PART
TWO: The Doorway
The
woods were dark, and Cilla couldn’t see two feet in front of her. Lucky she
didn’t trip and fall over a root in her panic. She got out from her hiding spot
and started to slowly work her way deeper into the trees. Ray’s screams had
subsided, she was alone in the quiet. She listened for footsteps, broken twigs
or scuffling leaves. Ray had given her up, she hoped but now what was she going
to do? First up, find a way through the woods and she could figure something
out after that.
“You
ok?” Remy asked.
“Yep”
The
trees were tall with age gouged deeply into their bark. The way was slow, Cilla
didn’t need to fall and break any bones to add to her problems. There seemed to
be a natural path between the trees. It was a good way to go, slowly a step at
a time. The moon cast enough light once her eyes grew accustomed to the dark.
Cilla saw her way, a weaving path covered in pine needles and cones.
Remy
ran from one shoulder to the other, crossing behind her neck.
“Can
you stop that?” she asked.
“Sorry,
I can’t help it. This whole situation is making me nervous. Do you understand
what happened tonight? You’ve made an enemy of him.”
“I
was already his enemy. He made it clear he wanted nothing to do with me. It was
only a matter of time before I had to go.”
“But
he was mad …”
“Yeah…”
They
walked on in silence a while longer. There were fain scurries in the leaves to
Cilla’s left and right. Night hunters.
“Does
it hurt?” Remy asked.
“What?”
“The
lights…did it hurt when you …”
“When
I …?
“you
lit up like a candle–BOOM–Ray was in
the wall. Did it hurt when you did it?”
“No.
Hot though.”
Cilla
ran her hands up and down her arms, and across her chest. She couldn’t feel
them, the crystals were in there but she couldn’t find a trace. She looked at
her palms, the place where the light had shot out, there was nothing; not a
burn, not a blister. What did happen?
As
she walked Cilla tried to make it happen again, to will the light to return.
Nothing.
She
focused, she thought of Ray and his rage. Still nothing.
It
was a long walk, the woods were deeper than Cilla imagined. She found a log and
sat down for a moment to rest her legs. She was lost, she was alone and deeply
frightened. She wanted her mother. That wouldn’t happen, not anymore. Cilla was
on her own now, she had to fend for herself and be the boss. Remy scrabbled
down her arm and sniffed at the log.
“I
don’t know where we are,” She admitted.
“What?”
“We’re
lost Remy. This is farther than I’ve ever gone into the woods. Have you been
this far out?”
“Love,
I don’t get past the cage or even your bedroom. I’ve slipped out and curled up
on the pillow beside you when I’m lonely but I can’t get far with these feet.”
“Right.
Well, I didn’t know the woods were this deep. I thought we would have come to
the other side by now. I haven’t got a clue …”
The
temperature was chilly. Cilla’s breath plumed from her mouth. There was a faint
mist around the trees, swirling its way along the path. She was tired, her feet
hurt. She looked up at the moon and wondered what time it was. It was close to
10 pm when she escaped from the house. Who knows how long they’ve been hiking.
Crack!
A
noise to the right of the path, into the thicker grouping of trees.
Crack, crack!
Again!
Remy
scuttered back Cillas arm to his safe perch on her shoulder.
“What
was that?” the rat asked.
“I
don’t know.”
CRASH!
“Ok, this is not good!”
“I
know, I know.”
Cilla
stood and began to search the darkness for the source. Nothing in any
direction.
“It’s
Ray, he’s found us!” Remy was starting to panic.
“Calm
down Rem, he hasn’t found us. He would make noise, he’d be on us hard, don’t
you think?”
“
I’m scared”
Cilla
began to feel warmth in her chest. Her breath was catching in her throat, she
panted.
“Remy
it’s happening again!”
The
heat spread through her, down her arms and legs. Across her chest and through
her skull. Her body felt light, she felt woozy and her vision began to darken.
She couldn’t feel her feet, the ground beneath her. Cilla looked down and saw
she was floating two feet above the forest floor.
“Remy! Help me!”
Remy
couldn’t help for he was only a rat. Inside he felt the need to do something,
but what could he do? He dug into the back of her neck with his claws and hoped
he wouldn't fall off.
Cilla
raised her arms and her chest began to glow
brightly. She could feel a ball in her guts, like a hiccup on the verge of
escaping. She looked around her, fear taking over. The pressure and tingling
rose out of her stomach and up through her hands. There was an intense, shattering light
and a feeling of release and Cilla was on the ground panting and crying.
She
rolled forward and vomited onto the ground in front of her. The light and heat
disappeared.
Cilla
looked to the forest trees, a wide path had been torn through, wood was
splintered and pulverized. She had blown a path through the trees with the
pulse from her hands. What are the
crystals about? What is happening to me?
A
glow began to form at the end of the rough path Cilla had ripped through the
trees.
“Remy?
You okay?”
“Yes,
I wanna go home.”
“Me
too.”
Cilla
slowly rose to her feet and began walking through the broken trees.
“This
isn’t right Cilla. Please let’s just go.”
The
glow grew brighter. Cilla was walking on instinct. Something was drawing her
forward.
“Let’s
just take a small peek, Rem. Ok?”
“Like
I have any choice?”
The
path was 200 yards deep, as she drew closer to the source of the light she thought it reminded her of an archway. There seemed to be a door in front of her, but that couldn't …
“No
way!” Cilla stopped in her tracks.
Remy
peeked out from his hiding place behind her head.
“Oh…”
Cilla
and Remy stood speechless in front of a red door sprouting from the forest floor.
*
* *
Ray
felt his rage draining. He stood in the backyard staring into the forest.
“She
went in there,” he told himself.
Yes, she did. So what are you planning on
doing?
“She
went in there!”
So, what are you waiting for?
Ray
was in pain, his back and legs in agony from the header he he took into the wall.
She did it to him. Little bitch has to pay. She has
his crystals. He can feel the pull to find her, to find the crystals growing
stronger.
If she went in there, why are we waiting
here?
“Let
me think for a few minutes!”
That’s what you’ve been doing for five
minutes already. Are you planning on doing anything soon?
“Just
give me a break, I’m going to find her my way!”
Sure, okay…your way.
PHOOM!
The
sky was filled with a bright light. Ray was thrown down again. He jumped back
up and he could see across the tree line the origin of the pulse. Someone was using her stolen power. I can see you! It gave him just enough of a hint to start his
search.
“I’m going to find you, Kiddo!”