Chapter 38
The Ocean
Ash
Branches whacked my arms as I bolted through the forest. My breath became ragged, my muscles burned. But I kept on running, I had to get them back. I still couldn't believe Sofya had taken off on me. I had deliberately told her not to, that stubborn mule. But I also understood why she did it. I was reckless once as well. I didn't know as much as I did now, and I paid dearly. The memory is still fresh in my head as if it were yesterday.
...
The sunlight glistened on the pond, the wind blowing the grass like a green sea. The smell of pine filled my nose. I turned to my side to see Raphael run past me, flipping into the pond. In the process, he sprayed water all over me. I laughed and ran in after him. The water is refreshingly cool, against the blazing summer heat. I popped up to a splash in my face.
"Hey!" I protested, splashing back. Raphael finally stopped, smiling at me.
"We should get going soon, Ash." He said, his face turning serious. I frowned, I didn't want to go. I liked it here.
"Why?" I asked, not pleased we were going somewhere new again.
"The bad men are still searching for us, we can't let them get us, right?" Raphael asked. I shook my head vigorously.
"No." Raphael smiled, taking my hand.
"Let's go." He said, leading me out of the water. We laid out in the sun for a while to dry up, then we headed back into the woods. I looked back to the shining pond one last time, before walking away.
An hour or so later, we arrived at a small worn-down shack. Long green vines grew all around it.
"Is this our new home?" I asked. Raphael shook his head.
"This is only temporary, Ash. Soon I'll be able to get a job and then we can live in a nice big mansion, I promise." Raphael said. I nodded eagerly. A big huge mansion, something I only dreamed of. We entered the shack, inside there was one light, a bed, and a small kitchen. Raphael led me over to the bed sitting me down. "I'll be out for a bit, but you stay here, ok? Promise?" He said. I nodded, and with that he left, shutting the door behind him.
For a few hours I waited in the bed, Raphael still wasn't back yet. Nerve flutters in my stomach. An hour or so later I couldn't take it anymore. I opened the door and stepped outside, the warm summer night breeze brushing my cheek.
The stars gazed down at me, shining ever so brightly. I walked a distance in the forest, looking for any sign of Raphael. A moment later, I heard something behind me. I whirled around, searching the dark shadows.
"Hello? Is anyone there? Raphael?" I asked, only silence answered me. I turned back around and continued walking, but then I heard another noise. I turned back around, and as I did a tall man loomed over me. A wicked smile pasted on his pale face, his dark eyes black as oblivion.
"Well, well look who we have here if it isn't Ash Cercillia." The man said.
"Who are you?" I asked. My voice trembled. "
You'll soon find out." The man said, lunging at me. But I was too fast and started sprinting through the woods. I let my wings out and took off into the sky. I tried looking for Raphael, but I only saw a black van. Still not too great at flight control, I landed in a heap on the ground. I felt someone lifting me up. I turned to find Raphael and a wave of relief washed over me.
"Come Ash we have to go now, the bad men have found us." He said urgently. I nodded, and we took off running. More men started after us getting closer and closer. As we ran through the dark forest, I stumbled and tripped on a branch, my leg twisting. I cried out in pain. Raphael ran back to get me, but one of the men caught him, pulling him into the black van. I cried out, tears streaming down my face.
"No! Raphael!" I screamed. I tried getting up and running after the van, but I was too slow, too weak. As soon as I stopped, I felt something hit the back of my head, and then all was black.
I shuddered at the memory. Soon enough the trees parted away, and the beach came into view. I skidded to a stop, and collapsed onto the ground, needing to catch my breath. The neria piled all around me. Stella pounced onto my lap, Ezmia joining her, pushing me to the ground. I grunted.
"Guys, come on. Off." I said, shooing them, silly creatures. As I laid on the sand, my thoughts inevitably drifted to Sofya. I shook the thoughts away. Now was not the time.
I stood, brushing the sand from my clothes. I gazed out at the ocean, endless miles of blue. I stepped closer to the water, the waves brushing up against my feet. I let my shield rise up, then I placed individual ones around all the neria. I headed into the deep blue, vanishing beneath the waves.
After hours of jogging along the ocean floor. I needed a break. I sat down on one of the rocks, taking out one of the books from the library that I had brought along. I flipped through it, page after page finding nothing with the symbols on my body. As I neared the last few pages, something caught my eye. There was a picture of the Celtic knots with the swirls. The same pattern looped around my shoulders. My eyes flickered to the first paragraph. But I looked away.
I didn't need to know, not know I had enough problems at hand and didn't need to add one more. I threw the book back into my pack and whistled for neria to come along. First I needed to find Sofya, why couldn't she just have stayed put. I shook my head, who was I kidding it was Sofya I was talking about. But I couldn't blame her, I would've done the exact same.