Telekinesis

six

ONCE my foot hit the floor, it was like everything came crashing down all at once. I got this sudden feeling like I was floating to the bottom of an ocean, like I couldn't breathe. I rested my hand against the wall for stability, my breathing rapid and jagged. My knees gave out and suddenly I was on the ground, struggling to breathe. My head felt light, like I was floating up into the clouds to an uncertain fate. I didn't fight it anymore, I let my eyes close and my head hit the floor.

"But I don't wanna go with them mommy, I wanna stay with you." I reached out for her, my mother, the only person in the room whom I actually trusted, who I wanted to stay with. She closed her eyes tightly, a whimper escaping her mouth and she responded to my outstretched arms and hugged me to her chest. I felt safe in her embrace, her golden locks forming a barrier between us and the world. Then, she let go, and reality set in once again.

She wiped a tear from her eyes and struggled to smile. I brought my small hands up and tried to lift her mouth into a proper smile. One I've seen her do lots before, like when we go to the park or when we watch funny movies together. She laughed a little, it made me smile.

"Don't worry, sweetheart, it's just for a little while alright? Mommy will come and get you in no time." She said, nodding her head.

I shook my head, turning around the look at the big guys in the black clothes. They didn't look friendly or cuddly at all. I moved close to my mom and whispered, "They don't look friendly mom, they won't play with me."

My mom stroked my hair and smiled sadly at me, I didn't know why she looked so sad, she said it was only a little while that I would be with those men, "They'll take good care of you, don't you worry my sweetheart." She gave me one last hug, giving me a little squeeze before the men came and pulled me away from her. One of them, he was very tall, put his hand on my shoulder and ushered me away from my mother. I turned around again, seeing the look on my mothers face–she looked broken. A tear slipped down my cheek.

"Can't I just stay here with mommy?" I begged, glancing up at the man. He didn't even look at me, just pushed me further toward the door, completely ignoring my request. I went to turn around again but he shut the door right in my face.

I woke up with a start, my head reeling from the memory that just resurfaced and an unpleasant pounding had begun forming at the back of my head. I slowly sat up, the pounding intensifying. Everything seemed to tilt as i squinted trying to make sense of my surroundings. I pressed my palm against my forehead, using my other hand to pull myself up. I stumbled a little before regaining my footing, the whole room spinning. All I kept thinking about was the yellow haired woman in my dream-or nightmare-hugging me close to her as salty tears slipped down her cheeks. My mother. What I couldn't understand was why my mother-someone who is supposed to love me-would send me away? I've read books about motherly love, that unconditional kind of love where apparently you would die in order to protect them. Clearly, what I read was a load of bullshit because my mother either didn't get the memo about unconditional love or she just didn't care enough to find out about it. A part of me wished there was a reason why my mother hadn't even attempted to come and find me, come and rescue me. Maybe they got to her, perhaps threatened her in some way. But that was the nonsensical part of my brain. Deep down I knew that she just didn't care enough to find out if I was still alive or perhaps dead in a ditch somewhere. A cold shiver ran over the entirety of my body as the harsh reality of my situation became apparent. I was completely and irrevocably alone.

"Selena?" I heard a voice call out. I stood still, quieting my breathing in case it was someone Arthur had sent out to look for me, or even worse, maybe it was Arthur himself. I could feel my hairs standing on end as I awaited my fate. I could hear their footsteps venturing further into the room, every tap their feet made against the floor made my heart jump. I prepared for whoever it was to present themselves, probably brandishing some type of weapon if they were sent my Arthur. I was about to lunge for whoever it was when my eyes met an oddly familiar set of brown ones. I furrowed my eyebrows, boldly stepping out of the darkness fully.