The Survivor

Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7 – ENCOUNTERS

Marcus paced back and forth in his room; an old habit of his. He also ran his hands through his hair vigorously. He was on the verge of losing his mind.

Destiny had been missing for two days now. He hadn’t seen her the day before at school, but simply assumed she was sick. However, later that day he’d received a phone call from her parents. They’d asked him if he knew where she was. He replied that he had no idea, worrying them even further.

Today, her disappearance was publically announced. It was on flyers all over town, in the newspaper; all a constant reminder. Marcus didn’t know what to think…

Was it because of him? Did she run away?

She had almost no friends at school anymore, and her parents were never around. It would be pretty understandable for her to want to get away from it all.

What she didn’t know was that her friends were always asking about her and trying to convince Marcus to speak to her again. He would always come close to caving and just going up to her and talking to her, but there was something that stopped him every time. It was as if their last conversation would pop up in his head, when she implied she couldn’t trust him enough to let him help her.

It all seemed so long ago to Marcus. All he knew was he wouldn’t be able to sleep until there was some kind of evidence that she was okay.

The next day, Marcus walked to school and back. His van was in the shop.

About two blocks to his house, came a police car out of nowhere, stopping next to him. At first, Marcus freaked out, thinking he was in trouble. The officer in the passenger seat rolled his window down.

“Hello, Son. Is your name Marcus Harvey? Destiny McDonald’s friend?”

He was startled by this. “Yes… What happened? Did you find her?! Is she okay?”

“Get in, we’ll explain on the way to the station.”

So he hopped into the car, anxious about finding out about Destiny. Anything would help to calm his nerves at this point. Anything good, that was.

“So? What about Destiny?”

The driver glanced back, hesitating. “We’ve got a lead. We found a shoe in the woods. You just need to tell us if it’s hers or not.”

“Me? What about her parents?” He asked, looking down at his fidgety hands.

The officers remained quiet, causing him to look back up at them.

Marcus’ eyes widened and his heart beat accelerated. He knew exactly where Destiny was. The two men, who had just seconds ago been police officers, now looked completely different. They were dressed in black cloaks and wore dark shades over their eyes.

Marcus quickly sped into action, reaching for the door handle, about to jump out of the car. However, before he could make it, his arms were bound to his sides by an unknown force. They were completely paralyzed. Soon he felt it in his legs as well. The dark enchanters had practically glued him to his seat.

He struggled to move as he heard two low chuckles in the front seat.

Thousands of miles away sat a terrified Destiny in the same dark room she’d been held captive in months ago.

She heard deep chuckles and the clinking of glasses through the window to the room next to her. She supposed they were celebrating the fact that the curse would soon be broken, now that they finally had a light enchantress’ first born. They could now perform the ritual.

Destiny felt her stomach twist up at the thought. If they found that sword, she would be performing the ritual. She had to kill someone. Someone who most likely had nothing to do with any of this mess. There was no way out.

A cold shiver ran through her body. She wouldn’t do it. They would have to kill her first. There was no way she could go through with it.

Destiny felt so weak. She’d been training so long to fight against them incase this happened and it was the second time she failed at fending them off. And her powers couldn’t be used in the small dark stone room.

She pressed her ear against the wall and heard a deep voice rumbling in the other room. She assumed it was Alexandre Beauchamp. He seemed to be giving a speech.

She faintly heard him say “Brothers, let me tell you, today is a glorious day. A glorious day indeed. We have heard of the prophecy for many years, but today it will be fulfilled! Guards! Bring in the sword!”

Destiny faintly heard footsteps in the hallway and then a multitude of gasps. Everyone in the room began muttering to one another.

“Silence!” yelled the deep voice, making her jump. “Behold the sword of Adalric! With this emblem of hope and invincibility, we will be liberated from the curse!”

Destiny’s eyes widened. It was the sword Theo had spoken of… they’d found it. Then it was final. They would be holding the ritual.

Just then, she heard keys jiggling on the other side of the large old wooden door. It slowly creaked open.

She expected it to reveal guards, unchaining her so she could perform the ritual, or perhaps even Theo, coming to her rescue as he had in the past.

What she didn’t expect, was to see Marcus Harvey tied up at the wrists, being shoved into the room.

And what she definitely didn’t expect was for that open door to reveal… her mother.