I Am Fallen.

As Wednesday came and brought light into the living room, Erica stood up and gave me a final hug. She turned as she went through the doorway to smile at me.

As soon as she vanished, my own smile slipped off my face. There was no point in pretending when she wasn't there. I was panicking, I had this dreadful feeling and it wouldn't go away no matter how hard I tried to ignore it.

Despite this, I shrugged it off and went to get ready myself. We were going to follow the normal routine, get dressed, eat breakfast and then go to school. Or at least, pretend we were going to school.

I couldn't exactly remember getting ready, it was all a sort of blur. My mind wouldn't stay focused and I missed the smaller details like whether I put my socks on right or if I was wearing my school tie.

Erica's mother bounced into the kitchen, where me and Erica were already starting to eat. She smiled enthusiastically at us and patted my arm as she passed. She was such a polite woman, I'll miss her when I...I leave.

The feeling got stronger and it hit me with such force, I felt myself being flung into the back of the chair I was sat in. My hands clenched on the table in front of me, trying to make what just happened go unnoticed.

Erica didn't see anything. She was staring down into her bowl of cereal as she chewed a mouthful slowly.

I looked around in shock, trying to locate the source that had shoved me back. The kitchen seemed pretty normal, there was nothing out of the ordinary here. It was the same as any other day.

'What just happened?' I thought.

'Okay, kids? You ready to go to school now?' Erica's mother asked, picking up my plate and Erica's empty bowl so she could put them in the sink.

'What?' Erica said. She looked nervous all of a sudden.

'I was going to give you two a lift, I thought you'd appreciate it. I know how you hate walking.' her mother laughed.

'Oh no, mum. We were going to walk...Zach's erm...really influenced me to become more healthy and stuff.' Erica babbled, already starting to get up and walk from the room. 'Come on, Zach! We'll be late.'

I followed her quickly and waved goodbye to Erica's mother as I left. I managed to make it through the front door just before it swung shut.

'That was fast.' I told her, rushing down the path after her.

'Yeah, she would have got suspicious if I tried to lie anymore.' she said, holding my hand as we walked.

Then the...whatever it was struck me again. I stumbled back a little and this time, Erica noticed. It was probably because I had let go of her hand.

'What's up?' she asked, turning to me as I braced my hands against my knees.

'I don't know...' I confessed, panting slightly as I fought against the force that was threatening to knock me down.

'Maybe we should go back home?' she muttered, turning to face the way back and glancing over to the park gate, where we were.

The street was empty, there weren't even cars on the road. This should have made me apprehensive, I hadn't noticed it before though.

The atmosphere around us seemed to change, it became menacing and it worried the hell out of me. Something wasn't right here...

I realised at that moment. This thing that was affecting me so strongly, it was instincts as a guardian angel. It was warning me and I'd been ignoring it!

'Erica!' I gasped, feeling as if I was being smothered by the sheer strength of my instincts. 'We have to get out of here!'

'W-why?' she asked, terrified. Her eyes were wide as she watched me fall to my knees.

'Danger...' I said faintly, trying to get back to my feet again so I could drag her away. 'We...have to...run.'

I was sure that if I got away from the actual source of danger, I would become stronger again. I was unsure of what would happen if the danger caught up with us.

Erica seemed frozen on the spot and I clawed my way over to her, collapsing against the pavement. This wasn't good...it must be getting nearer.

I struggled earnestly to get back up, to carry Erica back to safety. My hands scraped against her leg as she trembled with fear.

'Don't move!' shouted a malevolent voice. 'Don't move and nobody gets hurt!'

If only I could believe that.