The Wishing Well

Chapter 15

Hey guys! If you're reading this, you've probably been over the whole story with me, and I hope you've enjoyed it! Thanks for tagging along thus far!

I just want to mention that I'm in the process of arranging a book release. I'm going indie with a story called Dissonance, hoping it'll be out in May or June. If you like The Wishing Well, I'm sure you'll love Dissonance, because I've improved so much since then and Olivia is an earlier version of my MC in Dissonance, Allie.

The next chapter will be the last chapter in The Wishing Well. When I'm done posting this story, I'm going to edit it and start working on its sequel. To keep up while I'm in the process, follow me on Twitter (@mariellahunt) or find my Facebook author page. All the links are on my Wattpad profile.

And it is with bittersweet gratitude that I present to you the second-to-last chapter. Come back next week for the conclusion!

-Mariella

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Olivia was trying to draw strength from an old photo album she found in a drawer. She looked at birthday parties and recitals. In almost all the photographs, her mother was standing there next to her. No matter what, she had never been gone-she'd never left Olivia alone for a second. The pictures didn't replace a hug or just a glance in the hallway. Now that her mom was so abruptly gone, she realized how much she missed her. No matter what disagreements they might have had, she never really meant it when she said she didn't need her.

Why did this happen? Why did her mother have to be gone with everyone else? Maybe if her mother was here, they could have found a solution. Even though she claimed to be such a nonbeliever now, she might come around when she actually saw these things happening. Or even as a nonbeliever, her simply being here would help.

Olivia felt empty. She closed the photo album and set it aside, gazing at the small bit of light that crept in through her newly boarded window. Ian had come in and done it as soon as they got back from the schoolhouse. Now that people were actually turning to her for answers and not getting them, things felt more dangerous than when it was just gargoyles with rocks. She had nowhere to run, nowhere to hide, and yet she still had to figure out a solution for this, her wish gone horribly wrong.

She had to hurry, because if she didn't, they would beat her to the victory. Instead of her getting rid of them...Olivia would be the one to vanish. She wasn't sure anymore, but a little while ago her mom would have believed in her. Mom would have thought she could pull it off, even on her own. She could cling to the thought and know that, if nothing else, she might see her mom again and hear her say Good job...I'm sorry I didn't believe you, but I'm not surprised you could do it...

She realized that Ian had been silent during her whole reverie. Nowadays he did that a lot-kept quiet so that she could think in peace, and later pretend that he hadn't heard anything, feigning an illusion of normalcy. He never seemed to have moments like this himself, where he just remembered and panicked; sometimes she wondered for real if he had his own voice at all. The few times he did think, it was in character. If it wasn't in character, he was talking to her or cursing because he dropped something. It was almost like he didn't trust himself.

I don't, Ian said suddenly, startling her. I learned not to trust myself a long time ago.

Olivia glanced at the door, where he was standing with his eyes fixed on her. Under any other circumstance she would have been embarrassed that he caught her thinking such a thing, but today she didn't care. Right now she needed to talk to him.