Out of the Shadows // Sebastian Sallow

Chapter Twenty-Six

This is a long chapter. Also, it has heavy emotions so reader, beware. And it also happens to be the end of Part One of Out of the Shadows, the final chapter. Enjoy!

The winter days were melting into spring.

It was a glorious spring day. The birds were chirping. The grass was turning green again. The sun shone brightly on my perfect little world.

I was meeting with Anne in the front Courtyard of the castle when everything changed.

Everything always does.

I can still remember the smell of the dewy grass. And the screams of my friends.

The screams of Sebastian. That ripped through my soul. Tearing it out of my body.

I couldn't even look up as they dragged me away. I didn't want to remember him thrashing against Anne's hold, trying to get to me. I didn't want that to be my last memory of him. Or of the castle.

So, I closed my eyes tightly and let the tears stream down freely.

I knew my fate was sealed.

--

10 days earlier

"Ugh, I can almost smell spring. I want to go OUTSIDE!" Imelda whined next to me in the library.

"Then, go. I'm not stopping you." I said with my face in the book, my quill scratching the parchment furiously. I had so much work to catch up on.

"It's no fun unless you come give me competition. I just want to go flying for a couple of hours... pleeeeease?" She begged, steepling her hands in front of her and pouting her lips.

I glared at her momentarily. "FINE. Ok. Just let me finish this paragraph."

She squealed. "YES!" Madam Scribner hushed us from her desk.

"Sorry." Imelda whispered back. She was bouncing on her feet until I finished. I secretly loved her enthusiasm.

We flew around the castle and grounds shortly thereafter. Racing and trying to catch each other. Imelda had a great move where she flew right in between the giant squid's tentacles as it reared up out of the water. I chickened out and went around. She amazed me. Her skill had grown.

We landed on the field of the Quidditch Pitch, laughing and talking.

"So, tell me. How are things with Sallow?"

"Oh. Good. I mean, I can't complain." My face reddened immediately, thinking about last night and the dirty things he said to me while he made me....

She interrupted my thoughts. "I see that face. He's good, huh."

"Imelda!" I poked her in the ribs.

"Ouch." She complained. "So, what about Anne?"

"What do you mean?" I asked, confused.

"Well, obviously, he's had girlfriends before...." She stated.

"I'm confused. I thought we were talking about Anne. What do you mean previous girlfriends....?

She sighed. "Ok, I heard from Samantha Dale that when they dated in year four, he was obsessed with his sister. Like, overly obsessed. He wanted to spend all his time with her and never wanted to do anything with Samantha... "

"Oh. Well, I think I've solved that problem. Without trying even!" I snickered. "Anne loves me. And I'm totally in awe with her. We hang out all the time. So, if we're together, Seb has no choice but to be with both of us! Plus, he doesn't have to choose between us."