Child of Earth

25

Half-way through the night we had to rest again.

I sat down on the ground, had an apple and lay down against the mountain wall. I fell into restless sleep and was dreaming of swimming in the largest lake in the forest where I used to live, when someone shook my shoulder.

I woke with a start and grabbed my sword from beside me, I looked over at Nick whose turn it was to be sleeping with me and I saw that he was already awake and very pale.

Then I saw the ghost.

Its skull was showing and its skin was rotting, it was almost impossible to tell what gender the ghost was but it looked to be wearing a dress. The ghost was angry, it was hissing, and unlike other ghosts we could hear it.

Nick rushed forwards with his sword and when he slashed at the ghost abdomen, it sailed through.

The ghost chattered loudly and turned to Nick expectantly.

Nick paled even more and cursed. "Oh Fu-

"Run!" I screamed turning up hill. "We can't fight it, just run!"

Nick backed up a bit then closed his eyes, turned around and ran for me, Ebony was right beside me and Nathan only hesitated for a second before giving in and following the rest of us.

The ghost screeched and charged after us, its transparent body was slower than us but it was so much angrier and it could outlast all of us, even me.

"Don't look behind you," I said keeping my eyes focused on where I was running. "If you look back, there is a fifty-fifty chance that you'll jam your leg in a crevice."

Ebony, being that she's paranoid continued to glance behind her every few seconds, but she didn't fall over.

At least she didn't fall over when she was facing the wrong way.

Ebony was about to turn the corner but she was running along the outside of the group, next to me, and when she went around the sharp bend, her right foot skidded off of the edge.

She screamed and only just managed to grab onto the ledge by her hands and elbows, like she was hauling herself out of a pool.

"Cover me!" I screamed over my shoulder as I went to Ebony's aid.

"Eb!" I said kneeling in front of her. "Did you injure anything?" She looked down at herself and groaned.

"I can't feel it at the moment but my foot is NOT supposed to bend like that."

"Fudge! Oh Gods... I'll help you up and just use the other foot to get a hold on the mountain... okay?"

She nodded her head and clenched her teeth.

I started counting down from three. "One... two... three... push!"

I grabbed her arms in a monkey grip and pulled.

Her body jolted upwards so that her chest was over the edge, when she screamed. I stopped pulling.

"Sorry." I said huffing, "Do you think it's broken?"

She had tears in her eyes and she was breathing heavily. "No doubt."

I cursed a colourful variety of profanities before turning to look at the boys.

Nathan was in front of the ghost, darting backwards and sideways to keep out of its reach and Nick was around the back, shoving it occasionally to try to make it fall off the track and over the edge of the mountain.

I have to do something... but if Ebony moves her foot she screams and attracts the attention of the ghost...

I ran through a list of possibilities through my mind, when a little voice said 'touch the ground with your hand and let it know what you need it to do.'

I flinched from the unfamiliar voice when I heard it, because it wasn't my voice. It was female, but it sounded much deeper than my voice and richer too.

I thought that the voice sounded familiar but I couldn't place it...

May as well though.

I looked at Ebony and realised that I was still holding onto her arms.

"Eb," I said glancing back at the battle behind us. "I have to let go of one of your arms so I can try something, which hand do you want me to drop?"

Ebony's face paled and she looked down at the half of her body that was dangling over the edge of a huge mountain.

"The... the left one." She said staring into my eyes.

I let go of her left hand and she scrambled to grab the ledge to steady her body again.

I put my hand flat on the ground, and thought the words 'help Ebony get back onto the track.'

I felt the earth rumble slightly and half of my energy drained, leaving me slightly dizzy.

A cave large enough for Ebony to slip into had opened up, just above her knees.

Ebony looked down and gasped. "Do I... do I get in there?"

I nodded and leaned myself precariously over the edge to lower Ebony into it.

Once she was sitting with her legs dangling out of the cave she pulled her legs up to her chest and I saw a clear view of her ankle.

Her foot was bent inwards, more than what a ballet dancer would have been able to bend it so that it was almost facing backwards.

I winced and I saw her head dip slightly and then when she had all but disappeared from my view. The little voice came back.

'Seal the entrance to the hole and trace a line with your finger to where you want Ebony to reappear, the longer the line, the more Essence it burns, be wise.'

I nodded to myself and did as the voice had said. Nothing happened...

I felt the urge to flick my finger like I wanted to rip off a Band-Aid. I did.

I felt the rumbling again and I felt a fair amount of my energy leave me until I was almost ready to pass out.

'Remember what Hazel told you about Essence, and you shall prevail.' The voice whispered before disappearing.

What did she tell me... you can't kill a monster without Essence... oh, DUH...

"Use your powers!" I screamed at the boys while rushing over to Ebony.

"Eb, I'm going to try something, but I need more energy, can you give me some?"

What I was attempting would require a lot and I could only carry one person with me but- Oh Gods, we're screwed.