Change

Chapter Nine

I open my eyes.

When I raise my head, hot air slaps my face and I grimace.

I slowly get up and rub my eyes.

I'm such a mess.

I extend my foot, but there is no stomping sound.

I curiously look down and gasp.

There is no ground beneath me.

It's all white and..........cloudy?

Lumps of fluffy stuff cover up to my ankles. I move my foot in circular motion, and the 'cloudy' stuff orbits around it.

That's weird.

I move forward, expecting the white stuff to follow me.

Instead, they instantly leave my feet. Now I see a brown, rocky surface.

That's even weirder.

I bend down and press my hand against the surface.

A cut cracks open and a red river flows down my palm.

It's hard alright.

I narrow my eyes and sweep my gaze around.

Where the heck am I?

'So you have forgotten.'

A soft voice makes me frantically turn around.

A woman with frizzy red hair with stunning emerald eyes stands a few yards away. The first thing that comes to my mind is,

Wow she's so pretty.

'Well, thank you.' She says, blushing.

I widen my eyes.

'Um.... U-uh.'

'Yes?'

I study her. The mysterious woman is wearing a black dress, embroided from the front. Her face is spot less, as if she put on loads of make-up.

Ugh, don't remind me who also wears make-up.

'Don't think ill of people.'

Oh my freaking god.

'How can you.....??'

She smiles.

I make a confused face.

'Who are you?'

She looks at me incredulously. 'You don't know who I am?'

'As a matter of fact, I don't. You literally popped out of nowhere.'

She giggles softly. 'Yes you do. You just don't remember.'

I look around.

Right. I'm alone with this weird woman.

'Oh, you think of me as weird?'

I feel my knees wobble.

'Okay this is getting creepy. Who are you and what do you want from me?'

She purses her lips. 'I want nothing from you, my dear.'

Then why are standing there, staring at me like I'm a lost duck?

'I apologize for making you think ill of me'

'JUST BLOODY TELL ME WHO YOU ARE!'

She laughs.

I throw up my hands. 'Brilliant.' I look up to the sky.

'THANK YOU SO MUCH DEAR GOD! NOW I DEFINITELY BELIEVE IN MIRACLES!'

'Will you listen to me now?'

I smile. 'Oh, I think I was laying eggs the past few minutes' right? Yeah right! One egg was surprisingly rotten...'

'You're dreaming.'

I stop babbling. My eyelids feel heavy and I force them open.

'Uh.....I'm......dreaming?'

Silence takes over like dark clouds and my mouth is closed like a zipped jacket.

'Yes, young people often get confused.'

I blink.

Twice.

''Um....you....you must be mistaken...'

'No, I'm not, my dear.'

'Then.....how..??'

She bends her head and sighs.

'You're dreaming.'

That would explain the cloudy stuff.

'So....huh?'

Wait a fudging minute....I just bled on a rock.

'I can't be dreaming.'

'No?'

'My hand is bleeding.'

'Yes, I can see that.'

My turn to sigh now.

'I can feel the pain.'

She tilts her head and gives me a smile.

What is she trying to do?

I awkwardly look side-ways, trying to make her think that I'm not really interested.

But she just stands there.

Staring.

'Are you feeling uncomfortable?'

Oh, you bet.

'Uh.....no....um...'

'Perhaps I should start from the beginning.'

Oh yes.

With that, she turns around, the cloudy stuff following her.

Uh...okay what's happening.

I trot after her.

'Wait! Don't go......'

I slip and my face hits a hard, rocky surface.

I gaze upwards and see the sky burning.

I see people running away.

I see black figures whisking about.

Where am I?

'MY GOD NESSA!'

The curtain of my eye rolls open.

Flame bends down before me, her eyes full of worry.

'Are...are you okay?'

I push the floor with my hands and force myself up.

'Why, what's the matter, Flame?'

'You......fell beside your locker.'

'So?'

She wipes her forehead.

'And....you're bleeding.'