Lifeline (Chills Fanfic)

30 - Autumn

Dylan, Zeke, Freya, and I drive to the place where we were, the Nest, as it is called. When we reach the Nest, Freya and Zeke go on ahead to fly over the area, while Dylan and I walk towards the building.

As we walk down to the entrance to the building, I see a small cluster of wendigo lingering near the door we are heading towards. Dylan stops and holds his arm out in front of me, blocking me from walking closer.

The wendigo looks up at us, and then it runs at us. Dylan throws his other hand up, and ice explodes up from the ground. The ice pokes up, and nearly slices into the wendigo as it comes closer to us. It hisses and spits at the ice, then it steps back away from us.

Then, something grabs hold of me by my hair, and yanks me over onto my back, causing me to scream in surprise when it happens, and then, I'm on my back, on the floor, staring up at Dylan, but that's only for a moment, before the creature grabs me again, and drags me away from him.

Dylan turns around and tries to grab my hand. But the creature yanks me back further from him. I kick and thrash, but the wendigo pulls me harder, dragging me and burning me with friction as we go.

Thats when those shadows of mine return. They wrap around me, wrapping around my arms where they're injured from being dragged. I scream as the wendigo then leaps up and runs faster than before, and then, it happens.

My shadows burst from me in a rush of feelings and sensations — excitement, fear, and anxiety. Then pain, and the powerful rush of life and sheer power that makes me feel exhilarated.

The shadows swirl into the air and converge on the creature holding onto me. The wendigo runs away, screaming with rage and pain.  I lay there, on the ground, and I stare up at the sky above me.

Dylan runs over and helps me stand up, and I try to brush off my torn and muddy shirt, but it is no use.

"You good?" Dylan asks.

"I think so," I say.

He nods and then reaches out and takes my hand. I look at him, but he isn't looking in my direction at the moment. He just walks ahead of me, leading me down to the entrance to the Nest.

We reach the inside, and he and I run down the long corridors. We run down the stairs and into the lab area. That has to be where Arlo and Emma are, right?

Then, there is a loud, booming voice that fills the corridor, and Dylan and I turn around. A tall man with ink-black skin, dark red eyes, and a shaved head wearing a white and blue suit stands at the end of the hallway, smiling at us.

"Who are you?" Dylan asks, his tone soft and confused.

"Malakai," says the man. As he steps closer, I realize he is actually slightly taller than Dylan.

"Are you an angel?" I ask.

He looks at me. "Good eye, Autumn."

"How do you know what my name?" I ask him.

"We all know things we shouldn't know," he says. "Come with me, I know where you're going, and you want to go here instead. I know you have no reason to trust me, as I am taking you in the opposite direction of your friends Zeke and Freya. Arlo and Emma are held up here, and we need to get them free before Freya and Zeke are killed by Elekai. Come on, this is the only way to do this."

I look at Dylan, and he nods once.

"Fine," I say. "We will follow you, Malakai."

Malakai nods and walks away, leading us down some stairs and around and around in a spiral of halls. We start to run once we get to the bottom of the stairs and curving halls. When we reach a huge lab like room, I see all sorts of machines and medical equipment sitting here and there around the room.

I see Arlo sitting in a wheelchair, her blue eyes locked on the floor. She doesn't even react when I run over to her, and when I finally get her to look at me, she starts to cry.

"Arlo, what's wrong?" Dylan asks.

"They killed her," she says.

"We gotta go," says Malakai.

"Killed who?" I ask.

Arlo starts to cry harder. Malakai walks behind her chair, getting ready to push her, and Dylan and I stand up, he grabs my hand, and then we run out of here, all the way to the stairs, where Malakai takes her out of her chair and carries Arlo up the stairs in his arms.

Emma. Where is Emma?

"Malakai? Where's Emma?"

Arlo sobs, and there's a loud noise akin to screaming. Then, from one of the halls to the left, comes a huge wendigo with blood caring its claws and talons and fangs. Malakai swears as he turns, handing Arlo to Dylan. Dylan looks at me.

"We should run," he says.

"Yes, go," says Malakai. "Run, now!"

We run.