Edited and rewritten, 2014
Chapter Four
The engine roared to life with a turn of the key and she held onto him tightly, wrapping her arms around his waist automatically, resting her head on his back more out of fear than the desire to be close. Alex couldn't help but hug Dustin tighter and squeeze her eyes shut at times, hoping that this boy knew what he was doing and wouldn't send her flying to the side of the road—she wouldn't be much use to Manjipour if she were dead, after all.
Once they came out of the city, the sun's rays warmed Alex's skin, greeting her with little kisses now that they were no longer blocked by towering buildings. Dustin continued along the road, speeding by the beach where the children splashed in the water as the sun set and the teenagers played volleyball and the older folks relaxed in their chairs beneath umbrellas that were no longer needed now that the sun was about to meet the ocean on the horizon.
Alex expected Dustin to turn and park somewhere at any time, but he kept driving, eventually turning off on a road that was more narrow, headed uphill. Looking out at the ocean, the sea salt from the air invaded her lungs and had her hair dancing. Alex took it all in. Were there beaches in Manjipour? If there were, she must not have explored enough to find them. Manjipour was a beautiful place with lush forests that twinkled in the twilight with fireflies and magic. Green ivy grew up the palace walls and from the very top of the palace, standing on the balcony, Alex could see mountains looming in the distance. She wondered what lie beyond them, but it was not the princess' job to explore the kingdom. It was her job to run the palace and take care of her people. Surely, she would miss this view of the Gold Coast, the way it took her breath away. She tried to take pictures in her mind while she still could as the stars began to appear in the darkening sky above.
Dustin followed the winding road and eventually they began to descend the hill and the sea momentarily disappeared from Alex's view, blocked by the tops of palm trees that swayed beside the guardrails of the road in the gentle breeze. Alex had never been here before. She'd never really strayed this far from the city since moving there. Looking ahead as Dustin slowed the motorcycle, she could see cars parked alongside the road and in the sand of this secluded cove. There were people gathered around a bonfire by the ocean as the tide rolled in.
There were a few people standing around an old rusty van, pulling their surf boards from the back and then racing toward the sea as the waves crashed on the sand. Alex was relieved that she'd brought her swimsuit when she saw some other girls in the shallow waters. The princess thought she might explore the world of the tidal pools while there was still enough light to do so. She found herself rather intrigued by the little guppies and the crabs that hid beneath the rocks, somehow having survived another day at the bottom of the food chain and soon to return to the ocean with the incoming tide.
She watched on as one of the boys went to lift what she assumed was his girlfriend off her feet and then toss her into the water. She couldn't hear over the motorcycle's engine, but she could see the laughter on her face. Plenty of activity was going on, she nodded. Something was happening in each direction she looked; people risking their lives by surfing in the sunset, people trying to save the bonfire from the tide, girls and their boyfriends. There was also a small shack off in the corner by the palm trees. It looked like it'd been abandoned and Alex didn't give it much thought, but maybe she should've given it more. It did cause the slightest chill to run down her spin, but she refused to dwell on it.
Dustin pulled into the cove where there was a break in the guardrail and killed the engine. Alex shook her hair out and stood up as soon as the movement stopped—or maybe even before. She was met with a dizzy spell from a combination of standing up so quickly and from the adrenaline rush—something she wasn't looking forward to repeating on the way home.
Now that the engine was silent, she could hear the sound of the fire cracking and smell the ashes as they rose and then rained down. She could hear laughter and squeals of excitement, the crashing of the waves. It was much better than the sound of Dustin's motorcycle, which was slightly deafening.
"I hope that wasn't too scary for you." he smiled at her, getting off the bike and putting down the kickstand.
"It wasn't too bad for my first time." she forced a grin, not exactly swept off her feet so far.
"You were holding onto me awful tight." he teased her as he took her hand and began to lead her toward the scene of the bonfire. After a few steps, he used his other hand to pull a cigarette out from his jacket and put it in his mouth before pulling out a lighter.
Alex was a bit taken aback and she forgot to respond to his comment about her holding on so tight. "Oh. You smoke?" She couldn't feel her arms from clinging to him, but she could feel the wheels in her head turning.
Alex, don't be so judgmental! She found her conscience scolding her.
Judgmental? Something from deep inside her spoke. It was either her gut, her pride, or the princess in her—all things she knew to be things she should listen to. Alex, he is a man child and you know it. What are you even doing here? You know this won't work!
Well, that was a mean thing to say. Her conscience fought back.
You're just desperate, Alex. Stop lying to yourself.
"Don't look so shocked. Don't all the kids our age?" he winked at her, blowing a puff of smoke into the air.
Alex struggled to keep from making a face as she first thought about earth's struggling environment and then the thought of the damage that could be done to the nearly-untouched Manjipourian environment. No, this would not do back in Manjipour. Thank you, Alex. You have seen the light. The princess in her spoke with more sarcasm than was expected from a royal.
"Dustin!" a boy called to his friend from beside the fire. "Over here!"
He let go of Alex's hand and burst into a sprint. She took in a sigh and then followed him in the direction of his friend. She was starting to think that blue eyes were easy to get lost in, but not always the best idea. Dustin took his friend's hand once he reached the fire and they did that weird hand shake guys do. He seemed to forget Alex rather quickly. ADD much? Not exactly Prince Charming, is he?
"Glad you could make it." his friend was saying as the princess approached "You want a beer?" he offered immediately and Alex eyed the glass bottle in his hand. Of course, Alex was of age. She had been for over two years, but she'd hardly had more than a sip of champagne on her birthday. Every once in a while Amanda would bring home a bottle of nice wine and she knew that most of her class mates were into some heavy drinking at parties, but she usually stuck to her fruity, kiddie beverages. It didn't seem like a good habit to form as the princess of a magical kingdom. Besides, she rather enjoyed her sugary drinks from her childhood. Alex, you are a woman child at heart and maybe you're hardly any more mature than he is, but it would appear you have a greater thinking capacity, don't you agree?
"Thanks, man." Dustin took the bottle from his friend and popped off the cap, leaving it to litter the sand.
"And one for the lady?" the boy took another bottle from the blue cooler beside him and held it out for Alex, but she wrinkled her nose and shook her head, forcing a polite smile so that she wouldn't offend him. She appreciated the offer, but at the same time, she didn't. "Be careful, Dustin." The boy turned to look at his friend, who was chugging the beer like he'd found water in the desert. "You're gonna get hammered again if you don't watch it."
"True." Dustin said with a smirk, momentarily coming up for air. "The sooner the better, right?"
Alex shifted uncomfortable. This definitely wasn't her scene.
"Well, I know I'm right about one thing, you definitely know how to party." the boy slapped Dustin on the back in that way guy friends did. "But be careful, you've got a lady with you." he gestured to the princess.
And she appreciated his thinking of her, since Dustin didn't appear to be doing so, but she already felt as if she'd showed up at the party uninvited and alone.
"Just be a bit more careful than last time, Dustin. I know you want to live the rock star life, but you're never gonna get there if you keep ending up unconscious in the emergency room." a blond-headed girl with an American accent stood from one of the logs that surrounded the fire and joined in the conversation. The girl was tall and built like a surfer or maybe a swimmer and her tone was far less playful than Dustin's friend's.
"Hey, that was my first time legally drinking." Dustin defended himself.
"Don't be such a downer, Ronnie." the boy said and she rolled her eyes in response. "Hey, let's go look at that bike of yours again, Dus." And with that, the boy led Dustin away, leaving Alex alone with a bunch of strangers.
For a moment, she only looked around and toyed with her necklace awkwardly. It made her feel safe, reminding her of her other home, Manjipour; a place where she was always wanted, never walked on, never forgotten. There she hardly had to lift a finger, but in this world she had to fight for what she wanted just like everyone else.
"He give that to you?" Ronnie asked, looking at the elephant around her neck intently.
"Oh, no." she shook her head. "It was, um…a gift from a friend." she smiled. She certainly wasn't about to tell this girl that it was practically an early wedding present from the elders of the magical kingdom that she ruled.
"No surprise there. The only thing that boy'll give you is trouble." Ronnie informed her, raising an eyebrow as she looked the princess up and down.
"What do you mean?" Alex looked up and met the girl's serious green eyes.
"You know, I've listened to him play that guitar of his. The one with the Texas flag on it? He's pretty good at it. He makes good music, but one day that boy's gonna crash a burn. I can see it. I don't have to be a music business major to tell. Give it an hour and he'll be wasted. I hope you know how to drive that bike. If you don't, I'd call a cab." she spoke to Alex with a look as bitter as her tone and then she saw the confused expression on her face. She softened, "Sorry. He just…I see my dad in him. And now I don't see my dad because he'd behind prison bars." she explained with a sharp intake of breath.
"Is he really that bad?" Alex questioned. To be honest, she'd never met a boy who was truly "trouble."
"He might have blue eyes, but he ain't no angel, that's for sure." she sighed. "I used to go to school with him back in the States. He was a mess our freshman year, then I transferred here. We ran in the same circles back home, but I didn't miss him. He had issues with underage drinking and assault. My old roommate told me the only reason he transferred here was because they were talking about expelling him, so he got himself out of the country at the first opportunity." she explained.
"What was he getting expelled for, exactly?" She'd heard he'd had issues with drinking and assault, but what kind of assault? What had he done, exactly, that was so severe he wasn't allowed to continue his education at that particular institute.
"Same thing he'll get kicked out of here for. Fightin', drugs. The boy attracts trouble like a magnet." Ronnie told the princess, crossing her arms and shaking her head as she looked after him.
"And what about the girls in his life?" Alex asked nervously, realizing more and more the boy she'd run into on the way to the school office was no king for her people. In fact, her previous "boyfriends," if they could even be called that, would have been more qualified for the throne.
"Now look, I don't know what a pretty, wide-eyed little thing like you is doing with a boy like that, but that boy don't have the slightest idea how to treat a lady. Lord knows what his daddy was like." Ronnie went on.
Alex felt her stomach churning at Ronnie's cryptic warning and wished she could just go home. "I need some air…." she started to walk off. "Uh, thanks, Ronnie."
"If you really want to thank me, don't get involved with him." Was all Ronnie said before she turned and walked off in the opposite direction.
The princess sighed, defeated and walked toward the shore, hoping the cool water of the ocean would give her a sense of freedom and a moment's peace. She took her shoes off and let the sea kiss her feet where the clear water met the golden sand. Broken shells crunched beneath her feet as she waded into the water up to her ankles. The was a small wave, though bigger than the others, and it came up to splash against her legs and spray her face with mist and soak the lower part of her dress. She grimaced, but she knew she would miss the annoying feeling. She would miss the power of the water and the waves that slammed into her and threatened to knock her to the ground. She would miss everything.
After a time the sun had set and Alex was still hanging out by herself. Some party. A party of one. Most of the surfers had put their boards away and most everyone was gathered around the fire, laughing, oblivious to the lonely girl in the water beneath the stars and the full moon above. As the tide came in, tall waves crashed over Alex, but she did her best to enjoy the waves' roller coaster ride. This might be the last time she ever got to experience it. She was no marine biology major, but she'd heard that this was when the sharks came out to feed and the rays came out, but she didn't fear more than a little. Maybe it was foolish, but she thought maybe if she were calm and lived this moment with her heart open, she could become one with the sea and all its creature, there would be a silent, mutual understanding and they would not harm her. They would pick up the vibes she was radiating and the energy flowing from her body and accept her as one of their own. Either it worked or she got lucky, because the animals of the water weren't the ones to hurt her that night.
It was getting later, but the party certainly wasn't slowing down. It was getting more wild in fact, with louder music, shouting, dancing, and a bit of close dancing that made Alex crinkle her nose. If this was what Dustin really liked, he certainly wouldn't fit in in Manjipour. He'd die of culture shock in the first week.
Alex could feel the rip tide pulling at her, trying to take her out to sea, but the water was shallow enough where she stood that she wasn't worried about that or the waves that were nearly as tall as she. She felt at peace, despite her nice dress being covered with water and a layer of sea salt. She was toying with her necklace as she stared down at the sea foam and the full moon stared down at her, the stars twinkling in the sky like rhinestones. As she stepped, little guppies fled in their little groups to avoid being crushed, not that Alex would ever do such a thing. She was gentle with even the smallest of creatures, from elephant to lady bugs, as a princess should be. She smiled at the tiny little fish as they swam away, their scales glimmering in the moonlight.
Those adorable shoes she'd purchased just for the occasion were long gone by now. She'd meant to move them once the tide came in, but she'd been too busy getting lost in her head and now they sat on the sand somewhere beneath the water. That was okay, though. Her life on the Gold Coast was only temporary and girls didn't wear shoes like that in Manjipour. In addition to that, she wasn't so eager to please her date any longer. She hadn't seen him since he'd gone off with some of his friends. He hadn't even bothered coming to look for her. She could only guess that he was drunk and hanging out with his buddies. Why had he even invited her to tag along?
Suddenly, when Alex wasn't paying attention, it was as if the sand beneath her feet was ripped out from beneath her. I guess that's how rip tide works, though. The water hardly even came to her knees, but the water's force pulled her to the sand and pulled her into a wave that seemed to tower over her from where she sat. She couldn't get back to her feet fast enough. The waves crashed over her, taking her breath away with its power and might. At first, it shoved her forward, forcing her on all fours. Her hair and dress were completely soaked as her head came up out of the water, choking and trying to get the sea water out of her lungs. Her eyes stung with the salt.
But the water didn't just force her forward and then leave her. No, it proceeded to pull her back with the water. It was as if it'd accepted her offer of peace and harmony and now it demanded to keep her. Alex struggled to get a grip with her hands, but the water lifted her back to her feet where the water came to her waist. She desperately tried to dig her feet into the sand, but the water was pulling the sand away from the shore as well. Another wave came crashing over Alex then, sending her underwater in a summersault that was anything but graceful. She came up gasping for air and sputtering. It felt like it'd only been a few seconds, but looking back at the shore, land was getting further and further away. Another wave came then, sending water up the princess' nose and into her sinuses and down her throat. This wave pushed her further back to shore at first, carrying her with it and all of its might and majesty.
"Help!" Alex cried, choking as her nose and throat burned. "Help!" she shouted again, more desperate this time, but the crowd gathered around the bonfire didn't seem to notice. She went to scream for help again, but a wave over took her, dragging her beneath the surface, twisting her round and round like one of those rubber rulers. The princess opened her eyes under the water and she couldn't see anything at first, unsure of which way was up and which was down. She just kept imagining the moment when she would be dragged past the sand bar, when she would be completely at the ocean's mercy. That is until she spotted the moon and followed the light to the surface. It called to her as it called to the tide and the baby sea turtles at night.
"Help me! Please!" she screamed, a bit more blood-curdling this time. She had a dim idea of how to get out of a rip tide, but she was in too much of a panic to remember it. And she felt so tired already. Almost like giving up as the ocean pulled her further and further away. No, it couldn't end like this. Manjipour needed her.
Alex closed her eyes as a wave crashed over her again, sending her deep beneath the surface and twisting her around, dragging her deeper and deeper to a point where she couldn't touch the sand at the bottom. Fighting it with everything she had, fighting until her muscles ached, she came back to the surface and took a deep breath, knowing another wave would be coming behind her. And it did and it proceeded to drag her into the blackness of the water. All she thought about was the sand bar that must've been getting close and she thought about how Kuru would scold her for being so careless. She would get annoyed, but she would know it would only be because he cared about her. Amanda would do the same if she were here—God knew what her parents would say. Her embarrassment and how stupid she felt were enough to make her second think ever showing her face again—not that she was being given much of a choice.
"Hold on!" someone shouted from the shore just before she went under.
The princess did her best to hold her breath, but being tossed around like that literally knocked the wind out of her. She winced, but only bubbles came out. She tried to open her eyes, but all she could see were bubbles and sea foam. Reaching up for the surface once more, she didn't know what she was hoping for. After this wave there would only be another one. But then, just as her fingers were about to disappear into the water, she felt someone grab her hand and pull her up.
Alex rose from the water, her chest heaving as she took deep breaths, appreciating the air more than she ever had before.
"You shouldn't be out here alone." Dustin said, trying to push Alex's tangled hair out of her face so that she could see. She didn't say anything in reply, only lying across the board with the upper half of her body out of the water. She looked at him and she must've been a disheveled wreck as she rested her head on her folded arms, still disoriented and taking greedy gulps of air. Dustin's speech slurred and she knew he was somewhat drunk—sober enough that he could grab a surfboard and swim out to her, though, luckily. "I've been looking for you. I thought you ditched me for a while there." he said, when in fact he'd been the one who'd seemingly ditched her. He seemed dizzy, from the alcohol in his brain, but that didn't stop him from rowing them back to shore. The rest of the group of party-goers didn't seem worried. In fact, it didn't look like they'd even noticed the dramatic scene going down behind them.
Alex didn't say anything in response to what he'd said. She was exhausted. She wanted to be mad at him for getting drunk rather than spending time with her and including her in the party, even if it wasn't her scene, but she was too tired. And grateful. She clung to that surfboard for dear life.
They soon reached the shore and Alex flopped off the board, onto the dry sand it felt good. She wanted to make a sand angel and play in it like the kids on TV played in snow. She'd never loved the earth's surface so much. She felt her heart in her chest as Dustin lie down next to her, almost equally as exhausted. Her heart felt like it was beating a thousand miles an hour, but it was beginning to slow as she caught her breath, reassuring herself that she was alright now. "I owe you." she breathed. It was true, but she said it with the slightest laugh, trying to lighten the seriousness of the situation. Besides, he was more than tipsy—he might not even be able to process what she was saying.
He sat up rather abruptly then, alarming her and causing her to do the same. "I know a way you can pay me back." he didn't hesitate to closer to her and then he took her face in his hand. She raised an eyebrow and made a face, but she didn't say anything. "You're a beautiful girl, Allison." he said. He smelled like beer and sea water.
"Alex." she corrected. She struggled to keep the annoyance out of her voice. He'd just saved her life after all.
He ignored her again. "I could take that debt away right now if you want." he stood up and then he bent to scoop her up, carrying her across the sand bridal style.
"Excuse me?" Alex continued to give him a look, totally lost on what he was getting at. "Where are we going?" she looked around and then became just a bit frantic when he didn't say anything. The other party-goers weren't paying the slightest bit of attention, all of them surrounding the fire and some guy playing a song on his guitar. "Dustin, I want to go home." the princess royally demanded as if she were back in Manjipour. She didn't want him to think badly of her, but honestly, she'd had the worst evening and the worst date of her life. She did feel stupid for almost getting herself killed, but she didn't quite feel embarrassed. Not when she compared herself to Dustin. At this point, she truly felt no need to impress him and she felt no desire for his approval. She just wanted to go home and talk to Amanda and ignore his phone calls.
"Don't be silly." he grunted and then threw her over his shoulder. "The party's just getting started." he stumbled a little in his gait, but he seemed determined.
"What do you mean? We've been here for hours, Dustin. I want to go home. Fighting rip tide makes a girl really tired." she insisted. She knew she sounded whiney and maybe even ungrateful, but cryptic and vague were two things very common in Alex's life, even in some of her favorite people, and quite honestly, she was quite tired of it and in no mood for it.
Dustin only chuckled and headed in the direction of the palms that surrounded the somewhat secluded little shack. The one that Alex had originally assumed was abandoned, but upon entering, Alex saw that there was a light on. Dustin turned to close the door behind him and she saw a boy about her age sitting on the loveseat of the small, one-room shack. He was smoking something that burned the princess' sinuses and he looked up at them in surprise. "Hey, Andy. You mind if I use your place for a few minutes?" he asked casually.
"Yeah, sure…." he put out whatever he was smoking hesitantly and then headed toward the exit without another thought.
"Now that we're all alone…." Dustin practically threw Alex down on the old, stained mattress once Andy was gone. "You can start paying me back."
This is hardly fit for a princess. her snobby side turned up her nose, but she didn't get the chance to humble herself like she usually did.
"Excuse me?" Alex asked again, sitting up as he peeled his shirt off.
"Lay down." he ordered, pushing her down with more force than she would've expected. Once she was lying on her back, he began to crawl on top of her and sloppily kiss her neck.
"Listen, I've never done this before," the princess began, putting her hands on his chest and digging her nails into his flesh when he wouldn't budge. "And that's not going to change tonight." she growled, pinching his skin with the intention of making him bleed.
Dustin withdrew in shock, but he didn't even bother looking at his wounds. He slapped her right across the face and stared at her hungrily, vulnerable and at her mercy. The slap stung like a hundred little bees on the cheek of a pretty princess. It took her breath away as her hand went to the new wound. "You were right when you said you owed me." he said, pushing her down again and pinning her hands above her head roughly. "Just think of it as taking what's already mine."
She tried to move her legs, to kick him where it'd really hurt, but he had her completely pinned. He held her down so tightly, his fingers and knees would surely leave marks on her wrists and her hips and legs. This was the perfect time to use magic, but the princess couldn't even move her fingers.
Dustin reached up under her dress, causing her to squirm—or at least attempt to. He was going for her chest, but the princess wouldn't have it. She saw the opportunity and she seized it, spitting in his face. He immediately jumped back and wiped her DNA away with disgust, but he didn't release her. What she'd done made him angry. The rage visible in his eyes and the fear in Alex's, he took his hand, wrapped it around the princess' throat, and slammed her head into the headboard behind her. She winced in pain, but she did not give in. She continued to struggle with everything she had.
"Come on, Alex. You said you owed me." Now he chose to remember her name. "We can do this the easy way or we can do this the hard way. It's all up to you." Dustin growled. Alex could've sworn his eyes went from blue to black in that moment.
"I know I said I owed you, but I thought you'd use it to ask me to do something petty, like write a paper for you or give you a ride somewhere sometime. Something stupid and shallow, but this is low, even for you." she growled back, taking the opportunity to bite him on the wrist.
He took in a sharp breath and released her neck to look at his wrist for about half a second, but then he was holding her down again, calling her names she'd never actually heard out loud. She tried to squirm out of his grasp again, lifting her abdomen off the bed, but he took his hand and slammed her down onto the mattress, causing an intense pain in her ribs. "Now you're going to do as I say and let me have my way with you. You might even like it."
Alex's eyes filled with hatred then. Take turns with her? As if she were something to be owned. She was a princess. She took the opportunity to spit in his face yet again, but this time he was not so surprised. He retaliated by slapping her in the mouth as if she were a spoiled child. "Maybe I should've left you out there to drown. Let you be a nice little snack for the sharks."
Alex didn't say anything, she only glared up at him. She almost thought maybe he should've done that too. At least then she could've died with some dignity.
"What's this little necklace you got here?" he asked, picking up the elephant pendant. She didn't reply, so he pinched the sensitive skin of her neck. "I asked you a question."
"It's…it's from my grandparents." Alex said the first thing that came to mind. "There's two. One for me and one for my future husband. The elephant is a symbol of purity and marriage." she winced and the pain caused tears to blur her vision.
He laughed at the sentimental idea. "Well, I can't have you thinking about your future husband tonight, can I?" And he ripped the necklace from around her neck before she could object, breaking the chain and tossing it on the floor.
Alex growled and glared at him, her eyes wild like that of an animal.
"Just relax and maybe it won't hurt as bad." he instructed her, making sure she was pinned so that she couldn't move in the slightest. The only thing she could move was her mouth and spitting in the boy's face was obviously not going to do much to help her case. So she began screaming just as desperately as she had in the ocean when the waves had been pulling her out to sea—no, even more so. "Go on and scream. No one can hear you." he said into her neck, creating a trail of kisses and getting closer and closer to her chest, his lips hungry for her. But the princess certainly wasn't hungry for him. "Besides, I kind of like it." he chuckled.
Hot tears of anger, frustration, and hatred overcame her, fueling her like gasoline on a fire. She realized that this was real. There was no talking him out of this. She realized that she would not be the same after tonight, whether she escaped before he could do the ultimate deed or not. Maybe the bruises on her ribs and waist and legs and shoulders and wrists and her face would heal and disappear, but her trust had a tear in that and that tear was permanent. She felt humiliated because she couldn't save herself. It was her body, but he planned to use it like he was entitled to it. He was so much stronger than her and there was nothing that she could do. Nothing but scream as boiling tears began to stream down her face. Nothing she could do but wonder why men were given so much strength when some of them used it to be bad. It'd be okay if some of them didn't use it to be bad.
"Anala!" she screamed the most blood-curdling scream, her face red with desperation. She could've been an actress with that scream, but it this was no movie. This was real. "Anala muck!"
"What kind of crazy voodoo are you saying?" he asked, exasperated. "What is that, some kind of Indian prayer? Just relax and let me enjoy you."
"Anala!" she hollered, trying to keep the sobs that were building in her chest. She screamed so hard it felt as if her throat should be bleeding, but it appeared she would have to save herself. The princess had never felt so worthless, degraded, helpless, and weak in her life. She could only continue to beg for the help of the royal elephant as she lie beneath Dustin, who was beginning to work at the back of her dress, but this gave her an opportunity. One of his hands was at the back of her dress with the other trying to encase both of her wrists. And he did have big hands, as most men did compared to her dainty little ones, but somehow she managed to slip her wrist from his grasp.
A spell, Alex, a spell! Come on, think! Think Elphaba or the Fairy Godmother! Anything, Alex! Glinda? Harry Potter? You have to do something! This time her gut and her conscience and her pride and the princess in her were not arguing—they were working as one, screaming at her together.
Her mind was a whirlwind and she found herself moving her hand in no specific shape, but like the one in her mind as her thoughts twisted and turned in the shape of a funnel. There was a flash of green, but Dustin did not notice. The princess cringed beneath Dustin's weight and she squeezed her eyes shut, doubting that she would be able to think straight long enough to get out of this. But to her surprise, the boards and the metal and the tin roof of the shack began to rattle. The little room of scrap material came to life and when the princess opened her eyes, she felt Dustin's weight become less and less. She opened her eyes wide to see him being pulled from her by the force of a wind she could not see. She sat up and her jaw fell. She dropped her mouth, but not her hand. Dustin began to scream and in his eyes, she could feel the same terror that she'd felt. The anger overflowed inside of her. The gasoline made contact with the fire.
Her breath came rapidly and her chest rose and fell with it. She thought about what he'd tried to do to her and hatred twisted her heart. With a thrust of her hand, Dustin flew to the wall, causing a loud bang to ring through the room. It was loud enough that it was possible they'd heard it back on the beach, but Alex did not care. She did it again and again, ignoring his begging and his screams as blood flowed from his nose and the corner of his lower lip. Tears from the humiliation came again and she felt a hatred like never before. No, she might be small, but she was not weak, and he would see that. The wind howled like a sand storm. It almost sounded like a train was hurtling toward them and it felt as if the shack were going to come apart. In fact, pieces of it were flying away. The glass broke from the windows, bulbs broke in their lamps, papers and clothing flew about the room, whipping past Dustin. He begged for mercy, for help, but she could not hear him. She could only hear his screams and the way they soothed the darkest parts of her.
Back in Manjipour
It was almost as if Anala and the princess shared a soul then for she felt the princess' distress deep in her heart from a world away. She'd been peacefully grazing in the forest, but she suddenly stopped when she realized she was being called. The desperation in the princess' voice was enough that even a creature as big as Anala shook. Dropping the leaves she'd held in her trunk, the royal elephant charged forward. Her instincts told her she shouldn't go alone and she knew just who to take with her.
She stampeded through the forest along the path, trumpeting to warn hunters and passersby that she was coming and they quickly got out of the way, staring after the royal elephant with wide eyes. Anala never behaved this way. Anala did as she pleased, took her time. She was always calm and relaxed. As she charged through the marketplace on the way to the palace, the whole kingdom seemed to stop. Time seemed to stand still and everyone watched after the elephant, trumpeting loud enough that if it weren't for her feet already doing the job, she would probably cause the very earth beneath her to shake.
Women shrieked and pulled their children from Anala's path, backing up until their backs hit the merchants' tables and Anala did not slow down. Adrenaline coursed through her ancient veins and her eyes dilated as she pushed herself to move faster and faster. She could not go fast enough, for she could still hear her princess' voice in her head, screaming for help so desperate and helpless and hopeless.
The palace came into view and the guards at the front gate looked up, alarmed to see the royal elephant in such a state. It would've been their duty to stand their ground, to stop the elephant before she barreled through the gate and then call for an elephant boy to calm the creature, but as they stood their ground with grim expressions, the elephant did not slow. They carried spears, but they could not hurt the royal elephant even in their own defense. The guards stood their ground until the very last second, when they realized she was not going to stop for any reason and they both sent themselves flying onto either side of the road.
And then the palace gate was nothing more than a few broken pieces of wood and metal on the ground. Of course, Anala did not stop there. She trumpeted again, calling for someone she knew could help her. And she did not wait for him to come out, she stampeded forward with every intention of breaking through the palace door and finding him herself. Another set of guards stood at the door and they looked frightened, having never seen Anala like this before. They both pointed their spears at her, shaking and backing up against the door. They had no intention of hurting the elephant, of course, but they were between an elephant and a locked door. It was their last resort.
Anala stopped suddenly there and reared up, trumpeting loudly enough that Alex might've been able to hear it from her world as well. Landing on the ground on all fours once again, the earth thudded beneath her and she went around, refusing to give up there when the guards didn't budge. And she ran along the palace wall until she came to the window that she'd been looking, the one that sat behind Kuru and his desk, where he worked on all of the "boring" paperwork the princess couldn't keep herself awake to do for herself. The elephant did not bother "knocking" with her trunk or ramming her head into the palace wall, but she trumpeted once again, rising up on her back legs so that the whole world would hear and see. Kuru was leaned against his desk with his back turned to the window, surely reading some important documents that the would've put the princess to sleep had he not been around to take care of these things for her.
Recognizing that trumpet anywhere, Kuru turned around, alarmed. The papers fell to the floor and scattered themselves about, but Kuru didn't slow. He ran to the window and threw it open, "Anala, what's wrong?" he asked, as if the elephant could speak to him in English.
She trumpeted again, stamping her feet and waving her ears like palm leaves swayed in a violent wind.
Not wasting any time, Kuru climbed out the window one leg at a time and walked up to the elephant, putting a hand on her forehead in an attempt to calm her. He'd never been the best of the boys back when he'd been an elephant boy, but he had a connection with Anala. Not one like the princess had, but an understanding.
And like Kuru, Anala didn't waste any time. Sparkles of green surrounded them and then they were gone.
On the Gold Coast
The princess had stopped calling for Anala by now. In fact, she was taking care of the boy by herself. She held him up to the ceiling, debris flying around him and almost creating a visible funnel. Torturing him almost made her feel better, but as she realized his cries reminded her of hers, a different part of her felt the satisfaction fading away. But he didn't deserve her mercy. She took out her frustration she had for her conscience on him, ramming him into the rooftop with a slight lift of her hand. His hangs flew to his school, but it was likely wasn't as painful as it was loud.
"Stop, stop! Princess, stop!"
She heard a familiar voice, but she could not stop. She was in a different world, a different state of mind.
"Princess, please stop! You'll kill him!" Kuru begged with her. He sounded close, at the door, in fact, but she refused to acknowledge him. "I don't know what he's done, Princess, but magic is to be used to good. Princess, listen to me." he tried to reach her over the sound of the wind. He took a step closer to her, but stopped immediately when she met his eyes with a wild, feral look and her full dilated pupils. For a moment, he actually feared she would lash out at him, but he knew her. She was in this bundle of fury somewhere. "Princess, you're better than this!" She glared at him and she breathed for the first time. With the fresh intake of air, she reemerged from the dark side of her and her expression softened. As the wind died down, she could hear yelling outside. Dustin fell to the floor with a thud as she lost her focus and turned to look out the window. The group was running up the beach to the shack, with Andy in the lead, screaming, "My house!"
"I have to get out of here." Alex said, getting to her feet, preparing to run. She sprinted past both Kuru and Dustin, out the door as the group got closer.
"My God, Dustin, what happened in here?" Dustin's friend asked.
"She's…she's…" Dustin tried to speak, panicking and hyperventilating. "She's a witch! She's a witch!" he insisted, stumbling to his feet and gripping his friend by the shoulders.
"A witch? Do you hear yourself?" his friend asked in disbelief.
"She picked me up! She used magic and voodoo! She created a twister! With her hands!" he argued.
Alex didn't stop to listen, though. She continued to run, hoping that if she ran hard enough or fast enough she would feel better. Like her heart might beat hard enough to burn up the toxins inside of her. The angry side of her, the terrified side of her, the evil side, the vengeful side.
"It was just the wind, Dustin," another boy spoke up, crossing his arms and sounding annoyed. "It picked up outside, too."
"No, no! It was her, I swear! Look at what she did to me!" he yelled, gesturing to his face.
"Oh, Dustin. Those are just bad genes." someone said, causing the group to laugh.
"Dustin, you're drunk." Ronnie said and Alex could practically hear her eyes rolling. "What have you done to yourself, you clumsy oaf?"
"It wasn't me!" he continued to insist. "She's a witch!"
"Yes, yes, we know! She's a witch! The Wicked Witch of the Gold Coast has come to destroy us all. God help us!" Dustin's friend said in mock terror and the group's laugh that followed was the last that Alex heard as she began on the path that would lead to the road.
"Princess! Princess!" Kuru tried to catch up with her, but she would not slow despite the burning in her legs and the ache in her side. "Princess, you don't have to run. You're not a witch!" he exclaimed, as if that were what was upsetting her.
"Oh, but I might as well be, Kuru." she said, breathless.
"Princess, what has he done to you? You can tell me." he tried to comfort her or at least find out what was causing her to act out this way. What he'd seen her doing when he'd entered the shack was something he'd never seen. He must've done something awful to provoke the princess in such a way.
"Please, don't talk to me, Kuru." she stopped and turned to him with desperate eyes. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to sound cruel, but please, just…just let me talk to you. When I'm ready." And with that, she took off again, not planning on stopping until she found end of the earth or until she could no longer feel Dustin's hands on her.