Book I: Near Death Experience (18+) ✔️

3.

"Adelaide...", I could hear a deep voice calling to me through my slumber. A rough hand shaking me gently on the shoulder making me groan loudly as I mumble, "Mm... no."

A deep chuckle emitted from the figure, the realization of it being Franky made my eyes slowly open to meet his icy blues as he said with a soft smile, "C'mon lass, meeting time." I groaned but pulled myself off the couch with grouchy eyes, seeing that Daniel, Sam and Mattew were sitting at the kitchen table muttering to themselves.

I could hear Daniel's voice whisper to Mattew, "She's too weak to fight it", making me jump off the couch with hate slowly filling my veins. I voiced out to him, "Says you, you trip over your own two feet."

"Lassie...", Franky warned me not to start but I have had it with these boys telling me what I can or cannot do. I walked over to the table and placed my hands forcibly on the table as I seethed out, "I don't care what you all think, I'm going to kill it."

My words only seemed to make the boys frustrated as they began yelling and bickering with me, saying the constant worry that it was too bloody dangerous for me. With a roll of my eyes, Franky walked in from the kitchen with a coffee, muttering to us with a stern voice, "Lads calm it down."

"Frank, look at her! Do you fucking think if it gets ahold of her, she will be able to see the sunrise?", Mattew screams out.

I mutter with hateful eyes, "Fuck you Mattew."

"I'm trying to keep you alive!", Mattew shouts but I respond with a condescending eye roll making him grumble to himself.

I spoke up my eyes darting to the youngest in the room who had gone silent, "What about Sam then? Huh? He is 19, two years younger than me and you think he is stronger?"

My words made Mattew and Daniel scoff, Sam had sunken into his chair making me realize that they believed I could not do it because of my fucking gender. I whispered out in disbelief, "This is because I'm a bloody girl, isn't it?"

"This is a man's fight Adelaide", Daniel said with emotions I could not pick up besides full-on misogyny making me hiss out, "Rot in hell, Daniel."

"We need all the power we can get lads, she's in this as much as we are", Frank said as he sipped his coffee making the two boys groan out with yells while Sam's eyes remained on the table. Franky only replied with a stern, "Shut it."

I muttered quietly, "I will not sit by--"

Suddenly, there was a loud pounding on the front door followed by muffled screams for Frank. The pounding was so loud that the walls shook and everyone in the room froze. It was clear that whoever was at the door was desperate and in need of help.

The screams of "Frank!" became more desperate and pleading as the pounding on the door continued. We all ran down the flight of stairs towards the front door, our hearts pounding in our chests as we heard the desperate screams for help. Adrenaline coursed through our veins as we raced to get to the door before it was too late. We could feel the tension and fear in the air as we all tried to move as quickly as possible. We all had a single goal in mind; to help whoever was on the other side of the door. As Frank opened the door, no one could believe their eyes. Standing there, in a state of disarray, was Finn. The farmer's son. I knew of him, the man who would bring fresh herbs to Mum in exchange for medicinal pastes for his father. He was clutching something tightly to his chest, his face and clothes covered in dirt and mud.

As he pulled his arm away, I nearly gagged. Finn's chest was ripped open, revealing deep claw marks that were oozing with blood. His clothes were stained with the blood that was quickly pooling around him. He trembled and looked terrified as he clutched something tightly to his chest. His face was filled with fear and desperation as he pleaded for help.