Anansi's Web

In my dream, there was a silhouette of a woman’s head. She was in profile, and her face was black against a white background, as she stared off in the distance. Her eyes were two gems. One gem was a pure, glittering emerald, and the other was a smooth brown and red gem that gleamed like a star.

Both of the gems fell from her head, hitting the ground with delicate clinks. The stones rolled away, far from the woman, who became lost in the distance. I had a feeling that I missed her, but I wasn’t sure why. Meanwhile, the gems rolled into a hole in the ground, falling into a sewer with emerald green water. The water rushed them away throughout the sewer so fast that I felt like I was there, rapidly being carried by the stream.

I woke up with my heart beating quickly. I looked around the room in the harsh morning light, working out the dream in my head.

I turned on the TV, dismissing the dream as a random thought. I watched a movie as I lay in bed, thinking. Ember-the lady yesterday-was a bit strange, but at the same time I had a feeling that she was right buried in my gut. The pirate may have just been a pirate though. They sometimes steal stuff, that’s why the government wants to keep track of them...

I looked out of the thin space between the curtains, and out of the window, trying to glimpse the city. Don’t trust her, the pirate said. On the train he told me about the secret war, so it would make sense if he was some kind of soldier, but I didn’t want to believe it. I gripped the remote to the TV tight, but I knew I had to keep this frustration locked up, or it would get to me.

My parents woke up, and started to watch the movie with me. They didn’t say anything for a while, so I spoke up. “When are we leaving?”

“I don’t think I want to leave.” He said in a dreamy voice.

My eyes widened to the size of the moon. “What? We don’t have the money to stay, and you didn’t want to go on this trip anyway.”

“I know,” He began, “But there is just so much to see, and do. We just need a little more time.”

I eyed my dad suspiciously before looking at my mom. “Mom, what do you think?” I asked.

She turned to me looking like she was floating through some magical land on a unicorn. “I agree.” She said.

I tugged at my hair, and bit my lip. What were they thinking? What’s gotten into them? Have they finally cracked, and lost it?

“Are you really sure?”

“Yes.” Mom said.

I wondered what made them like this. Did they have a talk last night; did they really enjoy the festival yesterday? I didn’t understand.

As the movie ended, I realized that Cara might have been leaving today now that everything was over. Maybe she already left.

I took out my phone, and called her as my parents talked and flipped through the channels.

Cara answered.

“Hey, are you leaving today?” I said.

“Yeah, I’m getting packed now, why?”

“Can you ask your parents to stay for one more day? My parents want to stay, and I don’t have anyone else to hang out with.”

There was a pause. “My parents didn’t come with me, but I guess I can stay for another day.”

“Alright, well do you want to do something now?” I asked.

“Sure, just give me a second to get ready, what are you thinking about doing?”

“Maybe we can go to the square, and walk around the city for a bit.”

“Oh,” Cara said, “Did you go to the flying dog thing last night?”

I sighed, “No, I didn’t. Dang it, I really wanted to see that.”

“I’m surprised you couldn’t hear it with all that barking. Anyway, I’ll be at the square at like, twelve thirty. See you then.”

She hung up before I could say bye. I looked at the show that my parents had just chosen to watch. It was some kind of cooking show. I got on the internet and scrolled through all of my friend’s posts about what they did last night, the last day of the event.

After thirty minutes of looking through my friend’s posts, laughing, and responding, twelve thirty came. I looked over at my parents, who still looked a bit off. They were watching the show, like they were mesmerized. I got up, and looked at them last time before I left. Mom’s hair was tangled, and messy, flying around her head. Her dark brown eyes reflecting the light of the TV screen. Dad’s bald head was shining from the light that slipped through the window. His face was so much softer than it usually is. I would say that it’s an improvement, but it happened so suddenly, it couldn’t be real.

I thought about how much I cared for them despite how they act. They raised me. I don’t ever want anything to happen to them. I slipped out of the door, silently wishing that they would be back to normal soon.

I walked out into the city. There was hardly anyone outside, probably because yesterday was really long, and because everyone gets one extra day off from work. The people who were out were really minimally dressed, and I knew why, it was so hot I felt like a chicken roasting over a fire. I wore a green short sleeved shirt with black stripes, and jeans, which I regretted because it got uncomfortable really fast.

I got to the square after thirty minutes, and by then I was sweating, and worn out. I wished for a cool breeze to come along, and dance across my face. I would give anything for it to be winter all of a sudden.

I sat on a bench, surrounded by people shuffling their feet, complaining about the heat, and gulping down water from their plastic water bottles. Cara still wasn’t here. Or maybe I just didn’t see her. I pulled out my phone, and texted her.

She responded, saying that she was on her way, and would be there by one. I took a deep breath, and rested the back of my head against the back of the park bench, looking at the sky, with wispy streaks of white clouds floating along in it. The sun was a hot, glowing white eye in the center, sending down its extreme warmth to all of the unwelcoming people below.

“So you’re saying that he was here yesterday?” I heard a gruff male voice say from a distance.

A woman’s voice responded, deep, and smooth. “Yes, he attacked the woman, and stole the emerald tablet. From the video footage there was a boy there too. The boy had blonde hair, lean, rainbow shirt for the event. He couldn’t have been more than fifteen.”

I looked away from the sky, and searched for the voices in the crowd. They had to be close by for me to hear them so well above the noise. When I searched, I couldn’t find them because I had no idea what they looked like. I kept listening, trying to match the words to a mouth.

“Yeah, he just disappeared from the store. It was like he teleported or something. What do you think we’ll find at the store anyway? He’s gone” Said a second male voice. This one sounded younger, but just as serious.

I tried to find a person to match the voices to, but I couldn’t find any. I tried to listen more, but I couldn’t hear their voices anymore. I desperately combed through the people, but I wouldn’t find them. I couldn’t help wondering how many times my eyes might have glanced over them without knowing it. I ground my teeth, and watched Ember’s shop, to see if anyone went inside. Maybe then I could see who was talking.

My phone beeped, and I looked at it, taking my eyes off of Ember’s store, named the enchanted shack.

Cara had texted me. Where are you?

I’m sitting on a bench in front of the statue of that guy wearing a hat. I replied.

After a few seconds, Cara was right in front of me. She wore a baggy blue, oversized short sleeved shirt, with white shorts that went to her knees.

“Are you ready to go?” She asked.

“Um, yeah. Let’s go there first.” I said, pointing to the enchanted shack.

Cara looked over, and shrugged her shoulders. “Whatever.”

“It still smells like dog from last night.” I said.

“I know right, you cannot have that many flying dogs in one place.”

We walked into the shop. Before we went in though, I saw the sign on the window said that the place was closed, but I tried the door anyway. It worked.

When I saw Cara, she was smiling, “I’ve taught you well.” She said, pretending to wipe a proud tear from her eye.

I rolled my eyes, and led her inside.

It was worse than it was yesterday. The shelves were laying on the ground, sprawling books, potions, and crystal balls across the floor. The wooden boards were busted open in random spots like a mine field had gone off. It was the same with the ceiling. The desk in the middle had a huge chunk blasted off of it, and only one of the lights worked, giving me very little light to see.

“Whoa, what happened here?” Cara asked.

“Well, I don’t know that much, but the woman who works here was attacked, by a pirate.”

“Why? Do you know?”

“He said that she had the emerald tablet.” I said.

“Does she? How do you even know this?”

“Not anymore. She says he stole the emerald tablet from her. I was here yesterday when it happened.”

Cara walked in front of me, looking around the store. I wasn’t sure if she was amazed by the damage, or wondering about the emerald tablet.

“Do you know what the emerald tablet is?” I asked.

She cut away from the wreckage, and turned to me. “Who doesn’t? It is a centerpiece in alchemy’s history. The emerald tablet shows how to make the panacea when it has the azoth poured over it…Do you know what those are?”

“Uh, no not really” I said.

Cara sighed. “So the Azoth is the cure to everything, but it can’t cure death. However, the panacea can cure everything, and death. But the panacea can only be made with the philosopher’s stone, which was made, but no one knows what happened to it. They say the guy who made it went insane, and they took the stone away from him, locked it up in Othal’s vaults.”

“You’re really into alchemy huh?”

Cara drew in a deep breath, “Yes, I’m an alchemist, what do you expect? My teacher is Drason.”

“Who’s that?” I asked, because she said the name like it was the name of a god.

“Drason is one of the best alchemists of our time; he’s a Nage, one of the highest honors for an alchemist. And I’m his apprentice.”

I was going to shrug, but I didn’t want to be rude, so I said, “Cool.”

Cara took another deep breath. “Why did you want to come in here again?”

“Well, I heard some people talking, and I wanted to see if they were going to walk in here, but it doesn’t look like they are gonna come.”

I heard a low growl come from the back room. I turned, and saw that the back room’s door was closed. Cara and I were both silent, listening to our weight bearing down on the floor boards, making them creak as we nervously awaited for whatever growled to reveal itself.

“Maybe it’s just a dog.” I whispered.

The back door shuttered as something pounded against it, making the wood crack, and splinter. Cara began to walk forward, and I almost spoke up to tell her not to, but I didn’t want the creature to hear me.

There was another large thump, and the door cracked open in a shower of wooden chips, and splinters. Out of the hole came a beast the size of a large, fat dog.

The creature was black, and sleek like a walrus, with the back legs of a dog, and flippers for hands. The thing had a huge pot belly, and a long, thick neck from which flabby skin jiggled. Its head was a seal’s head, and the long tail that it whipped around was thick, sleek, and black just like the rest of its body.

Cara took a half step back, but otherwise she stood her ground for whatever reason. She didn’t seem to have any weapons on her, and she never mentioned being able to use magic.

The creature opened its mouth to howl, exposing its gigantic maw, full of rows of sharp, shark teeth that could tear you apart.

I backed away, with my hand on the door knob, ready to bolt, but Cara was slowly stepping back, like she could somehow fight the thing.

“Cara, what are you doing?” I asked.

She seemed to gain her senses, and turned to get out of the shop. I opened the door, and we both slipped out as the creature galumphed after us.

We stumbled into the square. My heart was beating on my ribcage, and I was shaking from whatever the heck that thing was. The howl rang in my ears, haunting me, like a banshee. I shut my eyes. I don’t want to see it, why is this happening to me; can’t I just live a normal life?

“Look.” Cara said.

I stood up straight, still shaking, as I looked to where Cara’s finger was pointed. There were people gathered at the three entrances to the square, banging on an invisible wall. They were crying for help, confused, wondering what was happening.

I looked at Cara, wondering what this all meant. This was an attack of some kind. There was a monster in the enchanted shack, and the square was blocked off. Shop owners inside of the square looked outside, and offered people shelter from whatever was about to strike.

Cara and I followed some people into a nearby shop when the monster fumbled out of the door and howled as loud as it could, ringing through the square like a demented song.

People turned, gasped, and hurried into the shop like frightened animals. I wanted desperately to go with them, but I noticed three people standing in the center of the square, and they didn’t look like S-MOD.

There was one girl, and two boys, ready to fight. One of the men wore a black shirt with a low collar to show a bit of his chest with jeans, and sunglasses. The other guy wore a sleeveless shirt with blue stripes, and shorts. The girl had on tight skinny jeans, with designs on them, and a black shirt with a tight brown leather jacket. She carried an axe, while the two guys carried guns. I assumed that they were the people talking before.

When one of the guys lifted his hand to fire the gun at the monster, I noticed that he had the red band around his wrist, and so did the other two. He shot the gun at the creature, which released a ball of fire.

The fire ball hit the thing, but it didn’t seem to have an effect. The girl with the bronze-looking axe ran up to the monster, and hit it on the head with the sharp edge of the blade, but the blade slid the other way at the last moment.

Cara and I stood there, frozen, watching the fight. Everyone else was gone, and attempting to usher us inside with their voices, but I almost didn’t notice.

The monster bounded past them on its short, but strong legs, and headed towards us.

“Watch out.” The woman yelled.

Cara ran across the plaza, to a shop on the other side. I wanted to call to her, but the thing had almost no interest in her. It looked at me with small, beady seal eyes that seemed more intimidating than cute in this case.

I tried to follow Cara, but the thing blocked my path. I was here; there was nothing I could do about that. I had to find a solution. I ran to the enchanted shack, a few feet away, and went inside. I could hear the creature’s feet padding after me on the hot pavement.

I grabbed a crystal ball from the ground, and went back outside. As the thing got close, I threw the crystal ball, hitting it, but like everything else it did nothing.

I ran around the square, following the circle that the shops made, hoping to get into the store that Cara went into, as the thing chased me.

Cara came out of the store, holding a small shrunken head. We were a few feet apart, and she yelled “Catch!”

She threw the shrunken head, and I caught it in both hands. “Throw it!” She yelled.

I cocked my arm back, and hurled it at the thing. The shrunken head hit the seal face, and it made a blue flash.

“The magic’s wore off.” One of the male pirates said, “Get it.”

The girl ran up to the thing, and slammed the blade of her axe down onto the monster’s head. I looked away, but the thick sound echoed in my ears.

Cara walked up to me, “That was a jinx shop, they sell magic protection charms.”

“Oh.” I said, looking at the frightened people in the shop through a dirty window.

“Bunyips aren’t that strong. He’s definitely here” Said the girl to the other two pirates.

“Come on Angelo, the man gave me two charms, so I can destroy one of the invisible walls that trap us.” Cara said.

I followed her to the nearest entrance to the square. She tossed the shrunken hear into thin air, and the charm burst into a navy blue color. The air rippled in thin, light red waves where the force field was dissolving.

People slowly came out of the shops, and out of the square. Once everyone was gone, and distant sirens wailed as S-MOD came to investigate, the pirates walked up, and stopped us from leaving.

“What do you want?” I asked.

“We need you to stay with us.” The female pirate said. I wondered why she had an axe when the two guys around her owned guns.

“Why?” Cara asked.

“We have reasons to believe that this attack was coordinated by someone we have been tracking; we need you because he is hunting you” Said the guy with the black shirt. He was the one with the gruff voice.

I pulled away, “You want to use me as bait? No thanks.”

The guy in the sleeveless shirt spoke. “Look, we can keep you safe, while using you to attract the man we want, it’s a win, win deal.”

“I have my parents, I can’t just leave them.” I said.

“We can take them too.” The woman said, lazily swaying her axe at her side, like it was a toy.

I took a half step back, but one of the pirates raised his gun. “We can just stun you, and drag you with us.”

“Well,” I blurted out, “What about I go get my parents, and come back here with them.”

“One of us comes with you.” The woman said sternly. She wasn’t moving from that decision.

I had to think of something else fast, something to trick them. Maybe I could distract them, and run away. I only had a few seconds.

Then, the sky darkened, and a huge dark cloud fell to the earth. The heat of the day was once scorching, but now the square filled with black mist, shrouding my vision, and chilling the blood in my veins. The pirates shouted, “What’s going on?”

I reached out, and grasped Cara’s hand to make sure she knew where I was. “Let’s go.” I said, but when I opened my mouth I choked on the black, freezing smog.

I dragged Cara away to where I thought the exit was. “Where are you?” Asked a man’s voice from somewhere in the square.

The pirate from the train must have done this. He sent the creature, and he blocked the exits. He really was hunting me, just like Ember told me. But she didn’t live up to her part of the promise; she wasn’t there when I needed her.

Cara and I ran out into the streets, past the S-MOD officers trying to stop, and question us, grabbing harshly for our arms, but we kept moving, coughing as we ran. That black smoke really was horrible.

As we made our way farther into the city, I silently thanked the man who was chasing us for getting me out of that pirate situation.

We stopped at the side of a building. People walked around us, not knowing what just happened.

“So do you think we lost them?” Cara asked.

“Hopefully we did. Oh Terra, what just happened?”

“We were attacked.”

I closed my eyes, trying to shut out reality, hoping that I could briefly freeze time. Like always, I eventually had to open them.

“What are you going to do?” Cara asked.

I looked up at Cara. Her eyes were full of worry, and her messy hair was all over the place. “He might have seen you with me. He sent that monster, and he probably watched us work together.” I realized as I said it.

Cara looked me in the eyes after a moment. “So what are we going to do?”

I shrugged, looking around the city. I was leaning against the brick wall of a building as hot, sweaty people passed, murmuring about rumors of strange events happening in the square. I heard sirens wailing as they made their way down the street to find us.

“Can the S-MOD help?” Cara asked.

I thought about it. They might help, but then again this pirate guy was very good at magic, and if he is what I think he is then he’s a part of this secret war conspiracy. The local officers probably don’t know about a secret war.

I told Cara about the pirate coming up to me on the train, and about how the guy who attacked us might have been a part of a secret war. She was quiet for a while.

“So there’s a secret war. And, this guy is involved somehow, and he has the emerald tablet and a crystal ball. That’s fantastic.” She said sarcastically.

It felt like everyone was out to get us. I looked up at the sky, and thought about how I could get tangled in such a huge mess in just a few hours.

Something bleated to my right. I looked over, and saw a goat standing there. It was the color of cardboard, but the sun hit it just right so it looked like it was a shade of gold. Its big eyes glowed violet, as it looked at me, nodding.

“What the heck?” Cara said.

“Come on.” I said, “I know whose goat that is.”

I followed the goat, feeling Cara’s confusion hitting me in the back of the head. It did seem pretty funny, following a magical glowing goat, but I knew that it would lead me to Ember.

I followed through goat throughout the streets, ignoring the stares of people passing by. The goat led me into a dark alley way, where the shadow of a tall woman waited, with arms outstretched, as though she were expecting a hug.

The goat dissolved into blue light, fizzling into the air.

“I told you so.” Ember said. She snapped her fingers, and the alley filled with sunlight.

I was glad to see her, but weary at the same time. She wanted to do the same thing that the pirates wanted to do, and as far as I could tell I couldn’t trust either of them.

I refused to break down however. I stood tall, and tried to act like I wasn’t as tired or scared as I felt. “What do you want?” I asked.

Ember smiled. She wore a purple sleeveless blouse, and skinny jeans. Crescent moon earrings hung from her ears, glistening silver. She wore brown boots that went just below her knees with slightly raised heels. Her violet eyes scanned me.

“I want to help. I can help you Angelo, all you have to do is trust in me. I can help you get this guy out of your life for good. I have looked at the situation left, and right, it’s me, the pirates, or death. In the worst case scenario, the man you thought was a pirate has followed you since last night, but if he was he would have killed you in your sleep. He caught up with you when you went into the square, which means that he doesn’t know who your parents are, and has no way of finding out. If you go back now he’ll know, and target them as well.”

“So, is this the woman who had the emerald tablet?” Cara asked.

“Um, Cara this is Ember, Ember, this is Cara. And, I don’t need your help, I have my own plan.”

“We do?” Cara asked.

Ember laughed, “Angelo, I’ll show you that you can trust me. I was in the MOD; I know how to use magic. With me, we can take a train to Neptia, the nearest kingdom, and tell the king, and queen about the guy chasing us. I have a feeling that he is a part of the secret war, and if he is then people need to know about him. You two are targets, and he is not above taking you out to keep you silent. I can protect you.”

I was quiet as I considered her offer. I heard about Neptia, but I never thought I’d go there. People say the kingdom is beautiful, but old and dangerous magic still lurks there from decades ago. Maybe the king could do something…Maybe it was worth a shot, but what about my parents? They were acting strange this morning, and that was only after the witch who messes with people’s heads talked to them yesterday.

“I’ll consider your plan if you answer honestly. Did you hex my parents?”

“Yes, but I did it so I could protect both them, and you, believe me.”

She probably had good intentions. “Cara, what do you think?”

“So, I think we’re better off with her.” Cara said.

“She’s a smart one.” Ember said, “Look, we’ll take a train and be there as soon as possible. If we hurry he might not see us leave. I’ll take you back to your parents as soon as he’s captured. I gave them money to get food, and to pay for an extended stay. Plus, they won’t even notice you’re gone.”

I had mixed feelings, but considering the other options I liked hers so far. I clenched my fists. I had to be strong. “How sure are you that your plan will work?”

“Almost completely sure” Ember said. “I’m not keeping you prisoner, I’m helping you meet your needs. Think of me as a body guard, and an advisor.”

In my tired state, I wanted to accept, I wanted to hop into her arms, and shout, lead the way! But I didn’t know her. She hexes people into doing what she wants, how can she be trusted? Who is right, and who is wrong? Is it as clear as she makes it seem?

“We need to hurry if you decide to come with me. I can get us clothes and everything when we reach Neptia.” Ember said.

I looked right back into those harsh eyes of hers, and suddenly they didn’t seem so intimidating. “Fine” I said.

Ember smiled, and I knew that I had just sealed my fate.