The Battle of Goodwin's Grave

Leaving Home

"GET OUT OF MY HOUSE! GET OUT, SPAWN OF SATAN! YOU ARE UNHOLY, UNNATURAL AND YOU TOOK HIM FROM ME! GET AWAY FROM ME, YOU WITCH!"

I pack my bag of clothes as I hear Her storm up the stairs, heading for my room. I run over to the door and lock it, snatching my keys, phone, headphones and iPod off of my shelf as I go back to the bed where my bag is. I pick up His old, worn leather jacket off of the back of the chair behind me and shove my arms inside then put my keys and iPod in the pocket. I put my headphones into my phone and turn my music on full blast, attempting to drown out Her screaming at me, banging on the door as hard as she can. I take our my stash of food and money from under my bed and put them in the bag along with my chargers. I grab my journal, pencil case, a few books and photos and stuff them in.

She can have the house, but She can't take my memories or my photos.

 I zip up the bag and as I sling it over my shoulders, I can't help but notice how the door shudders and the lock rattle each time She comes into contact with it. I walk over to the window and open it and as I step out onto the ledge, I look back at my room and think of all when this room was my safe haven, my sanctuary. My refuge. I turn back and jump down, bracing myself for impact. I scramble to my feet and run around to the side of the house to grab my motorbike, digging the keys out of my pocket as I go. It's crazy what I would do to avoid seeing Her when she's like this. I fumble with the keys and find the right one. I turn the key in the ignition while She lets out a deep animalistic cry and I hear the sound of splintering wood. I look up at the house to see Her glaring at me from the window, making threatening gestures and screeching like a banshee that she is going to the police, swearing that I won't get away with what I've done. I take off and manipulate the Mist, the source of all magic, to ensure I won't be seen by creating a Cloak. I notice my hair has turned grey and I feel the tears streaming down my cheeks. I'll go back to the house and get the rest of my stuff another day, but right now I just need to put some distance between myself and my mother.

As soon as the town is well behind me, I pull over, my heart thundering as I dismount and sit on the grass, leaning against a tree with my head in my hands. My phone starts vibrating in my pocket and I take it out, seeing I have a message from my best friend, Sam.

Everything okay Ruby? Got a message from my dad saying you took off. I can meet you somewhere after work if you need to talk. Do you need anything?

"More than you could give me, Sammy." I sigh as I look to the sky and shake my head. As usual when it concerns magic, I can't tell him the truth so I just sigh and reply,

I'm okay. Mom's just having one of her bad days again. She hasn't been taking her meds for a while. Thanks anyway, Sammy.

Then I shove my phone back in my pocket and sit on the grass for a while, listening to my music, thinking things over as a few cars pass. Unsurprisingly, no one stops as no one can see through my Cloak, not even other witches. I am the most powerful of my kind, according to my grandmother. The Fated One. Fated to what exactly? To live a life of pain and be hated by everyone, including the one person I have left who is meant to love me unconditionally? Who blames me for the death of my father? What a great destiny that is! I turn off my music and take off my headphones too, then curl into a little ball as if to stop anymore problems attaching themselves to me. The last thing I need is any more bad luck, I think to myself as I listen to the sea sing a soft sweet lullaby to the sand. My hair falls across my face now midnight blue.

Where do I go now? What do I do? I think to myself as I shiver.

I stand up and look at how I am dressed: My Ghost Adventures t shirt, my jacket, my short black ripped denim shorts and my Doc Martens. Not the best thing to be wearing near the end of October... I gather some twigs and leaves which have fallen from the tree behind me and rub my hands together to make a little flame to burn them. I shrug the bag off of my shoulders and bring out a chocolate bar and the dagger my grandmother gave me that I keep with me in this bag at all times. I look at how the flames reflect off of the golden blade that symbolises the sun and remember when my grandmother told me what everything about the blade symbolized. Gold for the sun, the aquamarine gem in the hilt for the sea, the brown leather scabbard embroidered with flowers studded with gems for the earth and it's treasures. She also gave me her crystal collection after she taught me what they all meant. I take out the necklace she gave me when my father died with the most important gems on it and hold the amazonite close to my heart, trying to use its power to calm my heart. I then use the dagger to cut off a lock of my hair and burn it as an offering to my grandmother to thank her for everything she taught me about magic. I sit cross-legged by the fire and eat my chocolate bar as I once again begin think about where I am meant to go and what my grandmother would do when I feel a tug inside towards the south. I try to think about what might be there that could help me when I finally understand where I am meant to go: The old castle, Goodwin's Grave.