Chapter 7 #2
A spark flares to life, and my body lights up with the red-orange hue I’ve come to wear as a second skin. Fish scatter, and when I look down, the only thing I see beneath the murky water is two yellow beady eyes.
Paralyzed, I’m met with rows of razor-sharp teeth as the creature opens its mouth in a screech.
It dodges my attack, the fire nearly taking off its pointed ear.
Pointed ear?
I pocket the observation for later, along with the brief sight of a scaly tail attached to it. Mustering up the rest of my magic before the lights go out, my palms face the water’s floor, and I manipulate the water to make vortexes beneath them, propelling me to the surface.
I shoot up, high in the air, and watch the ground become closer and closer as I plummet.
Landing with an umph, there is a single moment I let myself breathe before the pain from the lashing takes purchase.
Blood pours from the three long gashes on my calf.
My body begins stitching itself back together as those beady eyes breach the surface, staring at me.
Naked as the day I was born, I scoot as far back as my injuries will allow, unsure if the creature can exit the water. It stares at me with curiosity. Her head cants, and I do the same, mirroring her movements.
“What are you?” The question was meant to stay hidden, but too late now.
In an instant, her head bobs back under the water, and I would have thought she was frightened until the unmistakable tail protrudes into the open air.
The hinge on my jaw comes loose, and I have to remind myself it’s not polite to stare. But then I remember it also wasn’t nice for her to drag me down into the water’s depths.
Mermaid. A real-life mermaid.
With a splash from her tail, the water descends down on me, showering my skin with droplets. I wipe it out of my eyes and stare, wondering if she’ll resurface.
She does and props her folded arms on the water’s edge, studying me.
I make no moves to get up, still not knowing what she’s capable of.
She’s stunning. Her yellow eyes take on more of an amber tint, while her hair is a fiery red.
Freckles dot over her fair skin, and I wasn’t mistaken when I saw her pointed ears.
Gills mirror on either side of her neck, and I notice lash marks littered over her arms.
My hackles rise further when she moves one of her hands faster than I would like.
My body stills, not knowing whether this is a fight-or-flight situation, but somehow, I remain calm.
She manipulates the water, juggling spheres in the air, sending them flying across the forest, but not at me—not in an attack.
I mimic her and start by showing her a few parlor tricks with each of my powers—minus one.
“I don’t get many visitors.” Her words are broken—delicate but careful, like she hasn’t spoken in a very long time.
Stunned, it takes a beat before I respond, “You can talk?”
“I almost forgot I could,” she admits, looking at the water longingly. “I’m Marina.”
“Kallie,” I offer cautiously. Without another word, she pushes off the grass and dives back under, letting the body of water swallow her whole.
Waiting there for a few heartbeats, unsure if she is coming back, I decide she’s not, and I quickly get dressed back into the scraps of cloth and continue my venture through the forest.
The chill of the night was unrelenting. I found a cave nestled deep within the forest. Building a fire was out of the question, so I curled up like I did so many times over the last few months.
Flashes of unwelcome memories greeted me each time I closed my eyes.
Nights of bone-curdling hunger and thirst. Days of being tortured.
And the days nobody greeted me at all. Serena’s face was a prominent part of my unsuccessful journey.
Snapshots of her in the cell next door, when they would bring her back from wherever they took her.
A video montage of how she fought to get away when I passed her in the hall a lifetime ago.
What made her act that way? A question that will forever go unanswered. Then the worst of the night. Watching her die. Her crimson-soaked cloth. And finally, when I saw the fight leave her eyes for the last time.
Anxiety ate away at me, the nerves so bold I slept with one eye open, keeping one targeted at the single entrance, convinced they would find me.
He would find me.
Fatigued muscles scream at me in protest while I begrudgingly leave the small sanctuary. The rainfall last night was a blessing in disguise. Despite the frigid breeze, the morning dew is quite comforting, reminding me of the forests back in Maine.
Finding the water source was a small victory. However, I knew staying close to it was like signing a death sentence. That would’ve been the first place they looked. So I trekked for what felt like miles until the moon was high in the sky, lighting the way to the refuge I so desperately needed.
Water droplets glisten on the surrounding greenery. My bare feet sink into the soft soil, and my toes curl around the earth, grounding me to the present.
You’re safe. You’re free.
Plucking a leaf from the nearest tree, I bend it slightly, creating a funnel. Manipulating water molecules, they collide together onto the pad. I let it roll straight into my open, awaiting mouth.
My body hums as the first drop lands on my tongue—purity at its finest.
I let the leaf fill three times over before deciding it’s time to keep moving. The sunlight breaches between the tall trees, and I love seeing the wisps floating within the rays.
No idea where I’m going, I continue down the same way I was heading the night before, letting nature guide my way.
My movements are sluggish at best, my energy levels running so far past E that I’m basically sputtering down the abandoned path.
There are no critters scurrying on the ground or up the trees.
No birds chirping in the sky overhead, and it shrouds me in unease.
There’s something ominous about the silence.
The growing hunger inside me doesn’t dissipate, only increasing with need. I would kill for a forest bun right now. That’s not an exaggeration—I would actually kill someone.
Oh Benny. What a mess this all is. It kills me to think he was in on it, maybe even Belladonna. They took me in, made me feel like, in the midst of all the unknown, I belonged somewhere. But now I have to question everything, never knowing what was real and what was a lie.
I can’t trust anyone anymore.
Maybe not even myself.
I’m the one that let my defenses down, the walls I spent my whole life building…now I’m afraid they’re too far beyond repair. I’m too far beyond repair.
I get yanked out of my thought, stumbling as my ankle twists, stepping wrong onto something in this godsforsaken brutal forest. Fighting my way over logs and boulders, the twigs and pebbles littering the walkway are unforgiving beneath my bare feet.
There’s a break in the trees not far ahead, and I put mind over matter as I beeline for the opening.
Bleeding and limping, I perch on the next reasonably flat surface I can find, nursing my injuries.
Wincing, I let out a hiss as my finger skates over the cuts and splinters scattered over my pads.
They throb, and I let them dangle off the side of the tree trunk as my head leans back and my eyes close.
The sun heats my flesh, burning it to a crisp.
But I don’t care.
I’ll never complain of another sunburn for the rest of my days.
Facing back to the forest, I note a mountain range to my left. It extends down as far as the eye can see. Either around it or through it.
This is the one time I’ll allow myself to throw a pity party.
To think about what my life has come to and where it might be leading.
Part of me wonders if it’s worth it, all of this.
To keep going into the unknown. Because the fact of the matter is, I have zero idea where I am or where I’m going.
For all I know, I could be going around in a fucking circle right back into enemy territory.
If only I knew who the enemy was. Callum crosses my mind along with images of Kate’s lifeless body on the sterile room’s floor. Her blood poured out of her like the disgusting traitor I never thought she could be.
But if there is one thing I could take from this whole mess, it is that my whole life has been a lie, and nobody is who they seem.
I keep the tears at bay and let them fester in my eyes before wiping them clean, like they were never there at all.
Taking a deep breath, I reluctantly stand and regret it the second I do. Pain shoots up my legs, causing my knees to buckle and my hand to shoot out to the log for support. My gaze bounces between the rocky mountains and the trees lining their outskirts, weighing my options.
Which is the lesser of two evils?
My head hangs with my decision, and I push off the wood, letting the pain seep into the depths of my mind and continue on into the unforgiving woods.
Mist and fog mix in the air. Crows squawk above as they circle, and from the godsawful smell, I can only imagine there’s a carcass somewhere near. The sun is void, no beams of heat, and the chill reminds me of the same from last night.
No signs of running water. I’m berating myself for not drinking more when I had the chance. The breeze licks across my exposed limbs, goosebumps rising at the intrusion. It’s at this moment I’m starting to rethink my decision.
But I can’t backtrack.
For all I know, there are guards not too far behind, and I’m praying they follow the path of least resistance, thinking that’s the way I would have gone.
I’m grateful the ground has evened out, reminding me of the trails I used to run.
The crows seem to have taken a liking to me.
They haven’t left my side, constantly flying overhead.
Part of me is suspicious, thinking they could be spies for whoever, but that would be silly. Right? Wow, I’m really losing it.
Trudging along the beaten path, I almost relent and set up camp for the night, having seen no sign of civilization all day. However, a nagging voice coaxes me to keep going, and no matter how much my body objects, I listen.
And I’m so glad I do, because over this hill, down the way, lies a house. And a barn. An old rustic, red barn that promises warmth and safety.
Slinking down the side of the hill, my gaze wanders in search of signs of life. Cows graze the grass in the pastures while horses mule their way around. With the daylight nowhere in sight, I make my move and barrel toward the awaiting barn door.
Instantly, the heat encompasses me. I bypass the horses in the stalls lining the wall, each one staring at me with curiosity.
One sticks its head out so far I almost smack right into its cheek.
“Hey there, buddy.” My voice is barely audible, but the horse’s eyes track my movements as I side-step around its muzzle.
The horse is jet black with stunning arctic-blue eyes.
Its mane hangs freely down its neck, and I can’t help but run my hand over the bridge of its nose.
“You’re very beautiful,” I comment. And it could be from lack of food and water, clearly hallucinating, but the horse leans into my touch.
Peering around the big animal, the stall is quite roomy, noting the people who own the magnificent creature have just cleaned out the pen.
“Would you mind a roommate for the night?” As if it understands me, the stallion backs away, like it’s inviting me in.
Taking the hint, I unlock the gate and step inside.
Hesitant to lock it, I remind myself that I’m safe, and it’s not the cage I was forced to be in.
With shaky fingers, I slide the lock back into place and turn to face the horse, quickly realizing it’s a male, and the barrels of hay stacked in the far corner call my name.
Sinking into the dry, crisp grass, it’s itchy as hell, and the pieces stab and dig into my bony flesh, but I don’t care.
It’s a welcome change from my previous accommodations, and I’m forever grateful I won’t be sleeping on cold concrete.
My eyes hang heavily as the seconds pass.
The horse trots over next to me before lying on the ground beside the hay.
He rests his head in my lap, anchoring me to the spot, and my hand runs over his neck as my movements become slower, until I’m not moving at all.