Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf? [Complete!]

Chapter 24: Revenge

Chapter 24, Revenge

"Alright, I told Henry where we are, he said he's coming," Marie said, glad that at least she could be of some use with her telepathy.

"Thanks, Marie." Lindsay said, sitting on a fallen tree with Tom, Jessica and Jasper.

Jessica's eyes were rimmed in red, and still misty. Brokenheartedly, she glanced at Matt, who was sitting a while off from them, near the portal. He hadn't moved or spoke to anyone since after finding out what happened to John.

His red hair was still wet from the rain, and the way his shoulders slumped gave off the impression of someone who had given up all hope. Seeing Matt so shaken-up made her feel worse...maybe if she'd been stronger, John would still be alive...

Suddenly, a loud fizzing sound caught her attention.

"Hey! The portal's closing!" Jasper suddenly shouted, jumping up.

Sure enough, the portal was closing rapidly.

I can't lose Blackdeath!! Jessica's conscious screamed.

There was barley anything left of the portal now, perhaps roughly a few meters across it.

She made her decision at the same time Matt made his.

In a split second Jessica was running towards the portal, Matt was hard on her heels.

"Jessica! Matt! Stop!" Lindsay shouted as the others ran after them. "You'll get hurt, Blackdeath's isn't worth it! Wait for Henry-"

But Jessica and Matt never heard her finish her sentence.

They had jumped, just as the portal swallowed them up and closed behind them.

Falling, falling, ever falling. Yet, not moving at the same time. That was Jessica's impression. It was as though it was a long endless tunnel. She didn't feel afraid anymore, though. All she felt was the need for revenge. She would not fail again, not until Blackdeath died.

Umos, her mind whispered, as though reminding her of her secret weapon.

She continued falling and then...

It stopped.

Jessica and Matt were hurled out of the glowing portal, and onto the rough ground.

It took Jessica a minute to realize where she was, but when she did, she couldn't help but gasp in recognition.

"Matt, this is where I first entered your world! It's the cave near my house!" She exclaimed, and looked behind her only to see the last of the portal close.

Jessica gulped, as though her fate were set in stone.

It's now or never.

"Jessica...?" Even Matt's voice sounded broken.

"Yeah?"

"We're in this together, and I'll do whatever it takes to help you avenge Johnny. I know you can do it..."

"Thanks, Matt," she felt her eyes mist over again, and promptly brushed them away with her hand.

"Alright, let's do this..."

She got up and Matt followed her. Everything looked nearly the same was when she'd last left. How long had she even been gone?

Slowly, Matt and Jessica emerged from the cave. The sky looked gray, and solemn.

"How on earth are we going to find Blackdeath? They could be miles away..." she sighed.

"Too bad he was too stupid to cover his tracks," Matt pointed to a trail leading into the forest beside Jessica's house.

At first, she didn't see anything out of the ordinary, but upon closer inspection she realized what Matt was saying.

The tall grass was trampled, and a few rocks and been kicked out of the way, so though someone was in a rush. Without further ado, they ran.

Hours might have passed, but all that seemed to matter was finding Blackdeath, not only for John, but for this world now too.

Eventually, Matt stopped and pointed to a note nailed to a tree. The handwriting was ancient, and seemed too old for this time.

'Ms. Thompson,

I have run into one error in my calculations. I require your pendant to proceed further with my plans. I know you will not give me the key to the human world without a price. Now, you must choose between one life, and many. The Wolf Boy still breathes. Further ahead, you will find a portal. You have until sunset to make your decision.'

Matt looked up at the sky, the sun was slowly beginning to glide downwards.

"Jess, it's almost noon..."

"I know..."

They began walking, and found a portal, just as Blackdeath had promised.

"I can't give him that pendant... and I don't even know if he's lying about...." She let her sentence trail off. John, her world, or the human world?

"I can't let him destroy this world...and I won't let him hurt John either..." she said slowly, an idea forming in her mind, "Matt...have you ever...heated minerals before?"

He started at her blankly.

"If we could find some minerals in rocks, do you think you could melt them into a star shape....say, the size of my pendant?"

A grin slowly spread across his face, "Well, let's finds some rocks and crack 'em open!"

Jessica and Matt went rock hunting after that. After Matt cracked the rocks open in the core with fire, he shaped the minerals collected inside. The sun was just beginning to hide behind the trees when they finished.

Jessica grinned, and put the fake necklace (with the pendant) and chain around her neck, while putting the real one in her pocket.

"Alright, Matt, lets go," Jessica said, as she and Matt jumped into a portal without thinking for the second time that day.