Mira's POV
"Doesn't it feel eerie? " Stella was clinging to my back, effectively putting all her weight on my backpack, making it heavier.
I could see Razzak up ahead with the female teacher. She had her notes open and was jotting down every pointer.
" This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for Mira. I want to do my best for a change. " She said.
Betty was stuck like glue with Kian. They were right behind us.
It had been a little awkward between the two of us since he saved me for the second time. We just smiled and nodded but neither of us talked about the incident.
I didn't because I didn't want to put him in an awkward position. Whatever he did wasn't normal but I had already witnessed things out of the ordinary with other people, namely, Xen and Braze.
Talking about Braze, he was nowhere to be seen. He was the Principal's son. He had privileges we commoners didn't. He probably had taken the day off.
We were divided into several smaller groups and each teacher was incharge.
With us, we had the physical education teacher I had met on my first day. His name was Brian.
Stella wasn't wrong though. There was something definitely eerie about that place, not to mention what had happened back at the bus.
It was perfectly sunny with a blue sky, without a single cloud in the sky. But after walking just a few feet we were covered in a thick fog.
It isn't uncommon for mountains to get foggy but this fog was out of nowhere and was so dense that we could see beyond a foot ahead of us.
The track we were following was a narrow one. It was a trekking trail and was only accessible on foot. Which was great because that eliminated the possibility of getting hit by any vehicle because of the fog.
We were busy understanding whatever flora and fauna we got to see. We were busy clicking pictures for the project book and discussing the need for conversation about the biodiversity of the area. We must have been too engrossed because we didn't notice that we were already separated from the rest of the groups. The teacher had a map. We had our phone though the reception was very bad. So we kept on moving on the planned route.
After what was like half an hour the teacher stopped talking as well. It seemed like we were moving in circles because I saw the same plant a couple of times. But it was in the wilderness. There was no landmark. And we weren't professional trekkers. Every plant and rock looked the same. So I wasn't very sure.
" Mira, watch out... "
Kian's yell tore through the silence as he rolled over with me and I saw a huge, gigantic boulder, coming at me from above.
But his jump was too strong and perhaps miscalculated. Both of us fell from the cliff as the rest of our friends and the teacher screamed in horror.
I closed my eyes and dug my nails on Kian's back.
I wished I could have one last word with my mother before what was, as I thought, my sure end.
She had been so worried about something but I didn't manage to talk to her after that night. She would be so heartbroken to see my dead body.
But then something poked my back and grabbed Kian with double the impact.
"Ouch! Mira. It hurts. " I let go of his complaint and slowly looked up.
We had soft landed on a very thick and dense bush. We had literally smashed it with the impact of our fall.
But we were not yet on level ground. We were hanging from the side of a cliff.
"Hello.... We are safe... Sir Brian... "
" Stella, can you hear me? We are still in one piece... "
We tried to yell because a thick cloud of fog was covering our view but no reply came back. We took our phones out but now we were completely out of the network area. There was no reception.
" I guess, we will need to navigate our own way out of here. There is going to be no help. "
Kian said, dusting himself and getting ready to climb down the rest of the cliff.
" Shouldn't we wait here. I mean if our school wants to send any help, they will come search this area. Shouldn't we? "
Right at that moment a howl made both of us jump.
It was a very loud howl piercing my soul.
" Better not. Let's look for a shelter. "
I immediately grabbed Kian's hand as we began to make our way down the slopes.
That howl was loud and scary but it was also melancholy. It felt like it was howling for someone, calling its mate.
" I didn't know there were wolves in this area. I wouldn't have come if I had known. "
I said, carefully watching my steps because the path was very muddy.
" Neither did I. " Kian answered without looking at me.
" Can you not do that flying thing you did that day? You know, it would save us more time. "
I guess I shouldn't have said that.
Kian stopped and looked at me as if I hurt him,
" Mira. I know you must be thinking that I am a freak. But trust me I don't know how I did what I did that night. It had never happened to me before. Nor can I do it again as I please. I have tried. Nothing happened. " he said.
" Kian. Don't get me wrong. I didn't know this was sensitive for you. People are often born with special abilities. I know we read these only in superhero books and comics and it seems unreal but I believe in it now, because I have seen other people with abilities that aren't normal. I would never think you were a freak for having an ability that was different. " I said in one breath.
" You know people with special abilities like mine? Who are they? "
It was impossible to read from Kian's face if he was excited, angry, jealous or just curious.