Strange Magic

Dead End

Jenna spun around and saw Lichang blocking the doorway. She drove the paper deep into the pocket of her jeans.

"But you don't like to play easy, do you?" She continued, inching closer to her.

Tensed, Jenna darted past her into the living room where hopefully, Zack would be. Her tension turned to pure terror when she saw Zack lying back on the couch, motionless with wide eyes which appeared to be glazed. She opened her mouth to scream but no sound came out.

"Don't worry about him," Lichang said who had followed Jenna out of the kitchen. "He's just in a trance. He'll come around soon."

Should I be relieved or scared by that?

"What do you want?" Jenna asked softly.

Lichang chuckled.

"Didn't I tell you that the last time I met you?"

"You mean leave?" Jenna said hastily. "Fine I'll leave okay?"

"It's too late Jenna," she said.

Too late? Too late???

"You're already their priority," she continued. "See this is what comes from being so stubborn. I told you you'd be sorry."

"I'm not sorry," Jenna muttered defiantly.

"You're not?" Lichang asked sarcastically. "You're not sorry that you're being hunted by evil? You're not sorry that you lost your sister?"

Jenna felt her temper rising but she kept mum.

"Look around you Jenna," she continued. "Is there any place you can call safe now? How does it feel to keep running until you have nowhere else to hide?"

"Save your talk, just do what you came here for, I'm right here. Take me to your superior already," Jenna surrendered.

"Oh I'm not here to take you prisoner," she said.

Jenna blinked in surprise.

"But the other night-

"I have no intentions on doing any harm to you," she continued. "I can break rules just to keep you safe and no one will even know about it."

"What are you?" Jenna asked.

"Oh I'm just a person," she shrugged. "Who is a little more extraordinary than the rest."

"Why would you try to save me?"

"Because Jenna," she said slowly. "We're bonded."

Jenna laughed despite the situation she was in. Bonded!? That was something new.

"You can laugh," she said seriously. "But don't cry later."

Jenna stopped her laugh abruptly when she saw Lichang's serious face.

"Sorry," she muttered.

"Don't be," Lichang replied seriously. "Just keep yourself safe till we meet again."

She turned and headed to the door. That's it? Jenna watched her back helplessly. Not much of a help.

"Where do I go from here?"

Lichang turned back and winked at her.

"Where you go is a choice you have to make. Only don't regret your choice later."

Jenna stared at Zack who was still in a trance. Then she sighed. She had reached a dead end. Where to go next or what to do next became a big question. She could just go back to the circle. And live with those monsters? No way! And who were the Keepers Drew had mentioned anyway? She might as well go back to Sunny Heights and live a normal life there and pretend all of these never happened. That seemed a likely choice.

Jenna decided to hit the road when it got dark. She didn't want to be caught by the cops. She was still a wanted criminal for a crime she didn't commit. She glanced again at Zack. What was she supposed to say when he comes around? But Zack didn't wake up from his trance even when Jenna stepped out when night fell.

She saw Zack's car parked outside. She grinned to herself. Sorry Zack! I promise I'll make it up to you. She weaved the car out of town. It became a little lonely and eerie once she crossed the border. Strangely, there were no other cars on the road at all. She drove on, getting more tensed every minute. She passed the last mile and began to brighten up at the thought of the peaceful Sunny Heights. But somehow she felt odd as she neared where the town should be.

She looked for the signposts. The pumps. The shops. The houses. But she didn't see them. That can't be possible. I've already entered Sunny Heights. She looked around. The town wasn't there. There was only the lonely road, stretching out as far as her headlights went. How could a whole town disappear overnight?

"Get a grip Jenna," she scolded herself. "Don't lose it."

She closed her eyes tight and opened them, hoping that the town would magically spring up in front of her eyes. But it didn't. It looked as deserted as ever. What the hell is happening? She drove a little further, thinking she still hadn't reached it. But even as she wished for that, she knew it was in vain. The whole town had just disappeared in thin air.

She crept out of the car and looked around. Darkness all around. No sounds to be heard. Dread swept over her body. Should I head back? Should I keep going? Before she could even decide, she heard a rustling sound coming from the bushes on her right. She couldn't move. Then she heard a low snarling sound. She wished her legs to cooperate and get in the car but they seemed to have stuck on the road. Then a large form jumped up from the bushes on the road. It was a black animal. Like a dog. Like a cat. It was huge. Almost as big as Zack's sedan. This time, she was able to move. She darted into her car but before she could get the car moving, the creature ripped off the door.

Sorry bout that Zack!

Then it grabbed Jenna with its hairy paw and hurled her out on the road and smashed the car to splinters.

Truly sorry Zack!

Then it faced Jenna again, snarling, froth dripping down its huge mouth. Jenna was still lying on the road. She couldn't get up in time. She closed her eyes and screamed as the creature pounced on her.