Helena and the Rings

Chapter 19: Chased by the Town Folk

Before the man could arrest me, a loud crash came from the bar kitchen. Both our heads shot in that direction. Like a wild woman, Bishop jumped off a chair and slammed the jar onto the man's head. He fell immediately as it shattered on his head.

Bishop grabbed my hand and the two of us ran out of there. She looked at me. "You can't do anything without getting in trouble?"

Flashlights bobbed behind us and we were visible. Bishop looks at me with panic on her face. "You're going to have to take them out or fly us out of here or something!"

I didn't see anything to fly us onto except the trees and shacks. It wouldn't have helped because the whole town is after us. My ring started to glow and I was out of breath. Bishop was too. We both stopped in our tracks. Daniel, the bartender, and two other dudes with their lights stopped too.

They looked more towards Bishop than at me. "Give it up, Bishop. You can't keep running little girl."

Bishop spat to the side. "I'll do whatever I want. You can't stop me." She pointed at my finger. "It's glowing. Come on, you have to take them down or they'll lock us up."

The four men moved out of the way allowing someone else to walk through. Once again it was Joe. He looked at all the men then stopped at Daniel. "You couldn't handle one task, huh?"

"I got there girl. She's right there," he pointed to me.

Joe smiled. "You want your money? Then get here. Hand her to me. Now."

Daniel looked afraid. I saw him swallow. He looked at me and hesitated. I couldn't tell who was more afraid, me or him.

"Do something," Bishop yelled this time, making me jump.

I didn't want to hurt anyone. Thinking back on what I read in the book, I remembered some of the words I learned in the book. The poems that rhymed. Like the one that sunk people into the ground. I focused on the ring and Daniel then whispered the words I learned.

Almost immediately, Daniel sunk to the ground. His whole body wink under the dirt smoothly. Not a rock breaking in sight. Joe looked stunned.

"You-you buried him alive..." Joe said.

"I buried him," I said to myself. "Woah-"

I started to freak out and wondered if I had killed Daniel. I paused for a second but Bishop took my hand with force and put it on the ground. I nearly fell forward.

"Focus, Helena," she sneered.

I focused and the two other dudes stopped in their tracks and then collapsed onto the ground. Only Joe was left standing. He had a smirk on his face as he looked at me. "Impressive, Helena. You're learning." He stood up straight. "Don't bother using your powers on me. You'll regret it."

"Liar!" Bishop said. "You don't have power."

He laughed out loud and then lodged at us. He went right for Bishop while I tumbled back to the ground, using my hands to push myself away from them. He and Bishop put up a struggle with each other. I was afraid to use my powers because I didn't want to use them on Bishop by accident. I didn't want to hurt her.

"Get off her Joe! This is our fight," I said with tears in my eyes.

"Actually," he said through his teeth while crossing Bishop's hands and wrapping his legs around her so she wouldn't move. "I have a bone to pick with her too." He squeezed her tight.

"Argh!" She cried out.

"Come on, save yourself," Joe said firmly. "Show us what you are, trouble maker."

She let out another cry and tried to call out my name but couldn't. She looked my way with desperate eyes. I didn't know what to do. There was so much happening at the moment that I decided to do anything. I got up and then jumped on Joe's back. I put my arm around him.

He quickly let go of Bishop who fell to the ground and began coughing. Joe wrestled with me, trying to reach for my hand. The first was to blow him up somehow with the ring. I focused and put my hand flat on his chest.

"Ah!"

The two of us were blown back in different directions. I crashed into someone's steps and Joe bounced into the air and hit a poll. I heard the metal shake when his body hit it. He groaned and let his hand fall to the ground.

Bishop grabbed me and the two of us ran again. Into the darkness.

***

We stopped somewhere in the woods surrounded by trees. I was able to start a fire for us. The two of us stopped in front of it. "We need to find somewhere safe. We can't keep running in the open. Do you know anywhere we can go?" Bishop asked me.

"I can't go home," I said. "We'll be tracked."

The ring began to glow again.

Bishop looked at it. "Joe's coming. That's why it's glowing." She stood up. "We can't stay here."

A train honked in the distance. The two of us put out the fire and followed the sound of the train. When we got closer, I was able to levitate us into one of the empty and cold carts. There was nothing and luckily nowhere inside. Bishop kept her distance from me. I was a little upset with her.

"Why did you leave me then come back like that?" I asked. Trying not to sound as mad and upset as I felt.

She shrugged. "Everything...everything was falling apart and I was scared. I already lost my home. I'm just angry. I found before I met-" She stopped herself and sunk her head into her arms.

I bit my lip, trying not to let my emotions take over. "Well, maybe this train ride can get us somewhere we can safely depart ways."

"Good night," Bishop said.

I was so upset I didn't even reply. I just laid my head down, wanting to cry but I didn't. I needed rest. Another day awaited.