I Don’t Play the Piano

Hiya guys!
My essay prompt for a test was to write a creative story starting with the lines What in the world was I doing onstage? I don’t play the piano, and this happened! Enjoy! 🙂

What in the world was I doing onstage? I don’t play the piano. I sneak a peek through the curtains, feeling my confidence ebb away. I don’t think I can do this…what was I thinking?

No, I know exactly what I was thinking. The star of the show, unique, one of a kind: that would be me. I had set it up with my friends, planned it out carefully, even prepared arguments in case somebody objected!

Imagine, a normal piano performance. The audience swaying along to the music, skillfully played by a young group of musicians. Then, right before playing their next song, the boys straighten up slightly, the girls covertly stretch their fingers. They all glance at one another quickly, and it is obvious that they’re excited but trying to hide it.

And then, what does one see? Another young girl, dressed in freer clothing that her peers, gracefully waltzes out from behind the curtains–now open–pausing in front of the musicians. A lull in the music, sudden quiet in the audience. What’s going on?

The music starts up again, and the girl begins to dance.

At least, that’s what I hope happens.

My friend taps my shoulder, a silent gesture of “good luck!” I nod back, plastering a confident, easy smile on my face. The performance starts, and I bite my lip as I wait for the evident cue.

There! I hear it, and, my breath catching, take a step towards my stage.

What was I doing onstage? Dancing, of course.

Sickness

Hi!

Here is the last of the poem collection, but this one can also be seen as a stand-alone. It’s named Sickness:

The child coughs, grasping with thin fingers.

I stiffen,

somehow unable to tear my eyes away.

He, she, it, crawls closer.

Inching closer,

coughing, spewing stuff everywhere.

I gasp, teetering at the edge of running away,

or helping.

Closer, closer, closer…

It peers at me.

I can’t move.

The child stops to cough more,

bending over,

curving into a ball.

I watch, a few unstoppable tear leaking out my eyes.

The child is darkly thin,

clothed in rags,

close to death, anyone can see.

It uncurls, moving again, reaching for me.

Then, a voice,

sharp, crisp.

A small, wrinkled hand reaches for me.

I hesitantly reach, brushing the rough exterior,

some hope blooming.

I sigh, moving away,

one part of me wanting to stay,

to help

but a larger part wanting to escape.

Good bye, and may you see another day.

Turn Away

What’s up?

Here is the second poem. It can be seen as a sequel, of sorts, to Gone. This poem is called Turn Away:

Behind the closed door, I can hear them fighting.

My mind whirs, analyzing possibilities,

thinking back to the beginning, my fault:

me, and my mind.

I can change it, turn the fight into something else–

like a rainstorm, slowly plinking into sunshine.

Wavering, fighting with myself…

Should I?

The closed door, a puzzle waiting to be solved.

All it would take is a few steps, a few words,

I could fix it all.

I slowly brush my hand over the smooth wood,

rubbing the flaws, like my life.

Tiny, but able to destroy the whole door.

Their fault…not mine.

They made me like this.

My heart hardens, and I turn away.

I’m sorry.

MTH: Chapter 6, The Escape

Hi again! How are you all?

Here’s chapter 6 for Myra: The Hidden, right on time for once 🙂 If you want to start at the beginning, or read the last chapter, here is chapter 1 and chapter 5!

Lyion was sleeping peacefully when Kimbir woke him.

“Lyion, come on! We have to move.” Lyion got up willingly enough, though he wanted to know why they were moving. “My Lady will explain,” Kimbir answered. He grabbed Lyion’s hand and dragged him out the door where Lily was waiting.

“What’s happening?” Lyion asked her.

“We are moving you so it will be harder for them to figure out where you are. Clementine and Kerri, along with their friends, will probably be heading here right now, so we have to move,” Lily explained.

Lyion nodded, only half getting it, mostly because this was said while he was struggling to keep pace with Lily, Kimbir having stayed behind.

Then Lyion had a thought, and he knew Lily wouldn’t like it. He still didn’t fully believe her, and if people were going to come rescue him, they would probably be Clem or Myra. Well, hopefully. And, there was always the ahem pretty high–or so he tried to convince himself–chance that Lily was lying, so then it would be easy for any rescuers to find him. Now that he thought about it, going to a random place in a strange building with a random person that he didn’t know was really stupid. With this thought, Lyion stopped walking. Lily stopped too, turning around to look at him.

“Why did you stop walking, Lyion?” she asked.

“Well, I was thinking,” he started. “I don’t exactly know you, nor do I know if what you’re telling me is the truth. Why would I follow you?”

Lily looked shocked. “Do you really think I would lie to you? Why would I?”

Lyion shrugged. “I don’t know,” he answered. But, you know, I am the crown prince.

“Co-” Lily was interrupted by a boy running into the hallway.

“Lily! They’ve broken in!” he yelled before tearing down the hall. Lily was stunned, but that quickly changed to outrage.

“Those…!” she growled, “Come on Lyion, we’re leaving!”

Lyion shook his head. “No, we’re not. I’m not going with you. I-”

“Oh be quiet and come on!” Lily took his hand and dragged him after her, to Lyion extreme annoyance, especially seeing that she was stronger than he was. Gain more muscle, he mentally noted with a sigh.

“Lost patience already?” a voice said cooly.

Lily rolled her eyes, slowing down while gritting her teeth. “Really? You can’t help but make it oh so dramatic. Get a life!”

Clem walked up in front of them. “No Lily, you get a life,” she said sweetly.

Meanwhile, Lyion was standing with his mouth open, much as he had looked when he found out that Clem and Myra knew each other.

“Clem…Lily?” he managed to squeak, eyes darting between the two.

Clem grimaced. “I see you’ve noticed our resemblance. Yes, we’re sisters,” Clem explained calmly, while Lily was composing herself.

“How’s Rose anyway?” Lily asked sarcastically, glancing around with a furtive gaze.

“I’m fine, thanks.” Another girl appeared behind Lyion, presumably Rose. The boy noticed the same distinct features as Lily and Clem–could she be another sister?

Clem smiled. “You might want to hand over Lyion. The place is covered, and I don’t think your people would like it if they knew some of the people you have here. I mean, do you really want people to know that you kidnapped the prince?! I didn’t think so. Anyway, we’ll be seeing you, I guess? I bet you’ll do something again that we have to clean up!” Clem and Rose shared a smile as Clem steered Lyion (who was still utterly perplexed) towards the door.

“Now wait one se–you know what? Never mind,” Lily gave up as she–furious, and completely exasperated–watched the trio leave.

Clem and Rose held in their laugh until they were significantly out of range.

“We should really stop taunting her, shouldn’t we?” Clem asked lightly.

“Yes, we should.” Rose sighed. “She will get us back one day, sooner or later.”

Clem frowned at the thought, then shrugged, turning to Lyion.

“What were you thinking?!” she asked, all visible traces of laughter gone. “I told you not to leave the room! Why didn’t you listen?”

Lyion stared at his feet.

“I was bored,” he said in a small voice, mentally cringing.

“You were bored!” Clem thundered. Rose put her hand on her younger sister’s arm.

“Calm down Clem. You were like that when you were younger as well,” she reminded her, smiling gently.

“Yes, but I was 7! Lyion is almost 16!”

“Oh, is that so?” Rose asked. “I seem to remember you throwing a fit a couple of years ago about not having anything to do. And you were around the same age as Lyion.” Clem colored lightly, but didn’t back down.

“But I’ve never actually gone against a suggestion from someone who clearly had my best interests at heart.” She threw a pointed scowl at Lyion, who meekly smiled back.

Rose and Clem kept on arguing back and forth, as he watched them helplessly, trying to figure out what had happened to his completely sane life, the whole way back to the house Myra was waiting in.

***

Lyion, although he tried not to show it, was very nervous. He knew Myra was in the house right in front of him, and he wasn’t sure whether to be happy or angry or annoyed or excited or what. He took a deep breath…and followed the two sisters inside, another girl that had joined them right outside of Lily’s abode bringing up the rear.

Myra wasn’t in the foyer, and, when Lyion asked (with more than a little reluctance) one of the girls occupying it, he was told that she had left a little while ago and would be back in a few hours. He was, admittedly, a little disappointed, along with relieved. Finally, after wandering around a bit and basically getting bored, Lyion found a moment to talk to Clem.

The two seated themselves in an empty room, a little aways from the main part of the house. Clem turned expectantly to Lyion, raising an eyebrow in question.  Lyion gathered his thoughts, then launched in.

“Will you please explain to me what on Druwald is going on?! What’s the connection between the three of you?” He gestured to vaguely include Lily and Rose, knowing Clem would understand what he meant. “Are the three of you sisters? What’s the deal between you and Lily?” He paused for a few moments, trying to come up with more questions. “Just answer those for now, I might have more later.” He looked up at Clem expectantly, to see her tight-lipped and rigid in her seat. Did he insult her, or something?…

After a few more moments, Clem seemed to relax enough to speak. “First of all, yes, we’re all sisters,” she said, smiling. “And as for the deal between Lily and I? Well, that’s a bit of a long story. Actually, it’s more like the deal between Lily and Rose, since Rose dislikes her more than I do!” Clem laughed softly, seemingly lost in thought. Lyion waited patiently, getting the feeling that he was finally going to receive answers to his questions. Clem finally shook her head, smiling at him.

“Let me start from the beginning: When I was very young, around one or two, our parents had left us. We still don’t know why; we were too young to understand, I guess. Rose, being the oldest, took care of Lily and I, as well as herself. It was hard for her, that much was obvious to us even though we were barely toddlers. But what could we do? We did still have family, but they lived far away and didn’t know that we were alone.

Around the time I was five–and Rose was eight–we met a boy, who started to help take care of us. His family was gone as well, but he was part of a pretty large group that took us in.”

Clem smiled sadly, looking away from Lyion for a few moments.

“Lily had always been proud, even back then where she was six. She didn’t like the idea of us being charity cases, I guess.” The girl sighed. “Lily and Rose had a huge fight over whether or not we should join the group–and Rose eventually won. Lily had threatened that she would leave, but Rose–and I–thought that she was bluffing. We were wrong, because Lily really did leave. Ever since then, we’ve been clashing again and again.” Clem turned her gaze back to Lyion, who was staring at her with a slightly astonished expression.

“I-I’m sorry,” he managed, still surprised.

Clem laughed softly, shaking her head. “Don’t be,” she assured him with a shrug. “It was years ago, there’s not much we can do now.” Lyion smiled tentatively at her, impressed by her attitude, his impression of the girl jumping up a notch.

The two talked for a while longer, before Lyion finally decided to go for a walk. He assured Clem that he would stay in earshot and sight of the house, survived through a lecture on how he should not do any more stupid things (no duh), and stepped out the door. He could definitely use some fresh air, and alone time. How many females were in that house again?

Lyion was walking for awhile, round and round the house, when he finally got tired. He was about to head back, and then he heard a weird pattern of notes. It was kind of like a bird, but also kind of like an owl, only subtler.

It was beautiful.

Lyion slowly walked towards the sound, trying to be as quiet as he could. Unfortunately, he wasn’t quiet enough, because the sound stopped. Lyion stopped as well, and then listened as hard as he could. He didn’t hear anything out of the ordinary, so he continued to walk in the direction the noise came from.He reached a large clearing, and only then did he note that he couldn’t see the house anymore. Lyion debated whether to turn back or not, and then, very reluctantly, turned around and retraced his steps. He didn’t notice the pair of eyes watching his every move.

Clem was waiting for him. “Are you okay with eating here?”

Lyion nodded, suddenly nervous. Myra would be back soon. Clem noticed his look, and distracted him by asking him what food he wanted, and making him describe his favorite foods in great detail. By the time it was actually time for dinner, Lyion was laughing and had completely forgotten about Myra. Until, that is, the bird came.

***

Lyion stopped in the middle of a sentence as a starling flew in the somewhat open window. It had a roll of paper tied to its leg, and it landed right in the middle of the table. Rose gently picked up the bird and untied the letter. Then she read it out loud (after quickly scanning it):

Will be late. Followed. Visitors. Hide him.

Everyone was quiet, some glancing at him. Lyion knew the person mentioned in the letter was him, and he also knew the letter was from Myra. He had barely processed this information when Clem grabbed his arm and tugged him to a standing position. “Come with me quietly,” she whispered in his ear. Then she glanced, in passing it seemed, at her sister, who inclined her head. Clem yanked Lyion after her, and ran to the other side of the house. “From now on, until I say so, your name is Peter, okay?” she said quietly. Lyion nodded in between pants.

The two friends reached a back door, and Clem pulled Lyion through it. The boy hardly had time to notice the normal activity going on behind him before he was forced to follow her.

“What’s going on?” he asked breathlessly.

“Someone is coming who shouldn’t see you, especially with us. I have to get you back to the palace asap,” he was told. Lyion accepted this without argument, meanwhile thinking how much his life had changed in the last four days. It was only when Clem was about to go to her rooms, after dropping him off in the palace, that Lyion remembered to ask who the person was.

Clem grinned at him, then said, “King Albert.” Lyion stared at her in shock, internally rolling his eyes at her reckless expression.

Gone

Hi everybody! Here is the first poem in a collection that I recently wrote. This one is titled Gone:

I close my eyes, smiling sadly.

Memory can be like wind sometimes, invisible

hard to keep, a treasure.

A few drops trickle out of my eyes,

some getting caught in my lashes,

carving out rough roads in the rust of my face.

I’ll never forget her eyes: wide, shining,

looking up at me, like little lamps

in the dark of her life

lighting the way, without fear.

Green, like the graced, gifted, grand geckos she adored.

Bright, like the beautiful, bountiful butterflies she flew with–

at least in her dreams.

Mine are a muddy brown,

a source of disappointment to my family,

a source of sadness to me…

a source of joy for her.

The only reason I was self confident,

the only reason I lived through the hurt.

Bright, green eyes…eventually swallowed by the darkness.

A tear falls on her silent face, gone forever.

MTH: Chapter 5, The Kidnapping

Hi!!

I’m so sorry that I didn’t post anything for the last few months! I was traveling, and I guess I’m not used to posting every Wednesday and Sunday. Fear not, though — I will get back on track!
Anyway, here’s chapter 5 of Myra: The Hidden.

P.S. If you’re here for the first time, chapter 1 is right here. And, if you want to catch up on what’s been going on, chapter 4 is here!

Lyion woke up in a room that was very purple. Other than that, it was quite comfortable, with a bed that Lyion was sitting on, a desk, a wooden chair, and other items most take for granted. There was also a door, and it was open.

An pale teenage boy walked in. Lyion smiled. He had begun to believe that everyone else was a girl. The boy glanced at him, sighed, and then walked through another door. He came back a few seconds later, in different clothes, and walked up to Lyion.

“Hi. I’m Kimbir,” he said in a sort of shy tone.

“Hi. I’m Lyion.” Lyion smiled, too mollified to be shy. Kimbir sat next to him, shaking his head.

“I’m sorry. You don’t know where this is, do you?”

“No. I was just walking in the forest when a bag fell on me. Next thing I knew, I saw purple, and you walked in.” Lyion’s smile faded as the events of the previous day came back to him. He frowned as his mind tried to grasp the possibility that he was just kidnapped in broad daylight. As the first twinges of anger emerged, Lyion’s frown deepened.

Kimbir sighed, then opened his mouth. But, before he could speak, a girl walked in.

“Hi, Kimbir. Hello Lyion,” she said. Kimbir bowed at her, while Lyion wondered why she looked so familiar. He opened his mouth, but was unable to figure out something to say.

“My Lady. I will leave Lyion in your capable hands.” Kimbir interrupted Lyion’s thoughts. The girl smiled.

“Thank you Kimbir.” She came to sit by Lyion as Kimbir left for his room. “Hello. My name is Lily.” Lyion was confused.

“You look just like Clem!” he exclaimed, finally realizing why she looked familiar.

Lily raised an eyebrow, her smile faltering. “Yes, Clementine. What talent, wasted like that.” She saw the befuddled look on Lyion’s face grow. “Um, you know. Clementine. Kerri’s friend?”

Lyion’s eyes widened momentarily, wondering how she knew. “So?” That doesn’t seem like talent wasted…

Lily sighed, focusing her full attention on him. “So? Kerri, the evil person we’ve basically heard of since we were tiny? How do you not–” She stopped mid-sentence, her mouth hanging open. “Oh for the love of Isandel!”

Lyion was a little taken aback, unfortunately not watching his tongue. “You mean Myra?”

Lily shook her head. “No no no! I mean Kerri!” She glanced at him helplessly. “Don’t tell me. Did she seriously convince you that she was good?!”

Lyion shrugged minutely, still trying to formulate an answer. “Wait…” he realized. “If Myra really is that bad, how do you know that Clem is her friend?”

Lily smiled, laughing a little. “Clementine has been informing us, her so-called allies, about you since she came.”

“‘So-called allies?’ And you want me to trust you?”

Lily laughed again. “Of course I’m not really supporting her. I’m on your side–that’s why I brought you here!”

Lyion nodded minutely, questions popping up in his brain. Riiiight…and I’m supposed to believe you? he wondered sarcastically.

Lily must have noticed his skeptical gaze, as she suddenly smiled. “If I’m lying, then I wouldn’t know very much about you, right? Because Clementine wouldn’t have told me anything?” Lyion slowly nodded, wondering where this was going. “Ask me any question about you.”

“…how old am I?”

“Almost 16!”

A pause.

“Do I have any pets?”

“Yes. You have a horse.” Lyion was mildly surprised.

“What’s her name?”

“Mischief,” Lily answered confidently.

“Okay,” Lyion said, trying to find something that would be difficult to figure out. “What is my favorite pastime?”

Lily smiled. “Riding, or, recently, wandering around a certain forest.”

Lyion questioned her for half an hour more, then had to admit that she might, just might, not be lying. Or, you know, she was just a creepy stalker. She seemed to know just as much about him as Clem, maybe a little less. They talked for hours about Myra — or Kerri, as Lily called her — so long that Lyion started to believe her, much as he didn’t want to. He went to sleep that night wondering if he really was so naive as to believe that Myra could be a good person.

***

Clem knocked on the door, trembling inside as she wasn’t sure how she would be received. She waited to see if it would be opened, knowing that there were many pairs of eyes watching her. She sighed, pretending to be bored, while she was actually annoyed and scared–not for herself. Then, finally, the door opened. Myra stood in front of her, no expressions visible.

“Hi,” Clem said, to break the silence.

Myra just nodded, gesturing for Clem to come inside. When Clem was settled in a chair, Myra spoke. “Lyion, I’m guessing?” she asked. Clem nodded, not surprised. “He’s gone.” It wasn’t a question. Clem nodded again, this time suspicious.

“You knew, didn’t you?”

Myra inclined her head.

“Yes, I knew. But there was nothing I could have done.” Seeing the look on Clem’s face, Myra continued. “It’s better for him to know the dangers first-hand. He won’t be so eager to join us.”

Clem had to agree with that. Lyion was too eager to figure out everything about her and Myra, and their world. She just hoped that he would never learn about Skupina Divek. So much that…

“You don’t think he’s been telling the king, do you? About us?”

“No. He would never do that, unless he thinks we want him too.”

Clem shook her head. “Where is he? Who took him?”

Myra looked at her sideways. “You sure you want to know? You won’t like it.”

Clem nodded, tight-lipped. She wasn’t puzzled as to why Myra knew, probably because she was just so used to the slightly older girl having all the answers.

“Lily.” Myra watched as Clem growled, then rested her hand lightly on the girl’s shoulder. “She won’t harm him. She wants us to go get him, and she’s probably trying to convince him that we’re the bad guys.” Myra sighed. “This is going to be messy.” She looked thoughtful as Clem watched her.

“What are we waiting for?” Clem asked impatiently.

Myra held up a finger, waited for a few moments, and then said, “okay, you can go now. And no, you don’t want to know the calculations I just made.”

Clem sighed, then headed for the hall. She didn’t notice the amused look Myra was giving her back, nor did she discern that Myra hadn’t made any calculations and was just pulling her leg.

“Who do I bring?” she called over her shoulder.

“Anyone. Two or three people, probably…two.”

“‘Kay.” Clem gestured for two of the girls she passed to follow her on the way to the door. “We’re going to pay my dear sister Lily a visit,” she told them.

MTH: Chapter 4, The Curiousities of Friendship

Welcome back!!
Chapter 1, chapter 2, and chapter 3 are, respectively, here, here, and here.

The king wasn’t at the palace.

The king wasn’t in the garden.

He wasn’t anywhere, as far as Lyion could see.

Although, Clem didn’t really care.

“Lyion, why are we looking for him?” she asked, watching the trees.

“Because he’s my father, and he knows about Myra, and I really don’t think it’s a coincidence that when Myra is alone in the forest he just happens to not be here!”

That got Clem’s attention. “He knows about Myra?” she asked, eyebrow cocked. Lyion groaned. Clem had only listened to that part of his mini-rant.

“He knows I meet with her sometimes.” Then he quickly told her about that morning’s conversation with the king. Clem nodded thoughtfully, and then made a very big mistake.

She let the hint of a smirk curl her lips.

***

Of course, there was still the king. Myra sighed as she climbed another tree. King Albert was very slippery, and clever enough that she would have been very surprised if he hadn’t figured out that she was here and that Lyion was visiting her. He was probably already at the palace by now, although Myra still had to make a sweep of the forest just in case.

She was right, of course.

Myra headed back to the palace, making sure to remain hidden. When she finally reached the palace, Myra noticed the small patch of white on the bottom of the door. She pulled it off and quickly read it, frowning slightly. A whistle later, a bird was flying away, another note attached to its leg.

Myra slipped inside without alerting the palace guards to her presence. Then, she snuck into Lyion’s room, knowing he would be there waiting for her.

When Myra walked in, she immediately noticed that the room was occupied by two guards, as well as Clem and Lyion (who was staring at her in shock). She stopped, and met Clem’s eyes. The younger girl was triumphant, and not trying to hide it. A smirk once more captured Clem’s lips.

There was a clear, simple message in her expression. I win. Myra offered a wry grimace, instead turning to the guards that had trapped her as soon as she had crossed the threshold of the bedroom.

“Do you two think it wise to allow the crown prince to be in the same room as an inevitable fight, with only two guards to protect him?” she asked coolly. Both men glanced simultaneously at each other, to the exasperation of Myra. “Turning your back on me is a great idea,” she muttered.

Lyion opened his mouth, realizing where this was heading. “No, I am not leaving,” he snapped.

The younger of the two guards paused, but the older one just rolled his eyes and gestured for help in getting the boy out of the room. “He’s a stubborn one,” he murmured to his partner.

When all three had left–accompanied by Lyion’s protests–Myra locked the door.

Then she walked over to a sighing Clem.

“A room with a window?” she asked, slightly amused. “A really big and easy to open window? And the window is right over a convenient bed. I’ve never known you to make this many mistakes, Clementine!”

Clem smiled sweetly. “Then go ahead and try getting out. I’m sure you’ll find it very…amusing.” Myra shrugged and opened the window. It was worth a try. She was about to climb out when she heard an unmistakable click. She turned around, her eyebrows rising.

Clem was standing there and in her hand was a gun. Directed at Myra, of course.

“Are you sure you want to climb out of that window?” Clem asked with a smirk.

“Are you sure you want to shoot me?” Myra asked very softly. Then she whistled: one note, very high, very short.

***

Clem’s stomach sank as she heard Myra’s whistle. Nine people came through the door, eight girls and a boy. Six of the girls were carrying two blindfolded, tied-up guards, who were deposited in a corner. She noticed that one of them was twirling a small lockpick. The last two girls were holding a scared boy. Scared, because one of the girls was holding something to his throat, drawing Clem’s eyes.

It was a knife.

She slowly turned to face Myra, amazement apparent on her face, the gun still cocked, unwavering. Myra was watching her with a kind of detached curiosity.

Clem could barely speak. “Y-you wouldn’t,” she whispered. Myra tilted her head, as if to say, “Wouldn’t I?” Clem turned to face Lyion again, for that was who the boy was.

“C-Clem? M–” he managed, remembering at the last moment that he really shouldn’t say Myra’s name in front of palace guards, although he realized a split second later that they were unconscious. “What’s going on? Why is there a kn-knife at my throat? W-why are you climbing out of a window, Myra? And why do you have a gun, Clem?!”

Myra turned away. “Why don’t you explain?” she asked Clem.

Lyion interrupted. “And while you’re doing that, please clarify how you went from hugging to killing each other.” Some of the girls that surrounded him smiled or snickered.

At that moment, Clem resented Myra, resented her for putting her in such a bad position. She had to give a good reason as the two guards that answered to the king would question her sooner or later, unless the king questioned her himself. She really didn’t have a choice. Clem would be in huge trouble if Lyion, the crown prince, was hurt because of her actions, and so she pretty much had to give up maybe her only chance.

“Well, you see…” Clem debated on how to explain to Lyion. She decided to just state the facts. “Okay, so I was going to, uh, shoot Myra, and then you came in, and now if I, uh, shoot her, she, uh, well, you know…”

Even if she had only just met him, Clem should have known better. She glanced at Lyion’s reaction. Lyion had been turning paler and paler throughout the explanation, and, short as it was, now was as pale as smoke.

“You were actually going to shoot her?!” he asked in anger, and not a small bit of complete and utter befuddlement. Of course, that would be the only thing Lyion focused on.

She felt that she needed to defend herself, so she quickly answered. “No, because she would have ki-hurt you if I did!” She flinched as Lyion froze. Clem immediately backtracked. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that!”

“But it’s true, isn’t it?” Lyion asked in a dead voice.

Clem nodded, as she considered the possibility of escaping the girls on either side of her. But then there was Lyion. She sighed. Clem caught Lyion’s eye, and, when she did, she glanced at her feet, then her captors, her feet, then her captors…it took a while for Lyion to understand, but when he did, his eyes grew wide. He nodded.

“Give your weapon to Mason, Clem,” Myra said. Clem caught her eye and glared at her. Did Myra seriously think she was going to hand over her weapon? “Clem,” Myra added quietly. Glancing at Lyion, Clem handed the gun to a girl who had been behind her, noticing, as she did, that there were were a lot of familiar faces in the room.

After Mason handed Clem’s weapon to yet another girl, she went back to standing near Clem.

Clem mouthed ‘Now!’ at Lyion.

He wasn’t very good at fighting, but he still managed to land a punch or two on the girls holding him, enough time for Clem to get over there and help (she had escaped her captors by simply kicking them in the shins and stomach a couple of times, before snatching her gun back from Mason). She stomped on the foot of the girl to the right of Lyion, wondering once again why on Druwald did they choose her to go this mission? The girl was finicky, quite girly, and just plain silly.

Lyion quickly took advantage of his freedom and started trying to delay the other guards who were coming to help their friends. Another whistle was given. Suddenly, the window was open and the only people in the room were her, Lyion, and Myra.

Clem glared at Myra in suspicion. Why had Myra given the signal? And why had it been so easy to get away from the other girls? They were quite accomplished at fighting as well.

Myra looked back at her calmly. “Are you’re wondering where they all came from?” she asked Clem, who just nodded. “I was warned, by a certain someone–,” Clem’s bad feeling was immediately justified when Myra looked at Lyion, “–that you seemed to be plotting something. So, naturally, I brought back-up.”

“And now I’m sorry that I warned you,” Lyion muttered, loud enough for both girls to hear.

Clem ignored her annoyance. She knew she could still usurp Myra. “It doesn’t matter anymore. What matters is that you’re trapped.”

Myra shook her head sadly. “Oh Clem, you never did learn.”

Then everything turned black.

***

Lyion jumped, afraid as the darkness descended over the room.

“Myra…” he heard Clem mutter.

Suddenly Lyion heard a voice near his ear. “Skupina Divek. That’s your answer.” A gust of wind, and Lyion didn’t sense anyone next to him anymore.

“Uh, C-Clem?” Lyion asked, trying to make his voice stop shaking. He heard Clem sigh.

“I know, you’re scared of the dark,” she muttered.

Lyion frowned, his fright (and confusion) forgotten for a moment. “I am not!” he argued. He did have some ego.

“Okay, okay, you’re not,” Clem said, to pacify him, “Anyway, the light will turn on soon.”

“How do you know?”

Clem laughed as the light flickered on. Myra was gone.

“I-” and then she stopped. “Never mind.” Lyion’s curiosity was aroused (it got aroused by almost anything). so he repeated his question. Clem gave the same answer she had before, and then walked out of the room, effectively stopping the conversation. Lyion followed, muttering something about stubborn females.

Clem dropped Lyion off in an empty room, that he recognized as one of the many guest rooms in the palace, and told him to stay there until otherwise told, along with a slightly terrifying look. Before Lyion could say anything, she was gone, leaving Lyion really bored and with way too much time to think about what just happened. Skupina Divek? What was that the answer to?

Suddenly he had an idea. Why not go to the forest and just sit there for a while? He always felt calmer in the forest, and, anyway–why listen to Clem? He convinced himself that she had just told him to stay put because she was afraid he would get into trouble, or some other unimportant reason, then snuck out of the room and down to the forest. He broke into a run once he got there, heading for the clearing. It was empty, except for a very dead rabbit. Lyion walked closer, and then turned the rabbit over. wondering where it had come from.

Unfortunately, as soon as he touched it, a bag fell on him and everything went black.

Again.

Sequel to Another World: Another Time

Hey!

I was looking through my old work, and I found this sequel to Another World. Hope you like it!

I turn over in my bed, unable to go to sleep. I can smell the fresh air outside. Suddenly, I yearn to be able to fly, to soar above the clouds, to be free. I hear mom and dad talking in Hindi, one of India’s main languages, to my dada and dadi, my dad’s parents. Brr, I think, as I snuggle deeper under my blanket, It’s freezing. Should I ask mom to make me a glass of milk? I muse as I turn my night light on. No, I decide. As I reach to turn it off, my eyes fall on the book I was reading, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I decide to read that for a while, to help me fall asleep. I pull my blanket over my head, leaving a small crack for the light to come in, then start reading. Whenever I hear someone talking near my room, or walking up the stairs, I quickly close my book and hide the light. I wait for them to pass, then resume reading. Ten minutes later finds me so immersed in Harry Potter that I didn’t hear my mom coming to check on me. Suddenly, I am ripped from the Last Battle as I hear my mom talking outside my door. I have just enough time to hide my book and turn off my light before my mom comes in. She seems to think that I am asleep, because she kisses the top of my head and tiptoes outside, closing the door softly behind her. I decide enough was enough and I should go to sleep. So I close my eyes and drift off to Dreamworld.

~* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ 

I smell something. A shiver creeps up my spine as I sniff the air again. The smell was of….death. Fear races through me. Did someone die? Is someone dying? Am I dying? I almost sit up, then realize it is just a dream. I snuggle deeper under my blanket, already falling asleep.

A little later, I wake up again. What woke me up? I wonder. Oh. My foot. Yesterday, a bee had stung me. My foot had swelled up today, and it still hurts when something touches it. I am about to sit up and massage it when I realize nothing is touching it. A familiar shiver makes my back tingle. I close my eyes again, letting my other senses explore. Ah ha! I think, I see now. A cold hand was on my foot. Weird, I think, Mom and Dad know it hurts when something touches my foot. So why are they touching it now? What in the world…? The death scent is in the air! And this time, it is definitely NOT my dream. A thought crosses my mind. Could that be…Lord Voldemort? No way! But, no matter how hard I try, I can’t get that thought out of my mind. Well, I think, giving up on trying to get the thought out, isn’t he dead? Voldemort is dead! Harry Potter killed him! Well, yes, but haven’t I always said Voldemort must have a person to take over after he dies? A voice inside my head answers, Haven’t I always said there must be someone to take over if Voldemort dies? Yes, I have, I answer slowly, but if that person, or creature, is there, and is real, then why is him/her/it in my bedroom? Am I special? Hey, maybe this means I will go to Hogwarts! Well, back to the matter at hand. The cold hand. I decide to wiggle my toes a bit. So I do. I hear a high pitched, cold voice murmuring, ‘The girl is awake.’ So, as terrified as I am, I manage to scream ‘MOM! DAD! HELP!’ Of course, Mom and Dad wake up and run to my room right after the thing, whatever is is, gets over the shock of hearing me scream. I have a loud voice, believe me. “Silly child….” It murmurs.

I suddenly find myself sitting up in my bed. I have the feeling I’m forgetting something. I try to recall my dream, but the only thing I can remember is the word obliviate…

MTH: Chapter 3, Lady Clementine

‘Ello!
Start with chapter 1 right here. Chapter 2 is also right here.

Lyion was reeling from Myra’s revelation. His father was behind, or at least authorized, the Great Massacre, the worst witch-craft hanging in Valmont’s history? It was said that a thousand people had been killed or hurt. No, it wasn’t possible. Lyion knew his father, and that man would not have done this. There was no way, whatsoever, that this was true. The villagers must have made it up. They must have somehow–forget that it was impossible–duplicated the royal seal. Myra sat down next to him, which was somehow comforting. Lyion hesitantly put his head on her shoulder, half expecting that she would leave. He was surprised when her hand came from nowhere and stroked his hair. So the infamous Kerri did have a heart.“It happens, Lyion,” she said. Lyion was silent for a while, still trying to wrap his mind around the folder in his hands.

“Why did he have to do that Myra?” he asked. Then Lyion stopped. That wasn’t what he had meant to say. He wasn’t the son of a killer.

Myra looked at him with a tiny, miniscule glint of pity in her expression. “You don’t want to know.”

Lyion sat up and looked at Myra’s face. She looked back at him steadily. “How do you know so much about my family?” he asked slowly.

Her gaze focused into the distance.“I’ve been studying, just like your father.”

“What?!”

“Your father has been studying me, ever since he declared I was a criminal. And, well, a few weeks before he started studying me, I started studying him.”

Lyion looked at Myra in bewilderment. “How do you know he was studying you?” Not to mention why the two were studying each other in the first place.

“I have my ways,” she answered evasively.

Lyion suddenly thought of something. “Is that how you know so much about me too?”

Myra nodded. Lyion sat up, thinking. “Well, I guess I understand why you were studying me too. It’s because I’m next in line for the throne, right?”

Myra’s gaze flickered, but all she said was “yes.”

***

The trip back to the forest was uneventful and quiet. Lyion was too caught up in his thoughts to talk, and Myra was just letting him be. When they reached the rock where they had met earlier, Myra glanced at Lyion.

“See you later,” she said quietly.

Lyion frowned. “Where are you going?”

“I live in the forest, if that’s what you mean,” she answered. Her lips turned into a tiny smile as Lyion blushed.

“I knew that,” he muttered. “Bye.”

“Bye.”

***

Myra turned to look over her shoulder, and Lyion could see the suspicion in her gaze when she did. Then it disappeared, to be replaced with wary acceptance.

“Lyion.”

Lyion stepped out from behind the tree, having second thoughts. Why he followed her, he didn’t know. He opened his mouth, but she held up a hand, looking away. Although, before she did, Lyion thought he saw…amusement? No, he imagined it.

“I can’t tell you where I live.” Lyion looked at her in amazement. How did she know that was what he was going to ask?

“Oh.” He stared at his feet, “Okay then.” He glanced up, which was a mistake. Myra’s face registered surprise for a moment, then reverted to a careful blankness. She then turned away.

“Don’t you have an appointment with your father?” she asked. Lyion started. He had forgotten that his father had told him, a few days ago, to meet him in the ballroom today. Lyion hesitated before he left.

“Myra?” he asked tentatively, “What did you see when you looked at me in the eye just now?” Myra didn’t answer. Lyion walked up behind her. “Myra?”

She turned, glanced at him, and then left, disappearing into the trees.

***

Lyion trudged back to the palace, still wondering what Myra saw. When he got to his room, he cleaned up and dressed formally, as his father had insisted, and then went to the ballroom. King Albert was waiting at the foot of the great stairs, and Lyion decided he was being introduced to someone, as his father always made someone new walk down the stairs.

“Your Majesty.” Lyion said, bowing.

“Ah, Lyion! I wanted you to meet Lady Clementine of Aelcrest. Her father is thinking of joining us against Morbush.” Morbush, a kingdom to the south, was currently locked in a power struggle against Valmont and her eastern ally, Castle Lochiron. The king gestured at the top of the stairs. “Clementine!” A blonde haired girl around Lyion’s age walked down the great stairs with the poise and grace of a lady.

“Your Most Royal Majesty, Your Highness.” she said, curtsying to Albert and Lyion.

“It’s an honor, Lady Clementine,” Lyion said.

Clementine smiled at Lyion. “The honor is mine, and please, call me Clem. All my friends do.” Lyion nodded, amused at his father’s obvious fondness for the girl.

“Lyion, I would like you to show Lady Clementine around the palace and garden.”

“Of course. Do you wish to start now, Clem, or another time?”

Clem seemed to think, then said, “whatever you prefer, Your Highness.”

Lyion saw another admiring look on his father’s face and almost laughed.

“Oh no, you are the guest, after all. When would you prefer?”

“Later, than, if it is convenient.”

“Of course it is.”

Clem curtsied again, and then headed off to her room. Lyion, on the other hand, bowed to his father and then left for the bathroom before he could be held back. Of course, the bathroom was an excuse, and instead he went to the forest again. No one was there, of course, but Lyon couldn’t suppress the feeling that someone was watching him.

“Hello?” he called. No one answered. Lyion sat on the rock Myra had sat on before, thinking, wondering once again what Myra had seen in him that had surprised her. Where did she live, anyway? Why couldn’t she tell him? And what was it with that seal on the folder? How did the villagers even come up with the plot to do that? And how, in Glindra’s creativity, was Myra tied up in all of this? Lyion tried to remember which way Myra had gone, and headed off in that general direction. “Myra?” he whispered several times. “Myra, where are you?” No one answered, but Lyion just kept going, until, finally, he came upon something. Or someone, for that matter.

“Clem!”

Clem hurried to his side. “Your Highness! What are you doing here?”

Lyion shook his head. “I might ask you the same question!”

Clem blushed. “Well, I was looking for you, of course. Didn’t your father tell you to never go anywhere alone?”

Lyion glanced at her in puzzlement. “Why not? I’ve been here a lot, and nothing ever happened to me!”

Clem glanced around. “Didn’t you hear? Weren’t you told? Kerri has come!”

Lyion gasped. They had found Myra! “K-Kerri’s here?!” he asked, masking his alarm.

“Yes! And, rumor is, she’s looking for you!”

Lyion’s eyes widened. “That’s a scary thought!”

Clem studied him carefully. “Come on, she might be here already!” She led the way through the forest, running towards the clearing where Lyion had met Myra earlier. When they reached the clearing, Clem and Lyion stopped to catch their breath. Before they began again, a voice called out.

“Hello.” Myra stepped out from the trees and looked at Clem. Lyion smiled, but, remembering just in time, hid it before Clem could see.

“W-who are you?” Clem asked, fear clear on her face. Myra tilted her head.

“Lyion knows who I am, Clem. You don’t have to pretend.”

The fear dropped from Clem’s face like a mask dropping to the floor. “Have you told him everything?”

Myra glanced at Lyion, who was gaping at both the girls. “What do you think?”

Clem smiled.“It’s great to see you again, Myra!”

They hugged each other as Lyion watched with his mouth open. Finally, he spoke.

“What’s going on?” Clem glanced at him as he looked at Myra, then at Myra with a raised eyebrow. Myra caught her look and nodded. “Clem and I are old friends.”

Lyion’s jaw dropped again.

“B-but…”

“Don’t try to understand it, just accept it,” Clem advised, then, to Myra, said, “I met the king today.” Myra nodded thoughtfully, although Lyion didn’t notice.

Lyion butted in. “How do you know I won’t tell the king what you guys are saying here?”

Clem smirked as her eyebrow went up again. “First of all, he wouldn’t believe you. I mean, would you believe it if your sister said she knew the most wanted criminal in Valmont, and then this lady you two just met–who he obviously likes, by the way–is her friend? And, second, if Myra trusts you, I trust you.”

“No. If I trust him and he passed the test.”

Clem nodded. “Yes, that’s true.”

Lyion was still confused. “What test? And who says my dad likes you?”

“How daft do you think I am?” Clem asked sarcastically. “Anyone could have been able to tell that he liked me.”

Myra raised her eyebrows. “And don’t you remember? I told you I was testing you and that you had passed. Today morning.”

“That was the test?!”

Clem laughed at the incredulous look on Lyion’s face, while Myra nodded, completely straight faced.

Then her expression changed again. Lyion was beginning to get annoyed from both the females’ constant reversals in demeanor.

“Clem,” she said quietly.

“Lyion?” Clem asked, equally calm. Myra gave a slight nod. Clem began pulling Lyion out of the forest with her without another question. He struggled, not wanting to leave Myra.

“Lyion, come on!” Clem hissed.

Lyion was about to refuse, when Myra said, “Go Lyion. I’ll be fine.” That was enough to let Clem pull him the last few feet so they couldn’t see Myra anymore. Then Lyion stopped struggling and sighed, willingly walking the rest of the way.

***

Myra disappeared into the trees after they left. She watched the path, waiting for them to appear. The ones who had been searching for her since she left her family, to bring her home, or so they said. Now they were the king’s friends, wanting to arrest her and get the reward money. If they were here, the king wasn’t far behind, which meant he suspected that Lyion had come to meet her, and that something happened to Clem. Ah, Clem. He trusted her too much. No one who knew Clem trusted her that much. But he didn’t trust Lyion, which was bad. Myra remembered reality when she heard the sound of soft footsteps. She was on alert immediately. A man appeared, looked around, and then shifted his foot. Myra saw his expectant look and realized something was going to happen. She slowly turned, looking up and down, to see if she could see anyone else. There! Through the trees, on her left, there were three others, searching for something.

Or someone.

Myra gave herself a slight smile, then creeped towards the intruders. This was her land. She had been hiding and watching here for seven months, learning the ways and paths of the forest by heart. No one else ventured in, unless they were traveling to see the king. Myra crept up a tree overhanging the three men, and watched, waiting for anything that would help her.

A few seconds later, one of the men thought he saw something on the ground. The other two men observed it, paying no attention to the slight shadow that jumped from above, landing behind them. A slight pressure on the windpipe, and then they woke up on the ground, memories of what had happened hazy.

Colors

Helllllo!

So, these are basically poems I wrote about different colors! Enjoy.

 

Purple
Purple is
an amethyst
sparkling in the sun
an inconspicuous flower
still unique
lilac or violet
or periwinkle
daughter of blue and red
although a secondary color
still beautiful
a dot on a butterfly’s wing
a tinge on a mountain
cool and calm
dark and light

Emerald
Emerald is the color
of young bamboo shoots lifting in Chinatown
the gecko singing in the night
and the ilima bush opening in the garden
when I see the color emerald
lush grass
a polluted sea
gems sparkling in the dirt
come to mind
a jungle
right after a rainfall
a forest
full of noises
never silent
a “boy” color, they sneer
to the girl
writing a poem
about
emerald

Yellow
Yellow is brightness
A bright face, happiness shows
Yellow is a smile

Brown
A swinging monkey
with dark fur
a small girl
bronze skin, matching her hair
they meet in the dirt
the sand, the soil
and build with wood
the warmth of friendship
and brown