Seth blinked at Tai, frozen like a rabbit in headlights.
It took a second for the shock to wear off, for him to realise that Tai was actually here. He stifled the urge to drop the knife, to hide it behind him like kid caught out by his parents.
"Tai..." Seth's words were cautious and slow, but his mind was spinning.
He could feel the portal throbbing at his back and the walls of the basement caging him in. His eyes darted around the space, looking for another exit, but the only way out was the stairs that Tai currently blocked.
He took a cautious step forward, peering up. His light was still trained on Tai's chest, not blinding him, but not letting Tai get a good view of the basement either, and as he caught the expression on Tai's face, he was thankful for that.
Seth had seen anger in Tai's eyes many times, but never like this. Never directed his way.
"Drop the knife, Seth," Tai said again. "Now."
Panic roared through Seth's chest, but he didn't do what Tai asked, instead his grip tightened.
"How did you know I was here?" Seth asked.
"Did you forget its my job to know?"
"No, but you left this morning."
Tai's gun was steady, fixed on Seth's chest, and he could feel it tracking his breaths, the barrel moving up and down with his heartbeat.
"Yeah, I did," Tai said. "I knew you were up to something, but I couldn't figure out what it was, so I pretended to leave with the others. I never thought—"
Tai cut off, his eyes flicking to the knife in Seth's hand, and Seth's heart dropped.
Tai must've been following him the whole time, trailing him through the streets. He could see the nerves and disgust rippling across Tai's face, and he couldn't help but wonder how long it'd taken Tai to figure out where he was going, to accept what he was doing. From the disbelief coating his friend, perhaps he still hadn't.
"How could you do this?" Tai asked, his words shaking. "After everything we've done to protect you, to protect this world. What on earth are you thinking coming anywhere near that knife?"
Seth's mind whirled. He knew he didn't stand a chance if Tai attacked. Tai had always been good at reading people, at knowing when and where to hit hardest. Seth was only getting out of here with the knife if Tai got distracted or he convince him that using the knife was the right move.
Unless he used it right now.
Seth's heart pounded in protest to where his thoughts were heading, and he glanced down at the weapon in his hand, at the glint of light off it's hilt.
"I was thinking it was about time we used it," Seth said.
Tai let out a choked noise, like Seth had hit him in the gut, and Seth took a step back.
He was still within a couple metres of Tai though, still within his striking range, and Tai had the upper ground too. If Seth moved too fast, things would go downhill quickly. But would it be quick enough to stop him from using the knife?
The idea of dying down here, in the dark basement of a building full of corpses, made Seth's stomach churn. If he could get out of here, if he could at least breath fresh air when he did it, that'd be better.
"There's nothing left of this world to protect, Tai," Seth said. "At least, there won't be soon. This is our chance to save some of it."
"You've gone mad," Tai said. "You've actually lost it."
"No, I haven't," Seth said, frustration filling his voice. "I'm the one connected to this world, not all of you. I'm the one who can feel what's actually happening to it. This world is only going one way, but you're all being too stubborn to admit it."
He'd hoped his argument would make Tai's resolve falter, but he could only see it hardening, becoming more righteous.
"Fine," Tai said. "Come and make that case to Sophie and Andrew, then."
Seth scoffed. "Nice try. I know the moment I get anywhere near Sophie or Andrew they're going to take the knife away again."
Tai's gaze was dark.
"You don't have the right to make this decision for all of us."
"And you think you do?" Seth asked.
Tai stayed quiet, his hand steady, but Seth could see the stubbornness in his eyes.
"Drop the knife, Seth."
Anger churned in his gut, ugly in it's fury. He was sick of being treated like child, like someone who had to be protected and managed and overruled. He knew the S.I.S was scrambling. They'd been scrambling ever since Danny died and Leah disappeared. He was tired of being told what to do by people who clearly didn't know themselves.
He twisted the knife in his grip, pointing it towards his chest.
Tai's face twisted. "Drop the knife, Seth. Now."
The words were ground out through teeth, and Seth knew he wouldn't get any more warnings.
He gave Tai one last look, hoping that wherever they ended up after this, Tai could forgive him.
"I'm sorry," he said, and then he launched his hands up, away from his chest, and plunged the knife towards his heart.
Tai exploded into action, diving for him, but Seth knew he wouldn't make it. The knife was already too close.
He felt a rush of something, everything. Relief, panic, sadness, fear.
And then the knife embedded in flesh, his hands coming to a jolting halt.
Tai screeched to a stop, gaping, and Seth blinked.
He waited for the pain to hit, for his body to realise the fatal wound it'd been dealt. But his breathing stayed steady, and he looked down, his heart thundering.
The tip of the knife was just grazing his shirt, plucking at a few threads. He let go of the hilt and it hovered there, mid-air, as if he'd embedded it into a tree trunk.
"What..."
"Fuck," someone groaned and Seth jerked back.
It was only then that he realised what had actually happened. Around the knife, only clear from further away, there was a translucent arm. He followed its shimmer up towards a torso, then a neck, and he came face to face with Riley, her expression set in a grimace.
Behind her, Cassandra also hovered, her eyes wide and fixed on the knife embedded into Riley's forearm.
Tai swore, his gun swinging up again, pointing at the ghosts.
"Wait, wait!" Seth exclaimed, jumping in front of Riley before Tai could shoot. "They can't hurt me."
"You expect me to believe that after the stunt you just pulled?" Tai yelled.
He tried to veer around Seth, but he darted between the barrel and Riley again.
Only once Tai had calmed down, did Seth spin around, eyes wide on Riley as she pulled the knife out of her arm, letting out a low groan as she did.
"What the hell?" he asked. "Why did you do that?"
"There's been a change of plans," Cassandra said, eyeing Riley.
Seth could see a ghostly waterfall of silver blood trailing down Riley's arm and splashing to the ground. Where it landed, the concrete sizzled, burning away like acid had drenched it.
"Well, a delay of plans," Riley said, her voice strained. "Jared and Leah think they might be able to find another way to fix things."
Seth just stared, his eyes shifting between Riley and Cassandra.
"You helped him plan this?" Tai demanded, his eyes focused on Riley, but his gun thankfully stayed pointed at the ground.
Riley shrugged, and Seth could see a vein working at Tai's forehead. It looked like it was about to pop.
"Look," Riley said, her voice exhausted. "We really don't have time for—"
She cut off and spun around suddenly, staring at the portal.
Her whole body had gone tense, her hand flying to the weapons belt around her waist, and for the first time, Seth realised the portal had started shifting, it's surface churning like a black sea in storm. Cassandra turned too, staring at the portal, and then Seth heard a sound that made the hair rise on the back of his neck.
It was a thud, one that shook the floor beneath him and vibrated bass-like along the walls, that made pressure rush into his ears.
Tai moved in front of him, stepping between him and the portal quickly.
"What's happening?" Tai asked, his voice strained.
Neither of the ghosts responded, but somehow, Seth got the sense that they'd grown even paler.
"You two need to get out of here," Cassandra said quietly. "Now."
Tai started backing up, pushing Seth along with him, and Riley and Cassandra stepped in front of them, blocking the way to the portal.
For a second, Seth hesitated, staring at the knife, still held in Riley's hand.
"Wait," he said, coming to a stop, but before he could grab the knife, the surface of the portal bulged outwards, straining.
Riley didn't even have time to dart back before a massive, many-fingered claw tore through it and grabbed her, dragging her in with a scream.
...
Next chapter out in two weeks! Hope you're all enjoying it 😊
- Skylar xx