Magic Undone

Chapter 4: A Fox's Life

I watched her leave, and couldn't help wondering about how she got so... so quiet. I have never met a human who was so in tune with nature. Also, I have never seen a wolf befriend a human, and stay loyal after being released into the wild. She sure is an oddity. I was surprised I hadn't bumped into her before. I come here quite often too, to calm myself after the mess that happens at home. I shivered at the thought of my father, and how he keeps the household loud. I realize the time, and start to head back to the house.

On the way, I try to spot other animals, but I found none that I could see. Hmm... strange. There were so many birds around when Mari was around. I shook off the thought, and returned to my neighborhood. I walked over to the house saying hi to a few of the neighbors on the way. When I got to my house, I opened the door gingerly, trying to make as little sound as possible. I winced when the old door creaked, and I heard my father yell, "Vosax! Why are you so late?" In his deep, commanding voice. I hurried through the door, and was forced to meet his dark yellow gaze. "You usually only take 20 minutes out in that forest! What happened?" I shrugged, trying not to look scared, and replied, "I just needed some extra time..."I looked off to the side. I saw my father's fox-like ears twitch, and his eyes narrowed. He scoffed, and said, "I can tell when your lying! Who did you see there?" I saw my demon mother creep up behind my father, and eerily muttered "A girl, perhaps?" I gave her a surprised look, but instantly froze my face back to a neutral expression. However, I didn't hide my expression fast enough for my father not to catch it. He chuckled, "So, meeting girls already, are we?" I gave him a look of disbelief. "What do you mean by that?" He throws a stare that I see almost everyday. It's the 'I know something you don't' stare. I warily turn my gaze from his, and after catching my mother's red-eyed glance, run up to my room. I shut the door not too hard, but just hard enough to make a slight noise. Why would my father be curious about a girl? He usually doesn't care about what I do with my life. He could be planning something. He wasn't the best at hiding his ideas.

I jumped on my bed and buried my face in the pillow. Groaning, I thought, why can't I just live a normal life? I fell asleep thinking about what might happen if mom and dad found out that I saw a human, and that I had a crush on her.

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I was having that nightmare again. At least, I thought it was a nightmare. It didn't seem very... nightmarish. However, it was still enough to haunt me. In my sleep, I woke up to blinding light. I groaned and stood up, but looking down I realized I was just laying on nothing. There was nothing below me, just a bright white light. It freaked me out, like it always does, that I was standing on air. Feeling along the 'floor', I panicked, and feeling something pointing through my hair, I reached up to see what it was. It was my elf ears.

How are they out? I thought. I tried to hide them again, but couldn't. I looked up to realize a floating figure in a white cloak, with white wings growing out of the figure's shoulders. Everything was white in this room, all but me, and the skin and hair of the figure. The being's hair was a dark brown, which looked so out of place as apposed to the pure white. The figure was murmuring inaudible words.

"Who are you?" I shouted. I noticed something pointing through the hood of the cloak. Elf ears? The figure looked surprised and opened their mouth to respond, but just before they could I broke out of the dream into the cruel reality.

"Ugh..." I murmured. That nightmare has been happening much more recently. I wonder why. I got dressed for school, and went down to eat some breakfast. I had my hands behind me in mild worry, and my mom seemed to catch it. "Again? Homey, you have been having that dream all too much recently. Should I take you to a doctor?" My heart stopped for a second, and I quickly replied "No! My elf ears are out in the dream, so I would have to tell the doctor about being an elf." My mom looked taken aback. "You never told me that!" She sounded almost hurt. I guess I did keep an important detail out of the dream... snapping out of thought, I said, "I knew it would just make you worry!" Her hurt look subsided slightly. "Still, I'm your mother! I should know these things!" She retorted. I felt hot guilt start to slither up my spine, and I gave my mom an apologetic look before averting my gaze to the floor. She sighed, and said, "I'm sorry for yelling, honey. Just tell me next time, ok?" I nodded and looked back up to her. I felt like a child again. After I realized the time, I pulled out of my thoughts, grabbed some breakfast, and ran to the bus.

As soon as I got to the bus, I saw Lukav waving through the window. I stepped on the bus, and sat next to him.

"Hey, Lukav!" I said excitedly. He gave me a friendly side glance, and replied, "Hey! You know, if you want you can call me Luke. All my friends call me Luke." He blushed, and looked at me expectingly. I said, "Does this make us friends?" I said cheekily. Luke laughed, and said, "I guess so."

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I heard familiar laughing from the front of the bus. My ears twitched, and I looked above the seats to see that human girl I met in the woods yesterday. She goes to the same school as me? I rested my orange tail over my lap, and started combing it with my fingers in a nervous fit. What would happen if she sees me again? What would we talk about? So many questions ran through my head as I stared at the back of Mari's fiery orange hair.