Out of Darkness

Electricity

I have to climb faster. The scraping of the rocks below me let me know that they're getting closer. The sounds of claws raking across stone pushes me on. I can't let them get me. Something slices open my calf and I can feel my life draining away. Just keep going. I'm tiring and getting slower. Hands reach toward me from above, and I grab for them in desperation. They're cold and hard. They snatch me away from the rock face and I'm suddenly looking into black, dead eyes. Their owner smiles, and his teeth are all filed to points he grabs me by the shoulders and laughs as he pushes me over the edge. I scream as I fall, but the only noise I hear is his cackle.

The air in the room shifts, pulling me from the endless fall in my nightmare. Someone is standing next to the bed and I let out a small yelp as I scoot away. A finger presses to my lips as the figure whispers, "Shh." A flashlight clicks on and I see that it's Rosie. She takes a seat next to me on the bed and leans close to my ear.

"I don't want to wake the boys. I'm leaving for a few days, and I wanted to give you something before I go." I look over to the floor by the window and see North and Silas both stretched out in sleeping bags. One of them is snoring loud enough that I'm surprised I was able to sleep at all.

Rosie hands me a small pink rectangular box about the size of a deck of cards. It has a strap dangling from one corner and some metal pieces on the other side.

"This is my Small Fry, and it's my favorite stun-gun." I drop it to the blanket immediately, afraid I'm going to electrocute myself. She picks it up and hands it back to me.

"Don't worry, it won't work unless you turn it on." She points to a switch on the side. "This little gal packs one hell of a punch and has a disable pin so that it won't work if someone tries to take it and use it on you. I figure that you should have a way to protect yourself just in case." I nod and am kind of relieved. I'm never alone, but I think I'll feel just a little bit safer with this. "Have Kota show you how to use it in the morning, and make sure you charge it after." She reaches over and gives me a quick side hug. "Stay safe, Sang."

As she gets up to go, I whisper, "Thank you."

She closes the door behind her and I'm once again plunged into darkness. I start to feel like I'm panicking, so I get up quietly and tip toe to the bathroom. I shut myself in before turning on the light and sit down on the edge of the tub. I try to breathe like I did last night with Mr. Blackbourne. Slowly in, hold, slowly out. I do this about a dozen times and start to regain control of myself. I'll have to remember to thank him for teaching me how to do that. I start to examine the stun-gun when the door swings open, startling me, and I fall backwards into the bathtub with a squeal.

"Sang, Baby!" North rushes over to help me, but I've somehow managed to twist myself up into the shower curtain as well, and am too tangled to get out quickly.

Silas comes in and yawns, "Aggele, what are you doing in the bathtub?" I giggle, and think he must still be half asleep. He stretches his arms over his head and his shirt rides up, revealing his exquisitely sculpted abs. I'm pretty sure that my brain short-circuts for a moment, and I stare at him like an idiot. North's hands trying to free me from my jumble bring me back to reality and I can't help but laugh again.

"Shit, Sang, this isn't working." He pulls out a knife and cuts the curtain free. Wait, where was he keeping a switchblade?

Silas reaches over and lifts me out of the mess in the tub and carries me back to the bed while North stays behind to tidy up.

"I can walk, you know," I scold him.

He grins at me. "Nope. Gotta carry you. Doctor's orders!" I roll my eyes and flop back onto the pillow. North comes in and plops down next to me.