The Army of Characters: Fragments of Imagination, #2

By Jolene Reed

The imaginary friends are in pieces. After Kile's attack on the heart of the City, millions have been slaughtered. Kile has slipped into Create, along with his strange group of nightmarish characters, leaving only a few hundred imaginary friends and Joanne Raider in the destroyed City. Joanne Raider is devastated after the events of the past week, leaving her imagination wonky and out of control. The others are deeply shaken from the deaths of so many, but know that they must pull themselves back together to defeat Kile. But defeating him will not be an easy task, one that brings Joanne and the others into the dangerous realm of Create, where a secretive piece of Kafa's past lies. Yet as Joanne and the others go through Create, they can't help but wonder why Kile has gone there- but whispers of an army, an army of characters reach their ears, a force of thousands of monsters all under the control of Kile. In order to defeat Kile's army, they will have to build an army of their own. But there is one among them that is not entirely true, one made by the enemy that is shadowing Joanne and the others, a shadow that could throw all of their efforts into jeopardy. Can Joanne regain control of her imagination? Can she and the others assemble an army in time to face Kile's? Can they save the realms and save the real world from a terrible fate before it's too late? Or will all perish at the force of the man who has a stone for a heart?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jolene Reed
• Release date: May 31, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393842262

Book preview

The Army of Characters

Written by Jolene Reed

Dedicated to T.C.S., who brought me out of the dark when I lost sight of the light.

Prologue

The City was on fire. Ash rained down like a suffocating snow. Imaginary friends could be heard screaming and crying as their lives ended. Creatures, monsters, things not from Imagine hunted their prey that never thought they would be hunted. The City, once a beautiful place so full of life and imagination, was now a living hell.

And he just watched.

It was all his fault, and he knew it was. But he felt no guilt, no remorse. Why should he, when he wanted this to happen? When he tore down the East Border, knowing that he was letting dangerous things into his home? The home he had never wanted. Most imaginary friends saw it as a happy place, a safe haven that they could exist peacefully in forever.

But Kile saw it for what he knew it was. A prison. All he wanted was out, and this was the first step. Everything had gone exactly as he had planned. Well, except for one thing. Almost all imaginary friends had gathered in the square. He had spoken to them and then torn down the border, letting the nightmares of Create flood into Imagine. He had disappeared, going to the Imaginists Palace, where he knew the girl would come and find him. Now, he had planned on ending her life there, killing the only threat to his plan. But that hadn’t worked the way he had hoped.

The boy taking his own life to save his sister had been a very unexpected event. Kile never even thought something like that would happen. He no longer understood emotions. At least, not well. The thought of someone sacrificing themselves for another, to try and save something that they weren’t even sure was going to work, baffled Kile. He did know that the girl and the boy had been very close. They were siblings after all.

But still. How had the boy been so brave and selfless and stupid that he had stabbed himself to keep himself from killing the person he loved most? Kile supposed the boy wouldn’t have been able to take the memory of killing his own sister. He had been a weak minded, emotional child after all. But the boy had been logical. He had tried to talk the girl out of facing Kile. But she had done it anyways, and by doing that, she had caused the death of her brother. It was her fault. Somewhat. Part of it was Kile’s fault. He had been controlling the boy, making him try to kill his sister. But did Kile feel sorry for what the boy had chosen to do of his own free will?

No.

When the girl had made an explosion and knocked him backwards, for one second he thought that it was going to kill him and that all of his efforts would have been for nothing. All it did was daze him for a few moments. Not even a setback, really. She, on the other hand, was unconscious, or very close to it. So, when he staggered back to his feet, shaking his head and making sure he was still alive, she hadn’t even noticed. She was lying on the ground, breathing hard with her eyes shut, the scar on her face Kile had given her still fresh. The room that had once been a vault was now barely holding together. Most of the walls were gone, giving Kile a view of the City and the chaos commencing inside it. He looked back at the sight in front of him. The boy’s eyes were on the girl, concern and pain silently screaming at her through their green depths.

And then they looked up and locked with Kile’s. The concern faded away, replaced suddenly with a cold, hard hatred. The boy’s eyes looked so much like Kafa’s, causing Kile’s breath to catch in his throat and not want to look away. And then the boy spoke, his voice weak but his tone determined.

"If you- if you killed her- I swear- with every breath I have left- I will hunt you down. And I will kill you. You’ll wish you were never created. And if I die, I don’t care. Worse things could happen. I promise you- killing me is only going to make her fight harder. It’s only going to give her the strength to defeat you and win. By me dying, you’ve only made this war so much harder for yourself. Mark my words, Joanne Raider will be your end. Don’t forget this moment. Don’t forget the moment I stabbed myself. When you are dying, I want you to remember that and know- know that it is the reason why you are dying. It’s not Joanne’s fault. It’s yours. And only yours," he vowed, his words strengthening with every sentence until they trembled with rage. Kile stared down at the boy in surprise. He hadn’t expected the boy to say anything like that. They stared at each other for a few more moments, cold brown eyes stuck on the furious green ones. Then Kile forced himself to look away. He turned away from the boy and the girl and faced the ruined City.

I hope- I hope your death is quick. God knows children aren’t supposed to suffer, Kile said quietly. And then he stepped off the edge, plunging through the air for just a second before a red flash engulfed him, and when it faded away, he was standing on the line where the East Border had been. He ran his tongue over his dry lips in nervousness. He had never been in Create, and he was about to be the first imaginary friend to step foot there in almost two thousand years.

He looked out at the City one last time, noticing how the things from Create ran to and fro, killing imaginary friends quickly and with ease. He raised his fist and the Stone glowed brightly on his chest. All of the nightmares from Create froze, and then robotically turned towards Kile. They stayed still for a moment before they bolted in Kile’s direction, racing past him and almost slamming into him as they passed back into Create, where they belonged. After a few minutes, all of the creatures had made it back into Create. I have one last thing to do, to send out. Kile thought. He closed his eyes. Could he really do this? He focused on the power of the Stone, and channeled it, and imagined, until it was just as he wanted it to be. With one last surge of power, he finished it. Perfect. He thought.

Then, before any imaginary friends could notice Kile, he whirled around and stepped into Create, soon disappearing into one of the billions of stories it held inside.

Chapter One

One thing about imaginary friends is that we’re never really gone.

But you are this time.

Rumple’s words kept echoing through her head. Over and over again. And her brain would scream out a silent response to the boy who could no longer hear her. Over and over again. No other thoughts would even form in her head. Just that one thought every time the five second memory ended. But you are this time.

Joanne didn’t even notice where they were going after the Imaginists Palace. She no longer cared. Hell, if someone handed her a gun at that moment, she may have just pressed it against her temple and pulled the trigger. The only reason she was still walking was because Kafa was practically carrying her. He had an arm around her and she leaned heavily against him, not gathering the strength to stand by herself. He was pulling almost all of her weight along without uttering a single complaint. Sometimes, Kafa was stronger than anyone gave him credit for, both mentally and physically.

Joanne was usually pretty mentally strong, but she had been pushed to her breaking point. She couldn’t even walk alone without collapsing. Tears were still pouring down her face in a waterfall that didn’t slow. Her brother was gone. Just like that. One moment he had been there. And the next he just... wasn’t.

At first, Edmund and She had been leading the group, but when they slowed, not knowing where to go, Kafa, still pulling Joanne along, pulled ahead to the front. He seemed to know where he was going, so nobody questioned him. After all, he had lived in the City for far longer than any of them had and knew almost all of it like the back of his hand. Joanne didn’t even recognize that they were going into the dark part of the City until She asked with a croaky voice,

Wait, why are we going here? Isn’t this the shifty part of the City? It took him a few seconds, but Kafa answered her question.

It’s home. He continued walking forward without saying anything else. She worried her lower lip and gave Edmund a nervous look, but he wasn’t paying attention to her. His usual positive attitude was gone, shattered by the deaths of Rumple, Alexai, and Phoenix. He looked down at the ground glumly, his lips turned downwards and his shoulders slumped. Everyone had some blood on them, Joanne with the most. Nobody was smiling. Like ghosts, they walked through the streets, not saying anything and looking pale and defeated. They had all tried so hard, fought so hard, but at the end of the day they had still lost the battle and lost people.

Joanne looked around and started taking in where they were. The echoes of Rumple’s voice and her repeated thought faded away as realization hit her, though Rumple never left her mind as she did so.

The streets were crumbling away, the pavement was cracked, the houses were weathered and falling apart, the walls were splattered with graffiti, the grass was dying and yellow, and the shadows were ominously long and dark. The sky was filled with almost-black clouds, the sky itself still tinged red, though it was slowly fading back to the normal blue. Nobody else was walking around. Joanne didn’t even know if anyone else was still alive. So many had been slaughtered in the square that she had no idea how many imaginary friends had gotten out and were still alive.

A sharp, biting wind blew by, tossing Joanne’s hair into her face and making her shiver. Without saying anything to her, Kafa swiftly unclasped his cape and tossed it over her shoulders. Joanne didn’t thank him, her words still lost in the dark abyss of her mind. Not like Kafa had been expecting a thanks whenever he gave the gesture anyway. Nobody expected anything from Joanne for the time being. If Kile showed up around the corner nobody would blame her if she ran or started crying, or if she did nothing at all. She was just a kid, far younger than any of them, yet she had already experienced pain and witnessed events that nobody should have to.

A memory floated to Joanne’s mind. She’d only been down this road once or twice before, but it was enough for her to recognize it. Joanne looked up at what lay ahead of them, a sinking feeling of dread in her stomach. And there it was, just the same as it had been when she had left it. The same faded walls splattered with paint and the same broken windows, same parking lot and same dangerous feel.

The Unavenged hotel.

No. No. No. No. No-no-no-no! Joanne whispered, stopping dead in her tracks. She stared in horror at the hotel, unable to look away. Everyone stopped, looking back at her to see why she had frozen. Harold watched her with something like pity and sadness. She and Edmund glanced at each other, looking confused and alarmed. Kafa let out a soft sigh and turned to Joanne.

Joanne. What’s wrong? he asked gently, concern clear on his face. She opened her mouth, but nothing came out. Memories started to come back to her, piece by piece, choking her. She tried to breathe but a sob just came out instead, the pain that spiked through her so raw that she doubled over as if she’d been punched in the gut. Kafa put a hand on her back, the feel of it slightly comforting but not nearly enough to heal her.

Oh Joanne..., he trailed off, his voice thick with emotion that he was clearly trying so hard to hold back. They were all a little broken from the events of that day, but Joanne was the worst. At the moment, it didn’t look like she would ever be fixed. Like she would always be a delicate, scarred girl that would never be able to move on from the death of her brother.

They had all lost a friend. But Joanne had lost a brother. Kafa put his arm around her again and coaxed her forward, getting her to shuffle towards the hotel again. As they grew closer, the sound from inside the hotel grew louder. Someone was playing music, and people inside were shouting and talking up a storm. Before long, Joanne and the others were at the Unavenged’s doors. Kafa didn’t even try to say the password, because there was no way that Dari had kept it the same. He let go of Joanne and shook himself like a dog. He motioned for the others to back up, then backed up a little himself and rammed into the doors with his shoulder, breaking them open. There had been laughter and conversation inside, even music just moments before. But as soon as the doors burst open, the laughter and chatter stopped abruptly, only trashy rap music daring to keep going.

Shut that trash off, Kafa ordered, his tone dangerously calm. Nobody moved, all eyes practically circles and trained on him in shocked silence.

"I said, shut that trash off!" Kafa repeated, louder than before. Near the back of the room, an Unavenged member slowly moved their arm and pressed a button on a speaker. The music ended. Joanne could feel the stares of an entire roomful of people on them. Most of their gazes were on Kafa, but some were peering past Kafa at her, Edmund, She, and Harold. The Unavenged lobby had only changed a little since Joanne had left. The banners with Latin on them had disappeared, replaced with portraits of Dari. The strips of cloth hanging from the chandelier were also gone, with nothing to fill the place where they once were. The throne where Kafa had sat before had been replaced by a bigger throne, this one pitch black and covered with needle-sharp spikes that shone like daggers in the light, each one a clear threat.

Dari lounged on her new throne in a black, scandalous dress that was cut extremely low and was very short with slits in the sides. Her wings were spread behind her, the frightening sight of them making people uneasy and give her a wide berth. Her horns were similar to She’s, but managed to look more sinister. She had a glass of wine in her hand, the tips of her sharpened nails barely grazing it. A ridiculously elaborate golden crown sat atop her head, studded with so many precious stones that it was almost blinding to look at. Dari glared at them, her red furious gaze hot enough to melt even the strongest soldier’s courage. But Kafa was no soldier. He was a king, and was undaunted by something as trivial a look. The emotion he had showed a few minutes before was gone, replaced by a smooth, cool mask.

Kafa. What do you think you’re doing here? Dari asked, eyebrows raised.

This is my home. I’m just coming back to it, Kafa answered with a shrug. Dari let out a laugh that was clearly faked.

"Oh really? Because last time I checked I challenged you, I won, and you were banished from the Unavenged," she said, venom laced in her words.

I’m a king, Dari. Kings can’t stay away from their kingdoms for long, you know, he said with a chuckle, as if it were all a joke. Dari clenched her jaw and her eye twitched, though she kept a false smile plastered onto her face.

That’s funny, since you are no longer king, she said through clenched teeth. The smile was sliding off her face, revealing a scowl underneath.

I’m here to change that. Dari, I challenge you- to a rematch. Me and you. For the title of leader of the Unavenged, Kafa declared.  Joanne’s mouth fell open, surprise washing over her. A collection of gasps went around the room and murmurs started up, growing quickly and getting louder like a wildfire. Dari’s smile was totally gone at that point, wiped off like a drop of water from a window. She set down her wine glass and clenched her fists.

SILENCE! Dari shouted, the command silencing the racket at once. Everyone gawked at her for a moment before she took a deep breath, composing herself once again.

You were banished. You should not be allowed to challenge me again, Dari spat, no longer trying to hide her fury at the situation. Kafa just raised his eyebrows, seeming unfazed. He turned towards the Unavenged members and spread his hands.

What do you think? Should I be given another chance to prove myself? Or not? he asked, his gaze running over the members. Dari looked outraged.

Why would you let them decide? she hissed. Kafa smirked.

What sort of leader doesn’t listen to their people, Dari? he jeered. Her eyes narrowed.

The only reason you wouldn’t want to go against me again is because you think you’d lose. Is it because Kile isn’t here to help you this time? To tip the scales in your favor? Are you scared of what might happen? Of who might win? Kafa pressed, his calm mask falling away until his voice was raised and his eyes were alit with a livid fire Joanne hadn’t seen before. The look in his eyes, the strange fire made him look insane, dangerous, and different than before. Dari took a deep breath.

"Very well. Go through the tunnels to the arena. You know the rules and how to get there.  But if you lose- I never want to see your face in the dark part of the City ever again. We will begin in ten minutes," she said, then stood up with a flourish and left the room, headed outside for the arena. The Unavenged looked at one another with silent surprise. The fact that Kafa had just barged in there demanding a rematch and that Dari had actually agreed was a shock for everyone. Slowly, they began to filter out of the room and head out to the stands in the arena. Edmund, Harold, She, and Joanne stayed where they were. Kafa moved to face them.

Out to the stands, all of you. The fight is about to begin. Joanne- he started, but paused before continuing.

Joanne, if you could lead them there please. Then he gave them one last glance before he disappeared down into the tunnels, the darkness quickly swallowing his small form. Joanne stared after him, eyes trained on the entrance to the tunnels. At that moment, she realized she still had his cape over her shoulders. Without a moment’s hesitation, she made a decision.

She sprinted into the tunnels after him, hearing the others calling her name behind her but not slowing. Her feet pounded on the dirt ground, not slowing even when the tunnel started to descend dramatically. Kafa heard her and twisted his head around, confusion and apprehension on his face, his body tense as if he were ready for an attack. He relaxed when he saw Joanne, though the confusion stayed on his face. He opened his mouth to say something as she skidded to a stop right in front of him. She thrust the cape into his hands and said,

I thought you’d need this. He looked down at it and then back up at her, his hands curling around the black cloth. He gave her a small, sad smile.

Thank you, Joanne. Now please go back to the others. They’re probably waiting for you, he said, staring at something past Joanne. She glanced over her shoulder and saw Harold galloping into view, his short little legs working and kicking up dust.

Joanne! What are you- he panted, but stopped when he saw Kafa holding his cape. Kafa laid a hand on Joanne’s arm.

You should get going, he said. Joanne looked at Kafa and wrapped her arms around him in a hug. He stiffened in surprise for a moment and then after a moment hugged her back.

I’ll be alright, he whispered. After a few moments, she let go and he did the same.

Good luck, Joanne said. He nodded in thanks. Then, without another word, he turned back around and walked deeper into the tunnels. Harold nudged Joanne’s leg with his head.

Come on Joanne. Let’s get back to the other two, he said. They both went back the way they came, more light illuminating the tunnel the closer they got to the entrance. She and Edmund were standing just outside the tunnels, peering down anxiously. When they saw Joanne and Harold, relief was clear as day on their faces.

Let us move along. The fight shall begin shortly, Edmund said. They all left the Unavenged lobby and headed out across yards of dying grass to get to the arena. Joanne had only gone in from the outside once before, when Kafa was challenged by Dari. It was tall and looked like something from the time Kafa was alive, back when Rome was in power. It was crumbling a bit, but it was clear that people had tried to keep it in good condition over the years.

The four of them entered the arena and climbed the stairs up into the stands. They found a sort of bench and sat together, watching the arena floor below and waiting for the battle to start. Joanne’s wandering gaze found the ruler’s box. It was empty, since Dari was also getting ready somewhere nearby. The energy was high in the stands. The Unavenged members were already a little shaken from the news of what had happened in the square. Dari, having worked with Kile, had clearly warned the Unavenged about what was to happen in the square. The number of the Unavenged hadn’t seemed to change, which meant that they had been smart enough to stay inside the hotel and away from the meet with Kile. At least there’s a couple hundred imaginary friends left. Not like that would matter if Kile barged in here... Joanne thought, but didn’t dare to think about what would happen if Kile showed.

The Unavenged talked among themselves, some excitedly, some nervously, and some sounding like they didn’t really care what the outcome was. But Joanne and her friends remained silent. Suddenly, a hush fell over the crowd, conversations dying in people’s throats. Joanne, She, and Edmund craned their necks and leaned forward to try and see what had caused the sudden quiet.

I can’t see, Harold complained, but nobody moved to help him see what was going on. In the center of the arena floor stood Dari, who held a whip and a dagger, looking confident. She had taken off the crown and was wearing a bit of black armor, but not much.

I, Queen Dari of the Unavenged, have been challenged by Kafa Dux for position of leader of the Unavenged. Whoever gets their opponent on the ground by sword point first wins. May I introduce to you Kafa Dux, Dari announced, then threw out her arm in the direction of the opposite side of the arena.

On the other side of the arena, Kafa emerged. His hair was still a mess from being electrocuted the day before, his makeup was gone, his armor was dented, splattered with blood, and smeared with dirt, his cape was torn at the end, and the cuts on his arms and face were still there.

He looked like a wreck, such a stark contrast from the mighty, strong king that had ruled over the entire arena of people just days before. But in a way, seeing him look so defeated and worn almost made him look tougher. Almost like if he could get through all of that and still stand tall and proud in an arena, then he was stronger than anyone had originally thought.

Cheers erupted at the sight of Kafa. Instead of smiling like he would have a few days before, Kafa just gave the audience a solemn nod. Dari looked annoyed by the cheers, but didn’t screech at the audience to be silent. Instead, she yelled over the cheers,

LET THE FIGHT BEGIN! And then she lunged at Kafa, wings outstretched to help her catch wind and jump farther than she would have without them. She soared through the air quickly, giving Kafa only seconds to react. Dari swiped down with her whip as her feet hit the ground right in front of Kafa.

But Kafa was ready. He ducked and the whip whistled through the air over his head. He drew out his sword in a split second and jabbed up at Dari’s wing, slicing it open and then rolling a few feet away before springing to his feet again, kicking up some dust in clouds as he did so. The wing gushed black blood; each drop clearly visible on the light sand.

Dari let out an unhuman screech and looked at her cut wing in fury, then found Kafa and leaped at him again, eyes wide and livid. The dangerous fire in Kafa’s eyes was still there, burning bright as ever with rage. Kafa looked like he was going to win the fight or die trying, showing no sign of surrender. He held up his sword and slid under Dari on his knees as she sailed over him. The tip of the sword sliced into Dari’s stomach and ran down her leg, cutting the fabric of her dress along with her skin. She crashed to the ground, howling with pain. Kafa swung his sword down, but Dari blocked it with her whip, the end of it lashing out and biting into Kafa’s arm. He hissed through his teeth and kicked out at Dari, his boot colliding with her face. Dari let out a cry of agony as black blood spurted from her nose and her lip split.

The cheers grew louder, and some Unavenged members started chanting Kafa’s name. She and Edmund joined in, practically on the edge of their seats with their eyes glued to the arena, hardly blinking as if they were afraid that if they did, they’d miss something. Harold had given up asking for help to see and was just hovering in the air, flapping his wings. Joanne just watched silently with a furrowed brow, her focus completely on the fight.

All of this was only fueling Dari’s anger. She shot up off the ground, spinning around with her dagger extended. Kafa backed up and threw up his arms in front of his face just in time for the dagger to glance off his wrist gauntlets. Dari tried again, but once again Kafa blocked her blow with his wrist gauntlets. He swiped out with his sword but it clanged against her armor and did no damage. They went at each other for a few more minutes, one attacking while the other blocked or dodged it. The sky slowly drained of red until it was only a faint pink, barely a trace of the bloodred that had been there just an hour or two before. But the air was still cold, not having warmed at all since the East Border had been torn down. Most imaginary friends were a little chilled and huddled together like penguins. Harold didn’t need to because of his white fur, but She, Edmund, and Joanne sat right next to one another, as if by just sitting next to each other they would be able to warm themselves up.

Come on, Kafa, She muttered. Finally, someone was able to make a move. Dari landed a blow on Kafa. She took the butt of her dagger and slammed it against the side of his head, knocking him over. He laid sprawled on the ground, rubbing the side of his head and wincing. Dari brought down her dagger and was about to stab into his stomach when he swept his legs under hers, causing her to lose her balance and fall over, the dagger tumbling out of her hand. Kafa sat up nimbly, caught it, and jumped to his feet, bringing the dagger down until the edge of the blade was against her neck, pressing down hard enough to draw blood. Dari gaped at Kafa in disbelief. The stands fell silent, the chanting stopping. Kafa stood up and brushed himself off.

I declare myself the winner of the fight and once again, King of the Unavenged! he proclaimed. The reaction was immediate. Everyone started hollering and hooting, shouting and cheering. But despite their happiness at their old King’s return, despite the fact that Kafa was King again, he still didn’t smile. He looked solemn as the crowd went wild, but nobody else in the crowd seemed to notice. Edmund, She, Joanne, and Harold weren’t smiling either. All that had done was get them a place to stay that night, somewhere that probably wasn’t even very safe, considering the fact that Kile knew where the Unavenged hotel was and could easily get inside.

Joanne didn’t even know why Kafa had wanted to come back here. What was the point? Kile was just going to come back and kill them all no matter where they were. What were they even going to do? Hide and hope Kile didn’t find and kill them? Hunt Kile and hope he didn’t kill them? As the Unavenged members left the arena, Dari got up off the ground and said something to Kafa. He just stared at her blankly, as if he hadn’t heard whatever she had said. Then he told her something before turning and stalking out of the arena, back to the hotel. Joanne watched him go and then saw Dari spread her wings and soar up into the sky out of the corner of her eye. Dari didn’t look happy, and Joanne knew without a doubt that she was probably on her way to Kile. Joanne and the others followed the crowd back to the hotel. It was almost 2 o’ clock by then, with a few hours until dark.

The sky was still filled with clouds, making everything seem dull and drained of color. While everyone else was celebrating and giddy, Joanne, She, Edmund, and Harold seemed to be the only ones that weren’t. Kafa was nowhere in sight. Who knew where he was? Once the crowd got back inside of the hotel, bottles of alcohol were opened and streamers were thrown. Music started playing loudly from multiple speakers, and strips of cloth were thrown around, some of them looping over the chandelier like they had before. The banners from when Kafa had been ruling were dragged back out and hung back up. Someone started a bonfire outside and the portraits of Dari were thrown into it, the flames licking the painted canvases until they blackened and curled up, Dari’s smirking face flaking into ash that blew away in the wind. Some Unavenged members stood in a circle around the bonfire, getting drunk and high despite the hour. Joanne overheard bits of conversations between Unavenged members. Apparently, Dari had kicked out most of the Unavenged members that were loyal to Kafa and had restricted the Unavenged’s freedoms. When Kafa had run the Unavenged, they were able to do almost anything they wanted. But when Dari had ruled for a few days, she had announced that if someone wanted to do something, they had to ask her first, and if they didn’t, they’d be banished from the Unavenged. She also had a curfew and a set time for the members to be out of bed, and she didn’t feed the Unavenged members, leaving them to find food on their own.

While everyone else rejoiced, Edmund, She, Harold, and Joanne just sat in the corner and watched. Edmund and She had a quiet conversation that Joanne could barely hear.

Isn’t this where Kafa used to live? She asked.

I am afraid so, Edmund replied.

But everyone’s so...

Mad?

Yeah. Why did he even want to come back here?

I believe this place must have a sort of emotional significance to Kafa, Edmund explained, though he sounded like he had no idea why the hotel had any emotional significance to Kafa.

But why? Kile is out there. Shouldn’t we be trying to... I don’t know- figure out where he is?

Perhaps. I believe that Kafa may be trying to give the lot of us a bit of time to regroup and- his gaze flitted over to Joanne and he paused. Heal.

Rumple hadn’t left Joanne’s thoughts since his death, and in the Unavenged hotel, it was growing difficult for her to try and block memories of him that wormed into her brain. Last time she had been in the lobby, Rumple had been with her. Breathing and happy and alive. But now he wasn’t there. He was gone. He was dead. There wasn’t even a body for Joanne to bury. Just memories to shove to the back of her brain and tears to hold back. Here, in the midst of the celebration, she was painfully reminded of the night she had been accepted into the Unavenged. Rumple had been so relieved and surprised that she had beaten Barthemius. So had Joanne. She hadn’t even known how she had done it. And then Kafa had explained, and it had started to make sense. She had been ready to fight Kile. But now, without her brother by her side, she wasn’t sure if she would ever be able to face him again. Joanne started breathing hard as tears pricked at the back of her eyes. How is he gone? How am I alive? How is any of this even real? Joanne wondered.

She suddenly wished that all of it had been a nightmare, a nightmare that had started off as a good dream but had taken a dark turn. That maybe, if she wished hard enough, if she squeezed her eyes shut hard enough, she could open them again to find herself in her bedroom, safe and without the scar on her face or the memories of her brother’s last words, his last breaths. How she wished the memories would just erase themselves. Beside her, Harold noticed Joanne’s quickened breathing and panicked face. He looked around as if he was searching for someone. Then he took off into the middle of the crowd, who were all gathered around the throne. At some point, Kafa had come back inside of the hotel, but Joanne had been so preoccupied with her own head that she hadn’t even noticed. Harold came back about a minute later with Kafa trailing behind him. He walked up to Joanne and raised his voice a bit so she could hear him over the roar of the Unavenged.

Would you like to go somewhere quieter? he asked, looking concerned. Joanne nodded. He put a hand on her back and led her out of the lobby and into the hallways where the hotel rooms were. Joanne sucked in a breath. Memory after memory was tumbling into her head. Goosebumps rose on her arms and she shuddered. Would she have to go to Rumple’s room, where he had lived for three years without her? She couldn’t bear the thought of ever setting foot in there again, and she prayed Kafa wouldn’t take her there. He seemed to see where her thoughts were going.

Would you be alright with going to my room? You could watch TV or something, Kafa offered cautiously.

Okay, Joanne said, her voice just a whisper. Kafa led her up to his room and unlocked the door. It swung open, revealing the familiar bedroom. Kafa stared inside for a few seconds, as if he was remembering something or just wanted to look at it again, then looked back at Joanne.

Just use the phone to call me if you need anything. If you need someone to come up here, I’m sure I could persuade Harold. I would, but the Unavenged would get suspicious if I wasn’t at my own return celebration, Kafa told Joanne. When she was silent, staring at the room like it was a museum exhibit, Kafa lightly touched her shoulder.

Are you alright with being in here alone? I can get Harold-

No, I’m okay, Joanne insisted, cutting him off.

Okay. I’ll see you later, then, Kafa said, giving Joanne as much of a smile as he could muster before spinning back around and going down the stairs to the lobby. Joanne looked into the room and stepped inside. It was almost the same as it had been when Kafa had left. A few things around the room were missing, as if they had been stolen or Kafa had taken a few things when he had left. Since only Kafa had the key, Joanne guessed it was the second one. The room still had the same bed, TV, bathroom, desk, pictures on the walls, balcony... there was only a small item or two that had been lying around that was no longer there.

Joanne saw the remote on the bed and grabbed it. She turned on the TV and kicked off her shoes. She didn’t feel like watching anything, but she knew that it would probably be best if she did. Maybe then it’d take her mind off Rumple a little, but she knew that it wouldn’t. She sat down on the bed, the mattress sinking down a little with her weight. The pillows were soft and the comforter on the bed was expensive and high-quality. Joanne only flicked through a few channels before giving up on finding something to watch. She let some random show play while her attention and thoughts drifted away to Rumple. They had watched the Lego Movie in his room a few days before. It felt like months ago. But in reality, it was only days. The events of the day had worn Joanne out. She was tired and the bed was very comfortable. Her eyelids grew heavy as the sky outside darkened and the TV droned on. The lull and peaceful promise of rest was too tempting to resist for long. Soon she drifted off into a dreamless sleep, the darkness engulfing her as the sounds of the TV and the Unavenged downstairs faded away into silence.

When Joanne awoke, it was dark outside, the only light in the room coming from the TV, which had been running the entire time she had been asleep. She looked around and her eyes found a digital clock on the wall. It was almost eight at night. She had slept for about five hours. She rubbed her eyes and for a few seconds didn’t remember why she was in the room, or what was going on.

And then the events of the day came flooding back to her. The memory of Rumple’s death hit her once again, her breath catching in her throat and her breaths coming fast and hard. She reached over with shaking hands and picked up the phone on the nightstand. She looked through the contacts and pressed Kafa’s. She held the phone to her ear as it rang... and rang... and rang. He didn’t pick up and the voicemail started. Joanne dropped the phone onto the bed and got up. She couldn’t stand to be in the dark room all by herself any longer. The shadows jumped at her and frightening thoughts echoed through her head, drowning almost everything else out. The noise of the Unavenged downstairs was even louder now, as if the celebration had just hit its peak and it wanted all of Imagine to know it. Joanne threw open the door, her breaths faster than before. The hallway was dimly lit by a few lamps on the wall, their weak light not enough to calm Joanne down. She stumbled down the hallway, feeling like the walls were closing in on her, as if she couldn’t and wouldn’t get out. She needed to see someone else, to talk to someone to shut out the voice in her head, the echoes of the past...

Joanne raced down the stairs as if there was a killer on her tail, almost falling once or twice on her way down. Her feet pounded against the carpeted hotel floor as she leaped off the stairs and onto the first floor. She kept running, never once slowing, heading for the lobby.

The sounds were far louder now. It sounded like everyone was screaming and shouting as loud as they could. If it weren’t for the happy tone of their voices, it would’ve sounded like a battlefield that just so happened to have music playing in the background. The lobby was straight ahead of Joanne and she could already see that there were even more Unavenged members inside of it then there had been before she left. They were all packed together like sardines, trying to get as close to the center of the room as possible, where Kafa’s throne was. Joanne could barely see the top of it over the heads of the Unavenged members. All the lights were off except for the one over Kafa’s throne, the single light barely enough to see in the dark corners of the room. The music was so loud that people had to scream to hear someone right beside them, the base so hard that it seemed to shake the room. There was fresh spray paint all over the walls and alcohol was being passed around, along with something else that looked suspiciously like drugs. The stench of alcohol was strong and choking every time Joanne breathed in, mixed with the scents of cigarette smoke and pot cocaine. Some people were chanting, some laughing too loudly, some talking, but it seemed like everyone was making noise. A few very drunk Unavenged members swayed on their feet and sang the Unavenged song that Kafa always sung before Runs as loudly as they could. Joanne put her hands over her ears, stopping at the edge of the entrance to the lobby. She didn’t want to go any farther into the chaos, but she felt dread in her stomach.

Why was everything so crazy and why hadn’t Kafa picked up the phone? Where were Harold, Edmund, and She? They had been against the wall earlier, but were they still there? Where was everybody in the crowd of hundreds? Finding a familiar face would be like trying to find a certain body in a cemetery of unmarked graves. Joanne felt like turning back around and getting as far away from the noise as possible, and was about to, when she saw a head of familiar brown hair not too far into the crowd. She froze and her heart seemed to skip a beat in her chest.

Rumple?

And then she was running again, but more desperately this time, shoving her way into the crowd and not caring how rude she was being. He was right there. The familiar head of brown hair, same height, wearing a hoodie... if she could just reach him then everything would be okay.

RUMPLE! she screamed as loudly as she could, the name ripping itself out of her chest, trying with all of its might to just be heard. A few imaginary friends glanced at her strangely but didn’t say anything to her. He seemed to be going deeper into the madness, into the throng of people, so Joanne followed, violently pushing her way through behind him. Just as she was about to reach him and grab his hood, she felt a strong arm grab her from behind and yank her back. Joanne whirled around, pure rage lighting her eyes and contorting her features. It was a man with an unkept beard and rotten teeth, dark eyes and a dangerous smile.

LET THE HELL GO! Joanne yelled at him, trying to yank her arm away, but the man held tight.

"I don’t think so, doll. Listen, nobody just shoves me around like I’m some nobody, alright?" he snarled, eyes sparking menacingly. Joanne was not in the mood to deal with some random guy who thought he was more than what he really was.

Really? You look like nobody to me, Joanne snapped. The man’s eyes widened.

Oh, you’re gonna pay for that you little bit- But he never finished the sentence. A surge of power shot through Joanne, similar to the one she’d felt earlier with Kile, but not near as strong. He let go of her arm and howled, shaking his hand like he had just put it against something sweltering hot. Joanne’s eyes flitted to his hand and saw that it was a bright red and was darkening to a blood red. He continued to cry out in pain and Joanne just stared at him in horror, her fury quickly giving way to confusion. The hand kept darkening. Now it was a purple color. She could feel something pulsing through her, like a type of energy. It felt alive... and deadly. She stared down at her own hands. Am I doing this? She thought in bewilderment.

STOP PLEASE! PLEASE STOP! the man begged, clutching his arm as his hand steadily turned black.

I can’t- I can’t stop it! Joanne said, panic setting in. The black began traveling up the man’s arm. His screams grew louder.

And then he was right there, in front of her, like he had just been standing there the entire time and she hadn’t noticed.

Joanne, stop! Please, you need to quit this! Breathe! Stop, Joanne! Stop! Rumple yelled at her, desperation in his green eyes. Joanne stopped breathing and the power stopped surging thorough her. The black stopped spreading up the man’s arm and began fading back to a normal color. The man screamed that she was the devil and turned around, sprinting through the crowd and out of the Unavenged hotel.

But Joanne didn’t even notice.

Rumple was right in front of her, alive.

But something wasn’t right.

Rumple! Oh my god I thought I- she sobbed, tears coming to her eyes as she ran up to him and wrapped her arms around him- only to fall straight through him. She stumbled and slammed into an imaginary friend, who thankfully didn’t seem to care. Joanne spun around in confusion. Rumple was facing away from her now, still talking.

I swear man, you’ve got to cut this crap out. I know it may make you feel better in some twisted way- but you can’t keep hurting yourself like this. It’s not... it’s only hurting you more, he said, staring straight ahead of him with concern. Joanne slowly walked around until she was right in front of him, but his gaze wasn’t even focused on her. It seemed to be seeing something right through her, as if she wasn’t even there.

Rumple? she said, her voice coming out scared. He kept talking and didn’t even react to her saying his name. She reached out and tried to grab his shoulders only for her fingers to pass through him again, touching nothing.

WAKE UP! WAKE UP, DAMN IT! I’M RIGHT HERE! I AM RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU! Joanne shouted, trying again and again to grab his shoulders and shake him. She fell to her knees as her throat tightened. Tears started down her face in the same way they had so many times that day. She clutched her head and squeezed her eyes shut, pulling her legs up into a sitting position. Joanne hugged her knees to her chest as she sobbed, rocking back and forth on the floor and just wishing more than anything that she could disappear from the crowded room that she felt so alone in. Rumple kept talking beside her like he was a recording, still going even though he couldn’t react to anyone around him. Why are you here but not? How are you here but not? Joanne wondered. Eventually, his voice faded away, but Joanne stayed where she was, not wanting to move.

After a few minutes, she felt a tap on her shoulder. Joanne didn’t look up. She felt a tap again. Still, she didn’t look up. The last thing she wanted was to see someone’s face that wasn’t Rumple’s. She had come downstairs to talk to someone, anyone, but now she wished she never had.

Hey, mate, you alright? someone asked. From the lower pitch of their voice, Joanne knew it was another guy. The voice had an English accent to it. So... probably British. The memory of the man grabbing her arm a few minutes earlier flashed through her head. She kept her eyes squeezed shut and said nothing. She heard them let out a quiet sigh before she felt a hand on her arm. She tensed up at their touch, even though it was gentle and light, not rough and angry like the man’s touch earlier.

Do you need a glass of water or something? Come on, talk to me, mate, I can’t squat forever, they said, their words a little joking as if they were trying to lighten the mood. The joking tone of voice made Joanne a little less uneasy.

She opened her eyes a crack and saw that the person was squatted down in front of her so they were the same height as her. Joanne stared at them for a second, taking them in. They had short, slightly curly black hair that seemed to be cut in a style that Joanne didn’t see on people that much. Their eyes were dark brown like the bark of a tree, curious and kind as they looked at her. Their skin was a little pale as if they didn’t get much sun, and they wore a sort of hat that Joanne had seen elderly men wear a few times. They had an army green button up shirt on and black suspenders, with tan pants and a pair of brown boots. They were a little thin, not as broad as most guys were. They didn’t necessarily look like someone modern. Joanne figured they were probably an imaginary friend from a few decades back, yet they looked to be not much older than Joanne was herself. They raised an eyebrow at her as if they were waiting for a response.

Water? Joanne repeated, her voice barely above a whisper.

Yeah. Shockingly, there’s a few things here that aren’t alcoholic, they said, chuckling. Joanne didn’t laugh or smile, just stared. The boy stared back and after a few moments of uncomfortable silence, cleared his throat and asked,

Are we to stay on the hard floor forever, or will you allow me help you to your feet? When Joanne didn’t answer, he stood up, brushed himself off, and offered her his hand.

Come on, mate, you have to get up eventually. Why not get up now? he said gently, still holding out his hand. Joanne slowly reached up and took it. He pulled her up with ease. Standing up, Joanne realized that the boy was an entire foot taller than she was.

I just realized I don’t even know your name. Mind telling me what it is? Or would you rather not tell some random bloke like me? he said, still holding her hand gently.

It’s Joanne, she told him.

Joanne, he repeated, a small smile playing on his lips. He bent over and gave the back of her hand a quick kiss before dropping it. Joanne blinked in surprise. Definitely not from today. She thought.

Well, it’s nice to meet you, Joanne. My name’s Tuck. Tuck Shipman, he said politely.

Nice to meet you too, Joanne said, repeating the phrase she had heard adults say to each other hundreds of times.

Would you like to get a drink and get away from the crowd? he asked, jerking a thumb in the direction of what Joanne assumed was a refreshment table. Joanne actually didn’t want to do anything. All she wanted to do was be alone and not think about Rumple as much as possible. It may help get my mind off it. Joanne thought. She sighed and squared her shoulders.

Okay. Sounds good, she said. He made the gesture for her to follow him and went in the direction he had pointed to before. They weaved through the crowd, trying to not slam into people as they went. Tuck glanced behind himself a few times to make sure Joanne was still following him. They made it over to one of the walls of the lobby. Sure enough, there was a small table with some drinks, most of them spiked, and some platters of food, though most of them were empty, having been attacked by hundreds of hungry imaginary friends. Joanne grabbed a plastic cup of water while Tuck took orange juice. They stood beside the table and sipped their drinks for a minute or two, observing the celebration but not joining in. Then Tuck said something to Joanne, but she couldn’t hear what he said over the noise.

What? she asked, leaning forward and straining to hear him. He sighed and motioned for her to follow him, then went into the crowd once again, a single person in a sea of hundreds. Joanne followed him, having no idea where he was going. Even though they’d walked through the crowds twice now, Joanne still didn’t see Harold, She, Edmund, or Kafa anywhere. They both had to be extra careful around all of the moving people so they wouldn’t spill their drinks. Tuck led Joanne to the entrance of the hotel, holding open the door for her. She muttered a thank you and stepped out into the night. It was colder than it had been before and Joanne drew her jacket closer. Tuck came up behind her and pointed to a weathered bench near the parking lot.

Do you want to sit there? he asked. Joanne nodded and they walked over to the bench, sitting down on opposite ends of the bench with a few inches between them. Joanne realized that she had forgotten to put her shoes on as she walked across the cold pavement, the temperature of it biting at her feet through her socks. Tuck looked over at Joanne, his brow creased a bit as if he was trying to figure something out. Joanne noticed him out of the corner of her eye as she took a long sip of cold water. She swallowed.

What? she asked, staring back at him. He shook his head, looking away and seeming a little embarrassed.

Ah, my apologies. I was just- never mind, it’s none of my business, he said dismissively.

What is it? If you were going to say something, just go ahead and say it, Joanne prodded.

It’s just- you were in the square today, weren’t you? he asked, looking at her uncertainly. Joanne’s eyebrows jumped up in surprise.

What gave it away? she asked, her tone coming out colder than intended.

I- I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you. I just- your clothes have a lot of blood on them and you didn’t look very happy earlier, that’s all, Tuck explained. Joanne drank some of her water again and looked out at the parking lot, trying to figure out what to say. He seemed like a nice guy. But was she in the mood to talk about it? Not really. Did she need to? Maybe.

Yeah. I was there, actually. Today was... she trailed off, not thinking of a word that could possibly describe how terrible the day had been.

Bloody horrible? he offered. She nodded.

Were you there? Joanne asked, her eyes sliding over to look at him. He rested his chin on his hand.

No. But I know what happened, he said, his eyes darkening. Joanne was quiet.

What did you hear happened?

Well... I heard that Kile was there. And that he had an imaginary friend and the girl everyone was looking for there with him. Anyways, I heard that he talked for a bit and then tore down the East Border. Which is why the sky turned red. Then he disappeared and all of these characters from Create started coming into Imagine... he said, looking grim as he retold the story.

Yeah. That’s what happened, Joanne whispered.

Memories flashed through her mind. She and Kafa, looking at each other with determination and a sort of sadness as Kile spoke in front of them on stage in front of thousands. They had both thought that they were going to die. And they would have, if it hadn’t been for Rumple. He had barreled out of the crowd with a gun like he could save them both. Joanne and Kafa couldn’t believe it. And he had saved them. And then he had done it again. Only, he didn’t survive that time. And then he had died in Joanne’s arms, the life leaving him.

A single tear traced down Joanne’s face, but no more followed. It was as if she had cried all of her tears out and now, she just didn’t have any left. Tuck watched her with understanding eyes. He reached into his pocket and handed her a small piece of white cloth that was stitched with red poppies on the corner of it.

Thanks, Joanne said, taking the handkerchief and wiping her eyes with it.

You needed it, Tuck said. She extended it back to him but he waved it away.

Keep it. After the day you’ve had you may need it again later, he insisted. She curled her hand around it and put it in her lap.

I just... today has been rough. I thought that maybe going down to the party and being around people would help but...

It didn’t, he finished. Joanne nodded. They said nothing to each other for a few minutes, looking up at the stars and out at the parking lot as they took occasional sips of their drinks.

Being completely alone isn’t always the best thing, but neither is being in too large of a crowd. Then you can still feel alone even if you’re surrounded. You looked like you were looking for someone earlier. Do you know anyone in there? he said, looking at the hotel and then back at Joanne. It was steadily growing even darker, as if the sky was watercolor and the artist was going back and darkening the paint.

I couldn’t find them, Joanne said, remembering the blind panic she had felt when she was alone and then the cold dread when she couldn’t find anyone in the ocean of faces.

It’s alright. I’m sure you’ll find them later, Tuck assured her. But I won’t find the one person I’m really looking for ever again. Joanne thought.

Maybe. What about you? Did you find who you were looking for? she questioned.

I wasn’t looking for anyone in particular, but I did find you, he answered.

"Why were