House of Forbiddens [COMPLETE NOVEL]

14: Operation Get Everyone Together Again

Christine

I could adrenaline coursing through my veins; I could feel my heart beating in my chest. My scream was still ringing in my ears, but now that the cloud woman was gone, I wasn't freaking out quite as much anymore. Looking around, I was quite surprised. It looked like a cloud had gone over the sun, and my surroundings were deeply shaded. I couldn't see anyone, so I decided to keep walking the direction Kaden and I had been headed. My thoughts turned to the unnatural darkness around me. I had recently learned that Selene had been considered a personification of the moon itself, and associated with Hecate. Had I just used my powers? I knew that being half greek goddess gave me some unusual things- my black hair, the most noticeable thing, among other attributes- but I had never taken the time to imagine my powers. Did I create this shadow? Can I do it again? More than that, can I manipulate it? Oh gosh, that would be so cool!

Having powers? Yes, please! It's something i've dreamt about for a long time.

It would definitely be a good idea to find Kaden, though, and hopefully find Audrey, Ian and Riley. I can't get too caught up in my own thoughts. I started walking. The forest stretched on and on, and my progress was made slower by my injury, though thankfully it wasn't hurting. Fortunately, I know these woods well. They are familiar to me- the sounds, and the earthen smell, and the dappled sunlight on the leaves. They all brought back memories of my childhood when I had played in these woods a lot. Because of that, I wasn't afraid, making my way through alone but without fear. Walking along, I noticed that the shade seemed to have a border. It was stretching in a line along the forest floor almost like a giant circle- a dome, considering it extended upward. This definitely caught my attention. It wasn't normal, and I had seen way too much not normal when it came to my time with Kaden and Audrey! As I walked, I heard the leaves crunching beneath my feet, but I also heard the footsteps of somebody else. Dashing behind a tree and peeking out from behind, I couldn't help but worry. If it was some kind of monster, I probably wouldn't even recognize it, much less be able to fight it. I peeked around the wide tree and was so happy at what I saw. Kaden was walking around the outside of the shade, following it.

She was shouting, "Christine! Ian! Audrey! Riley!" as she made her way along the edge of the shadows. I stepped out in front of her, startling her and stopping her in her tracks.

"Christine! There you are!" She exclaimed. "I've been looking everywhere for you! After I got lost, I took care of one of the sisters. But I don't know where the other is. I'm guessing you haven't found any of the others?"

"No, not yet- I found you first." At this I paused. "What do you mean, you got lost?" I asked. Kaden looked at me with confusion for a second before understanding passed over her face like a wave.

"To me, the forest is submerged in solid blackness. I'm guessing it looks different to you, since- y'know- you're the daughter of Selene who created it." At this I paused and gaped.

"Yeah, to me it just looks like shadows!" I said, mystified. I had actually done it! Used my powers! "But.. how?" I asked. I still had many questions.

"I can't really say. In the beginning it just comes as outbursts during intense emotion." She explained. I nodded, and then asked what I really wanted to know.

"How do I make the darkness go away?" I asked. At this, she shrugged.

"When the residual magic you expelled dissipates, is my best guess- i'm not really sure. But until that happens, I can't see anything." She informed me.

"I can go find Audrey and the rest of the them, since I can see," I offered. At this, she nodded, and handed me a knife.

"You're not going to know how to use this, so it's an extreme last resort, but just in case you really, really need it." She informed me. I held it gingerly, putting it into the sheath she handed me and clipping it to my pants.

"Do you have one?" I asked, and she nodded.

"Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. Meet up with the others and bring them back to the house. I'll make my way there going around this dome." She informed me. Nodding, I turned back into the shadowed woods, and set off. I decide to head in the direction of a clearing I know of, where the older kids on this street like to hang out. It's a bit further back, but not much, and I quickly make my way across the wooded floor. I knew my house was close, if not almost in sight; I was not worried about Kaden getting lost as I turned back into the forest. She could find it easily, since I didn't think the shadows- blackness?- extended that far.

Leaves crushed beneath my feet as I continued on in the direction of a small clearing where older kids on the street liked to hang out. The familiar sounds of the forest were relativity comforting after the craziness I had experienced after waking up, but I couldn't help but worry about Riley, Audrey, and Ian. As I got closer, however, I heart shifting and voices. I was about to call out, but stopped myself- probably not a good idea. If this was blackness like Kaden had described, I had an advantage, because nothing could see me. Making my way in the direction of the voices, I warily walked over. What I saw surprised me. Somehow, nets had been rigged from the ground and strung over a tree branch. Dangling, trapped in these nets, were none other than my friends, stripped of their weapons and phones. These were piled on a nearby log around with other assorted weapons- knives, swords, daggers.

"Christine! You finally dropped in! Took you long enough!" Audrey called out. I laughed, my anxiousness seeping into my laughter. I was glad they were okay, but trapped in nets wasn't how I wanted to find them. Riley and Ian turned towards Audrey's voice. It occurred to me that as a daughter of Artemis, she could probably see in this darkness like I could.

"Hey you guys! I'm going to cut the net so you can get out. I found Kaden earlier, and she's headed back to my house." I informed them. I could see Audrey nod. Grabbing a knife, I quickly slit a cut in the side of the net, so that Riley, Audrey, and Ian could climb out. They quickly did so, clambering out and joining me by the log to retrieve their weapons and phones. As Audrey climbed out, I caught a glance of her arm. Her shirt sleeve was bloody, and I could see dried blood on her arm. A deep-looking cut had saved up on her arm and dried blood was around it. It was not a pretty sight in any sense of the phrase.

"Audrey! Your arm!" I exclaimed, gasping, and she was quick to placate me.

"Christine! Don't worry! Seriously. I'm fine," she said assuredly.

"You call that fine?" I incredulously said. She sighed, then turned to Ian, who was already in the process of growing an entrancing, glowing, golden flower. He turned in our direction.

"Could one of you pick this?" He asked, and before I could move, Audrey was already at the flower. She picked one of the petals and placed it on her tongue where it dissolved as I watched. I gaped, amazed and slightly confused, as she smiled at me.

"See? There we go. Antidote. Now you don't have a reason to worry." I wasn't entirely convinced, and that blood needed to be cleaned off her arm, but I had to admit she was right. Explanations about the cut could come later. We should probably be heading home; I could see the sun was setting.

"Okay. Kaden and I don't know how long this darkness goes away, but we should meet Kaden at my house. Since Audrey and I can see in this darkness, we'll lead you two back and Audrey can follow me since I know where I'm going." I instructed. Audrey, Riley, and Ian nodded. I grabbed Ian's arm, Audrey helped Riley, and together we made our way surprisingly quickly back towards my house. Once we got there, Kaden was waiting for us in the backyard. The dome of shadows had ended before we had gotten out of the forest, and when we finally made it back, Kaden ran over and hugged us. She was so very happy to see us, and it made sense; her family was back together again. After the group hug, we went into the house and Will cleaned up Audrey's arm. Jack was extremely happy to see her, jumping up to hug her and her happily hugging him back. After the greetings, we and explaining the entire story to Kaden's dad, I packed a bag and we climbed into the car to head to Kaden's house.

By: Nightsong