Portal Jumpers

Chapter 10

     “It's ok and look, I love them, but can you get rid of them?”
     “Yeah, sure thing.” He said, trailing his fingers on my back again. There was itching again and the weight disappeared off my back.
     “Does it always itch when they appear and disappear?” I asked.
     “Nah, just the first couple of times.”
     I nodded and looked around. “I think we're lost. How will we ever find them?” I ask, turning back to Agathon.
     He wasn't there. There weren't any footprints leading away either.
     “Hello, pet, did you miss me?” Liam asked.
     Startled, I fell over trying to back away.
     Agathon teleported in front of me, making a barrier between me and Liam.
     “How did you teleport? I thought you were Fe-” I start.
     “Don't touch her.” Agathon interrupted, yelling at Liam.
     “Oh, pet.” Liam laughed. “You’ve got yourself a bodyguard.” He looked around Agathon, to me. “He cannot protect you from me.” His gaze turned to Agathon.
     Liam made an illusion of himself that attacked Agathon.
     The illusion fought Agathon back until it was just me, alone and defenceless with the man that wants to kill me.
     “That was all too easy.” Liam laughed, his eyes red.
     “Where are my friends?” I demanded pushing away the fast creeping fear.
     “Safe, for now.”
     “Don't even think about hurting them.” I yelled.
     “You act very brave for someone who's only future is death.” He commented unfazed.
     “Last I checked your power wasn't seeing the future.”
     “I don't have to, I intend on getting my revenge.” He slowly pulled out a long old fashion looking dagger, admiring it.
     I backed away slowly. What can I do? I thought. I'm stranded here with no weapon and no way to get away. I should have kept the wings at least then I had a chance of maybe flying away.
     Liam started walking toward me with an excited look in his eyes.
     “Come on wings, come on, please come out.” I pleaded under my breath. I fell over.
     Liam loomed over me and created walls around us, too tall to climb.
     This was the end.
     I held my hands in front of me and closed my eyes. “I'm sorry I couldn't save you guys.” I whispered a tear ran down my face.
     There was a shadow over me.
     “Ahh!” The muffled scream wasn't mine, it was Liam's.
     I looked up and feathers surrounded me in a protective cocoon. I dropped my hand and peaked through my wings at Liam.
     He was running!
     Maybe he'll run to my friends! I thought. I got up and my wings folded against my back, they were heavy, but at least I could stand up without falling over.
     That's all I need.
     I walked as quickly as I was able with these giant wings dragging behind. I was trailing far behind Liam. “Erg, why can't I run faster?” I huffed. Maybe I can fly? I made my wings spread behind me and flapped them uselessly. I tried again and got a little in the air. “Come on, I'm losing him!”
     Liam was about to be swallowed by the fog.
     I ran after him, spread my wings and took off! I gasped in astonishment, I was flying!
     Ten feet in the air, I watched Liam still running at full speed get closer and closer.
     I was flying fast!
     Too fast, I watched Liam under me, then behind me as I passed him.
     He screamed again seeing me drop down before him. He fell over and scrambled the other direction.
     I flew over him and dropped a foot in front of him. “Where are my friends?” I demanded. “Tell me now!”
     “Please don't hurt me!” He begged, stepping away.
     “Tell me where they are!” I said again in the same tone.
     His eyes bulging he parted the fog.
     Behind the fog was a shed.
     I heard muffled attempts at screaming.
     “I put them in there.” Liam said as he turned and ran as soon as my eyes were off of him.
     I let him go, I didn't need him and wasn't going to hurt him. I started toward the house then stopped. I can't let them see my wings. I thought. How do I get rid of them? I sat down on the dusty ground cross-legged, my hands in my lap. “Where's Agathon?” I wondered out loud.
     Liam's concentration broke when I scared him.
     “CJ.” I heard him yelling from within the fog.
     “Speak of the Agathon.” I smiled. “I'm here.” I said louder.
     He came out of the fog. “You got your wings out!” He exclaimed.
     “Yeah, but now I want them gone again, I don't want them to know.” I waved toward the shed.
     “What's stopping you then?” He questioned.
     “Stopping me from telling them?”
     “No, stopping you from hiding them yourself.” He sat down beside me. “You can do it without my help, you know.”
     “How?” I asked.
     “Close your eyes.” He commanded.
     I obeyed.
     “Now, will them to be hidden til you need them again.”
     “Ok, wings, I don't need you, leave please.”
     He laughed. “Open your eyes.”
     I opened them and turned my head. “They're gone!” I exclaimed, slightly disappointed, I missed them already. I'd gotten slightly used to the weight and the feel of them on my back.
     “Go get your friends.” He said smiling. “I'll see you around.” He started walking away.
     “Wait, aren't you coming with me?”
     “You don't need me for this, don't worry though.” He laughed. “I'll come back.” He ended up disappearing.
     I sighed and got up. “Guys I'm coming!” I yelled running to the closed door. I opened it and there they were.
     “Chloe!” James exclaimed. “You found us!”
     “You guys are ok!” I ran to him to hug him. I fell right through him and he disappeared. “No,” I said, shocked. “James…” I shook my head. “It's ok, we can find him together.” I turned to Becca and Takoda, they both disappeared with the shack.
     Liam laughed and clapped behind me. “You really thought I would let you find your friends and leave?” He asked. “Haha, think again little Moon Fey. I've gotten this far. There's no turning back and now that your little friend left you here alone, no one can save you!” He calmed himself down. “Ah,” He sighed. “Revenge is sweet.” He walked over swiftly and grabbed my hand.
     I tried pulling away, but his thin hands were surprisingly strong.
     He quickly pulled out his knife and cut a big gash in my arm.
     “Ow!” He let me have my arm back and I tried holding it closed.
     He had my blood on his hands, it dripped off and landed on the ground.
     Same effect as last time, it grew flowers.
     He admired the blood. “You know what would make this even more fun?” He said looking at me with eyes brighter than the red flowers by my feet. “If we had your friends watch you die!” He laughed and James, Becca and Takoda appeared. Chained to the ground.
     “CJ, you're ok!” Becca exclaimed.
     “No she's not!” James exclaimed seeing my blood soaked arm. He tried getting up, but the ground started swallowing the chain so his hands were stuck in the ground.
     “Nah, uh uh.” He said leaning over him smiling. “Not so fast, Portal Jumper.” He spat. “You're not escaping.” His smile left and he turned around.
     James stuck his foot out and Liam tripped and fell over.
     His eyes black he turned his head around fast. “You're next.” He got up and walked towards me again.
     Takoda teleported himself and James out of the chains.
     Becca teleported to me and right before we teleported home I saw James body slam Liam and they both disappeared.
     “James!” I gasped, too late he was gone.
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     And we were back home.
     “No, we have to go back, take me back, Becca! Let me try to follow his aura!”
     “Hey, hey, CJ calm down.” She soothed. “What are you talking about? You can't feel the aura's.” She looked at me concerned.
     “Right, I forgot, I know I can't feel the aura.” I lied.
     “Ok, Takoda will be back as soon as he finds James.” She walked to the couch and sat down. “Until then we can wait.” She started tapping her foot impatiently, obviously worried about Takoda.
     “I know what we can do to keep our mind off of them!” She said jumping up. “You're still bleeding.” She ran to the bathroom before I could move and got gauze out and started wrapping my arm.
     “Well that killed two minutes.” I said when she finished.
     “Two minutes less of worrying.” She sighed and sat back down.
     I sat down beside her and knocked out.
     Portal jumping multiple times in one day, and having my wings in and out of my body had exhausted me.

     There was a light touch on my cheek. I slowly opened my eyes.
     Becca was snoring on the other half of the couch all curled up.
It was four in the morning.
     Agathon was kneeling beside me, he put a finger to his lips, took my hand and pulled me up.
     I followed him upstairs.
     “Take me back to Liam's world.” I whispered as soon as he closed my door.
     I turned around and he kissed me.
     Which also healed my arm.
     I pushed away. “What was that?” I asked, not waiting for an answer. “I'm worried sick about my friends, and you think it's a good idea to kiss me? Why? I hardly even know you. I only just met you yesterday.” I yelled as quietly as I could at him, crossing my arms annoyed.
     “I'm so sorry. I don't know what I was thinking. Please don't be mad.” He quickly apologized. “I'll take you wherever you want to go.” He added.
     “Take me to Liam's world.” I said still at a distance.
     “Whatever you want.” He reached his hand out. “I promise I'm not going to kiss you.”
     My arms fell to my side, I looked at him skeptically then I took his hand.
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     We were exactly where we had left.
     Since Liam was gone the flowers were still there. They gave me chills.
     I could still feel James's aura.
     “So... How are you able to get from my world to Liam's?” I asked, looking sideways at him.
     “I uh, I might kinda be half Teleporter.” He mumbled.
     “Is that even possible?”
     “Well I'm proof that it is, aren't I?” He motioned to himself. “Anyway, shouldn't we be looking for your friend, what's his face?”
     “His name is James.”
     “Uh huh,” He said uninterested. “Can you even feel his aura? I can't feel anyone beside yours.”
     “Yes, I can, but how but it won’t help us much if you can’t since you are the one that can teleport.”
     “Well maybe I'm just not close enough to feel it.” He suggested. “Walk around til you feel it the strongest then I'll try to find it.”
     “Alright.” I said closing my eyes and just walking where his aura pulled me.
     “It's here.” I said my eyes still closed. “This was where he was last, it's where he disappeared.”
     I felt Agathon's breath on my neck. “If I'm going to be able to follow him I need to be standing there.”
     My heart pounded from him being so close yet again and my eyes snapped open as I moved out of the way.
     “Let's go find your boyfriend.” He said sarcastically and sighed.
     “He's not-” My words were cut off as he took my hand.
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     And we teleported.
     We were in the rainforest in the middle of the night. Bugs making noises stopped when they heard the crunch of our feet. Rain was falling off the leaves in slow fat droplets. The bugs started up again since we hadn't made any noise since arrival.
     “James!” I called out looking around for any sign of him.
     “Shh, we don't know what roams in this forest.” Agathon whispered, stopping me from calling out again.
     “How will we find him?” I whispered, looking around quickly.
     “Why do you need to find him, when you have me?” He asked, stepping closer.
     “James is my friend. I care about him.” I whispered sternly, stepping back.
     Sighing he said. “Fine.” He nodded to the right. “I'm not sure about James, but Liam went that way. I think it's our best bet.”
     “Um, my best bet, you're going home.” I said.
     He looked at me in surprise. “Ok, one you can't take him on your own, and two I could start training you on the way, but if you don't want to be trained that's fine with me.” He said taking a few steps back.