The Keys

Her grandma charged forward right through her and Kayleigh was knocked backward by force. As she laid sprawled out, she realized four figures were thrown backward and crashed into the cottage. Her eyes widened as the figures emerged from the rubble. The memories seemed crash into her and her headache splintered into shards. She cried out as memories of that night pushed the front of her mind.

They had come for her that night and her grandma had fought them off until they ran her through with a glowing black sword in the middle of the garden. She remembered watching in horror as her grandma's eyes met hers. Tears were in her eyes as she mouthed, 'I love you, sweet lass'. Light emitted from her body, growing bigger and bigger until the light engulfed everything. She felt her grandma's love embracing her and protecting her, wrapping around her like a blanket.

"She thought she could save you," the figure chuckled darkly as he came into the daylight. His eyes were glowing crimson with black surrounding the irises. "You're here all alone."

Another figure revealed themselves as they stepped into the light with the same type of eyes. "You're the last one."

"And the most vulnerable," the third figure said, coming into the light as they approached. "The Keys will finally fall."

The fourth figure stepped into the light. A crooked wicked smile crossed his face. "It shall all start with you."

With that, the beings rushed her, drawing out their familiar black glowing swords. Her grandma's words echoed in her head and Kayleigh thought about that one place that she felt protected. It was here at the cottage before that night. Her fingers dug into the soil as she remembered the safe haven as it had been and all the wonderful memories she shared with her grandma.

As the tips of their swords aimed to slice into her body, Kayleigh's aura flared, light pushing out from her body. The blades struck against the thick pulsing layer of brightness and the beings were thrown backward just like her grandma had done. Her eyes widened in shock as she looked at her body in.

Is this a hallucination? Maybe it was a psychotic break? Whispers hummed in her mind. Was this even real? Did her sanity shatter?

The beings roared furiously as they tried to thrust their swords into her, but they were relentlessly pushed back. There would be a time to question her mental wellness, but she needed to move. Maybe if she got back to her home, she could take her medication and all of this would be a nightmarish episode.

She quickly scrambled to her feet and made a break for it. She raced around the cottage to track down her bicycle, but all she found left was a warped piece of metal. The beings clamored behind her, wielding their swords.

In the cottage or keep going back into town?

Almost as if she was watching a horror movie unfold, she immediately decided she wouldn't be that stupid girl and run back inside the cottage to hide. She booked it, taking the hiking trail until one of the beings launched themselves at her. They bounced off of her aura and she was sent flying into bushes screaming at the tops of her lungs. Unfortunately, those bushes were generous enough to offer her more drama to an already traumatic experience. She careened down a steep incline, barely dodging trees until the obvious happened, she slammed right into one.

Her body actually didn't feel like she physically slammed into it. She didn't feel any wounds, but the impact of her protective aura knocked her backward like a bouncy ball. It hurt in a different way. It was like she was being squeezed by an invisible fist. She groaned, hearing the hum of voices fade in and out of head until it was full blown. Her head felt like it was breaking apart at the extreme noise in her brain.

She heard her name being echoed by different voices then a chorus of 'where are you?'s. How did she answer them back? Did she speak aloud or...?

Help me, she begged in her mind. Please help me.

We're at your bookstore. Where are you? Rose's voice came through.

It's locked up. That was Kasper's voice.

She heard growls and high-pitched shrills from above her. The beings had tracked her down and they were coming for her.

They're coming... She forced out in her mind weakly. They're coming for me.

The Darklings are already here, Liam fired through her mind.

Darklings? What are Darklings? Her mind hurt as questions circled in her head. She felt herself fading. She knew whatever was hunting her would be on her soon.

Kayleigh, stay with us, Chance burst in, causing her to fight to stay awake. The darkness was begging her to black out. Where are you? Tell us where you are.

The old hiking trails in the back of the store. I went to see my grandma, she whispered in her mind. She heard the beings closing in. They're almost here.

She crawled across the dirt and through more brush, trying to hide in the greenery. Those beings were too close for comfort. Curling into a ball, she tried to keep herself small. Tears fell down her cheeks. Nobody was going to come for her.

Nobody.

She screamed when something grabbed her ankle and yanked her out from where she was hiding out. Crimson eyes burned into her. Sharp fangs poked out from the corners their mouth. Sword raised and readied to plunge into her.

A scream ripped out her throat as the sword swiftly thrusted, but a violet blade blocked it with an ornate silver hilt and blasted the being backward. She watched in surprise as they flew away from her. She glanced at the blade and followed the length until the hilt. A hand curled around the hilt and her eyes continued up the strong arm until a maroon sleeve encased it. Her eyes traveled up the skin of their neck until a very familiar face and icy blue eyes came into view.

Chance?

How was that even possible?

Chance glared at the being who attacked her. There was no fear in his eyes or his body. The being snarled then roared in rage before it once again charged. Chance kicked the being in the gut and shoved it away. Kayleigh watched it stumble backward before it lost its footing and its body crashed to the ground.

"The Keys!" one of the beings hissed.

A flurry of movement flashed before her and other familiar faces came to view as they clashed with the beings. It was chaos -- absolute chaos. Bodies being thrown about. Blades of swords smashed against one another. Faces from her dreams and voices from her mind were shouting to one another, assisting each other as they fought.

Chance took the opportunity to glance down at Kayleigh and she looked up at him in shock. He couldn't be real. They couldn't be real. This was not happening. After Chance took a quick inventory of her body, her heart jumped when his eyes met hers and a slow smile morphed into a smirk.

"Kayleigh Yale, it's nice to finally meet you," he told her, winking at her. He offered her his hand. "My name is Chance Deacon."