It took me several minutes to get my bearings. At first I tumbled out of bed and fell onto moist grass and then I pushed myself off the ground to find myself in front of my full length mirror. Trying to lift the mirage, I made my way to the shower and realized I couldn't find it pass the vines that impaired my vision.
I slid to the ground, fingers searching for my knife and clutching it like a lifeline until my bathroom came into focus. Breathing heavily, I took a shower and went to school.
"Hady," the words sound so hollow. What has happened to me? I felt weak and foolish, standing in the corridors with familiar faces passing me by without seeing what I have become. Perhaps I looked exactly the same to them and I was the one who was changed.
The tall girl in front of me straightened and angled herself, "Are you okay?"
Those words have been so commonplace between the both of us, but today they seemed empty. I reached out for the lockers behind her and leaned heavily against them.
"I don't think I'm going to last another day," I said, "I could barely shake eversleep off this morning."
She gave me a measured look and said, "Look, I know it's a great big adventure to you, but maybe that's your problem. I mean, it's a matter of perspective. I'm sure those nasty everlings were saying whatever they could to get under your skin but you're Alex. You don't let anyone get close enough."
In another world, a different time, I would have agreed with her. Gusto in my voice. But what I said next sounded flat in my ears, "I'm not giving in, Hads. I just can't fight it anymore."
"Don't you say that," she said whilst slamming her locker shut. A soft whirring told us it was locked. "You can't just decide you can't fight against it. That's when you lose."
I never noticed how hard she sounded. When did that happen? How did I miss it?
I explained to her what happened that morning and instead of falling to pieces as I once would have feared she would, she straightened her back further and looked me in the eye, "You just hang in there, because tonight we're looking for some answers."
That night, the molasses that used to push me back seemed to welcome me with open arms. The realization of that chilled me more than anything else. Maybe this was the night I left earth forever. Maybe after tonight, I would never see my father again.
"Hey," A masculine voice pierced my defences and I looked up at Daniel with trepidation. He looked back at me, expecting to see something else and I only shook my head at him.
We spent the afternoon at his house, tortured by Jun again. He demanded so much and only Hady was able to keep up. It was frustrating because I thought I would be the better fighter. I knew I had the mentality of one. It's just that my limbs didn't seem to want to cooperate. It was a glum day, haunted by depressing thoughts and I hated it.
"So, you said we were going to find answers," I said aloud, aimed at Hady. "How do you propose we go about doing that?"
"We look for the enemy, of course." She replied coolly.
The moonlit night no longer seemed eerie, but filled with danger and it was sobering at every turn; we left the safety of our new hideout, knowing that in everland, everything is precarious. The vines that once seemed ominous were only vines, now. The mist that seemed to hold mystery? Nothing more than vapour.
We set out as though we were on a mission. Our breathing shallow and our footfalls silent against a bed of fallen leaves and tufts of grass. Partially due to the lack of shoes. We've tried bringing them with us, but no dice. The best we could do were socks which were always stained with dirt when we woke.
Hady took the center and I was on her left, Danny on her other side. Tonight, it looked like we coordinated ourselves to wear sleek outfits to sleep. Gone were the days of comfortable flannel or mismatched oversized tees and boxer shorts. I had on leggings and a pair of shorts to hold my weapon in and a black top with long sleeves. Hady was in cargo pants and a black wife beater. Daniel wore a fitted shirt, also black, and jeans. Jeans to bed!
Suddenly, a rustle to our left. We all crouched into fighting positions while approaching the source of the sound. It struck me then, exactly how much we've changed. Three teenagers sucked into a world of war. The thought thrilled me, somehow and also gnawed at the back of my mind.
Hady leapt into the shadows and we heard a tussle. When we leapt in after her, she was holding an everling in her arms. I saw the doubt in her eyes. Kill? Mercy? We were all of us, conflicted.
On one hand, Mr. Everleigh's words that echoed through this jungle of fear. On another, our personal promises to each other that we trust no one.
All of the sudden, everything became clear to her because she said in her coldest voice, "Tell us what you know, or we kill you. Are you Penhara or Kyhait?"
The creature gasped in her grasp and I couldn't help but feel it could have escaped if it wanted to. Clearly, it wanted to be caught.
"Penhara!" It said, "Penhara."
"The Penhara have not been friends to us," Daniel said, moving forward to make sure he could secure the everling if it tried to struggle from Hady's hands.
"I know of your sister, Daniel Everleigh," It wheezed.
"As so you should." He said in a voice that matched Hady's.
The everling began to laugh, "Oh how little you know! How little you suspect." It was silent for a moment before its eyes bore themselves into mine. "What do you think, little girl? Do you think you know everything?"
"Of course not," I said defensively, "why would I know of your disgusting plans to take over the world?"
"Oh, but we do not wish to conquer." It said, "We only wish to improve."
"Yeah?" I asked, feeling provoked, "Well, improve this!" I shoved my foot to the base of its throat, crushing its windpipe.
"Still as impulsive." It laughed.
"Hoayin?" Daniel asked, and then again with a note of finality.
"Hoayin."
"You're foolish for showing your face again." My words were a snarl and I quickly unsheathed the knife I carried and pressed it to her throat.
"No, Alex!" Both of them hissed simultaneously.
"Relax, guys, jeez. It's just a precaution."
"Your friend is right," Hoayin said, "or have you forgotten the strength we bear? I am making no effort to escape, because my elders have requested an audience."
Daniel made an undignified sound, "You can't be serious."
"But I am, boy." The everling shot back in her unearthly voice, echoing with reluctance.
"Yeah, sure, lead the way. I'd love to see how a dead everling talks." I spat.
"Brave girl, big words." She muttered, "You are one of us."
Cold fingers lifted the hairs on my neck and I looked to my companions. Hady's expression was hard, while the look on Daniel's face didn't quite look right. It was as if... He were considering its words.
"Shut up, Hoayin, before I shove this down your neck and see how prettily you bleed." I said, letting rage control my fear.
There was a gasping laugh strangled from her, "Do you wish for me to talk, or do you wish to see me bleed? If you cut my throat, I can only do one of the two."
I looked up to Hady for some backup, and she stepped in quickly, "What she means is, if you don't tell us what we want to know quickly, she will-"
"I will drive this home." I pressed the blade harder so it can feel its edges digging into Hoayin's translucent skin which have begun leaking dark red.
"You see - big words."
"I'll do it!" I threatened.
"No doubt you will, that's why you were meant for us." It said the end like a prayer.
Frustrated, I grabbed the back of her neck and shook her hard. "What do you want with us!"
It opened its eyes a slit and looked at me, "You earthlings do not listen. My elders wish to speak with you."
"And why would we willingly walk into a trap!" Hady yelled at her. "You lied to us, you told us that these," she put her armed hand against the back of Hoayin's head, "would make your victims forget, not melt into a puddle! What did you want with us, why did you take us in and why did you give us such weapons of destruction!"
She turned around to face Hady's open palm with unblinking eyes, "The Penhara are imposters," she said calmly, "They want help from earthlings to wipe out the other faction so they may continue with their plans and take over planet earth. I am a Kyhait spy."
"Bullshit." I said. "I say we kill her and be done with it. She tried to kill us! It's pretty clear that she can't be trusted, even if what she is saying is true."
"No." Daniel put a hand on Hady's hand, pushing the danger away from Hoayin. "She could have killed us from the shadows. She could have come with more. Look, she isn't even armed." He said, appealing to the both of us. "Tell us what your elders want with us. Tell us how we can trust you."
A strange expression passed over her features and she straightened herself as best as she could, drawing out a vial. "This would save your sister." She said, offering it to him.
"Or it could destroy her body." I scoffed.
There we were, at an impasse. Danny wanted to go with her, Hady was undecided and I didn't think any everling was worth trusting, not after what happened. But Danny was right, she could have come down on us, hard.
"I wasn't going to survive tonight anyway," I said, snatching up the serum. "If I die, you'll know she's a liar." I popped the lid and drank it all before they could say anything to stop me.
A few moments passed and still I stayed aware of this wretched world, of midland.
"Nothing happened." I said, throwing the vial at her.
"And of course, you unintelligent girl, it was meant for the earth-bound body and not this transcendent form."
"Now, don't I feel foolish?" I muttered. My big act of courage all for nothing.
"But at least we know it isn't poison or anything, so we can trust her." Daniel said gently. I wanted to say no, I wanted to fight his rationale. If it only works on earth, it could still be poison. But I saw the glint in his eyes and held my tongue. I wanted to get this show on the road, too.
And we were here to get some answers, after all.