OUT TO SEA

CH.1 NIGHTMARE

CH.1 NIGHTMARE

          I clung to my aunt’s knees, shaking like a leaf. The air smelled like burning flesh and smoke. My mother’s screams rang through the small forest clearing. The enchanted, green fire would reduce her to ash. She still screamed as the forest scene sun and faded. Then it became my aunt’s burial. Her smooth skin was alabaster and cold as my tears fell on her face. Next it became me moving in with Grande Sorciere, the great witch. Grande Sorciere raised me as her own daughter. Suddenly, I saw him running towards me screaming,” Run Oceane, run for your life. She’s coming.” She flew straight at us with her talons out. Then the world turned red.

          I bolted out of bed screaming. Only in my deepest nightmares I could hear her. My mother died because of my birth. She was a pure-blooded and my father was human. She was burned at the stake for her crimes against the sisterhood of the coven. My aunt raised me for a few months, but died during a witches’ raid. The door creaked open and Grande Sorciere stepped in. “Hush, hush, dear, it’s a dream. That’s all,” she crooned stroking my tar-black curls. She picked up a paint-dipped brush and made a tally. “That’s the third nightmare this week. What are they about?’’ “I’m burning.” I lied “Forget them, they’re nothing.” She said. “Yes mere.” She pulled my sleeve down to reveal my bare shoulder. It revealed my birth-mark.

          “It’s getting clearer day by day.” She murmured mostly to herself. I looked down at it. The crescent moon was more defined. “What does it mean mere?” “I don’t know, yet, now go to sleep.” She said standing up. “Yes, Mere Sorciere.” I rolled over and the moon shined down on me. A few more cycles and it would be full. Then the coven would be at its strongest. Lying there, I realized tomorrow was my first day out of the coven. It is a celebration called pleine lune se leve. A witch just of age went out into the world to find a real job. I was going to work as a maid to a wealthy family near the coast of France. My blood pumped faster and faster as the moon got brighter and brighter. Heat flowed through me and I saw a bittersweet childhood memory. My best friend and I held hands walking down the coast. He had written me a note telling me that he liked me. I couldn’t return the favor, for it was against for it was coven law. I blinked the visions were getting stronger. A fist rapped on my window, it was my friend, Krystale.

          “Come out, Oceane.” She whispered. “Kry, what are you doing?” “Dancing and she was off. I wriggled out of the window and landed lightly, I ran after her. Her ash-gray flew out in the wind. We raced into a clearing, when she turned and grabbed my wrists. We twirled around and danced. We fell to the ground and her green eyes glowed brightly in the moonlight.” Feel,” she placed my hand on her abdomen. It felt hard, yet soft. “Olivier! Come darling, there’s someone you should meet.” She called softly into the darkness. Out stepped a fair-skinned boy with sandy-blonde hair, high cheekbones, small lips and a small nose. My confusion turned to fear as he kissed her full-lips. The truth fell into place when his fingers grazed her cheek. He was hers, but he was human!

          You could tell by the look in their eyes, it was el amor verdadero, puro. Acrid vomit rose in my throat in my throat when she whispered in his ear, then placed his on her abdomen while he smiled. The boy, her stomach, it made sense now. She was pregnant. I knew she was seeing someone, but not this Olivier. She noticed me and said,” Oceane, meet Olivier.” He held his hand,” Nice to meet you.” “Pleasure,” I took it trembling as he pressed it to his warm lips. “ Are you a Luna de hadas?” he asked staring into my glowing green eyes. She told him we were moon fairies. “Um, yes. But we have to go.” I pulled Kry’s wrist and turned to run. She kissed his hand and we ran. We ran till we found a tree and climbed it, hidden from sight.” Kry, are you crazy? You know how the coven will react to this. They’ll kill you.” I whispered. “You don’t understand. I love him.” “Yes, I see its amor verdadero, puro. But understand your life is in danger.” “You know they don’t kill humans but if something does happen, which it won’t, I want you to have him.” “How are you so sure nothing will happen?” I asked raising my brows. “Because I’m going to run away with him,” she stated. “But..” she cut me off, “Quit worrying or your hair will turn gray.” She laughed as her natural gray hair blew in the wind. She was so young, 20, two years older than me. How could she be so brave, when she knew she could die? Why was this human worth losing her life for?  “Do you mean Olivier or the baby?” “Both, be there for Olivier and the babe,” she sated quietly,” let’s go you have a big day tomorrow.” She leaped down from the tree. I followed her and wriggled back through the window. For some reason sleep came easier now.

          “Wake, Oceane, you must prepare,” Mere said shaking me, “I have prepared water for you bath.’’ “Thank you, Mere.” I ran to the well to fetch the water buckets. Scrubbing my face, I knew when I had money the first things I would buy would be soap and a hair ribbon. The only store bought item I owned was a comb. Broken and dirty it was the only thing left from my mother. After braiding my hair and tying my apron, I held it. She said it brought her luck, but look at what happened to her. Still I placed it in my pocket. “Go now, remember you have class with me tonight!” Mere called as I began to race down the dirt path.

                    I straightened and smoothed my dress down. The huge mansion loomed down the stone path. My fate depended on this one moment, walking down the path sharp rock bit my feet. Releasing my breath, I knocked on the door.