Marla Medizza and the Miopsa mirror. Chapters eighteen and nineteen.

Chapter eighteen

A step too far.

Marla lies on the lawn, her mind drifts. She picks up a chocolate twig from the mint ice cream, presenting it to her vision. A chocolate stick insect floating in a cobalt sea.

‘Shall you produce a litter, Marla dearest?’

‘A litter, nope, children, absolutely not. I can’t even look after myself. My Mam devotes her life to three kids who have been a royal pain in the arse. I do not wish that existence on anybody.’

‘She worships you, Marla.’

‘Who?’

‘Your sister Stella.’

There is a modest respite. Marla sighs.

‘I am sure you are right Babulous, I guess she just has an unusual way of demonstrating it.’

‘Lunch is served,’ announces Aunt Elspeth, taking a place at the table on the patio. Marla and Babulous sail across an emerald ocean toward dry land.

‘Lemonade dearest?’

‘I’d much prefer a cold one, aunty.’

‘A cold one, what darling?’

‘A beer aunty, a brewski.’

‘Marla ladies do not…’

Marla glowers at her.

‘Well, err, yes, I guess we could find something of that nature for you. James?’

‘Yes, me lady?’

‘Have we any brewski’s whatnots?’

‘We do not. I have a stockpile in the fridge in my room.’

‘A stockpile James darling, are you an alcoholic?’

‘I never used to be,’ he responds, heading toward the house.

‘Marla dearest, what is a brewski? It sounds extremely exciting.’

‘It’s lemonade for you, Babulous. I do not yearn to carry you upstairs later and I do not want you wandering off.’

‘Help yourselves to luncheon my darlings.’

‘Thanks, aunty, so is there a way?’

‘A way dearest?’

‘To stop Cornelius Darkus, from, you know…’

‘Decapitating you, darling?’

‘Yes, that!’ Marla snaps.

‘You will find a way; you just don’t recognise it yet Marla darling and anyhow you will be his last.’

‘What are you saying, his last?’

‘Victim darling. If Cornelius Darkus escapes the miopsa mirror, he will unlock Pandora’s box. If the oracular quadrant meets, they will conjure up an unspeakable evil and lay waste to the earth. They will annihilate every being with a beating heart. Oceans will boil, volcanoes vomit their bile on scorched land. The screams of children resonating in the air, deafening those who witness. Flesh and bone cast to the soil ravaged by vultures. Cucumber sandwich, darling?

‘What about my Mam and my…?’

‘Mother or Mum, we don’t say Mam here darling.’

‘As with the rest of us, your Mother will perish. Jolly rotten business this global annihilation thingamajig if you ask me.’

‘I have to warn her, I need to go back.’

‘Warn her darling?’

‘Ring her, tell her to leave the house, travel to a place of safety.

‘You cannot hide from the bringer of death, darling. Did the old battle axe not explain this to you?

‘Explain what? Nan said you could help me.’

‘This house, darling, the garden, the table, food. You entered, by doing so, crossed time paths. My home is set in a rotating time path. This home exists in a place between time and space. Think of it as a plane crossing time zones at incredible speed, darling.’

‘What the heck are you saying, aunty?’

‘What I mean, darling, is your Nan sent you here to protect you. She knew I could offer you a secure environment.’

‘What will happen to everybody else. My Mam, sisters, dog, friends, life, everything!?’ she screams.

‘I can see you are upset darling.’

‘Upset? you are damned right I am, aunty. Send me back. I want to go home.’ Marla snaps, slamming her hand onto the table.

Her aunt sighs. ‘There may be a way, darling. There will be consequences.’

‘Tell me, how do I get back?’

‘The orb of light, darling, a time tunnel that exists in the drantian dimension. A dark and evil place deep within the forest of Velucius.

‘What happens once I have located the orb?’

‘Oh, that is simple darling, walk into the light, but…’

‘But what?’

‘There are specific issues linked to walking into a sphere of time, darling. Nobody understands what will appear on the other side. Time travel may have disastrous repercussions. The molecules inside the body can change.’

‘Are you saying when I exit the body orb, I may be different?’

‘Humans are not equipped to handle time travel, not even witches, Marla. Nobody understands the repercussions of altering the past or the future. The results could be catastrophic, not just to you, but to many others dearest.’

‘Marla dearest, may I speak to you regarding the orb of light?’

‘Hush a moment, Babulous. So, you are suggesting we could perish if we enter this orb thingy?’

‘Yes, darling, you may experience excruciating agony. Eyeballs exploding, brains melting, etcetera. Slice of fruit cake darling?’

‘No, thank you aunty, I have lost my appetite.’

‘Jolly good darling, James, more wine.’

‘There has to be a way aunty.’

‘There was a witch, many years ago. Her name, the sorceress of the cloak. Legend has it she could travel through the time continuum.’

‘So, it can be done?’

‘In theory, Marla. Unlike you and me, the cloaked witch possessed the power of the gods. She existed in different time realms.’

‘We need to find the cloaked witch aunty.’

‘The witch of the cloak is long gone now, Marla darling, passing away hundreds of years ago.’

‘Please darling, eat. You must keep up your strength. Take a leaf out of your little friends’ book.’

She glowers at Babulous, serving him a platter of distaste. A prawn falls from his balloon-bloated cheeks. She shifts her vision back to her aunt.

‘I have never heard of the forest of Velucius.’

‘Few have heard of the forest of Velucius, darling,’ she acknowledges, glugging on a generous crystal tumbler of gin and tonic.

‘Do you have a map, Aunty?’

‘No darling, maps are for the other realm, the one you abandoned.’

‘What do you mean abandoned, I came here looking for help? Everything I love exists in that other realm. Right now, I do not care what happens to me. I don’t care if I exit the orb with my ears attached to my arse. I am going home, no matter the implications.’

Aunt Elspeth stares through the crystal glass, the expression in her eyes removed and yet reflective.

‘If you wish to return home, you must find the black serpent, darling.’

‘Which is what?’

‘The black serpent darling, a dragon to many folks. But the reality is vastly different. It is the supreme beast of Argantian. A super dragon if you will, with extraordinary power.’

‘And?’

‘And darling?’

‘Yes, what do we do when we locate this serpent thingamajig?’

‘Ah yes, first you need to overpower the beast. Harness the beast and order it to take flight toward the forest of Velucius. Upon locating the orb of Light, you will only have a matter of seconds to enter. You must not pause or falter. After entering there is no way back, you cannot return here. Whatever transpires within the time continuum is anybody’s guess?’

‘Where do we find the black serpent?’

‘lurking on the peak of fucus mountain darling.’

A shower of beer bursts from Marla's lips, hitting Babulous, the table, and everything.

‘Sorry Babulous,’ she utters, wiping his face with a silk napkin.

‘Did you say Fuckers?’

‘Fucus Marla darling, Fuc u s, try not to be crass you are a lady.’

‘It is settled, we will find the black serpent.’

‘On your head, be it, darling. I understand I cannot stop you. You realise that the realm you abandoned is a fairy tale compared to the dimension beyond the sanctuary of my home. Evil incarnate, more macabre than your eyes and mind could ever imagine. If you abandon the security of the house, you will be on your own. Alone, without protection or the ability to cast spells. Your magic is useless once you cross the threshold.’

‘Magic or not, I will take my chances, aunty. I must return to my Mam, before time runs out. I have been on my own before, facing horrendous conditions.’

‘You will not be alone, Marla dearest. I may be short, but I will struggle to the death to protect you,’ announces Babulous.

‘I know you will. Thank you, my friend.’

‘So, Aunty, how do we locate the fucker moun…’

‘Fuckus dearest f, u, c…’

‘Yes, Aunty, I get it, how do we get there?’

‘Beyond the garden, is a pathway. This path will guide you to a village named Callabranti. The head of the village is a creature named Medius, locate him. Once he is asleep steal the staff of Santicus. When you have it in your possession, you will control it. The staff will illuminate a blazing light in any direction you command. Fuckus mountain is one hundred and twenty-two miles northeast of Calabranti. Point the staff in that direction and it will do the rest darling.’

‘Great, that sounds straightforward enough,’ utters Marla.

‘Should I fetch the lady Marla’s suitcase, Ma’am?’

‘Marla, please don’t leave.’

‘I am sorry, aunty, I need to travel back.’

‘Yes, James, please fetch the suitcase.’

‘This house can offer you a safe existence, darling. As much food, brewski’s and excitement, you could ever wish to experience.’

‘Maybe so, aunty. You are correct, I could live here, eat whatever I wanted. Inhabit this fascinating and magical place for the rest of my days.’

‘So, what is stopping you?

Marla reaches into her handbag, plucking out her purse, opening it, and sliding a photograph toward her aunt.

‘Ah, your Mother Elise, I miss her.’

‘My Mam means the world to me. I began this quest to defeat Cornelius Darkus and come hell or high water. I will not quit until either he has my head, or I have his soul.’

‘You sound like a bona fide witch, Marla darling. Keep that strength locked inside of you.’

‘Your bags, me lady,’ announces James, setting the suitcase onto the gravel.

‘Thank you, James.’

Aunt Elspeth takes a deep breath.

‘I will escort you to the pathway darling.’

Veering across the verdant vale, Marla is once again struck by a sense of Deja vu which she crumples and places in her pocket. They reach the edge of the lawn, to witness a pathway a couple of feet long blocked by a stone wall.

‘This is the end of my journey, Marla. After you cross the threshold and step onto the path. Myself, this house will be gone forever.’

‘I don’t understand Aunty, what do you mean gone forever?’

‘This pathway is magical, it’s a time dimension. In the fraction of a second, it takes for you to step on and cross time planes. Five hundred years will have passed in this dimension and I will no longer exist. I have lived for many years Marla and the short time I have spent with you has been the best.’

‘You mean….’

‘I mean I will have passed over, but you will live on Marla, for us. You are a strong young woman. I am proud to have known you, Marla Medizza. It is vital you leave soon; the time dimension will close soon, and you will be trapped here forever.’

‘But Aunty I….’

‘Hush, you must leave, the clock is ticking.’

Marla runs toward Aunt Elspeth, draping her arms around and gripping her tight. She glances at her. Aunt Elspeth is attempting her darndest to contain her emotion as a single tear slips from her eyes onto Marla’s cheek.

‘Oh fiddlesticks, you have got me started now. You must go now, believe in yourself Marla. If you believe, clarity will follow.’

‘I love you, aunty.’

‘I love you too Marla, always and forever.’

Marla turns to Babulous ‘Ready?’

‘As ready as I'll ever be, Marla dearest.’

Marla and Babulous edge toward the pathway. She turns back, taking a last glance at her aunt. Placing her foot onto the path, the wall disappears before her eyes. She glances backward. Her aunt, the house, the garden are gone.

‘I am sorry Marla dearest.’

‘Sorry for what, Babulous, none of this mess is your fault.’

Babulous places his furry hand into hers and clutches.

‘Marla dearest, we have far to travel. Let us walk this path together.’

They start their quest. Marla reaches into her bag and plucks out her wand. In doing so, a tattered piece of parchment paper slips from her bag to her feet. She lifts it from the ground and reads the words scribed.

My Dearest Marla,

By the time you view these words, I will be long gone. I always knew you were a brave witch and, given the choice, choose to fight to safeguard your family. In time you will realise your potential, in time your power will prevail.

I am super proud to have known you, to watch you grow.

Travel the righteous path and it will guide you home.

Love always.

Great Aunt Elspeth.

‘What is this, I don’t understand. I have only met her once. How can this be Babulous?’

‘I do not know, Marla dearest. I am as confused as you are. One matter I am sure of, when the moment arises, you will be prepared.’

Marla beams, placing the note in the pocket of her yellow dress.

‘The village of Callabranti Marla?’

‘Yes Babulous, let’s go.’

And so, their journey home begins, Marla's imagination captured by unusual looking creatures in flight. Flora and fauna of shape and colour. A stumpy furry creature startles her as it brushes the bare skin on her leg. She jumps and giggles. Her mind is set adrift. She thinks of her Mum. Speculating whether she is making a pile of her infamous bacon sandwiches or sitting in anguish worrying where her daughter may be. She hopes for the former.

She wonders whether Bella is playing records on her record player and if Stella is applying her makeup before meeting up with her friends.

One thing she is positive of, if she makes it through the orb of Light, her life will never be the same. This journey is no longer whether she keeps her head. There is a bigger picture forming, a global annihilation.

Chapter nineteen.

The highway code.

A highway to hell or a stairway to heaven as their fate is untold. Marla and Babulous march focused and determined to seize the staff. The light of the garden cloaked by the grey of the evening in a single step and mighty leap.

Deeper they delve toward the blanket of black. Marla’s eyes and ears are acute to each sound and vision. Reaching a small hill, a golden equator meets them, symbolising light in the distance.

‘I think this may be the place Babulous. We must be stealthy. Absolute silence is our only defence. I am sure you know what that means?’

‘No bowel movements, Marla dearest?’

‘You are catching on Babulous.’

Marla spots a deluge of lights as they pace toward the village. They pace toward the perimeter.

‘We will stick around here until the village is desolate, Babulous. When we are inside the hut, we will grab the staff and leg it.’

‘Leg it, Marla dearest?’

‘Run Babulous.’

Babulous jumps to his feet and paces a few feet forward.

‘What are you doing?’

‘You said run Marla dearest.’

‘Just get back here. I didn’t mean run, I was… look, it doesn’t matter. Get back here.’

They take refuge behind an oddly shaped tree. Trunk twisted bark black, smell rancid. The branches sharp, reaching into the grime of night, talons of a monster. Twilight consumes dusk as they rise to their feet as they pussyfoot toward the nearest hut.

‘Okay so, we locate his hut, enter, quietly. Steal the staff, and retreat. In that order Babulous.’

‘Of course, Marla dearest.’

‘I wish I were in Manchester right now,’ she mumbles.

Marla edges toward a hut, pushing her head around the corner to analyse the territory.

‘I think I have located his hut Babulous, come see,’ she announces, pointing toward a hut with a sign inscribed King Medius the Mighty.

‘Modest chap isn’t he?’ declares Babulous.

‘Remember Babulous, move with stealth and keep your eyes and ears open.’

Carefully they tiptoe forward, each crack of twig underfoot amplified in the gag. Marla peeps through a gap in the wooden wall of the hut. She spots an obese looking creature, blackened skin scaley, tail long, head, that of a wolf. Talons are long. Silence emanates as they wait. Before long, the creature lies to rest.

‘I can see a staff a few feet from the beast, Babulous. I think that is it. We should retreat to the tree, allow the monster to fall into a deep sleep, then return.’

They retreat, setting themselves behind the colossal tree. The branches set to tear them limb from limb at any moment.

‘It has been an extraordinary couple of days, Marla dearest. I presume if anyone had warned you of this journey days ago you may have reacted differently?’

‘I may have laughed in their faces, Babulous. A few days ago, Babulous, I was living an ordinary life, music, socialising, Mams amazing bacon sandwiches. Everything was how I liked it.’

‘I expect this undertaking will become stranger as the days pass for you, Marla dearest.’

‘One can only hope you are wrong, Babulous. The sooner I am sitting on the couch at home, the better.’

Babulous does not respond. She reads him. His expression is one of melancholy.

‘Are you feeling alright Babulous?’

‘Yes, yes Marla dearest, I am without illness, I was just contemplating.’

‘No time for that now. We are on a mission.’

‘You are right dearest, the sooner we take charge of the staff, the better our chances of survival.’

‘Babulous the fabulous,’ whispers Marla, beaming in his direction.

‘You will love my home Babulous, Mam and my sisters will adore you.’

‘I hope to meet with them in person one day, dearest.’

‘I think this may be our chance. Remember, stealth, zero farting.’

‘Stealth is my middle name Marla dearest.’

Marla glares in his direction, lifting her eyebrows.

‘Do you have a middle name, Babulous?’

‘Yes, Marla dearest, my name in full is Babulous Carvatian Hermodius Sivantarium Terrasium Collous Fizalmanger.’

‘Wow, that is a mouthful. If all the same to you, I will stick with calling you Babulous.’

‘As you wish for Marla dearest.’

They creep toward the hut; they can hear snoring behind the thicket door. Marla opens it carefully. It creaks. She pauses, placing her finger over her lip and glancing at Babulous. She pulls on the door again, once again the creaking, stopping her in her tracks. The odour seeping from the mouth of the beast turns her stomach as she paces forward into the darkness, using her hands as a guide.

‘Wait here Babulous,’ she whispers.

Marla crouches, crawling on the floor toward the staff. The creature stirs, its taloned claw whizzing past Marla’s face by a matter of inches. She glances back at Babulous, cemented to the floor, a statue. She turns, advancing closer, and stretches out her arm. Her fingertips touch the staff, she grips the handle lifting it from the dusty ground.

The vile demon groans in his sleep, his talon hand scratching at the wooden floor. Marla freezes to the spot. One sound, one slip, one mistake, and the beast will awaken and rip out her throat. The beast groans again, one eye open. Marla stands frozen, petrified, its blood curdling glare into the dark. A single bead of perspiration drops from her brow. In slow motion, she watches as it splashes onto her foot. She shudders, observing the claws of the macabre scratch at the wooden floor. A hand brushes her shoulder, she twists, Babulous grips her arm. They tread cautiously toward the exit, scrutinising the creature as they move backward. The monster is sound asleep. Marla heaves a sigh of relief.

Step by step, second by second, each moment her relief increases. Suddenly her leg brushes past an object in the darkness. An almighty crash delivers the ultimate calamity. She turns, the beast is standing, seven feet tall or more, it screams, lunging toward them.

‘Run!’ Marla screams, taking Babulous by the hand.

‘Slay them, execute them both!’ screams the monster as they sprint across the dusty ground toward the forest edge.

‘Control the staff, Marla,’ cries Babulous.

‘Staff I order you to carry us one hundred and twenty miles northeast!’ she screams, but her request goes unheard.

‘Bloody thing, it’s not working, Babulous!’ she yells.

The ground trembles, they sprint, the screams of demonic creatures wail in a rattling chorus too near for comfort. Marla turns, a blackened fog of banshee screams gaining on them.

‘Staff, I bloody order you right now. Take us, guide us whatever, one hundred and twenty miles northeast!’ Again, the staff mute to her appeal.

The air choked by the putrid stench of death. Marla lifts Babulous, plonking him on her shoulders, and races to the trees. Her only saving grace, her old black boots. They’d have been dead for sure if her aunty had compelled her to wear heels.

‘I am not going to make it Babulous, I am done…!’

It is at this point; she recalls the conversations with her aunt.

‘Darling, you have declared your love of bacon to me many times. I observed your failed try at conjuring a sandwich. A hog wasn’t it, with a loaf of bread on its head?’

‘Darling with each spell you must always first express the words of the Medizza coven.’

‘The two words before any spell are Deci Abranti. You must speak these words first. I am astounded that you did not turn your little friend into a frog!

‘Here goes nothing,’ she pants.

‘Deci abranti, staff of wisdom, guide us one hundred miles northeast!’ she wheezes.

A burst of blazing light erupts around her. Arcs of brilliant lightning sear the midnight sky. Her feet lifted from the dusty ground as the staff thrusts her toward the stars. Marla grips the staff, Babulous holds on tight. The wailing, now a whimper as they soar higher and higher.

‘We did it Babulous, we are safe,’ she chirps.

‘You did Marla, you commanded the staff, and the staff obeyed.’

They whizz faster and higher. White lightning cuts through a sea of crystal sprinkled black. Marla peers downward, into an abyss of nothingness.

‘Fuckus mountain, here we come,’ she shrieks.

Faster and faster, they slice the sable star-salted sky.

Marla straddles the staff. ‘Who needs a broomstick, hey Babulous,’ she holla’s.

Marla grins, gawking into sable satin. ‘One more monster to overcome Babulous and we will be home again.’ She cheers.

Suddenly, a whirring noise pricks her ears and drowns her in dread. She glances over her shoulder. Behind them, the demonic behemoth of Medius, and he is gaining ground. A flamed arrow misses her face. One after another, spears of flame whizzing past.

‘Babulous, hold on!’ she screams, pushing down on the front of the staff as it plummets rapidly toward the ground.

‘Marla, what are you doing, pull up, pull up!’

‘It will be okay Babulous, trust me, a little further. We are almost there,’ she asserts as they speed downward into obscurity.

‘Marla dearest, pull up!’ cries Babulous.

‘Now!’ announces Marla, dragging the staff back as her legs scrape against the forest floor.

‘Hold on tight Babulous, stay with me!’ she shrieks.

‘We will try to lose the creature in the woods,’ she quakes. The staff twisting and turning as they zoom through the thicket, narrowly avoiding the branches.

‘He is advancing on us. Can you make it move any faster, Marla dearest?’

Marla looks over her shoulder. The creature is a few feet behind them. She gasps as it pulls back a flaming bow; the arrow pointed directly at her. She knows she must decide or perish.

‘Hold on Babulous, I have an idea!’ she exclaims, yanking the staff upward. They ascend swiftly, thrusting toward the crystal star-speckled sky. Higher and further, they climb, the crisp air turns frigid as they rocket.

‘What are you doing, Marla?’

‘Just trust me Babulous and for god’s sake hold on tight!’ she screams, as they speed through the clouds.

‘The monster is on our tail Marla dearest, please hurry!’

‘Here we go, hold on tight!’

Marla slams the front of the staff downward. The staff comes to a grinding halt as the monster whizzes straight past them. They hang in the air and watch as the beast zooms toward the edge of space. It screams, but too late, gravity is no longer existent for it. Marla presses her ears as the banshee cries of the beast resonate in the night sky.

‘I will track you and I will slay you,’ are the last cries of the creature consumed by the black. Marla pushes downward on the staff, they descend.

‘You rescued us, Marla dearest. Your plan worked. How did you know?’

‘I didn’t. I just prayed and hoped for divine intervention. Plus, I have been reading up on movement and momentum.’

‘Huh?’

‘The monster was gaining on us, which meant he was travelling faster than us. I estimated roughly the distance to the Karman line.’

‘Karman line Marla dearest, what is this?’

‘The edge of space Babulous, Astrophysics, class.’

‘That vile thing will pass us if I slam on the brakes. The lack of gravity would take care of the rest.’

‘Why were you so sure?’

‘The Highway Code Babulous.’

‘What is this code of the highway, Marla dearest?’

‘The highway code. A manual I am learning at the moment to prepare for my driving test. The last thing I learned was stopping distances. That thing following us was travelling faster than we were. All I had to do was stop at the exact moment.’

‘Wow, I am astounded, you are such a clever clog, Marla dearest.’

Marla chuckles.

‘What is it, Marla?’

‘Something my sister, Stella said to me. You think you are such a clever clog, Marla.’

‘Your sister is correct. I felt convinced that our death was imminent. We survived, and it was because of your quick thinking.’

They descend to a few hundred feet above the treetops. Marla was relieved they were both safe.

Marla had one more hurdle to face, possibly the deadliest of them. She understands facing the demonic dragon on top of Fuckus mountain could seal her fate. She realises going back is futile. There is nothing to go back to. Her focus is sharp, her resolve absolute. A warrior is growing inside of her. She must allow it to the fore. If she wants to make it out of here alive.