Magical

Chapter 1

My Cat Kidnaps Me

I could never explain the sounds I would hear in the forest. I would stand on my balcony and stare out at the trees, wondering what I was really waiting for. I could hear a low hum from the trees. It was disconcerting; I felt drawn to it, and the strange feeling frightened me.

            I remembered when I was younger, I tried to go out just to get a closer look. I couldn’t have been older than twelve…my mother was not happy about my curiosity. I got into a lot of trouble, but I remember what happened that night, and I’ll never forget it. I walked outside onto the back patio with my cat, Alume. He was a fluffy black and gray Maine coon. I felt him rub against my leg as I looked out at the trees in the distance. The low hum rumbled in my chest and I walked a little closer. Alume meowed loudly, but I ignored him. The wind brushed my face and I shivered, closing my eyes. It was nearly fall and the weather was changing. I blamed the shiver on the weather, but I knew it was mostly based on my fear of the forest. I took a deep breath and looked back out. The forest almost called to me. I started a power walk to the darkness. It was almost like I couldn’t fight the need to at least touch the tree. The branches seemed to beckon me closer. The rumbling seemed to increase, almost shaking me with its intensity. I found myself almost to the first trees when I heard my mother’s voice screech behind me from the house.

            “CARINA! YOU GET BACK HERE RIGHT NOW!” I felt myself shiver with a different fear. Mother. I turned back to the house and started walking. “I can’t believe you Carina. If Alume hadn’t been begging to get back inside I wouldn’t have seen you, and who knows what could have happened to you! After all the times I’ve told you…” She started walking back inside and I blocked her out looking down at Alume.

            “Traitor.” I hissed at him. He meowed in reply and headed inside after my mother.

            I never tried to venture back into the forest after that. My mother kept a closer watch on me, and I never tried again. In my teen years my mother started dating more and I was never home enough to even think about going into the forest. At a few sleepovers there was always a dare, but no one ever followed through on it. We weren’t stupid, just immature. There can be a difference.

            No, the forest never seemed like a good idea after that. There was no reason to be curious. I knew what I’d find in there, a lot of trees and animals. Things I didn’t need to put myself in danger to go see.

            I pulled into my driveway after a long drive back from an even longer semester at my university. It was winter break, but no snow had fallen yet. There was just an icy chill in the air, and I shivered from it as I walked up to the front door. I looked in at the dark windows and caught my reflection. My dark hair was pulled back, small tendrils whipping my face in the breeze. My dark brown eyes had even darker circles under them from lack of sleep. Classes had been tough on me so far. My cheeks, a light caramel tone, looked slightly rosy from the cold weather. Of course the windows were dark. My mother was never home anymore, now that she had her boyfriend. They were off somewhere in Europe for a week of vacation. I doubt she even cared that I was home.

            I was greeted, once inside, by the chirping of my lovebird Chichi, and Alume rubbing at my feet. I locked the door behind me, not really feeling much safer inside the large empty house. I walked upstairs and threw all my bags on my bed glancing over at my balcony. I peered out through the curtain at the forest. I opened the door and stepped out into the cold. It was quiet, the trees not dead, but slumbering. The wind seemed to whisper to me, secrets I couldn’t understand. It felt intimidating and ominous, but beautiful all the same. I felt a familiar hum rumble through me and I quickly went back inside, shutting the doors. I told myself I had imagined it, and walked back downstairs to the kitchen. I opened Chichi’s cage and allowed her the usual freedom I gave her. Alume never messed with her, so I wasn’t worried. The house was too creepy in silence, so I turned on the television before starting to cook some dinner.

            The house lies on a few acres, a little ways away from town. It was quiet, but lonely; and far too isolated for me to feel safe. It was designed by my mother, the successful architect; a path she had hoped I would also take. I didn’t of course, and instead put all my interests into botany. I was fascinated by plants and the world around me. Though my mother didn’t approve, she didn’t argue. I jumped as I heard something in the living room fall and I looked out to see Alume on the couch. He meowed at me through the bar’s window. He always had a habit of knocking things over. I needed to calm down, but I felt very on edge for some reason.

            Alume jumped over to me and gave me a cat kiss, which amounted to nudging my cheek with his nose. Alume was very special to me and I gave him a kiss on his head before patting him. He had wandered to us when I was very little, a stray from the forest. My mom had let me keep him after a lot of begging. As for Chichi, she had been sent to me by some distant relative from my father’s side. Since we didn’t see much of them, mom and I had been very confused.

            That night, while I was sleeping, I thought I felt a familiar rumbling again. I jumped from my sleep only to see Alume on my chest, purring. “Damnit, Alume. Scared the crap out of me.”

            The next morning, after a hot shower and small breakfast I planned on a walk around the property. Alume usually followed me on my walks and I was glad for some company. I dressed in plenty of layers before venturing out into the cold and starting my walk. The forest seemed oddly quiet today, though Alume seemed quite adamant about walking closer. He hadn’t done that in a long time and it worried me.

            “Alume! Get back here!” I chased him and he darted faster into the forest. I stopped short at the first line of trees and looked over at him. He was scratching on a tree, meowing at me. I walked a little closer and went to pick him up. “Bad cat! You know we don’t like you coming in here…” I felt something on my foot and I shook it. Looking down I screamed. A long, root was wrapping around my ankles and up my legs. I fell backwards and I saw the trees rustling, as they sent more branches and roots my way. One covered my mouth and I struggled against my bindings. Alume jumped onto my chest and to my horror, spoke.

            “Please, calm down Carina. All will be all right.” I felt another scream leave my mouth as my eyes widened in terror. Alume sighed and jumped over to a tree branch. I fainted not long after that.