After listening to “Blood & Bone” by Nathan Evans, I was inspired to write this scene. It is a continuation of the oneshot with characters from The Gray Between.
Enjoy!
“Through fire and rain, hell or high water, you will always be my brother.” This was the promise, made in the prologue of time before the performance began. The Playwright smiled at the words curling across the yellowed page. Turning, he stared at the puppet stage. Lying in a puddle of cut strings were two wooden figures. The Playwright watched as a thin curl of smoke rose from the smaller doll.
“Free will is a dangerous gift,” he murmured. Pages shuffled between his fingers as he fanned through the scenes. “Where will your story take you next?”
* * *
Orange fire flickered between Kaz’s fingers. He leaned back, propping his boots against the wall and tipping the chair as far as he dared. “Any idea what this meeting is all about, Cal?”
Caleb shook his head. His knees were bouncing. “You seem very calm for someone who shouted about it being a trap.”
The thin ribbon of flame vanished. “Unlike you, Cal, I have confidence.” Kaz gave him a lopsided grin. “Relax. We can fight our way out of anything, remember? There’s a reason we’re the puppeteer’s favorites.”
Caleb tried to return his grin, but it fell short. “All the same…” His words trailed away as a quiet footstep echoed from the doorway. Both boys whipped around to face the entrance.
A shadow stretched across the floor, gray against the yellow lamplight. Caleb’s eyes widened. The shadow expanded into a pair of wings. With a thump, Kaz’s chair hit the ground.
“Phil?” he whispered.
He looked the same as ever—gray and green robes hanging from his shoulders, a straw kasa hat on his head, and a pair of raven-black wings arching from his back. As he stepped into the room, something shifted. Caleb felt a sharp tug in his chest, felt some invisible force pulling him to his feet. Kaz rose also, arm outstretched, yet limp. Phil’s wings unfurled in one sharp movement. Both boys flinched back. Faintly, they heard the sound of threads snapping.
“What are you doing here?” Caleb demanded.
Phil fixed him with a stern but gentle stare. “I came back, to free you. Just as I promised.”
“Free us?” echoed Kaz. His voice was strained.
“Aren’t you tired of living under his control?” Phil asked. “He directs your every move, commands your will, authors your purpose. Ever since the beginning, he’s forced you to follow his script. You are the villains in his unfinished play, and you follow the part because you have no other option. But no longer.” The raven wings folded. “Everyone has a choice. You can be free. You can free everyone else. You can be the heroes this time. Or you can stay, and keep playing this part.”
Caleb felt his heart beating. He glanced at Kaz.
“Free?” Kaz whispered. His arm slowly fell to his side. Tipping his head, he met Caleb’s gaze. Though neither boy said anything, they understood the unspoken words.
Everyone deserves a choice.
To be a villain…or to be a hero…
To be free.
If we make this decision, we make it together.
Caleb took a deep breath and nodded once. With a slow smile, Kaz relaxed. “The puppeteer won’t be pleased when he finds out you’ve cut our strings,” he remarked.
“Assuredly not,” agreed Phil. “You were his favorites, after all.”
“Time to be something more,” Caleb said. “So do you have a plan? Because he won’t let us walk away so easily. Every single person in this world will be after us.”
“Oh I know.” Phil smiled. “That’s why I plan to free all of them as well. So you’re with me?”
This choice, the first we can make on our own…
“We’ve got nowhere else to be,” Kaz said, eyes gleaming.
This was great, Lissie! Thanks for sharing. Your writing never ceases to amaze me.
The opening with the Playwright was absolutely fascinating, especially that first line! Brothers in stories is my favorite trope EVER