Willow - Legend of the Dryads, Book 1

Chapter 5

It continued to rain throughout the whole of the night. It was well past midnight as Jayne lay on her back above her covers and stared at her bland ceiling. For the first time since she'd discovered what she really was, Jayne cursed being a Willow. It had been both the best and worst thing that had ever happened to her.

A variety of emotions swirled around inside Jayne's mind, some skipping, some stomping, and some flitting around aimlessly, unsure of where to be or what to do.

Dreams floated in and out of Jayne's disrupted sleep, some disturbing enough to wake her. Rain rattled. Wind howled. Thunder boomed loud and strong. The storm outside matched the storm that was continuing to grow inside Jayne's head. She tossed and turned, her feet getting severely tangled in the bed sheets. She panted, she sweated, her heart raced and her breathing was deep. A mess. That was what her life was. An assorted mishmash of unfiled doings and misdoings, like a cable, which, if left in the storage cupboard for too long, somehow manages to entangle itself in way which makes it almost impossible to restore to its original shape.

Jayne peeled her eyelids open. It was quiet outside, and still insanely early. Far too early to be getting ready for school. Actually, she should have been getting back to sleep, but to Jayne, the idea of sleeping right then seemed ridiculous.

All the malicious greys and blacks of the storm had dissolved into the more serene, pastel colours of spring. The soft blue of the sky complimented the gentle greenery which was sprayed with the delicate pinks and creams of blossoms and various other plants. A few birds twittered joyfully to celebrate the end of the torrential downpour and the scent of the fresh, damp air drifted into Jayne's bedroom.

Finally, Jayne's heart began to relax, cushioning itself into a more comfortable position, and for a few moments, she found herself enjoying her new-found peace.

A strange restlessness flooded into Jayne's body. She had the spontaneous urge to get up and do something. Anything, anywhere, so long as it kept her mind away from Fabien.

Once she'd dressed herself in her uniform, Jayne swooped down the stairs and let herself out the front door, out into the familiar, open air. Closing her eyes, Jayne let in a deep breath of sweetness, cleansing her mind of every unpleasant thought that had been dwelling there.

She subconsciously set off down the path. She did not know where she was going, nor did she need to; after living there for fifteen years, she knew the friendly island of Île des Abres like the back of her hand.

Each shadow stretched out to nearly three times the length of its respective object in the fresh morning sun and the sounds of the chirping birds, grasshoppers and crickets teased Jayne's ears.

No matter how hard she tried though, she could not quite get rid of the tight knot that was pulling at her insides as she ambled along the path. It was a nagging discomfort, ensuring its presence did not go unnoticed.

Jayne came to a stop in front of a small congregation of trees. They weren't very tall, and the subtle glow of the orange sun burst through the leaves, creating the most beautiful picture. The knot finally began to loosen itself at the breath-taking view as Jayne began to tread through the soft ferns towards it.

The forest seemed familiar. The route she was taking - Jayne's feet seemed to be leading her on without her even having to think about it. The firm, crisp sound the ferns made as she waded through - it was all too familiar for her to disregard.

It was the forest in which she had bumped into Fabien. The forest that was supposed to be full of Dryads to keep the Willows far away, not lure them in, but her subconscious mind had lead her here nevertheless.