Jiwa

Chapter Twenty-Five

"Guys, I have some news. It's about-" I fizzed out. "And the summer camp-" I was flickering between the spirits and the humans. "And that the nibling-and Peni-Puh-are-" I flickered out for the final time, my jiwa landing squarely in my red-haired body.

Outside my cell, I heard clamoring at the door. I turned to see Peni-Puh, frantically unlocking the door. Once he was safely inside my cell, he turned and shouted orders to his men.

He turned to me, panting heavily. He smoothed back his pepper hair and recovered himself.

"Fiona. I have something to ask of you." He took a step forward, then another. "Fiona, I need you to perform magic on my mind." He took three more steps until he was practically on top of me. I couldn't barely move, but I inched away form him on the stone platform.

"Fiona, listen to me," he said. He sounded desperate. I sat up a smidgen, then grimaed, and clutched my gut. I then realized I was clothed only in a square of the canvas-like fabric, wrapped in it for the surgery. Never taking his eyes off of me, he pulled a dagger from his tunic.

"I need you to rid me of these terrible things in my head. I've led two lives, and my father has poisoned all of them. Please, I need you. Please let me use you to help me. Bring me closure..." he reached his hand out. Then, I realized the strange tune of his voice wasn't desperation.

It was madness.

Realizing what he was doing, I turned myself over and kicked him square in the jaw. He reeled back, clutching his teeth. I sprung from the table, ignoring my screaming legs, and launched myself onto his shoulders. I placed my thumbs on his forehead, fingers up, and closed my eyes.

I was transported into a misty darkness. Suddenly, I saw in front of me a light. I walked towards the light, and peered closer to the source. It was a small image-giving device, like a phone screen. I squinted, and saw a scene playing out.

It was the fifth nibling, P. They were upset, and they were screaming at William.

"How could you? How could you? I trusted you! When I ran away..." they clutched their head and sobbed. William gently put his arm around them, and said, "No, P. I did nothing; it was he who hurt you, not I."

They wiped at their eyes and shook their heads. "No...no, I know it was you. You can't trust a Magic...you can't trust a Magic..." they began to shake uncontrollably. Their face distorted into someone much, much older than they were. Someone I recognized.

"NO! P!" William shouted. He cupped their face, but it was too late. Light as white as the moon permanently splintered Ps' face away from their body.

Peni-Puh groaned and fell to the floor. I gasped, then rolled my eyes when no sound came out. William was shaking Peni-Puh furiously, begging P to come back. But they were gone, and only he was left.

"My father...he did this to me..." groaned Peni-Puh. William stood up, sadness etched onto his features. He turned and walked away from Peni-Puh.

I was jolted back to reality. The canvas chafed against my skin. I hopped away quickly from Peni-Puh and let his unconscious body fall to the floor.

Still running on pure adrenaline, I rumaged around and found a spare tunic. It was the same broadcloth, but it was not red; it was a neutral white. Adorned to the shoulders were long strips of white satin. I found the inside of the broadcloth was satin as well. I pulled it on over my underthings and found it quite comfortable. To my surprise, there were also a pair of satin bloomers; I pulled those on, then strapped on my wicker sandals. I didn't care enough to wonder why those were there. I probably didn't wanna know. The sandals, however, pinched my toes, and I glanced around the room if there were any better shoes to escape in; my eyes landed on Peni-Puhs' boots.

I ducked down and pulled them off. I had just wiggled my feet into them when I heard the alarm. A loud clang shook the building. I saw a swarm of guards rush past outside. Hiding behind the door, I waited till it banged open. Then, I swung around the frame and punched the incoming guard in the face.

Only, it wasn't a guard. It was a familiar girl with a headbanded Afro and a jean jacket over a school uniform. She grunted and rubbed her nose.

"Kelly! Ohmigod, Kelly! I'm so sorry!" I threw my arms around her. I looked behind her, and there was Devi.

She stood awkwardly against the corridor wall, watching me embrace Kelly. Her eyes looked a little misty. Her hair was tucked behind her ears and she had the schools' raglan tied around her waist. She shifted uncomfortably until I broke away from Kelly and ran over to her.

"Devi!" I said, jumping into her arms. "You saved me!" I heard Devi grunt as I hit her, then giggled and wrap her arms around me.

"Of course," she said. Our eyes met, and we took a sharp breath in at the same time.

"Fiona! Were you in a prison garb or something? Where did you find that tunic?" broke in Kelly. I laughed and pulled on my shoulder-tails for affect.

"C'mon, I'll tell you the whole story on the way back to school." I linked my arm through Kellys' and threw my arm around Devis' shoulders. We trotted around the corner and gasped.

An army of the Scarlet Snakes awaited us.