Behind Me

21: flame

I couldn't remember the last time I felt this scared or if I'd ever been at all. Perhaps I should have taken Alpheus more seriously than I originally did.

Who were these people? What did they want with us? Were they going to kill us? I didn't want to die... Not while I still had a lot of stuff to work through.

My attempt at a scream came out as nothing but a yell as an arm gripped me from behind and another was placed over my mouth and began pulling me away. I began kicking and grunting as they all moved towards me, in the direction I was being dragged.

With my eyes being snapped shut in my struggle I had barely seen a thing but I could hear Mei's voice, "let her go!" Followed by a scream and I popped open my eyes to see Mei passed out on the floor.

Suddenly my struggle became more of a fight. It was obvious these people had come for me but what reason did they have to hit her? I wanted more than anything to see that she was okay. That was when I became too much for my assailants to handle. Their grip has become too much of a frustration and I felt a sudden build up of energy, a rush.

Then came a shriek so loud I was surprised it belonged to me, and along with it, a huge wave of fire, blue in colour and i watched these kidnappers drop to the floor incapacitated.

Nothing of what had just happened was any of my concern. I ran to where Mei lay on the floor and shook her until she came to. And with that, I began to feel weak myself, suddenly finding it hard to stay up.

There was a deep contrast of Mei's growing concern and my relief as I could now feel my back against the cold hard floor.

When everything dimmed, I could still hear Mei's worried voice call out to me whilst I lay there, thankful she was alright.

* * *

I could see, that lovely skyline once more, the trees swaying, the birds singing, and the sound of rushing water.

However...

When I looked to the left of me, what lay there was a man with dark locks and eyes now dimming with that smile assuring that everything was okay.

But it wasn't.

I knew because I could feel my heart racing, the fear within me was nothing short of overwhelming. What really topped it off was that he was covered in blood, I could see it as much as I could smell it. Up until where our hands intertwined, and I didn't want to let go but I didn't know why.

Then, out of my lips came the words o never thought I'd say.

Dad...

I jolted up at once, my mind in a daze as I tried to gather myself. My surroundings, once again unfamiliar, made me squint with the intensity of the fluorescents.

My chest still thumped from my heart beating hard causing a feeling of discomfort as if I'd been suffocated. In the midst of my confusion, I could hear a voice.

"Princess, princess!"

That's when I came to.

A hand wrapped around my own and I looked into the worried eyes of my bodyguard. I was awake now, more uncomfortable than anything. I pulled my hand out of his still a bit shaken from my nightmare.

My hands...

The hands in my dream were that of a child. That dream... Horrible! Never in my life had I thought up such a gory scene much less dreamt of it. None of it was real but somehow, I could still feel my body shaking from it.

"Princess," called Alpheus once again. I had completely dismissed him the whole time but now I looked at him, fully and saw much more worry than I'd seen initially.