Down End Road

Alexander Griffin-

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There had been a series of mini storms over the past few days. Ever since that first cloud drifted over us and loudly announced its presence, every few hours another one would come and add another downpour of rain just after the previous storm had finished.

Maverick was cranky he had to go outside and be armed with more than just a tee-shirt and jeans, lots of the students were all uneasy and would rush to the windows the moment the rain hit. It was funny, watching everyone zip to the windows just to watch the water droplets beat against the window.

I didn't mind rain, it reminded me of home. The rain had a certain, quality, about it that could really make anyone reminiscent. The nostalgic feeling wasn't always my favourite but thinking about the events of this summer certainly were favourable.

We were all huddled in the back corner of the library, one that hadn't been dusted in ages, either sprawled on the floor reading one of the old tomes or hunting for one. It was an indoors day and Miss Wilson allowed us a break from all the hunting for answers.

Myra sat with her legs across Ally's as the two read some sort of romance books swapping giggles and whispering about stuff that would probably confuse me.

She wore a fashionable cable-knit jumper, with leather flares and docs. Myra looked the epitome of elegance and perfection. Funny how her looks did so well to distract from how imperfectly messy she felt in that moment.

Ally leaned over toward Myra and whispered something in her ear, throwing a glance my way she spoke in a low rushed tone and laughed after she said it. Myra looked my way and laughed, nodding her head frantically.

I rolled my eyes and looked over to Maverick, who scowled at the window and the bad weather that brewed outside it. "Glaring at the weather doesn't make it change it's plans in fear of a teenager Mavy." I chided mockingly.

Maverick gave me a playfully hard shove and stalked over to the bookshelf, I laughed at his antics earning me a hard glare from him.

"He's GONE!" A feminine voice sobbed. "Where is my DAUGHTER!" She screeched in hysteria. I looked over to a pale Myra, with furrowed brows.

Her eyes, were startled and stunned for a moment, before she lept into action. She raced out of the library, me hot on her heels, as she sprinted down the corridor.

Outside of the library's bounds, we could hear the woman's riotous shouts clearer. A heart shattering sob bellowed out of the woman as she finally laid her crystalline blue eyes on Myra.

Looking at the woman again, I realised the disheveled lady was Myra's mum. I looked on in concern, feeling out of place, as Myra rushed to her, enveloping her in her arms.

Myra cooed soothing words to her mother as they both sunk to the floor. Not a trickle of tears was shed from Myra as she continued to comfort her mum, patting down her hair in a pacifying motion.

Myra's mum began to mumble things in her daughters ear as her cries finally quieted down. Whatever was uttered between the two women must have been horrible, as I saw Myra's eyes flicker in doubt before a hard determination overcame her features.

Her eyes seemed to burn brighter as she looked around to the door, and then back at me. Face softened for a fraction of a moment, before she pulled her mum up from the foyers tiles and guided her to the portal room.

Cassandra and Ben sombrely trailed a respectfully private space behind them.

"Where's my dad." Mrs. Remington finally asked. Myra's face scrunched in confusion at her query as Cassandra answered.

"He's upstairs in his room, where he is most days." Cassandra said the last part with a hint of judgement.

Mrs. Remington clenched her jaw and nodded. As soon as that was said her steely eyes were washed over with a new sadness as her mind drifted back to whatever was so horrible she had to come barging through our doors.

"When did he disappear." Myra asked, her voice lowered.

Mrs. Remington inhaled a shaky breath before she replied, "last night. I sent him out to get some garden stuff and he hasn't been back since."

I could see the foggy perplexed look in Myra's eyes give way to the startling clarity of a new found discovery. However, no one took notice of the teen on the ground, comforting their mother, no, only I noticed.

Ben's scoff pulled Myra's mind back to the present as he glared at her mum. "You come barging into Society land, one that you are banished from, because your husband has been gone a few hours."

Myra and her mum's lips curled into twin sneers as they looked on at him with unfiltered rage, so great it choked the sadness in their eyes, leaving nothing but fiery anger in its wake.

"He never stays out without calling, besides I heard what happened here last week, I know they're back!" She said with a threatening lilt.

Ben's face contorted into a look of fury, one that matched the Remington women's. Cassandra looked at him, mild disbelief coated her features. "Ben! Calm down!" Cassandra reprimanded.

"How did you know about that?!" Ben asked, light bewilderment coated his tone.

"I am a member of this society, no matter how hard you try to make it seem like I have no place here! No matter how many times you banish me, I am still the rightful heiress to the Order of Hamilton!" Conviction rolled through her words and slammed into us as she stood with a power in her shoulders.

Mrs. Remington looked at Ben with disdain trickling through her gaze. "We made a pact to always be there for each other and as soon as the Society's higher ups go against us you leave." Mrs. Remington continued on. "Now I am asking for your help, please help me find Charlie." She pleaded, the sadness leaked back into her stare as her shoulders slumped with the weight of her depression towards the situation.

Ben opened his mouth, when a persistent ring blared to life, he took his phone out of his pocket and looked at the screen before pressing a button and holding it his ear. "Hello... Yes this is he... You what... Well, yes something similar happened to us... Yes, yes, I'll talk to you later." With that, Ben flipped his phone closed and looked to Mrs. Remington.

A look of daunting realisation flashed across her face, she turned and fixated on Myra. "They can't have the queen, I refuse to give them that." She mumbled almost inaudibly. "It's happening again, isn't it?" Mrs. Remington looked to Cassandra with haunted eyes that held untold fears and heavy truths.

Cassandra, looked ready to be sick as she rushed out the room, her heels chorusing out a haunting melody that saturated the silence.

"Why did you have to bring Him, into the conversation." Ben sighed wearily. I looked to Myra, blue eyes colliding with brown as she listened to their conversation with peeked interest. "She lost Him and it was cruel to remind her of that." Ben said quietly.

Mrs. Remington leered at him with distaste, as he shamed her. "Contrary to popular opinion, Cassandra Landon is not as fragile as glass. I didn't bring it up to elicit that reaction, I brought it up because it is the truth. The shifters have come back looking for their queen so that she can restore the Order of Adam's portal."

Truth, unfiltered, disturbing and raw had been laid out for us. So it was true, the Shifters were looking for the Queen of the land. Mrs. Remington's gaze was drawn back to her daughter as Myra stared back at her. Understanding passed between them as Myra walked out of the room.

Ben barely looked her way as she brushed past him. I followed behind, quietly closing the door. The yells and shouts from the argument still rung in my ears as my mind drowned in the possibilities.

Myra abruptly stopped as a tear silent and glimmering, fell in a jagged line down her cheek. I grabbed her, encircling her frame in my arms for comfort. "We're going to find him." I promised.

I heard a sniffle before Myra pulled away and wiped her eyes of any remaining tears. "We need to wait for my mother at my house." She informed me, almost robotically.

I nodded and watched as she numbly ambled to her room.