Beautiful Creatures: 20 Days Left |DISCONTINUED FOR NOW|

Chapter 4: Going Downhill

Thalia POV
James and I had been away from Tony and Krystal for a while now.

At the moment we walked, hand in hand, down a side road. He insisted he knew how to get back out of the Tunnels, but I wasn't so sure.

But, luckily, just as I was about to suggest we stop for the night, Dylan tapped my shoulder.

"Look!" He said triumphantly, "told you I'd get us out."

Indeed, there was a dark, dank tunnel ahead, that I knew must lead to stairs, which must lead out. Excited, I kissed his cheek, and together we began jogging to the tunnel.

There were cobwebs on the walls, and water seeping through the floorboards. It was disgusting. Surely not a place I would willingly be seen. Still, it seemed eerily familiar...

"How long do you think this tunnel is?" Dylan asked.

"I don't know."

"Do you think it leads out of the Tunnels?"

"I don't know."

"Where do you think we'll end up?"

"I DON'T KNOW, DYLAN. IF I KNEW, WOULDN'T I TELL YOU?! SHUT THE HELL UP ALREADY."

I saw Dylan's Adam's Apple bob in his throat for a moment.

"Love you, too," he mumbled, before flipping me off and heading back the way we came.

And he calls himself a Light Caster, flipping a lady off like that.

"Dylan, where do you think you're going?"

"Away from you. I thought you were different. But you're just like Tony and Krystal. Too Dark to care for anyone but yourself."

I bit my lip and watched him go until he was out of sight, then I broke down in tears.

I wanted to go after him. I really, really did. But he was wrong. He said I was, "too Dark to care about anyone but myself". If that were true, then I would go after him. But I let him go, because I had to. I was selflessly protecting him, forgetting my own wants, because I knew I might kill him if he stayed.

So, with a heavy heart, I continued on down the path, though I didn't know where I was going or why.

That's when it dawned on me. I had nothing. No family, no friends, no boyfriend, no phone, nothing. I had to start over. I wasn't sure that I realized that before. I had always had something.

When I was in Gatlin I had my family, my friends, a new boyfriend every week, and, most importantly, Lila Jane.

When I was being Claimed, I had hope that maybe I would go Light.

Then I had Tony, Krystal, and James.

Then I had James-who-is-now-Dylan.

Now I have nothing. Absolutely nothing.

Not even a purpose. I wanted to die right there, before I could progress on in life and go really Dark. Before I could hurt anyone.

I was at the end of the tunnel now.

Whatever lay on the other side, I would accept with open arms.

I climbed the stairs, and opened an oddly familiar door.

What my eyes met on the other side was probably the one thing I would not meet with open arms. Out of all the tunnels in the Tunnels, it had to lead to the one place I was trying to escape?!

Because now I stood in the center of Aunt Lena and Uncle Ethan's bedroom in Ravenwood at 2 AM, and they were asleep 2 feet away from me.

This was so not how I wanted this day to go.

A/N: early update today, because I have to go somewhere tonight. :) I hope you enjoyed it. WHAT DO YOU THINK WILL HAPPEN? okay bye.

P.S. Thalia is at the top.