The Daughter of the Woods

Chapter 7

Sorry it took me so long to update, I forgot to publish this chapter after I finished it.

I storm towards the exit, as fast as I can before someone can stop me. But obviously, Alex tries.

He runs to me. "Abby, you really can't leave."

I whip around, more aggressively than I intend. "Look. I need to go home. No one knows I've been here, and I doubt the "warlocks" could find out about me in a matter of hours."

He thinks for a few seconds, but nods. "Just be careful. Please."

I turn back around and walk straight towards the wall. I watch intently as the bare walls around me turn back into the bridge and park. I don't bother taking in my surroundings, and make a beeline back to the apartment.

By the time I stomp my way up the stairs, my calves and thighs are burning, but I still don't stop. Mom is sitting on a stool at the kitchen counter, and stops me before I can retreat to my room.

"Abigail, we need to talk," she grabs my wrist. I try to wiggle my way out of her grasp, but she holds tight.

"What."

"You can't just run off like that. Okay? Tomorrow you are staying home."

"Whatever. I wasn't going to go out tomorrow anyway." Her hand is still wrapped around my wrist. "Can I go now?"

"Why don't you sit? We can talk for a bit. We haven't had mother-daughter bonding in a while."

I scoff. "Maybe, if you hadn't shipped me hours away from home to a city without giving me a say, I would want to spend more time with you. But no. It had to be the city, because you want your shiny skyscrapers and colorful lights and musicals, not caring that I have to leave behind the serenity and the calm for a disgusting, polluted, crowded shit hole of a place!"

I don't let her say anything else before I stomp to my room and slam my door as hard as I can.

I curl up into a ball on my mattress and pull the blanket over my head as tears slowly roll down my face.

I open my eyes, and find that it's grown a bit darker. I check the time and find that it's 3:00 am. Shocked, I look out the window. The sky is pitch black, no stars can be seen. There's so much light, it looks like it's barely 4:00 pm. And the noise of the traffic a street away... I don't know how I fell asleep, and I definitely won't again tonight.

With time to waste, I lay back and stare at the ceiling, trying to wrap my mind around everything that happened today.

The more I think, the angrier I get.

She knew how much I loved the outdoors. She doesn't care about me. She doesn't care about anyone but herself! No wonder Dad left. Why did she bother fighting for custody? She doesn't even want me! No one wants me. Not even the people at Magwood.

As my hands start to hurt, I realize I've been gripping the blankets tightly, but I still don't let go. My entire body is shaking with rage. I feel a low growl start forming in the back of my throat, and I try to choke back a scream to no avail. My throat is dry, and now sore from yelling.

Surprisingly, calmness has taken over my body. My breathing has slowed; my pounding heart rate has slowed to a normal pace. I peel my hands back from the blanket, and lay back. To my surprise, I tune out the sound outside and feel myself dozing off.

I wake up the next morning to Mom banging on my door and yelling at me to get up. I reluctantly pull myself out of bed and throw on sweatpants and a tank top. I don't make eye contact with her as I step into the small hallway and start dragging the contents of boxes to their respective cabinets, corners, etc.

"Abby, you know I love you, right?" she quietly says, facing away from me as she casually plugs in a floor lamp.

The familiar rage from last night starts to bite at the back of my throat. To keep it in it's place I don't open my mouth.

"I mean it. I moved us here to help. I do everything I can for you. I don't think you understand that."

I can't take it anymore. The anger is crawling its way to my lips, but I clamp my jaw shut. The joint near my ears starts to ache from clenching it so hard. Suddenly, the room seems smaller. The distance between us seems to be growing smaller and smaller. I can't take being any closer to her, so I storm out of the door without another word.

I've been storming out a lot in the three short days I've been here, all the more proof of my disgust with this place.

I don't know my way around, or anything to do around me, but it's New York. It's not exactly a barren wasteland. I start walking, and scanning for something to do. It's around 11:00, so people are bustling around on every sidewalk. I'm trying to find the balance of attention focused on not running into people and looking at the various buildings.

I had obviously not achieved the perfect balance because I feel the weight of someone's body flat against mine. The sudden stop in motion sends us both flinging backwards, until I feel the dirty concrete against my back. I land on my elbow, and skin it.

I stand up and brush myself off, and see a girl standing up as well.

"I am so sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going," I apologize, taking in her short, dyed blonde hair, and brown eyes.

"Not a problem, I'm a New Yorker now, I have to get used to the tourists," she chuckles.

"I'm not a tourist, I just moved here."

"Nice! How long ago?"

"Three days ago," I say as I realize I still am just a tourists at this point.

"I moved about a month ago, so I shouldn't be the one to say this, but welcome to the city! Where are you headed? I want to test my New York directional skills." We both laugh.

"I don't know, I'm just sort of wandering."

"Okay. Well, I have to go. Have a nice day," she smiles.

"You too," I smile back, and we both walk our separate ways.