Sorceress' Scheme
Part Six
Thomas was alone on the beach. He had discovered a place, several miles away, that was basically deserted, and he was there now. Thinking.
The surf washed in a few feet away from where he sat. The sun had gone down a while ago and it was dark on the beach. He knew he should probably go back home before his mother got worried, but he felt like being alone for awhile.
A small stone to his right lifted itself off the ground and was flung into the ocean by an unseen force. A larger one followed shortly after. Thomas heaved a sigh and laid on his back.
Since he was some distance from streetlights here, he could clearly see the night stars and the constellations. Orion and the Big Dipper seemed to be staring down at him, mocking him.
"I wonder," he thought aloud. But he didn't finish the idea. Not even in his head. Instead he just stared at the stars.
A song entered his head, and he found himself humming it softly. It wasn't until he'd been humming the melody for a few minutes that he realized it was the song Mike and Peter had been working on the day before.
"Hmmm," he thought aloud, but didn't finish that thought either. Then he sat up and brushed himself off. "I guess I should get home," he said to no one in particular. But he made no move to get up or head for home.
Another small stone heaved itself mysteriously into the water, and he watched the small splash it created amongst the waves.
He sighed then, knowing he really did have to get home, and shut his eyes. Slowly, his body began to lift off the ground. He was hovering in mid-air, trying to decide on his next move, when a bright circle of light appeared in front of him, catching his eyes and distracting him.
Thomas opened his eyes and searched for the lighthouse or boat that had created the light. He didn't want anyone to catch him hovering. But the ocean in front of him, like the beach around him, was deserted.
'No little boy,' a voice said then. 'You're not alone.'
Thomas turned sharply, looking in all directions, but saw no one. "Who's there?" he asked aloud.
'Don't play dumb with me,' the voice scolded. 'I'm too smart for that'.
Thomas realized then that the voice was coming from the hovering circle of light in front of him.
'Ah, so you do have brains,' the voice crooned, mocking him. 'Come on, you can do it. Figure out how to see me clearly'.
'I don't know what you're talking about,' he sent, thinking that the voice might respond better if he didn't speak aloud.
'Come on, little boy,' the voice taunted. 'Don't play games. I know who you are. I know you're powerful. That's why you wear that.
The voice seemed to indicate string around his neck, and he looked down, seeing the small stone that he had bored a hole in and tied around his neck a few weeks ago.
'The prophecy,' he realized.
Correct,' the voice replied. 'Finally you've got it. You are the one chosen to bring about the destruction of my world.
"What?" Thomas was so surprised he spoke aloud. 'But...but...that's not what the prophecy said,' he stammered.
'Are you sure?' the voice asked. 'Maybe you should re- check that prophecy.' Slowly the light began to dim, and then it was gone, along with the voice.
"Wait!" Thomas called out towards the sea. 'Come back'. But the voice was gone. He stared down at the stone around his neck for a moment. Then he realized the time.
"Aw man, I really gotta get home now!" he realized. Slowly his hovering state changed, and he began to float higher. High enough so that people on the ground wouldn't find a boy floating through the sky strange.
The beach outside his house appeared empty, so he lowered himself down there. He set his feet on the sand a good ten feet from the water and began to head towards the house.
"Fancy flying," he heard a voice behind him say, and he turned in shock.
"You scared me," he told Jenny when he saw her. "What are you doing out here anyway?"
"Thinking," she replied. "And watching you come in. Where ya been?"
"Off - thinking," he replied. "And I think I have a clue -and some questions."
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