This can't be happening.
The massive ball of silver light hanging in the air unfurls, opening up like the petals of an incandescent metallic rose.
In the circle of luminosity, a wavy ribbon of radiance seems to move in a slow pattern, weaving in and out of itself like a twisting knot of smoke.
As my eyes adjust, I make out its real shape.
Impossible.
A long, coiling body covered in glinting scales like a thousand tiny mirrors, reflecting the light of the full moon. A coffin-shaped head bobbing slowly on an invisible current. Two wide, glittering green eyes shining like emeralds.
Even though it must be at least twenty feet above us, I can clearly see a series of markings on the underbelly of the serpent, darker scales or scarring, running down its length like Hieroglyphics or some ancient script.
A figure-eight on its side. A cross looped on top. A stylised wing. A skull and crossbones. A three-leaved clover. Two swords crossed.
"Are you seeing this?" Ben asks, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Yeah, we're seeing it," Felix answers, without taking his eyes off the creature overhead.
"Bollocks," Lyall mutters a slew of curses. "Maggots an' bogballs. Doran's ass."
"What... the... hell... is that thing?" Kitty says hoarsely. I squeeze her hand tighter. She's shaking.
We're all frozen in place, entranced by the hypnotic movements of the thing above our heads.
Quietly at first, then louder, a woman's voice of otherworldly beauty rings through the cold night air.
It's singing.
The melody is sad and slow, full of loss and longing. The words are strange and yet familiar.
From the icy North they came
princes five their quest the same
slay the sea-witch, steal the girl
her hair of gold, her skin of pearl.
But only one would claim that prize
he stained his soul with blood and lies
betrayal of brothers, deeds so dark
they left the never-ending mark.
Though she set his heart to mend
fate must balance in the end
his punishment took his reward
she died upon his very sword.
She lost her heart on the silver shore
and now we weep forever more.
Lost forever, wandering light
until the old one brings the night.
The final notes of the strange lullaby fade into a low hiss.
With a lazy flick of its head, the serpent stops its winding dance through the air. For a moment it simply floats, frozen in space, like an eerie glowing marble statue. Then I feel a cold, tearing sensation in my chest, over my scar. It's worse than ever before, less like stabbing and more like something ripping inside of me.
My heart. Something's happening to my heart.
Then, quick as the blink of an eye, the creature uncoils itself, and streaks down through the air towards me, a bolt of immense and electrifying power.
I fall back as it hits me square in the chest.
Strong arms catch me mid-fall. Alastaire steadies me, holds my face in his hands.
His expression is wild and panicked.
"Ash, oh my god Ash," he says. "You're ok. You're ok."
My whole body feels cold, numb. Memories of floating above the bus, engulfed in the icy ocean water, flood into me. I screw my eyes shut, as Alastaire pulls me to his chest, smoothing down my hair. There's commotion all around us; I can hear the boys shouting something to each other, someone running through the forest, yelling, but I'm too deep in shock to register what they're saying.
"Kitty, take her back to the cabin," he says. Then he grasps my shoulders, wiping away my tears. Gently, he tilts my chin up.
"Ash, listen to me," he says. "What we just saw... that wasn't real. Elliot saw a shadow running into the trees. We think... someone's playing a trick. It was just a hologram."
His eyes are wide and slightly feverish as he speaks, as if he's trying to convince himself as much as he's trying to convince me.
"We use them in our shows all the time," he says. "There's got to be someone messing with us. And we're going to find out who. Ok?"
He's waiting for me to nod, but I can't. I just stand stiff, frozen in place.
"I'm going after the others," he says gently, letting go of me with a smirk. "I can't let Felix catch the bastard and get all the glory, now can I?"
And with that he disappears into the dark forest.
"I think I know the way back to the path," Kitty says, wrapping an arm around me. "C'mon."
As we stumble through the undergrowth, she turns back, shaking her head.
"I've never been so scared in my life," she says. "Thank god that's over."
But it's not over.
That was no prank. That thing wasn't a hologram.
A coil of ice slithers and knots around my heart, tightening, squeezing.
This is just the beginning.