MERGED

CHAPTER 1

Celiaste walked this path since she was a little girl. The soft golden grass that billowed around her tickled her hands. She held the out to her sides, and stopped, taking in the sweet smell of the hazy warm afternoon. She turned, and smiled at her sister.

"Kaira, come over here, let's go find some caterpillars!"

She giggled, but her sister stood still. Celiaste smiled again, and walked towards her. Kairas small, petite frame cast a shadow onto the dead grass. Her brunette hair wisped behind her, and her eyes were wide open. She gaped at nothing.

"Kaira?"

Celiaste stopped in her tracks, and looked behind her, trying to see what her older sister could be looking at. There was nothing. She looked back, and Kaira was gone, leaving in her place a dark mass. Celiaste stepped back, fear building up. The mass inched out, then stopped. Celiaste blinked, and the black void sucked her in. She screamed and reached for anything to grab onto, but she fell.

"Somebody help me!!"

She fell, air smacking her body. She turned and looked to her right, and saw a room. The room was quiet and still, yet she was falling. She looked in the room, and saw a figure on the bed.

"K-Kaira?"

She asked timidly. She stopped falling and fell to the ground next to the bed. She looked up, and saw Kaira, her eyes bugging out, her fingertips blue, her face ashy. But Celiaste stared at the most horrid thing.

The rope tightly wrapped around her sister's thin bloody neck.

~

Celiaste woke up, screaming. Her body was sticky and damp with sweat, beads of it slipped down her face. She clutched her blanket, breathing raggedly. She didn't even register the hot tears sliding down her face. She sits there, waiting. The sky is a shade of violet and pink, and thick clouds are speckled here and there. She held her breath, feeling her heart slamming against her chest. She let her breath out slow, and repeated this several times, until her heart was but a quiet humming, and her lungs no longer stung in pain.

She slid of her bed, her peachy skin exposed to the soft sunlight peeking over the hills. She lived alone, both her parents were dead, one sick from a disease, the other, a drink too many and a car ride home. She made refuge in her grandparents old house, down in Lakeville, a quite, cozy town. Here, she tended chores, and fetched the needed medication for both her cat Squire, and her grandmother, whose fiery personality made her seem pretty darn healthy, at least to anyone looking outside their lives.

A quiet knock sounded from the old oak door to her bedroom.

"Sweetie? Are you okay pumpkin?"

Her grandmother's smooth voice seeped through Celiaste, and she smiled.

"Im fine Granny. Just a bad dream."

She walked over, and opened the door. She was taller than her old grandmother, who was more plump and short, than tall and skinny. She always hid a bit of jealousy about that. She never got those genetics, and being tall was the worst, especially when she was at school. But since the summer, she used her height to her advantage, and helped around the house, and land, or doing silly things her old granny would ask.

"Oh, honey, another one? Are you okay?"

Her grandmother reached over and clasped her soft wrinkling hand around Celiastes.

"Esther! Your cold as ice!"

Celiaste flinched. Esther was her middle name, and Grandmother used it when she was upset or worried. Celiaste gazed down into her faded blue eyes.

"Im fine, really. Why don't I start making some tea? Then we can sit on the porch and watch the sunrise."

She smiled, and her grandmother eased.

"That sounds wonderful dear. Ill go to the kitchen and set the kettle. Now go back in and get dressed! We've got a lot of work to do today!"

She laughed and nodded, closing the door.

"Ill be out as soon as Im done!"

She listened as her grandmother hobbled her way to the kitchen, mumbling something about a creaky floorboard. Celiaste snapped her fingers a couple of times, a habit she had grown fond of. She liked the way the friction made her fingertips warm, and the swift pressure was reassuring. She snapped a few more times as she made her way around her bedroom, towards her drawers. She pulled out some light blue jeans the went to her knees, and a soft green t-shirt. She loved the color green, just like her mom. A pang of sorrow edged in her gut, but she quickly washed it away. No. She wasnt going to be sad. Her mom wanted her to be happy, and so she will. She glanced at her night stand, and gingerly picked up her mothers necklace. It was a simple one, the fine silver chain glinted in the little light the room was emitting, and the small stone that hung on it was cool to the touch. The stone was rose quartz, and Celiastes mother always believed in the power of stones.

"This one is for love and healing."

Celiaste picked up the smooth pink stone, which was foggy with little wisps of white dancing inside it.

"Can a stone do that? Heal?"

Her mother laughed, the silky sound of her voice filling the room.

"Of course my little dove. Many stones can do enchanting things."

She picked up the velvet purple pouch that sat on her nightstand and opened it, pulling out a purple and green stone, each small and smooth, like a marble.

"This one is amethyst. This crystal can help with stress, and can cleanse someone's mind."

She held out the purple stone to Celiaste, who gazed at it in wonder. The stone was somewhat similar to the rose quartz one, but was a bit more clear, and the color was a different hue. Her mother then held out a light green stone, with hues of summer yellow and sky blue.

"And this one is for caring. These two stones combined are spiritually powerful, and well chosen for me."

She smiled at Celiaste, and put the stones back in the small drawstring bag. She lay back and closed her eyes, sighing. Celiaste sat there at the edge of her bed, still holding the pink stone.

Celiaste clasped the necklace around her neck, savoring how the cool metal and stone rested on her neck and collarbone. She looked into the mirror, and smiled.

"Ready."

She whispered, and headed out to greet her grandmother in the kitchen.

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Hope you guys liked this so far!