Behind |First book in The Risen Saga|

Chapter Three|Ava - To Be Told

"What!?" I questioned, standing up. "No, witches—witches are folklore. We tell stories of them being in Salem but they're just stories. They're not real." 

"The people that died in Salem were convicted by witches because they double-crossed them," Emma said, her voice laced with annoyance. 

"But, no—no, you don't know what you're talking about," I said. 

"Then how do you explain what I just showed you? What you've seen today? What you've experienced?" Emma said.

I couldn't. That was the only answer I had. 

I couldn't explain what happened but if everything my grandma said to me was real, what else is real? What else do I have to question to get the truth about my life? What else do I have to question to get the truth about myself? 

I guess I just wasn't ready to accept it.

"You're lying," I said, stumbling backwards, away from her. Emma watched as I receded but didn't stop me. "This—none of this is real. This couldn't happen." I continued to deny it but I knew it was real. I knew everything she'd said was real. 

My back hit the back door and my hand fumbled for the door knob, my eyes on Emma the whole time. When the door opened, I stumbled in, catching myself on the wall. I'd only looked away for a second but when I looked back, Emma was no longer there. 

After kicking the door shut, I clambered to my feet and ran to my bedroom, locking the door as soon as it closed. 

Not long after, I heard my mom's door open and I listened to her quiet footsteps walking the opposite direction. I let out a breath I hadn't known I had been holding before walking over to my bed, barely stopping to slip off my shoes. 

Everything became a blur as I was taken by blackness and pulled into a deep sleep. 

When I woke up, I had a hard time grasping my surroundings. With everything that had happened the day before, I wasn't ready to get up, but when I glanced at the clock and saw it was one o'clock in the afternoon, I jolted awake. 

Even after I got out of bed and got dressed, I still wasn't completely awake, and I knew today wouldn't just be a normal day. 

Not with how things went down yesterday.

Coffee was already made when I got to the kitchen and my mom was making some food. Before greeting her, I made my way to the coffee, and I didn't greet her until I'd gotten a sip of it. 

I leaned against the counter beside the stove and asked, "What are you making?" She glanced up and smiled. 

"Eggs. I knew you'd be up soon since this is pretty late for you to sleep in," she answered and got back to work. 

I nodded and walked over to sit on a stool beside the island, sipping my coffee. Usually, I would wake up earlier than my mom and I'd be the one making coffee, but I also usually went to sleep earlier. 

When she brought over a plate of eggs and toast, I barely uttered a thanks before I began digging in. I hadn't even noticed I was hungry but, apparently, I was starving. Maybe it was everything on my mind that distracted me from my hunger. 

I wouldn't be surprised. 

My mom sat across from me and cleared her throat, making me look up at her. "Your friend came by earlier. She told me to remind you to meet her at the...depot? I think that's what she said. Anyway, she'll be there at two thirty."

"She?" I asked, furrowing my eyebrows in confusion. 

"Yeah, Emma," she said and I nodded in understanding, hiding my surprise. "I'm actually proud that you've made another friend. Since school is out, how did you two meet?"