💀Death's Apprentice💀

Chapter Three: In Your Goth Intern Dreams

The Apprentice

          Ellewood was not a little place. It was a very, very, very big place surrounded by a thick forest and filled with expensive things. Tall fountains and artistically cut shrubs were scattered everywhere along the property. Guards stood at every door and window. They didn't march back and forth like the guards that you would see in movies. Instead they stood perfectly still in front of their designated spaces. Only their eyes moved to survey their surroundings. Every now and then two walkers would encircle the property with a pair of Dobermans.

          "This isn't going to work. There aren't any openings, and they have dogs." I warned Rose from our hiding spot just outside of the property. Luckily the tall fences were lined with thick hedges that masked anything from the outside. I shuddered at the thought of the dogs picking up our scent. Rose rolled her eyes and sighed as she peered through the veil of branches and leaves.

          "It is going to work-we just have to figure out how it's going to work. And what's wrong with the dogs? All we have to do is wait until they're on the other side of the house. Unless you're worried about them for other reasons." Rose hissed. The Scythe was still wrapped inside both of her fists. Ever since she had gotten her hands on it she had been holding it so tightly that her knuckles turned white. I wondered if I could make a grab for it and have a game of Tug of War, but had decided against it. The power transfer between two people would be way too noticeable even for regular humans. Not to mention trained guards. Then there were still the dogs.

          "The thing with dogs-or any animal really-is that they really do not like supernatural beings. You know that awful feeling in your gut when you know something's just off? That's what supernatural creatures do to dogs. Not on purpose, of course. A supernatural being who loves dogs could literally just be standing there, and even puppies would go berserk! So it's a really bad thing that the dogs are even here. It's a miracle that they haven't sensed us yet." I ranted.

          "Us?" Rose asked.

          "You're holding The Scythe of Death. That makes you a temporary supernatural being."

          "We have to make a distraction, and it has to be when the dogs are all the way on the opposite side. Got it?" I asked. Rose nodded. "Now once we get in there we'll have to be quick, and we only have one shot. If the dogs pick up our scent then there will be no other chances. Even then they will easily be able to track us when they get back around. It would certainly be a lot easier if I was the one with The Scythe." I explained.

          "In your goth intern dreams." Rose snapped. "Now hurry up!" I made an offended noise before indignantly turning myself invisible. Rose's mouth dropped open, and she clutched The Scythe to her chest. "Wait, how did you do that!?" Rose whispered excitedly.

          "I'll explain later."

          "No you won't."

          "You're right! I won't. So enjoy the advantages you have now and wait for the guards to move." I replied before giving Rose an invisible smirk. Rose couldn't see me, but she still narrowed her eyes at the spot where I had disappeared. I spun around and scurried through the underbrush for a ways, occasionally tripping over branches or clumps of leaves.

          Only my shadow could be seen as I made my way through the trees. Finally I was far enough away, and I scanned the ground for a rock big enough for my intentions. There! A giant chunk of rock lay encased in the earth. I clawed away the dirt and picked it up with both hands before making my way to the fence. I threw it as hard as I could.

Crash! The window closest to Rose shattered like it may as well have been a magician's sugar-glass. The men guarding it dove away from the noise to avoid being cut before leaping back up. One guard immediately went to observing the window while the other sprinted in the direction the rock had come from-my direction. I needed to get both of the guards away from the window. I quickly made myself visible before hightailing it out of there.

The first guard might as well have been an olympic sprinter. He was on me in an instant, tackling me in midair and wrestling me to the ground. My head was pulled up by my hair, and I spat out a mouthful of leaves. A centipede crawled away in a panic, and I hoped to God it had just been on the ground near my face and not in the leaves in my mouth. The guard kept my head up, but planted his knee in between my shoulder blades. If I had been your average human the air undoubtedly would have been crushed from my lungs.

"I got 'em!" The guard shouted. I could hear the other guard scale the fence before his boots landed heavily on the other side. He lumbered up to us, and grabbed one of my arms before the first guard grabbed the other. I was hoisted-no-launched into the air before my feet were finally introduced to the ground again. My breathe had finally leveled from the running, but I doubted it would stay stable for long.

"Let's see what the man of the house thinks of this." The second guard growled.

"Well as the lady of the house...you should be pretty concerned too." I replied. My arms were twisted into unnatural angles, and I yelped in pain before being face planted into the dirt once again. The guards flipped me onto my back roughly before they each grabbed a leg. They grinned menacingly down at me. I leaned up on my elbows with a smarmy smirk.

"I think we'll drag you." The second guard snapped.

"Hopefully not verbally. I'm very sensitive, you know." I quipped. My elbows gave out from under me as I was suddenly yanked forward. This time the back of my head collided with the leaves and undergrowth instead of my face. I was sure my face was scratched up by now, but I didn't have much time to dwell on it as I was heaved through the underbrush.