I want to pick up the pieces of your precious heart,
And hold them lovingly in my hands.
Put it back slowly like a puzzle,
Yet I want to keep a piece.
How can a puzzle, or heart, be completed
When somebody else owns a part,
A piece that they won't give back,
Because it's too beautiful to show the world.
When will you realize that I also hold a piece,
Even if you don't realize it yet.
That I hold it in my hand,
Watching it whir and move with grace.
Should I hold it in my hand,
Or should I give it back,
And watch you hand the piece
out to someone else?
Yeh, I messed up the ending. If anyone can help me with that, please do
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
When we were young- Poem
When we were young we had no regrets,
Yet as we get older, we get consumed in them.
We focus on what we can do to improve,
Forgetting that we are a precious gem.
When we were young we had change,
But when we get older we lack the capacity.
We try to stay the same so people will like us,
And for ourselves, all we do is pity.
When we were young we saw fairies,
Dancing right in front of our eyes.
How does our innocence disappear so quickly,
And leave us with nothing but lies.
Yet as we get older, we get consumed in them.
We focus on what we can do to improve,
Forgetting that we are a precious gem.
When we were young we had change,
But when we get older we lack the capacity.
We try to stay the same so people will like us,
And for ourselves, all we do is pity.
When we were young we saw fairies,
Dancing right in front of our eyes.
How does our innocence disappear so quickly,
And leave us with nothing but lies.
Don’t Walk Away- Chapter 9
Don’t Walk Away
….Chapter 9
My breath caught in my throat as I gazed at Hunter’s new face. In my memory he kept his human face. His natural gothic look was something I had become accustomed too, but now… I had no words to describe how beautiful he was.
His normal black hair now shone and shimmered in a wild way. It was messed up in such perfection that no hair artist could create, and his normal brown eyes were now shimmering silver, just like the Moon’s.
He nodded at Cole, “Now show her you. She’ll be able to tell the difference between good and evil soon enough.”
Cole shook his head in fear and I looked at him, “Its ok. Don’t be bullied by him. His ego is way up here,” I put my hand above my head.
Hunter shook his head and snorted with laughter. Cole glared at him. I groaned, wondering when my eyes were going to start watering with the testosterone rolling through the air.
“Time out!” I made a T with my hands, “Cut it out, you two! Why can’t we all just get along?”
That’s when Hunter and Cole burst out laughing together.
“With that jerk?” They both said at the exact same time, pointing at the other. They glared at each other before both dropping their hands.
“Or softly lightens o'er her face; Where thoughts serenely sweet express: How pure, how dear their dwelling place.” Hunter said softly to himself. I stared at him as if he’d gone crazy.
Cole muttered something crude under his breath before explaining, “She Walks in Beauty. Very famous.”
“Do you even remember what the word beauty means, or are you still caught up in your awfulness?” Hunter teased like a child.
Cole shot a glance at him before looking back at me, quoting the poem as well; A mind at peace with all below, A heart whose love is innocent!” He took my hand and went to lead me back inside, but suddenly Hunter was between the door and Cole.
“Don’t touch her,” Hunter hissed at Cole. “You have no right. She’s mine.”
Cole raised his eyebrows, “Let me guess, you pledged yourself to her?”
Hunter nodded, “Yes I did, meaning she is mine to love and protect. I can kill you if I want and get away with it.”
Cole laughed, “In case you don’t know, she can agree to more than one pledge. She can have more than one fey protecting her for all eternity.”
“Wait,” I interrupted, “Am I immortal?”
“Yes.” Cole said, “Now, a matter of business. And to stick it up Hunter,” Cole knelt in front of me, “Will you be my master? I pledge to honour, love, protect and cherish everything you were, are, and will be. Please say yes.”
“Put a hold on this for a minute,” I said, “This isn’t marriage is it?”
Cole shook his head, “No. But if you say yes, I am your warrior forever, unless I get killed.”
I was about to shake my head and refuse to let him protect me to the point of death, but Hunter pipped up.
“Cole’s very dramatic. This is a matter of pride for him. If you refuse his offer, then he must stay away from you forever. And if he feels really special, he might kill himself.” He grinned, “I pledged myself to you once before, and you said yes. So I am your number one protector!”
I grimaced, and then looked back at Cole, still kneeling on the ground, “How do I agree?” Cole said nothing.
Hunter stopped smiling, “He’s tongue is tied. He’s not allowed to talk until you agree. Let’s run off, leaving him here for a while, so he won’t be able to move or talk! That would be fun!” He sniggered to himself.
“Tell me the words to agree,” I growled.
Hunter looked at me startled then whispered something in my ear.
“Is that it?” I asked in surprise, “That’s kind of stupid.”
He nodded then backed away, a glint in his eyes.
“Cole,” I said nervously, hoping that this wasn’t another of Hunter’s childish pranks, “I accept your offer. You are now my warrior. Everything I say, goes. Every order I make, you do. And every opinion I stake, you will back up. Now rise.” My voice slipped on the last two words. I didn’t like having control over someone else.
Cole got up from the ground and embraced me. We hugged for a long time, and when I looked over at Hunter, all I saw was his back as he walked away from us both. I felt an overwhelming need to run to him and tell him everything was ok between us. Instead I called to him, “Hunter, don’t walk away from me anymore.” Tears overflowed from my eyes. They fell on my hand as I stepped away from Cole’s hug and took a few steps towards Hunter’s retreating form.
Hunter paused in his walking and turned back towards me, “You’ve just made it impossible for me to be your warrior.”
“Why?” I nearly screamed at him, “Why can’t you two just coexist?”
Hunter pointed at Cole, “Because he’s an evil son of a donkey.” He said simply.
“Will you both just shut up?” I screamed, “He’s evil! No, he’s evil! I’ve just had enough! Will you both give it a rest with the hating? Whatever came between you two in the first place, be it someone’s evil, just get over it already!”
Hunter and Cole eyed each other awkwardly, but remained silently.
“What now?” I sighed, “The screaming put you off?”
“Ah, not exactly,” Cole said, “Just, the, uh, thing that came between us in the first place.”
“Well?” I demanded, “What was it?”
Hunter half-whispered, but my ears caught it, “It was you.”
I felt the Earth shift under my feet, “Well, then, just get over me then.”
“It’s not that easy,” Hunter said, “You chose me, but now, you’re choosing him. I can’t just move on from that.”
My heart stopped in my chest, and then I ran up to Hunter, hugging him like I hugged Cole only a few moments ago. I felt Hunter kiss the top of my head, and then the tips of my faerie ears that were poking from my hair, being bigger and pointier than my original set.
“Willow,” He whispered the name I would now go by, now that I knew Janice was not mine.
I held onto him tighter, but Hunter put a finger under my chin, lifting my face, where his lips met mine.
We broke the kiss, as I heard the door to the house clang shut as Cole went back inside.
I turned towards the shut door and then back to Hunter. He smiled softly and it hurt me to tell him, “I have to go. So do you.” I gave him a peck on the cheek.
I went to the front door and I looked back at Hunter. He took a cigarette from his back pocket and lit it. My head instantly felt weak and dizzy. I slumped to my knees, and heard Hunter yelling my name.
Cole had come over, “Put that out, you moron,” he snapped at Hunter, “She’s still a Faerie; she doesn’t have the same immune system you do while you’re in your human form!”
Hunter cursed in fear and desperation, and I heard a cigarette being crushed under his foot.
“Fool,” I whispered, while my throat felt like sawdust; raw and burnt. I wouldn’t be surprised if I started coughing up blood next. As a matter of fact, I did.
I leant my head to the side and coughed again, red mixing with my saliva. I looked up at Cole, whose hands were supporting my head.
“Hunter’s getting help, ok? Hang in their,” Cole muttered over and over again under his breath.
“But I only smelt it from a distance,” I said, coughing some more blood up. I started hyperventilating at the sight of my own blood all over the ground.
*I haven't finished this chapter yet- more to come*
….Chapter 9
My breath caught in my throat as I gazed at Hunter’s new face. In my memory he kept his human face. His natural gothic look was something I had become accustomed too, but now… I had no words to describe how beautiful he was.
His normal black hair now shone and shimmered in a wild way. It was messed up in such perfection that no hair artist could create, and his normal brown eyes were now shimmering silver, just like the Moon’s.
He nodded at Cole, “Now show her you. She’ll be able to tell the difference between good and evil soon enough.”
Cole shook his head in fear and I looked at him, “Its ok. Don’t be bullied by him. His ego is way up here,” I put my hand above my head.
Hunter shook his head and snorted with laughter. Cole glared at him. I groaned, wondering when my eyes were going to start watering with the testosterone rolling through the air.
“Time out!” I made a T with my hands, “Cut it out, you two! Why can’t we all just get along?”
That’s when Hunter and Cole burst out laughing together.
“With that jerk?” They both said at the exact same time, pointing at the other. They glared at each other before both dropping their hands.
“Or softly lightens o'er her face; Where thoughts serenely sweet express: How pure, how dear their dwelling place.” Hunter said softly to himself. I stared at him as if he’d gone crazy.
Cole muttered something crude under his breath before explaining, “She Walks in Beauty. Very famous.”
“Do you even remember what the word beauty means, or are you still caught up in your awfulness?” Hunter teased like a child.
Cole shot a glance at him before looking back at me, quoting the poem as well; A mind at peace with all below, A heart whose love is innocent!” He took my hand and went to lead me back inside, but suddenly Hunter was between the door and Cole.
“Don’t touch her,” Hunter hissed at Cole. “You have no right. She’s mine.”
Cole raised his eyebrows, “Let me guess, you pledged yourself to her?”
Hunter nodded, “Yes I did, meaning she is mine to love and protect. I can kill you if I want and get away with it.”
Cole laughed, “In case you don’t know, she can agree to more than one pledge. She can have more than one fey protecting her for all eternity.”
“Wait,” I interrupted, “Am I immortal?”
“Yes.” Cole said, “Now, a matter of business. And to stick it up Hunter,” Cole knelt in front of me, “Will you be my master? I pledge to honour, love, protect and cherish everything you were, are, and will be. Please say yes.”
“Put a hold on this for a minute,” I said, “This isn’t marriage is it?”
Cole shook his head, “No. But if you say yes, I am your warrior forever, unless I get killed.”
I was about to shake my head and refuse to let him protect me to the point of death, but Hunter pipped up.
“Cole’s very dramatic. This is a matter of pride for him. If you refuse his offer, then he must stay away from you forever. And if he feels really special, he might kill himself.” He grinned, “I pledged myself to you once before, and you said yes. So I am your number one protector!”
I grimaced, and then looked back at Cole, still kneeling on the ground, “How do I agree?” Cole said nothing.
Hunter stopped smiling, “He’s tongue is tied. He’s not allowed to talk until you agree. Let’s run off, leaving him here for a while, so he won’t be able to move or talk! That would be fun!” He sniggered to himself.
“Tell me the words to agree,” I growled.
Hunter looked at me startled then whispered something in my ear.
“Is that it?” I asked in surprise, “That’s kind of stupid.”
He nodded then backed away, a glint in his eyes.
“Cole,” I said nervously, hoping that this wasn’t another of Hunter’s childish pranks, “I accept your offer. You are now my warrior. Everything I say, goes. Every order I make, you do. And every opinion I stake, you will back up. Now rise.” My voice slipped on the last two words. I didn’t like having control over someone else.
Cole got up from the ground and embraced me. We hugged for a long time, and when I looked over at Hunter, all I saw was his back as he walked away from us both. I felt an overwhelming need to run to him and tell him everything was ok between us. Instead I called to him, “Hunter, don’t walk away from me anymore.” Tears overflowed from my eyes. They fell on my hand as I stepped away from Cole’s hug and took a few steps towards Hunter’s retreating form.
Hunter paused in his walking and turned back towards me, “You’ve just made it impossible for me to be your warrior.”
“Why?” I nearly screamed at him, “Why can’t you two just coexist?”
Hunter pointed at Cole, “Because he’s an evil son of a donkey.” He said simply.
“Will you both just shut up?” I screamed, “He’s evil! No, he’s evil! I’ve just had enough! Will you both give it a rest with the hating? Whatever came between you two in the first place, be it someone’s evil, just get over it already!”
Hunter and Cole eyed each other awkwardly, but remained silently.
“What now?” I sighed, “The screaming put you off?”
“Ah, not exactly,” Cole said, “Just, the, uh, thing that came between us in the first place.”
“Well?” I demanded, “What was it?”
Hunter half-whispered, but my ears caught it, “It was you.”
I felt the Earth shift under my feet, “Well, then, just get over me then.”
“It’s not that easy,” Hunter said, “You chose me, but now, you’re choosing him. I can’t just move on from that.”
My heart stopped in my chest, and then I ran up to Hunter, hugging him like I hugged Cole only a few moments ago. I felt Hunter kiss the top of my head, and then the tips of my faerie ears that were poking from my hair, being bigger and pointier than my original set.
“Willow,” He whispered the name I would now go by, now that I knew Janice was not mine.
I held onto him tighter, but Hunter put a finger under my chin, lifting my face, where his lips met mine.
We broke the kiss, as I heard the door to the house clang shut as Cole went back inside.
I turned towards the shut door and then back to Hunter. He smiled softly and it hurt me to tell him, “I have to go. So do you.” I gave him a peck on the cheek.
I went to the front door and I looked back at Hunter. He took a cigarette from his back pocket and lit it. My head instantly felt weak and dizzy. I slumped to my knees, and heard Hunter yelling my name.
Cole had come over, “Put that out, you moron,” he snapped at Hunter, “She’s still a Faerie; she doesn’t have the same immune system you do while you’re in your human form!”
Hunter cursed in fear and desperation, and I heard a cigarette being crushed under his foot.
“Fool,” I whispered, while my throat felt like sawdust; raw and burnt. I wouldn’t be surprised if I started coughing up blood next. As a matter of fact, I did.
I leant my head to the side and coughed again, red mixing with my saliva. I looked up at Cole, whose hands were supporting my head.
“Hunter’s getting help, ok? Hang in their,” Cole muttered over and over again under his breath.
“But I only smelt it from a distance,” I said, coughing some more blood up. I started hyperventilating at the sight of my own blood all over the ground.
*I haven't finished this chapter yet- more to come*
Thinking Too Hard- Chapter 8
Thinking Too Hard
….Chapter 8
I rested on the car ride home, my head lolling on Cole’s shoulder, while he drove me home. Well, to his home.
When we got home, Anna had a thousand questions for me, and I answered what I could, but they froze when I mentioned the solitary fey. My blood curled at what Cole had to tell me.
“Yeah. We’re faeries.”
Anna and her husband left the room. I stared in disbelief at Cole, so he continued.
“I was hired to keep you safe. I never believed this would happen. I thought, once my job had finished, I would go back to Faerie and everything would be all right. But now that I’ve met you, I know that can’t happen. I wish I could have told you earlier.”
I didn’t say anything, but then suddenly thought of Hunter.
“So,” I said sleepily, “Hunter. What’s he? I know he has some random tattoo on his wrist.”
Cole nodded, “He’s solitary as well. Ok. I see you’re confused. Let me explain. Seelie court is where all the good faeries are. Well, they’re still wicked, but they don’t kill or hurt humans. Much. That’s what sort of makes them good, whereas the Unseelie court would purposely go out to kill humans. They’re evil. Solitary Fey are the Faeries that don’t kill: much. And they don’t get involved in war between the courts. That’s me. A pacifist. There are groups as well in the Solitary court. Hunter and I belong to a group that split in half.”
He took the moment to pull the jumper sleeve back from his wrist. There, was a snake inked into him. Exactly like Hunter’s, “We split into two,” He repeated, “Hunter chose the bad side to join, and I chose to do good. Whatever Hunter pretends to be, or do, he’s evil.”
I frowned, that didn’t sound too much like Hunter. He had a dark side, that was clear, but I doubt he would be evil.
“He enchanted you,” Cole said, looking deep into my eyes, “He enchanted you while you were a fey so you would follow his orders. But when you were Glamoured, you were protected.”
“Wait, Glamour? What’s that?” I asked, completely confused.
“Glamour is a type of magick all Faeries wield, and it can hide their true identities. They can change there facial shapes with them, or change them into humans, aka, you. They can also Glamour buildings to be invisible. A human can walk right over an area that has been Glamoured and they won’t even feel it.”
I shivered, wondering how many times I haven’t noticed a building because it’s been turned.
Cole touched my face, “Don’t run from this. Faerie is you. You are Faerie. You’re their princess. Your mother is Queen of the Seelie court. That’s why you’re so gentle. The Queen of the Seelie court has no problem with the Solitary Fey; actually, she’s hiring heaps of us, so that her Faerie can have more time to party and battle train. It works for us because we can afford more things in the Faerie markets.”
I rolled my eyes. Faerie markets, of course there would be!
Cole smiled tenderly, “You mean to much to me to see you go back to them so quickly, but first you have to find the killer.”
I frowned, “Why does everyone tell me that? The killer of what?”
“The disappearing humans. We even know that the Unseelie Court isn’t behind this cruelty. They like to take the stragglers, whereas whoever is doing this takes groups of people, which rules out the Seelie and Unseelie courts.
“The Seelie and Unseelie courts have too many rules involving human killings. That means it’s a solitary, like me, going on the killing spree. That also means none of us are safe from this slayer.”
I nod in understanding, “So that’s why I’m here.” I paused, “Then where is Janice?”
Cole looked away, “They were in a car crash because her father slipped on the icy road, and Janice was killed. We took that opportunity. We buried her body and we Glamoured you to look like her, but because her face was so messed up, we got certain features wrong.”
When you did your poetry reading, the Glamour started to fall, and that’s why you got your eye and hair colour back. It was a mistake, which really needs to be fixed.”
“How did you know about my English classes?” I asked suspiciously.
“I’m being paid to keep you safe. That means for me to follow you and keep you safe. I was watching through the window, concealing myself well. You could have seen through it easily if you knew about your powers.”
He passed me a rock from one of the random potted plants around the house. I curled my fingers around it, and I immediately felt it throbbing with energy.
“I’ve never felt this before.” I murmured to Cole.
He nodded, “And this is only you at your weakest. Now, close your eyes and imagine it turning into a flower.”
I closed my eyes, suspicious that it wouldn’t work. When I opened my eyes, their, sitting on the palm of my hand was a small yellow rose bud. I dropped it in horror, but Cole picked it up and changed it back into a rock before throwing it back into the bottom of the pot plant.
“Holy shit. I’m really not human,” I whispered to myself, feeling my wings brush my back, “I want to see my real self again!” I told him.
Cole nodded, “I can do that for you, but just don’t be scared,” I questioned him and he shook his head, “You’re of royal heritage, meaning you’re much more powerful. Your wings and skin colour change all the time.”
I frowned, “Ok, that’s weird.”
My phone buzzed in my pocket, “Didn’t I turn you off?” I looked at the called ID; it was Hunter.
“Screw you,” I said and refused his call. “I’m ready,” I said to Cole. He put his hands on my shoulders and said something under his breath. I felt the world tilt and my skin was shed like a children’s costume.
I gasped at everything I could feel around me. I could feel Cole’s warm hands on my shoulders, the kitchen tainted with iron, and the warm engine from the car outside.
I looked at my hands and saw they were a dull purple. Cole took them in his, “They match your eyes,” and he brought one of my hands to meet his mouth.
My wings fluttered on my back softly and I turned to look at them. They were bigger and they looked exactly like a monarch butterfly’s wings. They were almost as dark and sinister as the person who was calling me.
I picked up my vibrating phone and it read Hunter’s name once again. I swore under my breath.
“Hello?” I said into the phone, feigning ignorance.
“I know it’s you, turkey,” Hunter said.
“Mum?” I asked.
A soft chuckle, then, “Unless your mum has had a sex change, I don’t think she sounds like a man. It’s Hunter. But you already know that, don’t you?”
I shook my head, then realised that he couldn’t see it, “No. My mistake. What do you want?”
Hunter’s voice became sinister, “I suggest you look out the window.”
I looked around the room, “Which one?”
“The one to your left.”
I felt my back prickle with unease. I slowly turned to the window, and there was Hunter’s face, smiling jovially back at me.
“I’m going to kill you,” I yelled at the phone, before throwing it across the room. I ran to the door, and heard Cole’s questioning glance, before he followed me out. When he saw Hunter, he placed himself between us.
Hunter grinned at Cole, “Getting romantic in there are we?” he asked, but I could hear the threat that was unconcealed under his jolly words.
“Hunter,” I warned, “Back off.”
He turned to me, and I could see the hurt in his eyes, but it was quickly disguised by a flash of anger.
I grabbed Cole’s hand and egged him to go back inside and leave this to me, but when I saw Cole’s face, I knew he wouldn’t listen to me.
“Go away,” Cole hissed, “My family lives here.”
“Your family?” Hunter’s eyes widened in mock surprise, “If only I had a heart.”
I glared at him, “If only you had a brain, more like it!”
Hunter stared at me for a moment and came closer, “Your glamour is off. I almost didn’t recognise you. You’ve changed. More power.” He put one hand up as if to rest it on my wings, but then thought better of it, and dropped his hand. My heart beat with disappointment.
Hunter smiled warmly, “Guess it’s only fair that we drop our glamour too, no?”
Magick swirled around him and then his glamour was whisked away with the gentle breeze that stirred his hair; and so was my breath.
….Chapter 8
I rested on the car ride home, my head lolling on Cole’s shoulder, while he drove me home. Well, to his home.
When we got home, Anna had a thousand questions for me, and I answered what I could, but they froze when I mentioned the solitary fey. My blood curled at what Cole had to tell me.
“Yeah. We’re faeries.”
Anna and her husband left the room. I stared in disbelief at Cole, so he continued.
“I was hired to keep you safe. I never believed this would happen. I thought, once my job had finished, I would go back to Faerie and everything would be all right. But now that I’ve met you, I know that can’t happen. I wish I could have told you earlier.”
I didn’t say anything, but then suddenly thought of Hunter.
“So,” I said sleepily, “Hunter. What’s he? I know he has some random tattoo on his wrist.”
Cole nodded, “He’s solitary as well. Ok. I see you’re confused. Let me explain. Seelie court is where all the good faeries are. Well, they’re still wicked, but they don’t kill or hurt humans. Much. That’s what sort of makes them good, whereas the Unseelie court would purposely go out to kill humans. They’re evil. Solitary Fey are the Faeries that don’t kill: much. And they don’t get involved in war between the courts. That’s me. A pacifist. There are groups as well in the Solitary court. Hunter and I belong to a group that split in half.”
He took the moment to pull the jumper sleeve back from his wrist. There, was a snake inked into him. Exactly like Hunter’s, “We split into two,” He repeated, “Hunter chose the bad side to join, and I chose to do good. Whatever Hunter pretends to be, or do, he’s evil.”
I frowned, that didn’t sound too much like Hunter. He had a dark side, that was clear, but I doubt he would be evil.
“He enchanted you,” Cole said, looking deep into my eyes, “He enchanted you while you were a fey so you would follow his orders. But when you were Glamoured, you were protected.”
“Wait, Glamour? What’s that?” I asked, completely confused.
“Glamour is a type of magick all Faeries wield, and it can hide their true identities. They can change there facial shapes with them, or change them into humans, aka, you. They can also Glamour buildings to be invisible. A human can walk right over an area that has been Glamoured and they won’t even feel it.”
I shivered, wondering how many times I haven’t noticed a building because it’s been turned.
Cole touched my face, “Don’t run from this. Faerie is you. You are Faerie. You’re their princess. Your mother is Queen of the Seelie court. That’s why you’re so gentle. The Queen of the Seelie court has no problem with the Solitary Fey; actually, she’s hiring heaps of us, so that her Faerie can have more time to party and battle train. It works for us because we can afford more things in the Faerie markets.”
I rolled my eyes. Faerie markets, of course there would be!
Cole smiled tenderly, “You mean to much to me to see you go back to them so quickly, but first you have to find the killer.”
I frowned, “Why does everyone tell me that? The killer of what?”
“The disappearing humans. We even know that the Unseelie Court isn’t behind this cruelty. They like to take the stragglers, whereas whoever is doing this takes groups of people, which rules out the Seelie and Unseelie courts.
“The Seelie and Unseelie courts have too many rules involving human killings. That means it’s a solitary, like me, going on the killing spree. That also means none of us are safe from this slayer.”
I nod in understanding, “So that’s why I’m here.” I paused, “Then where is Janice?”
Cole looked away, “They were in a car crash because her father slipped on the icy road, and Janice was killed. We took that opportunity. We buried her body and we Glamoured you to look like her, but because her face was so messed up, we got certain features wrong.”
When you did your poetry reading, the Glamour started to fall, and that’s why you got your eye and hair colour back. It was a mistake, which really needs to be fixed.”
“How did you know about my English classes?” I asked suspiciously.
“I’m being paid to keep you safe. That means for me to follow you and keep you safe. I was watching through the window, concealing myself well. You could have seen through it easily if you knew about your powers.”
He passed me a rock from one of the random potted plants around the house. I curled my fingers around it, and I immediately felt it throbbing with energy.
“I’ve never felt this before.” I murmured to Cole.
He nodded, “And this is only you at your weakest. Now, close your eyes and imagine it turning into a flower.”
I closed my eyes, suspicious that it wouldn’t work. When I opened my eyes, their, sitting on the palm of my hand was a small yellow rose bud. I dropped it in horror, but Cole picked it up and changed it back into a rock before throwing it back into the bottom of the pot plant.
“Holy shit. I’m really not human,” I whispered to myself, feeling my wings brush my back, “I want to see my real self again!” I told him.
Cole nodded, “I can do that for you, but just don’t be scared,” I questioned him and he shook his head, “You’re of royal heritage, meaning you’re much more powerful. Your wings and skin colour change all the time.”
I frowned, “Ok, that’s weird.”
My phone buzzed in my pocket, “Didn’t I turn you off?” I looked at the called ID; it was Hunter.
“Screw you,” I said and refused his call. “I’m ready,” I said to Cole. He put his hands on my shoulders and said something under his breath. I felt the world tilt and my skin was shed like a children’s costume.
I gasped at everything I could feel around me. I could feel Cole’s warm hands on my shoulders, the kitchen tainted with iron, and the warm engine from the car outside.
I looked at my hands and saw they were a dull purple. Cole took them in his, “They match your eyes,” and he brought one of my hands to meet his mouth.
My wings fluttered on my back softly and I turned to look at them. They were bigger and they looked exactly like a monarch butterfly’s wings. They were almost as dark and sinister as the person who was calling me.
I picked up my vibrating phone and it read Hunter’s name once again. I swore under my breath.
“Hello?” I said into the phone, feigning ignorance.
“I know it’s you, turkey,” Hunter said.
“Mum?” I asked.
A soft chuckle, then, “Unless your mum has had a sex change, I don’t think she sounds like a man. It’s Hunter. But you already know that, don’t you?”
I shook my head, then realised that he couldn’t see it, “No. My mistake. What do you want?”
Hunter’s voice became sinister, “I suggest you look out the window.”
I looked around the room, “Which one?”
“The one to your left.”
I felt my back prickle with unease. I slowly turned to the window, and there was Hunter’s face, smiling jovially back at me.
“I’m going to kill you,” I yelled at the phone, before throwing it across the room. I ran to the door, and heard Cole’s questioning glance, before he followed me out. When he saw Hunter, he placed himself between us.
Hunter grinned at Cole, “Getting romantic in there are we?” he asked, but I could hear the threat that was unconcealed under his jolly words.
“Hunter,” I warned, “Back off.”
He turned to me, and I could see the hurt in his eyes, but it was quickly disguised by a flash of anger.
I grabbed Cole’s hand and egged him to go back inside and leave this to me, but when I saw Cole’s face, I knew he wouldn’t listen to me.
“Go away,” Cole hissed, “My family lives here.”
“Your family?” Hunter’s eyes widened in mock surprise, “If only I had a heart.”
I glared at him, “If only you had a brain, more like it!”
Hunter stared at me for a moment and came closer, “Your glamour is off. I almost didn’t recognise you. You’ve changed. More power.” He put one hand up as if to rest it on my wings, but then thought better of it, and dropped his hand. My heart beat with disappointment.
Hunter smiled warmly, “Guess it’s only fair that we drop our glamour too, no?”
Magick swirled around him and then his glamour was whisked away with the gentle breeze that stirred his hair; and so was my breath.
Silent Conversation- Chapter 7
Silent Conversation
….Chapter 7
We sat down at a nice wooden table and a waitress practically jumped on us. Cole’s father ordered some wine straight away and it was delivered quickly. It was a red wine, and it was very bitter. I ignored the taste and drank some more.
Cole nearly had his glass finished by the time I had taken my third sip. Anna kicked him under the table. I only knew that because she accidently kicked me in the process, but I wasn’t going to say anything.
When we placed our orders, again, it was finished in record time. I looked around the place and realised we were almost the only people in the room, save for the couple near the door. They kept flashing glances at us, as if wishing we were not there.
I tucked into my chicken parma, and looked to see what everyone else was having. Cole was munching on fish and chips, Anna had a salad with pieces of chicken flaked on the top, and Cole’s father was having a steak that only looked half cooked.
My phone went off in the middle of the dinner, and I embarrassingly clicked the off button.
Anna shook her head, “No. Take it. It might be your mother, and we don’t want you to miss that call.”
I turned my phone back on, and they were already calling back. My phone had an annoying theme tune that was completely unfamiliar, and it was vibrating in my hand.
“Hello?” I said quietly, as Cole’s family went back to eating.
“Janice? You there? It’s Hunter.”
“Hunter! What a surprise!” My eyes flickered to Cole, and he looked up at me, frowning slightly, “Why are you calling at this hour?”
“Wanted to know if you’ve had a nap yet and regained a memory”
“Yes. I have actually. It was the last memory I had ever had. I was saying good-bye to you, and I took the glass. Then you kissed me.”
Anna glanced at me, then at Cole’s ridged form.
“Actually Willow, you kissed me. And when you get more of your memories back you’ll realise that we’ve done more than kiss.”
My mouth fell open with a small popping noise.
“Don’t call me that,” I was surprised at how cold my voice sounded, “I am Janice, not Willow. And I’ve moved on. Sorry to disappoint.” I hang up and turned my phone off.
Cole didn’t look at me, but Anna asked me, “Are you going to eat that?” and pointed at a piece of cheese on my plate.
“It’s all yours.” I answered, my voice sounding unbelievably bleak in comparison to my bright and happy surroundings, and I admired this family for not asking questions.
“Ex-boyfriend?” Anna asked. I take my latest statement back.
“No. Just a friend who thinks he can push me around.”
“Mmm… The controlling type. I would stay away from him if I were you.” She said, eating my cheese.
“Trust me,” I said, “I will. He has nothing he can offer me anymore.”
Anna’s eyes flashed to her husbands, then back to mine.
“Good choice, honey,” and she patted my hand that was resting on the table. It was still clutching my phone tightly, and it was slippery with sweat. I put the phone in my pocket and smiled at Anna. I wasn’t about to let a phone call from some loser ruin my night.
I finished my dinner, giving more cheese to Anna, and I had strawberry mousse for dessert.
When we were about to leave, the couple by the door stood up and followed us out. Anna stiffened but made no comment that she had noticed them following. We closed in on the car, and that was when they attacked.
The couple jumped on Cole, and half a dozen other people leapt from the shadows. I was grabbed by three females who snarled in my face. I tried hitting them, but they always seemed to maintain a certain grip on me that avoided them getting hit.
Anna was crumpled on the ground, and was being kicked by a few males. Cole was fighting with a girl, and there was a knocked out boy behind him.
Cole’s father was kneeling under a flurry of kicking feet, and after one foot caught him in the temple, out he went too.
The others jumped on Cole and he landed on the ground with a thud. I cried out in pain as I saw the blood dripping from his nose.
They all turned towards me and the leader, a female, stepped forward.
“Princess,” she snarled, “A lovely night for a dinner party! Think you could fool us? The fey from the Seelie Court were always so stupid!” She kicked me in the jaw.
The other people around me laughed wickedly, and pinched me where they could reach.
The leader walked around me, analysing the situation. Finally, she spoke, “You may call me Lithium. Follow me.”
I didn’t really have a choice, especially after seeing the short knife they held at my back.
I was pushed into a black commodore, and in the back they put a blind fold on my face.
We drove in complete silence, despite my suggestion of the radio.
When we reached an abrupt stop, hands grabbed me again and I was tossed out of the car. I was pulled to my feet just as quickly and the blindfold was snatched off my head. I stood, dizzy and disoriented for a moment, before gathering my bearings.
“Bow,” lithium hissed into my ear. I knelt on my knees, and a woman got up. She was old, like a wizened apple, but beautiful.
“Welcome,” she said, “Please child. Do not kneel. Come here!” I stood up and walked to her, as if in a trance.
“Where were you when they found you?”
I didn’t have a chance to answer, as Lithium stepped forward, “We found her in a restaurant, dining with Solitary Fey.”
Solitary Fey, I thought, what are these people on? I hope they share…
“Daughter,” said the woman who was obviously in control, “What is it like living with humans? What do you miss most about Faerie?”
I gaped at her, “Living with humans is ok. I don’t remember Faerie. I took a serum that concealed my memories from me.”
She sniffed me over, “This is pretty glamour. It’s cast by a powerful Faerie. Maybe by your beloved Solitary Fey? Hmm… Just a twist there, and… Aha! Gone!”
I felt strange, like I was about to sneeze. Then I looked at myself. My hands were a faded blue colour, and my fingers had elongated, adding another joint onto it. Lithium ordered a Faerie to bring a mirror, and I looked at my face.
My eyes widened in horror. My eyes were still deep purple, and my hair still a shiny black, but my ears were pointed through my hair. My face was more pointed, like a-
“Faerie,” I whispered to myself.
And the worst part, on my back was a pair of gorgeous silver wings. They shimmered like the stars themselves.
At the snap of Lithium’s fingers, the ‘glamour’ fell back upon me, disguising me back as a human, but I could still feel the disgusting appendages on my back.
Then, just as a thousand questions teetered on my tongue, I blacked out. I have to stop doing that at the most inappropriate time!
…
I woke up at the edge of the forest, alone. I picked out my phone from my pants and I called Cole to check if he was ok. He told me to wait and he’d pick me up.
….Chapter 7
We sat down at a nice wooden table and a waitress practically jumped on us. Cole’s father ordered some wine straight away and it was delivered quickly. It was a red wine, and it was very bitter. I ignored the taste and drank some more.
Cole nearly had his glass finished by the time I had taken my third sip. Anna kicked him under the table. I only knew that because she accidently kicked me in the process, but I wasn’t going to say anything.
When we placed our orders, again, it was finished in record time. I looked around the place and realised we were almost the only people in the room, save for the couple near the door. They kept flashing glances at us, as if wishing we were not there.
I tucked into my chicken parma, and looked to see what everyone else was having. Cole was munching on fish and chips, Anna had a salad with pieces of chicken flaked on the top, and Cole’s father was having a steak that only looked half cooked.
My phone went off in the middle of the dinner, and I embarrassingly clicked the off button.
Anna shook her head, “No. Take it. It might be your mother, and we don’t want you to miss that call.”
I turned my phone back on, and they were already calling back. My phone had an annoying theme tune that was completely unfamiliar, and it was vibrating in my hand.
“Hello?” I said quietly, as Cole’s family went back to eating.
“Janice? You there? It’s Hunter.”
“Hunter! What a surprise!” My eyes flickered to Cole, and he looked up at me, frowning slightly, “Why are you calling at this hour?”
“Wanted to know if you’ve had a nap yet and regained a memory”
“Yes. I have actually. It was the last memory I had ever had. I was saying good-bye to you, and I took the glass. Then you kissed me.”
Anna glanced at me, then at Cole’s ridged form.
“Actually Willow, you kissed me. And when you get more of your memories back you’ll realise that we’ve done more than kiss.”
My mouth fell open with a small popping noise.
“Don’t call me that,” I was surprised at how cold my voice sounded, “I am Janice, not Willow. And I’ve moved on. Sorry to disappoint.” I hang up and turned my phone off.
Cole didn’t look at me, but Anna asked me, “Are you going to eat that?” and pointed at a piece of cheese on my plate.
“It’s all yours.” I answered, my voice sounding unbelievably bleak in comparison to my bright and happy surroundings, and I admired this family for not asking questions.
“Ex-boyfriend?” Anna asked. I take my latest statement back.
“No. Just a friend who thinks he can push me around.”
“Mmm… The controlling type. I would stay away from him if I were you.” She said, eating my cheese.
“Trust me,” I said, “I will. He has nothing he can offer me anymore.”
Anna’s eyes flashed to her husbands, then back to mine.
“Good choice, honey,” and she patted my hand that was resting on the table. It was still clutching my phone tightly, and it was slippery with sweat. I put the phone in my pocket and smiled at Anna. I wasn’t about to let a phone call from some loser ruin my night.
I finished my dinner, giving more cheese to Anna, and I had strawberry mousse for dessert.
When we were about to leave, the couple by the door stood up and followed us out. Anna stiffened but made no comment that she had noticed them following. We closed in on the car, and that was when they attacked.
The couple jumped on Cole, and half a dozen other people leapt from the shadows. I was grabbed by three females who snarled in my face. I tried hitting them, but they always seemed to maintain a certain grip on me that avoided them getting hit.
Anna was crumpled on the ground, and was being kicked by a few males. Cole was fighting with a girl, and there was a knocked out boy behind him.
Cole’s father was kneeling under a flurry of kicking feet, and after one foot caught him in the temple, out he went too.
The others jumped on Cole and he landed on the ground with a thud. I cried out in pain as I saw the blood dripping from his nose.
They all turned towards me and the leader, a female, stepped forward.
“Princess,” she snarled, “A lovely night for a dinner party! Think you could fool us? The fey from the Seelie Court were always so stupid!” She kicked me in the jaw.
The other people around me laughed wickedly, and pinched me where they could reach.
The leader walked around me, analysing the situation. Finally, she spoke, “You may call me Lithium. Follow me.”
I didn’t really have a choice, especially after seeing the short knife they held at my back.
I was pushed into a black commodore, and in the back they put a blind fold on my face.
We drove in complete silence, despite my suggestion of the radio.
When we reached an abrupt stop, hands grabbed me again and I was tossed out of the car. I was pulled to my feet just as quickly and the blindfold was snatched off my head. I stood, dizzy and disoriented for a moment, before gathering my bearings.
“Bow,” lithium hissed into my ear. I knelt on my knees, and a woman got up. She was old, like a wizened apple, but beautiful.
“Welcome,” she said, “Please child. Do not kneel. Come here!” I stood up and walked to her, as if in a trance.
“Where were you when they found you?”
I didn’t have a chance to answer, as Lithium stepped forward, “We found her in a restaurant, dining with Solitary Fey.”
Solitary Fey, I thought, what are these people on? I hope they share…
“Daughter,” said the woman who was obviously in control, “What is it like living with humans? What do you miss most about Faerie?”
I gaped at her, “Living with humans is ok. I don’t remember Faerie. I took a serum that concealed my memories from me.”
She sniffed me over, “This is pretty glamour. It’s cast by a powerful Faerie. Maybe by your beloved Solitary Fey? Hmm… Just a twist there, and… Aha! Gone!”
I felt strange, like I was about to sneeze. Then I looked at myself. My hands were a faded blue colour, and my fingers had elongated, adding another joint onto it. Lithium ordered a Faerie to bring a mirror, and I looked at my face.
My eyes widened in horror. My eyes were still deep purple, and my hair still a shiny black, but my ears were pointed through my hair. My face was more pointed, like a-
“Faerie,” I whispered to myself.
And the worst part, on my back was a pair of gorgeous silver wings. They shimmered like the stars themselves.
At the snap of Lithium’s fingers, the ‘glamour’ fell back upon me, disguising me back as a human, but I could still feel the disgusting appendages on my back.
Then, just as a thousand questions teetered on my tongue, I blacked out. I have to stop doing that at the most inappropriate time!
…
I woke up at the edge of the forest, alone. I picked out my phone from my pants and I called Cole to check if he was ok. He told me to wait and he’d pick me up.
A Quirky Dream- Chapter 6
A Quirky Dream
….Chapter 6
I waited for Cole by the gate with Sasha and Hayley. She didn’t ask me anything, but stared at me with sombre eyes. Hayley was chattering away about a new movie coming out, talking to fill the awkward silence.
I was happy to see Cole pull up in about two minutes, and I said good-bye to Sasha and Hayley.
Cole drove to my house and we talked about our day for the car drive. I invited him inside when he walked me up to my doorstep, but he couldn’t stay.
I understood and he gave me a hug before leaving. The hug was surprising, but was not unwelcome.
I unlocked my front door and went inside. I smelt carefully, and no strange stench reached me.
I relaxed and went into the living room. The couch looked tempting. Hunter had told me my memories would start coming back to me whenever I slept, so I snuggled up on the couch and closed my eyes.
The moon was so bright. My enhanced eyes could see the tiny craters and the small ejecta blankets that the collisions left behind. I hear a sound in the woods behind me, so I turn. Hunter is there.
“Hi Hunter.” I say so naturally.
“Hello Willow, nice night tonight, is it not?”
“Every night is.” I answer.
“Ah,” He said, “But tonight more than ever! The moon is full, and there are no clouds to hide the stars. And stars are your favourite things to stare at, aren’t they? I watch you as you work hard during the day, without looking up once, but when night falls, you sit watching the stars. All night sometimes. But I’m not here to talk about that. You are to fulfil your promise.”
I nod, tears welling at the corners of my eyes.
“Don’t worry,” He said gruffly, “I’ll be there in the human world alongside you, to aid you in your search. Always remember, the search for the killer is most important.”
Again, I nod at him.
He strolls closer and puts one hand on my cheek. It’s so warm resting there. “Never fear the unknown.” He said, “You don’t when you stare at stars that are nameless to you, Willow. Or maybe it’s because they are so far away that they can’t hurt you. Maybe you’re a turkey.”
I smiled at the familiar nickname he used to call me as a child. I had been cutting up a turkey, and I had the feathers all over me, so the name stuck.
“Take this,” he whispered, handing me a vial full of blue liquid. My whole body was screaming at me not to take it, but instead, I put it to my lips and drank. Before the feinting took over, I pressed my lips to Hunters.
The Moon watched as we shared one last kiss.
I woke to the sound of my mother crashing around upstairs and I shivered as the memory I just had sunk deep into me.
Me and Hunter? When did that happen? Obviously when I was infiltrating Earth, along with the other aliens.
Wait, maybe I used to be in the mental hospital with Tabitha. That would explain most of my memories.
I went upstairs to see if my mother needed any help, and I found her face down on her bed. I put one hand on her shoulder and shook her. She woke with a start, and I saw the track lines left over from the tears she must have shed, crying herself to sleep.
“Come on, mum,” I said gently, “Let’s get up and have a bath, okay? I’ll run the water.”
I went into her bathroom and looked around. Thankfully, nothing was out of the ordinary, so I got the hot water running, and put the plug in it. When I got up from my hands and knees, my mother was standing in the doorway.
“It’s all your fault.” She whispered at me, “You’re not mine.”
I felt the blood rush out of my face. I’ve really got to stop doing that, or I’ll end up looking like a vampire.
She continued, glaring at me, “Ever since the accident, I knew. You were too different. No birthmark. And now, you have black hair and purple bloody eyes! You’re not my daughter! I want you out of my house you fiend.”
I started breathing rapidly, and then calmed down. There were a few people I could count on at the moment. I would have somewhere to live. I nodded to the woman standing in the doorway, knowing that she wasn’t my mother.
I ran to my room and took a bag out, shoving clothes into it. Some warm tops and pants, leaving behind my makeup. I took my mobile, and once I was out of the house and my ex-mother had locked the door, I called Cole.
He drove to my house and picked me up. When driving to his house, he asked no questions about why I had been kicked out of my own house, and I was grateful for that.
We got to his farm, and I was greeted by a friendly, plump woman who gave me a huge hug. I now know where Cole gets it from!
She took me inside and showed me a small guest room that I immediately loved. The walls were a soft golden colour, and the sunlight that was drifting lazily from the windows was creating a strange but intricate pattern that could never be repeated with a pencil. The bed spread was also gold, but had swirls in dark orange drawn on it. The carpet was white, but had splashes of light grey in different areas.
I put my bag down near the door and left the room. Cole’s mother sat me down next to Cole in the small kitchen and put a plate of chocolate cookies in front of us. She offered me some milk, with I gratefully accepted.
When I had finished my second cookie, Cole’s mum took my hand and asked me some questions.
“What happened at home?” she asked gently, not in a prying way, but in a troubled tone.
“My mum,” I said shakily, wiping tears from my face, “She’s been through heaps. Her husband, my father I suppose, just died. And my older sister was kidnapped. It’s put too big a strain on her. I worry about what she’s going to do next.”
Cole’s mother nodded, “OK. I understand. Next week, Cole will drive you back to your house to see if you can patch things up, but if you can’t, you may stay here as long as you need too. It’s Janice right? That’s a lovely name. Cole hasn’t shut up about you, so we give him extra work for him to do! Please, call me Anna.”
I smiled at her, “Thank-you Anna. I really appreciate what you’re doing for me!”
“Oh!” she waved a hand at me, “Don’t be silly! It’s nothing! Anything for my son’s crush!”
Cole cut in, “No! Mum! No! Urgh! God! No!” He seemed tongue tied, not knowing exactly what to say.
I started giggling at that. This family was so happy with each other. They trusted each other so easily! I wish my family was like that.
But, a little voice in the back of my head reminded me, you don’t have a family anymore. Your mum has disowned you, your fathers dead, and your sisters gone! But then again, from that memory you just had, they aren’t even related to you!
I blocked it out and focused on Anna and Cole playfully teasing each other. Anna’s grey hair mixing in with her brown hair gave her a personality just by looking at her.
Anna told me and Cole to go outside and have a grand tour of the farm land, so we took a few extra cookies and scrambled out of the door to give Anna some room.
We walked over to the horses and I recognised Stubborn Beauty. He galloped over to us in such a frenzy that it took Cole ten minutes to calm him down.
I was handed a carrot from Cole and was told to give Stubborn Beauty the treat. His soft nose tickled my hand and I let out a gasp of surprise. I raised my hand and saw the place that Tabitha had bit was re-bleeding.
Cole was already across the field stroking another horse’s mane. The horse shivered under his touch, and then trotted off to eat some grass. Cole grinned at the horse, before going into a shed and pulling out some hay for the horse. He was so gentle with these animals.
Stubborn Beauty blew on my hand and I turned to him, “No more treats I’m afraid.” But then, the horse pawed the ground once and blew again on my hand. I remembered the blood, and I took my hand away, hoping it wouldn’t cause the horse any more distress. But what I saw there was a miracle. The cuts had completely disappeared!
I stared at my hand and Cole came up.
“Everything good?” he asked, frowning at me, as I was now sniffing my hand in suspicion.
“Yeah,” I said softly, “Everything is just dandy.”
He smirked, “Ok then. Want to help feed the horses? They’re pretty hungry.”
I nodded and helped him carry heaps of hay into the centre of the field, where about five horses charged at the food. We both laughed and watched as the horses devoured the hay in about five minutes which took us almost an hour to get to the middle of the field.
Anna came out from the house with a huge grin on her face, “Guess what?” she said.
Cole groaned, “We’re going somewhere for dinner?”
Anna frowned, “How’d you guess?”
“It’s the only time you ever get excited about something. When’s dad due back?”
“In a few minutes,” she answered, “Oh, and Janice? He already knows you’re here, so be expecting heaps of happiness.”
I grinned, “Ok Anna. I will.”
Anna nodded to us both before going back inside, and at that moment, a man came around the corner in a dodgy car. It backfired a few times in the driveway. Cole hung his head, and said nothing.
A man got out of the car and came up to me and Cole.
“Janice! How lovely to finally meet you! Cole has told us about nothing else!”
Cole sighed and rolled his eyes, this time ignoring the comment rather than denying it.
His father spoke with us for a moment longer, before taking us inside for some lemonade.
Anna was cleaning up inside, but when we came through the door; she spun around the house getting clean glasses and fresh lemons to add to the lemonade.
When we were all sitting down drinking, we all shared jokes and family stories; save for me.
Anna took out Cole’s baby photos. I laughed at the pictures of him as a baby in the bath.
“She took those pictures when I was fifteen too.” Cole whispered in my ear.
I chortled loudly, spurting lemonade out of my nose. Anna, Cole and his father cracked up laughing.
When I had caught my breath, Anna showed me some more as he grew up. When he first started school, he was standing at the gates with a huge grin on his face and I smiled softly. He was such a cute child. As a kid, he had bright blonde hair, but now he had much more of a sandy colour.
When we had finished looking at the family albums, Cole took me to his room. There, he pulled out another album.
“This me when I reached my older years. These show me from about fourteen to now. Take a look.” He pushed the book towards me.
I opened it, and the first picture had him on it with a group of friends. On the next page, he was a little older; probably sixteen, my age, and he had his finger up to the camera. I raised an eyebrow at Cole and he looked at the picture.
“Guess who took that picture.”
I shook my head, “I don’t know any of your friends. How could I guess a name I don’t know?”
He smirked, “But you do know him,” He flipped back to the first page with his friends in it and pointed at one who had his tongue stuck out.
“Hunter?” I gasped, unbelieving. I couldn’t imagine these two ever being friends, but now it made sense. They had obviously parted on bad terms and that’s why Hunter hates him so much.
“Yes, Hunter,” A weird smile had taken over Cole’s features, “He was my best mate. Always stuck up for me, you know? Then, a few years ago, he changed. He met this girl, he told me, another of his kind. I didn’t understand. Then he became withdrawn, and I haven’t spoken to him in years. Then, suddenly, there you are, and there he is! I hope you’re not the girl he had been talking about! Because he was infatuated I tell you. Every waking minute he spent thinking about this girl. It began to really creep me out!”
I paused, thinking about my memory. It couldn’t have happened because of me, could it? I bit my lip, not wanting to tell Cole what I knew about this.
Just then, thank God, Anna burst into the room.
“Dinner is in ten minutes. Children! Children! Get ready for the night of your lives!”
Cole stared unimpressed at his mother.
“Sorry,” Anna said, “I wasn’t interrupting was I?”
I shook my head, smiling at her zany behaviour, “No. I’ll go put on some nicer clothes.” I thought for a moment, “I don’t have to wear a dress do I?”
“Oh,” Anna nearly yelled, “No! I would never make a girl wear a dress! Not on your life! Never!”
I laughed, “It was just that I didn’t have any dresses, so I got a little worried then.”
Anna shook a finger at me, “We’re not a classy family, we can’t afford to be, but we have a lot of love. And nights like these are for us all to get together and talk. Now that you’re part of the family, you can join us for all our family journeys!”
I grinned up at her, and she ruffled my hair.
“It pleases me that you look so happy,” she said, “When you arrived, you had such sad eyes, but it was clear, five minutes with Cole did you good. Be good to my son! Try not to boss him around too much!”
Cole rolled his eyes, “Bye Mum!”
His mum left the room. I looked over at him, “Guess I better get ready.”
Cole nodded at me, and I let as well. I went to my guest room and took out a nice red top that came around on a halter and rippled in the right places, and black pants that fell straight legged.
I went out into the living room, and Cole was already standing there in nice jeans and a T-shirt. His eyes widened when he saw me, and a smile crept across his face. Anna clapped her hands in excitement, and Cole’s father nodded in friendly appreciation.
We got into Cole’s car, and after a while of explaining from Anna, I finally got the mustang joke. Cole’s father was laughing at me, and Anna told him to be quiet. By the time we reached the restaurant, we were all howling with laughter.
….Chapter 6
I waited for Cole by the gate with Sasha and Hayley. She didn’t ask me anything, but stared at me with sombre eyes. Hayley was chattering away about a new movie coming out, talking to fill the awkward silence.
I was happy to see Cole pull up in about two minutes, and I said good-bye to Sasha and Hayley.
Cole drove to my house and we talked about our day for the car drive. I invited him inside when he walked me up to my doorstep, but he couldn’t stay.
I understood and he gave me a hug before leaving. The hug was surprising, but was not unwelcome.
I unlocked my front door and went inside. I smelt carefully, and no strange stench reached me.
I relaxed and went into the living room. The couch looked tempting. Hunter had told me my memories would start coming back to me whenever I slept, so I snuggled up on the couch and closed my eyes.
The moon was so bright. My enhanced eyes could see the tiny craters and the small ejecta blankets that the collisions left behind. I hear a sound in the woods behind me, so I turn. Hunter is there.
“Hi Hunter.” I say so naturally.
“Hello Willow, nice night tonight, is it not?”
“Every night is.” I answer.
“Ah,” He said, “But tonight more than ever! The moon is full, and there are no clouds to hide the stars. And stars are your favourite things to stare at, aren’t they? I watch you as you work hard during the day, without looking up once, but when night falls, you sit watching the stars. All night sometimes. But I’m not here to talk about that. You are to fulfil your promise.”
I nod, tears welling at the corners of my eyes.
“Don’t worry,” He said gruffly, “I’ll be there in the human world alongside you, to aid you in your search. Always remember, the search for the killer is most important.”
Again, I nod at him.
He strolls closer and puts one hand on my cheek. It’s so warm resting there. “Never fear the unknown.” He said, “You don’t when you stare at stars that are nameless to you, Willow. Or maybe it’s because they are so far away that they can’t hurt you. Maybe you’re a turkey.”
I smiled at the familiar nickname he used to call me as a child. I had been cutting up a turkey, and I had the feathers all over me, so the name stuck.
“Take this,” he whispered, handing me a vial full of blue liquid. My whole body was screaming at me not to take it, but instead, I put it to my lips and drank. Before the feinting took over, I pressed my lips to Hunters.
The Moon watched as we shared one last kiss.
I woke to the sound of my mother crashing around upstairs and I shivered as the memory I just had sunk deep into me.
Me and Hunter? When did that happen? Obviously when I was infiltrating Earth, along with the other aliens.
Wait, maybe I used to be in the mental hospital with Tabitha. That would explain most of my memories.
I went upstairs to see if my mother needed any help, and I found her face down on her bed. I put one hand on her shoulder and shook her. She woke with a start, and I saw the track lines left over from the tears she must have shed, crying herself to sleep.
“Come on, mum,” I said gently, “Let’s get up and have a bath, okay? I’ll run the water.”
I went into her bathroom and looked around. Thankfully, nothing was out of the ordinary, so I got the hot water running, and put the plug in it. When I got up from my hands and knees, my mother was standing in the doorway.
“It’s all your fault.” She whispered at me, “You’re not mine.”
I felt the blood rush out of my face. I’ve really got to stop doing that, or I’ll end up looking like a vampire.
She continued, glaring at me, “Ever since the accident, I knew. You were too different. No birthmark. And now, you have black hair and purple bloody eyes! You’re not my daughter! I want you out of my house you fiend.”
I started breathing rapidly, and then calmed down. There were a few people I could count on at the moment. I would have somewhere to live. I nodded to the woman standing in the doorway, knowing that she wasn’t my mother.
I ran to my room and took a bag out, shoving clothes into it. Some warm tops and pants, leaving behind my makeup. I took my mobile, and once I was out of the house and my ex-mother had locked the door, I called Cole.
He drove to my house and picked me up. When driving to his house, he asked no questions about why I had been kicked out of my own house, and I was grateful for that.
We got to his farm, and I was greeted by a friendly, plump woman who gave me a huge hug. I now know where Cole gets it from!
She took me inside and showed me a small guest room that I immediately loved. The walls were a soft golden colour, and the sunlight that was drifting lazily from the windows was creating a strange but intricate pattern that could never be repeated with a pencil. The bed spread was also gold, but had swirls in dark orange drawn on it. The carpet was white, but had splashes of light grey in different areas.
I put my bag down near the door and left the room. Cole’s mother sat me down next to Cole in the small kitchen and put a plate of chocolate cookies in front of us. She offered me some milk, with I gratefully accepted.
When I had finished my second cookie, Cole’s mum took my hand and asked me some questions.
“What happened at home?” she asked gently, not in a prying way, but in a troubled tone.
“My mum,” I said shakily, wiping tears from my face, “She’s been through heaps. Her husband, my father I suppose, just died. And my older sister was kidnapped. It’s put too big a strain on her. I worry about what she’s going to do next.”
Cole’s mother nodded, “OK. I understand. Next week, Cole will drive you back to your house to see if you can patch things up, but if you can’t, you may stay here as long as you need too. It’s Janice right? That’s a lovely name. Cole hasn’t shut up about you, so we give him extra work for him to do! Please, call me Anna.”
I smiled at her, “Thank-you Anna. I really appreciate what you’re doing for me!”
“Oh!” she waved a hand at me, “Don’t be silly! It’s nothing! Anything for my son’s crush!”
Cole cut in, “No! Mum! No! Urgh! God! No!” He seemed tongue tied, not knowing exactly what to say.
I started giggling at that. This family was so happy with each other. They trusted each other so easily! I wish my family was like that.
But, a little voice in the back of my head reminded me, you don’t have a family anymore. Your mum has disowned you, your fathers dead, and your sisters gone! But then again, from that memory you just had, they aren’t even related to you!
I blocked it out and focused on Anna and Cole playfully teasing each other. Anna’s grey hair mixing in with her brown hair gave her a personality just by looking at her.
Anna told me and Cole to go outside and have a grand tour of the farm land, so we took a few extra cookies and scrambled out of the door to give Anna some room.
We walked over to the horses and I recognised Stubborn Beauty. He galloped over to us in such a frenzy that it took Cole ten minutes to calm him down.
I was handed a carrot from Cole and was told to give Stubborn Beauty the treat. His soft nose tickled my hand and I let out a gasp of surprise. I raised my hand and saw the place that Tabitha had bit was re-bleeding.
Cole was already across the field stroking another horse’s mane. The horse shivered under his touch, and then trotted off to eat some grass. Cole grinned at the horse, before going into a shed and pulling out some hay for the horse. He was so gentle with these animals.
Stubborn Beauty blew on my hand and I turned to him, “No more treats I’m afraid.” But then, the horse pawed the ground once and blew again on my hand. I remembered the blood, and I took my hand away, hoping it wouldn’t cause the horse any more distress. But what I saw there was a miracle. The cuts had completely disappeared!
I stared at my hand and Cole came up.
“Everything good?” he asked, frowning at me, as I was now sniffing my hand in suspicion.
“Yeah,” I said softly, “Everything is just dandy.”
He smirked, “Ok then. Want to help feed the horses? They’re pretty hungry.”
I nodded and helped him carry heaps of hay into the centre of the field, where about five horses charged at the food. We both laughed and watched as the horses devoured the hay in about five minutes which took us almost an hour to get to the middle of the field.
Anna came out from the house with a huge grin on her face, “Guess what?” she said.
Cole groaned, “We’re going somewhere for dinner?”
Anna frowned, “How’d you guess?”
“It’s the only time you ever get excited about something. When’s dad due back?”
“In a few minutes,” she answered, “Oh, and Janice? He already knows you’re here, so be expecting heaps of happiness.”
I grinned, “Ok Anna. I will.”
Anna nodded to us both before going back inside, and at that moment, a man came around the corner in a dodgy car. It backfired a few times in the driveway. Cole hung his head, and said nothing.
A man got out of the car and came up to me and Cole.
“Janice! How lovely to finally meet you! Cole has told us about nothing else!”
Cole sighed and rolled his eyes, this time ignoring the comment rather than denying it.
His father spoke with us for a moment longer, before taking us inside for some lemonade.
Anna was cleaning up inside, but when we came through the door; she spun around the house getting clean glasses and fresh lemons to add to the lemonade.
When we were all sitting down drinking, we all shared jokes and family stories; save for me.
Anna took out Cole’s baby photos. I laughed at the pictures of him as a baby in the bath.
“She took those pictures when I was fifteen too.” Cole whispered in my ear.
I chortled loudly, spurting lemonade out of my nose. Anna, Cole and his father cracked up laughing.
When I had caught my breath, Anna showed me some more as he grew up. When he first started school, he was standing at the gates with a huge grin on his face and I smiled softly. He was such a cute child. As a kid, he had bright blonde hair, but now he had much more of a sandy colour.
When we had finished looking at the family albums, Cole took me to his room. There, he pulled out another album.
“This me when I reached my older years. These show me from about fourteen to now. Take a look.” He pushed the book towards me.
I opened it, and the first picture had him on it with a group of friends. On the next page, he was a little older; probably sixteen, my age, and he had his finger up to the camera. I raised an eyebrow at Cole and he looked at the picture.
“Guess who took that picture.”
I shook my head, “I don’t know any of your friends. How could I guess a name I don’t know?”
He smirked, “But you do know him,” He flipped back to the first page with his friends in it and pointed at one who had his tongue stuck out.
“Hunter?” I gasped, unbelieving. I couldn’t imagine these two ever being friends, but now it made sense. They had obviously parted on bad terms and that’s why Hunter hates him so much.
“Yes, Hunter,” A weird smile had taken over Cole’s features, “He was my best mate. Always stuck up for me, you know? Then, a few years ago, he changed. He met this girl, he told me, another of his kind. I didn’t understand. Then he became withdrawn, and I haven’t spoken to him in years. Then, suddenly, there you are, and there he is! I hope you’re not the girl he had been talking about! Because he was infatuated I tell you. Every waking minute he spent thinking about this girl. It began to really creep me out!”
I paused, thinking about my memory. It couldn’t have happened because of me, could it? I bit my lip, not wanting to tell Cole what I knew about this.
Just then, thank God, Anna burst into the room.
“Dinner is in ten minutes. Children! Children! Get ready for the night of your lives!”
Cole stared unimpressed at his mother.
“Sorry,” Anna said, “I wasn’t interrupting was I?”
I shook my head, smiling at her zany behaviour, “No. I’ll go put on some nicer clothes.” I thought for a moment, “I don’t have to wear a dress do I?”
“Oh,” Anna nearly yelled, “No! I would never make a girl wear a dress! Not on your life! Never!”
I laughed, “It was just that I didn’t have any dresses, so I got a little worried then.”
Anna shook a finger at me, “We’re not a classy family, we can’t afford to be, but we have a lot of love. And nights like these are for us all to get together and talk. Now that you’re part of the family, you can join us for all our family journeys!”
I grinned up at her, and she ruffled my hair.
“It pleases me that you look so happy,” she said, “When you arrived, you had such sad eyes, but it was clear, five minutes with Cole did you good. Be good to my son! Try not to boss him around too much!”
Cole rolled his eyes, “Bye Mum!”
His mum left the room. I looked over at him, “Guess I better get ready.”
Cole nodded at me, and I let as well. I went to my guest room and took out a nice red top that came around on a halter and rippled in the right places, and black pants that fell straight legged.
I went out into the living room, and Cole was already standing there in nice jeans and a T-shirt. His eyes widened when he saw me, and a smile crept across his face. Anna clapped her hands in excitement, and Cole’s father nodded in friendly appreciation.
We got into Cole’s car, and after a while of explaining from Anna, I finally got the mustang joke. Cole’s father was laughing at me, and Anna told him to be quiet. By the time we reached the restaurant, we were all howling with laughter.
Signs point to yes- Chapter 5
Signs point to yes
….Chapter 5
I walked over to his locker slowly and as he slammed his locker closed.
He looked up, “Janice,” he said simply.
“Hunter,” I said back.
“Wait,” Hunter said, “was that supposed to be a retort? Cause it sucked.”
I ignored his comment and shook off the bad feeling I had about speaking with him.
We walked to English class in complete silence. The teacher was already leading students outside. We all sat on the grass while the teacher explained what we were going to do.
“First,” the teacher said, pushing her glasses further up her nose, “we’re going to relax, in pairs. For five minutes, no talking, just deep breathing, and then, on a piece of paper I will hand around, you will write the first word that pops into your mind. This will be your word, and you will write a short story on it later in the year. You may begin. Pick your partner, and then go sit under a tree or something.” She waved us away with a sigh.
Hunter plucked at my sleeve and we went near a lavender bush nearby.
“You begin,” he said before I could say a thing, “and I’ll count the minutes.”
I groaned and lay down in the soft grass with a soft thud. Hunter took out his watch and narrowed his eyes at me until I closed mine.
I lay down for a few seconds, before getting up and glaring at Hunter, “I don’t get it! Did I pass your little trust test or what? I need to get my sister back! It’s my duty!”
He cocked his head, “And not your want? Or need? It seems to me like you’re only doing it because you have to.”
I frowned at him, “Yes, it’s my want as well, but more my duty. I have to do this. I couldn’t save my father, and he was killed.”
Hunter smirked, “Yet you’re not to sad about that. You went to a night club last night. It’s a great way to mourn!”
I tipped my head back and stared at the sky, “I can’t mourn. Not until I get my sister back.” I looked at a fluffy cloud that looked like a horse, “I didn’t even know him.” I whispered.
“But he was your father.”
“Yes, but I have no real memories of him. When I heard he had died, it was as if hearing about a random person’s death on TV. I feel for Seraphim because she was kidnapped, and who knows what’s happening to her,” I took a deep breath, “And I owe it to her family.”
Hunter’s soft brown eyes stared into me, “Her family?”
“Hers, mine, Janice’s. When I, if I, get my memories back, I owe it to her to try and make her life complete. But for some reason I don’t believe I’ll be getting her memories back, so I’m stuck all alone in this world-”
I was cut off as the teacher rounded the corner, glaring at us both, “Do your work,” she demanded.
I sighed and lay back down. After five minutes I wrote my word down, and it was Hunter’s turn. He lay down, fiddling with a dark ring around his finger. I inspected it while his eyes were closed.
It was black, but had a red shine to it. It was cut as if a stem from a rose bush had been twined around his finger, thorns and all.
“It’s one of Morgana Le Fey’s sacred rings.”
I jumped with a start as Hunter sat up, gazing at me intently but silently. He picked up his piece of paper and wrote a single word on it.
“I’ll show you mine if you show me yours.” I grinned, expecting him to hide it.
“OK,” he said instead, “Here.”
Written in neat handwriting was the single word, liberation.
“It’s what you’re looking for,” he said simply, “Now show me yours.”
I gave mine to him, and he read the word, precarious.
“It’s what you are, and maybe something else I’m searching for,” I said just as simply. Let him ponder on that!
He just nodded calmly, accepting my answer, and then he looked up at someone approaching us. I thought it might be the teacher, but I was surprised when I locked eyes with Cole.
His blue eyes flared with surprise at Hunter sitting next to me, but then that emotion was quickly disguised with happiness when he saw my face.
“You left your book in my car,” Cole said, “I thought you might need it so I turned back around.”
“She could have just borrowed mine. She’s not incompetent you know.” I was shocked at Hunter’s anger that resonated in his voice.
“Hunter!” I said in horror, “Don’t be so rude,” I turned to Cole, “Thanks, I did need these books. Sorry for my friends total lack of manners. He didn’t take any medication this morning.”
Hunter didn’t reply to my snark comment, as he was glaring off into a random corner. It wouldn’t surprise me if he started pouting and asking for his teddy bear. Cole didn’t seem to mind Hunter’s crude behaviour. In fact he smiled politely at Hunter before he continued his conversation with me.
“That’s ok, I wore nappies once too.”
Hunter jumped up at that remark and snatched the book out of Cole’s hands.
“You delivered. Now leave!”
“Hunter!” The warning in my voice seemed to make him pause for a minute, but not before he spat on the ground right in front of Cole.
“Thank-you, Cole for bringing this to me. It was very thoughtful, but I think it might be best for you to go if Hunter’s going to act like a total jerk to you. I’ll talk to you later.”
“I’ll talk to you later,” Hunter mimicked me in an annoying high pitched noise.
Cole didn’t give Hunter any attention, “How about I drive you home tonight? I don’t want you walking the streets alone.”
“Ok,” I agreed before Hunter could throw in an insulting comment.
Cole nodded to me, then Hunter, before leaving.
I was left with Hunter, who was shaking his head. I smacked him over the head with my book that I had just received.
“Ow!” He yelled, “What was that for?”
“For your total lack of respect for my friend!” I thought for a moment, “And for mimicking me in an annoying voice. God!” I started getting louder, “Can you at least act normal?”
“Obviously I can.” He said, looking all mysterious, and eyeing me, as if I should already know.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I sighed, knowing there was something that he would bring up, not that I knew what that was yet.
“Well,” He explained slowly, trying to leech the life out of the piece of evidence he had mystifyingly plucked out of mid-air. “You called me your friend! So I guess I’m normal enough for that!”
I paused and thought back, “Crap! I did, didn’t I! I won’t make that mistake again,” Hunter rolled his eyes, “But why were you such an asshole to Cole?”
“Because I know him.” Hunter said.
“How?” I pressured.
“Who are you?” Hunter asked, “My mum?”
I stood up angrily, “If you cannot give me a straight answer, then why am I here?”
“Yes,” said a voice from behind me, “Why are you here?”
I turned slowly, suspecting the worst, and I was right. The teacher was standing there with her hands on her hips.
“You two have been disrupting the students around you, and you have not done what I have asked of you. Go straight to the principal’s office.”
Unfortunately, Hunter took this moment to be sarcastic, “Do not pass go, do not collect $200.”
I winced as he said this, knowing she would make our punishment even worse.
As it was, the teachers face seemed to blow up like a strawberry. She went bright red with anger, “Yes Hunter! Do not pass go! Do not collect $200! Think you’re funny do you? Well you will be serving detention with Janice here.”
Again, Hunter just didn’t know when to shut up, “I think that would be quite nice. How about it Janice? The two of us, alone in a dark classroom after school. Whatever shall we do to relieve the boredom?”
I took three deep breaths and tried to control the situation, “Homework,” I said to him, “Now ma’am, we have done the work. It’s right here. We have the two words you asked for. I’m sorry for disrupting other students. We won’t do it again.”
The teacher looked over our two words and nodded at me.
“You have a very level head about you Janice, so I hate to do this to you, but you will be spending lunch time with me and Mr. Smartypants over there.” She motioned to Hunter, and he chuckled for being called a smartypants.
She then walked off and I went and kicked Hunter in the arm.
“Hey!”
“What the hell was that?” I asked, my eyes blazing with anger, “Aggravating a pissed off teacher like that?”
“I couldn’t help myself,” Hunter said, brushing dirt off his shirt, “Plus spending lunch with you was an added bonus for acting out.”
I rolled my eyes and flopped down on the grass next to Hunter, looking at the clouds shaping fluffy animals…
…
Mr. Browne was sitting at a desk in the room Hunter and I were supposed to be spending our detention. Hunter wasn’t there yet so I took out a book and sandwich.
Hunter swung through the door five minutes later, and sat all the way across the room, also with a studying book.
About ten minutes into the detention, Mr. Browne sighed and stood up, “Look, I’m not paid enough to sit here doing this. You have to stay in this classroom, but I’m going to my office to have lunch. I won’t be back. If you leave, I never knew.” He winked before practically running out of the room.
I continued chomping on my sandwich blankly.
“Good,” Hunter said, putting his feet on the table, “He’s gone.” He leant back in his chair and then fell. I laughed at the tangle of arms and legs on the floor.
He got up, looking only slightly dishevelled.
I threw my rubbish in the bin and went to leave. Hunter was at the door quicker that I thought possible.
“I thought you were to be my student?”
I frowned, “Kinky Hunter, really, but I don’t need to stay in here any longer.”
Hunter sneered at the kinky joke, but kept his hand on the door.
“You both completed and failed the trust test, like a true blood, but now we have to get your memories back.”
I glared at him, “True blood? What are you on?”
He rolled his eyes, something I’d become accustomed to when talking to him, and made me sit in a chair.
“Now, close your eyes,” He whispered in my ear, “and let your mind go blank. Don’t think about anything other than the sound of my voice.”
I closed my eyes and made my mind go blank. It was surprisingly easy, so I wasn’t sure if that was already telling me something.
My breathing soon became heavy by itself, and I could feel my lungs expanding and contracting under my ribs.
“Good,” Hunter said, “Now, you will do exactly as I say. Imagine that you’re in the middle of the forest. Everything is green and mossy, and dappled light is shining through the trees. You are holding a small glass vial. The contents look bright blue. You put it up to your lips and drink heavily. The taste is horrible, but you choke it down. Now here, you are supposed to feint, and have your memories taken, but what I want you to do is go over to some green moss and eat it.”
My head felt fuzzy, and my stomach started aching. I ate the moss in my mind, and I leant over the side of my chair and vomited. I opened my eyes in terror, and found myself back in the room.
Hunter helped me kneel on the ground by the bin, spitting vomit into the bin. He held my black hair back with one hand and with the other rubbed my back.
“It’s ok,” He crooned, “You did great. Soon, all your memories will come back to you. But one at a time, of course, or else you’ll be flooded with memories and your mind will burn out.”
I looked up at him, my eyes round as moons, “My vomit…” I whispered, looking back in the bin.
Mixed with half of my sandwich, was blue liquid. My heart started racing, and I felt my face go pasty white.
Hunter didn’t say anything, but took a tissue from the nearby teacher’s desk and wiped at my mouth. I ignored him for a moment, but then glanced sideways at him. Maybe he wasn’t crazy after all.
I sat up from my position and grabbed my book, and left quietly. When I looked back, Hunter was sitting in the same place, with a tissue in his hand.
….Chapter 5
I walked over to his locker slowly and as he slammed his locker closed.
He looked up, “Janice,” he said simply.
“Hunter,” I said back.
“Wait,” Hunter said, “was that supposed to be a retort? Cause it sucked.”
I ignored his comment and shook off the bad feeling I had about speaking with him.
We walked to English class in complete silence. The teacher was already leading students outside. We all sat on the grass while the teacher explained what we were going to do.
“First,” the teacher said, pushing her glasses further up her nose, “we’re going to relax, in pairs. For five minutes, no talking, just deep breathing, and then, on a piece of paper I will hand around, you will write the first word that pops into your mind. This will be your word, and you will write a short story on it later in the year. You may begin. Pick your partner, and then go sit under a tree or something.” She waved us away with a sigh.
Hunter plucked at my sleeve and we went near a lavender bush nearby.
“You begin,” he said before I could say a thing, “and I’ll count the minutes.”
I groaned and lay down in the soft grass with a soft thud. Hunter took out his watch and narrowed his eyes at me until I closed mine.
I lay down for a few seconds, before getting up and glaring at Hunter, “I don’t get it! Did I pass your little trust test or what? I need to get my sister back! It’s my duty!”
He cocked his head, “And not your want? Or need? It seems to me like you’re only doing it because you have to.”
I frowned at him, “Yes, it’s my want as well, but more my duty. I have to do this. I couldn’t save my father, and he was killed.”
Hunter smirked, “Yet you’re not to sad about that. You went to a night club last night. It’s a great way to mourn!”
I tipped my head back and stared at the sky, “I can’t mourn. Not until I get my sister back.” I looked at a fluffy cloud that looked like a horse, “I didn’t even know him.” I whispered.
“But he was your father.”
“Yes, but I have no real memories of him. When I heard he had died, it was as if hearing about a random person’s death on TV. I feel for Seraphim because she was kidnapped, and who knows what’s happening to her,” I took a deep breath, “And I owe it to her family.”
Hunter’s soft brown eyes stared into me, “Her family?”
“Hers, mine, Janice’s. When I, if I, get my memories back, I owe it to her to try and make her life complete. But for some reason I don’t believe I’ll be getting her memories back, so I’m stuck all alone in this world-”
I was cut off as the teacher rounded the corner, glaring at us both, “Do your work,” she demanded.
I sighed and lay back down. After five minutes I wrote my word down, and it was Hunter’s turn. He lay down, fiddling with a dark ring around his finger. I inspected it while his eyes were closed.
It was black, but had a red shine to it. It was cut as if a stem from a rose bush had been twined around his finger, thorns and all.
“It’s one of Morgana Le Fey’s sacred rings.”
I jumped with a start as Hunter sat up, gazing at me intently but silently. He picked up his piece of paper and wrote a single word on it.
“I’ll show you mine if you show me yours.” I grinned, expecting him to hide it.
“OK,” he said instead, “Here.”
Written in neat handwriting was the single word, liberation.
“It’s what you’re looking for,” he said simply, “Now show me yours.”
I gave mine to him, and he read the word, precarious.
“It’s what you are, and maybe something else I’m searching for,” I said just as simply. Let him ponder on that!
He just nodded calmly, accepting my answer, and then he looked up at someone approaching us. I thought it might be the teacher, but I was surprised when I locked eyes with Cole.
His blue eyes flared with surprise at Hunter sitting next to me, but then that emotion was quickly disguised with happiness when he saw my face.
“You left your book in my car,” Cole said, “I thought you might need it so I turned back around.”
“She could have just borrowed mine. She’s not incompetent you know.” I was shocked at Hunter’s anger that resonated in his voice.
“Hunter!” I said in horror, “Don’t be so rude,” I turned to Cole, “Thanks, I did need these books. Sorry for my friends total lack of manners. He didn’t take any medication this morning.”
Hunter didn’t reply to my snark comment, as he was glaring off into a random corner. It wouldn’t surprise me if he started pouting and asking for his teddy bear. Cole didn’t seem to mind Hunter’s crude behaviour. In fact he smiled politely at Hunter before he continued his conversation with me.
“That’s ok, I wore nappies once too.”
Hunter jumped up at that remark and snatched the book out of Cole’s hands.
“You delivered. Now leave!”
“Hunter!” The warning in my voice seemed to make him pause for a minute, but not before he spat on the ground right in front of Cole.
“Thank-you, Cole for bringing this to me. It was very thoughtful, but I think it might be best for you to go if Hunter’s going to act like a total jerk to you. I’ll talk to you later.”
“I’ll talk to you later,” Hunter mimicked me in an annoying high pitched noise.
Cole didn’t give Hunter any attention, “How about I drive you home tonight? I don’t want you walking the streets alone.”
“Ok,” I agreed before Hunter could throw in an insulting comment.
Cole nodded to me, then Hunter, before leaving.
I was left with Hunter, who was shaking his head. I smacked him over the head with my book that I had just received.
“Ow!” He yelled, “What was that for?”
“For your total lack of respect for my friend!” I thought for a moment, “And for mimicking me in an annoying voice. God!” I started getting louder, “Can you at least act normal?”
“Obviously I can.” He said, looking all mysterious, and eyeing me, as if I should already know.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I sighed, knowing there was something that he would bring up, not that I knew what that was yet.
“Well,” He explained slowly, trying to leech the life out of the piece of evidence he had mystifyingly plucked out of mid-air. “You called me your friend! So I guess I’m normal enough for that!”
I paused and thought back, “Crap! I did, didn’t I! I won’t make that mistake again,” Hunter rolled his eyes, “But why were you such an asshole to Cole?”
“Because I know him.” Hunter said.
“How?” I pressured.
“Who are you?” Hunter asked, “My mum?”
I stood up angrily, “If you cannot give me a straight answer, then why am I here?”
“Yes,” said a voice from behind me, “Why are you here?”
I turned slowly, suspecting the worst, and I was right. The teacher was standing there with her hands on her hips.
“You two have been disrupting the students around you, and you have not done what I have asked of you. Go straight to the principal’s office.”
Unfortunately, Hunter took this moment to be sarcastic, “Do not pass go, do not collect $200.”
I winced as he said this, knowing she would make our punishment even worse.
As it was, the teachers face seemed to blow up like a strawberry. She went bright red with anger, “Yes Hunter! Do not pass go! Do not collect $200! Think you’re funny do you? Well you will be serving detention with Janice here.”
Again, Hunter just didn’t know when to shut up, “I think that would be quite nice. How about it Janice? The two of us, alone in a dark classroom after school. Whatever shall we do to relieve the boredom?”
I took three deep breaths and tried to control the situation, “Homework,” I said to him, “Now ma’am, we have done the work. It’s right here. We have the two words you asked for. I’m sorry for disrupting other students. We won’t do it again.”
The teacher looked over our two words and nodded at me.
“You have a very level head about you Janice, so I hate to do this to you, but you will be spending lunch time with me and Mr. Smartypants over there.” She motioned to Hunter, and he chuckled for being called a smartypants.
She then walked off and I went and kicked Hunter in the arm.
“Hey!”
“What the hell was that?” I asked, my eyes blazing with anger, “Aggravating a pissed off teacher like that?”
“I couldn’t help myself,” Hunter said, brushing dirt off his shirt, “Plus spending lunch with you was an added bonus for acting out.”
I rolled my eyes and flopped down on the grass next to Hunter, looking at the clouds shaping fluffy animals…
…
Mr. Browne was sitting at a desk in the room Hunter and I were supposed to be spending our detention. Hunter wasn’t there yet so I took out a book and sandwich.
Hunter swung through the door five minutes later, and sat all the way across the room, also with a studying book.
About ten minutes into the detention, Mr. Browne sighed and stood up, “Look, I’m not paid enough to sit here doing this. You have to stay in this classroom, but I’m going to my office to have lunch. I won’t be back. If you leave, I never knew.” He winked before practically running out of the room.
I continued chomping on my sandwich blankly.
“Good,” Hunter said, putting his feet on the table, “He’s gone.” He leant back in his chair and then fell. I laughed at the tangle of arms and legs on the floor.
He got up, looking only slightly dishevelled.
I threw my rubbish in the bin and went to leave. Hunter was at the door quicker that I thought possible.
“I thought you were to be my student?”
I frowned, “Kinky Hunter, really, but I don’t need to stay in here any longer.”
Hunter sneered at the kinky joke, but kept his hand on the door.
“You both completed and failed the trust test, like a true blood, but now we have to get your memories back.”
I glared at him, “True blood? What are you on?”
He rolled his eyes, something I’d become accustomed to when talking to him, and made me sit in a chair.
“Now, close your eyes,” He whispered in my ear, “and let your mind go blank. Don’t think about anything other than the sound of my voice.”
I closed my eyes and made my mind go blank. It was surprisingly easy, so I wasn’t sure if that was already telling me something.
My breathing soon became heavy by itself, and I could feel my lungs expanding and contracting under my ribs.
“Good,” Hunter said, “Now, you will do exactly as I say. Imagine that you’re in the middle of the forest. Everything is green and mossy, and dappled light is shining through the trees. You are holding a small glass vial. The contents look bright blue. You put it up to your lips and drink heavily. The taste is horrible, but you choke it down. Now here, you are supposed to feint, and have your memories taken, but what I want you to do is go over to some green moss and eat it.”
My head felt fuzzy, and my stomach started aching. I ate the moss in my mind, and I leant over the side of my chair and vomited. I opened my eyes in terror, and found myself back in the room.
Hunter helped me kneel on the ground by the bin, spitting vomit into the bin. He held my black hair back with one hand and with the other rubbed my back.
“It’s ok,” He crooned, “You did great. Soon, all your memories will come back to you. But one at a time, of course, or else you’ll be flooded with memories and your mind will burn out.”
I looked up at him, my eyes round as moons, “My vomit…” I whispered, looking back in the bin.
Mixed with half of my sandwich, was blue liquid. My heart started racing, and I felt my face go pasty white.
Hunter didn’t say anything, but took a tissue from the nearby teacher’s desk and wiped at my mouth. I ignored him for a moment, but then glanced sideways at him. Maybe he wasn’t crazy after all.
I sat up from my position and grabbed my book, and left quietly. When I looked back, Hunter was sitting in the same place, with a tissue in his hand.
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