After getting home, almost out of breath, I push open the door. Damn, I didn't lock it. I sigh and lean my head against the door. This is way too much to take in and I need to relax. I take a deep breath and brush myself, mentally recuperating. I shut the door and and lay in the couch, opening the note first and setting the box to my side. I look down at the slightly shaky writing of an old man.
Dear Samuelle,
If you've gotten this note and are reading it now, it means I have passed on to the next life. You are probably wondering why I'm contacting you specifically, and why I even know your name. The truth is, I know what and who you are. You may or may not have been contacted by spirits but either way listen to my words and heed them well. Don't do anything that you don't want to do. Please go with them, help save humanity, kill the thunderclouds. Though it's not recommended, kill them if you wish. They probably already threatened you so injure them if that's what you want but know this: Many paths are going to open and many voices are going to speak to you but some will try to lead you astray. I already sense a deception in your life. Tread carefully, for you will encounter many dangers in the future.
Best wishes,
Ryder
P.S.
Take this gift. It's called a pendulum and if you go with the spirits, it will be of great use to you.
I fold the note up and think about what he said. How did he know about the spirits and what's that about a deception in my life? I try to think about my life and what or who it could be. He has to be lying but he knows about the Fellowship and how else could he be so specific?
I turn my attention to the black box. I shake it slightly and hear the click of glass and metal. I flick off the top and grasp a small golden chain, taking the pendulum out. I let out a small gasp at its beauty. It's a a clear prism that glimmers with a rainbow shine when it catches the light. It turns slightly and I brush it, dragging my fingers across the cool glass. I gently put it inside my pocket, not knowing how it could be of use.
I toss the coffee stained note and box on the table and notice the paper left by Godspeed and Catch. I lean forward and snatch it up, examining the crisp paper. It's been printed almost perfectly, the exact opposite of Buffer's note. On it reads a long number, about 8 numbers and then... an address? "Bottom level, opposite of prison entrance," it reads. It's located by the prison entrance? I scan the paper, looking for any other means of contact. I sigh and flop face down onto the couch, groaning into the throw pillow. What the hell is happening to my life?
"I assume that you need help, Sam?"
My head shots of the pillow at the voice and I glare at Godspeed. "What do you want?"
"Well, I thought you would want assistance in accessing the Fellowship's headquarters. Your spirit was showing signs of distress as well as curiosity."
"Watching me again?" I sigh and pinch the bridge of my nose. I guess Godspeed really doesn't have much experience with humanity. "Yeah, that would be great."
"So you have changed your mind about us and the Fellowship?"
"Well, I didn't really have a choice. Everything points to this story being true, although it seems impossible. Plus, you threatened to hurt my family," I remind him, standing up and walking to my room with Godspeed following close behind. "Just remember, don't try anything because I know how to defend myself."
"I'm sorry about that but we need you and honestly, if pain is what it takes to get that," he trails off. I shake my head angrily and I search my room, looking for any weapons I can take. Knives, guns, mini cross bows, poisons, and even a long sword are all hidden and I move my hands in and out of different spaces to try to find them.
"Why do you have so many weapons?" Godspeed questions.
"Well, you can never be to careful in this world," I answer, pulling a leather bag out of my closet and dumping a few select weapons into it. "I mean, just look at what the hell happened to me today! Am I going to stay at your little hideout or at my house?"
"It would be much safer to stay at headquarters and we all recommend it. If you don't, it could get you everybody else killed." I sigh and lean against the bed, dropping my head between my arms. He recovers quickly, "But if you choose, you can stay a few days at home before you stay at headquarters permanently."
"Yeah. I'll do that." I sill grab a few of my favorite clothes and trinkets and throw them into the bag along with my weapons and pendulum. I even grab my small guitar. "How many days do I get?"
The spirit thinks for a moment. "Let's say four days, starting today. Does that seem fair?"
It's not what I hoped for but apparently the world is going under as we speak so I nod my head. "Bye crazy. Come back when my time is up."
"Goodbye, Sam. We'll see you soon," he says, ignoring the insult, and disappears. I still can't believe I'm going but I need some answers. In five days, I could probably spend time with my family, catch up with Ben, and be with Kasie, and take a day for myself. I can work this out.
***
After Ryan and Aisling got back, I ran into my surrogate mother's arms and apologised. She stumbled back a bit, clearly surprised, but she hugged me and rubbed my back nonetheless, saying how she shouldn't have gotten mad in the first place.
"What about me?" my sister had asked, a fake pout on her face. I threw my arms around her and asked her to tell me all about her day. Ryan made a dinner of fish while Aisling excitedly went into great detail of her day at Eclipse. She shoot guns, was pitted against very experienced fighters, lifted weights, and even got to throw a hammer and javelin, which she was apparently quite good at.
The next day I run to Kasie's house and pound on the door. She opens it quickly, a worried look on her face. Her hair and clothes are disheveled, sights of sleep clear in her eyes. It's still pretty early. I grab her hand with a whispered "I love you" and we walk to her room, collapsing onto the bed. I wrap my arms around her and looked her in the eye. "I have to leave for a little while. I don't know how long," I whisper.
She sits up and frowns. "Where are you going?"
I think for a moment. "I'm leaving on a trip up to Maine." I don't want to lie but there's no way on God's burning Earth am I telling the truth.
"To Maine? Sam, when was the decided?" She asks, irritated.
"Just recently. It was more of a spur-of-the-moment decision and I didn't know how to tell you."
"Well, I'm coming with you. What day are you leaving?"
"Kasie, you can't come. It's... it's like a self-discovery thing. But I'm leaving in two days, after today."
"Jeez, Sammy. Why didn't you tell me sooner? And what does 'self-discovery' even mean?"
"Look I'm really sorry but it just skipped my mind. I'm going to just figure out who I am."
"You're Samuelle Archer, master knife weirder, kind big sister, musician wannabe, and my girlfriend. You don't have to do this," she says, placing her hands on my shoulders.
I smile at her kind words. "I do, Kasie. I know it's sudden but my life is going to be much better after this, I promise."
She looks sad but kisses me. "Just please don't be long. I love you so much," she whispers.
"I love you too," I promise and lay back down with her. She falls asleep almost instantly but the weight of my lie makes it hard to fall asleep.
When we wake up, we spend the rest of the day at Kasie's house, talking and playing different games, ignoring the conversation that we previously had. I try to ignore the searing pain in my head from another color vision.
The next day, I go to the comedy club again, fortunately finding Ben outside. We decided to meet up after his shift on the surface, where he lives.
"Why'd you want to live up here?" I ask, once we are sitting outside his shack of a home.
"I don't know. I've always thought it was a bit cramped down there," he explains, making a face.
"I get that. That pretty lady still your girlfriend?"
"Yes indeed. She's in metalworking, if you don't remember."
I sit up a bit straighter. "I don't. Isn't that really dangerous?"
He sighs and hangs his head. "Yeah it is. I tried to convince her otherwise but she loves what she does. And she says it gives good pay."
I pat his shoulder. "She good at it?"
He brightens at this. "Yeah she is! You should see some of the stuff she brings home."
"I'd love too," I say happily and Ben disappears inside. Victoria has always been such a good person and the fact that she stays in such a risky job for slightly better pay is no surprise.
"Okay, I got her best work here," Ben says, stepping out the house and holding something under a grimy sheet. He sets it down on the table between us and rips the sheet of. "Behold."
Sitting on the wood is a large and beautifully sculpted work depicting a large bird flying off with a fish between its talons, waves crashing up from the pedestal. "That's amazing," I whisper. "What kind of bird is this?"
"I'm not too sure actually. When Vic gave it to me, she said it was an extinct bird. Something called a bald eagle. It used to be the symbol of America I think."
"It's beautiful."
On the last day I have at home, I tell Ryan and Aisling the same thing I told Kasie. Aisling cries and Ryan's reaction is strangely neutral. There's a sympathetic look in her eye for Aisling but she tells me to do what I think is best for me.
"Why didn't you say something sooner?" Aisling says unhappily, leaning her head against my shoulder.
"I don't know."
"Is that why you said sorry to Ryan a few days ago?" she asks quietly.
"No, no of course not, Aisling. I love you and Ryan so much and she didn't deserve what I said," I explain, wrapping my arms tighter around her. "If I wanted to fix all I have done wrong before I left, there wouldn't be enough time."
"Don't say that, Sam. You're a good person," Ryan says, rubbing my shoulder.
"Doesn't mean I haven't done bad."
I take the rest of the day to myself. I mostly walk around the Crypts, exploring places I've never been before. There's some higher levels with interesting shops made by disabled people, people who won't be able to do any assigned jobs so they create their own instead. Also lower levels where the absolutely unemployed reside. They were said to have defeated poverty years ago but I always knew it was a lie. I go deeper and deeper until I'm one level above the bottom of the Crypts. I pull the crumpled peace of paper out of my pants. "'Opposite of prison entrance,'" I repeat. "This can't be good."
"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."