for her wonderful comment, and for her wonderful syrup bottle :) --> %u20AC(_ it's cute, ne?
Chapter Twenty-Eight
“Beautiful girl on top of the world, don’t fall down, ‘cause an angel should never touch the ground,” a chilling voice sang, the direction impossible to discern with all the winding hallways.
Lycurgus ran, following the voice. “Kiri!” he yelled, Saubre following close at his heels, having no trouble keeping up, her every footfall heavy, the low, indistinct whirring and squeak of gears clicking.
The inky black tattoos on Saubre’s cheeks, curling down towards her ears mirrored on both cheeks seemed to be vibrating, shaking with her every footstep.
“Slow down Lyc!” Saubre called after him. “Hey, Lyc, she’s fine!”
“This way,” Lycurgus grabbed Saubre’s wrist, pulling her around a corner, the singing voice becoming louder, and much more clearer with every turn they made.
“Beautiful girl, on top of the world, don’t fall down, ‘cause nobody’s there to catch you if you fall.”
“KIRI?” Lycurgus yelled at the top of his lungs, dragging Saubre forward, the singing voice falling silent.
Then a new voice came, too familiar to ignore: “Silence,” it said. “Be quiet.”
It was just around the corner. Lycurgus let go of Saubre’s wrist, springing the rest of the way and freezing in his tracks.
When Saubre caught up with them, she saw why; Kiri... or a girl who looked much like Kiri, her dark locks tied back in a braid, her indigo eyes dark, like the sea at night. It wasn’t Kiri though, no, it was a girl taller than Kiri, perhaps around Lain’s age, maybe a bit older.
Behind her, Kiri lay on the floor, in a pile of pillows and blankets, her eyes closed, her chest raising in a soft rhythm, her breathing the only sound anyone could hear for a while.
“You’re here,” the young woman said, looking over her shoulder with a sideward glance, watching Kiri’s almost motionless body for a few brief moments before meeting Lycurgus’ crimson gaze.
“What’re you doing here with Kiri?” Saubre asked, her hands shaking, she wrung them together, her eyes alert, the dark circles under her eyes not seeming as dark as they had been before.
“Kiri, she was only trying to bring him here,” she nodded in Lycurgus’ direction. But, since everyone was holding hands, she ended up dragging you all down here. Do you know why she was upset and forged this space?”
“She....” Lycurgus looked at his hands. “She wanted to hold my hand....” he closed his hands, as if trying to hold onto a thought.
“I’m sure it was something more than that, especially for her to force such a large space open,” the girl said, stepping up to Lycurgus, taking his hands in hers and unfolding them, studying the lines on his palms.
“Who are you?” Lycurgus asked.
“I’m Lorina, or at least what’s left of Lorina,” the girl smiled. “Let Edith rest.”
YOU ARE READING
Falling Up
Mystery / Thriller*sequel to Ashes* Sharon has remembered her name, but is still no closer than she was to finding out what happened to her friends, Joshua and Markl, who think they finally have a lead on what Alice wanted them to get for her... but Alice has other t...
