Breathe Life Into Me

Brit

We spread out around campus calling for Charlie and then met at her tent. But there was no sign of her anywhere. I saw Mel heading to Charlie’s tent so I caught up with her. “Listen Mel, before...I didnt mean...”

“It’s okay, Brit. Maybe...I am different...”

“But who says that’s a bad thing?” I grabbed her wrist to stop her and face me. “Who says you can’t recreate yourself? Be someone new...”

“But what if there’s something wrong with the new me...?” She felt it too. “I...I can’t remember things, Brit. Things I should remember. Don’t even tell me you didnt see the disappointed look Charlie had when I didnt even acknowledge her as a friend, just someone new I met...”

Honestly, I didnt see it...but I havent been seeing a lot of things lately...mostly because I’m so tunnel vision on Mel right now.... “I...broke her heart, Brit. I disappointed her...I may not remember some things but I’m damn sure of the fact that I’m done disappointing people” I gave her a sad look.

“Did you guys find anything?” Dean and Sam came rushing over to us.

“No...nothing...” I shook my head.

“I swear, if anything's happened to her...”

“Dude, we checked all the tents. We'll talk to these guys. We'll find her” Sam assured him as we ventured across the camp and stopped short at a clearing when small flashlights started to shine in our direction through the fog that was beginning to form in the light night sky.

“Greetings, heretics” Boltar came up to us.

Another guy came up to us with two other “cult members” beside him and they all had the tree symbol on their chests. “You should kneel before me, cur”

“Alright, why dont you...” Dean started.

“Silence! Now, before we exchange, a few announcements” Boltar stepped forward and took out his fake teeth.

“Okay. Um, there is a peewee-league soccer playoff game tomorrow on the alpha field. We don't want to freak out the mundanes, so we got to move the Battle of Kingdoms to the beta field...”

“That’s it. I’ve had enough of this. I dont care if there’s a procedure to these things or not. I'm gonna do this the old-fashioned way” I grunted, drawing my gun and pointing it at the Orc guys.

They all froze and I’m pretty sure one even peed his pants a little. “Brittney” Mel scolded. “What?” I complained.

“I told you there are...” Boltar tried.

“Shut up” I stalked toward them all as they coward back up against the tree behind them. “I need real answers. See, this is a real gun” I shot at the ground. They all jumped from the sound...and so did Mel.

“Whoa! Hold on, hold on...geez is anyone going to call off this crazy chick?” one looked at the others.

“She’s the most sane person here” Sam spoke. I felt none of them moved, allowing me to scare the shit out of this guy.

“Now start talking. Where’s the queen?!” I grunted, thrusting my gun in their faces.

“I don't know!”

“Yeah, well, your little family crest there tells a different story, pal” Dean said. He looked down at his shirt.

“This?”

“Yea”

“Uh, I got sick last month after this thing just appeared...” he pulled up his sleeve to show us the same tree symbol on his forearm. “I thought it looked really cool, so I turned it into my family crest. I mean, after my dermatologist said it wasn't malignant”

I sighed, relaxing my arm back to my side. They werent our guys. “My name is Max Hilby. I'm an attorney. I have no idea where the queen is, but if you let me go right now, I won't press charges. I promise. Um...” he tried offering his fake ears and his gauntlet to me.

“Just go...” I muttered. They all stood there, shaking. “Go! Get out of here!” They jumped at my booming voice and took off.

I faced the rest of them. “Who taught you to do something like that? It seems really effective” Mel whispered to me, smiling. All I could do was nod at her. She couldnt even remember that she was the one who taught me everything I know...this was a bigger problem than I thought.

“Is the queen really in danger?” Boltar asked, very serious.

We nodded at him and then another Orc came up behind him. “We found...something odd down by the creek. It's this weird tent. It's not one of ours. It's kind of creepy” he informed us.

“Why are you being so helpful all of a sudden?” I demanded.

“Look, I harbor an epic crush on the queen. Maybe you could put in a good word for me when you find her”

“I don't think you're her type” Dean mentioned and then we all started to head toward the direction the Orc pointed in.

“What? She’s not into Orcs?” he called after us. Not exactly....

"Why don't you take off, Bolty? We got it from here" Dean suggested.

"Two handmaidens, a princess and a time traveler rescue the queen? I think not, kind lady"

"Look, this isn't a game, Boltar. The queen, our friend, is in real danger. You could get hurt" Sam tried.

"I will not leave my queen in peril" he established as we came to a tent with two lights blinking on from the inside.

They come to a plain canvas tent with two lights burning on long poles outside. We cautiously made our way over to it but when we walked inside we found Charlie making out with some chick.

"Dudes. If the tent is rockin', don't come a-knockin'" Charlie hissed at us.

"No, it's him! My master! Run!" the other chick shot to her feet.

We all spun to face Boltar as he pulled his hood back. We pulled out our guns. "No guns in Moondoor, ladies and gentlemen. Gilda, if you please?" He requested.

I looked back at the other girl and saw her wave her hand in a fluid motion and as the sound of chickens cluttered the air our guns were replaced with feathers. "Well, now what, Gerry?" Dean threw his hands up. That was his real name? I guess I really should pay attention more to these things.

"My name is Boltar the Furious! My plan was, after getting rid of all of my competition, to win the battle tomorrow, convincing the queen that I should be her king" Charlie sighed, rolling her eyes.

"But then you idiots...pardon me princess..." he bowed to Mel. "You show up, and I was forced to improvise. Rescue the damsel in distress from Orcs, become king, kill you all...that'll work, too"

"So why did you go from hobbling to murder?" Mel wondered.

"Greyfox and Thargrim became part of the honor guard. They got close to the queen, but they did it by breaking the rules – paying off other players with real money, rather than Moondoor currency. They were cheating"

"Oh, and using magic isn't?" I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Magic is a part of Moondoor"

"What is your problem? Why would you hurt people? This is just a game" Charlie stressed to him.

"There is no game! There is only Moondoor! I came here to be different, to get away from my crappy life, to be a hero, and guess what"

"What, you were a loser in the real world, and you're a loser here? Shocker" I folded my arms and rolled my eyes at him. Mel nudged me. This guy was ridiculous and he definitely needed a new hobby.

"Would a loser track down a real book of spells and compel a fairy to do his bidding?"

"It depends. How'd you get it?" Mel asked.

"eBay"

I gave her a look saying can we just kill this guy now? She looked back at me as if saying with what weapons? She cleared her throat. "Look. It doesn't have to be like this, Boltar. Just hand over the book of spells. We can work this out" she tried to reason.

"This will all work out..." We watched him pick up a fake sword. "After I remove you from the playing field and wipe her memory. Gilda?" I watched as the fairy shut her eyes, waved her hand and in the blink of an eye the fake sword was now real. "Gilda, the big one"

The fairy waved her hand again and I saw a suit of armor come to life and head for Sam. I quickly pushed him out of the way and the suit grabbed me instead, lifting me into the air and squeezing my torso. His arms were too thick though to really wrap around me so I was able to squirm out of his grip and I kicked it back as I jumped to the floor. Sam and I were surrounded by two of them. I was able to see Dean trying to fight Gerry with a fake sword that Gerry easily cut in half. I ran to go to his aid...feeling a need to be at his side...but one of the suits of armor got in my way.

Suddenly I had this rage fill my chest and I grabbed the closest thing to me and swung it as hard as I could. I realized I grabbed a mallet...a very real mallet...and it knocked the suit to the floor. My instinct was to still go to Dean but when I looked up to see Gerry swinging his real sword at a defenseless Dean...Mel was there to block the attacks with a metal shield.

"Princesses should be seen and not heard!" Gerry grunted as he kept swinging at Mel.

"Not this princess" she grunted and lunged forward, knocking Gerry to the ground.

"Brit..." I heard a voice gasp from behind me.

I spun to see Sam in a choke hold and I rushed to him but was grabbed from behind. I stretched my arm out...to reach for him...but the grip was too tight. I felt my ribs constricting as I tried to squirm out of the grip again but it wasn't working. But then...there was a bright light and the grip was gone...and the suits of armor were laying on the ground lifelessly. I looked up to see Charlie with a dagger in her hand and the spell book now had a hole in it.

"I'm the one who saves damsels in distress around here"

"No!" Gerry swung his, now fake, sword at Mel but Dean stepped forward to yank it out of his hands and he punched him out. He fell unconscious.

"Are you okay?" Charlie asked Gilda.

"I'm free of the spell. You saved me. The Hollow Forest is forever in your debt. I must return to those green hills now. I will take my former master with me. He must face a fairy tribunal for his sins"

"Wait" Charlie pulled Gilda close and then kissed her. Then she disappeared in a shimmer of light and Gerry's body turned to smoke. "Call me...maybe?" Charlie sighed sadly.

~

"So what's next for you, Charlie? New town? New identity?" Sam asked her as we walked through the camp. It felt real good to be in regular clothes again.

"If the last 24 hours have taught me anything, it's that escaping isn't what it used to be. No more replacement characters for me. I got to face reality from now on. Sadly, reality actually includes monsters, but what are you gonna do?" she shrugged.

"If I can ever be of help to you guys, let me know"

"Will do" I smiled.

"And you...you're good?" Dean asked.

"Apart from the fact that you C-blocked me from banging a fairy and I'm about to go lose my crown in battle thanks to my army being decimated?" she laughed. "Yeah. Totally good. Smell you later, bitches" she saluted us and winked at Mel as she turned to walk away.

"So, what's, uh...what's next? 'Cause no fun, right? No down time?" Dean started. "Look, before you say anything, I-I get it. No amount of fun is gonna help you get over what you gave up. You just, uh...you need time, right?"

"Yea thanks...and you’re right. Having fun wont help me" His eyes met mine and I smiled. "It'll help all of us. Shall we?" He smirked.

"Hazah!" Mel cheered, taking Deans hand and the two of them ran off. I laughed.

"We should talk..." Sam got closer to me.

"What about?"

"Melissa..."

I hesitated. "We will...but for now...lets just have some fun" I said, taking his hand to lead him in Mel and Deans direction.

~

I watched Dean begin to pace around the circle that was formed by Charlie's army as we "readied for battle". We were all in costume-Mel and I looked like gladiators with our hair up in high pony tails and armor that should've weighed a ton but didnt because it was made of plastic. Sam had part of his face panted and was in a white shirt that kind of reminded me of Fabbio. And Dean...well he was wearing a long-haired blond wig, had both sides of his face completely painted and he was wielding a sword with a pair of Orc ears on his head. Music was playing and combined with the the fog machine it set the mood.

"And dying in your beds many years from now, would you be willing to trade all the days, from this day to that, for one chance..."

"Isn't that the speech from..." Charlie started.

"It's the only one he knows" Sam sighed and I just folded my arms, amused.

"Shhh it's getting good" Mel hissed with a grin, full attention on Dean.

I didnt even mind hat we were in ridiculous costumes surrounded by dorks who really needed a reality check. Dean was genuinely enjoying himself. And that hasn't happened in a long time. "Just one chance to come back here and tell our enemies that they may take our lives, but they will never take..."

"Hold!" Charlie's squire yelled out.

Everyone relaxed in their spots as the music shut off and the fog began to subside. A frisbee fell inside the circle and the army began to mutter and whisper amongst themselves as a man ran to go get it. "Uhh my bad..."

"Really?!" A soldier complained.

"Sorry..." He said quickly, eyeing all of us as he grabbed he frisbee.

"You can't be serious!" Another complaint.

"Freaks!" A different voice called from where they were gathered to enjoy a normal game.

Dean looked back at us, nodding at he squire. He gave him a thumbs up so the music started up again and the fog commenced. Dean thrusted his sword into the air. "Our freedom!" he ended with a grunt.

Then everyone began to cheer and grunt and yell and then...we began to run across a river to meet with the other army who was waiting for us to begin. With our swords raised and with our heads held high...I let out my very own warrior yell and Mel laughed, joining in. I laughed too. I guess we can still have a little fun once and a while...who knew?

This chapter is dedicated to the men, women, elves, demigods, magi, druids, chamber pot servants and the FANS who have given their precious time and dedication to even giving this simple story the time of day. For some it's the love, for others it's the incredible connection and relationships, but for me...the reason I keep going and moving forward...is all of you. You are who inspire me to find the perfect voice to tell a story that still needs work. But I know if we joined hands and you sent me your spiritual links then with the power of our conenction I...WE...will be able to pull this off and get the story we all want...with the ending that is deserved.

Go bravely into the next chapter little soldiers...