Trapped (Book #1 of the Charmed and Dangerous Series)

Chapter 9- Back to the Future

Mel's POV

I have just finished teaching my mother and aunts about the future. Then I started quizzing them. "Okay, Paige, what don't you do....EVER?!" I asked. "No magic, no orbing unless it's an emergency." She answered correctly. "Okay one more question, that's all the time we have. Piper, who do you trust?" I asked. "Nobody." She answered correctly. "Okay that's right. Now, the future will be overwhelming for you since you haven't seen anything like it. Here," I pulled 3 potions out of my pocket, "drink this. It will change your appearance. Before you step through the portal make sure you look at each other well enough to know what you look like. Stay close and don't get caught. Follow my lead and whatever you do don't question my judgement." The sisters looked at each other with wary glances, but let it go and drank the potion, thankfully. "Okay let's go." I said as I opened the portal yet again. We stepped through.

When we got out I saw the future I was used to. "Come on. We can't stay here for long." I said as I turned around to see them. Their faces were in complete shock. They were obviously not ready for this. "Where are we going? We have to go save Melinda." Piper said. "We will. But first I need to get to the Underworld." I said. "The Underworld? Wh-wh-why would you want to go to the Underworld?" Paige asked.

I realized what she meant. Where she was from the Underworld was a bad place. I rushed into an explanation, "Don't worry. Remember things are different here. The demons live on the surface and some witches, like me, hide out in the Underworld." The sisters realized that this was true. "So if we can't orb how are we getting down there?" Phoebe asked. "No worries. I've got a...friend that I can call on. He can get us down there." I walked away and they started to follow me.

We walked to a park and I waited a little while before we walked out of the shadows. The kids were gone and I was free to scream. I only knew of one way to get Cole up here and that was if I was in trouble. I blew up a tree. Demons arrived quickly afterwards. "I thought you said no magic?" Paige asked in a hushed tone. "Don't worry. This is the only way to get the person I need up here." I said. Then I yelled "Hey! Over here!" I ran into the bushes and the sisters followed. Somebody came up behind us and shimmered us out.

We turned around and I saw Cole. He looked way more beat up than the last time I'd seen him. He was panting. When he looked up he met my regularly emotionless face and the three shocked faces of my mother and aunts. He, of course, was fooled by the glamour my aunts and mom were under. "Who the heck are these people Melinda?" He asked, sounding out of breath. I let the glamour down and he looked scared. "COLE!!!???" Phoebe yelled in confusion. "PHOEBE!!!!???" He answered in the same tone. "I thought we vanquished you a decade ago?" Piper yelled. "You did, but I'm back. On good reasons. I'm here to help. If I don't help then I die again." Cole explained. The sisters took this under consideration and seemed to accept it. They either didn't want to deal with it or they figured out that this world is different from theirs.

"Cole! When can you take me to Mel!" a familiar voice said in the other room. A girl with long blonde hair and pale skin entered the room, Billie. "Oh my goodness. Melinda you're okay!" she said running over and hugging me. I didn't hug back, I rarely ever did. "Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?" I pondered.

Billie had a scared look on her face and I could tell that she is hiding something from me. "There's something you need to see." She said. Cole came up behind us and shimmered us to the Underground, a place that used to be a safe haven. I saw burning and smelled a horrible smell. The smell of burning copper, blood. This was way too much than I needed. I realized why Cole looked so beat up. He'd been in this fight. He tried to help. "How many?" I asked. "20" Billie responded, regret clear in her voice.

I knew who'd done this. The one person that could have followed me here. Wyatt. I heard a groan off to the side and ran. When I got there I saw Lily. Her blonde hair was in a side braid that was coming loose, her body was badly burnt. I kneeled down to heal her and my hands started glowing. Lily stopped me. "Melinda, it's not going to work." She said, her voice cracking. "Yes it will. It has to." I responded, she was my best friend and I wasn't going to lose her to my brother. "Melinda you know why it won't work. I'm dying." She said, and continued "Adam. There's something you need to know." She said with regret in her eyes. He was dead. Lily started coughing and sputtering, "Don't waste your breath." I told her. She started shaking and sputtering. It wasn't stopping and I just sat by and watched. I couldn't do anything to help. Then, she died on me. Her eyes were open staring straight through me.

I closed them and turned around. Cole, Billie, Phoebe, Paige, and Piper were all looking at me. "Who was she?" Piper asked. "Her name was Lily, she was my best friend." I said. My voice didn't crack, tears didn't swell up in my eyes, and I looked back. It is at these moments that I feel inhuman, like I'm some sort of emotionless monster. "I'm sorry." Was all that anybody said. "It's fine." I said, "Probably best that she passed. Doesn't have to live in this world anymore. Now let's go on a witch hunt." I finished. I was ready to find my brother and make him pay. To get back the little Melinda and then run away again.

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Hi guys. Wow, I've been wanting to publish this for a while. So, Melinda is back. Next, is when she'll actually take action. Will things go wrong? Please post your comments and predictions!

In this day, and in this hour I am to announce that the sequel is officially underway. The end chapters of this book will be up throughout this week I think. I have not decided on a release date for the sequel yet. Things that can affect this (1) how productive my imagination wants to be with this story (2) suspense (3) other stories that I may write. So, I guess I'll figure that out by the last chapter.

2 more chapters left!

Keep Calm and Read On!