The Creatures of The Night
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Josie’s pov
I showed up at the greenhouse after hours. I wasn’t excited to see Penelope alone but I had to clear things up.
She left a typed letter on my bed to meet her in the greenhouse after hours so we could talk. It wasn’t like Penelope to do that so of course I got a little worried.
I honestly don’t know why I’m mad at her, it’s all so confusing. I know it was me who hurt her and it was me that couldn’t admit I had feelings for her, and all because I was scared. I let someone go who was the only person that actually gave a shit about what I wanted. Not Lizzie, not Rafael, not Hope , it was Penelope..And I broke her. I remembered she didn’t leave her room for a month after. Never once returning my calls or texts.
My heart sank further as I walked into the greenhouse I couldn’t imagine seeing her so broken again. My body was telling me to run but my heart was telling me to work it out, sadly my heart isn’t smart so when I turned around to leave the door to the greenhouse slammed shut. I jumped my gasp catching in my throat, god Penelope just sent me here to pull a stupid prank. I should’ve known what a sneaky little b-, my thoughts were cut short by the sound of skittering across the wooden floor of the shelter. My fear getting the better of me I jolted into action.
I ran to the door and pounded as hard as I could, but my magic still was turned off as the stupid punishment from my father. (That girl shouldn’t had gotten that close to Penelope) god I hated him more than ever in this moment.
I saw something skitter over the bush and behind the vines out of the corner of my eye. It’s eyes were bright red like hell fire. The second the creature sensed me it sprung into an attack stance and began crawling towards me. I ran to the far corner as more and more of the creatures emerged from the corner of the room. Spiders. They were everywhere but they didn’t seem like regular spiders, no they were mutated for them to be three times the size. Drool oozed out of their mouths as they came closer to me... their prey.
My mouth dried and I couldn’t scream as they cornered me. My knees gave away and they lunged at me with so much force that I was knocked to the ground. I felt their fangs sink into my flesh forcing my blood to be sucked up by the insects. I desperately tried to screamed for someone to help as I clawed at the hard wooden floor.
Just as I came to grips that I was going to die the doors burst open and a figure cast a spell sending the insects into a fiery death. I could faintly hear the figure saying something but I still couldn’t place who it was and what they were saying.
When the mystery person went to help me up I began screaming as I flinched away from the touch. I was in too much pain to be touched. Before I could do anything else the person lifted me up. I screamed and sobbed trying my hardest to break free but their grip never faltered. I felt droplets of water hit my face and I recognized them as tears.
My body became tired and I slowly stopped struggling. Leaning into the weirdly familiar warmth I knew I was safe somehow even if I had no idea who was holding me in their arms. I heard the person let out a light sob just as my vision faded away.
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Penelope’s pov
My mind was clear as I breathed in the crisp midnight air. All my problems seemed to float away, and I felt relaxed at peace even. My serenity halted as I saw Rafael go into my... um the greenhouse.
He was carrying several crates and dragging many, i watched as he opened the greenhouse doors and pulled all the crates into the shelter.
"Whatcha doin wolfie?? Looking for grandma again?" I shouted as he walked back out this time looking incredibly different. He looked scared, darker even.
He glared at me and his eyes flashed something dark something I haven’t seen for a while not since- . He walked deeper into the forest, and I went back to watching the lake thoughts now crammed into my mind.
Another hour or so passed when I saw Josie carefully walking to the greenhouse. I usually would have said something a stupid insult maybe, but this was Josie and my heart sunk just looking at her. Why did she leave me that note why did she have to be so cruel. I watched as she walked into the greenhouse scoffing as I realized what was happening.
This was a date! She already was over me and my heart broke a little more as tears welled up in my eyes. I couldn’t bear to stay here while she was loving someone else. I started speeding toward the school when I saw a parchment piece of paper on the ground, it had the letters JS typed in the top.
'No other than Josie Saltzman'
I thought as I picked it up my nosiness getting the best of me. I reading the letter my stomach dropped as I immediately dashed to the greenhouse hoping she was still okay. I heard scratching and pounding as I neared the shelter my heart beating even faster. Before I made it to the door Rafael got in my way.
"Move wolf boy! Josie’s in trouble!" I screamed as I pushed him out of the way. I rushed to the door but a hard hand on my bicep forced me backwards. I looked up to Rafael and his eyes were completely dark exactly like my brothers were. He brought up his hand and slapped me hard across the face.
"No! You will not save Josie she deserves what she is getting!” He spat I was at a loss for words. Josie was being attacked on the other side of that door and I couldn’t do anything.
Before I could control myself I felt the energy pulse through my veins and I threw him off of me. Rafael yelped as his back hit the old oak tree rather harshly.
"If you ever get in my way when it comes to Josie I will end you! You filthy mutt Josie deserves the best of everything and you can’t take that away!” I said as I landed my fists to his face over and over. I heard him chuckle and my anger grew greater.
"Oh Penelope Park you are so naive. She’s already dead." He said with a disgusting smile.
I struck him hard in the side of the head, over and over if she was dead he should be too. His knuckles beating into my face also. My fists kept flying until his face was so beat up He was practically unrecognizable. I conjured up a spell and he was bound by thorns to the tree. He screamed in agony as the spell wore into him.
"Stay mutt" I spat my hands glowing a deadly red as i was about to-
A faint cry from the greenhouse brought me out of my rage. She’s still alive!!
I used my spells to make the doors fly clean off and rushed inside. What I saw made my insides churn. There was blood all over the greenhouse and spiders were running wild. Then in the far corner there she was covered in blood and clinging to life. I sent the spiders exploding into pieces but not before one got a good bite out of my ankle. God I hope that doesn’t affect me. I rushed to Josie and tried to grab her hand. But she only screamed and kicked at me.
"JoJo it’s me." I sobbed and pulled her into me that seemed to calm her down enough for me to lift her up. Her body was insanely light and I bit down the fear growing in my head.
I rushed towards the school carrying her as fast as I could. My legs burned so I pushed through the pain. My heart sank as she leaned into me and her body went limp. I sprinted faster into the halls screaming.
"Help please!! Someone help me she’s dying!!"
I didn’t know where I was going but eventually my legs Brought me to my room and hope came sprinting in after me.
"Oh my god Penelope what the hell happened?!” She shrieked I couldn’t talk let alone breathe. I just held onto Josie and cried my healing spell wouldn’t work. Soon the nurses rushed in and started conjuring spells onto her. Hope gently pulled me away from the bed. I grimaced as Josie’s body shook with the force of the healing spells. Hope began to ask questions so I answered them with bluntness rarely reserved to my friends.
I told Hope about the letters and how Rafael was behaving. Her body filled will tension as I sat in her arms crying my eyes glued the nurses injecting Josie with blood and potions. Hope sent the guards to fetch Rafael, but I hope he is dead. I hope he bled out like he deserved.
"Penelope Park?” One of the nurses asked
"Yes that’s me."
"She is stable but we won’t be able to move her at all. She will have to stay here until she wakes up.” I let out a small breath of relief
"Okay that’s fine. Is she going to be okay?" I cried
"She will be fine for now ms Park, please just keep an eye on her." I nodded my head as the nurses left. One of them gave Hope a clipboard as they walked out and she nodded walking towards me.
" He’s not dead is he.” I sighed as she looked at me with sad eyes
"Not quite, but you sure did a number on him." She said, but I could tell she was sad. Why the hell would she be sad after he did that to Josie?!
"I laced the thorns with silver.." I stated simply as I blankly stared at the wall
"You what?!?" She screamed and I flinched
"I was angry and he deserved what was coming. I had no choice he was dangerous."
"Penelope you could get expelled!!” She shouted and my head hurt from her screaming at me so loud
"For Josie it’s worth it. Keeping her safe will always be worth whatever happens." I said sadly as I laid a sleeping bag down moving my blank gaze to the ceiling. I heard Hope sit down in the recliner and sigh. Before too long her breathing turned into light snores and I was left alone.. again.