Escape (Book 1 of the Gods' series)

Chapter 4

The glow was amazing, beautiful; it created a cocoon around Dylan’s body, protecting him from the world outside. The obstacle course faded away, darkening, until everything around us was nearly black, with the small outline of the course. A wind started blowing underneath us, like when we were all falling and met Nyx for the first time, my long hair somehow wriggled out of it’s ponytail and was wildly flying around us.

 Just as quickly as it started, it stopped, the obstacle course was back in all its terror, my hair was in its ponytail draping over my shoulder like a curtain, Aaron was holding the sobbing Jess close to him, she must’ve found out about Dylan, I looked at Dylan, laying peacefully in my arms, I felt a bump against his wrist, then another, his eyes started to flutter, he moved, only slightly, but he moved. Was he alive? Did I just cause that? His eyes opened, I couldn’t help but smile at him like I was hyper, I must have looked ridiculous, but he smiled back, “Jess! Jess! Dylan’s ok!” Jess ran over and, once again, pushed me away from him. “Oh, Dylan, you’re ok! I’m so glad!” She sounded so sour, but she was pretending to be sweet, Dylan shot a glance at me and said “It’s all thanks to Charlotte, I think she found another power; healing.” He smiled at me and I could feel my cheeks burning up, probably going red like a beetroot. “Oh, well, um, that’s good for her, I guess. But all that matters now is that you are ok.” She didn’t even say thank you! I mean, of course I wasn’t going to let him die was I? Of course not, but a thank you would be nice! Dylan sat up and looked at me, “So boss, what do we do now?” I giggled, I admit, he was funny. “Um, well, I see a key lodged on that cog, so Dylan you can go up to it and freeze time then pick it up and unfreeze, if you’re strong enough that is. Then we’ll plan ahead from there.” I nodded, that sounded like a good plan, if Dylan was strong enough. “Are you crazy!? Dylan can’t do that! He’s too-”

“I am just fine to do a little bit of time holding, Jess. Don’t worry.”

“Jess, I think we should let Charlotte and Dylan get the first key, we’ll try and get the second.” Aaron guided Jess away from us, she looked over her shoulder at Dylan and me every 2 seconds.

When we were alone, Dylan finally said “Thanks for saving me, although I’m sure maniac Jess wouldn’t have been too happy about me dying in the hands of another woman,” He gently brushed one of the tears off of my face, I hadn’t realised I was still crying, his hand was warm, but cold and the touch sent a tingling sensation all down my body and back up, “You know, I was serious earlier, about you being prettier than Jess and stuff,” He held my hand again, tracing circles in my palm with his thumb, I intertwined my fingers with his, “Charlotte, after we get out of here, you need to promise me something, we won’t let Jess between us, because we really do have something special. Promise me?” I nodded, I don’t know why, maybe it was because of how silky smooth his voice was, or how my hand was tingling so much, Dylan let go of my hand and rested it under my chin, pushed me gently so I had to look into his eyes, then the fireworks started, his lips were so smooth on mine, I’d forgotten the feeling of a true kiss, I felt like a light bulb glowing brightly, banishing the dark, but this kiss was different, this one felt better than the others I had had so many years ago, it was perfect. It ended too soon, but I was the one who ended it, I needed to focus on what was important, the keys (although the absolutely gorgeous Dylan was important too). Dylan blinked, looked at me with confusion in his eyes, “What’s wrong? Why did you pull away?” His voice had a streak of sadness in it. “We need to get the key, then later we can concentrate on us,” I held his hand, again, “I promised we wouldn’t let Jess stand in our way, I didn’t promise that we wouldn’t let Nyx and her traps stand in our way. Now come on, the others will be getting bored.” I tugged at his hand and heard him mutter something that sounded like “Stupid Nyx.” I had to hold back a giggle, “Now, Dylan, you can’t call the woman who brought us together stupid can you? If it wasn’t for her bringing us here we would be back at school and you’d be going out with Jess. And I’d be- never mind, come on.” I didn’t want to admit the fact that he’d more than likely be bullying me if it wasn’t for Nyx.

I tugged on his hand and we walked to the cogs, “Dylan, do you think you can hold time and get the key? It’s in one of the gaps. There! See it?”

“Yeah, I’ll try, just stay still, you really didn’t look good when I froze time before, you had a big drool drop hanging from your bloodstained teeth.”

“Ok, I won’t move.” Time froze, and Dylan cautiously grabbed the key, enclosing it in his fist as if it was going to grow wings and fly away. I was able to move again, and Dylan was completely breathless, I ran to him and hugged him “You did it! Dylan you really did it!” I unwrapped my arms from his neck and was going to step back, but he wouldn’t let go, his locked arms around my waist kept me from moving. “D- Dylan you can let go now.” He didn’t respond, I tried again, “Cronos, you can let go now.”

“I don’t want to.”

“Dylan, Jess is coming!” It was a total lie, but it got him to let go and look around, when he looked back I was already running back to Aaron and Jess with the key that he dropped when he let go of me. “Hi guys, we got the key.”

“Took you a long time.” The bitterness in Jess’ voice was like a knife. Aaron ushered me to somewhere out of her earshot and whispered, “What happened back there? When I got Jess away and turned back, you and Dylan were snogging each other’s faces off! Jess saw, you know, that’s why she’s being so bitter.”

“Aaron, technically, we weren’t snogging each other’s faces off, we were just kissing. And I have a job for you and Jess, there is a key over there locked inside that cage, you and Jess could get it. Aaron nodded and explained what they had to do to Jess; she gave me daggers and skulked off. “What’s up with her?” Dylan asked walking up next to me. “She knows about us.” I whispered, Dylan swore under his breath.