Unburied Past

Stories

"Taylor!" Eric yelled as he opened the door of his one bedroom trailer.

"Living room," was the reply.

Shedding his uniform, the Silver Guardians commander made his way to his small living room to find his girlfriend sitting on his couch, pouring over papers scattered about his kitchen table she'd moved in front of her.

"Find anything?"

"Anne Bonny, Mary Read, Calico Jack, a random pirate named Tobias, Bonnie Parker, Clyde Barrow, Cleopatra, whoever Morgan is, Tara, Jeremiah, Alysondra, somehow Princess Shayla and Merrick are involved, and I have a feeling Max and Danny aren't telling me something," Taylor rambled, hardly taking a breath, dropping the pencil that had been in her hand onto the table. "But what does it all mean?"

Eric sighed. "I had another vision today."

"What was it this time?"

The two, along with Alyssa, had been having shared visions and telling each other about them. They all wanted to get to the bottom of what was happening to them.

"The first time Tara and Jeremiah met. It started on a boat with William, who looks exactly like Max, hearing the song of a siren leading them to an island."

"The Isle of Spirits," Taylor interrupted. "Modern-day Santa Barbra."

"Exactly.

"Jeremiah didn't believe in ghosts or sirens, though, and wanted to figure out what was really happening on the island. When they docked, he was the first on onshore. Suddenly, rocks, sticks, entire branches - they were all hurtling his way. Lightning crackled in the previously clear sky as it turned black. In the flash of light, Jeremiah saw someone run and followed them. And William followed him. They ended up backing the person to the edge of a cliff and saw who she was."

"Tara."

Eric nodded. "Her hair was long and in what sort of looked like messy dreadlocks. And she was wearing a long, torn, dirty, yellowed dress. And she was barefoot."

"Fairy locks," Taylor said suddenly.

"What?"

"They weren't dreads," she explained. "They're called 'fairy locks.' They were said to be the result of fairies playing in someone's hair at night."

"Right," Eric seemed skeptical.

"Eric."

"On with the story.

"Who are you?" Jeremiah asked the girl, who was clearly no ghost.

"She's the princess," William looked at him. "I told you not to anger her!"

"What are you doing on my island?" the girl yelled. "Leave!"

"Not until you tell us who you are!" Jeremiah yelled back to be heard over the roaring wind and crackling thunder.

"Why does it matter? You and your ship will be dead soon!"

"All the more reason to tell us!"

"Jeremiah, what are you doing?" William harshly whispered to his friend.

The other man waved him off and took a step closer to the girl. "What's your name?"

"Tara," she said simply.

"Where are you from, Tara?" Jeremiah asked gently, inching closer.

The blonde woman mumbled something under her breath, prompting the man to ask her to repeat herself. "I don't know."

"How long have you been here?"

"Since I was a child. I know nothing of my past. My island and the spirits here are all I've ever known. Why am I telling you this?"

"My name is Jeremiah," he dodged the question. "I'm from the kingdom of Animaria. I am part of the military and take care of the animals.

"This is William. He is also part of the Animarian military. He's the captain of the ship we sailed here on."

"Why did you come here?" Tara asked.

"A siren led me," Will explained.

"A siren?

"A woman from the sea who guides sailors where they need to go."

"A woman from the sea?" she paused. "Maria?"

"Who's Maria?"

"Maria is from the ocean. She comes here sometimes. She is the only friend from the outside I've ever known."

"Well, Tara, now you have two more."

The blonde stayed silent for a moment before looking at the two men. "Alright."

"Alright?" Jeremiah repeated.

"I will join you."

"He didn't know why she suddenly changed her mind," Eric concluded.

"But she went to Animaria with them," Taylor finished.

"Exactly," the man was interrupted by his phone ringing. "Myers," he answered.

Taylor watched intently as her boyfriend's expression went from irritation to shock before nodding as he hung up.

"That was Wes," he looked at her. "Apparently something happened with a time ship and Katie, Lucas, Trip, Jen, and Alex are stuck here."

"I didn't even know they were here."

"I don't think they're supposed to be."