The Life Of A Freak

Chapter 37

The next day- early morning - I am staring face to face with the viscous and inhuman Mr. Tiny.

"Hey, Lady Woods."

"M-M-Mr. T-Tiny!" I stutter. Why am I so scared? Why am I shaking?

"Don't be shy now." He says.

"Rig-Right." I say.

"Master Mulds nightmares has intensified since I last saw him. He must go and figure out who he really was." He informs me.

"I-I wan-want to go wi-th him." I say, oh god...my stuttering is so bad.

"No!" Harkat yells.

"Come on!" I yell. "You can-can't be alone f-for this!"

"I have to do it alone! You need to go to the mountain with the others!"

"Mountain?" I ask.

"Yeah. We were gonna go to the mountain and propose the human army." Debbie says. "To Tue princes and generals." She adds.

"I admit its a good idea. But the vampires are way too prideful to accept that."

"It makes more sense to do it our way though." Alice adds.

"Maybe so, but the vampires don't really use their brains often. They have brawns. That's all they think they need."

"So, Harkat why do I have to go to go he mountain exactly?"

"You need to help them get there and persuade the vampires."

"No way. That's not gonna happen. I do not support their idea of a human army. Humans aren't supposed to get involved in this war. That's meddling with their lives. You can't do that!"

"Its the only shot we got!" Debbie says.

"I'm not going. Its a good idea in retrospect, but will the humans really like to give up their lives for a different species?"

"That's enough." Darren says.

"Fine, Tux can go with me. Darren guide Alice and... Debbie to the mountain." Harkat says.

"Lady Woods will not be much help." Mr. Tiny says.

"I wo-would still-still like to a comp-company him, so he won't be lon-lonely."

"Thank you, Tux." Harkat says.

"No-No problem." I hate myself, why do I keep stuttering?!

"I still want to go." Darren says.

"No, bring them to Vampire Mountain. You're a prince, Darren. You can't put your personal feelings in front of the good of the clan." I order.

"Lady Woods, Master Mulds. We must go now." Mr. Tiny says, leading us to Mr. Talls van.

"Darren, can you explain everything to Smickey for me?"

"I'll do it." Jack says.

"Good." I quickly follow Mr. Tiny.

It has been hours now, "I kind of need food and water to live, you know?" I think and if it weren't for my inability to speak to Mr. Tiny without making a fool of myself I totally would have said it.

I hear Darren yelling outside.

"Goodbye!" I hear. "See ya again OK!" There is a pause, "You two better be alive!!" Another long pause, "Al-Alright I really gotta go now! Don't get hurt!"

A few minutes later Mr. Tiny walks out then a minute or two later he comes back into the van, leading me and Harkat out and in front of a glowing archway.

The archway is white, a maybe six feet tall and three feet wide. It is glowing a very vibrant scarlet red color. The short fat male - Mr. Tiny - glowing the same as he chants incoherently in front of the archway.

A minute or two later a panting brown haired boy runs up to us, panting - Darren.

"Ah, Master Shan, I thought you would be joining us." Mr. Tiny says as I he finally finishes his strange spell.

"Took long enough." I smile.

"You knew?!" Harkat yells at me.

"Of course. I know everything about him." I laugh, lightly.

"Darren I told you to lead the others!"

Mr. Tiny pushes Harkat through the portal to shut him up - how rude. Seconds later the same thing is done to me and I am tumbling over and sand covered.

The land was barren, only a strange red sand covering the Earth - and me. I saw no other sign of life except me and Harkat. Though it was day before we went through the portal it was night here. The sky was a a few shades darker than the sky back...home? I don't know where exactly we are, but I am positive it is not a familiar place.

A couple minutes pass and Mr. Tiny and Darren appear through the archway, which fell into dust just mere milliseconds after.

"Where are we?" Harkat asks.

Mr. Tiny tapped his nose. "That would be telling. Now," He bemt down and drew a simple compass in the sand. He pointed at one of the arrows. "Thats west, as you'll see by the sun tomorrow. Go in that direction until you come to the hunting grounds of a black panther. You have to kill the panther to find out where to go next." He stood and turned east, ready to walk off.

"Wait!" Darren yells. "Is that all your going to tell us?"

"What would you like to know?"

"Lots! Where are we? How did we get here? What happens if we go east instead of west? How will Harkat find out who he used to be? And what the hell does a panther have to do with any of this?"

"I thought you would have developed an appreciation for the unknown by now." Mr. Tiny grumbles. "Dont you realize how exciting it is to set out with no idea of what's coming next? I'd give my boots and glasses to experience the world the way you do, as something strange and challenging."

"Forget the boots and glasses! Just give us answers!" Darren yells.

"You can be very rude sometimes." He turns back to us. "There's much I can't and won't tell you. You'll have to discover for yourselves where we are - although it won't make much difference if you don't. You got here, obviously, through a mechanism either of magic or incredibly evolved technology  im not saying which. If you dont follow the trail west, you'll die. As for Harkat finding out who he is and the panther..." He considered it in silence. "Somewhere on this world lies a lake - more a glorified pond, really - which I like to refer to as the Lake of Souls. In it you can glimpse the faces of many trapped souls, people whose spirits did not leave Earth when they died. The soul of the person Harkat used to be lies within. You must find the Lake, then fish for his soul. If you succeed, and Harkat learns and acknowledges the truth about himself, your quest will be complete and I'll see that you're guided safely home. If not..." He shrugs.

"How do we find this Lake... of Souls?" Harkat asks.

"By following instructions. If you locate and kill the panther, you'll learn where to go next. You'll discover a clue to your previous identity, which I've been gracious enough to toss in for free."

"Could you just tell us?" I ask, managing to face my fear of speaking to the man.

"No. But I'll say this much, the panther is the least of your worries. Step warily, trust in your insticts, and never let your guard down. And don't forget." He says toward Harkat. "As well as learing who you were, you must acknowledge it. I can't step in until you've admitted the truth out loud. Now," He smiles. "I really must be going. Places to be, things to do, people to torment. If you have further questions they must wait. Until next time." He turns and walks into the darkness of the unknow, toward the east, until the darkness swallows him, leaving us in the unknown land, confused and lost.