by Ashley Drake
“Blessed be.” Jaycee told Zeda as we walked out the door and stopped at the front of the car. “Wait, where the hell did that come from?”
“Hey, maybe your personality is evolving along with your powers. Now that would be amazing.” Daniel joked as he clicked his seat belt into place.
“Ha-ha very funny Chief. Or should I say Warrior Chief?” Jaycee checked herself in the rear view mirror before sitting back in her seat. “Zed- um Z, was pretty cool but I refuse to start calling you Heart, Pricetag.”
“Z is a good code word for her. And don’t call me Pricetag, you know I hate that.”
“Would you prefer your Highness Seer?”
“Don’t be jelly of my swag.”
“Oh Lord, ‘Jelly’ went out with ‘I know right’.”
“Aww, when did that happen? I liked that saying.”
“My best friend is a dork.”
“Don’t listen to her, I think you’re adorable.” Daniel winked at me.
“Barf.” Jaycee said as she made gagging noises.
Z said we have a chance of winning because of me, but this is the real reason. It’s our connection, and our ability to flip from supernatural bad A’s, to normal teenagers who have a strong bond, that gives us an advantage. Those demons have no clue how powerful love can be. I know that sound kinda cheesy, but it’s true. I wonder if any of the past groups had any personal connection, or if they were just came together for the cause. Even if they did, I know it was nothing like what the three of us share. I hope that we will be able to extend that connection with the other two once we find them. How are we going to do that? How am I going to help Megan get rid of Mikah without letting her know what I am? I have to put all my questions on the back burner and focus on Jaycee. She is getting ready to receive a butt load of power and I have to make sure she can handle it.
“I have never seen water so clear, it’s like looking through glass.” I could see the details on the fish that were swimming close to the bank where I was standing. Their silvery gills opening and closing as they darted from left to right.
The sounds of chirping drew my attention toward the sky. There were multi colored birds nesting in the tall thick trees that were perfectly in bloom, not a dead leaf or branch on their limbs. However, even with their beauty, it was the backdrop that was the most astonishing. For as far as my eyes could see were lush green rolling hills and mountainsides. There were no roads to scar them or any structures blocking the view, just pure nature’s beauty.
“Where am I? Is this Heaven?”
“Not quite, but at one time it was a close second.” I turned around to see where the voice came from, and saw Jaycee. Well, it wasn’t my Jaycee, but someone who struck a remarkable resemblance to her. “Do not be afraid, you are in a dream state.” I kinda got that, duh. “So, I took this opportunity to reach out to you. Please, come with me, I want to show you what you are up against.”
As if knowing I would obey and follow her, she started to walk toward the very woods I was just admiring a minute ago.
“Who are you?” I asked as I tried to catch up with her.
She looked back over her shoulder at me as she continued to walk. “I think you know the answer to that, Hannah.”
The fact that she knew my name didn’t surprise me. Here lately it seems that my name and number is written on some supernatural bathroom wall. It’s like they all know who Hannah Price is, yet they always fail to introduce themselves. This time, though, I didn’t need any introductions.
“You’re MacKenna. Do you really look this much like Jaycee, or just appearing to me this way to make me more comfortable?”
“I guess a little bit of both.” She finally stopped to face me. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you. I have heard great things about you, Hannah, and from what I’m seeing they are all true.”
“Oh my gosh I can’t believe I’m talking to you. It should be me saying that it’s a pleasure to meet you! After all, you are like Jaycee’s grandmother a hundred times removed or something. If it wasn’t for you, Jaycee wouldn’t be here. She’s like a sister to me.”
MacKenna beamed at my delight. Just like Jaycee, she was even more beautiful when she smiled. “Yes, our Jaycee is something quite unique. I like to think I passed down my strong will to her. The two of you have found each other in every past life, at one point I believe you were actually cousins.” I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at the whole reincarnation thing again. “Not every spirit is reincarnated, only a chosen few.” She continued walking.
“So you’re saying that Jaycee and I have fought this battle before?”
“No, let me try to explain. Think of your spirit as your gift, your gift needed more than one lifetime to evolve into what you have today. Your spirit, your powers, have been passed down through several generations to get to you. The Light foresaw this battle ahead of you, and has been preparing your gift especially for you. That is why you, The Heart, have never been placed in this battle, until now.”
“What is the Light?”
“The Light is the side of good, the powers that be.”
“If they foresaw all of this, then why not just jump to it and give the group five members in the first place, or just wait until this time around for the battle, instead of risking so many young lives?”
“You are very inquisitive, I see now why you left Zeda with such a headache. There is a reason for everything. One of many being the fact that your powers were not ready until now. Bloodlines had to be formed to make the perfect Hannah and Jaycee and Daniel and…” she paused, “and the other two.”
The more I spoke with MacKenna the more she felt familiar to me. At first I thought it was just because she looked so much like Jaycee, but now I’m thinking there is more to it.
The farther we made it into the woods, the more dense the foliage became. Even in this dream I could smell the sweet fragrance of honeysuckle mixed with the wet scent of the earth.
“Are we there yet?” I sounded like a cranky child. Whoa, I just had flashbacks of road trips with Mom and Dad.
“It’s just ahead.”
We walked in silence while I thought of many questions I wanted to ask her. I was sure what my answer would be, but I was willing to give it a try. “I heard the story about your parents and of your birth.” I left out the part about her shrinking the Fairies. “Did you ever find out anything else about them?”
“I did. I was able to reunite with them in the afterlife. Hannah, you know there are many things I can’t share with you. But thank you, out of all the questions I know you have in your mind, you chose to ask about me. You are very kind.” She pulled back the largest fern leaf I have ever seen in my life, to expose an opening. “We are here.” The light hearted expression that was on her face, dropped to a solemn one.
I didn’t want to walk any closer, for the first time in my dream I was scared, nevertheless I closed the gap between us, and stood by her side. The contrast was so great between the beauty of where we just traveled from, to this, it was like walking into another dimension. Where only seconds ago we were in the midst of a fairy tale forest, now the scenery could only be described as that of death and decay.
Tears threatened to spill at the sudden gut wrenching pain and sorrow that engulfed my… my being. That was the best word I can come up with to describe how much this pain took over everything about me. In a circular pattern all the trees, several rows thick, were down. It looked like a big bomb took them all out at once. The trees were scarred with scorch marks, leaving the entire area black, gray and lifeless. I saw that even the grass and ground beneath, as it crunched under my foot steps, hadn’t been spared from the battle that took place here. There was no birds chirping or rustling sound of squirrels, the silence was deafening. Nothing lived within these perimeters.
“This is horrible. People died here, I can feel it. Why would you bring me here?”
“You needed to see this, to see the danger in what you are going to face. It will
be a battle like no other, but you and yours can do it. I have faith in you. It is time for you to go.”
She smiled at me, with a look of pride in her eyes, and took my hand into hers. She seemed so regal, I felt like I should bow or something. “You are the leader Hannah, it is up to you to get the five working as one. You were right when you thought that having a bond will help you defeat the Triune this time.”
“How did you know that? Wait a minute, you are the voice in my head!”
Her laugh had such a youthful sound to it. “Blessed be, Hannah.”
The blare of my much hated alarm clock had me sitting up in bed. Before I had a chance to doubt my dream was real, MacKenna’s voice filled my head.
Remember what you saw, I will be with you.
I threw back my covers, sat on the edge of the bed and spoke out loud to an empty room. “Alright, but we need some ground rules. You can’t be all up in my head when I’m with Daniel, or when I’m just doing normal stuff. There is a thing called personal space ya know.”
The same sounds of a young girl’s laughter that I heard at the end of my dream, rang in my ears and faded away. I guess that was her way of agreeing. At least I hope so. I don’t need an audience while I’m in school or when I’m kissing Daniel or, heaven forbid, when I go to the bathroom. Talk about being self conscious. I sighed and got my journal and started writing down my dream in detail.
Dear Diary, here’s a new one for you…
Chapter 12
“It’s been MacKenna in your head this whole time? I wish she could have told you who the other two are so we could find them all ready.” I had filled Daniel in on the way to pick up Jaycee. Since we couldn’t talk her parents into letting her spend the night with me last night, we settled on getting together this afternoon. I can’t blame them for wanting to spend her sixteenth birthday with her, but it has made me uneasy all day. What if she was around her family and her full powers hit her?
Jaycee was standing on her front porch as we pulled into the driveway, and I noticed a new car parked in front of the garage.
“Is THAT your birthday present?” I asked.
“I wish. It’s Mom’s, but I got her old car!” She held up the keys as she danced in place. “Now I just have to pass that stupid driving test so I can drive it.”
“You will. Happy Birthday!” I gave her a tight hug.
“Thanks.”
“Yeah, Happy Birthday. The roads will never be safe again.” Daniel joked.
“Thanks Chief. I have you know I’m a good driver.” She stuck her tongue out at him.
“Well, other than the fact that your aura has changed to a beautiful solid indigo, has anything happened?” I saw it as soon as I got out of the car. Over the last couple months her aura has changed little by little each day. Now, I feel that this is the complete morphosis. Big word, yay me.
“Really? That color looks great on me. But nope, no magic dust, no pointed hats, no head spinning, nothing. Seriously though, I think I felt something after midnight. It could have been just the anticipation of waiting for it to happen, but I felt something run through me, it started in my chest and pushed out until it made its way from my head to my feet. Then it just stopped. I really want to practice today, can we go back to your house and get started?”
“Sure. My dad is home and he was wanting to talk to you anyways.”
“Great. let me grab my stuff and tell Mom and Dad bye.” She opened the door and out ran Sassy, Jaycee’s black lab mix, and straight into Daniel’s arms.
“That’s right, you haven’t met Sassy yet. Will you please talk to her and tell her to lay off my shoes?”
Communicating with animals was the first power Daniel knew he had. It all started with his first dog, Kona. Kona began sending pictures to Daniel’s mind of things like a food bowl if he was hungry, or of the yard if he needed to go out, and it just progressed from there.
“I’m going in with Jaycee to say hey to her parents. I will leave you two to, um, talk.” I gave him a wink.
When Jaycee and I came back Daniel and Sassy were just sitting on the steps staring at each other. Daniel was rubbing her sweet spot between her ears and Sassy was lazily wagging her tail.
“Well?” Jaycee asked.
“How did you get Sassy?” Daniel asked without taking his eyes off the dog.
“Three years ago this little puppy just showed up at our door. She took up with me so I got to name her.”
“Leave it to you to change tradition. Typically cats are familiars to witches, however, any animal can be. Sassy was sent to be yours, to look after you. And she has been telling me some of your secrets. I did not know you liked the movie Grease so much.”
“Sassy! Only the ending where Sandy gets some fashion sense. I loved that outfit.”
“I know, Sassy showed me an image of you dressing up like her for Halloween one year.” Daniel was enjoying this way too much.
“Sassy! That’s it. Brandon!” She yelled into the house at her little brother. “Come get Sassy.” She turned to the dog. “And as for you Miss Thing…” Sassy jumped up and ran to Jaycee, nudging her head into Jaycee’s hand to be petted. “I can’t be made at this face.” She bent down and loved on Sassy until Brandon came to the door.
“We were taking a nap and she just bolted out of my room.” Brandon looked up and saw Daniel. “Oh hey. Tell David to get online later so we can play Call of Duty.” Daniel’s little brother, David, and Brandon are in the same class together.
“It will be awhile before I go home, you might want to text him.”
“Okay see ya. Bye birthday jerk.” He ran back inside with Sassy before Jaycee was able to hit him. I guess that was siblings way of saying ‘Happy Birthday’ to each other. Sometimes I’m glad I am the only child.
Daniel started the car and turned around to face Jaycee in the back seat. “Sassy chews on your shoes because it makes her gums feel good, and because they smell like you. It keeps you close to her when you're gone. She adores you.”
“Aww,” Jaycee put her hand to her heart, “but could you ask her to limit herself solely to my off brands? Ha, get it, SOLEly, soles of a shoe? I kill me. ”
“Promises, promises.” That earned Daniel a flick to the back of the head, but I knew she thought it was funny.
“Hey! There she is, my second most favorite sixteen year old in the world. Happy Birthday, kid.” My dad greeted us as we walked into the kitchen. He pulled a bag off the top of the refrigerator and handed it to Jaycee. “This is from me and Marie. She wanted to be here but she’s showing property today.
“For me? You didn’t have to get me anything. Saying that just shows how much I love you guys, cause you know I’m all about the gifts.”
“You are a true martyr. Open it, it’s not much. We just felt, since you think it would be safer not to let your parents know what’s going on, that we should try to give a little guidance and support.”
Jaycee pulled out a book and read the title. “Earth Magic.”
“I did some research,” my dad loves his research, “and this book is the real deal. We didn’t want to get you a book of spells or of witchcraft. So, since you are a natural born witch, we wanted to start you out with natural magic from the earth.”
“Thank you, I love it.”
“After you get settled, meet me in my study. If you don’t mind, I would like to see if I can help you get a handle on those powers of yours.”
“Sounds good, let me put my bag in Hannah’s room and I’ll be right there. I’m anxious to get started.”
After putting her bag away, and grabbing snacks and drinks, we met Dad in the study. This is my favorite room in the house. I love the wall to wall bookcases, with all the dark wood and leather furniture, it feels like a cozy little library. Daniel and I sat on the small loveseat and let Jaycee have the chair closest to where Dad was sitting on the edge of his desk.
“Okay Jaycee, I want you to close your eyes and relax.” Dad put his psychology de
gree to work. “In my hand I have a candle. I want you to concentrate on lighting just this candle. Remember that I am holding it, so you need to have control of the flame.”
“I can’t, I don’t want to hurt you.”
“You won’t. You care about what happens to me so your subconscious will not let you, but you do need to have control over it. Close your eyes, and picture me holding a lit candle, with an appropriate size flame.”
In mere seconds the candle lit with no casualties.
“Wonderful! Now, keeping the candle lit, I want you to open your eyes.” Jaycee obeyed. “You’re doing great. Focus on the candle and this time make the flame a little bit wider.” It worked, the flame widened out almost to the edges of the pillar candle. “Good, very good. Do not think about it, just listen to my voice. Put the flame back to where it was and make it about three inches taller. Three inches.”
I could see Jaycee’s brow pinch together. Trying to be precise with her gift is not something she has tried before, but she looked determined. It worked, the flame got slimmer while the height grew to what looked to be about three inches.
Suddenly Dad’s whole demeanor changed. In a hurried, raised voice, he said, “put the flame out now”.
Jaycee jolted at Dad’s stern command, but did as she was told. The fire was completely out. “What’s wrong, what happened?” She looked at his hands, thinking she had burnt him.
“Nothing is wrong. I wanted you to do it quickly to see if you could still control it under duress. Jaycee you did amazingly well. I’m sorry I had to speak to you like that. It was the only thing I could think of to put a little pressure on you.”
“No, don’t apologize, it worked. I feel like a total badass. Oops, I mean bad A.”