by Suzy Turner
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“Lilly, Lilly.”
I awoke with a start, someone was nudging me, “Wake up, Lilly. It's Gabriel. He's gone,” said Charlie as he finally managed to drag me out of a comfortable sleep with a bang.
His words twisted my stomach into a knot, “he's gone? What do you mean, he's gone?” I asked, jumping out of my sleeping bag. I looked around and saw that Gabriel's sleeping bag was still there, exactly where it had been the night before, a few embers smouldered in the fire but Gabriel was nowhere to be seen.
“Are you sure he didn't just go to get some water or something?” I said, trying hard not to panic, even though I could feel it rising from the pit of my stomach.
Charlie shook his head and stuttered, “I've... I've been awake for over an hour. I thought the same. I assumed that he had gone for water or to the toilet. But he hasn't come back, Lilly. We must leave immediately. We must travel to the Elders together. There we will be able to get some help,” he said as he grabbed everything in sight and shoved it into mine and Gabriel's rucksacks.
I didn't even want to think what might have happened, but I couldn't prevent those negative thoughts from entering my mind. Had a bear attacked him? Surely I would have heard if something so large and ferocious had done, wouldn't I? What about a vampire? Or that man who could change into an alligator, the one Gabriel had first mentioned months ago? My mind was running riot. I thought of Rose, 'Breathe, Lilly, breathe. Slowly, in and out, in and out'. I knew that's what she would be telling me to do.
Charlie stood looking at me, quizzically, “Lilly, my dear. What are you doing? We must get out of here.”
“I need to calm down, Charlie. I need to think about this sensibly and not react wrongly. I wouldn't want to rush off only to find that Gabriel isn't far away. I can't just leave now. Anything could have happened,” I whispered while I continued to practice the deep breathing techniques.
“That's exactly why we need to leave now. We need to get to the Elders now,” he said authoritatively.
“You go and I'll stay here and wait,” I said, standing my ground.
“Lilly you are coming with me and you're coming with me now, young lady,” he said as his nostrils flared. His face and demeanour changed suddenly and I began to get the feeling that Charlie wasn't who or what Gabriel thought he was. I began to think that my intuition the previous evening had been spot on. Charlie wasn't one to be trusted.
“Charlie... where is my grand-father?” I asked. “What have you done to him?” I asked.
He turned and laughed a deep laugh, “You're a smart girl Lilly, aren't you? I thought I had fooled you both last night, but clearly not. Now listen to me. If you want your grand-father to remain alive, you had better do as I say.”
I knew I had no choice but to do exactly as he said. Until I knew where Gabriel was I couldn't risk losing him altogether. I nodded, trying hard to keep myself from transforming.
“Pick up your bag and walk ahead of me... that way,” he said, pointing in the same direction where I had seen the owl the night before.
I stumbled ahead and tried to think of ways to escape but I knew I couldn't go anywhere. Because if I did, I might never see Gabriel, alive, again.