Shadows of Fire

Chapter III- Jenny (part II)

Pond Household

10:30 PM

            When Jen came to, she was surprised to find herself tucked into her own soft, warm bed, her cushy pillows supporting her. She stared at the ceiling for a few minutes, as thoughts raced through her head. Either that was the mother-in-law of all weird dreams, or that really happened. Carefully, cautiously, she lifted herself up from her bed, and looked around her room. Everything seemed normal, everything was in its proper place; her gladius was once more sheathed behind her bedroom door, books still littered her floor as a death-trap for all but the nimble-footed, and the picture of her family still stood on her desk.

            As she slid out of her covers, she looked down at herself, and frowned. She was dressed in a clean set of pajama bottoms, with a slightly worn plain T-shirt as her top. The problem was, while the pajama pants were hers, the T-shirt wasn’t. She looked down further, and saw the rope burns around her ankles. How did I get here?

            Jenny leaped out of bed, and threw open her bedroom door, and was about to step out, when she spotted what was just outside her door. Stretched out in the hallway, still in full armor, were Jake and Vicky. Vicky was fast asleep, her hair a little mussed up, but otherwise she seemed to be comfortable leaned up against Jake. Jake, on the other hand, was wide awake, staring at her, warily. Definitely not a dream then.

            Jake nudged Vicky gently, and she sputtered awake, with a frantic “Charlie!” Her eyes widened in confusion, disoriented, before she realized where she was, and she calmed down. She looked over at Jake, and he nodded knowingly. There was an unpleasant pause, with Jenny still standing there, when Lexie called up the stairs.

            “Hey Jake! Vick! Will’s calling for a debriefing! And could you wake up Jen? She’ll want to hear this.”

            “Be right down,” he called back down the stairs, and got to his feet, pulling Vicky up with her. He looked over at Jen, and smiled awkwardly.

            “I’m in major trouble with you, aren’t I?” he asked. Jenny sighed, and brushed her hair away from her face. “Hoo yeah.”

~.~.~.~.~.~.~

            As Jenny tramped down the stairs after Jake and Vicky into the kitchen, there was a distinctively different atmosphere in the air; the sense of comfort and general contentment was now toned with grim determination, and with touches of foreboding gloom. Surprisingly, Mrs. Pond was still awake, wrapped up in her worn olive-drab bathrobe, and when her eyes lit upon Jenny as she turned the corner, she gave a little smile. She was seated at the seat of honor, as the hostess and the head of the family. Next to her was Will, looking like he hadn’t slept in weeks, his face a little thin and hollow, but he nodded acknowledgingly as the three entered. Lexie was lounging opposite him, rocking along silently to her iPod, not noticing their approach until Jake tugged her hair playfully and received a smack on the arm in return.

            Jake settled down next to Lexie, and Vicky next to Will. Jenny sighed, and stepped back, but Vicky smiled softly, and gestured to the remaining seat, opposite her mother. Clearly, she wasn’t as aloof as Jenny had previously thought. Jenny smiled back, and slipped into the empty seat gingerly. A few moments passed in silence, before Mrs. Pond cleared her throat, and looked pointedly at Will.

            “Now that we’re all assembled, could you kindly tell me what exactly happened that resulted in you four showing up on my front steps carrying my unconscious daughter?” Will visibly winced at that, but clenched his jaw, and looked back at Mrs. Pond, and began explaining from the beginning.