Chasing Shadows

Chapter 21: Magic

Rose's POV

The black smoke clouded around me, as Zack disappeared. I cradled myself into the corner of the carriage and held my breath. Bushes and leaves outside rustled as if something were stepping on them. A crow, somewhere above screeched into the cold air. . The sun was hidden behind the curtains, casting darkness into the carriage. A figure was long and dark, nearly as big as the carriage itself. It walked around the carriage, casting its shadow into the velvet curtains that hung from the doorframe.

My heart raced, my body shook. I was cold, my adrenaline was pumping, and I was scared. I blinked and shook my head as I tried to focus in on what was happening around me. The creature outside breathed heavily around the carriage, as if taking in the smell. I froze. And scooted closer to the walls of the cart.
A loud crack . Hit and the roof collapsed on top of me. I tried to scream as a stake of wood stabbed into my arm. I bit my lip hard as tears rolled down my cheeks.

Fear flooded me, my breath caught in my throat, and I closed my eyes. Thinking that if I didn't make a noise, it would go away.

Footsteps stomped to the carriage and my eyes flicked open. The doorknob rattled from the outside and my eyes widened, fear took over. I pulled my arm free and moved as far to the opposite side of the carriage as I could.

The sound of glass shattering, filled the silence and I stopped breathing. More debris fell from the ceiling and I covered my face.

My heart raced as my panic grew more intense. Debris fell around me as whatever it was dug its way into the carriage. 

It was breathing heavily. Moving things, throwing them around the carriage.

"Shit." I gasped before I could stop myself. My eyes flicked open to see Zack crouching in front of me.

"Thank god." He breathed. He scooped me up in his arms and pulled me through the debris, outside. My arm was bleeding pretty badly, but before he sat me on the ground, it had already disappeared.

"Your powers." He whispered. I looked at him as if he had grown a second head. A large hand gripped around Zack's throat as the creature pulled him off of the ground.

"Zack!" I screamed. Standing up from the ground. The creature lifted him up high, and into a tree.

I thought. I spotted a boulder and lifted it with all I had, throwing it at the creature, causing it to look down at me. My heart beat quickened when the creature pushed Zack against the trunk of the tree. My heart shattered as it reached for a blade and shoved it into Zack's chest, pinning him to the tree trunk.

The creature reached down for me, before getting hit by another rock I'd picked up.

I looked up at Zack, who was struggling to pull free of the dagger that was impaling him like a tack on a cork board.

The creature lifted the boulder I'd thrown and pulled back.

A scream filled my voice before the creature threw the giant rock at me. I covered my face and braced myself when a bright red light blinded everything. I was shot backwards. My body slammed against a tree trunk.

Zack's face appeared over me in a blur before darkness covered my vision.

I felt drained, emotionally and physically.