The Otherworld

6.

{MATURE NEAR THE END}

FELIX HASN'T RELEASED MY HAND, and is gripping it tight-too tight, but I don't have the heart to tell him to let go.

The other three didn't ask for details. We hightailed it out of there, and went back through the vortex. Chase is driving, and trying to find another one.

We were in Atlanta longer than I thought. It's dark out, and Alastor is asleep beside me, head on my shoulder. Felix's hair flickers, and he murmurs to himself under his breath.

"Hey." I say gently. "How're you doing?"

"I'm fine." He says, looking away from me.

"Felix..."

"Really, I am. I...didn't want you to see that stuff."

"Well, I did. You know I'm not just going to leave you, right? Any of you, even if you annoy me sometimes."

He glances at me. "Okay..."

"I won't."

"Promise?"

"I promise." I wait till he nods, and relaxes into me. I squeeze his hand. "You're kinda hurting me, though."

—————————

"What are we doing here?" I ask Arlo.

Chase is driving, and we've stopped in front of a huge mansion. It looks old, and I don't think anyone's been living there. It's incredibly creepy. The fact that it's really dark outside is not helping.

This whole place is weird. As soon as we went through the vortex, it seemed to drop thirty degrees, and the sky is pitch black, the only light coming from the moon.

It's been almost a day since Atlanta. We haven't been attacked again yet, so I guess that's a plus.

We flew over a dark forest, then into this town. Nothing seems to be open, and I haven't seen anyone yet. The houses all seem to be abandoned.

Arlo, who switched spots with Alastor and now sits beside me, answers. "We've got to get something."

"What are we getting?"

"Some kind of weapon, I think. Multiple ones, probably."

"You don't know?"

"Nope. This is Chase's thing."

We haven't seen any other angels, and Chase says we may have lost them for a little bit. Felix seems to be bored, and every time he asks to get out his flamethrower and Chase says no, he sighs.

"Are we all going in?" I ask Chase.

"I'm going." Felix says.

"So am I."

Alastor just moves closer to me, and I take it to mean he's going, too.

"Don't touch anything." Chase says. "Stay behind me."

We get out of the car, and walk to the huge black gates. Chase pushes them open, the slow creaking slicing through the silence, and we walk through.

We go along the path leading to the wide porch. The grass is overgrown and dying. There are a couple of lights, but they flicker on and off. There are bones lying half hidden in the grass, and bats perch on the roof. "Guys..." Arlo whispers. "This is creepy."

"Really? What gave it away? The human bones or the bats? Or both?" I mutter as we walk up the front porch. It's got peeling black paint, and more bones.