Enchanting Darkness

Back at home and what seemed like forever until Uncle Norris left, Amii finally escaped to her room to look back on all the events of the day. She was surprised that her uncle hadn't informed her mum of their little animal adventure but also thankful for not having to answer any more questions, there were more than enough that she had in her own head let alone answering someone else’s.

She led back on her pillow and sighed, a deep sigh as she let her body relax. She felt exhausted from the healing and wondered why it took so much out of her. It had only made her slightly dizzy with the smaller animals, though she always felt their pain usually just for a second, it never physically manifested itself like the nose bleed today.

She covered her head with a pillow and just hoped that she wouldn’t dream again. 'Just one good night’s sleep pleeeeeaaaaassssseee' she thought to herself.

Amii knew she was dreaming as she was in her old foster home. The one before John and Amanda had saved her. She always used saved rather than adopted as the old house the house she was in
now was filled with evil that she would never forget.

The house seemed empty and cold much like the people that lived there. Amii edged from the kitchen into the hallway and jumped as the door swung open revealing a very windy storm outside.
The rain hammered in through the open space. She quickly ran and tried to get out into the night, any place was better than this but the harsh strong forces of the wind and rain pushed her back.

The wind howled through her ears and the rain felt so real like pins jabbing at her skin she shivered in her sleep. She was soaked from head to toe and after her last lifeless attempt she defeated and the door slammed closed.

"Amii?" She heard a whisper call her from behind her. She turned only to find no one there.
"Amii?" The call again but this time it seemed to drift from the living room. She slowly crept in
peering around the corner of the door to the front room.

The sight that met her eyes made her wince in pain. "Oh my… What?.. KEIRA" Keira was huddled, hiding behind the sofa. Amii ran to her "Keira, your face? What happened?" She was covered with blood and Amii could only just make out the large gashes from the dark red liquid that was still dripping from the fresh wound, like a claw that had sliced across the whole of her once beautiful face.

"Amii he's here. He's gone crazy. Please, please don’t let him get me Amii". Keira scrapped at Amii's hands and cowered in her lap. There was a loud bang from upstairs. "Who's here Keira? Who's trying to get you?" Amii grabbed Keira's face forcing her to look up.

"My brother" Keira cringed. Another loud bang and Keira quickly squirrelled herself into hiding behind the sofa once more. Amii started to rise. She knew she was being foolish. Like those stupid girls in the horror films when you shout at the T.V. 'DONT GO THAT WAY HE'S GOING TO KILL YOU' but she felt like she had to face him, to take a stand. She would not be scared. Her legs pushed her forward and despite the feeling of purpose the fear slowly crept in as she started the climb.

After what seemed like climbing Mount Everest she found her way to the top.

Another very loud bang echoed throughout the house.

She cautiously walked along the hallway like a large cat stalking its prey, she tried to make herself as small as possible which proved easy as the fear began to take hold. She was suddenly taken back when she spotted in the path of the moonlight her old teddy in the middle of the hall. This teddy was the only thing she had ever found to comfort her in this house. It was fluffy and warm but now however it was tatty and had a bloody hand print smeared across it. She knelt down, picked it up and hugged it close to her.

She knew where he was.

She crossed the small distance to her old bedroom and stopped outside the closed door. Everything had gone quiet. She took a deep breath as she reached for the handle and turned it slowly. As the door screamed open she gasped in horror at what she saw. For the chains that once held her in that room now had her mum and dad, John and Amanda tied, gagged....... and dead.

Amii's eyes filled with tears and as they filled and streamed over she fell to her knees. She lifted her head feebly but noticed Drew in the corner looking out the window, a painful quick sharp light flashed in her eyes and as she struggled to see through her now blurry vision it finally came into focus.

A claw like glove on his left hand, he turned and looked right into her eyes with a wicked grin plastered on his face, she felt like he was looking right into her soul. She knelt there, so small and vulnerable, he somehow kept her gaze as he glided across the floor to her side.

Drew began "Look at how powerful you are Amii" He cradled her face with his free hand and lowered his voice to a whisper. “This is your doing, imagine, a world where anything is possible. No ties, no rules just you and me. Your not alone anymo..”. She tried to move her head away but his grip was like iron. “You will see” he continues “you want it”.

“Amii” A whimper from behind her, she moves her head around to see Keira behind her. "You have to protect them Amii. You have to protect us all".

Amii jumped up from her now drenched pillow from her tears. The room was completely black with no light of the moon peering in. She let out a huge sigh as she realised she was still fully dressed. She moved quietly across the hall and shivered as she recalled part of the nightmare again.

She reached her parents room and smiled as she saw them sleeping. After changing into her pyjamas she fell on her bed once more. She naturally moved to look over to her collection of favourite teddys and noticed that one in particular was missing.

"Amii! Over here!!" Keira called from across the lunch hall, Amii nodded ever so slightly embarrassed as everyone acknowledged her as she made her way over to the lunch table.

"Hey, how’s your day going?" Amii tried to seem enthusiastic but the lack of sleep from the previous night had to say the least, drained her.

"Good thanks, how about you? How’s your second day? To be honest hun you look shattered?!" Keira genuinely looked worried and Amii smiled with reassurance. "I'm ok just not been sleeping very well. All the course work I guess" She shrugged and began digging into the questionable looking lasagne.

Shifting in her seat as she locked eyes at Keira who was still looking at her, remembering the oozing berry black blood smeared across her clothes she tried to change the subject "So where do you guys go to get some edible food?" she half grinned trying to be natural.

"Haha, definitely not here.." Keira grinned and pointed to the others on the table. "..this is Sheena, Terry and Romi. We usually go into town, theres a couple of cool places. A restaurant bar called 'The dragon', random name but it’s got a pool table and the food doesn’t taste like left over’s from a dog bowl".

Amii smiled at the others with a couple of 'nice to meet you' comments. She did notice how hot Terry was and the fact that he was staring at her quite obviously. There was something about his eyes that drew her in, she couldn’t pin point what it was but she felt a wash of warmth flow through her. She wobbled in her seat as she realised the table had gone quiet. "So at this bar you go to.. do you guys you know drink and stuff?".

Sheena picked up and it was only then that Amii noticed the jealous glint in her eye. "Well Terry and I are both 19 but Keira here is a baby, like you I’m guessing. But she usually gets served on the count of her big knockers". They all giggled as Keira crossed her arms over her bust.

"Hey!" Keira said defensively. "We got to work what we’ve been given..” she continued as she did a ‘because I’m worth it’ hair flick “..I mean look at you two, Terry’s got the looks and the smile, Sheena your gorgeous but your brain is where it’s at and me.. I got the big cahoots". They all roared with laughter including Amii.

As they all died down Amii swore she heard Terry mutter 'I wonder what her ‘talent’ is'. He obviously meant within their group of brains and boobs.

"So tonight then” Terry grinned “The dragon, 8 o'clock!" It was a statement rather than an invitation and as Amii deliberated how she'd get around the 'it’s a school night' mum lecture Keira agreed for her then over her shoulder winked and offered Amii a lift.

Back at home Amii braced herself as she awaited the response from her mother.

"Of course you can go sweetie, here's some money. Just be back for 11" Amanda nodded at John and he reluctantly got his wallet out and passed Amii a £20. Amii stood frozen with a very confused expression "O.K. who are you and what have you done with my parents??" Amanda grinned at her daughter and joked "We know how important it is for you to make friends sweetie. We don’t want you stuck up in that room on your own anymore, besides we know where it’s at, were down with the kids".

Amii cringed and while moving quickly off of her seat rushed her words. "Well I'm getting out of her before you change your minds and before you start doing a Jay Z impression". She legged it through the hall as her father started doing some 'ah's and yeah's' in an attempt of a rappers voice.

After the decision that no matter what she wore she was going to look like a pumpkin she gave in with some skinny black jeans and a purple long sleeved top.

She started walking down the road, following the directions to Keira's house. It wasn't far and there was an easy short cut through a public park that was very pretty, lots of flowers and trees. At night though It did seem a bit freaky and as the wind picked up she concentrated on taking longer strides.

"Silly little girl. You shouldn't be walking in the dark by yourself, you never know who you might meet!" A voice that echoed through the wind and as Amii whipped around she was stunned to find the owner of that voice much closer than she had anticipated. She quickly clocked another two dark figures under a close by tree.