Light as a Feather

Chapter Nine

     Annabelle woke up on the bed in the room she was staying in. Her head was pounding, and it was freezing. It was so cold that she could see her breath. She could hear people talking outside of the door. Annabelle later realized that it was her parents.

     Her mother walked in a moment later. She had a look of sympathy on her face, like she knew something was going on. Annabelle couldn't really remember anything. She shivered and buried herself farther under the covers. A necklace around her neck snagged on the blanket and she pulled to yank it free. As she looked at it, it all came flooding back to her. The garden. The necklace. The little person. Her head hit the pillow.

     Her mom pulled up a chair. "You must be confused."

     "You have no idea," she answered. She rubbed her eyes. There wasn't any makeup on them, and she felt naked without a thick line of black eyeliner rimming her eyes.

     "Luckily, I can explain a few things now," she said. She grabbed a blanket off of a chair. Apparently she was cold, too.

     "What are you talking about?" Annabelle asked.

     "Do you remember when I used to tell you stories about people who were different? How it was okay because they were that way?" Annabelle nodded. "That's what your life is to become, my Anna."

     "What could... what?" she asked.

     "Annabelle, our family isn't like the rest. We have specialties... one might even say powers, that help us through life. Strengths, if used correctly. Weaknesses, if not." She paused and looked at her daughter to see what she looked like. Annabelle's face was blank. She did not understand. "You have been given a gift, Anna. Something you must hide."

     "What is it?" she asked. Her teeth were chattering.

     "The gift of nature. You see, everyone in our family has a gift. Mine is the power of seeing. I can see into the future, if needed. But only at one time, and only on a specific day of the month."

     Annabelle just stared. "You're joking."

     "I am not. The thing that makes your case special is the fact that you're... well, you hold the Light."

     "What's that?"

     "That necklace. It shows that you are in charge of our whole family, and our power."

     Annabelle couldn't speak. She didn't know what to say. How could she be in charge of so many people, especially since they were older than her? "But... I'm not..."

     "The feather necklace chooses. It chose you as the master for a reason. That small party before the reunion was because I had seen a vision the night before. Of you fainting, and the necklace. Who it would pick. I called everyone in the Council to come be enlightened. I was not allowed to tell you of this until the necklace had chosen. And now that you have it, you cannot take it off."

     Annabelle stared at the piece of jewelry around her neck. It held so much more power than she could think of. "Why is it so cold in here?" she asked.

     Her mother smiled. "Your powers have just been given to you. They are hysterical, at the moment. They will regulate, eventually, and you'll be able to control them. But for now, you must stay inside."

     Annabelle shook her head. "I didn't want this."

     "Nobody ever wants greatness. The greatness yearns for them." Her mother smiled sadly and parted her hand awkwardly. "There is one more thing I need to tell you."

     Annabelle stared at the ceiling. "What's that?" she whispered.

     "We can't go home now, not when you're so unstable. We're staying here. You're going to live here."

     Annabelle sat up immediately, which was a big mistake on her part because her head began to throb. "What about school? And my friends? What about all that stuff?"

     "Annabelle, this is not a punishment. Once we have helped you control your powers, you will be able to do everything you used to. Your life will just not be normal, at least for a while. I promise, this is an honor."

     Annabelle just nodded. She didn't have the strength to do anything else. Her mom walked out of the room.

     She remembered a time when she was younger, when she had just come home from her first day of kindergarten. She had burst into the house, tears streaming down her face. It was a time when her parents had not been tied up in their jobs because their businesses had not taken off yet.

     Her mom had taken Anna's tiny body in her arms and had said, "What's wrong?"

     Between sobs, Annabelle said, "I said I could see fairies, and I was only pretending, but... but nobody listened, and they said I was dumb!"

     "They just don't have the imagination you have."

     "What's imagination?" Annabelle had asked.

     Her mom had a distant look in her eyes. She paused and then said, "The ability to create things with just your mind. They don't have to be real."

     "Like a unicorn?"

     "Yes. Like a unicorn."

     Annabelle knew that that conversation had been more than she had thought. It was a preparation, sort of. Her mother knew she would get a gift, but she hadn't known that she'd be the one in charge of everything.

     Now she had to take responsibility, and there was no way out of it.