Burned

Chapter : The Pale Light

I found myself back in the woods the next night, even after I promised Sam that I wouldn't seek Castiel out. I wandered close to the edge at first, scared to go in a second time. I didn't even see the person walking with me.

"Back so soon, Abigail?" a voice behind me asked.

I jumped. No one knew I was coming here. Who could've been following me, or known I was here? I turned slowly. I only relaxed when I saw his red hair. "Castiel, you scared me! What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing, couldn't I?" he smiled. He had a boyish grin, but it seemed to add comfort right now. Normally, Father called the boyish grins 'mischievous' and warned against people with them.

"I was looking for you." I felt my face heat up as soon as I said it. I just admitted looking for him, seeking him out. What would he think of it?

Instead of answering, he laughed. "Why on earth would you look for me?"

Should I tell him the truth? I raised my eyes to his, hoping to find an answer there. All I found was a gentle look and a smile. "I want to know how you got out. I want to see the world that you know."

He held out his hand to me, "I'll be glad to show you, Abigail."

I took his hand. It felt smooth against mine. It made me wonder what he did for a living if he had such smooth hands. There weren't many men in Salem with smooth hands because of the carpentry and blacksmith work they did here.

He took me into the woods for the second time. However, we didn't take the same path that we took the first time. We took a way that lead to an actual path. It was lit up with small torches hung on the trees with hooks. Castiel's footing was perfect on the tree roots and loose dirt. He never faltered in where to place his feet, so he didn't fall. I wished I had his grace and balance.

I decided it was too quiet, "Where are we going?"

"You wanted to see the world as I do, right? I'm showing you exactly what I saw when I first got here." Castiel smiled again. He looked ahead, his eyebrows creasing. "Careful, the light up here is bright. You're not used to the undisturbed light, so I wanted to warn you."

"Okay. If you guide me carefully, I'll close my eyes until we're safe again." I held out my arm, which he took quickly.

"Of course, Abigail. I'd guide you like any of the princesses in the land."

I didn't know what a princess was, but it sounded nice. Suddenly, I wished that I had met Castiel earlier in my life. I closed my eyes, trusting him more quickly than anyone I had met before. I realized this was the first person that I had met in my life. I knew everyone else from Salem, and I had since birth. This was different. Castiel didn't live in Salem, so it was my choice whether to seek him out again.

"You're quiet, Abigail. What's wrong?" Castiel spoke first. I realized it had been a few minutes since he had me close my eyes.

"I'm just enjoying the sounds of nature. Don't worry, Castiel, I'm not thinking too much. Sam tells me I over think everything." I said, my voice calm.

I didn't know what to think of Castiel. He seemed confident, but not so that he was full of who he was. He was calm, but not so that he was unworried. He was serious, but not so that he wasn't ever joking. He seemed perfect, but what could that mean? He couldn't have really been perfect, could he? The Great Book said that perfect people didn't exist. What did that mean about Castiel?

"Ok, we're here, Abigail. You can open your eyes now." He said, letting go of my hand. It was strange, but as soon as he let go, the warmth left, as if it was caused by him. I missed his touch already.

I opened my eyes to the land being covered in a white light. Was that the moonlight that everyone learned about in school? I looked for the trees, running back under their shade. Castiel walked over to me, "What are you doing, Abigail?"

"I don't want to be touched by the moon; it will curse me." I spoke softly, not really wanting him to think I believed that old legend. But it had been drilled into my head from Father saying it so much. The moon was a terrible way of light. Only the evils of the night used it. Many people feared it.

"It won't hurt you, Abigail." He walked out of the tree's shadows into the bright light. He opened his arms, allowing them to be touched by the pale glow. "There's nothing to worry about, Abigail. No one is going to hurt you now."

I wanted to believe him. I stepped out slowly. What if he was wrong? What if he was already cursed by the moonlight? I tried to ignore my mind's useless prattle. There was no use in worrying about curses and such. I was here, right? That's all that mattered now. I saw the light on his skin and took a brave step forward. "Are you sure it won't hurt me?" I asked shyly.

Castiel cocked his head to the side. There was no mistaking his grin. I stepped further out of the tree line. The moon light touched my skin, and I got a shiver down my spine. What was gonna happen to me? I started to panic but saw Castiel's hand reached out to me. I took it, suddenly becoming calm. What was this feeling he gave me? This wasn't like any other guy that I had met before, but I couldn't place what was different.

I let the moonlight brush against my skin. The light seemed to reflect from Castiel. He grinned; his eyes sparkled in the light. There was something different about him. Why was I so attracted to him? Why did I choose to seek him out?

"Are you okay, Abigail?" Castiel's eyes met mine. They shined with concern. He reached out to touch me. As soon as his skin brushed mine, I fell to the ground.

My vision went black. I felt dizzy, and it was like I was falling forever. I could hear him calling for me, but I couldn't wake myself. Suddenly, I felt as if I were falling. Was this the curse?

Father would worry about me, but did I really care?

As my mind went blank, I thought of Sam. What would she do without me?