Final Story - 001

"What is it, Chosen Child? Did Kayla leave something behind?"

Hearing that voice over the phone, from Kayla's phone, was a shock to me. I had forgotten that voice, in fact I'd forgotten all about her, but that tone of voice and distinctive way of speaking… made me remember.

"Is that you, Kiss Duskdancer?"

"At your service, Chosen Child."

"Why do you have Kayla's phone?"

"This girl, Kayla, is my puppet. The Mother is in need of her services."

"What does that mean?"

"Exactly what it sounds like, Chosen Child."

"Whatever you plan to do to her, I won't allow it."

"How will you stop me, Chosen Child?" Kiss taunted, "you don't even know where I am. And besides, if you stop me, it will only cause greater damage."

"Huh? Why?"

"I told you. This girl's services are needed. If you really want to stop me, you have until midnight to find us."

"Kiss-"

"Before I forget: don't involve the police. Just do what you can, though I don't think I need to tell you that. You wouldn't be the Chosen Child otherwise, after all."

"Plea-"

I was interrupted by the high-pitched ring, indicating that the call had been disconnected. Tayla squeezed my hand. She was still standing beside me. I'd forgotten in the moment.

"She hung up on me?"

"Kiss Duskdancer… did she kidnap Kayla?"

"I think so. I don't know… I…"

Kiss Duskdancer.

A very mysterious woman. It wouldn't surprise me if you forgot about her. I know I did. There's very little that I know about her, other than she's a member of the Mother's Order. The strange religious cult that Tayla and her family are former members of.

The two of us have had a few run-ins over the past half a year, but I haven't seen her since before Christmas. I first met her only a few weeks after helping Tayla out with her situation in the Mother's Order. Kiss came across as mysterious, ominous, and dangerous. I don't think that any of that has changed since then.

The only other time we've met, was when I helped out AJ with her brother. AJ was worried about her brother who'd started using drugs, so the two of us tracked down his drug dealer. The dealer turned out to be Ray Starcrawler, the leader of the Order in Christchurch. I don't like to admit it, but Kiss saved the two of us then. She came out of the shadows and fought with Ray, taking him down. Afterwards, she took him away, and according to AJ he seems to have disappeared for good.

And that was the last that I saw of Kiss Duskdancer.

"Alexander."

It was Tayla, shaking my shoulder, and snapping me out of my thoughts.

"Alexander, tell me what she said."

Tayla listened to what Kiss had told me. It didn't make a whole lot of sense to me, but I thought maybe Tayla would be able to understand it better. She used to be a member of the Order too, after all.

"What she calls you…" Tayla began, "Chosen Child. Do you know what that means?"

"No idea. That's not the important part anyway."

"Sorry, you're right. I guess the more important part is 'the Mother is in need of her services'."

"I think so too. Do you have any idea what that means?"

"Not specifically. They used to say that all the time. All it really means is that the Mother has something for you to do. Though… I didn't think it would be something they'd say to an outsider. Kayla isn't a member of the Order, is she?"

"No. At least, not that I know," I responded, "if she was, then she never told anyone."

"Hmm… well, I don't know what services she's being asked to do. I can't think of any clue from what Kiss said."

"I see…"

…

…

"Well, we've got six hours, right? She said that you had to find her before midnight if you wanted to stop her. I'm sure we'll think of something before then."

"I hope so…"

Kayla…

I wonder what's happening to her right now. How she's feeling. She has to be freaking out. Kayla used to get panic attacks whenever things went badly for her. And that's just when she was falling behind in class, or having trouble with a boyfriend. That's nothing compared to this situation.

I really hope she's okay.

What she said in that conversation we had just now…

No. I should be trying to forget all of that. That she said any of that. But it's impossible now. Until this is over, I don't think I'll be able to get it out of my mind.