Ellasyna [Ceaelie #1] | completed

ix | The Journal

© Stephanie Anne and Dee Atkins

                  Chapter Eight

        I ran. I ran as fast as I could, the concept of time and distance lost in the whirlwind that was my mind. Thoughts cascaded through me, filling my brain so that I had a constant ache between my eyes. What have I done? He knows it was me, he must already know what I am. He was most likely following me to follow-up on his Intel, to gather information on me. That had to be it.

        But how could he know? How could he have found out, unless Samanya was the one who gave me up, was truly siding with the humans rather than his own kind? Who else could have known about me? I thought I was working so well, that I was getting better at hiding what I was, but maybe I had not been as careful as I thought. He, and Daniel alike could have seen right through me, and I would not have known. Was it my knowledge of Samanya that gave me away? Or did they suspect me, truly believed it was me, from the very start?

        I cried out in frustration as I sped up, changing my course from nowhere in particular to the wards, or close to them. My mind was a jumble as I ran, jumping over obstacles such as logs or uprooted trees as I went. The closer I got to the boundaries of Cellatania the more relaxed I started to become. I always found the electricity that radiated off the wards relaxing, soothing, no matter what time it was. The shield between Ceaelie and the human world always seemed to give off a calming vibe, but also a dangerous one. One I was used to, and had missed deeply.

        My legs were growing tired of running once I was close enough to the ward to practically feel the zapping of the shield in the air. My whole body ached. I’d strained my muscles and all my fibres in just trying to get away, in trying to put as much distance between myself and Cameron as possible. Why had I been so stupid? If only I’d thought before I’d acted. If only I wasn’t so impulsive. I wouldn’t have been in this mess if I’d reasoned with myself. I knew Kali would’ve thought first before acting. Wouldn’t she?

        I closed my eyes to try and eradicate the images and thoughts of my sister from my mind, hating the dull ache I felt in my chest whenever I thought about her. I inhaled deep, relaxing breaths as I wandered along the border, not really knowing where I was going, or what to do next. All I knew was that I had to get away, if not forever, then just for a little while.

        The night that had settled around me was quiet, the sun finally setting over the horizon, the world suddenly engulfed in shadows. Critters of the night finally made themselves known, the hoots of an owl ringing in my ears, along with the growls of the Hellhound. They bounced around in my head over and over again, and I had to scream to drown out the horrible sounds.

        I’m going insane. Did this happen to Kali? Did she suffer the same fate as I? Squeezing my eyes shut tightly, I tried to imagine myself running through the green fields of Cellatania when I was younger, my hair so long it reached my thighs, the dress I wore a hand-me-down from Kali, who had finally filled out and had no need for her child-like dresses. I could imagine her running next to me, laughing like me, our hands joined, almost locked but with no key in sight.

        Then the image changed and Kali and I were the age we were at when she first left, almost three years ago. This memory - or so I thought - was washed out, something I could recollect but could not call upon.

        She was warning me. I couldn’t hear, although her lips were moving a mile a minute. She was holding on to my shoulders with a death grip, determined for me to understand. Understand what? I couldn’t tell.