The Rising

Chapter 1

I was roused from my sleep by a sharp tingle working its way down my spine.
As a Necromancer, I had learned to decipher the meaning of each prickle, tingle, and sense of foreboding out there.
The one I was feeling now had me resisting the urge to open my eyes. Because if I did, they would be everywhere.

I could hear the begging and pleading and threats oozing from the very air around me.
The ghosts all had different methods of getting my attention. Some worked better than others.
Unfortunately most of them were so desperate for contact that they lost their sense of humanity and kindness. And with it the word 'please'.

What I didn't understand was how they were here. Usually Derek's overbearing presence, and the comfort he instilled in me worked together to keep them at bay. And then I realized that the other side of the bed was cold. His side.
I pushed myself up onto my elbows, which caused the blankets to fall around my waist. I cast out my awareness, pushing with every spare ounce of strength my tired mind afforded me, straining to banish both the ghosts and their overbearing presence. Only after I was sure they were gone was I able to gather the courage to glance around the room. All of his things were gone.

Disturbed, I stood up and walked over to the door. I pulled Derek's large black hoodie down so that it embraced my knees. The house seemed too quiet. With four teenagers and an adult, there should at least be a snore, the coffee machine, the T.V, the bathroom, or even the shuffle of paper.
Two of said teenagers being a witch and sorcerer, one of which snores like a bear,
a werewolf, a Necromancer who wakes up screaming more often than not, and a man who stays up all hours of the night in the library. The oddity of complete silence had goosebumps prickling along my flesh.

My panic was rising as I searched the house, and kept coming up empty. Everything that belonged to them, and they themselves, were gone. Tori, gone. Simon, gone. Derek...gone. Even Kit, the man who had taken care of me as if he were my father had up and disappeared.
I wandered aimlessly through the house, my mind working to find a reasonable explanation.

Eventually my wanders had me shuffling mindlessly about the kitchen. The moon cast haunting rays of white light through the window leaving a streak on the kitchen tile. Nothing was odd about it, except for the dark little square situated right in the middle of the illuminating beam. My eyes followed the shaft of light along the floor and to the window.

There, taped to the pane, was a piece of paper. Even from this distance I could easily recognize Derek's cramped script. My feet seemed to shuffle of their own accord until I was leaning over the sink, rising up on my tip-toes to reach the note.

I don't know what I was expecting, but when a note starts out with "I'm sorry but", it usually isn't good.
Tears were already welling in my eyes and blurring my vision.
It wasn't long before I was unable to read anymore.

I stumbled towards the back door like a drunk in a back alley. Colliding with the door, I fumbled to find the knob.
I felt the cool metal in my hand and twisted, simultaneously throwing my weight against the flimsy slab of wood so that it flew open dramatically into the night. The loss of purchase left me to tumble onto the porch, my bare knees scraping against the rough wooden deck.

I shakily pulled myself up and stepped off the porch. And then I began to run. I bolted like a frightened deer into the tree line, branches whipping at my face and flailing arms.
I constantly stumbled over tree roots and rocks, and vines and leaves clung to my hair and clothes.

I don't know how long I had dashed through the woods like a crazy person.
All I knew was that it was long and far enough that my legs could carry me no farther, and I collapsed in a patch of soft moss. I released my clenched fist, and the crushed goodbye note fell to the ground.

The sky was beginning to purple with the coming dawn.
I shivered as the early morning dew settled on my bare legs.
It immediately became apparent that I was extremely exposed. My bare feet were caked in dirt and blood was beginning to crust over in thick lines down my legs. My knees were shredded, multiple splinters imbedded in the tender flesh.
All I was wearing was a pair of underwear and Derek's giant hoodie.

And if things couldn't get worse, I could sense a spirit bashing desperately against my consciousness. The only thing that kept me calm was that I knew this one. She was a friend. So I let her through.

Liz tumbled through the dimensional gateway with and raced at me.
"Chloe!" She hissed. "Get up! Run, now!"
I blinked. I didn't understand where her sense of urgency was coming from. I had managed to work my way deep into the Washington wilderness, and all around me conifer trees loomed upwards, blocking out the early morning sun and trapping a shrouding of mist inside their net of needles and branches. The rocky soil dug into my sensitive skin, and a fresh fern sprout was tickling my foot.

I readjusted and peered over at Liz, who was zipping around frantically, and chucking branches and stones at me to make her point.
Tired of the assault, I stood up.

And then I saw it. The sharp glint of metal in a nearby tree. Only this time, it was the barrel of a gun.

Too late. That's what I was.
All I saw was a silver blur before I felt a sharp pinch in my neck and ice flooded my veins. I collapsed and no matter how hard I tried to push it back, darkness was rapidly descending upon me. I heard the hiss of air and then a tugging sensation as the dart was pulled out.

I heard several voices, all male, conversing around me. One seemed highly irritated, and the others seemed apologetic. I was only able to to pick up a few words.
Wolf...Tranquillize... Others...Elephant... Idiot... Girl... Survive... Lab... Experiments... Terminate.

Looking beyond them, I saw Liz buzzing around like an angry fly. I sent a slight tug her way to grab her attention. And with what little strength I had left, I whispered to her.
"Leave me. Find them."
And then I may as well have been dead to the world.