Bewiched

Chapter 23: Owen

“I can't believe it!” Daphne fumed as they walked through town. “She can't even remember she helped us!” Asha and Sylvia both stifled a laugh. However, Daphne wasn't fooled. “What are you laughing about?!?”

“Nothing,” Asha said. “Just something really funny.”

“Mind if you let us in on the joke?!?”

“Don't think I will..... You see, it's much funnier this way.”

“WHY YOU!!!”

Asha awoke in their small hotel room the next day. She stretched, then looked around the room. Almost everything was the color green, from the curtains to the bedcovers. The whole hotel seemed to be made out of bamboo, though it was still quite sturdy. Everyone else was asleep, as it was just breaking dawn, but Asha got up anyway. She left the room quietly and left the hotel.

“Whatcha doin'?” a boy's voice said behind her.

“Ah!” Asha yelled, surprised. She turned around. The boy looked about 14 or 15, with brown eyes, dark brown hair, and a smile on his face. He was two inches taller than Asha, so when she replied, she had to look up at him.

“Sorry, didn't mean to scare you,” the boy said. “It's just, well, the dark nights enforce a curfew around here. If they catch you, you'll be in big trouble.”

“Why aren't you inside then?” Asha asked.

“I uh, just like to go into the hills at this time of day. Watch everything wake up.” He paused. “Anyway, I'm Owen.”

“I'm Asha.” she felt herself blush a little.

“So,” Owen shifted uncomfortably. Then his eyes widened. “Get in!” He pushed Asha into the hotel again and ducked in himself. Asha felt the air get colder outside.

“That wasn't a-?” Asha started.

“It was,” Owen said. “They've controlled this town for two years now.” He looked out the door. “It's gone.” He said and slipped out the door. Asha followed him and felt the air turn warm again. She shivered from the sudden change in heat.

“Why'd you call the dark night an 'it'?” Asha asked.

“They're not quite human.” his answer was simple, but it left Asha feeling more confused than before as they walked down a long path through the hills.

“They're not? How do you know?”

“The cold they bring....no human could keep that up. They'd die from exhaustion. Not even the most powerful human could keep that up. Nah, they're monsters.” they were silent for a while.

“How can you be sure they're monsters?” Asha asked.

“I'm a Myth magic user, aren't I?” He stopped and sat down on a rock on top of a hill. Asha sat down beside him. They watched a large, green dragon get up from a hill next to them and fly fast over them, chasing a bird playfully across the red morning sky.

“Where were you?” Daphne cried as Asha walked through the door an hour later. “We were worried sick!”

“More like just you.” Aris said, and Daphne glared at her like she always did. “I told you she'd be back soon.”

I was worried, Asha. Sylvia said. You should have told me where you were going.

You were still fast asleep, Asha told her, And I didn't want to wake you up.

You still could've.

Ah, don't lecture me on what I can and cannot do.

We heard that the Dark Nights enforced a curfew around here, Sylvia went on, You could have been caught.