Beholders Of Bamberg

IV.

Charlie

"So?" My brows curved upwards through a curious frown. So let me get this straight, Erica? Jen brought a book back from the library that happens to be magical?"

Erica waved her hand to shush me as we were currently sat in Costa Coffee. "Keep your fucking down, Charlie" She warned me hastily, gritting her teeth.

Lorna sipped her cup of coffee then whispered. "But he does have a point, Erica?"

"Thanks, Lorna"

Her eyes darted at me viciously as they rolled behind her eyelids. "I wasn't finished yet, Charles"

Smlies creep up on Erica, Tyler, Freya and Ben's faces. It looked if they wanted to burst out laughing but chose not to.

"Like I was saying, Charlie has a point about Jennie's book being a magical portal to somewhere like Hogwarts" Lorna pressed, calmly huffing out of boredom.

"That's funny, Lorna because I don't think that I mentioned Hogwarts?" I sarcastically sighed to annoy her on purpose.

And.

It.

Always.

Works.

Lorna scrunched her nose causing her fawn  cheeks to turn a red of shade.

"That's because it came directly from my own mouth you complete moron" She almost shrieked at the top of her lungs.

Freya got furiously fed up with our bricking and decided to put an end to it by rising her palm up in the air.

"Will you two pack it in" She scolded us as her strong Scottish twang rang out of her lips. "You two can solve your own personal issues out later"

Tyler nodded in approval, fixing his eyes upon Lorna and I. "Stop arguing like a married couple for once and let's get our Jennie, back home safe and sound"

I lowered my head in shame, An Eerie silence was soon inched between us. This was followed by Freya who finally chose to break it.

"Do you have the book with you now, Erica?" She looked around her shoulders trying not to be suspicious to the public flock of people in our current environment.

"Yeah" Erica lowered her voice and looked at her handbag on her lap. "It's right in here"

"You're not gonna take it right here are you?" Ben narrowed his eyebrows upwards on high alert.

"What if a Whitewalker pops out or something?" He acknowledged shrugging his shoulders.

An amused loud snigger drew it's out of my mouth. "Ben you do know that Games of Thrones is a TV show right?"

"Yeah I do" He replied. "It's a TV show that happens to be based on novels By George R. R. Martin"

Self-pity filled my idiotic brain. "Oh thanks for the heads up, Ben"

"You're welcome"

"Anyways" Freya scoffed. "Let's take the book out of Costa Coffee. Without scaring any members of the public if a so-called Whitewalker or demon shows thier face" She commanded taking the lead lifting her feet onto ground, removing her bottom out of her chair then swiftly exited the crowded coffee shop.

One by one, Erica, Ben, Tyler, Lorna and I followed her in a calmly manner. Whlie looking around every corner out into Row high street out of paranoia.

Freya stopped in her tracks for a moment before trekking into a nearby alleyway, signaling us to join her. We all hurried in as the streets were seemingly quiet unlike it unusual would be.

Lorna puts her palm against her nose to cover the looming aura of rotten rubbish and an awful human or animal pong injuring our nostrils.

"Eww" I groaned under my breath huddling with the others in a circle. "It sinks here"

"Which is why we have to get this done quickly" In a fast pace Erica whipped the magical book out of her handbag for all of us to see.

But.

The.

Book.

Had.

A.

Mind.

Of.

It's.

Own.

The pages flew opened which starled us. Erica dropped the book out of fright and let it fall onto the floor with a loud thud.

Slowley stepping away we stood plastered in awe and shock.

"What the fuck? Freya gasped extending her hand against her mouth as her eyes became filled with fear.

Heavy breathes were exchanged between us as we didn't know what was going to happen next.

Dark thorns lunched themselves out of the book to create a somewhat protective ball around us.

"Erica?"

"Jennie?"

"Jennie?" Ben repeated wide eyed trembling his lower lip.

Lorna's leg was entangled by a thorn right there before us.

She screamed out in pain as another thron wrapped it's self around her neck and tightened it's grip along her throat.

Ben, Tyler, Freya and I simultaneously run towards her in an attempt to help her. But more thorns spring out to attack us and grabbed Lorna before  she disappeared into a pile of spiked vines.

"Help" Her voice echoed through the brisk air.

"Lorna" Tyler prickled out tears above his eyelids looking back and forth over at the protective wall of thorns. "She's gone what the fuck are we going to do?"

Erica soothed. "Calm down, Tyler we're going to get Lorna back and find a way out of here"

"Didn't you say you're dream was exactly like this, Erica?" Ben quipped trying to lighten the mood being hopeful.

"Yeah" She nodded in suspicion as I and the others actively listened for Ben to speak up again.

His answer was cut short by a vine wrapping around his wrist and torso. Ben tried to fight them off but his effort got the best of him.

The vines entangled themselves over him from top to bottom.

And.

Then.

He.

Was. 

Gone.

Tyler, Erica, Freya and I were now the only ones left. An inch of massive frustration crept within me, clenching my fists I grew inpatient and lose it.

"Fuck this shit" Yelping at the top of my lungs as I punched the protective circle out of anger. "Let us go right now"

Freya shoved my arm as her eye cast daggers at me. "You're going to make it worse, Charlie stop it"

"She's right" Tyler cried. "We have to work together to rescue Lorna, Ben and Jennie. and find a way out of here"

The vines striked again and grabbed me then Freya, Tyler and Erica.

Each time we struggled it got more difficult to move.

"Great now we're fucked" Erica groaned being pulled by the vines with watery eyes.

Tyler and Freya started to sob.

My own tears dropped out of  my eyes as I knew my fate finally was sealed.

"I'll see you on the other side" With one last wink I let the vines consume me.

Taking.

One.

Last.

Breath.