Willow's Legend - Original Version

Chapter 24

Chapter 24:

Michael got up and grabbed the Portalias (which was what the black device that opened the portal was called) in his pocket. He looked around and smiled, “Seem familiar?”

She nodded, her body trying to pull her to her home, to her family. Every nerve in her body was tugging, begging her to move forward. But, she looked over at Michael instead, “Thank you so much.” She said, feeling pathetic that she couldn't find better words. “I mean—this means the world to me...and I...I wish I could do something in return—You could get in trouble! And thank you...like, really thank you--” She stuttered over her words, they were weak, rising and lowering.

Michael put his fingertips on her cheeks lightly brushing them, effectively shutting her up. “No need to thank me.” He whispered, his fingers lingering at her cheek before he cleared his throat and dropped his hand. “So, where's home?” He asked, though he probably already knew where it was since he had come to pick her up that last night she was here.

“That way,” Willow replied, pointing down the street. She started to half jog towards it, but Michael grabbed her elbow.

“Willow,” he said. She turned around to look at him. “You aren't supposed to be here,” he whispered. “I know it's hard, but we have to stay out of sight, your family can't see you.”

Willow nodded, trying as hard as she could to force herself not imagine herself breaking those rules. Michael was taking a huge risk taking her here, she didn't want him to get any trouble.

They walked down the streets she grew up in together. She remembered the water balloon fights her and Jasper had on these roads that rarely ever had any cars on it. She remembered when Jasper had attempted to teach her how to ride a two wheeler, and she had fallen and sprained her ankle. She remembered him carrying her home and she tried to choke her sobs down.

Thinking about Jasper left a sour taste in her mouth. The sour taste wasn't towards Jasper, but towards herself. She had left him without hesitation, she had abandoned him without a word. She had been selfish. Jasper would've never just left her, and yet she did to him.

She shook her head and tried to get the memories out.

Before she knew it, the house was in view. Most of the houses in the neighborhood were identical. But, she could recognize her house easily because Ara had spray painted a purple star on the door, saying that it made their house “unique”.

Michael, as she had guessed, knew that it was her house and her hand to pull her into the garden, staying low so they couldn't see her from the window.

“What if they aren't home?” Willow whispered, mostly to herself, not expecting an answer. We find them.

They walked around the garden and towards the living room window. There, they crouched down and were low enough to come unnoticeable, but high enough to see.

Mom was in the living room with Gretel. They were doing homework from what she could tell. Ara was nowhere to be seen.

The house looked fairly as it did when she left it. The Candy Land box still sitting on the floor where Gretel had left it. It was then that Willow remembered that she had promised Gretel she would play Candy Land with her. It was then she realized that she would probably never fulfill that promise. That made her much sadder than it should have.

She was so focused on the family, that when a tap came at her shoulder she jumped a mile high. Michael had a dagger out, although he had told her he didn't need weapons, she should have known he would have one on him.