The Fate Of The Marked

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Jane didn't seem to hear a thing. She was downstairs in a make shift office, working on something. I crept to the front door, knife in hand. Slowly, I pushed it open and put one foot out the door.

Something red barreled twords me and I slammed the door shut. The thing howled in anger and I heard it dash away.

Hellhounds.

And there was more then one this time.

I went back to my room and called Emma's number nonstop for twenty minutes straight.

I could tell Jane that there were wolfs running around, close to the house. But would she even see them?

I paced back and forth. At my window, I could hear one scratching at the wooden wall. It was unnerving.

They can't get inside, I thought to myself, the ruins will keep them out.

But would they? Could they break through the walls? Or dig underneath the foundation?

What would happen when Derek came back? The Hellhounds would surely attack him.

I slipped the knife into my boot and ran for Jane's office. I'd rather sound crazy than let Derek become a chew toy.

Thirty minutes later, the sun began to set. Jane sat beside me on the couch, waiting for the rangers to show up to shoot near the house and scare the wolves away, because that was indeed what she saw when she looked out the window.

Derek would come home from town as soon as the all clear was given.

As soon as the first shot rang out, I knew this was going to be a mistake. The howls stopped for a few seconds, then picked back up louder than before.

I stood and went to the living room window. One passed by at that second, red fur gleaming from the light of the setting sun. Jane gasped and yanked me back, letting the curtain fall back into place.

She led me upstairs, explaining quietly.

"There's a ladder in the attic that leads to the roof. If they get inside, well, they can't exactly climb a ladder."

I followed her up. Cold air knocked the breath out of me. The wind was blowing hard enough to make me feel unstable. Jane laied down on her stomach and I followed her example.

The roof was damp and covered in patches of snow. Jane kept her arm around my back and pressed me deeper into the rough tailing as another loud howl echoes through the woods. There were a few more gunshots and then it went haunting silent.

It seemed like forever that we spent up there. My whole stomach front was numb before we heard someone knock on the front door. We couldn't hear if the person said anything through the wind.

Jane made me climb down first, but as soon I touched the second rung, my hands slipped and I fell straight down.

I landed with a thump at the bottom.

Jane was beside me in seconds, but I insisted that I was fine.

I wasn't. My mind was fuzzy and my ears rang as though I had been near an explosion. I managed to follow her to the door, but didn't hear a word the ranger said beyond "Gone."

I locked myself in the bathroom again, and told Jane that I was going to shower.

I collapsed against the wall. I could feel my hands shaking, but couldn't pinpoint exactly what was wrong. The world around me blurred. I remembered Eleanore's warning, felt my heart pound against ribs. Downstairs, the front door opened and slammed closed.

I pulled my knees to my chest. Breathing became harder. All at once, panic engulfed me. We're we safe here? Would Jane and Derek be better off if I left?

I had to close my eyes. The ringing in my ears got louder.

It took me a while to realize that someone was pounding on the door. Why haven't I passed out already? If it was Ellias or Eleanor, I would have already been where ever they wanted me to be.

"Elliot?"

I pressed my eyes into my kneecaps. My chest burned. I couldn't take get enough air to cry.

The door was knocked open. I barely heard the lock snap, but Derek's voice was louder than that. He grabbed my shoulders, but I yanked away, stinging with guilt.

This was my fault.

I should have left before. I put them in danger, and for what? They weren't even my family! They should have left me behind at the farm, where I could have ran. They would have been safe.

Derek tried to pull me to my feet, but I was limp. I couldn't keep my head up. I curled back up in the corner.

I couldn't even cry. My chest burned worse than before and my head was like lead.

I felt that if I was stuck one more second like this, I would explode like an atomic bomb.

Derek pulled me up again, and this time, I managed to suck in a deep breath.

"Come on, kid." He said, patting my back, "Just take it one at a time."

I focused on what he was saying as he encouraged me to calm down. Eventually, I could stand on my own, and my ears stopped ringing. The panic had faded as suddenly as it had appeared, leaving me drained and barely able to keep my eyes open.

As if Derek could hear what I was thinking, he scooped me up like a toddler and carried me to my room. Something stirred inside me, a memory from long again, but it disappeared before I could truly see it in my mind.

I felt warm tears run down my face, sorry for something that I couldn't remember. For something that had been taken from me.