Seraphina: Initiation

by Sheena Hutchinson

  Nate turns around and tosses me a shotgun, it’s so long I have to catch it with two hands.

  “I don’t think you’ll have to use this, but—”

  “All bases…” I cut him off understanding his meaning.

  “Right,” he smirks looking me dead in the eyes before pointing to another target.

  I cock the gun in between my hands clicking the bullets into position before lining up my shot. I grip it tight before squeezing the trigger. My body absorbs the kick-back like a pro as the bullet lodges itself into the center of the target.

  “I think we can proceed to Level Two training,” some excitement playing behind his eyes as I place the shot gun back in his hands.

  “Ooh, Level Two, sounds …dangerous,” I tease back at him over my shoulder because I have already turned to see what he is talking about.

  “You have no idea…” I hear him flirt back from behind me.

  A chuckle is all that has time to escape my lips as I begin to see the darkness of the room shift slightly. Clicking of machinery is all my ears can comprehend before the last piece clinks into place and a dummy comes sliding across the floor towards me. Without hesitation I grab for the closest gun and whip my arms back around and lodge two bullets in its head. Before I have time to recover a trap door opens from the ceiling and I see a dummy fall down. It only takes seconds for me to adjust myself and shoot him off his string and he falls to the floor where I fire two more into him.

  It seems like hours have passed, my adrenaline is spiking and I almost never want this to end. The excitement of the chase, my heart throbbing in my ear waiting for the next one to pop out, the feeling is indescribable. The targets are popping up, swaying back and forth, and some even fire rounds back at me now.

  I shoot off a few rounds towards the one in the corner before throwing the empty gun and diving before tucking under and rolling across the floor. I grasp a 9mm in my hand and let off two shots from the ground. Coming back to my feet, I duck behind the table before shooting the last moving target. All of them were direct hits! I twirl around in excitement to watch as Nate approaches me with his face looking determinedly at me. I lower my hands and take a step toward him before his lips are on mine. I wrap my arm still holding my pistol around his neck and pull him closer to me. At that moment, I hear a target pull lose from somewhere and come sliding down, without thinking I pull my arm back and instinctively aim it with out looking. I let off two more shots never breaking from the lip lock I have with Nate.

  Nate is the one that pulls away first. His head twists to the final target and I follow his gaze to the direct hit. Smiling at my talent I turn back full of pride when I begin to take in Nate’s face. His face is white, his eyes staring downward. As if in a dramatic movie, I follow his eyes downward in slow motion. I suck in a deep breath and only then do I feel the pain. Blood is beginning to trickle down my abdomen before I feel my knees go weak and Nate collapses with me to the floor. I stare up at his face trying to get my mind off the pain that has begun to make my entire body contract. I feel as his fingers explore inside me, that’s nothing compared to the pain I see behind his eyes. They meet mine once as if apologizing a million times for this. The guilt behind them is unspeakable and I think he feels as if this is his fault for distracting me. Even with the state of chaos my mind is in right now, I can still see it’s my fault for allowing myself to be distracted.

  Finally, I feel him pull his hand back out and I vaguely hear a clink as the bullet is thrown across the floor. That’s when I feel the pressure and heat from his hands on my stomach. I suddenly feel it grow hotter and hotter until I’m in scalding pain. I scream out loud finally unable to take it anymore.

  “Hold on Sera,” he whispers with his eyes still closed, “It’ll all be over soon…” I hear between my panic screams as I try and pull away from the pain. I scratch and claw at his arm trying to release myself. Just as fast as it had come, suddenly the pain is gone. My skin peels over like a zipper sliding back into place.

  Opening my eyes, I blink the tears down my cheeks as I lock eyes with Nate. I’m in his lap with one of his hands behind my head and the other still on my stomach. He reaches up and wipes what looks like blood from the corner of my lip. Before pulling me to his chest. I take a deep breath of his woodsy smell and finally let the rest of the tears fall.

  We sit like this for a while, without words just appreciation. Finally, I sigh when I realize I’m going to have to be the one to break this little party up. I lean backwards slightly and he loosens his grip on me.

  “I should have been paying attention…” I finally whisper.

  “No it’s my fault, I …”

  “No, I can’t be so cocky with my abilities, I have to focus no matter what is going on around me! It’s not like you won’t be there… I can’t let even you distract me.” I finish finding the strength the climb to my feet. Nate helps me when I almost topple over, but then I get myself back into check. I take a deep breath and head for the stairs. Once my feet are on the landing I look back towards the targets, how could I have missed? I guess no one is perfect. Stupid ricochet.

  Once I get to the top of the stairs, I begin to feel faint. I brace myself against the wood paneled wall before feeling the blood rush out of me and my knees go weak once again. Nate must sense it because he has me in his arms before I hit the floor. My head bobs against his shoulder as he carries me up the stairs and kicks the door to my room open. He places me on my bed and glances at me a few times before he speaks, “You don’t look well, I’m going to get you something to eat,” and he disappears so fast my eyes can’t seem to keep up.

  My mind is fuzzy, but I can still slightly make out the chime of my phone next to me. I pull out my arm from the covers and shakily reach over for it. I blink a few times to make sure I’m seeing the name I think I see. Jack.

  Sera, I’m sorry, things got out of hand last night, I just want to protect you too. Call me. I read it a few times not able to process it before drifting off to sleep.

  ***

  Sitting in my favorite chair in the coffee house I glance out the window into the darkness as I bring my favorite latte to my lips. I pause and savor the smell for a second before opening my mouth to let it drip down my throat. I feel it as it warms the ice within me. Leaning back against the plush green chair, I watch as my boyfriend makes his way to me. His ringlets bouncy slightly with every step he takes towards me. His blue green eyes gleaming with happiness at the sight of me as he comes from the back. Jack gets about half way before I’m on my feet and running towards him.

  “Hey Baby,” he whispers picking me up in his arms and spinning me once.

  “I missed you,” I mutter with a pout on my face. A smile spreads its way across his face until he can’t seem to spread it any further.

  “I missed you too,” is all he has time to mumble before my lips are once again on his.

  It’s me that has deepened our kiss and it’s my legs that have wrapped themselves around his waist. I don’t know what has come over me, it’s like I can finally be myself. It feels so good to not have to worry about demon attacks or killing people in my sleep, Jack will protect me—he always has. His lips feel like home, like safety, I don’t have a care in the world. He plops into the chair behind him bringing me down onto him. I giggle throwing my hair over my shoulder.

  “Sera, I love you…” his eyes lock on mine expressing his deepest hearts desires. What do I say to that? Can I have this forever? Can I be home forever? I picture waking up to the smell of his special coffee in the morning. My white-picket-fence-American-dream piecing itself back together in my mind. This can all be mine.

  “I love you too,” I admit before his lips are on mine once more.

  Chapter 15: No Recollection

  “Sera… Sera,” I blink my eyes don’t seem to recognize the face staring back at me. “Sera, what are you doing here?” her bright brown eyes are staring at me puzzled. Who is she? She knows my name, but I can’t recall h
ers. “Give me your phone,” she takes the phone from my dirty hand. Why am I covered in dirt?

  “Nate! Hi, It’s Amanda. Sera is here—wait! Nate! I just have to warn you, she’s acting… funny.” The guy must have hung up because she looks at the phone abruptly. Turning to me still sitting on the couch in her living room she says, “Sera, everything’s going to be okay, Nate’s coming!” in a manner she would speak to a lost child. The trembling in her voice makes me question whether she is truly being honest.

  I feel my head tilt to one side, Nate. I know that name. It sounds so familiar.

  Seconds later, the door to the apartment bursts open and a man comes running in. Amanda looks startled, before I see her eyes widen. The man pays her no attention coming directly to me kneeling in front of me.

  “Sera?” he whispers. I blink a few times, those bright blue eyes, the way his hair is blown about his face, those lips… Nate!

  “Nate…” I whisper my thoughts out loud.

  He smiles, “Yes, that’s me! Come Sera, let’s go home!” I look at him curiously, but I follow. I think I’d follow this man anywhere. He finally turns to the girl, “Thanks for calling me, I’ll take care of her.”

  I watch as the girl studies us leaving, she mouths ‘call me’ making a phone with her fingers at her ear before shutting the door behind us. I’m silent as we get into the car and he takes me to a place called home. The trees we pass are all a blur as he zooms down the road like we are in a race of some sort. Soon enough, we are pulling up to a huge log home in the middle of the woods. It seems all the lights are on, I think as I climb out onto the gravel driveway. I open my mouth to speak, but Nate has already picked me up and thrown me over his shoulder before heading inside. I giggle as walks me up the stairs and kicks the door open before throwing me down on the couch, thinking maybe this is a game.

  “Sera! What happened?” his whole face is serious, but he’s so beautiful I can’t help but reach out and touch his cheek. His brows furrow when he see’s he’s not getting anywhere.

  “Nate…” I whisper again. He closes his eyes and kneels before me again.

  “Yes, I’m Nate. Do you remember me Sera?” his blue eyes are exploring my face, I stare back wondering if I do remember him. Do I know him? Do I know Nate?...Nate.

  Suddenly, I feel like the walls are closing in on me. I feel nauseous and dizzy at the same time. I stumble to my feet, feeling hands on me but I slip out of them and head for the door. I swing it open and run out onto the porch, lean over the side just in time to empty my stomach into the grass. I collapse to my knees on the porch holding the spindles in my hands, “Nate!” I scream finally breaking through.

  “Sera?!” he asks before I rise to my feet.

  “I’m okay,” I whisper before turning to see him standing behind me on the porch. His face is all I need to see to know something bad happened. I glance down, I’m wearing an old striped dress, that is now covered in dirt. My hands are dirty and some places appear to have scratches so deep they were bleeding.

  “Let’s go back inside,” he responds reaching out for my hands. Looking around suddenly nervous I’m outside I walk back into his arms. He closes the door behind us before turning to me. I can’t meet his eyes, ashamed.

  “Nate, I don’t remember anything,” I whisper feeling the questioning that is ultimately coming.

  “What were you dreaming?”

  “I don’t remember…” I stare my glistening eyes up towards his stern ones.

  “What happened at Amanda’s?” he asks as his hands find their way to my shoulders.

  “Amanda?” the surprise in my eyes is all he needs to see before he changes the subject and refuses to continue. Walking me back upstairs he guides me all the way to the bed. I stumble into bed, but stare up at the linens above my head, afraid to fall asleep. Nate takes his position in the chair beside my bed, leaning on his elbows staring at me yet again. This time I don’t offer my bed to him. There are two reasons I’m hesitant at Nate being so close, One: I’m afraid I might kill him in my sleep and Two: because I’m afraid of another embarrassing dream. Two things that are bound to kill me if they happen again! I’m staring at the linens swirling above my head shivering as I think about the feeling of waking up with no memories. What could be so powerful to stop me from remembering, why would anyone want me to not remember? I fall asleep to the taunting of my own thoughts before embracing those of someone else.

  ***

  I find myself in an old fashioned village. The houses have thatched roofs and the street is cobblestone. Everything is of a different time period. I walk up the street before I find myself surrounded by angry villagers. When I finally make out what they are saying, I’m confused. It appears they are accusing me of being a witch and they are calling for me to be burned at the stake. I put my hands up defensively and try my best to reason with them. They have me cornered in the village square, surrounded on all sides their screaming is ringing in my ears. No matter how loud I yell they drown me out. They are all talking over one another they don’t seem to hear me, they are out for blood. Looking around the village people’s eyes turn red, evil. I can feel it as the Devil inhabits their bodies. They grow closer and grab me. They all have their hands on me, punching me, hurting me. I scream out in pain. It isn’t until I see Nate over the crowd yelling something at me. I can’t seem to hear what he’s saying. I try to scream to him but they grab my throat to shut me up. Trying to focus all my remaining energy on Nate, I open my senses to him.

  “Sera, use your powers! You are stronger than this!” he encourages. He’s right! What am I doing? I close my fists at my sides as someone punches me in the gut. I focus all my anger on the people that surround me, the people that are hurting me. With one swift motion I swing my arm and throw all of them off me. They fly off me and disappear into the darkness. I’m lying on the ground facing the dark night sky when Nate comes to my side. He grabs me by my arms and shakes me, “Wake up…”

  “Wake up Sera!” He’s yelling at me as he shakes me out of my dream. I look out into the darkness, the fire has gone out and I feel Nate reach over me to turn on the lamp. When I’m finally able to put my dream behind me my eyes focus on Nate’s face and I become alarmed, it’s as if he sees a ghost.

  “What?” I ask looking down to see what he sees. Nothing could have prepared me for what I’m about to witness. I’m covered head to toe in bright purple bruises. My eyes immediately fly to the mirror over my desk against the wall and I gasp. My eyes lock on what Nate is obviously staring at: there are two bruises in the shape of hands around my throat. I reach out my hand to touch them. It’s as if I can still feel the hands grasped around my throat. I turn to look up into Nate’s eyes in horror. Not knowing what to say or how to process what it is I’m feeling exactly, I burst into tears and fall into his arms. He sits holding me for a while before he stands to his feet, tucks me back into bed, and climbs in behind me. I can feel his hands giving off power and I fall asleep in his arms as Nate heals my body and protects my dreams.

  Chapter 16: Killer Dreams

  Nathanael

  I’m being woken up again to the sound of Sera tossing and turning in her sleep. I can’t believe I fell asleep watching her, I think rubbing my eyes as she begins mumbling words I can’t make out. It kills me to be subject to this, but it doesn’t seem like I can sleep deeply anymore. Especially when she tries to kill me in her sleep. How do you fight someone’s subconscious? How can you be mad at someone for trying to kill you when it wasn’t his or her fault? The mumbling is coming louder now as I stand to my feet ready to do something, anything. Her body begins to toss and turn uneasily. It isn’t until I see her back arch in pain as her arms look like they are pinned to the floor that I can’t take it anymore. “Sera! Sera!” I scream trying to reach for her arm. She rolls out of my reach. I close my eyes, trying to enter her mind. I don’t care what I told her I will use my powers on her when she is in trouble. I’m trying to enter her mind, but it’s as if ther
e is something or someone blocking me. I mentally hit a wall. How is this possible? How can they block me out?! I’m fuming. “Sera!” I scream again. “Sera, use your powers! You are stronger than this!” I tell her trying to get as close to her contorting body as I can. Without warning, I see her body relax against the bed and I think maybe she heard me. She pauses for a few seconds before I curiously watch as she swings her arm out in a large arch before it smacks against the bed. “Wake up!” I try again. “Wake up Sera!” I climb onto the bed and grab her shoulders trying to shake her out of this trance. I watch as her eyes blankly open to me, she blinks a few times, but she’s finally back. I’m finally able to breathe, leaning over to turn the lamp next to the bed. The lamp she had seen in a garage sale a few months ago that I know she had wanted, but wouldn’t bring herself to spend her money on it. By the time my eyes meet hers again, I feel as if all the wind was knocked out of me. All over her beautiful porcelain skin are bruises so purple they look like they’ve begun to heal. I don’t care about that as much as the purple hand prints around her neck that make me want to wring the culprits’ own neck. How dare they touch her like that? How dare they try to kill her in her sleep! What a coward! What I will do to them when I find them, I will make them hurt, make them cower in the dark like the wimp they really are. I will make them suffer! There is no way to hide it from my face, my anger must be plastered all over it.

  “What?” she asks looking down then glancing over to the mirror where she sees what I’ve been unable to take my eyes from. She looks back at me with those hazel eyes and I see them begin to brim with tears. What do I say to her? How can I take away her pain? She finally bursts into tears and falls into my arms. I hold her tight like maybe I can show her that I’m here for her. That I will do anything to help her, protect her, I just hope that it’s enough.