Page 9

Wind flutters through my blonde hair that now feels weightless, my cheeks flushed in fear as she— the bat looks down at me. Her beady eyes appear to have humor in them, lips tilting to show her fangs. Dread piles into my stomach and I know that she already knows what to do— her plan on how to kill me.

With one last glance, she releases me high above the chasm of spiky rocks— venom in her inky black eyes.

She let go of me, and now I was going to die.

I was going to die without saying goodbye to the poptarts in the pantry. I hear a gnarled scream rip out of my lungs as my body drops at a rapid pace; Nothing can compare to the terror that awakens in every nerve in my body. I feel my heart drop faster than my actual body, twisting painfully as curl up into a ball.

I glance up for a split second— to see if a murderer like her would stay behind to watch me die, or to change her mind.

She did neither, her gigantic coal wings flapping powerfully in delight. The last thing I witness of the creature is her wings as they soar away; having finished her business.

This time, I actually release a horrified sob which gets silenced by the ear splitting wind. The rocks below me were jaggedly sharp, and there was no way I was gonna make it alive. I close my eyes to silence all of my terrified, dark thoughts.

Think happy thoughts. Poptarts, Netflix, supernatural, puppies, the harry potter series, books, Atticus- wait no, he's not very happy. He's only happy when he sees me do something he finds amusing— or cute.

I can already picture his playful smirk turning into a scowl. 'Stay here'', his words echoed in the surface of my mind. Well, at least I can say that I actually listened, unlike those stupid girls from those crime books that I read. This wasn't on me— this was on that psychotic Chiroptera.

Come to think of it— I've been falling for a pretty long time now. Am I dead?

I open one eye in curiosity and find myself staring straight at a sharp grey rock. There's speckles of water still drying on the rocks and boulders as if it had been recently raining— iridescent colors swirling in the droplets. My fall had never ended, and yet— I wasn't flying through the sky or falling rapidly anymore.

Floating.

I was levitating— everything was at a calm still around me. I open both eyes and look around, noticing white tips of mist starting to creep their way up the rocks and near me. I slowly reach out my fingers, making contact with the rough textured rock. My body moves on its own accord as I gently lower my legs to the ground, clasping a secure hand on the cold surface. I let out a shaky breath, biting my lip in relief and anxiety of having faced ultimate doom twice in one week.

"Am I dead?" I ask out loud as a deep masculine chuckle sounds within the air, vibrating against the rocks. The mist licks at my feet as a voice sounds out above me— around me and within me.

"No young dove, but you will be if you don't get back to your beloved." I jump slightly spooked as I hear the deep voice in my head. My heart starts to beat frantically in my ribcage again, not even getting a five minute break from the fear that constantly envelopes me. Sorry heart, if we make it out alive— I promise to have a relaxing spa day, put some hot rocks on my back or something. Nice little slices of cucumbers and teabags on my eyes.

"Dumbledore?" I ask out loud, shaking my head in disbelief. First a vampire, next, me having glowing orange veins— and then a bat creature trying to get rid of me. Was it really such a stretch to assume that this could be Dumbledore?

'Not likely, but close I guess. You're going to be Dumble—dead if you don't start moving those chicken legs. He laughs in delight, as if I was a source of entertainment.

"Who, then?" I asked, looking around as the white mist was starting to clear. I take a step forward, immediately taking heed to what he was telling me. I don't want to be Dumble—dead.

"They call me by the name Merlin" he says, voice sounding rushed and less calm than before.

"As in 'sorcerer wizard guy thingy' Merlin? Or is it just a coincidence?" I ask, a sense of ignorance cradling me for the lack of knowledge I possess. My arm reaches out to find a stable rock to climb, trying to make my journey as safe as possible.

"I guess you can say that. The important thing is you get out there before they catch you." He states, urging me to start moving forward quickly and silently. His urgent voice sends an eerie feeling to ripple onto me, goosebumps littering my arms and raising my hairs.

"After who catches me? Where are you? I'm moving as fast as I can." I ramble on, feeling a shred of fear at the thought of someone being after me. I was never a good tag you're it player but I had a feeling this wasn't the same as a children's game. Someone was after me— probably to try and get rid of me just like that bat bitch. Why was I attracting so many weirdos?

"Where am I? How do I find my way home?" So many unanswered questions invade my mind as I walk forward, finally reaching an entrance from climbing the rocks. In front of me was a breathtaking sight— I was at the ledge of a hill filled with sparkling wet grass, leading back to the woods most likely.

"You are in Holdrex. Your home is with your protector, In short, you aren't going home." He states in an apologetic tone, but also being as straightforward as possible.

"Holdrex? Okay is that in like Minnesota or something? I'm sure I can find a highway and have someone take me to a police station. There must be a way out." I say, trying to keep as calm and composed as I could. Merlin stays silent for a while as I wander down the hill and into the thick brush of trees.

"What do you mean 'destined'?" I ask and get no answer in return. I wait a couple seconds, hoping that he was just thinking— but no wise voice sounds out.

"Hello? Merlin? You there?" I knock on my forehead and expect something to sound out. I don't hear the old mans voice anymore. I sigh in frustration and continue my venture through the thick brown tree trunks. Eventually I make it through the woods and to an opening in the dirt. The scent of maple syrup fills my nostrils as I think of where he could've gone— and theories of how I could hear but not see him. I guess he took his leave and didn't say goodbye, at least he helped me somewhat realize that I'm still in danger.

I wrap my arms around myself and shiver as frigid wind flows past my neck and ears, providing a blanket of icy breath. It's so cold, and I didn't bring anything to cover myself with. Its not like I actually knew that I was going to be kidnapped by batwoman and be saved by Merlin, so I guess I can't blame myself.

What an insane day.

I heave a sigh as I reach a split of the pathway in the thick trees. Left or right? Okay, when nothing goes right, go left. I chant the quote in my head like I always do ever since that night that I'd read it off of tumblr. I grin to myself as a symphony of memories burst in my mind, reminiscing of all the good times when I was ignorant to anything other than humans exsisting.

I probably looked like a crazy person as I stood there stuck like a wooden log, staring off into the left path. My hair was sticking in all different types of directions like a broken clock, my face as oily as it gets after adding lotion that isn't right for my skin type. The branches from my experience being clawed through the sky with batman are still stuck in my clothing from the flight and yet I'm still grinning a toothy smile.

I never truly cease to amaze myself.

I swallow away my thoughts like it was nothing more than a glass of iced tea and start my descent through the left path. The trees almost immediately cover the sun, casting a dark shadow over my shivering body and the ground around me. I pondered over if I should go back and take the path with more light, but I choose to stay on this path— knowing that Atticus's home was in this direction. Why was I even going back over there? He kidnapped me— and yet I still couldn't muster up any bad thoughts about the guy. He saved me more than held me hostage, so what could go wrong? I shrug off my fear and put on my big girl pants, continuing the walk through the left path.

Little did I know that the trees weren't the things shading over me and the forest.

*

*

*

*

*