The Spirit Within

Chapter Two: Crackling Noise

My skin tingled all over as a sharp pain collided with my chest. I gasped, and fell to the ground. My blood felt like it was on fire, boiling, making me want to scream. My eyes were clenched shut, and I heard a faint voice. It seemed miles away as it spoke.

"You idiot!" I winced at the sudden sharpness, "What were you thinking?!"

I opened my eyes slowly and turned my head toward him. He was looming over me, his face twisted with anger, tears rolling down his cheeks.

"Thinking of you," I choked, "You need to stay alive, not me."

As I said the word, another stab of pain went through me. Heat flared through my veins, and I bit my lip, hard. My body was on fire, and darkness was creeping at the edge of my vision. Two strong arms slid under me and lifted me up. Only mumbles went in my ear and out the other. My eyes fluttered a bit to see the same person franticly looking around, yelling every which way. He looked down at me and said "You don't understand! Your amulet-" was all I caught as I fell into a deep, dark sleep.

^*^*^*^

My head bounced off the window as the truck halted. My head throbbed, and I rubbed it slightly as I heard Raina call, "We're here!"

I immediately threw the door open. Fresh air hit me even though we were on the side of the road. A vast forest lay in front of me, filled with giant oaks. Fresh green leaves hung from branches drooping low. My chest stung with pain, just like in the dream. I kept hearing a shattering sound I hadn't noticed before, repeating in my head. My hand instinctively went to my necklace. Rubbing the emerald gently, I remembered when my mother gave it to me.

It was the middle of May, and I arrived home late from school. I had stayed after to get some late homework finished, and had forgot to text my mother about it. Once I opened the door, my mother embraced me before I could drop my bag.

"Mom!" I asked, "What are you doing?"

She pulled away and started inspecting my face. "Are you okay? Did something happen? Are you hurt?" She bombarded me with questions.

I rolled my eyes and brushed her hands away from my face. "I'm fine. I just stayed after school with Raina to work on homework." I let my bag fall to the floor.

My mom crossed her arms. "Next time tell me first."

I whipped my head back around at her. "I didn't?"

She shook her head.

"I swear I did though," I pulled my phone from my pocket and checked my messages. Nothing to my mother. "Huh." I slipped it back into my pocket.

My mother chuckled, "What am I going to do with you?"

"Leave me on the street to fend for myself and become one with the stray cats? Cause I'm always up for billowing in trash."

My mother threw her head back and laughed. "You would love that wouldn't you? But I have something else in mind that's even better rolling around in your own filth." She guided me to the living room and I sat on the couch. It was an old and fluffy, with mix matched pillows scattered a top of it. My mother started towards the kitchen and plucked a little red box off the counter.

She handed it to me with a bright smile. I took it and lifted the lid off of it. Inside was a glittering green jewel hooked to a golden chain. I pulled it out and slipped it over my head. Where did she find the money to pay for this?

"Now promise me this," my mother spoke sternly, "Never, no matter what, even if it would save yours or anyone's life, take that necklace off. Swear?" The look on her face was almost frightening. Her face was a mix of worry, anger, and was that... Sadness? I don't know, but she was dead serious, just by the tone of her voice.

"I promise," I said, staring at the gem. I saw her worried glance out of the corner of my eye. I knew she didn't trust me.

That was the thing with her, she was always worried, never trusted me with anything. The lecture she gave me this morning about not "going off into the woods alone," or, about staying "with the group." Honestly, I know she only does this cause she cares, but maybe she cares just a little too much?

The two hands waving in front of my face snapped me back to reality. "Are you coming or are you just going to stand there like a statue all day?" Reina had her arms full with her and my bags, holding mine out to me. I reluctantly took the two small bags, and followed her into the woods.

^*^*^*^

"Um, what is this monstrosity?" I gestured to the giant piece of cloth hanging limply from two branches. Holes peppered the fabric, making it look like it came from the junkyard across the street. But the smell, my god, the smell. I turned to Reina, "It smells like your cousin Henry's shoes after he goes running."

"And how do you know that?" Reina crossed her arms.

"Remember the time when your cousin just 'happened' to be staying with you and went everywhere you went?"

She cringed. "Oh yeah. And when we went to Kayla's-"

My hand flashed in front of her. "Don't. Speak. Of. It." I turned around when I heard footsteps, and faint complaining.

"Why did I agree to this again?" Tree branches rustled as two figures came towards us. They wobbled like penguins over the dirt, leaning on each other for support.

"Here come tweedle-dumb and tweedle-dumber," I mumbled to Reina. She slapped her hand over her mouth just as the girls had stepped forward. I smirked at her and tried to contain my laughter. Reina was now leaning against the hammock, looking down at the ground. Her shoulders were moving up and down, obviously from laughing.

"Why do you two look so giddy?" Holly dusted off her jeans, "If I were you I would be plugging my nose around that rag." She pointed to the cloth stretched between the trees. "Even a rat wouldn't want to be near it."

I nudged Reina. Her head whipped up to see a frowning Holly. "Oh, we just saw a bird fly near this thing," she patted the fabric and got her finger stuck in a hole, "And it came crashing to the ground." She pointed to a red bunch of feathers on a branch. "Cass over here moved it away from here and once it was up again, it flew there."

Reina's quick thinking has once again saved us. I can't even count how many times she has lied her way out of situations. She even saved my sorry butt a few times with that mouth of hers.

"Where have you two been anyway?" Reina asked. Marissa was panting slightly, and her hair wasn't as neat as it was when we had first arrived.

"We were out following your dad, bird watching really, when we lost him. So, we headed back towards camp hoping he would be here," Holly ran a hand through her hair, "You haven't seen him have you?"

I gave Reina a puzzled look, and she shrugged. "Haven't since he left with you." Reina flopped onto the wretched hammock, hands under her head. "Might as well stay here and wait it out."

I sighed, leaned against a tree, and clutched my necklace. The gem grew warm at my touch. I grabbed the bag resting underneath the hammock with my free hand, and pulled out its contents. Another cloth identical to the one Reina was currently snoring on. The only difference was the smell, thank god.

I was tying the end to a low branch far away from the shoe-like smell, when I heard a faint crackling sound. I quickly ignored it, hoping it was Reina's dad back from bird watching. Boy was I wrong.

"Do you hear that?" Holly poked my shoulder and looked around wildly.

"Yeah, but I'm sure it's nothing," I tried to reassure her. Holly tends to panic easily.

When the sound built up, I truly became alarmed. The crackling noise sounded almost like a-

"Fire!"