// lava | part 02 //
Its bright green eyes were the size of my head. I could see my reflection in the slitted pupils: my eyes were round and my jaw was slack with stunned fear. The bird's gaze reminded me of a documentary I'd seen about hawks and their hunting habits.
It resembled a Macaw, a tropical bird with its turquoise and lemon drop yellow feathers, gold beak, and plumage lifted on display on its neck. It was easily twice the size of a Clydesdale, with claws sunk into the mountain on either side of me.
My instincts screamed at my legs to move, at my arms to attack. But I was frozen with the knowledge that I was this beast's intended meal. I was positive it could scale the mountain in easy strides — it was hopeless.
Instead of flashbacks on my life — like they usually claim you'll see before death — my mind replayed my conversation with Jack. The old-fashioned laws holding Eternity captive, her citizens convinced that darkness was inevitable, the possibility that I could bring change to this beautiful land if I just won.
Was this how the people of Eternity felt as they watched the incarceration of their Queen? Like they stood before the opened beak of a predator? Helpless, trapped, doomed?
Determination crashed through me, and I peered about for anything that would work as a weapon. I caught sight of a loose stone a couple feet away. I wasn't sure I'd make it before the bird bit at me, but I had to try.
As soon as I moved, it released a screech that made my ears ring and caused me to wince. But I used the distraction to dive for the rock.
It nipped where I had been standing mere seconds before. By the time I lay on the ground, with the rock in hand, its eyes zeroed in on me again.
I had one weapon — one chance to get away. I aimed for its eyes, and when it inched closer, I wound back and hurled the rock.
Bullseye.
As the creature wailed, turned from me to reel from its injury, I scrambled away. I slipped, almost rolling down the mountain, until I managed to find some holds.
I wished I had taken more rock climbing lessons as I clambered up the mountain. In my periphery, I could see the birdlike creature swing its head about. Had I blinded it?
Gritting my teeth, I hoisted myself up along the mountainside. My arms quivered, my lungs pleaded I stop, my mouth was dry and tasted of dirt.
Suddenly, it got hotter. It wasn't my temperature kicked out of homeostasis — it was something external. My body demanded I give up, but I reached up once more regardless, the heat worsening.
My hand caught hold of a sturdy grip, and relief tempted to relax my muscles — just one more haul, and I would be at the top of Mount Volum.
As I lifted my weight, a sharp pain shot through my right leg. I screamed, tears welling in my eyes. Glancing down, the birdlike creature had latched onto my leg. Blood dripped off my shoe into the dirt.
"No," I shrieked, kicking to get my leg free and trying to pull myself away. But my strength was depleting quickly. "Don't! Please. I can't — please. Let me go. Please, don't."
The salt of my tears was a strange reprieve from the dirt and dry in my mouth. My voice was sore, my throat was hoarse, and dirt and blood gathered beneath my fingernails.
The pain increased, the pressure almost unbearable. Then, a loud bang sounded, the air tasted like ash, and the pressure was gone.
Still sobbing and screaming, I gave a final heave of my body and collapsed onto the peak of the mountain. I sucked in lungfuls of polluted air — ash, debris, sulfur — and trembled.
Above me, a familiar yet undeniably unsettling figure appeared. He glared at me, a still-smoking gun in his scaly claws. He grumbled, "A third time, bean sprout."
"Please," I coughed out, a weak hand pointed, "my leg."
"You'll heal," Jack dismissed. But he knelt beside me and pulled out a length of tangled bandages, plus something that looked like a squashed banana.
My muscles gave in to the exhaustion. Not even my eyelids could hold themselves open. I simply lay there, lungs expanding and contracting. My leg stung, and stray tears escaped the corners of my eyes.
A few moments later, my leg stopped pulsating and sending pangs of searing jolts up to my spine. I assumed Jack had tended to it, and if my eyes had been strong enough to open, I would have seen my leg wrapped in old bandages.
"Is it gone?" I could barely hear my own voice.
"For now."
Before I could process what was happening, something was shoved into my mouth.
I spluttered and coughed, but his claws pushed the leaf-like substance further in my mouth.
"Oh, quit resistin'. It'll help, bean sprout."
I bit into the leaf, and my face contorted as though I had sucked on a lemon. It had been like biting into a custard-filled donut, except sour. "Eck, what was that?"
"It'll restore your strength." Jack groaned and I heard him sit down a little ways from me. "Y'know, kid, you owe me big. I've saved your ass three times now. Not to mention all the resources I've wasted on you."
As he complained, the exhausted hum of my muscles faded. I chewed and swallowed more of the strange plant Jack had gifted me, and I felt like I had woken up from a fourteen-hour slumber.
How remarkable, that Eternity could heal injuries within the blink of an eye.
My thoughts stopped short, taken over by the view before me. From the top of Mount Volum, I could see all of Eternity. Far in the distance, beyond the stretches of forests and the castle and its gardens, stood a giant tree. Its branches could have housed cities, and something flew about the tree. It looked like a spot for travelers.
The colors astounded me: the greens, the browns, the blues, yellows, pinks, oranges, even grays turned Eternity into a painting, rather than reality.
No matter the tragedies or injustices of this world, Eternity remained the most beautiful place I had ever seen. I was almost thankful to be here, even if I was covered in dirt and blood and injuries.
Shaking my head, I looked over to Jack. "Thank you, again."
He glared at me from the corner of his eye. "You attract danger, Earthlin'. It ain't good for my health."
"And yet you continue to come to my rescue." I grinned. "Does that mean you like me, Jack?"
He snorted. "I don't like anyone."
"You're not as cold-hearted as you pretend to be, Jack."
He opened his mouth to retort, but a spine-tingling screech filled the air. He leaped to his feet as he said, "Ah, Kahla, it's back."
I, too, jumped up and peered about us, waiting with wide eyes for the birdlike creature to bound over the edge and locate me within milliseconds.
But a glint off the ground interrupted my vigilance: the polaroid photo of me and my sister had fallen out of my pocket. I bent to pick it up. I stared at Annalyse's smiling face, and I wished with every bone in my body that I could return home — rather than confront an oversized Macaw.
"Bean sprout!"
But his words came too late: the bird had already snapped its beak at my hand. Screaming, I dropped the picture and stumble backward. Jack stood in front of me, guarding me and shooting one of his barrelled guns at the beast. But I was too occupied by the polaroid, which was now dipping into the open mouth of the volcano.
Mount Volum was an active volcano.
"No!" I yelled, my voice drowned out by the sounds of Jack's weapons. Tears blurred my vision — I had lost the precious item that had been stolen not long ago.
"C'mon," Jack said as he shot at the bird and wrapped his free arm about my waist.
I couldn't take my eyes off the bubbling lava that devoured the image of my sister's and my smiling faces. It wasn't until my body was wrenched to the left that my attention shifted.
We were soaring through the air, down the mountain. Jack had shot his grappling hook at the forest below, and now we were sailing toward the trees at an alarming speed.
I dug my nails into his scales, praying I wouldn't slip out of his grasp. "Jack!"
He rummaged through his bag, somehow managing to hold onto me and his grappling hook at the same time. He pulled out yet another gun, aiming it straight up. He fired it, and material shot into the air — it was like a parachute.
We coasted to a rough landing, but I didn't mind the jumbling. The birdlike creature was nowhere to be found. Either Jack had killed it or sufficiently injured it or scared it off. I didn't care which — we were safe.
Groaning, I collapsed onto the ground. "I am so over this competition."
Jack laughed. He replaced his guns in their respective places, bouncing on the balls of his feet. His eyes danced, teeth bared and glinting. "Aw, c'mon, that wasn't the least bit excitin' for you?"
I quirked a brow. "It was too exciting for me."
He shot me a smile. "Phew, I'll tell ya. These deadly trials are a good adrenaline dump."
"Deadly trials?"
He waved his hand. "Local nickname for this T.S."
With a moan, I forced myself to stand up. I brushed the dirt and grass from my pants. "Well, glad someone's having fun."
"Yeah." His sigh was almost dreamy. He shook his head and then pointed a claw at me. "Okay, this is the last time, bean sprout. If I have to save you again, I'll kill you myself. Just head straight, and you'll get to the castle."
I could see its black mass in the distance. My lips pursed. If I were honest with myself, I didn't want Jack to leave. He had become my protector of sorts, and having him beside me was comforting.
"You sure you don't want to join me for the rest of the rounds?" I cast him a playful smile.
"Nah." He ruffled my hair, and it lightened the load in my heart. "I ain't lookin' to get arrested right now. You haven't forgotten I'm a criminal, have you?"
"Oh, yeah."
"So we'll say goodbye here." He tipped his head at me. "And bean sprout? Listen, good luck. Don't let these trials kill ya, got it?"
My lips pulled back into a smile. "Got it. And thank you so much, Jack. You're amazing."
"I know," he called over his shoulder. "Go straight, kid."
I laughed. "Yes, sir!"
And so, I went straight to the castle. The way was uneventful — thank god.
Opting for the resting period again, I meandered the royal gardens with a cup of water in hand. The plant Jack had fed me earlier had either numbed me to my injuries or had healed them — I felt awake and my body prepared for the next strenuous round.
I wandered through tall golden stalks, topped with a fierce-looking flower — sharpened petals and covered in thorns. Between the stems, I spotted a lanky figure clad in black leather, skin ghostly pale and taut. He held his head up, shoulders back, hands clasped behind him.
Exasperated with the Bride Competition, frustrated with the conflicted beauty and terror of Eternity, my legs propelled forward without my consent. Soon I found myself behind the Prince, hands white with the grip on my cup of water.
"Why won't you abolish the Competition?"
The Prince pivoted to face me. His black eyes bored into mine, shadows fighting one another in his stare.
I shook my head, eyes watery. "I will never understand you."
"We will never ask for your empathy."
My emotions fizzled, replaced by the sobering recollection that his mother had been imprisoned and that he would inherit a despairing planet. My voice was quiet as I confessed, "I wish I could hate you."
Before he could respond, I turned back into the towering stalks, hoping to vanish from those dark eyes and warring shadows.
a/n: i hope you're enjoying the story so far! jack is honestly one of my favorite characters. he's just so fun to write!
be sure to add to your libraries, comment, and vote~ it would mean everything to me!
as always,
hugs :3