Chapter 12: A Fork in the Road

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Bobble bolted from the bedroom as fast as shaking legs would carry him. The door slammed shut behind him, cutting off the pixies' chase, but he knew it would not deter them for long. They were going to give chase as soon as they realized his plan and he feared he would not be able to escape on foot. They had wings. Their wings were huge. There was no way he would outpace them, plus he had no idea where the others had fled. He had wanted them to save themselves, but that had been before he'd known what they were up against. Now he needed to warn them about Lizzie and her father. He'd been counting on the humans to help, but now that plan was completely out the window. 

He needed to catch up to the others. They needed to get as far away from the house as they could. 

But the fairy camp isn't safe either, his mind screeched as he hopped down the stairs as quickly as he could muster. The pixies weren't right behind him. He had the headstart. Varnas said he'd come from there. That's the first place they'd expect us to run. 

It would be a trap to go back. Fairies were predictable creatures. The pixie had also said that. Well, Phineas was determined not to be the same way. He could be unpredictable when he wanted to and that was exactly what he was going to be now.

You can run, little fairy, the voice sneered deep into his subconsciousness and the suddenness of the rigid, heartless tone startled him so hard that he nearly missed his footing and slipped down the final four steps to the ground floor. But you can't hide forever. Give us what we want and this will be all over.

No, he couldn't do that. It didn't belong to them! Kyto had given it to him...he had fought to prove himself worthy of its magic. Had Varnas or his friends done any of that? What gave them the right to try and steal what he had earned, fought, and sacrificed for? It was his and no one else's! He had to protect it. 

Wrong choice, thief. 

And with that, the door behind him blew from its hinges, debris from the screws and bolts showering down the stairs after him as he hit the hardwood tile and put on an extra burst of adrenaline-produced speed, rounding the bend into the kitchen and running almost headlong into the family's cat. 

"Stop him!" Varnas screamed and Bobble fought the urge to throw up, ducking around Mr. Twitches and beelining for the garage. Where were his friends? Were they out? Were they halfway back to camp by now? Shade and Clank would have gotten them all out, he had no reason to worry. He was sure they were fine. Lizzie and Mr. Griffiths would be unconscious for a while longer. 

He was on his own now. 

Come on then, the darkest side of his brain hissed and he gritted his teeth, already reaching for the coveted prize and envisioning the fifteen different ways he could wield it against his hunters. This is what you wanted, right? Man up and take it from me then.

You're crazy! the rest of him screamed and he hastily shoved the lid back over the bag. Run away, you fool! Get back to the others! They can help you! They always help you! You can figure this out together! This doesn't have to be a one-sparrowman stand!

"It was always going to be a one-man-stand," Varnas spat and Bobble twirled in horror, finding the pixies already at the doorway, blocking an escape the way he had already come. The garage was still too far away. He couldn't outrun them. It was too far. "No one was ever going to be here to save you."

Hazeer and Hanna were right behind him and Bobble trembled, clutching his bag desperately and starting to back away. 

"Stop," Varnas ordered and, too afraid to disobey, Bobble did. "This is all just a foolish game lacking any scenario where you get out of this without giving back what rightfully belongs to us. Look around you." He waved a gloved hand out toward the abundantly large room. "Do you see anyone coming to your rescue? No. They've abandoned you, just as you knew they would. Now, be a good boy and give it here."

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