Between Two Worlds

I wake up, startled. Did I just hear growling? Where am I? I sit up and squint in the dim, flickering light and try to make sense of what’s going on. I seem to be outside, surrounded by fire. Fear grabs my chest in a vice-grip until I realize that the fire is controlled. It’s not heading my way. It’s been purposefully arranged not far from me. Beyond the flickering firelight, I can hear low rumblings, growling noises, coming from the other side of the fire. I can’t see much, but I do see several pairs of golden eyes reflecting the fire light, they seem to be pacing. What happened? The last thing I remember is Kat telling me that she remembers what’s making the creepy singing noises. We were only a few steps from our building. Did the thing catch us? Did it eat us? Am I dead?

“They’ve been out there all night.”

“Wolfe?!” I ask, whipping my head to my right, and my mouth falls open. Wolfe, again? What the heck is going on? Wait a minute, am I having that dream again? The dream where my brother is safe, and sound and we never got split up?

“Don’t sound so shocked. Who else would it be?” Wolfe says.

I close my mouth and try not to look shocked. “No one. Sorry. Just one of those nights. Between the fire and the growling, I temporarily forgot where I was.” Of course, it doesn’t help that I don’t understand why I keep dreaming this same specific dream. I guess because, despite my brother ignoring me in that Ghemin cell, I still miss him. “What exactly is out there?”

“My best guess is, Lions. I can’t exactly make out their form, but by the sounds of them, there is two or three out there. And the noises seem right.”

“What’s with the fire ring?” I ask

“Don’t you remember what I told you, last night?” he asks. “The fire ring protects us from being eaten by the lions. They won’t come through it.”

“Can’t they just jump it?”

“Technically, yes. But will they? No. For some reason they are terrified of it, which is good for us.”

I squint into the darkness but see no shapes to indicate nearby trees. I guess we are safe from that. “So, I’m guessing the lions followed us all the way from Everly Station. Why would they do that? I thought they stayed near the city.”

“Yeah, it’s very unusual that they followed us this far. I don’t understand it, but it doesn’t really matter. The city, Paridon, is just a few hours up the road. If we can live until morning, we will be safe.”

“What if the fire dies down while we are sleeping?” I ask.

“It won’t. I’m staying awake to make sure of that.”

“You need sleep too.”

“I’ll be fine. There are just a few hours left until sunrise, at that point the lions will go to sleep, and we can make the final leg of the journey.”

“Do you want me to take a turn keeping watch?” I ask.

“No, you go ahead and go back to sleep. I can’t sleep and I won’t be able to sleep until I know we are all safe. Go on, now. Close your eyes and get some rest. I’m going to need you to watch over Lou when we get to Paridon, while I sleep.”

“Ok.” I say as I lay back down. The last thing I remember, before sleep catches me, is a low rumbling growl.

*********************************************

“Rain, wake up!” A voice whispers, urgently.

“Go away, Kat, I’m not interested in going back outside. It’s way too dangerous.” I mumble. I don’t even bother, opening my eyes. We were up too late, last night and now I don’t want to get up.

“Rain!” the voice says, shaking my shoulder.

“I said, No, Kat!” I say a little louder, swatting in what I estimate to be her general direction.

“Rain. It’s me, Wolfe.” The voice insists.

“Wolfe?” I open my eyes and sit up. Wolfe’s face is inches from my own.

“Finally. We have to get going.” He says, straightening up.

“Why the hurry?” I look around, the sky is grey, and the sun gives off just enough light for us to see a few feet in front of us. Not far away I can see the form of a little girl laying on the ground.

“The lions are gone but we have to hurry, there’s no telling when they will be back.”

“What about the kid?” I ask, stretching and standing up.

“I’ll carry Lou. I don’t want her to be scared, but it’s urgent we leave now.” Wolfe says walking over to her sleeping form. He bends over and carefully scoops her up. “Get our bags.” He says, nodding his head to the two backpacks laying on the ground, nearby.

I grab them, sling one over each shoulder and follow behind Wolfe. We step over the hot coals of last night’s fire and head in the opposite direction of the rising sun. We aren’t far from the campsite, when I feel it, the eyes watching me. “Wolfe.” I say, quietly, “we are being watched.”

“I know. I can feel the eyes.” He says, still looking ahead.

“Lions?”

“No. I don’t think so. They left, just before dawn.”

“Then what do you think it is?” I ask, as we pass a hollowed out dead tree.

“Wild dogs, probably. Best not to panic, we will be to Paridon, shortly.”

“Easy for you to say.” I mumble. Up ahead in the distance, I can see an open gate, with a metal wall stretching out to the left and right of it. Standing in the gate is two armed guards, with old-fashioned guns, the kind that fires something called bullets. “Is that Paridon?”

“Yes. And not a moment too soon. I am exhausted.” Wolfe pants.

It should be a lot lighter than it is. What’s going on? One look at the dark, cloud-filled sky and I know we are in trouble. “Wolfe look up,” I say.

He quickly glances up. “This is not good. Danger on the ground and danger from the sky?”

“Maybe it will hold off for a few more minutes?”

Wolfe snorts in reply. Suddenly, the bushes in front of me and to my left start to shake, and out runs four wild dogs, growling, with their sharp teeth showing. They are bearing down on us, quickly.

“Help!” I shout to the guards. Maybe they will come and help. But they don’t move. I know they see us and can hear us, so why are they ignoring us? “Wolfe, run!” I shout, stopping.

“What? No way! “I’m not leaving you, alone!” He shouts back.

“Yes! You will, you have to! You have Lou. I’ll distract them and then I’ll be right behind you. I promise.”

“I swear if you get killed, I will bring you back to life so I can kill you myself!” He shouts. He quickly looks back at me, before taking off and running towards the distant city gates.

The dogs turn towards Wolfe and Lou. Oh, no you don’t! “Here doggies! Over here!” I shout. One looks my way, but the others are chasing Wolfe. What do I do? I look around me and find three stones the size of my palm. I pick them up and throw them at the running dogs, and strike one dog after the other, causing them to turn towards me, growling. Oops, that might have been a mistake. I think as a wall of teeth and fur descends on me.