Luminosity (Escaping Demons Saga Book 1)

by Stacy McWilliams

  My body shot up and I sprinted into the nearest bathroom. The moment I was inside I flew into a stall. As the door closed I started retching and threw up the measly contents from the morning. I gasped for breath, remembering his kindness that morning made my heart ache. I couldn’t figure him out and I was tired, deep in the bone tired. I slid down in the cubicle and the door open and a soft, sweet voice spoke through the cubicle,

  ‘Jasmine are you in there?’ I couldn’t answer since I was still upset and my voice would probably crack since there was a lump the size of a golf ball in my throat. I wasn’t sure whose voice I was hearing so I didn’t answer.

  ‘It’s Danni, I’ve been looking for you for hours. Are you ok?’

  I wanted to open the door and speak to her, but I was worried about getting close to people else in case they hurt me. I started to think about Nathan and white hot anger flared up inside me. I wouldn’t let him ruin new friendships at school because of his attitude. He hated me. I remembered his words and his ice as I lay in that office, “I don’t care. She’s nothing but a nuisance to me constantly getting into trouble and I am sick of it. She has been here for four days and already been in trouble five different times. I’m done looking after her.” The words rushed at me and tore at some of the broken pieces of me for reasons I couldn’t even begin to explain.

  I sighed and opened the door. I tried to smile at the pretty, brown haired girl on the other side of the door but her gasp reminded me that I had a broken nose.

  “Oh my God Jasmine, what happened?” Her eyes were wide as she took in my appearance.

  “Lisa.” I muttered as I moved to the mirror taking in my face. There was blood everywhere on my face, my shirt and even in bits of my hair. My eyes were black already and I looked a mess.

  “We need to get you cleaned up.” She walked towards me and I shrunk away unintentionally. She kept coming towards me. I froze, but at that moment, the bathroom door opened and Nathan stepped in.

  “Leave.” He barked at her as he made his way into the bathroom. Danni stood her ground and shook her head. “You shouldn’t be in here, this is the girl’s bathroom.”

  “Joe, get her out of here mate and fix it.” He looked over at Joe as he stood in front of me and I followed his gaze Joe nodded and pulled her arm. I looked at Danni wanting to say I was ok but her eyes were glazed and her mouth was slack as Joe pulled her out of the bathroom. As they left Nathan walked over and locked the door. My heart rate spiked and I had to remind myself that I hated him. I chanted it in my head like a mantra as he walked towards me.

  I stared at the floor feeling determined not to look at him. He huffed out a breath as he stood before me and placed his thumb and forefinger on my chin, tilting my head gently upwards. His breath tickled my face and he froze staring down at me with his chest heaving.

  “Fuck Jasmine. What am I going to do with you?” His voice came out in a hoarse whisper and he gently touched my noise. As his touch radiated in my skin I felt a scorching on my face and my breath stuttered out.

  He kissed me on the bridge of my nose causing more flames to burn me and he put his arms around me holding me tightly to his chest. “You fit right here.” His voice sounded pained as he stood there and he was shaking as he held onto me. I wound my arms around his waist and sighed in contentment. Holding him like this felt natural and I never wanted this moment to end.

  After a few more seconds his arms dropped and he pulled my arms away from around his back, linked his fingers with mine for a second and my stomach flipped over as I stared up at him. He caressed the inside of my fingers with his thumb then dropped one of his hands. My body shivered and my blood sung in my veins. How could he completely overwhelm me and make me feel whole when half the time he hated me.

  He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose muttering to himself, “What the fuck am I doing?” He dropped other my hand, placed his fingers on each side of my face and stared into my eyes. My heart rate spiked and I started getting dizzy. I slumped to the floor and he placed my head gently on the floor. My last thought before I went unconscious was of a tugging sensation in my head but blackness beckoned and I couldn’t resist no matter how much I wanted to fight it.

  I felt myself being shaken awake. Danni was leaning over me as I opened my eyes. “Jasmine are you ok?”

  “Yeah, I think so.” I struggled to remember how I got into the bathroom, or how I ended up on the floor.

  “What happened honey?” She asked me as she pulled my hand and helped me stand. “I don’t . . . I don’t remember.” What was the last thing I remembered, Nathan handing me pop tarts before school. I shook my head and walked over to the sink. My reflection in the mirror showed me my face was clean and although there was a little red line on my nose my eyes were bright. I splashed water on my face and Danni stood back watching me.

  ‘Come on Jasmine,’ she said, ‘you’re in my next class. We’ll go together.’

  We left the bathroom and I struggled to think about what had happened that day but my mind was drawing a blank and as the bell rang I turned to Danni, “What period is it?” She glanced at me in surprise and answered me, “sixth period, it’s maths now.” I nodded and stepped after her wondering as I did what had happened to the rest of the day. It was after lunch time and I couldn’t remember a single thing that had happened in school today. The double period of maths passed in a blur although I was admonished for not having completed my homework and told if it happened again I would be forced to do detention for a week.

  Walking home from school that day made my head spin. I had shaky legs and stumbled often but I also had so many questions and had no-one to ask. Nathan was up ahead talking to his sister, but completely ignoring me. His behaviour was confusing me more than anyone’s ever had before. He was hot and cold with me, one minute the nice guy and the next a complete demon. I didn’t know which way was up with him but I needed to stop myself caring about him because it was starting to addle my brain.

  “Hurry up,” his voice commanded, but instead of making me hurry I slowed down. I was lost in thought and wasn’t paying close attention to anything other than the shambolic mess inside my head. Images flashed through my mind of faces with no eyes, a creature with electric blue veins, Nathan touching me and kissing me gently but they were all just flashes and were gone before I could recall a single one. I stumbled again and a hand gripped my arm painfully. Nathan was standing in front of me and I looked into his eyes which were no longer green but flashing black in his anger, “Come on, move!” He pulled me along beside him and as I began keeping pace with them he turned his Arctic gaze on me and said with ice in his tone. “If you don’t walk faster then we’ll just have to leave you behind.’

  Jenny’s malicious grin told me this wasn’t something I should want because it seemed to please her and I kept up my pace with them the rest of the way home even though I was light headed with hunger. We made it home and Nathan led the way into the kitchen where there was food laid out on the table, a plate of sandwiches and some fruit with a note.

  Nathan pushed two sandwiches and an apple towards me and his finger grazed my own, causing that spark to shoot up my arm. I didn’t look up at him though and he walked back to the plate, grabbed some food and left with Jenny who was standing holding the kitchen door open. I looked up as they left and just before the door closed I caught a glimpse of Nathan as he walked away. This tiny glimpse caused my heart to flutter and I realised I was in deep trouble. Falling for a boy was one thing, but falling for a boy who hated me was quite another.

  The next morning there was no drama, no shimmering people and no blood. I started to feel normal again and walked to school with Nathan and Jenny but my happy glow that all seemed normal disappeared fast. It was pouring with rain and we got drenched within two minutes of leaving the house. Half way to school my jacket started letting water in and I began shivering. I glanced around and saw Nathan glaring at me, ‘hurry up,’ he barked in what seemed like annoyanc
e.

  We were almost at school and were just inside the car park when my eyes flickered in Nathan’s direction. I watched him from the corner of my eye motion to his friends across the yard. I was drenched and shivering. My hair was dripping into my eyes and I as I shook wet strands off of my face I walked right into Nathan. He growled at me and shoved me away from him with force. I stumbled into the path of an oncoming car. It hit me with a force that tossed me a few feet ahead into the windows that surrounded the entranceway. I smacked my head against it and felt like my ribs were on fire.

  A few people came over to help but I as I looked through the haze of pain I noticed that some of the students and staff had strange horrifying faces. They had long mouths with sharp teeth. Their skin was oddly bark like and brown. But the weirdest thing was the creepiest eyes I’d ever seen. The eyes looked at me in hunger, ranging from coal black to startling purple.

  I shuffled backward away from these creatures, and slipped along the ground until I hit the school wall again. They all kept following me but I couldn’t make out a word they were saying as they surrounded me. The smell of rotting flesh and mould assaulted me and I began gagging.

  As they backed up to give me room there was an opening. I stood up and ran as fast as I could out of the school car park. The only thought in my head was escaping, I had to run. I needed to get away from the craziness that was my life. I ran into the woods next to the school and began hyperventilating. My ribs burned and I slumped down heavily on a stump of a tree. I breathed in through my mouth trying to stop the sick feeling but it didn’t work. I spun around and emptied my stomach and shivered as the wind hit me. A cold so deep it seemed to come from my soul seeped through me and I couldn’t breathe. Every single time I closed my eyes I saw their faces.

  I tried to calm myself down, but my head started throbbing and my body shook as the day seemed to get colder. I glanced around at my surroundings. I was in a sort of clearing. It was bordered by beautiful trees and greenery. It was peaceful and I closed my eyes. I let the smells of the woods hit me and these helped me to relax. The smell of wet, freshly cut grass, evergreen trees and pine needles helped me to relax and the sounds of the woods soothed my mind. I focused on the sounds of the rain pitter pattering, birds chirping, the branches creaking, and the wind whistling through the trees.

  My body began shivering worse as I realised I had been sitting there for the longest time. I didn’t hear a sound or move for what felt like hours, but too soon I heard the sound of crunching leaves and voices not far off. I stood up and stumbled into a tree. I almost fell over in my dizziness and in the pain that suddenly assaulted me. I staggered away from the voices and saw a tree where the roots were coming up so I shimmied under. My clothes were covered in mud and my hair tangled in the roots but I pulled myself down. Slamming my mouth closed as the pain of hairs parting way made me want to scream.

  I had just managed to hide myself from the monsters looking for me. I could see them through a gap in the roots of the trees.

  There was a team of them with Nathan, Jenny and Nicholas. There were a few others and one of those went with Nicholas into the woods to the right of where I was hiding. Nathan, Jenny and two others walked to the left. I breathed a sigh of relief but remained where I was, shaking so hard and not sure why I was hiding from them. I would need to face them eventually since I lived with them but not yet. I wasn’t ready to face them yet. I was still freaking out.

  I listened as they thundered off. My heart rate slowed as they moved further away from me. I sat for a few moments. I heard footsteps getting closer and I shrunk back against the tree but it all seemed quiet, too quiet. I decided to move and just as I started to climb back out from hiding a face from my nightmares appeared in front of me and shouted “Boo!” The face was rough and bark like and the eyes were as dark as night.

  I screamed and backed away as a hand with only two thick fingers snaked under the roots and yanked me by my hair out from under the tree. The hand threw me away into another tree. I shook worse than ever and my heart was drumming so loudly in my ears that my vision blurred. I never had a chance to see the slap coming. My head whipped violently to the side. Nicholas was standing there, his face like thunder and he was giving me a look that terrified me.

  He put his fist into my hair and yanked my head back till I looked right up at him. He never said anything for a few seconds but his gaze darkened and my fear increased. He moved his face closer and whispered maliciously in my ear, his hands tightening on my hair as he spoke, “We have been looking for you for hours, why would you run away like that Jasmine?”

  The way he said my name sounded like he was mocking me, but I was pissed off. Sick of people hitting me, throwing me around I tried to pull away. His grip tightened while I struggled. I glared up at him and did the only thing I could think of. I spat in his face and watched as he drew his hand back. I was sick of being pushed around, but as he punched me right in the stomach while holding my hair I just lost it. I was winded and my ribs and stomach ached, but I didn’t let that stop me. I waved my arms about hitting, scratching and biting him. He let me go and recoiled in shock, staring at me in complete surprise. I heard footsteps behind me and I was coiled ready to spring as tow hard hands grabbed me by the arms. I knew from the waves of electricity rolling up and down my arms that I was being held by Nathan.

  Nicholas looked at me like something he had stood in and said, “I asked you a fucking question. Are you stupid thing?” I bristled at the fact he called me a thing and I couldn’t even remember his question and Nathan’s grip tightened as his brother moved towards me. He put his hand on my throat and squeezed so hard little dots of light appeared in my eyes. His face changed in front of me as he squeezed. His eyes went as black as coal and his face turned into a bark like face. My body struggled uselessly and I gasped for air. I couldn’t move in Nathan’s iron grip and I couldn’t breathe. Nicholas’s demon face was the last thing I saw before I passed out.

  I woke up in bed and wondered if I had dreamt the whole thing but feeling the bandage on my head made me think not. I looked around and noticed that the door was closed. I got up and walked over to the door, but as I was about to open it I heard Mr and Mrs Stevenson speaking in hushed tones with someone else.

  “What happened?” asked Mr Stevenson.

  “Yes” said Mrs Stevenson, “I specifically told you all that she was not to be hurt in any of your foolish games or pranks.”

  “I don’t know,” Jenny’s voice replied, “we arrived at school and she was hit by Mrs Jeffries car, but after she was hit she went mad. It was almost as though she could see our other form and she then took off into the woods next to the school. It took us ages to find her and when we finally did she just lost it. Nathan had to restrain her.”

  My arms burned and my eyes stung with unshed tears when the floorboards creaked behind me. I spun round and saw Nathan standing right behind me. I jumped and tried to get away from him. I looked around the room in a blind panic as he grabbed my shoulder and dragged me back to bed. He threw me onto the bed then leaned over me. He stood there a moment staring at me as if he was trying to tell me something important, but I couldn’t figure out what he was trying to say. He leaned down and softly ran a finger down my cheeks and onto my neck.

  My neck scorched at the contact and my breath sped. The speeding of my breath hurt and Nathan pulled back and strode over to the window. He stared outside and completely ignored me for the next few minutes. I just lay there on the bed staring at him as he gazed outside.

  My bedroom door flew open and in walked the Stevenson’s. Mr Stevenson looked furiously at me and his voice sounded livid which sent shivers down my spine as I lay there terrified.

  “Jasmine, what happened today? Why were you not at school? Nathan and Jenny were worried about you and we were called down to the school because you were missing from class.”

  “LIE!” Nathan’s voice shouted commandingly as I struggled to think what to tell them. H
ow could I tell them about the crazy faces I kept seeing, they would think I was mad. I l glanced over at him and saw him shake his head, “Do not let them know you remember and DO NOT TELL THEM WHAT YOU SAW.”

  His voice was like a bell and made my head ring with the sound. I couldn’t believe I had heard his voice inside my head. I realised I going crazy as I lay there looking up at the furious faces of this family. That was the only logical explanation for everything that was happening.

  Nathan moving brought me back to reality and I opened my mouth to try and lie but Mr Stevenson became impatient. He inched closer to me and put his hand on my arm which made my arm freeze. Knives radiated from his hand and stabbed into my arm over and over again. My arm was freezing under his touch and my heart pounded. I looked up at him and saw the blackest eyes I had ever seen, eyes which held me captive in their grasp until my body crashed into a black oblivion.

  When I woke up again my head was heavy and foggy as if I was recovering from a bad cold or flu. I couldn’t recall having anything like that, in fact I couldn’t remember where I was at all. I struggled to open my eyes and I took in my surroundings worried about where I was. Looking at the dark walls, the bedding and the impersonal space I wondered where the hell I was. Why was I not at home with the Greene’s? I got up and moved around slowly because my ribs were burning, but nothing came back to me.

  I moved towards one of the two doors in the room and inside was a bathroom which is exactly what I needed. I gazed at myself in the mirror, but I didn’t recognise the person looking back at me. My face was caked with mud and there were scratches up and down my face crisscrossing each other. My hair was covered in dried in leaves and mud and as I critically assessed my appearance I could see some dried blood in my hairline. I put my hand up and touched it. It hurt like hell and my whole head throbbed. I stood staring wondering how the hell it happened, but nothing came back to me.