Writer's Note: Sorry for the wait I was studying for those darn exams. This chapter's a bit shorter just to give you guys something to nibble while I work on the more bulky part. Cheers
Ghost Planet - Chapter 3
Shadow and Flame
It was the same thing in every direction she walked; skinny dead trees. The same flat dirty land, the same dense fog surrounding all sides and of course the same dreary night that never seemed to even hint at a sunrise. Maybe she should just sit down and rest for a while. Why not even lay down and sleep? She would wake up completely lost, not remembering what direction she came from, but it didn't matter, nothing mattered anymore. Someone stepped into the moonlight. It was Jade. She crossed her arms and frowned at Tekla, "don't just stand there girl, make yourself useful for a change." The words, however painful, were comforting to hear all the same. "Hey Tekla! What's up babe?" The large toad body checked Jade out of the way, and he flung out two gun fingers plus a wide smile that was more loathsome rather than charming. Jade soon enough grabbed both fins at the back of his head and started shaking him wildly like a milk shake. "Femur can't you see she doesn't have time for your . . . disturbing body language," Cryos said walking onto the scene. "Quite right father, and while your at it toad, remove yourself from our presence! The smell is unbearable!" The Lady Zera held a hand over her face and shooed Femur away with the other saving him from Jade's barbaric thrashing. Pyrus followed in the rear, shaking his head and smiling after them, his flame was as bright as ever. He glanced at Tekla and kindly waved. Jade, Femur, Cryos, Zera . . . Pyrus . . . it's so wonderful to . . . But the voices soon faded and the images began to lose their colors until her mind filled with darkness again. Wonderful, I'm hallucinating now. She looked sadly at the ground, slumping her arms. It's my fault, isn't it? I should have grabbed him and held him tight so nothing could have taken him away. Why didn't you do anything Tekla? You are always so weak! Her head sagged even lower and her hands turned to fists.
"Haven't we talked about this?" He laid a giant hand on her shoulder and she looked up at him. He was beaming at her with one of his smiles – the kind that never failed to understand and comfort her in the past. But it wasn't enough this time and she suddenly collapsed to her knees, unable to control her emotions. "Common now don't be so hard on yourself."
"And why not?" she cried, "Pyrus was taken away! We're stranded on this planet in the middle of nowhere and with no way to contact each other! What am I supposed to do Graveheart? Tell me." Her last words didn't make it all the way from her trembling lips.
"The only thing you can do princess. The only thing we do when the Beast threatens to destroy our worlds, and they succeed. Everything you ever loved is lost when your entire home is devoured in one swallow, along with your family, friends . . . There's only one thing you can do."
She stared at the ground, "please . . . tell me Graveheart."
His gentle smile faded and his expressed turned stern, "look at me Tekla."
She looked up at his sudden change in tone.
"We never give up hope Tekla. No matter how small our chances are, by some higher power or by the Maker himself, we get through it – we always do. You just have to believe it," he offered an open hand, "You can't keep blaming yourself for everything bad that happens. Pyrus is still out there and he needs you. Are you just going to give up on him?"
No. I could never do that to him.
"Then take my hand."
She raised her hand to grasp his but her hand moved through it as if nothing was there and the hallucination fizzled away until he was gone. She was alone with her thoughts again, but sadness did not return to fill the darkness as she expected, instead something else, something good replaced it. A candle was lit inside her after hearing his words, it was dim but warm enough to get her back on her feet. She knew what she had to do now. Laying down and feeling hopeless and guilty for herself wasn't an option anymore – no, she was going to look for Pyrus and she wouldn't stop until she found him.
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