The Holders

Chapter 4 - James

When we got on the plane I sat down in the lounge. I automatically sat in the chair I always sat in. I understood why Zara always sat in the same chair. Everything was changing. At least this stayed the same.

Talia watched me and Zara sit down then hesitantly took the chair opposite me. Talia was looking around the room.

I watched her. She had short, choppy black hair and bright green eyes.

"Wow." I heard Zara say behind me. I looked to see her gazing out of the window at the busy city below. New York was a lot different than what I was used to. I glanced out of the window but as skyscrapers rushed by below us I had to look away.

Talia saw me and raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything. Guy walked in then. Zara saw him and turned around, away from the window.

"Right, well I'm The Protector," He said to Talia. Why did he always have to open like this?

"The Protector?" She asked, she sounded like she was trying not to laugh.

"We call him Guy." I whispered to Talia, leaning forward across the table.

Guy heard me and narrowed his eyes at me and Zara.
"Anyway," He said as I sat back in my seat. "We're going to-"

"South?" Zara interrupted.
Guy stared at her in surprise, it took a lot to surprise him I'd decided
"It's um just a guess." She continued.

"No, yes, I mean we're going to South." Guy said as he regained himself. There was an awkward pause before he disappeared through the doorway like he always does.

I realised I've never been passed that door way. Nobody has said anything but I think there's a silent agreement that only Guy can go through that door. I wondered who was the pilot, after all Guy isn't there all the time, does that mean someone else is on the plane. That wouldn't make sense though, we would have heard from the pilot and even though I've only known him a short amount of time I can tell he isn't someone who trusts easily.

"Whats going on, where are we going?" Talia asked looking between me and Zara.

Zara was the first to speak, "We're going to South. I don't know what that means really but it's like each of us is a different place." Then she stopped, shaking her head.

"What do you mean?" I asked her.

"I... don't know, it's hard to explain." She bit her lip, deep in thought.

"Zara was the first to find Guy," I told Talia. "I don't know what happened, but apparently they came to find me since some thing seemed to be following me. Long story short, we then had to get you and now we have to go South."

Talia nodded, "So this thing, was it a monster?" I nodded, "Did it look like a little girl?" She continued.

"What?" I asked. She hesitated and then explained briefly the demonic girl she met.

At first I wondered how she easily trusted to tell me that but then I realise I'd done the same. I trusted Zara and came aboard a stranger's plane. Trust is a strange thing I decided.

When Talia was done I told her about the monster inside the electric tornado. When I finished there was pause then Zara spoke.

I wonder why she was so quiet around Talia. She was constantly thinking. I tried to ask her but she couldn't explain.

"I was attacked by a monster as well," I was surprised. I didn't know about that. "It was a dragon with a snake body and it could breathe fire."

Fire? Then I remembered her arm, she doesn't wear the bandages any more but I remember how she would get, what I assumed were, pains in her arm.

There was a pause and nobody said anything. "What's it like living in a big city?" Zara asked. She looked curiously at Talia.

"Loud." She said and Zara laughed. It was a warm, happy laugh which lit up her face.

"Okay, apart from the noise."

Talia thought for a moment before replying. "It's very busy, there are always people about and if you take a wrong turn you might get mugged. We also have the unfriendliest cab drivers you'll ever meet."

Zara shrugged. "Sounds better than living in a small, boring, snowy town."
Her and Talia continued talking. I wasn't paying too much attention. I remembered something my foster mum told me.

"There are many elements that hold the Earth together. Air is peaceful, water is calm, fire is angry, metal is smooth, earth is sturdy. They can all be used for peace or for war. Remember if you're ever in doubt, trust your instincts... reading can also help."

I wondered why I thought of that now. More time had passed than I realised, the plane was preparing to land.

A thought suddenly struck me. How fast were we flying? We had flown from China to New York in a couple of days. Now in less than a day we were somewhere completely different. It could be anywhere.

Somehow the plane flew at the speed of light. I felt the urge to get off the plane and it wasn't because of my new-found fear of flying.

As I climbed off the plane I tried not to look at the door which led to the pilot. I tried not to think of who - or what - was beyond.