Distant Lands
Is This The End?

I run into the building bleeding from the bee stings. What were they? They looked like the metal robot mosquitoes Evie showed me, but these were bees. Thank goodness the Academy is not in session right now; otherwise, Lamia would have been around. I reach my room and lock the door behind me. I strip my clothes off, take a quick shower, and change into black jeans and a white shirt. My skin still aches, but the pain is starting to subside. There should be some information on those bee robots online. I search on my computer for information. Those bees must also be controlled by people. The knock at my door startles me, and I quickly turn the computer off.

“Elizabeth,” Ethan calls out. “Are you there?”

I get up and open the door. Ethan barges inside and looks very happy. “Good morning, Niece. We were all thinking of, as you say, hanging out. What do you think?”

I cross my arms, and I kinda want to decline, but his smiling face makes me say yes. With all the bad that has happened, having a good time with people I have become fond of seems like a good idea. There is no way this day can get any worse.

“Sure,” I put on my jacket and follow Ethan.

“Great, Ivan and Emerald are waiting for us outside. We exit the ranch, and Ivan, emerald are having a conversation. Ivan’s eyes light up when he’s talking to Emerald, and Emerald, is she blushing? I suppress a smile. They turn to look at us when we get closer.

“So, what did you guys have in mind?” I ask.

Everyone looks at each other, thinking of what to do. Ivan looks at his watch, searching for something. Ethan shrugs his shoulders.

Emerald’s face lights up, “Oh, I know what we could do. Since there are four of us, we will split up into two teams, and one team will hide in the forest while the other looks for them?”

I narrow my eyes at her, “So, you want to play hide and seek?”

Emerald shrugs a shoulder, “Is that what you call it? It will be a great training exercise. What do you guys say?”

This is Emerald’s idea of fun? I thought they wanted to go out, have something to eat, dance, and hang out. Well, she did look pretty excited when she suggested it. Anyway, I don’t think I really have a choice.

“Well, I’ll play if you guys want.” I look at the guys. “But can we go to a restaurant in the city after? I’m starving.”

“Sure we can. It’ll be fun,” Ivan says.

Emerald slaps my back, and I stumble forward and Ethan catches me. I turn and glare at her. Emerald laughs, “Oh, I’m sorry. I forgot how weak you are.” I feel myself blushing as if she knows what had happened between me and Damon. She continues, “Elizabeth and I will be a team, and we will hide first.”

“Alright,” Ivan looks at his watch. “Time starts… now.”

Emerald and I run towards the forest. She is so fast and passes me, leaving me in the dust. I pick up my pace. She runs deeper to the left of the forest, and I go to the right. Speed is not my strength, so I try to replace a place to hide. I look up at a tree and jump up to grab the tree branch and climb up higher. I sit on a tree branch, trying to quiet my breathing. I can see Ivan and Ethan coming to replace us. They split up to look for us. I stay completely still. Ethan quietly walks below me, each step crunching the forest ground. My stomach grumbles loudly and he stops and listens. I hold my breath thinking I’ve been found, but he continues walking and searching.

I relax, but suddenly below in the distance, I see the same shadow. A chill runs down my spine... there he is again—the shadow man. I knew I couldn’t have imagined him that day in the forest. I stare at him through the branches, and he stares up at me. A black mask conceals his whole body and head. I climb down and slowly head toward the direction where he was standing. As I get closer I see him again. This time he isn’t walking away. I stop. He’s just standing there under the trees, like a scarecrow, not moving.

“Hey! Who are you!?”

He stays silent and just keeps staring at me. Now I don’t feel scared. He is starting to make me mad. “Answer me!” I walk forward, picking up the pace. Without taking my eyes off him, I run faster toward him. Even as he sees me coming, he stays completely still. I stop. I’m standing about one hundred feet away from him; still doesn’t say anything.

“Why do you keep stalking me? Do you know who I am?”

I take a step forward, “Do you know what I am?” That question made his head move a bit but stood still.

“Do you know where I’m from?” This time he took a step forward but stopped. I think this shadow man knows exactly where I’m from. So, they found me sooner than I thought they would.

“Were you sent by the Council?” I ask.

Suddenly he reaches behind his back. Instinctively I remove my tranquilizer gun from my belt, aiming at him. He freezes in place, then suddenly darts behind some trees and runs deeper into the forest. I run forward to chase after him and run into the woods. My footsteps are loud, twigs breaking underneath my feet. I hope the guys and Emerald hear me and come to my aid. I don’t hear his movements anymore. How is this possible? He must have some tech that helps him stay silent, and stay hidden. I stop to listen—my heavy breathing, nothing else. The forest is quiet. I turn around slowly, scanning in between the tree trunks. Suddenly, he appears in front of me, swinging at my face and I duck down, almost falling to the ground. I manage to stand and run in between the trees. I zig-zag around trees trying to avoid him. Running towards where I think my team is at, I stop and turn. I aim my gun in front of me, trying to replace him between the trees.

“What do they want with me?” Suddenly I feel a presence near me, but I don’t see anybody but I sense him. My heartbeat quickens. “What will they do to me?” I ask. There’s no answer, but I still feel him. I sense him circling me, and I slowly turn with him.

Suddenly, I feel a prick on my leg. I gasp and look down at a tranquilizer stuck in my leg. I groan in pain, reach down, pull it out, and throw it to the ground. “Dammit.” It’s over. I hear branches breaking in the distance and see Ivan running toward me. “Ivan,” I struggle to speak. I feel light-headed and resist the weakening feeling. My breathing slows, my gun drops from my hand, and my legs become heavy. I try to fight it, but it’s taking over. I know it’s inevitable. The image of Ivan begins to look blurry. I stumble and fall to my knees. I collapse to the ground, and the darkness consumes me.

***

I open my eyes suddenly. For a minute, my mind is in a daze. But then I remember the shadow man. I sit up quickly in bed. I’m wearing my usual clothes, and my boots are still on. I look around the room. The room is bare, with bright lights, four white walls, and no windows, but there is a door. I swing my legs over the bed, and my head still feels light-headed, so I stand up slowly. I feel my waist, my belt with my tools is gone.

I walk over to the door, and I see a note. It says Exit on it, nothing else. I grab the handle, and I open the door, leading me into another big room, with no windows. The room is so silent it hurts my ears. I only hear my footsteps as I walk. The only thing in the room is an oversized metal chair in the middle of the room, and I get close to it. There’s a note on it that says, Sit.

I stare at it for a minute, and I feel my heartache.

I think this is it. This is how I die.

If I sit in this chair, it will probably electrocute me to death. I look down at it, and I sigh. Well, I failed.

I failed to go home. Now my family will forever wonder what happened to me. I will be the only human to live and die in another world. I wish I could have gone back home to see my family and tell humans that there are more worlds and that we are not alone in this universe. Maybe I can convince them not to kill me.

I look around and speak to the empty room, “I’m not from this world. I think you know that I am a human from Earth. I apologize, I didn’t mean to come to your world without permission. Please spare my life.”

My plea did not have any effect on them. But to me, their silence is loud. There is no way of getting out of this alive. I close my eyes. “God... please tell my family that I love them, and I’m sorry I couldn’t make it back to them. Tell them that I tried, and please help keep them safe. Please protect them, and guide them. I’m sorry, I know I wasn’t the best human I could be, but please do this for me. I would appreciate it. Thank you.” I blink back my tears, lowering myself down to the chair. I sit down and back, placing my arms on the armrests.

Suddenly, I feel pressure holding me back, like an invisible seat belt. I hear a door open, and loud footsteps coming toward me. I look at a man wearing a black business suit, and he is coming my way.

He is a Lamia; he has long white hair, ocean blue eyes, and looks like he is in his late forties. He stands in front of me, staring with no expression on his face, and I stare back at him, trying not to show fear. He reminds me of Damon when I first met him. He gave me the same look.

“Hello Elizabeth, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you. My name is Ambrose,” he says with a friendly smile and gives me his hand to shake.