Awaken dots-2

by Kristen Day

  “Stasia watch out!” Phoebe turned abruptly; shielding Carmen from what she had seen. I looked forward just as a being stepped out from behind a blackened, dead tree. It looked human enough, but it was hunched in such a dramatic fashion that it was impossible to know for sure. Skin and muscle hung from its exposed bones as it stood at least eight feet tall, even hunched over. I grabbed Phoebe’s hand and quickly dragged her and Carmen in a different direction. With Carmen’s rigid movements and the amount of obstacles, we didn’t get very far. Another being leapt into our path and a chill went through my body as my eyes landed on her. Limp black hair hung over her cheekbones as her shining black eyes bored into mine. Her skin and muscle were all intact, but a torn, dirty maiden dress hung off of her. Her demon eyes fell onto Carmen, who began to walk stiffly towards her.

  “Carmen! Don’t!” I pleaded. Phoebe lunged forward and grabbed her arm, but Carmen pushed her so hard that Phoebe went flying backwards, landing hard on her back. In a moment of clarity, I put myself between Carmen and the woman. Carmen looked through me, her face contorted unnaturally.

  “Carmen! Listen to me!” I put my arms out to stop her from walking. “Stop!”

  Realizing that my tactic wasn’t working, I wrapped my arms around Carmen and easily tossed her to the side where she landed in a heap; unmoving. I turned just in time to see the skin begin to melt off of the woman’s face, as more and more of the beasts showed themselves. The woman lifted her arms slowly and glanced around at the others; signaling them to drift back into the shadows.

  “Stasia! Help me!” Phoebe shouted from several yards away. Thick black vines had pushed up through the ground and had begun to wrap around her legs. I ran to her side and attempted to cut them away with my dagger, but they could have been made of steel from all the good it did. As the woman continued to slowly raise her misshapen arms that were currently dripping skin, more vines pushed through the earth below me and crawled up my ankles. They secured themselves around my thighs, and I fell to the ground as they methodically inched their way up to my waist. The harder I fought, the tighter they became. I could hear Phoebe’s screams as she was dragged across the ground past me. Carmen had also succumbed to the vines and they began to drag her away as well.

  “Let me go!” I screamed hysterically, as the vines dragged my body across the parched landscape. I coughed and choked as the soot pressed into my eyes, ears, and mouth. I felt every root, every rock, and every bump as I was raked across the ground. I remembered self-directed anger shooting through me, as I realized that all of the abilities and affinities in the world didn’t help me when I wasn’t near the ocean. I felt my energy being sucked from me, seeping into the dry dirt.

  I closed my eyes and gave in to the pain, the hopelessness, and the numb fear that had attached to my mind. My world became filled with a never-ending blackness; pain and misery wrapping around my heart and keeping me company as my wounds were reopened and my blood smeared behind me. When I finally felt the movement stop, I was unable to move or even open my eyes. Limp and fading into unconsciousness, I barely heard Phoebe’s shouts. She was laughing. Or was it crying? I couldn’t make it out. I just wanted to rest. I’d feel better after I went to sleep…

  “Wake up!” I felt my body being shaken violently and my eyes flew open, suddenly alert.

  Phoebe’s tear-streaked face was right above me; a wild panic filling her eyes. “Get up Stasia! Get up!”

  I attempted to talk, but it just came out as a groan. I lifted myself up on my elbows and twisted into a sitting position. A burning heat was scorching the right side of my body, and I cringed away from the red glow that suddenly filled my vision.

  “What is that?” I asked hoarsely, squinting and shielding my already burned and torn skin.

  She pointed to the source of the glow, and an intense fear crept up my spine. An immense river of lava flowed slowly and silently towards the dark horizon; bubbling and devouring everything in its path. Carmen’s dead eyes flashed in my mind.

  “Where’s Carmen?” I insisted as I swiveled my body; searching for her.

  “Over there,” Phoebe squeaked. I followed her stare to a figure that was standing dangerously close to the river. I was about to call out to her, when she turned abruptly and began walking towards us. She strode right past us, turning on her heel and then stared down on us.

  “Carmen! What are you doing?” I yelled at her; determined to get through to her. Instead of answering, she began to chant in a foreign language as she focused on the lava. As she continued to chant, small streams of lava travelled up the black earth, winding towards us. Unable to stand, I crawled frantically away from the heat I could feel nipping at my feet. Phoebe was able to move faster, so she was several yards ahead of me when the earth opened up. As the lava burned through the soot it crumbled easily, creating a wide gash I couldn’t crawl away from. The dirt gave way beneath my fingers and as it slid down, I was helpless to stop my body from following. I twisted onto my stomach and crawled at the deteriorating dirt in vain.

  “Phoebe!” I shouted, as a wave of soot filled my mouth. I lost sight of her as my body went over the edge. Then I stopped; my body dangling over the void below. Something had grabbed my arms, and in a split second I was lying on the ground yards away from the river and the conjured lava streams. I convulsed on my side as my lungs struggled to expel the dirt I had breathed in. The tears in my eyes succeeded in washing my eyes out enough so that I could open them briefly. The world sloshed and blurred as the tears continued to flow. I felt a hand squeeze mine and I turned my head to the right. The tears poured down my face, clearing my vision and revealing my rescuer.

  Chapter 38

  A wave of cool, refreshing sea water crashed over me and washed away my pain. It soothed every cut, every burn, and even the knife wound I could still feel throbbing in my abdomen. The smell of sea grass wafted around me and sent a comforting numbing sensation through my mind.

  “Try to breathe slowly, baby girl.” Her voice was like a ray of light in a world of infinite darkness. I immediately recognized it from her own memories. I lifted myself up on my elbows and gazed up at her, consumed with wonder and astonishment.

  “Are you…” the cadence of my own voice scratched my throat. “Are you…Thetis? My… mother?”

  “Yes, Pasha,” she whispered, and I didn’t miss the overwhelming emotion in her voice at the nickname she, herself, had coined. I lifted myself all the way up into a sitting position and met her wise aquamarine eyes. They shone with fresh tears and her joyful smile lifted my heart. Suddenly overcome with emotion, I collapsed into her waiting arms. It was a place I thought I would never find myself, and I never wanted to let go.

  “Pasha, we must move. We must go.” Knowing she was right, I released her but couldn’t take my eyes off of her. She was breathtaking. Her flowing white dress was untouched by the dark, sooty soil below, and her hair washed over her shoulders in a symphony of blonde and silver. She took my hand and assisted me to my feet. As a shuffling sound drew my attention to the landscape behind us, a throng of decrepit skeletons closed in on us. I turned to run, but Thetis wrapped her arms around me and muttered something under breath. In a split second we were on the other side of the River of Fire watching as the skeletons retreated back into the forest of branches. My stomach dropped as my thoughts shot to Carmen and Phoebe.

  “Stasia!” I was attacked from the side as Phoebe embraced me in hug; knocking me to the ground.

  “Hey Phoebs,” I smiled weakly, as she hugged me again.

  “She saved us! Thetis saved us!”

  “How’s Carmen?” I managed beneath her weight.

  “Well, she’s…alive.”

  I looked over Phoebe’s shoulder at Carmen, who was staring at nothing as she sat rigid and motionless on the ground.

  “Come, girls. It is not time to rest just yet.” Thetis smiled down on us.

  Together we helped Carmen to her feet, but she resolved to trail behind in a trance-like
state as we put distance between ourselves and the River of Fire.

  Thetis slowed and took my cheek in her hand, “Who did this to you?”

  “Nadia,” I told her apprehensively. She could be great friends with Nadia for all I knew.

  Extremely unlikely, but still possible.

  “That doesn’t surprise me.” An irate determination spread across her features. “We must hurry and get you back to the River Styx. She could be waiting, but either way she’ll know when you are in the river.” I averted my gaze to Phoebe.

  “Phoebs, take Carmen and get out here,” I instructed.

  “But St-“ she began to object.

  “You have to get Carmen out of here. She needs you, Phoebs. I’ll be fine, I promise.”

  “I assure you that I will escort her to the River Styx and she will easily find the Gates, once she completes her essence,” Thetis consoled her with a warm smile. Phoebe considered what we had said for a moment and then eyed Carmen warily.

  “Okay. I’ll let Natasha know what’s going on,” she nodded at me.

  “Natasha…” A faraway look fell over Thetis’s eyes, “Please tell her I think of her often.”

  “I will!” Phoebe walked over to Thetis and took her hand. “It is such an honor to meet you.

  You are amazing!”

  “As are you, Phoebe.” Thetis kissed her on the forehead and patted her hand. Phoebe gave me another hug and began the task of dragging Carmen back to the Gates and getting back to their bodies.

  I turned to Thetis.

  “How did you know…?” I trailed off.

  “Why - the moonstone, of course,” she smiled at me knowingly.

  “The…moonstone?” I furrowed my brow and reached into my pocket. I pulled out the white stone and it warmed at my touch.

  “Come,” she contended with a grin and held out her hand. I stepped towards her and she wrapped her arms around me; muttering once again. In a flash we had been transported out of the dreary landscape and back to the River Styx. Thankfully, this time we were on the opposite side.

  “I cannot take you farther into Elysian, but I can promise your safety here. Nadia cannot walk this land.”

  “Why not?”

  “I think you know the answer to that Pasha,” her eyes smiled at me; amused.

  “Evil?” I guessed.

  She nodded proudly and continued our previous conversation, “As you are aware, aquamarine is my stone...and now yours. However, the moonstone originates back many, many centuries; back to your grandmother.”

  “My…grandmother?”

  “Your grandfather’s name was Nereus and your grandmother was Doris. Her stone was the moonstone.” I peered down at the white stone in my hand that I knew stood for foresight.

  “I found it at a shipwreck,” I said in a low voice, sadness washing over me at the memory of Finn.

  “I know,” she admitted slyly and winked at me. “I instructed Finn to place it there for that very reason.”

  “You…he put it there?”

  “I knew that once you returned you would have to take your journey. I wanted to know when you had arrived here. We are not the only ones who wear aquamarine. But only a select few have a piece of moonstone. If I were to sense it, I would know that you had finally arrived to complete your essence. When Finn communicated your return, I instructed him to make sure that you obtained a piece. But you needed to be drawn to it in order to feel your own connection to its essence.”

  “I had an odd feeling that I should bring it with me on my journey,” I thought out loud; also marveling at Finn and my mother conversing about me. For some reason, that brought heat to my cheeks.

  “You grandparents would be so proud of you,” Thetis whispered, as sadness trickled into her beautiful eyes. “Unfortunately, they did not know of your birth. No one did except for a select few.”

  As a tear ran down her cheek, I took her hand.

  “I know. I saw it happen…in your memory.” Her face instantly lit up at my words.

  “You have antiquity! Oh, Anastasia - that’s wonderful!” she rejoiced, and eyed my newest trace. “The infinity symbol, of course! I should have known…” She beamed at me as she reached out and gently touched my cheek. Unable to stop myself, I told her all about the last four months of my life; my abilities, my affinities, my friends…and my complex issues revolving around Finn.

  “I can’t let him give up everything…for me.” I searched her eyes for an answer. “I love him, but that’s why I can’t allow him to do that.”

  “Love is a powerful force. It’s also much more potent than evil,” she emphasized the word

  ‘evil’ and gently patted my hand. “Always remember that. You will know what to do. Listen to your heart and decide what you are willing to sacrifice, my dear Pasha.” I held her gaze and tears began to collect in my eyes. I couldn’t believe she was actually sitting beside me, giving me advice. I felt the gaping hole that had been created so long ago in my heart finally begin to close and mend.

  “Thanks, Mom,” I whispered, testing out the word Mom. It felt surprisingly at home on my lips. She embraced me in a hug.

  “It is time,” she proclaimed. I nodded and we stood; both of us eyeing the raging river several yards away. She stepped in front of me, ensuring that she held my entire focus.

  “I love you Anastasia and I am very proud of you. You are more amazing than you know. If I could do it all over again, I would gladly sacrifice my life for you again. You are worth it.” The echo of Natasha’s words resounded in my heart. Her expression became intense as she continued. “I need you to listen carefully to what I’m about to tell you.”

  “Okay,” I held my breath in anticipation.

  “Your father is alive,” she divulged, as my heart skipped a beat and my legs turned to bricks.

  I felt the look of shock on my face and I tried, to no avail, to speak. Thankfully, I didn’t have to. “You must find him. He is waiting for you.”

  “Where…where is he?” I forced air out of my lungs and made myself speak.

  “An island. He is being held captive.” My reveries about the older man came crashing back to me.

  “I think I’ve seen him. In a reverie,” I breathed, as a piece of the puzzle clicked in my mind.

  “That does not surprise me. Your soul knows where to find him. You will also find the conch shell I left you to be useful in your search,” she hinted, with an enchanting light in her eyes. As I became speechless again, she put her comforting hands on my shoulders. “But right now, Pasha…it is time to fulfill your destiny.”

  I swallowed and focused on the task at hand. As if Finn, my friends, and the entire Tyde Order weren’t enough motivation, now I knew that my father was alive. And waiting for me. As a surge of renewed energy shot through me, I stood up straight and smiled confidently at my mother.

  “I’m ready.”

  Chapter 39

  Glancing over my shoulder one more time at my mom, I took a deep breath and leapt into the raging rapids below. The dark water didn’t hesitate to draw me under, and I automatically took a deep breath. As the water filled my lungs and circulated through my body, I realized with horror that I’d made a mistake. As if I had swallowed a mouthful of fire, dancing flames licked at the insides of my body; scorching my throat and burning my muscles. I clamped my mouth shut and desperately held my breath. As the water continued sizzling through every cell, I flowed downstream within the rapids doing my best to avoid any large rocks. I had no idea how much further I had to go, but I knew I couldn’t hold my breath for too much longer.

  Helpless to control the monstrous, angry river that I was currently in the grips of, I held on for dear life. As the need for oxygen starved my brain and muscles of clarity and energy, I fought to get my head above the water. Unfortunately, the strength of the current rolled me over and tossed me in every direction except up. Feeling the fuzzy blackness knocking at my consciousness, I opened my mouth and again breathed in the scorching w
ater I was submerged in. Once again, it roared into my lungs; burning the whole way down. As I felt it revitalize my muscles and lessen in its intensity, I continued to take in deep breaths, ignoring the pain. Clarity returned, and I was able to think about what was happening. The more breaths I took, the less it burned.

  Like salt on a wound, it was a pain I had never experienced; but as it burned, it healed. As it faded, it made me stronger. As it disappeared completely, I was reborn. Allowing the river to take me ever closer to the waterfall, I was no longer scared. This is what I was meant to do. I closed my eyes and smiled; welcoming the ferocity of the water I was immersed in.

  My head was yanked backwards all of a sudden, as something latched onto my hair. As I fought to be released, I met the searing gaze of Nadia. She successfully wrapped her hand around a fistful of my hair when I felt my legs drop over the waterfall. As the rapids rushed over my body, Nadia was attempting to pull me back up. A calm determination fell over me and in that moment, there was nothing that would stop me from going over that waterfall. I reached up, grabbed her wrist and twisted as hard as I could. I felt the breaking of her bones and heard her shout as she released my hair just enough for the falls to pull me out of her grip. Then I was falling.

  I was no longer in the waterfall; I was a part of it. Its energy merged with mine and rushed within. A flash of light lit up the world around me, and I was suddenly lying on something soft. I instantly knew what had caught me. The ocean. I smiled as I heard it calling to me; singing. I felt its welcome embrace and acceptance as I silently sank beneath the surface. Unable to move, I sank down to the soft sand on the bottom and watched the light from the sun scatter and create magnificent prisms above. Wobbly bubbles began to form and rise all around me. As they ran over my skin and sent tingles through me, I watched them float soundlessly to the surface.