Night Guardians

Chapter Twenty Five- Shadowed Reflections

Hi guys!!!!!! Long time no speak. Look I am a horrible, horrible person ok? I know it's been way over a mont since I last uploaded and I left you a rather frustrating part but here we are at last! Chapter 25- (Something-which-has-yet-to-be-given-an-interesting-name-because-I-am-tired-and-ill-and-behind-on-coursewok-due-tomorrow-so-the-title-is-down-to-you-guys-this-time). *BREATHES* ...Well that was a mouthful (hehe thats what she said). I cant really give you guys an explanation to why I havent uploaded other than Im awful. Im sorry. But! So you dont hate me heres a lovely long chapter for yous. Enjoy!

*Ash's POV*

"Ash are feeling well, honey? You're looking a little pale."

Mum had been asking me that question all morning, if I was alright.

Am I alright?

To be honest, I had no idea. I should be better than alright. Mia's party was tomorrow night. Everyone had been excited about it for months, ever since school started in September. Will and I were going to meet up at his place and head over there early to help Mia out with setting up everything.

This should be one of the best days of the year, so why did it feel the complete opposite?

My mum sat in the chair opposite me at the table. Her soft features held a sort knowing to them, as if she understood something I didn't.

"Why don't you go back to bed?" she smiled. "I'll phone up the school and tell them you're sick. And don't worry." she added, "If you're feeling better tomorrow, you can go with Will to Mia's party. Just don't stay out too late."

I attempted a slight smile as a thank you and slumped upstairs to my room. I flopped onto the mattress, burying my face in my pillow.

I didn't know what was wrong with me. I'd felt fine yesterday, hadn't I? I couldn't remember. I could barely remember anything. The past few days were all in patches. No memory stuck or made sense to me, they all looked like jumbled up bits of a jigsaw with half of the pieces missing.

It felt worse than a hangover.

I groaned into the pillow. I rolled over, tossing and turning, unable to get comfortable. I stared up at the ceiling, trying to think, but every time I tried to focus on a memory it went out of focus and I ended up back to nothing.

I rolled over again. My head dropped to the mattress as the pillow fell off the bed.

Perfect.

I swung my legs over the side and got on my knees to look for it. Damn it, where the hell did it go? Somehow the pillow had gotten lost under my bed, but I couldn't be bothered to think about that right now. My head was hurting enough as it was.

I reached my arm further under the bed. My hand touched something smooth and leathery. Confused, I pulled it out. A black leather jacket lay in my hands.

I frowned down at it. This wasn't mine, it was way too small to be a guys.

"Mum," I called. "Did you leave your jacket in my room?"

She answered from the kitchen.

"No, I don't think so. Why?"

There was no point in asking if she bought a new jacket recently, my mum hated leather. She said it was barbaric to use dead animals for clothing.

I clutched the garment in my hand. This wasn't right. Had someone broken into my room? No, that was stupid. Nothing was missing.

I ran my hand over the glazed leather, tracing my fingers over the biting edges of the metal teeth of the zipper.