AllFreeNovel
Share Us
My mind feels fragmented,my vision is not what it should be. I’m surprised I got us here safely because there’s a sharp pain behind my eyes that threatens to debilitate me but I fight in for the sake of James. I can’t let the monster win and leave him behind. He needs me.
If what they told me back at my apartment was true, this Delizah girl is the monster’s blood relation. I’m not surprised that James points out the fact that she has wings. The monster did.
I shiver when something runs through me like a dark caress. My skin itches as if something is about to burst through my skin any minute. I feel hot, my skin perspiring as we stand here waiting for Delizah to figure out how to get us both up this mountainside.
“Come on, Delizah. Change into your other form. You said you had control over your powers. You’re not doing this for evil, you’re doing this to save the damn world because of your father,” James snaps. He’s been pushed to the edge and his patience is fraying. I need to figure this out quickly before he loses himself to his own personal demons.
Flashes of our past run through my mind. Of our kiss, of our skin to skin embrace in an abandoned treehouse. James had run away and wanted to end his life. I did whatever I needed to do to bring him back to reality, to pull him out of his spiraling mind.
One caress led to another and we found ourselves entangled in limbs and his crying on my shoulder. I still don’t fully understand what happened that night, but things changed between us. We mutually never brought it up, but the light came back to James’ eyes. His zest for a future snuck back and things were going smooth.
Until his involvement with this cult. Maybe it was his way of trying to figure things out, of trying to see if he had a higher purpose in this life. No matter his reason, I’m going to stand by his side because I need him as much as he needs me. He became my purpose and hope that night. I never stopped fighting for him.
Delizah glows and steals my attention as her body begins to change shape. Tentacles and wings burst out of her back as she turns to look at both of us with doubt. Her face morphs into an inhuman shape as more tentacles burst from the bottom half.
“You need to fly us up this damn mountain. Just try not to touch me with those tentacle mouth things, please,” James tells her, shuddering in disgust. She rolls her eyes in response.
Will he look at me the same way if the monster takes over me? Pain lances my chest at the thought. I don’t want him to see me any differently. I don’t want to lose the way he always looks at me with admiration when he thinks I’m not looking.
“Grab onto me,” she instructs. James looks to me to go first but I need a moment to calm the roars inside of my mind.
“You go first. I’ll meet you there,” I tell him as the monster inside of me claws at my mind.
“What? No! You’re the one who needs help. You need to go first!”
Irrational anger courses through my veins as the monster and I battle for control of my body. My hands shoot out and I grab him by the shoulder, shaking sense into him. “You need to go first, James! If this thing tries to take over me again, I need to make sure you’re out of its way.”
My eyes burn with unshed tears. My vulnerability out in the open for all to see.
“Derrick, why do you stick by me? I’m a mess. I’m nothing but problems and chaos,” he sobs against my shoulder and I pull him close to my chest.
“Because, you asshole, we’re both a mess. How am I supposed to make it in this world without you, James? You’re all I fucking have. You need to hold yourself together or else I’ll lose me too. Don’t do this, James. Be strong. For me.”
James looks at me with part heartbreak and part determination. “Take me up first, Delizah,” he deadpans, and she quietly turns around so he can wrap his arms around her neck. With one last look, they both shoot to the sky and disappear from sight.
I finally let the calm facade go and fall to my knees, wanting to hurl onto the ground from what is happening inside of me.
I bring my hands in front of me and it looks like my skin is thinning, the glow of bioluminescence threatening to peek through the pads of my finger. Delizah quickly shoots back down and grabs me around the waist, leaping back into the sky. I cry out in agony and fear as my ears pop upon our quick ascent.
When my body reaches solid ground, I crawl away from her, not wanting her touch on me any longer than necessary. It didn’t matter if we saved her. I don’t know her anymore than those robed bastards back at the cult.
When I finally lift my head up, we are surrounded by people of all shades and color in white robes. I groan and bring myself to my feet slowly, not wanting my nausea to overtake me. Why did it always have to be robed people? I’m starting to get PTSD from everything that’s happened.
But none of them look at me or James. All of their eyes are on Delizah, widened in fear.
James backs up and covers me, not that it makes any difference as I stand half a head taller than him. But the sentiment makes my chest ache more than it already is.
An older gentleman with long gray hair is the first to break away from the group of strangers in this sanctuary we just crashed into.
“The prophecy is true. The return of the ocean child will be the beginning of the end. I prayed my eyes would permanently be closed before his return but it seems we must stand against him once again.”
“Wait. One damn second,” James spits out, holding his hand up. “Again? You mean you made the monster go away the first time? When the hell was the first time?”
At that moment, I realize there is so much to this life I don’t understand. I need to protect James and his rash decisions. If that means I have to be banished with the beast… then I’ll let myself suffer with the loss of my best friend.
A selfish part of me rallies against my skull but I can’t voice my feelings. Not now. Not when the fate of the world rests on this.
“No,” James says firmly, with his hands in closed fists at his side. He takes a step forward and I grab him by the shoulder to stop him. He turns to look at me, betrayed. “No, Derrick! I’m not letting them banish you with that thing!”
