Volcan Knights

by Bowler, Laurie

  I shrugged, thinking it was my imagination and that I’d spooked myself yet again with the book similar to last night, it was then I went shopping and tried to pretend everything was normal, nothing was normal though and deep inside I knew that.

  Browsing the shelves I felt the eyes on me, I turned around again and still I saw no one, the shadow on the floor moved swiftly heading out of the door, crying with fright I prepared to leave the supermarket without any groceries.

  “Excuse me, but are you alright?” an elderly lady asked me, her face watching me kindly.

  “Yes, sorry I thought I saw a spider,” it sounded lame, my lie but it was the best and only thing I could think of to pacify her for my cry.

  She nodded, agreeing instantly.

  “They’re more scared of you than you are of them you know dear,”

  I agreed with her, and fled from the shop.

  Being in a trance by the sight of the shadow, I thought I heard a small child cry in the alley way beside the shop, stopping and peering in I couldn’t see anyone because it was so dark.

  “Hello,” I shouted. “Is anyone there?”

  “Please help me,” the child cried. “I’m scared,”

  “Come out here to me,” I said. “I’ll help you find your mummy,”

  “Mummy,” it called. “Please help me,”

  I froze, shocked beyond belief the voice sounded familiar but yet I couldn’t place it in my memories, thinking the child must be in some kind of trouble I stepped forwards, and I was instantly hauled into the darkness, seeing no one I called out again, but no one replied.

  I carried on walking forwards calling for the child to come to me, the shadows wrapped themselves around me, what I didn’t see was the one behind me, trying to form from the wall, I turned around feeling the eerie feeling like before of being watched, horrified and frightened I screamed.

  Stepping backwards and tripping on someone’s rubbish I landed on my backside, sitting there helpless with no weapon or means to fight, the shadow crept forwards, it mouth had formed slightly and it seemed to be talking to me.

  “Mummy,” it mimicked. “I’m scared, please come to me,”

  Mesmerised by the sound of the child, it was the same voice I’d just heard, this was a trick by the shadows to lure me into a dark area where they would be able to claim me because they had the means to reveal themselves.

  “Leave me alone,” I screamed. “Go away,”

  Burying my face with my hands I cried, screaming for help didn’t seem to do any good, it was like I was locked inside a bubble that had become sound proof with no means of escape, the burning down my spine threatened to overpower me it hurt until I thought I wouldn’t be able to take it anymore, peering through my fingers I watched the shadow carefully, jerking myself onto my feet I stood my ground, coming face to face with the death I hadn’t known existed until yesterday.

  I looked at the sky above, the screeching sound hit me, I didn’t know what it was, it sounded like an eagle but in the city there weren’t any eagles, watching the shadow as it still tried to form in front of me, hefting itself out of the walls and building a face before me, I was shaking with fear, the ice cold trickle of sweat began to pour down my back that still burned with the same pain as it had so many times in the past.

  Warily I backed away into the farthest corner, keeping my distance between the shadow and me, the small child still pleaded with me to come to her, it was girl that much I was sure about, I didn’t understand who it was but I had the same familiarity that I had definitely once known the same voice before, although it sounded eerie to me and seemed to echo around the alley way, I was still trying to scramble through my mind to place the person.

  Hearing the high pitched scream of the child, screaming my name and shouting for mummy, I knew without a doubt the shadow was revealing my child to me, Ellie was locked away inside this monster and she was pleading with me to either join her or save her. Joining her was out of the question, I knew that by all that I’d read, but saving her wouldn’t bring her home to me but it would rescue her soul and send it to heaven where she belonged to be able to rest in peace.

  “Ellie,” I whispered stepping forwards slightly, holding out my hand. “Is that you?”

  “Yes mummy,” she replied. “Please help me, it’s dark and I’m frightened,”

  I shook my head feeling like I was in a daze, I knew walking towards the shadow was wrong but I couldn’t help myself, my legs moved without me telling them too, and my arms reached forwards without me wanting them too, I was under the spell of the shadow, exactly like in my nightmare last night, the pull and power had been underestimated.

  Screeching above me, the strange bird began to ascend, its wings gently curling it downwards in a spiral heading in my direction, I watched fascinated by the sight until I recognised Sam, his face unsmiling and severe with anger, I knew I was in trouble for daring to come out of the compounds of his house and the safety he’d provided.

  He appeared fully formed, there wasn’t any mist like last time, according to the book Volcans appeared in mists to cover their identity from the human eye, but Sam had broken that golden rule for some reason today, I could only presume it was to save me.

  “Zera,” he shouted. “Stand back against the wall,”

  I did as he asked and pushed my back as far as I could into the wall, feeling the protruding bricks scrape my back, the pain didn’t matter and neither did the warm trickle of blood I felt from the grazes, because the burning pain was excruciating.

  I watched Sam fight with the shadow, flipping every time it came towards him, it howled with anger and indignation whenever Sam caught it with his claws, I was fascinated with his wings, the colour enraptured me and I couldn’t get enough of the sight of him, making me wonder what my own wings looked like and how I would be able to get them free and use them.

  “Zera,” he called. “Run!”

  I watched him create an opening between the shadow and himself, enough space for me to slip through, I ran as fast as I could and I heard the continued howling, seeing the people that still milled around as if nothing was happening and me running through the crowds of shoppers, elbowing people out of my way and tripping constantly in my haste.

  Stopping beside a brightly lit park and collapsing in a heap on the nearest bench, gasping for breath and clutching my chest, I wanted Sam to be alright and to find me in one piece.

  Eventually after some time, I felt like I was being watched the park was deserted, whirling around on the seat I saw Sam standing behind me, watching me thoughtfully.

  “Why did you leave the house?”

  “I only left to get some food in for our meal tonight,” I whispered. “I’m sorry,”

  “Come here.”

  I slipped of the seat and walked towards him, his arms opened and I fell into his embrace, being crushed against him I shivered as the breeze picked up slightly, his wings began to surround me, keeping me warm and offering safety and heat.

  “You’re safe for now,” he muttered, “But when we agree for you stay within the walls of the house, make sure you do it next time,”

  I nodded, unsure whether to trust my voice or not.

  “I want to show you something,” he said.

  Suddenly without warning his wings flapped lightly and we started to rise into the air, with fright I moved myself closer to him and his arms held me tightly, he flew high into the air.

  “What if someone sees us?” I asked, chewing my bottom lip worriedly.

  “They won’t,” he replied. “Although I haven’t done this many times, they don’t tend to watch the skies a lot of the time,”

  I shrugged, what did it matter anyway, so long as he didn’t drop me because when I looked down towards the ground it seemed an incredible distance away and was certain death if I was dropped, sensing my discomfort he held me closer and tighter.

  “I won’t drop you,” he muttered tersely. “Don’t worry,”

  “Whe
re are we going?”

  “I want to show you something, you’ll like it,” he answered. “Do you trust me?”

  “I don’t know,” I answered honestly, “I don’t really know you and there’s so much you still have to explain.”

  I didn’t need to look at him to know he was smiling because I felt his lips move, without any more words between us we flew across the buildings for some time, I watched the people that appeared like ants and the moving cars on the roads looked insignificant from way up here.

  “You know stuff like this isn’t supposed to happen, at least not to me in my quiet life,”

  “Well,” he said looking thoughtful. “Your life changed the day you decided to face Barry and then I had to intervene to save your life, so I guess your life is slightly different now,”

  I snorted, slightly different was an understatement, I would say completely and wholly different, I was human with some bird locked up inside me that I had no idea how to locate and call out; it felt odd knowing I was different.

  “You do trust me, don’t you?”

  “You haven’t given me a reason not to,” I answered. “So for now I do, until you do something that tells me not too,”

  He laughed, his arms curling around me, and his lips kissing the top of my head.

  “Where are we going?” I had to ask, if felt like we’d been flying for ages and I was getting slightly nauseated by the sight of people below having watched them for so long, they really had no idea the danger they were in.

  “Somewhere we used to call special, we used to go there together,” he said. “I wanted you to see it,”

  “Oh, together, you mean like before my accident?”

  “There wasn’t an accident,” he said is voice sounding strained. “You were stubborn then as well and wouldn’t listen to reason, when I told you stay in the house for your own protection you insisted on going out, when I told you of the dangers you thought you could handle it and take them all on,” he explained, “From now on though, I want you to do exactly as I tell you to do, understood?”

  “What if I want to go and do something?”

  He stopped and turned me around to face him, his face when I saw it was angry, his eyes fumed in my direction.

  “Do you think this is all a joke?” His voice came out softly, dangerously low.

  “No, not at all, I just think you know a lot more than you’re telling me,” I answered, trying to keep my own calm posture. “So are you going to tell me more?”

  Slowly Sam started to descend and gently placed me on the floor, holding my hand and walking with me to sit beside a stream that was situated inside a small grassy area, the flowers had blossomed which added masses of brightly coloured flowers around, white, yellow and red for miles to see. I caught my breath with the beauty I was being shown, nothing compared to this, not even the sight of the garden Sam had prepared for me last night at his home.

  He began to explain that I was in grave danger, the shadows were coming after with force that he’d never anticipated, the stories were true, they wanted me in order for them to survive in this world and be able to form themselves into a resemblance of a human.

  “So, I’m their key?” I asked.

  “Yes,” he agreed. “Without taking your life they don’t stand a chance of surviving, you’re the only female Volcan,”

  “Why haven’t the others made their girlfriends Volcans?” I wondered out loud.

  “That’s simple,” he said, “I’ve forbidden them, when I made you I had no idea that it would cause such a controversy with the shadows, and neither did I take it very seriously, it was just a game of chance and I was bowled over with the incredible power of being a Volcan,” he explained, “But then I met you and I fell in love, when Volcans fall in love we love deeply and for the end of time, nothing was going to separate us, I debated for days and months whether to turn you or not, and then I did,”

  “What happened then?” I held my breath, the story of him being a young and naive Volcan seemed incredibly and I was astounded by his revelations.

  “I realised my mistake when Ethan dumped the books in front of me,” he said, “I knew they were in the house but I hadn’t taken much notice of them, Ethan however, had read them all and knew what I’d done, it was a fatal mistake but it nothing I can fix now, all I can do is hope I can protect you along with the other Volcans,”

  Images filled my mind, ghastly faces of people with their eyes sucked backwards inside their heads as the shadow above them sucked them dry. Masses of people had been killed by these creatures, they’d remained relatively quiet for some time, waiting for a female to be made and now they’d finally got their chance to survive, their power and influence amassing so they could resurface themselves and fight for their own kind in broad daylight.

  “I don’t blame you,” I said suddenly, shaking my head free from the images, “I just wish you’d have told me earlier about my life, I didn’t realise it was this dangerous,”

  “If I’d told would it have made an ounce of difference to how you felt about me? Or would it have made you run again?”

  “I wouldn’t run from you, I’m not in the least afraid of you,” I walked towards him, holding my hands in front of me ready to capture his, “I’m only scared that you might leave me, I’m scared I’ll wake up tomorrow in my own house and all of this,” I said sweeping my arms around me. “Will be only a dream,” my voice ended on a whisper.

  That was one of my biggest fears, that all of this finding Sam and knowing I did belong somewhere and my life hadn’t always been lonely was only a dream, a figment of my imagination.

  “You should be scared,” he whispered back, taking my hands in his, “I won’t hurt you, but there’s plenty out there that will,”

  “So long as I have you I will live to tell the story,” I whispered back, hope began to rise in my chest, remaining close to him and gripping his hands tightly.

  “You will always have me.” he whispered back.

  The magical garden had seemed to do what it had been built for, after sometime I read the small stones that were protruding from the ground, they’d been placed there by lovers, their own special memories of finding love here were romantic and endless, my own love for Sam felt the same, and I’m sure that he would have agreed.

  Had it not been for the noises coming from the sky, the eagle screeches that I recognised Sam had made earlier, we would have been able to speak some more but in the presence of company from our small nest of Volcan’s it wasn’t neither the time or the place.

  “Sam,” Ethan breathed, he landed facing us, his eyes a mixture of excitement and envy when he saw how we held onto each other, “I heard your call, what’s going on?”

  Sam laughed, his head thrown backwards.

  “You're a little late my friend,” he answered slapping him on the back, “Zera decided to go shopping and nearly got herself killed in the process, if I hadn’t have heard her screaming then who knows what might have happened, where’s the others?”

  Just as he asked, the same screeching came tenfold, the noise was unbearable when I hadn’t been used to it like these two, and I had to cover my ears. Each Volcan swiftly landed in front of us, their faces eagerly waiting for the news as to why they’d been summoned.

  “What’s going on?” Regan asked, looking at Sam, then me and finally Ethan for any clues.

  Ethan shrugged, his face turned away.

  “Nothing,” Sam said. “Only Zera finally understands the danger she’s in,”

  “Why didn’t you tell her before?” he asked, remaining curious, “I mean wouldn’t it have save a lot of trouble and summoning us all from work, we do have lives you know Sam,”

  “I’m aware of that but we all have a duty placed upon us, and we can’t forget that,” he reprimanded, gently taking my arm. “We’re going home, are any of you planning on joining us tonight?”

  Regan nodded, his face watched Sam carefully as if he was trying to decipher why he’d
been reprimanded, their leader was certainly a strange mixture, even to me but then I had a lot to learn, one of the things I eagerly awaited to be shown was how to use my wings and fight alongside them.

  “No Zera,” Sam said and he turned towards me. “Female Volcans do not fight, it’s forbidden, our job is to keep you safe not put you emphatic danger,”

  “How did you know what was going through my mind?” Stunned, I was thinking private thoughts and I couldn’t remember speaking them out loud.

  “We’re all connected, one thought, one wish and we hear everything,” he answered, “Remember to try to keep your thoughts to yourself,”

  Keep your eyes out of my head then I thought angrily, smiling sweetly up at him, to my surprise he only laughed followed by the other Volcans.

  “It's my job to be inside your head my love,” he said. “I’m in theirs all day, I won’t tell you what Ethan thinks about all day,”

  Intrigued, and amazed that we could be connected as we were, it felt strange knowing my thoughts were not my own any more, but that each one of these men would be peering inside my head when I didn’t know they were there, I shuffled uncomfortable with the idea.

  “You don’t have to be uncomfortable,” he laughed, “You’ll get used to the idea, and besides, we try not to listen to each other most of the time, apart from when one of us needs something,”

  Overwhelmed wasn’t the term that I would use to describe how I felt, my life was once a mixture of confusion and pain, but now it was filled with these men, The Volcans and I was their only female, the part where I’m not allowed to fight, we would see what happens when the time came nearer and I would then show how much I was worth.

  “Let's go home,” We all flew together, except for me of course, I was being held tightly by Sam, I glanced at his face, he was concentrating incredibly on holding me tightly without dropping me, and for that I was grateful.