Chapter 5: Blood Bleeds Red
Lesson 18:
"Malinda shouted, plopping a book on the table.
"Magic beasts and normal animals—what's the difference? What makes one a magical being and the other no different from the animals we see in the woods ?"
She waited for an answer, but none came. I could tell she was surprised that Bethany hadn't raised her hand. Bethany was at the top of our Magical Theory class and could answer any questions Malinda asked, but lately, she was in her own space. It wasn't surprising at all—this girl had a lot on her plate and her own demons to fight.
"The books want to tell you there's no difference. And if we get into the specifics, we can argue that they're right, but who cares about that? Today, I'm going to teach you what truly matters."
Malinda spoke for what seemed like hours, and honestly, at some point, I stopped listening until she said something that caught my attention.
"This right here is what you should fear the most." She showed a picture of a beast with big k9 teeth, large claws, white eyes, and a gray, spiky back.
"This is what we call a White Keeth. They tend to travel in packs, with an alpha leading the group. They're fast, smart, and deadly—masters of the hunt. If you ever, under any circumstances, see one of these, run with all your might, or you will die."
The Dorms
"We need to tell them, don't we?" Eliza said.
"Yeah, we do," I replied.
We laid on the carpet side by side, staring at the ceiling. The ceiling with its fan—two bladed fan that had broken down last week and wouldn't even spin anymore. It just hung there.
"But how do we…?" Eliza trailed off, pain in her voice.
"I'm not sure, but it needs to be done," I said.
Later That Day
"We just need to leave!" Ren shouted.
"We can't just up and leave, Ren!" Eliza shot back.
"Why not?" he said, angry. "Who actually put you in charge of all this anyway? Who gave you the right to hide something like this from us?" Ren shouted.
"I was trying to protect you," Eliza said.
"And who said we needed that? We aren't kids anymore. You don't get to shelter us," Ren snapped.
Bethany was on her bed alone, hands on her ears; the news really shook her.
I walked in to find Eliza and Ren arguing, with Ola trying to mediate the chaos.
"Ren's right," I said, cutting through the tension. "We made a choice. Though, Ren, maybe it wasn't the best choice, and it was unfair to hide this from you, but we had the best intentions. We just wanted to protect you."
"You knew too," Ren said, his voice hurt.
"Unbelievable," he muttered, storming out.
"So, what? You want us to gather the children and run? Do you really think Magnus would allow that?" Eliza asked, her voice sharp with frustration.
"That's what Ren wants us to do," she added.
"No, we can't be rash. Like you said, we need to investigate that cabin first before we do anything," I said.
"Do we really have to do that?" Bethany said, her voice frail and afraid.
"I don't know, but what choice do we have? How else can we find Isaac?" I replied, my tone softer but no less serious.
Everyone went silent. No one had an answer to my question. With an exasperated sigh, Eliza stormed out of the room. Ren had really gotten to her.
Later That Night - The Backyard
I found Ola sitting outside on a bench in the backyard. The sky was unusually clear, with stars sparkling like diamonds, while the moon bathed everything in a soft, silvery glow. From here, the white forest and the distant docks were visible, their outlines clear against the night. Ola sat quietly, staring out at the scenery, lost in thought.
"You're going to get sick and die if you're not careful," I joked.
"Yeah, not the worst way to go," she replied sarcastically.
"Can I sit with you for a bit?" I asked.
"Yeah, go ahead," she said.
We sat together, admiring the stars for a while before she broke into tears again.
"I know it's embarrassing, right?" she said dismissively.
"No, I think it's good to cry, you know, let it out," I said.
"Yeah, I guess you're right," she replied.
"Listen, Ola, about the—"
"My sister and I used to look out at the stars sometimes when we felt overwhelmed. She used to tell me that in a world where the biggest stars look so small compared to the universe, how big can our problems really be?"
"Your sister really is something. She was the one forcing me to go to that cabin. She's the one who pushed me. Without her, we would all be marching toward our deaths without even knowing it. You remind me a lot of her sometimes," I said.
"I'm nothing like her," she said. "My sister is brave, smart, caring, and the one who's going to help you get us out of here, not me."
"Earlier today, when you stood between Ren and Eliza as they fought— it takes someone very brave to do that, you know? You're the kindest person I know. You can't even lie in a game of Hot Pocket, I mocked, and you truly care for us. I can tell that from a mile away."
"Well, you didn't give me a reason to show that I'm smart," she said jokingly.
"Well, we can't have it all now, don't be greedy," I replied.
She smiled, almost letting out a chuckle.
"What do you think we'll find out there?" she said, her voice shaking.
"I'm not sure," I answered honestly.
"I hope it's nothing and we can just go back to how things were," I added.
"But we can't give up, no matter what it is we find, no matter how scary or unpleasant it is," I said.
"Nothing in this world is guaranteed until we make an effort, and nothing is lost until we give up," I said.
"Where did you hear that, oh wise one?" she teased.
"I'm not sure, but it's something I hold dear to me," I replied.
"It's not going to be easy, and we will most likely face impossible odds. I feel like we met for a reason, and the five of us were meant to overcome the odds together. So no matter how big the obstacles are, they are still tiny compared to the stars in our sky, and tinier still compared to the vast universe."
"I don't give you enough credit, you know," she said, moving closer to hug me.
"You aren't as dumb as I thought," she said, smiling and laughing.
"Rude," I said, joining in her laughter and hugging her back.
"Do you think we will all make it out alive?" she asked.
"As long as my blood bleeds red, I will do everything in my power to keep you all safe," I declared.
she smiled.
"We should probably head back to the dorms," I said, breaking the silence.
"Yeah, but I think I'm going to stay out a bit longer," Ola replied, her gaze still fixed on the scenery.
"Fine. Just don't get sick," I said with a small shrug.
"Yeah, yeah, Mom. I'll be in soon it looks like a storm will roll through soon anyway ," she mocked, flashing a teasing grin.
The Dorms
"Look, El... I'm sorry. I know you made a call to protect all of us, and I know I freaked out a bit. I'm really sorry."
Eliza smiled. "It's okay. I'm sorry too. It was wrong of me to make that decision for you."
"Look at you two," I said, walking in with a grin spread across my face.
"Oh, hey, Maddox, I—"
"No need, Ren. We're good," I interrupted. "But we need a plan."
Later that Night midnight
"Hey, Codex... I know I might just be losing my mind, but can I talk to you?"
I sat under the massive oak tree in the backyard of the orphanage. The skies were cloudy, the moon hidden, and the winds howled as thunder cracked in the distance.
My library is at your disposal, the book replied.
"No, I mean really talk to you."
Proceed, it said.
"I don't know what's going to happen tomorrow. Honestly, I'm scared. I lost Isaac, and that almost killed me. It broke my heart. And now I'm supposed to lead everyone to some cabin in the middle of the woods—a cabin I don't even know if we'll survive long enough to reach. What am I supposed to do?"
The chances of everyone making it out alive are 0.10 percent.
"I figured as much as at least lie to me dumb book ," I muttered.
"You look pathetic there, Maddox," Eliza said, her sudden appearance making me jump. "So, we talk to books now, it seems?"
I froze, too shocked to come up with an excuse for why I was talking to a book.
"Ma'am, can magic be imbued into inanimate objects?" she asked, a smirk playing at her lips. "Now that question makes sense." She plopped down beside me under the tree.
I opened my mouth to respond, but nothing came out.
"Look, I—"
"Maddox," she interrupted, her voice softer this time, "I'm scared too." She leaned her head gently against my chest.
"What are you—"
"The way your heart is beating reminds me of mine," she murmured. "Honestly, it's been like this since the night I saw Ethan in the woods." Her voice trembled. "It's been pounding and pounding, like it's trying to break out of my chest. I'm scared, Maddox. Not of Magnus, or even dying. I'm scared of losing Ola. I'm scared of losing you. I'm terrified of losing this tiny family we've created in this stupid orphanage."
Warm tears soaked through my shirt where her head rested.
"I'm scared of losing them too," I admitted. "I came out here hoping for answers, but all I found was the fear I've been burying. Under this tree, in the quiet, my thoughts have been screaming at me, and I can't block them out anymore.
"I don't want anyone to die, but I don't know how to stop it." My voice faltered as I glanced at my trembling hands. "And these dreams... they won't let me rest. I washed my hands ten times today, but they still feel stained with blood. I feel like I'm losing my mind."
Lightning lit up the sky, the wind howling around us.
"How do I keep everyone alive?"
"I don't know," she whispered, her voice cracking. "I really don't know."
She hesitated, then added, "But, Maddox, I do know one thing: I can't let Ola go to that shed tomorrow. I can't let any of them go."
I looked at her, confused, as an idea seemed to light up in her eyes.
"What if I snuck out and took it all on by myself?" she said suddenly. "That way, no one else has to get hurt. I could shoulder it all alone, and—"
She paused, then glanced at me, a faint smile breaking through her tears. "But then I saw a dumbass sitting under a tree, talking to a book."
"So we do it together, then," I said, ignoring the insult.
She chuckled weakly. "Yeah," she whispered. "We do it together."