Dirt (The Dirt Trilogy) (5 page)

On my way home after dropping Taylie off, I become worried
about Dad. Apparently, he and I both need to be careful. Something
or someone out there wants to hurt us. I want to get home to check
on Dad. Driving down Highway 93, puffy gray lines of smoke-like
clouds stream over the trees in the distance. The longer I drive, the
larger the billowing masses grow. The closer I am to home; the
growing darkness of massive clouds fills the sky. This has to be a
forest fire and it’s getting a little too close for comfort.

As I approach our house my stomach sinks to the floorboard.
Smoke is pouring from our kitchen window. I bolt out of my car
and run through the front door. The heat forces its way through me
like a blade. The kitchen is engulfed in a sea of orange and red.
Flames dance around laughing in my face.

“
Dad! Dad!” I run downstairs to the basement. I search the
entire house while the
flames are racing me, but I’m losing.
Glowing vermillion takes over each room. Pulling the rim of my
shirt over my mouth and nose, I cough through the walls of smoke.
The heat swells up around me and the fingertips of smoke wrap
around my lungs. I have to get out of here and find my father. As I
call out, my breath shrinks. His car sits parked in the driveway, so I
know he has to be here, somewhere. A gray haze fills my room.

“
Dad!” I scream out again and again. I’m not going to get out
of my bedroom the way I came in. The house is falling in around
me. I want to find Dad and get out of here alive.
How can this be
happening? Who would do such a thing? Is this how I’m going to
die?
In this brief moment, I give up. I know this is the end.

I can
’t get my lungs to work anymore as I grow weaker with
each step. My legs fail me as I hit the floor. My body is numb so I
don’t feel much when I meet the hardwood, slowly turning ash
around me.

CRASH!
My bedroom window burst open, glass peppering the
floor. Standing on the other side is Rowen. The sight of him is
blurry. I must be losing my mind while I lay dying.
Why am I
imagining him at a time like this?
Crazy, the things you think about
when you’re about to take your last breath. He crawls through the
broken pane and picks me up. Impending death can produce some
vivid hallucinations. I feel his arms lifting me up off the floor. I’m
not dead. Rowen is saving me.

His deep voice is reassuring.
“Your father is safe, Ashe. I’ve
got to get you out of here.” With blazes overcoming us, he carries
me through the broken window into fresh air.

As I catch my breath, we watch the blazing blue heat turn
everything it touches deep red and orange. The aromas of soot,
smoke and destruction pierce my nostrils with the memories of
what used to be. We watch as the burning beams plunge to their
deaths. With each charred ember, my home falls to the ground. I
bury my face into Rowen’s chest sobbing out of control.

His gentle touch of open palms cup my face as he lifts my gaze
with soothing
words. “Your
father
is
safe
with Marvin and
Lucinda.”

“
Who would do this?” I ask falling to my knees stunned and
utterly overwhelmed. Everything I’ve ever known is dust.
“We’ve got to get out of here,” he says.
I’m taken aback by his urgency to leave.“We’ve got to call
911,” I insist.
“That won’t do us any good now.”
“What do you mean? What are you doing here?”
He doesn’t answer and takes my arm pulling me toward an
older model Camaro that looks new. Then it hits me like a ton of

“
There’s no time to explain. Not now. We’ve got to go.” The
sounds of sirens howl in the distance. He takes hold of my arm
again and forces me near his car.

“
Let me go!” I try to pull away, but I’m no match for him.
“What do you want with me?”
“Get in,” he says with insistence forcing me into the passenger
seat as lights flash in the distance.
“Take me to Marvin and Lucinda’s. I need to see my father.”
“We can’t go back.”
“We have to go back. I have to see my father!”
“We can’t, Ashe.” He looks at me sternly and his voice is loud,
almost yelling.
“Stop the car!” He keeps driving, his speed accelerating. “Stop!
I mean it! What’s going on?”
“You are about to find out who you really are and where you
come from.”
“I know who I am. I’m Ashe Fair. Are you freakin’ crazy?”
The car’s speed increases, while the engine roars over our voices.
The speedometer reaches 110 mph.
I hold on to my door and look over my right shoulder. No seat
belt. His speed is now 125 mph.
Okay, I didn’t die in the fire. I’m
going to die in this car with this crazy person.
I close my eyes tight
to keep from throwing up.
With my eyes slightly unsealed, I plead with him, “Please tell
me what’s going on?” He looks at me and sees fear branded on my
face. He has one hand on the steering wheel and one hand on my
shoulder. This is the one time I wish he wasn’t touching me.
“What do you know about your mother?” he asks flying down
the abandoned highway as if it’s no big deal. I can’t bear to look at
the speedometer again.
“My mother? Only that she’s dead. She died when I was one, I
think. That’s it. That’s all I know.” My eyes close again as I hold
on, pressing my back into the cool black leather seats while holding
my breath. He takes a turn down an old gravel road without
hesitating on the bend, and the back tires spin in an effort to grip the
loose gravel. He competes with the speed of light and at this point, I
think he might win.
“What do you know about my mother? Let me rephrase that.
Why do you know anything about my mother?” I ask waiting for
that moment when we will crash. He doesn’t answer. His speed
increases heading the car straight for the trunk of a gigantic tree.
My trust in him wavers. I scream. “You’re going to get us
killed!”
I cover my eyes with my hands as we race toward the tree.
Yards turn into feet, feet to inches. No crash. No sound. No
eruption. There’s only light, bright light for a split second. I feel
like I’m floating. Then, it happens.

There
’s a loud booming blow when the car slams onto the
ground. No blood. No broken bones. Rowen throws on the brakes.
As I peel my hands away from my face, I can feel my heart
pounding in my chest. I’m moving and breathing. I’m not dead.

Rowen is out of the car before I realize I can feel my skin. As
he opens the door he reaches for my hand. I step out onto a plush,
grassy field. The sweetness of the air opens my lungs. It’s like
Rowen’s scent times a thousand. For a moment I’m speechless.

“
No, but the next best thing,” he says with pride. “A place
between heaven and earth.”
He grins a little. I guess I’m sort of amusing. This place feels
comfortable, like home, until I look into the distant sky. That’s
when I know I’m not in Darby anymore. Two perfectly round, full,
lavender moons sit side-by-side beyond snow-capped mountains.
The sky is blue and pink with highlights of yellow peeking out
through the white rolling clouds. Peace fills me, my hand still in
his. He guides me from the car bringing me to a large boulder. I’m
dazed. If I’d ever been intoxicated, I guess this is how it would feel.
I sit down knowing he’s in full control. He sits down next to me.
“Are you sure my Dad’s okay?” I ask.
“Yes, I’m sure. Rest a minute. The portal can make you a little
shaky
when you’re
not accustomed to passing
through.”
He
hesitates for a moment.“Are you sure there’s nothing else you
know about your mother?”
“Only her name. Nuin.”
“Really? No one has told you anything?”
I shake my head.
“That’s unbelievable and so unfair,” he remarks.
“My father didn’t handle her death very well.”
“Your mother wasn’t human,” he blurts.
I turn to him in shock. “W...What? If she wasn’t human, what
was she? What am I, an alien?” A vision of her photograph gushes
through my mind. The one that sat on the mantle. Realizing my
home has been burnt to the ground makes my chest feel heavy.
Was
that even her?
I study Rowen’s face to see if a bit of unhumanly
details reveal themselves. He appears human. Well, not really, he
looks better than human.
“Your world refers to us as faery folk. This is our home, Durt,
the homeland of your mother.”
“None of this is making sense.” I shake my head trying to
absorb every word. He stands up with his broad back facing me.
He begins to explain. “Thousands of years ago, our kind lived
on earth, but when humans started to destroy the earth with all their
toxic ways we had to leave. Our bodies could not tolerate the harsh
environment. We
began to age
faster. We
began to change.”
There’s more, but he’s careful. I know he speaks the truth, even
though it’s hard to understand and hard to believe. If my mother
was from this strangely
beautiful place, then I’m
definitely
someone other than who I was raised to believe I am.
The ground begins to shake making my feet feel uneasy. The
blades of
grass
quiver. “What’s happening?”
I
shudder
with
uncertainty.
“You’re not supposed to be here. Stay quiet. Don’t say a
word.” He presses one finger softly against my lips. I look at him
with obvious question. I stand up and am about to ask what he
means. He situates his stance directly in front of me, pushing me
behind him with a gentle, but protective gesture, He’s tries to hide
me from whatever is about to happen.
Through the tree line, burst three men each riding giraffe-sized
winged horses. They’re breathtaking with exaggerated necks and
full flowing manes that meet their shoulders. As they race toward
us, I can feel tremors travel through my legs, up through my
fingertips. They slow to a trot, stopping directly in front of Rowen,
lining up side-by-side. Air forces its way from their flaring nostrils.
I keep my mouth shut as I was told. If I had any speck of doubt
regarding Rowen’s explanation of things, it’s gone now.
The riders look to be about the same age as Rowen, in their
twenties except for one riding the white horse. His innocence is
transparent. All are some shade of blond with blazing eyes of blue
or green.
The
blond riding
the
palomino turns
his head slightly
acknowledging us.“Welcome home, my brother.” He pauses for a
moment looking my way. “I see you have brought the secret to
Durt.”
Rowen bows his head a little in return. “Yes, Alder, I have. Her
safety was in jeopardy.”
The horses have a difficult time standing still, picking up their
legs which are covered with long flowing hair, and pounding their
hooves, rattling the ground beneath me. They wear no reins, bridles,
nor saddles, but each horse seems to knowthe rider’s expectations.
“What have you done, Rowen?” the apparent leader of the
group asks with a deep voice laced with disdain.
“I had no other choice.” Rowen answers.
I step out from behind my towering protector. Each one of
them looks at me like I’m from another planet. Rowen told me this
was my mother’s home. These are her people. It’s obvious I’m
that
person, that human
and I’m not supposed to be here. Their eyes
glare, gawking at me. Yeah, okay I’m from another planet, another
realm, another somewhere, but I haven’t done anything wrong. Not
anything I know about anyway.
“I’m taking her to Ivy’s,” Rowen says.
“We’ll do what we can to keep the news from Arcos, but you
do know, my brother, sooner or later he will discover the truth?” I
remain silent. It seems to be the best thing to do considering the
circumstances. I want answers, but this isn’t the time for questions.
The slightly darker blond on the black horse eyes me as if he’s
trying to harm me with his intense stare. Intimidation soaks me to
the bone.
What have I done? What has Rowen done?
The innocent one, however, gives me a slight grin. He glances
at me with a sense of understanding, but says nothing knowing his
place.
“We’ll catch up with you later.” Alder raises his right arm and
the others follow behind him causing a thunder as they gallop away.
In the distance, the enormous winged creatures take flight, elegant
and gracious, owning the radiant sky, rising above the treetops as if
they’re weightless. The ground is still once again.
“Who are they?” I ask.
“Sentries…like me. Protectors. We are bound to one another.
One blood. One brotherhood. One’s purpose is also the others. Coll
rides the black stallion
and Ruis the white mare. Alder, the
palomino.”
“Who do they protect?”
“Depends on orders. They change from time to time.”
We
share a glance. I’m falling for him. I don’t know what to do with
my feelings.
“Except for me,” Rowen continues as he turns away. “My
assignment has never changed. I was chosen at a very young age to
be your sentry, to protect only you. Coll has always had an issue
with that. He thinks it should have been him.”
“I guess that explains why he was giving me such a dirty look.
He gave me the creeps.”
“Don’t worry about him. He’s angry at me. He’s always angry
at me.”
“Why were you chosen to protect me and why would I need
protecting? I’m nothing. I’m nobody.”
He chuckles. “You really don’t know anything about who you
are. Do you?” I guess my face is blank. “Unbelievable. You...”
“What?” I can tell he wants to relinquish more. “You never
told me why you were chosen.”
“Well, Arcos
believed
I
had the
strongest
powers
of
resistance.”
“Who is Arcos?”
“Our king…” He wavers again. I can feel the words building
up in his mind. He revisits the whole truth, giving into his thoughts.
“He’s your grandfather,” he spouts. “You might as well know that
much. You have a right to know.”
“My grandfather,” I whisper the words with disbelief. I’ve
never heard those words together. They make me feel my mother
was real. I scoot to the boulder behind me, reaching back to feel for
it as if I’m blind. I sit quiet for a few moments, taken aback and
discombobulated.
He kneels down in front of me and takes my hand. “Are you
alright?”
“Yeah…yeah.” My voice stumbles. I’m not sure if I’m okay or
not. Actually, I feel more insecure than ever. I have no idea who I
am or what I am. The secrets about my life are beyond my
imagination. Apparently, I’m the secret.
Rowen places his hands on my trembling shoulders. “Do you
trust me?”
“Yes,” I respond without dithering. “Tell me one thing.”
“What is it, Ashe?” His eyes sear me with cerulean heat.
“Is my father really all right?” He told me he was and I
believed him. I just want to hear it once more.
“Your father is safe, for now. He’s with Marvin and Lucinda,
but I don’t know exactly where they have taken him. His safety is
something Arcos will make sure of.”
The beauty of this place is overwhelming and beyond anything
human. Its name doesn’t do it justice.“Of all things, Durt?” I ask.
“Dirt is from where all things come. We came from dirt, our
food comes from dirt, and our air comes from dirt. Everything starts
there. Everything starts where we stand.” I guess he can see the
perplexed expression on my face. “You’ll understand in time.”
I try to digest everything I’ve heard and seen. Taking my hand,
he pulls me from the giant rock.
“Come with me.” I follow as we head back to the car. We get
in and head for the forest. The engine purrs. “Why would you have
a car like this here? Won’t it ruin the air or something?”
“Runs on water,” he responds.
“Oh.”
“We’ve taken a few human machines and made them safe.”
“Where are we going now?”
“To put this thing away.” We drive a few minutes beyond the
tree line. The engine is passive and makes little sound. The trees
congregate, merging closer and closer together. We stop, as the
trees close in around us and I sit motionless in the passenger seat
feeling as if we’re about to be swallowed up by the forest. The door
opens; Rowen offers his hand to help me out. His chivalry is
satisfying and pulls me in even more. Walking away, I look behind
me. The car is gone and a maze of green completely covers the area
where the car had been. We walk out into the meadow, my hand in
his. I’m certain of nothing, but trusting him with anything.
I think we walk for hours. The trees are greener than green, the
grass thicker than carpet. The verdure is pure. And I thought
Montana was the most perfect place in the world. Above us, an
eternal rainbow paints the sky with colors I never knew existed. I
walk with him, wondering, while questions fill my brain. “Who’s
after my father?” I finally ask.
“To know that you are going to have to know who you are.” He
pauses for a moment and seems scared to tell me more. “Your
mother is from Durt.”
“So are you. I get that already. But…” I say with a little
agitation.
With a blink of an eye, a dark cloud comes over us like a
blanket of despair, erasing the color from every inch of sky. Any
natural movement around us stops. The world is stone still. An
enormous sense of gloom overcomes the air which is soured by a
foul odor. Rowen clutches my arm. I’ve never seen him afraid until
now. “Run!” he says as he drags me faster and faster along the path.
“They’re here.” Rowen pushes me up against a huge oak and
becomes a shield in front of me, again. Two men draped in black
cloaks step out of the shadows.
“Look what we have here,” one of them spews. “Rowen, the
sentry, protecting it. The great secret.” They both laugh at us as if
we’re pathetic.
“Phagos. You know the code. You and Duir are not supposed
to be here. You’ve crossed the line.” Rowen’s words are guarded.
“Nor is the secret! There is no code now! Nowthat you’ve
brought it here, there are no agreements. No codes!” Phagos shouts.
His deep voice echoes as his face curls with anger. Their eyes glow
bright green much like Professor Bran’s, but their faces are dark as
if they have severe sun damage. I can tell they once owned beauty
that faded away or was brutally taken from them. Their thin, light
blond hair dances freely with each movement.
“Leave at once. You are going too far, Phagos,” Rowen insists.
“Looks like you are the one who has gone too far, Sentry Boy.”
Phagos reveals his rotting jagged teeth as he
bellows a deep
disturbing cackle.
Simultaneously, the two iniquitous men pull long silver swords
from underneath their robes. Their polished blades shimmer. My
heart hammers as fear grows inside me. Rowen’s hands are empty.
I’m not any help. I’m the reason we’re in trouble. I know deep
down he’ll do whatever is necessary to keep me from the blade.
“Straif will be delighted to have the both of you. He’ll be so
pleased. The secret. Here. Finally.”
Phagos, being the apparent leader of the two, points the tip of
his sword under Rowen’s chin, lifting his head up with the knife
touching his throat ever so slightly. One small movement will
puncture his neck. Rowen stands firm between me and Phagos. He
has one hand in his back pocket and one hand on me. Phagos and
Duir reach to apprehend. Their swords close in and I see my
reflection in Duir’s blade. I get a whiff of his rank stench; the smell
of rotting wood, mold and disgust. There’s nothing else we can do.
I’ll go quietly.
Rowen releases
a
handful of
sand from his
back pocket
thrusting it into the air, causing an orange cloud to appear around
us. I rub my eyes to clear the smoke. Coughing, I’m caught off
guard by the scent of citrus. When the smoke clears, we’re at the
foot of a mountain looking over the most beautiful valley I’ve ever
seen. A meadow full of wildflowers and blooms satiate every inch
of space. The perfume is sedating filling the air with the scent of
bitterroot blossoms and chocolate. Phagos and Duir are nowhere to
be seen.
“Where are we?”
“Millseu Feraib,” Rowen says brushing the sand off his bare
arms.
I drift toward the alluring field. It calls me, pulling me like a
magnet, a force I cannot resist.
“We’ve got to get out of here and we’re not going through
there. Come on, Ashe.” He points up the mountain away from the
intoxicating valley. He grabs my arm forcing me in the other
direction, away
from Millseu Feraib. Away
from valley
that
summons me. I’ve never encountered a force so strong. It vacuums
my desires.
Why is he doing this? Why doesn’t he want to go with
me?