JACKIE
It was dark. So dark.
It was cold, too. Was I inside the kraken? It didn’t feel like the inside of anything. There was no light in here, so I couldn’t see where I was. The ground I sat on was solid, nothing like a mouth or stomach or whatever, and the last thing I remembered was being ripped off the island and hitting my head on a flying rock before going unconscious.
But now I was here, only where was here? It was so cold, dark and bare, and for the first time in my life I felt genuinely scared. I tucked my legs in and exhaled so loudly it vibrated through the hollow barrier I think I was in.
Suddenly, a blinding flash knocked the wind out of me. I shielded my face against the blinding glare, and when my eyes adjusted to the light, I could hardly believe what I was seeing.
Was……was that an angel?
It was definitely a figure, a silhouette, and it was glowing radiantly. It made it’s way towards me, and for the first time in my life, I screamed.
It wasn’t an angel!!!
But yet it seemed so much like it…..
Well, it didn’t matter what it was, as it made my life end, here and now, and I could never ask for a worse death. Just as my life was ending, as my life flashed across my eyes, I heard the angel speak:
“Jaclyn, do not give up hope……I will get you out of here…..”
AVERY
We all just stood there bobbing in the clear water, Danica’s palms pressed to her face as she sobbed, and tears running down my cheeks and splashing into the water. My hair was plastered to the side of my face and my clothes were soaked from being in the water so long, but I didn’t have the strength to climb out. I was still in a state of shock.
The water wobbled as Sam and his sister crawled out of the lake. Samantha gazed at the two of us still floating in the pond, water soaking through our clothes, water dripping off our hair, but still we remained in the water, silent, not wanting to move.
Sam squatted at the riverbank. “Sister….” He muttered, but I just turned away from him, pressing my hands to my face. She can’t be gone, I thought. She couldn’t be gone….
Soon enough, I and Danica gathered the strength to crawl out of the pond. Danica brushed her long red hair out of her face and squeezed some water out of her blouse. I pulled my hair back in a ponytail and squeezed the water out of my hair.
Samantha squeezed water from her dainty little dress and Sam shook water from his shaggy blonde hair, like a dog. We were certainly soaked to the skin, but even in our darkest moments, Jackie would’ve made a joke to cheer all of us up. I was in such a state I even missed the terrible jelly she always tried to make perfect for my birthday (no sugar, taste like jellified tofu, uck).
I stared up at the sky, and wondered: “What would Jackie say in this moment if she was here?” I smiled. I knew exactly what she would say if she had made it into the pond and was now soaking wet like we are. She’d be squeezing water out of her clothes while trying her best to force her hair away from her face (though her hair always plasters back onto her face, especially if wet) and would say: “One day, I’m gonna cut this damn hair.”
Sam tugged at my sleeve, and I turned to face him. “I’m….I’m very sorry for your loss, sister,” he muttered. Samantha sighed, and Danica tucked a bunch of soaking red hair behind her ear.
I sighed, then smiled at him. “Thank you, but we mustn’t let her death interfere with our journey anymore.” I stood up straight and rubbed away the few remaining tears. “Jackie wouldn’t have wanted us to give up our journey because of her. I know it’s what she waould have wanted; for us to continue our journey despite her death.”
Danica nodded at me, then faced Sam. “Sam, do you know how we can get to the Great Spirit?”
Sam’s eyes widened. “The Great Spirit? The goddess who takes care of the
Danica just stared at him for a moment and said: “Um, well, I suppose, yes.” Sam drummed his lips with his fingers, deep in thought. Samantha had heard us and was thinking too, their faces a look of concentration.
Finally, the two broke out of the trance and shook their heads. “We are truly sorry, sister, but though we come from Elvaeda, we only learn of the Great Spirit’s whereabouts when we are as old as the queen, which is about 730 years old. As you know, we are still only about 100 years old, and that is very young in elf years.”
I and Danica just stared at the two angelic twins in surprise. After awhile of staring, Samantha got uncomfortable and said: “We are truly very sorry, Sister, but we have to leave now. My brother and I have stayed longer than we thought outside town and we need to head back. Now.”
Danica nodded, and the twins nodded back, and bowed. “We hope that you two will manage to find the Great Spirit, our future queens.” Samantha stood up straight and tugged at her brother’s sleeve, and her brother stood up and smiled at her, then at us. “Good luck, your majesties.”
Then the two of them ducked into the dense overgrowth and vanished into the woods. Again, we were alone in the dense forest of rubber trees. Danica looked at me, and I frowned, shoving my hands into my jeans pocket. “C’mon,” I muttered, and walked off in no particular direction. “Let’s go.”
SARAH
The chains held me tight as I watched them shove another elf into the raging fire below. Squeals could be heard as the elves vanished into the raging purple flames below, shrouding the place in thick, black smoke. There was no escape, and everyone knew that.
Giving one last thug on my binds, which of course didn’t budge, I leaned back against the wall, sighing, the cold grip of the thick metallic chains digging into my skin. I winced as a high pitched squeal filled the air as a little girl fell into the thick flames, and I knew I would be next.
I watched as one of them headed towards me. My heart skipped a beat, but then regained it’s slow, calm beating. I knew my life would end, so why panic at the last moments of my pathetic little life? I watched as he clicked my binds open, and pull my hands behind my back.
He pushed me towards the raging fire, and I swallowed hard as I peered down into the flames raging below. I was right on the edge of the cliff, and could feel the heat on my face. He kicked at my feet, trying to trip me over, but I didn’t budge. Instead, I kicked his foot, hard, and he stumbled over, loosening his grip on my hands. Seizing this chance, I yanked my arms free of his grip, grabbed him by the shoulders and swung him off the cliff, where he vanished into the raging flames below. Others caught sight of my actions, and raced after me.
I ran past them, zigzagging past many of the captive elves and out the swinging doors as the others chased after me. My breath caught in my throat as I zipped past numeral guards, and ran like I never ran before.
And soon I would be free.
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