by Sela Croft
I was disappointed.
“I should not have put you at risk.” Draven gazed upon me, his blue eyes as dark as the bottom of the ocean. “But you must not try to follow me.”
No, he couldn’t be saying that. Struggling against the sheet, I tried to force my voice to work. I had to tell Draven that he was wrong. I had to follow. Who else would?
“Promise me that you will forget. I was briefly in your life, but now I’m gone. It’s over, my love. You must not pursue knowledge that will destroy you.”
I managed to find my voice. “I won’t let you suffer without me.”
“You must,” Draven said, and brushed his fingertips over my cheek. “I vow to keep you from harm. I will fight the very creatures of darkness to keep you safe.” He gazed at me. “But you must cease asking questions. I warn you…it’s too dangerous.”
Before I could say more, or plead with Draven to change his mind, he was gone.
I stirred and opened my eyes, as if from a bad dream, yet remembering in exquisite detail every word he’d said. And cherishing visions of how he’d looked, relishing a lingering sense of his presence.
Abandoned in my bed, alone in my room, grief over the loss of my love welled up, and I cried until I collapsed with exhaustion. After all I’d been through, it was intolerable that Draven had been so close…and yet unreachable.
When dawn broke, I got up then walked across the room. Pulling the window open, I leaned out to breathe in the chilly air. The forest was in shadow, nature at peace. The sight of the trees was comforting, the outdoors welcoming.
The night had not been a loss after all. I’d been given a gift. Draven had appeared in my dreams. He was alive, although beyond the life that I knew. I said to nature, to the universe, to whomever was listening, “I will find you, Draven…and reunite—even if I must defy death itself to be with you.” It might have been more of my imaginings, but the universe seemed to shudder, if ever so slightly.
CHAPTER 6 – MIRELA
For the rest of that summer, Draven did not appear in my dreams. And I did not return to the cliffs, after realizing that my visit must have challenged dark forces, compelled to keep us apart. If I had any hope of contacting Draven again, I’d have to bide my time. The illusions that had haunted me abated, so I assumed the supernatural creatures had slinked back into the realm they’d come from.
In the fall, I moved into the dorms to start college at the University of Washington. The school was located in Seattle, a large city compared to where I was from. The main campus was in the University District within the Puget Sound region. The coastal area had a complex array of saltwater bays, islands, and peninsulas carved out by prehistoric glaciers.
There were plenty of places to explore, when I wasn’t in class or studying. Since I couldn’t conceive of an existence confined to my dormitory or university halls, I planned to get away and commune with nature as often as possible. The local environment intrigued me, so I’d probably indulge in its delights more often than I should.
As planned, Lana entered the arts and sciences program with me. We also managed to get into the same dormitory. The architecture of the university was Gothic, yet the rooms where we stayed were modern inside. The space wasn’t extravagant but suited us.
In our shared room, there were two single beds, and the design included two desk spaces. It wasn’t the Victorian décor that I was used to. It was a simple scheme of white walls and windows with fabric blinds. The furniture was metal and wood, accented with patterned comforters and a few throw pillows.
No longer under my mother’s watchful eye, I had a sense of freedom. I had no need to lock the door to be alone. When Lana was in class, I had the room to myself and vice versa. At night, we chatted or studied, and I didn’t feel intruded upon.
Yet all was not simple pleasures. The academic requirements were stringent. If I intended to get through the program successfully, I’d have to apply myself. The university had a lot to offer. Much to my delight, I discovered the campus included one of the largest library systems in the world.
My love of reading stuck with me, and I ducked into the library whenever possible to read or research. The university was like a small city, with lecture halls, art centers, museums, and even stadiums. There were many distractions, yet not enough to garner my full attention.
The gaping hole Draven’s disappearance had left inside me showed no signs of going away. I missed him and thought of him constantly. The ache in my heart seemed to increase, as the weeks and months went by. Try as I might to enter into the spirit of higher education, other matters were of primary concern.
First was the impossible task of living without Draven. I had hoped that he’d visit me in my dreams as he had before. Yet that hadn’t happened. It seemed that I was expected to go on alone. But my connection with him wasn’t something that I couldn’t put aside.
I sensed Draven’s presence, especially at night. Possibly the dorm setting wasn’t conducive to dream visits. Although I didn’t see how that could have mattered. There had to be some other reason that he’d abandoned me.
My worst fear was that something awful had happened to Draven. Wherever he was, beyond the boundaries of my world, was foreign to me. I had no idea what sort of dangers existed, or if he truly lived, how he managed to do so under the ocean.
My mind circled through endless loops of possibilities. Still, I achieved no satisfaction. Draven had warned me away, but why? What was it he feared? If only I understood why the clawed women had taken him from me, and what their intentions had been, I’d have a starting point.
As the months rolled by, I’d attempted to come to terms with the situation. The answers might not be revealed to me, at any time, and I seemed helpless at discovering them on my own. It appeared that I was doomed to go through the remainder of my existence without Draven.
Although, the future seemed beyond my control, I was aware of the pull of destiny. I sensed that more was to come, that it wasn’t over yet. The meaning of events had yet to sharpen into focus, or shape into an understandable picture. But my connection with Draven endured, and remained the center of my universe.
In my computer science class one morning, Lana sat next to me and served to lighten my gloomy mood. College hadn’t changed her much: she still had short hair with purple tips and was as peppy as ever. She had even more events and parties on her agenda, which she begged me to go to.
In class, I glanced at Lana as she texted, while holding her phone out of the instructor’s sight. Then I realized that she was texting me. Go with me Saturday night. There are going to be some really hot guys there.
I texted a reply, while appearing to pay attention to the lecture. Ugh, I don’t like parties.
Lana expelled a breath, then answered: You are infuriating. It’s college. I’m going to make sure you have fun.
I looked intently at the instructor as he surveyed the room, waiting for a student to answer the question he’d posed. It was a good thing that someone else raised their hand, since I hadn’t heard what he’d asked. Lana’s last comment had been lame anyway, so didn’t deserve a response.
Lana already knew that I avoided social activities. It was surprising that we remained friends. She was doggedly persistent, and certain that someday I’d give in. It was her mission to get me involved and help me meet the right guy.
That was exactly what I didn’t need. But there was no way to convince Lana, since she’d already made up her mind. After class, she picked up the conversation where she’d left off in her text. As we strolled across the square, she said, “You can’t be a hermit in college. Everyone here is really nice.” She pulled on my arm to stop me. “I don’t believe that you are oblivious to the guys in our freshman class.”
“I’m not oblivious, just not interested.”
Lana narrowed her eyes. “It’s still about Draven, isn’t it?”
I just stared at her.
“You’re going to have to move on with your life,” La
na said. “What happened was months ago.”
“It was to you,” I said. “But it feels more recent to me. It’s still so stark in my mind, as though he was taken from that cliff only yesterday.”
Lana hugged her backpack to her chest. “Mirela…” She glanced away, then back at me. “You know I believe you, right?”
“Yes.” I hesitated. “But you’re beginning to wonder?”
Lana rolled a shoulder. “Can you blame me? It was an outrageous story…your adjective. And I’m not saying that your version isn’t true.”
“Then what are you saying?”
“You can’t live the rest of your life in the past.” Lana sighed. “It happened. It’s over. You have years of college and awesome guys ahead of you, so don’t pass that up.”
There was no way that anyone else could understand how I felt, not even a close friend like Lana. “I’ll try; that’s all I can promise.”
Lana gave me a tight smile. “All right, I have to get to class. I’ll see you later.”
I was left alone, a state I was getting used to. But I felt despondent. If only I could be like Lana, able to throw myself into what university life offered. But there was a problem with that. I felt that Draven wasn’t my past…he was my future.
The next day, I crossed the quad on the way to class. The central walkway and grassy area was lined with cherry trees. I gazed at the barren limbs, wishing for spring so I could see the lovely blossoms. Then I spotted movement in one of the trees.
I stepped over to get a closer look, while streams of students flowed by without taking notice. From a distance, I peered at the tree then spotted a screech owl. I didn’t want to alarm the bird, so stayed a distance from it.
It was unusual to see an owl during the day, since they were move active at night. The owl was small, with brownish feathers and whitish patterns on the underside. The coloration served as camouflage against the tree bark.
The owl stared at me with its yellow-green eyes, seemingly not alarmed by my presence. I noticed its wide-set tufts of feathers, sharp claws, and curved bill. The creature continued to look at me, as if doing so intentionally.
Had the owl found me, instead of the opposite? In my voluminous reading, the subjects of literature, history, and mythology had been top choices. The owl seemed to resonate with some bit of knowledge, a tidbit that I hadn’t thought of in a while.
The owl spread its wings, with a wingspan a couple of feet wide. Yet it didn’t fly away. I looked into its eyes, feeling too closely observed. It spooked me, especially when I remembered that the ancient Greeks had referred to the screech owl as the sacred bird of Hades. The bird had been viewed as a bad-luck omen and had a mythical association with death.
While holding tight to the branch, the owl flapped its wings and emitted a series of whistles then a high-pitched noise that sounded like a whinny. The noise startled me, so I stepped back. Whatever the implications of that owl, I didn’t like it.
But when I began to walk away, the owl screeched as if threatening me. It was just a bird, so I hadn’t needed to freak out. Yet the creature seemed determined to communicate something. I sped my pace to get away from it.
The owl lifted off from the tree branch then soared past, its claws scraping the top of my head. I gasped and began to run, but the owl pursued. It circled then came toward me. I cried out, but no one seemed to hear. The owl swooped past, the tips of its wing swooshing against my hair.
Then the bird flew away and disappeared. My head stung from the claws. I reached up to rub the spot. Blood was on my hand. The creature had injured me. It was a freakish incident, and it left me rattled. If I hadn’t known better, I’d have thought that the owl intended to scare me. I hated to admit that it had been successful.
I didn’t go to class, unable to face the other students. I went back to the dorm to clean up and regain my composure. Surely, I was making more out of the event than I should. Yet the memory of the look in the owl’s eyes made me shudder.
At the time, I’d been thrown off guard by the creature’s attack. Yet, in retrospect, I’d had a feeling besides fear. When the owl had been close, its presence had ignited something inside me. It had been a magical feeling, as though hidden strength I possessed had surfaced.
It was puzzling that there would be any connection to the owl. Yet the creature had peered into my eyes, as if knowing who I was and more about me than an animal should know. My skin crawled at recalling the sharp claws and the shrill whistle of its call.
The aggression should have intimidated me. Yet, while the bird was close, I’d experienced something quite unique. I’d often wondered what was different about me, since I could see the creatures of Draven’s world, which no human should.
If I had abilities, they’d previously escaped my knowledge. But when I’d been eye to eye with the bird, it had been like a circuit had completed. I’d felt inner power that was difficult to describe. If the bird had sought to do me bodily harm, more than just scratch me, I sensed that I’d have been able to defend myself from it.
I rather liked the feeling, so tried to recreate it—but to no avail. When the bird had been around, there had been a connection, something supernatural. After the incident, I’d returned to my previous state—or had I?
I washed the blood off, then sat on the bed and leaned against the headboard, hugging my pillow to my chest. I wondered if the appearance of the owl had been a sign. And if it had been, what it meant. The bird was a symbol of death, or at least some believed so.
A ripple of terror wove up my spine. Was the owl a warning? Did its presence foretell some event? The appearance of an omen of death couldn’t be good. I put my hands over my face. Desperation and grief overtook me.
I wished that Draven was with me, that he would protect me. If he’d been around, maybe he’d know what to do. Only he wasn’t there, and I might not see him again…ever. So where did that leave me?
CHAPTER 7 – MIRELA
Although a bit dazed from the injury, I couldn’t sit in the room all day. Missing one class might be acceptable, but being out the entire day would raise questions. That wouldn’t be good for my cause. After leaving the room, I got a snack at the machines.
It wasn’t the same fare as I’d grown up on, my mother’s fresh garden produce. But it would have to do. I gulped some Coke for a boost, then went to my afternoon classes. The gouge on my head stung, reminding me of the trauma.
But I gave my full attention to my studies and pushed aside my personal issues. It was all I could do to make it through the day. When I was free at last of commitments, I strolled through the grounds. The school had plenty of trees and other landscaping.
Yet it wasn’t like home, surrounded by forest. I missed that, but there were nature areas close by. An escape from academia would be welcomed. Yet I’d barely started my first semester, so such frivolities would have to wait.
Throngs of students moved about campus, yet I felt so alone. Things should improve once I got to know more people. But that required that I make the effort, and I wasn’t sure that I could. I needed to reach out and make friends, a daunting task to be sure.
There were various cafés and places to eat, so I picked one and chose a reasonably health meal. My appetite was poor, but I determined to take care of myself. The studies were strenuous, as was my first foray away from home. I dared not weaken in the face of challenges.
Admittedly, it was more than that. Draven was still out there…somewhere. I could hardly allow myself to fall into a lackluster state, as he might need me at any moment. That was a wild idea, considering the possibility was low. But I refused to give up hope.
It was dusk when I returned to the dorm. Lana was studying. “I have a test tomorrow. It’s just a pop quiz,” she said. “It’s early in the year, but my world history instructor is exam-happy.”
“I got a different teacher, so I’m off the hook for now.” I handed a box to Lana. “I have leftover pasta primavera, if you’re hungry.”
I sat on my bed. “Cute guys?”
“Oh, you know me so well.” Lana took a couple of more bites, then stood and stretched. “I need a short break.”
She walked to the window and glanced at the darkening sky. Then she turned to look at me and frowned. “What happened to your head?”
The cut on my head extended to the top of my forehead. The scratch was swollen and red. I reached up to touch the injury. “Oh, I got scratched.”
“It looks bad.”
“It doesn’t hurt much,” I said. “Can owls have rabies?”
Lana stared at me. “You’re not serious…an owl did that?”
I nodded. “It was freaky.” I proceeded to tell her what had happened.
“That is just weird.” Lana stepped closer and squinted to look at my injury. “It’s healing. But I haven’t heard of an owl attacking like that.”
“Well, I’m sure it’s just me. I’m a magnet for the bizarre.”
“And only mammals get rabies.”
I sighed. “That’s a lucky break.”
Lana moved to her desk and sat in the chair. “I’m worried about you.”
“Don’t be.” I grabbed my backpack. “It’s no big deal.” I’d skipped telling her that an owl could be a symbol of death, since I wasn’t absolutely sure that was relevant to the recent incident.
Lana reopened her book and picked up a pen.
“I’m off to the library,” I said. “There’s some stuff I need to look up.”
“Sure.” Lana was focused on her notes. “I’ll be gone by the time you get back.”
I left the building, then headed toward the main part of campus. It was dark, but the area was well lit. The light cast shadows on the grounds, making me feel like I was in a horror movie—just before the monster showed up. That owl had shaken me more than I’d wanted to admit.