Sage (manxman)

Chapter 5 - Etherial

            Gulping, Ford got out of his car and walked over to Hudson, knocking on the window. Hudson jumped and quickly hid the pipe. He smiled and nodded then rolled down the window, “What’s up Ford?”

            “I was wondering,” Ford started. “What happened in detention yesterday after I left?”

            “Oh dude, everyone passed the fu-“ Hudson was cut off before he could finish his profanity. His eyes were dazed and his beard had started to grow in.

            “Yeah, everyone slept, but tell me what happened when everyone woke up. Did someone come in or?” Ford pushed. He looked at Hudson try to understand the question, his brain taking longer to process.

            “Nah dude,” Hudson chuckled and continued in his own slang, “You’re chill.”

            “Thanks,” Ford answered and had his fill of the pothead. He spun around and started walking towards the high school.

            “Wait, hold up. Fo realz,” Hudson hurried out of his car and slammed the door.  Hudson hurried over to Ford, pulling up his pants. “Audrey wanted to know something.”

            “Why can’t Audrey talk to me herself?” Ford answered not looking back. He had enough on his plate without having to deal with his angry friend who didn’t approve of his sexuality.

            Hudson paused to think about the question as Ford got ahead of him, “I dunno.” Hudson then hurried after Ford.

            “I don’t have time for this,” Ford said as Hudson reached his side.

            “Oh she’s already here,” Hudson paused and painted to Audrey’s lime green bug sitting in the parking lot. It was in the exact same spot as it was the previous night.

            “She stayed here all night,” Ford looked at the vehicle.

            “Nah, probably she just came to work on drama,” Hudson pointed out referring to the play Audrey was in.
            “No, I saw when she was leaving,” Ford’s heart started to beat faster imagining the worst. He gulped knowing even more over that she would not show up this early. She could barely get up early enough to carpool when they did, “and she would never get here early.”

            “All, right,” Hudson scratched his head and adjusted his beanie.

            “No, it’s not all right,” Ford couldn’t handle if the faun took Audrey. He sped off towards the forest behind the school. He shouted as he ran, “I need to go.”

Ford sprinted into the forest. He tried to retrace his steps for a bit but it was hard not to get lost. He glanced at his phone and looked around the trees. Ford remembered. Dashing causing a wind behind him.

He arrived at a circle of stone; the dead body of the Vice Principal Smoot was gone. A circle of stones was laid out around where the body was. The stones were set up in a pattern. It was for some sort of ritual and Ford didn’t understand and didn’t care about.

Suddenly, a knife came down right near Ford slicing his skin. The jeweled dagger caught Ford’s eye. Spinning around and sending a blast of wind towards the faun sending it back.

Ford looked at the cut, it wasn’t too deep. He took a step back. “You’re a faun!”

The horned creature twisted its head and seemed to smile. Then, in a quick fluid motion, sped toward Ford. Ford leapt up into the air jumping higher than he ever had. He felt the wind rushing around his body lifting him up. Landing on the other side of the attack, Ford spun around and flung his arm out. The gust of wind he sent at the faun knocked it into a nearby tree.