Age of Demons

Chapter 38 - Emery

Northern Great Lakes Safe House

A day and a half later, Emery and Felix crossed a back road that ran parallel to the derelict warehouses all slumped in a line.

The one they were searching for was the tallest, about three stories high, and curved around itself like a u-shape. The concrete walls were gray, half hidden beneath the army of vines that crawled around it. Most of the upper windows were bashed in, a new occurrence after living there for almost four years.

Felix crept behind a line of bushes and waved her over. She crouched beside him.

"See anything?" he whispered.

Emery did another scan of the area. Other than a plastic bag tumbling in front of the warehouse from the wind, nothing else moved.

"We should go around the back, closer to where we stored everything, in case there's any demons hiding inside," Felix said.

Emery nodded, and when her brother moved into action, she followed quietly behind him.

Spring had touched the area, making what used to be dried-up husks of vines along the building a vibrant green with fuzzy fingers. Leaves dotted a couple straggly trees. And as they hit the asphalt road in front of the warehouse, she spotted little dandelions sprouting between the numerous cracks.

They darted to the building, and Felix pressed himself up against the building, peering his head around the corner before slinking down the side of the warehouse. Emery rolled her eyes at him but followed. If there were spirits in the area, they were already screwed.

Weeds sprouted along the edge of the warehouse, and Emery watched her footsteps, trying not to step onto any twigs or dried leaves. After turning the last corner, they made it to the back of the building.

Trucks lined the u-shape space. Some of the backs were open, revealing an empty shell with dried leaves and dirt piling in the back. More busted windows gaped back at them, and Em's stomach flipped nervously.

Emery took in the garage doors, all shut and sealed, all except for one. A flash of a memory jumped at her—of the spirits getting in, everyone trying to evacuate, chaos ensuing, people throwing themselves out windows... She remembered trying to push her way through that garage, but there were so many people trying to get out, she ended up tripping and getting trampled on. Felix had pulled her to her feet—

"Come on!" Felix's harsh whisper snapped her out of it, and she started after him.

He neared the garage and peered around the edge, pressing his back against the wall. She tried looking around him, but he waved her back.

"It's too dark to see all the way in, but there's definitely more than enough supplies in there." Without even turning around to face her, he said, "I'll go, get everything we need, while you take watch out here."

"But—"

Felix disappeared behind the garage.

Emery groaned and rested her head against the wall. Nausea rose up her throat, and she forcefully swallowed it down. She was getting a bad feeling...

Em briefly closed her eyes, and images of their last day here forced themselves on her.

The snow had fallen steadily, quietly. Already, it covered the earth in more than a couple inches. When Felix had finally helped her out of the building, her foot had sunk all the way in, the snow reaching the middle of her shin.