Young Writers Society

Barke

Slumped with my hands in my pockets, I walk out of the city, taking my sweet sweet time. Once I'm in the forest, I lean against a tree, sliding lower down the trunk until I can wrap my arms around my knees and bury my face in them. This is actually kind of comfortable, but would be better if the voices in my head would just shut up.

At least if they were dreams I'd be content. The worst part about being a mind freak is that I never have dreams; the rest of the world is far too loud for that. These people near me are not happy dreamers. In fact, one of them is replaying a nightmare over in her head.

The Zabe guy yells something mentally, and one of the other two people (who still don't know I'm here) shrieks. "Good God! Get a grip, mystery voice!" Was Zabe sending the thought? I couldn't tell.

"So you hear it too!" These guys are acting like it's a huge deal.

The only people who need to get a grip are you two! I send out to them, irritated.

"...That voice was different. Did you hear it?"

"Yeah, I did. What do you think it means?"

"It was me! Good God, calm down please!" I shout, standing up. My fingers are pressed to my temples; these guys are giving me a headache.

Cypress

My eye twitched. "For the record, I was not freaking out. She was." I glared at them both. I stomped away- or tried to.

Where in good god's name are you going? Go back!

I clenched my fists and ducked my head, closing my eyes. I thought out each word carefully, forcing power into each one.

You. Do. Not. Control! ME!

I mentally shouted back, and ran again.

And then, I blacked out.

Snakes...snakes everywhere... and I couldn't breathe... was I underwater? A beast swam towards me, eyes narrowed and fangs protruding. I tried to scream, but I couldn't. Bodies surrounded me... blood...sharks... pain...

And then numbness.

I shot into consciousness, cheeks covered in tears and body cold as ice. I was trembling all over. I wrapped winds around me and shut down.

I needed a moment.

Just a moment.

ZABRIEL

Zabriel had had enough. Of course, he could understand why they would all be frightened, but they were all at eacother's throats. Forcing a few nightmares on them would apparently be necessary. Trust me, none of you want to fall asleep. He shot at all of them bitterly.

"They're a fun lot," Lulu grumbled, crossing her arms.

"Darlings." Zabe followed Lulu's suit and crossed his arms as well, shaking his head. Now what was he supposed to do? He could always create an extra strong wind, shove them all together and then only after they swore to keep together, let the wind stop. Of course, that would be rather draining, and a tad forceful.

Get back to your group! Your worse off by yourselves than with others! Zabriel sighed and disapeared into the trees, only feet away from the group. He pulled his hood lower and glared at them all. They wouldn't see him where he was, and if they did he would blind them for a few seconds and make a run for it.

Do you know who to trust? He said it gently, in hopes of earning some amount of trust from them. They had to start moving tonight. Zabriel had an uneasy feeling, there was something else in this forest, and Zabe had a sinking feeling it wasn't at all good.

I'm sorry I haven't posted. Where are we?

You're all in the forest Having spazz attacks...

Charna Serkan|Somewhere to the South:

Father had summoned me, and when he summoned me, it meant business. I wasn't some pretty thing to be married off, I was a warrior. And so I donned my armour and went before Lord Serkan. The only weapon I had was my dagger, no one would know. But father knew. He always knew.

I entered the main hall and approached father. My little brother stood at the entrance to the balcony behind father. Cheikh's back was turned on the hall. I figured he was watching the grasslands that led north.

"There is a problem?" I asked, returning my gaze to my father. He stood, hands clasped behind his back.

"No," he said and then gestured for me to kneel. I knelt, noticing that my brother was joining me. "I have a mission for you, children." We shared a glance, my brother and I. He was frowning. I was merely curious. "You know of the Walkers to the north?" I nodded while my brother stared at our father. "I need you, both of you, to go north and hunt them down. Can you do this for me? For the House of Serkan?"

I looked up and grinned. "I can do this."

"Cheikh?" Father asked. My younger brother looked up at our father and nodded. "Good. Leave now. You're needed in the north-west. Go."

I nodded and rose, turning to leave. My brother rose as well and hesitated. I glanced back at my brother and then my father. "Cheikh, are you coming?"

He glanced at Father and then looked at his feet, nodding. "Yes, sister."

I smiled and turned away again. "Time to go," I said and headed for the exit. After a few seconds, I heard my brother following.

((Tell me to change it if it doesn't work, Anger.... You too, Isha. >.>))

LULU

I stared at the heat patterns.
"Zab if you won't do anything about them I will." I said, walking up beside him.
"Lu you stay right here, you've already been caught." I shrugged his hand off my shoulder.
"They can't catch what they can't see." I said as I ran over to them, running circles around them. I thought at Zabe Tell them if they promise to stay together I'll stop. I said, snickering as they backed together.
"what's happening?" one asked. I suddenly heard a voice in my head, and it wasn't Zabe's. We'll stay together, stop. I looked into the group to see one of our little heat patterns hunched over on the ground. Then I realised I was cutting off air. So I ran back over to Zabe.
"That was ridiculously dangerous." He snapped. Always the more mature one.

ZABRIEL

Zabriel turned his attention back to the six, feeling rather put-off by Lulu's...forcefulness. Audrey was gasping again, and Zabe felt somehow guilty for that. He sent a cool breeze towards her, cool air was easier to breath, before shooting a glare at Lulu. "At least try to be a little more careful?" he hissed.

Lulu just rolled her eyes. "Well your methods weren't exactly working now were they?"

"Well-countered. Just watch for Audrey when you do that." Zabriel moved quickly to a more sheltered place, ignoring a squirrel that watched him with slight fascination before scampering off. Animals were great and all, but he couldn't be bothered to pay much attention to the thing at this point in time.

Now, come. Zabriel demanded gently, using a few more arrows of light to guide the way. Rest will come soon enough, but for now you must move quickly.

So much to do... so little time to do it in, especially with this sinking feeling that something was bound to go wrong. Of course, obstacles were to be expected... but there was something different, something much bigger.

Cypress

I let my cocoon of air fall away. My heart was still skipping beats, but I was trying to calm down, honest. I rubbed a ball of warm air between my hands, trying to keep myself occupied. The voices -now there were two- were both insistent that we stay.

I was going insane.

That was the only explanation for all this. Maybe... maybe my entire life was one big dream. And when I wake up, I'll be in a beautiful white mansion with two loving parents and infinite wealth.

Pft. Yeah right. I needed to stop thinking.

I glanced at the ground. Great. More light arrows. I tilted my head forwards, the direction the arrows were pointing.

"Well? Are we following the mysterious glowing symbols or not?" I asked, walking off in the direction they were pointing. I heard scattered mutterings and eventually footsteps following me. I panicked a little- I had grown up to think people following me must be guards, but my instincts corrected themselves.

Street rat, remember?

Barke

I'm tired. My muscles are tired, my brain is tired...hell, even my bones are tired. My eyelids are heavy, but curiosity makes me follow the arrows. "Well? Are we following the mysterious glowing symbols or not?" asks one of the girls before heading off in their direction. She's really hot, though I liked the girl who woke me up better.

Whatever, if my sleep is to be interrupted, it may as well be for something interesting. I follow the girl, as do the other people which makes me feel like a follower rather than a leader.

As stupid as it is, I slow my step so that I lapse behind. Much better. Still makes me a follower, but a reluctant one. I shake my head at my own stupidity and keep on walking.

Audrey~

Good god, what was that?! Audrey caught her breath again. That marked the fourth time all day, two of those times being in the last couple of minutes. Again, that voice and warm wind had saved her. It was so confusing. A elongated shadow suddenly slunk from the forest around them, looking up at Audrey with wide eyes. "TAP!" She about screamed, the two people in the clearing looking at her. Audrey blushed and tapped her shoulder, the ferrett scurrying up her pant leg, stomach, and finally situating himself around her neck.

'I woke up, and hadn't the slightest idea where you went! So, I followed your scent!' The ferrett chirped, rubbing Audrey's jawbone with the top of his head.

"Good boy," Audrey laughed, following Cypress and the other boy, Barke. His name made her think of a dog. Audrey laughed shortly, and shook her head. They probably thought she was insane.

'I found it! Owner of the voice!' A familiar voice chipped on, Audrey looking up at the squirrel. It jumped from its tree, landing on the branch, and continued on to tell Audrey of who the voice belonged to.

ZABRIEL

Zabe didn't know how long they had been walking for, but it felt like it had been long enough. He was exhausted himself, but he probably wouldn't sleep. At all. His nightmares kept him awake most of the time, and he had never stopped wishing that he could control his own dreams.

Zabriel turned quickly to Lulu. "Should we let them stop and rest?" he asked quietly, glancing back at the exhausted six.

"They're pretty tired..." Lulu shrugged, yawning herself.

Zabriel sighed, now was as good a time as any. The forest was thick here, they were well-concealed from any search-parties. Stop now and rest. Tomorrow will be rough, sleep if you can.

The group stopped and exchanged glances. "He actually told us to sleep?" Cypress asked with a mocking tone. "That's a new one."

Zabriel rolled his eyes. Sure, he had woken them from their sleep with nightmares and made them trudge through a forest for a few hours... a little crabiness was expected... but it was still irritating. Yes, I told you to sleep. Best fall asleep now before the nightmares feel like descending on you again. Or before he felt like cramming one down their throats.

But one nightmare was enough, and besides, they were more draining than a nice, sweet dream. Sleep. He demanded to those who were still standing before plopping down at the base of a tree himself. No, Zabe wouldn't be sleeping, but a little rest never hurt.

Audrey~

Audrey watched in wonder how Cypress and Barke's eyes drooped to a close. How could they sleep in the wild in a form so vulnerable? Tap chirped on in Audrey's ear, telling her how crazy the nuns had became when they realized their eldest orphan was gone. That word burnt Audrey's tongue.

Orphan.

Standing to her feet, Audrey started off through the forest. If there were any predators around, she'd have to ask them to stay away from the group. If that wasn't enough though... Audrey touched the longsword that hung from her belt. She'd obviously, have to use force.

The squirrel was sitting on Audrey's shoulder, while Tap was wrapped around her neck. "Where should we look first?" She asked softly, hearing the two animals chitter back in forth in argument. Audrey, with a laugh, walked around the area the other two were sleeping, her eyes peeled for anyone or anything that would cause trouble for them all.

*Short, sorry! :O In a rush!*

Barke

Sleep? Sleep now? Now that I've had a chance to grow on the idea of some excitement? Absolutely not. You can shove that up yours, I think bitterly back to whoever is sending us messages.

Sleep! He hisses back. Whatever. I let my eyelids droop, but I don't sleep.

Shuffling comes from nearby, and I open my eyes to see Audrey walking away with two critters on her. "Where should we look first?" she asks them. Her thoughts tell me the animals can understand her. And here I just thought she was crazy. Well, what's there to lose? I stand up and follow her into the forest.

This'll be my last post for a few days! I'm going to my grandma's, won't have internet till Wedenesday/Thursday!

ZABRIEL

Zabe followed Audrey and Barke at a safe distance, half-wondering what they were looking around for and half-wondering if he'd ever get the group's attention. This was important, whether they believed it or not. But if they didn't want to get any sleep, that was their problem. They could suffer exhaustion the next day, but they were walking and not slowing down the group.

Sleep would be wise. You're going to be doing a lot more walking come morning. Zabriel warned them.

Lulu, are you sleeping?

He waited a few seconds before finally getting an answer. No. Obviously not.

Zabe rolled his eyes and turned from the two, not particularly caring where they went at the moment. So long as they made it back to the others alive and well, everything would be fine. Let them wander.

Lulu hadn't seemed to notice him, which was surprising considering she always knew where he was. Zabriel could be silent as the dead, which he often was, out of range of her heat-vision, but she would still know where he was. He smirked and snuck up behind her, removing his cloak and throwing it over her.

"You should sleep Lulu," he whispered as Lulu shook the cloak off and turned to throw it at him. "Yes, sleep would do you well."