Always Luna

burn

verb ~ destroy, damage, or injure by heat or fire

Wind brushed my ears, the warm sun flushed my cheeks. I smiled, closing my eyes as I embraced the soft caress of summer's sun.

"Nova..."

I spun around in search of the owner of the voice, the tone unfamiliar. My eyes scanned the beach, looking. The land was barren, only sand for miles.

"Nova..." They called.

I frowned, raising my hand to shield myself from the sun as I turned in a circle. My feet stumbled in the sand and I had to catch myself from falling down a small mound.

Who was calling me?

"Who's there?" I shouted back. "I can't see you!"

"Nova?"

They were closer! Behind me!

I spun around, my eyes locking on a tuft of grass that wasn't there before. Yet still no person. Was I imagining? Did I have heatstroke? I had been sunbathing for quite some time now... I checked on the twins, my stomach larger than normal and bursting at the seams. My hand ran down the faint stretch marks I could feel beneath the white dress I wore.

"Where are you?" I spoke, scratching at my arms.

"Nova..." They whispered, their breath raking down my neck.

Goosebumps rose on my flesh as an unpleasant feeling crawled down my spine. I swallowed before slowly turning my head and this time, finally; I came to face a woman. I inhaled sharply, taking in her strange eyes; one dark blue and one green. She didn't smile at me, simply stared back at me as I scanned her. She was dressed in a simple blue summer dress, her body curved and plump. I blinked, unrecognising her.

"Nova." She stated.

"Yes..." I frowned. "How do you know my name?"

"I know everyone's names." She shrugged.

Because that's normal.

"Right..."

It was growing hot standing here. The sun lapped at my arms, my hands raising to scratch at the skin. I could feel the heat burn through my body, sweat building at the nape of my neck.

"Do you not recognise where you are?" She wondered, cocking her head.

I glanced at the surrounding sand before looking to the ocean. The waves were a pretty blue, gently lapping at the shore.

"Should I?" I frowned.

She hummed, her eyes narrowing as she studied my expression. "No, I suppose not..."

"Okay..."

She was creeping me out a little now...

The sand was growing hot now too, and I eyed the sea with longing. I cleared my throat, taking a step back away from the strange woman.

"Where are you going?" She asked.

"Uh... to the ocean." I licked my drying lips, tasting the salt of my sweat on my tongue.

"Don't go too far out, the ocean is a cruel mistress."

I hesitated with one foot in the water, my back becoming rigid. Where had I heard that before?

"Sorry?" I asked, glancing back at her.

Only this time, instead of barren sand, the area where I had once stood was now an enormous cliff. The wind whooshed behind me, blowing my hair across my face as I gazed up at the sixty foot tall rock. It was a deep grey, the top teeming with trees and hedgerows. My eyebrows furrowed, trying to make sense of what was going on.