Ice and Fire

Chapter 4

Sam and I had been walking for hours. According to my phone, three. Three hours. Sam had started to whine two hours ago, but tried his best to keep fighting. Now, for a child, it's too fat gone. "I'm hungry!" he whined. "I'm bored!"
"My feet hurt!"
"I'm tried. "
"Can we just rest?"
"I miss mommy.. "

I wanted to just yell at him to keep quiet, but I had to keep reminding myself that he is a seven year old. I sighed and sat down on the ground. "Let's rest here for the night okay?"
Sam smiled big and sat down immediately and stretched out his arms and legs.

I tried to preserve battery on my phone, but it bothered me that Jade never answered or even read my text. Was she taken, too? I tried not to think about it, because then I would start to cry. Crying would worry Sam and I needed to keep him as calm as possible.

"Celeste why were you screaming in mom's bedroom?"

"Bad dream. " I replied a little too sudden.

"But, you were wide awake?"

"I woke up."

"I don't believe you. " Sam crossed his arms.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you the truth. "

"I might. "

"You won't. Now get some sleep. Tomorrow we get out of this town. "

"More walking?" Sam groaned as he laid down.

"Yep. More walking. " I laid down on the cold hard ground. Around us we're some old abandoned buildings that were boarded up. The only reason why we didn't go in there, was because policemen check them frequently. Not sure why though. Eventually, I heard Sam's soft snores which made me feel more relaxed. I promised to keep him safe and I intended to keep that promise. Slowly, I dosed off into sleep.

There was a light coming from inside one of the abandoned houses. A green light in fact. I walked closer to the green light and peeked through the cracks. There were three men covered in black ripped long robes with hoods that covered their faced. "Go into the land of Iâ a Thân. "
Suddenly I was inside the house and the men were looking at me, but their faces were hidden. "What?" I asked Inna shaky voice.

"Go to Iâ a Thân. " he pointed inside the portal. "Tomorrow at dawn the portal will open. Go inside and you'll find your friends... Save them. "
I noticed that there voices were loud whispers. "What will I find there?"

"Your friends. Isn't that all that matters?"

I gasped awake and realized it was a dream. I looked around at the night sky and checked my phone. 5:47 am.  It was almost dawn. "Sam wake up. " I whispered and shook him awake. "What?" he groaned and rolled on his side. "Sam you have to wake up. " I shook him harder. "Okay okay I'm up!" he sat up. "What?"

"No time to explain just follow me. " I stood up and walked to the house from my dream.

"Celeste what's going on?" he yawned and followed behind me. "Shh! Stay quiet. " I whispered then tried to open the door. Locked. "Stand back, Sam. " I took a deep breath then kicked the door hard. I heard a crack and the door open. "Wow, can't believe that actually worked. " I smiled.

"Celeste this is illegal.. We can get arrested! " he whispered.

"We won't. " I looked up at the sky and saw it was getting lighter. Good. "Come on Sam. " I walked inside the dark house.

"Celeste I don't like this. I'm scared. " Sam whined. I walked back out and held his hand. "I promised I'd keep you face. I intended to keep the promise. Do you trust me?"

Sam stared at me for a moment then slowly nodded. "Good. Than come with me. "
I walked inside and he followed; still holding a tight grip on my hand. I turned on my flashlight on my phone and shined it around. Some of the furniture was covered up in sheets, walls looked like it was eaten by termites, and it smells like rotting wood. Then in the living room was a fireplace, which is where the portal was. "Celeste, why are we in here?"

"Because a portal is going to open up. "

"What!? Are you crazy?"

"No, I saw it in a dream."

"So, you are crazy. "

"I am not. Just trust me okay?"

Sam sighed then looked around. "This place gives me the creeps. "

"Me, too."

"Can we just go?"

"If the portal doesn't open up then we can go, okay?"

"Okay. " Sam nodded then looked around. "What time did your uh.. Dream say the portal was gonna open?"

"Dawn. "

"What time is dawn?"

"Here?" I pulled out my phone. "In about five minutes. Also.. Phones at 10% so, phones not going with us. " I sat it down on the floor.

"But what if we need that?" Sam persisted.

"We won't. " I shrugged. "Who knows where this portal leads. "
Sam's eyes widened with fear and I tightened my grip on his hand. "But, I promised I'd protect you. " I reassured him.

Out in the distance we're police sirens and through the cracks of the boarded up windows, were red and blue flashing lights. "We're in trouble! Celeste they're gonna arrest us!" Sam said in a panic.

"Wait... This doesn't make since. No one saw us go in and no one was around us. How did the police find us? How did they know to go to this very house... Unless.. " The door opened and a few officers stepped inside. Outside the sun started to rise. The portal will open any second.. I hope. "Put your hands up! Now!"
Sam did immediately, but my hands remained at my side. "How did you know we were hear?"

"That's non of your concern! I said put your hands where I can see them!"

"Who are you and what have you done to my friends?"
Sam looked at me like I was crazy. "Celeste what are you doing?"

Behind me there was a sound. Like an engine starting up. I turned and a green like started to appear. "They were right... " I said aloud. "Sam come on follow me-" I was interrupted by a gun shot. The police shot at the ceiling. "Don't step through that portal Celeste. " their voice was now distorted. "Or else you'll never see your friends again. "

I grabbed Sam's hand. "You'll have to kill me first. " I leaped in and fainting I heard another gunshot. I tightened my grip on Sam's hand and allowed the green light to surround us both.