iii | Dark Imaginings

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© Stephanie Anne and Dee Atkins

                  Chapter Three

       Stepping through the barrier that protected my world was a lot like stepping through my own skin, or through water. It felt as if my soul was being separated from my body and I longed for it to come back to me. It almost felt impossible to do so, to feel myself get pulled away from the life I had always known inside the wards and suddenly get pushed into this unknown world where danger lurked behind faces of those who looked like my own people.

       My ears popped when I felt my body break through the barrier and my knees buckled underneath me. I let myself fall to the ground, not bothering to hold myself up. The first thing I felt beneath my fingers was the soft soil, squishing it between my fingers. I inhaled the earthy scent of it, opening up to my senses, letting them overflow.

       I could feel the energy of the forest open up and surround me; the whisper of the wind calling for me, the rushing of a nearby creek and the rustling of the leaves in the tree tops above. Distantly I could hear the chirps of early morning birds, could feel the heat of the rising sun as it began its ascent into the sky, warming away the chill the spring morning sent out.

       When I was finally able to gain my bearings, I stood, grasping the straps of my newly acclaimed bag. The feeling of the material was foreign to me still, but exciting, and I thought, I’m free. But it wouldn’t – shouldn’t – last long. The mission placed upon me was to find the weapon and bring it back to safety. I was kept in the dark about the possible danger I would be in. I wasn’t like Kali, I could be reckless and crude and I could ruin this whole thing within only seconds.

       On the other hand, you could always run, a dark voice in my head whispered, which I chose to ignore as I scanned the forestry around me, taking in every last detail of my surroundings. I pulled out the map the Commander had given me, knowing where I was exactly. The spot in which I would exit the boundaries was marked clearly, and from then on a trail in which I should take had been highlighted, the path clear from then on.

       So according to the map I had to make my way downstream until I reached the edge of the forest and then make my way into town. I should’ve then been able to locate the Ridgeway Inn. I folded the map back up, shoving it into the bag and took a deep breath before setting off, following the sound of the rushing stream. From there, I was able to find the hiking track that supposedly went back into town.

       Sighing, I hitched the heavy bag higher up on my shoulder and proceeded to cross the creek with care, stepping lightly on the moss covered rocks and trying my balance before moving on. The hiking boots Commander Jeremias had provided me with gripped the uneven surfaces well, while the shorts that rose up and the shirt that was uncomfortably tight seemed to make this walk almost unbearable.

       Come on Val, you’re almost there. Buy some clothes in town then get down to work. I nodded to myself, stumbling unconsciously on a risen tree root, my hand shooting out to, this time, hold me up.

       Intricate markings were etched into the bark of the old tree, my fingers splayed across them. “What…?” I knelt down to examine them, then shot to my feet when I realised they were a Ceaelie warning. I felt my heartbeat grow steady, and for a moment I stood there, gazing at the old language, frowning.

       Then I turned, and continued down the trail.

       The town of Blowing Rock, North Carolina was small yet had many people milling around this early in the morning. Most seemed to be complimenting the town’s name, Blowing Rock, and talking about how they would visit the blowing rock. The humans here were humming with energy and life and danger.

Ellasyna [Ceaelie #1] | completedWhere stories live. Discover now