The Lore within Reality

Chapter 8

The sun has long since set, allowing the temperature to drop nearly twenty degrees as well. The chill bites through my coat, nipping at my fingertips. I shove my hands further into my pockets, hiding them from the chill as best I can. With no destination in mind, I walk aimlessly down the dimly lit sidewalks. My mind wanders from thought to thought; the hunters, Leylah, Elias, changelings, banshees. For every question that was answered, another filled its place.

A noise from across the street snaps me back to reality. I stop, watching and listening. A few people walk by, noticing nothing. Across the street, close to the outskirts of town leading to neighborhoods, trees create a dense wall. I can hear the rustle of branches and crickets chirping. I can just barely make out the flitting movement of creatures.

I continue back down the sidewalk, preparing to turn back and head home again. A sharp sound stops me once more. This time when I look, something stares back at me. The eyes glow, like a cat's, and don't seem to blink. They call to me, requesting an audience.

ELIAS

Logen leads the way to an abandoned house just under two hour from Raina's. Lined by trees, a thin dirt road leads up to the porch. The windows that are boarded are busted, gaping holes leading to the inside. The house sits in a valley, a nearly perfect ring of trees on the outskirts of the property, leaving roughly an acre of dead grass surrounding the dilapidated building.

With a signal, we split up, each taking a side with plans to meet on the other side of the circle. Slinking silently through the brush, avoiding patches of moonlight, I scour the grounds for anything unusual. The woods around me are silent as a tomb, aside from the wind rattling the dry branches. The world seems dead here, as if life left it ages ago.

Logen looks just as suspicious once we meet back up. The backside of the house is just as battered as the front. A gaping hole leaves an unwanted opening on the other side of the patio. Moving quickly, we stay low to the ground and make it to the rotting steps. The boards creak under our weight, forcing us to pause. Listening intently, we wait for any sign of danger. Nothing happens.

I step first through the hole, avoiding the sharp edges and rusted nails. Furniture is thrown about the room, busted and broken. What used to be a table is missing a leg and on its side, the couch is missing a cushion and the fabric is shredded. Holes pocket the floor and walls in random places. Glass and random objects glitter the floors. Stepping carefully, we make our way through the room, looking for any signs of life.

We move like phantoms, making little to no sound. The moon casts odd shadows, making everything look alive and sinister. Room by room, we clear the building. Old blood is found throughout in dark patches among shredded pictures and smashed belongings.

"Anything?" I shake my head in response. Frustration creases my forehead as I search the last empty room. "I don't understand. Their trail led straight here. Where are they?"

I begin walking back down the hallway, looking for anything. We missed no doors, the rooms are empty, no sign of an attic or basement.

A whimper makes me stop. Making brief eye contact with Logen, quickly throws us into action. We scour the house once more. We find fresh blood at the end of the hallway, just the smallest amount trails towards the wall, but then stops. Feeling along the wall, pulling at the wallpaper, the baseboards, anything.

Another whimper.

Using choice words, Logen slams his palms on the floor. "Where is that coming from?"

"Do that again." Confused, he hits the floor again. A hollow bang resounds.

We start ripping at the floorboards, the rotting wood making it easier to put it apart. The jagged hole gave way to stairs. We could see the first few steps and then nothing passed due to pitch black. Weapons at the ready, and flashlights in hand, we carefully begin going step by step. The hidden room is just as destroyed as the rest of the house, but the stench of copper is impossible to miss, I could practically taste it.