Strange Magic

Fugitive

Jenna blinked in the darkness. She didn't know where she had materialized. After a few moments, she found herself standing outside the door of her charred apartment. Why here?  She was about to leave when she heard voices inside the apartment. Strange. Why would anyone be here in the middle of the night?

She leaned in closer, hoping to hear what was being discussed inside.

"I did warn her. She wasn't prepared to leave," a voice in off hand English said.

Lichang. Jenna felt alert. It was obviously a topic about her.

"Then where do you think she's gone now?" Another voice said. A female voice. Deep and authoritative.

"I have no idea at all. I have nothing to do with this."

"Make sure she's found before it's too late."

Is that woman another vampire?

Jenna, however, could feel no aura of darkness or evil. She didn't feel anything.

What do they want with me?

Slowly and steadily, Jenna crept away from the place. She ran towards Drew's house, her body alert from the slightest sounds. She felt like she was being watched. She felt like a fugitive, running away from something she's not even clear of.

She pounded on Drew's door. She felt like something was still watching her. She felt uneasy and panicky.

Come on sleeping beauty, open this damned door before I break it down.

She literally jumped inside when a bedraggled Drew finally opened the door.

"Jenna?" Drew choked, suddenly wide awake.

"Nice to see you too Drew," Jenna grinned in relief at being inside the house.

She didn't care that Drew wasn't finding her joke funny. He was frowning at her in disbelief. But she felt so happy at being back to her normal life.

"What the hell is going on Jenna? It's 2 am in the morning," Drew said. "Where have you been? What have you been into?"

He pointed at her clothes. Jenna stared down at her hoodie and jeans. They were smeared with dust all over. A few dried leaves still stuck on her from her fall in the woods. In short, she looked like a hobo.

"I'll explain it to you, Drew," she promised. "But first, I need a clean shirt and a pair of pants and a shower."

Drew groaned but let her have her way. When she got out of the shower, Drew was already back to sleep on the couch. Oh well, might as well catch a nap too. She felt immensely tired. It felt like forever since she'd slept. She pulled out the locket which Fiona had given to her and stared at it. The pendant was in the form of a white lily. Pure and lovely. She fell asleep on Drew's bed without even being aware of it.

She would have slept the whole day if she had not been woken up rudely by some thudding sounds outside Drew's bedroom window. It was still dawn. She frowned. How long did I sleep? Five minutes? Another thud. She was wide awake now.

Cautiously she crept to the window and peeped out into the darkness. She couldn't see anything. It was totally dark.

Suddenly a hand grabbed her from behind. Jenna let out a low startled cry and spun around. Drew was frantically trying to shush her with a finger on his lips.

"Follow me," he whispered and led her to the living room.

Jenna spotted the lily pendant on the bed she had dropped when she fell asleep. She picked it up and put in around her neck and tucked it inside Drew's shirt. At least I won't lose it now.

She followed Drew in confusion but she was too scared to speak. Drew was also in a crouching position. Fear was written all over his face. He stood on one side of the couch and gestured Jenna to stand on the other side and move the couch. Puzzled, Jenna did as told. Together, they silently moved the couch and Drew rolled the carpet while the thudding continued outside the house. Drew unrolled the carpet to reveal a trapdoor. He grunted as he pulled the hinges. Narrow steps led down a dark hole. Jenna shivered.

"Now when I see you, I see trouble," he muttered as he fumbled for a torch in a drawer.

"I don't know what they want with you," he said as he handed the torch to Jenna. "But I heard your name being mentioned and they don't look very nice. So down you go."

Jenna looked down at the passage and then back at Drew. Everything was spiraling out of control again.

"Oh don't worry," Drew assured her pointing at the steps. "It'll lead you out somewhere near the school. Now you owe me big time"

Before Jenna could speak, the front door was being pounded. Drew hurried her inside and closed the cover over her. Jenna stayed there in the rungs for a long moment before getting over her shock. She heard Drew pull the couch above her head. Good old Drew! What could I do without him!

The tunnel was narrow and very dark. Jenna hated enclosed space. She needed air, needed out. She felt she was suffocating. Who were those people after her? The guys from the circle? Or worse, The Trinity? She didn't know whom she was running from anymore. She pushed her way ahead. What kind of passage is this? Why would Drew even make this? She was feeling exhausted and wobbly. She wasn't having enough rest. It was like all excitement and no rest. She suddenly wanted to sleep. And there was no safer place than right where she was now. The others can wait outside. I need a nap.