Merritts of Writing 3

Chapter 22-1

Angie

The Far Beyond was where we went after we died. A horrible place that Jake had showed me often.

But the teenager, Mylane, had referred to The Life Sage and The Oracle of Death as if they were people. Alive and living amongst us. Was that possible?

PRESENT TIME

When Mylane disappeared from sight Stevron turned back to me.

“You could have told us.”

Stevron took a deep and calming breath. A moment later he was back in control. “There wasn’t time back at base camp, and then there was the added problem of Char.”

I rubbed my fingers across the spot where Char had pistol whipped me. I had to concede. Stevron was right. There hadn’t been any time for Stevron to explain anything to me or anyone else. I looked away and then back at Stevron.

“She’s not Carter’s cousin, is she?”

“No.”

“Then why did he say she was?”

Stevron shrugged. “You’ll have to ask him that yourself.”

I had lots of questions to ask Carter, but now wasn’t the time. I had more pressing issues to demand of Stevron. “Did you know Mylane and her mother were near by? In the village?”

I saw Stevron clench his teeth. He gave me a half nod. “Yeah, I knew they were…let’s say…in the vicinity.”

“What’s their significance? And what does my father have to do with anything?”

“Like Mylane said, The Life Sage is dying and the time for The Oracle of Death to die as well has also come.”

I swallowed. I couldn’t comprehend the thoughts swirling around in my mind. “So you’re saying that The Life Sage and The Oracle of Death are alive? That they are actually living, breathing people and not some mystical entity?”

Stevron nodded. “Oh, they are mystical but also extraordinary individuals, and yes, Angie, The Life Sage and The Oracle of Death are people and they’re also living amongst us.”

A lump formed in my throat. One I could not swallow. I felt the sudden tap, tap, taping again. Jake was once more trying to break through. I sucked in a breath. “And my father?” I finally croaked.

“Is one of the few people in our world that is physically capable of initiating The Oracle of Death’s death process.”

“This is insane!” I cried and violently urched forward as Jake came surging back into my mind full force.

‘Believe, believe, believe him! It, it, it is true. Dad, Dad, Dad will kill!’

“No!” I felt Stevron’s hands grip my upper arms. I didn’t try and run or get Stevron to release me. Nor did I try and hide the fact that Jake was once more back and trying desperately to invade my mind. Instead I just continued to deny what Jake had said. “No, no, don’t say that. I won’t believe. I won’t, I won’t.”

‘You, you, you must. It’s, it’s, it’s not time for Carter-’

“Stop, stop!” I shouted and raised my head. “Bushberry,” I pleaded. “Quick, give me a bushberry.”

Stevron released me and a moment later he placed a bushberry in my hand. I immediately shoved it into my mouth but before I had a chance to crunch the orb between my back teeth, Jake seared across my mind.

‘Please, please, please don’t. Come, come, come with me. I, I, I never did anything wrong. I, I, I was just a boy. An, an, an innocent child.’

Guilt ripped through me. How could I do this to my own brother? Relegate him to the horrors of the Far Beyond. He had been a boy, when he died, no older than the young Mylane. What was I doing?

“I can’t, Jake. I can’t go with you. Em needs me.” I conceded in a whispery voice and pushed the bushberry to the back of my mouth and crunched down hard. Jake wailed and then his voice faded away. “I’m sorry, Jake. I’m sorry.”

I swallowed and looked up at Stevron. “Mylane is of your people.” It wasn’t a question. I just needed Stevron to confirm my suspicions.

“Yes. Mylane is a Sapphyre Wings, as you have already guessed, as I am.”

I was grateful that Stevron finally after a year and a half he answered me honestly.

“Can she heal like you can?”

Stevron made a face. “In a similar fashion yes she can, yet the results are decidedly different from when I heal.”

I frowned. “What does that mean?”

Stevron took a breath and stepped away from me. “Mylane’s role in our society is unique. She doesn’t have the ability to heal like I do, but she does transfer her blood to the Far Beyond people.”

“Transfer?” I questioned. “For what purpose?”

Stevron pressed his lips together and shook his head.

“Not good enough, Stevron. Tell me why Mylane gives her blood if not to heal?”

Stevron sucked in a deep breath then exhaled in a rush. “You’re bent on asking questions that are difficult to answer.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s not time for you to know the full truth.”

“That’s ridiculous,” I scoffed.

“Is it? You’ve seen the how painful the transferring of our blood to another is for both me and the person receiving it.”

That was true, I’d witnessed firsthand how Stevron’s ‘treatments’ had caused severe pain to both my brother and sister. But that didn’t stop me from wanting to learn more. His healing blood had and was still healing their wounds.

“But you still do it.”

He nodded. “Yes, but there are side effects as you’ve begun to suspect.”

“The sexual urges you’ve been displaying.”

Stevron nodded. “Yes, I have a driving compulsion to mate, but it’s the need to kill that is the most difficult to suppress.”

My blood froze. Stevron had wanted to kill? Kill Em and Jam? “You bastard,” I swore. “How could you want to kill my family at the same time you’re healing them?”

Then another though entered my mind. It wounded my pride just thinking about it but I had to ask. “Is that why you’re always after me? Am I just an available female body?”

For a long moment Stevron stood staring at me, then he nodded. “Yes, you’re just a body.”

I gasped and my hand shot out to slap Stevron’s face.

He absorbed my blow without the slightest flinch. Then he gestured to the river that was beyond the rock where Mylane had been perched on. “The river is safe to bathe in. At least until full darkness comes. Just remember not to go any deeper than your knees. Water reed resides in this river. If they attach to a leg or an arm, they’ll drag you under faster than anyone can save you.”