SWNOVELS Chapter 8
CHAPTER 8
“Okay, now that everyone has been moved into this neighborhood, we are going to start patrolling.” Natalie spoke loudly trying to speak over the voices that would not quiet down. “We won’t venture out past this neighborhood’s boundaries and would like everyone to travel in groups of two or three.”
“But does anyone know exactly what’s going on and why people have been disappearing?” Someone spoke out from within the crowd towards the left of where I stood. I can hear a few others whisper in agreed questions but no one else speaks loud enough to be heard by Ms. Harris.
James who was right beside Natalie, stands at the base of his stairwell that is directly across from his entryway. Raising his hand, he waited patiently until everyone quieted down before speaking; “we are trying to prevent these evil creatures from taking anyone else.
We do not expect everyone to go out patrolling mind you. We are looking for the best trained from the Academy and any exceptionally strong-powered witches to volunteer for the task.” His statement seems to put everyone a little more at ease. “Those who feel capable of taking on this job, please go into the kitchen. Everyone else, please make your way back to your assigned homes. Stay observant and keep faith! We will rid this earth of this demonic entity and his minions!”
~~
The goings-on have been kept fairly low key until yesterday when Rifqa and I went out on a scouting mission. We were walking some of the back alleyways when we happened to stumble upon Beth and some guy we have never seen before. We had just come around a corner when we spotted them. “What in the hell?” I whisper to Rif, throwing my right arm out to stop her from going any farther. Quickly we backed up a few steps, crouching down by a dumpster, we proceed to watch the scene before us.
“Who is Mrs. Hopkins talking to?” Rifqa whispered into my left ear.
I shrug my shoulders and then hush her, so we can attempt to see if we can hear what they are saying. As I look her over, I barely recognize Beth now. Her once immaculate, well-manicured appearance has gone to the wayside. In its place, a messy bun, sweatshirt, and torn jeans. I didn’t even know Beth owned jeans, leaving me shocked as I continue to stare at her. I would love nothing more than to take a picture of her and send it to Alina (she would die laughing at seeing her mother dressed this way), but I don’t want to draw attention to our hiding spot. We are crouched down behind a dumpster and both witness Beth caress the side of the stranger’s face.
“Now that we have an army, why are we not taking over this damned town? We should storm the place head on while they are weak and unaware of our plans and then we can plan our attack against the Silver Heart Coven!”
“Patience dear. We will stick to what we had first discussed.”
“But, Cal!” Beth whined. Yes, whined to the male figure.
“Ssshhh, continue your collecting and meet back at the warehouse as agreed.”
We watch as Beth nods her head and turns from him. “Shit!” I curse quietly as we realize that Beth is headed in our direction. We throw our backs up against the brick wall and hold our breaths as she passes by. As soon as she is out of sight, we look back around the dumpster to make sure, the Cal stranger is gone as well and then standing up, we run as fast as we can back to Mr. Hopkins’ home.
Bursting through the Hopkins’ front door, we locate James and tell him everything we just saw and heard. He in turn grabs his phone and proceeds to send out a message for everyone to gather in his home once again.
*
Nodding his head, James looks to all of us gathered in his living room and tells us we must all prepare for an attack. As soon as the group had dispersed, I dash up to my borrowed room and taking my cell phone, I flick through my contacts until I see HOPKINS, ALINA. Pressing send, I begin to chew nervously on my thumb nail until I hear her voice on the other end.
“Ali? Can you hear me?” I shout into my cell phone. A very weird noise has started to grow outside and is slowly starting to filter into the house, making it hard to be able to hear anything, much less her voice on the other end of the call. “Ali, if you can hear me, gather everyone you can from your community and get to the Academy. We need your…” my phone dies before I can finish asking for help.
Suddenly the power goes out, leaving us in complete and utter darkness.
*
I stare at my phone in shock, Ella’s call ended so abruptly that I am not quite sure how I should react.
My entire coven and I had decided that we were going to pay my hometown a visit as soon as Devon explained to me what was occurring at the academy. I had just plopped down in my plane seat as my cell phone began to shrill obnoxiously. God, I need to change my ringtone, I thought as I grab it from my pocket. Seeing Ella’s name pop up on the screen causes me to smile. I wondered for a moment as to whether or not she already knew we were coming but shook my head no. I had promised Devon that he if he were to tell her that we were coming, I would bring him a world of pain!
“Hey, Ell’s bells, what’s up?” A wave of anxiety washes over me as I hear her shouting into the phone. I can hear fear in her voice as she tries to talk to me, and I look around the cabin as I hit speaker so the rest of the group can hear her. Unfortunately not much was said before the line goes dead. I immediately try to call her back but to no avail. My heart begins pounding hard against my chest. Dominic leans over the armrest that divides the chairs to wrap me in a hug.
“It’ll be okay, babe. We’ll be there in less than an hour and then we’ll see what’s going on.” I nod but when I try to close my eyes and just breathe, the most horrid images flash through my head. Fear of the unknown, what if we are too late?