Down End Road

Alexander Griffin

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Myra's scream cut through the air like a blade. A small blue, needle-like arrow stuck out from her shoulder. She dropped to her knees. Her deafening screams didn't falter once. Roars of rage filled the sky as Grimers swooped toward the clearing. Directly for Myra.

I turned to the side and used my own crossbow to shoot the dart-arrow. The blue tip flashed through the air as it flew toward its mark. I grinned maliciously as Myra's shooter wailed in agony.

The Grimers landed with a thud, their fear-filled eyes fled to the tree line. Everyone knew Grimers were blind. Tears fell from the air tight goggles suctioned to Myra's face. I crouched down beside her.

Not caring about the beasts that circled us, I held Myra's shoulder. They silently shook with her shocked tears. I ripped the dart from her shoulder and a wail ripped through her. I winced, knowing I was the cause of that.

Some part of me knew that the grim reapers that encircled us were here to protect her. Not harm. I pulled Myra into my embrace, her head was buried in my chest. I cradled her head in my hand.

Lowering my lips to her ear, I whispered. "Myra the Grimers, they're going to hurt our friends tell them to go away." She cuddled closer to me, the Grimers grew more agitated. Their snarls and growls aimed towards the huddle of teenagers.

Through the trees I saw red suits. I glowered at them. The Grim Reapers advanced toward the teenagers. Their beaks snapped, elongated fangs glistened with the promise of bloodshed.

"Myra calm down please, they're going to hurt Ally and Maverick." I pleaded in her ear. Her tears slowly trickled to a stop, her sniffled cries quietened. A majestic Grimer approached her, I tried my best to shield Myra from it.

A sadness filled it's purple eyes when the beast saw my protective move. Myra made a move to stand, I tried to keep her still, but she persistently wriggled out of my hold. I rose with her. My hand tightly wound with hers.

Tears streaks trailed down her soft tan cheeks. Finger-like bruises covered her throat. Blood coated large patches of her skin and suit. Her plaits were frizzy and coated in dust and gravel was embedded in the elaborate looking twists.

She stood straighter, an air of an ethereal command and... royalty, surrounded her, and by contact, me.

The Grimers turned to face us, their snarls gone, a look of respect glimmered on their features. The purple eyed one closest to us, put its paw out front and lowered its chest and head to the ground. As if it were bowing. The rest of the streak/flock, followed. Several gaping faces stared at us from the forest line.

We walked past the beasts and they rose. The fanned out behind us in a V. "Guards to their queen," a voice whispered from the tree line. I couldn't help but agree.

"Thank you," Myra whispered to the beast beside her. She gently reached down to blindly pet it's wings. The beast squawked jovially. They flapped their wings, the orange and black striped feathers, flapped artfully as they took off.

I moved my stare to the line of students hidden in the trees. Maverick waved us over from the wood. With Myra tucked under my shoulder, we trudged over to our team, their gobsmacked faces ignored.

"Whats the plan?" I asked. Maverick and Ally narrated the new plan, we would leg it back to the manor. Hopefully everyone would be too stunned to notice our absence. I rolled my eyes when the muffled whimpers of the shooter reached us.

"Great plan," I commented, "one adjustment, I'm going to run with Myra in the middle." I said. Genevieve fumed, whilst Heidi gave an understanding nod.

"Fine, Ally your up front with me." Maverick ordered. We broke apart and got into our formation. I heard the squeak of armour and nylon cloth.

I stared across the wood, Jack's blind folded face could be seen in the middle of a similar formation, Sarah's hand tightly gripped his. I felt my blood boil. It was going to be a race back to the manor.

"Go," I shouted. And we were off. We weaved through the brown pillar-like trees. My feet squelched in a patch of mulch. Myra's face was set in a determined frown. I wanted to smooth out the harsh concentration lines on her face, and for once, I didn't reprimand myself for thinking like that.

My grip on Myra's hand tightened, when Jack's herd of teens moved closer to us. They were an arms length away from Tom. I pumped my legs harder, we moved at an unnatural speed, the forest passed by us in a blur.

Soon, too soon, we were on open land. Harkness Manor in sight. I yelled out several commands to speed up and felt Myra run faster at the command. It was an effort to keep up with her.

Using my free hand, I unsheathed my blunt sword. I lent down and put my lips to the shell of her ear, "Myra, they're too close to us," I warned. "I'm going to hand you over to Ally, then you and her are going to run back to the manor doors and wait for the rest of us."

A bang behind us sounded as the twins fought off two of the Washington students. Myra gripped my hand harder, but relented when Heidi called for more help.

I sped her up to the front. Ally turned behind us and took Myra's hand, she stumbled through the transition but I righted our team's blind champion and moved behind me.

With a battle roar that could shake heaven and hell, I led my mini army into a collision with the Washington team. Bang! Crash! Skid!