Post date: Nov 11, 2017 4:27:17 PM
Part 3: Restoration
#3
“Sheri!”
The long forgotten endearment slashed through Fisher’s melancholy. Lark’s captivating voice calling to her heart.
He had never agreed to call her by any of her many names or even Fishy, like her best friend Baylee Wright had. Instead he’d come up with his own version of Fisher.
Emotion filled Fisher. She would never hear that endearment again.
And then suddenly Lark was before her. His own expanding mass was no longer red but shone a beautiful orange. He forcibly blocked her from entering the rift.
The creatures and lights collided at her abrupt halt. They gyrated aggressively and then merged together.
Fisher’s mass began to vibrate violently.
“I can not lose you again, Sheri,” Lark’s voice implored.
“But I must,” Fisher cried.
His body faintly solidified. “No, we must,” he corrected and reached out a hand to her.
Fisher solidified her own mass just enough so that she could to take that hand.
Lark’s mass rapidly increased, absorbing the merged creatures and light. He then joined their two masses and Fisher celebrated at the feel of their collective kinetic energy.
She smiled inwardly and squeezed Lark’s hand.
“Then let’s do this, Dipshit.”
Lark chuckled at the ancient nickname, that had once started out as a curse, but had unbeknownst to Fisher lightened his heart every time she’d spoken it.
“No, my friend,” a voice that Fisher did not recognized cried urgently. “It is I who must send my kinsmen back to my world. You need to take care of Star and you have much to do here in this realm.”
“Newt.” Lark’s voice was soft and Fisher heard the regret and resignation in his tone. “I will miss you.”
“You’re blood has given me strength,” Newt’s voice vibrated through Fisher. “My true purpose has become clear to me. If you wish I will return to you from time to time.”
“Please do,” Lark answered.
“Farewell, my friend,” Newt called almost happily. As if duelling the beasts and energy around them was an adventure to be welcomed. “A little push would be appreciated.”
Lark chuckled again and squeezed Fisher’s hand once more. Together they both gathered the mass around them and hurled it towards the rift.
There was a blinding flash as Newt and the mass filled with the creatures and light ripped the rift opened wider. A blinding light flashed and the rift abruptly closed. A faint but noticeable orange scar in the atmosphere was all that was left.
Still holding hands Fisher and Lark solidified their bodies and gently touched down onto the ground.
“Star!” Lark shouted.
With wide eyes Star searched him out. She stared up at him in wonderment.
“Well that was some wicked ride,” she said quietly. “I saw some weird shit and I’d prefer to not encounter any more off-ship creatures ever again.”
Lark smiled. “I can’t guarantee things will be smooth.”
Star smirked and looked around her. At all the chaos of people running here and there. Most who had remained alive were franticly digging through the crumbed stone of the compound searching for any surviving archers.
She groaned and gasped as she tried to sit up. Her eyes met Lark’s. “I think those lights did some serious damage. I feel worst than I did when I crash landed on Caradorynee.”
Fisher stepped forward and removed the cloak she was wearing. She knelt to wrap the heavy garment around the young woman’s naked body.
“You were on a ship?”
Star gave Fisher a slight nod. “The Artemis.”
Fisher smiled and smoothed her hands over the cloak, trying to give comfort. She raised a hand to gently touch Star’s cheek. “You look so much like an old friend of mine. Her name was-”
“Baylee Wright,” Star said. She wet her lips. “I take it I’m now on the planet Earth.”
“Yes, child,” Lark said. “We’re both finally home.” He looked to Fisher and smiled. “Back with our family and the ones who’ll always love us.”
©Human in Inhuman Worlds by Janet Merritt