Page 34 of Wings of Lies
Ashuffling noise startled me, and the flames on my hands heightened.
“Oliver?”
The shuffling continued, followed by a pause. The setting sun darkened the forest’s shadows, hiding everything within. But my eyes never strayed, searching for any movement, every sense on high alert. A soft pressure pulsed behind my eyes at the slight chance it wasn’t Oliver. But it had to be.
“Oliver, come on. We’ve been through hell. Stop joking around.” My voice carried through the chirping crickets.
Then all noise quieted.
“I’m safe. I’m not a wimp. I’m safe,” I whispered to myself. “It’s just Oliver.”
But the silence of the forest reminded me of the Powers.What if they found us?Oliver’s story was wishy-washy to begin with. He had aconcussion, and they knocked me out with a lightning bolt. There was no way he got us away that easily while injured.
What if they only let us get away to give us a sense of security?
My bright flames flickered around my hands, nearing my sleeve. “Oliver, come out.”
Minutes passed as I stood with every muscle tense, waiting for the air to change, for Oliver to pop out, but not even the breeze crinkled the tops of the trees.
Why was he hiding?
A few seconds more, and nothing.
I huffed, dropping my shoulders. “Lucy, you’re such a damn scaredy cat,” I muttered to myself. The pounding of my heart quieted with my easing muscles. The needles returned to their horror house beneath my skin, releasing me from my white flames. I took a hesitant step, my head turning back and forth. Still, nothing moved. Before I bent over to search Oliver’s backpack for matches, an ear-piercing wail wrenched through the stillness.
My horror house of needles surged, tearing through my insides to the surface of my skin. I screamed, hunching into myself. White light burst free, overtaking the black spots that attempted to take over my vision. It layered my naked torso in flames.
With my flame illuminating my surroundings, I could see further into the forest, but the thing didn’t show itself. Instead, it wailed for a second time. My flames jumped.
The thing shuffled closer to the edge of our campsite.
I backed up a step. It shuffled closer, slower this time, like it was taunting me. My white flames pulsed with more light as the thing in the forest played with my nerves. Its noisy steps edged the linebetween the shadows and light. I could almost make out the outline of the dark figure as it stood there, watching, waiting.
Frozen, I didn’t know what to do. The fire coating my skin remained useless until the thing came closer.
I swallowed down my suffocating breaths, trying to calm myself. But it wasn’t working—it never worked. I pawed at my neck, frantically searching for my amulet, and felt my flaming hand hit my chin. I froze. But, of course, I was immune to burning from my power.
The thing wailed again and stepped into the clearing.
I was going to die. After everything I had been through, I was going to be mauled by this creature from hell.
Dark slime dripped down its gangly human limbs as it crouched on all fours. Spikes along its spine shuddered with the movement, readying to charge. I couldn’t see its nonexistent face. Inky sludge covered it. No nose. No mouth. No eyes. Just a creature sent straight from my nightmares.
Breathing heavily, I slowly stepped to the side. One more step and the tent would no longer be at my back. Then, I was going to run. On my final step, it flexed its finger-like claws and bolted.
A pulse resonated through the air as I tried to scream. But I couldn’t with how hard I panted. White light surged toward the creature about to maul me with its spindly claws. The pressure behind my eyes throbbed. I wanted to squeeze them shut to relieve the pain but couldn’t take my eyes away as my flame shot toward the creature. Right before it made contact, the thing disappeared. My dangerous energy hit the tree behind it.
Flames consumed the bark and leaves. The once large tree disintegrated into particles of glowing ash and fell into a small pile ofsoot. A dark silhouette stood next to it, partially hiding behind another tree.
“Please don’t kill me, Lucy.”
I froze.
“Oliver?”
“Yeah?” he squeaked, coming into the cast of my light.
One tree—one tree stood in the way of killing Oliver. Whatever power I unleashed was fast. There would have been no way to pull my flame back.
