Experimental Magic ✔

Raina

She was the girl just down the street. The girl with long, curly hair the color of roasted chestnuts that danced in the wind. The girl with perfectly curled eyelashes that accentuated her sparkling emerald green eyes and freckles sprinkled across her nose like cinnamon dusted on a frothy cappuccino. She was tender and kind and just barely sixteen. 

Apart from her beauty, she was really nothing special. She came from an average family with average magical abilities. Her presence was felt, but not demanding. Most of the time, she faded into the background. When she left the room, she was hardly missed. Eyes fell away from her as quickly as they were drawn. Her beautiful face disappeared from their memory as she slipped into quiet corners. No one knew her name or remembered what she looked like. She simply floated in and out like a summer breeze. 

She didn't mind going unnoticed. She didn't like attention and actually quite liked being a wallflower. She never did understand why being a wallflower was considered a bad thing. To her, there was nothing more beautiful to be compared to than a flower. 

 It was a bright and sunny afternoon without a cloud in the sky. Hummingbirds fluttered through the air, searching for a drink of sugary, sweet water.  She stepped out of her house to take a stroll in her garden. The fragrant smell of the lilac bushes filled her nose as the sun warmed her skin. The lush green grass felt like carpet against her bare feet. Her eyes gazed upon the plump, juicy red tomatoes and vibrant green cucumbers and a smile spread across her face. This, she thought to herself, this is heaven.

 Her finger tips tickled the tops of roses as she wandered between the rows of flowers. There was no particular rhyme or reason in the directions she took. She simply let her heart guide her without caring where she ended up. Her feet stopped at the fountain standing proudly in the middle of the garden. She crouched down and watched the tadpoles shimmy their way through the crystal, blue water. Her heart filled with joy and wonderment at the sight. Despite being a witch, she knew the real magic was in nature's beautiful simplicity. 

A giggle escaped her lips as she reached into the fountain and swirled her hand in the water absent-mindlessly. The movement of the water caused the tadpoles to quickly scatter in all different directions. Only one brave little tadpole stayed right where he was. As she looked down upon him, she felt an instant connection. A new life had been born, the cycle of life unfolding before her eyes.

"Hey little guy," she said as she leaned in to say hello.

He wagged his tail at the sound of her voice. With a smile, she cupped her hands around her new friend and drew him closer to her face. Her heart was warm with love as she watched him squirm around in her hands.

Then, without warning, she felt a strong grip on her shoulder. It spun her around violently, causing her to drop the tadpole on the ground. He writhed around, struggling to stay alive without water. Her eyes filled with shock and fear as she stared at what stood before her. 

With one quick motion, blinding white energy tore from her body and collected into a mysterious black bottle. Her throat restricted as she gasped for air. An unimaginable pain seared through her body as her soul separated in two. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head and her body slumped over the fountain. The deed was done. 

Her name was Raina Septon and no longer would she fade into the background. She was on the forefront of everyone's minds. Her face was splashed across every newspaper, the image of her lifeless body burned into memories like lightening scars. There wasn't a witch for 1,000 miles that didn't know her name. All because she had too much of what Meadow had too little. Light.