Into the Light

8

I leaned forwards, and placed my free hand on her cheek. "I will do whatever I can do to always protect you. Please come back to me, Stacia." I wasn't sure why her preferred name slipped off of my tongue. I was in no way used to calling her that. It somehow felt right though. "Fight Stacia!" I urged her on, feeling the warmth in our hands get hotter. There was a light now, barely glowing from under my palm straight into hers. There was still so much commotion going on around me. I saw darkness flit in and out of my peripheral vision. I heard growls and hisses, along with Sam and Kat's voices. Sometimes they screamed in pain, other times they begged for me to stop and help them. When I heard those, it hurt. It physically hurt to not look and make sure that they were okay. If Sam hadn't been right there with me, urging me on, telling me that they were fine, and that what I was hearing wasn't real, then I probably would've folded. Instead, I gathered strength from his words, and focused harder. The light on the thing that Beth had snapped around Anna's head was glowing brighter, almost too bright, but I kept talking. I spoke soothing words, along with periodically begging her to come back to me, to come back to Holley and her family. I wasn't above using whatever I needed too, to get her back. My own voice raised, fighting to be heard over Beth's booming chants. I felt a cold wind start to whip around us, leaving an icy chill over us. Anna's hair flew up, tangling in the violent storm that was happening around us. Things began to fly around the room, or at least that's what it sounded like. I heard crashes, and glass breaking. I even saw a framed picture, that was on the mantle behind the couch, fly straight towards us. It bounced off of the air, and I heard the glass shatter as it hit the ground. Beth's hands were still on Anna's chest, but now they were pushing and releasing, like she was giving her CPR, or something. I didn't want to interfere in what she was doing, but I had to protect Anna from what was going on around her. I had promised. I leaned, until I was completely blocking her face from everything else, while also keeping my hand in hers. I braced the other to hold myself over her, using the back of the couch. Beth's chanting became so loud that my ears throbbed, begging me to block the sound with my hands. I wouldn't be surprised if they were bleeding by the time this was over. Anna's eyes were moving so quickly, it was almost dizzying. Back and forth they went, twitching and shifting. Her lids danced around them, her eyelashes fluttering against her pale cheeks. Even in all of this madness, I was still struck by her beauty. She was coming. I could feel her getting stronger. I leaned in, without thinking, and pressed my lips to her unmoving ones. My eyes closed automatically, and the terrifying sounds around me intensified. I heard my name being yelled, but I couldn't break away from her. There was this comforting warmth, the same that was in our hands, shaping my lips against hers, connecting us. It grew hotter and hotter, almost too hot to bear, then I heard my name being shouted again. Only this time, it was from inside my own head...and in Anna's voice. I pulled back, breaking the connection. In the same instant, everything seemed to stop. The room was now deafeningly silent, and still. I kept my eyes on Anna's. I shouldn't have closed my eyes. I shouldn't have given in to a simple kiss. I had ruined the entire thing...and we had been SO CLOSE! I had felt her drawing closer to the surface, closer to me. I held my breath, unable to break my gaze from her closed lids. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," I whispered, feeling tears sting my eyes. I couldn't bear to look at Beth or my friends, knowing that I had done this. A sharp gasp, a sudden intake of air, made me jerk from surprise. "Was that her?" Sam asked, peering over me. I fell to my knees, next to her side, and placed my hand on her cheek again. "Anna? Stacia? Are you with us? Please, answer me!" I begged, wiping hair back from her pale face. Then I heard a light giggle, and glanced at Beth. "Why are you laughing?" I yelled at her, rage starting to course through my body. "It didn't work! I broke my concentration, and now she's going to be lost forever! HOW is this funny?" She smiled lightly, leaned over to grab her bag, then stood. "Are you sure about that, Colby? Because it looks like she's awake to me." I tore my gaze from her, and back to Anna in a millisecond. When my eyes met those clear, emerald ones, my entire body sagged with relief. "You're okay," I said, my voice cracking as I held back the sob that wanted to escape. She pursed her lips, and her forehead creased, as she stared back at me. Oh God, no. Did she not know who I was? "Don't you know who I am?" I whispered, gathering both of her hands in my own. Her face softened, as she pulled one of her hands out of mine, to place on my cheek. "How could I ever forget you?" she replied, in a hoarse whisper. "You're my knight in shining armor. You always save me." I smiled, and kissed her hand. "You came back to me." "I always will," she replied. She moved to sit up, but I stopped her. "Anna, you've been unconscious for over 30 years." Well, that sounded weird as fuck. "You shouldn't try to move yet. Doesn't something happen to muscles if they aren't used?" I was fussing over her, like a mother to a sick child, looking at Sam for help. He just shrugged, with a large, stupid grin on his face. "She'll be fine. If the magicks can keep her from aging for that long, then it can definitely keep her muscles from atrophying," Beth replied. I looked up at her, then leaned down to kiss Anna, quickly. I jumped to my feet and pulled Beth in for a hug.