Two Sides of the Coin
Chapter 1
Watery Grave
McKenzie stepped out of the plane. Immediately, the bitter chill of northeast Wisconsin smacked her across the face. Her cheeks turned rosy, her lips chapped, and she gritted her teeth as she lost feeling in her ears.
She was home, and she already wanted to leave.
A huff shot from her lungs. Her breath puffed from her lips in a thick fog, clouding her glasses and making her grimace. She plucked them from the bridge of her thin nose as she strode down the steps to the tarmac, wiping the lenses on the hem of her soft hoodie.
A harsh wind whipped across the asphalt right as her boots clicked against the ground. She shivered, trying to shield her slender form from winter's breath. When that did not work, she grumbled under her breath and marched toward Green Bay Airport's main terminal.
Why am I here?
That question had bounced through her mind for the past few hours. Ever since she boarded her flight in Los Angeles, she wondered why she even bothered stepping foot on the airplane. It's not like she had anything waiting for her here, in the frozen tundra. She was perfectly happy leaving this place behind when she graduated high school. Five years later, this was the first time she had bothered to come back.
A warm blast of heated air shot through her long, blonde hair as she stepped into the terminal. She grimaced, then reached up and smoothed it out, making sure not a single hair on her head was out of place. Once that was done, her slender fingers adjusted her glasses. The terminal opened up in front of her, along with the baggage claim. But, she did not have to worry about that. She only brought a duffel bag and a backpack- her two carry-on bags.
After all, she did not plan on remaining in this backward hell for long.
Now then, she pursed her lips and glanced around the terminal, adjusted her backpack on her shoulder, and shifted her grip on her small, pink, polka dot duffle. Car rental company?
"Mac!"
Her eyes closed. Five years later, she could not escape that damn name.
"Over here, Mac!"
Mckenzie worked her jaw back and forth. Who was shouting that name this time? An old friend from high school? If so, she'd tolerate it. If it was a member of her family, an uncle, a grandfather, a cousin, she'd treat them as she did everyone else she left behind: silence.
However, when she spun to see who was calling for her, she felt a smile tug on the corners of her mouth.
A tall teenager with a blonde mullet and a big, goofy grin rushed up to her, arms wide with excitement. His blue eyes sparkled with glee as he scooped her up in a large hug, one she happily returned, even if she couldn't wrap her short arms around his massive frame.
"Holy crap, Joey, look at you!"
"I know right," Joey replied, grinning ear to ear as he stepped back and flexed a bicep. "Been working out. Coach loves it."
"Oh, I bet," Mckenzie laughed, shaking her head.
"Here, let me get your bag."
"Oh, no, no, that's not-"
"Redneck manners, Mac. The gentleman carries the bags, right?" Joey replied, giving her a cockeyed smile that amused her.
"Where were those manners when I was moving out?" She replied.
"Didn't exist cause I was pissed, like Mom and Dad," Joey answered.
She did not blame him for feeling the way he did about that day. She had left him, her little brother, without much explanation beyond her saying she couldn't take this place anymore. Thankfully, they reconnected a couple years ago and have gotten along great ever since.
"I can count on you to be honest at least."
"You betcha," Joey grinned walking her towards the sliding glass doors that led out to the nearby airport parking lot.
When they stepped outside, her boots crunched on top of rock salt and half-melted ice. The freezing December air rushed into her lungs, making her nostrils sting and her chest tighten. She uttered a quiet cough as she followed her brother toward the parking lot, where he guided her to the biggest monstrosity of a truck she had ever seen.
"Joey…" She sighed, shaking her head.
"I fixed it up myself," he smiled, giving the hood that was taller than her a hard slap. "Old 2006 Silverado. Dad helped me repair the engine, then I put in all new exhaust which you can see-"
Mckenzie's eyes widened when she saw the bed of the truck. "That's a damn chimney!"
"Awesome, right?"
"Uh… sure?" Mckenzie replied, one eyebrow raised. She was definitely not in LA anymore. Here she was more likely to see gas guzzlers like this than a Tesla.
Joey tossed her bags into the cab then hopped into the driver's seat. She managed to climb into the passenger seat. Once she shut the door, they hit the road.
Sights Mckenzie had taken great pains to forget flew past her passenger window. Off to the right, she could see Lambeau Field as they rolled down I-41. The immense scoreboard with the Packers' "G" could be seen from miles around. The town of Green Bay quickly turned into De Pere, then the open dairy farms between the little suburb and Appleton.
Once through Appleton, they rolled toward the tall bridge that crossed Lake Winnebago, leading into Osh Kosh. She felt a slight smile curl on her lips when she spotted a billboard advertising Culver's Butterburgers.
God, it's been so long since I've had one of those.
"Construction…" Joey huffed as their pace slowed from the speed limit to twenty miles an hour under.
"Still?" Mckenzie asked.
"You're surprised?" Joey replied with a laugh as he tapped the steering wheel. "So, how's California? On fire?"
"Low blow, and it's not bad near me," Mckenzie retorted.
"And the acting gig?" He gave her shoulder a playful nudge as an excited expression crossed his clean face. "Am I gonna see my big sister in theaters anytime soon?"
Embarrassment bloomed in Mckenzie's heart. It would have shown on her face as a red glow if not for the cold turning her pale cheeks pink already.
"Soon," she replied. "I've got a couple of casting calls lined up, which I postponed to come out here." She finished with a grumble as she massaged her forehead, trying to hide the embarrassment on her face.
"Oh shit." Joey bounced in his seat. Always hyper, just as Mckenzie remembered. "Soon enough you're gonna be on those red carpets, eh? Living it up with big-time actors like Robert Downy Jr. and Larry the Cable Guy."
"Larry the Cable Guy hasn't been a big name actor in… I think ever?"
"Tow Mater!"
"That's a children's movie, Joey."
"Still a damn good one if you ask me," Joey shrugged.
Traffic began to speed up on the bridge again as they passed the major construction zone. To Mckenzie, it looked like the state was still trying to expand the bridge. The number of traffic cones and concrete barriers in place was absurd.
"Almost to the exit," Joey muttered.
"I know. Used to drive this way a bunch during summer, remember?"
"Yeah, yeah." Joey glanced at Mckenzie. "Mom's excited to see you."
An ache hit Mckenzie's heart.
Mom… that was the entire reason she was here. She was at an audition for a film when she got an urgent message from Joey letting her know that their mother was really sick and not doing well. She needed to come out and see her right away, as there might not be much time.
She debated for two days before deciding to board a plane.
Guilt clawed at her heart for taking so long to decide, but there was a good reason for that.
"Dad?" She asked.
Joey grimaced. "He's gonna be courteous. Mom's making him."
"Like she made him when I said I wanted to leave?"
"That ain't exactly fair," Joey cringed.
"It's plenty fair and-" Mckenzie caught herself before she could go further. There was no point in bringing that up. Not now. She sighed, reached for the radio dial, and hit the knob, turning it on. As she expected, country radio. Right as a song by Alan Jackson ended, a news bulletin popped up.
"In other news today, Appleton authorities are baffled after reports of a tragic bus accident on the corner of Meade Street and Franklin Avenue. A city bus apparently collided with a pedestrian at around six o'clock this morning at full speed."
"Geez, that's a rough way to go," Joey winced.
"When the driver stopped and exited to try and assist the pedestrian, there was no body to be found. Video cameras from the bus show that the young man, now identified as Samuel Wheeler, being struck, but he seemingly vanished into thin air after impact."
Joey's eyes flicked at the radio in astonishment. "This crap real?"
"Apparently, and-"
A loud pop sounded through the cab. The entire truck lurched to the side. Mckenzie gasped and grabbed for the door handle, her knuckles turning white as she felt one of the back wheels catch a patch of ice.
"Shit, shit, shit!" Joey screamed, trying to steer the truck. "Tire blown!"
"Slow down!" Mckenzie screamed.
"I'm trying-"
A semi truck's horn blared as they careened into the lane beside them.
Mckenzie's eyes went wide as the entire world spun. She was upside down. Her glasses clung to her head only thanks to the leash she wore on the stems. Vertigo hit her as she floated over her seat, before being violently thrown back into it as the car slammed into the concrete bridge. Her head smacked against the door.
Stars flashed through her eyes. Her vision swam. In front of her, glass shattered as the windshield disintegrated before her eyes. Joey's terrified screams hit her ears.
She saw him fly out of the windshield… into the icy water beneath the bridge.
He wasn't wearing a seat belt. He never did, choosing to copy their father and his recklessness. Yet, for the life of her, she could not find it in her to be angry about that. Not now. All Mckenzie could do was freeze as the truck teetered on the edge of the bridge, rocking back and forth on its roof.
Her breath lodged in her throat. She felt like she was choking. One hand pawed at the door while the other reached for her belt buck. The radio continued to crackle and play.
"If you have any information regarding the whereabouts of Samuel Wheeler, who is now considered a missing person, please contact authorities. And now, back to your Country Music Countdown! This next song is a classic."
The belt buckle came undone. The plastic belt zipped back into its holder with enough force to smack Mckenzie's cheek, causing her to gasp and reach for the stinging wound.
That small motion was enough to make the truck pitch forward.
Her body lifted out of the seat as icy, dark blue waters of Lake Winnebago rushed towards her. A terrified scream tore from her lungs.
"It's a Great Day to be Alive, by Travis Tritt."
The truck hit the water, and Mckenzie's world went dark.
Icy water clung to Mckenzie's skin, smacking her awake with a vicious wave of pain only ice against bare skin could deliver. Her eyes shot wide open. A gasp rushed through her lungs, forcing water down her throat and causing panic to grasp her tight.
Dark water was all around her. It swirled and churned, pushing her through its depths like a piece of driftwood at the mercy of a river current.
But that made no sense. She did not fall in the Fox River. She fell in Lake Winnebago. There shouldn't be a current this violent.
Up! I need to swim up!
Her hands clawed at the water. Desperation spurred her onward as she frantically kicked, propelling her skinny form in what she hoped was up. Her hopes were proven true when a pale, gray light formed above her.
Her head broke the surface. Harsh coughs rattled her lungs, forcing mouthfuls of water from her lungs as she gasped for breath. She did not have long to breathe though. A rush of water swarmed over her head, forcing her back under and violently spinning her around, leaving her dizzy and disoriented.
Still, she managed to see the gray light above her. She reached for it again and broke the surface.
"Help!"
She tried to scream, but her voice only came out as a hoarse croak. Her arms flailed against the water surface as she was shoved further through the water by the current. Tall, dark silhouettes that looked like gargantuan pine trees rushed past her.
The current spun her around, forcing her to hit a fallen log with her back. She yelped, pain throbbing through her body as the current pushed her into the wood. Adrenaline shot through her veins, clearing her mind, and allowing her to grasp a knot in the wood and hold on.
Those few moments of clarity led her to twisting around and throwing her arms over the moss-covered log. She rested against it a moment, her body still waist-deep in water. Her jeans clung to her legs, waterlogged. Her hoodie hung from her bony shoulders more like a cape than a comfy coat. She wiped strings of blonde hair from her face as she sputtered, spitting more water from her lips and lungs.
Mckenzie's entire body throbbed and burned as she hauled herself up onto the fallen log. Once she was on top of it, she paused, gasping for breath, letting herself go slack on top of the piece of nature that saved her life.
A shaky breath rattled out of her. Harsh shivers wracked her body, making her teeth chatter. Goosebumps broke out across her body. She needed to get away from the water and its violent spray.
Carefully, she shimmied across the log to the tall bank nearby. Once her hands sank into moss and soft clay, she let out a relieved sigh. With great effort, Mckenzie managed to pull her entire body onto the bank. A bit of water still splashed against her legs and boots, but she did not care. She simply lay there on her stomach for a moment, resting in the shadow of tall pines and gnarled oaks.
I almost died. She coughed hard again, eyes squeezing shut. Both her hands balled up into fists, clenching moss and clay between her fingers. Me and Joey-
Her heart stopped.
"Joey!" She screamed, sitting upright and twisting back at the water.
She did not see Lake Winnebago or the bridge that ran over that broad body of water she grew up beside. There wasn't a hint of a road, cars, or civilization at all. Instead, she saw a rushing river rolling past her. White water foamed on its surface as its speed picked up a little further down from her spot, turning into harsh rapids.
There was no sign of Joey, no sign of his truck, and no sign of home.
Mckenzie's eyes were wide as she scrambled back on her hands and feet, sharp pants rushing in and out of her lungs as her panic grew. Shivers wracked her body. She felt so cold.
Both her knees drifted toward her chest. She wrapped her arms around them, trying to get warm while also trying to somehow comfort herself. Her eyes squeezed shut. She started counting.
"One… two… three… four… five…"
Her eyes opened. The river was still in front of her. The alien forest still surrounded her. Joey was still missing.
Her lips quivered. A quiet sob spilled from her lips. Tears bubbled in her eyes. She reached up and quickly wiped them, the back of her hand coming away smeared with black mascara.
Where am I?
Her throat bobbed. None of this looked familiar. Back when she was younger, maybe fifteen or sixteen, she and her friends used to go find obscure swimming spots all across Northeast Wisconsin during the summertime. They would go there, swim, play games, get into some trouble, then return home with great memories they could cherish forever. Yet, in all of those memories, she had no recollection of this river or this forest.
Worst yet, she was alone in a place she did not know, with no idea how she wound up there.
Okay, Mckenzie, breath, count. Breath and count.
"One…"
She was in the passenger seat of Joey's truck. They were driving down I-41 to Oshkosh when he blew a tire.
"Two."
The blown tire caused the truck to lurch and swerve, hitting a stray patch of ice in the process.
"Three."
Joey panicked behind the wheel and overcorrected, causing them to swerve into the lane beside them, where they collided with a semi.
"Four."
They fell into the water.
Her heart stopped. She should be dead. The bridge over Lake Winnebago might not be the tallest one in the world, but if the fall did not kill her, then the freezing temperatures of the lake, combined with drowning, should have.
So, how was she breathing? How was her heart still beating in her chest?
Is this real?
Before she could even begin to debate such monumental questions, a twig snapped nearby. The hairs on the back of Mckenzies neck stood on end. She twisted in the direction of the sound, her eyes peering into the darkness that encompassed the forest. Pale rays of moonlight managed to stream through the thick branches above her, but they did not illuminate much.
Nevertheless, primal instincts told Mckenzie that something was out there, watching her, waiting for a chance to pounce.
Was it a wild animal? A creature from hell itself? Was this hell? It certainly couldn't be heaven?
When did I start believing in either of those again?
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a shadow move. It was fast and tall. Her heart lurched to her throat.
"H-Hello?" Mckenzie rose to her feet and wrapped her arms around her chest, trying to get warm. Her teeth chattered as she gazed fearfully at the dark forest behind her. "I-Is someone there? If so, c-could you p-please help? I- there- I was in an accident and-"
A set of human eyes winked open in front of her. They narrowed on her, a predatory look. Her chin quivered and she took a panicked step back.
Right into the waiting arms of someone.
A scream ripped from her throat, before being silenced by a large hand slapping over her nose and mouth. Something hard and heavy hit her head next. Her eyes rolled, and the world went dark once more.
A groan spilled from Mckenzie's lips. A knot on the back of her head throbbed and pulsed. The ache from it caused her to finally stir from her forced slumber.
Her eyes fluttered open. Instead of a forest, she saw stone walls to her left and right. A cold, lumpy, dirt floor was beneath her. The wall across from where she rested was made of rusting iron bars instead of stone. Water dripped from a corner of the ceiling, running into the dirt floor in a small stream that ended as soon as the earth's thirst was quenched by it.
Her eyes closed as her head pounded. It hurt to open them, but she forced them open again. When she did, she saw a door in the iron bars in front of her open. Three men stepped into her cell. One was tall and thick, his gut hanging over his fur trousers, poking out from the leather vest he wore over his torso. His fat lips were curled back into a sickening smile as a pair of beady eyes set in a narrow skull stared at her. By far one of the ugliest human beings she had ever laid eyes on.
The second she could not see much of. He wore a moss green, hooded cloak. The hood was drawn, concealing his face in shadows. Although, she could see some brown stubbled on his chin and jaw. He was far smaller than his companions. Almost comically so. Heck, she was probably as tall as him when standing.
The third was apparently their leader because he took an extra step toward her. He was a muscular man, and he was not shy about showing that. He wore no shirt, displaying his body riddled with scars to the world. A dark beard covered his pale face as he glared at her with menacing, icy eyes. His bald head shone in the darkness. He hummed, the first sound Mckenzie managed to register since she opened her eyes.
"She may be noble," he grunted. "Could fetch a nice price."
"Ransom," the big one chuckled darkly.
The little guy said nothing, but Mckenzie could tell he was staring at her from within the shadows of his hood.
"Noble?" She croaked in reply, confused and still a bit disoriented from the sharp blow to her head.
It all came rushing back to her when the lead man snapped his hand out and grasped her by the jaw. Instantly, she was alert, staring wide-eyed into his gaze. He tilted her head left then right as if he was inspecting her.
"Too pretty to be a peasant girl. She's even got good teeth."
"Noble!" The big one clapped.
Still nothing from the little guy, but she did see his hand drift to the pommel of a strange, bent sword on his hip.
"Yeah, looks that way, Ham," the leader nodded. He jabbed a finger at the little guy. "You there, go back to your duties. I want you on lookout duty tonight. Ya can gawk at her tomorrow."
The little man hesitated, flicked his gaze to Mckenzie, then exited without a sound. Once he was gone, the leader let his hand fall from Mckenzie's face. She remained paralyzed in place, unsure of what to do. Fear outweighed any anger she felt at the moment.
"Wh-who are you?" She managed to ask, voice still trembling as cold seeped into her bones.
"Me? Ya can call me Victor, milady," he replied with a slight bow. "And I'm your lovely host while ya stay in my humble abode."
"Big fortress!"
"Yes, what Ham said."
Mckenzie gulped. Fortress? Milady? Victor? What was with the swords, clubs, and… Victor had what looked like a scythe for a weapon.
If there is a God, please come down here and tell me what is going on?
"Now, since you're one of them noble ladies, do ya mind sharing those polite manners with me and giving me your name?" Victor asked, ticking her chin with a finger and making her blood curdle in her veins.
She pulled her chin away and tried to retreat to a corner of the cell, away from Victor, only to feel her arms not follow her after a couple of feet. Iron squeezed her wrists and rubbed against her skin, making her hiss. Victor laughed.
"Now, now, don't go hurting yourself. We'll get a better ransom if you're a bit more intact than usual." He stepped in front of her and gave her a sinister smile. "Now, you're name, miss?"
"M-Mckenzie…"
"Mckenzie? That sounds… foreign? Interesting. You look Nohrian, but you sure as hell don't talk or have a name like one. Damn sure you're not Hoshidan."
Nohrian? Hoshidan? Mckenzie resisted the temptation to shake her head in confusion. Her mind was catching up quickly to what was going on. Clearly, she was in some strange hostage situation. She had no idea where she was, or why everything appeared so medieval, but she did know that these two thought she was valuable. They thought she was a noble in this place. So long as she maintained that image, she would live.
So, she had to act like she knew what they were talking about.
"Wh-what do you mean I'm not Nohrian?" She replied, standing a little taller, letting some of her acting practice flow freely. She inclined her chin at Victor, an indignant sniff leaving her nostrils. "How dare you insult me that way."
A calloused hand crashed against her cheek.
"Just because ya need to be intact doesn't mean I can't remind ya who's in charge, sweetheart," Victor hissed while Mckenzie reeled. She remained standing, but the blow did make her see stars. The entire right side of her face pulsed when she raised her head, but she did not meet Victor's gaze. She kept her eyes from his, admitting defeat. That seemed to please the man.
"Good girl," Victor said, tone softer now. "Ham, you're guarding her tonight."
"Yay!"
"Don't cause too much of a fuss now, Lady Mckenzie."
Both Ham and Victor stepped out of the cell, shutting the iron door behind them. Mckenzie's heart thumped in her chest when she heard the lock latch shut with a heavy thunk. She watched Victor stride away, a smirk on his lips. Ham remained, taking a seat on a stool by her door, humming a song she did not know.
Down the hall, a heavy door opened then shut. When the echo of it shutting hit her ears, Mckenzie slumped to the ground and curled into a tight ball. Tears bubbled in her eyes as fear clenched her heart in a tight fist.
She had no idea what had happened. No idea where she was or who these people were. All she knew was that she was drenched, cold, hungry, exhausted, in pain, and she had to use the bathroom.
The bastards didn't even bother to leave her a bucket to piss in.
A small whimper escaped her lips. Then, she started counting.
"One."
And chapter! Welcome everyone, to the Fates OC-Insert Two Sides of the Coin! This is considered a sequel to Rigged from the Start, so if you want to catch up on some side characters who will be included in this story, I suggest you check that out. However, it is not necessarily needed to understand what will be going on in this story. Special thanks to Stormtide Leviathan for reading through this one for me! He has a great sequel story of his own under way called The Last Nabataen. Check it out! I highly recommend it.
Anyways, I'm excited to start this project. I'm not sure what an update schedule for this will look like yet, but I aim to get a big backlog going before I really start churning out the posts (got two chapters done so far and working on a third). I'll probably have something worked out in the next update.
Until then, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed it. Have a nice day!
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