Hexed - A Black Magic Novel

Chapter 2 - Capture

I tried to find anyone who would help, but I saw empty streets and blackened houses. I decided to check the time. "At least 11:35-12:00, I thought people would still be up by now." I heard a sudden whoosh behind me. I turned around and saw nothing but still cars and streetlights. I decided to keep walking. BIG mistake. Remember the hooded figure? You They had friends, friends with guns. .45's, Lugers, Magnums, the works. I, being scared for my life, run. Like a coward, but a coward who'd rather keep living than be an idiot and challenge them. But I guess they were faster than an adrenaline and fear driven 14-year old. Either that, or luck was a jerk to me today. They tripped me, and I fell hard. I tried to get up, but I felt a boot kick me in the ribs, and I fell down again. A groan escaped my mouth. "QUIET, MAGE!" One of the hooded figures barked. "Mage? What the heck are you talking about?" I managed to croak, as a response, another kick to the ribs. I was sure one was broken. "Keep him down, Ian" one of the figures said. All he responded was a low grunt. He clearly had me beat in strength, but in wits? Not so much. "So, you're the leader in this fancy group you have here, am I right?" I asked. "Quiet!" Ian commanded. That's the thing they don't know about me, I hate getting bossed around. So, while I continued to blabber on and on about the various things they've gotten wrong with this whole attack, I managed to push up against Ian and grab a spare gun from his leg holster and fired at the leader. I expected them to fall like a stone, but they just stood there. Suddenly, I saw the bullet drop to the ground, when I looked up, the wound started to heal. A regenerating human?! What ARE these people?! I asked myself. I then felt myself get hit in the back of the head with the butt of a pistol. I fell forward and forced myself to stay conscious, but the leader grabbed my face to look at them. they removed their hood and mask, Her hood and mask, I should say. A girl with ruby red hair and emerald eyes sneered back at me. "Finally," She hissed. "The last mage." She finished, she let go of me and moved her sleeve back to reveal a futuristic watch, a holo-communicator only the richest of the rich have, or the creators and workers of the company who made this device; Helix Industries. "Sir, we got 'em" The girl said to her communicator. "Of course you'd gloat to your boss." I said through clenched teeth. Ian, once again, clubbed me in the back of the head, and then it was nothing but a void of darkness. but one thing came to my thoughts, they looked like the one who shot my mother... the one I killed...

-=-{:[OXO]:}-=-

The few weeks that followed the revelation of her name, the boy, no, Durante, proposed. She accepted with another layering of the mask of joy she wore to hide her grief from him, although the layers were beginning to crumble with each passing day.

She knew she wouldn't be able to hide her pain from him for much longer. She began to seclude herself in a guest room in their house. Sometimes she never came out for a period of a day to nearly a week except to bathe and eat. Durante kept trying to interact with her, but she didn't react. So, as soon as she went to bathe that day, Durante quietly went into her room. He looked around and saw various symbols, words in illegible text, candles, lavender flowers, and one lone picture of both of them. He suddenly heard a quiet breath behind him. He turned around startled to find her behind him, She quickly grabbed his arm to keep him upright. "You know it's considered rude to invade private spaces, don't you?" She asked as she pressed her thumb into a common pressure point in the arm, a different tone weighing down her voice. Anger? Sternness? She sighed and pulled him towards her and let go, letting momentum do the rest. He fell into her. "Just.. don't do that again, alright?" She asked softly. "Only if you tell me what's troubling you." He stated. He looked into her eyes. "I can't, I'm sorry.." She muttered as she turned away.

I can, but I'm afraid to. He heard.

He sighed and pulled her close. "There is nothing to be afraid of, I promise you." He said into her ear. She buried her face into the crook of his neck and his chin and remained silent. "Do you not trust me?" He asked solemnly.

The last wall crumbled into nothing but dust and ash.

She sobbed onto his shoulder. He consoled her. It stayed that way for what felt like an eternity.