Book 1: When Death Comes Near (#Wattys2015)

Caving In

        I wasn't used to going through the portal, so I sprawled out on the ground when I jumped through.  I think I landed next to May, I hope.  I started to get up but then a crushing force brought me down.  I moaned.  It was Max.  He jumped through too.  "Max!" I groaned.  "Sorry," he apologized in a whisper.  He got up and then I got up and then I helped May get up.  The portal closed and the room was almost completely dark.  The only light was from like four or five floor to ceiling windows, and it was moonlight, so it was pretty dimly lit.  The ceilings were like 50 feet tall.  It was eerily quiet and it felt haunted.  "Hey, Max, just out of curiosity, where on Earth did you send us to?" May wondered just as amazed and confused as I was.  "Honestly, I have no clue," he said.  I could barely see him in the dark, but I could tell he was frustrated and trying to fix his device.  We both stared at him, "You mean you sent us to some unknown location?" I said.  I sighed.  I looked around, doing a 360 turn.  I just then noticed that the room was filled with floor to ceiling bookshelves which I assumed were filled with books.  My eyes adjusted to the dark.

        "May, we are in a library!" I exclaimed. 

"Great?" May said questionably.  Then the room lit up with torches.  It took a second or two to adjust to the light.  I heard a voice, "I know they went this way!  I sent them here!"  That voice was all too familiar.  Dana.  I looked at May, her face filled with panick.  I put up my finger to my lips signaling to be quiet.  I took May's arm and ducked behind a bookcase.  Max followed.  "I don't know, hon, what do we do?" a girl said.  There was space between two books and I looked through.  I girl stood next to him.  He smiled at her.  Actually smiled.  "I don't know, what do you think?" he said and then kissed her.  The girl had long brown hair that was starightened and a red and black crop top with black shorts.  Punk much? 

        Then a door bust open and I was so startled I practically screamed.  I looked at me who glared at me.  I mouthed the word sorry to her.  She took off her glasses and cleaned them with her shirt.  "Jaclyn?" that voice was painfully just, there!  I turned around so fast I hurt my neck.  Jasper.  Yay, everyone just had, to join the party.  "Sorry, dude, just me and Anna.  Funny, though, I'm looking for her too," Dana said.  Jasper took a step back.

"You actually like that witch?" Jasper critized and took a few steps forward.  "Hey!" Anna screamed and did the most suprising thing.  She hissed at Jasper and a pair of sharp teeth were shown.  It was like she was a vampire.  I glanced at May who was next to, Max next to her.

"It's snake to you!" Anna yelled.

"Oh, sorry, what I meant to say was dirty little, theiving, vampire, snake," Jasper said in her face.

"Leave my girl alone peasant!" Dana cut in.  Jasper backed off.

"Down to business," Jasper said finally and took out a device that looked like a tazor and shot it. Instead, Dana threw a fire ball.  It hit Jasper.  A knot formed in my stomach and tears formed in my eyes.  I tried to jump up but Max pulled me down, worry in his face.  "Why are you even here?  You helped him!" I whispered.

"And saved you.  Your welcome," he said.  He had somewhat of a fair point.  Dana ran over and took something from his pocket.  A plan formed in my head.  I started getting hot.  Dana bent down, said something I couldn't make out and then poked Jasper.  He screamed and I couldn't deal with it anymore.  My heart was literally just torn from my chest and ripped into a million peices and then put in a shredder.  I jumped out and shot a fireball.  Dana wasn't excpecting it and then it hit him.  I kept shooting fireballs.  Then I felt a shove.

        The girl Anna had tackled me.  "Leave him alone!" she screamed, clawing at my face. I shot fire at her.  It hit her square in the chest.  She flew back 20 feet or so.  I got up, she wasn't moving.  I didn't even know I made the shot.  Dana got up and sae her.  "What did you do?" he yelled at me.  He got up fast and ran over.  I felt like crying.  Did I kill her?  Please say I didn't.  I wasn't a murderer.  He was whispering to her.  He was...crying.  I ran over to Jasper.  I checked for a pulse, he was alive, just not moving.  It didn't help the situation.  "Wake up!" I heard him yell.  I turned and got up.  Dana was bent over Anna, crying hard.  I felt May next to me.  "I didn't mean to!" I told her.

"Please tell me I didn't!" I whispered and couldn't help but start crying.  May hugged me and I collapsed.

"You killed her!" I heard Dana scream.  I turned around.  He was standing up, fuming, tears streaming down his cheeks.

"Dana, please, she attacked me, I really didn't mean to!  Honest!  I was defending myself!" I started and took a few steps back.  I went cold and I couldn't think straight.  Dana screamed loud.  I turned and May seemed so scared, then I realized he wasn't going after me but her.  Mid run, he turned into his black wolf.  He ran faster.  I was plastered in place, I couldn't do anything but scream.  May just stood there, not knowing what to do.  Max was, who knows where.  Then May was on the ground, but wasn't tackeld by Dana.  I whoosh of brown hair swooped by.  May was on the ground and I ran over.  I looked up and joy filled my heart.  It was Kate. 

        I started crying right then and there.  Kate was okay!  I looked at May, her eyes were partially open.  Kate was standing in front of the both of us a protective shield up.  It happened so fast I didn't even know what was happening.  A portal opened and Dana grabbed ahold of Jasper, who was still unconsious.  He took Anna and jumped through the portal, gone.  The lights went out.  I collapsed on the floor next to May, breathing hard.  Then I got up and hugged Kate.  We hugged for a good minute.  "Is she okay?" Max came up behind me.  I nodded.

"I just tackled her, she'll be fine," Kate said looking at me.  She looked great, happy.

"Yeah, well, I accidentally just killed Dana's girlfriend," I said.  Kate looked confused so I sat her down on the floor next to May, who was awake now and told her what happened.

"God, why can't we have normal teen problems?" Kate said.  I shrugged.  May was fully awake now and was sitting next to us. 

        A light appeared in the middle of the room.  We all stood up, excpecting the worst.  I noticed it was towards me, and it was a book.  I held out my hands.  It laid there.  It opened automatically.  Inside was a necklace with a baby blue crystal that was bigger than a normal crystal, and a note.  The note was from Jasper:

                Dear Jaclyn,

                          Hello it's me Jasper.  I really need your help right no.  Dana has put a shot in me that puts me over to his side.  I need you to rescue me and the only way of doing so is if you use the Hearth Stone, which I have found and presented you with.  That's where I was that one day.  Just tap Dana with it and he'll be secured in here.  Got it?  Good.  Don't let anyone else touch it or they will get trapped in there forever.  Good luck!  Now come and save me, I only have an hour before the transfer is complete.  You can save me by trapping him.

                                                                Love,

                                                                Jasper.

P.S. I like you so be careful and don't worry about Anna.  She deserved it.

        I showed the rest of the group the note.  I picked up the necklace carefully and put it around my neck.

"Well, then, let's go save Jasper," I said turning to my group.  I was angry, and sad, and happy all at once.  I smiled and May and Kate high fived.  It was our time.  My time.