I desperately searched among the trees for signs of movement. My lungs seemed to shrink with every breath, and I bent over in a fit of coughing.copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡcrOhLxXlYJ
“We’ll find her,” Nica wheezed. ”We just have to keep looking.”copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡN2hCnFPiw4
I nodded. I could feel my heart pounding in my throat. “I just need a second.”copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6fGPOWgoSl
Why wasn’t Emily responding? Why hadn’t we heard her scream?copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡA5MomyWkTU
The sudden sound of branches snapping in the distance sent us stumbling in pursuit. copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3HWkkk09Cw
Dense, shoulder high thickets made it impossible for us to move quickly. Branches whipped at my cheeks and bare legs, but I hardly felt the sting.copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡeIMUyAQPZJ
Above us, thick canopies blocked out the moon. I couldn’t see a damn thing. Terrified of getting separated, I fumbled for Nica’s hand.copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡazOWYbuUvo
It felt like we’d been running forever when finally, I could see a soft blue light filtering through the trees ahead. A clearing!copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡPz6MUq6UAI
We rushed towards it, trying as hard as we could to be quiet. I was about to move into the open when Nica wrenched me back.copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡrOrdI0OzPN
Her eyes were wild. With one finger pressed to her lips, she pulled me to stand behind an old spruce tree.copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡjZn7WliqgO
My stomach twisted at the sound of sickening, guttural voices emanating from the field.copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡP6oVSilYdW
It was them. A group of hunched creatures, carrying Emily’s limp body on their backs.copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡHEK9St9H3Z
The first thing I noticed was their skin. A sickly shade of green-grey, covered in what I could only assume to be warts. They didn’t seem to have any ears and their faces were mostly flat, like a toads, with two bulbous black eyes.copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡumZSuVeNmv
But more than anything, it was their arms that disturbed me the most; exceedingly thin and disproportionately long in comparison to their short bodies, dragging in the dirt behind them like dead appendages.copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡBbB07titsw
And they had my little sister. They were touching her.copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡpabaj3EtKH
The thought made me physically sick. Bile rushed up my throat. I turned away and retched.copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡsf4r7ynllJ
Nica rubbed my shoulder. I could hear her sniffling.copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡQXVsX2Wfvo
“I’m so sorry,” she sobbed. “This is all my fault.”copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡMVzX5T0JmL
“Don’t,” I said, my voice brittle.copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡrP1vg83Dup
“They’ve stopped walking.”copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡnlmiNjkJzQ
I glanced up. The toad-men dropped Emily’s body. I cringed as she hit the dirt with a loud thud.copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8lLHiRAjBX
Oh god. What have they done to her?copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡ52M6y3eCHJ
They circled around her with arms pointing inwards. All I could see was their backs.copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡ145nmSGHCf
“Are they –?”copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡxLAjtTa4cL
Crack.copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1iOOomRDYy
Scorching hot wind whipped at my hair. I screamed, feeling my skin blister and crack. I could hear Nica shrieking beside me.copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡmZDrm0k3HX
Then, as swiftly as it had started, the wind came to an abrupt stop – and with it, the pain.copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡjfIUycNJg0
I examined my hands and arms for damages. Nothing. It was all in my head.copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡuhij6GFXkE
Nica’s eyes were glued to the field when I turned to check on her. Her skin was abnormally pale, even in the moonlight.copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡwGE981at4R
Dread crept up from the pit of my stomach.copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡqo79iFl5oB
I forced myself to look.copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6TTodZ5TXp
It was empty.copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡxt6cDedNIi
They’ve disappeared.copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡF8GMhYsC4R
“That looked incredibly painful.” copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡeaL7zY7FR4
The voice came from right behind me. I nearly jumped out of my skin. Spinning on my toes, I looked up into the face of a young man – and lost my breath.copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4pybBcqPZ8
His eyes were the most startling shade of amber that I had ever seen. The precise color of liquid honey in the sunlight, flecked with gold and alive with light. They locked onto mine, unblinking.copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7FgOsyNUbR
I appraised him, slack-jawed. He looked like he crept straight out of a Jane Austen novel, in a tight-fitting black waistcoat layered over a white ruffle-cuff shirt. All that was missing was the top hat. Instead, his hair flowed freely in shoulder-length waves, as fair as champagne.copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡLp2wxBuEhm
Was this guy for real?copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡJmLhxmtXbt
I took a step back, bumping into a tree.copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6j8m7BVUv6
“W-who are you?” I sputtered.copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡMhwPO3riHI
“Name’s Jack,” the young man said. He had an unusual accent; Scottish, perhaps. Mixed with something I couldn’t quite place. “And we’re here to help you.”copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡEq4qICMbzX
I blinked at him. “We?”copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡFFhO2opYjU
Jack held up his left hand.copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡ46cAV0Emjm
At his signal, a group of people emerged from between the trees. They too were clothed in a similar fashion, only they wore black, floor-length cloaks, hooded to conceal their faces.copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4YM9ovLaGl
“What is this, some kind of cult?” Nica hissed.copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8m1pa4Oz28
Simultaneously, they pulled back their hoods.copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡu7eGI9Hmw0
None of them looked to be much older than us; early to mid-twenties, I guessed. Yet there was something off about them. Something altogether ominous.copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡIBYvKm0vxH
It was the way they carried themselves; poised and unnaturally fluent with their movements.copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡRG3S5eWUNY
“Sir,” A man addressed Jack. “We must make haste.”copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2i6gZOqGaX
“Aye.” Jack studied Nica for a moment before his eyes landed back on me. “Would you two like to come with us?”copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡHTyFpj2qOA
Nica walked to stand beside me. “Where exactly are you going?”copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Fgbympugd
Jack smirked crookedly at us. “I’m not so sure you’d believe me.”copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡtjwzAvn0cy
“We just watched those things disappear into thin air with our sister. I’m feeling pretty open-minded,” she snapped.copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡYTswzRPChE
His eyes softened. “Ah. I’m sorry for your loss.”copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡcpktBSP1n6
“Sir,” pressed the same young man as before.copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡfQpLqZhN0t
“Yes, I know,” Jack sighed. “Vevila?”copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡmYnOvWGkzY
A petite young woman curtsied then rushed to stand before me. She bared a striking resemblance to Jack, with long, fair hair and striking eyes. Only hers were a lovely violet-blue, much like the petals of an Iris flower, and framed in heavy, dark lashes.copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡZMnjfZc50z
She regarded me, doe-eyed.copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡbgqB1QAiEB
“Please don’t be afraid.” Her voice was soft. Melodious. “My name’s Vevila. I’m going to help you.”copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡM0z9P56vpF
She reached into her cloak and pulled out a small, red satin pouch tied with golden thread. She poured the contents into her hand; a vibrant orange powder.copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡuprRIHRVMS
“You mean drug her,” Nica snapped.copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡuY8Uz9Lasp
“Close your eyes,” Vevila instructed me.copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡLeplofrvKQ
I shook my head.copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡaegC6YkYT7
“Get away from me,” I growled, trying my best to appear tough.copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡQo5YjF84QB
In a blur, Nica tackled Vevila to the ground.copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡtCQTYe8pJT
The men behind Jack moved quickly. They lifted Nica’s thrashing body and pinned her to a tree. She screamed at me to run.copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡgU8wxeuSdo
Vevila stood, brushed the dirt from her knees and wiped at the blood trailing from her nose with the back of her free hand. Then, with a hushed apology, she tossed the powder at my face.copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ3N526KabA
Engulfed in a neon cloud, I gasped for air.copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡLFdCybQGAA
The breath I sucked in was deep and long, relieving the burning sensation in my chest.copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡzQvHm3WRV9
Surprisingly, the air didn’t irritate me at all. It smelled sweet, like lavender and chamomile.copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡgVd30faLqm
I slid against the bark of the tree until I sat against the roots.copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡmc1zOzKFgk
Don’t close your eyes, I commanded myself.copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡfPaLxxOuoK
“It’ll be alright.” Though Vevila was crouched just beside me, her voice sounded distant. “Just relax.”copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡDFFRIG6Trw
“Mm.” I tried to protest, but my mouth wouldn’t cooperate.copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡfNIgmwQ6c6
Nica’s protests faded into silence as my vision blurred into darkness.copyright protection49ＰＥＮＡＮＡrsVCdt92Xy
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