Awaken

Chapter 4

I heard the voices before I heard a door open and close. I had been hearing them since I had woken a few hours earlier. I laid in a bed facing an open window that had a great view of a courtyard. It was late in the evening and the yard lights reflected off the puddles left from the rain. My head rested on a soft pillow and my back was to the door. I didn’t remember being placed in the bed. I didn’t remember anything that happened after the fire. My eyes stung as the tears were forming. The only thing I remembered besides that is that Alex lost his father, too. Alex. I sat up and realized that I wasn’t the only one. I had to find him. I needed to find him.

As I got up, I noticed that everything in my room was purple. I had purple covers, purple pillow cases, purple walls and curtains, a purple lamp that lit up the room. I noticed a big white chair and a big couch in the center of the room. There were two doors, I assumed one was a closet and the other was my way out. I walked up to a door and opened it. My eyes widened and I shut the door in his face. The blonde boy from my house stood there and, after a few seconds, knocked softly on the door.

“Mallory Daughtry?” His voice was calming and made me relax a little. “It’s okay. I’m not going to hurt you.” There was a short pause before he spoke again. “You’re safe now.”

I laid my head against the door, taking a few breaths for a moment, unsure of what to do. Finally, I grabbed the knob and opened the door. The boy stood there, unsure what to do as well. It was like he was nervous or something. He wore a navy T-shirt and blue jeans, even had on sneakers. He looked at me and smiled. His smile made me feel safe and protected. I didn’t realize his hand was on my side until I felt my legs give out on me.

“Woah, are you okay?” I took a short breath and nodded. He slowly moved his hand away from me and blushed, taking a step back. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to invade your space.”

“It’s okay. I would have fell if you didn’t.”

“Yeah, well...um...ok.” I laughed a little and his face turned a few shades of pink. “Cal, it’s short for Malachi, but I prefer to be called Cal. It..uh…isn’t really short for my name. I just…yeah.” He reached out his hand, yet again, this time I took it.

“Mallory, as you already said, but I like Mal.”

“Well, we practically have the same nickname, so I think we’ll be fast friends.” His optimism was incredible and it made me smile when I looked into his eyes, causing me to forget what all happened even if it was only for a moment. My smile faded as I looked away. I noticed that my door was one of many lined up down a long hallway. I stepped forward and Cal stepped back. “If you were wondering, you have been brought to an Institute of The Gifted. There are about 2 in the United States. Maybe about 7 in the whole world.”

“What does that mean? An Institute of The Gifted?” I asked.

“You see, the Institute is a sanctuary for children of the Hunters.” Cal said simply.

“Hunters?”

“You know? Like Charles? Like your mom?” I shook my head at him, feeling dumb for not knowing anything. His blue eyes widened for a brief second and then went back to normal.

“Hunters are the warriors of the world. Guardians to the protected. And your mother happens to be the High Countess of us all, Mallory.” A new voice had spoken. A shimmer appeared before it took the form of a woman. She was tall and had blonde hair. The woman also had blue eyes and, when standing by Cal, it was obvious who she was.

“Hi, mom.” As Cal said it, a sharp pain stabbed at my heart. I blinked as tears silently fell. Immediately I wiped my eyes but it was no use. As if her motherly instincts kicked in, Cal’s mom wrapped me in her arms. “Maybe we should step into her room. Any of the students could come out and see her.” She let go and grabbed my hand, gently pulling me into my room. ‘’You weren’t kidding when you said she had the biggest room.” Cal said in the distance. I sat in the chair, staring at my hands as they took the couch.

“This place,” Cal’s mother paused looking around my room. “is a safe haven for the offspring of Hunters. Children from around the world are sent here, or to ones like this one, to be trained for the endless battle all Hunters face. We all have the same calling, which is to protect the world from the evil.” Her words were so convincing but she sounded crazier and crazier the more she spoke.

“Mallory, I know what you saw at your home. And, as crazy as it might sound, your mother is alive.” My eyes widened as I looked at this woman. The tears stopped falling. “The woman, Gail Delturi, got herself, Charles and your mother out before the house collapsed. I am very sorry about your home, by the way.” I shook my head, that’s impossible. The house fell on my mother and Charles. Nobody could survive a burning house falling on them. Sensing my doubt, she spoke again. “What was the last thing that Gail said to you before you were pushed out of the house?”

I thought about everything that happened and remembered what Gail said. “She would be coming for me.”

“If Gail would be coming for you, she’s going to need your mother to show her where to go. Fortunately, your mother is a strong woman. She isn’t the type to give up easily.”

“Besides,” Cal cut in. “if Gail comes after you, Callum is going to be another thing she has to deal with.” I shook my head.

“Callum isn’t around, anymore. I haven’t seen him since I was three.”

“Now that is the craziest thing I have heard all day.” Cal’s mom laughed. “And trust me, I work with First Graders for my cover. Who would tell you that?”

“My mom.” Her smile faded as she looked at me. Her eyes were full of pity.

“I wonder why.” She looked at me as if she were debating on what to say next. After a minute, she spoke again. “Mallory, do you know who Gail is?”

“I don’t know anything.”

“I see.” I shook my head.

“There isn’t anything to see.”

“Your mom did it to protect you, Mal. They all kept you in the dark for this sole reason.” Cal was looking at me, his eyes begging me to understand.

“They all? Reason?”

“Charles, Alex, your mom, even Callum,” His mom cut in.

“I don’t remember my father. My mother never talked about him.”

“That is because he was protecting your mom and you. He is always away fighting people. Every mission that your mom went on, your father was with her.” Cal said.

“Protecting me from what? I don’t understand.” It was taking all my energy not to yell. There was a slow movement in the background. Cal and his mom sprung up and turned towards my doorway, standing in front of me. Alex was standing right there.

“Mallory, you have them.” Alex stepped near me and Cal stepped forward. “You have the Gifts.”