Fiction Factory: Cilla Ambrose (Part 5)

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!”