Chapter 2
Where am I? Who am I? These are the questions that spin around and my head. All around me is a pervasive darkness, and I am the darkness. It lives inside of me and right now it has crept out of my skin to haunt me. An all encompassing terror surrounds me. There is something here with me. I know it.
I crawl forward on the ground, or maybe it is a floor, how can I know? I am cold, and afraid, and suddenly very lonely. A thought comes to me out of the dark, and the shadows speak. Where is Pythia? ... But who is Pythia?
My breath comes in short gasps. I feel something slither past me and I cry out. The shadows whisper again. Who is there? I stand, and in my panic I begin to run. I trip over something slimy and I scream as I fall, but I don't hit the ground. And I keep falling. I can't help myself, I keep screaming for what feels like an eternity. I land on something soft with a thud.
Surprised more than anything else I struggle to orient myself. The voices return. Please! The shadows whisper. I have the urge to move, though I want nothing more than to curl up into a ball. I get up and crouch there, afraid to reach out and touch whatever it is under my feet. There was no need for me to do anything though. The material moves under me and I release a frantic gasp. The thing wraps around my legs. I instantly grasp it, trying to pull it away from my body. It feels dry, and it crinkles under my hands. Pieces of it come off in my fingers. Gross, gross, gross. The thing fights me, yanking me off my feet, and I fall right on top of more of it.
A desperate sound comes out of me. My face is in intimate contact with the creature. As I take in a panicky breath I smell it. Earth, leaves, and growing things... what? A tree? Long and slender it wraps around my legs, tangling me. It's a vine!
With a huge pull I am drawn toward who knows where. I try to rip it off my legs but its grip is too strong. The world around me grows a strange shade of grey. Confusion nudges away the fear. What is happening? The shadow's voices are quieter for some reason.
My vision becomes clearer and clearer. I wonder why until I see the dark slowly replaced with light.
As I gaze at my feet toward the endless vine pulling me away, memories fill my mind's eye, and hot tears streak down my face. This is the worst part after going through the Witch's torture. In that hellhole of darkness and a complete absence of hope, you lose all memory of yourself, and more importantly your loved ones. Guilt floods me, as I allow the vine to pull me where it will. How could I forget Pythia? I know it is not my fault, the Witch's magic made me forget, yet I can't help but feel sick with self loathing. I picture her face. The replacement for the face of the mother I no longer remember.
I sit up slowly as my body comes to a stop. The vine releases me. I stand and glance over my shoulder. The vine is slithering back whence it came. The cave at my back is a black hole. It sucks in all hope, all light in the world, leaving only terror. I shudder walking quickly away from it.
The Director gains energy from her victims. I cringe at the thought of seeing her smug face. Usually after these sessions you can almost see the glow of power coming off of her.
Lost in thought, I fail to notice when I walk straight into a pool of water. I look up. In front of me lies a small pond. The water glistens in the light of the afternoon sun. Far in front of me, behemoth mountains stand in the distance, their sides draped in white. I have a strong urge to stand on one of them. They are beautiful.
A sudden nausea takes hold of me. The world around me twists violently, and there I stand on a cliff facing out into the wide plain I just left. I fight not to throw up. Is it possible to throw up in a dream? The sight before me takes my breath away. Rolling hills dot the landscape, along with intermittent bodies of water. I look down at it all. The world at my feet. The majesty of the Earth all around me.
A breeze blows my hair to the side, caressing my face, and I step forward to the edge of the cliff. I look down at the thousand plus foot drop below me. I feel trapped. I'm confused at the feeling. How can I feel that way with all of this open space around me?
I look down again. Then up at the clear blue sky. I know what to do.
I step back from the cliff. I stand still for a moment and the caged feeling comes back. I take off at a sprint, and leap off the cliff. For a long minute nothing is stopping my fall. I can't bring myself to feel afraid.
I hear a sound like ripping paper, and a tug at my back. I am lifted up toward the sky, and I give a wide smile. Glancing back, white wings have sprouted from my body. They feel like an extension of myself. For a few minutes I can do nothing but tricks in the air. I spin, I flip, I glide, and finally I fly as high as I can. Pure joy causes singing laughter to flash out of me. I fly even higher toward the distant sun. The Earth grows tiny under me.
I only grow lighter. My body begins to feel ever more ethereal. I am no longer myself. I float like a goddess. Suspended in the stars. The endless infinity of space shrouds me and I feel at peace.
My body starts to gradually feel heavier. The change is so slow that I can't tell you the precise moment I traveled from dream to reality. My environment solidifies around me. I feel the table under my back. The murmur of a male and female voice. And another sound I am drawn to most. The flick of the pages of a physical book, so rare these days, but precious.
My eyes slide open. I feel a sense of déjà vu as I stare up at a reading Pythia for the second time that day. She is even reading the same book: Fleeing: To run or not to run from a tough situation?
Pythia must sense me. She looks up. Unlike earlier today, with no hesitation, or ease of movement she rushes for me. The book slams to the ground its pages flickering wildly. This time Pythia pays no heed to the facade. She lifts me up easily, betraying her true self, and clutches me to her chest as if I were going to fly away from her. I grab onto her just as tightly breathing heavily. Her tears fall onto my face as I bury my head in her chest. "Don't ever do that again!" Pythia says breathily. "You scared me so much, Cassandra. I thought I would have to kill that woman. Promise me!"
I just barely manage to hold my tears back. "I'm sorry! I promise! I promise! I can't help it sometimes. You know she's wrong right? The spy isn't the one that will die." I lift my head up.
Pythia looks doubtfully back at me. "I don't know, Cass. A cunning woman? It sounds a lot like a spy." Anger shoots through me. I hit her shoulder. "Am I to be like the real Cassandra? First the Witch, now you, will anyone believe me? What if I prophesied that I would die? Would you believe me then?!"
Pythia looks hurt and I instantly regret what I said. "I'm sorry!" I hurriedly take it back. "I didn't mean it." I speak quieter. "You out of everyone have always been on my side." Pythia's face softens, and she tugs me close again. We stay that way for a few minutes breathing in each others scent. "I love you, Cassandra." Pythia murmurs into my hair. "I love you too, Pythia." I murmur back.
I glance around the room. We are in one of the lab rooms. Old dreadful memories surface and I quickly glance back at Pythia. More to distract myself than out of curiosity I ask, "How long was I out?"
"Three hours, 23 minutes, and 26 seconds. Nothing special. Did you dream?" The dream comes back to me, and I look excitedly up at her. "It was amazing!" Her eyebrows raise at my face. I rarely get excited about anything. "I-" Before I can get off the ground a voice speaks over me.
"So 151, got any new prophesies? Mack, here, was was wanting to know if we'll catch that bastard mole anytime soon." Jane growls in my direction, gesturing at the man beside her. I hadn't noticed they had been standing by the open door talking. I glance at the man, Mack. He is huge, a typical Vigil Guard. Buff, tattoos, and grasping his gun like I might turn on him at any time. He stares at me expectantly.
I hadn't realized it before, but next to him Jane looks atypical. Like she is trying to fit in. She is fit yes, but in a catlike way rather than like a bear. The only tattoo I see peeks out of her neckline so that you can't even tell what it is. She looks like she doesn't have a care in the world. It makes me realize that she has always been this way. I must've been too busy to notice before, always looking over my shoulder at the meaner Vigil, that I didn't notice.
I've taken too long again. Mack rolls his eyes and starts to complain. "The Director has riled everyone up again. If we have to go on another wild goose chase because of this little girl I'll find this bitch spy myself. Even if I have to question every harlot in this place. I don't need any fancy interrogation powers like Ms. Vigil herself neither. I'll just use my fists." He balls one fist and punches his open hand. Jane glances at me and rolls her eyes. I pretend not to notice. Definitely atypical. It does make one wonder how she ended up here.
Jane picks up where Mack left off. "It doesn't help that the fucking Corp Directors are useless and can't do anything without a stupid dream. They keep getting one upped by everyone just 'cus they can't think for themselves. They need a kid to tell them what to do. The Corp is being slowly ruined by supply shortages, and personnel being assassinated, but they can't get their shit together and form a coherent response. I mean the c-"
"That's enough, Hall. You could be indicted for treason." Mack butts in.
Jane scoffs back. "What's next, heresy?"
Before they can start bickering a sound echoes down the hall. We all stare out the door. The Guards glance at each other. They look like they recognize the sound, but how could they? I've never heard anything like it before... sort of... percussive. Mack looks deadly serious as he says, "I'll go down the hall." He jogs off in the direction of the noise.
Both Pythia and I stand. Jane stares out the door her gun in her hands. "What is it?" I ask. The sound comes again, louder and closer, than before. An inkling of idea forms, but still don't quite understand what I'm hearing. The sound is a staccato of noise. It's almost like- "Gunfire." Jane says tersely. "We need to move. Come with me, you two." She starts to move down the hall, not quite at a jog, but not at a walk either. We hustle to keep up.
I glance at Pythia. Her eyes are wide as she stares back at me. She reaches down to hold my hand. "Where are we going?" I feel like a parrot asking these questions.
"We have to get to where there are reinforcements. The easiest way to do that is to go where the fighting is. C'mon, no time to talk!" Jane explains. Skepticism fills me. Go toward the battle? "But-"
"We don't have time for you to question me, ingrate! You don't have room to talk anyway. You follow my orders to the letter, or I shoot you."
That's more like the Jane I know. I was starting to think she was a different person. We lope down the endless hall, Jane in front holding her gun out, and both of us lagging behind her. There is a corner not far down the hall. We are almost on top of the fighting. The gunfire is so loud I'm tempted to cover my ears. If this is how loud guns are now I can't believe people could even stand it a hundred years ago.
A familiar shout has all of us turning. "What the hell are you doing!" The Director of Vigilance walk toward us from the direction we came from. Behind her a troop of ten Vigil march in formation. In must've been all she could gather on such short notice.
Jane walks forward standing between us and Vindhlér. "We are headed to headquarters, Ma'am." The Director's face goes from angry to annoyed. "Headquarters?" Her face turns emotionless. I'm confused. I thought she said we were going to join reinforcements. Well they're right here. "You mean the room in that direction?" She turns and points in the direction of the soldiers behind her.
Jane eerily calm as she replies. "You're free to call me a dumbass, Ma'am. Everyone does. I forgot where it was. This place is a maze." Vindhlér's face is very skeptical. The Vigil behind her shuffle as the sounds of gunfire grow quieter. She glares their way and shouts, "Go! Go!" Waving her hand forward in a wide arc. They hustle off hurriedly in the direction of the battle.
When they round the corner Vindhlér reaches for her waist. My eyes follow her movement, and I'm surprised to see a gun there. She usually doesn't carry one at all. The Director efficiently pulls it and points it at Jane. "Who the hell do you think I am?! Did you really expect that to work? I know a snake when I see one!"
Jane raises her hands and fires out, "Whoa! Director! I'm not smart enough to be a spy! You've seen my file. I'm a grunt not a fucking rat."
"You know I thought about that. Records can be forged, and what better way for a mole to hide than to act stupid? I've been watching you, Hall. You pretend to be all buddy, buddy with the rest of the Vigil. Yet, there is a loathing there- especially for me. Don't think I don't realize what goes on behind my back. I know you hate me most of all." Pythia shuffles closer to me.
"You're right. You let everyone else do your dirty work, Director of Vigilance." Jane says the last part mockingly. "And I can't stand that. But I'm not a spy."
"Oh, give it up, Hall! Quit stalling for your friends." She gestures at the corner. What?
"Fine." Jane stares coldly at Vindhlér. I've only ever seen that look directed at me before. Pythia grasps my hand. I squeeze it back. "I'm sure you can assume who I work for."
"America, is it not? This is too well prepared for anyone else. The strike team was ready to move the instant you said, 'Go.'" Vindhlér glances at me. The hate in her gaze makes me take a step back. "You want our gem, here don't you? It's why you were walking this way. Our golden goose, our giver of gifts, is not yours to take!" Her voice goes deep, and she raises her free hand to make a fist. Shadows coalesce immediately around her fist, and fear shoots through me causing me to fall to my knees. I gasp and cry out.
A tether of shadow links my heart with her fist. No. It's been too soon since I was under her influence. I don't know what kind of power she may hold over me. The magic strengthens causing me to fall fully to the floor, and before Jane or Pythia can do anything, my limp body rises from the ground and flies toward the Witch. My breath comes in short pants. I can barely think from the terror that surrounds me. As I pass her by, Pythia reaches out, shouting, "NO!" She just barely misses my dangling arm.
I hear the sound of the gun go off before the force of the impact registers. A body flies past me. The spring of dark brown hair is all that I catch before I'm falling. Pain blinds me as I suddenly hit the floor. I start to panic as I see all of the blood. My blood. It's everywhere. It's everywhere. My hands clutch the wound as if I could shove the blood back into my body. Hands grab mine and shove them away. One of them slams my torso back flat on the floor. "Kid! Kid! Look at me!" Jane's voice holds none of the fear that I feel. I look at her face. She doesn't look worried. "Don't panic. You're going to be fine. Don't move." She stares at the wound. I start to look also, but her command stops me. "Don't look! It's just a flesh wound. Don't worry about it. Talk to me." Jane stares around as if there would magically be something to talk about. A gun slides on the floor right up to us. We both gaze in the direction it came from.
A gasp tears from me. I can't believe what I'm seeing. Pythia has disarmed Vindhlér with one smooth punch. She whales on the Director of Vigilance. Jane looks on admiringly. I feel only horror. Pythia's fist comes down again and again. Cold seeps into my bones and my hand slides over my wound. Oh gods. My head spins. "So." Jane says casually. "How can the android even hurt her? I thought they couldn't hurt their 'Masters.'" I stare, confused, at her. Why is she asking that? "What?" I ask dully. "C'mon, kid. Answer the question." Jane's eyes are kind for once. I can only look on in disbelief. Is this a vision? I answer. "Pythia is different. She was made to be the perfect caretaker for me. The scientists knew that." A twinge of pain shoots through me and I gasp. I speak slower trying not to look at the blood spreading to coat the floor. "...That means being able to protect me from without... and within." I stare up at her. "Spies can come from anywhere." I shiver and shift a little under Jane's hands. Is it getting colder? Jane peers at my face closely. A frown passes over her face for an instant.
"True that, kid." We both stare at Pythia. She lingers over Vindhlér's body staring at her bloody hands. Vindhlér's eyes look glassily off into space and her destroyed body is twisted. The strength required to enact such a thing... never have I thought Pythia capable of anything like it. "Kid." I glance up. "How could the Director grab you that way. With her powers?"
"I think it's because I was under her spell today. She is usually stronger after using her power on someone. I guess it was enough that she could do that. I don't think it matters though. She's dead." My eyes linger on her body. What now?
Pythia surfaces from her stupor. A look of shock and guilt follows when she glances at me. Pythia gets up and runs over sliding to my side. "Cassandra! Cassandra!" Her hands move to reach for me but she stops herself. Instead, she grasps my hand in a death grip, running her other hand through my hair. A single tear falls down her face. "Everything is going to be fine." Pythia whispers. Vindhlér's blood mixes with mine. I don't object. There is something more important to say. As I think of it my heart begins to race more and more. I stare past Pythia at Vindhlér's body. I don't even know her first name.
"Pythia." I whisper. I'm sitting up now. Jane tries to lay me back down on the floor but I shove her hands away. At my look of determination Pythia's face freezes. Fresh blood flows from my wound. Don't look at it. Don't look down. "Everything is not fine." I say louder.
"You're going to be okay, Cass. We'll get you some help-" Pythia insists. My breath hitches. "Calm down, kid." Jane murmurs in warning. I whip my head around to her. "No!" I shout. "What about her!" My finger points to the body. Vandalized and broken. I turn back to Pythia. "Why didn't she listen, Pythia?!" My breathing speeds up. The edges of my vision start to blur, but I ignore it. "I tried to warn her!" Tears stream down my face. My hands beat against Pythias chest and I clutch the top of her shirt in my hands. I'm breathing speeds as if I just won a race. I can't get enough air. "She... didn't have to... die." My voice comes out in a whisper. I can't breathe. Dizziness overtakes me and I fall into Pythia. My eyes close on their own. Voices murmur around me, and footsteps pound down the hall, as I slip into the dark.
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