Dracosapiens: The Dead World Reborn, Chap 2 Part 2

I cowered in fear on the ground, unable to move even an inch of my body. I was petrified, heartbeat ringing in my ears, the painful, all too familiar lump rising in my throat. Yasmine came out of nowhere, pale blue irises alight in worry, racing to try and help. Alexis screamed and made a break for it, her and Yasmine’s footsteps fading away, my heart pounding against my ribcage, drowning out all other sound.1

Sharp, black beaks opened and closed, glossy feathers flapping in the wind. Dirty talons raced for my flesh and I knew they were eager to dine. I shut my eyes, quaking like the true coward I was, a low whimper escaping my lips.2

“Move Ella!” Gareth ordered imperiously. “Move now!” But his words did me no favour. The crows started to attack and I curled up in a defensive position, hands over my head as they pecked with all gusto. Kneecaps and elbows scraped along the cement, hair hanging over my face. I tried to bring about the necessary power but my chance for that had long since past. 3

I cried out in agony as one bird cut their way through my hand and I recoiled, eyes open wide as I scoured the area for some means of escape. Five students were huddled against a brick wall, watching the whole scene, frozen with a similar terror. With them observing, my abilities had to remain unused and I scowled, cursing my rotten luck and the wretched day of Hallows Eve. 4

An unaccountable gust of wind flew by me, so powerful that it knocked me off my feet, sending me sprawling into the drink fountain. My neck slammed into the rim and I crumpled, looking up unsteadily with one beady, watery eye. My aggressors had taken flight into the sky and I frowned, skin burning from all of the cuts and injuries I had sustained. They cackled triumphantly above me and I was forced to shield my face as a burning ray flashed into my line of sight. Coloured spots disrupted the scene and in another instant - as my vision adjusted - I realised that it was not the sun blinding me at all, but a thin, crystal vial, clasped in one of the crow’s deadly feet. I stared down at my bleeding hands in horror, ashamed that I had let this event come to pass. Because in that vial, contained some of my life blood. This moment was the first picture I had drawn. 5

“Man, are you okay Ella?” A large hand produced from nowhere and I took it, gratefully. 6

“Thanks Tyson,” I panted, fixing my dishevelled clothes. “You’re a lifesaver.” “I’ll be sure to tell him then,” said a voice, clearly miffed. 7

I glanced up and blushed. “Sorry Jake,” I muttered, letting him help me up. The back of my neck ached and I rubbed it tenderly, the rest of my skin itching from where I’d been scratched. “Just assumed it was super boy from all the wind.” I gave myself a quick once over and sighed, the other students disappearing from view. “I do hope these don’t get infected. That‘s the last thing I need today.”8

He rolled his eyes and picked up the blue and grey bag at his feet. “That would be why I’m here, Ella. Unless you have another healer on hand?” I shook my head and he grinned. “Thought not. Oh and thanks for the snacks. They were great.” He intertwined his fingers with my own and I forced myself to remain calm, ignoring the ecstatic butterflies in my stomach.9

Newly rejuvenated and freshly ashamed, I hung my head in mortification. “I’m such a fraidy cat.”10

Jake put one hand under my chin and lifted it, making us almost nose to nose, his rich ochre eyes boring into mine. “That is the one thing I would never accuse you of.”11

“Would you prefer to use cry baby or wuss?”12

He shook his head. “El, you were just attacked by a bunch of birds in a school yard. That sort of thing doesn’t happen every day. You were bound to be shocked. Nobody‘s blaming you.” His brow furrowed deeply. “What I wanna know is why they came after you. It‘s so bizarre.” He looked to the skies, now empty of all feathered demons as if the answer would simply fall from the clouds. 13

“I’ve got an even more pressing question,” I added darkly. “What did they want with my blood?”14

Jake’s mouth popped open and Tyson bounded forward looking pleased. “Looks like Yasmine found me at the right time. Aren’t you lucky?” He patted me on the head and scuffed up my hairstyle.15

“Is that where she went?” I asked incredulously, staring around at the buildings, trees and iron shelters. “I thought she and Alexis left me to die.”16

Tyson scoffed, jamming a thumb proudly to his chest. “Not my babe. She just called for reinforcements. Clap your heels three times and Shadow will save the day.” I grimaced at the use of his transformation name; we all had them in the event that one of us had to call out for another in front of civilians. 17

“And where is she now then?”18

Tyson shot me a reproving glance. “She’s probably waiting in her car with Alexis. Aren’t you meant to be joining them for some girl night?” 19

I exhaled at the painful reminder. “Well excuse me for being a little preoccupied!” Indignation boiled in my blood and Tyson wisely stepped behind his friend, who appeared outwardly troubled to say the least.20

My anger petered out almost as fast as it had come. “Something wrong, Jake?” I asked anxiously, sweeping the hair from my eyes.21

His lips pursed like he was trying to decipher a problematic equation. He bit down on his thumb and titled his head down to our shoes. “There’s…something you…don’t know,” he confessed guiltily. “About your blood.” Tyson raised an eyebrow; clearly as clueless as I was in this situation. “Since you possess a royal, it has the ability to…bring back the dead.” He looked up at me with a fretful expression. “You didn’t know it at the time, when I asked you for it, since I knew you would refuse but…it was how I brought my mother back. Why she‘s alive and kicking as we speak.”22

His words echoed dimly through my skull and I forgot how to breathe. The world started spinning and I collapsed, Tyson catching me at the last second. “You…used my blood?” I clarified hoarsely. Jake’s ochre eyes smouldered and my limbs went limp. “You did more than that though, didn’t you?” I asked, still fighting to regain some oxygen in my lungs. “It takes more than a spell to bring someone back.” My eyes filled with tears and my voice turned thick. “You’re a Contractor now, aren’t you?”23

Jake sank to the ground and patted my elbow with a clammy hand. “Yes. I made a contract with the Dead World. My soul for hers. When I die, Heaven or Hell is no longer an option for me. I will spend eternity going insane as my fate is far worse. I will be fed to the swamp creature, The-Drown-In-Me and experience a whole new version of torture. Both psychological…and physical.” Tyson’s hands were suddenly much too tight around my torso and back, it felt like he was crushing me in his anger.24

“You fucking moron!” he yelled, dropping me to the cement. I clambered out of the way as he lunged at Jake, punching him hard in the jaw. Jake staggered backwards in astonishment but Tyson wasn’t done. He started punching, kicking and kneeing every part of our friend he could reach, showing no mercy, blinded by his rage. Jake slammed into the brick wall behind, debris cracking underneath his figure as Tyson continued to pound him into it, arms retracting so quickly I barely caught the movement.25

Blood and spittle spotted Jake’s collar and chin, the snapping of his bones so loud that it made me shudder and fear for his survival. His neck veins pulsed every time another blow was thrown, his fingers flexing as he sunk deeper into the wall.26

The sound of quickening footsteps hurried around the corner and I hissed, “teacher! Tyson stop!” He looked hatefully to his left, yanked Jake forward by the shirt, me by the arm, tiny rocks and brick fragments crumbling to the dirty cement.27

Then, we were all standing in front of a midnight blue, four-wheel drive on the road, one of my feet residing in the gutter. Yasmine and Alexis were sitting in the back with folded arms and crossed legs, door wide open to invite me in. They did not look happy. “I am not a Taxi service,” Yasmine grumbled, beckoning me inside, completely oblivious to the panting, bleeding Jake in Tyson’s powerful grip. “So unless you want to walk home -” I turned to the others, not wanting to leave them alone with nothing but each other’s company, but the pair of them had withdrawn from the scene. I blinked, never quite getting over Tyson’s dash capabilities. 28

Yasmine’s jet-black hair and bangs seemed frazzled and she wasn’t in uniform. Instead she was wearing her black and white, skimpy cheerleading outfit and a pair of white pompoms rested at her feet. “Coming or not?” she demanded moodily, irate at my delay.29

Sighing in defeat, I hopped in, giving the school a careless glance as we drove away. My fingernails raked the skin of my thighs in horror, my gaping face reflected in the glass window. Sitting there, on one of the many wooden posts that made up our car park and office fence, was a crow. And in its mouth, a dull piece of white paper with a message, written in bold, messy letters: see you soon.