FOUR MONTHS PRIOR…


    JAY MYERS


    “Woohoo!” My sister shouted from behind me.


    Her arms were currently wrapped around my waist as the salty sea splashed onto our smiling faces. My name is Jay Myers and I am currently in a jetski race with high stakes. Whoever comes in last place has to cough up a fair amount of cash to pay for the first round of drinks at the bar later. We are currently on a holiday in New Zealand with a large group of friends. Twenty in fact, twenty-two when including my sister and I. Many of us had finished our last semester of the year at university and just needed to cut loose.


    “Go faster Jay!” I heard behind me.


    As requested I increased our speed as we hit a wave and flew across the dazzling sea. The deep blue of the ocean was mesmerizing and the sun reflected off the dancing waves. I grinned as we raced the others. Whatever happened I was not going to come in last place.


    <hr>


    “Congrats on finishing last Jay!” Kaidan said smiling as he helped me onto the pier where everyone had gathered. Kaidan was a fairly tall and muscular bloke at 5’10, with sandy blonde hair and good looks, he was not lacking in the women''s department. Another mate helped my sister off of the jetski and started to celebrate the fact that the first round was going to be free. We started to walk towards the bar where my wallet would become considerably lighter.


    Originally, my twin sister Jade wasn’t going to come on this trip but she had insisted on being included. I guess she didn’t want to be separated from me. Our parents had passed away when we were young in a traffic accident. We moved in with our grandfather on his ranch in the outback of Australia.


    Old Grandpa Rob was a retired veteran who had fought in a number of conflicts around the world in his earlier years. He was discharged from active duty, but had never told us what the reason was. He was a gruff and strict old man but he taught many valuable things that would keep my sister and I safe. He taught me various combat techniques and how to use a vast amount of weaponry; ranging from blades to rifles. He drilled me as if he was a sergeant and made me into a man who could protect those he cared about.


    He had also taught both my sister and I how to live off of the land. He thought it important that we knew how to hunt, skin and butcher animals as well as how to survive outdoors. Jade didn’t quite have the stomach for it so I learnt for the both of us. Unfortunately, Rob had passed away as we had finished our last year of high school. Although the times were tough, both my sister and I got into our chosen courses at university. I was to study nursing and my sister, art.


    Although I knew how to protect myself and others, all I really wanted was to keep my sister safe. I knew that I wouldn’t always be able to prevent an injury from taking place, so I studied nursing to learn how to treat them. I had already proven how useful my knowledge was when one of our friends had cut his leg while hiking up a mountain. I was able to stop the bleeding and bandage him up.


    A large hand slapped me on the back, snapping me back to reality. “Fine work there Jay, thank you for investing into our drinks tonight”The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    “Fuck off Kaidan, but yeah my pockets are gonna be lighter after tonight,” I said.


    Kaidan was the unofficial leader of our group. He was planning on attending the police academy. He had a strong sense of justice and wanted to be the hero who saved the day. I thought it was a bit childish, but kept that to myself. We finally arrived at the bar and I could see the physical depression in cash as I paid for the first round of drinks.


    “Ah congrats Jay on a job well done!” one of my friends Joey announced, earning noises of agreement from all around. Kaidan raised his beer and clinked it with mine, finishing off the ceremony. We all drank and laughed well into the night.


    <hr>


    “Jay wake up, it’s time to go” a voice softly spoke.


    I opened my eyes to see Jade standing next to my bed already dressed for the upcoming skydiving trip. She wore a dark red shirt with white pants. Around her neck was the pendant she always wore. It was our mother’s. It was a brilliant red ruby set into a silver diamond, with a silver chain looping through a hole at the top. Her long brown hair was tied into a ponytail and her soft blue eyes gazed at me. My vision flashed red and saw a blurred figure with a sword sticking out of their chest, then it was gone.


    “Are you okay?” Jade asked me. I shook my head and glanced at the clock on the wall, it was 4:30 AM. The trip was scheduled for 8 AM, and would take a few hours to arrive at the landing strip where the plane was. “Yeah I’m fine.”


    “Alright, alright I’m getting up” I said with a smile and got ready to go. As I stood, Jade had to angle her head upwards to look me in the face. Standing at 6’4, I towered over most people. Jade was a bit shorter at 5’9 but we shared the same hair and blue eyes. I threw on my favourite shirt which was just a plain navy one and the combat pants I always wore. Jade rolled her eyes and asked “Do you really need the gear? We’re just skydiving, nothing’s gonna happen.” To which I just replied “Famous last words”


    With that my sister and I exited the hotel and walked over to our group of friends who were waiting outside. “Nice of you to join us Jay” a friend to my left said to me.


    “My bad Joey, was a bit tired from last night” I replied smiling. Joey laughed and smacked me on the back “It was a good night wasn’t it?”


    “It sure was.”


    A few hours later we arrived at the landing strip. A large plane stood waiting for our group to go. Kaidan went into the reception building off to the right hand side of the plane and organised for everything to be sorted. Not long later everyone was up in the sky sitting in the many seats in the massive aircraft. We had been skydiving many times and didn’t need an instructor to be attached when we made the jump. A few were a little nervous but smiled knowing it was all good and fun. Sometime later, everyone stood in a line patiently waiting for the signal to jump. The light went green and the instructor shouted “Go, go, go! Let’s move it everyone!”


    Kaidan jumped first laughing as many others followed. My sister and I were the last to go. I launched myself out of the aircraft laughing as I did everytime we went skydiving, and knew my sister would be hot on my tail. I dove to catch up to everyone when I noticed a disturbance in the air. A shimmering surface appeared below Kaidan and the others. Confused, I stared at the aerial discrepancy and pondered as to what it was.


    A haze from the heat? A hallucination due to a lack of sleep? Maybe I ate something funny?


    Before I could think of any other reasons as to why the shimmering surface was there, Kaidan touched it and disappeared. My stomach lurched as I watched friend after friend vanish through the shimmering surface. There was no way to stop myself from touching the mysterious plane, so instead I braced myself in anticipation for what would happen.


    Whoosh!