Chapter 6

I closed my bedroom door behind me and swung my back pack over my shoulder. It had been an awfully long night. I had hardly managed to sleep a wink. My dreams had been disturbing, full of darkness and bloodshed. Unusual creatures locked in battle, and me being in fact, right in the middle of it all. Not a very pleasant image.
As I walked across the landing, my steps heavy with exhaustion I passed Isabel's bedroom door. Still half asleep I continued to walk past, and had just reached the first step when a loud giggling erupted from Isabel’s room. I stopped abruptly for a moment, debating whether or not I should just ignore it, but eventually curiosity overcame me, and I turned around and walked up to the pink door dotted with daisies. Pressing my ear to the wood I listened. 
“Would you like some tea?” my little sisters voice drifted from inside, high pitched and formal, broken only by her occasional giggles. I listened carefully for whomever she was talking to to reply. A long pause and then what I had been waiting for sounded. It was unusual at first, a static hissing. I recalled hearing the same sound before. As I racked through my brain, hoping for answers- “No! Don’t do that!” Isabel’s shocked gasp made me jump. A loud thump was enough to set me barging through the door. 
“Isabel?!” I let out a gasp of relief. There she was, sitting around her little tea set table. She was still in her pyjamas, and her hair was messy in some places. “What’s going on-“Before I could say another word a loud buzz rang in my ears, followed by the sound of static laughter. Out of nowhere a fuzzy creature blipped into existence right before my face, hanging upside down from the ceiling with long upper limbs and luminous green eyes. I gasped in surprise, stumbling backwards.
“Dingo!” I heard Isabel yell “Dingo no! Bad gremlin!” After I finally recovered my steps I stared directly at the creature. Eyes wide. ‘Dingo’ as Isabel called it disappeared in thin air in a blink and appeared again on Isabel's shoulder. The gremlin grinned widely at me from across the room, flashing rows of sharp neon-blue teeth which glowed in the dawn light filtering in from the bedroom window. By now I was wide awake, all traces of exhaustion gone. “Isabel, get away from that thing right now” I murmured, grabbing her arm and pulling her to me where I crushed her to my chest and held her like a lifeline. 
The Faerie leapt off her shoulders and landed with a soft thump on Isabel’s four poster bed where it began bouncing up and down, its forearms waving about and its bat like ears flapping ridiculously. The gremlin let out cackles of joy. 
“Sky, Its okay!” Isabel squeaked, tugging herself out of my grasp and looking up at me with big blue eyes. “Dingo’s my friend!”
I narrowed my eyes firstly at her, then at the small Faerie still jumping on her bed. “It’s dangerous” I told her “You don’t know what those things are capable of!” I had had enough experience to know that Gremlins in particular were seen as Pests to the Fey. Wherever they went you could guarantee that chaos was not far behind. Gremlins were the type of Faeries born from computer games and consoles, quite common in the mortal world. I had never seen these creatures until a few days ago when that one Gremlin darted out in front of my mo-ped as I was on my way home. Since then I had researched all about them, and knew enough to determine that they were nothing but trouble makers.
“No.” My sister’s eyes were hard with defiance “Dingo is friendly” She wrenched her arm free and, before I could stop her, walked over to the bed. Squaring her shoulders at the gremlin she fixed him with a hard stare “Dingo. That’s enough!” she ordered and abruptly the creature stopped his fun, and scrambled onto her shoulder. It sat with a frustrated buzz. Isabel giggled as its fuzzy fur tickled her neck. I clenched my fists; looking at her with a wary expression
“I didn’t know you could see them” I murmured softly, my voice shaky with each word. 
It was true then. What I had feared for so long. Isabel could see The Fey, just like me. My throat became dry and my heart beat quickened. My mind drifted back to last night, the worried look on mom’s face as she explained what Isabel had seen. I had comforted her, telling her that what Isabel was experiencing was nothing but her imagination, and soon the craziness would stop. This would kill her if she found out that what I had said was all a lie, and that there really were creepy creatures, unknown to mortals who lurked under children’s beds and in their closets. 
She mustn’t find out. Something whispered in my mind. It’s too risky.
And she wouldn’t. Now was not the time to tell mom about The Fey, maybe there never would be a time.
“Have you seen anything else Isabel? Other Faeries?” My voice dropped an octave and I knelt down so that I was level with her. Her eyes widened in amazement,
“There are more?”
I groaned, burying my face in my hands "Yes Isabel, there are more" I murmured, my mind racing. What would happen now that Isabel was in danger? 
The little girl shook her head "No Skylar, I haven't seen anymore, just Dingo" I could tell by her shifting from foot to foot that she could barely contain her excitement. The muscles in my shoulders relaxed a little at her words. I raised my head to look at her dead in the eye. 
"Isabel, do you know how dangerous this is? Being friends with a Faerie?" When she didn't reply I continued, "These other creatures Izzy, they're not friendly, they are bad."
Isabel's eyes turned fiery with anger. "I told you Sky! Dingo is not bad! He's good!"
I could tell if I didn't get on her good side now, she'd have a terrible temper tantrum like she always did when she got too angry...or didn't get her own way.
"Isabel listen to me" I murmured gently, glad to see that my sisters muscles relaxed and her fists unclenched "I have seen The Fey a lot longer than you have...I know how dangerous they can be" The anger in my sisters eyes faded, and i gently brushed a long blond strand out of her eyes.
"How long have you seen them?" Isabel asked, biting her lip. I gave her a confused look. Why did she want to know how long?
"I have known they exist for a couple of years now" I replied, eyeing the Gremlin on her shoulder. "Why do you want to know?" I was suspicious now. Had Isabel been seeing the fey longer than I thought?
My sister looked at her feet but didn't give anything away. "Isabel-" The sound of footsteps coming up the stairs startled me. 
"Isabel, is that you making all the noise?" yep. That was definitely mom. 
The bedroom door opened and mum poked her head inside.
"Who are you talking- oh, Skylar! you scared me!" She gasped, looking me over. I risked a glance at Isabel. She stood next to me, hands behind her back with that innocent look on her face. Dingo dived into the cover of her hair, two electric green eyes just visible amongst a curtain of blond, muttering in that funny voice. I looked back at mum who had her hands on her hips. 
"What are you doing here? School is about to start!" She raised an eyebrow.
"I-um...I was just on my way" I quickly stood up and brushed down my jeans. Walking towards the door I prepared to exit when mom blocked my way. I winced, meeting her eyes. Surprisingly she wasn't angry, just shocked,and was that concern I saw reflected there?
"You don't look very well, are you alright?"
I bit my tongue, obviously she would suspect something.
"I'm fine" I lied, looking at my feet "Just tired"
My mother didn't look convinced. I wasn't feeling to good at all. I had just found out my sister could see The Fey, that was enough.
"Sky was just helping me pick up my toys" That was Isabel speaking. "I asked her to"
I let out a breath of relief, hopefully that would be enough to convince mum. Though the thought seemed unlikely. Isabel's toys were all over the place. Thanks to that stupid gremlin and its bad behaviour. Mom stepped out of my way when I told her I was going to be late. I quickly kissed her on the cheek and exited the room, looking back I gave Isabel the we-will-talk-later look and with that I closed the bedroom door. I looked at my watch.
Five minutes until the bell. I thought, jogging down the stairs. I was definitely going to get a lecture when I got to school. And worst of all, I had Mrs Braxton first period.