Jason shook his head, making Rob bite his lip, “No, hold on, five more minutes…” Rob nodded, sitting down on her couch. Jessica looked like she almost wanted to smile.
Jason turned his green eyes to Ael, “Ok, crash course in shielding your Room.” First things first, we’re going to put a spell here, so nobody can do magic but you. Make a net in your mind, and lay it down across your Room, stretch it, fit if over and under everything and everywhere, but not the people. Put the net around, and the people inside.”
Ael nodded, the picture in her mind looked like something computer generated. “Ok, now what.” She said, trying to keep the picture stable.
“Put a touch of your Will along it, so it seals itself to the walls.”
Ael did so, her eyes slightly unfocused as she watched the picture in her mind ripple and begin to pulse softly. It was an almost comforting pulse. “Ok…next?”
“Let it go. Open your hands, and push it to the walls.”
Ael made the motion, and the picture disappeared and suddenly her Room felt more hers, as if she were more attuned to it, and knew everything that went on in it. She turned to Jason, and she felt him press against whatever she had just done.
“Alright, good job, it works. Rob, you can let her go.” Jason instructed.
Rob sighed, and leaned his head back against the cushions. Obviously, Jon had done more to Rob than he had done to Ael. She at least didn’t have a problem doing magic after she had gotten out. She didn’t have time for her thoughts though, as a giant surging pressure came from Jessica on her net. She instinctually pressed bask against it, with the net-structure, and gasped as a great deal of her magic was sucked into the net.
Rob, still on the couch with is eyes shut, had no clue what was going on, and neither did Jason. At her gasp, Jason looked to her, confused, but Rob had the sense to glance at his sister, and see the smirk on her face. “Stop pushing, it’ll just keep taking it from you.” He said in a tired voice.
Ael stopped pushing against it, and miraculously, nothing happened. She smiled at Rob’s shut-eyed figure. “Thanks…” He made a motion with his hand in reply and didn’t open his eyes. Ael turned to Jason. “How do we get to my mom’s Room?”
“Think about her, and her Room,” Jason said simply, and Ael did so, and a door immediately appeared at her left in one of the walls.
She stepped toward it, and was relieved to see the familiar soft rose color peeking from beyond the far door. “Come on, somebody’s got to be in there, it’s open.”
Jason motioned for Rob to spell Jessica again, since the spells didn’t last between the Rooms, and Rob sighed heavily as he did so, but stood up, and the both followed the two down the hallway.
Ael pushed open the door, to find Ramona, Westly and Miles, all holding some sort of drink. She wasn’t sure what, since they disappeared as the four walked in.
“Hey,” Westly gave a friendly glare to Ramona as he tried to drink the no longer existing drink, before turning to Ael. “About time you got here, what held you up?”
Chairs appeared for the three of them, leaving a corner free for Jessica to stand in, which she did sullenly. Ael sat, and told them, “You didn’t exactly tell us where to go you know. We went to Jason’s Room, got Rob, and went back to Jason’s Room where Jessica was. We had to wait for Rob to wake up, and then we went to my Room, and then here.” She explained in a single breath.
Westly nodded his head, “Alright, Rob, you okay? You look a little peaky.”
Rob nodded, “It’d be great if one of you could Heal me…this headache is killing me.”
Ramona gave him a look of pity and stood up and put a hand on his forehead. She closed her eyes, after a second, Rob’s color seemed to come back, and he sighed easily.
“Thanks.” He managed a real smile this time. “Where are the rest of them?” He asked, making Ael curious as well to the answer.
“At Westly’s house. We need to go there too. Miles, Westly, I’ll leave you with Jessica.” Ramona instructed, standing up.
“Alright, meet you at the house in about fifteen minutes.” Westly said, before he, Miles, and Jessica all disappeared.
Ramona looked at the remaining three. “Everybody ready? Let’s go.”
In the blink of an eye, they were in an average, modern suburban home. A glance out of the nearest window showed it was identical to every single other house on the block. The three of them followed Ramona into an adjoining room, where the other four sat, watching a television.
“You’re back!” Fran welcomed them with a smile.
A small explosion sounded on the television, and Ramona rushed in front of it without a word, watching it intently, muttering, “Where…where…?”
Ael moved over, so she could better see the screen and was surprised when all that was on it was a picture of the Earth rotating. As it reached Europe, a small red spot blinked on and off. Ramona turned around, facing them, her face grim.
“Jon killed somebody…we have to go there. Get ready, and don’t move.” She glanced at Rob as they all linked hands and the air around them froze, melting into a tie-dyed assortment and then freezing back in place. Foreign voices reached her ears as she turned to look at what most likely was France. Her mother turned to them. “Stay together and stay with me.”
She led them along a street, searching for what none of them could guess, when a decidedly American voice yelled, ”Tim!”
A slim figured hurtled into Tim, clinging to him, soft muffled crying coming from her.
Tim obviously knew here, as he wrapped his arms around her, shushing her. “What’s wrong?” He was oblivious to the rest of them as he gently pulled her away from him so he could look at her. “El, what happened?”
The girl scrubbed at her pale red-rimmed blue eyes. Her dark shoulder length hair fell to her shoulder in disarray.
“My parents…he…killed them…” Her tears started to flow again. “I heard him come in the room, and go into their part of the suite. When they started to scream, I ran out. I think he tried to follow me, but I lost him in the crowd somewhere.” She paused, as if realizing where they were. “Why’re you in Paris?”
“To get you,” Ramona soft said, “what’s your name?”
“Ellen…Ellen Smith. Who’re you?” She asked, looking at them all. “Tim, who are all these people?” She moved closer to him and he unconsciously put his arm around her again.
“This is Ramona, Ael, Jason, Rob, Briana, Fran, and Dave. Everyone, this is Ellen. She is…was my…well…girlfriend, before Jon found me.” He shrugged, not shy at all.
“Who’s Jon?” Ellen asked him, sniffing.
“I think we should answer this somewhere else. Let’s go back to Westly’s house. Ellen, come here.” Ellen gave her a mistrustful look, but took a few steps closer to her. “I promise we won’t hurt you. We’re friends, and we’ll tell you everything when we get to Westly’s, ok?”
Ellen nodded slowly and then fell backwards, unconscious. Tim caught her.
“What’d you do to her?” He asked Ramona accusingly.
“She’ll be fine, she just can’t move, and she doesn’t’ know that. It’s better if she’s unconscious. Com on, let’s go.” Ramona explained.
Tim glared at her as everyone joined hands, and felt somebody touch his shoulder.
A minute later, they were back in Westly’s living room. Tim sat Ellen on the couch and sat down by her head. He looked expectantly up at Ramona as they all took seats.
Ramona was about to walk over to Ellen, to revive her, but Miles and Weslty walked in.
“We’re back did you – who’s that?” He asked Ramona, keeping his eyes on Ellen.
“Ellen. Jon killed her parents,” was Ramona’s short explanation. “Did you take care of Jessica?”
“Yeah, we put her with Michael and Julie. All in separate corners.” Miles said, grinning as if he found it funny.
“Uh…Ramona…?” Tim hesitantly said, as if not sure what to call her.
“Wha – oh, yes.” She went to Ellen, and put a hand on her forehead.
Ellen blinked, and then sat up, looking around with wide eyes. She noticed Tim, and immediately moved closer to him. “Where am I?”
“On the East side of Okalahoma City. This is my house, who might I ask, are you?” Westly asked her.
“Ellen Smith,” She said distractedly. “How’d I get here? I was in Paris, and who’s that Jon guy?”
“Magic,” Westly replied. “I think I’ll leave the explaining to my wife, I need a drink, and diner. Come on all of you, I’ll put a pizza in the oven.”
Everyone got up to follow him except Ramona, Ellen and Tim who obviously couldn’t go because Ellen wouldn’t let go of him.
About an hour later, after everyone had eaten, and the sun was half-past the horizon, spreading it’s colors across the sky, Elllen, Tim, and Ramona finally came back in from the other room, and took what was left of the now cold pizza.
Ellen looked older than she had before their talk, and Tim continually glanced over at her with a worried look on his face. Obviously he still had feelings for her, even if she didn’t for him, but judging by her previous actions, she must have feelings for him as well.
Westly motioned Ramona out on the porch in the back to talk alone, but everyone followed them out. The teenagers perched on railings, the swinging bench, and on the steps. Ramona and Westly sat on the free standing bench.
Ael could almost guess this was where she would have grown up, had everything not have happened as it did. The white painted porch, the soft gray house, and even the potted plants made her wish it would have been so. She blinked, realizing Westly had begun to speak.
“…And now, we think we kind of know what Jon wants to do. Ellen’s parents, Zach and Kelly, were running for Head, well, Zach was, Kelly was going to be vice. Obviously, Jon wants to be Head again, since his name is down for the running. Zach and Kelly were a shoo-in, had Jon not done what he did. They had good ideas, good background, everything. So now, we have even more of a reason to get Jon. But, we have to find a way to do that. Tomorrow, Fran’s parents are coming to help us as well...” He trailed off, his eyes and Ramona’s connecting as if they were speaking to each other silently.
Ramona suddenly stood up. “I think we’re going to go to sleep early tonight. If you go upstairs, there’s rooms for you. Two people to a room, no co-ed.” She smiled, “Girls in rooms, boys in rooms. Don’t bother to break the rules, we’ll catch you too fast. Breakfast is at eight.” Westly stood up with her, and led the way into the house.
The sky was now dark; it must have been around eight-thirty. Ael glanced back as she went in, maybe Westly hadn’t noticed, but Tim and Ellen stillsat outside on the bench.
“Lights out at ten,” Westly’s eyes flickered toward the doorway, and he said it loud enough so somebody outside could hear. Maybe had had noticed them.
Ael went up the stairs, and since she had walked up last, ended up in the empty room waiting for Ellen. The room was nice enough, twin beds with matching nightstands and dressers on the opposite wall. There was a closet, but Ael didn’t bother to open it.
She didn’t really take notice of the window until she heard the voices drifting up through it. Evidently the porch was below her window, and Ellen and Tim still sat there talking. She figured it impolite to listen, so she put on the pajamas that were laid on the plaid blue comforter and folded her dirty clothes and set the on the dresser. She quietly lay in bed a few moments later after finding her way to the bathroom to wash the pizza taste out of her mouth. Staring up at the ceiling, she couldn’t help but overhear and listen to the voices drifting through the window.
“…Did you come to me?” Tim’s voice was the first she heard.
“I don’t know, I didn’t think. I was just running through the streets looking for anyone I knew. You were the first person I saw that I knew, and you’ve always been safe.” Ellen sighed and it was quiet for a few moments, or they were talking so softly Ael couldn’t hear them. “I missed you since you left…where did you go anyway? I asked your parents, but all they would say is that they sent you to boarding school,” Ellen’s voice came again.
“I got magic, and I’ve been at the school we were talking about with Ramona.” He paused, “Did you know she’s Ael’s mom?”
“Ael? Which one is she, I don’t remember…”
“The short skinny one with like…red-brown hair.” Tim told her.
“Oh, she’s pretty. She looks a lot like Ramona now that you say that.” Ellen said, surprising Ael, and leaving her thinking .She had never been called anything even close to pretty before.
“So what have you been doing since I’ve been gone? Any new boyfriends?” Ael could hear the tease in Tim’s voice from the room.
Ellen laughed softly, “No, I’ve just been hanging around waiting for you to come back, and to turn sixteen.” Ellen replied almost wistfully.
“It’s only about three weeks or so, right?” Tim asked.
“Yeah, I can’t wait, I wonder if ‘it’ will happen?” The ‘it’ she spoke of was obviously the acquiring of magic.
“I know what you mean, I had absolutely no clue. I didn’t even know your parents had it until Ramona told us.”
It was quiet for a few more minutes, and then Tim spoke up again. “I suppose we should go in, I know I don’t want to be caught out too late by Westly.”
Ellen must have agreed, because there was a creak as they got off the swinging bench and walked into the house. Ael heard their soft footsteps on the carpeted stairway, and see their shadows outside the door across the floor.
There shadows stood there, and Ael couldn’t hear there whispered conversation until Tim said, “You sure you’re going to be ok then?” His shadow hand touched her face. “You know I’m here for you…and everyone else here.”
Ellen’s silhouetted head looked down and Ael heard her sniff as Tim brushed something off her cheek. Ael had to strain to hear her voice. “I just don’t know what to feel anymore. I wish it wouldn’t have been my parents. You know what? This makes me an orphan, the only family I have left is my uncle, but he’s pure evil. There’s no way in hell I’d go live with him.” Her voice shook a little as she spoke.
Tim’s shadows pulled her close into an embrace, and he kissed her on the top of his head. His soft voice was even harder to hear. “You’re not an orphan, you’re mine. I’ll always be here. Now, go to sleep, things’ll look better in the morning.” Tim gave her another hug and led her into the room. He glanced around before continuing down the hall to his own room.
Ellen’s eyes searched out Ael’s as she shut the door and crossed the room to her bed. “You heard.” It wasn’t an accusing voice, just a tired one.
Ael nodded, “I’m sorry…”
Ellen didn’t say anything, but went to the other bed and began to put on the pajamas. A soft chill covered Ael, and she glanced at the window to see the curtains blowing in. She got up to shut it, and shivering got back under the blankets.
“You really like him, don’t you?” Ael asked Ellen as she was getting bed.
Ellen paused, “I guess I love him. He’s all I have now anyway…” She rolled over to face Ael and pulled the covers up to her chin.
Ael didn’t bother to point out that Ellen still had the whole group, Ramona, Westly, and everyone here. They would help her in anyway they could. She was about to say something but she saw the tears starting to fall down the other’s cheeks and decided against it. Instead, she rolled onto her back hoping sleep would come soon.
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