Magic ➙ Ethan Dolan

chapter thirty one

As Annie was running back to camp, the tingling feeling that was in her fingertips had now spread to her legs, but the sensation was more painful, like she was being stabbed with a dull fork over and over again.

"Hang on!" The girl yelled, needing to take a break from running but not wanting to get left behind. All the Lost boys stopped to see what was going on, only to see Annie hunched over with her hands on her knees. She pulled up her pant leg, a large burn slowly starting to form before her eyes. With shaky fingers, Annie gently skimmed over the wound, only to hiss in pain and carefully drop her pant leg down. The material didn't do much to help conceal the wound, because her army green pants now had a burn mark going right through them.

"What the hell?" Jakob mumbled, looking from Annie's leg up to her pain contorted face as she stood up straight.

"Your magic. Could it be doing this?" Troye asked, walking to the front of the group to see Annie. She shook her head.

"No, I've been lear-learning to con-control it." Annie managed to say before crying out in pain, a new burn forming on her arm.

"Come on, let's get you back to camp." Jakob reached out to grab Annie's arm that wasn't scorched by the sudden heat, only for her to pull it away.

"No, I know someone that can help." She said, before starting to pitifully walk away. The boys followed after her, Troye and Jakob walking close behind in case they had to catch her wounded body at any moment. Annie had a limp to her walk, and held her arm close to her body, but it didn't take long for her to lead the Lost boys to the warm, sandy beach that she's spent so much time on.

     "Isn't this the mermaid beach?" One of the boys mumbled, all of them keeping their distance from the shore. Annie walked out onto the sand, not noticing that the boys were all standing close to the trees.

     "All beaches here are mermaid beaches." Jakob replied. "Annie, are you sure this is a good idea?" He called after the girl, knowing exactly what mermaids were capable of and not wanting Annie to get more hurt than she already was.

Annie didn't reply as she slowly walked into the sea water, the waves peacefully colliding with her ankles. As soon as the water came in contact with her skin, Annie felt relief wash over the burns on her skin. Not too far away from shore, Indigo popped up above the surface and started swimming over.

"Hello, my dear. Come back for a swim?" The mermaid asked, a tone of mockery in her voice. Her blue lips held a smirk, leaning herself up on her elbows as she looked at the girl on her beach.

     Annie avoided the question, knowing what Indigo was talking about. Annie still owed the mermaid a trip down to her home, but that's not what she was here for. "I need your help." She said, avoiding Indigo's piercing gaze.

     The mermaid let out a scoff, shaking her head. "What do you need now?"

     "Please. I need you to tell me what's wrong with me. I just started...burning." Annie turned her leg out so Indigo could see what she was talking about. The once pale and fairly average skin now appeared charred and torn up from the heat. Annie grimaced as she looked down at her own leg, while Indigo moved closer.

"The water will help you." Indigo said, placing her hand just above the wound and allowing drops of water to fall off the tips of her slender fingers. Annie deeply inhaled and held her breathe as she prepared for the pain that would follow, but nothing happened. She felt the cold water hit her mangled skin, but instead of pain she was met with a feeling of water that crawled down her leg. Annie walked furthur into the water so the edge of the wound was submerged. She looked down, and watched as the skin started to repair itself and go back to normal. It was like her body was healing in fast forward, and the same warmth started to spread through her entire being.