Supernatural

VII

"Merida? Are you alright?" Elinor asked worriedly to her daughter.

Merida's eyes were fixed downcast on her breakfast. MK's message circled repeatedly around her head. She was really one of them. It was clear that from here on out her life wasn't going to be the same.

She hummed in response.

"Merida, you know you can tell us anything." Fergus added gently.

She hesitated but stood up leaving her breakfast on the table; something unheard of in the DunBroch household. "I'm not hungry," she mumbled before rushing to the stairs and grabbing the banister.

"Merida!" Her mother yelled. "Get back here!"

But she continued up the stairs and to her room with the slam of a door.

"Hormones," Erica confirmed after a moment's silence. "I'll go check on her."

Merida was lying face down on her bed when Erica entered her room.

"Go away Aunt." Merida's voice was muffled by the pillow she'd planted her face into.

"How did you know I was here Merida?" Erica perched on the edge of the bed as she quizzed the mop of red curls hiding her niece's face.

"I don't know," she came away from the pillow as she turned to lie on her back. "I just... knew."

Erica nodded in understanding. "Merida." She said firmly. "You can tell me anything."

"But I can't!" Merida's voice came out in an exasperated groan. "I'm just confused."

"I know how you feel Merida," Erica said softly as not to scare the confused child before her. "I experienced the same when I was your age."

"What? Hormones? I'm pretty sure everyone goes through them."

"No Merida. Not hormones."

Merida's eyes lowered from the ceiling to her Aunt's face. "How do I know I can trust you."

"It should be instinct. Why else would you have not told your parents but consider telling me?"

She had a point. Merida's head pounded with the pros and cons of blabbing her feelings to her Aunt. What if she was really hunting Supernaturals and would turn me in as soon as she knew? Maybe she was one too. Maybe she was just looking for an excuse to kill me. But her gut instinct told her to trust her wiry haired Aunt.

"You know Dr Bomba?" she let out, deciding it wasn't too bad to tell her Aunt the truth- it'd be good to get it off her chest.

"Who? The geneticist? Yes, I believe I know of him." Erica answered calmly.

Merida nodded. "His daughter, MK Bomba, had a best friend who found out she was a Supernatural just a few days ago- they took her almost immediately." A tear threatened to spill as she remembered how Mavis acted when she had met them at the café. "MK gave me this book." her hand found its way to the back to her headboard and pulled out the familiar hardback cover and gave it to her Aunt's awaiting hands.

"Ah. The book of Supernaturals." Erica nodded.

"Yes. After Mav- MK's friend was taken she took extra precaution over me and took a blood sample." She paused and took a breath. "She tested it and told me the results last night... I- she said I was one of them, a Supernatural... A witch."

Erica nodded slowly with an unreadable expression on her face that made Merida's insides turn. A smile broke out onto the woman's wrinkled face. "Like I said, I went through the same when I was your age."

"You mean you're...?" Merida's face lit up.

"A witch?" Erica lifted her hand and clicked her fingers, opening the Supernatural book to the page of witches. "I guess I am."

Merida's eyes widened in amazement. "So you can help me?"

Erica's head nodded at a slow pace. "But promise me to not tell your father about your power- or your mother for that matter- I saw him, in my dreams, he was hunting them- us. Keep your secret hidden." She received a short nod from her niece before reading along the lines of the book and carrying on. "Right so. Have you experienced futuristic dreams? Do you feel like you have a sixth sense? When you're emotional do you feel an unknown element overwhelm your body? Are you often daydreaming?" She looked up at Merida's concentrating face, awaiting a reply.

"Yes, yes, no and sometimes." She replied with her eyes fixed on the ceiling.

"There's no doubting your friend's blood sampling analysed 100% correctly." She snapped her fingers once more making the book slam shut. "You leave tonight."

"What?"

"You're leaving tonight." Erica said firmly. "It's no longer safe for you here with your father's future. Pack your things. Get out of here, 9 tonight, I'll cover you. Your ride will be waiting 2 blocks away at the third alley. By that pizza place to be simpler. You have your driver's licence right?"

Before Merida could reply she got up and strode out of the room. Her head peered round the door frame. "How did your friend tell you?"

"Text." She saw the look of dread full her Aunt's eyes. "Using our secret code."

Erica relaxed. "Phew. Tell her you're leaving, using the code of course, and prevent contacting her; it'll make you look suspicious."

Her head disappeared from the doorframe and down the corridor. Merida heard a clap before her door slammed shut.

Leave? Tonight? It had to be done. For everyone's sake.

A/n And here is where it starts getting more interesting. What did you think? You probably worked this one out ages ago but who is her Aunt?

And thank you all so much for 100+ followers. You're all amazing.

Any suggestions welcome.

Thanks again for supporting this story.

~cmstevens13