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KARL
Day 72
"Curse? What the fuck does that mean?" I pace back and forth in the kitchen while the kettle protests on the stove. Mickey passed out around thirty minutes ago, mumbling something about a curse and the need to find someone called Dakota. The screeching of the kettle finally reaches my ears, I turn and lift it, then pour water into four cups. Harry slinks out of the back door and I reach over and close it behind him. I guess he's got squirrel shit to do. Garrot strides into the room and begins searching cupboards for something. "What do you need, Gar?" I ask as I stir the tea.
"I don't know. Something, anything." He answers, slamming his fist into the fridge. "This waiting around is killing me. It's been seventy-two days, Karl. Fuck! I feel like she’s dead." Tears brim his eyes, "I miss her." Those tears fall as he admits it.
We all miss her, and none of us is coping with her loss. "I know, bro, I know. I'm hoping Mickey will help or can help. He said something about a curse, did you hear him?" I stop making the tea and turn to face him as he leans against the counter.
"Yeah, but he seems a bit... crazy. William leaving has done a number on him. Mind you," he laughs without emotion. "We all are right now. Shit, I still can't believe Le has fallen. So quickly, too. I miss him. He's killed people, Karl, there's no coming back from this. I don't know how much more loss I can take." His voice is rough with emotion and his eyes are haunted.
"We will get them both back, Gar, I miss them both too, but we can't give up. Not ever. We will defeat that bastard and bring home our girl, maybe... maybe she can bring Leyland back, too." I try my best to comfort him, but I know it's not enough. Nothing will ever be enough, the only thing that will heal us is Everly coming back to us. Mickey bursts into the kitchen then, his face is pale and sweat drips down his forehead. "What's wrong?" I rush to him, my hands gripping his forearms.
"I must cure you, then, and only then, can we save those we love most in this world." His voice sounds weak, yet terrified. My stomach does somersaults as his body glows yellow.
Garrot
Day 72
Mickey pulls Karl out to the back garden, Victor and I follow, Leyland handcuffed between us. Earlier, Mickey knocked him out with a spell, and I got him off the roof with my power. When he woke shortly after I cuffed him, he was less than happy to be caught, again.
We make it to the glade quickly, the darkening sky above us provides enough light to see by.
"Circle the water, spread out evenly," Mickey instructs us, we obey without a word. Whatever it takes to bring back Everly and Leyland, we’ll do it. Leyland sits on the ground, his wings strapped down with heavy rope so he can't fly away. The cuffs on his hands prevent any pink light leaking out and sapping all the love from our hearts. "Good, good. Karl, you first. Enter the water, you must relax and open your heart and mind." Mickey’s glowing yellow, his face pinched with strain. As if the effort of standing is almost too much for him. The yellow glow around him seems to take on a mind of its own as it floats across the top of the water towards Karl. Mickey chants in a language I don't know, the words sound French but I'm no expert. Brown light glows under Karl 's skin, his inner light.
"The fuck?" Leyland asks no one in particular as black light pours out of Karl and disperses into the air. He sucks in a sharp breath and the ground beneath our feet rumbles. Karl throws his arms out to the sides, palms up as more inky smoke pours from him. I look at Victor, he looks at me. Karl calls out as the substance mixes with the air and disappears.
Karl blinks, hard, and for a second I think he won't open them again. But when he does, I see clarity that hasn't been there for months.
"The spell has been broken, ah," Mickey wobbles on his feet a little. "Now, Garrot bring Leyland in the centre." I do as I'm asked as Karl wades out and stands where I was. His skin is pale as he watches me drag a kicking and screaming Leyland in.
"No! Don't you dare use your voodoo on me, you freak!" Mickey merely shrugs at Leyland's outburst. The water makes it easier for me to manoeuvre him. When we bob in the middle of the pond, Mickey performs the same thing he did to Karl. I hold Le tightly so he won't slip under the water and drown as inky smoke rises from his skin. It burns me as it leaves him.
Leyland
Day 72
When Mickey begins talking, my whole body tenses and when an inky smoke rises from my skin, it's like a veil has been lifted from my eyes. The world around me, that used to be black and white, is now colourful. The water changes from dark and foreboding, to crystal clear and inviting. Garrot's arms are firm yet gentle around my waist. I allow myself to sink back into him, seeking comfort, if only for a moment. His hot breath skirts across my cold skin, the sensation has my long since limp dick twitching.
"Garrot," I can't help the murmur that leaves me as his hardened cock slides across my arse. Memories assault me. Everly. Garrot. Karl. Victor. Their hands and mouths on me. The look in Everly's eyes as I made love to her. Garrot's soft touches and sincere words. It's too much, my mind can't handle the number of images, videos and words form a storm inside my mind. Darkness creeps into my vision, and the world goes black.
Karl
Day 72
Mickey performed his spell on all of us, but it took a lot out of him. He's upstairs resting while Victor, Garrot and I stand over Leyland's unconscious form on the couch.
"Anyone seen Ari?" I ask the guys. I haven't seen her, maybe she just left. I'm met with shakes of heads and mumbled no's. Looks like she split.
"Do you think he will remember, as we do?" Victor asks me, his huge face pale while his hands shake. When the darkness left our hearts, memories of our time with Everly came flooding back to us. It was like a block had been placed inside us. We knew we had to get her, but not why. Not truly. We knew she was missing, and Poseidon had her. We remembered she carried Leyland's child. But it clouded our memories. Changed them. Confused us. We kept trying spells from witches who didn't intend to help us, we knew they would fail, and yet, we carried on trying. Despite the obvious truth. We can’t fake our way into Atlantis, there was only one way in, we just don't know it yet. Leyland believing she abandoned him, took his baby and ran. Instead of the truth, she had no choice but to go with that monster to save us all. Garrot seeing Everly, talking to her. It was all part of the spell. Now our minds are clear I hope we can work it out.
Mickey explained this before he fell asleep earlier.
"I hope so, Vic." I reply, breaking away from Leyland to look out of the window. Snow falls in small tufts, lazily making their way to the ground. It's colder now, more so than it should be. It's almost like the whole world feels her absence.
"Do you think it will fix him, Karl?" Garrot asks as he strokes the side of Leyland's face. I have no answer for him. All we know is there has never been a recorded incident of a fallen coming back from this. I silently pray Leyland can and will.
"I don't know, but we mustn't lose hope. Let’s rest, tomorrow, we need to pull our heads together, come up with a plan. It's no wonder none of our plans worked, none of us knew what we were fighting for. But we do now, and God help anyone who gets in our way." I growl and turn towards the door; my goal is to get to the ocean. If I'm going to work out what my mother wants me to do, then I need to be as close to Everly as I possibly can, and the only way to do that right now is by being inside the sea.
***
BY THE TIME MY FEET touch the sand, it's already dark. The moon's light bounces off the waves on the black ocean, making the scene before me look like a painting. It's like a veil has been lifted from my eyes and I can finally see in colour. My Everly is in there, all alone, with Leyland’s baby in her tummy. She must be frightened. Does she think we are dead? It's been seventy-two days. We have not been able to find a way to rescue her. Shame rolls through me. Some protector I am. A terrible commander I turned out to be, when I can't even keep those I love safe. But all that changes today. Somehow, some way, I will get Everly back and in one piece, too. I take off my socks and shoes, and wade into the ocean until I'm knee deep. The current rocks me back and forth as I dip my hands into the cold water. Closing my eyes, I concentrate on the love of my life.
***
HOURS PASS, THE MOON sinks to the skyline. I moved from the ocean to the sand a few moments ago. The cold soaks into my skin, making my teeth chatter. I lay on the beach, completely alone and think. Replaying my mother's words over and over. I try to work out what she meant.
Look down, look up, be brave, be fearsome, for the land is yours, almighty Earth child. You needn't look farther than inside for all that you seek.
Look down. I rest my head on my hand and stare at where the sky meets the ocean. The line between the two barely discernible as the moon is reflected back at the sky. Twin skies. Look up. Twin moons. I close my eyes and the memory of Everly's vivid red hair floating in the salty ocean replays. It changes, the silky strands turn into stone. They sink to the bottom as my heart pounds. I see myself standing above her, my large frame casting a shadow over her. I lift my hand and raise her hair to the surface of the water, where it floats. She smiles up at me, the love I see reflected at me in those ocean coloured orbs remind me of the sea during summer. Deep blue. Sunlight creeps under my lids, telling me that the moon has set, and the sun has risen.
Suddenly, I see it all. I know exactly what I need to do. I spring to my feet and rush back home. A plan forms in my mind as I run.
Everly, I'm coming for you.