CHAPTER 7

NOW

I storm out through the big front double doors of the school. Pushing them wide open like the wind has whooshed them open themselves. I Trotted down the small concrete steps and toward a big oak tree, placing my hand on it. I feel an instant source of power vibrates along each part of it, through the leaves, the branches, and to the trunk.

"What is this?" I thought " What is this strong essence I'm feeling. I never felt this way before."

I knelled onto my knees with my hand still holding against the tree bark. All of a sudden I start to paint from a normal pace to a very slow unsteady, gasping for air. Immediately I feel dizzy for a second like if I was on a fast merry-go-round. I glanced up across the street to notice the dark figure that I once saw in the school bathroom but this time it isn't alone, next to the figure stood a much smaller dark figure, representing a younger boy with similar features to the other one. They both start pointing toward me and their heads move equally together to one side still with a blank expression.

" Iris, wait up," Ben shouted as he ran out of the school doors. I quickly stand up to see Ben coming toward me with Jason soon behind him. I flash my head back to see the once still life-like figures disappear, yet again.

"Look, I'm sor…"

"Ben it's fine. I know what you're going to say and right now, I don't want to hear it," I said as I turned my back to Ben and Jason.

" We have to go and find out what happened to Nathan. We need to go back home, see if there's any type of clues at least. We can talk about our family drama another time, okay?"

"No, you're right. So I guess we are walking, then?" Ben replied.

"Yeah I mean we don't have any car or anything. Plus we are too much in the open to just vanish into thin air."

"Hey, guys?" Jason tries to get into the conversation but epic-ally fails. He quickly rushes off.

" well yeah, I know. What if he is fine and us using magic is all for nothing but then again" Ben paused for a second "if we do we are saving his life, either way."

" Yeah, but if he is in danger Ben… he could already be injured or worst dead. I'm pretty sure something has happened. He wouldn't just use any spell, especially a protection one" I replied as I rub my jaw. Trying to not think of the worst but how can you not when the worst thing has already happened to you.

"What was the part he said again?"

" It was collop... Or something like that"

"Colloportus, you mean?" Ben rubs the side of his head. "I don't think it's a protection spell. I think it could be some type of trapping spell... Hold on, wait where's Jason?" swiftly a red car with two black long thick strips from the front to the back of the car, parks next to us by the curb. The wind from the car nearly knocks us over like the effect of a hurricane. The driver side pulls down its window rolling it all the way down slowly and Jason's head pops out of it.

" Does anyone want a lift?" Jason smiled and winked at me.

"wait, where the hell did you get that from?" I quickly asked.

"What do you mean where I got it from, iris? It's my car, get in. so we can find your brother" he said as he automatically unlocks the car door.

"Oh, wow," Ben said in shock. " that's a beauty. I call…"

" SHOTGUN" I quickly interrupted and smiled at Ben. He then rolled his eyes back. If he does it anymore he is going to roll them eyeballs out of his socket and try catching them down the road.

"Ben be careful if you roll your eyes at me one more time. You're going to lose them." I sarcastically said. I laughed as we got into the car. I lay back into the smooth black leather seat and slam the door shut carefully. got to remember to respect someone I barely know car than my brother's just kidding it best to respect everyone. I pulled the belt across my body and chuck my bag in the back with Ben. Jason turns his key making the engine roar. He moves his hand onto his door pressing a button that rolls his window back up.

"Hold on, you sure you don't want to keep that window open, I'll let you off this one time if you want to stick your head out." I sarcastically smiled.

" very funny. I already did that this morning" he jokingly said " but I haven't heard that one in a long time" Jason chuckled as we drove off leaving the school in the rear mirror. I turn on my side looking outside the window watching trees pass by one by one. It's been one of those crazy days. First, it was just like any other day- normal. Nathan drove us to school, me annoying Ben, turning back time so I'm not late, and sending my mess to the kitchen. My type of normal but like any other day this one changed with the random blackout drawing to the dead dark figure in the school bathroom mirror. You see when I was a little girl I used to see certain things all the time, I got pretty much used to it. Seeing a dead person was much more than my daily routine until I reached the age of ten. All of a sudden it stopped. No warning signs, no nothing. Almost six to seven years clean until today. It freaked me out. I don't recognize the figures but for some reason, I felt somehow connected to them. The artwork I did, I've seen it before in my dreams ever since three weeks ago, I keep having the same dream over and over again. Me and some random young boy running through the dark dangerous woods.

It was so dark like being in the movie theater. I always kept running for my life away from the monstrous creatures, I would trip up a couple of times but his consistency saves me. I feel like in some way I know him, always have done but I'm just not so sure on how. I don't always get a clear picture of his face. We have always run in my dream. Never changes not in the slightest. Truthfully it scares me and I never really get scared of anything.

"Iris… iris" Ben tugged onto my seat-belt to grab my attention.

"sorry … what is it?" I briskly answered

" we've arrived," Ben said as he walked out of the car, slamming the door behind him.

" Are you okay, iris?" Jason asked as he pulled his keys out from the ignition and into his front Jean pocket

"Yeah, everything's fine. Come on"

" Okay, let's go! I'm here if you need to talk about anything sometimes it nice to talk to someone who doesn't know anything about you"

"Thanks, Jason," I smiled. A guy I barely know is willing to do anything for me. Maybe I need to have more people like this especially for these wacky crazy days but then again I need to be careful. Don't fancy adding stalkers to the list. I slipped out of the car, picking up my bag along the way out. Leaving Jason to lock up his car

"Hey have you got the keys? I think I may have left mine on the table in my bedroom ″ I asked Ben as I rummaged through my bag as I walk up toward the front door.

" of course" Ben pulled out his keys shaking them at me like I'm some type of baby. He turns away and pushes the key into the door and turns it anti-clockwise.

"Erm… iris…"

"Yeah," I said as I moved alongside him.

"The door isn't opening"

"What do you mean the door isn't opening? You know you're supposed to turn the key, right?"

"Well I did iris and it isn't opening" Ben spat his words out in frustration at me.

"Try turning it the other way then?"

"Why would I turn the key the other way for it to magically open when we doing it the same way for I don't know since we moved her" be sarcastically said.

"Guys do you want me to kick it down or something?" Jason said as he jogged up behind us.

"Wait a minute… didn't you say that colloportus was a part of a trapped spell," I asked ben.

" yeah what this got to do with it?"

"Colloportus? You mean he locked himself in there?" Jason interrupted.

" Possible or locked something in"

"Well if it's locked, I'm sure I could just unlock it with another spell" I raised both my palms against the door "recli…" Jason holds on to my arm.

"Wait iris. If your brother, Nathan locked it with a spell. What if it keeping something dangerous in? I mean it just a bit weird to use a spell so simple in a rush time" Jason swiftly interrupts me

"Maybe he's right," I thought "I mean he did tell me not to come back but i.."

" Well, whatever is in there. We need to know where Nathan is.." I swing my hand back onto the door "recludo" immediately the door breaks open a little leaving a slight slit in the door. I can just see inside, seeing old photo frames and broken furniture everywhere. I briefly replaced my hand on to the door, I swiftly turn toward Ben and Jason

"Are you ready?" I asked. Ben and Jason nodded time to see the truth, push open the door even more and...