A Misfit

Dancing with Danger

Point of View:

Tyler Baile

“Hey Ty,” Donavan said to me in his southern accent as he came down the stairs.  

“Hey Don,” I said as I rushed by him. 

“Got a minute to talk?”  

“Nah I gotta meet up with Evelyn, but we can talk tomorrow I promise,” I said before charging through the doors and up the stairs.  

“You’re late,” Evelyn said from her door.  

“Sorry,” I said as I rushed into her room.  

“Okay now let’s get ready,” Anastasia said as she lit the last of the pillar candles. I nodded before laying down on the bed. Evelyn dipped her hands in sage water and flittered over to the headrest.  

“Try not to scream like last week,” She asked me. 

“Okay,” I said as I bit on my lip. Evelyn placed her hands on my temples and spoke in her native tongue. I gripped the sheets hard and winced as I saw her passing through the many gates of my subconscious until she came to the last gate like before. It was an ornate iron and wood carved gate with estranged tribal markings. She slit her wrist and smeared the blood the length of the gate and waited. I cringed as my body fought the offering. I began coughing up her blood.  

“Calm down Tyler it’s not real.” Anastasia’s soothing voice cooed out.  

“Bullshit,” I coughed out. “I can’t breathe,” I said as I felt my throat start to close. Evelyn chanted in her native tongue again and the gate shook violently and blood seeped from the hinges. I screamed at the top of my lungs as my brain tried to split itself into two.  

“Tyler calm down,” Anastasia cooed again.  

“Tell him it’s not real,” Evelyn asked.  

“But it is, you’re hurting him.” Anastasia said.  

“Enough,” I barked as I sat up in the bed gasping. I looked down and saw my shirt stained with blood. My arms pulsed as blood poured out again.  

“It’s getting more violent,” Anastasia said standing up to check the hallway.  

“It means we are getting somewhere, keep this up and in three weeks we can have the answers we need.” Evelyn said.  

“No not really, we have maybe a little more than that to find and despell it,” I told her as I held a towel on the wounds. “Did you get a better look at the tribal markings?” I asked her. 

“Yes and no, I saw a new one,” She said as she sat down at her sketch pad. I got up and looked over her shoulder as the marking took form.  

“Uh guys,” Anastasia said.  

“Yeah,” We asked not looking up from the pad.  

“We have a visitor.” My gaze headed for the door and saw Justin and Donavan standing outside in the hall trying to peer in.  

“Don’t come in we aren’t decent,” I said in a shrilly girl voice.  

“Don’t bother,” Justin said barging in as I shoved the sketch pad under my shirt.  

“You can’t just do that,” I said to him. 

“Why were you screaming was there any danger?” Donavan asked barging in like a big bad cowboy.  

“No we are perfectly fine,” Evelyn said as she watched Justin whom watched me. He moved toward me and took the sketch pad out from underneath my shirt. 

“Hey!” I snapped as I managed to snake it back out of his hand.  

“What is that?” He asked impatiently. 

“Nothing,” I said as I handed it to Evelyn.  

“Then I could look at it.”  

“No you really couldn’t.” I said defiantly. Justin turned his cold gaze on me until I felt I my blood freeze.  

“Here,” Anastasia said as she plucked it out of Evelyn’s arms. He took the sketch pad and with a surprised looked handed it back to Evelyn. “Well is everything alright with this?” She asked him.  

 “No, it is not,” Donavan said looking at her. 

“Why did you scream?” Justin asked me. 

“I just stubbed my toe.” I said to them. 

“Really it sounded as if you were being set on fire,” Justin said grimacing from the memory of Dr. Andrews’ first session. 

“We were doing,” I gripped the edge of the chair and sighed heavily. “We were…” I swayed and fell into Justin’s arms.  

“Tyler!” He exclaimed as he shook me. I opened my eyes and everything was black and white for a second or two.  

“We were trying to tap into the latest vision,” I said in a grumbling voice. I wheezed in and out, “Salvator et aquosa intra te dare dono dedit lapidemluna.” I then turned on my side and practically hacked up a lung.  

“Jesus!” Justin said as he set me on the bed still coughing. “What are you getting him into?”  

“Nothing we can’t handle,” Anastasia said as she loomed at the foot of the bed frame.  

“Calm down Justin,” I coughed, “I’m fine. This happens every once in a while.” I lied.  

“So your eyes change from your deep green to pale green/brown? And you talk like you are possessed?” Donavan asked me from the doorframe. We all turned to him shocked that anyone had actually brought that up.  

“What do you mean my eyes changed?” I asked him. 

“Nothing,” Justin silenced him and stormed out.  

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” Donavan moped out. I laid back on the bed and sighed heavily again.  

“We are so royally screwed.” I said to them.  

“No we are not,” Evelyn said as she pulled out her iPhone and typed away. “Anastasia is this what Tyler said?” She asked showing Anastasia her phone. 

“Yeah but what does it mean,” She said. 

“Google screwed up the translation but long story short, it is a riddle. Tyler needs to submerge himself in a saving water source to gain the moonstone.”  

“A saving water?” I asked her in confusion.  

“The lake, it saved him when he was dying of the smoke from the fires!” Anastasia said snapping her fingers. “Tyler get your gear there is no time to waste.” I jumped off the bed and picked up my back pack and followed the girls out. We kept watchful glances at Justin as he watched us exit Laney Hall and held our breaths that he didn’t come after us. We walked into the center of campus and didn’t see him in sight pulled a U turn and head for the forest.  

“How much further until the trees give us total cover?” I asked as we trekked through the leaves.  

“About another forty feet but by that time we could reach the lake.” Anastasia said from the lead position up from. Crack.  

“What was that?” Evelyn asked. We stopped and searched the darkening area.  

“Must be a rabbit,” I said as I moved passed her. 

“Yes, a rabbit.” She chuckled. I rolled my eyes at her as she continued to mutter it to herself over and over again.   

“Winter storm is coming tonight, it’s a good thing we are doing this tonight,” Anastasia said as the wind gave way to a chill.  

“Yeah,” I said as I wrapped my arms around myself for warmth. “Hey Evie we are here,” I said turning around to her. “Evie?” I asked not seeing or hearing her. “Anastasia go find her I’ll wait for you guys okay.” I said over my shoulder to her.  

“Don’t do anything stupid okay?” She said as she walked by me. “Evelyn!” She called out as she left me by the lake’s bank. I sat cross legged on the freezing ground and hugged my torso for warmth. Crack. I shot up and looked around hoping to see Anastasia and Evelyn but no one was there.  

“Who’s out there?” I asked looking around the lake. “I will hurt you!” I said drawing my wand. An eerie laughter took flight into the ascending night sky. Clearly my stalker knew my powers were limited thanks to my hybrid side. Ever since the Pimelea was broken I have been able to tap in minor magic. Thanks to the moonstone still controlling the dormant hybrid side I couldn’t access all of my insane powers. “I am not kidding,” I said with force.  

A chilly gust of wind swirled everywhere around the open area leaving me chilled.  I looked to the sky and saw the now rising full moon was now being shrouded by heavy storm clouds. “Shit.” I mumbled. “Anastasia, Evie hurry up!” I yelled out.  A feral growl called back instilling a horrid fear in me. I turned and saw a flash of a figure and next thing I know I have a cut starting at my palm stretching all the way down to middle of my forearm. I winced as I clutched my injured arm.  

“Not cool ya douche,” I yelled. I moved my hand away from the wound and grimaced at the blood. I moved closer to the lake’s edge and submerged my arm under the water. I closed my eyes and sighed as the pain slowly faded. I opened my eyes and my heart stilled. I saw my arm had a creature cleaning my wound. “What are you doing,” I asked the otter like animal. 

“Taking your offering of blood,” its voice crept into my mind, “would you like to enter?”  

“Enter? You mean swim with you?” I asked it.  

“Yes, but if you do you cannot take anything back with you.” Its honey silk voice drifted through my mind. The animal took my arm and slowly dragged my body into the water. I stuck my other arm in and pushed off the edge and sank into the water. 

“Tyler NO!” Anastasia yelled. 

“Don’t worry Tyler,” The otter said, “you will return shortly they need not fear.”  

“Alright,” I said to it, “wait how can I breathe and talk here?” 

“Magic of course.” I nodded and the otter took me further into the lake. “So what brings you back here?”  

“I’m…I can’t remember but I’m glad I came here,” I said as we came to the bottom.  

“The lake is very special and beautiful.” I nodded in agreement and laid on the floor and looked up at the moon.  

Tyler, think clearly! Remember your blood and the moonstone. The blood is the key to find it. I jolted in reaction to the blood connection.  

“Are you alright my friend?”  

“Yeah just remembered something,” I said looking down to my arm.  

“What are you looking at?” It asked nervously. I took my nail and reopened the wound. My blood wafted around me and the otter went ballistic. It shot straight for the blood like a crazed lunatic. It struggled to absorb as much as it could but it couldn’t hold anymore. “Stop it you’ll bleed out!” It shrieked. I shook my head at it. It shrieked once more and swam straight for my throat. I dodged it and swam like crazy to get away from the otter. I paddled as fast as I could to get away but it eventually cornered me and with a demonic look yelled at me, “What on earth were you thinking about doing that.” I woozily looked at it and smiled. “Don’t ever do that again!” It went into a huge lecture that I shouldn’t waste my blood like that. My attention eventually drew beyond the otter to the dark swirling tornado of my blood. “What are you looking at?” The otter asked looking at me with a curious look.  

“It’s so weird,” I said as the tornado shrank until it sank into a white creamy stone. The otter turned and saw the revealed moonstone and turned back to me. “What is that? Is that the moonstone?” I asked happily.  

“Yes it is,” It said in a lowering voice. “You should leave now!”  

“Why?” I asked swimming away out of the corner.  

“Because I told you so.” Its stare bore into my brain and I screamed as my skull felt as if fire ants were burrowing into it. I grabbed my wand and held it to its throat.  

“Stop it or I will…” 

“Hurt me!” It yelled before chomping down on my forearm. “Can’t do it if you are drained of blood,” It mumbled. I grabbed a rock and hit it over the head. It sank down to the floor unconscious. I swam over to the shimmering creamy moonstone and held it firmly in my hand. 

 I pointed my wand to the ground, “Akendia.” I shot up to the surface and smiled as I saw Anastasia still screaming for me. Thud! “Ow!” I screamed as my head bounced off the top of the water.  

“Tyler it’s frozen solid!” Anastasia voice though muffled clearly said.  

“No,” I sighed out as I pounded on the four inch thick ice barrier. “No!” I started yelling.  

“It’s okay Tyler,” Evelyn’s voice gave every hint that this was the absolute opposite of it’s okay.  

“Like hell it is!” I screamed kicking the ice.  

“Look out!” I looked over my shoulder and the crazed otter had grown three times its normal size and had razor sharp teeth.  

“s**t,” I yelled swimming out of its path. It hit the ice leaving a mass crack. “Hmm,” I said to myself. “Come at me you big ugly oaf!” I said flipping it off. It roared and chased after me. I swam as fast as I could to the bottom of the lake and back up.  

“Tyler move!” Anastasia yelled as the otter came up faster than before. It nicked my arm just before it hit the ice hard. This time the otter sank to the bottom and stayed there. I moved to the crack and suppressed a cried of frustration at the ice. There was still another inch left of ice to break through. “If we work together we can get you out,” Anastasia said from above me. I nodded and together we worked on breaking the ice but it didn’t work.  

“Damn it,” I said as my arm grew tired.  

“Anastasia we’ve got trouble,” Evelyn said. 

“Yeah no shitting me we can’t break through this ice.” 

“No like worse it’s Professor Thyro!” Anastasia stood up and saw Justin storming over to them.  

“Tyler stay hidden,” Anastasia said quickly. I sank a little lower but to the point where I could see.  

“What are you two doing out here in a blizzard?” He hollered.  

“Nothing. Just enjoying the first snow,” She yelled over the wind.  

“Have you seen Tyler I was hoping to talk to him about a few things.”  

“No not really, we left him at the library.” I treaded water waiting for them to quit the small talk when something else in the water made itself known. I could feel my own spine quiver in the ominous fear that enclosed itself in the water. I looked down hoping not to see that royally screwed up otter but it was way worse. I could see algae or seaweed or whatever it was growing at rapid rate.  

“Anastasia,” I said warningly looking back up at them. I shrieked as the longest seaweed wrapped itself around my calf and ankle. “ANASTASIA!” I screamed as more of the seaweeds weeded themselves around my legs and arms. I kicked at the weeds trying to break free but it was no use. “ANASTASIA!”  

“Tyler!” Anastasia finally yelled noticing me struggle.  

“What is he doing down there?” Justin yelled watching her punch at the ice.  

“That’s not important he is being attacked!”  

“ANASTASIA!” I screamed as the seaweeds started pulling me down. I could feel the weeds absorbing my blood. I looked up hoping they had broken through but saw Anastasia punching the barrier. The seaweed wrapped itself around my throat and mouth and began pulling faster. “Anastasia!” I muffled. “JUSTIN!” I muffled as I lost sight of them. I heard a crash then splash; I soon felt strong muscular hands pull me free from the weeds and toss me out of the water death trap. I lay on the ice gasping for air in the wintery atmosphere. “Bout time,” I said through shivering lips.  

“Are you alright?” Evelyn asked walking to me. 

“Of course he is not,” Justin informed her, “he just about nearly drowned and is probably going to catch pneumonia if we don’t get him inside pronto.”  

“Here you hold him since you are warm blooded,” Anastasia said picking me up and putting me in his arms. “Evelyn use your magic to try and keep the atmosphere warm around them.” I clung to Justin’s body as if my life depended on, which it did. Normally I could instantly feel his warmth but now I could barely tell he was holding me.  

“Justin,” I managed to say.  

“Yeah,” He asked softly as we trekked through snow and leaves.  

“Thank you.”  

“It’s alright I got you,” He said pressing my head closer to his throat. On the entire way to the hospital wing I never got warm until they put me into a bed, wrapped me in blanket, and put two heating lamps on my body. I felt even better when they gave me some blood, after I lost a lot of it in the lake.