by Candy Crum
“You think I should go, don’t you?” Brittany asked, not wanting to hear the answer she knew was coming.
“I don’t want you to. I want you to stay here with me. I want us to be able to ignore all this and for it to all go away.” Diane sighed. “But we can’t. You can’t. The moment that I gave birth to you my destiny was over and yours began. The world is not mine to save, though I wish that it was. I want to be the one to do this, not you. But this is why I’ve prepared you, just like my father prepared me. Because even with all the doubt in our mind, we believed this day may come. You have to go.”
“I’m terrified,” Brittany said.
“You’re a warrior,” Diane said. “Just remember all you’ve been taught. Remember all you’ve been through. Athena will guide you. We’ve always been told that the Fated would have a special connection to their god, or goddess ancestor. I’ve known it would be you from the day you were born. I’m always just a phone call away. Don’t think you’re doing this on your own. I would go with you, but I would get you killed. I have no powers, and I won’t ever have them either. If you see me fall out there, you would give your life to save mine, and that can’t happen. The world needs you. I need you to live.”
“You said that you lived your whole life in fear. That grandpa did, too. What made you so sure it was me?” Brittany asked.
“The day that you were born, the country went black. Storms covered most of the country, much like it is now. There were earthquakes all over the world. The biggest sign, however, came with Mount Vesuvius. Only a few moments before you were born that volcano started to rumble. That was the day the mountain came alive. All of those signs told me all I needed to know. Still, I convinced myself that I was looking too hard into those things, and that I was crazy. That it wasn’t possible. Yet, here we are,” Diane said. “You need to go get a bag put together. I’ll help you.”
Brittany took a couple of deep breaths, trying to calm herself. “I won’t let you down, Mom.”
“You won’t let anyone down. You are a Fated child. Your destiny is great, and you are perfect for the job,” Diane said.
She stood then, helping her daughter stand before leading her upstairs to help her pack. Diane knew Brittany had a very large task ahead of her, and that she would need a good start. That still didn’t stop the hole growing in her heart that she was about to send her daughter off to complete a mission she had feared her entire life.
MOUNT VESUVIUS
Thunder rumbled all around the restless mountain. Brilliant bolts of lightning webbed across the dark sky, illuminating the clouds and the volcanic smoke in a terrifying display. The surrounding towns had been alerted that an emergency evacuation could come at any time if the progression of the eruption continued at such a pace. At first, it seemed as though it would take weeks before the mountain was ready to blow. However, with not one, but two earthquakes, along with the increased smoke, it seemed that it could come much sooner.
Two Italian volcanologists and an American seismologist decided to take a chopper up to see what activity may be going on inside. They had readings from the ground, but in order to get a better prediction for what may happen they needed to get samples from the beast itself. If the mountain was calm enough, someone would lower inside to get rock and dirt samples and also check how hot it was burning.
Davide and Antonio, the two Italian volcanologists, and Mark, the American seismologist, were the lucky three chosen to fly to Mount Vesuvius to get the much needed samples. The air was rough from the wind. It did not make flying easy, but Antonio was a very experienced and skilled pilot. Davide was dressed in flame retardant protective gear that would allow him to walk along the edge of the volcano and collect samples. Mark prepared his camera, ready to film from overhead.
“I’m going to have to change the route a little,” Antonio said, his thick Italian accent clouding what he said. “The wind is changing the direction of the smoke.”
“The wind isn’t entirely a bad thing,” Mark said. “It should blow some of the heat away from us.”
As they reached the mountain, Antonio navigated around to avoid the thick smoke, allowing them to see down inside. The wind seemed to hold steady in that direction, keeping them free.
“It’s definitely ready,” Davide said. “See that? The magma is starting to boil up to the surface.”
“Is it safe enough for you to go down there?” Antonio asked. “We really shouldn’t be up here this close to time. It’s dangerous.”
“Since when do we care about that?” Davide asked, laughing. “I should be fine. Just keep an eye on the smoke. I need to know when I have to bail out.”
Mark readied the large basket that Davide would be lowered down in. It would not only allow him to be safely lowered, but to carry his supplies with him as well.
Davide climbed inside and Mark began lowering him down to the edge of the volcano using the wench inside the chopper. Once Davide was completely down, he opened his bag and grabbed a sample kit as well as a thermometer specifically made for reading the high temperatures of a volcano.
Just standing next to the mouth of the waking giant, Davide could tell that the temperature was far too high for just a grumbling mountain. The air reeked of sulfur; one more thing to add to his list of evidence. Without a doubt, he knew that Mount Vesuvius would erupt sooner than the previous predictions they had been given. He knelt down, readying himself to climb inside just enough that he could get a sample of the earth.
As Davide was about to swing his leg over, the entire mountain began to shake. Rock and earth moved inside and out, tumbling down into what was sure to be instant death for anything organic and living. Davide held on as tight as he could, gripping the ground as much as possible while praying that he would not fall inside.
“Davide!” Antonio shouted. “Get in the basket! We have to go!”
“Not yet!” Davide called back over the radio system. “Mark, make sure you’re filming inside the volcano!”
“I’m more concerned about getting you out of here alive. I would also like to live. Might be nice, who knows? But seriously, we need to get you up here. The wind is starting to change direction. It’ll choke the engine!” Mark called back.
“It won’t take long,” Davide said. “Just film. I’m almost finished.”
Davide ignored the two men arguing back and forth in Italian as he went back to work trying to get a sample, deciding not to step down any further than he already was. He walked ten feet more before kneeling once again. A second time the volcano rumbled, only this time, the inside broke open. Magma splashed to the surface in small luminescent arcs. The inside of the volcano then glowed with the liquid heat as it oozed to the surface more than twenty feet down inside of the volcano.
“Davide!” Antonio called again. “Now!”
Davide tried to stand, but the shaky ground knocked him back down, almost sending him over the edge to the inside. He grabbed hold again, the ground temperature scorching, even at the peak where he was not close to the lava. He turned and began crawling as fast as he could back to the basket.
BOOM
The sound of an explosion within the volcano ripped through the sky, the ground shaking with violent thrusts as the inside broke completely open and magma freely rose to the surface. Davide was frozen as he watched a massive spray of lava fly through the air and land on the opposite side of the mountain. He stared for a moment, waiting for the lava to run down, but it didn’t. It stayed there, gripping at the edge. As he stared, unable to move, he realized that it was a solid thing. Lava and flames dripped from it, highlighting its mass. Ashes rose to the sky, blowing into the wind.
“Are you seeing this?” Davide asked.
“What is it?” Mark asked.
Davide turned so he could see a bit better, but regret was swift, and fear replaced that curiosity. As he stared at the glowing red mass that had reached over the edge of the opposite side, he saw it widening. At first he thought that it was meltin
g, sinking down. Soon, he realized that it was moving. It was gripping the side. That was when he saw it. The parts of the mass that were separating were fingers. The lava that had come from inside was an arm. An enormous arm that must have been thirty feet in length.
“Is that… Is that an arm?!” Davide called up.
“Davide, get out of there. Now!” Mark ordered.
“I can’t move,” Davide said. “Is that really what I’m seeing? Is that an arm?”
“I don’t know!” Antonio shouted.
The ground shook again, another glowing splash of magma spewing forth toward the rim of the volcano, that time on Davide’s side. It landed a dozen or so yards away from Davide, a wayward drop of lava hitting his leg and burning through his suit. He cried out, slapping at his leg to remove the searing liquid.
Something that sounded like a low moan echoed throughout the mountain. He stared at the second lava splash, seeing without a doubt that it was a hand, larger than the chopper he had ridden in on, gripping the edge.
“Did you hear that?” Davide asked.
“Something is coming out of the mountain! Get your a…” Antonio trailed off.
“Davide,” Mark said, his voice very calm. “I need you to run now. Run fast.”
Davide nodded, staring in disbelief at the fingers moving and gripping the edge only a dozen yards away. He summoned all the will he could and jumped to his feet, moving as fast as he could to the basket without risking a fall. He jumped in the basket, sitting so he could see inside.
Another loud groan echoed through the volcanic walls as something began to emerge from the center. It was smooth, rounded. Davide’s eyes widened as he watched in horror as it rose, ashes flittering through the air, and lava cascading down a prodigious head. It seemed to be turning, looking back over shoulders that had yet to rise. Then…
The eyes snapped open.
Coal black orbs stared into Davide’s. The colossal humanoid not even blinking as glowing hot lava and fire dripped over the unlidded organs.
“Move!” Davide shouted.
“Hold on!” Antonio said.
“Don’t pull me up!” Davide shouted. “Just fly! GO!”
Antonio did as he was told. He pulled up, steering the chopper upward and lifting Davide so he hung freely.
A large cloud of thick black smoke and ash rose into the air, covering the chopper. Alarms began going off inside, alerting them that the engine was having trouble.
Davide’s heart raced as he dangled from the chopper in the basket. He stared out into the blackness of the smoke, straining his eyes to see anything. His eyes burned and so did his lungs as he struggled to breathe.
Lightning lit up the sky, touching down around the edge of the volcano. Davide cried out again, this time in fear. Bright orange and red flames illuminated everything as a massive hand whipped through the blackness, reaching for him, but coming up empty with a narrow miss. The large fingers pulling back into a fist and disappearing back into the vastness of smoke and ash.
“Faster!” Davide called out over the headset.
He held on even tighter as the chopper sped up, finally clearing the smoke. Rain began to fall, and he felt vibration through the cable holding him in the basket. Mark was lifting him. Once he was pulled inside, safe but not untouched by the events that had unfolded, Davide flattened himself on the floor of the chopper, breathing hard.
“Please tell me you got that on film,” Davide said.
“Are you serious right now?” Mark asked. “You nearly died. You were nearly killed by that thing, and that is what you’re worried about? Seriously?”
“Deadly,” he replied.
“You are insane,” Mark said. “And yes. I did.”
“Good. We need to alert the surrounding areas. Hell… We need to alert the world. Whatever that was…” Davide paused. “I have a feeling hell itself was just rising from that mountain.”
Κεφάλαιο II
SATURDAY
Texas
The clouds in the overcast sky blotted out the sun, much like they did over most of the country that day. Those clouds brought along rain and a terrible chill to the normally warm Texan air. The rain hadn’t been falling for long, but Cass Sharpe knew it would cause some issues during the game. He walked out of the locker room to the hallway, dressed from head to toe in his football gear. More than anything, he wanted a moment to be alone.
Jess Combs, one of Cass’ best friends, and cheerleader for his team, made her way down the hall with the others on her squad. She stopped next to Cass, allowing the others to pass. Her almost black hair was pulled back into a perfect ponytail, wrapped in a bow with their team colors. Her dark skin was highlighted by the red in her uniform and the green of her eyes.
“How are you feeling?” Jess asked.
Cass shrugged. “I’m feeling okay. A bit nervous, but good.”
“How have you been doing otherwise? You know… with everything else?” she asked.
He sighed, knowing that she was referring to the effects the death of his father two months prior had on him. The only reason he had gone out for the football team in the first place was for his father, who had been an all-star player for the same team when he was Cass’ age. Cass had trained all summer with the team and made the cut.
His father died just before the school year had started. At first, Cass didn’t want anything to do with the team. He didn’t get into sports as much as some of the other guys that tried out, and he didn’t really want to be there. Plus, he was very clumsy. He knew that, but he did his best to overcome that for his father. Eventually, he decided that he couldn’t just blow it off. He needed to do it for his father. At the very least, for that year.
Still, Cass had trouble coping with his father’s death, and it affected both his grades and concentration on the field. He’d been having reoccurring nightmares that he was drowning. No matter how hard he fought, the water took him. Consumed him. He woke every night at least once, coughing and gasping for air. Jess, being the kind and gentle soul that she was, had been helping him work through it. He was grateful for her help, but it didn’t make it any easier to talk about.
“It’s still happening,” he said after a pause. “Twice last night alone.”
Jess shook her head, concern distorting her expression. “I’m so sorry,” she said. “I’ve been thinking a lot about this.”
“Oh yeah?” he said. “What about it exactly?”
She paused for a moment before speaking, looking to make sure they were still alone.
“I think I may have an idea,” she said. “We can talk more about it after you guys win the game.”
Cass looked down to the ground, thinking about her last statement.
“I’m not so confident about this one. That team is brutal. Their quarterback has quite a rep for being a jerk on the field,” he said.
“You’ll do great. Don’t let yourself think otherwise,” she said. “Like I said, we’ll talk after the game. I really do think I have an idea that will help. If nothing else, it would be a stepping stone. We will get you back, Cass. Just try to trust me.”
Jess smiled and walked away as Cass took a deep breath, turned, and made his way back into the locker room. Confidence hadn’t been his strong suit for a while, but it was something he tried hard to overcome. He needed a win. Aside from wanting to win for pride reasons, he wanted a win for his father.
It was a home game for Cass and his team, the Spartans, and they had the upper hand, but only by a little. Jess watched from the sidelines, cheering for them and hoping for a win for Cass. She wanted to see his spirits lifted. It had been quite a while since she’d seen him have an honest laugh, or just smile at nothing like he used to.
It was the fourth quarter. The other team, the Cougars, was in control, and it didn’t look good. Darius Spall was the quarterback for the opposing team and was known for being very efficient on and off the field. He was involved in student affairs, volunteered his time to help t
he community, and was the type to give the very shirt off his back, but he didn’t hold back on the field. He’d made a name for himself for being a very dominating player, if not a little arrogant in his success.
Darius’ coach, Ed Barnes, had given strict instructions to his team. Being so close in points, Coach Barnes told Darius to hand the ball off to his teammate, Alejandro, and let him run it. Any gain in ground bringing them closer for the next play; a field goal kick that would tie up the game, sending it into overtime. The coach was quite confident that was the best course of action. Darius, however, had other plans. He knew that the coach would not be able to stop him, having already used all of the allotted time-outs for that half. Darius had completely adjusted his offensive line, setting himself up to be the hero. He wanted to throw the ball a longer distance and win the game in one play instead of playing it safe.
As soon as the ball was handed off from the center, the fight was on. Both teams rushed one another. The wet ground made it difficult for anyone to gain enough footing to fight free. Darius hadn’t taken into consideration how slick with mud the ground had become in such a short time. His plan was backfiring before his eyes. Darius had the ball ready to throw to the wide receiver, but there wasn’t a soul available to catch. Looking around, he saw everyone occupied as he struggled to think on his feet.
On the Spartans’ side, Cass found some traction, seeming unaffected by the slick ground. He looked up to see Darius still holding the ball. Cass sprinted forward, his sights set solely on Darius. Darius looked over, and Cass knew that his quick approach had been seen. Getting as close as possible, Cass dove at Darius, but he’d been prepared. Darius ducked down and moved out of the way. Cass stumbled while trying to stop himself, unable to make a quick turn after missing Darius.
Taking the path of least resistance, Darius made the choice to run the ball himself, more confident in his own abilities than anyone else’s at that moment. Darius ran, several opposing teammates soon hot on his heels. Cass seemed to come out of nowhere, having recovered quicker than expected, running after Darius and catching up at an impressive speed. Darius pushed hard, but Cass was faster. Cass dove forward, catching Darius by the waist and dropping him down to the ground. The referee was already standing on the sidelines waiting at the end zone for them.
