On The Way Up North
Original Posting Date: 1/2/2009

It was only minutes before the market along the harbour did the whole territory find out about Johnathan and Renne's eloping. Everyone passing by her congratulated her and asked questions about the small ceremony and the whereabouts of Renne. Johnathan only told them the truth...mostly. She knew Renne was traveling, but how or why; she didn't know. From the looks of it, it seemed as if she really was gone only for the night instead of a year-and-a-half. When the market opened, Johnathan knew the rest of the Port-Town was starting to wake up. She needed to either find a way to stall the visitors from leaving or convince them to stay. Either way, they will take permanent residence in the Port-Town.

Heading down the small hill and into the Port-Town, Johnathan waved to the towns-folks as soon as their were heading outside. In her mind, so many ideas were popping up and out for ways to keep them within the boundaries; but nothing stuck as a brilliant idea. Well, the easiest thing she could possibly do is to say that the Harbour and Port-Town is under quarantine--but the difficulty would be keeping folks out for at least twenty-four hours.

Well, for now, Johnathan headed towards the brothel-inn, the inn and the tavern for the guests. She knew that the proprietors of all three would be awake by now. Luckily, the brothel-inn and the tavern were owned by the same lady, but the tavern was ran by her brother. So, in Johnathan went to the brothel-inn.

The inside of the brothel-inn just seemed exactly like the tavern right next door. Tables scattered here and there with a couple of booths in two of the corners. A bar to the left of the main door along with a door near the north west corner of the main area. A set of stairs directly north of the door that leads to the second floor. Only difference with this inn and the tavern next door is there was an small one-story area that was only for the Night-Ladies and not the clients. There were three rooms on the bottom floor and five rooms on the second-floor, all specifically for the nightly clients which some actually stay in for the night--for an extra fee of course.

Johnathan stood at the door for a few moments before calling out the proprietor's name.

"Oo-hoo Mary-Lou?"

"Hold ya fraggin' britches."

Coming out the kitchen area was an elderly lady, hitting close to her fifties; but most certainly seemed like she barely turned thirty. The delicate blonde with a touch of silver hair was in a French braid hitting her shoulder-blades. She stood about a half-foot taller than Johnathan--who was only five foot and three inches--wearing a dark-blue undershirt with a black corset wearing on the outside; hugging and binding the already toned body into the hour-glass figure. The two bright-red and black shirts were hiked up only a bit since it was daytime which they are usually closed during sun-time. Holding onto a plate and a rag to dry it off, the crystal blue eyes looked up before she was surprised to see Johnathan. She smiled softly to her before bowing her head deeply.

"My apologies, Lady Nathan. I didn' know it was ya."

"Nono. It is me fault fer not saying who I was."

"What can--Oh! Congratulations, by the by. I think ya upset the whole Town for not havin' the wedding here."

Johnathan blushed and chuckled a bit. She then nodded a bit.

"Thank ye. As soon as Renne returns, we will a celebration here. But I ha'e a fa'our to ask of ye."

"Yes, My Lady?"

"I was wondering if there were any clients that spent the night here?"

"No. There was one who was far too drunk to be with any of the girls, so I sent him ova to Marlo's for the nigh'. Otha than him, none of the clients stayed. Why do ya ask?"

"I am hoping ye could do one fa'our fer I."

"Anything."

"Starting this e'ening, if ye could keep a log of all the clients who spend their o'ernightings here. It may help to see if any of the newcomers become regulars or not."

"Of course. Anything to keep this business together."

"With a face and body like yers and the girls, who can resist coming in here. All of ye are land sirens--just minus the whole re'enge and death bit."

Mary-Lou chuckled and blushed at that.

"Ya are a married woman, now. Ya should not be flirtin' with me anymor'."

"I am only speaking the truth. I will pro'ide the guest book which ye will ha'e befere SunDown."

And that time, Johnathan was speaking the truth. It was nice to have that feeling again; which will soon fade.

"Thank ya ver' much, Lady Nathan."

Mary-Lou bowed her head deeply once again. Before Johnathan could say anything, Mary-Lou went back into the kitchen; leaving Johnathan alone again in the front area.

Johnathan sighed quietly and deeply, thinking to herself for a small moment, she nodded a bit and started walking towards the door. Placing her hand on the doorknob, she looked back and looked around. Johnathan was never once a client; but she enjoyed the company and the chit-chat of Mary-Lou and the girls here. Smiling a bit, she opened the door and walked out.

Closing the door, she headed over to the right of the brothel-inn--the tavern. Opening the door to the tavern, Johnathan peeked her head in and looked about for a moment. The tavern, brothel-inn and inn all had similar interior; but the tavern was only one story; had more tables and chairs and only four rooms once going into a long hallway. The bar was also on the right-side instead of the left-side like the brothel-inn does. Marlo looked exactly like his sister, Mary-Lou, but nearly hitting the six-foot mark and silver hair with flecks of golden-blonde about to the bottom of his ears. However, it was unusual for someone to do their exercises inside the tavern, but Johnathan never said a word about it. Marlo had not a toned body; but it was not too flabby either. Doing sit-ups on the bartop, Marlo looked upside-down and smiled brightly; but never stopped doing the sit-ups.

"Lady Nathan! What...can I do you for?"

Opening the door a bit wider and placing the rest of herself inside the tavern. Looking over to Marlo, Johnathan smiled slightly and nodded a bit.

"Two things to ask of ye."

"Shoot."

Marlo never stopped with the sit-ups as he did pay attention to Lady Nathan.

"First. Were there any guests who spent the e'ening here?"

"Just only Ryan. He and the Missus had another fight. Oh! There was that lady that Mary-Lou sent over."

"She told I it was a man."

"You sure? Of course, I was helping Ryan out; so I couldn't tell if it was a male or a female. Wait a second. He was also talking to Ryan as if they already knew eachother."

Marlo turned about on the bartop and looked underneath the bar.

"Ryan is in room two and the man is in Room Four."

"Thank ye. I will speak with the man, then."

Marlo nodded and started to do push-ups.

Johnathan gently shook her head and sighed as she started walking towards the hallway. Ryan and his wife have been living in the Port-Town about three months after Johnathan started protecting the territory. A young newlywed loving couple, but it was only recent that Ryan and Lena started to argue. Johnathan offered her assistance to them a few times before; but they are in denial of the issues at hand. She would speak with Ryan later, but right now it was time to speak with the drunkard man. Standing in front of Room Four, she sighed and knocked gently on the door three times. She heard movement in there, a bit more of stumbling, though. It took a couple of minutes before the door was unchained and the door opened a bit. What she saw, though, Johnathan went wide-eyed and taken aback.

An slightly older man--about mid-thirties--slowly poked his head out. Bed-head of the dark-brown hair that should look proper scattered about. His face was a little ruggish, but it was still professional-looking. The olive-green eyes was a bit hazy, but he did his best to focus on the lady.

"May I help ya?"

The man's voice was a bit sluggish of just trying to wake up, but also had a tinge of a Southerner....South RhyDin that is. He knitted his eyebrows a bit.

Johnathan watched him for a moment, before slowly looking up to the ceiling.

"Ye ha'e got to be kidding I."

Obviously, Johnathan was not speaking to the man or to anyone present. She heard faint laughter--but it was more in her head than anything else. Anyway, looking back to the man, she blinked and then breathed deeply.

"Yes, sir. I was just wondering how long ye were planning to stay within The Port-Town?"

Knitting his eyebrows in confusion, he watched her when she looked up to the ceiling. He looked up as well before looking back to her.

"Who were ya talkin' to? And possibly another day or two before I head back to my offices South-East from here. Why do ya ask?"

The memories between he and her quickly flashed back to her. The conversations. The confessions of their lives. The only kiss--the Kiss of Truth--that they ever shared. The love that neither of them would understand.

"No reason. Just that...I was curious. Thank ye fer yer time."

Flustered and confused, she bowed a bit and quickly ran off away from the door; leaving the man at his door behind. She waved a bit to Marlo and went out the door of the tavern.

Slamming herself against the door once she placed herself outside the tavern, Johnathan slowly looked up. She closed her eyes and sighed deeply as she slipped herself down to the ground. Finally she tilted her head up and opened her eyes, glaring up.

"Ye knew 'bout this, did ye not? Ye knew Jarrod was here. Not liking ye at this moment."

After about five minutes of sitting in front of the tavern's door, Johnathan slowly got up and will just explain about the guest book to Marlo later, dusted herself off and started walking down the road towards the inn. It was a couple of hours before midday--and only five minutes from the brothel-inn and tavern--when Johnathan reached the inn. There was a higher possibility than anywhere else to have guests here, so that's what she was expecting. What she was not expecting, though, is what came running out of the inn.

"Race ya to the water!"

"No fair! You got a head start!"

Johnathan stopped right before the door swung open widely, and watched the young boy and the little girl--obviously siblings--run out of the inn and towards the Harbour. Moving around, she placed herself in the doorway to see a mother preparing a younger son. Johnathan chuckled a bit as she watched them and slowly approached her.

"Oh, Angus. I do hope your brother and sister be safe."

The bottom floor of the inn was simple...for the most part. In the back of the main floor was the desk with a bell, a guest registration book, a quill and ink and on the back against the wall were small shelves; guessing for the parcels. To the left and the right of the desk were staircases that lead to the second floor with four rooms on each side. The bottom floor had a hallway on the left and a hallway on the right; both with four rooms. Giving a total of sixteen rooms in this inn. The lady and her son were standing at the base of the left-side staircase.

"E'erywhere leads to e'erywhere here. Plus, the Port-Town and the Harbour is safe."

The mother looked up to the lady and gave a slight smile.

"I am sure, but I just need to be cautious of places."

"Ye ha'e me word on me life and all within this territory, ye and yer family is safe."

The mother canted her head a bit.

"Oh. Me apologies. I am Johnathan Tapole-Arc'err. HarbourMaster here."

"Isabella Plant. My youngest, Angus."

The small son, no older than three kept quiet the whole time as he kept behind his mother's legs. He peeked around from the pale-blue skirts his mother was wearing. Angus looked dead-on like his mother...just smaller and male. Both have straight jet black hair and brilliant green eyes. Angus was wearing a dark-blue one-piece jumper outfit while his mother was wearing two of the same pale-blue skirts and a tan-coloured undershirt with a grey bodice over it. Angus looked up to Johnathan and blushed a bit before going back behind his mother's skirts again.

"It is a pleasure to meet the both of ye. How long ha'e ye fi'e will be here?"

"Just four. We are just travelin' for now. Do not know how much longer I am able to stay here. Travelin' with three is rather difficult."

Perfect opportunity.

"No. Please stay as long as ye wish. I will speak with the owner personally to see if ye could get a deal. It would be an honour fer ye to take yer time to rest."

Isabella looked at her oddly, but then gave a hesitated nod.

"Well. Thank you. I guess we should go see if Merrick and Zen broke anything yet."

With that, Isabella picked up Angus from behind her and started walking out, passing by Johnathan with a small nod.

Johnathan blinked at the names of the other children. Chuckling, thinking that it is seriously a small universe, Johnathan looked around for the owner of the inn, Lars. And of course, he was not around. Luckily, he already had a guest book at the main desk.

Johnathan walked over to the desk and looked at the guest book. One checked out last evening so it is possible that he made it out in time. Isabella Plant checked in two evenings ago along with another man. Another man and a lady checked in--separately--last evening. Four groups total so far to convince. She did not need to worry about Jarrod--or so she thought--for now.

It was an hour before sundown when Johnathan was nearly complete with running about the whole Port-Town and finding out who needs to stay. Two different couples visiting family, Jarrod, Isabella and her children, a couple on their honeymoon, five different travelers, and three elderly folks visiting their families. Which is a total of thirteen cases, not all that bad. Now it is just to find the ways to make them stay.

For now, though, Johnathan started to head back to the Harbours to grab the guest books she promised to Mary-Lou and need to explain to Marlo. It is truly not necessary anymore, but to keep this lie up, she had to give them the guest books. She would only have time to get the books in her Port-Shack, go back to Mary-Lou and Marlo to hand them the books and explain what needs to be done.

And to think, for Johnathan, it has only been six hours by the time the sun goes down completely.
-----------------------------------

On The Way Up North - The Most Human Thing

Original Posting Date: 01/24/2009

It has been nearly two months for the folks within the Harbours and its Port-Town. Since then, all three of the elders that were visiting had become permanent residents. The Plant family and the man and the woman--came to find out--were pen-lovers were still in limbo of staying here. Like pen-pals, but they grew to love eachother and decided to do their first visit of eachother in the Port-Town. Odd. But no matter. Johnathan received two letters from Renne, along with the charm bracelet that came with the second letter. She would write to him soon enough--and in hopes that it would get to the present times.

Johnathan also did a list--in which a traveler came to tell her it was called a census. Including herself and all the visitors, guests and travelers that had to stay here, there were a total of 386. It seemed small, but it was rather a large amount for a small Port-Town. Throughout the evenings when she was watching over the Harbours, she made a list of all the names. It was then did she realise that there were quite a few first names that start with the letters "S" and "J"; but that really did not seem that important.

The man who checked in the same evening that the Plant family did and the newlywed couple have been missing for nearly a week. It happened to be noticed by Marlo and some of the other residents and they told Johnathan. Johnathan also noticed that Jack and Milli--the two traders--were not around either.

It was nightfall when the last set of the market-sellers turned in their paperwork to Johnathan while she was in her Port-Shack. Some of them chit-chatted to Johnathan and to eachother for a bit, but it was nearly an hour after sundown when they finally left Johnathan alone.

With that, Johnathan went out of her Port-Shack and started walking from the Harbours to the Port-Town. She did her best to avoid the main areas the folks would go, but some of the residents caught up with her every now and again just to talk in general. Johnathan did her best to never look concerned over anything and continued on with the treacherous lies that flowed out of Johnathan's mouth. With many of the folks occupied for the evening, Johnathan made her way towards the border of the Port-Town. Where the gravel-road became a combination of dirt-and-gravel and less-than-a-half-mile away were the rows of ever-bloomed maple trees that are perpendicular to the road itself. Johnathan walked with caution and fear; not wanting to know the consequences of breaking Time-Father's only request, but needed to know what happened with the missing folk. The result of it, was something she was not expecting.

Right at the edge of the trees, just two steps out, were bodies laying practically one on top of eachother. Johnathan cautiously moved closer to the bodies. The look on her face was both in despair and shock as she became weak in the knees that she pelted down to the ground upon them.

Milli, Jack, the newlywed couple and the man who checked in the same evening as the Plant family. All five. Rotted corpses with a good amount of their clothes tattered with weather. Johnathan doesn't know how long they have been beyond the boundaries or what truly happened, but none of that mattered since they are long gone. Bowing deeply as tears never once fell from her eyes, she mumbled words in Fae and stayed in that position for about an hour or so.

It was a little after Midnight when all five of the bodies were lined up, barely holding on to what little of clothing there was left of them. It was about a mile-and-a-half due west of the boundaries of the Port-Town and Harbour where they all laid. Johnathan looked over them all, knowing their faces; but also knowing they will never be seen again by Sun-Rise. With that, Johnathan turned about and headed back towards the boundaries, to get a shovel.

By Sun-Rise, Johnathan patted down the last bit of the dirt of the last person to bury. The whole night, she said nothing. How could she? Noone would listen and noone would care. Johnathan, however, cared. Cared how she could have stopped them all if she paid more attention. Cared how there could have been other ways to punish them for going beyond the boundaries. But now, none of that matters anymore.

Another portion in her life that she had to do what Humans do--move on.
----------------------------------------------

On The Way Up North - Promising Life
Original Posting Date: 02/09/2009

All Hallow's Eve. It was something that Johnathan and the Port-Town embraced throughout the years what Modern-Travelers have done. Not to worry, they still celebrate as a formation of a new harvesting year; but some of the adults--including Johnathan--and many of the children dress up one night as something they would usually not wear on a normal basis. Cowboys, spacemen, soldiers, princesses, faeries and the likes. a brother and sister dressed up like Renne and Johnathan, which Johnathan herself could not help but giggle madly. Johnathan, though, dressed up like one of the Desert Harem ladies. Which was rather odd and most certainly not Johnathan would go to, but that was the point.

In the daytime, the Harbour turned into a carnival where all the marketers were giving out sweets and different kinds of treats to the children and to the adults as well--if they wanted to. By sundown, the carnival turned into a dance-ball for all ages. The Tavern were serving free drinks to the adults and free juice to the children. The brothel-inn was closed for the night as the girls turn from nightly-ladies to pure polite and gentle-ladies. A very rare sight, indeed.

Music. Dancing. Drinking and having a keen time. Even some of the travelers took in the fun, but Johnathan always kept an watchful eye out--no matter what day or how she looked, she will always be the protector of the Harbours and the Port-Town.

When it was just a smidge past midnight, and nearly everyone had gone home to rest; it was a few of the marketers and Johnathan that cleaned up the Harbours. They all cracked jokes here and there, or recollecting some of the moments that occurred throughout the day. It took them all over an hour to clean up before the marketers bid eachother a fair night and left for their own homes to rest. Sunrise would not be far and they had work to do still.

Johnathan meandered toward the longest pier, and sat down at the edge. Looking out to the Oceans, she knew that Renne would have loved this day. Curling her legs close to her chest, Johnathan hugged them and smiled softly.

"I will be back with ye one day, Angel-Heart. I promise with all me heart."
-------------------------------------------------- ---

On The Way Up North - Monsters in the Shadows
Original Posting Date: 02/22/2009

There are some things that Johnathan regrets having abilities of and one of them is the ability of not needing sleep. Granted anyone could do that, but the Sea Elvens trained themselves for so many millennia to not sleep or eat and not gain the craziness that is caused by the lack of the two. Prior to meeting Renne, there only so many times Johnathan slept that she was able to count on one of her own hands.

Another ability she regrets: the ability to listen to all formations of metal. It was not an ability that she learned, it just simply came to her one day as a child. Johnathan heard stories within buildings and not near any water. It was bad enough she was a Halfsie, but it made it worse when a Child of the Seas could listen to metal as if they were alive. Teased throughout her life while growing up, children always brought common items made from metal to her and made her tell them the history of the item. It didn't matter what it was, the metal always spoke to her, it was during her years sailing that she learned to tune them in and out in her mind. Johnathan was always polite enough to hear the metal out; but sometimes, the metal were grandparents and constantly spoke about the old days. Understanding that everyone just want to speak their stories, Johnathan took it all in and just let them spoke.

~~~~~~~~~~~

It was a cold November night when rappings of wood and metal echoed in the air. It wasn't in the Port-Town or in the Harbours where the sound came from. Instead, it was from the area where Johnathan has been burying the ones who went beyond the boundaries. Luckily, there has not been anyone else lately, but she has been hearing rumours from travelers and passer-bys of the grave-looters. Not like a simple fence will stop them, but at the very least they would not loot and leave a mess. Of course there was nothing to loot. Johnathan already took their possessions and kept them in her personal storage area in her living quarters directly underneath the Port-Shack. One day, she will sort them out and hand them back to the family of the deceased; but not now.

The fence was simple. Nothing elaborate about it. It was done oddly, though, as if Johnathan intentionally not wanting to complete it. It started at the "bottom"--the area where if one walked directly west from the point where the Maple Trees and the road meet, the "bottom" would be seen first.

Placing wooden bars across some of the fence bars, Johnathan hammered away placing in one nail at a time. She was not great at being a carpenter, but she did what she could. Paying to much attention to her surroundings, her attention phased in and out of the stories both the hammer and the nails were speaking of. The nails had multiple of voices but all spoke at the same time about the same thing. Talking how they are taken from place to place; sometimes being used, sometimes not. What they have seen and heard and what they desire. Oddly enough, though, never once did the nails or the hammer complained when she was pounding them together.

Johnathan started the building of the partial fence about an hour after Midnight and completed the southern and the eastern--also known as the "bottom"--portions of the fence a couple of hours later. She looked over at each of the eleven graves carefully, remembering each one that is buried six feet underneath. It was something she never understood. Cultures had different takes on taking care of their dead. A couple of cultures did mummification while others did burials, burnings, and even the Norse and Scandinavian did the pyres. Johnathan's culture? A more proper, formal and professional version of what she did with Jarrod.

Luckily for Johnathan, noone to her knowledge have come out this far. Or if they have, then nothing bad has happened to the graves. Dirty and exhausted beyond belief, she slowly stood up and stretched out a bit; which was about when she heard whispers and giggles. Gripping onto the hammer like a weapon, she looked around quickly and intently. There was not much of a place to hide, since the trees were scarce and the "bottom" of the cemetery was the beginning of fields that went on for acres. Johnathan looked around for a couple of more minutes; but it was winds and silences that covered the air. Johnathan's nose twitched a bit before she cautiously picked up the extra boards she stole once again from the carpenters and construction workers.

Holding onto the boards, the extra nails and the hammer in her hands, Johnathan looked around once again before heading back to the Port-Town and the Harbours. What she did not notice--and a high possibility of never knowing--that as she was leaving the cemetery grounds, silhouettes of two children were running about the graves, it seemed like playing tag with each other.
-------------------------------------------------- ------

On The Way Up North - The Hardest Part
Original Posting Date: 03/05/2009

Johnathan was not seen at all the whole morning. The Market and the Port-Town flourished with rumors and assumptions, but most were all puzzled as to why Johnathan would call upon an announcement. Announcements usually occurred during the monthly Port-Town and Harbours meetings and even was more strange that it was Johnathan to make the announcement.

It was noon when the Harbours were completely packed with every resident in town. They understood that it was not required to be at this meeting, but everyone respected Johnathan and believed in her and wanted to hear what she had to say. Johnathan came out from the Port-Shack and the whole crowd was silenced. There were some whispers, but mostly from the children wanting to play instead of pay attention.

Johnathan looked at her best and in the most professional manner. Her hair was in a braided pony-tail; showing off the rarely seen ears. The ears, themselves, were curved like waves of the waters; so it was something that Johnathan always hid out of embarrassment. Granted, she dressed the same, but she presented herself more as an authority than a friend or a family. Looking at all of the pairs of eyes looking back at her, she breathed in deeply and gave a small smile. Her voice was as loud as she could for all to hear; but it also had a tone of sincerity.

"Marketers. Towns-Folk. Friends and family alike. It was upon these Harbours nearly six years ago that meself and the willing crewmembers swore to protect ye all and to watch o'er the Harbours and the Port-Town. Many folks came and many went. Many stayed and Many left, but it was I who stayed to watch all of ye. To watch the children grow. To ha'e the Markets here allways keep faithful customers. To maintain the safety within these boundaries. To make sure that each and e'ery Towns-Folk and Harbour-Folk within these boundaries to know that ye will allways ha'e sanctuary here. It was not any of ye, though, who ha'e failed at anything. All of ye ha'e done nothing more than do e'erything ye possibly could imagine. It was I who failed ye all. I left what was supposed to be only one month which turned out to be for nearly a year-and-a-half."

Johnathan watched everyone whisper about and mumble all in confusion. Johnathan slowly closed her eyes and breathed in deeply and quietly. Her voice went back to the loud but sincere voice.

"None of ye remember and ne'er will. I had to create a deal with Time-Father. The time here is different than the time beyond the boundaries. We are currently one year two months and seven days behind the Current Time. The time here is different, though. What seems like a full day to ye all is twel'e hours to anyone beyond the Boundaries...and to I. There is one stipulation to all of this, though."

Johnathan did not pause for dramatic emphasis, but it was more of the fact that she needed to gain the courage to say the next sentence. Her eyes filled with tears, but not one fell. She did not know the consequence, but Johnathan was ready for the punishment. Living this lie is not what she wanted.

"None of ye may go beyond the boundaries. If any of ye go past the Maple trees, ye..ye will end up how Jack, Milli, Saralynn, Shane, and twel'e others ended up. Six feet under in a cemetery I created two miles west beyond the boundaries."

The whole crowd started an uproar and Johnathan was expecting that. What she was not expecting, though, were the comments.

"You left us alone!"

"Stupid bitch!"

"Why did you leave us!?"

"Now we are stuck here with a coward!"

The yelling and the accusations filled the Harbours' air and they were all against her. Shutting her eyes tightly, she tried to fight back the tears; but the voices were just too much. She had to say it all.

"Ye all died!"

The yelling came to a quick and abrupt stop. Johnathan's eyes were filled with tears as they finally rolled down. Looking about, she saw the anger, frustration and disappointment that filled everyone's face.

"Ye all died fer what I did. I was trying to find one lo'e when I lost another lo'e. I lost all of ye. I did not want to lose ye all again, so I made a deal with Time-Father to bring ye all back. I lied and kept this secret from all of ye to protect ye."

There was a moment of silence. Actually, the moments were longer than they should have. Finally, the yelling, insults and accusations filled the Harbours' air and all throughout the Port-Town.

"Liar!"

"You should have left us dead!"

"Would rather be six feet under than be with Nathan the Coward!"

After a few moments, they all started chanting "Nathan the Coward." Johnathan gave a look of plea to them all, but it did nothing. Doing the only thing she could do--and unfortunately, placed more oil to the flame--was to run back into the Port-Shack. Slamming the door behind her, Johnathan slumped down to the floor against the door as the knocking and the rappings of the door and the front wall of the Port-Shack. Tears rolled down her face as she covered her ears as the slightly muffled insults swirled in her head.

Death. Everyone disappearing. Hells, even being in an illusion created by The Darkness himself was what she thought would happen. But losing the love and faith of all that she loved was nothing Johnathan ever expected.
-------------------------------------------------- -----------