The Sadian Chronicles: Book 3: Deeds of the Unforgiven

On the Road Again: Part 4

Marianna and Reese were on the highway in no time. It was usually deserted. To break the silent monotony, Marianna turned on the radio. Reese was in a grumpy mood, and he refused to look even at her. He was concentrating hard, sifting through his baseball cards. He couldn't really read much, but he liked looking at the pictures.

"Reese," Marianna said, turning towards her son. "Are you hungry? We could turn off here and get something to eat."

"Okay," he said and looked back down at his baseball cards.

Marianna looked closely for the next exit, but something else caught her eye. She came across a truck stop where she saw a frightened woman looking to be in her thirties. There were two men with her and they looked like they were harassing her. She pulled over a safe distance from the site.

She looked at Reese. He saw the fright in her eyes. "What's wrong, Momma?"

"Reese, honey, you have to do something for Momma. I want you to crawl into the back seat. Lay on the floor with the blanket over you. I want to you stay as still as you can. You stay there until I come for you. Alright?"

"Why, Momma?" Reese asked not understand why his mother wanted him to do something so silly. Perhaps it was a game like hide and seek but he had no idea who was it..

"Please, honey, just do as Momma says," she asked and nodded in a agreement. "I promise I'll come back for you."

Reese did as his mother asked, and she threw a thick wool blanket over him. She quickly exited the car and locked the doors. She ran down the highway where she found the woman. The two men were still there as well. One had her on the ground, holding her neck on the blackened top on the road while the other held her hands.

"Where's the money?" one of them said, and Marianna assumed this was some sort of robbery.

"I don't have any money," she cried out. She looked terrified, and Marianna assumed that were either going to rape of kill her, possibly both.

The man pulled her hand back and slapped her across the face. "Wrong answer," he shouted. The brutality that men like this with would subjugate on a woman made Marianna angry.

"Excuse me, gentlemen," Marianna said, approaching them cautiously. The second man let go of her hands, while the first man slammed her head against the car. "Now, that wasn't nice."

"Look, Pete, another weak little frail," the first man said and heartily chuckled.

"Scram, little girl, before ya get hurt," he partner added, but Marianna stood her ground.

Marianna laughed at them. "Someone's going to get hurt alright, but I'm afraid it won't be me."

One of the men, the one called Pete grabbed Marianna's arm. Her look was intense, as she was concentrating. The black mist came upon her, until it touched her assailant's skin. He quickly released her and cried out in pain.

"What are you?" he shouted while holding his injured arm.

The other man swiftly ran towards her and wrapped his arms around her neck. "I'll show ya what we do with freaks."

Marianna's anger reached a new height. She felt the change coming on. Within a matter of seconds she became the demon once again. She easily grabbed the man's arms and flung him into the air. He landed on the pavement. He was hurt badly, but mentally he was petrified. The two men took off running. Oddly, Marianna let them go. She stood there for a long moment watching them run until they faded off into the night mist. When they could no longer be seen, she remembered the injured woman. She ran towards her and examined her injuries.

"Are you alright?" Marianna asked her.

"I think so," she answered, and Marianna noticed that the gash on her head was bleeding. "Is it bad?"

"Sort of, just hold still," Marianna put her hand over the open wound. At first she gasped as the woman's pain flowed through her, but she soon felt relief. Over the years her healing power had only heightened, and she was better able to handle the pain that came with healing someone. "There, that's better."

"Yes, I believe so," the woman said. Marianna was shocked that the woman wasn't at least surprised by what she did. "I'm not really sure how you did that, but thank you."

"Don't mention it," she said, helping the woman to her feet.

"You're Sadian, aren't you?" the woman asked. Again she didn't look surprised.

"Yes, but how did you know?" Marianna asked with suspicion in her voice.

"We all have a way of finding each other. I'm Julia," she said, holding out her hand. "Julia Donner, and you are?"

"Fanta," she said, giving her the name she had given to herself years ago when she saved Ty from the circus. "It looks like your car is disposed. Can I drive you somewhere?"

"Sure. I'm headed east," Julia said.

Marianna wore a stunned look on her face. "Me too." Suddenly, she remembered her son was still in the car alone. "Reese," she gasped. "I left him in the car."