Annablossom4703: I'm back! (throws hands up into the air before flopping down sideways in a chair) I have missed everyone so much! So obviously, I'm trying a new introduction style, so let me know what you think! Special shout-out to Hollyleaf15 for the inspiration for the intro format! Anyways, I have with me the Saturday family! Say, "hey", guys!
Doc and Drew Saturday: Hello.
Zak, Fiskerton, Zon, Komodo Saturday: Hey!
Doyle Blackwell: S'up?
AB: I am so excited that all of you are actually here!
Zak: No problem, AB. Excited to see what you've got planned for us.
AB: (Mysterious look in eyes) You'll just have to wait and see. Say, Zak, how strong is your love for Wadi?
Zak: I'd die for her, Why?
AB: No reason. On to the story. I don't own The Secret Saturdays, Jay Stephens and Cartoon Network do.
Zak: Seriously, AB. Why?
AB: You'll see, eventually. BTW, this a rewrite of Healing Kur, but whatever you know from that, forget it. This is a clean slate.
Here's Chapter 1: The Half Skeleton.
(3rd Person POV)
The naga's eyes glowed orange as the Great Serpent dismissed the naga annoyedly from his sight. The Great Serpent had had enough.
A young, alluring, sand colored naga with short black hair came slithering into the throne room of the Great Serpent. The naga bowed to the Great Serpent, who blew her off. Yet the naga continued to slither closer to the Great Serpent.
"Leave me be, Gulama. Can't you ssssee your massster isss tired?" The Great Serpent hissed at the naga called Gulama. He began to use his powers to control Gulama and forced her from the throne room. The Great Serpent sighed once Gulama was out. He was so tired of the darn nagas constantly bothering him. Ever since he gained control over them, they never wanted to let him be alone. And now rumors of rebellion filled his palace. The Great Serpent left the throne room, returned to his chamber, and laid down to rest.
Zak: What was that? That was horrible!
Drew: Zak! I'm sorry about him.
AB: It's nothing. I'm used to boys his age.
Zak: Hey!
AB: Anyway, Zak, that was the start of a myth that I'll be using to begin each chapter. Oh, by the way, for the main story, one of the characters knows French, so I have the French and then the English translation in parentheses, but I have the narration in English. Does that make any sense?
Zak: Nope.
AB: Oh. Well, you'll understand once you see it. I hope. I also have the myth and thoughts/memories in italics, in case that confuses you. Now for the actual story.
(Unknown's POV)
"Allons. Ce doit travailler. S'il vous plaît laissez ce travail, (Come on. This has to work. Please let this work.)" I mutter earnestly. The chain rattles loudly. I pull and pull will all my might, trying to break the chain's cracked links. Nothing happens. I fight with the chain as the sounds of a fight become louder.
"Je promets que je serai de retour. Quand je viens, je vais nous deux libérer. (I promise I'll be back. When I come, I will free us both.)" Munya's words echo in my mind. I keep struggling. "Tu ne dois pas échapper. Maître savoir. Fais-toi une faveur et reste immobile et calme. (You must not escape. Master will find out. Do yourself a favor and remain still and quiet.)" The urgency in Munya's words worries me.
I see the key on the opposite wall of this cramped cell. If I could just reach it like I've been trying, I could go help Master and pay him back for all the good he's brought me. I pull once more, and something does happen this time. The cuffs on my wrists dig deep and cut my flesh. I wince. But this is only a minor setback. My focus once again locks on the key hanging on the other wall; Master put it there to drive me batty during punishments until I learned to obey him. I lunge for the opposite wall, knowing perfectly well that I'm chained facing this one. The key falls to the ground just inches from my reach.
I use my legs to try and drag it closer, only to kick it farther away. "Zut! (Drat!)" I think.
"Eh bien, qu'est-ce que nous avons ici? Une demoiselle en détresse? (Well, what do we have here? A damsel in distress?)" A black boot kicks the key to me. I bow my head, snatch up the key, and unlock the cuffs.
"Merci- (Thank-)" I know that voice and those boots. "Maître? (Master?)" My voice squeaks fearfully.
With my hands tied behind my back, Master shoves me down multiple hallways and up many flights of stairs until he stops me in front of his office door. He's never punished me up here before. The office is next to the main parlor which, based on the sounds, is where most of the fighting is. In his office, Master shoves me to ground inside a metal cage with all of his strength. He cuts the ropes, only to very quickly chain my wrists behind my back and to the floor. I open my mouth to beg forgiveness, but Master quickly wraps a cloth around my head and over my mouth. The cloth tastes foul. Then he blindfolds me.
"Cette fois, tu vas rester au même endroit. Une fois que j'en ai fini avec les Saturdays et ton père en particulier, je vais finir une fois pour toutes. (This time you're going to stay in one place. Once I'm done with the Saturdays and your father especially, I'm going to finish this once and for all.)" With that, Master slams the cage door, steps away, and flips a switch. I don't hear anything; I start to squirming, trying to figure out in what proximity everything is to me. In the process, my elbow touches one of the bars. It burns horribly, and the sensation of every atom in my body being shocked into what feels like absolute zero endures only for a millisecond. It's an electric cage. "Maintenant, ne le touche pas, mon animal de compagnie. J'ai besoin de toi en bonne santé pour ma dernière tâche. (Now don't touch it, my pet. I need you healthy for my final task.)"
Master slams the door to his office, and I hear it lock. "Enough! This is my home. Please, mind the décor." All the noises pertaining to a fight cease to exist. "I come to offer a truce. If the Saturday boy will merely come with me, I can end this war instantly."
"Argost, shut you DIRTY, LYING MOUTH!" The sound of a weapon being powered on fills the main parlor and the office. I know the people out there are bad and want to take me away from Master, but part of me wants them to find me here so they may see how good Master is.
"There will be no truce!" Another female voice cries. Once again the same weapon powers on. I hear a jetpack turn on and then electricity zapping. A man screams, there's a thud, and the woman who shouted at Master cries.
"Drew, you were the only thing I loved more than money." PÈRE (FATHER!) My attempt to pull on the chains fails; it's so much harder to fight with my hands chained to the floor behind me. There's more talking, but I don't bother to listen. I force myself not to cry because that's how Master, no matter how wonder he is, finds his pleasure: in the pain of others.
What feels like hours pass, but neither Master nor Munya returns. The voices and noise stopped long ago. Given the circumstances, I'd rather those evil people from earlier find me than be in this old manor alone.
Sobs come from the main parlor. They're quiet sobs, but they're still sobs.
"Leonidas? Please, no. No, no, no, no, no. This isn't happening. It's not fair. Leonidas, please wake up." The person sobs each word. It's a woman. The sound of another set of footfalls echos. "Drew? Drew, I know what he did." The person says louder.
"Staying here won't change what's already been done. Let's go home; we can get Doc to bring him." The two women's footsteps fade away. Silence expands and consumes the manor once more.
Peut-être que maintenant Maître viendra. Ou peut-être Munya. (Maybe now Master will come. Or perhaps Munya.) I tell myself through thoughts. A few more hours pass, yet no one comes. I begin to panic. Peut-être Munya prend un certain temps pour revenir. Maître pourrait être blessé. (Perhaps Munya is taking a while to return. Master could be hurt.) Anything that can comfort me, I think to myself. More hours pass. Est-ce ce que le Maître voulait dire? Dois-je mourir dans cette cage de faim, de soif, ou d'électrocution? ( Is this what Master meant? Am I to die in this cage from starvation, thirst, or electrocution?)
No sooner do my thoughts end, do heavier footsteps and the sound of something being rolled resound in the parlor. A man grunts as if he's lifting something heavy, like a body. The man and whatever he's rolling soon go.
Four days later, my head hurts, and the world is fuzzy. I've survived longer than most humans would have in this predicament. I will myself to stay awake should Master or Munya return.
By the end of one week, no one has come. Not even the people who took my father's body have returned.
"Drew, do you feel like there's something still here?" A woman asks. Les personnes! (People!)
"Yes, but Doc said we freed every cryptid after Zak woke up" replies another woman.
"I know, but- Drew, do you hear the crying?"
"I hear it, Miranda, I hear it. Maybe it's the cries of souls lost." Based on the sounds I hear, which aren't very clear due to my mind being blurred, the two women search the entire house, except the office. They stop just outside the office door. "That's every room, Miranda. Let's go." I rattle the chains and try to make as much noise as possible with the gag on. The talking stops, and I hear the noise the doorknob makes as it twists. I'm able to see the floor about a yard in front of me by looking under the bottom edge of the blindfold; I see a pink circle appear from nowhere and the feet of two women step through.
"Oh my gosh!" One yelps. I'm saved, even if they are the enemy. I finally relax, and I welcome sleep's dark embrace.
Zak: What the heck, AB? You make it sound like the person actually adores Argost!
AB: Would you let me finish?! (Zak shuts up.) Thank you.
(Zak's POV)
I look at the half skeleton Mom brought in from WeirdWorld. It's been out for a while, so I'm getting a good chance to study it. It has long, platinum blonde hair with streaks of black and red. It's clothes look like they would be very form fitting if the half skeleton weren't a half skeleton, but now its clothes are a loose fitting black dress and tiny white apron- well the apron would be white except for dirt and dust all over it. It wear tights, black flats, and it's hair is tied up in a bun. It has a black choker with a charm on it around its thin little neck.
"She was severely dehydrated. She'll be out for a while longer. How long do you think she was in the place?" Dad asks. Mom shrugs.
"Too long," Mom replies.
I look back at the half skeleton. It's kind of pretty after one looks beyond the bones. I might like it more than Wadi.
Zak: AB! What the heck is wrong with you?! I would never choose a half skeleton, as you call it, over Wadi! You're crazy to even think that!
Drew and Doc: ZAK!
Fisk: I don't see what your problem is, Mom and Dad. Zak makes a valid point.
AB: What part of "let me finish" is unclear?! It will all makes sense in time, but that time will never come if you keep interrupting me! (takes a deep breath) I'm sorry. Let's continue, (shoots Zak a glare) with no more interruptions.
Its eyes flutter. "Oh my gosh! Mom, Dad!" Mom and Dad immediately begin to make sure it's okay. It starts to wake up. The half skeleton opens its eyes; one blue, one green. It looks around the room and tenses up at the sight of us.
Mom tries to explain that we're not going to hurt it, but it doesn't seem to care. I wonder what happened to it to make it act this way. Mom tells the half skeleton where it is, which only makes it more tense and scared. Dad leaves the room, and I follow.
(Drew's POV)
I try to reason with the girl for about an hour and a half; then a thought occurs to me. I don't know why I didn't think of it before. Immediately, I ask if she speaks English; she looks sadly at me, and it's not long afterwards that I discover she speaks French. I ask her simple yes-or-no questions for a little bit longer. The girl finally begins to relax a little. It's a start.
"Nous voulons tu aider. Peux-tu travailler avec nous? (We want to help you. Can you work with us?)" The girl nods tentatively. "Comment t'appelles-tu? (What is your name?)" She nods but doesn't give me her name. "Je m'appelle Dr Drew Saturday. (My name is Dr. Drew Saturday.)" The girl nods and bows her head.
I try for another hour or two before giving up. If she won't talk now, she won't talk ever. I give Miranda a call; I'm not sure what she can do, but I'm out of ideas. She shows up before I can even hang up. I explain to Miranda the situation. She disappears into the medical bay and closes the door behind her with a thud.
Ten minutes later, Miranda emerges. "She's asleep now. No one bother her."
"Her name?" Doc asks annoyedly.
"Iris Van Rook." I stare open-mouthed at Miranda.
"How? I spent three and a half hours trying to get her to talk, yet you found out her name in ten minutes." I pause. "Did you find out why she was in WeirdWorld?"
"Somethings happen behind closed doors for a reason." With that, Miranda leaves through a portal. Doc walks up to me. I look at him and simultaneously sigh. I will never understand Miranda or her ways.
"Drew, -"
"No." I take a deep breath. "How is it possible? Leonidas never married."
"Adoption?"
I ignore my husband's suggestion. "I bet she didn't even get to say goodbye." Doc nods. Then he walks out. I go back into the medical bay. Iris is asleep, so I sit down in a chair next to the bed and observe. The silence of the soundproof medical bay and the peacefulness of Iris's chest rising and falling lure me to sleep before I can stop myself.
The icy wind howls in my ears. I see my parents and Doyle just ahead of me. I race to them. The joke was funny at first, but they really scared me after a while. I really don't want anything to happen to them. I hug Mom and Dad. Doyle joins the hug. It's our last day camping, so we're having as much fun as possible in the Himalayan snow.
We have a snowball fight, which Mom and I totally win. Then Dad makes hot chocolate; the warmth from the stove fills the air around us as the sweet aroma fills our lungs. We begin packing our belongings. I'm done before the others, so I head back outside the tent. The wind gains speed. The snow falls ferociously. Parts of our camp we haven't packed yet fly everywhere. Mom, Dad, and Doyle rush out of the tent as it collapses.
A blanket soars toward me; Mom tries to grab my hand. We're only an inch apart. The blanket smacks me and rolls me up. I go flying away.
"DREW!" My dad's voice is barely audible above the screaming wind. My heart is racing. The blanket drops me on a large rock; I hit my head.
The aroma of traditional tea forces me to come around. I look up to find five young men in orange robes and bald heads around me. The oldest of them hands me the tea and tells me to drink. It tastes awful, like yak vomit, but I drink it anyways. They introduce themselves and I introduce myself. When I ask about my family, they shake their heads.
I start wide awake. My face is wet. I was crying in my sleep. I haven't done that in years, but neither has this dream haunted me so vividly. To distract myself, I check on Iris, who has woken up.
"Comment vas-tu? (How are you feeling?)" I ask. Iris nods. "La femme qui est venu ici plus tôt nous a dit ton nom. C'est Iris, non? (The woman who came in here earlier told us your name. It's Iris, right?)" I try to speak as slowly as I can without my sentences sounding broken. Iris nods once again. When I ask Iris why she trusted Miranda, Iris petrifies and shakes her head once she's loosened the muscles in her neck enough. It'll be a long time before she ever speaks to us.
Doc, Zak, and Fiskerton all try their luck with Iris; I give them a heads up that she only speaks French. I decide to talk to Doyle.
(Doc's POV)
Zak and Fiskerton argue as they try to coax the girl out of her shell. They're not making her any more comfortable than she was. I tell the two boys to cut it out. Fiskerton grumbles something before storming out of the room. The medical bay doors slam with with a bang.
"He's not usually like that," Zak reassures the girl, yet she remains terrified. Then Zak remembers that she only speaks French. He chuckles nervously because he doesn't know a word in French.
"Zak, why don't you go practice combat training with Komodo. I'll stay here." Zak races out, eager to show off his skills to Komodo. I laugh; somethings will never change.
The girl looks up with her eyes. The look of terror is ingrained in them. I know she's young and scared, but I don't trust her, plus she's about Zak's age, so she's really not that young. I don't trust anyone with a history at WeirdWorld. I lost 43 people out of a team of 50, and Drew nearly lost Zak. I'll be happy to get this WeirdWorld freak out of my house if it means protecting my family.
"Iris." The girl looks up at the sound of her supposed name. "Get some rest. You'll need it to recover." I double check the IV's and make sure fluids are still running and have a good supply. I may not trust her, but she still deserves medical help.
The girl dozes off before too long. My job is done here; I'm off to find Drew and Doyle.
(Zak's POV)
After a while, Komodo and I stop training; there comes a point in time in which no longer having the upper hand becomes boring. I decide to see how the half skeleton is doing.
The half skeleton sleeps. It's body is frozen, but grunts and groans let me know it's still alive. Suddenly, its eyes burst open; it gasps, sits up, and throws it blanket off simultaneously. It heaves a couple times before slowly settling into a normal breathing rhythm. The half skeleton hugs its knees to its chest tightly.
"Are you okay?" I ask as best I can without knowing any French. The half skeleton stares me in complete and utter fear. It nods slowly. "You understand English?" It nods again, but more tentatively. "Did you have a bad dream?" The half skeleton hugs its knees even closer to its chest; I assume it means yes.
I bring the half skeleton a cup of water from the kitchen. My hand touches its hand as it takes the cup; I can't tell if the half skeleton has a good grip or not. My twelfth birthday replays vividly in my mind.
The icy wind, the cold of summer in Antarctica burning my skin, the pure terror of fighting the cryptid Argost controlled, all of it vividly occupies my brain. The disappointment, the fear, the horror, and the shock of discovering I was Kur lingers the longest.
I pull my hand away; the cup clatters to the floor. The water spills all over the floor. The half skeleton jerks, as if it's unsure of whether to clean up or stay on the bed. I look at the half skeleton with an expression of both shock and reassurance. The half skeleton matches my eyes for a split second before it looks back at the cup and water on the floor. The half skeleton's dead eyes linger in my mind; the eyes, though dead, had concern in them.
"I'm fine. I just remembered something I've been trying to forget," I explain quickly before picking up the cup and going back to the kitchen to get a new cup and paper towels. I come back, but this time I put the glass on the table next to the bed, rather than hand the half skeleton the glass directly. The half skeleton smiles barely, picks the glass up, and takes a sip, all while never taking its eyes off me.
For the next twenty minutes, I observe the half skeleton. It seems friendly enough, but it is in too much mortal terror for me to really know. I wish I knew why this near lovely creature is so afraid of us. I wish I knew why it was found where and how it was.
After a while, my eyelids become heavy, so I nap once more. Ever since I died and came back, I've been napping a ton.
Even in my extreme climate suit, the snow, wind, and ice burn my skin. I look down at the cryptid frozen in the ice beneath me. "So this is Kur," I think. Part of me feels relief over the fact that Kur is trapped in ice, but I also feel uneasy. "This doesn't feel like Kur." The Naga's Kur Detector glows perpetually and brilliantly. "No, it's Kur," I reassure myself.
Fisk falls, and the ice begins cracking. This cryptid, Kur, breaks free of the ice and begins attacking us. I fight for a connection only to find I can't make one. Then we discover this is a cryptid with multiple parts, but head is the real head?
Then Argost makes an appearance. He disappears inside the cryptid. I know what I have to do. Dad gives me his battle glove; I feel like a man now. My pride swells as a result. Then Mom hands me her firesword. Fisk tags along as I leave to fight Argost.
Inside, Fisk and I face Argost and Munya. The firesword lands in Fisk's hands at some point. Although I feel better knowing I have back up, I fear Fisk with Mom's firesword; things tend to go wrong whenever Fisk has a weapon.
Ultimately, Argost's face is cracked (apparently it was a mask all along), and Munya retreats with his master. The cryptid has fallen, but the Kur Detector still glows. Somehow it ends up in my hands.
I start shaking from the inside. The horror is great. It's a fight to blink back the tears in the freezing wind. My powers are the strongest they've ever been.
"Zak . . . is Kur," Dad gasps. Mom goes into denial.
"I'm Kur," I think. The disappointment permeates through my body. "I'm not meant to save the world. I'm made to destroy it." I feel a tear start rolling down my cheek, but it freezes to my skin; I brush it away before the others see it. "Some birthday."
I'm not sure how, but within two weeks, all the Secret Scientists (except Dr. Cheechoo, who isolates himself from everyone) team up against us. Dr. Beeman, Dr. Grey, and Professor Mitzuki lead the group with Dr. Beeman the official head. My family and I hide for our lives. Then Agent Epsilon's people join the Secret Scientists in their manhunt.
A hand on my shoulder scares me to death. It's only Dad. He tells me dinner will be ready in an hour. I stare at the hologram clock on the wall. It's 5 pm! How did that happen?!
I take one last look at the half skeleton. It's wide awake now and looking much better. I whisper to Dad that the half skeleton understands English. Then, I leave the medical bay to go play video games as a final effort to purge the memory from my mind, yet somehow, video games no longer seem worth while. In fact, nothing frivolous or fiction seems worthwhile anymore. Mom says it's because all the events I've seen and experienced have forced me to grow up too fast. Maybe she's right, even if her outlook on mythology no longer seems worth while either.
(Iris's POV)
The African American man sits down in the same chair the teenage boy, Zak, sat in only moments before. There's tension evident in the atmosphere.
"I'm Dr. Solomon Saturday, Iris. How are you feeling?" I nod to say I'm fine. Je ne veux vraiment pas être ici; Je veux juste rentrer à la maison, où que ce soit. (I don't really want to be here; I want to go home, wherever that is.) Dr. Solomon, as I have decided to call him in my mind due to fact that he and his wife are both Dr. Saturday, checks some monitors and charts. "Well, Iris, it looks like we can remove the IV tomorrow. Just remember to drink lots of water."
I decide to take one last 20 minute nap so I can catch up on my sleep without throwing off my pattern. After all, staying awake for a week without food or water is incredibly hard.
(Doc's POV)
Iris sleeps while I go around and check once more that all the fluids and nutrients are running correctly. They are. I sit down in one of the folding chairs adjacent to the bed Iris is in. It's not until I start to relax do I realize how tired I am after this week. A quick nap won't hurt.
The midnight chill and the damp air settle in my bones, but I can't let that stop me. I have a team to lead and a pregnant wife to care for. To give up now would be the end of both.
I look once more at the holographic map of Argost's island and country. Miranda, Drew, Henry, Epsilon, Paul, Arthur, and I discuss teams. Drew, Miranda, and Paul will lead Team C; Epsilon, Arthur, and Henry have Team B; I'll lead Team A.
The airship stops and hovers above the shore. We all slide down ropes from the airship and assemble into our teams. One person in my group talks with Miranda.
"Derek, you'll be fine. Argost may be evil enough to steal this stone, but he would never kill for it."
"Are you sure, Miranda? If he would set fire to camp to steal it, what wouldn't he do to protect it?"
"I understand your concern, Derek, but think about it: Argost set fire to an empty tent, so no one was injured. I have to go now, but I swear I'll be back. Just stay close by Solomon." Miranda holds Derek's hands before pulling him into a hug. I walk over to the two.
"Come on, Derek. Miranda will be just fine," I tell him. Derek walks back to our team while I stay with Miranda. "He'll be fine."
"Swear to me you'll protect him," Miranda demands. "Swear to me that he'll walk out of there with you, Solomon."
"Sure thing, Miranda. Promise me you'll keep Drew and the baby safe." Miranda nods before we part to join our teams.
I lead my team in first, followed by the B team, and Team C enters shortly afterwards. Once inside, the other leaders and I reconfirm our meeting place and split up to cover more ground.
I begin splitting my team into smaller teams in order to search our area of the house faster. Eventually, Derek and I are the only ones left going in the direction we originally planned. We start hearing screaming, crying, yelling, praying, cursing, and cackling. Derek begins reciting Hail Mary's sotto voce. If there's one thing he and Miranda share, it's their faith in God despite dire scenarios.
Sooner or later, Derek and I reach a forked hallway. I decide that we should split up, but Derek disagrees. I convince him he'll be fine. We part ways.
I continue down my corridor of choice for about an hour. I hear the groans and curses of other teams as they get lost and circle back around again. I chuckle at the thought of Epsilon, the man who never loses his way, getting lost. By some means, the thought helps me forget about the dark, dank hallway and how I sent Derek off on his own.
My search continues for several more hours, but I need to find the Kur Stone. At some point, as I walk and search the endless hallway of doors, I hear a scream I've never heard before and hope never to hear again.
"SOLOMON!" It cries.
"Derek?" I call out. There's no reply. My heart is pounding as I race in the direction that the scream came from. Despite how long I'd been running down the hallway, it takes me under five minutes to reach the fork where Derek and I split up. I'm not sure where to go, so I take Derek's hallway. As I run, I imagine how heroic I am to do this.
With the sounds of ticking clocks echoing through my head, I race down the hall. If anything happens to Derek, Miranda will kill me. I really do not want to die this young.
I run for what feels like forever, but my watch says only two minutes have passed. At this rate, I'll never reach Derek, and Miranda will surely kill me. Hopeless, I punch the wall to my right. It comes toppling down, narrowly missing me. Through the hole, I see a stone room collapse on top of Derek, his two worst fears of dying and being buried alive, before my heart can even beat one more time.
I begin digging frantically through the stone pile and other rubbish, hoping Derek is still alive. Finally, I hear muffled crying. I keep digging until I find Derek's head; then I dig the rest of him out.
"Tell . . . my sisters . . . I love them," Derek gasps. I elevate his head and try every other trick I know to keep him alive. This is why Drew is in medical school, not me. "I'm sorry," Derek mumbles before his body goes limp.
"Derek, stay alive! Miranda will kill me if you die here! I don't want to die, Derek. I've got a wife and a baby on the way," I plead, but Derek's gone.
The sound of oncoming explosions down the hall surrounds the collapsed room. I try in vain to pull Derek's body from the ruins, but it's gotten stuck between the time I uncovered him to now. I pull harder as the sounds move closer, but his body still won't budge. I apologize to Derek and Miranda before I just from the hallway, barely escaping an explosion and its shock wave.
The six other team leaders and I meet up at the designated area. I can't help but notice that the rest of their teams aren't here. Drew tilts her head back slightly to indicate what happened to them. Miranda produces the Kur Stone.
"Did this cause the explosions?" I ask.
"No. That would be because Arthur wasn't thinking, as usual," Miranda hisses. "Where's Derek?" I look around behind me, trying to act confused. I shrug.
Drew gives me a look that bores into my conscious. I never want to see that look again as long as I live. "Sol, where is he?"
Miranda has a sudden epiphany. "He's dead! I promised you I would keep your wife and child safe all while finding this darn stone! All I asked you to do as keep my brother safe! I did as promised, but you- you couldn't even protect Derek for a few hours! And what about the others?!" Miranda cries, but these tears don't look cool, instead, they look hot enough to burn her. She tosses to stone on the ground with such force, I'm surprised it doesn't break, then she spits at my feet before walking away. Drew reminds her that our airship is the only way off. "Then I'll swim," Miranda retorts.
A final explosion comes from the house, scaring Drew. She holds her tiny baby bump. "Solomon, the baby's coming."
My racing heart wakes me up. I swear, every time I almost push that night out of my memory, Derek brings it back. Even in death, he never lets me sleep. I was so cocky back then. I wonder if Derek and the forty two others we lost forgive me.
At dinner, we all sit in silence. Even Doyle doesn't make a smart remark. Somehow, Fiskerton brings up Iris. This stirs conversation over to our dreams. Drew and Zak both say they had dreams about their worst memory too.
"It's Iris. It has to be she. These nightmares never bothered us before," I say. All eyes turn to stare at me. Then Drew begins noting similarities and differences between the circumstances we all had our nightmares.
"Something else happened to me," Zak breaks in. We all look at him. "I was handing the half skeleton a glass of water, and our hands actually touched." I think Zak's statement shocks Drew so much that she forgets to remind him that Iris has a name and gender.
"Hua ba wa! (You love her!)" Fiskerton cries out.
"No, Fisk. Let me finish!" Zak snaps. "When our hands touched, my twelfth birthday replayed in my mind as if it were happening all over again." Zak pauses. "The instant I recoiled, it stopped."
I stand up. "That's it. I want that freak out of here as soon as possible." I turn my head over my shoulder as I walk out of the room. "What kind of monster have you brought here?" The question hits Drew coldly. I turn and close the door.
Zak: Dark much?
Doc: What did I ever do to you to make me so mean?
Zak: You know I love Wadi, so why am I falling for Iris? Why don't I call Iris by her name?
Doc: Why didn't I take Drew and leave Derek with Miranda?
AB: Enough with the questions! Next time, I just won't invite you back and do it the way I used to. All those questions will be answered in time, except for yours, Dr. Saturday.
Doc: What?!
AB: That's all I've got for now, but I hope to have chapter two out soon. I do have a life outside of fanfiction, though, so my goal of updating weekly isn't happening at this point in time. Thanks so much to the Saturdays for being here! Don't forget to review!