Page 30 of Cry of the Damned
I smiled. I still couldn’t understand why they insisted on taking cold showers every morning. Bathing in the frigid river hadn’t been one of my favorite things to do, but this crazy bunch claimed they didn’t feel quite awake all day if they didn’t take a refreshing shower.
There was no point in arguing. A shower and going to bed sounded heavenly, so I left them to finish cleaning up and went into my room.
Maybe tomorrow, with a clear mind, we would come up with something.
A loud ring woke me from my deep sleep. I sat with a jolt, Ila and Bethel doing the same next to me.
“What is that infernal sound?” Bethel demanded, her hands in front of her face as she quickly weaved a spell that made her fingers crackle with electricity and sent a gentle glow about the dark room.
It took me a minute to realize the sound was coming from the phone on my night table. It was a cream-colored device with a receiver and a curly cord attached to the base.
“It’s all right,” I said, quickly pointing at the culprit. “It’s just the phone.”
Ila and Bethel didn’t relax. They just stared at the thing distrustfully. Not that I felt much better. Why would anyone be calling now?
I picked up the receiver. “Hello?” I said, doubtful she would be able to tell I wasn’t Bethel or Ila.
“You need to get out of there. Right now!”
“Mrs. Clarice?”
“Just do what I said. The Academy’s here.”
She hung up, and a dead tone sounded in my ear. I set the phone down and jumped out of bed. “That was Mrs. Clarice. She said the Academy’s here, that we should get out.”
Without waiting to see their reaction, I ran out of our bedroom, ran across the living room, and went straight into the guys’ bedroom.
“Get up! The Academy’s here.”
Kall and Novuk sat up with a jerk.
I glanced around, searching for Maki, but he wasn’t here.
“C’mon!” I ran back into the living room.
Ila and Bethel were already on the balcony, making their escape.
“Bethel! The potion!” I exclaimed, glancing toward the stove.
“I have it,” she said as she climbed the railing.
Loud stomping sounded outside the room. Someone was headed up the stairs.
“Hurry!” I mock-whispered.
Quickly, I made it onto the balcony and climbed after Bethel, grabbing hold of a protruding ledge and pulling myself up. With all the footholds and handholds, it was an easy task, and in no time, we were all standing on the flat roof.
The sky above us was dark blue, but soon the sun would be over the horizon.
Kall searched the area with his eyes.
“Where’s Maki?” Ila asked.
Kall walked around a loud, rumbling AC unit. We followed him to find Maki in his wolf form, curled up and in a deep sleep.
Angrily, Kall notched him with his bare foot. The wolf blinked one eye open.
The Academy is here, you good-for-nothing fur-clump!Kall pushed the thought out in anger.
