Chapter 4: Too Many Questions
With neither Sam nor Carri speaking for most of the walk, silence hung heavily between them. Carri felt his gaze burning through her as they reached her cabin in Breezy Hills. "Ya' know, I'm not Vincent. You didn't have to walk me home like I'm some child needing an adult." Her venom laced words rolled off her tongue, and Sam flinched at the sharpness of her tone.
Biting his lip, he nodded. "I know that, but I also know you are my friend, and you are scared. I wasn't about to leave you alone without making sure you are okay. I can't pretend to know how all this feels, but seriously, dude, if you need me, you know I'm here- right?" Yeah, right.
"You can't even start to imagine what I'm going through! I'm a fucking freak, Sam." Water began pooling in her tear ducts blurring her vision. "I'm not normal. Why the fuck do you still try to be nice? I could've fucking hurt you when you were skating! Why aren't you scared of me? I'm a fucking monster!" Fuck, don't cry now… Not that her body listened to her brain anyway, but it was worth a shot.
"Carri-" Sam stepped forward, now inches away from her, and placed his hands on her shoulders reassuringly. "You are not a monster. You wouldn't have hurt me, and that didn't happen either way, so why worry about it now?"
Carri's eyes locked with his. He doesn't understand. He's not listening. "Sam, unplug your yobadamned ears! I can't control this! I don't even know what this is! There is no promise I wouldn't have hurt you!" Fear flooded through her words, her body shook and hands began growing cold. Quickly, she shoved Sam away from her with such a force he staggered backward and fell to the ground. "J-just go away and leave me alone!" Running to the confines of her home, slamming and locking her door behind her, she crumpled to the ground and finally let those held tears fall.
Carrissa, it's time for you to awaken. That fucking voice again. Carrissa jolted awake. Not bothering to get dressed aside from a pair of shoes, she left the house with Addie whimpering for her to stay. Closing the door behind her, she sprinted to Cindersnap forest West of Marnie's Ranch. Ignoring her eruption of a migraine that threatened to detonate inside her skull, she approached a small lake followed by a tower. That same tower from before, but this time it was different. As she approached the lone building's door, no hole opened below her. Instead, the door swung open. A purple hair, bearded man stood inside away from the door. I've been waiting for you, Carrissa Moongrove. Wake up.
Carrissa's eyes shot open, her hands moved to cradle her throbbing head as she tried to make out her new surroundings. "W-where am I?" Am I still dreaming? Is this that tower? The surroundings definitely looked like the inside of a stone tower. All kind of potion bottles and a giant cauldron sat in the room before her along with the purple haired man. "Who are you and why am I here?!"
"It would seem you already know where you are. Yes, you are in the stone tower in Cindersnap Forest. No, you are not still dreaming. As for who I am, I am the great Wizard, M. Rasmodius." Carri's eyes widened. How did he-? Before she could even finish the thought, he answered. "We magical beings can read minds too, if and when we want to. I see you have been suffering with growing into your powers."
Carri stood awestruck before the man she just met. He already knew what she didn't want anyone else to know. Then the idea struck her, "Wait! Does that mean you know what is causing them? Or how to help me control them? Or to take them away? I just want to be normal- I never asked for all this. Life is no fairytale, and it's better off that way."
The wizard raised his eyebrow and gave her a quizzical look. "You were born with arcane talents. I'm afraid that those cannot be removed" The older man began pacing the main room looking for a spellbook. "They can be sealed, but we see how well that worked out for you. Your seal has broken and your powers are flooding through with your emotions."
"Wait, my emotions?" Thinking back Carrissa remembered the first flicker of power was in Joja. When she was mad at her boss and torched the computer station. She was furious. When her crops were being attacked by the crows, she was upset, but she wasn't mad when at Sam when he almost hit her. "I wasn't mad when Sam was skating. So how-"
"You were threatened; your powers reacted. You were in danger. Simple as that. As for furthering your abilities," Rasmodius held up the books he had been gathering while speaking, "I have some reading material for you to use to learn some on your own. However, I strongly suggest not using your powers unless you are with me. You seem most attuned to elemental spells, but that barrier can be passed with a lot of practice and studying." After what felt like absorbing hours of information, Carri began to drift off. There was so much more she wanted to know, but sleep began to overtake her. "We will meet every Wednesday and Sunday to work on your magic control. Until then, young adept."
A/N: I'm so so so sorry this took so long to get out. Life has been super hectic, dealing with the loss of a family member and battling my depression, I've just lacked motivation. I'm not entirely happy with this chapter's amount of dialogue, but I feel it was necessary to move on with plot. Anyway, thank you to all of you still reading! I appreciate you all!