Falling Into Darkness: The Under Series Book 1 (5 page)

I changed out of my pyjama bottoms and into my skinny black jeans, a red and black stripy vest top
and an oversized black jumper, finished off with my black heel high tops. I heard a vehicle pull up
outside the cabin as I made my way down the stairs which creaked under my feet as I went. I
stopped at the bottom Seth wasn’t around and the lights were all off except for the light coming
from the outside porch. I walked over to the front door it was slightly ajar.
I peeked through the gap, Micah was getting out of his truck. What was he doing here? He was still
dressed in dark clothing it reminded me a lot like the boy I had seen earlier. Micah strolled up the
steps, even the way he walked irritated me he acted so superior to everyone. I felt bad for the
eavesdropping I was about to do but something was going on that these two weren’t telling me
about and if it involved me I wanted to know what it was.
Micah leaned back against the railing he had an energy drink in his hand fiddling with the lid, I
couldn’t see Seth he must have been sitting on the bench nearer the wall.
“Why didn’t you answer your cell?” Seth asked sounding annoyed with him.
“I've been busy. What's up?” Micah asked.
“She went for a walk earlier along the river,”
“So that’s it the big emergency she went for a walk, what did she trip and bump her knee?”
“No she took the dog with her and said she bumped into some teenage boy down there.” I could see
Micah from this angle his cocky expression had changed to a frown.
“What! No one walks in these woods it's too far out. So how bad is it should we expect the dog
warden tomorrow or is there something I need to take care of in the woods.” he said tilting his head
towards the trees.
I couldn’t believe he had just said that was he joking?
“Ha ha funny but no that's not it. See that’s what I thought no one comes up here who could it
possibly be and apparently the dog seemed to like this boy they even played fetch together. So what
was he doing here?”
“How should I know? I've been at the club all day.” Micah replied.
Club. What club was he talking about?
“Micah you know I want to keep her away from all this. There was no reason for him to be up
here.”
“I might of mentioned you had a rough night, he probably just dropped by to check everything was
all right,” Micah said taking a sip of his drink.
“Well he doesn’t need to, I’m quite capable of keeping an eye on my own sister when she’s here.”
Seth sounded agitated.
“We both know that’s not true you were probably sleeping last night off until after lunch or am I
wrong?”
Something nudged my leg it was Gunner trying to get past I moved back quietly and the dog opened
the door wide enough for himself to fit through. If either one of them came over to the door they
would see me, I moved back and hopped up a few steps then came back down them making as
much noise as I could with my shoes.
“Seth,” I called.
“Out here, Rubes,” I went out onto the porch.
“Do you always dress like you're going to a funeral?” Micah asked.
I automatically looked down at myself I couldn’t help it then I glanced up at Seth who was shaking
his head.
“Ignore him. You look fine.” I looked back at Micah who was also dressed in black.
“You're one to talk you're wearing the same colour.” I snapped back at him.
“Yeah but the difference is I look good in this, it just makes you look really really pale” he said
looking cocky.
Micah was unbelievably rude. Seth was right he didn’t know how to act normal he had no filter on
what came out of his mouth.
“Now now, remember to be nice she is my little sister after all.”
Micah huffed and walked back to his truck.
“Have I done something to upset him?”
“No you haven’t. He just has a dislike for everything and everyone, he hates being here. You'll get
used to him and if he gives you any lip you have my permission to smack him. Gunner inside.” Seth
said locking the door behind the dog. Seth reached up and was trying to pick something from
behind the light fitting on the wall I couldn’t see what though.
“Why doesn’t he move if he doesn’t like it round here?” I asked watching Micah's rear lights fade
into the trees.
“Because he can't go back home. Here spare key.” he said chucking it at me I managed to catch it
out the air.
I wasn’t surprised he couldn’t go back home. It probably had something to do with the way he
spoke to everyone like they were dirt, his parents had probably kicked him out.
On the ride over I started mulling over everything that was happening. I glanced over at my brother
his face still looked the same. I could only go on what I had seen out of the window last night. Had I
really imagined it? I sat there fiddling with the thumb hole in my jumper.
Firstly Micah was a crazy person and had just hinted at burying a body in the forest. Seth trusted
him, I wasn’t so sure.
Secondly Seth and Micah both knew what I could do. Micah was different somehow and that's why
I couldn’t hear his thoughts but the second time I tried I succeeded and caught a glimpse of what? A
memory?
I heard the both of them talking about me to confirm it. They both knew about my ability but hadn’t
said anything to me about it but why?
Thirdly Seth had some strange healing power. Was that even possible? But if I could read minds and
according to Micah maybe see things in peoples heads I suppose it would be classed as mental
powers, did that mean Seth possibly had physical powers?
Fourthly that boy in the forest had come over to keep an eye on me....really? Had he been following
me the whole time?
Seth and Micah obviously knew him, was he the same person Micah told on the cell to stay away
from me, why would he say that to someone I had never met?
I looked out the window glad I hadn’t stayed behind in the cabin on my own, what if there were
more strange people lurking around in the forest. The thought sent a chill up my spine and I could
feel goosebumps running along my arms. I quickly turned away from the window.
There were so many things I couldn’t figure out just thinking about it this much was starting to give
me a headache. I glanced over at my brother he was tapping a beat on the steering wheel, he must
have fixed the radio as it was now blaring out something rocky which he was enjoying. All I could
hear was him singing full volume in his head he wasn’t letting anything slip, he was purposely
singing to drain out any wondering thoughts I might hear.

We arrived at the bowling alley outside there was a big sign that read 'Big Dave's Bowl' underneath
it read 'Family Food and Fun' the parking lot was jam packed.
“So the thing is my friends are a pretty rough bunch from work and we usually sit in the bar area,
they don’t let kids on that side,” he said as he pulled out his wallet picking notes out. “Here's some
money for food you must be hungry there’s not much in the cabin I’ll go grocery shopping
tomorrow.”
“So basically you're dropping me off in the kiddie section, while you have drinks with your
friends.”
“Sorry it's just for tonight, we only hang out once a week and I didn’t like leaving you back at the
cabin on your own. I promise we will hang out tomorrow.....no wait I have work.”
“Seth I was joking, it's fine you don’t need to babysit me for the week. I don’t expect you to drop
everything because I’m here. I know you have work and everything, I’d be happy if we just got to
watch one game together okay,” I said smiling, he looked relieved I wasn’t mad at him. He tried to
hand me the money. “You know I have some of my own I could use.” Seth shook his head.
“Don't be stupid it's just money and I have enough to buy you dinner so take it already.” He pushed
it back into my hand. I was about to get out but froze with the door half open.
“Seth did you ring mom?” I looked at him in a state of panic.
“Yeah I already spoke to her.” He chuckled hopping out the truck, I followed him. “and....” I was
waiting for him to tell me how she went crazy and exploded, me leaving without telling her like
that.
“Well she wasn’t too pleased about the whole thing but like I said what’s she going to do about it.
She expects you back on Saturday.”
I pulled out my cell, she hadn’t even left a message me. There was nothing. I was surprised, but she
was probably fuming saving it all for me when I got back...great! With everything that had been
going on since I arrived I had completely forgotten about Seth ringing her. Well I was here and like
Seth said there's nothing she could do about it now so I would just have to brace myself for her full
fury for when I got back. But for tonight I was putting it to the back of my mind my head was
already over crowded with a million other thoughts.
Inside the place was huge, I looked around taking it all in. In front was a six lane bowling alley the
bar was further back and to the right there were entertainment tables for older children with arcade
games and past that there was a big play area for toddlers.
“So are you going to be all right?” he asked, I nodded looking around for somewhere to sit. “I'll be
over there if you want me” He motioned with his head and strolled off.
I found an empty table near one of the lanes. There was a menu on the table and a young girl came
over to take my order. I decided on the double cheeseburger with chips I was staving I hadn’t eaten
since breakfast and that had only been a slice of toast. I played a few games on my cell while I
waited.
“Hello,” a friendly voice said.
I looked up to see a girl standing at the end of the table I hadn’t even noticed her.
“Hi,” I replied.
She was tall, skinny with long dark brown hair that fell around her shoulders and down most of her
back complete with thick bangs. She looked to be about the same age as me.
“Sorry if I seem nosey, it's just that we saw you sitting over here on your own and wondered if you
wanted to come and sit with us or are you waiting for someone?”
She pointed at a table further down.
What are they doing now?
I heard her thinking.
She was looking back at the table at the two boys. The blonde one was throwing something in the
air across the table and the curly brown haired boy was trying to catch it in his mouth failing
terribly. There was another girl with shorter straight brown hair with red streaks shaking her head
watching the two boys messing about. They looked like fun and the girl standing next to me seemed
nice.
“Sure I just ordered some food but I’m on my own.” I said sliding out.
“Cool we just ordered, I’m Caitlin by the way,”
“Ruby,”
“That’s a pretty name, come on I’ll introduce you to everyone.”
She skipped ahead of me and stopped at the end of their table waiting for me to catch up.
“Everyone this is Ruby, Ruby this is Aimee......”
“No no no, Caitlin introduce us properly, here I’ll do it,” the curly haired boy interrupted “This is
Aimee our school....slut” he said mouthing the last part and using his hand as a wall to shield what
he was saying but Aimee obviously had a good idea that he hadn't said anything nice.
“Robbie I'm warning you I will physically hurt you one day so bad you wont be able to use that
filthy little mouth of yours,” she said pinching him in the arm. She then slung her arm round his
neck.
“This is Robbie our school sleaze, he is completely deluded in thinking every girl loves him.” She
put her hand up to her mouth to shield it from Robbie and mouthed, “They don’t.”
The blonde haired boy across the table started laughing at Robbie who was giving Aimee a
disgusted look shaking his head. She smiled at him, crossed her arms and leaned back in the seat.
“And this is Josh.” Caitlin said.
“Hey,” I said to no one in particular.
Josh jumped up and shot round to the other side of the table next to Robbie, Caitlin slid into the
empty seat and patted the spot next to her for me.
“So do you go to Heaven's Point High? I’ve never seen you there,” Caitlin asked.
“No I’m just visiting my brother for the week he's over there somewhere,” I said looking in his
general direction.
“FOOD!” Robbie said loud enough that the people around us turned their heads in our direction.
Everyone had ordered burger and chips except Caitlin she had ordered a veggie burger. They all
seemed a friendly bunch that genuinely liked me and when I heard Caitlin's thoughts this only
backed that up. Caitlin's thoughts were of Aimee and how surprised she was that Aimee was being
so nice to me. Apparently Aimee was known to have an attitude and a bad mouth on her and didn’t
welcome newcomers. So I must be doing something right for her to like me. Robbie was a bit of a
show off and his thoughts consisted mainly of girls, girls and more girls. He was rating girls on a
scale from one to ten that he had seen walking past from his school. Gross!
Aimee was definitely right about him. Josh was quieter and he only had one thing on his mind and
that was Caitlin he obviously had a huge crush on her.
After we had eaten Aimee and the boys went over to the air hockey table leaving me and Caitlin
chatting, she was showing me pictures of her dachshunds that she called her crazy sausage dogs
when I noticed my brother strolling towards us.
“Hey I have somewhere I have to be,” he said shoving his hands in his pockets, waiting for me.
It wasn’t like I had a choice when I left as he was the one with the car. So I had to go with him
whether I wanted to go now or not.
Going to be late!
I was glad I was the only one who could hear him what was the rush, late to what exactly? I smiled
and turned to Caitlin she did a sad pout with her lips.
“Maybe I'll see you guys again before I leave.” I said standing up.
“Wait let me give you my number,” Caitlin said.
I sat back down and pulled my cell out, Caitlin keyed in her number as Seth's cell started ringing.
“Rube's are you all right to go with Micah?” he asked, cell to his ear.
“Err yeah I guess,” I replied, not that I really wanted to get in a car with Micah but if it meant
staying a bit longer with my newly made friends I would just have to put up with him on the way
home.
Aimee joined us again at the table along with the boys and we spent the next hour just chatting. I
got to hear all about their school, the teachers and how much they were all looking forward to going
back next week. It was a shame I wouldn’t be here for any of it.
“Right well we have to get going soccer practise tomorrow, up early,” Josh said grabbing his bag.
“You girls coming tomorrow?”
I think everyone noticed he was mainly directing that question at Caitlin.
Say yes,
I heard Josh
thinking.
“Yeah Josh we'll be there.” Aimee, chirped in.
I noticed Caitlin had turned a rosy pink and was trying to avoid looking at him, she was instead
looking at her bracelet spinning it around her wrist.
“Ruby you should come with us,” Aimee said.
I agreed I had nothing better to do tomorrow and Seth said he was working, I didn’t want to stay at
the cabin all day on my own anyway. The boys had only stepped outside when Aimee grabbed the
menu leaned over the table and started fanning Caitlin with it.
“Breath girl. He's only a boy.” Aimee said.
“He really likes you,” I said to Caitlin.
“You think so? I'm not so sure,” she said taking a sip of her drink.
“Oh you two drive me crazy, I’ve been telling her for months that he likes her but she won't believe
me, it's so obvious.”
Aimee was now banging Caitlin on the head with the menu in a playful manner. Caitlin looked at
me.
“She's right, it's really obvious.” I said. We were all laughing when Micah appeared out of nowhere.
“Time to go little lady,” he said.
I cringed had he really just said that I wasn't a three year old.
“We can take her home,” Aimee said.
Micah looked at her then back at me.
“I don't know.....I think I should take her home.”
What was with this guy they would be saving him a journey out to the middle of nowhere, which I
was pretty sure he didn’t really want the hassle of anyway.
“No it's no problem, I don't mind driving her back.” Caitlin said.
“Plus we just put in an order for one of those massive chocolate ice cream towers, that we need
Ruby to help us finish it.” Aimee said smiling sweetly it was a lie but he didn’t know that, so I
shrugged and looked at him.
He scratched the back of his neck.
“All right but it's quite a trip out of town. You'll probably get lost,”
“It's fine.” Aimee snapped.
“Fine but you're to take her straight home no detours and what’s your driving like?”
I couldn't believe what I was hearing, this was embarrassing I hardly knew Micah now he was
interrogating my new friends.
“I'm an excellent driver plus it's my mom’s car so I’m extra careful.” Caitlin said looking a little
flustered.
“I want her home by ten,”
I scowled at him who was he to give me a curfew. He noticed my scowl and returned it. His cell
started vibrating he looked at the caller ID then back at us.
“Fine eleven, I’m trusting you with her.”
He aimed the comment at Caitlin then stalked off with his cell to his ear and out the front door.
I watched him walk past the windows, I turned to see the girls doing exactly the same.
“I am so sorry Caitlin, that was really weird I hardly know him,” I said.
She was taking another sip of her drink staring over the rim at me nodding like it was no big deal.
“Actually I thought it was kind of hot.” Aimee said twirling a strand of her hair around her finger.
We both stared at her and burst into giggles.
“I just thought it was creepy. How do you know him again?” Caitlin asked.
“He's friends with my brother and I only met him yesterday.”
“Maybe it's a good thing he's not driving you home he's a little.....” Caitlin was searching for the
right word.
“Dominant! I like guys like that.” Aimee said.
Her eyes we're scanning the parking lot out the window for him but he was long gone.
“You know you're lucky that guy rarely comes in here and when he does the girls are drawn to him,
like bees to the honey pot but he never has anything to do with any of them. Even I've tried talking
to him but he just shook his head, did this little walking action with his fingers and told me to 'run
along' and trust me boys don't normally turn this down.” she said pointing to herself.
Caitlin just shook her head laughing, she was obviously used to this sort of talk from Aimee.
We actually did end up ordering one of the chocolate ice cream towers Aimee had mentioned, it
took us half an hour to finish the thing. I felt slightly sick by the time we all piled into Caitlin's
mom's car. I was silently praying I didn’t throw up all over the back seat. Caitlin turned the key to
start the car but nothing happened so she waited thirty seconds and tried again.
“What's wrong?” Aimee asked sounding rather annoyed and bored.
“I don't know? Mom's car has never not started before.” Caitlin said turning the key again.
“Should we look under the hood or something?” Caitlin asked us.
“How should I know? I’m not a mechanic.” Aimee said pulling her earbuds out of her pocket and
popping them into her ears.
Caitlin and I got out of the car lifted the hood and stood there unsure what to do next.
“Any ideas?” She asked. I shook my head wrapping my arms around myself to try and keep warm.
“Is there anyone you can call?”
“I'll try my dad, hopefully he hasn’t gone to bed already.”
She scrolled through the numbers on her cell.
“Can I be of assistance,” said a voice from behind us.
We both spun around to find rather cute looking boy watching us.
He was tall with floppy layered blonde hair and even in this light I could see it had been bleached
that way as his eyebrows were dark. He had on scruffy looking jeans, boots and a short grey sleeved
T-shirt.
“Do you know anything about cars?” I asked him.
“A little, here move out the way, let me have a look.” he said.
I glanced over at Caitlin hearing her thoughts she's was more worried he was going to break
something else. I moved to the side to let him past pulling Caitlin with me.
“It won't hurt for him just to look it's not like he can make it worse.” I said trying to reassure her.
He leaned over the car, I noticed a tattoo on the inside of his right forearm it was a black sun with
black flames and I caught a light scent coming from him. It smelled like roses I remembered the
smell from when I was little we had a small rose bush at the bottom of our garden and the smell was
exactly the same. He turned to Caitlin.
“Try it now,” he said.
I found myself smiling for no apparent reason at the sound of his voice. I quickly stopped when I
noticed Caitlin looking at me.
I nodded my head to her approving what he had just said. She scurried round to the drivers side. I
turned back to find the guy looking at me with a smirk on his face. The first word that popped into
my head was 'hot' he definitely looked hot. I was surprised Aimee hadn’t got out of the car and
jumped on him.