I was a coward, an utter coward. How could I have run away like that leaving Sawn to fend that thing on his own. I knew what it could do, I was aware of what he had done using those shadows but for some reason I let my fear take over me and I ran away like a little child.
"I am so stupid." I mumbled as I let my duffle bag fall on the ground. I was surrounded by trees, my boots dirty from the mud while I rested, taking deep breaths.
Sylia was right. I would only slow him down. Going back there, in my current state, would only make him weaker.
Sawn had told her I could fight. The truth was though that I could not. Not anymore. I was so scared of everything, I was terrified of even my own shadow to the point that I wasn't able to think straight. Fighting was not an option for me. If I ran back there trying to defend Sawn both of us would end up dead. No matter how much of a coward I felt, no matter how much I hated myself for being here I knew better. I had to remain hidden, especially if I was right and that monster was after me. Sawn would come to me soon, I was sure of it.
Ten minutes passed, then twenty and then a half an hour. Slowly an hour was over and I had started to grow impatient, worried. I contemplated going back there just to check what was happening but I stopped myself. I would stay here for a while longer then If Sawn hadn't come back I would try to find someone who could help, bring some back up, something that would be more effective than a scared girl. That scared girl was me.
Sighing I sat down, feeling the branches and leaves break underneath me. My head touched the trunk of the tree while my eyes looked up, searching for a piece of the sky. Sometimes I wish I could fly away, find a way to disappear, become someone without a name, without the anger in me. Find a version of myself that had peace. Such wishes though were fruitless, hopeless rants in the walls of my mind keeping me back from what was really important.
"I will find you and then I…" I mumbled, grasping mud with my palm, forming an angry fist when I heard something. Immediately I stood up, hoping that it was Sawn.
The rustling of leaves, the breaking of the branches and then a loud thump, as if something fell messily on the ground. The sounds came from my left, behind a fence of prickly bushes that hid everything that could be behind them.
I didn't dare to call Sawn's name, in case it wasn't him but still filled with curiosity I walked towards the bushes, pushing the horny branches to the side with my palms and swallowing a hiss. Trying to be as silent as I could, all of my movements were in slow motion until I was finally able to get a full view of what was happening. Then I stood still, rooted to the ground, staring as if I had been charmed by some kind of magic.
The first thing that caught my eye was the sky, the sun shining brightly bringing so much light into the small clearing. A circle of life, filled with wildflowers with red petals. It almost seemed as if this little heaven did not fit into this dark and eerie forest. There was a small lake in the middle, its color a crystal blue. There was no way this place was human, it had something otherworldly to it and for a second I was sure nymphs used to live here, fairies or even pixies.
I hungrily took everything in with my eyes when I finally found the cause of the noise.
There he was, on the shore of the small lake a man was laid on the ground unconscious. He wore a pair of black leather pants and a white shirt, his body lifeless there. I couldn't get a good look, the bushes were getting in my vision and I decided to step a bit closer.
Tempted by what had happened I couldn't stop myself, every bit of reason had slowly disappeared from within me and it was as if something was calling me, whispering my name, telling me to get closer. Looking like a moth enchanted from the bright light I left my hiding spot and stepped under the light, being bathed by the warmth of the sun. I had never felt that way before. The warmth was caressing my skin, sleeping my senses and with every step I took deeper into the little clearing I felt light headed, exposed but I did not mind. My thoughts at the moment were only telling me to see, my body needing to know who was laid there.
I reached him, my gray eyes looking at him as he slept.
In my entire life, no probably in all of my lives I had never seen a man like him. Breathtaking would be such a simple word to describe him, but no matter how hard I tried I was not able to recall something else. The truth is he indeed took my breath away. Surrounded by the red flowers his snow white hair, like a crown around his head emitted a kind of purity, while his pale skin made him look fragile, as if he was in some kind of eternal sleep, hidden away from the world. His luscious lips and strong cheekbones, made him so kissable and I felt my heart skip a beat with the thought. He was tall, his strong torso and long legs, and his sculpted arms made him look like a statue of some kind of god.
I sat down, on my knees, wanting no, needing to get a closer look of him. I raised my hand, with no self control I touched his hair, pushing the stray strands away from his forehead and it felt as if I was touching silk. There was no way someone like him actually existed, someone so perfectly made it could anger all the gods of beauty and love. He could so easily spar with them in terms of beauty and elegance.
"Who are you?" I whispered and as if he heard my question he woke up, his eyes meeting with mine in a clash of surprise and fear. He sat up, his movements wary as if I was going to attack and when he noticed me fully he seemed struck, surprised.
I did not believe he could be more perfect, I did not think of the slightest addition to make him even more perfect but there he was with those green eyes that looked like gems. I had never seen eyes like his but for some absurd reason they felt so familiar. He was not human, there was no way there was someone out there with mortal blood that looked as he did.
"Alice." he said my name and his voice echoed in the deepest parts of my body. My eyes widened, as I realized that this man knew me. His deep voice, rough like sandpaper, repeated my name. "Alice…" he called me again and it almost felt as if he was in pain, no visible scars on him though.
"You know me?" I asked. My heart was beating so loudly, a drum that made my whole body shake. What was happening to me? Why was I feeling this way?
"I…" He mumbled but I didn't get to hear what he wanted to say.
"Alice!" Sawn's voice woke me up from my trance. My head snapped, following the sound and he appeared, wounded, walking towards me.
"Sawn!" I called him in this little game of calling names and rushed towards him. "What happened? Are you okay?"
"Yeah…I…" he told me but I was once more stuck. I looked towards the place I had left him, the man with the green eyes but he was no longer there. He had disappeared, as if he never existed.