Falling Into Darkness: The Under Series Book 1

by Dakota Lake

  “I have to go now but I’ll come back tomorrow and we'll finish it then, okay.”

  She nodded, looking upset.

  “Don't be sad, you know I can't stay, I promise I will be back tomorrow and I will bring you a present.”

  “A present, what is it?” A smile spread across her face.

  “You will have to wait and see. Goodnight Princes,” Then he faded into the shadows of the room and vanished.

  I opened my eyes and sat bolt up right, I had been asleep dreaming in the middle of class. The teacher was no where to be seen. Most of the teenagers were on their cellphones, some were hanging out the windows and a few were now missing from the class. I breathed a sigh of relief, no one had noticed my short nap, but knowing my luck someone had probably videoed me snoring or drawn on my face. I self consciously started rubbing at my face when I noticed to my right there was a pair of hands doodling a little stick man on a skateboard jumping a ramp in a flip pad,. I looked higher to see Mack.

  Across the room I could see Caitlin talking on her cell.

  “Sweet dreams?”

  “Huh,” I turned back to him, he kept his eyes fixed on his drawing.

  “You've been like that for twenty minutes, mumbling and stuff. What were you dreaming about?” “I don't remember,” It was a lie, but I wasn't about to share my dreams with him. “You were late,” He looked at me and raised an eyebrow. “I had stuff to do, so what,”

  “Caitlin was sitting there,”

  “Yeah but this is my spot.”

  I left the table and walked over to Caitlin who was sat next to Eddie, he had a biology text book spread out and was taking notes. I leaned on the edge next to her.

  “He actually told me to move, I mean what could I do. I got the feeling he would of removed me himself if I hadn't jumped up willingly. I tried to shake you awake but you wouldn't wake up,” “Sorry must be all those late nights catching up on me.”

  I looked back at Mack, he was looking right back at me.

  “Do you think it will be all right if I go to the bathroom?”

  “I guess so, it's not like there's anyone to ask. Do you want me to come with you?” she asked. Eddie looked up at us strangely. “I never get why girls need to follow each other to the bathroom, I mean what do you do in there together?”

  “Shut up Eddie, go back to your chem,”

  “It's biology,”

  “Whatever,” she replied looking at her cellphone.

  “Oh it's Josh,” she squeaked. Eddie rolled his eyes at her.

  “I'll be back in a minute,” I said dodging out the way of a paper aeroplane.

  “How do they expect us to learn anything without a teacher it's a disgrace.” Eddie sighed frustrated. “Nobody cares,” I heard Caitlin snap at him as I left the room.

  I hurried past the ladder that was still propped up, Cam wasn't around though. I walked down the empty corridor and heard the ladder rattling behind me so I quickened my pace and hurried around the corner to the bathroom. I spent an extra five minutes at the sink messing around with my hair hoping Cam would have finished and moved on by the time I went back. There was a thud at the wall outside. I climbed up onto the sink to look out it was mostly likely a ball, I wasn't really bothered just killing time. There were three small windows and the one nearest to me was open, I pushed it out further and peered out. It was a ball, three of the boys that were meant to be in my English class were outside kicking a ball around. In the distance I thought I could see the raven sitting on top of a light in the parking lot but I wasn't sure. I hopped down off the sink, and left the bathroom. Outside Cam was leaning up against the lockers.

  “What are you doing?” I asked.

  “Fixing the hinge on this locker. Why what do you think I'm doing?”

  Waiting for me, I thought instantly. I shrugged and started walking back, he followed closely beside me.

  “So how has your second day been so far?”

  “Good. The schools atmosphere is definitely more laid back than my last,”

  “Yes I did notice the teacher had left you all unattended. What class are you meant to be in now?” “English Lit,”

  “Do you like it?”

  “It's okay I guess.”

  “So I saw you sitting next to that boy at the back,”

  “Err yeah, his names Mack,”

  “You know he's trouble, you should really stay away from him.”

  “What, why do you know him?”

  “No, but I know of him, he's bad news.”

  “I thought he just moved here? He just started this week.”

  “No he's been here a while,”

  He slowed down before we reached the door and slid in front of me putting his arm out onto the locker blocking me from getting past. His lips turned up in a sly smile.

  “Don't you have some maintenance stuff you need to be doing?” I asked. His smile grew and he stepped closer to me, I backed away into the lockers and he put his other hand on the locker beside my head trapping me in the middle between his arms.

  “Maybe some grass that needs cutting?” I said, backing against the locker realising he was only inches away from my face.

  “It can wait,”

  He looked at me from under his cap, studying my face. Outside I was putting on a good front inside I felt like a million butterflies were trapped fluttering around.

  “What is that?” I asked, breathing in his delicious scent.

  He touched the ends of my hair.

  “It smells like Roses,” I said.

  “Why do you like it?” he asked, the back of his hand gently grazed the edge of my face, his fingers felt cold.

  As it happens I did like it, the fragrance and his touch on my face. His cool touch felt lovely against my flustered red cheek. But then I looked into his black vacant eyes and a chill went through me. “Ruby,” Mack's voice distracted me and I looked over at him.

  “Later princess,” Cam said, pulling his cap down lower.

  Mack walked over to me he had his bag slung over his shoulder.

  “I don't think the principal would be too happy about the janitor groping the students in the middle of the corridor,”

  “Well you best go inform him then,” I said, walking past him.

  Why did he care? He grabbed me by the wrist and spun me back around to face him, he was about to say something when I heard Caitlin behind me and he let go.

  “Did I just interrupt something?” she asked.

  “I don't think so,”

  “Here,” she said handing me my bag and jumper. “Apparently Mr. Turner has also gone home sick, some major stomach bug going round. So next class is cancelled.”

  “Really, just like that?”

  “Yep, Miss. Williams just told me. And there's no point sitting round here for another hour. Me and Aimee are headed to The Bowler wanna come? I can give you lift home later,”

  “Sure,” I pulled out my cell to message Micah.

  We arrived back later than I'd expected, it was just after Ten. Time had flown by at The Bowler and we had gone for take out afterwards. I waved goodbye to Caitlin. The garage doors were open, inside the lights were on and loud music was blaring out.

  Micah was leaning over, under the hood of his own truck. He wore black jeans that hung low on his waist, he had nothing on his top half. His back and arms were exposed showing multiple tattoos running all the way up his arms and down his back. Symbols, pictures and writings all joined together. But it wasn't the tattoos that stood out the most it was the two long scars running down his shoulder blades, the scars ran closer together further down his back, the tattoos were inked over parts of the scars but not enough to disguise them. I couldn't imagine what would have caused them, it looked like he'd been through a terrible attack of some kind no wonder he was so defensive and on guard all the time.

  He hadn't realised I was standing there, so I turned the stereo volume down. He looked over his shoulder at me and turned around grabbing his T-shirt t
hat was hanging off the hood. “Did you have fun?” he asked, casually pulling his top down.

  I got the feeling he didn't want me to see his back so I thought it best not to mention it and pretend I hadn't seen it.

  “Yeah we did,”

  “Well what have you been doing? You left school nearly eight hours ago,”

  “I dunno just hanging out, chatting, playing games we got take out on the way home. Don't you remember what it was like been seventeen and hanging out with your friends?”

  “No I don't,” he replied bluntly.

  Maybe he didn't have any friends when he was seventeen? Either way he was in a weird mood tonight. I decided to leave him alone.

  “When is Seth coming home?” I asked walking back to the garage doors.

  “He's not he's working all night.”

  Grrr! I mentally groaned, I hated being here all night on my own.

  “Will you be going soon?”

  “Why can't wait to get rid of me?”

  “No I didn't say that did I, I was just wondering that's all,”

  “I stuck around to make sure you got home safe, I'll be off soon just finishing up here,” he looked at me. “I can stay if you want though?”

  “No it's okay, I'll be fine,” I replied. I didn't want him to stay if he really didn't want to be here, he would only be awkward and moan about everything.

  He nodded and turned back under the hood.

  I walked along the porch, coming to a stop when something black fluttered in front of me and onto the arm of the bench. The raven squawked at me once and stared at me. It didn't seem afraid of humans, I wondered how friendly it actually was.

  I don't know why but I found myself walking towards it, I carefully held out my hand moving it ever so slowly closer to the bird, hoping it wouldn't peck me. It let me touch it's back, I ran my fingers along it's feathers they felt silky and soft. It turned around, I wasn't sure what it was doing until it hopped up onto my arm. It was heavier than I'd expected and I was glad I had my jumper on, it sat quite still so it's claws didn't dig in, much. It let me stroke it again and I looked closer at the tag on it's leg which had 4/6 printed on it.

  “Ruby what are you doing?” Micah said, sounding horrified.

  “Err, I don't really know, it just sort of hopped on,”

  I knew Micah didn't like this bird, but I didn't know why?

  “Well put it down,”

  I looked at the bird, not quite sure how I was supposed to get it off.

  “Shake your arm or something,”

  “No it has claws.”

  I moved over to the porch railing and put my arm level with the railing and gentle nudged it with my other hand, it hopped off obligingly. I looked over at Micah he was staring at it like it was something disgusting he had just found on the bottom of his boot.

  “You're not going to hurt it are you?” I asked moving in front of the bird protectively. “No.” he replied.

  “So what changed your mind?”

  “Because it has an owner, if it went missing they would come looking for it and I don't want them here. I don't think the bird is a threat, I think it's just lost or confused. It has no reason to be hanging around you, it must have just taken a liking to you. I have no idea why though you're not that interesting.”

  “'The birds not a threat',” I said, mimicking him. “So where does the bird come from?” He shrugged, playing dumb.

  “You don't know? Or you don't want to tell me?”

  “Hmm,” he was pretending he hadn't heard me.

  “Micah,”

  “Look I don't know where it comes from, so can you pleased drop it already,”

  “You know you're a terrible liar, you have a hint of a smile on your lips every time you lie, it's very obvious,” he frowned at me.“So you promise you're not going to attack the bird like last time,” He tilted his head to the side looking around me at the bird. “No the bird can live, just don't encourage it, we want it to leave. Whatever you do don't feed it, it may never go away.” “Well I like him, I'll have to think of a name for him,”

  “How about dead bird, cause that's what I'll call him if I see you petting him again. Now inside,” I looked at the bird then back at Micah, hoping he wouldn't go nuts and attack it like last time.“By the way I've decided to stay the night, make sure you don't let all the wildlife into the cabin.” I played around on my laptop for a while in my room, Micah stayed downstairs flicking TV channels. I fell asleep sometime after twelve.

  The faint sound of wind chimes woke me a short while later. The room was dark and the only light was coming from the hall way. I peeked out not being able to see much as most of my head was still concealed under the covers but I caught a glimpse of a reflection in the glass on my nightstand. My eyes became fixed on the glass. Maybe Micah was checking in on me?

  I laid there unable to tear my eyes away. This was ridiculous, hiding under my covers from what Micah? He wasn't that scary.

  I blinked and the shadow appeared in the glass again, it was an outline of a person standing next to my bed. I was praying it was Micah. I didn't know what to do, jump out of bed, scream or call Micah.

  “MICAH!” I shouted as loud as I could throwing the bed covers back and jumping out spinning around and falling back against the wall.

  But the room was empty. Micah's boots came thundering up the stairs, he skidded into the room. Gunner pushed past him to get in front.

  “What's wrong?” he asked loudly, switching on the light.

  “There was someone in my room, I thought it was you.”

  “What!”

  He walked back out into the hallway. The dog sniffed the floor around the edge of the bed. Micah came back into the room and checked my window, which was still firmly shut.

  “The chimes on the door handle, that's what woke me. It sounded the same as when you knock them on the way into the room,”

  He went over to the door and swiped the chimes with his hand.

  “There's no one here I checked,”

  I was now looking at the bed and panicking what was under it. Micah looked at me and caught onto what I was thinking, he squatted down and checked under the bed.

  “Nothing,” he then turned around and looked at the wardrobe. He raised an eyebrow at me, opened the doors and jumped back out the way, just encase jokingly.

  “Ruby there's no one here,”

  “I know what I saw in the glass, there was someone in my room.”

  “Your glass,”

  “Yes, there I saw the reflection,” I pointed at the glass. “There was somebody standing right where you are standing now.”

  “All this because you saw a reflection. I can't tell if you're being serious right now or pulling my leg?”

  “Yes I'm being serious. I know what I saw,”

  Micah crossed his arms and stared at me.

  “Well if you don't believe me, maybe you'll believe the dog,”

  He looked down at the dog who was sniffing everything.

  “It's probably that smell upsetting him. Have you been burning candles up here?” “What no, what smell?” I stepped away from the wall sniffing the air, I knelt on the bed closer to where he was standing. I felt like an idiot randomly sniffing the air, until I caught a hint of what he was talking about.

  “It smells like a rose garden in here?”

  He was right, it did smell of roses exactly the same as Cam had smelled today. It had to be a freaky coincidence but I still had no idea why my room would smell of roses.

  There was no sleeping in my bed after that. I wasn't sure if Micah believed me, from the way he was acting probably not. We stayed up watching comedy re-runs it had gone three in the morning and I desperately wanted my bed. I looked over at Micah, he was drinking a green energy drink. “Aren't you tired? I mean you do sleep don't you?” I asked.

  “When I need to,” he replied, in a bored tone staring at the TV.

  “You know those energy drinks probably don't help,”
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br />   He looked at me with a stare that said everything. He was fed up with my mindless chit chat, but there was no way I was going back to my bedroom. I would just have to sleep down here and try to block out the noise from the TV. It's not like I could ask him to turn it off and sit in the dark until I fell asleep, not that I wanted to be in the dark after earlier events.

  I made myself comfy on the couch pulling the blanket off the edge and over myself. I turned away from the TV and snuggled down. After a few minutes the volume of the TV decreased and I was asleep in minutes.

  “Get up,” Micah said clapping his hands over my head.

  “What no I just went to sleep.” I said trying to hide under the blanket.

  He pulled the blanket away from me, but not without a struggle. He won off course. I tried to move but couldn't Gunner was stretched out over me trapping one of my legs, my other leg hung off the couch. I looked up at Micah.

  “Can't I stay here today, I need sleep.” I said reaching for the blanket, managing to grab the edge and yanking it away. Seth appeared at the end of the couch.

  “What's going on?” he asked as me and Micah continued tug of war with the blanket. “I want to sleep, one day of missed school won't hurt, can't you can say I'm sick, please Seth, I'm so tired I don't think I will be able to function.” I groaned.

  “Well you should have gone to bed earlier. I can't have you skipping school, mom will use school absences against me and make you go home, so go get dressed already.”

  I tried to get myself ready but I was so tired, I needed a hot shower to wake myself up. I'd been standing under the water for about five minutes, maybe I could hide in here all day I thought. I heard a rattle on the bathroom door. I ignored it and finished rinsing off. “Seriously what are you doing that takes this long?” Micah sounded close, as in standing in the bathroom close. I peeked around the shower curtain and shrieked.

  “What the...Micah what the hell are you doing? Get out!” I shouted.

  “I came to check on you, you are taking forever. How long does it take to have a shower?” “I'm in the shower get out,” I shouted at him, trying to cover myself with the shower curtain, that wasn't exactly see through but did reveal a blurry image of what was behind it.