CHAPTER 7

I woke up gasping for air. 'It was a dream' I thought 'then why am I so out of breathe?' clearly me being breathless said otherwise. I got up from bed and ran to washroom. I washed my face and took a long breath. I looked at reflection 'crap! Why do I feel so exhausted?' Then I started to think about what happened in my dream, it felt sickly real. Wait, Aunt Marie was probably killed by this man, the hooded man. I sat on the floor, 'she was killed because of me' I mumbled, tears streaming from my eyes 'If I had gone to the statue earlier. Aunt Marie she'd be still alive. They want me to take something, something that's mine....' I know I might sound like a fool and the saying curiosity killed the cat is protesting against me but if I had went to statue maybe, just maybe she wouldnt have been killed. I got up and wiped the tears from my face. I got ready for school and went down for breakfast, I tried to stay happy, in case I die I want my last day with family a happy one.

"Good morning" I said as I entered the dining room. Everyone was there.

"I was about to come and call you, comparing to how excited you was yesterday today you look like the gloomiest girl'' August commented.

"Shut up" I said and smiled. Mom, Dad and August were talking and I was just listening to them. 'I can't let them get hurt' I thought.

After about ten minutes I was waiting for the bus, the bus came faster than it was supposed to. I was about to climb the bus when I decided against it. I took few steps backwards and starting walking towards Aunt Marie's house. I reached within 20 minutes. I stood there between the ruins I took off my bag and kept it down, leaning it to a half burned wall. I walked around the ruins, searching for clues or at least something. But there wasn't any.

I walked out of the ruins and towards the statue. I stood there, about 5 meters away from the statue.

"CHARLIE" someone called 'Alex' I thought. I turned to see Alex and August running towards me 'no... I can't let them stop me, nope'. Iran towards the statue, Alex came running after me. Damn, she's fast. I was centimetres apart from the statue when she pulled my right hand.

"Why don't you just let me go?'' I asked.

"Charlie you need to understand it's dangerous, you might even die''

"Well at least you won't" I said. August was about to hold my left when I stretched as far as I could, finally touching the statue.

August paused, literally. But Alex, 'oh no... she was holding my hand' I thought. The world around us crumbled, leaving behind me and Alex in complete darkness.

"Oh, nonono....'' Alex muttered.

"Why did you hold my hand?" I yelled at Alex.

"Because I didn't want you to die or something'' she yelled back.

"I had to this, that's what mom and dad were talking about. It's now or never Alex. I don't want to lose you all''. She looked at me, confused

"Lose us?"She asked. We were interrupted by the voice, the one I heard last night.

"Charlie...come, accept what's yours" it said. I looked at Alex, her hands clasped on to her ears. I looked around, I saw something, and it was too dark to identify what it was. I took a step forward, and whole surrounding was on fire.

"Charlie! Please don't move" Alex pleaded.

"I have to Alex, maybe it's the way out. That's what it wants, it wants me to take it'' I said.

"Who wants you to take what? It wanted you to come here? What now we'll burn to ash Charlie. Are you ready to do that too? Are you ready to die just because it wants you to?" Alex yelled at me. I ignored her and ran towards the thing, Alex was still yelling at me but I couldn't really understand, there was only one thing in my mind. 'I decided to this to save them so I'm not letting her die; not here, not now, not like this.

I ran through the wall of fire every inch of my skin burning.the thing was on fire but it didn't seem to affect it.I clasped the thing tight with both my hands. But the fire did not reduce, I heard Alex scream. The fire....no...

I started running towards where she was standing, but too late the fire engulfed her.

"ALEX" I yelled her name. I started crying. Why? This wasn't supposed to happen...then I saw the man, the one in my dream. His face still hooded, he came near to me. He raised his hands to his hood, his hands... it was rotting. He lowered his hood and his face...his skin was melting, insects were eating his eyes... I screamed. His face will haunt me for eternity. His caught my neck; he was too fast for a man who was literally rotting. His slimy rotting hand was on my neck, I screamed.

"Charlie Fernando" it snarled and I stopped breathing...

I fell into a hole which emitted bright light from it, I don't understand how but it was like watching me fall....