ACADEMY FOR THE DAMNED

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Eleven

The cages stood around the wall with their entrances pointing outward. Light came from three strip lights embedded in the ceiling and fanning into a pattern, so together they looked like a brilliant white faux radioactive sign. The teenagers stood in the room's centre. Most of the cages remained unopened but the creatures within them sensed the new freedom of two of their kind, and they attacked the bars of the cages and screamed and shrieked madly.

The teenagers watched as from one of the cages emerged something like a very tall man but this was a reptile with dull grey scales. It moved upright on two long powerful legs ending in large feet whose toes were tipped with wicked looking claws. It held its forelimbs to its chest. These had five long fingers ending in claws and looked like the hands of a man. The creature had a long snout with big teeth spilling out on either side. Its eyes, on the other hand, looked human like but which regarded the teenagers with evil interest. It panted and emitted a low rumbling growl.

Dillon could see in its cage what looked like the remains of a person, a human skeleton with flesh still attached. Who had that person been?

There was a second cage open and empty. Dillon wondered where the occupant was. The room was full of shadows despite the overhead electric lights. Dillon was well aware the shadows did not belong here. The lighting was enough to illuminate every inch of the room but the room's caged guests projected evil and darkness and the electric lights struggled to cast their white radiance about the room. Whatever emerged from that other cage was now hiding among shadows.

"What's this about?" cried Dillon. "That thing will kill us."

They all heard Juliette's voice in their heads.

"You will not die. Fight this monster with the weapons nature gave you."

The teenagers looked wildly about them.

"Let us out!" screamed Emily.

Ike banged on the door. He repeatedly kicked it.

"We got to kill that first," said Dee.

"How?"

The monster leapt at them. Dee put up her hand and the creature struck an invisible barrier, bouncing away. Dee tottered backward but regained her balance. Her skin was prickled with sweat and she blinked rapidly.

"Like that," she croaked.

Then she doubled over and vomited. Dillon's heart beat hard. His fingers tingled, and he felt as though he could not breathe. He was shaking and sweat trickled down his forehead.

"It's alright to be afraid but don't let the fear control you."

Juliette's voice inside his head! And it had an effect. He suddenly felt calmer and his heart beat with less force. He was deathly afraid but knew he needed to keep as calm as possible or he was lost. The small group were all shaking and seemed on the verge of panic, but not Dee. She had a look of determined resolution.

"Juliette!" cried Dillon. "Get us out of here."

The beast retreated a little and gazed at the group. Within those human like eyes Dillon sensed uncertainty, and even fear. Those human like emotions written in the eyes of this obscenity deepened Dillon's dread. The creatures in their cages were screaming and hurling themselves at the bars, frantic to be released. He remembered what Juliette had said about how the monsters were drawn to psychic power like a moth to a flame. Now they smelt imminent death.

Dee wiped her mouth with sleeve and looked balefully at Dillon.

"No good relying on your girlfriend. She won't help. This is a test."