Chaos and courage Page 8

  Had it happened again? Were we lost once again?

  The thought made my heart thump. The walls seemed closer now than earlier, and I put a hand on one to feel it.

  "Are you okay?" Jayden asked. "You look kind of pale."

  "I…I am a little scared," I said. "It kind of reminds me of the last time we were here. What if the spell hasn't been lifted?"

  Jayden smiled softly. "Just keep walking. I’m sure we'll get to something if we continue."

  "You don't think we should go back?" I asked.

  "No. Let's keep going."

  I shone my flashlight at Jayden's face and saw something in his eyes, for just a short second, and then it was gone. It startled me. Thinking I was just getting paranoid, I shook my head and continued.

  I could hear Jayden breathing behind me. As we walked, and it got colder and colder, his breathing grew heavier. My hands were ice cold, and I was soon shaking. I could see my own breath in the light from the flashlight as we continued forward. My heart was beating faster and faster as panic erupted quickly inside me, even though I tried to keep it down. But images of us never finding an exit out of this place kept emerging in my mind and a little voice kept telling me this time the house really had swallowed me like I had been so terrified of as a child. And the worst part was that I had walked in willingly.

  "I think I see something," Jayden said and came up close behind me. I felt his warm body and wanted to hug myself close to him to get warmer. I stared ahead of us, shining the light, desperately seeking for whatever it was he could have seen.

  "What? What did you see?"

  "A door," he said and pulled my hand. "Come on. Let's go."

  I followed him down the hallway till we reached a door, just as Jayden had told me. I hadn't been able to see it and wondered how Jayden's eyes were so good. When growing up, I was usually the one with excellent sight.

  We stopped in front of the door, panting. Jayden put a hand on the handle and pushed it. As it creaked open, he grabbed my hand and pulled me inside.

  "Watch your head here," he said. "The ceilings are very low."

  "W-where are we?" I asked

  "In the tunnels underneath Shadow Hills," he said.

  "Tunnels? I’ve never heard of any tunnels under our town?"

  He turned and smiled. "They lead all the way under the mountains. They spread out in all directions. It is said that people sometimes get lost inside of them and never come out."

  I swallowed, "Really? Wow."

  I turned and looked behind us, then spotted another door. I walked to it and opened it. It led into another room, back inside the old abandoned house, I assumed. We walked inside, then found a set of stairs leading upward and soon after, we were back in the grand hall of the house. I looked at the chandelier in the ceiling, then back at Jayden. "So, are all houses around here connected to the tunnels?"

  Jayden nodded. "I think so."

  "Even the park?"

  He nodded. "There's an entrance close to the lake. It's quite overgrown and hard to see because of the bushes."

  My eyes widened. "The killer. This could be how he got around without being seen. I mean he could go anywhere in the entire town. This is big, Jayden. I knew there was something about this house. I knew there was a reason."

  I looked into his eyes as I spoke. He put his hands on my shoulders.

  "Okay. Can we go now?"

  I looked around the old hall while a million thoughts rushed through my mind. And that was when I heard it—the sound of footsteps. They were coming from upstairs.

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  "Did you hear that?"

  "Hear what?"

  "Footsteps. Someone's upstairs, walking around!"

  Jayden sighed and rubbed his forehead. "I…I don't hear anything, Robyn. Let's just get out of here."

  "Sh." I signaled for him to be quiet.

  "What?"

  "I heard it again. Can't you hear it? Someone is definitely up there."

  "So, what?" he said. "I’m tired, Robyn. Let's just go."

  "So, what? What do you mean so what? It could be my dad."

  He leaned closer. "It could also be the killer. We just established that he has been using this house; maybe he’s still here. Do you really want to walk up to him and face him? A vicious killer? Really?"

  I looked him in the eyes for a few seconds while thinking it over. Then I nodded.

  "I do. I really do."

  I rushed for the stairs. Jayden stayed behind.

  "Seriously?" he said. "Don't you remember what happened last time you went up those stairs?"

  "Sure. But I broke the spell, remember?"

  "We don't know that for sure."

  "It's worth a shot," I said. "I want to see who he is. This might be the only chance we get. We could solve the entire mystery. Come."

  "Is it worth dying for? What if he hurts you?"

  I took a few more steps upward, then turned to look at him. "Then you'll just have to protect me, right?"

  Jayden sighed again.

  "That was cheap."

  "Please, Jayden," I whispered. "We're so close."

  Jayden shrugged. "If that’s what you want."

  He began to walk up. I took two steps at a time. I wasn't planning on actually facing the killer, if that was who it was we could hear. I just wanted to peek and see if I could see who it was, who was up there. I had a feeling it was the same person I had seen in the window a few nights before. No matter who it was, I had to know. I simply had to.

  As I reached the top of the stairs, I found the first room. The door was slightly ajar, and I could see the person in there moving back and forth. Cautiously, I walked closer and put a few fingers in the opening and carefully pushed it open a little further, just enough to peek inside.

  Someone was in there all right. And this someone was pacing back and forth as I had seen the person do in the window. But this person was not my father, nor was he the killer.

  I pulled back with a loud gasp. "This is impossible."

  Jayden came up behind me. "What is it? What do you see?"

  I gasped again and looked at him, my heart thumping in my chest. My hands were shaking. I stared at him with anxiety and terror. He was smiling at me, his eyes glowing red.

  "You. I see you, Jayden."

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  "What's going on with you?"

  Amy was in the kitchen, finishing up her soufflé when Melanie entered. Amy looked up, met her friend's eyes across the room, then felt how her cheeks grew warm. She looked away, pretending to be busy.

  "What do you mean?"

  "I’m used to you going on a cooking frenzy, Amy. I’ve seen that before, but this?" she said and pointed at the stacks of containers with food on the counters and leaning against the cabinets.

  "This is insane. Something is off. And I don't mean in your usual, I-am-worried-so-I-cook, off. No, it's more than that. I know you, Amy. What's going on?"

  Amy found an apple and started to cut it, thinking she could make an apple pie next. Everyone loved a good freshly-baked apple pie, didn't they? Of course, they did.

  "I…I don't know what you're talking about. I was captured. They hurt me. I’ve been through a lot. I need to…"

  Melanie slammed her fist onto the counter. "No. This is something else. I know it is."

  Amy jumped, her heart racing. She felt like breaking down and crying. For a second, she thought about telling Melanie everything. But, how could she? She would know she had cut a deal with Mr. Aran—of all people in this world—to protect her family and that Melanie wasn't a part of it. She would know that she had sold out her friends and told the spiders about the Halloween party and who would be there, even though she knew what it meant, what would happen. Melanie would realize what a coward she was and would hate her for it.

  No, she couldn't let that happen. There was no way.

  Amy lifted her glare and looked into Melanie's eyes, staying calm and collected, even though
her hands were shaking.

  "I’m fine," she said. "Would you leave it alone?"

  Melanie looked into her eyes, her nostrils flaring angrily. Amy felt her dragon flutter inside of her, but she never showed herself. She wondered when she would once again be strong enough to change.

  Melanie shook her head. "I still don't believe you. I think you're hiding something, and you know what? It hurts me too. Because it means you don't trust me enough to tell me."

  Amy rolled her eyes. "Not everything is about you, you know. But so typically you to make it about you."

  Melanie bobbed her head. "You are definitely hiding something. And I am going to find out what it is. If you don't tell me yourself, then I'll find it out on my own. I am not going to let anything bother my friend like this, no matter what it is. And I can tell it is bad if it makes you cook like that," she said and nodded toward the stacks of food, then walked to one and pulled off the lid. She looked inside, then back at Amy, who felt like she was getting smaller by the second.

  "A soufflé?" Melanie said almost gasping. "A perfect soufflé?" Her eyes grew big, and she held a hand to her chest. "This is worse than I thought. This is way worse."

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  The next morning, the birds were singing loudly outside Jayden's window. He blinked and opened his eyes, then realized he wasn't in his bed; he was lying in a yard somewhere. He sat up as a bird tweeted above his head. It took him a few seconds before he realized exactly where he was, and it filled him with a deep sense of anxiety.

  What am I doing here?

  He bolted to his feet, then looked around, confused. The plants, the high grass, the big dark house behind him. The abandoned house. Why was he sleeping there?

  Dumfounded, Jayden hurried into the yard and walked up the street toward his own house. It was still early in the morning, and the sun had only just risen behind the mountains. He was freezing and hurried to his house and walked inside. He rushed to the stairs, but a voice made him stop.

  "Where have you been all night?"

  Jayden turned around and saw his mother. She was standing at the foot of the stairs, looking tired, hands on her hips.

  "Do you have any idea how worried I’ve been? After all we’ve been through, what you have been through, you don't even think to call?"

  Jayden stared at her, baffled. "I…I’m sorry. I was on a date, and I guess I fell asleep."

  He deliberately didn't tell her where he had woken up since he had absolutely no explanation as to why he woke up there and didn't want her to worry further or even suspect him of something strange.

  "I'm sorry."

  Jayden's mom smiled and sighed, relieved. She opened her arms, and he walked down to hug her.

  "It's okay, honey. Just don't do it again. After this entire kidnapping episode, I’m just very protective of you and, frankly, it terrifies me even to let you out of the house. Of course, you can go on a date and even sleep over, if it gets too late, but just always remember to call first, huh?"

  She poked his nose lovingly as she spoke, then smiled while Jayden stared at her, eyes gaping.

  What is she talking about?

  "Now, let's get some breakfast, huh? I’m starving! I think your dad and I might go out hunting tonight. It'll be exciting to get back out there. Do you think we can remember how to do it, huh?"

  Jayden followed her into the kitchen where she poured him a cup of coffee and handed it to him with a wink.

  "Hunting?" he asked, dumbfounded. "But…isn't that a little risky?"

  She wrinkled her forehead. "I think we can manage."

  "But what about the spiders? Won't you risk being seen?"

  She gave him a baffled look. "The spiders are gone, remember?"

  "They're gone? How? When?"

  "Jayden, what's going on with you? Did you drink alcohol last night? Because you know how your dad and I feel about drinking at your age."

  He shook his head. "No. I don't drink."

  "Then what's the matter with you?"

  He sat on a stool with a deep exhale. "I…I don't know. I feel a little off; maybe I’m coming down with something."

  "Maybe you should stay in bed today," she said and threw a steak in a pan. It smelled heavenly, and Jayden realized he was beyond starving. It was like he hadn't eaten in weeks. He was probably growing.

  "Take a lazy Sunday. You need it. You need to get some rest," she said and turned the sizzling steaks in the pan. "It's not good to be stressed out. That’s when we start to forget things. You’ve been through a lot lately; you need to take better care of yourself and not run around so much."

  Jayden nodded. That was probably it. He was stressed out. That's why he felt so confused.

  As he ate his mother's steak, shoveling it down greedily and asking for one more, he wondered what it exactly was that he had been through since his mother kept mentioning it. Was it really a kidnapping? Jayden had absolutely no recollection of being kidnapped.

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  Amy didn't sleep all night. She kept tossing and turning, thinking about what Melanie had said and feeling the nagging sensation of guilt deep in the pit of her stomach. It was the worst feeling in the world. She felt like she had betrayed everyone she loved and worst of all was that she didn’t know how to make up for it. Cooking didn't seem to do the trick anymore. It simply wasn't enough.

  I have to do something drastic. Something so big that it matches in size with my betrayal.

  Amy sat up in bed and watched the sunrise from her window when the solution came to her. As the sun's first rays of the day hit her face, the idea was completed in her mind, and she knew exactly what to do.

  But you must tell no one. No one can know.

  She texted Robyn first thing, then jumped in the shower while waiting for her to answer. As she came out, a towel wrapped around her hair, the phone vibrated, and she looked at it, then smiled.

  Amy got dressed, then told her mom she was going out. She met Robyn outside in her driveway. She was waiting by her truck. As always, she looked striking. Robyn was very beautiful. Not in the same way as her parents, but in her own quirky way with unruly red hair and sparkling green eyes. Robyn smiled when she saw her, and they got into Amy's truck.

  Amy backed out of the driveway and into the street. "Thanks for going with me," she said.

  "Oh, I was glad you texted me," Robyn said. "I wanted to go visit Jazmine today anyway. We might as well go together."

  Amy bobbed her head while her eyes rested on the road in front of her. She hadn't told anyone her plans, and she wasn't going to. This was not for them; this was for her own sake. To bring balance into things.

  Amy parked the truck in front of the hospital, and they got out. Amy felt how she grew increasingly more nervous for every floor they passed in the elevator, and as it dinged to let them know they had arrived, she let out a small gasp.

  "Are you all right?" Robyn asked as they walked out and into the corridor.

  Amy swallowed, then nodded. "I'm fine."

  "You don't seem fine."

  "Just a little worried about Jazmine, that's all. I mean they're turning her off later today."

  They pushed the door to Jazmine's room open and walked inside. Jazmine lay there still while the machines kept her alive. Amy grabbed her hand in hers and squeezed it tight, then caressed her face. Amy fought to hold back her tears when thinking about her. Maybe the tears were just as much for herself as they were for Jazmine.

  Amy felt the blade of the knife in her pocket while the tears escaped her eyes and rolled down her cheeks.

  Robyn put her arm around her. "Are you okay, Amy?"

  Amy continued crying and was soon sobbing loudly.

  "Oh, Amy," Robyn said and hugged her. "We've got to be strong now. For Jazmine's sake."

  Amy nodded with a deep sniffle. "I’m just…really thirsty. Could you go ask for a glass of water, please?"

  Robyn looked a little startled, then nodded. "Of course. Be right
back."

  As she left, Amy pulled out the knife from her pocket, then slid it through the palm of her hand. The pain made her wince.

  She looked down at Jazmine as the blood gushed out, then let the drops hit Jazmine's face. She then placed the bloody hand against Jazmine's lips to let her drink the blood.

  "Here you go," she said feeling how all the energy and strength oozed out of her. "This will heal you…and me as well."

  Amy was weaker than she had thought and, seconds later, she started to feel dizzy. The room was soon spinning and, as the blood left her, she sank to the floor.

  Chapter Forty

  Amy woke up in a hospital bed, her parents standing by her side, Robyn at her feet.

  "Amy," her mother said. "You scared us. What were you thinking?"

  Slowly remembering what she had done, Amy sighed.

  Her mom looked at her, concerned.

  "You tried to heal her, didn't you? You wanted to use your precious blood to heal your friend, even when you were so weak, you couldn't even change into your dragon. Don't you ever do that again, you hear me?" Her mom spoke while her nostrils flared, and a small puff of smoke emerged from them.

  Her dad stepped forward. "What your mom is trying to say is that, while we fully understand why you would want to help your friend, you weren't in any shape to do so."

  Amy scoffed, then looked at Robyn. "Did it work? Did she wake up?"

  Her mom shook her head. "No, sweetie. It didn't."

  Amy's eyes grew wide. "What? But why?"

  Her mother grabbed her hand in hers and sighed. "I don't know, sweetie. You’re weak, you…" She paused and glanced at her husband.

  Amy tried to sit up, but felt even dizzier, then put her head back down.

  "Maybe there just wasn't enough. Maybe if I try again…"

  Her mother shook her head. "No," she said.

  "Maybe one of you can try? You heal people all the time?" she said.