The Illusion (Book Two in The Illusion of Certainty Series)

Leads To Bad Things

The room quickly faded and was replaced by one of stone. The grip on me released and I fell to the floor with fatigue. If you’re not used to teleportation, it makes you kind of queasy. I looked up at my attacker again and he smiled down at me.

“You may begin.”

Then he faded. What kind of person drops you off at an unknown location without much instruction? I was starting to regret not paying attention to Michael that morning.

I got up slowly and looked around. The end turned and I guess continued in a different direction.

“Great, that’s just fantastic. Do I get any help? A guide maybe?”

Nothing, I got nothing in response. I closed my eyes and tried to take in my surroundings. I couldn’t go anywhere else but forward, nice option right? I made my way to the end of the room and I was standing in the cafeteria at school.

“…he’s given up.”

“It’s only been a few days,” Sebastis said.

“Don’t jinx yourself,” Sophie said.

Oh no. What the hell was I doing here? I looked from face to face and I even tried to get the other me’s attention. Didn’t work though.

“Please,” she said. “I have bad luck all on my own. I don’t have to worry about jinxing myself. It comes naturally.”

“That’s the spirit,” Mark said. “Think negatively that way when something goes wrong, you’re prepared for it.”

“Dude,” Aidan said. “Don’t encourage her.”

“Dude,” she said. “I’m right here.”

The blaring noise started and I closed my eyes. I did not want to relive this. This was a nightmare I had to constantly relive time and time again. I felt something tug at my mind and I opened my eyes. In the center of the room I saw a split second of an image. It felt familiar… one I couldn’t quite remember but seemed to fit. Then it was gone. I turned back to the scene in front of me and watched it play out.

“Oh no,” the other me said. “Not again.”

We both looked over at the doorway and Underworlders filed in.

Aidan, Mark, and Sebastis moved quickly to stand in front of her and Sophie. Several of the students were panicking and trying to leave, but like before more Underworlders came in through the other exits.

“Hybrid,” one hissed.

We both flinched and she took Sebastis’s hand.

“Come to me and none of the young breeds will die.”

No. No, no, no, no. I was not going to watch this again. I didn’t want to see it. That’s when I felt it. Someone was forcing my memories up and in the front of my mind. Forcing me to relive this all over again. I pushed against that force and the image in front of me flickered.

That familiar image came back, this time longer. I got little details, like the man I’d seen earlier. He was there. Was he the force in my head?

Something pressed hard on me and the image of the cafeteria came back into sharp focus.

 “Find her,” the leader hissed.

His men fanned out in the cafeteria, grabbing students and smelling them. Then they would throw them away. The blaring noise kept up. I watched as one of the creepy guys came up behind Sophie and reached out for her. A commotion from the lobby of the dinning hall caught creepy’s attention and he stopped, arm still outstretched. The lead creepy’s face turned into a sick smile.