other was lying dead on the floor. However, what was unexplainable was the fact that it wasn't just any animal that was dead before me; it was an animal that has supposedly been extinct for millions of years—a Saber-Toothed Tiger. Belinda took a shotgun from the shelf in the living room I had failed to notice before and fired one shot at the beast to make sure it was dead. I was still terrified, but more importantly I had a million questions going through my head.
Belinda calmly turned to me. “Have you heard the legends of black magic in this region of the country?” She asked.
“Yes…you mean to tell me this is a product of that? What about the other creature? Is that one natural? What is all this—“ all of a sudden I had a sensation that I already knew the answer to my questions. As soon as I felt it, the sensation faded and I was filled once again with bewilderment and confusion. Belinda shook her head as to indicate she wasn’t answering questions. “It’s almost morning, I will stay with you and in the morning you must leave. It is not safe for you here; someone is using black magic against this village. It doesn't matter if you believe me or not, it is not safe here and we must return you to the city.” I nodded my head, believing her for some reason that I could not explain. Belinda turned briefly, and even though she was trying to hide it I saw her shed a tear. I moved forward a small amount, “Are you okay?” I asked with concern. She nodded and gave a small smile, “Oh yes, just a little shaken up.”
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The sun finally came out and we rushed to the doctor’s house. When we arrived, Belinda spoke with him in private for several minutes. In the other room I could hear her crying again, this time more steady and another female voice trying to soothe her, "Mom it is okay, I'm going to be fine."
I had the instinctive compulsion to run into the room and when I did I saw Carolina with a large bandage around her stomach. I yelled in pain, “Carolina! Carolina! My sister, who has done this to you?” I froze. For some reason, I knew this girl laying wounded before me was my sibling, I knew beyond a doubt. The doctor stood up and proclaimed, “He must go now, it really is not safe.” I had succeeded in finding my birth parents. Belinda was my mother and I did not know until I looked at his suit but the doctor, my father, was Jack Waverly. Somehow I had missed it earlier. My father, Jack, give me a giant hug along with my mother, Belinda, and they explained vague terms to me. “You have to go now and we will all meet soon, but I cannot tell you any more,” my newly discovered dad told me. I knelt down next to my ailing but well sister and hugged her goodbye. Carolina looked me in the eyes and said, “Please, return only when you're ready. I will miss you yet again but I know you will return.” I did not know what she meant but I felt a big lump in my throat and tears ran down my face. I didn’t want to leave my family that I had just found but deep down I knew I had to go’ I didn’t know why and I didn’t know how but I knew that I was endangering them if I stayed. My mother ran back to the family house we had slept in last night. She returned with a book, but before I could ask her what significance it, had she grabbed my arm and we ran to the dock that was the length of 3 football fields away from the house. We climbed into a wooden basic motorboat and we zoomed off, about 15 minutes later arriving in a small town about half an hour outside of New Orleans. My mother, handing me the book, said “Take this book, it is the family book. There is not a lot I can tell you for our safety but please, I beg of you Patrick, read this book and return only when you are absolutely ready.”
A thought struck me. “In the living room last night, the creature who escaped was Carolina wasn’t it?” I said in a mix of horror and relief. “Yes.” She said rushed, “Please, you must go now. The book will explain everything you need to know.” I hugged her goodbye and she sped off in the motorboat, both of us weeping. I dried my eyes and went to the first hotel I could see. I knew better than to try and explain what had happened, and instead told the hotel clerk, “Please, call the police and medical team. I am a survivor of the plane that crashed yesterday.”
“Oh my goodness!” the female clerk exclaimed, “How is this possible?” She asked in excitement.
“I am not entirely sure. I was unconscious and when I woke up I was rescued by people from a community in the woods.”
“The Waverly’s?” She questioned.
“Yes” I stated. She raised her eyebrows in astonishment, “You drifted very far from the plane.”
I smiled. “I am blessed. Thank goodness they found me.” She then called the authorities and they arrived to take me to the airport where my flight to Boston was arranged for as soon as possible. They said they had called my parents in Boston and that my parents are going to meet me at the airport there. I was relieved to know my adoptive parents knew I was ok.
As the plane took off I opened the family book and started to read.
‘If you can see text and are currently reading this message, then you have Waverly blood. As a Waverly, your top priority is to always protect others of Waverly blood.’ I shed a tear at I thought of Carolina while reading that part. I continued on, reading about the history of my family how some had supernatural abilities and others did not. I wondered if I had any ability that I was not aware of. Before long the plane began to land. I walked out of the terminal and met my lifelong parents, rushing to hug each other. As we climbed into the car and settled in I read on, realizing that my adoptive parents were actually real family; they were my aunt and uncle. When we arrived home, I lay in my bed with a reader light on my forehead, the sun had long since dropped, and I finally got to the last page of the family book. It read as follows,
‘It is said that the Protector of the Waverly Woods where our family has lived for many lifetimes will be sent away at birth to live outside the woods, and after reading this book their eyes will glow green briefly but fantastically with fire like intensity. He must wait until their second sister remembers she saved him from a plane crash above the woods. At this time it cannot be foreseen where she is but she is safe and sound somewhere, and when the Protector is fully ready to return, she will remember everything and she will come and bring the Protector back to the woods. The protector must not return by himself or he will doom us all.’
Just then I looked in the mirror my eyes were glowing like green fire and I realized who the protector was- me.
Pride and terror gripped me as I felt the responsibility of my status. Now I could do nothing but wait. ‘Please sister, I hope you come soon. I need to protect our family. I can sense it; something bad from the dark is coming. Please sister, remember; I will wait but please do not be late.’ I thought to myself.
I put the family book in my dresser. I had so many questions but for now I needed rest. The next day I went downstairs and I spoke with my aunt and uncle about the book. They told me of something I had not known of before. “Always look out for the red eyes of the dark,” my uncle warned me. I stared at him, puzzled. “What? That was not in the book.”
“Yes it is. It should be at least…” His voice broke off and a sudden realization hit him. He looked up at me with terror in his eyes, “Go get it now!” He frantically yelled. I ran upstairs and got it and after a few minutes of frantically flipping through the pages, my uncle and aunt sat down in shock. After a few minutes my aunt spoke.
“It has been ripped from the pages by a red eye from the dark.” She said, numbly. I thought back, realizing the girl at the hotel had red eyes I hadn’t noticed before. My body grew numb as I pleaded, ‘Please sister, remember before I can no longer protect the woods!’
Waverly Woods Protector Page 2