Otherworld

Here is a piece of fiction I am working on. If you have any comments please fill free to leave them and if you would like to submit works for posting email me at jessy@jessicashamburger.com.

Sitting on the transportation to my new school gave me turmoil of emotions. I have spent most of my life by myself and now I am surrounded with all these people. The chatter is unnerving and strange. The leader of the school is personally escorting this bus. He is fearful that the others will attack. I have seen them and they are evil. The Gargoyles are their henchmen now. Stories say once Gargoyles used to be our protectors.
The bus is jarred and comes to an abrupt stop that throws me to the floor, thankfully. Gargoyles walk onto the bus and I begin to pray, “Please make me invisible.” I know they came for me. I can see one of the henchmen’s gray and green, crusted foot in front of my face, but he does not see me. I am still praying, “Please make me invisible.” Berthold, stomps up to the Gargoyles with authority and strength demanding answers and immediate evacuation of the bus. The lead gargoyle senses that I am there but can not see me. He leans into my leader, sneering, “Ah, I see your sister then.”
“I don’t have a sister and I demand you leave. You have no rights to be on this transportation.”
I begin praying that the gargoyles will die. If they do not then everyone on the bus is in danger. I have seen the havoc they can wreck on even talented people.
“Listen here..” the lead gargoyle stiffens in mid snarl forever turned back into stone. Everyone turns outside and sees all the gargoyles in different frozen poses. My leader is stunned at first then gets a few older boys to remove the gargoyle that is trapped on the bus. As the gargoyle is pulled out the doors, I come out of invisibility. Everyone stares at me.
“Where were you?” Berthold queries.
“Right here. You didn’t see me?”
“No, how did you do that?”
“I prayed. I’ve been doing that since I can remember.”
We both stare at each other pondering the statement the gargoyle made. Berthold opens his mouth to speak, but instead closes it quickly and turns. I am left with the question, Is he my brother? I remember once before Mom and Dad were killed a boy lifting me up and swinging me around in the sunlight. I don’t remember him after that. The bus and the chatter start again, but I can feel the stares and whispers burning the back of my head.
By dark we arrive to home base, which is settled into the trees. At first glance no one can see the homes or the people who are living in the trees, but once close enough everything is visible. I am put into a room with three other girls about my age. They are giddy and giggling as they make their way up to the room. I let them arrive first so that they can pick their beds. What they leave me with is actually surprising. I have a queen size bed that is in the more secluded part of my new home. My bed is backed into the trunk of the tree and faces a panoramic view of the forest and valleys. I quietly thank the girls and return to my new room. I crawl into bed and fall asleep to stars and lightening bugs glowing all around me.
I wake slowly with the light filtering through green forest leaves flickering across my eyelids. I stretch slowly realizing this is the first time I can remember sleeping so comfortably. Yet, in the back of my mind there is a nudge that tells me not to get too comfortable; there is a reason I am here. I was sought out by Berthold to join Jophiel because of the rumors and my foster family. My foster family was scared of me and wanted me as far away from them as possible. I climb out of bed and begin getting ready for the first day of orientation. I am thankful that my roommates left me alone and headed out before me.