Boardwalk

Chapter Six- Eyes and Casters

After releasing me from her embrace Rykki told me how it was now six days after we had arrived in Boardwalk.

"SIX DAYS! I WAS GONE SIX DAYS?!" I exclaimed loud enough that Rykki cringed away, even puling her hands to her chest."Sorry, I know you don't like yelling. I'm not mad just freaking out a little bit. I swear I was only gone for like an hour before I fell into the water."

"It's alright, and JC you missed a lot while you were gone. For instance do you even remember what happened right before you went to the supposed 'other Boardwalk?'" Now that I thought about it...no not really, I shook my head in a silent answer, everything besides shadow Boardwalk was kind of a blur now.

"Well while you were there," she paused momentarily making a weird face that made her brows turn down, "We were facing ghoul freaks! Whatever hit us in that sorry excuse for a shack gave these freaks a chance to try an kill us and become their late night snack! We've been hiding from the boogers for days!"

If it weren't for the severity of the situation I might have laughed at her use of the word 'boogers'- I guess she was going to stay true to her New Years Resolution of no cussing this year. Snapping back out of my inner thoughts my face formed into a look of disgust,"Ghouls are for real then? I was really hoping that one wasn't true!" Rykki bobbed her blonde head and murmured an "mmhmm," strangely her face went from blank to curiosity to fear in about five seconds.

"Rykki whats wrong? Stop doing that! you look like a fish and your eyebrows are like gone!" I voiced, annoyed.

"J-JC your eyes are glo-glowing purple!" she stuttered. Confused I turned over the edge of the pier, carefully-boy had I learned my lesson- just to find she was right, my irises glowed the same color as wine except bright. Kind of like mauve I guess?

If I wasn't so freaked I would say they were quite beautiful, but I was freaking.

I turned back to Rykki and repeatedly hit her arm as I screamed her name once really loud, almost bawling,"Where's Ellie and Tank?!"

"Oh well there's the funny thing..."

"What funny thing?!" I gripped her arm as hard as I could, face close enough that the glow of my eyes actually turned her pale skin pink.

"Tank kinda sorta vanished?" She turned her head to the side slightly, closing her eyes and lifted her spare arm in an 'I dunno' gesture.

"And Ellie?!" Somehow managing to restrain her arm even more, she winced and glared at me in disdain.

"She's hurt. Bad."

~~~

After quite the meltdown Rykki and I raced to the end of the pier to another 'shack'. We arrived to find Jess kneeling over a hurt and bleeding Ellie, her wavy brown hair tumbling over her shoulder obviously was bugging the cat because her whiskers kept moving and she blinked rapidly.

Kneeling down next to Ellie my head sagged, the muscles in my face went lax and I sighed in defeat,"How did they, whoever that is, manage to hurt you?" I asked softly, hesitating before placing a hand in the space between her tall ears."Will you be alright?" I inquired, putting more emphasis on this question more than the first as a crushed look took over my features.

Ellie turned her small head toward me and her mouth formed what I believe to be a smile,"JC of course I will be alright!" I smiled, relief making my shoulders sag as my head raised again."And don't you worry sweetheart! It was an accident."

My eyes bugged out they were open so wide, making even sweet and silent Jess giggle,"An ACCIDENT?! How could this possibly be an ACCIDENT?! Whoever did this almost ripped you through enough that I can almost see your lungs!"

"Okay wrong word choice; let me rephrase. Zavier didn't have any control of that damned spirit inside him," she paused."ANd don't be so dramatic! You can't even see nearly my lungs!"

I huffed," Fine, but who in the heck is Zavier?" I asked, confused and intrigued about this...spirit boy, in my head I snickered at my own nickname for the boy, does that make me weird? I hope so. ANYWAYS...

Ellie smiled again, at least I think she did,"He's a boy who, after he came here from the Prefect's Estate, got bit by a demon and became weak enough that a spirit of the damned possessed him. However 60% of the time he fights against his pest and is himself. Quite a feat if you ask me. I would never want to go through that."

My eyes nearly fell out of their sockets hearing this news, which of course made Rykki and Jess nearly bawl they were laughing so hard,"There are living Casters still?" I interrogated, my tone becoming very serious.

"Yes of course dear! Why wouldn't there be? Just because they don't go back doesn't mean they died you silly goose!" Ellie laughed quietly, grinning like a chesire cat.

This day just kept on gettin' better didn't it?