Through the Ashes

Chapter 7

"Stop!" exclaims a harsh voice. I turn t see a prison guard stalking my way. Uh oh. "Why do you come here?"

"I was just walking before..." I trail off when my eyes drift behind the guard and I see it. Opposing the prison archway is a shimmering blue wall. It appears to be a normal sandstone wall but then it will flicker, revealing a light blue wavy pattern.

The guard turns and looks where I am, clearly missing the spasms of blue. "Before?" He pushes.

"Never mind," I whisper before sprinting back up the thick stone stairs. So that's the entrance to the Fellowship.

After I'm above the prison level, I look at my watch and see that a considerable amount of time has passed. I start to make my way back home, trying not to think about how tomorrow, I'll be walking through that very wall, just to make sure my family is safe, but anything is better than their deaths. When I get home, Ryan and Aisling are in bed and a cold plate of pasta sits on the counter. Not my favorite but it'll do. I quickly eat, not realising how hungry I was before and get ready to go to sleep. I hop under the covers, tossing and turning with the possible dangers of tomorrow.

***

"Rise and shine, Sammy! If you're leaving to Maine, it's gotta happen now!" I groan slightly at Ryan's boisterous voice but drag myself out of bed. I begrudgingly put on clean clothes and slip on my arm braces as well as dropping my gun into its holster. I pull my travel bag out from under the bed and heave it over my shoulder.

"Glad you decided to join me," Ryan jokes when I enter the kitchen. I grunt in return, a silent 'it's to early for this shit.' Aisling is still asleep and Ryan slides a bowl of oatmeal in front of me just as there's a knock on the door. Probably Kasie coming to say goodbye.

"I'll get it," Ryan says hurriedly, fast walking to the door. There's a quick and hushed conversation before, "Uhh Sam? Mind explaining why some dirty lady is here to come haul you away?"

I'm instantly awake and out of my chair. Ryan is standing by the door with a confused look on her face, pointing to an irritated Catch in the doorway. "Oh yeah. I forgot to mention that I'm leaving Poughkeepsie with somebody," I recover nervously.

"Right," Ryan says suspiciously, eyeing Catch.

"Sam, let's go. We've given you enough time to say goodbye," Catch instructs angrily.

"Okay I'm coming," I sigh. I pull Ryan into a tight hug. "Is Aisling up yet?

She smiles. "No but she's going to want to see you off," she says, lightly slapping my shoulder. "Go get her,"

I run back down the hall to my sister's room and lightly shake her awake. She looks at me groggily before her eyes widen and she throws her arms around. God, I'm going to miss this more than anything.

"Why do you have to do it, Sam?" She murmurs into my shoulder.

"It's a long story, little one," I soothe. "Would you be mad if I just asked you to trust me? Ask no questions?"

She's quiet for a second. "I can't get mad. I might not see you again."

"Don't say that," I whisper harshly, placing my hands on her cheeks. "I love you so much and I would never leave you." I feel tears threatening to fall, a sharp sting at the back of my eyes. She's the only one who can bring me apart like this.

"I want to go with you," she says. It's more of a demand than a question

"I want you to, also. But you can't," I say sadly. "It's dangerous and I can't have you involved with me. I can't let you get hurt."

She nods and it pains me that she accepts this so easily. "Stay safe, Sammy."

"I will, love. When I get back, you're going to be a warrior," I say, wanting to encourage her and I see hope in her eyes. I kiss the top of her head and get up off the bed.

"Wait! Sam don't go!" She calls when I'm halfway out the door.

"Aisling, I'm sorry but I have to," I try to explain.

She looks slightly nervous. "It's not that. I have something for you." She reaches into her nightstand and pulls out a crudely wrapped present, pieces of old news paper and ribbon randomly encasing the oddly shaped object.

"Thank you so much," I say quietly. I kiss her head again.

"Don't open it until later okay?" She instructs and I nod.

"Anything for you." And I walk back into the living room, carefully tucking the gift into the top of my bag.

"Ryan, please don't let anything happen to her," I plead when I get back. Catch is tapping her foot impatiently. I can't believe she won't even spare time for my family. The one that was on the end of her threat.

"I won't. There's not way on this god forsaken planet that she is leaving this world before me," she swears.

"You're the best. Don't ever change," I say with one last hug.

"Hold it together Sam. This is something that will be better in the long run."

I wave as I walk out the door but Catch ruins the moment by grabbing my arm and slamming the door shut. "Watch it!" I warn. "You could give me a few second with the people I actually like."

"Whatever. You're just lucky I got you away before we left to headquarters," she mumbles. "Okay hold my hand. We're going to... teleport as you humans say."

"Like what you did with Godspeed?"

"Exactly like that." She takes my hand. "Let's do this." She closes her eyes and focuses hard the I notice her face starts to get more transparent. I look down at myself and try not to panic when I see my body disappearing. Soon, our surroundings start to shift and blend before finally settling. I look down and see myself coming back into view and I let out a breathe I hadn't realised I was holding.

"Welcome to headquarters," Catch says happily and I look up to see the luminescent blue door. "Time to meet the Fellowship."