The Arcoiris Effect

Chapter 2: Welcome to Domum

Cold.

Wet.

Frigid.

Damp.

Miserable adjectives.

That was what I felt.

Then I remembered.
The bathroom. I must have vomited and passed out on the floor. Someone had probably poured water on me as a joke afterwards. My cheek twitched as I felt a gentle spray fall on my face.

Forcing my eyes open, I saw stars. Not figuratively. An actual night sky with thousands and thousands of stars.

Holy shiz-balls where am I!???

I sat straight up and cringed as the pulsing headache returned. Holding my head I took a few deep breaths until it subsided. I ran my hands down my face and through my hair.

What the...

My fingers got caught in a ponytail. I started patting my head frantically. Yep. My hair was tied back at the nape of my neck. When did it get so long?

I took a deep breath and released it. Glancing around I saw I was on the edge of a forest. Tall trees fell away to a rocky beach. To my left was either a large lake or the ocean. Periodic waves splashed onto the rocky shores, sending a spray of water onto me. The ground was cold and rough against my bare skin. Water pooled in crevices on the stony earth.

"Okay, where the hell am I?" I asked aloud.

This is probably just a dream.

I told myself. But it felt a little too real. I tried to stand but a heavy weight dragged behind and I flopped back down. Hissing a curse I turned and felt my back. My fingers poked at a soft damp material and I froze. The fabric twitched. I turned to look and saw two large masses resting in the puddles behind me. Following them all the way back to my back I saw they merged with my skin just between my shoulder blades. They twitched again. So I did the most logical thing.

I panicked.

Screaming at the top of my lungs I lunged forward and tried to scramble to my feet. Tripping on the stony ground I stumbled forward and stopped my fall with my arms. A whoosh sounded from behind me as i lurched forward and I saw my reflection on a pool of water on the ground.

Two large butterfly wings extended behind me, slowly opening and closing. As my mind reeled for a logical explanation I just stared. In the dark it was hard to see them clearly. But I could see the large shimmering shapes drawing in the moonlight and almost seeming to sparkle in the moonlight. The tops were curled over from the weight of the water. I shifted back and forth and saw the wings move with me. They were mine. They were attached to me. As I sat there and stared, I noticed more had changed. Not only was my hair longer, I was shoeless and shirtless, my ears were like those of an elf.

"Maybe not an elf ." I said as I reached up and felt the new shape. Soft as velvet and a deep mahogany colour fading into the chocolate tone of my skin near the base. It was not pointy but rather drooping and rounded. Like a goat.

Wait.

I have goat ears.

You also have wings but you're panicking over the goat ears?
Reason didn't always come to me naturally.

A glint caught my attention and I glanced down. A pendant swung back and forth around my neck. My heart started beating faster as I remembered everything.

The bathroom.

The burning.

The pendant.

The girl.