Black as Night (Completed)

Chapter 19

Ryan

Heather stays in the room. “Okay, then. Good night Ryan.” “Good night Heather,” I say it sincerely even if I don't mean it sincerely. Heather means well, she just.... I don't have the words to describe her.

Heather walks out the room. I open up my bags and begin to put away my clothes. I set my sheath and knife on a shelf nailed to the wall. I pull out paper and my pencils and put  them in the drawer of the nightstand, but I pull them back out. I bring my stuff over to the desk in the room. I begin to draw. 

It gets dark outside and the stars sparkle in the sky. I hear someone walk past my open bedroom door. I look up. No one is there. I look down and continue to work on my drawing. 

I finish my drawing and sign my signature on the bottom left corner. I sit on my bed, admiring my drawing. 

I feel someone looming over me. I look turn my head backwards and look up. Jonathan stands over me, staring. “I'm surprised you didn't hear me come in,” He says. “Oh, uh, no. I did not.” This guy is starting to creep me out. He pulls the drawing out of my hands. I start to reach for it then put my hands back down. There's no way I could take something from Jonathan. He would beat me to the ground in a second. 

“Who's this?” He asks softly. “It's a girl I knew back in Caraway,” I reply. “What's her name?” He hands me back the drawing. “Julie. Her name was Julie.” “Huh,” He says then walks out the door to my bedroom. I close the door. 

Matthew

I don't know what's wrong with me. I've been a total ass to Julie. Something weird is happening to me. I wish I knew what it was. I just wish Julie knew, no matter what I do or how I act. I love her. I hope she'll understand that if she doesn't want to be with me, I hope we'll still be friends.

I pull out my map. “This is it. My first obstacle on my journey.” Griffin Hills. Its filled with creatures that have a lion's body and an eagle's head, wings, and feet. I begin walking through the dangerous land. 

I keep looking up at the sky to make sure nothing is there. 

A gentle breeze blows from above me. That's strange. A large shadow passes over my head. I look up.  A Griffin has its wings pressed against its sides. It's diving. That cannot be good for me. It shrieks and plunges toward me. I run forward. It grabs me by shoulders and carries me upward. Then it drops me.

I fall toward the Earth. Gravity's a bitch! I hope for something to catch me although there's nothing around expect for air. 

Another Griffin flies toward me. “That's not what I was hoping for,” I mumble. It grabs me with its huge claws. It flings me toward the other Griffin. They're toying with me. “real nice guys!” I yell out. 

As the Griffin flings me toward its friend I devise a plan.

I put my body in a diving position. As I come close to the Griffin's talons I reach out an arm. I guess all those years of swimming at the river, with Julie, come in handy. I grab a handful of feathers in my hand and hold on tight. I pull myself up onto the Griffin's back.

I pull myself forward and grab the Griffin's neck. It shrieks and spirals around in the sky. I my grip loosens. I fall off slightly. I tighten my grip. I wrap my legs around the Griffin's neck. “This is really awkward!” I yell. I push all my weight forward onto the beast's head. The weight of it becomes unbalanced as I sit on its head. We fall toward the ground. I pull its head up at the last moment. It pulls up then falls back down. It smacks into the ground.

It face-plants its head into the dirt and dry grass. I hear a sickening snap. The Griffin's body and neck become limp. I crawl off. The edge of a forest is in view. I sprint for it. The remaining Griffin shrieks. I sprint faster. 

I reach the forest and trip over a branch. I hit my face on the bark of a thick, gnarled root. “Ow,” I mumble. The pains that fills my face doesn't let me express my agony. I stand up and raise my right hand to my face. As my hand touches the sensitive area a searing pain fills my face. I pull my hand away. Blood partially covers my hand. My eye becomes swollen and I have to close it. “Wonderful. Just wonderful,”I says sarcastically. I continue on my journey.