Guardians of Plaxas

Chapter the Eleventh: Ruby

Once Dad left, Mom and I stayed holed up in our house. We never left, not until we ran out of food.

When that happened, mom made me go to the store. She forced me to, refusing to go out of the house. I would have refused too, except that we needed food. So I went to the store.

I pile my cart high with things until I can barely see over the top of it. The cashier gawks but doesn't question me as she rings up the bill. $347. It's a good thing mom gave me lots of money.

As I'm bringing the groceries to the car, I think that I spot a familiar face. I shake my head. No, it can't be. She can't be here.

I turn away, pushing my cart faster as I head through the empty parking lot, towards the car, not looking back.

I hear footsteps behind me.

"Ruby. Ruby! Ruby!" she calls, her feet pounding on the hard asphalt.

The cart rattles and shakes as I dash to the car, trying to stay ahead. Ahead of her.

With the cart, it's hard to stay ahead, and eventually she catches up with me. She grabs my arm and yanks it backwards.

My hands fly off my cart and it rumbles a few feet forwards before clattering to a stop. Fortunately, nothing falls out.

I turn towards her, my eyes wild. "Mistress Kali. What do you want?"

The mistress's eyes look sad, but she can't fool me. She is not a sympathetic person. Mistress Kali ruins lives and she knows it.

"Ruby. I haven't seen you in so long. How are you?"

I seethe, trying to yank my hand away from her. "Get away from me! I never want to see you again. You ruined my life!"

"Ruby, dear, I never meant to. It was a misunderstanding," Kali lies.

I snort. "A misunderstanding. Right. You....you only used us because we were convenient. Because you could lie to mom so easily. Because you worked with dad. I don't believe you. And I know that my life was not the only life that you ruined. Not including my sister of course,"

"Ah, your father. I heard that he caught that horrible sickness. Best of wishes on his recovery," she says sweetly.

"Don't even mention him. You aren't worthy of speaking of him!" I cry. How dare she say that. We both know that there is no recovering from the sickness that has swept the town.

"Where's your sister, dear? Shouldn't she be with you?"

I snarl. "Yes, that's what you wanted, isn't it. That's what was needed for your spell to work. Well guess what. Opal was sent away. Sent to your stupid school, the one you loved so much. The one that turned you into what you are. The one that took my sister away from me forever,"

Mistress Kali's eyes fill with fright. "Oh, dear. I never meant for this to happen. It was....it was a harmless spell! Not....not this,"

I yank my arm away from her grasp, finally. Kali's eyes stare past me as I dash away from her, grabbing my cart and rushing for the car.

I'm trembling as I load the food into our tiny car. The mistress is just standing in the middle of the parking lot, staring off into space. She could come for me again at any time. She could ruin my life again.

I slam the trunk door down with trembling fingers and get into the driver's seat. I start the ignition, my hand shaking. And I drive towards home without looking to see if Mistress Kali is alright. Because I don't care. I hope that I never have to see Mistress Kali's face in my life again.

Author's note: I understand that Ruby is only thirteen years old and too young to drive a car, but in this scene, her mom is very weak and depressed because her husband left the two of them, and the roads are mostly empty anyway, due to fright from this sickness. Ruby's father taught her to drive when she was ten, just in case, and they had to get to the store because they had no food left. 

Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoy it so far. It's going to get more exciting soon.