Chapter One: The Terror

As I watch my dad drive away, I start to cry; tears that I haven't been able to cry for days. Why they decided to come now? I don't have a clue. But there is one thing I do know. And that is that I will be living with my friend Matt from now on. His dad is okay with it, my dad is leaving without me and doesn't care, and my mom is nowhere to be seen. Why Matt offered for me to live with him? I don't have a clue. My friends say he likes me but I wouldn't know. I've never had someone like me before and if they have I never knew about it. I can be kinda clueless to things like that.

I just stand here crying like an idiot in the front yard. My neighbor is watching threw her wind but trying not to be noticed. She does it all the time, so why she tries to hide, none of us can figure it out. After a few minutes, I stop crying and head back inside. I already had all of my stuff at Matt's house. My house now to, I guess. Matt said he would be here in a few minutes so I go up to my room. All I wanted right now was to be alone.

When I reach my room, I close the door and sit on the floor in front of my window. My room now is empty just like the rest of the house. Looking around my room and seeing that all my stuff is gone really hits me hard. No longer will I be able to come here in this room and listen to music or cry because I'm all alone now. Now I will live in a different house, with a different room, with a different person. Will I like it? Who knows. All I know is that I hate my dad for leaving me. It's bad enough that my mom had to leave me; now him, it quit unbearable to loose both parents.

I'm deep in my thoughts when I hear someone come in the house. Quickly I wipe the tears away that escape and head to the stairs. Looking around from the edge of the banister I see no one but listen. I hear a bunch of movement. Quietly I head down the stairs and to the noise. I listen when I reach the bottom of the stairs and follow the noise quietly. Upon reaching the noise, I start to smell gasoline. I gag and pull my shirt up and start to breath threw it.

I chance looking around the corner to see who is doing this and to my surprise it is a guy in a ski mask that looks a lot like the guy that gave me a threatening note a before I had ended up in a coma. The note had said, "You will die a horrible death. D.B." That was months ago. Slowly he turns around and I gasp because I know he has seen me. Without thinking I turn around and run up stairs. Such a bad choice I realize after the guy has followed me. "Crap," I mumble underneath my breath. I dash into my room, close and lock the door. Then I pull out my phone and call Matt.

He answers on the first ring and says, "I'm almost there. I got stuck at work."

I ignore what he said and tell him, "You need to get here asap. There is a guy in the house and he is going to light it on fire. I was able to get to my room and lock the door."

He curses under his breath and says, "Try to get out of the house if you can and I'll call the fire department."

I tell him, "Hurry." He tells me he will and to be careful.

After I hang up, I put my ear to the door to listen for movement. Hearing no one, I try to open the door but the handle burns my hand. He must have started the fire outside of my room. I sniff the air and smell smoke. A few seconds later I see smoke start to enter my room. I gasp and pull my shirt off and cover my mouth and noise. I then start to breath threw my shirt. Next, I walk over to my window and look out. There is a tree right outside. 'Maybe I can jump over to it,' I think to myself.

Quickly I open the window and put my shirt back on. Looking out the window I realize the tree is farther than I thought. Looking back at my door I see that the fire is starting to come in my room. I take a deep breath and climb out the window. The next few seconds I don't think but throw myself at the tree. As I reach the tree I try to grab it and I end up grabbing a branch.

Sighing I pull myself up onto the branch. Quickly I climb to the trunk of the tree and climb down. As I jump down to the ground from a nook in the tree, I start to hear sirens. They won't be able to save the house but at least they can put out the fire. Quietly I make my way to the front of the house just in case the guy that set the house on fire is still around.

As I reached the front of the house, I hear a truck pull into the driveway. Then the next thing I know there is a hand over my mouth. A voice in my ear says, "Don't scream or you will get hurt." Without thinking I bite the guys hand and dash for the front of the house. Running as fast as I can and end up running straight into Matt.

He grasps my arms lightly and asks, "What's the matter?"

I gasp and answer, "The man that started the fire was right behind me and almost had me. I was able to get outside by jumping to the tree but I think he was there waiting for me because the next thing I know he is right behind me."

Matt wraps his arms around me and says in my ear, "You are safe now!"

I berry my face in Matt's chest trying not to think about what just happen. We just stand there till a cop starts walking over to us. Matt lets me go but keeps his arm around my waist. He cop asks me, "Miss. Can you tell me exactly what happened?"

Sighing, I take a deep breath and say, "I was in my old room thinking and I started to hear noises come from down stairs. So I decided to go check it out. The closer I got down stairs, the more I realized the noise was coming from the living room. Quietly I walked to the living room and listened. Then I peeked around the corner of the doorway and say a man in a mask pouring gasoline everywhere. He turned and saw me so I darted to my old room. I called Matt and told him to hurry. Then I looked around my room and decided to jump out my window to my tree. I made it but when I jump down the man was there waiting. Quickly I ran as fast as I could around the house. It was here in the front yard where I ran into Matt. I've been here ever since."

The cop thanks me and turns to go to his car. Matt takes my hand in his and guides me to his truck. Once there, he helps me up and goes to the other side and gets in. He starts his truck then backs out of his driveway and heads to his house. The whole way to the house is quiet. I'm to shaken up to say anything and I guess Matt doesn't know what to say.

Once we reach the house, Matt parks but leaves the truck running. He takes his seat belt off and faces me. He just looks at me a few minutes before he says, "I'm sorry Layla. I should have been there sooner. While you stay with me you don't have to worry about a thing. I promise I will let nothing happen to you."

I smile weakly and reply, "It wasn't your fault. You don't have to worry. I'm just scared because I think I know who the guy was. There was always one of my dad’s friends that hated me and that house. He even told me one day that he wanted to burn the house down. Also I think he sent me a threatening letter a month ago."

"You’re just now telling me this why?" he asks me as his face gets red with anger but doesn't yell at me.

"Well I told my dad and he just said not to worry about it. I also told Erin and she said to ignore until and if I got another threatening letter," I tell him scared that he will turn the truck around and drive right back to the house so I can talk to the cops.

"Oh. If you get another one. Show it to me before you come to any conclusions okay?" Matt tells me getting less mad at me by the second. "What do you want for dinner? I can order pizza, we can go out, or I can make something?"

"Um you should make something. I haven't tried your cooking yet," I tell him smiling.

"Alright," he says as he turns the truck off and gets out. I follow him quietly for some reason. Matt notices and tells me, "It's alright I promise. I have an alarm system. It's always armed unless I'm in and out of the house a doing something."

"I know it's safe but for some reason I can't help but to be quiet. I don't know what it is," I tell Matt. "It's almost like I sense danger close by. Every time there’s danger close by I tend to be stealthy."

"Alright," Matt tells me as he pulls a gun from the outside of his cowboy boots. He hands it to me. I take it hesitantly because I can’t stand guns. Ever since I was little I haven’t been able to and I don’t know why. Matt then pulls another one from the other boot. I stare at him and he tells me, "Stay out here and stand guard. Warn whoever it is before you shoot them but make sure it's not me first okay?" I nodded my head yes and he opens the front door and heads in the house.

As I stand in front of the door with the gun in hand, I realize how dark it is outside. It's almost like someone threw a dark thick black blanket over the town. Even the street lights seem to not be able to penetrate it. You can't tell where one tree or house begins and another one ends. It's like everything runs together and is connected like connect four. Only there’s one color and that's dark black.

It seems like hours in this dark black blanket of night before I hear something coming from my right. I turn to look in the direction and can't see anything. "Who's there? I have a gun and I am PMSing," I say to the masked and hidden dark figure.

The person chuckles and steps into my field of vision. It's not Matt, so I get ready to shoot the stranger for trespassing. Only the stranger steps forward with his own gun in hand and taunts me, "You won’t shoot me. You don't have it in you to shoot anyone. We both know that a gun in your hands is useless. Your father never taught you how to shoot, and I doubt Matt here has taught you either."

The taunts begin to make me mad and upset at the same time. But that's when I remember my friend’s dad is the sheriff and he took us to a shooting range once and taught us how to shoot all kinds of guns. He wanted us to know how to be able to defend our self if necessary. They both told me that whenever I really concentrated and tried I shot to kill not wound. Also they told me my shy girl face transformed into a killer faces with no remorse. How am I capable of such things, is beyond me.

But I know I don't want to listen to his taunts anymore. “You know you really should dig up dirt on someone if you plan on trying to kill them. About two years ago the sheriff took me and his daughter to the shooting range and taught us how to shoot and let’s just say be glad it wasn’t a real target." Then without any warning because it’s clear he came here to taunt me then kill me. I raise the gun with the determination to kill the bastered. As I raise the gun the look on my face turns to pure hatred and I know this because I can see my reflection is the window. The gun raises his gun to shoot me but I pull the trigger on mine before he even gets it all the way in the air.

Not even two seconds later Matt comes running out the front door gun ready. He even turned the front porch light on to see what happened. The light blinds me temporarily because it penetrates through the dark black blanket that was covering the night. Matt takes on look around the looks at me in shock. He tells me, "I called the sheriff and he said he would be here in a few minutes. He only lives right now the road. I figured he could help calm you down from tonight’s advents. " Matt then sees the guy laying on the ground and tells me, “Nice shot.”

"I know," Is all I can mustard to say because of the reality of what just happened hit me. I just shot and killed a man. But it was his life or mine on the line here. I choice to save my own over being killed. I probably could have hid and called out for Matt but I just couldn't take the taunting anymore.

2: Chapter Two

Chapter Two: Terrified

By the time the sheriff gets here, Matt has covered the guy’s body up with a black tarp and gotten me a jacket. It turns out to be a very chilly night and it's only seven o'clock. Matt and I also haven't eaten dinner yet because of everything that has happened. So without the adrenalin rush I am freezing cold and starving. Dinner looks like it will end up being pizza because it is getting so late.

The sheriff sees the covered body and calls the coroner. He then asks me what happened and I tell him everything. He tells me thank you and that was very brave of you. I say to him it was nothing and he just nods his head. Once I decided that I wasn't the one that was going to die tonight; I shot the guy without remorse. After the coroner gets here it takes all of 30 minutes before Matt and I are able to go inside and actually talk.

"That was very impressive," Matt tells me after he has ordered a pizza from Mr. Jims.

"Thanks. The sheriff taught me and his daughter to shoot two years ago and let’s just say I was a good shot. So once I decided I wasn't going to die, and that he had to, I shot him," I tell Matt kind of smiling. For once I am actually proud of myself. I haven't done anything in a while that was important enough to make me proud of what I know and can do.

"That's good because after I handed you the gun I was afraid you wouldn’t know what to do with it if there was an intruder," Matt states smiling at me.

"Well I do and change subject please. I have had enough excitement for one night,” I tell Matt as I take a seat on the couch.

"Alright, what do you want to what till the pizza gets here?" he asks me sitting down next to me.

"Hmmm. Let's play Guitar Hero 3 and see who gets there butt beat," I challenge Matt as I stand up and go turn the Xbox on. I hand the now standing Matt a guitar and grab me one. Once the game is up, I pick the song and put it on expert for both of us. I give him an evil smile as the song starts up.

Once the song starts, I completely ignore him and concentrate on the task at hand. I must beat him at all costs. I may have never played expert before but I have quick fingers so it should be a piece of cake. To my surprise it was easy. I shredded that song like I had been playing expert for years. Whens it’s all said and done and shows our scores, Matt and I tied. Tied!!! How could we have tied???

"Very nice, very nice. I didn't know you could play like that," Matt tells me with a huge grin on his face that could outshine the whole night sky.

"Well honestly that was my first time playing on expert," I tell Matt trying to stay mad at the fact that we tied. But then again it’s very hard to stay mad at him when he is so nice and caring. "I can’t believe we tied though."

"Oh trust me I can believe it, " he tells me as the doorbell rings. Matt smiles his bright smile and goes to the door. I watch him go and then turn to put our guitars up. I turn the Xbox’s off and head into the kitchen to get plates down from the cabinet above the stove, but I can't really reach. So I climb on the counter to get them. Only I loose my blance as I grab the plates. I try not to fall as I get down, but I start to fall backwards. Matt comes in just in time catch me and the plates from crashing to the floor. "You could have let me get those you now. And yes I still need to move them so this doesn't happen while I am at work," Matt tells me as he sets the plates on the counter.

"Yes you do," I state trying to calm my now raging heart. "That could have been worse if you weren’t here." I grab me a piece of pizza and put it on my plate. “Why did you put them up there anyways?”

“Becasue i typically dont use glass plates. I'd either ear at work or get something on my way home. Matt says as he looks at me. His smile fades as he tells me, "You’re bleeding."

I look at him confused and ask, "Where? I didn't touch anything. You kept me from falling and hurting myself."

"I don't know. You could have hit anything in the house," he tells me deep in thought. He just stands there for what seems like hours when his eyes go wide. "Did I give you the silver of black gun?"

"I don't know," I say worriedly. "Why?"

"Because I heard one gun shot and the cut on your arm look to be from a bullet," he tells me as he gets a first aid kit from under the kitchen sink. He opens it and gets out peroxide. "Did you hear a gun shot when you shot him?"

"Um," I say as I think back to earlier in the night. "I think so but I don't think it came from the gun you gave me."

"Yeah. I gave you the gun with the built in silencer. The guy shot you Layla,” Matt tells me worriedly. "Sit on the counter so I can take care of the wound."

Matt studies my arm as I sit there. I do as he says but state, "I am fine. Really. I haven't felt a thing all night. Well except from the adrenaline rush." Matt studies my arm as I sit there.

"Which hasn’t faded yet because you don’t feel a bullet in your arm?" Matt tells me looking at me. His face becomes very serious all of a sudden. "I can take you to the hospital or I can get it out. Whichever you want."

"You have to get it out. I can't go to the hospital," I tell Matt as I start to freak out completely. The last time I was in the hospital was because I was in a very bad car wreck with two of my friends and I was the only on to survive it.

Matt looks me in the eyes and calmly says to me, "Its ok. We won't go to the hospital. I can get it out no problem. I'm a military doctor remember? It just might hurt some. But after wards we have ice cream instead of pizza if you want."

I smile at Matt like a little kid and nod my head ok. He smiles back at me and grabs a pair of tweezers. He carefully digs the tweezers in to the bullet. I don’t really feel anything till he starts to pull the bullet out. That's when pure pain radiates up my arm making me want to scream bloody murder. The pain is so intense I want to cry but I know if I even make a noise Matt will stop because he doesn't want to hurt me.

So instead of focusing on the pain from the bullet, I stare at Matt’s eyes from an odd angle. But from any angle they are as green and beautiful as ever. I smile at them knowing that there is something in Matt that I like and can trust. My mom once told me that a person’s eyes are the key to their soul. If you detect one fleck of evil in them, there’s is normally more to come in the future. But if all you see is nice and caring eyes you are safe. Every now and then that could be false because a person can learn how to hide what they are thinking but it takes years and years of practice. Sometimes even then it can still show threw.

I don't know Matt is done till he says, "There all better. How do you feel? Did it hurt any? It didn't seem like it did. You were kind of staring off in the distance."

"It hurt at first put I just started thinking to distract myself," I tell Matt. "Thank you very much. Now can we eat pizza? I am starving."

He laughs and tells me. “Dig in.”

I get a couple of pieces and go sit on the couch and eat in silience. Which you would think would be hard with the events that happened tonight. But I guess not talking about it is a good thing.

After we finish our pizza we decide to watch a movie. But what movie is the question. There are so many movies I want to watch but I think half of them are at the movie theater still. Matt goes to the paper view movies and I see "The Women in Black". "Have you seen the Women in Black?" I ask Matt hoping he hasn't and wants to see it.

"I have seen it but it was a good movie. I'd watch it again if you want to see it," Matt tells me in a really sweet tone. It reminds me of why I like him and doubt he likes me. Just cause he is nice to me doesn't me he likes me.

Matt was a very popular guy in high school. He was our schools prize quarterback. At every game you could count on him to score at least one touchdown of his own with help from the team keeping the other players away from him. Everyone adored him. It's amazing how few girlfriends he had. I know he had at least four maybe five girlfriends his whole life in high school. That's really strange for someone as handsome as he is. You would think that he would have had one girlfriend after another. I believe he doesn't even have one now and he has been out of high school for two years now. He is two years older than me, but I don’t stand a chance next to all of the other girls out there.

"You don't have too," I tell Matt as he sits now next to me. "If you've seen it then there is no point in you watching it again. I've heard it’s extremely scary anyways."

"I don’t mind watching it again. I liked the movie just not how it ended. And it's not that scary. I'm not a fan of scary movies and I like this one. So that says something you know," he states looking at me smiling.

"Alright." I say giving in to him and let him order the movie. Unfortunately the movie doesn’t come on for another fifteen minutes. So I go up to my room and grab a blanket because Matt likes to keep the place freezing cold. When I get back downstairs, Matt has changed out of his deputy uniform and into his pajamas which consist of flannel pajama pants and no shirt. I stop at the top of the stairs and taken in his shirtless form on the couch. Him and his long legs take up the whole couch making me laugh. He is going to have to learn to share that couch.

Quietly I walk down the stairs so I can try to scare him. As long as we have been friends; which has only been three years, I have never been able to scare him. Slowly I moved toward the front of the couch into view only before I am completely in front of him he says, "Took you long enough. You are never going to be able to scare me you know. Nothing scares me anymore remember. I am a deputy now."

"That doesn't mean nothing will scare you and you need to share that couch mister. I know his is your house and all but I need a place to sit and watch the movie besides the floor," I tell him trying not to smile.

Sitting up Matt says, "I know. I was relaxing till you got back down here and the movie is about to start."

I hurry and sit on the couch before Matt decides to take up the couch again. Quickly I get comfortable leaning against the arm of the couch with my blanket over my legs as the movie starts. I've never watched a scary movie before with a guy. Matt and I are close friends but we never really did anything till now. When we hung out, listened to music, and talked.

About half way through the movie I jump for the millionth time and Matt pulls me over to him. This movie is so much scary than I thought it would be. I hate ghost and scary movies. So this was an extremely bad idea. Yeah Matt is here and all but he isn’t helping much to keep me not scared. He makes me fill safe and all but this is a ghost we are talking about. There isn’t much you can do to protect yourself from them.

After the movie is over, Matt kisses my for head and says, "It's alright."

"I know," I reply wiping tears away from my eyes. "The movie ended horribly. I can't believe it end that way."

"I know. I hated the way it ended to but I didn't cry when it was over but my sister did," he tells me putting a regular TV. show on.

"Yeah. I don't blame her. What all is on TV? There is no way I can go to sleep right now," I ask Matt looking up at him. Someone how my head ended up on his chest and I like it. The more I am around him the more I realize how much I like him. Times like this make me think he really does care. But the real question is does he like me the same way I like him?

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3: Chapter Three

Chapter Three: Hospital

The next morning when I wake up, I smell bacon immediately. Sitting up I see that Matt is in the kitchen shirtless still and cooking. The things I am going to learn by living here. It's a shame I haven't moved in sooner. I forgot he knew I liked bacon. This shows even when I am going on and on about something he is really listen even though he may act like he isn’t. I rub the sleepiness out of my eyes and say, "Shouldn’t you be cooking with a shirt on so you don't burn yourself?"

"Nah, I do this all the time," he tells me as grease pops his stomach. "You jinxed me. I was fine till you said something."

He laughs and shakes his head as I get up and walk to the kitchen. "Is it bad?" I ask wanting to help if it is.

"I don't know. You’re the expert on burns. You come take a look at it," Matt says as he grinds his teeth in pain.

"I would say it’s bad being your gritting your teeth in pain. Lesson learned huh?" I tell him as I grab the first aid kit from by the frig and walk over to him. “Shouldn't you know about burns?”

Matt ignores my question and I get to work. First things first, I turn the burner off. Then I look at the red whelp on is stomach. Ok. I've seen a lot of grease burns and this isnt a grease burn. This is a pan burn. Wow he needs to pay attention when he is cooking. "Maybe next time your cooking you should be leaning against the stove because that is a pan burn. Not a grease burn."

"I can't take care of this. You need to go to the ER for this. Yeah your boss will hate you but you need to," I tell him. "I'll even drive if you want."

"No. I'll drive and I want you to come with," Matt replies.

I tell him ok and to get dressed but to wear a loose shirt. He tells me ok and goes to his room. I head to mine and throw on a dress and my cowboy boots. As I walk down the stairs I get this a foul feeling in my stomach that something isn't right. I shake it off thinking it's just Matt's burn. The thing that bothers me the most is that he isnt trying to look at himself. He is a MD after all. He should know how to handle it. Either its to bad for him to, or he doesn't want tot ake care of it himself.

Matt and I get in his truck and put our seat belts on. I lean my head against the window and try to sleep. For some reason all of my energy seems drained out of me. It's almost like I didn't seem at all last night. But I know I did because when I woke up the first time my head was on Matt’s chest and the second Matt was in the kitchen cooking dinner. Oh well I should sleep before we get to the ER. We ride in silence most of the way to the ER. About half way Matt says, “I love you."

Whoa. Wait. He loves me? This isn't right. He hasn't really showed it at all. For that matter he hasn't showed he likes me. How the hell can he say he loves me? I'm about to ask what when I hear a scratching of tires. I look at Matt and see the lights of a semi running into us. The bright lights blind me. I am gasping for air when I jolt awake.

Looking around I can't see anything at first but bright lights. I blink rapidly and discover it’s a doctors flash light being shined in my eyes. The more I blink the more everything becomes clear and I see three nurses, and a doctor hovering around me. I try to ask what happened but my mouth is to dry.

The doctor turns of his light and tells one of the nurses to get me a cup of water. He then tells me, "Blink once for no and twice for yes. Do you feel pain anywhere?" I blink my eyes once. Why would I be in pain? It's not like I’m on my period or anything. "Do you know what happened?" I blink then once again. What happened is what I would like to know.

A nurse comes in with a glass of water and hands it to me. I take it and drink it like I haven't had anything to drink in days. For all I know it could be days. I'm in the hospital and have no clue how I got here. The last thing I remember is the guy setting my house on fire. My dream says I got out and to Matt’s houses safely. But that can’t be real because I am here in the hospital. And I was jolted out of getting hit by a semi. So that definitely wasn’t real.

"Can you talk now? Or do u need more water," The nurse asks worriedly.

"More water, "I barely say because my throat feels like sand paper when I talk. The nurse leaves and quickly comes back with a bottle of water. I take it from here and drink the bottle in four huge gulps. "Thank you."

"Do you know what day it is?" the doctor asks looking at his clipboard.

"Um, no. I have no clue. When the fire started it was Friday night," I tell the doctor.

"It's been two weeks since the fire that destroyed your old home. Matt told us you were moving in with him. Also you were in a coma for 14 days," a nurse says with sympathy in her voice. "We were very worried about you. Most people that come in from something like that don’t make it."

"Like what?" I nearly scream.

The doctor looks around then says, "We will let Matt tell you. He was the one that found you. Go get Matt please. He is in my office."

It seems like hours before Matt comes in my room and the nurses leave. At firs he stares at me then he sits on the bed next to me for a few minutes. He thin says, “I’m glad you’re finally awake."

"Yeah. Will you just tell me what happened already? I am so confused and don't like it," I tell Matt very rudely. I don't like hospitals and never will. So I tend to get cranky when I am in one.

Matt sighs then says, "When I got to your house it was on fire and I had no idea where you were. So I called and you didn't answer. I rushed in the house and was searching for you. There was so much smoke I started coughing. That's around the time I found you in your room laying on the floor passed out." He stops for a second and looks at me. "I was worried when I found you. You weren’t moving and you was barely breathing. Quickly I picked you up and got us out of the house. It wasn’t easy because of the fire but I did. The EMT's met me at the end of the porch and they took you from me and after that everything is a blur."

"Oh." I mumble completely shocked. What I say in my coma was all just a dream. I can't believe it didn't happen. "When can I go home?"

"I don't know. Maybe tomorrow." Matt tells me. "It depends on how well they think you are doing and if they think you will slip back into a coma."

"Oh," is all I say as the doctors come in and check everything again.

 

 

 

4: Chapter Four

Chapter Four: Jealousy

After another week of being in the hospital I am finally told I can go home. Well home with Matt. I live with him now. It's kind of good that I already moved all of my stuff over the day before the fire cause it would be all gone if I didn't. That so wouldn’t have been good. I can't even think what I would have done if my stuff was still in the house when it was set on fire. Much less why I collapsed on the floor.

Once we get to the house Matt helps me get out of the truck and up to my room. You would think being in a hospital I would have gotten a lot of rest but I didn't. I'm so exhausted I could sleep for days. Which is odd since I kind of was in a sleep, well in a coma for two weeks. I hope things get back to normal soon because I hate being tired like this. I've done absolutely nothing and I'm exhausted.

It only takes me a couple of minutes to fall asleep. Surprisingly I don't dream at all which is a good thing. All I have dreamed about is the fire and that it could have killed me. Also that Matt had a crush on me in it. There is no way he has a crush on me. He has a girlfriend. Even if he did, he wouldn't date me. He once told me he wouldn’t date anyone younger than 20 and I’m 18. Which I don't get because he is 22. But it's Matt. What can you do?

I wake up in the middle of the night gasping for air. It takes me a few minutes before my breathing is normal and my heart beat slows down some. I am about to lay back down and sleep when Jessica; Matt’s girlfriend, comes in my room. She has the nerve to come in my room in his rob and not bothering to care that I notice. I don't want to know what they do in his room, so why bother coming in my room with a robe on. She takes one look at me and asks, "Are you ok? I heard a scream and thought it was you. I wanted to make sure you are ok."

"Yes, I am fine. Don't worry about me. Go back to bed," I tell her. She stand there staring at me a moment and then leaves my room. I’ve learned since I was in the coma that she has been stealing my friends and turning them against me. My ex friends refuse to talk to me. They claim that I set fire to my old house because my dad left and my mom doesn't care. But boy do they have it wrong. It’s one thing to say something thinking that’s what happened but it's another to spread it around and take my friends from me. If she wants war she will get it.

When I wake up in the morning and head down stairs I see Matt and Jessica in the kitchen making out. I gag and turn back around to go back up the stairs. Jessica squirmed her way in while I was in the hospital that's for sure. Before I was in my coma, Matt wouldn't give her the time of day because of me. I was always telling him who she really was. She no doubt told him I was lying and she isn't like that. But with me out of the picture for those two weeks she decided to take everything from me.

Pure hatred burns in my chest because she has taken everything from me. The only thing I have left is my room because she wouldn't dare step foot into it if I'm not in it. She swares up and down an evil spirit lives in it. This chick has no idea what she is getting herself into. I'm not someone you want to piss off. Once you do, you are in for a whole lot of hurt that you can't even begin to imagine.

Before my father went all crazy and crap, he taught me how to fight. I can fight good too, well so my dad told me. My dad used to take me to fight clubs and they sometimes would let me fight. To everyone’s surprise except me and my dad’s, I would win with barely any hits from my opponent. Everyone says I cheat but I never did. I just knew my opponents and how they moved in a fight. After all I had been watching them a while. So one of these days Jessica is going to get herself into trouble with me and Matt isn’t going to be around to stop me from hurting her.

Matt comes in my room and says, "I am going to work. Be nice to Jessica. She is staying here to keep an eye on you. Doctors order someone had to be watching you at all times for a week. Well five days the least."

I look at him with evil eyes because he is leaving her here with me. Of course doesn’t realize I hate her? No of course not. He is a guy. They don't notice much. "Ok, but don't blame me if you come home and she is hurt. Just means she made me mad and didn't want to shut up or leave me alone."

"Okay. Just try to get alone while I am at work. I'll be back around eight or so," Matt tells me as he leaves my room and heads downstairs.

Man this day is going to be the worst day ever. That chick is going to get hurt I just know it. She is going to think she is all that because Matt is paying her attention now. But by the end of the week she is going to be gone. And as if on cue she comes in my room. I give her the evil eyes and ask her, "What do you want you evil hag?"

"Ouch," She answers putting her and over her heart. "That hurts. You don't think it was nice of me to volunteer to watch you while Matt goes to work?"

"Hell no. You only did it to stay on his good side considering you squirmed your way in while I was in a coma," She gives me a confused look. "OK. Let’s get something straight. Before I ended up in a coma, he wouldn't give you the time of day. Now y'all are dating and who knows what else. And believe me I don't want to know."

"I wouldn't say I squirmed my way in. I merely help him through a rough time. His best friend was in a coma and he didn't know what he was going to do. I can't help it that it ended up bring me and him closer and into a relationship," She says smiling her evil little smile.

"You did it for your own good. Not because he needed someone. He would have been just fine," I yell at her getting angrier by the second. "Let me tell you something. If you dare hurt him I will come after you and you will be put in the hospital."

She laughs and walks over to me and states, "You couldn’t hurt a fly. All you did with that guy in your house was run to your room and curl up on the floor scared."

"BACK OFF! You don't know anything about that fire and what happened," I tell her trying not to punch her in her face.

She gets in my face and says. "Make me."

I shake my head because I have had enough. I warn her, "Back away or I am going to punch that pretty little face of yours." She just laughs at me and stares me in the eyes. The one thing about my eyes is that they don't give away my intention like most peoples. So without any warning I pop her right in her jaw hard. She deserves it. She stumbles backwards and looks at me with her eyes wide out of shock. "Yeah. I wasn’t kidding when I said I was going to punch you. Now get out of my room!"

She gives me the evil eyes and says, "This isn't over." She runs out of my room and down the stairs. No doubt to call Matt. But there isn’t much he can do. He has to go to work. So I grab my phone, my head phones and lay on my bed. I turn on my country music and just relax. After while I fall asleep and sleep the day away.

***********************

I wake up to Matt barging in my room. He stares down at me with furry written all over his face. Sitting up I realize he most have found out I punch Jessica in the face. I gulp and stare back at him. We lock eyes for a minute before he turns around and calmly asks, "Why did you punch her? I'm sure you too have two different stories. The question is which one right?"

"She came in my room and pissed me off. I warned her if she didn't leave I was going to punch her and she just got in my face more and wouldn't leave. So I punched her. Yes there are details I left out but they are not important because she started it and that's that," I tell Matt looking out my window.

Matt walks over to me and says, “Look at me." Slowly I turn and look at him. "Why did you punch her? I need to know if I should find someone else to watch you or if she can still or if you need to come to the station with me."

"I would prefer coming to the station. There is no way I am letting her watch me. She said she volunteered to watch me and I told her she did it because she wanted to stay on your good side. Also told her before I was in my coma you wouldn't give her the time of day. While I was in a coma she squirmed her way in and messed everything up. And she kept saying I was wrong and everything. I told her if she didn’t leave I was going to hurt her. She walked up to me and said I couldn't hurt a fly. I warned her again and she wouldn't leave. So I punched her. That got her out of the room quicker than when she came in," I tell him exactly what happened and try not to get angrier than I already am.

Matt shakes his head and says, "Well I was a jerk to you for barging in here. I forgot I didn't like her when you were in a coma." He sits on my bed and looks at my dark blue comforter. As he stares at it I swear I see a few tears escape. He then looks at me and tells me, "I was so worried about you I forgot I never liked her and why I didn’t like her. And you know what I fell for her act and I am sorry. Before I came up here, I told her to go home and we were going to talk later. I remember you didn’t like her but she made me forget I hated her."

I smile weakly and tell him, "Its ok. We tend to do crazy things when are closest friends are hurt. Trust me I know. Remember when you were in that car wreck that almost killed you? Well I punched all of the doctors and they had to sedate me cause I wasn't think straight."

He laughs and smiles, "Yeah, I remember you telling me that. Come down stairs and eat. I made homemade pizza before I came up here. I had to think about what I was going to do and say before hand or else things would have been differently."

Smiling I say, "That's a good thing. We both know you don't do very well when you just jump into things."

"Yeah. Well I'm going to go call Jessica," Matt tells me as he gets up and leaves my room.

 

 

 

 

 

 

5: Chapter Six

Chapter Six: Home

“Alright and it started raining after you fell asleep but it isn’t as bad as earlier while you was asleep. I asked the nurse about the weather and she said the worse of the storm is over us,” Matt informs me as I look out the window.

“That’s good. I don’t know what I would have done if it had gotten any worse and I was alone,” I state cuddling closer to Matt as I fall back asleep.

Over the next couple of days nurses are in and out changing Matt’s bandage on his arm. After a while it just got old. Every time I tried to mention what I found out the first night, a nurse came in. It never failed, but today he gets to go home. So I can always tell him when we get back. A nurse comes in with discharge papers and tells Matt where here needs to sign. He does and is ready to change and get out of her before the nurse leaves the room. But before she leaves she says, “Be careful doing stuff still. You will be sore for a couple of days. You can go back to work Monday if Layla thinks you can handle it.”

I hear Matt mutter, “Crap.”

I laugh and say, “Just do what I say and you won’t have to worry about it.” He just shakes his head in shame causing me to laugh more. Matt slowly stands up and just stands there for a minute. He hasn’t stood long in three days. After a few minutes he grabs his boxers and jeans I laid on his bed. I turn my back to him so he can put his boxers and jeans on without me staring. He taps me shoulder and I turn around. I need help putting on my shirt,” he tells me. But I don’t hear the words he said. All I see is the scare on his chest that matches the one in my dream perfectly. He stares back at me and asks, “Are you alright Layla?”

“How did you get that scare?” I ask him sitting down in the chair behind me.

He sighs and counters, “You remember don’t you?”

“I remembered the scar but not who I caused it to. All I saw in my memories was me hurting someone, I never saw the face. All I knew was that I should never use magic again. But then a few nights ago my grandma came to me in a dream and made me remember. I wanted to tell you about it but every time I was going to bring it up, a nurse came in to check on you,” I tell him.

He shakes his head and says, “It is okay now. It was never your fault. I was the one that caused you to attack me, so it was my fault not yours. I shouldn’t have jumped out at you like that. I figured you would just jump back but I scared you to bad and I got hurt. It was my fault not yours.”

I sigh, “Do you know why Jessica and I was in a car accident two years ago?”

He takes a deep breath and says, “I made the mistake in telling you that I knew you and what happened. And you were so upset you went to see Jessica and she said that y’all should go out camping. You agreed but on the way there it started pouring rain because of your emotions. Everyone says Jessica died in the accident but she didn’t your magic put her in a coma. We have been waiting for the day that you would remember in hopes that you would want to go see her.”

A tear streams down my face as I take in what Matt just told me. I can’t believe I caused the accident two years ago. It’s all my fault that Jessica is in a coma and I must try to wake her up. There has to be a way for me to bring her out of the coma I put her in. I look up at Matt and state, “I want to see her before we leave.”

He nods his head okay. I help him put his shirt on and follow him out to the elevator. “I know you hate elevators but I can’t do stares right now.”

“It’s okay. I’m fine as long as I am not alone in them,” I tell him as the doors open. We walk in and he hits the 7th floors button. The whole way up, no words are spoken between us. It’s like he doesn’t know what to say for once or he just doesn’t want to upset me. Either way he is being caring which is a huge step considering what happened with his ex and my coma. But what can you do when you inhale lungs full of smoke and pass out.

When the elevator stops, we step out and he leads us to Jessica’s room. As we reach it I see that the sheriff is sitting in a chair next to the bed. He looks up and see’s us. He smiles weakly and asks, “You remember now?”

I smile and say, “Yes I finally remember and I’m sorry for what pain I’ve caused you. I didn’t mean to do anything.”

“You didn’t mean to. You were upset,” he says as he gets up and comes over to us. “I need to talk to you for a moment Matt.”

They take a step outside and close the door. I walk over to the bed and see Jessica looking lifeless. I smile weakly and touch her hand. She doesn’t stir one bit. I whisper to her, “Jessica please wake up. I didn’t mean for this to happen. I wish it was me in the coma not you. It should be me.” I see her eyes move behind her eye lids like she wants to wake up but can’t. I place my right and on her forehead. I mutter a simple waking spell and not even two seconds later her eyes are open and staring at me. She mouths water and I nod my head okay. When I turn to get it I see the sheriff and Matt are back in the room. I jump and say, “Don’t scare me like that.”

“We thought you heard us come in,” the sheriff states. “How is she?”

“She is awake for now but she needs water,” I state walking to the water fountain and filling up the water bottle that was buy Jessica’s bed. When I come back the sheriff leaves and I assume goes and goes to get the doctor. I hold the bottle up to Jessica’s mouth and tilt the water bottle a little bit so she can get a small drink of water. She smiles and whispers, “It wasn’t you fault.”

I smile back at her as a swarm of doctors comes in and starts checking her over. One doctor stands next to the sheriff and apologizes, “I should have never doubted what you said. She is one magnificent girl.” The sheriff nods his head in thanks. I pull Matt to the side and say, “We need to get you home.”

“But,” Matt says as I push him out the door.

“She will understand and you’re not looking so hot. So we are going home and your laying down. He sighs and walks to the elevator. The whole way down to the first floor he doesn’t say a word. This isn’t like him unless it was like earlier when we went up to see Jessica. There were no words to be spoken. I know there is now but he won’t say them. I roll my eyes at the thought and wait patiently on the elevator to stop on the first floor.

When it stops I don’t bother to wait to see if Matt is following me and head to the truck. By the time I get there I get the feeling Matt is going to continue his silent treatment on the way home. He is being so childish, but it’s his choice to act this way. I hop in the truck and start it and wait on Matt to get in. As soon as the door is closed I am heading to the house. Matt silence is driving me crazy. It’s been years since he has gone this long without talking. By the time we get to the house I’ve decided I am not going to say a word to him unless he says on to me first. He started this so he can end it.

After I pull in the drive way I turn off the truck and head in side making a point to slam the door. I don’t bother to even see if he follows me. If he wants to stay outside in the cold all night by all means let him. He is acting to childish for my taste to care. He’s twenty two for crying out loud and acting like a child. He doesn’t seem to notice that he is either. Plus you would think being he just got out of the hospital he would care enough for ask for help or something.

I walk up there stares and too my room. I see fog on my window making me want a hot shower to calm my nerves. But first things first, I go turn the heat on. To my surprise it is 60 degrees in here. Wow, to cold for winter weather. I put the air up on 70 and turn the heat on. I then go to the bathroom and take a long hot shower.

By the time I get out I see that I was in the shower for an hour. That’s the longest I’ve ever taken a shower. But man I feel so much better. I need to do that more often. I walk back to my room in a towel and search through my closet for some warm clothes. It takes me a few minutes before I find my green UNT stuff that I bought once I got accepted and decided I was going to go.

I quickly but my clothes on and start to brush my hair, when there is a knock on my door. Knowing its Matt I say, “Come in.”

He comes in wearing his UNT stuff too. I laugh to myself as Matt takes a seat on my bed. A few minutes go by before he says anything. He says, “I’m sorry for acting childish. I haven’t had someone to look after me in a long time. I’m used to putting others needs above my own, just like you. But here lately I’ve been learn that I need to but myself above others. I made spaghetti if you’re hungry. It’s in the pot on the stove.” Matt then gets up and heads out of my room before I can sculd him for doing stuff he sint supposed to be doing.

Mean while I stand there like an idiot. I didn’t realize Matt knew he was acting childish. But at least he did and apologized. Plus he seems like he is letting me in more and more which is a good thing. He used to hide things from me before I remembered that we knew each other. I smile to myself. The evil Jessica didn’t win. I won. I’m the one that Matt is opening up to without having to manipulate him. I finish brushing my hair and head down stairs. As I walk down the stairs I see that Matt is lying on the couch resting. At least he is finally listening to someone other than his boss.

**********************************

“Do you want to watch a movie before I go to bed?” Matt asks me yawning.

“Are you sure you can stay up that long?” I answer sleepily.

Yeah, if it’s an action movie,” he states sitting up. “I have the movie Battleship.”

I almost fall out of my chair and yell, “Go get it already. I love that movie!”

He laughs and gets up and heads to his room. I move to the couch so I can see the TV. I curl up with my blanket and wait for Matt to get back. By the time he is back downstairs and puts the movie in I am almost asleep. He presses play then comes and sits on the couch. He takes one look at me and says, “Come here.” Slowly and sleepily I crawl over and curl up next to him. I lay me head on his chest and he wraps an arm around me. The movie starts and not even 10 minutes into it I am fast asleep.

 

 

 

6: Chapter Five

Chapter Five: Hospital

Over the next couple of days I get up at seven and go to work with Matt. While he is out doing his patrol, I sit in the office and do filing for the sheriff. He watches me while Matt is out. Occasionally the sheriff says something to me but he mainly keeps to himself. I don't know if that’s because he doesn’t want to upset me or doesn't know what to talk about. I used to be best friends with his daughter till she was killed in a freak accident. I was with her but somehow I survived and she didn't.

The doctors told me it was because I was in the safest part of the car, but I don’t believe them at all. I know for a fact I should have died to and I didn't. Something had to have happened for me to have lived and her to have died. There was no way I should have survived the accident. Someone told me I was pulled out of the car before it caught on fire. But till that person fesses up, I say it isn't true.

Matt comes in the office later with blood dripping down is arm. I jump up and ask, "Are you ok?" He nods his head at me and I lead him to my chair. The sheriff looks up to see Matt bleeding. He jumps up out of his chair and darts to the back for what I assume is the first aid kit. While he gets that, I unbutton Matt shirt and slowly peel it off of his bleeding arm and then the other. Just looking at his arm, I can't tell where the cut even starts.

Before I can think of what to do next, the sheriff comes in with the first aid kit. He then hands me a wet cloth. I start to wipe the blood off of Matt arm. I know it burns because I feel him try to pull away from me. So I work slowly and carefully wiping the blood away. Once the blood is gone, I see the wound goes from his shoulder to his wrist. "How did this happen?" the sheriff asks impatiently.

"I don’t really know. One minute I am hand cuffing a guy that has two warrants, the next thing I know I’m bleeding and here. I don't understand what happened or why. I'm just as confused as you are," Matt tells us.

"He must have hit you on the head at some point and as for you driving here you could have been in a daze. It's happened before right?" asks the sheriff.

I look at them confused and say, "What’s happened before?"

Matt looks at me and with no hesitation tells me, "Nothing happened. Don't ask about it again. Ok?"

I say whatever and get up to go get the first aid kit out of the back because the sheriff didn't bring it. He only brought wet rag. But as I get up I get the feeling that they are going to start talking about something they don't want me to hear. As I walk to the back I listen to see if they say anything. I start to hear mumbling, so I back track some to where I won’t be seen and ease drop on them.

I hear the sheriff saying, "Why haven't you told her yet? She has the right to know even if she can't remember. She is always asking questions about why she lived and she needs to know why and you need to tell her about the other time you daze drove."

Matt sighs and states, "I want to but I am afraid she will get mad at me and never want to talk to me again, even if she is living with me. It is possible to ignore me in my own house. She did it whenever my ex was around. "

"Well grow a pair and tell her. If I can get over it then she can too. Also if you truly love her like you say you do then you need to tell her. You never know. She might understand and feel the same about you. If there is some chance that she doesn't just be her friend. Sometimes that all a person can ask for after events like with the guy she shot and doesnt even remeber. I'm sure its eating at her more than she lets on," the sheriff tells him giving him advise.

Hearing enough, I turn around and quietly walk to the back of the office. I find the first aid kit next to where everyone clocks in and clocks out. As I reach to grab it, my phone goes off. I pull it out of my pocket to see a text from an unknown number. It reads, "Can you really trust your friends to tell you everything?"

I shrug and ignore it. What is life without friends keeping things from you but the question is what kind of things. I grab the first aid kit and start walking back to the front of the office. As I get closer I hear they are still talking but in a different language this time. I roll my eyes and walking in so I can be seen.

He sheriff gets up and lets me have his seat. But they keep having their conversation in who knows what lanquage. I clean up Matts arm again because it is still bleeding. Then I put an anti infection medicating on it, and lastly I bandage it from his wrist to his shoulder. “There. All done," I say.

Matt replies, "Thank you Layla."

"You’re welcome. It’s the least I could do," I tell him smiling. "Do we need to stay or can we go home?"

Matt looks at the sheriff and he says in English, "Go home. Get some rest. You lost a lot of blood. It's a wonder you haven't passed out yet."

I state, "Your arm hasn’t completely stopped bleeding but it has slowed down some. So you might pass out soon. Are you sure we shouldn’t take you to the ER?"

“That might be a wise idea. Who knows how much blood I have lost,” Matt says as he gets up. “You’re driving.”

Matt hands me his keys. The sheriff helps Matt stand up and helps him out to the truck. I go get more bandages from the first aid kit and head to the truck. When I get there the sheriff was just getting Matt in the truck. I toss the other bandages and say “wrap that around the existing bandage.” The sheriff nods his head and catches the bandages. I then walk around the truck and get in. I put the key in the ignition and start the truck. It rawrs to life and sits there waiting to be driven.

After the sheriff finished rebadging Matt arm, he closes the door and heads inside. He seems to not be worried about Matt at all. Me on the other hand is extremely worried but holding it inside. If I freak out, I’m sure Matt will to because he won’t be able to calm me down. It happened once before when he played football and game me a ride home. A car ran a stop sign and t-boned us. I had freaked out and he tried calming me down. To say the least it didn’t work at all. So he had started flipping out because it wasn’t our fault or that bad.

Carefully and silently I drive Matt to the ER. When we get to the hospital, I park as close as I can and help Matt inside. He is so weak that he has to lean on me to even get in the door. Once we are inside a man nurse rushes up and helps me get Matt into a wheel chair. The guy asks me what happened and I answer, “I don’t really know. All I saw was the blood and rushed to get the first aid kit. I’m sure he told the sheriff but I don’t know what he said.” Sure that is a lie that I don’t know what happened but I don’t really understand what he had told us.

The nurse said, “Ok. I’m going to take him to the back and get him checked out. What is his name and your name? I’ll come fill you in when I know something.”

“His name is Matt McCarthy and mine is Layla Petrove,” I told the nurse before he wheeled Matt into the back.

I stared at the door where he took Matt for some time before a female nurse came over to me. She put an arm around me and leads me to a seat. She whispers in my ear, “It will be ok. We seem him here a lot because he is always bringing someone in to be looked at. So they will do their best to look after him and get him better.”

I nod my head ok and just sit there worried and in shock. I’ve never know how I felt for him till now. For some reason I am just now realizing how much I like him. It all makes since now about how jealous I was when he was dating is ex. When the nurse wheeled Matt into the back I felt like my heart was being ripped out of my chest. I wanted so badly to go back there with him so he wasn’t all alone.

I don’t know how much time passes when the guy that wheeled him in the back came up to me. He squatts in front of me and clasped my hands in his, “He is doing ok, but he needs to be kept overnight maybe longer. He lost a lot of blood and the knife damaged his bicep some. But he should be ok. There are taking him to a private room here in a few. I can take you there if you would like.”

All I could do was nod my head. The nurse helped me up and led me to Matt room. He is in there but the doctor is talking to him. I can't hear what the doctor is saying, so I am kind of shaking. But hopefully Matt would fill me in. I thank the nurse that lead me to Matts room and wait outside till the doctor leaves. As soon as the doctor is out of the way. I try to act calm but I know it doesn’t work. Because as soon as Matt sees me he says, “I’ll be fine but they want to keep me a couple of days because of the way the knife cut my bicep. They want to make sure it doesn’t get infected.”

I sigh a little and take a seat in the chair next to his bed. “I was really worried about you. They wouldn’t let me come back with you,” I told him looking at the ground.

Matt makes me look up and says, “Its ok. I am fine. The guy that was standing outside with you didn’t leave my side till they brought me here. He told me he was going to go tell you and bring you here.”

I smile weakly and look out the window. It appears that a storm was moving in very fast. With everything that happened this morning I forgot that it was going to rain today and possible all night. Matt takes one look at me and says, “Come up here. It will be ok.”

I hesitate a second before I walk to the other side of the bed to avoid his injured arm and climb up on the bed with him. He wraps his good arm around my shoulders causing me to smile. “It will be ok. I promise. Nothing will hurt you as long as you are with me,” Matt tells me as he looks out the window.

When I wake up Matt is gone and nowhere to be seen. I’m all alone in an empty room. Wait an empty hospital. No one is walking around or doing anything. For that matter it isn’t raining but the clouds are as dark as can be. It’s almost like the sun has disappeared and left the whole world in darkness. I start to look around more and see that the hospitals walls have been ripped away from the building. It appears that I was the only one left in the hospital. I can see all of the floors and there is practically no way down from the third floor.

I get up off of the bed and walk to the edge of the floor. I look over the edge and see that here is a huge pile of rubble all around the hospital. It’s almost like the center of activity was all around me. The room I’m in is kind of intact and all the rubble and everything seems to be serounding the hospital. “Did I cause all of this?” I ask out loud to no one.

“Yes my dear but it hasn’t happened yet,” I hear a similar female voice say. I turn around to see my grandma. “This is what will happen if you don’t try to control your powers. They will get the best of you if you don’t stop refusing to accept that you have powers beyond your imagination.”

“But I didn’t know I had any powers gran,” I state getting very confused.

“Are you sure?” she asks me walking closer. “How do you think you survived that accident when Jessica didn’t?”

“I don’t know. One minute she was driving and the next I was in the hospital and being told that Jessica and I was in a car accident and she was dead,” I state trying not to cry at the thought of Jessica.

“Think my child to a time before that when you was just a little kid,” my grandma tells me.

I start to think and come up with nothing at first. But the more I try to think the more a memory starts to surface. It was a rainy day and I was outside with someone. We were practicing some kind of magic. I don’t know how long we was out there but right was we are about to go in because we are soaked and freezing, he attacks me and I attack back. Only he was playing and I wasn’t. All I saw was someone coming after me. So when I attacked, I didn’t hold back. And when I realized what I had done, I had hurt my best friend.

My mom had come running out and asking what happened. I told her through tears and she ran inside and called 911. She came back out with a jacket and first aid kit. While we waited on the EMT’s she applied pressure to his wounds. I stood back hoping he was going to be okay.

Over those net couple of days consisted of me going to the hospital and seeing him. He was doing better but I felt so bad that almost killed him. He had told me over and over that it wasn’t my fault and that he shouldn’t have done that. His apologizes didn’t stop me from swearing off magic for good. And that scar I caused him on his chest. It spanned across his whole chest and looked like a bob wire had cut him all up.

“I remember that I hurt someone close to me but I can’t remember who it was,” I tell my grandma as the tears start to come.

“It’s okay. He is fine now and doing very well. You will see him in time,” my grandma states, “I’m going to leave you now. Please learn to control your powers or this all will happen.”

“Thanks gran. I miss you and love you lots,” I say as she fades away. I stand there all alone for a few taking in what damage I can do if I don’t learn to control my magic.

*******************************************

When I woke up from my dream, I say Matt smiling down on me. I smile back and ask “how long was I asleep?”

“Only 30 minutes. You seemed to be having a bad dream two,” Matt tells me worried. “What was it about?”

“Just something I need to do on my own,” I tell Matt smiling.

7: Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight: Ruins

When I wake up in the morning, I am sorer than I thought I would be. That was the first time I had worked out in years. I’ve tried and tried to work out but I’ve had no one to motivate me to keep me working out, but now I have Matt and Jessica. Plus I have a feeling that something is coming but I don’t know what yet. It’s like it’s on the edge of my grasp but I can’t reach it to save my life. But there is nothing I can do about it till it gets here.

By the time I decide to get up out of bed I smell breakfast cooking down stairs. But upon standing I find that my muscles are even more sore than I thought they were. So I sit on my floor and start to stretch everything out. While I am stretching I hear a knock on my door, then a face pop in. It’s Jessica’s. “Good you’re awake. Matt said he’s making breakfast then we are going to stretch more and go to the gym and lift weights,” Jessica tells me sitting next to me.

“Okay, but I have to stretch now. I can barely move I’m so sore,” I tell her as she joins me.

She laughs and says, “You think after being in a coma two years I would be as sore as you but I’m not. Far as sore is concerned I’m fine.”

“You’re lucky cause being this sore sucks bad. I can barely walk but it can only get better,” I state. “But as far as you not being sore it’s probably because you are in the same shape since before the coma, most likely due to magic.”

“Oh, cool. Thanks for that,” she says smiling at me. “It’s okay you know. I’ve had time to think about it and I kind of brought this on myself. I was the one that told Matt to tell you then because I kind of figured it out and forced it out of him.”

“No problem I guess and still I’m sorry I put you in a coma,” I say as I stop stretching.

She smiles at me and tells me, “Its okay. I had it coming. I pissed you off a lot. So at some point you was going to hurt me. But it’s all good.”

“True, but that’s what best friends do sometimes,” I state giving her a hug. “Let’s go eat. I’m starving.”

She nods her head and we get up. We both walk down the stairs smiling to see a shirtless Matt cooking bacon like in my dream I had. Let’s just hope the rest of it doesn’t come true because no one needs to be in the hospital for a while. Between us three the doctors have had their hands full. But at least we are for the most part fine.

***********************************

We all pile in the in front of the rec center in the next town over. Matt says, “We are only doing arms and abs here. We will do legs and endurance tonight. I already called and got you two set up they just need to make your id card.”

I nod my head okay and Jessica says, “Thanks Matt.”

We all we inside together and Matt says something to the desk clerk and she tells us to stand in front of the camera and takes Jessica’s and my picture separately. We have to wait a few minutes for the cards to print then we all walk to the weight area. There surprisingly isn’t that many people here. Matt leads us to a bench press and says, “You two bench three sets of fifteen and if you don’t feel weak add another set. I’m going to go see if one of my friends is here.”

Jessica and I nod our heads and Jessica lays on the bench and I get behind her and spot her. She suggests, “Let’s just use the bar and see if that is too lite or not. And if it is to lite we can add five or ten pounds to it.”

“Alright,” I says as she lifts the bar with ease. I laugh and say, “You’re more in shape than I am.”

“I doubt it. You always could lift more than me,” Jessica reminds me as she puts the bar up and sits up. “Let’s add ten pounds to this.” I nod my head okay and grab a ten pound wight and put it on one side, then I do the same for the other side. She lifts it again and she struggles only slightly so we leave it. When its my turn I surprisingly lift it with ease. I stop and ask he to add five pounds to it. She does and I lift again and its heavier. So I do my three sets with that and by the end of that Matt hasn't shown back up. I suggest we do other weights that we know how to do. She agrees and we keep going.

When an hour goes by and we say we are done, Matt still isn't around. I check my phone and I have zero messages from anyone. I turn to face Jessica and state, “I'm worried. It's been an hour and we haven't heard from or seen Matt.”

“I know. Maybe we should go look for him,” she suggests right as something bursts threw a window. Causing glass to spry everywhere. People start running for cover but me I just stand there like an idiot staring at the broken window. There on the window seal is a bird/human figure. It tilts its head and looks straight at me. I smile and use my magic to get a sword to fight it. The bird/human creature flies down and lands in front of me. I look into its eyes and see a deep black darkness. It smiles evilly and lunges for me. I dive to my right as the bird/human creatures beck barely misses me.

I jump up on my feet and get in my defense stance. The bird tilts its head and I all of a sudden hear, “Do you really think you can hurt me? You are nothing now. Even if you wouldn't have stopped using your magic you wouldn't be able to stop me.”

Shaking my head I lung to one side of the creature but strike its other side with my sword. Normally I wouldn't attack first but its obvious that the creature wasn't going to attack anytime soon. All it wants to do is insult me. The creature screeches at my attack and hits me with its wing. I fly back and hit my back on the wall and fall to the floor. Slowly I get up and stand up. But I look around and see my sword is actually in the creature. I didn't realize I had hit it that hard or let go of my sword.

The creature makes a weird noise almost like an evil laugh and states, “You don't have a weapon now.”

Now it was my turn to laugh. I have a weapon and it is quiet deadly. Smiling I make a small fire ball in my hand and I slowly make it grow. The creature 's eyes go wide and it takes flight into the air. It starts to circle the gym. I throw a fire ball at it and miss by only inches. “Crap,” I mutter. I make another fire ball and throw it at the creature. This time it hits it but it keeps flying but slows down. So I start to rapidly fire the fire balls at it. They all hit it and the bird comes crashing down and destroying a part of the floor. Ops. Oh well. I saved everyone.

As I start to walk over to the creature I hear Jessica run up to me and ask, “What is that?”

“I don't really know. I've only heard about them once and that was five years ago when one almost killed me. It left a scare on my back,” I state as we get closer to it. It starts twitching but it stops after a few minutes and I assume its dead. I turn my back on it for one second I see Jessica start to say something but I don't hear her or see what she was trying to say because I am flung all the way across the room. Luckily this time I don't hit my back on the wall.

I look over at the creature and see it start to stand. “Jessica, run,” I yell right before it tries to hit her. Only it misses because someone knocks her to the ground. Then someone else throws a huge electric ball at it, shocking it. I slowly get up and see that the creature bursts into flames and disappears. Right after that a swat team comes running in and stops dead in there tracks. I laugh and walk over to Jessica.

She is sitting up and looking at the guy that just saved her life. To my surprise it was Erik her ex boyfriend. I smile weakly and use magic to get my sword. Then not even bother to say anything I use my magic and transport my self home. Well I thought it was to home but I look around and see that I have no idea where I am at.

I'm about to try to transport home again when I hear my grandmother say, “Don't try to leave. It you do you will kill yourself. “She then materializes in front of me. “How did you get here my child?”

I look up at my grandmother and state, “I was trying to transport home.”

She looks at me puzzled and asks, “What do you mean by home? This place was your home before you decided to swear off magic.”

“Home with Matt and Jessica now. The nice Jessica,” I answer looking around and seeing ruins. Ruins that should have never been here. “What happened to this place?”

“You don't know?” my grandmother asks me. “Your father was supposed to tell you when you was ready.”

“Well that's hard because for the passed three years he has barely talked to me at all and I have no clue why,” I state walking to the nearest pile of stone.

My grandmother follows me and sits next to me on the stone bench. “Well it all started four years ago. Your mother started acting really strange. I thought it was because of her magic and being a way from you but it turned out that she had found a new boyfriend and he happened to be pure evil. He very slowly turned her against everyone. And before we know it your mother and her boyfriend we making demands to take over this place and if we didn't let them they would destroy it. We all tried our best to make a deal with them because we couldn't bear to see this place to destroyed. But no matter how hard we tried they wouldn't accept the deals we offered. So we had no choice but to go to war. Some how, someway they scraped up a huge army far greater than our own. No matter how hard we tried we couldn't stop them. They we to powerful for just the few of us magic users to take them on and we couldn't let our whole army die just so we could keep the place. So we did what we thought was best and surrendered. Your mother let us all leave before she completely destroyed the place. However her boyfriend didn't like it and killed ten people while we tried to leave,” she tells me as he starts crying.

I hug my grandmother and say, “It will be alright. I will hunt them down and make them pay for all of this.”

My grandmother pulls away from me and states, “Please don't. She will kill you and do not even think twice about it. She would feel no remorse later.”

“Gran. I can take care of myself. I may be out of shape now but in a month our two I will be as strong and in shape as I was five years ago,” I tell her smiling. “Matt is helping Jessica and me get in shape. He is also training us in combat fighting. I have been think about asking him to help me gain control of my magic. But I might not and try to control it on my own at first. I can do little things right now, but” I say before my grandmother interrupts me.

“Child. Your not going rest till you can get revenge are you?” my grandmother asks me.

“Nope. I will not let them destroy what we had going here. I remember this place as it once was and the memories it held,” I answer standing up.

My grandmother sighs and suggests, “Fine. Why don't you come live with everyone from here. We live in the mountains.”

Smiling I ask, “Can Matt and Jessica come to?”

“Sure but you need to be ready in a few hours. I'm headed back soon and between me and you we can just transport everyone there,” my grandmother answers me smiling.

I hug my grandmother and state,”We must go then.”

She smiles and nods her head as she takes my hand. And in two seconds we are in front of my house. Jessica, Erik, Matt and some stranger come running out. “Were have you been?” Matt asks giving me a hug.

“Just visiting with gran at the ruins that used to be home. I tried transporting here but ended up there and well we are here now. I got something to tell you,” I state.

“Erik? Jason? Is that you two?” my grandmother asks before I can say anything else.

“Yes its us. The council sent us out here yesterday because they had a feeling that creature would show up here and it did. But it's dead now thanks to your niece. When she left, she somehow killed it,” Erik tells me and my grandmother.

“Oh. Well I guess I defiantly need to get back because I had no idea,” my grandmother states. “Matt, Jessica, and Layla go pack your bags we are leaving in a couple of hours.”

“Where to?” Jessica asks extremely confused.

“To your new home in the mountains. Layla wants to go get revenge on her mother for destroying our home and she can't do it alone. There is no way I am letting you two stay where her mother can get her. Plus she needs to train and learn to control her magic and our new home is the best and safest place to do that. With you to by her side she will do just fine,” my grandmother tells everyone.

********************************

Two hours later we are all holding hands in a circle with our bags in the middle of the of us. My grandmother and I start to chant the transport spell when we hear a screech. My grandmother takes one look at me and moths hurry. I nod my head and start to chant faster and right when we blink out, a creature dives down on us. But to our luck it didn't come with us.

When we all look around, we are in the middle of a huge corridor and some guys in armor come rushing up to us. One of them asks, “Who are the three strangers?”

“My granddaughter Layla, Ethan's daughter Jessica, and Marks son Matt,” my grandmother tells them. “You shall treat them with as much respect as you would other people of there bloodlines.”

They two guards bow there heads and say, “Yes ma'am.”

The guy that’s spoke first when we came in says, “Being people are still trying to kill you your majesty, we recommend you have a guard place on your granddaughter.”

She sighs and replies, “Thank you. I'll think about who I should put.”

The guards nod there head and back away a few feet and stand guard. The one my grandmother called Jason speaks up, “I can look after your granddaughter if you would like.”

My grandmother tilts her head to the side thinking and says, “Alright but if she gets hurt I'll personally hurt you.”

He nods his head okay and steps back in a guard defense stance. “I would show you guys to your rooms but I have some business to attend to. So Jason and Erik will you show them instead?” They nod there heads. “Alright. I'll see you at dinner.”

Erik and Jason exchange a look and Erik tells us, “Matt and Jessica follow me to your rooms. Layla you follow Jason.”

I nod my head and grab my bags and follow Jason. “How long have you been doing this?” I ask once we are out of ear shot of the others.

“About eight years now. I've been training since I was a boy but they started giving me stuff to do when I was fourteen. Your grandmother doesn't trust many people. So she always has me guard the people she needs to keep the most safe. At first I always worry and over do things but after a few weeks I can relax some because I make sure the person I am guarding can fight just encase I'm not around or can't defend them for some odd reason,” Jason tells me coming to a stop.

“So you'll be teaching me then?” I ask as I almost run into him.

“Yes. Your grandmother wants you to train alone for a few weeks then without your friends. She wants you to control you magic more before she puts you with them because the guy that will be training them is a little tough and tends to piss people off and things always go wrong when someone can't control most of there magic. No offense. It just what happens 90% of the time,” he answers as he uses a spell to light the torches on the walls.

“It's alright. I know I cant control most of my magic and I've hurt to people already because I can't control it all,” I state. “I want to learn so that way I don't have to worry about hurting anyone anymore.”

“Well that's a good thing. Most people I try to help and want help, eventually have to be taught by your grandmother because they can't learn or pay attention long enough with me. She is a tough one to learn under,” he tells me as we start walking again. “By the way your room is right next to mine so you if you need me just bang on the wall. Also Matt and Jessica will have rooms near us when they are finished. We didn't know you would bring any friends so we only prepared one room. But in the next couple of days they will be finished,” Matt informs me.

“Oh okay. I was wondering about that,” I state as I stop dead in my tracks. “What's that noise?”

“What?” Matt starts to ask when he hears it. “That would be one of the creatures outside. Don't worry. The guards will kill it swiftly and easily.”

“Really? One of them almost killed me and my friends earlier today,” I tell him kinda acting like a brat.

“Yes really. They are trained to fight them and theirs a certain way you can kill them that makes sure there are no deaths of our own,” Matt replies as he starts walking again. “Not everyone can learn those methods. Some of them just learn how to kill them swiftly.”

I didn't notice and had to run to catch up with him. “How much farther?” I ask breathless.

“Just a few doors down,” he says a few minutes before he stops in front of my room. “This is your room. Mine is to your left.”

“Okay,” I say as I open my door and go into my room. It looks just like my old room at the place where my mom destroyed. Dang I've missed that place.

******************************

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8: Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven: Matt’s Birthday

When I wake up in the morning I find myself still laying on the couch with my head on Matts chest. I smile and look up to see he is still asleep but he’s smiling in his sleep, which makes me smile more. He didn’t kiss me but we did cuddle all night which is progress, but I am starting to think he does like me. He has always been good at hiding things, especially from me. But as of last night he is trying not to. He came and apologized for acting childish.

I don’t want to get up but I have too. My body is telling me to go to the bathroom. Quietly I get up and walk to the bathroom. Once I am done, I go to the kitchen and look for something to eat. Seeing bacon in the frig makes me even more hungry. So I get out a pack of bacon, and a pan. I start cooking and I get a plate down while the bacon is cooking. And I put some paper towels on it. I’m so consumed in cooking that I don’t notice someone is behind me till a voice says, “Good morning.” I jump just as grease pops out of the pan and hits my forearm.

Turning I see Matt. “Don’t sneak up on me. You made me burn myself on grease. Thanks,” I say sarcastically.

“I’m sorry,” he replies with a frown on his face. “I didn’t mean to get you hurt.”

Sighing I state, “Its okay. Just don’t sneak up on me when I’m cooking please.”

“Okay. I’ll finish cooking if you want to go look at your burn,” Matt suggests smiling at me.

“Okay, just don’t burn yourself please,” I tell him remembering the dream I had while I was in a coma. “I’ll be back and if it’s not done, I will finish.” He waves me off as he flips the bacon. I smile and go to my room to get my burn stuff. When I look at it I see it’s not that bad. So I just put a simple burn medicine on it and wrap a bandage around it. I’m about to go down stairs when I see that I haven’t brushed my hair yet this morning. I quickly grab a brush and brush my tangled mess of hair. I laugh out myself seeing as how I had looked while cooking bacon.

As I head back down stairs, there is a knock on the door. “I got it,” I yell to Matt. I walk to the door and open it. To my surprise it is his ex-Jessica, not my best friend Jessica. “What do you want?” I ask almost yelling at her.

“I heard about what happened to Matt yesterday and tried to call but no one answered. So I decided to come over and see if he was okay,” she tells me being sincere.

“He’s doing just fine. I’m watching him to make sure his wound doesn’t get infected,” I answer as I hear Matt walk up behind me.

He places his arm around my waste and asks, “Why are you here Jessica? You manipulated me. My feelings where not real for you and you know that.”

She stares at us with her mouth wide open and stammers, “But. But. I do care about you.”

“And I don’t care about you so leave and never come back. I have bacon to finish cooking,” Matt slams the door in her face being a little harsh. Don’t get me wrong. I hate her but she really did care about him and he was rude and cold to her.

“Matt. That was a little harsh don’t you think?” I ask him. “She really did care about you. She did manipulate you to like her but she did care about you.”

He takes a deep breath but leaves his arm around me, “Yes she did but she deserves it. She couldn’t have hand it easier in manipulating me. I was so worried about you that my brain wasn’t functioning properly. And that was just wrong on her part. She tried to become you and I didn’t realize that till the day you punched her.”

“Oh, you should lie down. You’re starting to look pail and your bandage needs changed,” I state as I pull him to the couch. But before I can get him there he starts to fall over. Quickly my magic comes to mind to heal him but I don’t know what is causing all of this. So I help him to the couch, then I run and turn the bacon off so it doesn’t burn. I rush back to Matt and ask, “What is wrong?”

He turns his head to me and mouths Jessica. I immediately know his is in his head trying to take him away from me. I look at Matt and say, “She is in your mind trying to control you. If you let me in I can get her out but it might be a little painful.” All he does is mouth get her out. I nod my head okay and place a hand on his forehead.

************************************

In Matt’s mind I see a bunch of thoughts rolling around and Jessica is trying to mess with them. I say, “Hey Jessica. You’re not the only one with magic. So if I was you I would get out now before I force you out.”

She takes on look at me and states, “You can do jack to me. I’m so much stronger than you.”

I laugh and flick my fingers making her fly across the open space. She lays hard on a thought about her. How fitting. But all she does is get up and lung at me. I let her grab me then mutter the one spell that will get her out of Matt’s brain and in the living room. “Cala no se ma coseama.”

She screams, “No!”

I laugh as I slowly pull of my Matt’s brain so that I don’t hurt him anymore than I already have. When I am back in my own head and aware of my surroundings, Matt is asleep and the ex is sprawling on the floor. As I get up I see Matt is smiling in his sleep. I smirk as I walk over to Jessica and state, “You’ve underestimated me. Do it again and who knows what can happen. So if I was you I wouldn’t come around here again.”

She hurriedly gets up and runs out of the house. Tripping over her feet as she does, nearly falling several times on her way out. I laugh in my head and turn back to Matt. He is sitting up and staring at me. I smile and ask, “What? I can take care of myself now.”

He shakes his head and states, “You said it would hurt and it didn’t. So either you knew more than what you was doing or you just wasn’t playing attention.”

“Oh. I guess I knew more than it thought because I thought I did hurt you honestly,” I reply as I sit down on the table tired. “But it took a lot of energy to do all of that.”

Matt pats the couch next to him and I get up from sitting on the table and go sit by him. He pulls me close to him and lays down. “We both could use a nap. I was up thinking all night. It wasn’t till about seven this morning that I fell asleep.”

“Oh. Then maybe you should go lay down in your bed,” I suggest sitting up.

“Nah, I’ll be okay right here,” he says pulling to him again.

I smile and lay me head on his chest. At first sleep seems like it will come but after a while it doesn’t come at all. So I just lay there and relax. Matt seems to be more open towards me. While I was in his brain getting Jessica out, I saw lots of thoughts about me but some I noticed where behind locked doors. I wonder what the locked doors are supposed to be when it comes to him. For everybody they are different. Like for me it kept away the memory of magic. I expect in the future that my dad being around will me blocked off to never be remembered again.

Also it seems like Matt does like me. This morning he seemed to care a whole lot more than normal. He told me to go take care of my burn. Yeah, it was minor but still. He told me to go take care of it. Then when Jessica got here he had slipped his arm around my waste, I don’t know why. It was either for protection or who knows what. Guys don’t come with an instruction book of how they act and why they do. If they did, then life would be so much easier.

When Matt finally wakes up it is noon and I am starving. He smiles at me and asks, “Do you want to go get something to eat? We can go anywhere that you want.”

Smiling I say, “Sure. I just need to take a shower and get ready.”

“Okay. You go get in the shower and I’ll get in after you are done.”

“Alright,” I state as I get up and go take a shower.

**************************************

Once I am out of the shower I yell at Matt telling him I’m out and he yells back okay. I then go into my room and start looking through all of my clothes. Looking through my jeans and shirt I have no idea what I want to wear, but then I remember the dream I had when I was in a coma where we got hit my an 18 wheeler. I was wearing a white dress with my brown cowboy boots. It had looked really good. So I searched through my closet till I found it and grab my brown boots from the floor.

I just have pulled on my dress when it dawned on me that Matt’s birthday is today. How could I have forgotten? I feel so stupid, I didn’t even get him a birthday present. Maybe I can leave later and go get him one. I feel like such a bad friend.

Quickly I get dressed and put on some pink eye shadow, blow dry my hair and put on my boots. By the time I get down stairs, Matt is laying down on the couch asleep. I laugh and shake his shoulder. I startle him causing him to almost jump off of the couch. He laughs good naturally and sits up. “How is your arm? Do I need to re-badge it?” I ask still standing.

“It’s fine. I got it, took my roughly ten minutes but I got it,” Matt answers smiling at me. He stands up and says, “Let’s go. I’m starving.”

“Okay but being it’s your birthday I’m driving,” I state as I grab my purse and head to the door.

“I was hoping you forgot about that,” Matt states. “You need to start training again. I know you don’t want to but you need to. And I mean magic and hunter training.”

“Fine, tonight. If you’re up to it that is but not actually doing anything for you though. Doctors orders remember,” I reply. “After all it is your birthday.”

“Okay,” Matt says as we head to his truck.

**************************************

When we get back from eating at Olive Garden, we see the sheriffs car in the drive way. Jessica gets out smiling. I immediately park the truck and jump out and give her a hug. She got out a day earlier than she was supposed to. “I’m so glade your out. We need to catch up. You have missed a lot,” I state as she hugs me back.

“I know, but I want to learn to fight,” she tells me with an even bigger smile. “And yes my dad is okay with it this time. He decided a gun just isn’t enough sometimes.” Matt and the sheriff go inside leaving me and Jessica alone. “Okay. Spill,” she tells me after Matt and her dad are out of ear shot.

“Spill about what?” I ask confused.

“What’s going on between you and Matt?” she asks me with a grin on her face.

“There isn’t anything going on,” I answer. “We just live together because I had no one to go live with. You were in a coma and your dad wasn’t talking to me. So Matt offered to let me come live with him. But since he was in the hospital, I’ve been remembering everything that has happened.”

“And? You haven’t told him you like him. Why haven't you?” she asks me trying not to yell at me.

“Just haven’t thought about it. I know I used to tell everyone what I thought but that person isn’t here anymore. Ever since I blocked off my magic, I’ve changed. I’m quieter, and don’t speak my mind as much as I used to,” I state leaning against the police car.

A few minutes go by before she asks, “When are you going to start training?”

“Later tonight,” I tell her. “Let’s go in. I’m getting cold and it seems to be getting darker,”

She looks me up and down and states, “You shouldn’t have worn a dress then.”

“I didn’t think I was going be outside long,” I tell her as I start to walk inside.

Before I can open the door she stops me and says, “My dad had reason for coming here. He wants me to come live with y’all because he has been getting threats to stop trying to find out why there has been more magic incidents and he doesn’t want me to get hurt.”

“Oh, I’m sure Matt won’t mind. There are like 3 other bedrooms, not including Matt’s and mine,” I state opening the door slowly. Everything is all quite, so I just march right on in.

Matt looks at me smiling and states, “Jessica will be staying with us for a while.”

Smiling I state, “I know. Jessica told me what was going on and I figured you would let her. After all she is my best friend.”

The sheriff and Matt laugh at me. The sheriff says, “You can’t keep anything from each other can you?”

“Nope,” Jessica states. “We are best buds. What do you except?”

“Alright. Go get your clothes and come back. I’m going stay here and talk to Matt some more,” the sheriff says indicating they need a little privacy.

“We are taking your truck Matt,” I state as we walk out the door and to the truck.

************************************

Once we are in Jessica’s room, she pulls out a box and hands it to me. “That stuff is all yours. You gave it to me to look after, after you sworn off magic,” she tells me.

“Thanks,” I say as she starts packing stuff. While she packs what little stuff she has, I open the box to see what all I had her look after. As I take the lip off of the box, I feel a wave of magic hit me then engulf me in warmth. I smile and pull out the clothes that are on top. My old workout clothes. I wonder if they still fit. I set them to the side and pull out my few spell books that I didn’t want to touch ever again but here I am holding them in my hands. Sighing I put them on my clothes and keep pulling all of my stuff out till I reach my hunter stuff. I don’t remember why I gave that stuff to her but it was calling my name. There was my sword with a crescent moon on the hilt, a pair of daggers with a crescent moon on the hilt and a few other things I forgot the name of. Smiling I start to put all of my stuff back when I see Jessica’s face go white as a ghost.

Looking up I see a man standing in her door way. I reach in my box and pull out my sword. I raise it like I was taught to do and state, “Leave or suffer from my wrath.”

He laughs and says, “You can’t hurt me. All you did when I lit your house on fire was hide in your room.”

“I don’t know why I hid in my room but one thing is certain. You will die,” I state taking a step forward. I send a thought to Jessica saying, “Text you dad and tell him to get here ASAP!” I see her nod her head slightly and I take another step toward him and he runs to the back of the house away from Jessica. Which seems like a coward move. However I laugh and run after him. I fling him in the back yard with my mind. He sees me coming towards him, jumps up and uses magic to make a sword appear.

I get in my starting stance and wait to see if he will attack first or not. To my luck he does. Just what I want him to do. I deflect his attack easily and start my sequence of attack, which normally leaves people breathless and weaponless. But since I have went at least two years without truly working out it leaves me breathless, causing me to fall to the ground. Matt laughs and says, “Someone hasn’t been working out.”

“Nope. Maybe we should work out first and work our way up to all of the sword fighting and everything,” I suggest as Matt helps me up. Jessica nods her head in agreement.

Her dad steps forward with his gun in hand and tells the guy to get on the ground. Knowing the guy won't listen, I knock him onto his stomach and sit on his back so he can't move. I do a simple power binding spell so he can't use that to get away. The sheriff comes over to me me, I get up and he handcuffs the guy, “I'll take him to the station and get a paper work filled out.”

“Thanks,” I say as he talks away leading the guy in front of him.

Matt says, “Alright we will take it really easy considering none of us should be working out yet.” Jessica and I nod our heads in agreement. “Alright, well go get y’alls stuff and we will head back to the house and start working out.

Immediately when we get back to the house and get Jessica's stuff inside, Matt starts leading us threw a short work out outside. Everything he has us do is fairly simple but what kills us, is the amount of reps he makes us do. He doesn't push us longer than an hour but by the time me and Jessica were all done, we were sweating like pigs. Jessica takes a shower first, and then me. After my shower I go straight to bed.

 

9: Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine: Practice

Over the next couple of days all I do is learn to control my magic with Jason. It consists of going deep into the forest where I can't harm any one but Jason or myself. The first spells that he has me try is way out of my capabilities. A couple of times I almost killed Jason and me. All Matt did does, is laugh it off and show me how to do a similar spell. He seems to not really care that I nearly had just killed us. At least he is good heart-ed about all of this.

This morning where ever we are headed to a different spot than we have been going to. “We are we going?” I ask as I move a branch out of the way so I can pass.

“You will see,” he says as we pass a huge oak tree that nearly blocks our path.

I sigh and just follow Jason. I wish he would just tell me my feet are beginning to kill me. I wore my boots today and I'm not used to hiking in boots. But I don't say anything and just follow him. The first day he made me hike, I wanted to know but not knowing made the view worth waiting for. So most likely this will be the same case. I just hope we get there soon.

After a while I start to hear what sounds like a huge waterfall and smile. I didn't realize that there was any water out this far in the mountains and forest. When we reach a small clearing where the waterfall is, I smile at seeing the beauty of it. Everything is so green here compared to everywhere else. The water is so clear and clean that it makes me want to jump in and swim everywhere and see everything there is to see around this place.

Jason laughs and says, “Follow me to a better view!”

Smiling I follow him with more energy than I had when we was coming to this place. There is no way there can be a better view than when we first got here. That was amazing. You could see the whole waterfall just from where we emerged from the forest. But boy am I wrong. Matt takes me to the bottom of the waterfall and man its so much better. You can see everything from here; he whole waterfall (if you look up) the pool it falls into and river it flows into. Gasping I state, “Wow. This is amazing!”

“I know. I am the only one that knows about it. Well besides you but I doubt you could get there by yourself yet,” Jason tells me as he takes a seat on a hug flat rock. “Come sit. We are still practicing control but in a different way.”

Sighing I walk over to him and sit cross legged in front of him. And see that his eyes are a very bright green. Much brighter than normal. Why am I just noticing them now? I stare at them everyday for a year in my chem class. He was the teachers aid at my high school and he always sat in front of class allowing me to see his green eyes clearly. Smiling I ask, “Why was you not going tell me you went to my school two years ago?”

“I was hoping you would figure it out on your own because I was on a mission that whole entire year and a have been forbidden to bring it up with anyone. I can only talk to you about it because you brought it up and your grandmother said I could only tell you,” he answers smiling back at me.

“Why was you there two years ago and only there for a year?” I ask him a little confused at everything.

“Well you might not like the answer,” he tells me as his smile vanishes. “Two years ago your grandmother got a letter threatening your well being. She had no idea if it was true or not so she did what she thought was best and sent me to watch after you. And a couple of times I found myself having to defend you when you wasn't looking or paying attention. Like that one night you was walking to your friend Emma's car and you thought someone was following you. There was and I was able to distract him long enough for you to leave.”

“Oh. I thought I had heard people talking but I kept walking because I had no idea who it was,” I state laying down. “I was so worried I told Emma to stay the night with me. Nothing happened of course but it made me feel better having her there,” I say trying not to say everything I know. While me and Emma was sleeping I had woke up and saw someone looking in my window and the person had the greenest eyes ever. I knew immediately that it was Jason but I didn't do anything. I was so afraid that he was going come in and kill us then because he was looking threw my window.

Jason lays down next to me and tells me, “I know you not telling me everything.”

“How do you know that?” I ask getting real nervous about being out here alone with him.

“Because I know you saw me that same night looking in your window on you and Emma,” he answers sighing. “I wasn't there to hurt you. I was making sure the guy wasn't there and going to harm you in your sleep. He had told me something that startled me to the core and I was so worried about you. I didn't have to fight him, so I was afraid he might come after you again.”

“You was?” I ask sitting up and facing him.

“Yes,” he says sighing and sitting up making us extremely close. “I have always been watching you. Especially when you was living here before your dad made you move out with him. Your mother had me shadow you so she new you was always okay and no harm would come to you.”

“But why? I could take care of myself then,” I state getting mad for no reason.

“I have no clue. That is something you will have to ask your grandmother,” he tells me as he gets up and walks to the edge of the pool. “We should start practicing we need to be back by lunch today. You grandmother wants to have lunch with you in private.”

Sighing I say, “Okay.” Jason has gotten back into his work mode and wants that happens there is no choice but to go along with what he says.

From then on he makes me do all kinds of water manipulation. Starting with something simple but working our way up to something harder and more difficult for me to control. When Jason shows me; he makes it look so simple and easy. A couple of times I almost soaked both of us to the core, but Jason was able to deflect it before it could. After the second time he tells me, “That's enough for now. We need to get back.” He holds his hand out to me and says, “I'll transport us back this time. I won't make you walk when all of the stuff I made you do. I know you must be feeling weak and hungry.” Smiling weakly I take his hand and he transports us back.

When we are back in the palace, I almost fall over from exhaustion. Jason catches me and looks at me with concerned eyes. “I'm okay. Just haven't used that much magic in a while,” I tell him trying to make him not worry about me any. Hoping in convinces him, but it doesn't convince myself. The sharp pain in my knee as we landed mad be weak and breathless.

“I'm still going to walk you to your grandmother's room,” he tells me as he lets me lean on him as we walk towards the back of the palace.

**********************************

“How is your training coming along?” my grandmother asks me.

“Very good. Just tiring. I haven't use this much magic in years,” I tell her after I get a drink of water. “I'm getting better though. The first day I almost kill Jason and me with the first spell but all he did was laugh it off and told me how to do a similar one.”

“That's good. His patience normally isn't that controlled but being he knows how hard it is to control magic he should understand easily,” my grandmother tells me. “When he first came back he had the worst temper and couldn't control any of his magic. I had my best guard train him and it did no good. So eventually I had to train him myself. Once I started training him he it was better but it took a while before he could control anything. I had to make him control his temper first.”

“Wow. Maybe he is patient because I'm your niece and he doesn't want to make me mad and tell you bad stuff about him,” I suggest to my grandmother.

“Nah,” my grandmother tells me. “He has been working on controlling his temper more. Plus from what his best friend told me from when he was watching over you, he developed quit a crush on you then.”

“What?” I ask blushing. “When he was around I was so quiet and didn't talk to many people.”

“If you don't believe me go ask Ethan his older brother aka Jason's best friend.” she tells me standing up. She walks to her window. “He used to be so shy himself. When he first came from the destroyed home to here he would only talk to me but I think that had more to do with the fact he couldn't control his magic and didn't want to hurt anyone.”

“That is it. I would know. The first year after I left here I was afraid to get close to anyone because I was afraid I would hurt them just like I did with Jason the year before I left,” I tell my grandmother trying not to cry.

My grandmother turns to me and says, “There is nothing to be worried about now my child. He is the best person to teach you for more than one reason. Trust me on this no matter how many times you almost kill him he won't get mad at you or stop teaching you. It wasn't to long ago when he was inn your shoes.”

“Thanks gran,” I say smiling. “Can I go rest now? I'm really tired.”

“Yes. Take tomorrow off and rest. I think this is waring you out more than your think,” my grandmother states as I stand up. “I'll tell Jason I told you to rest tomorrow.”

“Thanks gran. I really appreciate all that your doing for me,” I reply as I hug her. “I'll see you at dinner unless your not eating with us.”

“I'll be there tonight but I won't be at dinner tomorrow. I have to go away on some business that sadly can't wait,” she informs me as I walk out the door.

I smile and walk back to my room. Half way there I hear a loud screech and start to feel dizzy. But before I can fall over theirs a hand on my arm steadying me. I look up to see Erik. “Hey. Thanks for catching me,” I say.

“No problem. I was just heading to my room to shower. Jessica, Matt and I have rooms by you and Jason now,” he tells me as he helps me walk down the hall.

“Oh cool. We all should hang out sometime,” I suggest as we stop in front of my door.

“Definitely but only after you get some rest. You don't look to good,” he tells me.

“I know. I'm just using more magic than what I am used to,” I state as I open my door. “I'll see you at dinner.” With that said I close my door and slowly walk over to my bed. I don't bother to take off my shoes. I just let myself fall onto my bed and I am asleep before my head hit the pillow.

**********************************

When I wake up and look at the clock it is ten o'clock. I slept for eight hours. That's is a lot for me. Especially when I haven't done much at all. All I did was hike, practice controlling magic and walked back to my room. Apparently the magic training was taking more of a toll on me than I even knew. Maybe I am more out of shape than I thought I was. Sitting up in bed I notice I am wearing my pj's now. I wonder who changed my clothes?

Oh well. I get up out of bed and walk to my door and almost fall several times by just walking the short Distance. I lean on the door and reach out with my mind to see if anyone is awake. Jessica, Matt, and Erik are asleep, but Jason is either asleep or meditating. I never know the difference. Hoping he is just meditating, I send out a message to him with my mind saying, “Jason. Come here please.”

Not even two seconds later my door is open and I almost fall on Jason. He takes one look at me and scoops me up in his arms and carries me somewhere. Where he is taking me I have no clue. I keep hearing a loud screech which after a few minutes sounds like it is just in my head. But before I can bring it up a door is swung open and a guard hurries off somewhere. Jason whispers, “It's going to be okay. He is going to get your grandmother. We are in the guard tower. The safest place. No need to worry about all the creatures. “

“So the screeching wasn't in my head?” I ask in a very weak whisper.

“No,” he tells me as he sets lays me down on a couch.

Two minutes late my grandmother comes rushing in. “What happened?” she asks frantically.

“I have no idea. I was asleep and I hear her tell me to go to her. When I opened her door she piratically fell on me. Being she had slept for eight hours almost nine I knew something had to be wrong. So I brought her here and he went and got you,” Jason tells my grandmother.

My grandmother takes a seat next to me and asks me, “Sweetie, how do you feel right now? I need to know to try to figure what is wrong with you right now.”

“I feel extremely weak and tired,” I say trying not to go back to sleep.

My grandmother looks at me strangely and tells Jason something in Altanian. He runs out of the room. My grandmother asks me, “How long ago did you kill that creature?”

It took me a minute to think about it before I told her, “Five days ago. It was the day we came here with you.”

My grandmother sighs and says, “You used dark magic to kill the creature that we call Nighting Gales. They are made of dark magic and theirs is only two ways to kill them. The first which most people can do is beheading them. The second is using a dark spell that kills them and slowly very slowly drains you. The only way to reverse it is to use a reversal spell that makes the creature come back. And when they come back they typically the creature comes back a live where it died. I sent Jason back to the gym to kill it.”

“But it could kill him,” I state trying to sit up.

My grandmother pushes me back down and says, “He will be fine. Now be still so I can reverse this spell.” My grandmother starts chanting softly and she goes on and on for what seems like hours which in this cause is hours. But when my grandmother is done chatting Jason reappears.

He states, “It's dead this time by beheading.”

Very good,” my grandmother states. “Now all Layla needs to do is rest for the next couple of days to gain her strength back.” I see Jason smile before he picks me back up and starts to carry me to my room. Before he can get very far, I am fast asleep.

Over the next couple of days all I do is sleep and eat. And very slowly my strength and energy start to come back. Everyday Jason is in my room with me making sure I am doing what I am supposed to be doing. Which consist of laying in bed and eating any food that is given to me. He only leaves when I need food and Jessica takes that time period to come in and grill me on what we do. And everyday it is the same answer. After a while she will get tired of it. I just hope it is soon because I don't know how much I more I can take of this.

******************************

When I wake up I see that my grandmother is sitting next to me instead of Jason. I smile and say, “Good morning Gran.”

“Morning. I want you to get dressed and come eat with us. I think you have gain enough energy to get up and walk around. I don't know about using magic though. You are the only on that can tell us that and don't think just cause I'm making you get up that you need to jump right back into practice with Jason,” my grandmother tells me as I sit up.

“Alright. Are we eating in the great hall? And should I dress nice or does it matter?” I ask her rubbing the sleepiness out of my eyes.

“No. Anything you want to wear will work,” my grandmother says as she stands up. “Oh by the way there is a ball tonight and I would love it if you would come if your feeling up to it.”

“I don't have a dress to wear gran,” I tell her as she reaches the door.

“You obviously haven't looked in your closet since you have been here,” my grandmother tells me as she leaves my room and closes the door.

Nope I think to my self. I've been training way to much. Hence why I'm in bed still instead of training this passed week. But oh well. I'll just have to work harder than I was but try and not drain myself.

Sighing I get up slowly and walk over to my closet. Opening it I see I have a bunch of dresses. Ranging from white all the way to black, but there are some colors missing that I wouldn't be caught wearing anywhere. My grandmother knows me so well. I smile and go to my dresser and grab one of my many hunter out fits that I know are going to be there. My grandmother would never let me run out of those. I used to wear the outfit all the time when I was a kid.

I grab my black one and go to take a shower because I don't know when the last time was that I took a shower. Which is kinda gross. Yeah I haven't done anything but still. I should have taken a shower yesterday or the day before. I would still need to take one but I would at least feel better than I do now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10: Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten: Masquerade

When I get down stairs and into the dining hall I see Jessica sitting next to Erik smiling. At least she finally is smiling. I don't think I have seen her truly smile since she has been out of the coma I put her in. Which makes me smile in return. As I walk around the table I see everyone is smiling and in a good mood. I take my seat next to my grandmother and she says, “Everyone this is my granddaughter Layla.”

They all say nice to meet you and I say like wise even though the only people at this table that I know are Jessica and Erik. I find it strange Jason and Matt are not around like normal. Normally they wont leave my side or my grandmothers. They must be off doing some hunting then. That's the only time I've been told that they will leave there charges side. Still what could they be off doing that's more important than protecting there charges? Protecting a charge is more important that going hunting creatures. Unless the creatures are at our front gates, they should be here. Oh well. My grandmother must know why they are gone. So it is all okay I guess.

The whole entire lunch I kept my sentences short and to the point. All I wanted to do was go knock on Jason’s door to see if he was okay. I have this strange feeling in my stomach that something is wrong. With who I don't know but something is really wrong. I'm about to ask if I can be excused when my grandmother takes a look at me and says, “You may go Layla.”

“Thank you gran. It was nice meeting you all,” I say to everyone as I rush out of the room. I wait till I am in the hallway where they can't see me before I start to run towards my room. Only a sudden urge makes me go to Jason’s sword room instead. Hr has a huge fascination with swords, so he is always buying his own. He has so many that they gave him his own room for them. I don't know why an urge makes me run there but when I get there I see an unconscious Jason and Matt on the floor.

Gasping I rush over to them and use my mind to search the surroundings for what did this. To my surprise who ever hurt them was at lunch with everyone. I gulp and send a message to my grandmother saying, “Lunch isn't safe. Jason and Matt unconscious in Jason's sword room. The attacker is at lunch with you. Who it is I don't know yet.”

My grandmother immediately send me a message back telling me, “Hurry and wake them up and get back here. I feel that more than one person here isn't who they say they are.”

I don't reply but work on waking Matt up. After a few minutes get doesn't wake up so I try to wake Jason. To my luck, he wakes up as soon as I enter his mind. Only thing is, it startles him so bad that he pins me to the wall in one swift movement with his arm and points a fire ball at my face. “Jason it's just me,” I state a little scared.

Jason stares into my eyes a free minutes before he sets me down and goes to wake Matt up. Matt almost does the same thing to me that Jason did, but Matt stops him before he can. “Where's your grandmother?” Jason asks me as he grabs a sword and tosses it to me.

“In the dinning hall. Having lunch with who ever knocked you guys out,” I state as I start running towards the dinning hall. Jason and Matt run after me. They shout at me to slow down but all I know is that there was one person at lunch who's eyes wasn't normal at all. I make it a point to know peoples eyes because eyes are the window to ones soul. Why I didn't notice it sooner is beyond me.

When I get to the dinning hall, I see that Erik has everyone lined up against the wall with a small fire line in front of them. Jessica see's me and mouths run. I nod my head no and say, “Hey Erik or should I say mom?”

My mom drops the illusion she had of Erik and turns to face me. She smiles evilly and tells me, “Took you long enough to figure it out. Your friend Jessica tried to tell you at the beginning of lunch with mind messages but I stopped them all. I couldn't have her ruining everything I have a taken careful care to step up.”

“I won't let you get away with this,” I state as Jason and Matt come running in the room. I take one step forward and let all my magic wash over me. To everyone’s amazement my appearance completely changes. I go from wearing a black hunters outfit to wearing a silver blue outfit with snow white hair. Smiling I state, “I haven't forgotten anything. All I did when dad took me away was practice and practice magic. I wasn't going to let it control me, but when dad left me to go find you, I quite practicing. But your mother wouldn't let me for long. It has been a pain keeping of the ruse that I can't control anything. Mt dad was leaving me to go find you, the one that left us for your new boyfriend or whatever he is now to you.”

My mom laughs and says, “You don't know anything child. You maybe in control but you won't be for long. Your father's and my dark magic course threw your veins. Before long it will over take you and you wont be able to stop it and you will come crawling to us. And that's going to happen sooner than you think.”

Now it was my turn to laugh. “You got to be kidding me. I don't trust you. All those years you was around you lied to me about everything. About Jessica and Jason leaving because they couldn't stand being around me. I have a feeling Erik isn't really dead, he is alive and in our jail because of the things you made him do,” I almost yell at her.

My mother has a bigger laugh and asks, “Who told you all of that stuff? Huh? You are so wrong. Don't go pointing fingers till you know all of the facts.” With that said my mother disappears and stops the fire that was burning.

I look at my grandmother in confusion. She takes on look at me and says, “Come with me.” Sighing I follow her out of the room saying nothing as we walk. In the distance I see that Jason and Matt are following us. She leads us down several corridors and down into the ground. I don't realize where we are till we are standing in front of my brothers jail cell. “He is in there for his own good. As a matter of fact he requested to be in there because the cells keep people from using magic. Unlike you at the moment he has no control over his magic. An hour a day he is allowed outside to practice magic and try to control it.”

“But why? It can be controlled. So why be in a cell?” I ask facing my brother as he gets up and walks over to us.

“Not everyone can control magic like you. Mom from the get go was teaching you how to control dark magic, but after dad left with you, you started controlling the small amount of good magic you have in your veins. That's the only reason you haven't lost control yet,” Erik informs me. “Soon or later you will loose control just like mom, dad, and me. It's only a matter of time.”

“No. I won't let it,” I yell before I run out of the jail and all the way to my room. Jason tries to stop me but I keep running. I hear someone come after me but I keep running.

My whole life has been based on lies upon lies. All my life I thought that dark magic didn't exists but yet that's what my mom had me practicing. All these years I thought my mom was innocent of everything and that it was jut her new boyfriend controlling her, but no. She did everything willingly. Better yet it was probably her idea to do it all. Who knows what else I was lied to about.

The more I learn the more angry I get. It's a wonder I have turn out the way I have because of all of the lies. If it wasn't for my grandmother I think things would have turned out differently. I may not have gotten to see her for five years, however I did get to write her without my dad knowing. My grandmother made sure I knew everything I need to but still managed to leave a lot out. I beginning to start to wonder who all lied to me. It even seems like my grandmother lied to me. She never told me the whole truth. I still love her but I don't know who all I can trust anymore.

A little bit later there is a knock on my door. I hope if I don't say anything who ever it is will just go away. Ever since earlier my powers seemed to have magnified by ten fold. I didn't have to hear Jason say anything to figure out it is him outside my door. My mind recognized his for some odd reason.

I hear the door open and close quietly. Matt walks over to my bed and sits next to me. He sighs then says, “I want to be honest with you but I think we should go to the forest to talk because I don't know how what I have to say will effect you.”

I sigh and sit up and state, “Fine.” And in two seconds later we are at the waterfall where Jason took me to train once.

Jason looks at me in an amazement and says, “Your stronger than you even know.”

I roll my eyes and he sighs. “Please don't say anything till I'm done explaining okay.” I nod my head okay and he tells me, “Your mom is right about some of us lying to you. I never wonted to leave you to go live with your dad. But your grandmother came to me and said that I had to because I was getting to attach. So I decided to leave before you did so that way when you left, you hopeful would have forgotten about me. Everyone was saying we were becoming to close. Your grandmother pretty much pushed me out the door and didn't want me to come back. But when I heard about the war I did. Ever since I have been here. That year you saw me at your school wasn't because your grandmother wanted me there. It was because I left so I could see how you was doing.”

He stops as I see a tear slid down his cheeks. “So your saying you left because of me?” I ask him as I look at the waterfall.

“Yes I had no choice,” he tells me. After a while I knew it was best because I was always blinded by you. I couldn't protect anyone else when you was around. It had to be you or no one. So I see now where your grandmother was coming from. If I would have noticed then I would have left on my own free will.”

A few minutes go by before I say, “I understand. If I remember correctly you always felt weak around me and I believe now it is because my magic was to strong for me then. So I was drawing on someones energy that happened to be stronger than mine. In that case it happened to be yours”

Matt looks at me shock and states, “I didn't think you would take all of that and understand it. I figured you would be mad. ” He pauses then tells me, “That isn't the reason why I was always weak around you.”

“Oh. I'm mad just not at you . Why were you always weak around me?” I ask smiling. “My grandmother may have done stuff to protect me but the stuff she did actually hurt me more that protected me.”

“True but there is no reason to wont to hurt her,” he says afraid for her life. “ That is a discussion for a later time.”

“Oh. I'm not going to hurt her I just wont answers and she is going to tell me or I'm going to go hunt down my mother by myself and get answers from her,” I state trying to control my magic that wont's to escape.

“She wont tell you. I can tell you what I know but that's about all I can do though,” he tells me trying to calm me down.

“Alright,” I reply taking a deep breath. “Why has my grandmother not told me everything?”

Matt shakes his head and states, “I don't know everything girl but here is what I do know. The night your dad took you away he was protecting you from your mother while he was still sane. Your mother fought all of us to try and keep you here but we were able to keep it under raps and away from your knowledge. It wasn't easy but it was done. After you left she went mad. She tried to get people to support her to take over the thrown. Bur no one would follow her. She eventually left and went who knows where. For a while we thought that she wasn't going to come back but the night I got back from watching you she attacked. We was far out numbered even with all of us using our magic to it's full extent. A lot of us died because she manipulated our magic to where we couldn't control it. And eventually your grandmother told us to retreat and all of us that had magic transported the ones that we could far away from her. You grandmother transported here and told me where to go. I gathered ever one in one spot and we transported here. All of us then began building this place. It took us only a couple of days because we made it completely out of magic. It was exhausting but invigorating”

“Wow that's amazing,” I state looking around amazed.

“Not really because that night these creatures started attacking and some people died. But luckily we build a strong wall the next day that keeps most of them out. Still there was chaos everywhere. People were always crying out for someone they lost. It took months before we built our army back and the people returned to normal,” he told me frowning. “Your grandmother may not say it but she missed you. She didn't want to bring you here and subject you to all of this. But when the creature attack the gym I knew we had no choice but to find you and bring you here. Which wasn't hard because Emily; my mom, saw a vision that a creature attacked you there at the gym. We knew one was in the area, just not sure where. So we staked out the place for days before you finally showed.”

“Oh wow. There has to be some reason that my grandmother didn't wont me to come here,” I say trying to keep calm.

“My only guess is that she didn't want the stress of this life to affect you. At times it is really hard here. There was a week where ever hour we had a creature or something attacking us. It seemed to have never stopped,” he tells me. “but when it did we all was revealed and went to sleep and I swear we all slept for days.”

“That's just insane. I'm going to have to ask her when I get a chance,” I say. “We should go swimming. I haven't been swimming in ages.”

“Your crazy its freezing out here,” Matt tells me looking at me like I'm crazy.

I laugh and say, “We have magic. We can make the water warm so we wont get cold. Duh! Plus I was going to go swimming after a while if you wouldn't have came in my room.”

“True and really? So let me guess, you have a bathing suit on?” he asks me.

“Yep,” I say as I strip down to it and dive into the water that I had already warmed. And just like that I felt all at ease. Matt Join me in his boxers and we spent who knows how long just swimming and playing in the water. We eventually started a water ball fight with magic. I won. You can ask him but he will say he won when we both know I did. After a while we get out and use magic to dry off and put our clothes back on. I have just pulled my shirt on when I was magically summoned into a huge room. Where I wouldn't know because I am immediately knocked out.

When I come to my grandmother was facing me with a look of fury on her face. I had to blink a couple of times though to clear my vision. And that's when I noticed that there was a wall between us. Apparently my mind decided she was a threat and she wasn't to happy about that. I was about to take it down when I realized that she wasn't my grandmother. When she had looked at me her eyes flashed from my grandmother's green to a dark gray. “Who are you?” I ask as I tried to hold back my anger a little.

“That is not of impotent,” the strange female says to me. “What is, is that your mother is going to try to kill you and everyone there. Unless you are able to control all of the magic you possess, not just most of it like you do now. If you control all of it you'll might have a chance.”

“How do I know you are telling the truth and not lying to me?” I ask her as I stand up to see she is the same height as me. “Show me who you really are and maybe I might believe you.”

Her face goes red with anger before she drops her act and shows me who she really is. Taking a good look at her, I see she looks like me. That isn't possible unless we are related and for her to look like me, she would have to be my sister. But I have never had a sister, just an older brother. “We don't have time for explanations. You must learn to control your magic. No one is safe while you don't have complete control. I know things. So just trust me. I'll try to warn you before she attacks, but I don't know if I'll be able to.”

“At least tell me you name,” I say before she starts to leave from where ever we are.

“Erica,” she tells me as she disappears threw a door that appears out of no where.

“Great. So much for having what control I do have. Guess its defiantly time to stop acting dumb and start working on controlling more of my powers,” I state to no one before I use a transport spell and transport myself back to the castle like place.