mentally scrunched up her face at the thought of wearing the very unstylish St Pious X gym uniform, but just as she was doing that the breeze blew through her again turning her blood to ice.


    The mental picture was erased and any thought of not putting it on went out the window.


    She took the bag from him and started to turn to head up to the trees for privacy.  She paused and looked over her shoulder.  She wasn¡¯t sure why this mattered, but she had read this type of scene in many of her books, and the information in those books was what she was running on at this point. Having never been stuck in the woods before with a boy.


    ¡°No peeking now.¡± she said sternly.


    He looked up from his bag.  ¡°Why would I peek at you changing?¡±


    That wasn¡¯t the response that always came in the books.  She faltered for a moment.


    ¡°I..I don¡¯t know, its always what the girl says when I read a scene like this in my books.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s the same way in the movies.  The girl goes off somewhere to change, but before she goes she tells the guy not to look.  I really am not sure why, but the guy usually doesn¡¯t listen and looks anyway.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t get it either, but just to be safe, don¡¯t look OK?¡±


    ¡°OK, same for you I guess. I¡¯ll get changed here.¡±


    ¡°Deal.¡±


    She nodded her head and then turned and moved up the incline to the trees.


    She walked slowly a few hundred yards up the hill and found a ring of bushes that should offer enough privacy.  When she opened her pack and got out the towel and fume uniform she got an added surprise to find her swimsuit wrapped up with her gym clothes as they had been using the pool at the nearby WYCA for Gym this semester.  She smiled at that additional, most welcome, accessory.


    While she changed she had time to assimilate what just happened.  All she remembered was there being glowing crystals on the creek bottom.  She dove down to investigate and had reached out to touch one.  There was a blinding flash of light and then all of a sudden she was laying on her side coughing up a lung.  She must have been knocked out.  But why hadn¡¯t she drowned?  Then she remembered how wet Jaius was and it all clicked into place.


    ¡°He saved my life.  He saved me and¡­ and he kept my mom from having to go through the vision I saw.¡±


    Gratitude, like she had never felt before flooded through her.  That was twice today he¡¯d saved her life. That feeling of gratitude did not go away.


    ¡°Well only one thing to do then, according to Nana¡¯s book.¡±  She hurriedly finished dressing.  She then put her swimsuit back in her pack and neatly folded her wet clothes and carried them  and the towel in her left hand.  She hurried back down the hill, trying not to think too much on what she was about to do.


    She saw him standing there.  He had gotten his Gym uniform on and was in the process of laying out his wet clothes and smiling as he lifted up a pair of swim trunks . She didn¡¯t even miss a step. She thought if she hesitated she wouldn¡¯t go through with it. So she kept going.


    Jaius heard something behind him and thinking it must be her he said ¡°Hey Ali, look I got my swim trunks¡­.¡±.   Was all he got out as he  saw  a flash of blond hair before two lips were pressing on his.   He had no idea how long they stayed there.  He didn¡¯t notice when his own lips pushed back,  something had shut down inside his mind, he had no Idea how to process this.


    Alianna pulled away.  Up till a minute ago she had believed with all that she knew that kissing a boy was  at the same time the grossest thing in any of the books she read and that which made her and Alison¡¯s heart flutter.  Even the scene in Nana''s book made her cringe and giggle every time she read it.  But as she backed away from him, she thought that that wasn¡¯t the grossest thing she¡¯d ever done.


    Once Alianna backed away from him, whatever mechanism had unhinged in Jaius¡¯s head, jumped back into motion.  The full realization of what had just happened came crashing down.  He began furiously wiping at his lips.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±  he spluttered.


    ¡°Every knight in armor deserves his reward for saving the damsel.  You saved my life twice today.¡±  her tone became more serious.  ¡°More importantly Jaius, and I will never be able to repay this, you kept that vision of my mom¡¯s face from coming true just now, you kept your word to me.¡±  She  smiled.  ¡°What are you on about anyway?  Are you telling me that I¡¯m a bad kisser?¡±


    He blushed furiously, but looked her in the face when he shook his head.


    ¡°No¡±


    ¡°Good, cause your not that bad yourself.¡± she said, sounding like she had all the experience in the world to draw from.


    He felt lightheaded and totally confused.  No girl had ever looked at him twice, let alone kissed him.  He had to admit to himself that it wasn¡¯t the torturous act that he had always made it out to be.


    He smiled a little, shook his head and proceeded to finish showing her the swim trunks.   Alianna smiled as she walked past him and set her wet clothes near his and slipped on her boots.


    ¡°I have mine too, I totally forgot about swim Gym at the Y.¡±


    As she got up she looked at herself and began to laugh.


    ¡°What is so funny?¡±  He said looking at her, trying to figure out what made her laugh.


    ¡°Me.  This has got to be the absolutely worst me  I¡¯ve ever seen.  Hair all out of wack, makeup running all over the place, Soft boots,  and a  St. Pious the X¡¯s  gym uniform.  Wow,  I¡¯m glad no one has a camera, if this got out, I¡¯d really never be able to¡­.¡±


    There was an audible click.  She looked back at him to see what had made the noise.  He was holding his iphone up in the air and pointing it at her.


    ¡°What was that?¡±


    ¡°Oh nothing.¡±


    Then a memory surfaced of everything the person at the Comcast store had told her that her phone could do.  It could take pictures.


    ¡°Jaius.¡± she said threateningly. ¡°Did you just take my picture?¡±


    ¡°Huh.  What do you mean? I¡­¡±


    ¡°Delete it now!¡±


    ¡°Um¡­nope.¡±  He gave her a huge grin, and he took off running up the hill.


    ¡°Get back here you louse!¡±  She took off after him.


    ¡°What is he thinking? He can¡¯t outrun me, he does have a nice grin though.¡±


    But as she ran her legs began to protest.  What ever had happened to her in the water had turned her legs to mush and her head kinda hurt.  Plus he was weaving in and out of the trees which made her have to keep changing direction.   Due to her impairments and his zigzagging, he was able to hold his own.


    After twenty minutes she had lost sight of him, she couldn¡¯t believe it.  There weren¡¯t many kids that could out run her.  She kept moving forward though and finally, she saw a light up ahead.  The trees must be thinning.  She ran past the last tree and would have run right off a cliff if Jaius hadn''t heard her coming and tackled her.  She hit the ground hard and all the breath left her.  She spent minutes on her back, trying to breath, and finding herself unable to get a breath.  She had had the wind knocked out of her once during a soccer game,  she remembered how scared she had been.  A good amount of that fear was returning now.  Slowly, she was able to bring in more and more air.


    When she opened her eyes he was looking down at her.


    ¡°Ali, I¡¯m so sorry, but at the speed you were going, you would have run right over the edge, and believe me you don¡¯t want to do that.¡±


    She could hear him trying to keep the fear out of his voice, but she knew something wasn¡¯t right.


    ¡°Its Okay Jaius.¡± She groaned. ¡°The edge of what?¡±


    ¡°That.¡± he said pointing to her right.  She looked right and saw the white mass of clouds extend toward the horizon, but the ground ended in a line not five feet from where she lay.  Fear began to creep up her spine.


    She stood up, with some help from Jaius.  It was a good thing that he had put his arm around her because she collapsed against him as she looked out upon something that shouldn¡¯t be there.


    They stood on an incredibly high cliff face.  She looked down over the edge and could see water sparkling far, far, below.  The cliff face itself seemed to slope back inward about a hundred feet down. Kind of like a man upside down candlestick she thought.  The cliff face  below her, as far as she could see, seemed to be made of gold.  She looked up and saw, opposite them, another cliff face about a mile away.   It too looked like it was made from gold and it sloped inwardly like the one below them.  As she followed it down she saw that these cliffs really did resemble an upside down candlestick.  In fact it was a pillar.   The gold stopped after a certain distance. Then it was replaced with silver, and then  other metals such as a layer of copper, Iron, and other minerals that were so far down the pillar  that she  couldn¡¯t make them  out.    There was also a fait  shimmer cascading up the face of the pillar.  At the border between metals there was a glittering ring of rainbow light.   The two cliffs went around and met each-other about a mile to their right and left.   It finally dawned on her what this was.  It was a massive hole that led down into some kind of subterranean lake.


    ¡°Just like the underground lake near the White Queen¡¯s city in the Silver Chair!¡±  She thought as excitement began to replace her fear.


    She moved away from Jaius, and began to bounce up and down.


    ¡°Ali what are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Jumping up and down with excitement.¡±  She giggled.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Cause we¡¯re in Narnia!¡±

 Chapter 8 Paltophern

    ¡°What¡¯s in a name? That which we call a rose By any other name would smell as sweet.¡±


    William Shakespeare


    Jaius stepped away from her and gave her his best ¡°Your Crazy¡± look.


    She spun around with excitement and shouted ¡°Aslan, Mr. Tumnus, Mr. and Mrs. Beaver.  We¡¯re here.¡±


    ¡°Ali, this isn¡¯t Narnia!¡±


    ¡°How do you know?¡±  she said as she stopped to regard him.


    ¡°Because we¡¯ve been here for hours and haven¡¯t seen anyone.¡±


    ¡°So.  In the second book it is days before the Pevensies come across any Narnians.¡±


    ¡°Was the sky like that at any point in the books?¡±


    She opened her mouth to respond, but then closed it.  She looked up and to the right as she skimmed through what she remembered of each book, and to her surprise she was able to remember more than she thought possible, she could almost see the words on the pages in her head. After a minute or two the air of excitement seemed to evaporate from her.


    She looked to her right again, across the gaping abyss, and then back at Jaius.


    ¡°No.¡±  extreme disappointment was full in her voice.


    Then like a light switch being turned on, it came back.


    ¡°Ok, maybe its not Narnia, but maybe its Middle Earth, or maybe we went through a Tesseract!¡±  She said excitedly.  ¡°We could be on some far distant planet in the galaxy.¡±


    ¡°A tesser¡­what?¡±


    ¡°You know, a Wrinkle in Time.  A tesseract is a folding of space.¡±


    ¡°Like a Worm hole?¡±


    ¡°Huh? No space, like outer space, it has nothing to do with worms.¡±


    He laughed a little.


    ¡°No, a worm hole. it¡¯s a tunnel through space that you can travel great distances through.¡±


    ¡°Yeah a tesseract.¡±  she said as if he had just confirmed her theory.


    He almost kept going but then shook his head.


    ¡°No! Ali, we haven¡¯t jumped into the pages of a story book, or into some movie, somehow, someway this is for real.  If we are on some distant planet, there might be no other life.  We may be the only sentient beings here.  Ali, I want to go home.  I¡¯ve been hungry for a while now, it didn¡¯t look like either of us had lunch today.  This isn''t a fantasy Ali, its real.¡±


    He knew right after he had said it that he had gone too far.  There was that feeling of hitting a brick wall, that he always got when he spoke before he thought.  He could see it all over her face, he had taken away her hope.


    Her lip began to tremble as she started looking around again, trying to find something from one of the books she read.  Some landmark that would tell her that even though this place was dangerous, there was somewhere safe to go.  Like Care Paravel, or Helm¡¯s Deep.  But everywhere she looked all she could see was an alien landscape and nothing that seemed even remotely familiar to her.  Just then her stomach decided to remind her that she had only eaten half an English muffin that day, and she was also getting thirsty.  The reality of the situation came crashing down on her.


    ¡°Ja¡­Jaius, I want to go home too.  I¡¯ve had enough adventure, I want to give my mom a really big hug and tell her I¡¯m sorry, over and over again.¡±


    He could see that she was waging a heroic war with the floodgates behind her eyes, but it looked like they were about to overwhelm her.


    ¡°Man, girls sure do cry a lot!¡±.  He went over to her and put his arm around her shoulders in what he hoped was a comforting move.


    It did not, however,  have the effect he had thought it would, because instead of calming her down, it let loose the floodgates.  She squeezed her arms around his back so tightly that he felt his ribs protest.  He was about to get freaked out by this, when he remembered that not a hour ago she was enduring the same water works from him.  He had never had a true friend before, but he did learn in that moment that this is what friends do for each other.  They are there for the other, no matter what is going on around them.


    ¡°What are we going to do?  We¡¯re going to freeze to death, or starve, or worse.¡±  She whined.


    Jaius had no answer for her, which after a moment seemed to make her cry harder.  It was almost as if she were looking to him to pull some great Idea out of his butt.


    ¡°Great, put all the responsibility on me.¡±  He did, however, have the wherewithal to not say that out loud.  A small voice poked into his head.  ¡°You¡¯re the knight, think of something.¡±


    All that came to mind was going back to the clearing, at least it was more familiar to them then what lay before them.  So he went with this.


    ¡°Hey, Ali.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±  she said despondently.


    ¡°I think I have an idea.  Look lets go back to the clearing by the creek.  Its at least somewhat familiar.  Plus we were standing there when the whole world changed.  Maybe it is just temporary.  If we wait there maybe we¡¯ll be able to go home, or wake up from this dream.¡±


    He felt her calm as he spoke.  When he was done she pulled away from him and looked up at him with puffy red eyes that were streaked by the makeup that had pretty much run all over her face.


    ¡°That sounds good to me.¡± She said with a sniff.  ¡°Gosh, you must think I¡¯m the world''s  biggest crybaby. Sorry for all the waterworks lately.  I¡¯m not usually Niagra Falls girl.¡±  Well, she had been cry- girl for the past year, but she didn¡¯t want him to think she was a freak.


    ¡°If I went through what you had today, It¡¯d be hard not to cry myself.¡±


    She smiled at that and then looked back at the tree line.


    ¡°Do you remember how to get back?  You did a lot of zig zagging.¡±


    ¡°I think so, I was thinking of just making a straight line in and then listening for the water.¡±


    ¡°That sounds like a plan.  Come on, lets go before it gets dark.  We may have to find a way to start a fire.¡±


    Jaius nodded and then began walking toward the trees.


    ¡°Oh, and Jaius, I haven¡¯t forgotten what made me chase you out here.  I want you to delete that picture.¡±


    He turned back toward her.


    ¡°I turned the phone off to conserve the battery, we might need the light at night, and the juice wont last forever.  I promise, you can watch me delete it the next time I turn it on.¡±  He chuckled a little as he began walking again.


    She made a frustrated sound.


    ¡°Boys! Why do all the princesses try to get them to notice them?  They aren¡¯t worth the trouble.¡±


    She stalked after him.


    She was silent as they walked.  Jaius would glance her way every-once in a while to see if she looked mad, but he couldn¡¯t read her expression.


    ¡°Ali, I¡¯m sorry about the pic. I really am going to delete it.¡±


    She looked at him and tried to see if he was sincere, or not.  After a moment or two of scrutiny she decided that he was being truthful.


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry too much about it.  I¡¯m not really mad. It just scared me, the thought that that picture would be seen by anyone else.  Especially because my makeup has run all over the place.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t do that Ali, not ever.¡±


    She definitely heard the truth in his voice.


    ¡°I know.  I guess it''s hard to trust someone with something that could embarrass you.  Alison Trendale used to be my best friend since we were five, until she dumped me for Keri Bellows and her cronies at the end of Sixth grade.    Alison has my diary and has been using it against me ever since she betrayed me.¡±  This was something Jaius already knew, but he  hadn¡¯t known how close they had been.  He wasn¡¯t sure if he should tell her that he heard about the dream she¡¯d had about Jim.   So he thought he would play dumb.


    ¡°Ah man! She has your diary.  How¡¯d she get it?¡±


    ¡°Well we were   best friends and best friends don''t have secrets, so we would switch our diaries every so often.  We had switched right before she abandoned me.¡±


    ¡°So you have her¡¯s then?  Why haven¡¯t you used it against her?¡±


    ¡°Believe me, I think about it every day, but then I¡¯d be the same as her and I don¡¯t want to become that.¡±  She sounded as if she would say more, but then said nothing.  He didn¡¯t press her on it.


    ¡°Yeah, I can see that.  What did you do to Keri Bellows anyway?¡±


    ¡°I have no Idea.  It''s like she just put the names of all the seventh graders in a hat and drew my name out of it.  She then decided to make my life a hell, just because.¡±


    ¡°No, I mean back at the Caff today.  Did you hit her in the face before you left?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± She stopped walking.


    ¡°Well, her eyes rolled back up into her head, and blood started pouring from her nose.  I thought maybe you popped her one.¡±


    ¡°Oh, my gosh!¡±  She said as she covered her mouth with her hand.  ¡°You mean I killed Keri.  I mean, I told her I wished she would die, but I didn¡¯t think it would actually happen.¡±  She looked like she was turning green. ¡°Oh no! I cursed her.¡±


    ¡°Whoa, Ali, take it easy, I don¡¯t think you cursed her.  I don¡¯t know what was going wrong with her body, but I highly doubt you did it.¡±


    ¡°But, but I told her that I hope she dies.  Jaius I¡¯ve never said anything that mean to someone before.¡±


    ¡°Ali, you weren¡¯t in your right mind at that moment.  You didn¡¯t know what you were saying.¡±


    ¡°Yes I did.  I had never had a more lucid moment in my life.  Jaius, I wanted to see her fall dead at my feet at that moment.  All I could feel was hatred for her.  Oh my gosh, I¡¯m a murderer!¡±


    ¡°You are not, look she was still breathing while she was laying on Jim''s lap.¡±


    A dark cloud momentary passed over her face and then was gone.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°You looked like you were about to engage your death ray or something.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Huh, Oh it was nothing.  Are you sure Keri was breathing?¡±


    Jaius was about to press the issue of her death ray, when some instinct told him that now wasn¡¯t the right time.


    ¡°Uh¡­yeah, I saw her breathing.¡±


    She seemed to not even notice his pause, as she let out a sigh and her face stopped looking so green.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never allowed it to get to me like that Jaius, I never wanted to hate anyone.  I told my mom once that I hated her.  It was the night before Alison betrayed me and I was super stressed out because I didn¡¯t know if Keri was going to let me into their group as she had with Alison, and when I came home my mom kept nagging me to help her and to clean this or that up, and help make dinner.  I was barely holding it together.  Then Simon, my little brother  threw up on me and that was it, I lost it.   I plopped him down in his highchair a little too hard  and was screaming at him.  So my mom grabbed my arm real hard and began yelling at me.  I couldn¡¯t take it, not from her on top of everything else.  I told her I hated her.¡±


    She stopped walking and looked at him, he saw a deep sorrow in her eyes.


    ¡°She let go of my arm like hers had lost all life, her face looked dead Jaius.  I started to cry and ran to my room.  That was one of the  few times in my life my Dad took his belt to me.  I really did deserve it though, especially after he explained to me what hate means.¡±  She swallowed hard and turned her head away to stare at the forest around them.


    ¡°He said that to hate someone is to want them to be tormented forever, for them to scream in agony every second of the day¡­.¡±  She inhaled deeply and let it out.  ¡°¡­and it also means that you want to stay there  for each second they are in pain so that you can enjoy their suffering.   I¡¯ll tell you what, I was apologizing to my mom for a month or more.  I got so annoying that she made up a ¡°Sorry Jar¡± so that every time is Said sorry I had to put a dollar into the jar


    Jaius¡¯s mouth was hanging open when she finished.  He had told Sis that he hated her for years now.  Maybe that was why she yelled at him all the time.  He didn¡¯t tell Alianna that though, she seemed to feel very strongly about hate, and he didn¡¯t want her to think ill of him.


    ¡°Wow.  I had no Idea that it meant that.  I think they need to update the dictionary.¡±


    ¡°Heh, yeah.¡±  She laughed uncomfortably.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Jaius, that¡¯s what I was feeling today in the caff when I told Keri that I wish she would die.  In  that moment  all I wanted was for her to suffer unimaginable torture, and find glee in watching her go through it.  But there is something else about it that I haven¡¯t been able to put my finger on.  There is something else that happened in that moment, but I can¡¯t remember.   It¡¯s very distracting, having a problem buzzing in your head and not being able to find an answer.¡±


    He placed his hand on her shoulder and squeezed.


    ¡°Welcome to my world.  My mind is usually focused on three problems at once.  Problem is that that makes it impossible to solve any of them.  Ali, you can¡¯t beat yourself up over this.  Keri and her crew have made both of our lives a living hell.  I don¡¯t believe anyone deserves to be hated, after the explanation that you gave, but Ali you were hurting, hurting worse then I can probably imagine.  I think the missing piece that you were mentioning is intent.  Cold intent.  You didn¡¯t plan to say that to Keri, so I chalk it up to temporary insanity.¡±


    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    ¡°Great, now I¡¯m insane!¡± She huffed.  But as she looked around her scowl turned to a look of worry.  ¡°Jaius, what if I am insane? What if I¡¯m sitting in some padded room right now in a straight jacket, and this is my delusion?¡±


    He pinched her arm.


    ¡°Ouch!¡±  She pinched him back.


    ¡°Hey, Ouw!¡± He started rubbing his arm.


    ¡°Well, why did you pinch me?¡±


    ¡°To show you this wasn¡¯t a dream or delusion.  Where here Ali and we better figure out how to get out of here¡¯ quickly or else we¡¯ll starve.¡±


    She was about to dispute his logic, but then decided she couldn¡¯t.  So, still rubbing her arm, she began walking again.


    ¡°No we won¡¯t,  I can hunt.¡±


    ¡°Huh?  Hey wait up!¡±  He hurried after her. ¡°What do you mean you can hunt?¡±


    ¡°My dad and I go hunting every year around thanksgiving.  I¡¯ve killed two bucks and three does.  He showed me how to clean them and cook the right pieces.  It¡¯s really kinda gross, but he always said that one buck would be enough meat for a winter, and all it cost him was the price of a bullet.¡±


    ¡°Ali.¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°Where are we going to get a rifle?  Unless the deer comes right up and lays its neck out for you to slit, I don¡®t think we¡®ll be eating meat anytime soon.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I guess you''re right.¡± She said glumly.


    ¡°Well, if it does happen though, then we will totally need your expertise.¡±


    She turned her head and smiled at him.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± she said.


    A few minutes later they entered the clearing.  The creek was bubbling along its merry course, just as it had been when they left it.  The strange twinkle of lights still emanated from the water.


    Alianna went over to stand by the creek.  She stared intently at the glowing crystals that lay scattered along the bottom.


    Her joints still ached worse then she let on to Jaius. Whatever those stones did to her, it wasn¡¯t something that seemed to be going away quickly.   She needed to investigate them again, maybe they were what brought them here, if she could only bring one up with her.  Touching them was out of the question.  She looked around for something she could use to pluck one out with.   After a few moments her eyes locked on a branch that had fallen on the ground a couple of feet away.  It had a split at the end, and the split looked like it would be able to cradle one of the stones.


    As she walked over to  the stick she became aware of how much she needed a bath.  She had run for miles today, and her makeup probably made her face look like a lab experiment.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±  Jaius yelled from where she had left him at the top of the small rise.


    She went over and  picked up her swimsuit. She turned her head away as she blushed.  ¡°¡­I need a bath.¡± she said in just above a whisper. Her cheeks reddened as she thought of how awful she looked.


    ¡°Huh, what did you say?¡±


    ¡°I need a bath!¡±  Her voice went a few octaves higher than normal. She said holding out her swimsuit and waving it at him.


    . ¡°Oh¡­Oh, yeah well, no problem there, you a¡­you just go ahead and I¡¯ll go gather some firewood¡­yeah that¡¯s it firewood.¡±  He said in a traffic-jam of words and then turned on his heel and walked back into the woods.


    She stood looking at the spot where he had just been standing and shook her head.


    She pulled her fingers through her hair and drew a handful of it in-front of her face to inspect it.  It looked like hair that belonged to someone who had just run three miles and then gone traipsing around the woods for hours.


    ¡°I wish I had some shampoo.  Oh well.¡±  She let her hair fall.


    She went over behind some bushes and put on her swimsuit.


    She swam out to the center of the creek.   As she treaded water over the glowing crystals, she scanned the area around her once more.    She then looked down where the crystals were, grabbed the branch more tightly, then she took a deep breath and dove down toward the crystals.  There were three right below her.  They each gave off a vibrant golden glow.   She reached the branch out and barely touched one of the crystals. There was no jolt of energy.  Just as she withdrew it and went up for air did she realize how monumentally stupid that just was.  What if the energy had gone through the stick to her.  She¡¯d be floating face down in the creek again and this time, Jaius wouldn¡¯t be around to save her.


    ¡°Am I subconsciously still trying to kill myself?¡±  She whispered sullenly as a new fear began to take hold of her.  Could she still be trying to kill herself and not know it?


    She didn¡¯t dwell on that for long, and pushed that thought deep down in her mind.


    She dove back down and then jabbed the forked end of the branch into the creek bottom near one of the stones.   She had to push really hard to get the branch to move into the sediment at the bottom.   She tried to lever the stone out  but her lungs were already burning.  So she left the branch stuck in the bottom and went back up for air.   She swallowed a good amount as she opened her mouth too early.  She had been swimming in a creek near Alison¡¯s house before and the water had tasted gritty and bitter.  This water tasted as pure as any she had ever had.  There was even sweetness to it.   She took in a mouthful and swallowed.  She could feel something spreading to her aching joints.  It was a warmth that radiated through her body.   Within minutes the pain was gone.   She felt more alive than ever before.  Almost like she had really been dead, and was now really alive.


    Feeling full of energy she dove down again and grabbed the branch.   She pushed down with all her might and on the second push the crystal came free.   As soon as it left the creek bed it stopped glowing.   She went to the surface and carefully brought up the crystal.  It looked like some type of gem, but there was definitely no light coming from it any more.   She swam slowly to shore, being careful not to drop the odd stone.   When she could put her feet down she gently extended the branch, set the stone on the shore and  then tossed the branch next to the stone.  She then swam back out and proceeded to wash her face and hair as best as she could.  When she was done she swam back to the shore.  This was the most amazing water she had ever been in.  She felt exhilarated, it was similar to the feeling that she got when she scored a goal in soccer.


    She got out of the water and dried herself off with the towel and then went back to the privacy of the bushes and put her odd assortment of clothes back on.   She then went over to the crystal.  She took a deep breath and then reached out to touch it.  Her fingertips brushed the smooth faceted surface, but there was no jolt of energy this time.   Feeling reassured by this she picked the crystal up and set it in the palm of her hand.   She went and sat down on the grass and pulled her legs up under her.   She then stared deeply into the crystal, trying to glean any secrets it might have.


    That was how Jaius found her as he came out of the trees on top of the rise that overlooked the clearing.  He stared down at her as he adjusted the bundle of sticks and twigs in his arms.


    ¡°What are we going to do Ali?¡±  He said softly to himself.  ¡°I have dreamed about something like this my whole life.  I used to ask my mom why I couldn¡¯t jump into the T.V. and join the adventure.   Now here I am surrounded by adventure, and all I want to do is go home.¡±  He heaved a heavy sigh and then continued on down into the clearing.


    She had been staring intently at the facets that made up the gem, when she heard someone coming behind her.  Logic should have told her that it was only Jaius, but logic wasn¡¯t with her just at the moment.  She jumped up  and spun around to level the crystal at her would-be assailant.


    ¡°Stop right there or I¡¯ll¡­¡±  She said in a high pitched raspy voice.


    ¡°Huh? Hey what the heck is that and why is it pointed at me?¡±


    ¡°Wow,  Jaius, I¡¯m glad it''s you I was afraid¡­well I¡¯m not sure what I was afraid of but I¡¯m just glad it was you.¡±  she lowered the stone and then turned to inspect the bundle in his hands.


    ¡°Wow,  great job on the branches, now all we need is some way to light it.¡±


    He found he was actually able to grin when she complimented him.


    ¡°Hey!¡±  She said a smile  appeared on her lips as well. ¡°You took a compliment.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it''s crazy weird, but that dark shadow that always falls over me when someone compliments me is hardly there.¡±


    ¡°Awesome!¡±


    ¡°What is that anyway?¡±  He said, nodding to the crystal in her hand.


    ¡°I got it off of the creek bottom.  It¡¯s a crystal. There are a group of them at the bottom of the creek out there and they are what is causing the glowing lights.  I thought maybe it could help us start a fire and maybe even help us get home, like maybe these are what brought us here.¡±


    ¡°The bottom?  You dove down to the bottom right before you were knocked out. Was it the crystal that hurt you?¡±


    She lowered her voice as she nodded her head.  ¡°It''s also what almost killed me when you found me floating in the water.  I touched it and some kind of energy leapt through me, like I stuck the fork in the socket again.¡±


    ¡°You mean, you knew those things were dangerous and yet still went back in after one.  I wasn¡¯t anywhere near here Ali, if it had hurt you again, you¡¯d be¡­.you¡¯d be¡­.¡±


    She watched as his face started to turn red.  He stalked past her and dropped the bundle of wood in his arms in the middle of the clearing.  He then continued on to stand by the creek.


    Alianna looked down at the crystal and mentally berated herself again for being so rash.  She then turned and walked over to stand next to Jaius.


    ¡°Jaius, look, you got every right to be mad.  I put myself in danger without much thought.   That¡¯s what¡¯s scaring me though.¡±


    She reached out to grab his arm and turn him toward her because he didn¡¯t look like he was paying attention to her.  When she grabbed it though he pulled it away and turned his back to her.


    She stepped around in front of him, and as he went to turn his back on her again, she reached out and grabbed both of his arms and struggled to keep him facing her.


    ¡°What!¡±


    She cringed a little when he yelled at her, which seemed to make him recoil a  little too.


    He heaved a sigh.  ¡°What.¡±  he said in a softer tone.


    ¡°Jaius that¡¯s what¡¯s scaring me.  I went in there after that stone without thinking of the bad things that could happen.  I don¡¯t want to kill myself anymore Jaius, but what if something is broken in my head.  What if subconsciously I¡¯m still trying to end my life? Jaius, I don¡¯t want to die!¡±


    He heard the fear in her voice, which told him that this wasn¡¯t some excuse made up to ease his anger.  He had heard of psychology, and it was brought up a lot in the shows and movies he watched, but he was no expert.  Could Ali be trying to end her life without her being aware of it?


    ¡°Ali, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll stay with you.  I¡¯ll make sure that you don¡¯t do anything that could hurt you.   We¡¯ll just stay together okay, if we need wood we¡¯ll both go get it.  If we want to go swimming, we¡¯ll stay here, and make sure the other makes it out of the water.  I won¡¯t let you hurt yourself .¡±


    She took a deep breath, and nodded, and then let it out.


    ¡°Thank you Jaius, thank you for just being here.  I think if I had wound up in this place alone without any way back, I¡¯m not sure I wouldn¡¯t have just jumped off that cliff back there.  A lifetime without the ability to interact with someone seems like hell to me.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ah¡­your welcome.  Thanks for not being disappointed that it was me you got stuck with.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure I can  think of anyone else from our school that I¡¯d want to be here.  You''re pretty cool and you''re not a jerk like, well like pretty much every other kid there.¡±


    ¡°What about Jim?  You seemed to like being around him.¡±  he said as a little depression made his voice lower.


    She looked away from him when he said that, out over the flowing water. Twelve hours ago she would have picked Jim over Jaius.


    ¡°I thought Jim was the greatest, thought he was so cool, but he just turned on me at lunch, Keri had told him all these lies about me.  She¡¯d said that I used to pick on her and Trudi, and he believed her. Without having asked me if it was true, he just believed her.  How can you just take someone¡¯s word for something, without investigating it.  To me, that¡¯s the ultimate form of laziness.¡±  She turned back to him.  ¡°Nope, I''m glad it''s you.  You saved my life twice and you haven¡¯t lost your head, which I¡¯m thinking most of the other boys would have.¡±  She reached out, squeezed his shoulder and then walked past him back to where the stack of wood was.


    He stood there for a few moments looking out at the water and the strange lights that danced on its surface.  He rubbed the spot where she had squeezed his shoulder.  What were they going to do?  They had water, but no food, no shelter, no way to get home.  He¡¯d sat on his butt playing video games and watching T.V. for most of his life.  He knew almost nothing of living off the land.  It was cool that Ali knew how to hunt, but without a weapon that was going to be difficult, if not impossible.  Even if they did catch something, they had no fire to cook it with.


    ¡°There!¡±  She exclaimed.


    Jaius turned around to see what she was excited about.  She was crouching near   the spot that he had left the stack of wood.  It was now made into a tepee shape with the bigger logs on the bottom crossed over each other.  There were even some dead leaves set at the bottom and stones ringing the fire in.  How long had he been standing there letting the list of things they didn¡¯t have  build up his fear level.


    ¡°Where¡¯d you get that idea from?¡±


    ¡°I watch my dad whenever he makes a fire in the fireplace and when we go camping,  this is how he sets up the wood.¡±


    He shook his head as he turned and walked over to her.


    ¡°What?¡± she said a bit defensively.


    He sat down on the ground and looked at the pile of wood.  ¡°I was just thinking that I¡¯m the lucky one here.  If I had been stuck here with any of the other girls at our school, they¡¯d be whining and crying all over the place, and I doubt that any of them would have known how to set up a fire, or even how to hunt.  I¡¯m just saying,  "I''m glad that, if I had to be stuck here, I''d be glad it was with you.¡±


    She blushed a little at the complement. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    She felt a warm feeling in her heart just then. ¡°It''s been a long time since I dared to hope that I could trust someone again, maybe, just maybe I can trust Jaius.¡±  After a moment of reflection she sat down, on the other side of the pile from him.  She shook her head at the oddity of their situation and then she lifted the crystal up to her face again and began to peer into it, as if looking deep enough would reveal its secrets.  After minutes of not finding any, she began to feel so lost and helpless, she thought that she might as well try God again, maybe wherever they were closer to him.


    ¡°Hi God, It¡¯s Ali.  Not sure where we are, or even if you can hear us here.  I¡¯m sorry about what I wanted to do today, I know it isn¡¯t something that you like. God, if you can hear us here in this place, could you send us something to light the fire with?¡±


    She didn¡¯t receive any loud booming voice or even a tiny whisper.  She heaved a heavy sigh and went back to her study of the crystal.  As she was looking at it,  a song popped into her head.  It was one of the ones that Jim had shown her this morning.  It was called Kathy¡¯s Song.  As she looked into the crystal she found that she could hear the words as distinctly as if they were being pumped into her ears right this moment.  She had really, really liked that song,  it made her feel like she was in her dad¡¯s truck with her head leaning against the window, watching the houses and trees fly by as they went past.  She began to sing the song she heard playing in her head.  She had been told she had a very  pretty voice, but she could never be sure if the people that said this were just being nice, or if they were telling the truth.


    ¡°I hear the drizzle of the rain, like a memory it falls.  Soft and warm continuing, tapping on my roof and walls.  And from the shelter of my mind, through the window of my eyes, I gaze beyond the rain drenched streets, to England where my heart lies.¡±


    At first Jaius didn¡¯t know what to make of her all of a sudden starting to sing.  He quickly stopped worrying about it as the song and her voice took away some of the fear he had been drumming up as he stood by the water a few moments ago.


    ¡°My mind is distracted and diffused.  My thoughts are many miles away. They lie with you when you''re asleep, and kiss you when you start your days.¡±


    As she hit the last note the crystal flared with a bright flash.  There was a loud cracking noise and the crystal broke in half.  She shrieked and drooped both halves, and scooted away from them. One half tumbled too close to the wood and some of the residual energy arced to the dried leaves and began them burning.  Jaius had also scooted away when he saw the flash.  When he looked back the fire was beginning to work its way onto the larger branches.  He was transfixed by the fire for a few moments, but then what just happened caught up to him.  He looked around for Ali, hoping she was alright.  He saw her sitting about ten feet from where she had been.  She had wrapped her arms around herself and was trembling.


    He jumped up and hurried over and knelt down beside her.  He raised his arm to put it around her shoulders but hesitated.  He wasn¡¯t sure if it was something he should do.  He looked at her for some indication if it was OK, but all she did was tremble and keep her eyes locked on the crystal shards.


    Jaius had a movie flashback to the Dark Crystal and Jen the Gelfling staring intently at the crystal shards at Ougrah''s trying to discern which one was the one that came from the Dark Crystal.  It was the music illuminating the shard that made him think of it.  Jen, unable to figure out which of the multiple shards were the right one, finally pulled out his pan pipe and started to play.  As he played, one of the shards began to glow a dark purple.  He shook his head, clearing out the memory.  ¡°That must be it, the crystal responded to her singing.¡±  He sat down and put his arm around her.


    It took her a little bit, but slowly she was able to tear her eyes away from the crystals.  She felt someone¡¯s arm around her, and for a moment forgot that she wasn¡¯t alone.  She tensed slightly but then the momentary amnesia was gone and she looked over to see Jaius kneeling next to her.


    ¡°Are you ok?¡± he said.


    ¡°Yea¡­Yeah.  No fork in the socket this time, it just really scared me. I¡­I thought that, well the last time I saw that flash of light I almost died.  Guess I didn¡¯t have a chance to be afraid that time, so this time I¡¯m making up for it.¡±  She was still trembling.


    ¡°Hey, you must be cold, why don¡¯t we go back to the fire.¡±


    She looked back at the crystals, and hesitated.


    ¡°We can sit on the other side, where I was.¡±


    ¡°O¡­OK.¡±


    He helped her up and they went and sat down next to each other on the other side of the fire from the crystals.


    As they sat there looking into the flames, she continued to tremble.  He put his arm around her shoulders again. It took her a few minutes, but as she lay her head on his shoulder the trembling began to ease.  He looked down at her face to see if she was feeling better, and noticed that her eyes kept darting back to the half of the crystal that hadn¡¯t started the fire.  He knew this was really eating at her.  ¡°Ali¡±.


    She tore her eyes away from the crystal and looked up at him.  ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I think I know what happened with the crystal.  I saw it in a movie.  The main character played his flute and the music made the crystal that he was looking for glow.  I...I think that your singing is what made the Crystal react like that. Somehow some way singing makes the Crystal glow.¡±


    She looked at him like he had two holes in his head. ¡°But...but why did it hurt me underwater then? I wasn''t singing.¡±  She said  looking at the crystal again like it might set her on fire any minute.   ¡°I..I don''t know.¡± He said helplessly.   He racked his brain for something to get them off this topic, then it hit him.


    ¡°What should we name our world?¡± He said nonchalantly.


    She lifted her head with a bewildered look on her face.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Our world, where we are now.  It''s definitely not Earth, and it is possible that we could be here for a while, so we really should give the place a name.¡±


    She still had the bewildered look on her face as she turned back to the fire.  It was as if only half of what he had said had filtered through the fog of fear that gripped her.


    ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t know, I guess.  What do you think we should call it?¡±  She did not take her eyes off the crystal as she spoke.


    ¡°Paltophern.¡± He said with excitement.

 Chapter 9 The Mist

    I enter the world called real as one enters a mist.


    Julian Green


    She mouthed the odd word a few times before repeating it.


    ¡°Paltophern? I¡¯ve never heard that word before.  I¡¯ve read a lot of books Jaius and I¡¯ve never seen it in any of them.¡±


    ¡°Ok genius now what?  Are you going to tell her that it¡¯s a word you just made up?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s from a Science fiction show I watched.  It was a world where there were no humans in it.¡±   He figured a little white lie couldn¡¯t hurt, plus it had gotten her focus off of those crystals.


    She gave him a weird look, said the word out-loud a few more times, and then shrugged.  ¡°I guess since this probably isn¡¯t Narnia or Middle Earth, then it wouldn¡¯t be right to use them as names. So, Paltophern it is.¡±  She said with a nod.


    ¡°Cool, well Ali, welcome to Paltophern.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, what is there to do in lovely Paltophern?¡±


    ¡°Well, we have swimming in Crystal Creek.  A nature walk in the Endless Forest.  And the scenic outlook on top of the Hole, and no trip to Paltophern would be complete without gazing into the Uber-Cloud.¡±


    She smiled at the names he gave the places that they had been.  She looked up when he mentioned the cloud and her eyes went wide and her mouth dropped open.  ¡°Ju¡­Jaius¡­¡±. She stammered as she pointed up at the sky.  He turned and looked up to see a large part of the Uber-cloud missing.  The opening took the form of  a large rectangle.  Through the rectangle showed the silvery light of a moon, although it seemed like you were looking at the moonlight from the bottom of a pool.   Jaius marveled at how closely it resembled the Earth¡¯s moon.  There were bright twinkling stars shining through as well.  They both stared in awe at the awesomeness and beauty of this sight.  Their revelry was interrupted by her stomach beginning to growl and it didn¡¯t seem to want to stop.  She couldn¡¯t remember ever going this long without eating before.


    ¡°Yours too huh?¡±  He Said as he tore his eyes away from the sky.   ¡°Mine has felt like it had a black hole in it for a while now.  A lot of the movies I watch say that you can survive for a week or two without food as long as you have water.¡±


    Her gaze shifted form the window of sky above them to the gently flowing creek next to them.   ¡°Ohhh that water is awesome, Jaius.  After I got jolted by the crystals all my joints hurt.  I drank some of that water and all the pain left me.  I don¡¯t even feel tired right now.  You need to try some.¡±  She looked him up and down and then pinched her nose. ¡°You could use a bath too.¡±  She said, smiling and giggling.


    He felt embarrassment start to well up, but then he found himself stopping it. He realized that she was right, he did need one, and also he realized that she was his friend.  That when she was giggling at him, it wasn¡¯t meant to hurt him.  She was just joking around with him.  It might even be how friends show affection for each other.  He wasn¡¯t sure, he¡¯d never really had a friend like this before.  For now though he was going to go on the assumption that she was just joking around with him.


    ¡°Heh, yeah, I guess you¡¯re probably right.¡± he said as he laughed a little.


    She smiled and shook her head.  ¡°Believe me, I¡¯m not making fun of you, I was a gross mess before I got in.¡±


    ¡°I know, I got the picture to prove it.¡±  He said with a grin.


    Her smile lessened.  ¡°I know.¡± she said with more sullenness than he had expected.


    He felt a little hurt, that it was ok for her to joke with him, but not for him to joke around with her.  He didn¡¯t let it get to him though.  Instead he pulled out the iphone and turned it on.  He moved over to her and knelt down.  He pulled up the picture he had taken of her and pulled up the delete option.  He held it out to her.


    ¡°Sorry I¡¯ve been messing with you on this.  I thought you¡¯d like to do the honors.¡±


    She looked at it for a minute, looked up to him, looked into his eyes and then shook her head.


    ¡°Nope, you keep it.  I trust you Jaius.  Alison burned me, but if I go around believing that everyone is out to betray me, I¡¯m going to have a pretty lousy life.  You¡¯re my friend and there are no secret between¡­¡± She looked up at him and smiled.  ¡°¡­.between best friends.¡±


    He¡¯d never had someone call him their best friend before.  ¡°Wow, I¡¯ve never been that to anyone before, a best friend that is.  ¡°Wha¡­What do best friends do?¡±


    She smiled and shoved him back, playfully.


    ¡°Well first off they take baths before coming over to their best friend''s house.¡±  She said giggling.


    He laughed with her.  ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯m going, I¡¯m going.¡±  He stood, turned off the iphone and headed over to the creek.  He saw their wet clothes laying there.


    ¡°Hey, Ali, now that we have a fire,  we  can dry our clothes.¡±


    ¡°Oh man, I didn¡¯t even think about it.¡±  She got up and came over to him.  ¡°Thank God that fire got going.  It will be kinda comforting to get my regular clothes on.  I may be in an alien world, but at least I got something that will remind me of normalcy.¡± She gathered the wet clothes and then took them over to where the fire was.   She laid them out as close to the fire as she dared, and then walked back over to him. ¡°Thanks for reminding me.


    ¡° It¡¯s alright¡±  He went over and picked up his swim trunks and then looked at her. ¡°No peeking.¡±


    She laughed.  ¡°You got it.¡±


    He went over to the same grouping of bushes and changed into his swimsuit.  He stole a look back and saw her sitting with her back to him with her hands over her eyes.  She was  singing again, and the crystals were glowing in a way that lit the entire clearing with a light that made every last detail of plant and earth stand out in amazing clarity.  He marveled at the sight for a long moment, but then turned away and walked back down to the clearing and into the creek.  As the ground sloped downward he began to swim out to the middle.  When he was treading water right over the crystals he looked down at them.  Their soft glow  was twinkling up at him.  He was about to dive down to look, when he noticed something.  There was no current at this spot in the creek.  He had felt it pulling at him as he swam out, but when he got to this point there was nothing.  It was like a dead zone or something.  He tried to think of how this could be but came up with nothing.  So he shrugged and dove down into the water.  He hovered just above the crystals, taking care not to touch them.  As he was immersed in it, he definitely felt the difference in the water that Ali had mentioned.  This was the cleanest water he¡¯d ever been in.  It didn¡¯t sting his eyes, and there was now grittiness, or cloudiness.


    He went back to the surface and took a deep breath.  He then took a drink from the creek.  She was right, there was a sweetness to the water and he could feel the aches in his muscles start to ease.  ¡°What the heck is this place?  The air is different, the water is different, and it has glowy crystals at the bottom of the creek.¡±


    She had heard him in the water and so thought it safe to turn around and check on him.  She had to make sure that he hadn¡¯t touched one of those crystals.  She saw him come up for air and waved at him.  He waved back and then dove down again.  She picked up his clothes and carried them back to the fire where she laid them out near her''s.  She stood up and looked at the creek again.  When he came up she shouted, ¡°Isn¡¯t the water awesome?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you were right about it making you feel better.¡±  Something about the clearing seemed different.  He looked up at the sky.  The light all around them seemed dimmer.  ¡°Ali, does it look darker to you?¡±


    The smile faded from her face, and she looked at the clearing before her.


    ¡°Yeah, it does.  Looks like Paltophern has a night time too.¡±


    ¡°We better go get more wood. And we may need you to sing to the crystal again and make it light the fire if it goes out.¡±


    ¡°Do we really have too?¡± She said timidly as she looked down at the thing that had almost killed her.


    He swam to the shore and  turned toward the camp.   She had turned her back to him, but he saw where she was looking at the crystal shards.  She began to rub  her arms as she stared at the faceted gem.  He came and stood next to her.  ¡°We should try Ali, we might need it.  Don¡¯t worry I¡¯ll be right there with you.  I¡¯m going to go dry off and get changed.¡±  ¡°No looking.¡±  They both said at the same time, which made them laugh.  The laughter allowed her to tear her eyes away from the crystal, and she turned and stood by the shore watching the water flow past her.


    ¡°Right!¡±  She blushed a little and moved.  She could hear him moving along the path toward the bushes.   She began to become aware of how clearly she could hear him moving about.  She¡¯d never thought she had poor hearing, but this was something more than what it had been.  After a little bit she heard him walking up behind her.  He laid his towel out near hers and then held his hands out to the fire.


    ¡°Ready to get some more firewood?¡± She said feeling more energetic then she knew she should.


    ¡°Yeah, there were a lot of branches that were wet.  It took me a while to find ones that were dry.  Actually I was kind of surprised that the ones I found caught fire, cause they looked like they had just fallen today.  I had heard that branches that had just come off the tree were hard to get lit.¡±


    Alianna looked at the fire and saw that there didn¡¯t seem to be any problem with the wood catching fire.  This drew her attention to the crystal and she wondered if it was the energy from the crystal that had made the new wood light.  She shivered a little at the power that the stone held.


    ¡°Yea..Yeah, my Dad told me the same thing when he taught me how to make a fire.¡±


    Jaius noticed the hesitation in her voice and saw her looking at the crystal again.  He had to hide that thing from her.  After a moments thought he landed on an Idea.  He walked over and grabbed his backpack and then went to where the crystal was laying.  He picked up the shard that started the fire and placed it in the bag.  Once it was secure he went to where the other shard had fallen.  He studied it as he lifted it off the ground.  This shard seemed to have a  razor-sharp edge.  In fact, it looked a lot like a knife.  ¡°Ali look we can use this half as a knife!¡±


    She looked at what he held up but then grimaced and turned away.  He groaned inwardly.  He often wondered why he always spoke before thinking.  ¡°Sorry Ali, I¡¯ll just put it with the other one for now.¡±  He placed the crystal knife into his pack.


    ¡°Thanks.¡±  She said sighing with relief.


    They spent the next hour gathering wood.  It was pretty hard to find wood that wasn¡¯t still wet.  They concluded that it must have rained before they got there and that was why all the wood was soaked.  As she gathered wood, she listened to the forest.  They had heard birds  and other animals before, but now she could hear them so much more distinctly.  Something was happening to her, her hearing was improving. ¡°How can that be?¡±


    ¡°Jaius.¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°Something is going on with me.  I¡­I can hear a lot better than I was able to this morning.  It almost seems like super hearing or something.¡±


    ¡°Ah, come on Ali, there¡¯s no such thing as super hearing, in people anyway.¡±


    ¡°Jaius, there is no such thing as Paltophern, but here we are.¡±


    ¡°Well, yeah, I guess you have a point.¡±  He thought for a moment.  ¡°It could have something to do with this being another world.  I mean, with all the noise that is constantly around us on Earth, cars, planes, people, lights, maybe it is just your ears adjusting to the new silence?  Or it could be like what happened to Superman.  He came to a different world and got all of these superpowers.  Maybe Paltophern is turning us into mutants.¡±


    She looked dubious, and somewhat concerned at the excitement she heard in his voice when he said ¡°Mutants¡±, but there was little logic that she could gather up to discount either theory.   ¡°I guess it''s possible, but think back over the past few hours, have you noticed if you could do something that you couldn¡¯t do this morning?¡±


    He thought back over the past few hours and the one thing that stood out was that he had been able to stay ahead of Alianna when she was chasing him through the woods.  He hadn¡¯t even lost his breath when he reached the cliff.  ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t get winded when we were running through the woods.¡±


    ¡°Yeah that¡¯s right! But when we first got here you couldn¡¯t even walk fast without  losing your breath.  You''re right, I got super hearing and you have super breath!  Oh my gosh!  We are mutants. ¡±


    ¡°Great, I


    I finally get the chance to be an X-Man and my power is supper breath?¡±


    ¡°Well as long as it''s not super bad breath.¡±  She jibed at him.


    That struck a nerve. ¡°Or radar ears¡± he shot back, perhaps with a bit more vehemence than he really wanted..


    They both paused, as they had to fight down the hurt feelings that served as a defense mechanism.  They knew the other wasn¡¯t being mean, but old habits die hard.


    After a moment or two they both began to laugh, tentatively at first, but then full on.


    ¡°Good one Ali!¡±


    ¡°Thanks, you too.¡±


    ¡°Jaius?¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°Do you think that the jokes they play on us could be just as good natured as the ones we just made on each other?  Maybe we were just misunderstanding the other kids?¡±


    He lowered his head and thought.  After a moment he raised it and shook it back and forth.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°Ali, I know you want to sit at that table, to be part of them, but¡­Ali, they are mean and there is no way around it.¡±


    ¡°But, they were nice to me Jaius, Mandy Furlon invited me on a trip as soon as I met her.  Maybe to be cool, you have to take jibes and give them too.¡±


    He shook his head and put his pile of wood down on the ground. ¡°Ali¡­They had something planed for you today, something out of a Stephen King movie.   I¡­I over heard Keri talking to Alison.   They were just outside one of the lockers that I had been thrown into.¡±  He was about to go right on omitting the Diary, because then she would know that he told a white lie earlier,  when he seemed to not know that Alison had it.  He would not have mentioned it had he not found himself looking her in the eyes.  As he looked into her eyes, he knew he couldn¡¯t lie to her, not when so many had.


    ¡°What were they going to do Jaius?¡±


    He looked her in the eyes.  ¡°Ali, I¡¯ll tell you that in a minute.  I got to tell you this, because I kinda panicked an hour or so ago, and I kinda acted like I didn¡¯t know something when I really did.  I¡­I knew Alison had your diary, I even know where she is keeping it.  I am so sorry that I lied, I just wanted you to know that.  I won¡¯t lie to you again Ali, I promise.¡±


    She was already on edge, waiting to hear the awful thing the A crowed had planed for her.  Him telling her that he lied to her set her kettle boiling.  Just as she was about to let him have it, something inside of her stopped the fireworks.  They had both been scared earlier.  Of this place and of each-other.  She felt the kettle cool off.  She was still a little miffed at him though, so she dropped her pile of wood and walked away a few yards and stood looking off into the trees.  After thinking it over for a few moments, she decided that that little slip wasn¡¯t worth her hurting the friendship they¡¯ve started.  She turned around to see a few tears leaking from his eyes.


    ¡°He did tell the truth.¡± She thought.  She hurried over to him set her hand on his shoulder.


    ¡°Its Ok Jaius, I forgive you.  Don¡¯t worry about it , OK?¡±


    ¡°OK.¡±  He said in a heavy voice.


    She stepped back and  looked him in the eyes.  ¡°Now what did they have planned?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure you want to know, it was pretty bad, and it might make you feel worse.¡±


    ¡°I need to know in case they try to pull it off once we get back¡±


    He was about to say ¡°If we get back,¡± but thought better of it at the last moment, and instead proceeded to tell her all that he had heard.


    She went more pale the more he told her.  He stopped halfway through, but she made him go on.  When he was done she turned and began to walk through the trees.  When it looked like she wasn¡¯t going to stop he went after her.  He caught up to her, but she didn¡¯t look at him so he just walked along next to her in silence.


    Her mind kept playing the scene he had described over and over again.  It had been the entry she had prayed Alison wouldn¡¯t remember.  ¡°Why God, why did you let that happen?¡±  But then the thought hit her that it didn¡¯t happen.  ¡°Sorry God, I guess you did stop that event from happening, but why did all this happen?¡± She didn''t get an answer,  but she then compared it to what had happened in the caff, how Keri had poisoned Jim against her, and how Jim had just turned on her.  ¡°Not much difference between the two.  Same result as well.  Why God,  why are we here?¡±


    She slowed as they came to the tree line.  She went very close to the edge of the  cliff and looked out across the void that lay before her.  Jaius came up next to her and placed his hand in hers.  ¡°Thanks Jaius, I need some support right now.¡±  She squeezed his hand tightly and didn¡¯t let go.


    He felt her squeeze his hand.  The tingling was still there, but, it didn¡¯t scare him anymore, so he kept his hand in hers.


    She looked out upon the alien landscape.  The land on the far side of this chasm was a spattering of woodland and plains.   Far toward the horizon she thought she saw the gray shadows of mountains.  There was no crystal city however.  She felt a twinge of disappointment.  Paltophern is definitely alien, but so far no people or cities or even animals, although they could hear them.


    ¡°Ali, you beat them you know.  They threw all they had at you and your still here.  Please don¡¯t let this get you down Ali, we are far enough away now that the Bellows can¡¯t hurt us.  No one can.¡±


    She looked at him and smiled.  ¡°We¡¯re safe then, safe from the monster¡¯s in the dungeon.  Safety is an odd sensation, I haven¡¯t felt safe in a long time, I guess I had forgotten what it felt like.¡±  She took a deep breath and then let it out.  She sat down and so he joined her.  They listened to the sound of far away animals, and reveled in the wind that flooded across them.


    If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    He watched her as she stared off into the lands beyond the chasm.  He still couldn¡¯t believe that they were here, in a fantastical land that was light-years from the dungeon.  He didn¡¯t know about her, but right now he had no desire to leave, which shocked him based off his earlier fear of this place and desire to leave.


    The kids at the dungeon couldn¡¯t touch them, and there was no one to make every conceivable choice for him.  He missed his family, mostly Anne, but they will get along Okay without him.   He really was glad that it was Ali here with him.  ¡°What if it had been Trudi Bellows?¡±  He shuddered at the thought.  The shuddering brought her out of her musings.


    ¡°You OK?¡±  She said.


    ¡°Yeah, just a queasy thought.¡±


    ¡°Like what?¡±


    He had promised not to lie.  ¡°The thought jumped in that What if I had been sent here with Trudi bellows, instead of you?  It made me shudder.¡±


    She shuddered as he said it.  ¡°Yeah that is shudder worthy.¡±  She said giggling.


    ¡°We should be getting back Ali,  we don¡¯t want the fire to die down too low, or else we¡¯ll need to relight it with the crystal.¡±


    She was on her feet in a moment.  ¡°What are we waiting for then, let''s go.¡± She said, pulling him up off the ground.  He scrambled to get to his feet as she had an iron grip on his arm and he was afraid he might lose it.  ¡°Ali, wait, take your time, I don¡¯t think it will go out in the next few seconds!¡±  He grunted as she began to run, still holding onto his arm.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know that! If we don¡¯t get back there we might freeze.¡±


    They ran back through the forest stopping only to pick up the piles of wood that they had found.  She broke through the trees and ran down the incline and skidded to a halt when she neared the fire.  She sighed with relief to still find it burning.  Jaius dropped his pile and put his hands on his knees for a few moments.  He might have super breath, but Ali¡¯s natural ability in running had been doubled, and she seemed to be stronger.  She had tugged him through those woods like he was a pillow


    ¡°I thought you had supper breath?¡±  she said with a smile.


    ¡°I do, it''s still no match for a marathon girl.¡±


    She thought for a moment.  ¡°You¡¯re right.  I¡¯m not even winded in the slightest.  In fact, now that the pain is gone, I feel like I could run around the ¡°Hole¡± 10 times or more.  Jaius, what could be causing this? I mean, it¡¯s great that this place is giving us power boosts, but do you think it could be hurting us in the process?  I mean, do you think Paltophern causes cancer in lab rats?¡±


    ¡°I think lab rats are born with cancer in them.  Everything seems to cause it in them.¡±  He looked around them.  ¡°I think Paltophern is just fine, in fact, there is a part of me that doesn¡¯t want to leave.¡±


    ¡°Not leave? Jaius why don¡¯t you want to leave? You said earlier that you wanted to go home, and now you don¡¯t?  We could die here, we might never see our families again.¡±


    ¡°We could die back on Earth too.  The Dungeon almost took your life from you Ali.  At least here, as long as we can find food and not get eaten by something, we won¡¯t have to endure the torture they¡¯ve been dishing out on us.  I think our families would rather us be happy and free, then bound up and tortured.  Anyway, earlier I was scared and hungry.  I¡®m still scared and hungry, but Paltophern has started to grow on me.¡±


    She looked as if she was going to respond, but instead closed her mouth and sat down a few feet from the fire.   ¡°I get what your saying, I mean I haven¡¯t felt this good in a year, but¡­but I miss my Mom Jaius. I miss my Dad and Simon and Sarah.  If they can¡¯t locate us they¡¯ll eventually say that we¡¯re dead and then my Parents will have to have a funeral for me and my Mom¡­ My Mom will have that look on her face, that dead look from my vision.¡±  She pulled her knees up and rested her head on top of them.


    He could see her shoulder¡¯s began to shake, and he could hear her muffled whimpers.  ¡°Marathon girl to Niagra falls girl in less then five seconds.  How was she able to get her mood to shift so radically?¡±   He sat down next to her and put his arm around her.  She leaned into him, and continued to cry softly for the next several minutes.


    After a time she quieted and looked up at him. ¡°Sorry, Jaius, I seem to be crying at the drop of the hat lately.  It comes on without any warning.  I wish I could nail down why?¡±


    ¡°Ali, you don¡¯t have to apologize.  You¡¯ve probably been holding all of this in for a while and now that you have a safe place like Paltophern to be in, your letting yourself get this stuff out.¡±


    ¡°Maybe.¡± She said as she turned to stare into the fire.


    ¡°Ali?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Your going to have to do something I¡¯m pretty sure that you don¡¯t want to do.¡±


    ¡°Like what.¡±  She said with trepidation.


    ¡°Your going to have to try and get that crystal to light up again.  If we¡¯re going to get any decent sleep, then we won¡¯t be able to keep wood on this fire all night.  We¡¯ll need to be able to light it again tomorrow.¡±


    She shuddered as he spoke, but she eventually nodded her head. ¡°I know.¡±  She said glumly.     She knew he was right, but the thought of what those stones almost did to her sent a chill coursing through her.


    Just then she heard something growl near her.  She jumped away from him with a shriek.


    ¡°Whoa, Whoa Ali chill, its just my stomach, I¡¯m starving, and it is totally letting me know.  And, I guess, letting you know too.¡±


    She knelt there shaking for a minute or so, but slowly was able to regain control of herself.  He then heard a similar growl come from her direction.  She looked down forlornly as the sound continued.


    ¡°What are we going to do, waste away to nothing?¡±  She thought as fear began to creep into her.  So she fell back on the thing that she turned to when all else was lost.  She never saw any response but it was all she had left.  Alianna took a deep breath to calm herself, and to prepare herself for disappointment.   Before she closed her eyes the flickering of the fire caught her attention. ¡°I had prayed earlier for fire, and¡­and now we have fire.  It seemed like an accident when the crystal hit the wood, but was it really an accident?  Maybe Paltophern is closer to God.¡±  Confidence began to rush in to replace the fear.  She closed her eyes and quietly called out to God.  ¡°Hi God, its Ali again.  God was that you that provided that fire? If it was, thank you so much, we really needed that.  God, if Paltophern is closer to Heaven then Earth is, and you can hear me better now, could you please send us some food? We are totally starving and I¡¯m afraid my stomach will eat me.  Even if your not hearing me this time God, I think it was you that gave us the fire, so thank you very much.  Amen!¡±


    Jaius had almost said something to her at least five times, but every time he was kept from checking on her by his fear that he might disturb her and then she¡¯d be mad at him, like Sis always was.   He would probably fling himself into the ¡°Hole¡± if he had to spend the rest of his life with someone who treated him like Sis did.  So he said nothing and just kept repeating over and over again in his head  ¡°Please be Ok, Please be OK!¡±


    When her eye fluttered open, he about choked as he let go the breath he¡¯d been holding.  ¡°Are you OK Ali? I¡­I was a little worried, you had your eyes closed for a while.  What were you doing?¡±


    ¡°Praying.¡± She said in a quiet whisper.


    ¡°To who?¡±


    She looked at him in confusion.  ¡°God, who else would you pray to?¡±


    He looked down, felling like he¡¯d said something stupid.  ¡°I don¡¯t know, I don¡¯t pray much right to God, I always pray to the statues of the saints I have in my room.   It is hard even then though to do long prayers , I can''t keep my mind on it long enough to get more than a few words out.  I¡¯m not sure it works anyway.  When I did try to pray, I would ask for the kids to stop picking on me, and also for Sis to like me.  Neither one has happened yet.¡±


    There was an odd silence that fell over the clearing once Jaius stopped speaking.


    Alianna could feel the pain that was bottled up inside him, she could almost see it.  It reminded her of heavy chains, like the ones that are attached to boat anchors.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been kinda feeling that way this past year too Jaius.  I used to talk to God all the time when I was younger, I think he even answered me back a few times.  This past year though, when everything was falling down around me, it started to feel like he wasn¡¯t there.  I was starting to get scared when I thought about it, cause I mean if God isn¡¯t there then¡­ then there isn¡¯t much hope at all.


    I think God made that crystal light the fire Jaius, I prayed to him to help us start the fire, and a few minutes later the crystal flared and caught the wood.  I was thinking that maybe Earth is so far away from Heaven, that sometimes the reception gets clouded, but maybe Paltophern is closer, and we can get through to him better here.  I just prayed for him to help us find some food.   If he can start the fire without a match, then some chicken nuggets shouldn¡¯t be too hard.¡±


    ¡°You prayed for Chicken nuggets?¡± he said it chidingly, but with as much levity as he could muster, so that he wouldn¡¯t risk hurting her feelings.  He watched her cringe slightly and felt that fear well up in him.  He began to worry that he hadn¡¯t even come close to levity, when she shook her head and smiled.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t that specific, but if he does bring Chicken Nuggets then you don¡¯t get any.¡±  Her face was unreadable and so the words sank in like an arrow.  He tried not to flinch but he couldn¡¯t stop it.  Being left out was one of the things that he hated the most.  It made him feel like he was alone in a room filled with billions of people.


    She waited for him to grin, or shrug, or shoot something back at her.  Instead she saw him wither and shrink back inside himself.  ¡°Oh Jaius, I¡¯m sorry, maybe neither of us is ready for banter yet.¡±  She got up and started walking toward him.


    He saw her moving toward him.  She probably felt sorry for him, for his weakness.  He was supposed to be the one saving her, yet it always seemed that she was the one coming to his rescue.  Something welled up in side him as she walked toward him. He couldn¡¯t put a name to it, but it shoved the fear right out of him.  As she knelt down in front of him, compassion flowing from her face,  he grinned at her.  ¡°You can keep the nuggets, My sister worked in fast food this past summer and she said that the nuggets got dropped on the floor and then put back in the box and served all the time.¡±  His grin widened  as he saw the jibe register.  The concern on her face turned to a frown as she processed the words.  The frown didn¡¯t last long, however, for a grin quickly replaced it.


    ¡°Maybe you were right earlier Jaius, banter could be how some people show affection for each other.  Maybe the effort  trying to one-up the other person shows them that you care enough to try?¡±


    He though about that for a moment or two and then looked at her and grinned.  ¡°I told you that it might be true Ali,  this has got to be how all the other kids show affection for each other, and to us it just seemed like they didn¡¯t like us.¡±


    She was about to agree with him, but then stopped.  Something wasn¡¯t right about this way of thinking.  She poured through the past year in her mind, examining all the times they had done something to her.   She shook her head back and forth. ¡°The more I think about it Jaius the more I think that what you said earlier is true.  The things they do to us are not endearments.  Banter might be a way of showing friendship between themselves, but with us I think they really are trying to hurt us.  Remember the stolen suit of Armor and what Keri was planning to do with it?  I wish I knew why she hated me.¡±


    ¡°I thought you said that was a word that shouldn¡¯t be used?


    ¡°I still believe it shouldn¡¯t, but when I think about what her plan was, I can¡¯t help but think that that is how she feels about me.¡±


    ¡°I hope your wrong Ali, cause if hate means what you said it means then no one deserves to have that feeling inside them, not even Keri Bellows.¡±


    She hesitated a moment before nodding her head.  ¡°Your right, not even Keri Bellows.¡±


    Jaius could see her twitch slightly every time Keri¡¯s name came up, so he tried to change the focus of the topic off of her.  ¡°Ali you¡¯re my best friend now, so it shouldn¡¯t hurt when we banter back and forth, but even though I know you don¡¯t mean it, it still hurts.  Why does it still hurt?¡±


    She closed her eyes and searched for an answer.  ¡°Maybe its that we¡¯ve been hurt so many times that our bodies have grown accustomed to flinching when certain words or certain tone is used.¡±  She finished by opening her eyes and looking at him.  She had never spent this much time with a boy before, and so she still felt uneasy, but at the same time he had become her best friend.  ¡°Jaius, I promise that my words will never be spoken to hurt you.  Trust that they are always in friendship and mirth, never in malice.¡±  she whispered.


    He¡®d never had anyone say something even remotely that deep to him before.  In all honesty he had never heard anyone talk like that before either.  He knew she meant what she had just said, and it left him momentarily speechless.  Slowly he was able to fit together what he hoped was an adequate response.  ¡°I promise that anything I say to you will never have any meanness behind it, and any laughter will be with you not at you.¡±


    She smiled at him, but noticed right away that he was not looking at her.  He was staring at the ground to their right.  She followed his gaze, and saw a brown rabbit sitting there looking at them.  She had heard animals in the distance, but this was the first one she had seen.   It was looking at them.  First it would stare at Jaius and then up at her.   She had thought that she¡¯d given up on the fleeting dream that this place was Narnia, but now, looking into the rabbits eyes, that dream resurfaced.  ¡°Hello Mr. Rabbit, what is this place?¡±


    Jaius wore a confused expression on his face as he processed what Alianna had said to him.  When he heard her talk to the rabbit, the expression became one of concern.  He was about to remind her that rabbits couldn¡¯t talk, when he saw something in her eyes.  It was a twinkling light.  He had seen the same thing there when she had exclaimed that they were in Narnia.  Why would she be thinking of that again?  The longer he looked at that light, the more he understood.  Books came alive to her just like the movies did for him.  She had probably lived in Narnia for years, it was familiar to her and it comforted her to pretend that she might actually be there.   ¡°What do I do?  I don¡¯t want to hurt her, but is it right to let her focus on that fantasy when we got a whole boatload of reality to deal with?¡±


    She waited for the rabbit to reply to her.  Hope burned within her, hope for something that was familiar to her, for someone she had wanted to meet since she had first read the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.  She thought she heard a noise from the trees.  She turned her head toward the noise and held her breath.   She could almost see a golden mane breaking through into the clearing, when she heard a voice behind her.


    ¡°Alianna.¡±


    To her it was deep and reminded her of a growl.  Then she felt something soft and heavy on her shoulder, like a paw, she swore it was a paw.  She turned with a massive smile on her face,  but instead of seeing eyes that held peace, and the mane that offered safety, she  saw Jaius looking at her, his hand on her shoulder.  The outline of a majestic lion wavered in the rays of Paltophern¡¯s moon, but as Jaius said her name again, the lion faded and then was gone.


    She knew at that moment that it had just been an illusion.  Aslan wasn¡¯t here, this wasn¡¯t Narnia.  The whimper escaped her lips before she even knew it was on them.  Tears erupted from somewhere deep inside her, sobs shook her body as she disintegrated to the ground.   She felt Jaius¡¯s hands gently grasp her shoulders and lift her up until her head lay against his chest.  His arms closed around her, allowing her the protection she needed to let out the grief that was overtaking her.   All day long she had not allowed herself  to give up on the thought that they were in Narnia, that she would finally get to meet Aslan.  She loved the relationship that Lucy Pevincy and Aslan shared in the books.  It was a closeness that she yearned for.  To be close to someone who could protect her from the monsters back at the dungeon. Now though she could no longer ignore the reality of Paltophern.


    Jaius almost started to cry as well.  He¡¯d never heard anyone make a noise like the one Alianna had just made.  It was as if someone very dear to her had just died right before her eyes.   He felt so bad for her.  He didn¡¯t understand what had made her this despondent, but knew that whatever it had been was being fueled by what she had endured at the Dungeon.  He knew because he could feel the same well of sorrow churning in the depth of his heart.  Those kids had taken from him the person he might have been and left him with this useless, perpetually terrified, husk.  He wanted to cry, even more as the sorrow in him was pushed to the surface by Alianna¡¯s tears but he held it back.  Somehow he found some minuscule amount of strength floating inside him.  With it he was able to hold back his own grief, he was able to be strong for her.


    ¡°Aslan¡­¡± she exhaled, her voice rasped from crying.


    ¡°That was it, what made her dissolve like this.  Her  hope that this really was Narnia is what had kept her moving since we got here, and now she¡¯s accepted the fact that there won¡¯t be any massive Lion coming to save her.¡±  He looked down at the rabbit who hadn¡¯t moved, even during all the commotion.  ¡°Maybe a somewhat lousy knight would be enough?¡±  He asked the small creature.  ¡°Great, now I¡¯m doing it.¡± The rabbit just stared back at him.


    As Alianna¡¯s grief began to ease, a fairly morbid thought began to creep its way into his mind.  He looked from the rabbit to where his backpack lay.  He was specifically looking at the pocket where the crystal knife was.  He looked back at the rabbit, and it seemed to catch a hint of the change in his contemplation of it.  It raised up on its back legs and he thought it was going to bolt.  It stayed where it was , however, and lay back down on the ground, its ears laying flat along its back.   ¡°Did it know what I was just thinking? If it did, why isn¡¯t it running?¡±  Jaius felt like there was very few alternatives to his plan.  They needed food, and even if they could find some kind of berries, there was no way to tell if they were poisonous.  ¡°Ali.¡±  She didn¡¯t answer him.  ¡°Ali.  Ali I need to ask you something.¡±  She raised her head and looked at him with bloodshot eyes.  ¡°Ali, I know you''re upset, and I think I know why.  I know you really wanted this place to be Narnia.¡±  Her head fell back down to his chest as he said Narnia.  He lifted it back up so she was looking at him again.  ¡°Ali I wish we were there too, but we¡¯re not.  We¡¯re actually stuck in some alien world and we¡¯re starving.   I¡­I just had a thought, but I¡¯m not sure you''re going to like it.  We have a source of meat, sitting just a few inches away.  That one piece of the crystal is sharp on one sideak, like a knife.   If  we move quickly enough we could¡­well we¡­¡±  He couldn¡¯t bring himself to say it.


    It took her a number of moments to even register that he was speaking to her.  Slowly what he said began to filter in.  At first she was repulsed that he was even saying something like that.  She almost pushed him away, but as she looked at the rabbit what he was saying began to make sense.  They had no food, and she would swear that her stomach was going to eat itself soon.   As she looked into the creatures large brown eyes, she felt all resolve and determination slipping away.  ¡°I¡­you¡¯re right Jaius, but¡­I don¡¯t think that I can do it, I mean I can skin it and cook it, I think, but I know that I won¡¯t be able to kill it.  Look, I know I said I shot a deer before, and I did, but that was at 75 yards away and I didn¡¯t look in its eyes through the scope.   I¡­I don¡¯t think I could kill it with it looking at me.¡±


    ¡°Well,  I keep saying that I¡¯m the Knight.¡±    He thought to himself.  ¡°I can do that, I think.¡±  He gently helped her sit up, and then went over to the pack.  The rabbit  barely twitched at his passing.  He opened the side pouch and cautiously reached in and gripped the smaller shard.  As he walked back he brought it up to his face to examine it.  It looked just like the crystals they had examined in science class this year.  He couldn¡¯t fathom where the energy had come from that lit the fire and nearly killed Ali.   As he got closer he could see her looking away from him.   He thought maybe she was still hoping that a lion would leap out of the trees, but then he saw her glance back at him and when she saw the shard she quickly looked away again.  He sighed and then knelt down next to the rabbit.   It looked up at him, and then the shard, and then set its head back down on its paws.  He¡¯s never killed anything bigger than an ant before, at least outside of his video games.  He began to imagine the bunny in the uniform of a Nazi soldier, hoping that would help.  He was almost to the point where he thought he could do it when he hesitated.  He didn¡¯t want the creature to suffer, he had really no idea how to kill it quickly.  ¡°Ali?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t want it to be in pain, do you¡­do you know how to¡­well you know, without it suffering?¡±


    There was silence for a few moments.


    ¡°My Dad said the side of the neck is the best place, unless you know where the heart is, that¡¯s the quickest way.¡±  She said without turning back to him.


    He looked down at the rabbit once more and took a deep breath.  He reached his hand down and clamped it over the creature''s back.  It flinched and began to squirm, but after a few seconds stopped.  He could still feel it shuddering though.  He knew that if he didn¡¯t do it now, he would very quickly lose his nerve.  Just then his stomach rumbled and driven on the waves of need, his hand flew straight toward the rabbits neck.


    Forty minutes later they had the rabbit over the fire.  They found a wet stick nearby and they dunked it in the river and used it as a spit.   It seemed to be resisting the fire for the moment.   He had watched Ali take the rabbit to the river to skin and clean it.  She had cried the whole time she was working, softly to herself.  He had seen the tears though, when he had gone to check on her.  She moved through the process like she knew what she was doing though.  He was really impressed.  It was unusual to find a girl who didn¡¯t faint at the sight of a little blood.   After another fifteen minutes the spit started to smoke, and after examining the rabbit, Ali indicated that she thought it was safe to eat.


    They barely waited for it to cool.  Once the first bite hit their mouths the rest was consumed in short order.    Afterward Jaius dug a hole in the ground about a hundred yards from their camp and they buried the remains.   Jaius looked down at the small mound of dirt.  ¡°Thank you Mr. Rabbit.¡±  He really couldn¡¯t think of anything else to say.


    ¡°Thank you God.¡±  He heard her whisper before she turned to walk back to the camp.   They drank water from the creek and spent the rest of the evening sitting by the fire staring into the flames.  They did start talking after a while, when it got too dark to sit in silence.  Jaius told her about the movie he¡¯d been watching on the bus the other day.  She told him about a Wrinkle in Time, which was the closest to science fiction that she had gotten to.   They eventually passed out from exhaustion.  They slept close to each other more out of a need for comfort than  anything else.


    Alianna woke with a start, she was surrounded by a gray mist and she was soaking wet.  She screamed before she even knew what she was doing, it just felt like the right thing to do when waking up, soaking wet in a dense fog.  She heard Jaius groan off to her right, and then shout out in surprise.  ¡°What the¡­?¡±


    ¡°It looks like fog, but¡­ but I¡¯m soaking wet.  Did I fall into the creek?¡±


    ¡°Huh, not that I saw, you probably wouldn¡¯t be alive though if you did.  Plus I¡¯m soaked too.¡±


    ¡°Oh My gosh, what if we are dead?  What if Paltopherin Rabbits are poisonous?  This could be Purgatory? Or¡­.¡±


    ¡°Ali, we''re not dead, I can feel my heart racing.  This is just some seriously wet fog.  We¡¯ll have to wait till it goes away and then start the fire again and dry off.¡±


    ¡°The fire huh?  Do we have to?¡±


    ¡°Unless you want to sit in wet clothes all day?¡±


    She took her time answering, trying to weigh the idea of sitting in wet clothes to try to activate that crystal again.


    Once the fog lifted and the clearing was revealed again Jaius got out the larger crystal and laid it down before her.  He then went to where the rest of their firewood lay and began building up the fire again.   He knew it was all soaked through, like everything else, but he hoped that the crystal might be able to light it.    She looked at the crystal for at least a half-hour, trying to work up the courage to touch it again.  Finally both of them sitting there shivering granted her enough courage to pick it up and walk over to the fire pit.  She held it out before her and aimed it at the fire, then squinted her eyes shut and waited for the end.  After a number of  seconds had gone by without her being vaporized she opened her eyes hoping for a nice fire to have started.   She let her shoulders slump when she saw the logs were unlit.


    ¡°Try singing again?¡±  Said Jaius through chattering teeth.


    She looked dubiously at him and then at the crystal, but eventually shrugged and set the crystal in the middle of the wood pile.  She sang the other song she had heard on Jim''s itunes, the one about a girl named Emily.  Somehow, just like last night, she could remember every note, every word.  As she sang the beauty of the song and the images it brought to her head stored her heart and she gave her whole self to the song a soft glow appeared through the gaps in the pile of wood, and steam began to rise off of the wood.  As she hit the last, drawn out, note of the song a pillar of flame shot upward from the crystal and the wood erupted into flames.


    She smiled in-spite of her fear.  Even though the stone had almost killed her twice, she had to admit that its power was amazing and also quite beautiful.  There was something else she noted.  The effect was more strong, more powerful than the last time she sang at the stone.  Jaius, his eyes wide, looked at her.  ¡°Wow Ali, that was a lot more than had happened the last time.  How did you make it shoot flames like that?   That was so much more than the last time.¡±  She looked into the stone as she thought about the process she had just used to produce the effect.   ¡°I¡¯m not sure.   I mean, I used a different song this time, maybe it¡¯s somehow linked to the song.  Also that song really stirred my heart and I felt like I was putting everything I had into singing it.  I think I also imagined a pillar of fire keeping up to ignite the wood.  Jaius just stared at her with his mouth slightly open.  After a few moments he sat down pulled his legs up to his chest and stared deeply into the fire.  Alianna looked at him for a long moment and then sat down next to him and also pulled her legs up to her chest.  They sat like that long into the night softly talking to each other trying to figure out how in the world singing at a crystal can produce anything, let alone a pilar of fire.

 Chapter 10 Hatred

    ¡°Love, friendship and respect do not unite people as much as common hatred for something.¡±


    Anton Chekhov


    Alison sat on the bus with her head leaning back on the seat.  She was looking out the window, but her mind was elsewhere.  It had flashed back to last week when she had come back to school to find out that the whole universe had flipped upside down.  Keri had been rushed to the hospital,  Ali  and some kid named Jaius had not come home the night before.  When she had heard the whole tale of the incident at that A table that day Alison had run off and spent an hour in the girls locker room crying like she hadn¡¯t in years.   Ali had run away and now no one knew where she was.  Deep inside,  Alison knew that what had happened to Ali was her fault.  Guilt riddled, Alison had missed lunch entirely that day.  Coming out of the locker-room she had run into Jim.  Alison had heard people talk about someone having dead eyes, but until she saw Jim''s she had never understood it.   His hair was unkempt, and his cool was definitely shattered.  That day had really thrown St. Pious the X out of order.  She had tried to talk to Jim, but all he did was look at her blankly and then turn and wander down the hall.  No one talked at the ¡°A¡± table that day, the two empty seats at the head of the table a constant reminder of the previous day''s events.


    She tore her eyes away from the window as the buss stopped.  She wasn''t a hundred percent sure where it had stopped, but she knew she was close to her house, so she numbly got up and followed the other kids off.  When the bus pulled away it revealed a lime green house caddy-corner to her.  Recognition of the house filled her with a deep longing.  She had no idea who lived there, but for the past seven or eight years it had become one of the most important landmarks in her life.  It was the first way point on her way to the refuge that held comfort and solace for her.  It marked the stop that was closest to Ali''s house.  There she had found a family that all but adopted her.  A father, to take the place of the one who had run out on her and her Mom, a Mother to fill the gaps that her own couldn''t.  A Grandmother who had loved her as if she had been her own blood.  And a sister.  A sister who had held her hand every time she had had to go to the doctors for a shot, who had shared deep fears and secrets with her.  A friend beyond the too restrictive definition of the word.  Then eyes were floating before her, eyes filled with hatred, eyes swimming in pools of tears borne of betrayal.


    Alison reached out  for support and her hand felt the smoothness of metal.  She looked away from the eyes that haunted her daily to see what she was holding.  It was a steel pipe.  It formed a railing that was fastened to a cement barrier.  Beyond the pipe she could see a small creek flowing toward her.  It went under the road and emerged on the other side.  Her heart seemed to wither a bit inside her.


    ¡°The creek, where we used to talk about what magical land we would find if we just followed it beyond the furthest point we could see.¡±  Tears began to blur her vision.  She gripped the pipe with both hands.  Her arms vibrated with the force that she was gripping it.  A scream that had been building in her since that terrible day at the bus finally broke through the chains that had bound it.  She opened her mouth, every muscle in her body straining, and all her pain and self loathing erupted forth in the loudest, ear-splitting shriek she had ever heard.


    She was so shocked by the noise that she wanted to stop making it, but she had no control over this.  There was no more room left in her to contain this hatred that she had for herself.  So she thrust it upon the innocent creek, the undeserving trees.   Finally the last bit flew out and she found her self gripping the pipe for support, and breathing heavily.   She heard doors banging open, and people yelling.  She looked over her shoulder and saw an older man walking briskly, toward her,  an old woman standing in the doorway behind him dialing on a cell phone.  She looked over her other shoulder and saw a similar event coming from the other houses around her.


    ¡°Uh-Oh!¡±   Panic flooded the emptiness left in the wake of that scream.  She wasn''t a hundred percent sure why she needed to run, but she was in no state to decipher it either.   So she took off running.  She chose the way most familiar to her.  Up Reed Street, past the tennis courts on the left and then right when Reed street met Country Club Drive.  She ran, constantly looking over her shoulder to see if anyone had followed her.  It was during one of these glances over her shoulder that she ran into someone.   She fell backward, the weight of her backpack carrying her down.  She heard a woman cry out and hit the ground.  Alison''s hair had flopped over her face concealing the person she had run into.


    Her arm was caught under her pack and she was having a bit of trouble getting back to her feet. ¡°Oh My gosh are you Okay dear.  I''m very sorry...I.. I didn''t see you.  Here let me help you.¡±  Came a familiar voice.  Alison began to cringe inside herself, she knew who she had run into.  A firm hand grabbed her arm and began to pull her up.  Alison let her self be pulled upward.  When she had regained her feet she felt her hair being brushed away from her face.  For the briefest instant she saw the kind, compassionate face of Emily Oaksen, Ali''s mother.   So many times in the past that expression had made all her fears go away, because it had always been followed by one of the most soul-warming hugs she had ever felt. She tried to hold onto that moment, trying to will it not to continue on into the next.


    The moment resisted all her best efforts and time flowed onward.  Mrs. Oaksen''s warm smile faded and her face went blank.  She staggered away from Alison, her mouth trying to form Alison''s name but nothing came out. Mrs. Oaksen''s eyes squeezed shut, and she turned her head down and to the side.  Then her head would snap back up and her eyes lock on Alison.  This repeated several times, each time her eyes locked on Alison, they became more wild.  This began to wigg Alison out so she said something before really thinking about it.


    ¡°Momma I...¡± she didn¡¯t really think it through, It was what just what she had always called her, and she said it before thinking about it, saying it out of force of habit.


    Mrs. Oasken''s eyes went from wild to flames of fury quicker then Alison had thought possible.  She surged forward and began to hit Alison with the mail envelopes that had been in her hand.


    ¡°You don''t get to call me that....EVER AGAIN!¡±  Mrs Oaksen shrieked.   ¡°You vile, evil, despicable, wretched, worthless, traitor!¡±  Each word was accompanied by a hit with the stack of mail.  The mail itself didn''t really hurt  Alison, had this been any other instance of her getting whacked by envelopes, she might even have laughed.  Here though, in this moment, the touch of those letters drove barbs into her, past skin, muscle, and bone, deep into her soul.  Those words burned in her mind, a wall of fire that overwhelmed her best attempts to deffend against it.


    ¡°Emi...No!¡± A voice shouted from the garage.  Mrs. Oaksen had dropped the envelops and was drawing her arm back with her hand open. ¡°I hate you for what you did to...!¡±  She screamed as the open hand began forward.  Alison watched in horror as it descended.  She''d never seen her act like this before.  Halfway through its decent a hand grabbed Mrs. Oaksen''s arm and another arm was wrapping itself around her body, pulling her away from Alison.  Mr. Oaksen had arrived and now held his wife tightly.  He had lifted her off the ground where she struggled against him  with all the energy she had.  ¡°Let go of me Jonathan! Let Go!¡± She screamed, her voice already well on its way to horse.  ¡°She has to pay, she has too.  Jonathan its her fault, if she had been a normal human being she never would have abandoned Ali to those devils at school.¡±


    ¡°Emi stop, this won''t help us find her, it will just make things worse.¡±


    ¡°No! NO!  I will never stop, even after we find her.¡±  Mrs. Oaksen  stopped struggling and turned to look at Alison.  Her eyes bore directly into Alison''s.  ¡°I never thought I would ever feel any relief that my mother had died, but right now, I am so glad she is not here.  That she didn''t have to witness seeing what you really are Alison.  Why was it my daughter,  Why?  She has a mother and father who love her, why couldn''t it have been you, no one would have missed¡­!¡±  ¡°Emi!¡± he said more sternly this time.  His tone succeeded in deflating Mrs Oaksen.   She sagged against his arm, her shoulder started to shake.   Alison stood frozen.  She remembered Ali telling her about what Mrs. Oaksen had told her hatred really meant.  Alison had been so shocked by the definition that she had prayed never to witness it in any form.  Here it was though, she had seen hatred burning in Mrs. Oaksen''s eyes.  The part that made it worse was that Alison was beginning to believe that she deserved it.


    Mr. Oaskes looked directly at her.  ¡°Alison, I think you had better go home now, and please don''t  come this way again... ever.¡±  His voice was controlled, but instead of hatred she saw deep wells of disappointment.   Mrs. Oaksen''s words had scared her, but that calm voice telling her that she could never return, that was what unhinged the gear in her head.  It was the finality of ¡°Ever¡± that tore through her.  She had lost her refuge, lost her solace, the gates to peace were forever closed to her.


    Numbly she nodded.  She tried to speak.  ¡°I...I''''m Sor...:¡±  But both their eyes flashed as she began the apology, which made her realize that the words were truly empty.  She hung her head and walked around them, giving Mrs. Oaksen a wide birth.  She could hear Mrs. Oaksen''s muffled sobbs chasing after her, but she was to tired to run, to uninterested in anything in that moment. Then the sobs turned to wailing.  It was such a heart wrenching noise that it tugged Alison''s head around.  The Oaksen''s had collapsed to the grass.  Mr Oaksen was holding his wife, cradling her against his chest.  Mrs. Oasken''s shoulders were shaking with her grief.  ¡°I''ve lost them both Jonathan, both! Both my Ali¡¯s are lost.  Why both?¡± She cried.  It was the ¡°both¡± that finally brought the tears to Alison''s eyes.   ¡°Oh my gosh! Did she really love me that much?¡±   A void appeared in the middle of Alison''s heart.  In it she saw the emptiness from her night terrors.  The all encompassing void that terrified her.  Emily Oaksen wasn¡¯t her real mother, but had she given up getting what she wanted, even from an adopted mother, just to get what she may never hear from her real  mom?   This question would haunt her for quite some time to come.   She began to run, sprinting home as fast as she could, trying to outrun that void.


    She found no safety at home, the void still followed her.  She didn''t dare tell her mother what hat just happened.  Her mom would have totally flown off her rocker and gone after the Oaksen''s with a vengeance.   She couldn''t do that to them.  But she needed a friend.  Jim didn''t seem to be any good to himself of late, so she was pretty sure he wouldn''t be much help to her.  There had been a cooling off  between her and the other girls at the table in the past week also, and Mandy seemed to be at the center of that.  Alison had been struggling to decipher what that all meant.  That left just one person, Keri. Of all the ¡°A¡± table, she would have to say that the one she was closest too was Keri, even if Keri  didn¡¯t feel that way.


    She pushed all the fear and anger that the encounter with the Oaksen''s had birthed deep into the back of her mind, now was definitely not the time to let those out.  She paused at her Sister Megan¡¯s room and almost knocked, but Megan wasn¡¯t at the table, didn¡¯t play the game.  Alison knew she would listen and be encouraging, but she wouldn¡¯t be able to give her any advice, or help her figure out why the others were growing cold to her. So she left her sister¡¯s door untouched and went to her room. She got changed and did her homework while she waited till her mother got home from work.  After dinner she asked her mother to take her to the hospital so that she could visit Keri.  That was all it took, just mentioning Keri''s name, and her mother took her without hesitation.


    Alison stepped out of the elevator onto the fourth floor of the hospital.  She looked down the hallway one way and then the other.  She saw a desk a ways down to her left, and seeing nothing to the right she headed to the desk.  The nurse was busy entering data into the computer.  After a minute Alison cleared her throat.  The woman''s right eye tore itself away from the screen, gave Alison a cursory glance and then returned to the screen.  ¡°Can I help you?¡±  The woman said in the monotone voice of someone who is only giving you a fraction of their attention.


    ¡°I am here to see Keri Bellows.¡±


    ¡°I''m sorry, only family can see her without permission.¡±


    Alison thought quickly, then an Idea popped into her mind.  ¡°I''ve got a fifty-fifty chance,¡± She thought. ¡°I''m her sister Trudi.¡±


    The nurse looked down at the desk and then looked back up at Alison.  Her mouth opened to speak, but just then an alarm went off at the desk.  The nurse''s eyes focused on it, and her face became all business.  The nurse pushed herself away from the desk and began to run away from the desk.


    ¡°Hey, what about me?¡±  Alison called after her.


    The nurse seemed to ignore her as she ran around the corner.


    Alison stamped her foot in frustration.  She wasn''t sure that the nurse had bought her lie and wasn''t too sure she should wait at the desk to find out.  Then she remembered the nurse looking at something on the desk.  She stood on her tiptoes, which was just enough to give her a view of the desk.  There was a clip board with names and numbers beside the name.  She had to read them upside down, but even then she was still able to make out Keri Bellows''s name.  The number next to it was 405.  Alison dropped back down and looked hurriedly around at all the doors.  The one behind the desk said 405.


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    She went around the desk and stopped just outside the door, where she inhaled deeply.


    ¡°What if she hates me too?  What if she wants nothing to do with me either?¡±


    She put aside those thoughts as she let her breath out and opened the door.   The room was dark except for the lights of all the monitors stationed near the bed.   No one else was in the room.  From the doorway she could barely tell that it was  Keri.  The girl in the bed had thin wispy hair, and a sallow face with dark rings under her eyes.  It wasn''t until she moved over to sit in the chair next to the bed that she could plainly see Keri Bellows laying there.  Something welled up inside Alison, she felt such pity for Keri.  It struck her that she could feel that way about someone who showed no pity themselves.   Alison reached out and took hold of Keri''s hand.   After a few seconds she felt Keri''s hand return the pressure on hers.  Her eyes fluttered open and she turned to face Alison.  Keri squinted, and then her eyes widened as she saw who it was.   Keri let go of Alison''s hand  and quickly turned on her side and held her arm over her face.


    ¡°Don''t look at me Alison.¡±  Keri said in a much weaker voice than Alison had ever heard from her.  ¡°I''m hideous,  they weren''t supposed to let anyone in here.  Please don''t tell anyone what you saw here...please...¡±  the last part was a broken cry.  Alison watched as Keri''s shoulder''s began to shake.  Alison walked around the other side of the bed, leaned over and put her arms around Keri.  Keri went stiff as a board, but after a few moments she returned the embrace and cried into Alison''s shoulder.  As Alison sat there consoling Keri, a morbid thought came to the fore of her mind.  ¡°This isn''t some flu or something, this is serious.  She''s been in here a week, and she looks like Hell still.  If she comes back to school before the year ends, she isn''t going to be the same.  Whether Keri goes on to High School or has to stay back, she isn''t going to be the same.  There will be a new Queen next year,one elected by the table, and because she made me equal to Mandy in the table''s leadership, it will be between Mandy and I.  That¡¯s why the others have grown cold to me.  If I could win that spot...my Mom would think I''m the best daughter ever. I won''t need the love of a surrogate mother anymore, I''ll be queen of the Eighth Grade, and a princess in her eyes.¡±  Keri pulled away from her and looked at Alison with bloodshot eyes.


    ¡°Thanks Alison.  You''re the only one, besides Jim, who was even willing to check how I was doing.  Mandy must be off planning her coronation for next year.¡±  She paused and looked Alison up and down.  ¡°I''m not going to be back for the rest of this year.¡±  Keri''s face began to grow pale and she looked to the side.  ¡°I may not be back...ever.¡±  She squeezed her eyes tight but after a few moments shook her head slightly.


    Keri turned back  to her.  ¡°I have leukemia Alison, its cancer that affects your blood cells.  I first had it when I was five.  I lost all my hair and had a real rough time in school because of it.  When I was ten they said I was cured, because I didn''t show any more signs of it. I guess they were wrong.  They say they need to kill all the cells that produce my blood, and then introduce healthy cells back in. For that though, they need a donor who meets certain requirements.  They say I have a rare blood chemistry and they will have trouble finding a donor to save me.¡±


    Her shoulders sagged, and a dark shadow passed over her face.  She remained like that for a while.  Alison didn''t know what to do, should she try to comfort her, or just wait?   ¡°What about Trudi?  She is your twin sister, shouldn''t she have the right blood type?¡±  Keri shook her head.   ¡°Or what about the person who donated when you were five, could they still help?''


    Tears welled up in Keri''s eyes, but she held them back.  ¡°Trudi isn''t an exact match and the person who did it before, ....They passed away a number of years ago.¡±  Alison caught the pause, like Keri had been going to say something else but stopped, but she didn¡¯t want to pry so she didn¡¯t say anything.


    ¡°You have been kind to me while  you were  here, and so I''m going to return the favor.  Due to the position I gave you at the table, and with me and Trudi not able to be present for the rest of this year, then Amy Reader will organize an election between you and Mandy.  You have the same shot as Mandy for my chair at the table next year.  But Mandy has been playing the game a lot longer than you have.


    I''ll tell you something about her though, something you can use to tip the scales in your favor.  If it looks like she is winning, pull her aside and hand her what I''m going to give you.  Please hand me my backpack in the corner there.¡±  She said pointing to the far corner of the room where a number of bags and suitcases were set.  Alison went over and lifted the backpack and set it on the bed next to Keri.  It looked to Alison that it took all of Keri''s strength to just open the bag.  She opened a pocket inside and pulled out an envelope.  It had ¡°Mandy, 6th grade¡± written on it.  Keri took a deep breath and handed it to Alison.  Alison took it, but Keri did not let go of the other end.  ¡°I would make a copy of the thumb drive that is in here.  Once you show the video that is on it to her,  and threaten to plaster it all over social media she will fold like an envelope.  All I ask is that, if I survive this, and have to repeat the eighth grade next year, that you keep a place at the table for Trudi and myself.¡±


    Alison''s mouth was hanging open.  Keri had caught her totally off guard.  ¡°Sure..sure Keri, if I win, you and Trudi will be welcome for as long as you wish to stay.¡±


    Keri sighed with relief and was about to let go of the envelope and give it to Alison when she paused and looked Alison in the eye.  ¡°One more caveat to this deal, Alison.¡±  She paused as Alison gave her a blank stare and tried to mouth the word Caveat.  Keri smiled slightly.  ¡°It refers to an additional requirement to a deal, another condition to my telling you what I know.¡±


    ¡°Oh, sorry.¡±  Alison found herself blushing.


    ¡°Its okay.  Anyways, there is one more condition.  If I don''t...¡± She took a deep breath.  ¡°If I don''t make it through this, you have to swear to me that you will keep an eye on Trudi for me.  That she will have a place at the table.  Mandy never really liked Trudi, and I''m afraid that if I''m not there Mandy will turn on her.   I''m handing you the election Alison, but you have to swear to me that you will take care of Trudi.¡±  Emotion broke through in Keri''s voice as she finished.  Alison could see through the mask that Keri always wore, and she saw before her a scared girl who was facing a terminal illness, but was at the same time trying to protect her sister.  Tears started to leak out of Alison''s eyes.  guilt roiled inside her.  Keri Bellows had more love for her sister then Alison had had for her''s, either of them.    Ali was missing because Alison  had been too much of a coward to try to protect her, and she didn''t feel like she had ever really been a good big sister to Megan.  Alison''s shoulders began to shake.  ¡°I...I pr..promise Keri, I''ll look.. ou..out for tru.tru. Trudi.¡±  Alison dissolved into sobs.  She buried her head in Keri''s lap.  Keri stared at the reaction for a moment, then nodded as if realizing something, and began to rub Alison''s back.  ¡°It will be OK Alison, they''ll find her.¡±


    ¡°It won''t be OK Keri, I''ve destroyed them.  The only people who were ever nice to me, Ali''s gone because of me.  Her mom.. her mom hates me Keri.  ¡± she then laid there whimpering for a while.


    Keri''s mouth opened to say something, but then snapped shut.  ¡°I can''t tell her it wasn''t her fault. I can''t tell her that I''m the one  that set this all up, because then she will not agree to watch over Trudi.  I''m sorry Alison, but the promise must be kept.¡±  Keri began to sing, it was a lullaby that pushed its way  up from her childhood.  A song that helped her through the last time this disease had ravaged her body. Someone she loved very dearly had sung this song to her when she was a sick little girl.  A memory, a voice, a deep bass, resonated  in her mind as she sang the song a few octaves higher than he had.  She let the tears leak from her eyes as she looked down upon Alison''s trembling shoulders.


    She wanted to feel a bit put out.  She was the one possibly dying, the one keeping the raging fear trapped on the inside so that she could be strong for her mom and Trudi.  But, in that moment she saw before her someone who had sold everything for the chance to be popular and she felt a deep, true,  pity for Alison.  Then guilt tried to force its way in.   ¡°I did this to them.¡± and just before it broke through, the iron wall of resolve slammed in-front of the guilt.   ¡°No, I will not falter, I will keep my vow!¡±  As she sang the guilt faded away, and Alison began to quiet, and she was lost in the memories the song brought to her mind.   When it was done she opened her eyes, and found Alison sitting up and staring at her, mouth slightly open.  ¡°K...Keri you have a beautiful voice.¡±


    Keri''s cheeks reddened somewhat. ¡°Not really.¡±   She said a bit sheepishly.  Alison''s eyes widened slightly.  ¡°How did I miss this, how did everyone else, there is another Keri inside there, and she''s human.¡±  Keri shook her head and the window into that other Keri dissipated.  When she looked back at Alison, the iron mask had returned.  ¡°Alison, are you sure you want to do this?  The table weeds out those who can''t handle the game during their first year.  Of the four sixth graders that are chosen, almost always one, sometimes two  aren''t invited back the next year.  We usually lose a seventh grader as well by the end of the year.   It''s geared that way so that those that reach Eighth grade at the table are toughened enough to keep everything afloat.  To be the trend setters.  No matter what that trend may be, they have to be so unshakable in the coolness that everyone else believes that it, whatever ¡°it¡± is, is the coolest thing ever.  A Queen has to be the most secure in her own skin, the one at the table who will not falter no matter what situation comes up, for if she wavers even a little, the whole status structure could crumble.  I saw Amy''s natural bent for the table within the first week of sixth grade and I knew she would be the one I would have to beat.  It was a tough race, but I not only beat her, but I won her respect in the process....What?¡±


    Alison looked away with red in her cheeks.  ¡°What!¡±  Said Keri a bit shrilly. ¡°Keri...your rambling...what what''s wrong?¡±   Keri''s mouth slammed shut.  She took a deep breath and let it out.  ¡°Alison, of all the people that have come and gone at the table, Jim was the only one I knew was my friend.  I thought he would always be the only one.  But...¡±  Alison had looked back at her, and she saw the mask fade away again as Keri talked.  ¡°I have.... I''ve come to think of you as my friend too.  I can''t say when exactly it happened... but...well....¡±  Keri looked down.  Her wispy, dark hair falling over her face.  Alison reached out and slid forward on the bed.  She was just in time too, because Keri reached out and wrapped her arms around her and buried her head in Alison''s shoulder.   ¡°Oh Alison, I''m so  scared.  I don''t want to die, what was the point of all of this if I''m just going to end here. I''ve made no mark on this world.  A handful of people might remember me till they also die, and then what??¡±  Alison cringed on the inside.  She avoided thinking about death like the plague, because every time she thought of it, all that came to mind was imprisonment in the basement closet that went on forever.  She sat in her religion class each day and had yet to find any shred of hope that it wasn''t just another class that she had to pass to make her mom happy.  Here she was, holding someone who has come face to face with death and she had nothing to offer her.  ¡°Keri, you''re not going to die.  You beat this disease once, right? You can do it again.  They have super medicines now a days, you''ll be back at the table in no time.  Keri... I consider you my friend too.  I¡­ I think that¡¯s what I¡¯m here right now.  I needed a friend and you were the first person to come to mind.  It is really nice to have a friend again, and I''m not going to let you go.  I''ll help you through this OK, and because your my friend, please call me Ali.¡±   Keri grabbed on to her more tightly, but her crying seemed more normal, almost  more joyful.  Alison laid her head on Keri''s shoulder.  ¡°Wow, it really has been a long time since I had a friend''s shoulder to cry on.¡±  So she took advantage of the opportunity too, and let her own pent up emotions leak out.


    After a while Alison pulled away and looked at Keri.  ¡°I should go before they come back.  They don''t really know I''m here.¡±  Alison got up off the bed and turned to wave at Keri.  ¡°Ali.¡±  She said with a shy smile, another shocking expression from someone Alison thought didn¡¯t know what shy was.  Alison smiled back.  ¡°Would you hand me Liquorice?¡± She said as she pointed to a chair next to the bed.  Alison looked to where she was pointing and she saw the same teddy bear that she had seen in Keri''s room that night she had slept over.  Alison nodded and went over and picked the bear up gently and turned and carefully handed it to Keri.  ¡°Thank you¡± she said.  Her voice sounded like it came from someone a lot younger than the girl she was looking at.


    Keri waved back to Alison as she was leaving her room.    She thought about what she had given to Alison,  about Mandy.  Something that had happened to Mandy during a sleepover two years before, when  Mandy had just started the sixth grade.  It was something that would completely destroy her reputation if it went out.    Mandy would hate her if she found out she was the one that had given it,  but seeing as her supposed ¡°best friend¡± had not even tried to find out how she was, she was beginning to think that Mandy might actually not want her around.


    She pulled a strand of hair in front of her face, and it came loose in her hands.   The thin, lackluster piece began to blur as tears formed.  Her beautiful hair was now half gone, and what remained could barely be called hair.  She remembered the torment the kids in grade school had put her through when they found out she had been wearing a wig.  They called her chrome dome, and baldy, and cue-tip.  Trudi had tried to stand up for her, but they turned on her because of her weight.


    ¡°Why should I fight this disease again?  Even if I live It will be a veritable hell at the dungeon when I go back, if they can even afford to send me.  The cost of this is going to be huge.¡±  She looked at the pan they had left for her incase  she got sick.  She tried not to think about the past two days, and what the Chemo had done to her stomach.  She didn''t think a human could throw up that much.


    ¡°Why is this happening to me?¡± she whimpered.   ¡°The wages of Sin are Death.¡±   these words floated in her mind.  ¡°Where did that come from?¡±   Her photographic memory provided the answer.  ¡°Romans 6:28.¡±  An icy cold fear began to grip her heart.  She had never thought much about God either way.  She studied her Catechism because it was expected of her, but she had never really thought much about it beyond the grade at the top of the paper.  Laying here however, facing what she was facing, brought the subject to the fore of her mind.   She reached over to the table next to her bed and opened the drawer.  Inside was a Bible.  She opened it to Romans 6:28.  ¡°The wages of sin are Death....¡±  She looked up at the crucifix on the far wall.  ¡°What sin have I committed?  What have I done that warrants this?  I''ve done everything I know how to make sure she was safe.  I''ve kept my word.  Why is this happening? Why? What did I do to make you hate me?¡±


    She screamed as she threw the Bible at the wall under the crucifix.  The Bible flew across the room and smacked against the wall and slid to the floor.  She started at the crucifix, her eyes demanding an answer, but when one didn''t come she  dissolved into tears.  That was how Trudi found her.  Trudi rushed over to comfort her sister.  She ran right by the Bible which had landed face up and open and it remained on Romans 6:28.  the rest of the verse read.  ¡°...,but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.¡±

 Chapter 11 The Thron

    ¡°I am a princess on the way to my throne.¡±


    Alanis Morrisette


    A month had passed, Alianna kept track by carving notches into a tree. They dried off from the soaking mist with a fire in the morning. They had constructed a rope from some vines they had found and used it to hoist the backpack¡¯s up above the mist each night.  This kept their change of clothes dry and gave them something to wear while they waited for the other set to dry.   Everyday more and more small animals could be found near the camp.  Jaius would kill one or two and she would skin and clean it.   They went for walks in the woods, and spent time gazing out across the expanse of the ¡°Hole¡±.   They each began to smile a lot more as they became more used to, and resigned to staying in, Paltophern.  They would play hide and seek, and tell each other stories from the books or movies that they enjoyed, and then each morning they would wake up soaked through by the same mist, and the cycle would start all over again. On the first of the new month, something entirely different happened.


    Alianna was standing with her back to the privacy bushes while Jaius put on his clothes , when she heard a branch break off in the woods.  She jumped at the noise, and felt her heart begin to race.  ¡°A rabbit or squirrel wouldn¡¯t be able to break a branch, It must be something larger.¡±   She thought as she instinctively took a few steps backward.  She held her breath and waited.  A minute later she heard something moving nearby.  It was followed by a low growl.  Instead of freighting her more, the growl brought with it the last lingering shred of hope that this wasn¡¯t Paltophern.   She took a step toward the noise.   She froze before she took another, for stepping out of the trees was a large tiger.  It had large teeth and a hungry look in its eyes.  She couldn¡¯t even scream, her throat had closed up with fright.  She lost control of her bladder, and in that moment didn¡¯t care.   ¡°Where was Jaius?¡±  Was the only thought that would make it through her fear addled brain.  She was able to twist her neck enough to seem him standing by the bushes frozen in place just like she was. He looked like he had just finished getting dressed and stepped out onto this scene.   She also noticed that he hadn¡¯t had any better luck with his bladder then she had.   There was a twinge of disappointment deep inside of her.  She had hoped he would jump in front of her, to risk his life for hers.  Just like the Knight from her book.  She knew they had no hope of escaping, for the tiger had begun moving toward her.


    It  began pacing back and forth, sniffing the air.   It picked up speed with each pace and began to angle for her.  All she could do was pray silently for God to forgive her.  She could not close her eyes, no matter how hard she wanted to.  Some morbid curiosity kept them open, some sick desire to watch her own death.  She began to hear singing coming from behind her.  In her mind she imagined Angles coming to take her to Heaven.  ¡°Angles are a good sign.¡±   This seemed a somewhat odd last thought to her.  She had no time to mull this over though as he great cat suddenly pivoted and charged her.  She barely had a chance to open her mouth to scream.  As the beast lunged at her everything began moving in slow motion.  The cat opened jaws big enough to fit her entire head inside.  As she gazed in terror at the gleaming teeth she caught sight of something else flying toward her.  It was a red beam of light.  Just before those jaws clamped down on her the light struck the tiger.  Its head was enveloped in a crimson aura.  She could feel the heat that emanated from the light as it struck.   As the slow motion effect ended, and she rejoined the normal flow of time, the beam of energy caused the cats head and upper torso to explode.  She was blown backward to the ground and was showered with blood and gore, as the rest of the cat¡¯s body was thrown away to the right, by the force of impact.  She sat there stunned for a few moments, then she lost it.  The sudden realization that she wasn¡¯t going to die, mixed with the grossness of what she was now covered in was too much.  She let out the ear splitting scream that had been building inside her since the tiger walked out of the woods.


    ¡°Silence!¡±  Came a very deep voice from off to her right.  It was so deep and commanding that she found herself shutting up almost immediately.  She also realized that that voice was too deep to be Jaius¡¯s.  Her blood turned icy at the thought of what that meant.


    She turned to see who had spoken.  Emerging from the forest opposite from where the cat had come, was a very tall man  with a bushy black beard and extremely large arms.  He wore furs for clothing, but woven into the furs were crystals, like the ones they had found.  He carried a staff with a large red crystal fixed to the end.  That was the last full glimpse she got as gore from the creature began to ooze its way out of her hair and down her face.  All it took was the smell hitting her nostrils and the next thing she knew she was on the ground throwing up.  At one point she thought her entire insides were going to exit through her mouth.  Then the dry heaves started.  She couldn¡¯t stop, no matter how hard she tried to hold it back, that smell was all around her, creeping further into her nose with each gasping breath.


    She felt her self being lifted off the ground by two very strong hands.   For the briefest moment the image of her Dad finding her laying in the clearing jumped into her head.  In her vision he scooped her up and held her close to him, repeating that it was all OK now, that she was safe.   That moment of peace was washed away as she landed in the middle of the creek and the water closed in around her.


    Jaius watched as the man picked Alianna up and walked a few paces toward the creek.  Oddly enough she wasn¡¯t fighting him.  Embarrassment and indignation burned within him.  He knew that his body had betrayed him, and not just his bladder.  Bones, muscles, brain, they had all let him down.  All this time Ali had been saving him, being strong for him, and right when his moment came to be there for her, to risk it all for her like the knights in the movies did, all he did was stand there and wet himself.   He¡¯d seen her look back at him, he knew that he¡¯d seen disappointment in her eyes.  Anger replaced  everything else he¡¯d been feeling.  Anger at that stupid tiger for ruining the peaceful life they had started to build.  Anger at the man for rescuing her, when it should have been him that had done it.


    His spiral into self loathing was halted when he saw the man fling Alianna high into the air.  He saw the arc of her flight and it was going to put her right in the middle of the creek.  He¡¯d always had a knack for judging angles.  The sudden realization that she could hit the bottom, where the crystals were,  that she could still die, broke through all the layers of paralysis.  He broke into a run and when he reached the edge of the creek, he lept out toward the middle.   He saw her hit the water and disappear, just before he got there.    He dove downward and was able to grab her leg before she touched the glowing lights at the bottom.   He pulled her upward, kept at it until her head broke the surface.  She was coughing ,gagging, and flailing her arms about at the same time.  The back of her hand hit him right in the cheek and he saw little motes of light dance before his eyes, just before the pain began to radiate out from the point of impact.  Her fist hitting him seemed to stop her flailing.  She looked at him as if he were a complete stranger for a very long moment, before the hand that she wasn¡¯t treading water with flew to her mouth.


    ¡°Oh my gosh, Jaius are you OK?  I¡¯m so sorry.¡±  It was taking longer then it should for what had just happened to sink through her brain.  Slowly, however, she began to remember the past three minutes.  Jaius standing there not coming to rescue her from the Tiger.  Then the man appearing and then her being tossed into the creek.  Someone grabbing her leg and pulling her away from those malevolent crystals at the bottom of the creek.  What she was realizing was that it had been Jaius that had just saved her.   His failure to protect her from the Tiger still left an empty spot in her heart, but his risking his live to save her from the dreaded crystals was able to cover over most of it.


    Relief  washed through him.  Not just for the fact that her speaking was a sign that she was OK, but that the concern he heard in her voice denoted that she didn¡¯t hate him for not coming to her aid.  ¡°Yeh¡­Heh, not a problem, tis but a flesh wound.¡±


    She looked at his cheek and the back to him.  She let her confusion seep into her starre.  ¡°I don¡¯t see any blood.¡±


    He  chuckled sullenly.  ¡°Sorry, it¡¯s a line from a movie.¡±


    ¡°Oh, sorry.¡±  She said as her cheeks flushed red.


    They both heard the crunching of the mans boots and turned to see him standing at the water¡¯s edge.  He was removing the red crystal from the staff and replacing it with a golden one.  It looked like a larger version of the one they used to start the fire.  Once it was affixed to the piece of wood he raised it and aimed it at them.  He began to sing a haunting song in a deep bass.  Jaius could swear the man was speaking English.  He saw Alianna¡¯s eyes get larger as the crystal was leveled at them.  He wasn¡¯t going to let her down again.  He''d seen that same look of disappointment in his parents eyes too many times to ever see it again in hers.


    ¡°Take a deep breath!  Ali! Take a deep breath!¡±


    She didn¡¯t look at him the first time, but when he said it again she scrunched her face up in confusion.  Thankfully her confusion lasted mere seconds.  She drew in a deep breath and held it.  Jaius looked her in the eyes.  ¡°Ali, I¡¯m gong to distract him. You go under water and swim as far down stream as you can.   I¡¯ll lead him away and then meet you where we were gathering wood this morning.¡±  He could see that she was about to open her mouth to protest so he didn¡¯t give her the chance.  He put a hand on each of her shoulders and pushed downward, hard enough for her head to disappear  but nowhere near hard enough to send her to the bottom.   When he saw her treading water beneath him looking at him in concern, he quickly jerked his head downstream.  She tilted her head downward in resignation, looked. up at him one last time and then started to swim away from him. He breathed a sigh of relief and then turned to head toward the shore, up stream from the man.  When Jaius was halfway there the man finished his song and a golden light shot from the crystal and enveloped him.   Trapped by the beam that had enfolded him like a bubble.   He floated there, waiting for the end to come.  The beam did not kill him, It did however lift him out of the water and begin to pull him to the shore.


    He felt as light as a feather as he floated within that light.  ¡°Great he¡¯s got me caught in his tractor beam.  Where is Obi-Wan when you need him?¡±  The beam carried him over the water and then brought him to the shore about ten feet from the man.  Jaius tried put on a brave face as the man circled around him, he wasn¡®t sure how well he succeeded.   The man then turned this way and that as if searching for something.  He sniffed the air and then grunted.  He pointed the staff at Jaius, the crystal at the top glowing like a mini-sun, and Jaius rose into the air again.  The man turned and laid the staff on his shoulder with the Crystal still pointed at Jaius.  As the man began to move so did he.  Jaius looked back at the campsite that had become their home.  He had thought that Paltophern had been a place of complete safety, a place where Ali and he could live a happy life, devoid of bullies and pain.  It looked as if bullies existed in every corner of the universe.  Then he saw her, soaking wet and hiding behind a tree, but it was her, it was Ali.  She had her hand over her mouth as he floated away from her.  He could see her eyes clearly though they were brimming over with emotion.  Then he swore he read something in them.  He could almost hear her saying  ¡°I¡¯m coming for you.¡±  ¡°Great, yet again I¡¯m the knight but the princess has to rescue me.  I suck at this whole chivalry crap.¡±   He tried to put as much emotion into his eyes as she had hers.  He found it difficult because it was so hard for him to get that worked up.  The man entered the trees at the top of the rise above the clearing and Jaius lost contact with her.  Once she was gone, he began to feel this certainty solidifying in his chest.  A certainty that it would be a long time till they could be together again.   This began to tear at him, break him up from the inside.   He began to cry as those thoughts took hold in his mind.


    ¡°Silence you woman,  I at first took you to be a man, but it looks like I might be wrong in that assumption.  Your wailing grates at my bones, now stop it!¡±  The commanding nature of the man¡¯s voice had him shutting his mouth before it fully registered what he had said.  By the time they reached the Hole, he had managed to contain his despair and had begun looking into the trees, hoping to see Ali or at the very least a bully eating Tiger.


    Alianna shouted out to Jaius in her mind.  Trying to send mental shouts at him.  ¡°I¡¯m going to come after you, Jaius, be strong!¡±  There was a moment,  before the man and Jaius disappeared into the trees, that she swore he heard her mental cry.   Once she was sure the man was gone she hurried over to a tree that had a large hollowed out space in it.  She reached in and grabbed the ropes that held their backpacks.  As  she untied and lowered the packs she marveled at what she was doing.  Four weeks ago she¡¯d have been too scared at this point to do anything but sit in the clearing and cry,  but here she was now about to go after a grown man and try to steal back her friend.  Paltophern¡¯s air must give you courage as well as the ability to run twice as far.  She finally got the bags to the ground and opened the main compartment. She reached into her pack and pulled out a furry bundle.  She also  reached in and grabbed the knife shard.  She had resolved not to be afraid of it because, after many hours each day sitting by the fire practicing with it, trying different songs, octaves, images in her head, she had learned to control its power in a limited fashion.  The effect seemed to be linked to what she was thinking of while singing, although she had no explanation how that could be.  She still kept a wary eye on it from time to time, but for the most part she didn¡¯t let it bother her.


    She condenced the contents, everything they owned, into her pack because it was the most durable.  It has been an old camping pack that her mom had given her.    She then picked it up and shouldered it.   She took one look around their campsite, their home, because she had a gnawing feeling she wouldn¡¯t see it again.   She sighed deeply,  the memories of the past month playing through her mind.  Then she turned away from the camp and then took off up the incline into the trees.  She knew she could catch the man, but he seemed to have far better control over the crystals then she did.  She¡¯d probably be captured or worse as soon as she caught up.  She resigned herself to trying to follow at a distance and hope an opportunity arose for her to sneak in and free Jaius.  Her new and improved hearing allowed her to keep track of the man¡¯s movements.  She tried to stay as far behind him as she dared though, reasoning that a native of Paltophern might already have super hearing.


    ¡°He had spoken in English!  How could he know English?  He should have been speaking in some alien language.  Maybe it is like the Talmerains in Narnia.  They were humans from earth that had found their way into Narnia.  Maybe he is from earth and got trapped here just like us.¡±


    She stopped once she got to the edge of the tree line just before the Hole.  She crouched down and looked one way and then the other.  To the left she saw that man and Jaius floating behind him.  The staff was laying on the Man¡¯s shoulder, a beam of golden light emanating from it and then surrounding Jaius.  She followed the man south around the rim of the Hole.  He stopped before reaching the halfway mark and turned left.  She followed him the rest of the day until he stopped in a clearing and he set the staff on the ground and Jaius floated down to rest on the grass. He then removed the stone from the staff and put the red crystal on it and leaned the Staff against a tree nearby.  He set the amber crystal that held the sphere that trapped Jaius into a box and set the box on the ground.


    She hunkered down to watch as the man gathered wood to make a fire.   Once he had a decent pile he grabbed the staff and went into the woods.  She was stunned, he just left Jaius alone, did the man not even think that she would come after him? Did he think that she posed no threat at all?


    ¡°I''ll show him to overlook me.¡±  She waited a minute or two, trying to track the man as he moved away from the camp.  When she thought he had moved far enough away she ran down to the camp.  She saw Jaius''s eyes light up as she burst into the clearing, and she found a warm smile splitting her lips.   ¡°You came.¡±


    ¡°I told you I''d come after you, silly.¡±  She bent down and touched the box that held the amber crystal.  She opened the lid and went to lift out the crystal and immediately drew back her hand and started shaking it up and down.  She mouthed the word ¡°Oww¡± over and over.  She saw his eyes imply a  ¡°That was Stupid. ¡±


    ¡°Well if you have a better idea I''m open to it!¡± His eyes locked on the crystal knife.  She followed them down to it and felt her cheeks coloring.  ¡°Heh, oh yeah, I forgot.¡±


    She started humming singing quietly, enough for the crystal to hear her but she hopped not enough for the man.   After a minute a glow appeared at the center of her crystal she pointed it at the other one and hit the note that always seemed to trigger the beam.  The golden ray shot out of her crystal.  It struck the crystal that was holding Jaius and ricocheted back toward him.  She gasped in horror.  It struck the golden orb that surrounded him and went through.  Somehow, Jaius was able to dodge the beam..  Some freakish reflex engaged and jerked his head and back backwards till he lay flat against the floor of the sphere just in-time to avoid the beam.  The beam shot off into the wood and was gone.   He straightened himself and just by the look on Alianna¡¯s  face he knew his was as pale as a bone.  He sucked her breath in very quickly as sweat  began to ooze from every pore.  ¡°Jaius,  how did you doge that beam?  It was moving so fast I¡¯ve never seen anything like it.¡±  I¡­have¡± He panted.  ¡° As I saw the beam ricochet, a movie scene jumped into my head where a man dodges a bunch of bullets by moving faster than they did. Next thing I know I¡¯m laying back on the floor of the sphere watching the golden beam sail over me.¡±  That¡¯s amazing.  Like what I imagine the stones reproduce, but it sounds like you might be able to reproduce what you see in your head by moving your body.¡±  He nodded at that odd notion,  but before they could test it they both heard the noise of the man coming through the Trees.  Startled and uncertain what to do, She backed away from the crystal that held Jaius and kept going toward the tree line.  The fear in Jaius''s eyes changed to hurt as he saw that she was leaving.  Her eyes filled with sorrow.  ¡°I''m sorry Jaius, I...I don''t know what to do, He¡¯s coming.  I''m going to be following you.  I''ll free you Jaius, I just got to figure out how.¡±  Just before she crossed back through the tree line his eyes changed from a look of hurt to encouragement.  He winked at her, and she could see the twinkle of a smile in them.  She stopped, gave him a grin and a thumbs up and then turned and ran up the hill that was overlooking the camp.  When she reached the top she sat down Indian style and opened the side pouch and pulled out a few berries and started to munch on them.  They had watched the berries that some of the small animals ate and saw that they didn''t die from them and so they had tried them too.  They were really delicious.


    A few minutes later the man appeared again dragging what looked like a very large deer.  He droped it in front of the wood pile, pointed the staff at the wood pile and began to sing.  Moments  later a thin red beam shot out and lighted the wood.  He then took out a knife and proceeded to gut the animal.  She lifted her own crystal knife in front of her eyes and stared into its facets.   Memories of the past  few weeks seemed to float within the facets of the crystal.


    After the first few days in the clearing, Jaius had become really sick.  So much so that he wasn¡¯t able to move from the fire.  She had tried to avoid using the Crystals at first, because of the great power they possesed.  When he became ill though, she had to keep the fire going to keep him from getting a chill and she also had to use the knife to kill the animals and skin them and the other crystal to light the fires.  That first night that he was sick  was one of the worst she had been through in her life.  He couldn¡¯t stop throwing up, among other problems.  She was so scared, it was like her brain went on vacation.  The twins had gotten sick last year and she had helped her mom take care of them, but for some reason she felt afraid to go near Jaius when he was like this.  She felt like she  been too chained up in her fears to move too far from where she sat near the fire.


    She had managed to help him to the tree line when he needed to throw up, and go to the bathroom, and she got him water when he needed it, and gathered berries to eat because she still couldn¡¯t bring herself to kill the animal¡¯s up close.  Aside from that she had been pretty much useless to him.


    He must have been too weak to protest her inaction, because all he did was thank her for the few times that she did help him.  She would sit there for hours trying to find out where all her courage and strength from the first few days had gone.   She didn¡¯t sleep well during that time.  She would lie awake and listen to him as he lay there whimpering.  He didn¡¯t call out to her, but Alianna knew he was wishing his mom was there.  He had to be, because she had been pining for her mother every waking moment since he had gotten sick.  She missed her family desperately, and the reality of fantasy worlds left a lot to be desired.   There were no talking animals, or knights, or old wizards that appeared precisely when they meant to,  just fear, and cold, and hunger, and sickness and pain.


    His sickness lasted for two days.  It seemed that once he was well enough to begin helping her again, that she came down with similar symptoms that he did.   As she got worse he improved, he even said he felt twice as good as he had before he got sick.  She had never been sick like that before.  She spent a lot of time in the creek cleaning herself up.  She was constantly telling him to leave the clearing when she needed to get into the creek.  Looking back her tone may have come across as mean when she was telling him to go.


    He didn¡¯t say anything though, he just said ¡°No Problem¡± and headed up the incline toward the Hole.  She felt bad about any tone that may have worked its way into her voice but she felt even more self conscious during that week then the whole time they had been together.   There were things going on with her body that she would have died before discussing them with him, let alone the nausea and other problems.  Some of her symptoms were the same as his, but she didn¡¯t get as weak as he did, although the other complications more than made up for that.


    She shook those thoughts from her head.  She couldn¡¯t let her self dwell on the negative, there had been some really cool moments over the past few weeks as well.  Jaius had not been wrong about feeling really good after recovering from the sickness.  She felt amazing.  She knew young people were supposed to have very resilient bodies, but her body felt brand new.   Each breath brought renewed energy, and even jumping from a decent height, brought no protest from her legs.  Jaius and she had even tried to see how long they could stay up.  They stayed awake for two days straight before even the first signs of fatigue set in.  It was during that period of self imposed insomnia that they were able to witness the appearance of the fog that greeted them every morning.  It literally rose straight up from the ground all around them.  It even rose off of the top of the creek.  They would run through the forest together, or go for walks and listen to the music of the animals as they called out to each other in the distance.   They would watch the light dim as they sat with their feet dangling over the lip of the Hole.   It wasn¡¯t really a sunset, but it was the closest thing they had.  They had even begun to swim together, in the mornings since their clothes were already soaked.  They had a lot of fun splashing each other.  This was something else of a surprise for her.   She felt more comfortable around Jaius now then she had around anyone else in a long time.  When she tried to justify this new level of comfort to herself, all she could point her finger at was that when they were both sick, they were each incredibly vulnerable and exposed.   She figured if he hadn¡¯t gone screaming for the hills once she got better, then she  felt she could start being herself around him, and it seemed that he began to feel the same way around her.


    Next thing she knew it was morning.  The mist was surrounding her and she was drenched.  She shook her head, berating herself for daydreaming at a time like this. It didn¡¯t last long though as she remembered that her clothes were wet most of yesterday because she hadn¡¯t had time to change before leaving the clearing.  The rugged camping pack seemed to resist most of the moisture, which made her sigh in relief.   She looked up and saw that  the man was halfway around the rim of the Hole already.  She noticed also that he wasn¡¯t soaking wet.  She dug the shard into the ground in frustration, pulled it out and hurried off to her left,  keeping inside the treeline, but also trying to catch up to the man.


    As she ran an image formed in her mind.  It was of her, sleeping in her bed, Mr. bear nestled to her.   She missed that.  Missed feeling safe in a comfortable bed.  She also felt the loss of innocence that she had had when she was safe in her bed.  She had witnessed many wondrous sights on Paltophern, but there had also been occurrences that she knew had forced her to grow up faster then she should have.  She saw herself in the room as she was now, complete with Jaius¡¯s pack on her back.  She stood looking down upon this most peaceful sight. The innocent, pre-Paltophern her, snuggled in her bed, clutching Mr. Bear.  This peaceful image that she treasured in her mind.  She bent down and kissed her sleeping self on the forehead, and then walked slowly back to the door to her room.   She paused halfway into the hallway and looked back one last time.  She saw her sleeping self pull Mr. Bear closer in, and nuzzle his soft fur, and then sigh.  She blew a kiss into that childhood sanctuary and walked the rest of the way into the hall and shut the door.


    She skidded to a halt.  The echo of that door shutting reverberating in her head.  ¡°What was that? What¡­what did that vision mean?¡±   A branch snapping in the distance took her away from those thoughts.   She caught a glimpse of movement and realized the man was getting ahead of her again.   She took off again, trying very hard not to let her mind wander again.


    She ran for hours through a forest that got denser the further in she went.  The man hadn¡¯t gone the entire way around the hole, he had turned westward a mile before coming to the halfway point.   She had to be many miles away from the Hole by now.  This brought a momentary wave of sadness over her.  The clearing was so far away now.  It had become their place of safety, their home, and she had been forced to abandon it, possibly never to return.   There had been a point over the last week where she had been forced to admit to herself that there might never be a hope of seeing her family again.  They had stayed in that clearing for almost a month and there had been no sign of a way back to the Earth.  She would not, could not allow herself to give up hope totally, but she had started to imagine the rest of her life spent on Paltophern.   A life that seemed to include Jaius more and more with each passing day.   She wondered how many more like this man that there were on Paltophern.


    Night fell and the man kept running, it seemed that all Paltphernians had similar abilities like the ones Jaius and her had developed.  Not feeling winded in the slightest she pushed on, as darkness descended.  She had noticed that she could still see pretty well even when night came, which she thanked God for, because it allowed her to be able to keep up with the man, even in this dense forest.  She had lost her contacts the third day she was here, but found out not too long after recovering from the sickness that she didn¡¯t need them anymore, and now it seemed they were getting stronger.


    The man traveled westward for three days, and then headed north for another two. She saw the one night how he resisted the mist. A glowing red dome appeared over him each night and the mist rose around it in the morning.


    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Just as the light was starting to dim on the night of the sixth day after leaving the clearing, she crested the top of a wooded hill and looked down into an amazingly beautiful valley.  There was a river that flowed through the middle of it.     The water wound its way into the valley as it  emerged out of a pass between two of the hills.  As she stood starring at where the base of the two hills crossed she felt an odd sense of comfort, that bloomed into pure joy.   She began to laugh, softly at first, then getting somewhat louder.  At the same time tears ran down her cheeks.  Laughing and crying  she covered her mouth with both hands to muffle the sound.  Slowly it dawned on her why she was acting this way.  It was the river, flowing out from between two hills.  Just like in the painting that hung above the love seat in her house.   The one where the river disappeared into a pass between two hills.  She had been right, there really had been a valley beyond those hills in the painting, and she was standing above it.


    She tore her eyes away from the pass, and back to the valley below her.  She saw the man pause at the river''s edge and she faintly picked up his signing.   After a few minutes the crystals that were woven into his cloak began to glow a deep amber color and within moments he was lifting into the air and floating across the river.


    Alianna shook her head.  ¡°This isn''t real, its not natural. I mean I know I''ve read books that are chalk full of stuff like guys floating across the water,  but actually seeing it , it...its too much!¡±  She forced herself to look back at the man as he floated over the river.  He landed at the far side and continued walking toward a line of hills that seemed to form a ¡°J¡± shape.  As the man walked away from the river she saw that he was aiming for a point where he could turn right and head into the cul-de-sac.  ¡°Great, he gets to float across and stay dry, I''m going to have to swim and be wet again  for probably the rest of the night.¡±   She sighed, but then shrugged her shoulders.  ¡°Won''t be the worst night I''ve spent on Paltophern.¡±   Her clothes were still damp anyways from a week of getting drenched by the mist, but not having the time to dry or change  them.


    Once he was far enough away from the river she began her descent of the hill she was on.  She soon stood at the bank of the river.  The river was a lot farther across then she had thought, and the current seemed kind of strong.  It reminded her of the Susquehanna river that cut its way through Wilkes-Bare, except where the Susquehanna was so murky you couldn''t see into it at all, this river was as clear as the water in the creek.  She pulled the backpack around and opened the main pocket.  She pulled out the larger crystal, the one that lights the fires,  and then zippered the pack back up.  She held the crystal up to her face and looked intently at it. Squinting her eyes shut,  she imagined as hard as she could, picturing the stone lifting her across the river, but no matter how hard she tried the stone just rested lifeless in her hand.  ¡°I wonder what song makes you fly.¡± she said to the stone.  ¡°Maybe a song about flying away.¡±  She took a deep breath.  ¡°I''ll fly away, oh glory, I''ll fly away, when I die hallelujah, by and by, I''ll fly...¡±  She had to stop, she had forgotten what that song was about.  What had brought her up short was the memory of standing there by the creek, about to end her own life.  ¡°Nope, not gonna stand by that creek edge forever.  The right song sung at this stone and I won''t be spending tonight soaking wet.¡±  She took another deep breath and continued the song.


    ¡°When the shadows of this life have grown, I''ll fly away, fly away, fly away.  Like a bird from prison bars has flown, I''ll fly away, fly away, fly away...¡±


    As she sang the crystal began to vibrate.  Each note seemed to make it shake just slightly differently than the last.  When she hit the last note of the chorus the crystal began to glow, and she felt it begin to move forward of its own accord.  She gripped it tightly, and almost at the same instant that her hand closed round it, the stone pulled her off her feet and toward the river.  Almost immediately she felt the thing lose momentum, she was almost at the river bank before she remembered that if you wanted the crystals effect to last, you had to keep signing.  She quickly began the song again.   The crystal renewed its flight, but the loss of momentum had brought them too close to the level of the water and so, even though the crystal succeeded in getting her across the stream, she still wound up on the far side dripping with water.  ¡°Still got wet.¡±  She said glumly, but then changed her tone as she looked around and noted that her goal had been reached, and that any annoyances in getting there were really quite trivial.


    There had been a lot of hard lessons over the past weeks in learning how to be thankful for the things that she did have, and not mourning the things she didn''t.  They had both done a lot of wallowing in misery that first week.  Once the shock at being in this place had worn off, the reality weighed on them like a mountain.   It had been Jaius who had kept pushing her to not give up hope, to make the best of where they were for now.  Looking back, she had been too harsh in her judgment of him back when the Tiger attacked them.  That beast had been so large, and came at them so suddenly there really wasn''t even time to think.  Plus, he had jumped in and saved her from the crystals.


    She looked ahead, in the direction that the man had carried Jaius.   She saw no sign of his passing. ¡°Crap! I just hope he veered to the left into the cul-de-sac, and didn''t go over the mountain.¡±  She returned the larger shard to the backpack and then gripped the crystal knife in her right hand and set off into the woods.


    Ten minutes later she was peering around a tree and looking into the cul-de-sac that was formed by the mountains.  There was a decent sized pond about a quarter of a mile from where she stood, and beyond that was a collection of houses that were made of stone and wood.  There were about thirty of them as far as she could tell.  A radiance emanated from each one.  She squinted her eyes and thought that she could make out crystals set into the outside walls, but she was too far a way to tell.   The houses were all one story structures, except for the one at the end of the road that ran through the middle of town.  At the far end stood a building that was three stories tall.  It had a wide wall around it and many different wings shooting off it in all directions, like a massive mansion.  It  was made out of crystal and spread golden light over the rest of the village.  ¡°Not the city made of crystal I was expecting, but...¡± she gritted her teeth and began to move carefully forward.  She headed up the slope of the mountain near her, so that she could approach the village under the cover of the trees.


    As she peeked out from behind a tree, her face became serious as the man walked into her view.  He was coming from the main street and headed toward the large front doors of the crystal building.   The doors were guarded by two men who wore crystal helmets and what looked like crystal chest plates.  They each held a long spear with a head made of red crystal, and a shield made of what looked like amber, but she assumed it was crystal also.


    The men crossed their spears as the brute that had stolen her friend approached them.  He lifted something from his chest and showed it to them.  The one guard looked at what the man held, and then nodded and they let him pass.   The man went inside, followed by Jaius who was still held captive in the golden energy.  Something occurred to her as she stood there.  ¡°The man hadn''t been signing.  How had he been able to maintain the beam that held Jaius captive?¡±  The door shut behind him.


    Ali sighed and leaned against the tree.  ¡°Great, I gotta go save prince Rilian.  It''s worth it though.  I just hope he doesn''t make a habit of this.¡±  She slid down the tree and pulled her legs up to her chest.  ¡°I better wait till it¡¯s dark to try to sneak in.  She then took the knife and began to draw in the dirt.   As she dug into the ground a face began to emerge.   An hour later she was looking at a face.    The person was definitely male, but she wasn''t sure who it was.   It stood out in such detail that it looked for a moment as if there was a puddle of water at her feet reflecting the face of someone behind her.  ¡°Was there nothing that Paltophern didn''t enhance about you?¡±  She''d always been a fair artist, but this was something that she would have thought outside her ability.  After a few moments of looking she narrowed down the possible owner''s of the face to the three Men most on her mind of late.  She couldn''t decide if it was Jaius, or Jim, or her Dad.


    She had been thinking of all three of them during the past week.  Her Dad was always there to protect and provide for her.   She had taken for granted so much of what her Mom and Dad had done for her.  She had come to rely on Jaius so much over the past month that it was almost like she had always relied on him.  Then there was Jim.  The injustice he had done to her had settled down into the depths of her memory, and most of what remained were the things that had brought on her crushing on him.  He was handsome, and was quiet and cool, a lot like the Fonz.  Her parents used to watch their Happy Days DVD''s all the time before the twins were born.  He had such cool taste in music too.  But was he Edward and Jaius Jacob, or the other way around?  She laughed at that thought.  ¡°So does that make me Bella, and my Dad Charlie?¡± She shook her head.  ¡°With as dangerous as Paltophern is and my current situation, I feel more like Katniss Everdeen.¡±


    Alianna continued to mull these thoughts and others as she waited for the darkness to fall.  Two hours later the light had dimmed noticeably.  She stood up and stretched for a minute or two.  Once she felt limbered up she took a deep breath and then headed down toward the village.   She was halfway to the central structure when she heard two people walking down the street that crossed in front of the one she was on.  She ducked to her right and found herself under the window of one of the houses.  She could hear them talking.


    ¡°Must we go to the Means tonight Galeric?  Our food will waste away on the table before we are able to return to it.¡±   A woman''s high-pitched voice


    ¡°We dare not be late once the Hyress issues her call.  She would cast us to the deep for sure.  She has no mercy for any that do not react immediately to her will.¡±


    ¡°But...¡±


    Alianna saw them as they crossed before where the ally met the street.  The man grabbed the woman''s arm and pulled her in close to him.


    ¡°Silence woman! The Hyress has ears that lurk all around.  Your rebellious ways will end both of our lives..¡±  The woman whimpered slightly as the man spoke.  Slowly she nodded her head.  At this movement, he spat on the ground next to her and then strode forward pulling her along behind him.


    Alianna  kept staring at the street, something fixing her gaze to the sport where the couple had stood.  Pain in her left hand, the one that wasn''t holding the dagger, forced her to look away from the road.  She opened her hand and looked down at it.  Four gashes were impeded in the upper part of her palm.  She was confused at their appearance for only a few seconds, for the blood that stained her uncut nails betrayed the culprit.  She stretched her hand out and shook it back and forth as the pain throbbed up her arm.  ¡°Ouch, ouch ouch.  What the heck? Great, I don''t need any help from those guards, I do a sufficient job of injuring myself.¡±


    She took a deep breath and stood still.  She cocked her head toward the street and heard more movement.  She watched as thirty to forty couples, each leading on average eight children, passed by the entrance to the ally.  After they went by, she waited ten more minutes to make sure there were no more coming.   When she could hear no more people walking down he street she cautiously ventured out of the alley and continued to move parallel to the main street.   A few more minutes and she was crouched down behind a bench that sat in a small park that had a low stone wall around it.  From where Alianna hid she could see the side of the large structure.  There were three windows per floor, but none of them were open, and she could see people moving by them every so often.


    ¡°How am I going to get in?¡±  She whispered.  She kept scanning the area around the building, praying for a miracle.   Movement from the rear of the building caught her eye and she turned to see what it was.  A woman was walking from a shed that lay about a hundred yards behind the building.  She was carrying what looked like half a pig.  A rumbling noise emanated from her midsection.  ¡°Mmmm...Bacon!¡±  She shook her head and went back to watching the woman, who was just descending a stone staircase cut   into the ground, behind the structure.  ¡°Its worth a try.¡± she whispered softly.


    Alianna ran as quietly as she could to the back of the building and stopped at the corner.  She looked back toward the street and, seeing no one, turned her attention to where the woman went down the steps.  She looked down the stone staircase and saw that  a door lay at the bottom, it had been left open just slightly.  She tiptoed down the stairs and paused at the door frame and listened.  The smells of cooking wafted past her, they stirred a hunger in her that she had forgotten about.  Weeks of eating the small animals they had caught and the berries that they had seen the animals eat, were poor substitutes to the aroma of bread she smelled baking mixed with seared pork.  She clenched her fists and scrunched up her face and locked her legs in place as they had started to move forward toward the smells. She tried to imagine that she was walking into a land fill, tried desperately to replace the sweet smells wafting toward her, with the rancid smells of a dump, but only succeeded marginally.


    She opened her eyes slightly and saw a soft light coming from around the corner ahead.  She could hear women singing.  Her resolve returning to her, she took a deep breath, which of course was a huge mistake.  The aromas flooded her nose and she lost what little self-control that she had mustered.   She tiptoed quickly up to the corner and peered around.  She saw a large kitchen ahead of her.  The walls were of finely cut stone, the mortar of which seemed to sparkle in the light that came from a massive fireplace.  It was so large that three copper kettles sat within it. There was a wooden table that dominated the middle part of the room.  There were at least six women, some of them not much older than herself, standing at the table doing tasks ranging from cutting vegetables to rolling dough.  They wore dresses of what looked like silk that went down to their knees and she could see what appeared to be tights covering the rest of their legs.


    The tights also sparkled in the firelight.  ¡°Was everything in the world made of crystals in one way or another?¡±


    The women who were working at the table were singing a song that spread joy and peace through the room.  Two of them, two girls about her age that had red hair and looked like identical twins had a crystal around their necks that glowed brightly, pulsing to the music.  All around the two women small pinpoints of light flared for a second and then dissipated.  There didn''t seem to be any pattern or reason to the lights, but Ali was sure that whatever the lights were they were what the women were trying to create with their song.   There was an archway that led into the kitchen at the end of the hallway she was looking down.


    She moved forward and put her back up against the solid part of the arch.  She poked her head around to get a better view of the kitchen.  Aside from the women around the table there was a woman standing at a podium to the left of the table.  She wore a green silk dress that went down to her ankles and she carried a wooden spoon as if it were a scepter, or perhaps a sword.  Alianna assumed she was the head chef but she seemed so young.  She couldn''t be older then twenty but her eyes spoke of witnessing the passage of many more years then that.  As she thought about it all of the women that she could see looked quite young.  She had to guess that none of them were far into their twenties.


    Behind the woman and the podium was another archway.  She could see the first few stairs just beyond the arch.  Her mouth began to water.  If she didn''t run back outside soon, she knew she would give herself up if they promised to feed her.   ¡°God, it''s Ali. Please, please make my stomach stop rumbling, or stop up my nose, or something.  I got to save Jaius, but I don''t know how much longer I can resist this food.¡±


    A few more minutes passed without anyone in the room leaving.  Just as Ali was about to turn and run back outside, she herd footfalls on the steps.  A moment latter a girl of about ten ran onto the landing and then skidded to a halt inside the kitchen.  The girl had long dark hair and brown eyes.  This brought another oddity up to Ali.  Almost every one she had seen so far had had dark hair and either black or brown eyes, and no one had had blond hair and blue eyes the twins were the only different hair color she had seen so far..   ¡°Great, I''m going to stick out like a sore thumb.  Like Ayla among the Clan of the Cave Bear.¡±


    The girl bowed to the the woman that held the spoon.  ¡°Mistress of the Feast.  The Hyress grows impatient.  Maleric has returned and she has nothing to set before him.  He insists he must soon depart, and she states that she will be most displeased with thee if he leaves without food in his stomach.¡±  The girl finished speaking but remained bowed.  Alianna saw the woman blanch for just a second before recovering.  She strode to the head of the table and whirled on the women.  ¡°Enough!¡±  The women stopped what they were doing and looked at her.  When they stopped singing the crystals stopped glowing and the motes of light ceased to appear.  Alianna smiled a slight smile, congratulating herself for being right.


    ¡°Everyone prepare two plates and come with me, we will serve the Hyress and her guest first and then come back to finish the rest of the plates.¡±


    The women all nodded their heads and began to swiftly set two plates each with food.  The woman with the spoon also prepared two plates, in a far more meticulous way then the others were.  When she finished, her two plates looked like the pictures that you see at the fast food place of what your food should look like, but never does.   The woman picked up her two plates, as did the others, and with the Mistress of the Feast in the lead they followed her single file up the stairs.  As the last one entered the arch, the young girl straightened and followed behind them.


    Knowing this was her chance, and thanking God for helping her out, she raced into the room and made it about as far as the table before her legs refused to go another step.  She stood entranced by the sight of cooked ham, fresh bread, bacon, vegetables and some kind of cake with a glaze on it.  She couldn''t resist it any longer.  She ran over and stuffed three pieces of bacon in her mouth.  She then grabbed two sausages, which burned her tongue.  Not feeling the pain she thrust some ham into herself and continued on down the table.  Something interrupted her gluttonous indulgence.  She remembered that the woman said they would be right back.  An image of Jaius floated in her mind.  ¡°What am I doing!  They''ll be back soon, catch me, and then there will be no one to rescue him.¡±  She sighed around the hunk of bread she had just spattered with butter and stuffed in her mouth.  She grabbed the rest of that piece of bread, some more bacon and then turned and ran to the stairs.  She listened before going up, and hearing nothing, proceeded up the stairs.


    The stairs went up two flights before ending in another archway.  She looked both ways into the hall.  She saw that to the left  the hallway  went a few yards and then turned to the right.  To her right the hall went on for about a hundred yards before turning to the left.   Halfway down the to the right were two huge oak doors with scenes depicting woods, and a river.  One of the doors stood open.   Fearing that the cook and her helpers would be coming her way any moment, Ali went to her left and disappeared around the corner.  She peered back down the hall she had just come from, and almost on cue the cook and the other women came out of the large doors.   The cook looked a bit paler than she had below and was sweating as she hurried back to the archway and rushed  back to the kitchens.  The other women did not seem any more confident as they hurried after her, and the two girls seemed absolutely terrified..


    Ali gave it to the count of ten before heading to the large door.  She looked around the door at a huge room.  The walls were paneled in clear crystal which glowed with light for the room.  There was beautiful singing coming from a pit in the middle of the room.  The pit only went down about seven feet, and inside were seven men and seven women.  The men wore silk shirts and shorts and the same glimmering tights that the women below wore.  The women in the pit wore silken mini skirts with silken halter tops sand the same glittering tights.  Then Ali noticed the body suite sparkling from under the halter tops and concluded that it was all one piece of glittering fabric.


    Just back from the pit stood a long table covered in a shimmering  tablecloth.  There were eleven seats along the length of the table, and men and women in finer clothes than the rest of the people gathered throughout the hall, were eating the food that had just been brought up.  At the center of the table sat a girl that had to be her age.  She had long blond hair and blue eyes and she was very pretty.  She wore a diadem with a crystal shard set in the middle of it that glowed a deep purple.  Next to her was the same beast of a man who had taken Jaius, who was still floating in a glowing bubble  just behind the man.  Behind that table rose ten steps that led to a rectangular dais. In the middle of the platform was an ornate chair of crystal that was four feet tall and two feet long and wide.   It was of the same deep purple crystal as the stone set in the girls diadem. Except, with all the singing, this was the only crystal not affected in any way.  It remained dark and cold, even though it was just feet from the pit.


    Ali scanned the room looking for a place where she could hide.  At the same time as her eyes locked on an alcove not too far from the door, a strong hand clamped down on her shoulder.  She felt the adrenaline rush through her veins, the sinking feeling of getting caught encompassing her stomach.  She turned to look behind her and saw a man with a shaven head  who seemed like he was in his early thirties.  He had a very neatly cut goatee and piercing brown eyes.


    ¡°Well, my dear, you are definitely not from around here  are you, normally I would insist you bathe, covered in dirt and stinking as you do, before bringing you into this room, but I do believe we do not have time for that?¡±


    ¡°I..I...Ah..¡± She felt completely betrayed.  All the confidence that she had built up these past weeks dissolved into those eyes.


    ¡°Come, there is someone who will be most interested to meet you.¡±  He said as he pulled up a strand of her hair and examined it.  He then grabbed her chin and stared deeply into her eyes.  ¡°Very interested¡±  His Iron grip did not lesson as he pushed her ahead of him.  ¡°My Hyress, we have an unexpected guest.¡±  He shouted into the great hall as he walked her toward the main table.  The girl with the diadem turned from talking to the man who had taken Jaius and looked at them with an icy gaze.  It reminded her of the gaze that Keri had given her right before Alianna had run out of the cafeteria.


    ¡°Theric, you better have a good reason for disturbing....¡±  The girl stopped mid-sentence as her eyes fell on Alianna.   Alianna caught the shadow of fear that fell over the girl the moment she saw her.  The shadow was gone as soon as it came and was replaced with the Ice.  ¡°So Theric, you have found an impostor?  One of the other tribes trying to overthrow me perhaps?¡±


    ¡°That was what I had surmised as well My Hyress.  I figure some form of dye and very fine crystal lenses to give the illusion of her hair and eyes.  Hair and eyes that only you possess my Hyress, as a marking from  the Eternal that you were chosen to rule.¡±


    All this talk about impostors got Ali''s mind thinking along those lines.  She looked intently at this girl with the diadem.  There was something about her hair, something that didn''t seem right.  She was the only other person she had seen with blond hair and blue eyes, and from what this man had implied those attributes are what qualified her to be their leader.  She could find nothing out of place with the girl though.


    ¡°Well Theric, does it speak?  Or are we going to have to pantomime?¡±


    ¡°It tried to my lady but it wasn''t very coherent.¡±


    ¡°Well then, it probably won''t be able to explain itself, not much more to do with it then have it destroyed.  I will do it myself.  Let it be known that my rule as Hyress is indisputable.¡±


    Alianna saw the girl rise and begin to turn toward the steps.  ¡°If she is going to use that large crystal chair on me, I''ll be finished.¡±  All the confidence that had melted out of her when this man grabbed her suddenly returned.   Weeks of fighting for survival and succeeding washed away her fear.   After a cursory examination of the situation, all she could come up with was to run up and tackle the girl before she got up the steps.  Then hold her hostage somehow.  No one would attack her as long as she held this Hyress, at least she hoped they wouldn¡¯t  ¡°It was worth a shot.¡±


    Alianna twisted in the man''s grip and drew back her right leg.  She spun to face him and kicked the man between his legs with the same force as if she was taking a free kick in soccer.  The man''s hand instantly let her go as his eyes bugged out of his head and he doubled over and fell to the ground.  She continued to turn and raced at the girl.  She jumped onto the table and lunged at the girl, tackling her off the first step.   They tumbled to the floor and as they were flung apart the tassel on her belt caught on the crown and pulled it off of the other girl''s head.  Alianna  landed at the foot of the steps in a heap, but quickly sprang up to her knees to see what had happened.  Her eyes locked first on the girl that she had just tackled, and watched as the  girls hair turned from blond to jet black.  The girl shook her head and looked at Alianna with fear and confusion in her eyes.  The girl stood and pointed her finger at Alianna, but before she could say anything, gasps and screams erupted from the people in the room.  The girl froze and then turned around to face the crowd.  Everyone was pointing at her, some with horror on their faces, some with rage.  All the color drained from her face and she slumped to the ground and began to cry.  She was calling out a name that Ali couldn''t understand.


    The man who held Jaius was already singing and his suit was beginning to glow.  Ali new what he was doing.  She ran up the steps and stood in-front of the deep purple crystal chair and turned to face the crowd.  ¡°Here me.¡±  She bellowed.  ¡°I am the true Hyress, as shown by my hair and eyes, as they are without the crown that made it possible for this girl to deceive you.¡±  When everyone had turned to look at her and saw her hair and eyes without the crown, she reached up and  placed the diadem on her head.   ¡°I command you to stop that man.¡±  She said, pointing to the one they called Maleric.


    But before anyone moved, the man finished  signing and flew out of the room, with Jaius trailing behind him.


    ¡°Go, Stop him!¡± She shouted.


    ¡°N..Noo!''''   Groaned  the man who she had just kicked.  ¡°You must first prove your right to be called Hyress.  The one we had may have been an impostor, but so might you be as well.  You must sing, and make the Thron glow.  Only the true Hyress can do this.¡±


    Ali looked behind her at the crystal chair.  ¡°Great what song do I sing.¡±  She tried to think quickly, of a song that was exceedingly moving and beautiful.   The only thing her mind could come up with was a song that had played while the credits rolled on the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe movie.  Like the song she first used to light the fire with, the lyrics came right to her mind.  Jim had said the name of the song was Wunderkind, he had said it meant Child Prodigy.  ¡°Well, if I pull this one off, I think that''s what I just might be.¡±  She turned back to the room full of people who stared up at her.  She hung her head and took a deep breath.  Her blond hair fell forward, to partially hide her face.  Silently at first, but growing in volume, she began to sing.


    ¡°Oh perilous place, walk backwards toward you


    Blink disbelieving eyes, chilled to the bone


    Most visibly brave, no apprehended gloom


    First to take this foot to virgin snow.¡±


    As her voice grew louder, a faint light began to form in the middle of the crystal that was set in the crown.  A similar glow apares within the crystal chair at the same time.  She heard some of the people gasp and hope bloomed inside her, and she began to sing harder, putting her whole heart and soul into it.  As the beauty of the music caught her heart the song erupted from her lost in her ardent singing.


    ¡°I am a magnet for all kinds of deeper wonderment


    I am a wunderkind oh oh oh oooooh


    And I lift the envelope pushed far enough to believe this


    I am a princess on the way to my throne.¡±


    Destined to serve, destined to roam


    She lifted her head and looked at the crowd before her.  She could feel the emotion that was swirling through her coming out in her voice.  It intensified the notes made them almost seem to come alive.   That life of the notes fed into her, she could feel the power coming from the chair behind her, and it scared her.  She felt like she could pour everything she had into the crystal and the chair would respond with ever greater and even more terrifying effects.  ¡°My emotions, they make the effects of the crystals more powerful.¡±  She thought.  She saw awe in their faces, and fear.  Half the crowed was on their knee''s, the other half were on their way to the ground.  Then she noticed a purple haze had formed around her.  A sphere of purple energy had surrounded her.  For a moment fear gripped her, but she quickly realized that it must be coming from the crystal behind her.  As she started the next verse her voice resounded from every far corner of the hall.


    ¡°Oh ominous place spellbound and unchild-proofed


    My least favorite chill to bare alone


    Compatriots in place they''d cringe if I told you


    Our best back-pocket secret our bond full-blown


    The sphere began to crackle, energy arced across its surface.  She stopped signing once she saw this, having no desire to destroy the hall.  Even after she stopped the sphere remained around her for a good half hour.   All of the people, even the girl who had been pretending, were now on their knees, bowing to her.  She breathed a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Now, Go!¡± She cried pointing toward the door to the hall that Maleric had flown out of.


    The whole room cleared out, save the bald man, four of the guards in crystal armor, and the imposer Hyress.

 Chapter 12 The Queen is Dead, Long Live the Queen.

    ¡°She¡¯s a killer queen, Gunpowder, gelatine, Dynamite with a laser beam¡­insatiable an appetite.¡±


    Freddie Mercury


    Alison stared at her algebra assignment and shook her head.  ¡°Why are they using letters in Math?¡±  The stress of the past two months weighed on her.  Tomorrow was the day before the end of the school year. Tradition held that on that day if the current Queen and second were disqualified or not able to fulfill their duty to nominate the next queen the ¡°A¡± table itself votes to nominate a new queen.  The title of Queen is always held by an Eighth grader, thus ensuring a yearly election.     The spot was always held by a girl, no one at the table knew why, it had just always been that way.  Some thought that it was because it had always been held by the captain of the cheerleader squad, others thought that it was because no matter how popular a guy gets, there was always a girl who was more popular.  Alison really didn''t care about tradition or why something was the way it was, all she cared about was sitting in that seat.


    Keri''s illness had completely opened the door for her.  Tradition held that the old queen would nominate an Heir from the seventh grade girls to succeed her, and that girl became Queen on the last day of School.   Technically everyone at the table still got a vote, and someone else could challenge the nominee, but there was no legend of such a thing ever happening.


    Everyone always voted for the nominee, because they didn''t want to lose favor with next years Queen, or have any enmity between them and the outgoing Queen. The  former years queen and her second, automatically were invited to sit at the A table in the High school cafeteria   If the former Queen lost her seat before the end of the year or could not fulfill this duty and had no heir to succeed her, then the table voted on the two, top ranking, seventh grade girls.  Keri had told everyone of Alison''s promotion the day before she got sick, so the running for Queen was between her and Mandy Ferlon.


    Mandy had fought hard these past weeks, since it became clear that Keri was not leaving the hospital any time soon and Trudi had not returned either, and Keri had not named and Heir before leaving and so Amy Reader, the ranking Eighth grader and Table Historian had called for an election.  Mandy   had gained a lot of ground on Alison.  She had the advantage of knowing everyone at the table far better then Alison did, and also knew ¡°The Game¡± better too.   Allison had an ace in the hole, however, she had the information that Keri had given her at the hospital.  It was something that could seriously ruin Mandy''s reputation.   She knew she would probably not beat her without it, so she had bided  her time.


    Alison would use it too, she would do anything  to win.   Mrs.  Bellow had resigned as the cheerleader coach so that she could focus on Keri, and so Alison''s mom had been pestering the principal daily to  let her take over the team. If Alison won, it would almost assure her mom the position she had wanted for so long.


    She looked at an empty seat two desks ahead of her, and for a brief moment all thoughts of royalty left her mind.  ¡°Ali...Where are you?¡±  Alianna had been missing for two months, her and that Jaius kid.   Some girl named Olivia, a friend of Ali''s from  Wilkes-Barre, had led the authorities to the wooded area that lay near Alison''s house.  Half the community had spent days combing  the area for any sign of them, but they hadn''t found a single clue.  They had divers in the creek for a couple of days,   but there was no sign of them.  They put out a nationwide Amber alert, but after a number of false alarms, the calls stopped coming altogether.


    Alison closed her eyes and thought back over the times they had spent together, the happy days and the sad, and even the terrible.   In the stillness of her mind she let herself cry.  Inside her head, where no one would ever hear her cries or see the tears she shed, inside her head she could be the Ali that she always had been.  The Ali who had had a best friend, a second sister, and a grandmother, and two adoptive parents and siblings that had treated her like their own.


    She tried to think of why she had locked that Ali away, and what came to her mind was the moment when she had told her Mom that Keri had asked her to join the cheerleading squad and the A table.   Her mother''s face had beamed with pride, she had hugged Alison and told her how proud she was of her.   It had been those words ¡°I''m so proud of you.¡± that had  turned her away from Alianna.  Alison would do anything to keep hearing those words from her mother, from the woman that Alison sought affirmation from above anyone else, because if her mother could finally say she was proud of her, then the next step would have to be the words she had longed to hear from her mother her whole life.  ¡°I love you Alison.¡±


    And tomorrow, tomorrow she would be Queen, even if it meant shoving Mandy''s loose bladder under her nose and use it to make her back down.   If she became Queen, she was sure that her mother would give her the  praise she so desperately desired.


    Lunch at the A table that day was unusually hard to enjoy.   The usual cool that wafted off those sitting at that table had been shattered by the tension that buried all of its occupants in mounds of jealousy, greed, and fear.   Texts were being sent as fast as they could be typed, and glares or smiles were given whenever anyone looked up from their phone long enough to look at someone else.   Gossip was the meat of the texts,  a battle of words that would see one of two girls sitting at the head of this table next year.   Mandy glared at Alison over the top of her iPhone.  Her red hair almost seeming to be burning with her dislike of Alison.   Alison returned with an icy gaze that held Mandy''s eyes for a long moment.   Then with a smooth, fluid motion that she had practiced every night for the past week,  Alison let slip a smile, a smile to rival the Cheshire cat''s, a smile that betrayed a hidden secret.


    That smile  had been kept for just this moment, a moment when Mandy felt she had the race in the bag.   She watched as the fire died a little in Mandy''s eyes.  She had caught the smile, and had at least grasped the fact that Alison hadn''t lost yet, that somehow she thought she could still win this.   Mandy''s fire had all but died out by the time she tore her eyes away from that smile and went back to texting.   ¡°I wonder if she knows what I carry in my backpack?  All the better if she suspects,  the more it plays on her mind the easier she will concede.¡±   The  tide had turned, she could feel it, Mandy''s confidence had been shaken.


    Once she was sure that Mandy had been sufficiently cowed for the moment she looked to her right.  Jim sat there twirling his mashed potatoes into various designs.   He hadn''t been the same since that day when Keri had collapsed.   Jim had caught her as she collapsed,  and held her as blood poured from her nose.  Some sicko at the sixth-grade- rejects table had recorded the whole event and placed it on Tic-toc.  Alison had caught it before it was removed.  She had stared in horror at her screen as Jim cried out for help,  all the while everyone, including sister Justina, stood paralyzed.   The Justinator had been the first to act.  She took off her vest and held it against Keri''s nose.   She then sent Mandy to get  the nurse.  It wasn''t until after the ambulance took Keri away that anyone even thought of Alianna.


    She thought that Jim might be thinking of her as she studied him.  He kept scratching the letter E in his potatoes and then removing it, and then scratching the letter A.  The cool that had always radiated from him had died that day.  So much so that Alison was pretty sure she wouldn''t be inviting him back next year, if ...no when she won.  Still, she had to admit that he was pretty cute, and she got why Ali had swooned over him so much.  He looked at her and then back to what he was doing.  She kept staring at him.  He looked again and then back. He pulled out his phone and began to txt her.  ¡°What do you want Alison?¡±  He then went back to playing with his food.  ¡°A for Alianna maybe? She replied back.  I thought you didn''t like her Jim? Thought you hated her for how she treated Keri and Trudi?¡±


    ¡°I do, but I thought Emily was the coolest girl I had ever met, and totally pretty.  But Alianna was Emily and Emily was Alianna and it just doesn''t fit, and its  driving me nuts.¡±  He sent the text and then  stabbed his fork into the potatoes


    Alison pulled her phone closer in so that no one could see it. ¡°If I can help you with your problem, can I count on your vote tomorrow?¡±  He looked at her with a raised eyebrow and then back to his phone.   ¡°How can you help me with this?¡±  Alison smiled.  ¡°Jim, Keri was lying about Alianna.  I''ve been with Ali since we were both five, and she and Keri didn''t even go to the same grade school.  Ali never had a computer or a phone of her own, there was no way she was a cyberbully.   There is no way that she had ever been mean to Keri.  Keri chose Alianna out for destruction, for some reason of her own.  She must have made up the story of Ali picking on her so that the kids at this table would think she was trash.  Alianna totally adores you, well she did at least up till the day that she ran away.  If you really liked Emily, then you totally liked Alianna, and since you know now that she wasn''t mean to Keri, you can put your mind to rest about it.  The Emily you met Jim, was the Ali that had been there before Keri sank her teeth into her.¡±   She almost kept going, almost went on to say,  ¡°The same Ali that I want back.¡± But she was able to stop herself in time, before Jim saw her  weakness.


    ¡°Keri wouldn''t lie to me about that.    Calling Keri a lier to get my vote? You''re not very good at lying   Alison,  so you really shouldn''t try to do it.¡±


    ¡°Jim it''s got to be true,  I''ve always been with Ali and she never even met Keri until we came here.  Plus I''m pretty sure that Ali couldn''t be mean to anyone if she tried.  She tried it once, to one of the boys on the playground, who wouldn''t stop bothering her.  She tried to call him names, and make fun of him.  She only got a few puny phrases out before she dissolved into tears and ran for the bathroom.   There was no way that she did that to Keri and Trudi, and so the only answer is that Keri was lying.¡±


    Jim shook his head back and forth in denial, but then stopped and let his shoulders slump.  ¡°She didn''t seem like the type now that you mention it.  Why would Keri do that, why would she lie?¡±


    ¡°I don''t know Jim, but I do know that Ali thought you were the coolest guy in school.


    Jim looked at her for a  moment, studying her face intently.  Finally he looked away and scratched the E out of his potato and drew an A.  ¡°So Emily is really what Ali''s like?¡±


    Relief flooded Alison, she knew she had won him over. ¡°Yep,  the Ali I knew before...well, before this past year.¡±  She said again, almost letting her true feelings come out.


    ¡°Think she hates me?¡±


    ¡°It takes an awful lot to get Ali mad Jim, I think you''re okay, you might have to do some major apologizing though.¡±


    Jim looked away from his iPhone and leaned in to whisper to her.


    Alison leaned over, timing the move right when Mandy looked at her.  Mandy¡¯s eyes narrowed and Alison could see her lean towards them a little trying to hear what was said.  Alison smiled inside her head ¡°She¡¯s worried, I think this is going to work.¡±


    ¡°Think we''ll ever see her again?¡± Jim whispered to her.


    Her mind shifting from waging war with Mandy to thinking about Ali left a small window open in her defenses.  ¡°I..¡± she could feel the emotion slipping through that window, but couldn''t stop it.  ¡°I...I don''t know.  I mean its been two months and not even a trace of her or that other kid.¡±  Jim''s expression changed just slightly, just the slightest raise of an eyebrow, but then he only nodded his head, but didn¡¯t say anything more.  Alison knew she had let too much show.  She had to try to work it back.


    ¡°Jim...I...¡± She began to Whisper.


    ¡°You got my vote Alison, let''s leave it at that.¡±  He whispered back.  ¡°Mandy never liked Trudi much anyway, so I really don''t want to see her in that seat.  Keri texted me and said you had told her that if you won, that you would let them stay at the table next year, so you''re okay with me.¡±  Jim glanced around at the others at the table then back at Alison.   ¡°I¡¯ll start talking you up to the other¡¯s too, it will get you some ground, but I¡¯m not sure how you''re going to get them fully  on your side though.¡±


    She patted her backpack .  ¡°It''s in the bag, Jim.¡±


    His eyebrow went up as he looked at the bag, and then shrugged.  ¡°She plays the  game well Alison, heck she wrote part of the book for it for this school.  You better have a bomb in that bag if you even hope to beat her.¡±


    Her eyes became very serious.  ¡° It''s nuclear, Jim,  I''ll be sitting in that chair tomorrow.¡±  He gave her a dubious look, but then shrugged and picked up his phone and joined the fray stumping for Alison. Alison saw Mandy notice Jim begin to join in the dueling of texts and she saw just a hint of sweat appear on her forehead. Alison smiled and sat back and continued her Text to Amber Crowley.


    As she was leaving the cafeteria, her phone buzzed.  She looked at it and there was a text from Mandy.  She opened it.  All it said was.``Turn around.¡±  She turned and came face to face with Mandy.  Mandy grabbed her arm and pulled her off into the room where the wrestling team practiced, and shut the door.


    ¡°What do you want, Mandy?  I have Algebra.¡±


    ¡°I bet you''re just dying to be there?¡±


    ¡°Fine, you got five minutes, What do you want?¡±


    ¡°If you back out now, I''ll make you my second. You can have Trudi''s seat.  I never liked her anyway. I''ll make sure she doesn¡¯t sit with us if she has to stay back next year. Tell the others that you''re voting for me, and your set.  My second, back up captain of the squad, what more could you want?¡±


    Alison listened quietly with her head bowed hoping that it came across to Mandy that she was bowing it in defeat. Alison knew now that she had frightened Mandy.  Tiffany Lockman was Mandy¡¯s closest friend, if Mandy was willing to make Alison her Second over Tiffany, then she must have really turned the tide in Mandy¡¯s head at least.  When Mandy finished she lifted her head with an unreadable look on her face and she took her backpack off and opened the main pocket.  She reached in and pulled out a small thumb drive with an iPhone jack.  She stood up and held her iPhone up to Mandy.  ¡°I don''t think I''ll be back up captain next year Mandy, I believe that after you watch this I''ll be receiving your vote tomorrow.¡±    Mandy looked at her iPhone with the ¡°Play¡± triangle waiting to be pressed and then busted out laughing.  After a few moments when Alison''s hand had not moved she stopped laughing and  looked at the phone and hit play, making a frustrated noise. The video started showing a slumber party with sleeping bags spread around a large room.


    Within seconds all the color started to drain from Mandy¡¯s face as she began to recognize what this video was of.  Tears began forming in her eyes as she watched, just as the Mandy on the video started crying having had an accident in her sleeping bag.  A younger Keri was seen in the video consoling her and helping her get cleaned up.   She put the back of her hand to her mouth and turned her head away from the video.  ¡°That''s right Mandy, I know.  I know what happened at that sleepover two years ago.  Someone recorded it and I got a hold of it.    Not sure if you still have to wear those pull ups or not, but either way your overactive bladder is not something that would fly too well at the table if it got out.¡±  Said Alison in a cold deadpan voice.   ¡°Actually.¡± She said with a long icy pause. ¡° I believe It would fly very well over social media.¡±


    Mandy turned back to Alison suddenly, as she looked into Mandy''s eyes she saw her resolve crumple and deeper in her eyes Alison saw a deep hurt rip open.  Deep inside Alison, however, guilt burned within her, but she locked it away in the same closet that she had shoved the Ali  that she had been, just like her mother had.  Mandy noticed her looking into her soul  and her eyes began burning as brightly as her hair.  She pulled the zip drive out and threw the phone down at Alison''s feet.  She then snapped the prong on the end of the drive.


    Alison laughed.  ¡°Did you think I just handed you the original? Anyway, I loaded  it into my computer at home, and some other computers also.  You can break all the thumb drives I have it on and it won''t make a difference.   Would you like to hear my offer Mandy.  Here it is.  My offer is similar to yours.  You will be my second Mandy, you will be back up captain on the team, and you will vote for me tomorrow  or I''ll spread this all over the internet.¡±


    Mandy  tried to form words but nothing was coming out.  Finally she managed to rasp out a phrase.  ¡°Fine,  take the table you Witch,  have a lot of fun next year as Queen of an empty table.  I''ll be leaving along with Tiffany and the rest.  We''ll start our own table and be fifteen times cooler than wherever table you can scrape together.  Except maybe for Jim,  I saw you two getting along so well...¡±


    ¡°Let me stop you right there Mandy, I forgot the one caveat to this deal.   If you try to leave, you and the rest, or if you stay and don''t act appropriately, if you  and the others don''t treat me with the same respect that you did Keri, this will also cause this material to go out to everyone.¡±    Alison looked at Mandy and could see the struggle going on within her.  Finally Mandy¡¯s head dropped and her red curls covered her face.  ¡°Fine Alison,...you..you win.  Your Queen.¡±


    Alison let a smile touch her face.  Mandy must have seen it cause her head shot up and she moved in closer.   ¡° Don''t get smug, Alison.  It takes more than a despicable trick to lead that table.  You may have won the election, but you are going to have to prove that you are worthy of it, and I swear to you that you will prove it.¡±


    She stormed toward the door, as she placed her hand on it she stopped and took a deep breath and let it out.  Slowly she turned and looked at Alison.  Alison could see the anger and the hurt still swimming in her eyes.  It was taking all Alison had to keep her cool under that stare, but there seemed to be a hardness growing over her heart that began to deflect some of the guilt that had been assailing her of late.  Mandy bowed her head, gave a short curtsy and said ¡°The Queen is dead, long live the Queen.¡±  She then stood, turned sharply on her heel and exited the mat room.  Alison could see Tiffany, Loti, and Jake waiting in  the hall.  They all had smug expressions on their faces as they looked past Mandy at Alison.  Those expressions changed drastically as they began to glance at Mandy''s face.  As the door shut Alison saw Tiffany Lockman raise her hands to either side and mouth the word ¡°What?¡±


    A sickening feeling was beginning to seep into Alison.  She looked at the floor covered with mats and wanted to just curl up and stay here forever.  ¡°What am I becoming? How far am I willing to go for all this?¡±  ¡°


    I''m so proud of you Alison.¡±  Came her mother''s voice inside her head.  That  was what her mother had said the day she told her she was on the team.  It was just a step away from  ¡°I Love you Alison.¡±  It was such a small step too.  Alison was sure that once she had the Queenship of the group and the spot as Captain of the Cheer squad that accompanied the title which would also ensure her mother becomes the coach.  Then, she would hear her mother say,  ¡°I love you, Alison.¡±


    Steeled by the realization that her dream would soon come true, Alison pulled out a small mirror from her purse, made sure that she looked alright and then headed back out into the hall.


    The next day there was silence at the table.  They all stared around at each other.  Amy Reader had torn up pieces of paper and pulled a barrette from her bag to put the votes into.  She then handed the pieces of paper out to everyone. Alison and Mandy sat across from each other.  Mandy''s gaze was cordial, but Alison knew that she must hate her for what she did.  As long as she didn''t show it though, everything would be fine.  Alison laid her iPhone on the table with another zip drive stuck into it.  Mandy''s eyes flashed, but then were peaceful again.  She had gotten the hint.


    The whole cafeteria had grown silent.  The Seventh and Eighth graders had heard of this before, and the legend had filtered to the sixth graders by this point.  They knew that Keri''s seat was about to be filled and they all had their desires for one candidate or another.


    Amy looked around the table. ¡°Does anyone have anything to add before we vote?¡±


    She waited for a few moments.  Just before she began to speak again, Mandy stood and looked at Amy.   ¡°I have something to say Amy if that would be okay?¡±  Amy nodded. ¡°Thank you Amy.¡± She then turned to Alison and stared intently at her.  ¡°I have thought long and hard on this, and Keri raising Alison to her current position this late in the year, seems to indicates to me a desire to see Alison replace her, to be her Heir.  I know what tradition says about the former queen losing her seat during the year, but Keri is one of my best friends, and so I wish to honor her last intent as head of this table.  I therefore withdraw my nomination for Keri''s seat, and cast my vote for Alison.  For unities sake, I would ask the same of all of you.¡±  She looked at each of the other kids at the table, meeting their eyes, and then lowered herself back down into her chair.  A good number of mouths dropped open around the table.  Alison saw Jim''s eyebrow raise and he turned slightly to look at her.


    Amy was the first to recover. She shook her head, and then looked around the table.  ¡°Does anyone wish to not honor Mandy''s request?¡±  It took a few moments, about half the table looking intently at Mandy as if waiting for her to acknowledge that this was some massive joke.  After a minute like this however, with no sign from Mandy that she was joking,  the others slowly turned to Amy and nod their heads.


    She then turned to Alison.  ¡°Alison Trendale, as the ranking Eighth Grade representative in attendance today, and gathering the unanimous consent of those present, I ask if you will serve as Queen, head of this table and the cheer team for the course of the coming school-year?¡±


    Alison looked away from Mandy, a farcical mask of shock and wonderment on her face still.


    ¡°I..I will accept the position, if it is the desire of the table?¡±


    ¡°It is.¡±  Amy pulled out a folder from her bag and opened it infront of her.  She gently and reverently pulled out a piece of paper that was yellowed with age.  She looked up at Alison.  ¡°Alison, will you please stand and raise your right hand?¡±  Alison nodded, still with the mask of shock and wonder on her face.  She stood and raised her right hand. Amy stood too with the paper in her hand.  She spoke loud enough for the whole room to hear. ¡° Alison Trendale,  will you swear to uphold the reputations that are here represented, and to increase those reputations throughout the school and the community in the coming year?  Will you, as captain of the cheerleading squad,  watch out for the concerns of your tablemates that are on the team?  Will you seek to find cool, and fun activities for the summer and weekends?¡±


    Alison took a deep breath, savoring this moment.  ¡°I will.¡±  She said with all seriousness.


    ¡°Who will you name as your second?¡±


    ¡°Mandy Ferlon, there is not a better choice.¡±


    Amy turned to Mandy.  ¡°Mandy, please stand and raise your right hand.¡±  Mandy looked at Alison with the same fake mask of shock, and then stood and looked at Amy with her right hand raised.


    Amy turned to her and said  ¡°Do you, Mandy Ferlon, promise to uphold these  aforementioned articles and roles, in such a case that Alison is not able to fulfill them for the year to come?¡±


    ¡°I will Amy.¡±


    Amy nodded and then turned to the rest of the table and the room as well.


    ¡°As the ranking Eight grade representative and in keeping with tradition, I officially name Alison Trendale  as Queen and  head of this table for the next school-year.¡±   Amy paused and looked around the table.  Then she  proclaimed loudly.   ¡°The Queen is dead, long live the Queen.¡±


    Everyone at the table and those around the room who wanted to try to gain favor with the new Queen,  stood and echoed that phrase.  Alison stood there, blushing and saying ¡°thank you¡± and waving her cupped  hand back and forth like a Queen would.  Everyone, that is, except Mandy, who had stepped back, behind Tiffany and leaned against the wall with her head  bowed.  If anyone in the room had been looking at her, and not at Alison, they would have seen her shoulders shaking ever so slightly.  Mandy knew it was safe to cry now, knew it would be the only chance she''d have.  This would be the one time for the next year that no one would be looking at her.  She saw Tiffany¡¯s hand extended behind her and she reached out and took it.  Tiffany gave her hand a slight squeeze.


    The next day, the last day of school,  found Alison  sitting at the head of the A table.  Her mother had been speechless.  Then she had kissed her and hugged her and said ¡°Oh you do love me, my Alison, you do.¡±  These words did not completely fill the hole in  Alison¡¯s heart and this was one of the itches in her mind that kept her awake  as she lay in bed last night.  Her mother had taken her out to get her hair done and get a couple of new outfits.  They were allowed to wear what they wanted on the last day, and Alison looked better than anyone else, at least that''s how she saw it.


    There was a full house at the A-table, a seat had been brought over for her sister Megan at Alison¡¯s request.   Megan was beaming with pride as she sat next to Mandy across from Jim. When Alison sat her down everyone looked at where the seat was that she was sitting in and a number of mouths dropped open.   Megan wasn¡¯t aware of it yet, but Alison had just indicated to the table that she already had someone in mind for her Heir.


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    After everyone calmed down, Mandy looked at Alison and raised her hand.  This signaled that she wished to address the entire table.  Alison looked very closely at Mandy, trying to read what she had up her sleeve, but after a few moments she sighed.  ¡°Yes Mandy?¡±


    ¡°I have a matter to bring before the table Alison, if it is OK with you?¡±


    ¡°Please.¡±  Alison motioned with her hand to indicate that it was OK for her to speak.


    Mandy leaned forward and looked around at everyone.  ¡°I told a member of this table something very personal. When I say very  personal I mean  ultra top secret.  I told them in confidence, and I''ve just learned that she broke that trust and told someone else.¡±   There were gasps around the table.  Looks of shock and indignation dominated all their faces, except for Jim whose face was unreadable and Megan who didn¡¯t understand what was going on.  Even though trusts were broken daily around the table, most of the kids were good enough at the game not to get caught spilling the beans.


    ¡°Mandy, who would do such a terrible thing?¡±  Said Tiffany Lockman.  There was a tone in Tiffany''s voice that set Alison on edge.  Tiffany sounded like she wasn''t surprised at what Mandy had said, her response sounded like she was reading from a script. ¡°I''m about to get blindsided.¡±  Alison thought to herself.


    ¡°Keri Bellows.  I...I can''t go into what she said or who she said it to because it is just too top secret of  matter to discuses openly.  But I did tell Alison the whole situation last night and so she knows the whole story.  Keri told me that Trudi and her might have to repeat the Eight grade and I know she would have been welcome here next year, but after what has just come to light, I..I don''t feel that I would be comfortable with her sitting here, her or Trudi, and so I would ask that Alison make a decree that the Bellows sisters are not welcome at this table or any of the activities associated with it, for the next school year.¡±  Somehow Alison remained cool on the outside, but inside she was panicking.  Mandy had retaliated with something that Alison had not seen coming.  Somehow she had figured out that Keri was the one who had supplied her with the thumb drive and She was now forcing Alison to renege on her promise to Keri.  There was no way the table would accept such a breach of trust by one of its members.    Alison glanced at Tiffany.   Tiffany''s face was all shock and indignation, just like most of the others, but within her eyes Alison could see cold resentment.  ¡°She knows everything.  Mandy must have told her.  She will make sure that the table accepts nothing but Mandy''s request.¡±


    ¡°I also ask for punishment to be meted out to Keri Bellows for this breach of trust,  and due to the ultra-top-secret status of the information, I ask that the punishment equal the pain she caused me.  I ask for humiliation and destruction of reputation.¡±  She sat back after that and looked at Alison.  Within moments everyone at the table was staring at her, waiting.


    ¡°You may have won the election, but you are going to have to prove that you are worthy of it, and I swear you will prove it.¡± Mandy''s words came flooding back to Alison at that moment.  ¡°Wow, she wasn''t kidding.¡±


    ¡°I have heard what Mandy had to say, and I do know the entire story regarding this matter.¡±  She paused to take a sip from her life water. ¡°I agree that punishment is required for such a breach of trust, and will also honor Mandy¡¯s request that Keri and Trudi Bellows will be henceforth banned from this table and all associated events.  The degree of punishment that Mandy has requested, and the form that the punishment must take I need to think about.  Normally I''d call my second to council on this matter, but seeing as she is the one bringing the request, she is precluded from such a discussion, according to the bylaws of the table, is that correct Amy?¡±  Amy had beeen looking at Mandy with her mouth slightly open. When Alison addressed her she shut it quickly and looked at her.  ¡°Yes, Alison that is correct. Since Mandy is bringing the request she isn¡¯t alowed to take part in the decision as to what the punishment will be.¡±  Alison nodded and then she looked around the table.  Searching for the right person.  Jim was automatic due to his ranking at the table, but she needed an alternate second. She caught Megan¡¯s eyes as she went around the table, they were filled with worry as she must have picked up on the weight of what was coming upon her sister. She gave Megan a reassuring smile and moved on.  After scanning the group her eyes went back to  Amy.  ¡°Its got to be Amy, she has no special love for Mandy, or Keri, or Alison.¡±    ¡°Jim would you join me? I''ll also need someone to fill in for Mandy as second, since she is the one bringing this matter before us.¡±  She looked around the table, and then let her eyes fall on Amy.  ¡°Amy would you join us?¡±


    Amy looked slightly startled, but recovered quickly.  ¡°If you wish me to Alison.¡±


    ¡°I do.¡±  Amy nodded and pushed her chair back.  Alison did the same.  Jim, gave her a look that she couldn''t decipher, then he pushed back his chair.   Alison led the way.  She took them down the hall and went into the mat room.  Jim shut the door, and then leaned back against its padded surface .  ¡°Your not really going to do this, are you Alison?¡±  Said Jim as he stared intently at her.  ¡°Jim, you know the penalty for breaking another table-members trust and getting caught.  Keeping each-others secrets is part of the glue that holds us together.  If I don''t enforce this rule, everything will fall apart.¡±


    ¡°But you don''t even know if its true.  Mandy has never had any love for Keri or Trudi and for whatever reason, she is just looking for some kind of weird revenge.¡±


    ¡°Jim, I spoke to the person that Keri told this information to, and they confirmed that they had heard it from her.¡±


    Alison had her back turned to Amy, if she hadn''t she would have seen Amy''s eyebrow shoot up as sudden understanding hit her.  She smiled slightly, shook her head, but otherwise did nothing.


    Jim opened his mouth to say something, but then paused and shut it.


    Alison nodded and then moved back to take them both in.  ¡°Amy, have you ever seen this punishment given before?¡±


    Amy thought for a moment and then slowly nodded her head.  ¡°In sixth-grade.  My best friend Sharon and I had been asked to join the table.  Well Sharon became a favorite of Julie''s early on.¡±   She nodded towards Jim indicating his sister.  ¡°So Julie had told her something, Ultra top Secret and Sharon went and let it slip to the wrong person.  She really had no Idea how to really play the game.  Anyway Julie came to me to let me know what Sharon did and asked me to help her punish Sharon.  She basically laid it out as either I help her get back at Sharon or we were both gone from the table.  I really didn''t have any choice so I helped Julie set her up at the next sleepover.  I think the video is still floating around Youtube somewhere.  It was pretty bad,  she had to leave the school.¡±  Jim looked up at that and then shook his head as if he had some memory of it too.


    ¡°Do you still talk to Sharon?¡±  ¡°Why the heck did I just ask that?¡±


    Amy was startled by the question.   ¡°No, her rep was ruined.  When this punishment is given, it affects the offender and anyone who is associated with them or chooses to associate with them.  I  wasn''t about to go down with her, so I joined in the others humiliation of her.¡±


    Alison felt a sickening clench in her stomach as she thought of  how she had turned on Ali.


    ¡°Tic-Toc?  That seems like the most efficient way to carry out the sentence.¡±


    ¡°Alison, Keri is totally ill, this thing she has could kill her. How can you think of hurting her even more then she already has been?¡±  Said Jim whose temper was rising.


    ¡°There can be no exceptions to this rule Jim.  We have to keep each-other''s trust or else all our reps will be ruined.  I know Keri is sick, but...I''m sorry Jim I have no choice.¡±


    ¡°I won''t be a part of it!¡±  He said through gritted teeth.


    ¡°Fine, then you can not be a part of the table either!¡±  Said Alison turning to face him.  ¡°Chose now Jim.  You''ve been acting like a loser the past month and I''m starting to think that the change has been permanent. If you walk out that door now, don''t come back to the table next year.¡±


    ¡°Alison...I...¡±  Amy began, concern evident in her voice.


    ¡°What, Amy?¡±  Alison snapped without taking her eyes off of Jim.


    ¡°Alison isn''t that a bit harsh?¡±


    ¡°No Amy it''s not.  He has always been so blinded by Keri, that he never sees the hurtful things that she does.  It is my duty as Queen to guard the Reps of those at the table, and Mandy''s is in danger.  This is going to happen, and if he can''t support my decisions and support his table mate in her time of distress then he can leave.¡±


    Jim made a disgusted noise.  ¡°I guess it was lose lose on this year''s choices for Queen.  Fine Alison, that''s what you want, then I''m gone.  Keri''s one of my best friends and I ain''t about to stand by and let you hurt her.¡±


    He pitched himself forward off of the door and turned on his heel and opened it ready to leave.


    ¡°Jim.¡±  He paused at the door.  ¡°I''m letting you leave in peace, but if you breathe a word of this to Keri or to Trudi, then I''ll consider you with them, and you''ll be targeted just as they will be.   I know enough about the Emily situation to make your life here at the Dungeon a Hell Jim.  Remember that before you go playing hero.¡±


    The hand that Jim had grabbed the door handle with began to tremble.  He looked back over his shoulder at her, and she could see fire burning there.  He didn''t speak though he just shook his head and slammed the door behind him.


    Alison looked at the shut door for  a moment then turned around on Amy.  ¡°Did you have any other thoughts?¡±


    Amy was looking past her to the shut door. When Alison addressed her her eyes darted to take in Alison.  ¡°Are you sure that was wise Alison? Julie won''t be happy about it.  It could make sitting at the High School table very hard for you.¡±


    ¡°I appreciate your concern Amy, I really do, but we both know that Jim and Julie aren¡¯t that close and Julie severely didn''t like Keri. Plus she was a Queen herself, I''m pretty sure she''d make the same call.¡±


    Amy looked a bit dubious at that, but didn''t press the issue.  ¡°What kind of video of Keri are you going to be able to find that will be damning enough?¡±


    ¡°I doubt I''d find anything remotely close to what I need.  That is why I''m going to have to make my own.  I''m going to be visiting her tonight.   Keep your eyes on your phone tomorrow night.¡±


    ¡°You''re definitely tough enough for a Queen Alison, I''ll give you that, just don''t let it harden you too much. The High School Queen that was Queen this past year, Amber Hill, is probably one of the most compassionate people I''ve ever seen.  Everyone loves her cause she is nice to everyone. Her nomination for this coming year Jennifer is just like her.    It will be an interesting change for me next year, to hopefully get away from all this maneuvering and backstabbing.¡±   Amy paused and then looked very seriously at Alison.  ¡°I won''t say anything Alison, but I''ve pieced together that you''re the one that Keri told Mandy''s secret too.  What was it she told you?¡±


    Shock spread over Alison''s faces.  She covered it quickly.  She opened her mouth to tell Amy, and then realized what she was about to do and shut it.  ¡°Ultra-Top Secret Amy,  I can''t.¡±


    Amy smiled and spread her hands wide.  ¡°I had to try.  You walk a very fine line Alison.  It was a good ploy, and probably the only card you could have played to even have a chance of winning,  but the price you''ve paid, and the price you are going to pay is high.  You''ve changed over the past few days Alison,  don''t let the game destroy you, cause school won''t last forever.¡±  She placed her hand on Alison''s shoulder.  ¡°As for my advise on this, take whatever video you get and take it to Jake, he is an absolute wizard with everything computers, he¡¯ll turn what you have into what you need.¡± She squeezed Alison¡¯s shoulder and then headed for the door.


    ¡°Amy...¡± Amy''s hand froze as it touched the door handle.  Alison had said her name with such a broken, raspy cry that it sent a shiver down her back.  Amy turned and saw a completely different Alison standing there.  She looked smaller, as her shoulders were hunched forward shaking and her hand covered her mouth.  She looked disheveled as her chestnut hair cascaded chaotically down her face.  ¡°Oh wow....She''s farther gone then I thought.  She''ll never make it to ninth grade, let alone senior year.¡±


    Alison began to teeter, which brought Amy running over to her.  She caught her just as she was falling forward.  Alison dissolved into heart wrenching sobs, she buried her face into Amy''s shoulder.  Amy was trying to decide if this scene gained respect for Alison in her eyes or diminished it, as she held her new Queen.


    ¡°Shhh....Its okay Alison, it will be Okay.   Your Queen now, and you got handed a tough situation on your first day.  It will get easier.  Shhh...Shhh....¡±  Something stirred in Amy''s heart.  She had been playing the game for  three years now, and had developed quite a thick skin.  Just recently this had become evident to her, and she had been trying to find ways to break it up.  Alison''s cries seemed to bust through one of the cracks in the shell.  There was something in those cries, an emptiness, a void of some sort that gave Amy the chills.  ¡°Alison, listen to me.  Alison, it''s okay.  Its Okay.¡±  She said as she began to smooth Alison''s hair and try to arrange it back into a scene of normalcy.


    After awhile Alison was finally able to get a hold of herself.  She looked up ant Amy through puffy eyes.  ¡°I''m so sorry Amy,  I can''t believe how rude that was.  I totally blew my cool, and that was not appropriate.¡±


    ¡°Alison, it''s Okay, really.  If you didn''t blow your cool here, you may have blown it out there, and that would have been worse.  I won''t tell anyone about this. Its just between you and me, Ultra Top Secret.  Try to get off the road you¡¯re on  Alison, before it destroys you. Let''s go to the bathroom and I''ll help you get yourself put back together.  Can''t have ¡®em seeing you like this.¡±


    Alison just nodded and allowed herself to be guided to the girls room.  Ten minutes later they emerged and Alison looked as normal as could be attained through the contents of their purses.


    After lunch Mandy cornered Alison in the Girls Locker room.  The rest of the table had conveniently left them alone.  ¡°Don''t even think about backing out of this Alison.  Every part of me wants none of  my past to come out, but I swear to you if I don''t get justice, tonight, for what Keri did, I will personally out myself all over the internet and then set about destroying you with everything I have.¡±  The  door opened and Mrs. Fulton, the Gym teacher, came walking in.  Quicker than Alison would have thought possible Mandy''s face went from storm clouds to sugary sweet.  ¡°Just wanted to let you know Alison.  Come on, let''s head into the Gym.¡±  Mandy held out her hand.  There was a smile on her face that Alison could not distinguish from genuine.  Alison had managed to keep enough of her cool to react to the farce without missing a beat.  ¡°Thanks Mandy.  You''re right, let''s go.¡±  As they clasped each other''s hands and were walking to the door, Alison turned and waved to Mrs. Fulton.  ¡°Good afternoon Mrs. Fulton.¡±  Mandy also turned and waved.  ¡°Hi Mrs. Fulton.¡±


    Mrs. Fulton had stopped, and was giving them an odd look, but she waved back.  ¡°Good afternoon Girls.  Hurry up and join the class.¡±


    ¡°Yes ma''am.¡±  They said almost in unison.   As soon as the door shut behind them they let go of each other''s hands like they were something vile.   Alison knew she had some people who backed her at the table, enough to make it worth being Queen, but she was pretty sure that no one in Mandy''s camp would ever warm to her


    After school Alison did her homework till her mom got home. When she got there  she asked her to take her to the Hospital.  Her stomach was doing somersaults as she rode the elevator up to the fourth floor of the hospital.   She checked her jeans pocket.  She had sewn a special lining in her pocket to hold her phone, with a hole cut in her jeans that allowed her to secretly film a video on her phone.  She had tested it and was able to get a pretty steady picture if she was able to stay still.  She stepped off the elevator and walked very slowly to the nurses station. As she came closer she found it unattended.  There were a number of alarms going off.  She ran around to Keri''s room and looked in.  She was alone.  ¡°Wow, I can''t believe this kind of luck.¡±  She looked around once more, turned on the video recorder on her phone and then slipped it into place in her jeans pocket.  She then  slipped into Keri''s room.


    She stopped, frozen, at the foot of the bed. If she had not been so focused on Keri, she would have noticed the bible still laying on the ground under the Crucifix.


    Keri was asleep in bed. She was completely bald and was more withered then Alison had last seen her.  A burning stirred deep in Alison''s heart.  It wasn''t the type of feeling that shocked her, it was that there was a feeling there at all.  It had been so long since any feelings had stirred there, that it stunned her to have something there again.   These feelings that had emerged were keeping her from doing anything else.  ¡°I can''t do this.  She''s dying, there is no way that I can bring this kind of pain to her.  What if the shock killed her?  I''d be a murderer.¡±  In her mind Alianna floated before her.  ¡°Aren¡¯t you already one?¡±   Alison closed her eyes tightly.  She shook her head, turned  and began to leave.


    ¡°Who...Who''s there.¡±  Keri''s very weak voice came from behind her.  Alison stopped and turned slowly back to her. ¡°Its Alison Keri, I wanted to see how you were doing.¡±  Keri began to struggle to sit up.  Alison moved without thinking to help her.  As she wrapped her arms around her she could feel Keri''s ribs.  That burning feeling in her heart grew.  ¡°Oh my gosh, she is really dying.¡±


    A single tear fell down her cheek as she stepped back.   ¡°Thanks.¡± said Keri.  ¡°You must have paid off one of the nurses or something, to keep getting past security.¡±


    It took a moment for Alison to register that Keri had spoken to her.   ¡°Huh...what..oh, yeah, well you are on a floor with a lot of sick kids Keri, I''m sure they get called away a lot.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I guess.  So...did you win?¡±


    Alison nodded without showing really any other emotion.


    Keri''s forehead raised, where her eyebrow should have been.  ¡°Ali, whats wrong?¡±


    Alison felt like she''d been punched. Last time she was here she had told Keri to call her Ali, because she considered her a friend. She could hear Keri''s voice, full of concern, as she said it too.  ¡°She really thinks of me as her friend. It''s been a long time since I''ve had that, and now she''s dying.  I almost wish people would stop liking me, at least then I wouldn''t have to hurt them, or see them leave.¡±


    Alison almost let slip what was really bothering her, she could feel it coming up from her throat.  Just at the last moment she managed to alter her response.  ¡°Keri, I...Oh God, Keri I...I don''t want you to die.¡±  The last bit came out in a whisper.


    A tear leaked out of Keri''s eye.  ¡°You mean that, don''t you?¡±  Keri asked, timidly. ¡°Your the first, outside my family and Jim, and the High School Queen, Amber and her court,  who didn''t want the opposite.¡±   Alison had never seen Keri so vulnerable before.  ¡°Wow, I think I really did mean that,  but if she is going to die, why should I let myself grow attached to someone who may not be here next month.¡±   Alison moved over and sat down on the bed so she was facing Keri.  She brushed the tear away from Keri''s cheek and then gave her a hug.  Again, the frailty of Keri''s body drove daggers into her heart.  Keri began to cry softly.  ¡°Keri, no one wants you dead.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I can think of a few.  Top of them being Alianna.  The last thing she said to  me was that she wanted me to die.  Its...its the last thing I remember hearing before waking up in the hospital.  I can still hear her hurtling those words at me through gritted teeth.  I guess she will get her wish soon.  Looking back, I probably deserve it too.¡±


    ¡°Shhh...Keri stop that.  Ali was in ten kinds of pain that day, she probably had no clue what she was saying.  She doesn¡¯t wish you were dead Keri, I know Ali, she couldn''t even wish a spider dead.¡±


    Keri squeezed her after she said that.  In a very soft voice Keri whispered.  ¡°The Queen is dead, long live the Queen.¡±  After saying that she drew away and looked Alison in the eyes.  Alison looked back, tears blurring her vision.  That statement came from the heart and it weighed her down as if there was someone just tossing an ever heavier burden on her heart.


    ¡°Oh no...Oh Gosh...¡±  Keri started turning green, and placed her hand over her mouth.  Alison knew what that gesture meant.  She immediately looked around for a  pan.  She saw one and handed it to Keri.  She got it to her and jumped off the bed just in time.    Keri''s body convulsed, Alison marveled that anything came at all considering how thin she was.  It wouldn''t stop.  Alison got scared and grabbed the nurse call button and pressed it, without thinking too clearly about the consequences. Within thirty seconds a nurse came bursting into the room.  She quickly assessed Keri, then turned her gaze to Alison.


    ¡°What are you doing here? You don''t have permission to be here.¡±


    Panic erupted inside Alison.  She turned, dodged the nurse''s attempt to grab her and bolted for the door.  She stole one quick glance back at Keri, who still had her head over the pan.


    In that moment the full weight of the irony of the last thing Keri had said to her hit her full in the heart.


    After that  Alison asked her mom to drop her off at Jake¡¯s  house.  His house wasn¡¯t that far from her¡¯s and so she told her mom she would have Jake walk her home.   According to Amy he was a wiz with editing and making videos.   It turns out that it was one of the main reasons why he was at the table at all, because he wasn''t very cool in most other ways.  His skills with the computer made him invaluable to the table and it also made the table  keep him close to them to make sure he didn''t use those skills against the table.


    She couldn¡¯t believe her phone had actually caught everything that happened.   She hadn''t even been trying to capture everything on her video but after she reviewed the footage she knew she had to use it.  It turned out to be exactly what Mandy had wanted.  She had resigned herself to the fact that she would never really have a true friend again.  Every time one started to form, she found she had to betray them to accomplish her goal.


    She pulled a thumb drive out of her purse and handed it to Jake.  He looked it over, looked at her, and then plugged it into the computer.  She explained to him what she needed and just enough of why she needed it for him to be able to edit it.  He set to work on the video while at the same time watching someone else play a video game on his phone.


    After about an hour Jake handed her the flash drive and leaned back in his chair.  He let out a long, hi pitched whistle.  ¡°That''s some crazy stuff Alison.¡±


    She looked at him without answering.


    ¡°Thanks Jake, you''re the best.¡±  She gave him a hug, but did not hold it very long.  She handed the drive back to him.  ¡°Can you blast this over everywhere tonight at 9 pm, and make sure it can''t be traced to you or me?¡±  He looked at her and smiled then plugged the drive back into his computer.  ¡°Can I? Please, they''ll be thinking some kid in the next town did it, if they can even trace it that far.¡±  He said as he gave her a big smile. ¡°You''re the Man, Jake.  I owe you one.¡±   She didn¡¯t think he would call in the favor this quickly though.  ¡°There''s a party at Tiffany''s tomorrow night, wanna go with me?¡± She paused for a moment and looked down at him.  ¡°I promised Amy I would go with her, it''s her last party before School ends and she moves on to High School.¡±  She let that hang there for just the right amount of seconds before flipping her head to the other side and giving him a slight smile,  ¡°I''ll save you a slow dance though, aaaannnddd¡­.. you can walk me home tonight.¡± She said with a wink, knowing it would give him some huge cred to boast about at the party tomorrow.  He looked a bit down when she said she was going with Amy but perked back up when she mentioned the dance and getting to walk her home.  It took them about twenty minutes to get to her house. They talked about small talk on the way.  Mainly he asked her what it was like to be queen and she then mostly talked about that and he just let her talk. When they got to her house she gave him another smile and waved.  ¡°Thanks for walking me home Jake and for all your help tonight. I¡¯ll see


    You at Tiffany¡¯s tomorrow.    ¡°Sweet, I''ll see you there.¡±  ¡°Sounds good. See you later.¡±  She said as she went up the stairs to her house. ¡°Later.¡± came his reply.¡±  She had to walk a fine line with Jake she mused as she locked the front door.    She needed his support and skills, and she was fairly certain he liked her, but she was sure that he wasn¡¯t who she wanted to choose as her Prince for the coming year.  This was one of the most crucial choices a Queen could make, and she knew she could not mess this one up.  When she turned around Megan was standing in the staircase looking at her. ¡°You okay Ali?¡±  Alison smiled and nodded. ¡°Yep!  You really looked like you fit in at the table today and so I¡¯ve decided to give you a permanent seat at the table for next year, a seat right next to Mandy.¡±  Megan¡¯s eyes bugged out and she started jumping up and down and in circles.  ¡°No way!  Ali!  That is so awesome!  ¡°Thank you thank you thank you!¡±  She bounced down and hugged her.  Alison hugged her back.  When Megan finally calmed down she Alison looked at her.  ¡°Come on up to my room,  I need to tell you what it means that you¡¯ll be sitting next to Mandy and how to play the game.  Also, is Brittney going to St Pious next year?¡± Megan looked up and to the right and shrugged.  ¡°I think so.¡±  ¡°Can you find out for sure and if she is on the fence try to do everything you can to push her over to the St Pious side.¡±  ¡°You got it Ali.¡±  Said Megan with a huge smile in her face


    That night Jim sat at his computer searching YouTube, tic-toc, X  for anything relating to Keri.  He''d been at it for hours and had thankfully found nothing.  He kept checking Facebook, Instagram and anything else he could think of too.  About 9:30 pm, he made one more pass and his heart sank as he came across a video on Tic-toc.  It was titled ¡°The Queen is Dead...@Keri_On.¡±  He watched in horror as Keri  sat there and said ¡° No one came to see me.  I wish they would die.¡±  The rest of the video was of her throwing up into a pan.


    ¡°No!¡± Jim ran down to his dad''s home office and begged him to take him to the hospital.  After a little bit of coercion they were on their way.  Jim texted Trudi and told her not to let Keri on the internet.


    When  they got to the hospital, Jim ran to the fourth floor.  As he headed toward the nurse''s station Trudi came out of Keri''s room. She held her phone in one hand and Keri''s in the other.  She walked over to him, tears forming in her eyes. ¡°Thanks Jim.¡±  Trudi looked back at the room.  ¡°She''s passed out from exhaustion.  She couldn''t stop throwing up last night.   The nurse said that some girl had been in Keri''s room last night, but she didn''t get a good enough look at her.  Do you know who it was Jim?  This video is sick, its evil.  She''s in there dy...dy. dying, and someone thinks it would be a big laugh to kick her in the gut.¡±  Jim''s stomach turned upside down.   He wanted to tell Trudi, he wanted to shout Alison''s name through the hospital.  But in that moment all his courage and bravado left him. In that moment he  became the thirteen year old boy he looked like, rather than the coolest boy at St. Pious.  If Alison was willing to do this to a dying girl, he couldn''t even imagine what she would do to him.  He had lost his stomach for the table and the game, but he also didn''t want to go through hell for five years.   So he lied.  He looked Trudi in the face and with every ounce of remaining cool that he had, he said.  ¡°No, Trudi.  They''ve given me my leave from the table. If it was one of their cronies, or someone else, I really have no Idea.  I''m done with the game Tru, I got no stomach for it anymore.¡±


    She nodded with sadness flooding her  eyes.  He put his arm around her shoulders and they both went in and sat down next to Keri.  She looked worse every time Jim came to see her.  They had been friends since kindergarten.  He remembered her then too when she was sick and had to wear a wig. He was one of the few who stood up for her.  He didn¡¯t abandon her then and he wasn''t going to give up on her now.


    Across town Mandy was over at Tiffany''s house helping her decorate for the end of the year party she was having at her house tomorrow. Tiffany was searching social media about every 10 minutes to see if Alison kept her word or if she chickened out.    At one point Tiffany looked over at Mandy.  ¡°So, how did you figure out that it was Keri that gave that stuff on you to Alison?¡±  Mandy turned and looked at her.  ¡°When Alison was turning the tables on me she used the word Caveat.  I know Alison doesn¡¯t know that word, and the only person I know who uses words like that was Keri. She¡¯s the only person who was at  that sleepover and  who Alison would have heard her word from, and so I knew it had to be. Keri.   I bet she gave that to Alison because she knew I wouldn''t let her and Trudi back at the table next year and was trying to make sure they had a spot.  That¡¯s why I asked for the punishment that I did, she¡¯s got another thing coming if she thinks she can play kingmaker and take away what was rightfully ours and then sit at the table next year too!¡±  Mandy said with a huff.  ¡°Anyway, I bet you Alison chickens out or puts something totally lame up there.¡±  A sly smile touched her face.   ¡° That¡¯s it. When she falls flat  on her face, tonight  we¡¯ll call for a vote of no confidence in her  tomorrow and she¡¯ll be gone.¡±  Feeling better about everything she then turned to go back to hanging decorations.


    Then about 9 o''clock Tiffany dropped her decoration and looked over at Mandy.  Mandy saw the color draining from her friend''s face and arched her eyebrow.  ¡°What?¡±  Mandy said with a condescending tone in her voice.  ¡°You have to see this.¡±  Tiffany said in a whisper.  Mandy''s heart sank a little, she had never seen Tiff this shaken before.  She got down off the chair she had been standing on and went over to her.  When she got there Tiffany held her phone out so Mandy could see.  When she was done watching the video about Keri her face started to turn white too.  She had been betting that Alison would cave and not go through with it, or if she did it would be so pathetic that either way she would  call for a vote of no confidence in Alison and would have her revenge on her.  What she saw on that screen, however, sent chills down her spine.  She was upset with Keri about sharing her secret with Alison, but she was more upset with Alison for using her past against her.  She didn''t have a lot of love for Keri, but she respected her, and she didn''t in her worst nightmare expect Alison to come up with something like this.  Mandy turned to look at Tiffany.  ¡°Tiff, we have  a big problem.¡±  ¡°Yah, I know.   If she is willing to do something like this to someone who is dying, there is no telling what she might do to us.¡±  Mandy nodded.  ¡°We have got to get on her good side and stay there, we need to plan out what to say to her  and we need to make sure the other''s support her.¡±  Mandy said with a shaky voice.  ¡°Yeah, I''m thinking we should wait till Cheer camp.  There will be too many people at the party tomorrow, at least at Camp we can ask to meet her at the Captains Cove, where no one will hear us.¡±  Tiffany said, her voice also wavering.  ¡°Yep, that''s a good idea.¡± and that was the last word they spoke that night.  They finished the work and then Mandy left silently and headed home.

 Chapter 13 The Hyress

    The new ruler must determine all the injuries that he will need to inflict.  He must inflict them once and for all.


    -Niccolo Machiavelli


    Once everyone was gone from the large room all the strength seemed to leave Alianna''s legs.  She slumped down onto the crystal chair, breathing heavenly, she tried to stop the trembling that had taken over her body.  Slowly the purple haze dissipated.  She placed her head in her hands and close her eyes. ¡°What did I just do?¡± She said in just above a whisper.   She heard  someone climbing the steps.  She looked up to see the man called Theric, the man she had kicked, limping up the steps toward her.   She went rigid with fright, she knew she had hurt him pretty bad, what if he wanted to hurt her too.  Instinctively her hand went to the knife in her pocket.  She drew it out and pointed it at Theric.  The man froze at the top of the Dias.


    ¡°Peace, Hyress, Peace.  I live to serve you.  You are the true Hyress, of that I have no doubt.  I am Theric,  Hyress, how may I serve you.¡± His tone was soothing, but he kept limping toward her.  There was that sense in the air, the sense that, even though he was trying to sooth, he set the hair on her neck on end.   She did not have time to complete a song and make the crystal strike the ground in front of him.  He was getting closer, a thousand terrible images flew through her mind of what he might do.  Something inside her urged her to sing one specific note, it was the last note in the song that made the crystal emit the beam.  Not being able to think of anything else, she sang the note, held it, intensified it.  The purple shard began to glow as it glowed as a light came from within the crystal chair.  She could feel the vibrations within the chair, she had a feeling, and she didn¡¯t know where it came from, that this chair could hold more song then her voice could produce.  Within seconds the purple shell formed around her again. Theric stopped as he saw the aura form.  Fear danced in his eyes as the energy that arced around the surface of the sphere began to leap  into the crystal knife, purple light flaring from within its core.    Alianna stood from the chair, all the fear and anger from the past few days flowed through her voice and then she pointed the knife at the floor in front of him.  She cut off the note abruptly and a beam as big around as her arm shot out from the knife.  It detonated on the ground between them and she watched as he flew off the Dias and crumpled to the floor.


    Fear flooded Alianna as she looked at his his body.  There was smoke rising off of his cloths.  ¡°Oh...Oh my gosh, I...I killed him.¡±  Tears escaped her eyes.  Her shoulders began to tremble,  her face scrunched up as she began to  shake her head back and forth.  Then she heard it, a painful cry coming from the ground.  She stared past the smoldering crater in the dais to Theric.  He began to writhe in pain.  She let out a sigh.  ¡°What do I do now?¡±   She began rummaging through the library worth of books stored in her head, trying to figure out how to handle this situation.


    She looked toward the ruined stairs as a charred hand reached up over the top, and then another.  Theric pulled himself over.   He crawled over to her and bowed before her.


    Seeing him prostrating before her brought up two conflicting emotions in her.  She felt a strange sense of elation, that warred with a sense that him bowing before her was wrong. But slowly the elation won over the feeling that this was wrong.


    ¡°Forr...forgive me Hyress.  Please spare me, and I will be your faithful servant.  Only the true Hyress can call forth the power of the Thron.¡± She looked as he gestured to the deep purple chair behind her. As she looked at the chair what he kept calling her started to register.  It sounded like the word Heiress.  Like she had just inherited a billion dollars.


    She started to get the impression that power and confidence was what these people respected, so she began to pull together in her head the traits of the more stern and powerful queens and princesses from her books.   ¡°Very well Theric.¡±  She kept her voice stern, drawing a lot of inspiration from her mother,  but she was scared senseless on the inside.   ¡°You may serve me.  I will need to learn about my subjects very quickly.  What is this place called?¡±


    ¡°This is the land of Nod.  We settled here a few generations  ago, because the soil was good.    After a century of wandering, we had become too large to follow the animals.   One had come out of  the west shortly after we settled and said he knew how to bring food from the ground.  He taught us to farm and then moved on.   We were ruled at that time by Maleric''s father, Jukas.   He sat on the Thron, but at that time we knew nothing of the crystals or the song.


    It was then that this woman  appeared here in the Catha-Darl with the girl who wore a tiara on her head with a crystal shard that looked like it came from the purple crystal of the Thron.  She said that by right of the girls yellow hair which was the color of the great light in the sky,  and blue eyes the color of the deep below, different then anyone else living and her ability to bring the Thron to life,  that it had been ordained by the Eternal that this girl would rule over us.   Jukas proceeded to laugh at her.   He stood, drew his sword, and began to descend the steps, but the girl then opened her mouth and the song came.   Her song activated the Thron and a beam of energy shot forth and Jukus erupted into flame.  He died right on these very steps.¡±


    The Hyress...er the imposert that you rightfully took your place from, has ruled us for twenty years since then.¡±  His tone was penitent as he corrected himself, but there was something else there that she couldn''t identify.  Her eyes narrowed as she studied Theric, as if his secret would be plainly evident on him.  ¡°What aren''t you telling me Theric?¡± He looked shocked but recovered quickly.    ¡°The girl. she could not call on the power of the Thron on  her own.  She never had the voice to sing the stones.


    Her eyes narrowed at Theric as if she could see the lie on his face if she looked hard enough.   ¡°How then did she keep power, I thought you said she couldn''t sing?¡± her eyes narrowed even more.


    ¡°I did not find this out till later.  I had been in my library, in the lower level of this place, and as I was leaving I heard someone trying to sing in a small room that was down the hall from  me.  I peeked in and saw the Hyr¡­I mean the girl, she was singing but it was clear, even to these untrained ears, that she had no talent for it.  Then I heard another voice singing and it was the woman¡¯s voice   not the girls, and so I knew that she was false.  But I do not know where her voice was coming from or how she was able to control the Thron.¡±


    ¡°So why didn''t you tell the rest of the people, that she was a fake? ¡±


    He paused for a moment.  A tingling sensation ran through Ali.  It was the same one she got when she knew she was missing something, but couldn''t figure it out.


    ¡° I feared the voice, and the woman who I believe the voice belonged to.   We trade with her, we trade our food for crystals and other Items that she seems to create.  This suit for example.¡±  He said as he rolled up his slave revealing a glimmering fabric that fit snugly against his skin.  It reminded her of the body suit she had to wear for her one dance recital, she tried Ballet for 6 months because Ali loved it, but she didn¡¯t last much longer then the first recital, it just wasn¡¯t her.  ¡°It takes care of the body''s more, how shall I say, private needs.  It seemed to be made with pieces of the crystals woven into it, but you do not have to sing to activate it.  We have not been able to understand how it works.¡±


    Ali''s mouth dropped a little as he described it, before she caught herself and shut it.  ¡°Are there any more of those?¡±  Theric smiled just slightly, again Ali had that sinking feeling that she was missing something.  Theric looked at the girl who had formerly been Hyress, but was now rocking back and forth on the floor below them.


    ¡°You may have hers Hyress, all that was hers is now in your hands.  Go, claim what is yours by right.¡±


    Ali''s nerve began to falter.  She stared at the girl who was her own age, yet had somehow reigned for twenty years, she looked so frightened.  ¡°I can''t just start taking her clothes from her.¡±


    Theric''s smile widened, but Ali did not see because she was looking at the girl. Theric moved in toward her, until he was standing over her.  He bent down, only then did Ali turn to him and pointed the knife shard at him.  He raised his hands and backed away .


    ¡°You show weakness Hyress, compassion for the girl, betrays a weak heart.  The others obeyed because they saw the display of your power, but you are not the only one  in this world who can call on the power of the crystals.  Maleric for example.  These people respect only power and those who are willing to use it.  You must not be soft in your dealings with these people, or else they will kill you, and the boy as well.  You must not show her any quarter, Hyress.  Make her the dog at your feet, show them that you are the true Hyress.¡±


    ¡°No Quarter?¡± Ali said timidly. She had heard that phrase enough times in her books to understand its meaning.  She wanted to be as hard as Theric was demanding, but right now she didn''t know where her backbone had gone.  She knew now that its absence was showing , and that Theric had noticed it.   She knew she could get it back if she tried, knew that she could probably make Theric very docile with another blast from the Thron, but something had worked its way into her mind as her surroundings began to register.  There was food of every kind at the banquet she had walked in on.  Hot, savory foods, and not just meat but bread and vegetables and fruit.  And these people had looked, and smelled so clean, they must have sanitation of some kind.  Running water, maybe even baths.   And that suit, if it worked half as well as he was saying, it would be such a blessing to her.


    ¡°Yes, No quarter, or mercy.  She would have killed you Hyress,  she has killed before.  She is not someone to be pitied, but broken.¡±


    A month without any comforts of any kind had taken a toll on her.  She had never thought much about the amenities that her everyday life back on Earth had provided her.  Just something as commonplace as a bathroom, had become something she longed for.  She felt herself give into the urge to have those things again.   She also felt a new urge take hold.  She had power now, now she was the Queen of the table.  These people would do whatever she said.  There would be no one to bully her ever again.  She wouldn''t be tortured anymore.  She wouldn''t cry herself to sleep every night.  Finally she would have peace.  She couldn''t fight it any more, even though the cost was high.


    She rose from the Thron, and held her crystal in her hand.  She began to sing as she descended the steps.  By the time she reached the bottom the crystal  shown with a brilliant white light, and the purple shard in the crown glowed faintly which in turn created the purple sphere, crackling with energy around Alianna.


    The girl looked up at her as she approached and Ali could see the stark terror in her eyes.  This froze her in mid step. ¡°I...I can''t do it, she''s terrified.¡±  Then she heard Theric''s words.  ¡°She would have killed you.¡±  Ali looked closely at the girl.  Raven dark hair running silkily down her back.  Stunning by all standards.  The harder she stared at the girl the  clearer she saw, like those pictures, where if you stare at them long enough you can see a shape, the girl began to fade away, to be  replaced by an image of  Keri Bellows.   Keri, who had devised a scheme that could only have been meant to destroy her.  Keri had obviously wanted her dead.  In that moment at the cafeteria, she had hated Keri, and that hate had never really gone away.   She let that hate come back now, pretended that this was Keri kneeling there in front of her.


    ¡°Get up¡±  she said, her voice turned to cold steel reinforced by the hate coursing through her.


    The girl cringed further into herself, and began whimpering again.


    ¡°Get Up!¡±  She said loudly.  She then sang the single note that she had before and a blazing beam of energy shot from the Thron and hit the crystal in her hand.  The beam then shot upward between her and the girl so she could feel the heat of it and a section of the roof incinerated and the day''s light shone down on her.    She showed nothing outwardly, but inside she was awestruck for the beam coming from the Thron and destroying the ceiling  is what she had imagined happening,  but she  had not expected it to actually take place.


    All color drained from the girl''s face.  Sweat began to drench her brow.  Slowly the girl got to her feet and stood there shaking.


    ¡°Take me to the rooms that you used to occupy.  There you will remove your clothes and put on something  befitting a servant.  You will serve me now, and I will expect nothing less than your best efforts every day, because your best effort will be the only thing that keeps you alive.¡±  She felt a chill run through her.  ¡°wha..what am I saying.¡±  Again she almost faltered in her resolve, but then images of living the rest of her days in the wild warred with living them out in the luxury of this place, and again she gave into the easy route,  and the evil queen¡¯s from her stories were more than willing to step in and give her all the venom that she needed.


    ¡°Yes...yess...Hy...Hyress. It will...will be as you say.¡±  stammered the girl.


    ¡°What are you called?¡±


    The girl looked at her in confusion, her mouth almost forming an H but then it stopped as realization of the change of her status fully fell on her.  ¡°They..They call me Nisa, Hyress.¡±


    ¡°Very well, Nisa, I wish to see my rooms.¡± Alianna said in a cold, commanding voice.


    The girl turned and started for the main door.  Alianna began to follow her, but then stopped and looked over her shoulder.  ¡°Come Theric, You can advise me from the hallway, while we change.  Leave a guard here in the hall.  Instruct him to tell the people to wait for me in the hall until I return.¡± She saw the man bow deeply to her and then he began to descend the steps.


    He went toward the front of the hall and left through one of the doors on the far wall.  Alianna stopped the girl before she left the hall and looked to where Theric had left.  She felt a pang of fear.  ¡°Could he be betraying me?¡±


    A few minutes later she saw him enter with one of the guards she had seen at the front of the building before she came in.  He spoke to him briefly.  The man nodded and then marched to stand at the base of the steps that led up to the Thron.   Theric then began to move toward her.  She nodded to him, and then turned and pushed the girl forward into the hall.


    She felt a chill run up and down her spine, each time she poked the girl with the point of the shard to prod her on.  A sickening feeling tried to work its way up from her stomach, but she forced it down.  ¡°I...this isn''t right...I can''t keep this up.¡±  Just before she gave into her desire to run away, the girl turned to peek at her, and there  was Keri''s face again.  The girl jerked her head forward again when she saw the anger flash across Ali''s eyes.  Anger flared through her.  She sang a few notes and the tip of the crystal began to glow.  She could feel the heat coming for it, and obviously so could the girl for her shoulders hunched forward away from the heat, and her pace began to quicken.


    Soon the girl was opening a double door and stepped into a lavish room.  It was oval in shape.  There was a massive four ¨C post bed,  a large armwa.  There was an artistic changing screen in the corner.  There was a small writing desk and two large chairs facing the fireplace.   The bed drew her toward it like metal to a magnet, but she resisted it with every ounce  of strength he had left.  She knew now that she had shown some chinks in her armor to Theric.  She had to be strong, at least until he left.


    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    ¡°Are these rooms to your liking Hyress?¡± crooned Theric from behind her.


    She did not respond immediately.  She looked around a few more times before turning her head toward him, but not enough for him to see her face.  ¡°They will do, for now.  Stand in the hallway Theric, speak only when spoken too, and if I catch your eye peering through the door Theric, It will belong to me.¡±  She had read that in a book about a female Pirate captain.  The chill that had been clinging to her spine deepened.  ¡°Ali this isn''t you!¡±  cried a voice from deep inside her mind.  ¡°I have no other choice, she yelled back.  ¡°If I don''t I''ll die, and who knows what would happen to Jaius.¡±


    ¡°At least you''d still be you.¡±  Then the voice went silent.  That one phrase nearly punched through her resolve, but something strong and deep had shorne up this charade, survival.  This was the only way she saw that would keep her and Jaius alive.  Whoever it was that came out the other end of this, well, at least she''d be living.


    ¡°As..as you command Hyress.¡±  Ali''s eyebrow arched upward at the tone in Theric''s voice.  ¡°Was that fear?¡±


    Hearing that fear in his voice built up her confidence.  She turned to the girl, she knew Theric was still listening.  She knew she had to drive open that tear in his armor that he had just shown. ¡°The suit that you wear close to your skin.  I will not defile myself by wearing that one, bring me one that has not been worn.  Then remove yours and get rid of it.  You will have no further use for it now, anyone who displeases me will lose the right to wear one.¡±  She made sure that last part was loud enough for Theric to hear.   The girl went pale.  She rolled up the fabric on her arm and caressed the glittering material, a lone tear running down her cheek as she did so.   Then she looked up at  Alianna and again the girls eyes nearly nuked the house of cards that was her resolve in keeping up this facade.   But she held it together.  Ali made a jerking motion with her hand.  The girls shoulders slumped and she began to remove the cloak around her neck.   After girl had changed and she  had told Ali how the suit functioned.  Ali looked toward the hall.  ¡°Theric!¡±


    ¡°Ye..yes. Hyres.  Came his reply from the door.


    ¡°I wish to bathe.  Have a tub of hot water brought here quickly, and tell the kitchen to have more ready as I need.  And food Theric,  food and something to drink.  Make sure I am pleased with what you bring me Theric.¡±


    ¡°Ye..Yes. Hyres.¡±


    ¡°One more thing Theric.  I came in here with a pack on my back.  Please bring it here to me without delay.¡±


    ¡°It is my Pleasure to serve you My Hyress.¡±


    She heard him walking down the hallway.   Turning to the girl she motioned to the door. ¡°Close the door.   Then sit with your back against it and do not move.   Once Theric returns you will make it known from the door.  You will not move until I tell you to.  If you move, I will know, and you will be so very sorry.¡±  The girl slowly nodded her head and then went and closed the door, and then slid down the wood doors with her back to it.  Ali then went and laid down on the bed.   The soft down of the mattress and pillows was more comfortable than anything she had known in weeks.   Soon she was dreaming.  She was in the hallway in her home in Black Canyon.  She was standing in front of the door to her room.  There was the sound of intense crying coming from the other side, which was reaching the volume of a wail.  ¡°Why!!!! No!!!!! Ali, NO, don¡¯t go down this road!¡±  Ali tried to open the door, but it was locked.  No matter how hard she tried, the door wouldn''t budge.   She began to pound on the door but it was harder than iron.  ¡°Open up!¡±  She yelled.  ¡°No, she¡¯ll get me if I do.¡± Came the younger version of her voice  from behind the door.


    She sat up with a start.  The girl was shouting   ¡°Hyress, Theric has returned!¡±


    Ali lifted her head and looked toward the door.  Theric stood there with a cart that had covered plates and a pitcher of a dark purple liquid.   Behind him were four of the same guards she had seen earlier.  Between them they carried a large copper tub.  She could see the steam rising from it.


    She jumped off of the bed and almost skipped over to them, but at the last moment she refrained, remembering that it was only the image that she put forth that was keeping her alive.  She walked as regally and stately as she could manage.  She stopped about ten feet from them. She looked at the girl, who had not moved from her spot against the door, from the welt on her forehead, it seems that she did not even move when they tried to come in.  A small pang hit Ali''s heart, it did not recede, but she paid it no heed either.


    ¡°Leave the food Theric, and hope that I am pleased with it.  Then leave us and stand in the hall and wait for my command.¡±   Theric paled, and did not move for a long moment.  He looked like someone who was beginning to fear he had lost something.  Slowly, then with increasing speed he  began to move.  He bowed and then walked backward out of the door.  She watched him till he was gone.  Then she looked at the guards.  ¡°Leave the tub there.¡± She pointed to a spot about five feet from where they stood.  ¡°Then place yourselves outside the door.  Come in only if I call.  And if Theric tries to leave, or to enter without my permission you are to take him and bind him in chains.¡±   The one man in the front bowed. ¡°It shall be as you wish my Hyress.¡±  He rose and turned on his heel, and began to usher the other men out.  ¡°Guard!¡±  He stopped, turned again and bowed. ¡°What is your name?¡±  ¡°Ye''tul, my Hyress. Ye''tul se Turik.¡±  Something stood out from this man as he spoke and moved. His answers were quick and affirming, not slow and forced like Theric¡¯s.   She didn''t know why, but she felt deep down that  he would give his life for her.  She knew she shouldn''t trust him without any more knowledge of him, but she needed to trust someone.  She couldn''t protect herself while she slept.  So, she took a chance.   ¡°Well, Ye''tul se Turik, from today on you, and your four men will be my personal guard.  You will go where I go and see that none bring any harm to me.  If you serve me well, you will be rewarded.  If you fail me, well you won''t like what happens then.¡±  Ye''tul bowed again to her.  ¡°It will be my greatest honor to serve Hyress.¡±  His men, who had stopped by the door, also turned and bowed.  ¡°To the honor,  Hyress.¡±  Ye''tul then placed his hand over his heart.  ¡°My life, and my death are yours.¡±  The other men followed suit.  ¡°To the Death, Hyress.¡±  Ali nodded, and then waved her hand at them.  They all bowed once more and then shut the door.


    An hour later she was clean, fed, and the girl was tying the sash of an amazing dress around her waist.   Waves of purple velour covered her, with amethyst like crystals  sewn into the hem. glittering in the sunlight.   She looked down at them and wondered.  ¡°Would they glow as well?¡±  She began to hum softly, with just enough volume for the girl to stop what she was doing.  Ali could feel the girl''s hands shaking.   She didn''t stop though, and as she continued to hum,  the amethysts began to exude a purple aura.  She used her imagination to imagine the aura moving behind her and extending backward forming a train for the dress.


    This time as she imagined it and it began to happen, she caught on to  what must have been causing this control over the crystal''s powers.  As she imagined the train forming the tone in her voice changed ever so slightly.  She knew she never would have heard it if not for her super ears, but there was definitely a shift, an ever complex harmonic pattern that seemed to change with her thoughts.   The purple glow moved behind her and coalesced into the shape of a glowing purple train.  She stopped and slowly the train faded.


    Alianna started to shake.  At first she thought something was wrong but then she realized it was the girl shaking so violently that it was passing to her.  Ali turned sharply and found the girl standing there holding the tied ends of the sash.  Her eyes were shut and she was trembling like crazy.  ¡°Look at me...¡± The girl didn''t respond. ¡°Look at me!¡±  The girls eyes shot open and Ali could see deep inside them, she saw years of fear and pain trapped in there, something resonated between them, a common wound that Ali hadn''t been expecting.  The door inside Ali''s head opened just a crack.  The girl, Niss,  seemed to stare through her into that doorway, into the single blue eye that was peeking out from behind it.  Ali''s eyes turned to storm clouds.  The girl had found a chink in her armor, she''d pierced her shield.  Ali''s hand drew back and she slapped the girl with enough force to drive her to the ground.  Ali bent down slowly and lifted the girl''s face to hers.  There was blood trickling off of the girl''s lip and tears of pain were forming in her eyes.


    ¡°This will be the last time that you look me in the eyes like that again.  If you ever do it again, I will pluck out yours and set them in a box next to my bed.  Do you understand?¡±  The girl''s eyes squinted shut, and she lowered her head.  ¡°Yes, Hyress.¡±  She whispered.  Ali let go of the girl''s chin and stood up.   She heard the sound of a door slamming shut inside her head. It echoed through an emptiness that had not been there before.  She hardened herself against the waves of indignation that were coming from it.  She began to walk toward the door.  She picked up the crystal dagger from that table where her clothes  were waiting to be cleaned and her pack rested.   ¡°Come¡±  She said over her shoulder.  She then stood at the door.  She reached down and grabbed the Tiara the girl had been wearing and wrapped it in a purple velvet cloth. She turned and handed it to her.  ¡°Have this ready to hand to me when I reach for it, do not let me wait for it either.¡±  The girl bowed and nodded.  Aliana then turned, smoothed out her dress and looked up at the door.


    ¡°Ye''tul, I am ready.¡±  The door opened and Ye''tul bowed  and gestured with his arm.  Theric leaned against the far wall.  When he saw her he bowed. ¡°Have the people found Malric and the boy?¡±  Theric remained bowed.  ¡°They were unable to catch him before he made it to his valley, Hyress.¡±   ¡°And why didn''t they peruse him into a valley?¡±  ¡°It is heavily defended Hyress.  Maleric has a wall that hedges in his compound and is defended by his clan.  The people have returned and await you in the main hall.¡±


    ¡°Very well Theric.  Go ahead and announce  us to us.  I''m going to show them something they haven¡¯t seen before.¡±


    Theric bowed his head lower, then stood and walked off down the hall.  Alianna walked out into the hall and Ye''tul and his man flanked her.   She started forward and they matched her pace.    A cold serenity had settle over her mind.  The fact that just hours before she was huddled in the woods, dirty, hungry and getting tired, now she was a Princes on the way to her Thron.  She stopped and the men stopped with her.  ¡°Thron, Throne, Heiress, Hyress how is it they are so similar in both sound meaning?¡±    She stood there pondering this line of thought for a few minutes.  She slowly became aware that no one else had said anything.  She glanced around serendipitously,  Ye''tul and his men stood at attention, not flinching a muscle.  She didn''t look behind her, but could feel the waves of fear induced rigidity coming from the girl behind her.   ¡°Not so sure that I can pull this off.¡±  She felt her confidence wane.  ¡°I need to buy a few minutes to pull it back together.¡±   ¡°Ye''tul.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Hyress.¡± Said the tall man as he turned on his heel and bowed to her.  The thrill of someone doing that toward her had not lost its wonder.  ¡°Are there any musicians here?¡±  He did not answer right away, and she saw a bead of sweat run down his cheek. ¡°I...I don''t know this word Hyress.¡±


    She had to think for a moment as to how to actually describe what a musician is. ¡°Musicians. They produce the song by plucking strings,  or hitting on drums.¡±


    More sweat appeared on his face.  ¡°I am sorry Hyress, these are things that I have no knowledge of.  I have failed you.¡±   She sighed.  ¡°No, it is alright.  I do want you to assemble all those who craft things and have them meet with me afterward.  I will show you what and instrument is.¡±  He bowed again to her.  ¡°The Hyress is most merciful.  It will be as you say.¡±


    ¡°I guess I''m going Acapella.¡±


    Before she knew it she was at the door leading into the main hall.  Her stomach turned, but she bit the inside of her lip and focused on the pain, and not the hundred staring eyes on the other side of the door.   Ye''Tul stood with his hand on the pull ring that would open the door.  She closed her eyes, gripped the crystal shard in her hand and then opened them.  She nodded to Ye''Tul.  The man gave a curt nod of his head and pulled open the door.  A myriad of heads turned toward her at the noise from the door.  As all those eyes bore into her she froze.  She knew that they were seeing right through her charade.  That all thirteen of Ali''s years had really not prepared her to be a heartless queen.   Just when she was about to turn and run, she saw a shaft of light pooling on the floor.  And the verses from the song finally filled into the proper place in her head.  ¡°Most beautiful place....Reborn and blown off roof¡±   She smiled slightly as her eye caught the gaping hole in the ceiling.


    With that smile, all her fear washed away.  She was a Princess, and there stood her  throne, she was a wunderkind, she was a Queen of Paltophern.  She started forward and began to sing.


    Most beautiful place


    Reborn and blown off roof


    My view, about face, whether great will be done


    I am a magnet for all kinds of deeper wonderment


    I am a wunderkind ohwowoh


    I am a groundbreaker naive enough to believe this


    I am a princess on the way to my throne.


    She imagined the amethysts  on the dress igniting and could see by the gasps from the crowd that a purple train was now flowing behind her, and the dress itself caught fire as each individual crystal shone like a small flame she also added a high collar that curved around the back of her head. She was a girl on fire just like Katniss Everdeen.   As a finishing touch Alianna reached behind her and felt the velvet cloth placed into her hand.  She unwrapped the tiara and placed it on her head.


    I am a magnet for all kinds of deeper wonderment


    I am a wunderkind oh-wowoh


    I am the Joan of Arc and smart enough to believe this


    I am a princess on the way to my throne


    As she passed under the new skylight she imagined a beam shooting out from the Thron and encasing her in that purple sphere like it had before.  And just as she saw it in her head, so it ishappened.  A beam shot from the Thron, touched the Tiara and the sphere engulfed her.  People were dropping down to their knees as she passed them.  This brought up a strange feeling of elation mixed with revulsion, but as she got closer to the Thron the revolution began to fade into the background.  She ascended the steps and turned and sat on the Thron.


    Destined to reign, destined to roam


    Destined to reign, destined to roam


    She hung onto the last note as she saw that the girl was standing at the bottom of the stairs to the dias.  She looked at Ye''tul till she caught his eye, and then motioned with her head to the girl and then the floor in-front of her.  Ye''tul understood immediately and placed his hand on the girls shoulder and pushed her forward up the stairs and then sat her donw next to the Thron.  Alianna then let the note fade, but yet it seemed to linger in the now quiet room.  All the people were on the floor bowing before her, and Ye''tul''s  men were just reaching the top of the Dias and moved to stand behind her.  Theric''s head ,   was just rising above the rim of the dias,  when he saw her he paused and bowed his head slightly.  She stared at him for a long moment, trying to figure out what he was waiting for.  Then something connected in her head.  ¡°I''ve quelled him.  Right now I could have him exiled and he knows it.  Probably  better to have him here where I can watch him.¡±  She placed her finger on her lips, and after a minute more she slowly nodded her head to indicate the spot next to her.  As she had assumed, Theric must have been looking out of the corner of his eye, for relief flooded his face and he bowed his head and slunk the rest of the way up the steps and moved to stand next to her.  Once he had settled himself, she turned back to the crowd


    ¡°Maleric has taken something from us that is very dear to us, we shall not endure this slight.  We will meet with the greatest of your warriors in a few minutes.  This we wish to make clear.  We are the true Hyress, let there be no doubt in your mind.  We will lead you and protect you, but only if you are loyal and obedient.  We will tolerate no distention.  Is that clear?¡±


    The room exploded with shouts of affirmation.  She stood up and looked around the room, praying her gaze was as stern as she saw it being in her mind.  ¡°Now, return to your homes that is, for all of you except those who have training in fighting, and crafting wood and metal.¡±   She watched as many looked at each other in confusion.  She began tapping her foot impatiently.  One of the young girls was looking right at her and Ali saw her eyes bulge out of her head.  She quickly began to tug at her mother''s dress.  When her mother looked down, her daughter began whispering to her and pointing at Alianna.  Her mother looked toward the Thron and went pale as she saw Ali''s foot tapping.  She curtsied deeply and then grabbed her husband''s arm and the other children and hurried for the door.  As others saw her leaving, the tapping of Ali''s foot seemed to filter through the din of confused talking that had begun to fill the room. Faces went pale and everyone began to bow and curtsies and head toward the door. They were so flustered that ten of them skidded to a halt, seven men and three women, and then turned to face her with their heads bowed.  Fifteen men and ten teenage boys had stayed at their seats.


    ¡°Now, Ye''Tul take these twenty five men and turn them into the greatest warriors in the land.  They will be the Knights of the White Rose, and you will be their Captain.   Do you have horses here Ye''Tul?¡±  Again that struggle tore across his face as he tried to give her the answer to something he did not know.  ¡°They are large, four legged, animals whose shoulders would come up to your head.  They have long faces and manes of hair  going down the back of their necks and long tails.¡±


    He thought for a few moments trying to visualize the creature that she described.  Then his eyes lit up.  ¡°Yes my Hyress I believe I know these creatures that you speak of.  They are horuses, and they roam the plains.  What would we do with them?¡±


    Ali shook her head and sighed.  ¡°You ride them Ye''Tul. Do not worry, I will show you.¡±  She thought back to the summers that her and Ali had went  to the horse riding camp.  ¡°Capturing them will be the first mission of the Knights of the White Rose.¡± Said  Ye''Tul as he clasped his right arm to his chest.   ¡°You will be a force strong enough to breach Maleric''s walls, YeTul.  With my power and the Thron, you will not fail.¡±  ¡°It will be as you say Hyress.¡±


    She nodded and then looked at the men and women standing at the end of the hall.  ¡°Attend me, I am going to describe to you  how to make wood and metal sing.¡±  Their eyes went wide, but the people were soon moving hurriedly toward the Thron.

 Chapter 14. Blood in the Mud.

    ¡°It was that day that stuck with me the longest.  That day I ruined someone. I couldn¡¯t take them to the hospital, there was no medicine to fix them, they were just ruined and I was the one who did it.¡±


    Letters from Jaius to Ali .


    Jaius watched in horror as Ali was led into the large hall.  That Theric guy was pushing her forward.  He did, however, feel an overwhelming sense of joy.  She had come after him, she  hadn''t given up.  He knew right there that she really did care about him.  He had to get out of this bubble.  He tried to push at it and kick it, but just like the previous hundred or so tries, it didn''t even budge. Then he heard the Hyress say that Ali was to be killed and he started kicking even harder, he even tried to sing, but nothing worked.  Then Ali did something even he didn''t expect her to do.  She turned and kicked Theric in between his legs and then when he dropped and let go of her she rushed the Hyress and tackled her.


    Jaius, first cringed as Theric crumpled to the ground from Ali''s kick, then he cheered as the girl''s Tiara was knocked off her head.  Then fear gripped his heart as he realized what such an attack would mean for Ali.  It took him a moment to notice that there had been a change in the girl that Ali had tackled.  He looked closely at her.  Her hair had been blonde like Ali''s just moments before, but now it was black as night. He  looked around and saw people standing, some were shouting, others were covering their mouths with their hands.


    He saw Maleric staring at the Hyress with rage flashing in his eyes.  He stood and threw his chair back against the raised platform behind them.  He then began to sing and slowly rose off the floor.   Knowing that he was about to be leaving the room, Jaius turned to see what had happened to Ali.  He saw her putting the Hyress''s Tiara on her head as she ran up the steps toward the large purple crystal chair that rested at the top.  As he was drug forward, toward the large main doors he saw her sit down on the large crystal chair and point after him as she yelled to the crowd to stop Maleric.  The people did not react.  He still felt gratitude to her for trying.  It looked like she might be in charge now.  He had gathered that only a girl with blonde hair and the ability to sing could become this Hyress and lead the people.  If anyone could pull that charade off it was Ali.  If she had convinced the A table that she was some popular girl from another school, then she could definitely convince these backwood shlubs that she was this Hyress person.


    He lost sight of her as Maleric cleared the main doors and flew through the hallways and then out of an open window.   He went over the village and then over the mirror-like surface of the lake.  He picked up speed and soon the large main hall of the village was just a tiny speck.  They began to gain altitude as Maleric flew up over one of the mountains and then down the other side.  Before them stretched a wide valley.  A river wound its way through it and in the center of the water was a large Island.  There was a twenty-foot wall surrounding the Island.  It was made of clear crystal that seemed as if it almost grew right out of the ground.  There was a large ranch style building complex that dominated the center of the island.  There were smaller ranch style houses that surrounded the main structure.  A large crystal barn  lay in each of the four corners of the wall. Each barn radiated light from the crystal of the structure itself.   There were also buildings that had smoke coming out of them, and he could hear the clanging of metal coming from them.  Maleric descended and landed in front of one of the barns.   He went around to the side where Jaius saw a large fenced in area that housed about thirty, what looked to be, pigs.  Maleric turned and looked at him.  He touched the staff around the middle part of it and suddenly Jaius was falling to the ground.   He hit hard and all the air left his lungs.  As he lay there trying to breath, Maleric stood over him.  He kicked Jaius in the leg.  ¡°Stop that wheezing and get up.¡±


    ¡°Get up!¡±  He said as he kicked Jaius in the side.  Pain exploded up and down his body.  Still unable to breathe correctly, Jaius got to his knees and slowly moved to his feet.  He bent over, holding his side and continuing to wheeze.  Maleric picked him up and tossed him over the fence and into the muddy pig pen.  It took only seconds for Jaius to realize that there wasn''t just mud on the floor of this pen.  He got to his feet as fast as he could, but it wasn''t quick enough to avoid getting covered in the disgusting muck that he had been thrown into.   When he looked back toward the fence he saw Maleric placing the last of seven buckets over to his side of the fence.  ¡°Everyone earns his keep around here slug, the only thing it seems like a whiny woman like you would be able to handle is feeding the Pics.   Its probably not possible but I would be hoping that you can show me that you can do more than that, Its not hard to replace a pic-boy.¡±


    With that he turned and walked away.  Jaius had caught the threat.  He had thought that maybe he could do a bad enough job and Maleric would just let him go, but now it seems that he would need to really wow Maleric in order to get a chance to leave.   If he did let him go then he could head off into the woods.  He felt pretty confident that he could survive in the woods long enough for Maleric to stop looking for him.  He''d get back to Ali and then they could go off and find a clearing that no one else knew of, one where they would never have to leave.  It seemed every world in the universe was populated by bullies and thugs and he had had enough of them.  He and Ali could live in peace, if they could just find somewhere where there weren''t any people.  He pushed those thoughts away for now and picked up a bucket.


    As he was filling the troth with the contents of the third bucket he heard someone snicker behind him.  He looked over his shoulder and saw a boy about his age.  He was taller than Jaius and had black hair.  ¡°So we got ourselves a new Pic-Boy.  Father must have given you this job cause you already smell like a pic, and looked like one too.  You must be half pic then, a true and actual PicBoy.¡±  The boy began to laugh.  He was joined by the voices of three other boys and two girls as they stepped out of a side door in the wall of the barn.  ¡°Eww, I can smell him from here.¡±  said one of the girls.  ¡°Yeah, I think you better sleep in there tonight Pic-Boy, you''ll keep the rest of us up otherwise with your smell and your whining.  Seewee- sewee!¡±  Laughed one of the other boys after he made a squealing sound.


    Jaius turned his back to them, he was finding it hard to process the fact that even halfway across the galaxy, on another planet,  he was still being picked on.  A month ago, when Ali and he had first gotten here, he had let himself begin to think that God really did answer the prayers offered to the statues of the saints.   When he was able to focus enough on praying to actually pray to the saints he had asked to be transported to a world so far away from the Dungeon that none of the kids there could find him.


    He had also asked if he could have someone go with him,  to keep him company.  It had to be someone cool though. After a few days on Paltophern he actually began to wonder if the saint that he had prayed too, he thought it was saint Jerome,  had heard the prayer and really had delivered it to God.  Even throughout the sickness they both endured, he was happy on the inside.  Ali actually cared enough about him to help him even though it was the worst slickness he''d ever had.  And she let him help her, even though she seemed to also demand a lot of privacy during that time too.  He didn''t understand why she had needed so much time alone, all he had been able to figure out was she spent a lot of time in the creek.  It had hurt a little at first, that she couldn''t trust him with what she was going through, but he soon got over it.   She was never mean about asking him to leave the clearing, on the contrary, she was usually very apologetic, he just hated not being able to figure something out.


    His current situation had birthed the same frustration in him.  How can bullies exist, well everywhere?


    This question was forced out of his mind as a hand grabbed his shoulder and spun him around, and before he could even register who the hand belonged to there was a solid  impact on his right cheek.  He crumpled into the muck.  Pain cascaded across the right side of his face.  Tears began to form.  He''d never been punched before,  he reflected in that moment that it was not what they made it look like in the movies.  He could taste the metallic flavor of blood in his mouth.  He used to get nose bleeds a lot and sometimes it would run into his mouth before he could stop it.


    ¡°Don''t you ever turn your back on Me Pic-Boy,  I am Jekk,  My father is Maleric, son of Jukus whose mother was Naamah who traces her parentage back to the Second himself.¡±


    Jaius looked up at this Jekk, tears making streaks in the muck that now plastered his face.  ¡°Your pathetic Pic-Boy.  Can''t even take a strike to the cheek, well you definitely won''t be able to handle this then.¡±


    Jekk drew back and kicked Jaius in the chest.  Jaius flew back and skidded about ten feet through the sludge.  All his breath left him again, the previous injury to his side making it even harder to regain his breath.  Seeing no other option he just lay there, wheezing and crying.


    ¡°Really Pathetic.   You know what happens to those who can''t cut it around here, don''t you Pic-Boy.  We let you go into the woods, give you an hour head start, and then me and my friends,  head off after you and track you till we find you, kill you, and feed you to our dogs.¡±  Jaius saw him turn to the others.  ¡°Looks like we might have another hunting trip sooner than we expected gang.¡±  He looked over his shoulder at Jaius and sneered, and then hopped the fence and moved past the others, who followed close behind him.


    Jaius laid there and cried.  ¡°This definitely  is worse than the dungeon.  Maybe this is Hell.  Maybe I did die, and wasn''t good enough to get into Heaven, and so I''ve landed in purgatory or, Hell?¡±  Fear gripped his heart.  Images of his family came into his mind.  Anne, his Dad, Sis, and his Mom.  It was the last one he called out for, not caring who heard.


    ¡°Mom!¡± He kept crying and calling out for her.  After a while of this, with no response, he did finally come to the realization that he was a kid stuck in a world that was not kid friendly and that he needed protection.  He had always thought his parents were overprotective and felt like they were strangling him.  In this moment however, he appreciated what they did for him like he never had before.  The world was a cruel, evil place, and they did everything they could to protect him.


    Soon a deep emptiness flooded him.  ¡°She''s not coming, she can''t, I''m halfway across the universe.  I''m all alone, and so I can either sit and wait to die, or I can show that creep up.¡±  There was the nagging feeling that he was forgetting something very important in his thought process, but he couldn''t lock it down.  Giving up in trying to identify it, he stood slowly and crawled over to the next bucket and continued his job.  ¡°I''m going to have to survive this on my own.¡±  Again that feeling like he had forgotten something filled him.


    He finally poured the last bucket  into the troth and almost got bowled over by a huge sow as she nosed her way to the food.  He tossed the bucket with the others and climbed over the fence.  He looked around, trying to figure out where to go, and he noticed that Jekk''s friends  had left the  door in the side of the barn open.  He poked his head in and saw that it wasn''t a barn for animals but it had stalls with three tiered shelves.  Growing out of the shelves on each level was every different kind of grown food that he could imagine.  Above each tier were suspended a glowing crystal.  It was attached to a thick cord that was vibrating slightly.   He looked longingly at the fruits and vegetables growing there, as he realized that he''d barely eaten since he was abducted.  Maleric only gave him enough to live on.


    Something drew him to a crystal door set at the end of one row of stalls.  It was the shape of it that drew his attention.  He moved over to it and saw that it was a curved sheet of thin crystal that looked like it slid open on a track.  He tried to slide it, and it opened.  The little chamber inside had a grate on the floor, and a grate on the ceiling.  There were two topaz crystal knobs set into the wall. As Jaius was looking closely at the knobs, he saw something moving within the crystal wall of the chamber.  After looking closely he realized it was water flowing within the crystal.  This tickled his memory, but he couldn''t lock it down before a stronger one pushed its way into his head.


    ¡°Na, it couldn''t be.¡±   He took a look at himself and decided that any other state of being would be better than covered in pik-poo.  So he stepped in and slid the door closed.    He turned the knob on the right and  half of the metal grate at the top opened up and cold water poured out.  He bit his lip to keep from screaming out, which failed terribly, because of the wound to his mouth.  He screamed and quickly turned the other knob.  After two minutes he finally got the mixture of hot and cold right.  He let the water run over him, basking in the first shower that he''d had in over a month.  He never imagined something so mundane could be transformed into one of the most glorious events he could remember.  He didn''t removed his cloths, he just let them soak.  He looked down at them.  He had never noticed cloths much before this, but he looked on in shock at what the past month had done to cloths that had been bought just before he arrived here.  There were tears of all sizes and shapes, and stains that they hadn''t been able to get out.  Ali had been able to sew some of them together.  They had dried out some of the guts of the smaller animals and she had used a sharpened piece of bone as a needle.  She had read a book once that was written around 1900.  It detailed what to do if you were living off the land.  She seemed to be able to remember most of what she had read.  Tears began to leak out of his eyes as the cloths made him think of his family.  His Mom had picked them out, and even though he hated the cloths he did love his Mom.


    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    The move away from Pittsburgh had been hard on her also.  She had been very involved in the community there and also in their church.  She had made a lot of friends that she also had had to leave behind.  He got the impression that she couldn''t get used to the smallness of Black Canyon, and that this was one of the main reasons he hadn''t seen his Mom smile a lot over the past number of years.   His Dad had always been reserved.  Jaisu knew he loved him, he worked very hard to give them a good life.  He sometimes worked twelve hours a day to get overtime so they could go on vacation, or have an awesome Christmas.  They didn''t connect on a lot of levels, save one, his Dad was as into movies as he was.  It was the one area where they could meet on common ground.  It was the main reason that he had begun watching so many movies,  he wanted to connect on as  deep a level with his Dad as he could.


    He then began to think of Ali, and the tears intensified, and more tears began to mingle with the water that poured over him.  She had become so important to him over the past month, he''d never of made it this far without her being able to remember all the things she had ever read.  He would have starved long before now.  It wasn''t even that though, she had called him her friend, she had noticed him and not gone screaming the other way.  She had even come after him.  He had stopped believing that he would ever have a friend again, and now that he had finally found one, they were separated, and she might even be dead, and he was stuck being bullied and cleaning up after pigs.


    He had begun to wonder, if they would spend the rest of their life together, here on Paltophern.  He had begun to really want that to be the outcome.  There were moments when they would be sitting on the lip of the Hole and they''d turn to look into each other''s eyes and they would stay that way for a while, both searching for the thing that would fill the holes in their hearts.  Then they would look away, cough nervously as if someone had said something embarrassing and then one of them would make a joke and they would laugh.  They would tell scary stories around the fires at night.  Hers were from books, some written a hundred years ago, most of his were from movies.  There were certain ones from both of them that brought a deep chill to each of their hearts.  In those moments they would rest their heads on each other''s shoulders and look up at the sky, which usually made them feel better.   ¡°Ali...¡±


    ¡°Who''s Ali,  eh Pic Boy?¡±


    Ice went through his veins as he heard that voice.  He didn''t even have time to cringe before Jekk''s strong hand dug deep into his shoulder and he was torn from the watery shelter and thrust onto the solid smooth crystal floor.  He slid about twenty feet and slammed into one of the shelves.  Before he could shake off the pain and confusion  Jekk was sliding up next to him.  He grabbed Jaius by the throat and lifted him off the floor.  Jaius had never been choked before.  The unfamiliar pressure made him more afraid than the fact that he could actually die from that same pressure.    He was shoved against the door he had come in through  and suddenly they were outside and he was tossed over the fence and landed back in the disgusting muck of the pen.  ¡°That is where you belong, Pic-Boy and that is where you will stay.  If I ever catch you out of that pen again, I''ll remove one of your legs.¡±  Said Jekk with an evil grin.


    ¡°Come in here and try it!¡±  Jaius heard someone call out.  He looked around but didn''t see anyone but Jekk and his posse.   Then he saw Jekk''s face and it began to dawn on him just where that statement had come from.  It had erupted from his own lips.


    Fury lit up Jekk''s face and in one swift motion he vaulted the fence and landed a few yards away.  He stalked toward Jaius.  Jaius could feel something different in this situation.  He has had bully''s advance on him in similar situations, but where those always ended in him being tossed into a locker, this encounter would end in blood, he was sure of it.


    ¡°What do I do?  He''s gonna kill me.¡±  He felt it, the same loss of control that had happened when the tiger was attacking Ali.  He was about to wet himself.  As that memory washed over him, he could see her face.  The disappointment he saw in her eyes flipped a switch in his head.  That scene from the movie Sherlock Holmes, where Iron Man was playing Holmes, jumped into his head.  The one where Holmes is losing to the thug during the underground boxing match, and everything seems to freeze as Holmes calculates his next attacks and the damage they will do to the man, and how long it will take him to recover.  Somehow replaying this scene in his head caused it to happen in his own mind, in his own body.


    Everything seemed to go to slow motion, and fighting moves he had seen in other movies began flooding his mind.   Within the space between heartbeats, his mind had selected a routine.  Jekk jumped up in the air with his fist pulled back to thrust into Jaius''s head.  Jiaus side stepped at the last moment and Jekk''s fist hit the muck instead.  Not giving him a chance, Jaius jabbed his fist into Jekk''s right ear.  The boy screamed in pain, and would have been flung into the muck, but quicker than either thought possible, Jaius reached out and grabbed Jekk''s shirt and gave him a quick kick to the sternum.  This pushed Jekk into the air and then down, face first into the muck.  Jaius backed up a few paces to see what that had done to his opponent.  Jekk came up out of the muck wheezing, clutching his chest with one hand and his ear with the other.  He began to cough and choke as his wheezing brought muck into his lungs. Jekk staggered backward toward the fence.


    ¡°No ya don''t, I''m not done with you yet.¡±  Thought Jaius as he saw his enemy retreating.  He had heard those exact words shouted at him, the many times that he''d run from Steve Pennington.  There would be no running today.  The rage of thousands of torments filled him.  Jekk had become to him every bully that had ever had their way with him, and apparently a month living off the land had gotten rid of his sloppy pudgy exterior and replaced it with some hardened muscles.  He could feel the strength in his legs and arms and knew that when he hit Jekk it wasn¡¯t going to be with the wet noodle slap he would have been giving him just a month ago.


    He moved in like a boxer, fists raised  in front of him, scenes from Rocky flooding his mind. He lit into Jekk, fists flying faster than he ever thought possible, his surroundings sliding away from him, as he lost himself in one fight scene or another. He heard himself yelling, screaming.  Distantly, somewhere deep in his mind, he could feel something tugging at him, trying to pull him away from his prey, that old desire to be a saint to do what the church would say was right trying to pull him back from the brink.   Just as he was getting to a point where he was wanting to listen to the tugging suddenly his constantly shifting mind''s routine switched from movies to video games.  Mortal Kombat filled his mind, shoving out the Pious voice pulling at him.


    He turned to the side  and kicked Jekk in the stomach, which brought him forward. As his chin came close Jaius hit it with a south-paw upper-cut that lifted Jekk off of his feet and landed him hard on his back.  Jaius reached down in one motion, grabbed a handful of muck covered fabric and hoisted Jekk to his feet.  It was purely the motion of Jaius''s pull that kept Jekk standing.  With the words ``Finish Him!¡± ringing in his head and a feral yell Jaius crouched down and spun, catching the back of Jekk''s right ankle with his foot.  The leg sweep was meant to finish him by slamming him down into the muck, but Jaius had not seen how close to the fence the fight had moved. The back of Jekk''s head hit the fence as he came down, with a sickening crack.  Jekk''s body slid into the mud and lay motionless.  His eyes were closed and his breathing was labored.


    Jaius stared unemotionally at the blood that oozed from the back of the boy''s head to mingle with the filth that he lay in.  The fact that he may just have killed someone was far removed from him, and it was having a hard time getting into his head.  He felt numb.  He had just done what he had only dreamed about months before, he had stood up for himself.  He looked up to the others standing on the other side of the fence.  The boys'' mouths were hanging open, and the girls had tears in their eyes and their hands over their mouths.  In all of those eyes Jaius saw fear.  Something about them being afraid of him brought this swell of pride and satisfaction welling up in him.  Then one of the girls began to back away, when she was a few yards from the fence she turned and ran toward the large central building as fast as she could.


    Jaius knew he should be afraid, but he wasn''t.  He didn''t start looking for a place to hide, he merely looked down at Jekk and the blood that was mixing with the mud.  Jekk began to moan, he moved his body in a jerking motion, as if the right signal just wasn''t getting to the muscles.  Jaius continued to stare at him, waiting.  He didn''t flinch as he heard large feet running toward the pen.  He did glance up, however, and saw Maleric running toward him.  The girl who had left was right behind him. Maleric skidded to a halt at the fence. Jaius saw most of the fear leave the eyes of the others that were standing there.  This seemed to stoke the fires of his rage even more.  He''d finally gotten, no earned, the respect he''d craved, and Maleric dared take that from him.


    Maleric looked down at Jekk, laying there convulsing.  Jaius knew he was about to die, knew there was no way Maleric didn''t avenge his son, but strangely enough Jaius didn''t care.  He''d had enough of bullys, he''d take out every last one out that he came across.  He''d keep going till there weren''t any left or one of them killed him.  Maleric merely looked back up at Jaius, his face was unreadable.


    ¡°What is yer name?¡± Jaius was waiting for  him to add ¡°Pic Boy.¡± to the end of that, but no other words followed.  ¡°Jaius.¡± he said through gritted teeth.  ¡°Jaius, a good name for the Son of Maleric.  From here on Jaius ye are my own flesh, and second only to me here.  Ye answer to no one but me.¡±  There was a very pregnant pause as Maleric''s eyes seemed to grow large and menacing.  ¡°Ye will answer to me though Jaius or else I''ll give ye a fight that you want no part of.¡±  Even with gallons of bravado and something else filling him, Jaius could see that in such an encounter, he may be at a severe disadvantage.  As that was working its way in through the layers of rage that surrounded him, he also began to realize that he had just been adopted.  Just like in the movie Ben Hur, which his family watched every Easter and it had become one of his favorite movies, the scene where Aries the Proconsul makes Judah Ben Hur his adopted son and heir to all his possessions and fortune.  He let go of his rage, just a little, and nodded his head.  Maleric seemed to take that as an acquiescence, because he turned away from Jaius and looked at the three boys that were standing there.  ¡°Ruk, Lak, Selak, grab this waste of flesh whose blood is fouling up my Pen and take him into the woods and end his miserable life.¡±  There was only a moment''s hesitation on their faces before they nodded and lept the fence.  As they began to hoist up Jekk something cut through the think blanket of anger that had covered Jaius''s heart.  ¡°They''re going to kill him, he''s defenseless and they are just going to end him.¡±  Just like that the bully turned into the bullied, and compassion bloomed in Jaius''s heart for Jekk. Whether it was because he has been where Jekk was, defenseless, with no one to help him, or because Jaius had been the one that had caused this to happen to him, he wasn''t sure.


    ¡°No.¡± he said loudly.  The boys froze, one of them looking at him with fear in his eyes, another boy looking at Maleric with, Jaius assumed, the same fear.  Maleric turned to him, anger flaring on his face, and murder floating in his eyes.  ¡°Forgive me... father, but I thought, that if he could be kept alive, that  he would serve as a reminder to anyone who would think of challenging my position.  Let him muck out the Pic pen so that all may remember what happens if they cross me.¡±  Jaius said with as much contempt and malice as he could muster.  Maleric studied him for a long minute.  Then without warning, Maleric erupted in sadistic laughter.  It only took a few seconds for the boys to join him, and then only a few seconds before the girls began to giggle.  Jaius showed nothing on his face, but inside the rage returned.  ¡°They''re laughing at me!¡±


    ¡°Well, it seems that I chose well.  Your a son after my own heart.  So be it, if the healer can save his life, then he will stand as a testament to your power and your skill.  Take him to Rikia.¡±  The boys nodded and lifted Jekk up.  They got him over the fence and hauled him off toward the main structure.   Jaius could not help at wonder at the pride that was swelling in him as Maleric complemented his decision.  He had never had another man esteem him like this.  It was the affirmation that he had been missing his whole life.  ¡°Alise, Lorna, take my son to his new room.  Find him clothes worthy of his station.¡±  The two girls bowed and then they both turned and looked at him.  Jaius almost lost his cool as he saw admiration in their eyes.  No girl had ever looked at him like that before, especially two pretty girls.


    ¡°We will feast tonight in the great hall.  As the light dims.¡± Maleric looked once, just a passing glance, at the blood darkened mud, then turned and walked purposefully back the way he had come.


    ¡°Come with us Jaius, we will show you to your room.¡±  He funneled the rage into all the corners of his mind that were trying to be occupied with paralyzing fear.  He then walked toward them, lept the fence, and landed in front of the girls.  ''Show me then, but first I''m going back to the water and I¡¯m getting this filth off of me.  Wait outside for me.¡±  he said with as cold a tone as he could muster.  This did not dissuade them in anyway, if anything it seemed to make them even more interested in him.  ¡°So if you''re cold and unemotional to girls they like you even more because of it?¡± He tried to process this along with everything that just happened as he allowed the water to run over him for a very long time.

 Chapter 15. An Aria of Sorrow

    Give sorrow words; the grief that does not speak knits up the o-er wrought heart and bids it brake.


    -William Shakespeare


    After his shower he followed the two girls toward the main building. As Jaius approached the main building he tried his hardest to keep the cold, distant, look cemented on his face, and to keep from shivering as the wind blew across his dripping wet form. He tried to lock his eyes forward as much as possible, but found that no matter how hard he tried they would keep wandering to either Alise or Lorna, unable to fathom how they could go from despising him an hour ago to now all of a sudden wanting to help him and be nice to him. They acted like the girls at St. Pious by fawning over the coolest guy in the school and ignoring the helpless ones, but they seemed older then the girls in his class. There was something about their presence that made them feel like he did when adults were around, even though they looked around the same age as him. They carried themselves like they had seen a lot more of life then he had. The attention they were giving him threatened to unravel the fierce, stoic composure that he had been able to MacGuyver together over the past ten minutes.


    Personalities from thousands of different characters from the movies that he''s seen, merged together to create a persona that he hoped was tough enough to keep him alive in this place. Lorna had deep red hair that came cascading down her back. It swayed from side to side, the day''s light making it shimmer as it hit it dead on. Alise''s hair on the other hand was honey brown and came to just above her shoulders. They each wore skirts that came down to only their mid-thigh, but emerging from beneath the skirt he saw the same shimmering bodysuit that he''d seen people wearing back at the Hyress''s court. The suit covered their upper bodies, where it was only slightly hidden by brightly colored blue sashes. Now that he thought about it, all the people he''d seen so far today had a colored sash on. Ruk, Lek, and Selak had each been wearing one of deep crimson with one gold notch on each of theirs. Maleric had even donned one of them. His had been a pure white with three golden knots on it.


    He stopped. ¡°Lorna.¡± The two girls stopped walking and Lorna turned toward him and bowed. ¡°Yes Jaius?¡± ¡°What does the difference in color mean for the sashes?¡± She looked away from him to Alise, whose eyebrow raised in surprise. With the anger and rage still coursing through him her pause seemed to infuriate him. ¡°Is there a problem with your tongue Lorna, or should I have it removed?¡± as what came out of his mouth began to register with him deep inside him a part of him recoiled ¡°Did I just say that?¡± Then he remembered the movie scene that just flashed in his head where a similar line was used. He had told his brain to come up with a tough persona, but he didn''t think it would come up with someone that hard.


    Her body went rigid and Alise went pale. Slowly Lorna turned back to him. ¡°For...forgive me Jaius, please don''t do this thing. I...I was merely surprised bye the question. We have known the meanings of the colors since we were small girls, but I just remembered that you are not of the clan. The colors denote rank, family, and status. Maleric wears the white of the heavens above as they are closer to the Eternal. It shows that his family rules the clan. Alise and I wear the blue of the Deep, as it is the color of our part of the clan, since the deep is the lowest part. We have no rank as yet for we have not yet been given in marriage, and our family is the lowest in the clan and so there is little hope we will be made wives.¡± Jaius saw Alise''s shoulders sag somewhat when Lorna spoke of marriage.


    ¡°What is it Alise? Why does that make you sad?¡±


    ¡°We...we have been of age for being selected for wives for twenty years now Jaius, and none of the clansmen have claimed us. We will be frozen in this lowly stature until one of them choses one or both of us. We..we had hoped for awhile that Jekk would choose one of us, or possibly both, as he allowed us to stay with him. It is not uncommon for men of the clan to have more then one wife, or some even swap wives for a time.¡± Jaius''s mind had shot into overload as the Pious Jaius recoiled as she spoke of marrying more then one person or swapping spouses. He also was having trouble registering that she said they had been of age to marry for twenty years. So much termoil was going on in his mind, that he only heard a part of the rest of what she said.


    ¡°If you have been of age for twenty years, how old are you?¡± He knew you weren''t supposed to ask girls how old they were, but right now he didn''t care.


    ¡°I have lived sixty years, Lorna has lived fifty five.¡±


    His cold facade almost collapsed, his cold, but somehow he kept it together. These girls were just a few years younger than his grandparents were? Maybe Paltophern was like the planet that the Starship Enterprise found in the Star Trek: Insurrection movie, where the inhabitants of the planet they were studying lived for hundreds of years because of a certain radiation given off by their world''s atmosphere.


    ¡°You will tell me what I need to know about the ways and history of the clan as we walk and as I change.¡±


    Each one of them perked up a bit and raised their eyebrows, almost in perfect unison, as he said the last part. He suddenly felt like he had become some form of prey to them. He went over what he had just said and felt embarrassment rising. ¡°You will advise me from the hallway! I have not chosen either of you.¡± Their faces fell, and he could see tears begin to leak out the sides of their eyes. ¡°Opps, looks like that was what they might have been hoping for. Guess I made them play their hand. I need them though, they know how to survive here. As long as they think I might choose them, they will help me in whatever way I need.¡± He walked forward, passing between them. As he passed them he said. ¡°Yet.¡±


    He heard them both let their breaths out and quicker then he thought they could, they had caught up to him and began to tell him the traditions of the clan, talking over each-other in an attempt to please him. He had always imagined that two beautiful girls fighting over the chance to talk to him, would be the coolest thing ever. In that moment, however, all he felt was disgust rising in his gut. They wanted to use him for their own purposes, just like everyone else, they have no interest in who he really was, not like Ali. Ali was his friend. The Pious Jaius in his head pointed out, however, that he was using them too, playing off their desire to be chosen to get what he wanted. He shoved that voice into the back of his head.


    They were walking down an alleyway between two buildings and they began trying to outdo eachother so ardently that he couldn¡¯t understand either one. He looked back at them and they both froze seeing the look he gave them, their faces fell and they shut their mouths. He let the look soften, as he realized that he did need to know what they were telling him, but he also didn¡¯t want them to stop being interested in him and leave. He knew using their fear of not being chosen to get what he needed wasn¡¯t right, but having no other way of getting the information he needed he conceded that he would have to use them like they were using him.


    ¡°One at a time!¡± They both cringed just a little and he could see fear in their eyes. Alise was first one to recover and to respond. Jaius saw a twinkle of triumph glint from her eyes. She cleared her throat and began again.


    ¡°This settlement was founded by Maleric''s father Jukas. He led his tribe out of the western lands and settled in this area. Jukas established this compound as a place for Maleric to rule his own part of the clan.¡±


    ¡°There are more peoples to the west then? Are there cities?¡± Asked Jaius.


    Alise''s mouth tried to form the unfamiliar word. ¡°What are sssiiicties?¡±


    ¡°Never mind, what lies to the west?¡±


    Alise and Lorna both paled slightly. ¡°The west is forbidden. There is a curse out there, one that will take your life away from you. From the time of Maleric''s father, we have been forbidden to go there.¡±


    ¡°What is this curse?¡±


    ¡°We don''t know, but our parents told us when we were little and being bad that if we disobeyed too much the curse would reach out from the west and take us.¡±


    Alise swallowed hard, but continued. ¡°Every so often we notice someone or a few people coming out of the west. We are commanded to stay away from them. Sometimes they come up to our gate. They are given one chance to depart. If they do not, then they are taken inside and checked to see if they have the talent to sing the stones. If they do not, and show no other unique or new skill to benefit the clan then they are killed, but if they do have a useful skill then they are added to the clan. If they can sing the stones, however, well...¡± She slowly turned her head toward the barns that were at the corners of the complex. He saw tears forming in her eyes, cold fear clenching at her throat. Jaius followed her gaze, and then moved to stand between her and her view of the structure. ¡°Alise¡±. She seemed to be still staring at the barn as if he wasn''t even there. ¡°Alise!¡± He said, putting a bit more venom into his voice, but still she was frozen. The anger from before fueled his frustration before Jaius even knew what he was doing, his hand swung back, palm open.


    ¡°Jaius!¡± Shouted Lorna. The shout stopped his hand. He looked over at the other girl. Lorna''s hands had flown to cover her mouth as what she had just done dawned on her. Outside he was all cold mask, and anger, inside Jaius was warring with himself, that old desire to be a saint still holding out and struggling for control. ¡°I almost hit a girl, what is happening to me?¡± He knew he couldn''t deal with internal conflict right now, it might make him look weak. ¡°What?¡± he spat. ¡°I''m sorry Jaius, but...but...if she doesn''t marry someone within this year, Maleric has said Alise...Alise will be sent to the Crounellas where she will be forced to use her talent to sing the stones. It is what happens to those who have the Talent...¡±


    Jaius narrowed his eyes at Lorna for a long moment, but then turned back to Alise. ¡°Sounds like a dungeon, one that you never graduate from.¡± He felt a connection to Alise in that moment, an understanding of living with gut churning fear. He finished moving the hand that he had drawn back and instead touched her cheek, in a controlled gentle motion. As soon as his hand touched her, she took a deep breath, as if she had been holding it all this time, and let it out. This was followed by her eyes darting wildly back and forth and tears starting to leak out of them. Then, for the briefest moment her eyes locked on his, and he saw it, he saw her, and he felt a click inside his head. Next thing he knew, she had thrown her arms around him and was sobbing into his shoulder. After a moment he put his arms around her. Just as it had when he had hugged Ali, his arms brought forth a waterfall from Alise. As he held her he stole a glance over at Lorna. She had her hand cupped over her mouth, her other arm was wrapped around her midsection. Her head was bent forward and he shoulder''s were shaking.


    A thought solidified in his head, so clearly he knew it was true. ¡°They''re sister''s.¡± He reached out a hand to Lorna. ¡°Lorna.¡± He said loudly, but with a softer tone than he had been using. She glanced up, tears streaking her face. ¡°What happens to you at the end of the year? Do you go there too?¡± Lorna hung her head and shook it. ¡°I can''t sing the stones, and so, at the end of the year I...I will have no further use for the clan and so...I will be killed. Jekk kept Alise with him because she could sing the stones for him, and since I am her sister he allowed me to stay also, but Maleric had had enough of us consuming the clan¡¯s resources and not providing anything in return and so he set a deadline for the end of the year. Either someone chooses us, or Alise is sent to the Crounellas and I will be sent to the woods to be hunted and killed. ¡±


    She said the last part so softly that it was almost hard for his improved hearing. He caught it though and extended his other hand to her. She looked at the outstretched hand. She stared at it, as if she had no idea what he wanted from her. Then the gesture slowly began to sink in. She took one step, then hesitated, then slowly took another. Her next step was a bit more sure and confident, and bye the fourth she was running toward him. She grabbed at his hand like it was a life preserver and threw her other arm around Alise, she laid her face against Alise''s back and continued to sob. Jaius closed his arms around both as best he could. He felt this weird euphoria in that moment, this went beyond using him, they needed him. For some reason they thought that Maleic''s son would want them when others did not. Whatever that reason was, he needed their help, as much as they could give him, and they would be removed from him by the end of the year if they were not married and so the most simplistic answer lodged itself in his brain. He opened his mouth and out came,


    ¡°If no one marries you both by the year''s end, then I shall marry you both, before the last day of the year.¡± That Pious voice screamed at him inside his head. Every catechism that he had ever learned, every CCD class he had attended screamed in his mind that he couldn''t do that, but when he heard Alise and Lorna''s cries turn to expressions of joy, he lost all ear for the voices shouting inside his head. They needed him. For some reason that seemed to be one of the most important thing in his life. That these two needed him. One image did pierce through the haze, Ali. She needed him too, she was stuck back at that village, she might be able to play Queen for a while, but someone will eventually see through her charade and then, he didn''t go down that pathway in his head. ¡°How do I save Ali, and Alise and Lorna?¡± He looked down at the two girls and then inward to the image of Ali. He couldn''t find an answer to the question of how to rescue Ali at this moment, so he set that aside and focused on trying to figure out how to survive the rest of the day and keep these two alive also.


    He lay on his bed that night trying to process the events of the day. That morning he was trapped inside a glowing bubble, thirteen hours later he was prince of a fortress, with two girls he promised to marry, and only one man in the whole complex to fear. It was like something they''d run on the sci-fy channel. From what he had gathered from Lorna and Alise, these Crounellas power the entire complex. Constant music was produced by slaves who could sing and it kept a steady flow of energy heading to each building, and also in a radius of a few leagues from the outer walls. They alternate, two of the buildings are active during the day, while two are not, then they switch at night. It would seem that they give the slaves rest out of necessity rather than any form of compassion. Compassion, the thought of this word had him wondering where his was disappearing too. He felt nothing as Jekk lay bleeding in the muck, but then he saved his life. He was inches away from slapping Alise in the face, and within minutes he is consoling her and Lorna.


    ¡°Who am I now?¡± ¡°How do you go from school loser to head of the pack so quickly?¡± He briefly let in images of him doing to Steve Pennington what he just did to Jekk. Then he shook his head. He had to stop imagining before he finished Steve like he did Jekk. Again the confusion arose.


    Jekk wouldn''t have felt this way, if he had done the same to Jaius, and Steve surely wouldn''t have felt this way. ¡°Why do I have to care!¡± he growled softly. He was way too wired to sleep, so he threw off the cover and sat up on the edge of the bed. He looked down at himself and pulled at the fabric of the body suit that Lorna had explained to him how it worked. He could feel the slight vibration that came from the suit. Too slight to notice, unless he concentrated. But the suit creates a field that takes care of cleaning your body and also removing liquid and solid waste. The waste is collected in concealed pouches and then the field disintegrates it. It reminded him of the Stillsuit from the movie Dune. He then threw on a long tunic and leather pants. He paused before opening the door, and reached out and took the The white sash that had two gold bands around it from the chair near the wall and put it on. Alise had warned him not to walk around without it, especially at night. He opened the door and strode out into the hall and fell forward onto his face. Embarrassment began to fuel his rage. ¡°This must be what it''s like for Bruce Banner, for this anger to come on so suddenly.¡± He pushed up and turned to look back at what had tripped him. There, huddled together were Alise and Lorna, they were staring at him with terror in their eyes. ¡°What do you think you are doing, laying outside my door!¡± He said through clenched teeth. They looked at each other, but Lorna was the first to answer. ¡°It is...tradition for chosen women to sleep outside the door of the one who chose them.¡± The anger rolled just beneath the surface. ¡°I didn''t choose you yet, I said...¡±


    In not much more than a whisper, but with force behind it, Alise said. ¡°...you said that if no one chose us by the year''s end, then you would marry us.¡± ¡°And how does that translate into, I have chosen you?¡± ¡°Jaius, there is no one else to choose us before the end of the year. We have tried and tried for years, and all because our father displeased Maleric, we are cursed to not be chosen. Jaius you are the only one left, the only one to whom shame would not come if you married us, you are our only hope. The Son of Maleric alone is not bound by this decree of shame from Maleric.¡± ¡°How many people have seen you outside my door?¡± There was a long pause, as they looked at each-other. ¡°How many!¡± ¡°Five¡± A touch of icy fear swirled through his rage. ¡°This is really happening, I''m gonna be married at the end of the year. What do married people do?¡± They both looked at him. ¡°Jaius, if...if you don''t...don''t want us. Please take us now to the woods and end our lives. You have shown us kindness by even making that promise and I think we could accept a death at your hands.¡± Said Lorna, as they both looked down at the floor.


    The anger lessened and he pushed himself up and looked down at them. They didn''t look up at him. ¡°Sleep by the door.¡± He then turned on his heel and strode toward the main entrance. Behind him he heard a slight, joy-filled, whimpering. He opened the main door, and the loan sentry turned with staff in hand and pointed it toward him. Jaius eyed the glowing red crystal at the end of the staff. He wanted to cringe, but he just knew that would show weakness. From what he''s seen, weakness could mean death around here. So he arched his right eyebrow as best he could. When the guard saw his sash he did a slight double take, but then very quickly lowered the staff.


    ¡°Your pardon Sir.¡± Said the guard. As he straightened back up and turned to look forward. ¡°We''ll see about my pardon when I return.¡± Said Jaius as he passed the man. He heard the man stiffen, and he swore he heard him not breathing until Jaius was almost twenty yards away. Jaius shook his head. ¡°These hard responses are becoming too natural, this coldness, why is it getting easier? It''s like getting a character to ninty-ninth level in Final Fantasy and just walking around slaughtering everything around you, except here if you slip up you don¡¯t get to start over from a save crystal.¡±


    He climbed the steps to the top of the wall and looked out over the waters of the river below him. The compound was set on a large island in the middle of this wide river. He glanced at the rafts that were tied to this shore. They float people across the river to the shore or back to the compound. They float on the crystal¡¯s like Maleric does. Beyond the river a large mountain rose in the distance. He pretended that he had x-ray vision and could see through that mountain to the village where he prayed Ali was still alive. He imagined her walking out the main doors in a glittering dress and looking through the same mountain at him. She smiled and waved, and he found that he was waving back. Jerked back to reality by the foolish movement, he looked around to check who had seen, but he couldn''t locate anyone looking his way.


    A warm wind blew around him, and the noises of animals surrounded him. ¡°Where the heck is this place, how did we get here? Why are we here? What am I becoming?¡± He tried to answer each question, but could find nothing logical to present as an answer. Except the last one, he was becoming hard, even uncaring, This was something very new to him. But he felt strong, and he loved it. Loved knowing that if he ever saw Steve Pennington again, if Steve ever even sneered at him again, Jaius could actually rearrange his face. Who would have thought that all those years of watching movies and playing video games would actually turn him into a fighting machine. The warm hand on his back almost made him jump, but he remembered at the last moment to be hard. He looked behind him and saw Alise and Lorna standing there behind him. ¡°What?¡± He said with a little more harshness than he had intended.


    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    ¡°We''re sorry Jaius, we didn''t mean to disturb you, but it has been more than a hour since you left, we...we had been worried.¡±


    He looked them over for a long moment before shaking his head. ¡°Stop worrying, the only one here who could have a chance against me is Maleric and I have no intention of challenging him.¡± ¡°Not yet anyway.¡± He turned back to the view before him. Quietly they walked up to stand on either side of him. They stood silent like sentinels. They stood that way for quite some time. After a little while he caught himself glancing at them out of the corner of his eyes. He studied them. ¡°Who were they? How can they be 60 years old yet seem like they are less than twenty?¡± Thinking of them this way, as people, not just pieces in a chess game of survival, it began to unnerve his cool, and began to soften the stone wall around his heart.


    He felt it then, weakness, the weakness that comes from a fracturing confidence and something else he couldn''t place. He had to get away from them, clear his head. He turned on his heel and strode away. ¡°I''m tired now, I''m headed to bed.¡± As he moved he could hear them turn without speaking and follow him. This submissive attitude they had toward him was also unnerving. He''d never seen any of the women that lived in Black Canyon act like this. His sister would have cut his head off if he''d talked to her like he did to Alise and Lorna. Here it seemed the norm though, all the women he''d seen, walked behind the men, deferred to them. Keri Bellows would never have survived here. She would have tried to take over, and Maleric would have had her for lunch, unless she could sing, like Ali. That brought some frustration boiling inside him. Maleric could sing, could make the crystals do as he pleased, Jaius couldn''t hold a tune to save his life.


    Lost in his thoughts he suddenly found himself approaching the guard. Jaius put on an extra stern mask and the guard stood up straighter and then quickly opened the door for Jaius. He could still hear Alise and Lorna following behind him. He headed back to his room and closed the door. He heard them settle themselves in front of the door. He leaned his head against it and listened. This close he could hear them whispering to each other.


    ¡°He is a handsome sister, and strong. And he hasn''t hit us yet.¡± Lorna said quietly. ¡°He tried¡± Alise shot back. ¡°I know, but Jekk would beat on us at his pleasure. All I''m saying is that he has been more generous to us than any man that I''ve seen here in the clanhold, any man I''ve seen anywhere.¡± ¡°Except for Father, he always looked out for us.¡± This is true Alise, but why, sister, why is he different from the other''s?¡± ¡°I don''t know, but I am grateful for it. For his mercy in choosing us. I had begun to think that death would be better than being sent to the...¡± ¡°Shhh, don''t think about it, you will start crying again. He chose us, we are safe as long as we continue to please him.¡± ¡°I will do anything he asks.¡± ¡°As will I.¡±


    Jaius pulled away from the door at that. ¡°If my ego gets any bigger my head will explode. Anything I want, what is this, caveman days?¡± Scenes from a movie called Clan of the Cave bear flew through his head. But that thought didn''t go away, and it began to burn in him and kept him from sleeping.


    He woke up with a start. Maleric stood over him, his face was unreadable. The old Jaius would have screamed like a little girl, but sleeping on the ground for a month or more and waking up drenched, had gotten rid of sudden shocks in the morning. He sat up in a controlled motion and sat back against the wall. He bowed his head. ¡°Sire.¡±


    ¡°You chose Lorna and Alise? Do you think so low of yourself that you would choose two whose Sire and Siress, and most of their part of the clan are in the Cronulluses?. They displeased me greatly ten years ago. They sheltered one of the strangers from the west, and then let him leave. Jekk had seen them helping him escape. I spared the two girls to increase the family''s dishonor, so that they would bear it openly. Jekk allowed them because they were useful to him, but he would never have married them!¡± He bellowed. Jaius didn''t flinch, which shocked him to the core. Such a yell would have literally made him crap his pants a few weeks ago. He noticed two shadows on the floor next to Maleric, they were extending from the door. He had made them watch the exchange, to further destroy them. Jaius''s blood burned deep inside him. Maleric was the king of all bullies, but he kept a lid on it, he knew he couldn''t challenge Maleric, yet. Slowly a plan began to form in his head.


    ¡°They are the perfect choice Sire. Because of your just punishment they have no other family to plot against us, or to use them to curry favor. They are facing the same fate as their family, and if I rescue them they will be forever loyal to us, without thought of any agenda of their own. They will be safe from the Crounellas and death as long as they stay loyal to us. I believe I speak true when I say they would do anything to avoid that.¡±


    Maleric looked as though he was about to scream at him, but instead he began to laugh. ''You are twice the son that Jekk was. He was strong, but not very smart. You on the other hand have strength and a quick mind.¡± Quick as an Asp his head shot down so that his nose was inches from Jaius''s. ¡°Just don''t think that your quicker then me boy!¡± Jaius nodded his head. ¡°I won''t Sire.¡± Maleric searched Jaius from a moment then stood back up. ¡° Your reasoning is sound, you can have them if you wish, but if they betray us in any way, you will share their fate.


    Maleric studied him for a moment then turned and walked toward the door. He saw Alise and Lorna move out of his way and bow. ¡°Come.¡± Maleric said over his shoulder. Jaius only waited a moment before jumping out of the bed and moving to where his clothes hung on the back of the chair. He saw movement out of the corner of his eye and saw Lorna and Alise standing back in the doorway looking at him. They were smiling at him with tears in their eyes. He looked away. ¡°Shut the door.¡± A moment later he heard it shut. ¡°Ali.¡± he whispered. ¡°I¡¯ll come and rescue you too, no matter what, but I also have to make a way for him not to hurt them.¡±


    He got the rest of his clothes on and then headed out into the hall. Lorna and Alise fell in behind him. When they reached the doors, Maleric was talking with a bald man, who had tattoos all up and down his arms. He wore a white sash with one gold knot on it. They paused when Jaius and the two women entered the main foyer. The man eyed Jaius up first, saw his sash, looked quickly at Maleric, and then glanced over Lorna and Alise as if they were not even there. ¡°Besnin, this is my son Jaius. He has proven to be a true Son of Maleric, and has brought some honor back to my name.¡± Deep inside him a point of pride bloomed. Maleric might be the world''s biggest bully, but Jaius had to admit that hearing him praise him felt good. Luz bowed his head to Jaius. ¡°Son of Maleric.¡± Jaius noded his head in return. ¡°Young Master. I was just telling your father of what has been happening since you left the Catha-Dral.¡± Jaius looked a bit confused. ¡°Forgive me, it is the building that the Hyress rules from. She has summoned all those who have skill in crafting tools and working metal. She has them locked in a room day and night making something, I haven''t been able to find out what yet, but I will once I return there. She has also sent out her armed men to retrieve Horuses from the far plains, I haven''t figured out why yet either.¡± He turned to Maleric. ¡°I won''t fail at finding this out.¡± ¡°I know you won''t.¡± Maleric replied, not looking at Besnin, but the threat was clear in his tone. Maleric was staring at Jaius. ¡°I found the two of you together, in that clearing. You know her well then?¡± ¡°I do.¡± Said Jaius, his inner cool wavering. He remembered at dinner that first night when Maleric had asked him something and he had not wanted to say it so he lied. Maleric had taken him into a back room and placed him on this machine that looked like a water wheel. He strapped him to it and pulled a lever. Jaius''s arms and legs were made to stretch and the machine didn''t stop but kept going. The pain was indescribable, and then it ended. Maleric then proceeded to tell him that he always knows when someone lies, and if he ever lied to him again, he wouldn''t stop the machine. Shuddering slightly inside as he came out of the memory he stared at Maleric ¡°What is he getting at?¡±


    ¡°What is she building in secret? Why does she summon the Horuse from the far plain?¡± Jaius thought for a moment. ¡°As to what she is building, I don''t know as far as I knew she didn''t know how to build anything besides a fire. To the other thing, What is a Horuse?¡± Besnin man looked at him with a raised eyebrow but proceeded to answer. ¡°It is a large animal that has a long nose, a mane of hair and a long tail. Powerfully built, they can run very fast over long distances.¡± ¡°Horses?¡± ¡°No sir, Horuses''s, do you know this animal?¡± ¡°I think so, we have something similar where we come from.¡± ¡°What do your people do with them?¡± Maleric asked drawing Jaius¡¯s attention back to him.


    Jaius had to think a minute, he had never been much of one for the outdoors, or things that lived in them. ¡°They are used for pulling loads, and also for riding.¡± ¡°What do you mean ride?¡± Said Maleric. ¡°You get on their backs and they do all the running for you.¡± Maleric''s eyes narrowed. ¡°How much can they carry?¡± Jaius thought for a moment and then remembered one of the movie King Arthur. ¡°They used to carry grown men, wearing full plate armor, into battle.¡± Something seemed to wither inside him when he said that. A cold pit, like a portal to the Antarctic opened in his stomach. What Maleric said next helped him identify why he felt this icy grip on his heart. ¡°She''s going to mount those men of hers, the ones with the crystal Armor.¡± Maleric turned to Besnin. ¡°Stop this, in whatever way you can!¡± Then find out what she is building.¡± ¡°Yes Maleric!¡± Besnin said crisply.


    Jaius let none of the frigged fingers that gripped his heart show as he watched Luz bow to them both and then turn crisply and levee down a narrow hallway. ¡° I just wrecked Ali¡¯s plans to defeat Maleric. Now he has a spy there. The spy will tell him what Ali is doing and I¡¯ll be forced to tell him how to counter it. She¡¯s going to think I betrayed her, but if I don¡¯t then he will kill me on that machine.¡± Maleric nodded to him, then proceeded through the front door. Jaius paused just briefly to look over his shoulder. Alise and Lorna stood about five feet behind him, their heads bent forward. His now sharp eyes caught Alise''s blue eyes staring at him through her honey colored locks. When she saw him looking, she kept his gaze for just a moment, before casting her eyes down. ¡°Come on.¡± He said and then followed Maleric.


    Maleric was heading toward the far corner of the complex, toward the barn that Jaius had first encountered Jekk at. He saw Maleric go into the side entrance, the one by the pic pen. As he reached for the door handle he turned to stare at the pen. There was someone standing in the pen. They were gently stroking the pic''s as they ate. He was covered in muck, and didn''t seem to mind. The man turned and for the first time since he fought Jekk, Jaius lost his cool. Jaius stared at Jekk, stared at the gaping holes where Jekk''s eyes had been. There were teeth missing from his mouth, and drool dripping from lips that wouldn''t close right. Jaius felt everything unraveling, he wanted to run, to hide, to cry until his heart gave out and he died. A whirlwind began in his head, it was filled with all the things he had hidden away in order to keep his cool. The whirlwind began to turn him away from the door, urging him to run to the hills. Then suddenly it stopped and his cool slammed back down like a blast door. It happened so suddenly that it took him a moment to figure out what had happened. Alise had stood in front of him, had placed one of her cool hands on one of his clammy cheeks and the other she placed over his mouth, which she was slowly pulling away from him. For a moment that seemed to drag on for hours they were frozen there, inches apart, eyes locked. Then time started again. Fear filled the clear blue pools of her eyes and her hand flew to her mouth. ¡°I''m sorry Jaius, please don''t send me away, it''s just I heard you begin to scream and...and I didn''t want Maleric....I''m...please don''t send me away.¡± The last word swam in desperation. Clarity began to creep slowly back into his head, and he was able to understand what she had just done. He reached out and took her hand away from her mouth. Tears leaked out of her eyes, but she looked deeply into him. ¡°You proved your loyalty here Alise. You risked everything to save me. I won''t forget my promise to you.¡± He squeezed her hand, and then went to open the door. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Lorna, with her head down. What had made him pause was her whispering, ¡°...and for me?¡± He closed his eyes for a minute. Then he looked at her. ¡°I will honor my word to both of you. Now come.¡± and he opened the door.


    Inside he saw the row upon row of plant life and the large crystal shower stall that he had reveled in. He also saw the large copper wires that ran along the walls. They branched off every ten feet or so to run down to strings of softly glowing crystals that were suspended two feet above the plants. Jaius then saw Maleric place his hand against the far wall and a part of the floor rotated away to reveal stairs leading down. He looked then at Jaius and Alise and Lorna, and then motioned to the step. Jaius didn''t hesitate, but he had to pause and look back when he didn''t hear the other''s following him.


    He saw Lorna tugging at Alise, pleading, in loud whispers for her to follow, but Alise couldn''t move, her eyes locked upon the hole.


    Jaius moved purposefully over to them. He looked at Lorna. ¡°Why does she get paralyzed every time she sees these barns?¡± Fear covered her face. ¡°When we were little, we¡­we were trapped below for two days, for two days we could only sit there and watch the horror of those rooms below. I was younger then her and so didn¡¯t know what was happening, but Alise, she had to watch the whole time..¡± He placed himself right in front of Alise and stared into her eyes. ¡°Alise.¡± She didn''t even seem to see him. ¡°Alise!¡± The bite in his voice cut through enough for her eyes to focus on him. As she came out of the trance, her body began to shake and tears formed in her eyes. Jaius grabbed her shoulders and shook her gently. ¡°Alise you have to hold it together. If Malreic becomes too displeased with you then he may send you away no matter what I say. So snap out of it and come on. Stop thinking about what might be and focus on what is!¡±


    Still trembling, but with color returning to her face Alise began to nod her head. Not waiting for the nodding to stop, Jaius took her right hand and led her toward the hole. Lorna let out the breath she had been holding and followed behind.


    They descended steps that protruded from the side of the cylinder. They went down about twenty feet and then came to a landing. The room at the bottom was covered in scintillating hues, all the colors of the spectrum played along the walls. They were coming from a large crystal door set in the far wall. As they approached it Jaius could feel the vibrations coming from it. Maleric pressed a small crystal set in the wall, and the door slid open. As it did music flooded the room. Beautiful couldn''t even begin to describe it. Jaius couldn''t even describe it, but it tugged at his heart. The only word that came close was an Aria. He followed Maleric in, practically dragging Alise, while Lorna pushed her from behind. He could only take a few steps into this nightmare. Within seconds he knew why Alise and Lorna hated this place. The music was beautiful, but the way it was produced was horrific. People were strapped to beds with an apparatus made of bladders and straps that appeared to compress their abdomens and thoraxes in precise motions to produce air, and then there was an intricate head gear made of red crystal and leather and fabric that did the same to open their mouths at the right degrees. They all wore the same body suits that he and the others did. Some of the beds were in a position that had the people upright. These were the ones currently singing. About a third of them were horizontal and these people were asleep. The absolute worst part, the part that turned his stomach was their eyes, they all were shedding tears, unending tears. Here they were surrounded by the most beautiful sound ever and yet they drowned in sorrow. And they would continue to do so all their days. ¡°They are all slaves of the world''s biggest bully. I have got to find a way to stop this, and free these people.¡± In his worst nightmares he had never imagined a bully this bad.


    Maleric turned and looked at him. ¡°Behold your inheritance boy. These here power this entire complex. Ye'' need not sing a note within these walls, and also about a league beyond them. Day and night they meet our needs. They have found their usefulness to the clan. They struggled for so long to find a way to be useful, but when they despaired I showed them their usefulness. Their tears are ones of joy for finally having purpose.¡±


    He spoke like a father having just provided his child with an amazing gift. The furnace of wrath that had been burning inside Jaius since the fight with Jekk, began to increase. He had to use all his strength to stamp it down before it let loose and got him and the two girls killed....or worse...he had to concede as he looked at the tables set around the room.


    ¡°Your gift is beyond my ability to put into words Sire, but how does it function?¡±


    Maleric narrowed his gaze at Jaius and held his eyes for a while. He then nodded and looked back toward the tables. ¡°They sing, and the crystals suspended before them vibrates and produces energy that courses through these cables and powers the different apparatuses suspended around the complex.¡± Jaius had failed to notice the sapphire crystals suspended before the prisoners. As they sang before it the crystal glowed and the cable it was attached to vibrated. Something else caught Jaius''s attention. The floor was a solid circle of gold. The amount of Gold in the floor boggled his mind. Even if it was only a foot deep, it would still be enough gold to buy a small island. He felt pretty sure that it went deeper than one foot.


    ¡°Thank you for placing these in my trust, I will make sure they are taken care of.¡± Jaius said, hoping that it was an appropriate response. Since he learned of Maleric''s ability to hear lies he has had to become a very quick wordsmith.


    Maleric looked at him and Jaius could see a flame dancing in his eyes. Maleric took two crystal encrusted gloves from where they rested in his belt at the nape of his back. He placed them on his fingers and held them out over the Gold Circle. Arc''s and crackles of red energy began to dance across the gold circle, and then the arcs began to become organized and they moved toward Maleric. When they reached him they began to stream up and around his body. His hair began to wave as if a strong wind was blowing, fiery sparks jumping off the ends of his hair. As he became bathed in a crimson light he turned quickly toward Jaius and pointed his fingers at Jaius. Red electricity flew from those fingers and hit Jaius, and pain wracked his body, every nerve alight, he could feel the energy burning him. Images from Return of the Jedi flooded his mind. Blue lightning streaming from the Emperor''s hands to hit Luke. He''d often wondered what Luke was going through in that moment, he never figured that he''d actually find out. And as quickly as it had come it left and Jaius crumpled to the floor whimpering, collapsing into a fetal position.


    His cool was gone, burned away in that searing pain. His eyes sprung open as a rough fist grabbed his cheeks and forced him to look up. ¡°That, I hope, is the only lesson you will need boy, I rule here, I defend every inch of this ground. If I should ever die, then this will be yours, not before. You are a better choice then Jekk was to succeed me, but you best hope that no one better comes along. That is lesson two, never allow competition to exist for the things you want. Know your place Jaius, and pray that I never see you as competition. Do you understand? ¡° Jaius nodded, and then a whimper escaped his mouth. Deep inside his brain, beneath the searing pain and fear that now gripped him, his brain had caught a third lesson that he hoped Maleric did not notice that he had learned. Jaius didn''t need to learn how to sing to use the crystals while he was in the compound. He could fight Maleric on equal terms. But he would have to wait, wait till the right moment.


    Maleric let him go and walked out of the room. Alise and Lorna bowed low as he approached and did not rise until they were sure that he was gone from the room. They then rushed over to Jaius. They gently reached out and touched him, and when he didn''t recoil, Alise pulled him up to her and put her arms around him. He lost all thoughts of cold masks and emotionless commands and just let her hold him, he found himself crying as he buried his face into her shoulder, he knew he was showing weakness to them, but right then he couldn''t stop it.


    Then a soft voice began singing in his ear. It was Alise, and the beauty of her voice seemed to drown out the Aria that played around them. A peace began to enter his heart, and some of the pain began to recede. In that moment he knew he could never look at these two as slaves or something to be used, they were his friends. He pulled away from Alise and looked at them both with tears still in his eyes.


    ¡°I have to tell you both something, by telling you this I am showing you my weakness, but I...I trust you both... you are more to me then some slaves...you are.. my friends...¡± They seemed to become confused at that word, and they looked at each other trying to see if the other had understood. ¡°You are equal to me in my eyes, I don''t see you as less than me, I want you to be with me, not because it''s expected, or because of some promise, but because I enjoy spending time with you. That is what friend means.¡± His words finally sank in and they both sat back for a moment, wonder dancing in their eyes as the two sisters looked at each other, and then at him and smiles brighter than the sun blossomed on their faces. ¡°Jaius, we will stay with you no matter what, even if the world burns away we will stand with you till our dying breath, not out of duty but...¡± Alise looked at Lorna before continuing. Lorna nodded her head vigorously in acknowledgment. ¡°...but because we want to be with you. You are the most amazing man we have ever met.¡± Jaius smiled too. ¡°It''s good to have friends again. I need to tell you that a month ago I wasn''t who you see before you. A month ago Jekk would have eaten me alive and spit me out, I would have wet myself at the sight of Maleric, but this world has changed me, at first I thought that change was awesome, but I feel something trying to drive away my feelings, my compassion, something trying to make me hard as stone. I don''t want to become unfeeling, I don''t want to become stone. I''m not a murderer, what I did to Jekk, it is eating me alive. I ruined him, and there is no fixing him.¡±


    The smiles lessened from Alise and Lorna''s lips but did not fully fade, and Jaius was sure that meant that they were rethinking their feelings for him, as Alise spoke, he found that they had been rethinking their feelings, but not for the worse but better. ¡°Jaius, you are stronger than Maleric, because that compassion is in you. You have something that he doesn''t and on some level I think he knows it, and it worries him. This is not weakness Jaius but strength. You must keep it hidden though, or else he will see it and will kill you.¡±


    Jaius looked both of them in the eyes and asked. ¡°Will you help me to keep it hidden, while at the same time helping me not to lose it?¡± ¡°I will help you Jaius Arnuwen.¡± Said Lorna as she threw her arms around him and laid her head against his. ¡°And I will also help you Jaius Arnuwen.¡± Said Alise with a huge smile as she also threw her arms around them and laid her head against his on the opposite side from her sister. ¡°Arnuwen?¡± He whispered. ¡°It means, one who is close to the heart .¡± They said at the same time. ¡°Our mother used it when she spoke to us.¡± Jaius held them tighter and they sat there for long minutes, basking in the healing of wounds. Behind them, in the far corner of the row of beds, the tears stopped flowing for a few moments from the eyes of a man and woman who were imprisoned next to each other, and a thin line of a smile touched their lips

 Chapter 16 A Hardening

    ¡°How hardening to the heart it must be to do this thing: to change an innocent soaring being into a bundle of struggling rags and pain.¡±


    Iris Murdoch


    Alianna stood on one of the balconies that was connected to her bedroom. There  were three balconies, each facing a different part of the Catha-Dral, a name which sounded so alien, yet so familiar to her.  The warm night air whipped  her blond hair back.  Long golden tresses kept in check by the glittering Tiara that was woven into them.   She imagined what she would look like standing there, to someone looking up from the ground.  Regal and powerful, in command of all she saw below her, but inside she felt like a caged animal.


    ¡°This isn''t me, I''m not Keri, I''m no better than these people, so how can I think that I can rule them.  Rulers have to make horribly tough decisions, ones that can send people to their deaths,  I can''t do that.  I couldn''t even kill the small animals that we ate for food until I was forced to when Jaius got sick, and even then I gave the job right back to him once we both felt better.  But yet I was ready to kill Theric if he threatened me, I was ready to kill Nisa just because she thought to have the nerve to end my life too.  I wished Keri would die, and now it looks like she is really sick.  What am I turning into?¡±


    All this came out as a soft whisper, carried off by the wind.  As the former Hyeress came to mind Alianna glanced slightly over her shoulder.  She didn''t have to see the girl to know that she was standing there just inside the door to the balcony.  Silently she waited for Alianna''s next command.


    ¡°She would have killed me, without hesitation, she would have let Theric kill me in who knows what awful way, and then gone right on with her feast as if nothing had happened.  Doesn''t she deserve the treatment I have given her, and worse.  Hasn''t she earned an even harsher fate?  Yes, yes she has and more, but why then do I feel pity for her.  Even as I yell at her and chastise her, my heart cringes for her, like it would if my best friend was getting scolded by her mother.  Is that what I''ve turned into, some haggard mother who yells at her children for the smallest offense? And then there is also this deepening, nagging, feeling that I know her.¡±


    She shook her head, trying to loose the grip those thoughts had on her mind.  She had more pressing matters to deal with.   She looked at the center of the town where a wooden fence was being completed in the town square.  A few men were testing the gate to make sure it closed and latched.   This turned her thoughts to what the fenced in area was for.  She would never have thought that this far flung world would have similar animals  to earth.  But hopefully soon  Ye''tul would return with the Horuses  and she could begin to build up her forces.  She was sure Maleric would not know about mounted Knights, based on the shocked look of her advisers when she told them about her plan.


    As if thinking about the Horuses summoned them,  she heard the familiar clop clop of hooves coming into town.  There was  Ye''tul and his men leading two dozen Creatures into the town. It was too dark to get any better sight of them except passing glimpses as they crossed into the light from a house.    She sighed with relief when she saw them enter the town. With a smile on her face she turned and  went back into the room.  Nisa bowed as she walked past her.  Alianna looked at her.


    ¡°Bring us our cloak, and gather the Guard. We are going out to the square to see what Captain  Ye''tul has brought us.¡±  The girl bowed and then went to the wardrobe and pulled out a red velvet cloak and fastened it around Ali''s shoulder''s. She had been using  the royal ¡°we¡± since she first sat on the Thron in an attempt to make herself seem as powerful as she could.


    Once Niss was sure it was placed right, she went to the door, opened it and spoke softly to the guards outside.   One of them went running off down the hall, the other two turned and faced each other across the opening of the door.  Alianna moved forward and stood between them.  When she reached that point the men turned sharply  and faced straight ahead.  She began to walk regally forward.  The men kept pace with her, stepping in regimented unison with her gait.  Nisa followed demurely behind her.


    When they reached the main doors six more guards waited, Two of them opened the doors as she walked past without missing a step, the rest surrounded her once they got outside.   She began to sing and the purple stone that adorned her tiara began to glow.   As she finished a silvery outline formed around her, it was as bright as moonlight and lit the way ahead, but she had also learned that it would protect her from weapons.   Theric had been bringing her her dinner one night a week ago.  Thankfully she had been practicing using the crystal and the barrier had been up.  He tripped, knocked over the cart and a sharp knife from the cart  flew right at her heart.  The blade glanced harmlessly off the barrier and hit the floor.  She couldn''t bring herself to kill Theric, but there was something in his eyes that made her doubt the knife was an accident.  He was currently in the dungeon chained to a wall,  she thought she may have to leave him there until after she rescues Jaius.


    A voice brought her out of her thoughts.  ¡°My Hyerss, it has been done as you ordered, twenty horuses brought from the far plains.  The way you instructed us to rope them worked perfectly.   It took a week for them to calm down enough to follow us, the techniques that you showed us are truly the only reason we stand before you with them.¡±  Said Ye¡¯tul as he bowed before her.  She stepped forward and stopped a few feet from him.  He was bowed at the waist, left arm bent across his broad chest, his right arm sweeping his cloak back, and he stayed that way as if frozen into a statue.   He was much taller than her, and as strong as her father.  She had no illusion that he could end her life very quickly, yet she felt absolutely safe with him.  So much so, that even with the power of the Thron to protect her, she had felt afraid for her life in the weeks that he had been gone.   She stared at the shimmering breast plate that he wore and the glittering cloak she had had made for him and his men from some of the extra body suits that they had.  She believed that her singing would effect those too, that when they rode together she might be able to protect them better.  ¡°You have done well Ye''Tul, We are very pleased.  You may rise and show us our Horuses.¡±


    Ye''Tul rose and there was the slightest line to his lips, which she assumed was a smile.  ¡°This way My Hyerss.¡±  He said pointing to the fenced in area.  She began walking forward and as she passed him he turned and fell in next to her.  One of her other guards fell in on her left and the rest came behind.  She did not need to look for Nisa, she knew the girl was right behind her.   A few more yards brought her to the gate to the coral.  The light from the shield was more than sufficient to illuminate one of the creatures.  She stared in awe, aside from hair that was longer, almost shaggy, the creature looked like a Clydesdale.  It stood at least 6 feet tall if not more, and even though it had been tamed, she could still see the fire of freedom in its big brown eyes.   ¡°I need to make sure that that fire doesn''t die, for them, or for me.¡±


    ¡°Ye''Tul, have a few of your men rouse those who work with metal and leather.  We need them to make something if we are to ride these creatures into battle.¡±   ¡°Yes Hyerss.¡±  She heard him bark an order to his men, but what he said was lost to her as she stared into  the big brown eyes of the Horuse in front of her.   She could hear two heartbeats coming from it.  At first she thought perhaps the creature had two hearts, but one was beating so much faster than the other.  Then it hit her, this was a female horuse and she had a baby inside.  Realizing that this creature was of the same gender seemed to spark a connection with it for her.  Before she could think of the consequences she opened the latch and went inside.  She could feel the creature tense as she neared it.  She slowed, with her hands open in front of her.  She took off the Tiara and the field faded from around her.  She felt like some kind of heaviness in her Soul, like a  weight lifted off of her when she did but she was too lost in those large brown eyes to think much of it.    She handed the crown behind her and the petite hands she knew would be there took it from her.   She heard him leap the fence and stand right near her, but she did not react to his presence.


    She began to sing, humming a tune that she had long ago forgotten the words to, trying to fill her voice with the peace the song was bringing to her.  It must have been a lullaby that her mother had sung to her.  Tears began to leak out from behind the mask she had placed over her emotions as she thought of her mother.  She shut her eyes to stop them.  She tried to push the emotions back, tried with all her might, but suddenly there was a warm, soft, something touching her cheek.  It felt so much like when her mother kissed her on the cheek that she instinctively reached out and threw her arms around something that definitely wasn''t her mom, but right then she didn''t care, she buried her face into the warm softness and let the tears form.


    She heard a noise like a horse¡¯s nickering and this brought her back to the reality of what she must look like to the rest.  She let go of the softness quickly and looked up to see those big brown eyes looking at her,  she could feel that it had sensed the connection too.  As she began to back up, scared of what weakness she may have shone, She could begin to hear him breathing from behind her.   ¡°My Hyerss, are you alright?¡±  She turned around, sure that she would see half the village looking at her and laughing, but instead the only ones there were Ye''Tul and Nisa. She took a deep breath and then tried to give him a very commanding stare. ¡°We are fine, Ye''Tul.  Where are the rest of your men? ¡°  I sent them to prepare for your return, Hyress.  For when you wished to retire for the night.¡±  She had not told him to do that.  Fear bloomed at this personal imitative that he took, could she have misread him. Was he still loyal to Nisa and had sent the others away so he could kill her? She looked at Nisa holding the Tiara and Ye¡¯Tul standing infront of her.  Fear began to turn to anger, but just before she let him have it, something in his voice caught her up short.  He seemed to be implying more than he had said.  Then it hit her, he hadn''t been planning to harm her, he had been protecting her, from his Men seeing her weakness.  She knew then that she really could trust this man with her life,


    She smiled. ¡°Thank you Ye''Tul for anticipating that need. You have shown that I can trust your judgments.¡±  Before any more emotions could spill out she turned to the mare, and let them feed into her.  To hide them.   ¡°You will be our steed.¡± She said loudly ¡°I will name you Emily¡±   ¡°Ye''Tul, set a guard around the coral.  Especially Emily, she is with young and I want nothing to harm her.¡±  ¡°It will be as you say Hyerss.¡±   She turned back to him and nodded.  Behind him she could see two of his men standing with a group of six people. She held out her hand to Nisa and the crown was placed gently in her hand.  The people  looked as if they had come right from bed.  ¡°Please, come here, and we will describe what we need you to make.¡±


    She showed them what she was talking about and saw them looking intently.   A seat made of leather that sat over the Horuses back and fit snugly with a leather strap.  She made it plain that the seat had to hold a full grown man with armor.  ¡°This is your only task until it is completed,  And they must be completed as quickly as possible.¡±  They bowed low, all except one man.  He didn''t bow as low as the others.  He did join them, however, when they said.  ¡°It will be as you command Hyress.¡±  As they bowed when they said this, he definitely did not bow as low as the others.


    Something about him bothered Ali, but it was late and it could be that she was just tired.  She could see his body covered in many tattoos. She had not  seen many of the townsfolk with such tattoos, and this bothered her.  She had to concede that it had been a month or more since she had really felt tired in any way.  ¡°You may go then. Sleep well, and please start working in the morning.   They all nodded and walked away.   ¡°Ye''Tul¡± ¡°Yes Hyress?¡±  ¡°That man on the left, the one wearing the long leather outer garment, and has the many tattoos,   Who is he?¡±   ¡°That is Besnin my lady,  he is a worker of leather.  He arrived from the west not long after the clan settled here.¡±   Alianna stared deeply at his back. As if trying to see if there was a monster that was in him.  ¡°Is anything the matter Hyress?¡±  Said Ye''Tul as he followed her gaze toward Besnin.  ¡°Shall I halt them?¡±  Alianna broke her gaze away from Besnin and turned to Ye''Tul.  ¡°No Ye''Tul it is fine,¡±  Then she remembered one young woman in particular.  She had wide eyed as she looked at Alianna, and seemed to hang on top of Ali''s every word.  Maybe that meant she would be loyal to her.  She would have to talk to her to see if she thought she was trustworthy.   She needed an eyes and ears among the people.  ¡°Ye''tul.  have that young woman on the right the one with her hair in a braid, have her brought to us first thing tomorrow.¡±  He bowed ¡°She will be waiting for you when you ascend the Thron tomorrow Hyress.¡±  Alianna nodded her head. ¡°Good,  We are retiring now Ye''tul, please make sure your men secure this coral and stand guard over it.¡±  ¡°Yes, Hyress, it will be as you say.¡±  ¡°Ye''tul, I also want you to chose two of your best men that did not go with you  to stand guard over me tonight.  You and your men  have traveled many long days, and have done very well, and deserve a nights sleep. Also, you, and your men will have dinner with us tonight in the grand hall as a reward for your loyalty. You will sit next to me Captain, in the seat of honor.¡±


    She did not give him a chance to respond.  She turned and headed toward the gate.  She could have sworn she saw Nisa''s eyebrow quickly descending back into its normal place.  ¡°She better not have made the gesture that I think  she did.¡±  Ali stopped next to her. ¡°Hand me the tiara.¡±  She said coldly.  Nisa handed her the crown and Alianna took it and set it on her head.  She then leaned in close to Nisa.  ¡°Do not let me see your eyes leave the ground for the rest of the night.¡±  She said in a whisper to the girl.  She did not look at Nisa,  she stood facing straight ahead.  Once she had spoken, and heard the appropriate  ¡°Yes my Hyress'''' She nodded her head and started walking forward.   Three men formed up around her and escorted her back to the main building.   They escorted her back to her room.  Once inside and the door had been shut she turned to look at Nisa who''s eyes were fixed on the ground.   ¡°Nisa, go to the kitchens and tell Mistress Mol, that I will be having a special private dinner in the grand hall tonight for eight honored guests.¡±   ¡°Yes Heyress.¡±   ¡°Nisa, do not forget, your eyes are not to leave the floor.¡±  ¡°Yes Hyress¡±


    Alianna then turned and moved toward the balcony toward the back of her room that looked out over her own private garden. Behind her she could hear the door open and  then shut softly.  She moved out onto the balcony and looked out again, trying to imagine what the rest of this world looked like.  Were there massive oceans, or large deserts? Frozen tundra, or a climate type that she had never read about before.   ¡°What am I doing?  Trying to rule a people, like an adult would.  When in the world did I think I had become an adult, or think that I was an adult.  I''ve delved so far into the personalities of all the Queen''s I''ve ever read about, is it possible that I''ve lost myself?¡±  She looked out straining to see beyond, back to her home, back to that shut door in her mind. The one that led to her room where she had seen herself sleeping contently with Mr. Bear.


    ¡°Why, Why God, Why am I here, Why did this happen?¡±   ¡°I don''t know what I''m doing.¡±  She whispered.  She felt an urge to keep going with those thoughts to press into them to cry out to God as she had so many nights before when she felt lost, but just as that urge was taking hold she shook her head and looked down and took a breath.  ¡°I have to keep going, I have to save Jaius...and myself.¡±  She turned her thoughts away from that line of thinking and turned to that man, Bisnin.  Perhaps he was just tired, and didn''t bow low enough.  But there had been a sense of indifference about his movements.  Could he have liked the other Hyress,?  Could he be mad that Alianna had taken over?  Or could he have a different reason for not respecting her?  ¡°I need to take steps, steps beyond armed guards.   I need some ladies in waiting, especially ones that look like me, Like this Queen Amidala had around her from that Star Wars movie that Jaius told me about,  "When we are in public I can masquerade as one of the ladies and so I can obverse matters around us more closely.¡±


    Another part of her brain must have turned to what to wear to the dinner tonight, because when she stopped thinking about the ladies in waiting, she found herself standing before the wardrobe holding a very elegant peach colored dress, made out of what felt like silk.  The beauty of the dress filled her mind, washing the other thoughts away.  Even her best Sunday dress couldn''t hold a stitch to this one, and this was just one of many.  ¡°I bet this is what Keri feels like all the time.  Deciding what the cool style of the day is.¡±   She lost no time in putting it on.  She twirled in the mirror.


    Just then there was a knock at the  door.  ¡°Who is it?''  ¡°It is Nisa, Hyress. I have completed my task.¡±  ¡°Come in Nisa.¡±  She opened the door and walked in.  Alianna turned to see her enter and saw the girl''s hand was clutching a cloth to her head.  It was a white cloth, but there was red staining it.  ¡°Dinner will be ready shortly, My Hyress.¡±  Alianna could hear the pain twinging her voice.  ¡°She must have hit her head because of what I had ordered her to do.¡±  She wanted to scream, someone had been hurt because of what she told them to do.  Months ago this would have eaten her alive, but now she just stood there in cold indifference.   ¡°What''s happening to me!¡±  She yelled into her head.  ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°I am sorry Hyress, I wasn''t paying attention and ran into the corner of the Kitchen counter.  Mistress Mol gave me this so that I wouldn''t bleed all over her floor.  I thanked her for her generosity.¡±


    ¡°She blessed you more than you deserve for not keeping your mind on your task.  You will clean the floors in the Kitchen tonight after dinner and after they leave.  I want them to shine when I come down tomorrow. As for right now you will stand back by my bed and attend me with whatever I need.¡±


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    ¡°Yes Hyress.  It will be as you say.¡±  Nisa bowed, and turned and went back and stood by the wall next to her bed.  Ali turned and looked once more in the mirror.  ¡°Did I really just do that? Did I...¡±  Her thought was interrupted as there was a knock at the door and the  voice  of one of the Guards came from the other side.  ¡°All is prepared in the grand hall Hyress.¡±  ¡°Thank you Kenic, please inform the Captain and the other guards who went with him to make their way to the hall.  I will be joining them shortly.¡±  She said as she began to work on her hair. ¡°It will be as you say Hyress.¡± She could hear the man turn and walk briskly down the hall.  After about twenty more minutes she had everything the way she wanted.  She set the Tiara with the large purple crystal set in it on her head and admired herself in the mirror.  She picked up the crystal knife that she always kept close to her.  It was the first crystal she had used and also, it reminded her of Jaius.  She thought of how important he had become to her since they got here.  She thought of the many nights they had spent sitting with their legs dangling over the lip of the Hole.  They would sit quietly looking around, but then there would be times their eyes would meet and they would stay that way for she didn¡¯t know how long.  She would search his eyes, trying to understand him.  Was he good? Could she trust him? Over the last weeks he had answered both those questions with a resounding yes.  He was always there to encourage her or help her cut through her panic.  He had helped her so much when she was sick.  She really couldn¡¯t imagine her life without him anymore, especially as it looked like Paltophern had become their permanent home.


    Everything ready she turned and looked at Nisa, and again the pangs of guilt tried to worm its way into her heart, but the stony covering over her heart had begun to thicken and she was able to more easily put it down. ¡°Come Nisa, we are going to the hall.¡±  Nisa curtsied as best she could and moved to open the door. Two guards snapped to attention.  Kenic who had spoken earlier, bowed to her.  ¡°The captain and his men await you Hyress.¡±    ¡°Very good Kenic. You may escort us to the hall now.¡±  Kenic straightened and placed his arm across his chest. ¡°Yes Hyress.¡±  The man turned on his heel and waited till she drew next to him.  Once she did he began to walk down the hall searching for danger.  She could hear Nisa walking softly behind her and the other guard Elric closing the door to her room.  Soon they stood before the doors to the grand hall.  Alianna always marveled inwardly at their size and the beautiful craftsmanship of the thick wood overlaid with crystal designs. ¡°You may announce us Kenic, then go and assist Madam Mol with bringing the dinner.¡± The man bowed again and then straightened. ¡°It will be as you say Hyress.¡±  He pushed on one of the doors and it moved open. ¡°All rise as the Hyress approaches the Thron.¡±  He said in a commanding voice. He then bowed to her and walked backwards away from her for a few feet then turned and moved toward the kitchens.  She could see Ye''Tul and his seven Knights standing in the center of the room. They all turned to look as Kenic''s voice boomed.  Ye''Tul scanned the room, looking always for any sign of danger, he hesitated just briefly on Nisa but then went right to Alianna.  He and his men  wore a black shirt with a White rose on it, and  leather pants with silver inlays.  The white rose was her symbol.  It meant that they were part of her Elite Guard.


    Ye''Tul and his men bowed.  ¡°Thank you for this great honor Hyress.  We have no words that can express the gratitude in our hearts.¡±   She shook her head a little, to shake away his overt humility.  ¡°Ye''tul your thank you is sufficient.  You and your men served us very well and You deserve recognition for this.¡±


    The door opened again and, Kenic,  steeped in and bowed. ¡°Hyress, the dinner is here.¡± She nodded to him.   ¡°Bring it in Kenic and then shut the door, and do not disturb us, unless the matter is very important.¡±   ¡°Yes Hyress.¡±  The man went out into the hall and then he, and another guard Lin, brought in a table covered in a cloth set out with plates and utensils and glasses.  They then left and brought in another table laden with food and drink.  Madam Mol was right behind him with two of her servers, the two red headed twins she saw when she first got to the Catha Dral.   As Kenic moved toward the door Madam Mol moved to start serving her and the men.  Alianna stood and held her hand out to Madam Mol.  The woman stopped and a bead of sweat trickled down her cheek.  She leaned in and whispered to her. ¡°That will not be necessary madame  Mol, We shall be serving  them tonight.¡±  The woman''s mouth fell open before she could catch it and herself, and just as quickly her hand flew to her mouth. ¡°You and your ladies may stay to the side in-case something else is needed.¡±   The woman dropped her hand, curtsied, and then moved back toward the wall. Kenic stood waiting at the main open doors.  She nodded to him and motioned for the door.  He bowed again and he and Lin left and shut the door.  ¡°Please, all of you, sit.¡± she said motioning to the men with her hands. The men sat down.


    She then went over to the table with the food and picked up a decanter filled with what she had come to the conclusion was a form of wine.  She didn''t drink a lot of it, but had to drink more than she ever would have dared at home.  She walked over to Ye''tul first and opened the top and poured him a glass.  He began to rise out of his chair.  ¡°Is there a problem Ye''tul?¡± She said in a questioning, yet commanding voice. The man looked shaken, for the first time since she had know him.  ¡°I...forgive me Hyress it is just...It is I, we, who should be serving you.¡±  He said moving his arm to take in his men. Each man nodding in agreement. The same look of struggle on their faces, warring between their desire to serve her and their oath to follow her commands.  ¡°Ye''tul when we tell you to sit down, we expect you to stay in your seat.  If we chose to serve you and your men as part of your reward are you truly going to contend with our wishes?¡±  The man immediately sat back down.  ¡°No, of course not Hyress.¡± After a moment each man nodded his head in turn.   ¡°Captain Ye''tul, my brave knights, for this night, and this night only, you may  all address me as Alianna.¡±  She saw them begin to pale and Ye''tul''s lips began to split as if to make a protest, but then he clamped down and nodded.  ¡°We shall do as you ask My Hy....Alianna.¡± She smiled and nodded.  ¡°Good.¡± She felt this warmth in her heart as she heard someone else using her name again.  It had been awhile, and it also helped her to realize how deep into the Hyress persona she had begun to slip.  She so desperately wanted to be just Alianna again, but the current situation demanded the Hyress.


    She went back to the table and prepared a plate for him and took it to him and then for the rest of the men also. Then she stood and prepared herself a plate and poured herself a glass of the drink that the people had called Goneet and then sat down next to him. She asked him to relate the story of how they found and caught the Horuses.


    After they had finished both diner and story, she motioned for them to take their glasses and join in a toast.  ¡°To my brave Knights.  You do all that I ask of you and more so.  You were able to procure these powerful creatures at the risk of your own lives and I applaud your bravery and skill.  You are worthy of the name of Knight of the White Rose and you have earned my respect and favor.¡±  She held her glass high as did they and they all drank to the toast. She had dropped the royal we, for this night to further distance herself from the Hyress.


    She then turned  to look at Ye''Tul.  ¡°And to Captain Ye''Tul, who is a shining example of what a Knight should be. Strong, courageous, chivalrous, and selfless.  He is an example to his men and to the people of what a true servant of mine should look like.  All the rest of you have a great example in your Captain.¡±  She looked deep into his eyes as she lifted the glass in the air and then drank.  All she could see is respect, concern, loyalty.   She took a chance, one she had known she would have to take if she was going to survive.  ¡°Captian Ye''Tul and the rest of my brave Knights, you have proven your loyalty, and I see your hearts are true, but, how far can I trust you, how deep will you bury my confidences?¡±  She could tell of all the statements they had tried to anticipate, what she had said was not one of them.  Ye''Tul was the first to recover and looked to all of the other men, who after a moment of shock, nodded their heads. ¡°Alianna, we will serve you till we die doing so, and we will take a library full of your confidences to the grave with us.  Your rule is hard, but with these people it needs to be, but we have also seen your heart and know that it also holds compassion.  That is what a ruler needs.  We will follow you even if you journeyed beyond this world.¡±  It was her turn to be taken aback, although she showed no sign of it on her face. ¡°Compassion?  I have been treating everyone as less than me, especially Nisa, how can he see compassion.  Compassion would require a ruler to know what they are doing, I have no Idea what I''m doing.¡±


    She let this question flow through her mind as they concluded dinner.  She confided in them her thoughts and plan for them as her Knights and personal Guard.  She also told them her plan for the ladies in waiting so that they would be aware of where she was in-case there was danger.  When she finished Ye''Tul looked at her.  ¡°Your plan has much merit Alianna, but you alone have the correct hair and eyes, how will you make up the decoy to look like you?¡±  She looked at him, trying to determine his response, but quickly decided he was just being protective.  ¡°It is one of the benefits of the Horuses Ye''Tul.  The hair from their tails and main can be made into a blonde wig and those that shape the crystals  have confirmed that they can make blue lenses to color the eyes.  Also I will begin to wear elaborate outfits and face makup that will draw attention away from hair and eyes.  Until another way can be found, that is the best we can do.  My ladies will wear hoods and I too will have brown lenses in my eyes.¡±  Ye''Tul nodded.  ¡°You are wise in all ways Alianna.  We will do all that is possible to make sure the charade succeeds.¡±  ¡°I know that you will Captain. Now, I must retire for the night, for there is much to do tomorrow.¡±  Ye''tul nodded and motioned to his men.  All the men nodded and rose.  They clasped their closed fists across their chests and bowed.  They then turned almost as one and marched towards the large doors.  Before he got to far away she called out to Ye''tul.


    ¡°One more thing Ye''tul, before you go.¡±  The man stopped and turned back to her.  She moved over to him after motioning Mistress Mol and the other ladies to clear the table.  ¡°You mentioned that I have compassion.  Why do you think that?¡±


    He looked down at her, a bit quizzically.  ¡°You did not immediately kill the girl or Theric.  She would have most assuredly killed you, and so would he given the chance.  Fear not though, he will never harm you.  My men know what to do in regards to him.  I know he serves your purposes right now, but there will come a point where you will need to remove him from this place.   He bides his time, and plots.  I know of most of his schemes, but what concerns me, are the ones that I don''t know about.¡±  This all came as news to her, but the more she thought about it the more it made sense.


    ¡°Tomorrow, please tell me all you know of his plots.¡±


    ¡°I will give you a full report, Alianna.¡±


    ¡°Ye''Tul,  do..do you think that I treat Nisa too harshly?¡±  He looked at her trying to read her intention with the question.


    ¡°She needs to be broken down Alianna, but everyone has a limit.  If your goal is to destroy her, then I would say to keep on as you are, but if you wish to keep her, then I would allow her to see a small part of your compassion. She could be valuable in the role of your decoy, but only if you give her some leniency.  Fear can control Alianna, but eventually it will reduce the person to rubble, or Iron.  There needs to be a bit of mercy mixed in, and trust, if you are to trust them with your life.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Ye''Tul, I will think on what you have said.  One more thing,  tomorrow, I do not wish to just speak with just that young woman that I indicated to you, but I would like to speak to all of the young woman in the town to  check to see which ones will join the ranks of my Ladies.¡±


    ¡° I will have them here Alianna.¡±


    She smiled.  ¡°Thank you.¡±  He bowed. ¡°It is my honor to serve.  Goodnight Alianna.¡±


    ¡°Good night Ye-tul¡±.


    He turned and headed toward the door.  As his hand reached the handle she called out again.  ¡°One last thing Ye''tul. call me mistress E¡¯llen and have her come to my rooms, and have two of your men place a comfortable bed in the room next to mine, along with a vanity. Then go to the kitchens and send Nisa to my rooms.  Have her wait one half hour to come to me.  Give her a bandage and ointment when you send her.¡±   ¡°I will do so Alianna.¡±  He bowed, and then pulled open the door.


    Once he was gone and mistress Mol was leaving with the other two girls. She stopped and looked at Mistress Mol. ¡°Mistress Mol.¡±  The woman froze as she was reaching for the door handle, the other two  becoming like statues next to her.  But when Mistress Mol turned and bowed and  they did also.  ¡°How may we serve you my Hyress?¡±  She moved over to them and lifted the woman''s head. The woman straightened as did the others.  ¡°We wish to commend you and your staff for the meal tonight, it was perfect.  You run the kitchens well Mistress Mol.¡±  The woman blushed as did the other two. ¡°We are so grateful to know that it was to your expectations, My Hyress.¡±


    Alianna nodded and then her tone became just a bit firm.  ¡°Mistress Mol, ladies, all that you heard and saw tonight does not leave this hall, do you understand?¡± The woman nodded repeatedly and bowed. ¡°Yes My Hyress, not a word will ever leave our mouths about tonight.¡± The other girls bowed and said in unison. ¡°It will stay secret with us till they place us in the ground, Our Hyress.¡±  She looked them all up and down for a few moments then nodded. ¡°One more thing, you two, please be present tomorrow morning here in the hall during breakfast, I may have an additional role for you both. The two girls looked at eachother with wide eyes and then turned back to Alianna.  ¡°It will be as you wish  our Hyress.¡±  They said in unison.


    ¡°Good. Now go, and may your night be peaceful.¡±  They bowed again and responded.  ¡°May all your days be filled with joy and peace, our Hyress.¡± They bowed again and left the room.  She turned and looked at the large crystal chair at the far end of the room.  She touched the shard of it that adorned her tiara. ¡°What terrible power it has, but it is all that is keeping me alive.¡±  She said softly as images of Theric being blown off the dais, and the beam that disintegrated part of the ceiling and she shivered slightly.  She then turned and left the room and Kenic and Lin fell in next to her and escorted her to her rooms.


    Once the door shut to her room she moved back to the ledge of the balcony and looked out over the garden.  She let the cool night air, and the sounds of the night animals, drift through her. Twenty minutes later she heard the door open and a woman¡¯s voice called out. ¡°I have come as you have asked my Hyress.¡±  Said madam E¡¯llen.  Alianna turned and saw the woman.  She was thin and short of stature, not even five feet tall, but Alianna knew that she ruled the housekeeping staff with a will of Iron. She had the presence  of a woman of her Nana''s age, but she also looked like a woman in her mid 20''s.   Alianna knew she had to tread lightly with this woman.  She seemed loyal to the core, but if she showed too much weakness she was afraid this woman might place her over her knee and spank her.


    ¡°Mistress E¡¯llen.¡± The woman bowed and came to listen to what Alianna would request off her. ¡°Please instruct your staff to outfit the room next to mine with linens and towels and pillows.  I have in mind what kind of dresses I would like in the closet, please tell me if you have anything similar.¡± She described what she was thinking and Madam E''llen nodded.  ¡°We have some of what you wish for Hyress, the rest can be made.¡± Alianna nodded. ¡°In the room next to mine place in the closet what you have, and then you will attend us tomorrow and we will give you details on the rest.¡± The woman bowed.  ¡°It will be as you say My Hyress.¡± If taking orders from a teenager grated at this woman, she showed no sign of it.   ¡°Also, I had talked with all the craft workers when  we first ascended the Thron.  I asked a woman with red hair and only nine fingers to make me something, please find her and have it brought to the room you are preparing and have it set on the bed before the half of the hour fades.¡±  The woman bowed  ¡®I will have it there  in a quarter of an hour, my Hyress.¡±   ¡°Good, you may go about these tasks now, I need all of this completed within the hour.¡±   As the woman stood back up Ali looked into her eyes and she could see intelligence there, a mind that analyzed everything.  Alianna knew the woman was breaking her down in her mind and analyzing everything about her.  ¡°One more thing Mistress E¡¯llen, have a new body suit brought to that same room and lay it on the bed. She said pointing to the fabric that covered her arm. ¡°Yes my Hyress, it will be as you say.¡±  The woman backed away and did not turn her back to Ali until she left the room.


    Once the door shut she turned to the balcony, and finally let herself process the emotions that had been flooding her.   The concern she had had for how hard she had become weighed heavily on her mind. Ye¡¯Tul¡¯s words had reminded her of who she had been just two months before, completely unable to even make fun of a boy on the playground, and now she was treating another girl horribly because she may, or may not have killed her if she hadn¡¯t of defeated her.  It seems though as  Ye¡¯Tul¡¯s council seemed to be pushing the old Alianna up, some other force seemed to be pushing that old Alianna down.  It was like a great pressure coming from just above her head.


    Lost in trying to describe this struggle she did not hear the door to her room open, nor the footsteps on the carpet.  She did not know that she wasn''t alone until a shadow fell upon her from the doorway.  ¡°I have come as you have directed Hyress.¡±  Said Nisa from the doorway.  Alianna took a deep breath and turned.  She saw Nisa there, holding bandages, a cloth under one arm, a bottle under the other, and a basin of water in her hands.  The girl''s eyes were focused on the ground, the gash on her head was still oozing.  Pity flooded her heart, though she tried to restrain it.  Alianna pointed to the room. ¡°Go, place the implements on my bed, and then sit down on the bed.¡±  Nisa paused ever so slightly, before nodding and saying.  ¡°It will be as you wish Hyress.¡±  As the guilt tried to overwhelm her cool she turned and looked once more on the peaceful garden.  She drew a deep breath and let it out as she then sighed and went into the room.


    She found Nisa sitting on her bed, hands folded on her lap.  Her eyes were locked on the floor and the basin and other implements were on the bed next to her.  Alianna moved to stand in front of her.  She took the cloth and dipped it in the water.  ¡°Nisa, look at me.¡±  The girl hesitated, but then slowly raised her head.   The wound looked so red, swollen and painful, Ali''s heart almost broke open right there as those eyes came up to meet her¡¯s and betrayed hurt and sorrow that ran into deep chasms, somehow she was able to keep her composure.  She raised the wet cloth up and ever so gently touched the wound.  Nisa flinched though she obviously tried to conceal it.  ¡°I''m sorry Hyress, forgive me.¡±  ¡°It is okay Nisa, this may sting, but I will try to be gentle.¡±  Nisa''s mouth dropped, but quickly closed.  Ali tried again, and this time, even though her eyes closed tight, Nisa endured the cloth to be wiped over the wound.  The scabs broke loose and blood and puss sprung forth from the wound.  Ali continued to dip the cloth, ring it and wipe until, only red blood flowed from the wound.  Then she took the bandage and a fresh cloth, and she wadded the cloth up and smothered ointment all over it.  She then gently placed the cloth on  the wound.  ¡°Hold the cloth Nisa.¡±  The girl complied, putting pressure on the wound.   Alianna then took the bandage and began to wrap it around the girls head.  After a few rotations she tied it off in the back.


    When she was finished,  Nisa looked back down to the ground.  Ali looked at her and sighed.  ¡°Nisa,  Look at me.¡±  ¡°But Hyress, you told me...¡±  ¡°I told you to look at me!¡±  Nisa cringed, but then looked up.   ¡°I am giving you the room right next to mine.  It has a bed and closet.  Go sleep in it tonight.  Rest and make yourself well, and be prepared to serve me tomorrow, once I rise.  Do you understand?¡±  The girl looked at her in awe, and tears began to leek out of her eyes.  All she could do is nod her head.  Alianna smiled briefly.  ¡°Good, now go.¡±   Nisa bowed, and then dropped down and took the basin and bowl and all the other implements with her.


    As Nisa opened the door to her new room, she saw the soft bed and blankets, and table and wardrobe.  But what made her heart leap in her chest was a brand new body suit laying on the bed and next to it,  a soft fluffy stuffed bear that sat on the pillow.  The Hyress had not only given her a room of her own, but also a friend.  With tears in her eyes she rushed to the bed, and fell into the soft folds and pulled the bear close to her

 Chapter 17. Waves of Guilt, Beaches of Peace

    ¡°There is no more  condemning a presence in this world  than that  younger,  innocent, self inside you staring out that bedroom door in your mind with that one, blue, accusing eye,  and then oh  such a relieving peace when it stops.¡±


    -Alianna¡¯s Diary, Oct 20th


    A while later Alianna gently opened the door and looked in on Nisa.  She could feel Ye''Tul''s eyes watching her as he stood at the corner of the hallway watching both directions almost at the same time. He must have relieved Kenic when he had finished furnishing the room. She should scold him for not taking the night off as she had ordered, but right now, she was glad it was him and not one of the other''s.   She looked at Nisa, her arms curled around the bear that Ali had had one of the craftswoman make for her bedroom. Nisa''s breathing was even and she seemed very peaceful. Alianna took off the diadem and held it limply in her left hand. When she did It was as if she were seeing the past few weeks through someone else''s eyes and what she saw, she didn¡¯t like.  ¡°Oh God what was I doing! I know I need to be tough, they will kill me if I¡¯m not, but¡­what I was doing to her was¡­horrible.¡± She said in a whisper.  She heard Y¡¯Tal approaching and he stopped just behind her. ¡°You have done what you needed to Alianna, and now you are doing what you need to.  Do not put blame on yourself.¡±


    Alianna tensed as she realized that she wasn¡¯t the only one with superior hearing but then she relaxed a little, as his words registered.  She wanted to just wrap Y¡¯Tul¡¯s words around her and let that be the end of it, but deep down she knew she had crossed a line, and the fear that gripped deep in her heart was, could she go back? She turned to look at him and smiled.  ¡°Thank you Y¡¯tul, I will try to do as you have suggested.¡±   Then a small, distinct noise brought her attention back to the room.  It sounded like a whimper coming from Nisa.


    The door that lay in the depth of her mind, opened a crack and that same deep blue eye looked out of it.  Out from that crack also came a stream of emotion.  Compassion caressed the edges of her heart, and she realized then just how hard she had become.  Then the noise came again and then again in quicker succession, in her mind the door opened fully.  There was the younger Ali clutching Mr. Bear and looking at the girl with tears in her eyes.


    ¡°Oh God! I¡¯m sorry¡­.¡±  Alianna whispered as she ran over and sat gently down on the bed.  ¡°No..No stop!¡±  cried Nisa in the throws of what looked like a nightmare. Alianna slowly laid down next to Nisa and then wrapped her arms around her and held her.  She stroked her hair and whispered soothing things to her.   Out of that open doorway in her mind came a flash of memory,  she was covering a cowering Nisa with her body, protecting her from the tall woman with the whip and the red crystal at the end of it, then there was the  blinding pain and then her eyes shot open.


    She was breathing heavily, and could still feel the residuals of that pain.  She looked at Nisa, and noticed that the whimpering had stopped and the girl once more was breathing regularly.   Alianna waited till her nerves calmed down and the pain went away and then slowly disengaged herself from Nisa and went back to the doorway.  She looked back once to make sure all was well, and then gently closed the door.  She walked the few feet to her room thinking about the memory that had surfaced. ¡°That is how I know her, Nisa was the girl that I was protecting in that nightmare I had, but if she is here and real, then was that dream real? The woman?¡±  ¡°Good night Alianna.¡±  Came his soft voice from the far wall. ¡°You now do, far more then you need to.  You will be a great Hyress.¡±


    She stopped and looked back at him.  She knew there were tears in her eyes, and she didn¡¯t hide them.  ¡°Ye¡¯tul¡­.thank you, but I would rather be a good person then a great Hyress.¡±  ¡°You are.¡±  She couldn¡¯t accept those words.  ¡°Thank you Ye''Tul but¡­.good night.¡±  ¡°Good night Alianna.¡±


    She went into her room and closed the door.  She was drowning in guilt. Long into the night did she stand on the balcony looking out on the sleeping Paltophern.   She could not believe that Nisa was the same girl from the night terror she had had with the woman and the glowing red stone.  She must have come here somehow in her dream, and now it was reality.  She cringed at the thought that that woman might be out there somewhere, that somewhere in her future lay torture at the hands of that woman and her red stone.  She cried many tears and even laughed a few times, but mainly thought very deeply on the things she had done, on who she had let herself become just to save her own skin, and Jaius¡¯s¡°  ¡°God please forgive me¡­¡± were the words on her lips as she finally went to bed and slept.


    Warmth, soft warmth rested next to her.  Still, and not demanding, it just gave her warmth without looking for anything in return.  Slowly her eyes opened and she saw the bear sitting there, its fur caressing her cheek.  Nisa smiled and let the sensation into her heart, smoothing over some of the cracks at the entrance to the wound that split her soul wide open.  She hugged the bear close and drew it close, and more of the cracks smoothed over.  ¡°Why did she do this for me?¡±  She thought as she held the soft warmth close to her.  ¡°She has shown nothing but contempt for me since she came, and not that I can blame her for what I did to her, or what I would have done,¡±  She thought about the Hyress, how strong she was, how confidant.  Nisa could only sing the stones when the Voice came to her and spoke to her.  The voice said it was the Herald of the Eternal, and that Nisa needed to do as it commanded.  She hadn¡¯t heard the voice since the Hyress took the Thron.  ¡°I wonder if the Herald of  Eternal now speaks to her, perhaps that was what happened. Perhaps I had displeased the Herald and she cast me to the side.¡±  A wave of guilt and self loathing came over her.  ¡°I don¡¯t deserve even this!¡± She said as she pushed the bear away, but she also did not let it go.  ¡°But I can¡¯t let it go either because she gave it to me.¡±   She got up out off the bed and set the bear right where she had found it.  She then proceeded to make the bed, and then clean herself and dress herself.  She reveled in having her body suit back.  Happiness filled her as she put it on again.


    She was surprised to see the closet had been stocked with dresses of different colors, green and red and blue and brown,  but they all had a sash that was purple, but each dress had different shades of purple that went with the color of the dress.  ¡°These are beautiful, too beautiful for a servant, but, perhaps someone as beautiful as she is would want a beautiful servant and not an ugly one.  Then why did she keep me alive and make me her servant?¡±


    She pondered this as she chose a blue one and proceed to change.  Soon she was closing the door to her room and  turned to proceed to her mistresses chamber.  She saw Ye''Tul standing there talking with one of the other guards.  They all wore purple cloths around their arms with a white rose stitched in it.  It must be her symbol.  She stared hard at it so she would remember it and not have to be told about it.  Ye''Tul saw her staring at the patch.  ¡°Yes, this is your Lady¡¯s symbol.  Learn it well.¡±  Nisa looked down and nodded, and then she walked quickly past Ye''Tul and the other Guard and opened the door.  As she was a bout to step in. ¡° Nisa, when the Hyress has woken and is prepared, tell her that those who she asked me to summon, are in the great hall.¡±  Nisa did not turn around but she bowed and then proceeded into the room and gently shut the door.   The room was in disarray, pillows and sheets lay on the floor, clothes and paper strewn around the room.  ¡°Hyress¡­.¡± She whispered, as fear that someone had entered the room griped her heart, she was just about to yell for Ye''Tul, when she heard a moan from the bed.  Nisa ran over and looked around the curtain that had been let down.  There was the Hyress sprawled on the bed.  The tiara lay just in front of Nisa.  An overwhelming desire for the item gripped her.  She felt her arm reach out to take it.  Her finger almost touched it, but then withdrew.  ¡°No, I am not worthy, I was cast off for another, plus, this Hyeres can sing to the stone without the Tiara, without help.  I don¡¯t think I would stand a chance.¡±  She whispered.


    These were the words that Alianna heard as consciousness returned to her.  She felt  moment of fear, fear that Nisa might still want to hurt her.  Her fingers tightened around the tiara.  But when no attempt came for the crown, Alianna relaxed a bit and let the fear and anger subside before she opened her eyes,  When she did open them she looked deep into Nisa¡¯s eyes.  She saw fear, and conflict, but in the end she saw enough fear, and something else there, something that seemed like gratitude. With that she decided that the girl could still be trusted.


    Nisa saw the Hyress¡¯s gaze and she froze.  ¡°Had she heard me?¡±


    ¡°Nisa¡­.¡± Ali let the pause go for a few moments. ¡°Will you please prepare my bath. Also I am ready for breakfast.¡±


    Nisa let her breath out in a rush.  ¡°Yes Hyress, it will be as you have said.¡± She curtsied and then walked briskly from the room.


    Ali sat up and wiped the sleep from her eyes.  ¡°Why have I had so much anger towards her?  I¡¯ mean I know she was just struggling with taking the diadem, but I really think if she had tried to take it two days ago I¡­I would have incinerated her.¡±  Her hand flew to her mouth, and a few tears leaked from her eyes.  ¡°Oh Lord.. a year ago I cried when my mom ran over  squirrel, now I¡¯m at a point where I can kill someone!  Please God help me.¡±  She thought wiping her tears. She felt a flutter deep in her heart, and that bedroom door in her head opened a little further.  She stared at the crown and a number of coincidences clicked together in her head. ¡°There is something about this thing.  When I knocked it off of Nisa¡¯s head her hair changed¡­she changed, and when I took it off at the Horuse coral and last night after the dinner and something changed in me, the hardness in my heart¡­lessened. Something about this crown changes the person who wears it...¡±  She stared at the crown, fear growing inside her.  ¡°Ye¡¯Tul!¡±  She said a bit too loud and with too much pitch in her voice.


    The door crashed inward and suddenly he was there.   He pulled her off the bed and placed her behind him in one effortless movement.  His crystal sword was in his hand.  He began to hum, a deep baritone. ¡°He can sing the stones also?¡±  The sword glowed, its heat warming her face.  He looked everywhere for danger.  After a few moments he relaxed just a hair.  ¡°Where is the peril Hyress.¡±  She glanced toward the door and saw two more of his men looking their way, each with glowing swords.   ¡°Ye¡¯tul¡­I¡¯m Ok, I was severely startled by a revelation. That crown, I¡­I believe it is cursed.¡±  She shivered as she thought of what it might have been doing to her.  He motioned to the two men and pointed at the crown.  They moved over to it and the one picked it up with the tip of his sword.  ¡°Please destroy it.¡± Alianna whispered.  Ye¡¯tul pointed again to the crown.  As the guard placed the crown in the middle of the floor, Alianna began to sing.  The men froze and looked at her.  Deep purple light flared in the Thron Shard.  The silvery  field sprung around her and Ye¡¯tul , she imagined it around the other two as well and auras appeared around them too.  They were surprised for just a moment, but then returned to their duty.  The guard raised his sword over his head and brought the sword down upon the crown.  There was a sound like a thunderclap and what she swore there was a shriek also.  When she opened her eyes the fields were fading and the men stared at the two halves of the crown, the guard who had stuck looked at her.  ¡°It is enough Kenic.  Thank you.¡±  ¡°It is my honor to serve Hyress.  What shall I do with the remains?¡±  ¡°Place them on the table in my study, I will investigate them later, but first bring me the shard from the Thron.¡± She had figured out that the only way to make the Thron work was to possess this shard that seems to have been carved  out from it.  The chair responded to no songs that were sung at it or near it, only to songs that were sung at this crystal.  ¡°It shall be as you say Hyress.¡±


    He bent down and picked up the two halves, pulled the shard from the place where it had been sitting in the tiara and handed it reverently to her.  He then  walked into the adjoining room.  Ye¡¯tul sheathed his blade as did the other guard, and he turned to look at her.  ¡°Are you alright Hyress?¡±  ¡°I¡¯m fine Ye¡¯tul, thank you.  How long has that thing been here?¡±   ¡°It came with Nisa and the woman.¡±  ¡°Where did they come from?¡±   He looked out the window.  ¡°I do not know my Hyress, she just stepped into the hall of the Thron one day with Nisa, no one saw her enter the Catha Dral, or leave. The woman proclaimed the Eternal had decreed that this girl was Hyress and she would rule us.¡±  ¡°The Eternal?¡±  ¡°The one that made everything, he dwells far from this world. The woman said that he speaks to her, she is his herald.¡±  ¡°Does the woman have a name?¡±  ¡°She just referred to herself as the Herald.¡±  Ali looked toward the window.  ¡°Who is she¡­Oh no, could it be that woman from my Night Terror.¡±  She began to shiver and break into a cold sweat.  Ye''Tul drew a blanket from the bed and wrapped her in it.


    ¡°Ha¡­Hyress?¡±  came Nisa¡¯s voice from the door.  Alianna looked that way and saw the girl with a cart of food and two more guards with a large copper tub full of hot water between them.  ¡°All is well Nisa.¡± She turned to look at Ye¡¯tul. ¡°Can the door be repaired?¡±  Ye¡¯tull looked at the door.  The hinges were bent.  ¡°It will take time Hyress, I am sorry.¡±  ¡°It is fine Ye¡¯tul.  Take the tri fold screen from my room and place it in front of the door.  Just make sure no one comes in except Nisa.¡±  ¡°No one else will come close Hyress.¡± With that he turned on his heal and motioned to the other two guards.  They picked up the screen and walked backward out off the room placing the screen firmly behind them.  ¡°Ye¡¯tull, one more thing, have four golden crystals, and three clear brought to me.  The finest ones you can find, they must be thin, like knife blades and a worker of metal I need something made from gold.¡±  ¡°I will seek them out myself Hyress¡±  Came his voice from the other side off the screen.


    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    Alianna let out a sigh of relief.  Slowly she remembered Nisa.  ¡°While I bathe and eat, you will tell me everything you know about the crown and the woman who came with you, this Herald.¡±  Alianna left no doubt in her voice that she meant everything.  Alianna saw Nisa begin to tremble, but she bowed nonetheless as Alianna walked to her.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know her name Hyress, that is the truth, she never told me.  She raised me since I was a baby,¡±   ¡°What did you call her then?¡±  ¡°Herald.¡± Nisa said simply.  Alianna looked at her.  ¡°Do you love her?¡±  ¡°I respect her Hyress. She was very harsh with me often, so much so, that love would be a hard emotion to attach to her.    I¡­.I am not sure I know even what  love truly is Hyress,  I don¡¯t even know if I can love.¡±  She said sullenly.  ¡°We all have the ability to love Nisa.  Watch how I care for Emily, and you will learn.¡±  ¡°Yes Hyress.¡±   ¡°This woman calls herself the Herald, can she sing the stones?¡±  ¡°Oh yes Hyress, she is a master of singing and controlling the power of the stones, she creates things that can make the stones produce their effects without singing.  She does this  through her knowledge of them and of this world.  Those undergarments, along with other items,  she trades them to us for food and other items.¡±  ¡°She comes here?¡±  ¡°Yes Hyress, once every sixty lightnings sometimes more, sometimes less.¡±   ¡°Days you mean.¡±  Nisa looked quizzically at her as she said that.   ¡°Nevermind.¡±  ¡°She will be coming soon then?¡±  Yes Hyress, there are not many more¡­. days till we expect her¡±  She said spitting the unfamiliar word from her lips.


    Alianna nodded.   After her bath Alianna sat down to the bowl of broth that waited for her.  She looked at her reflection in the dark liquid.  She approved of that crown no longer being on her head.  She saw, in the reflection Ye¡¯Tul standing behind her.  ¡°I have procured the crystals as you wished My Hyress.¡±  She turned and looked up at him, crystals in his left hand, and she smiled.  She took them from him and stared at them.


    She looked back at him and that was when everything began to move in slow motion.  Movement caught her eye as she transitioned her view from the crystals to him. A man was leaping out of a split in the fabric of reality.  He bore a black crystal dagger that shone with a dead light.  He was raising it back to plunge it into Ye¡¯Tul¡¯s back.  She saw Ye¡¯tul begin to tense, but she saw he would not be quick enough.  With no time to sing, She lunged for Ye¡¯tul, and pulled with all her might.  He moved ever so slowly, but when the dagger glanced off of the shoulder protector of his breastplate instead of his flesh she knew she had saved him.


    Then things went back to normal speed.  She   crashed to the ground and Ye¡¯Tul landed on his right knee and right arm, his sword raised and ready,  He had begun to draw his it as Alianna had  pulled him down. Their attacker crashed into the table.  Just as they began to move to stand up, the man was on his feat and lunging toward them again.   Ye¡¯Tul parried the man''s thrust, an attack meant for her.   As quickly as it was turned aside the dagger sought her again.  Ye¡¯tul began to breath heavily.  The man was faster than anyone either had seen before.  It was all Ye¡¯tul could do to deflect the blade just enough.  Ali saw the way this would go, she had read this story one too many times.  ¡°No!¡± she said.  She began to sing.  The crystals in her hand came alive.  They came together into a glowing blade, she brought the Thron Shard close to the blade and directed the song to them both. Quickly the silvery aura appeared around both her and Ye¡¯tul.  She drove the crystal sword toward the man''s heart, exposing herself, trusting in the strength of the field.  But he parried her thrust, and then one from Ye¡¯tul, as his blade slid off of Ye¡¯tul¡¯s everything went slow again as the man''s blade drove straight for her heart.  In the slow motion she saw the blade slide through her field. It was mere centimeters from her flesh when the blade fell to the floor and the man slumped to the ground,  the handle of a knife from the tabl protruding from behind his ear.  Once more, time went back to normal and Alianna fell to the ground, mere feet from the assailant.  ¡°Ye¡¯tul!¡± ¡°Hyress!¡± they shouted each other¡¯s name at the same time.    ¡°I¡¯m ok Ye¡¯tul.  How, did you stab him?¡±  ¡°It was not I.¡±    They both looked around and then saw Nisa standing by the wall looking at the man as his dead eyes stared at her.  ¡°That was love wasn''t it Hyress?¡± The girl said, still looking deep into the dead man''s eyes.  ¡°You didn¡¯t think for yourself, but threw yourself at the captain in an attempt to save him when you weren¡¯t sure of success.¡±  Ali looked at Ye¡¯tul, then turned back to Nisa. ¡°Yes Nisa, I believe that would be a good description.¡±  ¡°That was  why I ended him, I love you Hyress.  I realized as I saw him trying to kill you that I did not want you not to be here. You see  no one else ever gave me a friend before of my very own, or a bed, or held me when the night horrors come.  I expected your treatment of me these past many days, it has been my life since I was little, but what I did not expect was the kindness you showed me.  Thank you My Hyress.¡±


    Alianna stared at her.  She looked deep into the girl''s eyes, and saw the truth of it. Her heart broke.  She had become just another in a long line of abusers to this girl.  She had become Keri Bellows.  She also knew at that moment that she could trust Nisa, she could trust her completely.    ¡°Thank you Nisa, thank you for your love.¡± She said with a smile.


    She looked the girl up and down and made a decision.  ¡°You will be my first Lady Nisa. There will be others, but you will be the First Lady in Waiting.  You are not my servant any more, but I will ask you to serve me.¡±  Nisa¡¯s mouth fell open and tears fell freely ¡°I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m free¡±  She considered a lifetime in mere seconds, and knew what she would do with her freedom.  ¡°Till I die Hyress.¡±  ¡°Alianna.¡±  ¡°What Hyress?¡±  ¡°Alianna, my name is Alianna.  Here in private you will call me this. In public, it must still be Hyress.¡±  ¡°Yes Hyre¡­Alianna.¡±  She included Ye¡¯tul in this command as she said this.  She could see the struggle on his face with this request, but slowly it subsided and he nodded.


    Alianna rose to her feet, went over and embraced Nisa.  After a moment the girl hugged her back.


    After a few minutes a strong hand touched her shoulder.  She looked over her shoulder at Ye¡¯tul.  He was pointing to where two of his men were drawing back what looked like a curtain exposing a pocket and darkness inside.  She looked at him, nodded, and then looked back to Nisa and placed her forehead on the girls.  ¡°Thank you Nisa.¡±  She whispered.¡± ¡°Thank you Alianna.¡± She whispered back.   ¡°Ali¡±  The girl moved her head back. ¡°I.I don¡¯t understand?¡±


    ¡°Ali, it is what my friends call me.¡±  She gave Nisa one more squeeze and then let go and turned to move toward the tear in reality.  She scooped up the crystals and began to hum, as they started to glow she tossed them into the air and they colaced into a crown, a new tiara for her head, with the purple shard of the Thron in prominence.  The purple aura sprang from it, with a lattice of the silver mixed in, like chain mail armor it covered her.


    She moved in close to examine the rift. As she drew closer she could see that it wasn¡¯t a doorway that led to to somewhere else, but more like a drape.  It was some form of fabric that reflected back the surroundings, completely hiding the one inside.   Alianna shivered at the ramifications of this.  ¡°When did he come in?  It couldn¡¯t have been while I was sleeping, I would have been an easier target, then waiting till both you and Nisa were here.¡±  Ye¡¯tul looked at her and then the rift.   He went and stood beside her.  He peered at the opening and then before she could say anything, he stuck his head in.  She almost shouted his name, but stopped just short, she trusted his judgment.  He then reached in and withdrew a small cube.  It was made of copper with intertwining gold and silver filaments inside.  The firmaments twisted back and forth and she could now see that that the box emitted a very faint, but constant harmonic noise  as soon as it got a few feet from the cloth the illusion went away and standing there was a thin metal frame with a cloth coated in crystals draped over it. ¡°Ye¡¯tul have you ever seen anything like this before?¡±  He looked hard at the box and and shook his head. ¡°No Hyress, I have not, but Maleric is known for his devices that use the song.   He cannot sing the song.¡±  Ali turned to him, disbelief on her face.  ¡°But I¡­I saw him. Heard him sing.¡±  ¡°It is a ruse Hyress.  He has many devices that allow him to manipulate the song.¡±  ¡°Then I have less to fear from him then I thought.¡± She said with a sigh of relief.


    Ye¡¯tul looked at her with concern.  ¡°It is unwise to underestimate your enemy Hyress. Maleric is very cunning, and even though he cannot manipulate the song, he manipulates the devices with a masters skill.¡±  He looked again at the box.  ¡°Something else troubles me Hyress.  I do not believe someone who cannot sing the song could craft a device like this.  He has someone helping him.¡±  Alianna nodded and looked at Nisa.  ¡°Could it be this herald?¡± As she was looking at her something else pooped into her head.  ¡°Ladies in Waiting.¡±  She turned to Ye¡¯tull.  ¡°How long have the women been sitting in the hall?¡±  ¡°All morning Hyress.¡±  ¡°Have they left the hall?¡±  ¡°Not a one Hyress.¡±  Her eyes fell.  ¡° Ye¡¯tul please send a man to the kitchens and inform them I will be eating lunch in the hall and to make enough for everyone.  Send another to the hall and tell them that they may take their ease and leave the hall if they wish, but to stay close so they may attend me when I arrive. Also Ye¡¯Tul, have the Knights go throughout the entire Catha-Dral and stab every wall, every corner with their swords.  I want to be assured that there are no other boxes containing assassins.¡± ¡°Yes Hyress, it will be as you say.¡±  He bowed. Then turned on his heel and left the room.  Ali turned to Nisa.  ¡°We must prepare, I believe the dress with the amethysts in it.¡±   Nisa bowed.  But Ali touched her shoulder, Nisa looked up. ¡°Will you help me put it on?¡±  Nisa smiled.  ¡°Yes Ali.  I will serve you.¡±  Alianna smiled, and nodded her head.


    A half hour later Alianna stood before the doors to the great hall.  Ye''tul and two of his men were escorting her and Nisa.  The doors opened and she took in the scene of the circular tables with about 30 girls and young women sitting at one long table.  There were two empty seats at the table. She entered the room singing the song about the girl Kathy, and the crystals in her hands rose up and circled her head and then the Thron shard flared and bound them together to form a new crown with the Thron shard standing prominent at the front. Alianna moved gracefully and regally over to the table as she approached all the women stood and bowed and stayed that way until she sat down. She sat down in the middle, and Nisa sat with her.  All the women then straightened and sat down.  Many stared at Ali¡¯s new crown and that Nisa wore a gold circlet around her head.


    Alianna looked around at each one and then to Ye¡¯tul.  ¡°Ye¡¯tul, please tell them to bring in the food, and then ensure that no one disturbs us.¡±  ¡°Yes Hyress!¡±  He said and bowed and then went outside the hall.  Within minutes the food was brought in and the places set.  Then the servants left and the doors shut with a resounding thud.  Alianna looked at all the girls sizing each one up.  She paused when she saw the wide eyed girl from last night.  When the girl saw her looking she bowed her head.  ¡°What is your name.¡±  ¡°Cla¡­.Clara,  My Hyress.¡±  ¡°How goes the work, on what we asked for last night Clara?¡±  The girl began to respond with her head still down.  ¡°Please look at us when You speak!¡± The girls face shot up, reddening.  ¡°The first one is underway Hyress.  The hunters have gone out to find game to provide the leather.  We have enough on hand to make five right now.¡±  Alianan nodded.  ¡°Good.  You will not be working on that any longer.¡±  The girls face paled.  Alianna continued. ¡°You will be staying here with us.  I have called you all here for a reason, but I will tell that reason to only five more of you.¡±


    She spent the next hour going round the table and asking each one certain questions she had read in a magazine, questions designed to reveal certain warning flags about a potential boyfriend. She was going to have to trust the five girls she chose with a lot and so she felt that the same parameters to a relationship should apply here also.  She had altered them some, but the theory behind the questions remained.  At the end of the hour there were five  other women there beside Clara and Nisa.  ¡°Now let me explain my desire for you.¡±  Their eyes went wide as she elaborated.  When she was finished all of them swore loyalty to her, to serve her.  She presented each with the purple sash and the silver circlet.  She had her Ladies in Waiting.


    Later that night she sat at the desk in her study staring intently at the three objects that lay before her.  The two halves of the crown lay to her left, and the black crystal dagger to her right, and the cube in the middle.   She had never seen a black crystal before, and something made her skin crawl as she peered into its inky depth.  When she looked at the tiara, she could see the silvery metal with gold and copper wires sticking out of the severed end.  ¡°How is she making these machines, this Herald, it''s like making an iPhone in medieval Europe?¡±   She turned her attention back to the dagger.  She took a deep breath, and then sang softly to herself.  The new Tiara she had made came together on her head and then covered her in the purple and silver aura, her Chainmail as it were.  She extended it so that it was further out from her body.  She moved it toward the dagger and the dagger pushed away from the field like any normal weapon.   She tried to sing a sorrowful note at the black crystal, but it did nothing, and the field still pushed at it.   ¡°Alianna, you shouldn''t take such risks, we don''t know what that is.¡± came Ye''Tul''s voice from behind her.  ¡°Believe me Ye''Tul, I understand the risks, but our time is very short. This woman is coming here soon. We need information about her and no one seems to have it.¡±  She heard him sigh.  ¡°I know Alianna, it just saddens me that there are things that I cannot protect you from.¡±  She turned and looked up at him.  ¡°I''m still here Ye''Tul, so let''s not worry about things that haven''t happened yet.  There isn''t anything you have failed to protect me from.  A lesser man would not have been able to parry his attacks.¡±  He laughed softly. ¡°Your compassion grows Alianna, you have eased my concern greatly, but I must still devote myself to more training, to be more prepared.¡±  She was about to respond, when she thought better of it.  If this helped him be more alert, maybe it would be best, she just hoped it wouldn''t become a weight to him.  She turned back to the items at hand.  ¡°That man, Ye''Tul, was it the same one from that group of people? The same one who didn''t bow as low as the others that day? ¡°  ¡°Yes, Hyress, he was a spy and assassin for someone, but  I¡¯ve not yet been able to determine who.¡±  ¡°Did the healer have anything to say about that man?''  He shook his head.  ¡°Nisa placed the knife right where the skull meets the neck, death was instantaneous.  The only thing odd that he found about the man was that his Tattoos had crystal dust mixed in with the ink.¡±  She looked back at the dagger.  ¡°That must be it.  That must be why he was so fast and the dagger pushed through my shield, his very skin was laced with crystals and this must make him and the dagger more powerful.  I can''t even sing to make the dagger work. It must require these tattoos.

 Chapter 18. As the Deer…

    ¡°As the Deer pants fort the water brooks, so my soul pants for you, O God.¡±


    -Psalm 42:1


    Jaius stood with Maleric as the young woman reported to him.  Alise and Lorna stood about ten feet behind them with their heads close together.  ¡°¡­Beslin was killed by the former Hyress.  His dagger was just about to pierce Alianna''s heart and the former Hyress killed him.  Theric is in the dungeons, I have not seen him for weeks.   It is only I that remains now master, what are your wishes?¡±  Jaius noticed that the girl had very large, wide eyes. She looked too innocent to be one of Malerics spy''s, but, he shrugged mentally, he supposed those were the best kind.    Maleric hurtled the stone he had been holding at the nearby tree.  ¡°Is that all!¡± he grated through clenched lips.  ¡°The new Hyress, she plans to disguise herself.  She has named myself and six others as her Ladies in Wanting.  What  we are waiting for I know not?  Her main goal in this is that one of us will be disguised as Hyress and she will walk as one of the ladies.  It is a way to protect herself.  Beslin exposed the threat to her life with his failure.¡±


    Jaius had a mental picture of himself slapping himself in the forehead. ¡°I never should have told her that story.¡±  ¡°This girl is resourceful, and far too smart.  We must move up our plan.  I will kill her and raise the Catha-Dral to the ground ere this month be over and the Herald returns.  Now, if that is all, return quickly before you are missed.¡±  The girl bowed and hurried away.  Jaius looked after her.  Far below, in the valley, he could see the structure they called Catha-Dral.  ¡°Ali¡± he thought.


    ¡°Come Jaius!  We have work to do.¡±  Jaius quickly turned away and hurried after Maleric.  Alise and Lorna were just steps behind him.  He still couldn¡¯t believe how in shape he was in this world.  All the running and lifting he had been doing has started to define his muscles.  He wasn¡¯t Schwartzenager but it was still far more than he ever thought he''d have.   Within an hour they were walking through the gates.   Maleric turned to face him.  ¡°These Horuses.  How will she use them again?¡±  ¡°Most likely she will place men on their backs.  The men will have swords and shields, possibly lances.¡±  ¡°Lan-ces?¡±  ¡°They are long poles with spear points on the end.¡±  Jaius grabbed a nearby stick of wood from a pile, and placed it under his arm.  ¡°The man holds it under his arm and braces it as so.  He then charges forward on the Horuse and the speed and weight of the beast and his own weight and strength thrust the lance through an opponent.  Armor can''t stop such a  thrust.¡±


    Maleric looked at the walls.  ¡°How do you defeat them?¡±  ¡°Pikes and Arrows.¡±  Maleric looked at him with brows furrowed. ¡°A pike is a pole with a spear tip at the end.  It''s between 12 cubits and 20 cubits long.  A bow is a curved wood frame joined by a cord. The Arrow is a very small spear that is launched from the bow. It is an effective defensive weapon from walls.¡±  Maleric nodded.  ¡°You will go to the craft maker and instruct him.  I want these weapons produced as quickly as possible.¡±  ¡°Yes sire, I will go now.¡±  Maleric nodded and turned to enter the main building.  Jaius turned to look at Lorna and Alise, and saw Alise looking at him, that Blue eye almost condemning him for his betrayal.  Which actually may not have  been what she was thinking, but it was what he felt well up in him.  An overwhelming guilt.  Maybe because it looked too much like Ali¡¯s blue eye looking back at him.  He sighed and  then turned back to Maleric.   Ever since the girl had revealed that Ali was using the Queen Amidala ruse, a plan had begun to form in his head, one that could end Maleric and save them all, or at the very least keep Maleric from killing Ali and her people.  ¡°Father.¡±  Maleric stopped and turned to look at him.  Jaius moved closer to Maleric but stopped a few feet away.


    ¡°Another option has come to my mind in regards to this Hyress and her people.  I may have a way for them to be brought under your control that will be a lot less costly in time, material and men.¡±  Maleric looked him up and down and then said ¡°Proceed.¡±  ¡°What if  I were to go there with you and offer an alliance through marriage to this Hyress.  If she agrees then I would be in a position to make sure your interests are protected, and if she does not agree then we will already be inside and will have forces hiding outside the village that can reinforce us.  Either way, you will have control over her and the Catha-Dral.¡±


    Maleric didn''t show any indication on his face what he thought of Jaius''s plan.  He studied him for a moment, and then smiled.  It was the type of smile that sent a chill down your spine.  ¡°You are full of ideas my Son, yes, this one pleases me also, and it can be worked to fit my goal.¡±  Something in the way he said  ¡°goal¡± set Jaius on edge.  He stopped at that point. ¡°I will make the needed preparations. We will go there three nights from now.  Make sure you are ready.  One more thing.  Still go to the crafter and show them how to make those weapons you mentioned, just in case I change my mind.¡±  He said with a menacing smile.


    Jaius nodded to him, his hope deflating at Maleric¡¯s indication of a possible change of mind As Maleric eyed him for a moment and then  turned and left them.  He turned and went back to Alise and Lorna.


    As they walked toward the craftery, Lorna looked at him.  ¡°Jaius, you know with what you told him, Maleric may kill your friend.¡±   Jaius''s shoulders slumped just a little as the statement hit him and the guilt pressed him down. ¡°I know, I have to tell him the truth though, He can hear it if someone lies. I lied to him once, at the feast, the day he made me his son.  He placed me on some machine which stretched me and tore at my muscles.  I just need to hope that Ali can stay one step ahead of him.¡±   ¡°You love her don¡¯t you?¡±  He stopped and looked at Lorna. ¡°We heard what you said to Maleric, you love this Hyress, and desire to marry her also?¡±  The question hung in the air with many other questions floating inside it.  A wave of emotions came flooding through Jaius''s mind and he had no time to sort them through.


    ¡°She is my best friend and close as a sister....¡± he shook his head. ¡°Yes, I love her.    Wouldn¡¯t you risk it all for Alise?¡±  Lorna blushed and looked down.  ¡°Yes. I¡¯m sorry for what I said, this odd emotion came over me.¡±  ¡°It''s jealousy, and it''s natural.¡± ¡°Jello-usy?¡±  ¡°Yes, it is when you get mad when someone gets it in their head that they can take something that you consider yours.¡±  ¡°Oh Jaius, I¡¯m¡­so sorry, I ¡­I would never think to claim you as mine.¡±  ¡°But you did Lorna.  And that is okay, I value honesty, to be honest in return  I want you both with me, and I don''t want that to change, but I also want to save Ali and have her with me so  somehow she will be a part of all this and so I would say just give her a chance.¡±  They both nodded in acceptance.  ¡°It is not uncommon for Men to have more than one wife, Jaius, so this is acceptable to us.¡±  Alise said as if it was the most common thing in the world.  ¡°If you love her as you say, then I''m sure we can all be together.  Thank you for being honest, you are truly a good man.¡±  Said Alise with a smile.     She took her sister''s hand and they both smiled  and then began walking toward the craftery.


    He watched them go, and for a minute stood there watching them. Her last statement to him, echoed in his head.  ¡°Three wives?¡±  The Pious side of him latched on and began wrestling with him.  ¡°Two months ago a girl wouldn''t even look at me and now I''m thinking about having three wives?  What is going on? Who am I becoming?¡±  Fear from years of Catholic upbringing assaulted his mind.  One wife was  okay, but more than one was not. But along with that came a feeling of resentment to those statements. ¡°Isn''t life more important?  If I don''t marry them, Lorna will die and Alise will be sent to a horrible fate, a hell on earth.  And if I don''t marry Ali, and try to end Maleric, or at the very least quell him, then she and all her people will be destroyed.¡±   After a minute or two of this internal war the Catholic sentiments began to recede, and the idea of doing whatever he had to to preserve life replaced it.  He looked out on the compound and the large wall that surrounded it and then down to his clothes and the sash that he wore.


    ¡°I can barely remember the earth and my life there, and yet it has only been a few months¡±  Images of his mom and dad, his sisters floated before him.  He looked at the images for a long moment, then shook his head and walked forward. ¡°They will move on and be okay without me.  I was more a burden to them than anything else. Those two and Ali have become my life, I don¡¯t want that life back on earth.  Here, no one can bully me. Except  maybe Maleric, but that is only for a time. After a few moments of trying to make this cement in his mind, he couldn''t fully remove his longing to see his family again.  Maybe that too will fade with time.  He had noticed that when he left the compound with Maleric on these journeys to hear reports from his spies, the hardness of his heart and his closed off emotions seemed to lessen.   Now, back in the compound,  he could feel the harness returning, and as if the realization had exposed a deep internal conflict, he now felt it as a war between who he was before and who he is becoming.  Not the Pious Jaius, but just Jaius, the kid who ran after Alianna because she was a damsel in distress, the one who wet himself when the tiger showed up,  not the warrior who bested Jekk.  The struggle between the two came to the fore as the stronger Jaius seemed to draw a hardness and power from this place.


    ¡°Jaius, come on.¡±  They both said with smiles on their faces as they stood there waving at him.  The wind had picked up and it was blowing their hair to the side and the sashes it was blowing straight.  He smiled slightly, pushed this new internal conflict down until later,  and then jogged over to them.   They walked behind him like they always did, but not too far.  He was  lost in his thoughts about them and so did not hear the noise the  animals made until they were walking near the pik pen.   The smell brought him out of his thoughts.  He wrinkled his face and was about to walk on when he saw movement.  One oddly shaped pile of mud stirred and groaned. At first he thought it was a Pik, but as he stared at it he realized it was a human. It was Jekk.  Jaius stared at him.  He was covered in filth, and also laying in it, he was sleeping in it.  A small spark of light flickered inside Jaius. As the empty eye sockets and mostly empty teeth sockets stared up at him.


    Something bit him on the inside, something painful and deep, almost burning like a snake bite.  He remembered being bitten once, non poisonous, but it still burned.  This felt like that, except ten times worse.  It wasn¡¯t the conflict between the old and new Jaius, it was something deeper.  It was Jekk.  He had done this to Jekk and there wasn''t a medicine or band-aid for it, he had ruined Jekk''s life and there was no fixing it.  He felt it in his heart, that burning, he had sinned.  The statement shocked him. That Catholic upbringing raged to the forefront of his mind once again.  His hatred for bullies, hatred for Jekk, he had given into it.  He had even found a sick joy in being the one on the giving end of the punches.


    ¡°Isss thheerr som..somsthing I can do for you mys lord?¡±  Jekk said in a raspy voice and slurred speech.  Jaius cringed.  ¡°No, nothing right now...Jekk.¡±  The smile Jekk gave him sent chills through him, not just because of the disfigurement of his mouth, but the realization that Jekk had found joy that Jaius had used his name.  ¡°Mys lord honnorssss mee by the use of mysname¡±.  Jaius couldn''t take it anymore.  He tore his eyes from Jekk and ran toward the stairs that led up to the top of the wall.  He stopped and laid his arms on the wall and buried his head in them.  Tears came, but they were no comfort to him this time, they just burned like acid leaking out of his eyes.  ¡°What have I done?¡±  He cried.


    ¡°Jaius¡±  Alise said softly and he felt two hands touch his back and slowly caress it.  ¡°Jaius, what''s wrong?¡±  ¡°I did that to him Alise.  I know that he would have done the same or worse to me, but I had him beat, I didn''t need to sweep his leg, to finish him off like that.  I could have held back.  Now he''s ruined and there is no fixing it.  I let my rage fill me, my hatred of bullies and I took it all out on him, I sinned Alise, I''m thinking it is a mortal one too.¡±  She looked confused. ¡°I''m sorry Jaius, I don''t understand these words, bully, sin¡±.  He turned to look at them.  ¡°A bully is someone who makes fun of or torments someone who is weaker then they are and does this for their own selfish reasons.   I had all this rage in me and I needed somewhere to put it and so I placed it onto Jekk.  I didn''t care anything about him, just my own hurt.  A sin is an action that we take that goes against what God has said not to do.¡±  She seemed to be understanding but then looked confused again when he mentioned God.  ¡°God, who is God?¡±  ¡°He is the one who created the whole universe, my world and this world that we are in right now.¡±  ¡°She thought a moment, but it was Lorna who answered. ¡°You mean the Eternal.  He is the one who created our world, but no one has heard from Him for a long time, at least, we have not heard from him.¡± Jaius thought about that for a minute then nodded. ¡°Both are probably the same, the Eternal is probably how God is known on this world.¡± Jaius replied.  ¡°Jaius¡± Alise said.  ¡°You keep mentioning our world, and your world.  Are you saying that you aren''t from this world?¡±  He shook his head. ¡°I''m not from this world Alise.  The Hyress, Alianna, and I were by a creek on our world and all of a sudden this strong wind came upon us and when it ended I lost all contact with our world.  We are  not supposed to be here, but we are.¡±


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    Lorna looked at him with light in her eyes.  ¡°That is pic wash Jaius, you are most definitely meant to be here.  If you weren''t here my sister and I would be without hope, bound to be used by Jekk and his friends.  You saved us from that Jaius, and I believe you will save us from Maleric.   Perhaps it is even the Eternal who brought you and Alianna to us.¡±  He stared at her as what she said filtered in and brought thoughts to his mind that he had not considered before.  ¡°Could God have brought us here? But why another world?¡±  Thinking about God brought that burning feeling in his heart to a new level.  It was like the burning had replaced something that had been there his whole life.  A presence,  he felt separated now from it.  His heart panted after it, like a man who is lost in the dessert pants for water, as a ¡°Deer...¡± he said out loud, a mournful note in his voice.  ¡°A deer Jaius?¡±  Alise said to him confused. ¡°There are some in the woods if you wish to go hunt them.  I will go get Ruk, Lak, Selak to go hunting with.¡± Jaius shook his head and motioned for her not to go. ¡°I''m sorry, Alise, I wasn''t thinking of hunting Deer, I just remembered something written in a book where I come from. As the Deer pants for water, so my soul pants for you Oh God.¡±  ¡°That is beautiful Jaius, what does it mean, my soul pants for you oh God?  Is it about the Eternal?¡± said Lorna her eyes widening. ¡°If this Eternal is the same person as the one we call God, then yes.  I think it means that our souls, our inner self, is thirsty for God, just like a deer is thirsty for water.¡± He said as something began to dawn on him.  ¡°How do we get the Eternal to fill us Jaius?¡± Said Alise.  ¡°I..I don''t know, maybe go to church and confession a lot more, and pay attention.¡±  Pieces fitted together in his mind as he said this.  ¡°What is Church?¡± Said Lorna.  ¡°It is a place where people go to worship God.¡±  ¡°Then perhaps the Eternal departed our world and went to yours.  He must have grown displeased with us.¡± Alise said sullenly.  ¡°If they are the same person, then he is everywhere at once, and not limited to one place, or time.¡±  Lorna''s eyes grew wide as she tried to comprehend that.  ¡°Why doesn''t he stop all of this then, all of this suffering?¡±  Said Lorna looking down at the barns in the corners of the compounds. ¡°I..I don''t know for sure. I know that we were told that when we sin it is our fault and that we need to do a good deed or say a prayer or go to a priest to have the sin removed, maybe there just aren''t a lot of good deeds or prayers going on here?¡±  ¡°There definitely aren''t.¡± said Alise following her sister''s gaze.  Jaius put his hand on both their shoulders.  ¡°Maybe we can do a good deed.¡±  He also thought that maybe it would bring back that connection he had seemed to lose.  He realized that this was the first time he truly, deeply felt like he had sinned.  He ruined another person, and there was no rationalizing it and there was no fixing it, he had ruined Jekk.  It was this acknowledgment that seemed to bring the separation into focus. ¡°I need to find God!  Alise, Lorna, will you help me?¡±  They looked at each other with uncertainty, but looked at him together and nodded.  ¡°We don''t know God or the Eternal Jaius, but we will help you find him if we can.  We would like our souls filled also also as the Deer fills his stomach with water.¡±


    ¡°Alright then, we''ll find him together.¡± He smiled a small smile, it was the best he could do with the weight on his heart. ¡°Right now though we need to get to the craftery and show them how to make those weapons, Tonight though, I want to bring some broth to Jekk, and some pudding.¡±  They both looked a little shocked, but then nodded their heads.  ¡°We will do a good deed to him.¡± Lorna said with a smile. ¡°Yes, and every night that we can. Maybe God will forgive us.¡±


    He pushed off from the wall and led them to a large building with smoke billowing from the chimney.  After giving the instructions to the chief crafter, he and Alise and Lorna went back to his room to plan on how to get Jekk some broth each night.   They had decided that Lorna would go to the kitchens between meals and tell the cook that Jaius was still hungry and he had asked for a bowl of broth.  Then Jaius would pull Jekk into the barn and give him the broth.


    The next day between meals Lorna went to the cook and requested the broth for Jaius.  The woman, who was a small woman, but could wield her wooden spoon as well as any man with a spear, looked at her.  Her piercing eyes boring into her own.  Lorna shrunk back, as most did, under that gaze.  ¡°Still hungry huh? Do I not feed my master proportionately at meals?¡±  She said with indignation  ¡°He..he said it is because of the extra practice he is having with the guards, the work makes him hungrier.¡±


    ¡°Hrmph'''' said the woman as she slapped the wooden spoon she held in her hand down into her palm.  ¡°Very well disgraced one, I will fetch it for the master.¡±  She said as she spit at Lorna''s foot and turned to the large kettle that was set in the fireplace.  A tear ran down Lorna''s cheek when the woman said that, but she held it together, and wiped away the tear before the woman turned back.


    ¡°Here¡± the cook said, thrusting a clay jar with a stopper on it into her hands. ¡°So the master''s broth does not get cold.  Now, leave my Kitchen before your disgrace slides off onto it.¡±  Lorna bowed, more slightly then she normally would have to someone else and turned and walked briskly from the Kitchen.


    When she returned Jaius smiled at her when he saw the jar.  His smile lessened when he saw her face.  ¡°Lorna, what''s wrong, did the cook give you the broth?¡±  ¡°Yes, she did, I''m sorry Jaius, I am happy your plan worked, but the cook also gave  her opinion of me, of being disgraced, and it still stings.¡±  He got up and gave her a hug.  ¡°They won''t call you disgraced for long, or you.¡± He said, turning to Alise.  They both smiled at him.


    ¡°I''m going to take this to Jekk.  Can either of you make a bird noise?¡±   They looked at him for a moment with confusion. ¡°It''s a small animal that flies and usually sits in trees and makes a high pitched sound.¡±  Lorna was the first one to brighten up and then she made a noise that he thought sounded like a bird.  ¡°That was pretty good Lorna.¡± he said smiling.  She smiled back at him.  ¡°I love listening to them in the morning.¡±  He smiled again at her.  ¡°I do too, I am just not good at making the noise.  Stand near the barn, but try to stay out of sight.  If you see someone coming, make that noise. It will let me know that I need to leave.¡±  Lorna nodded and then Jaius took the jar and they left and headed to the Pic pen.


    When they got there Jekk was just filling up the last Pic troth.  Jaius looked around, but didn''t see anyone, and then went to the barn door and opened it.  ¡°Hey Jekk.¡± he said to the young man.  Jekk turned to look at him and smiled his broken smile and waved. ¡°Could you help me with something in the barn.¡±  Jekk hesitated, fear seeming to come over him. ¡°Its okay, I just need help emptying something.¡± Jaius said.  After a few moments hesitation, Jekk put down his bucket and went into the barn and then Jaius closed the door.   He looked at Jekk, and the burning in his heart worsened.  He was covered in filth, and in the confines of the barn Jaius could definitely smell him, his mouth was full of broken teeth and he had deep sockets covered by skin where his eyes used to be.  He seemed to be able to find you with his ears though.   ¡°Jekk, I wanted to say I''m sorry for what happened to you.  I..I didn''t mean for all this to happen.¡±  Jekk looked confused at first but then he nodded his head.  ¡°iss oksay Jiass. I would have done worsss to you if you hadn''tss sssstopped meess.¡±  ¡°Even so, I wanted to bring you something.¡±  He handed him the jar and took off the stopper.  ¡°Here, it is some warm broth, I''m not sure if they have fed you, but I wanted to bring it to you and want to do so every day.¡±  Jekk, smiled his broken smile and his face made a gesture like crying.  ¡°Whys Jiass? Whys risskss yourselvss for meess?¡±   ¡°Becasue, you don''t deserve all of this and it is my fault, and I wanted you to have something good.¡±


    Jekk looked at him and if he had had eyes Jaius imagined that they would be open wide in shock. ¡°I''ss nesser hersed anysonses talk likes thiss beforess Jaiusss. Nose onese carress aboutss anyoness elsess arounds heress.¡±


    Jaius cringed a little at those words and reflected on how much he had been walking that same road of self-centeredness and not caring about others. ¡°Maybe that can change a little.¡± said Jaius ¡°Go ahead Jekk, have some before it gets cold.  ¡°Jekk looked down and slowly lifted the jar to his mouth.  He drank long from it and when he finally lowered it he smiled his broken smile.  ¡°Thanks youss Jaiusss, I wwon''ts forgestss thiss.¡± Jaius had no more words, the self loathing he had with what he had done to Jekk was starting to overwhelm him.  He reached out and clasped Jekk on the shoulder and then walked out of the barn.  He walked around the corner and saw Lorna look up at him.  Her mouth opened to say something but then she shut it when she saw the tears running down his cheek.  She reached out and grabbed his hand and gently led him back to his room.


    Alise looked up at them as Lorna opened the door, her mouth opened too, just as her sister''s had, but then shut just as quickly.   Jaius mechanically let Lorna lead him to the bed and he sat down next to Alise as Lorna sat on the other side of him.  Jaius buried his face in his hands. Each sister placed their arms around him and just held him for quite a while. Finally Alise said softly  ¡°Jaius, what happened, why are you so sad?¡±  He lifted his face with his tears still fresh on it and looked at them both.


    ¡°I..I have sinned, and it is a bad sin, and I thought by doing a act of contrition it would take away the sin, but it hasn''t.  I feel...even more sinful now and it won''t stop.  It burns in my heart but there is also an emptiness.¡±  Both sisters looked at each other and then back to Jaius.  ¡°We have felt something similar Jaius.¡±  Said Alise lowering her eyes and voice.  ¡°When you first came here and we saw you in the pic pen we really didn''t think anything of you, we were so focused on pleasing Jekk hoping beyond hope that he would choose us and save us, that we barely noticed you, and when he began making fun of you we joined in, honestly still not really seeing you, but just so desperately wanting to please him.  Now looking back, and seeing how good you are and how you thought of risking yourself to save us, there is like a burning here in our hearts.  We were so mean to you and didn''t help you, yet you are willing to risk yourself to save us, even when we did nothing for you, it is really amazing, and yet it hurts our hearts and we can''t stop the hurt.¡±


    He looked at them both and nodded.  ¡°What I said earlier about the deer panting is like our souls panting for God, I think that is what is happening to us.  We''ve all sinned, and been separated from God, and our souls are panting for him.¡±  Lorna looked up at him, her eyes searching him. ¡°How...how do we fix it Jaius, how do we have our souls filled with the Eternal, I mean God.¡±  He stared back at them.  ¡°I..I don''t know.  Where I come from the Church tells us what to do and we do it, and as long as we do it good enough and stay within the group of the church then God will let us into heaven because Jesus died for us, but here in this place where there is no church or priest or sacraments, I...I don''t know if there is a way for these sins to be forgiven.¡±  All the hope that had been in their eyes seemed to leave.  After a moment though,  Lorna perked up and asked.  ¡°Jaius, who is Jesus? You mentioned that He died for us and because of that God lets us into heaven, also what is Heaven?¡±  Jaius took a deep breath.  ¡°Well, Jesus is God''s son and God sent him to earth to die on a cross and then he rose from the dead. Because he did this the Church has been formed so that as long as you do what the church says and stay a part of it you won''t be sent to Hell.  Heaven is where God lives and you won''t ever die there, although you will spend forever signing songs and being at Mass forever, but the alternative is Hell which is a place of fire and torture that you can never leave.¡±  Lorna lost a lot of her zeal at this and also confusion played across her face.  ¡°I don''t know what Mass is, but what you seem to be saying is that The Eternal sent His son to your world to die and then he rose from the dead which I have never heard anyone doing, but then you say because of this this group known as the church has the ability to keep you from going to Hell and get you into Heaven where God is.  And even though you seem to think this heaven will be boring, it is far better than suffering in this Hell?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡±.


    ¡°So Heaven could be like our lives here at the camp, it is fairly boring, but we are at least not suffering, where Hell would be like the barns, pain and torture and not being able to escape.¡±


    Jaius thought for a moment and then nodded.  ¡°I guess that is a good way to think of it.¡±


    ¡°Maybe the Eternal has left some way for us to find him on this world¡±  Alise said with a little glimmer of hope.  ¡°Maybe.¡± said Jaius.  ¡°But we are going to need to get free of Maleric if we want to go find it.¡± Jaius said very softly. ¡°Maybe once you marry Alianna and us we will have more freedom.¡± Alise said.  It seemed to be a struggle for both of them to say Alianna''s name and he didn''t think it was because it was difficult to pronounce.  ¡°Let''s hope so.  All I know is, if we die with this Sin on us, we won''t be getting into Heaven.¡±  Now fear fell upon them all as all three looked out the window to the barns  at the corners of the compounds

 Chapter 19: A Proposal.

    ¡°I know you often wondered why I suggested this to Maleric, but It sounded like the only way to save everyone at the time.   Looking back, a dinner party probably would have turned out the same result.¡±


    - A letter from Jaius to Ali.


    The sweet music of the birds filled her ears as light streamed in through the windows.  Her eyes fluttered open at the sound and were met with morning light illuminating her room.  Alianna lay in her bed trying to hold onto the peace of this moment.  Something inside her heart was telling her, this would be the last peaceful moment for a while.  She drank in the peace that surrounded her. ¡°Hyress.  It sounds like Heiress. So many of their words sound like English with just a little bit of difference.¡±  She shook her head, as if to push the disrupting thought from her mind.  ¡°Is that really what you want to be thinking about right now.¡±  She admonished herself.  Alianna pulled the covers over her head as if to shut out the world that was trying to encroach into her peaceful sanctuary.  Soon Nisa would open the door and help her get ready.  The other ladies would be in attendance.  Jaius had told her the Queen in his Star Wars story would wear elaborate outfits and hairstyles and paint her face so that you couldn''t tell her from the decoy''s.  She hated to think of her ladies in that way, as decoys meant to put themselves in harms way to protect her but that was the purpose of the ruse, and they all had agreed to assume that risk.


    They had spent days coming up with different outfits and hairstyles and ways to paint a face and today was the first time they would try it. Alianna had also spent weeks experimenting with the tiara and the wiering and function of the tiara and the box they powered the invisibility sphere, and with the help of Nisa and different craft people in the village she had been able to recreate the crowns ability to change the hair and eye color of the one wearing it.  But did she do it well enough, Would the people believe them?


    She had pushed her mind and body hard to try to understand the crystals and the devices the woman made because she thought that if she could master them the way the woman had, maybe she could find a way to get them both home.  She had discovered that when she sang at the crystals in the Tiara, and she connected the wires from the crown to the box, the box picked up and mimicked the resonance of her voice and song, and so she found that it kept the effect that she desired going far longer than normal. She had figured out a way to connect the wiring to The Tiara with the box so that it will keep the illusion going.


    She had also learned that the crystals themselves will continue the effect for a time after the singing stops,  the size of the crystal is a determining factor.  The Larger the crystal the longer the effect.  The crystals themselves are like none she had ever seen before either,  they are hard as stone on the outside but as she studied them, when she sang  at them the inside seemed to swim, and move and change.  The effect happened very quickly and could very easily be missed, but the inside of the crystal definitely seemed to shift every time she sang at it.  The Thron was still the big enigma.  The chair itself will do nothing even if many people sang at it, but if you sing at the shard that she always kept with her, the chair will produce the effect.  She had begun to feel that the full power or importance of the Thron had yet to be revealed.


    Nisa would take her  place first, pretending to be the Hyress.  She was her first lady, and she also had ruled from the Thron before, and so would seem to be the most comfortable doing so.  Today was the day they would set this plan in motion.  Only Ye''''Tul would know whether it was Nisa or really Alianna on the Thron.  She breathed deeply, again trying to draw in the very peace from that moment so that she could bottle it up inside her.  The thought that today would start a string of very hard days for her kept pounding in her head.


    And then it came, the sound she had been dreading.  ¡°Alianna, we are all here and ready.¡±  Came Nisa''s soft voice came from the other side of the curtain.  Alianna slowly let out her breath.


    ¡°Un-Childproofed, there couldn''t be a better word for this world.¡± she said softly as she remembered the one lyric from that song Wunderkind.   She pushed herself up and slowly spread the curtain.  There was Nisa along with the other five ladies.  ¡°Good morning Ladies.¡± She said softly, still not wanting to disturb the peace she had felt.  They all seemed to catch the tone in her voice, and even though they didn''t know why she needed it, they all responded in soft voices.  ¡°Good morning Alianna.¡±  It was nice to hear her name spoken to her again.  The more she heard the word Hyress said to her, the more she seemed to become just the Hyress, it was good to be Alianna again.


    ¡°Is everything prepared?¡± she asked.  ¡°Yes Alianna, the seamstresses were up all night completing the outfits and we have all the powder''s and dyes for our faces, but...¡± Nisa''s voice dropped off.  ¡°What is sister?¡± Alianna asked softly.  ¡°What about our hair?  All of our''s is dark as night or red as a flower, yet yours is golden as the sun when it shines through the windows?¡± Alianna was about to respond with the solution she had worked out for this when she paused at Nisa using the word Sun.  ¡°Nisa, how do you know this word, Sun?¡± She said    Nisa looked confused at Alianna''s question but then looked over at the window and smiled.  ¡°Come Alianna and see.¡±  She reached out her hand and Alianna took it.  Nisa led her to the window and pointed up.  ¡°Look Ali, " She said softly, "The windows of heaven are here today, they come around once a month, they can be seen in the sky for about seven days, sometimes less, sometimes more. It is how we mark the months and then the years.  It is a good sign when the sun shines through one,  it means the Eternal is  looking, briefly,  down on us.¡±


    Alianna looked up and saw the great rectangular opening in the sky that she and Jaius had seen above the creek that first night that they had a fire.   ¡°Windows of Heaven, that is what they call it, why does that phrase sound familiar?¡±  There, floating above her, as she thought about it last time also, it did look like a window.  It was a huge rectangle.  Golden light poured out from this opening and bathed the valley in glory.  She put her hand to her mouth.  She had never in her life seen such a beautiful sight, it was even more awesome than when the moon was shining through. As she followed the rays upward there it was, golden and glowing, a star that looked a lot like the Sun on her world, yet this one seemed to waver as if she were seeing it when she was laying at the bottom of a pool.


    The sight was breathtaking and filled her with a sense of joy and hope.   ¡°The true light from your sun hitting the valley makes it stand out as if I had never seen colors before and was just shown them.  It looks a lot like the Sun  from where I am from.¡±


    ¡°Alianna, what do you mean, where you are from?¡±  Nisa said confused.  Before Alianna could answer there was a knock at the door.  ¡°My Hyress, may I come in, it is urgent.¡±  came Ye''tul''s strained voice from the other side.  ¡°Yes captain please come in.¡±  She said in formality not knowing who is on the other side with him.  Ye''Tul entered quickly and then shut the door and walked over to her and bowed.  When he raised back up he looked at her and she could see the great concern in his eyes.  ¡°Ye''tul, what is it. What is wrong?¡±


    ¡°It is Maleric, Alianna, he is crossing the river and heading towards us as we speak.  There are about ten others with him, so I can''t imagine he would attack us with such a small force, but I cannot believe he has good intentions either.¡±  Alianna let shock appear on her face for just  a moment, but then all the Queenly character''s from her stories took over.  Her face became unreadable as she looked around the room, meeting the eyes of each person here.  ¡°We''ve prepared for this, it just looks like we will need to move everything into action without a test run.¡±  She looked at Ye''Tul.  ¡°Ye''tul, get your men ready and have Maleric  held at the gate until we are prepared. ¡±


    Ye''tul nodded and then turned and left the room.  When the door shut, she turned back to Nisa.  ¡°As to your question about hair. I have been laboring to understand the crown that you used to wear,  for it altered your hair color.  I found a way to meld the box that the assassin used to power his invisibility and the way the previous crown was crafted.  I tried it last night and it worked to turn my hair black.¡±  Alianna reached onto the bed and retrieved the new crown she had fashioned.  On the back of it was the box from the assassin''s trap which would be hidden by the headdress part of the costume.  She crawled back out and placed the crown on Nisa''s head.  She then began to sing and the box began to hum and the crystals flashed briefly.  She imagined Nisa''s hair turning the same color as her own.  By now she was able to notice the very slight difference in the harmonic of her note as her mind formed the picture of Nisa with blond hair.   The crystals on the Tiara began to glow and slowly Nisa¡¯s jet black hair turned as golden as Alianna¡¯s and her brown eyes as blue, even her face changed to more resemble Alianna¡¯s.  They waited breathlessly for a minute as the box began to hum and eventually all sighed collectively as it looked like the illusion was going to hold.


    Nisa smiled as she brought her hair in front of her face.  ¡°It is most wonderful Ali, you have such great wisdom and skill, I can''t believe what you were able to do with this.¡±  Alianna blushed very slightly, but then her unreadable mask returned.  ¡°I had a lot of help from some of the crafter''s.  Now, we must hurry and get dressed, we shouldn''t keep Maleric waiting too long.¡±  She looked at Nisa.  ¡°Do you remember how we practiced the lip syncing?¡±  Nisa nodded. ¡°Yes Alianan, I have been practicing in front of the mirror.¡±  Alianna nodded and turned to her massive closet and began to put on the garb of a Lady in Waiting.  Once all the Ladies were clothed with soft leggings and blouses with a light soft pink silken dress over them and a velvet red cloak with a hood to finish it.   They then began  to dress Nisa in the Hyress''s regalia.  A stunning red Velvet gown with red and pink crystals inlaid in it.  Over her shoulders they placed a shimmering pink cloak with a hood that also had pink crystals woven around the outer edges. They then painted her face with white paint and red lips with a red stripe coming down from the middle of her bottom lip and two red dots under her eyes that resembled tears.


    Alianna worked at her tasks as a servant would, moving and acting with reverence.  She remembered what Jaius had said about this Queen in Star Wars, that she didn¡¯t just look like one of her servants, but she also did the duty of a servant by cleaning a robot, but did it with pride and real effort.  This attribute is what had endeared her to this character, this Queen Amidala, that she had not chafed when asked to do a servant¡¯s task.  That is the inspiration that Alianna drew on at this moment.  So much so that Nisa stopped her.  ¡°Ali, you are acting too much as a servant, and you are definitely not a servant, you shouldn''t be doing all that you are.¡±  Alianan looked at her.  ¡°Nisa, I love you as my own sister, I would have no greater joy than to serve you.  But also, I want to never allow myself to feel above someone else again, or let myself think I am above any one of you, or any one else who follows me.  I began to go down that road when I first got here and it nearly destroyed me.  I want no part of worship or acclaim. I want to just be Ali.¡±  Nisa''s mouth dropped open. ¡°I''ve..I''ve never heard anyone say such a thing before. Where are you from Ali, you said you weren''t from here?¡±


    ¡°I come from another world.  Jaius, the boy that Maleric took with him and I were standing by a creek on my world, then a strong wind came and next thing we knew we were on this world.¡±   ¡°I didn''t know there were entire other worlds that you could go to.  How do you get to your world?¡±  A tear leaked out of Alianna''s eye. ¡°I didn''t know there were other worlds either, but I have no idea how to get back to mine.  It was this wind that carried us here and I have no power over that.¡±  Nisa gently wiped away the tear and looked into Alianna''s eyes.  ¡°I will do everything in my power to help you get back there, sister.¡±  Alianna smiled and hugged Nisa.  ¡°Thank you, sister.¡± she whispered.  Soon other arms were around them both.  ¡°We promise this also.¡± All the other ladies had joined in.  They had all become very close these past few weeks.   At this Alianna did cry, tears of joy,  but still tears.   After a few moments they all separated and fixed their faces.  Then Alianna looked at the three other girls who also could sing the stones.  ¡°Remember to imagine the same things as I do, what I drew for you.  Our voices meld well but what we see in our heads needs to also.   Aya and Nara  nodded their heads.  They were sisters, identical twins.  Both had fiery red hair and beautiful voices and could sing the stones.   They were the two that Alianna had seen in the kitchen that first day that she entered the Catha-Dral.  Their hair made them stand out, they had actually been very poorly treated before Ali made them part of her Ladies,  basically working like slaves in the Kitchens.


    She had reprimanded mistress Mol severely, but had not dismissed her over it when she learned that it had been at the orders of Nisa while she was Hyress and under the thrall of this Herald. Nisa had apologized to them also when she realized who they were.  Ali had grown close to them as they practiced together.  Their parents had been killed by Maleric, back when Jukas ruled the Catha- Dral.


    Their parents had hidden them in a small, little used pantry off of the main kitchen in the Catha-Dral, before Maleric caught them and executed them.  They stayed there for days until their food and water ran out and they had to come out.  They  were found by Mistress Mol, trying to get food from the kitchen.   Their parents had made them promise to not sing and reveal their gift, for fear that Maleric would find and take them to those buildings he had built to use the song to power his gadgets.  He tried to take their parents, but they both resisted, and so he killed them and used the excuse of their odd hair color to justify it.  They had heard that Maleric does something terrible to those who can sing the stones, the rumors said it was worse than death.


    Alianna nodded to them.  ¡°Okay, I think we''re ready.¡±  Alianna then turned and looked at Nisa ¡°We await your command, my Hyress.¡± She said, stepping into place next to Clara, the wide eyed girl with the braid in her hair.  She said it with sincere humility and desire to serve.  Nisa still seemed a bit shaken by Ali''s response, but she recovered quickly.  She put on  the regal manner she had worn when she was Hyress and nodded and then walked towards the door, the five other''s spread out two on each side behind her in a staggered formation, and then one in the middle behind the others so the ladies formed a ruby red train behind Nisa as she walked.


    At Nisa''s word the guards on the outside opened the door for them and they entered the hallway.  As they passed them the Guards slapped their fists to their chests in salute.  Two more guards fell in besides them as they descended the steps to the main hall.  They glided through the hall.  As they passed the Thron, Ali looked up at it, and began to sing the song she had sung when she first walked up those steps.  The twins joined her voice, and she knew that Nisa''s mouth was moving unison with theirs. Alianna clutched the Thron shard in her hand which was covered by her long silky sleeve.  The shard in Nisa¡¯s crown was a regular amethyst  crystal that looked close to the color of the Thron.


    The Thron erupted with brilliant violet light.  A large bean of light shot from it and hit the crown on Nisa''s head.  The silver and gold pattern of the Hyress''s chainmail shield formed around her and around all the ladies.  The crystal breastplates and helmets of the guards  next to them crackled and a golden light surrounded them and their swords.  Out in the courtyard Ye''Tul sat on his Horuse which scrapped the ground with its hoof.  He patted the animal on its neck.  A golden glow erupted from the crystal breastplate on his chest, and the crystal tip of his lance sparkled with light.  The crystals on the saddle and skirt of his Horuse also cascaded into a lattice of scale like armor.  He turned to look behind him.  The main doors opened and out stepped Nisa as the Hyress, with the other ladies and guards following behind her.  The armor of the Hyress crackling around her and the other ladies.


    This was a good idea for protecting Alianna and his mind had tried to cover every single contingency, but it was the parts he couldn''t see, the things he couldn''t protect her from that troubled his thoughts day and night.  The morning in her room with the tattooed man burned heavily in his mind.  How could he protect her from what he couldn''t see?


    Nisa walked up to a white mare and climbed up into the saddle, it wasn''t Emily, but another white mare from the herd.  Alianna climbed up on Emily''s back, she hoped that the other white mare looked enough like Emily to fool any of Maleric''s spies, she wasn''t able to part with Emily even for the sake of the ruse.  She rubbed Emily''s neck fondly and the horuese nickered softly.  She had had her fole two weeks ago, Ali had named him Simon after her brother.


    The other ladies also mounted their horuses as did the guards.  Ali and the twins kept singing, but Nisa stopped her lip syncing and said in a loud voice to the guards on the wall.


    ¡°Open the gates so that we may receive our Guest.¡±     Ye''Tul nodded and then turned toward the gates and motioned with his lance.  The Guards on the wall started to pull on ropes as thick as their arms.  Slowly the iron shod wood gates opened.  When they were fully opened Ali looked and saw Maleric dressed in rich clothing with a blue cape that had purple crystals embedded in it and gold worked between them. Almost like a circuit board. A white sash crossed his chest with three gold bands on it. There was a sword at his hip and many pouches attached to a suspender like harness across his torso.  ¡°God, please help us.¡±  Alianna prayed in her head.  Next to him sitting in the grass was Jaius, she almost didn''t recognize him, he had grown almost a foot and he had lost weight but also looked like he had been lifting weights. He wore a similar white sash like Maleric, but his only had two gold bands.  Her heart leapt for joy when she saw him alive and free, but she could not figure out how he was here with Maleric.  Then the joy soured a bit when she saw the two girls with him.  One had honey brown hair that came to her shoulders, the other had red hair. They each wore deep blue sashes with a thin gold line around them.  They stood close to him, a bit too close, Alianna noticed.  ¡°Who are they?¡± She said, her face clouding a bit.  She almost stopped singing but caught herself.


    Maleric began moving forward and motioned with his arm through the gate.  Jaius, the two girls, and seven other armed men began moving towards them. Three of the men, who looked more like Jaius¡¯s age, flanked him and the two girls.   Jaius looked at the sight before him and mentally slapped himself in the forehead.  ¡°I can''t believe she actually took what I told her about Queen Amidala and used it.¡±  He thought to himself.  He saw the blond girl sitting on the horuse, with her face painted.  ¡°If she really did do it then that isn''t Alianna.¡±  He looked at the girls arrayed behind her and saw that three of them were singing besides the one pretending to be Hyress. He looked closely at their faces and after a few moments was able to pick her out even though her head was slightly bowed and he couldn''t see her eyes, he knew it was her.  He marked her in case Maleric did something more than what he had said.  He had told Alise and Lorna to be ready to follow him no matter what happened.


    Maleric stopped about ten yards from the Hryess''s party and looked them over.  ¡°It is very rude to keep guests waiting this long Hyress.¡±  he said.   The blond Girl looked down at him and without emotion on her face or voice replied.  ¡°Nor is it polite to come to us Maleric without forewarning.   If you wished a welcome equal to your status you should have sent a messenger.¡±


    Maleric grinned slightly.  ¡°You speak well Hyress for someone who isn''t from around here.  I remember finding you and my son here by that stream.  It is quite remarkable that you have become so fluent in the song, and leading people in such a short time.¡±   ¡°I have had help from many talented people, Maleric.  How has Jaius come to be your son?¡±


    Alianna almost missed a note when Maleric called Jaius his son.  ¡°His son?¡±  She thought.  ¡°He beat Jekk in a fight, beat him nearly to death.  Can''t have a weakling for a son, so I threw Jekk to the Pic''s and made Jaius my son, and it is a choice I have not regretted.¡±


    Jaius''s emotions were a roller coaster behind the steel mask he had put up to cover them.  His dad had never given him such a compliment before, in one moment he felt elated by what Maleric had said, but then it got mixed with the disgust he felt toward Maleric for all that he had done to him and the people who followed him.


    The Hyress nodded, accepting the answer that was given.  ¡°Maleric, will you, your son, and your party do us the honor of eating supper with us?¡±  Maleric bowed formally and then looked back at the Hyress.  ¡°It would be our great pleasure Hyress, and it will afford me an opportunity to offer a proposal to you that should greatly benefit both our peoples.¡±  A chill made its way down Alianna''s spine.  Something in his voice hinted at more than just a proposal but she couldn''t tell if it was a good thing or bad.


    ¡°Come then,  we shall feast together, but first you will be shown to your rooms where you may rest before the feast.¡±  Said Nisa as she turned her horuse and began to move back toward the Catha Dral.  The ladies turned their horuses in perfect unison with her as did Ye''Tul and his guard. Once they came to the main doors they dismounted and those that cared for the Horuses came and led them back to the corral. The Hyeress and her entourage then entered through the doors.   Three of the guards stayed behind, waiting for Maleric and his party to begin moving.  Maleric looked at them, nodded, and then began to move forward.  Jaius and Alise and Lorna followed along with Ruk, Lak, Selak, who had become his personal body guards and quasi friends, flanking them,  and the other men flanking Maleric.  Once they had moved ten yards the guards came up behind them and followed them to the main doors.


    A few hours later they were led to the main hall where the Hyress''s party had already been seated at a long table, with the Hyress at the head and her ladies on either side and then a man Jaius took to be the Captain of the guard.  Jaius looked beyond them and saw the purple crystal shaped like a chair that had been there last time he had been in this room.  It had changed since then, now it was glowing brightly and rays of energy were coming from it and surrounding the Hyress and her party in protective shields.  The Hyress stood and the rest of her party with her.  ¡°Welcome to the Catha-Dral Maleric, Son of Jukas, Jaius Son of Maleric, and guests.  Please be seated and I will bring in entertainment while we wait for the meal.¡±  The Hyress motioned with her hand to the empty seats.  Maleric bowed his head slightly.


    ¡°Thank you for this great honor Hyress. May this day be a new day for our peoples.¡±  He then went and sat down next to the Captain.  Jaius, Alise, and Lorna sat opposite him and the others filled in the remaining seats.  Jaius stole a glance across the table at the lady that was caddy corner to him. Alianna looked up so briefly he almost missed it, but when he caught her eye, they seemed to stay locked for far longer than a single second.  He could see hope, relief, joy and sadness swimming in her blue eye, and what he thought might be jealousy.  He understood.  ¡°I guess Alise and Lorna would be a surprise to her.¡±   The moment did not last and her eye moved back to the plate in front of her.  The Hyress clapped her hand, and a door in the back of the room opened and twelve men and women walked in carrying instruments.  Jaius''s looked in awe at them.  ¡°Had Alianna taught them how to make and play instruments in two months?¡±  he wondered to himself.


    They sat at chairs along the walls and began to play a soft, happy tune.  It sounded like the one that Alianan had sung many times by the creek, the one from that movie they had watched before they left school that day.  Servants came and filled their glasses with a red liquid.  Maleric always had what Jaius had come to figure out was wine every night at dinner.  It had taken him quite a while to not pass out after dinner, as he really had no choice but to drink it.  When they were done pouring the Hyress lifted her glass toward Maleric.  ¡°A toast to Maleric, son of Jukas honored guest of ours.¡± She lifted the glass to her lips as everyone else from her party lifted their glasses and said in one voice. ¡°Hail Maleric, son of Jukas, honored guest of the Hyress.¡± and they then sipped their drinks.


    Maleric bowed his head for a few seconds then stood and took his glass and raised it.  ¡°A toast to the Hyress may she live forever, may she always sit upon the Thron and guard her lands with the song.¡±  Everyone on Maleric''s side stood and lifted their glasses.  ¡°Long live the Hyress and ever may she sit upon the Thron guarding and guiding her people.¡±  Jaius said the words that Alise and Lourna had taught him along with the others.


    They sat down and the Hyress clapped her hands again and the main doors opened and a small army of servers came in bearing all kinds of food and desserts.  They served the Hyress first, and then Maleric, and then each of the others anything that they desired.


    After they had eaten a while, the Hyress put down her fork and looked at Maleric, who had just clamped his teeth into a large chicken leg.  ¡°Ahem.¡± the Hyress cleared her throat still looking at Maleric.  Maleric disengaged from the leg and placed it back on his plate and wiped his mouth with his napkin.  The Hyress nodded and then looked him in the eyes. ¡°You mentioned a proposal earlier Maleric, we are now ready to hear you on this subject.¡±  Maleric bowed his head and then stood.  Inwardly Jaius gathered his courage. ¡°Please Ali, please play along.¡±  He thought as he looked at Maleric, waiting for his queue.  ¡°If it pleases you Hyress, my proposal is quite simple.  I come with an offer of marriage, My son Jaius to you Hyress.  A union that would see my lands become yours.  All I would ask is to remain as head in my house.¡±  Jaius felt cold inside. ¡°His lands would become her''s? That''s not what he said back at the compound.¡± Jaius looked at him trying to discern the trap Maleric had formulated but could not.  He knew he had to play this out and hope Maleric messed up.


    Jaius stood and bowed to the Hyress.  When he came upright he looked at her.  ¡°I would request the great honor of your hand in Marriage Hyress, for the peace and prosperity of our peoples. That they may grow together and fude no longer.¡± He spoke with a confidence that shocked even him. Two months ago he would have fainted even thinking of asking out a girl, now he is requesting a Queen''s hand in marriage! It did help greatly that it was Alianna.  If she didn''t go for it, Maleric would most likely attack, and with the information Jaius had given him, he would probably win.  ¡°God, please let her go along with this.¡±   The Hyress''s face was unreadable as she looked at them both.  She looked like she was evaluating him like a prized steer up for sale at the farm show.  He saw Ali''s eye flicker up to him again and he caught it.  Her eyes were flooded with fear but slowly seemed to be replaced with resolve.  Her fear seemed erased by something she had seen in his face.  He had hoped she had seen the slight wink of his eye.   After a minute or two he saw the Hyress glance around the table at everyone, when her gaze fell on Alianna, Jaius saw Ali''s head nod ever so slightly.  Her gaze lingered no longer on Ali then on anyone else, but Jaius had caught the signal and the agreement from Ali.  He inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.


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    Alianna''s head began to swim.  She had not been prepared for this.  ¡°Marry Jaius? What am I doing, we can''t get married, we are just kids.¡± She sighed in her head, ¡°What choice do I have right now, I know Jaius isn¡¯t a game player or trickster.  I¡¯ve relied on him with my life on the line more times than I can count.  He has to have a good reason for this. Plus, he is my best friend.¡±  This could also bring peace with Maleric, and the whole area, and at least Jaius would be back with me, that was my whole goal in the first place.We may never get out of here, and I...I don''t think there is anyone else I''d want to spend my life with here.  It really seems we will be here for the duration.¡±  Her attention was turned back to the table as Nisa spoke.


    ¡°We have considered your son  Maleric and your proposal and we are agreeable to this union.  You shall remain as our guests for this week, and at the week''s end, we will marry your son Jaius.  Our lands and yours will become one, and you shall remain as Lord of your house and the land immediately around it.¡±  The Hyress reached her hand holding her glass across the table toward Maleric, Maleric moved his glass out to meet her''s and there was a loud clink as they two crystal glasses met.


    The Hyress sat down and the meal and music continued.  Once the meal was over the Hyress stood.  ¡°We will now retire to our rooms.  Captain, please show our guests back to their rooms.  We would like to speak with the Son of Maleric before he retires.  Will you escort him to our rooms?¡±  The man in the crystal armor next to her stood and bowed.  He then stepped away from the table and motioned to Maleric.  Maleric rose and all his party with him and they followed the man out of the room.


    Once they got to their rooms Lorna and Alise both looked at him with sadness in their eyes.  ¡°We know you have to do this Jaius, but if you marry the Hyress  do you really think that she will agree for us to marry you also, she seems like one who would not accept¡­others?¡± Jaius had noted some of the looks both Alianna and the lady pretending to be her had given Alise and Lorna.    ¡°You will stay here with me once Maleric and the rest leave, I talked to Maleric and he allowed it.  We will be married shortly after.¡±   Relief flooded their faces.  ¡°Thank you Jaius.¡± They both hugged him.


    Just then there was a knock at the door.  The door opened and the Hyress''s Captain stood in the doorway.   ¡°The Hyress wishes to see you now Son of Maleric.¡±  Jaius nodded and looked back at Alise and Lorna.  ¡°Don''t worry, okay.¡±  He assured them and then left the room.   He left the rooms that had been assigned to Maleric¡¯s party. Ruk, Lak, Selak followed him, keeping a constant eye on the Captain, who was also doing the same with them.


    He followed the man down the hall and up a flight of stairs and stopped when he did in front of some elaborate doors.  The Captain knocked and heard Ali''s voice from inside.  ¡°Who is it?¡±  ¡°It is I Hyress.¡±  The Captain said. ¡°The Son of Maleric has come.¡±


    ¡°Show him in Captain and then stand guard outside the door.¡±  ¡°Yes, My Hyress.¡±  The man opened the door and gestured to Jaius inside.  The look that he gave Jaius as he went past him into the room spoke volumes of what would happen to him if anything happened to Ali.   Ruk, Lak, and Selak moved to go with Jaius, but the Captain stood between them and the room. ¡°Peace, my friends, I will find no danger on the other side of this door.¡± Said Jaius as he turned to look at them.  They looked at the Captain, then at him and nodded. They moved back and leaned against the wall.  Jaius nodded to them again and entered the room.


    The door shut and then he turned, just in time to open his arms as Ali ran towards him and hugged him.  He hugged her back and as she began to cry he also felt tears running down his cheek.  ¡°Jaius, oh, Jaius it is so good to see you again.  I missed you.¡±  She said, squeezing him tighter.  ¡°I''m so glad your okay Ali, I missed you very much too.¡±  Memories flooded both their minds.  Days spent by that creek relying on each other to survive.  After a few moments she pulled away with a storm cloud of emotions on her face.  ¡°Not as much as I did, I think.¡± she said,  hurt suddenly replacing her joy as she turned away from him.  ¡°Ali, what do you mean?¡±    She stood with her back to him for a moment that seemed to draw on forever.   Eventually, she shook her head and turned back to face him.    ¡°I''m sorry Jaius, that was wrong of me.¡±  He could still see hurt in her eyes.  ¡°Who, who are those girls with you?¡±  She said quietly.  ¡°They are Alise and Lorna. They were friends of Maleric''s former son Jekk, and when I defeated him they stayed with me.  They would have been horribly tortured and killed if I hadn''t given them my protection.   They have helped me learn what to do and what not to do to make sure that I didn¡¯t get on Maleric¡¯s bad side.¡±  He told her about the barns and about their parents and the fate that awaited them. ¡°I...I promised to marry them in order to protect them.¡±  She almost yelled at him, but the hardness of being the Hyress must have given her a lot of self control, because she instead turned and walked to the doors leading to the balcony and went out and stood there letting the cool night breeze blow away the hurricane that was going on inside her head. ¡°Marry, them?¡±  She imagined Jaius in her head and then imagined her yelling at him, but slowly what he had told her started to filter in.  Maleric, imprisoning people to force them to sing night and day.  Never leaving those beds, forever.  Her heart began to soften toward Jaius. ¡°He did it to save them, and he isn''t actually married yet.¡±


    Jaius stood frozen for a moment, hurt and confusion trying their best to take him over.  But months at Maleric''s had given him a much thicker skin than he had ever had before.  Then he remembered the dinner, and the jealousy he saw in her eyes and he understood.  He moved toward the balcony and placed his hand on her shoulder.  He felt her tense for a moment but then relax.  She turned to face him and  her face began to  soften. ¡°I''m sorry Jaius...I¡±  ¡°Its okay Ali, I understand.  I''m sorry, I never meant to hurt you.  I had to make a decision,  I couldn''t let them be dragged off to those barns and those woods.¡±  She nodded.  ¡°What will happen to them now?¡±  She asked softly.  He looked a bit uncertain and ran his hand through his hair.  ¡°I still need to marry them, after we marry, it was Maleric¡¯s condition for letting them leave his compound.  It is the only way I have to protect them right now.  Maleric offered me one request as a wedding present.  I asked for them and their parents, who are trapped in the barns, to be brought to me here.  They will stay here and be safe, he agreed, his only restriction was that I would need to marry them too.¡±  Again she almost lost it, but now her head was spinning too much to yell at him.  She felt an odd sensation of disgust, and then confusion.  ¡°Marry all of us?¡± All the catechisms she had studied screamed that it was not acceptable, but then her current reality pushed them down.  How many decisions had she had to make while being Hyress that would have had her doing penance for a year at the rectory.


    She took a deep breath and let it out. The realization of the fate that awaited them if she didn''t agree set in and her face softened towards him.  ¡°Jaius what are we doing?  We''re thirteen, how can we get married? I saw you wink at me when Maleric was making his proposal. It''s the only reason I agreed, why did I agree to it?¡±  He shook his head.   ¡°I know it''s a lot to handle Ali and it''s probably confusing, but I didn''t have a choice.  I beat Jekk, Maleric''s real son, but I don''t know if I can defeat Maleric one on one.  He wanted to conquer you Ali, he was devising ways to counter your defenses and they would have worked too, you and your men would have been caught in a trap and a lot of your people and maybe you would have died.   I thought of this idea as the only peaceful way to handle it and to save you and your people.   ¡°Wait, Jaius, how does he know about my defenses?   How does he know how to stop them?¡±  Jaius''s shoulders slumped  ¡°Well, first I''ll tell you how he knows how do defeat them.¡±  He took a deep breath.  He didn''t want to tell her this.  She will think he betrayed her, but they had sworn to each other to tell the truth, and even if he lost her forever, he was going to honor that.  ¡°I told him how to defeat men mounted on horses, and the other defenses you had thought of, including your Queen Amidala routine.¡±  A look of horror began to come across her face. ¡°Hold on Ali, before you get lost in hurt and anger and level your laser beam at me, I didn''t have a choice.  Maleric is able to tell if you lie to him.  I don''t know how, but he has proven it a number of times.  I had to tell him the truth about how to defeat your plans or else he would have killed me, or worse.¡±   She looked at him intensely for a moment, studying him.  She knew he was telling her the truth.  She remembered back in the clearing where they promised to always tell the truth to each other.  She let her hurt and anger go.  ¡°I''m sorry Jaius, I understand why you told him, but how did he find out about everything in the first place?¡±


    He shrugged his shoulders slightly.  ¡°We would meet with this girl in the woods above the Catha-Draal.  She was telling us everything you were doing.  Maleric had something he was holding  over her, because when she talked I could hear the strain in her voice as if she really didn''t want to say what she knew.¡±  A chill entered Ali''s heart.  ¡°A girl?  What did she look like?¡±  She said, her expression becoming suddenly very serious.


    ¡°Long brown hair in a braid, and big wide eyes...¡±  Storm clouds erupted on Ali''s face and then, her face became set in stone like he had never imagined a face could.   She moved quickly past him into the room and he stood frozen for a moment unsure of what was happening, but he recovered  quickly and then went after her.  She was already heading into the hall when he got back in the room.  He looked left and then right and to the right he saw the captain opening the door for her. Ruk, Lak, and Selak pushed off the wall and stood poised to react to any threat.  He waved them back and shook his head and then moved to go into the same room as Alianna, but the Captain''s crystal gauntlet came down between him and the door.  He looked up at the man''s face, sizing him up, seeing if he could take him.  The man seemed to be doing the same for him and the three men with Jaius.


    Just then Ali''s voice broke his concentration.  ¡°Let the Son of Maleric enter Captain, he will be needed for this.¡±  Came Ali''s stone cold voice.  The man hesitated for just a moment before removing his hand and letting Jaius in the room.  Jaius took in the scene.  He saw the other ladies dressed like Ali sitting on a large bed, and the girl who was pretending to be the Hyress sitting at a vanity.  The fake Hyress stood and bowed to them both, then all the ladies jumped off the bed and did the same.  Ali''s eyes bored into one of the girls in the middle.  Jaius recognized her from the meetings with Maleric and he could see the large brown eyes flooded with fear underneath her cowl as she caught Ali staring at her.  She looked at Jaius, her eyes growing wider with recognition.  Ali¡¯s face and his presence seemed to unnerve her greatly.


    ¡°Clara, please step forward.¡± came that same chilling voice from Ali.  The wide eyed girl shuddered as if she had been hit, but ever so slowly moved out to the front of the others. ¡°Clara, Jaius the Son of Maleric, has informed me that Maleric knows of all our defensive plans and how to defeat them.  He informed me that it was you who told Maleric all these things.  Choose your next words wisely Clara.  Have you been sharing all of our secrets with Maleric?¡±


    The girl''s face went very pale, as if all the blood were draining out from her body.  She began to perspire and shake and seemed as if she would have fainted but it looked as if Ali''s icy gaze kept her from doing so.  She swallowed hard and then opened her mouth, but only a pitiful squeak came out.  ¡°Our patience is running thin Clara.¡±  The girl shut her eyes tightly, clenched her fists, and then opened her eyes again.  ¡°Al..Ali...¡± ¡°My Hyress!¡± Alianna snapped in that same icy voice.  Tears began to leak from the corners of Clara''s eyes.  ¡°My Hyress....¡± She took a deep breath and let it out. ¡°My Hyress, what the Son of Maleric told you was true, but...¡±  Quicker than Jaius had ever seen her move, Alianna pulled a black crystal dagger from underneath her sleeve, raised it in the air, stepped forward and brought it down an inch from Clara''s neck.  ¡°Alison!¡± Alianna seethed. ¡°You have betrayed your other ladies, the people of Catha Dral and most of all you have betrayed us.  Before we end your miserable life is there anything you can possibly say to justify this.¡±  ¡°Ali wait...¡± said Jaius as he moved toward her.


    ¡°Stay where you are Jaius, or you will rob her of her last chance to speak, as will anyone else who interferes.¡±  Jaius froze, there was an intensity in her voice that he had never heard before,  he even thought it might be hatred.  Jaius had also caught the name that Ali called this girl that was not the same name that she had used when first addressing her.   Clara was breathing heavily and sweating profusely.  Her eyes locked on the dagger that seemed to absorb the light around it, confusion crept across her face at the name Ali used.  ¡°Ye..yess my Hyress, I do. Please, after you carry out my just deserved death sentence, would you find some way to rescue my parents from Maleric¡¯s Crunellas.¡±  She said and then shut her eyes waiting for the end.  Jiaus knew now why the girl had played the spy for Maleric, her parents were caught in that hell that he had fashioned for his own purposes.  Jaius moved forward to grab Alianna and try to pull her back, but just before he got to her a hand wrapped around Ali''s and moved the dagger to its owner''s chest.  The imposter Hyress now had the dagger pointed at her heart.  Alianna turned her head quickly, her eyes flashing like lighting.  ¡°I said that anyone who interfered...¡±


    ¡°I know My Hyress, as First Lady, it is my responsibility for what Clara has done.  I am the chief lady and so I should have known these things.  For this, and for my now just disobeying your order, My life is forfeit.  I only ask that you spare Clara''s life, that I may take her penalty on myself.¡±  Said Nisa, calmly as she looked at Alianna, her face a mask of peace, only love and compassion filling her eyes, not fear or anger.


    It was her gaze that seemed to finally cut through the rage that filled Alianna.   Ali''s hand wavered, and then the dagger fell to the floor with a clicking sound.  Alianna stared into her dear friend''s eyes, and could feel the love she had for her and Clara.   Nisa took a few steps forward and placed her hands on Ali''s shoulder''s and bent in to whisper in her ears.  ¡°Please sister, come back to me.  Do not enter the doors of hatred and murder, do not be lost in the sea of revenge.¡±  She felt it before Ali did, a wellspring of tears rising up in her.  She turned her away from the other''s and headed for the door, Ali''s shoulder''s already shaking.  She opened the door, and quickly led her into the other room and shut the door.  Jaius looked as they left the room, but also out of the corner of his eye he saw the girl called Clara start to fall.  Before he knew what he was doing he caught her and lifted her up and laid her on the bed, then stepped back. The girl curled up in a fetal position and began to wail.  The other''s moved in quickly to try to console her.  Jaius backed out of the room, feeling like he couldn''t do anything else in there and saw the Captain standing vigil across the hall from Alianna''s door.   His three friends keeping watch on the room and the captain at the same time.  Jaius went over to them. ¡°Thank you for staying my friends, but this may be a while and it has been a long day.  There is no concern for my safety here.  Please, retire for the night and I will send for you in the morning.  The men looked at him and then at the Captain and then back to him.  ¡°Are you sure Jaius?¡±  Said Salak.  Jaius nodded.    The three men gave him a nod and moved off the wall and headed back toward their rooms.  Jaius saw the Captain make a slight motion with his head and a second later another guard moved out of an alcove and followed behind Jaius¡¯s friends.


    The Captain then looked at him.  ¡°What has happened, Son of Maleric?¡±  Jaius looked  the man over again, noting the crystal armor and sword at his hip and he definitely had the presence of a man who knew how to use it.  ¡°The Hyress, discovered a spy of Maleric''s in her midst.  She was rightfully angered and sought to hand out judgment by her own hand, but the lady who was pretending to be the Hyress asked for the punishment to fall on her instead and this request seemed to mitigate the just anger of the Hyress.  The lady led the Hyress into the room I assume to tend to her and console her at the revelation of this betrayal.``


    The man nodded at Jaius''s answer but then his eyebrow raised an he studded Jaius more intently.  ¡°Are you not the Son of Maleric, yet this revelation of your father''s spy seems to not perturb you in the least? Why is that?¡±  Jaius smirked and walked slowly over to the man.  The man''s hand lowered slowly to his sword hilt, but the rest of his demeanor remained unchanged.  In a voice not much higher than a whisper Jaius said. ¡°Ali seems to trust you with her life and so that is good enough for me.  I hate Maleric, I would have taken him out by now, if I was sure that I could.  He has done so much evil to the people in that fortress of his, to me, and now to Ali.   If a chance comes for him to be removed, I''m not going to stand in the way, and would definitely help.¡± Jaius said with all the sincerity that he felt.


    The man raised both eyebrows but slowly nodded his head.  ¡°My name is Ye''Tul, I am the C


    aptain of the Hyress''s Knights.  You use her given name as a friend would, how is it that you know it?¡±  Jaius looked a bit confused but answered honestly.   ¡°My name is Jaius.  We come from the same world, we go to the same place of learning for the past few years and live in the same town.   We spent a month and a half on the other side of the abyss in a clearing by a creek.  She has become my best friend, and I''d do anything for her.¡±  Ye¡±Tul looked him up and down again and then nodded.  ¡°I hear the truth in your voice Jaius, Son of Maleric, and so will hold you to your statement if Maeric ever betrays us.¡±  Jaius nodded.  ¡°He will most definitely betray you given the chance.  I don''t know what his plan is, but this marriage idea was the only way to keep him from attacking you.  I knew he knew how to defeat your defenses, and so I thought of this as a way to delay him, but I still feel like he wishes to conquer this land and kill anyone that stands in his way.¡±  Ye''tul nodded.  ¡°As long as I live that won''t happen.¡±  Jaius held out his hand to the man.  ¡°I''m with you on that.¡±  The man looked at Jaius''s open hand with confusion.  ¡°You place your hand in mine, we grasp our hands together and shake them. It is a sign of greeting, and respect where I come from.'''' The man still looked at his hand, trying to discern the trap, but after a few moments he placed his gauntleted hand in Jaius''s and closed it and shook his hand, and Jaius returned the gesture.


    As Nisa shut the door Ali collapsed onto the floor weeping.  Nisa''s heart ached for her friend, but she could not break through her sorrow with words and so she just sat down, pulled Ali close to her and held her.  Ali wept bitterly.  All the pain of the past year falling out of her, and not stopping.  Images of Alison yelling at her to leave her alone, of Alison making fun of her along with the other''s, using things from her diary against her, the day that Alison held her down and kept her from rescuing her Nana''s book.   She had no idea what else was happening around her.  She felt warm loving arms around her but they couldn''t penetrate this wall of emotion that was flooding out of her.  Slowly she heard a voice, the voice of her new sister saying soothing words to her.  Those words began to draw her back to reality, away from the ocean of her sorrows.  She finally stopped sobbing and she looked up into Nisa''s eyes.  Nisa smiled and hugged her close.  ¡°Oh Ali, thank the Eternal you are back, I thought I had lost you.  Who is Alison? ¡° Alianna stared at her in confusion at the question.  ¡°You called Clara Alison and you have been saying the name over and over again since we got back to your room.¡±  Alianna wiped at her eyes, which she was sure were large and puffy and awful looking.


    ¡°She..She was my best friend since we were very little, even more than that she was my sister.  My family thought of her as one of our own.  Then, last year, she...she betrayed me so that she could become popular, so that she could try to please her mother enough for her mother to start loving her.¡±


    Nisa smoothed Ali''s hair back into place.  ¡°It was Clara''s betrayal that brought all this out wasn''t it sister?¡±  Ali nodded.  ¡°I didn''t know all that was in there, sister, thank you for risking your life to pull me back.  I wanted revenge on Alison so bad that I was willing to k...kill Clara.¡± A dark realization came slowly into Alianna''s mind. ¡°Oh God Nisa what am I becoming where I could murder someone.¡±  The tears almost came again, but they didn''t come, as if she had just cried them all out.   ¡°These are hard times Ali, and you are in a strange place that you do not understand.  I believe you have done much  better than you allow yourself credit.¡±  Nisa looked deep into Alianna''s eyes trying to see what she needed, what words she could say to help her friend.  ¡°I don''t feel like I have done well at all sister, but I will also not make this a point of contention between us, so I will accept what you say.¡±  She looked over at the large vanity in the corner of her room. ¡°I must look horrible.¡± she said imagining how puffy and red her eyes must look.  She looked back at Nisa.  ¡°Sister, would...¡± She took a very deep breath and let it out.  ¡°Would you please go and bring Clara and the other laddies, and Jaius and Ye''Tul also?  Give me about fifteen minutes so I can put myself back together before you come in.¡±  Nissa nodded and hugged Alianna again and then rose to her feet.  ¡°I will go and bring them to you Ali.  You are greatly loved Ali, never forget that.  I hear the people talking and they all respect and love you.¡±   She smiled at Alianna and then turned and walked toward the door.  Alianna stared after her and watched as the door shut.  ¡°They love me?¡± She said softly.  She shook her head and stood up and walked slowly to the vanity.  She stared at herself in the mirror, she was right, her eyes were huge and puffy, and her hair was a mess.  ¡°I can''t fix this in fifty minutes, let alone fifteen.¡±  She sighed heavily and then took a cord and pulled her hair back into a ponytail and then picked up a smooth stone that had come  from a storehouse in the deep cellar.  The stone  stayed quite cool even on the highest floor of the Catha-Dral.  She rubbed the cold stone over her swollen eyes, eyeing up six clear and golden crystals lying near a golden hilt.


    Ye''tul was showing Jaius his crystal sword when the door opened, quicker than Jiaus expected the man to move, the sword was in its sheath and he snapped to attention.  Jaius turned and stood  straighter also, although he wasn''t sure why.  Coming out of the door was the girl who was pretending to be the Hyress.  She looked at Ye''Tul and then at Jaius and bowed her head slightly.  ¡°Capitan, Son of Maleric, the Hyress asks that you both attend her, but only once I return with the other ladies.¡±  Ye''Tul bowed halfway at the waist.  Jaius nodded his head.  She accepted both responses  and moved to the room next to Alianna''s and opened the door.  Jaius could hear sobbing coming from the room as the door opened.  It quickly shut behind her.   Jaius glanced at Ye''tul, but the man''s eyes were locked on Alianna''s door.   He looked as if he was trying to see through wood and stone to make sure she was okay.   About ten minutes later the door opened and out came the fake Hyress and the other ladies.  One of them, the girl with big eyes, had definitely been crying and had her head bowed as she walked in the middle of the others towards Alianna''s room.  The fake Hyress opened the door and led the procession in.  Ye''Tul motioned with his arm for Jaius to follow. He nodded and then went into the room.


    He saw the ladies and the fake Hyress standing along the walls, with the girl Clara standing in the middle of the room with her head bowed, weeping softly.  Alianna was seated at a vanity with her back to them, but he could see in the mirror that she was moving a smooth stone across her eyes.  He heard Ye''tul shut the door, and then there was silence except for Clara''s soft cries.  After a few minutes Ali stopped rubbing the stone over her eyes and put it down on a porcelain dish.  She took a deep breath and then reached out and took six clear and gold crystals and what looked like a golden sword hilt and stood and turned toward them, her face was unreadable.


    She began to sing a song holding the crystals in one hand and the hilt in another.  Very quickly the crystals began to glow with a silver light and they colaced together to form a sword blade with a thinner crystal piece at the bottom.  She then slid the thinner part of the crystal  into the golden handle and then stopped singing.  The blade continued to glow and hold form.  She raised the blade and pointed it at Clara.  The girl flinched away from it, but then her shoulders slumped in resignation and turned back to Alianna with her head raised and looking at Ali.


    Alianna looked back still aiming the point of the blade toward the girl''s chest.  ¡°Clara, your betrayal is great, it is beyond words, but your motive was to save your parents, and I cannot disregard that.  I don''t know if I can ever forgive what you have done, but I cannot afford to have a disruption  in my plans right now.  I need you as you are one of the few who can sing the stones and so I offer you this, and please understand that I offer it just this once.  You will renounce all loyalty to Maleric and swear loyalty to me.  If you break this vow Clara, your life will be forfeit and so will your parents, am I understood?¡±  The girl seemed dazed and confused at this turn of events, but slowly seemed to realize what Ali was saying.   Slowly she nodded her head.  ¡°Yes Hyress, I understand.¡± Alianna nodded and then said.   ¡°Good. now kneel and take the tip of this sword in your right hand.¡±   Clara knelt and Alianna lowered the sword and Clara took the tip in her hands.  ¡°Now, proceed as I have instructed you.¡±  Clara looked up at Alianna and said.  ¡°I Clara, renounce any and all agreements I have made with Maleric, and swear to the Hyress upon my life and the life of my parents that I will serve her unwavering and faithfully until the day I depart this world.¡±  Alianna nodded and then Clara let go of the blade and stood.  Alianna looked around the room.  ¡°You are all held as witnesses to this oath, and I also charge you to administer justice upon her if she breaks it.¡±   Jaius heard everyone else in the room say ¡°It will be as you wish Hyress.¡±  Catching on quickly Jaius said it also, but since it was after everyone else his was the only voice which was a bit embarrassing, but no one said anything to him.


    Alianna took the hilt and pulled it away from the crystals and as she did the sword stooped glowing and separated into the six shards again.  She set them on the vanity and then looked around the room.  ¡°Well, now that that is taken care of we have a wedding to plan.¡± She looked at Ye''Tul.  ¡°Captain, please have the women of the village attend me tomorrow in the great hall, and after them I will meat with the craftsmen.¡±  He bowed.  ¡°It will be as you say Hyress.¡±  He then stood up and turned on his heel and left the room.  She turned to the fake Hyress. ¡°Nisa, please go to the kitchens and tell Madam Mol that she has a day to come up with four different  full courses for the wedding.  The day after tomorrow we will visit the kitchens in the morning along with Jaius and we will select one for the wedding feast.¡±  The girl, Nisa, bowed and said ¡°It will be as you say My Hyress¡± and she turned and left the room.   She turned to two girls who were obviously twins.  ¡°Please attend us here in our room, the rest of you may retire to your rooms.  Please be present in the great hall for breakfast.¡± Clara and two other girls bowed and said in unison.  ¡°It will be as you say Hyress.¡±  and then they turned and left the room.   The two twins looked at eachother and then at Alianna.  ¡°Jaius, would you join me on the balcony.¡±  Jaius looked at the twins and then to Alianna.  ¡°Yes, Al...I mean Hyress, I would be honored.¡±  She nodded, either not catching his slip up or not caring and moved toward two ornate glass doors that led onto a large balcony.  She opened them and left them opened for him.  He paused for only a moment, and then walked out onto the balcony and shut the door.   She was standing near the edge of the balcony her hands resting on the ledge.  He went over and stood next to her.  The view was breathtaking, a few hundred yards of grass gave way to a deep forest that extended up the side of the hills that obscured what lay beyond.  The wind came rushing down the hills and poured onto their balcony.  It didn''t seem cold, but she still seemed to shiver.   Jaius reached out his arm and placed it around her shoulders.  She stiffened for just a moment, but then relaxed and fell in against him and laid her head on his shoulder.  ¡°I missed you Jaius.¡± she said softly. ¡°I feel so tired Jaius, tired in my soul.  It is a deep exhaustion and I don''t know how to find rest for it.¡±  She said leaning more heavily on him.  He moved his arm more securely around her and held her up letting her rest on him.  ¡°I know Ali, I feel it too.  Like I''ve done a thousand push ups but no matter how much sleep I get, the tiredness dosen''t go away.   I missed you too Ali.  There were many days I wished we were back at that clearing, just you and me, instead of being embroiled in this mess.¡±  She looked up at him, staring deeply into his eyes.  ¡°I''ve wished for that too Jaius,  It was hard living there, but at the same time so peaceful and fun to be with you.¡±   She lowered her eyes and looked back out at the mountains as the wind made the treetops sway back and forth.  Jaius watched it too.  After a while she looked back up at him.  He looked into her eyes and she said.  ¡°Jaius, do you want to marry me?¡±  It seemed she would say more, but then she just stopped and left it at that.  ¡°Yes Ali, I do.¡±  he said just plainly and honestly.  ¡°Although, I have no idea what being married means or what  married people do, or what marriage is besides being a sacrament.¡±  She smiled when he said he did, for she heard the truth of it in his voice.   ¡°I want to marry you too, Jaius.  It looks more and more like we  may be here for the rest of our lives, and I wouldn''t want to spend it with anyone else here.¡±  He smiled at her and nodded in agreement.  They held each other''s hand and stared out into the Paltopheren night and a future in this world that was both uncertain and longer than either of them had thought to live.

 Chapter 20: Sisters

    ¡°I always found our group so amazing, how their relationships with their siblings so greatly defined the course of their lives, some days I envied them, but there were also many days when I was very content to be the only Parker child.¡±


    Musings of an Only Child by Olivia Parker.


    Alison sat on her bed looking over notes she had compiled about kids that were coming into the sixth-grade this year.  Her sister Megan had made the list for her after  talking with friends she still had in the fifth grade that would be coming to Saint Pious in the fall.   Cheer Camp was just weeks away and she needed to let the girls know  so they could register.  They had a decent number of eighth and seventh graders returning to the table this coming year.  So, she had it narrowed down to four new sixth graders.  She held up the pages she had compiled for two in particular, Britney Shaffer, and Bradly Lockman.


    Brittney came from a very rich family and  was just a little taller than Lotti, and so would allow them to have two pyramids this year.  Bradly was Tiffany Lockman''s  younger brother.  Thinking that she could win some points with Tiffany, Mandy''s best friend, by bringing her brother on to the table in his first year.  Brittney especially was crucial for her plans for the coming year to succeed.  Just then her thoughts were interrupted by a loud knock at her door.


    ¡°Ali, can I come in?¡±  came Megan''s voice from the other side.  ¡°Its open.¡±  She said, turning her eyes back to the papers.  The door opened and her sister practically bounced into the room.  ¡°I am sooo excited for Cheer camp, I never thought I¡¯d get to use all those years of gymnastics and ballet.  Thank you thank you thank you for picking me for the team, you are the best big sister ever.¡±  She jumped over to her and hugged her.   Alison hugged her back but then grew annoyed as Megan kept jumping up and down on the bed as she hugged her.  ¡°Meg, stop, your messing up my papers.¡±  Megan stopped right away and looked down.  ¡°Oh my gosh ,so sorry.¡±  She got off the bed.  ¡°I''ve already started packing but I wanted to see which outfits you thought would be the coolest to bring.  I''ll be right back.¡±   She bounced out of the room and Alison sighed.  ¡°Sisters.¡±  she said under her breath as she began re organizing all her papers. That word however echoed through her head.  Against her better judgment her eyes glanced over at her book shelf and saw a book there labeled Diary.   It was Alianna''s diary, which she had used to hurt her this past year in order to get to where she is now, Queen of the table.  Ali had been her sister too.  A tear rolled down her cheek as she let herself think about her.   She had been missing for three months now, the police had given up the local search and had turned their attention to a national and international search.


    They had found a child''s bike near where they thought she entered the woods, witnesses had seen that boy Jaius peddling after her, rumors had spread for a while that he had done something with her as he was missing too, but there were too many people who came forward with testimonies that countered that, especially this girl from Wilkes-Barre who had been on the phone with him right before they disappeared and he said he was trying to help Ali.  The police reported that they believe both had been taken in the woods near where they all lived.


    She resisted getting off the bed for as long as she could, but eventually all these thoughts about Ali drove her into motion and she got off the bed and went over to the bookshelf.  She grabbed the Diary and moved mechanically back to the bed, her eyes locked on the cover.  It had the picture of a Medieval lady handing a handkerchief to a man in armor.


    Whenever they had filled up their Diaries, they tried to find ones with a Knight and Damsel motif. They would give the old ones to Alianna¡¯s mom for safe keeping.  They had found these on Etsy and their parents had gotten them for their 11th Birthday, but they didn¡¯t start using them until the start of Sixth grade.  She opened up the cover, and there on the inside of the cover was a special sticker that could be removed many times and not hurt the sticker or the book. Underneath the sticker were the nicknames they used for eachother.


    When they started the A.L.I. Club they needed a way to differentiate themselves and so they made up nicknames to use for each of them.  One was Ali Waly because it rhymed and the other was Ali Sally because Sally was their favorite Peanuts character.  But they wanted to switch  the names back and forth between eachother and so they made a promise to write the names on  the inside of the  front of their diaries, and whenever they would exchange them with each-other they would put a gold star that was the same type of reusable sticker as the large one that covered the names and put the star next to the name of the one that currently had the diary and would use for that time period then they would switch back names when they handed them back to each other.  Over the past year she had forgotten which names they each had had last time they switched.  She couldn''t remember which name either when she told Keri about it, Keri didn''t care about the story or the game, she just picked Ali Wally to call Alianna because it sounded more like a name you would call someone if you were making fun of them.


    Try as she might, she could not remember who had which name last time they switched.  She almost reached for the sticker to lift it and see what name she had had, but she stopped and closed the Diary.  ¡°I don¡¯t have any right to that name anymore, whichever one it was.¡±  She thought as her great and ever increasing sadness tried to overwhelm her.


    Megan rushed down the hall but something made her stop at Ali''s door before going in.  She looked in through the partially opened door and saw Ali staring at a  book.   She squinted and recognized the gilded cover and pages and knew it was Alianna''s  Diary.  A flare of anger sparked inside her.   When they had started that Ali Club, they wouldn''t let anyone join whose name didn''t start with Ali, and so they didn''t let Megan in, they included her whenever they went anywhere, but she was kept out of that deep secret bond the two Ali¡¯s had formed.  So Alianna got to be a part of her sister''s world that Megan had no access to.  From Megan¡¯s point of view Alianna had become more of a sister to Ali then she was.  How Megan had longed for the Oaksen''s to move away so that she could be Ali''s only sister again and so that Ali could be her only big sister and that would be that. The fact that Alianna had always considered Megan her little sister too, was just the burning thorn that inflamed her angst against her.   She shook her head.  ¡°This is too exciting a time for that little wannabe to ruin it.  I''ll just get Ali¡¯s mind back on me.¡±


    The door  opened quickly and her sister was there again with two outfits, one in each hand. As the door was opening she quickly shoved the diary under her pillow.


    ¡°So, do you think the green one, or the yellow one?¡±  Megan said excitedly moving one outfit in front of her body and then the other.  Alison looked at them and they both were cool, but the one looked like one of the outfits that she was taking that was also yellow, and it wouldn''t do for her sister to have a similar outfit as hers.


    ¡°Definitely the green one,¡± Alison said.  She saw right away the subtle facial movement that indicated that the green one wasn''t Megan''s favorite and that she had hoped her sister would choose the yellow one.  ¡°It really brings out your hair and makes your eyes pop.¡±  Said Alison quickly.  Megan looked down at the green one as she placed it in front of her and then turned and looked at herself in Alison''s mirror.  She turned this way and that and then smiled.  ¡°Wow, Ali, I think you are right, so awesome.  Thank you sis, that really helped me out.¡±   Megan said, turning to her with a smile.  Alison smiled back.  ¡°That¡¯s what sisters are for.  Meg, I''ve made a definite choice on two of the sixth graders for the table this fall and Britney is one of them.¡±  Megan''s eyes got big and she started jumping up and down again. ¡°Wow, wow, so cool, that is so awesome Ali, she is going to flip out, can, I tell her, please, please, please.¡±  Megan bent close to her and gave her her best pleading look.  ¡°Yes Meg, you can, but before you launch out of here and tell her please sit down a minute.¡±  The excitement faded a bit from Megan''s face as she stopped jumping up and down and sat down on the bed.  ¡°What''s up Ali?¡±


    ¡°You''ve heard me talk to you about the game right?¡±  Megan nodded.  ¡°It takes a lot of finesse and skill to play it well, and if you don''t play it well it will ruin your rep.¡±  ¡°I know Ali, you''ve taught me a lot about it and I am so grateful.¡±  Alison took a breath and looked at her sister.  ¡°Megan, I''m about to tell you about the most precious commodity in the game.  It is trust.  Trusts are broken all the time, its how the game is played.  Those that are good at it can brake trusts and never get caught, those who are bad at it get caught and get punished.  I''m about to spend a whole lot of trust on you Megan, you are my sister and I trust you, but I just want you to understand the weight of what I''m entrusting to you right now.¡±  Megan''s eyes got wider.  ¡°I totally understand Ali, you can so trust me with anything, and I''ll take it to my grave.¡±  she said making a crossing motion over  her heart.   ¡°I have no other choice¡± Ali thought to herself.


    ¡°Okay, so the truth of the situation at the table is that I do not have a lot of allies. Definitely not as many as Keri had.  Mandy has a good number of the kids at the table who are totally in her camp and none of them like me very much because of how I won the election and  Mandy lost.  Jim is gone and so my friends at the table are not as many as Mandy''s and that could be a big problem in the coming year.   That is why I picked Brittney.  She is the same size as Lotti and so will definitely be helpful on the team, but the main reason was because you and her are good friends.  I need support at the table Meg and so I need her to be on my side.   When you tell her make sure that she knows that I hand picked her and that it was largely because you campaigned for her so hard.  We need her to be on our side Megan.  Especially since you''re going to be sitting next to Mandy at the table in September.¡±  Alison paused waiting for the eruption.  But Megan just stared at her looking confused.  ¡°Remember what I told you about what each seat position at the table means?¡±  Megan''s eyes turned up and to the right as she tried to remember. Then her mouth drooped.  ¡°Wait...get out, are you serious!  Next to your Second that means I''m your pick for Queen next year, right?¡±  She stared at her with her mouth open and her eyes bugging out.


    ¡°Right, I would put you forward for my suggestion as queen next year.   Lotti would be your only real point of contention next year, but she is losing Mandy and Tiffany¡¯s support as they will be going up to High School with me, and with Brittney and a few others I¡¯m working on bringing into our camp you shouldn''t have any serious problems. We just have to work hard this year and set things up so you won¡¯t have any major problems to deal with next year.   You can start by hinting to Brittney that you are thinking of making her your  heir  when you become Queen.¡±


    Megan nodded with understanding and then threw her arms around her and began hugging her while jumping up and down.  ¡°Meg..Megan..my...¡± Alison gasped as her sister was squeezing her too tight.  Megan stopped and looked at her with her cheeks reddening with embarrassment.  ¡°Oh no, Oh Ali, I''m sorry, I just spazzed out and I''m sorry.¡±   Alison straightened her hair to give her a minute to regain her composure and then looked at her sister.


    ¡°Its okay,  I just need to keep these papers straight.  Why don''t you go over to Britney''s and tell her, just make sure she knows that this is coming from me and because you really kept campaigning for her, and to hint at where she could be next year if she supports you and me.¡±  ¡°You got it sis, you are the best sister ever.¡±  She squealed a little and then grabbed her outfits and rushed to her room.  Alison cringed a little bit as the door slammed shut, but shook it off and looked back at the other paper, with Bradly Lockman''s name on it.  She took a  deep breath and then pulled out her phone.  She began a text to Tiffany, Bradly''s sister.  ¡°Hey Tiff, can you  FaceTime me?¡±


    Megan bounced down the hall to her room and shut the door.  She flopped down on her bead with visions of  sitting next to Mandy Ferlon  this fall and how everyone would know what that meant.  She had gone from being a nobody sixth grader to being the heir apparent for the Queen of the middle school.  Just then something fell on her face.  She freaked out and swiped it away onto the floor.   When she calmed down she looked down to see what it was.   There was a picture on the floor of Alison and Alianna and her.  It was taken at the park three years ago.  Ali and Alianna had their arms around each other with big smiles, and Megan was a bit off to the side with an awkward look on her face.  ¡°Always the tag along, the token Little Sister !¡±  Anger started welling up in her again.  She looked up to see where the picture had come from and saw a space in the collage hanging above her bed. ¡°I thought I burned all the pictures with her in them when she went missing.¡±  She jumped off her bed and grabbed a pair of scissors from her desk and grabbed the picture and folded the one side of it so it separated Alianna from Alison.  ¡°I''m so glad your gone.¡±  She said through gritted teeth. ¡°And I pray you never come back. She is my sister not yours and that is how it is going to stay from now on.¡±  She then cut out the section of the picture that had Alianna in it, and held it up to her face as if she were actually talking to Alianna.  ¡°You ruined my relationship with her, and you made our mom think we didn''t love her, you and your perfect family.  Mom would always cry when Ali went over to your house, she stayed there all the time, you never let her leave.  You made her call your mom, mom, which really hurt my mom and it made our mom not like us as much,  but all that is finished now, and I hope so are you.¡±  She said very slowly as she placed the picture of Alianna on her desk with a loud slap.  She then took the two remaining halves of the picture and taped it together so that it seemed like it was a picture of just her and Alison.  She then looked down on the smiling Alianna that had been cut off from the picture.


    ¡°I am her sister, not you, understand!¡±  She said as she drove the pointed scissors into the smiling face.  Tears started burning in her eyes.  Tears of anger, hate, and fear, all mingled together as the memory of that terrible week came back to her.    ¡°She¡¯s the one who was there for me that week, not you!¡±  It had been a week of darkness and such awful  loneliness.  The week before that one, Megan had gotten caught by her mom sneaking Ali her tablet under the door to that horrible closet in the basement, while Ali had been locked in there. Megan¡¯s punishment had been to be the next one to be locked in there.   The only bright light during that time was when Ali would shove mini tootsie-rolls under the basement closet door to her along with encouraging notes.  Tootsie -Rolls were her favorite, and that is how she knew it had been Ali sneaking them past their mom to her.  She had thanked Ali profusely after she got out.  Ali pretended not to know what she was talking about, but Megan knew she was doing that to keep from being found out by their mom that Ali had helped her.  She had saved every note from that week. She pulled out one of the notes and read it.  ¡°Stay strong Meg,  I love you and wanted to give you something I knew would make you smile. -Ali¡±.


    She smiled at the little hearts that stood over the lowercase ¡°i¡¯s¡± in the note. Alison usually dotted her i¡¯s with a diamond, but Megan knew she was doing it differently on these notes in order to encourage her.  She held the note to her heart and closed her eyes, love for her sister filling her heart.  When she opened them they fell on the picture of Alianna.  She placed Ali¡¯s note back in her memory chest, and sneered at the picture of Alianna.


    ¡°You will never have the connection to her that I do, you were never there for me like she was!¡±    She whispered menacingly as she sneered at the picture.  A knock at the door broke that terrible moment.  ¡°Meg, I''m heading to the gym, do you want to come along?¡± Came Alison''s voice from the other side of the door.  Coming out of her daze Megan looked at herself in the mirror and saw her red face and puffy eyes and swore under her breath.  ¡°I''ll be down in a few minutes, just let me get dressed.¡±  She said as she hurriedly changed into her workout clothes.   She grabbed her bag and as she picked up her phone she stamped her foot.  ¡°Crap, I forgot about Britney.¡±  She opened her phone and  said  ¡°Siri, call Britney.¡±  Siri responded that she was calling Britney.  The phone rang a few times then picked up.  ¡°Hey Meg, what''s up?¡±  Came a perky voice on the other end.   Like a light switch being flipped  Megan''s demeanor completely changed.  ¡°Britt I got some awesome news for you.¡±  ¡°What, what.¡±  Britney said excitedly.  ¡° It''s a lot to tell and I am heading out the door, this has got to be face to face.  Are you free in a few hours?¡±  ¡°Totally, my parents are in Europe so  just shoot me a text whenever.  I''ll leave the patio door open.¡±  ¡°Awesome, I''ll see you at 5.¡±  ¡°Sounds good, see you then.¡±  Megan ended the call and hurried out of the room and down to the front porch.  The only evidence of her earlier outburst was a cut off  picture of Alianna and a pair of scissors pinning that picture to Megan''s desk.


    -------------


    Jim was sitting on his bed with his back against the wall.  He strummed a few cords and sang ¡°I see a red door and I want to paint it black...¡±  Some tears started to leak from his eyes.  He really wasn''t a crier, he could count on  two hands the number of  times in his life he had really cried.  The last few months weighed too heavily on him and he couldn''t hold them back anymore.  Trudi had called him today in tears.  She told him that Keri had gotten too week and so even if they found a donor she wouldn''t be able to survive the procedure.


    They were trying different things to make her strong again, but Trudi said she had overheard the Dr mention Hospice to their mom.   Their mom had refused, but Trudi didn''t know how long that would last.  Alianna and that Jaius kid had been gone for three months.  He knew now, after many hours of thinking about it, that it had been  love at first sight with her, Emily, who was really Alianna.   He wasn''t able to stop the tears in time as the knock on his door indicated someone had heard him crying.   The door opened slightly.


    ¡°Jim, its Julie, can I come in?¡±  Came his older sister''s voice softly from the door.  Jim shook his head slightly, Julie had never spoken softly to him in his life.  She had taught him how to be cool, how to be the best at the game, but she also demanded perfection.  She was hard on him, really letting him have it when he messed up, but the result had been that he had been the coolest boy at St. Pious Middle School.  That had all changed in the blink of an eye, and apparently so had Julie.   She took his lack of response as an open invitation.  She opened the door slowly and looked at him and he swore he saw compassion in her eyes.  ¡°What is going on?  The whole world is falling apart.¡±  She walked over slowly, sat down on the corner of the bed and gently eased herself up until she was next to him.   ¡°Hey¡± she said in a light tone.  ¡°Hey¡± he replied in a dreary one.  ¡°It must be something big to keep you from playing, what has you so upset?¡±  He looked at her.  She was wearing a long dress with a T-shirt and a bandanna covering the top of her head.  About four months ago she had all of a sudden changed.  She started dressing more properly, she had dumped her boyfriend Fred and was going to church every week and other events that had nothing to do with parties, hanging out, or playing the Game.  She also always had her bible with her.  When he didn''t reply she looked down.  ¡°Jim, I''m so  sorry that I have not been a very good big sister to you.   I really wasn''t there for you when you needed me,  I was so focused on the game that I never really saw you, I just saw you as another piece in the game.  I''m so sorry Jim, please forgive me.  I know I can''t fix all those years past, but I''d like to try to be a better sister to you, if you can forgive me?¡±  He shook his head and looked down at his guitar.  She sighed and began to move off his bed.  He reached out and grabbed her wrist.  She stopped and turned to him.  ¡°I wasn''t shaking my head no Jules, I just can''t understand what has happened to you.  You never did anything like this, unless it was somehow related to the game, I guess it''s just hard for me to understand or believe.¡±  She lowered her head and sighed and slid back to sitting next to him.  ¡°I know Jim, and that''s why I am so sorry.  I was so selfish and didn''t care who I hurt to get what I wanted.  Mom and Dad were always the best at everything they did, and I had to match that, they were counting on me to carry on the Kurtz tradition of being the best.   I found out though that I am not perfect and am not able to do any good at all.  That I needed Jesus to take away my sins, because nothing I could do could get rid of them.¡± Jim also had noted that she had also been talking a lot about Jesus to him lately.  He raised his eyebrow at her and gave her the same response he had given a thousand times.  ¡°Jules, I''m Catholic, I know about Jesus.¡±  She opened her mouth to say more, but then shut it.  ¡°I know Jim, I just can''t keep it in, I just need to talk about what He has done for me.¡±  She smiled and shook her head.  ¡°There I go again, talking about me, I came in here for you, what''s going on bro, maybe I can help?¡±  He looked down and almost got out the words to ask her to leave, but something tugged at him, something pushed it all out of him.  He looked at her with tears in his eyes.   ¡°Well, I met the girl of my dreams, only to find out that she was pretending to be someone else and so I yelled at her and made fun of her,  and then to learn later it was actually her true personality, she had only lied about her name.  Then my best friend gets cancer and I just found out today that she is most likely going to die, and also I get the boot from the table and, well, no that''s pretty much it, but I''ll let you know when the next calamity happens.¡±  He said with more harshness than he intended.  ¡°I''m sorry Jules, I didn''t mean it to be that harsh, I just don''t know what to do with all this.¡± He pulled his legs up to his chest and laid his head on his knees.  Julie could see his shoulders shaking slightly.  Compassion welled up inside her, which was still so amazing to her because she had never felt it before.  She reached out and put her arms around him and after a minute he put his arms around her and she just held him as he cried out all the hurt of the past three months.   After a while he let go and wiped at his eyes.


    ¡°Than..Thanks Jules, I guess I didn''t know how much I needed that.¡±  She smiled.  ¡°Anytime bro, I''m here for you whenever you need me, not going to be distant anymore.¡± He looked  at her with that same raised eyebrow, and she shook her head and laughed awkwardly.  ¡°So, who was she? The girl you mentioned?''  His face clouded over for a moment but then he looked back at her almost pleading with her with his eyes.   ¡°Alianna Oaksen.  She''s the girl that has been missing for three months.¡±  She laid her hand on his.  ¡°Oh Jim, I''m sorry.  I know her parents are still looking for her, but the authorities have given up.  I''ve been praying a lot that they would find her.¡±  ¡°Doesn''t look like He''s listening.¡± Again he shook his head. ¡°Sorry Jules, my mouth doesn''t have a lot of filter right now.¡±  ¡°It''s okay Jim, I totally understand.  What happened at the table, why  aren''t you going back?¡±  He took a deep breath. ¡°I wouldn''t support Alison on the first big thing she had to deal with and so she told me not to come back.  Its okay, when I saw everything going down with her and Mandy I knew there might not be a side that I could land on.¡±  Julie looked down and sighed. ¡°The game is really terrible sometimes.  I saw the video of Keri. I''m sorry Jim, I know that it must have been hard to stand up for your friend like that, but I''m proud of you. I never liked Keri, because she had a deeper drive inside her then I did, something deeper then the family reputation, but now all I feel for her is a love and compassion and a need to pray for her.  I was planning on going there and asking her to forgive me for how I treated her.   I¡¯ve been praying for her everyday, God can do anything Jim, even save a life.¡±  He looked dubiously at her but didn¡¯t say anything.  ¡°I have my theories about what happened, with Alison, Mandy and Keri,  but they''re just theories, but if they''re true...I just can''t believe Alison would go that far.¡±   Jim looked up at her.  ¡°How do you know Alison that well?  I''ve never seen you hanging around at the middle school table.¡±  Julie shrugged.  ¡°She''s been in gymnastics since I can remember, we''ve talked from time to time through the years.  It''s why the girls have more influence at the table.  All the girls at the table are on the Cheer squad and the Cheer squad goes to the same gymnastics center as does every other school¡¯s cheer team.      There is just a ton more networking that goes on with the girls at the table then with the guys.  It also allows a Queen to identify potential table members by watching the Elementary school girls at the Gym, to see which ones have cool potential and which ones do not.   It also allows her to connect with the other Queens from the schools in the area.¡±  Jim just shook his head.  ¡°Man, the game is more complex than all the stuff you taught me.¡±  She laughed.  ¡°Well I wasn''t going to teach you the stuff on how to be Queen of the table.¡±   He was almost offended, but then the humor of what she said set in and he began to laugh too.  ¡°Yeah, I guess I wouldn''t need that.¡±   ¡°There ya go.¡± she said with a gentle shove on his shoulder.  ¡°There''s that laugh that I haven''t heard in a while.¡±   He sighed with the recognition that the depression he had begun to get used to had abated a bit.   ¡°Thanks Jules, I did need a laugh.¡±  ¡°What are big sister''s for?¡±  She smiled.  ¡°Hey, I have an Idea.  I''m going to hang out with some new friends, and some old ones at youth group tonight, if you want to join me?¡±  Jim rolled his eyes  a little.  ¡°Common Jules, the youth group at our church  just goes on trips, they don''t do anything over the summer.¡±  She shrugged her shoulders.  ¡°It''s not our church''s youth group, it''s at another church nearby.  I''ve been going for a few months now and it is really a lot of fun.  They have a band that plays music in the beginning and sometimes we play games or the youth pastor gives a lesson, and then we pray for each other.  We also lost our guitar player to summer camp and...¡± she eyed up the guitar in his hands. ¡°...we could use one for a while.¡±  She said, smiling innocently.   Jim looked down at his guitar and then back at his sister and tried to find a valid excuse not to go, but he couldn''t find one.  Deep down he wanted to go.  He was used to being out almost every night at practice or a friends house or a party, being cooped up here at the house was driving him nuts. Resigning himself to  a car ride with his sister talking about nothing but Jesus, he played a cord and threw his hands up dramatically.  ¡°Okay Jules, I''ll go, I''m not promising I''ll have fun though.¡±  ¡°Awesome!¡±  she said, jumping up and down a little.  ¡°I know you''re going to love it Jim, everyone is great and Pastor Aaron is so cool.¡±  Jim hadn''t seen his sister jump up and down since they were little.  ¡°I wish I could take a little of whatever happy pill she is on.¡±   He thought to himself.


    After dinner they headed out in Julie''s little white beater car.  She didn''t mention Jesus, but she had the radio on to what he guessed was a Christian radio station.  ¡°What''s this song?¡± Jim asked as a particular guitar rift perked his interest a little.  ¡°Its called Shine, by a band called the Newsboys.   They are so cool. Amber took me and another girl from the table back in March to see them at the Mohegan Sun arena in Wilkes-Barre and it was the best concert ever.  I''m going to miss her in the fall, she was the best Queen ever.  Well, I mean, Jennifer is totally cool too, I know she is going to make a great Queen this coming year.¡±   Jim shook his head again.  In the course of a year his sister had gone from being excited about seeing Taylor Swift to  now the Newsboys.  He tried to change the subject.  ¡°Are you going to try for Queen again when your a senior?¡±  He asked.  She glanced at him and then back to the road and sighed.  ¡°I honestly don''t know.  I mean, I love the new initiatives that Amber has started to bring to the table this past year and Jennifer plans to continue them.   They are both so knowledgeable about God and how to be a Christian, I''m just not sure I''ll be able to be as confident in just one year from now.  There is just so much I need to learn about God and grow in my faith.¡±  Jim raised his eyebrow.  ¡°Jules you''ve been going to Church your whole life, you must know as much if not more as they do.¡±  She shook her head.  ¡°No Jim, I don''t.   I''ve learned so much about God and faith these last 8 months, more than I ever learned in 16 years in the Catholic Church, and there is still so much I don''t understand.  Pastor Aaron has been so cool in that area though, he is able to make the Bible come alive in a way I had  never seen it before.¡±  Before he could respond she pointed to her right and said.


    ¡°Oh, Oh here it is. Christ the King Church.¡±  Jim looked to his right and saw a long building with a triangle shaped roof and there was a large metal cross on the side facing the road, but there was no image of Jesus on it, and there was no steeple or bell tower.  As they pulled into the parking space Jim looked at his sister.  ¡°I thought you said this was a church.¡±  She looked at him in confusion.  ¡°It is a church, Christ the King Church.¡±  He looked at the building again and then back to her.  ¡°It doesn''t look like any catholic church I''ve ever seen.¡±  She smiled as she began to understand his confusion.  ¡°That''s because it isn''t a Catholic church, it''s part of the Christian and Missionary Alliance.  They are really big in carrying the Gospel out to the world.¡±  Jim looked a little concerned.  ¡°Isn''t it a sin to go somewhere that isn''t Catholic?¡±  He said.  ¡°I don''t know a lot about it yet Jim, but I can tell you it is absolutely not a sin to go to a non Catholic Church. Come on, it will be fun.¡±  She got out and shut the door.  Jim looked once more at the odd building and then sighed and got out and grabbed his guitar case and slung it across his back and followed her to the doors.  Inside was a small entry area with some coat racks and a couple of chairs.   There was a stairwell straight ahead with one flight going down and one going up.  Julie went to the stairs leading up and started heading upstairs.  Jim followed her up  and at the top of the stairs there was a hallway leading off to his right where the bathrooms were and some other rooms further down along the right wall and some exit doors at the end. She walked past the hallway into a large lobby.  There was an area labeled Welcome Desk right as they went in.  It was a large curving structure like you would see at a hotel check in.  Behind it was a coffee bar and then what looked like an office.  She headed to the right and he followed.  To his left were four heavy wooden doors  with small windows in them, but there were no lights on and so he couldn''t see what was behind the doors.  He still couldn''t figure out how this was a church.  There were no statues, no rows of candles, not little bowls filled with Holy Water.    He saw her disappearing  up some steps and shelved all those thoughts and hurried after her.  He followed her up a narrow flight of stairs and then into a large room with seats that had a bunch of kids talking to eachother while sitting in them, a stage with a drum set, keyboard and microphones and speakers and returns, a sound booth and a bar  in the far corner with bottles of soda on the counter  with more kids standing at it drinking soda and munching on chips.  There was a man behind the bar who looked to be in his 30''s.   On the wall behind the stage were the words ¡°The Mez.¡±   Julie turned to look at him.  ¡°Welcome to the Mez bro.¡± She said smiling brightly.  ¡°Jules¡± came a girls voice from the area of the seats.  Julie turned, and Jim looked past her to see who it was.  A tall girl with long straight blond hair with a bandanna covering the top of it stood up, walked quickly over to Julie and hugged her.  ¡°It''s great to see you Amber, I was afraid you had left for college already.¡±  The girl pulled away and shook her head and smiled.  ¡°Nope, two more weeks and then I''m off to Virginia and working at a summer camp near the college and then I''ll be going there in August.  I can''t believe it''s this close already though.¡±  ¡°Are you nervous?¡± he heard his sister say.  He didn''t really listen to the rest.  The girl Julie was talking to looked familiar, as did a few of the other girls that were seated together.  Then he remembered.  Amber Littleton was the Queen of the High School table last year, and he recognized Jennifer Benton, the new Queen.  He also saw Amy Reeder from his own table, sitting with them.  Amy gave Julie a hug also and Julie seemed very excited that she was there.  She talked to Amy for a little, and then turned to Amber.  Amy went over to the bar.   Feeling really out of place, he went over to where she was.  At least she was someone he knew.


    ¡°Hey Amy.¡±  She choked a little on her drink but recovered quickly.  ¡°Jim, wow, I didn''t know you came here, wow.  How are you doing?¡±  ¡°Okay I guess.  This is my first time here, Julie has been begging me to go and so I finally caved.¡±   She looked over his shoulder where his sister was talking to Amber and Jennifer.  ¡°Yeah, me too.  Jennifer has been inviting  me to come since school ended and tonight I just felt I really needed to come,  I wanted to make a good impression on her before Cheer camp next week.  I hope I''m good enough to make the High School team and table.¡±   She took a drink of her soda and then looked up at him.  ¡°How are you doing, really, Jim?¡±  He looked at the ground, ran his hand through his hair and then looked at her.  ¡°Pretty rough I guess.  My best friend has terminal cancer and I have no Idea what''s going to be waiting for me at the Dungeon come September.¡±  She looked at him with compassion.  ¡°It wasn''t right for Alison to do that to you Jim, it..it also wasn''t right what she did to Keri.¡±  She said the last part in a whisper.  He raised his eyebrow, but then nodded.  He had noticed a change in Amy as the last school year drew to a close.  She played the game almost as well as Keri did, but she seemed to lose her love for it right before Keri got sick. He was about to respond to her when the man who was behind the counter came over to them.


    ¡°Well hi there.  I don''t think I''ve seen you both here before, I''m Pastor Aaron, but you can just call me Aaron if you want to.   What are your names?¡±  Jim was caught off guard and so Amy answered first.  ¡°I''m Amy Reeder..¡±  She said more shyly then Jim had ever heard her speak.  ¡°Its nice to meet you Amy.¡± Aaron looked over to Jim.  ¡°Uh..sorry, Um Jim Kurtz,  My sister Julie invited me.¡±  He reached out to shake the man''s hand and Aaron took his hand and shook it with a very firm handshake.  ¡°Well it is very nice to meet you both, and you are most welcome to join us, we are going to have a really good time of worship tonight.  Especially since we may just have a replacement Guitarist.¡±  Aaron said looking over Jim''s guitar.  ¡°Would you want to help out our band Jim?¡±  he said.  Jim looked at the stage where one of the boys had sat down at the drum set and was twirling the drumsticks in his hands, and a girl with dark hair and red highlights had stepped behind the keyboard and was playing an odd chord here and there.  A boy and another girl were standing behind the microphones talking like they knew each other well.  ¡°It has been awhile since I''ve gotten to play with anyone.¡±  Jim thought to himself.  He looked back at Aaron.  ¡°Sure, but I''m not sure I know any of the songs.¡±  ¡°No worries there Jim, I''ll introduce you to Tim. He''s the young man at the microphone.  He can get you some sheet music.¡±  Jim looked down and back at Aaron.  ¡°Um.. I don''t really read music, I just listen and can play it.¡±  Aaron nodded and smiled indicating no disappointment.  He looked over at the stage.  ¡°Tim, do you have  a second?¡±  The boy at the mic looked up and nodded.  Jim caught sight of Tim reach out and grab the had of the girl next to him and give it a quick squeeze and the girl''s eyes lit up and she smiled at Tim.  Jim smiled slightly noting them in his head as a couple.  Julie had taught him early on to always be aware of what was happening around him in a social setting and to find out everything you could about each person in the room without asking them any questions.  Tim smiled back at her and then let go of her hand and walked over to the bar.  ¡°Hey Aaron, what''s up?¡±  ¡°Tim, this is Jim Kurtz, Julie''s brother. He is open to playing with us, but he plays by ear.  What were you planning to lead off with?¡±  Tim looked at Jim and reached his hand out.  Jim took it and shook it.  ¡°Nice to meet you Jim, I''m Tim Williams.¡±  ¡°Good to meet you Tim, Jim Kurtz.¡±  Tim nodded.  ¡°Anyway, I heard Shine by the newsboys on the radio coming over and thought we''d do that.¡±  Jim''s mouth fell open a little.  ¡°I heard that song coming over too, I remember the rifts and think I could keep up, if you want me too that is.¡±  ¡°Totally, come on, I''ll introduce you to the others.¡±  Jim nodded.  He turned back to Amy.  ¡°Good to see you again Amy.  I hope it goes well at Cheer camp for you.¡±   She smiled ¡°Thanks Jim, you too in the fall with the table and everything.¡±  He nodded and went to turn around when she caught his arm.  He turned back to her.  ¡°Jim, would..would you do me a favor?¡±


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    ¡°If I can.¡±  He said somewhat apprehensively.  ¡°Would you tell Keri I said Hi when you see her, tell her I hope she gets better.¡±  The sadness threatened to brake through again and he had to focus everything he had on pushing it back.  ¡°Sure, Amy, but I think it would mean more to her if you went and visited her.¡±  Her face fell and she took a drink from the cup again.  ¡°That''s true Jim, just with Cheer camp and everything coming up I''m not sure if I''ll have time to see her.¡±  Jim looked at her, seeing the fear in her eyes and nodded as the trappings of the game sprung up around them both again, and Jim found that the response coming out of his mouth betrayed his own game related machinations still holding on.  ¡°Sure Amy, I understand, I''ll tell her.¡± He couldn''t afford to burn this bridge.  Amy might be a way back to the table for him once he got to High School.  Relief flooded her face.  ¡°Thanks Jim, you''re the best.  Go break a leg.¡±  He nodded and turned and moved toward the stage.  He remembered that Alison had said that the punishment would extend to anyone who stood with Keri.  Amy had been there when Alison had said it, and he was pretty sure that was where her fear came from.  The only people who had visited Keri were him and Trudi, and apparently Alison.  Everyone else was too afraid of crossing Mandy and Alison to visit her, the ugly side of the game turned his stomach to ever want to jump back into it again, but his fear of floating through High School completely socially cut off kept him from completely severing himself from the game.


    Tim introduced him to the rest of the band and they greeted him warmly.  Matt on drums, Olivia on Keyboard, Tim and his girlfriend Selena were the singers.  They all said hi to him but since he was behind the singers near the Keyboard Olivia was the one to reach out to him first.  ¡°Hi Jim, I''m Olivia Parker.¡±  ¡°Hi Olivia, its nice to meet you.¡±  She looked closely at him.  ¡°I don''t'' remember seeing you before, did you just move into the area?¡±  Jim shook his head.  ¡°Nope, we''ve lived here my whole life.  My sister Julie invited me tonight.¡±  Olivia looked to who he was pointing to in the audience and smiled and waved at Julie.


    Julie waved back at Olivia and then smiled at him and gave him a thumbs up.   He then saw her mouth to Amber ¡°that''s my brother.¡± Amber looked at him and smiled.  Jim smiled back. And looked back to Olivia.


    ¡°Wow, that is so cool, Julie was like the first person to welcome me here and she has been making sure that I get connected and has helped me through the transition of moving here.  She has been so nice and I really appreciate everything she has helped me with.¡±


    ¡°Are you new to this group too?¡±  Jim asked.  ¡°Yep, we''ve been coming here for about a month.  We used to live in Wilkes-Bare but my Dad lost his job there, but my mom''s best friend''s husband offered him a job and we moved out here.  This church is a lot like the one we went to in Wilkes-Barre which helps.¡±  Jim nodded.  ¡°Welcome to Black Canyon.  Are you planning on going to School round here in the fall? I go to St. Pious IX.  We call it the Dungeon, but its pretty cool.¡±  Her face turned very sad and he could see tears start to form in her eyes.  ¡°Hey, I''m sorry if I said anything wrong.¡±   She quickly wiped at her eyes.  ¡°I''m sorry Jim, Its just that I had just made a really great friend back in April, and then..then she went missing and has been gone since then.  She went to that school you mentioned and it just brought back all the memories of the past three months.¡±  All the emotions threatened to brake out again, but somehow he was able to keep it together.  ¡°Was her name Alianna?¡±  Asked Jim in a quiet voice.  Olivia''s eyes widened.  ¡°Yes, Alianna Oaksen, so you know her?  I''m sorry, if you knew her well that is.¡±  then Olivia looked at him oddly, she then looked at his guitar and placed her hand to the side of her face.  ¡°Oh my goodness, you''re Jim.¡±  He arched his eyebrow.  ¡°All day every  day. ¡°  He said a bit too sarcastically.  ¡°Oh my goodness, I''m sorry, I know your Jim, I just...¡±  And then her mouth clamped shut as if she had said too much. ¡°What?¡±  Jim asked trying to figure out what she was saying.  She began to ring her hands a little bit.  ¡°Its okay, he told her, no worries, it was nice to meet you.¡±  He said as he started to turn back to his guitar.  Her hand touched his arm and he turned back to her. ¡°I''m sorry Jim, I wasn''t trying to be vague, its just ...¡± She took a deep breath and it sounded like she said a prayer under her breath.  ¡°Its just that I realized that you are the Jim that Ali kept talking about the night we met.   She called me because she was so nervous about going to picture day at School the next day.  My Mom had styled her hair and did her makeup and her mom got her contacts and all she could talk about is what you would think of the new her.  She totally adores you Jim.¡±  A tear crept its way out of Jim''s eye as what Olivia told him hit him. The memory of that day crashing into him.  Alianna adored him? He had been so terrible to her that day.


    He knew that most of the girls in the middle school wanted to date him, he had been the coolest boy in the middle school, but there was something different about what Olivia said.  He had gotten to meet the real Alianna, the carefree smiling, funny, cool, beautiful Alianna, and hearing Olivia say that that this girl adored him made his heart ache.  He took in a deep breath and let out a long sigh and ran his hand through his hair.  All the years of Julie teaching him to control his emotions, keeping his cool, paid off in that moment.  Inside he wanted to run off, find a corner somewhere and cry his eyes out, but outside the sigh was the only thing he showed.  ¡°Oh no, I''m sorry Jim, I said too much, I always do, I can''t seem to stop my mouth from opening.¡±  Said Olivia as she stomped her foot lightly with frustration.  Jim looked up and gave her his patented smile.  ¡°It''s really okay Olivia, I appreciate you telling me.  I better get my Guitar tuned up, could you play me a C chord?¡°  He said, no trace of the hurricane of emotions going on inside him.  She looked very relieved and nodded her head. ¡°Sure, sure Jim, one C chord coming up.¡±  She went behind the Keyboard and waited till he got his guitar set up and when he nodded she played a C Chord and then an F, a G, a B and on until he nodded again.


    Aaron came up and gave some announcements and then prayed a prayer to begin the night.  He prayed like no one Jim had ever heard before.   It sounded like he was talking to his best friend, instead of the president of the united states like the Priest spoke.  Everyone had their heads bowed, some with their palms open toward the ceiling.  Jim closed his eyes not knowing what else to do.  After the prayer the drummer counted off with his sticks and they began to play.  Jim caught the rhythm of the drum and remembered what he had heard on the ride over and reproduced it.  It went well and then they played a few hymns that he had heard at his Church before and so it was a pretty good set and he was able to get through it without any problem.  After that Aaron asked everyone to open their bibles to a book called Luke.  Jim looked around to see if there were any laying around.  After a few moments one was being handed to him.   He looked up and saw the drummer, Matt, handing him a bible.  ¡°You rocked that guitar Jim, your alright.  Here you can use mine, I got a bible app on my phone.¡±  Jim took the book and looked up at him.  ¡°Thanks Matt.¡±  ¡°Anytime.¡±


    He went and sat down next to Julie.   He looked at her with confusion when Aaron mentioned the book of Luke.  She smiled a warm smile and opened his bible and flipped a number of pages to where it said Luke at the top.  He smiled at her then looked at Aaron.  Aaron read a part of the page.  It was a story about a woman who had been caught in adultery and the religious leaders brought her to Jesus to see what his judgment on her would be.  Jesus just bent down and wrote in the dust.  He then said to them that the one without sin should cast the first stone. All the leaders dropped their stones and went away, for they had all sinned.  Aaron looked out at the group of Kids.


    ¡°We have all sinned like the men and  the woman in the story.  We all deserve to be stoned because of our sin, but look at what Jesus does here.  He was a teacher and a Rabbi, and he would have been within his rights to cast the stone at her.  But did he? No, he pointed out their Hypocrisy to the men and then turned and he forgave the woman of her sins.  He forgave her.  See, with Jesus there is forgiveness of all our sins, no matter how terrible they are.  Jesus died on the cross to be the perfect sacrifice for our sins, and then he rose form the dead which proved that he had  the power over death and therefore also over sin, for the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.  See, salvation is a free gift, we can''t earn it in any way, but God freely offers it if we  believe and receive the truth of his son Jesus, if this message has touched any of you don''t leave tonight without talking with me.¡±  Jim was struggling to understand what Aaron was saying.  Nothing like this had ever been mentioned from the priest when they went to Mass.


    His thoughts were disturbed by the sounds of weeping coming from right next to him.  He looked over at his sister and saw that Julie was ugly crying.  She was covering her face with her one hand and her other hand was pressed over her abdomen and it was trembling.  Amber timidity looked over at her the same time Jim did.  She seemed to notice Julie¡¯s trembling hand first and her eyes betrayed some form of understanding that eluded Jim.  She then reached out right away and put her arm around her and rubbed her  shoulder and said some soothing words to her.  Jim was frozen, he had never seen his sister cry like this.  He knew he should be the one comforting her, but their relationship had never been like that.  He didn''t know what to do.   Then Jennifer was kneeling on the ground  looking up at Julie.  Jim saw her touch Julie''s hand to try to keep it from trembling, and she said her name gently.   ¡°Julie¡­. Jules, it''s okay we''re here.  Do you want to come with me and we''ll get some water.¡°   Julie calmed down a little, lowered the hand that was over her face  and slowly nodded.


    Jenifer smiled at her and stood up and helped Julie up.   Amber stood also with her arm still around Julie.  Amber looked up at Aaron and Aaron nodded.  They led Julie back by the bar.  Amber guided her to one of the stools while Jennifer went behind the bar and got a bottle of water and some tissues.  They helped her calm down and get cleaned up.  Then they leaned in and put their heads together.  Jim looked around and pretty much everyone had their heads bowed and seemed to be moving their lips.  Amy seemed to be the only one looking up.  She saw him and shrugged.  After a few minutes Amber looked up and looked toward Aaron.  Jim turned back toward the bar and saw Jennifer cradling his sister in her arms and rocking her as she cried softly.  Seeing Aaron was praying Amber got up and walked over to him.  She touched his arm and when he looked up she leaned in and whispered in his ear.   He looked at her with such sorrow and concern on his face.  He nodded and followed her back toward Julie.  He stopped halfway there and turned to Tim.   He touched Tim''s arm and leaned in to whisper in his ear.  Tim looked up and nodded and then Aaron continued to the back of the room.  Tim got up and began touching people''s arms and whispering to them.  When he got to Jim he bent down and whispered. ¡°Hey Jim,  Aaron asked if we could take this down to the sanctuary just  to give Julie some privacy, I''ll show you the way.  They got way better sound equipment down there.  We can go over some new songs if you want.¡±  Jim looked over at his sister then back to Tim. ¡°Sure...Is..is Julie okay?¡±  ¡°She should be, I think the message Aaron gave musta brought something up in her heart that was buried deep, don''t worry Aaron''s great and so are Jen and Amber.  She''s in good hands.¡±  Jim looked back at them once and then nodded and got up, grabbed his guitar and followed the other kids downstairs.


    He soon found out what was behind the four doors he''d seen earlier.  It was a large room with four sections of Pews and a large stage in the front.  The stage had a piano, a drum booth, a keyboard and a bunch of sound equipment.  The kids all sat in the front pews, and the band took their places on the stage.  Matt the drummer went to the back of the room and went behind a raised platform.  Soon the sound system sprang to life and Jim went to the back where he saw a guitar board and plugged in his guitar.  Tim came back to him.  ¡°Thought we''d play something soft.  Do you know Amazing Grace?¡±  Jim was relived to hear it was a another one he knew.  He nodded.  ¡°Awesome.¡±  Tim cupped him on the shoulder then went back to the front microphone.  Matt entered the Drum booth and they began to play Amazing Grace.  About an hour later Aaron came through the back doors followed by Jennifer, then Julie and Amber.  Julie''s face was all red and her eyes were swollen and she was leaning heavily on Amber''s arm.   Aaron turned to everyone.  ¡°Thank you for your prayers and your patience everyone.   I think we will stop here for the night.  It was so good to see you all and I''ll be praying for a good rest of the week.  We''ll meet here Sunday night for our youth service at 6:30.  God bless you and keep you all till then.¡± He smiled then turned and moved to where Jim was. ¡°Jim you play very well.  Our normal guitarist got drafted for summer church camp as a counselor and it was good to have a full band again.  You''re welcome to join us Sunday night too if you want.''  Jim looked past Aaron to Julie who was wiping at her eyes.  ¡°Sure, maybe, If Julie is coming.¡±  ¡°It will be great to have you with us again if you can make it.  Now, Amber is going to drive you and your sister home in Julie''s car and Jennifer is going to follow you home so she can take Amber back here.  It was very good to meet you Jim.¡±  Aaron said shaking his hand. ¡°Yeah, good to meet you.¡±  Aaron smiled and then went over and stopped Amy before she could sneak out the back.  Jim went over  and sat down in the pew in front of Julie.  ¡°You okay Jules?¡± he said.  She looked up at him and he could see deep deep sorrow in her eyes.   She tried to smile at him, but it didn''t quite make a smile.  ¡°ye..yep, I''m five by five.¡±  She said in a week voice.  Jim looked at Jenifer.  ¡°She''ll be okay Jim, I think she needs some sleep.¡±  Jim nodded.  Amber smiled at him then looked at Julie.  ¡°Julie, can we pray over you before we go?¡±  Julie looked at her with fresh tears forming in her eyes and she nodded.  Amber pulled her in and hugged her close and Jenifer nodded and laid her hand on Julie''s back.  Jim didn''t know what to do so he just  watched.   Amber closed her eyes and spoke.  ¡°Abba Father, we come before you and lift up to you our sister Julie.  We thank you Lord so much for Julie and how much of a blessing she has been to this group and to our table.  Lord we ask you to be with our sister now in her time of grieving and that you would send peace to her heart and let her feel your loving arms around her.  We ask this in the  mighty name of Jesus. Amen.¡±  ¡°Amen¡± said Jennifer.  ¡°Amen¡± said Julie in a weaker voice.  ¡°We should get going,¡± Jenifer said to Amber.   Amber nodded and helped Julie up. Jim started to get up but Jennifer stayed behind as his sister and Amber left the pew.  She looked at him.  ¡°Jim, I know we haven''t really met, but I''ve gotten to know Julie really well this past year.  She told me what happened at the middle school table at the end of the last school year.  I''m sorry you had to go through that Jim.  Amber and I have been to visit Keri.  We asked if we could pray for her, but she didn''t seem open to it.  Please tell Keri we love her and are praying for her.  Also, about Alison.  I''m going to come down and talk with her and  Mandy on the first day back at school.¡±  Jim''s face must have betrayed his horror, because she reached out and touched his arm.  ¡°Don''t worry Jim, I was planning on doing this before Julie told me what happened last year.  I won''t mention you specifically.  We''re making a lot of changes at the High School table and I want to bring them up to Alison and strongly encourage her to make the same changes at the Middle school table.  If she''s on board with it, it will make things easier for you in the fall.  Anyway, it was great having you with us tonight, you really play the guitar well.¡±  She smiled at him and then turned to follow Amber and Julie.  Jim stood there for a minute trying to process everything that had happened tonight and then sighed heavily and went out of the building to Julie''s car.


    When they got home.  Jim thanked Amber and Jennifer, and then helped Julie inside.  He helped her to her room and opened the door.  Before saying goodnight he hugged her.  ¡°It will be okay Jules, whatever it is, I''m here for you.¡± She hugged him back.  It was literally the most tender moment the two of them had  ever had together and that realization seemed to shake them both because as they pulled away there was an odd confusion on both their faces.   ¡°Thank you Jim, that really means a lot to me, you''ve grown a lot this summer, I think being freed from the table and that awful game has been good for you.  I know you''re dealing with a lot too and I don''t want tonight to make you think I can''t be here for you either.  I''m here for you too Jim, my door is always open.¡±  He shook his head.


    ¡°Man Jules, you have changed completely, and it all seems like a good change, but the difference is like night and day.  I can''t figure out what it is and how it changed you, but a lot of it definitely seems better than life at the table, just give my door a knock if you need anything.¡±  She took his hand in hers and looked intently at him. ¡°You can have this change too Jim, you just need to come to understand who Jesus is and what he did for you on the Cross.¡± Jim shook his head again.  ¡°That''s what I''m not getting, I''m Catholic just like you are, but it sounds like you''re saying that that isn''t enough.¡±  She looked like she wanted to say more but then stopped. ¡°I''m very new to all this Jim, I know the Catholic church teaches that all you need to do is be in the church and follow what they say and they say you will go to heaven eventually,  but Jim, I found out that it is not the church that gets you to Heaven, it is believing in Jesus that He died and rose again and defeated sin.  It''s through belief in Him alone that we are saved.¡±  Her bloodshot eyes pleaded with him.  He knew she wanted him to do something, but he didn''t understand what.  ¡°Jules, I don''t understand what you need from me.  I get confirmed next year, then everything will be okay.¡±  She seemed to deflate when he said that.  ¡°I''m sorry Jim, I''m not saying this right. Please forgive me.¡±  He touched her arm and she looked up at him.  ¡°Jules, you haven''t done anything wrong.  I had a good time tonight, thanks for the invite.¡± She perked up a bit and some light came back to her eyes.  ¡°Really?  Oh Jim that''s so cool, I''m so glad you had fun, even with your sister making a complete spaz of herself?¡±  Jim shook his head and gave his sister a hug. She hugged him back. ¡°It was definitely okay Jules, and I had a good time playing with that band.¡± He was about to say goodnight and let go and go to bed but then thought about making sure she was okay. ¡° Did you need to talk about it, about what happened tonight?¡±   She pulled away and he could see fear and what looked like shame in her eyes.  ¡°Thanks Jim, but I...I can''t talk about it now.   Maybe someday soon, but not now.¡± He heard the emotion flood back into her voice as she said that.   He looked at her trying to determine what the reason was, but he didn''t try for too long.  ¡°Sure Jules, I''m just in the next room if you need me, just throw the old shoe against the wall.¡± He heard her laugh a little and she hugged him again.  ¡°Will do little bro, and thanks.¡±  He hugged her and then turned to walk back to his room.  As he put his hand on the door he heard her call his name. He turned to her.  ¡°I love you Jim.¡± She said and waved and then turned to walk into her room and shut the door.  He stood there stunned, She had never said those words to him before.  After a moment he went up to her door and said loud enough to hear.  ¡°Love you to sis.¡±   He then went back to his room and got ready for bed.


    The next morning,  Jim was sitting on his bed strumming his guitar, the events of the previous night still running through his head.  There was a knock at the door.  ¡°Hey bro, are you up?¡±  Jim hit a loud c chord on his guitar. He heard Julie laugh.  ¡°Okay, I guess that was a dumb question, do you want some bacon and eggs?¡±  Jim''s stomach growled and he looked  back at the door.  ¡°Totally, what''s the special occasion?¡±  He asked as he put his guitar in its stand. ¡°Can''t a big sister make breakfast for her younger brother?¡±  Jim laughed.  ¡°Sure, I''ll be right down.¡±  ¡°See ya at the table.¡±   He looked at the door as he heard her walk away.  In years past he would have chalked this up to her trying to butter him up and lay the groundwork for making sure he never told anyone what happened last night.  But, that was the old Jules, the Queen aspiring to be Queen.  This Jules, he actually believed she made him breakfast just...because.  He shook his head and went downstairs.  As he passed the front door the doorbell rang.  It was so unexpected he jumped and looked at it like it was a poisonous snake.   He stared at the door for a few moments.  ¡°Jim, who is it?¡± asked his sister.  Her voice shook him out of his shock and his cool returned.  ¡°Not sure.¡±  He went to the door and looked out the peephole.  There was a man and a woman standing next to each-other.  They looked more like his parents'' age.  There was a younger man who looked familiar, it was the pastor Aaron from last night.  ¡°It''s pastor Aaron and another older man and a woman.¡±  He heard a container drop and his sister say ¡°Oh no¡±.  She poked her head slowly around the door frame from the kitchen and looked at the door as if it was on fire.   She sighed and said.  ¡°Go ahead Jim, let them in, I''ll make some extra eggs and bacon.¡±  He looked a bit concernedly at her, but eventually modded and unlocked the door and opened it.  All three people smiled at him as he opened the storm door.  ¡°Jim, so good to see you again.¡± Pastor Aaron said as he extended his hand.  Jim shook it and said. ¡°Good morning Pastor Aaron, good to see you too.¡±  Jim then looked at the other two.  Aaron was already on it.  ¡°Jim, this is our head pastor Philip Cantor and his wife Sophia.¡±  The older man stepped forward and extended his hand.  ¡°Good to meet you Jim, I''m Philip and this is my wife Sophia.¡±  ¡°So good to meet you Jim.'''' Said the older woman as he shook her hand also.  ¡°Nice to meet you all.  Julie  is making breakfast if you would like to come in and eat with us?¡±  ¡°We''d be honored Jim.  Thank you both very much for such a welcome blessing.¡± Said Pastor Philip.


    Jim stepped back and held the door for them as they all entered.  As soon as he shut the door Julie came meekly around the corner with a shy smile on her face.  ¡°Okay, my sister has been replaced by an alien.¡± he thought as she was acting in a way he had never seen her act before.  Meek and shy were not words in her world.  ¡°Good morning Pastor Philip, and Mrs Cantor, and Pastor Aaron.  You are more than welcome to join us for breakfast.¡±  She said simply.  ¡°Please Julie call me Sophia.¡± Mrs Cantor said as she walked over to Julie and gave her a hug.  ¡°It is so kind of you to offer us some home made food.  Thank you dear.¡±  Julie hugged her back, and held it a bit longer than Jim thought normal.  Mrs Cantor didn¡¯t seem to miss a beat, she hugged Julie for as long as she needed and then whispered something in her ear.  Julie nodded, wiped at her eyes and then drew away.   ¡°It will be ready in just a few, please come in the kitchen and we can sit down.¡±    Jim looked at this odd group as they entered the Kitchen.  The pastor and his wife reminded him of his grandparents, but there was this odd feeling of peace about them, and Pastor Aaron too. It was the same peace Jules had been radiating these past months.


    ¡°What is it that they all have? An I don''t''?¡±  He shook his head and followed them.  They all sat down and Jim poured them all Orange juice and sat down next to Pastor Aaron.  After a few minutes Julie finished up and she set the table and served everyone''s plate.  The other three thanked her after she loaded up their plate and Jim also thanked her when she finished his.  She made herself a plate and then sat down next to Sophia.  They all looked at her. She blushed and looked at Pastor Philip.  ¡°Pastor, would you say grace?¡±  Philip nodded. ¡°I would be honored to.¡±  Their guests and Julie all bowed their heads, as did Jim, he knew all about saying grace.   But the prayer Pastor Philip prayed wasn''t the ¡°Give us these blessings that we are about to receive¡± prayer.  Philip prayed ¡°Our Heavenly Father, we thank you for this day and for all the things that you have richly blessed us with, especially this time that we have to share with Julie and Jim.  We praise you Lord for this food and ask that you nourish our body''s with it and grant us strength for the day ahead.  Bless this house and this family Lord and our time together and may your peace follow us through this day.  We ask this in the precious name of your Son Jesus. Amen.¡±


    Everyone else said Amen right after, except for Jim, he was stunned by this prayer, he had never heard such a prayer before.  It sounded like something that came from the heart and not a line from a script like the prayers in the Mass sounded.  ¡°Where did he learn to pray like that?¡±  Jim wondered, and then said Amen very much out of sequence.  They all looked at him and he could feel some red hitting his cheeks. ¡°Amen Jim. Said Pastor Aaron with a smile.  They ate breakfast and talked about general things, then Julie cleaned up the dishes and Sophia helped her.  Jim led the two men into the living room and sat down. ¡°So Jim, Aaron tells me you play the guitar very well.  How long have you been playing?¡±  Jim looked up and to the right for a second then back at Pastor Philip.  ¡°I think since I was about four years old.  My dad played and so he taught me all he knew and then I just picked things up as I listened to them.  I''ve been playing ever since.¡±  Philip nodded.  ¡°That''s really great Jim, I am looking forward to hearing you play.  Aaron  said You helped the Youth''s worship team out a lot since they didn''t have anyone to play the guitar. We have the same need for our churches worship team for service each Sunday, if you would be able to help us out once in a while that would be a big blessing to us?¡±  Jim looked at him and then at Aaron who was nodding in affirmation. ¡°Well, I always love to play, but I would need to ask my parents.¡±  Philip nodded as if that was what he had wanted to hear.  ¡°Definitely Jim.  If you are interested, check with them and Julie can let us know either way.¡±


    ¡°Know what Pastor Philip?¡±  Said Julie as she and Sophia came into the living room.  He smiled and him and Aaron stood as the women entered the room.  Jim felt like he had really missed something and stood also, except awkwardly because he wasn''t sure why the men were standing.


    ¡°I had just asked your brother Jim here if he would want to play for the church''s worship team, as we could use another Guitarist.  Rightly so he said he needed to ask your parents, which I would agree is the best first step, but I was just  saying that you would be able to let us know either way.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes, I''m sure my parents will say yes.¡± She said sitting down on the couch, Sophia sat next to her.  ¡°We''ll ask them tonight and I will let you know.¡±  Philip smiled and the men and Jim sat down also.  ¡°So, what brought you to our house today Pastor Philip?¡±  Asked Julie, hesitation strong in her voice.  Pastor Philip''s demeanor became more serious, but it wasn''t a heavy seriousness, but one filled with compassion.  ¡°Well Julie, Aaron, Sophia and I just wanted to check in on you.  Pastor Aaron had mentioned to us that you were having kind of a tough night last night.  We wanted to make sure that you were okay.¡±  Julie''s face grew sad and she started to sink back into the couch as if she were trying to disappear into it.  Sophia was right there though, as if she had known ahead of time how Julie would react.  She placed her arm around Julie and drew her in close as a mother would a sad child.


    ¡°It''s okay dear, you''re perfectly safe here with us. We love you Julie and want to walk with you through this time.¡± Said Sophia in that gentle voice that only mother''s can produce.  Tears started falling from Julie''s eyes and she laid her head on Sophia''s shoulder.  ¡°I''m..I''m so sorry...¡± was all she could get out before the cries came and she dissolved into Sophia''s shoulder.  Her shoulders shook and Sophia placed her other arm around Julie, comforting her with soft words.  Pastor Aaron closed his eyes, and so did Pastor Philip and Jim could see their lips moving slightly.  After a few minutes Julie calmed down and sat there weeping quietly as Sophia cradled her in her arms. Philip opened his eyes and got up and knelt down in front of them.  He took Julie''s hand and looked up at them.  ¡°Julie, I don''t pretend to imagine the pain that you are going through, but I want you to know that you do not need to go through it alone.  Pastor Aaron told us briefly what was going on, but if you are up to it maybe you can bring it all out into the light where it can be healed, but we definitely understand also if you aren''t ready to.¡±  She opened her puffy eyes and looked at Pastor Philip.  She looked scared and ashamed, but  the longer she looked at the Pastor, the calmer she became.  ¡°No Pastor, I want to bring this out, and not keep it hidden anymore.  I need healing so bad, and I don''t know how to find it, but I know there is healing in the light of Christ.¡±  Pastor Philip nodded as did pastor Aaron.   Jim had no idea what they were talking about, but he was getting a sense that he wasn''t part of whatever was going on.  He moved to the edge of his seat and started to get up.  ¡°Um, maybe I''d better go downstairs and let you all talk about this, you probably don''t want your little brother here right now?¡± he said looking at Julie.   She shook her head and looked at him pleadingly.  ¡°No Jim. Please no, I need you to be here for this.  I can''t tell mom and Dad this, but I need someone here that knows, someone I can lean on.  I need you Jim, please don''t go.¡±  Her voice was so broken as she said this, it tore at him.  He''d never seen anyone in this much pain before, let alone his sister.


    Something deep, a connection to her that had long grown cold sprung back to life and he got up and moved over and knelt down next to Pastor Philip and took her other hand.   Relief flooded her face and she mouthed the words ¡°Thank you.¡± to him.   She looked at them all and then took a deep breath and let it out.  ¡°So.¡± Another deep breath.  This past school year I was a sophomore and I wanted to try to get ahead at the High School popular kids table and one of the coolest guys in the High School Karl Bumount was single and so I won him over and we started dating.  Well my standing at the table did improve and I thought I was well on my way to becoming Queen again.  He was a rising star on the Football team and with me being on the cheer squad we had a lot of time to spend together.  Well after a few months he began to pressure me to take our relationship further.  I played the Game and led him on thinking of ways for him to think it would go farther but never actually letting it get there.  Well, he turned out to be craftier at that game than I was.  We had a huge fight, and he broke up with me.  I couldn''t handle it.  I was always the one deciding when the relationship ended, I was the Queen, and I couldn''t deal with someone else ending it.  So, I went after him, pursued him, and got caught in a trap that I helped create.  I¡­I ended up giving in, and letting the relationship go to that next level.¡±  She was crying now at this point again, the tears streaming down her face and emotion choking her voice.  She looked at him, and he could see past the facade of coolness that he always had seen when looking at her eyes, into the eyes of a broken, scared Sixteen year old girl who seemed to be grasping for something to hold on to.   He looked into her eyes and said.  ¡°Jules, it''s okay.  I love you, and nothing you say will change that.¡±  Gratitude and relief flooded her eyes toward him.  ¡°Oh Jim, I love you too, thank you.¡±  She took another big breath and let it out.  ¡°I...I became pregnant.¡±  She said struggling to continue after that.  The last nine months flooded through Jim''s memory and he remembered the fights and yelling on the phone with Karl, and then a time when they seemed to be back together, and then a time of more fighting and yelling. A particular day stood out from that time, a day that Julie skipped school and made him swear not to tell.  Then the number of months since that day stood out to him and the fact that his sister was showing no signs now of being pregnant, he began to become aware of what she was about to say.


    ¡°As..as you all can see, I am not nine months pregnant right now.¡±  Her face became pale and she scrunched up her face and shook her head back an forth. ¡°I...I told Karl that I was pregnant and he flipped out and said it wasn''t his.  I told him it was and I had some of his hair for a paternity test.  He said neither one of us wanted this, and something inside me agreed with him.  My cheering days would be done and so would any hope of being Queen.  He said he would pay for an abortion and drive me there.  And, so...so I went with him.  We both skipped school and went to a clinic downtown and I...¡±  Her voice was choked off as this pitiful noise came from her throat.  Pastor Aaron knelt down on the other side of Pastor Philip and placed his hand gently on Julie''s shoulder.  ¡°It is okay Julie, there is only love here, not judgment.¡±  Her head bowed forward, her hair covering her face, but his words seemed to break her silence.  ¡°I had an abortion.¡± She whispered.  And then the real crying came, she bent forward and began rocking back and forth crying, even whaling.  Jim had never heard sounds like this before.  A grief so deep there weren''t words to describe it.  Sophia place her arms around Julie and held her tight, but with gentleness. Pastor Philip placed his other hand over hers and held it tight. Pastor Aaron left his hand on her shoulder.


    A thousand thoughts played through Jim''s head while his sister cried.  Shock, horror, anger, revulsion, but at the tail end of it all was that connection to Julie that had been dead for along time.   They had been closer when they were little, she looked out for him and they both deeply cared for each other, and at the end of this string of thoughts was just deep love for his sister.  He stood up and walked to the other side of Sophia. Pastor Aaron saw him and nodded and moved back away from Julie.   Jim sat on the other side of Sophia  and placed his arms around Julie.  Sophia also let go and Julie collapsed into his arms and he held her.  He felt as though he was actually holding her together, that if he let go she would fall apart.  She continued to cry, but something changed.  His acceptance of her had softened her cries.  Eventually she looked up at him and her eyes were full of gratitude.  ¡°I''m here for you Jules, no matter what.¡±  She smiled.  ¡°Oh Jim, Thank you for not hating me.¡±  ¡°No one hates you dear.¡± Said Sophia, and the Pastor''s nodded also.  ¡°Julie¡± came Pastor Philips'' gentle voice.  Julie raised her head and looked at him. ¡°You have brought this into the light and there is definitely healing in the light.  First John 1:9 says ¡°If we confess our sins, He, He being God, Is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  You have already confessed what happened Julie, and by this promise in the Bible, this has now been washed away. Do you accept what the Word says here?  He has cleansed you my dear child.  Guilt is of the enemy, conviction is of the Lord, and what we have seen here is definitely the Godly sorrow that Paul talks about in Second Corinthians.  It is the sorrow that brings new life. Can you accept all of this?¡±  Julie looked at him, confusion and sorrow flooding her face.   ¡°How Pastor Philip, how could Jesus forgive me for what I did. I killed a child. How can he forgive that?¡±  She said, fear in her voice.  ¡°Because He loves you my dear, with a love so great that He endured the wrath of God in our place.  Julie, you have accepted Jesus as your savior and Lord, of that we can all attest to, as your baptism was witnessed by us and the whole church.  You have become His child and He loves you so greatly, and the price He paid for your sin has covered this as well.  Receive His mercy Julie, you are his child and he loves you.¡±  She didn''t speak, her eyes were shut tightly, and Jim actually thought she wasn''t breathing. Then she took a deep breath and her eyes opened and a peace seemed to wash over her.  ¡°Oh Pastor Philip, I felt it, I felt His Love for me and his forgiveness. I really am clean.¡±   Then she turned to look at Jim and she said.  ¡°Jim I''m clean, Jesus forgave me, His blood really does take away our sins.¡±  Jim had no idea what anything meant that they were saying, but he just looked back at her and smiled and said.  ¡°That is awesome Jules, definitely no judgment here, just love.¡±  She relaxed into his arms, and he held his sister.  There were tears coming from everyone''s eyes.


    He had no concept of what to do with this entire encounter. He had never been apart of something like this, and didn''t know what to do.  After about a ? hour Julie was doing better and the other''s said they needed to go, but Sophia invited Julie out to coffee on Tuesday and she readily agreed.  Pastor Philip shook Jim''s hand as they were leaving.  ¡°Let us know about playing on Sunday Jim, and if you want to get together for coffee sometime also, or have any questions, reach out to me and we''ll get together and talk.¡±  Jim took the piece of paper he handed him with his number on it and nodded.  ¡°Sure.  Thank you Pastor Phillip, it was nice to meet you and Mrs Cantor, good to see you again Pastor Aaron.¡±  Said Jim as they were leaving.  They both turned to him and said that it had been a pleasure to meet him also.  After they left he sat down with his sister and just let her talk. She still looked frail and broken over this, but there was definitely a lot more peace coming from her.   It was also the longest they had talked with each other since they were children.  Jim had his sister back, and he wasn''t going to let their relationship fall apart again.


    _____________


    Trudi opened the door to Keri''s  room.  The room was dark except for the lights from all the monitors.  Each beep and whine of the machine''s grated on her as each time it reminded her that she could lose her sister any day.   She moved over to the bed and sat down in the chair next to it.  She reached out and placed her hand in Keri''s.  Tears started down her cheeks as they always did when she looked at that hospital bed.  Keri was completely bald now and she looked like she weighed 80 lbs or less.  Frail and growing more pale each day.  The Dr''s had actually been amazed that she hadn''t passed yet.  They continued to mention Hospice to her mom but her mom couldn''t bring herself to do it, yet, but Trudi feared that she would cave on that front soon.  Then they would bring Keri home and she would die.  She tried to imagine her life without her sister, but any scenario she came up with always ended badly for her.  Keri had been her defender, her only friend and above all, her only sister.  She had always been there when Trudi needed her.  ¡°Now when you need me, I can''t do anything to help.¡±  She whispered sorrowfully.  Trudi had demanded that they check her blood at least three times to see if she could donate her bone marrow, but each time it had come up negative. Even then she had demanded that she still be able to donate it, but the Dr had told her that if the bone marrow wasn''t an exact match in this case it wouldn''t help Keri.  ¡°I couldn''t even protect you from Alison¡±  She said softly.  She had called in every favor she still could call in to try to get that video deleted from social media.  She had had some success, but it went viral too quickly for her to sqaush it completely.  It had gotten so popular, people started making Meme''s out of it.  She couldn''t stop the selfish thought that crept in at that moment.  ¡°What happens to me when your gone, everything from that video will fall on me.¡±  The tears really came at that point and Trudi lowered her head and laid it on Keri''s hand.  After a few moments Trudi felt a slight pressure on her hand and looked up.  Keri''s eyes were open and looking at her, a tear starting to fall from her eye also.  Keri slowly opened her arms and Trudi moved over and laid her head down and Keri wrapped her frail arms around her.  Keri had always been her protector, and even now, in this state she was still trying to prevent the world from hurting her.  Trudi fought back the despair of knowing this might be the last hug she got from her sister, and just soaked in the memory of the moment.

 Chapter 21: The Captains’ Cove

    ¡°I spent each night there, when I was Queen.  Long hours into the early morning I would read each card and study each pearl of wisdom.  I wanted to be a good Queen, to soak in the decades of insight from the Queen¡¯s before me.   As I read them though it only served to  highlight one truth,  that what these cards held didn¡¯t compare to the source of wisdom I had already gained.¡±


    -Megan Trendale, On Being a Little Sister.


    The next few weeks went by in a flash and before either Alison or Megan knew it their mom was driving them all to Cheer camp. Camp Oska was about an hour away but it seemed to take forever. They were going up a day early since their mom was now in charge of the Middle School Cheer team. Priscilla Bellows had resigned when it became obvious that Keri was not going to get better quickly. Penny Trendale jumped at the opportunity and St Pious had agreed.


    Megan and Britney were in the back seat texting a thousand words a minute, both beyond excited to be on the cheer team and to be sitting at Alison''s table. Alison stared out the window occasionally noticing familiar landmarks from when she came here last year, when Keri had been set to be Queen. The talking from the backseat washed over her but didn''t stick, her mind kept drifting to Ali as she saw the trees whipping by outside the car window. Ali had gone into woods like these and had not come out. Alison had caused her to go there as if she had chased her all the way from the school with a whip. Chased her by her betrayal, her taunts, and something even deeper.


    If she had been paying attention she would have noticed one of the voices stopping behind her. Megan had caught her looking out the window as the trees passed by and seen the tears in her eyes in the reflection in the glass. Anger boiled deep in Megan''s heart. ¡°She''s thinking of her I bet. Stupid Alianna. It''s been months. A few more though and Ali won''t even remember her and then I''''l be her only sister.¡± ¡°Meg¡± Said Brittney after a minute of hearing only her own voice. Megan looked at her friend. ¡°Huh?¡± Brittney began to giggle. ¡°Where did you go? I think I was talking to myself for like a whole minute.¡± Megan laughed at herself. ¡°Sorry Britt, the trees looked really pretty outside and I got distracted.¡± Megan laughed, and so did Brittney. Alison heard the laughter as if it was from far away. She thought back to the day they met, her and Alianna. They were both 5 and their mother''s had taken them to the same playground. Their mother''s got to talking about something and she remembered staring at the blond haired girl who was hiding behind her mother''s leg just as Alison was. Ever so slowly they inched out toward each other and when they got near each other Alianna was the first to speak. ¡°Hi. I''m Ali.¡± She said slowly, cautiously. Alison remembered the excitement she felt when she learned that this girl had the same name as her. ¡°Hi Ali, I''m Ali too.¡± She said giggling. Alianna giggled too. ¡°That''s awesome.¡± She said. ¡°Yah so Awesome.¡± ¡°Do you want to be my friend?¡± Alianna said. ¡°yes, that would be super awesome!¡± ¡°Yay¡± Said Alianna. ¡°Yay echoed Alison. From then on they were always together. They started the Ali club, thought up the Ali Wall/Ali Sally game. The game had originally started out where they would carry around one of those plastic eggs with two folded papers inside that they would randomly shuffle. At the end of each school year they would open them and see which one of them would be Ali Wally and which would be Ali Sally for the next school year. Each year they changed nicknames, eventually, once they became proficient at writing, this game shifted over to their Diary''s. They had found special stickers at a craft store that you could lift up and put back multiple times without hurting the paper or meeting up the sticker. When the diary¡¯s were full at the end of the school year, they would exchange them, and then they would both close their eyes and then count one, two, three, and open them and look down and see which nickname each had had for that year. Neither of them could remember perfectly who had had each name and so they would both laugh when they saw which name they had had and how badly they had messed it up through the year. They both still had each other''s diary as they hadn''t been able to get together before the end of sixth grade because that was the day that Alison joined the table and forsook Alianna, her sister. The tears fell and she didn''t care, she let them fall as the memories played over and over in her head. It was either let them fall as they were now, or let out the ugly cry that she has been holding back since Ali disappeared.


    Megan kept watching her sister out of the corner of her eyes as she talked to Britney. She had always been good at multitasking. She watched the tears pour from her sisters eyes, and each tear stirred her anger even more. She had a bunch of M&M''s in her hand that she had been snacking on, she slowly maneuvered one so that she could flick it at her sister when the car began to slow down. She looked forward and saw a large wooden sign that read ¡°Welcome to Camp Oska¡±.


    ¡°We''re here girls.¡± came her mom. Her mom sounded more excited to be here then they were. Her eyes darted back to Alison who had some how miraculously erased her tears and looked perfectly normal. Megan sighed in frustration and popped the M&M''s in her mouth.


    They parked and Alison was the first one out of the car. She stretched and then looked around. The camp seemed empty, but there was a staff person moving about here or there. The High School team had left earlier this morning and so they had the run of the camp till tomorrow. Then she saw someone else. A girl with brown hair what looked like a High School Cheer uniform, except it was longer and more, well, proper. She was standing under the canopy of the main camp offices with her bags next to her looking down at her phone. Alison shaded her eyes against the sun and squinted. It was Amy Reader. She began walking over toward the camp offices toward Amy. Amy was so engrossed in her phone that she didn''t notice Alison. ¡°Hi Amy¡± Alison said. Amy jumped and nearly drooped her phone. The only thing that saved it was the loop on the back of it got caught on her finger. ¡°Oh...¡± She took a breath and put her hand to her chest. ¡°Oh, Hi Alison, I''m sorry I didn''t hear you come up.¡±


    ¡°I''m sorry Amy, I didn''t mean to startle you, are you okay? Did your ride not show up?¡± Amy nodded her head. ¡°My mom was on the way up here but she got a flat tire and so she had the car towed to get a new one. She just texted me and said she finally got it fixed and would be here soon. My Dad is in Indiana for business and so I had to wait for her to get it done.¡±


    ¡°I''m sorry that you had to wait this long alone Amy.¡± ¡°It wasn''t bad, Jennifer, the new High School Queen, waited with me for quite awhile, her mom totally supported her. They left about 30 minutes ago because they needed to pick up her brother from Soccer camp, but it was supper nice of them to wait with me as long as they did.¡± ¡°Wow, that is really nice!¡± Alison said with as much genuineness as she could, but the guilt of what she did to Ali began to stab at her heart again, and also the oddness of the new Queen''s actions.


    ¡°How are you doing Alison, really?¡± Amy asked. Alison looked at her, and she could see Amy''s eyes searching hers for anything below the surface. She thought she had locked everything away, but Amy''s face became empathetic and Alison mentally stamped her foot. ¡°I got to get my emotions under Lock and Key or else I''ll never survive 8th grade.¡± ¡°I guess keeping my emotions under tighter control is a bit of a frustration right now.¡±


    The irony was thick in her voice. Amy laughed a little, it wasn''t a taunting laugh, just that she caught the irony. ¡°Its okay Alison. I know it was rough with Mandy at the end there and Jim leaving the table, but I heard that you brought on Britney Shaffer, that is so fortunate, her Dad is like the richest man in Black Canyon, I think Wilkes-Barre too. And Bradly Lockman should soften Tiffany up a little.¡± She said, nodding her head in approval. ¡°You are going to do Okay. So, did you pick a Prince yet?¡±


    Alison looked around to make sure no one was listening. Seeing her do that Amy moved closer to her. Alison bent low and whispered ¡°Billy Poke.¡± Amy stood back and started to laugh really hard. When she slowed down some she looked at Alison with tears forming at the corners of her eyes. ¡°Come on Alison, who is it?¡± Alison looked at her with the same unreadable expression. ¡°Billy Poke.¡± Amy''s mouth dropped. ¡°Pig in a Poke Billy? Alison what...?¡± She closed her mouth and looked shrewdly at Alison. ¡°The Cinderella Story?¡± She said in an exasperated whisper. ¡°Alison that is cool for the first few months but then kinda plateaus, and you really have to work hard to make something out of it for the second half of the year. And it never usually ends pretty. Why...why are you doing this, and with Billy?¡± Amy asked with genuine concern on her face. ¡°I need support at the table Amy. Mandy has at least half the table on her side. I am going to announce Megan as my heir apparent and she and Britney are best friends. Britney''s cousin Beau is moving here at the end of the summer from California. She described him to me and he seems like the complete deal.¡± Amy scrunched her eyes at Alison and opened her mouth in surprise. ¡°So why in the world would you chose Billy Poke?¡± Alison sighed and shook her head. ¡°Because I need support, Amy. I know Beau is perfect to fill the Prince''s seat, he is a complete stranger and new to the table and I know Mandy and Tiffany will try to sink their claws into him and use him against me. He''ll definitely be at the table, there is no way I can''t bring him in, but I need a sure thing for Prince Amy, not a possibility. I need someone who will be absolutely loyal to me, and there is no chance Mandy can steal them away. The one advantage of the Cinderella Story is that when you bring someone to the table who has been mercilessly picked on up till now, their loyalty is absolute. He''ll do anything I ask him to do, anything, to make sure he never gets put back at the reject table.¡± Amy sighed and nodded.


    ¡°You are really good at the game Alison, more than I gave you credit for. You are willing to take risks that no one else would even consider and so they don¡¯t see it coming. Remember what I told you in the mat room, however, be careful with the Game. You have shot up really quickly and that can be a good thing, but you''ve also missed a whole year of playing and learning to play it. It can destroy you, especially as Queen, if you''re not careful.¡±


    Alison looked at Amy and nodded. ¡°I know Amy, believe me I see the cliff''s on either side of this road, but I have no choice. I''ve given up everything I held dear for this chance to get something that might fill¡­¡± she clamped her mouth shut and shook her head. . ¡° I have to see it through.¡±


    Amy looked confused. ¡°What are you trying to get out of this Alison, what are you needing filled?¡± Alison opened her mouth again to say it, but then closed it. ¡°Sorry Amy, that''s ultra top Secret.¡± Amy nodded and shrugged. ¡°I had to try.¡± She smiled reassuringly at her. ¡°You will do okay Alison, at least for the next year.¡± Now it was Alison''s turn to be confused. ¡°What do you mean? Why won''t I do good in High School?¡± Amy looked at her, then looked around to make sure no one was looking. Alison moved in closer to her. ¡°Look Alison...¡± ¡°Ali, call me Ali Amy, I''ve brought you in far enough that I consider you a friend.¡± Amy looked at her with some shock but then relaxed and smiled. ¡°Thanks...Ali, it''s been awhile since anyone wanted to be an actual friend with me. What I did to Sharon kept people at arm''s length.¡± Alison smiled at her. ¡°Anyway, Amber was a completely different Queen than any of the High School Queens in the Chronicle. She frowned upon gossip and slander and most parts of the game, and she instead rewarded good deeds and to encourage each other and in going to this Bible study that a few kids have at the High School every morning at 7 am. But it wasn''t just a show, it was who she was. She was always nice to everyone and helped out anyone who needed it, it''s rumored that she even donated a kidney to Kristy Newsom¡¯s sister Kelly who was Queen two years ago.


    Amber started to change the rules of the game while she was Queen. She picked Jennifer to be Queen after her and from what I can see Jennifer is following right in Amber''s footsteps.¡± She said as she waved her hand over her new uniform. ¡°Jennifer gave us these new, more proper, uniforms and told us this week that she is going to require sixty additional hours of volunteer service for everyone who is at the High School table. That is in addition to the sixty hours that the School makes us do each year, and that is just to sit at the table. The more hours that you put in the more cred at the table you get. I''m going to have to volunteer at the Hospital almost everyday each week if I want to get ahead. She also is inviting everyone to this youth group at the Church she goes to. Amber goes there too, and Julie and now also Jim.¡± Alison''s face had been growing more and more concerned as Amy talked but now her mouth dropped in surprise. ¡°Wait. What do you mean Julie and Jim are going to a youth group? Julie, Julie Kurtz? Former Queen of the Middle School table, ruled with an Iron fist, destroyed your friend Shannon, that Julie, and Jim too?¡± ¡°Yeah, I know, I couldn''t believe it when I saw them there. Julie is wearing long dresses and covering clothes and this bandanna that covers the top of her head. I saw Amber and Jennifer wearing one too. It was so crazy too. See, I went because I wanted to get on Jennifer''s good side, and score some early points before Cheer Camp.


    I had no Idea what I would find when I got there though. This man named Aaron, Jennifer said he was the youth Pastor at the church, which I didn''t understand because he wasn''t wearing the priests uniform like at our Church, but anyway, he got up and read a story from the bible about a woman who had been caught in adultery and Jesus forgave her sins. Well when he finished I looked over and Julie was a mess. She was ugly crying all over the place with her hand over her mouth and the other over her stomach. Anyway, Jennifer and Amber took her to the back and tried to calm her down, but then Amber went and said something to this Aaron guy and he then instructed everyone to move downstairs. I have no Idea what is going on, but Jim looked as confused as I was. He''s a mess too, He''s all torn up about Keri, and worried about what he''s going to find when he gets back to the Dungeon.¡± She was about to say more, but suddenly her phone buzzed and Amy looked down at it. She smiled. ¡°Phew, my Mom said she''s coming down the main road to the camp now.¡± She looked back at Alison.


    ¡°One more thing Alison. I got some pretty good ears, and I overheard Jennifer talking to Jim before they left. She said that she was going to be paying you a visit during lunch on the first day of School to talk to you about the changes they are making to the game at the High School and that she is going to greatly encourage you to follow suit.


    The last time this happened was about seven years ago. As social media took off, everyone and their little brother was making videos and posting them, and the stuff the A table was putting up started to just become white noise. So the High School Queen that year, an April Wylle, came up with a new system of gaining cool cred. She had read a quote from one of the Queens at the Captains Cove that said ¡°If the present isn¡¯t working for you, look to the past.¡± at least that is what was written in the chronicle. She was inspired by this and changed the entire cred system. The more you knew about classic rock from the 60¡¯s, 70¡¯s and 80¡¯s the cooler you were, same with movies and commercials. The reasoning was that it took actual work to research this stuff and become knowledgeable about it. The more knowledgeable, the cooler you were. That¡¯s why Keri goes on and on about Rush and Jim keeps playing Simon and Garfunkel, and Mandy¡¯s wall has so many posters of Bob Dylan.¡± Alison¡¯s mouth dropped. ¡°Get out, are you serious? I always heard everyone talking about old bands and movies but never knew why. I tried to become knowledgeable, but without knowing why, or what ones to memorize, it was really hard. Why didn¡¯t anyone tell me?¡± Amy smiled and shook her head. ¡°That¡¯s lesson four of the game Ali, if you have knowledge and you know someone else doesn¡¯t, don¡¯t give it to them, unless it benefits you in some way¡± She shrugged. ¡° Anyway, you can refuse Jennifer¡¯s suggestions and do as you wish for the rest of eighth grade, but I doubt you''ll find a very warm welcome when you and Mandy get to the High School table next fall unless you find a way to impress Jennifer and Julie now. I don''t know how you''re going to play this card that is being dealt to you, but please, if you really meant what you said about friendship, don''t tell Jennifer that I told you all this. I don''t know how much longer I have it in me to keep playing the game, but I''m hopeful this new game will at least not be as heavy as the one that we have been playing.¡±


    Alison let the worry flood her face and was about to ask Amy more questions when a car horn honked and Alison turned to see a white Toyota Corolla pulling up to the office. Amy waved at the woman behind the steering wheel. The door opened and a short heavy set woman got out. ¡°I''m so sorry dear that you had to wait so long.¡± Said Amy''s mom as she ran up to her and hugged her. Amy hugged her back and then pulled away. ¡°It''s okay mom, I had some friends to talk to while I waited. Mom, this is Alison, she''s one of my friends.¡± Amy said, turning to her and smiling. Alison smiled back, if not a bit subdued because of all that Amy had told her. She quickly turned on her smile though and waved at Amy''s mom. ¡°Hi Mrs. Reader, I''m Alison Trendale.¡± ¡°Oh it''s very nice to meet you dear, and thank you so much for keeping Amy company, I was so worried that she would be waiting all this time alone.¡± ¡°I was glad to have the chance to talk with her and catch up with her, it was no problem at all.¡± Said Alison. ¡°Well, I definitely appreciate it. Are you ready to go dear?¡± She said as she turned back to Amy. ¡°Yep, all set mom.¡± ¡°Okay, lets get on the road then, your brother is driving me crazy right now, and so we should probably get home.¡± Amy nodded. And looked towards the back seat. Her brother was there with his arms crossed and a sour look on his face. He caught her staring at him and so he stuck out his tongue at her. Amy sighed and shook her head.


    Her mom took her bag and went toward the trunk. Amy picked up her back pack and slung it over her shoulder. She turned and gave Alison a hug. ¡°Thanks for talking with me, it''s nice to have that again, someone to talk like this too.¡± Alison gave her a hug back. ¡°Anytime Amy, you didn''t have to share that with me, but you did and I''m really grateful.¡± They pulled apart and Amy turned and went to the car. She opened the back door and put her backpack on the seat and then dodged a candy wrapper that was thrown towards her by her brother. She shut the door quickly and opened the passenger side door. She waved at Alison.


    ¡°Let me know when you''re back, and we''ll grab some coffee at the Perking Meter.¡± Alison smiled and waved back. ¡°Sounds awesome. I''ll text you next week once I''m back.¡± Amy nodded and got into the car. Mrs Reader waved at her from the driver''s side window. ¡°It was nice to meet you Alison.¡± Alison waved back. ¡°It was good to meet you too Mrs Reader.¡± Then the car pulled away and Alison gave them one last wave. Then she turned and headed back to their car. When she got there her mom, Megan and Brittney were nowhere around. ¡°Mom.¡± She called out, but there was no answer. She looked in the car and didn''t see any of their stuff. ¡°They must have gone to the dorm.¡° She said to herself. She walked off down the path that lead to the girls'' dorm. It was a long white two story building. She went in the doors and took the elevator to the second floor. When she got off, she went to the end of the hall and stopped at the door at the end of the hall. It said Captain on a plaque on the wall by the door. She tried the door and it was already opened. She went inside the room and inside there was a desk to the right and then a couch on the left that was facing a TV mounted on the wall. In the back of the room was a closet and a door that led to a private bathroom. Her bags were set next to the closet and across from the closet was a pretty wooden day bed with Megan laying on it. Alison frowned when she saw this. ¡°Hey, that''s my bed.¡± Megan jumped up looking completely surprised. ¡°Um..Ali, wow, so sorry it just looked really comfortable. This is such a cool room, and it is so cool that it''s yours.¡± Alison smiled. ¡°It will be yours next year too if you play your cards right.¡± Megan jumped up and down and squealed. ¡°I know right. Okay, so I showed Brittney the room too when we brought your stuff up and told her that you were going to name me as your heir and so I would be Queen next year and if that happened then I would totally make her my Heir and Queen when she got to eighth grade. She totally spazzed out a little. I think we won''t have any problems with her staying loyal.¡± Megan said. ¡°That''s good to hear. You did good Meg, thanks for getting Brittney on our side.¡± Megan practically beamed when Alison complemented her. ¡°Anything to help you out Ali. Who were you talking too out front?¡± Alison looked at the open door and shut it. ¡°That was Amy Reader. She was the Table¡¯s Historian last year, and she was telling me about what was happening at the High School table.¡±


    ¡°Yikes, oh no.¡± Megan said, slapping her head and reaching down on the bed and picked up an envelope and handed it to Alison. ¡°I saw this on the pillow when I laid down on the bed. It had your name on it. Don''t worry, I didn''t read it.¡± Alison looked down at the envelope. It had her name written on the front in a very neat penmanship. She looked up at Megan, and then back at the letter. She opened it noting with relief that what her sister said was true and it had not been opened and unfolded the paper inside. Inside was the same neat penmanship.


    Hi Alison,


    I just wanted to leave you a note to say congratulations on being elected the Middle School¡¯s Queen and Cheer Captain. I know that you will do well and if you ever need anything don''t hesitate to reach out to me. Amber is my best friend and I know first hand from her how hard it can be to be Queen. This past week leading cheer camp was fun, but also took a lot of hard work adding in some suggestions from Amber and some of my own and so I just wanted to say, I understand how hard it is and I¡¯m here if you need anything. I''ve written my cell number at the bottom corner of this note. I also left you a little surprise in the fridge. I hope you enjoy it and have an awesome week of cheer and building up your team.


    One more thing. Julie, Susan, and I wanted to see if you would be okay if we came and visited with you, Mandy and your Heir the first day back to school during your lunch hour. There are so many cool things happening this year at the High School table and I wanted to share them with you in case they might work for your table this year also. Shoot me a text when you are able if that would be okay with you.


    I''m praying for a good rest of the summer for you and your team.


    God bless,


    Jennifer Benton.


    Alison sat down on the bed and re-read the letter again. Megan sat down next to her. ¡°Everything okay Ali?¡± She said, looking at the letter. Alison turned to look at her. ¡°This is from Jennifer, the Queen of the High School table. She has requested to meet with You, Me, and Mandy on the first day back at school. Amy told me a lot about these ¡°cool things¡± that she says are going on at the High School table this year. Meg, I''m really going to need you this year, it may be a harder year than we thought.¡± Megan looked really concerned, but also put her arm around Alison. ¡°You know I got your back Ali, what is wrong though with them telling us about cool things?¡± ¡°Well, it''s not the type of cool you''re thinking of.¡± Alison told her sister everything that Amy had said and they spent the next hour talking it all over. They were interrupted by a knock at the door. ¡°Meg, are you still there?¡± Came Brittney''s voice from the other side of the door. ¡°Your mom wants us to gather in the main hall in a half an hour, but I want to show you our room first.¡± Megan looked at Alison. ¡°It''s okay Meg, go ahead. I''ll be at the Captain''s Cove after dinner working on some things. We can talk about this more there if you want to join me.¡± Megan gave her sister a hug. ¡°I''ll come up later and we can finish talking about this.¡± Megan got up and headed for the door. Once the door was shut and she was alone, Alison laid the letter on the bed and went over to the fridge to see what Jennifer had left her. Inside was a small chocolate cake with the word Congratulations Alison written on it. There was also a Starbucks frap with the words Salted Caramel written on it. ¡°How did she know what my drink was?¡± She said out loud to no one. She took the frap out of the fridge but left the cake, intending to share it with her mom, Meg and Brittney at dinner. Alison sat on the bed with her back against the headboard and sipped her drink and looked out the window trying to figure out how to protect the reputations at the Table this year and also impress Jennifer and Julie enough to keep her and Mandy''s place when they get to the High School. Slowly a plan began to form in her mind. She would have to take the table underground. Do their cool things somewhere else, where Jennifer couldn¡¯t see, all the while making it look to her that the middle school table was following suit.


    Everyone enjoyed the cake at dinner and then she went up to the Captain''s Cove. Megan said she would be up after she got a shower. It was a small cabin up the mountain near the camp, a ways off into the woods. It had been donated to the camp by one of the Captains forty years ago who had come from a rich family so that the Captain could have a place to get away from everyone else and the drama that always ensued. It was a one room cabin with a fireplace and a couch and two recliners. There was a fridge, a sink and a bathroom. There were many little trinkets laying all across the shelves and mantle and tables, there was a shed outback that held the earlier trinkets put there to make room for new ones, as it wasn¡¯t just the Queens from St.Pious that used this camp, but from also from a number of High Schools around the area.


    Each year the Captain would leave a small trinket, that meant something special to them, to help decorate the cabin. Each trinket had a small note card taped to it. On the card was a brief story of what the trinket meant to the Captain and a quote or piece of advice to future Captains. Alison had brought a small music box with a porcine ballerina on it. The Music Box belonged to her and Ali¡¯s Nanna. She had given it to Alison the year before she died. It was one of her most treasured things, but after that day when she had bumped into Mrs Oaksen she didn''t feel like she had the right to keep it any longer. She set it in an open space on the mantle of the fireplace. She turned the little crank on the side and sat down in the chair and pulled her legs up to her chest and listened to the soft gentle tune it played like she had when she was a girl and her and Ali would go stay over at Nana¡¯s and they would sit and just listen to the soft melody. She must have gotten up at least ten times to crank the box again, trying to burn the song and memories into her head. She didn¡¯t hear the door open, she was too focused on the memories. The song ended and she started to get up to crank it again when she saw someone out of the corner of her eye. She jumped and turned to see Megan standing by the door staring intently at the music box. She almost seemed angry. ¡°Meg, I¡¯m sorry, you startled me. Are you okay?¡± Megan looked at her as if she had forgotten she was there, but quick as a flash her smile was back on her face. ¡°Yep, totally, this is such a cool place. I''m so excited Ali, so tell me more about what you were saying back in your room. They stayed there till midnight talking about the plan Alison had come up with. Megan was yawning her head off, so Alison had told her to go to bed. She spent some time looking at all of the trinkets and looking at some of the cards. She came across one that stood out. It was two metal bars linked together, with a metal pin attached to the back. She picked up the card and read it.


    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°These are Captain''s bars, my Father was a Captain in the U.S. Marine Corps and he was a true Hero. He fought in many battles, but when I faced my toughest battle, he was right there beside me all the way. He fought off my own enemy and many of our country''s enemies. Every girl needs a hero to rely on. Make sure you find a good one and hang onto them no matter what.


    ¡°I need a hero, I''m holding out for a hero ''til the morning light, He''s gotta be sure and its gotta be soon and he''s gotta be fresh from the fight...¡± Bonnie Tyler


    Keri Bellows.


    Alison dropped the card and bars and they made a clanging sound on the floor. Tears began to form in her eyes. Alison''s father had left when she was two years old and Megan was just a year. He had left their mom for a younger woman. Alison felt the emptiness of not having a father, made even more empty by reading a story of how another girl¡¯s father fought off her enemies. Keri had a Hero, Alison didn¡¯t. She reached down reverently and picked up the Bars and the card. On the bottom of the card she noticed more writing under Keri''s name.


    ¡°P.S. If you want to stay one step ahead of any rivals this year, click the center of the daisy that is carved into the headboard of the Captain¡¯s bed. I would have told you the password when you became Queen. Pass it on to the next one.¡±


    She placed the bars and card back in its place and then played the music box one more time, before turning off the lights and heading for her bed.


    The next morning everyone else from the team arrived and Alison, Megan and Brittney helped everyone find their rooms and settle in. Alison was expecting Mandy and Tiffany to be cold towards her when no one was watching, but they both said ¡°Hi¡± to her, and she didn''t feel any cold shoulders coming from them. She made a mental note, not sure what was going on, but to get to the bottom of it. Her mom got everyone together because she had a special announcement. ¡°Girls, welcome to Middle School Cheer camp. I''m Ms Trendale and I''ll be your coach this year. Mrs Bellows has taken the year off to be with Keri until she gets better. I am really looking forward to working with you all this year, and its really going to be the best year yet for St Pious Cheer team. We have a big surprise this year. We have brand new uniforms, courtesy of Mr Shaffer, Britney''s Dad. Alison.¡± Alison came out from behind the curtain and modeled the new uniform. Everyone oohed and awed at the sparkly and expensive uniforms.


    ¡°Brittney please tell your father thank you so much for this very generous gift.¡± ¡°I will Ms Trendale, my parents are looking forward to our first game that we cheer for.¡± Alison saw Lottie eyeing up Brittney and then Lotti looked at her in the new uniform and then back at Brittney. Lotti got a sour look on her face and crossed her arms and proceeded to pout. ¡°She has learned enough about the game to figure out that Britney will be on the center pyramid during our routines. Sorry Lotti, but her parents are going to want to see their Daughter front and center and I also need her loyalty¡± Alison mused as she did a cartwheel into a backflip and everyone clapped. When she landed she turned and faced everyone. ¡°Yes, thank you so much to your Dad Britney. These new uniforms are awesome. We have everyone''s uniform backstage so step right up and get them. Please try them on and let us know if there are any issues so we can get them fixed up before school starts. All the girls showed their excitement in different ways, jumping up and down, giggling, making ooh and awe motions with their mouths. Alison spun around once more and then walked to the front of the stage. ¡°I am so glad all of you are here and on the team. This is going to be the best year yet for our team and for our table and I am just so excited to be part of both and all the cool things that lay ahead of us. Dinner is at 6 tonight, so we have free time till then, so get settled and get to know eachother. Tomorrow our first practice starts at 7 am and then breakfast after. There is a full schedule in each of your rooms along with a welcome bag that I put together for each of you. Again, so awesome to be here with you all and we will see you at Dinner.¡± All the girls cheered and then dispersed back to their rooms.


    Alison hung her uniform up in the closet and then sat down on her bed and was running all of the routines in her head that they would start to practice tomorrow. After a while she lay back on the bed and rubbed her eyes. When she opened them she was staring at the headboard and saw a daisy carved in the corner. Memories of Keri''s card from the Captains Cove came back to her. She had been so tired last night she had forgotten to check on what the card had said about the daisy. She sat up and pressed the center of the daisy. The center pushed inward like a button and she heard a click below her. She looked at the side of the bed and saw that a small slit had opened in it and there was something in there. She put her fingernails in the slit and grasped something hard. She pulled it out and out came an ipad mini. She turned it on and a login came up and a password request. She scanned her memory but didn''t remember seeing a login or password on Keri''s card.


    ¡°What kind of help is this if I can''t log into it, Keri never told me the Password.¡± She tried Keri''s full name and tried Cheerleader as the password. The error message came up. She tried a few more, but none of them were right. Then the memory of the night she spent at Keri¡¯s house, and also when she saw her at the Hospital came back and Alison remembered the teddy bear with the black fur that Keri had been cuddling. Alison then remembered the same bear in Keri''s hospital room, and the name Keri had called it, Liquorice. ¡°That has to be it.¡± She tried it and a green light appeared and the home screen popped up. She was so excited she almost dropped the ipad. There was a folder called ¡°Rooms¡± and she clicked on it and three rows of folders appeared each with a title ¡°Room¡± and then a number. There were 15 rooms. ¡°There are fifteen rooms for the cheer team.¡± A disturbing thought came into her head. She clicked on room two, which was the first one past the bathrooms, just up from her own. Mandy and Tiffany''s room. She clicked on it, and it opened to reveal a video icon. She hesitated. ¡°Had Keri bugged each room?¡± She almost tossed the ipad in the garbage, but then she remembered how odd Mandy and Tiffany had treated her, they had actually been nice to her. Her need to know what was going on overcame any sense of wrongness she felt. She clicked on the camera and the screen went to full screen and showed a room with two beds across from each other and a desk and an AC unit in the window and a closet in the far wall. Tiffany and Mandy were sitting on one bed talking. Alison put in her ear buds and switched on the ipads Bluetooth. When they connected she could hear them talking.


    ¡°I know what I said while we were decorating your house for the end of the year party, but, are you sure about this Mandy? We could still make her life hell and maybe she will cave and then you would be Queen.¡± Said Tiffany with a hard note in her voice.


    Mandy sighed and shook here head back and forth. ¡°Tiff, you saw what she did to Keri.¡± ¡°Yes, but You demanded that she do it.¡± Tiffany said with incredulity. ¡°I know, but I was mad, and I didn''t think she would actually do it, at least as well as she did. Keri was one of the strongest queens the table ever had, and she was ruthless. I didn''t think Alison would actually follow through with the punishment. I figured it would turn her to goo and she would walk away and I would be Queen. Tiff I''ve never heard of something that damaging being broadcast about someone. If Alison is willing to betray her best friend, that Alianna girl, to be popular and turn on the toughest Queen since Julie Kurtz in order to be Queen, then she is literally willing to do anything to succeed and stay in power. I''m sorry Tiff, but you know what she has on me. Keri must have video taped the whole thing while she was helping me, but I don''t know how she did it, I didn''t see her phone in her hand.¡±


    ¡°It was Trudi. While Keri was helping you, Trudi filmed the whole thing. Trudi was always Keri''s videoographer. When you told me what Alison did the memory of that night came flooding back and I remembered something I had forgotten before, I remembered catching sight of Trudi with her phone out as I rushed to see if I could help you.¡±


    Mandy''s mouth dropped open, but she quickly shut it. ¡°That little....¡± She made a frustrated sound, and then took a breath and calmed down. ¡°Anyway, if Alison is willing to do all that she has done, then she could easily ruin us both. I mean did you see poor Lotti''s face today at the meeting? She was all set to be center pyramid this year, and now its going to Brittney because her Dad is rich.


    Alison will do anything to stay at the top and I don''t want to be on the receiving end. She even used her own sister to get Brittney to come to St Pious instead of the public school. I hear Lacy Carmichael, the new Queen at the public middle school, was trying really hard to get Brittney to come there because she promised her table that she would find awesome new places to have their parties and she wanted to use, like, the five large houses that her dad owns in the area to hold the parties. Alison is willing to use her own sister in her game of chess and I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if she would destroy Megan to keep herself in power, and you know what, I have to respect her drive and determination. Honestly, it outweighs my own. Anyway, we just need to make it through this year and then its a level playing field again once we get to High School.¡±


    Tiffany looked at Mandy, trying to read her expression, searching for any sign of this all being a joke. Finding no hint of it she sighed and nodded. ¡°Your right Mandy, it just goads me because it should have been you in the Captains Cove this year.¡± ¡°Its okay Tiff, we just have to stick together this year and be as good of friends to Alison as we can, so she has not reason to come after us.¡±


    Tiffany nodded and got up off the bed and went to the closet. Alison turned off the video, and the Ipad and placed it back in the slot. She pressed the button again and the slot was covered by a piece of wood that slid into place. Alison lay back on her pillow and mouthed the word ¡°Wow!¡± ¡°This totally changes everything.¡± She said softly. ¡°Especially that little gold nugget about Lacy¡±. Alison had heard she was trying to woo Brittney to the public school, but she hadn¡¯t known why. Lacy had a promise she needed to fulfill to her table or else she wouldn¡¯t stay Queen long, and Alison needed a group they could play the game with on the down low. ¡°I definitely need to set up a meeting with her.¡± Then she slapped her forehead. ¡°The public Middle School cheer camp is right after ours, I can leave Lacy a thoughtful gift and a letter saying I need to talk with her, just like Jennifer did for me.¡±


    Over the next hour all her plans shifted and conformed to these new pieces of information. When it grew close to the time for dinner she got ready and then opened her door just a crack and looked down the hall. When she saw Tiffany start to walk into the hall from their room she opened her door and moved into the hall and shut it. She walked down the hall toward her looking like she was heading to the elevator that led down to the first floor. By the time she got close to Tiffany, Mandy had appeared in the hall. They heard her approach and they both turned together, put smiles on their faces and waved. ¡°Hey Alison.¡± ¡°Hi Alison.¡± Alison stopped and smiled and waved also. ¡°Hey you two, are you going to dinner?¡± ¡°Yep, I heard it is chicken parm which should be pretty good if I remember from last year.¡± Said Mandy. ¡°I love chicken parm.¡± Said Tiffany. Alison smiled. ¡°Me too! Hey, I''m going to be at the Cove tonight after dinner. Would you both be able to stop by, I wanted to talk to you about something?¡± Their cool was shaken a bit and they seemed nervous, but they recovered quickly. ¡°Sure Alison, is 8 okay?¡± Said Tiffany. ¡°Perfect,¡± said Alison. ¡°Do you both want to walk to dinner with me?¡± They both smiled and nodded.


    After dinner, Alison stood in the main room of the Cove looking through more of the trinkets and cards left by past Captains. Some of the advice was helpful some not, but so many of the trinkets represented stories of loss and hurt. It seems even the most popular girls at the school had deep huts in their past. That was the one lesson that stood out. To keep fighting no matter what. Her thoughts were disturbed by a knock at the door. ¡°Come in¡± She said loud enough to be heard. The door opened and Tiffany and Mandy stepped in. They both said ¡°Wow¡± at the same time. Alison smiled at them. ¡°Hey, welcome to the Capetian''s cove. Please both of you sit down and relax. Did you want something to drink?¡± They both shook their heads. ¡°No thank you Alison, we''re good.¡± Said Mandy as she sat down in one of the comfy chairs. Tiffany sat down next to her, and then Alison moved over and sat in the Captain¡¯s recliner. She studied them for a moment. Her gaze seemed to make them both uncomfortable. She kept studying them waiting to see if anything would bubble up. She was actually a bit surprised when it did. ¡°Alison, before you tell us what you wanted to talk to us about tonight, would it be okay if we told you something?¡± Mandy said a bit shyly. Alison nodded her head and motioned for them to continue. ¡°Thank you Alison. Look, I know that we had a bit of a rough start back in May with the election and everything, but we just wanted to come to you and tell you that we, Tiff and I, we want you to know that we are behind you Alison. Going forward, we won''t oppose you or do anything against you and we''ll support you when you bring things to the table, we even hope that we can be friends.¡± Alison could only hear sincerity in her voice. It took all her control not to react when Mandy said this. Tiffany nodded her head in affirmation. Alison looked surprised, even though she wasn''t.


    ¡°Wow, well, thank you both so much for bringing this to me and for your support. I don''t have any desire to do anything against either of you as well, and I would also hope we can become friends.¡± Alison looked over at her back pack and considered something for a long moment, she then turned back to Mandy ¡°Mandy, you received a key from Amy, when you became my Second, correct?¡± She looked back at Mandy. Mandy nodded. Her red curls bouncing up and down. ¡°Yes, but she didn''t know what it was for, she said she was just handed it by Trudi along with the packet Keri left for you. Keri hadn''t told her what it was for, it was just labeled ¡° Second¡¯s Key¡±.¡±


    Alison nodded with her head over to one of the mantles. On the mantle was a wooden box with two key holes next to each other. ¡°It goes to that box. I have one too. The previous Queen always prepares a packet for the next queen of all the things she will need to know. Keri had prepared hers before she got sick. In it it told about two keys that open a box here at the Captain''s Cove that is meant for items that both the Queen and her Second considered ultimate top secret. They would be locked here at the Cove and only retrieved if both the current Queen and Her Second agreed.¡± Alison got up and went over to her backpack and opened a small padlock on one of the pockets. She pulled something out, closed it and re-locked it. She sat back down and held up a thumb drive. ¡°Mandy, this is what I have on you from that night in sixth grade, it is also the only copy left. As a show of good faith, I''m willing to put this in the box on the mantle and lock it there for good, Keri''s notes said that there aren''t many items in there, but there is a deep, unsung rule that says that future Queens and their Seconds won''t look at the other material in there without at least inquiring of the ones who put it there.¡±


    Mandy''s mouth dropped, Tiffany''s did not. ¡°Wow, Alison that is huge and totally kind of you to offer. Yes, that is definitely something that I am open to.¡± She pulled a key out of her purse and Alison smiled and nodded and found a matching key on her key chain. She stood up and took a small post it note from the desk and wrote on it, Alison Trendale, and Mandy Ferlon. This is ultimate top secret, not to be looked at without permission. She signed her name and handed the pen to Mandy. When Mandy was done Alison held out the pen to Tiffany. Tiffany looked confused. ¡°You said just the Queen and her second, I''m neither so how can I sign it.¡± Alison looked at her with the pen still extended. ¡°Usually, it seems, it would be just the Queen and her Second here if something was being put in the box, but Keri¡¯s notes said that the Table Historian would be the only other one allowed to be here to witness this and so you will need to put your name to it also as the Table Historian also knows of the keys and the box as they are the keepers of the keys during the transition of power each year. They have to keep secret the key''s, the box, and anything else we talk about tonight.¡±


    Tiffany looked at the box and then the pen and then slowly nodded her head as realization of what Alison was offering her locked in. She got up and took the pen and signed her name also. She then looked at Alison. ¡°I accept the position of Table Hostorian, thank you Alison.¡± Alison smiled and nodded. ¡°I''ll text Amy to get you the archives when we are finished this week. You know the game inside and out Tiffany and so you are the perfect choice, also, because you would have been here as Second if I hadn''t used the contents of that drive against Mandy. I''m sorry for any pain I caused you both, there are reasons why I needed to win, but I am sorry for hurting you.¡±


    Tiffany looked up form the card where the three signatures now were and stared at Alison who had turned to face them as she spoke. Tiffany had been manipulated by lies a lot in her life and had become very good at exposing them, but all she saw in Alison was genuine regret for hurting them. It had hurt her when Mandy had conceded and even more when she told her why, it should have been her as second, but Alison took that away. The sincerity of her apology did soften her heart a little bit more. Her eyes watered up a bit but she kept the tears back. ¡°Thank you Alison, I didn''t think you knew what being a Queen meant, but these past few weeks I found I was wrong, also, My brother was so excited to get your invitation to the table, and what you just said meant a lot. You have my support Alison.¡± Was all she said as she finished signing her name. She felt Mandy''s hand on her back, and Tiffany mentally berated herself for letting that much emotion show. When she was finished she turned to Mandy and smiled, wiped at her eyes and returned to the seat.


    Alison smiled warmly at her as she passed by. Then Alison went to the mantle, put the sticky note on the drive and placed it in the box. There were very few items in here. Most were little folded pieces of paper with names on them and dates, but there was one other drive in there that had Jennifer Beanton''s name Susan Jacobs, who was Jennifer''s second, and Julie Kurtz, who was Jennifer''s heir apparent. Julie¡¯s name was the one listed on the sticky note as the one to whom the video on the drive belonged.


    Curiosity almost overwhelmed Alison, especially since the date was from last week. Julie was Jennifer''s heir and would be queen of the High School table next year. If she could just get the information from there she could have a card to play over the next two years as the high School table sought to change the game. But she would need Mandy here to do it. Eventually rationality and a little bit of loyalty to the whole system kept her from trying to take the other drive. She shut the lid and looked at Mandy who placed her key in the left slot, Alison placed hers in the right. ¡°One, Two, Three.¡± she said and on three they both turned their keys.


    Mandy took out her Key and then threw her arms around Alison. Alison was shocked for just a second , but recovered quickly and returned the hug. ¡°Thank you.¡± Mandy whispered. Then she pulled away and Alison nodded and mouthed ¡°You are welcome.:¡±


    Mandy smiled and then went and sat down. Alison put the key chain in her pocket and sat down across from them. ¡°Thank you both again for your support, I can''t tell you how much it means to me especially with what might be happening this year.¡± She said a bit more heavily. Mandy and Tiffany both caught the heavy tone and looked at eachother with worry starting to creep in.


    ¡°Jennifer, the new Queen of the High School left me a note in my room. In it she indicated that she, Susan, and Julie would be visiting our table the first day back at school. I talked to Amy, who as Table Historian this last year, has the tables record book. She called me last night and said this has only happened twice before in the past and she gave me all the procedures that need to be followed. It is quite an event, the High school Queen''s court coming to the Middle School usually means something within the whole royal system needs to be talked about and changed. I have pieced together at least some of what she wants to propose. She wants to remove the system of gossip and pranks and slander that we have always used to remain the coolest at the school with a system of helping others and encouraging each other. She wants to have the people at the tables have additional community service hours in addition to the ones the School requires, and she wants us to attend a Bible study every morning. She wants to completely re-write the book and we have to find a way to keep it going but also play along with her changes. From what I hear Julie is totally onboard with these changes and probably so also will be whoever Julie chooses next year to replace her. I have some thoughts on how to continue the Game, but would like your help in pulling a plan together. You both have been at the table longer and playing the game longer then I have and so I could really use your insight and experience to get through this.¡± They both looked at her with shock and worry playing across their faces. ¡°Wow, Alison, wow, I can''t believe they want to change everything so drastically. Can''t we just say no and go about things as they were?¡± Said Mandy. Alison shook her head. ¡°No, at least us three cannot, Next year we will be at the High School table, but if we can''t find a way to get into this new system and look like we are supporting it we will not last too long at that table, and if we can''t stay there, what will we do? Also it will be the same for every queen that comes after. We need to find a way to look like we are going along with it, but to also do things like we always have just behind the scenes. We need to do it so that when we get to our Junior year one of us will be picked for the next year''s High School¡¯s Queen. Then we can change everything back. We''re not just doing this for us, but for everyone that comes after us. We need to fight this fight and win it, or else the table as we know it will go away.


    Mandy sighed and sat back in her chair. Then she looked at Tiffany and something passed between them that Alison couldn''t discern what it was but Tiffany nodded to her and then she looked at Alison. ¡°We are with you Alison, we don''t want to see the current system fall either.¡± Alison smiled and placed her hand out toward them with her palm down, ¡°Together then?¡± She said looking at each of them. They looked at each other and then at her and each placed her hand on top of Alison''s and they said ¡°Together¡± at the same time. They spent the next 3 hours brainstorming ideas to try and save the table over the next year.


    By the end of it, they had the framework of a plan. She let them know about Billy Poke, and her idea for a Cinderella story. She brought up the Cinderella story to them as a way to make the appearance of them doing good deeds, but all the while keeping things status quo for the table. She had changed her plan, before she told them, to exclude the part about him being her Prince since along with their allegiance came the backing of the rest of the table, she didn''t need the extra support anymore from making Billy her Prince. Now she was freed to find a Prince that would fit the normal expectations, and Brittany''s cousin Beu fit the profile nicely. They both agreed to help turn Billy into a cool kid, and they definitely approved of her pick of a prince. She also shared with them what she was thought to propose to Lacy about sharing their parties and get-togethers so that they can continue the Game, but under Jennifer¡¯s radar. By the time they left it was 10 pm. Lights out was at 11, so she took the next hour to look over the trinkets and cards from past Captains. She wanted to read them all, to drink in all the wisdom of past Captains, she needed every ounce if she was going to lead the table through this next year.


    She sighed in resignation. ¡°Now that Beu is going to be my Bue, I need to know everything about him.¡± She pulled out her phone and texted Megan. ¡°Are you awake?¡± A few seconds later came her reply. ¡°Do you seriously need to ask, lol. What''s up?¡± ¡°Lol, just being polite. Is Brittney still up?¡±. Within a few seconds she got a text from Britney. ¡°Totally, whats up?¡± Alison laughed. She texted them. ¡°Can you come to the Cove right away? I need to talk to you both.¡± They were there in a few minutes. They all sat down and then Alison looked at Brittney. ¡°Tell me about your cousin, Beu I think his name is?¡± Brittney''s mouth dropped open. ¡°Oh my gosh Alison, I just know you¡¯re going to love Beu, he''ll be here in a week, he''s coming to School with us this year.¡± Megan rolled her eyes knowing far more about the plan for Beu then Brittney did. ¡°So I''ve heard, I''d like you to tell me all about him. I would like to get to know him better when he gets here.¡± Brittany basically bounced out of her seat as she began to gush about her cousin. Alison listened, Megan took notes on her phone, knowing Alison would ask her to give her a recap later. When she was done Alison nodded and smiled.


    ¡°Thank you Britney, I think Beu is going to be a great addition to the table. If only there was a way to get the whole table together in one place to welcome him and meet him before school starts, like possibly the traditional end of Summer pool party, but without Keri, we don¡¯t have a place to have the party this year.¡± She said somewhat sadly. Britney looked down, seeming to be thinking very hard, Megan rolled her eyes again hearing the leading tone of Alison''s voice. Then Brittney''s head shot up, her eyes were huge and a large smile was on her face. ¡°I have it, we''ll have the pool party at my house, like the first week of August. My parents will still be in France and Beu will have had time to get settled in, it will be great.¡± Her smile faded as she looked at Alison to see if she approved. Alison put her finger to her lips as if she were pondering it, then after a little bit she looked at Brittany. ¡°Britney, that is the perfect Idea, it will be a great way to welcome Beu and get to know him, and we can also make it the traditional end of the summer party. Thank you so much for offering your pool for this event.¡±


    ¡°Oh, like totally not a problem Alison, you and everyone at the table are welcome anytime.¡± Alison smiled. ¡°Thank you Britney, we''re very glad to have you at the table.¡± ¡°Oh, I''m like still on cloud nine over it.¡± Alison looked at her phone. 10:45. ¡°We better head back, big day of training tomorrow .¡± They all got up. Brittney opened the door and turned back. ¡°Good night Alison.¡± ¡°Good night Brittney, and thank you again.¡± She smiled and almost curtsied, but then thought better of it and opened the door. Megan looked at her sister and could see the weight of things that were laying on her. She loved her sister, but her relationship with Alianna had built a wall between them these past years, since Alianna was gone she had seen it soften.


    Alison smiled at Megan and pulled up her phone and began texting her. Megan''s phone buzzed and she raised her eyebrow at her sister. ¡°I''m right here.¡± Megan whispered. Alison only looked at her. Megan shook her head an looked at her phone. ¡°I want you to invite Billy Poke to the pool party. Its where we¡¯re are going to start his Cinderella story.¡± Megan at first grimaced, but when she saw the last part she shook her head and looked up. ¡°You have a lot of guts sis.¡± was all she said as she went over and gave Alison a hug. She whispered in her sister''s ear. ¡°Be careful, this could go wrong in a lot of ways.¡± Alison hugged her sister back. ¡°It''s a needed piece in the puzzle of surviving next year. It will be okay. Goodnight Megan, I love you.¡± A tear trickled down Megan''s cheek. She had waited years for her sister to tell her that. Emotions were about to break out, but she didn''t want to spaz cry on Alison and ruin the moment. So she locked it all away till she got back to the bunk. ¡°I love you too Ali.¡± She pulled away and waved. Alison waved back, but spotting the tear streak she grabbed her arm. ¡°You okay?¡± Megan nooded. ¡°Yep, just having a moment with my sis.¡± She pulled out her phone and held it out at arms length and put her other arm around Alison. ¡°Sister Selfie.¡± She giggled. Alison laughed too and put her arm around Megan. They both smiled and Megan pressed the white button on the screen. Alison watched her sister leave and shut the door. She was alone again, and the weight of the coming year seemed to press down on her. She pulled up the picture of Beu that Brittney had sent her and looked him over closely. He was handsome and a little rugged, and he seemed to be holding his surfboard with confidence. ¡°I just hope he doesn''t have the personality of a surfboard.¡± She said as she put her phone away and turned the crank on the music box, letting the peace of that tune wash over her frayed nerves.

 Chapter 22: Unchildproofed

    ¡°That place that we went to, was most definitely Un-Childproofed.  It felt like, on that day, all the child proof tabs that are put into wall sockets to keep kids from sticking something into them were all taken out and our fingers were shoved right into the live, hot, wire.  I don¡¯t think we were children anymore after that day.¡±


    Letters from Jaius to Ali.


    That week went by in a flash.  Hours and hours of planning and getting things prepared had her and Jaius and everyone else up before first light, and not to bed until well into the evening.    She didn''t have more than a few seconds at any one time to ponder his response as there were literally thousands of decisions to make each day.   She remembered the talk that Olivia and her had had about their desires for what their wedding day would look like, but none of their thoughts had covered getting married this year on an alien world to a boy she had really just gotten to know a few months ago.  She didn''t see another choice though.  She knew from what Ye''tul told her that Maleric can rarely be trusted, but if she didn''t go through with it she was sure it would lead to a battle and people die in battles, she couldn''t risk any of her people''s lives when she could possibly save them through this action.  She hadn''t slept well the past few nights.


    When she was alone in her room, and staring at the canopy over her bed, when there were no decisions to distract her, the weight of the decision she had made came down upon her.  She remembered the proposal as Maleric spoke it, the uncertainty in Nisa''s body language.  The quick glance that she stole to Alianna.  In the briefest of seconds she had been forced to decide her entire future, at least as much of it as was open to her deciding.    What would happen if Jaius and her found out they really didn''t like eachother?  Or what about if somehow they did find their way back home, then what?  Would they still be married? Their parents would probably freak out and not let them see eachother.   She had no Mr Bear to confide in, or a Mother to ask what the best thing to do was, or a Daddy to walk her down the aisle as she had always dreamed.  But she had learned the hard way over the past few months that to dwell in that which she didn''t have would only leave her cold, hungry or possibly dead.  She had asked Ye''tul if he would walk her down the aisle and he had agreed to do so.  If he had any regrets about her decision he did not let her see them.  She had her bridesmaids, and Nisa would be her Maid of Honor.   She had been concerned that Jaius wouldn''t have any groomsmen but he seemed to make quick friends with some of Ye''Tuls men after the first day here, and there were those three other boys from Maleric¡¯s compound that went wherever he did.    Maleric was his best man.  She wasn''t sure that was by his choice but it is what it was.   The man who would marry them was Elder Gorn.  He was the oldest man among Alianna''s people and so she had felt that he was the best one to do it, even though he didn¡¯t look more then 30.


    She had written a script for him to follow, based off excerpts from the thousands of books she had read and a few family weddings she remembered going to.   The night before the wedding  found her laying on her bed completely unable to sleep.  She felt so tired, but sleep would not come.  She sat up and got out of her bed.   She placed her feet into her slippers and parted the curtains that surrounded  her bed.  She looked at her disheveled self in the mirror and cringed.  Hair all out of place, swollen bags under her eyes, Jaius would freak out and run away from her in a few hours unless she can get some sleep.  She sighed, and moved over to the balcony and opened the glass doors.  She moved over to the railing and looked out across the darkened trees to the mountains that lay not to far away.  After a few minutes she heard something below her, in the private courtyard that was for her use only.  She saw someone down there, moving around in precise moments that looked like some form of martial arts.  There was a grouping of crystals, like the ones at the bottom of the creek that they saw when they first got here at the bottom of the small pool at the back of the courtyard, when the person passed in front of the pool she caught a glimpse of their face in the light of the crystals and saw that it was Jaius.  She let out her breath, unawares that she had been holding it in.   After that tattooed man tried to assassinate her, she had been overtly cautions about anyone moving about that she didn''t know.  She smiled as she watched him for a minute or two more.  He had changed a lot since she had last seen him, both physically and mentally.  He had always seemed a bit pudgy, and his eyes dimmed from depression, but now he was lean and had grown at least a few inches and his arms betrayed muscles that had not been there before.  She mussed at how much they had both grown up in the four months since they had been here, both physically and mentally.  She sighed again at the lack of sleep, but since they were both up she decided to go down and talk with him.   She went back into her room and shut the door.  She then put on the one dress she wore when she was pretending to not be the Hyress and the cloak that went with it and then went over to the corner of her room furthest from the door.  The wall here was rounded and she reached up and touched a certain brick and pushed.  She heard the click and silently the wall pushed inward and  revealed a secret stairwell that spiraled downward to another secret door that led to the courtyard.  Nisa had shown it to her on the first night she was here.  She had spent many hours in hat courtyard since that day and knew every foot of it.


    She quietly moved down the steps and slowly opened the secret door.  She stepped out through the vines that covered it and walked softly toward Jaius.  He was standing in front of the pool looking intently at the stones at the bottom.  She walked silently up and stood next to him.  ¡°Couldn''t sleep either?¡± he said before she go to him.  She paused only a moment as she thought he hadn''t heard her coming but then stepped up next to him.  ''I thought I was the one with super hearing.¡±  She said with a smile on her lips.  He turned to her and grinned. ¡°You know, that was the first,  light, funny thing I have heard in months. I''m really glad we are back together, Ali.¡±  She blushed slightly and then looked at the pool.  ¡°What were you just thinking about?¡±  He waited to respond till she looked up at him.  When she turned to look he said simply ¡°You.¡±  He nodded back to the crystals.  ¡°Seeing these crystals glowing in the water made me think of that last day by the creek, where Maleric tossed you into the river right above them...¡±  ¡°...And you saved my life again.¡±  She finished his sentence with a slight smile.   ¡°You saved me too Ali. I would have died of starvation and depression if you hadn''t been there with me.¡±  She blushed again and then he did something that she hadn''t expected, he placed his hand in hers and closed it.  She closed hers around his and looked down at their hands closed together and smiled.  ¡°I see you aren''t concerned about holding a girls hand anymore.¡±  ¡°Nope, especially not yours.¡±  He said with a sincere smile. ¡°This place has a way of working the fear right out of you.¡±  She sighed and held his hand a bit tighter. ¡°It really does, and it also seems to replace some fears with others.¡± She said looking at the crystals.  ¡°What do you mean Ali?¡±  ¡°I mean, I was afraid of the Dungeon and what the kids might do to me, and I was afraid of the crystals and their power, but now my fears are for these people and how can I keep them alive and myself also, and you.¡± She said looking back into his eyes.  He lowered his head and ran his other  hand through his hair and sighed.  ¡°I know.  There is so much bad here that it makes the Dungeon and everything we went through there look like a walk in the park.  At least at school there wasn''t the imminent threat of death around every turn.   I''d take one hundred Steven Pennington''s over one Maleric any day.``  She laughed, which was a very sweet sound to his ears.  ¡°I agree Jaius, I would have Keri Bellows as my roommate for the rest of my life to remove myself from Theric and his scheming and these assassins.¡±  He gently raised his hand and gently moved her face to look at him.  ¡°Assassins?¡±  She lowered her head and closed her eyes, shutting out the memory.  ¡°A man who was turned invisible by a cloak of crystals somehow had been in my room and he leapt out of his concealment and tried to kill me.  Nisa, the girl pretending to be the Hyress, she saved my life.¡±  He lifted her chin up.  ¡°Ali what did the assassin look like?¡±  She looked up at him.  ¡°He was a man with a bald head and tattoos all over his body.  He held a dagger of black crystal that glowed with a dark light.  The light seemed to be fed from his tattoos that glowed.  It, the dagger, pushed through my shield  and would have killed me if Nisa had not thrust a knife into his head behind his ear.¡±  As she described the man further Jaius kicked the ground, let go of her hand and turned toward the water.  He kicked the ground again with a frustrated sound.  ¡°Jaius what''s wrong?  Why are you upset?¡±  ¡°That man was one of Maleric''s men.  He would also report to Maleric all that you were planning, he must have had a secret way in and out of your room.  He must have heard all the secret counsels that you had there.¡±  She stared at him in horror.  ¡°You mean he was in there for more than a few hours.¡±  He nodded,  ¡°weeks by my counting.  He met with Maleric at least five times since I got to the compound.¡±  She shuddered even though it wasn''t cold.  ¡°Ali¡­¡±. He took a deep breath and a number of pieces of information came together in his head. ¡°I don''t believe that Maleric is going to keep his word, even if we marry tomorrow.¡±   She shook her head and sighed.  ¡°I have feared that too, but I don''t see a way out of it, except to attack him and then my people, you, us might get killed.¡±   ¡°Ali, we may have to do just that.  We know he knows all your plans, but I didn¡¯t know Beslin had orders to kill you.  If Maleric¡¯s plan is to kill you and he knows how to defeat your men, then I believe in my heart that he will still try to take everything by force.   Some things he has said makes me  think he will not just settle for this marriage arrangement.  Your men should be prepared to fight tomorrow, we should even consider whether it is better to strike first and take him by force.¡±  She looked at him, searching his face.  He thought he saw a glimmer of agreement with what he said in her eyes, but then she sighed.  ¡°Jaius, we aren''t some characters from a movie or book, who devise a cunning plan and foil the bad guy, we are two children who have never been in a battle and this is reality.  People will die if we strike, you could die, I can''t risk this.  We have to go ahead as planned and pray for the best.  I will tell Ye''tul to have the men prepared and to stage some men in the anti-chamber off the great hall just in case.¡±


    He looked at her and was about to argue that they should still try to take Maleric, but  as he studied her he saw her outfit and recognized it as the one the ladies in waiting wore, the one she wore at dinner the night they came, her disguise as it were, and a different plan began to form in his head.   He knew Maleric knew of the Queen Amidala ruse and so that wouldn''t work, but what if she was somewhere completely different? Someone completely different?


    She was confused at his sudden smile, but returned it.  ¡°What?¡±  ¡°I just thought of how we can draw out Maleric''s treachery.¡±  ¡°How?¡±  He bent down and whispered in her ear for a number of minutes.  Her face clouded in disappointment as he talked, but by the end of it, she saw the wisdom of it, and the benefits.  She signed heavily as he finished, and looked up into his face.  He could read the disappointment on her face, and he thought he understood why it was there.  ¡°I know its a big sacrifice Ali, but he won''t see it coming.¡±  She nodded and looked back into his eyes.  ¡°I trust you Jaius, and it is probably the only way to get him to reveal himself,  I''ll¡­ I''ll be okay.¡±  He nodded, already knowing how he would make it up to her.


    He squeezed her hand and smiled.  She smiled and looked deeply into his eyes and winked, he winked back.  Even with all the changes he mentioned she felt just a slight bit better about tomorrow as they said good night.  He disappeared behind another secret passage that she had not known about, which gave her a slight chill as she didn''t know about that passage.  It seemed just as she laid down and closed her eyes she was being shaken awake by Nisa.  ¡°Ali, it''s time to get up.  There are so many preparations to make and to get you dressed.¡±  Came her friend''s voice from the other side of the curtain.  Alianna sighed deeply wanting to cling to the sleep that had eluded her this past week, but she knew she couldn''t, not today of all days.  ¡°Actually Nisa, it is you that needs to get ready.¡±  She grabbed her friend''s hand and drew her through the curtains and motioned for her to sit down next to her.  Nisa sat down and looked at her.  Alianna leaned in and whispered into her ear.  Nisa''s eyes got wider as Alianna talked.  When she was finished she looked at Alianna.  ¡°I will do whatever you ask of me sister, but...are you sure?¡±  Alianna nodded with eyes downcast and a slight frown on her lips. ¡°Then we must get ready.¡±   Alianna nodded and they both went through the curtain and toward the wardrobe.   Ye''tul had a similar reaction to Jaius''s plan as Nisa had, but just as Nisa had,  he agreed and left to prepare his men.


    As she saw that all was ready, she just prayed that Maleric couldn''t count too well, or just didn''t notice.   She waved to Nisa as she entered the secret passage that led out to a shed behind the kitchen entrance.  She traversed her way to the opening and quickly moved through the town to Madam E¡¯llen''s house.  She knocked on the door and a few moments later Madam E¡¯llen  appeared as the door opened.  The  woman, who Alianna didn''t think could look shocked jumped ever so slightly, she recovered quickly however.  ¡°My Hyress, to what do I owe the honor of your presence at my house today?¡±     ¡°Madam E¡¯llen, may we come in?¡±  ¡°Of course my Hyress, you are always welcome under my roof.¡±  The woman stepped aside and Alianna walked in.  When the door was shut she looked into the one room where four girls of different ages were standing in the dresses they would wear to the ceremony.  They all turned red and bowed when they saw her.  ¡°Oh, Hyress, we did not know you were coming or else we would have prepared something for you to eat.¡±  Said the oldest, a girl Alianna estimated to be in her 20''s.  ¡°Thank you, but there is not time for breakfast, we need your help.¡±  When she said that, all of them drew near her.  ¡°How may we serve you this day My Hyress?¡± Said Madam E¡¯llen. Alianna took a deep breath and then looked at Madam E¡¯llen.  ¡°Madam E¡¯llen, for today only, you will be bringing five daughters with you instead of four.  Do you have a dress and hooded cloak that will fit us?¡±  All of their eyes got wide but Madam E¡¯llen was the first to recover.  ¡°Yes, My Hyress, we can alter one of Clia''s outfits to fit you.¡±  She said, indicating a girl with short dark hair who looked more like she was Alianna''s age.    Alianna smiled and lowered her head.  ¡°Thank you Madam E¡¯llen, you have blessed us with a great kindness today.¡±  ¡°No, my Hyress, it is you that have blessed us with this great honor.¡±   Alianna smiled as they all proceeded into the girls room and set about fitting her to this new outfit.


    As mid day approached the Catha-Dral was awash with activity.  Servants were rushing to and fro completing tasks as the time for the ceremony drew near.   Ye''Tul was stationing his men around the room and inspecting them.  Jaius stood at the bottom of the raised dais on which the Thron sat.  His eyes were locked into it as he studied the intricately carved purple crystal.  Maleric and the other groomsmen, arrayed in their armor and swords, stood behind him.  ¡°God, I know...well I know I haven''t said anything to you in a while, but if Paltophern is closer to you then the Earth,  please protect us today and let this plan work. Ah, Amen.¡±  He prayed silently in his head.  Just as he looked away from the Thron what sounded like trumpets began to blow.  He and the others looked to the doors at the far end of the hall.  The doors swung open and in stepped the first of the bridesmaids.


    They all wore the hoods of the ladies in waiting and so Jaius couldn''t tell which one it was.  As she reached the halfway point in the aisle between rows of seated guests, the groomsman at the end of the line went up to meet her and escorted to her place opposite him on the other side of the dias.  As the men returned to their spots,  Jaius noticed Alise and Lorna.  They both had tears coming down their faces, but they smiled as they saw him looking at them.   He smiled back hoping it reassured them.


    Soon Maleric left his place and went and met the lady with the purple sash which marked her as the maid of honor.   Then there was a pause and music began to play and in walked the Hyress dressed in a flowing white gown with a veil over her face, but the white face paint and red markings able to be seen through it.   Golden hair peeking out through the veil and the crown on top of it.  The Captain , Ye¡¯Tul was walking her down the aisle, wearing his full crystal armor and a deep purple cape with a white rose on it.


    When she made it halfway, Jaius strode forth and met her and she placed her arm in his.  They moved to the front of the dias where a tall thin  man had taken his place to begin the ceremony.  He felt her arm grip his more tightly then he thought would be normal and so he placed his hand over hers and gave it a slight squeeze.  When they arrived at the dias they stopped just a few feet from the tall thin man, who was standing on the lowest step that led up to the Thron.  ¡°Dearly beloved.¡± the man began, reciting from the script Alianna had given him.  Jaius tried to keep his attention locked on the man and not anything around him, but he was also trying as hard as he could to catch Maleric in his peripheral vision.  If he had been able to see him, he would have seen him looking very closely at the one who stood next to Jaius.  When the man asked for the rings, Maleric moved  in front of Jaius and held out the two rings made of Gold and fitted with different crystals.   A thin smile on his face as he moved back to his position.  After they had said their vows, the man looked past Jaius and said.  ¡°If any here have reason as to why these two should not be joined, let them speak now, or forever hold their peace.¡±  One second, then two slipped by, and Jaius saw the old man''s mouth begin to open, and he began to let himself believe that Maleric was indeed going to hold to the proposal.  But as time flowed into that third second, Jaius heard the deep bass erupt from behind him.  ¡°I have issue.¡±  Bellowed Maleric.  Jaius turned to see him pull a device from his pocket.  It was a small golden ball.  He hummed a note and golden cords lashed out from it and wrapped themselves around the necks of the Hyress and all of the other Ladies in waiting.  They all grabbed at the cords and began to make choking noises.  Swords immediately sprang into the hands of Jaius, his Groomsmen and Ye''tul and the rest  of the Guards.  But before anyone could move, Maleric bellowed  ¡°Hold your places. I know that one of these that I hold is your Hyress, I know of the ruse she has devised to keep herself protected in public, cunning, but I am even more so.  Now, drop your weapons and your armor and stand against the wall.¡±  Jaius saw then that all of Maleric''s men had drawn their weapons and were slowly moving toward the guards and groomsmen, even the three that always stayed with Jaius.   Jaius sheathed his sword and Maleric raised an eyebrow but then slowly nodded to him.  But the other guards did not put away their arms.  Maleric sneared.  ¡°Do you think my threats are without merit?¡±  he raised the ball upward and the cords tightened and strangled gasps rang out from the women that they were attached to.  They all dropped to their knee''s straining for breath.  Just before Maleric spoke again a female voice rang out clear and beautiful from among the gathered guests.  A girl stood up from Madam E''llen''s table and began to sing, in her hand was the purple shard that connected her to the Thron.  The chair immediately  crackled with energy which shot out from it in seven thin beams.  The beams severed the cords and knocked the ball from Maleric''s hand.  Then larger beams in size and number shot from the chair and encircled all of Malerics men. They all became trapped in the same golden sphere that Maleric had used on Jaius.   One also shot  toward Maleric but he raised his arms and a ruby shield deflected it and it shot and hit the far wall.


    ¡°Disarm yourself Maleric, you are trapped and your men cannot help you.¡± Alianna said as she moved away from the other guests to stand in the main aisle and removed the hood that had hidden her features.  ¡°You have betrayed your word to us and we will not allow this treachery to stand.¡±  The other ladies in waiting and Nisa who had been next to Jaius stood again and revealed their faces also.  Maleric began to laugh.  A deep, malevolent sound.


    ¡°You are resourceful and far more clever then I gave you credit for my Hyress.  But I do not believe that I will disarm myself, and, I do believe it is you who is trapped.¡±   He looked to the side wall of the hall below the large crystal windows and said ¡°Now!¡±  Suddenly reality wavered like heat waves in the desert in thirteen  places along the wall.  Out sprang thirteen bald men with black tattoos etched into their skin, each holding a black crystal dagger and sword.  They rushed upon the Guards.  Some fell instantly due to the surprise of the attack and the fierceness of these men''s prowers.  Alianna cried out as she saw them fall.   She turned her gaze to Maleric and sang one of the most heart wrenching notes Jaius had ever heard.  It was a lament mingled with a battle cry.   Anticipating her target, Jaius dove to the side as a large purple beam of energy shot from the Thron at Maleric.  At the last second Maleric held up his forearm and the ruby shield intercepted the beam.  Light exploded from the impact, but as Jaius shook his eyes clear he could see that Maleric still stood even though he was being pushed back by the force of the beam.


    Jaius got up and ran toward him and cut the harness from Maleric''s body, the one that held a lot of his gadgets.  Maleric glanced at him and sneered, the betrayal plain on his face.  Suddenly the beam stopped and Jaius looked to Alianna, one of the Tattooed men had approached her and she  and Ye''tul were trying to best him.  She was using that crystal sword he had seen her use before and blasts from the Thron, but  the man kept dodging them.


    Ye''Tull yelled out and a door at the rear of the room opened and more of his Men rushed in to fill the ranks of the fallen.  All Jaius got as warning was the noise of Maleric''s sword coming from its sheath.  He intercepted the blade, but knew right away that Maleric was a seasoned swordsman.  Jaius had to devote all his attention to fighting him, and even then, even with all the moves of thousands of swordsmen from hundreds of movies flowing through him, he could feel Maleric gaining the upper hand.  Then he heard Aliann''s voice cry out with such sorrow that his heart ached.  The fight with Maleric moved at one point to where he could take a glance in her direction, and then he saw why she had cried.  Ye''Tul lay dead on the floor, three of the black crystal swords protruding from his body but their owner¡¯s headless bodies also lay around him.


    Jaius instinctively knew what had happened.  Ye''tul had allowed the men to run him through so that he could draw all their heads into the perfect arc to take them all out at once.   Alianna fell to the ground, tears streaming down her face as she cradled Ye''Tul''s head in her arms.  Jaius saw another tattooed man coming towards her his dagger raised to strike.  ¡°Ali look out!¡± he yelled and tried to move towards her but Maleric intercepted him and began attacking him again and it was all Jaius could do to parry the strikes.  ¡°Someone help the Hyress!¡±  he yelled.   But he could see the man standing over her about to strike.    Everything seemed to go in slow motion as ruby energy shot across the room hitting every person present, except for the tattooed men. The body suits that they all wore began to glow with a crimson glow  and began to feel  tighter then normal.  Everyone, including Maleric began to rise into the air untill they were about five feet off the floor.


    At the main doors to the room stood a woman who had to be at least be 6 feet tall.  She was dressed in white colored robes with silver symbols etched into them.  The robes were made of thousands of tiny white crystals. She held a large staff in her right hand with a large red crystal at the top of it.  The streams of ruby energy were coming from her staff.  All of the tattooed men stopped what they were doing and sheathed their weapons and moved toward the woman and formed a guard around her.


    ¡°Maleric, did you really believe that I would not find out about your ambitions.  To seize the Thron and these lands for yourself.  Were you so foolish that you thought that you could turn my servants against me with the mere offer of land and wealth?  I have given them immortality, what is your paltry offerings compared to that?¡±  Said the woman as she walked regally down the side of the wall and then toward Maleric once she reached the dias.


    Jaius saw Maleric go pale, and began to tremble.  Jaius''s mouth dropped as he thought that that wasn''t possible.


    ¡°Herald, you know that all that I do is to serve you and the Eternal.¡± Maleric said pleadingly.  Jaius could barely believe it was the same man.  Maleric had turned from the world''s worst bully into a man pleading for his life.


    She came within a few feet of Jaius and Maleric and she glanced  over at Jaius briefly and laughed as if at a joke.  ¡°This is the one you called Son?  So without consequence is this boy.¡±  Jaius''s glared at her, but she had already turned her back on him.  She turned to Maleric.  ¡°You were barely useful to me as it was Maleric, the most inconsequential  of your family.  It was mere pity that had me enlist you in my service to begin with.  Now, what little usefulness that you had has come to an end.¡±  Maleric struggled with his bonds like a caged tiger but he was unable to move, unable to reach any of his gadgets.  ¡°Rid us of his uselessness.¡± She said.  Together, as if moving as the same person, the ten tattooed men that surrounded her moved forward and in one swift motion drew their black crystal swords and ran Maleric threw.  He cried out with a wet gurgling sound, but then his head slumped forward and his lifeless body merely hung there, blood beginning to flow down to a puddle on the floor. Then his skin began to turn black.


    Real fear began to creep into Jaius''s bones.  He was trapped, with no way of escape, and this woman had just shown a willingness to kill.  What if she killed him?   His family would never know what happened, and  what about the harm he had done to Jekk, he could almost feel the sin on himself.  Would he go to Hell? Was there a Hell?  It was all he could do to hold his cool against the onslaught of these thoughts. The noise of Maleric''s last, gurgling cry, echoed in his head. Would he be next?


    The woman did not turn back to him, instead she was looking right at Alianna.   Jaius looked past Maleric to where Alianna was struggling against the hold of the ruby energy.   She tried to sing but could not seem to get enough air out of her lungs to produce a coherent note.  The constriction of the suits must be preventing her from singing.  She kept trying though, and these rasping, strangled notes came out, but were not sufficient to call on the Thron.  Jaius could see her eyes wide and frantic as she looked at the woman.  It almost seemed like she knew who the woman was. The woman walked slowly up to her and then circled her as if she were appraising a valuable statue.


    ¡° Well, well my dear.  It would seem that you truly do have naturally pale hair and blue eyes,  and, apparently you are quite adept at singing the stones.¡±    The woman  glanced over her shoulder where Nisa hung suspended.   ¡°Take off her crown and bring it to me.¡±  One of the Tattooed men went to Nisa, took off the crown she wore and moved over to the woman.  As the crown left Nisa''s head her hair and eyes returned to their normal color.  The woman took the crown from the man and examined it.  ¡°It would appear that you even have some knowledge of crafting objects that use the power of the stones.  You are a rare find indeed my dear.  I am now very pleased with my decision  not to come here and destroy you when you first stole the Thron from Nisa.   You will be very useful to me as I seek to win control of all of these lands for the Eternal.  You, will enjoy your new home I think.¡±  She said with a smile.  This sent Alianna into a frantic spasm of struggling against the energy that held her.  Something seemed to change in the room.  Suddenly, there was a coldness that seemed to reach into Jaius''s soul, and terror gripped him.  He saw a similar reaction from the other''s in the room.  The only ones not affected were the woman and the ten tattooed men.  Jaius could just barely make out a wavy outline of a form next to the woman.  It looked like the waves that heat makes as it rises off the road in the deep summer.  The woman cocked her head to that side as if listening to someone and then nodded.  She turned and slammed the staff with the red crystal on it to the floor and it stayed there standing perfectly upright.  She then placed her hands in her pockets and then  raised each hand.  In each hand she held a golden crystal.  She sang a hauntingly beautiful note and the crystals flared to life.  A golden beam shot toward Alianna and engulfed her in a sphere, much like the one  Maleric had used to capture Jaius from the woods.  The other shot in Jaius''s direction, but instead of hitting him it engulfed Nisa.  The golden sphere interrupted the ruby beam freeing them from its grasp but trapping them just as surely as before.


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    ¡°Come.¡± said the woman to the men around her.  ¡°These two will be joining us, the rest...may rot.¡±   She held the crystals out in front of her and Alianna and Nisa moved to be about four feet in front of her.  Each one was pounding on the inside of the bubble and they were both screaming in terror but their cries could not be heard.  This sphere was apparently stronger than the one Maleric had made.


    Jaius tried to do the same thing she had done for him when Maleric took him.  He shouted as loud as he could out loud and in his head.  ¡°I will come and get you Ali!¡±  The woman laughed as if he had just said the funniest joke in the world but said nothing.  The Woman, Ali and Nisa, and the ten  men exited the room, and then they were gone.  As soon as she left, cries of fear, terror, anger, began ringing out from the room.  They were muffled by the constriction of the suits, but they were audible.  ¡°Everyone stay calm.¡± Jaius said.  Can anyone move their arms or legs?¡±  There were groans and grunts as people tried to move,  but from what Jaius could see, there was only slight movement allowed by the constricted suits.  He looked at Kenic who seemed to be struggling with all his might to use his sword to cut his own suit off and then also trying to cut off the suit of the guard nearest to him.  When he saw Jaius looking at him, he shook his head, but kept trying.  This is how the night passed, two hundred people or more, the whole village and staff of the Catha-dral along with the men and Alise and Lorna from Malerics compound were floating above the ground unable to move.


    The thoughts of Death assailed Jaius throughout the night.  No longer would it be  a quick death, but a slow death over days as they all slowly dehydrated.   Still the same thought pounded in his brain.  ¡°Will I go to hell?¡±   Twelve hours of the assault of these thoughts almost had him in tears as the light of day began to fill the crystal windows of the great hall.  Some had fallen asleep, and Jaius had to admit to closing his eyes a few times, but as he was trying to fight back his fear he thought he heard a noise out in the hallway leading to this room.  It was a weird shuffling sound.  As it got closer a foul smell began to come into the room.  He saw people start to stir at the noise and the smell.  Some near the door were trying to hold their noses but couldn''t.  The smell was very familiar to Jaius, but in his sleep deprived stupor he couldn''t recall what it was.   Then a figure of a man appeared in the doorway.  The man walked into the light of the room, dragging a damaged leg behind him.  He had wispy hair and where his eyes should have been skin had replaced the open sockets.  He was covered in muck and the smell and shuffling sound was coming from him.  A huge smile appeared on Jaius''s face.  ¡°Jekk!  Jekk over here.¡±  ¡°Jai..u..s?¡± came his slurred speech. ¡°Yes Jekk its me.  You don''t know how glad I am to see you.  Jekk in the middle of the room there is a staff with a red crystal on it.  Can you knock the staff over or brake the crystal?¡±  ¡°I he..ar the summin of thes cryssstls  Jiussss.  I''ll ty.¡±  He saw Jekk move slowly toward the staff and saw that everyone else in the room was now awake and watching Jekk very closely.  He saw Alise and Lorna smiling at him.  Jekk reached the staff and tried to push it over but it didn''t budge.  He tried throwing his shoulder into it, but it didn''t move.  ¡°Jekk, come get my sword, its crystal also, maybe you can break the crystal or cut the staff.¡±  Jekk came slowly over to him and felt for his arm and moved down his arm to his sword.  ¡°I''ll ty Jiusss.¡±    He went back to the staff and listened for a moment then lifted the sword over his head and brought it down on the crystal.  It clanged off it.   He tried a few times, but each time it had no effect.  He tried cutting the staff and also to no effect.  Then Jaius saw it in the weird light of the morning, a silvery shimmer around the wood and the crystal.  ¡°It''s shielded Jekk.  The sword won''t work.¡±  Seeing how Jekk was able to hit the crystal precisely and the staff though gave Jaius an Idea.  ¡°Everyone close your eyes.¡±  he said.  Slowly at first some did but after he said it two more times everyone had complied.  ¡°Come here Jekk.¡±  Jekk slowly walked over to Jaius. When he got to him Jaius said.  ¡°Jekk, do you think you could cut my cloths off, especially the body suit that is holding me here?¡±  Jekk leaned in close to Jaius, and then reached out and felt where his cloths were..  ¡°Yes Jiussss, I sink I can..¡±  ¡°Okay, Jekk, I trust you. Cut me out of my cloths and then I''ll help you with the other men.¡±   Jekk nodded, took a step back and listend closely.  Then he hefted the sword over his head and four months ago, Jaius would have closed his eyes and screamed like a girl, but something in the change that had happened to him over the past few months kept him from doing either.  He watched as the sword descended on him and he knew before it hit that Jekk had succeded, he''d always been good at judging angles.  The tip of the blade cut through his outer cloths and also the bodysuit enough that he fell out of his cloths five feet to the ground.   He landed with a thud but barely felt any pain as the elation of being free overwhelmed him. ¡°Jaissss, are yous osays?¡± Jekk said in a worried tone.  ¡°I am better than okay my friend, I am free.¡±  He reached over and pulled off a tablecloth and wrapped it around himself like a toga. ¡°Everyone, Jekk did it, I''m free.  I will free the men first, and then Jekk will free the women.  He is blind so you need not worry about propriety.


    ¡°Kenic, once I free you we will go to the Armory and bring back fresh armor and weapons and also clothes for everyone to put on until they can get back to the rooms.  For the rest of the guards, once you are free come to the armory, understood?¡±  all the guards called  out in the affirmative.  ¡°Does everyone understand what is going on?¡± He heard more yes''s than  no''s and so he nodded.   ¡°Jekk, I¡¯ll help Kenic.¡± He motioned to the man floating near him.  ¡°You start freeing the other Guards.  You may need to make a few strokes with them as you will have to cut in-between their armor.¡±  Jekk nodded.  ¡°I will Jaissss.  Where are they?¡±  Jaius looked around.  ¡°If you are a guard say out loud that you are one, Brysen you first.¡± Jaius said to the man floating near Kenic. The man began to inton that he was a guard.  Jekk nodded and began to move toward him.  Jaius ran over to Kenic and grabbed the man¡¯s sword.  Drawing on his catalog of movie and T.V. scenes with swords in them he raised the blade and aimed for the space in-between the armor sliced downward and cut through the straps and enough of the undergarment to slice it open.  One more cut a bit lower and Kenic dropped to the ground.  Kenic reached over and grabbed another table cloth and placed it around himself  like Jaius did.  When he had tied it off he looked at Jaius  and nodded. ¡°Lead on Son of Maleric.¡±  Jaius paused for just a moment then went forward.  He and Kenic both stopped and saluted Ye''tul''s body as it hung lifeless in the air then they went on toward the Armory.   As they passed the body Jaius saw something shimmering on the ground.  It was the purple shard from the Thron that linked the crystal chair to whoever held it.  ¡°Ali must have dropped it in the fight.  Better keep hold of this, I don''t trust anyone else but her with it.¡±    Jaius quickly bent down and grabbed it and held onto it.


    Once all the men had been freed and given what clothes and coverings they could find, and the guards had been re-armed and armored, Jaius led them into the courtyard. Eventually, after what seemed hours Jekk came shuffling out to the courtyard followed by the women who had donned every form of dress and covering that could be found.  Once everyone was gathered they looked expectantly at Jaius.   Jaius was about to speak when he had a troubling thought.  ¡°Kenic, send two men throughout the Catha-Dral and see of there is anyone else who is trapped who wasn''t in the main hall, have them take two of the women along to help any of the women that might still be trapped.¡± Kenic nodded and motioned to two guards who nodded and headed back towards the main doors.  They stopped near the women and whispered to two of them toward the back.  The women looked at each other and then nodded and followed the men.


    ¡°Listen everyone. You need to go back to your homes and get normal clothes.  Please have everything returned to the Catha-dral once you''ve changed.  Go back about your business for the day.  I will lead a party to find the Hyress.  I will be leaving Kenic in charge, you will listen to him as if he was the Hyress do you understand?¡±  Everyone looked a bit confused but as they started to understand they nodded and departed for their homes.  All that remained in the courtyard were Jekk,  the guards, Alise and Lorna, and the staff of the Catha-Dral and the remaining ladies in waiting..   ¡°Jaius, are you sure about this.  I''m just  a soldier not a leader.¡±      ¡°I trust you Kenic, that is the best qualification I can think of right now.¡±  Kenic still looked concerned, but nodded after a moment.   Jaius then looked at Jekk.  ¡°Jekk, I am so thankful you came, but what made you come when you did?¡±  Jekk looked towards him. ¡°A women casme tos the compund and sshee desyoed all the buillings and pepless shee cols find. Iss hid mysseellff inss the Picsss muckss ans she couldsss nos findsss mess.  When sheess leevsss I left to trysss to fins youss to tellss youss.¡±  He heard crying from his right and looked over and saw Alise and Lorna holding each other with their sholder''s shaking.  ¡°Their Parents.¡± he thought.  ¡°Jekk, did she destroy the barns, and the  people in them?¡±  He looekd at Alise and Lorna, and then back at Jaius ¡°Shesss dessoyed the barnsss, but I''ss coulnt telsss if she kills those trappss belowws them.¡±  Jaius noded and them moved over to Alise and Lorna and touched their back gently. They looked up at him through tear stained eyes.  ¡°We will go there as soon as we are ready here and see if anyone survived.¡±  They nodded their heads their cries and tears subsiding.  Eventually the men reported back to them.   ¡°We freed a few of the servants but most people were in the hall at the time.  Theric was still chained in the dungeon, floating, but we felt it prudent to leave him there for now.¡±  Jaius nodded in agreement.  ¡°Kenic, give me six men that you trust and the girl with the wide eyes, Clara I think her name is, and enough Horuses for us all plus Alianna and Nisa and two for Lorna and Alise.¡±  He nodded toward the two he had been talking to.  ¡°We will go to Maleric''s compound and if I find what I''m hoping to find there we will then have an army that can take on this Herald.    Kenic, if we never return, you''ll need to protect and care for these people.¡±  Kenic nodded in agreement. ¡°I will serve them with my life Jaius or my death, as Ye''Tul did.¡±  Jaius nodded.  ¡°Keep the twins who can sing the stones near you at all times.  And search the entire building for any more of those hidden tattoo men.¡±  ¡°I will do this right away Jaius.¡±  Jaius took a deep breath and nodded.  He then reached out and clasped the mans arm in a manner like shaking hands that he had seen the guards do.  The man clasped his arm in return and then nodded. ¡°One more thing Kenic.¡±  The man looked at him. ¡°Take good care of Jekk.¡± Jiaus said, nodding his head in the direction where Jekk was standing covered in muck and smelling terribly.  Kenic glanced over at him and then back to Jaius.  ¡°He will be my second Jaius, until the Hyress returns.  He will have the best that the Catha-Dral can offer.¡±  Jaius smiled and nodded his head.  ¡°Thank you  Kenic.¡±  The man smiled and then Kenic turned and began giving orders to have the Horuses brought and provisions readied.  Jaius looked at him for a moment, then went over to Jekk.


    ¡°Thank you Jekk for everything.  You saved all of us.¡±  ¡°It was nosssing Jaisss.  I ams shankful thas I''s founds youss.  I thoughs I wouls bess aloness fors the ress of my lifes.¡±  Jaius clasped him on the shoulder.  ¡°You will have a home here as long as you want to Jekk.   Kenic is in charge and he has named you as his second.  You will be well taken care of.¡±  Jekk made a motion of swiping at eyes that wern''t there anymore and sniffed a numbe rof times, Jaius took it as he ws crying. ¡°Thanss you Jaisss, no oness everss beens thiss nicess to mess.¡±  ¡°I hope I''ll see you again Jekk¡±  Jaius said with a smile.  Jekk tunrned and looked right at him, his eyeles face staring at him as if he could see him.  ¡°You willss Jaisss, you wills see me againss.¡±    Just then Kenic came over to them.  ¡°Jekk, I am Kenic.  Thank you for saving all of our people.  In honor of this, I would ask that you would be my second in charge here until the Hyress returns.¡±  Jekk looked at him and smiled.  ¡°I humbless acceptsss your ofceer Kenicss.¡±  Kenic smiled.  ¡°We are honored to have you join us.  Come, I will show you to where you can clean up.¡±  Jekk waved back at Jaius and Jaius waved  in return.  The surity of Jekk''s statement that he would see him again gave him some comfort, but there was also something odd in the way he said it.  Something almost Prophetic.


    As he was thinking about this  a very morbid idea raced through his mind..  He frowned but then looked at the others and said.  ¡°I''ll be back soon.¡±  He then turned and went back inside.  He first went to the main hall where the staff still glowed with ruby energy and the bodysuits of over a hundred people still floated in the air.  Ye''tul''s body had been removed by the other guards, but Maleric''s still floated there.  He went over to where it floated and looked into the dead eyes of his would be Father.   Maleric''s arms and neck had turned black, black as the swords that had slain him.  He had noticed the same in Ye''Tul when he saw his body floating there as they were trapped all night long.  ¡°It must be from the black crystal swords and daggers.¡±  He whispered.   An odd sadness crept into his heart.  Even though he knew how vile Maleric was and had hurt so many people, he could not deny the fact that he had respected him.  He had made him feel that he had a worth and purpose and this was something his real father had never done.


    A part of him was repulsed that he could mourn such a man, but another part welled up with emotion at his passing.  A lone tear fell from one eye.  He did not let this persist for long though.   He quickly shoved all of that away and looked down at the floor where Maleric''s harness still lay.  He picked it up and  looked through its contents.  Some things he knew what they did, others were a mystery, but none of them seemed to be something that would tell if someone was lying.  He put everything back and put the harness on, tying the leather straps together that he had cut with his sword.   He then pulled a chair over and stood on it and grimly looked over Maleric''s body for something that might be it.  After a minute he found that around each ear Maleric had a small device crafted from gold that had crystals woven through it.  It fit around the back of the ear, kinda like his grandpa''s hearing aid.    Maleric''s long hair must have covered it.  He removed them and placed them over his ears.  He then searched the rest of his pockets for anything else that he could use.  He found a few things, including the Lightning Gloves, the last thing he noticed was a ring with Maleric''s crest on it.  It was of an eagle with its talons spread forward ready to attack.  Jaius hesitated for a moment, but then took it and placed it on his own finger.


    As he left the room he ran into Kenic.  Kenic looked at the harness and his eyebrow shot up, but then he lowered it and nodded. ¡°What was his is yours by right now, Son of Maleric.  Use them more wisely then he did.¡±  Jaius nodded.  ¡°Kenic, this may sound odd, but I want you to lie to me.¡±  The man looked confused. ¡°Maleric had a device that would tell him if someone lied to him. I put it on, but want to know how it works.¡±  Kenic studied him a moment and then nodded.  ¡°My name is Jaius.¡± he said.  Jaius felt a tingling in each ear as Kenic lied about his name.  ¡°Thank you Kenic, this will be useful for what I need to do.   I need to interrogate this Theric about the Herald.  I need to know where she lives and if she has any weaknesses.¡±  Kenic noded. ¡°I will show you to his cell.¡±  Jaius nodded and followed the man into the bottom most chamber of the Catha Dral.  It was a clean room with walls of crystal.  At the front of the room were bars of  yellow crystal spaced about five feet apart and between them a field of golden energy was arking between them.   Kenic went over to a crystal that stood out from the wall and pushed it and the fields disappeared.  On the other side Jaius saw the same man who had dragged Alianna into the main Hall the first time they were brought to the Catha-Dral.  He was floating five feet off the ground with ruby energy coming from the ceiling and making his body suit glow.  Jaius moved over to him and looked up into the man''s eyes.  He saw, hate, tiredness, and fear in those eyes.  ¡°I am Jaius, son of Maleric.¡±  He said, showing the man the signet ring.  The man''s eyes grew wide as he saw the ring and that it wasn''t on Maleric''s hand anymore.  Jaius saw sweat start to brake out on Theric''s head.   ¡°I need to know everything you can tell me about the Herald of the Eternal.  And if you lie, I will know,  just as Maleric would always know.  If I catch you in a lie, I will leave and no one will come down here again.¡±  The man searched Jaius''s face looking for any hint of a bluff, but after a moment sighed.  ¡°Very well, son of Maleric.  She came out of the west about twenty   years ago with the girl Nisa.  She proclaimed to be the Hearld of the Eternal, and displayed her powers over the stones and gadgets as proof.  She said that the Eternal had decreed that Nisa was the Hyress and that she would be our ruler.  Nisa also displayed power with the stones and more out of fear than anything else we all agreed.  There were about eighty of us then.    She killed Maleric¡¯s Father Jukas and then she installed Nisa on the Thron in his place.   She would come back three or four times a year after that to trade gadgets and crystals for food and materials and she would always spend a lot of time with Nisa in the Hyress''s apartments.  I had originally joined these people from Maleric''s part of the  clan.  He wanted to make them his own and sent me as spy to look for a way to poison his Father and take over himself.   When the Herald showed up, he did not seem surprised and told me to watch, observe and advise this Hyress as best I was able to his benefit.  As far as I know the Hearld has no weakness, but I do know that her dwelling lies to the west about two days'' journey.  It is a house made of crystal.  They say that the crystal has water flowing through it, but I cannot say if that is true or not. ¡°


    A chill ran down Jaius''s spine as he described the house. ¡°The woman, the woman from my nightmare. The one that was whipping Ali and that other girl, that dark haired girl.¡±  An image of Nisa floated in his mind, and that image matched to the one of the dark haired girl from his nightmare.  ¡°How could I have dreamed all of that and now I''m living it? Maybe this is all a dream, or maybe I''m going insane.?¡±  He let none of this play on his face but just stared  impassively at Theric.  ¡°That is all you know?¡±  Theric was about to open his mouth, but then paused and sighed.  ¡°She always has this shimmering presence with her.    I have heard her claim with my own ears that it is the Eternal himself.    This is all that I know Son of Maleric.¡±  Jaius felt no tingling in his ears, but there was fear gripping his heart.  He had seen that shimmering, and something about that ¡°presence¡± seemed to bring fear and terror to everyone, especially Ali and Nisa.


    ¡°You have spoken true Theric, and so I will free you from this restraint, but you will stay in this dungeon until I return.¡±     Before he could protest, Jaius drew his sword and cut the man free from the suit.  As he fell He and Kenic turned and left the cell, and Kenic pushed the crystal again and the field sprang alive, and the two left the room as he heard Theric yelling at him that he was now worse off then he was before.   The image from his nightmare months ago played through his mind as he walked up the steps.  The house at the bottom of a valley with crystal walls, but yet water was flowing up from the ground inside the crystal.  Looking in through the window and seeing that woman standing over Ali and who he now knew was Nisa, whipping Ali with that red crystal.   For some reason thought it wasn''t the woman, or Ali being hurt that his mind kept coming back to, it was the walls made out of Crystal with the water on the inside.  What if he could somehow destroy the crystal, ruin her house, perhaps her power would be weakened.  A plan formed in his mind, but it relied heavily on how thorough the Herald had been in her destruction at Maleric''s.  Before going back outside he ran up to Alianna¡¯s rooms and looked quickly for anything she might need. A quick scan of the room revealed her backpack sitting on a chair next to the vanity.  He found inside it all their possessions from back when they lived in the creek, especially the knife shaped crystal shard that had become so useful to them.  Not seeing anything else readily available to add to the pack, he grabbed the pack and hurried out of the room and back to the courtyard.


    When they came back out to the courtyard.  There were fourteen horuses in the open area.  Six of the Guards took up almost half of them.  Then Clara on one, one saddled for him, a-top two sat Alise and Lorna,  two attached to a cart that was loaded with supplies,  and two saddled for Alianna and Nisa.  The one for Alianna he remembered her telling him about.  That she had named the mare Emily and that she was very special.  There was a young horuse next to Alianna''s that was not saddled. Jaius asked Kenic about it.  ¡°The Hyress left specific instructions that Emily''s foal was not to be separated from its mother, so therefore it must go as well.¡±  Jaius almost opened his mouth to argue the point but then shut it again and nodded.  He clasped Kenic''s arm one final time, and then went over and mounted his Horuse.  He had ridden once on a family vacation, but it didn''t go very well.  But as he sat down, hundreds of movie scenes of people riding flooded his mind and he felt fairly confident in his ability to get the Horuse going.  ¡°We ride to Maleric''s compound and hopefully will find survivors there.  Then we ride west to find the valley with the Heralds house in it.  We will either rescue the Hyress or die trying.¡±  Those around him in the courtyard nodded, and Kenic lifted his hand in salute as they headed out down the road that lead from the Catha-Dral out of town.  As they went through the village the people had lined the road and saluted them as they passed.


    The ride to Maleric''s took about a ? hour.  As the walled compound came into site in the middle of a broad valley it began to sink in that all that was below him now belonged to him.  Maleric had named him his son, and so when he died all he had became Jaius''s.  He had never owned property before, and really had no Idea what to do with it now that it was his, but he had always imagined himself in the movie being Lord of a Castle.  The reality was a lot less fun.   He could see plumes of smoke rising from inside the walls.  The herald must have gone on a rampage. What would he do now, the owner of a burnt out castle?   There were people down there who had relied on Maleric and his men for protection.  The farms that surrounded the compound were ruguarly harrased by wanderers and Maleric and his men would always head out an deal with them.   Jaius had accompanied Maleric on one or two of these occasions.  Maleric and his men passed swift Judgment on the purpotrartor.  The men took him off into the woods, Jiaus always heard a scream and then silence, and Maleric''s men always returned alone.


    ¡°What is to become of them now?¡± He thought.  He had little time to think about it as they approached the river that formed the island where the compound sat.  One of the rafts used to ferry you from one side to the other was on this side of the river.  They floated over the waters on crystals that were on their bottom.  The crystals were still glowing under the raft.  Jaius smiled as he pointed to the glowing crystals at the bottom of the raft.  Alise and Lorna looked where  he was pointing. When they saw the glowing crystals the both moved next to each other Ang threw their arms around each other both exclaiming happily.  Clara looked at him.  What is there to rejoice about Son of Maleric?"   Jaius looked at her still smiling.  ¡° The Callamores power all the devices around the compound,  the crystals on the bottom of the boat are glowing, that means the people trapped in those awful rooms are still alive and singing.¡±  Slowly what he said began to sink in and she to let a smile touch her face.  ¡°They''re alive!¡±   She said happily Jaius nodded then started using the raft to ferry everyone over.   The gate stood in ruins.  It was twisted and burnt and so was a good portion of the wall that it was connected to.  As they rode into the compound the devastation was total.  Bodies of men and women and children lay in the street and all of the buildings were raised to the ground, except for Jekk''s Pic pen.  Jaius turned toward Lorna, Alise and Clara.  ¡°Do you know which callanore your parents were in?¡±   Clara shook her head, as she looked at the destroyed barns in the corners of the walls.    Alise and Lorna,  pointed to one in the north east corner.  ¡°I think it was that one.¡± Said Alise, her voice heavy with emotion.   Jaius looked to that corner and nodded.  ¡°Lets start there.¡±  He motioned everyone forward and soon they were standing before the ruined structure.   Jaius breathed a sigh of relief as he saw that the wall with the switch to enter the chamber below was still standing.  He went over and pressed the crystal switch on the wall and heard the click as the stone stairs  began to separate and the stairwell appeared.  They descended the steps quickly and smiles started to appear on his face and Alise and Lorna''s as they could definitely hear the singing coming from the next room.  They had survived.    As he entered the room and saw the horrific machine strill imprisoning these people, the words of Maleric came back to him that he had said to him the last time they all stood here.  ¡°Behold, your inheritance.¡±  That statement sickened Jaius now even more than it had then.


    ¡°Quickly, we need to find out how to disconnect them from the machine, then, I am going to destroy this monstrosity.¡±   Alise, Lorna, where are your parents.¡±  He looked behind him as he spoke, but they weren''t there.  Then he turned around and saw them running to the end of the one row, where a man and woman were imprisoned next to each other.  They both smiled and waved the rest over to them.  Jaius and the other''s followed and came to stand next to Alise and Lorna.  The apparatus was truly terrible to behold.  The people looked like they were encased in some form of Iron lung.  They were trapped inside a black sack that looked like some form of rubber. Metal beames and leather bellows moved back and forth forcing air in and out of their lungs in measured rhythms.  The most heinous thing   was the headgear.     It  was made of leather and gold and encrusted with crystals.  It looked like a human skull on the outside of the person. The headgear manipulated their mouths to produce the notes.  There were tubes going into their mouths and also coming out from underneath the apparatus.  It took them over an hour to figure out how they were hooked into the machine and   to devise a way for them to be removed from it.  It took them another hour of painstakingly slow movements to get them free.


    They had to lift them from the machines and set them in the middle aisle of the room.  As soon as they set them down, Alise and Lorna ran over to them and embraced them.  Their parents were so week they could barely wrap their arms around them, but they tried, and the joy filed tears were more reward then anything else Jaius could think of.   He had to turn away after a few moments however.  It opened a door he had shut weeks ago, thinking of being reunited with his parents threatened to let loose a floodgate of emotions that he had no time to deal with right now.  Slowly, one by one they freed each person that was trapped in this horrific mechanism.   Eventually they found Clara''s parents also.  There were about a hundred and twenty people in total between the four barns.  It took  much longer than he anticipated, however, to get everyone disconnected.


    It took a full week to free everyone and to get their strength back enough to ride out.  He had to send two of the Guards back to get additional supplies for all these people.  Every night he lay awake roiled with guilt over the fact that he couldn''t find a way to free them faster, for their sake''s but also for Ali and Nisa.  Every day here was another day they needed to endure whatever that woman was doing to them. There were moments where he almost decided to leave some men here to finish the work and take the rest off to find them. The brightest point during this time was when the last person had been freed they would all gather in the room next to the one where the people had been trapped, and Clara, Alise and anyone strong enough to would sing and Jaius would wear the ruby encrusted gloves of Maleric and they would watch as the lighting burned that horrible apparatus to cinders. It was also these displays of power that continued to remind Jaius of why he had to wait here to free all the people and get them strong enough to travel.   The memory of the woman''s power displayed at the wedding ceremony and her willingness to use it to kill always kept him from leaving.  He knew he would need far more power then he currently had to defeat her,  he just hoped that one hundred and twenty two  people who could sing the stones would be enough to overwhelm her.


    He had requested more crystals from the Catha-Dral and also let Kenic know that the farmers in this valley would need protection.  He had sent two men out with Clara to inform all the farmer''s of the change in leadership, that Maleric was dead, and that the forces of the Catha-Dral would be patrolling the area now and offering them protection.  Also that they could trade freely with the People of the Catha-Dral.


    At the end of the week the people were healthy and strong enough to travel and so he gathered everyone in the ruined courtyard,  He looked out over the crowd and sighed.  ¡°How did I go from school loser to being a leader of people and a knight rescuing a damsel in distress?¡±  She was much more than that to him.  Best friend, companion, and maybe more.  The whole idea of the wedding had been forced by necessity.  He had come up with it in the hopes that Maleric would reveal himself as the traitor he was and then he would be trapped by Ali and her men, trapped on her own turf.  He hadn''t anticipated the tattooed men, or the Herald, but the idea had worked up till that point.  But, the talk they had in the garden was sincere.  He would have married her had Maleric actually held to his word.  That was what was troubling his thoughts right now, preventing him from getting out what he needed to say to these people.  Did he have deeper feelings for her, and if so, did she feel the same way for him?  He forced these thoughts down with all his might and closed his eyes for a moment.  When he opened them he wore as composed of a mask as he could make out of his face.  ¡°Everyone, Maleric is dead, and as his Son all of this is now mine.  But I do not claim it, or you, and in that regard you are all now free.¡±


    Everyone cheered and hugged and laughed with joy at what he said.  ¡°I must go now though and rescue someone very close to me.  The Hyress, from the Catha-Dral has been taken captive.  She fought to defeat Maleric, and is one of the major reasons you stand here free today.  I will not use any right I have as Maleric''s son to force you to go with us, but I am asking you as free persons if you will come with us and aid us in freeing her.  The one who holds her is powerful and I cannot guarantee that any of us will come back alive, but I must ask for your help for I fear that only with the help of your voices and the stones will I be able to defeat this Hearald and save the Hyress.  If you wish to come with us, to help us, please cross this line.¡±  He nodded to Lien,  one of the guards that had come with him.,  Lien drew his sword and carved a long line in the ground before the people.


    The people waited for a moment to see if he would say more. When he didn''t they all looked at eachother.  Some whispered to eachother and others shook their heads.  In the end 110 of the 120 crossed the line.  Jaius nodded his head.  ¡°Thank you from the bottom of my heart to those who chose to come, and there is also no ill will to those who did not.  You may stay here and rebuild this place, or you may go to the Catha-Dral or to anywhere else you wish.¡±  The people looked shocked at that, but quickly recovered and most chose to stay and rebuild.


    The next day the large company left Maleric''s compound and began the journey west to look for the Herald''s house.  Jaius had equipped the people that joined them with crystals and when they asked him what song they should use against the woman, he taught them the only one he could remember from church.  Amazing Grace.

 Chapter 23: Every Way the Wind Blows

    ¡°The best way I can describe her was that Evil wore the most delicious smile. The most horrifying and despicable smiles during that time however, were the ones that Nisa and I had to wear. I¡­I even found myself wanting to smile for her, at times.¡±


    Alianna¡¯s Diary. September 14th


    Alianna stared in horror as thirteen rifts in reality broke what seemed to be a moment of Triumph against Maleric. The tattoed men threw open their crystal empowered cloaks and emerged and brought fear coursing through her veins. ¡°Not again...and 13 of them.¡± One of the men made a dash right for her, but quicker then she could think, Ye''tul was there placing himself in front of her, sword drawn and already parrying the attacks. He was more of a match for the man this time with his full armor, shield and sword. It was still a heated fight. She reached into her pocket and pulled out the sword hilt and the crystal shards and began to sing. Ye''Tul''s armor, shield and sword began to glow. Then the shards in her hand formed into a crystal blade. She joined it to the hilt and looked to how she could help Ye''Tul. She saw the man''s blade drive for his side and she parried it away. Seeing that he now had two opponents the man seemed to increase the speed of his attacks. Sweat began to trickle down her cheek, but they were holding their own. Then two more tattooed men joined the first and it quickly became evident that they both would not survive another minute. She looked up quickly and Ye''Tul''s eye locked with her''s. It was only for the briefest second but it seemed like a moment that lasted a long time. She could see the strain on his face and the concern. She knew he saw the worry she couldn''t keep from coming out into the open. She saw something in his expression, she could almost hear him say the words. ¡°Till the death Alianna.¡± He then shoved her back to the ground. She fell hard, but kept her eyes looking forward. ¡°Ye''...¡± she tried to call his name, but he was too quick. He placed himself wide open in front of the men, spreading his arms wide and leaving himself exposed. The men did not hesitate. They drove their swords into Ye''tul''s midsection. Her heart crumpled inside her she opened her mouth to scream but before she could she saw Ye''Tul somehow endure the swords protruding from him as he deftly spun his own sword in his hand and with one sweep of his sword he deprived them of their heads. The men¡¯s bodies slumped to the ground and then convulsed for a moment and then became still. Ye''Tul fell to his knee''s and looked at her. She saw his eyes, they were full of worry for her. He tried to say something but suddenly all the life left his eyes and he collapsed to the ground. The scream that had been building finally tore out from her lips. She raced over to him, crying out his name tears streaming down his face. She lifted his head and set it on her lap shaking his shoulders and wailing as she saw his skin turning black as the darkness of the crystal blade seemed to be seeping into him. Some small part of her mind registered that Jaius was yelling at her and pointing to her, but she could not rouse the rest of herself from her mourning. Suddenly she was enveloped in a ruby glow of energy. She felt the body suit she was wearing tighten and begin to glow and all of a sudden she was floating off the ground. So was Ye''Tul''s body and everyone else around her. After a minute of struggling to free herself from the grip of this suit that was constricting her entire body, she saw a woman walk across the front of the room by the steps leading to the Thron. She was very tall, with white robes inlaid with Silver symbols. She recognized her immediately. It was the woman from her night terror, the one that was whipping her with a whip tipped with a glowing red stone. Her sorrow turned to fear and she realized she was trapped by the woman and so was everyone else in the room, dead and alive. She saw her stop in front of Maleric. She seemed to be taunting and berating Maleric. Then it sounded like she gave the order to kill him. In that moment the remaining ten of the tattooed men came up to Maleric and drove their swords into him. She had never seen anyone die before, let alone murdered, now it was happening all around her and she couldn¡¯t stop it. It was almost too much for her mind to handle.


    As the woman neared Alianna she could see a very evil smile appear on the woman''s face. The woman began to congratulate herself on not destroying Alianna when she first took the Thron, an how much a a rare find Alianna was , but Alianna barely heard her for it was the shimmering form that seemed to manifest behind the woman that captured her attention and drove all rational thought from her. It had a vaguely human outline, but it looked like the waves of heat that rose up from the road on the hottest days of July. The woman leaned in to listen to it and then nodded. She reached into her robe and pulled out two golden crystals.


    Then, suddenly, a golden buble like the one Maleric had used to carry Jaius away surrounded her. She started pounding on the bubble. She then looked across the room and saw that Nisa was also encased in a glowing gold bubble. The woman pointed at her and Nisa and began moving towards Alianna. Alianna could not remove her eye from the waves, and as she looked at them, something happened. Near the top of the waves, where a head may have been, what seemed like eyelids opened and behind were just pits of burning red flame. Her fear turned to terror and she began to wildly pound on the bubble so hard that she could feel pain coming from her fists, but she could not stop. She saw Jaius and screamed his name, but all he could do was float in the air, trapped by the bodysuit that everyone wore. Something did make it through her terror though. She saw it in his eyes, and could almost hear his voice in her head. ¡°I''m going to come for you Ali.¡± She knew he would try, but she did not have much hope of it happening. She saw the rays of ruby energy that were trapping everyone going through the floor and the ceiling. There wouldn''t be anyone to free Jaius and the others and so there would be no one to come for her. She placed her hand and face against the bubble and screamed this blood curdling scream that even scared her. Then she was out the door and alone with Nisa, the woman, and something that drove terror into her heart.


    She sat down and pulled her knees up to her chest and began to rock back and forth. She had never felt this helpless before. Especially since the power and strength she had found over these last few months. She had been a Queen, people would follow whatever directive she spoke. She could sing the stones and had grown quite skilled at using them, but yet here she was helpless without any of it. Then part of her brain began to work again and one word entered it. ''Thron¡±. Waves of hope that crested in her heart were soon dashed as she searched for the shard from the Thron but couldn''t find it. Her heart sank as she realized she had dropped it when she had rushed over to Ye''Tul''s body. Seeing him in her head taking his last breath leaving his body brought her, oddly, into a moment of clarity.


    In this moment of lucidity she was able to see what was going on around her. The woman was in front of her and behind were the ten tattooed men who had survived. They had left the village and were heading west across the wide plain. She looked to her right and saw another sphere floating behind the woman. Nisa''s tear stained face was looking forlornly back at her. Nisa placed her hand against the wall of her sphere, and Ali did the same. A slight comfort came from the gesture from both of them, but this also elicited a renewal of their crying and whimpering. They were both lost in the dread of what they knew was coming. Nisa from her upbringing and Ali from her nightmare. They traveled for days. Over streams and hills, through forests and grasslands until they climbed a large mountain and on the other side was a valley that was surrounded by mountains. It was a valley of vibrant green grass and trees bearing fruit. In the middle of the valley was a stone wall that was not very high, maybe five feet off the ground. It formed a square that went around a structure that looked somewhat like a cape cod style house from her world. Except that the building seemed to cover an area the size of a soccer field. It was made of crystal and there seemed to be an odd shimmering coming from within the crystal. It had three chimneys, each with dark smoke coming out of them. There were a number of out buildings around the perimeter of the stone wall. Behind the house on the other side of the wall was what looked like a garden hedged around with bushes. She looked back once trying to grasp onto some glimmer of hope, some army coming to rescue her with Jaius leading it, Aslan, even that Luck Dragon, Falcor that Jaius had told her about. How he swooped down and saved Atraeu at the last second. She looked to the sky, every ounce of hope filling her eyes, but slowly her head hung down and she let the tears fall. ¡°God, please.. help us.¡± She heard nothing.


    Soon they were at the gate set within the wall. The woman touched the gate and it opened. As they walked toward the house Alianna looked up and she could now see what the shimmering was from within the crystal walls of the building. It was water, flowing upwards inside the crystal. She had no clue how it was doing this, but with all she had seen in this world it did not shock her as it once might have. It was quite beautiful though. The contrast of the beauty of the woman''s home and garden stood starkly against how evil she was. She had not seen that shimmering form with the burning eyes for days, but she always felt the terror of its presence. Soon they were inside and the woman led them down a few flights of stairs into a cold dank corner of the foundation of the building. She began to sing as she held the golden crystals that controld the spheres in each hand. She motioned her hands and the spheres floated past her and they both settled on the floor against the far wall. She closed her hands a little and the sphere shrank until Alianna''s and Nisa''s heads, arms were free of the sphere. The sphere still surrounded their bodies, shoulders and legs. Alianna stared at the woman. She tried to bring up the cold, stern mask she had developed over the past months when she needed to deal with hard situations, but it would not come, her lip trembled and her hands shook and tears still came down her cheeks.


    The woman looked at her, studying her, as one of the Tattooed men handed her a black silk bag. ¡°I''m very impressed by you my dear.¡± Said the woman in a tone that seemed gentle and nice, but Alianna could also detect a raging anger that was well controlled but burned deep inside this woman. ¡°When I first noticed that Nisa had been found out, I started to leave for the Catha-Dral immediately. But on the way there I saw, through my link to the crown, how talented and cunning you were in how you pulled everything together. So for a week I stayed close and watched you. Your ability with the stones grew far more rapidly than I anticipated. You will make a very good assistant once you come around to see things my way. Your heart is pure and noble, but believe me it will not stay that way. You will be like me soon, free of the bondages of a pure and noble heart and then you will be ready to unlock all the secrets of the Eternal¡¯s creation with me. The Eternal has guided me in the learning of this world and the things in it and now I wish to pass them on to you.¡±


    When the woman said the name Eternal, that wavy form appeared and opened its fiery eyes and Alianna and Nisa both screamed and cried as pure terror flooded them anew. The woman smiled as she seemed to enjoy their responses. She reached into the black bag and pulled out a number of devices that were part metal, part red rubies. She walked over to Nisa. Nisa''s eyes widened as she saw the devices. She began to shake her head back and forth quietly saying ¡°No, no...¡± ¡°Now Nisa¡± the woman chided, ¡°you must remember your manners. You are setting a very bad example for our guest.¡± The woman reached her free hand behind her and another Tattooed man stepped forward and handed her a coiled up whip with a red crystal attached to the end. Alianna froze as she started at the whip that she had seen in her nightmare. The woman took the whip, and let it uncoil. She lifted the end of the whip to her lips and hummed softly and the red crystal began to glow with a ruby light that danced around its facets. Nisa started in horror at the whip. The woman raised it, and slung it at Nisa. It struck Nisa in the arm and her whole body strained as if it was being electrocuted and she let out the most pitiable noise Alianna had ever heard.


    Eyes wild with fright, but with a composure born of experience, Nisa stopped crying and to Alianna''s horror smiled. ¡°I am sorry mistress, I am ready to wear the proper attire now.¡± The woman smiled a smile that Alianna would see Keri Bellows make when she knew she had pulled in someone under her power. ¡°Very good Nisa, you remembered your lessons.¡± As the woman handed the whip back to the man. She then pulled the ruby and metal devices from the bag and walked toward Nisa. Nisa looked at the devices and her smile grew. Alianna wanted to throw up. How could her friend be glad about anything this woman was doing. The woman placed the devices on Nisa''s hands and one in her mouth. Her hands looked like she had on metal gloves with rubies on them, the one in her mouth looked like some demented retainer that went around the top and bottom teeth and seemed to fit together through a hinge toward the back of her mouth.


    The woman then stood and looked at Nisa and smiled. ¡°Very good Nisa, you look much better now that you have proper apparel on.¡± Nisa smiled even wider at the praise. ¡°Thank you so much mistress for helping me get them on so that I can walk around in proper attire again.¡± The woman smiled and bowed her head. Then she turned to look at Alianna. ¡°So my dear, are you also ready to wear the proper attire?¡± She said with that same sickening soft voice and innocent looking smile. From somewhere deep within a fire burned inside Alianna. She had been bullied by Keri and her crew for over a year and here before her stood a bully that made Keri look like some kid crying ¡°Nanny Nanny boo boo.¡± She sat up. ¡°I am perfectly happy with my attire thank you very much.¡± She said filling her face with all the coolness and defiance she could muster. The woman stared at her for a moment and then a smile that seemed to contain genuine pleasure crossed her lips. ¡°Oh, I am actually quite pleased that you said that. It has been a long time since I have had the chance to educate someone in proper Etiquette.¡± The woman''s arm reached back and again the whip was put into her hand. Sweat poured down Alianna''s face and a few tears mingled in, but somehow her resolve held, something deep inside her wanted to fight this horrible woman, to not give in. The woman unfurled the whip and drew it back. Alianna glanced over at Nisa trying to find some help, but Nisa was staring at the woman with a look of adoration on her face, she didn''t even look at her. At first betrayal and hurt threatened to overwhelm Alianna''s resolve, but then she remembered that Nisa grew up here with this woman. She must have endured that whip countless times and this was the only defense she could find, unwavering obedience and attention to the woman. Alianna tore her eyes away from Nisa just in time to see the red glowing crystal descend and hit her shoulder. The pain was worse then anything she could remember. Worse than when she put the fork in the socket, worse than when she felt the same stone in her dream, it was beyond her ability to describe. It even seemed to seep in beyond her skin and bones and into her soul. She became aware of a loud scream that transitioned into a pathetic whimper. She realized slowly that it was her making those noises. She lay on the floor crumpled into a fetal position trying to cover every part of her body from that stone. The woman looked down at her and smiled. ¡°You are strong. Most pass out after their first lesson. I will enjoy breaking you.¡± She drew the whip back and thankfully Alianna only felt a moment of that pain before blackness overcame her. That scream still followed her into the blackness.


    When the darkness receded and her eyes opened she was staring up at a ceiling that was clear crystal with water flowing through it. She was lying on a bed that was quite comfortable and warm and she would have really enjoyed it if it weren''t for the blinding pain coming from her joints and muscles. She let out this pitiful whimper and curled up again. She then felt a cool cloth touch her forehead. She opened her eyes to a squint and saw Nisa standing over her patting her forehead with a wet cloth, tears streaming down her cheeks. When she saw her eyes open Nisa knelt down and moved Alianna''s hair away from her face. ¡°S..sister please forgive me, I...I was so weak, I should have helped you, b..but..I ..I couldn''t , I...couldn''t...¡± Alianna reached out and placed her hand over her friend''s mouth. ¡°Sister you..you have nothing to be sorry for. I know that you¡­¡± She scrunched her eyes closed as a wave of pain took her breath away. After a few moments she opened them and continued. ¡°I know that you grew up here, and I can''t even imagine how many of those lashings that you endured. I completely understand why you acted like you did.¡± Nisa gently wrapped her arms around Alianna and the comfort of that gesture brought a flood of tears from Alianna. All the confidence she had acquired from being the Hyress, from singing the stones was gone with two strokes of that dreaded whip. She knew she couldn''t stand up to that again, she would do whatever that woman wanted her to do to avoid that level of pain. It sickened her to her core to admit that too. That woman had broken her spirit without even breaking a sweat and there was nothing she could do about it. She whimpered as her friend held her for quite some time. After a while the pain faded enough for her to sit up. She looked at Nisa and as she studied her friend she remembered something. ¡°Nisa, where are those items she made you wear?¡± Nisa looked down in shame. ¡°The attire for both of us lay on two tables outside our rooms. There are no crystals in here for you to sing. When she comes for us she will bring them in and ask us to put them on. If you refusee...¡± She shuddered.


    Alianna looked down in similar shame. ¡°I won''t resist.¡± she whispered. She then looked back up at Nisa. ¡°What do they do?¡± Nisa looked up at her with fear in her eyes.


    ¡°The shoes and gloves will give you a similar pain as the whip does, but only to the area of the body that they are on. If you move without her telling you, or touch something without her telling you she will sing a word and you will receive pain. It only affects that area of your body, but it is ten times worse. The one time I moved without her telling me I couldn''t walk for a week. The mouthpiece is the worst. If you speak without being spoken to then the pain explodes in your head. After what happened to my feet, I had no desire to find out what happens if I speak out of turn. She told me once that the same will happen if you try to sing the stones. She won''t need to sing at all in that case, your own voice will cause the pain.¡±


    Alianna''s face went pale at the horror her friend described. She had read horror books like Frankenstine and Dracula, and even Dr Jeckle and Mr Hyde, but the only story that even came close was the Hiding Place, but even what the Nazi''s did in the concentration camps seemed to pale to this woman.


    Nisa reached out and held Alianna''s hand. ¡°We at least have each other sister, and are together right now.¡± She said in a whisper. Aliana smiled slightly and nodded. ¡°I''m so thankful your here my sister.¡± She hugged her. Some hope and comfort started to filter into her soul again. Just then she heard a noise at the door and they both let go of each other as quickly as possible and Nisa retreated speedily to her bed. The door opened and the woman, the Herald, entered with two of the tattooed men behind her. They each held the items that they would both be forced to wear. She looked at Nisa who looked at the woman with adoration with her feet crossed and her hands clasping eachother in her lap. Alianna tried to resist, tried to fight, but she watched in horror as her body moved into the same pose as Nisa''s with the same look of adoration on her face. The woman smiled and nodded approval at Nisa, to which Nisa smiled with delight. Then she turned to Alianna and her smile broadened.


    ¡°Oh wonderful, It seems that you are a quick learner. A few more lessons and you will be able to help me with my work. It will take a few more lessons before I can trust you to sing the stones in the way I desire, but I am glad to see it will not take many lessons for you to join me.¡± Tears began to leak down Alianna''s cheeks, fear clouded her eyes. The woman''s smile deepened. ¡°Having someone else who can sing the stones to life will greatly aid the work that has been given to me by the Eternal.¡± She leaned in closer to Alianna. ¡°Serving me will come with great benefits to you my dear. Disobedience however will come with great consequences.¡± The smile disappeared and a cold, hardness replaced it. So cold and so hard that Alianna felt as though she had been physically hit by it. She felt her head nodding in understanding and a whimper escape her mouth. ¡°How is this happening? Why can''t I fight.¡± The answer came in a memory of that pain, the pain from the stone. She could still feel it, as sharply as if it had just happened. It hadn''t just hurt her body, it had hurt her mind, and even, she felt, her soul.


    Days passed. She did endure more lessons, and they were more terrible with each one. It seemed that one couldn''t build an immunity to this pain. No matter how many times that stone hit her, it was like the first time all over again. She would steel herself before each strike but the pain would crumple whatever defense she had erected. The Herald would have her sing one of the stones to life to make it do what the Herald commanded her to make it do. When she did that she would be rewarded with praise. Then the Herald would tell her to do something with the stone that Alianna wanted to do with it. The first time Alianna had actually tried to fight. She imagined a beam of energy blasting the woman. The Herald must have been anticipating such a move and the stone hit Alianna before she could complete the note. There had been something more to that hit, something dark, evil, she didn''t know how else to explain it, but she knew that presence that was always with the Herald was the source of it. The wavering form that she called the Eternal. After the fourth lesson like this Alianna knew the Herald had broken her. She knew now that she would do whatever the woman commanded her and it disgusted her to realize it, that this person had complete control over what she said and did. There was something different during the last lesson though. Nisa had sat there watching as she had the past few days. Watching her be tortured and observing it with an adoring smile on her face. Even though Alianna knew why she had to do it, it still hurt her to see it on her face while she was suffering. It was right before Alianna passed out from the pain. She was staring at Nisa''s face and she saw Nisa''s eye squint ever so slightly, too slightly to be readily noticed, but it was there and in her friends eyes Alianna saw anger, rage. She hadn''t seen this before while they were here. This was something new and Alianna found the briefest comfort in it before darkness overtook her. Her friend cared about what was happening to her.


    Once the Herald felt sure that Alianna was under her power she led them both down below the structure. Below was not a normal foundation for a building. It was a circular shaft; the top part of it was pure gold. In the light that came from crystal sconces that floated at different intervals on the walls she could just make out a layer of silver hundreds of feet below which began as the gold ended. But it was the water that was the most brilient part of this place. It rose as if from a fountain far below. It hit a crystal cone in the ceiling and continued up into the structure. She started in awe at this formation that seemed to strain the realm of possibility, but she could not deny that here it was. There were many rooms cut into the walls of gold as the staircase descended. Some held items and implements made of Crystal. Others held tools and what looked like machines. They even passed one that held a large crib and Alianna could hear a baby softly cooing in it. She stopped and stared and noticed that the baby seemed very large for what appeared to be a newborn. The woman stopped and gave her a disapproving stare. ¡°Come Alianna, you mustn''t look into what isn''t for you.¡± Quickly Alianna tore her eyes away from the child and hurried to catch up to them. They stoped at a large room that had crystal beakers of different colors each containing different substances. On a table lay a crystal tray and a crystal that looked like some form of mirror floating above it.


    ¡°Here my dear, you will assit me with my work. With you working here it will free me to pursue other parts of the work that has been given to me. Work well Alianna and the rewards will be great, fail, and, well, there are worse things than death.¡± The woman smiled and then proceeded to instruct Alianna in what she would be doing. ¡°You will use this device to look deep down at the smallest structures that make up this crawling animal. You will study how those structures function, what controls them and how to alter them. I will show you.¡± She sang a note and the crystal plate and the mirror began to glow. That was when Alianna saw a leg of an animal laying on the plate. It looked like a lizard leg. The woman motioned to the mirror and Alianna obediently moved over to it and looked down. The mirror made the leg look so big, she could see individual cells like the ones in her biology class. It increased her vision even more and she could see the inner workings of the cell, the nucleus, the mydocodia, ect. Alianna nodded. ¡°I will study them and let you know all that I find.¡± she said as that horrid smile appeared on her face when she looked up at the woman. ¡°Very good my dear. Now, Nisa, I want you to record everything that Alianna tells you in this book, with the writing I taught you before, do you remember it?¡± Nisa looked at her with the same loving adoration. ¡°Oh, Yes my Herald, I do remember. I will record everything.¡± The woman nodded and turned to leave the room. At the doorway, she turned her head back to them. ¡°Study this thoroughly today, for tomorrow I will be giving you a live specimen. We can only learn so much from dead structures.¡± She smiled and then left. Two of the tattooed men stayed outside the door. Nisa came over and sat next to Alianna. That terrible mask of adoration that they both wore when the Herald was around was thankfully able to be let down. As she looked into her friends eyes Alianna felt despair creep into her heart. Never before had she felt so hopeless. Even when that large tiger was about to devour her and Jaius, this feeling had not been there. Maybe there had not been time then to feel it as she did now. Nisa leaned her head toward Alianna''s and whispered in her ear. ¡°I am so sorry sister for not standing up to the Herald when I should have. I...I...all the pain that I went through before...It came flooding back to my mind and I...I... I couldn''t bring myself to endure it again. I failed you Ali, and I am so sorry.¡± Alianna could feel the tears as they ran down her friend''s cheek. She wrapped her arms around Nisa and whispered back. ¡°Dear sister, please do not say you are sorry. I have felt the pain of that whip and I can''t even imagine how much of it that you endured before I met you. If you had resisted she might have killed you and then I would be alone and that would be an even greater terror then what we are facing now, because at least now, we are here together.¡± Nisa pulled away from her and smiled. Alianna looked at her and smiled back. ¡°Do you know what she is trying to do with learning about cells?¡± Nisa''s smile went away and a confused look came on her face. ¡°What do you mean by cells sister? We may be trapped but there are no bars here.¡± Alianna smiled and shook her head. ¡°No sister, the tiny parts of that animal that she spoke of, they are called cells, at least where I come from. They are the parts that make up both you and I and every animal. Each one is like a little village of its own.¡± Nisa''s eyes got wide as she looked at Alianna and then really closely at her hand. Alianna smiled and placed her own hand under the mirror and sang the same note the woman had. The whole apparatus glowed blue and she saw her hand magnified to such a degree that she could see the individual cells with the nucleus and cytoplasm and other parts of the cell. ¡°Come and see sister.¡± Nisa moved slowly over and looked down through the mirror. Her eyes got even wider. She looked at her own hand and then at Alianna''s. ¡°I..I can''t believe it. Our bodies are made up of these smaller structures?¡± Alianna smiled and nodded. ¡°Yes, and there are even smaller structures still called Molecules and Atoms. These are the structures that make up all things living and nonliving.¡± Nisa''s mouth dropped open. She quickly shut it and pulled out the notebook and writing utensils she had been given and began to write this all down. Alianna''s smile faded as the work that had been given to her pushed its way into their respite. She sighed, but slowly began to rattle off all of the names of the structures of the cell that she could remember. She described the nucleus with its Chromosomes made up of DNA. She talked about how the RNA went into the nucleus, the DNA unwound, and the RNA paired up with it to form a sequence. The RNA then left the nucleus and met up with mRNA to pair up again and the mRNA then initiated the process of forming the needed protein. She had to spell most of what she was saying to Nisa. Hours later the Herald returned and looked over the notes Nisa had written. The woman looked at them both with an unreadable expression. Then her eyes met Alianna''s. ¡°You have done very well my dear. You have outlined how this....¡± She looked down at the paper. ¡°Cell. How it functions. This DNA is most facinating. Is the information random?¡± Alianna didn''t hesitate, in fact she rushed into it hoping to please her, which also made her stomach turn with disgust. ¡°It is not random mistress, it is encoded, or sequenced in a predetermined order.¡± The woman smiled. ¡°Very good. I will bring you a live specimen tomorrow. I want you to describe everything that happens in this Cell while it is alive. Then at then end of the day I want you to kill it, and then describe how everything stops functioning.¡± She said with a smile. Alianna smiled in return as did Nisa, but inside her heart cried even more.


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    The next few days went along that same course. They would get up and then go down into that chasm below the house and work on studying the cell. It hurt Alianna everytime the woman made her kill the animal, especially since it wasn''t just lizards, but larger, cuter animals. Throughout these days though Alianna saw Nisa show more and more outward signs of anger and loathing toward the woman. Until one night, after a week and a half of this, the woman had brought them into the kitchen to help prepare a meal. She had left off the aparqtuses from them as they had both been nothing but obedient and docile. At one point Alianna messed up what she was preparing and the woman made a disgusted noise. ¡°You clumsy oaf, now your whole work must begin again.¡± Actual tears came to Alianna''s eyes, not of hurt but shame at failing the woman, which in turn made her stomach turn even more. Then something happened that no one expected. ¡°Leave her alone.¡± Came a very strong voice from near the fire. The statement hung in the air for what seemed like forever and everyone froze except for Nisa. She placed herself between Alianna and the woman. The woman actually looked shocked, an expression Alianna had not seen before. Then fear pierced her heart, ¡°What was she doing?¡± Very quickly the woman''s expression went from shock to rage. ¡°How dare you speak to me in that way. It seems that you were too long away from my lessons, well, we shall rectify that shortly.¡± She began as she reached for the whip that lay on a hook on the wall. ¡°I will take great pleasure in re-starting your education.¡± She sang at the stone as she turned to grab the whip, and quicker than either of them could react she unfurled the whip and struck Nisa in the shoulder. Nisa cried out in horror and pain, but she stayed standing. The woman stuck again and this time Nisa fell to her knee''s wailing, but still she did not submit. Again and again the woman struck her until Nisa was curled up in the fetal position barely moving. Something deep inside Alianna, deeper than the pain could go, something rose up. It was all the memories, the good memories of her friend. How she had helped and saved her time and again, it was the love she had for her. It broke through her paralysis and as the whip was coming down for what would probably be a killing blow, Alianna jumped on top of Nisa and covered her body with her own. The whip stuck and the pain exploded inside every part of her. She screamed, but something kept her from blacking out this time. A thought kept her conscious, that if she passed out, Nisa would die. She fought the pain as long as she could. As she felt herself fading she cried out ¡°Momma!¡± She knew they would both die if she passed out, but it seemed that a few more blows would end her life, this made her cry out for her mother. She had read in books of soldiers who were dying crying out for their mother''s, it seemed it was just the thing that humans did. She knew the next hit would kill her, she could feel her life slipping away. She bent forward and whispered into Nisa''s ear. ¡°I..I.. love you my sister.¡± Then there was the noise of a very strong wind blowing through the room. Alianna recognized it as the same noise she heard when her and Jaius came to this world. Then, when the noise of the wind died down, she heard the noise of her own voice replace it, but as if it was coming from above her, then a weight covering her, then that same voice, her voice, screamed ¡°Momma.¡±


    For a moment she thought that she had died and was somehow floating above her body, but she could still feel the pain, and Nisa beneath her, but the whip hadn''t touched her. She opened her eyes weekly and looked up and saw herself covering her and Nisa and taking the hits from the whip. After the second hit the woman took a step back and confusion played across her face. Then the other Alianna disappeared, still screaming. Then there was a noise from the far wall and the woman looked and so did Alianna and staring at them through the window was Jaius, but he looked different, like he did before they came to this world. Fear covered his face and he ran. The woman ran to the window and looked after the fleeing Jaius. ¡°What is going on?¡± She looked at a nearby tattooed man. ¡°Get him!¡± She barked. The man ran off. The woman turned and she looked toward the fireplace and Alianna saw the shimmering form she called the eternal, its blazing eyes looking toward the window and then back to the woman. Then its gaze moved back toward the window and so did the woman¡¯s. Confused, Alianna strained to listen and soon she heard it too. It was singing. It wasn''t just one person singing but what sounded like an entire choir . The music was nothing short of beautiful and even though Alianna was finding it hard to move or think, she could clearly hear the beautiful music, she knew the song too. ¡°Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me...¡± She immediately recognized the song they had sung so many times in church. ¡°Jaius'''' Alianna whispered with a slight smile on her face. ¡°He came...¡±


    The woman turned to an alcove where one of the tattooed men stood. ¡°Go, take your brothers, slaughter them all, leave none alive.¡± The man nodded and then ran off. Within minutes twenty of the tattooed men were in front of the house moving toward Jaius, the 6 men in armor and on horuses and two women. Behind them stood dozens and dozens of people, men and women who were singing. The tattooed men charged forward black crystal swords and daggers drawn, moving faster than any normal man should. The front row of people singing looked at those who were mounted and their armor and swords began to glow. Shields formed around them. The rows signing behind them focused on the men and as the men got within ten yards of the horuses the tattoos that covered the men began to glow with a golden light. The men began to slow and started to drop their weapons and grab their heads. They began to scream and then there was a large, blinding flash of light and the men disappeared and all that was left were a large pile of smoking bones.


    The woman took a step back in shock. The creature called the Eternal''s eyes widened and then it disappeared through the floor. As the singing got closer the house began to tremble. A silvery glow began to come from the outside walls. The woman gasped in horror. The walls began to shake and then cracks began to appear and water began to leak out. The woman''s fear turned to rage. She turned and looked at where Alianan was just beginning to raise herself off of Nisa and Nisa had begun to stir slightly.


    ¡°You, you think you have been saved, but I guarantee you will not leave this house alive. I may or may not survive this assault, but you most assuredly will not draw another breath. You should have obeyed, then you would have lived. Now, now I will take everything from you.¡± She picked up the whip and pulled it behind her ready to strike. Then something completely odd happened. A pair of legs shot out of thin air right near the woman''s face and two sneaker-covered feet kicked her solidly in the jaw and then disappeared as if they had been dragged backwards. Alianna noted that the sneakers and legs looked very familiar to her.


    The woman staggered backward toward them and collapsed onto her back. Quicker than she thought possible Nisa opened her eyes and pulled a black crystal dagger from her sleeve, the same dagger that Alianna had almost ended Clara¡¯s life with. She pushed herself up and plunged the dagger into the woman''s chest. The woman gasped and looked down at the dark crystal protruding from her chest. She tried to speak but couldn''t, her mouth just moving trying to form words. Then the blackness began to cover her body. She tried to scream but the blackness covered her face before she could and the woman collapsed. Nisa let go of the dagger with a quivering hand, and briefly Alianna saw some kind of dark spot appear on Nisa''s hand, but then it seemed to disappear into her skin. The singing intensified and the house began to shake violently. ¡°Wait¡± someone yelled from outside and the signing stopped and the quaking stopped, but the cracks kept widening. Then, suddenly, he was there. Jaius leapt through the window. with his sword drawn and he looked around quickly. He looked shocked at the dead woman laying there but then joy filled his face a s he saw Alianna and Nisa. He ran over to Alianna and put his arms protectively around her. She could barely move but she managed to put her arm around his shoulder as he lifted her off the ground. ¡°Levin, they''re here, I need help.¡± He shouted. Then he looked at her worry covering his face. ¡°Ali, Ali, are you okay?¡± ¡°Jaius...¡± she whispered. The faintest smile coming to her lips. ¡°You came. You rescued me¡­¡±. She couldn¡¯t believe that she was actually a princess getting rescued by a prince, just like in her Nana¡¯s book..


    ¡°Come on, we need to get out of here.¡± Another man in armor leapt through the window. ¡°Levin, get Nisa and lets go.¡± The man ran over to Nisa and scooped her up effortlessly. ¡°Jaius...¡± Alianna whispered. Jaius bent to hear her. ¡°...The baby.¡± He looked at her with confusion. ¡°What baby?¡± ¡°Below us...in chasam...large baby.. need to save it.¡± Jaius could only nod, he kind of understood what she was saying but couldn''t believe there was a large baby below them. ¡°We''ll come back and help Ali, after we get you two to safety.¡±


    Before she could protest she was being lifted through the window and was moving at a quick pace away from the house. She could hear the other man running behind her with Nisa. She must have passed out because next she knew she was laying in the grass with Nisa beside her. She propped herself up and looked back at the house. Jaius and the other man stood over them. Their mouths were hanging open as the shimmering form with the burning eyes left the building through a side door moving very fast, carrying a large baby and a satchel with papers sticking out of it. It moved far too fast for them to catch and within moments it was gone. Jaius shook his head as if clearing some kind of fog. He looked down at her. ¡°I''m sorry Ali. I have no Idea what that thing was but it took the baby and some papers.¡± She collapsed to the ground. Then she heard the singing again loud and beautiful. After a few minutes she heard a loud cracking sound and then an ear splitting shattering sound. She lifted her head and saw the crystal house collapse and the pillar of water that she saw below shot up into the air and water began to rain down into the chasm that had opened below the house. Alianna thought that it looked like a large fountain.


    Then it finally hit her, she was safe, she was free from the pain, she was safe now and she knew it. Instead of this realization bringing peace and joy it brought disgust and revulsion. All the fullness of what the woman had made her do, that she had had such control over her, what she took from her washed over her. She felt covered in it, like she was covered in some putrid slime, and now there were all these people around her, a lot of them she knew very well, and she knew they could see what she had had to do, what had been done to her. They must be so repulsed by what they saw. So she ran away inside her head. She retreated very deep inside herself. She couldn''t face it, couldn''t face how she had gleefully done whatever that evil woman had told her to do, couldn''t face the looks of disgust on their faces. She retreated into that bedroom in her mind and shut and locked the door, grabbed Mr Bear off the shelf and crawled into bed and pulled the covers over her eyes. Slowly even the bedroom door itself disappeared.


    Jaius looked back at her and saw this wild, terrified look on her face, and then it went away, and with it all expression from her face. She just sat there, eyes staring forward, staring at nothing. He knelt down and looked her in the eyes. ¡°Ali, you''re safe now. We''re going to get out of here and head back to the Catha-Dral.¡± She could hear him speaking, his voice echoing in the doorless room but she couldn''t, wouldn''t respond.


    She couldn''t deal with anything right now, not even to respond. ¡°Ali, whats wrong, is everything okay?¡± She just stared blankly at him. Then Nisa appeared next to him. ¡°Sister, can you hear me?¡± Alianna just stared forward. She could hear them and see them both but she was too horrified, too filled with shame to come out of that room and answer. The wooden walls of the room turned to solid stone.


    Fear began to grip Jaius as he kept calling Ali''s name but she just stared blankly at him. Even Nisa couldn''t bring her around. He turned to the girl. ¡°Nisa what is wrong with her? Nisa looked at Alianna and then shook her head. ¡°I do not know Son of Maleric, she endured the whip in order to save me, the whip causes an indescribable amount of pain, I would say it even wounds the inner you¡± Jaius shuddered and looked back at Alianna. Nisa left him and returned a minute later with they white mare named Emily and her fole. She broughtt Emily over to stand right next to Alianna. The Horuse looked down and recognized her and bent in to nuzzle her face and nicker softly. It repeated this a number of times, but through it all Alianna didn''t move a muscle. The Horuse stepped back and looked at Nisa and then looked down sorrowfully. Inside the room she knew it was Emily, and for the briefest second she almost lowered the blanket, but the pain and revulsion was too great. Jaius had a glimmer of hope when he saw what Nisa tried to do, but it soon faded. As there was no response from Alianna. ¡°Is there nothing that we can do for her?¡±


    ¡°There is always a way Son of Maeric.¡± A new voice said from behind the crowd of singers. It was the deep voice of a man. The crownd parted and a tall man who looked to be in his 30''s was walking toward them. He had dark wavey hair and a short beard. He wore leather pants, and loose wollen shirt and a leather vest and cloak and he carried a satchel across is shoulder and a backpack on his back. Jaius had never seen him before. The man stopped before them and then knelt down and went to touch Alianna''s face. Jaius jumped protectively infront of her and the man witdrew his hand. ¡°Fear not Son of Maleric, I mean her or you no harm. She has retreated deep within herself, fleeing the pain and shame of what the Hearld did to her. There is hope for her and for you, but only if you head west. You must travel westward Jaius and you will find what you have been seeking.¡± Jaius relaxed soemwhat and moved away from Alianna. When he noticed Jaius relax he looked at him. ¡°And, you must go alone.¡± This caught Jaius up short and he tensed at realizing what that might mean.


    ¡°Who.. Who are you and how did you know my name?¡± Them man smiled. ¡°I am Enoch, and the Eternal is my constant compainion, and He was the one that told me I needed to be here.¡± As soon as the man said that Nisa shrunk back from him. ¡°He serves the Eternal as the Herald did. It was the Eternal that carried the baby away, and stood by as Ali and I were tortured.¡± Jaius stood and drew his sword and pointed it at the man, as did all the other guards. Enoch stood slowly but showed no sign of fear or of being discovered. He did give Nisa a reproving look however. ¡°My dear woman, that abomination is not the Eternal. It formaly served the Eternal one, but now has fallen from that grace. It has turned away from the glorious one to seek after the glory of man and its own devices. I tell you the truth, the Eternal one is


    above all of us and all of creation. He is holy, just, righteous , merciful, and loving.¡±


    A wave of peace washed over Jaius as Enoch spoke and he could see a similar feeling come over the others. He and the other men even began to lower their swords. It wasn''t just the peace that came from this man that made Jaius trust him, it was the fact that the device in his ear, the one Maleric had always used to tell when some one was lying to him, that device was also resoundingly silent. This man was telling the truth.


    Nisa however, with the pain still coursing through her, looked at Jaius with concern. ¡°What are you doing, Son of Maleric? How can you trust him?¡± Jaius looked at her. ¡°Nisa can''t you feel the peace that is coming from him, can''t you hear the truth of what he is saying in your heart?¡± Nisa stared at Jaius and then at the man named Enoch and then back to Jaius. Slowly, ever so slowly, the raging pain inside her began to soften slightly. At last she nodded and collapsed to her knees next to Alianna. Jaius looked back to the man. He motioned the other men to sheath their swords as he did the same. ¡°I belive you, Enoch. Your name is familiar to me but I can''t remember why.¡± The man looked deep into his eyes and then smiled. ¡°You will remember in time Jaius, as will she.¡± He nodded to Alianna. ¡°How far west are we to go? And what about the people at the Catha-Dral and Maleric¡¯s compound? Who will take care of them without Alianna?¡± He figured if Enoch knew his name, he would probably know about all of that.


    ¡°You must head west until you can go no further. As for the people in the east, I will watch after them in place of you both. I swear to you that they will be well watched after, they and all those here.¡± He said his gaze lingering on Nisa. Nisa''s head shot up as what he said sunk in. ¡°No, I am not leaving Ali. She is my sister and I have sworn to serve her. Where she goes, I go.¡± She said putting as much defiance in her look as she had strength for. Enoch''s look was full of understanding but he sighed non the less. ¡°Your place is with the people here Nisa, you have a future that does not lie in the west, but in the east. Not yourself, nor anyone else here, is permitted to go with them. They must go alone.¡± Tears began to creep out of Nisa''s eyes. There was something so absolutely true in how he said those words, so final, that she knew even if she could get up and run, her legs would not move one foot to the west. The tears came readily as that reality set in and she looked at Alianna who was still staring at the ground. There, but not there. She moved over to her friend and put her arms around her. She moved her head close and whispered in her friend''s ear.


    ¡°Ali, you have set me free from so many things by the love you have shown me and it tears my heart apart to know that I cannot help you through this time, to free you from this cage you are in. Just know that I will always be with you and will cherish every moment we shared together. Take this to remember me by. She pulled out from a pocket the sash that had denoted her rank as First among her ladies and placed it in her hand. Alianna''s hand closed around it, and one single tear leaked from her eye. Nisa saw it and she knew that her friend had heard her. She embraced her friend tightly, not wanting to let go.


    Enoch looked at them for a moment then turned to Jaius. ¡°I have a change of clothes for you both. It seems that it has been a long journey for you both and a change of clothing for will help, and these clothes are more befitting your stations. You may keep your sword Son of Maleric, but all else must go back to the Catha-Dral, the same for Alianna, she may only keep the things that she arrived at the Catha Dral with, and the one thing that is from there that is hers.`` He looked to the backpack that Jaius carried with all their stuff from before and the Thron shard. ¡°You must travel lightly. There is a tent in my pack also. You will spend the night here and then leave in the morning.¡± He looked at Nisa. ¡°Will you help her change?¡± Nisa looked up at him and nodded. Enoch smiled and nodded his head. ¡°Once that is done, then you must come back out Nisa and we must depart.¡± Her face fell and she forced herself to hold back her tears. He opened his pack and took out two bundles of cloth and then a larger one. There were wooden poles on the side of the pack. He removed those and started to erect a tent. After it was up. Nisa stood with some help from Jaius and then Jaius took Alianna''s hand and started to lift her. As he put upward pressure on her hand she responded and stood, but her eyes did not leave the ground and she did not say anything. Nisa gave Jaius a tear stained look and then sighed and took Alianna''s hand and led her toward the tent. As she passed Enoch she took the package of cloth that he offered her and thanked him. It was white cloth that looked to have gold inlays. She led Alianna into the tent and closed the flap. Enoch looked back at Jaius. ¡°Come here Son of Maleric.¡± Enoch was holding two crystal jars. Jaius went over to him and Enoch led him over to the chasm where water was falling from the top of the jet of water that was bursting forth from deep below. Enoch opened both jars and let them fill half full with water. Then he turned and looked at Jaius. ¡°You have the shard, the one that links to the Thron?¡± Jaius hesitated.


    ¡°How do you know all these things about us? I never saw you before.¡± Juais said. Enoch smiled. ¡°The Eternal is my constant companion young Jaius. He has told me all about you and Alianna and all that has happened to you here, and what must still happen. Alianna will need this water and those crystal shards in the times ahead.¡± Enoch held jar out to him. It seemed like he wanted him to put something into it. Then he realized what he wanted him to do. Jaius reached into his pocket and took out the purple crystal shard that Alianna always used to activate the Thron. Jaius held it out to him and Enoch took it and sealed it in the same jar by placing the lid on it and then layering a wax seal around it. He then sealed up the other Jar that only had water in it. He then placed both jars in his satchel and then handed the bag to Jaius. Jaius took it and slung it over his torso. ¡°You should say your goodbyes now Jaius, the time soon comes for us to depart.¡± Jaius looked at him, unable to keep the sadness from his eyes. ¡°Promise me Enoch, promise me you will take care of all of them, that you will protect them.¡± Enoch smiled. ¡°You have my word Son of Maleric, I will shepherd them well.¡± Then he looked at the tent and then back to Jaius . ¡°You love Ali do you not Jaius?¡± Jaius turned his gaze back to the tent and then back to him. ¡°Yes, I would have married her if Maleric hadn''t betrayed us. I''d die for her Enoch.¡± Enoch noded. ¡°It won''t come to that Jaius, but it is good that your heart is there with Ali. She will need such love in the days and years ahead. She is the one you must protect and shepard now Jaius. There is much more that you both need to learn.¡± Jaius nodded. ¡°I give you my word Enoch, that I will guard her with my life.¡± Enoch noded and motioned toward the group of people that had come with Jaius. Jaius sighed and began to move toward them. ¡°One more thing, Son of Maleric. As I said earlier, you may take your sword, but all else must return east.¡± He said as Jaius saw he was looking at the harness with all the devices from Maleric. Jaius sighed, but nooded his head. He took off the harness and handed it to Enoch, and then removed the two ear pieces and handed them to him. Enoch took all the items and nodded and headed over to the Horuses.


    Jaius went over to Alise and Lorna who were standing with their parents. They looked up as he approached with smiles on their faces. The smiles faded, however, as he got closer and they saw his face. ¡°What is it?¡± Alise asked. ¡°Are you okay?¡± said Lorana Jaius nodded to Lorna''s question. ¡°I''m okay. Alianna and Nisa are safe. The Herald is dead and her evil is gone. Your all safe now, you can return to the Catha-Dral and start new lives. Enoch, the man over there will now lead you and protect you. He walks with the true Eternal and he seems like a very good man. I trust him and I would encourage you to trust him too.¡± Lorna nodded slowly, but Alise kept looking at him. ¡°Jaius, you sound like you aren''t coming back with us.¡± She said with apprehension heavy in her voice. Jaius took a deep breath and nodded. ¡°Alianna and I must go on, into the west. Alianna was hurt pretty severely by the Herald and Enoch says that only by going west can she find help. He said no one else is allowed to go with us.¡± Tears began to come from the sister''s eyes as what he said sank in. ¡°Jaius I....¡± Said Alise but then she couldn''t continue emotion clogging her voice. ¡°Oh Jaius.¡± Lorna cried and flung her arms around him and began to sob into his shoulder. Jaius wrapped his arm around her and looked up to Alise. She stood there tears streaming down her cheeks, but she didn''t fling herself at him she just walked slowly over to him, her eyes staying locked with his and he held out his arm to her and she slowly folded into it and laid her head on his other shoulder crying softly. Alise had always been the more reserved one of the two. He held them and whispered to them things that he wanted them to remember. They stayed this way until Enoch came over and touched his shoulder. Jaius lifted his head and turned toward the man.


    ¡°It is time Son of Maleric. We should depart if we are to clear the valley before nightfall.¡± Nisa stood at Enoch''s shoulder with her hand over her mouth and her shoulder''s shaking slightly. Jaius let his arms release Alise and Lorna and he looked at them both and kissed each of them on the cheek. ¡°I will never forget you both, as long as I live. Thank you for...everything.¡± They both looked at him and wiped at their eyes. ¡°We will never forget you either Jaius.¡± Said Alise. ¡°We will always remember and always love you Jaius.¡± Said Lorna her voice deep with emotion. Then their parents moved up and put their arms around their daughters. Their father, Sa, looked at Jaius. ¡°Jaius, Son of Maleric, there is a debt between us that our family can never repay. If ever you need us for anything you have but to ask and it will be yours. You saved us all, and we are forever grateful.¡± Jaius bowed and shook the mans hand. ¡°Your debt is cleared Sa, your daughters saved me many times from getting on the wrong side of Maleric. I would not be here if not for them. They have covered any debt that you owe me.¡± Sa nodded and stepped back.


    Jaius then turned and Nisa was right infront of him. She looked up at him. Her eyes were swolen with lack of sleep and tears but her deep brown eyes spoke volumes to him. ¡°Please Jaius, please take care of Ali and please find healing for her. I....¡± She took a deep breath but could not get anything more out. Jaius placed his hands on her shoulders and leaned in and whispered to her. ¡°Nisa, I swear by my life that I will defend her to my death and I will find a way to bring her out of this. I will not stop until she is whole again. And we will not forget you or all that you have done for us.¡± As he spoke, her whole body trembled as if it barely had the strength to stand, he steadied her with his hands, eventually putting his arm around her shoulders to support her. After a few minutes she let go and moved over to Enoch. Enoch took her hand and then took Alise''s and Lorna''s and placed their hands together. They all looked confused. ¡°Your fates are as interlocked as your hands. The three of you will endure, but you will not know the purpose for many long years ahead. But you must stay together until that day.¡± They all looked shocked and couldn''t seem to find any words to speak. It was Taeth, the mother of the two sisters who stepped forward and put her arms around all three of them. ¡°Until that day, Nisa, you will be as one of our own daughters. You are not alone anymore my dear.¡± The three young women looked at each other and then smiles appeared on Alise''s and Lorna''s faces. ¡°Welcome sister.¡± Said Alise. ¡°You are as we are my sister.¡± Lorna said. They both embraced Nisa, and for the first time in a while Jaius saw Nisa smile slightly. Jaius went over to the knights and said his goodbyes and left instructions for them to follow Enoch, and that he vouched for him. He also gave them messages for Kenic. He then returned to the others. He went up to Enoch and extended his hand. ¡°I wish I could have gotten to speak with you more, there are so many questions I need to ask you.¡± Enoch smiled. ¡°There will be a day when you get to ask them, Son of Maleric, but for now you must rest and then start your journey west tomorrow. Take the tent with you for it will be many days till you reach your destination. I left the back pack for you. There is some bread and dried fruit in it. Enough to last a few days. There are also some containers of water. Keep your path to the west and you will come to that which you are seeking. Fare thee well Jaius. We will meet again.¡± He said as he smiled and extended his hand. Jaius took it in his own hand and shook it. That peace that he felt earlier flooded through him. ¡°One more thing, Son of Maleric. As you head west you may come across a city. Under no circumstances are you to enter that city. If you encounter anyone else bearing my same name do not trust them, no matter how convincing they are. Keep heading west till you come to a house of peace. You will know it when you find it.¡± Jaius nodded. Then Enoch turned and spread his hands to everyone else. ¡°Come my friends, we must depart. We have a long road ahead of us.¡± ¡°Enoch,¡± Jaius said. The man turned.


    ¡°Just one question.¡± The man turned to him. ¡°What is that?¡± He said pointing to the massive plume of water that kept shooting up from the ground and falling back ito the chasam. Enoch smiled and said. ¡°It is a Foutain of the Deep. It comes up from the waters far below. The force of the energy coming up from below carries the water with it in certain places. The Herald had set her house over it, letting the water flow through the crystal walls which insulated them from someone singing to them. But with the number of voices that you had with you it was more than even the water could contain. It was a very good idea Jaius. Now, we must depart.¡± And with that he gave Jaius a wink and turned and began walking. Jaius waved at everyone, burning their faces into his memory. They all waved and kept looking back until they were out of sight. Nisa kept looking to the tent.


    After they all faded from view. Jaius went back to the tent and found his bundle of cloths sitting by the tent flap. He opened them and they were well made clothes of the finest material. Brown leather pants and boots with a long blue shirt and matching cape with a hood. He went to the other side of the tent and put everything on. Inside the shirt he found wrapped a golden circlet for his head. He put it on and then left his old clothes on the ground. He went back to the front and touched the tent flap, but hesitated before going in. ¡°Ali'''' he called out. He waited but ther was no answer. He sighed and opened the flap. There were two sleeping cots in the tent. Alianna sat on the side of one her hands folded on her lap. She wore a white dress with gold inlays and a white cape with matching gold design. A glittering Tiara set on top of her head. She stared at the oposite wall of the tent, but didn''t move even when he touched her shoulder. ¡°Ali¡± he said. Still nothing. He stood infornt of her and put both his hands on her shoulders and pushed her gently till she lay down on the cot. He then lifted her legs on to the cot and placed the blanket over her. Her eyes stared blankly at the celing. He tried to close them and they closed as he applied pressure. He then kissed her hand and set it down on the cot. ¡°Sleep Ali, and everything is going to be okay.¡± He then went outside and sat by the entrance keeping watch. He stared up at the giant fountain and marveled at it. ¡°What do we do now Ali.¡± He said to the air. It had been a long time since he had been alone, and the silence seemed deafening to him.

 Chapter 24: In the Stillness of the Midnight.

    ¡°Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight


    Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,


    Rage, rage against the dying of the light.¡±


    -Dylan Thomas.


    For hours he sat and watched the water rise and then fall back down from where it came.  Every once and a while he would peek into the tent and see if she was okay.  Alianna lay almost perfectly still.  Her eyes were still closed  and her  breathing even.  He really hoped that she was sleeping.  He also kept hoping that she would just wake up and be okay in the morning.


    He woke up on the cot inside the Tent.  He must have fallen asleep the last time he checked on her.  He sat up and looked over.  Alianna wasn''t there.  Panic flooded him.  He grabbed his sword and rushed outside the tent.  He scanned the area ahead of him but didn''t see her.  Then he looked behind and saw her standing near the edge of the Chasam staring straight ahead.  A small wind blew her cloak and hair slightly to the side.  He walked over to her and stood next to her.  He looked in her face and saw her eyes staring forward barely blinking just watching.  ¡°Ali¡± he said quietly.  She didn''t respond.  ¡°Ali¡± he said more loudly.  ¡°Are you okay?¡±  She didn''t even flinch she just kept staring straight ahead.  Jaius sighed and placed his hand in her''s.  She closed hers slightly around his, but it was barely a motion at all. ¡°Come back to me Ali.¡±   She let her hand open and didn''t move it again.  He took that as a ¡°No!¡±  He sighed and went back to the tent and began to tear it down.  The cots broke down into slats of wood and cloth that had spaces for one on each side of the backpack.  He put them in and then broke the rest of the tent down and put it inside the pack.    He then went over carrying everything and took Alianna''s hand again.  ¡°It''s time to go Ali.  Not sure how long we have to walk, but its not close.¡±  She allowed herself to be turned away from the fountain and followed him a few steps behind him.  Jaius felt the ache inside him as she walked in silence, her being there but not there.  He would look back at her over his shoulder from time to time to make sure she was still with him.  She was there, always.  Forever staring straight ahead but making him feel like she didn''t see him.  It was almost more than he could bear at some points.  There  came moments when he wanted to scream at her and shake her, anything to end this deafening quiet.   He didn''t though, he remembered what Nisa had said about what that whip had done.  He stopped suddenly. ¡°Whip.¡± he whispered.  Suddenly that night terror he had had came back to him.  Looking through the window of that strange house at the woman whipping that blond girl with that glowing red stone and that girl turned out to be Alianna.  He turned to face her.  She had stopped too and just started blankly at him.  He took her hand in his and looked into those eyes that would only blink slightly every once and a while.  ¡°Ali, I''m so sorry I didn''t get there sooner, we lost her trail many times and had to double back often before we found her place.  I''m not going to give up on you Ali, I''ll find a way to help you.  I love you Ali.¡±  He said simply but with the full weight of sincerity.  He felt the slightest pressure on his hand from her and then nothing.  He smiled  that little pressure reminding him that she was still inside there somewhere.   He couldn''t imagine what kind of pain had driven her into herself this deep.  They had both endured the bullies and traps at the Dungeon and the constant threat to their lives since coming here, but whatever that evil witch  had done to her seemed to eclipse all of that.  His anger turned toward that woman.  Maleric had been vile and Jiaus had thought he was the worst person he had ever met, but he had at least not seemed to overtly enjoy the evil he did.  This woman must have loved what she did to be this mean.


    He started walking again.  The land here was so flat and void of trees that he could still see that massive fountain everytime he looked back to check on Alianna.   In a way it was comforting because it was something he knew, but at the same time it made him feel like he wasn''t making any progress.  As the first night began to fall they were on a trail through the mountains that surrounded the woman¡¯s valley.


    That night he set up the cots and the tent and pulled out some dried fruit and water and fed them to Alianna.  She ate them mechanically and then just sat there looking at the wall.  Jaius sighed.  He helped her lay down and placed the sheet over her and then closed her eyes and held her hand for a while.  ¡°I miss you Ali.  I keep thinking back to the time by the creek, when it was just you and I, and how we had watched out for each other and helped each other.  Then we got seperated and I didn''t see you for months.  Now we''re back together and we are still separated, except that I can''t come up with some strategy to fix this.  I just can''t draw my sword and make it better.  I feel like the Avengers when after killing Thanos and avenging the world, they still had to deal with the fact that half the life in the universe had disappeared.  I rescued you, yet you''re as far away from me now as you were a month ago.¡±  He looked at her eyes for any sign of movement, but there was none.  ¡°Maybe even farther now.¡±  He heaved a heavy sigh and placed her hand on the cot and then went out of the tent and sat just outside the door and stared out across the  wide flat plain of the Hearald¡¯s valley below.  Late in the night he went back in and laid down on the opposite cot and fell asleep.


    The next day they descended the other side of the mountains and were met with a flat grassland as far as the eye could see.  They walked all day in silence, save for the birds that flew overhead from time to time.  The set up camp that night and he went to bed as soon as the tent was up, the weight of the silence beginning to drive him into a depression.


    He was woken up by a loud rumbling.  The light was bright outside as it came in under the tent flap.  The rumbling grew disturbingly louder.  The tent poles began to shake.  He got up and slung the sword over one shoulder  and the satchel over the other.   He placed both packs on his back and then  he moved outside the tent and looked off to the left.  He saw a cloud of dust moving toward them and every so often he saw pairs of large black horns popping up through the top of the dust then disappearing back down.  The dust storm was getting closer and was heading right toward them.


    ¡°Stampede!¡±  The realization hit him that it was some herd of animals charging across the plain toward them.   They would be here in a minute or less.  He couldn''t fight them and would not be able to stop them, so the only course left was to run.   He ran inside, ripped the sheet off Alianna''s cot and pulled her up by her hand.  He got her standing and then yelled.  ¡°Ali, we have to run.¡±   She just stood there.  Unsure if she would run or would be able to he bent down, placed his shoulder against her midsection and lifted her up onto his shoulder and turned and ran as fast as he could through the tent flap.  He looked left and the cloud of dust seemed to be almost on top of him.  He bolted away from the tent as fast as he could.  Four months ago he wouldn''t have made it but ten steps carrying her, but the rigors and benefits of life on Paltophern had given him a strength and speed he didn''t think possible.


    He ran and ran until he heard the noise pass him.  He slowed and stopped and turned around.  He saw the dust storm heading away from them toward the west and sighed with relief.  Then he saw the pile of splintered wood and torn fabric that used to be their tent.  He kicked the ground with his foot. ¡°Stuppid animals!  Great, now we have nowhere to sleep.¡±  As his  anger seemed to be increasing , it suddenly fell as soon as it began to boil.  He remembered again how He and Alianna survived  just fine when they first got here, without a tent or anything.  ¡°I''ve gotten soft.¡±  He chided himself.


    He put Alianna down, back on her feet,  and she stood there staring again, seeming to be completely unaware of what just happened.  He took her hand and started walking back toward the tent.  She followed him without a word.  When they got there he stared down at the ruined structure.  The fabric was shredded in too many places to count, and there weren''t many pieces of wood left bigger than a popsicle stick.  ¡°Looks like we''re sleeping outside tonight Ali.¡±  He''d learned a while ago on Paltophern that if you worried too much about what you didn''t have you would lose the chance to get  what you needed.  He kicked some of the rubble and then sighed and took her hand again and began walking.  She gripped his hand and walked next to him, but didn''t look at him or say anything.  He liked this better though, it felt more like old times when they would hold hands and run up to the Hole.


    They walked through the day stopping only to have some fruit and water.  As the day drew on the grass seemed to get taller.  At first he thought it was just his mind playing tricks on him, but after an hour he couldn''t mistake that the grass was getting taller.  Soon it was up to his waist.  The light of day faded, but since they didn''t have a tent anymore and he didn''t feel tired he kept walking.  One of those openings in the clouds appeared overhead and through it he could see a myriad of stars.  They looked like they did on earth, which gave him some reassurance.  He kept walking for a few hours but finally felt like he needed to sit down and rest.  Off to his left he saw a shadow raising up from the grass.  He drew his sword and walked over to it.  Ready for some hidden threat he found it to be just a large rock that was sitting in the middle of the grassland. He smiled slightly.


    ¡°At least it should keep us safe from the mist.¡±  He climbed up on top and then pulled Alianna up next to him.  He sat her down with her back up straight and then sat down with his back against hers.  He then took a deep breath and let himself rest and look out over the plain for a while. ¡°God, please help us, please help Ali.¡±  He wasn''t sure that God would listen to him, but he was running out of ideas.


    With no tent set up, or anything else to worry about he just let his thoughts drift.  He looked up again at the stars and the wind began to blow and it stirred the grass in rhythmic waves as it gusted across the plain.  A memory came to his mind of a similar starry night one spring when they had visited his uncle Rick in Kansas.  They didn''t visit him much as he and his mom had not been on good terms after he left the Catholic church.  He had joined a non-Catholic church and moved out west.  He remembered his mom talking to his dad and saying Uncle Frank had gotten  ¡°Saved¡±.   She had said at that time with such disdain.  Jaius had not understood why His mom had been so against her brother and his faith.  From what Jaius could tell he believed in Jesus and his death and resurrection and so did they.  They had traveled out to Kansas to help his uncle with Jaius''s grandfather while he had had a procedure and would need help while recovering.  One night while they were out there Uncle Rick had built a fire in his fire pit, but only Jaius and Anne had gone out to join him.  They had made smores and looked up at the stars as they ate.  Jaius remembered the moon being full and the light from it illuminating the flat plains around them and the wind gusting through the grass making it roll like the waves of the ocean.  While he had been  enthralled with the peacefulness of that scene Uncle Rick had begun to sing.  He sang a song that seemed to fit that moment, talking of precious memories of family and how they always seemed to come up most in the late hours, when the world was quiet.


    Jaius''s mind came back to where he was. The light of this world illuminating the flat plain around them with the wind rolling through the grass like the waves at the ocean.   It was the most quiet, still and peaceful moment he can remember ever having.  The way the wind rippled across the top of the grass was mesmerizing.  Then the  song his uncle sang came flooding to his mind.  Jaius heard every word in his uncle''s rich baritone like he was sitting right next to him.  From somewhere deep inside him came that song, the one his Uncle had sung.


    ¡°Precious memories, unseen angels


    Sent from somewhere to my soul


    How they linger, ever near me


    And the sacred past unfolds.


    He wasn''t as proficient as his Uncle when it came to singing, in fact he avoided it because he thought he couldn''t do it. For  some reason, in this moment he didn''t care about any of that, he just wanted to sing this song.


    Precious memories, how they linger


    How they ever flood my soul


    In the stillness, of the midnight


    Precious sacred scenes unfold.


    A peace began to fill him.  The quiet rustle of the wind through the high grass, the starlit night, brought that peace from his Uncle¡¯s place to the present, just like the song was saying.   How precious was the peace of that night, of this one quiet night, and so it became crystal clear how much he needed this right now..


    Precious father, loving mother


    Fly across the lonely years


    And old home scenes, of my childhood


    In fond memory appears


    Deep inside her head, deep beyond the locked bedroom door that had since calcified into solid stone, Alianna lay curled up under the covers of the bedroom in her mind, clutching Mr. Bear and crying what seemed endless tears.   She knew on some level that Jaius was with her and they were traveling alone, but it was just the bassist of awareness.  All of who she was was wrapped up in a blanket of shame and loathing of what had happened.   Slowly, ever so slowly, she let her ears open to  a sound that had been coming through the wall. Soon she was able to tell what it was,  it was singing.  It was a boy''s voice.  It was Jaius.  She opened one eye and saw Mr Bear staring back at her.  It was the words of the song that pricked deep at her heart and roused her.  ¡°Precious memories...Precious father, loving Mother...Old home scenes of my childhood.¡±


    ¡°Daddy, Momma...¡±  She whispered.  She opened the other eye and sat upright.  Jaius''s voice was resounding through the room.


    Precious memories, how they linger


    How they ever flood my soul


    In the stillness, of the midnight


    Precious sacred scenes unfold


    I remember, mother prayin''


    Father too, on bended knee


    The sun is sinkin'', shadows fallin''


    But their prayers still follow me


    The words hit her like a soft blanket, a warm hug.  Images began to form in her mind.  Of her running  into her parents bedroom one night because she was sure a monster had just emerged from her closet and she found them both on their knees beside the bed praying. She had heard them praying for her right as she walked in.


    She looked over at her book case and the small library that it held.   Most girls her age had closets and dressers full of clothes, but Alianna''s had a room full of books.  Her eyes lighted on one large book.  It was the family photo album that she kept in her room.  She loved her family and loved remembering the times they had shared together.  She got out of the bed and went over to the shelf and picked up the photo album.  She took it back to her bed and set Mr Bear next to her.  She opened the album and smiled.  The first picture was of Her Dad and Mom and her at her Baptism.  She was 6 months old and was smiling and so were they.  She smiled a little too.  She turned the page and saw her and her parents in many different places and events.  As she progressed through the pages Simon and Sarah appeared, and as she saw her family complete and smiling back  at her in the last picture that was taken just last year while they were at Rickets Glenn State park, her smile widened as her heart embraced these precious memories.  As she swam in this sea of memories something dawned on her.  These memories were part of who she was, and they were still here, that meant that she was still here, that the Herald couldn¡¯t  steal these memories from her.  Then there was a thundering crack and the calcified stone on the wall broke and crumpled to the floor revealing her bedroom door.  From the other side of the door came Jaius''s clear voice.


    Precious memories, how they linger,


    how they ever flood my soul


    In the stillness, of the midnight


    Precious sacred scenes unfold


    Precious memories fill my soul


    She grabbed onto each word and held it close. Those pictures, those precious memories filled her eyes, filled her soul.   Peace and love started to well up in her heart, replacing the shame and loathing.  ¡°I''m not who she made me become. She tried to control me through that crown, feeding all her hatred and evil into me through it.  Then  she tried to take everything from me, by taking away my will, but she couldn¡¯t take my memories.  I am the Daughter of Jonathan, and Emily.  I am the Sister of Simon and Sarah, and I am the best friend of Jaius.  I am Alianna.¡±  She said softly.    She closed the book, set it next to Mr Bear and kissed the stuffed animal on the head.  She then stood and reached for the door handle.  She turned it and stepped out of herself.


    A tear ran down Jaius''s cheek as he finished the song.  ¡°Please come back to me Ali¡±.  He said softly.  There was a long pause of stillness, as if something had happened that everything around him was holding its breath, waiting to see.  Then a voice split the silence.   ¡°I...Im here Jaius.¡±  His head shot up and he turned around.  Slowly Alianna''s head and then body turned to look at him.  She smiled slightly.  ¡°I''m so sorry Jaius...¡± She started to say, but before she could finish he had flung his arms around her.  ¡°Ali, your back, its you, I missed you so much Ali, thank God your back.¡±  Joy filled her and  she returned the hug and started to cry softly.  ¡°Oh Jaius.  Thank you for coming for me.  You saved me from something...well, something worse than death.  I''m sorry I''ve been such a burden to you.¡±  They stayed that way for long minutes reveling in this reunion.


    Eventually she pulled back and looked at him and could see tears in his eyes too.  He turned his head and swiped at his eyes.  ¡°Sorry Ali, I am just so glad you are okay, and you were definitely not a burden...¡±  She turned his head back toward her.  ¡°Jaius James McFarland, you have nothing to be sorry for. You really were my Knight in shining armor back there.  The way you leapt through that window with your sword drawn and picked me up...¡± She didn''t continue.  She began to blush, and when she did so did he.  There was an odd silence between them for a few moments.  Then not able to stand the silence anymore Alianna looked up and then around.  ¡°Jaius, where...¡± She looked around once more as if seeing her surroundings for the first time.  ¡°Where are we?¡±   He looked at her.  ¡°We''re about two or three days west of the Herald''s house, that is about all I know.   It''s been nothing but flat plain after we crossed the mountains that surrounded her house.¡±  Alianna nodded and looked behind him as if looking for someone.  ¡°Where...Where is Nisa, and the other''s?¡±  Her eyes began to look sad as a realization began to dawn on her.    Jaius sighed.  He was hoping she had somehow been aware of what had happened.  ¡°They went back, back to the Catha-Dral.  A man named Enoch appeared after we rescued you both.  He knew us Ali, even though we''d never met him before.   He knew things about us that someone who hadn''t been with us couldn''t have known.  He called me Son of Maleric all the time.  He told me that you and I needed to head west, it was the only way we would find healing for you and find what we are seeking.  He said the other''s had to go back with him to the Catha-Dral.  ¡°Nisa, Levin, Alise, Lorna, all went back with him.¡±  A dark cloud seemed to pass over Alianna''s face when he mentioned the two sisters, but it passed quickly.  ¡°But...why did you listen to him Jaius, I mean he was a complete stranger, why would you believe anything he told you?¡±   ¡°There was a peace coming from him that I had never felt before, except maybe with my Uncle Frank.  It wasn''t just that though, remember when I told you Maleric could tell when you were lying to him?¡±  Alianna nodded.  ¡°He had a device that fit in your ear like a hearing aid and it would vibrate if someone lied to him. He had a whole vest full of these devices, I''m not sure where he got them from, but they all use crystals and wire and they all have a slight hum.   Anyway, I was wearing it when Enoch spoke and there was no lie in what he said.¡±


    ¡°I know where he got it from.  The Herald  made them, all of them.  She had caves cut into the wall of that Chasm below her house.  Each one was a specific workshop to manufacture items based off of the crystals and the song.  She explained some of how it worked.  There is an energy in the air around us.  It comes up from the ground, from deep inside Paltophern.    Remember when we would sit at the edge of the hole and there would be a shimmering that would seem to rise up through the layers of copper, silver and gold?¡±  He nodded.    ¡°Well, those large deposits of metals in the ground apparently conduct the energy from deep inside the planet and then it spreads out in the air.   The crystals that we use are highly susceptible to harmonics and the vibrations from the songs allow the energy to flow through the very complex structure of the crystals which compresses the energy into the form of super heated energy.  The compressions of the energy produces an indescribable amount of power which then produces an effect.    She said the effect is determined by the desire of the person.  What we are thinking somehow affects the way we are singing which triggers different effects in the crystals. The subtle change in harmonics in your voice that follows your thought changes the structure of the crystal as you sing, which in turn causes you he different effects.¡±   ¡°It sounds like a fusion reaction and some kind of deep subatomic entanglement thing.¡±  Said Jaius as if what he was saying was common knowledge.   Alianna looked at him mouthing some of these unfamiliar words. He shrugged.  ¡°I¡¯ve watched a lot of Sci-Fi.¡±


    ¡°She has been able to create a mechanism that once she sing''s the device would continue the vibration of the same type as what she sang.   As long as that little nub at the end of the crystal there stays closed up, the vibration will continue for about two months.  She learned all this from that thing that followed her around, what she called the Eternal.  I had equated this Eternal with God, but there is no way that thing was God.  It was pure evil.  I felt pure terror every time it was there.¡±  She shivered at the thought of it.  Jaius shook his head.  ¡°It wasn''t the Eternal, and it definitely wasn''t God.  Enoch said that it was a creature that previously served the Eternal, but had turned away from that service into darkness.  Enoch said that the True Eternal walked with him, was his constant companion.¡±  Alianna''s mouth opened and it looked like she was going to protest.  But she looked over Jaius''s face and slowly shut her mouth and nodded.  ¡°I trust you Jaius.  If you believe him, then.¡±  She took a deep breath.  ¡°So do I.¡±   She had placed her hands in her pockets as she spoke.  Suddenly her eyes opened wide and she pulled out the sash that Nisa had left there in her pocket.  She drew the purple fabric up and held it out before her.  Tears began to come down her cheek as she realized what it was.  She pulled the cloth in and rested it against her cheek.  Her shoulder''s began to shake softly as all the memories of her dear friend filled her mind.  Jaius put his arm around her and she fell into it.  ¡°I didn''t get to say good bye to her.¡±  She said softly.  ¡°It''s okay Ali.  She got to see you and whispered her goodby to you.  She loves you Ali and she will always be your friend.¡±  Alianna nodded but the tears and sorrow still came flooding out.   She did pirk. up at one point and looked at him.  ¡°Emily, I..I remember her being there too, she nuzzled me, where is she, is she with us?¡±   Jaius shook his head and looked at her, the hope crumpled from her face and she buried her head in his shoulder.  This lasted a while but slowly she wiped at her eyes and pulled her legs up to her chest and looked around.  The wind was blowing through the high grass like waves rising and falling in the sea.  The stars showed through the window in the clouds and then an even brighter light.  It was Paltophern''s moon.  They both stared in wonder at the shining silver disk that hung in the sky, it was crisscrossed with gray blotches that seemed to make recognizable shapes on its surface.   ¡°Ali, it looks...looks like our moon on earth.  I mean, it isn''t exactly the same, but so close to ours.¡±  She nodded, still staring up at it.  ¡°I know Jaius, there is so much about this world that is like ours, but then so much that isn''t.¡±   She smiled as she looked out over the plain.  Jaius looked at her.  ¡°What is it, what made you smile?¡±   She turned to him and spread her arm out toward the grassy plain.  ¡°This is probably the most beautiful, peaceful place I could imagine.  The soft rustle of the wind through the grass.  The light from the moon and stars lighting everything in soft shadows. There is a gentle stillness in this place that is giving such a peace to my soul right now.¡±  He smiled too as he looked out on the scene before them.  There they stayed through the night talking softly from time to time about their different experiences while they were separated all these months.


    At one point she looked at him. ¡°Jaius, I''ve been thinking of something.¡±  He tilted his head in towards hers.  ¡°I remembered the one story you told me about that Star Journey movie, where the crew went down to that planet and found people who lived for hundreds of years and had amazing abilities., and it was a special radiation on that planet that was giving them long life and abilities.¡± He laughed  a little.  ¡°Star Trek.¡± She blushed slightly, shook her head and laughed a little also. ¡°Sorry, I was never a big fan, not to many books on that series that I saw.   Anyway, with what I learned from the herald I wonder if that is similar to what is happening here.  That energy that comes up from below, maybe it is a radiation like from that movie.  Maybe that is why people here a living hundreds of years and seem to have unique abilities, and also why Crystals can do what they do.¡±  He stopped and looked at her, eyes wide.  ¡°Ali you could be right, wow how cool is that.  That must be why we are so healthy and strong here.  That radiation must have started to affect us, help us.  I wonder if that was why we both got so sick when we first got here? Maybe the radiation was either changing or healing our bodies.¡±  She shuddered a little as he mentioned that terrible week.  ¡°It could be, I just hope we don''t have to go through that again.  I guess if we are trapped here though, it doesn''t seem like we will get old anytime soon.¡±  He nodded and then looked out over the sea of grass.  ¡°I wonder what is going on back home.   I mean, has it been four months back home, or is it like that Narnia you always talked about where the children were there for fifteen years, and yet only a little bit of time had passed at home.¡±  His voice got a bit quieter as he continued.  ¡°I mean, what if it isn''t like that and we live here for hundreds of years, find our way back, only to come back and find that everyone we knew is long dead.¡±  He looked at her and  her eyes were filling up with tears.  ¡°Why do I always have to say what I''m thinking before thinking about what I am saying?¡±  He said as he began to think about what he had just said.  ¡°Ali, I''m sorry, I wasn''t thinking when I spoke.¡±  She wiped at her eyes and shook her head.  ¡°No Jaius, remember, no secrets with us, I''m sorry I don''t want to cry at everything that happens from now on, It was just the reality of what you said and how true it might be.  We could be here for centuries.  Maybe in that time we can find a way to build a spacecraft using the crystals and finally find a way home, only to come to earth hundreds of years after everyone we knew was dead.   It just hit me real hard, but it also brings up the question.  I mean, if we can''t find a way home in the next few years, or at least come up with a plan, maybe we should think about how we are to spend very long lives here, make plans for our future.¡±  He didn''t want to nod his head in agreement, he felt like doing so would make what she said happen, but he had also learned that denying reality in this place could get you killed very quickly. They talked more along these lines, about their plan for their future here, until the morning came and the mist slowly rose from the ground and covered the grass with moisture, but thankfully the rock they were on was tall enough to keep them out of the mist.


    Stolen story; please report.


    They watched it rise and then they both laughed with delight at not being drenched like the grass.   Then Alianna laughed even  harder.  Jaius looked at her  and laughed too because her''s was infectious. ¡°What are we laughing at?¡± he said finally.  She smiled, ¡°I was just realizing that even though we spared ourselves from getting soaked by staying above the mist, we''re going to get soaked as we travel through that grass, unless we wait most of the day for it to dry.¡±  Jaius looked around at all the dripping wet grass as the Mist was disappearing.  He then began to laugh too. ¡°Wow, you''re so right Ali.  I guess we don''t have much choice but to get wet.¡±   He reached out his hand to her and gestured off  the rock toward the grass.  ¡°Shall we away my lady? It will be just like the days when we were by the creek.¡±  She smiled and took his hand.  He slid off first and landed on the wet ground.  He then held his arms up to her and she let herself fall into them.  He caught her effortlessly and she marveled at how they had both changed so much in just four months.  He set her  feet on the ground and then took her hand and they walked through the high grass getting wet, but feeling like a massively heavy weight was falling off of them.


    By the time the daylight was fading they came to the end of the grasslands and stood facing a dense forest.  They could hear the sounds of the birds chirping and the noises made by the evening bugs as the sun set.  This forest seemed different then the one they had found themselves in when they first got here.    Alianna looked back across the broad plain behind them and watched as the wind made waves across the sea of grass.  She sighed a little.  Jaius turned and looked at her.  ¡°Everything okay?¡±  She smiled slightly and looked at him.  ¡°Yes, it''s just I feel like we''re leaving something.  Like if we had just  stayed on that rock, we could have just lived out our days surfing on waves of peace, I just feel like we''re about to step away from that.   I know its silly and doesn''t make much sense, but it is what I feel.¡±   ¡°It''s not silly Ali, I feel it too.  Enoch was right though, I took you west and you came back, and that place behind us is where you came back to me, but I''m not sure he was talking about that rock where  we would find what we seek.  So...So I believe if we keep heading west we will find what we are looking for.  I''ve been thinking about what that might be and it must be a way home.  Maybe some type of worm hole... I mean Teseract.¡±  He said with a laugh.  She looked at him puzzled for a moment and then the memory of their argument about what the name of the space tunnel should be and a smile split her lips, and then all out laughter.   They both laughed very hard eachones laughter spurring the other on to more.  After a minute though they calmed down and just stood smiling at eachother.  ¡°Wow.  I really needed that.¡± Said Alianna.  ¡°I''m not sure the last time I laughed like that.¡±  Jaius shook his head. ¡°I''m not sure I ever did.  I''m pretty sure I needed that too.¡±  He looked away from her and back toward the forest.   He saw her looking at his back smiling.  ¡°You brought my pack.¡±  She said,  He smiled and took it off and handed it to her.    She placed her arm through the straps and then held it and opened the side pouch and smiled as she pulled out the small shard that looked like a knife.  The one from the clearing that had broken off of the larger crystal when they tried to light the fire.  She smiled and then put her other arm through the second strap.  Once the pack was secure on her back she looked back at him.  ¡°What is in that bag you¡¯ve been carrying?¡±  He looked down at the satchel.  ¡°That man, Enoch gave it to me along with the jars inside.¡±  He took the satchel off and handed it to her.  She took it looking at him quizzically.  ¡°He said you would need what¡¯s inside in the days ahead.¡±  She opened the flap and looked inside she saw the jar of water and also the other jar that held the shard that went with the Thron.  She looked up at him in disbelief . ¡°Jaius, how...how did you get that?¡±  ¡°I was leaving the main hall and saw it on the floor by where you and¡­¡±.  He stopped realizing what he had been about to say.  The lone tear that leaked from her eye told him that he had still said too much. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Ali, I didn¡¯t mean to¡­¡± He didn''t say anything more, but just closed his mouth   ¡°It is okay Jaius.¡± She said her voice was soft and heavy with emotion.  She squeezed her eyes closed tightly but then opened them and looked at him.  ¡°Jaius, I...I never got the chance to mourn for him. Do..Do you think...¡± Her lip was trembling.  Jaius quickly took her hand and helped her sit on a nearby rock.  He sat next to her and just placed his hand on her''s.  She cried, softly at times, and at times not so softly, but all through it he just held her hand.  At some points she would tell him something that Ye''Tul had done, or how he had saved her or protected her, at other times she was just silent, staring off across the grassy plain.


    After a couple of hours she sighed and wiped at her eyes and then stood.  ¡°I''m sorry Jaius, I shouldn''t have wasted our time with all of that.¡±  Jaius stood and moved in front of her.  ¡°Don''t be sorry Ali, he was a good man.  I could tell that almost right away, and I wish I could have known him better, but with everything you just said about him I feel I do.   I am  very grateful to him for how he kept you safe.  I''m sorry about just handing you the bag with the crystal, I didn''t think about what bad memories it might bring up.¡± She shook her head.  ¡°No Jaius, I''m glad you did.  I needed to let that out.  He was a good man, and I would definitely not be here right now with you without him.  I just...I didn''t get a chance to tell him that.¡±  Jaius looked her in the eyes.  ¡°He knew Ali.  I could see it in the way he protected you and gave his life for you.  You don''t get that kind of loyalty from someone if they think you don''t think highly of them. ¡°  She nodded, and seemed a bit comforted by his words, but he knew there was still a hole there, a regret that she held onto.  She took a deep breath and changed the topic.  ¡°How did you escape the Hearald¡¯s trap?  I still can¡¯t believe I didn¡¯t suspect the bodysuits as dangerous , especially after I found out she had cursed that crown somehow.¡±   Jaius shook his head.  ¡°I don¡¯t know about any crown, but you won¡¯t believe how we got free.¡±  He then toold her the story of how he was sure they would die of dehydration and how they spent the whole night dangling there.   Then, how in the morning, Jekk came and was able to cut him out of the suit.  She was amazed at how he was able to do that when he was blind and how crazy it was that the boy who wanted to kill him months earlier now saved his life.


    ¡° Do you feel up to walking some?  I know it¡¯s dark but I''m not tired.  I didn''t want to keep going, though, if you needed rest.¡±  She looked into the forest and shook her head.  ¡°I''m not tired either.  I want to get to where we are going, if it is a way home, then we need to get there as soon as possible.¡±  He nodded, took her hand and led the way forward into the woods. ¡°Jaius wait, look,   there in the distance, lights near the horizon.  Many lights,  almost like¡­a city.¡±  Her eyes brightened up as she gazed towards the lights in the distance.  She began to walk forward towards the lights.  Jaius looked in that direction and when he heard her say city, Enoch¡¯s words came back to him.  ¡°One more thing, Son of Maleric.  As you head west you may come across a city. Under no circumstances are you to enter that city.¡±  He reached out quickly and grabbed her arm. ¡°Ali, no, we can¡¯t go there.¡±   She turned and looked at him, confusion and disappointment clear on her face. ¡°Enoch warned me that if we come across a city we are under no circumstances to go there.¡± ¡°But Jaius, maybe they are nice people, maybe they will help us.  I can¡¯t believe that every city in this world is ruled by a bully, or tyrant, or despot.  There has to be a Cair Paravel somewhere.¡±


    ¡° Alas, Hyress, the Son of Maleric, speaks the truth. That place is ruled by the worst tyrant in the world.  The Son of Maleric is wise to heed the council that I gave him.¡±    They both turned and approaching from the woods was a tall man with wavy dark hair and a slight beard.  In the dimmer light of the Paltopheran night they couldn¡¯t tell who it was, but Jaius thought it sounded like Enoch.  Alianna looked at the man and then at Jaius,  shock and confusion plain in her eyes.  ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± Shouted Jaius, drawing his sword and placing himself between Alianna and the man.  ¡°Have you forgotten me, Enoch, already Jaius, Son of Maleric?¡±    The man had  stopped ten feet from them, he was still too covered by shadow to be seen clearly, but his voice definitely sounded like Enoch.  ¡°If you are the Enoch that I met at the Heralds house,  why are you here and not leading the people east as you swore?¡±  The shadows seemed to deepen around the man and made him even harder to see but when he spoke he definitely sounded closer.  ¡°The Knights of the White Rose are leading them back to the Catha-Dral.  I had to find you as I will be needing the purple shard that you carry, the one kept from the Thron during its shaping.¡±  The voice was definitely  closer now.  Something stirred in Jaius¡¯s mind, a memory of a warning, he could almost feel the man¡¯s breath but still couldn¡¯t see him. ¡°If you are the Enoch that I met at the Heralds, then what was question you asked me before I left you and went back to the other¡¯s?¡±  ¡°I asked you if you had the Thron shard with you.¡±  Said the man¡¯s voice from right in front of him.  That false answer gave Jaius the split seconds warning of danger that he needed.  Knowing that he was not Enoch allowed Jaius to catch the slight noise of a blade sweeping downward through the air.  He raised his sword and parried the man¡¯s blow.  He heard metal hit his crystal sword.  The shadows now completely engulfed him and he could feel a cold terror sweep over him and the darkness enveloped him.  He was able to hear the slight sound of the man¡¯s blade moving through the air, but only in enough time to parry it, not to repost, and he felt that he would not be able to keep this up for long, especially as the terror of the shadow seeped into him, weakening his confidence.  Then he heard her voice. That rich beautiful voice singing Amazing Grace.  A flicker of light appeared in the center of his crystal sword and swiftly became a coruscation of brilliance that shattered the shadows and sent them fleeing to the south toward  the city just as Jaius parried the man¡¯s latest blow.  With the searing light energy now emanating from Jaius¡¯s sword, however, the man¡¯s metal blade slid over Jaius¡¯s and was severed in two.  Jaius¡¯s sword continued upward, now unhindered and sliced into the man¡¯s left cheek. The man cried out in pain and anger as he dropped the remaining half of his sword and raised his hand to cover his cheek. His eyes flashed with anger as he stared at Jaius, blood seeping through his fingers.  ¡°You may have won this duel and kept the shard Son of Maleric but I am patient.  One day, I will possess the Thron and all its might and on that day, I will break the foundations of the world and remake it in my own fashion.  You both will be the first ones to feel my wrath on that day.¡±  Said the man as the shadows engulfed him again and the shadows along with the man sped  away  to the south, toward the city faster than a man should be able to run, even here on Paltophern.  Jaius let out a sigh of relief and sheathed his sword. He then turned to make sure Alianna was okay.   She looked at him trembling with fear and confusion.


    ¡°Who¡­who was that Jaius?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but Enoch told me that we might run into someone bearing his name, but to remember it wasn¡¯t him and not to trust him.  This must have been that man.¡±


    Alianna looked at him, her face still a turmoil of worry and fear.  ¡°Is there nowhere safe for us Jaius, is everything and everyone in the universe a trap waiting to snare and destroy us.¡±  She placed her hands over her face and he could see tears leak out from between her fingers.  He went over and put his arms around her.  After a few minutes she stopped and he let go.  She looked up and wiped the tears from her eyes. ¡°Again, I¡¯m Sorry Jaius, it just seems like there is death and danger around every turn, not just here, but in our own world too.  There has to be somewhere that is safe.¡±  He looked at her and smiled reassuringly, knowing she needed a hope, something to grasp onto.  ¡°Then let¡¯s find it together.¡±  He said, holding out his hand. She looked at it then at him and then gave him a small smile and took his hand and let him lead her back toward the woods.


    ¡°Jaius?¡±  She asked after a few minutes. ¡°Yes my lady.¡±  He said over his shoulder looking at her with a twinkle in his eye.  ¡°What was it?¡±  ¡°What was what?  ¡° What was the question that the real Enoch asked you before you went back to the others ?¡±  He stopped and turned and  looked at her with both his eyes.   ¡°He asked me if I loved you, and  I told him that  I did, that I¡¯d die for you.¡±   He said simply, but in that simplicity she felt the weight and truth of his words and they stamped a mark on her heart that she knew would always be there.  She smiled at him and moved closer and he stopped and she looked him in the eyes and could see the truth of what he said.  ¡°I love you to Jaius.¡±  A peace filled silence surrounded them as those words left her mouth. Both their professions seemed to hang suspended in that beautiful silence.


    Usually in her books this was the moment that the knight and princess would kiss, but as she had learned from Paltophern that the scenes in the books rarely play out in reality.   The peaceful silence of that moment was shattered by a faint cry. They both turned their heads to listen.  It sounded like a child and it was coming from off to their left, from deep in the woods.  Jaius turned around and looked at Alianna, and could see by her face she had heard it too. ¡°Come on.¡± He said as he drew his sword and ran in the direction of the cry.  Within moments she was shoulder to shoulder with him, the clear crystal in her right hand.  They ran through the trees and underbrush spurred on by the child''s screams as they became louder.  They came out into a clearing and stopped.  There, in the middle of the clearing was a large portion of a tree.  It looked like the tree had been cut down.  The remnants of the tree still stood a good 6 feet off the ground.  On top of the stump stood a child that looked like she was about 6 years old.    She had long dark hair and wore animal skins.  Circling the tree were a pack of six  of the large cat like creatures with large incisors sticking up from their mouths.  It was the same animal that had attacked them in the clearing when Maleric found them.  Neither one of them seemed to lose control of themselves at this moment, Jaius noted with a grin.   He looked at Alianna and nodded.   She nodded back and waited.  Jaius stepped forward and shouted.  ¡°Hey.¡±  The noise alerted the animals and they all turned to gaze at the newcomers.  They began to snarl and roar at Jaius.  Behind him Alianna began to sing.  She sang the same song from just minutes before, the one  Jaius had taught the people from Maleric''s camp, Amazing Grace.


    His sword began to glow once more as she sang.  Once it did he rushed forward, dodging one cat as it lunged at him and driving his sword into the neck of the one behind it.  He then turned and sliced through the one he had dodged.  He charged  at another and cut it across the rib cage as it leapt at him.  Seeing a ray of energy out of the corner of his eye he ducked as another creature who had snuck around behind him  exploded as the beam hit it.  He rolled out of the path of the gore and charred flesh and sprung at the next one.  He sliced through its neck and the creature fell to his side.  The  remaining animal began to back slowly out of the clearing, growling and snarling at Jaius and Alianna as it went.


    Jaius made threatening noises at it and pointed his sword at it.  The creature snarled once more, and then turned and ran away.  He wiped his sword on the grass and then sheethed it.  He went back to Alianna.  ¡°Thanks for the help.¡±  She smiled. ¡°Anytime.  We both seemed to handle seeing those creatures a lot better than the last time we met one.  I wonder what changed?¡±  She said quizzically.  He looked at her and smiled.  ¡°We have.¡±  It took a moment for that to work through her brain but as she looked at him and then herself she nodded and smiled.  ¡°I guess we have.  I just hope it is a good change.¡±   Jaius looked  up at the little girl who was hugging her knees and crying softly and then back to Alianna.  ¡°I think it is.¡± He said with a smile.   ¡°How do we get her down?  I can climb up there, but not sure if I can get us both down.¡±  Alianna looked up at the girl and her heart broke at the fear that had overwhelmed the poor child and what she had had to go through.  ¡°I can get her.¡±  She began to sing again, it sounded like a lullaby.  The golden sphere that had entrapped both of them in the past appeared around the girl.  This time however, the intent wasn''t to capture the occupant, just to bring them to safety.  The sphere floated slowly above the tree stump and then glided silently toward Alianna.  By the time the girl even knew something had changed the sphere disappeared and Alianna wrapped her arms around the girl.  Big brown eyes started up at her from where she held the girl in her arms.  The girl began to squirm and cry again.  ¡°Shh..shh.  It is okay, you''re safe now.  We won''t hurt you.¡±  Alianna said in a very gentle voice.   After a few moments of these sayings the girl began to stop squirming.  She looked deep into Alianna''s eyes and then threw her arms around her neck and began to cry softly.  Alianna rubbed the girls back and whispered encouraging words to her.  Jaius smiled and when Alianna looked up she smiled back at him.  ¡°I wonder where she came from?¡± Jaius said, looking around. He saw a path leading away from the way they had entered the clearing.  ¡°Maybe she came from that direction.¡±  Alianna looked at where he was pointing and then said something to the girl.  The girl lifted her head from Alianna''s shoulder and looked past Jaius. After a moment or two she began to nod her head and point down that path.  Jaius nodded and then drew his sword and led the way.  They wound their way through the forest for about Twenty minutes  before Jaius noticed that the trees had begun to  become further apart and more sparse.  Within a few more minutes they came out of the forest and were faced with sheer cliffs rising before them hundreds of feet into the air.  The wall of rock extended as far as they could see north or south.


    ¡°Maliea!¡±  ¡°Maliea, where are you?¡±  Jaius heard voices shouting off to his right.  He turned and could see two figures off in the distance near the rock face.  ¡°Jaius.¡±  Alianna whispered behind him. He turned and saw that the girl had picked her head up and was looking in the direction the call had come from, her eyes widening with recognition.  ¡°Momma, Daddy.¡±  The girl said.   Alianna smiled and so did Jaius.  Jaius put his sword away and they both walked toward the people calling out the name.  ¡°Is that your name, Maliea?¡± Alianna asked the girl. The girl smiled and nodded and pointed to herself  ¡°Maliea.¡±  Alianna smiled too.  ¡°It is nice to meet you Maliea.  I am Alianna and this is Jaius.¡±  She said as she gave the girl an eskimo kiss which made her giggle.  Soon the two figures stopped calling her name and began moving toward them quickly.  Jaius stopped and Alianna stopped next to him.  As they got closer they could make out a man and a woman.  Each had black hair.  The  man had a beard and the woman wore a veil over her dark hair.  They were not very tall and didn''t look much older than Elder Dorn from the Catha-Dral.  ¡°Maliea'''' the woman shouted and ran toward Alianna.  Jaius instinctively placed his hand on his sword hilt but didn''t draw it.  Alianna smiled at the woman as she held the girl out to her.  The woman wrapped her arms around Maliea and began to cry tears of joy.  The man came up behind them and placed his strong arms around the woman and the girl.  ¡°Oh Maliea we are very glad you are safe.¡±  Said the man in a gentle voice.  Jaius moved over and stood next to Alianna joining her in the happy moment.


    After a minute the man let go of the woman and looked up at Jaius and Alianna. ¡°Thank you so much for finding our daughter Maliea.  She wandered off and we didn''t find her missing till just a little while ago.   I am Seth, and this is my wife Kalima. Meliea you have already met.¡±  They both looked at him and then Jaius stepped forward. ¡°Hello Seth, I am Jaius, Son of Maleric.¡±  ¡°I am Alianna.¡±  She said, stepping up next to him.  Seth''s expression became serious as they spoke.  ¡°The Hyress?¡±  She was taken aback when he mentioned her title, as she had sought not to use it after the fake Enoch had tried to take the Thron crystal from them.  ¡°We have been expecting you both.  Enoch said we would meet you within the month.  He gave us instructions for you.  You must spend the night with us and then at first light you must go up that path.  I am to tell you nothing about what lies up the path, just to give you provisions.¡±  Jaius looked at him as he spoke.  ¡°You..You know Enoch?  He spoke to you about us?¡±  Seth nodded.  ¡°Yes, Enoch is the son of my son''s son''s son''s son.¡±  Jaius shook his head in confusion at that.  Alianna bent in and whispered ¡°He''s his great, great grandson.¡±  Jaius''s eyes widened and then he nodded in understanding. ¡°So, Enoch told you about us, before he met us?¡±  How is that possible?¡±


    ¡°Since he was a small boy Enoch has talked about the Eternal one.  We have begun to call on this Eternsl with the name of Elohim.  Enoch speaks to Him and he speaks back.  He tells Enoch things that have not happened yet.  This is how Enoch knew you would come and where to find you.¡±  Seth then went and moved to stand next to his wife and child.  ¡°Please come and have a meal with us.¡±  He said as he placed his arm around his wife and picked Maliea up and began walking back toward the wall of rock.  Meliea looked back at them and waved and smiled.  Alianna  smiled and covered her mouth with her  hand.   She then turned slightly to Jaius and removed her hand partly from her mouth and he could see her mousy smile.  ¡°She is so cute!¡±  Jaius laughed and took her hand and walked after them.


    After about twenty minutes Jaius  saw a structure come into view   It was set against the rock wall.  It looked like a long ranch house.  Single storiy with a hole in the roof for smoke to come out of it.  The was a steady stream of smoke coming ut of it as they approached.  Next to the house there was a split in the rock wall.  It opened onto a vally between the wall.  It seemed to slant upward like a ramp.  The inside of the house was not fancy, but it was comfortable.  Animal skins lay over the wooden floor.  There was a black tar like substance coating the wood and filling in the cracks of the wooden floor and walls and celing. There were about five children of ages ranging from new born to what looked like ten years old scattered around the room.  A fire burned in a kiln-like structure with a small chimney at the top.  Smoke from the fire wafted up and out a hole in the roof.  As they entered the house they both felt a wave of peace wash over them.  They sat down to eat dinner and Seth asked them how they came to meet Enoch.


    So they recounted the tale of their four months here starting with how they came from another world.  Seth''s mouth dropped open at that statement.  ¡°We have seen the stars at night but did not know there were other worlds out there.  Perhaps one day our people will go to the stars.¡±  ¡°With the power of these crystals that day might be closer then you think.¡±  Said Jaius. ¡°Ah yes, the singing stones.¡± Seth said as he ran his hand through his hair.  ¡°Enoch warned me to keep our life here as simple as possible, the power of the crystals can be used for good, but also for great evil. From your story it sounds like Enoch was right.  Such terrible uses of their power and abuses of people.¡±  He looked at Jaius, his eyes locking Jaius¡¯s eyes to him


    ¡°Remember,  Son of Maleric, a son does not have to follow in the sinful way of his father.  Learn of the eternal as Enoch has and your life will be one of peace and prosperity.  My Father told me of my brother Able, who was killed before I was born.  He also found favor with the Eternal by offering a sacrifice that was pleasing to him.  I learned much from the stories my father told about him, I want to find favor in the eyes of the Eternal, Elohim, aslo as my brother did and Enoch.¡±  Jaius had stopped eating and dropped his fork, Alianna almost choked.


    ¡°Did you say you had a brother named Able?¡±  She said as she tried to clear her throat.  Seth noded.  ¡°Yes he was killed before I was born.¡±  His wife was looking at Seth with worry in her eyes slowly shaking her head no. His eyes widened when he saw her movement.  ¡°I am sorry, I have said too much, I was not supposed to talk about what lay above, and not really about my family.  I...I can say no more.¡±   He said as he stood up.  ¡°The fire is warm and will last through the night.  You may use this room to sleep in.  We will prepare food for you when the light comes and then walk you as far as the passage.  Good night Son of Maleric, goodnight Hyress.¡±  ¡°Goodnight, and thank you so much for bringing  Maliea back to us.¡±  Said Kalima as she bowed to both of them.  Maliea tora away from her mother and ran and hugged Jaius and then ran over and hugged Alianna. ¡°Thank you.¡± the young girl said shyly.  Jaius smiled at them all.  ¡°Your welcome and have a good night.¡±  Alianna hugged Maliea back but Jaius felt waves of unease coming from her.


    In a minute they were alone.  Alianna collapsed onto the floor sitting on the floor with her mouth open staring at the fire.  Jaius became concerned he moved quickly over to her and sat down.  ¡°Ali, what''s wrong.¡±  She turned to look at him with her mouth still hangin open.  She shut it abruptly and shook her head.  ¡°Jaius, didn''t you hear him?  He said he had a brother named Abel who was killed.¡±  Jaius looked confused.  ¡°So.  What does that mean?¡±  Alianna looked at him in shock.


    ¡°Don''t you remember Religion class at school? Abel, you know, Cain killed Abel because Able gave the right sacrifice to God and Cain didn''t?   Jaius, I think the Bible goes on to say that Adam and Eve had another son, and that his name was Seth.  And a descendant of Seth''s was named Enoch.  That''s where I had heard his name before, he is in the Bible.¡±  Jaius still looked very confused as he tried to process what she was saying.  ¡°So, what you are saying is that this man who we just met is the  Seth that is mentioned in the Bible and that he is the son of Adam and Eve?¡±  She nodded her head.  ¡°Ali come on.  That can''t be.  If that were true then this world would look like our world, with a blue sky and not a perpetual cloud cover.  There would be normal animals, not large toothed tigers, and we definitely don''t have crystals powered by song and radiation that heals you.¡±  His words seemed to shake her out of her fear a bit.  She looked down as if thinking about what he was saying.  She looked back up at him. ¡°You''re probably right, Jaius, but it just seemed so weird that they kept talking about this Eternal like He is God, and Enoch was so close to Him like the Enoch in the Bible.  But you are right, this world is definitely really different from ours.  I mean our world could have been different before the flood, but not this different.¡±  She said becoming a bit more calm.  Jaius nodded to encourage this line of thinking.  ¡°Yeah, and anyway the priest in our religion class said that Genesis was more of a story, to teach us the right way to live and not sin, and that it wasn''t any form of History book and that Science had shown that the story of Genesis couldn''t have happened the way it says.¡±  She nodded her head slowly and turned to look into the fire.  ¡°What if it isn''t a story though?¡±  Jaius sighed.  ¡°Ali, we''ve been through a lot, and I would love to think that somehow we are still on Earth, at least that would be familiar,    instead  we are  lightyears away on some alien world, I would love for what you are saying to be true, but everything seems to point to the Alien world theory.  Look, once we get to wherever we are going we will research the crystals as much as we can and try to find a way to create a ship or even a Tesseract to get home.¡±  He smiled as he said Tesseract.  She turned to him and smiled slightly.  ¡°Your right of course, Jaius, and I am tired.  Lets get some sleep.¡±  She said feigning a yawn.  He nodded and lay down on the fur covered floor.  She lay down and turned to look into the fire.  She knew sleep would not come anytime soon.  She let the thoughts flow through her head as she watched the flames dancing in the fireplace.  ¡°Could this be Earth, in the past? Could the Bible be more true than we''ve been told?¡±