A Witch's Way

Chapter 26

Serena froze, hands stiff from their position. It all seemed too dark all the sudden, and it felt like the shadow could leap at her from anywhere. Her legs were sore as well, and she regretted agreeing to Lyra's offer.

Where was it? She couldn't find it. Not to mention that she had been feeling sick since she entered the concrete training room. Something inside of her was tugging at her soul, akin to the feeling that she first felt when she had met Rosemary. It was sickly bittersweet, though.

The feeling hurt. Something flicked at her calf and she yelped, stumbling forward to avoid being sucked under. Someone laughed and she looked up to see Lyra, dangling her feet on the high-rise. She smiled and waved, "Faster, Serena. You want to survive, right? Erik would've been on top of you in less than a second. Keep. moving," Lyra scolded, leaning forward.

Serena nodded and pushed through her sick stomach and sore legs. She continuously moved around, watching her peripheral vision to see the slightest sign of the shadow jumping. She leaned against the wall, putting her hands on her knees to breath.

Something brushed up against her back and she leaped away, feeling the dagger-like claws try to curl around her ankle to trip her. Serena stumbled and landed on her hands and knees, scrambling away from the pursuing shadows.

She spun around and started to back up, feeling herself get sicker and sicker with each passing moment. It was going to happen again. She heard herself scream and something tug at her forward--and her back hit the concrete wall.

A blinding flash of light shot through the room. Serena heard an inhuman wail coming from the shadow, and then Lyra shout in confusion.

Her head spun and she whimpered, her head now dizzy from the light. She opened her eyes cautiously, black spots dancing in them. She couldn't see and she wasn't sure what had happened. Eventually, the sunspots disappeared and she could see what had pulled her forward and created the blinding light.

In front of her sat a light brown coyote, it's pointed ears flattened against its skull. She could hear it snarling at something, it's hackles raised. Serena's heart stopped. She didn't want to breathe.

The coyote, once realizing that it was in a room, calmed down slightly and panted. It turned its head, yellow eyes shining brightly when it landed on her.

Serena flinched and pushed herself up against the wall, the cold cement a valid reminder that this was real. She felt the cold, damp nose of the coyote press against her cheek and she whimpered, trying to push away the coyote, igniting a snarl from it.

She raised her head and felt as if her heart was going to stop, the blood pounded in her ears and head. It sniffed her, and then stepped back, sitting on its haunches. It's tail wagged excitedly, it's pointed ears tilted.

"Miss me, dearest?"

Serena snapped her head towards the voice that came from the coyote. It sounded just like...her. It was more throaty and scratchy, but it had that same, gentle tone.

"Rosemary?" Serena murmured, reaching forward with a shaky hand to feel the soft, brown fur. She could feel her throat close up and tears prick overtop her eyelids.

Rosemary nodded, eyes shining with excitement and love. "If you want that to be my name still, then so be it."

Serena choked out a cry and threw her arms around the scruff of Rosemary's neck. She sobbed into it, holding her tightly around her neck. "Rosemary...oh my Gaia--" she sputtered, afraid to let go.

Rosemary laughed, putting a foreleg awkwardly on Serena's back.

Serena felt Rosemary change and her arms tugged Serena closer to her. "Rosemary I just--" Serena shook her head in the crook of Rosemary's neck. "I missed you so much and--I don't know if..."