Stay

A Cold Sweat Hot-Headed Believer

NOW

Heidi opens the doors to the castle, and allows everyone to walk inside. She closeses the doors, which I find strange. A small, minuscule dose of fear spreads over my body, tensing my muscles and making my sleepiness slip away. Why would close the doors of a castle with everyone inside? Are you trying to save air conditioning? I guess so, since it is pretty cold in here, and it's hot in Volterra. I know my parents use the air conditioner like it's water, no matter what. 

"Okay, everyone, let's move, please! This castle is huge and we don't have much time," Heidi announces. Some people stop watching armed mannequins and admiring the stoned architecture of the place. If I wasn't so jumpy right now, I'd think it's beautiful. 

"You think anyone else is here?" Tessa nudges me. It takes me a minute to realize she's referring to Sebastian's story, and I shrug in reply. Honestly, I don't know how I feel about Seb's story and this castle. I have an odd feeling about this whole tour, with Heidi, with the story in general, though. With Heidi rushing us by and closing doors as we pass, something fishy is up around here.

"Could be," I answer.

"How much you wanna bet I'm right, as always?" Arrogant Sebastian puts his arms around Brady's and my's shoulders.

"I'll bet fifty bucks," Brady bets. They spit-shake, and Heidi introduces us to the throne room.

"Now, this is the main event. This is the Throne Room. the three leaders of Volterra used to sit here all day and punish those who didn't obey their laws or ways of life. Rumor has it that while they ruled, they sat on their thrones and hardly got up to do anything!" Heidi explained, showing us the three thrones. One in the middle was slightly more pushed up, indictaing it's importance.

"How old is this place?" Some overweight tourist questions. 

"According to archaeologists, they estimate this was originally built around 1200 B.C.," Heidi answers. She discreetly walks to the back of the group, closing the throne room's door. I gulp, my fear increasing more, my heartbeat taking over a dull roar in my ears. I know this isn't normal. Tour guides don't just shut doors. 

Heidi talks more, and after explaining some facts, about 30 or so people join our group in the throne room. Immediately I notice they all wear dark outfits, ranging from light gray to black. I realize that only three actually wear black, and four wear such a dark gray that I nearly mistook it as black. Others wear variations of gray. Maybe it symbolizes importance.... Also, they all share the same red eyes, snow-white pale skin, and all of them are beautiful. 

They surround us, and one with a black cape to match his long, black hair, nods. Maybe he is like a leader. 

In the blink of an eye, I find a bloodbath in front of me. All the tourists are on their backs, screaming from the dark people on top of them, clinging to the tourists' necks. I watch as one with long, bleached blonde hair takes down Brady. Once the blonde retracts a minute or two later, Brady's green eyes are glassy, loking up at the stone ceiling. 

Dead.

I panic, my heartbeat taking over my ears and brain. I run to the throne room door, trying to force it open. It won't, no matter how much I try to pry the huge, wooden doors open, it doesn't budge. How could Heidi open them, though? It was like I was an ant and she was a bear, both going for the same tree to knock down. 

Soon enough, I whisper, "Help," like someone outisde the castle could hear me and get me out. I lean my head against the door. I feel my heart rate slow, and I muster enough strength to turn around and meet Death. Instead of finding an old guy in a black cape and with that thing that reapers have, I find a boy, no older than me, staring me down. His bright red eyes bore into my hazel ones, and I see someone's blood dripping down his chin. He looked kinda attractive.