Crescent Moon (Kyle J Simmons)

Wolf King

We must be swift as a coursing river
With all the force of a great typhoon
With all the strength of a raging fire
Mysterious as the dark side of the moon...

I don't know how long I had been walking with that bag over my head. Philippe held onto me tight and kept me down. He said nothing, but I knew it had been at least an hour.

I thought about Kyle. Maybe he was right. Maybe I was too fragile for this. After all, I had gotten tackled and kidnapped on my first night. Weak of me, very weak. But this wasn't over...

I heard a door open as he drug me inside a building. It was cold and suddenly I regretted coming to Paris. How would I get out of this?

"Kneel before the Wolf King." said Philippe. I got literal chills out of fear.

"That's quite enough, Philippe!" said a man's voice, aged and stressed. "How dare you act that this to her."

"I had no choice, she ran away!"

A figure knelt close to me. "I apologize for my son's ruthless behavior. Philippe isn't necessarily all there."

I felt him reached forth and pull the sack off my face. I then saw an older man with a look of distress of his face. He looked like Elliott, and somewhat like me...

"You're Stephen!" I shot up onto my feet. "Stephen Tyree. Aren't you?"

He put a hand on his heart. "Yes. Yes I am. And you're Mandala. You're my daughter that I never met."

"This is...incredible. You're the person I came here for! I came her searching for you!"

I didn't know which was better; to be glad and make conversation, or to run away after being released. I was confused.

"It's nice to meet you Mandala. You are a spitting imagine of your mother, with a slight trace of me."

I stood in utter shock. My next action resulted in pulling my fist back and launching it in Philippe's abdomen. He whimpered slightly.

"Cut it out, zis! I've only just met you!" he said.

"Yes, well that was for kidnapping me."

...........

Kyle
I crumbled the small note by the time I had finished reading it. I was furious. Manda, what have you done?

I had to go after her. I couldn't waste any time. Who was I to stay at home with our daughter while my wife was out risking her fragile life? No, I wouldn't tolerate it.

I heard Mailey crying through the monitor. That was when I jumped out of the bed. "I'm coming Mailey, I'm coming!"

I made my way into her room and picked her up out of the crib. "Shhh. Daddy's here. Daddy's here."

She calmed down a little bit. I had that day off, fortunately. I took the baby down the stairs and was quick to make her a fresh bottle. "Shhh."

Mailey sipped on her food, and I held her close. Kissing her little head, I quickly reached into my pocket and grabbed my phone. I started to dial Manda, but then I remembered when she said that she left it behind in her note. That was when I dialed Leah, who answered after two rings.

"Kyle?"

"Leah, Manda left. She went to Paris to find them like she's been talking about."

"Really? I know. I encouraged her to do it. I'm glad she did."

"Leah..." I protested. "Why? You know how dangerous it is for her out there. She could be killed!"

"No she won't." she responded. "She's strong, Kyle. She can do this."