The Fifth Element

♧Chapter 23

AN

So wow, I got those votes way faster than expected, that and I was having some writer's block. So I'm going to need fifteen votes on this story before I update so that's 106 votes altogether ( I'll probably just settle for 100 votes since that was my goal). Why so much, you might ask. Well to tell you the truth its because it'll take forever to get them;p Anyways here it is, the next chapter enjoy!(: Thanks for reading<3 -Sam

When Emily and I came back from gathering sticks, we found my mom, Mr. Howl, and Danny deep in conversation. Kami sat only a few feet away from them on a log with Carson.

"I think the best thing to do is to make a raft and try to row over to the cabin," I heard my mom say.

Mr. Howl made a noise of disapproval, "We can't build a raft strong enough to hold us and all our stuff," he pointed to my pyramid. "It would take at least seven trips, and we don't have enough daylight to do that in and I don't like the look of those rocks, especially if they aren't being lit up  by the] sun," he gestured to the lake and sure enough I could make out the shapes of several black rocks protruding from the water, "Mr. Howl's golden eyes landed on Emily and me for the first time since our return. "Look, we already have enough firewood to get us through the night."

My mother looked at the ground with disgust, and then back at the cabin across the lake longingly. I could tell what she was thinking.  She really did not want to sleep on the ground with all the bugs and critters; neither did I, but I wasn't about to argue with what Mr. Howl said. He was one of those people who could live off of the land and do it in any kind of environment. I guess my mother knew this too, because she gave in quickly, and agreed to attempt the boat ride to the cabin tomorrow.

I had just placed my bundle of sticks in a neat pile and was in the process of standing back up when I felt a burning sensation in the middle of my stomach. The pain was so intense that I doubled over.

"Violet?" my mother was by my side in a flash. "What's wrong baby, where does it hurt?"

I opened my mouth to answer her when another wave of unbearable pain hit me like a ton of crystals, so all that came out of my mouth was a moan. I let out a cry of pain as yet another stronger wave of pain washed over me. I toppled over from my crouching position and curled myself into a tight ball on the dirt.

"C'mon baby, tell me what's wrong! " My mother sounded beyond frantic. "Where does it hurt, is it your stomach? Oh, gods, you're burning up!"

I managed a nod, and then a remembered something I had banished to the back of my mind, the tattoo, the tattoo designed to kill me. The school board was using the curse on my stomach to kill me!

Then, one more wave of excruciating pain hit me, and I slipped into a black void.

When I came to, I was standing in Greta's office, but something looked different about it, something had changed since the last time I had been in here, but what? Then I notice it, a room where a wall used to be behind Greta's desk.

"Ahh great, you're dead too."

I jumped at the sound of Lacy's voice. I looked all around me, but could not pinpoint where her voice was coming from. "Down here you idiot," I looked down to see Lacy's head sticking up from the floor.

"How did I get here?" I asked her, a little dazed.

 Lacy shrugged her shoulders and pulled the rest of her body into the office. "Who knows why any of us end up where we are, so how did you die?"

"I'm not dead."

"Oh, really?" Lacy reached out her hand, and instead of her hand going through me, her fingers grazed my skin, as she rested her hand on my right shoulder.