Obscuria

Chapter Seventeen - The Beginning

(Misty)

When I wake up, it's 11:26. I know I needed a long rest after all that happened last night. Every emotion I had before has disappeared, as though I used them all up while crying last night. Piper seems to have left her bed, but Everly is still asleep; I pick myself up off the mattress.

Clara's cat, Angel, came by the Settlement last night. At first I thought I was imagining her, the glow of her white fur under the moon - but when Pip pointed her out, I knew she wasn't just a hallucination. She seemed to be looking for something, or someone. I walked barefoot out into the forest to see her, to comfort her. But she just looked lost. She didn't understand; all that seemed to be on her mind was, where is Clara?

When she finally noticed me, she gently meowed, unable to take her big eyes off me. She walked towards me cautiously, but there was no doubt she recognised me. For a few minutes I stroked her soft fur, cuddled her, all while feeling almost nothing. I tried to depart from her and head back to bed, but she wouldn't leave me alone, wouldn't let me go. Eventually I had to carry her with me into the cottage and let her sleep on the mattress. I couldn't help but cry. But when Angel heard my silent weeping, she snuggled herself up even closer to me before I fell into slumber.

This morning, she's nowhere to be seen.

The bag that Clara gave me, on the other hand, is exactly where I left it under Piper's bed. After last night, it's just too painful to have it in plain sight, let alone actually open it. So I just hid it. But it wouldn't feel safe if it wasn't still there.

I find Piper in the living room downstairs, sitting on the sofa and watching adverts on the TV. Alma's spirit is standing behind her, doing nothing.

"Hi, Misty," Pip and Alma say solemnly at the same time.

"Hey, Piper. Hey, Alma," I reply. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing, really," Piper says sadly. "I'm just- I'm still absorbing it all, you know? Actually, I don't even know which would be worse: talking about last night, or acting like it never even happened."

"Well," I mumble, sitting beside her on the brown leather of the sofa, "I guess it depends on who you're talking with." I take a second to breathe and look into her dishevelled face. "Are you feeling okay?"

She shakes her head. I scoop her up in a cuddle, but she doesn't seem able to cry.

"If you ever need to talk about it," I tell her, "I'll listen, okay? You won't be burdening me or anything by letting it out. I'm here. I'll always be here."

Piper inhales.

"Misty, what if we have to move?" she says. "I mean, the Protectors know where we live, don't they? So what if we have to pack our bags and leave Hallowston just to be safe from-" She stops herself. "Misty, what if I never see you again?"

"Pip, I promise, you'll see me again," I tell her gently, but find my voice slowly raise in desperation as I continue, "Even if you do have to move out of Hallowston, even if you end up on the other side of the world, I'll find you. Even if you can't talk to me anymore, I'll find a way to reach you! I will!"

For the first time in my life, I watch her pale sapphire eyes begin to sparkle with tears. She stares at me, sobbing lightly, as she looks into my eyes. Effortlessly, our lips touch; I close my eyes and revel in the very little warmth she has. I curl her soft, golden hair in my fingers and get closer and closer to her, until soon enough, she pulls away.

"Misty, I need to ask you," she whispers, her glinting eyes full of love. "Are- Are you okay? Will you be okay?"

"I don't know if I've ever been okay," I answer honestly. "I don't know if my life's ever got better. But I want to get there. I used to want to stay sick, but now, I realise how bad everything's become. And I want to make it better. I want to be okay."