by Martha Woods
I take a moment to pull packing material from a crate so I don’t have to physically touch any of the wine bottles. I don’t want to accidentally touch the token and face the consequences. Carefully and slowly, I take each bottle down from the stack with my hand wrapped in paper and start aligning each bottle in front of me. As the work continues, my mind starts to wonder as I think of what Morgan must be doing right now. I’m slightly annoyed I didn’t force him to come with me and be a better assistant. Then I begin to wonder what Darien is doing with Monica when I set a wine bottle down and turn to grab the next one, only to bump my elbow into a bottle that has magical up righted itself behind me.
The wine bottle starts to topple over as I yell several curse words. Time is plunged into slow motion as I grab the neck of the bottle before it can shatter on the floor. Immediately I feel it as I stumble from the cupboard. My body feels weighed down mixed with the sensation of walking through Jell-O. The power of the token is taking effect as my eyes grow heavy and my mind is filled with thoughts of sleep. I wrap both arms around the bottle, securing it against my chest as my body loses the fight with consciousness. I fall heavily onto my back and my head smacks against the wooden floor.
* * *
“You know who she is, right?” I hear a male voice whisper as I finally begin to wake. I expect my head to be throbbing, but I’m surprised to feel no pain as I open my eyes to sunlight peering through the front door. My eyes are focused on the scene outside the door as I notice both the day light and the night sky bordering each other. I can feel the sunlight on one side of my body, and nothing on the other as moonlight peers through and half the house is covered in darkness. As I look from the door, I notice two figures sitting on the bottom of the staircase in that darkness.
“Does it matter who she is? All that matters is your free now,” a woman responds, rather annoyed. I tilt my head towards them, trying to focus my eyes on them but the sunlight blurs my vision. I finally convince my body to sit up as I tighten my grip on the wine bottle. I hardly feel any sensation in my body as I push myself to my feet and step away from the sunlight to see my captures closely.
“I can tell she is a Juravinski. She looks so much like her father,” the male says as he stands and steps closer. He is much taller than me as the sunlight illuminates his blue skin, black eyes, and long braided black hair.
“And who do I have the pleasure of speaking too?” I ask slowly, my voice sounding strange in my ears. The woman stands, clearly shocked by my words. She looks more human and appears to be Japanese by the long kimono she is wearing.
“You must be powerful. You’re already speaking,” she says as she joins the demon’s side. I wonder what kind of demon partnership this is, I think to myself as I begin stretching and looking around the townhouse. The wine crates have disappeared, leaving only the white walls of the townhouse to remain. As I glance at the front door, I can see my spells have remained but it’s obvious we are no longer in my realm by the way the sky appears.
“My name is Malbious. And I’m not a demon. I’m a djinn. And this is my muse, Eliana,” he explains as he steps closer and begins circling me.
“How does a trickster trap a muse?” I ask calmly. I take mental note that he has the ability to see my thoughts in this dimension.
“How does a warrior make such a stupid mistake?” Malbious replies as he eyes the wine bottle in my hands.
“I have a history of making poor mistakes. Seems history repeats itself,” I admit as I turn my focus on the muse. She is perfectly posed, unaffected by Malbious’ actions as he continues to circle me.
“Only your stuck in here alone this time,” he says as he stops in front of me. I can see clearly now the scars that cover his bare chest. Whoever trapped Malbious in this token must have fought brutally to get him in here. Instinctively, Malbious raises his hand and traces a few of the scares with his finger as he keeps his eyes on me.
“I’m not alone. I have you two to keep me company for the next few hours till this dimension crumbles,” I say as I finally brake away from his eyes and begin looking around. I have a few options to get out of here alive. I can find a way out and return to my realm, leaving these two behind. I can destroy them and the token, but that isn’t an easy thing to do. Or I run out of time and the djinn destroys me with his trap and escapes.
“But you are forgetting a forth option,” Malbious speaks up as I turn back to him. “You can surrender your powers to me and I’ll make sure you return to your realm safely.”
I can’t help but laugh at the thought. I begin to imagine the chaos Malbious could create if he had my powers in the supernatural realm. Malbious smiles in response at the images that run through my mind. “That would insure victory for the supernatural realm and maybe even future invasion.”
“Come now, Princess. What makes you think my kind would want to live on your precious Earth?”
“I’m sure at this point it’s just a game of revenge,” I admit as I finally move and walk over to the front door with the wine bottle still clamped in my hand. I can barely feel my feet touching the ground as I examine the scene outside. It’s more beautiful than the last time I was trapped in a cell with a supernatural being. At least this one looks less creepy.
As I turn around, I can see her in front of me. Where Malbious once stood, now floats the woman that haunts my dreams. The spirit hovers in the air, her translucent figure unmoving, as the same evil grin and white eyes stare at me. I look away, knowing the djinn is only trying to brake me. He wants me to fail this test.
I set down the wine bottle carefully by the door and begin walking around the perimeter of this dimension. Last time I was stuck in a trans dimensional prison I only had a small room to analyze. But now I have entire house to search. But as I walk up the stairs, I find the limits of the cell as the top as it leads to nowhere. After my first round of finding an escape or weak spot of the dimension, I begin a second and third attempt. Each time, Malbious is close behind me, changing into different forms to distract me. With each new form he takes, I can’t help but stare at him from time to time. I watch as my father stands before me, someone I haven’t seen in years. Then Darien is beside me, charming as ever. And finally, I lose all my concentration as my uncle appears. I struggle with keeping the tears kept at bay since I haven’t looked at a picture of him since his funereal. Now he looks alive and happy, leaving me with the guilt of his death. As a single thought enters my mind, reminding me this is only an illusion, rage builds in my body as I scream.
Blue flames leap from my body and lash at Malbious, forcing him into his own image and staggering away from me. As the flames subside, he laughs maliciously as he brushes away his seared skin.
“Now that’s the power of a true warrior. It seems you’ve learned to control yourself since the last time you were here, Princess,” he says as he final turns and leaves me alone. I sigh as I walk back to the front door and plop down on the floor. I look out the window at a natural scene of the city. I want to open the door and just walk back into my realm, but I know I must destroy Malbious if I am to get out of here alive.
“Don’t just sit there, you stupid girl,” I hear Eliana’s voice from behind me. With Malbious nowhere in sit, it appears she is more inclined to do something other than sit on the stairs. I tilt my head towards her as she withdraws a tiny hour glass from within her kimono sleeve and sets it on the window sill in front of me. “Despite what you may think, you don’t have much time in here.” She turns from me and takes her position back on the stairs.
I watch as the sand falls steadily in the hour glass. I can’t tell how much time I have left, but by the rate of the sand falling, I know it can’t be much longer. Then again, time moves slower outside my realm and this could just be another way to distract me. Before I can question her actions, Malbious returns looking more composed.
“Found a way out, Princess?” he asks as he nears me and sits on the ground next to me. His attention is momentarily drawn to th
e hour glass but he eventually turns his eyes back on me.
“I will find a way out of here,” I mutter as I look outside, the world frozen in place as night and day struggle against each other.
“Well, in the meantime…” I can’t help but watch Malbious as he stands and walks over to Eliana. He reaches for her hand and draws her to her feet. Even in the shadows, I can see him smile mischievously at her and for a moment Eliana tries to hide her smile but eventually gives in as Malbious places his hands on her hips and begins pulling at the fabric keeping her kimono together.
I don’t know why I can’t look away, but a part of me wonders what is going to happen next and maybe a more sinister part of me is curious what intimacy looks like. In just moments, Eliana stands free of any clothing as she tugs at the pants on Malbious. Once his pants are at his ankles, he pulls Eliana to her feet, forces her to turn around and doesn’t hesitate in plunging his member into her. I look away as the sounds of their lovemaking fill the space. Surely this isn’t want normal intimacy looks like. After all, they are not of my world.
I pull my hands over my ears and curl into a ball while forcing my eyes shut. No matter how hard I try to force the sounds out of my head, I feel instead like I am losing the battle.
Chapter 6
I’m not sure how many hours have passed, or whether it’s another day or night, when the sound of their animalistic love making stops and Malbious has returned to sit beside me. It’s his stench that draws me out of myself as I finally put down my arms and look at him. A wide smile spreads across his face as he looks at me.
“Haven’t you ever wondered….”
“Of course, I have. It’s a temptation in itself, but knowing I’ll lose my powers if I don’t first enter into a bonding ritual with that person first, that’s a whole new temptation,” I explain.
“If it’s freedom you seek, why don’t you just give your powers to me,” Malbious says with a chuckle.
“Because that option has consequences. Besides, why would I give up my powers now when I yearn for the day I can use them to destroy your people,” I say with a wicked grin. Malbious’ face grows serious for a moment as he contemplates my words. He has already seen a sample of my power and I’m sure the full force of my will scares him. It scares me too, I think as I turn away from him. The sand in the hour glass is halfway empty and I know I need to do something before the time runs out.
I pull my last piece of magical chalk from my pocket and start writing on the ground beside me. If I’m going to die in this place, I want to at least tell my mother where she can find my body. I write the message in the floor and after I have sealed it with a spell, I crumble the rest of the chalk and smear it into the message. Then I wipe it away with my hand and simply stare into the remnants. It is possible she can write me a message back so I don’t dare disturb the mess.
I stand and don’t bother looking over at Eliana as I begin walking around the house, again looking for a way out. I check every door and window only to find them lock. After all, that would be to obvious. Then I start checking the corners of each room, seeing if the walls push away into an escape route. When I don’t find anything useful, I start opening cupboards in the kitchen, the oven and fridge, but I don’t find anything. Not even the box of donuts I had left on the counter. Once I realize they are missing, I start to wonder why I don’t feel anything. No hunger or thirst, the need to use the restroom, or tiredness in my body. Though I have never entered the supernatural realm before, the last time I was stuck in a dimensional prison I remembered feeling pain.
“Self-inflected, I assure you,” I hear Malbious voice behind me as I turn to see him with my box of donuts, enjoying the last jelly filled one. Even as I watch him eat, my body doesn’t scream out in hunger.
“What do you mean?” I ask, leaning against the kitchen island as I start to trace my hands across the surface, looking for any clues.
“The pain you felt the last time. It was emotional, self-inflected pain. You are much calmer this time,” Malbious continues between bites.
“How do you know so much about what happened before?” I ask as I glance over at him before continuing my search of the kitchen.
“A mixture between your memories and what I know and hear. Unlike humans, supernatural beings are connected. It’s easy to tap into each other. Just imagine what you could feel and know if you shared a connection with another person. The sex is amazing by the way,” he finishes as he tosses the empty box aside. I roll my eyes, wishing I could just end this now.
“Then just end it.” I lose focus as I look over into Darien’s face. His voice forces me to look at him, even though I know it’s not really him. “Surrender your powers and return to our world a normal human. Then we can finally be together,” he says as he walks over to me and places his hands on my hips, just like he did the day before. Or was that last week?
“And what life would we live is the supernatural beings cross into our world because they are able to burn down the barriers?” I ask as I move away from his touch and keep reminding myself that Darien isn’t here and that this place doesn’t exist in my realm. I’m starting to wonder if things would be better if I just destroyed the token and all of us inside.
“Do you really think I could handle you dying?” I hear Darien’s voice again. “After getting you back in my life after all of these years, do you really think I could handle losing you again?”
I try to ignore the words, but they none the less carry some sort of truth. I feel foolish for coming all this way to see Darien. I should have listen to my mother and allowed her to send someone else. I should have never let my emotions get in the way and distract me. Now I’m stuck in another dimensional trap without a way out.
“No matter what you choose, Princess,” Malbious says, returning back into his own form. “I will win no matter what. You can either give me your powers and I set you free with them. Or I sacrifice my muse and use her powers to escape. Even if you shatter the token and brake my hold on your world, I will find my way back home.”
“After all these years, you’d really do that to me?” I hear Eliana say as she enters the room. I look between them as Malbious stands calmly and Eliana looks like she is ready for a fight.
“Of course, I would. Your nothing more than my personal good-luck charm. Why else would I keep you around?” he spats at her, causing Eliana to boil with rage.
“Fine then, have it your way. But I will not find my life’s end in the presence of you!” she yells as she turns and disappears.
“Come back here!” Malbious calls after her. In a moment, he is gone as well as large thuds erupt from upstairs. Not wanting to discover what they are doing, I continue my search for the exit. As I cross through the front room, I glance down at my chalk mess on the floor to see a message has arrived. As a kneel down, I notice my mother’s hand writing and quickly read that she plans to fly into town and find an exit from the outside. For a moment, I am filled with relief as I brush the message away with my hand. But then I remember the spell I have put on the house that won’t allow anyone inside.
This must be what my uncle felt, I think as I sit on the floor and focus my eyes on the outside world. My escape feels so close, yet there has been near clear exits out of this trap. I remember my uncle frantically looking for a way out as I sat and cried for what seemed like days. Only when he told me I was about to die did I finally lose control of my emotions and power. Though I was able to burn everything away and escape, I had killed my uncle in the process. Since then, I had been hesitant to ever use my powers again.
“I have made a decision to force your hand,” Malbious speaks as he appears back in the room. As I look over at him, I see Eliana sitting on the stairs, this time with a bruise over her eye. It appears that Malbious has won the fight.
“How so?” I ask as I grab the wine bottle from where I had set it on the floor and slowly stand to face him.
“Eliana, as a muse, has the ability to influence humans.
Hence the reason why people are so tempted to drink Mr. Yung’s wine. I supply the addiction why Eliana causes the attraction. You can see why I love her so much,” Malbious rambles as he glances down at Eliana, but she refuses to look at him. “So, I have promised Eliana her freedom if she agrees to influence your precious Darien to come and open that door.”
I can’t help but laugh as I point to the spell behind me. “Can you really not read your own language anymore? I have sealed this house from anyone getting in or out of this place till you are either contained once again or destroyed.”
“Oh, my dear child. It is my language that I can do with as I please. You might be the author, but I am the controller of all things in this place. Therefore, I can dismiss all notions of your silly spells and do as I wish,” he spats at me. For a second I simply believe he is lying to me, but as I look at Eliana I can tell she is happy at the news. In that moment, she disappears, only to reappear again in front of Malbious.
“It is done,” she says as she bows before Malbious. He gives me a wicked grin as he claps his hands three times and motions for Eliana to rise.
“You are free, you wretched creature. Now, once I have the princess’s powers, I’ll free us and send you back to the pits,” Malbious says before he shoves Eliana to the ground.
“But you said I would be free!? I want to return to my family!” she yells from the crumbled spot on the floor. Malbious ignores her cries as he keeps his focus on me. Then a small grin crosses his face as he points towards the window.
I turn and see Darien’s face as he stands on the front porch, looking down at the door handle as he moves to open it. My heart starts to beat rapidly in my chest as I wonder if this is just another illusion to keep me from looking for a way out.
“Either give me your powers, or we all die, including the boy,” Malbious says in a low voice from directly behind me. I quickly turn and strike out at him with my rage, but he is already gone. All that remains is Eliana weeping on the floor. I look at Darien for just a moment longer before I turn and begin frantically looking for a way out. I place my hands on every inch of the walls and floor, feeling for something loose that I can ripe away and reveal my way out. I imagine a tunnel or doorway appearing before me that will allow me to escape. But every time I make it back to the front room, all I see is Darien at the front door, stuck in time as he reaches his hand out to open the door.
