The Sacred Pendant

Chapter 13

Celine ran across the quiet lonely road. The streetlights lightened the streets but Celine stayed in the shadows. She didn't want to be seen by anyone or falsely thought to be a thief.
     She remembered the way to Don's house vividly. Celine wasn't sure why she thought Don would be able to help her. She just believed he was the only one that could.
     Celine increased her speed. Blessed with long legs, Celine was a good athlete so running wasn't much of a problem to her. What bothered her was how she would be able to get to Don with the gate closed and his family at home. She finally reached the gate. Celine breathed heavily.
"Here I am. Now to get in, " Celine said, looking at the big black gate.
"Vanzella said I possess the power of the Great Phoenix, so there must be something I could do. May be fly, or - Come on, Great Phoenix! do something," Celine said, frustrated.
     She paced to and fro the big gate, thinking hard and peering occasionally down the empty street to make sure no one was there.
"It's past midnight, there's no way anyone would be outside, strolling along the street, " Celine assured herself. "I need to get to Don. Please, Great Phoenix, help me out," She said desperately and suddenly she felt her body lift up from the ground.
     Celine adjusted her eyes to the bright white light. She opened her eyes and found herself in a bedroom. Don's bedroom.
     Celine turned around and saw Don sitting on a drawer. He was staring at her, stupefied.
"Celine, did you just teleport into my room?" Don asked, surprised.
"I think so, " Celine said, uncertain. "You are not asleep."
"Neither are you, " Don said. "What are you doing here, Celine?"
"I need your help, " Celine said.
"With what? I hope you know that I know nothing, like nothing at all, about magic. All this is new to me, " Don said.
"I know, Don, there -,"
"I hope you also know that we are not friends. So why are you asking me for help? What makes you so sure I will help you?" Don said, hitting his fingers on the drawer, insouciant.
     Those words made Celine heartbroken.
Why did he have to say that? Celine thought. She fought back the tears as it came to her eyes.
"I know you will help me because it's about Chi and she is your friend, " Celine said.
"Chi? What happened to Chi?" Don asked, suddenly attentive.
     It really hurt Celine's feelings to see Don so concerned about Chi and not her.
"Some witch, named Vanzella, took her," Celine said, trying her best to sound calm.
"Witch? Van - what???" Don exclaimed. "What do you mean by that? How could you let a witch abduct Chi when you have superpowers?"
"I don't know; I didn't know how to stop her, OK? I don't even know what I can do and not do with my powers, " Celine said.
"You really are useless, " Don said and those words hit Celine very hard on the chest.
"I tried my best, OK?" Celine defended, tears pricking her eyes.
"So to you your best is doing nothing?" Don said, irritated.
"What would you have had me do!" Celine bellowed.
     Don walked quickly to Celine and grabbed hold of her pyjamas collar. Celine was terrified. She thought Don wanted to hit her.
"You better lower your voice, useless bitch, if you know what's good for you. I don't want my parents or sisters to know I have a useless soceress in my room, OK?" Don said and Celine nodded.
"And," He continued, holding her collar tighter, Celine winced, "this will be the  last time you will dare raise your voice at me, understood?" Celine nodded.
"Good, " Don said and released Celine, pushing her as he did so.
     Celine adjusted her pyjamas and wiped away the tears that had fallen from her eyes.
"I know you don't like me, Don. But please, help me help Chi. If you can't do this for me then please, do it for her, " Celine pleaded, sobbing softly.
     Don looked at her. "OK, you can stop crying. Of course I am going to help. This is Chi we are talking about."
     Celine nodded, wiping away her tears. "Thank you."
"So what exactly do you want me to do?" Don asked.
"I don't know. I thought may be you could come up with an idea on what we could do to help Chi, " Celine said.
"Are you crazy?" Don said, "How can I know. Am I some sort of socerer or something?"
"I don't know what to do Don. Please, I'm confused, " Celine said.
     Don signed. "OK, OK. Let me think, " He said and sat on his bed.
     Celine stood still and watched Don as he thought. His eyes were serious, wandering. She smiled. This was the exact same eyes he had when she had first saw him.
     Celine admired Don. Staring at his masculine body made the hairs on the back of her neck stand again.
"Celine, " Don finally said after a moment, looking at her.
"Yes?" She replied.
"Did this Van-whatever witch tell you anything?"
"Ehm... Yes. She wanted my powers. She said something about me being the new protector of the power of the Great Phoenix -that's the power I possess -and she said my mother chose me."
"Your mother? Your mother is also a witch?" Don asked
"My mother was not a witch!" Celine retorted. Don raised one of his eyebrows in a grimace.
"I'm sorry, " Celine quickly added and said calmly, "My mother was not a witch."
"Why are you saying 'was' ? Is your mother dead?" Don asked and Celine nodded, staring at the tiled floor. "Oh, sorry. I didn't know."
"It's OK, that was a long time ago," Celine said and sniffled.
"So what else did the witch tell you?" Don asked, trying to get over the sad atmosphere.
"She tried to hurt me but she couldn't, so she took Chi instead. She said when I am ready to give her my powers, I would get Chi back.
"That's not good. If this Van-whatever("Vanzella," Celine said) takes your powers I doubt she will use it for good," Don said.
"Exactly, so we have to find a way to get Chi back and deal with Vanzella, " Celine said.
"Yup, easier said than done, " Don said. "Where's Vanzella now?"
"I don't know. She said when I am ready to give her my powers, I know where to find her, " Celine said.
"Do you know where to find her?"
"No, I don't, ".Celine said, embarrassed. She could tell Don was disappointed.
"You really are useless, " Don mumbled quietly but Celine heard.
     She fought back the tears as it came to her eyes. She didn't want to cry now, especially not in front of Don. That would make her look weak.
I have the power of the Great Phoenix. I am not useless. I'm going to prove this to you, Celine thought.
"How were you able to use your powers back in school?" Don asked.
"Ehm... I don't really know("Then what do you know?" Don mumbled again.) Yes! I thought about my mother, " Celine quickly added. She was fed up with Don thinking she was useless and knew nothing.
"Your mother?" Don asked.
"Yes, my mother."
"Do the same right now then, " Don said impatiently.
"OK, " Celine said, not sure if it would work but she had to try. She didn't want to disappoint Don again.
     Celine closed her eyes and tried to think of her mother. But she couldn't. She knew Don was looking at her, so it made her think of him instead.
     Celine saw herself in Don's arms, snogging. It felt so real. It was real! She could feel Don's hands on her, his soft lips, his breath. She heard a voice call her name from afar but Celine didn't want to listen. She wanted more of Don.
Celine! The voice called but she ignored it again, snogging Don hungrily.
Celine! It called again, now a bit closer. Celine recognized the voice. It was so familiar. It was her mother's.
Mum!