Chapter 11

Allie

Masen and I ran as fast as we could for as long as we could. We knew that Fadden was behind us and that he would protect us from any threats from that direction. My fear for Manny was getting harder to bear the longer the night went on. I was starting to feel exhaustion pulling at me and that made me more determined to keep going. Leaves and branches slapped at us as we ran and I could hear all the little night animals scurrying away from our pounding feet. Suddenly my mind went blank and I stumbled over every rock and root on the ground. I couldn’t keep up with Masen and I couldn’t call out to him to get him to help. The sound of Manny screaming and crying filled my mind and the agony in her voice made me fall to the ground.

“Make it stop, please, make it stop.” I was begging Masen, anyone, to get these noises out of my head. The screaming just kept going and tears were rolling down my face as I lay there breathing in the damp, loamy smell of the earth. My hands were claws scrabbling at the dirt and despair wracked my body. Suddenly I was wrapped up in warmth and the feeling of home and love filled me. I grabbed hold of Masen and sobbed as he sent pure light through me. The screams I heard now were of The Darkness as once again Masen chased it out of my mind. I slowly came to realise that Masen was shaking as he held me and whispered words of comfort. Not that his words made sense. I listened more intently  to what he was saying.

“No, I won’t let this happen. Not now. Not here. It’s not the right time. I won’t let you take her from me. Come on Allie, come back to me. I swear we’ll get Manny. I promise to protect you better.” His voice was broken and it sounded like he was near tears.

I cleared my throat and reached a hand up to his face. “I’m okay. I’m here now. Thank you for helping me.”

I couldn’t help but smile at this strong man who was holding me so tightly. In fact he was holding me so tightly I could barely breathe. That explained the tightness in my chest!

“Are you alright? Do you need water? What did it do to you? I couldn’t get through for so long. I thought I’d lost you.” Masen asked as he pulled back to run his fingers through his hair.

“ How long did it have me like that?” I questioned him. “It didn’t feel that long.”

He huffed out a little laugh that was tinged with disbelief. “About an hour. An hour of you screaming and crying and calling out Mannys name.” He rubbed his face with hands that were only now beginning to stop shaking. “ I don’t think we should go any further tonight. We both need to rest and have some food. Sleep would be good too.”

I started to protest when I heard rustling in the trees near us. I turned my head and saw eyes gleaming in the darkness. My breath caught in my chest and I was ready to start to yelling when a little brown body pushed through the branches. The grass dwellers were here.

The little being walked over and patted my head in comfort. I recognised him as Deema, one of my favourite dwellers.

“Fadden got word to us that you needed help.” He said in a growly tumbled voice. “ We have brought you sustenance and protection for while you rest.” He turned his eerie green eyes to Masen. “We meet again, Masen the Brave. I have news and information that you have been waiting for.”

Masen reached out and clasped Deema’s hand in a quick handshake. I was surprised that they knew each other. Not many people take the time to get to know and understand the grass dwellers as they were unpredictable in their behaviour. They hid their softness and willingness to help under a gruff exterior which kept people away.

“Come, we will eat now and talk after.” Deema stated and then walked away towards the other dwellers still hiding in the trees. Masen jumped to his feet and reached down and pulled me up beside him. He was smiling and shaking his head.

“What?” I asked him. “What’s with the smile and head shaking?”

“I always seem to forget just what Fadden is capable of. After all these years of living with him and being trained by him, I still forget that he is so powerful. I think it’s because he’s such an idiot most times.”

I stared at Masen in disbelief. “You call him an idiot to his face? You’re either really dumb or as brave as your name says you are!”

A loud laugh exploded from him as we walked to where Deema had disappeared. “ I’m not dumb but I lived with the fairies for years and he is totally an idiot. The others all have their quirks as well. Garron is the most silent, self-contained being I have ever met. Their sister and other brother are both exceedingly happy and a joy to be around. Fadden just annoys the shit out of me usually.” Masen’s voice is filled with amusement and affection that only comes from true friendship.

“They sound so different from what I’m used to. My family unit is very restrained and quiet. I’ve never truly fit in with them. Moving to the compound with the rest of The Few was the first time I ever felt connected to anyone.” I knew my voice was filled with a wistful note but I couldn’t help it. I envied his close ties with Fadden and his family.

We found Deema and the others sitting in a group just ahead of us with a feast spread out amongst them. I quickly sat and thanked them for providing us with food. I hadn’t realised just how hungry I really was. As I ate I thought about what had happened with The Darkness and its ease in getting into my mind again. What was I doing that allowed it to attack me when before I had always been able to block the majority of its mind games? I turned to Masen to ask him when I saw that he was in deep conversation with Dema and one of the other dwellers. They were drawing something on the ground in the dirt and I wandered over to see what it was. The map seemed to be of mountains and valleys with some parts circled and others with a cross through them. Right in the middle was what looked like a stronghold. Even with this crude drawing I could see that we would be facing some nearly insurmountable challenges the next day. Deema stopped drawing and looked up at me with a smile that looked like it would split his face open.

“Allie! You have eaten enough? We have much more if you need it.” He held my hand and swung it between us like a little child would. “I have missed our talks. You haven’t been around for a while. A lot has been happening here in the border lands. We have been fighting off The Darkness every day and it gets bolder each time. You are heading into dangerous territory to rescue your young friend but we have figured out the best way to get there. Masen the Brave is a great asset for you to have while you do this. No others have his courage or foolhardiness.” He pushed his shoulder into Masens side as he said this last bit, grinning up at him. “ We have had a great many adventures whenever he comes to stay with us.”  

I shook my head as I watched one of the crankiest beings I have ever met fall about giggling. Masen was snickering as well so I guess they must have had some amazing times together. A thought came to me just then so I turned to Masen and asked “How is it that we never crossed paths? We seem to know all the same people and yet in all these years you’ve been invisible to me?”

Masen looked away with a pensive look on his face. He sighed and turned his head so he could look at me straight on. “It hasn’t been easy. Luckily I’ve had Fadden and Garron to help me. Between us we always knew where you were so that we didn’t cross paths. That was one of the main reasons Fadden came to teach you this last year. By being right there in the compound he had an inside to what was happening and he could let me know when I could come to see you and also when I could safely go out in the countryside without any fears of bumping in to you. I needed to do so much to prepare for all of this and I needed to make contact with everyone we will need to help us. I didn’t know what or when it would happen but I knew that we would be fighting a battle together. It was necessary for you to grow and live without me until now and that has been the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do.”

Masen held my gaze as he finished talking. I could see how much it had hurt him to not be a part of my life. But there was a part of me that almost resented the fact that he was allowed to know everything and I was left in the dark.

“Have you ever wished that you could leave and do whatever you wanted? Doesn’t it annoy you that I’m the only choice you have? Surely you’ve met other girls and wished you had the chance to pursue something with them?” My questions came from deep in my heart as I still didn’t really trust this feeling of belonging to him.

“Allie, we were made for each other. Literally. I have never felt anything for any other female except friendship. Surely you understand that much? We’re twenty four years old and in all that time have you ever felt a connection to another man? Even given a choice, I would still pick you. Every time.” He pulled me in and hugged me to his chest. “I will never regret all the opportunities I had to see you grow into the amazing person you are. Every day I knew we would be together eventually and that kept me going. On the nights when I couldn’t sleep from pain or when I felt like it was all too much, it was you that got me through it.”

I held him tightly and wished I could’ve been there for all those times. And I also wished he could’ve been there all the nights I needed someone. But the past was done and now was all we had. 

“Thank you.” I said in a quiet voice. “Thank you for sharing that with me. I didn’t even know how much I needed you until we met.”

“Sleep now!” A voice boomed to our left. We  both jumped in surprise and turned to see Deema pointing at us. “You two must rest in preparation for your day ahead. We have set up a tent for you, it is comfortable and secure. Go. Rasi will take you.” At this Deema pulled a small female dweller forward. Rasi was typical of the females in being strangely beautiful, shy and timid. She held my hand and started to lead me away. I reached back and grabbed Masens hand to bring him with me. I didn’t want to be separated from him and by the small smile on his face he wasn’t about to let that happen anyway. My heart skipped a beat as I realised we would be in cramped conditions for the rest of the night. Surely nothing would happen….would it?