Monsters & Fairytales (24 page)

What if someone saw him?

“
Shh
!” He quieted me harshly.

He held up his gun and edged around the corner I had just come from. I faced the other direction to protect him. I realized I was doing just what those kids had been doing. At least our mission was to stop them, so that made it a little bit better.

“Gotcha!”
The boy said when he jumped out.

He had been waiting on us. This kid was good. Sebastian was better. He spread his wings and made a horrible screeching sound. The boy screamed and dropped his gun as he fell backwards. Sebastian hissed and stepped back into the darkness. I watched him very quickly transform back into a human and jump over to the other side. He waited for the kid to look around then shot him on his last light.

“Whew, good thing that animatronics came out just then. Otherwise I wouldn’t have gotten you. You okay?!”

He walked over offering the kid his hand.

“Huh?”

The kid was breathing heavily. He wasn’t sure of himself.

“The thing that just came out of the wall right there?
It about scared me half to death, too.”

Sebastian pointed to where he had just jumped out. I couldn’t believe he was that sneaky.

“I wasn’t scared! I just tripped and you got lucky. I’ll be right back and then this game is on!”

The kid had started acting like a thug again. What was with teenagers? Why did they think that was cool? I never understood the trend. It was difficult not to laugh at him.

“Alright, dude. Good game.”

Sebastian waved to him as he ran off.

“Now, was that necessary?!” I whispered.

It was hard to be angry with the display I had just witnessed, but I was trying.

“What?!”

“That kid is going to be scarred for life.” I grunted.

I turned around and continued on. He was such a show off, sometimes. I didn’t like it.

“Oh c’mon.
It’s all fun and games. And you heard him; he’ll be back with a vengeance.” Sebastian mocked.

“You know, I really don’t know where you learned your manners, and frankly, I’m not too fond of them, dude. That was just what you did to Joe. It’s rude, and you are no tough guy, Sebastian. You’re just like the rest of them.” I threatened him, walking closer.

“What?” He whispered. His breath was cool.

“You made fun of him, and then degraded him in front of me. It seems you forgot to learn how to act towards a guy that likes your friend.” I crossed my arms.

“What does that even mean?”

“Forget it.”

“You are very angry over this?”

“Yes.” I huffed.

“I am terribly sorry. I was just protecting you.” He apologized.

His arm went up and he shot a kid coming up behind us. He didn’t even look.

“Ugh.” The kid sighed.

“How can you say that? I went out with him, why would I need you to protect me from him?”

“Well then you should fix your wants. They’re telling me something else.” He winked.

I was repulsed and embarrassed. What was he getting at? I like Joe. I. Like. Joe. I shook my head.

“Oh, just stay out!” I hissed.

“It’s sort of a job requirement.” He leaned close and whispered in a tone that made my cheek tingle.

I felt myself forgiving him. Was he working some magic on me? I hated charming men.

“Yeah, well, ease off. You’re obviously getting some things misconstrued.”

“So, you aren’t embarrassed by me right now?”

“No!” I blushed, stepping farther back.

“Hmm.
Then I must recalibrate.”

He closed his eyes and put his hands on his temples. He started humming. This is pathetic. I shot his middle piece. He raised his eyebrow and smiled.

“I knew you’d do that.” He laughed.

“So now you’re a future reader, too?” I raised my eyebrow.

“Watch out!” He whispered.

He picked me up and spun me around. In those quick seconds, he managed to shoot two kids that were sneaking up behind us. One of the kids ducked and rolled into an opening. Word must’ve spread about Sebastian. They were all teaming up on us to get revenge for their fallen comrade.

“You okay?” He asked as if we had been in a real gun fight. It
was lame.

“Yeah.”
I said dryl
y.

His arm was still on me. I hadn’t noticed before just how close he and I were. He was a creature again to blend into the darkness. I really rather liked him more as the creature. His eyes and face were so much softer. My heart started racing. He was reading my emotions. He was feeding off the swelling crush I had on him every time he showed his true form and those violet eyes. All my nerves were shaking. He was going to kiss me. He was honestly going to kiss me. I couldn’t believe it. His head was leaning down and I felt mine leaning up. I started closing my eyes. My vest vibrated scaring the crap out of me. I looked down and saw my light was off in the center of my chest.

“We’re even.” He whispered. Then he shot off into the darkness.

“Traitor!”
I called out.

Standing there for a couple seconds, I let my heart slow back down to normal. Voices were getting closer. I wasn’t prepared for this. Ducking into the closest corner I could find, I curled up against the wall. I was thankful it was under a fog machine. I felt secluded in all this mess. A deep sigh and my heart started racing again. What was going on? Why was I on edge like never before? Even Joe didn’t get me this uneasy. No, no, this can’t be happening. I need to just shake this off. Mira, he just wanted to show off, that’s all you’re attracted to. There is nothing else going on. Just breathe, relax, you can do this.

“Then do it.” He whispered into my thoughts.

“Oh.”

I narrowed my eyes, it was war, now. Determination and a fury I didn’t know I was capable of,
led me towards the back of the cave. It didn’t matter where I went, he’d be there. I knew he was waiting for me. But I wanted him to know I was coming for him. I wasn’t afraid.  

Two kids walked around the corner. Their lights were off and they looked afraid. I was going the right way, at least. He was such a cheater. With each turn that led me further into darkness, my anger was diminishing and my stupid girl thoughts were coming back. That just circled back into anger again. I didn’t want any feelings towards him, but nothing seemed to be working. Joe was perfect for me, I knew it. I was attracted to him from the beginning and he treated me the way I deserved. Besides, Sebastian wasn’t even staying. He wasn’t even human! This was stupid. There was no contest. Why was I even having a contest?

Hmm, Mirabelle, which would you prefer; the creature from another world or the dreamy neighbor who is totally crazy about you? That’s a tough
question ,indeed
. I was a dumb teenager. My head was hurting. The fog was getting thicker and I felt myself getting dizzy. Knowing I’d never hear the end of it, I didn’t care; I searched the wall for a yellow handle. I couldn’t see anything. Blindly, my arms scanned desperately for a wall or railing. I felt nothing. The blackness around me seemed to go on forever. Where was I? I wanted to throw up.

My heart started pounding and I couldn’t hear anything anymore. I tried to call out for Sebastian a few times, but no words would escape my closed up throat. I was coughing, the vest was too tight. I took it off and dropped it. It echoed as if I were in a real cave. I dropped the gun, coughing some more. I felt like I was getting squeezed, as if everything around me was crushing in. Then, from nowhere, there was a light over in the distance. I picked myself up off the floor and tried to find the vest and gun. But after a few moments of searching N
othing Land
, I just wanted to get out. Sebastian, where are you?

Somebody pinch

me
.
             

((
with
power you will always find greed
))

Grass tickled my nose. My hand reached up and brushed it away. A cool breeze hit my cheek and I sucked in the air. My body tingled as life rushed back into it. Where was I? What had happened? I lifted my head up and was instantly blinded by the brightest light I had ever seen. When the hell had I gone outside and why was I waking up here? Legs tripped over me and a weird voice said something in a language I couldn’t make out. Was I dreaming?

“Excuse me.” I wheezed.

“Excuse me, indeed!” Someone said in the same voice.

I tried to see in the bright light, but everything was struggling to get into focus. My glasses weren’t on my face. Had I lost them? I felt around the floor, found them, and pushed them up on my nose. The creature in front of me was clear now. It seemed to be half woman with its long flowing hair and slender appendages, and half caterpillar with the many circular torsos. Her back was to me, so it was hard to be sure what I was looking at.
             

As if she knew what I was thinking, she stopped and turned so I could see the front of her. How was that
possible?
There was no time for thought once my brain registered what my eyes were seeing. The first thing I noticed were her enormous purple eyes, shaped and set like a giraffe’s. They were darker than the violet of Sebastian's eyes. Her hair blended into the trees behind her, with a few awkward strands sticking out. As she walked around me, the caterpillar body I had thought she had turned out to be more ant-like. Maybe I had thought of a caterpillar first because of the yellow color she was.

“Can I help you?” Her voice echoed in my head. It was menacing.

“I’m sorry. I seem to have lost my friend.” I whispered, rushing to my feet.

I turned to run in the other direction as far as I could get from that...that thing, but there was nowhere to run. I was standing in the middle of a meadow with thick trees all around. Suddenly, the trees weren’t green anymore. I wasn’t sure if they ever had been. Everything was gray and dark colored, but so bright. I didn’t understand it.

Each time I blinked, something worse happened. The trees lost their leaves and were just cold, naked branches. Was I doing that? The ground didn’t even have grass anymore. I could have sworn this had been a meadow earlier. There were rocks everywhere. I hadn’t landed on rocks. I had felt the grass. What was happening? I was stuck with that crazy yellow ant lady in this life-sucking clearing.
             

A bird cawed and I instantly looked up. Even the sky was gray; how terrible. The bird dove in front of the sun blocking the light with its massive wings. They were probably each the length of me. A vision of two of me taped to each of the bird's shoulders flashed in my head. Then I remembered I was staring at a giant bird that was hovering above me. I tried to duck into the trees, but without leaves it didn’t give me much shelter.

There was a hole in one of the trunks nearby. I saw myself as Jack from
The Nightmare
Before
Christmas
. But when I crawled inside, there was no portal to another
world .
I was trapped in this nightmare. The air felt heavy. I wanted to faint.

“Mirabelle!”
A familiar voice called out.

Sebastian? Where was he? I couldn’t see him. I crawled out from the tree but the bird cawed again. I huddled back into its safety.

“Sebastian!” I screamed. I was panicking.

I heard gravel being crunched closer and closer to me. Then a familiar face bent down into the opening of my hollow tree. I had never felt so relieved to see a creature from another world before. I threw myself out and into his arms. I wanted him to pick me up and hold me off the tainted ground. I was so terrified of this world.

“It’s okay.”

He hugged me back trying to calm me down.

“No, it’s not! Sebastian, there are creatures here, birds big enough to eat me! I have no idea what’s happening!”

I was crying. I couldn’t seem to get close enough to him.

“It’s
all my
fault. I couldn’t find you, and then it was too late. I should have warned you that when the exodus opens, it’s not where it closed, but where I am. This way we can ensure that a Myrian is never lost.”

“Then how could I get through?!” I shrieked.

“Our connection must be stronger than before. A part of me is in you that allowed you to pass.”

“Well, then, take it out! I don’t like it here.” I whispered.

“It’s not that simple.” He laughed.

I was buried so much into his chest that I could hear it echo inside of him.