Adurna

Hatching

Chapter Seven-

I paced around my room madly, trying to find a place to hide the stone. Usually, I wouldn’t hide something in my home, but Marcus hasn’t left me alone since he found me in the woods. I woke to find him sitting in a chair beside my bed with that worried look I have always hated on his face. It has been a day since I’ve found the mysterious stone and I have kept it under my blankets while he and Gran hustle in and out of the door to check on me. I haven’t had a moment of peace. To make matters worse, I hadn’t been able to glance at the rock to make sure it still exists. Finally, I had shooed Marcus away after begging him to assist Gran in the dinner routine and luckily he complied.

Once he left, I threw off my blankets and dug around to find the dirty skirts that contain my secret object. Quickly, I un-wrapped the cloth from it to reveal a breathtaking jade green stone. My eyes widened at the marvel I held in my hands. The beauty of the bright rock made any prized jewel dim in comparison. I trailed my hands across it to feel the perfect smoothness of something I had found in the forest. Not one scratch or imprint showed within the flawless stone. I stared mesmerized on the bright rock as if I was in an unbreakable trance.

The loud steps of Marcus coming up the steps for yet another check-in had me scrambling to my feet. If he saw this, he would insist I put it back where I had found it. I already knew he would think it was dangerous and he would do everything in his power to keep me ‘safe’. The thought of returning the stone had my stomach doing nervous flips. My eyes searched frantically for an impeccable place to put the stone without anyone finding it on purpose or accident. As the steps grew louder and closer, my possible positions grew slimmer and slimmer. Finally, I dove for my bed and hitched the stone between the mattress and the wood panel supporting it as the creek of my door sounded.

"Why are you on the floor?” Marcus’s half amused voice came from the door. “Wait, did you fall?” And just like that he was by my side in an instant. I stifled the sigh of frustration as he tried to help me up. As I began to push away his unnecessary help away, my ankle went into a spasm of the sudden pain my mind has been ignoring for too long. I gripped his hand tightly as he eased me on to my bed.

“Thanks.” I replied softly, rubbing my foot absentmindedly. My mind wondered to the stone beneath us. Could he feel it? I doubted it, since I was barely aware of the slight bump near my pillow. Was it being harmed by the weight of us? Should I move it somewhere else?

“I aim to please.” He said with a lopsided grin that made me momentarily forget about the rock under the mattress. I smiled at his words while I gazed out the window. The storm was a world away by now and it had left sunshine and a crisp breeze in its wake. A fresh smell of dew and the lake's familiar scent blew in from the open window, which I inhaled gratefully. How long has it been since I stepped foot outside this house? It feels like weeks to me, though it was only a day.

"How ‘bout I take you out for a stroll later today?” He asked, seeming to read my thoughts. I looked at him excitedly as his eyes ranked over my expression. “I hate seeing you locked up like this.”

“Yes,” I sighed while leaning back until my face faced the ceiling. “If Gran brings me another cheese sandwich I think I might burst.”

I listened to his laughter as it shakes the bed with a smile. The sweet sound was accustomed to my ears and eased my fear and pain completely. I shot up straight as the image of the fragile looking stone breaking into a million tiny pieces. Marcus stopped abruptly and raised his eye brows in concern. I needed his off of the bed, I thought as I jumped to my feet. Unthinkable, I grabbed his hands and pulled them to me.

“Will you take me now?” I said the first thing that popped into my mind to get him out of here. Luckily, he rose to his feet quickly at my excitement. To my dismay, he glanced down at my bare foot uncertainly.