Promise?

Chapter 10

Noah awoke with a start.

She shook her head in hopes that it would clear away the fog of slumber and the sudden fear running icy trails down her back. It didn't. Her breath came out in short bursts of air that trembled as they pushed out of her throat and when she looked down her hands were shaking. For some reason, every nerve in her body was suddenly alert; pulsing angrily like a set of police car lights. She was scared... very scared and her body responded to the fear in the only way it could; trembling, shaky breath, pounding heartbeat, tear-stained eyes- she had no idea why she felt such terror nor why she wanted nothing more than to race out of her room and jump under the covers in her parent's bed. Something was wrong. Something was very, very wrong... she could feel it. Although she didn't know what it was that had her on such high alert it didn't take her long to find out.

The sound hit her like a blow to the gut. It was like there wasn't enough air in the room for her lungs anymore. And like her heart was desperately trying to break through her ribs. The fear she'd been feeling was nothing compared to the one she felt now; desperate, aggressive... violent.

She whimpered.

And yet... with the voice screaming in her head begging her not to Noah slowly pushed the warm covers off. And although every nerve in her body screamed at her not to she slid her trembling legs over the side of the bed. How long she sat there, her tiny hands gripping the edge of the mattress until her knuckles turned white and her fingers ached, she wasn't sure... only that it was a long, long time before she finally mustered the courage to move. It took even longer for her body to take one step then another and another until she stood before the window streaming pale silver moonlight onto her tiny feet.

This time there was no excitement bubbling through her veins.

This time no joy and warmth filled the pit of her stomach... no fluttering butterflies either. This time, there was only fear.

Ice. Cold. Fear.

Noah exhaled a shaky breath. Tried to steel herself before she looked down. Tentatively her hands moved until they gripped the window sill with as much force as the mattress. She exhaled another shaky breath. Slowly... ever so slowly Noah moved until the glass grew closer and closer to her and then with another deep shaky breath pressed her forehead against the cool glass suddenly there in front of her, hoping to see something and yet hoping she didn't.

It was pitch black.

Not even the faint glow of the moon high above was enough to pierce through the thick darkness down below.

This time... no matter how long or how hard she looked there was nothing there for her to find.

~

By the time Noah got outside the feeling of dread growing within her was stronger. The feeling that something was wrong was thick and uncomfortable as it wrapped around her throat and chest like a vice. When she noticed the small puffs of white bursting from her parted lips she realized just how cold it was; even the grass below was covered in a thin layer of frost- yet she didn't feel it. Her body was numb, her skin covered in a thin layer of sweat. She licked her lips nervously the closer she got to the alley. Her heart was a constant pounding in her ears.

When she finally made it to the mouth of the alley and stared into the endless void of black staring back at her, she almost cried. It was empty.. she didn't need light to know that. She could feel it. The girl was nowhere to be found in that pitch-black maw. Still...

Pausing, her brows knitted with worry Noah called out.

"Hey,"

Her voice was soft. Just barely above a whisper. The sound of it carried deep into the dark maw before her and then suddenly just stopped as if swallowed down by it. Noah listened. Hoping to hear something and yet hoping she didn't.