Chapter 6
When I open my eyes, I can’t tell if I died or if this is some type of dream.
I feel weightless, almost like I'm floating and disconnected from my body. It’s strange that I can’t feel my clothes touching my skin.
The quiet is deafening. I'm lying in a bright, bare room; the floor, walls, and ceiling as far as I can see are white. It’s like I’m in some kind of void.
Groaning, I pull myself up to stand. “Hello?” I croak out. “I’d like to wake up now!”
“Magnolia, my sweet girl.” My mom’s voice floats through the vast emptiness, Now I know this is some kind of fucked up dream. My mom has been dead for years so that can’t be her.
“It really is me, Magpie. Yes this is a dreamscape, but thanks to the fact that all of your magic has been released, I was able to come to you.” Her voice sounds much clearer and closer now.
I turn around. “Mom? How is this even possible?” She looks just as she did the day she died; her long red hair pulled back in a braid, and she’s wearing the same floral overalls and band tee.
It’s like no time has passed. I remember Marsh and I walking her to the car that day, helping carry her boxes of tonics and things for the shop.
She kissed us both goodbye. Three hours later, two state troopers knocked on the door and shattered our whole world.
Someone ran her off the road, most likely a drunk driver. Hit and run they said.
She cups my face and gives me a tearful smile.
“I’m so sorry, my love. I never would have left you if I’d had the choice.
You know I love you, Marshall, and Daddy so much.
I wish I could have been there to watch you grow into this beautiful woman.
As for your question, Magpie, it shouldn’t be possible, and we don’t have much time, so I need to explain something to you while I can. ”
“What do you mean it shouldn’t be possible? This is just a dream. It’s not real; whatever magic knocked me out is just messing with me.” I would give anything for this to be real. It’s been seven years, and every day the memory of it still hurts as bad as the day she died.
“Like I said, Magpie, it is technically a dreamscape; however, your magic has reached its full potential so you pulled me to you. You and Marsh are stronger than your dad and I could have ever predicted. With me being a green witch and Daddy being an elemental, we figured you both would take after us. However, when a witch dies, you see every moment of your life, even before you were conceived. You see the choices that led to you being created. I found my biological family. I can’t tell you much since there’s not enough time, but you and Marsh are destined for greatness.
Separately, you both will be stronger than anything that has ever been seen. Together? You’ll be unstoppable.”
“What does that even mean? Why do we need to be unstoppable? Life is boring in the supe community, and for witches it's worse. We can’t show our magic or anything.” Staring at her, I’m so confused about what she’s trying to say. Everything within the magical world has been passive, or so I thought.
“Sweetheart, this isn’t the only realm for supes; many supes fled our home when war broke out a century ago.
There is a lot you don’t know about the magical community.
We never thought it would matter since we weren’t raising you in it.
Unfortunately, we failed you, sweetheart.
You are about to be thrown into a completely new world, and I’m so sorry I couldn’t prepare you both for what is to come. ”
Maggie! Wake up! Marsh’s voice echoes around me.
The dreamscape starts filling with fog, and immediately I feel like I’m being pulled away. “Mom!”
“I’m sorry, Maggie, it seems like we’re out of time. My death wasn’t an accident. Find the truth.” Her voice slowly drifts away, fading more with each word becoming more faint.
“Mom? No, don't leave me again! MOM!” I reach out, trying to hold onto her as she begins to fade.
“Remember, I will always love you!” It’s like a ghostly whisper drifting in the wind, and then I’m suddenly alone in the foggy dreamscape.
“Maggie? Sissy, wake up. Please!” Marsh? He hasn’t called me ‘sissy’ since we were little kids.
I take off running towards the sound of my brother's voice. It’s like I can feel a string pulling me towards him.
Come on, Mags, you can do it! I can feel you getting closer.
Marsh? Can you hear me?
Maggie! Oh thank fuck! You're so close!
I keep running and everything goes black, and then I feel myself fall back into my body. Once again I can feel the weight of my clothes on my skin. My eyes and limbs feel heavy compared to the weightlessness of the dreamscape. Someone, probably Marsh, is petting my hair.
Forcing my eyelids open, blinking to focus a couple of times, I see Marsh sitting next to me, looking very pale, which is a feat with our darker skin tone.
“Hey sis, if you wanted a nap there are easier ways to do that, you know.” He leans over to kiss my forehead and I can feel his tears hitting my hair.
“What happened? I remember that guy being an ass, then I pulled on my magic to show him he couldn’t bully me. I got so angry, then our magic connected, and I couldn’t pull mine back in. Then everything went black.”
Marsh sighs and leans back. “That’s basically what happened; apparently our magic has fully matured.
According to Dean Foster, the timing is pretty unpredictable, and it can happen from your eighteenth birthday to a year later depending on your power level.
Oh, and that guy's name is Tyler by the way.”
“No one got hurt, right?” I don’t think I could live with myself if I hurt someone, even if it was an accident.
He lets out a little chuckle, knowing instinctively how I feel. “No, thankfully everyone who was nearby is fine. This apparently happens a lot, so they have wards in place to protect everyone in case someone loses control.”
Letting out a sigh of relief, I push myself up in the bed to sit up and finally take in my surroundings.
“Where are we?” It reminds me of a doctor's office with the bed I’m on against one wall, and a single chair where Marsh is.
There are cabinets with a sink behind him, the room is painted a light blue, and the big wooden door in front of the bed has a narrow window.
“Med clinic. Most of the magic you released hit me, and thankfully since we are twins our magic is mirrored, so I just felt like I got a power boost. However, since it didn’t go back to you, your magic was drained.
The healer said you would be fine after a nap and some food, just don’t scare me like that again.
Now then, I’m going to let them know you're awake.” He squeezes my hand as he stands and pulls the door open, calling to someone outside the room.
I’ll wait until we get back to the room to give Marsh the news about Mom and what she said.
He comes back over to me, followed by someone whom I assume is the healer.
She is a tiny woman, even smaller than my five-foot-three self, and her silver hair is pulled back into a low bun with little bits hanging around her face.
Age lines around her light grey eyes and mouth show that she laughs a lot.
When we make eye contact she smiles at me.
“Hello Magnolia, I’m Esther. I am the healer that worked on you when they brought you here.
When your full power came in, you and your brother mixed your powers, which isn’t normal for anyone other than mates.
My best guess is that since you two are twins, your magic is mirrored.
” She pauses to make sure I’m following along.
When she sees that I am, she continues. “I scanned you and Marshall both to get a baseline. All human boy/girl twins are fraternal. However, since you are witches, my theory is that you seem to be what is referred to as mirror twins. From what I can gather, your magic will be almost exactly the same. Everything about you both, down to your DNA, seems to be a complete mirror. If you were the same gender, you would be identical in every way.”
Damn, I wasn’t expecting that. I knew we were closer than any other twins we’ve ever met, but I didn't think we were some kind of special magical twins.
She walks toward me to sit on the foot of my bed.
“Thankfully, since your magics are compatible, Marshall took in most of the magic you expelled. While that event left you drained, the rest of the excess magic was sent to the wards around the island. Once we got you to the clinic I was able to pull the surplus magic from him and guide it back to you. So with that, how are you both feeling?”
Taking a moment to take stock of how I’m actually doing, I can feel the hum of my magic under my skin.
It’s more intense than ever, like a windmill after a tornado I feel more powerful than I ever could have pictured.
I can also feel my bond with Marshall, like a string I can pull on to make me feel more grounded.
“I honestly feel amazing, stronger. I can feel my magic better than I ever have. I can also feel my brother, like our connection is ingrained into our being.” Marshall squeezes my hand in an agreement.
It’s like I can feel his emotions too, almost a whisper.
I know what he's feeling but it’s not as concrete as my own feelings.
She nods along as I explain. “That’s good to hear. I’m relieved that you're feeling better, so I’m okay with you going back to your dorm, so long as Marshall keeps an eye on you, and with the condition that you come to me if either of you feel that something is wrong. Deal?”
“Deal!” we say together.
“That settles that, so I’ll let you both get out of here.” She shakes both of our hands then walks out the door.
While Marsh is helping me get my shoes on since I’m still feeling a little shaky, I wonder if we can still talk telepathically or if it was just when our magic was blending.
I focus on trying to push my thoughts out to him.
Marshall?
“Ouch! Geez, you don’t have to yell in my skull, you know.” He winces as he grabs his head.
“Oh, sorry. We need to talk when we get back to the dorm. Something happened when I was out.” I try to talk softly so we aren’t overheard.
“What could possibly have happened while you were unconscious?” He’s still kneeling in front of me looking puzzled.
“I saw Mom.”
I never thought I’d see my brother rendered completely speechless.