Surviving the Dark

Chapter 4 - Beginning

I woke up and rubbed my face. When I pulled my hands away, they were wet. That was when I felt the tears sliding down my face.

Wiping at my cheeks, I got out of bed and headed into the bathroom. Before I got into the shower, I looked at myself in the mirror. I was a mess.

My dark short choppy hair was sticking up on end, making the hints of purple more prominent. My eyes were red and puffy, my face splotchy.

I cursed myself for not carrying any make-up with me.

I jumped into the shower letting the hot water wash the grime and dirt off me from flying all day yesterday. I took a deep breath and stuck my face under the running water. I emerged from the shower and threw on a pair of light denim jeans and a basic tee.

I looked at myself in the mirror again. My hair, now wet, seemed darker, but at least it wasn't sticking up everywhere. My face looked less splotchy, and my eyes were now only slightly puffy and red, making my violet eyes stand out.

I threw on my vans and grabbing the map and my bag, I left the hotel room and headed to reception to check out.

Before I went to bed the night, I worked out that I should be able to get to the nearest major city by bus.

I headed to the bus stop I passed by on my way to the hotel. When I got there, I found it odd that unlike other bus stops, this one didn't have any time on it indicating when it was expected to arrive.

I sat down on the seat to wait patiently for the bus to arrive.

I looked around me admiring the peacefulness of the small town. I turned to my right and spotted someone walking towards me. I started to panic. What if it was a Shadow? They couldn't have followed me here so fast, could they?

As the figure came closer, I started to study them, hoping that when their eyes came into view, I wouldn't see black pools of nothing.

The first thing I noticed was that the figure turned out to be a girl, around my age, maybe a few years younger. Her red and black dyed hair, falling in loose waves half way down her back. She has pale skin, but at the same time, you can tell she spends a lot of time in the sun.

My heart started to pick up speed, increasing the panic state I was in.

I locked eyes with the girl, and I sighed in relief when my violet ones were met with emerald green ones.

She smiled a bright smile walking over to me.

"If you're planning on leaving, it's gonna have to wait until tomorrow. Today's bus came through about an hour ago." She said.

"Why do I need to wait until tomorrow?" I asked puzzled. "Shouldn't there be another one soon?"

She gave a short laugh, one that doesn't intend to be mean.

"I'm sorry. You're not from around here are you?"

I shook my head.

"This town is so small and so far out of the way that only one bus comes through here and it only comes once a day, usually around 9 am."

She pulled out her phone from her pocket and checked it.

"And it's 10:30 now, so it's probably long gone."

I let a groan. I needed to get out of this town, but I couldn't risk flying again. It would make the Black Eyes sense me too quickly.

"Need to leave that quickly huh?" She asked, twirling a strand of hair around her finger.

I nodded.

She offered me her hand.

"Come on. I was heading to the café up the road. Why don't you come with me and we can see if we can find another way for you to get where you need to go."

I took her hand, letting her help me off the seat, giving her a small smile.

"I'm Olivia by the way. Olivia Blu."

"Isadora."

As we walked along the footpath towards the café, I couldn't help but sneak glances at her from the corner of my eye.

Olivia had great style.

She wore a basic black tee tucked into a high-waist red button up skirt that finished mid thigh. She topped it off with a black leather jacket and ankle boots.

She looked over and caught me staring.

"There aren't many places to shop around here, so I mostly go online. But I got this skirt and jacket at a cute new boutique that just opened up."

She smiled at me, and I felt my cheeks heat up from being caught.

"I can take you there after the café if you want. That is if you're not in too much of a rush to leave."

I nodded and offered a small smile. I need new clothes.

"Great!" She smiled showing off a small dimple on her left cheek.

We got to the café and ordered our drinks. Olivia wouldn't let me pay, no matter how many times I told her not to. She said it was some new friend policy or something.

"Hey O! Over here."

Smiling she grabbed her drink with one hand and mine with the other. I had to reach for my drink quickly with my free hand before Olivia dragged me with her to where she was called over.

We reached a table where two guys were sitting, one a lot younger than the other.

"Guys, this is Isadora. I found her at the bus stop." The guys nodded obviously knowing that the bus had already been.

"Is, these are my brothers Jamie and Xavier. Okay so Xav isn't really my brother, but I've known him since he got here and is annoying enough to be classed as one."

"Hey!" The kid, who I assume was Xavier stated, throwing Olivia a look, which just made her start giggling.

He looked much younger than us. Young enough to still be going to school. Then I noticed his uniform. I found it strange. It was mid-morning, shouldn't he be at school.

"Come on little man, time to get to school. Your spare will be over soon." Olivia's other brother Jamie said.

Jamie seemed to be the oldest. Probably my age. The first thing I noticed was that he shared the same emerald green eyes as his sister. He also spent a lot more time in the sun, with how tanned he was.

Xavier groaned getting up swinging his bad over his shoulder.

"Give me a lift?"

Jamie nodded getting up himself.

"O, meet me later yeah? And bring Isadora with you."

"Of course! We will be there."

"Nice meeting you Isadora," Xavier said looking over at me. We locked eyes for a moment, and I had a strange feeling that I know him.

"Yeah you too."

His dark violet eyes haunting me.

'Why do I feel like I know someone I only just met?'