Mirrors and Shadows

Chapter Nine

"Maybe..." Benjamin said. "Just maybe... Jake could save her."

The little spark of hope in his mind blossomed to a bright bonfire. "You're a genius, Benjamin! Mr. Ramburt, could you go get Jake quick? Time is of the essence. We need to prevent as much as possible of Audrey being faded."

Mr. Ramburt rushed off to get Jake. A few moments later, Mr. Ramburt came back with a confused and flustered Jake.

"What's going on?" Jake asked.

He explained it to Jake briefly. "Long story short, Audrey is faded and stuck in a world called the Slumber. She's inside and refuses to come out. The Slumber is slowly sucking away at her life force. We need someone very close to her to connect with her and make her remember and see sense. Then when you get to her come out and tell me. I'll give her the instructions on how to get out."

"Woah," Jake said. "You chose me? I think Alastair would be better. Where is he?"

"He's... not here now," he said. "I'll explain it later. Now put this petal on your hand. It'll transport you to the Slumber."

He watched as Jake put the petal on his hand and vanished. He prayed this would work.

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"Audrey!" I hear someone calling me. Not again. It's been four times. Four people, one adult and three kids my age have come to torture me and try to pull me into hell. I know I knew some of them before, but not where and how.

I ignore him and summon a wall to shut him out. Annoyingly, he dodges it.

"Audrey!" the annoying boy shouts. "Don't you remember me?"

I pause in eating my triple-layered lasagna. That voice... it does sound familiar. Then I think, Who cares who he is?

I imagine a soundproof wrapper wrapping around him. His shouts cease. There. Much better. I float the wrapper towards the entrance.

But, extremely irritatingly, he breaks out of the wrapper somehow. Probably brought a weapon with him. More the reason not to trust him.

"Audrey!" he cries. "Don't you remember me? I'm Jake!"

Jake. Yes. He was my best friend.

Was?

I grow wings and fly up to him. "Oh hi Jake. How are you? Are you also friends with those crazy people who want to pull me out of this paradise?"

"Audrey. This is not a paradise. It's sucking away at your life force."

I sigh in annoyance. "That's what the others said too. So what if it is? Still better than going out into the real world and live a tortuous life. Everybody dies eventually."

"But Audrey. Please. You're important to us and the world. Don't you remember your mission? The Emergent?"

"What mission? What Emergent? Who cares? Oh, I get it. You're just trying to get me out so you can use me like a weapon. Since I'm powerful for some reason."

"No, Audrey. This is for the your good. You need to live a meaningful life."

"I choose this life. You can't stop me."

"Audrey, why don't you try just once to go out and then choose if you want to come in again. You'll see sense."

"No. Stop wasting my time." I turn around and fly away.