Chapter 33

"We know that you're there Judith." Henry's voice rang accompanied by James sarcastic laughter.

Furious, she swung the door open, standing with her glass of fruit juice and saucer in her hands, glaring angrily at the boys who laughed hard. their backs on the bed. She was puzzled as to what caused the laughter, staring at the wall ahead of her. she realized that Henry and James had placed a mirror directly facing the door, which meant that they had been seeing her all along. Judith felt like a cow and watching James snatch the cake from her and dump it into his stomach in one munch made her angrier.

"That was mine !" She yelled.

"And this is ours", James replied, "so don't come trespassing."

Her hand came straight for James' face but a hard backed book struck her wrist, making her clutch her hand. It was Henry who still had the gamepad in his hand whistling away as he played acting like he didn't care if she was there. She hadn't seen him throw the book but her instinct kept telling her that he was the one who had done it.

"I never knew you were such a good pretender." She mocked.

"And I never knew you were good at eavesdropping.", Henry countered.

Why must he always have the last word ? Must he always find a counterattack ? Why couldn't he just accept being beaten for once.

"James", She called, "mom wants you back home, now !"

"Liar !" James said. jumping back on Henry's bed and grabbing the pad, continuing their game not minding of she stood there watching them.

Nowadays she was always getting ignored, what was happening anyway ? Were her stars not in the right alignment ? And it all came down to Henry, now he had also taken her brother away from her.

"I hope both of you fight one day !" Her mind yelled.

"Heard that !" Henry's voice rang again, "and it's not ever going to happen."

Was he serious ? Judith's eyebrows twitched, did he really hear her ?

"Don't act like you don't know what I mean", Henry continued, "I heard you making your evil wish and it's not going to be granted."

"Then say it if you really know it !" Judith dared, at the same time she was scared that he could be correct.

"I hope both of you fight one day", Henry mimicked, "am I wrong ?"

Judith didn't reply.

"You silence completely gives you away." Henry concluded.

"Bang !" James yelled, "Don't you ever lose ?!"

"Maybe." Henry answered.

Judith smiled, so she wasn't the only one who had taken note of Henry's all or nothing attitude. He didn't seem like he cared about it anyway. So James was losing, now that sounded interesting.

Judith's eyes caught something moving at the window, she blinked realizing it was an action figure, two to be precise; a warrior like model and an eagle - so Henry had toys. Her eyes drifted to the TV screen, then she caught sight of the warrior model moving two steps forward. Was she sure she was alright ? Because right now she felt like she was going crazy and when the action figure's gaze fell on her, she screamed.

"What's that thing !" Judith yelled.

The boys turned to her, a puzzled expression on their faces, Henry stared at the window and saw Judith's object of spectacle.

"So you're scared of an ordinary action figure", he laughed mischievously.

"But it moved !" She defended.

"Did it ?" James remarked in a sarcastic manner.

"I guess your sister isn't feeling well today", Henry said, resuming their game, "let's play on James."

"I'm with you bro." James said, the gamepads' buttons clicking furiously once again.

Judith felt like pulling off her skin, this time, the eagle moved. Jumping down the window , it began walking towards her !

"Get away from me !" She yelled.

Picking up the book which Henry had thrown at her, she sent the model flying backwards as she smashed it with the book.

"I told you", said Henry, "you're not well Judith, it's best you go home."

"So you think that I'm not okay." She fumed, "and you too James ?"

"From the look of things you aren't." James shrugged. "You've been eavesdropping, causing trouble and talking to yourself. And these are symbols of someone who isn't mentally stable."

"Fine then" Judith gave up, "I'm going home."

But the door slammed itself shut before her.

Grabbing the door knob, she turned, twisted and pulled but the door didn't open, she pulled harder but it didn't budge. What kind of house was this anyway ? Now she was stuck in the same room with these freaks.

"The door is locked !" She stamped her feet.

"You were the one who shut it yourself." Henry accused.

"I did not." Judith denied, "now open this door or else, I'll scream."

"Eh, Henry", James called, "I don't even see a door."

Judith an Henry stared at the wall but the door wasn't there any longer, all they could see was a plain wall.

"This can't be happening." Henry whispered to himself.

Those cracks etched themselves on the wall, burning their way all over the room. They were all engulfed within a flaring cube of radiations. The pull of gravity sent all three sinking into an endless tunnel of lightning, unveiling an expanse of worlds before them as they were pull downwards at such a sonic rate and to Judith, it felt like they were going to keep falling forever.

Judith groaned as she rose from the rocky earth, her gaze slowly drifted to the skies, this wasn't Henry's room, she knew and this was unlike anyplace she had ever seen. She could hear James groaning as he walked towards her from the spot he had fallen, that puzzled expression boldly etched on his face.

"Where are we ?" Judith asked.

"And where is Henry ?" James noted.

Judith's eyes scanned the terrain, searching for Henry's body in between the rocks, then she saw him lying flat on the ground.

"There he is." Judith said, she and James running towards the spot where Henry lay.

"Henry !" James called as they got closer.

"Wait !" Judith yelled holding James back, "Look." She pointed.

As Henry rose to his feet, his entire being became infested with the same burning flare that they had seen in his room, it was as though his flesh was burning away and the aqueous flames cascaded down his head, setting his entire being ablaze.

"What's happening to him ?" James gasped, taken aback.

"I don't know", came Judith's reply, "we just have to wait and see."

And on they watched as the skies above began to burn and rave of that fiery storm of lightning and lava, with those infinite pillars of ideograms and geometric configurations descending upon Henry's being, then they heard that mighty screech, heralding the coming of that burning bird which erupted from Henry's core. That second form rose, sending Henry screaming to the thundering skies as he fell to his knees, his burning fingers clutching the earth.