Butterfly Rising

Chapter Nine

"What is-"

When I start to come to, I can barely make out anything. The searing pain in my head makes me keep my eyes clenched tight. In the distance, I can just make out the sound of crackling. Smashing can also be heard much closer like someone is trying to kick themselves out of the car.

"Don't touch-"

Each time my hearing goes in and out, I feel my panic rising. Ever so slightly, I start to move my head from side to side, making sure I can still move and haven't become paralyzed. With great effort, I pry my eyes open. Huffing a breath out, I struggle with trying to settle my breathing.

"We need to... somethings not... safety-"

Furrowing my eyebrows, I shake my head and groan. Something in my ears is damaged as I can't seem to piece together what's being said. Before I know it, I only hear a ringing in my ears before everything comes at me at once. It's like they open up as I can finally detect and understand what sound is again.

"What happened?" I ask, looking around for my two companions.

I'm still in the SUV, with the vehicle being flipped on its side. Gasping, I blink rapidly and adjust to the situation. In a frenzy, I feel for the seat belt buckle so I can let myself out. When I click it to disengage the metal piece, movies prove me right as I fall from the seat and to the other side of the truck. I groan as I smack into the door and feel tiny shards of glass press into my skin. It takes me a minute to get upright, but when I am, I then struggle to climb up the other side so I can get out of the truck. There's a tweak in my arm when I lift it, which leaves me wondering if it's dislocated.

In the meantime, I hear yelling outside that makes me wonder what's happening. Taking a deep breath, I grab the top of my shirt and shove it in my mouth, wondering if this is enough of a grip for my teeth. Then without further ado, I hoist myself up.

The muffled scream that comes from me is pain-filled. I'm unable to hold the sound back as my left shoulder strains. I have to let go to catch my breath for a moment. But as the screams grow louder, I fix my mind and prepare myself.

With this second time around, I think I feel a few teeth cracking under the pressure of my bite. Yelling out, the shirt drops from my mouth and I finally pull myself up. Though I'm now sure I've also popped a blood vessel. I crawl my way out of the truck and instantly feel heat on my face. Though as I find it hard to catch my footing, I begin to roll down the side of the truck. It's actually a pretty far fall as I catch air before landing on the gravel harshly.

"Ahh," I hiss as my body smacks the ground. My torso hits first before my head.

Laying for a moment, I start to feel blood pour down my face and into my eye. A concussions seems about right as the ringing in my head returns. I can't even seem to move as pain overtakes my entire being. Nothing has ever felt so bad, even all of the times I've been thrown around and beaten. This truly takes the cake and I wonder how my pain tolerance isn't through the roof.

A manly groan is he only sound I can muster as I eventually force myself up. I think I've also broken some ribs as each breath I take is painful.

As I go to take a step, something large flies by me. By sheer instinct, I grab my head and duck. Both my arm and gut ache with the action, though I'm too busy worrying about what the hell just almost took my head off. When I lift, I turn and finally take in what was about to take my head off.

Right in front of me is a large force of... I can't even describe it. But it's familiar, too familiar, and absolutely terrifying to see. The sky is bathed in red and the moon is nowhere to be found, reminding me of the demonic sky from my last couple of visits to Elysium. In the atmosphere, I see birds freaking out and flying all over the place as if they can't tell left from right. And a small distance away, the ground has opened up into a circle. From it is a blood-colored hue that leaks into the world.

I can barely make out black figures crawling out from the hole, but they're there. Their forms are grotesque, with large spikes coming out of their backs, looking like a deformed vertebrae. Their feet are hooves - like that of a goat - and the skin appears rough like a reptile's. I can't help the sound of disgust that leaves my mouth as liquid drips from the monster's large mouth. It gloops onto the ground in a thick consistency like slime or sludge.

I gag at the sight before wheezing at the pain in my ribs. When I look back over at the inhuman creature, it's already staring right at me. Involuntarily, my body tenses as the beings eyes drill into me. Every so slightly, I begin moving back, preparing myself for this sprint I'll have to take part in. Though a hope of escape leaves me as large wings sprout from its back. Gasping, my gaze zeros in on the spikes at the end of the wings.

With no delay, I turn and begin running. My hair whips around my face, the strands leaving harsh streaks on my skin. But as a gust of wind lurches me forward, I know that the being has alreading reached me. That's all confirmed when the click-clack of its hooves sounds from behind me and large claws dig into my shoulders as it grabs me.

Clenching my eyes closed, I wait for whatever assault is about to come my way.

"Duck!" someone shouts, causing me to pry my eyes open at the familiar voice. Looking forward, I see a torn up and bloody Cal. His face is distorted to reveal his rage as he glares my eyes. "Duck, Sophia-Grace!"

My body moves on its own at the command. My flesh rips, though this time I can barely feel it as every sensory nerve in my body feels numb. There's another gust of wind, but from above me this time. Then I feel the ominous presence leave from behind me. When I turn to look, I see Cal on top of the creature, tearing away at its scaly skin.

Screeches from above me are heard and I look up at the red sky again. Now I realize that those aren't birds, but other creatures like the one Cal is fighting. The situation is much more worrisome than I originally perceived.

They begin descending, looking like large bullets coming from the sky.

"No..." I make haste over to Cal. But as they catch speed, I hasten my steps. "No... Cal! Cal, we need to go."

I grab his arm and pry him away from the being. Sparing a glance back at the backup, I yell as they've already landed and are making their way to us. Cal says nothing as he scoops me up and takes off. My hold on him tightens.

"What's happening?!" I manage to yell even as we move so fast my eyelids feel like they'll fly off. But I'm met with silence. Rather than bug the vampire, I close my eyes. Now that I feel somewhat safe, I feel nauseous from my concussion and just the overall pain on my body.

I close my eyes and breath deeply, hoping I won't vomit all over Cal. Nevertheless, as soon as he stops, I begin to regurgitate anything and everything that's in my stomach. The apologies thar spew from my mouth are drowned out by the acid that comes out.

Cal sets me down. As soon as I finish, he grabs my face and stares into my eyes. Then his irises move slightly up before he lifts a hand and presses it to the wound on my head. At my wince, he mutters a curse. His forehead beads with sweat, but any wounds I saw previously are now healed.

"I think you have a concussion," Cal tells me as he glances around. We've made it to some woods and are much further away from the freeway we were just on. "Are you hurting anywhere else."

I only nod my head as I start to feel the effects of my messed up bones and concussion. Darks spots lines my vision - a tale tell sign that I might pass out soon. Blinking feels slow though it probably isn't, and I can now barely keep my head up.

"No, you need to stay with me, okay?" Cal lightly taps my faces. "I'll get you to safety, okay? But I need you to stay conscious."

"What happened?" My words are an incorrigible slur. Even I can tell that and I'm about to be lights out.

Cal sighs as he presses my head to his chest. "Something... otherworldly is wreaking havoc in our world. I think we'll have to fight this entity."

"Mmm, what's new with us," I mutter, sparing a small smile. "I'm sorry, Cal, but I can't stay away."

"No," Cal chuckles. "I'm sorry for asking too much of you. You sleep and when you wake up, we'll be okay."

As I fall unconscious, I can just make out him saying hopefully under his breath.