CHAPTER 24 – Strange Attacks
KYLIE’S POV
I took a deep breath as I walked through the hallways that led to the anatomy lab. Since the last situation I had with the cadaver while in the lab, I had been avoiding the place. But avoiding the lab meant I could not get my project work done, and it could no longer be put off. Not for all the uncase I felt in the world.
When I got to the lab, I turned on the lights and set my bag down on one of the tabs. The place had an eerie feel, but I set the feeling to the side, blaming it on nerves and my overthinking, and tried to get to work.
“lots to do,” I said to myself, trying to motivate myself. I was an hour into all the work I was doing when I decided to take a restroom break, and when I got back, nothing was different, everything was the way I had left it. Or so I thought.
As I walked back to my lab stool and tried to sit, I heard a faint scratching sound, that made my heart pound hard against my chest and that had me stopping in my tracks.
I waited to listen carefully, hoping that the sound would stop, but it didn’t stop, if anything, it only grew louder and louder, and with it came the sound of dry feet dragging along the floor.
I should have just stayed home.
“who–who’s there?” I said in a shrill voice that sounded nothing like my own, and as I turned around to face my unwanted company, my eyes widened as I came face to face with a bony figure that had no business being where it was.
“the hell?” I gasped. One of the anatomy sculptures, the one the teacher used to teach us, was no longer on its stand, but stood in front of me, looking vicious and ready to pounce. Or perhaps it was simply my fears that made it look more scary at the time.
“you shouldn’t be here.” I heard it say, and in shock,I took a step back, colliding with the lab stool and nearly tripping. Did I say everything was as it should be? Well, I was wrong. Nothing was at it should have been. Because then, why on earth was a bloody sculpture talking to me?!
“get away from me,” I said, my breath catching, as I tried to find my footing.
“Now why would I do that?” it asked, and I heard myself scream. Somewhere at the back of my mind, I considered that this was all some kind of practical joke. But the joke was getting too real.
And before I could process what was happening, the figure drew closer with any effort from anybody else and grabbed me by my neck, its cold bony answer squeezing all too tight. And that as well, felt all too real, and terribly painful.
Maybe it was fear, maybe it was the insanity of the moment, but I didn’t fight back, it did not occur to me to fight back. I only remember reaching for its hands as my oxygen was being cut off.
And then… it stopped.
The hand that gripped my neck like a clamp, let loose and I heard a very large thud, as I greedily tried to get air into my system once again. Then as my vision cleared, and I could finally think straight, I turned in the direction of the thud and was shocked to see the scene that unfolded in front of me.
“Elijah?” I questioned with a raspy breath, but he didn’t hear me. He was too busy saving me. I watched as he effortlessly lifted the sculpture, and with both anger and swiftness, threw it into a supply closet, before angrily shutting the door.
“Damned bag of bones.” I heard him swear and watched as he turned to face me. His eyes were angry and red, and he looked thoroughly irritated, but as our eyes met, I watched the anger and irritation die away, and in its place was worry, and something else too. Self–awareness?
“Elijah?” I questioned again. He slowly walked toward me and reached out to touch me, but I took an instinctive step back. I saw the hurt in his eyes, but he didn’t try to touch me again.
“Are you okay?” he asked, sounding truly worried, and I reached to run my hand over my neck.
“I’ve felt better.” I said, and pressed my lips together, “Thank you.” I said, genuinely grateful that he had come when he had. But even then, I needed to know, how he had known to come in the first place.
“you’re welcome,” he said softly.
“is it possible you know how or even why I was just attacked by that thing?”
He scoffed, and ran a hand over his head, “if I did know, and I did tell you, you’d still be in shock.” he said, trying to sound playful, but I wasn’t having it.
Successfully unlocked!
“But you do know, don’t you? You know a whole lot more than you
Something was wrong, and Elijah knew what was going on, and was trying to keep it from me. I was tired of him trying to keep things from me.
“Come on, Kylie. Let me get you home,” he said, trying to reach for me again. I let him touch me this time, but I didn’t move.
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CHAPTER 24–Strange Attacks
“I’m not leaving here until you tell me the truth, Elijah.” I was bluffing, because I wanted nothing more than to get the hell out of there. But, I suppose I wanted to know the truth a whole lot more. Plus, even though I knew he was hiding the truth from me, I felt safe with him there.
“Okay then.” Elijah said, and sighed, “What would you like to know?”
A lot. I wanted to know a whole lot. Like, why his body mass index was different, or how he healed so easily. Why he was so strong, so fast… so him.
“you don’t have the same measurements the average human has.” I began and ble out a deep breath, “You’re incredibly fast, incredibly strong, and heal with superhuman speed…”
“Kylie…” he said, and for the first time since I knew him, he looked truly weak.
“Nothing is normal about you, Elijah, and I think we both know that.”
“can’t you just ask me if it’s going to rain tonight?” he asked, trying to tease, but I shook my head. I wasn’t having it.
“Nothing is normal about you, Elijah.” I said again, and forced myself to ask the question I never thought myself capable of asking another human, “So what the hell are you?”
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