Jinxed

S I X

Chapter Six: A Trip into the Darkness

Emilia

"How could this be?" I gaped at the empty portrait, totally flabbergast at what I was seeing "They were...how did...holy crap..."

Kai was pacing right beside me as I silently freaked the hell out.

"This isn't possible" He muttered to himself, his gaze going from the portrait to me and then back to the locked door "This is not happening. We have to get out of here."

"Oh, you think?" I snapped "I thought it was normal for two portrait subjects to just up and disappear from their own picture."

He shot me a scathing look "Would you stop being an entitled smartass for one moment of your dull life?"

"My dull entitled life?" I turned to him, squaring my shoulders for this inevitable and unavoidable fight "First off, I'm not the one driving the new Mercedes G-Wagon or wearing a three-hundred dollar pajama set. Secondly, I rather have a boring but content life than a life where I do stupid shit for the attention of meathead and bimbos who only pay attention to me because of my money and popularity."

He faced me too, his eyes flashing bright like the lighting currently blazing outside.

"I couldn't care less about what other think of me" he growled "And it's not my fault my charisma draws people's attention to me."

"It's not your charisma that draws people's attention you dipshit" I growled right back, pointing a finger in his face "It's the money and the stupid things you do that draws people's attention. Do you really think you'd be so popular right now if it weren't for your class clown antics? Or money? Do you really think Miss Popular would have ever dated you if you were your real self around her? The boy I grew up with?"

"This is my real self!" He growled at me, pointing at his chest "And whether you like it or not, this is who I am! This is who I've always been."

"This isn't who you are!" I hissed, my face heating up in anger, he flinched at my raised voice "I should know! I was your goddamn best friend since we were in diapers! Do you remember that? Or did you conveniently forget about our past when you suddenly became too cool to associate with me?"

A flash of lightening hit again and we both flinched, breathing hard, neither one of us breaking eye contact with each other.

We were locked in a rage induced trance and since neither one of us liked to lose, I knew this little stare off would last forever if we didn't end it now.

"And here we are now, in trouble once again, because of your stupid antics" I growled "Trapped in a room...with no way out. All because you wanted to investigate something you shouldn't have been poking your nose into in the first place."

"Like I said" he gritted out "I'm not the same boy you once knew."

Suddenly, there was a scratching noise that drew our attention away from one another and made us snap our heads to where the portrait was located.

Kai walked to the portrait and I hesitantly followed behind him, not wanting to be left alone in the middle of the dark room.

When we got closer to the portrait, the original inscription that told us who this portrait contained, suddenly started rewriting itself in front of our very eyes.

My eyes widened as I watched the gold flakes from the plaque fall to the floor as the scratching continued.

"What does it say?" I asked, nudging him closer to the portrait.

He scowled at me from over his shoulder before grabbing my wrist and dragging me along with him to investigate the portrait together.

His scowl turned into surprise as he read the inscription.

"H-e-l-p..." his grip tightened on mine as he continued to read the words that were being re-engraved "Wait, I think there's more... if I just..."

He reached out and grazed the gold inscription plate where the new words were being written.

I gasped when I felt the energy around us shift and reached for his hand.

A moment Too late.

"KAI NO!" I snatched his hand away from the frame.

Suddenly, a green lightning flashed through the room followed by continuous roaring booms of thunderclaps.

A slow buzzing sound filtered throughout the whole room.

The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end and since the room was illuminated in such a bright green hue, I saw Kai's face of realization and horror as clear as day.

It was a moment before he reached out to grab me when I felt the change.

First, our bodies froze.

Then we were falling backwards.

Into the darkness...

And into another time...