"I'm going in" Harken said with a determined look on his face. He followed Randi through the door and into the school. He hoped that he was making the right choice.
Inside it was hard to see since it was as dark as a moonless night. Something wasn't right here. How were they supposed to fight the creature when they more than likely wouldn't see it? Harken wanted to ask Randi that but he figured that it was best to keep as quiet as possible. They didn't want to alert the creature to their presence after all.
After a couple of minutes Harken saw a shadow move. It looked like some sort of tentacle and it looked like it was getting ready to strike Randi. Harken needed to do something and fast. Without time to use a spell he yelled "RANDI! LOOK OUT!" and shoved her out of the way just as the tentacle struck. It hit him with enough force to send him into the wall. His arm and chest felt like they were on fire. He tried to stand back up to but he found that he couldn't. A tentacle wrapped around him and picked him up. That's when he found out what the creature was. It was a monstrous plant and it looked like the one in that cheesy movie Little Shop of Horrors.
Harken tried to say a spell but he found that he couldn't talk. The creature must have a toxin that paralyzes it's prey. It seemed to be drawing out it's victory over him but he was worried now. Randi should have used her magic on this creature by now. The only reasons he could think of was that the creature had gotten her too or she had led him into a trap. As he looked into the creature's mouth and his impending death he thought about his choice and didn't regret it. He was going to die trying to protect people. Even if it was someone who could have betrayed him.
'The thoughts of a true hero' Infel said with pride.
"Ok Petunia, you can put him down and give him the anti-toxin" Randi said coming into Harken's field of vision.
"Of course Miranda" the creature said in a feminine voice.
The creature laid Harken on the ground and held a leaf over his mouth. A drop of milky white liquid fell from it. Almost instantly Harken could move again. He sat up and asked "What's going on Randi? You know this creature?"
"Of course I know Petunia" Randi said. "I've taken care of her since I was ten."
"Wait a minute" Harken said. "This can't be the same Venus Flytrap that you have doted over."
"She is though" Randi said. "She likes to be in that form since she doesn't require as much food. You can go home now Petunia. I thank you for your help."
"It was my pleasure Miranda" Petunia said. "It's been so long since I was able to assume this form for a reason. I'll see you at home." With that Petunia faded into the shadows and was gone. As soon as she was gone the darkness left.
"Could someone explain to me what just happened?!" Harken asked frustrated. He noticed a familiar sensation all over his body and he held his hand over his stomach once again.
"It's quite simple" Randi said. "Infel came to me last night and asked me to help test you."
"How did she know you could use magic?" Harken asked.
'It's right here in your head' Infel said. 'You don't consciously remember being a boy named Rick but she was born a boy.'
"That's right" Randi said.
"So this was a test?" Harken asked.
'It was' Infel said giggling.
"I don't see the humor in it" Harken said.
"Infel played her part well" Randi said. "Though I was afraid that her tone when I hit you with that paralysis spell would give us away. As it turns out it didn't."
"So you're still my friend?" Harken asked. "You didn't betray me?"
Randi laughed and said "Of course I'm your friend. If I wasn't I would have let Petunia eat you."
'Congratulations on passing the Test of the Hero' Infel said with pride.
"I don't get it" Harken said.
Randi sighed and said "A hero is someone who protects others regardless of the risk to themselves. You proved that when you shoved me out of the way and came in here even though it could have been a trap."
'You also didn't have any regrets about your decisions' Infel said. 'You accepted that you were about to die and knowing that you protected someone who may have betrayed you. That is the mark of a true hero.'
"Also you came in knowing that you couldn't beat Petunia in your current state" Randi said. "If you had stayed outside you would have proven that you were a coward. Though there's a fine line between being a coward and being smart. If you had been by yourself it would have been smart to look for help."
"I get it now" Harken said.
"Good" Randi said nodding. "We need to go now. The police and bomb squad will be here any minute and we don't want to try explaining what we're doing here if they find us."
Harken laughed nervously and said "We wouldn't be able to. We'd be going to jail for terroristic threats."
"Exactly" Randi said as she walked back to the door they came in.
Once they were back outside Randi picked up her purse and book bag and slung them over her shoulder. In the distance they could hear sirens growing louder. It was too late for them to walk away from the school. Randi put her hand on Harken's shoulder and he felt his cells being torn apart again. Randi was warping them someplace but where?