"Are you sure you've calmed down enough? I mean I don't mind you sitting here." He shrugged, however, that didn't hide the smirk that slid across his face. I punched him lightly, shaking my head.
"You're so funny aren't you?" I sniffled,wiping my tears and holding out my hand for him to grab.
"I don't think that's the best idea, you might topple over." He chuckled, pushing himself off of the stony driveway. His forearms flexed as he did so. "Now I know you've been through a lot today, so do tell me if we need to take a break. Or if what I say is too shocking, we can always talk about it later, okay?" I nodded my head in response as he smiled lightly.
We began walking down the rest of the driveway where we stood in front of the black steel gate that loomed above. James pressed a button on the side of it where stones stood, holding the gate in place. It slowly opened, screeching in response.
"That gate really needs oiled," James plugged his ears with his pointer fingers as we exited the property and turned right down the road. The sun had begun to set, and yet again I saw yellow eyes off in the distance of the woods, the thought of the creature crossed my mind, all the blood all of the- "Makayla are you okay?" Jame's voice broke through my thoughts, I realized we'd stopped and my heart was beating a thousand miles an hour.
His gaze drifted from me to the woods. "You see them too, don't you?" I jumped slightly in response.
"Th-the eyes?" James nodded slowly.
"I can see them too. Don't worry, the eyes you see are mainly just phantoms, they aren't usually violent. They're just lost souls stuck wandering in the woods. But you've seen them elsewhere too. Haven't you?" I gave him a silent signal, saying I had. He ran his hands through the messy blonde on his head and yawned. "Where else have you seen them?"
I began fidgeting with my fingers thinking of where I'd seen them. "In the fields, and in the ocean, almost everywhere people once were, but they don't tend to be in public places."
"That's true, they usually aren't. They're afraid of the living, in a way, but the stronger ones with stronger attachments to the living world are found in houses. You can banish them though, however, if they begin to manifest themselves into a demon that's a different story." The crunch of gravel beneath our feet was the only sound I could hear other than a slight breeze in the trees.
"What do you mean by that?" I had begun to feel stressed out about the conversation, and yet again my head had started to hurt.
"If a phantom is filled with strong enough attachments and feels as though its business is unfinished it will change into how it looked during its lifetime. But, if it is unable to pass on or it is full of desire, it will turn into a demon which is threatening to the lives of others. Even our own. The issue is demons, along with other 'monsters' if you would like to call them that, can affect those unable to see them just as badly, if not worse than they affect us."
"I'm not sure if I'm following."
"I wish Chase could have explained I suck at this, uh," He scratched his cheek clearly delving into his thoughts. "We are able to see things, most people can not. You can, I can, your parents, along with mine, Chase, all of us are able to see these creatures. Your brother, Jackson, could not, so naturally he was susceptible to being manipulated by them."
I stopped walking trying to process everything. I grit my teeth, as pounding filled my skull, and anger began to swell at the unfairness that my brother was dealt. "So why are we able to see them? There isn't anything I was able to do to help Jackson, but Chase said he could, I just don't get it."
"The reason you weren't able to help your brother is because you aren't yet 'awakened', at least you aren't anymore. Chase, he is awakened to say the least. But Chase, he has mixed blood." My head began to spin at all of the new information that was entering my mind.
"What do you mean by mixed blood?" James swallowed hard as his chocolate brown eyes stared into my silver ones.
"He-Chase is mixed as he has the ability to see these creatures but he himself is also one. Chase is an awakened demon hybrid." I stared at James in disbelief. Chase, a demon? I just couldn't believe that, nothing was making sense anymore. Monsters, phantoms, demons, why hadn't I known about any of them? "And," James averted his gaze from my own, "Chase is my half brother."
"He- wait what?" I blinked slowly at James trying to process everything. "So there are demons, and monsters. There are people with sight, I'm one of them, so are you, I'm not awakened, but I was. I don't even know what that is. Chase is half demon and you're his brother?"
"Half brother, but yes. Right now I can't tell you about the awakened, I'm sorry but that isn't something easy to explain." The lines of my vision began to go black as I tried hard to think, however, excruciating pain pierced my temples. Just as I was about to speak, my whole world began to spin as everything went black. I heard James yell my name before I was swallowed up by darkness.
A bright light blinded my vision. White bed sheets and beeping machines surrounded me. I was alone in what appeared to be a hospital room. Unable to hear anything other than the ringing in my own ears and the beeping of machines. IVs were stuck in my arms and I couldn't seem to see out of my left eye. My head hurt. My body hurt. Everything ached. I attempted to sit up, but it was all in vain as my body felt nearly as heavy as a boulder.
The sound of the door opening averted the gaze of my right eye, which felt puffy as it moved, towards whoever was entering. It was a young teenager with stark black hair that looked awkward compared to his pale complexion, holding a toddler no older than two. The child had curly hair and bright blue eyes. A name, Jackson, popped into my head upon seeing the child. For some reason my heart ached.
"Sissy," the child said, tears running down his face. The older boy hushed him, rocking him back and forth. I was unable to make out his face other than his startling green eyes that blazed against dark hair and light skin. Then another young teenager entered, his hair was a wavy blonde, he grabbed Jackson then proceeded to make his way out of the room, a sad expression crossing his face.
"I'm so sorry Makayla, this should have never happened, I shouldn't have lost control," the dark haired teenager sat beside me, his face tear stained and red. "If it wasn't for me you wouldn't be in here, you wouldn't be in pain." He grabbed my hand which felt warm against my own. I felt the wetness of his tears drop onto my hand. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. We said forever right? But I couldn't even protect you then, I don't know how I'll ever be by your side again. The doctors say you probably won't remember anything, they wiped your memory so you can heal better. But does that mean you'll lose me too? I- I don't know if I'll ever be able to live with myself." The boy continued to cry, his sobs continuing. "I just wish you'd wake up." "Makayla, you need to wake up."