Lily's Secret

     Sometimes we'd be having a conversation, and Lily would stop talking abruptly, staring straight in front of her. Lily's protuberant eyes would widen, and her blue Gelert ears would relax. When we were little, I'd ask her what the matter was. She wouldn't reply. Then she'd just shake herself and ask, "What are you staring at, Shannon?"

     Now I'm used to it. Whenever she goes into that mode, I just wait for her to come over. I love my sister, Lily. I love her enough to know that whatever she goes through, it's none of my business. It's probably one of those "brave pets" things. Me? I'm not brave. I'm a coward. Here's a list of what I'm afraid of: Spyders, sickness, death, Spyders, Haunted Woods, Spyders, and Spyders. That's just the beginning.

     Lily's the opposite. She's brave, she's daring and as guilty as I am about it, she protects me. While I'd rather be at home, catching up on a really good book, she'd rather be climbing Terror Mountain, or exercising [by jogging around Mystery Island a few times], or increasing her strength.

     One night, as we got into bed, I asked her, "What are you going to do when you get a job?"

     Lily smiled, swished an imaginary sword, and replied, "I'll fight alongside Garin in New Maraqua for freedom to the citizens, fighting for succession!"

     I hugged my pillow and whispered, "Isn't that dangerous?"

     Lily looked at me and pretended to look shocked. "You are talking to the Gelert that kicked the Lava Ghoul's tail!"

     I grinned. I saw my reflection in Lily's eyes. I was a Gelert, too, but I was red. We bid each other goodnight and fell asleep within minutes.

     That night, I slept unusually deeply. I'm almost always a light sleeper (the dark makes me nervous), but it was like a spell of deep sleep had overcome me. So deep, I didn't even stir at the struggle that took place that night.

     That morning I awoke, stretching. I looked around sleepily. I did a double take, and screamed. Lily's bed was overturned. There were claw marks everywhere. The window was smashed. Lily was nowhere in sight.

     At the sound of my scream, a girl with blond hair and bright blue eyes ran in, tying a bath robe around her. My owner, Danielle, looked at the scene with wide eyes filled with fear.

     She looked at me and whispered, "Shannon, what happened?" I looked at her and said, "I don't know! I slept really deeply last night!" Danielle nodded, and I knew that the same thing was with her.

     I knew what happened. Lily had been kidnapped. I just didn't want to say it out loud, in case that would make it real. Danielle sneezed. I noticed her nose was red. The open window must have given her a cold.

     "I'm calling the police," Danielle managed to wheeze. I got up and stared out the window. What would it have been like if I was the one that had been kidnapped? Who in their right minds wanted Lily anyway? She wasn't the weak one; I was.

     Danielle came back in and groaned, "They're on vacation!" the bottom of my stomach dropped. On vacation….There was no hope in finding Lily. Or…..was there? If I had been kidnapped, would Lily just wait for the police to sort it out? No. Lily would rescue me herself. What would Lily think if she saw me not doing anything about her kidnapping?

     I took a deep breath. "I'm going after her, Danielle." Danielle's eyes widened. "Buy I've just lost Lily! I'm not losing you!"

     I looked at Danielle and said, "The police can't help. Lily's not here. If you have a better plan, I'd love to hear it!"

     Danielle sighed. "In that case, you'll need these," she said. Danielle left the room and came back with a mirror and a small pouch. She handed me the mirror and said, "This mirror will help you out. Just say what you want to see to the mirror and it will show you what you said. The only other person that has this mirror is Fyora, so you can talk to only Fyora through the mirror."

     Then Danielle handed me the pouch. "Inside is some dried blue flowers. They numb pain and helps unconscious people come to." She hugged me and whispered, "Be careful, Shannon."

     I nodded and set off.

      ***

     I stopped in Neopia Central to try the mirror. It looked like any other mirror. But when I said plainly and clearly, "Lily5640 the blue Gelert" an image appeared. A hidden cave set into the Ice Caves was the lair of the kidnappers. In the middle of the cave was a blue Gelert. Her eyes were closed and she was breathing heavily. With a pang I saw thick chains around each of her paws bolted to one wall. She was shivering so badly, even her nose was blue. I didn't dare to believe it was my sister. She looked so weak.

     Then she opened her eyes and I knew. She had eyes like the sea after a storm. It was Lily. I heard laughter behind Lily. Cold, maniacal laughter. There, out of the shadows, came a dark shape. Wrapped in a heavy purple and green jacket, was a faerie with purple hair, completely green eyes, and hatred reeking from every crease. It was Jhudora, the Darkest Faerie of all.

     She looked down at Lily and hissed, "Surrender your power, Neopian, or we shall finish this the hard way." Lily raised her head an inch. Even that looked like a workout. "Never," she whispered. Oh, Lily!

     Jhudora's eyes flashed dangerously. She said, "Very well. Then we should play a game. Last one not to freeze to death wins…" She turned, laughing, and left. Lily drooped to the ground. Her head on the snow, she whispered, "Shannon." A tear trickled down her muzzle and froze on the spot.

     The mirror blacked out. I wiped my eyes. I wasn't used to seeing Lily so helpless. I had to save her. She was in the Ice Caves. I had 200 miles to go.

     I set off for Roo Island to take the ferry across the ocean. I also purchased snow clothes, five heavy blankets, hot chocolate packages, food, and a sled. Then I set off. I sat on my seat on the ferry, exhausted. I remembered Danielle's flowers, and tried one. Instantly, warmth flooded through me, leaving me feeling peaceful and light. These would be PERFECT for Lily.

     I arrived at the Terror Mountain. I set off for the Ice Caves. Then I remembered something. What if Jhudora was waiting for me there? I took out the mirror and said, "Jhudora." It showed Jhudora back in Faerieland, on her own dark cloud. Phew!

     I crept toward the cave I saw Lily in and peeked around. Two ugly Myncis stood on either end of the cave entrance. Duh! Of course Jhudora had guards!

     I climbed to the top of the cave till I was just above the guards. I aimed the sled nice and easy on the guards' heads. CLUNK! Unconscious. But something behind me grabbed me. Before I could scream, a strip of cloth covered my way of speech and my hands were behind me and tied hard with some rope. I looked around. Jhudora had issued guards on the roof, too. I was untied inside and thrown into a cage beside Lily in the cave.

     Lily didn't look at me. Her eyes were closed, and she was breathing deeply. She was asleep. NO! She couldn't fall asleep; it would be the end of her. From here I could reach Lily's mouth. I took out a flower and put it in Lily's half open mouth. She came to, but didn't recognize me. Lily sighed and pulled halfheartedly on her chains.

     I looked at the guards. They looked bored. They each had a ring of keys on their belt loop. They looked sleepy. So I sang. I sang and sang. One by one, they yawned and dropped off to sleep. I grabbed the keys from the nearest sleeping guard, unlocked my cage, and unlocked Lily's chains.

     I wrapped her in all the blankets I had brought. She fell asleep again, but now that she was warm, it was best for her. I placed her on the sled and was off.

     We camped out that night in a cave far away from Jhudora's. I used the mirror to warn Fyora of Jhudora, and we were safe. Lily stirred. She awoke and saw me. She smiled. We each had hot chocolate and Lily filled me in. "Jhudora wanted my power to take over Faerieland, then the world." Lily explained.

     The question that had been burning in me since we were little bubbled up. "WHAT is your power?"

     Lily smiled and replied, "I can tell the future. I'm a psychic."

     I stared. So THAT'S why she looked like she could see something I couldn't all these years! But I asked, "Why didn't you just tell me?" Lily looked guilty.

     "I was afraid you would stop loving me," she said.

     I glowed inside and replied, "Lily, I'm your sister. You're my helping hand. You've taught me to be brave enough to come up here and get you out of Jhudora's clutches. Now that you've told me your power, do you see me not loving you?"

     Lily smiled and hugged me. "Yes," she whispered. "I know that now."

The End