Convergence

Nervous Jitters

Morgan was waiting for me that morning. He perched himself outside the door to my room for who knows how long before I finally emerged, greeted by his smile.

"Did you sleep well, little sister?"

"Yes, thanks. How long have you been standing out here?"

"Awhile."

I rolled my eyes. "Well, obviously but I meant why? Why are you by the door?"

He looked saddened by the answer he had yet to give me. "I needed to tell you something and I'm not sure how to do it."

I placed my hand on his shoulder. "Surely whatever it is we can get through it together."

"If only it were that simple. Nothing ever changes." The intensity of his gaze met mine. "Do not trust our father."

Within the length of an inhale, he disappeared down the hallway. Before I was able to even let out the breath, Dad was beside me.

"Good morning, my darling. Sleep well?"

His sudden appearance shocked me into silence and his face contorted from doll maddening levels of happiness into more believable tones of anger mixed with a hint of false concern. It was his touch that shook me from my contemplation. I closed my eyes searching for the words that would placate him if only for a moment.

"Yes, Dad. I'm sorry. Just nervous jitters I suppose."

"Oh? What are you nervous about?"

"Everything. I mean you all keep saying how powerful I am. I can even feel it inside of me most of the time now but you haven't even taught me how to fully control it yet. Not really, anyway."

He smiled in that knowing, fatherly way—a look he had clearly mastered—and placed a gentle hand on my shoulder.

"It's almost like you don't want to teach me anything." Those last words just emerged from within me and I regretted them the moment they came out.

His grip on my shoulder turned from kind to cruel and threatened to crush my bones. "What do you mean by that, my sweet? Who have you been talking to?"

"What? No one I swear." I whined and tried to wiggle free. "You're hurting me, Daddy."

He wasn't as quick to release me as I thought he would be. Usually calling him my daddy created an instant sensation of love and protection in him... or perhaps he had learned to master those emotions as well. Perhaps he had a plethora of false faces that helped him deceive the unsuspecting and naïve individual who didn't know how to pay attention.

"Daddy?" I tried again.

His powerful grip slowly released and I was soon free.

"Forgive me." He closed his eyes and leaned into the wall. "I guess I did not fully realize the desire that would wash over me should you get all of your power." After a few breaths, he got down on one knee and held one of my hands in his. "There is no excuse for what I have tried to do to you. I can only hope that you would forgive me and find a way in which we could get by this incident."

"What was that? What did you try to do?"

He looked up at me. "I've already told you a few times, my sweet. Demons are always attracted to power. The stronger the magic, the stronger the pull."

"You've never attacked me like that before."

He let out a chuckle. "You've never been this powerful before. You're stronger than I am now." He stood and ran his hand over my hair. "I know. Maybe I can do something nice for your little friend. I can take him from the cold basement and give him a room with an actual bed and everything. I'll even feed him from time to time. How's that sound?"

"You can let him go. You don't need him and I hate to see him in such conditions."

He kissed my forehead and changed the subject. "I want to take you to see the magical world that has been kept from you for so long. Would you like to go?"

I could feel my face merge into my own version of a happy little doll and gave him a nod.

"Right after breakfast then? You should really eat something. Then we'll go on a nice little family outing, all three of us."

I was really excited and suddenly believed that I belonged there with my true family. Just like that, my heart had changed over again. Anything having to do with saving Rick or finding my own ways to control my powers were gone in a surging wave of my demonic power.

Dad knocked three times on a random door in the hallway before opening it. Inside was a vast array of things that should not exist. I felt small and insignificant in the space. There were creatures that reached far into the sky and some that were small as ants. Part of me wanted to squish them beneath my feet. Some of the creatures I recognized: faeries, gnomes, and the like. Of course, no fantasy world is complete without the obligatory unicorn. I wondered what color her blood was.

"This is it," he said. "A world of beauty and love, a place where nothing changes. A person could die of boredom in this place."

Without much thought, I had reached out and snatched a faerie from the sky. Morgan laughed as the creature struggled in my grip. I had her. She was mine. Tighter and tighter I squeezed feeling her tiny body compress under the pressure. Her eyes pleaded with me to release her, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. There was a strange sort of pleasure that rose within me.

"Sweet girl." It sounded as if there were a bit of panic in Azazel's voice. "Let it go."

I scoffed. "Why concern yourself with such a creature?" I continually squeezed and released her listening to the exquisite sound of her pain.

"It's not the creature I worry for." He placed a hand on mine and I felt a drain in my power. My hand released and the faerie flew away.

"Why would you do that?"

"I came here not to further your demonic power but to strengthen the witch. It seems I have, to use the old adage, put the cart before the horse."

I growled at him. "This world is in chaos. It deserves order."

"Are you the one to give them that order?"

"Yes."

He smiled proudly. "Not yet, my sweet girl. Not yet. Calm your mind." He had a tight grip on my hand. It angered me, but I couldn't pull away or resist the drain at my powers. "Focus on the witch. Look inside. Can you see your powers? One will be calm and the other more rampant."

I tried to do as instructed. It was difficult at first not knowing what I was looking for, but soon I could see the two streams of light. One was calm like a river flowing through me. It was coming from someplace I felt as the universe. Once I made the connection, the realization that I was connected to the source of everything, I could feel the power fill into my heart. I felt more at peace at that moment than ever before in my life. I let it wash around me and vibrate through me. Without much thought, an electric shock came out of my hand stabbing Azazel. He yelled and shook his hand.

"Oh, sorry."

I reached out for him but he refused to let me touch him again. Without his controlling touch, I noticed the erratic behavior of the demon inside. I closed my eyes tightly and almost collapsed from the surge. It bounced all around me with no real place to go and vibrated around my already filled heart. Almost on instinct my calmer magic wrapped around the demon containing it in one place holding it hostage. The witch started to absorb the demon.