“Mum, where are you?” she stood up and started looking around.
“You can’t see me Cindy, but that doesn’t matter. All that matters is I’m here and I’m helping you.” Her mum said.
“Mum, I miss you so much!” Cindy called out.
“I miss you too honey, but I’ve been watching over you, and I’m very proud of you.”
“You are?”
“Yes Cindy, your father and I couldn’t be any prouder. We believe in you Cindy, and all you have to do is believe in yourself. If you believe in yourself, you’ll be able to use your power and save everyone here. Look at Heath. Look at Callie, Brant, Chelley and Amy. They need you.”
Cindy looked at Heath, who was still holding his arm and grimacing in pain. She looked at Callie and Chelley, who had rolled down the bank, unconscious and also in pain. It looked like Callie had broken her leg. Amy and Brant were huddled together on the ground amidst the shooters. “Okay mum,” she replied, determined.
“Honey, we love you, enjoy the rest of your life,” her mum farewelled her.
“Yes mum, I will. Love you two too!”
Cindy stood up and prepared herself but time started again faster than she expected. And before she knew it, there was a bullet flying at her! She started to spread her arms and look up towards the sky, but she wasn’t going to do it in time.
“Cindy!” Heath yelled out and dived in front of her, taking the bullet.
Cindy kept her preparation going and the scream came and soon enough the white light came with it. She concentrated as hard as she could. She had to make sure none of them were left. She finished and the men were all on the ground.
Brant and Amy were still getting to their feet when she saw Chelley struggling to carry Callie up the hill. But her first priority was Heath. She bent down on her knees and felt for his pulse. He was still alive, but in his last moments. He was saying something, “Speak up Heath, I can’t hear you!” she said looking into his eyes. The rain made it impossible for her to hear, but she could tell he wanted her to get the statue. She ran over to it, picked it up and carried it back to Heath.
“Now what?” she asked.
“Destroy it, I want this to be over,” he willed.
The ring, Cindy desperately searched her pockets. She’d forgotten all about it! Her fingers touched something, she grabbed it and pulled it out of her pocket. The opal on top of the ring glistened in the rain.
She studied the statue, looking for something that the ring could do. Her fingers probed the statue all over, but she couldn’t find any places for the ring. “Put it on,” a freakish voice instructed her. “Go on, put it on,” the voice whispered again.
Cindy had a feeling that she was the only one who could hear this voice, and she was desperate, so she did what she was told and slid the ring onto her index finger.
Bright colours flashed all around her and started to swirl in different patterns, making Cindy feel nauseous. She felt like she was being taken somewhere, to a sacred place.
Suddenly she was in a place that looked like an ancient temple. “Cindy,” the freakish voice called out to her, “Turn around.”
She turned around and jumped back, for there was a half-elephant half-human standing behind her, smiling creepily. “What do you want?” she asked it.
“It’s not what I want, it’s what you want. You want to destroy me.” The creature looked down at her, it was very tall.
“Yes, that’s true, what are you going to do about it?” Cindy challenged.
“No, no. Don’t worry. I’m glad that you are doing this. My purpose was not to be used for evil, or good,” the creature turned its head to one side.
“I don’t understand,” Cindy answered; the tomb was freaking her out.
“I don’t expect you to, look,” the creature pointed with its trunk at its forehead. There was an empty space there. “You know what to do.”
Cindy looked at the ring on her finger, then at the creature again. “I’m glad someone as brave as you is going to do this,” the creature admitted. “The ring has another purpose you know…” the elephant-human looked deep into her eyes. “Do it!” It screeched, suddenly irate. Cindy clenched her fist and gently placed the opal part of the ring in its forehead.
The colours whirled around her again and she was taken back to
“Good work,” he spluttered, then went still.
“Heath, no!” Cindy shouted and started shaking his shoulders. All of a sudden she remembered what the statue had told her, the ring had another purpose. Could it save Heath? She thought back to when it looked her in the eyes.
Her hand started moving towards Heath’s, and Cindy knew what to do. She put the ring on Heath’s finger. Suddenly his eyes opened, “Cindy,” he murmured, his eyes still closed. He was alive!
1 comment:
Wow, I really, really enjoyed the move into the surreal with the elephant-human. I could picture it all really clearly (which is a tad disconcerting).
And for a minute I did think you were going to kill Heath (you cold hearted bas...). Interesting you didn't make his death the end of the chapter. One chapter to go!
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