Mirror

Fury

My cheeks stung. I struggled to open my eyes, but before I could I felt two quick slaps against my face. They weren't hard, just quick enough to sting. My eyes flew open. Terr knelt in front of me, his gentle eyes wide with concern, his hand still raised in the air. When he saw that my eyes were open he pulled me into a tight embrace. "What is going on? I've never heard you call out in your sleep before."

I shook my head. "I don't want to go back right now. I've never met people so cruel."

Terr released me. "Where are you? Are Danny and May alright? Chris?"

I covered my face with my hands. "No, Chris- how am I going to tell Kylee."

"What? Where's Chris?" Terr demanded, his voice sharp.

"I don't know, but they told me-"

"Who told you?" Terr's voice was still clipped. It sounded harsh in my ear.

"There are people on the mountain," I tried to explain.

Terr didn't let me finish. "No, Lithallia, you've got to get out of there. Those people, they won't listen to reason. You hear me?"

I nodded, my face still hiding behind my hands.

"Have they hurt you?" he asked. His voice was calmer now, comforting.

I looked up. Terr's ears were pushed back. His expression was gentle, but he was angry. "No," I lied, "I'm okay, but I was separated from Danny and May."

Terr looked away, thinking hard. "You have to find them and get out."

"Get out where? How?" I tried remember the map of the pass, but I didn't know where we could run that they wouldn't find us and I didn't even really know where I was.

"You can't be very far from the pass since it's only been a few hours since you were at the foot of the mountain. There's a lake on the other side of the pass. It's source is a massive glacier which you might be able to locate from where you are right now. There's a village there called Strauk. You should be able to hide there."

Mentally mapping out the escape route was a good distraction. I could feel the knots in my stomach beginning to unwind ever so slightly. "I need to talk to Kylee," I said.

Terr nodded. "I'll stay close or would you prefer I leave you alone?"

I shook my head. "Terr, when do you sleep?"

Terr chuckled. "When you are at school," he said.

"I'll tell Kylee, would you please inform Tyreek about Chris' death." I forced the last word out. I wasn't ready to believe it yet, but at the very least everyone deserved to know what I had been told.

Reluctantly, Terr nodded. When his silhouette disappeared into the darkness of the night I grasped the communication charm and called out for Kylee.

"Litty," she answered immediately. The disappointment in her voice was poorly masked. She was hoping to hear from someone else.

"Please, Litty, tell me I'm seeing this wrong?"

"A prediction?" I asked.

"A vision of a fire. I'm sorry, Litty. I'm glad to hear you are alright, but who then was left behind?"