She was too exhausted by the events of the previous day which resulted in her mind taking much longer to fall into a peaceful state to bring her the luxury of sleep. If something bad happened to their parents, they will have to rely on each other for anything and everything. She turned on her side so that she slept facing a snoring Kayla.
She closed her eyes briefly before flipping them open. She was torn between keeping her word to her mama and wanting to confirm the events that took place, prior to her depature. She smiled as her mother's proud face floated to her view in the few seconds she had closed her eyes. She saw her smile, her unwavering smile that never faltered even in the face of danger. What would her mama do in a situation like this? It was obvious that her papa would assume his role as her protector and shield but papa was just a human who relied on his physical strength to get things done but she had no doubt in her heart that her papa would do his utmost best to ensure all of their safety which normally became a struggle when vile creatures of the dark realm creep up to them where he would have to watch his fated half defend and protect the family. Mama had said something about shielding anonymity as the greatest weapon but it seemed to slip through their fingers as their everyday life became a warfare.
They had been living in hiding, taking their grandfather's word that people do not see tresure when its hidden in plain site. People believed in digging for treasures in deep places which was what her mama had resulted to doing in a drastic situation. They fought for peace because the lands still got frightened by the unknown. Witches were still considered vile and untrustworthy without being given the chance to prove themselves in open which resulted in most of them resorting to lurk in the shadows and creep up on humanity.
She remembered the hoarse voice of the elderly male, telling them beautiful stories about the first generation of witches who lived in peace and harmony until other creatures of the dark decended upon the human inhabitat after discovering that that there is aplace that can withstand a series of spells cast on its grounds without its life force withering away with every spell uttered and every sinister manifestation being brought upon it. A portal of mixed breeds that ran wild with posibilities that were not only ill but dangerous as well.
The old man told stories of fairytales around a crackling fire, singing and dancing. Stories of laughter and acceptance. Stories of celebrations and freedom . . . of good health and humanity. It was all good as a story and acceptable in a fairytale but then came a king whom the inhabitants believed to be human and boy were they wrong!
He passed new lawsthat allowed blood suckers to reign supreme along with madness and chaos to spread throughout the lands. The hunger games began and scheming agendas rose to the peak. Every creature strived for supremacy.
She flicked her hands making the room go dark in a whisper of smoke. She twirled her fingers in the air, raising sparks that swerled and danced with each other without fully merging together as one. Beatiful like fireworks in a distance. She smiled sourly.
Her mama found love in the midst of the chaos. She got acceptance and appreciation which bloomed to her and Kayla. She couldn't be more grateful to their persistent and relentless nature. Against all odds, even at the tide of family intervention, they chose love . . . a forbidden love between a human male and a female witch.
An involuntary sigh escaped her lips.
Mama wanted her to find love . . . to fight for love . . . to live a normal and a happy life like all her peers but she simply was nothing like her peers and her hair and eyes always hammered the nail home.
Why would anyone want to be with her?
She smiled again, a bitter smile that left a lump in her throat. She didn't want to give birth to a child that will not be accepted and made an outcast by the society that never accepted her.
'At least papa showered me with enough love and attention. I had the affection of a male who genuinely loved me'
Her heart swelled with emotion at the thought of her father. He is the best and she didn't want anyone daunting the perception she had of a family man so she chose to only love her family . . . at least what was left of it. A painful memory of her beloved grandfather beheaded infront of the people simply because of being a witch swept through her subconscious.
'Live for today child . . . never wait for tomorrow'
Her grandfather's last words rang loud and clear like the man hadn't uttered them almost a decade ago.
'Never show fear in the face of adversaries . . . it is all in preparation for the final moment when the raging tide shall be brought to a halt'
Did he knew this would happen? Why did nobody ever tell her she would have to grow up so abrupt.
She figured trying to sleep only resulted in her mind going on overdrive like she was on steroids or under a compelling spell that repulsed sleeping.
She stepped outside, not sure how far she could wander in this vicinity but she saw a shadow that was situated near a fire and she frowned.
Salem had no apparent dilemmas, or did he? What was causing his thin appetite for sleep, especially after the kind of night they had the previous night. She walked up to him and sat near the fire, opposite where he seated. She snuggled closer to the fire and adjusted her sitting position and drew her knees closer to her chest.
"Sometimes I wonder if the sole purpose for our existence was just so other creatures could plow entertainment from our pain . . . if the stories grandpa told to us were all a seed of false hope" she was looking at the fire as if it contained the answers to her questions.
"Who knows, you may be right and you may be wrong. I presume you never had a third person to validate the stories . . ." he replied, making her wish he had kept quiet so she could listen to the whispers of the red flame burning brightly in the stillness of the night but to her dismay, the hulking mean male went on.
"Sometimes you may see the down part of the situation completely putting to oblivion the up side of it. When events are set into motion by whatever triggers them to do so, there is a halting gear that only appears after the set destination has been reached"
She felt she heard him without fully comprehending the real meaning underlying his parables so she just nodded and continued gazing into the fire. She felt a hypnotic feeling overcome her the more she looked and soon she saw her parents beckoning her as if in alarm. A subtle plea that was meant to be silent yet meaningful. They seemed to be warning her of something she couldn't yet see but it was evident to her that they saw it standing too close to where she was. She heard loud wailing that started off as ullulation but changed its pitch and the emotion exuded by the voices . . . dancing barefoot on the fire yet they seemed unbotheted . . . as if the scorching heat was their second nature . . . something that came unbidden, natural and anticipated.
How can they embrace the flame like that?
"Hannah" a high pitched, masculine voice rang through her ears before a searing pain shot through the palm of her hand. She felt strong hands pull her and when she blinked, she saw a different expression from Salem's casual mocking grin.