Immortal by Lacy Armendariz Page B

The witch realized that she had no use for him. She stopped and looked at him. “So, that is it?” she asked again with her hands on her hips.
    “Yes, that is all. What is the problem, Emerald?”
    “I’m not Emerald, you fool!”
    “Of course you are. Who else would you be?”
    “Ha! You fell for it just as did your foolish friend!” She became a witch again. Her hair was gray and stringy. A number of her teeth were missing and she had a huge wart on her chin.
    “You really aren’t my Emerald!” said Jasper.
    “Told ya so!” said the creeper who came up behind him. “Can we get on with this and find Staysia and Gabriel now?”
    “I’m sorry, creeper! I’m such a fool.” He put his hand on his forehead.
    “Yes, you sure are!” said the creeper.
    “What?” Jasper asked in shock.
    “Shouldn’t we be looking for your friends now?”
    “Yes, I suppose so,” said Jasper. They didn’t get far down the road before Jasper asked. “You didn’t mean that about me being a fool. Did you?”
    “Yes I did! I told you she was a witch!”
    “You aren’t very nice!” said Jasper.
    “Of course I am not very nice. I am a blood thirsting beast!” the creeper replied.
    “Gabriel!” Jasper called. “Gabriel, where are you!” The creeper even called for him. Jasper looked down at the beast and patted his head. He stuck his chest out. “Good boy!” he said.
    They continued through the forest in search for Gabriel, until they came upon Staysia. She was asleep on the ground beside Isis, each of them in their separate bubbles.
    “Staysia!” Jasper exclaimed. He hopped out of his buggy and ran towards her, but he was thrown backwards onto the ground when he ran into the bubble.
    “Jasper!” Staysia came to her feet. She hit her hands on the bubble. “Jasper, I’m afraid I’m stuck in here. Where is Gabriel?” Before Jasper could answer, the ground began to flood with water. The bubble popped, and Staysia, Jasper, the creeper and Isis were all taken away by the current and down a hill.
    The water evaporated and they found themselves on dry land. “We must go back!” Staysia told Jasper. “We must go and get Gabriel!”
    “Yes! Let’s go get him.” They rose to their feet and tried to walk back to the village, but they could not. The same force that held Staysia and Isis in their places before would not let them return to the village.
    “What now? We cannot continue without Gabriel,” Jasper sighed.
    “Can’t? Of course we can. If there’s no other way than we must go on without him.” Staysia felt of the invisible wall with her hands and turned. She pointed at a road that was ahead of her. “We must go.”
    “Gabriel is in trouble, Staysia!”
    “What are we supposed to do, Jasper? I care too, I care an awful lot, but it’s no use! Gabriel is strong and he is smart. He will make it out on his own, I’m sure.” It was true. Staysia cared a lot about Gabriel, even more than she was willing to admit aloud. She would have done anything to go back to the village and take Gabriel along with them. There was no way around the invisible wall and she had to continue her journey with or without Gabriel.
    “If you are sure,” he mumbled. “If you are absolutely sure, then let’s be on our way without him.” He shook his head and stared at nothing, deep in thought, as he waited for Staysia to mount Isis.
    “Jasper! Have you tamed this wild beast?” she asked, pointing at the creeper.
    “I have!” Jasper smiled broadly.
    “That is quite impressive, Gabriel would be thrilled. Will be, he will be thrilled.”
    “Will be.” Jasper put his head down.
    Few words were said as they continued their journey without Gabriel. Next, they would be paying a visit to the Ogre of Death’s Grip. The word death made Staysia cringe inside. The ogre’s title made her fear turn into anger. Death wouldn’t have a grip on her much longer. She felt once she had her revenge the pain would subside and she could go