Down End Road
Chapter 53

I was running through the grass. I could feel the salty mist in the air, run phantom fingers through my hair. The cold dew sprinkled on the green blades, softened the ground and sent a delightful shiver through my veins. I ran even as my breathless lungs heaved and shook with my laughter.

My grin was stretched so wide I could almost feel the ache. Almost. I was so close to the edge of the cliff, that as I skittered along the edge, tiny white pebbles fell into the blue oblivion.

Suddenly, the rush of the wind and pounding of my blood wasn’t the only sound I could hear. A raucous blaring noise broke through the pristine peace and made itself painfully known.

I woke with a startled jolt and tumbled out of bed as the same alarm continued to blare incessantly through out the Manor. I rushed out of the door, my feet noisily thudded against the carpet.

As I poked out my head I saw students rushing out of their doors, panicked wails resounded around the room. Girls only dressed in their pyjamas rushed out of the hall. Panicked and frightened I fast-tracked back into my dorm only to sloppily pull on my sandals and run out into the hall along with the crowd.

We turned down the halls as a nervous collective. Girls were crying, screaming and running as we scampered to the front door.

In the fray I managed to spot Ally’s brunette head weaving through the crowd. As I began to angle toward her, I felt the sickening wave of nausea slam into me as the putrid smell of rot suddenly became painfully pungent.

The loud screams turned into high-pitched whistle-like noises. Dark corners, no longer inanimate, but crawling and curling around the light walls in such a life like way I felt my heart pound with a new surge of adrenaline.

My feet froze in their place for only a second, as I stared terror stricken at the moving shadow, before I was shoved back into the fray and forcibly moved in the mob of horror-struck women.

Deep masculine shouts blended with the high feminine cries, as the boys turned down the same hall as us. I looked with a skittish gaze as I scrutinised the crowd for Alex and Maverick.

The comforting weight of my medallion and coolness of my ring were no longer enough to calm my frayed nerves, as I searched and searched for Alex. Abruptly, a tug on my arm had me spinning around to meet glowing green eyes. Mavericks platinum blonde head of hair was disheveled and messy his look of agitation had me even more worried.

"Wheres Alex?" I shouted, to be heard over the roar. He gave me a look before staring above my head. As I turned to look I felt two arms encircle my shoulders.

I felt his lips against my hair as he mumbled into my hair, "you're alright." Maybe he meant it more to himself, as assurance, but nevertheless those words meant more to me than he could possibly know. Ally's voice cut through my moment of relief as she found Maverick.

I unraveled myself out of Alex's hold by he still threaded our hands together. As a group we were much stronger, and smarter. My mind suddenly switched into soldier mode as I looked around us, studying our surroundings. Alex noticed my shift in mood and began to look around as well.

"What's the alarm mainly used for Maverick?" I interrogated. He stared at me with a serious look in his eye.

"We only use this alarm for Shifter invasions." He stated, the nausea bubbling in my stomach grew in strength and speed. I sucked in a sharp breath of air.

"What's the protocol for Shifter attacks?" I questioned further. Maverick looked off to the side in thought.

"We go down to the annex and stay put until the adults and soldiers fight them off." He finally told. I nodded my head. I looked around us, studying the various ancient weapons that hung from the walls.

I made a map in my head, like they had taught us in battle tactics, and mentally pin pointed us near the Training hall. "We should..." I trailed off, mentally deciding our next move. "Help." I finally voiced.

Maverick pursed his lips into a thin line. Ally, poor thing, widened her eyes shock froze her features. When I looked to Alex for guidance he was already surveying the walls. My lips tilted up at the sides.

Maverick glared at Alex. "Hang on two seconds English, look what Myra said was a suggestion. There are many other safer routes that we can go down, so will you stop looking like a kid in a candy store right now and stop looking at all the pretty swords and guns on the wall." Maverick sassed.

Alex turned an icy glare on Maverick and in reply Maverick narrowed his own eyes. The tension grew thick when an ear splitting shriek bounced off the walls. It was so menacing, I could've sworn the walls shuddered in terror.

"Okay stop, we have to decide now, we either help or go to the annex." I proposed. "I am in favour of helping, but I understand if you guys don't want to." I informed them diplomatically. Maverick clenched his jaw then looked to Ally for any indication of what she wanted to do.

It was sweet.

"I- I... Look you guys are a lot stronger and faster than me, and I think I would like to go back to the annex. If I went with you I would either get either you or myself hurt." Ally stuttered. "I'm sorry." She apologised.

I grabbed her hand and looked at her with a smile. "It's fine, smart move, possibly smarter than the one I'm making right now." I mumbled the last part under my breath.

Another blaring scream shook the house as the stench of rot and... death, grew harsher and harsher. The acidic reek was so terrible, that by the time Ally ran down the hall to the annex and I had my weapon of choice in hand, her image was blurred by my watery eyes. "They're getting closer." I murmured fearfully.

The truth was selfish and nauseating, but I hadn't just wanted to fight them to help, but because I had to face them. I knew if I didn't fight them I would spend the rest of my life living in, possibly unnecessary if I won, fear. But hey, faith over fear right?

When their smoky black tendrils covering their bodies, reached toward us. When the moons light illuminating the room was swallowed by their shadow, and I was left in absolute darkness.

That was when I let the part of me that I had dreaded letting back in: be free. That was when I took a back seat in my own head and watched as that pale electric blue light consumed my vision.

When I felt a hand cover mine, just before I would have gone under, I felt myself come rushing back to the front of my mind. Not because that side of me was gone, but because now I was grounded enough to rule my mind with it, side by side.