16 Houses Of Normality

Chapter Four

We were on the train for just over two hours before we arrived in Inverkeithing. I could tell that Aingealag was on edge more than I, because each time the door opened for the first class part of the train with the trolley girl she jumped and nearly screamed each time. And each time the train stopped she held her breath like she was expecting something to happen. She wouldn't come anywhere near me, she didn't even look my way. The sad thing was I completely understand her reaction, I am a freak that made God knows what happen. I would probably be doing the same as her if the roles were reversed..
The truth is, I am just as scared as she is. I don't even know what I did, I just did what felt right, which now thinking about it, maybe I shouldn't of. I have heard stories from back home but that's just what they are. Aren't they? I mean the stories about witches, watchers, guards, werewolves and slayers, that's just what they are, stories. Then why is it bothering me so much? One story really did stuck in my mind about recent events but there is no way its true... Is it?
The story goes something like this; there were 4 covens of witches, The Dragonfly's, The Talys', The Helia and The Indigo's. They each had their own abilities in elemental magic. The houses never got on but to avoid a feud they kept their distance from each other but then one day a small group from a coven did a spell with disastrous results and created werewolves. With the elders of the coven unaware they release the beast in to the wild.
When the other covens hear of the beast they started blaming each other, which caused a delicate balance between them to break, and they began to attack each other. The young women took the children away and hid in the villiages as far away as they could, and raised them without magic. Years later two members of each coven ran away. When they settled in at their new place, they fell in love with each other and unaware of their history, they got married and had children. When the word got out, the families started getting hunted down by the lead males of each coven, and killed.
The other runaways soon heard of this news, and sent their children away and await to face their fate. After each runaway is killed, their bodies are sent to their coven as a warning. The children grow up and by some chance they are drawn to each other and they start their own coven, The Shadows. Centuries passed and as their numbers grew, the word has already spread to the original covens about them.
They sent their strongest men and women to destroy them. On the day they were found, unaware of the dangers, they welcomed each one with open arms a week later they were all left dead or dying. All apart from three, a husband, his wife, and their 2 month old daughter, they where in the next city shopping. When they got back and saw everyone killed, they ran.. As the mother and daughter took the lead and looked back, they witnessed their husband and father, murdered.
The wife managed to escape with their daughter but was soon caught unaware without her. They tortured her for weeks, desperately trying to find out where her daughter was but she never told them.. Even after they promised they would not kill her or her child. Years pass and the coven decided that they needed people all over the world to look of the girl, so they created The Watchers, and sent them away. With each coven still at war with each other, they created super strong and agile men to use as guards for protection. Humans, witnessing everything through the centuries, decided that the covens were dangerous to them, and formed the slayers that trained to hunt and kill them, unaware of what the witches have released in the world through out the past.
Remembering that story triggered something in me, and within minutes I was overwhelmed with the memory of other stories that my family lived by religiously. I stopped in my tracks, forcing those behind me to a halt. Some crashed into me muttering words I could not make out. I felt a sudden pang of sorrow and regret for reasons unknown to myself. Aingealag was walking ahead, eyes big with excitement as she took in her new surroundings. The fear was still there, but the excitement of a new place took over.
I managed to step to the side and let people pass as I drifted in and out of the memories that seemed to swarm me. I was tired and freaked out but these memories seemed to take more energy from me by the second. My legs began to wobble as my body started shaking. It was then that I realized how dizzy I was, and how hard it was for me to breath. I panicked even more not knowing what was happening.. That's when Aingealag looked at me. First her look was full of anger and resentment but as she started concentrated, it changed to worry and fear. I could hardly stand, the slightest movement I made seemed to consume more energy that I have.
I fell to the my knees, clutching my chest, the pain was unbareable. I felt my fingers tighten and curl into claws, unable to move them, my lips tingled, my throat dried up and the world around me was spinning out of control. My lungs burned within me. "This is it, this is the end" I thought to myself. "This is what death feels like. No wonder everyone is scared of it. It's so painful.. I thought death was peaceful and panic free. Obviously, I couldn't be more wrong"
I could hear voices around me but they seemed so far away and muffled. I couldn't move to look around. I could feel someone touching my arms and then gripping them, then another hand on my back. I assumed there was someone on each side of me, I was helped up but I couldn't stand. My legs refused to straighten or use their muscle. Who ever it was helping me must of been strong because I knew my body was dead weight. A few moments later I was sitting.
My breathing slowed thanks to who ever put whatever it is that's helping to my lips and holding it there. The pins and needles seem to be easing off, but they were painful. My whole body ached each time I tried to move. It felt like there was a knife in every part of me. When I moved,it felt like the knifes where tearing me apart. I wanted to scream. I wanted to grab my head and just scream, but I had no energy left. I kept my eyes closed, too ashamed to face those around me. It was then when I realized I wasn't dying, well not yet, anyway. It was a panic attack. I never realized how scary it was. I have seen people have them many times, but never had one and never heard of anyone talk about them. I felt so foolish and embarrassed about it.
I could hear Aingealag nearby. She was whispering to someone. I couldn't make out what she was saying, because I was just too busy concentrating on my breathing and staying calm as well as getting out of here with as little fuss as possible. I was thankful for the back of the chair I was on, because I think I would of fallen off with the lack of energy with in me. I just wanted to melt into the chair and fall into a deep sleep, which was surprisingly comfy for a train station bench.
Then it hit me.. We weren't in the train station. There was no sound of trains or announcements. Just a few small buzzing sounds which could of been my ears playing tricks on me, and there was the sound of hushed whispers and giggling nearby.. What the hell was going on? I managed to open my heavy eyelids and peeked around. I groaned at the pain that spun around in my head and throughout my body.
I took in my surroundings. It seems I was in a small living room and if I was going to guess who lived here, I would say an elderly person by the way it is decorated. I looked at the lemon coloured walls which was covered with beautiful pictures, and shelves and across one wall was what looked like unstable book cases. There was a deep red rose sofa with its back to a heavy curtained bay window. There was a small light wooden coffee table that looked ready to snap in half. It was cluttered with old dusty books and old magazines. They looked like they have been there for years. There were a bunch of candles in the center, a mix of colours that seemed to have been lit recently but the wicks were now as black as coal.
There was a table to my right and another armchair. The table held a tall tumbler of water with ice and a clear bendy straw. The chair on the other side of the table was a dusty pink one with a cushion that had a grey and white cat asleep on it. I looked to my left and saw through the doorway into what looked like a kitchen with the counters and a few chairs was in view. A moment later, I saw Aingealag sit back on one of the chairs. Her back was to me, but by the look of her body language, she was comfortable and relaxed.
I sighed with relief, earning myself a look from the cat. I reached for the water and as I took a sip of the water through the straw, catching a glimpse of a photo that made me freeze. My hands where shaking as I put down the glass. I got up and slowly walked to the fire place to where the photo was. I gasped as I realized who the photo was of, but it couldn't be. There is no way a stranger that lives in a place I have never been to have a photo of me. I turned as I saw something move, and there she was. But she was in the photo, too. How is this possible? When I have never met her before, yet there was something familiar about her, but I couldn't place it.
"Hey, Richaela" smiled Aingealag with worry set in her eyes. "How are you feeling?"
"Not too sure" I replied. Returning my gaze on to the woman standing next to her. "Who are you?"
"I am just someone who wanted to help." She smiled with a glint in her eye.
"How did we get here?" I gestured to Aingealag whilst looking at the woman.
"We took a taxi." Smiled Aingeala.
"Who paid?" i ask with a sinking feeling
"I did" replied the woman with a look of worry creeping over her face.
"We need to leave" I said, Grabbing Aingealag's arm and pulling her behind me trying to head for the door, but each corner seemed to lead to another and another.
"You are hurting me" cried Aingealag. "Why do we have to leave we are safe here!?"
"You don't know that! And what have I said about trusting people?!" I snapped. "We cant trust her, and we need out. Where in the hell is the door.. She is some stalker or something, and we need out while we still can." I looked around again. This place seems bigger than it is. So many corners and doors, how can anyone find there way around here.
"We can trust her" smiled Aingealag, looking like she knew a secret that I didn't.
"How can you say that? You can't say that for sure." I replied.
"I can." she smiled, looking like she wanted to tell me what she knew but wasn't sure if she should.
"How?" I asked.
"B-because.. She is your mother." She replied, looking guilty that she told me.