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.8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡqhW9nsEcpl 維尼
“We’ll find her,” Nica wheezed. ”We just have to keep looking.”8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡQLoUZIU6xZ 維尼
I nodded. I could feel my heart pounding in my throat. “I just need a second.”8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡnYvWEeQTJ3 維尼
Why wasn’t Emily responding? Why hadn’t we heard her scream?8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7kzAnNqoZV 維尼
The sudden sound of branches snapping in the distance sent us stumbling in pursuit. 8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0m24Sl7QsT 維尼
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.8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡK0L9GNi5SR 維尼
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.8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡtUBBp0NtRJ 維尼
It felt like we’d been running forever when finally, I could see a soft blue light filtering through the trees ahead. A clearing!8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡO5y2IiaC6E 維尼
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.8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡP8cf76wafj 維尼
Her eyes were wild. With one finger pressed to her lips, she pulled me to stand behind an old spruce tree.8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡTSrI92HQ41 維尼
My stomach twisted at the sound of sickening, guttural voices emanating from the field.8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡIum7jSGIgP 維尼
It was them. A group of hunched creatures, carrying Emily’s limp body on their backs.8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡf49GcX6u1v 維尼
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.8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡdXTjLZIgz2 維尼
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.8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡpYnkoiHWyL 維尼
And they had my little sister. They were touching her.8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡxeJIOFdMsS 維尼
The thought made me physically sick. Bile rushed up my throat. I turned away and retched.8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡrtZipYloFO 維尼
Nica rubbed my shoulder. I could hear her sniffling.8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡu7acxV6gtT 維尼
“I’m so sorry,” she sobbed. “This is all my fault.”8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡhSiNaCwUuJ 維尼
“Don’t,” I said, my voice brittle.8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4CSWbxh5w3 維尼
“They’ve stopped walking.”8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡmf9GbRjL3p 維尼
I glanced up. The toad-men dropped Emily’s body. I cringed as she hit the dirt with a loud thud.8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡyBQXpknGLm 維尼
Oh god. What have they done to her?8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6vIw0KGiuy 維尼
They circled around her with arms pointing inwards. All I could see was their backs.8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡYejZ3hU464 維尼
“Are they –?”8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡHzROr5T1Tk 維尼
Crack.8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡfvEH5ZtIGt 維尼
Scorching hot wind whipped at my hair. I screamed, feeling my skin blister and crack. I could hear Nica shrieking beside me.8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡbrv62yIai0 維尼
Then, as swiftly as it had started, the wind came to an abrupt stop – and with it, the pain.8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7vTFLa8eFy 維尼
I examined my hands and arms for damages. Nothing. It was all in my head.8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡmo6JkioK3j 維尼
Nica’s eyes were glued to the field when I turned to check on her. Her skin was abnormally pale, even in the moonlight.8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡEpT7TvKTuV 維尼
Dread crept up from the pit of my stomach.8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3G48T36MCU 維尼
I forced myself to look.8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1fjmpuU1zm 維尼
It was empty.8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡPpPGAZxQ3l 維尼
They’ve disappeared.8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ85Wjpi7lr 維尼
“That looked incredibly painful.” 8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡWZjOBqJbqo 維尼
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.8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡAnLhemjk0r 維尼
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.8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡuWOru5401M 維尼
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.8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3ds2Yozl2k 維尼
Was this guy for real?8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡmSN71aYcUa 維尼
I took a step back, bumping into a tree.8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡzbdnys2M9H 維尼
“W-who are you?” I sputtered.8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2vw0mjxWkZ 維尼
“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.”8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8MNlbM15Lk 維尼
I blinked at him. “We?”8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡRgfzfCWQwh 維尼
Jack held up his left hand.8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3qnssFMfqi 維尼
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.8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡNZhj4KE4oT 維尼
“What is this, some kind of cult?” Nica hissed.8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡTAuugSxjbV 維尼
Simultaneously, they pulled back their hoods.8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Ju3iIyTg3 維尼
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.8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡbqf0XnBnGf 維尼
It was the way they carried themselves; poised and unnaturally fluent with their movements.8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡT1PJJIksoY 維尼
“Sir,” A man addressed Jack. “We must make haste.”8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡmjughVVLdR 維尼
“Aye.” Jack studied Nica for a moment before his eyes landed back on me. “Would you two like to come with us?”8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡNrIYhLFg9f 維尼
Nica walked to stand beside me. “Where exactly are you going?”8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡcz2fBrkJf2 維尼
Jack smirked crookedly at us. “I’m not so sure you’d believe me.”8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡvBC17XNm7W 維尼
“We just watched those things disappear into thin air with our sister. I’m feeling pretty open-minded,” she snapped.8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1HNFv4RKzo 維尼
His eyes softened. “Ah. I’m sorry for your loss.”8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡnc3F2hecY8 維尼
“Sir,” pressed the same young man as before.8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡwRDjfHgTkM 維尼
“Yes, I know,” Jack sighed. “Vevila?”8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0iV6YAknkj 維尼
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.8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡuL2QcTfVFt 維尼
She regarded me, doe-eyed.8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡvnTKup8LVi 維尼
“Please don’t be afraid.” Her voice was soft. Melodious. “My name’s Vevila. I’m going to help you.”8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡSpFpBZ1EiB 維尼
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.8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9l3t33La4i 維尼
“You mean drug her,” Nica snapped.8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡv0AcwnEuo6 維尼
“Close your eyes,” Vevila instructed me.8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡakv1nkhY4O 維尼
I shook my head.8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡalSEK7oImK 維尼
“Get away from me,” I growled, trying my best to appear tough.8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡLBzkW1Qyf3 維尼
In a blur, Nica tackled Vevila to the ground.8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡpeUeWAQnhA 維尼
The men behind Jack moved quickly. They lifted Nica’s thrashing body and pinned her to a tree. She screamed at me to run.8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡdHwFRGDfOT 維尼
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.8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡhmrZii3iSx 維尼
Engulfed in a neon cloud, I gasped for air.8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡoPgTJmLnSF 維尼
The breath I sucked in was deep and long, relieving the burning sensation in my chest.8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡdzCmZHQQz8 維尼
Surprisingly, the air didn’t irritate me at all. It smelled sweet, like lavender and chamomile.8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡvPe0GqCfL0 維尼
I slid against the bark of the tree until I sat against the roots.8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡa0X7suefkY 維尼
Don’t close your eyes, I commanded myself.8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡsin7qxJXtw 維尼
“It’ll be alright.” Though Vevila was crouched just beside me, her voice sounded distant. “Just relax.”8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡVs2JtMhHBJ 維尼
“Mm.” I tried to protest, but my mouth wouldn’t cooperate.8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1FKog6kDEa 維尼
Nica’s protests faded into silence as my vision blurred into darkness.8964 copyright protection74ＰＥＮＡＮＡy8xBLLu6Re 維尼
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