Midnight Rider

Chapter Seventeen : Heartfelt Fears

Lynette struggled to coordinate her thoughts. Even though her pulse and mind were racing, deep down she knew she could get nothing done properly if she didn't focus. 

How she wished her best friends Hanara and Cryscent were here with her. Together, things would be much easier to face. 

I hope they decide to come here too...

She unconsciously found herself wishing for some company. Being all alone here on her endangered home planet seemed to emphasize once more that she didn't belong in Kaldrak, having come from Earth. Not only would having her best friends or her Horse with her ease her feelings of isolation, Lynette also realized that she did not have the courage and initiative to devise a plan of action on her own. She was so used to following the Professors' instructions that it felt risky to make her own choices.

Familiar houses began to slide past her in her peripheral vision, drawing her attention back to the matter at hand. She was running down a street near Emily's house.

Uncertainty filled her as she struggled to decide on how to procede. Despite her hopes, Lynette knew that there was little chance that the others would come to Earth too, and an even slimmer possiblity that they would even be here in time. Not that she doubted their loyalty and willingness to help her, but rather she was well aware that the official would give them a hard time if they made the choice. 

A wave of resolve overwhelmed her. Lynette had to do this. Herself. And she promised herself that she would do her best. 

There was no time left to hesitate, especially since the "half-sky" was beginning to fill with swirls of ominous colour, and Lynette knew that the connection between the realms was fast closing. 

"I guess... I'll start with telling someone..." Lynette muttered to herself, unable to think of any large-scale operation to protect the people. She knew her magic was not very well honed and to begin with, rather weak, nor did she have the confidence to use it in such a stressful and important situation. Hence, she decided to stick with a simple tactic. 

I could start by......

Her train of thought faltered and her hand that was raised to ring the doorbell of a nearby house slowly lowered. Lynette remembered that most of the general public were unlikely to believe a strange teenager who claimed that dark magic was about to endanger their very existance.

Instead, she spun around and began running down a route she knew like the back of her hand, almost as well as she knew the route home from school. 

~~~

As Lynette rounded the corner of the street and jogged as briskly as she could down the street, her eyes scanned the row of houses for a familiar house. Emily's unit.

She panted as she slowed to a halt in front of the wood and glass gate that she recalled often visiting when Emily. How long ago that had been, since Emily had left for San Diego with her parents a few months ago... 

Lynette's heart sank. This had been Emily's old house in Los Angeles, but it was currently vacated! For a few moments, all Lynette could do was stare vacantly at the terrace house, her eyes taking in the carved wooden front door on which hung a wreath they had made a year ago; the upper balcony where they used to hangout at during sleepovers, stargazing and wishing for shooting stars; the dislodged tile in the clay-coloured roof which she could still vividly remember Emily sliding on when they daringly climbed onto the roof. 

The memories flooded over her, making her feel warm and fuzzy. Now, the curtains in the house were drawn tightly shut and the lawn was beginining to sprout weeds, showing clear signs of a lack of inhabitants. Lynette wished it could all suddenly jump to life, that Emily and her cheerful family could return, and more importantly that they would help her figure out what to do next.