vanished

Well, hello. Here's a rather long one, you'll have to forgive me. There is a little story between the last episode and this next piece. Mostly, they all sit together and share a meal. Marc stares into space, Dakota pines, and the twins agree to join them on their quest. As they set out, Dakota learns that Anna can help her find the others. The search is a little like a hunt. But I’m skipping all that, and getting to the journey. After all, I promised you action. : )

As we approached, we saw a man sitting in the front yard, leaning easily up against a tree. He whistled a happy tune, tapping his toe in the air. He was carving something in his hand, brown and gold catching the light through the branches. He had a cowboy hat resting on his short reddish hair, the brim tipped down over his face. Stubble shadowed his square jaw, his big hands working with precision. His bare arms were permanently tanned from many days out in the sun. I felt the air around him. Sharp and steely, but keen and careful. There was a stillness about it, a sort of peace. He certainly meant us no harm. He didn't even look up as our footsteps met the sidewalk ten feet away from where he was resting, his eyes on the project in his rough hands.
“Howdy folks,” he said cheerfully. His voice was deep and strong, his breathing smooth.
He tilted his head, the shadow from the brim of his hat disappearing from his face. He was handsome, younger than I might have guessed. Maybe in his thirties. His face was untroubled, warm and friendly. His eyes were a brilliant green, but strange. Gold and jade, with flecks of honey like the sun shining through a shallow pool. They seemed to take in the light from all around us, reflecting it back like glass. He smiled easily. It was a smile that made you want to take a comfortable breath. He got to his feet, stamping his boots to dust himself off. He looked toward Haylee and Anna and I, his eyes sparkling. He lifted his hat.
“Evenin', ladies. Lovely to make your acquaintance. Ya'll have to remind me of your names, I've never been much for rememberin' my dreams.” He smiled again, I found myself mirroring the gesture, as odd as it felt on my face.
“Dakota,” I said. He raised an eyebrow. “Er, Demeter.” He nodded.
“Haylee,” she curtsied sweetly. “Hestia.”
“Anna,” she nodded. “Artemis.” He took his hat off.
“'N I'm Hector,” he said with a grin. “Haphaestus. God of crafting, for those of you not up to standards on your Greek mythology.” He chuckled, turning his eyes on the boys.
“Adam,” he smiled. “Apollo.”
“Peter,” he nodded. “Poseidon.” Marc took a step forward. Hector held up his hand.
“I know who you are, Marc,” he said, his smile brightening. He held up the brown shape he had been working on, handing it over. “There ya' go, Hermes. Hope they fit. Didn't know your size an' all that.”
Marc took the shape carefully into his hands, his eyes wide. They were soft brown shoes, laced neatly up the front. Resting at the ankle of each was a pair of bright golden wings. They sat still in the dusk light, glittering in the sun. The shoes looked professionally made, perfectly crafted. They would fit like a glove, I knew just looking at them. They were beautiful.
“Thank you,” Marc breathed, staring at the shoes.
“That'll help us get up that dang old mountain. Big bastard. 'Scuse my language, ladies, but ya'll know it's true.” He chuckled.

The next bit is a lot of talking, mostly about how to use the shoes. It turns out, Hector explains, that they serve as a sort of amplifier for what Marc could already do. Essentially, if Marc can imagine a place (really see it in his mind) he can vanish to it. Like teleporting. The important part comes next. Hector tells Marc that he can take anyone with him. If he’s touching them the way he vanishes things, and sees the place, he can go. He can go anywhere.

A door slammed open across the room. Marc appeared again, his breathing rapid. I looked to his face, anxious to catch another of his rare smiles. Though the image made my heart throb, I pined after his happiness. I could almost feel whole if he was smiling. But when his gaze met mine, my stomach dropped. His eyes were wide, his jaw clenched. Big tears streamed down his face. He pushed off from the door frame and raced toward me. He caught my shoulders and pulled me into his arms, hugging me fiercely. My head spun and my heart raced, my pulse beating against his. He pulled his hands into my hair, his lips touching my cheek, breathing my name into my ear.
“Dakota,” he choked. “Forgive me. Please forgive me.”
“I... Marc...”
I couldn't catch my breath. I wanted to shove him away, to leave him like he left me. But all I could feel was his strong arms around me, his happy heartbeat, his breath against my skin.
“Don't you see?” He was still whispering, searching my face. “I can bring you back. If Haden took you, I could follow. I could bypass the river, vanish us both out. I wouldn't have to take you through. I can protect you. All of you. I can keep you safe.” He held me against his chest, breathing deeply to calm his sobs.
My heart was cold, heavy and frozen. It wasn't fair of him to fake affection in his excitement. He left. He was already gone. Now he could just get away faster. I bit my lip but the tears flowed down my face. I took a step back. It was physical pain to break the embrace. It was colder where our skin didn't touch. Everything was ice. He looked at my face, confused by my stony expression. I took a shallow breath.
“I'm so happy for you,” I whispered. The sound was shaky.
“Dakota,” he breathed, his face confused. He reached out for me. I took a quick step back, shaking my head.
“Don't.” My voice was barely a whisper. The tears fell without pausing. “You don't have to.”
Adam gasped. I whirled in his direction as the air changed. His normal breathing felt like a song against the room, now it was screeching to a stop. His breath ground against my skin, pulsing with fear. He had one hand raised out in front of him, his eyes held shut. His sister was calling his name, shaking his arm, but I couldn't hear her. All I could hear was the roar of his racing heart, the screaming of his terrified breath. He opened his eyes, looking at nothing. A thin rim of fire seemed to blaze like the sun around his gray irises. “Run,” he breathed.
The glass blew in from every window in the house. Everyone ducked, Peter throwing his arms over Haylee's head. The big picture window in the living room looked out over the yard and the empty street. Darkness had fallen on the sidewalk in front of the house. I stared through the open space, my lungs closed. The street was filled with shadows. I had never seen so many, never imagined. The shadow people lined every inch of the road, rolling up onto the sidewalk like waves, their red eyes pulsing in the dark. The low moon illuminated their shivering forms, rolling forward toward the house. Someone was screaming.
“Everybody grab on to Marc!” Hector roared.
I hadn't noticed how loud it was until Hector had to roar over the sound. The shadow people were rumbling, growling in anticipation. The sound was like a constant boom of thunder, shaking everything. Peter grabbed an arm, holding Haylee against Marc's side. Anna and Adam went behind and wrapped their arms around his middle. Hector bent low and wrapped a thick brown hand around Marc's ankle. The air moved behind me, back in the street. I turned toward the sensation.
The shadows were parting like a sea. A little light was making its way through the center of the darkness, moving toward the house. As it got to the sidewalk, I realized what it was. It wasn't a light, but a full head of curly blond hair. Haden stepping into the yard, locking eyes with me. He grinned, raising a hand in greeting. Fear covered my skin.
I thought about things that were easy. The wind in the trees, the blooming of flowers, the unchanging direction of streams. I thought about things that were never left behind. I thought about death.
Marc held a hand out to me. I looked back at Haden, making his way easily up the grass, the shadows trailing behind him. I turned back to Marc. He stretched his arm toward me, his palm up. I touched my skin to his hand. An image filled my mind. I floated weightlessly on a fog river. Nothing hurt. Nothing was heavy. My eyes were closed, my body limp. I felt whole and happy and peaceful. It was easy. I pulled my hand back. I had one image of Marc's face, shocked and hurt. I heard Adam screaming. Marc filled his lungs to yell my name, reaching out to grab me. And then they disappeared. Everything was still.
“Dakota,” Haden said cheerfully from the open front window. His caramel eyes were warm, his face bright. “It's lovely to see you again.”

Well, Haden and Dakota have a chat. I don’t want to include the whole thing here, though it is pretty significant. But it is also fifteen pages long, and I’d rather not make you suffer through it. Instead, I will give you the highlights. The bottom line is: Haden is convincing Dakota that Marc has fooled them all.

“You tried to take me,” I choked. Unbelievably, a tear rolled down Haden’s cheek.
“I thought that if I could just show you. Just take you there, to the underworld, that you would change your mind. It was foolish, I know. But I wasn't thinking clearly. I thought that if you could just see it, see how I fit there, you'd know the truth. I would have brought you back if you refused. If you still wouldn't... have me. But I hoped that once you saw who I really was, once you saw my meadow, you'd know how safe you could be. How much I have loved you.”
“What?” I wasn't sure if he could even hear me, the breath still wasn't coming.
“I love you, Dakota. Endlessly. I've dreamt of you every day of this new life. When I saw you in the woods, I could hardly believe it. But I couldn't tell you there, in front of everyone, knowing how dangerous it would be.”
“Dangerous?”
“With him there. I can't forgive myself for leaving you alone with him. It's a miracle he didn't hurt any of you. He's so volatile.”
“He isn't,” I breathed.
“He is, Dakota. He's sick. He killed our mother.”
“It was an accident.”
“God! I could drown in that word, 'accident'! He's sick. Do you understand? My mother wouldn't buy him a video game, while they were out shopping. When they were back in the car and she turned out onto the highway, he covered her eyes. A woman driving next to them tried honking, to frighten him. But he held on, smiling. She was killed in the crash, because she wasn't wearing her seatbelt. My mother never forgot her seatbelt. But he was unharmed. He was twelve, Dakota. They put him away. They couldn't keep him, because he was so young. They medicated him and let him out. He dropped out of school when he was sixteen, high on more drugs than I can bare to believe. Later, he told me that he dropped out because he got some girl pregnant. She disappeared.”
“Stop.”
“No, Dakota, listen to me! You have to know! After he got arrested for possession he showed up in New York, said Dad wouldn't take him back. He said he was clean, said he wanted a new life. What could I do? He's always been that way, perfectly charming. He begged me. I couldn't turn him away, I believed him. Everyone does. And after everything, I loved my brother. I would have died for him. So I let him stay. I even threw him a birthday party.” Haden scoffed, his eyes flashing with anger. It felt like the gears in my mind were screaming, grinding against each other.
“No.” I shook my head again, unaware of the action.
“Do you see, Dakota? He's sick. He'll never get better. Only worse. He lies like it's his nature, he believes what he's saying. You have to believe me. Nothing he has told you is true.”
“He... he said he loved me.” It had been my fear all along that it couldn't be true.
“No. I love you. I've loved you always.” He reached his hand out to me and I flinched away. His face twisted, more tears falling. “Don't,” he choked. “Please believe me.”
“I... I...” I pushed back against the couch, wanting to fade into the fabric.
I couldn't think, I couldn't breathe. It wasn't true. None of it could be true. Marc was good. He was honest and soft and selfless. He had loved me. Hadn't he? We had held each other and laughed and he had blushed and stammered and been beautiful. Hadn't he? I couldn't remember. What had happened, what had I dreamed? What had been real and what had I been convincing myself of? He couldn't have loved me, I had always known that. But, at least, I thought he had been real. I thought I had known a little bit of him. Had I? Had it all been a lie? All been an act? No.
“Dakota,” Haden whispered, his voice soft and choked.
I met his warm brown eyes and saw him for the first time, really saw him. His curly blond hair was tangled, as if he had pushed his fingers through it anxiously. His eyes were bright, wet with tears. The brown there was warm and honest, and I noticed a light rim of blue around his irises. His face was open, his eyebrows pulled together. The little lines of worry fanned out across his forehead, stubble shadowed his jaw. It was familiar. It wasn't the same, but it was close. If you thought hard enough, you could maybe even pretend it was the same. But it wasn't. It wasn't. Haden stretched out his hand.
“Haden,” I whispered, the cold air around him choking my lungs. My fists were balled up and pressed into the carpet. I couldn't make them reach out to his familiar hand. But I wanted to.
“I would never hurt you, Dakota. Please. Trust me.” His eyes were wide as I looked down at his hand. My fists loosened.
The air shivered beside me, parting the cold. I turned my head, heavy and slow, toward the sensation. A sound like a growl slipped through Haden's clenched teeth, a low rumble sounded from the street. Marc flashed into existence a few feet away, his fists clenched. His eyes raked the room, landing on me. His face flooded with relief and he stepped toward me. Without thinking, I cringed away. Marc stopped in the middle of a step, hurt and confused.
“Ouch, bro,” Haden whispered, still sitting calmly across from me. Marc's hurt and confusion filled with anger and suspicion.
“What did you tell her?” Marc growled.
“The truth, Marc. She deserves to know.” Marc took another step toward me, never even looking at his brother.
“Dakota,” he begged, his eyes burning. “Don't believe a word he says.”
“I was just telling her the same about you.” Haden's voice was calm and cold.
“Take my hand.” Marc reached out to me.
“Don't touch her,” Haden spat.
“Dakota, you know me. Come with me. Come home.”
“Don't let him hurt you,” Haden was squatting again, his hand still reaching for me.
“I would never hurt her!” Marc roared, finally turning on his brother.
“You already did,” Haden said, looking only at me. Marc looked between us, confused.
“She knows how much I love her,” Marc whispered, sounding unsure.
“Do you, Dakota?” Haden asked, brown eyes burning.
“I...” The two halves of my heart pulled painfully in opposite directions. “No,” I breathed. Marc groaned, his hands pulling through his hair.
“Dakota, come with me,” Haden said, his voice eager.
“I can't,” I cried. My heart, how was it possible? It felt on fire, crushed, freezing.
“You can!” His hand inched forward. Marc knelt beside me.
“Please,” I begged. My heart couldn't take it.
“Dakota, look at me.” Marc's voice was thick.
“Take my hand, Dakota.”
“Look at me.”
“Don't listen to him.”
“I'm warning you, 'Den!” Marc shouted.
“This is it!” Haden roared back. My ears rang. “This is the choice you forced her to make!”
“Dakota,” Marc begged. “Look at me.”
I turned my eyes to him, hardly knowing what I should expect to feel. His face was tormented and pained. His eyes were burning, full of tears. He reached his hand out, his breath catching.
“My life,” he whispered.
I reached out without even thinking. As my palm touched his, everything shifted. The sensation was that of being rolled by a huge, deadly wave. There was no water, so I could breathe, but it felt more natural to gasp. A giant wave of cloud and fog seemed to toss and batter me. I was dimly aware of the painful grip crushing my other wrist, but I was most aware of the warm palm against mine. My thoughts seemed to move at high speed in this whirling air. The palm made a thousand images flash behind my eyes. Marc's hair full of sunlight, his laughing eyes, his blushing ears, his heel rubbing against his jaw, his surprised laughter, his soft touch, his lips on mine. The crushing grip at my other wrist tightened, and another reel played through my mind. My conversation with Haden rolled by like an old video on fast forward. He's the best liar. He's dangerous. Volatile. He killed our mother, he covered her eyes. Got some girl pregnant. Trust me.
Everything lurched to a sickening halt. My knees sank into the familiar desert sand and the sudden heat choked me. Even in the dull, moonlit darkness I gasped against the thick air. Marc stood above me, a little sparse tree that I recognized behind him. Haden was kneeling next to me, finally releasing my wrist, his grin aimed at his brother. I felt my head swimming as the warm palm pulled me out of the way. Marc lifted his foot slowly, hiking his knee toward the starlit night sky. The air parted as he shoved it forward, the bottom of his winged shoe connecting with a terrifying crunch against his brother's nose. Haden grunted as blood poured into the sand. Marc never let go of my hand. Then we disappeared.
I gasped as cold air hit my face. Where the heat had just been burning, cold forest mist beaded against my skin. I had a second to recognize the trees around me, the sheer rock face climbing into the clouds. Then another warm hand grabbed my arm and shoved me against the stone wall.
“Hurry, get up against the mountain,” Peter breathed into my ear.
“It won't work,” Haylee groaned under her breath from somewhere beside me, her voice full of fear.
“Yes it will,” Peter muttered in a rush. “I saw it in his face when I asked him about the mountain before; he won't be able to touch it.”
Marc stepped in front of me, covering my body with his. He pressed my back to the rock wall until it was hard to breath. I turned my head slightly to see Peter pressing in beside me. Haylee was next to him, Hector pressed protectively over one of her shoulders. Anna and Adam, too, were crowded against the rock on my other side. We looked like frightened escapees, finally cornered by dogs.
Haden appeared in the air in front of us, one hand covering his bleeding nose. I could see him grin around his fingers. He locked eyes with me, all the softness was gone. He rushed forward, reaching a hand out for me. About two inches from Marc and I, his fingers blurred into fog. Haden gasped and pulled his hand back. He growled and reached forward again, this time at the level of his brother's throat. His hand misted, seeming to float away in long tendrils. He roared and paced in front of us. One last time he reached out with both hands, aimed with violent force at Marc. A few inches away, he halted as if being shoved back, the hair standing up on his arms while the fog enveloped him. He yanked his hands back with another violent grunt.
He slid into a crouch, pulling a tattered baseball cap from his back pocket. His eyes met mine, glorious and wild. His lips were turned up into a snarling grin. He lifted the cap over his head. “Wrong choice,” he spat. The cap flattened his curls and he was gone.
Marc let his breath out loudly. I became aware that I was trembling, my teeth chattering. Haylee moaned softly, relaxing a little. My head felt like it was under a pillow, floating and muffled. I tried to shift my weight, but Marc held me firmly in place against the mountain behind us. He reached his arms out, staying close to the rock.
“Everybody grab on,” he said.
“Stay against the mountain,” Peter added.
I tried to reach for one of his hands, but they were stretched too far away. Haylee and Peter wrapped a hand around one wrist, Hector taking Marc's palm like a hand shake. Adam and Anna hugged his other arm. “Dakota,” Marc growled. I wrapped both arms around his middle with a sigh, trying not to think about it. Of course, I failed miserably, reveling in his scent and the warmth of his skin. We disappeared.