Convulsion

✿ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ꜱᴇᴠᴇɴ ✿

Lily

    The blackness lasted much longer this time. It wasn't like when Gwen first took me from my house. This time it was even worse. I was folded into the blackness, but thankfully I could still feel my hand on Steve's shoulder and Perla's hand on mine. I couldn't see him, or her, or anyone, though. I could only see a darkness that shouldn't exist. And it felt very, very cold. Freezing.

    Then a white light beside me started to grow, right where Perla had been standing. But it was cut off and darkness took over again. It felt as if a bunch of people were punching me in the stomach and trying to shove food down my throat, all while trying to pull the hair off my head at the same time. It... it felt terrible. And then there was a normal light, the kind you would see in the middle of the day. Solid ground too. And I wasn't floating anymore. I could see everyone's faces. Then all I could see was the ground as I turned around and hurled all over it.

    I sit up, wiping my mouth with my arm and spitting on the grass. I guess I had to throw up this time. Now that everything is out of my system I return to the group, who walked away to give me some space. They're whispering intently, but when I come over, they go quiet. We're on a straight and narrow path, made of smooth gray pebbles and sea glass. The sides are lined with light green grass and beautiful trees that bring a crispness to the air. There are so many trees that it's like a forest to each side of me, except it somehow feels calmer, and not as wild.

    There are a few normal trees that I recognize. Sycamore, birch, oak, redwood. But the other trees I can't. There are foreign trees to my side that look exotic and unrealistic, and the ones that stand out the most actually look like palm trees. Palm trees, with light pink leaves. Their trunks are lined with little balls of white fluff that are wrapped around it like Christmas lights, but they look like little dandelions and not light bulbs. I almost forget my embarrassment over throwing up when I walk back to the grass and over to the pink-leaved tree that's closest to me, running my hand over the bark.

    It speaks of light, of pureness. Of life. And it's beautiful. I take my hand away when I hear Perla calling my name, taking my focus away from the tree. I rush back over to them, having forgotten that I was heading over there in the first place before getting distracted with the trees. The connection that this necklace gives me with nature, it's crazy. It's like nothing I've ever felt before.

    I clench my fists as I walk over to the group. They've all been staring at me, while I was looking around. I hope they didn't see me throwing up. What am I thinking? Of course they saw me throwing up. I try my best to drag my feet as I walk over to them, trying to slow down and prevent the next conversation. When I reach them I hang my head, staring at the ground.

    "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to throw up, I, I'm so sorry..." I turn around to try and find the place where I puked, but it's not there. The puke is gone. All I can see is another one of the weird compasses engraved into the pebble path. Again the letters I, T, W, and D, are traced above each point, and the lines inside of the circle and the design they form are clear to me. I force myself to face the group again, even though I'm more interested in the compass now rather than the fact that I puked in front of these people.

    "It is alright, Lily. I should have thought to protect you better with the light, but I could sense the Gloaming on our trail. It's over now and is in the past. Now, we must go. You are to meet the Representatives of the Council and then you are to be tested. Prepare yourself, and if people stare when we enter Avalon, just smile and wave. We will reach Valon's Palace shortly." She spins around and walks toward a shiny light in the distance, one that can be seen through the thick trees on this rocky path.

    Richard, Gwen, and Steve start to follow Perla, so I follow her too. The farther we walk, the more I can see that the light I saw is light being reflected by buildings in the distance through all the trees. I guess they're the shimmering jeweled buildings of this city called Avalon. The way Perla says everything with such reverence makes me feel like they're really important. I need to memorize these names and places, but honestly, could anything get any more complicated? I speed up and grab Steve's arm, pulling him closer to me so I can whisper to him.