Shadow Bite || WATTYS 2017

Chapter Four

A wisp of cold air hits my forehead and I peer through my semi-closed eyes, squinting when the moonlight shining through the window appears like a bright splotch in my blurry sight. I reach behind me absent-mindedly and adjust the pillow on the window bench, struggling to find a more comfortable position. I turn my head to look out of the glass and settle my gaze on the sleeping forest. The leaves on the tall trees whisper and hum, swaying calmly from side to side in the breeze, while the night animals begin their hunt that will cease in the morning. The silver moon is slightly clouded by dark tangles of fog that pass in front of it now and then, shielding it from view. I let out a yawn and snuggle further into the feathery pillow, pulling the fuzzy blanket around my numb body. My head tilts to the side and my eyes flicker shut gradually as I sink deeper into my dreams.

"CAMI!"

"NO! Mary, please," I shout, feeling her little hands slipping from my grasp. A looming, dark shadow holds her feet tightly and starts dragging her away, into the fatal night. I battle and cry against an invisible force that holds me back and prevents me from moving any closer to my disappearing sister. I let out a shattered scream as her distant cries falter around me and her little body is sucked into the darkness completely.

"MARY!" I roll to the side and suddenly, something hard hits my side and I wince from the pain. I groggily sit upright and my eyes go wide when I find myself sprawled on the floor next to the window bench. This is the fifth nightmare of the week, and despite the sleeping pills that my parents have given me, nothing makes them go away. "Damn it," I mutter, running a hand through my hair with a sigh and squinting through my blurry vision. "Glasses, glasses," I mumble, patting the floor around me for the dainty frames. When my fingers enclose around them I hastily put them on, seeing the world clearly once more. I rise up on aching legs – courtesy of my bent position on the window bench – and climb up onto my much more comfortable bed.

"Cami," Mary's innocently quiet voice perks up as she sticks her head through the door. I let out a sigh of relief and pat the spot beside me on the bed, smiling slightly when she hurries over and allows me to lift her up next to me. "What's wrong," she asks, looking curiously at a teardrop that trickles down my cheek. "Why are you crying?" I hastily wipe it away, feeling like a complete idiot. Here I am, crying over some stupid nightmare. I shake my head and allow her to wrap her tiny arms around my neck, having to stand up on the bed to do so. "I'm fine Mimi," I whisper into her hair, hugging her back as if my life depends on it. Because each and every one of the nightmares that have been haunting my sleep has been about losing her.

And I have no idea why.

·

As I reach the lunch table in the cafeteria where Emma has found the guys at, my feet stop moving and I hold myself back from sitting down. The only available seat is facing a very pissed off looking guy. A very familiar pissed off looking guy. "Damien, what has graced us with your lovely presence," Emma asks sarcastically, twirling a strand of her fiery hair around, while Zander glares at the so-called Damien and swings his arm protectively around her shoulders. She merely rolls her eyes and Damien glowers at her as they both plop down on the chairs. Emma then turns to me with a raised eyebrow and pats the seat next to her. "Do your legs not work anymore," she playfully remarks and I shoot Damien a look while quickly slumping down on the seat. His dark face falls and he clenches his jaw as I scoot further into the seat. All the while, I can feel his menacing gaze burning into my skull.

"So," Jack butts in, looking curiously between the two of us, while I feebly attempt to avoid his stare. "Party tomorrow. Who's in?" Everyone immediately agrees and continues to munch on their very big portions of food, but Emma doesn't touch hers and instead puts a hand on my arm. I glance at her and she sends me an inquisitive look.