(no subject)
I look at my wrist. The skin where I cut the letters is pink and sore. I run a finger over it and wince.
What came over me? I think as I sit up and look into the mirror. Really, I have no idea why I cut myself. And what a wacked out dream. I can't really be an heiress to an ancient power can I?
I shake my head and go to my closet. I grab some jeans, a blue long-sleeved shirt, and my sneakers. I dress and throw my hair into a ponytail, and freeze. My eyes, they're different. They have a more fearful yet wise look to them. And my face...it seems more beautiful. Inhuman.
I turn away and run downstairs. Before I enter the kitchen, I make sure my sleeves are covering my wrists. Sage is sitting at the table painting her nails black. Erica is chattering to her about some new band she discovered between mouthfuls of granola bar.
"Hey," I say grabbing a pan from under the sink and placing it on the stove.
"Hey," Erica says, stuffing the rest of the granola in her mouth. "You ok? You seem...uptight about something."
Sage's head shoots up and she studies my face. She frowns lightly, as though she notices something.
"I'm fine," I say as I grease the pan with butter. I can't tell them the truth. Pretty much because I know what happened last night wasn't a dream. I have the scars as proof, and my senses seem more acute. And it seems crazy, even to me.
I reach up and pull the box of pancake batter off the shelf and start mixing. "Anyone hungry?" I ask.
"No thank you," Sage said. She blew on her nails to dry them, the stood up. "I'm going for a walk." Erica and I nodded and she left.
"I'm going to re-organize my room." Erica stood up and gave me a small smile. "Let me know if you need me."
I nodded and poured some batter into the pan and stood by the stove, waiting for my breakfast to cook. I was humming tunelessly to myself when I felt a sharp pain in my cut wrist. I pulled the sleeve up to see the wounds bleeding. I froze. My vision was blearing, and I staggered, dropping my spatula. Then, as suddenly as it had come, it stopped. I looked at my wrist to see the scars healed and only small amounts of dried blood.
I shudder and rinse my wrist in the sink. I look out the window at the garden. My mother worked so hard at making sure it looked perfect. I smiled slightly. The red roses, which were my mother's favorite, are in full bloom.
I close my eyes. The sunlight streaming through the window warms my face. What would I give to have my mother with me? I'd give everything.
I turned back to the stove and finished making my breakfast. I sat down and suddenly, reality hit me. I was an orphan. I had no one, except for Katrina, the woman in my head to guide me. And she was supposedely my dead ancestress whose footsteps I had to follow.
The grief hit me and I put my face in my hands and sobbed. "Why? Why her? She was so healthy." I pushed my food away and let the tears come. I hated this feeling of emptiness. My mother. She was never coming back.
I felt a pair of storng arms wrap around me. I looked and saw Erica. She had come downstairs with the mop and had seen me crying. She held me, and I was grateful to have her as a friend. Though I knew I had to leave her. And Sage. I believed Celestina and Christopher. I had to fight. I had to fulfill my purpose. Besides, what else did I have to lose? Nothing.
If I was going to die, I was going down fighting.
Erica looked me in the eyes, a lock of her neon orange hair falling in front of her eyes. "Addy, I'm so sorry."
I looked at her. "Erica, I miss her so much. I...I don't know myself anymore I..," I reached up to wipe my tears away. But I didn't realize it was my cut wrist, but Erica did.
She grabbed my hand and saw the letters: "I, K, and A," she said looking at it. then she looked at me. "Why did you cut yourself?"
"I...I don't know," I wailed. "Erica, I'm losing my mind. I don't know what I'm doing half the time."
She nodded and studied my face. "Addy, Sage and I, we're hear for you. If you want to talk."
I nodded. "Erica, I'm going away for a while. To a boarding school. My mom, she wanted me to."
She nodded. "I understand. Sage and I will get an apartment."
I stared at her. "Don't be stupid! I want you two to stay here." And I did. I'd probably never see this house again, but I wanted to know it was in good hands.
She looked surprised then smiled. "Thanks Addy."
"No problem." Erica eyed my wrist again.
"Promise me you won't do that anymore."
It was a promise I couldn't keep, but, "Yes. I promise."
She smiled, satisfied. "Now, let's get your things for boarding school together."
****
I sighed and looked at the small bag I had thrown together. I had some clothes, a notebook, some drawing supplies, and a photo album, along with a hairbrush and all that stuff.
I sat on the steps, Erica and Sage behind me. We were waiting for Christopher and Celestina, though Erica and Sage still knew them as Marcus and Anna.
"Are they students there?" Sage asked.
"Yes."
She nodded thoughtfully as a black car pulled up.
"Hello Addy!" Noel (Lenea), called.
"Hi!" I called back, feeling a strange sense of pleasure I was going with them.
Christopher a.k.a. Marcus, walked over and toook my bag. "Ready?"
I noded. I turned and hugged Sage, then Erica. "Take care," I muttered.
"You too Addy. You're the best friend I ever had," Erica said with a smile.
"I'll be fine," Sage assured me. "As long as you write to me."
"I will," I said with a smile.
But in my heart, I knew I couldn't. From what I understood, the city, Sori, was a secret. How would my friends possibly be able to write to me? My heart was breaking. I had lost my mother, and now I was leaving my friends.
Sage saw my face. "We'll see each other soon. When you have break."
I smiled. "Yes. You're right." I forced a smile and my face and followed Marcus to the car.
As I waved good-bye for the last time and stepped into the car, I knew without knowing how, I would never see my friends again. And with my leaving, so began my journey into the unknown.
I closed my eyes and leaned my head against the seat, thinking of all the good times I had with my friends. Friends whom I had left forever.
A/N: There! Hope you like! And this chapter has a dedication:
To my wonderful cousin and reviewer, this is a birthday gift for you. Happy 16th birthday!