Champions of Serenity :Gathering the Circle

Chapter 15

As Phil and Debra walked into the backyard, following Emily, they were greeted by a screech. “Oh, so you finally decided to join us, did you? You know, it’s rather tactless to stop for a quickie before coming to a party you know is in the honor of at least one person.”

Before anyone else could move or react, beyond being stunned, Phil crossed the distance between himself and Karen and slapped her so hard she fell backwards. Karen glared up at him, rubbing the side of her face. “I should call the police for battery, Philip Bennington, but you probably own them so why bother.” Her voice was icy and cold.

“Oh no, you don’t, Debra.” Jared stepped up next to Debra and held her before she could turn and leave. “This has been brewing for a long time and it needs to be settled right now, for once and for all.” He turned to Karen and glared at her, making sure Debra was secure in his hold.

Karen then noticed that everyone but Debra was glaring at her, anger very easy to read in all their faces. She backed up a couple of paces before getting to her feet, standing her ground in front of all of them.

“What are all of you glaring at? I haven’t done anything except be attacked.” Her voice rose as silence met her whine. “Will you all stop glaring at me? Em…” She stopped as she saw that she wasn’t going to get support from her friend either. Had she finally gone too far? Karen was so afraid of losing her friendship with Emily that she kept pushing Debra away, had she instead pushed Emily away? Karen felt her heart sink but she couldn’t let anyone else know that. “Fine, then I’ll leave if I’m no longer welcome here. I thought we were friends, I guess I was wrong.”

“Wait, Karen.” The thunder of silence following that soft voice was even more profound than before. Debra pulled away from Jared and walked over to stand next to Karen, not bothering to look at anyone else. “Karen, don’t leave. You belong here just as much as anyone else and if you leave, then so will I.”

“Why is that, having a guilty conscious, Debra?” Karen regretting saying the words as soon as they were out of her mouth; but she just couldn’t help it. Debra had been accepted by everyone, even Phil, so easily and it always felt like she had to fight for every scrap of attention she got. It wasn’t fair and Debra didn’t even recognize or realize just how easy she had it.

Phil was curious to see what Debra would do. He already knew she would forgive Karen, but he wondered just how she would do it. Jared also watched on, curious to see how Debra and Karen would work out their differences.

“No, Karen, I have done nothing to be guilty for. What Phil and I were doing really isn’t anyone’s business but his and mine, for the record, we stopped so I could go to the bathroom and I lost track of time watching some kids surfing. It maybe something you are used to, Karen, but I’ve never seen it before except in movies.

“I’m sorry that you feel I’m such a threat to your friendship with Emily, Karen. But do you honestly think I could ever replace all the years the two of you have together, ever? And I wouldn’t want to try; I have that kind of friendship with Jamie.”

Phil was shocked, Debra had information that most women would have used against him and she lied to keep that private information private. Jared watched Karen’s face as Debra hit the insecurity nail on the head, wondering just for a moment how Debra knew.

Darin smiled at Debra sadly; he could feel the slight change in her and knew his days with her as his girlfriend were numbered. Turning his speculative eyes on Phil, Darin wondered if the business tycoon would be patient enough to deal with Debra’s own insecurities. Then Darin felt a stab of jealousy as he realized that Phil would soon have all of Debra’s love and devotion.

Karen stared at Debra then dropped her eyes. “I don’t understand you, Debra. I am nasty and rude to you, but it seems you are the only one who wants me here. How can you just stand there and forgive me like that?” Karen’s voice was pleading, wanting to understand. It shouldn’t be this way, Debra was supposed to be all bitchy, and she wasn’t supposed to be nice.

“Because, Karen, I like you and I see a lot of potential for a friendship. Because I know how much Emily likes you and Grant and Jared and Mike and Darin as well. Yes, they are angry with you right now and probably very sick and tired of hearing you complain and bad mouth me right and left. To tell you the truth, I’m sick of it as well. I think it was the last straw when you decided to attack Phil as well as myself because you were feeling left out.”

“But you are dating Darin, Debra, why did you have to steal Phil like that? I made it clear that I wanted him…”

It was Debra’s turn to be surprised. Karen read that in Debra’s face for the second it was allowed to show and realized Debra hadn’t been trying to steal Phil. Phil had been pursuing her not the other way around. Debra wasn’t sure what she was going to do, but right now wasn’t the time to think about it.

“Yes, Karen, you did and in doing so, you missed where he made it clear he didn’t want you.” Debra frowned a moment and looked around. Rubbing the back of her neck, Debra kept waiting for the sinking in her stomach and the small hairs on her neck to calm down. For just a moment, she thought she saw a gaping hole where the pool stood and it frightened her. “What was that?”

“What was what?” Karen asked, looking around, wondering what Debra was looking for.

“I don’t know…” Debra then looked at everyone else. She still had a very uneasy feeling in her stomach, but she couldn’t put a reason or name to the cause. Knowing from the confusion on the faces of everyone around her, they didn’t feel it and hadn’t seen the quick flash of the destruction she had seen. But the tension was still in the air between them all and it was up to her to break it. “This is supposed to be a party, isn’t it?”

The simple question broke the startled silence and all began talking at once. Debra brushed away the attention and tried to help Emily bring out the food. But each time she walked into the house and then back out to the yard, that sinking feeling in her stomach grew stronger. Something bad was going to happen at this house and it was going to be soon, Debra just didn’t know how she knew and didn’t know what to do with the information.

“That was really nice what you did, Debra.” Jared’s voice was soft as he took a tray from her and set it on the table. He noticed the way Debra kept staring around the yard as if looking for something that wasn’t there. He was curious as he felt the tension in her body from something other than her normal shyness.

“It was the only way, Jared. She has to be here. I don’t know why, but she does.” Debra was still distracted.

“What’s wrong, Debra?” Jared started looking around as well, picking up a little on Debra’s discomfort.

Debra looked at Jared, feeling the normal discomfort she had around him, feeling like he was reading her mind or soul or something. But in that moment, she knew she could trust him with her life and she knew she could tell him anything and he wouldn’t laugh at her. “I don’t know, Jared. But something is going to happen, something bad and we shouldn’t be outside when it does.” Debra listened to what she said and gave a soft laugh. “I don’t know, Jared, maybe I’m just letting my nerves get the better of me.”

Jared realized in that moment when Debra decided to trust him just what a big step it was for her. He also knew that no matter what, he would never break that trust.

“She knows it’s about to happen, is she supposed to?” Na asked in his soft voice.

“Yes, she is the leader for a reason.” Chaos, Serenity, and Shægnek all said at the same time. “Just watch and wait.” Serenity finished and the waiting silence again filled the library.

The sun was beginning to set and they were finally moving the party indoors for the rest of the evening. “Mom and dad picked up a new game I want to try out. So if everyone would gather in the living room, I’ll go get it.”

“What’s it called, Emily?”

“It’s called ‘What’s Yours Like’ and it’s supposed to be really fun.” Emily said as she ran upstairs to get the game from her room.

Debra entered the living room and stopped. She had thought the rest of the house was magnificent, but this had to top them all. It was decorated like an Indian salon with cushions and jade statues and cedar paneling. Painted screens closed off part of the room and the few couches were low to the ground and covered in fine embroidery. Golds, reds, yellows, purples, blues, and greens, shown like brightly colored gems scattered on the floor and couches as pillows and throw rugs.

“C’mon, Deb, pick a pillow and pull it into the circle.” Em said as she entered and found Debra still looking around at the room. The others were sitting around, talking about many different things, and for once, Karen wasn’t complaining or flirting with Phil.

They played one game and it led to another and finally it was suggested they play a round or two of truth or dare, just to get to know Debra a little better. The questions were silly and the dares childish, but they were all laughing by the time it came to Jared to ask someone for a truth or a dare and he asked Debra.

Debra looked over at Jared and knew that for some reason this time it would be a little more serious. She also knew that whatever question he wanted to ask she wasn’t willing to answer. Especially as she had just given him a dare he wouldn’t do and picked a truth to avoid it. “Dare.”

When his whole face lit up into a big grin, she wondered if she had chosen right or wrong. “Okay, your dare is to come with me to the kitchen and do whatever I tell you. Oh, and you’ll be blindfolded.”

Mike smirked and Debra guessed this was a favorite dare of Jared’s. She nodded and stood, allowing him to tie the dishcloth around her eyes and guide her through the house. She kept telling herself that this was not like before and he wasn’t going to hurt her.

In the kitchen, she heard him opening cupboards, the refrigerator, the oven, and the pantry several times before he leaned in very close and whispered in a seductive voice. “Open your mouth.”

Debra froze. This wasn’t like before, it was worse. “C’mon, Deb, this is the dare, now open your mouth.” Jared had lost the seductive tones and was sounding more like a pouting boy. He then noticed Debra’s white knuckles and how tense she was. “Hey there, Deb, c’mon, this is Jared, what’s wrong?”

“I can’t…” Was said through clenched teeth and a tear slipped from under the blindfold. Debra was blinded when Jared ripped the dishcloth off of her and took her into his arms.

“What happened, Debra? Don’t tell me nothing, I won’t believe it this time. You told me that before and I didn’t believe it then but this is worse now. I can feel your fear and that just isn’t right, not over a little dare.” Sitting on the counter was a single strawberry dipped in chocolate. It was a simple dare and Debra couldn’t do it.

Again the moment came for Debra to make a choice. She could either trust Jared as she decided earlier or spend the rest of her life seeing the pain in his eyes because he knew she didn’t trust him completely. Then the thought came to her that when she told Darin, it had helped heal her, maybe telling Jared could help as well.

She started out stiffly, telling him matter-of-factly about the date and what happened. Then how she had asked Darin to help her. It was like she was telling a story she wasn’t part of, wooden and stilted but factual. When she felt the first tear fall on her face, she looked up and noticed Jared crying for her, and the dam broke.

“I didn’t know what to do, Jared. But Darin did help, at least you can touch me and I don’t flinch noticeably. I just can’t quite trust again.” Debra finished through her tears.

“Did you seek out counseling? No, of course not, you wouldn’t want anyone to know what happened. Did you tell Darin why you wanted him to make love to you? No, again, you wouldn’t want him to get angry. Debra, you can’t keep things like this inside, they will eat you alive and kill you slowly. Will you promise me that you will talk to me if ever anything happens again; I mean anything that scares you or hurts you? I won’t tell anyone about this, but you and I aren’t done talking about it. Do you understand?” When Debra nodded, he used the dishtowel to dry her eyes and his own. Then he took her hand and led her back into the living room.

Then it hit again and Debra almost flinched. She stared out the window, her hands in white-knuckled fists at her sides. “Debra?” The voice came from far away and she couldn’t tell whose it was; only that it was familiar.

As the sun’s last rays hit the clouds, turning them into a fiery display of art across the darkening sky, everything stood still for one second. A scream broke from someone’s lips as the water from the pool then moved into a tidal wave and cascaded toward the house and the all glass wall that stood between the water and those inside. Thunder grew from the ground up and it was hard to even hear one’s own heartbeat in the deafening roar.

A second before the shards of glass could hit her; someone grabbed Debra from behind and pulled her to the ground, covering her with his body. Although it felt like forever, the earthquake had lasted only a few seconds and was over. “Quick, before the aftershocks hit, get someplace safer.” The voice was close to Debra’s ear, but she couldn’t move, she was staring at the effects of the few seconds of destruction. The wall of windows was shattered, the room looked as if a stampede of animals had torn through it and the fence in the backyard had collapsed in on itself. Half of the wall of the neighbor’s house had fallen in and sounds of screams and cries could be heard. It was exactly what she had seen earlier this afternoon.

Once again, the pit of her stomach gave a gigantic heave as the ground again rose up in protest against the weight of the city on its back. Someone again grabbed Debra and pushed her under something that kept debris from falling on her and him. Her mind was completely numb, she wasn’t scared, she was simply numb.

When silence again descended, Debra was released from whatever spell had held her in check and she noticed that Phil’s face was cut in several places from broken glass. Then she noticed that they weren’t alone under a very large table and a wall of pillows surrounded them.

“Are you okay, Deb? I’ve never seen anyone freeze up that way.” Darin asked, reaching for her just as another aftershock hit. When it was over, he sat back up and looked around, concerned. “I’ve never known one to be this bad, especially after this many aftershocks.”

“We need a distraction, something to take our minds off of it until it calms down enough to go out.” Emily said, moving to sit a little closer to Grant.

“There is a world, far away and distant from Earth. It is ruled by seventeen gods and goddesses, Serenity being the foremost of them. The world is torn by war as an evil man is rising to power and killing all who get in his way…” Debra began, her eyes losing focus as the words that shaped her dream world fell from her lips. “That world is called Sandeenai and the blood of the slain is rising up, calling to the prophesied heroes to come forth and rescue them from the horrors of Dreybrenic Greshinea.”

The others stopped looking around and turned to listen to the beginning of the story. Most of them knew of Debra’s dream to write novels, but none of them had ever heard one of her stories before. As the words flowed from her to them, they all got caught up in the dream of a world of magic in need of specially chosen heroes.

“It has happened.” All the gods and goddesses looked down as the eight champions hidden under the table were caught up in the power of the prophecy and taken to the very world they thought was a fairy tale told by the First. One by one, the gods and goddesses filed from the library to take their places as the game was now in play and the first part of the Champions of Serenity had taken the first steps to fulfill the prophecy.

“She knew, no wonder she was chosen to lead. In her dreams, she saw it all before it happened. Shægnek, you did a wonderful job on this prophecy. I only hope your other ones about this group are just as good.” Perlish said as she left to watch her child rise up to take his place among the other half of the Champions.