Don't go in there

Chapter 5

Blood.

After Cecilia left that was all my mind could register.

Blood.

And it was everywhere.

Oliver lay in a pool of his own blood. The carpet around him was soaked in his life force. How could a human do this to another human? Monsters really do live among us.

I had seen blood before, believe me, but those had been cuts and scrapes. This was blood, real blood and it was surrounding me, trapping me.

Blood, in all its shades, was splattered across the walls. I had never realised it was so very red. Funny how something so precious was such a common colour, how something associated with injury and death was such a bright hue.

Dried, brown blood dotted the carpet. My eyes traveled back to Oliver. This bright liquid consumed him. I could barely contain my scream.

"Natalie... you have to go." Oliver rasped beside me. Craig, Sarah and I were all crouching down next to him. "I'm not going anywhere. Family sticks together." I said.

He smiled weakly at me. Blood trickles from his lips. I tear my gaze away and try not to gag. Cecilia rushed through the door carrying a red bag with a white cross adorning the material.

"Get me bandages, and something to clean the wounds." Craig said. Cecilia's fingers moved like lightning to retrieve the items. Craig and Cecilia started cleaning Oliver's wounds, which were numerous.

Sarah and I started to pick up a broken lamp when I see something glittering underneath. I picked it up and inspected the object. It was a silver necklace. Hanging from a small chain was an emerald set on silver. Engraved on the back was 'Indigo Freshford'.

"What did you find?" Sarah asked. "Just a necklace." I said handing it to her. "Indigo Freshford, that's a weird name." Sarah said reading the writing on the necklace.

"How do you know that name?" Cecilia asked. " It's on the back of this neclace." Sarah said holding the necklace up.

Cecilia looks back at us and her eyes find the necklace. "She is from one of the families who wants to Change Natalie." Cecilia said resuming her work bandaging Oliver up.

"Each family has a piece of jewellery with a stone the same colour as their front door. Some have a watch or a ring, others have a necklace." Cecilia continued.

"That makes sense. Ethan gave me a watch of my dad's, that must be my family's." I said. "Yes, it has been passed down through many generations." Cecilia said.

"All done." Craig announced. Him and Cecilia stood up and encouraged Oliver to do the same. They helped him onto a desk chair before he collapsed.

"What happened?" Craig asked. "Well they knocked politely on the door and I let them in, and then we told secrets and braided each other's hair." Oliver said. Craig narrowed his eyes at Oliver, but says nothing.

"They broke down the door. It was Indigo, her brother and Seth Ndlovu." Oliver said. "All I can remember is them calling me a spy and then they beat the crap out of me." He said.

"They found out you have been spying these past months?" Cecilia asked. "Yeah it seems like it." Andrew said.

He tried to sit up but his body has other plans and he crumpled onto the chair again. We all rushed forward to steady him but he held up his hand to stop us.

"New plan: with the information I gathered we create a strategy to hit them where they are weak." Oliver said. His head was held high, but his teeth were ground together in pain. It must be a genetic thing.

"Wow, slow down. You are going to rest until you feel better." Cecilia said. " But..." Oliver started. "Butts are for chairs. Now don't try and get up again." Cecilia said. I stifled a laugh.

"So what do we do now?" Sarah asked. Craig, Oliver and Cecilia turned and stared at us. "Good question." Cecilia observed. "I suppose we just wait and see." Craig said sitting down on an empty chair.

I sigh. I should be at home, studying for my Physics test, not waiting around with my crazy canine relatives. "What did you just say?" Cecilia asked. Did I say that out loud?

"We are lycanthropes, not canines." Craig said. I laugh despite myself. "It doesn't matter." Oliver said. He had stood up and leaned against the chair for support.

"We shouldn't wait. We have to take Sarah and Natalie home." Andrew said firmly, as if he thinks by sounding strong his body will do the same.

"We can't take them home, what about their families and their safety?" Cecilia demanded. "Sarah can stay at Natalie's house, Aunt Dorothy knows the drill." Oliver said.

"I can't stay at Natalie's house forever." Sarah said her hands on her hips. "Okay, get yourself and your family killed. I'm just trying to help." Oliver said. Sarah looked unimpressed but she said nothing.

"Let's get moving." Oliver said straightening up and, not without difficulty, walking out of the door. We all follow silently.

I did not notice what we passed on the way to my house. The slithers of sky visible through the trees and the vast vegetation blended into a blur.

We were all silent. Sarah was biting her nails, Craig was scratching the back of his neck quite viciously, Cecilia was rubbing her hands together and my hands were jammed far into my pockets. Oliver is the only person who seems calm.

We arrived at my house. Oliver turned to me. "Meet us outside here at six-thirty tomorrow." he said. Normally I would argue but now is not the time.

My cousins waved goodbye and were swallowed by the forest. I sighed and let Sarah and myself into my house.

"That was interesting." Sarah said. "It certainly was." I said and we both made our way to my bedroom. We collapsed on to my bed and a bubble of air was pushed out from under my duvet, as if even my bed was sighing.

*♡*

Author's note:

That whole paragraph on blood was inspired by an incident that occured at a shopping centre near me. There was a robbery and shoot out, no one died, thank goodness. But looking at the photos really affected me, imagine actually living through something like that. My condolences to the victims and their loved ones.

For those who don't know my nickname is Sipho #I am the only one who calls myself that.

Me: I am sooo black.

My friend Ntsiki: You are not black. The only thing black about you is that. *points to one of my moles*

Me: That's my blackness trying to come out.

That part about the word lycanthrope was inspired by the Mortal Instruments, The City of Heavenly Fire. I was reading it and I saw the the word lycanthrope and I thought "I love that word."

What do you think of that chapter?

Sorry, it was pretty short.

I hope you liked it, I will try post again as soon as I can.

Please vote and comment :D

♡hc1717