By Susan Lyttek
I really don’t like me.
That sounds harsh. What I mean is I don’t like past-Trudy who sacrificed herself and got me into this mess.
Could I see this other me doing the things Mr. Blue explained? Entering a bubble to save people I didn’t know? Or love? Yep. It tracks.
But that still doesn’t mean I like it.
“What do I do?” I asked my former nemesis—who is evidently the father of my current boyfriend. Awkward!
Mr. Blue shrugged. “I hoped you’d remember what to do next.”
Great. I haven’t. “Maybe that king friend of yours knows.”
With no better plans, we left the high school and strode toward Blue Castle. I watched my feet, lost in my misery.
Mr. Blue gasped, and I looked up.
United Sovereigns Academy stood in front of us. Even though we’d walked away from it.
“Uh-oh,” Mr. Blue said.
His tone made my heart tap-dance. “Uh-oh?”
“The high school creates the center of the bubble, the center of the magic. If we can’t get away from it…” His eyes darted about, then he sprinted away faster than I thought possible for a middle-aged man, even a P.E. teacher.
I was still watching him run when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned to see Mr. Blue.
“But…” I pointed to where I’d seen his retreating figure moments before. It had vanished. I stared. The world didn’t seem to be shrinking. I could see the castles that surrounded us and the church’s bell tower above the village, but all as if looking through a haze.
“Trudy,” Mr. Blue begged, “you need to figure something out. The bubble is collapsing.”
I wanted to strangle him. But that wouldn’t be very princess-like, and I didn’t think Corduroy would appreciate it if I hurt his father.
Thinking of Corduroy and the last time I’d looked into his eyes made me choke. Would I ever see him again?
Hoofbeats interrupted my pity party. A horse? Where’d it come from?
“Princess Trudy,” announced a sepulchral voice, “your interference must end.”
I spun and gazed up. A figure clad in black armor rode a horse draped in matching raiment and breathing out smoke.
“Great. Just what I need. An enemy.”
“Trudy…” I heard warning in Mr. Blue’s tone. “He’s the Knights’ emissary.”
Really, there was only so much I could take. I kicked the horse’s leg in frustration, fully expecting it to kick me back.
But my leg kept going.
The horse disappeared. The mighty knight fell to the ground with a thud.
“Hey! Ow! What did you do to my horse?”
I had no idea. But at least that put us on the same level. I lunged at the fallen knight and ripped off his helmet.
“Prince White?”
The dweeby nerd blinked up at me. He was the mighty Knights’ terrifying emissary? “Hey!”
That seemed to be his favorite word. I should’ve noticed. In high school, he’d always used it to get attention for something lame, like “Hey, I know the precise angle between the school and each castle,” or, “Hey, did you know that a ball set down outside White Castle will eventually reach the football field?”
Damn. He’d been working for the Knights even then. Only a Knight would understand that much about the bubble.
“You aren’t supposed to take off my helmet. That’s not fair.”
Growling, I grabbed his collar and hauled him to his skinny feet. “Fair? You dare complain about fair? You’ve poisoned me and Corduroy. You made me an idiotic princess instead of something meaningful. You’ve threatened all I love and value. Now, this world’s collapsing.”
“Well, yeah.” White tried to wiggle away. “You tipped the princess balance.”
Mr. Blue stepped into the Knight’s face. Apparently, he wanted in on the fun. “No. She. Did. Not.” Each word included a jab into one of White’s metal-coated shoulders, making the hundred-pound weakling wobble from side to side. “Your silly organization did that by keeping us confined in here. The bubble was only a short-term experiment.”
White shook his head. “Not short-term. Not an experiment. A success. We can generate a limitless supply of magic.”
The shimmer of the bubble was more obvious to me now. And closer. “At what price? How many people will die when this fails?”
He swallowed hard, and I watched his Adam’s apple disappear below the armor. Maybe I was holding his collar too tightly?
Nah.
“No one should die… if our calculations are right.” He glanced around nervously and then up to the scoreboard. Actually, he kept examining USA High’s scoreboard.
I followed his gaze. There’d always been something odd about that board’s placement. It should have been where people watching the game could see it. But it angled oddly; only those in the upper bleachers could read it—or someone in the sky.
Something clicked. We didn’t have a sky. We had beyond the bubble.
Before I could think better of it, I did three things. First, I let go of White’s collar. Then I decked him. I always did pack a good punch.
“Give that message to your knights,” I said as he toppled.
Next, I kissed Mr. Blue’s cheek. “Tell your son I love him.”
I picked up my skirts and ran. Fragments of memory sparkled in my mind like stars. I knew my last name was Red. With Mr. Blue and wimpy White, that completed a picture of a banner arching over us. Did I remember enough? If I was wrong, I’d be dead for good. But if I did nothing…
I climbed the bleachers as fast as I could. I made it to the other side of the scoreboard and followed the woven cable of magic to where it penetrated the bubble.
I looked up, but saw only clouds. Was I wrong?
I blinked and looked again beyond the haze.
People. Lots of people. And the cord plugged into the bubble’s power source.
Holding onto the cord’s magic, I pulled.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
This was great! I like the colors used for people’s names, especially “wimpy White.” Clever and intriguing! It’s like being caught in the Matrix.
Thanks! It was crazy how the story world evolved over time.
WOW.
I have no other words. :)
Awww, thank you!!!
Oh! That ending was unexpected! Great story
I’m so glad you liked it!