Apocalyptic

C H A P T E R 8

I feel a gust of wind blow me backwards, out of the room and into the hallway. I feel a jab of pain due to the friction between wall and my back and I breath heavily as I close the book. The wind suddenly stops, and I fall to the ground with a thud. 

I hear everyone coming my way as I try standing up. I notice Micah immediately walking into the room I'm in and I can't help but feel nervous about him being in there. It's like a feeling the girls in the orphan homes got when they brought one of the guys they liked into our room. 

Graham and Jade help me stand up straight and I make sure they don't touch the book, just in case. 

"What happened?" Philip asks, walking into the room. 

"The book blew me away." I say as I dust the dirt off my clothes. I go inside the room and drag Philip out with one arm as the other holds the heavy book. I look at him sternly, as if to keep him there, and go back into the room to get Micah. Once I see him up front, I see him snarling at every corner of the room. It is just now that I notice the room is unharmed of any sort of explosion. There's a silver crib right in the middle and the wallpapers have dotted patterns in them. I feel a shudder run through my body before I grab Micah's arm and drag him away. 

"No one comes inside this room." I say as I close the door. 

"Why not?" Micah asks with narrowed eyes. What do I say to that? I don't know why I'm avoiding telling them this. 

"B-because, look at what happened to me when I went in." I say. Jade and Philip give each other a confused look before looking at me again. "I thought you told me the book did it to you." Philip says. 

"Enough everyone! If Eden doesn't want to talk, then don't ask. Let's talk about something more important, like sleeping arrangements." Naomi says as she struts closer to us. "I go with Micah." 

Micah sighs and I sneak in a smile. He doesn't want to be with her. At least today, he doesn't. They all start arguing where they are staying and once it quiets down Graham speaks up. "Eden, you can stay with me at Agatha's." He says.

Before I can say anything Micah jumps in. "We're trying not to be seen by people that know her." He crosses his harms over his chest, raising an eyebrow in the process. 

"I can sneak you in, you know we always used to do that when we stayed on the roof after curfew." Graham grins, remembering those times. 

"That's true." I state with a nod. Graham and I never seemed to fall asleep when we were told. After dinner, we always sneaked up on the roof with some snacks and a blanket, in case we got cold. Agatha never knew about it, and no one who possibly saw us ever said anything. I enjoyed those few short months going up there with Graham. It always helped me forget any issues I had and relaxed me. We'd talk about ghosts and angels and how we read or saw the latest movie about them on TV. Who would've thought both are real?

"Didn't you say you had to do something?" Micah asks with cough. I look at him with raised eyebrows. Why would he say that before I brought it up myself? I look around the room, and I can see pretty much everyone's eyes looking at me.

I look at Micah with a scowl before turning back to face everyone else. "I kind of have to do something. I don't know how long it will take but-" Jade crosses her arms over her chest and looks at me with narrowed eyes.

"I was gonna tell you about it, but we just got here, and I didn't see you all morning. It was a really unexpected, last minute, plan." I explain before Graham walks over to me with a frown.

"I thought I'd see you again everyday." He says and I feel a pan of guilt for that and for leaving. But I'm leaving for a good cause. I'll explain it to everyone else, and if they allow me, I'll explain it to Graham as well. He deserves to know, at least about me. "You will." I say with a smile. "But, after I do this. It's really important that I go to this place. A life or death situation." Graham's eyes grow wide with worry.