A sense of despondency hits me like a freight train as I feel as if I'm being hurtled back to Arston again, my body flying through space to get there.
Waking up with a start I study my surroundings, nigh has fallen whilst I was asleep.
I sigh, an emptiness I am all too familiar with clawing at my heart. If there was one thing I was able to do more than anything in the worlds right now it was completely understand what the parents in my dream were talking about. Death was one thing, not knowing what your loved one was doing or where they were was another. It was a different type of pain.
If you knew you had parents and they had passed away, sure you missed them like hell, but you'd know that that's what happened. However, if you were in my boat - The Great Unknown then you were forever wondering if you had a family, siblings, what they were like, why they deemed it necessary for putting you on another planet that doubled up as a prison for some of the most dangerous individuals, ever.
That's definitely a killer, alright.
Not for the first time in my life, was I sucked into that abyss again, The Great Unknown. Lost in the emptiness that while remained temporarily forgotten about sometimes was such a thing that would never go away completely. I knew from past experience that this descent was one which led to wallowing and lots of self pity and was currently too far gone to have the will power to get myself out again.
I lay down on the grass, lifeless, staring into the ever darker sky. I could feel the air getting colder and yet I couldn't care less, I laid there getting colder. As I relived all the moments I had yearned for a family I didn't have. How everyone seemed to be fitting in just fine and I was forever alone. I squeezed my eyes shut, against the torrent of emotions that just kept coming.
And then it happened, one moment I was laying in that garden feeling sorry for myself and the next I was in somewhere, neck deep in water, struggling to keep afloat, struggling to breathe. The water, steadily increasing, to the point where I was more than frantically kicking myself, arms flailing against this crazily rising water just for a small gulp of air. I could feel my feet being dragged down, my arms and legs burning from the exertion.
My body was giving up, I'm not entirely sure how long I was fighting against the water but it seemed like years. Too long. I knew that rest would await me after, if I just let go. I would be at peace.
Hakuna matata - I saw somewhere.
No worries for the rest of my days.
I saw a light, leading to an unknown destination, a bright white light. Blinding almost, piercing my eyes - hang on a second wasn't I drowning? What's going on?
I find myself waking up, in my room, it appears as I knew no other bed that felt as amazing as mine did. I try and fail at opening my eyes, seem like they don't want to cooperate. Next I try my hands, a small wave just to catch the attention of anybody around me.
Nope. Also not happening.
Thanks body, I knew I could rely on you.
"Hello?" I attempt to say, only I can just about say the 'H' and even then I sound like frog.
"Shh, it's okay, you need to rest." A voice that was not Jack said. Familiar, yet not Jack, which only served to make me wonder all the more why Jack was not here, because as needy as that sounds it was pretty rational when Jack was always here whenever something happened to me. The additional bonus was that I'd feel safe with him around too, I knew that he had my back.
And it also meant that something very bad must have happened for him to not have come to be here, or maybe I am just being needy and over-thinking everything. As in reality, his being in charge of breaking out of a prison that is supposedly unbreakable - which is what they say about all prisons I'm sure - and is thus very busy as a result? With these thoughts rambling through my head I drift off, only to feel someone place my hand in theirs.
Jack was here.
With the comfort of his presence I drift off back to sleep again, which was blissfully dreamless for once. Once awake I was energised, ready to face that Godforsaken prophecy again and attempt to crack whatever code to find it. With that in mind, I sit up on my bed and stretch, the kind of stretching you do when you're about to work out. Which leads me to wonder how long I've been passed out for.
I was currently alone in my room, which allowed me some privacy before facing the onslaught of questions, which let's face it, I had no answers to. I continue stretching, striking ballet poses all the way to the bathroom. For some reason I felt the dire need for some major exercise today, my muscles felt like mash potato.
I wanted to feel the soreness after a good workout, the ache whenever you moved in a certain position felt like exactly what the doctor ordered. And who knew, it might even help me clear my mind a little. After a quick body rinse, because wet hair when you're doing jumping jacks? No thanks, hair is annoying enough dry, let alone when it slaps you in the face in he middle of some yoga pose.
I change into my workout gear, leggings, tank top and trainers. The last thing on my mind right now is food, but I pick up some juice and water bottles to keep me going. In the werewolf wing they have a gym, so I head there, only stopping to let the Beta know that I was using it.
I start of with a small incline, at a slow pace, intending to build it up. The stereo was cranking out some song that I've never heard of before but it had a good beat so I kept it on. I tried to keep my mind as blank as possible and when you're trying not to think of anything, you end up thinking about everything. So instead, I imagined I was running on the beach with the sun shining down on me, a slight breeze keeping me cool, my headphones blocking everyone out.
I have no idea how long I'd been running for but when Jack found me I was pretty sweaty and was only just on the verge of getting tired. Despite this, I wanted more, I wanted to do some yoga and some dancing and some weight training, I felt like waking up my body from the inside out by ensuring that every muscle had a sore ache to it.
Jack however, had other plans. Plans that involved talking about how we were going to escape which in the grand scale of things, superseded my plans by eons. Reluctantly, I allow him to lead us out of the gym and into the Vampire chamber, which annoys me to no end as I'm sure he said I was allowed a quick shower and change. I didn't have to be told how bad my smell was I knew as soon as I came within a 50ft radius of them they'll be able to smell my stink.
The meeting was always switched up, so having it in the Vampires wing made me wonder how many I had missed out on. We were the first people there which added to my annoyance. I had the opportunity to have a shower! I narrow my eyes at Jack, whilst shuffling away from him, just because guys stink doesn't mean we should.
And Jack, being the weird man species that he is, only proceeds to laugh and pull me closer to him. I sigh, suddenly tired from everything that was going on, all the things that didn't add up, that pixie, the hex and the sudden drowning, why my dreams were getting really weird of late. What was happening to me?
Is this what insanity feels like?
A small cough brings me out of my reverie and I look up to see everyone's arrived, Jack brushes past me sending me a reassuring smile whilst he walks to the middle of the congregation that popped out of nowhere. I smile back as encouragingly as possible, letting him know that I'm okay and wanted him not to worry.
Oh, the many talents of a smile, who needs talking when you could just smile out whatever you wanted to say?
Brain.
Now is not the time to invent a new language.
Or ever really.
"I know we're made some progress over the last few days but as ever it's nowhere near enough to actually facilitate an escape of this magnitude. You've been doing a great job so far but I think it's time we stopped working in the shadows, we have six days left we don't have the time to dally. We have nothing to lose now."
I must have been out for longer than I thought, the lack of progress being made was sad, as even though I was making no progress I had assumed everyone else was doing well.
"Anna, now that you're awake I need you to show the techs around every inch of every wing, which you have the best knowledge off, then I want you to talk to Warren about yesterday and the spikes in magic usage."
"Yesterday night, three new ships came in and one left, we're not sure what they contain and why one left but we're attempting to hack into the guards mainframe to find out. Which is proving more difficult than normal, but we're trying a new tactic tomorrow." Damon states, gravely, running his hand through his hair. I can see the effect this is having on him and as I look around everyone is wearing similar expressions.
It was painfully obvious that everyone was fighting an uphill battle whist a tornado was raging in their midst. Granted, some of the people here weren't complete angels but we were still prisoners and had a right to do what we wanted in life and freedom. Be it join the army or not. For me, that didn't mean so much. The average life span of a human was next to nothing in comparison to that of a werewolf, vampire or demon for them it was one life sentence into another.
The meeting concluded, with nothing new to report, no progress being made and everyone's spirits low,I trudge out of there dismayed, Jack walking by my side in silence. I walk to my room while Jack goes wherever to sort it out his stuff. I shower and change into my sweats.
Should I wait for Jack? Is he going to come back?
Who knows, this was Jack we were talking about. Just as I'm contemplating going to sleep, Jack and Warren enter carrying food.
"You haven't eaten," Jack states handing me the food and sitting beside me.
"We noticed a spike of magic, round about the time you - well whatever happened to you, happened. It was a very large spike too, which shows that the events are both related. A very powerful person is doing this, that's the only explanation as it takes more than enough energy to get the magic through Artson's barriers in the first place let alone, make the spell powerful enough to take effect. Do you mind telling us what happened to you?" Warren asks, ending his speech.
I know by the look on Jack's face that I had no choice in the matter, his current expression resembling that of a brewing storm.
"I went to clear my head in the meadow because all this prophecy stuff was bogging me down, when I was there I ended up falling asleep. I had a dream but I don't really remember it and then the next thing you know I was drowning and as much as I tried to escape, to keep afloat I couldn't. I just drained of energy and couldn't keep up against the water."
"I might have something to protect you against it or I'll ask the others, I think Vlad might. Just be wary okay? I don't what or who we're up against yet but we'll keep our eyes peeled." With those words of encouragement, he nods at Jack and leaves.
"Jack, it's not fair to them to do this to -"
"What's not fair is watching shit happen to your girlfriend and not being able to do damn thing about it, I hate seeing you hurt like this. There's always something going on either it's those dreams or it's these what-"
"Jack," I cut him off mid rant by sitting on his lap and hugging him, "I get that you want to protect me but we don't even know what's going on, let these guys focus on getting of this planet and maybe we'll figure it out. Maybe I get all this because this planet's cursed."
"The curse doesn't exist and you know it," he growls.
"We'll just have to find out then, don't we?" I challenge.