It was damp, cold, and dark. I was following my older cousins, Steve and Will down the dark tunnels of a cave in the woods behind our house.
I had wanted to stay home and with play with the barbies in the playroom but Chloe and Sabrina were being really mean to me. I wasn't scared playing in the cave because Chloe, Will, and I came here a lot of times.
Today sucked because winter was coming and I'm freezing plus my tummy hurts from where Sabrina punched me. The biting cold wasn't a problem for Will and Steve. Their lion form rested just beneath the surface of their skin keeping them warm. I was treated differently because I couldn't shift in to any form, manipulate an element, or cast a spell.
I grunted in pain as I crawled over a large rock, my stomach clenching in pain. I stop and take in short pants of breath as every breath I take is painful. Steve and Will with their enhanced strength and flexibility just jump right over the large rock.
They jump three feet sailing over the rock and landing silently on their feet just like a cat. Once I've managed to climb over the rock I can't see them anymore but I can still hear thier voices.
The tunnel forks one way to the left and one way to the right, breathing hard I lean against the wall of the cave and concentrate trying to hear their voices which are coming farther away. I want to yell thier names but my stomach hurts so much I just want to lay down. I remember a room of sorts if I go to the left instead of the right where I think they went. I slowly make my way down the tunnel to the left with gasping breaths and after awhile I see an opening. It's the room I was looking for. The cave ceiling is high and the ground is a smooth dark brown marble instead of dirt like the rest of the cave.
Walking towards the center of the room I sit down slowly trying not to move the muscles in my stomach and slowly lay onto my back staring at the whole in the cave ceiling letting the rays of sunlight come through. After laying there for a couple of minutes I hear a sound like thunder and the floor starts to move like waves in the ocean going up and down.
For like five minutes my body is tossed around like a doll when suddenly everything stops.
I examine my body making sure that I can move everything and I'm wiggling my ankles and toes when the floor underneath me gives out and and I fall almost six feet crash landing in some type of pool in freezing cold water. I sit up gasping for air, coughing up the little bit of water that went down my throat.
I stumble and trip over my dress that is tangled around my boots. I wrap my arms around myself trying to produce some warmth by moving my arms in an up and down motion. Rubbing my arms like my Aunt Amanda does when I'm cold.
Looking around I can barely see anything because so dark. Staring at multiple shadows I sniffle and try to stop the tears that are continously falling down my cheeks as I realize how lost, cold, hurt, and alone I am. Both of my knees and elbows are cut up. My dress is torn in the back and with every inhale I feel like I'm breathing fire. It's like an elephant is sitting on my chest it hurts so much.
I sit down and sob uncontrollably getting snot all over my dress. I hear something and stop crying to try and make out what that sound is.
"Harley!" "Harley!" "We're going to be in so much trouble if we don't find Harley." "You!? My dad will send me off to another boarding school. I just convinced him not to send me back next semester." They both look at each other and at the same time yell, "Harley!"
I sniffle wiping my eyes and nose. "Will!" "Steve!" I scream. I yell their names over and over. Following the sound of their voices I walk farther into the dark room without noticing. Screaming Will's name my boot hits something and I fall forward hard landing on my hands.
Rolling over I sit up and lean towards my feet reaching out with my hands to see what I tripped over. I feel thick smooth leather with grooves in it. It's a book about the size of my lower leg and I'm pretty tall for a six year old. As I'm touching the book I feel a lock on it and realize this must be a tome.
I wonder if this is one of those secrete libraries full of forbidden books with powerful spells.
"Ah!" My hand heats up like I just got too close to a fire. I try to remove my hand from the tome but I can't. It's stuck like extra durable Griffen snot.
The heat is too much and becomes very painful. It's too much and I cry as my hand starts to sink down into the tome.
My cry turns into a scream when suddenly I feel an amazing energy flow throughout my body. The pain is soothed away by a soothing warmth that envelops my whole being inside and out. I feel like I can finally keep up with Chloe and Will in their lion forms.
I jerk my hand trying to move it out of the tome when symbols move up my arm like a million spiders.
I stop crying and wipe my eyes to see if I'm actually seeing what I'm seeing. The strange symbols slow down and the tome dissolves. Like it's being absorbed into my skin.
I jerk my hand away with no avail then suddenly I'm free. I pulled so hard the momentum sends me tumbling back.