Puzzles

Behind the mask

I dream that Luke is shouting at me because I let Asher borrow my pencil. I say that I only let him borrow it so I could buy a raccoon. He doesn't believe me so I cry. The dream dissolves and is replaced by a dark alleyway. I feel like I shouldn't be here. Then voices all around me start saying things. Whispering. Things like "not safe" and "traitors in her heart."

"Stop!" I scream. But the whispers are growing louder. Louder and louder and louder. Then a hand grips my shoulder. A freezing shiver runs steadily up my spine.

"Little girl," it whispers. It's voice resembles knifes scraping, slowly down a blackboard full of squeaky shivering chalk. I scream over and over again. I do not want to find out who the hand belongs to.

"Drinks and snacks?" A am suddenly jerked awake by a cute, high pitched voice.

"Soda please." Luke says counting some coins in his hand. Above me stands a tall hostess. Her hair is paler than her skin and her eyes glow menacingly. She scares me as much as that dream did, so I keep quiet.

"Anything for you 'mam?" She asks me as she passes Luke his soda.

"No thanks." I say nervously.

"Are you sure? You get a free beverage when you buy any type of food." I shake my head. She glares at me.

"As you wish." She says stiffly, then returns to her sweet accent. "So what is your little girl called?" I wonder why she's talking to me and not the other passengers.

"Um..." I desperately try to remember Janet's fake name. "Mandy." I lie. I can't remember her name.

"Really?" The women is patronising me. "I thought her name was Mary?" Mary! I knew it!

"Oh yes! So many children! I keep forgetting their names!" I add a laugh on the end.

"You have more children?" She asks suspiciously.

"Yes." I don't look at Luke. I suddenly realise something. How does she know her name?

"And why aren't they going on holiday, I imagine they are rather jealous?" She laughs, but not kindly.

"Um. No, they're all grown up actually." She narrows her eyes at me.

"Really? You don't look that old." Should have thought of that. I turn to look at Janet and Luke. Their expression is worry. They know something I don't.

"I'm sorry, but is this all this really necessary?" I ask. Her lip curls.
"Oh yes, quite necessary." She says in a nasty, evil tone.

"Wha-I don't-oh my god!" I stutter and then spot the knife she is holding behind her back. She brings it forward so the pointed end is aimed at my chest.

"You can't fool me Thalia Zufrey." She growls.

"Run!" Luke shouts to me. At the same time the hostess brings the knife down. I dodge it just before she slams it into the seat. Sweat pours down my face and I shove the woman out of the way, then run down the isle. I suddenly think of Janet and Luke, but quickly realise she doesn't care weather they live or not because as soon as she takes the knife out the seat, she starts walking down the isle towards me. People around me start screaming and shielding their heads. Really? There's no point in doing that, it's me who's going to die here. The hostess is advancing and I see Janet and Luke climb out their seats. Luke picks up Janet and puts her back, but then starts creeping towards the women. I try to tell him to go back, but then I realise I'm completely unarmed.

"Duck!" Luke shouts at me. I instantly think 'where!' But I realise what he means as a knife scraps the skin on my arm. Although it stings like hell, I am glad she has pour aim.

The women screeches in frustration.

"I hate you so much! Why don't you just die! Then we can have our king and queen!" It makes me feel a tinge of guilt, but then reality comes back to me and I realise actually I'm saving her by finding someone to replace Oreno, little does she know if he gets power she'll be probably ripped apart by the creatures Luke was talking about.

"You don't understand!" I shout to her over the noise "Oreno is evil! He'll kill you! He'll kill everyone!"

"Rubbish! Shut your lying gob!" She screeches. I can't convince her. Somehow, we have to get off this plane. Luke comes closer to her with a gun.

"No!" I shout at him. I don't want her to die, I want her live to see what Oreno is really like when we present his royal highness with somebody else to rule. Luke looks confused and then lowers his weapon to her foot. I nod uneasily. Just before she lunges towards me he fires. She screams and screams. Clutching her foot that is pouring with blood. We have to get off this plane. As if Luke read my thoughts, he points to the 'DO NOT OPEN' sign on the door.

"How are we gonna land?" I ask, dodging the hostess who's trying to grab my ankles. He then picks something else up.

Parachutes. Oh god.

"Thalia Zufrey? Did she say Thalia Zufrey?" The people all around me are starting to stare and whisper.

"Quickly!" Luke shouts. I run towards him.

"Do these people want to kill me as well?" I ask. He nods.

"As soon as they realise who you are. That's why we've gotta be quick." He straps the parachute round my waist. "You'll be fine, I'll jump with you." I imagine that my face has paled. Janet looks annoyed at her stupid height.

"Why couldn't I have been older! And taller!" She moans.

"Just get ready!" Luke shouts. We stand by the door as Luke opens it. As soon as he does wind gushes in and tries to pull me out. I lose balance, but Luke catches me.

"Hang on a moment." She is standing there, the hostess, her leg drenched in wet blood. "You forgot something," in a moments flash, she swings the knife at me. It cuts into my shoulder and she pushes it in deeper and deeper. I scream and scream. My voice starts to crack. Something, sticky and wet pours down my arm. I am losing consciousness. Everything around me looks horribly fuzzy. I don't see what happens but I hear a gun shot, a scream and a thud of a body hitting the ground. The next moment someone lifts me into their arms and jumps into the open, off the plane.