The Second Plane (#Wattys2016)

2.

"Have a nice day!" Savannah grinned as the brass bell of the antique bakery door rang out.  The last of the customers could be seen leaving through the large viewing window.  Vanilla wafted through the air.  There a was a sickly sweet air to the shop.  As the door shut, Savannah untied the green strings of her work apron.  She stepped back from the counter.  As she turned to head to the break room, the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end.  Whipping around, a flash of blue caught her eye.  It disappeared from view as quickly as it came.

"Hello?"  No reply.  Savannah shook her head.  She had to be going crazy.  Since leaving school, there always seemed to be something just out of sight.  It would only catch the corner of her eye.  Of course, it had to be nothing.  Probably a side effect of not wearing her glasses.

Pushing open the side door, Savannah entered the small breakroom.  Small knobs for aprons hung by the door.  Instead, Savannah threw her apron on the plastic chairs beneath the hangers.  She grabbed her time card from the other side of the door.  Taking a pen from the bottom of the slot, Savannah used the wall as a hard surface.  She scribbled her clock-out time.  Heading to the opposite side of the room, she hummed.  Soft jazz music accompanied her steps.  Throwing on her grey sweatshirt, she grabbed her backpack.

"I'm heading out!" Savannah called to no one in particular.  There was a muffled shout from the bakery.  Her boss was busy with a wedding cat.  Using her back, Savannah pushed opened the side door and stepped into the back alley.  A combination smell of old Chinese takeout and dumpster filled the air.  Savannah scrunched her nose.  For being next to the bakery, the dirt path reeked.  Car horns and traffic noises echoed around her.  The summer sun's heat hadn't worn down since the afternoon.  Savannah shielded her eyes from the sun.   A few low clouds blanketed the otherwise clear sky.  Small shops and apartments decorated the horizon.  Black birds swooped down into the back alley.  They landed on the roof of the apartments next door.  The yellow bricks rose three stories into the air.  A few dusted windows faced the alley.  A steel fire escape shook as the birds fluttered.

A can rattled from the depths of the alley.  Savannah turned to face the noise.  The birds that had gathered cawed, taking off.  She gulped.  The sounds had come from the depths of the alley.  Peering into the darkness, Savannah strained to see what made the noise.  What kicked the old soda can?  Meekly, she shuffled forward.

"Is some-one there?"

A deep chuckle was her reply.  Savannah paced back, only to bump into the stomach of a large blue man.  He had materialized behind her.  His large, gluttonous belly jiggled.  He was bald with exception to the thick black goatee on his chin.  Crimson eyes bore his sick sense of humor.  Savannah whipped around, raising her fists.

"Who- who are you?" Savannah stuttered.  Another chuckle echoed from deep within his throat.  He wiped an invisible tear from his glowing eyes.  A grin broke out across his face.  Fangs, long and yellow, revealed themselves.

"A little girl such as yourself shouldn't be wearing such...provocative clothing." a higher pitched voice hissed from the shadows.  Savannah froze.  Slowly, she glanced over her shoulder. 

Behind her appeared a tall man wearing a pitch black suit and a top hat.  His skin was like ink.  The shadow cast by his hat hid his eyes.  He licked his lips.  "Really, we just cannot control ourselves when we see such tantalizing...meat." The man strode closer, one step at a time.  Savannah's heart pounded.  She could hear the blood pulsing in her ears.  The lump in her throat felt like it was suffocating her.

"What are you?" she whispered.

"Why, little girl," the blue man barked, "we're the creatures that are going to eat your soul and possess your body."

"Though," the demon behind her started, "it is odd that she can see us so well as a creature from the First Plane.  She will be a delicious soul indeed."

He was close enough that Savannah could feel the heat of his breath against his neck.  He ran his cold hands against her forearms.  Savannah spun around, throwing her fists.  Before her hit could land, he caught her fist in his hand. Tsking, he shook his head and then nodded towards his accomplice.  The blue man leaned in, sniffing her neck.  A whimper escaped from Savannah.

A loud bang came from the sky above.  The fire escape rattled and clanked.  All three looked up.  A shadow darted in the sky.  The man in the top hat dropped her hand with a strangled scream.  A figure landed between Savannah and the man.  Savannah's eyes widened as the boy stood.  His hair, an intense blue, fluttered with the wind.  His black tail whipped back and forth.  The azure flames on the end of his tail flared.  A soft blue hue surrounded his body.  As he stepped forward the chains of his belt and necklace clanked with each movement.

"You-you aren't supposed to be here!" the man in the top hat exclaimed, pointing at the new-comer.

"You know the laws.  Divine Souls are under royal protection.  This girl is clearly such.  Besides, if you didn't realize, I own these streets."  the boy said with a faint echo following his words.

The blue man backed away from Savannah. "I- I'm outta here." he stammered, turning tail and darting out of the alley.

His partner snarled, "Son of a rich man, that's all you are.  What business do you have running around the First Plane?"

The boy raised his fists.  Blue flames gathered around, flaring upward.  The man in the top hat held his ground.  "My business?" the boy said.  Leaping forward, he swung his fists with a shout.  "Is none of yours!"

Fire jumped from his fist, engulfing the inky man.  The man's mouth opened wide in a hollow scream.  His skin began to melt and drip.  He sagged to his knees, clutching his face as the flames intensified.  He melted until only a puddle remained.  The flames flickered out.

When the last of the fire vanished, the boy turned around.  Savannah hadn't moved.  She couldn't move.  Mouth agape, she stared at the boy.  Her mind was reeling.  His ethereal gaze met hers.  Smiling, he tilted his head, rubbing the nape of his neck.  Silence filled the air between them.

"So..um..." the boy shuffled a bit closer.  Savannah blinked, standing a bit straighter.  His voice snapped her back to the real world.  Her heart, which had been pounding erratically, slowed.  As the boy took another step, Savannah swung her left fist.  The punch hit its mark this time.  The boy stumbled back, clutching his right cheek.  Savannah didn't wait for him to regain his bearings.  Instead she darted out of the alley, turning onto the sidewalk.  The boy shouted for her to wait but she kept running.  He took off after her.  Savannah raced down the concrete path.  Each step pounded into the soles of her shoes.  Gasping for air, she could hear his footsteps behind her.  They were drawing nearer.   Savannah sped up, pushing forward.

And then his footsteps were gone.

Savannah turned the corner, slowing to a jog before stopping in the middle of the walkway.  Stretching back, Savannah took a deep breath.  Sweat dripped down her forehead.  Her mouth was dry and her tongue felt heavy.  Glancing over her shoulder, she sighed in relief.  No-one was there.  She was alone.

"So, are you done running or am I going to have to chase you again?  I could barely keep up last time."

Savannah swiveled around.  Leaning against the nearby brick building was the boy.  Savannah widened her stance, readying her fists.  She was not going down easy.  The boy raised his open palms in defeat.  His tail flicked back and forth.

"Not the enemy." he said, glancing to his left.

"Then, what are you? And what's going on?  Who were those guys?" Savannah questioned, not letting her guard down.  The boy pushed himself away from the wall, putting his hands in the air so Savannah could see them.

"I think the more important question is, who are you?"

(A/N: Another chapter up and complete. I'd love to hear your opinions on it so far! It's so nice to be up and posting a story again.)