When The Sky Bleeds ✔️

Chapter 6

After what felt like an eternity of anticipation, we finally arrived at our destination. The air was alive with excitement, and I could barely contain my bubbling enthusiasm. I eagerly stretched my legs as I stepped off the train onto the slushy snow below; the warm rays of the sun enveloped us, melting away the chill in our bones. Led by Garrick and Wilson, we trekked through the snowy woods, a mix of exhaustion and exhilaration coursing through our bodies. Meradyth positioned herself in front of Lily and me, her confident strides making it clear she knew these woods like the back of her hand.

Lily leaned in, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. "How did you and Garrick cross paths?"

Meradyth's lips curved into a wry smile, mischief dancing in her eyes. "During combat," she replied, raising her eyebrows playfully.

"Seriously?" I couldn't contain my fascination.

"Deadly serious," Meradyth confirmed with a laugh as we trudged up a steep incline.

"And I even defeated him," she boasted, a hint of pride creeping into her tone.

Lily chuckled beside me. "I envy your skills."

Declan's voice drifted from behind us. "Seems like Garrick took one for the team."

"If looks could kill, Stoll," Meradyth warned, mimicking an explosion with her hands.

Garrick's voice floated down from the front of our group. "Everything okay back there?"

Lily and I exchanged amused glances.

"How's that foot, Greywood?" Meradyth inquired.

"I'm hanging in there," I responded between heavy breaths. The snow saturating my borrowed sneakers, clearly not designed for wintry conditions, was actually a blessing in disguise. It numbed the pain coursing through my foot.

Declan shook his head disapprovingly. "On your very first day of assembly, and you're already injured? That does not make for a favorable impression," he remarked. "Garrick mentioned that the people here can be quite ruthless, especially towards those they deem weak."

I shot him a glare that could have melted the surrounding snow.

"Don't pay him any mind. This is the same person who believed he was dreaming for hours," Garrick interjected from up front.

Declan held up his hand. "In my defense, I was under the influence. These days, I see those shadow creatures more frequently. My parents have increased my dosage."

A silence fell over the group at his admission.

In a moment of thoughtlessness, I inquired, "Did you guys just leave your families?"

Meradyth cast me a cautionary glance from above.

"None of you have made any permanent decisions yet," Wilson said sternly, his voice cutting through the tense air beside Garrick.

Yet, even as my thoughts swirled with uncertainty, I wouldn't be able to shake off my feeling of betrayal by my family. I could never trust them again. They had cast me aside, leaving me feeling like an orphan once again. And now, as we approached our destination, defiance rose within me. I refused to go back to them, no matter what it took.

Besides, I had bared my soul to the menacing shoulder demons at school and could still hear their taunting whispers in my mind, promising their tortures. The thought of ever returning was unfathomable.

"Oh, isn't it convenient for you to pass judgment now? It was a breeze for you to abandon ship when your family discarded you." Declan's voice dripped with bitterness, causing a sharp pang in my chest.