by J. C. Diem
Trying to avoid the blood that coated Bob’s jacket, I found a small area that was clean and gingerly pulled it open. I found his wallet in an inner pocket and rifled through it. To my relief, I didn’t find any pictures of a family. He had a thick wad of cash, though, which was a pleasant surprise. He wouldn’t need the money now, so I pocketed most of it. I left just enough to make it look like his corpse hadn’t been looted by a desperate thief. Wiping his wallet on my jeans to get rid of any fingerprints, I held it by the edges as I slipped it back into his pocket then shifted his jacket back into position.
I was about to back out of the car when Bob stirred. I stared at him in horror as he straightened up painfully. “I thought you were dead,” I said in numb shock.
“It takes more than a trifling injury like this to kill a vessel,” he said and glanced down at the branch that had impaled him. He grew suspicious when he took in my lack of injuries. “I do not know how you survived the crash, but I am going to make you pay for ruining my car.”
His eyes went distant and he appeared to concentrate hard. I cringed away when a glowing crimson dagger appeared in his hand. Frozen in terror, I could only watch as he reached for me.
Grabbing my t-shirt, he pulled me towards him with a strength that he shouldn’t have been capable of after losing so much blood. Shedding his humanity, he resumed his monstrous form again. His skin darkened to midnight and scarlet light emanated from his eyes. His forked tongue flicked out as he pulled me towards the dagger he held in his left hand.
He dragged me down until we were only inches apart with the branch acting as my paltry shield. The dagger came dangerously close to my face and I blurted out the first thing that came to mind. “I lied when I said my name was Jenny. My real name is Violet Harper.”
His knife halted and he stared at me incredulously. Then his eyes turned sly as he contemplated his catch. “Well, well. This is my lucky day. It almost seems as though Fate has brought us together. My master will be pleased that you have been located again.”
Already regretting telling him who I was, I tried to pull away, but his grip was too strong. It was getting harder to believe that the visions were just in my head. Nobody should have been able to survive a branch through the chest. “Who is your master? Why does he want me so badly?” He wasn’t the first monster to say something like this. I needed to know exactly what the hell was going on.
“You will discover that once I take you to him.” Bob’s gloating grin faltered at a sharp creaking sound that came from above. We both looked up just as another branch speared through the roof. It pierced him through the top of his head and blood and brains spurted upwards. I screamed in horrified reaction as he jittered for a few seconds before going limp.
With my heart thundering, I tried to escape from the car, but he still held me tightly. Even in true death, he wasn’t about to let me go. His dagger had fallen into his lap and I shakily reached over and picked it up. It had lost its crimson glow when he’d dropped it, but the color flared again as soon as I touched it. Instead of being red, it glowed a pale orange color.
Hardly able to believe what I was about to do, I psyched myself up then slashed the dagger across Bob’s knuckles. Blood sluggishly fell as the weapon sliced his fingers off. I was scrambling for the door even before the severed digits landed on my seat.
I had enough presence of mind to stumble away from the car before I vomited. Sinking down to my knees, I heaved until I thought I was going to pass out. It didn’t help that my stomach was empty and I could only produce bile.
Black spots danced before my eyes when I finally managed to regain control. The dagger was still clutched in my hand, but it had lost its glow. Wiping the blood off on the grass, I examined the weapon. Tarnished silver, the blade was inscribed with what looked like runes. Without the magical radiance, it looked too dull to be able to cut through paper, let alone flesh and bone.
Shakily pushing myself to my feet, I took a few tentative steps towards the battered sedan. I’d dropped my backpack during my mad scramble to escape and I wasn’t about to leave without it. Besides, morbid curiosity wouldn’t let me go until I’d made sure Bob really was deceased this time.
Peering through the open passenger door, I scanned his corpse. Transfixed by two branches, he looked as dead as you could get. At that thought, his eyelids fluttered open and I let out a small moan of mental anguish. He was like a zombie from a horror movie that just wouldn’t stop getting up and shambling after the hapless heroine.
“You cannot run forever,” he said in a slurred voice. “The longer you make my master wait, the worse it will be for you in the end.”
His hand rose to pluck at the branch that had speared through his skull. He didn’t seem to realize that I’d performed impromptu surgery on him. He was going to have a hard time removing either of the branches that were pinning him in place now that he’d lost several of his fingers.
Backing away in horror, I scooped up my backpack then turned and ran. My panic was back and I could barely form a coherent thought. A gust of wind hit me and I raked my hair out of my eyes so I could see where I was going.
Blackness sucked at my mind as I teetered on the edge of what felt like a mental breakdown. Either Bob wasn’t human, or I really had lost my mind. Maybe he was just a figment of my imagination. Maybe I’d stolen the car and had crashed it with the intention of killing myself.
Remembering the dagger, I glanced down to see that it was still gripped tightly in my hand. The glow might be gone, but the weapon was real. I held onto it like a lifeline. It was the only proof I had that I wasn’t insane.
₪₪₪
Chapter Three
Despite my aching feet, I kept up a swift pace for a few miles. Then a stitch bit into my side, forcing me to slow down. My fast walk was quickly reduced to a pained hobble.
That first gust of wind had just been a prelude to what was turning into a minor gale. A steady wind was at my back, pushing me along with invisible hands. Any assistance was appreciated in my current state of exhaustion.
It was just after midday by the time I reached a small town. My neck was getting sore from constantly looking back over my shoulder as I searched for pursuit. Hopefully, I’d be able to find somewhere to rest where I’d be safe and out of sight.
Realizing that it wasn’t wise to walk around visibly armed, I tucked the dagger inside my backpack as I headed for the only gas station in town. The restroom was empty, so I stepped inside and locked the door.
Washing the grime from my hands and arms, I glanced at my reflection and winced. My eyes were shocked and wounded from the latest horrors that I’d witnessed. My pupils were so huge that my light green irises were barely detectable.
Flinching away from my own gaze, I examined my appearance. My hair was a wild mess and a dark bruise marred my left cheek. With shaking hands, I took my comb out of my backpack and spent a few minutes getting rid of the knots, leaves and twigs. Even when I was living rough, I couldn’t stand having messy hair.
Tired of the long locks whipping across my face and obscuring my vision, I took steps to tame it. Braiding the sides, I joined them together in a single plait that fell down the center of my back. The rest of my hair still hung free, but at least it was under control now.
Feeling much calmer and almost clean again, I left the restroom and entered the gas station. Chewing gum, the attendant watched me with utter boredom as I browsed through the aisles. Tattooed and heavily pierced, her short hair was bright pink. She wore black clothes and matching nail polish. Unlike me, her goal wasn’t to blend in. She wanted to be seen and to be noticed.
I chose a few items of junk food, paid and left. The town was tiny enough to be encompassed in one glance up and down the main street. It was the kind of place where strangers were noticed and were barely tolerated.
Feeling suspicious eyes watching me through windows, I crossed the road to a microscopic park. Surrounded by trees on three sides, I had three picnic table
s to choose from. I sat down at the one in the middle since it was shrouded in shadows. Someone would have to be actively searching for me to notice me.
With my weight finally off my aching feet, I let out a soft groan of relief. I was beyond tired and was still recovering from my latest brush with death. The memory of Bob’s eyes opening after he’d been speared through the head by the branch kept replaying itself over and over in my mind. It wasn’t the worst thing I’d ever seen, but it was definitely high up on the list.
After eating my unhealthy meal, I stored the rest of the food in my backpack. My head snapped towards the road when I heard a vehicle approaching. I slumped in relief when I saw it was a bus rather than a battered brown sedan. It was doubtful that Bob’s car would be drivable after colliding with the tree, but if he could keep coming back from the dead then anything was possible.
Slowing down, the bus pulled up out front of the post office. It occurred to me that it would be the perfect mode of transportation. It would be far safer than hitching a ride. With the front of the bus facing away from me, I couldn’t read the destination, but I was on my feet and was moving towards it anyway. As long as it wasn’t heading towards Colorado, I didn’t really care where it was going.
Only one passenger disembarked. The driver was retrieving her luggage from the cargo hold when I reached the bus. I waited until the driver was about to climb back inside before approaching him. Realizing he had a new customer, he smiled at me kindly. “Is that all the luggage you have?” he asked, pointing at my backpack. I nodded and he motioned me to follow him on board then took his seat behind the wheel. “How far do you want to go, miss?”
He was somewhere in his sixties and had a friendly face. I watched him carefully for any signs that he would turn into a monster, but I didn’t see any. “All the way to the end,” I replied.
He named the price and I reached for the wad of cash that I’d stuffed in my pocket. I was glad that I’d taken the time to pilfer what I’d thought was Bob’s corpse. Thanks to him, I was now flush with money. I paid the fare then headed down the narrow aisle.
The bus was nearly full, but I spied a vacant seat about halfway down. When I reached it, I saw that a large, cheap brown purse had been left on it.
A thin man sat next to the window of the bench seat. Seeing my reflection in the window, he turned to face me. “Sorry, but this seat is taken. My wife is in the restroom and will be back at any moment.” He rose up a little so he could peer towards the back of the bus. “She’s having intestinal problems,” he advised me in a loud whisper that carried further than he realized. A young boy sitting a few rows behind him sniggered, but was quickly shushed by his mother.
Now that he’d drawn my attention to it, I noticed a door at the very back of the bus. A sign stated that it was the restroom. The last two rows of seats were vacant and I worked my way towards them. An unpleasant smell became a disquieting stench the further I travelled. It became truly nauseating when an overweight woman emerged from the small restroom. The odor of human waste almost made me gag before she closed the door. I now realized why the last few seats were empty.
There wasn’t enough room in the aisle for both of us, so she stood there impatiently as she waited for me to choose a seat and to get out of her way. Picking the seat on the right, I sat down and scooted over to the window.
“Finally,” she muttered. She stomped down the aisle to where she’d left her purse, trailing a noisome odor behind her. With a final glare in my direction, she plopped down on her seat hard enough to momentarily propel her husband into the air.
Even with the horrid smell lingering around me, I was glad to be off my feet again. With my backpack clutched tightly on my lap, I stared out at the view. The bus lurched into motion and we slowly and ponderously left the small town behind.
Exhausted and heartsick from losing everyone and everything that I’d cared about, I eventually leaned against the window and fell into a restless doze. I had the vague sensation of stopping a few more times. Then my sleep became so deep that all sound and sensation faded. I was drawn into a dream that was so vivid it almost felt real.
Opening my eyes, I saw that I was standing on a grassy field in the middle of nowhere. The grass was long enough to brush my fingertips. Turning in a circle, I saw a hill and headed towards it. When I reached the top, I found myself standing on the edge of a cliff overlooking an unknown ocean. Waves crashed on the rocks far below. I felt dizzy and on the verge of falling when I stared down at them.
“I will not let you fall, child,” a voice said. I started hard enough that I almost lost my balance. I’d been alone a moment ago, but now a woman stood beside me. Her voice was strangely familiar, but I couldn’t quite place it. Dressed in a hooded black cloak, she was the same height and build as me. The hood was drawn forward so her face was hidden in shadow. Her long black hair stirred even though there was no breeze. A strand reached out towards me and I instinctively drew away from it.
“Who are you?” I asked. “Where am I?”
“We are in your dream,” she replied. Her voice was hollow, as if it was coming from the far end of a long tunnel. “As for who I am, you may call me Fate.”
“Fantastic,” I muttered to myself. “Now I’m dreaming about Fate.” I shook my head, wondering at the exact point that I’d lost my sanity.
“Your mind is intact, Violet,” Fate said.
She was in my dream, so it didn’t really surprise me that she knew my name and could apparently read my thoughts. “I sincerely doubt that. As far as I know, it isn’t normal to see people turn into monsters that apparently can’t die.”
“You are not normal,” she informed me, which did nothing to ease my mind. I sensed her studying me from beneath her hood. “You are different from everyone else in your world, which is why I have chosen you to be my champion.”
“Uh huh,” I said, humoring her. “What makes me so special and why do you need me to be your champion?” Now I knew why she sounded familiar. It was the same voice that had spoken to me just before Bob had pulled up to give me a ride. She was the owner of the mystery voice who had told me I was going to save the world.
She turned away, giving me the impression that she was avoiding the question. She gestured towards the cliff with a cloaked hand and I saw a door hanging in midair. I was pretty sure it hadn’t been there a moment ago. “You have already faced trials that would have broken lesser souls,” she said gravely, “but I am afraid that this is just the beginning. You will be tested and you will be sorely tempted to give up on the quest that I have given you. You are the youngest warrior that I have ever chosen, but I believe you have the strength and courage to save your world from the coming disaster.”
My expression was skeptical at that pronouncement. “What are you talking about? I’m not a champion. I’m just a normal sixteen year old kid. I don’t have the skills to save the world from some unknown menace.”
She turned towards me and I shivered at her silent contemplation. “You might not possess the skills yet, but that will soon change. Like all sentient beings, you have been given free will. I cannot force you to do as I ask and your choices will be your own.” She gestured at the door again and I reluctantly turned to face it. “See what lies ahead for your planet if you make the wrong choices and fail to become the warrior that I need you to be.” The moment she finished speaking, she disappeared.
Plain and without decoration, the door swung open to reveal a scene from a nightmare. I saw a city in ruins with blasted buildings and glass covering the sidewalks. Cars had been abandoned on the streets. They had become almost unrecognizable lumps of twisted metal and melted rubber.
Buildings and vehicles weren’t the only casualties. Burned skeletons lay everywhere. People had been torched while running from whatever had caused the devastation. I’d barely begun to comprehend what I was seeing when the scene changed. Instead of just one ruined city, I now saw dozens of them. Each one depicted the same scenes of death and
destruction. City after city appeared, overlapping each other in a never ending sequence. All were devoid of life.
My dizziness returned and I closed my eyes. A gust of wind pushed me forward and I was suddenly tumbling towards the rocks. I screamed in terror, knowing that I was about to die and that no miraculous escape was going to be possible this time.
₪₪₪
Chapter Four
Waking with a gasp, I looked around wildly and slumped in relief when I saw I was still seated on the bus. The dream had seemed so real that I could almost believe that I really had just met an entity that called herself Fate.
Struggling to straighten up from my slouch, I felt heavy, as if invisible chains were wrapped around me. The sensation slowly faded until I was able to push myself up straight.
I checked my watch and saw that it was nearly midnight. We’d been on the road for about ten hours and I had no idea where we were. I peered through the window, but it had become so dirty during our trip that it was hard to make out much of my surroundings. We drove through what looked like a large city that was still bustling despite the late hour. Slumping against the window, I nodded off again and woke a few minutes later when the bus pulled over.
“This is the last stop,” the bus driver called out to the few passengers who remained. He looked as weary as I felt as he opened the doors. I waited for the others to disembark before following them.
A small, grimy building welcomed me when I stepped off the bus. A sign above the door stated that I had reached the Canal Street bus stop. Information about several bus lines and destinations were beneath it. Some of the words were in what looked like Chinese.
Shuffling to form a line so they could retrieve their luggage, the other passengers ignored me completely as I stood there indecisively. A cop car motored towards us and slowed down when they drew close. Both officers were peering out through their windows as if they were searching for someone. Their faces flickered, alerting me that they were just like Bob. I automatically turned my back before they could see my face.
