Chapter 3 is in the spoiler if you care to read that much. You could also always come back and read that one later if you're busy If you missed the first chapter and would like to read it, here's a link: post678450.html#p6784504
Chapter 2
“Woah there boy!” Dellan pulled back on his reins and the horse came to an abrupt halt. Dellan patted the creature's thick neck and stared into the thick forest. The ferns draped over the ground and the leaves from the gigantic trees oozed drops of water from last night's rain fall. The forest was so thick it was hard to make out the obscure shape that lay only a few feet ahead of him. He reached behind him and drew out his bow and arrow, preparing it, just to be safe.
He held tight to his weapon with one hand and grabbed his horse's reins with the other. He clicked his tongue and kicked the creature's sides lightly. The horse pinned his ears in protest, but moved forwards anyways. Dellan murmured a word of praise.
“Hello?” he called out to the foreign shape. “Anybody there? I demand you to show yourself in the name of Aquariazzi's council!” he hadn't been expecting a reply, but those were the words he had been taught to say, so he said them out of habit. The groan that followed startled him and he jumped from his horse, weapon raised.
“Who goes there?” he shouted, squinting at the shape. He could have swore that he had saw it move. He readied his bow against his shoulder.
“Who's that?” the voice was female, and obviously frightened. Dellan lowered his weapons and stepped carefully through the thick undergrowth towards the person. She was laying on her back, eyes closed, mouth opened in a groan of pain. She was clad in what warriors usually wore, except for the material was strange. A deep blue color and she wore a strange top with a floral design etched into it.
“Dellan of Aquarriazi's guard. Who are you?” She opened her eyes slowly and he offered her his hand. She was quite pretty to be honest. Dark brown hair that flowed to her chest, her body could use some fattening up, she was slimmer than a stick! Her eyes were a strange color, a greenish amber that he had never seen before. Not hazel, but similar to say the leaste.
“Lakisha,” she answered accepting his hand. He pulled her up she groaned again, grabbing her midsection and stooping over.
“What's wrong? Are you hurting?” Dellan interrogated her, praying that she was alright. He wanted desperately to find out who she was.
She breathed slowly before answering. “I-I don't know. I don't know where I am. Where is this?” she lifted her head and scanned the forest nervously.
Dellan's brow furrowed. He needed to get her to the village as quickly as possibly. “Here, I'll help you. We'll have to get you to the village and look you over.” He helped her over to his horse and placed his bow and arrow back inside their sachet so he could lift her onto his horse. When she was up and sitting, he pulled himself up in front of her and clicked his tongue.
“I've never ridden a horse before,” Lakisha stated absently. This girl really wasn't from any land he'd ever heard of.
“I'll ride slow. Hold on tight though, riding through the forest gets bumpy no matter how slowly you
5
ride.”
“What's his name?” he heard the girl ask behind him when they began their descent through the brush.
“Huh? Oh. His name's Star Blanket. Star for short.”
“Oh,” Lakisha whispered, “That's a beautiful name.”
Dellan nodded. “My grand father named him when I was young.” He waited for a reply, but got none. Instead Lakisha snaked her arms around Dellan's waist and held tight. He tensed his back. The physical contact made him squeamish, as it was looked down upon for a woman and a man to make physical contact such as this unless they were wed. He thought of shoving her arms away, but he rebuked the thought. The girl obviously wasn't from here, she didn't know their customs. Besides, she was hurt to say the least. He kicked Star into a trot and exited the forest.
~*~
“She could be dangerous, Dellan. You should never have brought her here!” the enraged village elder yelled. What had he been thinking, bringing a random stranger to their villages? “She has no respect for our culture! You rode in with her around you waist for goodness' sake!” The village council was furious, how could the young guard bring just any girl back to the village? She could be a spy for all they knew!
“Dangerous? She's hurt Thild! She would have died! She doesn't respect our culture because she doesn't even know our culture! How was she to know that putting her arms around me would be considered a profanity? Besides, she's never ridden, and there was nothing else to hold on to!” Dellan shot back. He didn't know why, but he had grown rather close to the girl in the past few hours. They didn't know what was wrong with her, but she claimed that her stomach and back felt as though they were being stabbed at by miniature knives. He had sat on a stool beside her bed and talked with her. She told fascinating stories. Vehicles made of metal that moved on their own and building so high you could see for miles out of them. Strange machines that could store information and play something called 'video games.' He had listened to all of it, amused and very curious.
“She could be lying about her physical state!” Thild retorted.
“No! She is not a threat to us Thild! She is just a girl! I'll unravel her secrets, I swear it! Don't send her away!” Dellan pleaded.
Thild sighed audibly. “I will allow her to stay, but she is your responsibility. I am putting you personally in charge of teaching her all of our customs and laws. Educate her, train her. If she will not be a warrior for us, she will not stay. Understood?”
Dellan grinned. “Thank you Thild, you will not regret this. I swear it!”
“Do not swear things you are unsure of, Dellan.” Thild watched as the boy reentered Lakisha's room nervously. What would become of them if she turned out to be a spy? He shook the thought and exited the small area.
~*~
6
The next three days were spent trying to figure out Lakisha's strange reality shift. Dellan was fascinated by her stories of the things they had there. He especially liked to hear about the weaponry. Something called a gun that could take down massive animals and bombs that could destroy whole cities. Sure, they had explosives, but they only created minor distractions compared to Lulu's explanations. They would sit for hours inside Dellan's house just trying to figure out what had happened to Lulu. Dellan now fully believed that she was indeed, from a whole other reality.
It was late afternoon and the sun hung lazily in the sky, scorching the fields below. Dellan and Lakisha were riding double on Star towards the forest where they had found Lulu lying helpless that first day. This wasn't their first trip out there either, they had been there a few times in hopes of finding something, anything that would lead to an explanation.
“Doesn't Thild expect me to become a world class warrior somewhere along the lines?” Lakisha poked Dellan in the side to get his attention.
He laughed. “Thild expects everybody to learn how to be a world class warrior. I could teach you if you wanted me to, though.”
“Actually, as long as I'm staying here, I figured I should serve a purpose. When do I start?” Lakisha giggled when a thin branch hit Dellan in the head. “Watch where you're steering!”
“Sorry about that. What about tomorrow? Today we should teach you how to ride a horse. It's a skill that majorly benefits warriors here,” Dellan winked even though he was facing the wrong direction for Lakisha to see.
“Fine, tomorrow. I expect to be able to gallop on my own by the end of the day though,” Lakisha retorted. She had wanted to learn as soon as humanly possible, but one day couldn't hurt anything. Unless she wasn't here for another day... She let the thought slide. She'd be here for the rest of her life for all she knew.
Dellan laughed heartily. Lakisha really was something else. The rode in silence the rest of the way. The wind rustling the leaves and the rhythmic beat of hooves and Star's heavy breathing were the only sounds that filtered through the hot air. They were now shielded by the heavy canopy that the forest had to offer them, and for that Dellan was glad.
Dellan pulled back on the reins and drew out his arrows, tensing his body. “What's wrong?” Lakisha whispered, eyes darting for any sign of movement.
“What you don't know yet is that we're not exactly on friendly terms with the mountain dwellers. I thought I saw a spy out behind those trees,” he whispered, gesturing into the distance with his shoulder.
Lakisha was frightened. They were at war here? Why hadn't Dellan taken the time to explain Aquariazzi rather than make her explain about where she came from? She still didn't know any of their customs and she felt out of place in the village, especially around the older folks. They all looked at her like some creature with ravenous fangs. Lakisha glared at Dellan's back. He should have warned her about stuff like this.
She heard a scream. Or was it a war cry? She wouldn't know the difference. Dellan turned to her, eyes blazing with fear and fury. “Get down!” he shouted, jumping from Star's back. Lakisha followed his lead, brow furrowed in confusion. “Show yourself in the name of the Aquarian Council!” Dellan was shouting the same words he had spoken to her. She had pushed the memory out of her mind until now. What a horrific day that had been.
7
Another high-pitched scream called out, followed by two more. Great! Lakisha complained to herself. Now the village is probably going to go under sage and Thild will more than likely blame me. She was trembling, this was almost as nerve racking as the back alley. She shuddered.
A cloaked man jumped from a bush, roaring with rage. He held a curved sword above his head, the sun casting reflections upon the trees. He leapt into the air, sword swung back. Lakisha couldn't even make out a face through the heavy cloak and veils. She closed her eyes and turned her head, screaming. She awaited the expected blow, expecting searing pain to rise up before her world went black. Instead, she heard another execrable scream and the clash of metal against metal.
She lifted her head and opened her eyes. Dellan held steadfast, sword blocking every blow the cloaked stranger delivered. Where did he get the sword? Lakisha wondered. She decided it wasn't important. She turned her attention back towards the battle and her surroundings, she needed to be able to warn Dellan of any other threats. Both men were screaming and growling, throwing aimless, heavy blows at each other. Dellan's left shoulder was oozing crimson, he had been cut. He refused to back down, another blow was made to Dellan's upper leg. Lakisha screeched when he fell to the ground, crying out in pain.
The cloaked figure sheathed his sword and took a menacing step towards Lakisha. Dellan tried to strike the man with his fist, but he received a kick to his thigh before any harm could come to the cloaked figure. He groaned, holding his leg for all he was worth.
The stranger laughed and began kicking and stomping on him. With every movement Dellan grunted and with every one of Dellan's grunts, Lakisha's rage swelled. She didn't know where the other men had disappeared to, but she didn't particularly care. She rose to her feet and with one quick movement, swooped down again, grabbed Dellan's sword from the ground, rolled to her left and was on her feet. She didn't know how she did it, and she didn't question either. Now all she had to follow was instinct. The weapon was heavy, but it didn't feel awkward in her hands. She screamed her own battle cry and twisted her body, the sword slicing right through her foe's thin armour and into his flesh. Blood sprayed from the wound and Lakisha almost threw up, mid swing. She swallowed hard and finished off the blow. The man's arm was severed and crimson blood poured from the wound like a waterfall. Lakisha's stomach turned inside of her like an angry bull. She refused to throw up.
So he's human, she thought absently. He bleeds red. She finished the man with a stab to his chest and only when the task was done, she allowed herself to convulse and vomit all over the forest floor. She dropped the sword, horrified at what she'd just done. Dellan looked at her, smiling despite the pain. His left eye was swollen almost shut and his nose and lips were oozing that horrible crimson color.
“Let's get back to the village,” Lakisha whispered, trembling violently. She wrapped her hands under his underarms and pulled him up. She let him lean all of his wait on her as they hobbled back to where Star had been standing motionless through the whole ordeal. Though his ears were pinned and his eyes were nervous, he had stood loyal. “Star's well trained,” Lakisha commented, patting the stallion's neck gingerly.
“They give back what you give to them. Take good care of them and refrain from using a whip, they give you loyalty and return your affections,” he half smiled and took a small carrot from a sachet on his belt. Star's ears pricked up again and he took the treat eagerly.
Dellan hobbled back to the saddle, wincing and grunting as he pulled himself up. Lakisha rushed to his aid, but couldn't find any way to help him. He managed to pull himself up and nodded towards his sword, breathing heavily. Lakisha retrieved it obediently and handed it up to him. He placed back inside a hidden sheath on the thigh of his tunic. He motioned for her to hop up and she did.
8
“We're going to have to tell Thild about this. He'll be impressed,” Dellan said as he clucked Star into a
steady walk. Lakisha refrained from answering.
~*~
Back at the village, Thild was praising Lakisha for her bravery and apologizing endlessly for misjudging her. “I'm so sorry my dear child. I shouldn't have been so quick to judge you. Where on earth did you learn how to use a sword well enough to kill a cloak?” The questions and apologies were endless and Lakisha was rarely given a chance to reply.
“Thild, leave the poor girl alone. It's been a rough day,” Dellan demanded from his chair. The back of the chair leaned backwards in a reclining position. It reminded Lakisha of the lawn chairs back home.
Home... Lakisha hadn't really given it any thought since her first day here. Was her mother going into shock? Had they called the police yet? The thoughts struck her like a blow to the chest. A wave of homesickness washed over her and she felt tears brimming her eyes.
Thild noticed and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Is everything okay child?” he asked in a hushed tone.
“I-I'm going to go outside for a second, I need some air,” she whispered, glancing quickly in Dellan's direction. His face was scrunched up into a concerned expression. Lakisha stood and without another word stepped through the small doorway and onto the village street. Two children were playing a game that reminded Lakisha of hopscotch. She smiled, watching them hop around and giggle in delight reminded her of her childhood. Oh how she wanted to return...
“Lakisha! Dear!” Lakisha swung to the voice. Her heart stopped pounding for a few moments before pounding a mile a second, raising to her throat. It was the same man she had encountered on the street! “What do you think of my little world?” the man grinned and Lakisha could have sworn she saw wickedness in the man's eyes. She turned and ran. To where, she wasn't fully aware. All that she knew was that the man meant no good. He was evil, she was sure of it.
~*~
Lakirius frowned. It had been a mistake to bring the girl here. Lakisha knew too much. She knew things she wasn't even aware she knew because they held no importance to her in that other reality. Lakisha would be the one to uncover his secret, to bring his warriors to their knees. His eye twitched and he slapped his hand to it quickly. Pain rippled around his eye socket, but diminished quickly.
What had Thild said earlier that day? She had picked off a Cloak? Not good, not good at all. At least he had been right about her holding all of the secrets. He had assured Corrow she would turn against the Aquarian council easily, but his opinion was now wavering. Fear imbedded itself deep inside Lakirius' gut for the first time since his first mission for the Mountain Dwellers.
Dellan should be disposed of. He was gaining too much affection from Lakisha. Soon it would be too late to turn her to their side. Yes, Dellan had to die, and he had to die soon. Tonight if possible. Lakirius turned on his heal and walked the opposite direction Lakisha had run. Dellan would die, oh yes, Dellan would die.
Spoiler
9
Chapter 3
Lakisha didn't know what was happening, all she knew was that it was bad. She was sitting in the village fields and crying. She wanted home, she wanted normal. Dellan just made everything even more confusing. She wanted to stay with him, but how could she? She didn't belong here, and Dellan didn't belong in her reality. Her shoulders shook with heavy, mournful sobs. There was nothing she could do now.
Her mind wandered back to the blue-eyed man. He had reappeared so suddenly. Lakisha shuddered. Who was he? He had been there the day she had been transported here, and he had reappeared now. There was obviously a link between him and switching realities. A thought dawned her. What if she could switch realities again now? Maybe the blue-eyed man was her portal between the two realities? This thought gave her hope, and she dismissed what she had taken for evil in the man's eyes.
She rose up from her slouched position and stretched. She needed to talk to Dellan, he was the only one who really understood at least as much as she did. She took a few steps and her vision wavered once again, like it had in that back alley a few days before. She groaned. NO! She screamed silently. I want to stay! I want to stay! Just for a little more! Please let me stay! Despite her silent prayers, that horrible pain rippled back up her spine and she screamed. No dizziness this time, which was okay by her. But the pain! Her body shook and she fell back to her knees, still screaming. Then for the second time in less than a week, her world went black.
~*~
Thild and Dellan stopped dead in their tracks. Had they just witnessed what they thought they had? Dellan looked at Thild, who was staring eyes wide at the empty spot where Lakisha had once been. Dellan's whole body tensed and he found it hard to breath. Panic swelled in his gut and he swallowed hard. His knees grew wobbly and unreliable. He instinctively grabbed Thild's shoulder to keep from falling over.
“She-she's g-gone!” Thild exclaimed nervously.
“Did you hear her scream? She must have been in pain! I can't believe she's actually gone!” Confusion and sadness boiled up inside of Dellan. There was something else too. An emotion so strong it nearly strangled him. Love? No-he couldn't be in love! He hardly knew Lakisha! And yet a gut feeling told him that he was right. Could he really be in love?
Thild's course voice broke into his thoughts like a wave, “I can't believe it! How can a person just disappear? And to think we were going to teach her rituals and make her a part of the Aquarian empire tonight!” Thild paused, “This will be hard to explain to the council...We'd better get back and tell them that the celebrations are off.” he scratched his neck. So much for the banquet. He'd been looking forward to it.
Dellan nodded. A tear snaked down his cheek before he could stop it and he quickly wiped it away with the palm of his hand, praying Thild hadn't seen. Of course the elder had, Thild didn't miss much.
“My dear boy!” he exclaimed, shocked. He hadn't seen Dellan cry since he was a young child. “What's wrong? You're crying!”
“I-I..” Dellan couldn't bring himself to admit to the feelings boiling up inside of him this very moment. He just stared ahead at the spot where Lakisha had once sat, screaming. He wanted to find her, he wanted to
10
figure out was happening to her.
“You love her don't you son? I was afraid this might happen.” Thild shook his head pitifully. The poor boy had lost so much already, the last thing he needed was for the girl he loved to disapear.
“I never even got to tell her, to even uncover my own emotions,” he swallowed again. The pain from the blows were returning, the herbs the caretakers had given him must be wearing off. “I want to go back home, the pain is returning.”
Thild nodded understandingly and led him back towards the village. His hope wasn't wasted however, he was sure the girl would be back. He didn't know when, or how, but she would be back. He must consult Lakirius at once. He was finally back from his long hunting trip. For the first time in months he would be able to ask for his wisdom on the matter.
~*~
Lakisha awoke, back and head throbbing. Strange her stomach wasn't turning again. Was she back home? She opened her eyes slowly and they were flooded with light. She blinked a few times and scanned her surroundings. There were the backs of the houses, the trees, the trash bins. She was back! She was in the same alley way as before! She jumped to her feet, immediately regretting it when pain surged up her spine. She shook it off and began to stumble forwards. Have to get home! Have to get home!
She somehow navigated back to her front door and twisted the knob slowly. She stumbled inside to find a very shocked mother sitting on the couch, eyes wide with relief and horror. “Where were you? How could you just disappear on me like that?” She demanded.
Lakisha hadn't given much thought to how concerned her mother would be, she hadn't prepared herself to tell the truth. “You wouldn't believe me if I told you. How long have I been gone here?” she muttered, stepping into the living room where her dazed mother sat.
“How long? Here? How can you not know how long you were gone and what the heck do you mean by 'here'?” The questions were delivered one after the other without a pause left for Lakisha to explain.
“Trust me, you wouldn't believe me. How long have I been gone?” Lakisha repeated, trying to be patient with her mother. Her nerves were probably more fried that Lakisha's.
“You've been gone for almost four days now. How could you not know that? I've called the police three times! Bob said he had no idea where you were. I thought you had been abducted by some creep off the streets!”
“I wasn't abducted, mom,” she didn't dare tell her about the creepy old guy with the evil eyes, “Do you believe in alternate realities?”
Her mom's eyes were wide with fear now. Lakisha knew what she was thinking. Crap! My child has gone bonkers! Time to send her to the mental hospital! Lakisha waited for an answer. “I-I... What kind of question is that? Of course not!” she stared at her daughter for a moment. “Oh no! You're not going to tell me that you disappeared into a world with talking lions and some snow witch are you?” Her mom sounded sarcastic, but there was something about the tension in that room that screamed she was being dead-serious.
“Not Narnia exactly...” she paused, biting her lip. How was she supposed to explain this one?
11
“Aquariazzi...”
“You have got to be kidding! No way are you pulling this on me! Where-were-you?!” she demanded, enraged now.
“I told you! I was in a different reality! You don't believe me that's fine! I'll probably disappear again today!” All feelings of homesickness diminished entirely. What had she expected? Her mother wouldn't understand her rantings. She wouldn't believe them if they slapped her in the face.
“You disappear again and you're grounded for a month!” her mother warned her fiercely.
“Well then I guess I'm grounded 'cause I don't fricken' know how to control the shifting! It hurts, too. Rather badly actually! You should hear me scream!” She left in a fury and pounded up the stairs, enraged. She wanted to go back to Aquariazi. Back to Dellan. She smiled smugly. She felt rebellious to say the least. Her mother could be so trying sometimes.
She slammed her bedroom door. A fresh wave of guilt washed over her. Her mother was only worried. She had been gone for almost four days after all. That and the fact that shifting realities was unbelievable unless you actually experience it. But Dellan had believed her... why shouldn't her mother? She crossed her arms and fell backwards into her soft bed, pleading herself to fall back into Dellan's reality.
She pulled her legs onto her bed and rested her head on her pillow. She cried softly and closed her eyes. She fell into a deep, dreamless sleep. Nothing in the outside world could wake her. Nothing...
~*~
Back downstairs, Lakisha's mother was pacing nervously, listening to Bob rant on about the 'possibilities of another reality.' She didn't really care what he thought was possible, she just wanted what he knew was possible.
“Listen Mary, if the kid says she shifted realities, I believe her 100%. Sure, it's odd, but what do we know? Man hasn't even uncovered the secrets of our own world, so how can we say that reality-shifting isn't possible?” He rambled on and on about the many novels, the vast possibilities, the unexplored areas of the human mind.
It was driving Mary crazy. All she wanted was to throw the danged phone hard against the wall, slump into the couch and forget any of this ever happened. “Look Bob, to be quite honest I don't care anymore. I still don't know whether to believe Lakisha or not, but she's back and she's safe. That's all that matters, right?”
“I suppose so. Look, I've got to get going here. I'm exhausted and my doctor just gave me a huge lecture on how my lack of sleep was going to effect my ability to play guitar. Good luck with your daughter. Good night.” The phone clicked. The jerk had hung up on her!
Mary muttered something illogical under her breath and replaced the phone to its hook. She groaned a little too loudly and fell into her sofa. She felt beside her for the television remote. Finding it, she pressed the 'power' button and absently selected a channel. She half-watched some show about a serial-killer preying on innocent victims. The plot was dry and the acting horrible. Mary sighed and changed the channel to cartoons that she and Lakisha used to watch together. Sponge Bob Squarepants was on. That had at one time been Lakisha's favourite television show. She'd grown out of cartoons now and stayed up late to watch forensic shows like Bones and CSI Miami. The show brought back memories, and Mary watched intently.
12
She should probably call the police station and tell them to cancel the searches. In her rage and confusion she had never given the idea a thought. She sighed and pushed herself from the leather sofa, walking towards the kitchen. Might as well get that out of the way. She grabbed the phone from it's hook on the kitchen table and dialled the police station's number. She explained as quickly as she could and answered at least twenty completely unnecessary questions about her daughter before hanging up.
She sighed and clambered up the stairs. It was only seven in the evening, but she felt exhausted. She had stayed up clear until four in the morning for the past two nights and she needed her sleep. Lakisha hadn't stirred since storming up to her room at about four, so she figured her daughter was probably asleep. She entered her bedroom, shut the door tightly and undressed. She pulled on a nightgown and plummeted into her soft mattress. She pulled the covers up to her chin and stared at the ceiling until her eyelids felt like somebody had placed twenty ton weights on them. She fell to sleep, however fitful. She dreamt of men with face-paint riding war horses and carrying her daughter off into the distance.
~*~
Lakisha was wrenched from her peaceful sleep by an invisible force. Her eyes shot open and a pain shot down her back. Crap! She wanted desperately to return to Aquariazzi, but the pain! Was that really what was happening? She winced when another wave of roaring pain seared up her spinal cord and rested at the base of her neck. She wanted to cry out, but she didn't want her mother to come in and witness this. She was still feeling rather bitter about her mother's disbelief, and didn't wish to share her experiences.
She bit her bottom lip hard to keep from opening her mouth. The pain didn't stop, the blackness wouldn't come. Scream! You have to scream! A little voice in her head urged. She gave in and let out a high-pitched squeal. The blackness finally came and the pain ceased.
~*~
Mary jerked upright in her bed. She pulled of the covers and made a dash for her daughter's room. What is going on? She wondered to herself, panicked. She was telling the truth, she said that shifting realities was painful. That annoying voice broke her subconscious and invaded her mind. Dumb conscience.
She stumbled through Lakisha's door and flipped on a whole new level when she saw her daughter's bed completely empty. She rushed down the stairs, nearly falling head-over-heels a few times. Have to call Bob!
~*~
Lakisha woke back in the field where she had shifted before. She sat straight up, and to her surprise no pain enveloped her like it had the last two times she had shifted. She rose to her feet and made a be-line for Dellan's house. He had to hear this!
It was dark out again, and stars dotted the untamed skies. She found the constellation that Dellan had showed her the first night she had arrived. It was shaped like a woman and a man holding hands. It was called some unpronounceable Old-Aquarian name than meant 'lovers.' She grinned and kept running. She had almost made it to Dellan's front door.
She skidded to a halt at the wooden and clay house and banged on the door loudly. To her dismay, Thild was the one who opened the door. A wave of relief and shock overtook his stern features instantly. “Lakisha! Come in my dear girl!” he exclaimed, ushering her through the door.
“Thild,” she nodded to him, “Where's Dellan?” He didn't appear to be anywhere in the house.
13
“He's at Lakirius's home,” he answered, closing the door firmly behind her.
“Who's Lakirius?” Lakisha cocked her head to the side, curiously.
“One of the village elders. He's old, tangled beard, extremely thin, very blue eyes...”
“What?!” Lakisha was shocked, it couldn't be! “I met him on the sidewalks of Saskatoon in my reality! He told me that 'My time has come!' I just saw him outside the village, which is why I ran out to the fields. There's something not right about that man, Thild.”
“Lakisha, do not speak of him with such disrespect! I'm sure there must be an explanation. I've never heard of reality-shifting until I met you,” Thild waved her off.
“No! I'm sure it was him and with all-due respect sir, I am sure there is something wrong about that man!” Lakisha protested stubbornly. There was something about those eyes that haunted her.
“Why don't you go see them? They're out in the old stable with Star discussing war tactics or something of the sort I believe.”
“Thanks, Thild,” she mumbled without enthusiasm and exited through the door. She walked slowly to the only stable she knew of. Dellan had taken her there a few times to feed Star some treats and to get her saddled up. She looked up at the sky, the stars were still bright. Lakisha didn't know why it shocked her to see them up there, she supposed that the news of Dellan hanging out with that creep would cause them all to fall from the sky. Oh stop being so dramatic, she scolded herself.
When she arrived at the door to the stable, she hesitated. Lakirius wasn't really on her list of people she was eager to get to know. She eaves-dropped, trying to pick a good time to break up the conversation. They were talking about knife wounds. How nice and completely inmorbid. She told herself dryly, wondering if inmorbid was even a word.
Lakisha risked a glance inside. To her relief, both were facing star. Dellan was grooming her and Lakirius stood watching. She caught the moonlight enter the door and glint off of something in Lakirius' hand. Lakisha's heart skipped a beat. A knife! She calmed herself, trying not to be dramatic. They're probably just going to use it to pick out Star's hooves with. As if in reply, Dellan picked up a blunt knife from a hook on the wall and began to use it to pick out Star's hooves.
Lakisha held her breath, what was going on? Lakirius turned his head to face Lakisha and winked wickedly. He had known she was there? Lakisha didn't bother ducking, she had been found out, what was the point? Lakirius turned his head back to Dellan. What was he doing?
“Knife wounds are often the hardest to decipher, as they can be created to look like a sword wound or even a spear wound. Cloaks have been known to make them look as if an animal had cut their victim,” Lakirius said, taking another menacing step towards Dellan. “Oh! Lakisha! You've returned have you? Please, do come in!” he called her as if she had just been noticed.
Lakisha entered through the stable door, glaring Lakirius. Dellan was wide-eyed. “Lakisha! I-I didn't think you would come back! You just disappeared!” he stuttered.
“What? And leave you behind? Not a chance man, not a chance,” she smiled at Dellan, he loved it when she used what he called 'alternate reality slang.'
14
He smiled and approached her, wrapping her in his arms. “We were going to have a banquet tonight to celebrate and teach you all of our customs. We cancelled after you disappeared.”
“Speaking of customs, aren't you sorta breaking one?” Lakisha teased, returning the embrace.
“Not at all,” he pulled back slightly, smiling broadly. He added in a whisper too low for anybody but Lakisha to hear, “I.-uh... need to talk to you later.”
“How about on the way back to Thild's?” Lakisha whispered back.
Dellan winked and turned back towards Lakirius. “We'd better get going, Thild's going to throw a tantrum and lecture me about a warrior's punctuality if I don't get home soon.”
“Of course, be on your way then,” Lakirius smiled. Lakisha thought it looked forced.
“Let's get going then!” Dellan said to Lakisha. The two strutted through the door and down the path back to Thild's house.
~*~
Lakirius glared at Lakisha's back. She had foiled his plans, again. Had she not been there, the boy would have been dead, cold, and on the stable floor. Lakirius would be free to work on gaining Lakisha's loyalty and Lakirius would receive much praise from the Cloak's master.
He spit into the hay by Star's hooves. The stupid beast snorted and pinned back his ears. Tomorrow, I swear it! Dellan will die tomorrow! He shoved the stable door open and stomped back to his house, mumbling curses and profanities. Nothing could stand in his way, he would come out the winner this time.
Chapter 3
Lakisha didn't know what was happening, all she knew was that it was bad. She was sitting in the village fields and crying. She wanted home, she wanted normal. Dellan just made everything even more confusing. She wanted to stay with him, but how could she? She didn't belong here, and Dellan didn't belong in her reality. Her shoulders shook with heavy, mournful sobs. There was nothing she could do now.
Her mind wandered back to the blue-eyed man. He had reappeared so suddenly. Lakisha shuddered. Who was he? He had been there the day she had been transported here, and he had reappeared now. There was obviously a link between him and switching realities. A thought dawned her. What if she could switch realities again now? Maybe the blue-eyed man was her portal between the two realities? This thought gave her hope, and she dismissed what she had taken for evil in the man's eyes.
She rose up from her slouched position and stretched. She needed to talk to Dellan, he was the only one who really understood at least as much as she did. She took a few steps and her vision wavered once again, like it had in that back alley a few days before. She groaned. NO! She screamed silently. I want to stay! I want to stay! Just for a little more! Please let me stay! Despite her silent prayers, that horrible pain rippled back up her spine and she screamed. No dizziness this time, which was okay by her. But the pain! Her body shook and she fell back to her knees, still screaming. Then for the second time in less than a week, her world went black.
~*~
Thild and Dellan stopped dead in their tracks. Had they just witnessed what they thought they had? Dellan looked at Thild, who was staring eyes wide at the empty spot where Lakisha had once been. Dellan's whole body tensed and he found it hard to breath. Panic swelled in his gut and he swallowed hard. His knees grew wobbly and unreliable. He instinctively grabbed Thild's shoulder to keep from falling over.
“She-she's g-gone!” Thild exclaimed nervously.
“Did you hear her scream? She must have been in pain! I can't believe she's actually gone!” Confusion and sadness boiled up inside of Dellan. There was something else too. An emotion so strong it nearly strangled him. Love? No-he couldn't be in love! He hardly knew Lakisha! And yet a gut feeling told him that he was right. Could he really be in love?
Thild's course voice broke into his thoughts like a wave, “I can't believe it! How can a person just disappear? And to think we were going to teach her rituals and make her a part of the Aquarian empire tonight!” Thild paused, “This will be hard to explain to the council...We'd better get back and tell them that the celebrations are off.” he scratched his neck. So much for the banquet. He'd been looking forward to it.
Dellan nodded. A tear snaked down his cheek before he could stop it and he quickly wiped it away with the palm of his hand, praying Thild hadn't seen. Of course the elder had, Thild didn't miss much.
“My dear boy!” he exclaimed, shocked. He hadn't seen Dellan cry since he was a young child. “What's wrong? You're crying!”
“I-I..” Dellan couldn't bring himself to admit to the feelings boiling up inside of him this very moment. He just stared ahead at the spot where Lakisha had once sat, screaming. He wanted to find her, he wanted to
10
figure out was happening to her.
“You love her don't you son? I was afraid this might happen.” Thild shook his head pitifully. The poor boy had lost so much already, the last thing he needed was for the girl he loved to disapear.
“I never even got to tell her, to even uncover my own emotions,” he swallowed again. The pain from the blows were returning, the herbs the caretakers had given him must be wearing off. “I want to go back home, the pain is returning.”
Thild nodded understandingly and led him back towards the village. His hope wasn't wasted however, he was sure the girl would be back. He didn't know when, or how, but she would be back. He must consult Lakirius at once. He was finally back from his long hunting trip. For the first time in months he would be able to ask for his wisdom on the matter.
~*~
Lakisha awoke, back and head throbbing. Strange her stomach wasn't turning again. Was she back home? She opened her eyes slowly and they were flooded with light. She blinked a few times and scanned her surroundings. There were the backs of the houses, the trees, the trash bins. She was back! She was in the same alley way as before! She jumped to her feet, immediately regretting it when pain surged up her spine. She shook it off and began to stumble forwards. Have to get home! Have to get home!
She somehow navigated back to her front door and twisted the knob slowly. She stumbled inside to find a very shocked mother sitting on the couch, eyes wide with relief and horror. “Where were you? How could you just disappear on me like that?” She demanded.
Lakisha hadn't given much thought to how concerned her mother would be, she hadn't prepared herself to tell the truth. “You wouldn't believe me if I told you. How long have I been gone here?” she muttered, stepping into the living room where her dazed mother sat.
“How long? Here? How can you not know how long you were gone and what the heck do you mean by 'here'?” The questions were delivered one after the other without a pause left for Lakisha to explain.
“Trust me, you wouldn't believe me. How long have I been gone?” Lakisha repeated, trying to be patient with her mother. Her nerves were probably more fried that Lakisha's.
“You've been gone for almost four days now. How could you not know that? I've called the police three times! Bob said he had no idea where you were. I thought you had been abducted by some creep off the streets!”
“I wasn't abducted, mom,” she didn't dare tell her about the creepy old guy with the evil eyes, “Do you believe in alternate realities?”
Her mom's eyes were wide with fear now. Lakisha knew what she was thinking. Crap! My child has gone bonkers! Time to send her to the mental hospital! Lakisha waited for an answer. “I-I... What kind of question is that? Of course not!” she stared at her daughter for a moment. “Oh no! You're not going to tell me that you disappeared into a world with talking lions and some snow witch are you?” Her mom sounded sarcastic, but there was something about the tension in that room that screamed she was being dead-serious.
“Not Narnia exactly...” she paused, biting her lip. How was she supposed to explain this one?
11
“Aquariazzi...”
“You have got to be kidding! No way are you pulling this on me! Where-were-you?!” she demanded, enraged now.
“I told you! I was in a different reality! You don't believe me that's fine! I'll probably disappear again today!” All feelings of homesickness diminished entirely. What had she expected? Her mother wouldn't understand her rantings. She wouldn't believe them if they slapped her in the face.
“You disappear again and you're grounded for a month!” her mother warned her fiercely.
“Well then I guess I'm grounded 'cause I don't fricken' know how to control the shifting! It hurts, too. Rather badly actually! You should hear me scream!” She left in a fury and pounded up the stairs, enraged. She wanted to go back to Aquariazi. Back to Dellan. She smiled smugly. She felt rebellious to say the least. Her mother could be so trying sometimes.
She slammed her bedroom door. A fresh wave of guilt washed over her. Her mother was only worried. She had been gone for almost four days after all. That and the fact that shifting realities was unbelievable unless you actually experience it. But Dellan had believed her... why shouldn't her mother? She crossed her arms and fell backwards into her soft bed, pleading herself to fall back into Dellan's reality.
She pulled her legs onto her bed and rested her head on her pillow. She cried softly and closed her eyes. She fell into a deep, dreamless sleep. Nothing in the outside world could wake her. Nothing...
~*~
Back downstairs, Lakisha's mother was pacing nervously, listening to Bob rant on about the 'possibilities of another reality.' She didn't really care what he thought was possible, she just wanted what he knew was possible.
“Listen Mary, if the kid says she shifted realities, I believe her 100%. Sure, it's odd, but what do we know? Man hasn't even uncovered the secrets of our own world, so how can we say that reality-shifting isn't possible?” He rambled on and on about the many novels, the vast possibilities, the unexplored areas of the human mind.
It was driving Mary crazy. All she wanted was to throw the danged phone hard against the wall, slump into the couch and forget any of this ever happened. “Look Bob, to be quite honest I don't care anymore. I still don't know whether to believe Lakisha or not, but she's back and she's safe. That's all that matters, right?”
“I suppose so. Look, I've got to get going here. I'm exhausted and my doctor just gave me a huge lecture on how my lack of sleep was going to effect my ability to play guitar. Good luck with your daughter. Good night.” The phone clicked. The jerk had hung up on her!
Mary muttered something illogical under her breath and replaced the phone to its hook. She groaned a little too loudly and fell into her sofa. She felt beside her for the television remote. Finding it, she pressed the 'power' button and absently selected a channel. She half-watched some show about a serial-killer preying on innocent victims. The plot was dry and the acting horrible. Mary sighed and changed the channel to cartoons that she and Lakisha used to watch together. Sponge Bob Squarepants was on. That had at one time been Lakisha's favourite television show. She'd grown out of cartoons now and stayed up late to watch forensic shows like Bones and CSI Miami. The show brought back memories, and Mary watched intently.
12
She should probably call the police station and tell them to cancel the searches. In her rage and confusion she had never given the idea a thought. She sighed and pushed herself from the leather sofa, walking towards the kitchen. Might as well get that out of the way. She grabbed the phone from it's hook on the kitchen table and dialled the police station's number. She explained as quickly as she could and answered at least twenty completely unnecessary questions about her daughter before hanging up.
She sighed and clambered up the stairs. It was only seven in the evening, but she felt exhausted. She had stayed up clear until four in the morning for the past two nights and she needed her sleep. Lakisha hadn't stirred since storming up to her room at about four, so she figured her daughter was probably asleep. She entered her bedroom, shut the door tightly and undressed. She pulled on a nightgown and plummeted into her soft mattress. She pulled the covers up to her chin and stared at the ceiling until her eyelids felt like somebody had placed twenty ton weights on them. She fell to sleep, however fitful. She dreamt of men with face-paint riding war horses and carrying her daughter off into the distance.
~*~
Lakisha was wrenched from her peaceful sleep by an invisible force. Her eyes shot open and a pain shot down her back. Crap! She wanted desperately to return to Aquariazzi, but the pain! Was that really what was happening? She winced when another wave of roaring pain seared up her spinal cord and rested at the base of her neck. She wanted to cry out, but she didn't want her mother to come in and witness this. She was still feeling rather bitter about her mother's disbelief, and didn't wish to share her experiences.
She bit her bottom lip hard to keep from opening her mouth. The pain didn't stop, the blackness wouldn't come. Scream! You have to scream! A little voice in her head urged. She gave in and let out a high-pitched squeal. The blackness finally came and the pain ceased.
~*~
Mary jerked upright in her bed. She pulled of the covers and made a dash for her daughter's room. What is going on? She wondered to herself, panicked. She was telling the truth, she said that shifting realities was painful. That annoying voice broke her subconscious and invaded her mind. Dumb conscience.
She stumbled through Lakisha's door and flipped on a whole new level when she saw her daughter's bed completely empty. She rushed down the stairs, nearly falling head-over-heels a few times. Have to call Bob!
~*~
Lakisha woke back in the field where she had shifted before. She sat straight up, and to her surprise no pain enveloped her like it had the last two times she had shifted. She rose to her feet and made a be-line for Dellan's house. He had to hear this!
It was dark out again, and stars dotted the untamed skies. She found the constellation that Dellan had showed her the first night she had arrived. It was shaped like a woman and a man holding hands. It was called some unpronounceable Old-Aquarian name than meant 'lovers.' She grinned and kept running. She had almost made it to Dellan's front door.
She skidded to a halt at the wooden and clay house and banged on the door loudly. To her dismay, Thild was the one who opened the door. A wave of relief and shock overtook his stern features instantly. “Lakisha! Come in my dear girl!” he exclaimed, ushering her through the door.
“Thild,” she nodded to him, “Where's Dellan?” He didn't appear to be anywhere in the house.
13
“He's at Lakirius's home,” he answered, closing the door firmly behind her.
“Who's Lakirius?” Lakisha cocked her head to the side, curiously.
“One of the village elders. He's old, tangled beard, extremely thin, very blue eyes...”
“What?!” Lakisha was shocked, it couldn't be! “I met him on the sidewalks of Saskatoon in my reality! He told me that 'My time has come!' I just saw him outside the village, which is why I ran out to the fields. There's something not right about that man, Thild.”
“Lakisha, do not speak of him with such disrespect! I'm sure there must be an explanation. I've never heard of reality-shifting until I met you,” Thild waved her off.
“No! I'm sure it was him and with all-due respect sir, I am sure there is something wrong about that man!” Lakisha protested stubbornly. There was something about those eyes that haunted her.
“Why don't you go see them? They're out in the old stable with Star discussing war tactics or something of the sort I believe.”
“Thanks, Thild,” she mumbled without enthusiasm and exited through the door. She walked slowly to the only stable she knew of. Dellan had taken her there a few times to feed Star some treats and to get her saddled up. She looked up at the sky, the stars were still bright. Lakisha didn't know why it shocked her to see them up there, she supposed that the news of Dellan hanging out with that creep would cause them all to fall from the sky. Oh stop being so dramatic, she scolded herself.
When she arrived at the door to the stable, she hesitated. Lakirius wasn't really on her list of people she was eager to get to know. She eaves-dropped, trying to pick a good time to break up the conversation. They were talking about knife wounds. How nice and completely inmorbid. She told herself dryly, wondering if inmorbid was even a word.
Lakisha risked a glance inside. To her relief, both were facing star. Dellan was grooming her and Lakirius stood watching. She caught the moonlight enter the door and glint off of something in Lakirius' hand. Lakisha's heart skipped a beat. A knife! She calmed herself, trying not to be dramatic. They're probably just going to use it to pick out Star's hooves with. As if in reply, Dellan picked up a blunt knife from a hook on the wall and began to use it to pick out Star's hooves.
Lakisha held her breath, what was going on? Lakirius turned his head to face Lakisha and winked wickedly. He had known she was there? Lakisha didn't bother ducking, she had been found out, what was the point? Lakirius turned his head back to Dellan. What was he doing?
“Knife wounds are often the hardest to decipher, as they can be created to look like a sword wound or even a spear wound. Cloaks have been known to make them look as if an animal had cut their victim,” Lakirius said, taking another menacing step towards Dellan. “Oh! Lakisha! You've returned have you? Please, do come in!” he called her as if she had just been noticed.
Lakisha entered through the stable door, glaring Lakirius. Dellan was wide-eyed. “Lakisha! I-I didn't think you would come back! You just disappeared!” he stuttered.
“What? And leave you behind? Not a chance man, not a chance,” she smiled at Dellan, he loved it when she used what he called 'alternate reality slang.'
14
He smiled and approached her, wrapping her in his arms. “We were going to have a banquet tonight to celebrate and teach you all of our customs. We cancelled after you disappeared.”
“Speaking of customs, aren't you sorta breaking one?” Lakisha teased, returning the embrace.
“Not at all,” he pulled back slightly, smiling broadly. He added in a whisper too low for anybody but Lakisha to hear, “I.-uh... need to talk to you later.”
“How about on the way back to Thild's?” Lakisha whispered back.
Dellan winked and turned back towards Lakirius. “We'd better get going, Thild's going to throw a tantrum and lecture me about a warrior's punctuality if I don't get home soon.”
“Of course, be on your way then,” Lakirius smiled. Lakisha thought it looked forced.
“Let's get going then!” Dellan said to Lakisha. The two strutted through the door and down the path back to Thild's house.
~*~
Lakirius glared at Lakisha's back. She had foiled his plans, again. Had she not been there, the boy would have been dead, cold, and on the stable floor. Lakirius would be free to work on gaining Lakisha's loyalty and Lakirius would receive much praise from the Cloak's master.
He spit into the hay by Star's hooves. The stupid beast snorted and pinned back his ears. Tomorrow, I swear it! Dellan will die tomorrow! He shoved the stable door open and stomped back to his house, mumbling curses and profanities. Nothing could stand in his way, he would come out the winner this time.