Deadly by Chant'e Francis (leveled readers TXT) 📕

street, walk across the field and be there in 45 minutes." she said it all in one breath, and when she was done she was off balance. She wobbled a bit before falling over and almost knocking Cyruson out of Juliano's arms. Luckily Ashur was able to stabilize her before she could hurt herself. He held onto her a little bit longer than necessary and she pulled away glaring at him. He returned her glare with an innocent look, and a suggestive smile.


*~* CHAPTER 7 *~*

Juliano, after watching everything play out could only sigh, reposition Cyruson in his arms and start walking around the house.
Before entering the forest, Ashur gave Aerandria Juliano's flashlight. He stood by and let her lead, as she was the only fully conscious one who knew the way.
With Aerandria in the front, her mother behind her and Juliano and Ashur bringing up the rear, they trudged on through the forest in silence. They had only walked about 10 minutes when Juliano told them to run. They were close to the road and could see the street lights ahead, so there was no fear of anyone getting lost.
Aerandria froze and Juliano passed her to help her mother along. Her brain refused to accept that there was probably danger, so she just stood there frozen until Ashur knocked her to the ground.
She gasped out for air, but was not able to replenish her supply before Ashur laid on top of her. He was heavy, and this was uncalled for. Just what the hell was he trying to pull?!?
Aerandria tried to scream at him to get off, but sensing what she wanted to do he covered mouth. He looked into her eyes, forgetting the danger for a moment.
It wasn't long before loud foot steps brought him back to reality. Holding on to her tightly, he rolled them under a group of fallen trees. The shrubbery hid them from view.
Aerandria reached out to grab the dropped flashlight, but Ashur grabbed her hand. He pulled it back under their shelter, just as their pursuer emerged from whence they had come. He was holding a gun in one hand and a knife in the other.
Ashur quietly let out a curse as he remembered leaving it behind. How could he be so stupid?
The assailant stepped into the moon light, and it lit up his face. It was Zander.
He was fine.
He looked like hell.
His face showed hat he wanted to kill someone, but all Aerandria could think of was that he was fine. Her big brother was fine.
She began to cry tears of joy and tried to reach out to him, to call his name, let him know that she was fine, but Ashur stopped her. She became enraged, he was keeping her from her brother! She tried to fight him, he was much stronger. She shot daggers at him, and he thought "if looks could kill", but he never let go of his hold on her.
There was a rustling in the brush by Aerandria's head.
Zander turned and shot multiple times at the sound.
Aerandria yelled out, only to have the sound completely muffled by Ashur's hand. He could feel her tears run into the crevices of his hand. He could feel her pain. He wanted to comfort her, tell her that everything would be fine, but this was not the time. Instead he focused on Zander and a way to get them out of this. He had to protect her.
Zander was close to the shrubbery now. He was digging through it. They were so afraid he would find them, he was searching right by their heads.
The rustling ended when he found what he was looking for.
He grabbed it and yanked it out, only to find that it was a wild rabbit. Not his sister. He threw it and it hit a tree with a thump.
He screamed out in pain and cursed into the night. He needed Aerandria. He needed to punish her. He had to find her. After making one last visual sweep of his surroundings, he continued on through the forest.
"Baby, I know your in pain right now, and you just wanna stay here and cry, but we need to get out of here. He might come back and we probably won't be so lucky next time. We gotta get to the car." Aerandria didn't budge. "Think about your mother and brother. How would they feel if Zander were to kill you out here? We gotta go." Ashur whispered gently into her ear. She still didn't move, all she did was lay there beneath him completely silent and motionless.
A full minute passed before she slid out from under him. She hesitantly climbed out of their hiding place.
Ashur solemnly followed.
She began quietly walking towards the street when her foot brushed against something cold and wet. She wasn't wearing shoes and the liquid seeped into her socks. She looked down and immediatly regretted it. There lay the rabbit that had lost its life saving hers.
A soft whimper left her lips that caused Ashur to forget for a moment the danger and kick it away. He hated seeing her in any sort of pain.
The rabbit landed a few feet away with a loud thud that could be heard for quite a distance. Ashur cursed and urged Aerandria to run, there was no way that Zander didn't hear that.


*~* CHAPTER 8 *~*

Aerandria and Ashur began to run at full speed towards the street lights. Trying desperately to get as much distance between them and Zander. Near the street they picked up the sound of footsteps behind them. Only one person that could be. Aerandria turned her head, but all she saw was Ashur and trees.
She tripped, and when she tried to stand she found that she couldn't. Her ankle hurt too much.
Ashur doubled back and helped her up. He put her arm around his neck and helped her cross the forest. She had refused to allow him to pick her up.
They were 8 feet from salvation, just about to emerge from the forests edge when they heard something. The snapping of twigs as Zander closed in on them. Aerandria and Ashur turned around to see him standing there.
He had the gun cocked, and aimed at Aerandria.
Aerandria was afraid and confused, How could her brother do this to her? Ashur stood there calculating, forming plans to get aerandria out of danger. To get her somewhere safe. They needed her, everyone needed her.
Zander shot the gun.
Someone jumped in front of them. It hit the ground, and another shot was heard.
Aerandria looked down to find the bullet hole, for surely she had been shot. There was no wound, she was not hurt.
Zander was hurt though, for Juliano had shot him. At Aerandria's feet... lay a body. Ashur rolled it over to reveal her mother.
Since her father had died, Aerandria's mother had never been a good mother. She couldn't help but think, So now she chooses to be my mother? All the times I needed her and nothing. Did she even think of what would happen to us now that she was gone?
It all became too much for her and she fainted.
She could feel herself being lifted, carried, but she couldn’t bring herself to open her eyes. Couldn’t bring herself to answer the voice that called her. She couldn't face her reality. Instead her mind reverted to a simpler time. A time when nothing in her life was so complicated, when she could just relax and enjoy being herself.
She remembered earlier in the day, she was sitting at the kitchen table across from Zander. He was holding half a glass of water. He had asked her whether it was half empty, or half full? At the time she had no idea how to answer, she still didn't know how to answer. She had just shook her head and walked away.
That was the last time she saw him, the last time she saw him happy and smiling anyways. That would be a question, a memory, a moment that will haunt her for the rest of her life. There was no turning back now. In one night she had lost half her family, her home, and any sense of security she could ever hope to achieve. Everything was changing, and changing fast. What was she gonna do? What could she do?


(Turn the page to find out)

**~** PART 2 **~**

*~* CHAPTER 1 *~*

Panic started settling in as the seal under Aerandria's hand began to pulsate. The wall grew brighter and brighter, lighting up the area.
Aerandria turned in a slow circle, inspecting the area. She saw piles of dead bodies. They were scattered around in painful positions. Everywhere. They surrounded the pond in heaps, and were sprinkled here and there. One distinct trait, they were all turned away from her. They seemed to be trying to escape this cave, and what ever powers it held. Something inside her screamed run, it told her to get out.
Before she could escape, the ground shook. She fell to her knees, and was face to face with her reflection in the pond. The new found light showed it to be a large red pool. Curiosity taking control, she dipped her finger in and tasted it. Hoping it was ketchup. It wasn't, it was blood. A huge pool of blood.
She freed an ear splitting shriek that had been buried in the back of her throat, and backed up as fast as she could on all fours. Anything to get away from it. Something wet fell on her head and she backed up even more until her foot submerged. The liquid continued to drip down her scalp, it spilled onto her face and continued on its journey. She looked up and saw the bodies of many men hanging from the ceiling, the blood draining from their bodies. She went in to shock, she could not scream anymore. Blood flowed onto her. Aerandria stood and stared up, both feet in the pool, unable to look away. Transfixed on the bodies that hung like streamers at a birthday party.
Something or someone grabbed her, breaking her out of the trance. She turned, hoping it was a miner who had survived and was going to help her out. Hoping for someone from above, come to take her home. Come to take her back to the familiar warmth of the sun, back into the light. It wasn't. It was two unnaturally long, pale arms extending out of the cave. The cave that was no longer sealed. The cave that still pulsed and beckoned. Growls, hissing, buzzing, and barks could all be heard. She was surrounded, enveloped in it. There wasn't much she could do, so with an unexpected calm she took note of the things she could see and hear.
The caves outer shell gleamed, yet the interior remained pitch black, its inhabitants hidden from view. She tried to imagine what it could contain. Another set of hands swiftly stretched out and clutched her. She lost her calm, and fear took over her as the hands began pulling her into the cave.
Aerandria couldn't fight back, she was powerless. Closer and closer to the entrance. The hands slowly pulling her in. She couldn't take it anymore, she drew strength from somewhere deep inside herself, and fought. She dug her feet deep in the ground, and pushed against the hands. She began slowly