Falling Into Darkness: The Under Series Book 1 (11 page)

I blinked and opened my eyes to darkness.
I was back in my bed, I sat up and checked myself to make sure it was my body.
I switched the bedside light on. I felt dizzy and my head was spinning, I had just been inside
Micah's head for the second time.
Catching a glimpse of a memory one that felt very real like I was really there, just stuck inside
Micah's body. My mind reading ability was going to a whole new level.
I tried to piece it together. I was inside a fight club that much I was pretty sure of. They all talked
about taking bets and it looked like Micah was a part of it. No wonder he wouldn't tell me where he
worked. Taking bets in an illegal underground fight club. So that's where he got all his money and
Seth was part of it.
It would explain seeing him all beaten up, but it didn't explain how he magically healed over night.
And they called Seth a Neph, what was a Neph, maybe it was his ring name? I would see Micah
soon, he did say he was taking me to school in the morning. I would just have to wait and see what
he has to say about all this.
I laid back down and suddenly wondered how I had even got into my bed, when I had last been
standing in the kitchen. I closed my eyes and tried not to think too much as my head was thudding. I
was too tired to get changed into my pyjamas, so I just pulled the throw over me and closed my
eyes.

The next morning I felt better and was out of bed early before my alarm had even gone off.
I got washed and dressed and found myself hovering around outside Seth's bedroom door. I had
already stopped myself from knocking on it twice. Why couldn't he just tell me, I wasn't a little girl
anymore I could handle the truth, no matter how scary the truth actually was.
I had just about mustered up enough courage to knock for real this time, when a hand grabbed my
arm and pulled me away from the door.
It was Micah and he had a frown on his face, the same one I was used to seeing every time I did or
said something wrong. Just now it didn't frighten me as much.
“Outside now,” he said, turning his back on me.
I slammed the truck door and glared at him, he glared back. A few moments passed this was getting
us nowhere and I didn't like the thought of eye to eye contact with him for too long. Goodness
knows where in his memory I would end up and I had school today I didn't want to sleep through a
whole day in the truck.
“Answers now, I want them proper ones. I'm not moving from this seat until you give me some,”
“That's fine, when I swing past school don't be to alarmed when I shove you out then,”he said,
reversing the truck.
“Micah I know about the fight club. Is that how you pay for everything with illegal underground
betting?”
“So you're saying you don't want the laptop, cause I bought it with shady money,”
“What no,”
“Then what's the problem? It's just one of those things that goes on behind closed doors, it's no big
deal. Anyway you shouldn't of been snooping in my head.”
“It was an accident, I didn't mean to. It just sort of happened when I looked into your eyes. I
remember thinking I wanted to know what you were hiding from me and the next thing I knew I
was inside your head.”
“Well try to control yourself, I know you have a hard job keeping your eyes off me,” he smirked.
“Yeah right. Is everything a joke to you?”
“No I take my job very seriously,”
“What taking bets at some dirty fight club,”
“No my other job,”
“And what's that stealing candy from small children?”
“Keeping you out of harms way,”
“Well you haven't done a very good job so far, my face is still not impressed with your batting
skills.”
“If I remember correctly I did tell you to stay in the cupboard. Maybe when I tell you to do
something in the future you should actually listen. So you obviously saw the inside of the club last
night when you invaded my head.”
“I didn't invade anything, I didn't even want to go in, I don't even know how I did it. This is all new
territory to me, I've only ever been able to hear thoughts or read minds but now with you I can for
some reason get into yours.”
“Yes and I'd prefer it if you stopped doing it, it's a huge invasion of privacy and you might see
things you shouldn't, so stop it. Now is there anything else from last night I should know about?”
“No, I just saw the club nothing else. But the fight club does explain why Seth came home all
beaten up though, but not how he went to bed all roughed up and woke up without a scratch on him.
Do you have anything to say about that?”
Micah just shrugged.
“No you don't get to brush me off anymore. You know I'm halfway to finding out the truth, you
might as well just fill in the gaps,”
“Err no, Seth would be less then pleased with me if I did that.”
“Fine I'll just figure it out on my own then. So Seth fights at this club, he then goes to bed all black
and blue and wakes up looking normal again. So either he's taking some illegal healing drug or his
body is physically healing itself. Both sound completely unrealistic, but if I can read minds that's
not exactly normal either. So I'm going to go with the ability to heal himself. If he's my brother and
we share the same genes how come I can't do that? It would of come in handy,” I said touching my
face where the bruising was.
“Your face looks fine,” he said pulling my hand away from it. “the bruising is already disappearing,
would you stop moaning about it already, you're like a broken record.”
“No I will continue to moan and be a complete nuisance until you start giving me answers,”
“Well good job for me you're at school for most of the day,” he said, parking the truck. “Go on, you
don't want to be late. I'll be back to pick you up. You've got my number if you need me for
anything,”
“Unlikely.” I said, slamming the door.
The day passed slowly and by late morning it was raining again. The cafeteria was packed due to
the rain outside and we couldn't find anywhere to sit, so Caitlin and I ended up sitting on the steps
inside school while Robbie and Josh skidded up and down the wet corridor floor.
The next class was English Literature, I couldn't work out if I was pleased about this or not. Sitting
next to Mack for a whole hour. A whole hour of not being able to hear his thoughts, a whole hour of
wondering what he was thinking.
Micah still wasn't telling me anything, I still had no idea what made him different why I couldn't
read his mind like every other normal human being. Maybe that was it he wasn't normal and neither
was I, but if we weren't normal then what were we? The bell sounded pulling me out of my random
thoughts.
“Hey, are you all right? You've been really quiet today,” Caitlin asked, as we walked to class.
“No I'm fine, I'm just tired, a lot going on at home with family stuff that's all,”
“Well if you ever want to talk I'm good listener.” I smiled and nodded, then found my seat.
Mrs. Barnes rushed in looking flustered. She was the art teacher that also filled in for any other
teacher on leave and doubled as the school secretary, her hair was in a bun again held up by a
pencil.
“Right everybody if you could all settle down,”
But no one seemed to have heard her or be taking any notice. “Mr. Gibson is off ill today, he said
there was a video he wanted you to watch for discussion in tomorrows class,” she said, checking the
desk and cupboards.
“Does anyone know where it would be?” she asked.
But everyone carried on chatting to one another, no one was paying attention. Another teacher
popped her head around the door.
“Edith there's a phone call at the desk, to do with school trip fees.”
“Oh okay, can everyone find something useful to do maybe catch up on reading or finish homework
while I'm gone.”
I looked around highly doubting anyone would suddenly get their homework out as no one was
even listening to her. I slumped down onto my desk and laid my head on my arms looking out the
window, the stool next to me was still empty. I wondered where Mack was, was he off sick or was
he just playing truant? More to the point why did I even care I didn't even know him, but it didn't
stop my mind from wondering. The stool next to me scraped back, I peeked over my arm, it was
just Caitlin.
“Poor Mrs. Barnes she's the schools lackey no wonder she looks on the edge of a mental break
down. I had her fill in for my history teacher, half way through the class she broke down in tears
and it was only the first day back. Kids are so mean.”
Caitlin pulled out her cell and started giggling.
“Josh just asked me if I was going to The Jump on Saturday night, what do I say?”
“I don't know are we definitely planning on going?” I asked, sitting back up.
“Well we have to go now seeing as Josh is going to be there.”
Her voice had gone high pitched clearly she was excited about this.
“Anyway don't you have a date with the janitor?” she said, a little louder than necessary that the girl
in front turned and gave me a dirty look.
“Shhh!”
“What I thought you liked him?” she said in a hushed tone.
“I do, I don't know, maybe? I haven't given it much thought. I don't know anything about him, I
don't even know how old he is?”
“Hmm, I'd say just by looking at him maybe twenty, twenty one which only makes him three years
older and he obviously likes you hence why he can't stop staring at you,”
“What are you talking about?” I looked at her and followed her gaze out the classroom door which
had been left wide open. In the corridor there was a ladder set up and Cam was at the top dressed in
his overalls and a cap. He was doing something to the light fitting, he was looking over in my
direction with a grin on his face. I laid my head back on my arms.
“He just looked over here again,”
“Stop it you're making it worse just ignore him. Weren't you in the middle of messaging Josh?”
“Oh yeah,”
I wasn't sure whether I liked the attention or not I didn't think it was a good idea to encourage it
though. So closing my eyes and hiding my face was the best way to avoid looking at him.

There was a little girl sitting on her bed drawing. She had drawn a picture of a garden full of the
strangest most colourful flowers. There were butterfly’s with wings much bigger than normal in
various colours, they blended in amongst the flowers. In the sky she had drawn a sun and a large
black bird with wings spread out soaring across sky. When she had finished she put all her crayons
back in the box, as she was doing this a tall hooded figure appeared in the room wearing all black
the hood covering the face of the stranger. She looked up and had the biggest smile on her face. She
stood up on her bed and started bouncing excitedly.
“You're here, you're here,” she said jumping around.
“Shhh! You'll wake everyone,” he said.
She giggled and jumped back onto the bed into a sitting position.
“I made you a picture,” she said handing it to him.
He moved over to the bed and sat at the edge next to her.
“Do you like it?”
“I love it, it looks very colourful.”
“Can you take me there now, please Cammy please,”
He shook his head.
“Not tonight, but soon princess, I promise.”
She pulled a sad face.
“I can't stay I have to get back,” he said standing taking the picture with him.
“But you haven’t read me a story,”
“All right but make it a short one tonight.” she hopped off the bed and went over to the bookcase,
quickly choosing a book she hurried back to her bed. He read her a a few pages, then closed the
book placing it on the bedside table.
“I have to go now but I’ll come back tomorrow and we'll finish it then, okay.”
She nodded, looking upset.
“Don't be sad, you know I can't stay, I promise I will be back tomorrow and I will bring you a
present.”
“A present, what is it?” A smile spread across her face.
“You will have to wait and see. Goodnight Princes,” Then he faded into the shadows of the room
and vanished.

I opened my eyes and sat bolt up right, I had been asleep dreaming in the middle of class. The
teacher was no where to be seen. Most of the teenagers were on their cellphones, some were
hanging out the windows and a few were now missing from the class. I breathed a sigh of relief, no
one had noticed my short nap, but knowing my luck someone had probably videoed me snoring or
drawn on my face. I self consciously started rubbing at my face when I noticed to my right there
was a pair of hands doodling a little stick man on a skateboard jumping a ramp in a flip pad,. I
looked higher to see Mack.
Across the room I could see Caitlin talking on her cell.
“Sweet dreams?”
“Huh,” I turned back to him, he kept his eyes fixed on his drawing.
“You've been like that for twenty minutes, mumbling and stuff. What were you dreaming about?”
“I don't remember,” It was a lie, but I wasn't about to share my dreams with him. “You were late,”
He looked at me and raised an eyebrow. “I had stuff to do, so what,”
“Caitlin was sitting there,”
“Yeah but this is my spot.”
I left the table and walked over to Caitlin who was sat next to Eddie, he had a biology text book
spread out and was taking notes. I leaned on the edge next to her.
“He actually told me to move, I mean what could I do. I got the feeling he would of removed me
himself if I hadn't jumped up willingly. I tried to shake you awake but you wouldn't wake up,”
“Sorry must be all those late nights catching up on me.”
I looked back at Mack, he was looking right back at me.
“Do you think it will be all right if I go to the bathroom?”
“I guess so, it's not like there's anyone to ask. Do you want me to come with you?” she asked.
Eddie looked up at us strangely. “I never get why girls need to follow each other to the bathroom, I
mean what do you do in there together?”
“Shut up Eddie, go back to your chem,”
“It's biology,”
“Whatever,” she replied looking at her cellphone.
“Oh it's Josh,” she squeaked. Eddie rolled his eyes at her.
“I'll be back in a minute,” I said dodging out the way of a paper aeroplane.
“How do they expect us to learn anything without a teacher it's a disgrace.” Eddie sighed frustrated.
“Nobody cares,” I heard Caitlin snap at him as I left the room.
I hurried past the ladder that was still propped up, Cam wasn't around though. I walked down the
empty corridor and heard the ladder rattling behind me so I quickened my pace and hurried around
the corner to the bathroom. I spent an extra five minutes at the sink messing around with my hair
hoping Cam would have finished and moved on by the time I went back. There was a thud at the
wall outside. I climbed up onto the sink to look out it was mostly likely a ball, I wasn't really
bothered just killing time. There were three small windows and the one nearest to me was open, I
pushed it out further and peered out. It was a ball, three of the boys that were meant to be in my
English class were outside kicking a ball around. In the distance I thought I could see the raven
sitting on top of a light in the parking lot but I wasn't sure. I hopped down off the sink, and left the
bathroom. Outside Cam was leaning up against the lockers.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
“Fixing the hinge on this locker. Why what do you think I'm doing?”
Waiting for me, I thought instantly. I shrugged and started walking back, he followed closely beside
me.
“So how has your second day been so far?”
“Good. The schools atmosphere is definitely more laid back than my last,”
“Yes I did notice the teacher had left you all unattended. What class are you meant to be in now?”
“English Lit,”
“Do you like it?”
“It's okay I guess.”
“So I saw you sitting next to that boy at the back,”
“Err yeah, his names Mack,”
“You know he's trouble, you should really stay away from him.”
“What, why do you know him?”
“No, but I know of him, he's bad news.”
“I thought he just moved here? He just started this week.”
“No he's been here a while,”
He slowed down before we reached the door and slid in front of me putting his arm out onto the
locker blocking me from getting past. His lips turned up in a sly smile.
“Don't you have some maintenance stuff you need to be doing?” I asked. His smile grew and he
stepped closer to me, I backed away into the lockers and he put his other hand on the locker beside
my head trapping me in the middle between his arms.
“Maybe some grass that needs cutting?” I said, backing against the locker realising he was only
inches away from my face.
“It can wait,”
He looked at me from under his cap, studying my face. Outside I was putting on a good front inside
I felt like a million butterflies were trapped fluttering around.
“What is that?” I asked, breathing in his delicious scent.
He touched the ends of my hair.
“It smells like Roses,” I said.
“Why do you like it?” he asked, the back of his hand gently grazed the edge of my face, his fingers
felt cold.
As it happens I did like it, the fragrance and his touch on my face. His cool touch felt lovely against
my flustered red cheek. But then I looked into his black vacant eyes and a chill went through me.
“Ruby,” Mack's voice distracted me and I looked over at him.
“Later princess,” Cam said, pulling his cap down lower.
Mack walked over to me he had his bag slung over his shoulder.
“I don't think the principal would be too happy about the janitor groping the students in the middle
of the corridor,”
“Well you best go inform him then,” I said, walking past him.
Why did he care? He grabbed me by the wrist and spun me back around to face him, he was about
to say something when I heard Caitlin behind me and he let go.
“Did I just interrupt something?” she asked.
“I don't think so,”
“Here,” she said handing me my bag and jumper. “Apparently Mr. Turner has also gone home sick,
some major stomach bug going round. So next class is cancelled.”
“Really, just like that?”
“Yep, Miss. Williams just told me. And there's no point sitting round here for another hour. Me and
Aimee are headed to The Bowler wanna come? I can give you lift home later,”
“Sure,” I pulled out my cell to message Micah.