Zoe's only wish is to be able to run barefoot through grass, but she knows it'll never happen. Ever since she was born, she's been unable to touch anything living without it instantly dying. It's a curse she would do anything to get rid of, but that...
I slowly extended my hand again and placed it on the grass. I then moved my fingers through the grass, felt it tickling my fingers.
The grass was still green.
A giggle rose in my throat. It came out in bits as I tore off my other glove and placed that hand on the ground as well. Without even thinking, I ripped my shoes and stockings off and stood up. My toes curled up and tried to dig themselves more into the ground and the life underneath them.
The giggle became a laugh. Pure and unstoppable happy laughter.
Ash and Pine took my hands and each other's. We formed a circle and spun around and around. I had my head thrown back and shrieked at the sensation.
I was free. I was completely free of the darkest part of my life. Death had become life.
When we stopped, I muttered a quick spell, and my clothes changed completely. It was still a green dress, but it was now in a similar flowy material as Ash's and Pine's dresser were in. It also ended by my knees. It went up all the way to my throat, but the collar was rather like a necklace since my shoulders, arms, and back were completely exposed. I had made the spell without thinking much about how the dress would look. Seeing it, I realized it was the same as the one I had had in the dream.
Hecate and Pan. Hecate, the goddess that was said to have created witches. And Pan, the god who had to be the father of nymphs.
I smiled to myself and then quickly did a cleaning spell as well, washed away the remnants of all things bad that had happened that day.
"Come here, Zoe!" Pine urged me and I danced over. Spinning as I moved forward. Enjoying the air on my skin and the ground underneath my feet. The life that caressed not only my skin, but even my soul. It made me giggle again.
I stopped right by her. She stood by a small shrub with purple flowers, though it looked like the flowers wouldn't last much longer.
"Try to make them happy again!" Pine told me and I took a step back.
"Happy?" I asked bewildered. "Alive you mean?"
"Yes!" she said and nodded frenetically.
"I... I can't."
"You can! Just believe in yourself."
I looked at Ash, who had come to us as well. She gave me one simple nod, and that convinced me to try. I reached out my hand and as I touched the shrub, I wished for the flowers to grow stronger.
A strange sensation went through me. It was as if I became part of the shrub momentarily. I felt all its energy, could even see it as a golden thread spreading through it. I quickly also felt and saw where the energy was weaker. Where it seemed to be broken. I imagined those broken pieces as whole, similarly to how I had imagined drying myself with a cotton towel. Barely had I started doing it before all of the broken spots disappeared and with that, the flowers straightened up and became alive as if they had just started to bloom.
"She's a natural!" Pine clapped her hands.
She dragged me to another patch with some dying flowers. Then to a small tree, another bush, and so on. I healed every single one of them and every time I did, Pine clapped and praised me.
When I was on the eighth plant, she turned in another direction. Soft music could be heard, and her eyes started to glitter.
"Let's dance!" she exclaimed.
She took hold of me and dragged me along. Not that I minded. I had never felt so good. Happy, and free, and just light. Alive.
There was a man sitting on the grass and playing the guitar. Me, Pine, and Ash danced next to him. Or it wasn't as much dancing as it was us jumping and spinning around in a circle. After a while we stopped holding hands and I closed my eyes and simply moved however the music made me move.
To imagine that only moments ago I had been ready to give up. On everything. I would never give up again. Whatever life threw at me, there would be a solution if even the worst part of my life could turn into something amazing.
"He's so handsome!" I heard Pine say.
"Definitely!" Ash agreed.
"Do you want to dance with us?" Pine asked.
"Zoe?" a weak voice then said.
My eyes flew open, and I spun around. A little away, Felix stood with Ash and Pine watching him curiously. He, however, stared blankly at me.
I quickly skipped over to him, but became still when I was right in front of him. Anxiety welled up. What if it was a dream, or my skin wasn't as safe as I thought? I wanted nothing else but to reach out and touch him. But that could go horribly wrong.
Or was he mad at me now? Maybe the change in me would annoy him? Or he had changed his mind about choosing me over his father? Was he perhaps here to take me back to Harry Jackson?
My heart pounded, and I was frozen to the ground. Felix's eyes looked me up and down and then seemed to look around me. He wore gloves, but he rapidly threw them off and then placed a hand on my cheek.
For a moment I felt panic, but then I closed my eyes and leaned into the touch. It was the most amazing sensation I had ever felt. Warm and comforting. His touch created sparks on my skin and it just felt right. Everything felt right. I was ready to enjoy that feeling for forever, but too quickly the hand disappeared.
"Wha..." I started, but my head went blank as Felix pulled me to him and wrapped his arms around me. He held me so tight that it hurt a little, but it was the most amazing feeling I had ever felt.
He hugged me. I was surrounded by his warmth, and love, and safety, and I was receiving my first hug ever that didn't contain any trace of fear.
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