Awoken

Chapter 2

Skylar awoke in a cold sweat. She quickly calmed herself and wiped the hair back from her forehead. She put on a housecoat and made her way down the stairs of the old building. Entering the kitchen, she saw the newest of the arrivals. Within the eight years of Skylar disappearing, she had spent 3 of them at a home for runaways and exiles. The tiny blonde sitting at the table was one of them. Round hazel eyes looked up at her with a mixture of fear and hard resolve.

"Nightmares?"

Anna's eyes narrowed in surprised confusion. Nobody had spoken to her since she tried to bite the last person to come near to her. Kyle was still weary of the fearsome young thing. She answered hesitantly. "Yeah. You too?"

Sky's eyebrow raised. The child's skill at reading people was impressive, though the cause of it was most likely less than favourable. "Yeah. I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours."

"Right. Like that's ever worked." Anna gave a brittle laugh.

Skylar began making some tea. "Actually you'd be surprised."

Anna watched in silent awe of Sky brewing the tea. A puff of green smoke had begun to rise from the kettle. "Once it turns purple it's safe to drink. It'll knock you out for a few hours. I picked up a few tricks while staying with a Russian witch named Vera. She taught me some pretty useful stuff. I could teach you if you'd like." Sky sat down next to Anna.

Suddenly interested in the conversation, Anna piped up. "Totally." Her face quickly morphed back into her usual uninterested expression. "I mean if you really wanted to I wouldn't complain."

A small smile graced Sky's face. She had found that she loved working with kids. Anna was nearly Sky's age when she left. Of course, she doesn't go by Skylar Rowan anymore. That name had been erased from the world to which she now belonged. Now it was Sara Randall.

Anna and Sky talked for a good hour about her loss of family, whilst drinking the sleeping draught. Anna began to yawn and doze off on Sky's shoulder. She picked the small girl up and snuck down the hall to her room. Placing her on the bed, she hummed a Gaelic lullaby her Aunt sang to her as a child. The melody was etched into her memory as if it were yesterday when she had last heard it.

Seinn an duan seo dhan Innis Àigh
An innis uaine as gile tràigh
Bidh sian air uairean a' bagairt cruaidh ris
Ach se mo luaidh-sa bhith ann a' tàmh

Càit' as tràith an tig samhradh caomh
Càit' as tràith an tig blàth air craobh
Càit' as bòidhche 's an seinn an smeòrach
Air bhàrr nan ògan 's an Innis Àigh

Slowly retreating towards the door, Sky heard a soft voice from behind her. "Thanks, Ms Randall."

Sky smiled. "You call me Ms Randall again, and you may be put up with a roommate if you're not careful."

"Ma, it is then."

Sky had just closed the door before she began to let loose her silent tears. Her kind was not made to be alone for this long, and that little girl had sparked something in her. Something she had buried deep down, nearly three years ago. A longing for family.

***

"Carter! You come here right now!" A shrill female voice echoed throughout the house.

Nate sighed at the small knocking at his door. He opened it and looked down at the small head of blonde hair. "Uncle Nate, can I hide in here with you? Mama wants me to wear my suit for the wedding." Frowning blue eyes pleaded up at him.

Scooping the child up in his arms, Nate closed the door. He swung Carter around and then flung him onto the bed. Nate plopped himself down next to the giggling child before picking up his laptop and placing it on his lap. Nate's shoulder became unusually heavy. "Whatchya doing Uncle Nate?"