Unexplored Worlds: Extraordinary

Chapter 5

Author's note:

I'm back! :D

Chapter 5

Quickly washing my tear stained face with water, I inhaled deeply to steady my shuddering breaths. The icy jets of water helped with the swelling of my eyes as I felt myself being shot from my emotion induced thoughts back to reality. The red of my face started to drain away slowly.

I looked at myself in the mirror. I was wearing my favourite purple T-Shirt and my favourite pair of black shorts. My hazel hair was down, just how I liked it.

Funny how I was how I was most comfortable but yet uncomfortable.

"What am I doing here?"

There was no answer to that question.

Why did I agree to stay here?

Why did I believe everything they told me?

Why didn't I run away?

Why don't I run away?

"Tiffany, you have to stay..." The familiar voice sent chills running down my spine. Was that...?

That's not possible! She's dead!

"Or is she?"

I turned in the direction of the voice, behind me. My eyes widened, my mouth opened to let out a scream that refused to escape. My legs weakened to the point they could no longer support my weight, causing me to collapse on the floor.

Standing in front of me was a pale and undernourished woman in rags. Her eyes were sunken and dull, her skin thin like paper, her hair had lost its sheen, but the features of her face were undeniable.

Standing in front of me was a woman believed to be lost at sea, to be dead.

Standing in front of me was my mother.

Or was it?

"Mum? Is that you?" I asked cautiously while inching backwards in attempt to get further away from something I could not understand.

"You must come with me."

It was my mother's voice, but it was not.

No more was the sweet, warm voice that taught me how to talk, how to walk. Instead it had been replaced by a cold, monotone drone.

"No...no..."I reached out to grab her hand."Mum, what happened to you? Where's Dad?"

Her face was like a mask, stiff, emotionless. "You must come with me," she repeated. "Tiffany, you must come with me." She pulled her hand from my grip and started to leave.

"Mum, where are you going? What happened?" I called out to her, hurriedly scrambling to my feet.

She opened the window.

"Mum, what are you doing?"

She lifted her leg and swiftly climbed onto the window sill.

"Mum! What are you doing?"

She reached out a bony hand, "You must come with me."

I stood rooted to the spot, a frosty sensation coursed through my veins.

She's my mother, she won't hurt me...

My hand started to rise, slowly reaching out to hold the hand I had missed so dearly...

The door burst open behind me. "Tiffany, what's taking you so long?" I turned, only to see the three other teenagers staring at me with concern etched on their faces.

My mouth opened to utter an explanation but could only manage: "My mum..." before I whipped my head back to face the window.

She was gone.