The Dark Side of the World (TDA)

*Chapter 6*

We race down the streets at speeds faster than I thought I could go. At first it felt exhilarating and free, but now I'm just getting tired. I've never been much of a runner, and now I'm finally paying for it. By my estimation we've only been running for a few minutes, though it feels like years. The streets are fairly quiet, thank god, but every now and then we'll pass someone who looks at us like we're crazy. It doesn't seem to bother James in the slightest.

"Is this really- really necessary" I gasp, trying to keep up with his pace

"What do you mean?" 

"Well," I huff "Even if there really was a freaking demon in my house" I catch his glare out of the corner of my eye, and ignore it, "Then surely it's not still following us! Can't we just slow down?" 

"No" he says simply

I've given up asking where we're going, so I try a different angle. "Ok well how much farther then?"

"Not far, now" he assures me. "God, what I wouldn't give to have Tessa with me right now" the second part was muttered under his breath, so quietly I wasn't sure I was meant to hear.

I was just about to give up, tell him he was crazy and take my chances with whatever he said was still chasing us and stop running when James slows to a walk.  I stumble behind him trying to catch my breath.

"Finally" he sighs with obvious relief "We're here. We're safe"

I frown. Where was 'here' exactly? I look around me for anything, big or small, that could be considered by James as safe place, but all I see is a big old church a little bit away from us. 

It's a classic looking church, like the kind  you'd see in old movies where the bride and groom come out, surrounded by people and then get whisked away in a fancy old car. The kind that would have been beautiful in its days, the pride and joy of the town. But that's not how it looks now.

James motions with his finger for me to follow him as he makes his was towards the old church. As we get closer and closer to it, my confusion only grows. It looks even worse up close! The wood boards look like they're rotting, and the whole thing looks like it's about ready to fall down. 

"Er, James? What are we doing here?" I ask wearily 

"What do you mean?"

"Well, why are we at an abandoned church?"

He looks at me with a concerned look. "Can't you see it?"

I turn back to the old church squinting, trying to see whatever it is that I've apparently missed. All of the sudden the whole building seems to change before my eyes.

Where one minute there's a small decaying mess, the next there's a masterpiece. Maybe that's a bit much to describe one building, but its' the only thing I can think of. Masterpiece

The large oak doors look about a hundred years, old but timeless too somehow. I can't even count how many floors there are, all of them covered with windows. ( A/N Hey, so there are I think three different descriptions of the New York institute (The movie, show and the photo in the new addition of city of bones), and despite the cover being a picture from the show, I'm going to be using the book's description of it. That being said, I might mess up a bit. So you guys can point out glaring errors, but if I get one little thing, just go with it. I'm not perfect.)

I gasp and take a step back, my eyes trained on it, half of me expecting it to change again. 

I hear James chuckle beside me, and I turn to look at him "What just happened"