Chapter the Eighth

Iraella jolted upwards and automatically looked to the window, then grumbled as she realized that much of the street was blocked by the wooden bars that Eamon put up to keep her from sneaking out.
Iraella tossed off her covers and moved over to the door, grasping the door knob securely. She tried to turn it, but it was locked. Iraella groaned and shook it vigorously. Finally, she pounded on it and shouted “Mother, Father! I heard someone scream!”
A sleepy Eamon and Silera opened the door. “What, Iraella?” Silera asked groggily, rubbing her eyes.
“I heard someone scream, I need to check something. I have a feeling it might be Baeddan,” Iraella said hurriedly. Eamon shook his head.
“We told you, you aren’t going to see that boy anymore,” Eamon said, sounding frustrated.
“You don’t understand,” said Iraella impatiently. “Please, trust me! You can come out with me to watch!”
“How can we trust you, Iraella?” asked Eamon.
With this Iraella fell silent. “Please. This is serious,” she said after a moment of quiet. Silera looked to Eamon and Eamon looked to Silera. “Only if we can watch,” Silera said finally.
“Thank you,” Iraella said, brushing past the two and heading down the hall. She bounded through the front door and rushed outside. “Wait, Iraella!” Silera called once Iraella was out towards the middle of the street.
“Hurry, Mother!” Iraella called back, slowing her pace slightly. Then she looked ahead and screamed.
What Iraella saw was the most horrifying thing she had ever seen. Baeddan was unconscious, being scooped up off of his feet by devilish creatures. The Darks. There were so many of them. It looked like there could be nearly twenty! Iraella cried out. The grins on their terrifying faces never seemed to disappear as wings grew out of their skinny, bony backs. What were they doing with Baeddan anyway? That was all Iraella wondered as the Darks pushed upwards with Baeddan in their arms.
“Stop!” Iraella screamed. She ran towards them. “Iraella! Don’t!” Silera’s voice called, but Iraella didn’t care.
“Come back!” Iraella screamed. Iraella felt as if her heart was breaking in two as they flew higher and away from her. “Please!” she cried. The tears were coming down now. The pain in her chest grew worse just looking at Baeddan’s closed eyes, the bruise on his forehead, and the gash along his leg.
“You can’t stop us, girl,” one Dark said. His voice chilled Iraella to the bone. It was raspy and nearly a whisper, as if it had been burnt by fire. Iraella thought it was enough to pierce someone’s very soul. Iraella never wanted to hear it again. He laughed. “Your little friend is staying with us for a while.”
“No!” Iraella cried, sobbing. All the Darks laughed again.
Next thing Iraella knew, she was kneeling alone in the dark, on pavement wet from her own tears.