The Forgotten (Saviors #1) (#Wattys2016)

6 - Aeryn

Picture: Nat

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My eyes fluttered open to a familiar place, yet one I had never recalled seeing before. Why wasn't I in the forest? Where was I?

Looking around I recognized I was in a lush green meadow, filled with more varieties of flowers than I could count, all shining brightly under the hot rays of the sun. It warmed me as I laid in the tall grasses, the sounds of laughing and cheeriness continuing behind me. I looked up to see a beautiful tall woman with long, curly blond hair running around and chasing two little girls that giggled so loud it made me smile.

Another little blond girl that looked like the younger sister sat in the grass, picking up the flowers and putting them to her nose, smelling the sweet fragrance that wafted from them. Her face was one that seemed incredibly familiar. It was almost as if I knew her, but at the same time I didn't. Then all of a sudden a shadow came over her and scooped her up, throwing her high in the air. She squealed so excitedly I somewhat wished I was the one catching her as she came back down. She smiled widely at the strong man cuddling her in his arms while singing something to her that made her wriggle happily.

But her giggling stopped when a cloud pulled over the sky, causing darkness to overwhelm the valley. The man loosened his grip on the girl making her tighten her grip on his arms. That's when it came.

Huge balls of hail the sizes of watermelons came crashing from the sky. What seemed peaceful and happy became something that definitely wasn't in the blink of an eye. The man ran with the little girl in his arms the opposite way from the women and the crying children, as fast as he could with the little girl squealing in agony "Momma, Momma!" The mother picked up her children swiftly, running at a slow pace trying to catch up with the man who was now long gone.

Unfortunately she fell, dropping her children and laying still as they ran over shaking their mother. I'm not sure if they could see or were just ignoring the huge hail ball that lay broken in half on her head. I tried to get up, to run over and help but my feet did not want to move. They were somehow glued to the ground. I just stood there as the tears streamed down my face as I watched the children shake their mother rapidly, screaming and screaming and screaming. How could the man just leave her?

Just then two shadows came over, picking up the children and practically dragging them away. "NOO!" I screamed "DON'T LEAVE HER!" I pushed with all my strength to get out of the grip that held me to the ground. 'I have to save them' I thought as my muscles strained against me telling me to stay, to just wait a couple more seconds and then it would all be over. 'No' I told myself 'I can't!' But my brain told me to look, to just give in, so I did.

What I saw I couldn't believe, never in a million years. Nat was staring into my eyes, holding the girl that put up the biggest tantrum. The girl hit her and bit her as her wet, golden locks bounced around Nat's face. I stared at Nat with what was probably the most quizzical face I had ever shown which caused hers to soften as if she could actually see me. What was going on? Then as if I had been clubbed, everything went black.

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I opened my eyes to see I was still in bed, wrapped up in sweaty sheets that stuck to me everywhere. I quickly sat up looking at my familiar bedroom surrounding: wood dresser, bookcase, desk, mirror, side tables. I had to register that my memory was true, which it was.

'Just a dream' I told myself 'Just a dream'. I got up from my bed slowly and quietly sneaking out the door to the kitchen, skipping every squeaky floor board I could remember. I pulled oped the fridge and brought out the container of water, pouring it into a big glass. I picked it up and gulped every last bit of it, enjoying the cold feeling it left as it traveled down my parched throat. I put the empty glass down enjoying my moment of alone time to think.

It was Nat, it definitely was her. Every feature was as visible as seeing her in real life. No doubt about that. But who was the strange woman with her? I had never, ever seen her before. And that child Nat held, the who couldn't control herself.... That's when it all clicked.

It was me. The child was me. Only I would give tantrums like that. That must've been my mother, and that man, possibly my father? But what husband would leave his wife, and his other children? Those other girls must have been related to me. Cousins, maybe even my sisters? Why had Nat never told me this? The thought hit me like a bullet. The man had left us, he had left us all to die. I felt the tear sneak down my cheek.

After all these years thinking they were dead, my family might still be alive. But I told myself I had no business with the man. That woman who could've been my mother died because of him. Or did she? I had no idea if she was or not because I hadn't seen the rest. He wasn't my responsibility, but I knew in my gut those other girls from the memory were. I had a family out there, maybe those that were just like me. Those with abilities.

What if they were hurt, or even starving to death? I shook the terrible thought out of my head and focused on the bigger problem. 'Whatever happens, I have to find them' I thought. 'And I have to do it now.'