Fangs and Wands

13. Strange magic

Hate.

It's a strange emotion.

You hate someone so bad you can't get your mind off them. And yet you don't exactly hate the idea of thinking about them. You actually wish to see them and the idea of them being hurt is unbearable to you.

To all this, I'd tell myself, I don't want him to be hurt because I want to be the one to hurt him. I want to always see him because I want to make sure he is not planning something.

And yet...

Why does it feel like his pain is mine? Why can't I get rid of this pang at the thought of losing him. Forever.

Dominic is dying.

We've been here before. I have been here before. Knowing you are dying and not being able to do anything about it. Wondering if you'd rather choose life or just call it quits.

He was bitten by something in that last fight and its spreading over the whole of his abdomen. I haven't seen him since we got back. Or since I woke up. I was dead for approximately fifty-two hours before my body finally decided to regenerate and push me back to life. Giving everyone a scare, mostly my father who almost had a heart attack.

Harold and Emily opened the portal only a few minutes after I left and entered through. If they waited five hours, I would have stayed over five days in that realm, that is if I were to live that long. They came just in time to rescue Dominic and I and got us safely through the portal.

But not exactly safe because Dominic is dying. He refuses to be treated. But if whatever it is that is consuming his body takes full control of him, then I doubt there'll be much hope left for us.

I swirl the water in my glass with my mind. Just because I can. Ever since I got my power back, I've been using it incessantly. Because why not.

"Why don't you use that power to mix my soup for me, Lena."

I smile up at Aunt Ruthie chopping vegetables at the counter. With my mind, I grab the wooden spoon and swirl the soup in the large pot.

Ruthie is a miracle worker. She feeds everyone in this school and her two assistants help her with the serving and cleaning up. Her food is just amazing.

Ever since I woke up, I've been hanging in the kitchen and only leaving when I really have to. I don't know why but I feel safer here. Not even the woods could give me the solace this woman provides. Most of the time she lets me be. Which is what I love most about her.

My cat is sleeping on my lap, she has resorted to being just that. A cat. A flurry white ball of cuteness. Heavens help me if she ever heard me call her cute. I rub my hand over her back and she vibrates. Cats. I smile as I take a sip of my water and continue to draw the monster with a million teeth on my sheet on the table.

Apparently no evil being can go through the portal to this side. That is why they were all just staring at it and not trying to enter. Any evil being who tried would be scorched and burnt to death instantly.

I add flames on the monster's body on my drawing and the large portal behind him.

Everything I drew before I left is gone. All those paintings and drawings of Dominic and everything else. Gone. I never asked anybody. Too embarrassing.

The kitchen door opens. "Hellena, they need you in Harold's office." I don't need to raise my head to know it's Rose, so I don't.

Keeping my head down, I continue to put flames on the teeth monster. "I will be there in a moment."

"You don't understand. They need you urgently."

Rose's voice is firm. She is one of the people who believe everything that happened to Dominic is my fault. The principal's spoiled brat. Is it really false though?