Intertwined

by Cooper Eaton

  I finally found the power of speech and whispered out what measly words I could muster. “You’re… insane.”

  Mr. Dark leaned in, “What was that? I couldn’t hear you.” He said cupping his hand around his ear.

  I leaned in and whispered with everything I had. “You’re insane… There is no way you’ll get away… with… this.”

  Mr. Dark got my message loud and clear this time and it was one that he did not appreciate. Blackness appeared and shoved me backwards! The burning sensation intensified a thousand times as Mr. Dark’s magic retreated into him, leaving me screaming and in complete agony. “Ahhhh! Make it stop! It burns!”

  But it wouldn’t stop. I wanted to die so badly right then. I knew that the original plan of trying to steal the device had been ruined when most of the team sent here to get it had been killed on the trip over. There was no point to live anymore! I was in complete agony and everyone was going to become this madman’s slaves. There is nothing for me to live for anymore!

  But then, out of nowhere, as if by miracle, I saw her! Jessica!

  She emerged from the crowd! Is this actually happening? She looked like an angel floating gracefully towards me! Maybe I am dead. Am I just imagining this?

  But then, Rasben and Jack also emerged from the throng of people, stopping on either side of Jessica. What is happening? And then, as if floodgates had opened; testers began to stream through the crowd to stand behind my friends. Every one of them, all of the testers who’d been killed and put to sleep as well as the few who’d survived stood defiantly shoulder to shoulder!

  I couldn’t believe it! They’re all here! Everyone is here! I looked back to Mr. Dark whose face showed complete shock. “What… how… how are you here?” He questioned in disbelief!

  Without answering, Jessica began running towards me with bright tears running down her beautiful face! But as she closed the gap; abruptly, she stopped! Everyone did! And then I saw them. Black cords were binding them!

  All of them! Mr. Dark had encircled them with immobilizing blackness! They all stared helplessly on as I lay completely powerless on the unforgivingly cold ground.

  I tried igniting some yellow electricity, but I was too weak, the yellow appeared but dissipated instantly as it hit the air. Mr. Dark turned to the group of testers and addressed them. “I’m glad you could all make it, even though you weren’t formally invited, this way you’ll get to see William die.” he looked directly at Jessica, “He’ll be killed right in front of you where you won’t be able to miss it. This is how we treat rebels! They are the filth of the earth, and soon you will all come to see them that way.” he shouted, spittle flying as he raged!

  “I want you all to see what happens to those who cross me!” He screamed! And then thrust his left hand in my direction.

  Everyone else probably thought he was a complete nutcase, but to me, it was terrifying! Black cords of death formed into their deadly spirals circling around each other, reaching up like the buildings behind them. This is it, I’m going to die, and the last thing I’ll ever see is this moment.

  The cords propelled towards me! They seemed to be taking their time, almost as if they were going to enjoy killing me and wanted to savor the moment.

  I looked over to the testers in hopes of seeing Jess one last time! Her beautiful eyes shined with tears as they found mine and stared back hard. I tried to convey that everything would be alright. This is it, I couldn’t convince myself otherwise. There was no coming back from this; this was the last time I would get to see Jessica, or anyone for that matter. I laid aside my burning agony and tried to drink in the experience of seeing everyone for the final time. And then all at once, the words from the beast that’d been in my dream echoed in my head. “If ever you need to overcome obstacles, look outward to those surrounding you and you will find the answer you so desperately seek.”

  I looked to the group of testers almost 100 strong, gathered and unable to move, and suddenly their colors became clear! Greens, blues, and reds all came into focus. They swirled above and around their masters, every which way, as if unsure of what to do. There masters couldn’t move, so what were they supposed to do?

  Then, as if sensing my need for help a few cords of color began to fly towards me! They moved like the crashing waves of an ocean! Their colors dazzled, and the frightening world around me seemed to fade. They were truly spectacular.

  However, it seemed as though whatever help they might’ve provided would come too late as Mr. Dark’s black cords reached me first. The cords began wrapping around me, slowly ever so painfully, tightening their grasp. The Light all around me began to fade as their grasp became too much! The world was losing focus and I was losing life! Goodbye sweet world.

  And then as if by magic, Greens, blues, and reds began flying into my body from all sides! With each cord my strength built. What had been a death grip only moments before, now seemed weak. I pushed the black cords that had encircled me away!

  I felt more powerful, and strong than I’d ever felt!

  With newfound strength I stood! I stood and looked to Mr. Dark who looked back eyes wide! “What the… what is happening?” He mumbled; taken aback!

  And then it happened, my color changed! I looked down at my hands and it happened before my eyes! My once yellow cords turned gold. But not just any gold, this gold was a dark and rich gold! It looks powerful!

  The gold rushed through me giving me strength beyond imagining! My veins seemed to glow with power!

  I didn’t know what was happening, but it felt good! I felt like I was better than those around me, I felt all of my troubles fall away! Nothing can stop me, I’m indestructible!

  Looking down on the once powerful Mr. Dark, he looked just as small and weak as everyone else.

  He screeched. “How is this possible? This isn’t supposed to happen!”

  He tried another burst of black electricity but I slapped it away effortlessly! The once binding power, now felt like a bag of feathers.

  I walked towards him now, I had a mission, and that was to destroy the truly evil man before me.

  With every step I took towards him, the once powerful and all-knowing Mr. Dark seemed to tremble more and more. “This isn’t right! I’m sorry. I’m sorry for everything I said. You can be on my side! You can rule over all people. If you let me live, I can teach you, I can make you a god with more power than you could ever wish for!” He fired off pleadings.

  “I don’t need you Mr. Dark! I would never choose you over the people I love. How can you even ask of such a thing? You’ve always been the one with all of the power and answers, how does it feel to be on the other side? I’m going to finish you, so that the world never ever again has to deal with an insane man who desires to control it!” I shouted at him with a sudden power behind my voice.

  Seeing that I was going to kill him, Mr. Dark dropped to his knees. “If you're going to kill me then you should know that there are others like me and they are closer than you think. They will want you dead, and they are far more powerful than you could ever imagine! When they come, and they will, you will suffer the same fate as me. You will beg for your life, and they will deny you it. Then, you will remember me sitting here pleading for mercy. Then you will wonder why you did not grant it. Because in your heart you’ll know that I could have helped you become ready. You’ll know that together we could’ve defeated them and only then, when you are about to die and those you love are about to die will you truly feel the repercussion of what you are about to do.”

  I knew he was stalling; he’s trying to save his own skin, he has no intention of ever helping me, or does he? What if there are others like him? Could I stand up against them, do I need Mr. Dark?

  Mr. Dark seeing my pause pressed on. “I can help you. Together we can become more powerful than anyone alive. We can rule together! It will be only you and me, and together we will live like gods! We will be treated royally and no one will dare to insult us!
We’ll have everything.”

  I’ll never be like him! I don’t want to be worshipped, I wanted to worship. I want to worship Jessica and fulfill her every need. I don’t want more power than I could ever dream of, I just want to wake up in the morning and know that I’m loved. I want a life of trials and rewards; so that when the good times come I can enjoy them that much more. This man is evil, and it’s time to relieve the world of its burden.

  I stretched forth my hands and golden light shot forth! It rushed towards Mr. Dark only to be met by his full resistance. He put of a black shield but my golden light surrounded it and pressed down on it with tremendous force! The blackness was vanishing, and along with it Mr. Dark’s protection. His face showed that of dread.

  He let his shield go, and my golden light swooped in and zapped him instantly! His body fell to the ground lifeless. The lifeless shell fell without so much as a puff of dirt. A whisper of blackness may have escaped, but I couldn’t be sure.

  A few silent moments passed, as the gathered crowd stared at Mr. Dark’s lifeless body in shock, but it didn’t last long. Like a crashing wave, chaos broke loose! The testers once again could move and their cords of color escaped from me, returning to their owners. Without the golden power that came from many cords working together, I fell to the ground and my immense pain returned! The burning sensation was back, and my open wounds began to sting as if needles were being poked in them!

  Guards rushed in trying to capture the testers and disperse the crowd. I’m guessing they were planning on taking vengeance for their fallen leader. But there was nothing I could do! I couldn’t move, I couldn’t run, I couldn’t do anything but lay on the ground in complete agony!

  The guards pushed forward and were surrounding us! They were almost on me when another group of armed men and women ran in and began firing upon the government guards! An all-out ray firefight broke out and I could only watch in horror as men and women on both sides were struck with cries of pain.

  This has to be Felicia’s squad, but where is she? It didn’t look like the rebels protecting me had enough people. They were being overrun by the overwhelming amount of guards that seemed to be spawning everywhere!

  Suddenly, Jessica appeared above me. Her eyes filled with pain as they gazed down at my torn and battered body. She kneeled beside me cupping my head in her hands. “Oh, William, you’ll be all right. You’re going to be okay.”

  “I’ll be alright, but we need to get out of here first.” I said trying get to my feet but to no avail.

  She placed her hand on my chest, “You can’t, you’ll just hurt yourself.” She whispered down to me in broken and heart wrenching sobs. “I should have been here for you, I’m so sorry.”

  “Then, they could lay us in body bags together. What happened was unpreventable, I’m just glad you’re okay. I should have listened to you, I should have believed you. It’s too late now, but you can still get to safety. You need to go, run, get out of here! Save yourself; I’ll find a way out, I promise.” I said, choking; as I began to cough up blood amidst the ray fire fight surrounding us.

  She wiped her eyes and put on a look of steely determination. “I won’t let you die on me William Rose! Either we both get out of here, or we die together!”

  I looked into her eyes and realized that I loved this girl. She means more to me than anything the world can offer. I wish I could lay in her arms forever. But I knew I had to convince her to leave me and escape. She couldn’t die because of me, I wouldn’t have it!

  The guards were suddenly very close! The rebels had been pushed so far back, that ray fire was landing all around us! If I didn’t get Jessica to leave she would die.

  “You have to go, if I mean anything to you, you’ll leave now. I can’t come with you, but I’ll still be with you. Just promise to remember me. Please leave, and know that I loved you.” I finished and looked into her eyes, willing her to leave.

  Instead she leaned forward and wrapped my broken body in her arms. “I love you William. I’ve loved you for a while now. I wish things could have been different for the two of us.” Then she leaned in and kissed me!

  Our lips met and everything broke loose! Feelings of passion overwhelmed my body and drowned out the pain. I found enough strength in my battered arms to wrap them around her. Her lips tasted salty from the warm tears she’d been shedding for me. Her warm, soft lips pressed against my own, lighting my world afire. The world seemed to stop, and despite the chaos around us everything felt perfect. I could’ve stayed in that moment forever.

  Then she pulled back slightly, letting her lips linger for a moment before pulling away.

  Stray ray fire landed only inches away from us. “I love you Jessica, you’re the best thing that ever happened to me. If I get through this I will find you.” She leaned in, and our lips brushed once more.

  “We’ll see each other again William, I know it.” With renewed tears, she stood, turned, and slipped away from my almost lifeless body. She ran without looking back.

  The last few rebels fell, and I was surrounded. This is it! Farwell world!

  “Zing, zing, zing” Ray fire from the sky abruptly tore into the gathered group of guards, sending them running! What is happening? I thought, suddenly woozy and unable to look around me. I gently laid my head down unable to support it, and that’s when I saw it! A giant disk hovercraft swooped past me!

  “Boom, boom, boom!” Ray fire slammed into guards and cement, sending rubble raining down on burnt bodies flying everywhere! Everything seemed surreal. What is going on, where am I?

  The disk landed quickly and its back door lowered slowly. Standing there were Josh and Felicia. Why are they here? They each held ray blasters and began firing upon the unsuspecting guards. After firing for a minute, Felicia noticed me lying there.

  Now, keeping my eyes open seemed nearly impossible. No matter how hard I tried I couldn’t seem to focus. My pain seemed to have vanished, replaced by an all-encompassing tiredness.

  I hopped I’d been seen, but it didn’t look like anyone was coming for me. It didn’t really matter anymore, I’m dying! I felt very cold, and could feel the life inside me slipping away. Darkness began to set in and my eyes closed like a giant cell door shutting, for the last time.

  Chapter 22: Wrapping Things Up

  Color returned to my world in an instant. The sunlight from a small window blinded me briefly. The room although small was definitely some sort of medical one. Instruments lay everywhere and the smell was unmistakably antiseptic. A bell gave a short buzz, and a nurse came hurrying in. “He’s awake.” She yelled over her shoulder. She continued walking until she got to my bedside. “You sure took your sweet time waking up.” She said jokingly as she began to check my vitals. “Everything seems to be in order. “You are doing pretty well, considering you should’ve died.”

  I wanted to ask her; where am I, what is happening, where is everybody? But the questions died in my throat as Damian walked through the small white door.

  “He’s alive, it’s a miracle.” He shouted raising his hands. “How do you feel?”

  Finding my voice was hard. My throat was very dry and tasted of blood. “I’d feel a lot better if someone would tell me what was going on.”

  “Do you remember anything?” He asked.

  “I remember taking down Mr. Dark and then about to die. I remember a disk swooping in and shooting all of my attackers. Am I missing anything?”

  “Phew!” He was clearly relieved. “I’m so glad I don’t have to recount the story of your heroics back to you.” He chuckled grinning from ear to ear.

  I felt a slight blush fill my cheeks. “It was nothing, anyone would have done it.” I replied trying to shake off the embarrassment of being complimented.

  “That is where you are wrong. I doubt anyone had the courage to do what you did. You have true bravery and for that, the entire rebel force is truly thankful.”

  Don’t get me wrong, I don’t
hate the fact that I’m being complimented, but I feel like I need to change the subject and get the spotlight off of myself. “Speaking of the rebel force, where is everybody?”

  “I’m sorry, we couldn’t all be here, but the war with the government has grown very heated in your absence.” He looked at me again and saw that I clearly hadn’t meant his rebels.

  “Oh, you mean your friends. My mistake. Unfortunately, the news isn’t great; we couldn’t find Jessica or Jack after the ray fight and it seems as though Chris may have joined the government forces and now fights against us.

  “What? Why… How… why would he do that? He was one of my closest friends! There is no way that he would go with them willingly!”

  Seeing my clear anger over the injustice, Damian tried to calm me down. “We don’t know for sure if he went with them willingly, we will have to do some research, and as soon as you’re feeling better we can work on a plan for freeing him if that becomes the necessary course of action.”

  I can live with that. “So, what exactly is wrong with me?” I asked crossing my fingers.

  “Not much now. The first few days you were in critical care, but you have come a long way over the past week.”

  “I’ve been in here for a week?”

  “Well, actually a little over, but you’ve made quite the recovery. The doctors have been able to cast the few broken bones you suffered, and with the use of extraneous ointment the majority of you road burn and shredded skin has healed. The main cause for concern was that you suffered a punctured lung. Luckily, the doctors were able to re-inflate it and they told me you will be healed in record time. You were quite lucky.”

  “I can’t believe I’ve been here for over a week.”

  “Well, in that time, your name has become a household one. The world saw your incredible feats of mystically defeating a government official who was both hated and despised.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Well, thanks to a news crew that snuck past guards to film Mr. Dark's “revealing,” all of your acts were broadcasted live to the world. Everyone saw your exchange and how you somehow overpowered him with your mind. The world saw Dark’s lifeless body and it’s mystifying everyone! If they aren’t talking about you, then they don’t own a transparency screen. You are as close to a celebrity as anyone has been in the past few decades.” He paused briefly, letting the magnitude of what he was saying sink in. “I hope you aren’t mad, but we’re using you as the face of the rebel group. The people love you, they love that you had the courage to stand up to the oppressive government. You’ve helped them believe that they too can stand up and fight back. Thanks to you, our rebel numbers have increased dramatically and we now have more support from the citizens. What you’ve done is truly amazing and I thank you for it, but enough talk, I’m so glad that you’ve awakened, and I want to let you rest. Although, before I leave I want to know if you’d be willing to help the rebels strike while the iron is hot? I believe that with the people behind us, we can succeed.” He paused, waiting intently for my reply.