Violet Fire

Chapter 5

I ran out of my grandma's house faster than I've ever run before. I didn't stop to unlatch the gate, simply vaulted over the short fence and ran. I didn't stop until my lungs were positively burning and my feet were sore. I hadn't even noticed my ever-present stalkers, my shadows following me.

I leaned against a nearby wall to catch my breath. There were people milling about, but I didn't notice any of them. I simply kept playing the scene over and over again in my mind. I shook my head, trying to shake the images out. I pushed away from the wall and didn't stop again until I was home. My parents were gone, they had left a note to say that they were picking up take-out. I didn't have much time.

I made my way through the mess that still crowded the house and into my room. I dumped the contents of my school bag onto my desk, then started to throw anything I thought I would need into the bag. I changed from my shorts and brightly colored tee-shirt into jeans and a black shirt. I pulled on my boots and quickly laced them up before grabbing a gray jacket and pulling it on. I took the journal off of the shelf and went into the kitchen.

I grabbed a sharp knife and made a slit down the spine. The material fell away softly to reveal what the lump underneath was. It was a wrought iron key. It was so thin and delicate that I feared I might snap it in my fingers. It hung from an equally delicate chain that was cool to the touch. There was a small note tied to the key in elegant handwriting.

Amor Vincit Omnia

I didn't have time to try and figure out what that meant, because someone was pounding on the front door. I put the note in my pocket and slipped the chain over my head. I walked as quietly as I could to the front door and looked out the peep hole. The Hoodies were standing on my front porch, hammering on the door. They might have said that they were friends, but I didn't trust them at all.

I slowly backed away from the front door and tiptoed to the back door. I shut it behind me and walked toward the gate, my senses alight. They spoke quietly to each other, but I couldn't hear what they were saying. I heard the sound of the front door opening and then they went in. I pushed the gate open and sprinted down the street. I thought I heard a low curse as I raced away, but I wasn't sure.

Before I even reached the end of the street, my stalkers were in pursuit. I burst out of my neighborhood and saw that the bus was about to drive off. I yelled for the driver to wait and managed to get on the bus just before the doors closed. I sat in the back, glancing out the windows at my stalkers. I couldn't see Hoodie Number Two's face, but Hoodie Number One was none too happy.

I smiled to myself and settled into the seat more comfortably. I rode the bus to the Metrolink station, then bought a ticket for Los Angeles. I was going to find out what happened to my parents, one way or another.

Luckily I found a cab, or I would've been completely lost. I was able to tell the cabbie where I wanted to go, but he wasn't too thrilled. I don't blame him, it was a pretty scary part of town.

"Are you sure you don't want me to stay?" he asked, but I just shook my head.

I paid him a little extra so that he would leave, then looked around. My stalkers hadn't caught up with me yet, but I wasn't comforted. The neighborhood was giving me the creeps. I glanced toward an alley and saw a gray tabby staring at me. Its amber eyes regarded me coldly, and we stared at each other for a few long minutes. The cat gave a low, mournful meow and turned into the alley.

What have I got to lose? I thought before I followed the cat.

A rat scurried by my feet as I entered the alley, nearly making me scream. The cat glanced impatiently at me and I hurried up. It stopped in the middle of the alley and meowed again. It took me a minute to see it. A door in the wall of the building to my left, framed in icy blue light. I put my hand on the door, and my skin began to prickle. I pushed on the wood and...nothing happened. I looked around for a handle, but there wasn't one. There wasn't a key hole, either. Then a thought occurred to me.

"Amor Vincit Omnia," I whispered, liking how it seemed to roll off my tongue.

Immediately, I felt that strange tingling sensation again. But this time my hands didn't glow. Instead, the door opened, revealing a sea of swirling icy blue mist. I tried to take a step back, but the cat was behind me, pushing me with its head. I felt myself begin to fall forward. What did I just do? I thought. Then the world went dark.