Caught In Time

Chapter 14: Trapped

She could feel the dampness wet her face as they burst through the small opening at the top of the cave. They were traveling at lightening speed--Ethan and Cassedee were out of the cave in five seconds. Maybe even less than that.

The air felt stale as it whipped each of them in the face. The sky was still cloudy and they were soaring above the cave's entrance at the top.

Cassedee felt wings flapping and realized they were coming from her. She was gripping Ethan now, and her hands had turned into long talons.

She struggled to understand. How could this happen?

Was it magic or--something more?

Ethan side-eyed her, his face now covered in lizard like skin. His nose was missing and his eyes were a bright yellow now. His tongue was split in two, slightly down the middle.

A fly flew by and Ethan's tongue reached for it. He grabbed onto it as if he were eating popcorn. He chewed it and swallowed. 

Cassedee gave her friend a strange look, almost disgusted. But now she found herself having an undeniable craving for raw meat.

They were transforming into animals. Mythical beings now, ,maybe.

Cassedee wondered if they had crossed into another realm? Or maybe had been cursed?

She wasn't sure. But she didn't mind being able to fly. She noticed a pale yellow beak protruding from her face. She could already tell she had feathers. 

What the heck was going on?

She suddenly heard cackling from behind her. She turned around slightly only to see Emily racing towards them. Cassedee squinted, trying to see what she was on. Then she realized it, it was Nole. Nole wasn't Nole anymore but a snarling beast who let out an animalistic sound. 

Emily's hair was wild--it looked almost electric. Black smoke swirled around her, and her teeth were now jagged and sharp. A long snake tongue escaped her mouth and she threw her hands up in the air.

Then, she threw them forward. Beasts of all shapes and sizes thundered passed her and were heading straight for them.

Cassedee glanced down at Ethan, who was looking underneath him--at the beasts barreling towards them at each end.

Cassedee struggled to maintain speed as she tried to figure out what was happening. Her wings were flapping back and forth but she didn't understand how to fly or what to do.

Ethan yelled, "Cass, I think we're falling."

She felt sick. Her stomach was doing flips as she tried to maintain a level of calm.

She willed herself to fly upwards, towards the sky but she could feel herself falling down. With Ethan.

"Ethan! I have an idea!"

The ground was closer now and Cassedee closed her eyes.

Breathe, just breathe.

Small daggers were being thrown at them now and Cassedee tried to dodge them as best she could.

She felt the vibrations as the daggers whooshed passed them, the beasts hurling towards them even closer now.

She felt the brush of the tree tops, and her wings were beginning to fail her.

She had no idea how to do this. Do I will myself up? Do I believe in something? What if we fall out of the sky.

She pictured it like a car breaking down--spitting along, coughing out smoke from its tailpipe. That's exactly how she felt.

A car breaking down.

She yelled against the chaos, "Ethan, brace yourself!"

They both closed their eyes as they went flying through the trees, Cassedee's face getting cut up from the branches grazing her.

Ethan sucked in a breath and held it. 

Cassedee winced as the trees began to pelt her face even more now. She wasn't sure if they had completely fallen and she sure didn't want to open her eyes to find out.

"Ready!" She yelled even louder now to Ethan.

"Ready!" He yelled back.

Then they suddenly had crashed into the ground, she could feel the impact on her body. She cried out in pain as her wings were crushed. She was rolling through the dirt. Ethan barely hanging on now.

Cassedee could feel the flowing of tears as she could hear the bones in her wings break, a cracking sound--like a whip being swung against a wall.

She screamed, a scream that didn't sound like her own. She sounded like an animal in pain. A lion's roar.

"Ethan! I can't hold on anymore, I'm--sorry--" she barely got the words out as Ethan's lifeless body fell out of her grasp. His small lizard skin slowly sinking into the green lush grass as Cassedee flew passed him, still kicking up the dirt.

Then, she skidded to a stop. Ethan must be behind her for miles now. How would she possibly find him now? He may have--

She didn't want to think about that. He might still be alive, Cass. She thought. Don't jump to conclusions.

She struggled to get up, but the pain of her wings was too much to bare. She clutched the dirt and felt the rest of herself.

Nothing else seemed to be wrong. She could only hope.

She craned her neck towards the sky. She could see that wretched Emily now. Soaring the sky, looking for where they may have landed. She knew she had to get to Ethan before Emily did. 

Cassedee gathered as much strength as she could muster. She bit her bottom lip and cupped her hand over her mouth. 

She was in absolute agony. 

Pull yourself together, Cass.

She tried again, this time, ignoring the searing pain that shot through her shoulders. 

She couldn't help it. She cried out, another primal scream.

Which caught the attention of Emily. 

The wicked woman narrowed her eyes and pointed her bony finger.

"You're mine!" She shrieked. 

She came toward Cassedee so fast, Cassedee didn't even have a chance to react. 

She shielded herself. Knowing that this was the end. James was missing, Ethan was--

Now she was next. It was over. They were lost. Forever.

They would never see their families again. Their town's secrets never revealed.

They would be missing forever, presumed dead. Just like the rest of the missing.

Suddenly, Cassedee heard several pops.

Emily yelled and turned her attention to the tops of the trees, a few feet away from where Cassedee lay.

She opened her eyes a crack, squinting to see what or who it was.

She couldn't believe it.

James.