Fox Ball

Guide and I had spent the better part of the night talking, planning what our next move was going to be now that we were down a companion. Hours went by and it seemed as though there was no answer for the daunting question that plagued all of our minds. How are we going to get the Ball off Peter without dying in the process? We had yet to come to a conclusion.

The sun had started peaking over the horizon by the time we decided we were basically screwed. I made my way over to the treeline, where Talia and Derek had fallen asleep, tightly wrapped around each other. I couldn’t help but smile at the scene. They would make a cute couple was the only thought going through my mind.

The hair on the back of my neck stood at the feeling of someone in the shadows. Fear rang down my spine, chilling me more than the breeze ever could. I was about to scream, when a petite woman with chestnut hair and cute plump lips emerged from the foliage.

“Rose!” My shout was enough to awaken my sleeping friends, both of them sitting up with a start with magic dancing at their fingertips. Guide had run over, his cane in his hands with full intent to swing. Once they got the chance to see what had alerted me, smiles broke out amongst the entire group.

We quickly surrounded her, questions spewing from every which way, ranging from “How are you?” to “Are you injured?” to “How did you escape?”

That question made me pause, the conversation with Guide popping into my mind. I can’t just blindly trust. I looked her up from toe to head, nothing seeming out of place until I got to her eyes. Those were not my mother’s eyes. My breath caught in my lungs as I stumbled back. Guide and Talia seemed to have seen this movement as they both looked at me with expressions of concern. Rose definitely noticed, a gleam of…something entering those unfamiliar eyes.

“Olivia. What’s wrong?” Talia made a move to come closer to me, but Rose reached a hand out, gripping tighter than necessary on my best friend’s upper arm. “Ow…Rose…let go of me.” She tried pulling from the grip, but it only tightened with every movement. There was definitely going to be a bruise there later.

I narrowed my eyes at the being playing Rose, taking another step back. Guide quickly made it to my side, watching my skeptical eyes scan the environment before landing back on Rose. “Yeah Rose. How did you escape?”

She finally released her grip on Talia and she ran to my side, hiding somewhat behind me and rubbing at her arm.

The being only shrugged. “I guess Peter isn’t as smart as he thought he was. I just teleported out.” She laughed, but the sound was all wrong.

Derek was still standing next to her, seemingly in awe that his sister had just poofed out of there like nothing. “That isn’t Rose.” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. Dread pooled in my stomach, making me nauseated at the thought that we were being outsmarted once again.

Derek spun on his heels to face me, placing his back to his so called sister. “Don’t you even dare. You’re the whole reason she got taken in the first place. I would know my sister even if she was cloned.” His anger only rose as he spoke, ending in a shout.

“Baby…what’s wrong?” Those non-motherly eyes looked at me, boring into my soul as some of the fight left me.

“Don’t call me that. You have no right.” I spat out, venom lacing every word.

Tears welled in Rose’s eyes. “Baby…”

I cringed at the pet name, taking another step back. My thoughts were a flurry of confusion and frustration, even as sadness welled within me. I knew this wasn’t her, there was no way. I would know my mother’s eyes.

“Fine…if you’re Rose, then you wouldn’t mind telling me the color of paint I bought from you when we first met then.” I hoped, I prayed, I even tried to believe that she would have the right answer. Anything was better than the alternative.

A pensive look covered her face as she thought. The more time that went on, the less I hoped; the more I gathered myself for a fight. This was not going to end well.

I took one more step back, beckoning Derek to follow but he only stuck up his nose and turned his face away from me. He’s such a child.

It all happened in an instant. One second she was thinking, a safe distance between her and the rest of my companions. The next, there was a dagger sticking out where Derek’s heart would have been. Not a sound was made, shock ringing clear throughout the Ruins. I don’t think anyone was even breathing, I know I wasn’t.

Talia took a step forward, her mouth open in a silent scream before she fell to her knees. Guide took a step back, refusing to look toward the siblings. All the breath rushed out of Derek as he looked into his ‘sister’s’ eyes. “Why…Rose?” That was the last thing he said before he crumpled to the ground, eyes open in lifeless shock. And me, I just stood there. I couldn’t breathe, I couldn’t move, I couldn’t do anything.

Like a scene from a movie, Rose was encircled by black smoke to the point we couldn’t make out the shape of a human anymore. Within a couple moments, the smoke dissipated and in it’s place stood Peter.

“Well, that was easier than I thought it would be.” He made some theatric movement with his hand as others began emerging from the trees.

Before any of us could move, speak, or escape, the world went dark.

TO BE CONTINUED