Extraordinary (12 page)

I should have left, not Blaze. He would have known how to protect her.

Blaze would have been better equipped for this. His whole life was built around unpredictable situations and shifty characters. Still, I was relieved that he had left. One sibling is enough to worry about.

“Whoa!” I screamed, coming to a complete stop.

The creature now stood face-to-face with me in the back doorway. Not only would this person cost me a great deal of money in repairs but now they were starting to make me mad.

The world seemed darker than before. Shadows lurked in every direction. The moon had no effect. It appeared to have deserted us along with my confidence. I gulped at my proximity to the stranger. Jet-black hair draped board-straight down the visitor’s shoulders; the rest was hidden inside of the hood attached to her cloak.

Of course she wears a cloak.

She was my height but it somehow felt like she towered above me. The black fabric of her cloak blended with the black of her flowing dress that covered her entire body except her hands and face, which was veiled in shadow. Her eyes were the only source of light for what seemed like miles. Their gleam so mesmerizing they devoured my attention.

“Don’t look at her.” Sadie shoved me.

“Ow,” I said, bumping into the refrigerator.

My appreciation for Sadie’s courage under fire waivered until the throbbing in my shoulder subsided. Sadie now stood guard in front of me. The woman inched towards us as if she were floating. A tiny, shadowy figure peered from behind her but I could not adjust my eyesight enough to see them.

“I have waited a long time for you,” the stranger said in a voice as ominous as her attire.

The two delicate hands slid the hood of her cloak back. A thin nose appeared first, followed by impeccably high cheekbones. Two lips stained dark red revealed a sinister grin and perfect teeth. Her eyes no longer glowed; they were now a normal color that I could not make out in the darkness.

“It is a woman,” Sadie said.

“Not helpful.”

“I’m sorry, I had been wondering that this whole time!”

“Katerina, we don’t have much time,” said the mystery person behind her.

I leaned to one side to inspect but still saw nothing.

“She ruined my life, don't let her ruin yours,” I said, recalling the words Mom had written on the back of the photograph.

"Ohh!" Sadie gasped.

There was nothing remarkably villainous about her aside from her ominous wardrobe and entrance. If she were to brighten her look and tone down the fluorescent eyes, I predicted she could walk among us with no bizarre stares. In fact, she was fairly attractive and now, at least, we knew her name.

“Oh crap,” Sadie said. “Pardon my French.”

“Crap is right.”

Despite our family’s best efforts, the woman who posed such a grave threat that our mother was made to leave her home and then separate her children had found us. Katerina sauntered in our direction, as villains were known to do. My anger boiled. An odd sense of purpose flowed through me as if my insides knew something I didn’t.

With every step Katerina made towards us, Sadie and I took one step back. I stationed myself between Sadie and Katerina. My big sister mentality was finally kicking in. We drifted backwards into the living room, never allowing Katerina to leave our sight.

“Whoa!” Sadie screamed.

Without turning around, I reached back to grab Sadie just before she tumbled into a giant whirlpool still hovering in my living room. The rainbow of colors swirled together, never mixing. It was mesmerizing, sparkling, but not conjured so we could marvel at its pretty display.

Shuffling Sadie to my right side, I caught a glimpse of the intensity and courage in her eyes. The tiny teenager stood by my side, not behind me, proving that she did not need my protection. She too had released all fear. We’d both discovered something deep inside that convinced me victory was no longer impossible.

Sadie and I were wedged between the two wicked things we were hoping to avoid. I considered which would be the best option should a hasty decision need to be made. Without much effort, I concluded I had no desire to know where the portal would take us.

The urge to fight back burned inside of me. If only I had a plan or any known fighting abilities.

“Sade, I don’t have a plan.”

Sadie stepped forward to gaze at the sorceress. Sadie’s eyes smoldered with intense concentration and her body remained firm. Even though our enemy loomed above her she showed no signs of intimidation. I knew Sadie possessed a great deal of charm and overall uniqueness but I had no idea the fire she carried inside of her.

“That will not work on me little girl,” Katerina said. “I know what you can do. I know your abilities better than you do.”

“It was you that was watching us yesterday,” I said.

“You don’t know the first thing about your abilities,” she said. “I came hoping to find your mother but instead found you. Confused, uneducated children.”

A wicked smile formed across Katerina’s face. Katerina's skeletal fingers gripped either side of Sadie’s tiny neck. Her pointed red nails dug into Sadie’s sun-kissed skin. Katerina lifted Sadie with little effort until her feet dangled several feet off the floor. I rushed to Sadie’s aid but Katerina’s free hand acted as a literal stop sign, holding me too far away to reach her.

The more I tried to break-free, the more exhausted I became. Sadie’s body appeared fragile squirming in Katerina’s grasp. Suddenly, she fell still and her shallow gasping ceased.

“Sadie!” 

Katerina dropped her free hand, ending my detainment. I rushed across the room to Sadie who hung lifeless in Katerina’s clutches. I had never wanted anything as much as wanted to save my sister. My only thought was rescuing Sadie and obliterating Katerina.

“Ovelai,” Katerina shouted.

A dark energy lifted my entire body. I dangled several feet off the floor, my limbs paralyzed. With a flick of her right hand, I was hurled across the room and through what used to be a window. The porch offered little cushioning and I bounced off the wooden surface like a rubber ball. My left arm shattered on impact creating a gruesome snap that was more disconcerting than agonizing. My adrenaline had reached maximum intensity and overrode any pain. I leapt from the prickly bushes and I bolted back into the house through the same window I’d been tossed out of.

Katerina once again had Sadie under her control, this time with her magic not her hand. Sadie’s weakened body hovered several feet above the floor. Katerina stared deep into her eyes. She was using Sadie’s magic against her.

Unexpectedly, someone lunged at Katerina like a flash of salvation.

"Blaze!"

He barreled into Katerina with such force that I hardly had time to jump from his path. Sadie tumbled from the witch’s stare. I lunged and somehow caught her with my uninjured arm just before she hit the floor. I expected to break her fall rather than actually catch her. The adrenaline surging through my veins had given me an unusual boost in physical ability. 

The strength of Blaze’s movements was astonishing. Before Katerina had the chance to work more magic, he blocked her every move. Blaze delivered punch after punch with each subsequent blow growing more intense than the one before. 

Sadie let out a loud groan and several coughs. Blaze’s violent trance ended long enough for him to realize that Katerina was no longer fighting back. He abandoned the assault and fell to his knees at Sadie’s side.

“Sadie, wake up!” I pleaded.

Her eyelids fluttered, then opened halfway. Blaze and I breathed a collective sigh of relief. Her neck was red and swollen from Katerina’s tight grip but still a warm smile illuminated her beaten face.

“Shouldn’t we be fighting or something?” Sadie asked.

To be honest, I had forgotten all about Katerina. Sadie was all I could see, all I cared to see. Katerina had begun to regain consciousness. She used the wall where Blaze left her as a crutch. The three of us returned to fight mode.

“Are you hurt, Alex?” Blaze asked, helping Sadie to her feet.

“Wow, that is one broken arm!” Sadie said.

“I’m fine,” I said. “Don’t worry about me.”

"Alex, your arm is crushed! Get out of here!" Blaze yelled.

"No, not happening."

Katerina slid herself up the wall until she was completely upright. She lingered for a moment, steadying herself. A sinister cackle resonated from within her, increasing in volume and evilness with every step she took. Katerina paused a few feet from us, adding a menacing stare to her infuriating laughter.

So dramatic. She annoys me.

The three of us united, countered her malevolent stares with a few of our own. I tried to anticipate her next move but the more she laughed, the angrier I became. Fury now carried me; I was lost in its grasp. Nearly killing Sadie was not at all amusing. Katerina's heartless humor fueled the fire roaring inside each of us.

Blaze threw his hands up emitting an unexpected, yet dazzling burst of electricity. The powerful bolts streamed from his palms like an elaborate lightning storm. The energy struck Katerina sending her flying wildly into the kitchen. The intense boom sent the three of us airborne. Control abandoned us as we soared into the whirlpool behind us.

The pull of the vortex was strong, yet my fall was effortless. A swirl of blues, purples, oranges, and greens enveloped us as we plunged into an unknown.

“This was my dream!” I said, only the words were silenced by the fierce captivity of the funnel.

Sadie and Blaze were composed but there was a distinct stitch of uncertainty in their expressions. The thought of where we were going and how bad the landing would hurt was undoubtedly the foundation of every thought in our brains.

My arm was already shattered; the last thing I needed was a shattered body.

Time was slipping away from me. I was sure it had been mere seconds but the bracing tornado was too mesmerizing and peaceful to bother with the clock. My uneasiness vanished and I closed my eyes, finding pleasure in the strange and wonderful experience. I should have been terrified or, at least, anxious but I wasn’t.

The enthralling colors and inviting energy cradled me in a warm, maddening cocoon, their vibrancy shaking up my emotions and distributing serenity to an uncertain situation.

Blaze, Sadie, and I made eye contact for the first time since our spontaneous somersaulting journey began. No sooner did our gazes meet than we all noticed we were approaching the end. The tunnel’s path grew more narrow and unsteady like the ground crushing base of a tornado. An unexpected bend in the funnel created a bright flash, and then silence reigned. The colors turned into a light so vivid and blinding.

I extended my one useful arm, hoping to somehow brace my fall. But mostly I expected the plan to fail and result in additional broken bones. The absurdity of my strategy tainted any hope that this would end well. I placed my arm across my face instead and waited for the crash.

My body was heavy but something was resisting me, slowing my descent. Without ever noticing the grassy meadow below me, I found myself lying in it.

I rested on the cool pillow of grass with my eyes closed so hard I was certain I would never see again. Unsure of what had just occurred or what on earth I would witness when I opened my eyes, I lay there, struggling to compose myself.

Once I felt that I could withstand the weight of the moment and my own body, I peeked out. Blades of emerald green grass reached no less than two feet above me. The dazzling blue sky smiled down while a cool breeze seemed to whisper soothing thoughts to my tattered emotions. Convinced by its unknown words, I sat upright, curious as to what other wonders awaited.

The first thing I saw was Blaze and Sadie searching for, I assumed me. I waved my hand to get their attention. Their expressions changed from unmistakable panic to relief to full-on wonderment. Without me to worry about they were free to take in the beauty of this exotic place.

I tested out my body’s ability to operate as normal. Bracing myself to stand, a jolting pain radiated from my shoulder to my fingertips.  My shattered arm was still crushed though, by some miracle, nothing else appeared to be out of place. The throbbing subsided the second I stopped to gawk at the stunning and effervescent scene before me.

Every color of the strange land was magnified to twice its standard tone. The field surrounding us was alive with purple flowers that were so magnificent I feared any movement might disturb their perfection. The overwhelming spectacle ripped the air from my lungs and prodded my stunned vocal cords to form an awe-inspired gasp.

Everything was similar to our world, only more vibrant.

“What is this place?” Sadie asked. “It is amazing.”

It was true Technicolor. Certain I would cry at any moment, I instead blurted out, “What? Am I Dorothy now?”

"Sadie's Toto," Blaze quipped.

We all giggled. The kind of giggle one might have after almost flipping backwards in your chair. Though it scared you half to death, you laughed to lower your blood pressure and disguise your concern.

Neither Sadie nor Blaze had a scratch on them. No harm had come to their clothing either. Aside, from my extremely broken arm, we were all intact and presentable.