Forest of Hearts

Chapter 5

Elle's POV

They came flying through the windows attacking us. Luckily the formation we had formed made it easier to defend ourselves but they were more viscous than before. We fought in a circle slashing at the viscous intruders with everything thing we had; knives, axes, machetes, jagged edges of broken glass. Everything. The vine I was trying to chop dodged my blow and whipped around my hand knocking the knife from my grip while another snaked around my ankle pulling me to the ground. Ouch! Falling, I grabbed a table leg and tried wedge my other heel between the vine and my ankle and pry it off but it wouldn't budge. The vine dragged me forward pulling the table with me as it jerked the table a vase toppled over and shattered. I covered my face with my arm. As I lowered my arm, I realized I could use a piece of the broken vase to cut myself free. I grabbed a shard  and sliced the thinner vine that had been around my wrist before I sawed through the thicker around my ankle as it loosed I notice the red marks it left. 

I stood up shakily and rushed toward the others. We had held our own so far maybe we could make it through the rest of the night, losing no one else. My eyes fell on Juan. Yohan's face flashed in my mind as he struggled to get free. 'I wonder what happened to him. Was he dead?' As I rejoined the circle, I closed my eyes in a quick prayer. As I opened my eyes, my heart sunk at a sudden creaking sound. What is that?! My eyes darted around the room. I hear again this time know it's coming from above me. I look up above our heads hung a massive crystal chandelier. Strong vines wrapped around the rusty chain chains holding it up, it creaked again.

"Run!" Mrs Evans shouted. We all scattered, Alice and I ended up by the front windows. I turned to see if it had hurt anyone. Mr. Hammond was lying flat under its metal frame. I ran to him, there was chaos was all around us. We no longer had our formation to protect us and the plants were taking full advantage of that. I knelt next to his body. 'Don't tell me he's dead' I thought frantically, as I tried to lift the heavy rim of the chandelier. I screamed in frustration as I continued to struggle but it wouldn't budge. Eddie, Mae and Juan moved next to me and pulled.  The the rim lifted. I grabbed his shirt and heaved him out as quickly as I could and fell next to him panting like a horse. His arm lay at an odd angle, his eyes flickering under their lids.

Eddie's POV

I searched for my inhaler in my pocket. Lucky I found it and was just about to take a puff when someone knocked it unto the floor.
"Oh my f***ing god." I muttered to myself. Watching it being kicked around in a million different directions. My heart was spazzing out. I need to the take it so I could breathe.
I dropped to my hands and knees, eyes trying to keep up with the orange tube when I heard a rattling sound.
I looked up there an overhanging vine with thorny teeth, seed pods rattling. The vine launched itself at me. It whipped around my waist and neck thorns piercing my skin. I stopped searching and struggled as I tried to unravel the one around my neck. I saw my orange inhaler on the ground cruelly just out of my reach. My was vision getting spotty, my ears popped, the surrounding noise became muffled, and the chaos faded into nothing.