Deadly Love

Chapter 1

I walked to the edge of the cliff and sat down in the grass. The view was entrancing from up here. I traced the hilltops with my finger and noticed how once one ended, another one started. The sparkle of the river that flowed underneath me caught my eye. Nature gave me peace, and for once in my life, I didn't feel alone. The warm summer breeze hit my face, the grass tickled my toes, the tree branches waved to me, I heard the birds sing, and I felt complete, I felt whole. But, I yearned for more, a connection with someone, someone to laugh with, someone to cry with, someone who could feel my pain.

The truth is, I have nobody. The only person I have left by my side is my mother, who keeps us isolated and protected from the humans, or "witch killers" as she would say. She would constantly tell me about how witches of all types used to rule this world and thrived off the elements. Slowly but surely, humans began to invade our world and they became scared of what we were capable of. They were afraid of what they didn't understand, so while we welcomed them into our world, they slaughtered my kind until we were no more. I was around the age of two when my mother narrowly escaped death. She escaped to this clifftop and kept me safe for all these years. We basically live in our own world, a bubble where nobody can hurt us. My mother is a powerful witch and highly skilled in her spells, which allowed her to create some sort of force field to sheild us from the outside world. Inside the bubble we can see everything that happens on the outside, but nobody can see us inside, or the beautiful enchanted forest we inhabit. The trees hang low and the fireflies glow at night, and it feels as if I'm invincible in my element.

Now at the age of nineteen, I can confidently but sadly say that I'm obviously lacking in my social skills. I haven't seen or spoken to anyone else other than my mother for the past seventeen years, and I'm beginning to feel the effects of total isolation. Just getting up in the morning is a struggle when I know the only thing greeting me is the sun. My only friend is nature, which allows me plenty of practice with my powers and developing an even further spiritual connection with the environment around me. But sometimes I wonder if my life will ever be more exciting than this, or if I'll be forced to live in secret my whole life.

"Dahlia. Hey sweetie, what's buggin' ya?", my mother asked as she sat down next to me. She ran her fingers through my thick auburn hair, her hand getting stuck on every tangle. She looked at me with sadness in her eyes, waiting to see what I'd say.

"Nothing, just bored... and lonely... and sad. But other than that, I guess I'm doing pretty well.", I said in a obvious sarcastic tone. Our feet dangled off the edge of the cliff, and there was nothing but the whistle of the wind for a moment.

"Honey, you know this is not the life I wanted you to have. But, if they get a hold of you, I would never forgive myself." She began to tear up. "I love you with all my heart and I feel so guilty that this is the way you have to live, basically imprisoned from the rest of the world. I never wanted this for you but I can't lose my baby, you're all I have left." Tears streamed down her face and she wrapped her warm arms around me. Her long black hair tickled my face like spider legs, and I squeezed her tight. Tears rushed to my eyes as well, and we sat there crying and embracing each other for a while.

I started to pull away, but she didn't want to let go. I stared into her large, calming chocolatey eyes. Her freckles, each perfectly placed on her nose and cheeks, and her cheekbones strong.

"I love you with all my heart, dear. Everything I do is for you and your safety. Please promise me you will never leave this bubble."

"I know mom, I will always stay where I am protected. I love you."

She stood up from where we were and walked back to our cottage. I gazed at the rising sun for a little longer, and soon followed after her. My mother created our home using her magic, making it cozy and homey. The walls were painted in natural but soothing colors, and we had rustic-style furniture. The end tables in the living area had crystals and stones of varying colors that were used to defend us from any negativity trying to meddle itself into our lives, and they gave us a sense of comfort.

Since it was early morning I decided to take a walk down to the stream, not too far away from the cottage. I stepped out the door and felt the warm grass against my bare feet, a feeling that always gave me a rush of freedom and adventure. I ran through the willow trees and hopped over puddles of water. I frolicked around the bushes like a playful rabbit, and smiled to all the little critters that passed by. I approached the stream and knelt down to splash some water onto my face. It was like a refreshing cool rush of energy that poured the liveliness back into me. I observed the ripples in the water, and when it became still I studied my reflection. My hazel eyes twinkled, and the variation of color became more apparent. The more I analyzed the structure if my face, I began to see more of my mother in me. I shared her freckles and soft, rounded lips, as well her prominent cheekbones.

Lost in my own reflection, I didn't even realize that sitting there waiting for me to notice him, was my little fox friend. His fluffy tail brushed up against my leg and I stroked the fur on his back, and gave him a huge hug. I named him Blaze because of his reddish coat and strong personality, and your probably wondering why I'm so attached to animals. Well, for one, they're my only friends, and two, I'm a witch of nature, which means I'm able to spiritually connect with anything of the environment, and this connection only grows stronger as I grow older.

I gestured Blaze to follow me as I headed back home. As we pranced through the forest together, I realized he understood my pain. He could feel my suffering and through this deep spiritual connection, he became bonded to me. Blaze was quite literally my spirit animal, and probably the closest I will ever come to having a deep interconnection with another soul that isn't my own mother.