Fire & Ice

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Journal Entry:

This weekend was so incredible. I loved every minute spent with Portia, her family, and the coven. Never has a place felt so much like home. I'm so thankful things are finally coming together. It's strange to allow myself to have hope again—the feeling is so foreign to me that sometimes I feel like I'm doing something wrong. Portia says I'm retraining the way I think, and learning to be more positive. She believes that, just like magic, good energy attracts more good energy. I hope she's right, because I find myself wanting to believe. Time has been on my side so far. Hopefully, it will stay that way.

***

My head jerked up, the explosion rattling my desk. Through our mental connection, I felt Portia's body slam against the wall, and I thought my heart was going to explode with terror.

Ear splitting screams immediately filled the air as students panicked, springing to run in mass hysteria from the classroom, congesting together as they fought to push their way through the doorway, hastily trying to get out.

Clawing my way through, I pushed and shoved at the people in front of me, finally gaining access to the chaos-filled hallway. There was a horrible groaning sound, and I held my breath in horror, as I recognized the signs of the ceiling structure failing and collapsing somewhere in the building.

"Portia!" I yelled both mentally and out loud, my heart pounding erratically. "Hang on! I'm coming!"

Running through the hordes of terrified, screaming students who were streaming toward me, I rammed against those who ran into me or tried to turn me in the other direction, knocking them out of the way, much as a football player would to his opponents on the field. Ceiling tiles fell throughout the hallway, and I raised my arms protectively above my head as I hurried along, attempting to dodge the debris.

Portia's scream loudly tore through my mind, as a feeling excruciating pain rip through her body as well.

"Oh Portia! Don't move! I'm almost there!" I called frantically, a sickening wave rushing through me because I instinctively knew she was injured badly. I could feel it.

Rounding the corner, I lifted my head to survey the damage and stopped dead at the sight in front of me. Suddenly it was as if everything was moving in slow motion. Students ran unseeing around me, as dust particles floated through the air in a halo-like effect around ... my mother.

Shock held me, and I was frozen as I stared at the face I hadn't seen in years, trying to figure out how she could possibly be here and how she fit into this scenario.

She smiled at me and I thought I saw her eyes flash a bright red color.

"No!" I said, taking a slight step backward, dread flooding my system. It couldn't have been her all this time. Not my mom. She would never do anything to hurt me. But as I watched, a full demon mask slip briefly across her features, before flickering back to normal. "No!" I shouted louder, taking a step toward her this time, raising my hand to fight.

Immediately, something sharp stabbed me in the neck and instantly my world went black.

---

Pounding, pounding, pounding, echoed in my ears and I groaned, wishing someone would stop the incessant sound. Slowly, I realized it was the beating of my own pulse inside my head. My tongue felt swollen and fuzzy, and my mouth was dry, as I attempted to swallow. I was so thirsty.

Memories of the explosion infiltrated my mind, explaining the ache in my system. Portia and I had been separated—she gravely injured—and I had no idea if she was even alive.