Chapter 16 and 17 of Laura

16
I grabbed my shield and sword and stood between Ameretta and Imani as we marched out the doors of the hotel. I took a shaky breath as I watched the massive Roman forces move towards us. I felt a wave of doubt sweep through me. Already the Roman ranks had swollen to nearly twice its original size. I felt sick to my stomach at the thought of fighting nearly 400 people and I knew more were still pouring in, now that the monsters had joined them. But I swallowed my fear and prepared to fight.
The sea of bodies shot forward and I immediately was thrust into battle.
Chaos filled the field with screams, explosions, and howls. Ameretta was like a demon as she cut through the ranks. Imani was holding her own with the limited training she had. We were soon covered in multiple kinds of monster dust. I heard a new roar of fighters back us up. Ameretta sliced at an opponent and I covered her, blocking a move that would have sliced her in two. We fought for what seemed like ages, a big angry struggling mass that never let any side have favor for very long at a time. As I fought, the battle was crazy, screams of anger and pain crossing each other. I cut down many Romans but they just kept coming, an endless sea of purple. The tang of blood was on the air. I was swept away from my friends, then brought back, again and again. For a moment I had free time and I wiped my sword blade on my shirt, smiling evilly, the heat of the battle influencing my emotions. I fell in beside Ameretta and Imani again, with the rush of battle.
“Retreat!” I heard Isolde scream. “Retreat, Roman Legion and allies!”
I heard a cannon go off and I spun around. Ameretta's eyes narrowed and pushed us out of the way. I hit the ground hard and searched for her. She was standing by two boys- one armed with the cannon, one with a spear and arrows.
Ameretta had stabbed the boy manning the cannon and grinned at the remaining boy. His eyes widened and he screamed, randomly throwing arrows and punching a button that didn't do anything. One came by us and I knocked it away. Ameretta shouted and ran to us. The boy's eyes widened even more and he started directing his throws at us.
Ameretta leapt in front of me, brandishing her sword. Imani and I surged forward when a blast shot us back. We were knocked to the ground as we saw Ameretta shoot through the air as a spear pierced her gut, followed by what seemed to be almost a sheet of metal. Imani screamed and managed to kill the people who shot Ameretta. I ran over and kneeled down next to her. Ameretta cracked a weak smile and whispered,
“I've always wanted to go down in style.”
“No!” I screamed in horror looking at Ameretta. “You can't die!” Ameretta smiled at me.
“Don't be sad” Ameretta said, brushing my face with one bloody hand. She winced in pain. I felt tears stream down my face as I begged her to stay with me.
Ameretta stared up into the sky, her mouth forming the word, “Althea.”
And now Ameretta died.
I was shaking and I hated how scared and weak I felt. Already tears were streaming down my face as I shook Ameretta's lifeless body in the fading sunlight.
“Ameretta! Wake up!” I screamed. The last desperate calls of battle faded as I shook Ameretta's body. I don't know how long I kneeled there, tears coursing down my face. Dimly I felt hands on my shoulders, turning me to face them. As if in a dream, I saw Iaen and Luke saying something I couldn't hear. Somebody was shaking me and screaming in my ear. I felt the familiar buzz behind my eyes as I slipped into another dream, from one battle to another.
I watched from above as the tiny boat was thrown side- to- side, the woman hunched over the tiny bundle that I knew was the baby. She was humming Greek song of protection under her breath as again and again the boat was nearly upended in a storm.
“Save her!” she screamed to the sky. Lightning shot across it as a wave seemed to battle with itself before slamming against the wooden hull. The glint of a knife shone in the air as she carved a word into the boat before tossing the knife into the sea.
When I came to, it was dark and I was laying on the ground, near Ameretta's bloody body. I stared at the terrible wounds that lacerated her body, completely in shock. I slowly pushed myself up and looked around in a daze. Iaen and Luke were nowhere in sight.
“Ameretta?” I asked quietly, feeling like I was 9 again. I felt shaken and confused.
“Ameretta!” I cried, my hands hitting the grass. Ameretta's eyes were open and glazed. I listened to her heart. It was silent. Slowly, I pushed on her chest, mimicking CPR. I couldn't think and I didn't know what else to do. I heard running footsteps behind me, but I ignored them. I had no more tears left and dry sobs wracked my body. Strong hands pulled me off her and I screamed, fighting with them. The hands cupped my face and Iaen's face came into view. I stopped fighting and looked at him with red eyes.
“I don't know what else to do.” I whimpered, collapsing down to my knees. Iaen knelt, and gathered me up in his arms, holding me as I cried. He caressed my hair and I felt a drop of water fall on my cheek. I looked up to see Iaen silently begin to cry with me. It was the first time I had ever seen him cry. I heard rustling as Iaen began to stand and pulled me to my feet.
“It- It's gonna be alright Althea.” Iaen said quietly. I let Iaen lead me back as I tried to control my breathing. Inside, people watched as I stumbled to a quiet room where Iaen sat me down on a chair and handed me a cup of water. My hands shook. I looked up at Iaen, my tangled hair falling in my face.
“I couldn't do anything Iaen. They just hit her with the cannon, and that boy threw the spear. She s-saved me.” I whispered. Iaen nodded.
“Lisa and Imani told me. Ameretta knew what she was doing. You are too important to-”
“No I'm not Iaen!” I screamed, my plastic cup exploding as crumpled it in my hand. I shot to my feet as the cup fell to the ground. I felt a wind swirl around me with the water from the cup as I stared at him. “I'm no more important than anyone here! I'm not important enough to die for!” Fear, anger, and frustration all climaxed into an overwhelming storm that surrounded me. Lightning crackled around my head, and I felt out of control.
Iaen stared at me for a second, then took a step forward, into my storm.
“Look at me Laura Althea. Without you...” Iaen whispered, “I have a feeling we're toast.”
I pushed him.
“I'm the reason they came!” I shouted, my storm increasing in velocity. Iaen's eyes blazed.
“It's not your fault!” Iaen countered in a voice barely concealing a roar. I held his gaze for a second and collapsed to the floor, new tears rolling down my face. I was an emotional wreck.
“I can't take this anymore.” I cried as the wind stopped and the water fell to the ground with a boom. Iaen was still for a moment then quietly sat down and wrapped his thin arms around my shoulders as I cried. Soon I felt him shaking too and I just let him hold me as I drifted off to sleep.
When I woke up, I was covered in soft sheets. For a moment I just kept my eyes closed as warm sunlight shone on me. Finally I fluttered my eyes open. I immediately recognized the room where I was as my own. I ran my fingers through my tangled hair and traced the crusty tear lines from last night. I froze as I heard voices outside the door.
“-she's only eleven, Will. Can you imagine being eleven and having as much responsibility as she does? Can you imagine being eleven and fighting in a war?”
“She's eleven, yes. But she is quite posibly the only one who can save us. How much longer can we hang on? We are outnumbered, Iaen. We do not have the manpower or weaponry to win this war without her powers.”
“Her powers are completely unknown and uncontrolled. Last night was the first time I've ever seen her access them, and that was under incredible grief, fear, and anger. Can you-”
“But it was a powerful storm, was it not? What if she learns to access that-”
“What if she falls into the dream-world during a battle? She could be killed. Using her power could kill her. We don't know, and I can't risk losing her.”
“Can't or won't? Because if it's can't, we can't afford not to use her.”
The two walked away, and I lay still for a moment, processing what I just heard. I felt nothing for a moment, completely numb.
I sat up and slid out of my bed. On a chair was a long simple white dress. I noticed I was still in my bloody clothing. I grabbed my clothes and headed down to the showers. My thoughts were disjointed and clashed weirdly together.
When I walked down the halls, it was empty. I guessed everybody was out fighting. I pushed up the door to the bathroom and walked into a shower stall.
As the water ran through my hair and ran down my back, my muddy head slowly cleared. Yes, I did cry again when my mind came to Ameretta. Everything that had happened in the last few days rushed past my closed eyes. As the water slowly changed from warm to cold, everything fell into place in my mind, even the pieces I didn't know yet. I turned off the water and grabbed a fluffy white towel.
I emerged from the bathroom in my dress, barefooted. The halls were still deadly silent as I walked. I walked past the kitchen and dining room, knowing I wouldn't be able to eat. When I came to the work- in- progress infirmary it was quiet, except the occasional hushed word or moan. I knew the few people that were awake would soon realize that the blanket- covered bodies were not just asleep, but dead. And then they'd realize who exactly was on the end of the line.... I shook my head and kept walking. I came to a window and saw one heck of a battle going on outside. The door was locked from the outside as I pulled on it. And I knew the windows were impenetrable. Frustration and anger began to rise in me again. Already things were raising around me as I pounded on the door, scared to think that Iaen and Luke would die and leave me like Ameretta did. Finally I stopped and sank to my knees. I felt wild and weird. The things fell back to the ground as I wandered back to my room.
Somebody had left a stack of books on a chair and I picked one of them up at random and nearly laughed. It was a book about a boy who had a god for a parent. The author had no idea how right he was. I dropped it on my bed and picked up another one. It was the first Harry Potter book. I flipped it open at random and sunk down onto my bed. It was good. I went back to the beginning and read for a while.
Reading helped me escape the nightmare that was my life, and the fact that I wasn't the only person living in a world gone mad somehow comforted me.
I finished after about an hour, and closed the book in my hands. I dropped it on the ground and picked up the next.
As I flipped the book open, it hit me: Where had I learned to read? From the time I was 6, I had always been able to read. From the moment I opened my eyes so many years ago, I knew what the words around me meant. I had stopped breathing for a moment and I took a deep breath.
I shook my head and pushed the thought to the edge of my consciousness. No point torturing myself with things I didn't have the information for.
And I plunged into another well written story. An hour later, I grabbed a particularly thick novel about a boy and a dragon. The three sequels were underneath.
When I looked up from the first book, it was almost dark outside. I shut the book and shambled out into the hall.
People were rushing in, sweaty and bloody. A few glanced at me, and I slipped back in my room and slid under my covers, not wanting to be seen.
That night I relived Ameretta's death, made more horrible with the distorted view of a nightmare. I woke up screaming, which terrified Sonja, who had come back from the battle while I was sleeping. I felt tears stream down my face as she came over to me.
“What did you see?” she asked. Apparently with all my weird dreams, nightmare's were to be taken seriously.
“Ameretta's death. It was.....” I whispered. “Worse than before.” Sonja stared at me.
“You feel like you're nine a lot, don't you?” she asked. I paused a second before answering.
“Y-yeah.” I replied. Sonja sat down beside me.
“Think about it. You grew up two years physically, but not mentally and emotionally. You and Iaen are going to feel like your other ages.” Sonja explained. “Which makes Ameretta's death worse for you. But I know that she'll make Elysium, and I can almost guarantee she'll make Isles of the Blest eventually, if I know her at all.” Sonja grinned with watery eyes.
“I feel so weak and mixed up.” I said quietly. Sonja rubbed my back.
“I know. She was like a big sister to me.” Sonja said. I looked at her.
“She was like a, a mother to me.” I said, the realization hitting me. “That's what she was to all of us.” Sonja closed her eyes and stood up.
“I know. I-” Sonja left and slid into her bed, “can't believe she's gone.” she finished under her breath.
I didn't dream for the continuing portion of the night.














17

Funny when you're grieving, you don't notice that you're hurt until the pain of the death started to fade away.
When I woke up in the morning, my back was on fire and when I placed my hand where I could reach and pulled it back, it was covered in blood.
I had Sonja look at it. I'd rather have her check than anyone else. Except for maybe Ameretta. But she was gone. And while I was sleeping, they burned her.
I had a very long, thin wound down my back. When I had twisted in my sleep, I must have agitated it.
I would have gone out to fight during the next few days but Iaen forbade me, threatening a lot of things, including making me watch the little kids instead of fighting. He said I was shaken, injured, and wasn't thinking clearly. He enlisted help from a child of Hestia, who charmed the door lock to open for anyone but me, and installed a bathroom. (That bit of magic knocked the girl out for a day, even with the help of Hestia herself). I finished reading the stack of books, and tried to access the powers I had discovered recently, but nothing happened, except once. On the fifth day, I grew exceptionally angry at the world and Iaen, and called him several stupid names, and started a snow storm in the bathroom.
I hate it when guys have good ideas.
Finally, on the 14th I was let out of my room. Iaen joked that I had run out like there was a fire.
After my cut was checked and bandaged, I grabbed my sword and got prepared for battle, my leather and metal armor snug against my back and chest.
My sword swung from side to side as I got into the mindset of battle. But every time I closed my eyes, Ameretta was behind them. At the front line, Iaen raised his hand, and yelled. We then rushed forward and I screamed, “FOR AMERETTA!”
Just like before, time was disjointed as I sliced down dozens of monsters and Romans. I was a whirlwind of death, of anger.
When I stood alone, bodies twitching below me, I surveyed the field. Only a few small skirmishes remained. And it was barely dinner time.
I quickly ended the handfuls of miniature fights, one of which Alex was fighting in. He nodded to me.
“Thanks Althea.” Alex was serious for a moment, then his mouth broke into a smile.
“We kicked their little-” he started before Carmen ran up and tackle- hugged him.
“D'you think that we might win this yet?” he yelled as we walked inside. Alex jumped up.
“Yeah!” Alex laughed. I raised an eyebrow.
“There's still time to eat in the dining room, heroes.” I said. Immediately, Alex and Carmen were gone.
I didn't eat dinner that night, though I heard that the kitchen fridge would be dishing out full meals at a time. I walked quickly to my room, not hungry at all.
I quickly spun my sword and it shrunk into its marble form. I undid my armor, breathing hard. It dropped to the ground as I ran into the bathroom.
There was a shower in there, in case you hadn't guessed that from my 8 days in my pretty jail- I mean, room.
I threw off as my clothes and stepped into the shower, letting the blood and dirt run off my face.
It was almost 9 o'clock before I stepped out. Sonja, Bob, and Casey were asleep as I got into my pj's and slipped into my bed.
The last thing I felt before I slipped into sleep was my wet hair on my cheek.

When I woke up, it was still dark. I sat up and grabbed yesterdays clothes and ran it under the water, watching blood and dirt float out of the jeans and shirt. When nothing came out anymore, I brought it over to the hand dryer that Casey had demanded. (She is very into going green.)
It only took a minute for the clothes to be soft and warm, so I slipped on the warm red shirt and the dark blue jeans and got into my tennis shoes.
I'm guessing it was around 5 in the morning when I left my room. I found Iaen and Luke waiting outside my door, snoring away.
“Luke! Iaen!” I shouted. They jolted awake, tumbling over each other. I stifled a laugh. “What's up?”
“Whaah?” Iaen asked, rubbing his dark eyes as Luke untangled himself.
“No, just pour ice water on us and turn invisible,” Luke muttered, glaring at me.
“Never mind that. So what were you doing outside my door, besides sleeping?” I demanded, a hand on my hip.
Both boys turned beet red. “Um..”
“Whatever. I'm starving. Let's eat.” I marched off towards the cafeteria, leaving a stunned pair of boys who, if I was watching, looked at each other, shook their heads and continue after me.
“Why's she so happy?” I heard Luke whisper. I didn't know myself. All I knew was that I was done feeling sorry for myself and grieving. It was time for war. People died everyday. I could be one of them, or not. I just had to keep on moving forward.
The cafeteria was empty as I walked up to the kitchen door. Iaen and Luke came in behind me. “I'm going to somehow finish this place up.” I announced as they came up behind me. I spun around.
“How did you get all the paint and tools anyway? I mean, we're in the woods. I get that we have enough wood to build with, but paint and tools?” I suddenly asked. It took a second for either boy to answer.
“It was Prometheus. He bought it at a mortal store. We'll have to make a run soon for anything else..... but we did find a very large stack of money in what your room is, before you came. The stuff was everywhere,” Luke answered.
“But what happens when we run out?” I asked.
“We'll figure it out.” Iaen assured me, clamping a hand on my shoulder and steering me into the kitchen.
“Hey Luke, what time is it?” I asked, trying to make out the time on his watch.
“Don't know. It broke. I'm going to get Christopher to look at it.”
“Oh,” I looked down at my food. (Bacon and eggs w/ orange juice, just so you know.)
“But I'd guess it is around 6 in the morning.” Iaen said quietly.
“Awesome, thanks.” I said.
For the next few minutes, the only sound was forks and spoons scraping against plates and bowls.
“Laura....?” Luke said hesitantly. I looked up.
“Yes?” I asked. Luke looked nervous.
“Is it just me or..” he paused, glancing at Iaen. “Are you acting like Ameretta?”
I stared at Luke. “What?”
“It's just... it seems like you are trying to be her.” Luke looked down, blushing.
I leaned back in my chair, struggling to grasp what he was saying. “I-”
“No. It's alright. But that role isn't for you. It isn't you, and it doesn't fit.” Luke seemed to being unable to say what he wanted.
“No. It's- it's alright. I'm just.. taken off guard.” I stuttered. And I meant it. I was kind of pleased though. I always wished I could be more like Ameretta.
The sun was starting to creep in through the windows.
“B-bye guys.” I said, scarfing down the last few bits of egg and bacon.
“Uh... bye.” Luke and Iaen replied uneasily.