Selene's New Moon

Chapter 17: Only Human

  Hi Y'all.  Sorry for being so late on this update.  I had such a hard time with the last one.  This one just came too me easily and suddenly though.  I guess it is true that stress and angst makes for good writing.  At least, I hope this is good lol.

    I don't know how long we have been here, waiting.  Long enough that my shoulders and hands are aching from being so tense.  I roll my shoulders and take a deep breath, trying to relieve some of the stiffness.  Kenji has barely moved and has been silent even when he has shifted.  He doesn't look tense like I am either- just aware and ready.  There had been some movement from Felix's tree earlier, but he must of managed to find a comfortable position because there has been no signs of him since. My eyes more to the three guys on the ground.  They are not trying to hide.  They are not purposely being loud, but they aren't masking their movements or noises.  They have been careful not to acknowledge any of us in the trees though.

   Maybe the demon won't come.  Maybe he knows that this is a trap.  I let go of the branch I have been clutching and roll my wrists.  I stretch my fingers, then place my hands back on the branch, concentrating on keeping my grip more relaxed.  I try to clear my mind of the fear.  I focus on the tree again.  I just need to calm down.  It doesn't help anything to be so tense before anything is really happening.   I use my fingers to brush the rough bark, I breathe in the  scent, I listen to the gentle rustle of the leaves that surround me.  It is meditative- It almost feels like I am merging with the tree.  I close my eyes to further concentrate on the soothing feeling.  I can feel the energy flowing through the tree.  It is warm and calm.  I let my consciousness float along with the energy, just observing and feeling.  The flow eventually leads out of the tree and back into the ground. Each moment that passes, I am less and less aware of myself.  

  I am so calm and warm now that I don't feel even a moments unease as I seem to split into a thousand peaces and float away in all directions at once,  just following the energy.  There is no more me:  I am the blades of grass, I am the trees and their leaves, I am the roots and the worms, the beetles, the birds, even the dirt and the pebbles. It is beautiful!  I have never felt such peace- such ease.   There is now no trace of my human self and its struggles.  I have forgotten it.  I am the energy.  I am the life in the little brown bird, I am the energy that steadily trickles out of  the fallen leaf and leaves behind only death and decay.  And it is all good.  It is all necessary and all wonderful.  Powerful!  This constant flow of life and death.  I survey the woods all around me and everything is as it should be.  Except....  There!  That does not belong!  It is a sickly and evil.  It does not want to follow the rules.  It is not allowed here- how dare this thing trespass! 

  Something poking me distracts me momentarily from the rage. Wait.... poking me?  I am pure energy, I am power- nothing can poke me!  But it does and it is annoying;  like a gnat. I need to swat at it with my hand.  Hands? Shadowy  memories of hands, feet , a body....  The pokes are rougher now, more insistent. I feel my body sway almost dangerously.  My fingers dig into the tree -  I am in a tree!  My consciousness is jerked back to my body.  I am Selene, not....  not the ....

  The cool air chills my skin, my eyes open to see the branch I am perched on.  I feel empty.  I feel nothing but loss.  There are tears on my face.

  "Selene!" a whispered shout.  I look down at Kenji's hand on my dangling calf.  His eyes are full of worry; almost panic. 

 "It is coming."  My voice is hollow, even to my ears.  "From that direction,"  I point to where the demon is.

  Kenji's eyes widen and he hastily types something on his phone.  Probably a message to the others. I am vaguely aware that the atmosphere is more charged.  The guys are ready.  Kenji spares another look of concern in my direction , but then he too is focused only on the approach of the demon.