Never Tell

Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven: Imprisoned

Emma...if only you would just listen to yourself instead of what you hear from those around you...

Sneaker-clad feet slapped across concrete and Emily gestured strongly at me to a nearby alley. Her eyes were fearful and frantic. Her pale arms were nearly a blur as she tried to direct me and Gabriel to safety.

Making a sharp turn, I ducked behind the alley's secure and shrouded brick wall. My breath fast, I heard their voices and ducked in farther until my foot pressed against the edge of a reeking and overfilled dumpster.

I held my breath, not only because of the super strong stench around me, but to hear all the more better for their voice until I was sure I had thrown them off my trail. Gabriel was nestled in my arms, blood-red eyes struggling to stay open as the grey-brown sludge on his shoulder continued to sizzle on his skin. His fangs had all but broken his human façade.

He growled weakly and I chanced a look at him and then my grey eyes burned. I found myself holding him closer and trying again in vain to wipe off the sludge than burned my fingertips. Gabriel bi t back a yelp as his red eyes flashed black in pain and a spindle of blood began to stream down his arm.

What is this? I thought. Why the fuck can't I get it off!

Get off, I wanted to yell at it. Get off my son! But the sludge continued to hold fast to Gabriel's pale skin and inflict him with untold amounts of pain.

I had thought taking Donovan Road while running across the crosswalk would throw them off but apparently not.

"Damn," I swore softly and I was nearly sure they had heard me or some disturbance as one girl turned in my direction. She looked for a long time at me, without seeing me, but just when I thought I'd pass out from oxygen depilation in my lungs. She frowned and walked away, taking the rest of them with her.

Emily came up from behind the dumpster; a banana probably looking like it was midair before she peeled it off her scalp and threw it to the ground. The first moment I got to speak, I asked, "What the hell is going on?"

Emily looked at Gabriel who was now only barely keeping his eyes semi-open as he tried not to dig his nails into my skin. "I don't know who they are," Emily said as she came to me, and then winced as her physical form wavered at her closeness to Gabriel's older demonic presence.

"I don't know who they are," she tried again as she coughed and wiped something off the corner of her mouth. I think it was blood. Her blue eyes were now maroon and she looked like she was having trouble being next to Gabriel even more so than usual. "But whoever they are, they can see us and they have some really nasty agenda against demons and those with them."

I looked down at Gabriel, saw how he was suffering and knew it had to do with the sludge. Emily couldn't touch any more than I could because of something in it or what it did. I had so many conflicting thoughts as to why it even burned me. How could it affect me? I was human...wasn't I?

"Emma," Emily said as she looked out the alley, "We need to move again. I can sense they're coming." Her eyes widened and I saw her lips quiver as tears pricked her eyes, face getting set deeper in fear. "And they have dogs..."

I nodded, biting my lip as I held Gabriel closer to my chest. Inky tears were finally pricking his eyes and it was all but killing me to see them. Gabriel, the powerful child-demon, was crying in pain. He was in so much pain, he was crying.

"Alright," I nodded again as I tried to adjust so Gabriel could be even the least bit more comfortable. I looked to Emily and how she was growing even more afraid as she looked for a way we could run. "Emily? Where to, where are we going now?" She didn't answer, but began to whimper as she backed up and looked at me. Her red eyes were filled with fear, regret and sorrow.