Page 5 of The Calling of Caellaias
Momma closed the door behind her and came to join me on my bed. As she sat, she grasped my hand and held onto it. “Lily, I’m very sorry you had to see Poppa like that. He doesn’t like me talking about Caellaias for a good reason, but sometimes, I can’t keep myself from it. One day, you may understand, but today is not that day.” Reaching over with her free hand, she caressed my cheek, urging me to look at her.
I winced in pain as she touched the spot where Poppa struck me. She frowned at my reaction and urged me to look at her. As she took in the state of my face, fury flashed in her eyes, and I could swear they began to glow. Then, she was on her feet, rushing out of my room.
“Roarc!” Momma screamed as she yanked the door open and barreled down the hallway. “You will NOT make it a habit to hit our daughters! Need I remind you what I am capable of? If you touch one of them again, I will make you wish you were dead, setting you ablaze from the inside out. You can take your anger out on me all you would like, but I will NOT let you harm them.”
I hurried into the hallway behind her and halted in shock at the sight before me. Momma was right in front of Poppa with her finger in his face, scolding him. He was at least seven inches taller and had at least seventy pounds on her, but that didn’t stop her.
Running up between my parents, I looked between them. Placing a hand on each of their chests, I tried to shove them apart. “Stop it! You’re scaring Eiri!”
Poppa grasped my hand from his chest and wrenched it away before getting in my face again. “Leave. Us. Lily! This is not your battle to fight.” When his eyes met mine, his blue irises were rimmed with a vibrant red—something I’d never seen before.
He snarled and shoved me away, then grabbed Momma by the arm and pulled her back toward their bedroom. They yelled back and forth allalong the way, and when they reached their room, he slammed the door shut, cutting us off from their conversation again.
The painful memory faded, and I wiped away my tears. I took another deep breath and turned on my metalcore playlist to distract me. The music helped soothe my nerves and ease my mind as I drove.
About twenty minutes later, as I drove up the road to my home, I noticed the cabin Eiri had mentioned earlier that day. I couldn’t see many details in the dark. The smaller one-story structure appeared to be darker than mine. Lights were on in one of the windows facing the road, which likely meant someone was home. I resolved to set aside time to visit my new neighbor after I got settled. I wanted to introduce myself and hoped they could tell me more about the area. Having someone close to interact with would be great, too.
A small, standing mailbox marked the narrow driveway to my house. I lowered my music so I could concentrate as I turned, keeping alert for any animals lurking.
Once parked, I opened the door and felt the crisp mountain air envelop me. With it being late spring, the temperatures had just started rising, but the night air was still chilly. I looked forward to seeing the snow that would accumulate in the winter, untainted by the dirty streets of a big city. However, I didn’t look forward to clearing the snow when it came time to go to town. I wasn’t sure how much the area got. Thankfully, I had several months to go before I had to think about it. I just hoped the all-wheel drive on my car would make getting to and from town easier.
I trotted up the steps, opened the front door, and fumbled for the light switch in the dark. Once the light illuminated the room, I kicked my shoes off. I looked around for a place to hang my jacket as I shoved my keys into one of the pockets. When I realized my over-the-door hooks were still packed away, I yanked the jacket off and threw it over the back of the couch. Being a creature of habit, I liked to be able to find things, even if my organization was a little chaotic. It didn’t always make sense to everyone else, but it made sense to me, and that was what mattered the most.
It was late, and I’d had a long, exhausting day. Even still, there was so much to do around the house. I sighed and started turning off the lights. I’d done enough for the day.
Once upstairs, I pushed the door to my room open and basked in the soft moonlight pouring in through the window. I found my sheets while we were unloading and set them at the foot of my bed. The clean scent of the black sheets hit my nose as I spread the soft fabric over the mattress. After a few moments of digging through boxes, I found my comforter.
When I finished making my bed, I completed my nightly routine of brushing my teeth, washing my face, and applying moisturizer. My blue eyes stared back at me, bloodshot with deep, dark circles under them. They often changed colors like the varying shades of denim, and on this day, they appeared light and ice-like. My lips were red and chapped from worrying my snakebite piercings and chewing the skin around them, a nervous habit I couldn’t seem to break.
I stepped back into my bedroom and grabbed my phone charger and pajamas from my duffel bag. I changed into my night clothes, then opened the window to let in the cool night air. I scrolled through my notifications, searching for anything that needed my immediate attention, but everything there could wait, save for replying to Momma and Eiri’s ‘goodnight’ texts. Finally, I plugged my phone in, turned off the light, and sank into the cool sheets, allowing the crisp mountain air to soothe me to sleep.
Chapter four
Anevae
The warm morning sun flooded the room, waking me from a deep sleep. I lay there for a few minutes, allowing myself to wake up a little before dragging myself out of bed and shuffling into the bathroom. I stood at the vanity, brushing my hair and teeth. A good night's sleep had erased some of the redness from my eyes.
My tangled hair was greasy at the roots and desperately needed a wash, but that would have to wait. I had a lot of work that needed to be done, which would just result in me getting dirty again anyway, so there was no point in washing it.
Just after eight, I grabbed my phone from my dresser and headed downstairs. Momma had texted me to let me know she and Poppa had left already, heading back to their place on the East Coast. I replied, telling them to be careful and asking her to let me know when they made it home.
My stomach grumbled as I walked into the kitchen. My parents had insisted on buying me enough groceries to last about a week—enough time to get settled before I had to travel into town for more.
I was delighted to find my coffee maker conveniently placed on the counter near the sink. The box housing my coffee-making supplies was among those scattered across the massive kitchen island. I brewed myself a cup and filled it with lots of creamer and sugar, making it light and sweet—just how I liked it.
Taking a small sip of the hot beverage, I savored its flavor and opened the refrigerator to find something for breakfast. The eggs and sausage I wanted would require pans and cooking utensils. With a sigh, I closed the fridge and set about finding the tools I would need.
I didn't own much in the way of kitchen supplies, so I put them away as I went, setting aside what I needed for breakfast. When I started cooking, the delicious smells permeated the air. My mouth watered, and my stomach grumbled impatiently.
After the last piece of sausage browned nicely, I sat on one of the four bar stools arranged around the island and plotted out my day. Taking my last bite, I cleaned up the mess I made and climbed the stairs to grab my speaker and change clothes. When I moved, I left everything in the drawers to my dresser. While it made the move easier, my clothes got jumbled around. I sifted through the drawers and found some shorts and a tank top to change into so I could be comfortable while I organized.
As I began changing, I saw movement outside my window. Lowering my shirt back down, I rushed to investigate. Just inside the tree line bordering the cabin was a huge, black fox staring at me. Its coat was shiny and laced with streaks of orange throughout. Its bushy tail faded from black and orange to white at the tip. I'd never seen a fox like it; it was captivating.
Standing there staring at it, I realized the fox was watching me too, almost like it was studying me. Then, without warning, it got up and scampered into the woods, quickly drifting out of sight. When I could no longer see it, I reached for my phone to text Eiri. Foxes were herfavorite animal. She'd been infatuated with them since we were kids. The first time we saw them at the zoo, she was instantly drawn to their big, bushy tails and the cute sounds they made.
Hey! How are you settling in?
Ugh. I don't wanna talk about it. I have so much stuff! How's it going over there?
