Leaning into Fantasy with River

Welcome to the world of fantasy with Freshman Media Communications major, River. Each week they will immerse you in a new world with anecdote that will transport you somewhere you've never been!

I Couldn’t Protect Him Pt.3

By: River Porter

Character: Ghost/Valdis Vespertine & Carnival

Part 3 of the story. After Valdis kills all of The Advis, her former boss, Carnival, the leader of The Circus, comes to comfort her. While he is driving her home, they get in trouble and a discovery is revealed. Content Warning: Mentions of Murder and Mentions of Torture

Ghost/Valdis:

My head really hurts. I hit it badly in the accident. But I’m not in the car. Where am I?

My eyes open, to a dimly lit room, blood on the wall, stuffy air. I’m tied to a chair. I slowly look around the room I’m in. Where’s Carnival?

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

I jump, startled by the scream. A scream of pain. Carnival? My breaths became scattered. What’s going on? Footsteps approach the door.

An east asian man comes in, and then more and more. One of them wheels in a cart full of tools. I know what they intend to do. But who are they?

Carnival:

My arm burns. I swear if they hurt Valdis, they are dead. I look up at the young man standing in front of me, watching, making sure I don’t try to escape.

“If you touch me I will kill you in an instant! I will make you burn yourselves!”

Valdis, no matter what you say or do, they don’t care. Her screams are haunting. I should’ve killed them many years ago.

“You new kid? Or have you been with them for a few years?” I tried making conversation with the kid in front of me. He stared.

“Ever since I was ten. I passed the training.” He finally responded. There’s more of them? I thought it was just the Advis.

“How long has it been since you were ten?” He looked late twenties, early thirties. It’s still heartbreaking to know that this might be going on everywhere in the world.

“Nine years since then, about to be ten.” He said. The kid is nineteen? Valdis stopped screaming. Finally, I couldn’t take it anymore, hearing her scream in pain.

“It's your turn again.” The kid said. Better me than Valdis.

Ghost/Valdis:

The men just left. The burns don’t really hurt, but they did.

“You sons of! I’ll kill you for hurting her! She’s a kid! If you hurt her one more time I will put you through worse!”

Carnival screamed so loud I couldn’t turn my hearing aids down. He screamed, not as loud as before, what was going on?

I looked around the room more. I see something behind me. I hop and turn my chair around.

Underworld Mafia World Locations

Underworld Mafia? Is that what they're called? I look closer at the map. The northern half of the U.S., The Advis, was written. The southern half of the U.S., Hadana. The Advis just a smaller part of the Underworld Mafia and there's more around the world.

About 1,300 names, written all over the map. I look over to East Asia. The names are in languages like Koren, Chinese, Japanese, & Taiwanese. I can’t read them.

I start to feel my adrenaline running out. I feel weak. Everything’s starting to go black.

Carnival:

They gave me something. I don’t know what, but I feel weak. They burned me more.

“Now, it’s her turn.” The leader said.

“I will kill you! Do not touch her!” I wanted to make them bang their heads against the wall, but I was too weak.

“Maybe, if she didn’t kill the others, we wouldn’t have to.” He said as he got in my face. I look at him with hatred, the same hatred I felt for him years ago after what he did to me.

He and his little gang left the room, but the kid stayed.

After the door closed. There was a fight. The kid got out his weapon and got in front of me. What’s going on?

The fight went on for about 3 minutes, I heard someone running. It was quiet for a few seconds before the door handle opened. The kid was about to fire, but he fell to the ground, knocked unconscious.

Eminence.

“Remi?” He asked, shocked. He hasn’t seen me in about 15 years.

“Hey Titus. Can you untie me?” I asked weakly. He ran over and untied me. His group looked surprised, did he not tell them?

“Are you okay?” He asked me. My mind was only on Valdis.

“I’m fine.” I lied. I got up and stubbled, but I had to make sure she was okay. I stepped over the unconscious bodies of the men who hurt her. Titus kept trying to get me to sit down, but I couldn't.

I found the room she’s in. She’s passed out. I ran over to her, almost falling.

I start to untie her. Eminence helps get them untied. I got her out of the chair and held her in my arms.

“Valdis. Valdis, please wake up. I don’t want your family to lose another kid. Please Valdis.” I pleaded. Her eyes moved. “Valdis, are you okay?”

“There’s more. There’s more of them.” She mumbled. What does she mean there's more?

“There’s more of what?” I asked her. Everyone stood around her at a distance.

“Of them.” She said as she pointed to a map, with a lot of organizations heroes have been fighting for decades.

“These are all connected to The Underworld Mafia? Well Valdis got rid of one of them.” Eminence said as he walked up to the map to inspect it closer.

“How can we be sure that Valdis got rid of all of The Adivs.” Breeze said, very rudely I may add.

“One of the guys said that if she didn't kill the others they wouldn’t have to. That most likely means that they're all dead.” I responded.

“I told you it was a bad idea to bring her in, Eminence! She still has villain roots in her! She killed them!” Breeze yelled. I’ve had enough of him doubting and belittling her.

“I didn’t tell her what she was really becoming, she didn’t know she was a villain, she thought she was a hero! Now shut your mouth about her before you become like them.” My eye glows red and black. He looks like a scared cat, Eminence doesn’t know who to defend, his teammate, or his old friend.

Ghost:

Carnival didn't notice, but I smiled. It was nice to hear him defend me.

“Can we get ice cream? I think Shiver Shakes have the flavor Ody and I like it in stock again. Also I feel like we deserve ice cream after all that.” I said. Carnival cracks a small laugh, so does Eminence.

“Sure thing, Valdis. Ice cream does sound pleasant right now.” He responded in his cheery voice. It feels like it’s been a while since I’ve heard it.

“Can I come?” Eminence asks. Carnival looks up at him.

“Sure, you can join us. It’ll be nice to catch up again.” Carnival said. He smiled at him. Eminence smiled back. That was the first time I’ve ever seen him smile. Carnival smiles like he gets paid to smile.

“We leave now or when you guys are done gazing longingly into each other's eyes?” I said in a sarcastically romantic tone. They laughed and helped me off the floor.

Carnival:

I stole one of the cars in the garage and we got Valdis in.

Once I closed the door, Eminence gave me a hug. It shocked me, I thought he would hate me.

“I thought you were dead.” He said, about to cry.

“Really. You really thought I would die that lame of a death. When I die, it better be cool.” I told him to get him to stop crying. He laughed. I don’t care how I die, but I don’t want those I care for to see me die.

“So this is love, hmmmmmmm. So this, is love.” Valdis sang. We all started laughing.

“Quiet, ice cream time.” I said as I went to the car door.

“You are too fabulous to open the door.” Eminence said as he opened my car door for me.

“The only one too fabulous to open a car door is Cynthia Erivo, but thank you.” I responded. Valdis then proceeds to sing the Wicked soundtrack, even while eating her ice cream.

End.