UPDATE: 12/2/15 (A/N: There are some new additions , especially the CammieXDillon ,scenes in here. You might want to re-read at least the parts with those two in them because the lines will be important later on.)
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Blind By Fear (Nature's Song)
Cammie only had to walk a few minutes before she reached a large opening. Looking around her, the girl's mouth dropped and eyes grew wide. The trees had only a few leaves left on their branches. Dead ones lay on the ground piled on each other until not one blade of grass was showing. A few tree stumps were scattered around and a large branch had fallen, creating a type of bridge on the ground from one tree to another. She pictured a small child playing on it, a girl with her father and brother. A two year old, one with fine gold hair and a happy smile. But as soon as that image came in her head, it disappeared like a ghost. Around her, in this little clearing, squirrels and birds went around gathering nuts, seeds, and berries, storing their food before winter came. The sun shown down through the trees, the branches separating the golden rays so they spotlighted rocks, mushrooms, and even ant hills. In a word, it was magical.
Lost in wonder, Cammie wandered through the woods, taking small stops to bask in the beauty of the nature around her. Birds sang their own song, communicating in a language only they could understand, and flew to different tree branches over head. Chipmunks scurried along the ground looking for the best nuts they could find, getting into fights every so often, their little squeaks not disturbing nature's song, but adding harmony.
The breeze blowing through the leaves and branches acted as the string in a orchestra, acorns thudded the ground- percussion, and animals scurrying up and down trees, in and out of holes, acted as woodwind. The brass, however, made no noise, but rather played an act in scenery. It's gold color shown from the sun, leaves, flowers, and even made the bark of the trees more radiant.
Trails became different lengths, breaking off into two or more different branches of walk-way. Cammie's mind went back to her childhood years. To a show she always watched.
Dora had always made sure to choose the right paths. She would listen for the dangers: snakes, crabs, bees. But Dora didn't know how to live. She didn't have a sense of adventure. That's what Cammie wanted. All her life she has been kept safe. Her mom moved them to a safe home, in a safe town, with a safe school. For once, just once, Cammie wanted to know what it felt like to live. Really live. An adventure always had obstacles didn't it? You can't have easy and adventure in the same equation, it just wouldn't add up.
So when Cammie came to three paths, one perpendicular to the right of her, the other diagonal from her right eye, and the other on her left, she had to decide which one she was going to take. It wasn't the one to the right which that had the most sun light. Nor was it the one diagonal to her right eye that had less trees and soft ground. No. It was the one directly to her left. Pine trees stood tall and proud, almost cocky. It was dark, like twilight just ended and animals were ready to come out to hunt. Roots of the trees were growing up from the ground in twisted and knotted forms creating a jumbled mess through the whole trail. It practically yelled 'stay away!' but Cammie ignored its warning.
"Out of all the bad things in the world and you tell me to stay away from here?" She asked to no one but the air and the animals around her. Her feet stumbled along the bumpy path making her steps clumsy. She was entranced by the way the knots were so delicately placed; winding along the path twisting and turning making messy patterns. Vines wrapped around trees making homes for ladybugs and spiders, even small birds.
Cammies steps were sloppy, the bumps and random holes were almost impossible to walk on. After a while of walking, her foot got caught on a small arc a root made and she began to fall towards the hard roots. She braced her self for a very hurtful impact, but none came. Instead, warm arms wrapped around her waist pulling her to her feet. She swallowed a scream, hoping this wasn't the serial killer ready to strike again and briefly scolded herself for being so stupid to go in the woods alone when there was still a murderer on the loose. She sucked in a breath and slowly turned around to see the intruder but once she made a full one-eighty, there was no-one to be seen.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. You're a bad girl, Honey." A voice scolded with humor. "Weren't ya told ta go strait home and ta not go in the woods." Cammie screamed and turned as the voice spoke, her fist coming into perfect contact with the intruders jaw. The man staggered back, barely able to finish his sentence. He rubbed his jaw and looked at Cammie with an amused expression.
Her eyes widened as she looked into his. They weren't normal eyes. His iris's were oval shaped instead of round, pointed at each end, and the color was a bright summer green. They almost looked like reptile eyes.
"Ya have quite the arm there, Honey. Where'd ya learn ta hit like that?" Cammie only stepped back, refusing to answer his question as he continued to rub his jaw, his eyes showing he wasn't expecting an answer.
"Who the heck are you?" Cammie payed no attention to the fact that the strange boy knew where she was supposed to be and where she was not supposed to be. The boy, no more than eighteen, stepped forward and stuck his handout.
"Dillon Lewis at your service." he winked with a grin that was almost predator like. Cammie only stared at his hand.
The boy 'Dillon' was wearing simple clothing. Black jeans that were almost too skinny, a pair of black hunting boots, a black t-shirt, and a black hoodie- all of witch went nicely with his tan skin. She scoffed, surprised his hair wasn't black but a soft dark-brown cut in shaggy layers that fell just above his eye brows. Cammie had to tilt her head up to look at him properly, feeling even shorter than her five-foot-three already was.
"What are you doing here?" Cammie asked in a bitter tone, angry that 'Dillon' had disturbed her peace.
"I could ask the same thing, Honey." Dillon dropped his hand and leaned against an old thin tree. It cried in protest but stayed rooted to the ground. For a moment they just stood, observing each other. Dillon looked like a normal boy, very handsome. Cammie may have passed by him with an extra glance or two. His cheeks were slightly sunken in and his cheek bones were sharp. The corner of his eyes had small laugh lines and he had a dimple on his left cheek. The slope of his nose was almost perfect except for a small bump in the middle of it and the tip was turned up the slightest bit. Soft pink lips were turned up in a lazy smile, the color almost dark compared to his light tan skin. The only feature that gave her chills were his strange eyes.
"Well, I have to get home." Cammie turned around and started walking the way she came. "My mother is probably worried."
"You shouldn't be afraid," Dillon quickly said. Cammie stopped, waiting for him to continue. "Of the woods I mean. It's your home. Remember that." She shook her head and scoffed, hugging her arms close to her as the air suddenly became cold.
"Whatever."
"I'll see you later." Cammie ignored him and kept walking.
It turns out, Cammie had five missed calls, six text messages, and three voicemails on her phone. And as she walked into her house, took off her shoes, and walked to the kitchen, Cammie knew she was going to get an ear full.
"And would you like to tell me where you have been for the past two hours?" Her mother roared as she stomped in the kitchen. Cammie turned around as calmly as she could.
"Um- I-Bex and I, we stayed after. We had to help on the homecoming float." Hopefully her stuttering didn't give her away.
"Mhmm, yeah, and what is your theme?" Sarah gave a knowing look but made Cammie answer anyway.
"Ancient Egypt." Cammie's voice was small, knowing her mom somehow knew where she was.
"And were you working in the woods? Or did these leaves and small twigs just randomly appear?" Sarah reached her arm out and pulled a pine needle out from Cammie's hair. Cammie looked at it in horror.
"I just took a small detour to home I swear!" Excuses were rambling out like Cammie's mouth was on rapid fire. Sarah held up her hand to stop Cammie from talking. Immediately she closed her mouth.
"Cammie, you can't do this to me! Not now, not when we have a killer roaming this town." Something in Sarah's eyes told Cammie that there was more going on. The way her body was stiffer than usual and how more uptight she has been lately wasn't right.
"Mom," Cammie stepped forward, "What's really going on?" She thought back to the letter she saw her mother reading that morning. How she looked at it with concern and confusion.
Sighing, Sarah sat down.
"There has been another killing." Cammie' heart stopped.
"Who?" All Cammie could think of was Josh lying in the ground, dead with a marking on his chest and a math equation on his ear.
"Preston Winters." Somehow, knowing Preston was dead hurt even more than if Josh were dead.
Cammie has never been close to the Mayor's son. She only exchanged a few conversations with him, but Macey talked about him all the time and last wednsday, the boy finally got the nerve to ask Macey to Homecoming. The girl was floating on cloud nine for the rest of the week she was happier than ever and now, the love if her life was gone. Cammie couldn't bare to see the hurt in Macey's eyes. She would either have to avoid Macey or not go to school tomorrow.
What kind of friend would do such a thing? Macey needs all the comfort she can get.
Mustering up a small amount of courage, Cammie took a step back and hung her head.
"I'm going to go call her."
Macey wasn't answering her phone. In fact, a recording had said that the phone had been disconnected. Cammie sighed in frustration and covered her face with her pillow.
She could practically see Preston's dead body. The C surrounded by a circle on his chest. 10-5=5 on the back of one of his ears.
Five dead, five more innocent victims to go.
Cammie went to school slightly late the next day because Sarah insisted on driving her.
"You come right home, do you understand me? I have to work late today and if you're not home by the time I get there, you're grounded." Cammie nodded.
"Okay mom, I understand."
Apparently, it took five murders for people to become concerned for their children's safety. Macey, along with many other students hadn't come to school. Josh, however, was there, and if he was shaken up, he didn't show it.
Cammie was getting ready for second period when a shadow stood behind her.
"Hey Cam, you know, Homecoming is on Saturday, and I was wondering, you know, if you wanted to go?" Cammie turned around, slowly as if she was still trying to comprehend what he just asked her.
"That's what your thinking about?" She wasn't mad, more curious as to why Josh would be thinking about who his date would be to homecoming rather than a fifth student being killed.
Josh scratched the back of his neck.
"Listen Cam. I like you. And I want to take you to the dance, and maybe dinner afterwards?"
She was shocked. Is he that good at hiding emotions, or does he just not care?
"Listen Josh. I'm not really up to thinking about homecoming right now. With everything going on, I'm not even sure we're going to have the dance and I have to be there for my friends." Josh clenched his jaw and a look of anger flashed his eyes but Cammie over looked this.
"Well, what if I asked later?" Cammie looked at him in astonishment. Any other day, her heart would be running a 5K and her stomach would be doing gymnastics, but, putting her athletic emotions aside, Cammie could only glare at Josh.
"My friend's boyfriend was just killed. I don't even know if I'll be going anywhere for a while.." With that, she stalked away leaving Josh in pure rage. He kicked a nearby locker putting a large dent in the already beat up pice of metal. The sun was mocking him today, but as soon as he thought that, the sky filled with clouds in the distance and thunder made a light rumble. He shook his head and walked as calmly a possible to his next class, hopefully able to ignore Zach's amused looks which were sure to follow him the rest of the day.
Cammie couldn't believe she ever liked someone who was so shallow. He had seemed so nice, but in reality, all he cares about is himself. Like every other boy in the world.
So that's how she ended up here, in the woods after school had let out. The sun was hidden behind clouds that finally caught up form earlier and it started sprinkling. She didn't care. Instead, she embraced the cold water that dropped on her skin. The leaves were getting soggy and piles of dead grass clung to her feet making Cammie thankful that she wore sneakers. As she walked through small trails, wet flower petals stuck to her arms and hair. The rain began to poor harder, the force causing acorns not gathered by small animals to disconnect from flimsy twigs and branches and onto the ground. Every so often she would feel ladybugs land on her skin, their little legs tickled as they crawled up an down her arm. The sound of the rain hitting the tree branches and dead leaves on the ground reminded Cammie of a time where she took a large bag of white rice and dumped the whole thing on her kitchen floor. It was a nicer time. A time when her mother wasn't always worrying about things and actually let Cammie play on the playground with other kids.
Apparently nature wasn't in a happy mood today. Wind howled and blew with harsh force, roaring at anything it could. Trees moved from side to side, almost as if they were shaking form the cold. The rain created a sad type of music and Cammie started to feel sad as well. She couldn't place the reason why. It was like she was connected to the forest. When the trees groaned in against the wind, Cammie felt sorry for them. Animals wound huddle in their homes and Cammie would want to do something to make them more comfortable.
"Sad isn't it?" A low voice whispered in her ear. She whipped around, her heart racing, but saw no one.
"I mean really, who would want to be a plant when all that happens is you getting pushed around by the wind." The owner of the voice was nowhere to be seen. It chuckled. "Weather can be a big bully can't it?"
"Who's there?" She asked loudly over the pouring rain. Stray strands of hair stuck from out of her braid and onto her face. She wiped some strands away from her eyes and squinted, trying to see past the sheet of rain that was placed in front of her.
"Come on, love, take a wild guess." The voice, despite the loud precipitation, was soft and mocking. A deep kind of mysterious that lulled her almost. Cammie kept turning in circles so, looking every which way, but could see no one.
A big gust of wind blew past her, almost knocking her off her feet.
"Your eyes are open, Love, but you do not see. You over look what ever scares you so you don't have to be frightened. I'm not going to frighten you, Love. You fear what I might be more than you what I actually am. So, why not stop fearing? For only a second." Cammie didn't know what this voice wanted. She was frightened, because it knew she was frightened. It spoke in riddles, and she didn't like that.
"Who are you?" Cammie asked turning in circles.
"I am what ever you want me to be. I can be anything, or nothing. You choose."
This didn't even make sense! What was this voice talking about?
"Show your self!" She yelled. Rain pored harder soaking Cammie to the bones.
"I told you Love." It spoke, the voice right next to her ear, "You can see but you are blind. Fear is blocking your sight. Stop fearing. Stop being afraid. This is your home. Nothing will hurt you." It whispered the last part, fading as it did.
Cammie wasn't afraid until a voice started speaking to her. I fact, she was quite happy until it ruined her peace.
Fine, I'll stop fearing. Maybe, if I can see you, I can punch you.
Cammie concentrated, relaxing her muscles. She didn't think about how freaky it was that she couldn't see him in the first place, she didn't think about how dark it suddenly got and how much more rain was falling to the ground. She only thought about hitting the person who destroyed her peace and thoughts. Finally, after what seemed like forever, a boy very slowly appeared in front of her, head tilted, lips smirking, and hands lazily resting in the pockets of black jeans.
The first thing she noticed were his eyes. How inhuman they looked and how they glowed like a cats would at night. Then there was his hair. No longer dark brown, but black form the rain, some locks plastered on his face while other parts stuck up in a messy fashion. His clothes almost made him unnoticeable in the dark light but the cocky smirk gave him away. She had forgotten about him. Forgotten about their last encounter, but it didn't take long for her to realize who the boy was that stood right in front of her through the rain.
Dillon.
Now she really wanted to hurt him.
"You! What is up with you and being in the woods?" She seethed. "Stop bothering my peace!" Dillon chuckled.
"Oh come on, Love. You're happy to see me, admit it. You'd be dead bored if I hadn't come along." He stepped towards Cammie, making her step back. This continued until her back pressed against a tree and she felt stupid for falling for his little trap. Dillon must have noticed as his eyes laughed at her as he moved so that he was only a few inches in front of her. His breathing was even as he looked down at her.
Water poured down their faces, dripping off their chins and noses. She couldn't help but look at how radiant his eyes were compared to the dark gray sky. They were so strange. Unnatural. Yet she couldn't help but be intrigued by them.
"How'd you do that?" Cammie asked, shaking from the cold. The rain continued to pour down, harder and harder to the point where talking loudly wouldn't suffice and she instead had to yell in order to be heard. Her hair was plastered to her face messy and knotted and her clothes hung heavily to her skin.
"Do what, Love?" Dillon asked in a low whispere. Somehow, Cammie was still able to hear him. Why was she still able to hear him?
"Appear out of no where like that." Dillon laughed and leaned his hands on both sides of her head, trapping her.
"You did it yourself, Love." he murmured. "You opened a second set of eyes." Cammie was about to respond with a question but stopped when Dillon became stiff.
"What? What's wrong?" She asked. Dillon slowly leaned forward as not to disturb any animal that might be lurking in the woods, moving his head so his lips were grazing her right ear.
"Be quiet and run as soon as I tell you to." Cammie was suddenly worried again.
"What are you-" Dillon place a cold hand over her mouth. A twig cracked in the distance and an animal Cammie has never heard before, growled.
"Run." Cammie didn't have to be told twice. Ducking under Dillon'a arms, Cammie used all her strength to stay up strait. She could barely see through the rain but when she turned around, she could make out Dillon holding a dagger, fighting of something that looked to be the mix of a lion and an eagle.
As she ran, she tried blocking out the growls and cries from both Dillon and what ever animal it was. She wanted to go back and help him, but she didn't know what she would do. So she kept running, hoping to find a hunter or someone with a weapon to come to their aid. Through the darkness and the rain, it was almost impossible to see where she was going, but that didn't matter. As long as she was still on her feet.
A few minutes later, a hand grabbed hers and pulled her to the right. Cammie screamed, only stopping when she realized who it was.
Dillon's face was covered with blood and his hair was turning a midnight black, darker than it was only a few minutes before from the rain. They took another turn an came to a small pond. Cammie didn't have any time to think before he pulled her into the pond with him.
Every thing was quiet. The world was dark and cold, not to mention wet. Cammie tried to swim to the surface, but her dear friend Fear made her legs paralyzed making it impossible to reach the despratly needed air. A hand pulled her closer as Cammie's world turned impossibly darker and all the air left her lungs.
Come on mom! The waters great!" Cammie yelled as she ran to the ocean waters. The footprints of a ten year old made a trail all the way up to the water. Half of the trail was gone as the waves crashed up. Sarah laughed and walked up to the waters. Just as Cammie turned around, a wave smacked her back, knocking the air out of the small body. Suddenly, Cammie's world was dark. She tried to swim back to the surface, but something had a hold on her leg, preventing her form going anywhere. The only noise came from the waves smashing her against the sand. Cammie's lungs filled with salt water making it impossible to breathe. she didn't have time to be scared because after only a few seconds, the noise was gone and she was unconscious.
"Come on, Love, wake up!" Dillon pressed his mouth to Cammie's and breathed air into her lungs. He huffed while pressing on her chest. Still no response. Once again, his mouth was pressed to hers. Another push on her lungs. His ear came to her mouth so he could listen for any sign of breathing. Cammie then started coughing, water splashed from her mouth as Dillon quickly sat her up and bent her over, making sure most to all the water left her lungs.
"I'm right here, Love, it's alright." Dillon hugged Cammie to him and rocked her back and forth while she sobbed into his chest. He spoke soothing words and stroked her hair, calming her.
"It's alright, Love. Everything is going to be fine."
Cammie cried for a while longer and slowly started to breathe regularly.
"Do ya mind tellin' me what the was about?" Dillon asked as he continued to rock her in his lap.
"I-Iv'e never had good experience with water." Cammie answered in a raspy voice. Her throat was sore in an almost numb way and her eyes stung from crying. She tried breathing but it was getting harder.
"Take it easy, Love." Dillon stood up, taking Cammie with him as if to cradle her before setting her down.
"Why would you do that? What was that thing?" She asked, thinking back to the strange animal that would have killed her if Dillon hadn't stepped in and ruined her piece. The rain had stopped a while ago and the only sound showing evidence it ever was raining was from the drips coming off bushes and tree branches as well as the slops of wet grass and dirt on the ground. A squirrel ran up a tree while Dillon spoke.
"Well, Love, I would love to tell ya, but I need ta get going." with that, Dillon left.
Cammie stomped her foot on a pile of wet grass and dead mushrooms creating a squishy sound and grunted. The sky was still cloudy but not as dark as earlier which gave Cammie better light to walk home in.
"Boys are stupid." She spat. Looking around, she couldn't tell where she was. It turns out, the pond was bigger than she had thought when Dillon threw her in. The grass wasn't too long except for blades surrounding the pond's perimeter. Lilly pads were scattered throughout, owned by a few frogs and Lilly flowers..
The deeper I go into the woods, the more beautiful it gets.
Her awestruck feeling soon flickered away as a thought came to mind. Now a new feeling took over
Annoyance.
Looking in her pocket, Cammie found exactly what she knew would be there. A soaking wet phone.
"Stupid Dillon."
Zach watched Dillon walk away from the pond and Cammie as he hid in a near by bush. He followed until they were far enough from Cammie to not be heard, and tackled Dillon to the ground.
"You idiot! Why do you have to mess with everything!" Zach yelled. Dillon raised an eyebrow and pushed Zach off of him, showing no shock of what just happened.
"Well, I didn't think the King would be very happy if she got killed by a griffin, but, I could be wrong." He retorted, already done talking to the idiot in front of him.
"Well, maybe I wouldn't be so mad, except for the fact that she saw you appear from nowhere right before her fucking eyes! You don't think that to a girl living her whole life in the mortal world would think that's a little strange!?" Zach yelled. Sure, he didn't like Dillon, but when the stupid idiot decides to go against King's orders and expose even a small portion of immortality, his feelings grow to more than just dislike.
"Don't you think that to a girl living in the mortal world her whole life should be exposed to who she really is?" Dillon spat back.
"No, I don't. Her father made that clear the day he told me to help Sarah watch her. You mess with everything! You constantly make your own rules for your own entertainment. Why can't you just let things be for once?!" The two boys glared at each other for only a few seconds when Dillon gripped his hair and snapped.
"Because you're just like her!" The wind started picking, feeling Dillon's anger. It whipped their hair and clothes violently but the two boys ignored it, glaring at each other. "You let your fear blind you like a fool. The Circle found her, Zachary. They are killing to cause chaos and fear, luring Cammie to a place that she is just discovering gives her comfort. A place where they can snatch her in a heart beat. It's a game to them. Why don't you stop being so worried for her safety for a second and open your eyes?! You're making her unsafe!"
"Five more kids Zach. A warning. Five more and then she's gone. Open your damn fucking eyes and do what is best for her. It's about time she knows who she really is." Wind started whirling around Dillon; like a tornado. Dead leaves were dragged with it making a curtain in front of him and then it stopped. Dillon was gone.
A/N: Hope you guys caught the changes. Thanks for reading and don't forget to review!
