THE NEVER HOUR PREQUEL
Piper’s Challenge
A short story by Cassie Swindon
2024
Piper
My date-of-the-month stares at me through pink sunglasses. I guess I could call her my ‘contender-of-the-month’ since we’re about to start a challenge.
“Let me get this straight, Piper…” Maxie sticks her hip out, all sass, the way I prefer women. “You expect me to believe that we’ve been transported into a magical land that is fueled by Pixie dust? But the dust is being devoured by a creepy shadow?”
“Yup,” I readjust my sports bra and study the lagoon in front of us.
As the parrots squawk and frogs chirp, Maxie scans the canopy of the tall trees, then settles her attention on the waterfall splashing down the cliffside. “And you’re telling me that the only way to save this jungle is to win a magical challenge that will give you more Pixie?”
“Yup,” I kick off my sneakers, then crack my knuckles, preparing for the upcoming obstacles. She needs to see me conquer the first challenge so I can convince her to compete.
The deadly shadows, or RavenSoul, as the sprites and nymphs call them, have been growing larger, and intruding more frequently. More vegetation has succumbed to it as prey, even though nothing in Neveraj is ever supposed to age or die. It’s not as if I’m in love with responsibility or anything, but if I want to continue living in the jungle I now call home, somehow I have to fix what’s broken.
“You’ll believe, just wait,” I say, almost word-for-word imitated from the Venetress who taught this to me. “The only safe way to gather new Pixie is with an orb. We’d dip it in the Pixie Falls and fill the orb with dust. And the only way to obtain these orbs is by winning them as prizes after challenges.”
I bet Maxie has more questions: such as a where did RavenSoul come from and how long has it been swallowing the wildlife?
“Well, at least I’ll have a good story to tell my family when I wake up from this dream.”
Damn it. She won’t compete like her life depends on it if she doesn’t believe me. Maybe I picked the wrong person last night. It’s not like I have much time to make a selection. For some reason, the bartender who served me my cocktail last night flitters across my thoughts. He had been an intriguing guy. It hadn’t slipped my notice that he only cuts the pineapple into the shape of a star for my cocktails, no other customers.
Would he have been a better choice for the challenges? The memory of his dark brown eyes keeps distracting me.
“Um, Piper?” Maxie tilts her head as she watches me slip off my pants. “What are you doing?”
“It’s hot as Sols out here and I don’t know what to expect.”
“Wait. You haven’t done this before?!” Maxie throws her hands in the air, scaring a flock of birds in the branches.
“Not technically, no.” I point to a pile of logs. “Stand behind those, just in case.”
Her blue eyes widen. “In case what?” Maxie backs up. “Can you take me home now? Last night was fun and all. I’ll even give you my number, but this is too much.”
I ignore her and kneel in the sand, where the water meets the shore. “I call to this land so dear,” I start, hoping I recall the right wording, “To risk for the prize of an orb. Show me the challenges I do fear. I give my blood that you’ll absorb.”
“Blood?” Maxie’s voice quiets, resembling a mouse, but I don’t dare go to comfort her.
My focus stays on the lagoon as bubbles erupt from Below. They grow larger until the tips of three silver cutlasses rise from the water. At least the Venetress told me what to expect. Otherwise, I might be hiding back near Maxie by now.
“Are those swords?” Maxie calls from behind.
From the first weapon, a burst of silver light shoots into the air from its sharp tip. Within the light is a scene, playing like a film: me as a child confronting my dads about changing their career. The second cutlass shows a scene of child-me trapped in a locked, dark box for an undetermined amount of time. A few extra beats linger. Loud bird screeches last as long as it takes for the third cutlass to toss out the final scene. Child-me is trying to stop ‘bad guys’ from kicking us out of our home. All three of my worst childhood fears taunt me, and I have to choose one to battle. Which could I defeat?
Heart pounding, I step toward the first cutlass, my fear of confronting my dads. Because even though I don’t want to disappoint them, they’ll always be my safe place. Facing my parents in a conflict is still better than facing the unknown or having no place to call home.
I grab the hilt and slice a gash along my forearm. Maxie screams softly behind me. I block her view so she doesn’t see the blood dripping from the blade. If I had known she’d be so squeamish I would’ve picked the bartender. No, Piper. Don’t get distracted now. Focus!
Mist rises from the lagoon and I’m lifted off my feet by an invisible force. It carries me like I’m a feather in the air until two silhouettes sandwich me. On my left, Dad stands proud and stern, eyebrows knit together as he looks down at me with a serious gaze. On my right, Father’s arms are crossed against his chest and the posture of his shoulders tells me that he means business. I’m caged by the two men who are supposed to love me, but who I fear will never give up their lifestyle no matter how much I plead.
“Please, Daddy! I don’t wanna trick my teacher,” young-me begs, but they both tug on my backpack a little tighter and turn me in the direction of the school’s front doors.
“Piper, we’ve been over this, remember?” Father swipes a large hand over my head. “We work as a team. And this is very important, okay? We need your help.”
I gulp, feeling the tears prickle in my eyes. “But Daddy, I want her to think I’m nice and smart. How can I be good if she catches me?”
Dad crouches low to meet my eyes. He smiles and bops my nose. “Then don’t let her catch you, sweetie.”
They nudge me a bit too hard, and I stumble up the stairway to the front door. Neither try to catch me when I lose my balance. Before I can cry out for help or check to see if they saw me fall, the scene dissolves.
For a few moments, I’m swarmed by the thick mist creating these illusions. Am I still at the lagoon? Is Maxie close by? How long have I been floating? Why is my head throbbing? Sweat soaks my sports bra and drips down my temple like I’ve been sprinting for hours. My muscles spasm and I can barely catch my breath. Maybe these challenges aren’t worth the prize. I want to quit, run, escape, but the mist envelopes me again.
Sixteen-year-old me sits in the driver’s seat of a convertible in the back alley behind a bank. In all black, I’m unfortunately the spitting image of a robber from the movies, without the face mask. Loud shouts escalate from inside the building and a loud thud slams against the exit door. My white knuckles clamp even tighter along the steering wheel. I glance at the clock on the dashboard. Hurry. Hurry.
The back door flies open. Dad and Father tumble out, backpacks now full of cash. I let out an uncontrollable whimper when a bloom of red grows larger on Dad’s shirt. Damn it.
They both topple over the doors, sliding into the car.
“Go, Piper!”
My foot smacks on the gas pedal and we zoom down the alley. Trash bins smack against the front corner, but I only speed up faster. Right as sirens explode behind us, I swerve around a corner.
You’d think a teenager who loves living life to the fullest would be excited but I simply try to breathe and focus on the birds. Ahead, a flock in flight dips and dives together in unison. I bet none of them are forced to steal and con. They probably support each other as a family unit and work together instead of choosing selfish dangers for their daughter.
Rage boils hot in my blood. Part of me wishes my parents had failed in the bank. If they eventually run out of money, they’ll have to find a reasonable career, right? When will this madness end? I’m just as spunky and adventurous as the next teenager, but I’m so fuckin tired of almost dying.
Our camouflaged garage in the distance is spray-painted with graffiti. As we approach, the solar radar connects us to the system and the door opens. Quickly, the convertible slips inside and the quiet overtakes my senses. Though it doesn’t last long. Apparently, their injuries aren’t a concern, since both Dad and Father whoop cheers of celebration.
“That was epic. Did you see the way the teller’s jaw dropped?” Father asks Dad, smiling wide.
“I’m done!” I punch the steering wheel which makes the horn beep loud and long. “Done! I can’t do this anymore!”
My muscles tense from head to toe and I don’t dare look either of them in the eye. I’ve never been afraid of them physically, but at their worst, both men can cut deep with harsh words.
They collect the backpacks and exit the car as if I hadn’t spoken. I shut off the engine and stomp after them, fists coiled into balls at my side.
“Did you hear me?” I scream.
They both turn, frowns painting their faces.
“Is this the thanks we get for supporting you? Enrolling you in the best private school in Lacordia?”
I swallow, obviously grateful for the opportunity, unsure what to say. “I didn’t ask to go to that school.”
“Oh, so now we have to follow the whims of a child? A girl who doesn’t even know what she wants or what the responsibilities of being an adult are like?” Father spits. “Have you ever had to pay rent? No. What about a medical bill when someone falls out of a tree and breaks her leg because she thought she could fly away with the birds.”
“I was five,” I whisper.
“Yes, and sixteen isn’t much older.” Dad points in my face. “We do this for you, sweetie. How will we pay for college otherwise? Where else will we get the money to afford your extravagant green wardrobe? I don’t see any other student wearing a new outfit every day.”
“I only need like eight shirts and three jeans.”
“But you liked the hat that matched your cucumber scarf,” Father raises one finger, ready to count the others, “Oh, and the emerald shoes, that went with your lime purse.”
A tightness curls into a knot deep in my chest. I know what’s coming and I won’t win this argument. They’ll choose conning over my request every time. But I’m done.
“Fine, do what you want, but leave me out of it. I’m not helping anymore.”
Dad’s face reddens a little, but then he gains composure. “Okay.”
“Okay?” Father gawks at him. “That’s it, just okay?”
“Yeah, okay,” Dad winks at him and steps through the door into our cozy apartment, the only place that has felt like a home in all our travels.
They lean together and whisper under their breath. It doesn’t take a genius to understand their plan. Whatever. I hate this life. I hate living in fear. I hate how they control me. No matter how much I love them, I refuse to participate in even one more job.
My breath is sucked out of my lungs and my body flails through mist and time until nothing makes sense. Suddenly, my side slams against the ground. A shock of pain zings up my body.
“Piper! Are you okay?”
Slowly, I push up, holding my head in one hand. The heat stifles any coherent thought for a moment, until the familiar features of a red-haired woman come into view. Maxie.
I glance around. The lagoon. Yes, I’m not really sixteen. I’m twenty-seven and live in Neveraj without my parents.
“Hey, hey, look at me, babe,” Maxie says, “You were gone for four hours!”
I blow out a deep exhale and lock onto her blue eyes. “Did it work?” I hear my voice come out groggily and croaky.
When she shrugs, a spherical glass orb rises from the sand and rubs against my leg.
Her smile lifts pounds of burden off my shoulders. “You did it, Piper! You got your orb!”
Still a little dizzy, I’m surprised by her kiss-attack. She launches herself at me, lips against mine. Hands in my hair. Before I get too lost in her, I pull away. Something doesn’t feel right. Yes, I won the orb. Yes, I mastered the first challenge. Yes, I’m one step closer to helping my homeland.
But when her mouth brushed against mine, the chemistry was missing. She’d been great in bed last night when we messed around. Here, in the light of day, guilt floods my veins when I keep picturing the bartender’s stoic face from last night, and the way his gaze scorched into my skin.
Since Maxie is here for the next month, I’ll make the most of it and pay her to win orbs for me. Yet, I can’t be physical with one person when another soul has branded me.
“What’s wrong?” Maxie asks, head tilted to the side.
“I think I need to lay down. I’m really tired.”
“Oh, okay, I’ll help you back to your treehouse,” Maxie says.
I can barely stand, so she wraps her arm around my waist as we hobble through the jungle.
“Are you gonna tell me what happened in there?” Maxie refers to the challenge.
“Yeah, the …” Easy as breathing a lie forms. “The bartender from last night was in the challenge. Do you remember his name?”
“Which one?” Maxie asks.
“Tall. Quiet. Never smiled. Black.”
“Yeah, that’s Wyshawn. He’s there every shift. Like every. Single. Shift. My friend tried to flirt with him once and he was not having it. Don’t know much about him. Why?”
Wyshawn. The man with the star-shaped fruit.
“Oh, I’ll explain at the treehouse,” I say.
“Stop yawning. You’ll make me need a nap right here.”
Maybe in my dreams I’ll see him again. Otherwise, I’ll need to wait a whole month until we return during the Never Hour.
Wyshawn.
Wyshawn.
Wyshawn.