Hunt

Chapter 38: Punching Bag Declarations

"Echos of the future?" I ask. "What are you talking about?"

Reyna sits up straighter, crossing her legs where she was sitting next to me. "They're a side effect of sorts. The spell I cast to talk to you during the night has a chance to go sideways..." she breaks eye contact. "...these effects can vary, this time it seems to have given you a glimpse of a possible future."

I strain to wrap my head what Reyna was saying. Witch magic doesn't make sense, as it's very nature is unpredictable. It has the potential to run opposite to the laws of the universe, which doesn't help to make it easy to understand.

"L-like the side affect of a drug?" I ask, "but you cast the spell. Shouldn't you be the one getting affected by it? Why would I have this vision?"

"I don't know... Maybe it's because you were the subject of my spell?" She shakes her head and sighs, "and you aren't the only one who was affected by it. I saw it too. The same echo..." she fidgets with her hands.

I open my mouth, close it, and think carefully before talking. "That echo felt fairly lucid Reyna. So it was you that turned me..? Willingly?"

"It's not lucid. I had no control over what happened." She quickly interjects. "I didn't feel like myself in that space. Like I was a passenger just along for the ride. I'd never hurt you, you know that I wouldn't."

Shaking my head I begin to stand. Still struggling to grasp the full concept of what we were discussing. "So this echo. You said that it's a glimpse of the future. So this event is destined to happen somewhere down the line?"

She stands, offering a hand to me, that which I decline. "Yes and no. It's a glimpse of the potential future. It's not set in stone. Time isn't a straight line until it's already passed. The possibilities of the future is infinite." She gives me a worried look, "Kyle... you do know I would never do that to anyone. Right? Especially you."

I don't respond, turning and beginning the walk back to the car. The revelation that Reyna shared the same echo as me leaves a sour taste in my mouth for some reason. A multitude of emotions flood through my brain as I try to think straight. I felt like I was slipping between my hunter mindset and my normal mindset rapidly. Angry, scared. Happy, sad. Emotional, cold. I couldn't seem to stabilize in either of them.

"K-Kyle!" Reyna calls after me. "I wouldn't!"

I shake my head and stop, tempted to turn around. "There is a possible future where you would, this 'echo' proves it! There is a series of events that would lead you to turning me," I begin walking again. "Or you'd try."

I don't say another word on the drive back to school. Reyna attempts to reassure me again about the nature of the echo, but I couldn't accept it in the moment. Talking about time and the possibilities of the future wasn't tangible. That echo was. Eventually she falls quiet as well, giving up trying to get through to me. As we pull into the parking lot I try to put my thoughts into words.

"I-I'm sorry Reyna. I think just need some time to process all this. For right now I think it would be best if we keep our distance for now."

"Wait. What?" She asks, turning quickly in the passenger seat.

"I really care about you Reyna. You make me so happy..." I turn to meet her gaze. I could feel the burning of tears beginning to sting my eyes, "But I need to get a better grasp on things first. Before I can commit to something like this." As I step from the car I don't even lock it. Reyna hot on my heels.

"Kyle! Wait!" She pleads, "I'm sure we can work through this together!"

I stop before the cafeteria doors, my trembling hand resting on the door. "I'll still help with your family problems. I'll figure out a way to get a meeting set for our two groups. If they'll even listen to me. But I need my own space until then. Goodbye Reyna."