A LEAP OF FAITH

Chapter 16: Wilted petals.

Mugi woke up to a rude awakening. He felt his throat tightening up again, just as it does every day. He ran into the woods, away from everyone. A few of the petals on his face shriveled up, falling off, only to be replaced by new ones that grew back in just a few seconds. He coughed out a few petals, then a whole flower. That has never happened before. He shakily picked up the large flower, inspecting it closely. He coughed up a few more petals, along with crimson liquid that spilled out of his mouth like vomit. He groaned, wiping off his mouth with his sleeve.

"Mugi...?" A familiar voice called out. It was Sugar.

"What do you want?" Mugi mumbled, not turning to look back at her.

"What's going on? You coughing out those flowers again?" She squatted down beside him, motioning towards the blood-stained grass.

"No," he said flatly.

"Mugi, I can literally see the flowers on the ground. Why don't you tell me what's going on?" She sat down on the ground, bringing her knees up to her chin.

"It doesn't matter, just leave me al-" He began coughing out the petals again.

Sugar rubbed his back, "Mugi... I might be able to help, I've studied a lot about the human body and elements," she said softly, looking at him. His hair fell over his face, hiding his expression.

"If I tell you..., will you promise to stop talking to me about it, promise to not tell anyone... even Sharlet, and promise not to make fun of me?" He muttered.

"Sounds like a lot of promises, but okay." Sugar shrugged before falling silent to listen. Mugi took a deep breath before exhaling heavily.

"A few years ago... back when I wasn't the best at magic, I was practicing in the backyard of my house," he began to explain. Sugar listened intently, waiting for him to say more. Despite Mugi seeming like he hated her; she was most definitely the person he trusted the most. After all, she was the first person to befriend him at Harmony Zeus Academy. "I was practicing one of my spells that we were learning in freshman year, and when I did it wrong..." He thought back to the exact time that it all happened. He remembered it a little too well.

Mugi stood in his backyard, gripping the wand that he got about two months ago. He was joyous when he got his first real wand. The others were just training wands, the ones he received in elementary and middle school. He had been tasked to do a spell, a spell that would cast flowers onto a certain object. He decided that he'd try to cast flower vines onto the fence in his backyard. He glanced around, smiling softly at the scenery.

The time was early autumn, the leaves were just starting to darken, and the air was getting cooler. He always appreciated pretty scenery and nature, hence his element. One of his favorite things to do was just sit outside and look at the sky, the grass, the woods, and many other sights. He waved his wand in the air, trying to remember the spell that he was supposed to say. His memory has never been the best, but he just took a wild guess and said the spell. When he finished reciting it, he felt a sharp pain shoot throughout his body. He said the wrong spell. The skin on his face gave a weird yet painful sensation. As if a thousand needles were stabbing into him all at once. Tons and tons of flowers began to sprout all over his upper face. He tried to scream, but his throat tightened up. A weird feeling in his stomach occurred, and not a good one. His vision went blurry, he could hardly see anything anymore. He fell to the ground, becoming far too weak to stand anymore. He shakily reached out for his house, trying to call out for his family, or anyone that could help, really. But alas, no one came.

It was from that moment on, it occurred to him that no one could ever help what was happening to him. A disease sprouted into his body like a flower. Literally. He choked on the flowers that came up in his throat, he vomited a few petals out onto the grass.