Reapers

Chapter Nine: Retreating Is Better Than Dying

Darcie felt as if her chest might explode as she took in the cold air which just burned her lungs further.  She reached the cemetery and found Thane’s car parked on the side of the road, the windows were shattered while the hood was smashed and the sides were banged in.  She almost felt bad looking at it though she had a feeling Thane could fix it, that is if he was still alive.

She shook her head ashamed to have thought of something so dark.  Instead she thought of Thane reading his book in the garden, Era sitting on her roof, and Mo with his cheesy, stupid jokes that she had wished she had laughed at.  She didn’t want to think of the alternative of Thane and Mo dead or dying and Era in a hospital bed waiting for them and them never showing.

She walked past the car watching as the coin that hung from the rearview mirror swung with the breeze; she was tempted to grab it, to take it so no one else would, but by the looks of it, the groundskeepers weren’t even aware of the broken down car next to the cemetery

She heard toward the mausoleum of the Jefferson family.  As she approached it she took in a deep breath, she didn’t know how Mo had opened the doors to the Observatory.  She wondered if he was the only one who could, but she tried anyway.  She gripped the cold, stone handle of the mausoleum doors.  She thought about the Observatory and Thane and Mo who were probably dying inside.

She pushed forward and was surprised to see complete darkness.  She released her breath and jumped forward.

She landed on her hands and knees, out of breath.  She got up and turned closing the doors behind her; she didn’t know why, only that Thane and Mo had when they had first arrived.  She looked around, she had made it to the Observatory most likely due to Thane’s bat pendant around her neck.  

She looked down the two halls, “Thane!  Mo!” she yelled.

“Mortal?” a voice said, Darcie didn’t know it.  It wasn’t Thane or Mo or any of their parents.  

A heat came from the right hall, she saw a bright orange, yellow light like fire...it was fire Darcie realized she began to move.  

Thane darted in front of her.  “BEHIND ME NOW!” Thane yelled at her.

She went behind him, he spread out his arms as the flames went toward them.  The flames seemed to deflect as they hit him, however, he screamed out in pain as they did  As the flames stopped from down the hallway, shurikens flew out from behind her and went down the hallway toward the flame.  Mo ran down the hall gripping more shurikens between his fingers, he looked from her and Thane to direction in which the flames had come.  

“Come on, both of you” Mo said.

Darcie looked at Thane wanting to help, but not wanting to touch him; he turned toward her, the front of his shirt had burned away showing a downward turned crescent moon over his heart just as Era had a celtic knot.

“I’m...I’m sorry.” she stuttered.

“It was just a shirt.” he smiled.

Darcie felt flush rush up to her face, “I’m still sorry.” she said.

Thane nodded and looked behind him, “They’re still there, we have to go” he said grabbing her wrist and dragging her down the hallway into the garden.

Mo sat on the swinging bench while Thane took a seat on the edge of fountain.  Darcie though remained standing, she didn’t want to appear weak by sitting, as dumb as it sounded.

“Where’s Era?” Thane asked.

“At a hospital...a mortal hospital” Darcie added.

Mo smirked, “There are only mortal hospitals, Darcie” he said, she swore he sounded out of breath.