The Dark Hunters

Chapter 36

Braden POV

It's still dark by the time I reach my house.

I trudge up the stairs to the bathroom, and get cleaned up.

I put on clean pj bottoms, and climb into bed.

Next, I set my alarm for six o'clock. About eight hours from now.

I fall asleep instantly, realizing how tired I actually am.

I dream of Odeya. How she will look when I find her, how it will feel when we are finally reunited.

I smile in my sleep.
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I shoot out of bed when I hear the alarm.

It's six o'clock.

I shower again, brush my teeth, put on jeans, a maroon T-shirt, black sweatshirt, and hiking boots.

I grab a backpack and shove a couple of protien bars, a bottle of water, and a couple of sandwiches, inside. I sling the backpack over my shoulders and dash out the door, into the morning light. I run down the sidewalk. Running on the powers of love.

I can feel her spirit by my side. Giving me strength. Giving me hope.

I run for hours, until the lack of water, causes me to slow to a jog.

It's getting dark, and I'm exhausted. But I'm halfway there.

There's country houses scattered across the fields. With barns, and a lot of animals.

I come upon an abandoned barn, with half of its roof missing. I decide to sleep there for tonight.

The barn isn't smelly. Just.....not lived in. So I feel quite comfortable sleeping in the half-roofed barn.

I look up at the stars, and see them twinkle, like their winking at me.

There are two stars directly across from each other. The most prettiest stars I've ever seen. They remind me of Odeya's eyes.

My imagination connects the stars around the two eye-like stars, form Odeya's face. I sigh happily. I WILL see her again.
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I wake up sometime in the morning.
The sun on my face forces me to open my eyes into the blinding light.
I sit up with a start.
What time is it?
I pull my phone out.
9 o'clock. Ok.
I tell myself.
I still got time.

I take a big gulp of water and shove a protein bar in my mouth. Then I start running. I can still feel Odeya by my side, urging me to go on. It feels like she's here with me. She is the wind, cooling me as I get hot and sweaty from running. She is my hope when I feel there is none. I will find her.
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I stop dead at the entrance to Twisted Tree Forest.

Ok. 42 steps in. 52 steps right, then 3 steps forward. Then I will stop. And I will see her again. I will find her.

I take a deep breath and start counting each step I take. Only focusing on each step I take.
42 steps later..........

I stop, taking shallow breaths. It seems that the farther you get into the forest, the thinner the air gets. It's pretty dark out. The thick leaves and branches block out most of the sun.

I check my watch. 11:16. Forty four minutes until she arrives.

I concentrate on breathing and counting as I continue to move even closer to Odeya.

"Fifty...Fifty one....Fifty two!" I whisper. I look around at the surroundings. It's even darker now.

I take a deep breath, and peer into the darkness in front of me. Nothing. I WILL find her. She will be here. I will see her again, and I will never let her go.

I shake out the jitters, and take a step forward.

One.

The forest seems to get brighter.

Two.

I can see now. The sun filtering through the branches of the trees, a brook nearby, and tree. A weeping willow tree. The most gorgeous weeping willow I've ever seen. It seems to sparkle, calling me to it.

Three.

I am standing three feet away from the mysterious weeping willow.

I check my watch. 11:59. I suck in a breath and look around.

I glance back down at my watch, seeing it turn exactly to 12:00

Colors flood the air. All around me, lights, color, and.... Love.

Blue sparkling lights slowly come from the tips of the leaves of the weeping willow tree. The blue lights come to me.

They surround me. I can feel her presence, and I swear I feel her kiss my cheek.

The blue blaze moves from me, and instead, circles a spot in front of the weeping willow.

The circling blue lights are a blazing, sparkling blue, and I can see a body being formed inside the circle of blue.

Odeya.

My winds start to flow with emotion. I cannot control them. My winds tousle my hair, plastering my clothes against my body. My winds flow with love, devotion, hope, and pure happiness.

Suddenly, the blue blazes stop. And their she is.

She's standing there in a red dress, the sleeves reaching to the crook in her elbow. The dress reaches to just above her ankles.

My winds moves her hair and dress to a side.
I stop.
My winds stop.
I look at her.

She looks at me. Her deep blue eyes calm and full of joy. "Hi Braden." She says softly.

I can't hold back any longer. I throw my backpack to the ground and run over to her. I take her up in my arms, and hold her close, burying my face in her neck. I can feel her tears on the back of my neck.

"You came." She whispers.
I pull her to the front of me, so I can look her in the eyes. "Of course I came! Why wouldn't I?"

She shrugs. "I thought you may not want to see me after what I did to you."

"What did you do?" I ask.

"I knew I was going to die and I didn't tell you. I thought you'd never forgive me. I left you without telling you the truth." She sighs. "I'm so sorry."

In answer, I take her face in my hands and kiss her. "There is no reason to be sorry." I murmur.

"I love you." She whispers.