I should be worried, but all these stupid questions keep running through my head. When did he get a gun? Maybe someone gave it to him? I wonder what he thinks will happen now? His hand is shaking. I wonder what he'll do if he misses his first shot?

He shouts but I barely hear him now. It doesn't matter; it's always the same, but he means it this time. 

I don't even know what I feel any more. I thought I loved him but this... this isn't what it looks like when someone knows you love them. He looks at me with those beautiful soft eyes, but they're not soft anymore. Those eyes of his are burning me alive.

Screw it. Does he think he has the power now? He can man up and I'll fall in line? No, I can tell, he's still afraid of me. He won't love me, but there are other things I can take.

I stroll forward, and he stumbles back. I get close, close enough to touch him. He freezes for a second, then holds up the gun.

"Do it."

Well that surprised him. I could knock away that gun if I wanted or maybe kiss him, but this is what I want. I know how I feel.

He's still standing there. Pathetic.

"Well what are you waiting for? You said it yourself, you want me gone."

He turns, and I can see he's losing his nerve. He might think he's strong, but he can't stomach murdering a woman in cold blood. Honestly, what did I ever see in him beyond his eyes?

"Let me help you with that."

I grab his hand and shove the gun into my chest. I look deep into his eyes; fear, confusion, pity? That does it. I pull the trigger, and I know I'm not leaving. Ever.

I smile through the pain. "I hope you're pleased with yourself. How could you kill an innocent woman like me?"

It's not much, but it's enough. I'm never leaving this place, but neither is he. Two tortured souls, together, forever.

A goat's head effigy hangs in the shadows. The room is dimly lit, illuminated only by a circle of candles. At the edge of the circle stands a masked silhouette, chanting in ancient Greek. I am nearly overwhelmed by vertigo as the pages turn. 

Sometimes I really hate October. You might think I would like it; after all, I can move around relatively freely without attracting attention. On the other hand, it really brings out the crazies, and for some reason they always, always, find me. Like this warlock and his attempts at a summoning ritual.

I focus my attention on the ground below me. Etched into the floor are intricate patterns that flow into a cohesive circle. It appears to be made of salt, charcoal, and some kind of blood. The limits of the circle are further defined by candelight; though the room is dark, not a single shadow breaks the seal. The effort is impressive, but ultimately futile. I dodge straight upwards and move along the rafters.

The warlock switches to Latin and sends a sphere of light toward the ceiling. By now, though, I am already traveling down the wall on his side of the room. As I get closer, he stutters and empties a saltshaker in a circle around him. Clearly he's an amateur if he thinks that would work on me, but I stop at the edges. If I mess with him a bit, maybe he'll leave me alone.

The warlock finally switches to English. "Shade!" he shouts. (I guess he sort of knows what I am at least.) "I have summoned you, and so by my dark power I command you: do my bidding and serve me!" (Like that ever works?) "Retreat from me and await my orders on the far wall!"

I slowly move toward the wall. May as well find out why he summoned me.

The warlock throws back his head and laughs. "At last! Now, demon (I am NOT a demon, thank you very much) you shall serve as my unseen wrath. No one will dare oppose me! I will be unstoppable! (Could he get any more cheesy?) Come, see the form of your first victim." He pulls a photograph from his robe.

I've had just about enough. I approach slowly and hover, pretending to look at the photo. Humans all look the same to me, I'd never figure out who it was even if I wanted to. Then, while he's still gloating and yammering about his would-be victim, I throw his book into the closest candle. It bursts into flames. The warlock screams and lunges toward it. I knock him to the side. Sure he screwed up the summoning, but I don't particularly want him to try again. 

"Get out of my way," snarls the warlock. He starts shooting those orbs of light again. I dodge them long enough to make sure the spellbook is ash. Once it's gone, I leave through the door. I take a quick look around the rest of the building, but it looks like all the summoning implements were in that room, and no one else is around. I head back into the night, stopping only to turn the horseshoe on his front door upside-down. Sometimes it's the little things that make you feel better.

Dreams are bizarre even on the off chance they make sense. You can be standing in your house except it's not your house it's a beach house but that doesn't matter because you need to climb out the skylight to escape the sunscreen zombies anyway. And then the zombies get you and you're a zombie and then you're still running from the zombies because now you're the newscaster you saw earlier. Then you can't think of anything to say in the argument you were having with the president about where to take the submarine since no one else thinks they need to run. And THEN you lurch out of bed because sleep paralysis just wore off and you're trying to flying kick a zombie in the face. That's of course if you don't wake up gasping for breath because you were just drowning in the chocolate pudding ocean.

...

What, you thought those were dreams I actually had? Mine are even stranger.

"Sam!"

The voice echoed through the empty hall. Again, more urgent, "Sam!"

"Where are you?" came the answer. Sam stumbled in the darkness, fumbling for a light switch. The switch produced a faint buzzing, but no light emanated from the bulb.

The bulbs, of course, would not turn on. Most creatures of the night can see to that. For now I could stay in the shadows, but my time to strike was nearing.

"Over here! Around the corner! Hurry!"

Sam sighed and turned the corner. The unwary human was faced with more dark hallways, but straight ahead was the back entrance to the ice rink's shop. 

"In here! Sam!"

Sam stopped. "This isn't funny anymore! Who are you?"

Silence.

Sam turned and walked.

"No! Don't leave me Sam, I'm scared! Please!"

A groan preceded another change in course. Sam entered the skate shop through the open door. The darkness covered the shop, obscuring the merchandise. Racks of dresses were barely distinguishable from the bins of hockey sticks. Sound is more telling at night; I could hear shallow breaths and human heart beating ever faster.

"Look, you don't need to be scared!" Thump-thump, thump-thump. "I'm here, so why don't we just leave together now?"

"Come get me Sam, I'm back here."

"All right, I'm coming."

Sam's hand traced the counter. I heard scuffing as the human's feet shuffled over the floor without leaving it. Clever. With each step, Sam drew closer to the back of the store.

The air grew thicker and the shadows denser. Sam groped along beneath the shelves of skates, trying to locate the source of the voice. Without breaking the silence, I approached, now almost on top of the human.

Sam stood facing away from the wall, completely oblivious to the true source of danger. Slowly, stealthily, a pair of skates wormed their way to the edge of the shelf. Time for the finale.

"I'm right here, Sam."

With one last tug, the skates descended straight for the human's head. I shoved Sam forward, and the skates hit the ground, shattering the silence. Sam screamed and ran blindly, knocking over a bin of blade guards on the way out.

"Fool," growled a voice from the ceiling. "Who dares come between me and my prey?" A bald creature with glowing red eyes and clawed limbs crawled down the wall. It gazed into the shadows, searching for the interloper who had deprived it of an easy meal.

I didn't dignify its threat by moving or responding. Even if it knew what I was, it wouldn't be able to tell shadows from shadows.

It growled, clearly confused by not seeing anything. "You may be able to hide for now, but I will find you, and when I do you will face the wrath of a --"

I pitched the skates right back at it. The creature yelped and retreated into the air vent. I heard metallic scraping as it ran away. There was no need to follow; I had secretly foiled its hunts for weeks. If it didn't want to starve to death, it would have to return to the woods and give up on human prey.

I put the skates back on the shelf and straightened up the bins. I didn't want Sam to start a rumor that the rink was haunted. There was no need to attract more attention than necessary; ghost hunters can get annoying. As far as the other humans need be concerned, someone stayed past closing and got spooked by their own shadow.

Electric fairy lights danced on darkened streets. Constantly changing color, the lights criss-crossed beneath the stars. One instant they would hover just above eye level, the next they twirled around street signs. At no point did their motion stop.

I knew better than to watch them. They were only a distraction, meant to keep me lost until sunrise. Even as a light source they were undependable; they moved so quickly that any details of my surroundings were visible only in flashes. Not that I had much choice in the matter; they also sucked power from any street lights, torches, or cell phones within 500 metres.

As I approached an intersection I stooped down, looking for any clue to my route. The signs all looked normal, so I started checking at the base of the stop sign to my left. Half-feeling along the ground, my hand touched something springy and moist. I looked closer; it was a short, softly glowing mushroom. I turned and kept going. As I walked, I started seeing mushrooms at all the intersections. I followed them through the city, into the park, and down a gravel trail. 

I rounded a bend in the trail and emerged in a grassy area. In the center of what should have been a clearing rose an enormous stone castle. The gravel path gave way to squares of smooth granite. The further I walked on the road, the more distinctly I heard talking and singing, and clinking glasses.

At the end of the road was an enormous wooden door. In front of the door stood a single man, wearing chain mail and armed with a rapier. He held up his hand for me to stop. "What is your name? What business have you here?"

"I request an audience with the ruler of the castle."

He smiled, but his eyes glinted strangely. "Only the wise may enter. Only the worthy will find what they seek. Tell me this: what gains only by loss?"

"A hole."

"What can be found but never bought?"

"Happiness." I shifted uncomfortably. A test of riddles was only to be expected, but these seemed too simple.

"What sees only by hearing?"

I paused a moment before replying, "A bat." At least this was one I hadn't heard before, but it was still suspiciously easy.

The soldier bowed as the door swung open. "And who shall I say is here to see our queen?"

I remained silent. Speaking my name now was the surest way to disappear without a trace. Was this the real point of the test?

The soldier began to fade into mist. "Wise indeed, but are you worthy? You may enter, but you will need to prove yourself to leave."

I took a deep breath and strode through the door. I found myself in an immense hall with a single stone chair at the end. Presumably this was the throne room.

"Welcome to my castle, traveler."

I flinched. The woman with the crown, scepter, and frilly dress was not in the room moments ago, so hearing her speak surprised me.

She gestured and a table full of meat, pastries, and cheese appeared from nowhere. "You must be worn from your journey. Refresh yourself and restore your strength."

I curtsied, gritting my teeth and ignoring the smell wafting from the food. Here was yet another way to disappear without a trace. "I thank you for your hospitality, but I am afraid I have pressing business."

The queen smiled and leaned back in her throne. "Oh? And what could be so pressing that you cannot eat first?"

"I am searching for a child who went missing. A young boy from the city ran away a few days ago, and his parents asked me to find him. I think he might be in this castle."

The smile remained fixed on the queen's face. "A young boy? There are many of those among the pages and servants. A runaway could easily lose himself among them. Very well. You may search among them until sunrise, but if you cannot find him you must stop looking." 

Before I could blink the hall was filled with boys. All of them seemed identical down to their hair and their freckles. That wouldn't be fair, though; one of them had to be slightly different. Finding that difference before sunrise would be the hard part.

As I walked through the boys, they parted in unison, falling back into place behind me. I quietly tried to pull out a copy of his photo. To my chagrin, it looked blank. I put it back in my pocket and focused. There must be some detail that could help me find him. I paced forward, checking their clothes, their faces, even their tans. Everything seemed the same.

I frowned. Checking every boy for some small detail would take too long. On a whim, I ran toward the middle of the room. Just as quickly, the boys moved out of the way and fell back into formation. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw one of them trip. I turned, ran, and grabbed his wrist before I lost sight of him. "This is him!" I shouted.

The castle disappeared into mist around me. The first light from the sun was just visible over the field. I looked down and saw that I was, indeed, holding the missing boy. I held him close as we sat in the middle of a circle of mushrooms. His parents would be glad to hear I had found him wandering in the park.

It is a common misconception that God created a prison called Hell to which he sends anyone he doesn't like. Hell is not of divine origin, nor does God send people there. Sometimes people sin -- they do things that are outright evil, knowing full well the severity of their acts. But if someone deliberately commits evil -- unrepentingly turning their minds and bodies to the destruction of themselves and others -- they cut themselves off from everything good. Without sorrow or compassion or love, they tear themselves apart with hate. God didn't create Hell; sin is its own Hell.

It was a gorgeous day outside: the sun was shining, a soft breeze flowed over the grasslands, and my purse jingled with gold coins from a finished job. For once in a very long time, I had absolutely nothing to do and nowhere to be. That's when I found myself teleported into the middle of a vaulting hall.

The sorceress smiled. "Welcome back, Orelia. Have you been well?"

I forced myself to smile and bow slightly. I had almost forgotten I still owed her a favor. "Well enough. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Business, I am afraid. The time has come to repay your debt." She paused, but I was too worried to reply, so she continued. "Recently I took on an apprentice in the arcane arts. She progressed quickly, and is ready for the next phase of her training. That is why I need your help."

I raised my eyebrows. Knowing about magic is part of the trade, but I am by no means a spellcaster.

"I see you are confused. To become a sorceress, you must undergo a final phase of learning and, ultimately, testing, by spellcasters other than your master. Some of my colleagues at the Hidden University have agreed to perform this office for my pupil. However, first she must prove herself by finding the university."

I frowned. "Don't you know where it is?"

The sorceress shook her head. "Only the general area. The University is enchanted. It never stays in the same place for long. Even if I did know, this is something initiates must accomplish on their own behalf. However, it is also traditional for initiates to travel with a companion while they search."

That made more sense. "You want me to be your student's bodyguard?"

"In a sense. She is still young, and while she is capable, a young woman traveling alone could draw unwanted attention. I can send both of you to the testing area, and can provide you with needed supplies. When the trial is over I will return you to where you came from."

I nodded. "So who is your apprentice?" I looked around the room.

The sorceress grinned, and I had a sudden premonition of doom. "Actually, I believe you have met her already."

I found myself in the middle of a ginkgo grove and nearly gagged on the smell. A voice from behind me sounded cheerily. "Hello! I got transported here first. I'm really glad you're my companion! I didn't realize you knew my teacher."

I recognized the voice and my head filled with unspoken profanity. Please, anyone but her. I turned and saw the tattooed girl who had once shared my prison cell.

"I'm really sorry about the roof falling on you, by the way. I'm not sure I ever apologized. Anyway, I'm sorry. I'm much better at controlling blast radii now, so it won't happen again. Yum, this is really good." She bit into a ginkgo fruit.

I took a deep breath and finally noticed the packs on the ground next to her. I bent down to examine them.

"That one's yours," she said, gesturing with the fruit. "Both packs have rations for about a week, but I didn't look in yours. Mine has some cool magic stuff. I doubt yours does though."

I opened it. A quick inspection confirmed it had rope, a knife, a firestarter, a hammock, and a first aid kit in addition to the rations.

"Why would you have a firestarter?" I nearly jumped as the girl hovered over my shoulder. "Oh right, you probably can't use magic. Keeps me from getting help."

I turned. "Since when do you talk this much?"

She smiled. "Oh, I usually talk a lot. I was just feeling awful because of those ropes."

I slung the pack over my shoulders. "By the way, what is your name? You never told me." 

I turned to see that she had already started walking. She waved me over. "Come on, I think it's this way!"

I sighed and jogged to catch up with her.

Several hours later, we were still walking through the forest. At first we had hacked through the understory, but we ran into a path within fifteen minutes. The sun was low in the sky, and mosquitos were coming out. I started swatting at them, but my traveling companion didn't seem to notice. She hadn't stopped walking or talking since leaving the grove.

"...so anyway, cloaking spells don't cover up sound, so I just started singing. It was hilarious, you should have seen the look on the guy's face. Eventually he decided it must have been some kind of illusion and left. Funny how everyone assumes weird stuff is an illusion, there are so many other ways to--" She stopped and looked around. "Um, have you heard anything odd lately?"

I shook my head, but motioned her to be quiet. After a few seconds, I heard movement in the branches overhead and in the brush around us. Several figures converged on the path, and I kept a hand on my hammer. 

The figure in front of us emerged from the shadows, revealing a young man wearing a broad hat and carrying a machete. I glanced around. It was hard to see the others in this light, but I could see at least three others, all carrying a machete. I suspected there were archers in the canopy overhead.

The man took off his hat and bowed, but kept looking straight at us. "Welcome to the watery forests of Blinselm. They call me Zainel. What brings two lovely women such as yourselves to this remote location?"

My traveling companion remain silent, and I stepped forward between the two. "We were just passing through. What brings you here?"

Zainel chuckled, and I heard muffled laughter around us. "You see, my friends and I are responsible for this road. We keep it safe for travelers -- for a fee, of course. I do hope you are able to pay the toll."

I gripped my hammer tighter. Paying them might get them to leave us alone, and I didn't want to get into a fight with an unpredictable caster at my back. Somehow, I suspected they would attack us whether we complied or refused. I decided to try to talk my way out.

"Odd, I've never heard of tolls in Blinselm. Isn't there a law that roads are free to all travelers?"

Zainel frowned. "Things have changed. You see, bandits have become a problem in these parts."

A guffaw came from overhead, and Zainel glared in its direction. That's probably why he didn't notice the tendrils growing around his ankle. Within seconds, his legs were completely entangled. He began thrashing around, but dropped his machete in the process, and soon his arms were bound too. A volley of arrows zipped toward us, only to be deflected by a tree branch.

It was my traveling companion's turn to step forward. She waved her hand and the vines stopped their growth. "Zainel, was it? My friend and I don't have time for games. Could you please tell the six armed people surrounding us not to attack?"

One of the figures behind us rushed forward, aiming a machete at my companion's back. Even while I moved between the two, I noticed the attacker was a woman with cloth armor and her hair in a braid. I slammed my hammer into her hand, causing her to drop her weapon, then pulled her to the ground by her braid. Roots grew over her, binding her to the forest floor.

"Anyone else want to try something stupid?" I shouted, looking around. The other figures inched away, then turned and ran. Zainel unleashed a string of profanities.

We walked away in silence. I listened carefully, but no one seemed to be following us. Finally I turned to my companion. "You did well back there."

She looked up and smiled. "Thanks! I think we should probably make camp soon though. It's getting dark, and it's still a while to walk."

As we looked for a good campsite, I asked, "How do you know which way to go anyway?"

"Normally I would try to sense the magic, but it's hidden because that would be too easy. So I've been using nature magic to search the forest while we walk. I found a big clearing pretty early, plus I can feel some weird plants inside it. That's also how I felt the bandits; sorry I didn't catch that sooner."

I smiled slightly. "Well, you didn't drop a roof on me at least." I slung my hammock between two trees. "Is it OK if I call you Tatty?"

"Tatty?"

"Well, you won't tell me your name..."

"Oh, I get it, short for tattoo!"

I looked away sheepishly.

"It's OK, I like it. You can call me Tatty if you want. It's much nicer than most things I get called." Vines grew between the two trees she was standing next to, forming a hammock. "Anyway, good night!"

"Good night, Tatty." I rested in my hammock, but kept watch for the night.

Sure enough, she found the school by lunchtime the next day. I saw her off safely, then found myself back at the hall of the sorceress.

"Welcome back. My apprentice completed her journey faster than even I expected. I hope it wasn't too much trouble?"

"We had a run-in with some bandits, but she scared them off pretty quick. I barely did anything."

"You fulfilled your role, which is all I could ask. I'm glad she made it safely. I must admit I was surprised when she chose you as her companion, though; I didn't know you had met. In any case, safe travels."

Before I could ask any questions, I found myself in the middle of a grassy field. Tatty had chosen me? Interesting. I idly wondered if our paths would cross again.