The Awakening

Chapter 1; Part 2

Cambry startled awake, her heart pounding in her chest, the familiar knowing fleeting. As she lay in bed, the remnants of the dream clung to her like a gossamer thread, fragile yet insistent. The fleeting images danced at the edges of her memory, teasing her with glimpses of a world filled with color and light—a stark contrast to the drabness of her everyday life. She sat up, the sheets tangled around her legs, and rubbed her eyes, willing the remnants of the dream to solidify into something more tangible.

The morning sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating the room in soft golds and ambers, echoing the glow she had seen in her reflection. What did it mean? She had never thought much of her eyes, merely accepting them as unremarkable, but now they felt like a harbinger of something greater—a sign that the mundane façade of her life was about to shatter.

Cambry swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood, the cool wooden floor grounding her as she glanced at the mirror again. It no longer felt like just a reflection; it was a threshold to something beyond. The thought sent a shiver down her spine, igniting a fire of curiosity within her.

"What are you waiting for?" she whispered to her reflection, as if it could respond. With a resolute nod, Cambry stepped closer, her heart racing with a mix of anticipation and trepidation. She had spent years feeling adrift, her life a series of unremarkable routines. Now, it seemed, she was on the brink of something extraordinary. Her intrusive mind threatening to steal the magic of the moment, " No, I refuse to believe this is just wanting and imagination." Damning her parents for drilling it into her head that magic isn't real all these years. Damning her husband for every comment that further convinced her she is not special at all. Clairvoyance seemed to come to Cambry in waves, just the slightest tease of information, enough to allow herself to be easily convinced by those around her it was all in her head.

The door to her room creaked open, jolting her from her thoughts. Her daughter, Aurelia, peeked inside, her brow furrowed with concern. "You okay? You looked like you were having a nightmare."

Cambry offered a half-hearted smile, trying to push aside the weight of her revelations. "Just a strange dream, that's all."

Aurelia stepped further into the room, her bright blue eyes scanning her mothers face for signs of distress. "You've been acting weird lately. Is something bothering you?"

The truth bubbled in her throat, but Cambry swallowed it back. How could she explain the sensation of awakening, the burgeoning magic stirring within her? Instead, she shook her head, forcing a laugh. "I promise, I'm fine. Just a lot on my mind." She's never lied to her daughter before, in fact, the day she was born she promised her she would never stifle her creativity, she would never kill the magic. Of all things, Cambry wanted most for her daughter to see the beauty and mystery in the world, the magic in the changing of the seasons and the possibility of legend and lore being more than just a story parents tell their kid at bedtime.

Deep down, she knew that this was only the beginning. As she turned away from the mirror, a soft whisper echoed in her mind, "You are meant for more." A voice she recognized, but wasn't her own. Cambry nodded silently, the slightest smile appearing in the corner of her mouth.

With a determined breath, she stepped out of her room, ready to face the day and the mysteries that awaited her. The world outside felt different, vibrant, alive—a tapestry woven with threads of magic and destiny, waiting for her to uncover its secrets. For good measure, trying the locked door as she passed, pausing as Aurelia bounced lightly down the stairs, something was different about the door today, something Cambry wasn't convinced anyone else could see. An inscription was scrolled across the door, and appeared to glow as she drew closer. "In shadows deep, where whispers dwell, Seek the heart of the ancient well. Where waters sing and stones converse, There lies the key, a gift or curse." As she read it, there was a sudden knowing that gave her chills. "Maaaaaaa, come on, we're going to be late, again!" Aurelia's lighthearted taunt pulled Cambry out of her reckoning, "Duty calls", she sighed, reluctantly pulling herself down the stairs, away from the mystical door that had captured her attention. The inscription lingered in her mind like a haunting melody, its promise both tantalizing and perplexing.