Page 48 of Visions & Shadows

When I take an outfit from the cupboard, I notice it’s nothing but a short skirt and a leather top similar to the one Brenna wore.

Hell no. You won’t get me dead in this.

On closer inspection I see the bottoms are a cross between a skirt and hot pants.

I throw the clothes back into the cupboard, and walking to the sink, I pick up the decanter and pour some water out into the bowl. Scooping water into my hands, I splash it over my face before grabbing the towel.

As I pat my skin dry, I mutter, “You’re not in Steamboat Springs anymore, that’s for sure.”

My eyes lock on my reflection in the mirror, and I gasp.

The sparkling emerald green eyes staring back at me and black hair with silver streaks look foreign. Never mind the fact that I’m three years older.

I barely recognize myself.

Unable to look at my reflection for a second longer, I turn around, an intense urge to scream building in my chest.

I walk closer to the bed, and sitting down on the edge, I press the towel to my mouth and scream into the fabric.

Holy fucking shit.

I can’t believe what’s happened.

It’s insane.

They just left me at a waterfall and made me believe I was thirteen. They left me completely defenseless.

Tears of anger burn my eyes as I clench my jaw, my entire body trembling.

And five years later Raighne just swoops in and rips me away from the life I had to build on my own.

He made me believe we were friends.

My heart clenches when I think of everything I lost in the blink of an eye.

And now they’re telling me Earth will be destroyed, and I have to save ten people.

God, I can barely keep myself alive.This is all too crazy.

Standing up, my fingers dig into the fabric of the towel as I start to pace up and down.

Holy shit.

What do I do?

How do I begin to process all of this?

Realizing my breathing has sped up, I inhale deeply and close my eyes.

Calm down. You need to think clearly about everything.

I take another deep breath and let it out slowly.

You’ve survived the past five years without them, you can survive whatever lies ahead as well.

When I open my eyes, movement by the door catches my attention. There’s a pretty blonde girl, her hair tied in two pigtails. She gives me a hesitant look as if she’s waiting for permission for something.

She’s at least a head taller than me. Her eyes are something else, though, sparkling like soft pink gems.

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