Golden

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

 

            “Izy! Izy, wake up!” Someone’s shaking me. I sense two delicate palms putting pressure against my back, rocking me back and forth. It’s strangely calming, which bothers me, because it reminds me of something a mother would do to a young child. Young children are vulnerable, fragile; welcome my life: the complete and utter opposite.

            “Five more minutes,” I murmur, using my arm to shove nothing away. Then my pink lips part and form a sound- something between a groan and a shout to leave me alone.

            “Iz!” The shaker slaps me, hard. You can hear the sound as it echoes around the room. It doesn’t hurt me though. I don’t even feel the slightest sting. But I’m more alert now, just not fully awake. I feel the mental pull to open my eyes, but I’m not a girl who follows the rules. “Izy!” Now I’m getting annoyed, so I force myself to open my eyes and leave the epic dream-land, even though the temptation of wanting to enter again is hard to resist. Janna’s scent is overwhelming- the scent of a witch. It smells of potions and spells, and I can spot her veins simply from where I’m lying on the couch. My vision is not the best at the moment, but my nose is alert at the scent of fresh blood.

            “I’m up,” I snap. I’m in that phase where you feel groggy and drowsy, and keep closing your eyes at the worst possible moments. She rolls her eyes, obviously used to my arguing. I run a hand through my golden blonde hair- and I mean golden. Picture a marigold- that bright, orangey- yellow color, almost like a fire in complete darkness. Now, extract that color with a turkey baster and add it to my hair. Hold the stuffing, though. Too many calories. My hair’s strangely abnormal, the color, and its lushishness. Abnormal- just like me.

            “Mia is helping me get ingredients for a new potion I’d like to try,” she informs me. I sigh and brush a clump of my golden hair out of my eyes, so I can focus on her better.

            “Janna, you’re not the best at… potions…” She gives a look that says “I know that, doofus” and I laugh internally. “So what do you need me up for?” I mumble, closing my eyes again, wanting to drift back to sleep. Because even though I tell myself I need to stay awake now, my body still wants the precious sleep that we both know can’t be granted.

            “Because we need your help,” she says.

            “For….?” I ask harshly. She murmurs something that’s not audible to me, even with my super hearing. “Speak louder,” I command.

            “Well,” she pauses and looks around, her dappled hazel eyes darting from place to place. “It’s supposed to give you information about… about Crescent Cave.” I’m snapped instantly to reality, like a rubber band. Suddenly sleep is passed me now; there are more urgent things to be taken care of.

            “WHAT?!” I scream. She leans back, as if I’m going to hit her. (And, hate to tell you- she wouldn’t be surprised if I did.) “CRESCENT CAVE?” I hiss. I fumble onto the floor, probably looking like a sleep-walking idiot, and try ignoring the sad look on her face.

            “I’m sorry, okay? But you won’t tell us about it, and…”

            “And what in the WORLD makes you think I’ll help you?!” I yell at her. She chews her lip, and I stomp away from her, take a left, and down the hallway. It smells of dust, which takes away the whole beauty of the blood colored carpet I’m walking on. The hallway is long, narrow, slightly dimmed. I reach the last door, on the right.