Tyson ran at Sabrina and swung his fist across the back of her head, knocking her onto the floor. Katie rushed to stand. Tyson moved towards Sabrina to hit her again, but she dodged his attack and grabbed his arms. She pulled out a slender blade and held it close to Tyson’s neck.
“One more move and you will be dead,” Sabrina warned. “This blade need only touch you to make you bleed out dry.”
Cyrus had managed to drag himself to his feet and began to move towards her, but Sabrina noticed. “You too, Padrigian. You’re the reason I came here.” Sabrina was breathing heavily and baring her teeth. “I am not here to kill you, Cyrus, but to bring you a warning. Cease this pointless crusade now, before it is too late. Fail to heed me now and I cannot guarantee safety for what is left of your pitiful family.”
Sabrina turned back to Katie, Tyson’s neck in one hand and his hair pulled taught in the other. “Your mother’s body has gone, and I have sent her spirit to the Shadow Lands, where she will blink from existence.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Katie said.
Sabrina threw Tyson to the ground. “Ask Cyrus, I’m sure he will tell you all about it.” She withdrew the blade from Tysons neck and kicked him, knocking him to the ground. She walked towards the hallway. She spat on the ground before leaving. Katie ran to chase her, but Sabrina had already gone, vanished into thin air.
Frustrated, Tyson picked himself off the floor and brushed off his shirt and pants. He was muttering under his breath.
“Don’t worry over it,” Cyrus said. “She is capable of far worse and is stronger than anyone I know on Earth. Stronger than most back on my world.”
Cyrus’s words didn’t seem to make Tyson feel better. Tyson remained silent.
“Are we ready to leave now?” Cyrus asked.
“Wait,” Katie said. “Give me a minute. There’s something I want to grab before we leave.”
Katie handed Cyrus the map and then ran upstairs. Knowing that she was possibly leaving her house behind forever, maybe even the world she grew up in forever, she wanted to take something that meant everything to her. There was no turning back. She made a quick stop at her bedroom and took a moment to say goodbye.
With one last glance at her room, Katie walked out and headed into her parent’s bedroom. Even though Sabrina had told her that Natasha’s body vanished, it still came as a shock when Katie saw that her parent’s bed was empty. It was exactly as it would have been if they weren’t yet home, well made and no wrinkles. The only difference was a bloodstain on the sheets. She cringed at the idea that somehow Sabrina had made the bed after her mother disappeared. Was this some sick sense of humor?
Katie held back tears as she walked over to her mother’s nightstand. She opened the small drawer and rummaged slowly through its contents until she found what she was looking for. She picked up a gold ring, lined with thirteen diamonds. Her parent’s names were etched on the inside of the ring.
The ring was the one John Dimes originally gave to Natasha when they got engaged, but it was lost in a fight that Natasha had been in. That was what her parents had told her. Katie figured that her mother had been at a bar or something and the ring was lost there, but she now thought differently as to how that story may have unfolded. The ring was replaced with an exact replica, and shortly after, the original ring was found.
Katie twirled it slowly in her fingers. She gasped when she felt Tyson’s hand close around hers.
She looked back at Tyson. She didn’t even hear him come in. He had a determined look on his face coupled with sadness in his eyes. She locked eyes with him, her tears budding to the surface. She had never known Tyson’s eyes to look so sad, yet so determined. She felt like she had never truly seen them before.
Katie didn’t let the tears fall from her eyes. She knew what she had to do.
“We have to go now,” Tyson whispered. Katie looked at the ring. It was beautiful and only served to remind her of her mother’s beauty. The truth sank deeply, settling a sadness that she thought would last forever in the pit of her stomach.
“There’s one thing I have to do first,” Tyson interrupted her grief.
“What?” Katie asked, looking up at him again.
They locked eyes. He grabbed her chin gently and brought his lips to her own. Without thinking, Katie kissed him back.
During those few moments, thoughts flooded Katie’s mind. She pushed them away, wanting nothing more than to stay there, kissing Tyson, kissing her best friend, forever. She didn’t want to go back to worrying about what was going to happen and feel the razor-sharp pain that cut into her heart. She let it fade for a moment. And for just that moment she had not a care in the world.
That wouldn’t last though. Katie knew that. It was selfish. Before Katie could reconcile her feelings, she felt Tyson slowly release her.
“We should go,” Tyson breathed. His hand moved to her face. They looked at each other for a moment, ready to repeat the last. Tyson blinked, and he took the ring from Katie’s hand and slipped it on her finger. He took her hand in his and led her out the door back towards the living room.
“Ready?” Cyrus asked as they entered. Tyson and Katie both nodded. “Very well, then. Let’s get going.”
Cyrus
