Chapter Sixteen – Is This Vengeance (Saturday, January 21, 1995)
“I just don’t see the point,” I say, rolling over in my bed to look up at the ceiling. Forget the whole past life excuse, that’s really not my reason, I just don’t want a relationship.”
“For someone who doesn’t, you sure talk a lot about it. Do you like him?” Taryn asks who is sitting at the edge of my bed.
“That’s not the point,” I say.
“Its not?”
I sit up and lean my back against the bed board and say, “I might be the only teenager at my school who doesn’t want a relationship or sex or anything that seems normal and I have Teresa who keeps bothering me about it.”
“I’m sorry if—”
“Don’t worry, you’re not. You know, it was only five seconds…” I say, making Taryn look at me questionably.
The phone that I’ve been carrying in my bag that Zar-Q gave everyone begins to ring. I jump since this is the first time that it’s ever gone off and I am grateful that it did. I hop off the bed and dig for the phone in my bag. It’s bulky and I really hope that Z makes that smaller model he’s been talking about. I already have enough items in this small bag and this phone doesn’t help with the load.
“Hello?” I ask.
“Hey, Anya, good news, I got a red flag on that kid from your school,” Zar-Q tells me.
“Really, who?”
“Rob and I think you’re right about him being Russell’s son. That’s one of the reasons why it took me so long to get any information on him.”
“Really,” I smile at Taryn. “Oh hey, Teresa was supposed to be going to the movies with him tonight, we’ll check it out.” I hang up the phone and say to Taryn, “Want to go to the movies with me?”
“Won’t Kyle be jealous?” she laughs.
“Oh don’t you start,” I grab my backpack and we both head downstairs. I shout out to my uncle, “We’re going to the movies.”
“Do you want a ride?” Raven asks, walking from his chair in the living room.
“No thanks, we’re good,” I tell him.
“Don’t forget that I’m here if you need anything,” he tells me.
Since my dad left, Raven and I haven’t been that close but he’s been trying. I just don’t want to risk something happening to my uncle so my defense mechanism is keeping him at a distance.
“I know, thanks,” I say, walking outside.
“I love this weather!” Taryn exclaims.
“Why?” I shiver and regret not putting on a sweater. The jeans will have to do.
The movie theatre is attached to a mall that is about ten minutes away. Once we get there, the place is packed with mostly teenagers and twenty-somethings. It’s going to be near impossible to find Teresa and Robby in this mess.
“What do we do now?” Taryn looks at me for answers.
“No idea,” say, defeated. “I think they were going to see a comedy but…I’m sorry, Taryn, I guess I didn’t think this through. Z can only tell us if he’s in an area but with this many people, we might as well head back.”
“Does she have a phone?”
“Nah, a pager but I can never figure those things out, unless….” I take my phone out of my bad and ring Z. “Hey, if I give you my friend’s pager number, could you message her that we’re outside waiting? You can, that’s great, thanks.”
After giving Zar-Q Teresa’s number, Taryn and I sit against the wall of the movie theatre and wait.
“Thanks, by the way for helping me in math, not sure if I told you that,” I say.
“You’re welcome, just part of my job.”
“Do you want to be a teacher when you get older?”
“I’ve thought about it but with you-know-what I don’t think it’s possible,” Taryn says with a sigh. “What about you?”
“I never really thought about it. I’ve always wanted to travel…I guess being able to teleport has made that easier for me.”
As the time passes, I have to wonder if Teresa got the page. It’s starting to feel a little awkward not being able to come up with things to say. Thankfully Teresa and Robby walk out of the movie theatre. We stand and greet them.
“You’re late,” she says, hands on her hips.
“Must have gotten the time wrong,” I lie.
“Ty is meeting up at Robby’s place if you want to come with. Going to have some drinks and there’s this action movie that Robby wants me to see,” Teresa says as we walk down the street.
“No car?” I ask.
“It’s in the shop,” Robby finally speaks.
“What about your parents?”
“Out of town.”
“Come on Jen, relax,” Teresa says, nudging me.
I wasn’t planning on going to Robby’s house and neither did Taryn. I know that she doesn’t get along well with Teresa so she must feel out of place right now. I’m not even sure why I still hang out with Teresa. We’ve been friends since middle school but she’s always been the girl that has to be in the spotlight and date any cute guy that she meets. For me, Robby isn’t that attractive. It could be my suspicion of him or that his hair is too curly and short, unlike…
“Why didn’t Ty come to the movies?” I ask, disrupting my own thoughts.
“He was going to, but something came up at his job, which doesn’t matter since you showed up late anyway with your friend,” Teresa says.
Feeling a bit uncomfortable, I tell her, “Yep, but if you two want to be alone, we can take off.”
“Don’t mind Teresa, besides there’s something I want to show you guys,” Robby cuts in.
It only takes us twenty minutes to finally reach Robby’s house, which is a small two bedroom, one story home.
“Drinks are in the fridge, I’ll be right back,” Robby says, walking into what I assume is his bedroom.
Teresa walks into the kitchen and takes out a wine cooler, “You two want one?”
“No thanks,” I say, looking over at Taryn who is sitting on the sofa, looking through a magazine that was placed on the coffee table. It’s about cars so I doubt she’s interested, just trying to look busy.
“Okay,” Robby says, walking out of the room and looking straight at me. “Just got off the phone and despite what I was told, I’m going to show you something. I wasn’t expecting company tonight besides your friend here.” My eyes narrow as I watch Robby walk into the kitchen. He takes out a bottle and downs the liquid inside of it. “I have to say, this planet is very boring, feels like punishment being here.”
Taryn looks up slightly and I am kicking myself for bringing her along. She’s only used her powers a handful of times and if we get out of this, I need to start training her. I think we might be ahead of ourselves here.
“Robby, what are you talking about?” Teresa questions, placing her untouched bottle on top of the yellow countertop.
“The funny thing is this isn’t natural.” Robby walks to the end of the kitchen and places his hand on the wall, his head lowered. “My father did this to me and he expects me to follow his rules.”
I take a few steps back, getting closer to Taryn; I pull out a teleportation potion. If this goes bad fast, I don’t want her here. Teresa will be harder to get out since she is so close to Robby. I don’t know what he can do or how fast he can move. I toss the potion to Taryn and it lands on her lap. She looks down at it but doesn’t use it. Instead Taryn takes a hold of the potion and tucks it away.
The area around the wall where Robby’s hand is starts to vanish, disintegrating into nothing. He turns around and smiles, “They told us to only observe but I never liked listening to my father. Especially since they told us that you will go to them.” Laughing he adds, “I’ve never tried my powers on another human before. Objects seem to vanish when I touch them but what would happen if I touched you and released my power.” He begins to walk to the exit of the kitchen but instead stops at the edge of it. “I don’t care either way what happens or what’s going on.” I can see that Teresa is both worried and confused on what’s happening here. I have to get to her. My right eye twitches as Robby takes a step back, “But I do love watching chaos unfold and the things I’ve heard about you.” Robby places his hand on Teresa’s shoulder and before I can scream out my friend since I was twelve vanishes in front of my eyes.”
I can feel myself shake as a deep, dark feeling begins to rise within me and the voice says, “Release the anger that you feel and let go.”
My heart rate drops as I look down at the ground and I tell Taryn, “Get out.”
She clutches the potion and hesitates, “I can’t leave you here.”
Robby grins and takes a step towards me.
“Taryn, now!” I scream as a grin appears on my face. I look up to face Robby, my eyes a deep purple. I then realize that I’m watching what is taking place from a corner in my mind; I am no longer in control of my body.
I can hear the door slam behind me and without a phone, Taryn has no way to contact anyone, save for the potion that is in her hands.
“So they’ve been talking about me,” words that are not my own escape my lips in a tone that is more seductive than my own. “Let me introduce myself properly, my name is Saturn. Shame that you won’t be able to tell your daddy about me but I’m sure they’ll be able to figure out.”
“Give me back my body!” I scream.
Saturn reaches back and pulls out a large staff with blades on either side and twirls it around to the front. I can feel what she is doing but she needs my body to do it. The potion that healed Kyle and the one I pulled out for Taryn was from the same place that Saturn just pulled out that weapon: the Void. Somehow there’s a rip, a small connection to this realm and to the Void hovering behind me. Is this how she’s been able to stay connected with me?
“Stop thinking and enjoy the show,” Saturn says to herself or to myself rather.
Are we that connected that we can feel and know what we are both thinking? Is she using my rage against Robby as energy to keep her at the forefront? I look out to see Robby, still smiling.
Saturn then rushes towards Robby, twirling the large weapon in her right hand. Robby tries to dodge but Saturn is too fast and cuts into his side and he screams out in pain, “I don’t show mercy for the weak.” Saturn then spins around and thrusts the blade into his stomach, causing blood to pour out onto the kitchen cupboards and onto my clothes.
“Not like this,” I cry out, feeling both anger and regret.
Saturn pulls out the blade from Robby’s insides and then places the weapon back into the Void from which it came. There has to be a way to gain control, something that can drag her back into my mind. Two people already dead, there doesn’t need to be any more bloodshed. However the scary part of it all is that deep down into my soul, I enjoy this. I can feel the fire of rage burning and it feels fantastic.
“You see, this is why you need me,” Saturn says aloud. She turns around and heads for the front door.
“No.” Taryn might still be outside, waiting; I can’t risk her life or any of my other friends. I can’t control what Saturn does and I can’t imagine what she is capable of.
“Changed your mind that fast, have we? I know you like what you’re feeling.”
“Give. Me. Control.” My arms stretch out on both sides and there is an explosion, taking the house up in flames.
Taryn, out of breath, rushes through the catacombs, screaming, “Anyone, I need help!”
“I’m not the computer guy, you might as well call..” Kyle stops midsentence with his conversation with Zar-Q once he hears Taryn’s cries. He rushes out into the hallway and sees Taryn, dripping in sweat, her blue eyes showing fear. “What’s going on?”
“We…he was…Robby just—“
Kyle looks over at Zar-Q who says, “They were going to the movies to meet up with Rob. I told Anya that I believe he’s Russell’s son. With the computers frozen I can’t—“
“Robby’s house—“ Taryn gets out.
Kyle takes out a potion and throws against the wall without hesitation. He holds onto Taryn’s arms and looks into her eyes to say, “Remember where you were and the magic will do the rest.”
Taryn nods and looks at the portal. Taking a deep breath and holding back the urge to run in the opposite direction, she steps into the portal, followed by Kyle.
They arrive in front of a house, which is currently on fire and surrounded by firefighters.
“Where’s Anya?” Taryn asks in a small voice, scanning the area. “Do you have a phone? Can’t you call her?”
Kyle curses, “I left it back at the castle.” He looks at Taryn, “What happened?”
“I don’t…this fire wasn’t here,” Taryn takes a deep breath, “Robby made Anya’s friend vanish and that’s when she told me to leave so I ran out to get help. I’m sorry—I just stood outside, looking at the house, I didn’t know what to do, I don’t know how long I stood out there.”
“Come on, let’s head back, there’s nothing we can do now.”
They teleport back to the castle where Kyle takes Taryn to Celestria in hopes that she can calm Taryn down.
“I’m going back to try to find her,” Kyle says.
“What about the tracking system?” Celestria asks.
“Zar-Q is having issues with it,” Kyle replies, annoyed.
A door slamming causes everyone to pause. Zar-Q is busy working on the computers and Tom is staying in a room at the pub, making sure the thugs from yesterday don’t return.
“Make sure Taryn is alright, I’ll check it out,” Kyle says, leaving the room.
He walks down the hallway to the door that leads to my room. He takes in a deep breath before opening it. “Are you alright?” Kyle rushes to the bed.
“No.”
Kyle sits on the bed.
“I just want to be alone right now,” I mutter.
I managed to drive Saturn back into my mind and although faint I can still feel her. I need to keep those that I know far away from me. What would have happened if Taryn stayed in that house? Would a third person have died tonight?
I lay my head down on my pillow and face away from Kyle, tears streaming from my eyes. I need to create walls in my mind and heart in order to keep everyone safe.
