Sunday, Dad left me alone, said he had to go and take care of some things. He left me alone, only with the book to look at and my messed up thoughts to think about. I was afraid of what might happen if i opened the book without him there, but i was so curious. I don't know how i managed to stay far away from that leather bound book, but i did. It probably also helped that my phone was ringing off the hook with phone calls and text messages. I didn't answer any of them, but i knew it was only a matter of time before they, one by one, came knocking at the door. I kept to the basement, where there were no windows and i wouldn't be seen, even if one of them wanted to look. Thankfully the basement had a comfy couch the i sprawled on and sat with my laptop on my lap. I had the TV on in the background, but i didn't even know what i had on.
"Hey, kitty," I said to my cat as he jumped up to lay on the blanket that i had covering my legs. He just sat there, staring at me, his golden eyes boring into me. I looked at him over my reading glasses and raised an eyebrow. "Can i help you Jinx?" His black fur ruffled slightly as he settled into a spot. "You are so strange." He just mewed as he laid down with his back to me.
I sighed and leaned back against the arm of the couch, closing my eyes. I had spent most of the day researching witches, but of course, i got absolutely nothing to help me. I'd just have to wait until Dad got home and then i could go to that book.
That was if i stayed awake until then. I was exhausted, since i hadn't exactly slept that well the night before because of my mid-day nap at the studio. I did sadly have school in the morning, so i couldn't go to sleep until i had to, absolutely had to. The past few days had been so stressful and i knew that once i really looked in that book, it would only get worse.
I sighed and closed my green laptop and settled deeper into my blanket, pulling Jinx closer to me to cuddle with the fuzzball. Whenever he was around, i always felt better, like he had a calming effect. It was the completely opposite of how a black cat should do, but i didn't care. He was my baby, my really big baby. He weighed twenty-five pounds, but he wasn't a fat cat, just a really big breed. I had gotten him when i was five and he had been mine since then.
"Jinx, you're the one thing i can count on," I mumbled, and i could already feel myself drifting into sleep. "Good-night, buddy."
"Good-night, Gwen."
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"Gwen," a husky voice said, shaking me awake. In my half sleep daze, i opened my eyes, seeing Dad kneeling in front of me. He wasn't alone, but i couldn't muster up the strength to get up, almost like my limbs were weighed down with lead. "Honey, what's wrong?"
"Everything's still asleep is all," I said, sitting up slowly and slidding back on the couch. I looked at my phone, which marked dozens of missed calls and texts, and did a double take at the time. "Is it seriously seven in the morning?"
"Yeah, thought i should get you up," Dad said, grinning at my confusion.
"I needed to talk to you," I said, swinging my feet down to the cold floor. Jinx meowed loudly at the jostle, but i was already standing. "You should have gotten me up."
"She's just like you," the other person said, and i removed my glasses to see that it was another man.
"Who are you?" I asked, picking up Jinx, who was basically pouting at being woken so rudely. He had red hair like my father, but he had bright blue eyes that were like the sky on a summer day. He had the same features, but was a bit taller them my father's six foot three stance.
"Gwen, this is Daniel," Dad said, and i nodded, still giving him that look. "This is your Uncle."
"My uncle?" I stuttered. The more i looked at Daniel, the more i saw that he was family, he had the same kinds of characteristics that Dad and i had, plus, he was wearing the family crest on his shoulder in the form of a tattoo. It was black and in the form or a dagger with a black criss crossing design over the hilt that seemed like an owl's eyes. "Dad?"
"We can trust him," Dad assured, but i didn't feel as sure as he did. There was something about Daniel that didn't seem right, and Jinx felt it too, if his growling and hissing was any indication. "Jinx, down boy."
"Jinx just doesn't like strangers," I said, and Jinx reached out with his paw to swipe at Daniel's arm, where the tattoo was situated.
"He also doesn't like any of your friends but Jules and Jack," Dad pointed out, and i shrugged, walking around them, not turning my back on them until i got to the stairs. "Honey, do you need a ride?"
"I'll be fine, thank you," I said, wondering why i didn't like this man, this man that was supposedly my uncle. He just didn't have that vibe that told me i could trust him. I shook my head as i went up to the second floor to my room. I closed my door tight and locked it.
I pursed my lips as i put Jinx on his cat stand by my window. He settled down on it and watched me as i paced my room. Something was making me highly uneasy and i didn't know what. Something was getting out of whack and i knew it had to do with that damned leather book. As the thought passed my mind, my eyes found it sitting right where i had left it Saturday morning.
"Screw it," I said, walking to it with purpose and throwing the cover open. I didn't know what i expected, but what happened seemed to give me power. Opening it was like a rush of ecstasy and happiness, all mixed in one little energy bomb. I gasped as i gripped the edge of the desk, hoping Dad wouldn't come up to see what i was doing. Frankly, i wasn't really sure what i was doing, other then doing something that seemed to be so carefree to me. I had never seen the book before in my life, but i knew it was a part of me and Dad also knew it was a part of me. He wouldn't have given it to me other wise.
I sighed as i closed the cover, knowing that i needed to get ready for school. I went to turn my back on it, when a gust of wind blew my hair forward. I turned and found that now only was the book now glowing, but something was being etched into the cover that hadn't been there before. It was of a tree with flowers and butterflies around the edges, but it was dark due to it's black and white coloring. I ran my hand over it, sighing as i did, feeling the etches and knowing that this was me, my book now.
"Gwen, Jules is here!" Dad called up, and my serene demeanour fell all at once. I could already hear Jules rushing up the stairs towards my door, which was locked. At least that could give me a bit of time to hide the book. I looked at it and used my instinct. I waved my had over the book and it shrunk to the size of a pocket notepad. I yanked it off my desk and set it softly in the top drawer.
"Gwen, let me in," Jules growled and i sighed. This wasn't that surprising, Jules usually ended up at my house this early in the morning, mad about something or another, but this time, her anger was towards me. At least this morning wasn't too far out of whack.
I unlocked the door and she barreled through the door, coming at me, shaking her finger. I gave her a weak smile, but she wan't allowing it this time, she was going to make her point made and there was no denying that.
"Just get it over with," I said, opening the door to my bathroom after locking my bedroom door once again.
"First you attack Gregory, but he deserved it so i don't care about that, but you did it with magic!" she exclaimed as i stripped and stepped into the tub. I began to run the water as she continued. "Then you run off and don't tell anyone where you are. We didn't know if you went home until your father called us and told us what your mother had done. Jack told us he found you later that night, but the you don't answer anyone's calls! What the hell's going on?"
I peeked out from behind the curtain and with the straightest face i could muster, i said, "I'm a witch."
"I know that!" she exclaimed, yanking the curtain to cover my face. "I've known for a long time." I was about to say something when i remembered that Dad said her family knew about me. I heard her sigh for a moment as she sat on the toilet. "Gwen, you don't know what this means."
"I know enough," I snapped, shutting the water off. "I know that i'm not following any kind of rules though."
"Gwen," she sighed in exasperation. "You're going to get yourself killed." She handed me my towel and brushed her dirty blond strands of hair from her face. "It's a good thing you've got me."
"Yeah," I said, leaving my bathroom wrapped in my towel. I checked the door, just to make sure it was still locked before i went into my closet to grab a blue dress and tights.
"Who are you trying to avoid?" she asked, laughing, but i could see in her black eyes that she was uneasy as well.
"Daniel," I said, getting dressed before coming back into my room. "I don't trust him and my instinct seems to be correct so far."
"Just trust it, and you'll be good," she said, nodding, looking at the door, then to Jinx. "So what should we tell the others?"
"Well, Jack knows," I said, brushing out my hair and throwing it up in a bun. "The others, can't we just say that you felt my fear and beat the crap out of Gregory. I'll figure it was all bad punch or something."
"Do you think it'll work?" Jules asked, getting up to scratch Jinx behind the ears. She was dressed in leggings and a long sweater with knee high boots and i knew that anyone would take her seriously.
"I've found that people will believe almost anything if it's what they want to hear," I said, pulling on a pair of flats before grabbing my bag. I took a step in front of Jules and stared into Jinx's golden eyes. "Look here mister, you guard this room with that mighty fury all three of us know is in there."
"You don't think he understands you, do you?" Jules asked, laughing slightly as she picked up her own backpack. "Just because you're a witch doesn't mean that you're able to talk to animals."
"He's my baby," i defended, shutting off the light. "Be a good boy, Jinx."
"I will," a voice whispered through the air, causing me to pause. I turned and looked at Jinx, but he was just sitting there, staring at me, like he always did when i was leaving. I shook my head and shut the door, knowing i was just hearing things. Jinx couldn't talk, he never had before.
But sadly now, i was going to have to listen to five more people talking and wanting answers that i didn't know if i could give them or not.