The shrubs get darker and darker as the moon grows thickly layered with clouds. It'd be eerie if not for the absolute lack of light.

As it is, seeing two inches in front of me is difficult.

Walking behind two boys of opposing speeds and paces became interesting in the long run. David thrashed through each bush, breaking off whatever lay in his path and crushing it underfoot. I've been whacked by more than a few, some flying straight through me and others making red marks along my hands and neck.

Noah, however, slid through each area gracefully. He missed almost all the branches by ducking, sidestepping, and gently adjusting as if nature shared some deeper understanding with him.

Tripping head first off a ledge, I'm astonished by Noah's instantaneous grip on my waist and with how much ease he brings me back to his side.

I choke on a breath, looking around wildly.

"You can't see a thing, can you?" He murmurs to me, keeping as quiet as possible to avoid disrupting any strange wildlife or killer.

My fingers curl into his sleeve unconsciously but I don't move, eyes wandering everywhere. The soft fabric is just barely soothing enough to maintain a level of sanity.

He refuses to make true physical contact, leaving me with just enough to follow them out onto a narrow path where I can see the outline of their figures. A thin layer, a centimeter at most. The threads get caught in my nails, snagging just enough to hurt.

Meanwhile, David is cursing. The profanity gets worse the more he's stabbed. I'm sure if we were able to see more, there could be blood somewhere.

"Where the fuck would that sadistic cloak put the exit?" He grumbles, exhaling through his teeth as another cut slices into his cheek.

As if scenting the blood, Noah scrunches up his nose a little bit.

"I don't know, but my guess is that dog is guarding something and we're headed in the wrong direction," I say.

"Or maybe that's what they want us to think," Noah adds, rolling his eyes. "You're practically a ghost, why not slip through the darkness and find the point of entrance."

I frown down at myself, touching my hands together skeptically. Soft, gentle, there was nothing resemblant of smoke. "It's not like I know how to control it, Noah. I'm half convinced it's something purely instinctual."

His body turns towards me and though I cannot see them, I know his eyes are centered perfectly on my own. "Holly, I need you to concentrate. Slip into the shadows and find the point of exit. Then we'll get out of here and everything will be alright."

My hands turn into fists, shaking in fear and frustration. I close my eyes and feel into the darkness, into each and every extension of myself. That is when I notice my sense of awareness doesn't stop near my fingertips and toes. I feel wispy, blurred edges across the entire field and something churning in my chest.

Letting go, I feel my body slip away just as it once had in the cave. A shadowy mist of something far more dangerous than I even knew. Capabilities just out of reach.

I've become the night.

A strange sense of awareness washes over me and I open what I know to be my eyes, only to get a vision of everything.

Lyric clamping a firm hand over her sweaty, tear-stained face. Each sob restrained and agonizing to listen to.

Two guys - likely Wyatt and Connor - dashing through and weaving around trees with the pounding crashes following behind. Large paws only a yard away at most, attempting to swat and swipe out their legs.

Yet, Seb is nowhere to be found.

I pause for a second and check on Noah and David, both looking in opposite directions and keeping their distance as much as humanly possible.

Everyone is disheveled, panicked and frustrated but alive.

Concentrating to the very best of my ability, I notice the bends and curves of every pathway, the fallen cavern now completely destroyed, and several other nooks and crannies carved into the valley itself. Each with a strange emanating light. Different shades of purple, green, and blue. A white one with dark wisps flailing and lashing out from inside.

I understand now.

Seven Portals.

One for each of us.

If I had to bet anything, we couldn't take each other's either.

The glowing white whispers my name, stretching out as I draw near with the majority of my presence.

Still, I have to tell the others. Though they may not know which corresponds to them, the least I can do is tell them of sure-fire escape.

I manifest behind David and walk up briskly. "What color were your crystals?"

The grown man jumps out of his skin and freezes at the sound of my voice, whipping around as if his life depends on it. "What are you talking about?"

"There is no all-inclusive exit. We each have our own, one that whispers and calls to us. It coordinates with the color of your crystal."

Noah seems to contemplate something for a moment. "Mine was a dark amethyst."

I take a deep breath and sigh slightly. "Yours is only a few yards off from mine then, we'll be headed in the same direction."

He gives me a quick nod of agreement and we turn to David.

A nervous mess, he looks at the ground or anything he deems slightly more interesting than the question at hand. "I don't know jack all about rocks," he mutters. "My mom was into all that crazy crap, but I didn't pay any attention. It's not like the color would matter compared to the pain it caused."

Noah scoffs at him, but smirks a little bit. "You didn't even look at it?"

"Nah, I was more focused on getting the damn thing. It was on top of one of those stupid moving walls, the cloak took it away from me after that."

"The cloak?" I ask.

"He means the Reapers," Noah laughs. "Wow."

David growls something to himself and crosses his arms. "They can't all be that far apart, I'll just go with you lot. We've already come this far."

"David, there are portals on the other side too. If you run around trying them all you'll be-" A yell unlike anything I'd ever heard echos out across the valley and bounces from every tree- "Dog food..." I whisper, defeated.

A cold sweat rushes over me and I feel the tightness in my throat nearly choking me.

My knees go weak again, shivering like poked gelatin.

"Who do you think that was?" I whisper.

"It doesn't matter," Noah says, grabbing my shoulders and guiding me forward. "Let's go, we need to get out of here before we're all dead."

David follows behind, shoving his hands into his pockets and looking over his shoulder.

We walk silently, making minimal noise and only trying to step on smooth rocks and soft dirt. With each step, I get more concerned about David not remembering his color. The other portals didn't call to me, I didn't hear any other names.

I only saw the color.

"Are you sure it wasn't blue or green?" I mention, hoping to jog his memory.

The look on his face is far from promising. "Those are the other colors in this direction, aren't they?"

I nod, lips pulling into a frown.

A tree goes down only a few yards away, forcing the ground to quake and taking me down to my hands and knees. Other branches and debris are kicked up around us.

"Get down," David hisses at us. "Get under cover."

I pull myself up against a log and close my eyes, fading into the darkness again.

The giant dog has blood dripping from its teeth and mouth. With eyes glimmering in the night, I can only imagine it's gotten one meal, leaving a few more to be had. Right now the beast stares down Wyatt, no one else in sight.

I find the quickest path out the way and to our exits, slamming back into solid form and grabbing an arm from each of the boys.

"Follow me," I whisper, bolting through the trees.

I scrape against bark a couple of times, feeling the ache and groan of my torn flesh. The pain roars in my ears and the sounds of everything around blur into one giant mess of noise. Similar to drowning at sea, I'd imagine. The pounding muffled and far away, waves of intensity moving you but not faster than you move yourself.

I don't think about the boys behind me anymore or the horrific chances of death, I don't think about heaven or hell, or my family. I don't think about anything but my body propelling me forward. 

I don't think, I just fly.

Fly straight into my Portal. 

Total Word Count: 14,414

Hey all!

 I'm back again! Trying to make this deadline before I have to drop out lol. I didn't realize my life was about to get any more hectic than it already it but you never know I guess Lol. 

Anyway, I still love writing this story so don't forget to read, comment, vote, dance, sing lol. Whatever you like, if you enjoy the story!

Have a great night!