Wings of Paper - Chapter 17

Memories and Mountains

I raced out of the bathroom, my wet feet skidding on the wooden floors as I rushed towards Kenzie’s room. Alex and Hiro had already beat me there, but Hiro arrived slightly after me. I wasn’t sure what I was expecting, but it certainly wasn’t what I saw. 

Sammy was against a wall, Sadie pointing a knife at his neck. “Don’t you dare try to speak to me again, peasant boy,” she was threatening. 

Alex met my eyes and pressed a finger to her lips, warning me to be quiet. 

“I’m sorry, uh, ma’m,” Sammy muttered, eyeing the knife warily. Sadie snorted, pressing the knife closer to Sammy’s neck. 

“You better be,” Sadie snarled. “Next time I won’t be so generous - especially because you’re trespassing.” She tucked the knife into its sheath on her belt and put her hands on her hips. Sammy scrambled away from her just as she wheeled around to see us. 

“You brought friends, I see,” Sadie noted as she took us in. It wasn’t Sadie - her eyes were confused. She had no idea who we were. 

“Sadie, are you feeling okay?” Hiro asked her cautiously, clearly not understanding the whole amnesia thing. 

“Sadie,” Sadie gasped, stumbling backwards into the wall. She pressed her hands to her forehead, groaning as she crumpled to the floor. Sammy took a step towards her before slowly backing away. He was learning. 

When Sadie opened her eyes again she looked normal. “Oh my stars, I’m so sorry, Sams,” she cried. “I don’t know what’s happening. Where are we?” 

“We’re in Kenzie’s house,” Sammy answered slowly, eyeing Sadie like she was a wild animal. I shared his skepticism. Was her amnesia short lived? No, it couldn’t be because she had asked where we were. 

There was only one cause for this - the Darkness. It had taken all of the Fictionals now, not officially but it was beginning to affect all of them. Only Alex and I were free - and even that was debatable seeing as I couldn’t walk through the Darkness without hallucinating or going blind. 

“Kenzie’s house?” Sadie asked. “I thought we were in my castle. We just fought Dee, did we win?” 

My heart dropped like a stone. Sadie didn’t remember anything since the battle with Dee. She didn’t remember the cove, the moths, or even the volcano. She would likely continue losing bits of her memory until finally she didn’t know us at all. This was terrible. 

“No, dear,” Kenzie said, trying to remain calm. “Well, we lost - but we’re in my house now.” 

Sadie’s brow wrinkled. “You have a house?” 

Kenzie and Sammy shared a look, probably communicating telepathically because Kenzie was rubbing her temples. I had no idea what we were supposed to do. 

Bringing Sadie with us now would be risky, but leaving her behind would be worse in a way. We would be losing a valuable part of the team plus she - however forgetful - still knew bits of our plan and if she was captured Dee could extract them from her. 

“Who are you?” Sammy interjected. 

Sadie seemed confused by this question but she answered anyway. “I am Princess Sadie Chambers of the Phaery Kingdom, made of elvish populations.” 

“Good,” Sammy replied, relieved that at least she remembered something. “How much do you know about Dee?” Sadie thought for a moment before reciting some facts about Dee’s appearance and motives. Sammy praised her again and ran through a series of interrogations, finding exactly what she knew. 

As it turned out, Sadie remembered nothing from after our attack with Dee. Her memories were also limited in information about the Darkness, about her family, about her magic, and mostly about us. She remembered who I was - but only after Sammy recited some elvish ancient text. Hiro and Kenzie were blurry memories in her mind, she thought they were childhood friends. Alex and Kip weren’t familiar to her at all and Sammy was simply her bodyguard and childhood best friend. When we asked her about the quest she thought she had gone on it alone - though she didn’t recall what the quest was in the first place. 

I was worried, and I could tell Alex was too. All of our friends were declining health wise. Hiro had his dizzy spells. Kenzie’s telepathy was failing. Hiro had flashbacks take over him. And now Sadie didn’t remember anything. 

If we didn’t get to Dee soon we would lose everything. 

Once Sadie was calmed down, Hiro and I began to distribute the food. Kenzie was surprised by the amount we were able to salvage - I guess she didn’t realize that her parents had scavenged and hoarded so much stuff. 

By mid afternoon we were all rested, cleaned, and fed. Sadie didn’t want to be left alone, even when Sammy assured her that all she had to do was spark light to make the blindness disappear. I think she probably endured something else while she was blind, just like I did in the Darkness. 

Nevertheless, one of us was always at Sadie’s side. We discussed Smokey’s mother and her untimely death, but Alex reminded us that with the Darkness spreading as fast as it was we needed to get a move on. 

“What’s the rush?” Sadie yawned. “Dee won’t destroy everything, she still wants Luke to pay attention to her.” 

“I did pay attention to her,” I argued. “I told her she was a mistake and I wanted her to leave.” Saying it then made me realize how harsh it sounded - even if I was speaking the truth. No one wanted to be called an accident or a mistake. 

“Well, now she’s set on destroying everything,” Kenzie sighed. “And the only way to stop her is to kill her or to give in.” 

“Give in?” Sammy asked. “What exactly does she want from us?” 

“She wants to be the only thing left so that she is my favorite,” I answered solemnly. If only I had just let Dee believe she was a hero and killed her when I had the chance. 

“So giving in isn’t an option, which leaves our only choice as attack,” Kenzie theorized. “The only problem is that her castle is surrounded by the Darkness, which means all of us Fictionals won’t be able to get inside - or even close to it.” 

“We can go to the sides,” I suggested. “When I was at the top of the volcano I saw everything in the surrounding areas. For some reason, Dee is leaving the sides of her castle relatively thin in terms of Darkness. And with my new sword, I might be able to forge a way in so you guys can join Alex and I.” 

“The key word is might,” Alex continued. “So it’s possible that Luke and I will have to go in alone. If that’s the case, all of you should be prepared to defend our entrance to the castle - but also be prepared to leave if we fail.” 

“The Darkness will follow wherever we go,” Kenzie said, her tone low. 

“Not if we defeat it first!” Hiro exclaimed, his voice rather chipper. “Which is why we should leave now!” 

With nothing better to do, our group set off westwards to break into Dee’s castle. 

“Are we there yet?” Sadie groaned. It was getting late, the dying sun barely providing enough light to see. The air was filled with a permanent chill now, a bitter wind forced our fires to be small and our bodies to be cold. 

“We’re not far,” Kenze replied through chattering teeth. “Just up ahead is the cabin.” 

“Good, because I am freezing,” Alex said, shivering from the cold. We had little supplies now - especially after our car crash and various other attacks. The plan was for me to imagine some the next time I got a chance - preferably not while walking. 

A fresh coat of snow blanketed the ground, but the normally white color was tinted a darker gray. The trees stood sparse and still, the wind whistling between dead branches. The sky was darkening quickly, clouds rolling over the hills in threatening groups. Snow began to fall from the sky, softly at first but harder as the time passed. 

Our progress slowed dramatically. Sammy and Sadie were elves, and therefore able to walk on top of the growing mounds of snow. Hiro, Kenzie, Alex, and I were stuck trudging through about a foot of the cold stuff. 

“Why is the cabin so far?” Sadie whined. 

“Because my grandmother didn’t like us,” Kenzie answered. “So she built it as far away as possible without leaving the outskirts of our kingdom.” 

I was with Sadie on that one - surely Kenzie’s grandmother could’ve chosen a better place to build her cottage. Still, onwards we climbed. I couldn’t delay any longer, so Alex led me as I pictured fluffy coats and gloves for everyone. 

Sadie was delighted when she found out I could make pink things and spent a long time begging for a pink kitten. I also made some snow boots, though apparently there was a limit to my imagination creations for each day - the snow boots were all slightly off size, still close enough to fit but far enough to be uncomfortable.

With warm boots and dry socks, the path was a little easier to navigate though I still struggled to keep warm. 

The snow felt like it was pelting us with metal chips. Every flake that hit me stung and I was losing feeling in my nose and ears. Luckily enough, I caught sight of the cabin not far ahead. The wooden beams - however old - sparked hope in all of us and a pep in our steps. 

Yet as we approached, Kenzie began to slow until she halted entirely, holding up her hand to stop us as well. She pressed a finger to her lips and pointed up in the trees. 

I noticed an alarmingly large number of birds. They were all black - probably ravens or crows, though I didn’t know the difference. Their movements seemed almost robotic and Kenzie took a few steps, pushing us backwards into the treeline. 

“My grandmother always warned us about security, but she never told us exactly what that entailed,” Kenzie explained, sending a panicked glance upwards. “Either these are servants of Dee’s, or my grandmother trained them to attack movement and sound. Neither possibility is good for us.” 

“So what, we take them out with rocks and snowballs?” Sammy snorted, a puff of his breath appearing in front of his red cheeks. 

Kenzie shook her head. “If they’re trained to attack they won’t stand to let us fight them. It’s either we sneak through or we take out all of them in one combined hit. Does anyone know any invisibility spells?” 

We all shook our heads. None of us were wizards, warlocks, or witches and even Sadie and Sammy’s elvin tricks couldn’t save us now. 

“The snow might obscure their eyesight,” Alex said. “Maybe they won’t see us.” 

Kenzie shrugged. “Honestly, I think our best bet will be to sneak through - and you know how much I love to fight things. We’ll get as close as we can and if the birds start to attack we’ll make a run for it. Grandmother kept healing herbs hidden away in her house as well.” 

Sammy and Sadie attempted to share a few tips on how to avoid detection, but their elvish senses and forms were much more sophisticated than Alex, Hiro, Kenzie, or I could muster. With nothing left to do but attempt passage, we readied ourselves. Hiro promised he would try not to faint, but he didn’t sound so sure. 

Sadie and Sammy crept out first. Sammy formed a bright, white light that basically made them so bright that they were impossible to look at. The birds must have been experiencing similar things because they didn’t attack, though some crowed loudly. 

It was Kenzie and Hiro’s turn next. Kenzie didn’t want Hiro to pass out, so she followed closely behind him. They crept very slowly across the snow. Their boots made crunching noises, but they did the best they could to be quiet. The birds startled a bit, but Kenzie froze and they calmed down enough for them to pass to the cabin. Kenzie unlocked the door, and the four of the Fictionals slipped inside the cabin. 

“Can’t you make an invisibility cloak?” Alex asked me, pleading almost. 

“My imagination is dead for the time-being, and I think it’ll take a long time to regain its charge, if that makes any sense,” I sighed. “The best we can do is stay quiet and hope the birds don’t notice us.” 

Easier said than done, of course. Despite my every effort to make my footfalls silent, my feet decided it was time to be as loud as possible. 

Alex turned to glare at me, and for the record, it was her sudden movement that launched the birds into the air. They fluttered loudly, cawing as to make their insatiable bloodlust known.

If Kenzie’s grandmother was alive I was going to have a talk with her. 

“Run!” Alex yelled at me, sending the birds into another fit of panic. They dived at me just as I began to sprint towards the door. A few of the birds began to peck at me, their claws and beaks scratching at my skin. 

I yelped at the sudden stabbing pains, but I ignored the birds as I rushed into the cabin. My feet slid on the floor as I skidded to a stop. Kenzie and Hiro heaved the door shut. There was a sickening thud as the birds flew straight into the door, their beaks embedding into the wooden frame. 

Alex and I were panting, both of us covered in numerous cuts and scratches - especially in our faces. At this point we were all bloody and battered, though now Alex and I’s coats had been nearly shredded. Hopefully my imagination would revive soon. 

We stripped of our extra layers, placing our boots at the door and our coats and gloves on the table. 

Kenzie’s grandmother’s cottage was actually quite cozy. It was small - obviously only made for two people at the max. The tiny table was painted white, chipping at the edges with two chairs to match. There was an old, velvet couch placed in the corner of the room against a wall. On one side was a fireplace that split the wall in half, two doorways on either side. There was a mini kitchenette against the far wall, along with a tiny powder room. The two rooms in the back led to bedrooms, one with a large bed and the other were two bunk beds. 

Kenzie set to work building a fire and the rest of us unloaded our stuff. The birds who hadn’t flown into the door were screeching outside, their cries muffled through the frosty windows. 

We weren’t sure how exactly to divide up the bedrooms, so we decided to wait until we were actually ready to sleep. 

The sun finally had disappeared, so Kenzie lit some various candles she had found around the house. With the crackling fire, the cottage had a perfect winter ambiance. My worries seemed to melt away as my limbs thawed. 

Under any other circumstance, this cabin would have been the perfect place to live. 

The strange thing was that it still didn’t feel like home. I had been in this world for who even knew how long now. I had travelled across all of the kingdoms, I had been in pretty much the entirety of the world now. 

It was beautiful, it was peaceful, and most of all it was mine. I created it all by myself with only the power of my mind. 

And yet it still didn’t feel like I belonged. My friends - they were great and everything - but they weren’t family to me. After this was over, I would either die or go back to my normal life and try to forget everything. 

I wouldn’t remember any of this - not the pain. The fear. The bleak hopelessness. 

But I wouldn’t remember my friends either. 

I sighed, deciding to think about that later. After we killed Dee and ended the Darkness and got home safely. 

“Luke, you listening?” Sammy asked, interrupting my thoughts. 

“Hmm?” I asked, embarrassed to be caught off guard. “Sorry I zoned out for a bit. What were you saying?” 

“Alex was telling us about a dreamy drink called hot chocolate,” Sadie exclaimed excitedly. “She said maybe you could imagine some for us?” Sadie looked really excited and I shrugged. I picture the packets of hot chocolate powder I used to get when I was a kid. 

I had been imaging about ten for a super rich hot chocolate mix, but I got five instead. Alex and I filled a kettle with water and placed it over the fire in the fireplace. We dumped the hot chocolate mix in and took turns stirring it. Kenzie found us an assortment of animal shaped ceramic mugs, which we filled with hot chocolate. 

I regretted giving Sadie sugar. 

The hot chocolate was delicious - though not as rich as I normally preferred it - and it warmed me to the bone. Sadie had three cups of it before Sammy finally stole her mug and refused to let her have anymore. Clearly he was enjoying it as well. 

“This is amazing!” Sadie said, her eyes wide. “Where do we find chocolate plants?” 

Alex took a moment to explain that chocolate came from cacao beans, not from chocolate plants. Sadie was disappointed at first, but she finally decided that she was going to find a way to make chocolate in the Fictional world. 

Sammy, Kenzie, and Hiro also appeared to enjoy the drink, though their excitement was slightly more contained. It was new for all of them, and it was one of the rare moments of peace we were given. Sadie’s sugar high wore off quickly, however, and she crashed to sleep. We were all feeling pretty tired at that point, so Alex announced it was time for bed. 

Sammy volunteered to take the couch to sleep on so no one had to share the queen bed. We put Sadie in the queen bed, even though both her and Hiro were royalty we thought she deserved it after the whole memory thing. 

Alex and Kenzie shared a bunk and Hiro and I took the other. The sleeping arrangement wasn’t perfect, but it was good enough. Hiro took the bottom bunk so if he had some Darkness attack he wouldn’t fall out of the bed and hurt himself. 

The mattress was lumpy, but it was nice to have an actual bed to sleep in - even if it wasn’t mine. 

I slept well enough, though dreams haunted my sleep. It was my first time dreaming since arriving in the Fictional world, and the sensation wasn’t pleasant. Normally I enjoyed my dreams, but these, not so much. 

I dreamt that I was standing back at the volcano. The rocks rumbled once, twice, and again before the lava began to pour down the sides of the volcano. It streamed towards me but my feet were glued to the ground and I couldn’t move. The lava wrapped around me, forming a cocoon as it solidified on the length of my body. It seared and burned, bringing tears to my eyes. 

Suddenly, the sweltering heat was replaced with frigid coldness. Whispers flooded my mind with icy cool chills. 

Snow fell around me in sheets so thick I couldn’t see. I spun aimlessly in circles, trying to find a way to escape the cold that was seeping into my bones. But everywhere I turned the snow formed walls, blocking my escape. I ran, thinking maybe I could break through the walls. 

The snow turned silver and sharp like blades. A thousand knives threw themselves at my chest. The dream ended abruptly and I was able to fall back into peaceful sleep mere moments later. 

Yet I couldn’t shake the feeling that the dream was trying to tell me something.