Not a very long chapter but I tried to be dramatic without going over the top :)

For people who are asking, no her aunt didn't drink the tea she had wine instead :-)

Thanks so much for the reviews and everything, you're so lovely!


Panic. As I stood there with the jar in my trembling hands, my mind raced with the worse possibilities. Was this the end for me? How long would the poison take to make its way through my veins? I had been warned that the species was a dangerous risk until more information was found, what would happen to me? The thought of the unknown sent my mind into frenzy, a frantic montage of every horror movie or scene I'd ever watched.

Adrenaline pumped through me, suddenly my stomach convulsed and I doubled over in pain. Dropping the jar at my feet I ran up the stairs my arms gripping my stomach, racing into the bathroom I made it just in time for my stomach to convulse again. My head was thrown over the bath in time for a black sticky liquid to come pouring out of my mouth, mixed with the crimson colour of blood.

My skin prickled like the sensation of goose bumps only amplified, I looked crazed. That's where I stayed, on my knees with my head over the bath waiting for what felt like death to come. I don't know how long I stayed there, hours maybe.

As the convulsing eased a tightening pain took its place, I curled up in a ball on the bathroom floor, sweat making my fringe stick to my forehead. The pain grew until it became so intense that I clenched my fists until my nails were digging into my palms, suddenly I was thrown back against the sink as a ripping pain shot out of my knuckles.

I felt warm blood trickling down my hand as I lifted my head to find three long fibres, which appeared to be exactly like green vines, had shot from my knuckles and wedged themselves in the bathroom tiles. Stunned I peered closer, to discover on the end of each vine there was a long thorn. I opened up my hand again, causing the three vines to shoot back into my knuckles. Within seconds the bloody gashes they had created were healed, and in its place was new, pale skin.

My jaw dropped as I managed to stand up weakly and then approach the wall, using a finger to trace the holes the thorns had created in the tiles. Turning slowly I peered into the mirror to discover, although my mouth was stained with blood, that my hair had somehow managed to grow halfway down my back and my once bitten nails were long and sharp similar to the black thorns.

''Evelyn are you alright in there?''

Instead of jumping in fright, a weird tingling sensation passed its way over my skin like a ripple starting from my fingers. ''Ye…yeah, I um th-ink so,''

''Are you sure? I heard you vomiting,'' I could imagine my aunt's worried face,

I swallowed, flinching when my throat stung, ''Just a um virus, it will…pass,''

''Well, if you say so. Make sure you get some rest,''

I nodded to myself as I heard her walk back down the stairs. Glancing over at the bath, that was covered in black slime and blood, I took a wet sponge and began to clean, somewhat struggling as I still felt ill. I couldn't believe what had happened to me. Maybe it was some freakish dream brought on by my delirious state, yet the bath and the holes in the tiles seemed real enough. It took a while to remove all traces of the strange substance, by the time the bath was completely clean I was ready to collapse.

Washing the blood stains off my face, I left the bathroom and made the way into my bedroom. My limbs felt like jelly and my head was pounding as I crawled into bed, not bothering to change from my stained clothes, I shakily pulled a blanket over me and fell asleep.

As daylight cracked through my window, I opened my eyes. I felt better, a lot better, in fact it was impossible for me to feel any better. Perhaps the events from last night were just a dream.

I heard a knock on my door.

''Yeah,''

Sure enough my blonde headed aunt came in to my room, ''You're going to be late for school,'' she said noticing that I was still in bed.

I may have felt better but I had some things to work out, missing a day wouldn't do any harm. ''I'm not going,'' I said, adding a cough for the effect.

Lily approached me and placed a hand on my forehead, ''God,'' she said removing her hand quickly, ''you're burning,''

Was I? I felt great.

''Should I call a doctor? I think it's best if I do,'' she said, reaching for her mobile,

''No!'' I shouted to her surprise. The last thing I needed was a doctor poking around.

''Well someone's grumpy,'' she replied, taken aback, ''I'll be shopping today, will you be okay by yourself?''

I nodded.

After I heard my aunt leave the house, I jumped out of bed to inspect myself in the mirror. My hair was halfway down my back, it hadn't been a dream. The holes that remained in the bathroom tiles also confirmed the fact something very strange had happened to me, and I wasn't sure if it was a good thing.

To further confirm my suspicions, I went downstairs into the kitchen, set out three tins of baked beans and stood facing them. Holding my arm in front of me, I clenched my fist and suddenly with a brief flash of pain, out shot three vines. Their thorns getting stuck in the tin cans and then flattening my hand the cans shot towards me and were soon being held in my palm. I must admit it was pretty neat.

The rest of the afternoon was spent experimenting with my new gift until I finally persuaded myself to do some much needed homework.

''Get anything nice?'' I called as my aunt walked in through the door that evening,

''You seem a whole lot better,'' she replied, setting down her bags beside me on the sofa, ''and yes I did actually, I got some flowers for the spare room I'm staying in…although they're kind of wilting already,''

''Wilting?'' I said, ''can I see?''

Lily handed me the punch of tulips, they weren't very fresh in fact by the looks of things she had been ripped off. Somehow their brown wilting leaves had an effect on my emotions, I started to feel depressed, sad even… it was strange. I gently touched one of the petals and to my surprise it started to change to its original colour of white, the drooping leaves seemed to come alive as though a surge of energy had swept through it.

''They don't look like they're wilting to me,'' I said handing them back to her,

Lily took them and peered at them with a confused expression, ''What…I swear they, um odd,'' she shook her head in disbelief and set the flowers down, ''anyway you'll never guess what happened,''

''What,'' I said,

''An elderly man was shot dead last night by a robber, only down the street I believe,''

I raised a brow, ''Really? What was the name?''

''Parker,''

I froze, it couldn't be could it? There were plenty of Parkers in New York.

''Are you sure?''

''Yes, Ben Parker, it was on the radio. He had a wife and nephew, sad really,''

Oh god. Uncle Ben.


Hehe another cliff hanger :-)

Hope you liked it.

Btw she has more abilities than just the vines, but you'll find them out later :P