The Woods

Part 12

    Astraea and Quinn had argued over who slept on the floor until they just laid Bri on the bed under some covers and lay on the ground together. However, after a while, neither one could fall asleep. Quintin was the first one to speak.

"What's your story, Astraea?" He asked the question mostly for himself, but was glad when Astraea answered.

"When I was born, the woman who helped my mother give birth noticed something was wrong, but didn't mention it to my parents. Over the years, they began to realize it too. I was exceling beyond the eldest child in Education, and strange things happened every once in a while."

"Like what?"

"Well, once I got in an argument with my father about me still going to Education. I remember everything said that day. I was nine. He wanted me to go because if I quit with high marks and no other reason to leave, I- I would look strange in the community's eyes. When we were at the height of our argument, a deadly storm started. He had to get the animals to shelter. Then- Then he died in the collapsing barn. When I saw this, the storm lightened and only a small drizzle fell. My mother wasn't home when this happened, and when the storm passed, and she returned, I asked how she had fared, and, well, she said there had been no storm." She stopped. "When I told her about father, and explained the storm... She was furious. For the first time- For the first time, she called me a witch. As soon as the words passed through her lips, she knew it was true." Quintin didn't say anything, then finally;

"What caused you to run, though?" Astraea turned to him so that they could just barely see each other's eyes in the darkness.

"She tried to do stuff to me. She invited people over who stood before me and said strange words. They threw water on me and yelled. I know now that she was trying excercisms on me, but what I have- I am no ghost. When she realized that those weren't working, she tried to hand me over to the king. She tried to hang me, drown me. Anything to kill me."

"But you stayed with her through it all?"

"Yes, she was my mother. But then she got too severe with her tricks. She hired a boy I knew from Education to kill me.... I woke up to him holding a knife over my chest. He panicked. He didn't think I would wake, so he pulled the knife down."

"But you're still alive..."

"Yes, I am. Because at that moment, something I hadn't experienced before or ever since then happened. I barely remember it myself. But, from what I remember, a white glowing came from where the knife made contact with my skin. It grew large. Very large. It was so bright too..." It seemed as though Astraea was no longer talking to Quintin. "When it finally faded, the boy was dead. But he just looked like he was sleeping. He held a piece of paper. It was a check. From my mother. I knew then that things had gone too far, and I left, terrified of what she might try next. It's been seven years from then, but it feels like yesterday." When she finished, she let out a breath and looked at him again, a smirk on her face.

"So, who's Lucia?" Quintin groaned.

"No one."

"Aw, come on. Who is she?"

"I said, no one!" Astraea smiled again.

"We'll see about that." Quintin had only a second to worry before he was assaulted by fingers that found his week spots and tickled. He laughed, curling every which way until he finally told her that they shouldn't wake Bri. She stopped, but her playful eyes were still there. "I'm willing to take that risk."

"Fine, fine!" He guarded his weakest points. "I liked her."

"Oooooooo! Past tense! Things have changed?"

"Yeah, yeah. I guess. She said no, anyway. I guess I'm just too poor for her taste." Astraea frowned.

"That should have nothing to do with it! Whoever you end up with shouldn't like or dislike you for your status." Then she added on "Or your past." They didn't speak again, and it was easier to fall asleep knowing that you could trust the person next to you. And finally, Quintin could say that he did.

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