Chapter 78
Marissa's POV
It was dense inside the zone. The night was upon us. The wolves were howling and gathering into small packs. Power hammered through me when I shifted and my wolf came into life. She stretched for long. I hadn't let her out in days, probably weeks. I had no idea the last time she was on her limbs, running through a forest.
Hours had passed by. I had been with Hannah for most of time but she had wandered off when she realized everyone here was weak. Not a single wolf had attacked us but it was broad daylight then and now, it was the shadowy night.
Instead of being more careful, we separated out paths and enjoyed the cold. I took a moment for myself, going through all the things I had been dealing with over the weeks.
The walk was more than what I needed but it bought me some serenity. I heard other team's wolves howling from a distance but they didn't smell like danger.
No one really did.
My wolf refused to attack anyone, she was in her own peace and I simply didn't want blood in my hands. I was exhausted, frustrated and betrayed. The last thing I wanted to do now was to attack another team's wolf and bring them down.
I didn't care.
The zone went on forever, there was no ending or escape to it. It was acres of land where the zone was settled in. It had a lake but reaching to it was hard. It would take hours for me to find it.
Questions rattled in my brain. Sitting by a rustic log, I stopped to take a break and catch my breath. My pulse was jumping here and there along with my wolf. She was excited, happy and was all prepared to throw hands on anyone that would attack us.
Paws met with the soil, I clenched hard and closed my eyes. The moment of serenity passed away when a burning stream of red crossed my vision. It was followed by a laughter, a laugh that belonged to someone—Barry.
A ring of fire formed on the sky above me. I kept my eyes tight, knowing what I was seeing. It was a vision. One I hadn't gotten in a long time.
Souls were escaping, dead souls that belonged in hell. I spotted a few demons rushing along with them, exiting the ring of fire and entering this world.
I gasped in silence and my eyes opened wide when I saw Barry leaving.
Questions formed in my head. What was happening? Panic reached me quick and I jumped back on my feet. When I rose my head, I saw the ring, the ring of fire. It bruised the night sky.
My bones went cold. My wolf weeped. I turned around and ran on the same passage to find Hannah, to find shelter, to find protection. It was my first and only thought. I didn't have the strength to deal or even see Barry again, ever.
My heart went heaving when I didn't find Hannah. The wolves that were howling to the moon had stopped and an endless silence gripped the zone.
I found my relief when I killed him, he couldn't come back, he couldn't take away my happiness.
The gruesome memories of Barry thrusted into my head after seeing the vision. I lost control and collapsed on the ground beside the bags. With a whiff, I noticed they were ours, our team's but there wasn't a single soul looking over them.
I shifted back and screamed, "Hannah!" My hands leaned to the bags and I pulled out my clothes. "Hannah! Come to me. We have to get out of here." It wasn't safe—not just for me but for everyone. Whatever left through that ring of fire was dangerous, whether it was Barry or some demon.
I shuddered as I wore my clothes. Once dressed, I decided to look for Hannah for a few more minutes before leaving the zone. They had to let us out. Staying in here was no longer safe.
"Marissa!"
I snapped my head around to the source of the voice and through the bushes, I found Hannah running towards me, clothed and in her human form.
"I was looking for you." I screamed back at her.
"Something's happening here. Cindy is dead, someone killed her and it wasn't any of us." She cried out loudly. "I was searching for you everywhere. I thought something happened to you."
"Come on. Let's leave." I waited for her to reach me. The exit was towards my side. I remembered it since I took it the last time I wanted to leave. Back then, it took me hours to find it but now I knew.
The wind grew harsh, carrying splinters, leaves and branches along with it. It's whistles deafening. My hands stretched, reaching towards Hannah. She was almost with me.
Almost.
Fingers tightened around my arms, pulling me away. I screamed and thrashed my legs around when I learned who it was holding me. "Hannah!"
"Missed me?" Barry breathed down my neck.
The turbulence grew stronger. My hair whipped over my face and momentarily, I lost the sense of my sight. I kicked my leg on every possible hard thing I could reach but none of it was Barry. He grabbed me from behind, gaining more control.
"You suck fucker!" Hannah snapped before storming towards him and jumping right in. She blew a fist straight into his face and the second his grip loosened, I escaped from his hold and rushed away.
Barry got up in a second, no trace of blood or pain on his face but I shrank back when I saw the burn marks and the disgusting words imprinted on his face by the demons of hell.
"Do you think anything is going to affect? Oh, that's right, it isn't. I'm already dead." He gave me a wicked smile.
I tightened my hand around Hannah's and we both took a step backwards. "Leave me alone."
"Right after you killed me? That isn't going to happen. I only came here to take care of you and that's the only thing that's going to happen." He replied, taking a large step towards us. There was a madness lingering at the back of his eyes, growing with every second passing by. His face was swollen red by the punishments he bought on himself and the anger he contained for me.
Tears left my eyes. "You fucked up my life!"
"And I'll gladly do it again." He laughed before snatching Hannah away me and digging his claws into her neck.
"Don't fucking touch her." Blood drew out of her neck and she screamed. "Your problem is with me. You have me. Leave her." I cried out.
Another vicious laugh tore out of him as he threw Hannah aside, away from me. I couldn't reach her as he stood right above her but his steel gaze was upon me. The demons had burned his eyes, making it more terrifying then they already were.
"Go run, Hannah, go. You can leave from there!" I yelled, showing her the directions of the zone. "There is a map in my bag to. Take it."
"But—"
"Go, Hannah!" I begged her to leave and after a few seconds, she jolted right out.
Barry didn't chase her down. He didn't care about her. He only cared about me, about ruining me, bringing me down with him and taking revenge. His eyes showed everything.
When it was just the two of us left, his true colors appeared.
Read the full book on Patreon; www.patreon.com/miakerr