By: Sydtabulos@aim.com Comment

The morning came. I was in the woods. I wanted to run away, but couldn’t. I was more aware of what was happing. I heaved a sigh and looked at my brother. He looked at me with adventure in his eyes. “Do you think those deer will come back” he said

          “No” I said evilly

          “Why not”

          “Because”

          “Because why?”

          “Because I said so” I said getting a little mad now

          “Ya think your word will hold them back?”

          “Yeah” I said sarcastically.

          “How come the horse is nice to you” Marble asked

          “Gee, I don’t know Marble”

          “Ya think she knows you?”

          “I think you’re annoying” I said. I was about to punch this kid.

          “I think you’re meannnnn” he cried.

          “I am” I said smiling

          “You’re a jerk” he screamed I smiled from his anger.

          “I am, aren’t I?” I said with a wide smile on my face. He looked like he was about to punch me but then his face got all dark. Marble whispered “are we going to die”. My eyes flashed with hate. “Of cores not STUPID.” I yelled

           Then Qualdana came trotting over “heyyy watch you mouths, we have a gust.”  Marble, being the stupid boy he was, asked “well where-” he was cut of with a shake of the tall bushed (and I mean they where TALL) and out came a goat, A GOAT. “Let’s see” I said counting up my fingers sarcastically. “a-huh, a-huh, yes seems this is my third, giant animal encounter in less then twenty-four hours. And I’m guessing the thing talks?

          “Indeed my lady” said the goat.

          “Of cores” I said rolling my eyes “they always talk” the goats fur seemed to glisten in the sunlight and its eyes where this bright green, like Marble’s. (You see marble had this birth defect and now he has green eyes, or at least that’s what the orphanage people told him) But what wasn’t what made me jump. This goat was huge, not fat huge, but huge like, hi there, I’m six feet from head to toe… so what’s the tempter down there, huge.  “So, uhhh… what do you want.” I know it sounded rude for me to ask, but I was getting bored of waiting. 

          “You see I am Mar-” the goat got cut off but Qualdana

          “He is here to heal you, my lady” she said looking like she wanted to kick the goat for speaking out. She wiped her head towards the goat, and in a dark voice she added “right?”

          The goat’s eyes where nervous he shifted nervously from side to side, swaying. “Of coarse my good horse, of course.”  Anger lifted from Qualdana’s face and then she whispered something into the goat’s ear. I still could get over the fact I had no school today. I laughed silently. I looked over at Marble who stared in aw at the giant goat “He’s perfect” he whispered quietly into the sunlit sky.

          “Ok” said the goad “not I need you to lie down and DON’T move”

          “What? Me? Umm as long as you don’t step on me a guess.”  I did as told and I lay down on the soft moss that inhabited the ground’s surface.  The goat walked around me, studying me, which made me a bit nervous. Then he wisped something that was defiantly a different language. All of a sudden I screamed in pain “OWW!” If felt like something was seeping through my head, everything went blurry, black. Several seconds later all color came back so fast that my eyes burned. My head was perfect! I had no concussion and felt like new. For a second I forgot my name, where I was, who I was. Then it all came back. I’m Calli Nightshade. I am in the forest and I am, am, well I never really knew who I was.

          “Are you ok, my lady” asked Qualdana.

          “Um, yeah I am, I’m ok.

          “Calli, Calli that was soo cool. You screamed and where like all in pain, then you like totally passed out! It was wicked crazy!” Marble said happily.  Then the animals stared at each other as if saying, I think he’s the wicked crazy one. “We should go tomorrow, it is getting late, and we will tell you more about, well, everything soon.” said Qualdana. Then the goat added “yes young godd-” Qualdana cut him off “JUST, get some rest young ones. Zavouh, come with me, NOW.” The animals walked off into the distance.

          So that was the goat’s name, Zavouh, good name. Then I drifted off into sleep I would need for tomorrow.

By: Sydtabulos@aim.com Comment

I woke up to the sound of talking among Qualdana (the horse) and Zavouh (the goat). They where talking to Marble, who I guessed, woke up before me.  The sun still shined low casting long shadows on the trees. Marble looked confused “so wait I’m like- like a super hero.” I could tell Qualdana was trying not to laugh (if horses could even laugh).  “And your, MY goat, I OWN you. Oh this is soo cool” Marble exclaimed. “What are you guys talking about?” I asked. This caught everyone by surprise. The all wiped their head around to see me. “Calli! Good, you’re awake” Qualdana said calmly. “I think you should come with me.

          I rubbed my sleepy eyes and followed obediently.  We walked down the stream a little then stopped. “I think it’s time you know the truth.” My eyes wandered everywhere but on the mare. “Calli, the reason all these monsters are after you is because you only got three years left until you- until you find out who you are.” She was holing back something “Who I am?” I questioned cocking my head to the side. “I though I was Calli Nightshade.” I said.

          “Yes that’s your American name, not you Magomein, not your queen name.”

          “So now I’m a queen, I’m rescued by talking animals and NOW I’m a queen!”

          “Yeah! So you understand now!”

          “No, I don’t! Please explain a bit more” I said sorta angry now.

          “Well, my lady. When you are born, you parents where-“

          “Killed yeah I know I’ve heard this story a million times”

          “No my lady, they where Gods.”

          “And I’m the boogie man” I said sarcastically.

          “I know this a lot to explain, but on your thirteenth birthday you will become a queen whether you want to or not!” Qualdana said trying to explain. “Wait, am I a God or a queen? I just don’t understand.”

          “My lady on your thirteenth birthday you will become IMORTAL, that’s the God part. You will have the authority to rule any non-ruled land.”

          “So I will live forever?”

          “Well if you live that long”

          “That’s a nice thought, so what are you?”

          “Like I said, I’m a Magomein horse, but I’m more then that, Calli, I’m your protector.”

          “What is a-”

          “A protector is an animal gods are born with. If you die, I die. If you are in pain, I am in pain. When you are sick, I am sick. BUT if I die, you live. If I am in pain, you don’t feel it. If I get sick, you won’t.” 

          “So is that goat Marble’s protector? Why dose he get a silly goat and I get a big grand horse?”

          “Girls get better animal then boys, that is just what happens. And when Marble turns thirteen, if he dose, his power will be week compared to yours.” Qualdana explained plainly.

          “So… now what?” I said

          “South, we travel south”

          “Why?”

          “Magomein Island is right next to the equator in the Bermuda Triangle.”

          “Ok then” I said. Then we took off, me riding Qualdana and Marble riding Zavouh.

By: Sydtabulos@aim.com Comment

We road along as morning broke out of the sky. It scared the sky with orange, and the sun rose higher and higher until it was well above the horizon. We passed up many terrains and many animals. I expected each one to jump out and try to kill me but they all stared, and some bowed with respect which I thought was a bit odd. 

          As we finally found the edge of the forest and enter a rolling valley with scattered trees here and there. Life was scarce at this time (whatever time it was) and all I seen where a couple of mice, squirrels, and a ground hog. The valley seemed to stretch on for miles and miles. The ground glistened gold from the tall grasses that rooted in the soil. I was getting bored and wanted to try and sit backwards on the horse for fun but I didn’t feel like falling off her today. I played with my hair and looked at the clouds. I chewed up my nails and had to go to the bathroom. I wanted to hold it in but the cantering of a horse didn’t help my bladder mush, but I did hold it in until Marble said loud and proud “I have to go pee!” 

          Well we all took a rest stop and the next thing Marble complained about was “I’m hungry where can I get something to eat around here?” The tall animals looked up as if they just considered this problem.  “There is a city coming up, you can eat there” Qualdana said then… POOF!

          “Well isn’t this cute” said a small creature. It was chubby and had black eyes that sank right into you brain. It was sitting, with its legs crossed, on a rock with a book in his hand and half circle reading glasses that made him look even more cleaver. His fur was golden and he had spiky hair. I decided he was a guinea pig though he was a little to big to be one. He would probably be up to my knees. Our protectors both bolted back in surprise along with Marble, but I really wasn’t shocked at all.

          “Oh no, not another giant animal.” I said sarcastically. “I would watch your mouth young lady, I happen to be able to turn you into an inanimate object” The fat guinea pig said, his black eyes sinking into me.  He hopped off the rock and waddled over to Qualdana and said “well I see you have a brat on your hands” every time he took a step toward to the giant mare, she would take a step back for every step forward the stubby rodent took, and he took those steps on two legs like a human. “So I guess I will leave you in peace, but maybe, just maybe if you say the magic words I will feed you. There is no city nor town coming up so you will probably starve” he chuckled at that thought then continued “but you have to say the magic words!”

          “Open ses-a-me” I said clearly annoyed.

          “No” the guinea pig snarled. “But a please would be nice” he sneered. I was about to kick him when Qualdana gave me a warning look in her eyes pleading for me to be nice. The guinea pig had this annoying grin on and said “I’m waiting” we started to hit his foot on the ground repeatedly in an I’m waiting notion. “O’ magic rodent of amazing side, please give up food so my brother and I won’t kill you- I mean, so we can live healthy and happy.” I said with a sarcastic grin on my face. “Ah, good enough” he said, and with a snap of his front claws a hole vegetarian breakfast appeared on a yellow blanket that rested on a dry part of the ground. 

          There was a picnic basket there to with more food in side. Cool. Besides that were two bails of hay, just for the animals.  We all stared at each other blackly and then we dug in. “who was that” I said peeling an orange.  Qualdana responded “Calli that was a God.”

          “That little gerbil was a god!” I said

          “Yeah, God of the breakfast”

          “God of breakfast” I laughed.

          “That’s soo cool!” Marble said biting into a cinnamon bun.

          “Why is he a guinea pig” I asked

          “He was cursed by his wife, Goddess Zara, and she cursed him to be a rodent for 1,000 years, he only has 18 years left.” Qualdana said. She looked around nervously, like she knew something was coming. “Well, we should get going I’d hate if- come on lets just go.”

          The night time reminded me of when we washed a video in science class. I always loved science. In the video they talked about the wilderness at night. The classroom lights where off so the TV colors where strong. Mary Malting was sitting in the back of the room with her friends. Our school was a sleep away school so the fact that I had to deal with her twenty-four seven was drove me crazy.

          During the video the girls all giggled and wisped in each other’s ears. Cara and I sat at the our desks washing the video. Cara was my friend until her parents shipped her away to another school.  I was enjoying the video when, all of a sudden, Marble burst through the door. “I need Calli” he said out of breath. Ms. Campbell studied him, then at me. “What for” said Ms.Campbell

          “Dogs, big angry dogs” Marble said. I swear Ms. Campbell was a slight grin on her face. “As you wish Mr. Nightshade” Ms. Campbell said. Marble ran over, grabbed my wrist, and dragged me out before I could manage a complain.  I was about to say something when I looked down the long hall and seen three huge Doberman pinchers charging right at us. I grabbed the little sack that I always had on one of my belt hopes. It held rocks I collected from the playground. I only used the shiny smooth rocks that you could find in the bottom the creek that ran across the school yard. I could pitch a rock into the opening to a sneaker, one hundred feet away. 

          I opened my sack and pegged it at one of the dogs. It howled and staggered backwards. It turned and ran with the other two following. “To easy” I mumbled to Marble. RING the bell rang and the day was over. Marble and I found our way back to our dorm room and stared at each other, no words necessary.     

By: Sydtabulos@aim.com Comment

We where riding along. The sun was half way above the horizon but I could still make out something in the distance. The meadow was coming to an end and I was getting hungry, and not mom I’m HUNGY and I think I’m going to be more annoying if you don’t make me some pasta in five minutes hungry. Hungry as in, you stomach burns, your head hurts, and you can’t focus, hungry.

          Finally the sun lifted above the ground and gave me a better vision of what was coming up next. We where somewhere unknown to me. In the distance where some small low houses congested together, making a small village.  As we got even closer I seen a sign and although I was tired I made out Carvaly Village, South Carolina. I didn’t understand how, in a few days, we could get from Half Moon, North Carolina to here. Marble was thinking the same thing. I can tell by his face. As we got even closer I could make out things that looked like people, but no they where way to small to be people. They all wore black robes and waddled around.

          We entered the golden gate that started the village. The short people all swung their heads around like they just noticed we walked in. They gave us a cold hard stare, and I got my first glimpse at their face. It was wrinkly and squished, like a pug. They where stubby and had warts, but the thing that made be gasp was their nose. Instead of a normal human nose, they had beaks, beaks like an eagle’s only bigger and uglier.  Their skin tone was different for each one, some darker then others. Their eyes where like stone, they didn’t seem of focus on one thing, yet they had a blank, cold stare.  

          Don’t look directly into their eyes Qualdana told me through my mind. Me being me, I looked strait at one of the bird-man’s eyes and what I saw was enough to make me wet myself. The eyes where dark a dark tunnel. In them I seen me, in a long yellow dress, all my features where the same but somehow I looked different. I was twirling around with little forest creatures at my feet. They where all chattering like they where gossiping about me. The scene changed and I couldn’t see anything. “Come to me” a dark eerie voice said in the distance “come lady Saraka, come to me and everything will be answered, everything will be fixed.” The scene shifted again and now I was in the forest at night, the moon was so bright I could see everything perfectly. I looked up at the moon and saw that it had been enlarged many, times, or was it coming closer and closer? BOOM!!! The whole earth seemed to shake and I was blasted back to reality where I sat on the back of a familiar black horse.

          I told you not to look she told me in my mind in an I told you so voice. I looked over at Marble who was staring at some bird-man’s eyes and was chalk white. His bright green eyes seemed to glow and his jaw was swung open. I got so angry I did something I regretted, I took a rock out of my pouch and pegged in the bird-man’s face that was hypnotizing my brother, MY brother. The thing let go of Marbles eyes just for a second to look at me. Marble nearly fell of his goat but he regained his balance and skin color. His eyes looked more scared then I’ve ever seen them. He looked at me with a far away glare in his pupil, I could almost replace it with pity.  

          No time to think about Marble, an angry bird man was waddling my way. Well that can’t be good. I went to go pick up another rock from my pouch but a soft voice of a horse said in my head don’t do it, I will handle it. I wasn’t shore if I believed in Qualdana but I contained myself. Finally the three foot bird-man found himself by my feet. “Calli Nightshade, of the Magomein family I suppose. You don’t hold back, much like Lady Zara, but you show so much more of your mother.” The bird man said. Then he sneered “quite a pleasure to meet you. And your coconut head brother over there. He looks mush of his father, to bad his father was killed or else he could really have some grate father son time.”           When he turned to acknowledge my brother, my brother flinched like was expecting the nub to breath fire or something. “No need to fear the days ahead, it is… well consider it your sneak peek. Now, I can give you two choices” he picked up my rock from the ground. “You can stay here, we’ll give you are hospitality, and you wont through thing at us” he crushed the rock to duct and the dust blew away in the wind “or we can polity, or impolitely, force to get out. You choice, my lady” he said with an added bow. “Yeah like you would even want to help us, you ugly bird brain!” I growled. The little man thing seemed to accept this and then went on to say through his teeth, (or beak) “Well, My lady, you are a goddling so if you do live until thirteen, you might remember us. And plus we really have a choice. Our master doesn’t give us slack for disrespect. Even if it is a brat like you.”

          “But calling me a brat isn’t disrespect?”

          “So what is your choice, my lady?”

          “I don’t want to say here with you and your uglies” In my mind I herd Qualdana are you shore my lady, what would be best for you and sir Marble. Oh yeah, Marble, how could I forget about him, how could I be so selfish? I looked over at my brother to see his squeezing his stomach partially doubled over. “Fine, I’ll stay” I mumbled

          “Oh marvelous” the thing said “now follow me I’ll show you your rooms.” He walked deeper into the city. Me on Qualdana’s back, I was taller then the five or six foot homes. There was one house that was about twelve feet to the roof though and I had a felling that we “tall ones” would be staying there. All the bird-men stared as we walked by. Some whispered in different languages and some tried to catch our eyes. Marble and I didn’t let that happen again.  We where lead to the house I guessed we would be taken to. It was red and gold and had a ‘new’ look. Marble and I dismounted and the bird-man brought us in. Inside was way bigger then the outside, the roof towered fifteen feet easy and there was a huge living room with, dare I say it, a television.

          “Oh- my- gosh” Marble and I said in unison. “So you like the room?” said the bird man “enjoy, my lady” and with an awkward bow he waddled. 

          “Calli this is so cool” Marble sighed. In there was a picture of someone, a girl who looked sorta like me. You didn’t see her face though so the similarity most likely meant nothing. “Calli, look a TV” Marble gasped. He sat on the golden couch and turned it on. The screen read ‘Welcome to Carvaly Village. Please select an option’ under that where some thing you could chose ‘movies, telephone, cable, extra supplies, room service.’ “There is such thing as room service!” Marble gasped “I thought that was just in movies!”

          “Duh! Idiot” I said plainly, playing with my hair. “Can I get some room service Calli, Please-e-e-e, ill be your best friend” he begged “heavens know you need one”  

          “Not Funny Marble” I said, offended.” Marble sneered “well it’s true Calli”

          “No it isn’t, you remember Cara, don’t you”

          “Ah, yes your only friend.” Marble said smiling

          “Just go call the stupid room service I’m going to my- I’m going to a room” I marched off and opened the first door. A dark closet for jackets, darn. I opened another door, bathroom; I opened another door the laundry room. I screamed and threw my hand up in exaggeration “this place is so stupid” I opened one more door but this time I found a cool blue room and a soft bed about queen size. I slammed the door, locked it, and then sat down on the light green chair in the top corner. There was an oak book case filled with books of all shapes colors, and sizes. There must have been about thirty fat books. I opened the first one and began reading until I hear a noise outside.

          Bring-g-g-g-g went a high picked bell. Then all of a sudden I head a stampede of little feet marching along the living room. Then I head Marble “whoa this is soo cool” then more feet, and bells, and chatting in a different langue. Finally after thirty minutes of constant noise I opened my door and what I seen, well I wouldn’t say I thought it was very humorous. Out there where a bunch of giant frogs. They hopped around and spoke in a different langue. When I opened the door all heads swung right at me and for a slight second all was extremely quiet, but that short moment faded and gradually the noise built its was up back to the annoying level it was at before.

          I stormed over to Marble who was getting his nails clipped and his hair cut while being feed grapes from a vine a third frog held above his head. He was watching ‘Spongebob Squarepants’  on the television while a frog on each side to the T.V. road in circles on unicycles and juggled. Gee, Marble was SO stupid “what are you doing moron?” I asked plainly. He looked up like he just noticed I was there.

          “What? I was hungry! OK? gees.” He said biting into a new grape. I rolled my eyes and kicked his knee.

          “All of you- you- what ever you are GET OUT”. After a shooed out all the enlarged frogs out of the home I turned to Marble. “Are you out of your MIND?” I said trying to collect myself. “Just watch T.V. and go to bed OK.” I said as my breathing slowly went back to normal. “And don’t call room service EVER aging.” Marble was speechless.

          I stormed out and as I touched the knob of my door Marble whimpered. “Calli, I want to go home, I’m scared” I turned around to see him crying.

          “Aw, Marble, Come on now, don’t- don’t cry. Please don’t, but face it, we have no home, we never did have a home, and I’m not going to an orphanage if that’s what you think.” Our eyes met “do you want to sleep in my room tonight?” I sighed “I guess you can sleep with me in my bed if you are really that scared…” a droned out. I really didn’t want to share a bed with him but I figures that might be the only way seeing that there might only be one room any way.

          Marble nodded a yes so I picked him up and we walked, hand in hand, into the bedroom where we slept. 

          I lay awake far after Marble went to sleep. I was thinking back on that time where Marble and I got into a fight. It was when Marble was six and I was eight. I don’t even remember what we where fighting about but Marble was as mad as a six-year-old could get. “NO” he screamed as he threw punches at me that bounced off harmlessly. “You are a big fat meany head. I HOPE YOU DIE” he screamed along with bloody murder.

          “Well at least my name isn’t something stupid like Marble. That’s a rock. Maybe the lady who named you thought you where as stupid as a rock so she just named you after one!” I screamed back. We where in out dorm room and it was a Saturday at 3:00 in the after-noon. “Go disintegrate in the ground!” I screamed. 

          Marble paused like he was considering what I said; he had a hurt and confused look on his face. “Didn’t mommy name me” he whimpered

          “NO” I snapped “Because stupid mommy dropped us off here. She gave me my name but left you known because she was big and mean and I hope she is really dead because she doesn’t derisive to live because she gave us up.” I screamed. Marble looked terrified. Then her wobbled over to his bed, hid under the covers and started to cry. I rolled my eyes and walked outside to go meet up with Cara.

By: Sydtabulos@aim.com Comment

The next day I woke up to the sun’s rays shining through our open window. Marble slept peacefully by my side. I got up and closed the curtain stopping all light from draining in. The longer I could keep the little bug asleep the better. I walked outside closing the door quietly until I heard a small click of the door. When you wake up to Mother Nature the thing you least expect to see is a beaked migit waiting outside your bedroom door.  I jumped back but wasn’t all that surprised. “What are you doing” I said a little louder then I wanted to. I glanced at the door expecting to see Marble but he slept peacefully. I turned to the bird but in a more hushed voice, “get out of here you stalker.” I hissed.

          “I simply wanted to check up with you my lady”

          “Shore, you think I’m stupid but I’m not. Do you think I like your little eye games you play, well do ya?” I accused harshly.

          “it is your fortune my lady, although for some it might not be so fortunate, but you only get one, well until you achieve your fortune.”  He said squinting his eyes like he was trying to read what was flowing through my mind.  “Well yes, you should get training at the field.” He said changing the topic.

          “Training?” I questioned

          “Yes didn’t your little pro-”   

          “Little, who are you calling little? Just the eight foot horse!” I said sourly.

          “Well didn’t your protector tell you?” he said readjusting his words to fit my request.

          “Go die” I told him. I pushed him aside, sending him tumbling back a couple feet, and marched to the door outraged.  He seemed to accept this and came waddling after me.

          “Wait! Wait! My- my lady come back” he called, but his short steps, even when he sprinted, where no match to my long strides in my speed walk.  I opened the door and slammed it in the bird-man’s face. A couple seconds later he appeared again chasseing me yelling “Wait-t-t-t-t”. Well I didn’t wait but kept on storming away until I reached the stables I figured Qualdana was being kept. I was about to slide open the stable door when I felt a soft breath on my shoulder. I turned around to se a familiar black Magomein horse. I sighed with sweet relief and did something no one would ever expect me to do. I turned around, hugged Qualdana, and started to cry. The horse tensed in surprise but slowly her muscles relaxed. She let out a soft sigh and seemed to hug back.

          You can imagine how I reacted when an inpatient bird man taped at my thigh to get my attention.  I turned around, with red eyes and cheeks, and did some sort of hissing, growling thing at him. He tumbled backwards and looked like he wanted to run, but he didn’t. I seemed to be drawing in a morning crowd that made me uncomfortable enough to make myself stop crying. I whispered to Qualdana “can we go, please.”

          Although I don’t know how Qualdana talks to me in my head, she always seemed to pull it off. Just go train. She said in a stern tone. I gave her a hard stare that said ‘ok, screw you’, and trudged over to the stupid bird and almost kicked him. I followed him to an open field where Marble already stood wiping the sleep out of his bright green eyes. He looked at me with a what-did-I-miss expression on his face. I gave him a cold glare which wiped the look off his face and studied what was around me.

          Well we where right outside village in the surrounding the field. The field was open and about one-hundred feet away where ten colorful bulls-eyes. I was about to ask why they where there, when, out of nowhere, the bird-man handed me a brown quiver and bow just about as tall as him.  I looked at the empty quiver long and hard and then it suddenly it felt heaver and I was filled seven bows ready to fly. “Wow” I mumbled in amazement “well that’s cool”

          “You like it?” the bird-man asked “Then keep it. And yes the arrows appear only when you want them to, so, enjoy.”

          Then, out of the blue, Marble asked “What is your name” the question took me and the bird-man but suspire, but, what was his name? The idea hit me that I didn’t know his real name. I listened as the creature began to speak.

          “My-my name is Darwic” I tried to wipe off the smile that creped across my face. Darwic was a stupid name though. “You see we Carvins, via the name of our village, have names that humans think odd, but then again, your names are odd too.” I let this sink in and then I took a bow out of my quiver and pressed it up to the band that laced the back of the arrow, and shot it about seventy feet. “Not bad” Darwic said. “Try to keep your arms higher and aim for the red dot- yeah you got it! Now pull back, more, more, and release. This time the arrow went flying right next to the Bulls-eye stand. I tried not to show my anger although it was hard. “Good now try again.” Darwic said calmly. I went again, taking my sweet time aiming, and I shot. I got my arrow to stick right around the rim of the bulls-eye, the last rim but I decided that was a good thing. I looked at my quiver expecting to see five bows but to my surprise I seen seven, again. “It will always go back to seven or nothing” Darwic explained. I felt like I was in school again, in gym maybe. “Now try again while I give your brother his” Darwic searched for his next word carefully “gift” he concluded.  Out behind Darwic lay a pile of armor. No fancy stuff just a Brest plate and, what was that, was that a sword? Darwic handed Marble the sword and Marble slid it out of its case. The blade was double edged and had an extreme shine to it. It had to be between two or three feet long and the handle was a golden color, but I doubted I was gold.

          “Whoa, Whoa, Whoa, Whoa!” I said running over to them. “You are not giving my brother a sword!” I said although I didn’t notice the extreme lightness in my quiver, my now empty quiver. “You don’t give eight-year-olds swords” I said outraged

          “They don’t do that any more” Darwic said innocently.

          “No” I snapped

          “Oh… but Calli, not giving your brother a weapon will be like murdering him. There will be too many monsters.” Darwic complained. I considered this.

          “Calli Please-e-e-e” Marble begged

          “Fine” I mumbled, and I began to walk away to work on my archery. Behind me I herd the chattering between my brother and the bird-man. I needed to learn how do this perfectly. You see I’ve never been good at anything but sleepwalking.

          When I was in the orphanage, I was six and Marble was four, a year after we got dropped off, the orphanage people tried to get me to play sports with all the other kids. I never was as good as them though. I had fun at first but loosening over and over was starting to bum me out, but I was still kind about it.  Back then I was one of the sweetest girls in the orphanage. Hard to believe I know. I said ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ and all that crap. Soon I stopped play sports all tougher and because I didn’t play all the kids my age started to make fun of me. They called me ‘lazy’ or ‘boring’ which would bounce off me like rubber now but back then little six-year-old Calli was like gum and everything stuck to me.

          I would cry, and cry, and cry, because no one wanted to be my friend. I would hide under the covers of my bed and read a picture book. The ones almost all pictures and a few words. I started to become a good reader which would probably come back to slap me in the face later with more rude comments. One day an orphanage lady came into my room to try to cheer me up but that didn’t happen.

          “Calli look how nice it is today. Come on outside so you can play with us”

          “No thank-you”

          “Please Calli, no one will be fun for you” she begged

          “No thank you” I said again.

          “Come on lets go” she grabbed my wrist and attempted to drag me out and then I had my first anger management problem. 

          “NOOOOOOOOOOOOO I DON’T WANT TO… LET ME GO-O-O-OO”        The lady let go in shock and ran out of the room to go gossip about me. Later that day they shipped me away to the 27-7 school in Half Moon, North Carolina.

          “It’s not a punishment… we just want you to go somewhere more professional” the lady told me her blond hair getting into my face making me want to itch.  All I thought was that she used way to many big words. They Put me and my brother in the dirty white minivan used by the orphanage and we where shipped away, car seat and all.

By: Sydtabulos@aim.com Comment

That Night we went to bed and Marble slept in his own room because ‘he was a man now’ and ‘he has a sword all men have swords’ so I slept alone and was more lonely then I ever though I would be. My light blue room reminded me of the sea and my bow and quiver rested on the side of my bed. I didn’t like to go anywhere without them now. I fell asleep and for once slept deep.

          Morning came and I woke to the sun in my window. I got up and half-expected to see Darwic standing there but he didn’t. I opened my door and he wasn’t there either. Over the last day I have began to get a soft stop of the Carvin, even If he is a geek.  I went into the living room and sat on the golden couch. I had the felling this would be my last chance to watch TV for a long, long, time. I turned of the news and what I saw made me gasp;

          “Two children have been adducted in New Moon, South Carolina.” The anchor said, “Authorities think that their teacher, Ms. Bertha Campbell, is the cause of all this. If you see these children please call 911 immediately. Their names are Calli and Marble Nightshade their ages are ten and eight. Now to Johnny with the weather” my jaw dropped. I ran outside to tell Qualdana and as I opened the door to the outside Darwic stood there. I didn’t have time to react I just plowed through him and he fell back about three feet.

          Now where is Qualdana, I thought. I wondered if I could talk to her through my mind like she did for me. I ran over to the stable instantly and seen her grazing by the side. She lifted her head in surprise and trotted over to me. “What’s wrong, my lady.” she said out loud.

          “We where on then news” I gasped

          “Why?”

          “They think we where kidnapped!”

          “Oh Dear” Qualdana sighed. “I guess we should get going then before the humans catch up to us… and if they do I’m not sure what I can do about that. Humans have those things called… umm… oh yes, guns, they have guns.” Qualdana looked worried. “Go get your brother, we must leave right away”.  I ran and got Marble and told him what happened. His face got as white as a deer’s tale. He followed me to the stables and we meat up with Qualdana, Zavouh, and Darwic.

          Darwic spoke first “Well since the humans are on the hunt you must get going.”

          “Alright” Qualdana said

          “But I also think that someone else should come” Darwic explained “I was thinking that maybe I should tag along, I mean, for training purposes.” He said this plainly like that was the most normal thing he could say. Well beyond the point that he made me fell like punching him I don’t think I would mind him tagging along. Shore he harassed my brother with visions of the future but, what the heck. Why not?  Qualdana gave a concerned look over to Zavouh . 

          “Well you see, we uh… don’t uh…” I could tell she was trying to think of an excuse for him not to come but there was none. “We really don’t need another member on out-”

I cut her off.

          “I think Darwic should come” I said. Everyone, even Marble gave me a ‘what the heck’ look but I just stood there with a smile on my face that looked semi evil.

          “My-my lady?” Darwic said in shock

          “Umm, as you wish” Qualdana sighed. Darwic still looked shocked so I gave him an overly happy smile and hopped on Qualdana’s back. Marble went on Zavouh back, and three foot Darwic still stood on the grown below my feet. Everyone stared at him and soon he seemed to comprehend why. He didn’t have a ride.

          “Oh! Ok umm I’ll go get a mini” he said charging into the stables. About a minute later he came out with a white miniature pony. He hopped on still looking shaken but we still rode off.

          We went threw the day with no human contact until about seven ‘O’ clock when a helicopter with a search light gleamed over our heads. “BREAK UP” Qualdana yelled over the pounding out the helicopter wings. We split up dancing around the beam of light that would us away if it caught us.  Qualdana, being the big horse she was, scared me when she had a problem staying away. If she is having problems how can anyone else avoid being caugt? Qualdana want into a canter, a very fast canter. Then she started to gallop (which is a horse’s fastest speed) which really threw my balance off. I grabbed her mane and squeezed with my thighs and calves then closed my eyes.

          Out of boredom I opened my eyes to see what was happening. I seen Darwic riding his miniature pony with grate speed which I thought would be impossible for the animal. The pony sped to us like a white comet and its tale whipped in the wind out of control. I studied the animal harder and I seen something about his feet, they didn’t touch the ground. Yeah, they where moving like they where on the ground but they didn’t touch the ground. A couple days ago I would be shocked by this situation but right now nothing could really shock me. I looked over trying to see Marble but he wasn’t there. “MARBLE!” I screamed. I searched around violently for him but he was nowhere. Up ahead the woods started up again and once we where there we would be free but where was Marble. 

          We reached the woods with still no sight of my brother and as we found our way out of danger and into the dark woods my stomach turned and flipped around in my gut. I sat on a rock looking into the darkness and silently cried. My tears stopped when I thought a seen something moving in the distance. “Marble” I whispered. No, nothing was there it was just my mind… or was it. I saw something again. ‘Ok I’m NOT going crazy’ I thought. Doom washed over me “Qualdana” I whispered. Fear washed over me and I was parlayed. Every hair on my body stood strait up.

          This fear was nothing like I ever felt before, way beyond the word ‘fear’. It made your breathing shallow and your head ach and your limbs, you can’t even move them. The only thing that could move fast was my heart and my poor heart was moving. I wanted to reach back to get my bow and an arrow from my now loaded quiver, but the only thing I could do was breath and even that was slowed down. When I blinked it was in slow motion and hurt but when you need to blink you need to blink. Even if I was parlayed anger flashed in my eyes like fire. Whoever was out there was dead, well… only if they unfroze me first.

          The bushes shacked and out came, nothing. Well it looked like nothing at first. “One Nightshade, Two Nightshade, magical creatures” it sang happily to ‘poor old Michel Finnegan’ If I wasn’t frozen in terrier I would punch it wherever it was. When it took a step forward it left a shoe mark in the mud that I could make out. It started to babble on about being lucky but I was more concentrated on what ‘it’ was. I squinted and could just make out some shadow form. I would never be able to get the view I did until it took another step forward. The moonlight shone on him like a spotlight of sliver glass. It was like a man, the same shape, but he was a ball of blacker then black gas and slightly transparent. He was almost invisible in the midnight sky.

          Out of the corner of my eye I saw Darwic who looked completely unaffected from the terror spell the shadow radiated. He was unnoticed and reached back slowly to his bow. He slowly pulled it off his shoulder. He put the dull end of an arrow to the cord and pulled back slowly. He aimed and released the arrow from his grip sending it spiraling to the shadow. “Whoa” the shadow yelled in surprise as he side stepped. The arrow flew harmlessly behind him into a tree. “What was-” the shadow’s grip of fear weakened on me and I looked over at Qualdana who stood still motionless with fear.

          “I better put you in the slammer for offending me. Bow down in the power of Zillaque, the shadow master” he screamed. Darwic fell to the ground and I guessed it wasn’t by choice. The shadow had now shifted all his attention away from me relieving the spell.  He had this angered face on and pulled out a sword of black shadow that matched him and I had the sudden feeling he was about to kill Darwic so I did something stupid.

          “Hey fat head!” I yelled. He head twisted around so fast I thought it was fall off but then I remembered that I didn’t care. He hissed at me and took a step forward.

          “Dare challenge the shadow king” he spat.

          “Why not, you look to fat to be able to take many more steps forward anyway.” I said in boredom. He was speechless at my comment like he was trying to come up with the best way to kill me. He stepped forward like a bowlegged cowboy.

          “How I wish I could kill you” He complained “but master commended-” I cut him off.

          “What is up with all you villains and you masters? You can never just be on your own stupid mission you always have to have some stupid briery.  Monsters are so stupid and have no common sense, as in zero on the common sense o’ meter.” I yelled

          “I wish I could agree Ms. Nightshade” he said.

          “Yeah I do to”

          “But I will capture you”

          “Fine leave Marble, Qualdana, Zavouh, and Darwic alone then”

          “Sadly I can’t promise you that either, but you can do me a favor of crying a river, building me a pretty little bridge, and getting over it.”

          “That’s the stupidest saying in the WORLD” I said

          “Take it from one who is almost as old as the world, it is quite new.”

          “That must explain why you are a floating ball of ash” I sneered

          “Maybe so, but, back to the point my goddling, surrender, or else”

          “Oh no are you going to hurt us with your dirt of doom” I said sarcastically he gave a low growl to that comment but just took another step forward. ‘Oh crap’ I though as he came walking over to me. I started to fell doomed and frightened again and couldn’t move along with all my friends. Suddenly, I felt a sudden sharp pain in my head and started to see black dots and my vision. I felt ready to pass out and fell to the ground. As I did so did Qualdana also fell and I remembered back when she told me that I was like her voodoo doll or whatever and crap that happened to me happened to her. I looked around and caught a last glimpse of hundreds of pairs of yellow eyes coming out of the woods.

By: Sydtabulos@aim.com Comment

I woke up to the smell of rotting meat. On a day like this, even if it was a cool spring day, the smell was gross. I tried to sit up to find me arms and legs ties together with thick rope twisted from wrist to elbow, and ankle to knee. I cursed silently as I tried to get up and failed. Once I sat upright I wondered if I could walk away when I looked down at my stomach and found a rope tied from me to the tree behind me. 

          Once I got a good look around I wish I didn’t. The first thing I seen was Darwic tied to a tree like me with neon orange duct tape around his beak. He looked at me with sorrow and helplessness in his black eyes. Qualdana was in no better shape. She had neon duct tape around her muzzle and a blue halter. One each side of the halter was five ropes attached to different trees so she couldn’t move.  Her legs where tied in a way where she could stand but if she did run she would trip head over heels.

          Over about seventy feet away was where we where captured. Dead animals lay everywhere stinking up the air. Mostly just rabbits and squirrels but there was a few deer and a bear that really caught my eye. There where three grate bucks with huge antlers which really melted my heart.  “Why where so many animals dead?” I thought. I looked around and saw a fawn looking down at its mother desperately nuzzling her trying to wake her up. The fawn looked up at me helplessly as if I could do something about it. I shrugged but the deer didn’t seem to get the message and came walking over to me. About a yard away the deer stood staring at me with his intense brown eyes and then came and collapsed on my lap like I was his new adopted mother.

          Out behind me the bushes shook and the little deer ran away into the forest where it came and out of the bushes came a teenage boy with dark brown ruffled hair and dark eyes that almost blended with his pupil. His eyes where so full of intelligence and curiosity I wondered why he was here. He had a black shirt and baggy blue jeans. “Hi” he said looking at me curiously.  I gave him a murderous look and turned my head away from him. He accepted this and walked around to meet me eye to eye.  My eyes flashed anger as I gave him a get-any-closer-and-I-kill-you look. His eyes where so soft and synthetic that I had to remind myself who was tying me up.  “Do you know who we are” he asked.

          “Crap heads?”  I insisted

          “No… Shadows” he said tiredly

          “Oh” I murmured looking at my feet

           “Come with me” he said so sweetly that I almost wanted to but I shook my head violently. “If I though in a ‘my lady’ will you” he said blinking wildly. His words reminded me of my fortune and I flinched slightly. I shook my head again. He smiled a wide smile and pulled a knife out from a back pocket. That made my eyes widen in fear, was he going to really stab me? “The rope”, he assured as he went to work cutting the rope that attached the tree to my waste. Once that was done he started on my legs but I was disappointed when he didn’t cut the ropes off my arms. Don’t go with him Qualdana screamed in my mind but I had no choice. She tossed he head trying to get free from her prison but I didn’t see how that would happen. Even if the horse could manage to break loose from the halter her legs where still tied so we had no choice.

          We walked back from where the boy had come out.  We followed a thin trail for about a mile of complete quietness except the sound of our feet on the snapping twigs. I looked at each tree. They where all so original and different from each other. In the distance I thought I seen something. “Welcome to camp” the boy said as he lead me closer and closer to what I seen. Turns out I seen a flag, the flag was black and had a black bird on it, outlined in gray. There where silky black tents up everywhere but there was one tent that really caught my eye was the huge one in the back. It was more of a box shape and had the black bird on the opening curtain part. We walked into the camp with all eyes on us but the stupid boy didn’t seem to care. He just walked with that stupid grin on his face and we slowly built our way up to the big tent.

          I felt like punching someone but I couldn’t because by hands where sorta tied back at the moment. We walked farther into the camp until we where right next to the big tent. “Ok just go inside” the boy said 

          “I’m not going in there”

          “Please” he gave me the puppy dog beg.     

          “No way”

          “Please just go inside Calli”

          “How do you know my name” I screamed

          “You are changing the topic now go in!” and with a strong push, you would not expect a lean boy to pull off, he pushed me into the tent. Inside the tent was lit by candles giving off spooky shadow over peoples faces.

          “Ah, so we meet again Ms. Nightshade” a familiar voice said behind an oak table with an empty seat on the other, two WWC looking guards made me sit in. “do you remember me?” he asked. I didn’t seem to know him. He had tan skin and black hair held back by gallons of gel. He wore a black suit and had black eyes and a movie star smile with white teeth.

          “No” I growled

          “Really” he said surprised

          “Why? Should I… wait a second.” I had a terrible felling I knew who this was. “Fat head?”

          He smiled a wide smile “the one and only”. His smile was so warm I almost smiled too but I didn’t remembering what he did to my friends. I took a deep breath which was the only thing stopping me from strangling him, well that and the huge body guards.

          “Why don’t you go die?” I hissed

          “I’m afraid I can not. There where so many animal deaths last night there is no more room for any more deaths, sorry.” I stomped my foot and stood up. He beckoned to the guards and they pushed my back down.

          “You did that, you-you monster” he gave me a sarcastic offended look.

          “No I didn’t my dear, dear child, you did”

          “I did not”

          “You called upon those animals, didn’t you?” there was a hint of concern in his voice though I doubt It was for me.

          “No, I didn’t call upon the animals”

          “You’re shore” he exchanged concerned looks with the WWC guards.

          “Yes I’m shore now let me GO you meat head”

          “Wait, I though I was a fat head? But now I’m a meat head, your not very constant are you.” He studied me as if he was taking the mental note, not constant.

          “I’m going” I stood up

          “Oh no your not” the guards pushed me back down.

          “Then what the heck do you want” he stiffened out a bit and seemed to get more serious.

          “Ok, fine let’s get to business”

          “I’m sorry but I don’t have to go to the bathroom” I sneered

          “The other business” he snarled.

          “I change my mind can I use the potty”

          “We want from you, your powers and that’s it. Then we release you back to society and with all your little friends.” I consider this. Calli don’t Qualdana cried in my thoughts.

          “What about my horse” I said

          “Uhhh, well, uhhh you see… about that. We don’t, uh, really know about that minor, itty bitty, detail.” He said nervously playing with his fingers.

          “Minor?” I said annoyed.

          “Well we don’t really know since she is with you since you are all, uhhh, any way” he changed the topic abruptly. 

          “Wait don’t go changing the topic.” I complained

          “I’ll do what I like” he snapped

          “Go ahead fat head” I mumbled “but you aren’t getting my powers until pigs fly.” He sighed and snapped his fingers, then, on the table a pink pig fell from thin air, the pig had golden wings and was no bigger then a football the pig jumped of the table and flew out of the tent with just a short ‘weet’.

          “Now can I have your powers” he said with boredom.

          “Uck, ok that was a bad saying, ok how about, when you die.”

          “Ha, ha, very funny Calli Nightshade”

          “Can I Go?”

          “No” he snapped. I gave him a, you-have-got-to-be-kidding-me look.

          “Why not”

          “Listen, I made you a deal and you could take it or not”

          “So what now I’m just you little prisoner”

          “Perhaps I can make your bet more” he searched for his next word “worthwhile”. He snapped his fingers and an image appeared next to him. It was of Marble and his goat in a prison sitting in the corner talking among themselves. He snapped again and the scene disappeared leavening me an empty feeling the pit of my gut. “Now how do you feel about my bet” he said with a sly smile.

          “I’ll get my brother some other way you jerk”

          “Oh fine, Ari get in here” That boy from before ran in and bowed to fat head. “Take her to 105” he said with distaste and I was lead out, back into the open, sunny, world. Today the weather was so nice and sunny it seemed to mock me and my mood. Ari led me to a tent with the numbers 105 written on it in the top right corner in gray.

          “once your inside you cant get out, it is like a child lock door” Ari explained “so you just sorta have to go in, there is food, a bed, and a blankets inside.” He said with a reassuring smile.

          “No thank you”

          “Please”

          “No”

          “Why not”

          “I don’t want to; let me go back to my friends”

          “I can’t, really I wish I could, I really, really wish I could, but if I do, I’m dead, literally. “

          “Cant you just, I don’t know, turn the other way?”

          “I can’t Calli”

          “Please Ari” I said with tears in my eyes.

          “No Calli I sorta pledged myself to being-being-being this” he snapped his fingers and turned into the ball of gas looking thing that I seen the other night. I sighed and went inside the tent where I plunged on the twin mattress. I thought about what they would do to me any why I had to be here. I wondered what they would to my Darwic and Qualdana. They could kill them without killing me and the thought sent shivers down my back. I tough about Marble ant wondered if I really could get him out of prison some other way.     

          I walked over the opening to see if I really couldn’t get out. It was true, I couldn’t open it. I tried to rip the martial on the side but it was like ripping plywood with your hands, impossible. I sighed and accepted the fact that I was trapped and went to sleep.  

          I woke up to the sound of footsteps. I sat upright and whipped my head around taking in the surroundings. I was on a mattress in the middle of a tent. In the corner an oil burning lamp flamed, spreading a dim layer light across the bottom half of the room. Outside the moon was full casting three men’s shadows onto the side of my tent.

          “Is she sleeping” I herd a familiar voice hiss, it was fathead.

          “Yes my master” another familiar voice responded, it was Ari. “I just check” he sounded slightly nervous.

          “Good” a creepy voice chuckled, “then we will retrieve her soon, Ari go get us the ropes, we have a long way to travel. I hope she is a deep sleeper” and with a wave of his hand he sent them off. I tried to remember that voice from somewhere but his voice was new and I started to think of him Bob. That was just the name that came to my mind.

          Bob stood outside my tent and I could still see his form. With a sudden chill I knew that if I didn’t set up the alarm that I was awake I might get more kidnapped more then I already was. I weighed the odds and stayed silent. I didn’t even know what to say and didn’t really have much fight in me.

          I jumped back as the flap of the tent opened and Ari walked in. “CALLI” he screamed “YOUR AWAKE!!! You,-you where j-just sleeping you-you YOU! WHAT ARE YOU DOING” he said clearly shocked

          “Um… breathing I guess, listening to your screams.”  He was shaking with anger although I didn’t know why he was that mad.

          Fat head stepped forward “He is just a little shocked Calli”

          “You’re telling me” I mumbled. I rolled my eyes and took a tiny step back. “Where are you taking me” I said with a small voice and concerned eyes.

          Fathead and Ari shared worried looks. “How much did you hear” fathead sighed.  

          I shrugged my shoulders “depends…”

          Fathead gave Ari a stern look. “You know what to do” Fathead barked. The next thing I remember was Ari charging after me at speeds that where impossible for a teenager to pick up, and the, darkness.

By: Sydtabulos@aim.com Comment

I woke up to the smell of rotting meat. On a day like this, even if it was a cool spring day, the smell was gross. I tried to sit up to find me arms and legs ties together with thick rope twisted from wrist to elbow, and ankle to knee. I cursed silently as I tried to get up and failed. Once I sat upright I wondered if I could walk away when I looked down at my stomach and found a rope tied from me to the tree behind me. 

          Once I got a good look around I wish I didn’t. The first thing I seen was Darwic tied to a tree like me with neon orange duct tape around his beak. He looked at me with sorrow and helplessness in his black eyes. Qualdana was in no better shape. She had neon duct tape around her muzzle and a blue halter. One each side of the halter was five ropes attached to different trees so she couldn’t move.  Her legs where tied in a way where she could stand but if she did run she would trip head over heels.

          Over about seventy feet away was where we where captured. Dead animals lay everywhere stinking up the air. Mostly just rabbits and squirrels but there was a few deer and a bear that really caught my eye. There where three grate bucks with huge antlers which really melted my heart.  “Why where so many animals dead?” I thought. I looked around and saw a fawn looking down at its mother desperately nuzzling her trying to wake her up. The fawn looked up at me helplessly as if I could do something about it. I shrugged but the deer didn’t seem to get the message and came walking over to me. About a yard away the deer stood staring at me with his intense brown eyes and then came and collapsed on my lap like I was his new adopted mother.

          Out behind me the bushes shook and the little deer ran away into the forest where it came and out of the bushes came a teenage boy with dark brown ruffled hair and dark eyes that almost blended with his pupil. His eyes where so full of intelligence and curiosity I wondered why he was here. He had a black shirt and baggy blue jeans. “Hi” he said looking at me curiously.  I gave him a murderous look and turned my head away from him. He accepted this and walked around to meet me eye to eye.  My eyes flashed anger as I gave him a get-any-closer-and-I-kill-you look. His eyes where so soft and synthetic that I had to remind myself who was tying me up.  “Do you know who we are” he asked.

          “Crap heads?”  I insisted

          “No… Shadows” he said tiredly

          “Oh” I murmured looking at my feet

           “Come with me” he said so sweetly that I almost wanted to but I shook my head violently. “If I though in a ‘my lady’ will you” he said blinking wildly. His words reminded me of my fortune and I flinched slightly. I shook my head again. He smiled a wide smile and pulled a knife out from a back pocket. That made my eyes widen in fear, was he going to really stab me? “The rope”, he assured as he went to work cutting the rope that attached the tree to my waste. Once that was done he started on my legs but I was disappointed when he didn’t cut the ropes off my arms. Don’t go with him Qualdana screamed in my mind but I had no choice. She tossed he head trying to get free from her prison but I didn’t see how that would happen. Even if the horse could manage to break loose from the halter her legs where still tied so we had no choice.

          We walked back from where the boy had come out.  We followed a thin trail for about a mile of complete quietness except the sound of our feet on the snapping twigs. I looked at each tree. They where all so original and different from each other. In the distance I thought I seen something. “Welcome to camp” the boy said as he lead me closer and closer to what I seen. Turns out I seen a flag, the flag was black and had a black bird on it, outlined in gray. There where silky black tents up everywhere but there was one tent that really caught my eye was the huge one in the back. It was more of a box shape and had the black bird on the opening curtain part. We walked into the camp with all eyes on us but the stupid boy didn’t seem to care. He just walked with that stupid grin on his face and we slowly built our way up to the big tent.

          I felt like punching someone but I couldn’t because by hands where sorta tied back at the moment. We walked farther into the camp until we where right next to the big tent. “Ok just go inside” the boy said 

          “I’m not going in there”

          “Please” he gave me the puppy dog beg.     

          “No way”

          “Please just go inside Calli”

          “How do you know my name” I screamed

          “You are changing the topic now go in!” and with a strong push, you would not expect a lean boy to pull off, he pushed me into the tent. Inside the tent was lit by candles giving off spooky shadow over peoples faces.

          “Ah, so we meet again Ms. Nightshade” a familiar voice said behind an oak table with an empty seat on the other, two WWC looking guards made me sit in. “do you remember me?” he asked. I didn’t seem to know him. He had tan skin and black hair held back by gallons of gel. He wore a black suit and had black eyes and a movie star smile with white teeth.

          “No” I growled

          “Really” he said surprised

          “Why? Should I… wait a second.” I had a terrible felling I knew who this was. “Fat head?”

          He smiled a wide smile “the one and only”. His smile was so warm I almost smiled too but I didn’t remembering what he did to my friends. I took a deep breath which was the only thing stopping me from strangling him, well that and the huge body guards.

          “Why don’t you go die?” I hissed

          “I’m afraid I can not. There where so many animal deaths last night there is no more room for any more deaths, sorry.” I stomped my foot and stood up. He beckoned to the guards and they pushed my back down.

          “You did that, you-you monster” he gave me a sarcastic offended look.

          “No I didn’t my dear, dear child, you did”

          “I did not”

          “You called upon those animals, didn’t you?” there was a hint of concern in his voice though I doubt It was for me.

          “No, I didn’t call upon the animals”

          “You’re shore” he exchanged concerned looks with the WWC guards.

          “Yes I’m shore now let me GO you meat head”

          “Wait, I though I was a fat head? But now I’m a meat head, your not very constant are you.” He studied me as if he was taking the mental note, not constant.

          “I’m going” I stood up

          “Oh no your not” the guards pushed me back down.

          “Then what the heck do you want” he stiffened out a bit and seemed to get more serious.

          “Ok, fine let’s get to business”

          “I’m sorry but I don’t have to go to the bathroom” I sneered

          “The other business” he snarled.

          “I change my mind can I use the potty”

          “We want from you, your powers and that’s it. Then we release you back to society and with all your little friends.” I consider this. Calli don’t Qualdana cried in my thoughts.

          “What about my horse” I said

          “Uhhh, well, uhhh you see… about that. We don’t, uh, really know about that minor, itty bitty, detail.” He said nervously playing with his fingers.

          “Minor?” I said annoyed.

          “Well we don’t really know since she is with you since you are all, uhhh, any way” he changed the topic abruptly. 

          “Wait don’t go changing the topic.” I complained

          “I’ll do what I like” he snapped

          “Go ahead fat head” I mumbled “but you aren’t getting my powers until pigs fly.” He sighed and snapped his fingers, then, on the table a pink pig fell from thin air, the pig had golden wings and was no bigger then a football the pig jumped of the table and flew out of the tent with just a short ‘weet’.

          “Now can I have your powers” he said with boredom.

          “Uck, ok that was a bad saying, ok how about, when you die.”

          “Ha, ha, very funny Calli Nightshade”

          “Can I Go?”

          “No” he snapped. I gave him a, you-have-got-to-be-kidding-me look.

          “Why not”

          “Listen, I made you a deal and you could take it or not”

          “So what now I’m just you little prisoner”

          “Perhaps I can make your bet more” he searched for his next word “worthwhile”. He snapped his fingers and an image appeared next to him. It was of Marble and his goat in a prison sitting in the corner talking among themselves. He snapped again and the scene disappeared leavening me an empty feeling the pit of my gut. “Now how do you feel about my bet” he said with a sly smile.

          “I’ll get my brother some other way you jerk”

          “Oh fine, Ari get in here” That boy from before ran in and bowed to fat head. “Take her to 105” he said with distaste and I was lead out, back into the open, sunny, world. Today the weather was so nice and sunny it seemed to mock me and my mood. Ari led me to a tent with the numbers 105 written on it in the top right corner in gray.

          “once your inside you cant get out, it is like a child lock door” Ari explained “so you just sorta have to go in, there is food, a bed, and a blankets inside.” He said with a reassuring smile.

          “No thank you”

          “Please”

          “No”

          “Why not”

          “I don’t want to; let me go back to my friends”

          “I can’t, really I wish I could, I really, really wish I could, but if I do, I’m dead, literally. “

          “Cant you just, I don’t know, turn the other way?”

          “I can’t Calli”

          “Please Ari” I said with tears in my eyes.

          “No Calli I sorta pledged myself to being-being-being this” he snapped his fingers and turned into the ball of gas looking thing that I seen the other night. I sighed and went inside the tent where I plunged on the twin mattress. I thought about what they would do to me any why I had to be here. I wondered what they would to my Darwic and Qualdana. They could kill them without killing me and the thought sent shivers down my back. I tough about Marble ant wondered if I really could get him out of prison some other way.     

          I walked over the opening to see if I really couldn’t get out. It was true, I couldn’t open it. I tried to rip the martial on the side but it was like ripping plywood with your hands, impossible. I sighed and accepted the fact that I was trapped and went to sleep.  

          I woke up to the sound of footsteps. I sat upright and whipped my head around taking in the surroundings. I was on a mattress in the middle of a tent. In the corner an oil burning lamp flamed, spreading a dim layer light across the bottom half of the room. Outside the moon was full casting three men’s shadows onto the side of my tent.

          “Is she sleeping” I herd a familiar voice hiss, it was fathead.

          “Yes my master” another familiar voice responded, it was Ari. “I just check” he sounded slightly nervous.

          “Good” a creepy voice chuckled, “then we will retrieve her soon, Ari go get us the ropes, we have a long way to travel. I hope she is a deep sleeper” and with a wave of his hand he sent them off. I tried to remember that voice from somewhere but his voice was new and I started to think of him Bob. That was just the name that came to my mind.

          Bob stood outside my tent and I could still see his form. With a sudden chill I knew that if I didn’t set up the alarm that I was awake I might get more kidnapped more then I already was. I weighed the odds and stayed silent. I didn’t even know what to say and didn’t really have much fight in me.

          I jumped back as the flap of the tent opened and Ari walked in. “CALLI” he screamed “YOUR AWAKE!!! You,-you where j-just sleeping you-you YOU! WHAT ARE YOU DOING” he said clearly shocked

          “Um… breathing I guess, listening to your screams.”  He was shaking with anger although I didn’t know why he was that mad.

          Fat head stepped forward “He is just a little shocked Calli”

          “You’re telling me” I mumbled. I rolled my eyes and took a tiny step back. “Where are you taking me” I said with a small voice and concerned eyes.

          Fathead and Ari shared worried looks. “How much did you hear” fathead sighed.  

          I shrugged my shoulders “depends…”

          Fathead gave Ari a stern look. “You know what to do” Fathead barked. The next thing I remember was Ari charging after me at speeds that where impossible for a teenager to pick up, and the, darkness.

By: Sydtabulos@aim.com Comment

I woke up on a black horse’s back on a black Western saddle. “Qualdana” I thought immediately, almost jumping out of the saddle I found myself now tied to. I looked at the horse carefully and found that it looked more like a black Tennessee walking horse. I sighed and studied the ropes binding me to the saddle. They where thick and frayed which was really uncomfortable and itchy.  I looked round tiredly and I had a really bad headache. I was tired and wanted dearly to see my dorm room, and crabby old Ms. Campbell.   My hands where tied behind my back making me off balance.

          The horse was being lead by a little boy who looked about eight. He looked shyly at the ground as she walked ahead following all the other black horses through a thin trail through the wood. Night was ending and the sun was rising through the trees. It felt like we where slowing down as the higher the sun rose. I wonder what today was and what they where doing at my old school, I wondered if I’d ever see my school again, I wondered about Cara and where she was. 

          “Hi” I whispered down to the boy. He paused and looked up at me. He gave me a dirty look and kept on walking. “OK then” I mumbled. The boy looked all too much like Ari. He had black hair and extremely dark brown eyes.  His skin was tan and he had a very cute face and he even wore dark Jens and a black T-shirt. He led the horse by halter through the path and I silently tried to communicate to Qualdana.

          “Hey uhhh Qualdana, I could really use some good old fashion help right now.” I thought “I’m sorta trapped here and I could use a little help getting away.”

          Boredom washed over me and I started to give up hope. I started to feel hungry and had cramps when I smelt the delightful smell of pancakes and waffles with honey and orange juice. I looked wildly around searching for the smell when a new small washed over me… wet rodent. “It can’t be” I mumbled quietly “the God of Breakfast!”  

          It all happened so fast I don’t know where it started from. Time seemed to slow then speed up really fast and I was on the ground, my leg getting crushed under the horse’s weight. I yelled but I wasn’t the only one screaming. Screams came from everywhere as people where being drowned in syrup and stuck to the ground because they couldn’t hole the weight of the heavy liquid. The wind blew and the smell the breakfast grew.

          Then I seen a blackish purplish explosion over the hill in front of me and giant guinea pig came hurtling at me and landed about a yard away from me. He stood up, brushed the dust off his golden fur, and shrugged at me, “Hey, I tried… Nah I really didn’t, I’m just messin’ with ya Nightshade, what a guinea pig would do when he is tired” and with that happy note snapped his claws and disappeared.

          I heard the groaning of men and finally we where all set to go again. Ari ran over to me and helped my spooked horse up. He squinted his eyes at me when he seen me like he was trying to see if he should hug me or strangle me, “Calli Nightshade, you are going to be one powerful goddess” I didn’t know what he meant by that but he lead my horse away and we once again followed the trail, there where fewer men this time because we had abandon them at the attack sight, they said they had to leave them because of the dangers of being there with more important people. So we left and I could hear the moaning of the abandon men lessen until it was silent.

          Ari walked causally as he led my horse through the trail. The little boy from before walled up to him and tugged at his shirt gently, “Master and the General would like to see you” Ari stiffened and handed the kid the lead line.      

          “Lead-” he searched for his next word “it” he stared at me and left giving me a final dirty look.

          “What did I do” I mumbled as he jogged away up to the front of the line of people and horses. “I think I can change him” I joked quietly.

          “You can’t change the ways to a shadow” the little boy said offend

          “That’s grate kid” I mumbled. The boy’s face turned red and he looked about ready to scream.

          “I’m Ninety-Eight OK NINETY-EIGHT, Yeah so I’m am preferably new shadow but I’m not the age I look. AS IN IM A LOT OLDER THEN YOU CALLI NIGHTSHADE”

          “Ok, gee, sorry”

          “Yeah BE sorry” he growled. Silence…

          “Soo… You’re ninety-eight”

          “Yeah shadows are immortal” he snapped

          “Uhhh… cool?”

          “Yes, very” he sneered

          “Why are you- why do you look-”

           “Eight, that was the age I became a shadow, so I stay that age forever” he looked up at me “do you think I made the right decision” he said with regret in his voice.

          “Will you hate me if I say no considering your kidnapping me?”

          “I already hate you Nightshade” and that was out last words of our conversation. Ari came running back. His black hair whipped in the wind as he sprinted down the trail.  A golden valley was now coming up ahead and the forest was coming to an end. Ari finally caught up to us, his breath was heavy “I need- her” he looked at me angrily. I stuck my tong out at him. He gave me a dirty look and took the lead line out of the other shadow’s hand and started running making the horse trot and even canter a little.

          We got to the front of the long line and entered the wide valley. There was a horse drawn carriage looking thing, with the black bird on it outlined in gray. Six black horses drew the black sled in black harnesses and black horseshoes. The driver brought the carriage to a halt and Ari led me over. He cut the ropes that tied my hand together and my body to the saddle.  “Go inside”. He didn’t give me the look he gave me the last two times he told me to go into a room but I didn’t give him a fight. I walked up the two steps and opened the door into a dark room. Inside the walls where black and each corner of the walls where slightly rounded. The walls back wall had the black bird outlined in gray. There where three red pillows on the ground in a triangle formation. In the front one was an unfamiliar man, in the back right was Fathead and Ari sat in the back left. They all sat Indian style on the pillows.

          I raised an eyebrow “Ok, what the hey”

          “Sit Calli Nightshade” the man in the front insisted

          “Umm, no thank you”

          He slide a dark purple pillow at me “Sit” he said giving me a dark look. I sat. “Do you know who I am” he said in a dark voice like the one I heard outside my tent yesterday.

          “No, but I’m getting sick of that question” The man chuckled.

          “Then allow me to introduce myself, you can call me the General-”

          “I’d rather not” I said with a smile. The General raised an eyebrow.

          “What did you say?”

          “My good sir I believe the real question is what did you say?” I think the General growled at me but he just took a deep breath.

          “Ms. Nightshade lets not play games”

          “Why, I think games are sorta fun, what do you have, I don’t like scrabble but trouble is cool and-”

          “Trouble is what you’re going to be in if you don’t shut your mouth Ms. Nightshade”

          “Wait you can, like, put me inside a game, Wow that’s cool, what else can you do.”

          “I’ll show you what I can do” The General growled, as he stood up.

          “General” fathead warned as general was about to most likely step on me. The General took a deep breath and sat down.

          “Wait your Bob aren’t you?” I questioned.

          “Who is Bob” The General asked

          “The dude from outside my tent last night, you sound like him” the coroner of the General’s lips went up in a small smile. (He looked just like everyone else but still different Black hair; tan skin; he had black eyes like fathead; and a stunning white movie star smile.)

          “Yes that was me Ms. Nightshade, did you just call me Bob”

          “Yes I like that name.” The General laughed but stopped abruptly.

          “No more stalling”

          “What is stalling?”

          “Stalling is when- blah you know what stalling is your just trying to stall”

          “I’m Stalling” I questioned

          “Yeah, you are”

          “Wait who”

          “You”

          “Me”

          “No you” The General said now completely confused.

          “You”

          “Yes, I mean no you”

          “You”

          “No not me!”

          “Then who” I said innocently

          “YOU”

          “What am I doing?”

          “You’re SALLING”

          “Your stalling I thought I was stalling?”

          “CALLI NIGHTSHADE, SHUT UP” the general shook with anger and his tan movie star face turned red. Ari and fathead looked down at their feet shaking wildly with laughter but trying with all their will not to show it.

          “STOP LAUGHING FOOLS” the general hissed at them. They stopped abruptly and put on serous faces that only lasted a moment as a wide grin slowly started to grow back on their faces.  “Now let’s go to business”.

          “But I don’t need to go to the bathroom right now”

          “That just old” Fathead exclaimed.

          “What’s old?”  Then general asked.

          “She used the same line on me!”  I smiled innocently as all eyes turned to me.

          “CALLI NIGHTSHADE!!! Take this serious or your precious Carven is dead. My stomach turned lead when I thought about Darwic and if him dieing.

          “O-o-ok, f-fine wh-what do you w-want”

          “Soft girl” the general said sympathetically. “Caring too when you get down to the core, always the easiest the tame.”  My eyes flashed with hate and the general seemed to enjoy my anger as a smile stretched across his face.

          “Go fall in a pit you fatty”

          “Yes, that reminds me, I have a new home for you until you become more …” the general searched for his next word carefully “domesticated”

          “So I’m not domesticated!” I said angrily

          “Not now but all in good time, you will come around”

          “What if I don’t?”

          “Well then I hope you don’t mind your friends or, what do you kids say these days, oh yes, your possy dieing one at a time.” An evil smile cracked across his face.

          “Would you kill Qualdana?” I asked concerned.

          “Yeah” he answer simply. I tried not to get angry with his easy going tone. “But then again the horse is a real beauty, she would make a grate mother with some of or greatest horses, if only she was broken, she is so… wild. Or we could work her, she is so grate, strong, and tall, we could really use a good working horse like her.”

          My hands balled up in a fist, and anger shook my body, I almost stood up but a voice in my head told me otherwise. Calli, don’t worry about me I’ll be just fine but she didn’t sound fine, she sounded week and worried.

          “Calli, do me a favor and tell your horse that she should be worried.”

          “You read minds?”

          “Yes now do as I asked”

          “Well you see, I don’t really know how to talk back yet”

          “You don’t know how yet, grate! That will help me mush and make life very easy.” 

          “I’ll make shore it doesn’t”

          “Will you?” The general asked

          “Yes I will BOB”

          “Did you just call me Bob?”

          “Yes, I like that name”

          “I’d rather you call me the General”

          “Well that’s sucks for you”

          “Are you shore” he said raising an eyebrow

          “Yes Bob” The general (or Bob) picked up a cell phone and clicked a speed-dial number. Then he held the phone up to his ear.

          “Kill the carven”

          “NOO” I screamed in terrier “fine I’ll say it”

          “Say what?”

          “General” I mumbled quietly.

          “What?” he asked

          “General” I said in a louder tone

          “I still can’t seem to hear what you’re trying to say”

          “GENERAL” I screamed.

          “WHO’S THE GENERAL?”

          “YOU ARE”

          “THEN SAY IT”

          “YOU’RE THE GENERAL” There was a slight pause of silence.

          “Spare the Carvin… for now any way.” And he hung up. “Was that so hard my princess”

          “No but it’s hard to say anything around you because your ugly face is just so distracting.” The General stiffened up but seemed to accept my insult considering he just threaded to kill my friend by cell phone. He stared at me long and hard for a second like he was trying to read deeper then just my mind but his gaze annoyed me so I thought ‘can I go now you big fat looser’ 

          He lost all concentration and responded to my mind question “Ari go bring her to her ditch” Ari stood up bowed and grabbed my by the wrist, dragging me out the door.

          Once we where out he looked straight into my eyes and said “are you stupid”

          “That question is more of an opinion, isn’t it?”

          “Don’t mess with him Calli, not a good idea”

          “Who? You mean General Bob?” Ari’s eyes widened and he looked around nervously like he thought someone was going to kill us.

          “Calli, don’t say that someone might hear.”

          “BOB, BOB, BOB, BOB, BOB, BOB!”

          “CALLI”

          “What?”

          “Stop it, your going to get me and you in trouble.”

          “How will you get in trouble?” I said felling bad if I really did get him in trouble.

          “I just will, OK” he said sadly

          “You should De-shadow yourself” I said plainly

          He stared at me with hurt in his eyes, “If I only could Calli,” he sighed and took a step forward, “you look so mush like her” Ari whispered with so mush regret in his voice I thought he would cry. “Anyway, let’s go to your new… habitat”

          “Sounds like a plan” I sighed. He grabbed my wrist and chugged me away.

          We where walking for about five minutes until we reached the spot where everyone was setting up camp. In the middle was a hole big enough for a horse to go in and walk in a really tight circle. “I really have to sleep in there until I become ‘domesticated’?” I said, Ari laughed.

          “Just until we leave this spot, that won’t be too long, the General is a bit… stern, you get a sleeping bag.”

          “Lucky me… How do I get down?”

          “Wait your not sad at all”

          “Not really, it’s like camping I guess, a tent without the roof.” Ari looked shocked at my answer like he didn’t except me to be that well rounded.”

          “I guess when you look at it that way” he said carefully.

          “Now how do I get down?”

          “A ramp” He dragged a wooden ramp and placed it on an angle down to the hole. I walked down as many eyes where drawn to me. I stuck my tongue out at one of the shadows who cringed like he accepted flames to burst at him.

          “OK whose spreading rumors about me.”  I mumbled as I walked down the ramp into a cold hole. I shrugged, “like the good old days.” I screamed up to Ari as he pulled up the ramp. He smiled his familiar smile from two days ago and left leavening me alone with no one but myself.

          Night came and I felt a sudden chill of daja vu. I heard the voices of three men but they weren’t fathead, Ari, And General Bob. I sounded more like Ari, that eight-year-old/ninety-eight-year-old kid and about three other random shadows.  “Is she asleep” a strange voice asked.

          “Probably not, don’t misjudge her, she’s smart for a ten-year-old girl.” Ari corrected.

          “Thank you Ari” I yelled up to the talking group. There was silence for about ten seconds.

          “Ari says thank you” A teenage boy I didn’t recognize yelled from up above.

          “Tell Ari no problem” I yelled. I heard laughing.

          “Boys, what are you doing out so late” I heard a new member of the conversation say that I only, to well, as Fathead.

          “Hi Fathead” I yelled up.

          “Hi Calli” he sighed “anyway boys, get you your tents, we have a lot to do tomorrow” and with that I heard the moaning and groaning of upset boys as they marched of to their tents. “Calli the General wants to see you”

          “Again?”

          “Yes Calli, again”

          “Now?”

          “Yes Calli the General wants to see you again now”

          “Why?”

          “I don’t know Calli”

          “They always come crawling back” I mumbled. Fathead dropped down the ramp that I climbed up carefully not to let trip in the darkness. Once I reached the top I seen fathead in his shadow form. “Looking sharp my shadow man” I smiled. I started to walk where I came form when Fathead cut in.

          “This way Calli” Fathead directed, as he started to walk in the opposite direction.

          “Oh” I said calmly as I turned and followed along. I skipped aside Fathead as he walked businessman-like way and I sang to Dora the Explorer , “Grab your backpack, lets go, Jump in, Vamonos, You can lead the way!”

          “What are you singing?”

          “I’m singing Dora, duh!” 

          “Who is Dora”

          “An Explorer”

          “What?”

          “A cartoon for babies”

          “Oh, right” he said although I think he was saying ‘right’ more to the fact that babies still existed.  We walked on for about a minute when the General came into sight. I started to sing “You're a mean one, Mr. Grinch. You really are a heel. You're as cuddly as a cactus, You're as charming as an eel. Mr. Grinch. You're a bad banana, With a greasy black peel. You're a monster, Mr. Grinch. Your heart's an empty hole. Your brain is full of spiders, You've got garlic in your soul. Mr. Grinch. I wouldn't touch you, with a thirty-nine-and-a-half foot pole.”

          “Good evening Nightshade”

          “Evening or just really early in the morning” I said taking in the surroundings. There was a fire pit, and three long logs around it for seats.

          “Please, sit”  

          “Ugg, come on, what is with you and sitting”

          “Fine, stand”

          “Nah just messin with you I’ll sit”

          “Then sit”

          “Did you spray for bugs?”

          “No”

          “Ewe” 

          “Just sit”

          “No! Bugs!”

          “Then stand”

          “No, I’m hungry”

          “What dose that have to do with anything”

          “It doesn’t I just want food”

          “Listen this will take three minutes if you cooperate, can you stand for three minutes”

          “Yes, but the real question is, can I stand you for three minutes” Needless to say I sat down.

          “Calli I have a question for you”

          “I have I question for you general”

          “Fine you go first”

          “My question, dear General, is, what is your question?”

          The General took a shaky deep breath trying to control his anger although I didn’t see why he was so mad, he should get a life and a humor. “I want to know what’s going on out there in the real world, the mortal world.”

          “Well, Michel Jackson just died, the Harry Potter books are a hit, John and Kate plus 8 is are now getting split up, Obama is the president of the USA, Tiger Woods was caught cheating, low employment rates, umm, all kids get education, what else? They just came out with the cell phone, Envy Three, and I’m still hungry”

          “What else” The General asked like he really was interested.

          “I don’t know, umm, laptops are a big deal, TVs have gone flat, homeless people are called hobos, Converse are making a comeback, Ugg are crazy expensive, I’m still hungry, Cancer is getting more and more understood, Celiac Disease is getting more and more common, Owl City came out with a new CD with a song called fireflies, that, bye the way I really like, and the world is supposedly going to end in 2012, but I don’t believe that.”

          “Why Not” he asked more of a question then concern.

          “I just don’t, its stupid”

          “That’s your opinion”

          “And that effects what I say how?”

          “It doesn’t, go on”

          “Umm, I don’t know, America is fighting two wars, the largest religion is Christen, most people have dogs as pets, and puppy mills are being shut down. That’s all I got.” 

          “Interesting”

          “Yawn, well I’d better be going to bed, unlike you I’m a mortal girl and us mortal girls need out beauty sleep. Well not me, I’m just so beautiful already.”

          “Ha, ha, ok Nightshade, you can go to your hole now” I skipped off with fathead dragging his feet behind me. I thought about jumping into my hole but before I got up the courage fathead dropped down the ladder and I cautiously stepped down the wood.

          “Goodnight Fathead” I yelled up. There was no response. Fathead must be bipolar at night I decided and went to sleep. 

By: Sydtabulos@aim.com Comment

I woke up to the sounds of working people. I opened my eyes and looked up to see everyone packing up camp. Just ten the ramp fell down and Ari came walking down causally. He looked around and seen me awake. “CALLI” he screamed slipping back on the ramp sliding down on his back until he hit the ground with a loud thump. “Ouch, Calli Nightshade, if I got a dollar every time you surprise me I’d be rich”

          “No offence, but what ever time zone you come from, let me tell you, a dollar is worth nothing these days, it might bye you a pack of gum, sometimes”

          “Really?” Ari asked

          “Yeah” I said matter-of-factly

          “I-I was just about to wake you up”

          “To late, you failed” I said. Ari laughed nervously.

          “Yes well we better be going”

          “Going where”

          “Away”

          “Away to?”

          “A place”

          “What Place?”

          “You know, there”

          “I don’t know, tell me!”

          “I can’t!”

          “You can, you just chose not to”

          “Yes!” he said and grabbed my wrist dragging me up the ramp that was far to thin for the two of us. He marched me over to the General who stood with two horses.

          “Do you know how to ride” the General asked.

          “Not really but hey, I say on Qualdana bare back, how hard can riding with a saddle be.”

          “Then get on” he said beckoning to the horse on the left. I shrugged as I climbed up on the horse putting my right food into the metal stirrup and pushing ninety percent of my body weight onto the stirrup and the other ten on the horses withers (shoulders) making shore not to use the horn of the saddle or the horse’s neck. I swung my body around sitting upright in the hot leather saddle. I sat with perfect posture and made shore my heels where down, and all of this just came from instinct.

          The General went up on the other horse sitting almost that same was as me which must mean I was doing it right. “Ride” he said innocently

          “Um… Giddy up? Hiya? Move?”

          “Try, walk on” the General said in a motherly tone that made me want to slap him.

          “Walk on?” The horse lifted a foot like he was thinking about walking but then decided it was too mush work.

          “Try to say it like you mean it” the General sighed

          “Walk on” The horse gave me a pissed look and started to walk. The General whistled and his horse immediately started to walk. “Oh, sure, I could have whistled” I mumbled as we walked side by side.

          “Are you getting the hang of it now?”

          “Yes”

          “Then trot, the next speed”

          “Do I have to?”

          “Just try” the General insisted adding a cold stare.

          “What do I have to say”

          “Just make clicking noises with your tongue and if that doesn’t work put your feet on him”

          “Will it hurt him?”

          “No, it will not.”

          I did as told and went into a speed that was very bumpy. Right away I did something I just knew was called posting. Instead of going bumpbumpbumpbump I went up, down, up, down, in the saddle using my legs to lift myself on and off the saddle. The General made his horse trot too, but he just used his feet, probably to spare his voice. He just sat on the saddle but didn’t bounce, using his calves to keep him almost still in the saddle. “Did you ever take lessons” he asked sounding very concerned.”

          “No, riding just comes naturally”

          “Are you sure, because you are a really good at posting”

          “I’m shore, why don’t you post?”

          “Back in my time, when we rode western, we didn’t post”

          “Why not”

          “Because it was for sissies”

          “Dose it hurt the horse”

          “Well modern day technology says, yes it hurts horses, but horses don’t live very long any way”

          “What, don’t they live for, like, thirty years?”

          “Yeah around there”

          “Um, that is sorta long”

          “Long for mortals” he corrected.  

          “That so mean!” I accused. 

          “Oh, well” The General shrugged.

          “You Terrible”

          “Some may say” 

          “You really are”

          “Some really say, try to canter, the next speed.”

          I put my feet on the horse’s side and the horse went into a smoother speed that made it slightly hard to stay planted in my seat, but I put my weight in my feet and finally learned to stay on. “Tahdah” I sneered.

          “Very good” he said, his eyes examining me up and down. He pulled his right reign and moved in a half circle and headed the other direction, I did the same. We cantered down the valley until we reached the point that we started at. The General took his feet out the stirrups and slide off the horse, I did the same. “You did a good job Nightshade, you can keep that horse, whose horse was that anyway… doesn’t matter they can walk.”

          “Thank you?”

          “We will be going in a few minutes so you can get ready” and with that the General walked away calmly leading his horse with him. I looked at the horse. It was black and had a white star on its head and a sock on its back left leg. I was mush smaller then Qualdana making getting on a breeze.

          Now most of the camp was packed up and horses where being mounted. I got on my horse and though about trying to escape, what was the chance that it would work? What could they do to me?  Where would I go? Could they catch me? Would they even bother? Was it worth a try? I Mounted my horse looking around carefully I started walking slowly in the opposite direction. I still looked around but nobody seemed to pay attention. I started trot, then canter, then- “Hey Calli”. Ari, you suck, I turned my horse around to see Ari standing right behind on another horse a little bigger then mine. The horse didn’t have a star on its head but had a sock on its front right foot. He had a smile on his face, “We’re leaving”

          “Wonderful” I mumbled

          “Listen Nightshade and listen good,” Ari hissed softly “I’m going to look the other for thirty seconds and I going to rise the alarm that you’re gone. Run and don’t come back” And he rode off in the other direction. I was shocked for a moment but decided to take my chanced and rode off through the forest that I have come from. Trails intertwined and I was lost beyond belief. Slowly the sound the camp vanished and I was cantering down the trails that I chose out of random. Slowly the horse got faster and faster until I was sure I was going faster then a canter, a gallop. I traveled for about eight miles, at least, before I felt safe to stop. I looked at the horse curiously and decided it needed a name. I though the name Twilight fit him well and any other name that I came up with just didn’t fit after that.

          “Hi there Twilight” I said softly.  The horse calmed slowly and relaxed letting his head drop low. I looked around for some sort of water knowing how thirsty the horse and I would get to be but there was nothing. Just wildlife, but was it just wildlife. Apparently my mom is like an extinct goddess but yet those animals came to help try to fight Fathead the night he appeared. I took off Twilight’s bridal and used a vine to tie him to a branch so he wouldn’t wander.  I sat on a rock and wondered about my next move.

By: Sydtabulos@aim.com Comment

Crack. Something in the woods moved and I stood up ready to jump on Twilight and ride away. It must have been something small because the woods where dense if you weren’t on a trail. I picked up a rock off the ground although I didn’t know how mush that would help me. I stared long and hard at the bush where I thought the sound came from. “Calli” a voice to my left whispered.

          “AHH” I screamed throwing my rock hitting something on the head with a clunk.

          “Ok Calli, you need to stop pegging rock at me” a three foot figure in a black robe scolded.

          My eyes widened, “DARWIC”

          “CALLI” he said mocking my tone. I hugged him tight as he gasped for air. I have never been happier to see the bird-man in my life.

          “Ouch, anyway, we need to go, NOW.” He warned

          “Why?”

          “They’re coming, just go and I’ll explain more.” Then Darwic whistled and his miniature pony came flying over the tree tops and landed next to its master happily. (YES FLYING) Darwic hopped on the white pony “follow me”. I hitched up my horse and followed at a walking paste.

          “How did your horse just fly?”

          “It’s not a horse”

          “Sorry, I mean miniature pony”

          “No, No, I mean not a horse or pony or a miniature pony, it’s a Pegasus, a miniature Pegasus.”

          “It doesn’t have wings”

          “It dose, you just can’t see them”

          “Why not”

          “Because she doesn’t want you to”

          “What?”

          “Creatures that are shadow-less can control how they want morals, or any untrained eye, to see them. With some limitations of course.”

          “What dose shadow-less mean”

          “I means exactly what it sounds like, shadow-less creatures don’t cast shadows” I looked down and seen that it was true, my horse had a shadow but the miniature pony did not.

          “Who is after us, the shadows” Darwic paused like he was trying to put this in the simplest terms possible.

          “Yes”

          “Ugg, I hate them”

          “Doesn’t everyone!” Darwic moaned as he went into a trot. I went into a trot too staring at Darwic’s supposedly Pegasus. I wanted to see the wings but they where invisible to me.

          “Why do they come after me?”

          “Well, lets see, you’re the daughter of one of the most powerful goddesses in all time, you haven’t turned thirteen yet, who knows what your powers are, and who knows how many you will get, especially sense you mom had over a thousand of them and some gods only get one, you are an easy target, you still haven’t had any real training, should I go on”

          “No you’re starting to bum me out”

          “Lets keep on moving we might have a deadline.”

          “What do you mean Darwic?”

          “Just what I said, A deadline.”

          “For what”

          “I’d rather not say”

          “Why not”

          “Trust me Calli, you don’t wasn’t to know anyway, if I tell you- come on lets speed up” We went into a canter and trailed through a thin trail that twisted and turned making my balance slightly off. We raced forward going at a fast canter when I screamed. My horse had tripped over a tall root and I was jolted forward. The horn of the seat went into my gut making me loose my breath. I coughed as my horse stood at a stop. Darwic came trotting over to me, “Are you OK?”

          “Yeah, I’m fine” I mumbled. By breathing was uneven so we walked until I was back to normal. We cantered down the trail until it opened up in a green lush of vegetation around a rushing river. The cool spring breeze felt good as we slowly came to a stop. 

          “We will eventually have to sleep” Darwic explained “Shadows never really have to go to sleep and can turn into any animate object that has a shadow. They have to go to sleep if they are in the form of something that sleeps, like a human, but if they are in shadow form they will never have to sleep”.

          “They can’t form into things like trees?”

          “They can but that’s suicide, they wouldn’t have a self caution after that and they couldn’t turn themselves back. Eventually they would die like any plant. Same if they stay an animal to long, their minds would start to change like one and that is the only stages they could die, if they are in a form, any form but the shadow form.”

          “So they are vulnerable when in an animal or human form?”

          “Exactly”

          “What ever happened to my bow and arrow?”

          “The shadows probably stole it” he said sadly. “And the quiver”

          “That’s ok, hey, where still alive, for now”

          “Yeah” he chuckled “For now” We had a good laugh and drank form the river and got ready to ride. We let our horse-Pegasus drink and eat and rode off into the wood again.

          “So… where are we going”

          “Well we need to make it to an air port, then we could probably catch a dragon to Magomeon,          from there we need to get a meeting with your sister, considering that you are related I think we would get a meeting it pretty fast.” His voice wandered.

          “So my sister-”

          “Yes she is a god; she took over for Queen Magomeon, her and your mother, after she faded.”

          “So my mom is dead”

          “Well… yeah… you could say”

          “So… she isn’t dead”

          “No, she’s dead” he said sternly although he didn’t look convinced.

          “Oh well, never wanted parents any way”

          “NEVER WANTED PARENTS” Darwic squawked.

          “Not really, kids would always talk about how mean their parents where and how they where so unfair and how they would yell at them for stupid reasons and ship them away to different schools so they don’t have to see them. I never really wished for a family, a sister doesn’t even sound that grate but” I shrugged again “Oh well”. 

          Darwic eyed me with his black eyes and looked up meeting my eyes, “Family is still family”

          “Yes, so… like I said, family is evil and-”

          “You will be happy you have a family, trust me”

          “Wee, I’m happy now see.” Silence.

          “You will see, unless you’re like Apolla and Lathertin” He mumbled to himself. 

          “Who are they?”

          “Oh, no one”

          “TELL ME”

          “It’s no one”

          “Come ON!!!”

          “Fine, they’re Goddesses”

          “Oh… what is amazing about that?”

          “Umm? Nothing?”

          “You’re a bad lire, now tell me”

          “Erm, fine, they fight, a lot, like they have started wars”

          “And they are sisters!”

          “Step sisters, but your sister is your full sister” He said hopefully.

          “Wonderful”

          “I have faith in you”

          I laughed “No you don’t”

          “Uh, yes, so we must be moving forward at a faster paste” So we did. We went into a fast canter speeding along the forest. As the moon went down I could since Darwic getting nervous. He looked around cautiously looking for anything that would was slightly different. “We should reach the air port around midday if we don’t stop, but we will, so maybe by One O’clock at the most. Can you go that long not sleeping?”

          “I’ll live, I think.”

          “That’s good enough for me, forward!”

          That night we road only stopping once to rest. At dawn we stopped in a small open field with long grass that almost covered Darwic on his pony let alone when he got off. “So…” I paused nervous to ask my next question, “Do you know where my brother is?” I said digging a hole in the soft ground with the tip of my left sneaker.

          “Sadly, no. I had no time to explore I had to find you, it was my only chance.”

          “Tell me what happened”

          Darwic let out a sigh, “I’ll tell you when we start riding again, let’s go”. So we went back on the horses and rode back into the woods on a trail that gradually was getting bigger and bigger, wider and wider, until me and Darwic could ride side by side.

          “Well where to start, shortly after they took you more shadows came and took me and Qualdana, most shadows where in human form but there was one gray wolf and a lion shadow coming, to make shore we behave I suppose. They led us in the opposite direction as you, so naturally Qualdana opposed to it. She was extremely angry and had a big fit the moment they freed her from her ropes. She kicked and whinnied, throwing her head around. The shadows settled her but turning one of themselves into a horse, one even bigger then her, and that was the end of the fighting. On of the shadows, the lion, kept changing what it was the terrain we where in, puma, lion, tiger, bear, leopard, cheetah. One thing that caught my attention was that he stayed mostly big cats but the bear although I figured that that person just liked those animals, but there could be more I don’t understand… yet. So they brought us to this one evil castle looking jail thing. From there they took Qualdana somewhere else and left me and my pony, Jericho is his name by the way, with three new guards all by ourselves. They talked about what to do with Jericho and finally chose to lead him a few miles away on a confusing trail and leave him because he has no use. Jericho, by all means, is not a stupid Pegasus. So Jericho pulled a Hansel and Griddle. He ate a mark on a branch every couple of yards leaving a trail to find his way back and providing a healthy snack. While Jericho was gone I was kept in a cell with an open ceiling and four tall walls. There was nothing in it but dirt and I figured almost all the cells where like that. The mistake was leaving me in an open roofed cell because a day later when my pony came flying back I took my chance and rode off never to look back.”

          “Oh, that sucks”

          “We will find everyone soon, I swear my life on it. LOOK, over that hill should be the air port from there it should be a nonstop journey to Magomeon.”

          “I didn’t know planes sold tickets to places like that”

          “No planes, dragons are much safer”

          “Ok, at the moment nothing could shock me but DRAGONS?”

          “Yeah that’s how most people get around”

          “I’m sure”

          “Well more like magical creatures then people… but who cares, we’re almost here!” We rode into a gallop (The fastest speed) over the hill. Everything seemed normal for a dragon airport. The white building had a lot of glass windows making it glare in the afternoon sunlight. We pulled up and Darwic told me to dismount as he did the same. We walked inside with our horses, witch was strange enough, and approached the front desk. Nobody even seemed to care about us or even notice as we walked up the front counter. Halfway where I seen something that made my gut do a 360. I meet eyes with a eight year old. An extremely familiar eight year old. One with a black shirt on and dark jeans, one with dark brown eyes and black hair. The boy was with his father, a father who looked just like him.

          “Darwic they’re here” I mumbled through my teeth

          “Who?” he whispered back in the same tone.

          “Guess”

          “No!”

          “Uh, yeah, just don’t look at them, maybe they won’t see us”

          “Yeah, lay low” Darwic agreed. To bad our plan didn’t turn out like we hoped. As we waited in line it seemed like almost half the creatures there left on their flights. The only ones left where for Magomeon and Mount Eversong, and then they closed. About twenty creatures now filled the room, about six I recognized as shadows. My horse, Twilight started to get spooky as he weaved side to side.

          “They had to of seem us by now, we sort of stand out.”

          “Yes I don’t know what they are waiting for”

          Well we can all thank Darwic for jinxing it because the moment we got out tickets and paid for the horses to get a ride we sat down on the bench in the corner to lay low. Across from sat some weird dog-cat thing reading a news paper. Slowly I felt more closed in like the shadows where getting closer and closer and closer and I felt the sudden erg to run. Darwic looked the same and he searched the room carefully picking out the shadows. “Seven, I count seven” he mumbled.

          “Me too”

          Then an eight year old shadow came up to me and poked me on the leg, “You suck at hiding Calli Nightshade” and several more shadows closed in corning us to the bench.

          “Alright fine you caught us” I said standing up on the tile floor. “But-”

          “Calli?” A voice yelled across the room I knew right away as Ari.

          “Ari?”

          “Calli” Darwic warned in dark, what-didn’t-you-tell-me, pissed off voice.

          “Alright team go get the- um- stuff out from the storage and meet me back here, I will um- make sure they don’t- uh- escape.” And the other shadow did as told as they ran out the front door. “I say you have about three minutes” Ari warned as the loud speacker went off.

          “All rides to Magomeon please report to the loading dock, I repeat all rides to Magomeon please report to the loading dock”

          “That’s you” Ari said in a rushing tone

          “Why should we trust you shadow” Darwic growled

          “You probably shouldn’t, but I swear that I’m NOT lying when I say that I would never do anything to harm this girl. Now get going Princess you have a world to save.” And with a final push he shoved us to the loading dock and last thing I head as the door shut behind me was other shadows screaming as we escaped.

By: Sydtabulos@aim.com Comment

Crack. Something in the woods moved and I stood up ready to jump on Twilight and ride away. It must have been something small because the woods where dense if you weren’t on a trail. I picked up a rock off the ground although I didn’t know how mush that would help me. I stared long and hard at the bush where I thought the sound came from. “Calli” a voice to my left whispered.

          “AHH” I screamed throwing my rock hitting something on the head with a clunk.

          “Ok Calli, you need to stop pegging rock at me” a three foot figure in a black robe scolded.

          My eyes widened, “DARWIC”

          “CALLI” he said mocking my tone. I hugged him tight as he gasped for air. I have never been happier to see the bird-man in my life.

          “Ouch, anyway, we need to go, NOW.” He warned

          “Why?”

          “They’re coming, just go and I’ll explain more.” Then Darwic whistled and his miniature pony came flying over the tree tops and landed next to its master happily. (YES FLYING) Darwic hopped on the white pony “follow me”. I hitched up my horse and followed at a walking paste.

          “How did your horse just fly?”

          “It’s not a horse”

          “Sorry, I mean miniature pony”

          “No, No, I mean not a horse or pony or a miniature pony, it’s a Pegasus, a miniature Pegasus.”

          “It doesn’t have wings”

          “It dose, you just can’t see them”

          “Why not”

          “Because she doesn’t want you to”

          “What?”

          “Creatures that are shadow-less can control how they want morals, or any untrained eye, to see them. With some limitations of course.”

          “What dose shadow-less mean”

          “I means exactly what it sounds like, shadow-less creatures don’t cast shadows” I looked down and seen that it was true, my horse had a shadow but the miniature pony did not.

          “Who is after us, the shadows” Darwic paused like he was trying to put this in the simplest terms possible.

          “Yes”

          “Ugg, I hate them”

          “Doesn’t everyone!” Darwic moaned as he went into a trot. I went into a trot too staring at Darwic’s supposedly Pegasus. I wanted to see the wings but they where invisible to me.

          “Why do they come after me?”

          “Well, lets see, you’re the daughter of one of the most powerful goddesses in all time, you haven’t turned thirteen yet, who knows what your powers are, and who knows how many you will get, especially sense you mom had over a thousand of them and some gods only get one, you are an easy target, you still haven’t had any real training, should I go on”

          “No you’re starting to bum me out”

          “Lets keep on moving we might have a deadline.”

          “What do you mean Darwic?”

          “Just what I said, A deadline.”

          “For what”

          “I’d rather not say”

          “Why not”

          “Trust me Calli, you don’t wasn’t to know anyway, if I tell you- come on lets speed up” We went into a canter and trailed through a thin trail that twisted and turned making my balance slightly off. We raced forward going at a fast canter when I screamed. My horse had tripped over a tall root and I was jolted forward. The horn of the seat went into my gut making me loose my breath. I coughed as my horse stood at a stop. Darwic came trotting over to me, “Are you OK?”

          “Yeah, I’m fine” I mumbled. By breathing was uneven so we walked until I was back to normal. We cantered down the trail until it opened up in a green lush of vegetation around a rushing river. The cool spring breeze felt good as we slowly came to a stop. 

          “We will eventually have to sleep” Darwic explained “Shadows never really have to go to sleep and can turn into any animate object that has a shadow. They have to go to sleep if they are in the form of something that sleeps, like a human, but if they are in shadow form they will never have to sleep”.

          “They can’t form into things like trees?”

          “They can but that’s suicide, they wouldn’t have a self caution after that and they couldn’t turn themselves back. Eventually they would die like any plant. Same if they stay an animal to long, their minds would start to change like one and that is the only stages they could die, if they are in a form, any form but the shadow form.”

          “So they are vulnerable when in an animal or human form?”

          “Exactly”

          “What ever happened to my bow and arrow?”

          “The shadows probably stole it” he said sadly. “And the quiver”

          “That’s ok, hey, where still alive, for now”

          “Yeah” he chuckled “For now” We had a good laugh and drank form the river and got ready to ride. We let our horse-Pegasus drink and eat and rode off into the wood again.

          “So… where are we going”

          “Well we need to make it to an air port, then we could probably catch a dragon to Magomeon,          from there we need to get a meeting with your sister, considering that you are related I think we would get a meeting it pretty fast.” His voice wandered.

          “So my sister-”

          “Yes she is a god; she took over for Queen Magomeon, her and your mother, after she faded.”

          “So my mom is dead”

          “Well… yeah… you could say”

          “So… she isn’t dead”

          “No, she’s dead” he said sternly although he didn’t look convinced.

          “Oh well, never wanted parents any way”

          “NEVER WANTED PARENTS” Darwic squawked.

          “Not really, kids would always talk about how mean their parents where and how they where so unfair and how they would yell at them for stupid reasons and ship them away to different schools so they don’t have to see them. I never really wished for a family, a sister doesn’t even sound that grate but” I shrugged again “Oh well”. 

          Darwic eyed me with his black eyes and looked up meeting my eyes, “Family is still family”

          “Yes, so… like I said, family is evil and-”

          “You will be happy you have a family, trust me”

          “Wee, I’m happy now see.” Silence.

          “You will see, unless you’re like Apolla and Lathertin” He mumbled to himself. 

          “Who are they?”

          “Oh, no one”

          “TELL ME”

          “It’s no one”

          “Come ON!!!”

          “Fine, they’re Goddesses”

          “Oh… what is amazing about that?”

          “Umm? Nothing?”

          “You’re a bad lire, now tell me”

          “Erm, fine, they fight, a lot, like they have started wars”

          “And they are sisters!”

          “Step sisters, but your sister is your full sister” He said hopefully.

          “Wonderful”

          “I have faith in you”

          I laughed “No you don’t”

          “Uh, yes, so we must be moving forward at a faster paste” So we did. We went into a fast canter speeding along the forest. As the moon went down I could since Darwic getting nervous. He looked around cautiously looking for anything that would was slightly different. “We should reach the air port around midday if we don’t stop, but we will, so maybe by One O’clock at the most. Can you go that long not sleeping?”

          “I’ll live, I think.”

          “That’s good enough for me, forward!”

          That night we road only stopping once to rest. At dawn we stopped in a small open field with long grass that almost covered Darwic on his pony let alone when he got off. “So…” I paused nervous to ask my next question, “Do you know where my brother is?” I said digging a hole in the soft ground with the tip of my left sneaker.

          “Sadly, no. I had no time to explore I had to find you, it was my only chance.”

          “Tell me what happened”

          Darwic let out a sigh, “I’ll tell you when we start riding again, let’s go”. So we went back on the horses and rode back into the woods on a trail that gradually was getting bigger and bigger, wider and wider, until me and Darwic could ride side by side.

          “Well where to start, shortly after they took you more shadows came and took me and Qualdana, most shadows where in human form but there was one gray wolf and a lion shadow coming, to make shore we behave I suppose. They led us in the opposite direction as you, so naturally Qualdana opposed to it. She was extremely angry and had a big fit the moment they freed her from her ropes. She kicked and whinnied, throwing her head around. The shadows settled her but turning one of themselves into a horse, one even bigger then her, and that was the end of the fighting. On of the shadows, the lion, kept changing what it was the terrain we where in, puma, lion, tiger, bear, leopard, cheetah. One thing that caught my attention was that he stayed mostly big cats but the bear although I figured that that person just liked those animals, but there could be more I don’t understand… yet. So they brought us to this one evil castle looking jail thing. From there they took Qualdana somewhere else and left me and my pony, Jericho is his name by the way, with three new guards all by ourselves. They talked about what to do with Jericho and finally chose to lead him a few miles away on a confusing trail and leave him because he has no use. Jericho, by all means, is not a stupid Pegasus. So Jericho pulled a Hansel and Griddle. He ate a mark on a branch every couple of yards leaving a trail to find his way back and providing a healthy snack. While Jericho was gone I was kept in a cell with an open ceiling and four tall walls. There was nothing in it but dirt and I figured almost all the cells where like that. The mistake was leaving me in an open roofed cell because a day later when my pony came flying back I took my chance and rode off never to look back.”

          “Oh, that sucks”

          “We will find everyone soon, I swear my life on it. LOOK, over that hill should be the air port from there it should be a nonstop journey to Magomeon.”

          “I didn’t know planes sold tickets to places like that”

          “No planes, dragons are much safer”

          “Ok, at the moment nothing could shock me but DRAGONS?”

          “Yeah that’s how most people get around”

          “I’m sure”

          “Well more like magical creatures then people… but who cares, we’re almost here!” We rode into a gallop (The fastest speed) over the hill. Everything seemed normal for a dragon airport. The white building had a lot of glass windows making it glare in the afternoon sunlight. We pulled up and Darwic told me to dismount as he did the same. We walked inside with our horses, witch was strange enough, and approached the front desk. Nobody even seemed to care about us or even notice as we walked up the front counter. Halfway where I seen something that made my gut do a 360. I meet eyes with a eight year old. An extremely familiar eight year old. One with a black shirt on and dark jeans, one with dark brown eyes and black hair. The boy was with his father, a father who looked just like him.

          “Darwic they’re here” I mumbled through my teeth

          “Who?” he whispered back in the same tone.

          “Guess”

          “No!”

          “Uh, yeah, just don’t look at them, maybe they won’t see us”

          “Yeah, lay low” Darwic agreed. To bad our plan didn’t turn out like we hoped. As we waited in line it seemed like almost half the creatures there left on their flights. The only ones left where for Magomeon and Mount Eversong, and then they closed. About twenty creatures now filled the room, about six I recognized as shadows. My horse, Twilight started to get spooky as he weaved side to side.

          “They had to of seem us by now, we sort of stand out.”

          “Yes I don’t know what they are waiting for”

          Well we can all thank Darwic for jinxing it because the moment we got out tickets and paid for the horses to get a ride we sat down on the bench in the corner to lay low. Across from sat some weird dog-cat thing reading a news paper. Slowly I felt more closed in like the shadows where getting closer and closer and closer and I felt the sudden erg to run. Darwic looked the same and he searched the room carefully picking out the shadows. “Seven, I count seven” he mumbled.

          “Me too”

          Then an eight year old shadow came up to me and poked me on the leg, “You suck at hiding Calli Nightshade” and several more shadows closed in corning us to the bench.

          “Alright fine you caught us” I said standing up on the tile floor. “But-”

          “Calli?” A voice yelled across the room I knew right away as Ari.

          “Ari?”

          “Calli” Darwic warned in dark, what-didn’t-you-tell-me, pissed off voice.

          “Alright team go get the- um- stuff out from the storage and meet me back here, I will um- make sure they don’t- uh- escape.” And the other shadow did as told as they ran out the front door. “I say you have about three minutes” Ari warned as the loud speacker went off.

          “All rides to Magomeon please report to the loading dock, I repeat all rides to Magomeon please report to the loading dock”

          “That’s you” Ari said in a rushing tone

          “Why should we trust you shadow” Darwic growled

          “You probably shouldn’t, but I swear that I’m NOT lying when I say that I would never do anything to harm this girl. Now get going Princess you have a world to save.” And with a final push he shoved us to the loading dock and last thing I head as the door shut behind me was other shadows screaming as we escaped.

By: Sydtabulos@aim.com Comment

Nothing happened the whole day. I was hungry and sore from riding Twilight. I wasn’t really tired, actually, I felt like I could go run a marathon. I was tired of sitting around and pondered my dreams the past nights.

          We where weaving through a thin trail in the forest and came to an open area. We took a break there. The moment I stepped off Twilight I felt power serge through me. It was different then when I stepped on the island, which felt more electrifying, but this felt fuller. Like my blood cells where racing around heating up my body. I felt fuller some how, like a piece of me had just been filled in… I felt, not complete, but warmer. stopped dead in its tracks. He has antlers that stacked high and he looked sorta like Bambi. His coat looked new but he had old eyes that could have held a thousand years. He walked up and looked out of place in summer time… Don’t stags live in Europe or the mountains or something? He walked up carefully inspecting me when a flash or black cut into my view. Hector landed on the head of the Stag and chattered his teeth angrily. “She’s mine back off buddy” he yelled. The Stag shook his head gently and Hector fell off and hit the ground, indenting the grass to his shape. Hector growled (if squirrels can growl) and attacked the stag again. The stag didn’t seem to mind Hector and gently shook him off again.

          “Calm your self Hector” I joked. Hector stopped with a final dirty look at the white stag.

          “You’re Calli Nightshade, right?” The stag asked

          I said, “Wow, I feel popular”

          The stag said, “Yes you are… would you need an escort?”

          Hector cut in, “Where fine”

          “I don’t know” I said “I like deer… most deer”

          “Most” The stag asked

          “Yeah well once I was like, on a balcony, and outside there was this deer foaming from the mouth. It was all like, ‘hisssss’ so I left”

          “Umm, that’s interesting” the stag said. “Well I think that the young squirrel has things covered” he walked away into the wood and seemed to designate into the woods as he walked. Silence.

          “Well not that that disturbance is gone” Hector said jumping up onto Twilight. Just like on cue a huge hawk came down and landed across form me. Now I don’t know what you think when I say huge. I mean like the size of a bus huge. The horse looked up and put their heads back down to eat casually like, ‘hey look, a huge bird Fred… ya think he’s gunna eat us? Nahh… Look a clover!’  I heard a high picked scream and a thump on my shoulder I knew could only be a cowering Hector. The bird spoke in my head with a soft voice.

           I was sent here to get you form lady Sheairicka… my lady. I offer you a ride to the city where you may await your meeting with the queen herself.

          “Well you sound fancy like”

          Thank you?

          “How long will it be to get to the city… birdie?”

          My name is Lahwahna… the protector of lady Sheairicka herself. I guess you lost your protector already.

          I’m not saying I liked her tone or anything but… come on… free lift. Now I know, your shouldn’t be going on strangers backs but I really wanted to get a move on and I had a felling the glistening, gold hawk wasn’t lying.

          Do you know why you feel power at this spot?

          “No”

          This is where lady Magomeon died… this is where she disintegrated into nothing.

          “Umm…”

          You mother died here Calli Nightshade

          “That’s, umm, pleasant. Why are you telling me this?”

          Because, unless you want to die here too you’d get on my back

          “What?”

          The hawk screeched and jumped back, GET ON MY BACK

          I turned around to see three black leopards coming out of the woods… no not just coming running… no not running pouncing-DUCK! The leopards hit the treed behind me and the hawk pecked at them fiercely. The hawk had on of the leopards cornered but the other two where still stalking my way, low to the ground. The horses where spooking off the right, Darwic was doing his own thing with one leopard and the hawk in front of me was occupying another while Hector hid up a tree and I was being mauled by the third leopard.

          The leopard jumped and at me and I rolled to the side. It turned and charged me again. A moment before he grabbed me I jumped up and the big cat went under me and hit a tree. The leopard was dazed for a moment but got up and attacked again.  The whole time was all like doge, jump, turn, run, but after a while both me and the cat where tiring.  The hawk seemed to be getting impatient because the next thing I knew, I was flying. The horses where each in a claw and Hector was frantically crawling up the back of the bird. Darwic was behind me and we where becoming farther and farther away until the spot we where in was only a speck.  We where flying fast passing up mountains and then a huge river until we where in an open area with huge trees everywhere. Wait not trees… houses. They where huge like a building in New York City. With windows closed by shutters, and wood doors. It was amazing. People where riding horses like Qualdana on dirt roads and dogs where running around. Children where playing with puppies and kids my age

          The grass was so thick here that it was like a mattress. It was so green it glowed. A white stag prancing out of the forest and where riding ponies. Everything seemed calm and almost… dare is say it… perfect. There was a tall, steep hill with long grass rising three feet tall. It looked impossible to climb but I didn’t have to. The bird landed on top of the hill next to a huge castle that looked like it was made out of rocks and vines. The bird landed and released the horses who looked all but spooked.  I slid off the horse and stared at the building. “What’s that” I asked. It was a pretty stupid question to ask.

          The bird ignored my question, follow me. The walked into the castle and about a hundred feet away was the thrown made of vines and wood. A girl who looked about twelve ran up to us. “The next appointment is in 15 days” She said with he blond curls bouncing up and down like springs. “I’ll show you your room”.

          When I looked again the bird was gone and I was with Hector, Darwic, and that girl. The girl lead the way down a hall to the left. She stopped at a smaller hall and led us down that. That hall was filled with door and she showed me a door. “this will be your room… my lady”

          “You can cool it on the hole my lady thing.” I told her. She seemed relieved a bit. She pointed to the door next to it, “Your friends can stay here.” The idea of Hector and Darwic together was made me silently laugh. Darwic and Hector looked at each other slowly and both sighed simultaneously. We where lead in out rooms and I caught my breath as soon as my door opened.

          The room smelled like a blast of spring time with plants hanging off the wall. There where French doors leading off to a balcony and a full sized bed with a green comfiture and pink sheets with four pillows. There was a black, nightstand, dresser and a desk. There where two other doors to the left and right of the bed. When I turned around the girl was gone and I was alone with fifteen days left until I get to meet me sister.

By: Sydtabulos@aim.com Comment

I woke up and took a hot shower which was the most amazing thing ever. I ‘barrowed’ some cloth that I found laying around in my dresser and headed (or sneaked) down to the village. I was curious of the small town we passed over yesterday and decided to talk a walk. I closed my door quietly and tip-toed down the hall. When I passed up a clock the time read: six o’clock. I wandered through the halls, sure I was lost, but I found the exit and opened the wood doors. The town was more beautiful then I remembered it.

          There where flower-boxes that hung outside the windows of homes that where inside huge trees that where as big and as thick as the Chrysler Building. The tree’s leafs where bright green and there weren’t many on the ground.  Some trees had named carven over the doors like, This Home Belongs to Paul, Patty, Pete, and Patricia or something. Some had signs on them like Daniel’s Pizza or Katie’s Diner.

          In the town where children who where running around everywhere giggling and screaming. Older kids like me where riding small horses or ponies. There where dogs and cats running around playing with each other in peace. I tried to think of a time I’d ever been as happy as some of the kids I seen playing around with the cats or dog but I couldn’t. I smiled, and passed up a bakery. I could smell backed goods inside. I’d barely ever had a baked good, unless it was for a fund raiser or something. I walked inside the shop. It looked just how a bakery should looks only with brown bark walls and dirt floors. I wished I had money and fished around my pockets for change.

          Nothing

          Despite my lack of money I sat down at a glass table and ran my fingers along the cool glass. My mind was off somewhere else when something brushing up agents my legs made me jump. I looked down only to see a smoky gray cat. He was little and had a slim look so I figured he was a stray.  I picked him up and sat back down. The cat purred happily and lied down on my lap. We stayed there for at least 30 minutes before I decided to get going. I put the cat down on the grown and walked out the door… the cat followed. I walked around stopping in a few shops… the cat did the same.

          Before I knew it, it was noon. I knew I should be getting back to the castle on the huge hill but I wanted to make one last stop. I turned into a stable tree with thirty horses in it. Well… not all horses. On the left side where ponies that looked like miniature stubby versions of Qualdana, on the right where horses, big strong horses that also had the same build of Qualdana. Cool thing was, none of them looked the same. Where had patches, some had spots, some had different colors, some had socks on their ankles and stars on their heads. They all came in different colors too. Each one was so individual that they could be separate breeds but they all had one thing in common… their build. They all looked just like Qualdana that way and it made me grit my teeth and hold back tears. Sure id only know her for like, a few days, but she saved my butt multiple times so once someone dose that for you there is no turning back.

          I sat in the room for a while when a purring can appeared on my lap. I pet him for a while.

          When the door opened to the barn I didn’t even turn my head. Light poured in and the cat hopped off my lap and ran to the person how walked in. The gray kitty hopped off my lap and ran to the door. “So you’re the one who stole my cat” an angry male’s voice yelled. I turned my head to see a kid who looked fifteen and had short straw yellow hair and wasn’t very tall but was so skinny it made up for the hight. He jumped back when he seen me. “I’m- I’m sorry… I mean- I mean- uhhh”

          I stood up and he took a step back like I was going to charge him or something.

          “Chill-lax dude”

          “Umm- I’m- I’m’

          “I’m not going to like, step on you”

          “I know, I know, it’s just- you are- you’re- you”

          “Me, yeah I know”

          “You’re her”

          “And I’m proud of it, now if you don’t mind I have a name and intend to be called by it.” I said and started to walk away.

          I opened the barn door and walked out with the boy clumsily following behind.

          “Wait you-you never told me your name”

          I stopped short sending the teenager back a step, “Calli, Calli Nightshade” I said without turning around to meet his eyes. The wind swept low to the grown sending up dust and making my hair do all kinds of swirls. I started to walk away with my dark brown hair flowing behind me. I looked behind me only a minute later to see the teenager still following me. “Do you mind?” I said once again stopping short and not looking up.

          “Sorry but- but- I never knew there was another one”

          I knit my eyes, turned around, and looked up at the boy, “another what”.

          “Another queen, a-another daughter” he said, still looking star struck.   

          “Yep, that’s me” I said and started to walk away. The boy didn’t follow, he just stood where he was and watched me walk away with the grey cat rubbing up agents his legs.

          Now I’d love to say I just walked away and never seen the kid again but about fifty feet away I turned to see the same kid in the same place. I rolled my eyes and trotted back to him. “Alright, what’s your problem kid?”

********************************************

          We sat inside a large room lined with books. Tables off wood grew out the floor with seat made of wood on each side. I sat at the table with the boy whose name turned out to be Gasper Birchwood. He had a long head, straw hair, and bright electric blue eyes. His smile outshone the sun and he had an intelligent gleam when he wasn’t being an idiot. I’d literally slapped some senses into him before, it was fun!  

          We sat at the library while he tried to explain, “You really need me to explain again”

          “Sorry but, yeah, this is all so new”

          “Alright, there was a queen who lived here, her name was Magomeon-”

          “She named the island after her?”

          “Yes, and when she was around ten-thousand years or so old she went into war with this man-”

          “Man?”

          “Well there are these- these things called the shadows-”

          “Ugg, met them, not nice”

          “You met them”

          “They aren’t the coolest bunch”

          “Well they have this leader guy who over the years became known as the gen-”

          “Oh, the General, yeah met him too, he doesn’t have a good humor.”

          “Yeah” Gasper said in a small voice “Him, well they got in a huge fight and he set the island on fire, and Magomeon didn’t have the things necessary to fight back, she was the goddess of nature and animals and things like that, not fire and dirt. She was weak enough already with man-kind advancing and wars between other gods like Apolla and Lathrine, sun and moon; half-sisters that desperately hate each other; almost always a war between them; that or just normal fights. Lathrine’s sister and Apolla’s half sister is Timemadilliea, goddess of time

          “I wonder why I can’t understand” I said grinning sarcastically.

          “Sorry, sorry, sorry, anyway; weakened, fire, wars, she was trying to be the peace-maker between the two goddesses and it barley weakened her but just enough for the general to have a fighting edge. Magomeon was like, one of the most, if the most powerful goddess at that time.  So her and the general where all fighting and finally she gave up and granted her powers to the island and the island created the biggest earth quake but nothing move but the bad, you see. Burnt grasses and remains of burned trees fell off like they where made of feathers but normal, tall trees and all the people and animals stayed perfectly still. Needless to say most of the other shadows died of just got shaken off so bad that landed in the middle of nowhere.  So now a border protects the area around us hence the Bermuda triangle. Do you understand now?”

          “Sorta Kinda”

          “What don’t you get?”

          “I have to get going… before someone has a hernia again” What was a hernia? It sounded good though. I ran back up to the castle with little problem. I felt pretty fresh on this island, like I just drank an energy drink, only no passing out in four hours.  The hill wasn’t that bad, I mean, sure is sucked to go up but the soft ground helped mw not slip, even with the stupid grass in my face.

          I walked inside the doors to see an angry girl, a little taller then me marching over, her sun bleached locks bounced to the rhythm to her foot steps. “Where have you been”

          “Oh, nowhere, just stealing kitties and hitting on boys.”

          “Wait, why would did you hit boys and steal cats?”

          “Never mind, guess you just had to be there.”

          “That squirrel was asking for you all day and the carven looked like he was going to punch the living daylights out of the squirrel.”

          “It’ll pass, ill stop by their room, anything else?”

          “Well, after today you will only have thirteen days until you meet your sister”

          Love how she used the word only.

By: Sydtabulos@aim.com Comment

          The next day I was out of bed at five o’clock and down the hill by five thirty, way faster then I’ve ever gotten ready for school. Anyway, I wasn’t real surprised when I seen the familiar cat, out of nowhere, rubbing up on my legs. “Hi kitty” I said looking down at the purring cat. I picked up the cat and sat down on a wooden bench. I was watching the sun rise and wondered about what Gasper told me the other day about Lathrine and Apolla, and wasn’t Apollo the name of the Greek god, was it based off of Apolla or something. So many questions to ask but no one to answer them all. 

 (Chapter Unfinished.... no joke)

I love Kristi, Colleen, And Hannah!!! <3 <3 <3

By: Sydtabulos@aim.com Comment