Devil's Boarding school

Chp.23 Quick Encounters

The air was crisp and sharp as I panted. The sheer steepness of the east road was probably more than enough to wear anyone out, even if they had super-human abilities. I bent over and leaned on my knees, smiling despite myself, while Cas caught up--obviously much less fatigued than me, but still panting at a satisfying intensity.

"Why the running?" Ecanus asked lightly, "Is there something coming I should prepare for?" he smiled and looked mockingly in the direction we'd come from.

"'Course not." smiled Cas, having regained his breath, "Just some friendly competition." he put his hand by the side of his mouth so as to try and block me from seeing what he whispered next, "I let her win though." he winked.

"No you didn't!!" I snapped, "what possible advantage would that give you?"

"Chivalry." he said simply,

"Don't lie."

"I'm not lying." he continued to smile smugly,

I looked at him scorchingly, "When I get you into a rematch, no holding back."

"I don't want anyone to start crying though." he patted my shoulder,

"I'll be kind then" I nudged him off--he looked a little surprised--then turned to Ecanus, "Where's this legendary sweet shop then?"

"Glad to be part of the conversationing again," he huffed, "It's down here, follow me!" he said as he began to lead the way.

We went down a significantly less-steep road, and I saw a large and very colorful shop, "Is that it?" I smiled, beeming at the thought of the sweets and goodies it would be hiding just behind those sky-blue walls,

"No." said Ecanus, "Over here.." he trailed off down a thinner side-road which was strangely dark and foreboding,

"Uh, your sure?"

"Yes." he smiled back at me, then dissapeared under the over-hanging rooves.

I gave Cas an unsure glance, which he returned with an encouraging smile immediatly followed up by his dissapearance into the side-street behind Ecanus.

I looked longingly towards the safe looking main road and bright shop on my left, but it couldn't be helped, so I sighed resignedly and followed the other two's footsteps.

While the first few steps were louder than was comfortable in this strangely damp, dark and quiet place, I became a little more hopeful around ten steps further in when the small alley widedened by about a foot. Still, the nagging fears remained, and I still couldnt see Ecanus or Cas in the damp dim. I attributed this to the slightly abnormal amount of steam or fog in the air, as well as the dark provided by the over-reaching rooves of the buildings on either side.

Suddenly, I faintly heard footsteps behind me, a splash in one of the puddles, then two. I started to get tensed up, but continued to walk. I told myself this town was safe, and so must this street be; why else would Ecanus and Cas be comfortable letting me wonder down it alone?

Another splash.

I felt the hair on the back of my neck stand on end, and I couldnt help but shiver a little, had it gotten chillier?

The steps became more audible, closer and faster.

I began to increase my pace, keeping as silent as I could. 

Again, there was a sudden splash, then the uncomfortably loud sound of steps, which seemed to become deafening in the silence. 

The pace increased to what sounded like running.

Then before I knew it, a hand had reached out and grabbed my shoulder.

"Ahh!" I screamed, yelped and exclaimed repeatedly as I turned to attack my attacker.

Duke stood before me.

"Duke." I half shouted half breathed out in relief.

He smiled.

"Don't scare me like that!" I said, bumping my shoulder into his.

"I didnt mean to." he said apologetically, "I saw the three of you come down this street and followed you. then I saw how spooky this place was and freaked a little, I saw you ahead of me and got a little excited!"

"So you were scared? A big macho Undine like you?" I mocked, relieved now to see him and not some rapist or thug,

"What?" he exclaimed, "Who said i was scared!?" he puffed up like a peacock, "I was just.. unsure of whether I'd come down the right street. I'm used to the colorful shop back on the main road."

I couldn't help but laugh a little at him, but it was really an overwhelming feeling of relief that I now had someone familiar with me in this strangely dark place.

"We should just keep moving, get out of here and watnot." I said, taking a step further in the direction of Ecanus and Cas's paths.

"Sounds great. May I have this stroll then m'lady?" he stuck his arm out formally for me to take like they do in those corny victorian movies and at balls.

"It would be my pleasure." I took his arm,

"Onwards ho!" we began going forwards again,

"That's pirate-speak." I said, "You can't just switch between cliche's that way." I smiled,

"Arr.. what ye be on about ye wee lass?" he said now fully in pirate-y character, "Me hearin' ne'er been the same since I fought that great white whale..arharhar harrr.." he said like a rusty ol' seadog.

Ofcourse, I laughed, "You fought a great white whale?"

"Noh' jus' any ol' whale m'dear, de white whale.. Moby Dick!"

I laughed some more, and he told me of his ridiculous and daring deeds on the high seas, including how he came to lose his whole crew, ship and all the proof of that it all happened.

By the time he'd pretty much finished, and we were both in hysterics, we'd come out the dark damp alley-street and arrived in a very odd looking part of town. The roads were barely much larger than the one we'd exited, and they zig zagged around the buildings here. The feel of the place was completely different to the rest of the town. Many stalls and smaller or older shops like Vindictus's lined the messy twisty-turney street, and sunlight streamed down from between the overhanging rooves onto the much, much less damp cobblestones of the street.

"This is more like it!" said Duke, looking around happily.

"I'd say," I agreed. 

I then tugged him to the right, "Lets find those boys and my candy!"