Iris

ACT FIFTEEN - True Powers

CHARACTERS: Iris Ash, Odrithin, Sara, paramedic

Iris is free falling through the air, her arms spread. Her eyes are squeezed shut due to the gusts of wind buffeting her on all sides.

Suddenly, her descent slows as an incredibly powerful gust blows underneath her. Her descent only slows from there, and by the time she reaches the ground, she is drifting gently, completely safe. She lands on two feet in the middle of a forest, looking around and down at herself in utter confusion.

Odrithin strolls out from behind one of the many trees and his daughter immediately tenses, her budding smile disappearing.

ODRITHIN: [flippantly, shrugging] You're no good to me dead.

Iris continues to silently stare at him with hatred and distrust.

ODRITHIN: [stepping slowly toward her] You're learning to obey my orders, at least. [humorously] I'm slowly winning you over.

Iris scoffs.

IRIS: [icily] You will never win me over. I only "obeyed" you to save those people.

ODRITHIN: [exasperated, mockingly] You're not going to give me some speech about how innocent they were and how evil I am, are you?

Iris shifts uncomfortably. It is obvious that this is exactly what she was going to do.

IRIS: [defensively] No. You're too far gone for that.

ODRITHIN: [amused] You act as though I'm plagued by some chronic disease.

IRIS: [bitingly] And you think you aren't?

ODRITHIN: [suddenly serious, growing steadily more intense] No. I don't. I think that this entire miserable planet is diseased and I am the only one who holds the cure. [with contempt] You can't be this blind, Iris.

IRIS: [retorting] Maybe this world is screwed up. Maybe it's past the point of no return. But you know what? I'm one of the stupid people who lives here, and I don't want to see it go. Not yet. I can't just step aside and watch you purge it of - of everything.

ODRITHIN: [dryly, grinning] It's adorable that you think you can stop me.

He snaps his fingers and the tree next to Iris comes toppling down, headed straight towards her. She has to dive and roll out of the way to avoid being flattened.

Odrithin walks steadily towards her, continuing to snap his fingers and send trees falling nearly on top of his daughter. She continues leaping backwards, unable to do anything to fight back because of how quickly she is forced to think.

Suddenly, her heel catches a root, sending her crashing to the forest floor. She watches helplessly as a tree directly above her begins to fall, flinching and closing her eyes.

It is stopped, however, mere inches from her face.

She opens her eyes slowly to stare first at the tree and then past it, at Odrithin, in deep confusion and shock. He is smiling pleasantly down at her, hands in his pockets in a very unconcerned stance.

ODRITHIN: [casually] Don't mistake my act of kindness for compassion.

IRIS: [panting, deliberately] Then why would you let me live?

ODRITHIN: [shrugging] Part of me hopes that you might still come around to my side of things. After all, your powers could be extremely useful - if you ever actually figure them out, that is.

IRIS: [confused] If I...ever actually figure them out?

ODRITHIN: Well, yes. [contemptuously] You don't honestly think the only abilities you have are turning into a shadow and being a bit stronger than most, now do you?

Iris's gaze falls to the forest floor, darting back and forth as she tries to make sense of this. She looks wildly back up at her father as he begins to speak.

ODRITHIN: Truly, it would take [spreading arms, raising voice challengingly] an act of God right now to save you. [looks up at the sky, lowering his arms] Or perhaps your mother. [returning gaze to Iris] But she's kind of been a no-show, hasn't she?

IRIS: [scathingly] So, now what? You're just going to torture me until I die or join you? Do you know how cowardly that is? After all, I'm far weaker than you. You can easily beat me. [quieter] Only a coward fights when he's certain he will win.

This gives Odrithin pause. Being called a coward resonates with him. Quickly, however, he recovers and straightens up.

ODRITHIN: I am not going to be tricked by some [with contempt] little girl. [uncaringly] You cannot stop this, Iris, as hard as you may try.

IRIS: [mildly] If you say so.

Odrithin stares at her for a second, confused at her submission. Then, he turns sharply and begins striding away.

ODRITHIN: [indifferently] Consider it my last act of kindness that I'm letting you live. [with a note of humor] You'll all die soon anyway.

Iris watches him retreat for several seconds before standing, still not approaching him. She closes her eyes, morphs into a shadow that falls to flatten against the forest floor, and seeps over to Odrithin, slipping between his feet. She returns to her solid form while directly in front of him. He stops, surprised.

His daughter's eyes flutter shut and snippets of memories form a flashback: finding out that Sara had been taken, watching Sara being hurt, Sara silently crying in the airplane seat.

When Iris's eyes snap open, they're glowing brightly.

ODRITHIN: [slightly fearfully] Iris?

IRIS: [with strange undertones] You shouldn't have hurt her.

Odrithin's fear increases, and he uncertainly searches his daughter's face.

IRIS: [conviction growing] You shouldn't have hurt Sara!

ODRITHIN: [sharply, fearfully] Iris!

Iris opens her mouth and begins to scream. A ringing noise joins the sound, quickly rising in intensity. Iris's eyes glow brighter and brighter until her demonic father is forced to shield his eyes.

And then, Iris explodes in a brilliant ball of blinding white light.

The scene changes to show Sara hugging a blanket around her shoulders, leaning against the side of an ambulance. More sirens wail in the distance. The airplane has landed in a cornfield, and it appears as though its population is safely off the aircraft. The pilot and copilot are talking with several policemen. Sara is staring at the ground, gaze empty. A paramedic walks up to her.

PARAMEDIC: [gently] Ma'am? Do you need anything else?

Sara raises her gaze. Her expression is determined.

SARA: [stonily] I need a car and a map.

*

A/N: Whaaat?! Isabel updated Iris?! I know, I know, it seems crazy. I also am aware that I should have officially put this book on hold a couple months ago. You know...when I actually stopped uploading. I'm so sorry to everyone this has inconvenienced and I know how frustrating these things can be when you're used to an uploading schedule. That being said, this is not a revival of the story, although we are getting infuriatingly close to the end :) This book is going to remain on hold until after the holiday season - I'm sure you can understand that, at least! Again, I apologize for the delay and hope you enjoyed this chapter!!