Where am I? Colia thinks as she processes her surroundings. Large pine trees loom overhead, and darkness covers the world like a blanket without warmth. The moon is the only source of light, and it barely shines through the thick branches and pine needles.
Her head is disoriented like she'd just woke up from a long nap, yet she finds herself standing in a forest, without a clue of how she'd traveled so far from home. She can imagine the newspaper headline: "Mayor's Daughter goes Missing" or "Another Wexton Disappearance." Colia would be just another mystery out of hundreds more in the town's record books. Unless of course, she finds her way home.
Every tree looks the same, no matter where she turns, and there doesn't seem to be any footsteps in the dirt. Rubbing her foot on the ground, the mark disappears almost instantaneously. Her heart speeds up more every passing second, and she's just about to pass out with fear. That's when she sees it: a small, brown rabbit that seems to blend in with the trunk behind it.
"I know what you are," Colia murmurs aloud. If any other human soul lurked nearby, they would've thought she meant what animal, but Colia knew she'd found her next guide. "Lead the way."
She's seen it all before in her dreams, many times, but the animals she's seen are always different than the time before. Colia would've recognized the area sooner if weren't so dark.
The rabbit rotates and hops off swiftly in the opposite direction. Colia follows, jogging to catch up. It goes on like this for about twenty minutes before she has to stop to catch her breath, her forehead shiny with sweat. The rabbit sits down, waiting patiently "Are we close?" she asks, breathing heavily, but she doesn't mean close to her home. A slight jerk forward of the creature's head gives Colia her answer. "Alright, then I think I'll walk the rest of the way."
As they move, the air seems to grow stronger. Richer. Heavier, somehow. Colia can feel energy course around her, wild and free. It's a familiar feeling, but she can't remember why. Her fingertips tingle with warmth, despite the cold temperatures.
"Ah!" Colia screams as she trips over a root, but the impact she expects never hits. She opens her eyes in confusion for a moment only to see herself floating several inches above the ground with outstretched arms. Panicking, she crashes into the dirt.
The rabbit stares and Colia stares back. Then, she begins to giggle. Fits of laughter and abnormal noises pour out as if she hadn't laughed in years.
Thinking about it, she realizes it has been a while. But now she is free. Free to cry and dance and laugh. No strict mothers or fancy interviews or high expectations. She can laugh because somehow she escaped from Wexton Mansion.
Squeaking noises come from the rabbit's direction as it joins in. Neither one of them look back as they pass the border, smiling all the way. Colia knows her mom is going to freak out when she finds her missing, but at least she won't be disappointed in Colia the way she always seems to be. Colia doesn't look back.
In the distance, a clearing appears, and Colia's heart leaps out of her chest as she spots dots of light. She can just picture the magnificent castle unless of course, it isn't there. That's always a possibility.
Suddenly alive with adrenaline, she pushes ahead of the rabbit and bursts into a sprint, running like there is a finish line at the edge of the woods. The lights grow bigger, and the view becomes clearer. Years of track practice have prepared her for this moment. The moment of truth. The answer to a question she's been asking for weeks: Is it real?
The moment comes, and she knows. Colia takes in the scene of a stone castle with her own two eyes, and she can no longer move. It is real. It is real. It is real, she repeats, trying to process what she sees. The base of the castle is a gigantic box, many stories high, but the corners extend into wings that are even taller than the base. Rolling hills of green grass surround it all.
A voice interrupts Colia's silent admiration. "Freeze," it commands, though she is already frozen. A teenage boy steps into her vision. Although he appears to be about the same age and height as Colia, his hand is outstretched in a menacing way and his fiery-looking brown eyes give him an aura of intimidating power. "Who are you?" he asks.
"I am Colia Burn."
YOU ARE READING
Stormwood: The Descendant (book 1)
FantasyColia Burn lives in Wexton, a town of mystery. Since its establishment, people have been disappearing into the woods, leaving no trace. However one night, Colia starts having repetitive dreams that draw her closer to the forest's edge and make her w...
