Miranda [Watty Awards 2013]

Chapter 34

I let out a shuddering breath, air crystallizing in the cold room. My body seized, and then all at once began to tremble and sweat, hot and cold at the same time.

            Slowly raising my eyes, I took in the scene inch by inch. Tentacles of smoke wrapped around my ankles, trying to pull me in, and they wisped around in mocking beauty throughout the room. The room was so silent you could hear a pin drop, and that only made it much more terrifying.

            Then my eyes fell upon pools of black blood, falling in ropes from the middle of the air. Hounders, at least half a dozen. And they were all surrounding one black-cloaked, ominous figure.

            Grim, Death himself.

            He looked up, red eyes peeking out from underneath his hood. There was a scythe in his hand, one that you would see of the stereotypical reaper--and that’s how I knew we were in deadly trouble. He never had a scythe before.

            “Hello, Miranda.”

            His voice was low, and it immediately froze my body once again. I was stuck, rooted to the ground.

            “I believe it’s time to end this.”

            Raising his free hand, he lifted it until the robe fell from his skin, and I could see his very slowly, very deliberately snap his thumb and index finger.

            The Hounders’ eyes snapped open, crimson blood amidst the black.

            Smiling cruelly, he spoke.

            “Sic her.”

            Everything seemed to instantly turn into slow motion, each Hounder blinking once and rearing up slightly before they let out piercing howls. But no matter how hard I tried to move, I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I’d lost all the feelings in my limbs.

            Was this it? Was this where I died?

            “ALEXA!”

            Jack screamed my name, louder than I could’ve ever thought possible, and all at once it snapped back to reality. The Hounders were moving full speed, straight for the two of us. Reaching my arm out, I grabbed the door knob and pulled it shut as Jack grabbed onto the back of my shirt, yanking me away.

            The two of us grasped the door knob as tightly as we could, using our full body weight to keep the door closed as best we could. It shook against its hinges and beat against the frame, but we both were in the mutual agreement that we would not dare let go.

            I caught Jack’s eye, and we were both showing equal quantities of fear. And in that terrified silence, I made a promise to myself:

            I was not going to let Jack die. Not if it killed me.

            I had taken everything away from him. I’d be damned if I took away his life.

            “Jack? Jack! Jack, listen to me!”

            He came out of his stupor, in complete shock as he met my eyes. He was looking straight through me, but I knew that he was listening.

            “Go to the elevator--don’t argue with me! Go to the elevator and get downstairs. Get to the car--the car, Jack!--get my phone, and call Amelia. It’s the last number I called. Go, Jack, go!”