Darkest Designs

by Dale Mayer

  Watching the confusion and turmoil on Eric’s face, Storey realized how much she’d come to care for many of the Torans – especially Eric. He was special. And she’d even developed a kinship to Paxton. He was the only other person who’d bonded to a stylus that she knew of, after all.

  Broken One, can we proceed?

  Yes. Draw Tammy in her home. Make her happy and glad to see you. Connect emotionally.

  That wouldn’t be hard. Tammy had always been happy to see Storey. She’d been taken captive by a party of her own people hoping to force her father to take them home. Storey had saved her.

  She picked up her stylus, and sank into the memory. There’d been such a glow in the girl’s eyes when she’d realized she hadn’t been deserted. That someone cared enough to help her. She’s been so despondent before that, the contrast on her face had been emblazoned on Storey’s memory. With that picture of hope, of joy, she overlaid the last glimpse she’d had of Tammy as her father walked away with her in his arms.

  Her hand moved, slowly at first, carefully laying the picture down as she had it in her mind. Then she picked up speed. The stylus moved with such finesse and such accuracy, she knew she couldn’t be doing it on her own. In fact, she’d have to admit this drawing was stronger, and more powerful than anything she’d done before.

  Was that the addition of the Broken One?

  Yes. We are one.

  Stylus, this is only a picture of Tammy, don’t I need to draw a portal as well?

  We are doing that at the same time, her stylus said. The comforting sound of her own stylus made her sigh happily. Their connection was more than just instrument and operator. She’d like the think the sense of familiarity she had with her stylus was the beginning of friendship. She’d fought to keep her stylus. And even now couldn’t begin to imagine life without it. Him. Them. She shrugged. She understood they were a collective of souls, but since she heard them as one voice, she thought of it as him. Right or wrong.

  Of course being soul bound, if they were separated, she’d die.

  Thank you.

  She stilled. For what?

  For feeling the sense of connection that has been missing in our world. As we have bonded to the stylus, we have also bonded to you. And you to us. That makes our relationship more than it has been before. It makes us whole.

  But you were bonded to a scientist before, correct?

  Correct. We bonded to him for our existence, but he did not bond to us.

  Ah, she said. So no mental, or emotional connection.

  Or respect.

  She pursed her lips at that.

  “Storey? Are you even watching what you are doing?”

  She glanced over at Eric to see him staring at her in confusion. She blinked and looked down at her picture. She’d drawn a photographic image of Tammy in a dwelling of some kind. Her arms were open as if waiting for a hug and the smile on her face tugged at Storey’s heart. She barely heard her own happy gasp at the look of joy in Tammy’s eyes. The picture was stunning in its detail. And still her hand flashed and darted, adding a line here, a shadow there.

  “I so want to keep this after we are done.” She said. She stared at the warmth in Tammy’s eyes. And saw, tucked into Tammy’s hair, was her pet, Skorky. Storey chuckled. She’d even be happy to see the rat-like critter again.

  “It’s stunning, but look, you’ve got a door in front of her, one we can walk through. Except it’s so small and the paper itself is small…how is this going to work?” Eric’s tone was exasperated. Doubt twisted his lips as he shook his head. “This can’t work. We’ve always had a piece of paper large enough to step into. Drawn the way you have it, it’s a door like you did in Paxton’s lab that first time, only you did it so it appeared at the end of a hallway. Like a perspective drawing.”

  “We can always use more paper,” she suggested.

  Not necessary. This is functional.

  Storey lifted her eyebrow and repeated the stylus’s words to Eric.

  He turned to study the drawing in progress. Then got up, walked behind her and stared down over her shoulder. “Really?” he muttered. “If you say so. Then can we go? This damn place is starting to give me the creeps.”

  Storey almost laughed at hearing her thoughts coming out of his mouth. But he wouldn’t appreciate it at this time. Or any time.

  Then her hand stopped moving. Such an abrupt halt it startled her. She wondered if she could ever do art on her own ever again. With the stylus having become such a creative force behind her drawings, she’d never know what was her art and what was their art.

  You will know.

  Maybe. It wasn’t the issue right now. She turned her attention to the sketchpad. She understood what Eric was saying. It didn’t look big enough to be of use. Then this wasn’t exactly a normal dimension.

  Exactly.

  “So how do we make this work?” She stood up. She held the picture out in front so both she and Eric could study it.

  “Tammy looks so happy to see us, doesn’t she?” And that made Storey anxious to see her. That little girl was special.

  “Keep in mind – this is a drawing. The stylus can make her look as it wants her to look. That doesn’t make it real. Or correct.”

  Ah, Eric’s pragmatic approach to life. “Then let’s find out.”

  “How?”

  The stylus was silent.

  Hmmm. Storey studied the picture. She looked up at Eric. “I think they’re expecting us to know what to do with this.”

  He snorted. “Like that’s going to happen.” He waved an arm around. “We can’t do anything here.”

  That wasn’t quite true. They could do a lot. They just had to think differently. She created the rules here…somewhat. She wondered…could it be that easy? She remembered back to when she’d first arrived, and finding how falling and stopping worked, that so much of it was done by mental control. So if the perspective was the issue, then could she pin this paper to…the fog…and have it hang there?

  Holding the paper gently, she detached it from the book and giving Eric a reassuring smile, she mentally, and physically, pinned the picture to the wall of fog.

  It stayed there.

  She grinned and stepped back. “There.”

  “Well it’s hanging, but so what?”

  As she studied the painting, she had to laugh. Unbelievable. Being a couple of feet in front of her, the fog had moved in, sliding a slight veil around the picture.

  Giving it a distance. A perspective.

  “Take another look at it.”

  Eric planted his hands on his hips and stared at the picture. She stared at him. And watched as he saw it. “The atmosphere here is making the perspective happen as if the picture is real and the fog is real.”

  “Right, we’re approaching Tammy’s home in deep fog conditions and look, there’s a light in the picture.”

  He gave a short bark of a laugh. “So we just walk forward?”

  “I’m guessing so.”

  She reached out for his hand. He clasped hers in his much larger one. Together they walked the short distance to the door. As they arrived, the door in the picture opened.

  And they walked through.

  ***

  Eric couldn’t help holding his breath as they entered the drawing. But just as with all the other strange portals Storey and her stylus had created, he stepped into a whole new world.

  And a familiar sound had him dropping Storey’s hand to clap both palms over his ears. He groaned, barely hearing Storey call out, “Tammy, hush. It’s me, Storey.”

  The sound cut off instantly. Tammy’s eyes widened. Then she launched herself from where she’d been sitting at Eric and Storey.

  Eric, knowing the size of the bomb about to blast them, tried to brace himself, but she knocked him back several steps, while they both knocked Storey over.

  Storey cried out, then all Eric heard was her laughter. He disentangled himself from Tammy’s legs and turned. He grinned. Storey
was lying down and Tammy almost eclipsed her as she lay on top. Skorky raced over and around both of them, getting in the way as they laughed. Storey was tickling the chubby little Louer who wiggled frantically to get away, but at the same time, obviously didn’t want to go anywhere.

  “Torrey.”

  Storey, her grin splitting her face almost in two, hugged her close. Skorky dashed over Storey’s head to take up residence on Tammy’s shoulder, his beady eyes bright and curious. Tammy’s over-bright eyes looked up at Eric. She sniffled happily. Something warm and fuzzy bloomed in Eric’s heart. He’d never felt anything like it. At this moment, he couldn’t be happier. They were in danger, had just survived what could have been an endless hell, yet seeing Storey and Tammy together made up for all of it.

  He’d never thought to see Tammy again. Hadn’t given any energy to wishing that any different. Now that he saw her, and her connection to Storey, he realized how much he’d missed the little girl himself. He’d just shut those emotions down, believing that a relationship wasn’t possible.

  Then Tammy scrambled to her feet and wrapped her arms around him. He hugged her tight.

  Once again his world had shifted. Thanks to Storey.

  Storey finally managed to clamber to her feet. She took several deep breaths and rejoiced. They were free from In-between and they’d successfully reached Tammy. As Tammy and Eric enjoyed their reunion, she glanced around at Tammy’s small room. Dirt walls again. Maybe that’s all her people knew.

  Or maybe that’s all they’d been able to achieve so far. But Tammy appeared to have a bed, something like a small table and there’d been an attempt made to carve shelves into one wall. With Tammy’s few things, like Storey’s bag, she’d made the little room look like home.

  On one wall were scratch drawings. Tammy’s artwork, she presumed, studying the stick men in the picture. She walked closer. A small hand snuck into hers. Tammy reached out with her other hand and tapped the wall with the artwork.

  Skorky ran across Tammy’s arm to jump on a ledge and stare at them.

  “Torrey.” She tapped the wall and one skinny stick figure. Tammy grinned up at her. Storey was entranced. For the whole time she’d looked after Tammy, the child had shown little to no facial expressions. As if their race didn’t use them. Over time, Tammy had learned to mimic more of the expressions she’d seen on Eric and Storey.

  But this appeared to be her first spontaneous grin.

  And it was beautiful. Storey bent, hugged the little girl, and said, “Thank you Tammy.”

  “Storey, do you think you can communicate with her again? Now that the styluses apparently contacted her?”

  “I don’t know.” She straightened. “Tammy, do you know how to communicate with me, now?”

  No response. She closed her eyes. Stylus. Can you help me to communicate with Tammy?

  Don’t need help. Tammy here.

  Storey gasped and opened her eyes. She shared a special smile with Tammy, then turned to face Eric, excitement and that wonderful sense of connection flowing through her. “Tammy is here and we can communicate!”

  “Telepathically, of course. Which means I’m only going to be able to get half the conversation again.” He rolled his eyes in exaggeration, but his smile eased any sting.

  She smiled back at him. “I’m sorry for that. Maybe you can learn to communicate telepathically as well.”

  Torrey?

  Storey turned back to Tammy. Yes?

  Are you in trouble?

  Storey groaned loudly, but kept a smile on her face. We are. This time you helped save us!

  Tammy danced several steps. Then her steps slowed as if understanding what would come next. Are you leaving again?

  Soon. I need to return to my home first. Then come back here for another quick visit. Maybe if we can talk this way now, we can talk once I return home, too.

  Tammy’s face lit up.

  “What brought that on?” Eric asked.

  Storey laughed, holding out her hand to Tammy. “I was telling her that now we might be able to keep in touch.”

  “Do you think that would work across dimensions?” Eric frowned. “If that’s the case, I might have to try to learn. Then we could stay in touch all the time.”

  “And if that doesn’t work, you could get me a codex that allows me to write messages like you’ve been doing with Paxton. It wouldn’t be as good as telepathy, but we would be in constant contact. Instead of planning visits.” She chuckled. “Or better yet – you should get a stylus of your own.”

  “That’s not likely to happen.” He pulled up his codex and considered it. “I think both of these have that ability. He lifted her wrist, reminding her that she wore one already. “We’ll test it later. First, are we going back to Paxton’s lab or to your home world? As much as Tammy is happy to see us, I’m not so sure about her father.”

  Right. The leader of the Louers, Tammy’s father, had knocked them out with their nasty telepathic weapon the last time they’d seen him. The horrible noise that made an unconscious state actually preferable.

  She glanced down at Tammy. Tammy does your father know we are here?

  She nodded. Storey gasped. Did he know ahead of time?

  No.

  So how does he know now?

  Tammy cocked her head and frowned up at Storey in confusion. He can hear us, of course.

  “Oh shit.” Storey turned to Eric. “Her father apparently can hear this telepathic conversation so he knows we’re here.”

  Eric immediately started punching coordinates that he’d used not too long ago to take him to Storey’s dimension. “Tell her we have to go. We can’t get into trouble with her father again.”

  As Storey relayed the message, Tammy’s face crumpled.

  “Ah Eric, we need to leave now. She looks like she’s going to start crying.”

  “Hold her off,” he said, urgently desperate to stop that horrible shrill sound of hell that would soon be coming out of Tammy’s mouth. Then his codex started its musical notes, instantly distracting Tammy. The little girl reached out to touch the flashing lights.

  “Whoa.” Eric backed up. “Storey, get over here.”

  She quickly stepped right beside him as the black smoke rose up around his legs. She waved goodbye to Tammy, saying. We’ll be back soon, honey.

  Tammy’s eyes filled with tears. She launched herself at Storey.

  And the black mist closed around them all.

  ***

  “Storey, please tell me that didn’t just happen?”

  Silence.

  “Storey,” he snapped. “Talk to me.”

  “I’m here. But so is Tammy.” She added humorously, “I guess our visit wasn’t long enough.”

  “Damn it.” He couldn’t believe it. Why did everything go wrong? This should have been so simple – get in and get out. No one should have even noticed.

  A choked giggle slipped from Storey.

  Short arms reached around his waist and Tammy snuggled close.

  He glared into the mist, then sighed and wrapped an arm around Tammy’s back. He reached out and tugged Storey in closer where he could see her face. “What are you laughing at?”

  “You.” She added, “You swore.”

  “Did not.” But he had. And she knew it. Drat. She just smiled up at him. He’d always liked that about her. She never judged him. No matter what.

  “What do we do now?” she asked.

  “If her father finds out she came with us, there goes any chance of a peaceful relationship.”

  “Speaking of which, I’m thinking the stylus needs to contact Tammy’s father and explain what happened.”

  He stared at. “If it can do that, why didn’t it do it before?”

  She shrugged. “Maybe it did.”

  We did not. We can.

  Then please do so. It’s our intention to return Tammy immediately.

  A buzz filled the air.

  “Uh, Storey?”

  She wrapped her
arm around him. “It’s okay. It’s the stylus doing something.”

  “That’s what worries me!” Tammy’s round face peered up at him through the gloom. She smiled, her empty hand reaching up to pat his cheek. “Ris.”

  “Eric.” Eric covered her hand with his. “Eric. Try it again.”