Winds Of The Apocalypse

by Novak, Karina

  "He is as light as a feather." Casey whispered as she laid Morgan back on the covers. "What’s causing this?” She asked Jon who shook his head.

  "I don't know but we have to check on his body." He said to Casey, brushing a stray dread out of Morgan's pale face.

  "Ok, what are we waiting for?" Casey enquired, stepping up to the door. "Let’s go."

  "No." Jon shook his head, protesting to the idea. "You can’t go right now Casey, everybody is up already, and you will be seen."

  "I'll be careful." Casey promised.

  "I know." Jon nodded. "But let's not risk it, I will go, stay here with Morgan."

  Casey pouted at her twin but then sharply nodded. "Ok Jon, go but just hurry, if you are not back here in fifteen minutes we are coming after you." She threatened.

  "I will be back before that." Jon gave her a reassuring smile and then turned to the door and disappeared.

  "You think he will be ok?" Casey asked, expecting her friends to tell her that it was nothing serious but instead a loud scream escaped Toby who sat on the bed beside Morgan.

  "OH MY GOD!" He screamed, jumping to his hurt feet and ignoring the pain that it caused him as he took a step forward.

  Casey frowned and then raised her eyes to look at what made Toby so jumpy, both she and Colin were now staring at the blond figure that half floated in the air.

  "Din!" Casey let out a happy shout, staring at their friend who was currently leaning against the far end wall and breathing deeply in and out, fighting for every breath his body let him process, his feet barely touching the ground.

  "You're ok!" Toby was about to come closer to hug him when the door ones again flew open and Jon rushed back in, grabbing Toby's arm and pulling him back.

  "No! Don’t touch him! You will get sucked into the chamber with him!"

  "What?" Toby stared at Jon's hand that tightly held his arm. "What are you talking about?!"

  "Din…" Colin looked at Jon and then carefully stepped closer. "Din? What's happening? Why are you breathing so hard? Are you ok?"

  Din breathed, he tried to focus on his friends, his vision a blur, it was so hard to consecrate on anything but the pounding ache in his body but he had to tell his friends what he had been through.

  "She took me…" He shuddered. "I didn't tell her…" He gazed at Casey.

  ”Their leader…Utopia…." He breathed out, his hands wrapped around his lower part.

  "She is looking for you…" He closed his mouth, shaking his head. "I have to…"

  He suddenly screamed, his body flickered, like he was about to fade out, like the dying flame of a candle.

  "Din! Tell us where you are! Where is the entrance to the chamber?!"

  Jon rushed him, still holding Toby's arm and seeing that they didn't have a lot of time before Din would be too weak to hold on to the connection.

  "I don’t…." Din shook his head "Uggh!!!" He flickered out for a moment, making the rest of them scream his name and then flickered back in, panting harder than ever, his knees giving out from underneath of him.

  "It’s under the school…" Din caught, his eyes watering from the lack of air he seemed to fail to catch. "We walked for so long…They wouldn't let me rest…A maze of tunnels…

  A brick wall…"He looked at Toby with a sad look in his eyes.

  "Please…Help me…" He whispered, shrieking in pain as he was torn away from his friends and pulled back to misery, leaving them all to stare at the place where he had just been, feeling as if hell was unlashed upon them.

  "Din…" Toby put his free hand on his head, why did he leave him? It should have been him in Din's place. "Din…"

  "Morgan's body is gone." Jon said quietly, letting go of Toby's arm and looking at Casey's frightened face, his sister bit her lip and flopped down on the bed.

  "My god…" She whispered. “What are we going to do…?" She asked, her voice bearing her desire to give up.

  "HEY! No! C'mon!" Colin stomped his foot. "This is not the time to fall apart!"

  He howled at the others, although, he himself wanted to just crawl under some rock and wait this whole thing out.

  “I think it’s the perfect time.” Casey shuddered; staring at Morgan’s faded spirit.

  "C'mon! Pull yourself together! We can get through this! Casey! C'mon! You are the one who started all this! You can't quit now!" No respond.

  Colin huffed. "C'mon you guys! Toby!" He shouted at his friend. "What the hell is wrong with you?! Do I need to start giving you a pep talk?! Snap out of this!" He walked up to Toby and grabbed his arms, making the other teen look up at his face.

  "Now listen," Colin shook him slightly. "If you are all decided to just lay back and die I am taking matters into my own hands here! Toby, you are the only one between us besides Din that have enough knowledge on the computer to be able to do a complete search of the internet. I need you to try and find us a map, plans to the school, anything that is related to this building; as far back as you can go. We have to find that break wall Din was talking about! Do you understand me?"

  No respond. "Toby!" Colin shook him again.

  "Oh….okay…" Toby mumbled, looking away, he wasn't really up for the idea.

  "Now…" Colin opened his mouth to continue.

  "Casey…" Morgan's raspy voice silenced his riled up companion.

  “Morgan!” Casey hurried to her twin, taking his hands into hers. ”Are you ok?”

  "Listen to Colin ok?" Morgan let out a shuddered breath. "With all of his shouting he actually makes sense so…" Casey bit her lip but slowly nodded.

  "Don't give up on me." Morgan asked her leaning up closer and letting Casey pull him further up into her arms.

  "Hey! Guys, can you hear that?" Jon asked suddenly, referring to the siren coming from the open window.

  "The police are here!" Colin growled, taking a step to the open glass and gazing down at the parking lot. "Well, it took them long enough… But they had probably come to interrogate Casey like we suspected." He looked at the two siblings that broke apart from their embrace and Casey looked down at Morgan.

  "What are we going to do?" Casey asked, appearing to be more terrified than ever.

  "First we are going to calm down, Casey," Colin went to the door, pulling Toby behind him, he opened it and glanced into the hall.

  "They will probably go floor by floor so we are first. We will text you after the cops interrogate us so you will be ready for them. Just don't panic." He looked at Casey.

  "Just look like the grieved and vulnerable sister that you are and you'll be fine."

  "Yes." Morgan agreed. "We talked about this Casey, just be yourself, there is nothing they can do to you, especially since they don't have a body."

  Casey nodded and with that Colin and Toby left the room, silently closing the door behind them.

  "Morgan, I’m scared." Casey sobbed out the second her friends left the bedroom.

  "What if I get arrested?! I don’t want to go to jail!"

  Jon shook his head. "You won't get arrested Casey. Even if they find you guilty,“

  Casey gasped.

  “No! No, they are not going to arrest you!” Morgan hurried to contradict him.

  “But even if they do…” Jon resumed his thesis. “Even if they do catch you, they won’t be able to do anything to you Casey, you are a minor, remember?”

  ”Oh…”Casey bit her lip. “Right.”

  “Everything is going to be ok.” Morgan let out a sigh, sitting back on his seemingly untouched bed.

  “Look, I and Jon are right here with you, holding your hands sort of speak. Ok?"

  Casey opened her mouth to speak but a knock on the door was heard before she could answer her brothers. Casey jumped in fear, her heart immediately quickened.

  “Ehh…” She growled. “I think I am going to go hide in the bathroom now…” She said, taking a step forward.

  “No! You don’t!” Jon grabbed his twin, tightening his grip as Casey attempted to get away from the d
oorway. “We won’t leave you alone Casey, we are right here, I promise.”

  Jon whispered as he pulled Casey to the offending door.

  Morgan winked at his twin as Casey looked at him for assistance and then Jon unlocked the door and moved back to let Casey open it by her human hands, he didn't want the officer on the other side of the door to think that something was weird about this girl more than he had to.

  "Can I help you?"

  Casey asked hesitant as she looked up at the woman that stood outside her door, dressed in a typical police uniform and holding a black clip board in her right hand.

  "Yes you can, young miss," The woman smiled sweetly, her red curly hair bouncing from side to side in her ponytail as she nodded.

  "I just want to ask you some questions, Can I come in?"

  Casey gulped silently, her heart pounding in her throat as she nodded slowly and opened the door wider, moving back and almost tripping over her own feet as she shakily set back on the bed where her brother Morgan lay, moving his hand to Casey's and taking it silently as they all waited for the officer to start her questioning.

  The officer studied Casey for a moment, then, pulled up a chair from the desk, set on it, flipped the clip board open and raised her pen to her mouth.

  "So, let's start with the easy ones shall we?” She said, tapping the pen against her chin. “You are Casey Tepes, right?" She asked without even looking up at her from her clipboard.

  “Err...yes.” Casey whispered. “Oow!” She jumped as Morgan pushed her slightly.

  “Eh, yes, yes I am.” She said more firmly, momentary glaring down at her twin.

  "Are you nervous about something Casey?” The police woman looked up at her with the same cheapish smile. “You don’t mind me asking you a few questions, right?"

  She chuckled as if it was some private joke to her but Casey frowned.

  "Do I have a choice?" She asked dryly but the police officer just kept smiling.

  "No need to be so negative, Casey. We all have a choice about what we say or do."

  Casey glared at her; she didn't like her one bit. She was giving out some kind of a weird threatening vibe Casey couldn't put her finger on, if she would have been there alone with her, without Morgan holding her hand or Jon standing over them, she would have been too scared to even talk, hell, she would probably already be running.

  "Well Casey, how about we agree that I am not here to be the bad guy.” The police woman looked into Casey’s eyes, her wide smile making her even more annoyed then she already was.

  “I'm only here to help you…And your brother."

  She paused, her eyes flickering across the room as if she knew that Morgan was there with them. Morgan sensed Casey getting tenser by her statement.

  Morgan pulled himself up and leaned against his sister.

  “Relax." He whispered in her ear. “This is what she wants, try to remain calm.”

  "Do you know why I’m here, Casey?" the officer asked, her tone of voice suggested that Casey was supposed to know the exact reason she had come to see her.

  "Play it innocent." Morgan warned her. "So she won't suspect you."

  “Just not too innocent.” Jon clarified. Casey huffed and gave them both a quick nod.

  "No. No I don't know why you are here officer." Casey answered in a sweet and childish voice that was a bit too much for her teenage years.

  "Not that innocent!" Morgan laughed.

  “What a little actor you are.” Jon smirked but Casey ignored them both as the officer finally seized to smile.

  "Well…" The uniformed woman continued. "Then I must begin by saying how terribly sorry I am for your loss…"

  "What loss?! My brother is not dead!" Casey jumped to her feet, making Morgan drop back on the bed.

  “Hey!”

  “Sorry...” Casey mumbled.

  "No need to apologies.” The officer said. “Your reaction is quite natural but I didn't say that he was dead Casey…" She said quietly. ”It's just that in this kind of cases…"

  "What cases?" Casey frowned, what was she getting at?

  "You don’t know?" The woman asked with a fake surprise. “You really don't know?”

  She asked again, her bright blue eyes are enough to pierce holes through Casey's soul.

  "Know what?!” Casey demanded annoyed, she wasn't acting anymore; she was really at the end of her nerves with the police woman and she was really beginning to lose her patience. "Well, Casey.” The officer put her clipboard down and got up from her sit, taking a small step towards her.

  “I don’t know how to tell you this, honey, but your brother had been kidnapped from the hospital last night."

  Casey gulped her eyes going wide as she let herself drop back on to the bed. "Kid…Kidnapped?!" She shuddered and the police officer nodded sadly.

  "Yes kidnapped my dear girl. And as I said, usually, in cases like that the victim doesn't survive…"

  "They are not going to kill him!" Casey screamed at her, looking outraged but then she caught himself. “I mean...Them... Whoever it was that took him, why would they go to all this trouble just to kill him...? He is not dead!” She stuttered.

  “Nice save.” She heard Jon mumble and then Casey looked up at the woman who nodded at her.

  "Of course, of course….It's important to keep hope that he is still alive…" She said with fake sympathy, she was quite transparent with her feelings, was she doing this on porpoise?

  "It’s just that…" She looked at Casey.

  "What?!" Casey growled. “It’s just that what?”

  "Well…" The officer said casually as if she was talking about the weather.

  "The ones that took him looked a lot like you and your friends. At least that is what the guard told us. What do you think about that?”

  Casey felt her face redden. “Stay calm.” Morgan warned her.

  "You have got to be kidding me!" Casey exclaimed, ignoring Morgan's attempt to stop her from getting up again.

  "Excuse me?" The officer blinked. “Believe me, I am not kidding you honey.”

  “Oh really?!” Casey yelled her voice going up to such a pitch that it was suitable only for a dog capability of hearing.

  "You are fucking accusing me in the kidnapping of my only brother!?"

  "Only?" The officer looked surprised. "I was told there were three of you…"

  "You are insane!" Casey spat the word, shaking. “There are only me and Morgan!

  There is no one else! You can even ask my damn mother if you want to!”

  The police officer shook her head. "Casey. You really shouldn't talk this way about your mother.”

  “Why not?” Casey crossed her arms over her chest. “She deserves it, she was probably the one that sent you to me, wasn't she? That fuckig bitch! Can’t even face me herself so she sends the police to do her dirty work for her! I know my rights, I am a minor, and I'm not even supposed to talk to you without a lawyer present, am I not right?” She glared at the police woman.

  “Tu Shei.” Jon smirked as the police woman let out a sigh.

  “Casey, our conversation was approved by your mother...”

  “Figures!” Casey huffed but the police woman went on as if she did not interrupt her.

  “And as for your view about my sanity, I assure you that I am not insane.

  Now, tell me, do you have an alibi for the night of your brother's kidnapping? Last night I mean."

  Casey felt her hands drop to the sides of her body, her long fingers tightening into a half whitening fists, she barely kept it on her feet now, and this fucking woman was going to ruin everything!

  Casey took a sharp breath.

  "Get out!!” She screamed. “Get the fuck out of my room!!" She cried, real tears running down her face.

  "Now!!!" She bellowed as she turned away from the police woman and ran into the bathroom, slamming the door in her face.

  The police officer shook her head slightly, she remained in the room for a few more seconds, scri
bbling something down on her black clipboard and then she turned and exited the room, shutting the door quietly behind her.

  “Huh.” Jon looked at the closed door. “That was interesting.”

  He said to Morgan who looked up at the bathroom area. "You can come out now, diva, she's gone." Morgan said loudly and about half a second later Casey popped out from behind the door, smiling at her brothers and wiping her tears from her face.

  "So how was it?"

  She asked proudly as Morgan raised his two thumbs up. "Very dramatic.” He said.

  “You know, if the writing doesn't work for you, you could always go into acting."

  Casey's smile grew. “Really?” She turned to Jon.

  “Really.” Jon agreed.

  "Wait." Morgan sat up on the bed, looking up at Casey. "There is something I don't quite get here, you know.”

  “Huh?” Casey blinked.

  “Were you always able to cry on command?" Morgan frowned. “Or was that pure luck just now?”

  Casey grinned.

  "You little ass!" Morgan exhaled.

  “Can you believe that?!” He asked Jon who joined Casey’s now open laughter. "How often did you use that?!" Morgan demanded.

  “Ever since we were kids I bet!”

  "Guess you will never know." Casey said sweetly, dogging a pillow that Morgan had thrown at her in furry.

  "Why didn't you ever teach me how to do that?!"

  Morgan questioned. "I could have dodged that detection last year when Mrs. Kafka found out I forged a fucking note about my homework again."

  "How did she find that out?” Casey asked, surprised; usually Morgan's self-written notes were quite perfect, even she used them.

  "I was reckless." Morgan moaned, shaking his head.

  "How come?" Jon asked, coming to sit next to his brother.

  Morgan smiled. "I killed grandma twice in the same year."

  They all laughed.

  "Not enough in my opinion, that woman is hell, you can do it again next year, and hopefully she will die until then. And I will teach you how to cry on command.”

  Casey promised.

  Morgan smirked. "I’ll hold you to it."