Code of Shadows

Chapter 17: Mason

Arin looked safe, but deep down, I knew that the government was watching him and one wrong move could result in his death. Something from Belle told me that I was also being watched too. That was when I realized that I had always been watched since birth. How did I think that the government got that video of me falling and 'Glitching' as they called it. But how could I even know if that was the real name for what I did. It could be just another one of their lies. 

They had placed camera's in our house's siding, in fake flowers, on street posts, everywhere they could think of to watch for any sign of me using magic. The truth was everyone--Almosa, the government, the world, my community--was afraid of magic.

I jolted back to reality as Aala opened up the passenger door.

"Hello in there, do I need to drag you inside now two? Is opening the door just not enough?" Aala taunted.

"Uh... Sorry." I scrambled to step out of the car and close the door. "I was just thinking about what you had told me earlier."

Aala nodded curtly before escorting me to my door where I promptly opened the door and made the trek to my room. I flopped on my bed and gave a huge sigh. I wanted to think over everything that I had been told, but the more that I layed in bed, the stronger and stronger sleep pulled at me. Before I knew it, my eyes had drifted close and I had drifted into the dream realm.

It was an unpleasant surprise to open my eyes and immediately see the shattered and incinerated landscape. Almost instantly the smell of rotting flesh and death filled my nose. I gagged. Why oh why did I have to come back here? Belle told me that it wouldn't be too much longer before I was able to control my entrances and exits into this world, but it was increasingly annoying to be forcefully thrown into this world. 

I wandered a deserted area of badlands for what seamed like hours without seeing a single soul. Once I had heard a wailing screech from a volcano far in the distance, but nothing seamed to move out here, and it was giving me the creeps. 

The silence was keeping me on edge, but I knew that silence was better than sound because it meant no one was around me. 

At one point I had thought I had heard the beatings of wings and in my panic had flattened myself under a rotting spiked tree that groaned to the none existent wind. 

I had scurried away from that tree very quickly after I was sure that the flying thing had left long ago. 

I watched as the dark sky above me slowly started to turn into a reddish orange. I sighed in relief as I realized that I only had a few more minutes here in this dream world. But minutes could be hours in here. Belle had said that when the sky starts to turn red it means that day is coming, but she also warned me against becoming too hopeful as what seamed like an hour here could be only a couple of minutes. 

I breathed in deeply, and gagged on the pungent smelling air. Almost there...

...............................

I woke with a start as the sun came barreling rudely into my room. I blinked against the blinding brightness, then slowly sat up. I breathed in a deep breath, relieved to not be smelling the acrid air of the dream world. I pulled the covers off of my legs, then swung my feet over the edge of the bed. 

I glanced at my nightstand and picked up the letter there. I stared at the sloppily scrawled note for several seconds before actually realizing I had to read it. 

Hey Cait, I have arranged for our introduction tour to take place at 8:00 this morning. Since it is the weekend, your family should be free and they can tag along like we planned. I will see you soon.