Rune Wielders

Chapter Two

Colbie held the two glowing arrows to her chest, peering at the old man curiously. "Who are you?" she asked. She waited at the end of the sidewalk nearby the man, eyes still darting around for any sign of the white-haired man or the blanched skin of the creature that had chased her.

"My name is Eugene. That's all you need to know for now until we are in the safety of your house," he said, watching the red hand turn to a green person and he started to walk.

Colbie looked at Eugene and sighed, following him across the street. She was unsure of why she was still following this man--but he had saved her. If it wasn't for him, she'd be dead. 

Colbie wanted to go home faster. If there was a faster way than walking, she would've taken it and left this old man behind in the dust to sleep. Not to mention that her shoulder still hurt a bit, especially with the slight cuts from the thorns before. Her legs ached and her head throbbed with each step she took. Her hands were still shaking as well, even with the iron grip she had around the arrows.

"What was that thing?" Colbie asked, hurrying to catch up with him.

"A hellhound." Eugene raised a hand and crossed the street with Colbie, waving to the car that had stopped for them to get across.

"A hell what? Are you sure that we aren't in hell currently?"

Eugene laughed and turned the corner. "No, Colbie. We aren't in hell. It's a hellhound, something created by runes. You'll understand soon enough."

Colbie scowled and grabbed the man's shoulder. "Old man, you better tell me how the hell you know where my house is before I call the damn cops on your sorry ass. I'm sick of these damn cryptic answers. What kind of batshit craze are you spewing? Runes? You must be on some real strong shit to think this is real."

Eugene glanced at Colbie out of the corner of his eye and brushed her hand off. "If you don't want to follow me, fine. I'll go to your house, alone, and talk to your parents, alone." He started to walk away before looking back her and saying, "You realize that you saw them too, right? You must be on some 'strong shit' as well."

Colbie gritted her teeth, feeling her jaw jut out. He looked so content with himself as he walked down the sidewalk, peering at the houses to find which house was hers. She stormed after him but said nothing when she caught up to the strange old man.

After a while of excruciating searching, she finally gave in and said,"Turn here and then you're good to go." Colbie answered reluctantly, pointing her free hand at her house.

Eugene and Colbie stood in front of a cream-colored house, staring at the wooden white door. "What are you waiting for? Open the door if you're so intent on talking to my parents," Colbie snapped, watching him reach for the knob slowly.

Eugene turned the knob and let the door swing open, standing in the foyer. His eyes traveled around the room, taking in the white walls and the wooden floor around them.

Pictures of the family hung on the wall and a small side table was against the wall, holding a vase with flowers. Shoes littered against a closet that held their coats.

"Mom? Dad? You have a visitor," Colbie shouted, making her way into the living room. She felt safer, at least, now that she was in the embrace of her own home.

She motioned for the man to follow her and stood in the carpeted living room, seeing her father watching TV and her mother sitting on the floor, cutting out coupons.

Normal. Just how she liked it.

"Colbie. How was the party? I thought you'd call us if you wanted us to pick you up--" Colbie's mother stopped, raising her eyes to meet with the old man standing behind Colbie. "Who is this?"