.Chapter Thirty-Four.

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Outside the world was in chaos. Thunder roared and rattled the thin glass window panes. Lightning forked in the sky like an agitated creature and struck the earth. Rain pounded against the road in heavy sheets. They were big, heavy raindrops, and they hit the ground like bullets.

Nathan and Sage flew out the front doors in a wild panic. The light of Blake's essence shined out of the cracks in between Nathan's fingers. He clutched it to his chest.

Wind battered at their faces, and Sage's hair whipped around her in a whirlwind. Everyone was gone, chased away by the storm. But in front of them, a horrible sight met their eyes.

Reapers- circling around them. The stench of rotting meat wafted through the storm and made their eyes water. Being in the Reaper's presence made the life drain out of them, making them feel weak and heavy. But the stood still.

Fear was evident in Nate's eyes. He had never seen so many in one place. There were about thirty of them, all menacing and all trying to suck away the soul in his hands and his dead girlfriend. He couldn't allow that.

"I think we should run!" He yelled to be heard over the wind.

Sage's eyes appeared darker in the night, but he saw them flick over to him in a silent agreement.

Nate looked down at her hand by her side. She held up three fingers.

Three.

Everything became sharp and stretched out in his mind.

Two.

He inhaled a deep breath. The muscles in his legs tensed.

One.

And they were off.

They dashed towards the only opening left. Fear screamed in their minds, and it burned in their blood. Their lungs ached, and the only thing that was pushing them on were the Reapers behind them, closing in. Suddenly, Sage came to a stop in front of him.

They were standing on the lip of a drop-off. Loose pebbles tumbled down from where their feet rested on the edge. It wasn't too far down, maybe ten feet.

Nathan clutched Blake to his chest a bit tighter. Claws raked his back and sharp pain burst into existence. Warmth bubbled out of his back and his shirt clung to his back. Solid determination filled him with courage. He took a deep breath... and jumped.

Pain jared his ankles and he fell to his knees from the impact. The thump beside him alerted him that Sage had jumped as well. He scrambled to his feet. Blake pulsed with electricity and ice in Nate's hands.

Nate's lungs felt like they were going to burst if he didn't get enough oxygen soon, and he had no idea where he was. All he was aware of was the pounding of his heart and the thumping of his feet and the fragile soul in his hands and how he had to get away.

Something tugged on his shirt and he was transported back into a memory of stumbling through the woods, alone and afraid. He pulled away and spun around. It was only Sage.

Her cheeks were pink and her eyes wild. Twigs poked out of her damp hair.

"Follow me. I know where we are."

He complied. They twisted through the trees like flames twisting through fire wood. Rain drenched them to the bone and Nate shivered. He was faintly aware of the stabbing pain in his back. It thrummed him in his bones.

Fallen branches grabbed the hem of his pants like skeletal hands. They were trying to trip him, to give the Reapers and chance to catch up to him and get him. Nate ripped away from the grasping hands and followed the faint glow of Sage's hair in the night.

Relief poured into both of them as they came to the edge of the treeline. They were in the forest behind their house. How they got there, Nate did not know. He even suspected that Sage might've used a bit of magic, but he didn't care.

Gravity moved their legs for them. Thunder rumbled with each footstep, like the ground was trembling beneath them. It almost felt like the earth was going to crack open underneath them and swallow them whole. But it didn't, and they passed through the protection line.

Softness spread over them. The protection. Blake squirmed in Nate's hands, and he held it like he would a child. Sage tugged him in the house and they pounded up the stairs.

Sounds were louder and echoed in Nate's head. Breathing was shallow and the sound of their footsteps sound hollow.

Sage pulled him into her room.

"It should hold for a little longer," she said breathlessly.

She peeked around her lace curtain. Outside, Reapers slammed themselves into the invisible barrier, and pulses of blue light flared where they hit. The light spread like lightning at their touched and connected at the top of the house like a great big dome. Thunder shook the house.

"It won't hold for long. There's too many of them and... where's Evie?"

In their haste to get away, they had lost Evelyn somewhere in the chaos. Sage ran back down the stairs.

"Evelyn? Evelyn! Where are you?"

"I'm here." Her voice was weak.

Nathan dashed down the stairs. Evie looked different. She looked washed-out and white, and she was leaning against the wall. Her eyes were shut. She looked exhausted.

"Evie, what's wrong?"

"I just feel... wrong. Different." Her eyes opened and he gasped. They were a flickering red, like fire was dancing in her eyes.

"Sage! She's changing already!"

Her feet thumped closer. "But I don't understand! Blake's dead! He's right there in your hands..." Something dawned on her face. "Oh."

"What, Sage? Spit it out!"

"He hasn't passed on yet. He needs to pass on."

Nate looked at the glowing orb he held. "Well, okay. How do we do that?"

Sage paced the length of the living room, brow furrowed in concentration. "Well there's myths all around the world of birds taking souls to the space between, the Shadowland you might say."

Evie gasped and they all spun on her.

"The Shadowland... I remember being there. It was cold and dark and..." She shivered.

"Okay. So we know the Shadowland exists... now how the fuck do we get a bird to take it away?"

Both girls startled at the curse that slipped past Nate's lips.

"Nothing can get through. To be able to get a bird, we'd have to lower the shield. And if we do that-" She didn't finish. She didn't have to. They all knew what would happen.

It seemed as if the whole world was against them. Either option and they were screwed. Nate felt the same hopelessness he felt when he was holding Evie as she died, the same way he felt when he was trapped in the haunted house with no way out. But they had to do something.

"Lower them," he ordered. "It's the best option."

"But Nate! We'll die!"

"If we do, others people won't. It's the most logical option. Lower the protection."


A/N: Wow. What will happen next? What do you want to happen next? Let me know in the comments below. :)


I will update soon!


-Sophia ^_^

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