Awakening
I took a few deep breaths of the warm and moist Summer air, in futile attempt to cure my irate sadness.. I savored the last couple chocolaty M&Ms' that had been melting in the radiant heat. Crystal tears streaked my face, and now would have been a good time to feel thankful that I had worn waterproof mascara. Instead I decided to fall into one of my incorrigible morose moods. A week ago my High school Summer vacation had begun, but on that same day it was been the worst of my life. People like my parents, friends, and anyone who knew me well enough always said that I was wearing my emotions on my sleeve; That one day, if I wasn't careful, I'd end up hurt.
About a week ago, after the bell sung its joyous summer song of school ending, I pulled all of my friends aside to our special meeting place on the front campus, near a beautiful garden of the Mercy sisters, a group of historical women whom founded Mother McAuley and other Mercy schools across the country. There, after a whole school year of knowing them, I had finally opened up and began explaining everything that I felt I had to hide from them before, in fear of judgement.
Anyways... they soon abandoned me and traitors were now the definite least of my worries on this ominous Friday night. I gazed up at the clouded sky watching the shadows move through the milky linings. Have you ever gotten that feeling where you just knew something was changing in the world right now? Such an eerie feeling, that especially strengthens on cloudy days.
The Anti is now on the move again to unleash and awaken the most unholy, darkest force in the universe, Satan. I felt a shiver of excitement. For some reason I seemed to find this horrid news cool, in a weird way. Most people, or probably everyone on Earth, didn't know that Satan was indeed in a deep slumber for eternities on end. It's his workers who have been causing plagues, famines, deaths and mischiefs. Unexpected, well that's not all..
This particular dilemma should be the Council of the universes problem to solve, shouldn't it? No, the Anti has now declared a personal agenda against me and has sent their Dark Angels to force me into servitude as a powerful member of their league. What a great honor!
The Anti is actually a clan of twelve members of one of the most powerful clans in the universe, and the only totally equal matches to the Council. They are pure evil and myths say, that long ago when the members of the Council over threw the Olympians on Mount Olympus, they had to go through a sort of purification process. This 'purification process' literally split their souls in half, separating the evil from the good. The good half of course is now known as the Council. Now rumors are spreading that instead of their evil halves being locked up... they escaped and formed the antagonists known as the Anti.
No one ever has seen the true faces of the Council or the Anti but rumors again say they are truly what so many of us aspire to be, perfection.
For the moment, it wasn't just the Anti I should be worrying about but something happening right now. Obama, the president of the United States of America, has recently been causing havoc all over the world. While many mistook him to be the savior and others the Anti Christ I knew for sure he was neither. Just a poor soul taken over by his evil wife Michelle, A.K.A. Lilith, the first wife of Adam and the earliest she devil of the time before Christ. He is a dictator, part of a Monkey Cult or a secret organization for world power. The man wants one thing and one thing alone, to rule the world not just one country.
A soothing gust of wind swirled around my shoulders as the flowers along the cobble side walk whispered to each other in ironic playfulness. My disturbed mind wandered back to my friends and that last day I spoke to them. Humans were cruel, mean and some seemingly heartless. They made stupid decisions and were greedy lying apes. I know how opinionated everyone is, my people thought lowly of humans as well as humans just denied my people and tried to erase them through Religion. They can't seem to accept each other for what they are good and bad. Isn't that what everyone wants? Acceptance?
Those things about humans may be some what true, but not all of it applied to everyone... right? Not everyone on earth can be that bad. For the longest time I have ever known, I have felt an unusual desire to serve and help earth, to save them from their own destruction. Because my desire is so strong I am sure the Council took advantage of this to have me do their dirty work. I could never understand why they can't just come here and do it themselves. Jacki once told me that it's not that they won't come here to Earth, they can't. Their molecular composition was never made for this atmosphere and if they did come here it would destroy their self being. I still don't fully understand how it could destroy such powerful beings!
The school passed slowly to my right, temporarily pulling me back to reality. I stopped to stare at the darkened school with a longing to go back to how it was before I knew about such burdens. New tears anxiously fell from my mysterious icy blue eyes as I began wondering to myself, who could I trust? I began feeling even more alone and empty inside, wishing time would move forward already, because knowing the whole country was practically at it's knees and begging for mercy right now obviously isn't a pleasant thought.
"Why don't you do something about it? Isn't it your job to stop such madness? I thought you were the adept one. The daughter of the council!" I jumped and quickened my pace at the sound of an ugly voice rasping gleefully in my ears.
"What can I do right now? I don't even have a plan yet and I suck at making plans!" The raspy voice laughed in response to my shrill remark sending chills down my spine. I smeared away the cold sweat on my forehead and forced my body temperature to lower to try and create a cool atmosphere around me. This change in the air forcefully blocked out the voice that had come out of nowhere. It was the first time I had ever heard such a cruel voice so loud and clear.
As my sight faded and reality once again slipped away, I sunk back deep into a laborious world. Yes, I am indeed the daughter of the council, made up of a piece of the soul of each of the members. I have another name, but far to destructive to be mentioned. My kind of being is an Iceanian or a user of ice and lightning. Ice came to me naturally as a birth right almost, but lightning is a foreign blood donated to me by my most trusted guy friend, Michael Angel, the prince of nature.
The universe works in groups, clans and sub-clans. My clan, the Iceainians of pure blood has become nearly extinct. Only a few of us including me remain.
Long ago the Fate sisters gathered among the thirteen creators of the universe and wove two greatly feared rules. The first rule stated that there must always be thirteen clans of pure blood in the universe or the forgotten curse would be unleashed. Of course I don't know what the forgotten curse is! No one but Sokar knows, because it is merely 'forgotten.'
The second rule, stated that members of opposite clans or elemental clans could never mate and love each other, let alone come in physical contact for longer than thirteen seconds. This means I could never love anyone outside my clan because nothing exactly mends with ice that well. It would have to be a mutual relationship, or in other words a relationship that both clans could benefit upon for survival. Fire and air is a great combination, or light and crystal. The only way I could gain love would be to kill another being and steal their powers which would end my lethal state of being. If I touched a user of fire for example, after the thirteen second limit both me and the fire user would die.
The same would go if a fire user came into contact with an Earth user, both would die. Many have questioned this rule, for it makes almost no sense. I said almost. Over time many have given in and done the deed of murder to gain love. I couldn't do it though. Through all the expectations thrown upon me I couldn't kill another being and steal their powers just for selfish reasons. To me the power isn't worth it.
Unfortunately you either have to be born with your power or the only other way to gain it was to literally suck and absorb the soul of the user and mend it with your own.
If things weren't excitingly morbid before, this topped it off. The universe, in its current state, fell into a war for power. Everyone now was out for one thing, power. Power came like a ferocious fad that lasted for earth centuries. Beings from all over were beginning to become caught up in it as more betrayals and chaos arose.
Recent news from my spiritual mother Jacki and her husband Alyn stated that the Council had left Mount Olympus on the star Arcturus, not to long ago, to give direct auxillary to the locals of Arcturus and Antares whom had been invaded by hordes of Dark Angel Leaders. With the Council preoccupied protecting so many beings at once, I am now without their protection and completely vulnerable. Oh gee what fun..
An earsplitting shriek of tires and blinding white light completely thrashed me awake from lala land. I actually walked right into a busy intersection! The dark van flipped over onto it's side making terrible metallic scraping noises directed for me. I could taste the fear in my mouth, somewhat in the form of chocolate. My body from head to toe completely froze in silent horror as the hunk of metal loomed closer like death on it's haunches, baring it's sweet fangs. Hmph, I wouldn't dare open my mouth to scream and saturate its evil desires. Like hell!
--
From the corner of her eyes Tara could see her five friends, Athania, Elliana, Jana, Trixie and Maggie rushing down the sidewalk screaming unheard words with fear written across their faces. Her eyes could see but her mind lie intact not registering with her senses.
"Run Tara run!" Her ears finally kicked in and everything flooded at once. Unexpectedly, Tara found herself swept off her feet by the waist and jerked back violently. The tumbling van crashed to a halt right where she was standing previously.
Moments later her feet were back on the ground, her legs shaking and a strong warm hand balanced her steady. A biker dressed in dark blue jeans, a black leather jacket with a black t-shirt underneath silently stared at her through a gold helmet with black angel wings painted on the side. She couldn't see his face but by instinct knew he was smiling at her and contained a naturally very intense gaze.
"Thank you." She managed to utter, quickly shaking off the nervousness hanging on her voice. Sirens wailed loudly in the distance, she knew the police would be questioning her if she didn't abscond and fast. Her friends were bolting down the sidewalk towards them, a soft glow emitting off their skin as if making preparations for an attack. It didn't make much sense why they would be preparing for an attack, and a powerful one by the looks of the growing energy. To who did they plan to attack? Or what. Perhaps, the accident was no mere coincidence.
Just then another car sped down the street and crashed off the sidewalk into a pole, an entire motor cycle gang sped out of the wreckage and raced past them shouting and laughing wildly as they sped down the road, completely mindless of the other drivers.
"Run!" The guy who saved her pushed her back on the curb and without another word took off after his groupies just as red and blue lights broke through the smoke that had been filling the street. At least fourteen or fifteen police cars of Evergreen park and the state police raced down the street after the gang. She watched the cyclist turn down 95th street in the direction of south west highway.
When Tara looked to the accident site where ambulances were filling, she noticed her friends disappeared as quickly as they had come. Not wanting to stick around for interrogation she hurried down a side street, hoping to venture home to catch the 10:00 news. With such a big pile up like that, no doubt the media would be there to report it.
Citizens were rising out of their doorsteps under the dim porch lights in their pajamas, in pandemonium upon hearing the impossibly loud explosions. The smoke traveled at amazing speed and thickened greatly, clouding her lungs. Tara coughed and pulled her shirt up over her nose ignoring their questioning cries. She then fled under low trees to cross into another intersection to escape all this trouble.
A sunset orange circuit automobile blared it's horn as it's darkened windows stopped in front of her.
The door flung open revealing the handsome faces of her three guy friends. Shawn moved over as she hopped in and slammed the door behind her. The wheels skidded as the car jolted forward and took off.
"Are you ok?" Shawn asked, immediately feeling her forehead, his eyes scanning her body for visible injuries.
"I'm fine." She sucked in a deep breath of air as the car swerved to the right around a corner. Shawn didn't seem to believe her, his gorgeous moonstone eyes held an array of rainbow colors like a sweet and magical milky metallic substance. They sparkled and glowed as he used and x-ray built in his eyes to scan for broken bones or any foreign poisons.
"I'm fine Shawn don't worry so much about me. I'm tough as steel." She swatted his hand away and laughed in relief, then leaned on his shoulder regardless of how heated she felt at the moment.
"Alright." Shawn reluctantly backed off and entwined his hand in hers. He was always an intimate sort of guy friend, Tara never really gave it much thought. He only thought of her as a friend, right? Tara had times where she wasn't so sure of how deep his feelings for her really were. Shawn was caring, kind and always looking out for her. He never raised his voice or fought back even when she screamed at him at the top of her lungs. In fact he never got angry at her, just hurt. Out of everyone Shawn gave her the most respect and love she could ever ask for,
She came to a decision that she loves and cares for him as much as he did for her, but for some reason couldn't imagine them spending the rest of their lives together. She still felt like a piece of her heart was missing. That longing feeling to travel west still plagued her every single day of her life, which was the only clue she still hadn't filled that vast empty void of nothingness.
"We made some new modifications to the car if you were wondering how we found you." Michael, in the front passenger seat, waved his hand over the dash board. The technology installed upon it was completely otherworldly and far to complicated and advanced for mankind. A blue 3D screen had a layout of the whole city upon it, tracking each and every person in complete detail. The geographical properties it harnessed were far off the scale of anything she had ever seen before.
"It has the ability to track humans and our kind... if they want to be found." Michael added then with another swish of his hand dismissed the diagram, then turned in his seat to face her. He had long silky black hair that fell in his face, hiding his sticky chocolate brown eyes. His honey coated voice dripped with a sort of venesualin accent. He looked very much like Tara in certain features and way to gorgeous to be a guy.
"Cool, maybe I can use that to stalk you and Shawn sometime when you go off at night.." Tara smiled thoughtfully, imagining the places she might find Shawn and Michael heading off to. "Which reminds me, it's way past sunset... and you are never around at night..."
"What happened? Why did you go off without our consent? You know the council lost the power to protect you now." Michael stated in an older brother voice, drawing the annoyance from inside her guts.
"Shut up Michael. Don't start with me. You sound like my mother. Uck!" Tara snapped and scowled at his enchanting and mischievous smile. He moved his hand quickly to flick his long hair out of his eyes and smiled innocently. His hands looked like they could kill anything without assistance of a mortal weapon. Most girls on earth always hit on her three friends at first glance. They never said yes though, or even gave them a second look. They weren't interested in Earth girls whom are far to easy to please.
"Sorry for caring baby sister." Michael shrugged then turned back around and stretched his muscular arms out in front of him.
"Uh I think what Michael means, is to ask you if everything is copacetic. You seemed pretty shook up." Tyler interrupted.
"I sware I'm going to slap you one of these days." Tara muttered in ignorance, then caught Tyler's expression in the rear view mirror. His golden eyes fell back upon the road unnerved by her glare. Tyler was a tall muscular guy, nineteen years old. He was one of her strangest guy friends and most certainly the funniest sometimes. Michael was eighteen and Shawn eighteen as well.
A year ago Tara found a way to breach the frequencies by reversing the gravitational pull upon the atoms, then increasing rate of time used dark matter as a knife to splice a hole in between realities. Through this she managed pull Tyler from the dream frequency onto hers. At first he only spoke some kind of strange low pitched native cat language but through a transfer of knowledge technique, Tara immediately transferred to him automatic knowledge of the English dictionary.
Tyler was once a forgotten dream created by a small child long ago. His purpose was a peacemaker and comforter, so he could easily erase the negativity or sorrow anyone held.
Though he looked eighteen years old Tara knew Tyler to be far older, probably by decades. The people where they come from never aged physically older then twenty four years old, they had the ability to look young and gorgeous forever..
Michael and Shawn's story was different. One night they just appeared in her bedroom while she was staring aimlessly at the ceiling in a sort of trance. Needless to say nobody got any sleep that nigh except for her earth mother whom can sleep like a rock even if the house was burning down around her. The only explanation of their sudden appearance was the slapdash job she had done at attempting to seal the hole Mickey had come through.
Shawn and Michael were always the secretive ones, never telling her much about where they were living, or where they snuck off to every night. They couldn't even tell her their real names, making preposterous claims that she wasn't ready.
The thought caused anger to swell up inside her again. Tara slid to the far side of the car pressing against the window to be as far away from those two as possible. She didn't even want to look at them right now. Why did they have to be so secretive? Tara questioned inwardly.
"Tara... your not ready yet..." Tara flinched and turned to glare at Shawn, his eyes were filled with concern and the aura from Michael rippled in disturbance. Both deeply thinking thoughts to heavily guarded for her to invade. What could they possibly be hiding?
"Ready for what?" Shawn sunk back, he knew she wasn't the type to argue with when angry. He fell silent and looked down at the hem of his blood red t shirt.
"When you can answer that then you'll be ready." Michael spoke up, his deep voice seemed to be enthralling a spell upon her ears.
"Oh don't pull that Buddha-monk crap on me in not in the mood." Tara pressed her cheek to the glass, then rolled down the window and stuck her face out allowing the fresh air to intoxicate her lungs. She noticed they were heading in the complete opposite direction of her house.
"No arguing while I'm driving! You know what happened last time.." Tyler sounded young for his age, his voice made her smile, it always did. She could feel the sparks of jealousy begin to taint Shawn next to her. He was always a little bit to competitive... A guy thing she reasoned with herself and smiled more at the sound of Mickey humming a catchy tune.
"Oh God don't remind me Tyler. If that woman ever found out about you guys..." Tara shuddered, referring to her evil earth mother that smothered her. Something about the woman just made her angry all the time, around her she was never able to be herself.
"You should be more patient sister." Michael interrupted from the front seat.
"Tyler where are we going?" Tara ignored Michael and stuck her arms out the window, enjoying the cool feel of the air caressing her arms. Cooling mists sprayed her face as they passed a night sprinkler. The droplets froze on her cheeks, then shattered into star like structures.
"Right here." The car slowed to a stop and the four friends jumped out onto the pavement. Tyler drove them to a sandwich shop somewhere on the border lines of the bad neighborhoods, as people would say. The corner building was a place where they would all occasionally meet, but only to discuss extremely important matters. After all, it wasn't every day the group was together and not always could they find a way to contact one another. A meeting place was the greatest solution.
The last time they were here was the time Trixie had kidnapped by the Anti and nearly force crossed to their coalition.
Before that was an incident when Jana and Tyler turned up missing for a week. Thankfully it had only a false alarm. Michael 'accidently' turned them invisible after they broke his favorite guitar his father Zeus gave him a few months ago. While having a competitive dance competition between them, Jana and Tyler managed to smash the guitar to smithereens. The entire week he spent outside taming the winds until night came where he mysteriously disappeared with Shawn until sunrise. Tara and the other daughters hadn't found their two friends until the invisibility cloak wore off.
Now as Tyler swung his arm heavily on her shoulder Tara swallowed dryly wondering exactly what they would discuss this time. Her and Tyler lumbered up the small grassy hill to the lighted coffee shop with opaque glass windows. Shawn and Michael followed close behind, she could tell they were talking telepathically between themselves by the heavy static electricity filling the air.
The shop was small and cozy, harboring round mahogany tables and peaceful cloudy blue walls, framed by shiny gold borders engraved with mermaids, and two lofty black sofas. Nostalgia hit Tara's lungs and rushed through her veins. She tripped forward as Michael bumped into her back.
"Sorry" She apologized and pouted at Michael who smiled in acceptance. His chest rose and fell, rose and fell as he breathed in the air, reminiscing fond memories. Not all the memories had been tense and serious. It smelled of freshly baked banana bread and sweet treats like Japanese dangos. The musk scent of perfume lingered on the air as if it hadn't been stirred in years. A deep red rug with osculent designs lay under their feet, giving bounce to her steps. She couldn't resist to give a good hop then twirl and laugh with glee. Tara could find such fun in the simplest things. Shawn laughed and caught her as she awkwardly toppled over drunkenly whooping.
"Oh my how you've grown!" A crafty fagile voice sounded as a short gum drop shaped elderly lady stepped from behind the counter in a white apron with daisies on it wearing plastic gloves and a hair net. Her face was full of age. Her blue eyes twinkled and her lips crinkled into a sweet welcoming smile. Shawn gave Tara a spin, releasing her fro his hold.
Behind the woman was a long counter stretching from wall to wall, much taller than the old woman who looked almost like an elder cat with how her long nails flicked and tapped a wooden spoon down on the coffee table. Upon the counter lay cases of cookies of all kinds, pastries of love and candies wrapped in aluminum foil.
"Granny!" Tara lunged forward and nearly scooped the old woman off her feet in a warm friendly hug like a you girl and her beloved grandmother. The old woman chuckled and patted her back, Tara pulled away as they clasped hands grinning at each other.
"My your hands are always so cold! Would you like some coco to warm you up?" Granny looked slightly worried but very delighted as her eyes fell upon Shawn, Tyler and Michael, three gods of beauty. Noticeably Granny had to blink a few times as if adjusting to their shining light then threw her hands up and exclaimed,
"My boys! Oh you've grown too!" The old woman limped a few feet forward. "Shawn, your even more handsome now then last time I seen you!" Shawn blushed causing Tara to giggle then burst out laughing as Granny made him bend down so she could pinch his cheeks.
"Aww aren't his cheeks super pinchable?" Tara giggled and laughed harder holding her sides after Shawn scowled and crossed his arms. He looked kind of cute when he was upset and embarrassed Tara grinned at Shawn and rocked back and forth on her toes, a fluttering feeling coming alive in her chest.
"Tyler! You've grown into a man! Oh how gorgeous you all are!" In prideful satisfaction Tyler folded his arms behind his head and leaned back on the air to hum to his favorite tunes. Granny laughed heartily as if she found his strange music funny then moved to Michael and smiled wider.
"Abuelita!" Micky bent down, his huge arms scooped Granny off her feet in a crushing bear hug. Granny compared to Michael looked more like a small grey mouse. Out of all three Michael was definitely the tallest and most muscular. Any guy who seen him never challenged Michael. He was to intimidating to other guys and irresistible to all girls.
"Michael, have you been treating your sister right?" Tara grinned. Michael sent her a warning glare and nervously scratched the back of his neck. Silky black strands covered his eyes once again like a shaggy dog.
"Mhmmh that's what I thought. Goodness boy cut your hair why don't ya?" Granny tsked and took a step back to stare as if taking a photograph of them together with her memory.
"My my, you three never fail to return more handsome than before." Michael didn't seem to take notice Granny hadn't paid him a personal compliment like Tyler and Shawn. He didn't need fancy honey coated compliments to realize how beautiful he was. Tara rolled her eyes and stuck her tongue out at Michael then let her eyes reminisce in a blurry film of silent motion pictures.
"Tara dear." Tara snapped her head down feeling guilty for the way the woman's eyes held so much worry and concern, and how her hands trembled as they clutched hers. What ever Granny could see, it was going to be her fault. She could feel it.
"Your changes scare me most dear." Granny whispered softly, her eyes becoming hazy like she was drifting far away for a few moments then came back into focus. Tara frowned and bit the inside of her mouth, waiting for an explanation. She hadn't noticed very many changes in herself except physically. Tara felt like everyone could see what this veil of darkness blinded her to.
"I don't know why dear. Don't misunderstand me, you are far more beautiful than you may think, but it's not physically I am speaking of." Shawn, Michael and Tyler drew closer regarding intently what was to be said next.
The creak of hinges sounded but no one bothered looking up or turning around. The only other sound for endless aching moments was a gust of wind and light careful foot falls.
"I can't put my finger on it exactly... but dear, please..." Granny's voice cracked as tears filled the corners of her eyes. "I fear the worst for you. Something terrible is about to happen and... it's unnatural, unethical. What ever it is... I don't think its from our gracious earth." The strongest sense of foreboding washed over the room as ears strained to acutely behold the words of the old.
"We are going through tough times right now, very tough times indeed.." Granny patted Tara's hand then swayed like an old weeping willow around her to guide her to the counter. Jana, Trixie, Athania, Maggie and Elliana who were bewildered by the tense silence stepped up and joined their group.
"I found the strangest thing this morning on my way to the shop. I was so frightened!" Granny disappeared behind the counter and began searching in cabinets.
"What is it Granny?" Shawn asked softly, his voice echoed in a sort of poetic way, it was very soothing and calming almost like it could calm the sea itself. He slid up next to Tara who shrunk away to Tyler, feeling a sense of betrayal now as Shawn neared her.
Shawn didn't give much mind to her actions.. or he just didn't show it. Right now everyone was interested in what Granny held in the over sized smoky jar she held in her thin and frail hands.
"It's so queer.. the little thing actually whispers your name! I've never seen anything like it before!" Granny proceeded from behind the counter once again and stretched her arms out to hand the jar to Tara. Not to touch the jar is what her intuition said immediately.
Instead, Shawn took the jar off Granny's hands. In a few moments the nine friends loomed over the jar on the table in front of them, contemplating silently if they should open it or not. Tara sat between Jana and Athania who sunk low in the couch comfortably next to Elliana.
"Anyone object to opening the jar?" Jana asked around the room in a very neat and articulate, almost British manner. Her eyes hung tiredly as dark spots stained the beauty of her hazel green and gold rain drop pools. Clearly noticeable on her fair and pale skin.
The jar rustled like something was alive inside. Tara crossed her arms concealing her major objections to the jars unsealing. Something about the whole situation just didn't seem right. Besides what happened to their happy totally not weird family reunion? The comforting smell of hot chocolate and coffee brewing or the muffins baking was not able to lighten their tension.
The jar quavered in Shawn's large hands. The cover made scraping noises when unscrewed and popped off. Everyone held their breath as Shawn peered inside. Not Tara, not even Michael had ever seen a demure mood darken Shawn's face.
A bright red almost radiant spider jumped out of the jar and onto the table. It's body was round and plump about the size of a girls fist with a rich black V on its back. It's legs spread long and thin like a daddy long leg spider, with red suction cups on each legs that made sucking sounds as it stealthily creeped forward.
"Taaarrra..." A windy voice escaped from the spider, no mouth to speak, eyes to see, nose or ears were visable, yet it crawled to the edge of the table closest to Tara, it's target in mind.
"Don't... move." Jana demanded as the spider lowered its body and shook its rear like a cat ready to pounce.
"Oh hell no!" Tara squealed and made a dive for the floor for she was absolutely terrified of all spiders. The spider pounced forward and landed splat on the wall, trilling and shuddering with excitement as it fluctuated and grew an inch in diameter.
"Stop!" Michael raised his hand to silence the rising panic. For a few moments the room fell into silence once again. Michael ran a hand through his beautiful hair and intrepidly stepped towards the spider that grinned in appreciation of such a daring move.
"Speak Arachne! Why have you come to us?" Michael held his palm to face the spider casting an array of blue light upon it. The spider grumbled in annoyance, then fell to the floor and began to shape shift into a red blob growing larger and larger. At almost six feet the blot formed into a female mannequin, then details took place.
Tara recognized the woman with black straight hair decorated by crown jewels of silver and gold treasured gems, like out of a pirate story, and wicked smile as Sandy Kumoniqua; or the dark goddess Princess Arachne.
"I have come to speak with the first two daughters, Jana and Tara." Sandy pulled a sparkly white veil over her thin and sly blood red lips, and powdered nose concealing half of her orange tan face that shimmered with iridescent.
Sandy Kumoniqua was known as a rouge or a cast out after she was punished by the goddess Athena out of jealousy. The true story is still unknown but it is a fact that Athena never served any kind of punishment to Arachne. The higher power beings of gods and goddesses do not get jealous and punish others. People bring upon their own punishment by their concepts and beliefs.
Sandy Kumoniqua is actually the leader of the Arachnid clan, one of the major clans of the universe. Her power is over the many different types of Phoenix spiders. Phoenix spiders are the red spiders in the appearance she took, that can never be destroyed by force. They can be smashed, slashed, crushed, burned, drowned but only come back to life two times larger and stronger than before.
Their webs are made of strong acids composed of many complex space elements. A single silken thread contains enough strength to slice through a human like butter. An even stronger thread can turn buildings like the Pentagon or Sears tower into shreds and heaps of nothing.
The lethal poison the spiders detain is one of the most feared in the universe, incurable and able to terminate fully even a member of the council... if the user is skilled enough to wind past all their heavy barriers.
Sandy always had a thing about using earth designed weapons in battle to mock and insult her enemy, as if inquiring their unworthiness to be in her presence.
One single scratch doesn't even have to break skin to be lethal. Death from the poison is slow and painful, a very unethical way to die.
"Well... aren't your peasant friends going to bow to me?" Sandy asked haughtily throwing her hands on her hips swaying impatiently. Tara cast Michael and Shawn a curious look, and sent the thought 'What the- You better do something about this crazy chick or I sware... I'll..' Tara shook her head and imitated Sandy's prideful stance.
"My friends bow for no one but the Lord God Miss Cle-o-pa-tra. Ok? Especially not a phony." Laughter broke out among the girls behind Tara, as anger crossed Arachne's face. Her white silken dress frayed in choler.
"I don't know who the hell you think you are and personally I don't care, but you need to apologize. Now." Shawn, Tyler and Michael stood motionless almost in shock.
"Tara it's fine... really.."
"How dare you speak to me that way!" Sandy erupted irately. Dozens of red dots abdicated from her skin and wavered about her crimson aura.
"Listen lady, I don't mean any harm but your crossing a line when you speak to my friends that way. We all have our own issues, mine right now is... and you." Tara delayed herself to look back at the guilty faces of Jana, Trixie, Athania, Elliana, Michael and lastly Shawn. She could feel that warm tingling beginning to cultivate from the sides of her forehead, a head ache coming on.
"Not anymore though. I need a break." Tara whispered gently closing gaps in her mind becoming mentally closed off. After so long of giving all she could possibly give, dawn of realization said she was slipping away into a sea of unconsciousness and numbness. Four years ago she recalled that numb loneliness that took ten years to escape, but wondered now, did she ever truly escape? If not, then how?
"I understand." Sandy replied a little more calmly. Tara knew it must have been the first time anyone ever rebutted against Sandy. No one was stupid enough to talk that way to an individual maintaining such a powerful position.
"Do you really?" Tara asked incredulously and folded her arms once again.
"..." Sandy didn't reply. The menacing red dots receded back into her aura then dispersed altogether.
"I don't know very much about a lot, and just by making that statement I think that proves it.." Someone behind her giggled. "I may not be book smart but I do know one thing, forgiveness is love and love is God... and love is the only way to save even the darkest soul."
"If the universe was a place where everyone understood their neighbor the darkness would cease to exist. You see... love consist of understanding.. forgiveness.. trust... honesty.. courage, wisdom and so much more. If the souls of Earth and the universe applied these qualities no matter how difficult or evil someone seems, eventually the darkness disappears."
My point is think about what the word understanding really means. Do you understand what it is like to have people who are supposed to be your friends, lie to you and exclude you from your own life?" Tara questioned Princess Arachne, drawing nothing but a long, still silence.
"No." Sandy finally replied.
"Yet you say you understand? To me understanding is many things. Understanding when a loved one needs space, understanding the consequences of your actions. Understanding can mean you've been there, done that and can say you know what it feels like completely. It can be many things, but what is it to you?"
"..."
"We all need someone to accept us fully and understand us Sandy. We all want to be understood because understanding is love...." *sigh* "Heh, I'm still looking for that piece of understanding." Tara laughed half heartily.
"...So am I." Sandy whispered quietly. Tara dragged her hands through her hair combing out the tangles with her fingers. The muscles in her arms ached and began tightening painfully. Tara sighed when she was done and gave a small twirl to loosen her tension.
"Aren't we all?" Sandy nodded, Tara noticed she looked like an Egyptian princess except without a scepter or the mummy guards to back her up. Right now though as the Egyptian woman's arms dangled at her side and her head hung low she looked no more than a mere girl who had been playing dress up Cinderella for far to long.
"Ty..." Tyler smiled lazily as Tara bent back and grinned at him upside down. She groaned, it felt so good to stretch and rub the pain away in her back.
"Maggie..." Maggie took rise off the sofa and joined besides Tyler. "Let's go home. Tomorrow is another day." Together the three locked arms leaning tiredly on each other and without a goodbye left the coffee shop. For the night Tara would attempt to dismiss bothersome situations... but how long can an individual avoid destiny?