"You're dead. That's what," he says and turns his back to her walking away. Iris looks at her hands one more time. She is not burnt, but then she starts to remember the voice. 'Close your eyes. Because I will bring you back again. Give you another chance,' she remembers those words. The voice was strong, but also made her feel calm. She remembers the warm calm aroma but not stinging heat when she saw the hand reaching out of the light.
Iris tries to catch up to the man, "Hey!" She yells out. He keeps going.
"HEY!" She tries to get through the big crowd but gets held back. The man disappears in the crowd. But then something else catches her eye on the right across the street. The delivery man.
She bolts in his direction. He turns in a dark alley. He is hunched over a little when he walks. He has a dark coat with a hood over his head. Iris runs across the street and goes in the dark alley.
There is no one around. Not even hobos. There are a couple dumpsters. There are crates, empty torn boxes, empty turned over trashcans, and it stinks. She looks around on both sides of the alley. It's almost dark, and she can't see him. Iris stands in a defensive stance ready for a pounce. She could tell that he's around hiding. "Are you Iris Winfield?" The delivery man's voice says from the darkness. "What did you do to me?" She frustratingly asks. "You should always look at what you get!" He snickers.
Iris thinks she hears him from above maybe hanging on a window pane. She looks up, but it's too late. He pounces on her, and she falls flat on the ground. She quickly turns around and punches him. He backs off and groans clutching on his gut. Iris runs. But on her 8th step, she couldn't make another. She is frozen in a running stance like a statue. She couldn't even turn her head. The delivery man's hands are up and facing her direction like he is controlling her. As the man walks closer up to her, the more numb she feels. "What are you--" and her mouth is frozen shut.
Someone walks in the alley. It is a dark figure. Can't tell if the person knows what is going on. 'Help--' Iris says in her thoughts.
"What are you doing with her?" It was the man from the coffee house. He stands up straight and walks closer. Iris sees his face. She notices that he has red eyes and they flash once. "Back off! She's mine. I was ordered to bring her in!" The other one behind her says.
"You're a demon. Aren't you? I could tell by your eyes," the other man from the coffee shop says. "Fine. Help me get her to the palace," the man behind her says and puts his cold fingers around Iris's waist. 'Don't touch me,' she screams in her thoughts, but he picks her up and puts her over his shoulder like a sack.
"What's your name demon?" The one from the coffee shop asks and walks him down the alley. "Jackson," the demon answers and shifts Iris on his shoulder more comfortably. "Nice name," the one from the coffee shop says. Jackson holds out a finger and draws a star in the air. Then there's a sudden wind and a portal opens up sucking all of the papers and trash inside. But it is not enough to suck in heavy objects.
"Blindfold her. It's probably best," the man says. "You do it," Jackson answers back. The man brings out a handkerchief and wraps the cloth over Iris's eyes. She tries to jerk her head away, but it wasn't enough. They all step in the portal to the other side.
Their feet touch the gravel of the driveway. They feel the warm sunlight of a very bright day instead of the dark smelly evening in the alley. "Home sweet home," Jackson takes in a deep breath and exhales. The other man looks around at his surroundings. It is familiar to him. He sees his father's palace standing in the middle of the green lawn. Perfectly white and beautiful and men working at trimming trees and cleaning water fountains. "Can't wait for the celebration!" Jackson cheers.
"What celebration?" The man from the coffee shop asks. He kicks a little at the gravel. You can't tell if he's happy to be here or upset. Iris hears every word they say. It feels like it was a long time traveling in the portal. She feels herself starting to get feeling of her body again. Iris tests her movement with twitching her fingers and moving her hand. "We need to hurry up. The spell is wearing off," Jackson says and hastily walks down the driveway. The other man follows with him.
A group of men walk outside laughing among themselves with wine glasses in their hands. They are in beige brown uniform, and one of them has a hat on. They all look older, well-rounded, and some have mustaches or facial hair.
"The Jackson has returned! Finally! Good young lad!" The older man in the hat says. "Yes Sir," Jackson replies and salutes to him. The old man turns to the man from the coffee shop. "Thank you for helping Jackson," the old man says. "No problem, but what do you plan to do with her?" The shady man from the coffee shop asks.
"Whatever our Lord wants us to do with her," the old man answers. "Understood," the shady man replies.
ns 15.158.61.54da2
