Reflections Beyond (Book 1) now published so sample only

Chapter 5

I woke suddenly in the night with my heart thudding in my chest. Something had woken me, a noise that I couldn’t describe. I pulled my covers under my chin and peered around my room. A shadowy figure loomed in the corner and I felt my heart race even harder.

“Charlie.” I jumped out of bed startled as I stared at Dalia from across the room.

“What do you want?” I asked harshly trying to find something to defend myself with, after all she had tried to kill me the last time I saw her.

“I’m here because he has found you. He is at the end of your street and getting closer.” She warned me, her voice fearful.

“Where’s Caden?” I asked my heart in my throat.

“He is holding the spell open to get us out of here.”

“How can I believe you?” I stepped further away from her.

“I told him this wouldn’t work but he didn’t listen to me.” Dalia sighed

“So?”

“I am sincerely sorry I threw that dagger at you. But I know it’s you I have to thank for sending Caden back to talk to me. I know you have no reason to trust me but if we don’t leave soon it will be too late.” She did look remorseful and had apologised, I felt myself trust her a little more than I had.

“Okay I will go with you. But if you try anything you had better look out.” I warned her.

“Let’s go.” I looked down at my cute butterfly pyjamas with singlet top and tiny shorts.

“I will be changing first.”

I heard a stair creak and wondered if we had awoken someone. Dalia stiffened and started pushing me toward the window in a panic while I was trying to head towards my wardrobe.

“We don’t have time. We need to leave now.” Dalia hastened me along.

I resisted for a bit until my bedroom door started opening. When I saw the glimmer of red eyes I started pushing Dalia faster. She lifted my window up and climbed out onto the window sill, beckoning for me to follow her.

“We have to jump; the spell will catch you and stop you from falling.” Dalia explained

I was hesitant; it was a big drop from two stories up. Then I glanced back and the creature was stalking toward me licking its lips with anticipation as its grotesque malformed hands reached for me. That made my decision for me. I had way more trust in Dalia than this horrible thing creeping behind me. I scrambled out the window and jumped blindly into the darkness.

The earth fell toward me ridiculously fast as I started screaming uncontrollably, waiting for the sudden stop. Instead I bounced, after the third time I landed gently on the ground. I glanced back at my window to see the evil eyes glaring down at me. My heart stuttered with fear as I started to run away in panic, straight into a familiar pair of strong, warm arms.

“Are you well my love?” Caden asked softly, looking me up and down.

“I’m…I’m…Fine.” I finally got out.

“We have to leave now.” He pulled me over to a futuristic, fancy looking car opened the passenger side door and gently pushed me in.

“Let’s get out of here.” I heard Dalia scream from the backseat “He is starting to gain on us!”

“Buckle up Charlie; this may be a scary ride.” Caden said quietly as he put the car in gear and drove off like a mad man.

I glanced out the back window and saw what looked like a man chasing after us, but on closer inspection it was perhaps the most hideous thing I had ever seen. The face had once been handsome to the point of looking pretty. Now though lines of arrogance, anger and madness covered his face in bulbous scars.