Worst Curse: A Ghostwalkers Journey, Book II

Chapter 7

     Watching Demini disappear from view sent Pilo into a panic. Wanting to turn around for another attack on the old witch, he felt his muscles lock up. Every ounce of meat inside his skin tensed, and began to distort him. Austesh made an easy escape from Yasmina by returning to the spirit realm. Seeing Pilo in distress, Austesh ran at the old witch from behind. Leaping off of his feet, the Ghostwalker slammed into the old lady, taking her attention away from Pilo. Free from her spell, Pilo charged. Feeling threatened, the witch escaped the spirit realm, and found herself outside the cabin. Rifle shots came from the forest, and a bullet struck her lower abdomen.

     Austesh got to his feet, and watch the attack on the old witch. In the corner of his eye, he could see Yasmina reacting to actions happening in the worldly realm. She backed into the corner of the cabin holding her hands out in front of her to shield from an attack. As much as Austesh wanted to hate her, his heart remained distant from those types of feelings. An infatuation resided in him still. Something about her stole his heart, and he didn't want it back. What P.A.C.E. did to his father crumbled the inner walls of his heart, and he hoped she could help rebuild it. His transgressions had to be worth the pain he had caused.

     Leaving the spirit realm, he confronted her attackers. Once allies, his co-workers were now enemies. Two Hunters had entered the cabin with rifles pointed out in front of them. Using the element of surprise, Austesh ran into the men, knocking them off balance. Before they all hit the floor, Austesh entered the spirit realm.

     After being shot, the old witch retreated back into the spirit realm, desperately trying to figure a way out of harm's way. So many different ways to inflict pain on the woman were running through Pilo's head as he approached her. Knowing killing her wouldn't help his chances in finding Demini, he showed restraint. Austesh ran toward him from out of the whiteness to his right.

     "Throw me in that direction," Austesh shouted. "At chest level...That way."

     Taking hold of the man's wrist and ankle, Pilo threw him back in the direction he ran from, without asking questions. Flying through the air, Austesh waited until he entered back into the cabin before switching back into the worldly realm. Just as the Hunters were getting back to their feet, Austesh appeared in front of them carrying a large amount of momentum. Crashing into the men, Austesh sent them all into the wall. By the time he hit the ground, he had already returned to the spirit realm.

     Taking a knee beside the old woman, Pilo exposed his fangs. "I should rip out your throat."

     "You won't find her without my help...Help me get her to safety," the woman said about Yasmina, "and I'll lead you to where she is."

     Gripping his fist within her dress, Pilo yanked the woman to her feet. Clenching his teeth, he assisted the woman back toward the cabin. When they got next to Yasmina, the witch moved across planes, and pulled the young woman into the spirit world. With Yasmina safe, the woman fell down on the ground in pain. Rushing to the woman's side, Yasmina began to tend to the woman's wound. Austesh followed the retreat, and joined the group.

     "Where's Demini," Austesh asked Pilo.

     "I'm about to find that out, or it's going to get really messy around here," he answered while staring at the old woman.

     "There's not too many places that she would have taken her," said the witch. "Let me take care of this, and we'll be on our way. Who knows if they have Ghostwalkers with them?"

     "They won't be a threat...I'm the only thing to worry about."

     "Ghostwalker," the woman addressed Austesh. "I need you to retrieve some things from the cabin."