Cassie ran through the eerie forest, dodging poison ivy, and ducking under the low-hanging branches of the trees. Eleven-year-old Cassie was out of breath, her legs were numb from running, her mind was spinning, and she had no idea where she was. It had to be past midnight, judging from the position of the moon, she thought. Her hand was bleeding from scraping it through a thorn bush. The darkness had made her trip several times, and fall on her weary legs. But she HAD to keep running.She knew that the stupid mutt would catch up, so she would take off running again.
“Why ME?” she asked herself. “Why me, why me, why ME?”
She swerved a hard right and ran behind a huge tree in an effort to hide herself until she caught her breath.
She wasn’t even there for a full ten minutes when suddenly, footsteps. They were quick, and very heavy. Those didn’t sound like a Rottweiler’s feet. Instead, something huge was chasing her. It stopped just few feet away from the tree. If she wanted to, Cassie could’ve reached out and touched it. She could hear its nose breathing in her scent. She could just feel the creature’s claws against her skin. She dared not peek at it, because she knew she would scream and be dead in an instant. She remained still. She controlled her breathing enough to where it couldn’t be heard. Her heart was racing, practically kicking at her chest. It was screaming, “Let me out! Let me out!”
“I wish I could, I wish I could let BOTH of us out. But I don’t know how…” she thought.
The creature bent to the ground and sniffed the leaves. It lifted up its head and roared so loud, it vibrated Cassie’s brain. The roar stopped. More sniffing.
“I know you’re here, Cassie.” The creature said. Its voice was deep, and scratchy. Cassie was immediately afraid if she wasn’t already. Rottweilers can’t talk! Nor any other animal except parrots! Sweat was pouring from her head, and her hair was soaked. Her heart beat faster and started hitting her chest with a battering ram. “LET. ME. OUT!!!!” it screamed as loud as it possibly could.
“I can hear your thoughts, Cassie. I only wish to speak to you.” The thing continued.
Cassie sensed danger, but being only a child, she had no idea what the beast’s intentions were.
“What do you want from me?” she thought. She was testing the creature to see if it could actually read her thoughts.
“Just a conversation; that is all I desire from you.” It seemed to say in her mind. Cassie shook.
“Will you hurt me if I show myself?” Cassie knew it was a stupid question, but what choice did she have?
“Oh no, I am no barbarian to slaughter an innocent child like yourself!” the beast said out loud. It was slightly offended, but not the least bit surprised.
“Then why are you chasing an innocent child like myself?” Cassie asked loudly. She was tired, and angry.
“To speak with you. I agree, I am frightful to look upon, but I mean no harm.” The Beast said respectfully. Cassie didn’t buy the beast’s assurances.
“Tell you what. We can chat from the sides of this tree. You shall stay behind the tree, I shall stay in front of the tree. This way we do not have to be forced to look upon each other in disgust, but rather as what your world would say, ‘pen pals’.”
“Your world”? What does it mean, “your world”?
“Fine,” Cassie agreed. At least she could get a split second head start if the beast became more hostile. “What do you want to chat about?” Cassie heard the Beast land on the leaves with a deep *thud*. He had sat down, ready for conversation.
“You have something of mine.” He said. His voice was deeper now, Cassie assumed it was because he was tired.
“What could I have of yours?” Cassie said, exasperated. She clutched the tree.
“Oh my, your hand. It is red.” The Beast observed. Cassie drew her hands to her body and hid them in her coat.
“It’s nothing! I’m fine!” Cassie insisted. She still didn’t trust the creature, whatever it was.
“It’s strange, you call me Beast but you know not my actual name.” the Beast said.
“I didn’t know you had one.”
The creature moved to its feet, and, after brushing the mud off of it, extended an enormous, black claw towards the tree. “Well, we must be introduced properly. Would you be willing to shake my hand?” Cassie peeked around the tree and looked at the claw. It was razor sharp, and looked used often.
That is NO Rottweiler paw.
She did not want to look the creature in the eyes, so she stood to her feet and stared at the hand from around the tree. She slowly took her bloody hand out of her coat and brushed it on her pants. Hesitantly, she extended her hand to the Beast. It chuckled.
Suddenly, a flaming sword came from behind Cassie and sliced the creature’s fingers off. The creature screamed in pain. Something threw Cassie up into the tree. She landed on a branch close to the trunk. She tried to find whatever it was that sliced the creature’s fingers, but it was nowhere to be seen.
“Evil child! Evil, wicked, deceitful child! Reveal yourself!” the creature roared as it searched around the tree for Cassie. She was too stunned to say anything.The beast wasn’t what she saw earlier. It looked like an oversized wolf, but it was all black, with a head and paws like a lion and his rear like a dog. It seemed taller than an average man, and its teeth were like butcher knives. But earlier it was a Rottweiler, a vicious, mean-looking, mangy-smelling dog. Cassie had no idea what to make of it.
“Cassie did not remove your fingers.Idid!” someone yelled.
“Who, WHO dares oppose Morlltech?!” the creature, apparently named Morlltech, roared again. In the blink of an eye, a man appeared in front of the creature. He was dressed in a white robe, with shoulder-length, golden hair. From his belt hung a horn of a celestial type, and a sword sheath. In his hands was the sword the sheath belonged to. It looked like it was made of fire, and the blade was sharper than a two edged sword. Cassie was in awe of this man. He shone like the sun, and with a righteous anger in his eyes. The man pointed the sword to the creature’s muzzle.
“You shall not harm the girl.” The man said with a booming voice and a surprisingly calm tone. His eyes seemed to dare Morlltech to strike. The beast became furious, and attacked the strange man. With a blow of his sword, the man struck the creature with his handle, knocking the monster’s head. Morlltech recoiled and shook his head free of headache. His eyes blood red, Morlltech got in battle stance. Whoever this man was with the fire sword, it looked like he was doomed. But the man was unfazed, and also in battle stance. They circled each other, sizing each other up. Morlltech snarled and swung a powerful claw at the man; the blow was deflected. The man fought with skill and precision, the creature fought with power and mercilessness.
Cassie watched the sword as it lunged, swung and parried with ease. Suddenly there was a sound behind her! Cassie whipped around to see a squirrel in the nest above her. A deafening roar! Cassie focused her attention back to the battle. Morlltech’s hind leg had been cut severely. The man held his fire sword to Morlltech’s throat. The man’s eyes burned with determination. The evil creature snarled again then limped away till it was out of sight. The strange man had won!
Cassie had shivers run down her spine. The man sheathed his sword and looked directly at her from the ground. The fire had gone from his eyes, and his brow was calmed. He smiled a warm, pleasant smile at Cassie.
“It is alright, now, Cassie. You may come down, now.” He said with a calm, soothing voice. It was almost a lullaby. Cassie was afraid, but she did not fear the strange man. Carefully, she climbed down and hid behind the safety of the tree. The man chuckled.
“There is no need to be afraid, Cassie. You are safe now.” He held out a strong hand. Cassie began to put her own, tiny, bloody hand into his, but she was embarrassed and hid it again. The man smiled. “Why do you feel it necessary to hide your wounds from a doctor?” he asked. Cassie looked in his eyes and saw a special kindness she’d never seen before. She put her hand into his and was brought out from behind the tree.
“Who… who are you?” she asked timidly. The man smiled again.
“I am Joel.” He said softly.A tear came to Cassie’s eyes as he held her hand in both of his own.
“Just Joel?” she asked quietly. The man nodded.
“What was that thing?”
“Morlltech, a soul-hunter. Sent to kill you.”
“Why?”
“He was sent for your soul. His master requires it.”
“Well, if he’s a murderer why don’t you kill him? You let him get away!”
“Some things are done for a reason, Cassie. And if I kill him wouldn’t that make me a murderer myself?”
“But he’s gonna hurt other people!”
“And he may. But he has no power over someone’s soul unless the person gives it to him.”
“But this isn’t right! He needs to be stopped before he can destroy the city!”
“The city will only be destroyed if the people in the city let him. Free will has its name for a reason. I have come to protect you, and there is a larger advance watching the city. You have a big heart, Cassie, and nothing could make you happier than to see the safety and wellness of all people. For this reason Morlltech was sent. You are a righteous girl, and that creature’s master does not like that.”
Cassie wanted to ask more questions and argue more, but she realized that this guy had saved her. She shouldn’t argue with someone who had done her a great kindness. So she simply nodded.
After a brief pause, Joel asked her to tell him about her life, and what she was doing out past curfew in the woods. Cassie started from the beginning and told him that all her life she went from foster house to foster house and eventually ended up back at her abusive parent’s condo. All they did was drink and party. They never had time for Cassie, nor did they care about her. Cassie had run away, and was living on the streets eating whatever food she could find, and begging for money. She was feisty enough to protect herself from strangers, but not from the creature that had found her in that damp alley earlier that morning. The Rottweiler had been following her all day. It never left her alone. It stayed at a distance, but easily within arm’s reach. It never attacked, it never barked, it only growled when she looked at it. Cassie wondered why she seemed to be the only one who saw the thing. Everyone else on the streets saw only Cassie, and no beast stalking her. After hours of this, Cassie had had enough of the mutt. She tangled herself in a nearby crowd, hoping that the dog would get lost. Eventually it lost sight of her, and she managed to escape to the forest on the other side of the crowd. She figured it would chase her, so she started running as fast as she could. She had been running since late afternoon, with no water, no rest, and no help.
While she told her story, Joel was dressing her hand and cleaning her face and hair. When she finished, her hand was healed with no scars, her long, brown hair was in a neat ponytail and her clothes weren’t dirty anymore.She felt brand-new, like she just came out of the shower and put on fresh clothes. By now it was four in the morning, but Cassie was neither exhausted nor sleepy. She felt like she just woke up on a hot, summer day. Joel held out a backpack.
“Take this. It has food, and water, extra clothes, a blanket, an emergency horn, and a book.” Cassie took it from him and slipped it on.
“What do I do with the horn?”
“If you are ever in trouble, blow the horn. You may not find help, but help may find you.”
“Okay! Could I borrow a tent? I have no place to go…”
“Go to the Wayfair and Travel bus station and speak to a woman named Brenda. You will find her sitting on a bench outside a closed ticket booth. Tell her, ‘Joel sent me’. When you have done this, she will take you to a safe place for you to live. Understand?”
Cassie nodded. “But what about you? Will you come with me?”
“No, I’m afraid I can’t do that, Cassie.” Joel said.
“Oh… will you be okay?” she asked. Joel glanced at his sword that was in his sheath. Cassie followed his eyes and understood.
“I will be just fine.” Joel said, chuckling. Cassie smiled. It was the first time she had smiled that day. It felt good. She flung herself to Joel and wrapped him in a bear hug. Joel’s strong arms hugged her back.
“Thank you, Joel.” She whispered. A tear trickled down her cheek and onto his white robe. She didn’t want to leave this hug. Ever. Joel pulled away and set her on her feet. He wiped her eyes and smiled. She smiled again. Then she turned and walked away. She immediately turned her back to say goodbye, but Joel was nowhere to be seen. Cassie laughed as she turned and walked in the direction Joel set her down in. As long as she lived, she repeated to herself three words…
“Thank you, Joel.”