Chapter 23 - ARIZONA
968 Words
The night is pretty. The shadows and the moonlight wrap around me, comforting like my Mama’s arms. For a second I think I see her, tears streaming down her face, urging me to run, to live.
“I have to tell you this right now, girl.” The Fairy is talking. “ I don’t think we will make it. We will get caught. The three of us. And we will die.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence. Now I feel as if I will get back my sister and save Rosa.”
The Fairy sighs. “I am trying to give you a chance.” He says. “If caught, we would die feeling the worst pain possible. I would rather not take others with me.”
“So you will go?” I chime in and feel a little bit awkward when both the Fairy and Adrian looks at me. “But you just said…”
“I said, Witch, that I don’t want to take others with me.”
“Maybe, “Arrian says, “You should ask people what they want to do and let them decide it for themselves.”
We are close. I can see the dark Vortex, swirling maliciously. It feels like a huge maw, waiting, always hungry. Ready to swallow anything and everything that crosses its path.
“You can just let us in?” I ask.
For the first time since I’ve seen him, the Fairy smiles. “Do not be scared, Witch.” He makes as if to ruffle my hair but stops himself. “I will not let it eat you.”
“Her name is Ari,” Adrian says, taking my hand. Although I cannot make out her expression in the dark, I’m sure she has looked at her sister the same way she looks at me now. A little place in my heart hurts.
It’s not fair! I don’t want to die!
As I try to blink back my tears, Adrian squeezes my hand. “We will find a way to help you, I promise,” She whispers.
At this, the Fairy fidgets slightly. “You shouldn’t…” He begins but at a look from Adrian, he falls silent.
“Let’s save them first,” I say, wiping my tears. “We should go.”
Knight walks up to the huge maw of darkness that looks like it wants to eat everything in its path.
“Knight, the sword of Dreamscape, the shield for my kind during darkness, requests that you grant two passengers access.”
For one second, nothing happened. Then a voice speaks – a voice with evil suffused in every syllable.
“I cannot grant your wish, Protector, for there are things I am not supposed to grant access to the Dreamscape unless the order comes from Siren.”
“You granted a human access before.”
The thing’s laugh is ugly. Like the huge giant’s grin in the story, my Mama told me a long time ago.
“I am not speaking of merely granting access to a human. I am speaking of granting access to a human who has foolishly allied herself to a Witch.”
Of course…
I don’t know why but tears just freely flow at the thing’s words. It shouldn’t affect me like this. It is as much of a monster as I am. Yet…
“The Witch’s magic is draining. It cannot harm the Dreamscape or anybody inside.” Knight says firmly. “Let her pass. She means well. So does the human.”
The Vortex hisses angrily, the blackness of its endless depths seeming to glare at me. “Never trust a monster. No matter how weak she is. No matter how innocent she presents herself.”
“That’s enough!” Adrian shouts. “Ari is not a monster.”
“Do not speak, human! Your mind is unable to process the truth. Do not dare to question things of higher intelligence than you! This is exactly why I will not let you pass.”
I can feel the anger rising in Adrian. But it is Knight who cooly steps in to answer. “If you let the Head Witch in, I don’t understand why you have a problem with the child.”
“There was a treaty!”
“There is a treaty between us too.” Knight says. “We are… “
“We are friends.” I take a step forward. “We only mean good for the Dreamscape. I will never dream of harming a single soul inside. Please…”
“Am I to believe, Witch, that you, the outcast, the dying, will not try to take advantage of the place that is the home of all magic. That you are not looking for a way to save yourself?”
“I am not. I don’t…”
“Swear it!” The Vortex shouts. “Swear that you will not try to find any assistance inside the Dreamscape. That you will not seek the assistance of any Fairies to prolong your miserable existence.”
“Ari, no!” Adrian pulls me back. “You need-“
But I slowly extract myself away from her. Tears sting my eyes again as I look at Adrian, imagining a different world where maybe she could have been my friend and sister.
“I am sorry, Addie,” I say. Then I turn to the Vortex, staring at the darkness oozing from it right in the face. “I swear.”
- Writer
