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 protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡGDmrqPevJq
“We’ll find her,” Nica wheezed. ”We just have to keep looking.”copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡeR4emzbcr8
I nodded. I could feel my heart pounding in my throat. “I just need a second.”copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡSsUNgudyjO
Why wasn’t Emily responding? Why hadn’t we heard her scream?copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡ90swrTlGo5
The sudden sound of branches snapping in the distance sent us stumbling in pursuit. copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6DWbRjL3vc
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 protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡboF5cVzpuT
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 protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡeDTG9kAv1Y
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 protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡB8CykuR5xn
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 protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡhJMWPYSonm
Her eyes were wild. With one finger pressed to her lips, she pulled me to stand behind an old spruce tree.copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡiB0biavSGx
My stomach twisted at the sound of sickening, guttural voices emanating from the field.copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡRhFtPZXH4v
It was them. A group of hunched creatures, carrying Emily’s limp body on their backs.copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4meQj4Ocsc
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 protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡzLNzW6KsYq
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 protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡZPIFjyEgfJ
And they had my little sister. They were touching her.copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡMk61bp50By
The thought made me physically sick. Bile rushed up my throat. I turned away and retched.copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡcbj0Kf6vH5
Nica rubbed my shoulder. I could hear her sniffling.copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡWHUEmdc1us
“I’m so sorry,” she sobbed. “This is all my fault.”copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡKhMRiYhoYT
“Don’t,” I said, my voice brittle.copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡWa4gbPwhkd
“They’ve stopped walking.”copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡmgUhVhv8i0
I glanced up. The toad-men dropped Emily’s body. I cringed as she hit the dirt with a loud thud.copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡA3inUBlbZk
Oh god. What have they done to her?copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Wu8dGXJXi
They circled around her with arms pointing inwards. All I could see was their backs.copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡWkzRCu98Cr
“Are they –?”copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9durBo2Xz1
Crack.copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡhEYMNbsLUq
Scorching hot wind whipped at my hair. I screamed, feeling my skin blister and crack. I could hear Nica shrieking beside me.copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3RLCJn7SwK
Then, as swiftly as it had started, the wind came to an abrupt stop – and with it, the pain.copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡjFYN6zc8xM
I examined my hands and arms for damages. Nothing. It was all in my head.copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡaOq8Aej2Zd
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 protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡt34eGNBNG8
Dread crept up from the pit of my stomach.copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡyZNwMT6Z1D
I forced myself to look.copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡLbrbk2pD5p
It was empty.copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡQysVM9JoWp
They’ve disappeared.copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡwvpj1bd7bf
“That looked incredibly painful.” copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡLWqc8Lfyok
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 protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡXfSqbFzU3v
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 protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡkA1JT2V6a6
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 protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡlV2M8ayoIW
Was this guy for real?copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡIGcB6ngFik
I took a step back, bumping into a tree.copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡbCUcmOfiVq
“W-who are you?” I sputtered.copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡohmr4uCCSl
“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 protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡyB1Kc88tNq
I blinked at him. “We?”copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡNZ3HcpvrIq
Jack held up his left hand.copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡR7HdyLIboB
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 protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡwWcyHpHPSu
“What is this, some kind of cult?” Nica hissed.copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡgFujnGJT8r
Simultaneously, they pulled back their hoods.copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡj0y1e7NXib
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 protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡyP8LoQb5F3
It was the way they carried themselves; poised and unnaturally fluent with their movements.copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡAWJ4f6LZZU
“Sir,” A man addressed Jack. “We must make haste.”copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡqjUZl9697p
“Aye.” Jack studied Nica for a moment before his eyes landed back on me. “Would you two like to come with us?”copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡlFftrDkCIZ
Nica walked to stand beside me. “Where exactly are you going?”copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡGiVpnbw9av
Jack smirked crookedly at us. “I’m not so sure you’d believe me.”copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3BPYAa8Hjf
“We just watched those things disappear into thin air with our sister. I’m feeling pretty open-minded,” she snapped.copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7EVm8mZsZI
His eyes softened. “Ah. I’m sorry for your loss.”copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡsF0o5ozByK
“Sir,” pressed the same young man as before.copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7BlWAW6IDq
“Yes, I know,” Jack sighed. “Vevila?”copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡYK5T6eg6Gf
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 protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡO9VPx1d7CM
She regarded me, doe-eyed.copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡSKndGYaNGN
“Please don’t be afraid.” Her voice was soft. Melodious. “My name’s Vevila. I’m going to help you.”copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡeEyjyFxOLe
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 protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4An0pV1D3E
“You mean drug her,” Nica snapped.copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡpVoN95LjTs
“Close your eyes,” Vevila instructed me.copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡ777GrFmZt7
I shook my head.copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡdxIBy7xzLA
“Get away from me,” I growled, trying my best to appear tough.copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡeawDXGJJ0C
In a blur, Nica tackled Vevila to the ground.copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡb8JiOaXa9r
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 protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡinZ0Zx8w7T
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 protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7l3EZ1kIKl
Engulfed in a neon cloud, I gasped for air.copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡkWt4eifctp
The breath I sucked in was deep and long, relieving the burning sensation in my chest.copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡDLMCMLaUih
Surprisingly, the air didn’t irritate me at all. It smelled sweet, like lavender and chamomile.copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡOpDS4CUolF
I slid against the bark of the tree until I sat against the roots.copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡKGBdKQvZ2Z
Don’t close your eyes, I commanded myself.copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡoFKbixXssf
“It’ll be alright.” Though Vevila was crouched just beside me, her voice sounded distant. “Just relax.”copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡJgFn8J038l
“Mm.” I tried to protest, but my mouth wouldn’t cooperate.copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡIS1j6M9CMb
Nica’s protests faded into silence as my vision blurred into darkness.copyright protection32ＰＥＮＡＮＡBbRmm9TkCm
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