Of my own free will

At that moment, the ground rumbled again and a fracture opened at our feet.  The lake poured into it, dissolving deeper and deeper with each passing second.  I pulled at Eloise and moved away from the encroaching edge.  A gaping fissure sprang to life between Kathryn, the Norha, and us.  We on one side and they on the other.  It grew in depth and length in the blink of an eye in every direction.  At the bottom acid flowed freely in great torrents.  It had become fifteen perhaps twenty feet deep and more than twelve feet across, much too wide to jump and too long to go around.  We were on an island of safety.

     "Throw her to me, Citizen, before it's too late and I will let you live," Kathryn said, moving to the very edge of the divide.

"You've lost.  Take your people and go," I chided.

"I have not come this far to leave without her.  Give her to me," she screamed.

"Nanna," Elizabeth cried softly and wrapped her arms around Eloise's neck.

I had hoped Enon would have revived by now, but had not.

Kathryn barked orders to the Norha and they rose to her command.  They grouped themselves in sets of three and ran, trailing off toward the entrance.  The sound of their feet, pounding in unison, suddenly joined with the whirling drone of the bear, flooded the basin with an eerie sound.

Kathryn made no movement as the Norha turned, chanting, heading back, straight for us.  The chanting increased, becoming faster and faster as they ran.  Those at the head of the line rushed to make the jump to our side but fell to the bottom into the acid.  Their screams of agony were short lived as the next jumped and landed on top of them, followed by another and yet another.  Dozens upon dozens of them threw themselves over the edge and more followed until a bridge of living bodies was created for Kathryn and she simply walked across.

"Give her to me," she said harshly.

"Never," Eloise said, standing, pushing Elizabeth behind her.

"Then die," Kathryn shouted and backhanded the governess across the face, sending her sprawling to the ground.

Elizabeth ran to hide behind me.

"I'm taking her, Citizen," she said with full menace.  The air began to crackle as she raised her hand toward me.  The lightning was coming.

"Of my own free will." came Elizabeth's tiny voice, barely audible.  She stepped out from behind me and walked unafraid to Kathryn.  "Leave them alone and I will go with you... of my own free will."

Kathryn slowly lowered her hand, considering the child's words.

"Of your own free will?" she repeated.

The child nodded her agreement.

"I won't allow it." I said, pulling the young girl behind me again.  I turned Bowen's dagger over in my hand and prayed Enon would wake up soon.

    "Caution, Citizen, caution.  You heard the child.  She wants to go with me."

"Only to save our lives," I countered.  We walked in a slow circle, each waiting for an opportunity to show itself.

"Of my own free will," Elizabeth called.  She now stood on the other side of the divide, surrounded by Norha.

I was shocked.  My heart pumped madly.  I stared in disbelief.  She held out her tiny hand toward us.  Her face was a sad silhouette of resolution.  I had to do something, anything.  I couldn't just let her walk away.

Kathryn straightened and walked across the bodies of her minions to take her hand.  At her passing the Norha, those that could, rose and followed.  The remainder, the broken and the dead slowly washed away in the stream of acid and the bridge was gone.

"You've lost, Citizen," Kathryn said with a wicked smile.

"Elizabeth!" Eloise cried, rising to her knees, holding her arms out to the child.

"Its alright Nanna. I promise," Elizabeth said weakly.

Time seemed to stop.  I heard no sound and saw nothing but the child's face and my heart sank.

"No fear, Pumpkin. Enon come for you," the Jonda said, more dead than alive.  Enon struggled to stand to look Kathryn in the eye. "And for you," he threatened and then slumped to the ground once more.

"Come, I can always use more Walkers," she chided.

Kathryn turned and disappeared with Elizabeth into the mass of Norha.  They marched off toward the entrance and slowly disappeared through its gaping mouth.

We were alone, deserted on an island of rock, helpless as that monster walked away with our 'Izie'.

Only the hiss of dissolving sand was left.  No Norha voice, no thunder, no marching.  We were alone, stranded on the rock Enon and the others had been chained too.  They, more accurately she, had won.  Elizabeth was gone.

"Well," Eloise voice broke the silence.  She stood and brushed the dirt from her clothes.  "What are you waiting for?  Go after them."

Reviews

[Kreative Kana]

Hi! :) Thank you so much for joining my contest, I really appreciate it. Is this the first chapter? I'm a bit confused as to what is happening here. Could you please explain?
Hooked. This is amazing. So interesting and exciting. Write more, please!