Chapter 1 by Bella ­­

It was a bitterly cold morning. Layers of frost blanketed the cars and bikes as if they were still sleeping after a restless night of shivering. Shadows cast their gloomy darkness across the skies mixing with the smoke from the chimneys, like the mist that comes from people’s mouths in the cold. Giving thieves the opportunity to sneak around the dreary streets of Krakow.

Lila Barnes’s fingers gripped around the iron pole as she headed to the checkpoint. All her hope circled around the guard. Would he let her in or not? Otherwise her parents would neglect her.

As much as her hope circled the guard, gloom surrounded her. Ahead of her she could see a succession of unhappy gloomy looking people, all the colour drained from their faces. The wall separated the Podgorze district from the rest of the city as if it had some sort of illness. She could have sworn it was teasing her, showing her that it was refusing everyone who walked in its path.

“Next,” groaned the guard, “Ah, a foreigner, please state your name, age and what you are doing.”

“L…Lila B…B…Barnes, thirteen and I am making a d… delivery for Lord Miller sir,” she stammered.

The guard took a moment to take it all in. Until after what seemed like hours, the guard pushed her with the force of a bull and she fell flat on her face onto the hard, concrete road.

Her eye was badly bruised and everything was blurry. She could only make out the warm light casting across the streets. Snow scattered the streets like a thick jumper and children played with it taking no notice of the ‘foreigner’ who had just walked in.

Lila felt ready to scream with jealousy. She wanted to get out. If only us foreigners were aloud in here, but her parent’s words rang in her head like an air raid siren life is not fair, it never will be, so keep your head down and imagine you are not alive, that’s what they want.

Out of thin air, a sack was hauled over her head like a hammer and once again, chucked, onto the floor. Then hands grabbed her and dragged her roughly to somewhere unknown.

“Gimme that,” demanded a fierce voice, pointing at Lila’s parcel, “or I’ll throttle you.”

“Na I got better things to do than that, ya filthy *******,” Lila said slyly, throwing off the sack, and then immediately covered her mouth in awe, she could not believe what she had said. So, she ran. But were? She heard the man footsteps close behind and the only thing she could see was a solid brick wall, trying to block her path.

Lila had no choice. She had to hide further into the darkness. “There you are,” growled the man.

Now she was really in trouble, so, ran again. Now she had to think bigger. So, she tried to climb the wall. The climb was hard, she wanted to let go at any moment, but if she did, she’d surely die. Then she reached the top. She jumped.

Chapter 2

Outside, fog devoured the fresh air, grabbing at all the corners in Krakow. Inside, Lila scampered around in the pitch black, desperately searching for a somewhere to hide. Rotten planks of wood littered the floor, bird feathers were strewn across the grass and when she walked inside she saw a scratched picture of a happy family. But to her horror, she saw the man in the doorway. ‘So, this is how it ends,’ she thought.

The blood on the attacker’s dagger glinted like rubies in the moonlight…but suddenly a clap of thunder erupted like a volcano throughout the house, or was it a growl? Her question was answered. In front of her stood an astonishing animal, imprinted with patterns she had only seen once before. When she was free. Bright green eyes illuminated the darkness of the house like a torch of poison. Nothing else could create eyes like that but poison. Ripples of fear ran up her spine. The animal let out yet another deadly growl, she could have exploded at the sound. Leopards were supposed to be extinct, what was happening? Now she had spent so much time being scared of the animal she had forgotten about the attacker who had fled the scene and should be long gone by now. Then a miracle happened. The Leopard turned around menacingly. Slowly prowled over to Lila. Then laid down groaning in pain. Scarlet blood was pouring from her neck.

Then she spoke. A worried voice filled the air unexpectedly, it was like the earth itself was talking, “We must run. People are imminent. Do you know anywhere?” she said, “My life is now depending on you.” Lila thought her mind was playing tricks on her. But no. Another wave of fear flowed up her back crashing against her heart, causing it to skip a beat. “This animal is special,” she thought, “I must protect her. She is worth a lot of money so people will want to find her.” “Ok, I will help you. But you must tell me everything.” Ten minutes had passed, and they had finally reached the Jewish Quarter not too far from the ghetto. In the quarter was an abandoned castle, no one ever dared to enter. Legend had it that on the night of Halloween the royal family vanished without a trace, and all that was found was a piece of gold from the crown that was said to hold magic beyond anyone’s greatest dreams. So, Lila and the Leopard walked in with caution and up to the highest tower. Tired, the Leopard fell asleep.

Chapter 3

Lila woke with a start; the leopard had other ideas. Strange noises filled the air outside. Peering through the towers window, she saw shadows. Shadows that were not to be trusted. The door of the castle opened with a loud crash. Lila shoved the leopard awake. She woke with a start, and stared in terror with her bright, green eyes filled with fear. She stroked her calmly, indicating not to be that scared. Ear piercing shrieks echoed from the floors below; the leopard let out a low hearty growl. Lila shuddered.

Rolling across the abnormally sooty floor, Lila whispered for the leopard. The leopard hobbled over to her as inaudibly as a ghost would. They hunched under the bed and pulled the duvet over them.

At that very second, the sound of heavy footsteps thumped up the steps. It seemed like no life lurked within the tower, not even a breath. Silence had conquered the room. Torches illuminated the darkness, just like the leopard’s eyes. They were done for. Then they lifted the duvet. Her heart was racing, like a whippet chasing a deer. Somehow, the boy was staring straight at her but said nothing. She pressed harder against the leopard’s warm fur, hoping to muffle the loud thumping of her heart. They would have to get out later. If there was a later.

It seemed like years had gone by, but the only thing gone now, was the boys. It was night time now. Then the leopard spoke. She spoke about gateways and other world and universes. But the thing that intrigued Lila most was the fact that she was in a war, battling with Guardians of Earth. Always in the centre. She needed to get to a gateway too. Or else.

Lila had a vague guess, the city centre. It had a long walk through shaped like and arch. But if that was the case, there was a problem. The market. Everyone would see the leopard. She was bleeding to. Surely the leopard could not walk. She was way to limp.

Lila Knew her mum would be worried, she had already lost dad and now she could not loose me. For a while, she wished the leopard was a fox, sly and small. But she was not, and now they were in a game of stuck in the mud, or now, stuck in death.

Chapter 4 by Bella

The eyeless head statue (which was a little creepy) stared her down. Watching. All the gateways had once had the world running until Stasha and her family left. But one stayed open. A gateway for her relative, who was supposed to help a Leopard through. It was there that Lila and the leopard were heading.

The night eyes stared at them as well. Cackling from above. Like everyone, they knew this was the end. Fear ran up Lila’s spine. It was quiet. Way too quiet. The leopards wound was bleeding worse than ever, like it could sense danger. Would they make it?

Walking closer to the town centre, something or someone screamed. It pierced the sky. The scream was his mother’s. Now he had to choose. The leopard growled, and padded towards the man holding Lila’s mum. But instead the other guards pointed their gun at her mother. Lila knew what the guards meant. But the intricate gateway was calling. Its bars were like spiders’ webs, it was so intricate that is could have been created by spiders, and the gold was as shiny as the tear running down her face. Lila, whose heart was in her mouth, decided to wave the leopard through. Behind the gateway, Lila could see a raging fire ready to devour the leopard. Then Lila saw herself. But she was a wealthy commoner and there was a clear sky behind her. She was in a better brighter future. Then. BANG! The gun went off, scarlet blood trickled down her mother’s chest. Now Lila had to leave. The world went dark, like someone had flicked a light switch powering the world; like the world had shattered into a million pieces; like the world had ended. For the better.

Before she could even cry, the man dropped her mother’s body and kicked it aside. But the leopard growled, a deep, heavy growl. The guards put down their guns and departed. “Cowards,” said the leopard.

“Goodbye my friend,” said the leopard, “But they will be back, and next time you shall not be so lucky, I would expect to see you in four years, when I too have passed. I am no longer an immortal.” Lila had no idea what she meant. But she faced the gateway anyway. Lila no longer saw a raging fire. But a girl, not her, another girl. Stasha Kuczaj. Grief rose into Lila’s body. Stasha looked a lot like her mother. “Now I will leave, goodbye,” said the leopard, plunging into infinity.

Rain fell. The leopard had gone. Lila’s only ever friend had gone. The leopard. She was in a much better place now. Infinity. Or was she? The guards had gone. Then the sun rose. The rare sun that felt like precious gold to Lila.

The leopard would always be with her, by her side at all times. Lila felt better about the Leopard now. She was heading home, to live on her own. Then she remembered the checkpoint, the checkpoint that was no longer there. Things were changing, so she took off her coat.