Solstice

Chapter Twenty Three

Sorry for the (very long) delay!!
***

Keep running!
Keep going!
They'll catch you!!
Keep going!!

I pushed myself to keep running, ignoring the fact that my side was hurting and I was completely out of breath. The only thing I could think of was what would happen when people found out I was a witch. What about Amelia? What if they found out about her?

Come to think of it I hadn't seen her in a while... The sooner I got out of this area the sooner I could call her. All the practising in my room had yet to work properly so why did it work when I least wanted it to?

Forest. Trees. Green. The whole landscape blurred as I ran by. Then something changed. I felt a slight gust of wind but it wasn't like the wind causing my hair to whip around as I ran, no, it was more of a distinctive breeze that sent shivers down my spine. It was the kind that made me stop running and look around. I felt different, like I wasn't supposed to be here.

And apparently life agreed with my thoughts as I heard a shout originate from behind me. I slowly pivoted around to see my brother running after me. "AIMEE!" He shouted as he ran up to me and enveloped me in a hug. So much emotion was poured into the hug that it triggered something inside of me. Rage. Anger at the fact he had lied to me. They all had.

"You have to understand, I'm so sorr-" I cut him off before he could finish speaking. "Sorry? Please define how in the name of hell you are sorry!" Confusion was etched in his face as I angrily shrugged his arms off of me.

"You lied! You're my own flesh and blood and you lied to my face. You kept things from me and when I mentioned them you made me feel like a fool. I thought I was crazy hearing voices in my head and hearing things that were miles away but what was worse was you didn't reassure me like a good brother would have done, no, you isolated me!!"

People began to surround us, watching the ongoing event but I took no notice of them, jabbing my finger harshly into his chest as I continued to accuse him of his mistakes. Tears were spilling out as freely as the words flowed probably making me look like a complete mess and a thumping pain was beginning to form at the end of my back but as usual I ignored all my surroundings and focused on what I was doing.

"-how could you do this to me? Leave me in the dark about everything...I had to find out myself but what if I hadn't? What if I hadn't found anything out? Would you have just continued with your masquerade? Who am I kidding, of course you would've... But what really annoys me is why you didn-"

I was cut off by a shooting pain throughout my body, so sharp it forced me to my knees panting for air. A scorching sensation inflicted itself on my skin like a red hot metal bar was being branded onto me. Screaming echoed throughout the forest but I didn't realise it was mine until I felt a hand rest on my back, supporting me. "It's okay," a gruff voice murmured but I knew it was lying. All I wanted at this moment in time was plunge myself into ice cold water to drown out this feeling of molten lava consuming my body. The pain was excruciating and I had given up trying to hold back the warbled shouts that betrayed my pride but I didn't care now all I was just trying to get rid of this suffering.

The ear-splitting sound of bones cracking echoed out as I fought off the darkness. I could feel my body begin to reform and remake itself but at the same time I could feel nothing. I could not control my body as it shifted without my permission. Voices were filling the area around me but they were inaudible to me through my pain. Several times I tried to stand up but my legs had given way as they bent themselves out of shape and clicked into a different location.

Then it stopped.

All at once everything disappeared. The pain, the aching, the suffering. All gone as I lay in my position, eyes clamped shut hoping that when they reopen this will have just been a bad dream. Slowly, ever so slowly I began to gain feeling back in my body. Then my strength returned, somewhat stronger than what I remembered but brushing that aside I decided to open my eyes.

Now I wish I hadn't.

For the first thing I seen when I did was not a pair of pale skinned hands but a set of fur covered paws. And they were mine!!!!!