Blind

Running. Always running. She stumbled over the rough terrain, branches slapped her arms and legs as she pounded through the forest. The moon hung an eery yellow in the sky. Her long brown hair stuck to her face and sweat beaded her brow. Always running, never stopping for fear of the creature that lived for her death. Darkness was closing in on the forest. The green frons above her were now shadowed with darkness. The sky was the colour of crows feathered wings. A dark flowing stream came into view. She peered over the edge. Green frightened eyes stared back at her, it took her a while to realise that these were her eyes: Hope Flores.
A bush rustled in Hope's peripheral vision. A figure emerged and she sat ready to pounce. It gave a howl of laughter and slowly slunk towards her. There was something about it, the creatures eyes peered from the darkness. It was as though they had been licked by flames. A fire burned in its eyes so bright it was as though it would never die. It rushed towards her, arms out stretched. A scream worked its way up her throat, her vision popped and faded into darkness.

Hope bolted upright into a sitting position her eyes wide with and unexplainable terror. She didn't know what but something was disturbingly wrong. She raked her fingers through her hair trying to calm her hands which quivered with fear. Moonlight seeped through her small bedroom window. She went over to the window and sneaked a look outside. Her street was in darkness except for old light poles that produced next to no light at all. Hope's eyes swept the roadside. A small figure stood standing in the shadows. Small fairy like wings sprung from it's back. Hope ducked under the window, heart racing. Hesitantly, she peered over the edge again. It was gone. She blinked a couple of times and sighed, this had happened before. Small elves in the garden dressed in silvery garments of which were aglow. In multiple situations she found herself staring at magical creatures and trying to assure herself that she was imagining it. Though she shook it off, Hope always questioned why it was connected to her? Was she imagining it? Hope calmly went and flicked on the light.The room now glowed warmly.

After changing into some clothes for school, Hope felt almost normal. Erasing evidence from her previous fright. Padding down the hall, Hope went into the kitchen. A small angular room with light filtering through the window, illuminating the dust. After grabbing an oat bar and writing her mum a note she left her house for school.

Out on the path the air was cool and kissed her skin. Walking down the side walk, she passed small houses with buttercup flowers that lined the fence. Complimenting the bleak English weather. Cars drove by, the drivers not giving Hope a second glance (not that they gave her a first). Nearing the end of the road Hope passed an alley covered in graffiti. The hollow sound her shoes made slapping against the wet cement reflected what she was feeling inside. At the end of the alley, Hope was distracted by a bluish glow that was coming from the wall. Taking a closer look at it, Hope realised it seemed to be water hovering in mid air, and pressed against the wall. Amazed, she extended a hand, her finger tips just touched the wall when a push caused her to plunge through the the water. Darkness closed in on vision, light bulbs popped behind her eyelids. Water pressed in on all sides leaving her unable to distinguish the right way up.
Then it ended...

Gingerly, Hope touched her head which was throbbing, it came away red. Water clung to her eye lids and she squeezed them shut waiting for the nauseous feeling to pass. Her hair, a tangled mess fell limply on her shoulders. Getting slowly up, she now realised that she was not at home in England, but a strange sort of place. With soft green moss, and gently flowing waterfalls. The sky was not as it had been when she left but filled with stars, the moon not strangely distant but so very close. Large flowers bigger than Hope's hands twirled around the trees vines strangling other plants. Awe-struck Hope stared for a long time until a voice brought her back to reality.
"Carita" it said.
Hope stood now in shock at this creature, wings protruding from her back. Golden hair braided down the middle hung on her shoulders. A light white dress flowed from the fairy, half Hope's height it hovered in mid-air barefooted.
"Carita, meaning Luna, moonlight beauty" She explained.
"Who are you?" Hope said, surprised at how calmly she spoke.
"I'm Abella, you are Hope, and we are in Carita."
"How did I..."
"Portal" Abella said.
"Portals allow us to travel to different places between dimensions, moons, planets and around the sun." Abella said informing Hope.
"Well why am I here I'm not a fairy?" Hope said with growing frustration.
"Your father, Alaric was a mix blood, half human half Aprevalia. Aprevalia is a magical being with no powers of their own. Your father banished one of the darkest demon omens of our world Lillith, but now, I fear the other dark omen Armaros is after you. That's why you've been seeing things from our world. After your father disappeared I feared this would be happening" Abella said and shook her head with great sadness.
"I have a father, mother told me father left"
"I'm not sure but right now you need to get out of here" Abella said.
She looked around at the forest, the leaves looked dead and there was an eery silence. Even the flowers seemed a shade darker.
"Armaros, he's coming" Abella whispered.
Hope's legs moved mechanically, a slow jog at first then she was sprinting through the undergrowth. Abella flew in front of her with great grace considering the situation.
"The portals near, you just have to cross it. Each dimension has a portal" Abella explained.
They ran on and soon out of the darkness loomed a stone structure with hovering water.
"Good luck I'm sure we will meet again" Abella said
As Hope braced herself and flung her self against the portal. Forcing her eyes closed the world swum around her.

Pain brought her back to reality. She shielded her eyes from the sun, staring up at the sky. She felt nothing else but the pain, blinding and everlasting.
Her hands pushed at the ground. Sand? She couldn't tell, she sat up straight taking a look at the new dimension. Hope lay on a sand bank , small waves washed tangled sea weed to shore. Palm trees dotted the edge of the beach. She got to here feet, distantly aware of a throbbing in the back of her head. Moving steadily into the jungle she noticed how the trees seemed to glow. A small light flickered near a tree, nearing the tree she noticed it was not a light at all but a pixie. The small creature dressed in a blue garment danced around Hope.
"Hello" she said cautiously.
"Hope?" It chirped
She nodded
"Welcome to Aquatis, I'm Araxia" said Araxia
The Pixie led Hope deep into the forest where she past fairies, pixies, dwarves and a number of other magical creatures. (All of which knew all about Hope and the danger that faced her )
The heart of the jungle was a circle of over hanging branches and soft flowers. When Hope neared the circle, she felt a longing to live with the open sky. Her stomach did summersaults when she realised about how her mother would panic when Hope didn't return from school that day.

The sky had not yet become night but the world seemed gloomy. The fairies didn't sing and the leaves didn't rustle. There was only one explanation for this utter terror.
Armaros.

Araxia pulled Hope along her, stumbling through the branches. She led Hope through the jungle and to a small patch of bare grass. A white horse lay in the centre, wings spread from it's back the coal black features were amplified by the white. A Pegasus.
With a quick introduction to Moon the Pegasus, Araxia told Hope that Moon would take her to the portal.

Moon gave a run up. Her hooves matched the pace of Hope's beating heart, (fast and uneven). Moon's wings outstretched and they lifted off the ground. The sun was setting a pale orange in the sky. The cool wind beat against her face and messed her hair. Flying was unlike any other experience Hope had ever had before. It allowed her to escape her problems, when she landed on the ground reality smacked her in the face.

The cool air stung Hope's face, the hair on her arms stood on end. She could see the portal: 10m away. So close.
Then it happened.
A blast of light burst from the world. Hope fell backwards, arms clashing flesh on dirt. Her vision shuddered then cleared. Eyes emerged from the darkness, the same flame licked eyes from her nightmares.

Armaros.
He slowly prowled out of the darkness, a tiger catching its prey. His dark hair hair a tangled mess, dressed in all black.Hopes lower lip quivered. He smiled. Not the smile you give to your neighbour or an old friend, but a smile so dark you would wish you hadn't been born.
"Armaros" Hope whispered fear stained her voice like red mud on white sheets.
"Well I'm glad we don't need to do introductions" Armaros said as though he swallowed something sour.
Armaros took a few steps forward, now Hope could clearly see his angular, dirt smudged face.
"Your father banished my friend Lillith, now, I'm going to get rid of you" Armaros said with hatred.
He extended a hand and small sparks cracked. Raising his hand a blue spark flew from his hand. Everything went in a fuzzy slow motion. It was as though cotton balls had been shoved inside her head. Hope lay paralysed from fear. In her peripheral vision Hope saw a dark cloaked figure emerge from the shadows. It leaped in front of Hope, the spark collided with the figure. It twitched and went rigid. Armaros howled and fled lighting the surrounding trees on fire. Hope crawled weakly over to the body.

Brown hair framed his face. He looked a bit like....
His eyes flickered open.
Her green eyes stared back at her.
"Dad??!!" she whispered eyes brimming with tears, having a feeling deep down she knew. Falling back against the dirt she watched the trees burn, hot tears silently sliding from her eyes.

thanks guys for reading. may write a sequel! what do you think.
-Tahlia xx