All I Need ✔️

Chapter 82

Third Person POV

Outside, intense winds rippled the canvas tents and tore through the straw covered huts. Water pelted the camp and soaked anyone outside within minutes. Zamari looked, trying to find her daughter. She heard her friends cry out in fear as lightning strikes touched down nearby.

Finally, Zamari spotted Safania. She had her hands outstretched with her palms facing the sky, and her glowing eyes were even more visible in the darkness of the storm.

Zamari walked towards her daughter, bracing herself against the intense winds. Layla grabbed her. "It's too dangerous."

"She's going to hurt someone," Zamari replied.

"Just let me find out what happened with Maria..."

"We don't have time Layla. She's my daughter. Let me do this."

Layla reluctantly let go, allowing Zamari to continue walking towards Safania. A lightning bolt struck at Zamari once she got closer, but she easily deflected it.

"Starfish?" she shouted to Safania. "Starfish, it's me. It's your mother."

Safania continued to stare blankly ahead, unmoving.

"Starfish?" Zamari tried again. "You're safe here. No one's going to hurt you."

A bolt of lightning struck one of the huts, causing half of it to crumble. Zamari took a deep breath and continued.

"Sweetheart, do you remember when your father and I went sailing with you? And we found this little island. We walked around it and there was no one on it, so your father named it Saffy's island. And you splashed around in the water with him while I watched you both from the beach."

The rain started to lighten up a bit, and the lightning became more infrequent. Encouraged, Zamari stepped closer.

"We had a picnic together on the beach. And even though we hadn't packed for it, we decided to spend the night sleeping on the island. That night we sang and danced around the fire, and then we stayed up looking at the stars. I've never seen your father so happy. And my own face hurt from smiling so much."

At this point, Zamari was right next to Safania. The rain had stopped, and Safania's hands dropped to her sides. Zamari pulled her daughter to her in a hug. "I love you Starfish," she said.

"I love you too mama," Safania said back. Zamari pulled away, relieved to see that her daughter's eyes had returned to their normal, emerald color.

"Come on sweetheart, let's get you tucked back into bed."

Safania nodded, disoriented. 

As they walked back together to the medical center, Safania saw the destroyed building. "What happened?" she asked.

"Lightning strike," Zamari replied.

Safania stopped walking. "Did...did I do that? I did that," she said, slowly realizing.

"It's okay honey. No one's mad."

"Did anyone get hurt?"

"No," Zamari replied immediately, not knowing or caring whether it was true.

"I shouldn't be here," Safania said. "I should be by myself, somewhere where I can only endanger myself."

"Starfish, no."

"Mom, I'm dangerous," Safania told Zamari, tears streaming down her face.

"We can talk about this tomorrow. But right now, we have to get you dried off and back in bed."