Beyond the Glow

Chapter 6

My first instinct is to search the crowd, that little girl must have taken it. Even now, I can feel the pull of the lamp, dragging me off my original course. She must have taken it when she ran into me. My feet start off in the direction of the pull, I have to get get the lamp back.

Maybe I can catch her if I walk fast enough. Soon I can see her, standing at the side of the road and leaning against a building. She is holding the lamp in her hands, staring at it in amazement, running her dirty fingers over the pristine surface. I stalk my way towards her, and upon seeing my angry face, she starts to rub it frantically. 

My anger only grows, she thinks a genie will save her. Ha! Reaching her, I grab for the lamp, missing. She sprints off into the crowd, and I take of on her heels, sending up angry yells behind us. We run into various people, and I can see her grabbing things and stuffing her pockets as she goes. Angry shouts start up, louder than before, behind us as people realize they are missing their things. "Guards! Guards! Someone catch them!" Calls a particularly angry voice behind us. Soon, more footsteps join the pursuit behind the girl and me. Great.

"Now look what you did!" I yell at her. My breath was starting to become a problem, sitting as a prisoner for a few generations of the Crawdoves did nothing for my stamina.

"Well if you would go away and leave me alone then I wouldn't have to!" She cried throwing her hands in the air. Various stolen pearls and gems rained down on the ground in front of me, creating a natural roadblock as people scrambled to grab what they could. I zigzagged through them, but it had its desired effect. When I got out of the crowd, the greedy guards were getting jewels for themselves, mush to the dismay of their real owners, and the girl was nowhere to be seen. 

The only thing that kept me from losing her was the pull of my lamp. Sweat streamed down my face at the strain my body and mind was being put at. I needed that lamp. I take off again, and in no time, I'm right back behind her. Her incredulous facial expression at the fact I had found her was priceless. I pant, I need to end this sprint soon. Of course the girl is winded too, but not nearly as bad as me. 

My lucky break comes when she runs down a dark alley, away from the crowds. I can finally confront her without making a scene. If I can catch her. My eyes widen, unable to believe my luck. The end of the alley is a dead end. Of course, knowing the streets like the back of her hand worked out for the girl better then me. She launches herself at the wall, leaving me fuming at the bottom as she claws her way up. Finally sitting at the top, she looks down at me with a smug grin. 

"Na na na na!" She calls, pulling faces at me. 

"Come back here! I need that!" I yelled. 

"For what?" said the girl, over-confidently dangling the lamp above my head. Now that I wasn't tailing her, she was pretty happy with the current situation. 

Grumbling, I think about my options, without my lamp, I'm virtually powerless. Even with my lamp, my strength lay in enchanting things. My father had tried to help me with my conjuring skills, really, he did, but I had never really put them down as important. They were always harder, and as a child I never really saw the need.  

Some genies could do magic without their lamps, but only the really powerful ones. Course, I could do certain party tricks without mine. I could really only conjure when asked to do it for a wish. It was powerful magic, and since I hadn't payed attention, I needed the lamps guidance. Concentrating, I blocked out the girls teasing, and a cat appeared on the wall next to her with an angry screech. 

The girl jumped in surprise, losing her balance, as fast as the cat appeared, it disappeared. Only a mere illusion, but it did the job I needed. The girl fell off the wall to land in a heap at my feet, a sheen of sweat appeared on my forehead, and I wiped it off; and slightly panting. I bend down, plucking the lamp from her fingers. "Thank you for your cooperation." I said. Then leaned back and rubbed my face with a groan. 

"Not as easy out here as you thought." Came a voice behind me. I jumped in surprise, and whipped around. Behind me stood Len, a triumphant smile on his face. The girl started to get up, and I shot her a glare as she did so. 

"How did you find me?" I asked, massaging my temples, I was in no mood for this. So Len won then. Great.

"I followed the path of destruction." Replied Len, gesturing to the chaos outside the alley. People rushed around, still trying to gather up the few stray jewels left. The guards were being hounded by the people who had been robbed. 

I winced, oops. Then, I heard a rock skitter behind me, and I whip around, grabbing the girls arm, she'd been trying to get away while Len distracted me. "You can talk to her about that." I pulled her out from behind my back, and pushed her towards Len. She grimaced and looked at the ground. 

"Well Kida? What do you have to say in your defense?" Asked Len, of course he knows her. I roll my eyes. 

"C'mon Len." Cried Kida. "You know how it is! Or at least you did before you joined your little underground cult." She crossed her arms. "You used to be the best pickpocket out of us all." 

"Its not a cult." Said Len. "And as far as I know, you were more than excited to get me off the streets. You were the next best, and you were very excited to get all the 'good stuff' as you put it."

Kida blushed, "I-um, it didn't turn out as expected." 

Len raised his eyebrows, "You seem to be doing just fine." 

"That's just it," Kida hung her head, sending me a glare from the corner of her eye. I cross my arms, glaring right back. "Its too easy, and people are disappearing. Fin disappeared the other day, he was bragging about this huge diamond he got off some prissy noble, then he disappeared from his bed that night." 

Len stiffened, "We need to go." He looked at me pointedly. 

I stood up straight, and dusted myself off. "I'm not going anywhere with you. Thanks for the help, Len, but I can do perfectly fine on my own." I hooked my lamp back to my belt, and started stalking to the entrance of the alley. 

Len caught my arm, "I can't go back without you."

"I don't care, I just got free, I refuse to be enslaved to anybody again." I shook him off. 

"Don't make me do this!" he called, hurt lacing his voice. I frown, why is he so attached to me? 

I broke into a run, breaking for the alley entrance. 

"I wish for you to let me take you anywhere I want." No! My legs slowed, and my mind thrashed against the magical bonds, slowly my body stopped, and turned around. Facing me, was a bewildered Kida, and a triumphant Len. 

"Hate. You." I choked out. 

Kida's face lit up, "That's why she wanted the lamp so bad!" She crowed. "She's a genie!"

I send her a glare, bringing my hands up to my ears to block out any other wishes he might have, and go into the lamp. A single tear leaked out one eye, and I sat on the bed, watching the colorful drapery move as the lamp was lifted. 

I grit my teeth, The irony of it all. Saved, only to be taken against my will by the very person who helped me escape in the first place.