Chapter 3
I packed up my bags, furious. Sometimes I was mad and not exactly sure why. I guess I was furious that they had invited me over to watch over my coming into their world. But really, I was just furious I didn’t have control over the situation, I always had to have control, but obviously I didn’t understand that at the time. As I had fallen off that monstrous thing, it seemed as though I plunged right out of the twinkling sky and into the light of the sun shining through Sam’s window and through my eyelids. As I awoke, I felt a familiar presence beside me. I looked up.
“Nick!” I yelled.
He looked at me with wide startled eyes; he wasn’t used to me being happy to see him. I was going to have a little conversation with him later but first I had to get out of there. I packed my things and walked out, grabbing some change from my jean pocket and took the bus home before my gang could even wake up and explain to me what had happened.
Nick annoyed me the whole way home. He kept asking these strange questions as if hinting about the other world, but as if trying to hide the knowledge of it while finding out what I knew. I considered getting my phone and pretending in it, but our conversation would be weird even if I wasn’t speaking to myself in the middle of a bus. I got home and walked through the front door.
“Mom!” I yelled, nothing. Perfect.
I tried not to resent my mom, I know what she had gone through was tough but it seemed as though she forgot it had happened to me too, she did her best and it was up to me to take care of her. I tried not to let the flashback come to mind, her on the floor, screaming...I heard Nick talk to me but it was muddled.
“Nick not now.”
I sat down on the couch and let myself remember.
I walked into the room the screaming was coming from. It was mommy. I thought she had fallen and hurt herself but then I saw my uncle. He was out of a job and had a way of making my mom do what he wanted so he stayed with us. On the way down to the living room I heard him say awful things. Like how my mom was an ungrateful little whore he should of killed the moment her parents had placed her in his old crib. He drank a lot, and sometimes he could say mean things and hit me when I was bad, but nothing like this. He was holding my mom’s hair and she was screaming, she was on the floor, her head against the wall screaming: “Savvy! Go away! Get out of the house! Go see the neighbour.”
I was so scared, I wanted to leave the place. It smelled like beer and my uncle had a scary look in his eyes when he looked at me, but I just looked at mommy and she just kept screaming. Then he spoke to me after hitting my mom and making her silent.
“Little girl. Do as she says, leave. Leave and go out on the street and fend for yourself and never expect anyone to help you because they won’t. You’re on your own little one.” His voice seemed wobbly, like an acrobat walking a length of taut rope.
“Please Garry don’t, she’s just a little girl.”
He hit her again.
“And never help anyone, because if you do, they’ll be ungrateful little pricks and bitches who won’t appreciate anything you did.” His voice got louder until he was yelling at the end.
I had the sense to turn around, pretend I was leaving, then tip toe into the kitchen, open the cabinet and get my uncle’s gun. He owned one, even though it’s illegal in Canada, and my mom couldn’t say a word about it, so it stayed where it was. I was very lucky it was loaded. I walked back into the living room where my uncle was saying more distasteful things about my mother and I raised the gun, my hand trembling. He set his surprised eyes on me, they twinkled with humor. He was sure I wouldn’t shoot. I had trusted him, like any child trusts an adult in their family: Gotten into his car, let him put alcohol on my scrapes. But now it was clear I couldn’t anymore.
“Get out.” My voice was extraordinarily steady considering my dancing hands.
He came at me.
“You little...”
The recoil nearly tore my arms off. A spot of crimson formed on his side, as well as an O of surprise on his lips. It had just scratched his side. He tried to snatch me up but I held it with two hands this time and shot again. It caught him in the middle of the abdomen, this time it was like an explosion of red sticky substance instead of a trickle. He put his hands up alarmed and said. “Okay, okay.” And he went out the front door and never came back.
We did get news from hi. One day one of my aunts sent us a letter saying something terrible happened to him, they didn’t know what, but he had gone completely insane and had to be institutionalised. Neither me nor my mother were very chocked up about it.
“Nick, what were you saying?” He had stayed respectfully silent. Yes, he could be annoying sometimes (actually most of the time) but he was very respectful when I was in a bad mood.
“What I was saying, my dear Savvy,” he said walking into my room as if he owned it. “is that, did you happen to have a peculiar dream last night.”
He sat on my bed, put one leg over the other and crossed his fingers and placed his interlocked hands over his knee. He gave me a look as if analysing me. His shaggy hair fell into his face and produced a shadow that covered his eyes.
“Don’t have to get all fucking mysterious shrink on me.” I made an angry hand gesture. “Yes I was in the dream world last night fighting my nightmares. Any clue as to why I’m in a bad mood and you shouldn’t irritate me right now?”
He held my green gaze, my eyes as if crackling with electricity.
“Okay, Savvy, calm down and come sit next to your brother Nick now.” He patted the bed beside him.
He was sometimes more sensitive when we were alone. It was as though he held a persona for the world, even though no one could see him.
I listened.
“I was fucking scared when I woke up and you weren’t there. Thought I was going insane.”
He gave one of his showy “I should be on camera” smiles as he contemplated the irony in that statement.
“Don’t worry, I’ll find you eventually.” He said in a voice that sounded compassionate.
He surprised me yet again, I who sometimes forget he can be something other than snarky. He looked at me with an odd look before returning to normal and combing his hair back, taking care to use his theatrical snap of a finger to make it appear in his hand.
A few minutes later and there was a knock on the door. Of course. I opened it to see the whole gang gathered.
“Savvy!” Sam said, throwing his arms up, “You worried us so when you weren’t there this morning!”
He hugged her tightly and Nick rolled his eyes and made a disapproving noise with his tongue, putting his nails up to his sunglassed eyes to examine them. Nick had a certain dislike for Sam, judging his theatricality to exuberant. He was probably just mad there was someone to overshadow his theatricality.
To annoy Nick I tapped Sam’s back and murmured, “There there.” In a stony voice before pushing him away.
“Now you guys can leave me the fuck alone.” I said giving them a mean look before slamming the door in their faces. Of course, I litteraly slammed it in Sam’s face. He had been close to the door and I heard his indignated cry of pain.
Nick was sitting on the top of a cabinet, his leg hanging, looking distractedly at the ceiling.
“You know, you should try to be a bit more social. You’ll end up without any friends.”
In my head I said, maybe that’s how I want it. But to Nick I said.
“Who needs friends when I have you?” I smiled the fakest smile I could manage.
He snickered at me and floated gently to the ground, his feet connecting with no sound at all.
“You might need their help.” He continued.
“My nightmares will fade, and then the only thing I’ll have to worry about getting some fucking alone time.”
I started heading to my room to half do my homework. I never put more effort than necessary and always passed every class with at least a seventy. That gave me time for my hobbies, which were
talking to Nick and practicing darts and knife throwing. I was about to enter when I hear Nick’s sing song voice.
“Maybe not.” Said as if he knew something I didn’t. As if he knew a lot I didn’t.
I could have tried prodding him for information but I knew that wouldn’t work. Stubbornness seemed to be a family trait.
The next night, the same thing happened. I woke up next to my friends, we fought a few more of my nightmares, and they stopped coming. I was relieved, no more danger.
I walked away, and they let me walk away, finally accepting my need for personal space. Except Sam who walked after me hollering “Don’t leave me all alone with them!”
I was in a wheat field, with thin trees that seemed to have roots on both ends and formed strange domes above me. I sighed.
“Finally alone!”
Keyn made a chirping noise beside me. It seemed strange to say about something that was my imagination, but I loved Keyn. It seemed as though he had a unique personality under that physical aspect I controlled. He seemed to always care what I had to say and was very affectionate, which I minded in everyone a part from him. I pet his back as he snuggled against me, his tails swishing back and forth. He was panting and I could feel him become restless, there was no action and he couldn’t stand it. I wasn’t like that at all, as much as I could spring into action and have a lot of stamina, I could be content with contemplating the sky.
“Fucking adrenaline junky.” I laughed at him and we began running.
I was never in this good of a mood. My idea of a good mood was being content and concentrated on a book or knife throwing. But that short outbreak of laughter was just that, short, and I mounted him and we coordinated our flying to loop through the domes, hitting them and falling many times, Keyn making a strange maniacal laugher. And I felt content and concentrated, perfect.
“Sam, shush!” Hissed Kate, putting her hand firmly on his mouth. They all understood that he had mild Tourettes, but if he made too much noise, he would blow their cover. They were hiding in a lush golden forest of weeping willows next to the wheat field. They didn’t want her to be alone, no one should be alone in the dream world and they sensed danger coming. Sometimes in the dream world, the dreamer could sense certain thins. They watched her fall off of Keyn’s back as he flipped around and fall with a thud that slowly resonated to them. The forest smelled of something sweet and calming. There were usually no smells in the dream world, most architect dreamers completely disregarded smell, but not whoever created the forest.
“Something’s wrong.” Kate said anxiously.
“Relax. If something’s wrong we’ll deal with it. Until then, worrying helps no one.” His voice was like a calm ocean breeze.
They observed as Savannah stood on Keyn as he did his best to stay stable in his flight. It was extremely risky and fear grabbed a hold of Kate’s throat. Brent seemed to sense that and put a hand on her back, moving it up and down soothingly. So they watched.
I was standing. Oh yes, standing as Keyn flew steadily, at first gliding, then venturing a few soft and controlled wing strokes. I could feel him get more and more exiting. The more I spent time with him, the more she seemed to feel him. As he got exited, he began flying faster and faster, making me feel more and more elated and concentrated until he quickly sped up and I toppled over backwards and he body flew under me, his spiked tails missing be by little. I let out a scream, not a girly scream of fear but a surprised “Hey!” of warning. Keyn, who heard me, twisted in mid air like a sea snake in the water. I had the falling sensation in my stomach, but there was no whipping of air around me or air rushing in my ears, just the feel of sinking into nothing, as if splitting stagnant air below me and feeling it chill my skill into goose bumps as it rushed over my skin. But it wasn’t the sensation of wind precisely, just the chilling sensation, as if falling into nothing. It was odd, and I hated it and loved it at the same times. Then there was fur below me and the sensation stopped. Immediately I wanted to do it again. I had always been known for my risky behavior. Climbing trees that I might not be able to climb down from, walking on the edge of a roof, various things. I enjoyed the thrill. When people bugged me about it I showed them my middle finger coupled with a few choice words. But this, this was even better.
“That was awesome!” I yelled in a horse voice.
My thing hair was tangled in front of my eyes and I pushed it away. Keyn’s head turned to me for a moment and he had what seemed to be a smile in his eye. But that was all the time for enjoyment. A cold feeling ran through me, as a ghost wind flying through you out of spite, and I could sense Keyn’s nervousness under me. He landed reared like a horse. I felt apprehensive. Of what? How the hell would I know?
A shadow.
A dark winged figure over me.
“Oh my fucking god.” Sam said as he looked up. He said it deliberately, not blurting it out as usual. He really meant it.
Kate covered her mouth as he eyes widened at the sight of the creature. It circled like a vulture of black smoke. The actual body looked solid but beyond that it seemed to have black smoke instead of feathers, or perhaps emanating from the feathers. If they were to look close they would see that it had long trailing feathers that smoked. The trail of smoke behind it was unmistakable. As was its cry that sounded like a cross between a cat being strangled and the screeching cry of a barn owl. Also unmistakable was the mouth. It stretched way too long up its face and opened to taste the air. It also had many little eyes running from where it’s nose should be to the end of its head. Those were undistinguishable features but they knew them from legend.
“How.” Kate’s voice was strangled.
“Who is it after? I’ll freaking kill it.” Sam threw what he was holding on the ground and grew a bow and arrow out of nowhere as he advanced. Brent held him back.
“Probably Savannah.” Brent said, answering Kate.
Kate was freaking out, having a panic attack.
“Calm down.” Sam grabbed her by the shoulders and started shaking her. “Calm the mother fucking down okay.” He sounded as if he was going to cry.
“Kate, you know it won’t attack her.”
They all shivered, actually it was more of a spasm. They ran to where Savannah stood, transfixed by the creature. She wasn’t moving a muscle. They had never seen her like that, she was never scared of anything. Or if she was, if never showed.
“A tracker.” Kate whispered as if she was choking on the word.
The creature let out a petrifying cry, circled a few times and flew off in the distance leaving a trail of smoke.
I was completely freaked out. I was trying not to be. What good is standing there while your enemy is circling? Fucking idiot. All I had wanted to do was create a cross bow and try to nail it. But I had been frozen like a coward. Meanwhile my gang was coming to my rescue. I was angry at myself. Why couldn’t these people leave me alone? I knew something for sure. I had to stop them from following me. That thing was after me, I could feel it. I was going to deal with it and no one else. It was my problem.
“Oh my gosh Savannah who are you?” Kate said, she looked completely disarmed and afraid.
All tree were looking at her. Even Sam’s usually calm tiger was fidgeting nervously. Kate’s guardian was looking into Savannah’s soul, she couldn’t read its eyes.
“Savannah what did you do? What are you not telling us?” Kate was completely serious.
My eyebrows came together.
“Or you stop speaking in riddles or a call up a sword and hurt you.” I said surprisingly calmly.
“That was a tracker Savannah.” Brent said. “Not a usual dream creature. It was track a specific person down and you can only get that spell from a spirit.” Brent paused for a moment, looking into her eyes with a seriouse face.
“I don’t tell you what has to be done to summon a spirit.”
I was starting to get annoyed. Yes I was finally getting some answers but I wished they would just tell me e
verything. I didn’t need them. I crossed my arms on my chest.
“Great, I’ll go find whoever’s tracking me and...”
I was interrupted by Kate, which annoyed me even more so I gave her my mean stare.
“Savvy....whoever’s looking for you with that thing is extremely bad.”
“Fine. Noted, he doesn’t want to have a tea party with me. Now leave me alone you guys are way to nosy and fucking invasive.” I said in a voice akin to a snake’s slither.
I turned and left. Keyn trudged beside me with his ears down, looking back at my friends. I felt hurt. Now even Keyn rejected the idea of me being alone. I’d be glad to accept their help, but I had to face my problems alone and they told me themselves, this would not end well, I wasn’t about to put them in danger for my needs. I stalked off, I wasn’t mad. I wasn’t sure what emotion I was feeling.
“She’s in danger.” Kate cried.
“She fucking hates us okay, I say we let walk to her death. Walk to her death.” Sam said.
They both looked at him with empty expressions.
“Walk to her death.”
“I didn’t mean that.” He said, his eyes like a puppy dog who peed on the carpet.
They looked him in the eye. They knew. They understood him and accepted him like no one did.