Otherland

by Almondie Shampine

  “Man, all this jus’ sound plain crazy,” Cherise said. “If not fo’ what I saw, I wouldn’t take one second tryin’ to believe any of it.”

  “I escaped,” Lydia said suddenly, her eyes far off.

  “Are you remembering something, Aliyah?” the Light knight said softly, placing his hand atop hers. The Dark soul wasn’t the only one struggling with impulse-control. It had taken everything in the Light knight’s power, up to this point, to not touch her, when he so badly wanted to. There was an instant spark when their hands touched, and she pulled away sharply in surprise.

  “I was,” she looked at him in irritation.

  “I think what you were remembering was the last time you returned to Otherland, after many years of being away. You were with the child, the one you drew, and both of you were taken to the Darkness to await the Ceremony trial, as the child was being accused of having let you in. No humans, accept for you, Aliyah, can get in without being let in or brought in, just like you are the only human that has ever been able to resist the spiritual restraints, so you managed to escape and return here. That is how they learned that it was you that had returned, despite the promise you previously made that you would never come back again.”

  “The child was imprisoned too, and I just left him there?” Lydia cried, devastated.

  “He’s no longer imprisoned. He’s in my protection. Unless he passes the boundaries of my home, no one will be able to find him, other than the elders, of course.”

  The Light knight suddenly felt the powerful pull. “Ah, I’m being summoned. I have to return. I need to provide the ean update. I’ll be back as soon as I can.” And just like that, his body fell to the ground like a ragdoll, seeming lifeless.

  “What the - ?” Cherise cried. “He okay?”

  “He’ll be fine. He’s … sleeping,” Lydia said, swallowing another glass of wine in one gulp.

  CHAPTER 12

  “Elders, there is so much to report,” the Light knight said. Instead of one of each, all of them were there.

  “If he doesn’t return, I fear we’ll have a bigger problem on our hands,” a Light elder said, referring to the darkened criminal.

  “I doubt he’ll return. An innocent human saw him.”

  “We know. We know instantly when the Bylaws have been broken. We’re hoping he’ll at least be honorable enough to return,” a Dark elder said. “We’re lenient the first time a soul returns to that world, not knowing the amount of restrictions there are, but if he doesn’t come when summoned, we’ll have no choice but send more forces into the human world to find him, and that is something we really don’t want to do. Did you find her?”

  “Yes, elders.”

  “Then why have you not brought her here?” the grey-eyed Dark elder said sharply.

  “I was in the midst of speaking with her when I was summoned, while also trying to calm the innocent.”

  “Did you rid of the innocent memory of what she was exposed to?” the Light elder with the indigo eyes inquired.

  “Again, I was in the middle of those things when summoned. Elders, I am happy to report that she did not return intentionally. She has no memories. She goes by a new name and does not have any memories of being Aliyah. She did not purposely breach the ruling from her last Ceremony trial here, and did not purposely come here. She is clueless to her history, and I can honestly say that I don’t see her as being a threat to our world.

  “I’m trying to work out the particulars, but I do believe she keeps returning here on a sub-conscious, unknowing level because she left something here that she is trying to retrieve. Once retrieved, she will have no reason to return here, not on a conscious or a sub-conscious level.”

  “What is it you think she is trying to retrieve?” the orange-eyed Dark elder asked.

  The Light knight hesitated, then, believing in the elders whom worked directly for the High master, he said, “A child.”

  “A human or a non-human child?” a Light elder asked.

  “A human.”

  “Which child?” the grey-eyed Dark elder asked.

  And that’s as far as the Light knight could trust after hearing the tinge of menace in the Dark elder’s tone, in the absence of being in the High master’s court, so he lied, “I don’t know yet.”

  “Is it the boy-human who may or may not have let her in that she came to be imprisoned in the Darkness with, of which she escaped?” the same one inquired.

  “Would she have left him here, imprisoned in the Darkness, if he was the one she was looking for?” he said lightly.

  “I told you, Light elder, I did not feel comfortable with the boy’s release. I ask, once again, that we retrieve him and return him to the Darkness until all this has been sorted out.”

  “The Light knight’s right, Dark elder. If that had been the child she was looking for, she would not have left him. She would have awaited the Ceremony trial and asked that the child be returned with her. Light knight, you have done well so far in your duty to the High master. The only thing you’ve left to do, now that you’ve found her, is ease the innocent’s memory of what she saw, and return Aliyah to us for a Ceremony trial before the High master. If there is a child she is looking for, and her intentions are, in fact, pure and innocent, she can argue her case at that time for the High master’s ruling.”

  The Light knight bowed to the elders. “Might it, at this time, be priority to find and return the Dark soul criminal before it causes any more trouble in the human world?” he suggested. “If he figures out how to possess a human body, he will be capable of far more damage than what he has already caused.”

  The Light knight then waited patiently as the Dark elders grumbled about how important her imminent return was, and the Light elders reasoned the type of destruction that an AWOL soul could cause in the human world, until the Dark elders reluctantly agreed. All, but one, whose eyes flashed furiously at their decision.

  At that moment, the Light knight knew the child wasn’t safe. “Very well, the council has decided that it is of utmost importance that you return to us the escaped Dark soul first. Once he is contained, you are to bring Aliyah to us.”

  The Light knight bowed again in respect and said, “In that case, I must retrieve some supplies before returning to the human world.”

  “Very well. We will summon you back here after you’ve gotten the supplies you need.”

  The Light knight walked away, proud and strong, and when they were no longer in sight, he opened the path to his home. The boy-human instantly ran to him and surprised him with a hug. Awkwardly, the Light knight patted his head.

  “I thought you’d never return. What have you found? Did you find her? Did you find my mother?” the boy said excitedly.

  “Quiet, boy. We don’t yet know if she’s your mother. You cannot speak these things aloud, or at least, so loudly. You may whisper them.”

  “Did you find her, this Aliyah?” the boy whispered.

  “Yes.”

  “Is it the same one who came here?”

  “It is.”

  “Did you talk to her? Did she tell you she was trying to come back for me?”

  The Light knight was silent, not knowing how to tell the boy that she, at the moment, was adamantly denying having a child, so perhaps the child had a different meaning to her. Even if only the one time she saw him once she’d returned here as Lydia. “She painted a picture of you,” was all he could think to say.

  “So she does remember me. Then why has she not returned to come get me?”

  “It’s not that simple, boy. Her coming here breaks the Bylaws. That is why she is now being hunted. Any human that finds their way here must stay here, as you well know in your life-long presence here. In the absence of her memories, she is mistakenly doing things far damaging to this world, and once it is learned about, she will be in far more trouble than even she knows.”

  “Then take me with you. Bring me back there. Instead of her coming here to get me, you can bring me
to her,” he said so innocently and desperately, breaking the Light knight’s heart. He believed 100 percent in the High master’s knowing and ruling, but it didn’t mean he always understood or agreed.

  Instead of telling the boy that it was impossible and could not be done, he said, “You must practice patience, boy. There are things that must be done, first. Things are not safe right now.”

  “Call me Jasper. Jasper Love. That is my name.”

  The Light knight inhaled sharply. Like mother, like son. “We do not speak names here, little one,” he said so harshly that the child cowered. “Don’t ever, ever speak that name here again.”

  “I – I’m sorry,” the boy cried. “I thought it might help you.”

  The Light knight wanted to console him, but he couldn’t. He needed the boy to know how serious and important it was, so he left him alone and met up with the Light soul he’d called.

  “Thank you for coming, my friend,” the Light knight said fondly.

  “No problem, I always know it must be something important when you call me.”

  “You are my most trusted friend,” the Light knight bowed.

  “Yes, I know that. What can I do for you?”

  The Light knight led them away from the borders, and began to whisper, “I am keeping a boy here. I need you to stay with him, make sure he doesn’t leave or travel far. There is a Dark elder, I fear, that may not have the best intentions in mind, and he seems to be gunning for the human child. As you know, if an elder wants to find someone, they easily can, so I need you to stay on guard. Should a Dark elder arrive asking for the boy, wanting to take him, I want you to summon the rest of the elders.”

  “Won’t I get in trouble for going against an elder?”

  “Not an elder acting on his own wants. Our system is set up in a way where elders can only do what is unanimously agreed on. Should one elder begin acting on its own behalf, then it is your duty to bring it to the attention of the rest of the elders, and then they will deal with it from there.”

  “Very well, I will do as you ask, my longest and most trusted friend.”

  “Thank you.”

  “But – .”

  “But what?”

  “How old is this child? I fear I do not know how to take care of one.”

  The Light knight burst out in laughter. “He’s not a baby, friend. He is old enough to entertain and take care of himself. You need only be here, and perhaps put up with the many questions of a child his age that happens to be human. Don’t fret, Light soul, you will find the benefits as I have.”

  “You are fond of this child?”

  “He is a child. How could I not be? He looks at me as though I High master itself. It is quite amusing and endearing, really. I must go now and return to my mission. I thank you.”

  “As always, anything, my friend.”

  CHAPTER 13

  “Cherise, help me … carry him. He’s … heavy,” Lydia said, while dragging the Light knight’s body across the floor. Lydia began to giggle when she accidently dragged his head to thump against the wall. “You think he’ll feel that?”

  “Hmm, are you at all lookin’ at this body, Lyd? He is fine, fine, fine. If I wasn’t married … hmm. Look at them abs. They hard as rock.”

  “Cherise, stop molesting my – He’s out. He deserves respect. Not to be ogled while he’s completely unware.” Lydia said, but not before she’d taken a gander herself, and noticed the tattoo in the exact same place as the newspaper clipping she’d seen. It was an eternity symbol.

  “Your what? Huh? What you almost say, girl? Yo’ man? That what you was goin’ to say?”

  “No.”

  “Won’t you jus’ look and take a moment to appreciate this fine specimen of a man? Ha, you crack me up. Talk about respect while you draggin’ him ‘cross dis dirty floor. What we goin’ do?”

  “You are going to go home, Cherise. This isn’t your battle. I need to get him into the car and get us out of here, because that thing could come back at any time, now that he knows where I am.”

  “Uh uh, you wrong, girl. Out there, it dark, and after what I be seein’, I ain’t steppin’ in no darkness. It took off when I turnt on the lights, kinda screamed like the light hurt it. As long as we in the light, we safe.”

  “I need sleep, Cherise, and so do you. It doesn’t matter how much light there is. As soon as we close our eyes – .”

  “I have no intention of closin’ these eyes. Uh-uh, maybe never again. I’m goin’ make some coffee. I’m officially a coffee drinker, like you. I get it now. I get it. Wish I didn’t, but now I do. I told you we shouldn’t’ve drank that wine. We got three hours befo; the sun start comin’ up, and that the only time I’m steppin’ outside this door.”

  “Then you better call into work, Cherise. You can’t go to work after a night like this. I feel like I’m responsible,” Lydia sighed.

  “You is responsible, for alla this. Now I don’t know what to do with myself, s’pposed to wake up and go ‘bout my life like befo’, workin’ a job, takin’ care of a family, thinkin’ that all there is, and I can’t go back to that now, can I? Not after what I saw.” All the while, Cherise was slamming cupboards and everything else in her attempts at making coffee.

  “Now who’s the one being so dramatic? But you are right. You can’t just go about a normal day tomorrow. Call your job, tell them you’re sick so that you won’t wind up with all the no shows-no calls that got me fired in the first place.”

  “You right. You right. I do that. As soon as I get some coffee.”

  Lydia laughed, “Now you’re sounding like me, Cherise.”

  ***

  The darkened soul wasn’t wasting any time. He’d been the fool one too many times to the Lights. They’d used him to find her, neither telling him that any type of light would burn him, nor telling him that he was incapable of touching her, in anyway, whatsoever.

  Once realizing he couldn’t harm her, he’d been trying to figure out how to return her, so that he could get the glory of completing the mission without the Light knight, until he’d been caught and had to instantly evacuate due to the burning lights.

  Then he’d floated outside the window, protected in the darkness, and watched the Light knight arrive, like everything had been a complete set up. He watched as they talked. He watched as the human was able to touch her in the way that he could not. And then he’d felt the summons and watched the Light knight go, all the while they’d kept those damnable lights on that kept him from getting in there and getting to them.

  Stupid girl. She’d ruined everything. If not for her, he would have figured out a way. If not for her waking up and alerting all of them and turning the lights on, he could have had Aliyah. The girl would pay too. And so would the human from his world. They would all pay. He navigated the night, sensing the person he was trying to find, a person from his human life that he was connected to, a person whose body would accept him, because he was just as dark.

  Then, he would no longer be restricted to the darkness, or the inability to touch her. He’d broken the Bylaws, and they could hunt him all they wanted. He had nothing to lose. His eternal fate would remain the same as it had been. At least he’d have satisfying memories to keep eternity a little more pleasant than it otherwise would have been.

  Dwayne arrived in the home he’d sensed him, sleeping in his bed. “Hello, Danny, long time no see,” he said aloud, arising him, but Danny hardly had time to scream before the Dark soul entered him and made Danny’s body his own. He could still hear Danny’s screams and yells and words, but they were inside him, not to be heard in the outside world.

  “It’s Dwayne, Danny.”

  “Dwayne? But you – you died!”

  “And now I live … in you. Don’t be afraid, my friend. I just have some unfinished business to take care of, and then I’ll leave and you’ll have your body back. You remember Aliyah? You always liked to watch before. Now you can watch again.”

  Danny instantly
settled down inside, just like Dwayne had known he would. After all, Danny and he had a long history together.

  CHAPTER 14

  By the afternoon, the white stranger still hadn’t come around. Cherise had left hours ago, refusing to call into work, because she’d learned what a caffeine-high was.

  Lydia needed to retrieve her records. She’d had hours of soul-searching, but hadn’t come up with another single memory. She left a note and then drove the two hours to the medical facility that had her, or rather, Aliyah Destiny Demonica’s, records. She presented her name awkwardly.

  “ID?”

  “I was hoping you had a picture or something that could identify me. I brought with me records of an incident that occurred that left me without any memory of my life or who I was, so I was provided a new name and identification, because no one could figure out who I’d been before my coma. I –.”

  “Yes, we do have a picture. It’s our policy to take copies of identifications,” the woman at the counter handed her a piece of paper.

  It was a copy of a license with the name Aliyah D. Demonica. She looked at it, and yes, it was the same reflection she’d seen when she’d first looked into the hospital mirror, prior to chopping her hair. Long golden-blonde hair, and a face that didn’t seem so pointy as her own. The picture was, admittedly, beautiful, when Lydia had never seen herself as such, with intent eyes full of something, whereas hers were always very dull.

  “That’s you,” the staff said easily, and she kept her mouth shut while they handed over the copies of Aliyah’s records, just like that.

  Lydia could hardly wait, and so the first coffee-shop she could find, she stopped and parked. Hurriedly, she ordered her coffee, and on second-thought, a bagel, then sat down to open the file. She could remember the correspondence she received like yesterday, yet saw nothing of that sort in these records. They showed she’d only been there once, inquiring about having children. The birth date showed September 9, 1975.