Lost

chapter 4

They soon made it. A city now stood in front of them, skyscrapers, cutting the skies open, finally showing puffs of white. However, the streets clear and the sidewalks empty. Signs of life were at a zero percentage. They walked down the streets on their toes, backwards glances casted to see shadows of predators, hidden behind buildings and in the alleyways. Why was the street so empty? None of them could comprehend it. Was there even a city at all or was it merely their own imagination? It was near impossible to tell by this point. How could they tell? There was no indication of any different between them. Ayana was the first one to start moving, one foot in front of another as she headed further into the cemetery. The tombs still standing tall and not seeming to disappear yet. She continued walking, noticing that every now and then there'd be a face inside of a window, peering out almost ghost like.

Looking back, Nick was hurriedly walking over, seemingly unnerved not to be by her side. She wasn't sure if the city was getting to him, or if he was worried about her. Ethan was soon to follow, walking over beside them. They looked around, them too noticing the ghosts peering out into the day, but never seeming brave enough to set foot into the light, as if they were part vampires and they'd burn up almost immediately.

"This place gives me the chills." Ethan's voice was low, seeming like he didn't want to be heard. Both men seeming to guard Ayana as they looked fearfully into the streets. She had to admit, she felt unnerved as well, but seeing them acting like this had made the feeling worse, why would them, of all people, be scared? She glanced around, a child lost in the woods all over again. The feeling of eyes sending icicles and lasers at her didn't help, simply making her skin itch underneath of their gaze.

Her heart started to pump faster, growling radiating from somewhere she couldn't see. It suddenly hurt to breath and she felt more energized than she ever had before, and before she knew it, her feet were running. Pounding against the ground and kicking up rocks and dirt in her path, leaving the two men behind dazed and confused. She still didn't know where the growling radiated from as it followed her, trailing behind her as she went. She felt something hit her legs, only making the adrenaline worse and making her run faster. She didn't know where or why she was running, she simply knew that she was, only stopping as she was out of breathe. She was alone now, standing on a clean four way intersection, lights still going on and off and glaring at her, glistening with the sun's light. She glared back, hating how it could be so bright as they were lost in darkness.

She felt a small sting on her knee as she rest her hands upon them, not bothering on looking down. The growling died down, only then did she realize where the source was. Only as it died down, did she feel her throat vibrate as she made the animal-like sound. And she admits, to this day, that the sound was not human. She finally looked at her knees, to find her nails had grown long and sharp, one covered in blood. She seemed confused, but realized soon after. The jet black that trailed from her hands to her shoulder, and probably further up was no mistake, and it was no flaw. It was her slowly dying. She felt a pain in her stomach, as if being stabbed and fell to her knees. She knew she could not stay here and allow this to happen however, she had to head back and find Ethan and Nick, and find a way to stop this from occurring, and if it couldn't, she knew she had to help them escape. She stumbled up to her feet once again, and looked around, no longer knowing from which way she had came, all the buildings looked the same with no differences. She sighed, her eyes trailing from one pathway to another, until she finally found one that was different. A mirror shop.

Stumbling towards it, her stomach splitting into two, she stepped inside. The sign on the door read open but there was no one insight in the store, checking her pockets she didn't even have any money to give. She had perhaps thought she could have an ambulance called, or see if they had saw her running by. But no one stood at the counters or walked around to see if anyone was needed assistance in their purchase of the day. The store was as empty as the streets were, no soul in sight. The shelves were even bare, not a single mirror in sight, except for one.