Jennifer lokked around the collum of rock. She looked over the land scape of rocks and trees

and stone.

It was empty . Thankfully. She motioned to Aeon who was crouched behind her. he stood up and

shuffeld behgind a bush.

A crack opened. Jennifer grabbed his hand. Jennifer looked into the crack. Shouts and screams escaped from them she could fighting, and see images she didn't understand. There were humans, with knives, and creatures tearing the world apart, and screaming everywhere there was terror and screaming. Aeron looked to and saw the crack widening. he raised his

arm and shielded Jennifer. Jennifer heard A peircing scream nd a great rumbling, and then the crack snapped shut.

She looked around Aeon stood up and began too make

his way cautiously through the undergrowth again towards the castle that humed and glowed a

little wase ahead.

Jennifer caught up with him. He agnored her. not noting they had just almost been erased from

time.

"We'll have too take you to sick bay." Aeron said

"What?! Why?" Jennifer siad.

"You've been exposed to a crack for the first time? THen you need to have a thourough physical

exam."

Jennifer grimaced. THe last place she wanted to be was sick bay! but Aeron did say too, so it

as law.

She snickered too herself. Aeron says.

"what?!" Aeron snapped.

"Nothing." They reached the castle gates they were huge and stone, and bigger than you would

think if you saw them from a distance.

"Open them." Aeron said.

"huh?"

"Open! YOu are a Magic one arn't you?"

"Well, yes, but I don't know the codes!"

"just try!" Aeronfinished plaintively,

Jennifer set her fingers between her collor bon, where the gem stone had been planted. SHe

imagined the great doors opennig slowly

she breathed deeply and focused a little more setting her mind on the doors. Tey creeked open.

"Good job." Aeron said as he slid through the doors. Jennifer followed him into the large room.

Computers and moniotrs lined the walls

ad people in wihite flapping lab coats rushed around the room carrying bottlesof potions. They

were probably measuring the crack they saw. Jennifer thought.

She felt a sence of importance at being so close to something so dangerous. Her face fell.

THat reminded her, she had too report to sick bay. Her stomach turned at the thought of the

kind of medicine they gaveyou. Blech.

And if the bitter roots and leaves wern't enough, sometimes they would tie you in a dark room,

as a sort of quorantine to 'keep you safe'.

"But she didn't thin she was that bad! She'd probably just get a hypo spray, and the doctor

would call it good. Hopfully she would get doctor Lydsey Liona. She was the nice vone.

She thought as Aeron and her stepped onto the lift. Maybe Soren would even be there! She

thought chearfully. Soren was her best friend. He sometimes helped out in the mediacl labe,

if he wasn't busy with the kitchens that is. She lokked up at Aeron. his sqare jaw and high

set cheek bones made him very sought after. Jennifer mentally slapped herself.

She couldn't thin such thingswhile she was trying too save the world! THe lift whined gently.

He was really cool though!

THe doors opened into a white hallway. More coated peoplewere scurrying down hallwaysshe saw

soren across the hallway. SHe waved vilently. He waved back. SHe held her hands too her lips.

Are you okay? he mousthed silently

I heard about the crack! Everyones freaking out about it!

Yea were fine! I have too go too sick bay though! she stuck her tong out.

Oh good luck! Soren mouthed. They passed each other and waved.

Aeron walked into the sick bay. Jennifer followed. nervously. A doctor was spooning a black

goup into an unwilling patients mouth. Jennifer winced. Thatcould NOT be good for you!

Aeron cleared his throat and thedoctor stood up smiling neuroticly.

"Mey I, help you?" Jennifer felt even more nervous now.

Aeron didn't seem to notice th creepy factor to the doctor he cut straigth to the point.

"Yes. We have a crack patient here." THe doctor looked delighted to hear this. in a creepy way.

"oh yes! I heard about you!Miss Jennifer Collins, yes." Jennifer noded her head. "Good. I've

been expecting you!"

Okay. We've just reached the maximum creppyness stage. Jennifer thought as the short doctor lead

her too an examination table.

. she sat down on the foam. Oh well at lest their seets are comfortabel. she thought. th doctor

reapeared from behind a door carrying a overly sized stethescpoe. and a jug of brown goop.

Jennifers stomach turned. THe doctor held the stethescope to her back, then her heart and then

her kidneys.

"seems fine too me." Jennifer sighed with relief and began too sit up.

"Ahahah. The doctor continued." I didn't say you could go. I want her confined to corters, abd

I want this whole jug too be gone by tomorrow." Jennifers jaw dropped.

"Yes ser. Aeron ansered for her.

he grabbed her hand and pulled her off her seat and into the lift down th hall. by the time they

got too her quorters, Jennifer felt like she had been dragged half a mile.

Aeron left her at her door and marched professionally down the stairs and too the lift. Jennifer

unlocked the door and stepped into her bedroom. THe first thing she did, was take the jug of

liquid, and tip it out the window. It fell with gloppy slowness down until it splattered on the

flower beds below.

Then Jennifer set the jgu down a fair distance form her bed, and lay down. Jsut then a crack

opened on her wall she froze. A face was lokking at her. It long and angulare and terrafied it

mouthed something, but the words were blurred and the picture foggy ,and then it was gone.all

that was left in her mind was a suttle dripping sound, like a drum or a hammer, and utter

terror.

drip

lysander fell to the ground sxcreaming. A large crack snpped shut in front of him. With it hidious screams faded away out of exsistence. Fairys came running from houses toward him. One fairy

in particular. She had lond blonde hair, and pointed eyes. SHe kneeled down next to himand put

her hand on his forehead. SHe opened his eyes they rolled back into his head. SHe screamed and

put her head too his heart listening intently for his heart beat. Which sounded quietly into her

ear. SHe relaxed. A Short fairy and several others like

him cam plodding along toward Lysander. Thevillage leaders crowded around him, pushing Lauren

out of the way.

"Hey!" She shouted as she was shoved around out of the circle. One of them produced a large

metal machine. Lauren held her hand too her mouth. too keep from screaming.

The man placed it on Lysander's chest and shouted clear!

"No wait! he's still..." The blue magic from the machine lifted up like a mushroom cloud

through the village, until it hit the protection bubble and evaporated. The man stood up.

and dusted off his breaches.

He turned to the short plodding man.

"Sorry sir. There is nothing else I can do. He is dead. I would say...he ate a poisonous

mushroom.

The Village leader nodded.

"What? You saw the light! And he wasn't dead until you used your Mecha to destroy him! I

saw you!"

The man turned to her cold calm eyes.

"My dear your friend is dead. Do you doubt the word of a doctor?"

Lauren boiled with anger.

"If Lysander is going through the Protection Shield. Then so am I.

All the Council leaders looked from one too another, hoping one of them would have a good

excuse.

"Ah but um well...." The Village leader stuttered.

"No one has ever entered the Protection field alive, and you cant come back. You might not even

be alive when you reach the other side. It has never been tried before."

Lauren stuck her chin up and put her hands on her hips raising her perched eyebrows even higher.

"Then I will be the first too try." A voice creapt into her head and whispered. SHe closed her

eyes for a moment to say something back. And then she was back with the living.

"The scary Doctor said "We will store him in the morge tonight, and send him through tomorrow

morning.

"Wait, what?" Lauren exclaimed. "By tomorrow, he'll be completly..." SHe stopped mid sentance.

As all the Council members turned around and lokked at her.

"He'll be WHAT?" The doctor said his hand moving toward his Mecha.

Lauren thought as quickly as she could.

"He will stink?" Her excuse was rediculous, but on a group lead by the Village learder,

anythng goes.

"Ah, I see." Said the Village leader. He turned to the doctor.

"Girls and their things. Still The ceromony MUSt proceed tomorrow. I can see no other way!"

He bowed low to her.

"I am sorry my dear, but that is the way it must be."

"Must it." Lauren whispered under her breath. THe Leader tuned and walked

away, the Others copied him, bowing low to Lauren repeating a cliche saying, and popping off

after the leader.

A pair of fairies came and picked up Lysander by the feet and dragged him off toward the morge.

THe voice echoed into Laurens head.

"Nice try." Lauren rolled her eyes. she thought

"Its not my fault their a bunch of idiots."

THe voice retorted.

"You still could have tried a bit harder. Now we're both gonna have too sleepin the morgue."

"I know!" Lauren thought she pushed the voice out of her head irritably. and stomped into her

mushroom.