The Story of Udonia

Chapter Eleven: Questions

Ashton's eyebrows raised and jaw dropped. "Oh my god!" He shouted. "How did you do that?!" He ran over to me.
"I wish I knew!" I yelled my reply despite the fact that he was right in front of me.
"Well, what do we do?" He asked. "We need to find out what this is."
"I know, but we need to focus. What am I going to tell the guards?" I asked.
"Umm...the truth?" He raised an eyebrow. "No, we can't do that." He started to pace around the room.
"Okay." I had an idea. "I will say that I simply jumped out of the way and hit my head on the wall which knocked me unconscious. I can't explain why the explosion wasn't bigger and didn't kill me." I shrugged.
Ashton paused a glared over at me.
"I know it's stupid, but do you have a better idea?!" I screamed as I walked to the door.
"Nope." He followed me out the room.
We ran to the living room. As we approached I stopped and turned to him.
"We need to calm down." I turned back to face the way we were headed. "Keep your cool." I took a deep breath and rounded the corner.
I let out my breath as I was bombarded by Ashley, Lacey, Hannah, and some guards. Questions flooded out of their mouths and into my face.
"Woah!" Ashton stepped in front of me.
"One at a time please." He turned around and grabbed my hand.
He had noticed that I was feeling faint. Ash guided me to the couch.
"Lacey, you go first." Ash then sat down next to me.
"Okay." She looked at me. "Claire, I need you to tell the guard exactly what happened. We have statement from both Hannah and Ashley. They said the same thing, but we need to hear what you saw." She waited for my reply.
"Alright." I glanced quickly at Ash for some reassurance. He flashed me a smile. "When we heard the helicopter getting closer, Hannah and Ashley went inside. I waited a second and then turned to on in. The door suddenly slammed shut and wouldn't open. We struggled to get it open and then the copter was right there in front of me." I gulped. "I was nervous that it was going to do something so I jumped to the side and must have hit my head. I can't explain how I didn't explode like the massive hole in my castle, which, Lacey, I would appreciate if you would work swiftly on getting some workers here to fix that." I smiled.
Lacey didn't seem amused so my smile faded.
She turned to the other guards. One of them was writing down every word I said.
"Any other questions boys?" She asked.
They shook their heads and Lacey stepped back.
"Ashley." Ashton nodded to his sister.
She stepped forward and looked like she was ready to burst. "Claire." She said loudly. "I just needed to know you are okay."
I smiled at her. "I'm fine, Ashley."
Ashley sighed and then plopped next to Ashton on the couch.
Hannah approached. "I am so surprised that you survived that." She said. "I assume it isn't always like this around here." Her expression was as hard to read as ever.
"It isn't." I assured her. "Well, it has been recently." I shrugged.
"If you don't mind, I think I should begin the journey home."
"Oh, of course." I stood up and Ashley did too.
"We'll walk you out." She linked arms with me.
I smiled at Hannah who returned the look. Her smile still didn't feel genuine.
We lead her out and said our goodbyes.
"Next time we see each other, I hope it wouldn't be as...explosive." I said as she walked out the door.
She turned to face me. "Me too." Hannah reached her hand out to Ashley. "Wonderful to meet you." She smiled at her.
Ashley shook her hand. "You too." She smiled.
Hannah turned to me. I expected the same gesture, but then she continued to turn. I watched Hannah descend down the stairs.
I whispered to Ashley. "I'm not sure about that woman." I said.
She looked at me. "She could have been worse."
This was true.
__________________________

There were still so many unanswered questions surrounding the events that occurred on that day. I went to bed uneasy. I didn't like not knowing things.
I didn't know why or how I had magic. How was that even possible?! I didn't know how or why someone sent a helicopter to try to kill me and the other girls.
All I knew was, I didn't like this.
As tossed and turned as I attempted to sleep. Ashton woke up and noticed my distress. He reached over and wrapped his arms around me. He kissed the back of my neck.
"I know you are upset by all this." He said.
"I don't like knowing what is happening."
"I know. We will research it tomorrow after breakfast."
"Ash, that's the problem." I turned around to face him. "How can we research this?" I asked.
"With Google." He replied in a snarky tone.
"No." I frowned. "We can't just Google this. We don't even know what this is. It will pull up some Harry Potter nonsense. Fiction! There is no way we can know what this is." I was frustrated.
"Well, my theory is that if it has happened to you, then it has happened to someone else. Maybe be the exact same way, but it exists. Magic exists. Someone out there has answers for you and will be able to help you." He brushed a piece of hair off my face. "On another note..." He frowned. "I have to go back to America soon." He shuffled his body closer to me. I could feel his warm sensual breath on my neck as his moved to my ear.
"If you can't sleep, then I can think of something we can do to pass the time." His voice sent a tingle down my spine. His lips began to nibble and suck at my earlobe. I moaned with pleasure as his tongue traveled to my neck where his lips set up camp for a moment. I roamed my hands over his bare chest and back.
"I think that this will be time well spent." I smiled as heat flowed through my blood stream.
__________________________

As promised, after breakfast Ashton as I searched the web. I also decided it would be more efficient if we had more help. Ashley stumbled into my room followed by Lacey. I explained to them what really happened on the balcony. Like Ashton, they didn't believe me at first. That changed when we demonstrated by throwing my hair brush again. Now they were just as confused as Ash and I were.
We all sent out to search the web.
After an hour of searching we became antsy.
Ash hit his keyboard with frustration. "You would think that there has to be other people out there that are confused as you. There really needs to be a way for them to find answers, for us to find answers." He sighed and slumped back in his chair.
I got up and put my phone on charge. "My brain hurts." I complained as I rubbed my eyes.
Ashley put her phone down too. "I think we all need a break." She flopped back on my bed.
Lacey put her laptop next to herself on the floor. "I agree." She jumped up. "Who wants a snack?"
We all raised our hands.
"Okay. Be right back." She left the room.
I went over to Ashton and slowly massaged his shoulders. He reached up and patted my hand as a thank you and a cue to stop. I went over to my bed and flopped next to Ashley.
Lacey entered the room moments later with a tray in her arms. She set it on the bed next to me. I sat up to observe the contents. The tray had four cans of Diet Coke and a large bowl of rippled potato chips. I glared at her.
"Don't give me that look." She smiled. "This kind of hard work deserves fatty food." She popped a chip in her mouth and mounted herself on the bed.
Ashley scooted closer to the bowl.
Ashton got up from my desk. "I like fatty foods." He smiled as he sat down in the foot of my bed.
For a moment I forgot what we had just spent the past hour doing. I was happy. I was genially happy. We hadn't come up with anything useful. We still had many unanswered questions which sadly would remain unanswered for a while. But at least I was happy.