As the blurriness of sleep faded from Gabe’s eyes, he noticed the car was an old muscle type. Leaning to one side in order to see the car more clearly, he instantly recognized it as a Mustang Shelby GT. The color was white, with a black stripe down the center, although it was hard to tell with all the dust that was on the vehicle. Gabe thought perhaps it was a stranded citizen. Or even better, someone that might be able to help him if he decided he needed a quick exit strategy from Uri.
Uri stepped off the bike and, glancing back at Gabe, he raised his hands and commanded Gabe to “wait here” in a cool tone. Gabe watched as Uri approached the car slowly and cautiously. Gabe’s breath caught in his throat.
Uri reached the rear doors and leaned forward to peek into the car. After looking for a moment he lunged towards the front driver’s side door and pulled it open quickly. The car let out a huge creaking sound. Gabe watched through narrowed eyes.
Two slender arms reached out from the car and pulled Uri half way into the vehicle. Uri let out a yelp. Gabe leapt off the bike, trying to stay on his feet as the motorcycle hit the ground. Losing his footing, Gabe fell backwards on the dirt. He was frightened by what was unfolding before him.
He turned and pushed himself up on his knees, preparing to run. Before he took off, he caught sight of Uri pulling himself out of the vehicle. Uri was looking around puzzled, trying to figure out what the commotion behind the car was.
“Gabe?” Uri asked. Gabe looked back at him in shock. “Are you OK?”
Gabe stood up and watched Uri extend a hand towards the open car door. The same slender arm Gabe had just seen pull Uri into the car, reached out and took hold of Uri’s hand. Gabe was mesmerized as he watched one of the most beautiful creatures he had ever seen emerge from the car’s interior. It was a young girl, probably close to Gabe’s age. She placed one brown clad cowboy boot after the other onto the gravel covered asphalt.
The first thing Gabe noticed about her was the soft glow around the locks of her beautiful auburn hair. She tossed her head from side in an attempt to remove the troublesome strands from around her face. Gabe wished time could stand still. He stood there, mouth gaping open, studying her rosy lips. He wondered in the darkness what color her eyes were. Gabe thought he heard something far off.
“Gabe!” Uri finally shouted. “I asked are you OK?”
Snapping back to reality, Gabe quickly replied, “Yeah, uh sorry.” He wondered if he looked like a total idiot or only slightly like one.
“Well, get over here. I want you to meet someone.” Uri motioned him over to the front of the car.
Gabe looked down at the motorcycle lying on the ground and wondered if he should pick it up. He imagined himself not being able to lift it due to lack of strength or perhaps lifting it to only knock it over again. He decided to play it safe in front of this radiant stranger and leave it where it was to avoid further embarrassment.
Gabe was trying very hard to focus on just being able to walk straight; he was worried he was failing at it.
“Gabe,” Uri began. “I want you to meet someone. This is Sophie. She's like us.”
Gabe paused, annoyed by the unexplained statement ‘like us’ but decided to ignore it.
Sophie extended her hand to Gabe and he was all too eager to return the greeting.
“Hi, I’m Glabe, I mean Gabe.” He stammered and blushed.
Laughing, Sophie replied, “I know. All of us at the manor have been dying to meet you.”
Gabe glanced over at Uri and mumbled, “So I’ve heard.”
Sophie continued shaking his hand and smiling at him. Gabe began to feel increasingly uncomfortable with this incredibly beautiful girl touching him.
“Umm...” he continued, “So what brings you out to the middle of nowhere?” he asked awkwardly. He pulled his hand back and shoved both of his hands into his pockets. Gabe was horrified, what brings you to the middle of nowhere? Could he have made a bigger idiot of himself?
Uri started to laugh.
“Well, what did you think we were going to do, Gabe? Ride eight hours on the motorcycle all the way back to the manor? We needed Sophie to wait for us far enough away that her talents could get us safely home.”
Gabe rolled his eyes at the talent comment. It was honestly annoying him the way Uri spoke like he should have a clue what any of this meant.
“Hop in the back! I’ll grab the bike.” Uri said as Sophie opened the rear door and motioned for Gabe as if she were some sort of game show hostess.
Moments later, the bike was loaded and they were on their way again.
Chapter Three
Gabe rubbed his eyes and gave a sleepy yawn. As he stretched, free from the contorted position he had been in for hours, he realized the precarious situation he was in once again. He was in a car, riding to an unfamiliar location with two strangers. They were two strangers who were keeping a lot of secrets.
Gabe laid there, thinking about the events that led to this moment. He could hear Sophie and Uri having a discussion in the front seat. He tried to remain as quiet as he could in hopes neither would realize he was awake. Gabe thought perhaps he might finally hear something that would help him figure out this crazy mess.
He folded his arms back over his chest, slowly leaned back against the side of the car, trying to stay close enough to hear. He closed his eyes again, trying to look as convincing as possible.
Uri and Sophie were speaking in hushed tones. Gabe began to sweat as he kept feeling Uri’s eyes on him.
Gabe’s thoughts began to wonder. He found himself drifting back off to sleep when he suddenly heard Sophie ask in a clear voice, “Is Michael going to tell him when he gets there?”
Gabe slowly strained his neck forward in an effort to better hear. Uri didn’t say anything for a moment. Gabe imagined Uri was staring right at him to ensure he was sleeping. Gabe tried his best to be convincing.
“I don’t know Soph. I mean, I’m not sure I could have handled news like that when I first came. I trust Michael knows what he is doing, but I’m glad I don’t have to make that decision.”
What kind of decision? Gabe wondered, starting to feel a bit panicked as he listened intensely.
“Yeah, I get that. But is it fair to ask him to stay if he doesn’t know everything?” Sophie asked.
Gabe wanted to sit up and shout, “No, it’s not fair. So how about you just tell me what all this is about.” But he didn’t. He continued his charade.
“I know, but imagine you were in his place. Think of the person you were when you first came to the manor and who you are today. If you got that news at those two different points in your life, would you have handled it the same way? I seriously doubt it. Michael has his reasons, whatever his choice may be.” Uri explained.
Gabe realized his fists were clenched. His jaw tensed. He did his best to relax, but all of these secrets were driving him crazy.
“Uri, I get that, I do. I will support Michael with whatever decision he makes, but if free-will really is the most important thing, I don’t see how he can choose without being told the prophecy.” Sophie replied.
“Yeah, part of me agrees with you. I am just not sure how he would handle finding out that...” Uri paused.
“Here it comes,”
Gabe thought.
“I’m finally going to get some answers.”
He waited, but Uri said nothing. Gabe’s heart began to race. He imagined Uri staring at him, making sure he was asleep before he said anything of great importance.
The deafening silence continued as Gabe felt the car begin to slow. Suddenly, he heard hurried whispers between the two in the front seat. Gabe assumed his act had been discovered. He braced himself for the consequences.
As he waited for the admonishment to begin, Gabe felt a shiver down his spine. He rubbed his fingers against his cold and clammy hands. His stomach ached. He was filled with that often reoccurring feeling of dread. Reality hit Gabe that the silence was not from his act being discovered, rather it was from the fact that something was about to go terribly wrong. He quickly opened his eyes and sat up. Uri was staring back at him.
“You feel it too, huh?” Uri asked giving Gabe a half smile, although he was clearly worried.
“What?” Sophie said. “He already has the power to recognize auguries?” She stared, her mouth slightly agape.
“Auger - what?” Gabe asked looking at Sophie puzzled.
“Auguries,” Uri answered in a rush. “They’re the warning sirens we have to tell when evil is near. It’s like our spidey-sense.” Uri was scanning the outside of the car as it rolled to a stop.
Sophie placed the car in park and looked over at Uri.
“Seriously? I still can’t feel the presence and I’m a third year. Uri, you’re telling me Gabe already has his auguries fully developed?”
“I have no idea where he’s at; let’s just wait to talk to Michael before we make any assumptions, OK?” Uri insisted.
“Wait,” Gabe interrupted, feeling completely lost by the conversation. “What’s a third year?”
“Gabe, I would love to explain everything to you right now, I really would. The thing is, we are still a good hour or more from the manor.” Uri said as he reached over and put his hand on Gabe’s wrist. Gabe felt the familiar calmness he had come to know with Uri. “I know you feel it. Danger is near. Our priority is getting you back safe. OK?”
Gabe nodded, still clueless to what was unfolding around him.
“I would try to out run them, but we can’t risk them discovering the manor.” Uri explained, “I need you to duck down and hide on the floor with your head covered.”
“What? You’re kidding right?”
“I wish I was.” Uri said, pushing Gabe’s head down forcefully. As Gabe stared up at him, Uri became intensely serious as he gave him instructions.
“Whatever you hear, Gabe, do not get up! Do you understand?” Gabe nodded. With that, Uri shoved Gabe’s head down further, completely out of sight.
Gabe listened. He heard both doors open with a creak and then slam close. He heard footsteps along both sides of the car. Then nothing except the occasional soft grinding of gravel. He imagined it was someone pivoting in the dirt.
Gabe gave a hysterical laugh at the absurdity of the situation he was in. He found himself hiding on the damp and dingy floor of an old car. He was hiding at the whim of two strangers and what they called ‘auguries.’
The silence seemed to go on forever. A nauseating sulfur smell filled Gabe’s nostrils as he heard something that sounded like metal unsheathing around him. Then the metal ringing faded into silence.
Gabe held his breath trying not to make a single sound. He was terrified by what might be happening around him. Who did these people think he was? What was this prophecy? He had never asked for this life. Why did trouble always seem to follow him?
As the silence continued, Gabe considered poking his head up to take a quick peak but decided, for the moment, to stay hidden as Uri had instructed. Gabe wasn’t even sure why he was putting his trust in a complete stranger. He did get the distinct feeling that Uri wanted to keep him safe at least.
“Soph,” Gabe heard Uri’s muffled voice outside the car. “There are three. I think all skyward.”
Three what?
Gabe wondered.
What the heck did Uri mean by skyward?
The curiosity to peek was starting to overwhelm Gabe. Then he heard a blood curdling shriek that pierced right into his soul. Gabe put his hands over his ears as quick as he could and curled up tighter into a ball. The scream was so agonizing that it made him tense up to the point where his muscles were burning like fire.
A dull white noise filled his ears, drowning out all the sound except his racing heartbeat. For what seemed like hours, Gabe laid there unaware of anything around him. As sounds came seeping back in, he heard something he thought might be steel striking against stone. A loud jarring sound jolted him back to reality. He wanted to stay hidden but Gabe began to wonder.
“What if Uri and Sophie were over powered? Should I helplessly wait here until these foes succeed in defeating these people I am with and perhaps take me as their reward?”
Gabe’s curiosity was getting the better of him, despite all the clanging and clashing going on outside the car. He decided he had to see; he had to make sure Uri and Sophie were OK. If they were not, he would need to figure out how to escape.
Gabe needed to get some answers, like who Uri and Sophie were fighting and why they wanted to take him. He tried to muster the courage to inch up to the window, but found himself paralyzed with fear. Sophie was grunting just feet away. Gabe cringed at the thought she may get hurt while trying to protect him. As he sat there, debating what to do, he heard the gruesome sound of blade tearing through flesh.
“Sophie!” Uri shouted.
Without warning, Gabe’s fear evaporated and he regained use of his limbs. He popped his head up just in time to see Uri swinging a sword wildly. The sword glimmered in the moonlight. It looked as if it were glowing green. As Uri wielded the sword, he reminded Gabe of a mighty gladiator in battle, fierce and agile.
Gabe craned his neck a little more, hoping to catch a glimpse of Uri’s opponent.
Just as Gabe caught sight of the beast, it saw him. It lifted its head to the sky, letting out an ear-piercing screech. Gabe’s eyes locked with the creatures. The eye was oversized, bulging from its head. The whole eye was like one large pupil, a dark onyx. There were glimmers of red that flickered around the edges.
Gabe watched as the beast’s face contorted into what could best be described as a smile, but he thought it looked more like a snarl. Its grey lips pulled upward, exposing its sharp dagger-like teeth. Thick grey saliva dripped from its mouth.
As the creature towered over Uri, Gabe noticed the creature’s entire body was a deep midnight blue and shimmered as if wet. It appeared as though its body was a mixture of muscles intertwining with one another. A thin mucus covered skin was pulled tightly over them. The legs were jointed backwards as if it were a bird about to take flight. However, it stood upright like a man, with massive shoulders, its arms hanging low at its sides.