Chapter 39
I practically sprinted across through the woods. Somehow I knew that Gabriel was following me, I could feel his presence, if not here his own occasional step. I came to a spot in the trees where I simply jolted to a spot. I couldn't move forward, something, some kind of force…wouldn't let me.
"This way," whispers came from around me. It was…it was that lady's voice!
I quickly turned and followed it, slowly finding my way around it, I could feel the force field slowly fading somehow. I suppose it didn't go all the way around. Where was she taking me though? I felt like I was moving away from the target of which I wanted to go.
"Raina…" I felt a voice pull me through my skin. It was her again. I followed again, practically entranced by her voice.
Something inside me wanted to turn away. Get out of here! Go! What are you doing?! Find Cal! Please!!
But I couldn't. I couldn't even…even control my body at all. The only thing I could barely grasp was my mind and partial sanity.
"Come…" I heard it whisper through the leaves. They tinkled and blew in the wind.
"Raina!" I heard someone calling form behind. "Raina what are you doing? Don't go there!"
I couldn't turn though. A cold hand caressed me in its grasp. It did not feel like my mothers though, not my mothers…
Who was it then? I looked over slowly, as it was all I could manage.
A figure… lay before me, reaching out a cold bony hand. "It's mother…" It comforted. "I'm here…"
"I…" I managed to say, of my own will.
"Shhh, don't worry now. You can join your brother in a moment. He came here to me you know? He came to see me…"
"Cal?" I asked. "Where is he?"
"You've missed him haven't you?" she said ignoring my question. I could barely see her this whole time, like her body was this blur of light. What frightened me the most was that everything else was entirely vivid around her, the trees, the ground and sky. Yet, I felt I couldn't look away.
"Raina!" I heard someone calling me off in the distance. Could it be? Cal?
I reached towards the figure that was calling me name.
"Raina stop!" It said, but I couldn't do anything, he was calling my name and mother motioned me with her cold bony finger.
"You're so frail mother," I said, looking at her finger.
"Don't worry about me," she replied. Her tone was silky smooth and almost too sweet.
I saw Cal off in the distance. He was laying down.
"He's asleep," she said. "Best not wake him."
"But I thought I heard…"
"It was nothing my dear. Probably a simply hallucination. You always used to have those as a child."
I nodded. "I used to have bad dreams too." I said. Then I turned to her. "Why did you leave me mother?"
"I didn't leave you." She replied. "I never left you at all."
"But you were gone all of those years. I'd quite even forgotten I'd had a mother,"
"Tea?" she said, ignoring my question.
"Yes, thank you." The aroma of the tea was very soothing. I felt my eyes glaze over.
I took as sip and was felt an overwhelming sleepiness. "Oh," I said. "I don't want to feel so sleepy I said," putting the cup down.
"But you look so tired Raina. Drink some more."
I shook my head. "No, mother. I don't like sleeping."
"Why ever not?" she asked. "Sleep is essential, especially for a growing girl like you."
"But it's no good. If I lay down, I won't be able to sleep."
"Now now, dreams are not real sweetie. You should know that."
I nodded. "I know it sounds ridiculous." I replied, realizing my fear.
"Not ridiculous. I used to get nightmares too. I assure you though, they'll go away soon."
"Really?" I replied, a hopeful knot in my throat. I almost felt like crying. They'd go away?
"Yes my dear, they will. Vanish into thin air as if they never were."
I swallowed. "But…how?"
She smiled held the cup I'd pushed away. I gulped down the rest of it in one sip.
"There you are," she said. She smiled even more. "Now you can go rest. I assure you that no dreams will bother you now. Go lay by your brother a while. It will do you good to get some sleep."
I drifted off, barely managing to find where he lay. I was falling fast and I realized something just as I had almost completely dozed off.
What was in that drink?