Destiny (1)

Have you ever got revenge on someone, and then felt guilty after it? Like when someone takes the last cookie, so you take their keys, and they can’t leave the house? You try to convince yourself that they deserve it, but truthfully, you know there was no need.

Well, that was what I was feeling. I couldn’t change the feeling inside of me, the one that told me it was my fault Ash was dead.

I squared up at Hayden, my teeth grinding. I didn’t know what happened, but before I knew it, he was squirming on the floor, wrapped in a long, overgrown, vine.

I jumped towards him.

“Now give me back my friends,” I growled, in a low voice.

He spat a leaf out his mouth. “Not a chance,”

I smiled wanly. “You don’t seem to be in a position where you don’t have to give me what I want,”

He wriggled and squirmed, attempting to escape.

“You’re right. Take your friends and go. Don’t let my mistress know,”

I turned and ran towards the posts, carefully skirting around the mist.

I got within three metres of them, when I was enveloped in mist once more.

“Aaargh, Hayden, you traitor!”

His wicked voice came hurtling back to me. “I was never on your side, you naive witch!”

A growl beckoned me again.

“Not this again,” I groaned, exhausted, grief-ridden, turning to the hungry wolf.

A thistle sprung out the ground, and the wolf punched on it. Whimpering, it hit the spikes. And then looked back up with even angrier eyes.

The poor wolf. It had no choice but to obey Hayden, no matter the cost. I would have to restrain it, but not kill it.

I was concentrating really hard, trying not to let all the wild let loose. Then it struck me. Wouldn’t that be good? Everywhere, a jungle that only I could navigate.

And with that, and breathed out, and in. And stopped concentrating.

The world turned green.

A maze of plants swirled around, like a tsunami of nature.

Literal maize was included in that.

The wolves howled, but they could not see. Writhing through the undergrowth, I squeezed out a gap on the other side, and ran up to the posts, where Mya, Sasha, and Dean were tied. Only Dean was no longer there. I suspect he freed himself.

Cheater.

I released the gags from their mouths, and hacked at the ropes to no avail. Desperate times call for desperate measures. I bit it, and pulled.

It came off, and Sasha woke, coughing. She stared at me with wide eyes, shaking. And then she hugged me.

"OMG, Fay! I haven’t seen you in-” She coughed and spluttered noisily. “Two years!”

“Are you okay?”

“No. This weird guy strangled me when I was in the Maldives. He took me captive. He woke us up to eat, but nothing else. What going on?”

I glanced up and Mya. She was staring ahead with glassy, unfocused eyes.

“I’m not sure even I know, to be honest,” I replied, before shaking Mya.

“Mya? Mya! Are you okay? Wake up!”

“Um, Fay, if she’s not a robot, which I do have my doubts about, she hasn’t eaten since she got here. She’s probably dead.”

I whirled around.

“What?! No, she can’t be dead!”

“Mission completed. Transferring data. Self-destruct in three… two… one…”

And Mya exploded into a puddle, showering everyone with water.

“What was that?

“That-” Hayden struggled. He had lugged himself over. I tried not to laugh at the bluebell growing on his forehead. “was your mother’s last gift to you,” he groaned with distaste.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, as your mother’s last dying power, she created that - creature-” he spat, “to take care of you. Her mission, to take care of you, was interrupted by my Destin. She was altered. Her mission now? To deliver me to you.”

“What?!”

Hayden laughed. “You stupid, little girl,”

“Stop insulting me. You know I’ve won,”

He sighed. “I guess you’re right.”

Sasha blinked. “Um, I guess no one’s going to tell me what’s going on…?”

I turned to her.

“I… I…”

Sasha screamed. “Fay, look out!”

I swung my head round sharply. Hayden was grinning as a wolf followed his commands, dive-bombing Sasha. It took hold of her collar, and dragged her over the cliff edge.

“No!” I yelled.

I screamed until my voice went hoarse, and I couldn’t scream any more. She couldn't leave me; she was the one of the only people I had left. Tears streamed down my face. My father, my mother, Ash, Mya, and now Sasha. Maybe, the only person left… was Josie.

“You,”

Hayden shrugged. “She was annoying when I tried to give her food. She deserved it.”

“No one, no one, talks about my friends like that,”

And I shoved him as hard as I could.

He flailed madly, waving his arms as he plummeted off the cliff. I stared into his terrified face, horror building in me as I did so. What had I done? The poor guy probably didn’t even know what he was doing. What was it about his mistress? She probably made him do it…

I dunno. He did try to kill me; he probably deserved it.

I turned and sprinted back into the jungle, which was once a field upon the cliff.