by M. J. Sewall
Ariana caught, then flung Derek back to John. Derek focused. He managing to get his relic knife out, the very knife he’d used on his own Elder. When he was close enough, he sliced John’s arm.
John caught Derek, made a grunt of pain and knocked the knife out of his hand. It fell to the tower roof. He threw Derek to Zacke.
“John, are you okay?” asked Lucas.
“I’ll be fine. Let’s end this,” said John.
Then David’s voice rang out, “Over here!”
Zacke smiled. Derek tried to twist his body to see who is was, but Zacke took his arm and spun in a circle, then launched Derek like a Frisbee.
Derek tumbled around and around and finally hit something that stopped him for good. There was a terrible pain in his stomach, and he was surprised to be face to face with David, who floated next to his son Cody. The terrible pain, he saw, was the relic sword. It went all the way through, and stuck out his back.
Derek tried to look down, and managed, “Witness… is that…?”
“The relic sword, yes. My name is David. Goodbye forever.”
Derek’s face twisted in fury as dozens of lifetimes came to an end. David tipped the sword down, and the body slid off the blade.
The ancient foe tumbled to the ground a hundred feet below, landing next to the base of the tower.
They all landed on the fire tower roof. As the adrenaline faded, the first waves of shock sank in. They sat on the roof in a rough circle. A few shook like it was cold, others cried freely. The emotional and physical fight took its toll on all of them.
The group heard sirens far in the distance, knowing they were headed their way. They had little time to come up with a story.
After a quick, decisive discussion, one version of events was agreed upon. John repeated it aloud so they could let it sink into their minds, “You were kidnapped before the dance. You fought back in the car, and were almost out of town when the two men lost control and had to pull over. You all jumped out, and ran for the tower. The two men subdued the two student guards. Zacke broke away from the group while the others ran up the tower. He tried to stop the men with the fire systems, but was unsuccessful. On his way to help them at the tower, one man chased him into the flood tunnels and had his fatal accident. Just deny seeing elder Ordway at all. There are no cameras on the roof, so no one could prove anything that happened up here. Zacke, you’re sure Lucas’ ground fight happened in a camera blind-spot?”
“Pretty sure,” said Zacke. “We got lucky there.”
John continued, “Then you all made it to the roof and tried to subdue the second man, who accidentally fell from the tower. An autopsy might find the sword wound, but from that fall, probably not. One of the boy guards didn’t see us subdue him. The other one who pepper sprayed Zacke, will be a problem.”
“I’ll take care of Billy.” Lucas said with steel in his voice.
“The story is flimsy. You all need to tell the same version. It will be five against Billy’s version,” said John.
David knew what John was going to say next.
“The only thing that we can’t explain is David and I. We had to be caught on camera somewhere. If we don’t disappear, the questions will be too hard to answer.”
David finished the thought, “If we vanish, the authorities are more likely to believe your story.”
“No! There’s… there’s got to be another way. Dad, I just found you,” said Cody.
David hugged his son. “I know. But we must leave, Cody. The story is shaky enough. I’ll come back. I promise.”
“So will I,” said John. “But quietly, when all of you have made your decisions about whether to continue the fight.”
Lucas asked, “What about your wound? Doesn’t that mean you won’t move on to the next body?”
John nodded, “Yes. It means this is my last body. I’ll age like everyone else. If I don’t get myself killed, that is. Then all the lives I’ve lived will come to an end.”
“That’s sad,” said Ariana.
“Not really,” said John. “I’ve lived enough. Memories going back... well, too long. I have a lot left to do in this life. It will be nice to know it will end, eventually.”
The sirens had reached the campus perimeter and people were headed their way.
John said, “The link is fading, but David and I should be able to get off this tower and away well enough. We will see each other again.”
Emotional goodbyes were said. John and David flew off.
The police questions were endless. They knew there would be trouble with Billy, the only one who saw strange things happen. It was highly unlikely that anyone would believe him. The police did seem to eventually believe the five of them. They were all seen as victims.
School wouldn’t start until Monday. That gave them Sunday to tell their stories to family and friends. It felt strange to disconnect with each other, like they’d always been so intimately linked. But they would always be bound by their shared experiences.
There would be a lot to decide for the five new friends.
***
Sunday morning, Lucas went to see Billy.
Billy’s mother answered the door, “Lucas, isn’t it? It’s so nice to see you. Want to come inside? Billy’s in his room. What a crazy week. I still think Billy is confused. I’m so sorry to hear what happened to you. Kidnapping? Men with guns? It’s all over the internet. You’re a local celebrity.”
Lucas tried to act casual, like he wasn’t on enemy territory. He smiled at Billy’s mom. “Thanks. Yeah, it was scary up there. Is that his room?”
“Oh, sorry. Yes, have fun.” she motioned to Billy’s room and thought to herself that Lucas looked a lot older than his fifteen years. She walked into her garden wondering why Billy and Lucas hadn’t been closer friends.
Lucas thought about Billy’s mom. Does she not know that I was one of Billy’s victims? She probably had no idea what Billy was like to the outside world.
Lucas’ parents had wanted to talk with Billy’s parents, especially after the suicide attempt. Lucas wouldn’t let them. He didn’t want to give his bully the satisfaction of saying he had whined to his parents.
He thought about just opening the bedroom door, but that’s something Billy might do. He knocked.
“Come in,” said Billy.
Lucas opened the door to Billy’s room. The bully he’d hated for so long, the monster of his childhood, had a bedroom that looked much like his own room. Star Wars poster, a band poster featuring musicians that he listened to. They might have been friends. Billy had chosen a different path.
Ear buds in, Billy laid back on his bed, laptop open. He glanced up, saw Lucas. Lucas closed the door firmly, and stood there as Billy slipped off his ear buds. Billy rose slowly from his bed. His posture wasn’t the swaggering bully, but he wasn’t scared either.
“They’re calling me a liar.”
“I know,” said Lucas.
“You and your little friends are the liars, Lucasfi…” the look in Lucas’s eyes stopped Billy. He continued, “They’re probably going to kick me out of the Explorers if I keep telling the truth.”
Lucas said, “What you say is up to you.”
“You’re not here to change my mind?”
“No.” Lucas said, “I’m here to say I forgive you.”
Billy blinked in surprise, then his face reddened, “What? What the fu…?”
Lucas stepped up to Billy, still a few inches shorter, but Billy flinched anyway.
Lucas clarified, “I forgive you because I can’t hold onto this anger anymore. I’m done with it.”
“You? Angry at me?” Billy tried to smirk, but found he couldn’t. He was sweating. “Why, because I hurt your feelings? Because you got pushed around a little? Man up.”
He almost told him that he’d tried to kill himself, in part, because all the years of fear. But he didn’t.
Billy had not earned the right to know that.
Lucas smiled, feeling the r
elief of forgiveness. “I’m calling a permanent truce,” he said, and extended his hand to Billy.
He looked at the hand, back to Lucas, “We’ll see about that.” Billy took Lucas’ hand.
Billy’s face changed when Lucas squeezed. Billy didn’t cry out, but slowly shrank until he was sitting on his bed again. Lucas stopped the pressure to his hand just before he broke a bone. He didn’t stoop down to Billy, just stood tall.
Lucas hadn’t let go of his former bully’s hand, “Billy, it wasn’t a request. I’m putting you out of business. Stop being a dick. If you ever give a funny look to anyone at school, I will come for you in the night. They will never find your body.”
Shock mixed with fear covered Billy’s face. Lucas kept firm pressure on the hand.
“Do you understand?” asked Lucas calmly.
“Yes,” Billy said through gritted teeth.
“Say it.”
Billy closed his eyes. “I understand.”
“Good.”
Lucas released Billy’s hand, knowing it would be sore for days. He didn’t look back to his former bully. He just left.
Outside, the sun hit his face and he felt years of wasted hate fall from him.
There would be many trials ahead, but he had four other people who understood him like no one else ever could.
Whatever they faced, they would do it together.
AUTHOR NOTE
Some people ask why I didn’t use a real city in California. Many of the landmarks I write about are very much like real places, but the names and details have been changed. I didn’t want to be tied down to all the physics of real life – how many miles away was that beach? how big was that Spanish Mission Church? What’s the actual population of that town?
This is a love letter to a special place, but my version of it. I embellished heavily and didn’t want the tap on the shoulder, “Umm, Mr. Sewall, the camera system doesn’t work that way.” It works that way in my story. It’s a fantasy. Hopefully a fun, awesome, exciting fantasy. I think it’s okay to make real places fantastical.
If you liked, or even better, loved this book please leave a review on Amazon.com or Goodreads.com (or anywhere else you can tell the world how amazing the book was). If you hate my stories, you can always yell and throw things at me at mjsewall.com
Thanks for taking the ride.
M J Sewall,
October 2016
THANKS AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
To everyone that helped me with this weird little story, thank you.
But especially:
My wonderful editors, Mindy T. Conde and Natalie McDermott. You continue to amaze.
Aidan McCalister, Alyssa Shultz, Anna Chastain, Brian Dillard, Carol Weible, Chelsea McKinney, Danielle O’Brien, Ellen Hecht, Emma Chastain, Fiona Jayde, Hillary Frye, Irene Getchel, Janet Wallace, Jason Flint, Jenna Elizabeth Johnson, Jennifer Honey Moore, Lea Shultz, Mandy Griffith, Michele Casteel, Nellie Sewall, Preston Frye, Rose Torres, Ryne Torres
AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY
M J Sewall lives on the spectacular Central California Coast. Spoiled, soft in the middle and not as smart as some people think, he generally keeps to himself. He can be seen at locally eateries and book stores. Not a joiner in general, he avoids most gatherings of people; especially if they are talking politics.
Always eager to talk about story in all forms, feel free to contact the author anytime.
Especially if you like his books.
For more information, please visit mjsewall.com
PROLOGUE - 2004 – SRI LANKA
CHAPTER ONE – ZACKE
CHAPTER TWO – KATIE
CHAPTER THREE – CODY
CHAPTER FOUR – ARIANA
CHAPTER FIVE – LUCAS
CHAPTER SIX - THE ELDER
CHAPTER SEVEN - BULLY
CHAPTER EIGHT - TARZANA
CHAPTER NINE - JOHN
CHAPTER TEN - LAST SHIFT
CHAPTER ELEVEN - NIGHT WALK
CHAPTER TWELVE - LAST BELL
CHAPTER THIRTEEN - DAVID
CHAPTER FOURTEEN - THE BIG GAME
CHAPTER FIFTEEN - WARRIOR INSIDE
CHAPTER SIXTEEN - MEGAN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN - REPORT
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN - FAMILY
CHAPTER NINETEEN - MISSION
CHAPTER TWENTY - HOME
CHAPTER TWENTY ONE - THE BEACH
CHAPTER TWENTY TWO - TRUE COST
CHAPTER TWENTY THREE - PARENTS
CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR - THE PLAN
CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE - LOYALTY
CHAPTER TWENTY SIX - LAST CHANCE
CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN - MEETING
CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT - THE DAY BEFORE
CHAPTER TWENTY NINE - THE MORNING OF
CHAPTER THIRTY - DANGEROUS NIGHT
CHAPTER THIRTY ONE - ACADEMY
CHAPTER THIRTY TWO - THE TOWER
CHAPTER THIRTY THREE - FIGHT
AUTHOR NOTE
THANKS AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY
