Silver Thorn

Promises.

The road ahead was dark and the soft white fog had only just started to lift. Faint music drifted from the radio at the front of the car between Mr. and Mrs. Dragomir. The massive car could fit four people in the back, and so that's where I was; squeezed between my sister and best friend, Rose Hathaway, and the 'King of the Hill' Andre Dragomir. His sister, Lissa was next to Rose.

They were both nodding along to the music; I smiled softly, just watching them. I rested my head on Andre's shoulder and he softly kissed my hair. Just as I was beginning to fade into dream world, my vision went blinding bright. Then, everything went to hell. Our car hit something and the impact slammed my head back; spots appeared everywhere around me.

I awoke to find myself standing above the wreckage. A scream burst from my mouth at the sight, but no sound came out. Rose's twisted body lay next to me, bloodied and bruised. I knelt beside her, tears starting to pool at the rim of my eyes. Her arm was so badly torn I couldn't see any skin, just rivers of crimson and pink. I brushed her hair away from her face, her beautiful face. The same face I loved was now purple, with great big welts covering the skin. Blood dribbled down her forehead and I tried to wipe it off, but it just kept flowing. Her skin was cold. Why was I still standing?

I caught Lissa's eye. The beautiful blonde was still alive. She was in a similar condition to my sister, but her pale skin actually had life flowing through it. I tried to get her attention, but it was like she was staring straight through me. The tears were victorious. The hot liquid poured down my cheeks, staining them for ever. Lissa tried to crawl towards Rose, her arm outstretched. There was nothing I could do. I hurried to the other side of the car, trying to find the rest of the family. Andre's body was so badly mangled the only way I knew it was him was because of the sweater he had been wearing not only five minutes ago. I lay next to him, my body just as utterly catastrophic as his. His parents were a few metres away, in the same state as everyone else. Why was I looking at my own body? Horror filled me and I stumbled backward. I expected to slam into the destroyed car, but I went straight through.

Chocolate eyes met mine. My eyes. Rose stood before me. Her arm was pieced back together and there wasn't a single drop of scarlet on that almond skin. She touched my arm and a shiver rattled my whole body. She was transparent and when I looked down at myself, I realised I was too. She shrugged at me; clearly, she had no idea what was going on either. Were we spirits?

Suddenly, she started to disappear from my view. Lissa had managed to touch her. Warmth returned to my sister's body. She breathed slowly and I gasped, but still no sound came from my mouth. Had Lissa done that? Rose lifted her head and stared at me. But again, her eyes never connected with mine. She was alive, I was... dead. I suppose.

"Vasilisa Dragomir, your friend I believe, is burdened with a glorious purpose. She will specialise in no element but her own, the time will come when she will discover this and you must be there to take part of the fall as your sister will also." A voice sent rapid shocks down my spine. It came from nowhere around me, yet everywhere.

"Your sister, Rosemarie Hathaway is shadow-kissed thanks to Vasilisa's abilities. And so are you now. We will send you back into your world, as long as you promise to protect the future queen at all costs."

The voice continued, then just as quickly as it came it disappeared. I felt a presence behind me, like someone was touching my shoulder, but when I looked no one was there. The hand on my shoulder was still there – my whole body lit up. The blinding light surrounded everything around me, casting a silver glow over the world. A euphoric feeling slivered over my body and I breathed in the fresh air. Hold up, breathing was something that someone alive did.

The light faded away and suddenly I wasn't anywhere near the crash. I was standing in front of my very own personal hell hole. St. Vladimir's Academy.