Scarlet Eclipse [Temporarily on Hold]

Chapter 8

Alyxa

Wow, that was a lot of drama. Not more than the usual drama I had around me back home, but still. Not something you see every day. 

That poor girl, Reily. She killed herself saving a boy who ended up destroying himself as well. It was like watching some kind of reality TV show, except I had to get my nails dirty. Ugh.

Enough about those two. What had happened back there? With that creepy pig thing. It was like someone else was controlling me. I was in some kind of trance and that was freaky by itself. I don't know exactly what happened, but one moment, I was on my butt, and another moment I was pushing the horned pig. 

This time I hurried to be by Lucy when we were walking. No way do I wanna go face down another pig. Well, it seemed less like a pig now that I think about it. Maybe more like a freakin' bull. 

"By the way," I drawled, "What happened to those guys who made all this stuff happen?" Lucy's back stiffened. 

"Probably long gone by now," Lucy said tensely. "They've done what they had to do and now they're running back to Lord Moon to report their success. Out of the eight of us, they've taken down two. That's a lot considerably for just your first day. We've got a few more to go. Think you guys can handle it? It'll be especially tough when you all see Lord Moon's castle."

"How would it be tough?" Carter asked bluntly. 

Lucy seemed to take a moment to prepare to explain. "His pull is... much stronger than the rest of the island. Have you all noticed that slight urge to go off?" she questioned.

Now that she mentioned it, there was. Maybe I didn't care as much as the others so I didn't notice it, but it's there. Way in the back of my head. I nodded. 

"That's his pull on everyone on the island. The closer you get to his castle, the stronger it gets. By it, I mean, going all cuckoo like poor old Jaymes. You guys have to try to resist that, because that's how you die." Lucy ended her brief explanation abruptly and spun. "Let's go. Nightfall's coming soon and we need to find shelter." 

She left us to think about what she just said. You guys have to resist that, because that's how you die. Wow. That's quite a bit to take in. I don't plan on dying anytime soon though, that's for sure. I've got a long life of luxury ahead of me and I don't plan on changing that path. 

I followed after her and the rest after me, in pairs. We walked for a bit through the dimming forest when I felt the first drop on my bare arm. It made a sizzling sound and stung a little. "Ow!" I yelped as a second hit my shoulder. 

Lucy looked back at me then back to the sky. "Damn. Acid rain. We have to run, now, before the downpour," she said and broke out into a run. I ran after her and gradually each of them followed suit. 

"Ah!" Lily shouted as she fell. We all stopped and turned halfway, seeing Lily sprawled on the dampening forest floor, her foot tangled in a root. Before one of us could go to her, Devin was by her side. His eyes gleamed with a yellowish hue as he helped her sit up. 

"She's going to slow us down!" Carter yelled. "But we can't leave her behind."

Without turning to him, Devin shredded the root angrily, freeing her trapped foot. With a breath of thanks, she got up, hissed sharply and fell again. He felt her ankle as she bit her lip painfully. "It's a sprain," Devin confirmed. 

"Crap," Lucy said. "We have to keep on going," she said. Devin nodded and swiftly swept her up in her arms. Lily gasped and covered her face as I saw it turn pink. Lucy nodded, turned and continued running.