LAILAH
NINETEEN
“Lala, come on. You haven’t been able to spend any time with me since you got back,” Cami whined, sprawled across my bed. “I have this whole day planned out. I just need you to come with us.”
Maggs sat in one of the armchairs in my room, looking at her girlfriend with a raised eyebrow. “If you keep acting like that, no one will want to hang out with you.”
Cami shot up and looked at her, wide-eyed. “Even you?!”
“How ’bout you stop being so needy and we just don’t find out, okay?” Maggs suggested as she turned to me. “We do really have a fun day planned and would love to have you join us.”
“It’s still winter break, and you have been working the WHOLE time,” Cami pointed out, her face so hopeful.
“Fine. I was going to get some reading done, but you’re right. It could wait a little longer,” I sighed, giving in.
Cami shot off my bed, hooting and hollering while doing this odd little dance. “Alright, now you have to dress warm. We’re gonna be outside. I’m gonna get snacks from Sarah and meet you downstairs when you’re ready.”
It didn’t take me long to pull on some extra layers and thick wool socks, beating them to the door.
Cami arrived with a basket filled with goodies for us to eat wherever we ended up.
Thankfully, Maggs pulled up in her SUV and we piled in, not having to cram into Cami’s little Fiat.
Chatting as we drove, the time flew by until we were pulling down a dirt road that was easy to find with all the other vehicles that had made the journey.
We ended up in an open field with a large pond with people ice skating on it.
“Guys, are we really going ice skating?” I asked excitedly.
“As long as you promise not to show me up, because something about your reaction tells me you’ve done this before,” Cami laughed, seeing me almost bouncing in my seat.
“I love ice skating, but I haven’t been able to talk anyone into going with me, and it’s not fun when you’re by yourself.” I grinned, clapping my hands. “This was such a great idea, Cami.”
“Now you’re getting in the spirit! And you wanted to stay home and read. This is why you need me in your life, otherwise you would miss out on all the fun stuff ,” Cami announced as she hopped out of the car.
We headed to the little wooden hut where they were renting the skates, and soon we were on the ice.
My family wasn’t big into sports, but hockey was one that Kyle played, so I got to take figure skating while he had practice.
Once I discovered my love for track, though, that fell by the wayside.
After a few steps, the feeling of it came back to me as if I’d never taken time off.
Cami was a little more unsteady, but a few laps around the pond and she was skating circles around me.
I was glad that there weren’t many people out today, meaning we didn’t have to fight for space on the ice.
When we were ready to take a break, Cami slipped off her skates and grabbed the snacks from the car.
“Thank you so much for doing this, Cami. It’s been one of the best days,” I said as she handed me hot chocolate. “Holy shit. This stuff is amazing.”
“Right? There is this old man in town who makes it. It’s ruined all other hot chocolate for me for the rest of my life,” Cami said, hugging her cup.
“I thought it might be from there, Parker took me the other day,” I shared as I savored the chocolaty goodness.
Our peaceful moment was cut short as a woman screamed, drawing our attention back to the lake.
There stood a man, his hair wild, clothes torn and disheveled, holding a little boy in his arms with a knife to his throat.
It took me a moment to realize he was also on the end of the pond that had thinner ice and had been marked off by cones.
“Oh, Synergy. Come out, come out, wherever you are. I would hate for something awful to happen to this little boy,” the man said as he dissolved into crazed laughter.
I tossed aside my drink and rushed towards the pond without even a second thought. I could hear Cami and Maggs hot on my heels, refusing to let me deal with this on my own.
No, no, no. This couldn’t be happening right now.
The Dark Lord had warned me that something was going to happen and that others would be affected by it, but I didn’t think this was how it was going to happen. What reason would this possessed man have to harm an innocent child?
When I reached the lake, I had to slow down and carefully make my way across the ice now that I was back in my normal shoes.
“What a good little Knight you are, rushing to the rescue of this poor boy,” the man said, his eyes wild and his grin manic. “Oh goody, you have friends with you! This is going to be so much more fun!”
Sliding to a stop a few feet before him, I lifted my hands, motioning him to stop as he took another step backwards. “Wait,” I begged. “Please, just tell me what you want. You have my full attention. There is no reason to do anything to that child.”
Panic pulsed through my veins, unsure of what I could possibly do.
“What I want… hahaha. Synergy, this has nothing to do with me. I am but a humble servant of the Dark Lord,” he said with pride.
“Did you know that I responded to the serum so well that I don’t need to be taken over by another?
He said that I was dark enough all on my own.
Can you imagine that? As a now enhanced human with my inhibitions taken away, I am evil enough to rival a demon. ”
It was no secret there were dark and evil people in the world that did horrible things, but to be face to face with one such person was not something I had planned on experiencing. “Who are you? If we are making introductions, it only seems fair I know who you are.”
“Marvin Brown is who I was, but now I was given the name Ubel by the masters I serve, to match the evil that lives inside of me,” he answered, giving a slight bow and causing the little boy to whimper.
“So, Ubel, tell me what happens now?” I questioned.
Ubel gave me a smile that was more teeth than anything as he took another step back and slammed his heel into the ice, shattering a hole.
“The Dark Lord wants to remind you that all that is to come is your doing. Their blood will be on your hands as much as mine, Synergy. The only way to make it stop is to kill me or surrender before the body count becomes too high.”
Before I could even react, Ubel dropped the boy into the icy water with a shriek and disappeared in a puff of tell-tale demonic green smoke.
Bolting forward, I slipped, slamming my knees against the ice, but I didn’t care as I scrambled as fast as I could to the hole.
The surface had already started to freeze again, so I punched it with my fist, pulling the shards of ice out of my way.
Cami and Maggs were beside me doing the same, but we all paused as the ice groaned under our combined weight.
“You need to back up. The ice can’t handle the three of us,” I snapped as I thrust my arms into the water, trying to see if I could grab the boy. “How deep is this pond?”
“This is the deepest part. More than six feet, close to ten,” Maggs answered as she scooted back slightly, Cami less willing to listen.
There’s no other option if I’m going to save this boy. I have to go after him; the water is too dark to see anything.
Peering over my shoulder, I saw Cami’s wide eyes lock on the opening.
Before she could stop me I dove headfirst into the water.
Calling my power to the surface, I threw it out around me, lighting up the murky water with its golden glow.
It gave me enough light that I could see the little boy below me.
Using all my strength, I swam as fast as I could, even as my skin burned against the frigid water.
Reaching out, I grabbed his little hand and pulled him close to me.
I was able to use the bottom of the pond to push off, giving me momentum as I struggled to swim back to the surface.
I prayed that I would be able to find the opening as I felt my lungs burning with the need for oxygen.
As my limbs grew heavy and it was even more of a struggle to keep moving forward, a hand appeared.
Reaching up, I brushed the fingertips of the person, causing them to dart towards me and grasp my wrist. Knowing we were saved, I gave everything I had to kick up the last few inches so other hands could grab hold of us and drag us out of the water.
Gasping for air and coughing, I rolled onto my side as the boy was pulled from my arms. People were frantically shouting and moving around me, but I was so cold it was all I could focus on.
Cami’s face loomed over me, her face tight with fear and anger. “What the fuck were you thinking, Lailah?! You could have died pulling a stunt like that! Hell, you still could if we don’t get you warmed up.”
They both grabbed me and hauled me up, moving to the closest bank instead of crossing the pond like we did before. Once we were on solid ground, they moved as quickly as they could, dragging me towards the SUV.
“The boy,” I croaked, fighting against them. “Did he make it?”
Maggs glanced down at me as she threw open the car door and set me in the passenger seat. Ignoring me, she ran around to start the truck, turning the heat up as high as it could go. Cami started pulling off all my clothes, chucking them into the back of the SUV, muttering to herself still.
“Cami,” I pressed as she yanked my sodden shirt over my head. “I need to know—did the boy live? Is he alright?”
Frowning, she glanced over in the direction of the pond but still wouldn’t talk to me. I tried to turn so I could see what was going on since Cami wouldn’t tell me anything, but she stopped me, cupping my face between her hands.