My eyes were wide open with shock, my body frozen in place. As I tried to say something, God knows what I was going to say, I stumbled so much that it was completely incomprehensible.
What the actual hell was happening?
“What the hell are you going on about, Devin?” I half-shouted. “I’ve known you for three days and you already claim to know everything about me! What are you, some kind of mother-fucking stalker?” I was exasperated, okay? I had a right to slightly ramble.
Devin took a step towards me. I stepped away.
Just as he went to put his arm out to grab my wrist, he suddenly pulled it back, as if he had been electrocute, but our skin didn’t even touch. It was as if I had created a barrier from him. Wind was blowing roughly, much more than what mine had ever been before, and leaves were blowing everywherein a beautiful yet deadly dance.
“Rose, you-“
“Who the hell are you?” I shouted, my voice even louder than the wind. “And more importantly, what the hell is going on? Who threw that rock into my window? What the hell does Remorna mean? What is Kitaris? And what are you trying to say about me, Devin? That I’m a freak, or something?” God, I was so confused, my life was a puzzle with one piece short.
“Kitaris is where you’re meant to be,” Devin whispered, his voice smooth and calming which drifted through the wind sexily yet eloquently. “And you, are a Remorna. A very important one, too; so that’s why you need to come with me.”
I backed away from Devin. Suddenly, I was scared of him. All those times I had thought he was attractive, funny, kind, and real, were pushed out of my mind, and all I saw was a scary stranger standing in front of me, telling me things that seemed crazy…but unfortunately true.
“I’m pretty sure that if I was a Ramondo thingy, then I would know.” Why the hell should I believe him anyway? He's full of crap but some part deep down whispered to me, because everything he said is true, he's just like me. Wait, that is totally BS talking there, he is far from sanity, I still have my sanity thank you very much! That's why we are having a mental argument, isn't it Miss Sanity. Shut up! I yelled in my head realising that I may have a slight, very miniscule mentality issue.
“Remorna,” Devin corrected. “And actually, you don’t know. If you come with me, you’ll have answers for all of your questions. Just trust me, Rose.” Pfft, I thought, trust my ass.
I crossed my arms and shook my head. “No… why should I trust you? How do I know that you’re not just tricking me by taking me to some weird forest and, I don’t know, raping me?”
“Because I have morals.”
"Oh, oh how lovely to know what you have morals Devin." I clasped my hand onto my where the skin covered my heart.“And it's definitely trustworthy to know that I’m not going to be raped by you, because apparently I’m not up to your standards. Well, that’s relieving.”
Sarcasm was another one of my strong traits.
Devin suddenly caught onto what I was saying, and embarrassingly enough, he seemed to disagree. “Oh…no, that’s not what I was saying. I mean, you are up to my standards, I mean you’re beautiful so you’re probably past my standards, so…ummm…” I really just wanted to face-palm myself for him and I was more than glad that my face was already red from being angry, so it hid most of the enormous blush that erupted onto my cheeks.
Okay, what would you have done if you were in my situation? I mean, here’s a sizzling man that you’ve only known for three days, coming and showing you his…powers, I suppose, that you can more than relate to, and tells you everything about you that nobody knows? Violet eyes, mind reading, predictions, powers…it’s all believable, right? But what about when he says that you need to go with him to some place called Kitaris, and says that you’re not even human, but a Remorna thingy?
Yeah, crazy. Not normal at all. I started laughing in spite of myself even though this wasn't funny. "You know what? This is all crazy, you are far from your sanity and soon I will wake up and realise this is some messed up dream." He frowned at me.
Whatever was in Kitaris, and no matter how many of my questions that will be answered in that place, no way in hell was I going there with Devin. I just wanted to forget all about him and this craziness I was in, and continue my life with Skye, Tom, and Jane.
I’m a regular teenager, living with a regular family, and regular friends. I’m not a Remorna, I’m not meant to be in this place called Kitaris, and even though Devin thinks he’s right, well isn't!
I needed to get away from him. I knew that he would not leave me alone until I agreed to go with him, but no way in freaking hell was I going along with this crazy trash-talk, so I turned my heel and stormed away from him. Even though I had just said it was a dream, part of me realised that it wasn't. It was probably that small part arguing with me before, fortunately that self-consciousness was very small and easy to tune out.
“Rose! Stop!” Devin shouted. Ugh, so much for tuning that sub-conscious, pesky, little voice out. I didn’t stop. Even though the voice screamed at me otherwise, I refused to do it.
Suddenly, I felt his warm hand grab my wrist. I turned around, and the wind blew harder around us. My long hair was flying everywhere, but all I focused on was my anger. I pulled my wrist from him.
“I’m not going anywhere with you, Devin. You’re all wrong about me, so you can just drop the subject and leave me alone, okay?”
Devin shook his head. “I can’t let you go, Rose; you must come with me. I was sent to find you, because you’re not safe here.”
I took a threatening step towards him. “I’m not sure how many times I need to say it to get it through your thick skull, but… I’m. Not. Going. With. You,” I said, my voice low and menacing. To my shock, Devin roughly grabbed my wrist and pulled me closer to him. The heat from his touch was almost overwhelming.
“I don’t want to do this, Rose,” he said, his voice tickling the back of my neck. His face was only inches away from mine. “But if you don’t come with me, there will be punishments.”
My body went frigid, but all I could think was…who did he think he was? Not that I believed him, he may be insane but he was not dangerous, or at least I hoped.
“Oh really, like what?” I asked, challenging. His reply chilled me to the bone.
“I’ll be sure that your family ceases to exist.”
Now this reply made me even angrier. Threatening to kill my family doesn’t exactly go down on the list of things I tolerate. Even though I was stuck in Devin’s rough and uncomfortable grip, the wind around us was almost of a hurricane, the sky was dark, and I felt dizzy.
“Don’t you dare touch my family,” I growled.
“Then come with me to Kitaris,” Devin insisted. “You either stay here with no family, or keep putting your own life in danger, and Skye’s. Or you come with me, and that will keep everyone you love not only safe from me, but the people that want to hurt you.”
I struggled in his grip, but it only tightened.
“I don’t want to go with you, Devin! Just leave me and my family alone,” I shouted. Devin shook his head.
"You think I am lying? I was just at your house, I know who your friends and family are, I know who you hate and don't hate at school. It would take me a blink of an eye to kill them all, I wouldn't break a sweat doing it either and you will be forced to live a life alone with nothing but guilt because you killed them. I will make you watch as I burn them all to the ground and they can hate me all they like but they will know it's your fault because you should have listened to me." He whispered menacingly through the air raising goose-bumps all over.
I could tell by his rigid and emotionless face, also just by his tone, that he was right; he wasn’t lying. He would kill Tom, a freaking child that asked him to play toy cars with him only hours ago, and Jane, my mother that I’ve never had, and my friend, Skye, my best friend and I knew he was right, it would be my fault, all of it, if I refused to go with him to wherever Kitaris is. He was also right that I wouldn't be able to live with that kind of guilt and it absolutely burned me that I was saying he was right, I mean, he barely knows me! No, he doesn't know me at all, I thought.
And thinking back to that rock with the note on it, as long as I was here, anyone I cared about was in danger. Either from Devin, or whoever the hell Z was, or even both. It was too much pressure for a normal teenager, and I regrettably answered him with something I never wanted to say.
I slipped out of Devin’s grip, and pointed my finger at him. “I’ll go with you, okay? Not because I want to, but because you threatened my familyand friends. And when I’ve found out everything I want to know, I’m coming back home and I will never speak to you again, or even if I see you, and if I do...well… hell, you don't want to be there to witness it. I don’t care what you or anybody else says. And just for the measure, I’m not your friend; I’m not going to let you boss me around. You threatened to kill my family, and I’ll never forget that. Ever. Do we understand?”
I saw the hurt flash across Devin’s face, but it disappeared as quickly as it cameand it looked like he was about to say something, but then thought better of it. He simply nodded, both with relief and caution. “Tomorrow morning, before sunrise, meet me outside of your house. Don’t pack anything that you can’t carry in your pockets.”
At that, Devin simply gave me a look, and then began walking away from me, in a different direction to the way we came. He walked in long strides, and not once did he turn around to face me. Once he was out of my view, I sighed, and sat down at the park bench.
I sat there, my mind reeling. Was this a dream? I sure hoped it was. It all seemed so surreal. Looking down at my hands in my lap, they were shaking violently. Blinking back a tears, I wiped my hand across my face.
I felt scared, confused, and hurt. And I was being thrown into situations where I had absolutely zero control.
Remorna.
Kitaris.
Powers.
By tomorrow morning, I’ll be in a totally different place.
What have I gotten myself into?
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The best way I decided to approach the situation of leaving everyone I love behind, was to ensure them that I would be safe, wherever I was. (Even though I wasn’t sure if that was true, seeming as psycho-Devin would be monitoring my every move.)
By doing this, I texted Skye saying that I was going away for a holiday for two weeks to celebrate my 18th birthday (which she really wasn’t happy about) and I left a note on the kitchen bench for Jane, telling her not to worry about me because I’ll be fine and I’ll be back within two weeks. That made a tear slip down my face, I knew how much this would hurt her but then I focused myself, this is for the best of everyone I thought to myself hoping my consciousness was persuasive.
I also knew she would hate me forever and probably be beyond angry when I did come back, but it was better than her and Tom being dead. And yes, I say when because I will be coming back for sure.
I could sense Devin standing outside the front door, waiting. I’m not sure if it’s because I was apparently a Remorna, or if it was because I had grown a hatred towards him that made me be able to sense him when he was close.
Either way, I knew he was there.
I made sure to take my time getting out of bed, making sure not to wake anyone, and get dressed in a pair of shorts, shirt, jacket, and Converse. I brushed my hair far longer than I usually do, took my time tying it up in a ponytail, and stuffed some money and photographs in my pocket. I put the note for Jane on the kitchen bench, grabbed an apple, and I stood in the hallway for a good two minutes before I had the guts to come out of the house.
Devin stood there, dressed in a black shirt, black jeans, and a leather jacket there was an eerie and mysterious sexiness to him and I kind of wanted to swoon but then I remembered what he had done to me. I noticed how there was no bag or anything hanging over his shoulders, which made me re-estimate how far away Kitaris truly was.
“How are we travelling to this mystical land? Are we flying?” I asked Devin, as I stepped down from my porch. I couldn’t help the angry tone escape me and into my voice.
“Not… exactly.”
Okay, the nerves I already had were now sky-high. I crossed my arms, and raised my eyebrows at Devin. “So, Peter Pan, are we leaving or not?”
Devin just began walking down the pathway. He actually started walking without telling me. I found that a tad bit unfair, seeming as I wanted to be the one being a bitch to him, because he was the one who threatened my familyand friends. Oh well, I thought as I began walking behind him, I’ll definitely make up for it later.
“So, are you going to tell me where we’re going, or am I going to have to keep playing Simon Says. Simon says, travel to a mystical land called Kitaris. Got anything else because it'll get pretty old pretty quickly?"
Devin ignored my sarcasm. “We’re going to the woods, about a mile’s walk from here. Then we’re going to Kitaris, as you should already know.”Oh man, this is exactly how a story about some kid getting raped goes. Goody, I thought sarcastically.
“Of course I know we’re going to Kitaris, I told you, and it’s getting old” I said, looking down at my feet on the pavement. “Remember when you threatened to kill my family if I didn’t go with you to Kitaris? Because I most definitely do.”
No comment from Devin. Stupid bastard.
We walked for about twenty minutes, until we got to the forest edge. I was becoming more and more nervous and scared as the minutes passed. I followed Devin into the forest, and it would have been a beautiful view, if it wasn’t ruined by the fact I won’t be able to see this for a while, in a matter of moments.
Devin stopped, and looked around at our surroundings. We were secluded by the tall trees and bushes, but I was confused; why were we standing in the middle the woods?
“I thought you had morals and you weren’t going to rape me,” I said, crossing my arms to my chest. Devin cleared some of the leaves on the forests floor away and stepped closer to me.
“This is how we’re getting to Kitaris, Rose.”
I frowned. “How the Zeus are we-”
Devin gripped my hand, and I instinctively closed my eyes. At first, everything was just plain black, just like it would be if I was normally closing my eyes. And then the most unusual sensation came over me.
It was like I was falling. I felt nothing beneath my feet, and I didn’t dare open my eyes, so I had no clue of what was happening around me. All I could hear was muffled noises in my ear, and I held onto Devin’s hand for dear life.
Then, it all stopped.
Devin’s hand slipped out of mine, and I just stood there, my eyes closed, and my heart thumping loudly in my chest. “Open your eyes, Rose.”
I took a deep breath, and did what I was told. God only knows what would happen if I didn't.
At first, my eyes took a while to adjust to the light that was shining in my eyes. Then, when I did, I gasped with astonishment. Even though Devin threatened to kill my family only yesterday, he grinned eagerly at me.
The first thing I noticed was the huge structural building that was standing in front of me. The words magical, castle-like, astonishing, beautiful, and…mystical, were nowhere near close to showing how amazing it was.
In front of me, was gardens of colourful flowers, most I didn’t recognize at all. Reds, blues, yellows, oranges, and colours I couldn’t even name, were scattered across the pure green lawns. The pale, cream pathway ran past the tall, golden gates to the front door which I was itching to open.
The castle itself was taller than any castle I have ever seen. The walls were beautiful white, and the large, arched windows were perfectly clean and clear.
Behind me, was a forest. The one’s at home were nothing compared to this. The leaves were emerald greens, the butterflies that flew past looked as if they had been painted by a rainbow, and the over-hanging vines that usually wouldn’t be there, seemed to tie it all together.
I looked at Devin, in complete awe of everything that I was experiencing. He grinned.
“Welcome to Kitaris.”