Mythical Link ▸ Link Neal {Book One}

152

"He's right," Link suddenly said, taking Lando by the hand whom Christy had just brought over.

"Those bad guys are gone, daddy?" He asked, looking up at his father with hopeful eyes. Link nodded his head, tousling his boy's hair.

"Yeah buddy, they're gone. Let's get going."

They drove all through the night and made it into North Carolina by mid afternoon the next day. Link spent a little bit of time with his family before parting ways, promising all of them that he was going to make it back. Deciding they weren't going to tell their parents what was going on was the best option at the moment, because Christy and Link didn't know how they would handle the news. Christy sent Link off with a big hug and a long kiss before he set off with the crew to the creek, making it there just after sundown.

They parked their vehicles along the creek's bank, and Link stepped out with a heavy breath. He took stock in his surroundings, and he couldn't help but feel like everything about this town has minimized, but he knew in reality he had just grown. Link stooped and dipped his hand into the cool water, seeing if he could gain a different sense of his surroundings. One that would call in the sixth sense that he'd been harboring since birth. Waves of apprehension rolled off of the creek and swarmed over him, giving him the sensation of being swept off of his feet. He felt like he was floating, and he rose to his feet, staring off into the distance unblinking.

His intentions were clear on finding Rhett, but he couldn't let the overwhelming emotions sway his ability to control his voice. His heart thundered in his chest as he sucked in several deep breaths, the tension rising in his chest like a tidal wave ready to crash against the shore. Drew opened his arms to bar everyone off from Link as they started leaning forward with curiosity, Drew somehow feeling that Link was about to erupt. This will be the first time most of the entire crew has seen his abilities at first hand.

Link opened his mouth to scream, the force of it moving the air around him as the waves popped the silence like a balloon. Everyone looked on in stunned silence, and gasps filled the air as the creek lit up in an electric blue, tinting their skin as it reflected off of them. Link clamped his mouth shut and started moving closer to the creek, craning his neck to peer along it. They watched as little orbs like fireflies burst from the water like rocks from a volcano, dancing along the top of the water as if they were trying to tantalize them into following. That's when Link took chase, following after them as they bobbed out of the water and onto the land, leading them into the woods.

Running until his muscles ached, Link stopped in front of the abandoned house that was very similar to the one Allison lived in. Link remembered running here with Rhett many times, and they would play jokes on one another or have deep conversations about their future. Without hesitation, he bursted through the door before his friends could catch up. He honestly didn't want them involved in the fight because it was his fight and he would feel guilty if any of them lost their lives.

A musky smell immediately smacked him in the face, and he was a tad dazed, losing his balance. He steadied himself on the rickety old railing that would lead himself up the stairs and he gave himself a minute to find composure before he began looking around. A chiming from an old grandfather clock sounded in his ears and he fumbled in the darkness to find where it was coming from. He emerged in a sitting area, and his heart plummeted when he noticed somebody sitting in a beaten up recliner.

He could only see the back of his head, but the ponytail was unmistakable.

"Ah, I knew I heard that scream," he said icily, rising from the chair. He turned to face Link and it took everything Link had in him not to scream.

"Where's Rhett?" Link asked, balling his fists at his sides.

Teegan smirked.

"You tell me, Link. I know you had to have felt it when I stabbed a knife through his stomach. You should have heard him beg for his life."