I stayed a little longer until I couldn't bear the stares anymore. I apologized to everyone and left. We decided to go to the market and get some food after leaving.
Graham put his hand on my shoulder and I jump a little, "Are you okay?" he asks. "Yes, why?"
"You've just been jumpy,"
"I'm fine," I say. Of course I'm jumpy, after encountering Jorden I feel like I want to go home and cry. I don't know why I still fear Jordan so much. He's such a wimp! I wish I would've stood up for myself sooner. Maybe it's my past memories but still bothering me, or maybe I just fear the threat he made for me to work there or I'll die. Whatever the reason, I need to snap out of it, he's no longer a threat, I can defend myself now.
I turn to Jaxon "I'm sorry, I'm not feeling well, can I head home and you guys finish the shopping?"
"Yeah, that's fine, I can get the groceries." I hand him the money and walk towards home quickly, scared of getting attacked or something. But something worse happens. I run into someone, causing their bag to fall and everything spill out. "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry," I say and without looking up, I grab all their stuff and go to hand them their bag.
I finally look at the woman. Her mouth is slightly open and she looks stunned. She has my same brown eyes and dark hair. "I- uh- Mom" I say, surprised. "I'm uh sorry- I should get home," I say. Last time I say my mom, I was getting my money and leaving. My mother grabs my sleeve and I spin around to face her. "Wait," she looks at me with a sad look that makes my heart sink.
"Um- um- sorry." she let go of my sleeve.
"Are you- are you doing okay?" she asks. "Yeah, fine, I've been staying with Jaxon,"
"Oh, is he- um- nice? I never got to meet him." she says. "Yeah, he's pretty nice,"
"How have you been doing?" I ask my mother, awkwardly. She looks stunned by my question. "Good, I guess, I miss you though, you know, you can come back whenever you'd like,"
I step away. "Yeah, I know," I sigh
"Mom, I can't come back, and I'm not sure I ever will, even Graham and me haven't had the best relationship lately," I say. "I- I- um I just- I just wanted to save you. It was the only way to do that."
"No, Mom, it wasn't," I say. And I walk away, quickly.
When I get home, the sun is already setting. I'm greeted with Willow's meow as I walk through the door. Although Willow always wants outside, I can't let him out unless I go too. Someone will sweep him up and sell him to the ASD or the Amastry Science Department. I wouldn't even be allowed to blame them because they need to eat and feed their families too.
"I'll take you out in a minute." I say to Willow and I scratch behind his ears before standing and going to my room. Willow lets out a satisfied purr on my way out.
I lay in bed, my eyes slowly drifting close, the weird thing is, I wasn't even tired a minute ago. I'm not now. I'm just going to sleep without wanting to. I didn't plan to sleep or anything. After a long time trying to fight my sleep, I finally let myself drift away. Just a little nap. I think. Since my body wants me to so bad.
When I "wake up" I'm in a black void. This situation is way too familiar. This is how Cora contacted me through my dream. I walk around for a second. I feel my heart beat faster and faster. No! I think. I escaped! It's over! Her powers can't reach here!
"Cora!" I scream. This can't be Cora, can it? I defeated her! Maybe it's just a way to vivid dream. She's gone, she has to be! A memory comes to me again, Cora is standing at the edge of the forest, an angry, dangerous, look, wild eyes, which boar right at me, then she vanishes. That's exactly what I saw when Jaxon left the woods. When he escaped. But no one went into the forest! No one's brought her back here! Yet here I am.
"Cora," I scream again. I feel something stab me from behind, I scream out.
Cora walks into view. I look down, there's what looks like a tree branch sticking out of my stomach. Cora's face is completely expressionless, she looks drained and tired.
"Funny seeing you again," I gasp. "I thought I'd never see you again."
"You're in no position to talk down to me." she says, and a surge of pain shoots through my body again from the branch. I want to fall onto my knees, and I almost do, but I'll probably end up hanging from the branch which definitely won't feel better.
I try to pretend I didn't feel anything, but I know it shines through somehow, because Cora let's a twisted smile shine through. Usually her smiles are pretty creepy, but she always did look at least a little happy, right now she looks angrier than ever.
Her smile fades. "Y'know, I can't wait for you to come back, it'll be so much easier to contact you,"
"I'm never coming back,"
"Oh? Is that what you think?" she asks. She walks a little closer to me.
"I didn't say I think, I said never." I repeat. "I didn't say I don't think I'm not coming back.
I said I'm never coming back.
"Well, recently I've learned a little about what's to come," she says. "And I know you'll always value yours and your friends' lives more than anything,"
"Yeah, so?" I ask impatient, trying to keep my voice steady as pain surges through my body over and over. "So, you'll come back." She says, like she's convincing herself as well. The world around me begins to fade. "No, wait! What the hell are you saying?"
"Oberon!" Jaxon calls. "Hey wake up! Your bleeding! What happened?" my blanket has blood on it and I can't see my wound because blood also covers my shirt.
The world around me is blurry. "I- Cora," I say. "Hold on! We're bringing you to a physician. The world around me goes black again, but this time, it stays black, not a color in sight. Just me.