Chapter 3 - Release

“Pull!” screamed Elijah. Jack pulled the lever on the skeet machine, shooting a disk into the air. Elijah smashed it with a boulder. “Pull!” he screamed again, this time killing the disk with a great ball of fire. “Pull!” He slayed it with a powerful jet of water. “Pull!” “Pull!” “Pull!” Murdering each of them with a blast from an element.

“That’s enough,” he told Jack, and he shut off the machine.

“Lady, the prisoners wish to see you,” said a new voice, as Chase walked into the room, bowing.

“Very well,” he said, grinning a deliciously evil grin at him. “Show them in.”
Chase snapped his fingers and four big cats led in four angry prisoners, chained at the ankles and wrists. As soon as they were lined up in front of him, Chase stood to his left. Jack stood to his right. “Well?” barked Elijah. “Speak!”

“We have questions,” said Omi.

“I assumed as much,” said Elijah. “You may each ask one.”

“Why did you steal our powers?” asked Rai.

“You read my diary,” he snarled. “I should have killed you. I didn’t. Count yourselves lucky.”

“LUCKY?!” demanded Kimiko, firing up. “You stole our powers, locked us up, and took over the temple, our home!! We’re lucky?!”

“Yes, lucky,” said Elijah softly, dangerously. “You’re alive aren’t you? You’re standing here talking to me, aren’t you? I didn’t take over the world, did I? That was your question.”

“Where’s Master Fung?” asked Omi before Kimiko said something that would get her into trouble.

“Here,” said Elijah. “He wasn’t easily overpowered, but we got him eventually.” He paused, looking at Clay. “Well? You still haven’t asked anything.”

He thought for a moment. “What did you mean, ‘I trusted you the most’?”

Elijah stared at him. “Leave us,” he commanded Jack and Chase.

“But, Lady – ” started Jack.

“The prisoners – ” said Chase.

“LEAVE US!” shrieked Elijah, a cold wind slamming through the castle hall. Jack was quick to scurry out. Chase led Kimiko, Rai, and Omi out, along with his cats. As soon as they’d left, Elijah snapped his fingers and the chains fell from Clay’s wrists and ankles. “Make one move and I will kill you,” said Elijah quickly. “I’m not afraid to.” He stared at him in thought once more. “You ask an interesting question for which I am at a loss for an answer.” He looked at him again. “Clay, do you know how old I am?” he asked.

“14,” he answered quickly.

“Indeed,” he sighed. “I am 14. A 14-year-old boy with hormones, hatred, love, desire, detestation, all locked up into a little overly creative mind. I can’t deal with all that. I needed someone to hang onto.” He pulled out his journal and flicked open to a page. “I don't know what's happening anymore,” he began.

“Only two things haven't changed.

1. My father's a prick.

2. My step mom’s a dog.

Everything else is confusing and scaring me.

1. My older brother is joining the Air Force. He may go to Iraq. I won't see him for four years. He may go overseas. He may die. I don't understand why he's doing this.

2. My older sister and I are suddenly friends. I have no idea when this happened. I know, this isn't something I should be angsting about, but it's weird.

3. My little brother is still an annoying plebe, but he's also getting more mature. I don't understand why he has to grow up: I like him the way he is.

4. My little sister is getting bigger, too. She's walking, she's talking, and I don't get to see her every day. It's a little weird seeing her and seeing how much she's grown.

5. My mom's a teacher. I never get to see her anymore in the mornings. She sometimes doesn't get to say goodbye.

6. My social life is insane. A 'slutty' friend, a brilliant friend (who claims she's not), and a friend and her boyfriend's on-again-off-again relationship.

7. I'm changing. Hormones, a changing body, craziness. I'm not even going to pretend I don't hate God for those little tricks. Why does he do this to the XX chromosome?

My family's crazy. My friends are crazy. My life is crazy.

I don't understand. Life needs a manual,” he finished.

“Good enough for you?” he asked. Clay nodded mutely. “I began watching you, and I fell in love with you,” he said. “You were the man of my dreams. You were kind, chivalrous, handsome…I loved that accent,” he said dreamily. He shook his head and reverted to his normal voice. “I began to trust you, even though I didn’t know you. So – when I finally came here – from another universe – I felt like you were the one I could trust the most.” He laughed humorlessly and began to cry. “I was wrong.”

“How were you wrong?” asked Clay, coming over and sitting in front of his throne, facing him.

“You read my journal,” he said, snapping the blue book shut and placing it beside him. “I felt like you’d snapped my heart in two when you did that.”

“I’m sorry,” Clay offered.

“Okay,” said Elijah, sniffing. “You must think me really silly.”

“No,” said Clay, holding him hand and stroking it. “No, no, no. I think you really misunderstood. I can understand that.”

“You can?” asked Elijah, looking up at him hopefully.

“Yeah, actually,” said Clay, surprised. “People don’t get you. I get that.”

“You’re the first,” said Elijah, conjuring a tissue out of thin air and blowing his nose. “No one at home can understand why I lock myself into my room for hours just to write. Or draw. Or listen to music. Or whatever.”

“You need alone time,” said Clay.

“I need to feel like I’m – ”

“ – Wanted. You need to feel like everything – ”

“ – Will be okay,” finished Elijah quietly. “Did we just finish each other’s sentences?”

“I think so,” said Clay. “Was that – ”

“Me? No,” said Elijah. “You did that – ”

“All on my own?” asked Clay, awestruck. He looked at him, and he looked at him. His gray eyes held some long-repressed secret that had just been released. His blue ones held the kind understanding that everyone wants to see. He leaned forward – he was so close – he could count every eyelash on his closed eyes – he was so close –

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“What took you so long?” asked Rai as soon as Clay got back into the cell.

“What did he say?” asked Omi.

“What happened?” asked Kimiko.

Clay didn’t appear to be listening to any of them. He walked forward, turned around, leaned onto the wall, and slid down it. He crossed his arms onto his knees, his eyes thoughtful, his mouth twitching into a smile. He sat like that for a moment, his friends looking at him with concern.

“Clay? Halloo?” asked Rai, waving his hand in front of Clay’s face.

“We’re bein’ released,” said Clay.

“Why?” demanded Omi, instantly suspicious.

“You kissed him, didn’t you?” asked Kimiko.

Clay looked at her with a shocked expression on her face. “How’d you know?”

“Girls know these kinds of things,” she answered briskly. “So? Why?”

“He…opened up to me,” Clay began. “He explained about his family. His situation.” He looked at Rai and Omi. “He’s not evil. Just misunderstood.”

“Is he a good kisser?” asked Rai.

Clay looked at his knees, a blush creeping onto his face. “Yeah,” he said sheepishly.

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