Chapter 15

“huh?” Scotty’s eyes were focused on the scene, barely listening to me.

“Lil’s hair isn’t red. It’s blonde. And straight” The anxiety I had been feeling all week came rushing back at full force and I was glad I was sitting down.

“How do you know?”

“I know.” I promised quietly.

“You know a witch how?” He lifted a brow.

“It doesn’t matter. That isn’t her.”

“You sure?”

“Absolutely.” I nodded.

“Where is she then?” The way his brow furrowed together said he didn’t believe me.

“And who is that?” I asked, ignoring his question, because I had no idea. Maxx raised his hand, preparing to signal command.

“Prepare your weapons.” A swish sang through the now silent stadium as the Firing Squad lit their flame throwers.

“Aim!” Four officers, including Wes, aimed their throwers at the pyre.

“FIRE!” The final command boomed through the stadium. Arrows flew through the air, striking their mark with practiced precision. The pyre lit with ease, The sound of the flames crackling to life mingled with the roar from the audience until I couldn’t tell the two apart. In a sick rush the entire pyre was on fire, the flames crawled toward the Fake-Lil. She came alive as the fire reached her chair and began to burn slower. Her screeches carried through the glass box and so did the sickening sound of breaking bones as she struggled against the chains. I couldn’t watch. The nausea was heating my body in sick waves, twisted my stomach and threatened the few bits of breakfast I ate this morning. I turned, finding my face buried in Scotty’s chest. He wrapped a casual arm around me and remained solid, as if nothing was happening. My head spun, my vision blurred, and I felt like I was going to pass out.

Pay attention.

A voice whispered over the crowd. No, not over. It drowned out the crowd completely. For a moment, everything but the voice was silent. I blinked, confused. The voice wasn’t like the other. It was different and once again, I was the only one that appeared to have heard it, but to what? What should I have been paying attention to?

I wanted to ask, but my body was frozen. I couldn’t move. I was no longer dizzy, but my entire being was rooted to the stadium seating. The scene from the Burning felt different now, the world around me was distant, like looking through rippling water. The sounds of the crowd were no longer loud, but silenced and when I did move, it wasn’t by my control. It was as if something has possessed me. I was forced to face the stadium ahead, the burning witch on the pyre, but that was when I saw it.

It was in the face of an officer I didn’t recognize by name. Below his curly red hair, his face was invisible, covered by a Grey blob.

What was that?

As I looked from face to face in the crowd, guided by the invisible hand, I saw that the gray blobs cover every face.

Pay attention, the voice repeated.

Whatever moved within me, drew my attention to the section next to us. I was still looking for what I was supposed to pay attention to when I found him. He was sitting in our row, one section over. A hat covered his face, but I would recognize Keith anywhere. The blob covering my friends face is not gray like the others, but was golden beams of light, mixed with a hint of blue.

What was that? I ask again.

The light of those who follow their goddess will never be trampled, the voice said.

I pondered this for a moment, wondering over the gray blobs of many, and the golden blobs of some before the voice’s answer made sense. Witches! The golden blobs are witches! My eyes turned to scan the crowd and I was surprised to see as many golden blobs within the crowd as there were gray.

My focus was drawn to the Pit and the body being consumed by flames. Fake-Lil’s body was pouring black as the flames lick her skin. The sight of it sent chills through my body. She was not a witch, but she’s not a human either. So what was she?

The good and righteous are not the only ones who suffer in the midst of Darkness, the voice answered as if reading my thoughts.

Demons? The black blobs are demons? I watched in amazement, but I didn’t have time to process this as my senses were once again moved and my focus was drawn to the blob where Wes Evergreen was standing. Where I expect a gray blob to shine dully in the flames of the fire, I was shocked to find a golden-blue beam of light just like Keith’s. Wes Evergreen was a witch? How and when? Did he know?

Once again, these thoughts were left without answer as my attention was drawn to the stage where Maxx and my father stood, watching the scene. First I noticed Maxx.

His blob is a mix of green, black, and gray and looked more like something that would be vomited into a toilet. It was nasty and filled me with a deep coldness that ached down to my very muscles.

Beside him, my father stood. His blob covered his hazel eyes with a gray ball of dull light. Mixed in among the gray though, were tiny beams of gold, frail and breakable. I wanted to gasp, but my voice failed. My father was a witch? Was a witch? As in past tense? When? Why didn’t he tell us?

What did any of this mean?

Darkness and light wear many forms. The voice explained.

Darkness? I questioned.

The voice didn’t answer my question as the nausea came back, stronger than before, and the dizziness blurred my vision. I felt myself starting to pass out, but Scotty whispered my name and I managed to focus until the dizziness and nausea are gone and everything returned to normal. Almost.

When I look at the stage where my father and Maxx stood, I noticed a woman. With blonde hair and bright blue eyes, she stood beside my father. She was silent, eyes glowing in the light of the flames that were still alive and wild on the pyre. With movements that were slow and precise, she turned, eyes falling on me. One hand raised and extended a long index finger. I was transfixed, hypnotized by the blonde wearing the toga. The blonde pointing at me.

“Harken Hero. Heed the call of your people, hear the weeping and moaning of the broken and oppressed. Rise before them, reclaim their salvation. You have been chosen, White Queen. Lead the hurting to peace and the oppressed to freedom, reclaim your throne for the glory of the high goddess.-”

She paused here, turning her eyes on Scotty beside me.

“Rise White Knight, defend your Queen that Light may rise from Darkness. Rise warriors who fight for your goddess, defend your Queen in battle and trample the evil that plagues this land.-”

Then she turned to face Wes. “Rise Dark Prince. For you are the salvation of the Queen and her people. Your blood will save or destroy generations. Make your choice for which you will battle.” By the time the words finished echoing through the stadium, the woman was gone, and I thought, for a second, I imagined it.

“What the hell was that?” Scotty asked, breaking the delusion of imagination. I was silent and as shocked as he was.

“You saw that?” I asked when I could finally manage words.

“Yeah. I think so, but I need it explained to me.” He breathed back.

Suddenly, as quickly as they started, the flames are gone. There was no more fake-Lil. The Burning had been completed.

Maxx took to the stage again. “Please join us for the funeral passing of Jonathon Baulder at the lake.”

I shook my head, turning my attention to Scotty. He was pale faced and looked how I felt. It definitely wasn’t a dream or a hallucination. Another vision and I had no answer to his question that would even make sense.

All I could do was shake my head. “No frigging clue.”

He just nodded. “We’ll talk about in the car. It isn’t safe here.” He eyed the other guards around us.

I nodded in agreement. Luckily, it was already time for our section to dismiss and make our way outside.