Find me

Chapter 41

Alice

The next morning I leave my dad's house, and head to campus, taking the exit to the road that leads there and driving quickly to reach as fast as possible.

On the way, I stopped at the gas centre, to fill up his tank. By the time I get to the campus, classes are about to start. Thankgod! I reached on time. I park and hurry across the passenger seat to grab my unexpectedly heavy bag, which might be because of that old book which I bought with myself, hoping that dad wouldn't find out that I took it. 'I just borrow it for a few days' I assure myself.

"Hey, beautiful," someone says, I turn, closing the door shut. It's Luke, as expected.

"Hey" I reply and start walking. He follows me too.

"So? Had fun?" he asked, tilting his head towards me.

I smiled and say "Yeah! I met my childhood friend".

"That must be joyful" he smiles me back.

I nodded and toss his key to him "Thank you for the car" I say and then we head to our class.

We walk in and surprisingly we are the only ones left to join the class. We exchange looks- Are you thinking that same thing which I do? I guess, yes. The classroom is full. Thankfully my seat is still empty. I took my seat and Luke sits beside me.

I open the zip of my bag to take out the notebook when accidentally I place my hand on the book and some blurred image of my mother flashes in I'm standing behind her, crying, holding her dress tightly. I was scared. She was hiding me from someone. She was telling me something about them. I don't know what.

"Let her go, she's a baby," mom said. But they didn't listen, they rush to us, trying to grab me but mom kicks him right on his stomach. But they didn't stop. They kept coming. One of them launched himself on her, but she whirled away, pushing me to her side. As he struck nothing but air, she slammed the butt of the staff into his spine before he reached for me.

She took the blow this time, angling her staff, which is flaming from the top. But she doesn't get burned by it. When another one charged after she and she jumped towards him, letting the force of his blow snap the upper part of the staff straight into his face. He stumbled, but her fist is waiting. As it met with his face, crunch of his bone. Blood gleamed as it trickled from his mouth as he collapsed directly on her feet.

And then two of them come again, she met their blade, holding her staff with both hands, pushing the flaming shaft into their sword, even when it let out a splintering groan.

She shoved them, grunting, and spun. She whacked the back of the head of the person next to her with the top of the staff, and the fire burned him, and in a matter of seconds, he turned into ashes. Again someone charged at her, aiming a direct blow to her heart, but too slow to hit her. She whirls and swept his feet out from under him, nor did he have time to raise his weapon before she crouched over his chest. She yells "I'm Andriana, Queen of Orion" and kick him aside from his chest as she says again "You never get what you are willing for because I never let you" she paused, straightened her shoulder, she growls "I'll kill you all no matters what".

"You are so stubborn, your highness," someone said, a male voice. "It'll only end up you both" and this is when he pulled me off the ground. "Let me have what I want or she'll die".

Anger flushing from her face, eyes flaming red. Fist that fire up now. Flame surrounds her completely "Leave her" she growled and whipped the staff through the air. "Or I'll burn down you all in ashes" she warned. Fires that were coming out of her hair, floating in the air like a feather.

He laughed.

She raised her staff, but something happened to her, looks like she had no strength left. He knocked aside her blow as if it was nothing, and she retreated while he rose. Her feet stumbled, but she stayed upright as she dared a glance beside me. I can see as that lady stood beside me. This is when my mother collapsed on the ground.

"NO....." I cried "Mom.....Mom....." I just cried there, trying to remove myself from their grip but I couldn't. This is when I notice something is gleaming atop of her. I don't know what, but it makes her weaker as it brightens up.

That woman's arm lashed out and connected with my mom's shoulder. I heard a crack and mom screamed as her shoulder dislocated. Her foot met with mom's shoulder and she went flying backwards, falling so hard.

He dropped me to the ground, I turn my head up to see him, but before that, someone grabbed me and push me into a room and lock the door. I knock again and again. But no one opened up. All I can hear is yelling and screaming voices. I sunk to the ground, covering my both ears, I just cried there.

"Are you alright?" Luke's voice breaks my thought. And I'm back into reality. Before I comprehend anything, darkness surrounds me and I fall on him, down into blackness.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

I woke up, focusing my eyes on the unfamiliar ceiling above me. "Thankgod! You woke up now" a voice interrupted, I turn to watch. He scooted his chair forwards I was so worried about you, he says again while holding my hand. He looks exhausted.

"Where am I?" I ask as I try to sit up. The bed was edged with bars and the walls beyond were a blinding shade of white.

"In college restroom" he replied. I glanced above the white curtain next to me was dull. "What happened to me?" I croaked. I flexed my fingers against the thick bandage just above them and noticed, with a pinch of horror, that there was a drip invading my hand.

"Don't worry, you just faint out in the class, nothing serious" he assures me.

Trying my best not to completely freak out. I dragged my hands through my hair. This is the worst headache I've ever had.

"That's ok, nothing happened". He stroked my hand reassuringly. "How do you feel now?"

This is when my mind snaps to the last memory I had. That book. It showed me the memory which I don't remember. It showed me the memory of the day when my mom got missing. It showed me my memory. And I'm sure, it must give me the way to reach my mother. Wait. 'Where is that book now?'

Some panic engulf me "Where is my bag?" I ask.

"Uhhh.."

"Where is my damn bag?" I ask again, almost yelling at him.

He looks confused, worried or maybe both "Is anything important in here?" he replies and then handed the bag to me. I immediately checked my bag for it, thankfully, it is in there. Safe.

He is still watching me with his worried eyes. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah" I don't know what else to say. "I want to go back to my room".

He nodded.

When I get back to my room. I opened my bag again and takeout out the book, and place it on the table. I knew that there must be something odd about this book. And I was right. I studied it for a moment.

Taking a deep breath, I again place my hand on it, closing my eyes shut. I concentrate. But nothing comes out, no flashback. What? Why?

I turned the book upside down, and then again place my hand on it, again nothing happens. Strange. 'Come on show me something more, you idiot' I say while shaking it. But useless. I sigh.