Run

She wasn't feeling alright. Wendy wasn't feeling alright and that made her mad.

He was alive, Liam was alive, she felt it in her bones, she felt it in every fibre of her body. Why did he have to be alive? Now that her life was finally settled- she had a husband whom she loved and he loved her back, she threw her past life and regrets behind her shoulders- so why now? Why was she suddenly overwhelmed by these unexplainable emotions?

They weren't hers, that was for sure. She got mad in moments when she was supposed to be happy and laughed at times when she was in pain. Wendy wasn't a delusional person but in times like these, she wished she were.

How was she supposed to tell Christopher that her soulmate was alive and close somewhere when he had no chance of seeing his soulmate again? How was she going to bring this up to him? There was only one solution, and that was not telling him at all.

But she still needed to confirm her suspicions. That's why she was headed to see her aunt. If there was one person that could help her, it was Yanet.

Christopher doesn't get back home from his daily outings in the woods until late evening, and he only just left an hour ago, so the best time for Wendy to visit her aunt was in the morning, and since she knew Yanet was an early bird, she thought it was even more convenient as to not disturb her duties later.

The walk from town to where Yanet's mansion was in the forest was about thirty minutes long, the Menima children who lived in the village often went there to get lessons from her aunt, mainly how to transform and other important things for a Menima to know. Wendy lived in that mansion for a while, before things got too overwhelming and she was forced to leave. Luckily the villagers were there- mainly Chris- and they helped her settle in just fine.

The village itself was a haven for Menima and humans to live in peacefully. It wasn't the other world but it was the closest thing to it. The town founders made sure to surround the borders of it with a fence, to prevent any unwanted danger. There was only one portal and it opened up to the forest.

Extending her view she could see the mansion peeking from between the thick trees when suddenly she fell to the ground from excruciating pain on her side. Slowly her whole body started to ache, it was as if she was being beaten everywhere. After a few moments of insufferable pain, everything stopped.

Her ears started ringing, she had the impression of hearing her name, but her ears betrayed her.

"Wendy!" Her ears finally stopped ringing and she was able to identify the source of the voice.

The sound of running footsteps made her lift her head, only to meet two of her friends who now had worried looks on their faces.

Standing up with a groan, she held her side in pain. When the two approaching figures finally stood beside her, she tried to offer them a weak smile.

"Sam, Ian... how are you guys?" Wendy greeted, engulfing them both in a hug.

"We're fine, but I'm not so sure you are. You look terrible, what happened?" Sam asked, reaching for her when noticing that she struggled to keep standing upright.

"It's complicated... but I need to see Yanet. I'm afraid it's urgent." Wendy explained, allowing her friends to help her walk the remaining distance to the mansion.

"What are you two doing outside at this time anyway?" Wendy asked to keep the conversation going, but also to distract her from the still-present pain.

"We were out patrolling, Jay identified an attack not far away south, when on his usual stroll in the sky yesterday. One of the packs was gravely injured. They had been escorted to the village, didn't you hear?" Sam answered, finally climbing the few stairs to the porch of the mansion.

Jay was an eagle Menima, he was always in the sky and as soon as he spotted danger he'd fly down to inform the headmistress, Yanet.

"Christopher did say something about an attack, I suppose that's why he left so early this morning." Chris was part of a small agency created by the village's men. Whenever they hear of an attack, they make sure that the survivors are safely escorted to town, where they would be taken care of. They were the guardians.

Sadly these attacks have become more frequent. Every two days or so the news of multiple murders arrives, it has stricken fear in the hearts of the villagers. Each day they would ask themselves if the town would be taken down next.

Standing in front of Yanet's office, Ian knocked twice on the door before opening it.

Sam helped Wendy get in, and when a once-sitting Yanet took notice of her niece's state, she ushered them to take a seat at her desk.

Yanet is a MenimaMea, she's an experienced and wise woman. When her family found out what she was, they kicked her out of the house without a single ounce of remorse. She had to endure a lot at such a young age, she had to learn everything about her new life. Luckily she had her soul companion with her. Ursus, a bear, was the best thing that happened to her. When finding the town she felt accepted, that she finally belonged somewhere. She decided that whatever life she had left behind wasn't hers anymore. She found the abandoned mansion not too far from the village, and her first thought was to make an institution out of it, to help kids learn and embrace what they were, something she had to do by herself when she was their age.

"What happened to you dear, you look miserable." Yanet queried, immediately pouring her visitors a cup of tea.

"I missed you too Aunty..." Wendy sassed, gratefully accepting the warm beverage offered to her.

"Yes yes... good morning. But now, tell me, you don't look well. Is there anything I can do to help?"

"There is. This might sound crazy but, you're the only person I know who can give me some concrete solution." Wendy started and with a nod from her aunt, she began explaining her situation. How she started getting feelings that weren't hers, and how each day the pain and emotions got more intense. And finally, the crazy theory of her soulmate still being alive somewhere, and that he was close.

Yanet stayed silent while her two male friends gaped at her in disbelief.

Ian had a look in his eyes, one of sadness but also hope. He was a mute boy, his case being a consequence of his soulmate's loss at such an early age. For a long while, when Wendy still resided in the mansion and up until now, they bonded over the fact that they were both soulmate-less and that they weren't Menima.

"Now Wendy, I know you and I know for a fact that you won't just make this up. But there's only one way to confirm or deny your suspicions and... the last time we tried it, we almost lost you." Yanet finally spoke, getting up from her seat and pacing the length of her desk.

"I know... but if it means I can know about Liam. Then I want to at least try. Even if it means I could die..." Wendy confirmed, averting her gaze when knowing what was at risk.

"Wendy! No! Did you even talk to Chris about this?" Sam protested, fearing for his friend's life.

"I can't just tell him that my soulmate is alive, Sam! The word in itself is provocative for him. I can't just bring this up."

"I agree with Sam, Wendy. Even if I never truly approved of your marriage, the man still has the right to know. Don't forget that Liam was his friend. In a way, it concerns him, and since you're his wife... your life concerns him too." Yanet remarked, finally stopping her pacing and resting her palms on the table, leaning towards Wendy who now had buried her face in her hands.

With a sigh, she looked at each one of them and rolled her eyes. " Fine! I will tell him. But I need to be sure first."

"If you survive..." Ian signed, finally participating in the conversation.

Wendy sent a glare his way and then looked at her aunt for the last word.

Yanet considered her niece with a long stare, before clapping her hands together. "Alright then, let's go for a swim, shall we."

The golden lake was Wendy's favourite place in the mansion. When she lived there, she would swim in it every day and then relax in the gazebo situated just by the edge of it. Going back to it now, it brought her memories she thought she'd never get to live again.

Her longing was cut off as soon as it started when a splash of water hit her in the face. Startled, she looked around her only to find her old marine friends. "Susan! Delphis! I missed you guys!" Wendy exclaimed as the two played around her in the water.

Susan was a half-mermaid and Delphis was her dolphin soul companion. They were the ones to try and help her know if Liam was alive or not when her mark first disappeared years back. Even with Susan's power to see the future, Delphis' to dig in the memories and Yanet's of travelling minds, it didn't work that time, Wendy almost got lost in her subconscious, and they agreed to never do that again.

But here they were, ready to do it all over again.

Yanet joined them soon enough in the water and explained to the Marines what they needed to do.

As each of them got into position, three hands gripped the dorsal fin of Delphis, igniting bright light from it.

Before they could continue with the plan, Yanet considered her niece with a worried look. "Are you sure you want to proceed, we can still stop if you want?"

"I'm sure. I feel we can succeed this time." Wendy assured all of them with a hopeful smile.

Sam and Ian stood by the edge of the lake, nervously watching and hoping this wasn't the day they would lose their dear friend.

"Okay then, here goes nothing."

Silence. And then Yanet's and Wendy's eyes blackened while Susan's and Delphis' closed.

Run...

The air stilled as if it struggled to fill Wendy's lungs.

...

Go, run to the other world and don't ever come back...

...

"I don't think it's wise to continue, Yanet. She can hardly breathe." Sam voiced, concerned. But Yanet did nothing but ignore him as her eyes filled with blackness.

You have to run... You can't stay.

"If we dig any deeper we might lose her this time!" Susan yelled, her energy being drained.

Please. Take care of her for me. Promise me!

"A little more, just a little more," Yanet ordered, her eyes completely blackened as she emerged into both the dolphin's and Wendy's minds.

Wendy!

"Enough!" Wendy screamed, before sinking into the deep pits of the lake.

A body plunged into the water before either anyone else would think of doing the same to get Wendy out. Everyone stilled in their place waiting for the two to emerge from the water.

A sigh of relief left Yanet as Chris's figure appeared above the water with Wendy held tightly close to him. As they all moved to the gazebo, Sam went to fetch towels for everyone.

"I'm sorry." Wendy simply said, after getting herself together, recognizing the loving embrace she was currently in. Christopher didn't talk, but his hold on her never loosened.

Sam finally returned with the towels, and Chris made sure to dry off his wife. He seemed to avoid her eyes and that caused Wendy's heart to ache. At least she knew one thing. He's dead.

Christopher helped Wendy get up from her place and with one arm around her shoulders, he prepared to go home.

"Thank you, everyone, for trying, even though it was of no use," Wendy said, already following her husband.

But before they could go any farther, Susan stopped them. "Wait! He isn't dead. I heard him. He will scream your name, Wendy..." The half-mermaid said.

Wendy stood there shocked, shaking her head, she denied it. "No that wasn't him... It was a memory from the past, I-"

"No. Don't you hear what I'm saying? He will scream your name. That wasn't a memory from the past but a vision from the future." Susan furtherly explained, before disappearing into the water with Delphis.

Wendy glanced up at Chris who finally decided to acknowledge her with a knowing look.

And so the two of them left with one thought in mind. He's alive.

The walk to the village was a nightmare. Chris refused to speak with Wendy, and she completely understood why. But more than that she couldn't help but think about Liam. He's alive. And close, she knew so. But where? That was the question. Part of her thought it would be better if she didn't know. But if she kept feeling everything he felt, then her life would be continuous torture.

"Go and take a shower, you might catch a cold," Christopher spoke, the first time since the morning, having his back face her.

"Chris, I-" she wanted to apologise, tell him everything.

"I know." He said.

"What?"

"I sensed that you weren't feeling yourself lately. You've been acting sort of unhinged, spacing out most of the time." He explained, still not looking at her.

Wendy stayed silent. Waiting for him to finish if he even had anything more to say.

"The attack that happened yesterday... he was there. He's one of the survivors." He confessed, finally turning around to look at her.

She stood there, the towel still wrapped around her as she stared at him in disbelief.

"He's in the Menima Estate."