Ch. 8 - The Wolves

Jessica could hear the creatures in the woods around her as she darted through the trees. The beast she had seen looked an awful lot like a wolf, only it was larger – maybe the size of a bear. Its yellow eyes and blade-like teeth impressed themselves on her mind, urging her legs to run faster. Andrew was a little bit behind her, and she dared to glance back at him. Five wolves were at his heels. Their jaws were open, revealing terrible fangs ready to devour her friend. Their long, dog-like faces were pulled tight in desperation, their tongues lolling out in front of them and drool dribbling down their fur. They looked hungry.

“Come on!” Jessica urged Andrew as she stooped to pick up a rock. She spun around, took aim, and hurled it at one of the beasts’ heads. Without looking back, she continued running, listening for the yelp of pain soon to follow her action.

Andrew soon caught up to Jessica. “Faster!” he shouted. Jessica could hear them behind her. Their howls grew ever closer. She could hear their clawed feet tearing the earth underneath them. “Don’t look back!” Andrew commanded.

Her heart was beating too quickly, and her legs weren’t moving nearly as fast as she wanted them to. Andrew began to pull in front of her. Jessica struggled to keep up. The roots and bushes at her feet made her focus constantly on the ground beneath her, and she had trouble weaving in between the trees as quickly as the boys.

“Come on!” Benji yelled, from up ahead. Jessica’s lungs constricted. She wasn’t getting enough air inside her. Her legs started aching, but she kept on running. She could almost smell the wolves’ breath behind her. She could almost hear them snapping at her heels and missing. Jessica gasped and wheezed, begging her legs to keep running.

She hadn’t let go of her dagger, but she refused to throw it and waste a weapon. Something zipped past her right ear. A wolf howled behind her. Andrew was throwing rocks at the brutes like Jessica had done. She could hardly see him; he was so far ahead of her. Another rock rushed past her and felled a wolf, hitting it squarely in the face.

There were still three wolves following them. Jessica’s legs felt as if they could run no more. A low growl behind her suggested a particularly speedy wolf was moments away from its meal. A hand grabbed hers and jerked her sharply to the right, so hard that she stumbled.

“Run, Jess!” Andrew said, pulling her behind him. She felt like she was suffocating. Her legs were sore and stretched. She didn’t remember how long ago she had started running, but surely she had been at it for hours and hours.

“Come on, Jess, don’t give up. Come on! Faster!” Andrew urged. He continued to drag her along, yanking her arm so hard she felt like he would rip it off her body.

“I. Can’t,” she panted. Something sharp bit into her ankle. With a shriek, she toppled to the ground, face-first. Something heavy landed on her back, and it felt like crude nails were being pressed into her shoulder blades. She screamed, rolled over, and punched upwards.
Her fist sank into something fleshy and soft. Blinking, she found herself staring into a hungry wolf face.

Andrew beat the creature’s side with his hands, and it offered a growl before sliding off of Jessica. A mass of mud-colored fur jumped on Andrew’s back, pinning him against the earth. Benji tacked the creature, knocking it off Andrew. It flipped over, whimpering, and ran into the nearest bush. A growl to Jessica’s right startled her.

Jessica sat up, gasping for breath. The sight before her sent her heart into panic mode. This wolf walked slowly toward her. Its fur was black, and it met her gaze with unblinking, golden eyes. Its mouth was pulled back in a snarl and its tail impatiently beat the ground behind it, as if it was eagerly anticipating something. It was tall, rising a whole head above Jessica, and its body was covered with dark fur. Its dog-like ears flattened and it let out a blood-curling yowl. Then, it opened its mouth and spoke. Its voice was like metal spikes dragging across blocks of granite.

“Cease!” it commanded the wolves accumulating in the shrubs. They peeked out at the trio through narrowed eyes, yapping their jaws and snapping dangerously. It was apparent they were exercising an immense amount of self-control to keep from attacking their dinner.

“Two-legs of the earth,” it rasped, “Long has it been since your kind has crossed the trees of the Moon Wolves. Why have you come?”

Andrew, Jessica, and Benji drew close to one another and stared at the wolf. It waited patiently, though they could plainly see the hunger in its tinted eyes. “Someone speak…say something,” Jessica tried to say, but the words didn’t rise past her throat.

Andrew said in an uneven voice, “We travel to the city Darwol.”

The wolf growled and paced like a dog, its eyes never leaving the companions. “What do you seek there?”

“Our friends wait for us there,” Andrew said. His eyes flickered between the wolf leader and the wolves surrounding them in the bushes. Jessica wondered how long the wolves would obey their chief’s authority before they lost their self control. Her flustered heart and the leaves rustling under hairy paws were the only sounds she could hear.

The black wolf lowered his tail to the ground and sat, staring up at them curiously. “The only other two-legs to have traveled through these woods of late are friends with the Moon Wolves.”

“You’ve seen them?” Andrew asked anxiously. “A tall man and a woman with dark skin?”

The wolf’s tail swished back and forth on the ground, leaving a clean spot where it had brushed away all the leaves. “They passed through not two days ago. They are the friends you seek?”
Andrew nodded.

The wolf rose up on its haunches and resumed pacing, squinting at them curiously. “I see the truth in your eyes,” it stated in its harsh voice. “The ones you speak of are friends. They fight those who have forced us into these woods. I remember the days when we were free to roam like the birds in the air. How things have changed,” it murmured, its eyes staring past the young humans before it.
Focusing on them a moment later, it pledged, “We will let you safely pass as long as you give us your word that you will do all in your power to make us free.”

Andrew, about to accept the wolf’s offer, was interrupted quickly by Benji, who stepped forward and questioned, “Make you free? You just tried to eat us – why should we try to free you?”

Jessica gaped at Benji. Andrew whispered, “Benji, when the flesh-eating wolves offer to let you pass through their forest alive, don’t question their motives, just do it!”

“Eat you?” the wolf repeated, staring at the bold young man. A grin spread across its face, making its thin lips part and expose needle-sharp teeth. It barked out a laugh, and the other wolves joined in. Its eyes lost their hungry look, replaced by amusement. “No, young two-legs. We do not eat children of the earth.”

Andrew turned from berating Benji with a bewildered look. “What?” he asked.

The wolf grinned again. “We eat that which grows from the ground. Blood is bitter to us.”

Andrew placed a hand on his hip. “Then would you mind explaining to me why your pack was after me and my friends?”

The wolf lowered itself to the ground, sitting yet again and wrapping its tail around its legs. “To run. To chase. Do we not all need something to chase after?” As he spoke, the wolves burst through the trees as if an unheard signal had been given. Before Jessica realized what was happening, a tawny-furred wolf licked her hand and rubbed its face against her palm. Another large wolf wound itself around her legs. Teeth snapped in a wolfish laugh as one of the beasts ran around her in a circle, energetically jumping and growling enthusiastically.

She wonderingly glanced up to see Benji ruffling the fur of a few wolves nearby the way one would play with a household pet. Andrew gasped as a wolf knocked him over, pinned him down, and smothered him with licks. “Ugh,” he muttered. Jessica giggled. She glanced down at the gentle dogs pressing against her. Tentatively, she reached down and stroked one’s fur. It tickled the skin on her fingers, but its texture was thick and soft.

She peeked up at the black wolf, who watched the trio with careful, calculating eyes. She took a deep breath and then ventured to ask, “What is your name?”

“The two-legs called me Moon Shadow,” he said, his raspy voice less threatening now.
Jessica rubbed the ear of a different wolf, grinning as it crouched down and wagged its tail in pleasure. “Do you all have names?” she asked the wolves. They didn’t reply. The tawny-furred one sat down and looked at her, a trace of remorse evident in its yellow eyes. Confused, Jessica glanced up at Moon Shadow.

His tail twitched. “They have forgotten their names. They have lost their voices.”

Jessica observed the wolves moving around her. They were very beautiful, and kind, and strong. Their lean bodies were graceful and powerful at the same time. They terrified her and made her want to dance at the same time. How could they have no voice?

“How did this happen?” Benji asked, his face reflecting the sadness he felt for his new, four-legged friends.

The wolf rose and began walking. “I know the path you must travel. Follow me and I will lead you to the edge of our forest. I will tell you the tale of the Moon Wolves.”

Jessica, Benji, and Andrew followed the black wolf, their hearts aching for the silent creatures encircling them. Jessica realized the pain in her foot was nothing more than a sharp rock she had tripped over. Limping slightly, she swallowed a lump in her throat. The wolves wrestled each other as they walked, then remembered their guests and returned to smother them with affection. Their attitudes were playful and happy, but in their eyes a profound sorrow was held. It was like staring at the sun while it rained.

Ch. 7 - The Woods

Jessica watched the young prince inconspicuously as he led them through some trees. Last night they’d left Tosh after getting some fresh clothes for Benji in one of the ransacked shops. They had agreed that Benji would lead them around major cities until they found a better disguise for him than just new clothes. Hopefully they would escape detection until they arrived at Darwol where they’d join up with the resistance.

Jessica’s lips flipped up at the edges in amusement as she watched Benji move sluggishly through the trees. Andrew had helped him to find some clothes to replace his blood-stained sleepwear. The shirt and jacket they had found were entirely too big for the boy. Although Benji had broad shoulders and a wider body build than Andrew, he was rather thin. His arms were toned, true, but there was not a lot of mass on him. The new attire hung off his shoulders and bunched over his belt, reminding Jessica of how she imagined a pillowcase would look had it been fashioned into a shirt. He wore trousers that cut off slightly below the knee, and they were so big even the belt didn’t stop him from having to pull them up every few steps.

Andrew trailed behind Benji with Jessica, and he swapped curious glances with her. “How long do you think he’ll last without sleep?” he asked. They had walked all through the night and well into the morning of the next day, never stopping and not eating. Benji was in front of them and they couldn’t see his face, but surely his eyes were closing with fatigue.

At that moment, Benji glanced over his shoulder and shot them both a grin. “Come on you two; we’ll never get anywhere moving at the pace of a paralyzed snail.” He turned around again and continued weaving through the widely-dispersed trees.

Jessica shot Andrew an incredulous expression. They both skipped a few steps and walked on either side of him. “Didn’t they teach you manners and social graces in the palace?” Jessica asked. Benji blinked down at her, a hint of glee peeking out of his bright blue eyes.

“Not at all. That’s what they teach the young ladies of the court.” Benji’s eyes returned to scouting the path ahead of them. “We didn’t have any of those.”

Jessica quickly asked, “If they don’t teach you how not to be annoying, what do they teach you?”

Benji stepped over a log without looking at it. He made a face that suggested he was trying to remember something. Jessica and Andrew stayed beside him, studying him closely like they would behold a strange bug. “Fencing…geography…writing…reading…certain fight techniques…folklore and ancient mythology.”

Andrew’s nose wrinkled seemingly of its own accord. “That sounds like murder by parchment. You’d never get me to do any of that.”

Benji sighed. “Wasn’t as if I had a choice. My mother had always wished that her son be well-educated. When she died, my father made sure that her wishes were carried out.”

The group fell into silence, for no one had anything to say to that. The path Benji created for them grew laden with trees and woods, and Jessica found they were soon so deeply submerged in a forest that she could hardly see the sky. Shade and shadow clung to the roots of ancient plants, cloaking portions of the forest floor in darkness. Damp leaves and grass on the ground muffled their footsteps, creating almost a blanket of silence that suffocated the woods.

As they continued, Jessica began to have an uneasy feeling. It was the feeling she got when she knew something was wrong. It was the feeling she got when she was being watched by hidden pairs of eyes. Jessica licked her lips nervously, her eyes scanning the bushes and shrubs for anything treacherous.

There were no animals or birds in this wood. Nothing broke the suffocating silence except for the three companions. It was like the whole forest was holding its breath. Andrew coughed behind her. The sound made her jump, and she whipped her head around to shoot him an irritated glare.

Benji turned to scrutinize them in the shady light. “You two alright back there?”

Jessica winced at his voice’s volume. In a softer tone, she stated, “I don’t like it here.”

Benji glanced around, not a lick of fear on his naïve expression. “Nothing to be afraid of here. No nasty beasts or fanciful creatures. At least, none that I’ve ever read about.”

Andrew blinked. “You mean to tell me that just because your palace scrolls didn’t mention any faeries or unicorns, you think these woods are entirely safe?”

Benji rubbed a hand over his chin, his eyes suddenly reproachful. “Well now that you mention it, maybe these woods aren’t entirely safe… I suppose with all the trees around we’d be more likely to get struck by lightning should it rain…”

The boys’ voices echoed in the empty wood, causing Jessica to grow more edgy and aware in case someone or something was listening. “How long will it take to get to Darwol?” Andrew was saying.

“No more than three days,” Benji promised. He studied the trees around him for a moment, and then made a continued walking, slightly to the left.

“Does anyone even travel this way anymore?” Andrew asked.

“You wanted the back routes; I’m giving you the back routes. No cities until we reach Darwol,” Benji stated. “Now stop complaining; that never got anyone anywhere.”

“I’m starting to wonder if you ever got anyone anywhere,” Andrew muttered. Jessica would have been amused at their banter, but she had long since stopped listening. Her gaze hadn’t wavered from studying a shadow blocking their path a few yards ahead.

“Guys,” Jessica almost whispered. They stopped, watched her, and then followed her gaze. The shadow moved. Jessica blinked. It was gone. Were her eyes playing tricks on her? “Did you two see a dog…?” she asked uncertainly.

Benji shook his head. “No.” He began moving again. Andrew stared at Jessica, whose eyes were still trained on the path of forest floor where she could have sworn she saw—

“Jess, are you feeling ok?” he asked, concerned.

“I’m fine…” she lied. “I guess I’m just tired…” Andrew wasn’t convinced but he made no other comment and wordlessly followed Benji. Maybe she was losing her mind. An edgy feeling made her peer over her shoulder occasionally. Was that a twig snapping she heard? How annoying…first her eyes mock her, and now her ears.

A flurry of motion to her right made her stop and gaze into the large, thorny bushes there. And then it was still. Her pulse quickened and her fingers nervously twisted one of her rings.

“Did you see that-” she began to ask, and then stopped herself. There was nothing in the bushes. The shadows were still. Obviously she was tired and imagining things. Her mind didn’t reassure her racing heart. The silence in the forest pressed down on them, convincing her that everything
was all right.

“Jess…” Andrew said, his tone a mixture of warning and concern. He stared at Jessica’s face and took a step toward her. Something large, furry, and in possession of large, dangerous fangs leapt out of the shrubbery and slammed into Andrew. Jessica gaped at the sheer mass of the creature before throwing herself on the beast and beating upon its back.

The creature snarled and lashed out at her. She jumped back, desperately fumbling for her closest knife. It leapt up at her, and for a terrifying second all she could see were rows of teeth and large claws preparing to slice down at her. Something barreled into its side, knocking it over. Benji had appeared, and Andrew was instantly at his side, armed with a dagger. The beast let out a horrifying yowl that echoed around the forest. It rolled onto its feet and melted into forest, whimpering and leaving the three panting and utterly confused.

As one, several shrieks and howls answered the beast’s cry, coming from all sides of the woods. Jessica’s heart almost stopped beating. Andrew, Benji, and Jessica stared at each other for what seemed like ages, each one of them wondering what had just happened.

“Follow me!” Benji shouted, suddenly running away from where the creature had disappeared. Without question, Jessica and Andrew sprinted after him, casting mistrustful glances at the shadows around them. It was like the forest’s one goal was to eliminate everyone trapped inside its wooden jaws.

Ch. 6 - The Decision

Andrew yelled in rage and shoved his dagger into Benji’s chest…again. Benji blinked and looked down at the knife in his chest. He looked back up at Andrew. “Do you often lose your temper and feel the need to stab people?”

Andrew yanked the blade from the boy’s body and took several steps back. He stared at his dripping knife, a confused look decorating his tanned features. His eyebrows grew closer together in determination and he stabbed Benji again. Benji closed his eyes and grew still. Andrew stared at him, waiting. Benji’s eyes popped open and he grinned. “Nope, still here.”

Andrew let out a small shout and dropped his blade. He jumped backward and began looking for something on the ground. Jessica stared at Benji, utterly at a loss for words. Benji looked at her with a simplistic expression. “I can’t die, you know.”

Jessica’s mind began working again and she asked incredulously, “You're immortal?”

She was interrupted as Andrew approached Benji with a sword and thrust it through the prince’s stomach. Benji squeezed his eyes shut. He was silent for a few moments before opening his eyes to shoot Andrew an annoyed look. “You know,” he started, “That’s really uncomfortable.” Andrew turned to look at Jessica, wonder displayed on his face. “What’s the matter with you two?” Benji asked, with the sword still lodged inside his body. “Never seen an enchanted prince before?”

“How did this happen?” Jessica asked.

“My mother thought it would be a good idea to have the heir to the throne immortalized…and of course, my father couldn’t pass up such an offer either,” Benji explained. “Mother knew some faeries…I’m not sure how. But she got one of them to bless me with the gift of regeneration.”
Jessica couldn’t help but roll her eyes at this statement. Andrew had yanked the sword out of Benji and was looking for another weapon from among the many things scattered about the ransacked room. A clang sounded from where he moved a shield out of his way.

Jessica’s eyes narrowed challengingly and she told Benji, “That’s ridiculous. Everyone knows that years ago the king banished all magical creatures from the kingdom.”

“Yes, but my mother had me enchanted when I was born, before the banishment took effect.” Benji asked. His eyes were focused on something behind her. “Oh, that’s going to hurt…” Benji muttered. Andrew was approaching him with a four-foot spear. Jessica stood up quickly and jumped in front of her determined friend.

“Andy, he can’t die. Just give it a rest, ok?”

Andrew shook his head. “There’s got to be a way he does it. Something absorbing the metal…or…I don’t know…under armor.”

Benji made a sarcastic face. “Yes, Andrew, I happen to be wearing several sheets of metal beneath my cloth nightshirt. I always sleep with them on.”

Jessica’s lips twitched into a grin. Benji continued, “And just because the creatures have been banished doesn’t mean they don’t reside here anyway, secretly.”

“That doesn’t seem possible; someone would have seen them by now,” Jessica thought out loud.

“They’re sneakier than you’d think,” Benji said. “I once found a brownie sneaking nuts out of the palace kitchen.” He winced. “Excuse me, I didn’t mean to say brownie.”

Jessica frowned. “What’s wrong with saying brownie?”

“It’s a derogative term. The polite name for them is ‘fairy half-breeds’,” Benji explained. “The sprites made up the name ‘brownie’ because of the half-breeds’ skin color. It’s not a very nice thing to call them.”

Jessica and Andrew exchanged worried glanced. “I expect the brownie told you that?” Andrew questioned.

“Fairy half-breed,” Benji corrected.

Andrew set down the spear and crossed his arms. “Jess, what are we going to do with a crazy prince who can’t die?” he asked. Jessica bit her lip, her mind still a bit numb from shock and refusing to think properly.

Andrew snapped his fingers. “I got it. We could slice him up into tiny pieces and put those pieces in tiny boxes, and—”

“I know where Darwol is…where you need to meet your leader fellow. I could take you there,” Benji claimed.

“How do you know where Darwol is?” Andrew asked suspiciously.

“I’m a prince. I studied maps. I have half of our country memorized.”

“And if you murder us in our sleep?”

Benji smiled. “Then you’ll be dead, so it won’t matter.”

Jessica rubbed her chin thoughtfully. “Andy, we could take turns keeping watch at night.”

Benji nodded vigorously. “Great idea, Jess, great idea.”

Andrew’s eyes narrowed. “What happens when we get to Darwol?”

“We go our separate ways…you let me live without unnecessary pain, and you go on saving the kingdom from whatever it is you save it from.” Benji suggested.

Andrew’s suspicion hadn’t lessened. “And what’s to stop you from killing us if we let you go?”

Benji made a face that reminded Jessica of a wounded animal. “Look at me. Do I look like the kind of person who would hold a grudge? Andy, that hurts. I’m a very forgiving person.”

Andrew scowled. “I say we leave him here.”

Jessica sighed. “Andy, we have to get to Darwol somehow…right now, he’s our best option.”

Benji inclined his head Jessica’s way. “This girl is full of good ideas. You should listen to her more often.”

Andrew gave him a dirty look. Benji’s sky blue eyes seemed so sincere…Jessica turned toward Andrew, seeking his decision. The boy’s hand ran through his hair and he let out a long sigh. “Fine, but if he tries anything, I’m tying him to a tree.”

Benji grinned. “Good. Now that that’s settled, will someone please untie me? And would it be too much to ask for new clothes? Andy got my blood all over these…”

Jessica began working on the rope binding the captive to the chair, her fingers strangely weak and feeble. “Oh, and one more thing,” Benji voice chirped from in front of her. “I would like to be treated as an equal. No more of this captive stuff. If I’m to lead you around, I’d prefer to be treated well. At least as well as guides are treated. No more ‘shut up’ and ‘walk faster’.”

“Fine,” Jessica mumbled, untying the last length of rope. Benji sat up and stretched. A popping noise accompanied him flexing his back. Andrew emerged from a room he had disappeared into, bearing a bag bulging in the middle.

“Supplies,” he explained.

Benji looked over the destroyed room and then at the two young faces turned toward his. “Now then…to Darwol it is.” They set out through the door, and Jessica couldn’t help but look back. It was like leaving your home without knowing if you’d be able to find another.

Ch. 5 - The Safehouse

“By the stars,” Jessica whispered, somewhere to Benji’s left.

“What? What is it?” Benji asked, swiveling his head as if trying to see through his blindfold.

“What happened here?” Andrew wondered aloud, his voice wavering.

Benji pleaded, “Will someone tell me what’s going on?”

“Andy,” Jessica gasped out, shocked by the sight before her. “Great stars – Melody!”

The captive heard the sound of wood scraping against wood. Two hands pushed against his shoulders, shoving him roughly into a hard chair. A scratchy rope wound its way around his body, suffocating him and securing him tightly to the back of the chair. The blindfold was yanked away from his face, and he blinked rapidly as his eyes adjusted to the shady light. The sight he saw before him was one he wished he hadn't seen.

Broken chairs. Crumbling bricks. Shattered glass. Shredded wall hangings. Bloodstained walls. Overturned tables. Doors hanging off their hinges. Furniture, flipped over or ruined. Scattered plates. Lumped and crumpled masses of cloth and flesh visible poking out from behind broken furniture.

Jessica was crouched next to an arm sticking out from behind an overturned table. Her stomach twisted as she recognized the body the arm was connected to. The woman’s blonde hair had fallen over her face, concealing her wide open eyes that had stopped seeing. Her dress was stained sickeningly with blood, and as Jessica touched her friend’s skin, it sent a shock through her because of its icy temperature. Jessica swallowed and pulled the blonde mass of hair away from the woman’s face. Her features were not unpleasant to look at, but they were so hidden by bruises and blood that they went unnoticed as Jessica gently closed her friend’s blind eyes. She felt sorrow rising inside her like a flood, but she closed her eyes and took a deep breath until her emotions were in check. Now was not the time for weakness.

Andrew’s voice crept into her thoughts. “Max is dead.” The fact hit Jessica and then bounced off the numb shell she was building around her heart. She licked her lips, stood up shakily, and inspected another body nearby. It was in a sitting position, with its back resting against a wall as if asleep or waiting for someone to wake it up. But it wasn’t asleep. Jessica knelt beside the young man and inspected the spear sticking out of his stomach, pinning him to the wall where he had fallen. It stretched out several feet, and the blood that had dripped out of the wound had soaked through his wool shirt. Jessica sighed and examined his head, which had lolled to one side. She gently reached out a hand and brushed his shaggy hair away from his forehead.
He gasped, and two bright blue eyes locked onto her face, sending a burst of chill and then heat rushing through her veins. “Jacob’s alive!” she gasped out, hoping Andrew would hear. Jessica’s heart pounded inside her chest, startled and now very anxious.

“Jess,” the man whispered, his eyes never leaving her face. She clasped his bloody hand encouragingly, and with a nauseated feeling realized why it almost slipped out of her grasp.

“What happened here?” Jessica asked, her voice hardly a whisper. She became aware of Andrew kneeling beside her.

Jacob moved his lips as if trying to say something. He closed his eyes, making a tense expression before murmuring in a low voice, “Soldiers. Guards. Searching for something.”

Andrew’s keen eyes examined the man’s painful face and asked, “Where are Brooke and the Dane? I don’t see them among the dead.”

Jacob’s piercing eyes flashed open again and bored into Andrew. “Council meeting. Darwol. North Tower. There was a-” His breath caught in his throat, and he coughed for a few minutes. Slowly, he continued, “A messenger last night. Came to say they needed him there. They caught a creature. Some kind of dark--” He coughed again, but this time the sound was grating and forced, like something was trying to come up his throat. He laid his head back against the wall for a moment, a tiny gurgling noise emitting from his throat. And then he was still, just like he had been when Jessica first found him. His hand slid out of Jessica’s and hit the floor with a soft thud.
She swallowed and leaned forward, gently closing his open eyes with her fingers. She turned to gaze past Andrew, a lump in her throat. “Do you know where Darwol is?”

“No idea,” Andrew said sullenly. A heavy feeling settled over the room like dust, and Jessica and Andrew refused to move from beside their dead friend, each thinking hopeless thoughts.

“Well…” Benji broke the silence in his annoying, matter-of-fact tone, “This changes things a bit.” Both of the teenagers on the floor glanced up at him, as if suddenly remembering he was there. Anger flickered across Andrew’s face. Jessica stared at Benji, but her expression was unreadable.

Andrew was up on his feet. “This whole thing is his fault,” he accused, his anxious fingers already fumbling to find a weapon. “The soldiers were coming for him! If we had killed him when we had the chance, this never would have happened!” He began pushing tables and chairs out of his way, moving in a determined manner toward Benji. “Time to finish what should have been done a long time ago.”

“Andy, wait—” Jessica started, but Andrew was already mere feet away from the prince.

Benji eyed the weapon and its beholder with a calm countenance, nothing in his face betraying any kind of fear whatsoever. It unnerved Jessica, but it didn’t stop Andrew from driving his blade through his chest with an echoing shout. For a moment, shock froze Jessica, and she was helplessly staring at the form tied to the chair as its head flopped forward and its chest stopped pulsating. Andrew’s face was red, and he jerked the knife out of the boy with a hateful expression.

Jessica’s mouth was open wide, and it took her a moment to realize she probably looked like an idiot. “By the stars, Andy,” she muttered, trying to get a handle on her emotions. “What’s wrong with you?”

Andrew pointed at the dead body accusingly. “It’s his fault the city is dead! The soldiers must’ve been looking for him! Why else would they kill everyone?”

Jessica’s hands gripped the sides of her head, winding themselves through the roots of her hair. “Andy…you anger problem-”

Andrew wasn’t listening. “This whole thing doesn’t make sense…why kill everyone in the town? Under whose authority are they acting?”

“The king’s, no doubt,” came a voice from behind them. They turned sharply to behold Benji sitting straight up in his chair, staring at them calmly, just as he had been a few seconds ago. A hint of amusement flickered in his eye.

“But…you’re—” Jessica stared to say, surprise making her eyes widen involuntarily. “Dead…”

“Impossible,” Benji claimed. “Could a dead person juggle three flaming balls while balancing on top of a horse?” His brow furrowed. “Actually, that’s a bit hard for alive people to do, come to think of it…”

“How is this possible?” Jessica whispered, taking a hesitant step back.

Benji started in a sincere tone, “Oh, well, I’ve heard that they wear fire-proof gloves-”

“You’re alive…” Jessica stated, not believing her eyes.

“Oh, right, that…” Benji’s eyes rotated upward, as if calculating something in his head. He looked at Jessica the way a best friend would look at someone before confiding in him their greatest secret. “What do you know of magic?” A feeling seized Jessica at that moment that she couldn’t quite describe. It was like wanting to laugh and throw up at the same time.

Music Makers: Epilogue thing-a-ma-jig

Chad paced back and forth nervously in the empty room. His agitated gaze flickered between one white wall and another, his stomach flipping nervously inside him. The room was small and had two doors; one on each end, and Chad glanced apprehensively toward the door that led to the stage. He wrung his hands together, bounced up and down in his tight shoes, and ran a nervous hand over his gelled hair. He was in the process of shaking himself in an effort to release his nervousness when the door opened and his friend Gary walked in.

Gary, about Chad’s height but more sturdily built, gave Chad a quizzical look. “Chad, it’s a musical concert, not basketball playoffs.”

The sixteen-year-old musician smiled at his friend, but the tension inside him didn’t ease up any. Gary approached him and clapped Chad’s shoulder. “You’ll do fine,” he tried to reassure his anxious friend. “You’re the youngest artist I know who has sold as many albums as you have.”

Chad winced. “Sure, but I’ve never done anything this big before.” He dared to peek out the tiny window of the door behind which a stage and an auditorium waited for him. “Is he there? Did he come?”

Gary’s expression took on a hint of regret. “Your mom said he got caught up in some work and couldn’t make it.”

Chad sighed, closing his tired eyes and rubbing them with his hands. “Figures.” Opening his eyes and peeking out the window again, he asked, “What if I mess up on stage? What if they hate me?”

“Don’t worry; if things get too crazy, I’ll pop out and do the macarana,” Gary said, grinning. He began to demonstrate, adding in his own moves and throwing in a few dangerous-looking poses. Chad laughed and pushed his friend good-naturedly toward the door.

“You’re funny, you’re funny, now get out. I need to focus for a moment. See you after the show, ok?” he said.

“You know it,” Gary agreed with a smile as he disappeared outside the doorframe. As soon as his friend was gone, Chad covered his face in his hands for a brief moment, his mind spinning. For the last few years, music had been his focus. It was all he ever thought about, all he ever dreamt about. And now, his dreams were becoming real, and he was drawing a blank. He pressed his fingers together as if he were praying and placed his thumbs under his clean-shaven chin. He had prepared for this. He could do this. This was his music. His life. It was time to share it with the world.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A young woman, about twenty-three or so, slipped in to the crowded auditorium. She had just begun walking toward the front of the auditorium when she saw a plump figure stride across the stage {which was barren save for a piano and two thick, red curtains that had been pulled aside moments ago}. The figure apparently was wearing a microphone, for his voice carried over the room marvelously. “May I present to the public for the first time in live concert, the wonderful, the young… Chad William Brent!”

The young woman began to move rapidly to the front row as the lights dimmed dramatically. The applause began to die down and another figure came on stage in a sharp tuxedo and what looked like leather, European shoes. She was close enough now to see his face, and his features astounded her. Who was this young man and what had he done to her little, eight-year old friend?

His hair was slicked back, contrary to the bed head hair she remembered from years ago. A firm chin had replaced the chubby one she could see so clearly in her mind. The pudgy cheeks of the child had been replaced by this man’s well-defined bones, and he had now grown in to his ears that had previously been too big for his head. Wordlessly, she stepped closer to the stage, as she hoped to glimpse his eyes. He turned and smiled to the crowd, but his gaze passed over her blindly in the dark audience.

The woman smiled slightly to herself. He had his father’s eyes. But his father’s eyes had been shifty and uncertain, whereas this man’s hazel eyes seemed honest, and hopeful, but somehow wise. He had the face of a man, and he had the clothes of a man, but his eyes were a mixture both of childlike sincerity and mature wisdom. The woman allowed a small smile to touch her lips again. He was nervous. She could tell by the way he walked and awkwardly shuffled the papers on the piano bench after sitting down hesitantly. But he was willing. And that was enough to make the woman smile.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Chad’s experienced eyes wandered over his music for a moment, his stomach still retching inside him. He let out a long breath of air, mentally steadying himself and focusing on the papers in front of his face. He placed his hands lightly on the piano keys and sucked in a breath. And then he played.

His fingers knew where they were supposed to go. They knew the beat, the rhythm, the tune, the tone. They knew how to wrench the heart out of their listeners, and how to make their eyes shine. They began to weave the tune depicted in front of them by the sheets of music, and they were pleased and began to weave faster and faster. Chad tried to contain his excitement because he knew rushed music was hardly enjoyable. The notes he played were sure and strong, and he began to feel quite at ease performing in front of the large group of people. Soon, his fingers were playing unconsciously, and his eyes began to scan the audience he could see from his peripheral vision.

He counted face after face…and then his eyes fell on a person he had not expected to be there. His fingers nearly froze at the sight of his father, and he struggled to keep a steady rhythm. At the thought of his father there, he suddenly grew more nervous. What if he messed up? What if he failed in front of his father? His father, who expected so much of him?

The young woman in the audience was studying the young musician carefully. “Slow down, Chad,” she thought to herself. He was going to blow it. He had lost his focus. She began to move again, trying to get to the first row.

Chad stared at his dancing fingers in disbelief, wondering how they had become so out-of-line. His nightmare was coming real. As the sweat began to form on his forehead, he desperately glanced up at the audience again.

He saw her. He would know her face anywhere, but how much older and sadder it seemed! She caught his desperate look, and met it with a calm one. Her dark eyebrows were raised as if beseeching him to relax. A trace of a smile lingered around the corners of her lips.

Suddenly, a voice from the past echoed in his mind. “Just keep playing. Stop thinking. Let your fingers play without your eyes. Let your heart play without your mind.”

Before Chad could think, his fingers were playing a different tune. This wasn’t just a tune. It was a song. A plea. A feeling. An emotion. It was a living thing, and it began to circle about the room, touching people’s hearts inside them and stirring thoughts in their minds. His song spoke of hope, of life, of joy, and yet it sang without words, as it spiraled around the room gently and reached inside his audience.

Chad felt calm all of a sudden, and a sense of peace began to settle over him. He wasn’t playing from the sheets of paper in front of him. He was playing from his memory – he was playing from his heart. He gazed at his hands for a moment, a grin twisting the corners of his lips, and then he closed his eyes. His song began to soar.

The young woman’s smile softened. This was the tune he had played for her eight years ago – the tune they had made up together on the bench of an old, school piano. Its simple melody was more complicated now, and its emotion seemed more intricate, as if each note sang of a different feeling than it once had. She wrapped her arms around herself and closed her eyes, twisting back and forth as if suppressing the urge to dance.

Chad’s fingers harmonized the melody they had created, like two voices singing in unison. With a satisfied feeling, he ended the song, choosing to let the last chords ring in the air before finishing them off softly with a few notes that flowed from the instrument like water would overflow from a glass.

The moment he had finished his song, the audience awoke as if from a spell and clapped so loudly that Chad could have sworn it was thunder. People began standing up, smiles erupting on their faces – young and old, and in between. His eyes were drawn first to his father, who was clapping enthusiastically with a grin on his face. Next, Chad’s eyes wandered over to the woman he had seen.

She was standing next to the seats on the first row, her white teeth showing in a brilliant smile as she joined in the echoing applause. He smiled back at her, before waving and bowing at the audience. Quickly, the announcer came back on and showed him off the stage, introducing the following act as Chad darted off the platform and into the prep room he had started in.

The woman watched him go, and as soon as he had disappeared, the smile gradually faded from her face. She glanced around her at the smiling people, cheering and clapping and whistling. Slowly, she stepped backwards and began moving to the back of the auditorium, blending in with the people standing around her. She had seen him play. She had heard his music. She was done here. It was time to start running again. Without having spoken a word, she left the auditorium almost as quickly as she had entered it.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Chad burst through the door and into a brick wall. The brick wall turned out to be Gary, embracing him. Chad laughed into his friend’s shoulder. Gary pulled back and looked at the musician, grinning.

“Dude, where in the universe did that come from?” asked Gary, wonder evident on his face.

Chad couldn’t wipe the smile off his face. “I don’t know… it… it kind of just happened. It was like something I knew I could do. Like something I’d done before.” Chad ran his hands through his gelled hair, unconsciously wrinkling and spiking it in the process. “And I had. It was a memory.”

Gary laughed. “When did you remember that, man, cuz I’ve known you since we were two, and I do not remember hearing that ever in my life!”

“There was a woman here tonight. She was with me the first time I played that song. Except she was younger. And I was younger,” Chad began to say quickly, trying to explain to his friend.

“Why didn’t you ever tell me about this?” Gary asked. “You’d think that would be something important one should tell one’s best friend.”

“Because I was like eight or something. All kinds of things happened when I was eight that I didn’t think were worth mentioning.” Chad shrugged. He dashed over to the other door. “I have to see if she’s still there.”

“Wait, you can’t go out there now,” Gary insisted. “There’s another guy playing. If you go out now, the crowd might swarm you and you’ll end up crowd surfing before you can say ‘Beethoven’.”

Chad sighed. “You’re right,” he admitted.

An hour later, the two young men emerged from the waiting room and mingled with the crowd. Chad’s joyful face was replaced with a confused one. People surrounded him, asking him questions, and requesting his autograph, but the one person he wanted to see couldn’t be found. Among the many faces pressing in on him from all sides, hers was not there. With a sinking feeling, he remembered the last time he had seen her. She had disappeared in exactly the same way.

Gary, who had never left his side, leaned toward Chad’s ear and asked in a whisper, “So where’s the chick who inspired your music?”

Chad’s eyes were still scanning the crowd, but he wasn’t hopeful. “I don’t know.”

“Are you sure she’s even real?” Gary attempted to tease.

Chad didn’t catch his friend’s cheerful tone. It felt like his heart was plummeting downwards into his stomach. In a bewildered voice, his muttered half to Gary and half to himself, “I don’t know.”