Between the Willow Trees [NaNoWriMo 2013] (Editing)

Chapter 9: Terrible Acting Skills

Chapter 9: Terrible Acting Skills

Levi and I are standing on a busy train, both anxious about the trip to my destroyed house. I’m getting the occasional strange look from people because of what I’m wearing. Levi said that I should wear the clothes Thorne had given me and I had also been told that I have to wear the pocket watch. I actually got to see what this outfit looks like in a mirror this time and I laughed at myself. I look like some kind of female time-travelling pirate, especially once Erin allowed me to have my weapons back. I suppose this is also how I’ll have to dress when I eventually travel to Elethoria.

We both make very small conversation as we stand on the train. It isn’t until we get off the train that the real acting begins.

“How much farther is it to the portal?” Levi asks. I tell him that it’s not that far and then we are silent until we reach the road that leads up to my house. Ember explained that there would probably be demons stationed all the way along this road and that they’re bound to be hidden from sight.

As we walk down the eerily silent road I’m certain that she was right. It’s much too quiet along the road. Usually there are cars driving by and people out and about but there’s no one. I can feel myself tensing up; getting even more worried with every step we take. I force myself to take a deep breath and remind myself that there’s no reason to be scared.

It’s time to continue with the script.

“I still don’t see how it’s possible to fix the portal. I watched it shatter into a million pieces. How can that be fixed?” I ask Levi.

“With most spells there is always an equal opposite; a spell to undo what the first spell did. I’ve rarely seen a spell that doesn’t have a way to be undone.”

I realise that Levi’s acting is a lot more believable than mine. He’s seems to be relatively cool and confident. I’m going to have to try a lot harder if I want to make this scene seem real.

“If only Thorne had considered that he might be locking out Elethorians who would have taken his side. We wouldn’t have to go through all this hassle,” I mutter, trying to sound as annoyed as possible.

“He probably was aware that would happen, but couldn’t think of a way over it unless he told more people about his plan. Then someone might have managed to prevent him for sealing all the portals.”

I had known that I was going to have to brace myself for seeing the remnants of my house but it looked so much more shocking than I had expected it to. It had quite literally burnt to the ground, with only a thin layer of ash left behind. As we began to step over it I can hear the remains crunching softly under my feet. I try hard not to cringe.

I point between the willow trees at the bottom of what once was my garden. Everything in the vicinity has been burnt to ashes yet oddly only the willow trees remain. They look a little scorched but are mostly unscathed.

“The portal was between the willow trees,” I explain. “How comes they’re not ashes like everything else?”

“The willow trees are powerful. Luna, the nymph who was the guardian of this portal, tried her hardest to bind the trees with every protection spell. That way, if the portal was ever destroyed, with the trees still intact there’s always hope that the portal can be mended.”

We don’t stop walking until we’re right in front of the willow trees. I reach out to touch the trunk of the one on the left but Levi stops me, as he was instructed to do.

“Don’t touch them, it could be dangerous.” I look up at him in confusion, pretending to await further explanation which he doesn’t give me.