Lemuria: The City of Mysts

Chapter 30: Distractions

Chapter 30: Distractions

Cheska's strangled cry brought the two men's attention towards her. She clutched her head; eyes wide with unseen horror and mouth open in a silent scream. Her legs suddenly gave out. The man was ahead of Fred and caught her before she could hit the pavement. The stranger said something to her that was too low for the doctor to hear. His forehead creased in concern when the woman didn't respond.

Sirens wailed in the background. The police and ambulance were coming. It meant help for Cheska and inquiries for him and the stranger...and, eventually, her.

Fred approached the woman. He called her name softly.

Silence.

How in the world are we going to explain this situation? They'll haul us into the nuthouse if we tell them, he thought.

The silence dragged on.

"Cheska." He lightly tapped her cheek. Her breathing quickened. A panic attack, his instinct told him. "Cheska", Fred said firmly this time. He held her face in his hands to force Cheska to look at him.

She was stuck in a dark place he couldn't reach.

Where are you, Cheska? Fred searched her eyes for awareness. Please. Come back to me. Then her gaze met his. Recognition flickered within the depths of her fear-filled eyes. Hope flared in his chest. Quickly and calmly, he spoke to her: "Cheska. I need you to breathe through your nose, alright?" Fred held her hands. They were ice cold, so he began to rub warmth into them. "Inhale. Exhale."

"Sis!" Louis broke through the jumble of cars and gathering crowd. He took his place next to her, gave the doctor a questioning glance, and skimmed over her body for injuries. Satisfied with his examination, Louis' gaze wandered to the unconscious men and the dead driver. His mouth pursed into a thin line.

Even the descendant of the Mysts' founder would be at a loss on how to explain the incident to the authorities and the media. Too many witnesses, Fred thought. A number of phones were directed at them. One tap on an app's button and their story would become viral online. Fred fervently prayed Louis had a plan this time around.

"Is everything set?" Louis asked.

Fred frowned until he noticed Louis wore an earring. The stone had blue light blinking at the centre.

"Two minutes. Good. On three then." Louis glanced at Cheska once more. She had stopped hyperventilating and stared into space. He picked her up. "Ready when you are. One. Two. Three."

A phone rang nearby, followed by another, and another until the whole area was a cacophony of ringing phones. Louis dashed into the throng of people, whose eyes were riveted to their smartphones and some on their neighbours. Fred and their rescuer ran after Louis.

At their two o'clock, a bearded man answered his phone, saying "Hello?"

"Hey! How'd you get this number?" A muscular man with cropped hair said, his meaty hand spun the other fellow to face him.

"I-I didn't call you! You called..."

It's a diversion, Fred realised, staring at Louis' back. His gaze flicked to the younger man's burden. Long locks of reddish brown hair swayed and bounced at Louis' every movement. Her messy bun had come undone sometime between the crash and their escape from the scene. Right behind them, he saw the rescuer studying Louis and Cheska closely. A flash of annoyance coursed through Fred and shook his head. What is it with this guy that irked him?

He didn't have time to process it further. When they entered a narrow alley, the street they had come from vanished. Tall ancient trees surrounded them instead. Louis didn't bother to stop and the rescuer was unfazed at being transported into a different world.