Authors Note

Sorry the chapters haven't been very good, heehee. I'm trying, but when I write with a mind block, the chapters are usually extremely horrid! I'm going to try even harder now so I can get this next chapter done right

Chapter 7: Burning Your Bridges

The sound of birds woke me up from my deep slumber. I found my back to be quite painful, so I stretched, hoping to make it feel better. But as I arose from the small bench where I had planted myself for most of the night, the sharp pain from my stomach returned and I fell to the ground. I couldn't feel my stomach, it was as if it had disappeared in the daylight, never to return again. All that was there a pain, a sharp pain. I struggled to stand up, hoping that the pain would die down, but it wasn't very easy to stand. I felt the pain growing and growing every second I stood, every time I took a step. I couldn't bare it. Then I remembered Rick. I remembered his agreement, and I remembered what took place.

I have to get back I told myself, gasping for air. I checked my watch, noting the time. Taking a chance, I started walking towards the boat, only to be greeted by the pain of my stomach, and the aching of my back. I knew it was going to be hard, I just knew it! But I couldn't give up, Mirabelle and Julia were depending on me, plus I still had to prove Vaughn of my capability to farm. Slowly, very slowly, I started making my way to the boat, hoping they had waited for me. The pain? It was horrible! It was like someone had snuck up on me in the middle of the night, and with a sharp item/tool, had stabbed me in the stomach dozens of times before pushing me down, and stepping on my back. I could feel the pain grow sharper and sharper with every single step I took.

I continued slowly down the path leading to south part of town, and I found myself slowing my pace as I got closer to the boat. My breathing became heavy. My eyesight wasn't clear. My head was foggy. My body was turning limp. But I finally reached the docks, and luckily the boat hadn't left yet. I heard some distant murmur, before feeling a arm go around my shoulders.

I looked up to see the captain "Hang on Miss. We'll get you back to Sunshine Islands immediatly!"

I didn't bother to respond, by then my mouth wasn't working. Everytime I opened it to catch my breath, the pain in my stomach would lurch, only making me weaker and weaker by the minute.. I was seated on a chair, and the captain immediatly gave a hand signal. The boat started to move, and suddenly, the pain started to get worse. By now, I was crying, and the captain, noticing my pain asked if there was anyone he could call. Between the crying, and the pain, I squeeked out Mirabelle's Animal Shop. The captain patted me on the head before rushing off. He returned minutes later, stating that they had been informed and were going to wait at the docks for me. I sighed in relief, only to continuing crying in pain.

An hour later, with the pain only slowly worsening by the second, we docked. I decided to be strong. To not cry any longer. I got up, half huntched over, and started walking towards the exit. The captain offered me his shoulder, but I refused it with a simple stare. It was my mistake to refuse. I slowly made my way off the boat, and scanned the beach to see Mirabelle, Julia and...Vaughn? Julia rushed over to me, embracing me in a tight hug. Before I could say ouch, I felt myself go limp at her touch. And soon, my world went black.

I felt myself walking in the darkness. I couldn't see anything, not even a single light in the shadows. I felt alone, sad and confused. Why was I here? Did I do something wrong? A bright light suddenly appeared, casting off the shadows of the day. A figure with green hair, and beautiful form stood before me. Suddenly i felt my sorrows and anger go away, replaced with joy and happiness. I reached for the figure but she raised her hand, obviously stopping me. "It's not your time dear" She lowered her hand.

I felt myself grow impatient. If I wasn't dead, why was I here? Was there a certain task for me? Was I suppose to do something? Was I suppose to repent? I shook my head, looking down to the black floor. The women stood there, and smiled. "I'm the Harvest Goddess" She lifted up one hand, and a small mirror appeared.

"I thought the Harvest Goddess was only a myth..." I said under my breath. My eyes went back up to her face, and I started to doubt my current belief. My mother had always exclaimed, louder than anything else, how much the harvest goddess was a phony and there was no such thing. After my pain, I started to doubt, only because I had never been saved. There had never been a miracle. And I was always alone.

The Harvest Goddess looked at me affectionatly, and the positive emotions started to wind themselves around my heart. I couldn't explain it, something about this person in front of me made me forget all the negatives in my life. The pain. The anger. The people. Everything. The Harvest Goddess stood there, and wove her other hand around the mirror. "I am not a myth" She exclaimed, lowering her hand to her side. "I was never a myth, and never will be a myth"

Suddenly, pictures started appearing on the mirror. A volcano errupting. People screaming in terror. Bodies on the streets, and sidewalks. Heacy storms. Raging hurricanes. People suffering. my eyes widened in disgust, and I focused my attention on the mirror. Suddenly, there was the ocean with islands, like the one's back home. Slowly, very slowly, they started dissapearing under the water, and one by the one, they were gone. I felt shocked, I couldn't believe what I was seeing. And with one flick of a motion, they were gone. The mirror dissapeared, and The Harvest Goddess looked at me sadly. "Things have changed" She began. "No one believes. The power I posses is starting to fade away. If this continues, eventually no one will believe and the islands will dissapear. It is my power that allows them to float on the waters without so much as a rock underneath. Everyone on the islands will die if these nightmares come true"

I didn't understand. Was it so hard to believe? I then back to myc childhood, and to that fact that I didn't believe before I had seen her with my own eyes. I decided to ask a question. A question in which would probably save the lives of the people living on the islands. "What can I do?" I crossed my arms, hoping for an answer.

The Harvest Goddess smiled. "There are things around the island called sun stones. You earn them by farming, socializing and looking" She held one up. "They give me my power, and with them, we can save the islands"

The sun stone, a round shaped stone with a purple colour, came towards me in midair. I opened my arms and allowed the sunstone to hover over them, before it suddenly fell. I caught it, holding it up so I could see it clearly. After a moment of observing, I looked back at the Harvest Goddess. "So you caused me pain and made me faint just to tell me this?"

The Harvest Goddess looked at me. "Sorry dear, but it was necessary to tell you this. You've been chosen to save the islands. You could be a hero, or a coward if you don't chose to accept" She giggled. "But it's not my decision" She started to dissapear, and I suddenly remmebered my situation.

"Wait!" I exclaimed. "What am I suppose to do with the situation? How am I suppose to help him?"

The Harvest Goddess sighed. "I can't reveal anythign to you Chelsea, but you already know what to do. You're just unsure about it" She laughed sweetly, dissapearing into the darkness. "Remember" a voice said. "The islands, the people, and I are counting on you"

The pain returned, and I felt myself fall into a pit. A pit with no bottom.

"...chelsea?" A voice echoed. "Chelsea can you hear me?"

i suddenyl felt something on my head. It was wet and cold, and the fabric was rough. I didn't answer, the pain was too much.

"The pills Mirabelle!" I heard another voice say. "They must of worn off! We need get more!"

Mirabelle, the first voice, sighed. "Vaughn!" I heard her exclaim. "We need the pills!"

I couldn't stay silent any longer. I couldn't let them suffer. I couldn't! I just couldn't! "Julia" I felt the word slowly escape my lips.

I felt something wrap itself about my hand and squeeze it. "It's alright Chelsea! I'm right here"

"Here" Another voice said. I felt my breathing start to increase rapidly. My heart was racing like a car. I felt not two, but three bodies by my side, and I knew who the third was. I felt something get shoved down my throat, and then the pain started to go away. My breathing slowed down, and eventually, I opened my eyes. At first it was blurry, the light was bright and my head swirled. "Chelsea?" One of the voices said softly. She upset, like something important to her had been lost. "Can you hear me dear?"

My eyesight started to clear up slowly. I could feel stares resting on my face. I looked over towards the three faces who I could now reconize. Julia, Mirabelle and...Sabrina? My eyes shot to the couch where Vaughn sat, obviously angry about something. I looked to the ceiling, desperate for the words I needed to say. "Mirabelle?" I looke dover at the women.

"What is it honey?"

I took a deep, slow breathe. "Animals will come"

"What?"

"I..." I looked to my feet. "...went to Mineral town. I asked Rick, my friend, why he...wouldn't sent animals to us. I...persuaded him to send animals" I looked back at Mirabelle, and her face started to glow. "It's not...his fault" I lifted my hand slowly, and pointed in Vaughn's direction. "I...did it on my own. And I..." I felt a sudden drowsy spell wipe over me. "..have the solution to the problem" Then I fell into darkness once again, and lowered my hand.

I opened my eyes again, this time it was dark. The room was covered in a shear volume of shadows. No lights, just like my dream, covered the room and I felt slight panic hover over me. I got up, noticing the pain had almost vanished. I got out of bed and went to leave, whena hand grabbed my shoulder. "Where do you think you're going?" I heard a gruff voice say.

I looked behind me to see Vaughn. Althought it was dark, recnoizing him was not hard. I shrugged off his hand, and went to grab the doorknob. "None of your business" I was still irritated at him. He had no right knowing where I was going all the time.

Vaughn, obviously reading my mind, grabbed my shoulder a little harder this time. "You're sick" He muttured "Sick people don't walk. They sleep"

"Whatever" I sighed. I opened the door, and walked out, only to be followed by him. "Don't follow me" I said, walking towards me farm. He didn't listen, instead he grabbed my shoulder again and by then it was getting really annoying.

"Look" He stopped in his tracks, while I looked back at him. I could see clearly now, his jaw had a big white bandage and his face was bruised from where I had hit him. "I-I'm...sorry" He looked to the ground, obviously disturbed. "I didn't mean to yell. But you really shouldn'y pry into other people's business"

Oh great, more argueing. "Look, I don't care at all about that" I turned my whole body to face him. "I went to mineral to prove I can do somthing and because..." I paused for a moment, mentally kicking myself for getting myself into this position. "...you needed help"

Vaughn's eyes widened. He looked at me, and I suddenly felt a tension in the air. "I don't need help from you!" He crossed his arms. "Or your stupid friend"

Vaughn turned to leave, like he had won . But I was going to finish. "Good! I guess you don't need that job I was going to offer you too!" I exclaimed turning my back to him. "I was even going to pay you half, well, now I don't even know if I'll give you the darn job at all!"And with that, I left. I knew i needed to give him the job, but right now, I just couldn't.