Winds Of The Apocalypse (35 page)

“Oh, careful…” Casey whispered as Jon moved back to allow Casey and Colin
to carry Morgan’s two parts in.

Colin laid Morgan's body on his bed and Casey laid his soul right next to it, gently stroking
his dreads away from his face.

“Is Lisa
…?” Casey heard Toby ask Colin.

“We are not sure.” The latter stuttered. “I think that she had sacrificed herself for us…It wasn'
t a trap…She was really human…”

Their quiet words soon became nothing but inaudible mumble to Casey
as she sat down by her brother.

Morgan looked so fragile it utterly hurt Casey to see him like that. She wasn't used to Morgan being so helpless and although she will never admit it she liked being the week twin,
the one that was taken care of.

This whole hero persona she had to take on in M
organ’s absence, it wasn't her.

"He's not…" Toby asked, noticing that the life support system that Morgan was brought back f
rom the hospital with was gone.

“Where…?”

"Long story…" Colin said flatly.

"He will be fine." Casey said
confidant as she turned to May.

"No thanks to you by the way. I almost lost him because of you’re stupid attempt at getting my brother. Is this the way you wanted him
in? All helpless and willing?"

May gulped, she was genially afraid of Casey. She was about to open her mouth to defend herself again but Casey's glare silenced her from any
attempt of trying.

“You be careful of what you might think to say.” Casey warned her.” you are going to help me bring him back cuss if you don’t…Well Morgan is not awake right now to stop me from
murdering you.” She threatened.

The room went silent, Casey sounded dead serious with her death threat on the blond girl’s life. And no one seemed to even try to argue. Even Colin and Toby who were ones on her side had seemed to tu
rn their back on defending her.

“Now.”
Casey patted Morgan’s hand lightly and then got up from her sit.

“Since we currently lost the only connection we had to those things, the only ally that was willing to help us you are going to do exactly as I say, is that
clear?” Casey asked aggravated.

”I…” May’s lips trembled, she felt the tears push up her throat but Casey ignored her horror.

“Now if you don't want to join the previous moron that summoned the apocalypse you better spill May. Where is the damn crystal that Utopia had divided?" May breathed out in fear.

“I don’t…I don’t know…”

Casey’s hand was at her throat before she could even blink. No one saw her move.

”Are you sure?”

“No…No please…” May begged. “I really don’t know.” Casey pressed down on her neck, making her knees buckle. “Please…Please Casey stop…I’ll…I’ll tell you what I know.” Casey let her go, watching May drop to her knees.

”Well?”

”There are…” May let out a hiccup, desperate to prevent Casey from hurting her any further. “There are three riddles...That...Well; each leads to a different part of the crystal…." She mumbled.

”
Bulshit!” Casey snarled.

“No! No! It’s true!” May’s e
yes glistered with fresh tears.

"Utopia made them so she could find the pieces in case she will be sent back to her world and the knowledge of this one will be lost to her so she entrusted each riddle to a human…Or a former human who swore to serve her. I only know the first….But the first supposed to lead you to the others!" She quickly added, still scared of what Casey might do to her. Casey was unpredictable in her anger and May didn't wan
t to get on her worse side.

“So Utopia decided to play games, I see.” Casey c
rossed her arms over her chest.

"Very well, we can play her little game for now. Wh
at is the first riddle, then?!"

She demanded, taking a step
forward to the frightened girl.

“Casey…” Jon took her arm. “Stop being l
ike that, you are scaring her.”

“Good, s
he deserves it.” Casey growled.

”But it doesn’t suit you at all, this isn’t you." Jon shook his head sadly and something in Casey’s eyes softened. No, it wasn't her but she f
elt like it had to be done.

“What is the first riddle May?” Jon asked her quietly and sighing deeply May b
egan to recite the shaky words.

"And in the place it spilled as red as wine, like the br
ed we eat that lost its shine."

Casey huffed, looking in deep thought for a moment but then suddenly his eyes widened
and she sprung up on her feet.

"My god!
Did Utopia think that this would be funny?!" She snapped particularly to no one.

"Did she plan it from
the start?! How did she know?"

“What will be funny? What did she kn
ow?” May looked at her puzzled.

”Never mind…C’mon,” She looked at Jon. “I know where it is.”
She said, headed for the door.

”Huh?
Wait! How?” Jon hurried after her.

“I'll explain on the way!" Casey blurted, practically running out the do
or.

“
Ehh,” Jon looked at the others.

"Go, we will stay with Morgan." Colin nodded; he wasn't going to leave him alon
e with May, which was for sure.

Toby and Jon exchanged worried looks between them and then fallowed Casey to uncover the mystery of the f
irst riddle.

A mystery that apparently Casey had al
ready uncovered all by herself.

"Casey! Casey! Casey! Fucking
slow down already!" Toby and Jon found it hard to keep up with Casey's rushed half running.

“We have to find the first peace of the crystal!" Casey stated, not slowing down
but actually hurrying her pace.

"Yes, but we have to solve the riddle first! Casey!
Stop!" Casey stopped and turned around, annoyed.

"I told you!” She said, glaring at them coldly. “I already solved it." She said more calmly,
not a bit of glee in her voice.

"You did?" Toby looked at her fairl
y impressed. "Then what is it?"

"Well," Casey began to walk again, slower than before as she explaine
d the riddle to her companions.

"I tried to look at it from an apocalypse point of view." She said
, feeling a bit more relaxed now that they had something to go by. "They feed on souls so I assumed that that is their bread and I know of only one thing spilled unnaturally this year in the school that is red as wine and connected to a soul. It's blood."

Casey ex
plained to her puzzled friends.

"So you thin
k…" Jon began and Casey nodded.

“It’s very religious, don’t you think?” Toby frowned. "I wouldn't think that a hellish monster would wi
llingly choose such symbolism."

”No.”
Casey shook her head. “I think it is Utopias private joke on the matter so the crystal is where Morgan fell, or was pushed down to actually. It has to be." She declared, stepping down the steps to the place where Morgan’s body was found.

They did the rest of the way in silence, each in his own train of thoughts until they stepped down from the last step, standing in the place where less than a week ago Morgan’s blood
was almost spilled to the core.

"Where do you think it is?" Toby asked, looking around the empty l
obby.

"Look for a place so obvious you would n
ever think about it." Jon said.

"That's where I would hide something like that and remember
that she is not very creative."

"Like the central air shaft?" C
asey asked with an amused tone.

Jon nodded thoughtfully. “Yes,
like the central air shaft or…"

"No! Look!" Casey interrupted him, po
inting at the wall behind them.

Jon smiled.

"Oh! Perfect." Casey hurried to the dark opening.

"Toby, help me up." Toby
hurried to her side, blushing.

He crouched by the wall and crossing his arms before him, created a thi
eves step for Casey to step on.

Casey placed her leg on Toby's hands and within a second was lifted easily to the dark shaft; at times like this Toby thanked god for Casey being such a skinny person, you wouldn't believe how many situations like th
at they already had growing up.

"Can you see anything in there?" Toby asked, keeping a firm grip on Casey’s
legs, careful not to drop her.

"Yes…" Casey stretched out her slender arm and reached into the dark sh
aft.

"Yeah.
A little higher, Toby. Oh!" Casey made a surprised sound when Toby sharply pushed her higher.

"What?” Jon asked in a worried tone. ”What is it?” He enquired as Casey's
hand slid into the black hole.

"There is…” Casey huffed, her hand seemingly touching nothing. “There is some kind of a hologram here…Or something…The wall inside is not real, it's hollow. I… Hold on…" Casey leaned over the wall, supporting herself on one arm she reached her tiny hand further, feeling the silhouette of something cold and square shaped against the tips of her fingers.

”
Oohhh!! Agghh!” She suddenly screamed in horror.

“Casey!” Both Jon and Toby screamed as Toby uncrossed his hands in fear and Casey fell right into his arms. Both he and Jon stared down at her petrified as she began to laugh.
“Kidding.” She said, flicking her tongue out at them.

“This is not funny!” Toby fum
ed. “I could have dropped you!”

“Oh relax.” Casey looked
back at the weird dark hollow.

“Here…” She whispered to herself as she unlocked her hand from around the apparent small box she pulled out of the gap, completely ignoring Toby'
s flustered look as he held her

"Err, Casey?" Toby begged her silently to put her legs on the ground so he could let her go. He
was feeling very uncomfortable.

“Oh! Careful!” Toby warned as she laughed and sprang down from his grip while he did what he could to lower her down carefully, examining the object that the
girl was holding in her hands.

"Pretty…" Casey mumbled, looking down curious at the small object as
well.

It was a silver jewelry box with a huge cockroach carved on the lid, and red bl
oody rubies on the sides of it.

“I seriously doubt that Utopia had made somethi
ng like this.” Jon pointed out.

“Yes…Me too.” Casey agreed. "Maybe May got it wrong. Maybe Utopia didn't write the
riddles, maybe she stole them."

“Who did it then? Who did she steal it from?” Toby enquired as Casey tried to pull the lid open but faile
d. She looked helpless at Toby.

“I don’t know but I doubt she kept him alive and it won’t
open, maybe we need a key?”

"No,” Toby looked at the box. “There is no key hole. Let me try." Toby said, taking the box into his hands and trying to get it to open as well but it just wouldn't budge in his grip.

Force wasn't the answer.

“I can’t…” Toby
growled.

”Shit! What are
we going to do?!" Casey whined.

"Don't panic." Jon said. “And don’t be so loud…” He warned
, looking at the set of students that had just walked past by them, looking at them weirdly, obviously they didn't see Jon.

"There has to be a way. “ Casey whispered after she was sure the annoying t
eens were out of hearing range.

"Maybe the person that is connected to the riddle is meant to open it?" Jon suggested shrugging.
“Maybe it’s meant for Morgan?”

“Why would Utopia mean something for only Morgan to be able to open? This does not make any sense. It looks more and more like
she hadn't planned it at all.”

"Casey,” Toby frowned. “None of this makes any sense but he might have a point here. Let's just try it. No harm will come from it.” Casey stared at
him for a moment and then sigh.

"Fine.”
She agreed, snatching the box from Toby's hands a little more sharply than she intended to and then hurrying back up the stairs.

Jon and Toby hurried up the stairs and thought the hall back to Casey's room and as Casey pushed the bedroom door open she was stunned and happy to find Morgan, although still lying on the bed where they had left him, looking up at his siblings as they came in from the hall
way, his soul completely awake.