Chants: Chapter 7 - Coming back to haunt you

Fantasy/Adventure book about a 17 year old girl who wakes up to find everyone she loves is missing and the whole world, at least until she meets a mysterious figure in the shadows....

Before she could reply she was being half dragged ,half pulled through the corridors. In the evening light, Cami noticed the tensed lines of his back that shone through his t shirt. She wished more than anything just to pull him around and kiss the tension out of him, but she restrained herself, knowing that it wouldn't do any good. His hair was still dishevelled from sleep, only people like him look that good with bedhead hair, she thought.

He turned his head around to look at her just fast enough to catch her gaze, "What is something wrong,"-his face loosened into a faint smile-, "-or did I just catch you deep in thought.". She replied to this only with a small chuckle and one of her small, tired, strained smiles. Theo continued down twisting corridors and unfamiliar routes around the housing wing. Seeing Theo wonder about her puzzled expression she thought it best to explain,

"I've never been through here before, I have no idea where we are going."

"- sorry I forgot, this wing was added after you left, it's our biology research lab, normally it's left alone during the night but sometimes August works late- we had an extra room added in there for her. August takes the blood of the demons we kill and uses the properties to create more efficient chants, it's pretty cool actually, sometimes it can take hours."

She made an involuntary noise from the back of her throat, it sounded like a choked laugh. In response she got a quick sour look from Theo, he had brought her out the back of the Praetorium and was leading her out into the night towards another large grand structure, slightly smaller than the housing wing.

"I just thought, only you would find that cool, other boys your age think guns and zombies are cool.". Theo must have taken this as a serious point- in the shadows cast down by the moon, a chill went down her spine and tickled the hairs on her neck as he said, darkly- "Send them out to kill one, then ask them again. We're here.".

*   *   *

August came out of her room in a dark purple silk dressing gown and her hair in a messy bun on the top of her head. She had fine blonde hair which reminded her of her Aunt, a sting of pain rang through her stomach, she pushed it away.

She told August what had happened, with occasional add ons from Theo telling her she'd left out 'essential information'.

"Theo, take her back to your room, it's late, you need to rest. I'll explain everything in the morning."

"No- August" but she'd already retreated into her bedroom leaving a gust of wind in their faces. Theo was dragging her away from the door towards the way they came.

*   *   *

He had taken her back into his bedroom and she was wrapped up in what felt like thousands of blankets tightening like a cobras grasp.

"I'll see you in the morning Cami, goodnight." and as he started to leave

she began to get twinges of sadness bubble up inside her again, images of her Aunt and Sister rose to her eyes. She called out into the darkness,

" Theo, will you stay with me ?". She felt the desperation in her voice and she went back to being a scared innocent little girl. Theo's heart melted at the words, without a word he crawled up next to her and they fell asleep next to each other on an unfamiliar bed, wishing that they could let all their problems float away, that they never had to get up. That it could be just them, together and alone.

*   *   *

Cami woke to the sound of small clatters, possibly on glass, near to the bed. She sat up, trying not to stir Theo, and crossed over to the window. She pulled it open, revealing the cold dark night and freezing wind causing a chill to crawl down her spine.

She looked down and saw something she never expected. Staring at the house blankly as if oblivious she had opened the window, was a fair haired boy around 17. He had a square jaw and set face, yet some vulnerability about him. His name was Adam, he was her ex boyfriend and somehow he couldn't see her.