The Holders

Chapter 2 - James

I wasn't sure where I was going, just away from that thing. The street was busy with Chinese locals and just as many tourists.

I had to stop myself from running, I couldn't look out of place. Instead I just walked very, very fast.

As I turned a corner into a quieter street, intending to put as much distance between me and the giant-storm monster, I slammed right into a girl. Looking at her I saw she had blonde hair which was almost white and pale blue eyes.

"I'm sorry," She said but she was looking around as if she was missing somebody. "I didn't see where I was going and-" I cut her off.

"No it's my fault I was rushing," I started to edge away, I needed to hurry.

Then my arm brushed her's. She was freezing, like her natural body temperature was below zero degrees. But something felt strange.

"Do I know you?" I asked uncertainly. She shook her head.

"No. Well, I don't think so," She watched be curiously.

Suddenly a guy appeared next to the girl. I thought he looked about 23 with blonde hair and dark brown eyes. He watched me as if trying to figure out who I was.

Then I realised the girl was staring past me, at the monster. It was as tall as a house but I couldn't make out it's features properly because it stood in the eye of a storm which didn't affect the objects around it. The monster stood in the center of a hurricane, winds swirled around it. Every few seconds electricity would burst, like lightning was getting swallowed up by the hurricane and it was trying to escape it's trap.

Everyone else on the street seemed unfazed, they didn't see it for some reason, they just kept carrying on. That's why I was surprised when this girl could see it.
"You can see it?" I asked. She didn't say anything, just nodded.

The blonde guy murmured something, I didn't hear what but I thought it was something like 'He's the guy'.

"Come on, we need to go," He said before turning and running down the street. The girl started to follow but then looked back at me.

"We should go." It was strange how she said we.

"Do you know that guy?" I asked. Something seemed strange between them.

She shrugged. "Sort of, well not really but we need to get away from that thing."

The monster was slowly getting closer. I started to run down the street with her but I still had to ask her. "Do you trust him." She didn't answer for awhile.

"I guess, I don't really have a choice, he did save my life."

My eyes widened. He saved her life? I guess that meant she would trust him. Then I noticed the bandages wrapped around her left arm. It made me wonder what happened.

We turned a corner. I started to speak, to tell her this was a dead end but then I saw the plane. I wasn't a massive plane but it still looked like it held several rooms onboard.

The guy was already getting on and the girl was about to follow but she turned around to me. I wasn't sure whether I was going to get on a plane with some strangers even if there was a monster no one else could see except us. I shook my head. That was the weirdest sentence I ever thought.

"Do you trust me?" She asked. I did, for whatever reason, I felt like I knew her or at least that I should. I followed her onto the plane.

**********

"I'm Zara." The girl told me once we were on the plane and in the air.

"James," I said. "What if the people get hurt by the monster?"
The blonde guy appeared in the doorway.

"Monsters won't attack mortals," He said before disappearing.

I looked questionably at Zara. She shrugged, "I don't understand what he says half the time,"She said as she sat down in one of the chairs.

The room was like a lounge, with four chairs around a low coffee table. The windows were bigger than a normal plane's so they let in lot's of light. There was also a cupboard against the side of the wall. I wondered what was inside, the door was locked.

I sat in one of the chairs. The chair Zara sat in was identical to the rest except it was covered with a light coat of snow. It brought up lots of questions but I thought best not to ask.

I looked outside the plane window at the land below us. I had never been on a plane before. I realised how fast we were going and how high we were in the sky. I tore my eyes away from the window. I think I have a fear flying.

"You're not from around here are you?" I asked Zara. Her skin was too pale and she just looked different. She shook her head.

"No I'm from Iceland."

"Iceland? In Europe?" She nodded. That must be thousands of miles away I thought. So, what is she doing here in Eastern China?

Again, questions came up that I couldn't answer.

"Where are we going to?" I realised I had no idea where we were. Before she could answer that guy came in again.
"To West," He said simply

"We're going West across Asia?" I asked but he shook his head.

"We're going east to get to West," He was confusing me.

"Um... who's flying the plane?" Zara asked. The guy didn't say anything but disappeared through the door again. Zara stared at the door for a moment deep in though.

"Who's that guy again?" I interrupted her.

"Oh um." She paused for a moment. "Well, he says his name is 'The Protector'."

"The Protector?" I said uncertainly, that blonde guy seemed crazy.

"But I just call him Guy." She shrugged, "It's easier and if I have to yell 'The Protector' in the middle of the street then people will look at me like I'm crazy."

I laughed and she smiled at me. I didn't know what was happening but that was okay. I couldn't go back, I knew that. So I guess I was going West.