In Form

And They Lived...

   Hex and I flew into the area where Dragolya and Mistorys nests were. We explained what happened, with a few more tears, I got through it again.
   At some point I'm going to have to accept what my mom said to me, I mean, it does hurt-a lot- but, there's no way she's letting me back in that house. Unless she doesn't see me.
    Hex and I sped back to my house at my window. I was very hesitant at first, but I agreed. I felt dizzy and it was hard to breath as soon as we reached my window. He set me down and told me to wait on the roof. He grabbed something from my window sill and chucked it into the woods, the flower pot it was in made a crashing sound somewhere I couldn't see.
    My dizziness began to wear off. "Did you just throw my lavender plant out there?" I whispered to him.
    He helped me inside. "No. Your mother must have put it there after you left to keep you from coming back through your window."
    "Put what there?" I asked as I quietly opened my closet door. I grabbed an old suitcase from under my bed and made wise choices on what to bring.
    "An orchid."
   "What's wrong with orchids?" I said grabbing multiple pairs of jeans. "There very pretty flowers."
    "There toxic to us. Ingest them, you either get very ill and you live or you die after sickness. Smell it, it disorients all your senses."
    The picture of my mom and dads wedding fell out of one of my jean pockets. I picked it up and looked at their two happy faces. I decided what path to take as I stared into their glimmering plastic eyes. My hands held the paper as they moved opposite directions. The whiter side of the photo landed on my carpet as I held the piece with my father in my hand. I folded him up and put him in my pocket. I began to pack various shirts.
    "We are less prone to them because we are older and have delt with it many times in the past. Unfortunately the hunters have come up with a way to make a perfume with the smell of orchids, it's not very powerful, especially when it was first invented in the 20s." He paused. "Oh no wait, 1820s. That's what I meant."
    I got up and lugged the case up to the window. "Ready to go."
    He grabbed my case for me and tucked it under his arm and I thanked him. Instead of being carried by Hex and making a quick way there, we walked.
    "So what's the plan?" I asked him as we strolled through the woods.
    "What is your meaning?"
   "I want to know when and how we are going to find my dad."
    "Gosh, so demanding..." I glared at him and he continued. "Well according to Mistory, his little speech to you said he was going north to the barber tribe where he has friends. Now we can look there, but I doubt he's there anymore considering it's been years." As we kept walking he turned to me. "What is it you'll do if you do find him? Your father."
    "When." I corrected. "I don't know, probably go on with life like before my mom went crazy, just, she won't be in the picture anymore."
    "Do you think you would be happier than living with us?" He asked looking ahead of him.
    "Why wouldn't I be happy with my own dad? I mean, I like you guys and you are the family I've never had but, he's my dad. I can't just leave this unresolved. Plus he wanted me to come looking for him."
    "Okay okay. I'll but out."
    I smiled as we kept walking through the woods to Dragolya and Mistory's nests. As we arrived they were sitting cris-cross on the ground below their nests.
    "Well that took longer than I would have thought. What happened?" Mistory asked.
    "We walked back." Hex said.
   "When are we going to the barber tribe up in the cascades?" I asked.
   "Soon." Dragolya got up and stretched. "I guess, when summer comes around again, it will be much nicer weather to stay in when we get there. But, we have to keep in mind that he's probably not going to be there."
    "Would you guys stop saying that?" I said loudly. "Do you guys even know where to go from there? Are you just clueless to where and when we will find him?"
    "We can't tell the future Amber..." Hex sighed. "Just clam down."
    "I'm sorry, I just am really really set on finding him, and I can't do it alone." I sighed.
    Dragolya put down her arms from stretching. "Well Amber, hate to break it to you, but..." She seemed to be locked on one spot in the trees. "...we don't work as qui..."
    "What is it?" Mistory asks.
    "Cell phones." Dragolya quickly responded.
    Mistory glanced around. "Where?"
   "What do you mean?" I asked.
   Dragolya began glancing around the ground, not really focusing on anything. "I can feel them near me..." She whispered. "Seven of them at least..."
    "Whoa," Mistory said. "That is quite a lot."
    "Perhaps some teenagers." Hex said.
    "No no..." Dragolya held up her hand. "There are multiple devices... coded devices." She brought her hands together as if pulling weights together then let go with a large exhale. Cellphone rings and small alarms of different tones rang out around us. All around us.
    "We're surrounded." Hex whispered.
    The hairs on the back of my neck stood up. Oh gosh.
   Hex brought out his guns and cocked them back. Mistory brought out her bow, and Dragolya her daggers. Dragolya, Mistory, and Hex all looked afraid. I don't think I've seen them this scared before. Their eyes were wide, scanning the woods around them, even their breath was heavy and uneven. We stood back to back facing the silent brush in front of us. They were every where, I could smell them. The spice of the orchid was getting closer, and already I could feel the effects as my eyes unwillingly turned gold, the others were older and more apt to resist it but I felt like I was on some sort of drug and I couldn't focus straight.
    Mistory was beside me, she didn't stray her eyes from the forest. "We need to get you out of here, you can't fight like this, not with that stuff around." She whispered.
   I shook my head trying to rid of the blurriness, but it did not change. "I'm fine!" I bark back.
    Mistory sighed. "I'll get you out, but I don't know how-"
    A click of metal and we all sprung into action, well mostly Hex because he actually caught the arrow headed towards Mistory's arm.
    As our attention was brought away they all came out at us. Two in each direction, some were yelling, women screamed, most had guns, some crossbows, I even caught a glimpse of a spear. There were too many. Too many to handle. A single shot was taken by a red headed lady screaming, hitting Mistory somewhere on her torso, blood sprayed out in front of me. It was enough to set me off.
   I yelled out as I hit the ground letting every ounce of energy pound out of me through the ground and pushed it through every object it its path. I burn after the first wave went through the earth, I couldn't help but collapse. I opened my burning eyes and instantly smelled burnt flesh, the fowl smell stung my nose. I lifted my head off the dirt to see bodies of the hunters lying there, they were still breathing, it's like they were sleeping. One body sparked with blue bolts and twitched, then another, then two more. I craned my head over to Dragolya who was also on the ground wasn't moving. Mistory and Hex were also on the ground, unmoving. My energy pulse must hit the others behind me then Dragolya's combined with mine. I tried to make an effort to move but my body felt like it just went through 24 hours of non stop Zumba.
   A couple hunters began to wake up and move.
    I gathered all my strength to flip over and sit up. My head swirled. I looked around noticing new figures around the circle of the fallen, they inspected the bodies on the outside of the circle, some of the bodies responded by looking up or breathing. More hunters were here.
     As much as it hurt my head, I reached over and shook Mistory. I lifted my hand to find blood on it, Mistory was shot. I turned her onto her back to see that she was hit just above her hip. Blood was all over her pants and her shirt. She was losing a lot of blood. I applied pressure to her wound and tried to get Dragolya's attention.
    My neck was suddenly held. I grabbed at the persons hands to attempt to pry them away. A ponytail blonde stared at my golden eyes from the awkward angle she held me. "Well, at least I'm smart enough not to charge into the face of the enemy." Onyx laughed.
    I struggled under her grip. Although she was not cutting off my oxygen, she had a good grip around my neck. My vision was still wavering as her face looked blurry and seemed to smear across the sky as she moved. Her voice echoed around my head.
   Onyx looked up and looked irritated. She dropped me. "No you idiot! Don't touch that one, you'll turn into a pile of ash if she's still active... idiot." I assumed she was talking about Dragolya.
     I turned my head to look at Mistory. She was still bleeding out a lot, she laid on her stomach. I could heal her if I could just reach over an put my hand on her. I slowly turned over and reached with all my might to touch her.
     Mistorys eyes slowly opened, they were gold. She looked at me then looked around her, she was smart not to move. She winced from her bullet wound.
     I just barely touched my fingers on her back and a golden glow appeared from my hands and her back. She was lying on her bullet wound and I could see it glowing from under her. Unfortunately this caught the hunters attention.
    "Hey!" I heard a man say. I heard his footsteps come toward us. He kicked Mistory making her flip over in pain. She was still bleeding, my healing didn't work, the bullet must still be in her.
   Mistory's eyes were closed and her body was limp again, once again, clever girl.
    I listened in on what the people be next to Dragolya were saying. "Just shoot her, she won't be able to shock you if you do."
    "What about this one?" The man that just kicked Mistory said.
    "Do the same."
   A shot rang out, then two, then three, then two more. I expected to get hit, but I didn't. I craned my sore neck around to see Hex's gun floating in the air above us pointing at hunters and shooting. Hex shot up and grabbed it from the air and began spinning and shooting. When it was clear for a moment Hex came down and used his power to make the bullet come out of Mistory, she cried out, then used that same bullet to throw at the last, causing him to fall dead to the ground.
    Placed my hand back on Mistory and healed her. I wasn't sure if I should touch Dragolya though.
     Hex was breathing hard and looked shaky. He dropped his gun and then collapsed back onto the ground.
     "Hex!" I tried to yell. I weakly crawled over to him. I could feel my muscles healing up.
     Hex's eyes were closed and he didn't looked like he was breathing.
    I looked at Dragolya, who still looked knocked out. "Dragolya! Something's wrong with Hex!" She didn't move.
     Mistory turned over and moaned. "You couldn't have turned them all into trees..."
    "Mistory! Hex is passed out- or- well he's not breathing!" I yelled at her.
    Mistory slowly got up and began looting the dead hunters bodies.
    "Dude! What's wrong with you! Their both unconscious!" I yelled at her.
    "Las," she held up a hand. "Chill a pill and take one. I'm looking for a phone to wake her without get electrocuted, we have to place something electric in her hand, kind of like recharging her." She continued to search for the hunters cell phones.
   I felt a little calmer now. "Oh, I see. Oh and it's 'take a chill pill' not 'chill a pill and take one'."
    "Noted."
    I looked on the ground and saw one of Dragolya's daggers. I picked it up set it next to her. I spotted another shiny dagger on the ground, but it wasn't Dragolya's.
   Mistory found a cellphone and dropped it into Dragolya's hand, Dragolya's hand clutched the cellphone and her hand and arm began to shake. "Should be any minute." Mistory sighed.
    After a couple minutes passed I decided to grab that shiny dagger that I saw on the ground. It looked like it fell out of a hunters pocket. I picked it up. It was kind of bent at the tip and rusty near the handle, but I've never owned my own knife before so I think I'll keep it despite its condition.
  I heard the sigh of someone waking up. I turned around.
   Dragolya sat up and rubbed her head, the cell phone was now melted and sticky in her hand. She dropped the phone and looked at the black sticky tar-looking mess in her hand. "Aww..." She said disgusted. She tried wiping it on the ground but it only collected leaves. It was amusing to see her try to shake it off. She looked at Hex then scooted over and placed her other hand on his chest. She closed her eyes and looked to be counting. Light sparked from her hand and Hex awoke with a large gasp of air. He breathed heavily for a few moments.
    My nose smelled an orchid, someone wearing the perfume near me. I felt dizzy. I tried to fight it but it was no use. Echoes surrounded my head, different voices boomed and whispered as they spoke. One voice sounded familiar among the rest, it was female and it was close. I could just barely make out what she was saying. "Down with the beast..." The voice said.
    I turned around to be face to face with Onyx. The Onyx. I gasped quietly. Her arm was raised in a position that looked like she was going to stab me with the knife she had in her hand. Her face looked surprised to see me, and she never moved from her spot, she even seemed frozen until her knife slipped from her grasp. She slightly went slack as she went flat-footed and put her arms down.
   I could feel my hand getting an unsettling warm. The blade of my knife seemed to have vanished within the warmth. The warm feeling turned to a liquid warm that covered my hand and dripped onto the wet leaves upon the ground.
     Onyx looked down at the warm liquid that dripped from her body and with both hands tried to touch the handle of the dagger that my hand held, her hands acted as if the handle was hot and she could not grab it fully. She finally gripped the handle of the warm dagger over my hand and pulled it out from her stomach. I still held the knife as she let go and slowly stepped back to examine the wound. She looked up at me in horror. I could see the life slowly draining from her eyes, the color going gray, her pupils becoming smaller then bigger then back again. I heard her take her last slow breath before her knees buckled beneath her and she fell on her side onto the wet blood soaked ground. Her pink skirt was now halfway red, but her shirt took most of it.
    I held up the bloodied blade. I no longer wanted this murderous weapon. The blood from the blade dripped onto my hand.
   I just killed someone. With a knife. I just stabbed her. I'm a murderer. I dropped the knife, it landed next to the now lifeless body if front of me. I had no words, I couldn't breath.
    I was suddenly spun around. Mistory was yelling at me. "Amber! We need to go, their coming! We need to get out of here!" She grabbed my hand and began pulling me. I wasn't in control of my feet anymore as I stumbled and blindly followed her through the woods. I was eventually in sight of Hex's jeep. Hex and Dragolya were already inside of it buckling up.
    I was put in the back and Mistory hopped in as well, but before she she even closed the door Hex had his foot down on the pedal. We sped out there fast. There was no turning back, no more lessons, no more house.
    My daze of shock was interrupted by Mistory talking. "We're going to the barber tribe." She informed me. "We will see if your fathers there, but mostly we will try to see if we can stay here for protection."
    "Ly is kind hearted, she will give us food and rest." Dragolya said. "I haven't been there in years... I wonder if Win still hates us."
    Hex laughed. "I'd bet my wings on that."
   They laughed and boasted, like knights at the pub, as if all of that had not happened. "How can you not be upset right now?" I asked harshly to all of them.
    They looked surprised, then offended. Dragolya spoke up. "Amber, do you know how old we are?" I regretted speaking up. "What we have been through, and how many times? We've had friends, and family die in front of us. Can you guess how most of them died? Because of them, Amber!" She pointed back at the woods as if the hunters were in there. "So you killed your first hunter... big deal. Self defense is what it is. Now, until you've been through so many wars, killed so many hunters, watched loved ones die right in front of your eyes, been tortured, tested on, and have lived too long of a life... You can keep your mouth shut!" She turned back around and angrily sat in her seat.
    Through the rear view mirror I could see Hex's eyes, and I could see that he was even surprised by her outburst. Mistory on the other hand was unfazed and looked out the window as if nothing happened.
    I've gotta watch what I say around them.
    I wonder what the barber tribe is going to be like, what will it look like? Will the people there be friendly? Hex did say that someone there might still hate them but, I'm not sure if he was joking or not.
    From my jean pocket, I pulled out the folded piece of photo paper that showed my dad, dressed up for his wedding, looking happy at that moment.
    I hope my dads still there, at the tribe in the mountains, waiting for me. But there's something in my core that tells me that he won't be there.