Page 3 of Faerie Magic

A few more days. Joe said to wait. I could do it. I could make it a few more days.

Ahead, there was a gorgeous reservoir pond. Well, that might be generous for what it was. It was a stone wall that housed a pond of water.

I stopped walking and stared. In five years of walking the park, I’d only been this way once. I looked around. The darkness of the night was thickening. But it was beautifully picturesque and a quick stroll around the edge would give me the last bit of relief before I faced the music back with Darryl.

I hopped up onto the ledge. Snorting, I threw back my head, holding out my arms as I remembered what Joe said about my light. My hope. It seemed so faint right now. But he was right, Darryl couldn’t take it from me, even if it was barely there. I may be rough around the edges, but they hadn’t broken me completely.

And I’d be damned if they did so now.

I grinned knowing that in a few days I would be free, on my own. Ready to start my life in any way I wanted.

I jumped and spun in the air, falling back down and landing right on the edge, feeling adventurous and unstoppable.

I shimmied my shoulders, giggling and did a victory twirl.

Too quickly.

Too forcefully.

My foot slipped off the side and I gasped as I lost my balance. I fluttered my arms frantically, flailing to save myself from tumbling over the ledge, but it was no use. I spun out of control and fell.

In an idiotic effort to grab the ledge, I twisted my body and slammed my head directly against the stone wall.

Pain seared through my skull as my body went limp and toppled into the shock of frigid water below.

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