My Heart Doth Wander
Chapter 26 : Savior
I was stained with a role
In a day not my own
But as you walked into my life
You showed what needed to be shown
I always knew what was right,
I just didn't know that I might
Peel away and choose to see
With such a different sight.
And I will never see the sky the same way,
And I will learn to say goodbye to yesterday
And I will never cease to fly if held down,
And I will always reach too high
Cause I've seen, cause I've seen
Twilight.
"Twilight" – Vanessa Carlton
"What do you mean, she's gone missing?!" Thunderhill's nostrils were flaring.
"I went in to check on her...and she wasn't there..." Quack took a step away from the brown wolf. Thunderhill's big fists were clenching and a fierce gleam was coming to his eyes. "The covers were thrown back. The few patients that were in there were asleep."
"Did she wake up?" The female who feared Lupe dead crept closer to Quack.
"Why would she walk off? She wouldn't be that stupid! She would stay there!"
Quack took another step away. "Ever woken from a deep sleep and not know where you are? She was...is...in a coma with a healing head injury. She might be confused...er...if she's awake, that is."
"LUPE!" cried the woman impulsively. "WHERE ARE YOU!"
"Didn't you hear? He doesn't know if she's awake." Thunderhill charged into the group of wolves, taking on the position of authority. His charged energy was making Quack nervous. Thunderhill had a way of being infectious, and right now he was radiating anger and agitation. "Someone could've taken her."
"Taken her?" The woman gasped.
"Taken her where?"
"We'll split up," growled Thunderhill. "Groups of two. Scour the village...and I ain't recommending you go easy on whoever has her-"
"She WAS taken." The voice, though calm and quiet, somehow squashed all chatter.
They turned towards the voice. Quack knew who it was, but his heart still pounded at the sight. Nadie was crawling from the tent, straightening up. Those eyes, pumpkin-orange, froze everyone in their stare. Intuitive. Yeah.
Thunderhill was before her in two strides. Quack thought he might grab or shake the child, but he didn't touch her. "Nadie, do you see something? Who has her?"
She frowned. "I can only tell that her spirit has traveled...following her body. I am blocked from it. But she has not woken."
"Look past the darkness." Thunderhill spoke in an encouraging tone; it surprised Quack. Obviously the wolf had had dealings with the girl's powers before...he was familiar with the things she usually said. He knew how to help focus her.
"It isn't darkness blocking me," Nadie replied. "It is LIGHT. Immense amounts of light."
"Sally..."
"I hear you."
"I see you..."
"Follow..." Sally clenched her eyes shut tight...she blocked out any dark thoughts, any doubt...she felt the Source around her, so pure. And she felt something else. A wisp... a wandering spirit...she touched it. She squeezed Lupe's hands...and she opened her eyes...she stared at Lupe's face. "See my eyes...the light in them? Follow THAT, Lupe!"
Nadie had gone rigid, her eyes rolled back in her head.
"She's trying to see past the barrier," Thunderhill had explained when Quack had rushed forward to help her.
"There is...a..." the child's voice came out labored. "a great power at work! It's...so strong..."
"What's going on?" A few Knothole villagers had arrived on the scene, roused by the earlier yelling. "What's wrong with that kid?"
"QUIET!" bellowed Thunderhill. He was cradling the girl in his arms.
"Something's changed..." Nadie whispered. "Something...OH!"
"What the hell-" Started one of the villagers, but they were startled as Nadie jolted from Thunderhill's arms, landing neatly upon her feet. Her eyes were back to normal and her voice was calm and smooth again.
"She is by the water!!"
Thunderhill didn't spare a second. He sprang away from the group, heading for the Power Ring pool, even as one villager questioned 'who?' and Quack asked 'What water? The pool, the river...what?'
The rest of the wolves were on Thunderhill's heels, charging away after the makeshift leader.
"Lupe," said Quack.
"She's awake?!" exclaimed a villager.
"I don't know...let's go find out..."
Sally's foot slid into the soft mud on the far shore of the Power Ring pool. She, staggering, made her way towards the path back to the village. Behind her, the cave door slid shut in its seamless fashion, blending perfectly into the rock.
Just in time. She heard screams, the sounds of running feet. Sounded like an army coming down here. There was no time to run or hide. She stood up as straight as possible, but she was not afraid. She no longer cared what they thought of her.
The commotion had woken several villagers. They joined the running wolves, jolted from sleepiness at the notion of a kidnapped Lupe. Geoffrey and Bunnie walked at the back of the group with Quack, who was quoting Nadie's words to them.
"Ah wonder what it all could-" Bunnie stopped talking. There were screams and howls from up ahead, full of rage and persecution. Screams directed at...
"The WITCH!! The WITCH HAS HER!"
"Sally-girl?" cried Bunnie. The Princess was the only witch around, right? That's what they all called her, behind walls and backs and in heated whispers. Maybe Sally did have powers...but it was no reason to stab a word of contempt upon her.
Geoffrey was shoving roughly through the group; Quack was following in his wake, and Bunnie charged after them.
"Witch, let her go!" A woman screamed.
"Princess? Lupe?!" Thunderhill's loud roar deafened all ears. He halted in front of her; she had stopped and remained stock-still, just staring at them. The wind blew her burgundy hair about her face, and her eyes shone with a great weariness... but it was not the weariness of a hopeless soul trapped in darkness. It was the weariness that came after accomplishing a monumental feat.
One of the villagers fought through the crowd to stand next to Thunderhill. It was one of Bernard's friends, and he was drawing a hatchet from his belt. Bunnie's eyes went wide in shock...
How DARE any of them think of harming her?!
"What are you doing with Lupe?" Thunderhill said, his voice even and calm, but there was a threat running beneath.
Sally did not flinch. She did not move, even as the hatchet-wielding villager came near. She stood with her arms embracing the body of Lupe, holding the Chieftain off the ground. Lupe's bare feet were, strangely, not dragging, but planted firmly upon the earth.
"Let go of her, witch...." The villager threatened. "I don't care if you're the princess. We can't let you kill anyone else-"
"You will not harm her."
At first, Bunnie's sharp ears thought it was the voice of Nadie. It was low and calm, and thrumming with energy, just like the child's. But no...this voice was different. It was older. Wiser.
A gasp went through the crowd; as one they stepped back. The hatchet fell harmlessly onto the ground.
In Sally's arm, life had blossomed. Lupe's head lifted, wobbly, but standing proud and noble upon her fine neck. She stood...she stood up straight. Her arms held onto Sally's for support.
Her eyes, so long closed, so long unoccupied, opened. They were the same...the same beautiful rich wise eyes...nothing had changed. Nothing but a jagged scar across the forehead and a wearied trembling of her body.
Lupe had returned.
"Oh mah stars..." whispered Bunnie.
Sally's eyes were filled with light...She was vivid. The Chieftain's height was superior to Sally's, but strangely, oddly, Sally seemed to be the taller person tonight. She towered above... her hair wafting, her mouth a neutral line. She was so gorgeous that Bunnie's breath caught in her throat; Geoffrey whistled in awe.
Lupe spoke, her voice slightly raspy, as if dust had coated her throat. She coughed quietly. "I will hear no more foul speak of this woman. She has saved my life. She has brought me home when I was too weak to find my way. I will hear NO MORE talk of her."
"I'm sorry..." the hatchet-man mumbled, as he bent to pick up the weapon. His head bowed in apology, he merged into the crowd.
Thunderhill stepped forward, taking Lupe's hands reverently. "Come Chieftain... let's get you to the camp... You can rest. We have so much to talk about."
They turned, and slowly, the wolves dispersed from the area. Quack, insisting he needed to look Lupe over, followed them. Sally didn't move... she stood in the same spot, her eyes watching everyone leave. The villagers didn't speak to her. They trickled back through the trees, disappearing into huts without even a word to each other. Doors shut quietly.
Bunnie could feel their emotion. It made her heart twist. She had never doubted Sally, but they had. They had accused the girl who struggled to keep Knothole safe all these years. A girl so young, sacrificing herself for them... they had blasphemed her good name. Oh yes, she felt their emotion...and it hurt to feel it...but they deserved to wallow in it. They were ashamed.
There was one who did not exude the feeling of shame, or awe. A simple respect and quiet approval radiated from one child. Nadie stepped up to the Princess. "You have great power...." The orange eyes, like low-hanging moons, glowed. They washed over the Princess, then wandered the cliffs and rock walls behind the pool. "But the power was not all yours."
"Not all," Sally said softly. "Not at all."
"But some," Nadie praised. "Much. You are powerful indeed to bend such forces to your command."
Sally finally moved, her bare feet stepping around the child and carrying her towards the path to the village. She spoke over her shoulder. "It was not bent."
Bunnie was alone at the pool. She stared out over the water, and into the dark trees. Up into the sky, she gazed. There was nothing here. But things were different somehow, like a great wind had blown over the village and blown the stale heavy air away. It was nighttime...but to Bunnie it seemed like the stars were shining particularly bright tonight.
Bright enough to scare away the shadows.
Things were going to be different around here, she knew.
Sally was tired. So tired she was nearly sleepwalking on the way home. Everything was a daze, but pleasantly so, like the high of eating rich chocolate or really good sex.
Her foot hit a dip in the ground and she stumbled. Her arm was caught and steadied, taken in a gentlemanly fashion, though this man was certainly less than a gentleman. She smelled his musky fur, like cologne. Geoffrey.
"Bit unsteady, luv?"
"I'm so tired," she said, through a yawn. "I'll be clear in the morning."
"That you will," he said. He had a very nice smile, now that she looked at it. And his eyes, they weren't blue at all – for the murk in them had floated away...they were black underneath. Clear, like volcanic glass. Clear. Yeah, he knew everything, and he knew she knew he knew.
'That's a lot of knews,' she thought, and managed a weak smile. It didn't even seem to matter that he knew anymore. Sonic would still accept her, even through the lies.
"You did a great job, Sally. I knew...that if anyone could help Lupe it would be you."
Her embrace was tired, weak, but genuine. She hugged him. "Thank you."
"G'night luv."
Her bed was soft. The euphoria was fading to a soft warm glow at her core. She cuddled under her covers, cradling her arms to her chest, holding onto it. But it was nothing new or sacred. It was simply a lost part of her...
...finally come back home.
The morning sun crept through the fall sky. It was a windless day. Most of the trees around Knothole were bare, their skeletal limbs reaching into the expanse of blue above. Leaves lay thick upon the ground.
Dear Journal,
It's getting colder and winter is around the corner. Autumn makes part of me ache. But, I do have to admit, I enjoy this aspect of fall – walking through the leaves, the swish and crunch of them underfoot. Sonic likes to whip up huge piles and we jump into them. We all do... laughing and screaming and throwing great handfuls at each other. Maybe we can do that today.
It would be so nice, today, to build a midday fire and roast corn and hot dogs over the flames. I love the taste of roasted corn, with butter dribbling off the end. It's delectable and messy.
I should get up and get out. There's so much to do and see today! No time to waste the sunlight.
She rolled over lazily, reluctant to give up the warm and softness of the covers, but knowing other comforts awaited her in the laughter of her friends and the taste of fire-roasted corn. She was facing the window and she lifted her head with a frown. A shadow was outside, like someone was trying to look in. They were! She saw the shadow move away and she heard mummered voices.
'Who could that be?' None of her friends would be peeking in her window in the morning. She slipped her feet off the edge of the bed and touched them to the ground. Her legs had no choice but to stand; she swayed on her feet, rubbing her eyes.
Outside she heard a yell. It sounded like Sonic. The voices stopped abruptly, and she drew aside the curtain, staring outside. She saw several villagers running away from her residence. The next moment, a pounding came at her door.
"Come in, Sonic!" She called. She slipped on a pair of boots, listening to the creak of the front door and the sound of footsteps.
"Those creeps were writing on your wall again!" Sonic huffed. "And after what you did last night!"
"What did they write?"
"I don't know...but you can bet it's a bunch of crap!" He frowned hard. She took his hand and he stared at her, almost bewildered by her complacent gesture.
"I don't care what they say anymore, Sonic."
"But they don't have any right to treat you like that!"
She shook her head. "I...I can't explain. But I won't...I don't...carry the guilt for them anymore. I don't feel it anymore."
He squeezed her hand. "You never should have felt it."
Maybe not. But I did, and it killed parts of me. But I came out of it stronger, I think. I came out of it WISER. -Part of you will be dead, Sally. But death is not a bad thing. Other parts of you will still be alive.-
Cu was right. I mourn for the dead pieces. But I hope for the living ones, and all the potential they have.
Outside, she heard Bunnie's voice. "Sally-girl, come out and see this!"
She and Sonic obeyed; they exited the house and rounded the corner to the wall that had bore the stigma of 'witch.' Geoffrey and Bunnie were standing there and they smiled at Sally as she approached.
They smiled?
The wall was smeared with mud again, big messy words scrawled by fingers and hands. The dirt under the wall had scoop marks in it.
"That's more on the mark," chuckled Bunnie. "Though Ah believe they might be over-estimatin' you now, Sally-girl!"
Sally laughed – a pure and real laugh. It felt so good. She looked at the faces of her friends, and she felt their love and acceptance. She felt the same for them...
And she felt the same for herself.
Dear Journal,
I didn't see it. I see it now.
The night sky. It is endless darkness. Akin to hopelessness and despair, an airless realm of death. But look, what is that there? And there, and there? Pinpoints of light; stars. They shine so brightly. They are so small, and yet...the eye is drawn to them and NOT to the darkness that encroaches them. That's US. That's a mortal life. Surrounded by the inevitable and yet shining still.
I wish I had seen it before. I'm so sorry it took me so long.
I can only say...I will shine all the brighter now...I'll shine so hard I'll create my own sun....and I'll radiate light for all of you.
The wall read: Savior.