Chapter 15

The street is a skeleton, stripped of its flesh long ago, deserted, the buildings all boarded up and falling apart, neglected over the years, left to rot and wither away with time.
The cold air does little for my body. The dress offers little warmth let alone comfort. Shivering, I proceed forward, walking straight ahead. Glancing back every so often, not feeling comfortable being this close to where my captors are, I jog, willing my weak body forward.
What is with the red eyed men? What do I have that they want? Twice now I have been confronted by them. There must be something I am missing.
I stagger for around half an hour or so, until I collapse on a nearby bench in a children’s playground. Children run around freely, their parents keeping a watchful eye on them whist chatting with other adults. The children’s laughter is like music to my ears.
The adults give me disapproving glances. I must look a sight for sore eyes, my dress ripped with blood splatters, my body covered in cuts and God knows what else.
Is this what my life is going to be like from now on? Constant danger, waiting around every corner, ready to strike when I am least expecting it.
The children leave one by one. Night falls slowly. Darkness surrounds me.
I should move, find help. Maybe I can go back to Clara and David and forget about everything. Somehow, I doubt that will happen. They will find me.
My heart hammers frantically in my chest. A gigantic dog runs towards me, his grey fur stands on end. An old saying that Clara used to say floods my mind. “The only thing you cannot trust a dog with is your uneaten sandwich.” The thought brings a smile to my face. I burst into fits of giggles. Why I am laughing I have no idea. Maybe it’s laugh or cry. I don’t know, but the giggles won’t stop.
The dog skids to a halt in front of me. Its slobbery tongue assaults my bare legs.
Disgusted, with all the strength I can muster, I push at the dog’s head. “Shoo, shoo.” The words are barely audible, just below a whisper. My giggles evaporate as quickly as they came.
My eyes begin to droop. My body strains to stay awake. A howl fills the air, vibrating my body. Within a second the Michaels stand before me. My unwanted giggles burst forth at the sight of them, horror and fascination in their eyes as they all stare.
“I think she has gone mad,” Misty says with wide eyes.
“Trauma can do strange things to people,” James adds.
“She’s been through a lot a lately, it’s too much for her mind to process,” Chris says, looking at me intensely. Their words penetrate my fuzzy mind but have no meaning. Chris pulls me into his arms, and the warmth and comfort of his body seeps into my chilled skin. I press myself closer, burying my head in his chest. The giggles die down, giving way to hiccups. I hold onto him tighter as I begin to sway.
The dog growls, his yellow sharp teeth on display.
“What is with that mutt?” I ask, my head still buried.
Chris lets out a little snort as to stop himself form laughing. He rubs my back, sending warmth through my muscles. The dog continues to growl.
Misty places her hand on the dog’s head. They disappear in a swirl of light blue colours.
“Heal her before Belinda sees,” James commands, authority in his voice. He too disappears in a swirl of blue. Great leave me alone with the Michael that hates me.
Chris places me back on the bench and kneels before me. His hands glow a light blue. My cuts and aches disappear.
He pulls me up and buries his face in my hair. Although I am shocked at his behaviour, his sudden display of affection, my body moves on its own accord, snuggling closer, for warmth or comfort I am not sure. The feeling of safety sweeps over me. The familiar electric static feels good against my freezing skin.
He pulls back slowly, and my eyes lock with his. A glazed look covers his iris, and my hand reaches for his face. Slowly, my fingertips graze his cheek. His hands become tighter on the small of my back, bringing me closer to him.
A black object whizzes through the air just millimetres away from my ear. It embeds itself into his left shoulder, knocking him of balance. He quickly rights himself, his eyes scanning our surroundings. Nothing but darkness can be seen.
I jump into his arms, startled. Black mist seeps up from the ground. The mist swirls round and round, growing larger by the second.
“Do the blue light thing.” I command in desperation.
“I can’t, the dart has stolen my powers,” he states. Terror rips through me.
The black mist drags us forward, its strength frightening, sucking us in like a vacuum. My still weak body cannot fight. My body is pulled forward at an alarming speed. My eyes water as my breath catches in my throat. The mist fully surrounds me, clogging my airways. I can’t breathe. My stomach dose somersaults as darkness sucks us under.
Spinning, twirling, my body is pulled and pushed in all directions. I feel like I am taking a spin in a tumble dryer. The air warms up considerably.
Pitch black is all I can see.
“Chris” I yell, repeatedly. No answer. The only sound I can hear is the sound of a very loud lawn mower.
I crash to the floor hard. My back hits the floor with a crack. My head follows suit. Pain shoots down my spine. Stars dance behind my closed eye lids. I lay there a few moments as foul air enters my oxygen deprived lungs. I push myself up from the damp grass. I am in a small clearing, and just beyond the field the scenery is swallowed up by giant trees. Long thick branches cover the ground below in darkness.
Chris slowly gets to his knees. Rushing over I help him up. The moonlight gives enough light for me to see his face. Pain is evident on his features. He places his hand over his wounded shoulder.
“We could have run,” I state while struggling to hold his body weight. Pushing me to the side, he slumps to the ground.
“The darts they use don’t just take your powers; they also freeze your muscles. I couldn’t move, so that wasn’t an option.”
Leaves rustle in the distance. Chris curses under his breath as men surround us, bow and arrows firmly in their hands, all aimed at us. Their black clothes help them to blend into the background. Red eyes glow on every man as they descend upon us.
They waste no time. Hauling Chris to his feet and yanking me by the arm, they march us through the trees. Feeling defeated, I have no choice but to follow blindly.
I glance at Chris; his head is raised high.
I stumble over an unexposed tree root and fall forward, scraping my knee.
Fed up with my clumsy walk, without warning, the man picks me up and throws me over his shoulders. A scream escapes my lips at the sudden movement. Blood rushes straight to my brain as dizziness settles in.
Distant sounds of owls tooting pierce the eerie quietness. The men had yet to utter a sound. The snapping of twigs and the crouching of leaves echo loudly.