The Gate

37. Green Light

Lena Matthews

The wind started to pick up around me. I quickly tied my hair out of my face and tried to follow the wolf's gaze. Her yellow eyes were fixated on the distance, but I couldn't see anything yet. I took my glasses off and rubbed them on my sweater to see if that would help. Everyone was starting to pick up on our uneasiness and murmured among themselves nervously. When I put my glasses back on, something caught my eye.

A small green light was blinking back at me from the podium onstage. I shivered unexpectedly and looked up. It was beginning to snow. A feeling of dread filled my body as I realized that it was only snowing around me.

"She's coming." I whispered. I looked over at the wolf, who was still drawn to something in the distance. She crouched, ready to strike at any moment.

The circle of snow around me expanded, and the wind became more intense. Its chill cut through my skin like it was nothing. My body tensed in fear as I stared helplessly at the yuki onna.

Her pale face had that same smile. Her long white kimono still flapped in the wind like a disgraced angel's wing. Her long black hair was still fanned out around her, shrouding her white silhouette in darkness. The cold got worse, clawing its way into my heart. Aaliyah howled, the piercing sound echoing inside my chest. Her teeth were bared in preparation to avenge what had been taken. The anger was personal, and I could feel it radiating from her.

The yuki onna didn't move, but her expression twisted into something more menacing. The snow around us froze and the wind died with an abruptness that made my ears ring.

Then, the wolf vanished. It was as if she had never been here. Everyone stared in shock, paralyzed with the rest of the world. I needed to run, or fight, or do something, but my body refused to move. My hope had shattered the second the wolf had vanished. The Forbidden crowd watched me with bated breath as the yuki onna floated forward. She stopped, her face chillingly close to mine.

My body shook uselessly as waves of uncontrollable shivers coursed through it. I couldn't summon fire anymore, but I couldn't bring nature to my aid either.

The yuki onna pulled a white arm from the folds of her kimono, and brushed her long, cold fingers across my cheek. I tried to scream, but the only thing I could do was stare at her empty eyes and wait to see if this would be enough for me to die again.

The silence broke with a small whizzing sound that cut through the air. I caught the silver glint of a dagger as it expertly glided past the yuki onna and slashed her shoulder. The yuki onna retreated instantly, but my shaking wouldn't stop. I turned to see that Jessica was the only Forbidden standing, her eyes glowing a murderous red.

Then someone pressed play on the world again.

As the snow swirled angrily, the Forbidden prepared to fight back. Before I could even blink, Carter had rushed to my side and dragged me behind the stage.

"Why... why can't I-" I could barely force my chapped lips to move in the cold.

"I think I have a good idea of what's going on," said Carter. He touched the grass beneath him. It had been coated in a layer of suffocating frost. Everything nearby was suffering the same way, and I couldn't cut off my connection with nature.

My phone vibrated, and I managed to get it out of my pocket. I was getting a call from Finn.

"Stay here." Carter instructed. "I'm going to help them."

It wasn't like I was planning on moving. Carter sped away from me, and I decided to answer the phone. "Bad... time." I told Finn.

"You're there, aren't you? The meeting thing." said Finn. He sounded panicked.