Spirited

My eye’s warm tears streamed down my reddened cheeks. Father beat me a little over an hour ago, and I was still sore. The first time Father had hurt me was the night Mother left us. In my room by my window, I sat and stared at the dark sky above. It was going to rain.

Rain was a mysterious thing. It always made me feel like I was in the middle of a dream. Often, I had to repeat that to myself, that it was only a dream. Those wishes of mine would never come true. Something, though, told me to hold on to my dream and never let go. After I thought about it, nothing could make me give that small sliver of hope up. Still staring out the open window, the rain began to fall to the earth with quiet thumps. "Help me," I whispered to the sky. Inspecting my lacerated arms and legs, I noticed they were healing a bit faster than they usually did. Everything about me was strange. The old scars never even showed up. It all healed too fast for it to cause a scar. I was different, and I liked it that way. I knew I was stronger than the others. What was left of my sanity always told me that it was from my hiding. On the other hand, that voice that told me I had that inch of sanity left also made me fear I was completely insane.

I was looking through Mother's old things today when Father came home. The sound of his truck hit my ears before he was on our street. Doing my best to hide her belongings, I shoved Mother's favorite necklace down my shirt. I thought I hid it pretty nicely considering Father had walked in half a second after I had it down my shirt. Well, at least I thought I hid it. The pendent was hanging out on the left side of my t-shirt. Of course, he beat me once he saw the silver heart hanging out.

Why couldn't I be someone else? Why couldn't I be someone special? I'm an accident according to Father. Why did I have to be an accident? The door swung open to my bedroom, my father in the doorway. "Sweetie, I'm going out tonight. I won't be back until morning. Remember, our little secret," he said with a sugar coated voice. As if that wicked tone would keep me from trying to get away. I bit my lip to keep from laughing.

The breath I was holding was let out with a sigh. The memory alone made chills crawl down my spine. After only minutes, the last small scratch healed itself. Beating on the window pane was the gentle rain. It had steadily become a down pour while I was absorbed in my thoughts. All I needed was a reason to keep going, a reason to keep dreaming. Nothing was how it was suppose to be. Life for a teenage girl wasn't supposed to be like this. I sat on the floor of my room in complete silence. Nothing magical was happening like I hoped it would. Nothing was changing, and I knew it wouldn't. A single tear broke the barrier and soon a stream of others followed. Life was no fairytale, and I knew that, too.

Slowly, I got up and made my way to the window. Father put me on the second floor because he knew I would never jump out just to escape him. He knew I was too scared to do anything. He knew I was always afraid. He knew everything, that man. To him I was just something that got in his way, something that held him back. I watched Father pull his truck out of the drive way and drive down the street. Alone again, I was. These were the times I wished would never end.

Everything seemed to settle in the pit of my stomach. Anger, hate, rage. It all started boiling within me. Something was happening. Whether it was good or bad, I didn't know. The tears in my eyes blurred my vision, and I couldn't see a thing. Hot tears scorched my cheeks as they fell. Suddenly, like a wave of the ocean, every emotion built up inside of me exploded in a wave of heat. I had wished for a new life. I got that much. What I didn't know was that I had a lot more than my life on my shoulders.

Chapter One- Shadows

A single foot could be seen stepping out of the small pod that was launched from the main aircraft. Unsure, a man stepped out. He wore something that resembled something a fireman would wear. Barely visible behind the man's hand, a small piece of cloth covered his mouth. The reading showed it was safe to breathe the air around him, but he didn't want to take the chance. Green grass had grown to meet his knees before the landing. Everything was going smooth. I stood in wonder. This place was as new to me as it was to them.

"Eric, be careful. It's a new world, not a practice mission," warned a young woman in white. The man before her, Eric, was the leader of the eight person ensemble that was sent to explore the lands of the world scientists discovered. It was a place to start over for man kind. Earth was slowly being destroyed; it was being swallowed whole by the water that now ruled. Only a few places weren't covered in the mess. Heat was a factor that kept them inside. "Don't worry, Laela, I'll be fine," Eric answered with a cocky grin. He’s the only man I know that would literally laugh in the face of danger. Laela’s voice echoed in my mind.

My body wouldn't move. Stuck, I was. The people before me seemed to be a film, only different. Was this a dream? No, it couldn't be. Dreams like this never came to me. What was this? Confusion overcame me. Frozen in place, the movie continued around me. I had no will to stop the show and no will to move. A shadow was what made up my body. To me, it was like I wasn't there. Nothing kept me from moving, yet if I tried, the legs on my shadow wouldn't budge. Something, though, was familiar about the sharp lines of Eric's face.

Slowly, Eric glided through the high grasses, one hand on the cloth to his mouth and the other on his pocket knife. Nothing was going to stop him from going through with this mission. "Laela, send word for the others to land!" Eric called from about fifteen feet away. "I think we need more h- I think my foot is sinking." A comical expression graced his handsome face, earning a laugh from his female companion. I was afraid to laugh but did so anyway. They couldn’t hear me.

Attempting to pull his foot from the muck, Eric managed to sink deeper into the pit. Giggling at his pathetic trials to free himself, the stunningly red haired girl leaped down to save Eric from the muddy grave of his foot. She got him out, and turned in circles around him. "Look at this place, Eric, it's beautiful! Look over there! See those flowers? I hope the people of earth don't ruin it," Laela said, her bright smile fading at the thought of the men crushing the flowers and murdering the weak. "Maybe, just maybe, the people have learned their lesson, Eric. Maybe we can live a country life on this planet." I loved the idea of the planet being the base of a simple life. Amused, Eric watched as the young doctor before him danced her way into the death trap he had fallen into. Soon enough, Laela had gotten stuck in the same mud hole her leader had. "You're very...strange. Yes, that is the word I was looking for," he said, standing a mere foot away from the sinking girl with his usual raised eyebrow. I laughed again, feeling more and more like family. "Take my hand, Laela; you'll never be able to get out of that yourself. Oh, we need to clear a space for the others to land.

With new confidence in the atmosphere, Eric let the hand with the cloth drop. He tucked the now damp textile into his pocket. Land was now welcome to Laela's feet as she gave up on struggling and took Eric's hand. A nod to confirm she had heard what he had said; Eric hacked at the vegetation at his feet. While Laela went inside their launching pod to inform the others, the dark mop on her leader's head could be seen swaying back and forth as if dancing. That man has always had a way to make me laugh. Laela’s thoughts were welcome to me. A signal was sent out, and soon, the rest of the group landed.

The rest of the day went smoothly. No one was injured, and they had discovered many new types of plants. Mountains took over the sky as they traveled. The days were slow as they walked, but eventually, they ended. On and on it went, the cycle of their new lives. Four in people were in each team. Each group took supplies. That was their only connection to the world they knew as Earth. To them, that was their life-line.

Exploration scared the youngest of the group, Laela. A river of sound kept pouring out from between the ridges. Roars of beasts larger than any normal human rattled the tents the ensemble stayed in. “Eric, what is that? It keeps coming closer,” Laela whispered, fear apparent on her face. Such an emotional one. Eric’s voice was in my head now. The vision of the couple was sweet. “Lie down and go to sleep. Garron and I will be on watch. Plus, Dead Hour is almost here. That creature won’t dare continue until at least day break,” he told her. He pulled the blanket over her, giving Laela a small smile. Settling into her cot, Laela twisted, earning loud creaks from the wood. For some time, all was quiet. A hush that was Dead Hour settled over the lands. It had begun, and my shadowed body cowered next to the sleeping Laela.

A full hour of nothing but silence. That was Dead Hour. I, and the group, learned that the hard way. None risked their lives in the strangling darkness. This color blacker than the night sky would last until the sun peeked over the other side of the land, an hour. Only then did Laela get sleep. A mere hour was all it took for her to regain enough strength to literally walk through the next day. In this form, I didn’t sleep. I couldn’t. Given the chance, though, she could have slept for days. That hour was what kept the separate groups of the trained explorers, eight people in all, in motion. Four of them would travel ahead of the other four, carving paths for the weaker group. Eric's group, of course, was the one to carve.

The Dead Hour passed slowly for Garron and Eric. A small fire in front of them and a couple of blankets kept them at a decent temperature throughout their watch. “Garron, do you plan on sleeping tomorrow? Mica has been sleeping soundly, I suspect. We haven’t heard a peep from her,” Eric said, managing a shiver. “How cold is it?” The said Garron checked their thermometer on the side of Laela’s tent, their post. “A scalding eighteen! Ten whole degrees colder than earlier!” was his “excited” reply. “And yes, I’m going to sleep later on this morning. Don’t think you’re not going to sleep after the girls wake up, Eric. You’re human, too, and you need rest. I haven't seen you sleep in days, and those bags under your eyes aren’t just going to go away.” If I could, I’d second Garron’s opinion. I had given up on relaxing in Laela’s tent after awhile and joined the unknowing men.

Shaking his head, Garron pointed out into the distance. The sun was rising and so were the beasts. “No sleep today, I’m afraid. Go get some rest, and I’ll make breakfast for Mica and Laela,” said Eric, a wry grin on his face. He walked to Mica’s and then Laela’s tents to wake them up. Both girls strode out of their houses for months to come, hair frizzy, faces pale, and blankets bulking their figures.

“Food! Finally! Someone is going to feed us, Laela! Look—He made eggs! I wonder where he got them. I know I don’t have them,” a tall girl with brown hair screamed. Mica is awake. Eric’s thoughts sounded tad bit annoyed but mostly relieved. Looks like Laela is still half-asleep. He chuckled a little upon seeing the dazed look on the young doctor’s face, and I couldn’t help but giggle, too. With her flaming red hair (the gorgeous red, not that nasty orange-red) and green eyes, Mica looked as if she had gotten a full twelve hours of sleep instead of a mere one. With energy from an unknown source, Mica ran around her tent, claiming she needed more exercise. Quietly, Laela scoffed at the idea of her friend needing to be in better shape, the sleepiness edging away. “First you shout about food in my face and now you want to exercise! You need more meat on those bones, Mica!” Laela scolded. She sounded like such a mother to me, yet Laela was only nineteen. I had heard her explaining to Garron that she graduated college at seventeen. How, I don’t know. “Goodness, sometimes I think you run on batteries.” The dark haired girl stopped and stuck her tongue out.

Breakfast passed by without spoken words. Laela spotted the heavy bags of purple under Eric’s eyes. “Are you not going to sleep? Garron is sleeping now, and Mica got more than enough rest. Go on, we won’t be leaving until noon,” she told him, her hand on his cheek. “I, compared to Mica, need more sleep, too. Take food with you. I know you haven’t eaten lately.” Shaking his head to the food, Eric was off to his tent. It was small, but it was a place of his own. Giggling, the red headed doctor watched her leader stagger to his “home”, a sleepless night behind him apparent. Guilt washed over Laela’s face. He’s always too busy protecting me to sleep, her voice echoed.

Mica came jogging back to her friend from a little run around the campsite’s pond. “Look at this,” she said, “clear water!” Marveled by her discovery, Mica was too busy to notice Laela slip away to Eric’s tent, plate in hand. “Eric,” she whispered, “you need to eat. I know you're not asleep, so why not eat something? You act like you're Superman!” Another shake of his head denied the food. He pointed to the pack filled with foods from their previous adventures around the places they named Kindreths and Leandren. Kindreths was wet, swampy. On the other hand, Leandren was dry, a desert.

All of the members stored food from their pods and shared what they had. Eric had the now rare bread and eggs. Now, their stores were running low and turned to hunting. Plants they recognized and random small birds made up their new diets. I wonder how the other group is doing. That was Eric’s mind again. Group two had taken most of the food, but with their leader, Sky, who was ruthless and unforgiving, had had at least one of his members killed already. “Jerk,” he whispered. Laela looked up and shot him a confused look. As soon as he saw her, Eric burst out in laughter, and he reached for his bag. Pulling out a blue plant the size of his palm, he took a bite out of it.

That must be what he’s been eating, Laela’s mind said to me, and then she said, “What was the ‘jerk’ thing about? And what is that?” Eric pointed to the cot next to his. “Sit,” he said, “let’s talk. Plus, you need more sleep. We’re not leaving until noon, like you said. It’s only half past seven. Anyway, this thing here is something I picked up from Kindreths. It was near the swamp. Remember when you and Mica went to bathe? I was walking around for about twenty minutes and found these. I’ve been doing that every time you two decided you needed a bath.” She made a noise that sounded suspiciously like a yawn. Eric smiled. She seems so hyped and giddy, but those eyes of her’s betray her, his thoughts echoed again, grinning. Laela sat on the cot offered to her, grateful for a caring leader.

“I don’t think the name of the planet should be a combination of our names,” Eric said, continuing a previous conversation. “Let’s just wait to name it. We’re going to be here for the rest of our lives. We have the time.” Laela pouted a little before saying, “I'm going to miss my home.”

“Why?”

“It’s just sentimental. I grew up there.”

“You know, it makes you look like a little girl when you pout,” the eldest of the two said, another one of his classic smirks plastered on his face. After threatening to drug him up and cut off an arm, Laela relaxed into her cot, letting her eyes droop. I, in all honesty, found the threat quite scary and oddly funny. For the crap Eric put her through sometimes, I thought he deserved it. Clearly content with the thought of Laela near, Eric fell into a slumber as well.

Giggles erupted before her, waking Laela from the sleep that overcame her. Laela mumbled something about too much light and not enough sleep. “Go away,” she said. More giggling. Drops of a cold fluid made contact with her toes. “Go bug Eric!” A yell echoed through the tent. “Don't… mess with me… either!” Eric shouted through his gasps for air. I watched from the corner in horror at the look on Eric’s face. Laela’s screams of anger had woken him, making him aware of the pain in his chest and gut.

Suddenly, Laela’s eyes shot open, and as she leapt from her cot, Eric’s sweat drenched body sank into her mind, causing her to stop dead in her tracks. He let out another cry of agony. The scene before her was complete chaos. Mica didn't know what to do, and Eric was obviously either dying or wanting to die. Face contorted in pain, he lied sprawled on the wooden bed. The youngest told Mica to get Garron and tell him to get all of her medical gear.

Ripping a piece of cloth from the blanket on one of the cots, Laela dipped it in a plastic cup with water sitting on the floor. Normally, she would have asked why it was there, but now was not the time. My corner was becoming comforting and warm, but I couldn’t relax while someone could be dying right in front of me. “Calm down, Eric. Tell me what’s wrong,” she said, dabbing the cold water on his forehead. Slowly, he relaxed, allowing Laela to wipe the sweat away. “I'm taking your shirt off and pulling off the covers. Don't let it cause another attack. I need to check everything." Throughout the examination, Eric calmed down, and the pain deep inside his chest was soothed by the feel of the cold fluid.

Breathing was rough on his lungs; he only took shallow breaths when the pain subsided from the last. "Stabbing," Eric whispered, “pain...chest... feels better, thanks." He sank down into his pillows again, giving up the fight to sit up. "Can you move your fingers and toes? Good, now let me check your pulse," Laela said while inspecting the damage done to Eric's body. Nodding in approval, Laela helped him sit up. Reaching for her kit Garron had delivered in silence, Laela pulled out a box of Advil. "I'll leave these with you, but don't lose them. Now, does it hurt anywhere else?" Eric shook his head as he choked on the pain reliever for his on coming headache. Not impressed with the shiny coating on the medicine, he reached for the cup of water on the floor. Oops, Laela’s mind said to me, I didn't know he was drinking that. Well, at least it is his own sweat.

Pleased with the fast acting pill, Eric stood from his cot and shrugged on his shirt. "We need to get going, Laela. It looks like it's nearly noon." he said. "Yes, Captain," was her simple reply, remembering her place. He wasn't happy with the superior name. Leading her from the tent, the two met Garron and Mica, their faces worried. I only followed wherever they went, not caring. It was like I was a part of the group; it felt nice. "Thank goodness! Laela, what was wrong? Is he okay? Eric, how do you feel?" Mica shot questions at them faster than they could comprehend. "I... don't know, Mica. When I went to sleep, he was fine, and yes, Eric is perfectly healthy now. It's strange; it looked like he was having a heart attack, but yet, he seems as normal as ever," Laela answered. Warm air dashed through the campsite, calling the four to the rain cloud above. Eric saw this and sighed. I knew why. The rain stopped our travels and kept us in one spot. Well, I had no choice in the matter. I’d been bound to them for weeks.

"Pack up and move out. We can walk through the rain a little. If we get at least a mile before it starts," Eric paused, "I'll be surprised." A crash of thunder came rumbling through their bodies, shaking their insides. With supplies, tents, and beds folded up and packed, the team made their way North. Drops of warm rain wanted badly to fall and quench the planet's thirst.

Half a mile behind them, the clouds darkened. "Good," Eric said suddenly, "there is a cave up ahead. We will stay in that for the night and continue walking in the morning if the rain gives out. Now, Garron, start picking up wood for our fires. Mica, make sure the matches stay dry and help Garron gather branches. Laela, I want you to help me set the tents and cook dinner. Are we understood?" Eric gave his orders. I loved how strong and commanding he was. I, of course, was standing behind them the entire time. Going their separate ways, Laela and Eric made it to the cave together. "I guess they are getting a lot of wood. It hasn't started raining yet, either. Interesting," said Laela, dispersing the silence. He nodded his head to agree. Suffocating and noiseless air filled the cave, pressing against their chests.

Memories of his near death experience jolted Eric from the frightening quiet. "Look, Laela, thanks... you know, for helping me. I was scared. It felt like I was strapped to a weight in the bottom of the ocean. Then you came. It was like I could breathe again when I heard your voice," Eric confessed. The breath caught in Laela's throat. Continuing unpacking the supplies and tents, she blushed uncontrollably. "Oh, the Great and Mighty Captain Eric afraid? Sure, when pigs fly," was her answer. I laughed at them, blushing along with Laela.

"I saw one this morning! Now spill it, Laela. We both know you are an awful liar."

Laela huffed at being caught and sighed. "Don't thank me. My friend, captain, and companion was in trouble. As the doctor, I'm supposed to take care of anyone who needs medical attention. You just worried me, Sir. This group would crumble if something happened to you," Laela explained, remembering Eric was of a higher rank. His small snort echoed through the cave. One look at his famous grin forced a smile to spread on the girl's face. Full blown laughter was soon pouring out of the cave mouth, the sounds meshing together to create harmony. Forgotten embarrassment crawled out of the hole in the ground.

The scene switched on me yet again. I hated when it did that to me. "Garron, what do you think that was that happened to the captain? He seemed tired, yes, but it didn't look like he was sick. Hasn't he been eating on his watches and sleeping when we aren't traveling?" asked Mica, firing her first round of questions off. Both adults had their arms filled with logs, twigs, and anything that would burn. "I don't know what happened to Eric. He hasn't really slept in awhile. Lately, he's just been going to his tent and taking that bag of his out. Oh, we better hurry back. I just felt a rain drop," was his reply.

They sped off towards the cave opening together, firewood in hand. "You hear that?" Garron asked. Mica didn't need to strain to hear the explosion of laughter. "Yes, they're finally starting to open up! For awhile there," she chuckled, "I thought they weren't anything but blobs of flesh!" Garron scrunched his face up like a child would when eating their vegetables along with me. "You are one twisted girl, Mica. Anyway, let's go in. Keep those matches and limbs dry," Garron said, still sickened. Again, I had to agree with Garron about Mica’s sanity or lack there of. Noticing his unusual queasiness, Mica decided to keep her new found secret what it was, a secret. Until she could find a way to use it against him, that is.

They entered the cavern, gladly welcoming the change between Eric and Laela. Together they sat, a flash light standing up on the floor much to all of our surprise. "I thought we agreed not to use those things here?" Garron asked, a bit agitated by the now uselessness of the firewood task. "Scary stories, I'm guessing." It was more of a statement than a question. To tell stories they thought would scare each other half to death was what they did for fun, and usually, they frightened me just enough to want make me want to hop in Laela’s bed with her at night. It wasn’t like she’d feel me there.

Hours seemed to pass during their small but amusing stories. Eric had somehow gotten Mica to crawl behind Garron during his story. Biting her lip to keep from laughing, Laela watched the face of the bubbly girl peek from behind the brawny, black haired man she knew as her captain's best friend. "Hey, Garron, I think you have a parasite. Wait, is it a mouse? No. How about a little bird? Yes, that seems to fit! Mica is always our source for gossip!" Eric teased. Laela and I practically howled our laughs. In the past few days, I had seen more and more between us that was alike. If I weren’t a shadow, we would have been very good friends. "I think she hates you now, Eric," she said. Giggles still echoed through the cave.

Soon, everyone was in on the joke. Trust and love, it held them together like chains at their waists. "You know we love you, Mica! Don't worry about the teasing. The boys will be teasing me about whatever stupid thing I do tomorrow, and you'll be laughing with them at my expense. Not like I mind it...," Laela explained to her friend. Mica's face lightened considerably. It was clear to everyone that Mica faked her pouts when they picked on her. Sadly, Mica was oblivious to the fact they all knew her dirty trick. Smiles graced the face of every member, true happiness obvious. This was my dream, and I wanted to live in it forever. Apparently, my mind had created people that, if they could see and hear me, would love me for who I was.

Darkness swallowed them whole, stealing them from my site. I was waking up. No, I didn't want to wake up; I wanted to see more. A man with cold blue eyes appeared. "Oh, don't worry, Queen Laela, my Caleb will take Felicity's place. He'll do wonderfully," the man chuckled. I gasped. Did he mean me? If so, what did I have to do with anything? I wasn't anything special. Eric spoke up, "You will not get within one hundred miles of Felicity!" I winced at his tone. Laela shook in rage; wild sparks erupted from her fingers. Once again, the darkness took them; my mind started attempting to work. Why was I here? What was this? Nothing made sense anymore. Obviously, it wasn’t a dream. This had happened, and I was witnessing it. Garron and Mica were no where in site, and that saddened me. My arm was burning, someone kept calling my name, and my body certainly didn't want to move.

"Felicity," called a woman. It was Laela for sure. "Live, Felicity Ameer. Carry out the wishes of the people of Aarane, my darling. Take your full name and guard it. Let no one see you for what you are, Daughter. Do great with the powers we have passed down to you." I shook my head. I was having second thoughts; it couldn’t have all been real, could it? My mother left us. My father beat me. They couldn't possibly be my parents. "Oh, but we are, Felicity. You'll find out soon enough about that, Daughter. I know you will learn to control our powers." That must have been Eric, my father. "Yes, I read your mind. Don't think too hard on it. You’ll have a specialty, too," he reassured. It scared me. Suddenly, I felt like a weight was on my chest, and there was something itching my arm. "Goodbye," they said. Too dazed to comprehend anything that was happening, I waited for death. I thought my fake father-Jon-had beaten me again. My body wouldn't be able to take much more. Please let it be quick…

"Girl, do you really want to die that way?!" came a screaming voice from behind me. I hadn't noticed her there. Believing I was dead or near death for the lack of light, I gave up to my heaviness of my eye lids. Awareness of the reality of the water beneath me and the strong but feminine hands dragging me out caused me to fight once more. I was going to overcome anything this was. To survive Jon's beating took more strength than this. Plus, Laela and Eric, my real parents, told me to stay alive. Wasn't that enough? Enough to fight the dark closing in on me?

"Stop struggling, girl. I want to get you back to my master alive," muttered the female now beside me. She put her hands around my waist; I still couldn't see. I gave up. Her voice was enough to settle my nerves for now. Nothing was around me in my darkness. It all seemed so still and quiet except for the voices. Either you’re going insane, or you can believe in what’s going on. I wanted to slap my conscience. I bet you’re asking why there can never be a third choice, right?? I was now in the girl's were off, running. Wind wiped my face, calming the rush of tears that threatened to spill. "Sleep," she told me, her strong arms holding me protectively.