Chapter Ten
James Stevenson, father, laywer, lover, brother and son was falling apart. His daughter had gone missing from her hospital bed, and he was frought with worry beyond his imagination.
"We don't know what could have happened," a friendly nurse assured him, patting his shoulder. She shot him a timid smile. "But we'll work it out. She may have just gotten up and gotten confused. This hospital is very big. We have all our avaliable staff searching every square inch this minute."
James noticed how cheerful she was, and at once he felt better. "Thank you." It came out as a strangled mumble.
"Oh, you poor thing!" The nurse fretted. "I think you're going to faint. Keep breathing."
James took a choked breath. "I...I need some water."
"Yes," the nurse chirped, scurrying away. "At once."
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alice Jeane Stevenson hurried as fast as her legs could carry her. Starlight flew ahead, looking exhausted. But running had always come naturally to Alice, and as a fairy it became so easy and weightless. Her breath was even and her heart was resonably paced.
"Hurry!" Starlight chided, turning her eyes up to the glaring sun. "It's easiest for fairies to see at noon, in this bright light."
"Well, they'll be searching the sky," Alice said resonably. "Land and run with me."
"I'm clumsy," Starlight mused. "I'd trip."
By now they had stopped. Alice drew herself a refreshing drink from a puddle. She sipped slowly, feeling exhausted and at the same time, anxious for seeing her daughter once again. They weren't far now.
Starlight plopped down on the grass. "I'm so tired," she said quietly, laying back.
"We must go on," Alice said, tossing her cup aside. "C'mon."
"No," Starlight said weakly. "I'll be sick. I need rest. Just...go on without me."
"So this is what happened to the fairy who said she'd help the humans? She loses her wits and gets lazy. Well, that just shows how ignorant the fairy race is!"
Starlight sat up at once. "Don't start accusations! Please. It's not...it's not like that. I can't continue on no power. I'll die."
Alice stared down at the ground, ashamed. "I'm sorry, Starlight. I just want to see her again. I can feel it...that she's changed. She would be confused. And scared. I have to...go to her. Starlight...I have to keep going."
Starlight silver curls quivered anxiously. "Oh! Please. Something will happen and we'll be seperated...I just now it!" She threw back her head and wailed. "I CAN'T DO IT ANYMORE! Alice, everyone has their breaking point. I think I've reached mine. We cannot, by any means, sepearte now."
Alice stood, undecided. "Starlight...why are we here?"
Starlight smiled. "Becuase of my stupid, dumb, arrogant family. Hah! They think they know what is best. They think they know who is right and who is wrong. They think they know everyone, Alice. But they don't. They just know what would be best for them. They don't think things over. They just...go."
Alice smiled and placed a timid hand on Starlight's pointy shoulder. "Right. But sometimes, even when you reach you breaking point, you have to keep going and going and going, because even though you may break even more, the outcome will make the peices heal."
Starlight stared up at the receding sun. A cloud had settled over the land, promising rain.
"I don't know who I am, yet," she said wistfully. "Or who I should be. But so far, Alice, I think I've done okay."
"Yes," Alice promised, as they began to walk. "You have."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sam dashed outside, gasping as a strong wind ripped at his jeans and his shirt, sending his tousled hair blowing out behind him. His tears were flowing.
Sherylyn was gone. Vanished. He hadn't even known she was in the hospital. She was gone. Gone. GONE! His Sherylyn was never going to be coming back.
He should have said something to her. He should have told her how much he cared, or the fact that those "nice-looking" neighbor boys she mentioned would never look at her the same way he did, or the fact that Sam thought she was the most perfect person on the whole surface of the earth.
"Fairies," Sam gasped, struggling against the pounding win. "I've got to get fairies!"
Sam had lost all hope of magic in the moments of Mr. Steveson's phone call. But somethign came over him. It was if he could hear her whispering in his ear.
"Sam, help me!"
He spun around, but nothing was to be seen.
"Sam, turn around."
He spun again, and at first, all he could see were leaves flying off the oaks trees in his yard. But a little speck of something...a firefly, was right in front of his nose. It flashed it's blinker, promsing something.
"Sam...it's me...." But the words were tossed by the wind.
Sam stuck his fingers out and the firefly nestled deeply into the warmth of his palm.
He squeezed his fist around the thing, angry as ever. This stupid firefly had messed up the sound of Sherylyn's voice. It would pay. It had to.
When Sam opened his palm again, the thing lay still, unblinking. He tossed it to the ground. For a second, all was still.
And then suddenly the grass was rippling and in the very place that firefly landed a girl began to appear.
Not any girl, Sam realized with awe, but Sherylyn!
"LYN!" He screamed, rushing to her. She was battered and her arm lay crooked. Her eyes were closed and her chest did not move.
"Lyn..." he whispered, more quietly. Had he done this?
Sherylyn was wearing her hospital gown, but Sam tore off his jacket and helped the lifeless girl into it.
He began to cry again, just sitting, there, her head on his arm.
Her cried and cried and cried. He had killed her.
But as suddenly as it had stopped, her head began to move. Sam watched in disbelief, as the eyes flickered, and they opened, showcasing the familar, warm brown.
"Sherylyn?" Sam asked.
And then he was back on the grass, and his hands flew to his throbbing nose. Sherylyn had punched him.
She struggled to stand up, but Sam rushed to help her. She was on her feet again in no time, holding a twisted arm.
"You almost killed me!" She said angirly. "You extreme pest!"
Sam was taken aback. "What...what is this?"
Sherylyn looked away from him, her eyes creasing and her angry mood shifting. "I don't know and I'm afraid to know. Something's wrong, Sam. I...I turned into a.....fairy."
"A fairy!" Sam breathed, excitement running through his veins. "A fairy...in the shape..."
"Of a firefly." They said in unison.
Sherylyn glanced slyly at him. "Sam, you need to help me."
"What?" Sam asked. "Anything."
Sherylyn nodded swiftly. "Good. Take me inside and lend me some of your clothes to wear. We're going on a misson..."
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Starlight looked as New York City brightened the horizon. They just had to go past that, and in two night's time they would be with Sherylyn, or hopefully nearer to her.
"Just a little ways now," Alice said with a skip in her step and a smile plastered to her face.
Starlight smiled happily. "Oh, Alice! I'm glad I went on. So glad! It's...we'll be with her soon, and we'll warn the humans and save the world!"
Alice nodded approvingly. "I know! I am, too. We're going to save her, Alice. I just know it. I'll see my baby again."
They went on in silence. Somehow, this silence spoke a conversation never heard before. In this silence, they shared their worries, hopes and dreams. They told of their regrets and triumphs. But then the silence was broken by a cracking twig a ways behind them.
Starlight spund around, her eyes searching. Alice took on a fighting stance. Could this really be the time for the battle?
But it was not. In disbelief, Starlight watched Whitestorm emerge from the bushes. His hair glinted in evening's light. His lips mouthed one word, "Forgive."
Starlight began running, her legs pounding the ground. Her arms stretched, and they found his. They were hugging and speaking, reassuring and caring.
Whitestorm pulled away and looked at her seriously. "I came back, Starlight. I came back."
She smiled. "You did. I'm so happy."
"Does this mean we can go on the same way?" Whitestorm asked earnestly. "Oh, please! I'll never forgive myself for the pain I caused you but...I really do love you."
Winter Solstace flashed before her eyes, and the scene in which they had vowed their love for one another. But Starlight knew something he did not, and it made her heart ache and hurt with such pain so that she knew what she must say.
"I care for you," she said to his soft words. "But Whitestorm, I don't love you."
His shoulders drooped. "But you said..."
"What I said," Starlight said. "Was true at the time. I could say I loved you now, and we could be forced with that bond again, but I'll know it isn't true. We'll be unhappy and have to break that bond again. Whitestorm, we may be meant to be, but we're not meant to be now."
It was the hardest thing Starlight had ever had to say in her life. She could feel herself maturing inside.
"I understand," Whitestorm whispered.
Starlight looked up into his face and his eyes brimmed with unshed tears. "Whitestorm, you will always be my friend. But now...I need to move on."
Whitestorm turned away. "I'm going with you."
Starlight smiled. "I knew you would."
The trio set off again, and the chatter was more polite to feel awkard silences.
But a battle was coming. Starlight could feel it in the air.
Chapter Eleven
Marcus Gair Hunter peered out his window, anger seeping through him from all sides. Sherylyn stood in her yard, talking to someone who happened to be male.
"Dude," Joshua said, emmersed in the world of zombies while playing Marcus's X-box 360, "just come hang out. She's just a girl, man."
Marcus nodded, embarassed. "You're so right, Josh. But still..."
Joshua paused the game and looked up at Marcus. "Are you thinking of a plan of total embrassment?"
Marcus hesistated. The boy suddenly leaned over and hugged Sherylyn. Marcus gritted his teeth and nodded. "Oh, yeah."
The two were whispering and laughing within seconds. They gathered the necessry supplies and with the aid of tap water, they were ready.
Josh was pretty good at making things, so he crafted a handy slingshot from a rubber band, a ball of craft yarn, and a peice of driftwood from Marcus's pond out back.
They gathered at the window, laughing.
"YO!" Marcus yelled, throwing open the window. "DUDE!"
Sherylyn's eyes drifted from the boys face to Marcus's. "Duck!" She cried, but it was too late.
The boy turned around and a water balloon exploded in his face, right on target.
"YEAH!" Marcus cheered, throwing his hands up.
They fired one, two, three, four, five, six...fourteen more but the boy stood there rather feebly and took each one.
Sherylyn stood beside him, her arms crossed, and glared at Marcus. When they were done, she turned to the boy and said something. They both laughed.
Josh stared in disbelief as they went back into her house. "Hmmmm...well, let's play Mad Physo Killer Zombies from the planet Zurbtron of Doom."
But Marcus just stared. Finally, he shut the window and grabbed his DSI.
"Nope," he said quietly, popping in a racing game. "You go ahead."
Josh shrugged and went back to his game, humming the dreadful, slow theme song.
******************************************
Darkrose, Darkethorn, Poisonoak, StarScraper, Meadowlily and Silverstone all stood together in a circle.
“We need to find fairy’s- other than us- to help save Starlight and the humans” said Meadowlily, after telling them what was going on, and why they had all suddenly stopped wanting to fight.
“Well you know, you have me” Silverstone said in a small voice, wincing as she sat down in a chair, as her cuts hurt her to stand, “I want to fight for my good mistress”.
“You will do nothing of the sort” Starscraper said sternly, “I’m sorry, it’s my fault you can’t”. He put a hand on her shoulder lovingly, and quickly took it away.
“I agree with Starscraper, Silverstone. You need to stay here, but you could recruit more fairies for us” said Darkrose. “What we really need” she turned to the others, “Is weapons”.
“That is going to be easy” Darkethorn said lazily, “We’re going to be given weapons anyway. Remember, they don’t know we’ve turned against them”.
“What a nasty surprise it will be” Poisonoak said with an evil chuckle, “when we attack them from the lines. I can’t wait to see their faces”.
“They’ll definitely be surprised when I tell them of your betrayal”.
All six fairies gasped in surprise, turning around to see their enemy. Dustnite stood in the door way, his evil smile barely visible as his unrealistic sized nose nearly obscured it from vision. He held a crossbow in his hands and it has pointed at Meadowlily.
“Drop your swords” he said. Starscraper, Poinonoak and Darkethorn (who had all drawled their swords at his voice) lowered the jeweled incrusted swords, but did not drop them.
"Well...what have we here," he mussed, walking in, still keeping his sword raised. "Betrayers, of our own kind? Your pathetic sister was enough of wear on Spideruby. How she'll love to kill her...and now she'll have to kill you. Pity."
Starscraper raised his sword definantly. "I do not wish to harm you, Dustnite. You've been like a brother to us so many years. But..." he looked around the room, his eyes lingering on Silverstone. "I will hurt you if that is what I must do."
Dusnite spun around and quickly pressed the tip of his sword to the hollow of Silverstone's throat. She gasped in surprise, then was still.
"I'll kill her," he said threatingly. "Right now. Drop your sword!"
Starscaper stared at his beloved and let the metal clink to the floor.
"Good," Dustnite said. Suddenly, Silverstone crumpled to the floor. She leaked fairy blood--silvery and sparkling--all over the stone floors. Dustnite smiled and wiggled his eyebrows.
Starscraper had his sword in his hand in an instant, and in one motion Dustnite was also bleeding--dead--alongside Silverstone.
"Please," she pleaded shakily. "Make sure the humans are protected."
Starscraper bent over her and took her head in his lap. Meadowlily cried quietly, while Poisonoak comforted her and Darkerose and Darkethorn linked hands for comfort.
"You'll live," Starscraper said softly, caressing her cheek with his broad hand.
Silverstone leaned into him. "It's alright, if I don't. And, Starscraper, I forgive you."
"No..." he answered, tears lining his face. "Don't forgive me. I'm evil! Pure, hatred and evil! I wish I was in your place."
Silverstone smiled weakly and closed her eyes. "Goodbye-"
There was suddenly silence as her raspy breath gave out. Starscraper sobbed silently, his shoulders shaking.
Meadowlily fell to the floor beside her. "Oh, Silverstone! I always did love you to death, dear friend. Dear sister."
Starscraper rose to his feet, anger in his eyes. "I killed Dustnite, and I will not stop there! I will do what I must to preserve the human race. It was her wish. Her dying wish."
Darkerose laid a timid hand on his shoulder. "We'll do what we must." Her red eyes swept across the room, as if searching for danger. "But we cannot kill our own."
Meadowlily looked up at Starscraper. "We cannot kill mother and father."
Darkethorn elbowed Poisonoak. "We can, too!"
"I'll kill Spideruby," Meadowlily vowed. "She has caused our family such pain."
"We can take the rest," Darkethron said, looking at his twin.
Starscraper turned his back on the lifeless Silverstone. "We go now. And we fight."
--------------------------------------------------------------
Sherylyn sat in her bedroom, mapping out a plan. She drew charts and typed instructions. Sam lingered behind her, always ready to be of service.
"You don't think Emma could help?" He asked for the tenth time.
Sherylyn shook her head. "No. She can't."
Sam shrugged and bent over, his faces inches from Sherylyn's. He studied the paper she was scribbling on.
Her breath caught in her throat.
Slowly, ever so slowly, Sam turned to look at Lyn. His face moved closer to hers. He closed his eyes warily.
"Please don't!" Sherylyn said abrubptly, pushing against his chest. He stumbled backwards and just managed to keep his balance.
"I thought you wanted me to!" Sam protested, sounding embarassed.
Sherylyn stood up and glared at him. "Well, than you read body language really bad." She felt fury bubble up inside of her. With a pop, she looked down and saw her feet were small...again.
"Lyn?" Sam called worriedly.
"Over here," she said evenly, surprised at the strength in her voice.
"Woah," Sam said, and suddenly he clamped his hand over her, gently. "You look just like a firefly."
Sherylyn bumped against his palm and he released her.
"I do not! I look...prettier. My hair's really shiny."
Sam raised his eyebrows. "I want to see."
Lyn rolled her eyes and surged out the front door.
Sam ran to catch up, "Wait Lyn! I'm sorry!"
Lyn felt her body return back to normal again, "Sam!" she turned around in anger. "Would you stop trying to be Mister Romantic! We're friends, okay! Nothing more, nothing Less!"
Sam looked at her with a shocked expresstion.
"I'm sorry if it hurts your feelings... But I really don't want to get into a relationship! Definitely right as we're trying to save the world!" Lyn turned back around and stomped away.
Sam followed, "I understand," he said, but with distraction in his voice, "Umm... Lyn?"
Lyn turned around in frustration, and felt something tug a little at her back, as if she was dragging something through air, "What!"
He pointed to a place, right behind her back.
She looked over her shoulder, and to her horror and suprise, found Wings. "But!" she stammered, wondering how this could have happend, "I only have wings... when I'm little?! How could this happen!" she was thunder struck by these happenings.
Sam pursed his lips, apparently trying to keep back a comment.
"Sam! What am I to do! I'm human size but I have..." she paused, "These!"
He smiled, looking mesmorized, "Uh..." were the only words that came out of his mouth.
Lyn sighed in exasperation, "Thanks Sam! Your a lot of help!" She turned around and started walking towards the woods. "There has to be some sort of fairy world in these woods!" She said minutes latter.
Sam looked around in interest at the dark and dank trees, "Absolutely!"
Lyn heard a slidding sound, and felt burning pain in her back.
Sam gave a surpised yelp, "Well.." He said after a few seconds, "That answers your question of what your going to do with your wings!"
She rolled her eyes erratibly, and took another step.
There was a sudden sound of snapping twiggs, and Sam and Lyn were flung upward by their anckles. It turned out that they were in a large net.
"NOW WHAT!" Sam asked, trying to untangle his leg from Lyns.
"I DON'T KNOW!" Lyn answered heatily, trying to get her now beautiful hair- that seemed to have come with being a fairy- untangled from Sams neck and torso... AND legs. "OW! Get off my foot!"
"I'm not on your foot! that's your arm!"
"Get off my Arm then!"
"I can't! Stop! That's hurting!"
"OW! GET OFF ! GET ! OFF!!!"
"OW! OW! OW!"
"MY HAIR! GET OFF MY HAIR!"
"YOUR HAIR! ITS CHOKING ME!"
"I CAN'T! ITS TOO KNOTTED!"
"OW! GET OFF MY CHEST! I CAN'T BREATH!"
"OUCH! THAT WAS MY FACE YOU ID-"
"OW! MY NOSE! GET OFF MY NOSE!"
"HA! OW! OW! YOU MEANT THAT!"
"SO THERE!"
"WELL THEN! SO THERE!"
The two fought in the net for quite some time, before they exhausted themselves, and Lyn's wings appeared again, then they were really squished.
"Would you mind!" Sam asked angrily, when her wings had poked him in the eye.
"I can't controle them!" she answered in exasperation. Her wings slunk back into her back again, leaving the two to fight over what they should do.
"Why can't you just turn small again!"
"I can't controle it Samuel!" Lyn said frustratedly.
"Can't other fairies?" Sam asked.
"I bet! But I'm guessing they actually learn! But maybe not! Because they're actually true fairies! I'm half!"
"How do you know? Your father could be a fairy too!"
"Don't be ridiculious! Dad!" Lyn scoffed, "And your a unicorn!"
"Though... Now that fairies are real.. its not impossible!" Sam said with a smile.
Lyn sighed, "No Sam! I'm pretty sure he's not a fairy, and you are so not a unicorn! But my Mother probably is!"
"Probably," Sam agreed. "I bet if you trained yourself you could!"
"Sam! I'm not trained! So shut it!"
Sam looked offended.
"I'm sorry!" she said softly. She started to shrink, and she felt herself falling, then her wings caught her.
"Yahoo!" Sam cried joyfully.
Lyn smiled, and landed ungracifully.
"Here!" Sam dropped something small unto the ground.
But to Lyn it was rather big, being half the size she was.
"Use my pocket knife to cut me loose!"
Lyn looked up incregiously, "With this!" she said back, "Are you kidding! Sam! Look at me! I'm the size of a firefly! How on earth am I going to hold it!"
Sam frowned, "You could turn back to your regular size!"
"SAM! We already had this discussion! I'm not trained!" Lyn thought about it long and hard, but nothing happend.
"There you go! Your learning!" Sam said.
Lyn opened her eyes, and was surprised to see she was back to human size. She picked up the army knife, and started cutting at the rope that held the net.
Sam fell to the ground in a crumpled heap.
Lyn rushed over to him. "Are you alright!"
"Yeah.. I'm fine!" he groaned, rolling over to his back.
"Faries must have set that trap for humans," Lyn said, looking at the tree that had held the net, "I wonder if we set off any mechanism? It would be a terrible way to meet the fairies."
Chapter Twelve
Hey Kaela! Loved what you wrote. Mind if I write some from here? Feel free to log on and type anytime--I'll keep a lookout for anything new! Thanks!
Graswish raced through the castle, it was his duty he knew and he must see the guard, he must sound some sort of alarm, "I need to see captain!"
"Weren't you aware that we are in a war?" said the guard smugly.
"Why aren't you with them then?" asked Graswish.
"Somebodies got to watch Darkrade, don't they?" He exclaimed and straighted proudly, "An' I'm that somebody!
"Listen, here!" Graswish said stubbornly, his features more refined than usual. "We have an emergency. I need to speak with the queen!"
"Sorry, no can do!"
Graswish suddenly pulled a daggar from his pocket and pressed the tip agaisnt the gaurd's throat. He swallowed noisily.
"What was that you said?"
"Go on through...sir!"
Graswish slished the knife across the fairy, and he fell to the floor in a crumpled heap. He didn't need men to get in the way of things at this point. Only death could solve that.
"Queen Sunselletta!" Graswish exclaimed, bursting through the double doors. "Your children are gone! I'm afraid they're going to attack Spiderruby's army--and then win the war!"
The elegant woman turned to Graswish with a grimance. "Perfect."
"What?" He asked with confusion. "Miss! We must alert Spideruby....now!"
"She's expecting them," Sunselletta purred, running her hand across Graswish's arm. "They'll all soon be dead. And we'll have our revenge."
"I...I don't know what to say. You're going to kill your own children?"
"I stop at nothing to get what I want, Graswish. Not anymore. I want the humans dead. And I will have exatcly...what I want!"
She suddenly plunged a sword into Grashwish's side. His last sight was of the queen standing over him, an evil smile lighting her lips.
"Sorry," she mumbled. "But it had to be done. I saw what you did to my gaurd out there. That wasn't very nice. This is what...you deserve."
And then all was gone.
----------------------------
Alice lost her breath as she gazed upon New York's finest. The familiar buildings...the bright, lovely lights...soon she would be home. And she would have saved her daughter.
"Our apartment is this way," she said, letting Whitestorm grab her so they could soar into the sky. Starlight's hair was colored silver in the moonlight. She stared down at Alice with a smile of anticipation and soared up farther.
"We're here," Alice said as she spied the brownstone bulding. Whitestorm shot towards the concrete, slowing at the last minute to set Alice down. The place was very dark indeed; all the lights were off. She tried the glass door. Locked.
"I need to get in here," she said aloud. Slowly, ever slow slowly, she grew and grew until she was in her human form. Starlight stared with disbelief. Alice was even more beautiful as an average human than she was a fairy.
"Just give me a moment," she said politely, then reached into her pants pocked and pulled out a bobbypin. She got to her knees and expertly picked the lock, which wasn't very hard.
"We need to move fast," she said as she grabbed the entrance door handle. "They have an alarm that'll go off in thirty seconds. We need to find the code, should be somewhere in the main desk, and punch it in before it starts ringing. Then the police'll be here and we'll have a mess on our hands. Ready? Now!"
She swung the door open and raced toward the lobby desk. Feverishly she dug through stacks of carefully-organized papers, tossing the ones she didn't need to the floor.
"Fifteen seconds," Starlight announced, hovering near the alarm keypad.
Alice froze for a few seconds, then gasped. Of course. She turned on the computer and pressed the file: FOOD. When she had worked at the desk, the password had always been stored in a nonchalant file. She saw the label: NUMBERS, and hit it.
"Four-seven-eight-five!" She exclaimed. "For seven eight five!"
Right as the final seconds ticked down, Starlight punched in the number. All three held their breath, and then sighed when nothing seemed to go amiss.
"We're good!" Alice exclaimed. She sat back with relief in her chair and then got to work. Quickly she opened up the files where the renters information was stores. She yelped with surprise when she saw the Steveson filed labeled with: Residency Expired.
"They're gone!" She moaned. "God knows how long ago..." Silently she bursted into tears of pure frustration. She hunched over the keyboard, sobbing. "We'll never find them now. We can never save them."
"Don't give up now!" Starlight exclaimed. "We've come so far!"
Alice smakced the fairy girl to the ground with her hand angirly, still crying. Starlight gasped as she hit the hard floor.
Whitestorm hurried to his love's side, gripped her hand, and waited for her assurance that she was indeed okay. He turned, seething, to Alice.
"If you hurt her again, I swear I will turn against your kind. And you will be left to find you daughter by yourself, lady!"
Alice quickly stood and hurried out into the cool night. Her hair was in disray, her eyes puffy and red from crying. She looked up warily, and grimaced as she saw the stoplight. All those years ago...she should have never left her two true loves. All she wanted now was to take her daughter in her arms and assure her everything was going to be okay.
-----------------------------
"We don't have a lot of options," Sherylyn said, looking over at Sam. She had gotten better at keeping herself a large fairy. Still, she hasn't been able to turn back to her regular form yet. She stuidied the black dress she was wearing and noticed the white detail at the bottom wasn't lace, but spiderwebs.
"Ew!" Sherylyn shrieked.
"What?" Sam gasped, turning around. He had been studying the net with interest.
"These are...webs!"
"Cool!" Sam exclaimed, bending over to get a better look. Sherylyn twisted away from him impulsively and he looked up at her with confusion.
"We need to get to work!" She snapped, marching away.
He was quick to follow. "I think...hey, slow down!"
Sherylyn didn't realize she was hovering above the grown, zipping along quickly with her wings. She sighed and let her feet touch the ground. Panting for breath, Sam caught up to her. He took a second to breathe deeply before he spoke.
"I think your assumtion was right. Fairies made it. It's not anything human at all!"
"Like how?" Sherylyn asked, walking thoughtfully.
"It's made from...don't freak out...hair. And what looks like tails."
"I'm FREAKING OUT!" Sherylyn wiped her dress off feverishly. "Can I have new clothes?"
"I think it's okay. None of it came off on us."
"Sam," Sherylyn suddenly whined, "What are we doing? We don't even know, like, why we're saving the world or anything. We just went, 'let's save the world' for no reason! This doesn't make any sense. Maybe we should just go back to my house and research stuff."
"Let's just go to town," Sam argued, overly-excited.
"I can't go like this!"
The children ended up back at Sherylyn's house, where she threw on a turtleneck and jeans, still unable to turn back. Her hair was pushed under a baseball cap, and sunglasses hid her sparkling violet eyes.
"You look normal," Sam said, noting how her hair was still too shiny, and her skin too clear. "It'll work...for now."
They hurried out towards the town. Walking took longer than Sherylyn had expected, and the sun was just breaking the clouds when they came to the first stoplight. What would have been a twenty-minute car ride turned out to be a three hour jog.
She was distraught and tired by the time they came to their desitantion. Fatigued, the pair sat on a nearby bench. Sherylyn put her head between her legs and sighed.
Sam reached out a timid hand and patted her shoulder. She looked up with surprise at him. In his face she saw things she had never dreamed of. Honesty, care, bravery, matuirty...a boy who had been by her side for years, who had never given up on her. And then behind the panes of his face, parted in an apologetic smile, was a love Sherylyn had yearned for all her life. She sat up, leaning closer to him. Sam seemed almost ready to pull away, but managed to stay still. Closer Sherylyn came, shocked by herself but understanding.
Her lips were mere micro-seconds from touching his. She leaned even closer...
"Lyn!"
Sherylyn jerked upwards, banging her head on Sam's, and turned to the source of the noise, worry gripping her.
A totally unfamilaiar woman stood there, tears running down her cheeks. She had short, stylish brown hair the same shade as Lyn's. Her eyes were a light, fleety blue, and they watered with unshed tears. Suddenly, Sherylyn knew.
It was her mother.
"Mom!" She cried, standing up. She threw herself at the stranger, then instantly felt secure in her arms. It was if she had known her all her life.
"Lyn..." the woman sobbed. "Lyn...Lyn...Lyn."
They rocked back and forth for several minutes. Slowly, the woman pulled away. She looked up at the missing peice of her life she hadn't known but had carried in her heart all these years. Sherylyn stifled a sob. She was complete.
----------------------------
Spiderruby smiled evilly, coming out of the tree boarder, something that fairies had not done for thousands, maybe millions of years, and if they had, it would probably be because of dares. There was a smell on the air, that Spiderruby was certain smelled like victory. "Take up the left flank!" She comanded to her shoulders, "Propare to heighten!"
Every single fairy took on a look of pain. All seemed to be growing, slowly but surely.
Spiderruby cackled, she loved this new perspective on life, she felt so big, there was no doubt in her mind that she was the greatest fairy of all the world. No one could compare to her, no one! Not even her mother. She sneered at the thought of her mother. How dare she order me around, it should be I not her as queen. I deserve it! Ha! Who does she think she is to push me about like some kind of piece on a chessboard! It is 'I' you deserve her thrown, I! me! myself!
"Spiderruby! The right flank is shrinking again!" called her lieutenant
"That is 'your greatness' to you...you... scum!"
Her liuetenant looked taken aback, but as if making up his mind he shrugged, "Alright... Your Greatness, The Right side is shrinking."
"That is not my problem is it? Take care of it yourself, its not like your brain is the size of a pea... well anymore!" Spiderruby giggled at her own wit.
Her lieutenant chuckled half-heartedly along with her joke, knowing if he didn't he'd probably be killed, "Good one Your Greatness... well then, I'll take care of it Your Greatness." He walked away to tell the half-sized fairies to concentrate.
Spiderruby tapped her foot, her hand on her hip, waiting impatiently for everbody to grow fully, "Are you done yet!" she whinned.
Some fairy snorted from one of the middle lines.
She turned on the fairy, giving her a glare, "Is there something amusing, Pearyoke?"
Pearyoke blanched with fright, "No... no..."
"Then keep your mouth...shut!" Spiderruby snapped.
"Everyone is ready Your Greatness," Called a admiral, who had been close to her when she repromanded the Liuetenant.
"Finally! MOVE!" Spiderruby called lifting off into the sky.
There was a war cry from behind them after they had gone about a mile into the field that they had come out on.
Spiderruby turned smiling at the sight of her siblings coming at her, swords, knifes, arrows and bows in hand and other weaponds.
She moved to the back of the line to comfront her sisters and brothers, chuckling at them.
"Spiderruby!" Called Meadowlily, her face set in grim determenation.
"YOU FOWL MONSTER!" Screamed StarScraper, starting to charge forward.
Darkthorn held him back with a strong hand, knowing that his brother was in a state of madness that only people that have lost their true love feel.
Spiderruby laughed aloud, an icy laugh that sent goosebumps crawling up everyone's arms, and made their hair stand on end, "You really are pathetic! Do you really think, you could stop me? ME! The great, the wonderful, the beautiful, the magnifenicent!"
Poisenoak, who had once thought the same way his murderous oldest simbling did, took a step foward his sister now, "Spiderruby! We once were unpartable, what happend? Come back with me! Don't do this, you know this is wrong, you do!" he took a deep breath, "You are not the fairy everyone thinks you are! I should know! I know you capable of feelings and I know... that you can love! Don't do this! Don't do it, for love!"
Spiderruby had a weird feeling sturr in her heart, was it pity? Was it guilt? It wasn't anger, that she knew for sure. It was a new feeling that she had only experienced once before. She shook her head, knowing that the feeling only lead to hurt, unexplainable pain. "SILENCE YOU FILTH! YOU THINK YOU ARE SUPERIOR THEN ME! BUT I'LL PROVE YOU WRONG! I'LL PROVE EVERYONE WRONG!" she screached.
Poisenoak sighed, looking down at his own feet about to give up, then he looked up, an idea, "Prove mother and father wrong then! Prove to them that you are not a bloodthirsty fairy that they can order around! Prove them wrong!"
Spiderruby's eyes glowed a bright blood color, "I'LL KILL! I'LL KILL THEM ALL! JUST YOU WATCH ME! NOW STAND OUT OH MY WAY, and you might not be slautered like the humans!"
Meadowlily braced herself, knowing that she was about to have the bloodiest fight in her life, sister against sister, kind against kind.
--------------
Chapter Thirteen
With a war cry of pure hatred, Starscraper charged forward, already shooting arrows. His siblings were quick to follow, discarding their last hope of preservation. It was do or die now. Spideruby screamed in rage as over ten of her soliders went down in less then fifteen seconds. She rushed forward, not hesitating to attack.
She targeted Darkerose first. The fairy, although quick, was not experienced as a fighter. She was dead without any struggle. Darkethorn dropped his sword, hunching over his beloved sister, holding her poor, lifeless body in his arms.
"You murderer!" He screamed. "How coud you?"
The sight of Darkethron dead unsettled Spideruby, but just for a moment. She made a move at Darkethorn, and he quickly dodged out of the way. He smirked for a moment, then gasped as a soldier from behind him stabbed a knife in and out of his back. Spideruby rushed forward without hesitating, and killed the soldier who had caused her brother's death. A few of her troops stood to look at her questioningly, unsure of what to do next. That gave the opposing fairies opportunities, and several of them fell, sucked of life.
Meadowlily approached Spideruby, and it was sister against sister. Spideruby had met her match. The two dodged each other expertly, but then, Spideruby got the upperhand when a soldier grabbed Meadowlily from behind. Spideruby approached her slowly, pressing the blade to Meadowlily's throat. He sister's arms trembled. Warily, Spieruby punched her face with enough forced to knock her unconcious. She dragged her sister off to the side. She hadn't been able to kill her, helpless as she was.
Poisonoke's face was the most surprising in the bunch, and he was taking out soldiers left and right expertly. Spideruby had always counted on him for an ally. She knew, in order for her team to progress, he must be killed. She snuck up behind him, hesitating ever so slightly before bringing her sword in and out of him. He turned to her, looking shocked, and fell to his knees.
"It didn't have to be this way," he whispered, then closed his eyes.
Spideruby wanted to howl with anguish. Why couldn't her brothers and sisters just stay at the castle, where they belonged? Three were dead now. Only Starscraper stood, and he was quickly to be overcome as well.
"Hold him!" Spideruby called, and the soldiers grabbed onto his limbs, and he was at Spideruby's mercy. She regally marched up to him. Suddenly he sighed with defeat and lowered his head, freed of struggle. Starscraper was giving up.
Thoughts raced through her mind in a confused jumble. Should she kill him? What was the right, the good thing to do. She let out a collective sob, causing her followers to look at her warily. Was she losing her mind?
"He'll not die today," she declared with finality. Starscraper's head jerked up, and he stared at his sister with surprise. Not today.
Spideruby landed him a blow to the side of his head, causing his vision to falter and world blacken. She did it three more times before he finally passed out. They set him down.
"What do we do now, Your Greatness?" One of the survivors asked.
"We are several days behind what we need to be," Spideruby said with a sigh. "I'll send one of you back to Darkerade, where you need to send for more soldiers. Or else."
----------------------
Starscraper only saw black at first; what else could he see? He was confused and weary as he lifed his head from the icy grass. He shook water droplets from his face, then gasped as he rembered what had happened.
"I'm alive," he managed to choke out, rejoicing. Then he sorrowed. All his brothers and sisters....dead.
There came a sudden groaning from in the trees. Starscraper rose to his full height, drawing his sword meanacingly. Slowly he made his way in. Instead of a soldier or Spideruby herself, Meadowlily was hunched into a ball, shivering.
Starscarper dropped to her side and helped to lift her from the ground. He shed his coat and wrapped it warmly around her shoulders. Her eyes were wild as they rolled in her head, seeing nothing. Suddenly they focused, and she stifled a sob.
"What...what happened, Starscarper?"
He hesitated for a moment before wrapping a secure arm around her waist in order to support her. He lead her forward, out into the clearing. She wailed with sorrow at the sight of her brothers and sisters, dead on the forest floor.
"No," she cried, falling to her knees. The tears ran freely as she desperately tried to coax life back into them. Starscraper watched in silence for a few moments, the tremors of her tears shaking her little body.
"Do you not care?" She screamed suddenly, getting to her feet. She threw herself at Starscraper, throwing weak punched into his chest. "Have you no decency? Our family is dead! You are not crying! I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU!"
He let her punch him repeatedly, finally gathering her in his arms and rocking her back and forwarth. "I...I do care," he said, his voice cracking.
"You're not crying," she moaned, pulling away from her brother's comforting hug. She stared up at him with accusation in her eyes. "You cried when Silverstone died! How can you not feel such...."
"I feel terrible," he said sharply, glaring at her. "Do you think I don't? I've cried enough for one man for a lifetime! We all have! I'm done, Meadowlily. SO DONE!"
"What does that mean?" She cried, grabbing onto his arm as he tried to turn away. "We need to go to Starlight, Starscraper. We have to stop them!"
"We can't," he whispered suddenly.
Meadowlily was quiet for a long moment. Then she spoke. "Why do...why do you think she killed them but left us? What significance are we to her?"
"Guilt," he said, making it sound like a dirty word. "She feels bad because she killed them. The merciless woman!"
"We need to justify their deaths," Meadowlily said firmly, with authority. "Which means killing her. No matter if you help me or not, Starscraper."
She spun on her heel and bent over each sibling in turn, removing their jewlery and kissing their foreheads. Then she marched away determindely, her chin going up just a fraction.
It only took Starscraper a second to decide to follow her.
---------------
"Sam?"
"Sherylyn?"
The girl sat up with fatigue, wincing slightly at her legs and arms, sore from sleeping on the grass all night. Somehow, she and Sam had ended up uncomfortably close together. She rolled away from him, smacking him hardly in the process.
"What was that for?" He demanded.
"I...I...I don't know!" She exclaimed, sitting up. Her mother was sleeping peacefully across from her, and Sherylyn smiled at her perfect face. With pleasure, she realized she looked a little bit like her.
Sam seemed to be reading her thoughts. "You're prettier."
Sherylyn turned to him, ready with an insult, but instead caught her breath. "I...never mind." She couldn't resist, however.
"Prettier than Emma?"
"Huh?" Sam asked with a start.
"You heard me," Sherylyn whispered quietly.
It took a long moment for Sam to answer. "Yes. To me."
Sherylyn scooted closer to him, closing the distance between them. She swallowed nervously, then placed a shaky hand on his shoulder. Carefully she leaned in.
"I don't think you should be kissing without adult supervision!" A voice suddenly chirped in Sherylynn's ear.
"Ah!" She cried. And with a pop, she was in her fairy form. Sam fell forward in the grass, then sat up, rubbing his forehead.
"Nice, Lyn." Sam muttered. "Act like you're gonna kiss me, then vanish into thin air. Real classic. Har har."
Starlight giggled from beside Sherylyn. She turned to her with a smile.
"He's cute....for a human."
"Whitestorm's not bad himself," Sherylyn noted with approval, finally spotting him resting on a nearby leaf. Opposed to her mother, however, he was rigid with worry and stiff.
Now it was Starlight's turn to blush. "Oh. We're not...I mean..."
"He's avaliable?" Sherylyn asked, arching an eyebrow. Starlight looked ready to protest when Sherylyn suddenly burst out laughing.
"No worries, Starlight. I'm just kidding!"
Names and introductions had been made last night; and Sherylyn felt surprisingly comfortable around the fairy-girl. And with her new life.
-----------------------------
"Queen Sunselletta, we need all the soldiers we can get."
The woman felt dizzy as she sat down in her favorite chair. Her sons and daughters had attacked Spideruby and her army? She was unprepared for the next bit of news.
"They're all dead, Queen."
"What?" She gasped quietly, clutching her chest. "What...what do you mean?"
"All your children are dead. Spideruby had to kill them, your highness. She just had to. They were interfearing. It had to be done."
Sunselletta felt her vision swaying. She leaned back, breathing deeply. Yes, she was evil. Yes, she was filled with hatred. But she still, somewhere deep inside, loved each of her children. Even Starlight, enraged as she was at her.
"King Treshado!" The fairy messenger called, "We need you! The Queen has fainted!"
"I've not," Sunselletta barely managed to whisper. "I need...water."
She felt her husbands arms around her, as she was set in bed. For a long moment, there was darkness. Then, her eyes snapped open and she felt a hot drink sliding down her throat. King Treshado hovered over her anxiously as the Nurse Fairy, BruiseBerry, forced more of the liquid into her body.
"I'm fine, now," Sunselletta said huskily, sitting up. She grabbed her husbands hand. "They're all dead."
"I know," he said gravely, his eyes dark. "I know, my dear, that they are."
A realization slapped Sunselletta in the face. "We've got to stop Spideruby."
"Nurse BruiseBerry, thank you and you're excused," Treshado bellowed. The plump fairy was quick to leave, shutting the door. Treshado went over and locked them.
The Queen began to cry. "Oh, Shado! We have to stop her. Starlight is all I've got left!"
"She's a traitor!" The King exclaimed. "How can you say that?"
"Because," whispered Sunselletta, "I love her."
The Kind unexpectedly smiled. "I had a feeling this was to happen. So I took the liberty of poisioning your drink."
"What?" She gasped. Suddenly her head swayed. "Husband...no! You..."
"Shhh..." The king murmured, coming over and grabbing his wife's hand. "It's alright. You'll soon be dead. I had this planned...all along."
"You couldn't!" She cried, falling to her knees. "No...Treshado!"
"I'll kill that worthless scum of daughter Starlight next, then Spideruby." He chuckled. "Don't worry, you'll all be together soon."
"Please...don't do this..." she whispered, a tear sliding down her cheek.
He frowned. "I have to. I have to KILL those humans for what they did to my brother."
Her eyes began to close. "I...I..."
He leaned over her dead body and slid her eyes closed, clucking his tongue. Then he dripped some water on his cheeks, and sighed shakily.
"Help," he called fakely. "The queen..." He finished with a smile. "Is dead."