Soul Stitched (book one)

Chapter 15: Crystal

Weird? Yes. Strange? Yes. Confusing? Yes. Totally out of this world? Yes. A coincidence? No. Definitely not.

So...Wilt just happened to be born with a swirl engraved in her palm, when I was born with a snowflake etched in mine? No, something was going on, and I was determined to figure out what.

We had tried putting our hands together...okay. Stupid idea, but it was worth a shot. Wilt said nothing happened to her and when she did, I had decided not to tell her what happened to me.

When the markings touched, I thought I had exploded (it's true!), but then I saw a scene. There were four girls, one reminded me strangely of Wilt...but it was obviously a different person. The girls looked about my age, 12, and they were looking intently at something. It looked like a box, but I couldn't see what was inside...! But then she scene zoomed in, and inside the box I saw a ray of sunshine (strange), a wisp of darkness (impossible, I know), a drop of water, and a snowflake. Then each girl picked up one thing. Then the objects absorbed into their palms. Suddenly there was a brilliant flash of light and then everything went dark.

I opened my eyes, and it seemed like no time had passed, though that vision must've taken 10 or 20 minutes. I immediately pulled my hand away from Wilt's, my palm burned. The snowflake was steaming and I realized it was etched right where those strange things had melted into those girls' hands.

"Well, that was a wast of time." Wilt said as she picked up her fork and bit into her chicken. What did she mean? Hadn't she seen it too? I didn't know why, but I decided not to tell her about the vision I had seen. "And disappointing." I added as if nothing had happened. "Sooo...if nothing happens when we put it together, then what's it for?" I asked. Wilt paused, then said. "I don't know...but for now, I'm pooped. Do you mind if I go to bed?" She asked. I nodded. "Sure, you need rest." I replied. She put her plate in the sink and trudged up the stairs, yawning.

I sat on the sofa, the good old sofa. I hadn't realized how much I missed my home. I began to cry, I missed my parents. I looked at the note I had put in my pocket. I read it over and over again. My parents had gon to Florida, the opposite side of the country! Then I flipped it over and realized there was more: "Crystal please come home. I'm so sorry about all of this. You don't have to run, we'll work this all out. I love you, please come home. -Mom."

Oh, why had I left? My mom wanted me to come home. When I did, she was gone. I didn't regret leaving, I mean I saved Wilt's life and I needed the time. I lied down, thinking about my parents. Then my thoughts melted away and I drifted asleep.

I woke up in the middle of the night to the sound of rattling. I got off of the sofa and walked to the front door. The doorknob was rattling and I heard voices outside. I picked up my dad's baseball bat and raised it over my head, ready to swing. The door shook and opened to reveal..."Mom?!" I asked. She gasped. "Crystal!" She gave me a huge hug and I dropped the bat and hugged her back. "Dad!" He hugged me tightly. "Where on Earth have you been!" My mom asked. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I just...ever now, I can't...I had to leave, because I couldn't bear to-" "We're not moving to Florida." My dad blurted out. I paused. "What?" I whispered. "We're not moving." My mom repeated. "Your dad and I had to go and look at the apartment if we wanted to live there...and well, we don't. It's small, tight, not at all homey, and...there ouldn't be enough room for your dogs." She replied. I gasped. "You mean...I can keep them?" I asked eagerly. She smiled and nodded. I gave her a hug, then my dad. "Thank you!" I cried. "What's going-" I turned around and saw Wilt on the stairs, eyes wide. "Oh sorry about the noise, my parents are back." I said. "No, Crystal's back." My mom corrected. "And would you mind explaining why there's a random girl sleeping upstairs?" My dad added. "Oh, mom, dad. This is Wilt.I found her all alone. She...ran away from home, but we can't take her back. She lives in PA, America." I said. My mom's eyes widened. "Well then. So you were just...in the snow?" She asked. "Well, no. Sort of, yes I guess..." She paused. "I flew here on a plane, and-" "Flew here! Alone? That's...you could've...and" My dad stuttered. I grunted. "Where'd you get that kind of money?" My mom cut him off. "It was my own...money...technically. It was supposed to be for collage, but no one's got that much time..." Wilt laughed sheepishly. That was partly true. The money was hers, but not yet. It was her mom and dad's money that they were saving for wen she went to college. But she had stolen it.

"There you go, in bed." My dad said pulling up my blankets. I climbed under and sighed. "So lone, since." I nearly feel asleep halfway through my sentence. "I know, honey. You need rest." My dad said. "Wilt's asleep." My mom said entering the room. "That girl seems...." "Gothic? Definitely. Bad? No, she's my friend." I said, fighting the urge to tell her about the marks on our hands Wilt was the only person who can know. "So what now? I mean, I'm back, Wilt's here...and..." I yawned. "Don't worry, Wilt can stay until we figure things out. But everything's okay." My mom said, stroking my hair. "We're finally together now."