HOUSE OF FIRE

Chapter 2

After another long, boring drive through town, my attention is pulled forward when the cart draws to a slow stop before a thick wall of concrete at the top of a steeped hill. And right in the middle of the concrete, is a deep engraving of a Triquetra symbol. The symbol immediately makes my eyes widen in surprise, my hand unconsciously rising to rest on my biceps where there's a black tattoo of the exact same knot imprinted on my skin.

Puzzled, I turn to Devon and was about to ask why he stopped before a wall when a loud groaning noise disrupts me from speaking. I slowly turn to look ahead and gasp as a small section of the wall just above the symbol slowly slides to the left to reveal a dark opening, a tiny device is soon pushed out and it's in the shape of a pistol gun.

The pointed mouth of the pistol releases a red beaming light towards the cart and I could only watch in shock as the light scans our bodies through the cart, twice, before the pistol slides back in only for a metal cased screen to appear in its place. The screen lights up and projects a blue beam of light before the cart to reveal a rotating holographic visual. My jaw drops and brows rise when the visual head of a female smiles warmly and speaks in a computerized voice.

"Authorized, vehicle scanning complete. Coral&Knight Academy welcomes you, Coral Ray, we hope your new beginning at C&K is highly successful. Cart Motor 56161, you are authorized to enter."

"This is some sick security you have here." I couldn't but snort, turning to him I ask sarcastically. "why is the dean also safety-friendly?"

Amused, Devon spares me a side glance and smiles rather than respond as the visual disappears. The screen slides back in and the concrete wall parts in the middle just like the red sea, bringing into view a narrow gravel road leading into a compound surrounded by nothing but thick trees. He drives through the divided wall while I continue looking out the window in amazement, my nose practically pressed to the glass when the trees clear away to reveal a beautiful, majestic castle. He drives around a small fountain and stops the cart before the castle with a satisfied sigh. "well, here we are."

       Stepping out of the cart after turning to stare at me with a tilt of his head, I straighten up and quickly follow his lead. It almost feels like I'm transported into another universe, one from a medieval era, as I tilt my head back to stare at the intimidating stone building practically looming over me.

The Gothic castle looks just as mysterious and creepy as they usually appear in movies with vines crawling up the building, dry leaves scattered all over the grass, a clock tower right in the middle, darkened hallways, smokey chimney's sticking out of the roof, and street lamps. The narrow road circles around the castle and to the left, I notice a stone path leading into the forest and wonder what's on the other end of the trail. I was just about to take a step closer in that direction when by chance I looked up.

Doing a double-take, my disbelieving eyes stare at the sky, my jaw dropping in shock as a scream of fright bubbles up from deep within but stays hooked in my throat. Under any normal circumstance, a person will probably run, maybe even scramble back in fright, but I couldn't bring myself to do either as I stared at the encroaching thing high up in the air. The thing I'm referring to is an actual flaming dragon, and I literally mean it when I say there's a dragon of flames descending over the roof of the castle!

My heart stutters to a stop momentarily, my mind going blank. But just when I thought the dragon was going to envelop me in the descent of flames, it stops abruptly above my head. Just an inch away from me. Releasing a quivering breath, I finally attempt to step back, but instead ended up passing out.

~*~*~*~

Waking up with a groan of pain my eyes slowly blink open and I see nothing but a blur of white until everything begins to come into shape and my gaze rests on a ceiling. Slowly turning my head, I do a quick survey of the room and frown when I realize I'm laying on a bed in what appears to be an infirmary. There are lines of empty beds stretched out on either side of my body, across the room is a white wooden desk with an open laptop and papers cluttered on top. Behind the desk are shelves resting against the wall and they seem to be filled with hospital utilities all encased within glass cabinets. Rising slowly from my position, I hold onto my head when a sudden bout of nausea and dizziness hits me. It feels like there's a stampede of elephants pounding away in my brain and I can't help the leak of tears that roll down my face.