A Dreamer Caught In The Crossfire

Chapter 27

Jasmine watched them drag him away from the others after he had yelled at them. She followed them trying her best to scream at them to let him go, no sounds came out. They pushed him into a different cell. Just as Jasmine had gotten close enough, she couldn't move any longer.They shoved him to the ground and kicked him all over, leaving Jasmine to watch in horror. She tried to run forward and help him but she couldn't move. She was bound by invisible chains to the wall behind her.

He attempted to get up but one of them slammed their foot into his stomach pushing him back down. He coughed up blood but they didn't care, they kept at it. If something wasn't broken before, it was now and it didn't look like they were going to stop any time soon. Jasmine screamed and pulled against her restraints, the scene before her shattering her heart into a million pieces.

He was fading and he was fading fast. In his state of weakness, he wasn't able to keep up his façade anymore. Jasmine's eyes widened as his hair and skin paled and the markings began to surface. They all jumped away from him, some looking fearful, others disgusted. Her heart sank when one of the pulled out a gun from his pocket. Eluard lay on the ground completely helpless. Jasmine screwed her eyes shut has the sound of the gun rang out through the room. The men were called by somebody outside the room. They shackled him to the wall and left, spitting at him on the way out. He lay there slumped against the wall, wheezing as blood from his leg pooled out onto the floor.

Jasmine shot up in her bed, a loud cry piercing the silence. Her bedding had been changed, she felt it best not to question it. Brooke was awake as well looking at her worriedly from her side of the room. Jasmine pulled her knees to her chest and wept openly, her body shuddering with each sob. Brooke had put a hand on her shoulder.

"Jasmine it was just a bad dream, okay?" she whispered, rubbing her back.

Jasmine shook her head.

"They're not just dreams anymore. They aren't, what's happening is real. I don't know how but I can see it and I know it's either happening or it's going to happen," she said, her hands on either side of her head.

"Jasmine, you're not talking sense right now. I say we both just need to get some rest. We'll deal with all this in the morning, kay?"

Jasmine nodded but she knew she was lying. There was no way she'd go back to sleep after what she'd just seen. She knew she wasn't going crazy. All the dreams, all the visions, there was no way her mind was just making it all up.

As soon as she heard the sounds of Brooke's (loud) snoring, Jasmine slipped out of bed as silently as she could and got dressed. It was exactly 2am. Tabitha was looking at her questioningly but did nothing. Jasmine walked through the almost empty halls, her quiet footsteps still echoing. The people she did happen to walk past looked at her suspiciously but she brushed it off. Ever since she found in the hallway with the body of the girl, a few people in the Corps became wary of her. Things got worse when the two bodies were found just after her initiation, her notebook found at the scene.

She got down to the underground parking and found what she was looking for. Gabriel's motorcycle. She was one of the worst drivers in history but when it came to a bike she was a natural. She pulled out the keys from the helmet, knowing that Gabriel wouldn't be happy if he found out she took it without asking but she'd be back way before he was awake. She hastily slipped on the helmet and with a roar the bike came to life.

As soon as she was on the tarred mountain roads, she disregarded all the speed limits and opened the throttle wide. Her knees were almost skimming the road as she took the bends. After what she had to take in in the time space of one day, this was therapy. She needed the thrill to push out the feeling of emptiness in her chest. In a short while the city came into view. It must have been one of her shortest rides ever. She slowed down realizing that she was about to enter a more populated area. The lights reflected off her tinted face shield as she glided in and out of the little traffic there was. When she sped past the market she remembered Eluard bringing her there, she remembered his laugh, his smile.

 It made her heart clench.

She slowed down to a halt and parked it right at the top of the path, having gotten to where she wanted to be. She removed the helmet and climbed off. Lake Delyn was dark and deserted, the moon being the only light in the area. She could see the silhouettes of the mountains as she hopped down the pathway almost effortlessly. If only her younger self could see her now. She took her time walking through the soft green grass remembering the way he had to drag her to her feet after she had fallen and got some of it in her mouth. She smiled softly.

She sat down as close to the water as she could and stared out into the distance, wanting to be alone with her thoughts. She remembered the way she'd drown in his eyes, how she was one of the few people who knew about his deepest secret, his odd obsession with Aunt Anita's Herbal Honey Tea and his addiction to toffee. About how she just might not be able to witness it all again. She sighed heavily and plucked out blades of grass distractedly.

Suddenly she felt a presence behind her and she readied herself to attack. The person must have noticed her tensing up because they spoke.

"Relax it's just me," said Winifred as she sat next to her.

"What are you doing here?" asked Jasmine.

"Oh I'm just here for my weekly scream therapy," replied Winifred, "I heard what happened."

Jasmine said nothing. She just kept her gaze focused on the dark waters before her.

"Jasmine I think it's time I told you something," said Winifred, her tone now stern and serious.

Jasmine looked at her attentively.

"Tabitha isn't a Whitemist Bluepine, she's a Sortisia. They live in and have the same effects as the sortis wells. Only a few of them exist in the entire world right now."

"So Tabitha's the reason I've been able to see these things?" asked Jasmine, barely above a whisper.

"Yes. I-I made sure that you'd find her. Because I knew that you'd need her."

"If you know so much then why didn't you warn me about anything? Why meddle in our lives if you're not going help us?!" Jasmine asked getting angry.

"Jasmine listen, let me explain. It isn't my choice... When I was your age, over a hundreds of years ago, I was walking through the shifting forest just like you. A stranger had told me that the only way I'd find love is if I helped other people find it first. He said that I'd live forever until I accomplished my 'mission' and I'd only age with my true love," she paused and laughed dryly,

"I thought he was another drunkard roaming the town. But it was ten years afterward when I realized I wasn't ageing with everyone else, and I knew it wasn't because of my profession because even us sorcerers age. Only we are slower than everyone else. It's been almost a whole century and I've been trying so hard, Jasmine. So hard, you won't believe."

Jasmine was absolutely speechless.

"I've tried many, many times before to cheat my way out of this life but it never works. I tried finding the stranger but I never did. And I have reason that you Jasmine, are my ticket out of here. And my ticket to true love."

"Why are you telling me all this?" asked Jasmine.

"I've been fighting for almost a hundred years and I still haven't reaped my rewards. Keep at it Jasmine, you've still got a long road ahead of you and I want you to know that I'll be there for you and I want you to know that I'll be there for you always, as your godmother and your guardian. I may act a tad bit strange but just know that I think I know what I'm doing, okay?"

Jasmine nodded and hugged her tightly.

"And don't you dare say you don't want me as your guardian 'cause I've already legally adopted you and there's no going back on that now," said Winifred with a laugh.

"I wouldn't dream of it," said Jasmine, smiling widely, "Does this mean I can call you mom now?"

Winifred nodded.

"Now, you're going to go back to the compound and get yourself together. You should also return that boy's motorcycle and you're to listen to what the dreams and visions are telling you. You're going to bring my Ellie back home. And you're all going to end this, you hear me?"

Jasmine nodded and walked back up the path. When she turned back, she noticed Winifred had vanished. She found herself still smiling as she rode back to the compound. She'd pick Winifred over her birth mother anyday.

    A/N: Winifred thinks she knows what she's doing.
Quite surprising that the year has ended, eh?