Feared

Thirty-Nine: Battle

A thrill of excitement and fear ran through Charlotte, as a crack of thunder rolled over the house. Steady drops of rain began to fall on the roof, growing heavier and louder by each passing second until a monotonous din replaced the once icy silence that had swamped them. The alterations they possessed were already being put to dramatic use. Kuba Kowalski's ability to conjure devastating storms was an intense response to the severe cold they were being subjected too.

"Let's find Ethan," James breathed, looking from Carrie, to Harris, to Charlotte. His eyes were burning with a fervour Charlotte had not seen in him before. She frowned. She could see that this was something he wanted, perhaps even longed for. She only hoped that this new James was still smart enough not to do anything reckless.

"He'll want the Head Students front a centre," Carrie grunted, snapping Charlotte out of her worry. "Leading by example and all that..."

James nodded with intense eagerness, before turning and leading them towards the stairs. Charlotte went last, an unease settling over her. Her want to fight and cause damage to their enemies was suddenly thrown into conflict with her need to know that James wouldn't do something stupid. She trusted the old James to stay safe, to think things through. But this James lacked the experiences the old James had. He had no real idea of what could be waiting for them out there.

The rain hammering off the house was now a constant roar around them as they descended the stairs one by one. The wind howled through the mountains, the trees in the surrounding forest creaking and swaying in the wind.

The other students were already pouring out onto the lawns as they reached the hallway. They rushed through the doors and clambered through windows. They rushed out all at once, making no one person a target.

Ethan turned as the last of the students left and smiled at them. He and James grasped forearms in a way Charlotte had never noticed before. Ethan had adapted to the new James, had salvaged something of their past. Charlotte somehow envied that, envied that they had been able to rebuild parts of the relationship James had forgotten. While she stood idly, unable to part with what they had once had.

She waited on the bottom step of the stairs, gazing at the remnants of their group. Ian, Kiya and Matt had already vanished. Who knew when she would see any of them, if she would ever see them again?

Ethan turned and smiled gently at her, a smile that in some way seemed like an apology, a moment of regret before they too would have to join the fight. She knew he saw too clearly the dangers they now faced. He knew this was their only option and that he would not have suggested it if they had any other choice. She only feared that they were already too late to escape this place.

"So this is it then," Charlotte breathed, staying on the step.

"For now," Harris said. "Just watch the injuries".

"I'll try," she grinned, trying to summon her courage.

"We should..." Ethan began to speak, but his words were lost as Charlotte's reality tumbled into blackness.

The ground was ripped from beneath her feet, her body crashing into a solid wall. Darkness swamped her vision. Ripping, crashing, shattering noises surrounded her. They bored into her head. She wanted to cover her ears, her face, but she couldn't move her arms. Something heavy pressed across her chest, crushing her. Everything hurt. Her lungs fought for air, her chest hardly able to move. She swallowed a mouthful of dust and dirt each time she gasped. Her face was showered with earth. Panic rose in her throat. She needed to free herself as she began to feel more and more claustrophobic. She twisted and turned, trying to loosen the pressure on her arms.