Shape Shifting Love

Chapter Ten

Chapter 10

Mason

When we arrive back at the blanket Hayley looks up at me with questioning eyes and I nod in answer. Michaela still makes no eye contact with me, or anyone else for that matter. When we sit down Michaela sits further away from me rather than right up beside me like last time. She gazes into the distance at something, her eyes sparkling under the light of the sun. I’m so worried that she won’t speak to me again; I was so stupid why did I even kiss her? I just hope she will forgive me, because if she doesn’t I don’t think I will ever be able to forgive myself.

Hayley pokes my arm which brings me out of my thoughts and back to reality. She looks down at my hand that holds the necklace. But I don’t give it to her straight away; instead I twirl it between my fingers remembering Michaela. God I hope she is ok.

He kissed me, but why? And why did it make me feel the way I did? I wonder what he is thinking.

She still doesn’t look at me which makes me worry. James and Helen still haven’t returned and maybe that’s why Hayley keeps poking me. I guess she is scared in case they come back before she can do what she needs to do. I hand her the necklace in my hand which she places into her own so gently. Hayley twists it between her finger and thumb, admiring it as it sparkles in the sun’s rays. Her lips begin to turn up at the corners creating a small smile on her face. It stays there for a while but then disappears when she places it back in my hand to grab her notebook next to her. She scribbles something among the massive page of text and circles it before handing it to me.

It reads:

Thank you so much you don’t know how much this means to me but the thing is I need everyone here, so me, you, Michaela, Catherine, Kate and Leo to help. Do you mind getting their attention for me because I don’t think they will listen to me unless you get them to?

I turn back to Hayley a bit confused on what to tell them. She obviously sees this in my eyes and looks back down at the page gesturing for me to read on, I guess.

I thought you would wonder why I need everyone, well apart from James and Helen because they would probably never believe me well us I guess. But the shape shifters say that the ‘spell’ if that’s what you want to call I, requires six different people to participate in the ritual I guess. But please I just need to get their attention and I don’t think I will be able to that by myself.

I hand Hayley back her notebook and stand up fast. Michaela is pulled out of her day dream by my movements and looks up at me.

“Hey everyone,” I try to sound as confident as possible when everyone’s heads snap towards me at the sound of my voice.

“I know I barely know any of you but I was wondering if you could help out me and Hayley with something?” I stand waiting for a response from someone, anyone to be honest. I am so relieved when Leo tilts his heads to the side studying my face.

“What is it that you want us to do?” he asks his voice deeper than I expected it to be, as he wraps his arm around Kate and pulls her in close.

“Well that’s where Hayley steps in,” I reply gesturing to the shy girl that none of them really knows. Hayley stands up and looks at the five pairs of eyes that lay upon her, including my own.

“Well basically when I was younger these people, well not exactly people saved me from a car crash and I promised them that I would help them out. But…” she swallows hard before continuing,

“I need all of your help.”

Leo and Kate exchange looks, Kate’s harsh on Leo’s soft gaze. Michaela just stares at Hayley while Catherine’s mouth gaps open at the sound of Hayley talking.

By my surprise Michaela is the first to speak,

“What are these things though?”

Hayley turns to me with a puzzled expression on her face but shakes it off as I do when I shrug in response.

“Well they are being that can change form whenever they want, they are called, shape shifters.”

Silence swept across the field. So quite I could hear the birds singing in the woods and the slight hum of the cars in the distance.

“So you are telling me that you need us to help you to help some fantasy, make believe creatures?” Kate breaks the silence and stand up, hands clenched into fists at her side.

“Err……” Hayley mumbles, afraid of what Kate may say or do next.

“Well what are you going to say, oh they are real?” Kate mocks until Leo touches her shoulder which stops her in her tracks.

“We will help, won’t we Kate?” Leo tells Hayley and Kate which they both nod in response to.

“Count me in as well,” Michaela announces even though we both knew she would. She walks over to me and makes eye contact with me for the first time since our conversation in the woods. And by my surprise she takes my hand in hers and presents me with a small smile.

Then I realise Catherine is still sitting in utter shock with her mouth wide open, I bet she caught a few flies sitting like that.

“Earth to Catherine, hello? Anyone there?” I try to get her attention by waving a hand in her view, which eventually makes her shake her head in disbelief.

“But how? Why? I mean…” she trails off back into a moment of shock.

“Catherine you going to help us?” Michaela asks her.

“Oh yeah of course.” She replies still very much puzzled.

I turn to Hayley, still attached to Michaela.

“So, what do we have to do?” Hayley stands before us, she picks up her notebook and opens it to a page and cradles it in her arms.

“First of all,” she begins, her voice shaking from the fear of talking to people, “we have to make a fire in the woods, north to where we are standing now.”

I give her a small smile. I don’t know why exactly maybe it is because Michaela is now acknowledging me or because Hayley has found the courage speak up.

“Lead the way then.” I tell Hayley as she is probably the only one who knows where north is from here. She leads us into an opening 50 metres from where Michaela and I entered. All five of us follow her, with no idea of what we would have to do next.