Blinded Sight

Chapter Two

The gravel underneath my feet shook and crunched with every footstep. I never liked gravel, my shoes couldn't get enough grip on gravel ever. My cane smacked down on the gravel sending a small stone flying off towards the forest. I leant on the heavy wooden fence and stared out at the forest. I could feel the eyes of the creatures in the forest looking towards me through the darkness. 

A soft wind brought the scent of pine and a faraway thunderstorm. The sound of birds flying through the thick forest surrounded me and I focused on a small clearing deep in the forest. A small clearing I had never been in before. There was a fallen tree there covered with small mushrooms with soft caps and firm stems. I breathed in the scent of the rain-soaked clearing and felt the warmth of the afternoon sun soak into my shoulders and deep into my bones. 

"Rain!" I heard my mother rhythmic voice calling my name from somewhere deep inside the sprawling house. "Dinner is ready!" Her voice took me away from the faraway clearing and I felt the rough wooden fence under my hands and the cold metal of my cane leaning against my leg. 

"Coming!" I called back wrapping my hand around my cane and felt the small stones rumble gently underneath my heavy boots. Walking through the open doorway I felt the gentle buzz of the wards wash through me. I ran my hand over the sigil carved into the wooden doorway and felt the energy reach out at me and wrap around my arm. 

"What were you doing out there?" My mother asked placing a plate down in front of me. "You were staring off into the forest for a while." 

I shrugged spearing a piece of chicken with my fork. "Just kind of daydreaming," I ate the piece of chicken and felt all of the different herbs and spices coat my mouth. The strong energies of all of the things filled my being and swirled together deep within my soul. "Did you cook this 'specially because of what's been happening?" 

My mother sighed. "You see through me too easily," She paused for a second before continuing. "But yes, this is a recipe I find is useful for protecting from bad spirits, plus I've made a tea to help with any nightmares." 

 "Thank you," I smiled at her eating another piece of the chicken. 

"It's really nothing, just the bonus to having a witch for a mother," She chuckled softly. 

"Did you also redo the wards?" I asked my head slightly tilted to the side. 

"You're getting better with that." 

"Helps that I have a great teacher," I smirked at her. 

Before I knew it I was back in my room seated on a wooden bench with a thick quilted cushion on it. My hands danced over the cold wooden keys that were chipped and worn from almost constant use. The singing of the strings filled my small room and bounced off of the walls swirling around me. 

I felt the carpet beneath my bare feet slowly turn to grass and heard the sound of singing crickets add to the sound of the piano. The cold night air brushed through my hair and swirled the music around the meadow. I continued to play, the song shifting and changing with each note as I pulled in energy and strength from my environment around me. 

That is when I heard heavy measured footsteps behind me and felt the warm bronze coloured energy of his spirit wrap around my being. "Lion," I breathed pausing for only a moment my hands lifting from the keys, but a moment was all it took his energy began to fade as he was pulled away from me. 

"Beware of the ones who are silent," His voice was rough like sandpaper, I felt tears grow in my eyes as his energy disappeared from the clearing. 

"Don't go! They return when you leave!" I reached out for him feeling his hand brush against mine for only a moment, but then I was all alone again. 

Curling up on the bench I leaned against the piano and felt the tears stream down my face and soak into the knees of my jeans. As I continued to cry the wind slowly disappeared along with the songs of the crickets and I was back in my room. 

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The second chapter is done! This one was a bit shorter, so sorry about that, but I am just working on building the world and seeding crumbs of the story that we will be seeing a lot more of soon. 

Word count: 742 words