Chapter 6

Dawn Turner

"Is it too late for me to ditch the party, Skylar?" I let out a sigh while patting my gorgeous, yet itchy, white and golden dress.

"Well, I already told some of our old friends from high school that you'll be there so probably?" She looked at me with a pointed look. When she noticed that I wasn't convinced, she continued, "Also I know I said you don't have to come if you're not comfortable but you kind of already agreed to go and it would really mean the world to me?" She sounded more desperate this time and I felt bad.

"Okay fine, I'll go." I tried to hide the fact that I was disappointed but failed miserably. Still, she clapped happily.

"Thank you! I promise it will be a night to remember." She assured me.

And I was sure it would be. It has been exactly a week since I last spoke to Alexander and I don't think he'd be the type to threaten someone's life and then just leave them alone which leads me to believe that this party is going to be an open invitation to whatever chaos he has planned.

I had a very bad feeling about tonight but I already promised Skylar I'd go so I had to do it. Granted, she probably wouldn't be that upset if I didn't go but I always feel bad about breaking my promises. Not to mention, I never attend any of her parties, ever. I just can’t ditch this one.

After we finished getting dressed, I went downstairs with Skylar following closely behind. "Good bye mommy!" Skylar smiled at my mother and left the house.

"She does realize I'm your mother, right?" My mom asked concerned.

"Yes, don't worry about it, mommy!” I laughed when my mom cringed. "Bye mom, love you!" I gave her a tight hug and she returned it with a smile.

My mom absolutely hated being called mommy because she was made fun of back in high school for calling her mom that in front of her friends. Apparently they thought it was weird for a high school student to call her mom that but I found it adorable.

"So who’s welcoming the guests at your house right now if you're here with me?" I got in the car with Skylar and buckled my seat belt.

"My sister and her boyfriend, Zach." She shrugged while starting the car.

When she said boyfriend, I couldn't get the image of the guy whose eyes turned green in a split second out of my head. After everything I’ve been through, it’s hard for me to convince myself that I just imagined everything anymore because I probably didn’t but it’s not like there’s much I can do about it. If I tell anyone about what is happening in my life right now, they'll most likely think I'm crazy. I think my mom is already starting to think that now with how many pans I bought this week.

Skylar finally pulled up in the driveway of her house after a 15 minute drive and parked on the side of the street. There were too many cars surrounding her house already and it made me anxious. I got out of the car and slammed the door shut.

"Hey, be careful with my baby." Skylar moved her hands along the side of her car slowly and looked at it with admiration.

"Sorry, I just have a bad feeling about tonight." She walked over to my side and pressed her hand against my shoulder.

"Everything will be okay. We will drink, eat, dance, and have fun. You hear me? Cheer up Dawny-boo!" I cringed at her choice of nickname but nodded anyway.

"Never call me that again though." I gave her a pleading look.

"Noted. Now let's party! What could possibly go wrong?" She shrugged with a chuckle and I froze in place, giving her the coldest glare.

"Are you serious right now? Who has ever said that and made it out of a party alive?"

"We'll be the first ones." She dragged me inside her house and I wanted to cry at the sight in front of me.

People. Everywhere. 

Skylar, of course, ditched me to say hi to people and I stood there regretting my life choices and agreeing to come to this party. Maybe dying wouldn't be such a bad idea, at this point I'll willingly hand myself over to Alexander.

I started walking at a slow pace with my head low because I didn’t want to be recognized by old friends from high school. All I could smell was sweat mixed with perfume and it made my stomach churn. This feels so disgusting and I'm already sweating because of how many people there are surrounding me. I glanced around the room but didn't get to see much as people were blocking my view. The lights were dimmed so I couldn't recognize anyone either. I didn't know what to do but I definitely knew that I needed to get out of the living room and breathe.

I slowly made my way to the balcony and pushed through the sea of people without apologizing; they probably wouldn't hear me over the loud music anyway. I stumbled over a leg but managed to keep myself from falling to the ground.

When I finally reached the balcony, the wind harshly rid my skin from all the heat and left me bare and vulnerable to the cold surrounding. My blood ran cold through my veins and my bones were chilled. I was finally able to breathe but it was so cold out here.

Skylar's house was exposed to an ocean view. It would take 5 minutes to walk to the beach from her house and about 1 minute to take her car. From where I was standing, the ocean laid in front of me like a blue carpet waiting to be walked on. The sky was void from stars but the moon light made up for it. 

I was looking so intensely at the ocean when I suddenly saw something round; that looked like a head, pop up from the water at a far distance. How is someone swimming at a time like this? And in the cold?

I straightened my back and focused my eyes to look more closely from all way here and that's when I saw the most terrifying thing my eyes have ever witnessed.

There were floating bodies...everywhere.

I let out an ear piercing scream and backed away from the balcony. Words could not describe how fast my heart was beating and how difficult it was to breathe properly after what I just witnessed. I shook my head and turned around to leave. I didn’t get far before I bumped into someone. I looked back at the beach in panic and my jaw dropped when I saw that the bodies were suddenly gone.

"If you want to live, follow me." A deep voice whispered from behind me and I let out a scream of shock. I quickly turned around and saw Crystal's boyfriend, Zach, staring at me with his now brown eyes.

It's the guy whose eyes turned from a deep shade of brown to a shockingly beautiful shade of green last week.

"What are you?" I whispered, watching as his eyes did the same thing again right in front of me. So I definitely didn't imagine this. He extended his hand and motioned towards it, as if telling me to grab onto him. I slowly shook my head. "Not until you tell me who you are."

"I can't tell you here. However, I can show you what I am if you chose to trust and follow me." He kept his hand raised and looked me straight in the eyes.

I don't know what it was, but his eyes were very entrancing. His stare made me slowly reach my hand out and hold his hand. It was as if he had locked me in a trance and I had no control over my actions anymore. I felt a wave of electricity swim across my body and started relaxing once my hand came in contact with his. Every single cell in my body was screaming at me to trust him and I didn't know why. I just knew I felt safe with him.

He turned around and started walking towards the stairs with his hands in mine. I watched as people parted way unconsciously for us and allowed us to pass through. How is he doing that?

He led me up the stairs and I was surprised when people passing by didn't even pay us a single glance. It was as if they couldn't see us at all. We finally reached the end of the staircase, leading into the halls, and there were only a few people standing there. I glanced at the window that was covered with plain white curtains and suddenly felt a jab in my stomach. 

I let out a cry and fell to my knees in pain. What is happening to me?

I lifted my head to look at the window again and my eyes widened when I saw multiple hands from the outside, grasping onto the white curtain and slowly moving against it. Just when I thought this scene couldn't get any scarier, the shadow of a body suddenly popped up between the hands and let out the most terrifying laugh I have ever heard.

I was shaking. Tears were running down my face and my heart was beating rapidly at the sight in front of me. The hands continued moving, leaving me frozen in my spot. I looked at Zach and saw him staring at me with a painful look across his face. "Please tell me you see that." I desperately begged him.

"Please tell me I'm not going crazy." I was struggling to breathe normally at this point and felt my body tremble in fear.

"I do see that and no, you’re not going crazy." He glanced at the window with a dark look on his face. "I'm the only one, besides you, in this room who can see this." He turned his gaze towards the other people in the room, laughing and chatting, without noticing the sight in front of them. He extended his left arm in front of him and the people that were standing there suddenly disappeared along with the horrifying scene I was witnessing. 

I was now looking at a normal window, covered with plain white curtains. No hands, no body.

"What are you?" My hand urgently left his. I stood up with trembling knees and the tears that were running down the side of my face dried, leaving me with the burning sensation against my cheeks.

"I think it would be more believable if I showed you." He smiled at me and marched to the middle of the hallway. He closed his eyes and his mouth suddenly opened with a gasp. I watched as a glowing blue orb in the form of smoke left his mouth. The orb moved slowly and gracefully around him until it reached his back and then dropped on his shoulders gently. My eyes widened when his shirt ripped in half and massive glowing white wings extended from his upper back until the tips of them touched the walls of the hallways.

"You're an angel?"