Entranced

Chapter 4 The Light

Wrong! I woke up before anyone else at 5 a.m., gasping for breath. My nightmare had woken me up. I blinked my eyes and sat up, trying to recall my dream. A light. The same multicolored light that had streamed through my veins last night.

I stumbled over to the balcony and slid open the door. The world was silent, only an occasional car driving on the streets below. I couldn't shake that feeling. I still felt open, unprotected, but also different, powerful, at ease with the world.

I remembered that feeling. That indescribable burning. It wasn't painful, I thought. Just surprising and unusual. Without even thinking about it, I reached into my bag and pulled out my colored pencils and sketch book. I started to draw the Light. No sound was heard except for the soft scratching of pencils on paper.

The sun was just starting to come up. Only a tiny glow could be seen on the horizon. I closed my eyes, picturing the Light. I tried to fully recall the burning, the burning that got more and more intense. I could almost feel it creeping up on me. I thought harder, focusing on every detail of the Light, the multicolored swirl of power. My hands rest open in my lap, and my fingers started to tingle. First a spark flashed above my palms. Then it spiraled, getting bigger and bigger. I yelped and fell backwards in shock.

I rubbed my hands against my jeans and sat back up. Wow. My life just keeps getting weirder and weirder, I thought. Probably best not to tell anyone anything about this. Sighing, I snapped my sketchbook shut.

I sat on the balcony, watching the sun rise. I looked around, making sure no one was watching. I held up my hand. The Light came more easily now, with little effort. I watched it, a sphere of multicolored stars that shifted around my fingertips.

Just then the glass door slid open. I extinguished the Light. It flashed and then was gone. My dad stood in the doorway.

"How long have you been out here?" He asked, "I thought you would sleep in."

"I guess not." I said, "But it's a beautiful morning."

"Yah, and home's only an hour away from here."

He helped me up, and I could already smell the breakfast downstairs. I decided that if there were crepes, this morning might be a good one after all.