Shadowed Light

The wake

{^picture of Clara above}

Fire laced through her veins and her whole body throbbed. She opened her eyes and immediately closed them again, for she was blinded by a bright light over her head. Clara brought a clammy hand to her Damp forehead and shuddered with a vicious burning chill.

Her eyes opened suddenly, as if her body was just realising what was happening. She gasped, her chest heaving and her lungs burning. She felt as though she had just been dunked into a tank of acid. Her skin burning and melting away from her bones.
But no, her pale skin was still intact, if a little red with a rash.

Clara pushed a damp strand of curly red hair back from her face and closed her eyes briefly.
When she finally felt she had hold of her body once more, she opened her eyes again. They squinted with confusion then widened with shock.

Bare white walls stared back at her, all glossy and blindingly bright. Clara looked down to see that she was laying on a metal table, dressed in hospital clothes.

Was she in a hospital?

There was no door that she could see and no windows to tell her where exactly this room was located. Clara shuddered again as a tickle stroked along her spine, like a spider crawling down her back.

"Hello?" She called, wincing at her croaky voice. She sounded as bad as she felt. "Hello, is anyone there?" She pushed herself up with the palms of her hands and didn't bother to push away the hair that fallen into her face this time. "Could someone please tell me where I am?" Or what happened to me, she thought.

Suddenly there was a great flash and she was no longer staring at white walls, but the back of a leather car seat. Music played from the radio at the front of the car, Beyoncé maybe? Clara felt as though she was staring out of alien eyes, even though when she looked down it was her hands she saw and not some strangers. It was a memory she realised, the last thing she remembered before waking up. She turned and just as she had predicted, saw her little sister Emily entranced by the extremely out of date iPod she held. On it she was playing some silly game, flappy birds?

Clara shook her head, as if shaking away pesky flies, and was brought back to the plain room.
Her heart beat at an almost worrying pace. Clara jumped off of the table, instantly regretting it as her bare feet hit cold marble, sending pain up her legs. She winced and bit down on her bottom lip to keep from crying out.

Clara neared the opposite wall as if nearing an animal, her own reflection just barley able to make out. Her red curls were as wild as ever, her blue eyes even wilder. She had never seen herself look so pale, and knew it had nothing to do with the walls being white. She was ill and with no memory of becoming that way.

She placed a hand on the wall and began banging. "Hello? Can someone hear me? Please, please someone help me."

Fear gripped her as she slumped to her knees, seeing no way of getting out of here. She was trapped and no one could hear her. She had never felt more alone.

There was a clicking sound from behind and Clara jumped to her feet before swirling around, her hands in fists as if she intended to beat whatever it was if necessary.

She lowered her arms when she realised what it was, or rather who it was.
His eyes were like lava and his hair sunshine. He was handsome and inhuman looking all at once. Clara had no idea who he was, but a voice in her head, like gentle caress whispered one name:

Toby

Clara suddenly felt extremely vulnerable in her hospital gown. She wrapped her frail arms around her stomach and shied away from the handsome boy.

"Clara Lynn Murray." He said in an odd British accent. "Age sixteen. Born on the twenty seventh of July, the month of the ruby. Daughter of Mary and Christopher Murray and older sister to Emily Murray. You have won an award in both a swimming gala and for one hundred percent attendance at your school, Mary Lee Scott, London."

Clara's face heated as he said everything about her, as if he were reading it off of paper.
The boy stepped in further, the hidden door he had come through closing and becoming a bare wall once again. Clara blinked twice. "My name is Toby Ryan, you have no reason to be afraid of me."

Clara nodded because she wasn't afraid. Not of him at least. That same voice was softly telling her that she could trust him, that he meant no harm and could help her.
"How are you feeling?"

Clara's mouth dropped open in surprise. This stranger had come in knowing everything about her and was now asking about her well being?
"You have been unconscious for about three days. During that time you have been fed through a tube and have been having blood works taken to ensure your safety."

Clara swallowed the lump in her throat. Three days? "Where am I?"
Toby pursed his lips, looking deeply in pain. The reaction made Clara curious and suspicious all at once. "Where are my parents? My sister? Are they here?"

"No Clara, they are not here." He said.

"Then where?" She demanded, growing impatient. Her last memory was of her family, they must be here somewhere. Perhaps in a plain wall like this, just as confused as she was. She needed to get to them and make sure they were alright. "Can you take me to them?"

Toby shook his his once. "I don't think that will be possible."
Clara placed her hands on her hips. "And why not?"
"Because," he said slowly. "your family is gone and you have been chosen."