Generation 7, Chapter 1
From somewhere far off, I heard the footsteps. I could hear the crunch of leaves and gravel as someone approached but this person seemed so very far away. Surely I didn't have to open my eyes just yet.
Besides, it hurt too much to think. It hurt to much to even consider opening my eyes. It just hurt.
"Oh my...what have we..." his voice sounded surprisingly close to me considering how far away he'd been before. Had he run over? Had I drifted off? Sleep sounded so good right now.
Oh wait, he was calling someone over. Perhaps now would be a good time to open my eyes. I didn't even know who had found me. Or where I was...
Somewhere in my mind I knew that was something I should be concerned with - where was I? But the more I laid there in the dark, the more my mind wondered. I realized there was a far more important question.
WHO was I?
I was vaguely aware of a hurried conversation taking place over me as I considered this very important fact. I should know who I was shouldn't I? But the more I concentrated, the more frustrated I became. I couldn't even pick something as simple as a name from my mind!
Warm arms were cradling my body and lifting me up. Now was really the time to open my eyes and let them know I was fine. Except I wasn't fine! Not really.
The soft breeze that had been caressing my skin before, was replace by the warm embrace of the indoors. I felt myself being lowered and placed on a soft surface of some sort. My thoughts, now distracted from the alarming lack of memories, returned to the heavy throb in my head. And sleep.
I don't know how long I slept, I'm not sure I even did sleep but the air around me was warm and comforting - more so than it had been on the cold ground before. I heard the rustle of paper and the crackle of a fire. It was both terrifying and fascinating that I could recognize these sounds but still couldn't recall my name or anything about myself.
With some reluctance and fear, I opened one eye just a sliver and then the other. I was in a small home of some sort. My mind kept settling on the word "rustic" but I couldn't tell you why. An older man was sitting nearby reading while his wife, at least I assume she was his wife, was cooking something over the fire.
Unable to stall much longer, I slowly rose and gave an exagerated stretch as if I'd just woken up from a long winter's nap.
"Ah, there you are deary!" the woman said, relief crossing her features. "It is good to see you awake."
"Yes, you gave us a fright." the man chimed in, setting his book aside. "How do you feel? You hit your head I think..."
I rubbed the sore spot on my head and nodded slowly. "I think so..." I said quietly.
"Well I, for one, am glad you're awake now. Perhaps we can get you back to your family now - sorry to say I did not recognize you or I would have had Isaac take you home right off." the woman said. "Where abouts do you live dear?"
What small hope I'd clung to that these people might be able to give me back my identity vanished in a puff of smoke. I looked between them and shook my head finally, "I don't really know..." I explained to them that I couldn't seem to remember anything really and they both looked at me with a great deal of pity and perhaps a bit of fear.
"Well well, we have an extra bed you can sleep in until we can set things to right..." the man was the first to offer, though his wife looked less willing to house me as a guest at first. "I am Isaac, and this is my wife Amelia by the way." Amelia nodded reluctantly but offered to show me to the bed in question.
"It's not much..." she said, not looking directly at me. I noticed her eying my clothing nervously and after having seen how she and Isaac dressed, I imagined I was quite a sight. "Your clothing is quite...peculiar for these parts..." I didn't know how best to respond seeing as I didn't know which parts I may have come from. Was this the fashion where I was from or had I been robbed on the path or something?
"Our daughter..." she paused and looked heavenward. Her face was a picture of sadness for a moment as she recalled some memory I wasn't privy to, "we have some old things of hers you might use - just while you are here.."
------
Finding out to whom I belong seemed like it ought to be a simple enough prospect but days wore into weeks and months. Still, no one recognized me and not even the barest of memories came forth. Unwilling to simply call me "girl" forever, Amelia had given me the name of Sue - after her daughter actually. While we'd gotten off to a rocky beginning, we'd become very close in the intervening months.
I tried to help her our as much as I could around the house and in the garden but I didn't seem to have a green thumb like she did. Still, I could pick fresh vegetables and carry them inside for her. I fed the animals and hung out the laundry. The three of us had settled into a fairly normal routine - of course anything was normal to me at this point.
Still, it all seemed off to me - like these daily chores should be easier or there ought to be more to occupy our time than tending the land and keeping house. I couldn't explain why it felt this way - just that it did. I tried to push these pesky thoughts from my mind though and focus on the new family I had acquired, while trying not to think about the family I probably lost. We're they looking for me? Did they miss me? Maybe there was no family, maybe I was an orphan and no one was missing me or cared...
These thoughts, and others, swam through my mind as I became accustomed to life on this little farm, in this little cottage. There was a village not to far away. And then there was the castle. I saw it often and wondered freely about the inhabitants. Amelia and Isaac told me about the King and Queen and the two Princes. They told me all the recent history of the land and I was fascinated by it all. I wanted nothing more than to meet them and see inside the luxurious halls of the castle - though that seemed unlikely.
But in lieu of Princes, I had George. I'd been on the farm for a couple months when I first saw him passing by. He didn't look like her was going to stop until he looked over at me and caught my eye. He looked away and then looked back, this time looking curious. After looking around as if to be certain he was where he thought he was, he crossed the small dirt path and approached.
"I didn't know the inventor had a daughter..." he said as a was of introduction.
"Oh I'm not their daughter..." I said blushing slightly. Shortly after my arrival, we'd all agreed on a story to explain my presence. I tried to ask why we couldn't simply tell the truth - surely doing so would garner more response about my situation - but Isaac and Amelia assured me that it was for the best. "Mrs. Delaford is my aunt." I lied.
"Ah, that might be why I have not seen you before. I would have remembered you." George said, leaning a little closer to the fence railing. He had a playful smile on his face. "I'm George Henley, if it pleases you..."
"Pleasure to meet you Mr. Henley." I said with a bashful smile. I wasn't typically this shy I don't think but George had a way about him - plus he was one of the few people I'd met that was my own age at this point. Embarrassed by my own shyness, I pretended as if I'd heard Amelia calling and made some excuse to George and ran off.
"Might I have your name?" he called after me but I only smiled and waved him off.
That night I mentioned the encounter to Amelia while tending the fire and she was smiling as I described how shy I'd been. "Oh George is a good boy..." she said.
Knowing that she knew him, I started peppering her with questions about him. She indulged my curiosity and told me just about everything she knew about him. He had a couple younger sisters and often worked at the various farms as a hired hand during harvest or just doing odd jobs to help his family. His mother, who was born in a higher station than his father, had taught him how to be a gentleman even if he wasn't have noble blood.
I laid in bed for hours thinking about him and replaying that initial encounter. Various scenarios about what I could or should have said played threw my mind and I was unable to fall asleep. Finally I gave up and pulled out the small bound book Isaac had given me the week before to try and banish the thoughts from my mind with the stories of someone else.
------
Thankfully that wasn't the last time I saw him. He came around often on his way into the village or too another farm and would stop at the cottage. Eventually I told him my name - or at least the one I'd been given by the Delafords - and we began a friendship.
"Uncle Delaford brought home a new horse last week but she's a bit wild.." I said, grasping at anything that might keep him here a little longer. I knew from Amelia's stories that he was good with animals.
"Can I see her?" he asked, taking my feeble bait. With a nod and a smile, I showed him back to the stables.
Isaac was tinkering at the work bench he had set up back there and nodded to us as we came in. "Come to see the new mare eh?" he asked. "She's as gentle as a lamb..."
I blushed a dozen shades of red and looked down at the hay strewn floor. My little white lie had just come back to get me. I could hear soft, gentle chuckling coming from George but didn't dare look up at him. My cheeks were still flaming in embarrassment.
Finally we left the stable, my eyes were still firmly planted on my feet. I couldn't bring myself to look up even if it meant I'd walk into a tree in the process. "Perhaps...would you like to take a walk with me tomorrow?" George was shuffling his feet a bit, since I didn't want to look up I didn't see that he was also blushing some.
I nodded toward the ground and he laughed again. "Is that a yes?" Finally I brought my eyes up to meet his and nodded again, this time so he could see it. "Good.."
------
George and I walked about the countryside a lot after that. Amelia expressed a little unease about it - seeing as we were unchaperoned during this walks - but she agreed anyway.
I got lost often but George always found me again. "You really don't know you're way around do you?" he asked with a teasing laugh. "Come on, I'll show you..."
"Where are you taking me today George?" I called over the tall grass. I knew he was there, within arms reach, but I couldn't see him. I could only hear the shuffle of the grass as he walked.
"You'll see soon enough." he called back, I imagined him smiling and laughing as he said it.
When we came to a clearing, there was a fire pit next to colorfully painted caravan. It looked like the home of a gypsy and I probably jumped in surprise as I took it in. There wasn't this much color in the whole village it seemed and here it was, all on one little building.
I'd lost track of George as I took in the colors and when I turned toward him, he was no longer there. I found him staring into the fire pit, lost in some sort of thought. "What's the matter?"
"Oh.." he looked at me and smiled. "Nothing." With a flourish he spun around and motioned to the caravan. "What do you think? The old gypsy lives in there..."
"Oh my...well then I don't suppose we ought to be here." I said, suddenly anxious that she would pop out of the caravan or materialize out of the grass.
"She's harmless, parlour tricks mostly I think...but if you want to go..." his hand brushed mine for a moment and we both pulled back, a little embarrassed by the contact.
"I wouldn't want to impose..." I said, looking away from him.
"Then we shall go. I'll walk you home." he offered. I smiled at him and nodded. We started back toward the path - not the way from which we'd come.
I didn't hear her approach and didn't even know she was there...
Until she cleared her throat. "Come children...come inside and warm yourselves before you depart..." she offered. There was nothing malicious or frightening about her offer but still, I recoiled from her a bit.
For his part, George looked excited about the prospect of seeing inside the caravan. "Come on Su, it will be fun..." he took my hand and practically dragged me toward the gypsy.
She motioned us inside and I tried to keep the swirl of emotions off my face but when I saw the skulls and various other items hanging there, I couldn't help but want to turn and run the other direction. "I shan't hurt you deary." she said, I could feel her breath on my neck she was so close to me. I shivered. "Come, sit..." she motioned us to the little stools at her table.
She barely looked at George, her eyes were fixed on me and I couldn't make myself look back at her. Something about her gave me the creeps, or maybe it was the skull sitting a few precious feet away. Was it real?
"You've been touched by a gypsy before my dear haven't you?" she said finally.
George looked at me curiously. I looked at her in surprise. I had?!
End Chapter
Outtake (only one this time since I needed some particular pictures - not as much time for them to run around doing weird stuff lol)
Author note: Season two starts about four months after the end of season one.
Season Two
Chapter 1
“Doctor! I need some help over here!” someone shouted from a couple tables over. There were people on all four tables, and several more waiting, in varying states of pain and misery but Freya only had one pair of hands.
“I’m a little busy right now.” Freya called back, not looking up from her current patient. She didn’t recognize him under the thick coat of blood on his face; she probably wouldn’t recognize him anyway. It was better that way though. Otherwise she would be forced to decide who the most important person to save was in this case. That was a decision she was unwilling and unequipped to make.
“But Frey….” She called out again, her voice was frantic but Freya barely spared her a glance.
“If I take my hand out of this patient he will bleed out in seconds – you’ll just have to do what you can.” Freya snapped at her before returning her complete attention to her patient. She heard some huffing and mumbling from the other side of the room but ignored it; she could only save one person at a time.
She tuned out the chaos of the room around her as best she could at times like this – and there were a lot of times like this lately. Although she was the only doctor, she’d given crash courses in basic first aid and medical knowledge to a small team of people so she wasn’t trying to run between a dozen or more people at one time. It had taken a couple months for them to evolve into a working team and even now they encountered problems but that was mostly due to the situation they were in.
The mystery patient was stable now so she turned him over to someone else and started across toward the girl who had been summoning her. The floor and walls around them shuddered, sending Freya sprawling and causing a new round of loud shouts and chaos.
By the time she righted herself, the others were still clutching the patients to make sure none of them fell from their tables. The shuddering continued for several more moments and chatter started to fly. Words like “bombing”, “attack” and “wounded” flew around the room as Freya continued on her way. Once again forced to tune out the extra noise, Freya didn’t have to look at the patient long to know that he was dead. Unlike the other patient, this one she recognized. “Brandon,” she muttered.
The girl who had called her over earlier looked smug for a moment – as if she’d been right to give Brandon more importance than the other patients. “What do we do?” she asked, after Freya made no attempt to start repairing the large head wound he’d sustained.
“Nothing.” Freya said. She reached up and placed her hand over his face, gently closing his eyes. “He’s dead.” Freya turned away from the table so she could move on to the next person she could actually help.
“But…” the girl sputtered. “This is Brandon! You have to DO something!” she shouted, drawing the attention of just about everyone in the room. There were several gasps as people realized who was on the table.
“Do what exactly?” Freya hissed, turning her attention back toward the girl. “He’s dead! I can’t bring him back from that. Now move him out of here so we can make room for someone who can be saved.”
“If you’d come over when I called…” the girl started to argue.
“He was dead before he came in here – his heart just didn’t know well enough to stop beating.” Freya said. It was cold and blunt but it was a fact – a fact that caused some of the people to recoil from her. “Get him out of here.” She said softly.
A couple of hours passed before Meng burst into the room, fresh from the latest battle scene no doubt. The shudders had ceased and the stream of wounded had slowed down to a mere trickle in the last half hour. “Where is he?” Everyone knew who he meant and turned their focus to Freya.
For her part, Freya didn’t even flinch for their icy stares. She looked up from her patient for a fraction of a second as Meng’s shadow fell over her. He was a looming presence to be sure. “He’s dead.” Freya said. “And you’re in my light.” He shifted slightly and then staggered back even further as if she’d punched him in the gut.
After several hours of patching together people, Freya was finally able to look around and see no one was waiting for her. She was tired – exhausted really – and wanted to fall into her soft, warm bed. She missed her soft, warm bed but would take the hard, cold cot that would be waiting for her instead. She practically ran into Meng on the way out of the makeshift medical ward.
“How did he die?” Meng asked, following her even as she pushed passed him.
“You were there, I’m sure you saw him get his head blown open.” Freya snapped back at him. Meng didn’t respond. “He was brain dead before he ever reached the table, it took his body a little time to catch up that fact.”
Meng simply nodded – as long as she’d known him he’d done everything to hide any sort of real emotion but Freya could see it in his eyes. Brandon’s death had shaken him to his core. She considered saying something but was too tired to guard her words – so instead she opted for silence. “Where are you going?”
“To get a shower and to sleep.” Freya said. “Try not to kill anyone for at least six or seven hours.” A very small part of her regretted the words and the implication but she didn’t try to apologize. She left him standing there in silent rage as she slipped into the room she shared with a half dozen other people.
------
Freya struggled to keep her head above water but she was being dragged down slowly but surely. She wanted desperately to give up and let the warm water pull her down so she wouldn’t have to fight anymore. Why should she have to fight so hard to stay alive? Her arms stopped moving, her legs stopped swimming and her head sunk below the surface. The first gulp of water was almost a relief but it left a metallic taste in her mouth. With one last ounce of energy and fight, she opened her eyes and pulled herself to the surface only to realize she wasn’t drowning in water.
She was drowning in blood. The blood of the dead, the blood of the wounded, the blood the living – all of it swam around her, ready to embrace her.
She shot up with gasp, cold sweat beaded on her face and her damp shirt clung to her skin. She took several deep breaths before collapsing back on the cot. She tried to close her eyes again but all she could see behind her eyelids was death. She could only hope that exhaustion would take her soon.
------
Captain Hunt was tired. They were all tired and it was becoming more apparent with each passing week. Even those that had remained loyal to the Council – such that it was – were arguing with each other on an almost constant basis. At this moment, Commander Katou and Lieutenant Kawolski were arguing about the priorities of the engineering department. “My lab has been laying in ruins since those damn rebels attacked last week! Where are your engineers Lieutenant?” Katou asked.
“The engineers are trying to keep this ship in flight. Unless you’d rather we lose life support or go careening into the moon.” Andy replied with all her usual snark.
“It’s been four months since the alien sabotage was discovered, surely you’ve isolated it and corrected the issue by now.” Katou replied with a smug look on her face. Though Andy had remained on this side of the conflict – Katou never considered her a loyalist.
“Isolated yes, corrected is a more difficult matter.” Andy begrudgingly admitted. She hated to admit any failure on the part of her engineers or knowledge but the aliens they had transported had left behind one hell of a mess.
“Enough.” Hunt interjected. “Explain Lieutenant.” He turned his attention to Andy and all but dismissed Katou’s complaint about her lab. His first priority was to keep or make the ship functional again.
“The aliens’ sabotage is like a virus – every time we get one area cleaned up, it seems to spread and knock some other system out. Between that and the constant battles between the Sons of Liberty and our own security teams…we’re lucky we’re still flying.” Andy said. “And with most of the engineering crew on the other side; dedicating even one engineer to repair a single science lab is simply not an acceptable use of resources.” She looked over at Katou with an unapologetic shrug.
“I have to agree with Lieutenant Kawolski.” Captain Hunt said. Katou started to voice and objection but he cut her off. “Any chance we’ll be able to break orbit Lieutenant?”
Andy shook her head dismally. “No sir, we have no defenses and very little in the way of engine power. Even if we could break orbit of the moon, we’d be limping at best.”
Hunt nodded, he’d already known as much already but they’d been orbiting this same moon for months now and even he was ready to move on. “Mr. Ice?” he turned his attention to the screen that was now filled with Julian Ice’s face. “Report.”
“We’ve picked up a couple of alien craft in the area but they haven’t made a move. They are the same construction as the vessel we assisted so more than likely the same species.” Julian said. “I have the fighters on constant patrol so we’ll be the first line of defense if they do make a move.”
Hunt nodded. “Very good.” Near as they could guess, the sabotage had been intended to cripple the ship long enough for the aliens to swoop in and take them with little to no fight but Andy had noticed it before it had done significant damage. Unfortunately detecting it and repairing it were two completely different jobs, which is why they’d been limping around a moon for months while a squadron of fighters was the only thing standing between them and decimation.
And then there was this issue with the Sons of Liberty. On a second screen, Bonwick was waiting her turn to address the meeting and Hunt wasn’t sure he wanted to hear her report either. With nothing else to give his attention to, he turned to her. “Report.”
“On a tip from an informant,” Hunt knew that meant that she’d very nearly tortured the information out of one of the prisoners, “We raided an area believed to be one of the rebel strong holds. There were several rebels there and initial reports suggest at least a dozen were killed along with the ones we took prisoner.”
“And losses on our side?” Hunt asked, mentally preparing himself.
“Six dead, several wounded.” Bonwick said. Unlike the others who cringed at the report, Bonwick was undaunted. In her mind, it was an acceptable loss for the damage dealt.
Hunt pinched the bridge of his nose but nodded in acknowledgment. “How many is that then total?”
“On our side, one hundred and seven dead. For the rebels – at least twice as many.” Katou said.
“In four months…” Hunt said, though he was speaking to no one in particular. Even Katou could respect the magnitude of the numbers. In four months, one fifth of the population of the ship had been killed.
End Chapter
Chapter 1: Summer Camp
“So. How does it feel?” Todd asked as we strolled along the banks of the lake. It was the first day of the two week camp and we’d already turned our campers over to the arts and crafts director.
“How does what feel?” I asked confused. We’d been walking along in silence since we’d stepped out of the art building.
“Having freedom again.” Todd said with a smirk. “You’ve been grounded pretty much all summer…what did you do exactly?”
“Oh, yeah – it’s possible that I stayed out past curfew on prom night…” I said, digging the toe of my shoe into the dirt a bit.
“And that got you grounded all summer?” Todd asked incredulously.
“Like four in the morning past curfew…Dad was freaking out by the time I got home.” I explained. “He’d called his friend at the police station and the hospital. Apparently he’d come to the hotel too so when I said I was just dancing and my phone was in my purse…he may have caught me in a lie there…”
“Oh!” Todd was silent for a moment and then grinned at me. “So where were you?”
“Erik and I went upstairs to an after party.” I said, it was the partial truth.
“Is that what you told your dad?” he asked, not looking completely satisfied with my response.
“Yes.” I said. Thankfully we were saved by the sound of screeching children running from the arts and crafts cabin. The boy campers – Todd’s charges – were laughing as they jogged in our direction but most of the girls were screaming and pointing back at the cabin. I was halfway to them when one of the other counselors came out with a large snake wrapped around his shoulders and a cheesy grin on his face.
------
I sighed a relieved sigh as shut the door on the girls’ cabin. For the last two hours, every time I came in one or more of them were giggling and all of them were pretending to sleep. Camp was now about half over and the campers had evolved into a herd of little monsters. They were cute monsters but monsters none the less. There was an all out prank war going between the boys cabin and the girls cabin and Todd and I were getting caught in the cross fire most of the time.
I flopped down on the couch next to Todd and leaned back. “They’re finally out. I swear if I have one more ten year old come screaming into my room flinging around a rubber snake or a bunch of plastic bugs…I might just lose my mind.”
“Well the girls put shaving cream in all the boys’ beds last night so I ended up staying up most of the night while they washed their hair, clothes and changing sheets.” Todd yawned and flipped the channel again.
“Well hopefully there is a cease fire in place for the night because I want to sleep.” I said. Todd was still flipping through the channels absently and I finally snatched the remote from him and turned it back a couple stations to an old rerun of Sugar Valley High.
“Ugh, this show was lame when it was new Gin…” he made a grab for the remote and I dodged with a laugh, holding the remote as far from him as I could.
“That’s because you’re a guy, besides it’s not like you were actually WATCHING anything.” He didn’t argue but I heard him muttering a few things about the bad boy teen star now being in rehab.
After his short fuming stopped I spoke up, “I got an email from Tim – his uncle took up a year-long teaching post at CSU so Tim can stay near his dad and school.” Todd was already drifting off and merely nodded in reply. “Speaking of CSU…how’s Mei-Ling?”
“What does CSU have to do with Mei-Ling…other than that she’s a student there?” Todd asked.
“That’s all, it’s a lame segue I admit but it’s out there so…how is Mei-Ling?” I asked again.
“Fine…she’s signed up for classes next semester – she got a lot of her first choices this time being a second year student.” He said.
“And Ning…” I prompted, asking about the topic I knew he was avoiding.
“Still in town – he’s registered at CSU on a student visa now…making a general nuisance of himself I think.” Todd growled a bit. “Mei-Ling swears she has no intention of marrying him or going back to China but….” Todd just shrugged and stopped talking.
A thick silence hung between us for several minutes. We returned our attention to the show, though I don’t think either of us were watching very closely. I was considering bringing up the subject again when Todd suddenly sat up straight and pointed at the TV. “Is that…” he grabbed for the remote as if to rewind.
“It’s not a DVD Todd…what are you talking about?” I didn’t take my eyes from the screen just in case.
“There!” he shouted. He lunged forward and pointed at the screen at a pre-teen girl. She couldn’t have been more than eleven or twelve and this episode was at least seven or eight years old.
“Nai’a!” I shouted and then clapped a hand over my mouth because it echoed around the room. “Is it her?” I stared at the screen and tried to age the young girl into the friend I knew.
After that we both sat quietly through the show waiting to see if Bree’s younger sister, the character that may or may not have been played by Nai’a, made another on screen appearance but she didn’t. “Do you think it was?” Todd asked as the show ended.
“It sure looked like her.” I said, wondering why Nai’a hadn’t told us, assuming of course that it was her.
There was another episode of Sugar Valley High coming on right after that but Todd excused himself for bed. I curled up on the couch to watch for Bree’s younger sister to show up again but I must have fallen asleep. It’s just as well, when I got to my room the next morning, I was able to see the whip cream in my bed and pillow before I laid down in it. Chances are I wouldn’t have been so fortunate if the room had been cast in darkness.
Todd wasn’t so lucky. Boys, who were less squeamish about bugs, opted for live critters. Seeing as the live critters had legs, they were all over the cabin by the time Todd went to bed. I think he’ll have bug guts between his toes for weeks.
The prank war had left the campers’ cabins and they’d turned their attention on the counselors.
Thankfully the second and final week of camp was packed with activities and competitions to keep the kids occupied, mostly, with “productive” things instead of trying to shave my head while I sat by the lake. Mostly.
The final day of the camp was generally reserved for packing and final party for everyone to say their goodbyes and exchange information. Todd and I – relieved to get away from our pranksters – had volunteered to set up the party together. Unfortunately for the party, they’d brought in a bubble station as entertainment and Todd and I decided to ‘test it out’.
“Do you regret volunteering?” Todd asked. He’d been the one to convince me to sign up for this and I think he was worried I would blame him for a horrid experience.
“No, really it wasn’t bad. I had a lot of fun…in spite of Mr. S-s-s-slithers and…well all the other things.” I said with a laugh. “But I have to ask – are they like this every year?” Todd had been a counselor several times for this camp and seemed to always come back having enjoyed himself.
“Eh, every patch is different – this years’ group was a little more…” he paused for a moment and then grinned, “Energetic, than usual but they’re kids, it’s what they do.”
“Energetic – yeah that’s a word for it.” I said with a chuckle. I took a deep intake of bubbles and blew them all back in his direction, he dodged them easily enough but laughed and returned to bubble shower.
There were more decorations on the floor than on the walls by the time we stopped messing around and realized the kids from all over camp would descend on us soon. We had to scramble to finish up and in the end it wasn’t the best decoration job in history but the kids didn’t care as long as there was food and music playing.
“So, school next week…” Todd said, as we watched our little monsters dance and play. “Ready for it?”
I shrugged. “Sure I guess – it’s just another year…”
“But this time we’re seniors.” Todd said with a grin.
“And we’re gonna rule the school.” I replied with a laugh.
End Chapter
Chapter 4
Sy looked at the various camping equipment absently. She knew the basics but so much of this stuff seemed far too complicated for “camping”. When had camping involved taking most of the contents of your apartment outside so you could have all the “comforts of home”? She picked up a random box and pretended to look at it while the Were argued with the girl. They acted like family but Sy could tell they weren’t blood relations.
Finally the girl walked away and Sy took her opportunity. “Um, excuse me…” she said, positioning herself in his path. She had no idea Weres ran this place when she’d picked it from the Yellow Pages but had sensed it in the owner as soon as she’d entered.
After getting the map from Link, Sy gave him a small, flirty smile before leaving. She felt a lot of annoyance and hostility directed her way from the girl but she didn’t pay her much attention.
Back in her car, Sy pulled out her phone and started making the calls. “Yeah, I’ve got a place for this weekend. Don’t worry, it’s close and it’s secluded. I’ll scout it out but I think it will be perfect for the Blessing Rituals.”
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As a new, and potentially temporary, member of the coven – a lot of the grunt work had fallen on Sy for this weekend. She didn’t really mind and pretended like she didn’t notice people checking up on her plans. She had reached out to this coven only a few weeks ago and, although she could out-power them all with her eyes closed, that wasn’t how one makes friends.
She checked her watch again and looked over at the tall building where her last passenger lived. She’d left the others in the car while she ran inside to call her up on the intercom. “I’ll be down in a few minutes!” had been the breathless reply Sy had received, ten minutes ago. At long last Tish emerged, carting enough luggage to last two weeks rather than the two days they would be out at the Lookout.
Sy pushed and shoved on the luggage – trying to squeeze it into her unyielding trunk but with two other passengers – there simply wasn’t room. Sy glanced around quickly and quietly muttered a few words. Whether the trunk suddenly got larger or the contents got just a bit smaller, Tish’s luggage finally slid into place and Sy smiled triumphantly. “Try that…” she muttered to no one in particular.
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“This place is far too open…” Fueur said, her signature sneer on her face as she surveyed the area. “Who picked this spot again?” she asked looking directly at Sy.
“I’m sure it will be fabulous.” Neera said, her voice was soft and seemed to float. She placed her hand on Sy’s arm and smiled reassuringly at her. Sy merely nodded; in truth she was more annoyed by Neera’s platitudes than Fueur’s open hostility.
“Let us begin!” Anima, the leader of the coven, announced. “Symphony,” Anima was the only member of the coven who had not adopted Symphony’s nickname, “please help Janet in whatever way possible to be comfortable.”
Sy nodded and turned toward Janet with a smile. Behind her she heard Fueur whispering, “Comfortable? She’s like two minutes pregnant – how uncomfortable can she be?”
Sy had to agree with Fueur on this one but didn’t say so. She thought she heard Vale snickering before chastising Fueur. “So…twins?” Sy asked the freshly pregnant woman.
“Yes.” Janet reached for her non-existent belly and rubbed it tenderly. “We just found out a couple weeks ago and I called Anima right away – I want everything to go perfectly…” Janet never looked up from her belly the whole time she spoke so Sy was at liberty to roll her eyes.
“Right – of course.” Sy said finally. “Well why don’t we set you up over here…” Without waiting for Janet to come out of her pregnancy induced stupor, Sy started setting up a space for her.
The Blessing Rituals for Janet’s twins would have to take place just after sundown so they had a couple hours to set up the camp and settle in. Unbeknownst to the others, Sy was scanning the area and surrounding woods for any unwanted visitors. As she was looking around, she met Anima’s rich golden eyes and they shared a brief moment of understanding.
Anima was probably the most powerful of this coven. She could even give Sy a challenge if their skills could even be measured against each other. Anima was an elemental witch and a spirit user – the most powerful of all the elementals. Sy, on the other hand, had a familiar understanding of elemental use but did not specialize in it. Her power was deep rooted in her family and was far more diverse.
As night began to settle on them, the five elemental witches took up their positions around the fire Fueur had created. Even though she wasn’t an elemental user, watching them cast their circle intrigued Sy. Anima led Janet into the center of the circle with her and began with Vale, the Earth witch.
“Earth, we ask you humbly to come forth with a blessing for new life. To wrap these new babes in your warm embrace as you would a seed and cradle them until they are ready to be born into this world.” As Vale spoke, Anima lit the candle and the cold ground beneath their feet grew warm in response.
Anima turned to Airia and nodded. “Air, please come to us and caress our bodies and souls with your gentle breezes. Bless the babies our sister is carrying with your nourishment and fill them with your sweetness.” Airia’s voice was carried off in a small gust of wind before Anima had a chance to even light the candle. Air had made her presence known.
After lighting Air’s candle, she moved to Fueur and nodded to her. Fueur flicked her fingers and lit her own candle. “Fire, come forward and shield these foundlings and their mother with your protective flame. Warm them and comfort them so that they may grow strong in the womb.” Fueur’s flame surged up a few inches causing Janet to stumble back a bit in surprise. Fueur smirked in response but was triumphant.
Next Anima turned to Neera. “Water, my dearest, bless this woman and her babes on this night. Let your waves and currents guide them safely through the pregnancy and into the world so they may be delivered onto us in time.” A gentle mist fell from the sky around them but the flames never flickered once.
“The four elements have come forth to give you and your children their blessing on this night Sister.” Anima said, holding Janet’s hands in hers. “Now I call the final element, that of Spirit.” Anima looked toward the stars. “Spirit, gentle Mother of us all, please honor these children with your blessing. Cradle them and love them, take them into your embrace and bestow upon them the gifts of health and life. We ask this on this night most humbly.” A trickle of fog started to form at their feet – slowly spreading further outward until everyone was standing in it. As Sy looked down at it, she noticed it had an iridescent glow to it; it was almost gold like the strands of Anima’s hair. The fog closed in around Janet and soon had wrapped her in a tight coil that might make most people afraid but Janet merely smiled as she felt all the elements swirling in and around her.
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The Blessing Rituals a success, the witches closed the circle and began to talk and chatter amongst themselves. Janet grew tired quickly and retired while Sy hung back a bit from the others. She barely knew them and there was a fair chance she’d be moving on before spending much more time with them anyway.
Not being distracted by chatter, Sy felt the presence before the others did. She walked to the edge of the clearing slowly, not wanting to alarm the others and cast out her net. Her eyes were half closed as she concentrated on the human crashing through the wooded area just outside the clearing. He was frantic and terrified of something. She ignored the human – he was of no threat to them – and cast still further to find the source of his fear.
A wolf.
She felt the giant wolf’s mind snap to hers as she zeroed in on him. Though separated by space and trees, the two stared at each other for several moments until the wolf broke off pursuit of the man.
She’d barely broken contact with the wolf when the man stumbled through the trees. He was out of breath and covered in dirt. “Wolf…” he muttered, though Sy was the only one close enough to hear him.
He stumbled forward, barely catching himself from falling from exhaustion. Sy knew the others were closing in, most would be caring and compassionate toward him – offering him comfort and aide but she knew Fueur was already preparing a snide comment or two.
After several minutes, they learned his name was Alex Garza and he was out here with his girlfriend at a cabin, though he couldn’t even begin to figure out which direction the cabin was. He’d been getting a few things from the car when he’d seen the large wolf and had been chased deep into the woods. He’d been running since barely after sunset – almost two hours – and had taken dozens of twists and turns through the woods before he came on the clearing and the wolf suddenly broke off pursuit. Anima looked at Sy quizzically after he mentioned the last part but Sy didn’t respond.
“I should call Clarissa…” Alex muttered, feeling around for his cell phone. The others had gone off to cast another circle of protection around the camp ground – leaving Sy to tend to Alex. “Oh crap..” he said when he came up empty handed. “I must have lost it in the woods while I…” he shuddered. He looked at Sy expectantly. “Can I borrow your phone?”
Sy shrugged. “I don’t have a cell phone actually.”
“You don’t have a cell phone?” he asked incredulously. “Who doesn’t have a cell phone?”
“Me.” Sy replied, trying to keep the snark from her voice. She’d been asked that question many times before but she rarely had need of a phone at all.
Alex was unconvinced, like she was intentionally holding out on him, but finally shrugged. “What about them?” Sy followed his line of sight to the circle of witches and watched with bemusement as his eyes went wide. “What are they doing?!”
“Protecting you from the Big Bad Wolf.” Sy said with a chuckle. She left him sitting there in befuddlement and joined the others.
End Chapter
