The Fragmented Luna

Into The Forest: Part 2

It was hard for me to understand but somehow I felt Ian before I saw him. When I looked up I wasn't surprised to find him heading this way. He looked like he would be ready to attack anything that stood in his path at a moment's notice. His anger was so intense that I stopped in my tracks to stare at his massive form hurling across the school parking lot.

"Where did you go. I felt you but then you were gone", Ian said as he pulled Valerie into him tightly. As soon as Valerie was safe in his arms he released a sigh of relief. Ian looked off into the distance with something dark lingering in that gaze. As he patted his sisters hair lovingly Ian turned that incredibly dark gaze towards me. "What did you do to Valerie", Ian demanded as he moved in front of her protectively.

"Ian, stop being foolish", Valerie said as she pushed the beast of her brother away from me. Valerie came over to my side to support my wobbly frame that was still feeling the after effects of whatever had happened back there. "She is injured you butt head. Can't you see she saved my life. It was the work of magic", she uttered to her brother as she stood defensively by my side. Ian lowered his defensive stance to return to his usual softhearted expression.

"I am sorry Rowen", Ian said as he looked into my eyes with an apologetic smile. "Mom was worried when you didn't come home right away. She said that I need to bring you both home as soon as possible. But then I couldn't feel you anymore", Ian remarked in a somber tone. I could see the terror that stayed within Ian's eyes as he tried to smile at Valerie brightly.

"It's going to be alright Ian", Valerie said as she brought her hand to Ian's face. "I'm not going to disappear like that ever again. I would explain more but I just want to rest", Valerie said. I wasn't the only one who felt the effects of whatever creature had almost captured us back there. Her skin looked so pale as the moonlight shone on her small frame.

"We will talk more tomorrow morning. I'm just grateful nothing happened to either of you" Ian said in a slightly less worried tone. "Rowen when we get back you have to talk with Nixon. He is at home tearing apart the furniture in the den", Ian said as he turned towards me.

I knew better than to argue with someone who looked that angry. Instead I simply nodded my head willing to try to help Nixon. It made sense that I should be in charge of stopping Nixon. Heck, I was the reason that Nixon was so angry that he was destroying Valerie's home in the first place.

"Rowen understands that Nixon needs her. I have explained that she needs to tell him the truth", Valerie said. "You have to relax before it destroys you", Valerie warned her brother in a worried tone.

"You don't understand sis. I already lost Skylar, I can't bare the thought of losing you too", Ian stated in a fearful tone. As Ian spoke of Skylar I felt his grief as it nearly took my breath away. I knew the pain of losing a loved one all too well to not notice Ian's feelings towards Skylar. It made my heart bleed knowing he had to experience that kind of all consuming pain himself.

"I am not made of glass I will do what I want. In fact, tomorrow Rowen and I are leaving to go to the forest", , Valerie said as she stared down her brother defiantly. I could feel the tension boiling over from Ian's overwhelming anger.

"You will not. It is not your journey to make. Let Rowen go alone", Ian said struggling to contain the animal within him. Ian held contempt as he stared into my eyes with his fiery gaze. I cowered in fear by the power his voice held over my weak state.

"I will not. We will leave in the morning", Valerie said as she turned away from her brother. Ian turned to Valerie looking defeated as he held his head in his hand.  "It is time", Valerie said darkly.

"Mom and Dad will insist you guys take someone with you", Ian said bitterly. "Surely you must know that you cant do this all alone", Ian stated as he towered over his sister angrily. Valerie nodded her head solemnly as the pair had a silent conversation with each other.

"Nixon and you will come with us. In the morning we can discuss it further. Right now we must tend to Rowen and Nixon", Valerie stated in an assured tone. As soon as Valerie commanded something to happen, she followed through to make sure it happened according to plan. "Rowen, You have to help Nixon right now. Tell him what you told me and he will understand", Valerie said. I recalled the conversation we had in the school moments ago.

"If it must be done then I will tell him", I said weakly. Ian opened the doors to his car so that all of could head home together. I was dizzy so, I leaned on Ian for support, Ian ushered me into the front passenger side seat. Valerie followed suit but took her seat in the back of the car with a deep look in her eyes. I had something to ask her but it would have to wait until another time we were alone.

"Ian I need to eat something before I pass out", I told him honestly. Ian left me in the passenger seat as he opened the trunk of his car to search for something. In the meantime I leaned my head against the dashboard to regain balance.

"Here it is", Ian said. Ian returned with the granola bar looking triumphant until he noticed my demeanor. "Eat this quickly. You will need your strength before you face Nixon. He is lost without you", Ian said with a grimace. I took the granola bar and shoved it down my throat as fast as I could. I was so drained of energy I was surprised that I was still able to function. Ian put the car into ignition taking off into the darkness of the night. No one said a word the entire journey because we were all too occupied with our own situations.

It took roughly fifteen minutes before we pulled up to the mansion like house that everyone seemed to live in now. I stepped out of the car feeling something pulling me towards an unknown destination. At the front of the steps to the mansion house Ember was waiting for us with a mirthless expression on her face. It was weird seeing Ember look so foreboding since she always had a smug grin on her face. The pull that I felt towards this unknown location had me running up the stairs.

"Rowen", Ember said as she blocked my path with a sadness in her teary eyes. I wondered how long Ember had sat outside crying here before we arrived. "Nixon has already lost enough. I haven't seen Nixon like this not even after Skylar died. You better not hurt my cousin or I will hurt you", Ember said as she held my gaze. I nodded my head in response but I didn't feel steady as I made my way inside to face the wrath of Nixon Barros. I walked past Mr. and Mrs. Smith who both looked at me with equally frustrated glances.

"You must stop him Rowen", Mrs. Smith said pleadingly. "He is going to wake up the kids. It is a problem only you two can solve", Mrs. Smith continued as she shook her head sadly. I knew what I had to do but I still walked to the room with trepidation in each step. I head him before I even reached the dining room throwing things against the wall violently enough to make the walls shake. It felt like my heart was splitting in two as I came face to face with the only boy that ever mattered to me.

"Nixon", I spoke softly to this wild animal before me. Nixon didn't stop thrashing about the room like an animal ready to attack. Instead he ignored me lost in a completely different world that was filled with anger. If we were planning on leaving tomorrow afternoon with everyone prepared I needed to act fast. "Nixon" I yelled as the object that he threw hit me right in my left arm with extreme force. Nixon slowed down his pace stunned by my loud voice calling him back to reality. I knew the moment Nixon's eyes laid upon me that by his side was where I belonged all along.