Hidden Away

9. Somewhere Else

It's about six o'clock. I have no money, I'm still wearing my school uniform and there is nowhere to go.

I've looked around Oxford, desperate to find a place to stay, but nowhere is available. Or I need to pay tons of money. I'm cold and alone, sat on the streets, jealous of anyone in their homes right now, warm and safe. I spent the rest of my money on water, which I haven't took a sip of yet; I'm going to wait until I'm really thirsty.

I guess the vision of the council meeting was dehydration, it must have been. If not, then I must be going crazy. And if it was real....Well I must be telepathic or something. I am a sorceress, after all.

Westington will be the death of me.

I run down the street, almost being hit by a bus, and go down a dark alley. No one can see me here, I hope. I close my eyes and imagine a forest where I can hide, and live forever where it is safe to use magic. There will be others, too, other magic folk just like me and we could conjure spells. But my image is distracted by the smell of fresh bread, coming from around the corner.

I follow the smell, and I enjoy end up outside the bakery, a cheap one, but nothing is free. My stomach rumbles a little.

I wonder if the council have searched my house yet, turning everything upside down until I am found. If so, then I am safe to go back home. I'm not taking that risk, though. They could still be there, now.

And what about Hayden, Dan, David and Jodie? And the teachers? Maybe they're searching for me. Hayden will look for me because I'm her friend, and the other lot, well, they're looking for all the deadly reasons. I'm pretty sure the twins would like to see me dead, especially.

I'll be front page news in Westington Village before I know it, maybe tomorrow, perhaps, the whole of Westington will come looking for me, then. Those scrubbing rats at school will be getting all of the help they don't deserve.

I sneak away from the bakery and go back into the alleyway. This time, I imagine the forest without anyone at all. And I'm suddenly there.

I open my eyes. I'm in a forest, surrounded by a circle of mountains. There are no rivers, but there is some signs of food around.

There are pigs dotted around that I could kill easily. Apples are hanging on the trees, desperate to fall off. Strawberries are growing in a small patch of grass where are no trees around. There are a few fish in a small pond. That's about it.

I journey around, sometimes landing in places I've already been. I now know exactly where everything is. But there must be somewhere that I've missed, surely. This place seems bigger than it really is, so there must be a lot more to discover. I turn around. Nothing. I walk forwards, still not much. I take a sip of my water bottle and continue. I leave my bag in the heart of the forest to take some weight off. I could camp out here tonight.

I'm free and relaxed, just thinking about what happens now. No homework, no one bossing me around, the possibilities are huge. I can do whatever I want, be whoever I can. I can finally be the person I am on the inside, without worrying about hiding my powers away. I can let it go. Take all of today behind me.

I take off my blazer and untuck my shirt. I let my hair fall freely past my face. Then again, no one can tell me what to do. Which includes how to dress.

I don't have anything to protect myself, I'm pretty sure there won't be much around here, anyway. So I stroll around, wondering what to do next.

A dim light is shimmering slightly past the trees. That's when I see a shimmering piece of silver in front of me. I go over and pick it up. It's a silver dagger with a lot of blood at the end. That's when I realise I'm not alone.

I whip my head left, then right. No one is anywhere. This could be a trap. I drop the dagger back on to the floor just incase and walk on. But now, twigs snap louder every step I take. I walk even faster, I feel like I am being followed. Running, better start running. I rush as far away as I can, further way.

I run out of the trees. There aren't any strawberries this time, or a pond. It's another field, but bigger, and nothing but grass. Then I notice something I can't quite make out between two mountains. I run across the field, already out of breath. Is it safe to use powers? Hell, yes! It's my place after all.

I hold my hand out and I get to the black thing without a breath. But it isn't a black thing; it's a deep, dark cave.