Chapter 1

“Come on Sarah, pick up the pace!” James yelled. Sarah was on Sky’s tail but catching up. Suddenly James slowed down and threw Sarah over his back. “Hold on tight!” He was still running like he only threw a feather on his back. They all slowed when the bodyguards caught up. ”That’s all taken care of.”  The shorter guy, Max was missing. ‘Where is he?’  Sarah climbed off of James’ back and she looked like she had gotten off a roller coaster. The bodyguards rushed to help her stay on her feet. 

“Max?”

The two men shook their heads as they supported Sarah. A small tear rolled down James’s cheek. ”He was my brother.” Sky and Sarah gave each other a glance.  “We are so…” they were cut off by his fierce, controlling voice. “No, we have to get home. It's what he would have wanted. Come on, let's go.” He ran off and peered back at the un-moving crowd. “Come on!” After he had said that, they realized It was not a question. Sky turned around but before she could process what was happening, two huge hands wrapped around her arms. Unmovable. 

“LET ME GO!” She kicked and screamed, but it was no use. The man’s iron grasp enslaved her. She was defenseless.  

“SKY!”

“Quickly, let’s load er’ up.”

The strangers threw Sky into the black van. The crossed skull on the side was not reassuring. Out of the small window, she saw James on his knees crying. When Sarah touched his shoulder he looked up with a piercing stare. 

As the people took her away, all Sky did was sit and cry. Cry and cry, she couldn't stop the tears from falling slowly from her wet, red eyes. Suddenly she came to a lurching stop, then the doors opened and the men tied up her hands and legs and picked her up from the cold hard floor of the van. She felt like a pig as they put her on a metal pole and took her into the dungeons again.

“I told you to move swiftly.”

It was the king; she was in a lot of trouble.

“We need to get home, so let me go and…”

“No! I need to capture the fugitive. So you can tell me where he is or.”  He pointed to an open dungeon cell. 

“Hey! Wait!,” it was James.”It's me that you want, not her.”

“James, stop.” Sky whispered loud enough for him to hear but not the king. The guard dropped the pole which slammed in her face and ran to him.They grabbed his arms and legs so he couldn't escape.

“Take him to the dungeon and release the girl.” Sky felt like an idiot just watching him be taken away forever when he had done so much for her. The men untied Sky and released her, she was not surprised that Amaryllis and Sophia we're outside the door.

“OMG are you ok? Where is James? Did they take him? Tell us what happened!” Amaryllis was panicking. Sky looked down.

“They took him and released me.” She whispered in a low, calm voice.

“That means... we can’t go home,” they looked at Amaryllis.”We're stuck here… forever”

“No there has to be a way out we can’t be stuck here forever! If he was the only one who can get us home,” A wide,evil smirk came across her face ”We will break him out.” 

“Ok. But how will we get past the guards?” Amaryllis asked her voice fierce.

They both shot Sky a quick glance, she knew what they wanted her to do. Sky stormed toward the castle, the gates were open… and a war was coming. 

“I am getting James back, no matter what the cost.” She had the most angry face on that she could make.

“Oh, so now you want to go in the dungeon. Well we are always welcoming guests.”  The same iron grasp came around Sky’s body like a tight blanket. They started to carry her away but she was not having that.

“Well I think we both know I am not going in that dirty cell for the rest of my life!”

Sky kicked the man in the leg making him fall back and release her. Out of the corner of Sky’s eye she saw Amaryllis and Sophia sneak over to James with the key. They unlocked the door and ran. Sky kept the guards distracted as long as she could and followed behind them. They hid in some thick brush as the guards ran past and turned onto a small street.

“Sky that was awesome! We are safe so far.” The sun started to set. “Come on, we can head over to my place for the night. We should get some rest.” They walked until Sophia spotted three guards patrolling around.  “Guys hide!” They hid again in a small bush and waited for them to go out of sight and this time they ran the rest of the way to James’s house.

After a couple more encounters and almost getting caught, the group made it to his house. James found some amazingly comfortable blankets for them to sleep on top of. 

“Goodnight everyone!” 

They settled in and drifted to sleep. 

“Sky… you have come.”  It was the same voice as the one a couple nights before.

“Sky… You are going in the wrong direction.”  An image of her little sister shot in her mind.

“We have you sister. If you want her, sneak out of that criminal’s house and go straight to the Candy Cane Cottage. Until then, “  Sky saw a clip of her sister running in terror. Sky somehow found a way to respond back to the mysterious voice.

“No! I will be there. Keep her safe, please.”  Sky said in her own head.

“Good. You need to be there by noon. And if not, well, I might have a little fun for myself! Hahaha!”

Sky woke up and made sure no one was awake. James looked awake but was asleep. Or so she thought. Sky ran outside and towards the door that lead to the Candy Cane Village. James was in fact awake and quietly followed her into the unknown.

Chapter 2

“The Notes”

“Where are you going, Sky?” James whispered under his breath.

Sky reached the door. James hid behind a nearby bush. Sky did a quick sweep of the area before entering the glowing white door. James waited a couple seconds then followed into the door that led back to the gummy bears and followed the path that led to the Candy Cane Cottage. Sky had reached the cottage, only to hear Sky’s sister screaming in terror. Sky looked at her watch: 12:30.

“Oh no!” Sky ran inside and found that the cottage had gone quiet.

“SKY, HELP ME!” Sky ran to her sister and found her tied up to a chair with a note tied on with red ribbon.

Good you followed through. You were a little late, but you made it. Your little sister is yours, but I have more than just your sister. I have you!

                                                                                             - The Cosmos

Sky looked down at her hands and saw the blue ashes slowly falling from her body.

“What’s happening to me?” Sky screamed and tried to scoop up the blue ash. Sky tried to untie her sister, but her fingers were just a pile of ashes. James ran in and untied her sister for her.

“Did you… follow me?” Sky asked, taking a step back from James.

“ Yes, be happy I did, or you would have not been able to untie her and come back empty handed.” James pulled two scarves from the pocket of his jacket and wrapped it around Sky’s slowly shrinking hands. She had no choice but to look into his hazel, glistening eyes. James looked up and their eyes locked. Sky looked back down at her hands to see the scarves wrapped tightly around her arm as a vine-shaped design wrapped up her arm and over her shoulders.

“ Let’s get back to the house. The others are looking for us.”  Sky’s sister tugged James’ shirt to slow him down while Sky kept walking. 

“She has a crush on you. I hope you realize that.” James looked at Sky, and as she spun around, her brown hair swished in the uproaring wind.

“Help!” Sky screamed as she found a candy cane to hold onto. James ran to Sky and grabbed her hands tightly. The wind grew stronger, and Sky was slipping away. It was not until then that they saw Sky was back to normal with whole hands.

“I have you, Sky!” James yelled.

“James!” Sky was slipping away, and then…

“Hold onto the candy cane when I say go let go, I will catch you! I promise!” Sky nodded and grabbed the tall, minty pole. James ran against the wind and angled himself to catch Sky.

“GO!”  Sky released the pole to fall into James’ arms. He carried Sky inside.

“ Let’s stay here till the storm stops.”

“ Thank you James. That was terrifying. I thought I was gonna die by the king before but now I think the wind is gonna do the honors instead!” Sky and James let out a chuckle. 

“Where is your sister?”

“ Oh no!” 

“What is this?” There was another note with ribbon tied onto a nail on the wall.

You sister is fine, I undid the spell I set on you. You’re lucky you have the criminal. Have fun getting home. 

                                                                             -  The Cosmos

“Woah. That dude is harsh,” James commented.

“Tell me about it.”

To be continued...