Children Of The Solstice & Equinox [ Wattys 2016 ]

Chapter Five • Jack

The windows rattled, only slightly muffled by the snow that covered them. Kai let out a yelp and took cover beneath the nearest desk, crouching in a curled up position. I looked down to realize I was holding Fawn to my chest, keeping a protective arm over her head. I hadn't even realized I had grabbed her out of instinct. Simon stood in the doorway, bracing himself with the doorknob.

We all stayed silent and still for a couple moments, until the shaking of the room slowly ceased. As soon as Fawn came to her senses and realized that the quaking had stopped, she scooted away from me, her gaze remaining on her lap.

"What happened? Was it an earthquake?" Simon asked no one in particular.

Before any of us could answer, someone else spoke.

"Not an earthquake, magic."

The four of us turned in surprise, the voice was unknown, but not for long.

Sitting in one of the arm chairs was a woman. Her hair was a golden blonde color, put into two loose braids over her shoulders. Her eyes were a spectrum of colors, a rainbow laid in her irises. But that wasn't even the strangest part. She wore a strapless dress made of a silky dark blue material at the top, but slowly melted to a lighter shade and then into a purple, then pale pink, then orange, then red, as if her clothes were made of the sunset itself.

"Who are you?" Kai was the first to ask, sitting sprawled out on the floor by the desk she had been hiding under.

"I am Mother Nature Superior," her voice was as smooth and sweet as honey, it was almost relaxing to just hear her speak. "And I am here to retrieve the Four Children of Legend. Is that you four?"

We all remained silent. Four children of legend? What legend?

"I'm afraid we don't know what you're talking about..,' Fawn stated from across the couch, her face still a ghostly white. "...Miss." She added awkwardly at the end.

The women looked stunned for a moment, as if we were supposed to know all the answers. "Oh yes. I completely forgot, you do not know of your power." Even with her sweet voice, she had a very definite aura of authority.

None of us knew how to react. What power was she talking about? We were just four teenagers.

"Let me start from the beginning," the woman's multi-hue eyes scanned the room and landed on Simon, who was cowering by the door still. "You are the oldest of the four of you, correct?" She asked, but it appeared she already knew the answer.

"Yes." Simon squeaked, not looking up from his hands, which were apparently very interesting at the moment.

"Born March 21st, 1999?" She asked and I almost choked.

Simon looked even more astounded. "How did you-"

He was cut off as she continued. "That was the Spring Equinox of 1999," she turned from Simon and then to Kai. "June 21st." She stated and then I noticed the slightest of smirks on her face as she watched Kai's expression.

Then Fawn. "September 23rd."

Then finally, me. "Now you, your birthday is today." It wasn't a question. "December 22nd."

This woman had left us all shocked, but slightly amazed.

"Have any of you ever experienced something impossible? Ever made it a snow day, just because you wished it?" The question was directed at me. "Ever gotten so mad that you blew all the leaves off a tree? Have you ever boiled water at the touch? Made a flower grow just because you wanted to give one to a pretty girl?"

None of us responded, but obviously, she had been on point somehow. "All of you were born on the Solstices and Equinoxes of a season. You are the children of the season, and it is your time to be."

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A/N: Sorry for the relatively short chapter, the next one should be longer. By the way, in this world, all the solstices and equinoxes are on the same day every year, just for the sake of the story.

Lots of love,

Jlaicecream