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Five

Author: Crystal

Last Updated: 2023-03-21 00:21:36

Ava's

POV:

I couldn't move.

For a whole wide second, I couldn't move. And then I jerked up, gasping for air. Everything rotated in front of my eyes. I had to blink several times before my vision readjusted.

A small whimper escaped my lips. I couldn't feel the pain. But at the same time, I could. It felt extremely strange.

Looking around, I realized how I had been laying down on the grass. We were surrounded by trees. And the sun was nowhere in sight.

It was still night.

Will.

As if sudden realization hit me, I stood up immediately. Part of me wanted to wince out loud in pain. But there was no pain.

When I was completely standing, I looked around for my car. I remembered the sudden crash. I remembered how I was inside that car.

How come I was laying on the grass then?

God, where was

Will?

It took me seconds before I spotted the car. The front was smashed against a tall tree trunk. That wasn't what bothered me.

"Will!" I heard my shout before I ran towards the passenger door. I couldn't see him through the smashed window. I tried opening the door but it wouldn't budge.

Sudden panic was coursing through my veins. My hands were trembling. My vision was edging with panic.

"Oh my God." I whispered in horror. I had no idea what to do. What if Will was badly injured? Where was my bag? My phone? I ran towards the other door to get my bag. I needed to call 911. Mom, dad. Anyone.

Surprisingly, it wasn't hard opening the other door. When I opened it, I recoiled back in horror.

No, it wasn't horror. It was pure dread.

In front of me, on the driver's seat, covered in dark red blood, was...me.

"No." I couldn't believe how low my voice had dropped off to.

How

the

hell

was

this

happening?

Maybe it was my brain. I knew how I hallucinated a lot when I was panicking. My mind tricked me a lot in panic attacks.

This wasn't real.

But it looked real. It felt like I was looking in a mirror. That person was me. My reddish hair streaked with the dark red substance. My for head on the steering wheel. My hand looked lifeless for some reason.

looked

lifeless.

Maybe if I touched it, my mind would stop playing tricks on me. I needed to know that it was just my eyes playing foolish tricks on me. Blinking, I stepped forward towards it. But was stopped by a hand on my arm. "Don't touch it."

Once again, in utter horror, I turned around abruptly. And I was met with dark black eyes. So dark that I forgot to breathe for a second.

"What?" I whispered. It was a boy just around my age. But taller.

His eyes traveled towards the car. I followed his gaze towards the opened door. Unfortunately, I was still there. My head still slumped against the steering wheel.

can't

me.

"That is you." He spoke out.

I looked back at him, a frown forming on my forehead. Maybe it was the whole incident making me think extra slow or maybe it was the fact that I was seeing myself unconscious in a car. But when realization hit me, I realized how he was the same person who had come in front of the car.

Who had caused the car crash.

Who had been standing in the middle of that isolated road.

On instinct, I scrambled back. Away from him. The adrenaline rushed in my ears. In an almost feverish way.

"You–You!" I tried to come up with words. Looking at him, I realized how he wasn't hurt. Not even a single bit. "You're not hurt!"

I clearly remembered how the car had hit him. And the loud crashing sound. He should be dead.

God.

"Of course, I'm not hurt." His dark gaze looked over at me with a surprisingly calm look.

This

must

one

those

extreme

panic

attacks. I'm

going

crazy. I

need

call 911.

Without waiting for another crazy thing to happen, I stepped towards the door. I started looking around for my bag. My phone.

Where

was

it?

"Don't step towards it." He pulled me back with his hand on my arm. I pulled back instantly as if my arm was on fire.

"I need to call my parents!" I shouted in exasperation. "This is not me! Why the hell can't I step towards it?"

He blinked before a slight frown formed on his forehead.

"You're dead, Ava."

I registered him with a long, silent look.

"Leave me alone." I whispered.

"I can't." His eyes seemed to darken.

"Please leave me alone." At this point, I was clearly begging him. "Please go. Whoever you are. Please let me call someone!"

His calm demeanor seemed to falter at that.

"It won't matter. You are already dead."

That didn't help. At least, not with my panicky state. "I'm not dead!" I yelled. "I'm standing right here! You can see me!"

He just shook his head. I lost it at that. Completely. Knowing there was only one way, I took a step back. Then turned around and ran.

I didn't know what I was doing. I just knew how I needed to stay away from him. He could be a psychopath. A killer. After all, which person in their right mind would stop between a road, in front of a car?

I just kept on running. The thought of William back in there made an unwilling sob escape my throat. Until I slammed into someone.

"I told you it won't matter." Horror surrounded me as I saw the same dark-eyed boy in front of me. The mere fact that he was holding my arm made me struggle.

"Leave me alone!" I shouted, fidgeting. Unfortunately, his grip was strong. But not too harsh.

"Ava, I'm trying to help you!"

"I don't know you! I don't even know how you know my name!" I shouted as tears blurred my vision. "Why can't you help me in a normal way? My brother is dying back there! Why don't you call a normal freaking ambulance?"

"He's not dead." He said. "But you are. And you need to come with me."

I stopped fidgeting at that.

"I'll scream." I whispered. Which wasn't a lie. I knew I would scream. Any second. Because my vision was edging with panic. I was starting to see red now.

"You don't believe me? Look back there." He turned me around, a bit harshly. My eyes traveled off to my car. It wasn't alone out there anymore. Instead, two ambulances were there beside it. Paramedics were rushing out. And there were sirens. And a body on a stretcher trolley was being taken inside the ambulance.

"Will." I whispered. Huge wave of relief washed over me when I saw his eyes blinking. He was bleeding. So bad. But he was alive.

And then I saw another person being taken inside the ambulance. On another stretcher trolley. And a cold feeling overtook the relief.

was

me.

Still me. I had not been imagining it. It was me. They were taking me inside that ambulance.

But

was

here.

Why couldn't they see me here?

"You are dead." I heard a voice behind me.

My eyes widened at that before I turned around, facing him once again. "Who are you?"

could

see

me.

They couldn't.

"Hayden. I'm Hayden."

Something was not right. I knew that. As if he could've read my thoughts and was expecting me to run away again, his grip tightened around my arm.

"And you need to come with me."

"Where?"

"Underworld."

The next few seconds went by in silence. I was trying my best to register the only word he said. But it didn't make sense.

Maybe

this

dream. Maybe

never

left

grandma's

house.

"My parents-"

"They have been informed about the accident." He interrupted. He was still calm. As if this wasn't horrifying for him.

"I can't go with you." My voice came out firm. "Whichever place you're talking about. I don't care what kind of crazy psychopath you are, but I'm not going anywhere with you!"

I tried pushing him after that. But he was taller than me. And his mere presence felt scary.

"You'd really thank me later. Do you know that?" He asked. Hidden anger was laced in his voice.

I struggled even more. And started shouting out loud for help. To get the attention of anyone.

"They are not going to listen." He said.

With angry tears, I tried pushing him again. But this time, he held on to my other arm too.

"Why are you doing this? Please don't do it! I have a family!"

"I know that, Ava." His mere glare made me freeze at my spot. "It's not my choice. Death is nobody's choice."

I slapped him across his face at that moment. My palm stinging with the sudden pain. His face fell in surprise as his grip on my shoulders loosened. But before I could've pulled back, he grabbed my waist. And between my struggling and shouts, he managed to mutter few words.

"I had no idea you'd be that crazy."

"No! No, leave me alone!"

And then everything happened so fast.

He touched his thumb lightly on my forehead. The surroundings seemed to lower in temperature. Almost as if it was snowing. I felt my consciousness drifting away.

And then I blacked out.

For the second time.

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Forsaken Twenty Six
The morning came too soon, the first rays of light filtering through the dark clouds that always seemed to hang over the Underworld. I lay in Hayden’s arms, my body still warm from the night before, and for the first time in what felt like forever, I allowed myself to feel at peace.Hayden’s chest rose and fell rhythmically beneath my cheek, and I could hear the steady beat of his heart. It was a sound I never wanted to stop hearing, a rhythm that had quickly become the anchor to the storm that had taken over my life.But even in this moment of tranquility, my thoughts were a tangled mess. Last night had changed things between us in ways I wasn’t even sure I could fully understand yet. The connection we had felt when we made love—it had been more than just physical. There was something deeper, something primal that bound us together now.I shifted slightly, careful not to wake him, and stared up at the ceiling of the cavern we had taken shelter in. The flickering shadows danced across
Forsaken Twenty Five
The silence after the battle with the furies clung to the air like the oppressive weight of a storm that had yet to pass. My heart still raced in my chest, and though Hayden stood before me, the sword he had wielded so fiercely was now lowered, his body stiff with tension. His eyes, sharp and blazing with that fierce protective fire, met mine. For a moment, I felt a swell of relief wash over me.But that feeling was short-lived. A dark presence still lingered, and though the furies had been driven away for now, I could feel their eyes on us from afar, watching, waiting. My body trembled, not just from fear, but from something deeper—a growing realization that no matter what, they weren’t going to stop.“Are you alright?” Hayden’s voice, though steady, held an undercurrent of tension.I nodded slowly, though I wasn’t sure if I was answering him truthfully. Physically, I was unharmed, but inside, my mind was a whirlwind. Everything that had just happened—it left me shaken. The furies ha
Forsaken Twenty Four
The air in the Underworld was different tonight. It was heavier, pressing down on my chest with every breath, as if the very atmosphere knew what was coming. Hayden and I had been hiding, waiting in this barren wasteland, but I could feel it in my bones—we were running out of time. The furies were close, closer than ever before, and the silence of this place only heightened the tension coiled within me.I hadn’t slept well. My dreams had been filled with twisted images, of flames and green-eyed creatures whispering my name. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw the furies, their distorted faces grinning as they reached for me, their claws outstretched to rip me apart. I woke up several times in a cold sweat, my heart hammering against my ribs, the sense of dread lingering long after the dream had faded.But there was no time to dwell on nightmares. Not here. Not with the threat of the furies hanging over us like a storm ready to break.I sat up, pulling my blanket tighter around my shoul
Forsaken Twenty Three
The cold air hit me like a wave as we crossed through the portal, the world on the other side unfamiliar and foreboding. My chest tightened as I looked around, trying to orient myself. Nothing felt right. Everything seemed darker here, the sky an endless stretch of stormy clouds swirling above. My pulse quickened."Where are we?" I whispered, my voice barely cutting through the silence.Hayden was beside me, his hand gripping mine tightly, but his expression was distant, unreadable. He didn't answer right away. He just stood there, his body stiff, tension rolling off him in waves. I wanted to pull him closer, ask him again, but something held me back. Maybe it was the way his eyes narrowed as he scanned the landscape, or maybe it was the fear gnawing at the edges of my mind.It was like the very air here was charged with something dark, something old. I could feel it beneath my skin, a low hum that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end."It's a place in the Underworld," H
Forsaken Twenty Two
The fire between them simmered, lingering in the air long after they had pulled away. Hayden’s hands slid from Ava’s waist, but the magnetic pull remained. Ava could see it in his eyes—the unspoken desire, the fear that came with it. The battle wasn’t just against the furies; it was within themselves too. And right now, they had reached a precipice, standing at the edge of something inevitable.Ava shifted slightly, her gaze flickering toward the window where the faint glow of twilight crept through the curtains. The world outside seemed quiet, almost too quiet, as if it were holding its breath for what would come next.“They won’t stop, will they?” Ava’s voice broke the silence. She wasn’t asking a question, more so confirming the dark truth they both knew. The furies would never stop. Not until they had Hayden’s power, not until they tore them apart.Hayden’s jaw tightened as he stared into the distance. “No,” he admitted. “They’re relentless.”Ava swallowed hard. “Then we don’t hav
Forsaken Twenty One
I paced across the room, my heart racing as the echoes of my last dream still clung to my skin. The furies. The whispered warnings, the icy grips, and the terror—they were becoming more real with every passing day. The eerie connection between me and the Underworld was no longer something I could brush aside.I glanced at my bracelet, the obsidian stones now cool against my skin. They’d stopped heating up, but the memories of their warmth haunted me. Every time they had glowed, I had felt something lurking—something close, as if the furies were watching me from the shadows, ready to strike again. And they had. More than once.Hayden hadn’t been around as much since their last confrontation, and that absence gnawed at me. I had told myself I didn’t need him to face my problems, that I could handle it all alone. But the truth was, she missed him—missed the way he seemed to ground me when the world spun out of control.A soft knock on the door interrupted my thoughts. I knew who it was ev
Forsaken Twenty
My mother's relentless pursuit of a marriage arrangement had reached a fevered pitch, and I found myself trapped in a web of expectations and obligations that threatened to smother me. The rich family boy she had chosen as my prospective groom came from a background as opulent as our own, and the alliance was deemed advantageous for our family business.It was an arrangement my mother had been working on diligently, convinced that it would offer me stability and security after the harrowing near-death experience that had marked my life. Her intentions were well-meaning, but the weight of her expectations pressed down on me, making me feel like a pawn in a game I had no desire to play.The news of this impending marriage was a suffocating revelation, and I couldn't bear the thought of a life mapped out for me, devoid of choice and autonomy. Panic gripped my heart, and I knew I needed an escape from the stifling confines of my world.I had heard about a crowded bar on the outskirts of t
Forsaken Nineteen
It was a warm summer evening, and my mother had spared no expense to celebrate my birthday. The grand ballroom of our mansion was adorned with opulent decorations, and the chandeliers cast a soft, golden glow over the elegantly dressed guests. The air was filled with laughter, clinking glasses, and the hum of conversations as the well-dressed crowd mingled.The party was a lavish affair, a spectacle designed to showcase our family's status and wealth. My mother had invited an array of influential people, and the mansion's gardens were transformed into a wonderland of twinkling lights, flower arrangements, and tables laden with gourmet delights.Despite the grandeur of the celebration, I found myself retreating from the crowd, excusing myself with a polite smile and a promise to return shortly. The truth was, I felt like a mere observer in this extravagant display. The faces around me were familiar but distant, and the smiles and well-wishes only served to remind me of the enigmatic wo
Forsaken Eighteen
It had been a few days since the chilling encounter at the charity event by the lake. The events of that night had left me shaken, and I couldn't shake the feeling that a sinister force was closing in on me. The bracelet with its obsidian stones and the enigmatic connection to the Underworld had become a heavy burden I carried, and I found myself longing for a sense of normalcy.On a quiet afternoon, my grandmother came to visit with an air of unease about her. Her normally cheerful demeanor had been replaced by a sense of foreboding. She had been having troubling dreams, she told me, dreams that were filled with darkness and whispered warnings. Her charms and divinations, passed down through generations, were telling her that something ominous loomed over our family, and, most importantly, over me."Darling," she said, her eyes searching mine with concern, "something is amiss. The charms have been restless, and the dreams have been haunting me. Have you noticed anything unusual? Have

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Five

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