The Immortal's Gamble

Chapter 13.5 Zombie Apocalypse?

Thursday morning, Lewis popped by with treats from France, England, India and more information on Halflings. School had barely ended and Alex and I were the only ones who were gathered at the Castel's house listening to the fact that I'm not the only halfling in the area, but that I was definitely different. For some reason that didn't really shock me, but only fueled my curiosity. 

Observing the duo, I was tired listening to them go around in circles and decided to pipe up. "So does that mean that we're still nowhere close to getting an answer?" 

Both heads turned to face me. "No. I wouldn't say that." Lewis spoke slowly, measuring his words. 

I narrowed my eyes at him and he squirmed in his seat. "All right, all right. We are nowhere close to getting an answer." He glared at me before he turned back.

"We all aren't getting anywhere. There isn't a trace of what you are. All we know is that you're a Halfling with a gift, and those blackouts you get. Even the Halflings I've spoken too can't give me an answer." He continued.

Alex nodded at Lewis, then turning to me he placed his hand on my knee in encouragement.  "Come on. Laura, you knew this won't be easy. But we're -"

Alex looked down at his phone as it chimed, cutting off his sentence. He raised a finger and stood up, going into the kitchen, leaving us outside immersed in our own thoughts. I had gifts, and often attacks that made my vision haze up. I looked at Lewis and sighed. 

"What do you think I am?" I mumbled. 

Now it was his turn to sigh. "I'm sorry, love. I wish I had more information." 

"Now, now. No need to be so dejected. I have new." Alex exclaimed as he walked out of the kitchen. 

"Arden called. There's another dead body similar to the one that Laura encountered. He's already at the scene but the other Immortals might arrive soon. Do you wanna get some answers?"

I nodded and stood up, stretching as I did and feeling my back pop. 

"Lewis, would you do us the honour of opening a portal to the northmost corner of the forest in Davenport?" 

******

The crickets and silence of the forest greeted us as we stepped out of the portal from the comfort of the Castell's home. Blinded my green and brown, I took a hesitant step forward and Arden was there to receive us. His face grim and taut as he led the way, stepping aside the body was laid in the middle of the road. 

Same as before, his body was charred and blackened with inscriptions and weird carvings etched on its skin. Its limbs contorted into awkward angles that seemed inhuman the longer I looked. The numbers on its head were fuzzy, and I let out a gasp.

"Its numbers, they're abnormal. They were between sixty to seventy-five. But it's now switching to fifteen and twenty. It's like a fuzzy broken television." 

Then it hit me, this body belonged to a mere teenager, it was not an adult like the previous one we had encountered. I let out a gasp at the realisation and looked to see the equally grim looks on all three Immortal's faces. They must have known.

"There aren't any witnesses. No one walks around these parts there isn't even a motive. This person here is only a kid. The previous body showed that they were not burned by fire it was something else, something darker than the usual magic. My guess is that these bodies are the failed by-products." Arden supplied and Lewis nodded at the information. Alex held me by the shoulders as I sagged against him, Arden's eyes flickered over to mine for a moment before he turned around. 

"Get her back. She shouldn't stay here for too long. Lewis, I need you to stay." Arden instructed and all three heads turned. Alex opened the portal back to his home and I knew this was going far beyond what I was expecting. 

Stepping through the portal with Alex, something clawed at my chest. I turned back slightly and caught Arden's worried eyes on me before the emotion disappeared, replaced with a certain steeliness that I've never seen before. 

"Don't worry about Arden, he'll be fine He's just worried about you. But you know that right?" 

Shrugging his hands off, I nodded. I couldn't trust my voice. It was too much. My chest tightened again but it felt different from an attack. 

"Laura?" 

My legs gave way after two steps and I sunk to my knees and cried. I cired for the kid who died and the other bodies who didn't get to live their lives, I cried for Anna's reaction towards the boys and their broken expression at what she had done, I cried for my missing father, I cried for my mixed feelings that I had for Arden and I felt so weak. I cried while Alex placed his hand on mine and without seeing his face I knew his expression was broken by my thoughts. I just want to get through high school with Bri and Soren, I don't want to see Kara or Charles. 

I'm tired.