Author Games: Tempest

Semifinals: Jennifer Mizushima

There was beauty in complexity, intricacy in mystery, that piqued the curiosity of much of humanity throughout the centuries. Revelations derived from phenomena, discoveries unearthed through consequences, were nurtured through that curiosity, the universal insatiable desire to learn through experiment and experience. Yet these revelations could justify the danger among humanity as much as it does the benefit—they trigger human emotions, motivate human thought, and continue to fuel human curiosity until it consumed their mind, their time, and eventually their being.

At least, as the saying went, curiosity was what killed the cat.

Not once did anyone think this would apply to a human.

Fingers fumbled for a handhold along the crumbling dirt wall, her eyes shut as gravity turned her body into a falling boulder. She couldn't begin to imagine what further horrors awaited her at the bottom of the gorge. Was this really the world as she knew it—a world where everything recoiled at first sight, and fought back at first smite? It was hard to reach out to anyone, let alone anything, without getting some form of retaliation that wounded her to some degree.

With each second that passed, the earth turned more hostile, baring sharp fangs and claws so well concealed in its calmed state, menaces surfacing as it stole faithful allies to the darker side.

She lost her faith in the island long ago. Every step she took on the island thus far only lead her into many a trap.

Eventually, her body slammed into the mud with a sickening squelch. Her eyes flew open instantly upon impact, and she wasted no time in pushing herself up to her feet and sprinting through the narrow path. Above her in the widening cavern, the rumble continued to crescendo as tree roots began to emerge from the walls of the gorge, extending toward each other and snaking through the air like a silent serpent through the tall grass. Twigs strengthened their bonds in numbers steadily increasing as they spiralled round and round each other, weaving an impenetrable barrier that no strong punch would shatter.

With every step, she felt her heart jump further up her throat, the taste of blood and bile slowly coating over her tongue as swirling stars shimmered in her immediate vision. She couldn't find the time to stop and catch her breath, let alone question what was real anymore. This, this was worse than any nightmare she could conjure up in her sleep, far worse than a dream which she could simply brush away when she opened her eyes. If this was reality, how could a nightmare even begin to compare to what she saw with her eyes wide open?

"RRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!"

Then there was the girl who sent her down to this hell fifty feet below the surface--an untamed, undomesticated animal of a human who saw no reason to hear her out, to grant her the mercy any human otherwise would have endlessly prayed for. Somehow she was able to conform to the violent ways of this island with grace and poise, and her brash attitude would disgust even the least refined of humans growing up with disciplined parents. Even if she found reason to let her go, she wouldn't do so easily. In some way now, the island pulsed with the same rage she felt, possibly directed at more than just herself—unchecked, the inferno could possibly obliterate not only the island, but all that laid in its vicinity.

"No," Jennifer grunted through her chapped lips, made drier with every breath she took in the sprint that never slowed. "This...can't...end like this."

Somewhere at the end of the path, her mother had to be waiting for her. Her mother, though overbearing in her concern for her daughter, would never want to see her suffer, never want to see her cry in fear. How she'd long to see her again, feel her arms around her bringing the comfort of home in this strange world. Even her father standing with his arms wide open in welcome would be a welcome sight to see right now.

Jennifer...

It echoed in her mind again—a disembodied voice, familiar in her memory.

"Mother?"

Her feet halted in the viscous mud, rapid breathing piercing the silence as she strained to hear her voice again.

Darling, you're almost home. Please come home.

"But...but I was...horrible to you," Jennifer wheezed. "I hated you both..."

You helped us understand why you did what you did, shin'aina. We know now. We want nothing but the best for you.

It was all she could hear, the voice in her head, wishing for her to come home—to return to her true normal life as she knew it before—and it took everything in her then not to fall to her knees and sob. How she wanted to break away from this island, run away and never look back. How she wanted to give in to the fear that drummed in her heart, weakening her limbs until they turned to water. This time, she embraced the opportunity. This was her lifeboat coming to save her.

Take my hand, shin'aina. I'll take you far away.

Slowly, her breathing slowed and evened, her sight clearing until she could see the girl in front of her glaring at her, green eyes flickering with a much angrier flame as she raised her club above her head. Without hesitation, she swung it down—had Jennifer not ducked in time, she would have been knocked out quickly with the blow.

The hit, unfortunately, landed just by her right shoulder, and she dropped the crystal in shock as agony spread through her arm, tingling from where the club had hit her.

"Really? This is not because I spat on your mom this time, isn't it?" Jennifer demanded weakly, eyes flickering up to meet hers.

"RRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"

Another blow from the club missed her entirely as Jennifer dropped into a roll, coming up on her knees and lobbing a glob of mud in the girl's direction. Unfortunately, it missed the mark, but it was enough to enrage her further. Without warning, she threw herself onto Jennifer's body, tackling her to the ground, her hands locked around her throat while a growl escaped from her own.

"Stop," Jennifer choked out, struggling to unseat the girl but to no avail. The longer her hands remained pushing on her windpipe, the weaker the fight became. She gasped and looked up to the tree root barrier, fear overtaking every coherent thought in her mind, and for the first and only time, her lips moved in a rushed whispered prayer.

"Father in Heaven, hear my prayer. I'm only a young soul, a soul who's experienced and experimented, who learned of the world as it is after years of living in ignorance. Please...if I am to die today...take me as I am."

The girl suddenly gasped as she withdrew her hands from her flesh, almost as if she had touched a hot stove—yet she was quick to seize hold of the crystal Jennifer dropped earlier, raising it high above her head. There was no forgiveness in her eyes, no mercy that others would foolishly beg for.

Jennifer, however, just closed her eyes.

All she could do was wait for the final blow.