𝑊𝒉𝑒𝑛 𝑊𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝐼 𝑅𝑒𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑛? ─── AN ORIGINAL STORY [abandoned]

Chapter 14

Isabella's eyes shot wide open, and she stared unblinkingly at the unfamiliar white patterned ceiling. Her back and forehead slick with sweat, heart thumping loudly inside her chest, and her breaths coming out ragged.

“ It was just a nightmare, ” she whispered to herself in an attempt to calm down. But her tone was unconvincing and she knew she was lying to herself. Because it may have been a nightmare now, but it was based on truth and only truth, and she was the cause of everything.

Turning around in the very comfortable bed Isabella tried to will herself into sleep, but afterwards half an hour of nothing she realised she probably wasn't going to sleep at all. Sighing she got up, swinging her legs over the side of the bed, dragging with her the fuzzy blanket she had found in the cupboard Isabella moved to sit on the window seat not before grabbing her book from her backpack and settling down in the mountain of fluffy pillows.

Opening the book Isabella started reading, but none of the words registered in her head, resulting in her reading the same page over and over again. Giving up Isabella closed the book before leaning her burning hot forehead against the cold glass of the window. She starred at the crescent moon while replaying all that had occurred over that past 56 hours.

So lost in her thoughts Isabella didn't see the black-clad figure slipping out the front door and jumping over the gate, before disappearing into the night.

The longer Isabella sat there the more drowsy she felt, and slowly as Isabella's eyelids began drooping closed a soft - male - voice burst through her head. 'Isabella, it's me your brother Leo! Fantastasia is in trouble, I'm still alive, find me! You my only hope," and the voice was cut off by Isabella falling into a deep sleep.

The next morning when she woke up Isabella wouldn't even remember those words, or at least remember they weren't a dream.

"Isabella! Isabella, Wake up!” Isabella was jolted from her sleep by Crystal shaking her shoulder and yelling in her ears.

“Huh?Wha-?” She asked groggily, still trying to take in her surroundings. “Why am I not in the bed?” she added, now wide awake.

Crystal shrugged, “I found you here when I came in,”.

“But I went to sleep last night in the bed,” Isabella frowned.

Before Crystal could answer Max's voice rang out, “Isabella! Crystal! We need to leave before those five children come back".

“Coming! ” Crystal yelled back before handing Isabella her backpack and running out of the room.

Shouldering her backpack Isabella quickly retriever her silver high heeled sandals and strapped them on. Taking one last look around the room Isabella seen the blanket she had tossed on the floor earlier. Bundling it up, she opened one of the fancy mirrors sliding cupboards. She stopped, surprise flooding her features.

There in the cupboard stacked neatly on each shelf was an abundance of clothes, girl clothes by the looks of it, creeped out Isabella quickly stuffed the blanket into the bottom shelf, closed the cupboard and hurried out of the room.

When Isabella got to the lounge or living room she was confronted witb an annoyed looking Max.He thrust a bundle of black clothes and combat boots into Isabella's hands. “Put these on, and be quick!” Max ordered.

“Why do I need to wear this? And where's Crystal? ” Isabella asked Max and Axel a frown crossing her face.

“So if people see us you don't have to keep telling them that we are roleplaying, and Crystal is already changing, ” Max snapped.

Only now did Isabella get a good look at him and she noticed the bluish black rings lining he's eyes and signaling exhaustion. He's normally bright blue eyes were also looking strained and slightly pale and he also seemed unnaturally agitated.