The In-Between (Book 1 - Death, Demons and Mere Mortals)

Chapter FIVE - Free Falling

The sun beamed down through the gaps in the columns. The area was crowded, and Emma couldn't help but notice the number of cardboard signs and the waves of youths that swarmed in. Blake sighed, reading a leaflet that told a brief history of the Gate. Emma could feel her thighs sticking together and the tank top glue to the skin of her back.

'Right,' Blake lowered the leaflet and brought a hand up to his forehead to block the sun. He threw his hand up in the air, the leaflet hanging as he aimed at the faded green statues. 'There.' Emma followed his arm. 'I think it's in the centre of the staff thing.' He proudly told, straightening his back as he turned to face her.

Emma bit her gums, shaking her head at his words. She coughed, tearing her watering eyes away. 'And how do you even suppose we get it?' She asked as the high-pitch ringing of a microphone ripped through the crowd.

Behind was the start of a march. People of all ages were lined up, their signs waving in the air. Even though Emma couldn't read German, she could understand that it was a protest on climate change. She turned back around, Blake's eyes above her head watching the crowd move as one.

'There's no way to even get up there without being seen.' She pointed out, pulling Blake's attention back to her. He smiled, a teasing glint in his caramel eyes.

He bent over; his mouth close to her ear. 'I have a plan.' He whispered. The noise from the crowd drowned out every other sound that attempted to compete. Emma sighed and turned her head.

'Yeah, that's what I was worried about.' She groaned, walking past him to stand in the shade offered by a high brick wall. They stood together, watching the hundreds of people walk by. Emma saw it as very moving, a powerful statement. So many children and teenagers had gathered to raise awareness on an issue that would affect their future.

She wondered if she could have been one of them. If she would have fought for her future, protested to all the problems in the world. The seemingly unfixable issues with some people's mindsets. She watched in admiration as they moved, a never-ending march. The smell of smoke stung her nose, the wisps of smoke trailing in the air out the corner of her eye. She turned her head further away to watch the movement, wishing that she could be any one of those people.

It was a while before every protester had passed, the booming of the microphone a faded muffle in the distance. Emma pushed off the wall hearing Blake's footsteps behind her. She stopped in the centre of the grounds which were near empty and looked up one last time.

'Dare I ask what this plan is?' She asked, knowing the answer that she would be met with. Blake followed her gaze, except he held a wide smile and excited eyes.

'You probably won't like it.' He replied, looking down at her with a taunting grin. Emma breathed a laugh, finding it funny how much had changed in a few days. She headed back the way they'd came, eager to find the small café they'd passed earlier.

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She held the coffee in her hands, blowing gently on the piping hot liquid. Blake swirled the ice in his glass, the smell of whiskey burning Emma's nose and making her stomach churn.

'How long you been doing this?' He asked suddenly, raising the glass and taking a drink while his eyes stayed locked on her. She took a hesitant sip, placing it down on the table waiting for it to cool down further.

'Doing what?' She asked, dragging the small sandwich closer to her. Blake eyed her, the ice clinking against the glass filled the silence that he found to be awkward.