Oran-Roy

Chapter 2 - The Morrigan Book

"Brianna! For God's sake would you hurry up! Michael and Charlotte are going to be arriving any minute! The table needs to be sorted and drinks need to be ready for serving!"

Mam was in one of those navy seal moods. I had strictly told her not to make an incredible fuss over this birthday party. All I requested was for my family and close friends to attend. Let's see, that made six people, including myself, and Mam was treating this occasion as if it were my wedding reception!

"Mam, calm down! I am in my bedroom getting changed, unless you would like me to entertain our guests in incredibly baggy trousers and my painting shirt!" Not that Charlotte and Michael would mind. They were pretty much family, anyway. What was the point in wearing a brand new pair of killer heel shoes and an expensive dress that would most probably find a permanent residence in the deepest darkest facets of my wardrobe?

"Okay, okay, Brianna, just make it snappy please." After yesterday's ordeal, Mam just wanted to make me happy. I understood that and I loved her for it, but I believed her preparatory efforts for the party ran deeper than simply making me content. I had a suspicion that she was still worried about what occurred yesterday, following my English class. Occupying herself with multiple tasks for the party was taking her mind off considering the worst possible outcomes. Questioning my mother's thoughts made me contemplate my own.

"Is there an underlying condition I have that caused this reaction in my body? Did Mrs Smith really hear my thoughts or did she decide to act out of hatred towards me?"

I knew Charlotte would be analysing my reaction in class and waiting for the right moment to address it with me. The more I thought about it, the difficulty in finding an answer seemed to intensify.

Ding Dong.

"Brianna! Get the door, please." Boy, Mam's voice could carry!

"I'm on it, Mam!" After placing my last and very constricting skyscraper sized high-heeled shoe on, I took great care down the stairs and made a graceful dart for the door. First to arrive was Michael.

Michael was old and fragile in body, but certainly not in spirit. Despite his age, Michael's head held copious amounts of thick, savage white hair. He was not a large man, although hearing his deep and melodious voice from another room would have convinced you otherwise. Like me, Michael had two different coloured eyes. His right eye was brown and his left eye green. 

Michael had told me that his left eye had changed colour after the accident. Sadly, he lost his son, daughter and wife in a car crash and had lived alone ever since. Ethan and I were never fortunate enough to meet our grandparents, we consider Michael as the grandparent we never had. Living down the road from Michael had its perks. Ethan, Charlotte and I would often stop at his house following school and indulge in his famous shortbread biscuits, accompanied by a cup of tea.

"Brianna, my dear! Happy, happy birthday," Michael bellowed in his usual enthusiastic manner. Before I had the chance to say hello myself, Michael placed a large and heavy cardboard package in my arms. "The old bookshop in town near the pub is closing. So, I had a decent rummage through the fantasy section and thought you would appreciate these." Michael signalled for me to open the box. Inside, there must have been at least twenty or more novels. My heart skipped a beat.

"Michael, this is fantastic! Thank you! Thank you so much! I can't wait to start them!" I gave him a warm hug.

Michael then held my hand and spun me around. "Look at you! You look beautiful my dear, just beautiful!"

"Well, I'm glad the final product you are seeing doesn't give away the discomfort I am feeling."

"Hush, hush, ya Mam will hear ya. Where is she anyway? Working away over that hot stove, no doubt."